under the meteor flag log of a midshipman during the french revolutionary war by harry collingwood ________________________________________________________________________ this is well-written and full of action. the formula is very much the same as kingston's--gales, shipwrecks, rafts, hand-to-hand battles, and above all, a super-smart midshipman who doesn't even shave yet, but who has influence in the navy. it is a good yarn, but there are a couple of things i do not like about it. one is the habit of giving people surnames that are also parts of the ship. i know that marryat did it once or twice, and kingston did it, but it jars each time. i suppose the virtue of doing this is that you are unlikely to find anyone in real life with that surname, so confusion with actual people is avoided. the other thing i don't like is the bringing-in of descriptions almost word for word from other books by the same author. i suppose that's better than bringing in descriptions by other authors. a very strange thing is the title of the book. the word "meteor" is mentioned only once, and on that occasion the meteor flag was waving while they committed someone's body to the deep. i do think the title ought to have something to do with the book, but at the time this book was written there didn't seem to be a strong rule about it. it is a longish book, and the audiobook is easy to listen to, but the action goes so fast that you must not let your mind drift while you are listening. nh. ________________________________________________________________________ under the meteor flag log of a midshipman during the french revolutionary war by harry collingwood chapter one. on board the "scourge." on the th of march, , his britannic majesty's gun-brig "scourge" weighed, and stood out to sea from the anchorage at spithead, under single-reefed topsails, her commander having received orders to cruise for a month in the chops of the channel. the "scourge" was a -gun brig, but having been despatched to sea in a great hurry, after receiving somewhat extensive repairs at the dockyard, she had only eight long -pounders mounted, and, for the same reason, she was considerably short-handed, her _crew_ amounting only to seventy men and boys, of whom quite one half were eminently "green" hands. war with france had just been once more declared, the various dockyards were busy night and day preparing and turning out ships for service, and the officers were glad to get hold of almost any class of men for their ships, provided only that they were strong and able-bodied. in this dashing little brig, i--ralph chester--held the exalted and responsible post of midshipman; my appointment, on the morning in question, being exactly one week old. i had only joined the ship, however, three days before, and in the interval had been made the victim of almost every practical joke which the ingenuity of my fellow-mids could devise. it is not my purpose to recount these tricks, for stirring times were at hand, and adventures of a sterner and far more interesting nature were to meet me at the very outset of my career, crowding thick and fast upon each other's heels; and it is in the recital of these adventures that i hope to excite and gratify the curiosity of my readers. a few--and _only_ a few--words are necessary by way of personal introduction. my father--the reverend henry chester--was rector of the parish of --, which, as everybody knows, enjoys the advantage of being located in the heart of the loveliest scenery in hampshire. our family was not a large one; there were only four of us--two boys and two girls--exclusive of my parents; which was a decidedly fortunate circumstance, for if my father's family was moderate, his income was still more so, and my poor mother's ingenuity was often taxed to the utmost to make both ends meet, and at the same time maintain for us all such outward tokens of respectability as became the rector's family. my elder brother, henry, was destined to follow in the paternal footsteps by entering the church. my sisters florence and amy (my juniors respectively by two and four years) would, it was hoped, contract in due time suitable marriages, with the friendly aid and countenance of some of our more wealthy relations; and, for myself, my dear father was most anxious that i should devote the few abilities with which i had been endowed by nature to the study of the law. personally about the most unambitious man who ever lived, my father's ambition for his children was absolutely boundless; and i believe, could the truth have been arrived at, he quite hoped in course of time to see his sons, the one primate of england, and the other in possession of the woolsack. but the prospect of spending my days in groping through musty law-books, hunting up obscure precedents, convincing an enlightened jury, through the medium of my persuasive arguments and impassioned eloquence, of the innocence of rascals carrying the word "rogue" legibly imprinted upon their countenances, and other operations of a kindred nature, had no attractions whatever for me; my tastes and proclivities were all in favour of an active outdoor existence; and, though i was prepared to yield obedience if my father chose to _insist_ upon my following so uncongenial an occupation, i felt that it was only due to myself to point out to him that it would be utterly out of my power to infuse any spirit or enthusiasm into my pursuit of it. my father, on learning how utterly distasteful to me were his plans for my future, at once waived his own inclinations, and came to the point by inviting me to state specifically _what_ occupation i should prefer; and, after taking a little time to give the question my most careful consideration, i informed him that i had made up my mind to go into the navy, if he saw no objection, and if i could get there. my decision gave great concern to both my parents, and indeed i may say to the whole family; but as time went on and it became every day more apparent that i had set my heart upon going to sea, it was at length decided to yield to my wishes; and the only question which then remained was how to get me afloat under the most favourable auspices. this question, fortunately for me, admitted of an easy solution. an uncle of my mother--sir peregrine portfire, k.b., vice-admiral of the red, etcetera, etcetera--was applied to; and within a fortnight i was directed to join the "scourge" forthwith. a letter arrived by the same post from my great-uncle, containing an enclosure addressed to commander george brisac, soliciting his good service in my behalf, which enclosure i was instructed to present to the gentleman addressed on joining the ship. i will not detain my readers by introducing them to the officers of the "scourge;" my sojourn on board that ship was but a short one, so short, indeed, that i scarcely had time to become acquainted with them myself; and, as i never fell in with any of them again in after-life, what little it is necessary for the reader to know concerning them he will glean in the progress of the narrative. and now to resume the thread of my story. the "scourge," when we left her, was standing out to sea under single- reefed topsails. the wind was about w.n.w., blowing strong, with frequent squalls of mingled rain and sleet. the sky was entirely obscured by dull, dirty, ragged-looking clouds, which hung so low that they seemed to touch our trucks as they swept rapidly along overhead. the sea under the shelter of the land was of course smooth, but as we drew rapidly off the shore (the brig proving to be a wonderfully fast little craft, to the intense satisfaction of all hands), we soon got into rougher water; and then to the original miseries of rain and cold were added the discomfort of frequent and copious showers of icy spray, which, coming in over the weather bow, flew right aft and out over the lee quarter, treating everybody, with the utmost impartiality, to a good drenching on its way. all hands, from the skipper downward, disregarding appearances, carefully enwrapped their carcases from head to foot in oilskin; and if anything had been needed to complete the all- pervading aspect of cold and wretchedness which the scene presented, it would have been found in contemplation of the wet and shiny appearance of the crew, each with a little stream of water trickling off the flap of his sou'-wester down his back, and with hair and whiskers blowing drenched and bedraggled about his pinched and purple visage. the crowning misery of all--sea-sickness--i was happily spared, and i was thus enabled to go about my duty without experiencing a wish that some kindly sea would wash me overboard and end my life and my wretchedness together; but, as it was, the circumstances attendant upon my first experience of active service were such as might well have damped the ardour of one even more enthusiastic than myself. my pride, or my obstinacy, however, were such, that having once put my hand to the plough, i was quite determined that nothing short of actual physical incapacity should compel me to turn back. we stretched off the land, close-hauled upon the starboard tack, the whole of that day, and the greater part of the succeeding night; the skipper's object being, as i gathered from a remark or two which i overheard between him and the first lieutenant, to get well over toward the french coast; where, if fortune favoured us, we might be lucky enough to pick up a prize or two. as the day wore on, the wind increased considerably in strength, and at the end of the first dog-watch orders were given to take down another reef in the topsails, and to stow the courses. the topsail yards were accordingly lowered down upon the caps, and the crew proceeded aloft to execute this duty, some of the green hands evincing a very marked disinclination to go more than half-way up the lower rigging; and when at length, by dint of mingled force and persuasion, they were got as high as the tops, two or three refused point-blank to lay out upon the yards. the first lieutenant raved at them, stamped furiously upon the deck, and threatened unutterable things if they did not lay out forthwith; and the captains of the tops, not to be behindhand, proceeded vigorously to "freshen their way" with a rope's end. this latter persuasive appeared to have the desired effect; and, slowly and with excessive caution, the men proceeded to lay out. suddenly the foot of one of them on the main-yard slipped; he clung convulsively for a moment to the yard, and then whirled off backwards, striking the main-rigging on the weather side, and rebounding into the sea. instantly there arose the startling cry of "a man overboard!" i know not what possessed me, but in the excitement of the moment, and without in the least thinking of what i was doing, i no sooner saw the man strike the water than i rushed aft, leaped upon the taffrail, and, pausing a single instant to mark the spot where he fell, raised my hands above my head, and took a most scientific header into the boiling surge. as i was descending toward the water i heard a hearty cheer from the men, and then the icy cold waves closed over my head; there was a rushing sound in my ears, and darkness all around me. when i rose to the surface, i found myself close to the drowning man, who was struggling feebly and in an aimless sort of way, apparently half stunned, and lying face downwards in the water. swimming happened to be one of the very few accomplishments in which i excelled, otherwise i do not think it at all probable i should have leapt overboard so unhesitatingly; be that as it may, though i had never been in rough water before, and though, now that i was overboard, the sea seemed incomparably more tempestuous than it had appeared to be from the ship's deck, i felt perfectly at home. paddling cautiously up to the man, i seized him by the hair, and turned him over on his back, then threw myself upon my back, and dragged his head up high enough upon my breast to lift his mouth out of water, supporting him and myself by vigorous strokes with my feet. looking round, as we rose on the crest of a sea, i could dimly descry the brig through the rapidly increasing gloom; and to my horror she appeared to be a long distance away. i had time only, however, for a momentary glance, when we sank into the trough, and i lost sight of her. a few seconds afterwards i caught sight of her again, and this time she was displaying in her rigging a lantern, the sight of which i regarded (rightly, as it afterwards turned out) as a sign and token that every effort would be used to recover us, and truly the feeble gleam, appearing and disappearing as we rose and fell upon the agitated surface of the sea, was to me a very star of hope and encouragement. my vigorous efforts to keep myself and the man afloat soon told upon me, and i began to fear that i should be obliged to abandon my prize in order to preserve my own life; luckily for us both, however, my companion had ceased to struggle, and now lay supported within my arms, to all appearance dead. as the time dragged heavily away, i grew more and more exhausted, and at length the man slipped from my relaxing grasp and began to sink. happily at this instant i caught a momentary glimpse of a small object standing out black and distinct against the narrow belt of light lying along the western horizon, and i felt instinctively that it was a boat coming in search of us; the sight imparted new energy to my nerveless frame, and, recovering my grasp upon the man just as he was sinking beyond my reach, i determined to keep him above water until succour arrived, or go down with him. how anxiously i kept watch upon the boat, and the desperate efforts i made to keep afloat, it would be impossible to describe. the dancing craft appeared to be lying at anchor upon the water, though in reality she was foaming down towards us before the wind and sea, propelled by the strong arms of eight of the stoutest oarsmen in the ship. at length, however, she was near enough to enable me to discern the bow man standing up, one hand shading his eyes, and the other grasping a boat- hook. presently a hail came down upon the wind toward us from the boat, and directly afterwards another. i was by this time too weak to reply; and could only hope that they would pull on until close enough to see us; to my inexpressible horror, however, when some seven or eight lengths away, the boat's head swerved sharply aside, and the craft darted off upon a course at right angles to her former one. then indeed i uttered a shriek loud enough to awake the seven sleepers, and immediately went under. i thought it was now all over with us both; but the love of life is strong, especially in the young, and a convulsive struggle brought us once more to the surface; but, blinded with salt water, and with my senses fast leaving me, i no longer looked round for the boat, but battled desperately, though more than half unconsciously, for life; still retaining, with the tenacious grasp of the drowning, my hold upon my companion. i at length heard faintly, and as though in a dream, a voice saying, "there they are! port, sir, hard!" and then all became an utter blank. the first indication of returning consciousness was the sound of the surgeon's voice saying, "all right! he is coming to; and we shall save him yet." "thank god for that!" presently exclaimed another voice, which i recognised as the skipper's; "i would not have lost the lad for the worth of all that i possess. i never saw a more plucky thing in all my life; and, if he lives, he will grow up to be an ornament to the service." at this point i opened my eyes, and found those of the speaker bent upon me with an expression of deep solicitude. i furthermore found that i had been stripped of my wet clothing, and was lying in the captain's own cot, with the doctor and one of the seamen rubbing my limbs and body so vigorously with their bare hands, in the endeavour to restore a brisk circulation, that i seemed to be in imminent danger of being flayed alive. "how do you feel now, my boy?" inquired the skipper, as he bent over the side of the cot, and laid his hand kindly upon my own. "very much better, sir, thank you," i replied; though, to tell the truth, i was at that moment enduring the most acute pain in every nerve of my body--the physical suffering attendant upon the returning tide of life being actually much greater than that experienced while i was undergoing the process of drowning. "that's right," returned he, in a cheery tone of voice; "i am glad to hear it, as every man in the ship will be. you have performed a right gallant action, and i am sure you will be glad to know that your efforts have not been in vain. the poor fellow whom you rescued is alive, and likely to do well." i felt too weak to make any reply to this gratifying speech, a fact which the doctor instantly perceived, for he turned to the skipper and remarked, "with your permission, sir, we will now leave the lad in quiet to sleep off his exhaustion. i will just mix him a simple restorative, while your steward tucks him in and makes him comfortable for the night; after which i think we may safely leave the rest to nature, though, of course, i shall look in upon both of my patients from time to time, so as to make quite sure that they are going on all right." if the worthy medico fulfilled his promise to "look in" upon me during the night--and i feel quite sure he did--i was blissfully unconscious of the fact, for under the soothing influence of the restorative draught, and the warmth of the blankets liberally heaped upon me by the captain's steward, i speedily sank into a deep, dreamless, refreshing slumber--a delicious oblivion--from which i awoke in the morning to find myself very little the worse for my exertions of the previous night. when i opened my eyes i saw, through the open door of the state-room, that the sun was streaming brightly down through the skylight, lighting up the cosy little cabin, bringing out to the fullest advantage the flowing tints of three or four well-executed pictures, which were secured to the bulkheads, and altogether imparting a delightfully cheerful appearance to the apartment. the vessel, however, was in violent motion; i could, from my position in the cot, look out through the stern windows; and i saw that there was a heavy sea running, and the roar of the wind through the rigging, which was distinctly audible above the sound of creaking timbers, rattling doors, trampling feet, and the _swish_ of heavy showers of spray upon the deck, told me it was blowing hard. i felt so greatly recovered, however, that i resolved to get up, and, springing out of the cot, i proceeded to dress myself with as much alacrity as the rolling and pitching of the ship would permit. while engaged in this occupation, the doctor entered the cabin. "hillo!" he exclaimed, "turning out, eh? well done, young gentleman. steady! you have not shipped your sea-legs yet, as our friend the first lieutenant would say; you must be cautious, or you will be thrown against something or other, and get a nasty knock. well, and how do you feel this morning?" "a trifle weak," i replied, "that's all. i dare say i shall be better when i have had breakfast." "that's your sort," responded the jolly old medico; "if you are hungry, there is not much wrong with you; but you mentioned breakfast. have you any notion what time it may happen to be?" "not much," i replied; "but i fear it is rather late." "that depends upon what you call late," he retorted. "some of your town-bred dandies are only in their first nap about this time. as a matter of absolute fact, however, it has just gone eight bells, or noon; so that you see, my young friend, breakfast is over long enough ago. but i dare say patterson can find something for you all the same." he rang a small hand-bell which stood on the table, and the captain's steward made his appearance. "patterson," said the doctor, "this young gentleman complains that he is hungry. have you any trifle, such as the wing of a chicken, or something of that sort, in your pantry that you could give him?" "no, sir," replied the man, with a grin, "i'm afraid i've not. but if a nice rasher of bacon and a cup of coffee will do--" "splendidly," i interrupted. "to tell you the truth, doctor, i am hungry enough to eat a horse, harness and all; so i shall be very glad to have either a rasher of bacon or anything else that is quickly obtainable." patterson was not long in getting ready the promised repast, which i cleared to the last morsel; after which i made my way on deck. the skipper was there, promenading the weather side of the quarter-deck, the first luff jogging fore and aft alongside of him. i was called up, a few kind inquiries made, together with a eulogistic remark or two upon my conduct of the previous evening; and the whole neatly finished off with an intimation that, having begun so well, great things would be expected of me in future, and that, having established a reputation for zeal and gallantry, it was hoped i would do my utmost to maintain it; after which i was dismissed. i soon found that my exploit had placed me upon quite a different footing in the ship from that which i had occupied before. the men treated me with real respect, instead of the good-humoured burlesque thereof which they had accorded me hitherto; and my fellow-mids at once received me into the berth upon a footing of perfect equality with themselves, each one striving to do me some little kindness or show me some little attention, in place of playing off disagreeable practical jokes upon me. they would not have been midshipmen had they not had a jocular remark or two to make upon the subject, but it was all said in good part. the wind continued to blow hard during the whole of that day, but toward sunset it moderated somewhat, and veered a point or two to the northward. the ship had been under close-reefed topsails and fore-topmast staysail ever since midnight of the night before. chapter two. how we lost her. the sun was just sinking below the horizon, his parting beams lighting up gorgeously a heavy bank of clouds which hung low down in the western quarter, when the lookout man aloft hailed, "a sail on the weather bow!" everybody was instantly on the alert. "what do you make her out to be?" hailed mr sennitt, the first lieutenant; while the skipper turned to me and said,-- "mr chester, be good enough to slip down into my cabin, and bring up my telescope, if you please." as i made a dive down the companion, i heard the lookout hail again: "she is a large lugger, sir; i can make her out quite plainly; she is just in the wake of the sun." "all hands make sail," was the next order, given as quick as lightning. i got the glass, and hurrying on deck with it, placed it in the skipper's hands. the men were by this time lying out on the yards, shaking a couple of reefs out of the topsails, and loosing the courses. captain brisac slung the telescope over his shoulder, and, springing into the rigging, made his way aloft to the crosstrees, where the lookout still sat, with one hand grasping the topgallant shrouds, and the other shading his eyes. the skipper braced himself firmly against the topmost head, raised the telescope to his eye, and took a good long look at the stranger, closed the glass sharply, and descended to the deck again with all the agility of a monkey--or a midshipman. "she _is_ a lugger, sure enough; and a large one too," he remarked, as he rejoined the first lieutenant. "there can be no doubt that she is french; and i have a strong suspicion that she is a privateer on the lookout for some of our homeward-bound vessels. i do not think they have made us out yet; when i saw her she was jogging easily along under her fore and mizzen lugs and a small jib. if she does not see us within the next five minutes, the chances are that she will not make us out at all until the moon rises, which will not be for quite another hour; by which time i hope we shall have drawn pretty close up to her." the lookout was hailed from time to time, to inquire whether the lugger had made any more sail or not; and each time the cheering reply was, "not yet, sir." at length the reply was, "it is too dark to see her now, sir; but she had not when i lost sight of her." the brig was now tearing along under single-reefed topsails, courses, fore-topmast staysail, jib, and spanker, her lee side buried deep in the foaming brine, and the sea coming bodily in over her bows by tons at a time. she no longer rose lightly over the opposing waves, but dashed headlong into them; rushing forward upon her way like a startled courser. every night-glass in the ship was brought into requisition by the eager officers, in their endeavours to catch an occasional glimpse of the stranger; but the night had settled down pitchy dark, the sky having rapidly become obscured by a thick veil of clouds immediately after the disappearance of the sun below the horizon, so that not so much as a solitary star was visible; all efforts to get a sight of the chase were consequently quite in vain. _so_ dark was it that, standing by the taffrail, it was impossible to see as far as the bows of the ship. not a light of any description was permitted on board the "scourge;" even the binnacle lights were carefully masked, and captain brisac soon began to manifest a great deal of anxiety at the risk which he was undoubtedly incurring in thus driving his ship at racing speed through the thick darkness, without a warning light of any description to indicate her presence to other craft. he contented himself, however, with placing five of the sharpest-sighted men on the lookout; namely, one on the flying-jibboom-end, one on each cat-head, and one on each of the fore- yardarms. the bearings of the chase had of course been very accurately taken the last thing before losing sight of her, when she was estimated to be ten miles distant, and about two points on the weather bow, going along upon an easy bowline. the "scourge" was an exceedingly smart little brig under her canvas; and when the additional sail had been set and every brace, sheet, tack, and bowline trimmed with the utmost nicety, it was the general opinion that she was going a good honest eleven knots. the chase was thought to be travelling at the rate of four knots at most; it was hoped, therefore, that when the moon rose we should find ourselves within three or four miles of her. the suspense, which we were compelled to endure as best we might, caused the time to drag heavily on; at length, however, a brightening of the sky in the eastern quarter proclaimed the welcome approach of the moon. slowly--very slowly--the brightness increased, the veil of cloud breaking up before it, and revealing the sky beyond, all luminous with silvery radiance. a few more anxious minutes, and the round white disc of the moon rose slowly upwards into view, flinging a broad path of light across the tumbling billows, and gleaming pale and ghostly on the sails of the lugger, which now appeared directly ahead of us, and about five miles distant. instantly every glass in the ship was levelled at the chase; and a general exclamation of annoyance arose, as, while still engaged in taking their first long look at her, the pursuers observed a sudden fluttering of canvas about the mainmast which speedily resolved itself unmistakably into a lofty well-set mainsail. "ah!" ejaculated the skipper, stamping his foot impatiently on the deck, "they evidently have sharp eyes on board yonder lugger; they must have seen us the moment that the moon rose." "yes," returned the first lieutenant, with his eye still glued to his glass; "and the sharp eyes appear to belong to an equally sharp crew; they are shaking out their reefs fore and aft and shifting their jib, all at the same time. depend upon it, sir, we shall have to work for that craft before we get her." "we shall catch her, mr sennitt, never fear," was the cheery response; "she cannot be above half our size, and will have no chance with us in such a breeze as this. and i do not anticipate that she is any more heavily armed than we are, though she may possibly carry a few more men. her skipper will of course escape if he can! and when he finds that impossible, he will, equally of course, fight, and very likely fight well. still, i do not think we shall have much difficulty in taking him." "in the meantime, however," remarked sennitt, who had his glass constantly at his eye, "unless i am greatly mistaken, he is gradually creeping away from us; his rigging does not show out as plainly as it did ten minutes ago, yet there is more light." another long and anxious observation of the chase by both officers followed; and, imitating their example, i also brought my glass to bear upon the flying craft. flying she literally seemed to be rather than sailing. at one moment her hull was completely hidden by an intervening wave-crest, her sails only being visible; the next she would rush into view, her low hull deluged with spray which glanced in the moonlight like a shower of diamonds as it flew over her almost to the height of her low mast-heads and dissipated itself in the sea to leeward; while her masts bent like willow wands, inclining at what seemed to me a fearfully perilous angle with the horizon. "upon my word, sennitt, i fear you are right," at last said the skipper, bringing his glass reluctantly down into the hollow of his arm. "let us lay our glasses aside for half an hour, we shall then be better able to judge which ship is gaining upon the other, and if we find that we are losing ground, there will be nothing for it but to shake the remaining reef out of our topsails, and get the flying-jib on her; our spars are good, and the rigging new; both ought to be quite capable of standing a little extra strain." "it will be rather a risky business to increase the strain already laid upon the spars," said the first lieutenant, glancing anxiously aloft at the topmasts, which were springing and buckling at every plunge of the ship, with the enormous pressure of the tightly distended topsails; "still it is perhaps worth trying; it would be a fine feather in our caps if we could send into port the first prize of the war." the stipulated half-hour passed away; and at the end of that period the unwelcome conviction forced itself upon every one that the lugger was having the best of it. "there is no help for it, mr sennitt," said the skipper, "shake that reef out of the topsails, and set the flying-jib; she _must_ bear it." excited by the exhilarating influence of the chase, the hands sprang aloft with the utmost alacrity, and in an incredibly short space of time had the reel out and the topsails distended to their fullest extent; the flying-jib flapped wildly in the wind for a moment or two, and then yielded to the restraint of the sheet, at which it tugged as though it would tear away the cleat to which it was secured. the effect of these additions to the before heavy pressure of canvas upon the ship was immediate, and, to my inexperience, highly alarming. the brig now lay over upon her side to such an extent that it was with the utmost difficulty i could retain my footing upon the steeply- inclined and slippery plane of the deck. the lee sail was completely buried in the sea, which boiled in over the lee bow and surged aft along the deck like a mill-race; while ever and anon an ominous _crack_ aloft told of the severity of the strain upon the overtaxed spars. mr sennitt kept glancing uneasily upward, as these portentous sounds smote upon his ear; which captain brisac observing, he turned to the first lieutenant and said,-- "do not be alarmed, sennitt; it is only the spars settling into their berths; they--" _crash_! i sprang instinctively aft to the taffrail, out of the way of the wreck, and then looked up to see both topmasts, snapped off like carrots just above the caps, go swooping over to leeward, to hang by their rigging under the lee of the courses; while the ship, with a sharp shock, as though she had touched upon some unseen rock, recovered herself and floated once more upon an almost even keel. captain brisac was much too gentlemanly to swear. he simply turned to the first lieutenant and said, "we have rather overdone it this time, sennitt; however, it is no use crying over spilt milk, so turn the hands up, please, and let them clear away the wreck, and repair damages as soon as possible." the boom of a distant gun told us that the crew of the lugger had not been unobservant of our misfortune, and that they were willing to expend a charge of powder in acquainting us with their exultation thereat. by daybreak next morning we had everything ataunt again; the chase, however, had run completely out of sight, hours before, and was, at all events for the present, hopelessly lost to us. the wind had gone down very considerably during the night, and had hauled round to about due north; the sea went rapidly down; the sky was cloudless and intensely blue; the air became keen and frosty; and when the sun rose, it found us standing to the westward under topgallant- sails, without a single sail of any kind in sight. chapter three. the "sans-culotte." the adage that "it is an ill wind that blows nobody good" maintained its reputation for truth, even in the case of the seemingly unmitigated disaster of the previous night--that is to say, at least, as far as i was concerned; inasmuch as the knowledge and experience which i acquired of my profession during the operation of clearing away the wreck, recovering the sails, rigging, and undamaged spars, fitting the new topmasts into their places, and restoring the ship generally to her former condition, gave me an advantage which i could scarcely have hoped to secure in less than six months of the ordinary run of active service. i watched with unflagging interest the progress of every operation as the work went forward, with the result that i learned by actual observation, coupled with the best use of my reasoning faculties, and frequent questions to mr sennitt (who, i may say, heard and answered my inquiries with quite astonishing patience), the position and use of every rope that i saw fitted, the mode of working the yards, and much other valuable knowledge. it is surprising how speedily human curiosity becomes quickened and aroused, if the individual devotes himself earnestly to the study of an art or science. the thirst for knowledge increases with its acquisition--at least, such is my experience--and is not to be satisfied until every mystery connected with such art or science has been mastered, and made the inalienable property of the student. it was so with me in relation to everything connected with my profession. having gained a certain amount of knowledge concerning the mysteries of seamanship, i craved for more; and throwing all my energies into the discharge of my daily round of duties, made such rapid progress as astonished everybody, myself included. the "scourge," meanwhile, was slowly pursuing her course down channel; the wind, after the recent blow, having fallen light and baffling; it was not, therefore, until the morning of the th that she reached her cruising-ground, scilly bearing at the time about n.e., distant miles. the day broke clear and cloudless, with a light air of wind from the southward; the water being smooth, save for the long, rolling swell of the atlantic, which at the spot in question made itself very distinctly felt. the air was mild and springlike, the unclouded sunbeams struck with a perceptible sensation of warmth, and every one on board, forgetting the recent misery of cold and wet, greeted the welcome change with a corresponding flow of exuberant animal spirits. the hands had just been piped to breakfast, when the lookout aloft reported, "a sail right ahead!" recalling to mind the skipper's request on a previous occasion, i at once ran down into the cabin for his telescope, which i brought on deck and handed to him. "thank you, mr chester," said he. "i have remarked with very great pleasure your real in the discharge of your duties. go on as you have begun, my boy, and you will soon become a valuable and efficient officer." captain brisac did not, however, himself go aloft this time; mr clewline, the second lieutenant, happened to be on deck at the moment, and the skipper handed him the glass, with a polite request that he would "see what he could make of her." mr clewline, i thought, seemed rather to resent the suggestion as an affront to his dignity; he, however, made no demur, but proceeded aloft with great deliberation, and, seating himself upon the fore-topsail yard, took a very leisurely observation of the stranger. having devoted about a quarter of an hour to this occupation, he slowly closed the telescope, and carefully slinging it over his shoulder, descended to the deck with the same deliberation which had characterised his ascent. it was not until he had regained the skipper's side that he condescended to make his report; when, handing back the glass with a stiff bow, he said, "i make out the stranger to be, sir, a brig, apparently french, of about our own size; she is standing directly toward us, upon the starboard tack, under topgallant-sails." "thank you, sir," returned the skipper shortly; then turning upon his heel he went below to his cabin, patterson having come on deck a minute or two before, to announce that breakfast was ready. the news quickly spread through the ship that the sail in sight was supposed to be a frenchman; and as the two vessels were approaching each other, and an action, in the event of mr clewline's supposition proving correct, inevitable, a considerable amount of excitement prevailed. the men bolted their breakfast in less than half the time usually devoted to that meal, and returned to the deck the moment they had disposed of their last morsel; while the officers betrayed at least an equal amount of eagerness, two or three of them hastily swallowing a cup of scalding coffee, and munching up a biscuit, without giving themselves time even to sit down. "old sennitt"--as he was irreverently termed in the midshipmen's berth-- was one of the earliest to put in an appearance after breakfast, and his first act was to go straight aloft with his glass. he devoted more time even than mr clewline to the examination of the stranger, and it was not until captain brisac had returned to the deck and hailed him that he made a move. as he came aft and joined his superior upon the quarter-deck, exultation was visible in his face, and in every movement of his body. "it is all right, sir," he exclaimed; "she is french beyond all possibility of doubt. the cut of her canvas is alone sufficient evidence of her nationality; but in order that there may be no room for question of it, she has furled her royals, and has run up the tricolour to her main-royal-mast-head. she is a brig, as far as i can make out her rig, coming end-on to us as she is, and seems about our size, or perhaps a trifle larger. i suppose we may as well clear for action at once?" "if you please, mr sennitt; and, not to be behindhand with them, let them see the colour of our bunting before you do anything else." the order to clear for action was received with enthusiasm; and the little round ball which immediately soared aloft, breaking abroad and displaying the naval ensign as it touched the main truck, was greeted with a rousing cheer. the "green" hands were by this time not quite so verdant as they had been a few days before, mr sennitt having drilled them most remorselessly at every available opportunity--and as they had been very judiciously intermingled with the experienced "salts," in appointing them to their various stations, the work went on with, as captain brisac remarked, "very creditable celerity." in little more than half an hour, the yards had been slung, bulkheads knocked down, the magazine opened, guns cast loose, loaded, and run out, and every other preparation completed. meanwhile the two brigs had been slowly drawing together, and by a.m. were within a couple of miles of each other. there had been a little manoeuvring on each side to secure the weather-gage; but our skipper, perceiving that the action was likely to be thereby delayed, speedily yielded the point, and allowed the frenchman to take the coveted position. "it will make very little difference, five minutes after we are engaged," he remarked to the first lieutenant, who, after having gone the rounds and personally seen that everything was ready, had rejoined him aft, just as the order had been given to the helmsman of the "scourge" to "keep away." "there is one thing which we have not yet done," he continued, "it seems quite unnecessary, but we may as well avoid all possibility of mistake by showing the private signal." the private signal was accordingly shown but evoked, as was expected, no response. it was consequently hauled down again, and now everybody made himself finally ready for the impending conflict. my readers will naturally feel curious to know whether on this, the first occasion of my "smelling gunpowder," i experienced any sensation of fear. i am old enough now, and have seen enough of service, to have no misapprehension of being misunderstood, or rather misjudged; i will therefore confess the truth, and candidly acknowledge that, for a few minutes after the completion of our preparations, i felt most horribly frightened. i knew that i was about to be involved in a scene of death and destruction, of sickening slaughter, and of even more sickening physical suffering; i anticipated seeing my fellow-men struck down right and left, their limbs torn away, and, quite possibly, their bodies cut in two by the cruel chain-shot; i looked round upon the order and cleanliness which everywhere prevailed on board our ship, and contrasted the existent condition of things with the picture which my imagination conjured up of impending blood and carnage; and i admit that for a few minutes my heart almost failed me. that state of feeling, however, soon passed away, and was succeeded by a condition of painful excitement and impatience, which lasted until the first shot was fired, when it abruptly subsided, leaving me as cool and collected as i am at the present moment. i was not too frightened, however, to notice and admire the perfect _sang-froid_ with which captain brisac and mr sennitt contemplated the approach of our antagonist. they stood side by side, just abaft the main-rigging, scrutinising every movement on board the french ship, and exchanging critical remarks upon the smartness of her crew in shortening sail and executing the various manoeuvres usual on board a ship going into action; and i gathered, with no very comfortable feelings, that, from what they observed, they quite anticipated a hard fight. when the ships had approached each other within a quarter of a mile, we were able, for the first time, to ascertain the actual armament of our foe. mr sennitt was the first to seize the opportunity of counting her ports, and he it was who announced, loud enough for everybody to hear, that she showed six guns of a side, making her entire battery heavier than our own by four guns. "which makes her a very fair match for us," he contentedly remarked. "we will engage her at close quarters, mr sennitt," said the skipper; "be good enough, therefore, to have every gun double-shotted. let no man fire until i give the word; we will wait until we are fairly abreast of her, and then give her our whole larboard broadside at once. luff, you may!" to the master, who had taken the wheel. "luff, and shave her as closely as you can, without actually touching her. steady--so; that will do very nicely." as the french ship came up, she fired every gun along her larboard broadside, commencing from forward, the moment they could be brought to bear; and the shot came tearing in through our bulwarks, making the splinters fly in all directions. in my ignorance i expected to see about half our crew go down before that first discharge, but to my unbounded surprise not a man was hurt. the frenchman was by this time so close that we could not only see with the utmost distinctness the crew reloading their guns, but could hear the confused jabber of excited conversation which appeared to be going on unchecked on board. what a contrast to our own ship, where every man stood at his post, steady and silent as a statue! at last the two ships came up fairly abreast of each other, and were passing so closely that an active man might have jumped from the one to the other, when the skipper uttered the word "fire!" the four guns of our larboard broadside rang out simultaneously, the concussion of the air causing the two ships to heel outwards; and through the noise of the explosion i distinctly heard the crashing of timbers, and the piercing shrieks of the wounded. "that's one to us; we draw first blood," chuckled a voice behind me; and i looked round to observe young harvey, a fellow-mid, rubbing his hands with an air of great satisfaction. "hard up with your helm," exclaimed the skipper; "shiver your main- topsail and let her wear short round; stand by your guns there on the starboard broadside, and fire as you bring each to bear." the effect of this manoeuvre was to lay our ship almost directly athwart the stern of the frenchman, and so smartly was it executed that we had pretty effectually raked him before he was able to bear up, and give us another broadside, the whole of which flew over us harmlessly, except for a hole or two in our sails. the fight now became a running one, both ships going off before the wind, and the frenchman rather evincing a disposition to keep us at a distance. he did not seem to like the taste he'd had of our quality, as i heard the irish captain of the after-gun, on the port side, remark. but we possessed rather the advantage of him in the matter of speed, and slowly edged down upon him until we were once more close alongside, when the ships exchanged broadsides, both firing at the same moment. we could see the white marks in our antagonist's sides, where our shot had struck, but either from defective aim, or because he wanted to shoot away our spars, all his shot again flew high, with no worse result than the severing of the starboard main-topsail-brace, a casualty which it took but a minute or two to repair. two or three more broadsides were exchanged without visible effect, and then an unlucky shot wounded our fore-topmast so badly that, after tottering for a minute or two, it went over the bows, dragging the main- topgallant-mast down with it. captain brisac proved himself quite equal to the occasion. he could not prevent the "scourge" from broaching-to, so, ordering the helm to be put hard-a-port, he luffed us right athwart the frenchman's stern, pouring in the larboard broadside, which had been disengaged since our opening fire, with such good effect that the french ship's main-yard was shot away, and the mainmast-head badly wounded. a strong gang was immediately set to work board on each ship to repair damages; but as the frenchman, by reason of the loss of his after-sail, was unable to bring his ship upon a wind, he had no alternative but to run dead before it, fully exposed, meanwhile, to the raking effects of our larboard guns, which were kept playing upon him until he had passed out of range, not one of his guns during that time being able to reply. it took us rather over one hour to clear away the wreck, and get another topmast on end, fully rig it, and make sail once more. mr sennitt, who personally superintended the work, insisted that it should be thoroughly well done--as well done in fact as though we had not been in the presence of an enemy. the french had, in the meantime, been quite as active as ourselves, and if their work was not so neatly done as our own, still it _was_ done after a fashion, and they were ready to make sail a few minutes before us, an advantage of which they availed themselves with such alacrity that it became evident their chief anxiety was to place, in the shortest possible time, the greatest possible distance between us and themselves. this project, however, by no means met the views of us "scourges," and the instant that it was possible, every available stitch of canvas was packed upon our ship, with the view of closing with the enemy again as promptly as possible. then began that most wearisome of all wearisome businesses, a stern chase in a light breeze, during which the whole crew, from the skipper downwards, whistled most devoutly for a wind. slowly--_very_ slowly we gained upon the chase, the master, who had resigned the wheel at the cessation of the action, standing upon the forecastle with his sextant, measuring, about once every five minutes, the angle between the mast-head and the water-line of the chase, to ascertain which ship gained upon the other. at last "i think we are within range now, sir; shall we try a shot from our bow-chasers?" said mr sennitt. "we can scarcely reach him yet, i am afraid," said the skipper; "but there will be no harm in trying." the order was given, and old tompion, the gunner, undertook in person the task of levelling the gun. he went about the work with much deliberation and a great display of science, and at length, watching a favourable opportunity, fired. in another moment a white sear started into view near the frenchman's rudder and close to the water's edge. "hulled him! by all that's clever," exclaimed the first luff, while the gratified tompion looked slowly round upon his messmates, with modest pride beaming from every feature. "returned, with thanks," murmured young harvey, who was stationed close beside me, as a puff of smoke veiled for an instant the stern of our antagonist; and then the shot was seen bounding toward us, its path marked by the jets of water which flew up wherever the ball struck. at last it was seen to scurry along the surface for a short distance; finally disappearing within about fifty fathoms of our bows. "try another shot there, forward," said the skipper, "and aim for his spars. a guinea to the first man who knocks away a spar big or little." every man in the ship was of course anxious to try his hand, and mr sennitt was obliged to interfere, with the view of allowing the best shots to have the first chance. some curiously indifferent shooting now ensued, the very eagerness of the men seeming to render them unsteady. i had strolled forward to watch the game, and, after several most exasperating misses, exclaimed, "i should like very much to try; i believe i could do better than that." "then try you shall, youngster," said mr sennitt; "the first shot a man ever fires is often a very lucky one, and perhaps yours may be so. you shall fire the next shot." while the gun was being loaded, tompion availed himself of the opportunity to deliver a short lesson on gunnery, for my especial benefit, of which all that i remember was that he attached great importance to the "trajectory," and was eloquent on the subject of the "parabolic curve." i had watched with much impatience the very scrupulous nicety with which most of the men pretended to lay the gun, and i was strongly impressed with the conviction that over-carefulness had much to do with their repeated failures; i took very little trouble, therefore, beyond seeing that the muzzle of the gun had a good elevation, after which i simply waited, squinting along the sights, until i saw that the weapon was just about to come in line with the frenchman's masts, when i pulled the trigger-line smartly, and was dragged forcibly backwards by the collar, just in time to avoid a serious blow from the recoiling gun. i turned angrily round to ascertain what reckless individual it was who had thus dared to lay unholy hands upon me, when my thoughts were diverted by a ringing cheer from all hands. my shot had lodged in the frenchman's mainmast-head, just above the cap; and, while we still looked, away went the main-topmast dragging the fore-topgallant-mast down with it. i received a vast amount of praise for my exploit, but of course it was merely a lucky shot, with which skill had nothing whatever to do. chapter four. the first capture. after this we rapidly overhauled the chase, and by the time that her crew had got the wreck cleared out of the way, were once more alongside. the french crew had ceased firing their stern-chasers upon the fall of their main-topmast, and it was the opinion of many that they had struck, their flag coming down with their topmast, and not being re-hoisted; we therefore ceased firing also, but before we were fairly alongside they had rigged a small staff out over their taffrail, and had run their flag up again. we were approaching the frenchman upon his starboard quarter, with the intention of pouring in our larboard broadside directly the two ships were fairly abreast, when our antagonist suddenly ported his helm, and threw himself right athwart our hawse, the evolution being performed exactly at the instant which rendered a collision unavoidable. our helm was immediately put hard-a-starboard, with the intention of passing under his stern if possible, but there was not sufficient room, and we struck him just abaft his main chains, the shock bringing down his mainmast, which had previously been badly wounded; while at the same moment his starboard broadside came crashing in through our bows with most destructive effect; one of our guns being dismounted, the foremast struck in two places within a foot of each other, and the wheel smashed to pieces. singularly enough the helmsman escaped without a scratch, but one poor fellow fell forward upon his gun, disembowelled. the wind being light, the shock of the collision was very gentle, and did no damage to the hull of either vessel. the two brigs dropped alongside each other, head and stern, and would soon have scraped clear again, but the french threw their grapnels into our rigging the instant that we dropped alongside, and immediately boarded. the whole thing was so sudden that captain brisac was for a single instant confused; he rallied the next, however, and shouting "boarders, repel boarders!" put himself at the head of our men. the french captain led on his boarding party with magnificent dash and resolution, and for the first minute our men were driven irresistibly back. then came the turn of the tide, the english, maddened at the disgrace of being forced to yield their ground to their hated enemies, recovered themselves, and in their turn pressed the french back again, every inch of the deck being fiercely contested. captain brisac and the french captain soon singled each other out, and after a few unavailing efforts succeeded in reaching each other and crossing swords. our skipper was a slight man of middle height and no very great personal strength, while the frenchman was a perfect giant; the fight between them therefore was a very unequal one, especially as captain brisac possessed but little skill with the sword. a few passes were made without any effect on either side, and then the frenchman made a downward cut at his antagonist's head, with such tremendous force that the skipper's guard was fairly beaten down, and had not his adversary's cutlass turned its edge he would, in all probability, have been cloven to the chin; as it was, he received a heavy blow on the head with the back of the weapon which partially stunned him, and placed him completely at the french captain's mercy. the cutlass was instantly raised to repeat the stroke, when, in an agony of apprehension at the imminent danger which threatened the man who had shown me so much kindness, i drew a pistol from my belt, and, thrusting its muzzle into the frenchman's face, pulled the trigger. the man flung up his arms and fell backwards dead, his distorted features, all blood- bespattered, presenting a hideous sight which haunted me for many a day afterwards. the sight of blood is said to madden some animals, and i am sure it maddened me, for, furious with excitement, i forthwith dashed headlong into the thickest of the _melee_, quite regardless of consequences, using with such savage freedom a cutlass which i snatched out of the hand of a wounded man, that the french recoiled on every side with looks of dismay, while our own men, pressing forward with renewed vigour, at length drove the enemy back to their own ship. "hurrah, lads! after them!" i exclaimed, far too excited to give a thought to the singularity of a newly-made midshipman presuming to assume the leadership in the presence of his superiors. our men caught my enthusiasm, responding with a ringing cheer; and after them we went, helter-skelter, so rapidly that english and french tumbled over the bulwarks together. there was a momentary effort on the part of the french to make a stand on reaching their own deck; but they were, as a crew, now thoroughly demoralised, and our lads, their blood at last completely roused, gave them no time to rally, but cut down every man who offered the slightest opposition. seeing that their case was hopeless, the french crew flung down their arms and cried for quarter, and in less than two minutes from the instant of boarding, we found ourselves masters of the "sans-culotte" privateer, mounting eight long -pounders and four -pound carronades, and with a crew originally of eighty-one men, of whom nine were killed and twenty wounded; our own loss being one man killed and one wounded. the action lasted three hours, and proved to be the first engagement of the war, much to the gratification of mr sennitt, who was intensely anxious for the distinction of sending in the first prize. the first duty was of course to secure possession, after which, the weather appearing likely to continue fine, the hands were piped to dinner--such dinner, that is, as could be procured on the spur of the moment, the galley fire having been extinguished at the time of clearing for action. captain brisac allowed an hour for this meal and a little repose, at the expiration of which all hands were set to work to clear away the wreck and repair damages, a task which kept us busy until considerably after sunset. by eight p.m., however, our preparations were complete, a prize crew was placed on board the "sans-culotte," and a nice little breeze having in the meantime sprung up from the westward, we made sail in company, shaping a course for plymouth, off which we arrived about noon the next day. the prize, now being safe from all chance of recapture, was sent in, while the "scourge," hauling her wind upon the starboard tack, reached off the land on her way back to her appointed cruising-ground. on the following day, about an hour before the time for serving dinner in the cabin, patterson, the captain's steward, popped his head in at the door of the midshipmen's berth and announced,-- "captain's compliments, and he will be glad to have the pleasure of mr chester's company at dinner." "tell captain brisac with my compliments that i am much obliged for his courteous invitation, which i accept with very great pleasure," i responded, looking up from the "day's work" upon which i was busy with my slate and pencil. "you're a lucky dog, chester!" exclaimed young harvey; "you seem to have dropped plump into the skipper's good books all at once. it is not often that we mids are honoured with an invitation to the cabin-table, i can tell you." "oh! come now, harvey, i protest against your imposing upon the unfortunate chester in that manner," interposed little markham (nicknamed "goliath" because he measured exactly three feet, six inches in his stockings). "you know as well as i do that he is invited into the cabin to-night, in order that the skipper may give him a good wigging for that boarding business yesterday. i hope he won't be _very_ hard upon you, old chap," he added, in a tone of deep sympathy, turning to me, "for somehow i have taken quite a liking to you, and if _i_ had been at your elbow yesterday, instead of that over-grown lout, harvey, i would have kept you out of the serape. you must be very quiet and submissive when he pitches into you, and plead ignorance--say you will be a good boy and not do it again, you know." "but have i really done anything very dreadful?" i inquired, more than half taken in by the young monkey's serious manner. "oh, lord! hold me, somebody, while i faint!" he exclaimed, turning up the whites of his eyes like a dying duck in a thunder-storm, and flinging himself so suddenly backwards into the arms of harvey that the latter went down stern foremost, landing on the deck with one hand in the beef-kid and the other in the blacking-box, while markham rolled on the top of him, kicking spasmodically, and simulating the feeble struggles of an expiring person. luckily for "goliath," it was the ludicrous side of this episode which presented itself most strongly to his victim, or a sound thrashing would, in all probability, have been his portion; as it was, the pair scrambled to their feet again with a hearty laugh, as good friends as ever. "i declare, chester, you'll be the death of me some day, if you go on like this," resumed my would-be tormentor; "your touching innocence would move a brass monkey to tears. why," he continued, looking round and addressing in low, measured tones, intended to express overwhelming astonishment, the fragment of glass which still clung to one corner of its frame, and, hanging suspended against the bulkhead, did duty as a mirror--"he asks if he has really done anything very dreadful!! is it actually possible, my gentle infant, that you are ignorant of the fact that you yesterday took the command out of your superior officers' hands, and that the punishment for such a crime--when it happens to be a first offence--is keelhauling, while a repetition thereof is visited with the extreme penalty of the law?" "and pray what is _keelhauling_?" i inquired, beginning to perceive that my mercurial friend was merely indulging in a joke at my expense. "keelhauling, sir," he replied, "is a form of punishment which consists in being lashed to a stout rope which is passed under the ship's bottom, and whereby the unhappy criminal is dragged along the keel from forward, aft; he being required, during the journey, to gather a sufficiency of barnacles off the ship's bottom to furnish a satisfying breakfast for the captain next morning. if the unfortunate wretch fails, the process is to be repeated, with this addition, that on the second occasion the quantity of barnacles provided is to be sufficient for both the captain and the first lieutenant." "good gracious, how horrible!" i exclaimed, assuming as well as i could an expression of serious concern. "i had no idea i was exposing myself to the risk of such a fearful punishment. what would you advise me to do?" "well, that is by no means an easy question to answer," he replied. "i'll tell you what i'll do, though. i should like to help you out of the scrape if i can, and i'll take an opportunity of speaking to the skipper before he goes down to dinner, and asking him not to pass sentence of punishment upon you for the present. then, if you'll keep my watch for me to-night, i'll get another interview with him on the quiet while you are doing so. i have some little influence with him--my modesty forbids me to say how i got it--and if i ask him _for my sake_ to forgive you, he may very possibly do so. i expect he'll make some reference to the affair while at dinner though, and if he does, your only chance will be to keep him in a good-humour, which you can easily do if you only know how." "but unfortunately i _don't_ know how!" i exclaimed, infusing as much anxiety as i could into my tone and manner. "no?" returned he. "well, i'll tell you, if you solemnly engage never, under any circumstances, to divulge the source of your information." i thought this extremely good, with harvey sitting by, demurely listening to the conversation, but, instead of saying so, i gravely entered into the required engagement. "that's all right," he remarked. "now listen attentively to me. the skipper has one overpowering weakness, and that is a fondness for a comic song. let him be ever so exasperated, a comic song--_a good comic_ song, mind you--never fails to soothe him. therefore, if he should happen to-night, by any chance, to refer to your unfortunate lapse of duty yesterday, listen patiently and respectfully to all that he has to say, and when he has finished, even if what he says strikes you as being of a laudatory character--he is a very curious fellow in that respect, often beginning by praising a man, when he means to end by blowing him up sky-high--just bow to him and say, `with your permission, sir, i will now change the subject by singing a comic song,' and strike up boldly at once. i may safely venture to say you will be supremely astonished at the effect you will produce, and if--" "mr clewline wishes to see you on deck _at once_, please, mr markham," said a marine, popping his head in at the door. "oh! all right," returned markham. "i'll be up in a minute or two. it's a great nuisance, but i assure you, my dear chester, that poor, old clewline is positively at sea, unless he has me constantly at his right hand to--" "mr clewline said, if you didn't come at once, mr markham, i was to just fetch ye," said the marine, introducing his head once more. "very well, lead on, fellow, i follow," ejaculated he of gath in a voice expressive of deep disgust, and he forthwith disappeared up the steep ladder, followed by a hearty peal of laughter from us, his late audience. "what a fellow it is!" exclaimed harvey presently. "i am very glad to see that you understand him, chester. otherwise, i am afraid he would have got you into no end of scrapes. not that he _means_ any harm, far from it. he is one of the best-natured fellows alive, but he is so wedded to practical joking that i believe nothing will ever break him of it. he keeps the whole ship alive, as you will have seen by this time; but he is always in disgrace, and during the last cruise may be said to have taken up his permanent abode at the mast-head: i daresay he is there now." it was even so, for when i went aft to the cabin, in compliance with the captain's invitation, a glance aloft revealed him comfortably perched on the crosstrees, from which commanding position he reminded me pantomimically of the potent charm to be found in a comic song. the dinner-party, that evening, consisted of captain brisac, mr sennitt, old bolus the doctor, and myself. the table was liberally furnished, the wine good, and the party in excellent spirits, as was natural after securing a prize so speedily. moreover, captain brisac was a thorough gentleman, and knew exactly how to make his guests feel at ease, which is not always the case where the superior is also the host. the conversation turned pretty frequently, as might be expected, on technical matters, but there were frequent divergences in the shape of laughter-provoking anecdotes, in which the doctor shone forth conspicuously. it was not, however, until after the cloth had been removed that the skipper made any reference to the occurrences of the previous day. then, addressing himself to me, he said, "let me take this opportunity, mr chester, of thanking you for saving my life yesterday. but for your timely interposition, i must infallibly have been killed; and i thank you very sincerely for the promptitude with which you acted. sailors are not in the habit of making overmuch of such services; we perform them for each other, and think very little about it; but the fact remains, all the same, and i shall not forget it. i have also to thank you for the conspicuous gallantry you displayed in boarding the prize, gallantry which evidently had a strong effect upon the men, and contributed in no inconsiderable degree to our success. so pleased am i with your conduct that i have felt justified in making special mention of you in the despatch which i sent in with the prize, and i think i may venture to promise you that what i have said will be found to exercise a favourable influence on your future prospects. go on as you have begun, and you will do well. above all things, study hard; you will find it uphill work at first, no doubt, but every step you take will make those which succeed it easier, until you will at length find that you can acquire naturally and without effort all the knowledge that is required to make you proficient in your profession. of course i do not mean that you should give your _whole_ time to study, a little recreation now and then is not only allowable, but beneficial; but do not give your whole thoughts to play, as i am sadly afraid your messmate markham does." this mention of my mercurial friend brought back so vividly to my mind the recent scene in our berth that i was--as the newspaper reporters say--"risibly affected," a circumstance which did not fail to attract general attention. captain brisac looked both disconcerted and annoyed. "what is it, mr chester? what have i said to afford you so much amusement?" he asked. "i beg your pardon, sir," i replied. "i was not laughing at anything _you_ said, but your mention of mr markham reminded me of something ridiculous which _he_ said. i hope you will be pleased to excuse me, sir. i should be extremely sorry to do anything having the appearance of rudeness or disrespect." "i feel quite sure you would," returned the skipper, his brow clearing once more, and an amused look coming into his eyes. "but let us hear what that jocular young gentleman has been saying; it is not a state secret, i suppose, is it?" "oh dear no, sir; at the same time i know he would never have said it, had he had the least idea it would ever reach your ears; it was only a little bit of fun on his part--an attempt, in fact, to impose upon me." "out with it, mr chester," exclaimed the doctor, his eyes fairly dancing with fun; "i'll be sworn he has been in some way taking your name in vain, sir," he continued, turning to the captain. "i think it more than likely, but it is quite impossible to feel offended with the lad, he is always so utterly devoid of anything like evil intention." seeing that my narrative would not be likely to do any harm, i thereupon proceeded to tell my story, which proved productive of a great deal of laughter. at its conclusion the skipper said, "pour yourself out another glass of wine, mr chester, and then, i suppose, i must excuse you. mr sennitt will not easily forgive me, if i prevent you from keeping your proper watch." on reaching the deck i found that the wind had hauled round to about w.n.w., bringing with it a raw and dismal fog, which speedily saturated with moisture everything with which it came in contact. as the night wore on, it became more and more dense, and by midnight it had become so thick that it was impossible to see from one end of the ship to the other, and captain brisac gave orders for the "scourge" to be hove-to. the vessel was accordingly brought to the wind on the starboard tack, with her head pointing in the direction of the french coast, and the watch, with the exception of half-a-dozen of the smartest hands, who were placed on the lookout, were allowed to dispose themselves about the deck in the most sheltered spots they could find. the fog lasted all through the first watch, and when i went on deck at midnight to take my turn of duty, it was thicker than ever. the vapour came sweeping down upon the ship in great opaque masses, some of which were so dense that it was barely possible to distinguish objects on the opposite side of the deck, while the lower yards were only visible from the deck at very rare periods. the few men moving about loomed more like gigantic shadows than human beings, and the binnacle lamps (the only lights visible) emitted a feeble and ghostly glimmer which hardly sufficed to render visible the features of the man who stood by the wheel. no lights of any kind were exhibited on board the "scourge," captain brisac preferring to trust to a good lookout, and the precautions adopted by other vessels, for our safety from collision, rather than run the risk of betraying our presence to an enemy by the exhibition of lights. for the same reason he had given orders that the ship's bell should on no account whatever be struck during the continuance of the thick weather. somehow i could not help thinking that the skipper's precautions exposed us to a great deal of danger. supposing, for example, that some other ship, practising the same "precautions," happened to be in our immediate neighbourhood and approaching us on the opposite tack, what would be the result? why, in all probability the two craft would fall on board each other, inflicting serious mutual damage, amounting perhaps to the complete destruction of one or both. the idea made me very uneasy, so much so, indeed, that, my imagination at length becoming excited, i was on the point of giving an alarm at least a dozen times, thinking every now and then that i could discern the dim outline of a strange ship sweeping silently down upon us like a gigantic ghost. so strong, indeed, did the illusion at length become, that i could have sworn i caught a momentary glimpse of a light to windward, and, after hesitating a few minutes, i became so convinced that i _had_ seen a light, that i went up to mr sennitt and reported it. "a light, mr chester. where away?" said he rather anxiously. "here, sir," i replied; "broad on our starboard quarter." he gazed steadfastly in the direction i had indicated for two or three minutes, and then turned away, saying,-- "you did quite right, my lad, to speak to me, but i really think you must have been mistaken. why, if it had really been so, the stranger must have been close aboard of us; it would be impossible to see an ordinary light at a much greater distance than a hundred fathoms in such a fog as this; why, it is thick enough to cut with a knife, the old barkie can scarcely force her way through it." as he finished speaking i seemed to catch another glimpse of the light, just for a single instant, and i breathlessly exclaimed, "there it is again, sir!" "_i_ can see nothing," he returned somewhat impatiently, after taking another long look. "here, let us go round and examine the lookout men." every man was found broad awake and keenly watchful, yet none of them had seen anything resembling a light, or indeed anything at all of a nature to lead them to suppose that there was another ship in close proximity to ourselves. i could not believe that my imagination had been playing me a trick, yet it required no very great penetration on my part to see that my superior thought but little of my assertion in comparison with the reports of the lookout men. we both returned to the spot from which we had started, and stood intently gazing to windward, until, for my part, i was almost ready to declare upon oath that the atmosphere was full of faint twinkling lights. the impression was beginning to force itself upon me that i had been making a fool of myself, and i was about to say so, when a faint and almost imperceptible sound seemed to float down to us out of the thick folds of impenetrable mist to windward. "there, sir!" i exclaimed; "did you hear nothing then?" "why, to tell you the truth, mr chester, i half thought i did," replied sennitt; "but after all i believe it is only fancy; your imagination has infected my own, and if we stand here much longer we shall fancy a whole french fleet there to windward. luckily it is eight bells," he continued, consulting his watch by the light of the binnacle, "so we will turn the ship over to the care of a fresh set of eyes and ears. let the watch be called as quietly as possible." this was done, and so completely had i already acquired that confidence which is conveyed in the expression "let those look out who have the watch," that, notwithstanding all my previous apprehensions, in another ten minutes i was fast asleep. chapter five. we fly from the frenchman. when i went on deck again at the change of the watches, it was still very thick, but the breeze was freshening, and it and the sun together promised soon to disperse the vapour. it was still so thick, however, that it was impossible to see more than three or four lengths away from the vessel, and the "scourge" was consequently kept hove-to. the skipper had made his appearance on deck for a few minutes before sitting down to breakfast, and about nine o'clock he came up again, just as the fog had begun to clear away in earnest, opening up like a curtain every now and then, and showing clear spaces of about half a mile or so in extent, then settling down again as thick as ever, but each time clearing away more thoroughly, and revealing larger and still larger open spaces. at length the mist lifted for a moment to such an extent that it became possible to see to a distance of perhaps a couple of miles, and as it did so there was a simultaneous hail from the lookout aloft and five or six of the hands on deck of "sail ho!" "sail ho! sure enough," exclaimed the skipper and mr sennitt, as both caught sight of the stranger at the same moment. "a frigate! french, too, as i'm a living sinner," continued the first luff, taking a squint through his glass at the craft. "ah! he is as sharp-sighted as we are," he went on, with the telescope still at his eye. "up goes his helm, and there go the lads aloft to make sail, he's coming down to say `how d'ye do' to us, sir. and there goes the tricolour up to his peak." "hard up with the helm, my man," said captain brisac very quietly to the helmsman. "turn the hands up, and pack on her, mr sennitt; discretion is the better part of valour with us just now, and our only chance is to show johnny crapaud a clean pair of heels." our lads flew aloft like lightning, and away we went staggering to leeward, with stunsails alow and aloft on the port side, steering a course which would take us pretty directly up channel. so smart were the "scourge" in making sail that they were all down on deck again, and every inch of our canvas dragging at us like a cart-horse, before the frenchman had got his stunsail-booms fairly rigged out. as soon as we had got the canvas fairly set, ropes all coiled down, and the decks generally cleared up, i slipped down into the berth for my telescope, with which i returned to the deck, and proceeded to make a deliberate inspection of our unwelcome neighbour. she was about a mile and a half distant from us, bearing a couple of points on our weather quarter, and i thought i had never seen a more beautiful sight than she presented, as she came foaming after us, with the sun lighting up her snowy canvas and flashing brightly from her burnished copper as she rose on the crest of the swell, showing her cutwater half-way down to the keel. her sails were evidently new--so new, indeed, that they had scarcely had time to stretch to their proper dimensions--and her paint looked fresh and clean; these circumstances impressing the acute mr sennitt with the conviction that the craft was fresh out of the dockyard from an extensive overhaul, or that she was a new vessel. the beautiful and graceful model of her hull, and the smart appearance of her spars and rigging, induced him to incline very strongly to the latter supposition. it soon became evident that this beautiful craft was going nearly two feet to our one, but she was steered so shamefully that she had not materially decreased the distance between us at the end of the first hour; our hopes, therefore, which had sunk to zero with the imminent prospect of a french prison before our eyes, began once more to soar skyward as mile after mile slipped away beneath our flying keel, and every minute increased the probability of our falling in with one of our own cruisers. the skipper was dreadfully put out at being obliged to run away, but though the french frigate was very nearly dead astern she yawed about sufficiently to enable us to count sixteen ports of a side, and even mr sennitt--who was accounted the greatest fire-eater on board--was fain to acknowledge that this was just a gun or two too many for us. by four bells every trace of the fog had cleared away, the sun shone brilliantly in a cloudless sky, the air had a decided feeling of warmth in it, the westerly breeze blew freshly, and the waves curled crisply and broke into foam at their crests under its enlivening influence; altogether it was a thoroughly delightful day, such as is occasionally to be met with toward the end of march--a day when winter and summer have fairly met to fight for the mastery, and summer is getting it all her own way. as time sped on, and still no friendly sail appeared, while the frigate astern drew more and more perceptibly up to us, anxiety once more resumed its sway, and frequent were the admonitions to the lookout aloft to "keep his weather eye lifting." at length the frenchmen decided to try the range of their guns, and opened fire upon us from their lee bow-chaser. the shot flew wide, but it went far enough beyond us to show that we were fairly within range. another and another followed, and still we were unscathed. an interval of about a quarter of an hour elapsed before they again fired, and when they did the shot was somewhat better aimed, passing through the main and fore-topsails and falling into the sea a considerable distance ahead. "i think we are now near enough to venture upon a return of the compliment, mr sennitt," said the skipper. "let tompion see what he can do with the stern-chaser, in the way of knocking away some of the fellow's spars. it seems a pity to spoil so pretty a picture, but better that than for us to experience the delights of a french prison." tompion was accordingly summoned and bid do his best to "wing" the frenchman, a task to which he devoted himself with great gravity and a considerable assumption of importance. the gun, after being carefully loaded, was trained with the most scrupulous nicety, and then tompion, trigger-line in hand, stood squinting along the sights until a favourable moment arrived, when--there was a concussion; the smoke cleared away, and a shot-hole was seen in the frigate's foresail, very nearly in a line with the mast. "very prettily shot, tompion," said the skipper; "try again. a few inches nearer, and you would have buried that shot in his foremast. wound the spars if you can; the breeze seems inclined to freshen; and if you can gouge a good substantial piece out of some of his lighter spars, the wind will do the rest for us by sending them handsomely over his bows." in a few minutes more away sped a second of the worthy tompion's messengers; it, too, passed through the foresail, close to the yard, but apparently without doing any further damage. in the meantime the frenchmen were by no means idle with their guns, and our running-gear began to be somewhat cut up; luckily, however, the damage was of an unimportant character, and such as could be put right in a few minutes, with the aid of a marline-spike and a grease-shoe. the firing now became more rapid on both sides; but though the spars on each side had several narrow escapes, none had, so far, fallen, and the damage done seemed in each case to be but of the most trifling description. at length mr sennitt walked aft and said, "let me try my hand, tompion; i used to be considered rather a crack shot on board the old `dido.'" tompion, of course, resigned his place to his superior officer, though it was evident from the expression of his phiz that he had no great faith in the first luff's shooting powers. but our worthy "first" speedily justified his boast; for his shot struck the boom-iron at the frenchman's larboard fore-yard-arm, snapping it off, unshipping the boom, and creating a very pretty state of confusion with the topmast and lower stunsails and their gear. a ringing cheer was raised on board the "scourge" at this success, and sennitt was about to try his hand a second time, when the frigate was seen to yaw broad off her course; a thin streak of flame flashed along her side, a veil of white fleecy smoke started into view, and was wafted aside by the wind, and sixteen twelve-pound shot--the entire contents of her starboard broadside--came whistling about our ears. i was standing aft, close to the taffrail, on the port side, at the moment, and one of the shot came crashing in at the stern-port nearest me, striking the stanchion heavily, and making the splinters fly in all directions, one of them striking me on the left temple, ripping up the skin and baring my poor unfortunate skull for a length of some four inches. the blow stunned me just for a moment, and i fell to the deck; but before any one had time to pick me up, i had recovered and staggered to my feet again, feeling a trifle confused, and somewhat sick--if the truth may be told-- at the sight of my own blood, which streamed down over my face copiously, rendering me, i have no doubt, a truly ghastly spectacle; but otherwise i felt not much the worse. the frigate was at this time scarcely half-a-mile distant, and had her guns been properly served, the broadside to which she had treated us ought to have left us floating a helpless wreck on the water, and completely at her mercy; but, instead of this, the shot which damaged me was the only one which could be said to have taken effect; the remainder of the broadside passing some through our sails, and some wide of their mark altogether. "a miss is as good as a mile," remarked the skipper to sennitt, after he had glanced round, and noted the trifling damage done. "hillo, chester, are you hurt, my lad?" he added, addressing me, as he observed my gory visage. "slip down to the doctor, and get him to clap a plaster over your mast-head, and then turn in, if you like. what a set of lubbers they are aboard that frigate!" he continued to sennitt. "had she been english, instead of french, that broadside would have blown us out of the water. i have been for the last ten minutes seriously thinking of hauling down the colours, rather than risk a heavy sacrifice of life; but if that is the best they can do, we will hold on everything, at all events for a short time longer. i wonder whether there would be any chance of--" and he said something in so low a tone that i did not catch it. sennitt pondered deeply for a minute, then he looked up and said, "upon my word, sir, i think it would. our lads are rather raw, but they behaved splendidly in the case of the privateer, and so, i believe, they would now. yes, i think it might have just a chance of success; a bold rush often does wonders." "you are right, sennitt. call the hands aft, if you please, and let us see how they take the proposal." my head was beginning to ache most villainously, but curiosity got the better of me for the moment, and i determined to postpone my visit to friend bolus, until i had heard what the skipper had to say. in a minute or two every man was on the quarter-deck, hat in hand, and expectancy in every feature. "my lads," commenced the skipper, "i have sent for you, because i have a proposition to make, and i wish to see for myself how you individually take it. when the frigate astern was first made out this morning, i was in hopes that the little `scourge' would prove active enough to keep us out of reach of the frenchman's shot; but you have seen for yourselves how completely fallacious that hope has been. the frigate goes two feet to our one, and were she being fought as so beautiful a craft ought to be, all hands of us would, by this time, be fairly under way for a french prison. but you see how it is; there are a lot of tinkers and tailors aboard there; they are not seamen, and do not deserve the luck of being sent to sea in such a fine vessel; it is evident that, though they may possibly know how to sail her, they cannot fight her. they cannot possibly keep her long; the english are _certain_ to have her sooner or later, and since that is the case, why should not _we_ have her? no, stay a moment; don't cheer, lads, until you have heard me out. of course, anything like a regularly fought action between us and her is out of the question; she is a two-and-thirty twelve-pounder, against which we can only show eight six pounders; a single broadside from her--_well_ delivered--would send us to the bottom. but i think there is just a possibility--by a little manoeuvring on our part--of getting alongside her; and if that can be done, i am of opinion that, by a bold rush from all hands, we might secure possession of her. no doubt there will be plenty of hard knocks to be had for the asking; but even that is better than a french prison. what say you, my lads?" a hearty cheer was the first response; then there was a general putting of heads together, and much eager talking for about a couple of minutes. finally a topman--one bob adams--a magnificent specimen of the british tar, a perfect hercules in build, and one of the prime seamen of the ship, shouldered his way to the front, and, with an elaborate sea-scrape and a tug at his forelock, addressed the skipper,-- "we hopes your honour will excuse us, if we've taken a minute or two to work out this here traverse, and reduce it to plain sailing; but the purposal as your honour has laid athwart our hawse fetched us all up standin' just at first, and it warn't until we'd had time to pay off, and gather way on t'other tack, as i may say, that we was able to get the bearins of it. you see, sir, there's only about sixty on us all told, now that we've sent away a prize crew, and we reckon that there ain't far short of hands aboard of johnny, yonder. nevertheless and notwithstanding, howsumdever, as your honour says, they're little better than so many tailors, and tailors was never worth very much that ever any of us heard on at a good stand-up fight; so the long and the short of it is this, sir; you put us alongside, and _we'll have her_ in the twinklin' of a purser's lantern. ain't that it, boys?" "ay, ay, that's it, bob; you've paid it out without so much as a single kink; we mean to have her," responded a voice in the crowd. "then three cheers for the skipper, and may he get us lots of prize- money," exhorted bob, to the intense amusement of captain brisac; and the cheers were given with such energy that i have no doubt they were distinctly heard on board the frenchman. captain brisac briefly thanked the men for their plucky response to his call, and then sent them back to their quarters, all impatience for the eventful moment to arrive. the frigate was rapidly nearing us, but i thought there would be time to get my head plastered up; so i rushed below, and found bolus standing at the table, with his coat off and his shirt-sleeves rolled up; a formidable array of long, narrow-bladed knives, sharp enough to cut one if only _looked_ hard at, on one hand, and an equally formidable array of saws, tweezers, long needles, silken thread, etcetera, etcetera, on the other. "here, doctor," i exclaimed; "the skipper's compliments, and will you `clap a plaster over my mast-head,' and bear a hand about it, please; the frenchman will be alongside of us in less than five minutes, and we are going to board and carry him with a rush." "and _you_, i presume, intend to head the boarders as usual," remarked the doctor, with a quiet grin. "what is the extent of the damage? here, sit down and let me have a look at it; don't be impatient; i'll undertake to tinker you up as good as new in two or three minutes," he continued, as i seated myself, and he began to sponge the blood away. "there is no great harm done, merely a simple laceration of the scalp. there, i think that will keep the top of your head from blowing off, until after you have demolished the frenchman. i should dearly like to go with you, but what would my poor patients do, if i happened to get an unlucky knock on the head? no; i must remain where i am, i suppose, though it's too bad that i should be cooped up here, while others are having all the fun. now you may go as soon as you please, but look here, my boy," he added in quite a different tone; "take care of yourself; a knock on the head, such as you have had, is very apt to make one giddy, and giddiness is an awkward mishap at a critical moment; take my advice, and remain quietly below until all is over." chapter six. our "dashing exploit." the doctor's advice was well meant, and no doubt good, but i was too excited to think so at the moment, so i darted on deck just in time to hear the skipper say,--"now, lads, he is coming up on our port quarter. run the starboard guns over to port, and load fore and aft with a round shot and a charge of grape on top of it. give the muzzles a good elevation, and fire at the moment that the two ships touch, then away on board for your lives, and recollect, the first blow is half the battle, so let it be a good hard one. steady now, here she comes." during my visit to the doctor's den, sail had been shortened on board the "scourge," down to the topsails jib, and driver; the stunsails being stowed and the booms run in; while the courses, topgallant sails, and royals were merely clewed up. the frenchman evidently had been a great deal mystified by this manoeuvre and the cessation of firing on our part; and now, while he was ranging up on our port quarter, and so close that one might almost have hove a biscuit on board, all was confusion with him; the hands being busy taking in their canvas in a slipshod, lubberly way that would have disgraced a collier; while the babble of tongues must have been deafening, judging from what we heard of it. our skipper was standing just abaft the main-rigging, conning the ship, with one hand on the topmast backstay all ready for a spring, while he signalled the helmsman with the other. sennitt was forward, also ready for the rush; while mr clewline, who with a dozen hands was to remain on board and take care of the ship, was in the waist. the men stood at their guns, with their cutlasses drawn, the captains with the trigger- lines in their hands, ready to fire at the instant of collision. harvey was forward with mr sennitt; while little markham and i stood by to follow in the skipper's wake. as the frigate drew up abreast of us, her captain sprang into the mizen rigging and hailed through a speaking-trumpet, "mais, monsieur le capitaine, why you shall not haul down votre drapeau; vous avez se rendre, n'est pas?" captain brisac raised his hand to his mouth as though to reply; waving it at the same time for the helmsman to sheer us alongside; the men with the grappling irons being crouched under the bulwarks all ready to heave; and all hands fore and aft straining forward like hounds in leash, waiting breathlessly for the coming shock. "what ship is that?" hailed the skipper; not that he wanted particularly to know, just at that moment; he hoped to find out for himself very shortly; but the question served to fill up time until the moment for action should arrive. "`l'audacieuse;' fregate de --," began the french captain; when an officer sprang into the rigging beside him, and said something in an excited manner, pointing at us and gesticulating with frightful vehemence. in the meantime our helmsman, touching the wheel as daintily as though we had been sailing a match, brought us alongside so cleverly that the two ships touched with a shock which was barely perceptible, just enough in fact "to swear by," as the gunner remarked. "heave!" shouted sennitt to the men with the grappling irons, "fire!" roared the skipper; and away went our double broadside crash into the frenchman, eliciting such a chorus of shrieks and yells as might lead one to suppose that pandemonium had broken loose. three or four of the frigate's guns replied: and there was an ominous crashing among our spars; but no one paused to ascertain the extent of the damage; and our men had sprung like tigers into the frigate's rigging almost before our own guns had exploded; they were, therefore, so far safe. captain brisac made a dash at the frigate's mizen rigging while giving the word to fire; with markham and myself close upon his heels; but before he had fairly got a hold of the ratlines a sponge was thrust out of one of the upper-deck ports, catching him in the face, and inflicting such a blow that he fell back upon us unfortunate mids, and would have gone down between the two ships had we not caught him unceremoniously by the collar and steadied him on his feet again. the sponge was the reverse of clean, and the blow had been delivered with such hearty good-will just between the eyes that our venerated commander's claret was very effectually tapped; he presented therefore a somewhat alarming spectacle as he flung himself in upon the frenchman's deck; his face black from contact with the foul sponge, the dingy colour being pleasantly relieved by bold streaks and dashes of crimson. "mille diables!" ejaculated the astonished french captain, as this apparition appeared before him--he having jumped down on deck again as we ranged alongside; and he placed himself on guard in the most approved fashion. captain brisac had no more knowledge of sword-play than he had of flying, a circumstance which often proved exceedingly embarrassing-- to his adversaries, for he had a rough-and-ready way of handling his weapon which, if not so scientific, was equally as effective as the utmost refinements of the thoroughly accomplished swordsman. instead therefore of engaging, as his antagonist evidently expected, he simply bore down the guard by sheer strength of wrist, and rushing in upon his astounded adversary, delivered a blow with his left hand straight from the shoulder, which laid the unhappy frenchman senseless upon his own deck. "hurrah, lads!" he shouted; "give it them right and left; drive the rascals below or overboard, and push forward to meet mr sennitt." the division which had boarded with us, abaft, replied with a cheer, which was responded to by sennitt's party forward; and away we went, driving the french along the deck before us until they were all huddled up amidships between the two parties of boarders: and there they made a most determined stand. and now ensued a fierce and sanguinary hand-to-hand conflict; our men still pressing impetuously forward; and the french opposing us with a resolution which their previous conduct had given us no reason whatever to expect, obstinately contesting with us every inch of the deck, and, if they yielded for a moment, renewing the defence more actively than ever; cutlasses and pikes were used with savage freedom; and the dead and wounded encumbered the decks until they became almost impassable. the fight had been raging thus furiously for some three or four minutes without our gaining any perceptible advantage; our men were falling fast; and it became evident that unless something decisive were speedily done, we should be overpowered by sheer force of numbers. the french were congregated in a compact group amidships, our party being divided into two, one of which had been led on board aft by the skipper, while the other had followed mr sennitt forward; the french were consequently between us and the lieutenant's party. it occurred to me that if mr clewline could pour a charge or two of grape into the crowd of frenchmen, it might have the effect of freshening their way; and i was pushing towards the bulwarks intending to slip down on board the "scourge" and see what could be done, when i observed for the first time that she was no longer alongside; and on looking farther i caught a glimpse of her through one of the open ports, lying about a couple of cables' lengths distant. i called markham's attention to this; at the same time mentioning what i had thought about the grape. "a capital notion, young-un!" he replied. "your infantile intellect is really developing with marvellous rapidity. clewline can't be communicated with, however, where he is; so we must just do the best we can for ourselves. and look here! here is a six-pounder cast loose and all ready to our hands; watch the roll of the ship, and we can run it right inboard--here you, peters,"--to one of the seamen, "lend a hand here to run in this gun and slew it round with its muzzle forward. so! that's just right; now then for a charge; do you see a--? oh, here's a cartridge; in with it; ram it well down, peters; and you, chester, see if you can find anything to put in on top of the powder;--marline- spikes; tenpenny nails; empty bottles; blue pills and black draughts; the cook's tormentors; or the skipper's best china tea service--_anything_ will do that is obnoxious to the interior of the human system--" "will this do?" i inquired, fishing out from the scuppers a heavy object of cylindrical shape, over which i had stumbled two or three times. "bless your dear little innocent heart! yes," answered markham, "it will do berry nicey nicey. why, it's the very thing, greeny; it's _cannister_; in with it; if this does not wake them up, call me a dutchman, that's all. now we're all ready. you let the skipper know what we're going to do, chester; and i'll stand by to fire directly he gives the word." it was no very easy matter to secure the skipper's attention and make him understand what we proposed to do; but i managed to accomplish it at last. as soon as he understood me, he hailed in a voice which rose clear and high above the din, "is mr sennitt there?" "ay ay, sir," came back in the well-known tones of the "first." "we are going to try the effect of a charge of cannister," hailed the skipper; "be good enough therefore to send your party into the fore rigging; and you, my lads," to his own division, "stand by to rush aft behind the gun. now!" the first lieutenant's division sprang like cats into the fore rigging, and scuttled away for their lives half-way up to the top; while our party at the same instant made a dash aft and formed again in the rear of the gun. the movement was effected with such lightning-like rapidity that the french could do nothing but stare at us open-mouthed. captain brisac paused a single instant, to make sure that all our lads were out of the way of the shot; and then he called upon the frenchmen to surrender. two or three flung down their arms; but the rest, recovering from their momentary astonishment, started on a rush aft; seeing which, the skipper sprang on one side and shouted "fire!" the charge took effect in the very thickest of the crowd, literally mowing the french down in heaps. at the same instant both parties of the "scourges" renewed their attack, and this time their rush proved irresistible; there was a momentary attempt at a stand, but our lads were no longer to be denied; and after another very short but very fierce tussle the french threw down their weapons and cried for quarter. i, however, did not witness the final _denouement_; for, being hurried forward by the rest in the final rush, i found myself in the thick of the _melee_ before i was quite prepared, and received a crushing blow on the head which felled me to the deck. the prisoners were immediately secured; and the bulk of the "scourge's" crew shifted into the prize, a sufficient number only being left on board the brig to work her; the wounded also were retained on board the frigate, where there was of course much better and more roomy accommodation for them; our worthy medico shifting over, bag and baggage, to look after us. the damage to spars and rigging, which turned out to be unimportant in both ships, was soon made good; and about p.m. we made sail in company, shaping a course for plymouth, where we arrived without mishap, late on the following evening. we all received very great credit for what the papers were pleased to term our "dashing exploit;" captain brisac being rewarded with post rank, while mr sennitt was made a commander, and mr clewline moved a step up the ratlines. we midshipmen also received our reward in the shape of "honourable mention;" nor were the warrant-officers forgotten; so that, what with promotion and prize-money, the "scourges" were for a time the envy of the entire navy. the war, however, had only just begun, or rather broken out afresh; and everybody soon consoled themselves with the reflection that our luck might any day become their own. the prize proved to be the frigate "l'audacieuse," of thirty-two guns and men. she was a bran-new ship, and had come out of brest on her first cruise only the day before we fell in with her. her loss in the engagement amounted to forty-six killed and thirty-one wounded; our own casualties amounting to fourteen killed and twenty wounded. my own wound proved to be of a somewhat serious character, the blow having been inflicted with some heavy blunt instrument, and producing concussion of the brain; i was, however, well looked after, and as soon as it was safe to move me, i was transferred to my own home, where i was nursed, petted, and made much of to my heart's content, until i was in the greatest danger of being spoiled, through the outrageous pampering of my self-love and vanity to which i was subjected. luckily, my great-uncle, sir peregrine condescended to interest himself in my welfare; the moment, therefore, that i was fairly convalescent he swooped down on the vicarage, like a hawk upon a dove-cot, and carried me off with him to london, where he treated me to a week's cruise among the sights of the place. at the end of that time he drove with me one fine morning to the admiralty, where i received my appointment to the "juno" frigate, then fitting-out at portsmouth for the mediterranean. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ note. it may be necessary to explain to the uninitiated reader that the terms "he" and "she" are indifferently used at sea, in reference to craft, but when the masculine pronoun is applied it is understood to refer more especially to the _commanding officer_ of the vessel; while the pronoun "she" refers to the _vessel herself_.--h.c. chapter seven. on board the "juno." my short stay with my great-uncle, sir peregrine, proved to be a source of very great mutual satisfaction. he was a confirmed old bachelor, with a perfect horror of women and children, and by his persistent avoidance of both had gained for himself a character for moroseness and ill-temper. my mother, however, happened to be somewhat of a favourite with him--if a man possessed of such an unpromising character could be considered capable of so much warmth of feeling as to justify the expression--and having, for her sake, interested himself so far as to launch me in my profession, curiosity prompted him to keep me in view. he was greatly gratified to see my name appear in connexion with the capture of the "sans-culotte;" and when the "scourge" arrived in plymouth so speedily with her second prize, and he heard of my being wounded, he posted down from town, determined to see captain brisac for himself, and ascertain by actual word of mouth how i had behaved. my kind skipper was so lavish with his praises that sir peregrine was in an ecstasy of delight; and from that time he became a different man; in consequence, i presume, of his having stumbled upon an object which excited within him a genuine interest. during the week of my stay with him in town he went everywhere with me, though his normal condition was that of martyrdom to gout; and on my receiving my appointment to the "juno" he insisted on presenting me with an entire new rig-out from stem to stern; including a very fine and powerful telescope, the best sextant that could be bought for money, and one or two other matters of use in my profession. it had been intimated to me that, in consideration of my scarcely-healed wound, i need not join my ship until the last moment; but sir peregrine insisted on my going down at once, in order that i might not lose the chance which the fitting-out of the ship presented for increasing my knowledge of practical seamanship. "it is not that i am tired of your company, ralph: do not think that, my dear boy," he earnestly said; "but you have now an opportunity which may perhaps never occur again for acquiring knowledge which is only to be gained in this way; and it is a species of knowledge which may at any moment be of the utmost service to you. you will have to endure a week or two of discomfort, but that is a trifling matter compared with the lasting advantage which you will thereby obtain, and you will live to bless the day when your old uncle hurried you away from the pleasures of town to the discomforts of a ship passing through the riggers' hands. one word more, my boy. your father cannot, i suppose, afford you a very liberal allowance of pocket-money; i shall therefore supplement what he gives you by an allowance of a hundred a year out of my own pocket for the present, that being in my opinion quite as much as a lad of your age ought to spend. at the same time, understand me, if you should by any chance be in difficulties and require a further sum, you may freely draw on me; provided of course that the difficulty is not of your own making, or of a dishonourable nature--but there, i do not think i need fear that of you, ralph." this was on the day previous to my starting for portsmouth. it was arranged that i should go down by the coach; sir peregrine at that time strongly disapproving of midshipmen driving down in private carriages, or even posting down to join their ships--"it would be quite time enough for that sort of thing when i had a ship of my own," he considered. we were both accordingly on the move early next morning, the old gentleman insisting on going with me to the coach-office, and seeing me fairly under way. while sitting at breakfast he handed me a letter for captain hood, my new skipper, who it appeared was an intimate friend of sir peregrine's--with the contents of which, however, i was not made acquainted. he ate very little, devoting the limited time at our disposal to the bestowal upon me of such good advice as his knowledge and experience of the service suggested--advice, the value and benefit of which, i had frequent after occasion to acknowledge. as we rose from the table, he opened a drawer in his secretary, and drew from it a sealed packet which he handed me, saying, "slip this into your pocket, ralph, and take care of it; you may open it as soon as you like after you have joined your ship." we drove to the coach-office in his own carriage, both of us being unusually silent on the way. for my own part, i candidly confess i felt the parting keenly, the dear old boy having completely won my heart by his altogether unexpected kindness; and that organ was too full to permit of my then entering upon a light and trivial conversation; while false shame prevented my giving utterance to those feelings of reverence and regard which were agitating my breast. just at the last moment sir peregrine brightened up again, seeming to have a lot of things to say which he had forgotten until then; his last injunction, however, was, to stick by the ship until she should be "all ataunto;" when i might apply with a clear conscience for leave to run home for a day, just to say good-bye previous to sailing. punctual to the second, our coach weighed, and stood out of the inn-yard in tow of four spanking bays, who rattled and jolted us over the stones at the rate of a good honest twelve knots an hour. the morning--early in june--was brilliantly fine; the air delightfully warm and pleasant; and as we left town behind us, mother earth, arrayed in delicate green, was looking her loveliest. the roads were in splendid condition, a smart thunder-shower or two during the previous night having thoroughly laid the dust, from which, therefore, we suffered no annoyance whatever. the rain had also washed every particle of dust from the hedges and the foliage of the trees, while it had refreshed the flowers in the villa and cottage-gardens which were scattered along the roadside, causing them to diffuse their sweets so bountifully that the atmosphere was heavy with perfume. the sun shone brilliantly; the sky was a dazzling blue, flecked here and there with thin white fleecy clouds, the shadows of which, chasing each other over the landscape, imparted additional variety and charm to the scene. my depression of spirits soon yielded to the exhilarating influence of the day, and enabled me to enjoy thoroughly the drive down, the pleasure of which left upon my mind an agreeable impression, to which i often afterwards reverted with much satisfaction. we reached portsmouth about p.m., and the coach stopping at the "george," i decided to stop there also, for that night at least; i accordingly ordered dinner and a room; and then strolled down to the harbour while the former was being got ready. as, however, i had no intention of reporting myself until the following day, i satisfied myself with ascertaining the whereabouts of my new ship, and taking a distant look at her; after which i returned to the hotel, sat down to dinner, strolled as far as southsea common afterwards, and got back to the hotel and turned in about ten o'clock, determined to make a good long night of it, as i did not know when i should next have the opportunity of taking a whole night's undisturbed repose. i was on board the "juno" by nine o'clock the next morning, and reported myself to mr annesley, the first lieutenant, who, early as it was, already appeared to have been hard at work for some time. "so you are come down to join?" he said, on my presenting myself. "i am very glad to see you, mr chester; and i wish one or two more of the young gentlemen would follow your example. i am entirely alone here; not a soul to help me, and i am wanted in half-a-dozen places at once; so i shall really be glad of your assistance. i suppose you are prepared to commence duty at once? that's right; then be good enough to take the launch, and go to the dockyard with this order for stores, and bring them off as quickly as possible. just give them an overhaul, however, before taking them over, and satisfy yourself that they are good, sound, serviceable stuff. those dockyard people have been trying to palm off upon me a lot of old junk, which must have been in store for the last twelve years at least. it is simply rotten, and would go like so much burnt thread in our first breeze of wind. of course i refused to receive it, and have consumed a great deal of valuable time in getting sound stuff in place of it. do not let them take you in; but _insist_ on having everything of the best. now go; get back as quickly as possible, and remember, i shall trust to you to do your very best for the ship." the boat was alongside, ready manned. i accordingly slipped down the side, and took command, with the feeling that i had suddenly become a personage of considerable importance. on reaching the dockyard i found that i was only one of many who were there upon a similar errand to my own, and i had to await my proper turn. this occasioned a very serious loss of time; and when at length my turn came, the stuff which they offered me was so unmistakably bad, that even my comparative inexperience was not to be imposed upon, and i refused point-blank to accept it. i was thereupon told in a very off- hand way that i was quite at liberty to please myself as to whether i took or left it; but if i declined what was offered me, i should get nothing else; and without waiting for a reply, the storekeepers coolly left me, and began issuing to the midshipman whose turn came after mine. so thorough a snubbing as this clearly showed me that my own unaided efforts would be wholly insufficient to enable me to carry out my instructions to mr annesley's satisfaction, and i was debating within myself whether it would not be better to go on board again and report my non-success, when an officer who was passing stopped, eyed me sharply, and then held out his hand. it was my old skipper, captain brisac. "ah, chester!" he exclaimed; "i am glad to see you, my lad--glad too that you are on your pins once more, though you are looking very thin and pale about the gills. how is the wound; pretty well healed up? that's right; but you ought not to be standing about in this hot sun. are you here on duty?" i told him i was, mentioning at the same time the annoyance and inconvenience to which i had just been subjected. "where is the stuff they offered you?" said he; "i should like to have a look at it." it was still lying on the wharf, close at hand, and i pointed it out to him. it was a quantity of hemp cordage, for use principally as standing-rigging. he turned it over, inspecting it carefully, laying open the strands here and there, and testing its quality both by sight and smell. finally he turned upon one of the storekeepers who happened to be passing, and said,-- "here, you sir, is this the best stuff you have in store?" the man hesitated and looked confused for a moment; then put a bold face upon the matter, and replied, "yes, sir, it is; and rare good stuff it is, too; it's the best that's made." "oh! it is, is it?" retorted the skipper. "then i think it is about time that the admiral's attention should be directed to the quality of the rigging upon which the safety of his majesty's ships and the lives of their seamen depend. just lay that coil aside for half an hour, if you please; and if any one asks why you have done so, you may say it was at the request of captain brisac of the `audacious.'" the man's visage lengthened out to a portentous extent. he saw he had brought his pigs to the wrong market for once, and he hurriedly exclaimed,-- "beg pardon, sir, i'm very sorry the stuff is not to your liking; but i think we _can_ suit you, if you'll be so good as to step this way. perhaps that other _is_ rather old, but we've a lot of it in store, and we're bound to get rid of it somehow. now here, sir, is some cordage that was only brought in fresh last week from the ropemaker's; how'll that do, sir?" "ah!" said the captain, examining it critically, "that is nearer the mark, decidedly. that ought to do for you, ought it not, mr chester?" turning to me. "perfectly well, sir," i replied. "i should be quite satisfied to be served with rope of that quality." "have you your order with you?" asked captain brisac. "yes, sir," i replied; "here it is." "then serve this young gentleman at once," he said authoritatively to the storekeeper; "and be careful what you are about with that old `junk,' or you will be getting yourselves into serious trouble over it." the storekeeper went away to get some assistance, and while he was gone, i availed myself of the opportunity to thank the skipper for the service he had just rendered me; after which he shook hands, saying he was in a great hurry: but if i could get leave that evening, he would be very happy if i would dine with him at the "george" at six, sharp. i thanked him duly for his kind invitation, but declined it, as i felt that my absence might possibly be a source of inconvenience to mr annesley, which i explained. "quite right, mr chester--quite right," returned he; "_never_ allow pleasure to interfere with duty, if you wish to make headway in your profession. i shall perhaps be seeing captain hood--who is your new captain, i believe--this evening, and if so, i will put a spoke in your wheel for you. good-bye!" i was alongside the "juno" with my cargo, just in time to get it hoisted out before the men went to dinner. mr annesley met me at the gangway, as i climbed up the side, and asked me how i had got on, and what sort of stuff i had brought with me? i related my morning's adventures, and told him how captain brisac had helped me out of my difficulty with the dockyard storekeepers, winding up by calling his attention to the quality of the rope, which was just then being hoisted in. "capital!" he exclaimed; "nothing could be better. this is by far the best we have ever had served out to us; it is of first-rate quality, as every inch of rope served out to the navy should be. one can trust to this upon a pinch, without much fear of being disappointed. i am very much obliged to you, mr chester, for the way in which you have executed your first duty on board here. i hope you will discharge all your duties equally well; and if you do, i feel sure we shall get on capitally together. i believe i have rather a reputation for strictness and severity, but no one who strives to do his duty well will find me either strict or severe. but are you the mr chester who was with captain brisac in the `scourge' during his last cruise?" i replied simply that i was. "upon my word, young gentleman, i am glad to hear it," said mr annesley; "for i shall have the satisfaction of knowing that i have at least _one_ midshipman of promise under me, whatever the rest may be. now come down into the gun-room, and get something to eat; we are the only officers on board, so i thought it was not worth while to lay out a couple of tables. and while we are eating, you may as well give me an account of your action with, the french frigate, which, by the way, has, i see, been purchased into our own navy, and given to captain brisac." i, of course, gladly accepted so kind an invitation; and, as we ate, i described as graphically as i could every incident of the action, being frequently interrupted in the course of my narrative by questions which showed how keenly interested my interrogator was in every detail, particularly those relating to the handling of the two ships. "thank you, mr chester," said mr annesley, when i had finished; "you have interested me much, and instructed me somewhat, also: one or two of the evolutions which you have so clearly described were very cleverly conceived, and as boldly carried out. i hope you will remember then, as most certainly _i_ shall, it is knowledge of this kind which is so pre- eminently useful to a naval officer. courage is of course an indispensable quality in every one who has to fight his majesty's battles, whether on sea or land; but the ability to manoeuvre a ship in the heat of battle, so as to place her in the most advantageous situation with regard to her antagonist, is of fully equal importance; and without the knowledge necessary to effect this, the most conspicuous courage, both of officers and crew, may become of no avail. remember this, my lad, and lose no opportunity for perfecting yourself in the science of practical seamanship. now let us go on deck again, as i hear the hands have turned to." chapter eight. new comrades. we were busy the whole of that afternoon, and up until nine o'clock in the evening, the riggers working "overtime," as the admiral was most anxious for us to go to sea at the earliest possible moment; and mr annesley, during the time, was all over the ship, taking me with him, and keenly watching the fitting of every spar and piece of rigging, being fully determined that every part of the work should be well and conscientiously done. i thought him unnecessarily particular over what then seemed to me to be trifles; but the time came, when i perceived that no part of the rigging or equipment of a man-o'-war could be justly regarded as of trifling importance. the work being pushed forward thus energetically, we made rapid progress; and on the day fortnight from my joining the ship, she was all ataunto, with sails bent, stores of every kind, including powder and shot, on board, fully manned, and, in fact, quite ready for sea. captain hood had paid a couple of flying visits to the ship since i had joined her, but i had not seen him, as i happened on both occasions to be away at the dockyard; but on the morning in question he came on board about eleven o'clock--his own gig having been sent on shore for him-- mustered the hands and read his commission, made us a short speech, and then went on shore again, previously giving mr annesley instructions to have everything ready for a start by three o'clock that afternoon. as soon, therefore, as the gig had left the ship's side, blue-peter was run up to the fore-royal-mast-head, the fore-topsail was loosed, and everybody not actually belonging to the ship was ordered to be out of her in an hour's time. then came the men's dinner-time, after which there was a general straightening and clearing up, fore and aft, the boats were hoisted in and secured, and finally the messenger was passed, and the anchor hove short-stay-a-peak. and now, while all hands are supposed to be waiting with suppressed impatience for the appearance of the man who, for a time at least, was to exercise an almost omnipotent influence over the welfare and happiness of our little community, upon whose skill and courage our very lives were frequently to depend, and to whom we all looked up as our future leader in every deed of enterprise or daring, an opportunity occurs for me to say a descriptive word or two concerning the principal individuals with whom i found myself brought into association. to commence at the top of the tree and work my way downwards--captain hood was, when he took command of the "juno," a man of about two-and- thirty years of age, of medium height and slight build, with a well- formed figure, and a face which, though by no means handsome, was strikingly agreeable to look at, chiefly because of its frank, easy, good-natured expression. he was always scrupulously well-dressed, even in the vilest of weather; and there was just the faintest perceptible trace of bond-street dandyism in his air, conveying at first an impression of slight mental weakness--an impression, however, which was rapidly dispelled upon a more intimate acquaintance. his manner was quiet and imperturbable to an astonishing degree; and the more exciting the circumstances in which he was placed, the more calm and placid did his demeanour become. but those who flattered themselves that these characteristics indicated a lax disciplinarian found themselves grievously mistaken. he was strictness itself, in the matter both of discipline and etiquette; was as brave as a lion, a perfect seaman, with an eye which seemed intuitively to light at once and infallibly upon the slightest fault, and with a will of iron concealed beneath the placid suavity of his demeanour. his influence, though it could scarcely be said to be felt, was irresistible; and by its means he, in an incredibly short time, wrought the ship's company into one of the smartest, if not absolutely _the_ smartest, in the service. mr annesley, the first lieutenant, was in many respects a strong contrast to his superior. a tall, dark, square-built and muscular- looking man, with handsome features, dark, flashing eyes, and well- proportioned figure, every nerve of which seemed a-quiver with superabundant vitality. his gesture, though restrained, was earnest and emphatic; his language in conversation, refined and eloquent; in carrying on the duty of the ship, short, sharp, and incisive. his manner to his superiors was quietly respectful, to his equals, somewhat distant, though without any trace of hauteur, and to his inferiors, gentle and sympathetic, or cold, stern, and repellant, accordingly as they won his approval or incurred his displeasure. he, like the skipper, was also a prime seaman, with a dauntless courage which verged very closely upon recklessness, though it never was allowed to actually merge into that undesirable quality. the second lieutenant, mr michael flinn, was a rollicking, good- tempered, good-natured young irishman, careless and impulsive, as the generality of his countrymen are, always ready to perform a service for a friend, and still more ready to break the head of an enemy; a passably good officer afloat, but possessed with a perfect genius for getting into scrapes--and out of them again--on shore, with no consciousness whatever of his own dignity as one of his majesty's officers, and ever ready to join heart and soul in any escapade of which he might happen to get an inkling. he was admirably adapted for such work as a cutting-out expedition, or a dash ashore to spike the guns of an outlying battery; but, when i first knew him, was utterly unfit for any service requiring discretion or tact in its execution. the third lieutenant, the honourable edward plantagenet mortimer, was simply a useless, soft-headed dandy, who would as soon have dreamed of throwing himself overboard as of soiling his hands; there was no harm in him, he was good-natured enough, but he was emphatically _the_ idler of the ship, never even making a pretence of performing any duty, but simply dawdling about the deck in kid gloves, with an eye-glass eternally screwed into his starboard top-light. his one idea was that he was a brilliant performer on the flute; and in his watch below he was incessantly rendering the lives of his neighbours a burden to them by the melancholy wailings which he evoked from that instrument. it was said that he could fight--when no other alternative was open to him--but the bustle and confusion, and, above all, the exertion, he considered such "a howwid boah," that he always most carefully avoided those occasions for distinguishing himself, which other men are wont to seek with avidity. why on earth he ever entered the navy was a puzzle which utterly defied solution. the master, mr rawlings, was a middle-aged man, quiet and unobtrusive in manner, and with very little to say upon any subject unconnected with his profession. there, however, he was unapproachable. he was simply perfect as a navigator, seemed to have been in and out of every harbour in the world, and was intimately acquainted with the position of every rock and shoal which guarded their approach, together with the distinctive features of every light, beacon, or buoy which announced their vicinity; knew the direction and rates of the various currents, and could tell, without referring to his chart, the depths of water over bars and in channels, together with the bearings of the fairways in the latter, how wide they were, and the hour of high-water in them at the full and change of the moon; in fact, his information on such matters appeared to be quite inexhaustible. he was unquestionably the ablest master in the entire british navy; and one of the first anxieties of a captain, when in quest of a crew, was to get hold of "old rawlings" as master. we midshipmen were six in number; four of my messmates being older, and one younger than myself. they were all good-tempered, agreeable lads, and in other respects were about on a par with the average run of midshipmen. the master's-mate, mr percival, was berthed with us. he was a fine, gentlemanly, young fellow of about eighteen years of age, with great ability and intense application, bidding fair to achieve eventually a reputation equal to that of his chief, for whom he entertained a profound admiration. and now, having introduced my fellow-officers, let me say what it is necessary to say respecting the ship. the "juno" was one of the old class of frigates, of which, however, she happened to be an extremely favourable specimen. she was very strong, being oak-built throughout, and copper fastened; her timbers being of the most solid description, and exceptionally heavy scantling. she came to us with the unenviable reputation of being a poor sailer, though she was a very _good_ model, particularly under water; but mr annesley paid her a visit while in the dry dock, and attentively studied her lines, having done which he determined to alter her trim altogether, putting her nine inches deeper down in the water aft, and reducing her ballast to the extent of twenty tons. the result answered his most sanguine expectations; for while she still stood up well under her canvas, she was steadier in a sea-way, lighter and drier forward, paid off quicker in stays, and though still scarcely a clipper, her rate of sailing had considerably improved. her accommodations were somewhat cramped, as compared with the newer and larger class of frigates; but as far as i was concerned, coming into her from the little "scourge," there seemed to be a positive superabundance of room. she mounted thirty-two long twelves, and mustered a crew of men. it had been my intention to act upon sir peregrine's suggestion, and ask for a day or two's leave to run home and see my friends once more, before finally quitting old england upon a cruise of unknown duration; but we had been so excessively busy that i really had not the conscience to make such a request; and now that the ship was finally ataunto, it appeared that we were to proceed to sea forthwith. i was therefore obliged to content myself with writing them a long letter, to which i put the finishing touches while we were waiting for the captain, mr annesley having kept a shore-boat alongside to take ashore a few letters which he had hastily scribbled after the completion of the preparations for unmooring, and by which he kindly intimated that any one who had letters to send might send them. at length, about : in the afternoon, the captain's gig was seen approaching the ship, the side was manned, and in a few minutes more captain hood stood upon his own quarter-deck. "you may--ah--run my gig up to the davits, if you please, mr annesley," said he, "and then we will--aw--weigh at once if--ah--you have everything ready." "quite ready, sir," replied the first luff, turning away to give the necessary orders. the gig was hoisted up and secured, the hands were sent aloft to loose the canvas, the topsails were sheeted home and mast- headed, the jib run up, and, simultaneously with this, the capstan-bars were shipped, one of the ship's boys mounted the capstan-head violin in hand, and to a merry air upon that instrument out stepped the men, the anchor was quickly run up to the bows, and with the last drain of the flood-tide the "juno," under topsails and jib, with a light north- easterly air of wind, glided with a slow and stately movement out of the harbour, squaring away directly down through the solent as soon as we had cleared the anchorage at spithead, instead of going out round the island to the eastward, as was at that time usual with men-o'-war. this circumstance, trifling as it was, had a very exhilarating effect upon all hands, as it seemed to foreshadow that our skipper, notwithstanding his somewhat affected manner, had a habit of taking the shortest and most direct road when he had an object to achieve. there were several ships lying at spithead as we passed through, and it was observed that one of them--the "boston," a frigate of about our own size--was just getting under way, her destination being the east coast of north america. her skipper, captain courtenay, and ours were, it appeared, old friends, and having met that day at the admirals' office, there had been a little good-natured banter between them as to the comparative sailing powers of the two ships, each being of course of opinion that his own ship could beat the other; and it had been finally arranged that, as both frigates were to sail that day, there should be a friendly race down channel, the stake being the time-honoured one--a new hat. accordingly, as soon as we had room, the "juno" was rounded-to with the main-topsail to the mast, to wait until the other ship should join us. we were not detained very long. hardly were we hove-to when the "boston" was seen threading her way out through the fleet, and in a few minutes more she was close abreast of us, the "juno" bearing up at the moment which would bring the bows of the two ships exactly level. captain courtenay appeared at the gangway as the "boston" drew up alongside, and on our skipper showing himself, hailed "juno ahoy! are you ready?" "ay, ay," was the response, "we are--aw--quite ready." "then--_off_!" shouted the "boston's" skipper, and at the word down came his topgallant sheets, the yards going up at the same moment, and the royal sheets fluttering down into their berths, as the yards rose to meet them; then up went the royal yards to their respective mast-heads, the courses dropped heavily down, the staysails and flying-jib slid up their stays, and the driver was hauled out, the whole being done with the regularity and rapidity of a well-oiled and easy-working machine. in the meantime our own hands had not been idle, and under mr annesley's able manipulation the "juno" proved herself quite as smart as her antagonist in spreading her snowy pinions. from that moment all was pleasant excitement on board as the two ships slid gently along side by side within hailing distance of each other. speculation was rife, and the most diverse opinions as to the issue of the trial were expressed both on the quarter-deck and the forecastle. the "boston" had the name of being a tolerably smart craft, but during the run down the solent neither ship appeared able to claim any very decided advantage over the other, sometimes one and sometimes the other drawing a trifle ahead. on arriving off "egypt" we were able to edge away a little, and then stunsails were set on the starboard side in both ships, still, however, without altering our relative positions. as the sun declined toward the horizon the wind gradually dropped, finally dying away altogether, and leaving us absolutely motionless save for the drift of the ebb-tide, which still swept us along to the westward. it was a magnificent evening, the water, smooth as glass, reflecting on its glittering surface an absolutely unbroken picture of our stately consort, with every snowy sail, every spar and rope, as clearly shown as though she were reposing on the polished surface of a gigantic mirror. the western sky, glowing with tints of the clearest, palest amber melting into a delicate rose, which merged in its turn imperceptibly into a clear, deep, transparent blue as the eye glanced from the horizon toward the zenith, was without a trace of cloud, and against this pure and exquisitely tinted background the outlines of hurst castle stood sharply out, the castle itself and the low spit of land on which it is built appearing of a deep, rich, powerful, purple hue, as though carved out of a giant amethyst, while the country further inland exhibited tints varying from the deepest olive--almost approaching black--through the richest greens, away to the most delicate of pearly greys in the remote distance. the wight--about a quarter of a mile distant on our port hand--presented a picture of exquisite and almost fairy-like beauty, with its wooded slopes, waving cornfields, and grassy dells, aglow with the rich purply-golden haze of sunset, repeating their beauties in the waveless tide which washed its shores. as i stood gazing entranced upon the varied beauties of earth, sea, and sky, the scene gradually changed, a marvellous transformation was taking place, the sky tints deepened into a warmer, richer glow, the colours of the landscape slowly faded into sombre neutral, the castle stood out black as ebony against the dying flush in the sky, the water blushed crimson for a moment, then paled to a cold greyish purple as a faint breeze began to ruffle its surface, the azure of the sky became momentarily deeper and richer and more purple in tone, and presently, out from the clear cerulean depths started into view the planet venus, beaming down upon us with a soft, silvery, lambent radiance, and tracing upon the bosom of the darkening wave a delicate thread of quivering liquid light-- "`who can paint like nature?'" said a voice at my elbow, while an arm was slid quietly within my own, and i found myself joined by young raleigh, a fellow-mid--and by all accounts a scion of the same family as the renowned sir walter--"what mortal brush could hope to emulate the exquisite softness, delicacy, richness, and power of those tints which have just faded out of the picture before us, or what artist could adequately express the quiet, dreamy beauty of the present scene? dame nature has been kind in permitting what will probably be our last glimpse for some time to come of our native land, to be one of such surpassing loveliness. we are bound to a region the beauty of which has been for ages a favourite theme among poets, yet i fancy many of us will look with yearning fondness upon the cherished memory of the parting smile with which old england has bidden us a long good-night." "i am sure _i_ shall, for one," said i, "i have heard and read much of the beauties of the `sunny south,' but i find it difficult to imagine anything more exquisitely beautiful than many scenes which i have witnessed at home when nature has been in her happier moods." "ah! that is because you have never been away from home," remarked raleigh. "i have already been up the mediterranean once, and without for a moment attempting to decry the--" "hands, trim sails. in with the stunsails on the starboard side; rig in and secure the booms, ease up the larboard braces, and take a small pull upon the starboard, rig out the booms on the port side and get the stunsails on her again. be smart, my lads, or we shall have the frigate alongside presenting us with a full view of her stern all the way down channel." _so_ spake the first lieutenant, the boatswain's whistle chirped, and in a moment the stillness on board gave place to a scene of bustle and animation. the breeze, after faintly ruffling the glassy surface of the water with an occasional cat's-paw, came softly stealing out from the e.s.e., and every sail was immediately trimmed with the most scrupulous nicety to woo the gentle zephyr. the lighter and more lofty sails first acknowledged its welcome presence, alternately swelling out and fluttering to the masts, like the gentle rise and fall of the breast of sleeping beauty, then they filled out steadily, the lower and heavier canvas also sullenly yielding to its influence; a soft, musical, rippling sound arose beneath the frigate's bows, tiny whirlpools formed in the wake of the rudder and trailed away astern, the pressure of the spokes upon the helmsman's hand became firm and steady, a faint creak was occasionally heard aloft as the strain upon the spars increased, the sails "went to sleep," the sheets tautened out, the ripple under the bows grew louder and louder, until it emulated the rush of a mountain torrent, and the foam gathered round the cutwater, hissing along the side, and swirling far away in our wake, as the "juno," yielding to the freshening breeze, swept out past the needles, and hauled up a point or two for ushant. chapter nine. into a trap and out again. the "boston" was still in company at breakfast-time the following morning, but we had by that time contrived to leave her a good two miles astern, a feat which in view of that frigate's reputation occasioned general exultation to the "junos," for, as little summers sagely remarked at the breakfast-table, "what was the use of going to sea in a ship whose sailing powers were unequal to the task of taking her crew alongside an enemy?" "well, the old tub has not done badly, so far," observed young smellie. "she turns out a good deal better than i had been led to expect. i met a mid who had formerly belonged to her, on the day that i came down to join, and he said that the fastest he had ever known her to go was six knots, and that it took her the length of a dog-watch to go about." "well, if she will stay at all, we shall not be so badly off as i was in the old `ajax,'" ejaculated summers. "we were always obliged to _wear_ her, and if we could get her round upon the other tack without running more than three miles to leeward we considered we had done pretty well." "is it your _habit_ to exaggerate, or do you only indulge in it occasionally, young 'un?" quietly inquired percival, the master's-mate, looking up from a book he was devouring with his breakfast. "exaggerate? how do you mean?" returned summers, flushing up very red in the face. "i thought it would be understood that i was only joking." "and i have no doubt it _was_ so understood," remarked percival, "but if you are not above taking a bit of friendly advice, let me recommend you not to deviate a single hair's-breadth _from_ the truth, even in joke; it is a dangerous practice, and as easy an introduction to deliberate, systematic lying as any with which i am acquainted. now don't look so hurt, my boy, of course you meant no harm--you had no intention to deceive us, it was merely a thoughtless speech, but be advised by me and avoid that particular species of thoughtlessness as you would the plague, nothing is much easier to acquire than a reputation for untruthfulness, and certainly nothing is more difficult to get rid of." poor little summers hung down his head for a few moments, dreadfully abashed at this unexpected rebuke, then looking up, with the flush still on his face, he said, "thank you, mr percival. you hit me rather hard, but i believe you are right, i am afraid i _have_ yielded rather too much to the bad habit of which you speak, but i don't think i shall be likely to do it again. and now, to change the subject, does anybody know exactly where we are bound?" "there was a vague rumour floating about portsmouth, a few days ago, that lord hood--by the way, i wonder if he is in any way related to our skipper?--is to take a fleet to toulon, though for what purpose nobody seemed to know; i hope we shall not be ordered to join," said smellie. "i hope not!" remarked percival. "_i_ also heard the rumour to which you refer, and i fancy there must be some truth in it, for it went so far even as to specify by name several ships as having been selected to form part of the fleet, and i know that there has been a pretty general overhaul and refit going on with many of them. there is a large french fleet at this moment lying in toulon harbour, and i am of opinion that the expedition--if such there is to be--is for the purpose of getting hold of a few of them. it is said that there are no less than thirty- four ships, many of them of large size, lying there ready for sea, while they have one seventy-four, and two forties--all very fine vessels--on the stocks and about ready for launching. if lord hood can take the pick of such a fleet as that, we should be able to lay up in ordinary the old `juno' and a few more like her. but i do not think we need distress ourselves much respecting the toulon fleet. if lord hood wants any frigates, he will take them out with him. _our_ mission, i expect, will be to cruise up and down the mediterranean, doing the best we can for ourselves; our skipper has, no doubt, influence enough to ensure that he shall not be hampered by being attached to blockading fleets, or anything of that kind, where you get a great deal of work and very little prize-money." percival's assumption turned out to be correct. we called at gibraltar, and remained a couple of days, giving some of us, of whom i happened to be one--an opportunity of exploring this extraordinary fortress, from whence we went on to malta, remained there a week, and were then ordered out to cruise. we were told that the french had seventeen ships-of-war cruising in the mediterranean, but we seemed to be altogether out of luck's way, for we never had the good fortune even to sight one, and, beyond picking up some half-a-dozen insignificant french traders, we did positively nothing for six entire months. at length, about the middle of december, the ship requiring a slight refit, we bore up for malta, arriving there on the rd of the month-- just in time for the christmas festivities. we of the cockpit contrived to get our full share of leave, and enjoyed ourselves immensely, but as nothing occurred particularly worthy of note, i shall not enter into details as to the pranks we played, and our several modes of seeking enjoyment. on the th of january, , we received orders to take on board supernumeraries for the garrison at toulon, the rumour of the proposed fleet under lord hood having in the meantime become an accomplished fact, and that gallant officer having accepted the surrender of the port from the toulonese, in trust for louis xvii. we received these supernumeraries on board early next morning, and sailed immediately after the completion of the embarkation. it took us a week to make the passage, the wind being fair but light, and the weather beautiful during the whole time. on the fourth day out, poor old rawlings, the master, complained of severe shooting pains in the head, accompanied by giddiness and nausea, and the next day found him confined to his berth in a high fever. we arrived off the port at about p.m. it was a beautiful night, the moon, just entering her second quarter, beamed softly down upon us from the cloudless, star-spangled sky, and a light air of wind from the southward just filled our sails and fanned us along at a rate of about four knots. when about five miles off, we hoisted lights for a pilot, the skipper being anxious to get in that night, so as to discharge the supernumeraries the first thing in the morning, the vessel being somewhat crowded. three-quarters of an hour elapsed, during which we looked in vain for a boat coming off to us, when, having approached within a couple of miles of the entrance to the harbour, captain hood gave orders for the ship to be hove-to. another half-hour passed away, and still no sign of a pilot. "if poor rawlings had not been in the sick-bay--aw--we should have been snugly at anchor by this time," said the skipper to mr annesley. "i'll be bound to say that the--aw--old fellow has been in and out of the place a dozen times at least, and he would have taken us in like a--ah-- like a shot." "quite likely, sir," returned mr annesley, with his telescope to his eye; "i think it would be difficult to name a port which he has _not_ been into. it is unfortunate that he should be laid up just at this juncture. they must be very early birds in toulon, or surely somebody would have made out our lights before this. and,"--he lowered his telescope--"it is very queer, but i cannot make out the british fleet in there, surely we ought to see them from where we now are?" "not if they are in the inner harbour, which i--aw--suspect they are. the italian bwig which came in on the day we sailed was from marseilles, and her master weported a succession of stwong easterly winds hereabouts, which would natuwally send the bwitish fleet farther in; we shall find them there all wight; where else could they be?" remarked the skipper. "very true, sir," observed the first lieutenant. "shall we fill on her and heave about? i see no sign of a boat coming off." "yes, if you please," was the answer. "by-the-bye, i wonder if young percival has ever been inside there; if he has, pewhaps he could take us in." "i scarcely expect he has ever seen the inside of the harbour, sir," said mr annesley; "still, we can ask him. shall i pass the word for him?" "yes, do," said the skipper. "i should like to get in to-night, if possible." "pass the word for--oh! here he is," said the first luff, as percival strolled aft from the forecastle, whence he had been taking a good look at the harbour. "mr percival, captain hood wishes to know if you have ever been into toulon?" "no, sir, i never have," replied percival, addressing himself to the skipper direct; "but i have just been having a look at the place, and i feel sure i could take the ship in. mr rawlings, on the first day that he was taken ill, brought out his chart, and showed me the way in, with all the marks and bearings of the fairway, and i have been able to make out every one of them quite distinctly. it is a fine, clear night, with little wind and no sea, so that if we _did_ happen to touch anywhere we should do no harm, but i think i could safely promise to take her in without scouring her copper." "vewy well, then, mr percival, i'll wisk it. take charge, sir, and do the best you can for us," said the skipper. the main-topsail was filled, and as soon as the ship had way enough on her, we hove about, and bore away for the harbour, with a hand in the fore-chains on each side, taking frequent casts of the lead, and percival on the poop, conning the ship. as we drew in towards the harbour, sail was shortened, and we crept in under topsails and jib only. at length we safely entered the inner harbour, percival's skill having proved fully equal to the occasion, and there, as had been expected, we found a number of ships lying snugly at anchor. "ah!" said the skipper, "here is the admiral, just as i expected. do you see that bwig, mr percival?" "yes, sir," returned percival, "i wanted to weather her, but we shall not do it, the wind is too light, and the tide too strong; we must tack under his stern, as there is shoal water not far to leeward of where he is." "then, in that case, we'll give her a little more muslin," said mr annesley. "haul out the driver, and down with the fore tack and sheet; look sharp, my lads! now, mr percival, we are all ready." we were now drawing up on the brig's starboard quarter, and almost within hailing distance. captain hood was preparing to hail the vessel, when a figure was seen on the taffrail of the stranger, and the next moment some indistinct words were hoarsely bellowed at us. "_what_ does he say?" said the skipper, turning to the group of officers standing near. "couldn't exactly make out," said one. "didn't hear very distinctly," said another. "i thought it sounded like french," said percival. "oh!" said the skipper, "he is of course asking who we are. his bwitannic majesty's fwigate `juno,' from malta, with supahnumewawies for the garrison," he added, roaring back between his hands at the motionless figure on board the brig. "viva!" was the reply, accompanied by the wave of a navy cap. "he's fwench," said the skipper; "one of the fellows who has suwendered to our fleet. can any of you gentlemen speak fwench well enough to ask him which is the bwitish admiral's ship?" there was no one, it appeared, with quite sufficient confidence in his knowledge of the french language to undertake this duty, so i stepped forward and, with becoming modesty, offered to obtain whatever information was required. permission being given, i approached the side, and squeaked out, in the most manly tones at my command, the proposed inquiry. the figure gesticulated violently, then stooped down to commune with three or four more, whose heads could now be seen just above the taffrail; finally he raised himself to an upright position, and shouted back, "yesh, yesh!" "i'm afraid he did not understand you, mr chester," said mr annesley. "try him again." i did so, with even more confusing results than before. "ask him which is the bwitish fleet," suggested the skipper. i put this question also, and the confusion appeared to become worse confounded; some half-a-dozen replies coming back to us all jumbled up together, english and french words being so hopelessly intermixed, that it was utterly impossible to make head or tail of what they were saying. we were by this time passing close under the brig's stern, and percival was remarking to the first lieutenant that it was quite time to heave about, as he was sure we must be close upon the shoal, when the voice, which had hailed us first, shouted out for us to "luff!" "hard down with your helm!" exclaimed annesley; "over with it, my man: tacks and sheets! ah! we have cut it too fine," as with a gentle surge the frigate was brought up all standing on the shoal. "away aloft, men; clew up and haul down; furl everything!" the topsail and jib halliards were let run, the canvas was clewed up, and in a minute or two more all was snugly stowed. the men were just in the act of laying in off the yards, when a little puff of wind coming down the harbour caught the frigate's bow, and to our great gratification paid her head round until her fore-foot scraped off the bank. the order was at once given to let go the anchor; the cable smoked out through the hawse-pipe, and the ship swung round, head to wind. we found, however, that her heel was still fast on the shoal, and the rudder immovable; it was therefore determined, as the tide was on the turn, to hoist out the launch at once, and run away a kedge, in order to haul the ship off while the operation was still possible. tackles were accordingly got up on the fore and main-yardarms, and in less than five minutes the launch was in the water alongside. "where is mr chester?" said the first lieutenant, looking round. "here, sir!" i replied, emerging from the shadow of the bulwarks, where i had been taking a peep at things in general through an open port, from which i had observed, among other things, a six-oared gig pull from the brig, and make towards the town; but foolishly i failed to report the circumstance, not at that moment attaching the slightest importance to it. "jump into the launch, mr chester, and take charge," said mr annesley. "i want the kedge run away here, about two points on our port bow. you must not go farther to windward than that, or the tide will take our quarter, when we float, and drive us down on the brig. now off you go, and be as smart as you can." "ay, ay, sir!" i replied, touching my cap, and away i scrambled down into the launch, where i found the kedge already stowed, with hawsers coiled down on top of it until the boat's stern was barely a couple of inches out of water. "shove off and give way, men!" i exclaimed, as my foot touched the thwart; the bowman shoved the boat's head off, the oars dropped into the phosphorescent water with a luminous splash, and we pulled down the harbour in the direction indicated by mr annesley. we pulled steadily on until all the hawser in the boat had been paid out, when we let go the kedge, and hailing the frigate to "heave in," paddled back alongside. while running out the kedge, i had observed a boat pulling toward the "juno," and when we reached the frigate, we found this craft alongside. in the meantime the frigate had been hove off the bank without much difficulty, and the tide acting strongly on her hull the moment that she floated, she had drifted down to her kedge, which had been lifted, and the anchor having been tripped as she drifted over it was once more let go, just as we got alongside. the launch, not being required any farther at the moment, was passed astern, the crew being first ordered out of her. in order to regain the frigate's deck, it was necessary for us to pass over the boat alongside, which was lying in the wake of the gangway, and as we did so, i noticed that the eight men composing her crew were unmistakably french, and that, strange to say, they were fully armed. this struck me as so singular a circumstance, that i resolved to have a good look at the other individuals who had come off to us, and who were doubtless on deck in confabulation with the skipper. i found them, as i expected, on the quarter-deck, talking to the captain and the first lieutenant. there were two of them, apparently french officers; but the one who was talking spoke excellent english, and was, at the moment when i drew near the group, explaining to captain hood that, in compliance with a regulation of the port, and the commanding officer's orders, it would be necessary for the ship at once to proceed higher up the harbour to the quarantine ground, there to perform ten days' quarantine, and that he, the speaker, was deputed to pilot the ship then and there to her new berth. "phew!" ejaculated the skipper. "quarantine, eh? with all these people on board; this is a pretty business, truly. i can't understand it at all; there is no sickness at present at malta, and we carry a perfectly clean bill of health. surely there must be a mistake somewhere. before taking up a berth in this quarantine ground, i should like to communicate with lord hood. can you point me out his ship, monsieur?" "you cannot see her from here, monsieur le capitaine," replied the frenchman. "besides, an interview with the british admiral will avail you nothing; he is doubtless retired by this time, and, even if he were not, he could not interfere; he has no authority whatever in the present matter." i thought i detected a covert smile of derision passing over the speaker's face as he said this, and i turned to see whether i could detect anything of the kind on that of his companion, but i found he had withdrawn to the gangway, apparently to call his people up out of the boat, for they were just coming up over the side, as i looked. in another moment he sauntered back, and rejoined the group from which he had so quietly slipped away. "do you say that we cannot see the british flag-ship from here, sir?" inquired mr annesley. "then pray where is she? it seems to me that every ship in the harbour is within view from here; yet, now i come to look, i cannot see a single british ship among them all. does it not strike you, sir, that there is something rather peculiar about this business?" turning to the skipper. i was sure i saw the two french officers start and glance quickly at each other at this remark; and then, for the first time, i noticed that they wore tri-coloured cockades in their hats. "why, those gentlemen have _national_ cockades in their hats!" i exclaimed involuntarily. "by jove! you are right, young gentleman, they have!" ejaculated the skipper. "what is the meaning of all this, monsieur? are you a nationalist, or are you a royalist in disguise? and i beg that you will at once tell me the whereabouts of lord hood and his fleet. unless i receive a distinct answer, i shall be forced to believe that treachery is meditated, and shall take the necessary precautionary steps forthwith." the frenchmen looked in each other's faces for an instant, and then the one who had called his boat's crew on deck turned to the skipper and said, in french,-- "calm yourself, monsieur, i have the honour to inform you that you and your ship's company are prisoners. but the english are a good people, and we will treat you all with the utmost kindness. the english admiral went away some time ago, and toulon is now in the hands of the nationalists." the expression of mingled horror and disgust which slowly overspread the features of the skipper and the first luff, like a summer cloud sailing slowly across the disc of the full moon, would have been irresistibly laughable under other circumstances, but as matters stood nobody felt the slightest inclination to laugh. "_prisoners_!!" ejaculated mr annesley. he was apparently too full for further utterance, but he had already said quite enough. "we are prisoners!" flew from mouth to mouth, like wildfire, and in less than two minutes every man in the ship had become acquainted with our position. every officer came crowding aft, to ascertain the truth of the startling rumour, and a more disgusted and dejected-looking group of mortals than we appeared, it would have been difficult to find. the disagreeable announcement once made, the french officers hastened to place matters upon a more agreeable basis, exerting themselves to the utmost to get up a lively general conversation, and explaining how it was that we had so easily run into the trap. a very few words sufficed for this, the matter was so excessively simple. it appeared, from the french officers' statement, that lord hood, after sustaining a long and harassing siege of nearly four months, had, on the night of the th of the previous december, been at length compelled to evacuate toulon, he finding it utterly impossible to hold it any longer with the small force at his command--barely , men--against the overwhelming numbers of the besiegers, who mustered close upon , . but though unable to prevent the republicans from obtaining possession of this important place, the british admiral resolved that it should pass into their hands, comparatively speaking, valueless. immediately, therefore, that it was finally decided to retire from the place, he set on foot preparations to destroy the arsenal, magazines, etcetera, and such of the french ships as it was deemed inexpedient to take away with him; and though he was unable to carry out in their entirety the whole of his arrangements, it was pretty evident, from our informants' account, that the destruction actually effected was something enormous; the dockyard, with its various storehouses, the magazines, two powder- ships, and two -gun ships of war--the "heros," and "themistocle"-- being burnt. it must have been a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight to witness these destructive operations, effected as they were during the darkness of the night. the conflagration of the stores, warehouses, and ships, the explosion of powder magazines and powder vessels--the latter being _set on fire_ by our lubberly allies, the spaniards, instead of being scuttled, as had been arranged--and the incessant flash of the cannon and musketry--a hot conflict raging all the while between the british and the republican forces--could not fail of being an awfully impressive sight; and such it had evidently proved to our informants, who described the various scenes which they had witnessed on that memorable night with a very considerable amount of graphic power. so interested were we all, for the moment, in this narration, that every one appeared to have completely forgotten our excessively unpleasant position, until it was recalled to our minds by an exclamation from our third lieutenant, the honourable edward plantagenet mortimer. "aw--excuse my intewupting this extwemely intewesting er--ah-- conversation," said he, in his usual dandified style, "but i should like to diwect your attention, captain hood, to the--ah--important fact that--ah--_the wind has changed_, and, if i may be allowed to expwess an opinion, i would say that if we could get the canvas upon the ship, i believe _we could fetch out of the harbour again_." the effect was electrical. the remark suggested such readiness of resource, such consummate seamanship, and such dashing courage on the part of the speaker, that, had it been uttered by mr annesley even, we should probably have been somewhat surprised; but emanating from the source it did, our astonishment simply beggars description. there was a dead silence for a moment, while we were ruminating upon and digesting the possibilities involved in the suggestion, and then, as it became apparent that a bold dash for freedom was still in our power, a ringing cheer burst out, fore and aft. in an instant the skipper was himself again. "silence, fore and aft!" he exclaimed; "every sound you utter now may cost a man's life. to your stations, men, and let every order be executed with the rapidity and-- ah--silence of thought. mr annesley, make sail, if you please. gentlemen,"--to the frenchmen--"you will wegwet to learn that you have made a slight--ah--mistake. instead of our _being your_ prisoners, you are _ours_. and--er--as your countwymen, with their chawactewistic politeness, may possibly salute us as we pass the battewies, and as they may, in their anxiety to do so, omit to dwaw the shot from their guns, allow me to suggest that you wetire below. mr carnegie--our lieutenant of mawines--has, i see, been thoughtful enough to pwovide an escort for you, and in his hands i have much pleasure in leaving you; you will find him a twuly delightful companion. good evening, gentlemen, for the present." at first the frenchmen appeared unable to believe their own ears. then, as they began to realise that we were actually about to attempt our escape, they rapidly threw themselves together, back to back, and began to handle their sabres menacingly. carnegie, however, who upon hearing the honourable mortimer's remark had grasped the situation in an instant, had at once slipped off, returning in a very few minutes with some five-and-twenty fully-armed marines, and with these he promptly surrounded the chagrined frenchmen, who found the way in which the "jollies" handled their half-pikes so little to their taste that they at length came to the conclusion that discretion was, in their case, the better part of valour, and sullenly suffered themselves to be conducted below. in the meantime our lads had been anything but idle. with the activity of so many cats they had scuttled away aloft, laying out upon the yards, and casting off the gaskets in a style which must have done mr annesley's heart good, and which, to a moral certainty, considerably astonished the frenchmen on board the surrounding ships and in the batteries. there was no confusion whatever; everything was done with as much method and precision as if we had been merely exercising the crew; but, on the other hand, not one second of precious time was wasted, and it really was a pretty sight to see all the canvas falling simultaneously from the yards, the topsail sheets instantly going home into their places, and the three topsail-yards directly afterwards soaring away up to the mast-heads. then home came the topgallant sheets, and up went the yards, the royals following, and being set literally before the topgallant halliards were belayed. the fore-and- aft canvas was at the same time set, and the moment that the royals were at the mast-heads the yards were braced for casting the ship. the carpenter and one of his mates were stationed at the hawse-pipe, armed with their keenest axes, and stood ready to strike directly the word was given. in three minutes from the time that the order had been given to make sail, mr annesley turned to the skipper and said, with the utmost composure, "all ready, sir." "where is mr percival?" inquired captain hood. "here, sir!" replied percival, stepping forward and touching his cap. "take charge, sir, if you please," said the skipper. "and do not forget that the safety of the frigate, and our chances of escape from a long captivity are absolutely in your hands. if we touch the ground and hang for five minutes, we shall be simply blown out of the water." "i will do my best, sir," quietly replied percival taking up a convenient position for conning the ship. "i feel sure you will, sir," returned the skipper. "say when we shall cut." "at once, sir, if you please," was the reply. "cut, and cut with a will!" said mr annesley. three or four quick strokes were heard, the frigate's head paid slowly off until her sails filled, when the head-yards were swung, the fore-and-main-tacks were boarded, the sheets hauled aft, and every sail trimmed as if for a sailing-match. the fact that our movements were closely watched became apparent the moment that the hands appeared in the rigging to loose the sails, a very perceptible stir taking place on board the brig, while lights rapidly made their appearance in the several batteries. "we are about to have a warm quarter of an hour," remarked the skipper, who had been keenly noting these sinister indications, while the first luff was getting the ship under weigh. "let the crew go to quarters at once, if you please, mr annesley." "ay, ay, sir!" was the reply. "if we only had a little more wind--and there it comes--blow, good breezes, blow! i believe we shall scrape clear, after all. beat to quarters!" a sharp roll of the drum immediately broke in upon the quietude of the night; there was a momentary bustle--but only momentary the men having already gone to quarters, as a matter of course--and then all was profound silence once more on board, save for a gentle rippling sound beneath the bows and along the sides, and the occasional creak of a block aloft. "say when you wish to tack, mr percival," said the first luff, stationing himself alongside the master's-mate. "not yet, sir," said percival; "the wind is favouring us a little just now--there it freshens a trifle, and she looks up better than ever. keep her a good clean full, quarter-master, and let her go through the water. i wish there was not quite so much tide, though it _is_ in our favour; it is setting us bodily down towards the shoal water. keep the lead going, there, in the fore-chains. we should do none the worse, sir, if the frenchmen's boat were cut adrift." "cut it adwift at once," said the skipper, who was standing close by; "cut it adwift at once, and the launch as well; we cannot afford to have so much as a rope's end dragging alongside just now. ah! i have been expecting that," as the brig before referred to, having got a spring upon her cable, and brought her broadside to bear, opened fire upon us. "never mind," continued the skipper, "we shall soon be out of harm's way, as far as she is concerned; it is the fire of the battewies i dwead most; they, no doubt, mount heavy metal, and if the guns are well served a single bwoadside will unwig us. this is an ugly looking fellow here, on our starboard bow; they evidently mean mischief there, by the number of lights they show. let the starboard bwoadside guns be twained for the thwee ports where we see the most light, mr annesley, and let each gun be fired, as it is bwought to bear." at this juncture another broadside from the brig whistled overhead, making a few eyelet-holes in our canvas and cutting one or two unimportant ropes; and immediately afterwards a shot, quickly followed by another, and yet another, came plunging at us from the fort. the guns were evidently pointed with the intention of bringing down our spars, but luckily we again escaped without any damage worth speaking of. matters were beginning to assume a very lively aspect for us; for as we glided down the harbour we could see the lights glancing in battery after battery, on each side of us, until every one of them was lighted up. still, on swept the frigate, silent as a ghostly ship, and without a light of any kind visible on board her, the battle-lanterns being every one carefully masked, the men standing silent and motionless as statues at their guns; even the remarks interchanged between the officers were expressed in low murmurs only loud enough to reach the ear for which they were intended, the oppressive silence being intensified rather than broken by an occasional "luff! luff, you may, quarter-master," from percival. presently, _crash_ came a simultaneous discharge of five heavy guns from the battery on our starboard hand, and four from another battery on the opposite shore; the shot hissed overhead, there was a dull crushing thud or two aloft, and a little rattling shower on deck as ropes and splinters came clattering down. some of our spars had evidently been badly wounded, and the carpenter and his mates were sent aloft to ascertain the extent of the damage. while they were ascending the rigging, _bang_ went our foremost gun on the starboard side, followed by the remainder of the broadside; and the moon happening to shine full upon the stone walls of the fort which had just opened upon us, we saw, as the smoke drove astern, a little cloud of dust rise about one of the embrasures, a ragged patch of chipped and broken stone appeared to start out upon the wall, and faintly borne down to us on the heavy night-wind came the sound of shrieks and yells of agony. it was perfectly evident that our shot had told with severe effect. as though the discharge of our broadside had been the preconcerted signal for a general cannonade, every battery within range on each side of the harbour now opened fire upon us, some of them, however, fortunately for us, being unable to bring more than a single gun to bear. had the guns on shore been served with only ordinary skill, we should undoubtedly have been destroyed; as it was, though the shot flew over and over us thick as hail, lashing the sea into foam all round us, shredding our sails to ribbons, cutting up very badly our standing and running rigging, bringing down our main-topgallant-mast, and severely wounding several of our other spars, we still glided safely on, our hull uninjured, and not a man hurt. orders were now sent down for the guns on the main-deck to play upon every battery upon which they could be brought to bear, and for each gun to be laid with the greatest possible accuracy, precision rather than rapidity of fire being the skipper's object. an irregular fire from both broadsides accordingly now commenced; and that it was not altogether without effect was demonstrated by the speedy silencing of two or three out of the many guns now playing upon us; but, as our object was to escape with the least possible delay, captain hood would not allow the frigate's course to be altered by so much as one single hair's-breadth in order to bring our guns more directly to bear upon either of the batteries. "we shall have to make a short board presently, sir," said percival to the skipper, as we drew down to within half a mile of the harbour entrance; "there is shoal water directly ahead of us now, and we have broken off a couple of points within the last ten minutes. shall we heave about at once, or go on as far as we can? if we stand on much farther, we shall be exposed to the fire of yonder battery, which seems to be preparing a warm reception for us." "go about at once, sir, by all means," replied the skipper. "we have got off wonderfully well so far; we will certainly not run any unnecessary risks now. ready about, mr annesley." "ay, ay, sir. ready about!" repeated the first lieutenant. the men went to their several stations, the coiled-up braces, etcetera, were thrown off the belaying-pins, and all was ready for the execution of the proposed manoeuvre. "down with your helm, quarter-master," was the next order. the tiller- ropes creaked as the wheel was rapidly spun round by the brawny and dexterous arms of the quarter-master, and the ship slowly luffed to the wind. "hold on of all!" suddenly exclaimed percival. then, turning to the skipper, he continued. "the wind is favouring us again, sir; she is still clean full; and if the breeze keeps as it is for ten minutes more, we shall fetch out clear of everything." "so much the better," remarked the skipper. "our present course, however, will take us unpleasantly close to that battery; so,"--looking round until his eye lighted on me--"be so good as to step down to the main-deck, mr chester, and request mr flinn to treble-shot his larboard broadside and pour it into that battery as we pass. perhaps we may be a second or so beforehand with them; and if so, a well-directed broadside on our part may stop their fire altogether." i soon found mr flinn; and, having delivered my message, returned at once to the quarter-deck, anxious to see how we should fare with this last battery, which, to judge by appearances, was the most formidable of them all. as i emerged through the hatchway. percival gave the word to the helmsman to keep away a couple of points, the frigate having just shaved past the most prominent part of the shoal. this brought the battery directly abreast of us, and less than a quarter of a mile distant; and i was waiting for the concussion of our broadside, which i momentarily expected would be poured into it, when the whole face of the fort blazed out into a line of fire; there was a deafening roar, a loud whirring sound in the air, a crashing among our spars aloft, two distinct and heavy thuds, telling that some of the shot had struck our hull; and then, as the mizen-topmast fell over the side, the fore- topgallant-mast following--the topmast-head being shot away--our whole broadside rang out at once, and we distinctly heard the crushing sound of the shot as it struck the masonry. the breeze had in the meantime freshened somewhat, and notwithstanding our crippled condition, we were slipping through the water at the rate of about five knots. we had by this time run the gauntlet of all the batteries on each side of the haven, and we considered that we had had the worst that we were to have; our spirits accordingly began to rise, as the prospect of escape became more hopeful. the skipper expected that we should have to sustain a couple more broadsides from the battery with which we had just exchanged compliments, after which, if we escaped further serious damage, we might consider ourselves safe. every eye-- excepting perhaps percival's and the helmsman's--was accordingly directed anxiously to the dark frowning mass which stood out indistinctly from the dark background of land, and which every moment grew more and more vague and undefined, expecting to see the lurid line of fire blaze out from the darkness once more. but minute after minute passed by, the frigate drawing out from the land all the while, and the breeze freshening with every fathom of additional distance, until nothing could be discerned, even with the aid of our night-glasses, but the feeble glimmer of the lanterns showing through the port-holes; and presently these abruptly disappeared: the battery was shut in by a projecting point of land and _we had escaped_. the moment that this agreeable fact became known the crew with one accord gave three hearty cheers, the skipper himself for the nonce laying aside his usual _sang-froid_ and leading off. the guns were secured, a liberal allowance of grog served out, and then, late as it was--about half an hour after midnight--all hands turned-to to repair damages. chapter ten. an important mission. once fairly at sea and out of reach of the enemy's shot, we had time to take a look at ourselves and realise the extent of our damages. when passing over the same ground a few hours before, the "juno" presented as pretty a picture as a nautical connoisseur could wish to see, with her hull recently painted, every spar in its place, and adjusted there to a nicety, her rigging in perfect order, and her white sails--the new look just worn off them, and barely stretched into their proper shape-- without a blemish or fault to mar their perfect appearance. _now_, she passed out to sea with her fore and main-topgallant-masts and mizen- topmast hanging over the side, the fore-topsail-yard down on the cap, the spankerboom shot away in the jaws, the flying-jib-stay and halliards cut through and the sail towing alongside, her canvas riddled with shot- holes, ends and bights of ropes streaming out in the wind everywhere aloft, and two -pound shot in her side. luckily, however, our casualties ended here; for, notwithstanding the hailstorm of shot through which we had passed, not a man on board was hurt. we were busy the remainder of that night, and a good part of the following day, making good the damages sustained. by evening, however, we were all ataunto once more; and as soon as the work was finished, captain hood mustered the hands and made them a speech, thanking them, both officers and men, for the courage and determination with which all had co-operated with him in effecting the escape of the ship from an enemy's port, wherein she actually lay aground surrounded by armed ships, and with numerous heavily armed batteries opposing our departure. percival was specially referred to, his skill in piloting the ship in and out again being dwelt upon in highly commendatory terms; and then-- the skipper being a rare hand at turning out a neat speech and rounding it off with a compliment--the men were told that, having behaved so exceptionally well, their officers would now have no hesitation about engaging in any enterprise, however hazardous or hopeless it might appear, confident that the men they led would support them as long as they had strength to stand. at the close of this speech the men, as in duty bound, gave three cheers, the hammocks were piped down, and life on board the "juno" resumed once more its normal conditions. the first question which suggested itself to the skipper, after getting his ship once more into fighting order, naturally was what was to be done with the supernumeraries which we had on board. his instructions, it appeared, made no provision whatever for the possibility of such a _contretemps_ as had befallen us, and he was, in consequence, quite at a loss what to do. finally, after talking the affair over with mr annesley, he resolved to take them back to malta, and a course was accordingly shaped for that island. we accomplished the passage in five days, and landed the men, who were glad enough to plant their feet on mother earth once more, after knocking about in their confined quarters for nearly a fortnight. during our absence, information of the evacuation of toulon by lord hood had reached the island, and it was taken quite for granted that, going to the place in ignorance of this important fact, as we were, we should inevitably fall into some trap and be made prisoners; when therefore we put in an appearance once more, and the details of our escape were made known, we immediately became the object of unbounded curiosity and admiration. hundreds flocked to see the ship (many of them being intensely disappointed at the almost entire absence of visible indications of the peril through which she had passed), and officers and men alike were pointed out and looked after in the streets, until we ran the greatest risk of becoming inordinately vain of our exploit. the admiration of the islanders did not end here, however; for it being deemed advisable to place the frigate in dry dock to examine her bottom and smooth her copper, after having touched the ground, as well as to make good a few defects which were beyond our own unaided powers, we were balled, _feted_, picnicked, and generally made much of for three days by the excitable and pleasure-loving inhabitants, at the end of which time, our repairs being completed, we were hurried away to sea with sealed orders, to be opened off cape spartivento. we arrived off this headland on the nd of january, and captain hood then learned that we were to remain on the spot until the evening of the th, when, if no farther instructions reached him, he was to open a sealed paper which he found enclosed with his orders. the ship was accordingly hove-to and placed under reefed topsails, a private signal was hoisted at the main-royal-mast-head, and in order that the time might not be absolutely wasted, the crew were put through a special course of drill. a sharp lookout was maintained, in order that there might be no possibility of our being passed unobserved by any craft bearing later instructions; but though we saw plenty of feluccas passing along the coast, the only craft which came at all near us was a magnificent -gun frigate, which hoisted french colours and bore down towards us on our showing our ensign; but having approached within four miles and lying hove-to for half an hour, she resumed her original course to the northward, leaving us in a most unchristian frame of mind towards the admiral, whose orders tied us to the spot, and prevented our accepting the challenge she had given. we at first cherished the hope that if we did not go out to her, she would come down and attack us, but such a slice of good luck was not just then to fall to our lot. the stipulated period of our stay off cape spartivento having at length expired, captain hood broke open the packet to which reference has already been made, and having acquainted himself with the farther instructions therein contained, orders were forthwith issued to make sail to the northward and westward. we had a fine breeze from the eastward, to which we showed a heavy press of canvas; the frigate accordingly made short miles of the trip along the sardinian coast, and on the following evening arrived off the gulf of ajaccio in corsica, the coast-line being about twenty miles distant, and consequently "hull-down;" the mountain-chain, however, which forms as it were the backbone of corsica, was distinctly visible, lighted up as it was by the gorgeous tints of sunset. sail was now shortened to topsails, and the frigate hove-to. while all hands were wondering more or less what the next move would be, i was sent for by the skipper to go to him in his cabin. on arriving there, i found him and mr annesley seated at the cabin-table with a decanter of port standing between them, glasses of the same at their elbows, and a large map spread out in the full light of the cabin lamp, which had just been lighted; the table being further littered with a large number of official-looking documents. as i entered the cabin, captain hood raised his eyes from the map, over which both officers had been earnestly poring, and said,-- "oh! come in, mr chester, and bwing yourself to an anchor. atkins! a wine-glass for mr chester. there, help yourself, young gentleman." i poured out a glass of the port, wondering, as i sipped it, wherever the skipper managed to pick up so very excellent a wine; and when the steward had retired, closing the door after him, captain hood looked across the table at me, and said,-- "mr chester, i have been gweatly gwatified at the continued good weports which mr annesley makes of your conduct. he speaks vewy highly of your intelligence, persevewance, zeal, and couwage, and i--ah--may say that--er--i have myself noted fwom time to time your possession of those--ah--desiwable chawactewistics. partly on this account, and partly because of your--ah--intimate knowledge of the fwench language, i have selected you for the performance of a service in which all the qualities i have mentioned are--er--conspicuously necessawy. you will understand this more clearly when i explain that the service consists in the safe conveyance of certain vewy important documents to the hands of a corsican gentleman on shore yonder, in the face of unknown but possibly sewious difficulties from the numewous fwench twoops occupying the island, and into whose hands the documents in question must by no means be allowed to fall. i should hesitate vewy stwongly about intwusting one so young with a mission so delicate but for mr annesley's positive assuwance that i may safely do so. now, what say you? are you willing to undertake the service?" to say that i _jumped_ at the offer would but feebly express the eagerness with which i answered in the affirmative. here was one of those chances for distinguishing myself for which i had so ardently longed, and here too was the prospect of at least temporary freedom from the restraints of discipline and the monotony of shipboard, to say nothing of the possibilities of excitement and adventure involved in the performance of a secret service in the enemy's country. it was with the utmost difficulty i controlled my excitement sufficiently to listen to the skipper's instructions, and to absorb and master the information necessary to the successful conduct of the enterprise. the map spread upon the table was a map of corsica drawn to a large scale, and showing every road, stream, mountain-path, wood, chateau-- indeed i might almost say _every house_ on the island; and upon it was marked in red ink the various french posts, as far as they could be ascertained, while crosses in blue ink indicated the posts of the insurgent corsicans. captain hood produced also a skeleton map of the island drawn to a very small scale, containing only such information as was necessary for my guidance; and during the delivery of his instructions frequent reference was made to both these maps, as well as to a manuscript book of what would be called "sailing directions" if it referred to a journey by water instead of by land, and from which i made brief notes from time to time, by way of memory-refreshers, in a tiny book with which captain hood furnished me. the skipper kept me with him for more than two hours--in fact until he had satisfied himself that i not only thoroughly understood what was required of me--which was very simple, being merely to find an individual, who was to be identified by certain pre-arranged tokens, and to deliver my despatches, or whatever they were, into his hands--but also that i had mastered every scrap of information which he was able to give me. when at length he found that i was fully "posted up," he dismissed me to make my preparations, cautioning me to dress in plain clothes, and to exercise the utmost care that i carried no document or article of any description with me whereby i might be identified as belonging to the english service, "otherwise," he grimly observed, "they will hang you without hesitation on the nearest tree. one thing more," he continued, as i rose to leave the cabin; "as soon as you are landed, we shall proceed in search of commodore linzee's squadron, which we are ordered to join; it is therefore quite uncertain when you may have an opportunity to return to the ship; but as i have reason to believe we shall operate somewhere at the northern end of the island, as soon as you have accomplished your mission you had better make for either calvi or bastia, and when you can learn our actual whereabouts, seize the first opportunity which offers to rejoin. here," handing me a packet, "is a sufficient amount of fwench money to cawwy you handsomely thwough the business if no hitch occurs; if it does, you must exercise your ingenuity to get yourself out of the difficulty. now go away and get weady, and--ah--er--i heartily wish you success. good-bye." he offered me his hand--with just the slightest perceptible touch of stiffness in the gesture--which i seized and shook so heartily in the excitement of the moment as to cause him to raise his eyebrows in astonishment at my audacity. the next minute i was on deck once more, with the cool night-air fanning my flushed and burning cheeks, while it urged the frigate through the water at a rate of about seven knots toward the lights of ajaccio, which glimmered on the horizon broad on our starboard bow. chapter eleven. the road to ajaccio. my descent to the midshipmen's berth for the purpose of making my few preparations was the signal for a general fusillade of questions from my inquisitive messmates as to the why and wherefore of my summons to the cabin, and great was the disgust which each felt that _he_ had been passed over in favour of so unimportant a personage as myself. it was quite true that no one of them could claim to possess more than the merest rudimentary knowledge of french, yet each was prepared with what he considered an amply sufficient reason why he should have been specially selected for the service. mr midshipman raleigh maintained that the duty was his by right, in virtue of his seniority; and as to his ignorance of french, that was a mere trifle which he was quite satisfied would never have proved the slightest impediment to his success. little percy neville--a blue-eyed, golden-haired lad whom not even a blind man could well have mistaken for anything else than pure anglo- saxon--flattered himself that "the cut of his jib" was so eminently french as to deceive even the most practised eye; while as to language, he could say _bonjour or bon soir_, and bow with the air of a born parisian. these accomplishments were, he considered, amply sufficient to ensure his perfect safety while travelling, and to enable him triumphantly to accomplish his mission--if need were--in the full light of day, and under the very eyes of unsuspecting thousands. mr robert summers was of opinion that that was all very well, and _might_ do; but if _he_ had been entrusted with the duty, his first step would have been to proceed straight to ajaccio, and there disburse some of the french coin in the acquisition of an organ and monkey, together with a full suit of picturesque italian rags, all of which he knew would be easily procurable; and provided with these, he would have felt prepared to face with the most unruffled nonchalance the severest scrutiny of a whole regiment of french detectives--the acuteness of the mere soldiery he considered would have proved simply beneath his contempt. each of the other "young gentlemen" was equally ready to suggest an infallible scheme for baffling the vigilance of the enemy; and if the conversation had no other value, it at least served to amuse me while making my preparations for the expedition. the money was mostly paper, and my first act was to carefully secrete it among the lining of the suit of "long togs" which i had decided to bend for my cruise ashore. i then packed a small leather bag with a shirt or two, selecting such as--i say it with shame--i had been too lazy to mark, a pair of socks, a brush and comb, a piece of soap--afterwards rejected upon the urgent representation of bob summers that the french _never_ used soap, much less carried it about with them--and a few other necessaries of trifling bulk, together with a small sketch-book and a box of colours; my idea being that the best way to elude inconvenient attention was by neither courting nor avoiding it, and my intention was to endeavour to pass as a young german artist student on a sketching tour, a sufficient knowledge of german and drawing for such a purpose being among my accomplishments. lastly, i summoned up courage to ask of mr annesley the loan of a pair of beautiful little pocket-pistols which i had frequently noticed when i had had occasion to go to his cabin. this completed my equipment, and by the time that i was ready and once more on deck the frigate had approached to within some six miles of the land, and was in the act of heaving-to, it being considered that we were now as close in as it was prudent to go. when i stepped on deck, captain hood was on the quarter-deck, talking to mr annesley and mr rawlings, the master--who was so far convalescent as to be able once more to resume the duties of his post--and as i approached the group, i heard the skipper remark, "and so you know ajaccio well, mr rawlings?" "ay, ay, sir," responded the master, "almost as well as i know portsmouth harbour; i have been in there twice, and can put the ship wherever you want her, within a fathom or so, dark as it is." "is there not a ruin of some sort close to the water's edge, about six miles to the southward of the town?" "there is, sir; an old chapel i believe it is. the ground rises rather steeply from the water's edge there, and is covered with trees. the ruin stands just on the edge of an over-hanging bank, about thirty feet above high-water mark; and the beach below is--or was when i saw it last--littered with stones and blocks of masonry which have fallen from the building." "would it be safe to attempt a landing there with a boat on such a night as this?" asked the skipper. "couldn't find a safer spot to land on anywhere in the island," confidently replied rawlings. "the beach is all shingle, and pretty steep, bottom quite clear of rocks, and not a ripple there with the wind this way. run the boat's nose up high and dry, and jump out on to the beach without wetting your feet. then, as to the chance of being discovered, the place is dreadful lonesome, specially at night--they do say as it's ha'nted, though i can't vouch for the truth of the story; but i _do_ know this much, that the last time i was ashore there, i took a stroll out as far as the ruin towards nightfall, and they told me as i don't know what would happen if i went there; nobody ever went a-near the place at nightfall, so they said." "and _did_ anything happen?" inquired mr annesley. "lord bless you! no, sir. i enjoyed the walk amazingly; sat and smoked my pipe among the ruins, and watched the sun go down; stayed there till the moon rose, and then walked back again to the town, and never saw a soul within a mile of the spot all the while i was there." "does not the high road to ajaccio pass close by the ruin?" inquired the skipper. "within a cable's length of it," replied rawlings. "and when once you're in the road, turn to the left, and it's all plain sailing for the rest of the way right into the town. there's only one turning in the road, and that's just after you leave the ruin; but it is only a narrow road; it turns to the right, and leads off somewhere among the hills." "just so," remarked the skipper in a tone of great satisfaction. "what rawlings says agrees most accurately with the information supplied to us, you see," he continued, addressing mr annesley; "so i think if young chester only follows out his instructions with ordinary care, he should have no difficulty in finding the place to which he is sent." "none whatever, i should imagine," returned mr annesley. "he is very young, i admit, to be entrusted with such important documents, but on that very account he is all the less likely to attract attention; and i have the utmost faith in his readiness of resource, which i believe is quite equal to the task of keeping him clear of all difficulty. do you still feel quite confident of success?" he asked, turning to me. "perhaps i ought not to say quite so much as that, sir," i replied, "but i feel no nervousness whatever, and i will do all i possibly can to succeed." "that is quite sufficient," said the skipper. "and now it is time you were off. let them man my gig, the crew taking their sidearms with them. and as you know the place so well, mr rawlings, i will ask you to take command of the expedition, and kindly put mr chester fairly in the main road to ajaccio. remember, mr chester--the first turning to the right." "ay, ay, sir," i replied. a few brief and final instructions were given me; the skipper once more shook hands, and wished me success, mr annesley following suit; and then, the gig being by that time manned and in the water, i slipped down the side and seated myself in the stern- sheets alongside old rawlings, the bowman shoved off, and the crew, dropping their oars with a splash into the water and dashing it into liquid fire, stretched out to their work, sending the light boat dancing over the wavelets toward the distant shore, and leaving far astern a luminous wake, with six small whirlpools of fire eddying on each side of it. we pulled steadily on for half an hour, and then, that no precaution might be omitted, the crew were ordered to muffle their oars. this done, we resumed our way, but at a much quieter pace, the land rising up before us an uniform black mass against the deep violet of the star- studded sky, without the faintest suggestion of detail of any kind whereby to direct our course. how rawlings could possibly hit a spot so absolutely invisible as the ruin seemed quite incomprehensible to me; but there is no doubt he was specially gifted in that respect, it being apparently impossible for him to forget or confuse the slightest details of any locality which he had once visited. be that as it may, we paddled gently on until the boat was so completely within the shadow of the land that we were in utter darkness, it being impossible to distinguish the face of the stroke oarsman from where i sat. a few more strokes, and rawlings uttered in a low tone the word "oars!" they were noiselessly laid in, and in another moment the boat's bow grated upon the shingle of the beach. "now as soon as we have landed, shove off to about fifty or sixty fathoms from the beach, and lay on your oars, ready to pull quietly in again when you hear me whistle three times. but if i _hail_ instead of whistling, bend your backs and send her in upon the beach with all your strength, and then jump out and shove her off again the moment i'm aboard, for in that case i shall have johnny crapaud after me," said rawlings to the coxswain, as we stepped gingerly forward to the bow of the boat. as soon as our feet touched the shingle, we turned round, and giving the boat's nose a vigorous shove launched her off the beach, with enough stern-way upon her to carry her the prescribed distance from the beach without the aid of the oars. as we stood for a moment watching her, we were much disconcerted to observe how distinctly she could be seen upon the surface of the starlit water by eyes which had become accustomed to the surrounding gloom. i should have been seriously apprehensive of almost instant discovery, but for rawlings's steady adherence to his original statement that no one would ever approach the place after dusk upon any consideration. as it was, i felt that the sooner rawlings was once more on board and on his way back to the ship, the easier should i be in my mind; i therefore proposed that we should push ahead for the high road without further pause. the spot was indeed of a character calculated to impress with awe and superstitious dread the uneducated mind. the ground sloped steeply toward the shore, terminating, at its juncture with the beach, in a sort of low cliff or precipitous bank about thirty feet high, the face of which was densely overgrown with shrubs of various kinds, from the midst of which irregular strata of a coarse dirty-white marble cropped out. on the extreme verge of the cliff stood the shattered ruin already referred to, barely distinguishable from where we stood, as a gaunt, shapeless, indefinable mass; while the beach below was encumbered with stones and blocks of masonry which had fallen from it from time to time. the uneven surface of the ground for some distance on each side of the ruin, and as far back as the road, was completely overshadowed by enormous cypress-trees, all of which seemed extremely ancient, while some appeared quite dead and withered. there was, in addition to these trees, a thick undergrowth of long rank grass and stunted shrubs, among which an outrageously prickly variety of the cactus made itself conspicuously apparent to the touch; while, more than half hidden by the undergrowth, there were dotted here and there a few sepulchral stones and monuments in the very last stage of irretrievable dilapidation. add to these sombre surroundings the melancholy sighing of the night-wind through the branches of the trees overhead, and the occasional weird cry of some nocturnal bird, and it will not be wondered at if i confess i felt a strong desire to get beyond the precincts of the eerie place with as little delay as possible. after listening intently for a minute or two, without hearing any sound whatever indicative of the proximity of the enemy, our eyes meanwhile growing more accustomed to the intense darkness, we pushed forward as rapidly as the nature of the ground would permit, and in about ten minutes more found ourselves in an excellent road about sixty feet wide, which rawlings informed me led direct to ajaccio, distant about seven miles. "now, mr chester," said he, "my duty is ended as far as you are concerned, and all i have to do is to slip back to the beach and get off to the ship as soon as possible, and we shall not be long running out to her with this pretty little breeze. i only wish your task was as easy as the remainder of mine--but there, if it was, there'd be no honour nor credit in the doing of it, whereas i make no manner of doubt that if you succeed in this business your promotion will be certain the moment you've sarved long enough, and anyway it'll be a fine feather in your cap. i got an inkling of what it is, while talking to the skipper just now, but didn't get quite the rights of it; is it a secret?" "certainly not from _you_" i replied; "at least i have not been given to understand so. my errand is merely to deliver certain papers into the hands of a certain individual ashore here, and then rejoin the ship as early as possible. the task would be absurdly easy, were it not for the unsettled state of the country, which seems to be all up in arms, what with the french, the insurgent corsicans, and the banditti, the latter being, i am told, especially dangerous." "no doubt--no doubt!" remarked rawlings in an absent sort of way. "well, i wish you well over your cruise, my lad; keep a cool head, for it seems to me that you've white water all round you, whichever way you shape a course. concerning the rejoining business, how are you going to set about that?" "captain hood advised me to make the best of my way to the northern end of the island, as soon as i have delivered my despatches; he thinks it most likely i shall find the `juno' there." "ay, ay? so that's it, eh?" ejaculated rawlings. "well, i s'pose you'll haul your land-tacks aboard for that trip; it'll be a change from knocking about at sea. but if you find you can't work that traverse, just you slip down to ajaccio some quiet night; there's a whole fleet of pleasure-boats of all sorts and sizes there; just jump aboard one of 'em, slip your moorings, and make a coasting v'yage of it. they're most of 'em capital sea-boats, and you know a good model when you see one by this time, i s'pose. don't take a larger craft than you can handle, and, above all, don't take a lateener; they're fine craft when they have a full crew aboard as knows how to handle 'em, but they're dreadful awkward for one hand. you'll find some little things about five-and- twenty foot over all; they're plenty large enough, and some of 'em are regular leg-o'-mutton-rigged--a big sail for'ard and a jigger aft; they sail like witches, and'll go right in the wind's eye. look out for one of them chaps; one man can handle 'em in any weather. and now i must be off. good-bye, my lad, and good luck to ye." so saying, he shook hands, and, plunging into the shrubbery, disappeared. chapter twelve. betrayed into the hands of the philistines. i was now fairly embarked upon my adventure, the various difficulties of which seemed suddenly to present themselves to my mind in all their formidable reality. while safe on board the frigate, surrounded by my shipmates, they had appeared to be the veriest trifles, scarcely worth a serious thought; but now that i stood alone in an enemy's country, with nothing to depend upon but my own sagacity and nerve, i saw in an instant--as though the truth had been revealed by a lightning-flash-- that i had indeed undertaken a task, the successful performance of which would tax to their utmost extent every one of the qualities for which the skipper had given me credit. however, i was now irretrievably in for it; there was no possibility of backing out, had i been ever so inclined--but i was not; i would have died first--so pulling myself together, and conquering by a strong effort a curious quaky sensation which had for a moment oppressed me, i set out upon my journey. the spot to which i was bound was a chateau situated about eighteen miles inland, in the very heart of the mountain district. it was the property of count lorenzo paoli, the brother of the general paoli who, at the head of the corsican insurgents, was then endeavouring to drive the french out of the island. my despatches--or whatever they were-- were for count lorenzo; and though i was of course unacquainted with their contents, i surmised that they had relation to some probable assistance to be rendered by the english to the corsicans. under ordinary circumstances my mission would have been extremely easy of accomplishment; but, as i have already remarked, the island was in a thoroughly unsettled state, almost every male inhabitant being in arms. the french, irritated by the rising of the corsicans, and imbued with that feeling of cold-blooded and demoniacal ferocity which developed itself during the reign of terror, rendering that period of french history for ever infamous, were of course those from whom i had most to fear. but the corsicans, their naturally excitable temperament raised to frenzy by the atrocities of the french, rendered suspicious by frequent treachery, and impetuously rushing into a system of the most hideous reprisals, were almost equally dangerous, their creed being that he who was not with them must necessarily be against them; and their proceedings with regard to suspected persons were rumoured to be of the most summary character. lastly, there were the brigands, composed principally of the very dregs of corsican society, a community made up of all the criminality in the island, thieves, murderers, escaped convicts, and outcasts of every description, utterly destitute of the faintest spark of honour, patriotism, _or_ humanity, preying upon friend and foe alike, and outstripping both in deeds of fiendish cruelty. as i thought these matters over, it seemed to me that my only safety lay in the most careful avoidance of every human eye, pursuing my journey during the dead of night, and lying _perdu_ throughout the day. a walk of two or three hundred yards along the main road brought me to the "turning-off" on the right, which i was directed to follow in order to gain the chateau. it appeared to be quite a by-road, so narrow that there seemed scarcely room for two vehicles to pass, and it was in a most wretched condition, the surface being ploughed into deep broad ruts, and completely cut up by the feet of cattle. it led apparently through the heart of an extensive forest, the trees of which, uniting their branches overhead, must have veiled the way in semi-obscurity even at noon-day. when i turned into it--at about two o'clock a.m.--the starlit sky gave just sufficient light to enable me to pursue my way along the main road; but by the time i had penetrated a couple of hundred yards into this by-path, i was enveloped in a perfectly egyptian darkness. by degrees, however, my vision became accustomed to the gloom, and i stumbled on over the uneven ground for a distance of some twelve miles, when daylight began to appear through the leafy canopy overhead, and prudence suggested to me the desirability of forthwith seeking some safe hiding-place wherein to pass the day and take that repose of which i was beginning to feel the need. i therefore turned off the road and plunged into the forest for about a quarter of a mile, when i came upon a dense and almost impenetrable thicket which seemed admirably suited to my purpose; i accordingly forced my way into it until i found a spot of clear ground wide enough to stretch myself upon comfortably, when flinging myself upon the turf, and placing my bag beneath my head, i almost immediately dropped off into a deep and dreamless slumber. it was just three o'clock in the afternoon when i awoke. my somewhat unwonted exertions of the previous night had greatly fatigued me, and i should probably have slept on until darkness had once more returned, had it not been for a wandering sun-ray which had found its way through the branches overhead, and, shining directly in my face, had awakened me. i awoke stiff, ravenously hungry, and parched with thirst. i had had the forethought to provide against an inopportune attack of the former feeling, by putting a biscuit or two in my pocket; but in the excitement of coming away i had omitted--as i now found to my chagrin--to bring my flask with me. i accordingly brought out my biscuits, and endeavoured to make a meal of them alone, but they were, like all biscuits, dry, and my throat was so parched that i found i could scarcely swallow a mouthful. while struggling with this little difficulty a faint breeze brought to my ear a sound which i decided must be the rushing of a distant stream over its rocky bed, and thinking of nothing at the moment so much as my intense thirst, i sprang to my feet, and seizing my bag, set out in the direction from which the sound appeared to come. my progress was anything but rapid, the ground being entirely overgrown with creepers and thick shrubs, but that i was proceeding in the right direction was satisfactorily demonstrated by the increasing distinctness with which i could hear the sound of the rushing water. my exertions in the close and stifling atmosphere of the wood soon made me uncomfortably warm, at the same time increasing my thirst to an almost unbearable degree, but there was nothing for it but patience, so i pushed on, panting and perspiring, as rapidly as it was possible for me to get over the ground. as i continued to advance, the sound increased in volume, though it still appeared to come from a considerable distance, and i at length came to the conclusion that it was not caused so much by the rush of the river over its bed as by the fall of the water down a cataract. the surmise eventually proved to be correct, for after an hour and a half of severe exertion, the latter half-hour of which i had been journeying over steeply-rising ground, i found myself beside a considerable stream, the waters of which, about a hundred yards higher up, came foaming and tumbling down from a height of some fifty feet, through a deep cleft in the face of the rock, into a deep, transparent pool, from whence they passed away over a rocky bed, and wound out of sight among the trees. it was a lovely spot upon which i had thus stumbled. the ground rose abruptly on both sides of the stream; that on the opposite side being a rocky precipice, the strata of variously-coloured stone twisted and contorted in the most extraordinary manner, geraniums of various hues growing out from between the interstices of the rock, and the summit of the precipice crowned with a rich profusion of trailing creepers, some of which, notwithstanding the time of year, were in blossom, and the perfume of which scented the air. round the mossy rim of the basin into which the waters fell, and which appeared to be always damp with spray, grew a profusion of exquisitely delicate ferns; the sward beyond was thickly starred with a species of double daisy and the elegant hyacinth, and enclosing all was the pine wood through which i had been travelling. the beauties of the place, however, had no attraction for me until i had in some measure assuaged my burning thirst, which i did by going down upon my hands and knees on a convenient rock, and plunging my heated face into the cool, pellucid water. i was careful to drink at first with extreme moderation, and then, having satisfied the first sharp craving for a draught, i stripped and plunged in, treating myself to as thorough an ablution as was possible in the absence of my cake of old brown windsor. refreshed and invigorated with the bath, i at length emerged, and dressing with all expedition, sat down to discuss my biscuits, which i disposed of to the last mouthful, gazing admiringly upon my surroundings meanwhile. my meal finished, it became necessary for me to set out forthwith in search of the road which was to guide me to my destination. i had no intention whatever of retracing my steps over the ground already traversed. in the first place, i was exceedingly doubtful whether i could find my way back to the spot from which i had started, and in the next, i considered that it would be simply a waste of time and strength. i had not been altogether unmindful of the course i was steering while seeking for the river, and i was of opinion that though i had been travelling rather away from the road, if anything, yet on the whole my course had been pretty much in its direction. in order to regain it, therefore, all that seemed necessary was to make my way in a direction about at right angles with my former course. i accordingly edged away in what i judged to be the right direction, choosing my ground, however, more with a view to easy than to direct progress. i estimated that it would occupy about an hour, or perhaps an hour and a half--certainly not more--to regain the road, and as i was anxious to do this before it became quite dark, i pushed rapidly forward, and the wood growing somewhat more open as i proceeded, with less undergrowth, i made very fair progress. the hour which i had allowed myself passed, and still there was no sign of the road. i felt sure, however, that it could not be far away, and at all events i was going in the right direction, the ground rising continuously, so i carried on under a heavy press of sail, expecting every moment to emerge into the beaten track, and growing increasingly anxious to do so as i noted the rapidity with which darkness was falling upon the scene, notwithstanding the fact that the trees were by this time so far apart and the ground so clear that walking was as easy as it would have been on the road itself. in this state of mingled hope and anxiety i hurried on for another hour, still without hitting upon the road; by which time it had become so dark that i grew fearful of losing my way. the stars had appeared, and shone brilliantly, their light, however, being insufficient to enable me to see where i was going; so after stumbling on over the uneven ground for a quarter of an hour longer, during which i experienced more than one awkward tumble, the conclusion forced itself upon me that i had strayed somewhat from the right direction, and had better defer until the next morning any further effort to discover the lost road. having arrived at this conclusion, my next business was to find a tolerably comfortable spot in which to bestow myself for the night. while searching for this, i quite unexpectedly reached the edge of the wood, and in another minute stood beyond its boundary, finding myself upon a broad expanse of rugged, open moorland, at the farther extremity of which the ground again rose steeply until it terminated in what was evidently the ridge of the mountain-chain running north and south through the island. two circumstances struck me at the same moment on emerging into the open, one of which was that a heavy thunder-storm was rapidly working up against the wind, the other being that a hut or hovel of some sort stood about half a mile distant. the question immediately arose in my mind whether i should approach this building, upon the chance of obtaining a night's lodging therein, or whether it would be more prudent to pass the night and brave the gathering storm in the open. i might of course have returned to the comparative shelter of the wood, but i should have been obliged to penetrate it for some distance before it would be thick enough to afford me the slightest protection from the deluge of rain which was coming up in those black and threatening clouds, and, in addition to this, i felt that, while only inadequately sheltered from the rain, i should be exposed to the very serious danger of being struck by lightning. then again, it was possible that the hut might be deserted, in which case i need have no hesitation about availing myself of its shelter. there was of course, on the other hand, a chance of its being inhabited, but if so, its occupant would probably be no one more dangerous than a simple herd or wood-cutter, and it was not from such that i had anything to fear. as i stood irresolute, turning these matters over in my mind, a vivid flash of lightning, followed, after a pause of some seconds, by the long reverberating roll of distant thunder, reminded me of the desirability of coming to a decision, one way or another, without delay; i accordingly made up my mind to risk going to the hut, rather than remain exposed to the storm. i therefore hurried forward, the lightning meanwhile flashing out more and more vividly, and at shorter intervals; the thunder sounding louder and nearer at every discharge; and the vast curtain of cloud spreading rapidly athwart the sky, obliterating the stars, and enveloping nature in a pall of awful gloom. on approaching the hut, it became apparent that it was uninhabited, for the door hung pendent from one hinge, the other being wrenched off, while of the two small windows which admitted light to the interior, one sash was gone altogether, the aperture being completely denuded of every vestige of woodwork, while the other was protected only by a battered and weather-stained wooden shutter. the edifice itself was constructed of sods, the roof being roughly framed together with branches--no doubt lopped from the trees of the neighbouring wood--and thatched. i reached the building only just in time. while yet a hundred yards or so from it, the cool night-breeze dropped all in a moment, and was succeeded by a hushed and breathless calm. an awful silence suddenly fell upon nature, the myriad insect voices became mute, the night-birds ceased to utter their melancholy cries, the sighing of the wind through the trees of the distant wood was no longer heard; a hush of dread expectancy ensued. a few seconds elapsed, and then a mysterious murmur filled the air, the trees swayed and tossed their branches wildly for a moment, a fierce gust of hot air swept past, and all was still again. i dashed forward and reached the doorway, and as i passed across the threshold, the canopy of cloud overhead was rent open, a blinding flash of livid lightning blazed out, illumining for a single instant the whole landscape, as well as the interior of the building, and at the same instant came a deafening crash, such as might occur were the universe suddenly to crumble into ruin. so near was the lightning that i really fancied (if it _was_ fancy and not fact after all) i could feel it scorch my cheek, and there could be no doubt whatever about the strong sulphurous smell which pervaded the atmosphere. again and yet again flashed forth the terrible lightning, crash on crash came the thunder, and then the flood-gates of heaven were opened, and the rain came rushing down in a perfect torrent. i expected nothing less than to be speedily flooded out, but fortunately the roof of the hut proved weather-tight, and the rain happening to beat upon the back of the house, in which were no openings, the interior of the place remained perfectly dry. i took advantage of the frequent lightning-flashes to survey the interior of my place of shelter, which i ascertained to be entirely devoid of furniture of every kind, there being absolutely nothing in the place except a heap of wood in one corner, composed of dry twigs and branches, probably gathered from the adjacent forest. i stood in the doorway for some time, watching the magnificent spectacle of the storm, until an increasing sensation of fatigue reminded me of the desirability of resting while i had the opportunity. i accordingly fixed upon a spot which seemed tolerably free from the eddies of wind which found easy access to the building, and first, by some strange instinct for which i cannot account, concealing the bag in which were the despatches among the wood stacked in the corner, placed my back against the wall, and folding my arms soon dropped off into a deep sleep, lulled thereto by the sound of the pouring rain upon the root. i seemed to have been asleep but a few minutes, when i became conscious of an odour of burning pine; then through my still-closed eyelids i perceived that the hut was lighted up. i heard the crackling sound of the blazing torch, and, as consciousness fully returned, i also heard voices speaking in a low tone in french. "are you quite certain this is he? why, he is a mere lad!" i heard a voice exclaim. "quite sure, noble signor," replied another voice, gruff, harsh, and repellent. "i could see plainly, though the night was dark; i had been watching the approach of the boat, and had been lying so long concealed in the darkest part of the ruins that my eyes had grown thoroughly accustomed to the gloom, so that when i followed this one and the other to the road, it seemed quite light. moreover, they both passed close to me as i was making my way through the trees towards the road, and i saw their faces distinctly enough to recognise them both again wherever i might meet them. i never forget a face i have once seen," the voice added in a sinister tone. "umph!" ejaculated the first voice. "i can scarcely credit that the english captain would be fool enough to entrust important despatches to so young an officer. poor lad! how soundly he sleeps; he must have lost his way and been wandering aimlessly about in the wood. by-the-way, did you hear him say where he had secreted those same despatches?" "no, signor, i did not; but he had a bag with him when he landed, no doubt they are in that." "a bag? what sort of a bag? i see no bag here anywhere. perhaps--look here, monsieur guiseppe, or whatever your name is, i hope you are not playing fast and loose with us. you have not stolen the bag and handed over the despatches to some of your own people, claiming a reward for the safe conveyance of such important documents, eh?" "stolen? for what does your mightiness take me?" "for a traitor, my good fellow--nay, no occasion to snatch at your knife in that threatening fashion; it is dangerous, for i am a hasty man, and apt to use these without much reflection," and i heard the click of a pistol-lock. "i am sorry if i have wounded your delicate sense of honour, but when a man sells his own countrymen for gold, one is a little--just a trifle, you know--apt to be suspicious of him." "a man _must_ live," responded the churlish voice. "i have a wife and children to feed and clothe, and no man would employ me. if i have turned traitor, it is because i have been driven to it." "no doubt, no doubt," remarked the other speaker in a somewhat sarcastic tone of voice. "the good corsicans, your fellow-countrymen, have perhaps been weak enough to allow your slightly singular cast of countenance to prejudice them against you, eh? well, i really cannot blame them; you must yourself admit that it is the reverse of prepossessing." "i am as god made me," growled the traitorous corsican. "say rather, as the devil and your own evil passions made you," retorted the frenchman. "do not libel your creator by attributing to him any share in the work of moulding a visage whereon the words `treachery, avarice, theft, and murder' are printed in large capitals. you may possibly have been born simply ugly, but your present hang-dog cast of countenance is entirely your own handiwork, my good friend guiseppe. now _pray_ do not fumble at your knife again, that is an excessively bad habit which you have contracted; take my advice and break it off. if you do not, it will assuredly get you into serious trouble some day." the individual thus addressed muttered some inaudible reply, which sounded, however, very much like an imprecation, to which his tormentor responded with a gay laugh. then i heard the door creak upon its solitary hinge and scrape along the ground, as it was dragged open, and the voice of the frenchman said, addressing some one outside,-- "well, pierre, how are things in general looking by this time?" "much better, _mon sergent_" replied another voice. "the rain has ceased, the clouds are dispersing, and yonder appears the first gleam of daybreak." "that is well," remarked the sergeant. "we will wait another half-hour, by which time it will be light enough to see where we are going, and then we must march once more." the door creaked-to again; i heard a sound as of some one settling himself comfortably, and then all was once more silent, save for the sound of heavy breathing, of which i had been cognisant all through the foregoing conversation. i had been fully awakened, as may easily be supposed, by almost the first words which i had distinctly heard; but i had presence of mind enough not to give any indication of the fact. it was clear that this rascally corsican--who appeared to be regularly in league with the enemy--had unfortunately witnessed my landing, and he must also have overhead and understood much if not all of the conversation which had passed between rawlings and myself. and it seemed equally clear that he had put the frenchmen upon my track, and that to him i was chiefly indebted for my unlucky capture--for of course i _was_ a prisoner, though they had not roused me to make me acquainted with the fact. as soon as the conversation ceased, i rapidly turned the circumstances over in my mind, and decided upon two things, one of which was to keep secret my knowledge of the french language, and the other, to act upon the idea suggested by the sergeant's words, and lead him to believe that my bag with the despatches had been stolen from me. for the rest, i was unable to form any plan, my original one of passing for a german art student being completely knocked on the head by the corsican's discovery; so i resolved to be governed by the turn which events might take. on one thing i was resolved, and that was to keep careful watch for an opportunity to escape, as i was in imminent risk of being hanged or shot at any moment, so long as i remained a prisoner. notwithstanding my anxiety, i was dozing off once more, when footsteps approached me, a hand was laid on my shoulder, and the voice of the sergeant exclaimed in french, "hallo, here! awake, my young friend, awake!" i opened my eyes with a start, and saw standing before me a young man of about four-and-twenty years of age. he was dressed in the uniform of a french regiment of the line--blue tunic, red trowsers with a stripe of yellow braid down the seam, red forage cap trimmed with the same, and his sword buckled close up to his belt. he had dark hair and eyes, the latter of which beamed upon me good-naturedly, and he had a pleasant expression of countenance, which afforded me much comfort. seated or reclining in more or less uncomfortable attitudes against the walls of the hut were some five-and-twenty men wearing a similar uniform, their muskets being piled in the middle of the room; while, apart from the rest, was a man standing with his back towards me, gazing abstractedly out of the window. he was dressed in the ordinary corsican garb, and was leaning upon a long-barrelled musket, the butt of which rested upon the floor, his hands being crossed upon the muzzle of the barrel, and his chin resting upon them. "good morning!" said i in english to the sergeant, as i struggled to my feet; "who are you, pray, and where have you come from?" "approach, most amiable guiseppe, and lend us your valuable aid as interpreter," said the sergeant, turning to the corsican; "and see, my friend, that you interpret correctly. what was it he said?" the corsican, whose brutal and sinister countenance fully justified the sergeant's previous remarks upon it, translated my salutation into excellent french. "tell him," said the sergeant, "that you saw him land, and overheard sufficient of his conversation with his fellow-officer to satisfy you that he is the bearer of despatches from the english to one of your countrymen; that you betrayed him, and that i and my men were in consequence sent out to scour the country in search of him. tell him also that, being found, he may make up his mind to be hanged before sunset; or--no, do not say anything about the hanging at present, he will know all about that soon enough, poor lad!" the rascal translated this speech in a manner to suit himself; that is, he said never a word concerning his own treachery, but to make up for the omission he included that part which had reference to my probable speedy fate. of course i had learned pretty much all this in the first conversation between him and the sergeant; it was no news to me, but it terribly confirmed the surmises which had suggested themselves to my mind when i first became conscious that i was a prisoner. there was a single ray of hope, it is true, to which i clung, but it was by no means bright. i was evidently to be taken before his commanding officer, and i would acquaint him with the fact of my being a british officer, and claim to be treated as a prisoner of war. but then there was the ugly fact of my being in plain clothes--how was that to be got over? there was of course the shadow of a possibility that i might get out of my difficulties, could i but fabricate a sufficiently ingenious string of falsehoods; but now that it actually came to the point, i could not bring myself to the depths of meanness and cowardice which this involved. i had learned at school the maxim that "liars never prosper," and my dear old father had taught me to avoid falsehood from much higher considerations than those of mere temporal prosperity. i determined therefore that, whatever the danger, i would not endeavour to shield myself by anything so despicable as a lie. in the meantime it was no use to be down-hearted over my misfortune, that would only tend to make matters worse instead of better; besides which, i had no notion of showing my enemies that i was disheartened or apprehensive; so i brightened up, and assuming a great deal more nonchalance than i felt, i directed the corsican to inquire our destination, and also to say that i hoped we should breakfast before starting, as i felt frightfully hungry. he interpreted my question, adding that, as he supposed the sergeant could find his way back to ajaccio without assistance, he would now leave us, as he had several matters requiring his immediate attention. before going, however, he trusted that the sergeant would pay him the reward promised in case of my capture, or give him a note to the colonel, certifying that he had duly performed his contract. the sergeant seemed rather surprised at the proposal; beyond expressing, however, an ironical regret that the party was to be deprived of master guiseppe's entertaining society, he made no demur, and drawing an old letter from his pocket he scribbled in pencil on the inner side of the envelope the required certificate, which he handed over to the corsican with the remark,-- "there you are, most glorious apollo; take care of it, for it is worth _more_ than you are likely to honestly earn for many a year to come. will you stay and have some breakfast? no? well, good-bye then for the present; i dare say we shall meet again." "assuredly, signor, and not long hence, i trust. for breakfast i have all i require with me, and i shall eat as i travel, since time is precious with me, and i wish to get a lift as far as ajaccio in one or other of the market carts. _au revoir_!" the corsican flung his musket over his shoulder as he spoke, and, thrusting the certificate into his ammunition pouch, strode out of the hut and disappeared, just as one of the men entered with a pot of hot coffee, which had been prepared outside. upon this the sergeant produced some bread and meat from his wallet, and drawing forth a knife divided it into two equal parts, one of which he offered me, saying,-- "come, _mon enfant_, eat and be merry while you have the opportunity. we have a long tramp before us, and for you there is probably a still longer journey afterwards; still, do not let that spoil your appetite. we cannot understand each other, but i am sorry for you, _pauvre garcon_! and we may as well be friends for the short time that remains." he offered me his hand, as he said this, which i shook heartily. the speech was by no means calculated to raise my spirits, but i took pains to conceal my knowledge of its import, hoping that my supposed ignorance of the language would cause the men to speak unrestrainedly to each other, and perhaps let fall some piece of information of value, should i see a chance to make my escape. we fell to at our breakfast, for which, strange to say, i had a very tolerable appetite, notwithstanding the disastrous turn which my affairs had taken, and the soldiers, producing what provisions they had, also set their teeth to work upon them with a will, laughing and chattering gaily together meanwhile, but without letting drop any information likely to help me out of my difficulty. breakfast over, the men fell in. i was placed in the centre of the body, the sergeant giving instructions to those having my more immediate custody to shoot me on the instant, should i make any attempt to escape. the word was given to march, and we tramped away across the moor for about a couple of miles, when we struck upon a beaten track, into which we turned, and which i learned from a remark made by one of the men was the road to ajaccio. chapter thirteen. bell' demonio. as we trudged along, i had an opportunity to study to some extent the characteristics of the individuals forming my escort, and i may say without reserve that a more unprepossessing set of men it has seldom been my lot to encounter. with the solitary exception of the sergeant, who seemed a gay, careless, good-natured fellow enough, they appeared to be a thoroughly "bad lot:" low, ruffianly-looking men in their outward semblance, and--judging from their conversation, much of which, however, i failed to understand from their liberal use of what is now termed "slang"--utterly given over to the indulgence of the lowest and most degrading forms of vice, scoffing at all things pure and holy, and luxuriating in the recital of deeds of all manner of cruelty and debauchery. i had heard something of the terribly-brutalising effects of the reign of terror, but the conversation of these wretches gave me such a vivid insight of the incredible depths of depravity of which the human mind is sometimes capable as i could certainly not otherwise have gained, unless indeed by associating with the ruffians who gathered daily round the guillotine to insult and exult over the death-agonies of their victims. it was not to be expected that i should altogether escape the attentions of wretches such as these, and accordingly my ears were soon assailed with ribald jests and ruffianly speculations touching the mode and time of my execution, the manner in which i should bear myself, and so on; but i turned a deaf ear to it all, devoting my entire energies to the devising of some practicable method of escape, and, as it appeared to them that i understood nothing of what was said, my tormentors after a time turned their conversation to other matters. "i expect we shall very soon make another excursion in this direction," said one. "indeed, and for what purpose?" asked another. "nay, then, has it not been told thee, adolphe, that our colonel suspects one of these corsican aristocrats of being concerned in the present rising of his countrymen, and of plotting with the accursed english for assistance?" remarked the first speaker. "_mille bombes_! that it might be so. it would be rare sport to hunt the old rat out of his hole, or, better still, burn him in it. it would be a pleasant change from the dullness of mounting eternal guard, marching and countermarching every day, and all to what purpose? for my part i am tired of it, and long for a little more of the sport we had in dear paris. ah! it was worth living for, to see fifty or sixty of the proud aristocrats carted away to the guillotine every day. i doubt if there is such a thing as a guillotine in the whole island." "_soyez tranquille, mon cher adolphe_! the machine is not difficult to construct. but for real amusement give me such as we had at ostend, when davoust shot down with grape men, women, and children under the ramparts, to say nothing of those which we sent afloat in the harbour in old and leaky boats which sank with all on board. and, ah, the sport that it was to chase the people through the streets until they could fly no longer, and then bayonet them! you were there, antoine, _mon camarade_! you have not forgotten the day?" "and never shall," responded antoine, the most ruffianly-looking of the whole party. "a day or two like that would bring these vile corsicans to their senses. `give them plenty of bayonet,' say i. and if you want real sport, do as i did: chase the mothers until they drop, then bayonet their children first, and themselves afterwards. but do not bayonet the mothers _too_ soon, or you rob yourself of half your amusement." "good! ah, ah! _very_ good indeed!" laughed the wretches. "but say, baptiste, _mon cher_, who is this corsican of whom you were speaking?" "he is called count lorenzo paoli," responded baptiste. "he has a fine place away yonder among the hills, which, it is said, would make those rich who could have the plundering of it. and, moreover, he has a daughter--ah! but she is simply divine," and the brute smacked his lips in a way which made me long to spring at his throat. "_le cher guiseppe_--is he not delightful?--says that this boy englishman has papers which are thought to be for this rascally count, and if it be so, _ma foi_! but there will be rare doings at the chateau before long." it may be imagined what were my feelings on hearing this. how fervently i blessed the lucky inspiration which prompted me to conceal my bag, and how much more imperative now became the necessity that i should effect my escape without delay, not only for my own sake, but in order also that i might recover possession of those compromising papers, and warn the count of the fearful danger which threatened him. there was much more conversation of the kind recorded above, but i will not revolt the reader's feelings by repeating it; what i have already given is intended merely to convey an idea of the unparalleled ruffianism and brutality which characterised the soldiery of the republic at that period. the way, which was being enlivened with such delectable converse, led back through the forest which i had already traversed, only we were now passing along the road, such as it was. it consisted simply of a path of varying width, but nowhere very wide, cleared through the trees, the undergrowth of the forest forming a sort of hedge on either side of the way. the branches met overhead, veiling the path in semi-obscurity, and so completely intercepting all but an occasional ray of the sun that the ground appeared to be in a perpetual state of dampness, the clayey soil being in consequence so much cut up, notwithstanding the small amount of traffic which seemed to pass over it, that it had become almost impracticable for foot-passengers. here and there an old tree-stump projected out of the ground, while in other places the stumps had been removed without filling in the corresponding hole. these holes were now full of water, and as they sometimes occurred in places where there was a general depression of the ground, flooded by the heavy rain of the previous night, their presence only became known when one of the party floundered in and found himself, if lucky enough to avoid going head over heels, and so securing entire immersion, up to the waist in muddy water of about the consistency of pea-soup. to add still farther to the discomfort of the journey, the ground was excessively slippery, so that, what with one difficulty and another, we made but very slow progress. we had reached and become involved in an exceptionally bad spot--a spring apparently rendering the clay so soft that the entire road for about thirty yards had been worked into a perfect quagmire, into which we sank above our knees at every step, the tenacious clay holding our feet almost as though they had been in a vice--when, without the slightest warning of any kind, a withering volley of musketry was poured in upon the devoted band from the bushes on both sides of the road, and while the smoke still enveloped us out dashed some thirty or forty corsicans, armed, some only with their clubbed muskets, others flourishing in addition long double-edged knives of a most bloodthirsty appearance. every man of us went down before that deadly discharge; some being killed outright, while a few, myself among the number, were only wounded. but the tragedy was soon completed; hampered as we were with the difficulties of the road, and disabled by our wounds, resistance was impossible, and before the smoke of the musketry discharge had cleared away every frenchman had received the _coup-de-grace_. i also should undoubtedly have received my quietus, had i not had the presence of mind to exclaim in french, just as a stalwart mountaineer was bending over me with his long glittering blade upraised, that i was an englishman. the man hesitated for an instant, and that slight pause saved me. i rapidly explained who and what i was, and another individual, apparently the leader of the band, approaching at the moment, i was reprieved until an opportunity could be found for verifying my statement. in the meantime, however, my captors were kind enough to take charge of my watch, my money, and one or two other valuables which they found in my pockets. the bodies of the frenchmen were rifled with a thoroughness and celerity which i could not but admire, their pockets being turned inside-out, and every article of the slightest value, including their weapons and ammunition, appropriated. one individual especially, who was working away with his back turned towards me, appeared to possess all the coolness and dexterity of a london pick-pocket. he was certainly not much troubled with squeamishness either; for while operating upon the body of the sergeant, he discovered upon one of the fingers a ring, which, being unable to remove, he without hesitation drew his keen blade across the member, severing it from the body at a single stroke; he then removed the ring, dropped it coolly into his pouch, and jauntily jerked the dismembered finger in among the shrubs by the roadside. then, animated apparently by a sudden frenzy, he plunged his blade again and again into the lifeless body, his fury increasing with every stroke, until the uniform was slashed almost to rags, finishing off by drawing his weapon across and across the face, until it was mutilated beyond all possibility of recognition. he then rose to his feet with a sigh of satisfaction, while the admiring laughter and jocular remarks of his comrades evinced their high appreciation of the performance. turning round, he faced me just in good time to catch on my features the expression of sickening disgust with which i had viewed his actions. a threatening scowl instantly overspread his repulsive features, and, raising his knife, he advanced with such an evident intention of using it upon me, that three or four of his companions interposed, and with considerable difficulty at length succeeded in dissuading him from his purpose. it was the traitor guiseppe. the booty, such as it was, being secured, the party marched off the ground, taking a contrary direction to that pursued by the frenchmen. i was placed in the centre of the band, the leader of which was kind enough to warn me that any attempt at escape would be promptly met by an effectual application of the knife. it thus appeared that i had only escaped from one danger to fall into a second, almost, if not equally, as great. had my captors been merely insurgents, i should not have felt any very great anxiety; but, though i was not directly addressed, i gathered within the first few minutes of our march that i had fallen into the hands of a party of brigands, and from all that i had heard of the unscrupulous character of these gentry, i believed that they would not have the slightest hesitation about murdering me, if the whim seized them, merely by way of "divarshin." my left arm had been broken above the elbow by a musket-shot in the fusillade which had destroyed the frenchmen, and, dangling helplessly at my side, gave me exquisite pain, as i stumbled along over the uneven and slippery road. the injury was plainly perceptible, yet no one offered to bind up the bleeding limb, and of course it was quite impossible for me to do so myself. i might have requested one of my captors to perform the service for me, but a scrutiny of their countenances afforded me so little encouragement that i decided to suffer on, rather than place myself in their rough and merciless hands. on emerging from the wood, we turned off to the left, and, forsaking the road altogether, made across the moor in the direction of another wood, which entirely clothed the sides to the very summit of a high hill about five miles distant. we were a couple of hours performing the journey across the open moor, and another hour was occupied in threading our way through the wood, the ground being very rugged and rising steeply all the while. at length, however, we reached a wide open space along one side of which a mountain-stream was noisily rushing "in spate," as they say in scotland; the surroundings of the place being very similar to those of the spot where i had quenched my thirst, and bathed on the previous evening--the principal difference being that here there was no waterfall. instead, however, of this being a picturesque solitude, it had all the bustle and animation of a camp upon a small scale. as we drew near the place, although there had been no visible sign of the proximity of other human beings, signal-whistles had been given and answered, and i was consequently in a measure prepared for the scene which suddenly burst upon us on emerging into the open. some twenty or more bell-shaped tents were disposed in a circle on the greensward, the little tri-coloured bannerets, which in some cases still fluttered at their apex, seeming to indicate that they had at no very distant period been french property. in the centre of the circle a large wood fire was blazing and crackling, with an immense cauldron hanging suspended over it, gipsy fashion, from a tripod. a man in white cap and apron--he turned out to be a french prisoner--was standing over this pot, armed with a long iron ladle with which he kept diligently stirring up its contents, the savoury steam from which was greeted with ejaculations of approval from my hungry captors. outside the doors of some of the tents the muskets of its occupants were piled, the owners of the weapons, for the most part, being scattered about the sward in picturesque groups; some laughing, talking, and smoking together, while others were deeply interested in games of cards--played with packs so greasy, worn, and thumb-marked, that those who had used them a few times would as readily recognise a particular card on seeing its back as they would by looking at its face--while a few, more industriously disposed, were diligently cleaning and polishing their weapons. there must have been quite a hundred men in the camp altogether, counting the detachment which had brought me in, all wearing the garb of corsican mountaineers; and a fine, stalwart set of men they were, almost without exception. their countenances, however, wore an expression of reckless, relentless ferocity, which augured ill for any unfortunate against whom they might fancy they had a grievance, should he chance to fall into their clutches. my captors were dismissed immediately on our arrival in camp, with the exception of two who mounted guard over me, while their leader entered a tent somewhat larger than the rest. we were quickly surrounded by a group of curious and eager questioners, anxious apparently to learn the result of the expedition, and to "take stock" of the prisoner--my unlucky self. the information supplied by my custodians evidently afforded them great gratification, and though they spoke a patois which was quite unintelligible to me, the gesticulations which accompanied the closing portion of the narrative, and the shouts of laughter and applause with which it was received, showed me that the exploit of the amiable guiseppe was duly receiving honourable mention. after an absence of about twenty minutes, the individual whom i have designated as the leader of the party which brought me in, issued from the tent, and, coming up to where i stood, said, with much greater courtesy than i had hitherto received,-- "be good enough to step this way, signor englishman, if you please." i followed him into the tent from which he had just emerged, and found myself in the presence of an individual whose appearance differed so entirely from that of the rest of the band, that i could not help wondering what could possibly have induced her to associate herself with them. start not, reader, at the word _her_--it is no misprint; i actually found myself in the presence of a _woman_. not such an one, either, as might be expected to be found--if indeed one would expect to find a woman at all--amid such surroundings; not an old, withered, vindictive- looking hag, repulsive alike in appearance and manner, but a woman, youthful, handsome, and to all appearance gentle, though her demeanour was somewhat cold and distant. i set her down at about three or four and twenty years of age. she was reclining on a pile of rugs when i entered the tent, so i could not just then judge of her stature, but before the interview terminated she had risen to her feet, and i then saw that she was rather above medium height. her skin was dazzling fair, hair and eyes black as night; the beauty of the latter being rather marred, according to my taste, by a curious glitter, which, but for the calmness of their owner's demeanour, i should have regarded as slightly suggestive of incipient insanity. her figure, clothed in a picturesque, if somewhat theatrical, adaptation of the costume of her comrades, was somewhat slight, but eminently graceful, while her hands and feet would have delighted a sculptor with their symmetry. her voice was especially beautiful, being a full, rich, and powerful contralto. the midshipmen of the british navy have not as yet rendered themselves especially remarkable by their bashfulness, and i was neither much better nor much worse than my neighbours in that respect; but i was so taken aback when i entered the tent and my eyes met those of its occupant, that i could only bow somewhat awkwardly, blushing like a simpleton the while. "this, signora, is the prisoner of whom i told you," said my conductor by way of introduction. "why, he is a mere boy, benedetto; and wounded, too! what is the nature of your wound, child?" "a broken arm, signora," i replied unsteadily; the unexpected accents of pity in her voice, or the excruciating pain i had been suffering for the previous four hours, suddenly unnerving me. "poor fellow!" she exclaimed. "and it has not been attended to. how did it happen?" "a stray ball struck me this morning, when the party under this gentleman surprised and shot down the french detachment," i answered. a gleam of almost fiendish ferocity passed like a lightning-flash across the beautiful face of my fair interrogator at the mention of the french; but it disappeared again in an instant, and, turning to benedetto, she asked with just the slightest ring of harshness in her voice,-- "is the padre in camp?" "he is not," was the reply. "he left us yesterday to go into ajaccio, telling us not to expect him back here until late to-night." "then i will turn leech myself," said she. "it will not be for the first time. fetch me a bowl of water from the stream, benedetto, and bid them bring some wine to the tent." benedetto departed upon his mission with alacrity, and my hostess, or whatever she was, rising to her feet, bared her beautiful, round, white arms to the elbow, drew from a large chest a supply of lint and old linen, and, arming herself from the same depository with a pair of scissors, proceeded deftly to slit up from wrist to shoulder the left sleeve of my jacket and shirt. by the time that this was done, benedetto had returned with a bowl of water in one hand, and a jar of wine in the other. a small quantity of the latter revived my strength and steadied my nerves, and then this curious pair went to work to dress my wound, and set the shattered limb, displaying during the operation an amount of skill on the part of the woman, and of gentleness on that of the man, for which i was wholly unprepared. a set of splints, which had evidently seen previous service, was finally produced and applied, and the arm carefully adjusted in a sling, after which food was placed before me; and though i was suffering too much pain and in too feverish a condition to take much, i soon found myself in a condition of ease which was comfort itself compared with my state during the earlier part of the day. at the conclusion of my meal i was advised, or i might say _ordered_, to lie down upon the pile of rugs which my strange hostess had vacated; an order which i obeyed gladly, for fatigue and pain together had produced a feeling of almost utter exhaustion, and, in spite of the anguish of my wound, i soon dropped off into a doze which was a something between sleeping and waking, in which, while my consciousness never entirely left me, my fancy, breaking away from the control of reason, rambled off and indulged in the most extraordinary vagaries. i heard the rush of the stream, the murmur of the wind through the branches of the trees with which the camp was surrounded, the hum of many voices outside the tent, the frequent snatch of song, or peal of laughter, the occasional angry altercation, and--once or twice--voices speaking in low tones within the tent; but all seemed to strike upon my ear as though the sounds reached me from an incredible distance, and then the absurd idea took possession of me that i was increasing in bulk to such an extraordinary extent, that my recumbent body covered miles of ground. then my sight seemed to undergo an equally extraordinary alteration, for it appeared that i was able to see away over the tree-tops down into the town of ajaccio; the lines of the streets, the architecture of the houses, and the very features of the inhabitants being distinguishable. then i thought i was rising gradually in the air, my powers of vision steadily increasing at the same time. first i saw the wide stretch of blue foam-flecked ocean glittering in the sun; then the coast of france rose above the horizon, toulon harbour, as might be expected, coming prominently forward in the picture; then the vine-clad hills and fertile plains, the populous cities and picturesque villages of the interior spread themselves out like a panorama; and finally the northern sea- board, the english channel dotted here and there with white gleaming sails, the chalk cliffs of old england, the hampshire downs, and my dear old home with all the loved familiar faces appeared, and i heard them speaking lovingly of poor absent me. then with a suddenness that was absolutely painful all these pleasant fancies passed away, and i imagined myself to be a disembodied spirit floating helplessly in the midst of immeasurable space, enveloped in murky clouds and thick darkness, and whirled hither and thither at the mercy of a furious wind. of course i had no idea of the actual passage of time during this period of delirium, but it seemed that i had thus been the sport of the elements for countless ages, when the sensation gradually passed away, and i sank into a condition of complete unconsciousness. when i awoke daylight was just making itself visible through the canvas sides of the tent, and overpowering the feeble glimmer of a small lamp which hung suspended from the pole. i remained motionless for some little time after i had opened my eyes, trying to remember where i was, and what had happened, and then wondering in a vague speculative sort of way who and what was the strange being who appeared to govern the reckless band of outlaws into whose hands i had fallen. i thought at first that i was alone in the tent, but a restless movement on my part undeceived me. a cool soft hand was laid upon my forehead, and the voice of my hostess inquired in gentle tones whether i felt better. i replied that i did, but complained of thirst, upon which there was a faint rustle, followed by a gurgling sound, and then the beautiful unknown, kneeling beside me, raised my head and presented to my lips a brimming goblet containing a draught of very peculiar taste, but cold as ice, and, oh! _so_ refreshing. i drained it to the last drop, and asked for more, which was given me. i was then advised to lie down, and sleep once more. it was evening when i next awoke, and on opening my eyes i felt more bewildered than ever. i was stretched upon a luxurious bed, the four slender posts of which were elaborately carved into the semblance of palm-trees, the graceful foliage forming the canopy; the stems and leaves of the trees being richly gilt. the bed was draped with heavy silken hangings overlaid with magnificent lace, and the linen was pure, white, and fresh as new fallen snow. this bed occupied one end of a lofty room of moderate size. a massive cornice ran round the room, and was supported by decorated pilasters, which divided the walls into compartments. a coved ceiling sprang from the cornice, and both ceiling and walls were decorated with paintings, in distemper, of mythological subjects; the lower portion of the wall, however, having what is, i believe, termed a dado, ornamented with a diaper pattern, each square of which contained a conventional representation of a different flower. the end of the room facing the bed was almost entirely occupied by a large bay-window draped with heavy curtains of silk and lace, matching the hangings of the bed. there was not much furniture in the room; an elegantly-appointed toilet-table, a couch, and one or two chairs being all that it contained, as far as i could see. one of the casements of the window was open, and through it there stole into the room a cool gentle breeze laden with sweet odours which evidently had their origin in some contiguous garden. a hilly and heavily-wooded landscape was visible through the window and beyond all was a sky glowing with the thousand evanescent beauties of a gorgeous sunset. i lay for some time enjoying the magnificent spectacle before me, and wondering in a feeble sort of way how much of my present and recent experiences was real, and how much was due to the delirium through which i was conscious of having passed. were my present surroundings, for instance, real, or was i simply dreaming a vivid dream? and had i really been present in the body at that bandit camp, or was it only fancy? the present appeared to be a waking reality, and so had the other, yet both experiences seemed so strange that i knew not what to think. upon one point, however, i did not long remain in doubt; whatever else might be fancy, the sensation of hunger soon forced itself upon my notice as a most prosaic and undeniable fact, and i very speedily decided that i ought to make somebody acquainted with it. i glanced round the room in quest of a hand-bell or some other means of attracting that somebody's attention, and, seeing nothing of the kind, made a move with the intention of getting out of bed to reconnoitre, but fell back, weak and helpless as an infant. my movement, however, was not without result, for there was a sudden stir behind the curtains; a black-eyed, dark-skinned damsel emerged from her place of concealment, looked in upon me, uttered an ejaculation in what i imagined to be italian, and forthwith beat a hasty retreat, notwithstanding my feeble hail for her to remain. she returned, however, in two or three minutes, accompanied by, without exception, the most lovely being it has ever been my happy lot to behold. it was a young girl in her thirteenth year, as i subsequently learned, though i should have supposed her to be quite sixteen. she was of about medium height, and her exquisite figure was already assuming the rounded graces of budding womanhood. her skin was a clear pale olive with just the faintest and most delicate tinge of colour in the velvety cheek; her face was a perfect oval, and her small exquisitely poised head was covered with a wealth of soft, silky, chestnut hair, so dark as to appear black in the shade, but when a ray of light fell upon it, the rippling ringlets revealed the full beauty of their deep rich colour. the eyebrows and long drooping lashes were of the same colour as her hair, and her eyes--well, they were deep hazel; but it was impossible to ascertain this until after repeated observations--they glowed and sparkled to such a bewildering extent. add to this a mouth "shaped like cupid's bow" with full rich scarlet lips, just parted sufficiently to permit a glimpse of the small regular pearly teeth within, a small round deeply-dimpled chin, an ivory-white neck and shoulders, upon which the delicate head was set with fairy-like grace, and you have as accurate a portrait of this dainty beauty as it is within my poor power to paint. she approached the side of the bed, and, looking inquiringly in my face for a moment, said in excellent english,-- "i congratulate you, sir, on your recovery from that terrible fever. i am glad--oh! so very much, and so will be the count, my father, when he returns. he has been obliged to go away on important business, and will not perhaps be back for a day or two. but you are in excellent hands; old maria, my nurse, is a skilful leech, and angela here and i have been able to watch beside you, if we could do nothing more. now, tell me, are you hungry? you should be, for you have taken nothing except maria's horrid medicine for two whole days, and how long before that i know not. now, however, nurse has something more palatable for you; she said you would awake soon and be better, and she has made you some excellent broth. shall she bring it up?" "by all means," i replied. "i am so weak with hunger, or something, that i seem scarcely able to speak. but before we do anything else, allow me to ask where i am, and to whom i am indebted for so much kindness. the last thing i remember was that i was in camp with--" "bell' demonio," she interrupted. "yes, she brought you to us two days ago. you were then very ill indeed, and bell' thought you ought to have better nursing than she could give you. it is all quite right; you are in the chateau paoli belonging to my father, count lorenzo di paoli; i am his only daughter francesca, and this is my foster-sister angela. now you must talk no more for the present, but take the broth like a good boy which i shall bring you." so saying, she tripped away out of the room, returning again in about ten minutes, accompanied by an ancient and inexpressibly ugly female, who, i was duly informed, was the before-mentioned maria. this antique dame felt my pulse, laid her hand upon my brow, put a few questions to me through the medium of her young mistress, and finally pronounced that i was very much better, that the fever had left me, and that all i should be likely henceforth to require would be careful nursing and judicious nourishment. a sample of the latter, she intimated, would be found in the substantial basin of broth which was now placed before me, and which i was to be sure and consume to the last drop. i had not much difficulty in effecting a satisfactory disposal of the meal, and when i had finished, my wounded arm was carefully dressed afresh, and, to finish off with, i enjoyed as copious an ablution in deliciously cold water as circumstances would permit; after which i was left to myself with imperative orders to go to sleep again as soon as possible. i passed a most comfortable night, sleeping pretty soundly until broad daylight, when i awoke to find myself very much better in every respect, and, not to weary my readers, i may say in a word that from that time my improvement in health was both rapid and regular. while partaking of a light breakfast on the morning following my return to consciousness, my lovely young hostess informed me joyously that her father had unexpectedly returned very late on the previous night, and that he proposed paying me an early visit, if i felt strong enough to see him. i gladly assented to this proposal, for it suddenly flashed across my mind that though by a series of accidents i had almost without an effort of my own reached the place of my destination, my mission was still unaccomplished; my bag, containing the all-important despatches, being liable to discovery by the first visitor to the old hut, if indeed it had not already been discovered; and the only chance which now remained of its recovery was to describe as well as i could to the count, the place of its concealment, and request him to despatch a trusty messenger forthwith in quest of it. accordingly, as soon as breakfast was over, my wound dressed, and my toilet attended to, the dark-eyed angela was despatched with a message to the count that i should be happy to see him as early as might be consistent with his own convenience. a few minutes afterwards he presented himself, and the ancient maria, who had mounted guard _over_ me in the interval, was dismissed. count lorenzo di paoli was a fine, stalwart, soldierly-looking figure of a man, dark-complexioned, and with a noble cast of countenance which accorded well with his stately carriage and demeanour. his features were stamped with an expression of stern gravity and melancholy, which impressed me greatly at this, my first interview with him, and which i could readily account for when i learned, later on, the tragical fate of his lovely young wife many years before. he greeted me with grave cordiality, expressing his deep regret "that i had received so rough a welcome to the country which my presence had been intended so signally to benefit, and hoping that he and his household would prove able to efface the unfavourable impression which i must have received." of course i replied in suitable terms to this polite speech, expressed my gratitude for the extraordinary kindness which i was receiving under his roof, and then begged him to favour me with particulars of the circumstances under which i had become an inmate of his establishment. "certainly i will," said the count. "your curiosity is quite natural, and, apart from that, there are doubtless matters connected with your visit to this island, which are at present causing you no small share of anxiety. before i say more, however, let me give you the assurance that, excepting for the unfortunate adventure in which you received your wound, everything has gone right; the despatches and other papers of which you were the bearer have duly reached my hands; i have accomplished the first and most difficult part of my mission, and the papers are now accomplishing theirs. you may rest satisfied therefore that your difficult and dangerous task has been successfully achieved, and you have now nothing whatever to do but recover your health at your leisure. i trust it is not necessary for me to say that the longer you are able to remain with us, the greater will be our gratification." he then proceeded to narrate the circumstances under which i had been brought to the chateau; the details of which, however, i shall reserve for the next chapter. chapter fourteen. at the chateau paoli. "to-day is wednesday," commenced the count. "on sunday evening last, just as it was growing dusk, i was informed that bell' demonio requested an audience on a matter of great import. i accordingly descended to the library, into which this extraordinary woman had been shown, and on inquiring the nature of her business she informed me that on the previous wednesday--a week ago to-day, in fact--a detachment of her band had attacked and destroyed a party of french troops, who had with them as prisoner a young englishman--yourself of course. she stated that in the attack you had unfortunately been wounded, and your wound having been left unattended to for some hours, fever had set in. she nursed you as well as she could up to sunday, when finding that no improvement in your condition took place, she grew alarmed, and having learned from your disjointed ravings that you had some business with me, determined to come on to the chateau and request that i would take you under my care. i of course assented at once, and in a couple of hours more you were brought here, strapped to a stretcher--that being the only way in which you could be kept sufficiently quiescent to prevent irreparable injury to your wounded arm. "circumstances did not permit of my sending into ajaccio for a physician, but most fortunately my daughter's old nurse maria is well skilled in matters relating to medicine and surgery, and her services were at once called into requisition. she soon discovered that the unskilful treatment of your wound was the chief cause of your illness, and with infinite difficulty, for you were very violent, we succeeded in getting the limb reset, and the wound properly attended to. this done, the fever soon yielded to the influence of the medicines which the good soul administered with rigorous punctuality. in the meantime, however, you spoke several times about certain papers concerning which you seemed to be singularly anxious, and at length by patiently listening to your rambling utterances we were enabled to make a shrewd guess as to their whereabouts. i set out in search of them, and discovered your bag, with the papers intact, safely concealed beneath a pile of brushwood in the corner of the old hut on the moor." "then i have been ill a whole week?" i exclaimed in considerable dismay. "exactly so," replied the count. "how long did you imagine your illness had lasted?" "about two days," i replied. "well, it is just a week," remarked the count. "i hope you are not in any very serious hurry to leave us. in the first place i doubt whether maria will consent to your rising from your bed for at least another week, and after that you will be some time regaining a sufficiency of strength to enable you to travel, and in the next place i am anxious to cultivate the acquaintance of one who has done so great a service to us corsicans." "you are extremely kind, count," said i, "and under other circumstances there is nothing i should like better than to remain your guest as long as i could find a decent excuse for so doing; but my ship, the `juno,' has gone to the north end of the island, where we all expect there will be some very smart work shortly, and i would not miss being with her for anything i could name." "ha, ha! not very complimentary to us, eh, francesca?" laughed my host. "this young fire-eating english sailor-officer would rather be where his brains would be ever in jeopardy than enjoying the _dolce far niente_ up here among the hills. what very pugnacious animals you englishmen are, to be sure! "but do not fear, my dear boy, nothing will be done there yet for a little while, and, if you lake great care of yourself, it is quite possible you may yet be able to rejoin the `juno' in time to get your full share of the hard knocks to be had there, and which will doubtless be plentiful enough to suit even the most impetuous of your countrymen." "which do you think will be my quickest way to rejoin my ship, when i am able to do so--by land, or by water?" i inquired. "by water, i should say, certainly," replied the count. "the entire island is in a perfect ferment, and you would find travelling by land a slow and wearisome as well as a highly dangerous process. we are perfectly quiet here, it is true, our situation being an isolated one, and in the very heart of the hills; but in and about all the towns the french troops literally swarm, while the woods and more secluded villages are haunted either by bands of corsican insurgents or banditti, both of which would be likely to regard a stranger with as much suspicion as the french; and although you might be able to travel for a few miles to the northward from here in comparative safety, you would find your difficulties increase with every additional mile of your advance. and it is only fair to mention that i cannot assure you of absolute safety even here. i have reason to believe that i am very strongly suspected by the french of being favourable to the insurrectionary movement now in progress--as indeed i may admit to you that i am, my brother being in command of the insurgents--and i feel sure that, could a particle of direct evidence be secured against me, my arrest would instantly be attempted. this i should stoutly resist in the present condition of affairs, as my life would not be worth a moment's purchase were i to fall into the hands of the enemy; but it is very doubtful whether the chateau could hold out beyond an hour or two against a determined attack, every man i could possibly spare being away with my brother." "would not your own countrymen help you in such a case?" i inquired. "there is no help available, except that of the banditti," replied the count, "and, with the single exception of bell' demonio's band, i would almost as soon throw open my gates to the french as to them. if bell' were at hand at such a time, we should be perfectly safe, but one can never tell where she is to be found; her movements are as uncertain as those of the wind, and it is quite probable that she is now at the north end of the island, co-operating with my brother." "who is this bell' demonio?" i inquired. "is it possible she can be the beautiful woman i saw in the camp to which i was taken after being wounded, and where i fell ill?" "the same," answered the count. "she is the leader of the band into whose hands you fell. poor soul! her story is a very extraordinary as well as a very terrible one; the mere mention of her name is sufficient to excite a corsican to frenzy at the remembrance of her wrongs. "six months ago isabel di solzi was one of the happiest girls in all corsica. her father, count robert di solzi, a descendant of the most ancient and most distinguished family of all the corsican nobility, idolised her, and gratified her every whim, no matter how extravagant it might be, and she ruled the chateau as its absolute queen. "her lover, as handsome and gallant a young fellow as maiden could wish, doted upon her, as a matter of course, and she returned his love with all the passion of her fiery and enthusiastic nature, and the prospect before her seemed to be one of almost perfect human happiness. "her father, fond as he was of her, and reluctant as he was to part with his only daughter, nevertheless viewed the match with unqualified favour; the proposals had been formally made and accepted; the preliminaries were all arranged, and the marriage was fixed for a certain day. "time passed on, slowly enough, we may be sure, to the impassioned lovers, and at length the day arrived on the morrow of which the wedding was to take place. isabel's lover rode out early to the chateau, ostensibly for the purpose of concluding the last trifling arrangements connected with the ceremony, but doubtless it was in reality to enjoy one more interview with his inamorata before the performance of those holy rites which were to make her his for ever. the count di solzi was absent when he arrived, and the young couple, anticipating no evil, wandered away from the chateau, and at length in their preoccupation entered a wood through which runs the road from ajaccio across to the eastern side of the island. they sauntered along this road for a considerable distance, when they heard the tramp of a party of soldiers behind them, and looking back found themselves in the presence of a detachment of french infantry. "there was a great deal of ill-feeling existing even then between the corsicans and the french, though it was not of course anything like what it is at present; hostilities had not as yet broken out; the flame which is so fiercely raging to-day throughout the island being then no more than a smouldering spark. "still, the _rencontre_ was disagreeable, and to shorten it as much as possible isabel and her lover turned back with the intention of passing the french in the opposite direction. but by the time that they had resolved on this, the french were upon them, and instead of courteously permitting them to pass, the officer in command ordered them to halt and give an account of themselves. "they had of course no option but to obey, which they did. the french officer, however, either doubted, or affected to doubt, their story, and announced his intention of taking them both as prisoners into ajaccio. "isabel's lover remonstrated, entreated, and threatened by turns, in vain; and at length the officers, turning from him, began to assail the trembling isabel with jests of the coarsest kind. this was more than the hot corsican blood could endure, and suddenly breaking from his guard, the frantic lover rushed upon the commanding officer, who seemed to be the chief offender, and with a single blow struck him senseless to the ground. the next moment he would have been impaled upon the bayonets of the soldiery, had the other officers not interfered; they knew their chief, and knew too that they would never be forgiven, did they not preserve their victim for a punishment to be inflicted by himself. "a halt was immediately called, they being at the time in perhaps the most lonely part of the road. a strong guard was placed over the prisoners, the rest of the men piling their arms, and vigorous efforts were at once proceeded with for the restoration of the injured officer. "the injury being slight, they were soon successful, and a mock drum- head court-martial was then instituted, by which the male prisoner was tried and convicted; sentence was passed, and the ruffianly band at once proceeded jeeringly to carry it into execution. the unhappy lover was stripped and firmly bound to a tree; the shrieking isabel was then dragged before him, and in her presence he was scourged to death with the soldiers' belts. the miserable girl was then released, the troops shouldered their arms and marched merrily away, safely reaching in due time their barracks in ajaccio. "meanwhile the day passed on; count robert returned to the chateau, and as was his custom at once sought his daughter. failing to find her, he made inquiry among the servants, and then learned that the lovers had left the domain some hours before. this intelligence made the count somewhat uneasy, and remounting his horse, he set out in quest of the truants upon the road which he learned they had taken. he penetrated the forest for some distance, and at length was startled by hearing shrill screams of maniacal laughter. "imagine if you can his horror and distress, when, on reaching the spot from which the sounds proceeded, he discovered his daughter seated upon the ground, with her dead lover's head upon her lap, uttering peal after peal of blood-curdling laughter, as she strove to bind up the bruised and lacerated body in strips of linen torn from her own clothing. "on approaching her, the poor girl appeared to recognise her father in a confused sort of way, and with a little difficulty he at length persuaded her to allow him to lay the murdered man across the horse's back, and to accompany him home. "it was of course patent to the distracted count that a fiendish atrocity of some sort had been committed, but it was quite impossible to gather any particulars or even the most meagre hint from the poor demented girl by his side; he therefore made the best of his way back to the chateau, whence immediately upon his arrival he despatched a couple of mounted servants--one of whom had charge of a note conveying a hint of the catastrophe to the friends of the murdered man, while the other had instructions to find and bring back with him to the chateau the first medical man in ajaccio. by nightfall the chateau was full of self-invited guests, attracted thither by the rumours which had reached their ears concerning the events of the day, and all sorts of surmises and suggestions were made as to the probable perpetrators of the outrage. the doctor, too, as well as the friends of the murdered man, was there, and the former had on seeing his patient lost no time in administering a powerful opiate with the object of procuring for the unfortunate isabel a temporary relief from the unnatural excitement of her overtaxed brain. "when at length the drug had done its work, and the poor girl lay stretched upon her bed in a state of unconsciousness, a general consultation was held, at which it was resolved to spare no pains to discover and punish the authors of so atrocious a crime, and with this understanding the visitors on the following morning departed on their several ways. "for days the efforts put forth to discover the offenders resulted in a complete failure, and in the meantime poor isabel lay tossing restlessly with brain-fever. at length one night an intoxicated french soldier blurted out the secret in the hearing of every one of the occupants of the tavern, and a little judicious questioning, mingled with occasional expressions of incredulity, extracted from the fellow the full details of the crime. these were promptly communicated to count di solzi, who immediately called upon the officer who had been named as the chief culprit, and taxed him with it. "the wretch scornfully admitted his share in the outrage, and scoffed at the agonising grief of the poor old man. a challenge followed, as a matter of course, and a meeting was arranged for the following morning; but when that morning dawned, the french officer was found dead in bed, stabbed to the heart. the count was immediately arrested on suspicion of being the assassin, and though all the neighbouring nobility knew the charge to be as monstrous and ill-founded as ever was brought against mortal man, and did all that lay in our power to have the matter properly investigated--and though soon after his arrest one of his own servants came voluntarily forward and confessed that it was he, and not his master, who had done the deed--poor isabel's father was summarily tried, sentenced, and hanged over the gate of his own chateau. "this act of base and cruel injustice, coupled with the previous outrage, caused the smouldering spark of discontent and disaffection to blaze forth at once into a devastating insurrectionary flame. "the most ruthless reprisals were forthwith resorted to on both sides; assassination, secret and open, became the order of the day; the corsicans flew to arms, and the struggle commenced which is now being waged, and which can never end until the hated french have been extirpated from off the face of the island." "and how fared the unhappy isabel meanwhile?" i inquired. "she was on her father's arrest brought here at the imminent risk of her life," replied the count, "and while she still lay delirious, her father's execution took place; the chateau was then sacked, and when the soldiers had loaded themselves with every article of value which it was possible for them to take away, they set fire to the place, and, driving back at the point of the bayonet all who approached for the purpose of extinguishing the flames, stood by until it was burned to the ground. it was late at night before all was done, and the officer in charge of the troops who had carried through this shameful deed of murder and spoliation was imprudent enough to camp for the night close to the scene of the outrage. sentinels were duly posted, and everything was, as this man thought, made perfectly secure; but he was fatally mistaken. the sentinels were surprised in detail, and despatched without having had an opportunity to give the alarm, and then a band of upwards of armed corsicans stole in upon the defenceless camp and slaughtered every one of the sleeping frenchmen--not one survived to tell the tale. "isabel, contrary to expectation, rapidly recovered both her health and her reason; but it soon became apparent that a terrible change had been wrought in her, though _how_ terrible we did not realise until afterwards. "of course it was not to be expected that a girl who had passed through what she had would ever be the same again, but there was a change in her, apart from what might reasonably have been expected under the circumstances. her reason appeared to be completely restored; she talked calmly and rationally enough upon all subjects, not excepting even her misfortunes; but there was a coldness and reserve about her, even with us, her most intimate friends, which we found it very difficult to understand. at length one day we missed her, and apprehensive of a recurrence of the temporary aberration of intellect from which she had so recently recovered, we searched for her in all directions for three whole days without success, at the end of which time we received a note from her, thanking us for what she was pleased to term our great kindness, and informing us that she had taken steps to carry out the sole purpose of her future life, which was vengeance upon the authors of her wrongs, and the enemies of her country. we knew not what to make of this statement at first, but we soon afterwards learned that it meant she had formed a guerilla band at the head of which she had placed herself--the avowed object of which is war to the knife with the french, as long as any of them remain in corsica. "and most terribly has she carried out her purpose so far, for already nearly frenchmen have perished upon the weapons of her band, and fourteen french officers have met their deaths at her own hands. "the adoption of so vindictive a purpose has gained for her the title of bell' demonio, a title which she has accepted as perfectly appropriate, and as indicative of the relentless vengeance which her enemies may look for from her." "what a terrible history of wanton wrong and of merciless retribution!" i exclaimed, when the count had finished his narrative. "it is horrible to think that beings claiming to be civilised can be capable of such monstrous deeds, but it is so, as i can testify from the conversation of the frenchmen who took me prisoner, and by the bye that reminds me that _you_ were the subject of their remarks. have you any reason to suppose yourself in any sort of danger?" "well, no," replied the count; "i should scarcely say that i consider myself in absolute _danger_; of course it is only reasonable to suppose that, since my brother has placed himself at the head of the insurgents, i should be regarded with a certain amount of suspicion; but that occasions me no anxiety whatever, for i have no one about me but those whom i can implicitly trust, and even to them i confide no more than i can possibly help, so i think i may say i am reasonably safe from betrayal. at the same time i omit no precaution, because i have strong reason to suppose that my actions are being watched, as i believe i have already mentioned. but perhaps you will favour me with a recapitulation of the remarks made by the french concerning me? i have hitherto had no means of ascertaining exactly in what estimation they hold me, and any light on the subject would be especially valuable just now." in accordance with this request, i related the substance of the conversation which had occurred among the frenchmen while i was being conveyed toward ajaccio. the count listened intently, never interrupting me once, but i could see by the expression of his features how powerfully he was moved, especially by the remarks which had reference to his daughter. when i had finished-- "thank you signor--how shall i call you?" said he. "my name is ralph chester," i replied. "i thank you sincerely, signor ralph, for the very valuable information which you have afforded me. it gives to my position an altogether new and somewhat alarming aspect. it is true that i am safe, so far as the papers which you brought are concerned; they are out of my hands, and, even if discovered, contain nothing which could possibly compromise me; but what you have just told me appears to indicate a decided _desire_ on the part of the french to find some excuse for molesting me. personally, there is nothing i should like better than an opportunity for holding the chateau against an attack from the french. i hate them with a deadly hatred--heaven knows it is not without ample cause!--but if the day were to go against us, i shudder to think of the inevitable fate of my darling child. but, signor, she should never fall into their hands alive. i would rather blot out her innocent young life with these unarmed hands than leave her alive at the mercy of those fiends. i have already told you somewhat of what they can do, but they are capable of even greater refinement of cruelty than that which poor bell' demonio experienced at their hands. i am glad to have heard what you have just told me, but it greatly increases my anxiety; could i only place francesca in safety it would not greatly matter, but as it is--yes, i must endeavour to find a secure retreat for my child, or i shall have no further peace of mind. the more i think of it the clearer does it become that the chateau is no longer a fit place for her." we conversed for some time longer, and then maria made her appearance, and, with the licence of an old servant, unhesitatingly expressed her conviction that i had conversed far more freely than was at all good for me in my feeble condition, and asserted decidedly that unless i were at once left for the rest of the day in perfect quiet, the direst consequences would surely follow. upon this the count abruptly took his departure, with an elaborate apology for what he chose to term his want of consideration. for the remainder of the day a strict embargo was laid upon my room by that stern old disciplinarian, maria, and on the following day the count was only permitted to enter for the purpose of making a few brief but kind inquiries as to my progress. i spent the time chiefly in meditating upon the charms of the count's lovely daughter, and in hoping for the happiness of a visit from her; but to my intense disappointment she remained invisible. maria mounted strict guard over me, and when circumstances necessitated her absence, the dark-eyed angela was called in to relieve the watch. the latter was evidently willing enough to chat with me, but it soon became apparent that she had received her orders from maria, and that she entertained too wholesome a dread of that individual lightly to disobey her. under these circumstances the time dragged on wearily enough, so that when on the fourth day i received permission to rise from my bed and change my room for an hour or two, i regarded the inflexible maria with feelings of gratitude almost akin to love. the experience of a sick-bed is unfortunately so little a rarity that most of my readers will be able to realise for themselves the delight with which, after a refreshing toilet, and clad in the easiest as well as the most gorgeous of dressing-gowns, i passed out through the door of the sick-room. the sprightly angela was my guide, and also to a great extent my support, as we passed down a short corridor and turned into a small but elegantly furnished room single glance round which was sufficient to assure me that i was in the favoured abode of beauty. a table littered with a variety of those flimsy trifles which ladies are wont to dignify with the name of "work" occupied the centre of the room, a harp stood in one corner and a guitar in another, an easel supporting an unfinished sketch in water-colours stood by one of the two windows which lighted the room, and a small bookcase filled with elegantly-bound books occupied a niche in one of the walls. a tiny riding-gauntlet of embroidered leather trimmed with lace, and a gold-mounted riding-switch lay upon a most inviting-looking couch, while an open book, placed face downwards, occupied a low-seated reclining chair, which faced the other window; some small but choice water-colours graced the walls, and against that which faced the windows stood a small chamber organ. in addition to these evidences of taste and luxury there were a few small but exquisite statuettes supported on wall brackets; delicate alabaster vases of choice and sweetly-scented flowers, and a cage of gaily plumaged birds. "there!" said my guide, as she deposited me in the most comfortable chair in the room, "is that to your liking, signor?" "perfectly," i replied. "but see here, angela, have you not made some mistake? was it understood that i was to occupy this room? if i may hazard a guess, i should say it is your mistress's own especial apartment, the one to which she retreats when she desires strict privacy." "you are quite right, signor, it is my lady's boudoir, but the count's instructions were that you were to be taken to the most comfortable room in the chateau; and though there are many larger and more grand, i know of none where you would be quite so comfortable as in this." "i have no doubt you are perfectly right, little one," said i; "but i greatly fear that in taking possession of this apartment i shall be intruding--" "it is very unkind of you to think any such thing, signor; no one who has suffered as you have in the cause of my countrymen could ever be deemed an intruder in _any_ of the apartments of the chateau paoli," said a clear, silvery voice behind me. i turned and saw that the owner of the apartment had just entered at the open door in time to hear my remark. the beautiful girl looked more lovely than ever, i thought, as she somewhat shyly congratulated me on the progress i had made toward recovery. she playfully scolded the unabashed angela for not putting the room in somewhat better order before introducing me to it, apologised for the state of confusion which it was in, and finally asked me if she could do anything to add to my comfort. with all the boldness of a british midshipman, i at once replied that my comfort and happiness would be complete if she would but condescend to favour me with as much of her society as possible. the dear girl blushed, laughed, called me a bold boy, and then, at my earnest request, placed herself in a chair near me, and, after a slight pause of embarrassment, commenced a conversation, the theme of which was the struggle upon which the corsicans had just entered. this, of course, was all very well and highly interesting; no one could have looked at and listened to so lovely a creature unmoved as she descanted in feeling language upon the wrongs from which the corsicans had suffered so greatly at the hands of the french; but, to tell the truth, i felt just then too weak to take more than a languid interest in the subject, it was too exciting for me in my invalid condition, besides which, i perceived that the theme was a painful one to my companion; i therefore gradually drew the conversation into a lighter channel, and we were soon deep in the discussion of poetry, music, and painting, subjects in which we both seemed to be equally interested, and our enthusiasm upon which speedily broke down the slight barrier of reserve which had interposed itself between us at the commencement of the interview. the result was that when that objectionable old party, maria, came to announce the arrival of the moment when a return to my own room was judged advisable, she found us both comfortably established upon the same lounge, sitting very close to each other, and deep in the beauties of a portfolio of choice engravings which rested upon our knees; moreover, we had grown so confidential that by mutual agreement our usual formal style of address had been discarded, my young hostess promising to call me "ralph," if i would address her as "francesca." from this date my progress toward perfect recovery was rapid. a few days more were passed in francesca's boudoir, in the enjoyment of her delightful society, and then came the happy moment when supported by her arm, i was able to move slowly and for short distances about the superbly laid-out grounds of the chateau. these delightful walks, which became more extended every day, naturally resulted in the establishment of still more intimate relations between us, and in a very short time each knew all about the past history and the future prospects of the other. the latter were eminently satisfactory on both sides, for, with all the assurance of a boy and a midshipman, i speedily announced my intention of winning my post rank in the shortest possible amount of time, chiefly as a desirable preliminary to my return to corsica for the purpose of claiming the lovely francesca's hand in marriage. the sweet girl laughed heartily at me, at first; though younger than myself, she was more of a woman than i was of a man, and she assumed with me a great many of the airs of a senior; but upon my vehement and repeated protestations of the seriousness and permanent nature of my intentions, her laughter ceased, she became embarrassed and agitated, and finally, after much pressing, assured me, her face crimsoned with blushes the while, that if i ever came to claim her, she would be mine. now i am quite aware that my conduct in this respect was wrong. i was too young, and my prospects were far too vague at that time, to justify me in speaking of love to any woman, besides which, in so unceremoniously laying siege to the beautiful francesca's susceptible heart, i might, for all that i could tell, be seriously interfering with the count's plans for his daughter's future. but at the time neither of us thought anything of this, or of any thing or being but ourselves; we were perfectly content with the state of things as they were, happy in the present, and quite agreed as to the future, to which, however, neither of us gave a single serious thought. i do not think francesca was to blame in the matter, she had never had a mother to teach her prudence, but _i_ certainly acted very wrongly, for, though little more than a boy, i was old enough to know better. i offer no excuse for my conduct, it was quite inexcusable, but as i am telling the story of my life, i feel that i should not be dealing fairly with my readers did i attempt to pass over my faults and misdeeds in silence. a day or two more passed swiftly away, i was rapidly regaining strength, my fractured arm-bone had knit itself firmly together again--though of course it was still quite useless, the splints not having been removed, and the use of a sling promising to remain a necessity for some little time longer--and i was revolving seriously in my mind the question of what would be the best course to pursue in order to rejoin my ship, when a little incident occurred which immediately diverted my thoughts in an entirely different direction. francesca and i were sauntering slowly down the broad tree-bordered drive which led from the main road to the chateau, when a man passed us. francesca stopped him, to ask a question or two, and to give him some directions, and i thus got a full view of his features for perhaps quite three minutes. to my intense surprise i recognised in him the individual who had betrayed me to the french troops, and who had without doubt betrayed them in turn to bell' demonio's guerilla band; in a word, it was guiseppe. when our eyes met for the first time i saw in a moment that he not only recognised me, but also that he was most anxious to know whether i recognised him. i had it on the tip of my tongue to tax him with his perfidy, and to threaten to denounce him; but there was a something in his glance which gave me the idea that he was meditating further treachery, and i instantly decided that the most effective means to defeat his plans, if he entertained any, would be to throw him off his guard, and watch keenly the course of events; i therefore assumed a calmness and indifference of demeanour which i certainly did not feel, and looked at him as though i had never seen him before. waiting until the fellow was well out of ear-shot, i asked francesca whether he was one of the servants at the chateau. "well, no," she replied, "he is not exactly that. he is merely a kind of hanger-on; his father died in our service, and this man was, in his younger days, one of our stable-boys, but he left us about a year ago to become a wood-cutter and charcoal-burner, and since then he just comes and goes when he likes, finding board and lodging when he requires it, and giving in return any trifling services that may be required of him." nothing more was said about the man at that time, but i resolved to speak to count lorenzo about him at the first opportunity. this presented itself the same evening, on our return to the chateau. i recalled to the count's mind the conversation which had passed respecting him among the french soldiers, and also directed his attention to the fact that the subject of my remarks had been referred to in terms which seemed to leave no room for doubt as to his treachery. "but the individual of whom you speak was called guiseppe, was he not?" remarked the count, when i had said my say. "certainly," i replied. "what is the name of this man?" "matteo, matteo bartolozzi is his full name," replied the count. "i thought there must be a mistake somewhere; you have evidently been misled, my friend, by an accidental resemblance. matteo a traitor! pardon me, my dear signor ralpho, but if you knew the poor fellow as well as i do, you would recognise the absurdity of the supposition. i have known matteo all his life, and i should have no hesitation in trusting him with _anything_, ay, even with my daughter's safety." "heaven forbid that such a necessity should ever arise," i fervently exclaimed. "it would be better to confide her to the protection of a pack of starving wolves. i am _not_ deceived by any accidental resemblance, i feel as sure of the identity of this man, whom you call matteo, with the traitor guiseppe, as i am of my own existence. believe me, count, i would not speak so positively, did there exist the faintest possibility of doubt." "but, my good sir," returned the count somewhat tartly, "i assure you that what you say is quite impossible. i repeat, i have known the man all his life, and i have done him nothing but good. i have befriended him in a thousand ways, and i know he would lay down his life rather than bring harm to me and mine." i saw that my efforts to undeceive the count were worse than useless, and i therefore abandoned the attempt; at the same time his arguments utterly failed to convince me that i had been mistaken, they did not even raise the most transitory doubt in my mind; i therefore determined to simply wait and watch the course of events. chapter fifteen. a night attack upon the chateau. for the next two days, matters went on at the chateau much as usual. old maria was as sedulously attentive as ever, her sole occupation being apparently the preparation of tempting and strengthening dishes for my consumption, and the concoction of tonic herbal medicines which she administered with relentless severity. the weather continued gloriously fine, enabling me to be in the open air the greater portion of each day; and although the count was absent, his beautiful daughter more than supplied his place, as far at least as i was concerned; so that, what with judicious nursing and nourishment, plenty of easy exercise in the delicious bracing mountain air, and the delightful society of francesca paoli, i was rapidly gaining both in health and spirits. on the second evening after my conversation with count lorenzo respecting the man whom he called matteo bartolozzi, francesca and i were slowly returning to the house, after a somewhat longer walk than usual, when we were startled by the sound of a horse approaching at a rapid gallop behind us. turning round, we saw that it was the count. he reined up when alongside of us, and, gaily saluting us, dismounted, and walked the rest of the distance to the house with us. when we reached the broad terrace in front of the chateau, he handed over his still panting horse to one of the servants, and, placing an arm in mine, dismissed his daughter, saying he had an important communication to make to me. the moment that francesca was fairly out of ear-shot he turned to me and said,-- "i received about an hour ago an intimation that a party of french soldiers are on their way here, for the purpose of arresting me, on suspicion of conspiring with the insurgents against the french government, and i was also informed that authority had been given to the officer in command to take me by force, should i refuse to surrender myself and accompany them quietly. i at once set out to return here, galloping all the way, and on reaching the cross roads about six miles from here, i saw approaching along the ajaccio road a detachment of infantry, which i have not the least doubt is the party referred to. i have quite made up my mind not to surrender; it would be simply throwing away my life to do so with the existing state of feeling of the french towards us corsicans. i should doubtless be subjected to the ceremony of a trial, but it would be quite a mock affair; my doom is probably already fixed. i shall therefore defend the chateau as long as its walls will hold together, and i do not quite despair of doing so successfully, although my garrison will be but a weak one--i do not suppose i can muster more than twenty people all told, and they by no means reliable if it comes to a downright hand-to-hand tussle. the question is, what are we to do with you? should we fail, and you again fall into the hands of the french, your fate is sealed, they will assuredly hang you as a spy on the nearest tree." "may i venture to ask, count, what are your intentions with regard to your daughter?" said i. he turned deadly pale for an instant, then the blood rushed furiously to his head, his face crimsoned, his eyes sparkled vindictively, and the veins of his forehead stood out like knotted cords as he hoarsely ejaculated,-- "the man who lays a hand upon her must pass over my dead body; and let me tell you, signor inglese, i shall not die easily; much french blood will flow before i fall." "unless an unlucky bullet happens to strike you fairly in the forehead, early in the fight," i suggested. "and do you imagine that i shall be imbecile enough to expose myself in so reckless a fashion as to render that probable?" he returned. "no! if i fight, it will be for life, not for glory, therefore i shall take every reasonable precaution to protect my life." "still," i persisted, "in the excitement of a fight prudence is sometimes forgotten for a brief space. would it not be advisable to take any measures that may be possible to secure a retreat, should such unhappily become necessary?" the count made no reply for a full minute, during which we continued to pace the terrace in the deepening twilight. then he turned to me and said,-- "i wonder whether you will understand me if i say, that, as far as _i_ am concerned, retreat is quite impossible. if i once come into collision with the french, i must either conquer or die; there is, for me, no middle course." "then that settles the question, as far you are concerned," i replied. "is it imperative that your daughter should also die, in the event of our sustaining a defeat?" "she must either die or fall into the hands of the french," replied the count sternly; "and with the fate of poor bell' demonio fresh in our memories, neither she nor i would for an instant hesitate as to which alternative to accept. i would send her away to seek shelter with some friend, but her presence, if discovered, would only compromise that friend irretrievably, as well as prove fatal to herself. besides, to speak the truth, there is so much treachery existing among us that i dare not run the risk. if your ship were only within reach, i think i dare trust francesca on board her; she would at least be safe from the french, and i have no doubt your captain would afford her temporary protection, until other arrangements could be made." "that he would, i am certain," i replied eagerly, "i can certainly venture to promise so much in his behalf. unfortunately, however, the `juno' is now at the north end of the island, and the only safe means-- or rather the _least dangerous_ means of reaching her seems to me to be by water. i have come to the conclusion that that is the way by which i shall have to go, and if you felt you could confide miss francesca to my protection, i should be only too happy to have the opportunity to--to--" "make love to her on the way, eh?" interrupted the count, with a smile. "nay, never blush and look confused, my boy. do you think that, because i have not seen much of you for the last few days, i am altogether blind? i know, just as well as you do, that you two children fancy yourselves in love with each other; and were you a few years older i might have somewhat to say in the matter; as it is, you are both too young for me to take any serious notice of it. however, that is not now the question. do you really think you could safely convey my daughter to the north end of the island, and place her, not on board your ship, but in the care of her aunt, my brother's wife? you are a seaman, i know, and are doubtless skilled in your profession; but how would you proceed? it would be perfect madness to attempt engaging a vessel to convey you along the coast, the reward for delivering you both over to the french authorities would be an irresistible temptation to the fishermen or coasters." "i should not dream of running so serious a risk," i replied. "my plan is very simple. i should make for ajaccio, timing myself to reach the place about two or three o'clock in the morning, seize the most promising-looking boat i could find, and make sail in her. the only difficulty would be with my wounded arm, which is at present quite useless, but i dare say--" "if that is your only difficulty," again interrupted the count, "it may be easily overcome. i would send one of my people with you, a man whom i can implicitly trust, and who has moreover had some experience on board the small craft which trade along the coast." "not matteo, i hope?" said i. "no, not matteo," replied the count. "you are prejudiced against him, and would probably refuse to take him. the man i am thinking of is called giaccomo--he is one of the under-gardeners." "i should like to see the man," said i; "but in the meantime had we not better make what preparations we can to defend the chateau, as well as to secure a retreat, should such be necessary?" "by all means," said the count. "let us first go to the stables, and arrange the means for your escape, should it be necessary, and then we will go round the chateau together, and see what can be done in the matter of defending it." we turned away and walked round to the stables, in which stood ten fine horses. these, the count ordered to be removed at once to a place which he called the elfin grotto, giving instructions that the three which were considered to be the fleetest were to be saddled and bridled ready for instant use, francesca's saddle being required for one of them. he also hunted out giaccomo--who looked a smart honest fellow enough--and ordered him to go with the horses to the grotto, holding himself in readiness for a lengthened journey at a moment's notice, and that he was to understand he was under my immediate orders, to do whatever i might require of him. we then retired to the interior of the chateau, to examine into its capabilities of defence, and, as much to get her out of the way as for any other reason, francesca was directed to prepare a small package of clothing, such as would serve her for a week or so, her father informing her that it might be necessary for her to leave the chateau for a short time, and that in such an event i had undertaken to escort her to a place of safety. this done, we made a careful examination of each floor of the building, beginning with the lowest or ground floor. the chateau was built in the italian style of architecture, and consisted of two wings and a lofty central tower. the windows of the lower floor reached from near the ceiling right down to the ground, and gave access, by means of a row of three steps, directly to the rooms from the broad terrace along the front. these windows were protected by strong solid shutters of oak which were arranged to be fastened on the inside with three heavy iron bars, one at the top, one half-way down, and one at the bottom. the door was a very solid and substantial affair of oak thickly studded with nails, and was so well provided with massive bolts that i felt confident of its power to resist anything except artillery. this completed the defences of the lower floor, so far as the front was concerned. the back we had very little fear about; a high and solid stone wall surmounted by a formidable _chevaux-de-frise_ extending for about thirty yards from each wing, and then stretching back far enough to enclose the stables and other offices, as well as a spacious kitchen-garden. the windows of the next two floors were quite unprotected; and the count therefore gave immediate orders to have all the available beds, mattresses, cushions, etcetera, piled up along the lower portion of each window, just high enough to protect a person when kneeling on the floor. the grand staircase, which was the only one accessible from the front entrance, was also strongly barricaded in three or four places, a sort of breastwork being constructed on the first landing, behind which the defenders might shelter themselves from the fire of an attacking party below. this done, nothing remained but to collect the arms and ammunition, muster the attendants, and await the development of events. we had not very long to wait. evening had closed down upon us and deepened into night during the progress of our preparations, and the count and i were watching from one of the windows the exquisitely beautiful spectacle afforded by a clear moonrise, when we observed some moving objects among the deep shadows cast by the trees of the distant avenue, and, once or twice, the cold gleam of steel where the mellow rays of the moon penetrated through the overarching branches. presently a small group of figures emerged from the shadows of the trees and approached along the central drive which led up to the broad expanse of flower-beds beyond the terrace. as they came nearer, we perceived that they consisted of an officer in the uniform of one of the french regiments of foot, a couple of files of men, and a bugler. "come," said the count to me, as soon as we had clearly made out the character of our visitors, "let us go down and see what this gentleman has to say." we made our way down the staircase--passing through openings which had been purposely left in the barricades, but which could be effectually closed in less than a minute--and accompanied by half-a-dozen of the most resolute and trusty of the count's people, armed with musket and dagger, emerged through the great door upon the terrace, the steps leading to which the frenchmen were just ascending. they were allowed to fairly reach the terrace, a distance of some thirty yards or so then intervening between us and them, when the count stepped forward, and, raising his hand, cried in french, in an authoritative voice,-- "halt! i allow no body of armed men to approach my chateau any nearer than the spot where you now stand, without my first receiving an explanation of the reason for their presence. the officer in command may, however, come forward and state his business; but i warn you that, if the rest attempt to approach, my men will at once fire upon you." the frenchmen halted, and the officer, after apparently giving his men some brief instructions in a low tone of voice, advanced towards us, raising his shako as he joined us, and saying,-- "have i the honour to address count lorenzo di paoli?" "i am the individual whom you name," replied the count. "to what circumstance am i indebted for the honour of this somewhat extraordinary visit?" "i am instructed by general lefevre, the officer in command of the forces now stationed at ajaccio, to request your immediate attendance before him in reference to a matter closely affecting your own honour," replied the frenchman. "as i have not the advantage of general lefevre's acquaintance, and cannot conceive what interest he can possibly have in any matter relating to my honour, you may go back to him, sir, and tell him i positively decline to accede to his request, which--to say the least of it--is a very singular one to make to a corsican noble." "i regret to say that the general, anticipating the possibility of your refusal, has ordered me, in such a case, to arrest you. it is a disagreeable necessity, which i would much rather have avoided; but you leave me no alternative. count lorenzo di paoli, i arrest you in the name of the national assembly, on a charge of conspiracy," answered the frenchman, stepping forward and attempting to lay his hand on the count's shoulder. "stand back, sir!" cried count lorenzo, stepping back a pace and levelling a pistol at the officer's head. "i am fully acquainted with your general's designs against me; and i decline to walk into the trap which he has set for me. i repudiate and defy his authority, which i will resist to the death; and you may go back and tell him so." "ha! say you so?" exclaimed the frenchman. "rash man, you will soon feel the power of the authority which you have so arrogantly defied, for i may inform you that i have at hand a party strong enough to _compel_ your submission; and my orders are, not to return to ajaccio without you." "then go, sir, and bring up your party," retorted the count scornfully; "and we will endeavour to give you such a reception as shall teach your general to beware how he attempts to molest a corsican noble for the future." the french officer bowed, raised his shako, and somewhat hastily retired, withdrawing his men from the terrace directly he joined them; and we stood watching them down the drive, until, having reached a point about midway between the terrace and the avenue, and well out of musket- shot, the little party halted; a bugle-call was sounded; and we saw a large body of men deploy into line beneath the trees and advance along the drive at the double. we then retreated to the interior of the chateau, carefully locking and barring the great door behind us; and, closing the barriers on the grand staircase as we ascended, made the best of our way to the principal floor, from whence we had decided to conduct the defence in the first instance. our dispositions for the defence of the chateau were simple in the extreme. we had only the front of the house to defend, the sides and rear being protected by the high wall before referred to; we therefore divided our little garrison into two parties, one to each wing of the building; the count heading one party, and confiding the direction of the other to me. as our plans were complete, the count and i separated on reaching the gallery at the head of the staircase, he going to that part of the building which he had undertaken to defend; and i making the best of my way to my own command. on entering the saloon where my party was stationed, i at once went to the nearest window to reconnoitre. the moon was by this time riding high in the unclouded ether, flooding the scene with the soft effulgence of her silvery beams, and rendering every object which was not obscured by the black shadows of the trees as distinct as though it had been daylight. her brilliant disc was invisible from the front windows of the chateau, she having by this time passed somewhat to the rear of the building; and this of course gave us a very decided advantage, inasmuch as it rendered it difficult for the attacking party to distinguish us at the windows, while they were exposed in the full radiance of the brilliant moonlight. when i reached the window, the main body of the french had just joined the smaller party, and had been halted. they presented a formidable array, numbering, in my estimation, quite a hundred, all armed with musket and bayonet; and i thought i detected among them a small party of grenadiers. three or four individuals, apparently officers, were standing a little distance apart from the rest, and appeared to be consulting together. they remained thus for about five minutes, when their bugler sounded a parley; and one of the officers, separating himself from the rest, advanced alone towards the chateau, displaying a white handkerchief attached to his sword-point. on seeing this, count lorenzo threw open the window immediately over the door, and stepped out upon the balcony, also exhibiting a white handkerchief. the officer continued to approach until he was within easy speaking distance, when he halted, and exclaimed,-- "once more, count lorenzo di paoli, i call upon you to surrender yourself. resistance, as you must see, from the force under my command, will be quite useless, and can only result in a needless effusion of blood, which i assure you will be visited with the severest retribution. not on you alone, but also on all those who may be taken in arms with you, will this retribution descend; for your own sake, therefore, and for the sake of the misguided men who are being tempted by your rashness to their _own_ destruction, i ask you again, and for the last time, to yield without further resistance." "i have but one answer to make to your appeal, sir," replied the count, "and it is this. i positively refuse to place myself in the power of those who have again and again proved themselves completely devoid of the principles of honour and justice. and i here and now throw off my allegiance to a country the government of which is in the hands of regicides and wholesale murderers, and declare myself to be in active sympathy with the corsican patriots." "enough, sir, and more than enough," haughtily returned the frenchman. "on your head must rest the responsibility for whatever bloodshed may now ensue." and turning on his heel, he disdainfully snatched the handkerchief from his sword-point and strode resentfully away. he had, during this brief colloquy, been covered by the muskets of the entire party under my command; and at its conclusion, though i promptly interfered, i was barely in time to prevent a volley being fired upon him. i learned afterwards that the count, knowing the temper and feeling of his people, had, before going out on the balcony, given the most positive orders to those under his command that, whatever the issue of the interview might be, the officer was to be allowed to retire unmolested. the attack commenced immediately upon the french officer rejoining his command, the entire force advancing at a rapid double, in order to place themselves as speedily as possible under the cover afforded by the steep slope which divided the flower-garden from the broad terrace in front of the chateau. the rush was made, and the cover gained in less than a couple of minutes; but our coolest and steadiest marksmen had already been stationed at the windows, with orders to select an individual mark and to make every shot tell; the result was that, almost immediately upon the troops getting in motion, an irregular fire broke out upon them from the chateau; and short as was the time occupied in making their rush, they left some ten or eleven of their number prostrate behind them. the frenchmen by no means intended letting us have things all our own way, however, for directly they were safe under the shelter of the slope they crept up it, and, shielding themselves as well as they could behind the massive stone balustrades bounding the terrace, opened upon us a galling and continuous fire. this fire grew hotter and hotter, until the rattle of musketry all along the front of the terrace became continuous; the bullets pattering in showers through every window, and, in spite of our hastily arranged bulwarks, wounding more or less severely many of our people; while the terrace itself was obscured by a thick curtain of fleecy smoke. this had lasted for perhaps five minutes, when from my loophole of observation i descried dimly in the midst of the smoky canopy, some half-a-dozen indistinct forms hurriedly crossing the terrace toward the great entrance door of the chateau. i immediately directed the attention of my party to these men, ordering them to concentrate the whole of their fire upon them, and stop their advance, if possible, at all hazards. we were just in time. an almost simultaneous volley rang out, just as the men were getting so near the walls that they could not be aimed at without complete exposure on the part of the marksmen, and every one of them fell. a few seconds afterwards a series of sharp explosions took place, which told us that these men had been the bearers of grenades or petards with which to blow open the door. but our success had not been obtained without its price; for three of our men were shot dead, and one more so seriously wounded that he had to retire from the combat, in consequence of the way in which our men had been obliged to expose themselves, in order to cover the grenadiers with their muskets. meanwhile, the curtain of smoke which veiled the terrace was every moment growing more dense, and in a few minutes from the fall of the grenadiers it had become so thick that it was quite impossible to see what was going on outside at a distance of more than twenty feet from the windows. the fire was maintained as furiously as ever, but the bullets no longer flew so thickly about our ears; a clear indication that our antagonists were as much blinded as we were, and were aiming pretty much at random; as it was of the utmost importance to economise our ammunition as much as possible, i therefore directed my party to cease firing for a time, until the smoke should have cleared away a little, or, at all events, only to fire when they could descry an object at which to aim. i then went across to the other wing, to suggest to the count the adoption of a similar plan, and had just reached his side when a violent explosion occurred below us, accompanied by a sound of splitting and rending of timber, and a heavy crash. "to the landing! to the landing, every man of you!" shouted the count. "they have blown down the door, and nothing can now prevent their entering the house. but keep cool and steady, my men, and we may yet successfully defend the staircase. ah! i was just about to seek you!" he exclaimed, as his eye fell upon me. "you must fly at once; do not delay another instant, i beg of you. you will find francesca in the music saloon, she will be your guide to the grotto; and as soon as you have reached it, mount and ride for your lives. take care of her, ralph, as you would that your own sister should be cared for; and may god be your shield and defence in every danger! now go; there is no time for further parley; but you know all that i would have you do, and you know where to seek for the friends with whom i wish you to place francesca. god bless you, my dear boy, and farewell until we meet again; i have already said farewell to my daughter." he wrung my hand convulsively, and releasing it, fairly pushed me away from him along the corridor which led to the music saloon. as i hurried away a loud shout arose from the hall below, accompanied by a sound as of axes and bars crashing into the barricade at the foot of the staircase; then a rattling volley of musketry rang out from the gallery, followed by loud shrieks and agonised groans, fierce oaths, and yells of defiance; an answering volley from below, followed by more shrieks and one or two heavy falls; and as i rapidly increased my distance from the scene of action the varied sounds merged into a fierce and whirling din, such as might have arisen had pandemonium opened its adamantine gates, and poured out upon the hapless chateau a legion of destroying fiends. on entering the saloon i found francesca on her knees, ready equipped for a journey, and with a small gold crucifix in her hands, which she had removed from her neck. as i entered the apartment she rose to her feet, and, hastily replacing the jewel, came up to me, and, placing her hands in mine, exclaimed with quivering lips,-- "oh! ralph dearest, what is the meaning of all this dreadful strife, and why have they attacked the chateau?" "i will tell you as soon as we are out of the reach of immediate danger," i replied; "at present we have no time for anything but action, so, if you are ready, we will proceed at once." "i am quite ready," she answered; "but i feel very undecided what to do. my father told me to prepare for a journey, and to be ready to leave the chateau with you at any moment, but do you think i should be justified in doing so, now that he is in such dreadful peril?" "the peril is by no means as great as you appear to think," said i, "and your compliance with your father's instructions will relieve him of a very serious embarrassment; so let us not linger another moment, i entreat you." the suggestion that her presence might possibly prove embarrassing to her father at once decided her, and, placing her hand in mine, she said simply, "i am ready; let us go," and moved to the door of the apartment. we passed down the entire length of the corridor, and presently reached the head of a staircase leading to the rear portion of the house, and ordinarily used exclusively by the servants. descending this, we traversed a short passage at its foot, and finally emerged through a door into the garden at the rear. a path closely bordered with mulberry-trees led down through the centre of this garden, passing down which we eventually reached a rustic building ordinarily used as a tool-house. entering this, francesca turned to me and said,-- "now, ralph, there is a secret door in that back wall, but i have never been through it, so i do not know its exact position. but it is opened by pressing a spring, the head of which is formed like an ordinary nail- head, differing from the others only in that it projects a little more from the woodwork than the others. do you think you can find it?" i ran my hand over the boarding, and soon encountered what would have seemed to any one unacquainted with the secret merely an ill-driven nail. pressing firmly upon this, it yielded; a cleverly-concealed door opened and revealed a very narrow passage-like space between the wooden partition and the solid stone boundary-wall of the garden. entering this and turning my back upon the open door, in accordance with francesca's directions, and feeling cautiously before me with my feet, i found myself standing at the head of a flight of stone steps. these i cautiously descended, francesca following closely behind me after closing the secret door in her rear, and in a _few_ seconds we found ourselves at the foot of the steps, and standing in an arched tunnel apparently about six feet high and as many feet wide. we then moved cautiously but rapidly forward, hand-in-hand, meeting with no difficulty or inconvenience during our passage, excepting such as arose from the mephitic atmosphere. this, however, was in itself sufficiently trying, and i was heartily glad when, after the lapse of nearly a quarter of an hour, we suddenly experienced a delicious whiff of cool pure night-air, and immediately afterwards emerged from the confined tunnel-like passage into a moderately spacious cavern, through the foliage at the mouth of which a broad patch of the luminous star-lighted sky was visible. "who goes there?" ejaculated a voice from a mass of deep shadow on one side of the cave. i recognised giaccomo's voice, and at once replied, adding an inquiry as to whether he had detected any signs of the presence of the enemy in the neighbourhood of the cavern. "none whatever, signor," he replied. "i have seen nothing all the time i have been here, and have heard nothing except the sound of distant firing in the direction of the chateau." "then let us be off at once," said i. "the sooner we get into the main road the less likelihood will there be of our meeting with molestation." without more ado francesca was accordingly assisted by giaccomo to mount, my wounded arm precluding me from seizing that coveted privilege, after which the corsican and i sprang into our saddles, and the cavalcade moved forth into the dazzling moonlight, taking our way over the short springy turf in a direction which enabled us to keep the chateau between us and the french, being cautious at the same time to keep as much as possible within the shadow of the trees. after travelling in this way for about a couple of miles, the chateau became entirely concealed from view by the intervening trees (though the sound of brisk firing could still be distinctly heard); i therefore sent giaccomo to the front as guide, with instructions to shape such a course as would take us out upon the high road to ajaccio, and ranged my own horse up alongside that of francesca, who had behaved with admirable coolness and courage throughout the adventure, but seemed keenly distressed at the necessity which forced her from her father's side at a time of such peculiar peril to him. this feeling i at once set myself to combat, making as light as possible of the peril, and stating that the attack upon the chateau was merely a wanton outrage on the part of the french, inflicted by way of retaliation in consequence of the count's refusal to obey a discourteous summons from their general at ajaccio. i was successful beyond my utmost hopes, my fair companion deriving from my representations a comfort and reassurance which i scarcely intended, but which i certainly had not the heart to take away again, so that by the time we reached ajaccio--which we did without adventure of any kind--she had grown to regard the whole affair with a very tolerable amount of equanimity. after striking the high road we performed the remainder of the journey at a foot-pace, our object being to reach the town by about one o'clock in the morning, by which time giaccomo assured me the entire inhabitants of the place would be in bed and fast asleep. on reaching that point in the road where i had taken leave of rawlings, the "juno's" sailing-master, we dismounted, and turning the horses' heads homeward, after adjusting their bridles so that they would not be likely to trail on the ground or entangle their feet, giaccomo administered to each of the animals a smart stroke across the flank with his riding whip, which sent them off at a rattling gallop back along the road we had come, the man assuring me that they would be certain to keep on steadily until they again found themselves at their stable door at the chateau. we did this so as to avoid the necessity of attracting attention to ourselves by seeking stabling for them in the town at that late hour. when our steeds were fairly out of sight we resumed our way, and walked leisurely into ajaccio, which we safely reached just about the time we had previously fixed upon as most desirable for our arrival. chapter sixteen. the "mouette", the "vigilant", and the "requin." on reaching the port my first consideration was to discover a suitable craft in which to make the trip along the coast to the north end of the island. when it actually came to the point i must confess that the idea of seizing and carrying off the property of somebody else was extremely repugnant to me. still, i could see no other course open without exposing the party to imminent danger of betrayal, and i had resolved in my own mind that, since necessity seemed to point to the deprivation of some unfortunate individual of his property, the deprivation should be only temporary; i would take the most suitable boat i could find, and when done with seek some means of returning her to her owner with a handsome sum of money as hire. having made up my mind so far, i took counsel with giaccomo, who knew the place well, and he immediately ran over a list of craft belonging to the port, any one of which he thought would serve our purpose passably well. in the midst of his statement, however, he suddenly interrupted himself with many objurgations upon his own stupidity, to which he added a statement that he had just that instant thought of a craft which would suit us admirably, one, moreover, which we need not distress ourselves about returning. "that sounds rather promising," said i. "what is she, giaccomo?" "she is a pleasure-boat measuring about fifteen tons," replied the man; "she is a very strange-looking craft, but she sails like the wind. she is the property of one of the french officers, who built her for his own amusement." "then," said i, "if she is likely to suit us, we will certainly make a prize of her without compunction. lead on, my man, and let us see if we can find her." we went on some distance further until we came to the waterside, not meeting with a single soul on the way, and there we helped ourselves to a rowing-boat and pulled out into the bay, where, according to giaccomo's account, we should find her if she then happened to be in port. we pulled through a large fleet of fishing-boats, coasting feluccas, and other craft, mostly of a size ranging from two to fifty tons, and at length, just as i was beginning to think our search would be in vain, giaccomo exclaimed,-- "there she is!" i looked in the direction indicated, and saw a long low-hulled craft, cutter-rigged, with what struck me as a set of spars altogether disproportionate to her size. "oh!" i exclaimed in a tone of disappointment, "_she_ will never do. why, she would capsize with half a capful of wind." "by no means, signor," replied the corsican. "though yew would never believe it, to look at her, she carries her canvas better and longer than any boat belonging to ajaccio, and as for working to windward--she is simply astounding." "if that be so," said i, "let us paddle up alongside and take a look at her." we did so, and on a nearer inspection found her to be, according to the then prevalent ideas concerning naval architecture, quite as extraordinary as giaccomo had described her to be. she was about five times as long as she was wide, with a bow like a fine wedge, a good clean run, and very little freeboard; she was in fact a singular foreshadowing of the modern type of racing cutter, and consequently, at that date, absolutely unique. i was rather taken with her appearance, and my curiosity, moreover, being strongly excited by the marvellous stories told by giaccomo respecting her sailing powers,--which, he asserted, he had had frequent opportunities of observing, from having been occasionally engaged to accompany her owner on his cruises,--i decided forthwith to take possession of her as a lawful prize. mooring the boat alongside we accordingly crept softly on board, and giaccomo immediately descended into the little forecastle to ascertain whether any one happened to be on board. the forecastle proved to be empty, but on going down into the cabin we saw by the feeble glimmer of the cabin lamp a lad of about eighteen comfortably stretched out on the cushions laid along upon the top of the lockers. drawing his long knife from its sheath, giaccomo unceremoniously broke in upon the slumbers of this youth, and brandishing the gleaming blade before his astonished eyes, while admonishing him in a fierce whisper not to utter a sound above his breath if he placed the slightest value upon his life, he ordered him to enumerate what stores there were on board, and to indicate their locality. this the lad did, leading us first to a small but well-arranged pantry, and then opening the lockers and exhibiting their contents. a brief survey was sufficient to satisfy me that the craft was amply provisioned for our cruise, and this matter being thus satisfactorily settled, we repaired to the deck and proceeded to loose the sails and get the cutter under way; the lad whom we had so roughly aroused being persuaded by occasional suggestive exhibitions of giaccomo's knife to render his best assistance in the task. while the two were thus engaged, i conducted francesca below, and having indicated to her the small but luxuriously-furnished sleeping cabin of the owner, proposed that she should take possession thereof, and endeavour to recruit her somewhat exhausted energies by procuring, if possible, a few hours' sleep. i then returned to the deck, and found my "crew" in the act of getting up the anchor. this was soon done, the head-sails were trimmed, and under a gentle westerly breeze we proceeded to work out of the bay. as the cutter had a boat of her own towing astern, i cast adrift the one we had "borrowed," and left her to take her chance of drifting ashore and finding her way once more into her proper owner's hands. shortly after leaving our anchorage we passed close to leeward of a long rakish-looking lateener, on board which, as ill-luck would have it, an anchor-watch was being kept. i suppose the circumstance of our getting under way at so unusual an hour must have attracted attention on board this craft, at all events the casting adrift of the shore-boat had been observed; and as we approached we were hailed from her deck with an inquiry as to whether we were aware that one of our boats had gone adrift. "ay, ay," replied giaccomo, "we know it; it is all right: we shall pick her up presently, but we do not care to tack just now in this light wind for fear of-- diavolo! hold your tongue, you son of a boiled monkey, or i will let daylight into you on one side and out on the other." the latter part of this speech had been addressed to our prisoner, who, encouraged by the close proximity of the two vessels, had without a sign of warning lifted up his voice and shouted with all the power of his lungs,-- "_perfidie! nous som--_" the remainder of the sentence had been choked back by the iron grasp of giaccomo's hand upon the lad's throat, the dagger being flashed before his eyes and the threat hissed into his ears at the same moment. but it was enough, the mischief had been done. as we glided past the craft's stern we saw the man on watch dart to the companion and disappear, returning to the deck in less than a minute, accompanied by another individual, whose fluttering white garment sufficiently indicated that he had come direct from his berth without waiting to observe the decencies of ordinary life. he, too, hailed us, but we wasted no breath in attempting to reply, fully aware that nothing we could say would allay the suspicion which had been aroused. instead therefore of shouting back, and possibly attracting the attention of other craft, we devoted all our energies to trimming our canvas to the best advantage, and packing upon the cutter every rag we could set. "per baccho!" ejaculated giaccomo between his set teeth, addressing the author of the mischief, and emphasising his remarks with a smart prod of the knife in the most fleshy part of that misguided individual's person, "i have a great mind to slash your throat open, and then launch you overboard as a breakfast to the sharks. you have drawn upon us the attention of that rascally guarda-costa, the captain of which will not be satisfied until he has received a full explanation of your remark. but, maledetto! remember this, the moment our capture seems certain i will slit you up as i would a sardine,"--appropriate gesture with the knife,--"so if you object to being slit open like a sardine you will give me all the help you can. you comprehend?" the lad comprehended so well that he was frightened half out of his wits, and went round the deck, taking an extra pull here, easing off half an inch of sheet there, shifting the water-casks, and, in short, doing all he knew to increase the speed of the cutter, glancing anxiously astern at the guarda-costa in the intervals, and from her to his dreaded shipmate. of course i am aware that i ought to have interfered and put a stop to this terrorism on the part of the hot-blooded corsican, and i _should_ have done so, had there appeared any probability of his executing his sanguinary threats; but i had already seen enough of him to believe that his bark was a great deal worse than his bite, and so, as the prisoner had evidently got us into what might prove a very awkward scrape, i was willing that he should not be allowed to go altogether unpunished. it was even as giaccomo had foreseen. we were scarcely a mile from the guarda-costa when we saw her canvas drooping in heavy festoons from her long tapering yards, and by the time that we had increased our distance to a couple of miles her anchor was a-trip, and she was sweeping round on her way out after us. i called my aide aft and asked him whether he knew the craft. "too well, signor," he replied. "it has been my lot to be chased by her often, and many an anxious moment has she caused me. she has the name of being the fastest sailer inside the gut, and she is the terror of every honest smuggler round the coast here." "ho, ho!" said i. "so that is how the land lies, is it, master giaccomo? you have been a bit of a smuggler in your time, eh?" "yes," he frankly returned, "and not so very long ago either. and i should have been taken to a certainty, had not a shot from one of your cruisers turned yonder inquisitive gentleman back." "let us hope we may meet with a similar slice of luck this time," said i. "do you think we stand any chance of getting away from her?" "everything depends on the weather," was the reply. "in light winds, such as this, i have never seen anything to approach this cutter for speed; but should it come on to blow, the `vigilant' will run us under water." this was a singularly agreeable piece of information to receive just at that moment, for the sky had gradually become flecked with fast-flying patches of scud, and a dark threatening bank of cloud was working up to windward. so far, however, the breeze remained light, and while we were gliding through the water at the rate of something like five knots, with scarcely a ripple under our bows to indicate the fact, the guarda-costa appeared to have little beyond bare steerage-way. at first i was sanguine enough to hope that, seeing how we slipped away from her, the lateener would 'bout ship, and return to her moorings; but nothing of the kind: she held on like grim death, her skipper, no doubt, being seaman enough to read in the increasingly-threatening aspect of the heavens a promise that his turn should come by-and-by. in the meantime the wind grew rapidly lighter until it became "breathless" calm; and there we both lay, heaving sluggishly on the long swell, our sails flapping idly from side to side, and our bows boxing the compass. the cloud-bank meanwhile had been steadily rising, and at length it completely veiled the sky, obscuring first the stars, and finally the moon, and enveloping the whole face of nature in a mantle of inky blackness. so intense was this darkness that we lost sight of the guarda-costa, the land, and in fact everything save the two or three riding-lights which the more prudent of the skippers had chosen to display on board their craft in the roadstead. a breathless hush prevailed, broken only by the loud creak of our boom and the flap of the sails. giaccomo and his shipmate, or prisoner-- whichever the reader likes--were somewhere forward, probably sitting down; but it was impossible to see them in the impenetrable darkness. i called giaccomo aft, and his voice, when he spoke in reply, sounded strange, weird, and unnatural. i considered the aspect of the sky portentous in the extreme, but i wished to have his opinion, as that of a man accustomed to the weather of that region, and i asked him what he thought of it. "we shall have it down upon us very heavily before long," he replied; "but i do not think it will last above three or four hours." "then we had better bear a hand and shorten sail," said i. "you take in the gaff-topsail, and bowse down a double reef in the mainsail, and i will in foresail and shift the jib. i suppose there is a storm-jib somewhere on board?" "down in the locker, forward," said he. "be careful to close the hatch securely when you come up, signor, or we shall be swamped in less than ten minutes; she will bury herself in the breeze that we are going to have." we all three worked like trojans, and in a remarkably short space of time had the "mouette"--as i found the cutter was named--under double- reefed mainsail and storm-jib, the latter well in along the bowsprit, with topmast lowered as far as it would come, the fore-hatch and cabin skylight battened down, and everything made snug and ready for a regular stand-up fight with the elements. while we were busy with these preparations, i admonished giaccomo to keep a smart lookout, and i was careful also to do the same myself, in case the guarda-costa should endeavour to cut matters short by sending away a boat after us; but the man assured me that the skipper of the craft knew too well what he was about to risk the loss of a boat's crew by sending them away under such threatening conditions of weather. smart as we had been in making our preparations, we were only barely in time. we had just comfortably completed our work, and i had established myself at the tiller, with giaccomo at the mainsheet, and francois--as the french lad called himself--at the jib-sheet, when there came a terrific flash of lightning, green and baleful, illumining for a single instant the entire scene, and revealing our pertinacious friend, the "vigilant," in her old berth astern, with her long tapering yards lowered to the deck, and two stumpy lugs and a pocket-handkerchief of a jib hoisted in their place. then, as the opaque darkness closed down upon us again, there followed the long deep reverberating roll of the thunder. another vivid flash quickly succeeded, the thunder this time being much louder and nearer; and then, after a pause of about a minute, there came a perfect _blast_ of lightning, so intensely bright that the whole atmosphere appeared for one brief moment to be literally on fire. simultaneously with the flash came the awful deafening crackling crash of the thunder, the terrific detonations of which completely stunned and unnerved me while they lasted, so overpowering were they in comparison with anything of the kind which i had before heard. we had scarcely time to recover our hearing before we became conscious of a hissing roaring sound in the atmosphere, momentarily increasing in intensity, and, looking to windward, there appeared in startling relief against the sable background a long line of luminous milky foam rushing down toward us from the horizon. in an incredibly short time the squall was upon us. on it came, like a howling fiend, over the tortured surface of the ocean, causing it to hiss and seethe like the contents of a boiling cauldron, and striking the cutter with such resistless fury that she went over helplessly before it, burying her lee-rail so deeply in the brine that her sails lay prostrate upon the surface of the water. each of us instinctively shouted to the others to "hold on," grasping at the same moment whatever came nearest. i managed somehow to clamber up the deck, as the cutter went over, and, passing out over the low bulwarks, established myself on the upturned side of the little craft. giaccomo had done the same, while francois was standing on the side of the cabin-companion, and clinging convulsively with both hands to the weather-rail. crawling up to the side of the corsican, i placed my mouth to his ear and shouted,-- "do you think you can cut away the mast?" "no! no! no!" he earnestly returned. "see, signor, her head is paying- off, and she will come up again in a minute or two; she _cannot_ turn over altogether, her ballast is too well secured for that, and she will not fill even if she remains thus for half an hour yet; no water can get below except through the companion, and the doors fit so well that very little will get down even through them. see there, she is coming up again already." it was even so. while the man was speaking, the cutter's bows had been rapidly paying-off, until we headed, as nearly as we could guess, straight for the shore; when, the pressure of the wind being no longer upon her broadside, the heavy ballast had gradually dragged the yacht into an upright position, and we had, somewhat precipitately, to scramble inboard again. the moment that the yacht recovered herself, the wind of course caught her sails, and away we at once started to leeward with the speed of a hunted stag. this, however, would never do; the shore was straight ahead, and, at the rate at which we were travelling, twenty minutes would have seen us dashed into matchwood upon the rocks. very cautiously, therefore, we brought her upon a wind, and though, when we again got broadside-to, she threatened to go over once more with us, we managed by careful manipulation of the sheets to avoid such a catastrophe; and when we had got her once fairly jammed close upon a wind, some former experience of mine in cutter sailing enabled me to keep her right side uppermost. but it was perilous work for a good hour after the squall struck us. i have occasionally seen in my later days some bold and even reckless match-sailing, but i have never yet seen a craft so desperately overdriven as was, perforce, the little "mouette" on that memorable night. while the first strength of the gale lasted we were literally under water the whole time, the sea boiling and foaming in over our bows, and sweeping away aft and out over the taffrail in a continuous flood. i believe we should have sailed faster, and we should assuredly have made much better weather of it, had we been able to get a close reef down in the mainsail; but under the circumstances this was impossible, since, being so short-handed, it would have delayed us long enough to allow the "vigilant" to get alongside us before we had got through with the work. there was, therefore, nothing for it, but to keep on as we were, the cutter heeling over to an angle of quite deg., so that we were really standing upon the inside of the lee bulwark, with our backs resting against the steeply-inclined deck, up above our knees in the sea, beneath which the little craft's lee-rail was deeply buried; while, owing to our great speed, we rushed _through_ instead of riding over the sea which was rapidly getting up, so that, when an unusually heavy "comber" met us, we were literally _buried_ for the moment, while it swept over us. luckily the first mad fury of the blast lasted only for two or three minutes, or our mast could never have resisted the tremendous strain upon it; as it was, stout though the spar--absurdly disproportionate to the size of the craft, i then considered it--it swayed and bent like a fishing-rod, causing the lee-rigging to blow out quite in bights, while that to windward was strained as taut as harp-strings, the resemblance to which was increased by the weird sound of the wind as it shrieked through it. scarcely had the tempest burst upon us before the veil of cloud which had obscured the heavens was rent to shreds by its fury, the sky was cleared as if by magic, the moon and stars reappeared--the former low down upon the horizon,--and we had an uninterrupted view of the wild scene around us. we were heading straight out from the land, and sailing so close to the wind that we were taking the seas nearly stem-on; and i frankly confess that my heart was, metaphorically speaking, in my mouth for the greatest part of that night, while watching the little craft rush bodily into the steep slope of wave after wave, and felt her quiver like a frightened thing as they swept hissing and seething over our heads. my admiration for the skill of her builder was boundless; for, had i not witnessed the cutter's achievements, i could never have credited the power of wood and iron to successfully resist such a terrific strain and battering as she received. when the first wild struggle for existence was over, and we had fairly settled down to our work in that mad life-or-death race, we had time to look round and see how our opponent had come out of the struggle. we had not far to look. there she was, about three miles to leeward, and well on our quarter, dashing gallantly on; now rushing upward upon the crest of a wave, amid a deluge of spray, and lifting her fore-foot out of the water as though about to leave the element altogether and take flight into the air, like a startled sea-bird; and anon plunging down into the trough until only a small portion of the heads of her sails was visible. she was evidently making much better weather of it than we were; but on the other hand half-an-hour's patient observation revealed to us the comforting fact that, notwithstanding her vaunted speed, we were both head-reaching and weathering upon her. satisfied at length that this was actually the case, i asked giaccomo what he now thought of our chances of escape. "we shall get away from her," he replied exultingly. "i have no longer any fear of _her_; what i now dread is the possibility of the cutter foundering from under us. there must be a considerable amount of water making its way into her interior, with the sea sweeping over us thus incessantly; indeed, i am convinced that we are sensibly deeper in the water than we were." "do you think you could manage to get the pump under way?" i asked. "i would _try_," he replied; "but the well is on the larboard side, close by my feet, and deep under water." "then," said i, "we must endeavour to get her round upon the other tack. we will watch for a `smooth,' and directly it comes, you and francois must round-in upon the mainsheet. are you both ready?" they replied in the affirmative, and after watching in vain for some five minutes, a terrific sea burst over us, burying the craft--as it seemed to me--nearly half-way up her mast, and beyond it the water was comparatively smooth. "in with it!" i gasped, as we came out on the other side of this liquid hill. they gathered in the sheet as though their lives depended on it, and at the same moment i eased off the weather tiller-rope, and gave the craft her head. she surged up into the wind, her canvas flapping so furiously that it threatened to shake the mast out of her; her lee- gunwale appeared above the surface, and placing my feet against the tiller i pressed it gradually over, helping her round while stopping her way as little as possible; a sea rushed up and struck her on the port- bow, sending her head well off on the other tack, the jib-sheet was promptly hauled over, the mainsail filled, and as we hurriedly scrambled over to the other side of the deck and secured ourselves anew with lashings round our waists, the "mouette" plunged forward on the larboard tack, looking well up to windward and heading about due north. the fixing and rigging of the pump was a work of considerable difficulty and danger, but it was eventually done; and then giaccomo and francois, placing themselves one on each side, set resolutely to work, with the determination of not leaving off as long as a drop of water would flow from the spout. the clear stream which gushed out as soon as the brake was set going showed us unmistakably that we had not begun a moment too soon, and had we still entertained any doubt upon this point, it would have been dispelled by the length of time it took to clear the little craft of water. it was broad daylight when at length giaccomo panted triumphantly,-- "there she sucks!" just before sun-rise we noticed the first indications of a break in the gale, and by eight o'clock it had so far moderated that our lee-rail was just awash, and instead of diving through the seas, as we had been ever since the gale struck us, the cutter managed to rise over everything but the heaviest. it was still too wet forward to permit of taking off the forecastle-hatch, but communication between cabin and forecastle could be effected by means of a sliding door in the bulkhead; so francois was sent below with instructions to prepare a thorough good breakfast, with plenty of hot coffee--which, let me say, i have found infinitely more comforting and refreshing than spirits, after long exposure to wet or cold, or both combined. after the setting of the moon we had lost sight of the guarda-costa until dawn once more betrayed her whereabouts. when first seen she was hull-down and about three points on our lee quarter, still under her two lugs and jib. so far, this was satisfactory; we had walked fairly away from her in her own weather, and giaccomo was in ecstasies. "ah!" he chuckled, "monsieur leroux would have almost forgiven us for running away with his `mouette,' had he been here to see what a shameful beating she has given the `vigilant.' the story is sure to leak out through some of the lateener's people, and poor old lieutenant durand, who commands her, will not dare to show himself ashore at ajaccio, he will be so laughed at." but the guarda-costa's people had no idea of tamely accepting their defeat as final. no sooner was it light enough for them to fairly make us out, than they shifted their sails, substituting single-reefed lateens for the lugs, and taking in their storm-jib out of the way. their increased spread of canvas soon told a tale, for before half an hour had passed it became evident that they were gaining upon us, going faster through the water, that is; but she did not appear to weather on us much, if at all. the fact that the "vigilant" was overhauling us, however, gave me very little uneasiness, for i calculated that, as we were both then sailing, it would take her quite three hours to get within gunshot of us, and probably another half-hour before there would be much probability of her hitting us, and by that time i expected we should be within four hours' sail of san fiorenzo, where i fully expected to find the old "juno," and probably a few more of our own ships; and i thought it very doubtful whether the frenchmen would keep up the chase so far as that, for fear of running into a trap and being themselves caught. we therefore went to breakfast with tolerably easy minds, to say nothing of good appetites, and thoroughly enjoyed the meal,--a most sumptuous one, considering the place and the circumstances of its preparation,-- giaccomo condescending so far to relax the sternness of his demeanour to francois as to pat that individual approvingly on the shoulder, and to assure him that such cookery went far to atone for his extraordinary indiscretion of the night before. francesca sat down to breakfast with us, having quite unexpectedly made her appearance on deck, fresh, blooming, and cheerful, about half an hour before. to my unbounded surprise, she assured me that she had passed a very tolerable night, having indeed been sound asleep for the greater portion of the time. she had been somewhat alarmed when the cutter was thrown upon her beam-ends, but had not been in the least incommoded by the accident, nor indeed aware of its full extent, the cot upon which she was lying being a very ingenious affair, so contrived that it always maintained a perfectly horizontal position, no matter how much the cutter rolled and pitched, nor how greatly she heeled over. this was very gratifying news to me, for i fully expected to see her appear in the morning excessively frightened, and possibly very seriously bruised by the violent motion of the little craft in which she had passed so adventurous a night. by the time that we had all breakfasted the wind had so far moderated that it became necessary to make sail upon the cutter; the "vigilant" having crept up well abeam of us, though still hull-down and apparently close in with the land. we accordingly shook both reefs out of the mainsail, and got the foresail and working-jib set, with which canvas we rushed along in true racing style, our lee-rail well buried, and the craft taking just enough weather-helm to allow of her being steered to a hair's-breadth. her performance perfectly enchanted me; i had never seen anything like it before, and to my unaccustomed eyes she seemed fairly to fly. even giaccomo and francois, both of whom had repeatedly sailed in her, asserted that they had never seen her do so well before. when we again had time to take a glance to leeward at the "vigilant," we discovered that well-named craft bowling along under whole canvas, and evidently trying her hardest to head-reach upon us. for the first half- hour we endeavoured to flatter ourselves that we were still holding our own, but at the end of that time such self-deception was no longer possible; the breeze suited us admirably, but there was still too much sea for the little "mouette," and the "vigilant's" superior power at length began to tell. had they carried sail as recklessly through the night as we had, there can be no doubt they would have been alongside of us by daylight. by this time, too, we were abreast of calvi, and were able to bear away with a beam wind for acciajola point, round which, and at the bottom of the bay, lay san fiorenzo, our destination. our altered course gave our opponent a further advantage by bringing her a couple of points before our beam, and we had the mortification of seeing that the craft was edging out to intercept us, and would, to a moral certainty, cut us off before we could reach the headland. still, i resolved to stand on, and trust to the chapter of accidents for our ultimate escape. if the change in our course had given the "vigilant" one important advantage, it had given us another, to which i attached quite as much weight; it had brought the wind and sea abeam, and permitted us to ease up our sheets, while the sea no longer retarded us: it also permitted us to set a little extra canvas, and we accordingly lost no time in getting our topmast on end and setting the gaff-topsail, after which we could do nothing but sit still and anxiously watch the result. meanwhile the two vessels were rapidly converging upon a point distant about a mile from cape acciajola. the wind continued to drop, the sea going down at the same time; and as the morning advanced and the weather became lighter, we appeared to be once more getting rather the advantage of our pertinacious antagonist. so completely was our attention engaged by the "vigilant," that it was not until that craft had hoisted her colours that we became aware of the fact that a new actor had appeared upon the scene, and was within seven miles of us. this was a brig, which when we first caught sight of her was running in for the land from the w.s.w., with every stitch of canvas set that would draw, including lower, topmast, and topgallant studding-sails on her port side. she lay about three points on our weather quarter, and was steering for the gulf of san fiorenzo. the appearance of this stranger naturally added very greatly to my anxiety. i could not in the least make up my mind as to her nationality, for she hoisted no colours in response to the "vigilant's" display of her ensign, and though she struck me as being thoroughly french, both in build and rig, i could not understand why she should be running for san fiorenzo, if our fleet was there; while if it was not, it seemed pretty certain that i had run into what old rawlings, the sailing-master, was wont to designate "the centre of a hobble," in other words--a decided predicament. how to act, under the circumstances, i knew not; i was thoroughly embarrassed. away to leeward was the "vigilant," in such a position that if we bore up we should be simply running straight into her clutches; up there to windward was this mysterious brig, from which there was no possibility of escape if we hauled our wind, while if we kept straight on we were still almost certain to fall into her hands, assuming that we were lucky enough to escape the "vigilant." of course there was just a bare possibility of her being english, but if so her appearance strangely belied her. it seemed to me that the least imprudent thing to do would be to keep straight on as we were going, and this i accordingly did. i still felt very anxious to know for certain who and what this brig really was, and at last i determined to hoist the english flag over the french at our gaff-end, hoping that this signal would evoke some response; but as far as the brig was concerned it was entirely without effect. not so, however, with regard to the "vigilant;" the sight appeared to greatly irritate her worthy skipper, for he immediately hauled his wind, and very soon afterwards tried the effect of his long brass nine upon us. the shot fell short some sixty or seventy fathoms, but it was well aimed, and pretty conclusively demonstrated that monsieur durand was growing angry. finding that we were as yet out of range, the lateener once more kept away upon her former course, evidently recognising the possibility that, if she did not, we might still slip past her. another quarter of an hour brought us abreast of the cape, and in about ten minutes more we had opened the town of san fiorenzo. well out in mortella bay a large fleet of ships lay at anchor, while much nearer the shore a -gun ship and a frigate were visible, also apparently at anchor, and briskly engaging a battery of some sort, which appeared to be built on a projecting point of land. at the same time the roar of the distant cannonade, which had been shut off from us by the intervening high land, was borne distinctly to our ears. meanwhile the inscrutable brig had steadily pursued her course, without appearing to take the slightest notice of the little drama which was being enacted ahead of her, and now came foaming up upon our weather quarter, steering so as to shave close past our taffrail. i had by this time lost all doubt as to her nationality, though she still kept her bunting well out of sight; she was unmistakably french all over, from keel to truck. and though she was an enemy i could not help admiring the beautiful order and neatness which characterised her appearance: two qualities which were rarely to be witnessed on board french ships at that period. i was rather surprised that she had not pitched a shot across our fore-foot before this, as a delicate intimation that the time had arrived for us to heave-to; but as she had not, i began to entertain a faint glimmer of hope that she was engaged upon some special service of such importance that she could not spare time to interfere with us. it was evident that she had no intention of rounding-to, for there still stood her studding-sails without a sign of any preparation for taking them in. our attention was now of course, for the moment, given exclusively to her; our curiosity being strongly roused as to her intentions. in another moment she swept magnificently across our stern, so closely that a bold leap would have carried a man from her weather cat-head down upon our deck; and as she did so we became aware of sundry tanned and bearded faces, some of which seemed familiar to me, peering curiously down upon us through her open half-ports. at the same moment a dapper young fellow in the uniform of a british midshipman sprang into the main-rigging, speaking-trumpet in hand, and hailed us somewhat in the following fashion,-- "cutter ahoy! who are you, and whither bound? and what is that piratical-looking craft down to leeward? if he is interfering with you, you had better bear up and follow in my wake; i'll take care that-- hilloa! if that isn't chester may i never--ahoy! chester, old boy! don't you know _me_?--bob summers, you know. up helm, old fellow; the `juno' is in there, and--" the rest was unintelligible, the brig being by this time too far away to allow of further conversation. of course i bore up at once, for the brig being in english hands, i had no further occasion for anxiety with regard to the "vigilant." that craft, true to her name, had evidently been on the watch to see what would come of the meeting which had just taken place, and had already arrived at the conclusion that what had passed boded her no good, for the moment we bore up, she did the same, wearing short round upon her heel, and shaping a course, as nearly as we could judge, for calvi. bob, however, who was evidently burning to distinguish himself, seemed to regard this as a favourable opportunity for so doing, and promptly squared away, steering a course which would enable him to intercept the guarda-costa; we following steadily in his wake to witness the fun. almost immediately afterwards we heard the shrill notes of the bo'sun's whistle, followed by the hoarse bellowing sound in which that functionary is wont to transmit the commanding officer's orders to the ship's company. and occasionally we were gratified with the sight of mr bob summers squinting curiously at us through his telescope, out of one of the stern-ports. the moment that the brig was fairly within range of the "vigilant," bob bowled a -pound shot across that craft's fore-foot, as an invitation to her to heave-to. monsieur durand, however, seemed in no humour for accepting any such invitation just then, for he immediately returned a decided negative from his long brass -pounder, sending the shot very cleverly through both bob's topsails, and narrowly missing the mainmast- head. i expected to see master bob round-to and deliver his whole broadside in retaliation--it would have been quite like him to do so; instead of this, however, he maintained a grim silence, notwithstanding that monsieur durand continued his efforts to cripple the brig. at length, however, bob got within short pistol-shot of his adversary, and then in came his studding-sails, all together, down went his helm, and _crash_! went his broadside of four -pounders into the devoted frenchman, bringing his sails and his flag down by the run, together. as the brig rounded-to, her main-topsail was thrown aback, bringing her to a standstill directly to windward of the "vigilant," and within easy hailing distance. then master bob hove into view in the main-rigging once more, still with the precious speaking-trumpet in his hand, and the guarda-costa was sternly ordered to surrender--as i afterwards learned, we being at the moment rather too far astern to hear what passed,--which she forthwith did. the cutter was thereupon lowered and manned, and a prize crew went on board to take possession, little summers himself also going with the party. in the meantime we in the "mouette" joined company, heaving-to close under the brig's quarter, and making out for the first time the word "requin" (shark), which was painted on her stern in small red letters. after the lapse of perhaps a quarter of an hour the brig's cutter shoved off from the side of the "vigilant," and in another minute bob and i were shaking hands as vigorously as though we had not seen each other for years. as soon as he had done with me, the young rascal turned to francesca, whereupon i introduced him in due form in french. francesca at once frankly gave him her hand, and made a pretty little speech as to the happiness which it afforded her to make the acquaintance of any friend of her "cher ralph," etcetera, etcetera. master bob, whose knowledge of french was of the slenderest and most flimsy description, was in no wise disconcerted by being addressed in what was to him practically an unknown tongue. he bowed with all the elegance and grace he could muster, smiling meanwhile as suavely as he knew how, and finally responding somewhat in this style,-- "_je suis_ most happy _a avez le plaisir a-makez votre_ acquaintance, mile. paoli. _j'ai_ already _l'honneur de_ being partially acquainted with _votre oncle_, general di paoli, and a fine fellow he is. and--my eye! won't he be surprised to see you? i only wish you could stay on board _le_ `juno,' or, better still, take up your quarters aboard the brig, the skipper giving her of course to chester and me with a roving commission. that _would_ be jolly; but there--what's the use of thinking of such a thing? of course it is ever so much too good to be true. by the way, chester,"--turning to me--"have you dined yet? neither have i. now suppose we all go aboard the brig then; i'll leave a couple of hands to help your crew here, and we can then make sail in company. i say, we shall present quite an imposing appearance as we bring-up in the roadstead. i expect the skipper will send for us on the quarter-deck, and thank us before all hands for our gallantry and important services." bob jumped into the boat alongside, as he concluded; i followed, and then francesca stepped daintily down into the dancing craft, where the gallant bob established her snugly in the stern-sheets, close alongside himself. he then seized the yoke-lines, gave the order to "shove off and give way" in his most authoritative manner, and in ten minutes more we were all three comfortably established in the cosy little cabin of the brig, with a very tolerable dinner on the table before us. chapter seventeen. the convention redoubt. bob's curiosity to hear my story was about equal to his appetite for dinner, so while we proceeded with the demolition of the comestibles, i related to him the various adventures which had befallen me since leaving the old "juno," demanding in return an explanation of the circumstances which led to his turning up in the opportune manner related in the last chapter. "oh!" replied he, "i can tell you that in half-a-dozen words. when the boat returned from landing you, old rawlings went at once to the cabin to make his report, and soon afterwards we filled away and stood to the nor'ard and east'ard under easy canvas. then the wind fell light, and by-and-by it dropped altogether, and when daylight began to appear we found ourselves within about six miles of this brig. the skipper and mr annesley both toddled up as far as the main-topsail-yard to take a look at her. they were about a quarter of an hour up there, and when they came down, the first and second cutters were sent away to see who and what she was. mr flinn had charge of one boat, percival and i went in the other. we soon saw that she was french, and the lads gave a cheer and laid themselves out to race for her. our boat was rather the lighter of the two, and percival and i promised our people a bottle of grog if we got alongside first, in consequence of which we beat flinn all to splinters. seeing us walking ahead, he hailed us to keep back in line with him, which was likely, wasn't it? oh, yes! didn't he wish he might get it? by the time that we were within half a mile of her the brig had got her boarding-netting all triced up, guns loaded and depressed, and everything ready for a warm reception. she withheld her fire until we were close to her, intending, i suppose, to utterly demolish us just before we got alongside; but i was watching them with my telescope, and as soon as they had got their broadside carefully trained and were about to fire, we simply took a broad sheer to port, and before they could lay their guns afresh, we were under her bows, and into her head, from whence we at last managed to hew our way in upon deck. this disheartened the frenchmen, and they began to give way, and at that moment in came flinn and his lot over the starboard quarter, laying about them right and left. that settled the business; the johnnies flung down their arms and cried for quarter, which of course we gave them. "she turned out to be the `requin,' privateer, armed with eight long nine-pounders, with a crew of forty men in her forecastle, and her hold crammed with the choicest pickings of the cargoes of some five or six prizes. so you see she proved to be a valuable prize herself. i was put in charge, with a prize crew of eight men, to take her into malta; and i also carried a despatch for the admiral on the station. the old boy was as pleased as punch, when he read the skipper's letter, and actually invited me to dine with him that night, which you may be sure i did. he asked me a good many questions about the fight, and about the brig herself, and next day he came on board us and gave the craft a thorough overhaul. the result was, that we were ordered alongside the arsenal wharf, where we discharged the entire cargo, took in a lot of iron ballast, filled the magazine and water-casks, shipped a quantity of shot and provisions for the fleet here, added seventeen more hands to our books, and sailed again just a week ago to-day, with orders to join the fleet at san fiorenzo and report myself to admiral hood, for whom also, by the way, i have a letter or despatch, or something of that sort." such was the account which mr robert summers gave of himself, and upon its conclusion we adjourned to the deck. we were by this time within three miles of the fleet, and within about six miles of the two detached ships, which were still maintaining a vigorous cannonade upon the shore battery. we brought our telescopes to bear upon these two ships, and soon had the gratification of recognising in one of them our own dear old craft, the "juno." she did not appear to have received very much damage, but the other, which we were unable to identify, seemed to be very much cut up about her spars and rigging. while still intently watching the progress of the fight, we observed a thin column of greyish brown smoke curling up into the air from the "juno's" consort. that it was not the smoke from her guns we could see at once by its peculiar colour. it rapidly increased in volume, and as it did so the ship's fire slackened until it died away almost entirely. still watching the vessel, as the smoke from her guns drove away to leeward, we saw three little tongues of flame darting out from her side. "tell you what, chester!" exclaimed summers; "those fellows ashore are firing red-hot shot, and they've set the old barkie on fire." such was in fact the case, and in a few minutes we saw a signal run up to the royal-mast-head of the "victory," lord hood's flag-ship. the seventy-four immediately replied, and at once ceased firing altogether, the fire from the "juno" also slackening somewhat. then we saw the rigging of the two ships blacken, as the hands went aloft to loose the canvas. rapidly, yet as steadily as though the crews were merely being put through their sail drill, the heavy folds of canvas were let fall from the yards, sheeted home, and hoisted, the head-yards were braced a- back, and in another minute or two the bows of both craft paid off, and they stood out from the land, close-hauled upon the larboard tack, to rejoin the rest of the fleet, our old ship delivering her port broadside, as the guns were brought to bear, by way of a parting salute. we were by this time threading in and out among the transports on our way to a vacant berth at no great distance from the "victory," and in about five minutes afterwards the "requin" and her prizes came to an anchor. it was amusing enough to see master bob strutting up and down the diminutive quarter-deck of the brig, his telescope tucked under one arm, and the cherished speaking-trumpet under the other, issuing his orders as to the stowing of the canvas and the squaring of the yards, etcetera; but after all it was only natural: it was his first command, and he was anxious that everybody should see that he was fully qualified for it. when at length everything had been done to his satisfaction, he ordered the gig to be lowered, and, jumping into her, pulled away to the admiral's ship to deliver his despatch. meanwhile i amused myself by watching the seventy-four and the "juno," as they worked up to the anchorage, and was glad to perceive that the fire which had broken out on board the "juno's" consort had been conquered. by the time that they had reached their berths, bob had returned, in high feather at lord hood's commendations upon his conduct; and i then joined him, leaving francesca for the present on board the brig, while we pulled away to the "juno," to report ourselves to the skipper. we were received very graciously by captain hood, and very cordially by the rest of the officers; so much so, indeed, that as far as i was concerned i was both gratified and moved to discover the high estimation in which all appeared to hold me. i had only time to glance hurriedly round the decks, and to notice that the jolly old craft appeared to have suffered but slightly in her recent engagement with the shore battery, when captain hood invited me into his cabin, and forthwith led the way. i had, on reporting myself, announced to him in general terms the fact that i had accomplished my mission; now i had of course to enter into full particulars, and give a detailed narrative of my adventures. it was a sight to be remembered, to see the skipper open his eyes in amazement, when i described to him the particulars of my flight from the island with count lorenzo's daughter, winding up with a statement that she was at that moment on board the brig. he was good enough to compliment me very highly upon the zeal, courage, and discretion which i had manifested in the performance of a most important duty, and he also evinced some little concern respecting my damaged arm,--which, to speak the truth, was none the better for my experiences on board the "mouette,"--sending word there and then for the surgeon to come aft and give it an overhaul; but i could see that his curiosity was powerfully excited with regard to francesca, and, as soon as my disabled limb had been dressed and made tolerably comfortable, he ordered his own gig to be lowered, and, requesting my company in the boat, jumped into her and was conveyed to the brig. he evidently had as good an eye for a pretty woman as he had for a ship, and seemed immensely struck with my lady-love, doing his best to render himself agreeable, and placing the ship and all hands at her disposal. francesca, however, young as she was, had a perfect knowledge of "the proprieties;" she felt out of place on board ship, and clearly recognised the desirability of at once placing herself under her aunt's care: she therefore thanked the skipper very gracefully for his generous offer, and said she would merely trouble him so far as to avail herself of his aid in making her way to the quarters of her uncle, general paoli. this was a matter involving very little difficulty. the general had established his head-quarters in a small fishing village, about four miles from san fiorenzo, situated on the shore of a tiny cove visible from the brig's deck; we therefore proceeded in the gig, in the first place, alongside the "mouette," where we shipped francesca's small packet of personal belongings, and then, taking giaccomo in the boat with us, we stepped the mast, hoisted the lug, and ran merrily down before the wind to the entrance of the cove, landing on the beach in perfectly smooth water, after rather more than an hour's sail. it was by this time growing dusk, and when we reached the cottage in which general paoli had established himself, we found that he was out going the rounds, and seeing personally to the posting of the sentinels. his wife, however, who had determined to share with, and if possible mitigate for her husband the hardships of the campaign, was "at home," and from her we all received a most cordial welcome. she was of course distressed to hear of the strait in which we had left her brother-in- law, the count, but was quite decided in her opinion that he had done right to send francesca away to her, and believed that, once freed of anxiety respecting his daughter, it would be found that he had been able to defend himself so vigorously as to eventually beat off his assailants. she pressed us very earnestly to remain until the general should return, in order that he might have an opportunity personally to thank us both--and me especially--for the important service rendered to his niece; but captain hood was anxious to get back to his ship, so as to go on board the admiral's ship, to take part in a council of war: we were therefore reluctantly compelled to decline. before returning to the "juno," however, we hunted up one or two corsican officers with whom the skipper had already become acquainted, and learned from them that the mortella tower (the battery which had been that day attacked by the two frigates) had, as far as they had been able to ascertain, borne the storm of shot unscathed. on the way back to the ship i learned from the skipper that the "juno's" consort in the action was called the "fortitude," and that she had suffered severely in the engagement, losing six men killed, and fifty- six wounded, having three of her lower-deck guns dismounted, and also being set on fire. on reaching the "juno" we found the decks cleared up, every sign of the late combat effaced, and all hands below, but the anchor-watch. mr annesley, however, was on deck, awaiting the skipper's return, and as i followed the latter up the side, the first luff paused before following him into the cabin, and said that, as soon as captain hood had left for the admiral's ship, he should be glad to hear an account of my shore- cruise. i accordingly watched the departure of the gig, and then made my way to the poop, where all three of the lieutenants were awaiting me, and to them i related in full detail all that had occurred to me from the moment of leaving the ship to that of rejoining her. i will not repeat the flattering encomiums which my narrative elicited; suffice it to say that i was greatly gratified by the approval expressed by them all, and particularly by mr annesley's assurance that i had only to go on as i had begun to become an ornament to the service, and a credit to all connected with me. the next day or two passed in a state of comparative inactivity with the fleet, lord hood having arrived at the conclusion, through his experience of the effects of the engagement between the "fortitude" and "juno" and the mortella tower, that a further sea-attack upon that battery would be useless, and that its reduction would have to be effected by the land forces. i use the words "comparative inactivity" advisedly, for though the ships themselves were idle, as far as the prosecution of the campaign was concerned, the admiral was indefatigable in drilling and exercising the crews, and in accustoming those of the different ships to act in concert. and in addition to this there was an immense amount of passing to and fro between the fleet and the shore, in the transmission of despatches and the landing of stores and ammunition; and in these services the little "mouette" came in very useful, sometimes rushing backward and forward with bulky packets of official documents, and at other times making the passage with a whole fleet of deeply-laden boats in tow. as might be supposed, my experience of her capabilities naturally led to the craft being entrusted to me while thus engaged, so that i was kept in a state of constant activity. i must, however, do captain hood the justice to record that, before detailing me for this service, he gave me the option of remaining on board the "juno," and being excused from duty until my arm had become completely healed. but as i could take as much care of my wounded limb on board the cutter as i could on board the frigate, i gratefully declined, to the gratification of the skipper, i could easily see; and i thus had frequent opportunities of seeing francesca, as well as of making the acquaintance of her uncle, general paoli. at length, after the interchange of a vast amount of correspondence between lord hood and major-general dundas, the officer in command of the land forces, it was one evening announced that an attack would be made on the following day upon the mortella tower from some batteries thrown up on the adjacent heights, and accordingly, the moment that there was light enough to sight the guns, the cannonade commenced. it lasted for several hours, the fort replying with the utmost vigour to the fire of our batteries, and doing a great deal of execution. by-and- by some genius on our side proposed paying-off the french in their own coin by trying the effect of a few red-hot shot upon them. a make-shift furnace for heating the shot was accordingly hastily constructed, and the shot were heated before being discharged at the fort. this sun had the desired effect. the parapet of the tower was lined with mantlets constructed of bass junk for the purpose of protecting the gunners from splinters, and the red-hot shot striking these mantlets set them on fire, whereupon the french flag was hauled down, and the garrison surrendered. we of the fleet witnessed this only from a distance, as it was thought possible it might be necessary for some of the ships to approach and engage the battery from the sea, thus distracting the enemy's attention, and placing him between two fires. everybody therefore remained at his post on board ship in case of his services being required. luckily, however, for our reputation interference on the part of the fleet was unnecessary, the land forces proving sufficient for the subjugation of the battery, which mounted three guns only--two eighteens and one six- pounder,--and was garrisoned by no more than thirty-three men. so far, so good. but though we had taken the mortella tower, we were still nearly as far off having san fiorenzo as ever. the town was commanded and completely defended by a formidable redoubt, which mounted twenty-one heavy guns, and was moreover perched upon an eminence which commanded every other accessible height in the neighbourhood, and the possession of this redoubt really meant the possession of san fiorenzo. so the question of the hour became, how to find a way of getting into this convention redoubt, as the place was called. the first proposal was to storm the place. but on making a careful reconnaissance it became evident that, from its strength and the steepness of the acclivity leading up to it, a storming-party would be annihilated before it could possibly reach the top. its great elevation above the sea-level rendered it equally hopeless to think of achieving any good result by an attack on the part of the fleet. and so strict a watch was maintained by its garrison, that our leaders soon became convinced of the impossibility of effecting a surprise. naturally the subjugation of this redoubt became the all-absorbing topic of conversation. while the interest was at its highest, it happened that mr annesley had occasion to go on shore, and he took a passage with me in the little "mouette." he had never landed on the island before, and so, as we ran down toward the creek, i pointed out to him the various points of interest in the landscape. he was very anxious to get a sight of the convention redoubt, but this was not just then possible, a high rocky acclivity close to the shore shutting out the view. i had often looked at this rock, and had thought what a fine view of the redoubt might be had from its summit, and how easily the place might be reduced, were it only possible to plant guns there, and i mentioned something of this while we were going ashore. our worthy "first" remained silent for a good ten minutes after i had concluded my remarks, intently examining through his telescope the face of the rock meanwhile. at last he said,-- "i should like to give that rock a bit of an overhaul, chester. are you a good hand at climbing?" "pretty fair, sir, i believe," was my modest reply. "well, then, as soon as i have transacted my business, we will both go and see what it looks like," said he. accordingly, as soon as he was at liberty, we made our way to the base of the rock. i call it a rock, and so it certainly was; but there was a considerable depth of soil in many places about its sides, which soil was thickly covered with short close herbage, upon which a few goats were browsing here and there, and it sent a thrill through us both to see these active animals leaping from one projection to another, or clinging like flies to the almost perpendicular faces of the thinly- scattered grassy slopes. looking up at them through our telescopes, it frequently seemed that they had got themselves into such a position, that it would be equally impossible for them to attempt either to go forward or to return without precipitating themselves headlong to the bottom of the precipice. it was not an encouraging spectacle to two persons who entertained serious thoughts of scaling such a cliff, especially as stones detached by the feet of the scrambling goats above occasionally came plunging down about our ears; but sailors are not easily, daunted when it comes to a question of climbing, and accordingly after a careful examination, with the view of selecting the most practicable path, we went resolutely at it. it was not quite so bad as it looked for about two-thirds of the way up; but when we neared the top, the rocky face became so nearly perpendicular--indeed, it actually overhung in places--that we had serious thoughts of abandoning the enterprise altogether. however, we did not like to be beaten after having achieved so much, so we persevered, and at last, after a most perilous and laborious climb, actually succeeded in reaching the summit. the view from our exalted situation was superb. we were standing upon the highest eminence for many miles round, and the air was so clear and transparent that distant objects were as distinctly seen as though viewed through a telescope. on our left the blue expanse of the mediterranean stretched far away to the northward and westward, dotted here and there with the sails of a few tiny coasting or fishing craft. below us, and apparently near enough for us to have thrown a stone on board any of them, lay the fleet of men-o'-war and transports, with their sails loose to dry from a heavy shower of the previous night, and the men about their decks reduced to mere moving specks. in front of, and still below us, and so near that we could distinguish the accoutrements of the men forming its garrison, was the redoubt, with its twenty-one guns projecting their muzzles threateningly over the sod parapet, and symmetrical little pyramidal piles of shot heaped up alongside each gun. beyond it lay san fiorenzo, with its narrow streets, red-tiled, white-washed houses, terraced gardens, insignificant-looking churches, and the harbour beyond, with the cliffs stretching away beyond it again as far as cape corso, and away out at sea the small island of capriaja. upon our right a continuous chain of hills reared themselves, thickly wooded to their very summits; while in our rear calvi, although something like thirty miles distant, was clearly distinguishable. but the redoubt was with us the chief point of interest. we examined it with the utmost minuteness, and mr annesley, who possessed some skill with the pencil, made an accurate sketch of it, indicating clearly what seemed to us its weakest points. this done, we made a very careful examination on all sides of the face of the rock upon which we stood, finally coming to the conclusion that, though a difficult feat, it was possible to raise a few -pounders to the summit. that same evening mr annesley, accompanied by the skipper, proceeded on board the "victory," and reported to the admiral the fact of our having scaled the rock, exhibited his sketch of the redoubt, and explained his ideas as to the practicability of establishing a battery upon the summit. the result was that, on the following morning, lord hood, commodore linzee, sir hyde parker, captain (afterwards lord) nelson, the skipper, and mr annesley took a passage ashore with me in the "mouette," and all hands of us shinned aloft--the first luff and i to show the way, the rest to reconnoitre. on reaching the foot of the cliff our superiors (with the exception of captain nelson) rather threw cold water upon the proposed scheme of raising guns to the top; mr annesley, however, with respectful firmness maintained his belief in the practicability of his ideas; and after a great deal of discussion they decided to at least attempt the ascent themselves, and see how the project looked from the lofty stand-point of the summit. by the time that we had accomplished our climb their views had become somewhat modified, captain nelson's quick eye having lighted upon several spots, in the progress of his ascent, where it would be practicable to erect sheers or to secure tackles. but it was the sight of the redoubt itself, as seen from the top of the rock, and the complete command of it which would be obtained by a battery planted at the spot whereon they stood, which finally decided the admiral to make the attempt. the details of the plan were arranged there and then, the most advantageous positions for sheers, etcetera, fixed upon during the descent, the resources of the fleet discussed on the passage off, and, immediately on our arrival alongside the "victory," the preparations were commenced. anchors, chains, ropes, blocks, etcetera, were loaded into the ships' boats, spare spars were launched overboard and formed into a raft, and that same evening the "mouette" left the fleet, with fourteen boats and the raft in tow; and the wind happening to be dead fair, and just a nice little breeze for the purpose, enabling us all to crowd every stitch of canvas we could set, we ran gaily down before it, and by dusk had everything ashore in readiness for the commencement of our task the first thing on the following morning. it is not necessary to describe in detail the operations which eventually resulted in the planting of a battery of -pounder guns, together with the necessary ammunition, upon the summit of that precipitous rock, at a height of no less than feet above the sea- level; suffice it to briefly say that by the almost unparalleled skill and perseverance of the officers in charge, and the equally extraordinary exertions of the bluejackets, the feat was actually accomplished, and by sunset on the th of february, , everything was ready for opening fire. i had hoped that, as the idea might fairly be said to have originated with me, i should be entrusted with the charge of one of the working parties engaged in the task of establishing the battery; but, much to my disappointment, i was left in charge of the cutter, which, during the progress of the operations, was kept going between the fleet and the shore literally day and night, in consequence of which mr robert summers was turned over to me as my first lieutenant. we grumbled almost incessantly at our hard lot in not being allowed to render our valuable assistance more directly to the work in hand, but the reward for our enforced self-denial was nearer at hand than either of us expected. the morning of the th broke fair and clear, with scarcely a breath of air to ruffle the surface of the water, and with the first streak of dawn all hands were aroused by the roar of the cannonade from the cliff battery, as we had named it. all day long without a moment's intermission was the fire kept up, and on into the evening as long as there was light enough to see. then the fire slackened down somewhat, the efforts of our gunners being merely directed through the night to the prevention of all attempts on the part of the enemy to execute repairs. on the following morning our guns again opened upon the devoted redoubt, and shortly after midday a message was brought down to me for conveyance to the admiral, the substance of which was that there was every indication of a practicable breach being effected before sunset. there was a fresh breeze dead against us, but we crowded sail on the cutter to such an extent, in our eagerness to get off to the fleet with the welcome news, that it is the greatest wonder in the world we did not carry the sticks out of her. arrived under the lee of the "victory," bob and i jumped into our dinghy, and, rowing alongside the flag-ship, sprang up her lofty sides, and, finding the admiral on the quarter-deck, went up to him and delivered our message. "i was wondering," said sir hyde parker, who was also on the quarter- deck, "what good news you young monkeys had to tell, that you were carrying-on upon the boat in that unmerciful manner. if you are not more careful, young gentlemen, that craft will turn the turtle with you some day, and our friend hood will lose two of his most promising officers, eh?" the admiral looked at us for a moment with just the ghost of a smile flickering over his inscrutable features, and then ordered the signal to be made for the captains of the various men-o'-war to rendezvous on board the flag-ship. "i have arranged with dundas," he said, "to send a brigade on shore to help make up the storming-party, and i think it will be best to let each captain call for a certain number of volunteers." bob and i stepped forward with one accord, just as sir hyde whipped round upon his heel and said sharply,-- "if you have no objection, sir, i should like to lead our bluejackets in this affair. you will have to send some one with them; they will be worse than useless in the hands of the soldier-officers, since they will not understand each other, and i might as well go as another." "not to be thought of for a moment, sir," returned the admiral. "no, no, no; give one or other of the captains a chance to distinguish himself; you have already made your mark. well, what can i do for you, young gentlemen?" turning to us. "we shall volunteer, sir," said i, as bold as brass; "and we should feel _very_ much obliged if you will put in a word for us with the sk-- with captain hood, sir, if you please." "have either of you ever been present at the storming of a fortress?" asked the admiral. "no, sir," cut in bob, taking the words out of my mouth, "but we have boarded an enemy's ship before now, sir, which is pretty much the same thing." "about as much like it as the musketry-fire of a squad of marines is to the broadside of this ship," remarked the admiral. "no, my lads, take my advice and remain on board your ship. i have no doubt your courage is more than sufficient for such work, but you lack _strength. men_ are needed for a storming-party; you could be of no possible use, and by going would only risk your lives needlessly. i am sorry to be obliged to refuse you, but i should not be justified in acceding to your request. you may retire, young gentlemen, but i shall not forget your gallant behaviour." we accordingly retreated down the side, very much crestfallen and disappointed indeed, and, jumping into the dinghy, returned to the "mouette," just as the captains' gigs from the various ships were coming up alongside. seating ourselves upon the companion-slide, and dangling our legs disconsolately down the companion, we abandoned ourselves to the most gloomy reflections, watching meanwhile the boats as they dashed up alongside the flag-ship, and cynically criticising the stroke and action of the several crews; and i am afraid the skippers themselves did not altogether escape our disparaging remarks. we had been sitting thus for about a quarter of an hour, giving unrestrained vent to our feelings of dissatisfaction, when bob's countenance suddenly brightened, and, turning to me, he exclaimed in an animated tone of voice,-- "i say, chester, what fools we are! let's go aboard the old `juno' and wait until the skipper returns, and when he calls for volunteers we'll be the first to step to the front. old hood," (it was in this unpardonably disrespectful manner he alluded to the admiral) "has forgotten all about us by this time, and so he will never think of mentioning to the skipper our request, and i don't see why we haven't a good chance yet. do you?" no sooner said than done. we knew that the chiefs would at that moment be seated in the admiral's cabin, so, filling upon the cutter, we bore away and ran down under the lee of the "juno," whose deck we gained just as the captains' gigs were shoving off from the "victory's" accommodation-ladder. ten minutes afterwards captain hood came up the side, and immediately gave orders for all hands to come aft. he then, accompanied by mr annesley, went up on the poop, and stood there, watching the eager and expectant faces of the men as they clustered thickly in the waist on both sides of the deck. the officers were all grouped together upon the quarter-deck. waiting until all hands were present, the skipper stepped forward to the head of the poop-ladder, and, waving his hand for silence, said,-- "my lads, i have just weturned from a conference with the admiwal, at which every captain in the fleet was pwesent. and i am--ah--charged by lord hood to expwess to you all--officers and men alike--his thanks for your wecent exertions in waising the guns to the top of yonder wock. the battewy thus--er--ah--placed in position will, it is expected, effect a--a pwacticable bweach in the wall of the convention wedoubt by sunset this evening, and it is intended to storm the place as soon as-- ah--darkness sets in. the storming-party is to be made up of an equal number of soldiers and bluejackets,"--here the speaker was interrupted by an enthusiastic cheer from his audience, the repetition of which was checked by the skipper's uplifted hand--"the storming-party," he continued, "is to be composed equally, i say, of soldiers and bluejackets, and the admiwal has authowized each captain to call for fifty volunteers--keep steady, men; be silent and--ah--wait until i have quite finished, if you please. i am authowized to call for fifty volunteers; but i wish you all distinctly to understand that no man who has in any way misconducted himself will be accepted. now let those who volunteer for the storming-party come abaft the mainmast." bob and i, knowing what was coming, had gradually edged to the front--we were of course, with the rest of the officers, already abaft the mainmast--and, directly the skipper ceased, we stepped smartly out and posted ourselves at the foot of the poop-ladder, to show that we were volunteering; and then faced round to witness the effect of captain hood's speech upon the crew. the scene was irresistibly comic. in the first place we found that the group of officers had simply shifted position in a compact body, so that we all stood pretty much as we were before. the front ranks of the men had also advanced until they were well abaft the mainmast, when they halted--that is, they _would_ have baited had it not been for the pressure behind, which was pretty steady in the front portion of the mass, but in the rear something very like a panic ensued, and almost before one could count ten those unfortunates who had not already gained the coveted position began to clamber over the booms, along the hammock- rail, and actually out through the ports, along the main-channels, and in again through the ports farther aft, in their eagerness to volunteer. the struggling and elbowing increased until it became almost desperate, when one of the boatswain's mates--a brawny, muscular, old sea-dog, with a mahogany visage, a gigantic pig-tail, and his chest and arms elaborately tattooed--stepped out, and, facing round, exclaimed in stentorian tones,-- "avast heaving there, ye unmannerly swabs; do you take his majesty's quarter-deck,"--lifting his hat--"for a playhouse-booth on southsea common? belay all, and stand fast, every mother's son of ye, and let me speak to the skipper for ye." then, facing the poop once more, he stepped forward out of the crowd, and doffing his hat, while he made an elaborate sea-scrape with his right foot and gave a tug at his forelock, he addressed the skipper somewhat as follows,-- "i hope your honour'll kindly overlook this little bit of a scrimmage that's just took place, and forgive our unperliteness, seeing as how a many of us has never had a chance of larnin' how to behave ourselves in delicate sitivations. your honour doesn't need to be told--at least, we hopes not--that we didn't mean nothing in any way unbecoming or disrespectable to you or the rest of the hofficers--no, not by no manner of means whatsomever. all we want to say is just this here: that all hands on us, down to the powder-monkeys, begs most respectably to wolunteer for this here boardin'-party; and we hopes as how you'll take the whole kit of us, 'ceptin' of course the black-sheep as your honour spoke of just now, and let them and the `jollies' look arter the old barkie, who won't mind takin' care of herself for an hour or two--god bless her!--while us, her precious hinfants, is havin' a little bit of a lark with the crapoos ashore there." a loud murmur of approval greeted this effort on the part of the boatswain's mate, and then everybody awaited in silence the reply. a deep flush of gratification lighted up captain hood's features as he said,-- "i thank you from my heart, men, for your--um--generous wesponse to my call, and i am sincerely sowwy that i cannot take you--er--eh--at your words. but the admiwal's instwuctions are impewative, and i have no power to dwaw more than the specified number. as therefore you have _all_ volunteered, the `juno's' contingent shall be chosen by lot, whereby all partiality or unfairness will be avoided, and i hope that the awwangement will pwove satisfactowy." the crew were accordingly arranged in a double rank, fore and aft the deck, and lots drawn--each man choosing a folded slip of paper from a bundle, fifty of which were marked, the remainder being blank. then came the question of selecting officers, a proper quota of which were to go with the men. it came out at this stage of the proceedings that our skipper had been chosen to command the naval brigade; mr annesley therefore, much to his chagrin, found that he had no option but to remain on board. the second and third lieutenants tossed up to decide which of them should go, and the "second" was lucky enough to win. one other officer was required, and the lot fell on percival, the master's-mate. the doctor was to go, as a matter of course, but he was to be a non-combatant. little summers and i--poor pilgarlic--were so entirely consumed with disgust, that we could find no words sufficiently powerful to express our feelings, and we simply stood glaring at each other in moody silence. suddenly a brilliant idea flashed through my brain. winking encouragingly at the disconsolate bob, i stepped boldly up to the skipper, and, touching my cap, said,-- "i hope, sir, as the officers will doubtless go ashore in the cutter, that you will allow summers and me to land and join the storming-party. we will try to make ourselves useful, sir, in the carrying of messages and so on, and--and we have been looking forward so much to the affair that--that we _hope_ you will not disappoint us, sir." "oh!" said the skipper; "you wish--you and summers--to join the storming-party, eh? well, i weally don't know what to say about that; it would scarcely be fair to the other young gentlemen, you know. still--um--ah--let me see. the admiwal and some of the officers, not forming part of the stormers, are going on shore, and they will doubtless use the cutter; and as they will stay until all is over, i think you may venture to join us, and if you get into twouble over the affair, i must do the best i can to make excuses for you." "hurrah, bob!" i exclaimed, as i rejoined my despondent friend. "faint heart never won fair lady; the skipper has given us permission to slip ashore and join the stormers, so off you go at once and get ready. and don't be long, old chap, for the admiral and a lot more are going ashore in the little `mouette,' and we must be on hand directly our signal is made." "never fear," joyously responded bob. "i'll be ready in a brace of shakes; i've only to get my `weepons' as our scotch doctor calls them, and i'll be on deck again as soon as you are." having already so successfully enacted the part of a petitioner, i determined to try my luck once more, and accordingly hunted up the honourable mortimer, who had retired to his cabin. one of the hobbies of our somewhat eccentric "third" was the collection of choice weapons, several valuable specimens of which adorned his state-room. if he ever saw anything specially curious or choice in the shape of sword or pistol, he never rested until he had made it his own; but when once the coveted article had come into his possession he seemed to lose all further interest in it, and accordingly, being also a good-natured individual enough, he was always ready to lend from his stock, provided an undertaking were entered into to take due care of the borrowed article, and to faithfully return it. to this accommodating friend i briefly stated my case, which was simply, that as there was just a bare possibility--i did not like to put it any stronger, remembering that he was one of the disappointed ones--of my being present at the storming of the redoubt, i was anxious to be provided with some more efficient weapon than my dirk, and that i would feel very much obliged to him if he would lend me one of his swords. this he at once did, bidding me take my choice, and i thereupon selected a beautiful turkish scimitar, the curved blade of which, inlaid with a delicate scroll pattern in gold, was as keen as a razor. tucking this under my arm, and thanking him duly for his kindness, i next hurried away to the armourer, and wheedled him out of a pair of ship's pistols, together with the necessary ammunition; after which i returned to the deck and awaited my ally, calm in the consciousness that i was now prepared for any and every emergency. i was almost immediately afterwards joined by bob, whose face beamed with delight as he directed my attention to a ship's cutlass which he had girded to his thigh, and a pair of long-barrelled duelling-pistols which our fire-eating "second" had entrusted to his care. we at once trundled down over the side into our cockleshell of a boat, and, getting on board the "mouette" with all speed, roused up the anchor and dodged about well in view of the admiral, keeping a sharp lookout for the "whiff" in the mizzen-rigging, which was our especial signal for service. chapter eighteen. the storming of the redoubt, and the attack on bastia. as the afternoon wore on the wind grew light, and by eight bells it had so far died away that it was practically valueless to the boats which were to convey the naval brigade to the shore. the admiral, however, would not allow the men to row, being anxious that they should reach the scene of action fresh and vigorous; at the last moment, therefore, one of the lieutenants belonging to the "victory" was sent onboard the "requin"--or the "shark," as she was now almost universally called--with orders to get under weigh and tow the flotilla down to the cove. at the same time our signal was made, in obedience to which we went through the fleet and took on board lord hood, sir hyde parker, vice- admiral hotham, captain purvis of the "princess royal," commodore linzee, captain elphinstone of the "robust," captain nelson of the "agamemnon," and some half a dozen other officers who were going on shore to witness the attack. by the time that we had embarked all our passengers, the "shark" was under weigh and dodging about, waiting for the boats, which were alongside their respective ships, taking in their proper complement of men. when all was ready, the boats shoved off and pulled for the brig, which was by this time hove-to in readiness for taking them in tow. admiral hood himself marshalled the boats in the order which he wished them to take; and two stout hawsers being passed out of the brig's stern-ports, the boats were lashed to them in two divisions, larboard and starboard; and when everything was arranged to the satisfaction of our chief, he gave the order for the brig to fill, and away we went. it took us an hour and a half to reach the cove, the wind being so light; and in order to remain in company, the little "mouette's" canvas had to be reduced to a close-reefed mainsail and small jib, under which we were still able to sail round the flotilla occasionally, in order that lord hood might see that all was right. it was just growing dusk when the boats, having cast off from the towing hawsers, pulled into the cove and grounded on its steep shingly beach. we anchored the "mouette" about a cable's length from the beach, landed our passengers, and watched them fairly out of sight on the san fiorenzo road, when bob and i leaped into our dinghy and were pulled ashore. the naval brigade was by this time in motion; and, hurrying forward, we soon found ourselves alongside the "juno's" contingent, under the command of the second lieutenant, whose irish blood was already up, and who greeted our appearance with a rollicking joke, which would in almost any other man have been unbecoming the dignity of his rank. but "paddy" flinn--or micky flinn, as he was indifferently called by his friends--had a subtle knack of behaving in an undignified manner, without jeopardising the respect due to him; for, let his vagaries take what form they would, he never by any chance descended to the committal of a mean, cowardly, or ungentlemanly act. the camp of the land forces was pitched at a distance of about two miles from the beach; and the march was accomplished in about three-quarters of an hour, our tars beguiling the way with jokes and yarns of the most outrageous and improbable character. the strictest discipline was always maintained on board ship; but on land-expeditions, which would admit of it, a little more freedom was tacitly permitted. when we reached the point of rendezvous, we found the troops who were to share with us the honours of the night already on the ground, and waiting. the guns of the cliff battery were still thundering away far above us; and the redoubt was replying with apparently undiminished vigour. the place of rendezvous was a sort of ravine, situated about midway between the two opposing batteries; the ground being masked from the redoubt by one of the precipitous sides of the ravine. at the farther end, the precipice gradually merged into a steep slope, from the summit of which rose the hill upon which the redoubt stood; and up these two steep slopes the storming-party had to go. by the time that all was ready, night had completely set in. contrary to our hopes, it was exquisitely fine, not a single shred of cloud obscuring the deep blue vault of heaven. the wind had died away to the faintest zephyr, and the dew was falling so copiously that it promised soon to wet us to the skin. at a signal, made by the waving of a lantern, the guns of the cliff battery above us suddenly became mute, as though the artillerymen had given up for the night; and a calm and tranquil silence ensued, broken only by the gentle rustle of the fitful breeze through the foliage of some firs which were dotted here and there along the precipitous sides of the ravine, the chirping of insects, the occasional twitter of a sleeping bird, or a low murmur here and there in the serried ranks of armed men which stood awaiting the order to rush forth to death or victory. the stars flooded the scene with their subdued and mellow radiance, and, but for the occasional gleam of a naked weapon, everything was suggestive of restfulness and peace. it had been hoped that we should be able to take the garrison of the redoubt at least partially by surprise; but the fineness and silence of the night rendered this impossible; as soon, therefore, as everything was ready, the party moved forward toward the farther end of the ravine, the soldiers leading the way, in accordance with the proviso of major- general dundas, who refused to co-operate with the naval brigade upon any other terms. it took us but a few minutes to reach the end of the ravine; and directly we were clear and had reached a point where the first slope became practicable, we were led up it at an easy pace, and halted just beneath its brow--and consequently under cover--in order that all hands might recover their wind in readiness for the rush up the second slope to the redoubt. i was not, at that period of my life, particularly susceptible to serious thought or grave reflections; but as i stood on that steep hill- side in the hush and solemn beauty of the starlit night, and looked upon that band of silent men, every one of them with the pulses of life beating quick and strong within him, his frame aglow with health, and every nerve quivering with intense excitement, the awful thought flashed through my brain that, with many of them, a few brief seconds only stood between them and eternity. i wondered to how many of them had the same idea presented itself; and then came the question, "does god ever in his infinite mercy, in such supreme moments as this, inspire similar reflections in the minds of the doomed ones, in order that they may not be hurried into his presence wholly unprepared?" it might be so, i thought; and if that were the case, was it not probable that, coming to me at such a time, they foreshadowed my own doom, and warned me to prepare for it while still i had an opportunity? five minutes hence, perhaps, and time would be, for me, no more. the signal to advance--the breathless rush--the flash and roar of artillery, a sickening crash, a hideous whirl, in which all nature becomes blotted out, and then--the great white throne. was that what lay before me? the oppressive excitement under which i had been labouring passed away; tears of emotion welled up into my eyes, and my heart went up to god in a brief, silent, fervent prayer for mercy and forgiveness; that if i were about to die i might be pardoned for christ's sake and received into everlasting life. for a minute or two the fear of death--or rather, of the eternity beyond death--had been upon me; but with the conclusion of my hurried prayer the mantle of fear fell from my shoulders, and a blessed peace--"the peace of god, which passeth all understanding," as i reverently believed--took its place. i was supported by a consciousness, or perhaps it was only a belief, that whatever happened i was safe; and from that moment my only anxiety was to faithfully do my duty. at length, sufficient time having been allowed for the men to completely recover their breath and brace themselves for the final rush up the hill to the redoubt, the word was given, and we dashed over the brow of the slope and charged up the steep ascent; and at the same instant the artillerymen in the cliff battery--who had been keenly watching our movements--reopened with a terrific fire upon the devoted redoubt. our men gave a single ringing, soul-stirring cheer, as they sprang into view, and then were silent, the exertion of pressing up that steep acclivity leaving them no breath to waste in profitless noise. the distance to be traversed was not more than yards--no great matter upon level ground--but the hill rose so abruptly that, after the first fifty yards, our pace was reduced to something between a walk and a climb. the french, too, had evidently expected and been on the watch for us; for we had hardly advanced twenty paces before the parapet of the redoubt blazed out above us in a long line of fire; a storm of round shot and grape swept down upon us; great ghastly gaps were mown out of our ranks, a hideous chorus of shrieks and groans rose above the thundering roar of the artillery, and long lines of dead and dying men marked the path of the pitiless shot. the calmness and stillness of night gave place to a horrible discord of deafening sounds; the earth beneath our feet shook and vibrated with the ceaseless discharge of heavy guns; the baleful glare of portfires and fireballs flung down the hill by the enemy to enable them more clearly to ascertain our position, and the incessant flash of the cannon, cast a fierce, unearthly light upon the scene. again, again, and again came the hissing storm of iron, each time with more deadly effect; the ground before and around us was ploughed and gashed by the rushing shot; our men were swept away before it like withered leaves before a hurricane; the death-cries of cherished comrades continually pierced the ear; the storming-party was melting away like snow beneath the scorching breath of that fiery tempest; and still the remnant struggled on. at length that fearful breathless climb was nearly over. we were so near the redoubt that the muzzles of the guns could no longer be depressed sufficiently for the shot to take effect; the artillerymen, therefore, left their cannon and joined the grenadiers in throwing down hand-grenades upon us, or in pouring in a ceaseless musketry-fire. the guns in the cliff battery also became silent, in dread of striking friends as well as foes. a few yards more, and we were close enough to distinguish the stern, bronzed features of the defenders clustering thick in the breach to bar our entrance, the musketry flashes gleaming on their glistening eyeballs, and flickering on their levelled bayonet- points. my recent runs on shore, and the exercise of climbing up and down the cliff rock seemed to have given me an advantage over the rest; for there was by this time no one in front of me. two individuals there were, however, close at hand, in one of whom i recognised the skipper, the other being major-general dundas. they were evidently racing for the breach, and the skipper was getting the worst of it, being thoroughly blown. we were all three pretty evenly in line, but the soldier had chosen his road with the greater judgment. at last the skipper, too exhausted to keep upright any longer, put his sword between his teeth and went down on his hands and knees. i saw at once the nature of the rivalry, it was a struggle which should reach the breach first, the army or the navy; and i knew captain hood would rather lose a hundred pounds than be beaten. like them, i was dreadfully exhausted, the fatigue i experienced being so great that it amounted to positive pain; the muscles of my legs in particular ached and quivered violently with the exertions i had been making. still, i was not nearly so bad as the other two, being decidedly strong and vigorous for my age, and i determined that the skipper should be gratified if it lay in my power; so i scrambled to his side and held out my hand to him shouting,-- "let me give you a tow, sir; and we'll be in before the red-coat yet." he grasped my hand without a word, rose to his feet, and together we strained and pressed upward. a couple of yards still lay between us and the hedge of bayonets which guarded the breach. the bullets flew about us thick as hail; one passing through my hat, another shredding away half the bullion from the skipper's starboard epaulette, two more actually passing through my jacket and razing the skin; yet by a miracle we escaped unwounded. one more desperate effort, and we staggered up the loose _debris_ and into the breach, a clear yard ahead of our rival; and then, shoulder to shoulder, we stood and tried to recover our breath as best we could, defending ourselves meanwhile from the innumerable cuts and thrusts which were aimed at us. the next to arrive was, of course, major- general dundas; then came mr flinn, closely followed by the captain of the "juno's" main-top; then five or six soldiers; and, thus strengthened, we pressed forward, foot by foot, the frenchmen obstinately contesting every inch of the way, until we had fairly penetrated to the interior of the redoubt, when--a path being thus cleared for those who came behind--the relics of the storming-party surged in and rushed upon the enemy with such resistless impetuosity that some of the garrison threw down their arms and surrendered; while the rest broke and fled in direst confusion. a feeble cheer announced our success, which was immediately answered by a ringing "three times three--and one cheer more, for the storming- party," from the occupants of the cliff battery away aloft in the cool night-air. poor little bobby summers came panting in with the ruck, after all was over; and the first use he made of his breath, after he had recovered it sufficiently to speak, was to abuse me in unmeasured terms for what he was pleased to term my "meanness," in leaving him to struggle up the hill unaided. all hands remained on shore that night, to make everything secure, and to guard against the possibility of an attempt to retake the redoubt; the storming-party being quickly reinforced by a strong detachment from the camp, which had been held in readiness to march in as soon as the redoubt should be carried. then came the sickening task of collecting the dead and wounded, arranging the former for burial, and attending to the wants of the latter and making them as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. but i will not go into the details of this accompaniment to the "pomp and circumstance of war," lest i should unnecessarily harrow the feelings of my readers; suffice it to say that our task was not accomplished until long after sun-rise; while that of the naval and military surgeons of course lasted for weeks. the fall of the convention redoubt left the town of san fiorenzo at our mercy, and accordingly, when next day our troops marched into the town, it was found that the french had evacuated it, and had retired to bastia. this, the most important town in the island, and, at the period of my story, also the most strongly fortified--whatever it may be at the present day--is about six miles from san fiorenzo; and is situated on the eastern or opposite side of the long narrow peninsula which forms the northern extremity of corsica. it was against it that, in lord hood's opinion, our next operations ought to be directed. his views, however, and those of major-general dundas were widely divergent as to the practicability of the proposed scheme; the latter being of opinion that we had neither strength nor means sufficient to effect the reduction of so strongly fortified a place as bastia; while lord hood, on the other hand, was sanguine of success. this difference of opinion between the heads of the forces led to a protracted and vexatious delay, during which we of the fleet busied ourselves successfully in raising the french thirty-eight-gun frigate, "minerve," which her crew had sunk in san fiorenzo harbour. this ship was afterwards added to our navy under the name of the "san fiorenzo." i must not omit to mention that, a few days after the taking of the convention redoubt, captain hood publicly thanked me, on the "juno's" quarter-deck, for the assistance i had rendered him on that memorable night; and the story also reaching the admiral's ears, i had the gratification of being warmly commended by that great chief, as well as of finding that my name had been prominently mentioned in his despatches home. several other officers also thanked me for supporting the reputation of the navy, captain nelson being especially eulogistic--for him--on the subject. so that, altogether, i received a far greater share of credit than it seemed to me so simple a matter merited. at length, meeting after meeting having taken place between lord hood and major-general dundas, without those officers being able to agree upon the question of investing bastia, something very like a rupture took place; the admiral declaring that so confident was he of success, that, since general dundas would not co-operate with him, he would undertake alone the task of reducing the place with the seamen and marines belonging to the fleet. this resolution once arrived at, lord hood forthwith set about the work of carrying it out with his accustomed energy. an old twenty-eight-gun frigate, called the "proselyte," was specially fitted up as a floating battery, and, with the rest of the fleet, taken round to bastia roads. the marines were then landed, and, aided by a strong contingent of bluejackets, who were placed under the command of captain horatio nelson, at once set to work to throw up a chain of sod batteries, completely investing the town on the land side. so much precious time had been wasted in discussing the _pros and cons_ of this matter, that, notwithstanding our utmost exertions, it was not until the second week of april, , that our batteries were finished, the guns mounted, and everything ready for the projected attack. the evening of the th, however, saw our preparations completed; and on the morning of the th the "proselyte" was moved inshore and moored in a convenient position for battering the seaward defences of the town. the attack immediately afterwards commenced; the "proselyte" and the shore batteries opening fire simultaneously. the french replied with the utmost spirit, their guns being admirably served, especially those which played upon the "proselyte;" and it soon became evident that that unfortunate craft was getting decidedly the worst of it. she was the only ship engaged, the admiral having early come to the conclusion that it would be madness to expose his fleet, unprotected, to the fire of the heavy metal mounted in the french defences; we therefore--the few of us, that is, who were not detailed for duty on shore--had nothing to do for the time being but watch the fun. the action had been in progress but a short time, when we observed that the "proselyte" was swinging round; and on looking at her more attentively, with the aid of our telescopes, we discovered that some of her moorings had been shot away. her remaining cables soon brought her up again; but not until she had drifted into a frightfully exposed position. the fire of the french batteries was immediately concentrated upon the devoted craft with increased energy; and presently little jets of greyish smoke, issuing here and there from her sides, showed that the enemy was effectively firing red-hot shot. about ten minutes afterwards a little string of balls was seen soaring aloft to her mast-head. the balls burst apart, and four signal flags fluttered in the breeze. i raised my telescope to my eye and read out the numbers to mr annesley, who was busy turning over the leaves of the signal-book. he ran his finger hastily along the column of figures, and read out to the skipper, who was looking over his shoulder,-- "ship on fire--send assistance." "now, mr chester, keep your eye on the admiral, and see what he says," remarked the skipper. as he spoke i saw a signal going aloft on board the "victory," and managed to get it into the field of my telescope just as the flags burst abroad at the mast-head. i read out the numbers again. "all right; i know what that means, without turning up the numbers," said the skipper quickly. "it means, `send away boats to ship in distress.' so have the goodness to pipe away the pinnace and first and second cutters, if you please, mr annesley." in another moment the boatswain's shrill pipe was sounding throughout the ship; the boats, which were hanging at the boom, were brought alongside, manned, placed in charge of a midshipman to each boat, and despatched with all speed to the assistance of the unlucky "proselyte," from which, by this time, dense clouds of dark smoke were issuing. meanwhile the boats from the rest of the fleet were also pushing off with the same object as ourselves; and an exciting race ensued. we were among the last to arrive alongside, having had a longer distance to pull than any of the other boats; and when we reached the doomed craft, the flames were bursting out through her ports, roaring fiercely up through her hatchways, and soaring aloft by means of her rigging like fiery serpents. some of her guns were already nearly red-hot. part of her main-deck had fallen in; and her main and mizzen-masts were so far burnt through at the foot that they threatened momentarily to fall. although the flames were blazing so fiercely, and had obtained such a complete hold upon the ship that the magazine was expected to explode at any moment, and although the enemy, taking full advantage of the disaster, was concentrating a terrific fire upon that part of the ship where her crew were mustered, awaiting their turn to go down over the side into the boats which were waiting to receive them, there was not a trace of hurry or confusion. commander serocold, who had been given the command of the unfortunate craft, stood on the rail and personally directed the process of trans-shipping; sending down first the injured, then the younger and rawer portion of the crew, then the veterans--the sturdy old bronzed and weather-beaten salts, whose nerves were thoroughly proof against the worst terrors of battle, fire, or flood,-- next the officers, and finally, when he was quite satisfied that no living being but himself remained on board, he raised his uniform cap as if in salute, slipped down the side, and gave the order to "give way." "stretch out to your work, lads," he exclaimed, as the oars dashed into the water; "throw your whole hearts into it; the fire must be close to the magazine, and--" a terrific concussion, a dull heavy roar, and the poor old "proselyte" was rent to pieces, as a broad sheet of flame flashed up from her hull skyward. a wall of water some five feet high leapt up just under our stern, and immediately afterwards curled over upon us, completely swamping the boat. fragments of planks and beams, heavy bolts, spars, and other wreckage whizzed through the air all around us; and one of the guns, still mounted on its carriage, and with its shattered tackles streaming in the air, was hurled outwards and fell into the water with a tremendous splash, within six feet of where we were all left struggling in the water. then a great cloud of black smoke shot up into the air; and the blackened remains of the hull, collapsing amidships, sank out of sight, creating a great seething whirl, which dragged us all helplessly into its vortex, and sucked us ruthlessly down, down deep into the darkening bosom of the ocean. stunned, and almost insensible from the violence of the shock, i still had presence of mind left to close my nostrils with the fingers of one hand, and to hold my breath, as i was helplessly whirled hither and thither; and at last, just as my powers of endurance had reached the point of exhaustion, i rose again to the surface, and beheld once more the welcome sight of the bright sunlight flashing upon the dancing billows. the water all round me was thickly strewn with wreckage; and a few pieces were still falling here and there, showing the height to which the fragments had been projected. a dozen or so of human heads appeared on the surface of the water at no great distance from me; and others were momentarily popping up above the waves; the owners, one and all, immediately striking out, more or less scientifically, for the nearest floating object. looking round me, i soon had the satisfaction of discovering the gallant commander of the ill-fated "proselyte," clinging to the keel of our boat, which was floating bottom-up at no great distance from me. seeing that all hands appeared pretty well able to take care of themselves, i at once struck out and joined him. "ah! mr chester," he exclaimed, as i ranged alongside, "glad to see that you have weathered it so well. it was a very narrow squeak; and we have come out of it a good deal better than i dared expect. i have been trying to count heads, and i make out thirty-eight, all told; how many men had you with you?" "twelve," i answered. "twelve?" he repeated, "then that brings us out all right, for i counted twenty-four of my people as they passed down into the boat, and i make twenty-five, which, with you and your dozen, brings up the complement. here come the boats to pick us up. i have no doubt the explosion has frightened all the sharks within a dozen miles of us, and started them off to seaward under a heavy press of sail; otherwise i should not feel quite so easy in my mind about those poor fellows. some of them are clinging to very small pieces of wreckage, and would have no chance if attacked." i remarked that i thought there was not very much danger; an opinion which soon received singular confirmation; for while we were still speaking, immense numbers of fish of all sizes and descriptions, some killed, and others merely stunned by the violence of the explosion, floated up to the surface; and shortly afterwards, when the boats had picked us all up, and we were pulling out toward the fleet, we fell in with an enormous shark, floating helplessly on his back, in an apparently paralysed condition. a running bowline was promptly slipped over his tail and drawn taut; and he was triumphantly and unresistingly towed alongside the "victory," and hoisted inboard. chapter nineteen. a foolhardy adventure. short time after this, a melancholy event occurred, which cast a gloom over the entire fleet. the siege was not progressing to the admiral's satisfaction; the garrison showed no sign of yielding; and our chief became anxious to learn something with regard to the condition of things within the walls of bastia. the moment that this desire became known, a host of volunteers stepped forward, with offers to do their best to make their way inside and gain the required information. admiral hood, however, felt very reluctant to allow any of these volunteers to expose themselves to so great a risk; particularly as it turned out, when questioned, that not one of them had been able to devise a really practicable and promising scheme. the least unpromising idea of them all, was that suggested by lieutenant carre tupper, of the flag-ship; which was, that he should endeavour to _effect_ a landing inside the chain of defences, and, penetrating into the town, gain all the information he could; and trust to his good fortune for the means of getting off to the ship again. this plan seemed all the more feasible, from the fact that he spoke the french language with the ease and fluency of a parisian. after much consideration, therefore, the admiral accepted this gallant young officer's offer, and gave his consent to the experiment. a disguise was accordingly prepared under lieutenant tupper's own supervision; and on the first favourable night the experiment was tried. it was perfectly calm, with an overcast sky and no moon, when he stood, dressed in his disguise, in the gangway of the "victory," receiving from the admiral his last instructions; and many a hearty hand-shake, and many a fervent "success attend you, my dear fellow," did he receive before passing down the lofty side of the -gun ship, into the pinnace which, with muffled oars and a crew armed to the teeth, awaited him at the foot of the side-ladder. at last the final parting was spoken, the final shake of the hand given, and with a gay laugh, in response to the half-serious, half-jocose warnings to take care of himself which followed him, he sprang lightly down the side, took his seat in the stern-sheets, and gave the order to shove off. he had most carefully reconnoitred the place beforehand, both from the topgallant-yard of the "victory," and from the deck of the little "mouette;" so that he knew exactly for what point to steer; and there was no hesitation whatever upon that score. all went well with the little expedition until the boat arrived within half a mile of bastia, when a little breeze sprang up; the canopy of cloud which had overspread the heavens cleared away as if by magic, and the stars shone out brilliantly, flooding earth and sea with a light which, though subdued, was sufficient to reveal to the sharp-eyed french sentinels the small dark object which was silently stealing toward the shore. the alarm was immediately given; but instead of opening upon the boat with their heavy guns, at the risk of missing their object, and driving off their prey, the french allowed the boat still to approach, and, marking carefully the spot for which she was making, silently placed a strong body of sharpshooters in ambush to await her coming. had the frenchmen in ambush but observed the most ordinary caution, there is no doubt they would easily have captured the boat and the whole of her crew, but instead of this they gave way to the excitement which is one of their failings, and indulged in such loud and continuous chatter that the coxswain of the pinnace heard them when within about twenty yards of the landing-place, and the boat was at once pulled round with her head off shore, and the crew ordered to "give way with a will," in order to escape the very obvious danger. but it was too late. the moment that it was observed that their destined prey had taken the alarm, a terrific volley of musketry was poured into the boat, and the gallant young officer who had undertaken the chief risk of the expedition fell forward into the bottom of the boat, dead and riddled with bullets. the coxswain also and two of the crew were more or less severely wounded. the boat was as speedily as possible taken out of range, and though, when it was found that there was a prospect of her escaping, some of the batteries opened upon her, and two or three boats started from the shore in chase, she reached the "victory" without further mishap, about an hour and a half from the time when she started upon the disastrous expedition. much grief was felt throughout the fleet at the loss of this gallant and promising young officer, whose distinguished services at the evacuation of toulon, as well as his kindly and genial disposition, had made him universally liked and respected. after this, there was no further talk of obtaining information respecting the condition of the enemy. but the idea had taken hold of me, and i had thought about it until i had become completely fascinated. it certainly seemed to me a preposterous piece of presumption that i should flatter myself i could succeed where an older and much more talented officer had failed, but the idea had got into my head, and the more i thought of it, the more sanguine did i become of success. i had, after much thought, evolved a scheme which appeared to me so very promising that i determined to put it to the test without delay, taking care, however, not to breathe a word of my purpose to any of the officers, because i felt certain that after the late lamentable failure, no further attempts of a like kind would be permitted. i needed assistance, however, to carry this notable scheme into effect, and i accordingly took little bobby summers into my confidence. the "mouette," i ought to mention, had been brought round with the rest of the fleet, and was occasionally employed in communicating between the ships and the forces on shore. bobby and i retained our former posts in her, and as she was required at all hours of the day and night, we had removed our chests and hammocks to her little cabin, merely visiting the old "juno" at odd times, to maintain our connexion with her, when we had nothing else in particular to do. this arrangement was most favourable to my scheme, inasmuch as it allowed of my embarking upon it unmolested, and it also rendered little bobby's assistance available at whatever moment i might require it. there seemed to be only one serious difficulty in my way, and that was the want of a really good and effective disguise; and this difficulty was quite unexpectedly removed by the merest accident. i had taken summers into my confidence, and had received from him a prompt promise of his heartiest co-operation; the first dark night therefore which followed upon the unfolding of my purpose to my enthusiastic shipmate, we took the first steps necessary to its accomplishment. i am, as i think i have already mentioned, an excellent swimmer, and it was upon the possession of this accomplishment that i chiefly based my hopes of success. my plan was simply to row in as near the shore as possible, accompanied by summers, in the cockleshell of a dinghy belonging to the "mouette," and then quietly slip into the water and swim the remainder of the distance. the dinghy in question was so very diminutive a craft that i felt sure we might under favourable circumstances get quite close in without being discovered. the first thing which i considered necessary, was to ascertain the set and rate of the tide, such as it was; and to do this, we started away in the dinghy one very dark night, armed with a cutlass and a brace of pistols each, and paddled leisurely in toward the shore. we arrived in due time within about half a mile of the harbour's mouth, and then laid upon our oars to watch the drift of a small piece of plank, painted white, which we launched overboard, keeping the boat just far enough away to prevent her influencing its course, while at the same time able to distinguish its position pretty clearly. we had been occupied thus for nearly an hour, and had seen enough to very nearly satisfy me upon the point in question, when, at no great distance away, we heard a sound as of some one laying in an oar upon a boat's thwart. curiosity at once urged us to ascertain, if possible, the source and meaning of this sound, as we felt pretty confident it could proceed from no boat belonging to the fleet, and we easily arrived at the logical conclusion that it must therefore proceed from some boat belonging to the enemy. abandoning, therefore, our float to its fate, we loosened our cutlasses in their sheaths, and our pistols in the belts which supported them, and very cautiously paddled in the direction from whence the sound appeared to proceed. we had not gone very far when we heard the sound of voices speaking in a low tone, apparently just inshore of us, and we accordingly turned the boat's head in that direction. as we proceeded, the sound of talking rapidly became more distinct, and at length we were near enough to distinguish that the speakers, whoever they were, ere conversing in french. at this point we rested on our oars again, and peered eagerly into the darkness in the endeavour to see something of our neighbours. after perhaps a minute's intense gaze shoreward, bobby leaned over, and whispered,-- "there they are, right ahead, and close under our bows. it is a boat, with two men in her, and as nearly as i can make out, they are leaning over the side and hauling something into the boat." i looked intently in the direction indicated, and at length succeeded in making out the craft. there were, as bob had said, two men in her; they were leaning over the side, and as i watched, one of them raised his arm, and i detected, just for a moment, the faint glitter of some object just beneath it. at the same instant a voice said in french,-- "here is another, and a fine fellow he is, too. he will make a splendid dinner for the general to-morrow." "fishermen, by all that is lucky!" i exclaimed, in an excited whisper. "now, bob, let's dash alongside and board the craft; a selection from the rig of those two men will make exactly the rig i want." "all right," returned bob. "you're the skipper, give the word, and we'll nab the mossoos in a jiffy." "now!" said i. we dashed our oars into the water, and in half a dozen strokes were alongside the astonished fishermen. as the two boats touched, bob laid in his oar, and with the dinghy's painter in one hand and his drawn cutlass in the other, leaped on board the stranger, treading as he did so upon a mass of fish which lay writhing and flapping feebly in the bottom of the boat, and instantly assuming, quite unintentionally on his part, you may be sure, a sitting position amongst the thickest of the slimy, scaly cargo. as he boarded forward, i did so aft, and presenting a pistol in each hand, as sternly as i could, while struggling to suppress my laughter at bob's exploit, ordered the fishermen to surrender, and to keep perfect silence, upon pain of instant death as the penalty of disobedience. the poor fellows were taken completely by surprise, and seemed to have no idea of resistance. they meekly cast off that portion of their lines which still remained overboard, and taking to their oars, pulled quietly away in the direction which i ordered, or towards the "mouette," the dinghy being in tow astern. as we, or rather they, rowed off to the cutter i questioned the men as to their reason for running so great a risk for the sake of a few fish, and in reply gained the information that the garrison, though still in possession of a moderate supply of food, foresaw that a time of scarcity was rapidly approaching; and the general had, accordingly, a few days previously taken the remaining provisions under his own control, issuing to each inhabitant a daily ration upon a very reduced scale. under these circumstances, the fishermen of the place thought they saw their way to a good market for any fish they could contrive to capture, and a few of them had accordingly ventured out at night with their hooks and lines. this was most valuable information, _if true_, but coming from the enemy i thought it scarcely reliable--though the men spoke with the utmost freedom, and apparently in perfectly good faith. i therefore determined, while slightly modifying my original plan, still to carry it out. on our arrival on board the "mouette," i invited our two prisoners down into the cabin, and pouring them out a stiff "nor'wester" each, to cheer them up a little and loosen their tongues, i told them frankly that it was necessary i should make my way into bastia, and intimated to them, that as they would be retained as hostages until my safe return, and liberated immediately afterwards, it would obviously be to their interest to give me all the information and help in their power to enable me to provide for my safety. i also informed them that it would be necessary for me to borrow certain portions of their habiliments, to be used as a disguise. "it is a dangerous game which you are about to play, monsieur," remarked the elder of the two, who gave his name as jean leferrier. "the greatest precautions are taken to prevent the access of spies into the place. most of the inhabitants are well known, and any stranger would certainly be noticed and sharply questioned as to how he came there, and upon what business. i greatly fear you will be arrested before you have been three hours in the place. if monsieur will condescend to accept the advice of a poor, ignorant fisherman like myself, he will abandon his idea, and not embark upon so hazardous an enterprise." this, however, i would not listen to for a moment, in fact every word spoken only made me the more determined to go on; and this i intimated pretty plainly. "perhaps if monsieur were to adopt the _role_ of an escaped prisoner from the british fleet he might succeed in disarming suspicion," remarked pierre cousin, the other prisoner. "monsieur's accent is certainly not quite perfect (if he will pardon my presuming to say so); still it may pass without attracting much notice, and if you, jean, were to give him a note to _la mere_, she could take him in and look after him,--that is, if monsieur could endure the poor accommodation to be found under her roof." "certainly," replied jean, "that might be done. but monsieur would have to report himself to monsieur le maire immediately on his arrival, and would therefore have to be prepared with a good detailed plausible story." i replied that i thought i could manufacture a story which would hold water sufficiently to satisfy the functionary referred to, the thought flashing into my mind that i could personate the lad whom we had found in charge of the "mouette" on the eventful evening of her capture. "then if monsieur is still determined to pursue his adventure, i will write the letter," remarked jean. "do so at once, by all means," said i. "tell her that, venturing too far out, you have been made prisoners by a boat's crew from the british fleet, and that you found, on board the ship to which you have been taken, another prisoner, who had contrived to make preparations for his escape, and that you had only time to write this note, informing your mother of your whereabouts, and recommending the bearer to her good offices, before he proceeded to put his plans into execution, the night being favourable for the attempt." "there is no time like the present," i continued to summers. "the night is dark, and altogether favourable for the enterprise. i have the locality fresh in mind, so i shall go at once." "and when do you intend to return?" asked bob. "ah!" i replied, "that is more than i can tell you. you may depend upon it, i shall not stay an hour longer than is absolutely necessary for obtaining the required information, but whether i shall be able to get out again when that is obtained, it is impossible to say. there is one thing you must do, summers, and that is, keep a constant lookout, from the time i leave you until i turn up again, and if you observe anything unusual inshore, leading you to suppose i am attempting to get out, do the best you can to help me. i shall leave a note with you for the skipper, explaining what i intend to do; and that note i want you to take on board, and deliver into his own hands, the first thing in the morning." i then set about writing the note, and by the time that i had finished, jean had also brought his communication to a close. he passed it over the table for me to read, and i found that it was substantially to the same effect as i had suggested, but written in his own homely and not very precise style of composition. i looked it very carefully through to see that there was no covert suggestion therein of a character intended to betray me; but as far as i could see it was a perfectly straightforward affair from beginning to end. this matter settled, i borrowed a pair of breeches, and the long boots belonging to one of them; and the dirty ragged canvas overalls of the other; topping off with a dilapidated blue worsted cap which i had been wearing continually since joining the "mouette," and my rig-out was complete. i intended pulling boldly ashore in the boat belonging to the captured fishermen, that being infinitely preferable to my mind to swimming ashore as i had originally proposed; so, as soon as i was ready i sat down once more, and questioned them very minutely respecting the position of the landing-place, the locality of _la mere's_ domicile, and everything else i could think of likely to be of service in my undertaking. jean, the elder of the two, replied freely to all my inquiries; adding such information as suggested itself to him at the moment, and winding up by saying,-- "monsieur must not be surprised if he is challenged on entering the harbour, that is almost certain to occur; and if it does he has only to give the watch-word, and he will not be further interfered with." "and what is the watch-word?" i asked. "simply `_bateau-pecheur; bastia_,'" he replied. "if you are challenged give the pass-word, and lie upon your oars; that will show them that you are one of us, and you will at once receive permission to proceed." "very well, i think i am pretty well primed now, and may venture to start. good-bye, bob, old fellow. keep a sharp lookout, and bear a hand with your assistance if you see that i need any when returning. and don't forget my letter to the skipper." "all right, never fear; i'll remember everything. i only wish i could have gone instead of you, chester. if you succeed it will be no end of a feather in your cap, but if you fail,"--he concluded the sentence with a pantomimic gesture expressive of strangulation. "but there," he added, "i've no fear of that; i never saw such a fellow as you for pulling through; good-bye, old boy; ta-ta; `be sure you write.'" and he wrung my hand heartily; with a gay laugh upon his lips, but something very like a tear glittering in his eye, as the feeble rays of the cabin lamp struggled through the skylight and fell upon his face. i stepped into the heavy, clumsy, and slimy boat belonging to the fishermen; and, shipping the oars, shoved off and gave way for the shore; a faint twinkling light here and there in the town serving to guide me upon my proper course. it took me nearly two hours to reach the harbour; the boat being heavy, and the oars much more cumbersome than any i had ever handled before; but i passed in between the two piers at last; and as i did so a dark figure appeared on the extremity of one of them, looming up indistinctly against the dusky sky; and a voice exclaimed sharply, in french,-- "who goes there?" "_bateau-pecheur; bastia_," i replied composedly, resting on my oars at the same time. "you are late, comrade," remarked the sentry. "what luck?" "very poor," i replied. "i have only been able to find half my lines, the darkness is so great; and in searching for the others i have lost a good deal of time." "ah," returned he, "you are lucky to have found any of them. pass on, _monsieur le pecheur_; and good-night." "good-night," i shouted back, stretching out at the oars once more, and rowing laboriously up the harbour against a slight ebb-tide. i had no difficulty in finding the landing-place. it was a sort of slipway leading down from the top of the quay to the water's edge; and some ten or a dozen other fishing-boats were either hauled up there, or moored alongside. there was not a soul to be seen about the place when i ranged up alongside the green and slimy piles of which the slipway was constructed; i was consequently able to moor the boat at leisure, and in such a way that if i wanted her again in a hurry, i should have no difficulty in quickly casting her adrift. i then gathered up the fish and placed them in a basket which was stowed away in the eyes of the boat; and throwing the rope strap over my shoulders, trudged with my load up the slipway until i stood upon the top of the quay. i had been very minute in my inquiries as to how i was to proceed on landing, so as to be able to go direct to the abode of dame leferrier; and the fisherman jean had been equally minute and careful in directing me; i had only to stand a few seconds, therefore, as though taking breath after the steep ascent, and look carefully about, to recognise the landmarks which he had given me to determine the direction i ought to take. a low and villainous-looking waterside tavern stood at the corner of a street at no great distance, dimly visible in the light of a grimy lantern which swung over the door; and making for this, and keeping it on my right, i found myself in a narrow, wretchedly-paved street; up which i passed for about a couple of hundred yards, when i found myself opposite a rickety little hovel, having a light burning in its window. i was directed to look for such a light in the house to which i was bound; and as this appeared to be the only place in the street so distinguished, i walked boldly up to the door, raised the wooden latch, and entered. i found myself in a small, low-ceiled room, stone-paved; with a heavy wooden table in the centre, having a rough wooden bench on each side; a couple of three-legged stools against the wall; a pair of clumsy oars and a boat-hook in one corner; a boat's mast and sails in another; a fireplace, with a few smouldering logs, over which was suspended an iron pot, occupied nearly the whole of one side of the room; and, by the side of the hearth, with her back toward me, sat an old dame, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, gazing, half-asleep, at the almost extinct fire. on my entrance, she rose wearily to her feet, and looked round in feeble surprise, but without any sign of perturbation at seeing a stranger before her. "have i the honour to address madame leferrier?" i inquired, with as polite a bow as the heavy fish-basket on my back permitted me to make. "i am dame leferrier," she replied. "who are you, young man? as far as my dim eyes will allow me to judge, i have never seen you before." "you are quite right, madame," said i. "i am a perfect stranger to you. this note, however, from your son jean will tell you who i am." "a note from jean!" she exclaimed. "what is the meaning of it? why is he not here, himself?" "i am sorry to inform you that a slight misfortune has befallen him," i replied. "he and his comrade pierre are at present prisoners in the hands of the english; but they will no doubt soon find the means to escape, as i have just done." "prisoners!" she exclaimed. "_mon dieu_! what will become of them? and what," she added, "will become of _me_, now that i have lost the support which they only would give me?" "be not distressed, madame," i replied, "either on their account or your own. they will be treated with the utmost kindness, prisoners though they are; and, for yourself, i shall need a home until i can get out of bastia and return to my own; and if you will give me shelter, i am both able and willing to pay you well for it." i still held the note in my hand, and as i ceased speaking i offered it her again. "read it out to me, monsieur, if you please," said she. "my sight is but poor at the best of times; and is certainly not equal to reading poor jean's letter by this light." i accordingly read the letter over to her, and when i had finished, she remarked,-- "poor boys! poor boys! prisoners! well, well, it cannot be helped. we must be patient, and trust to the mercy of _le bon dieu_. and now, monsieur, as to yourself. you are doubtless hungry and tired. here is the supper which i had prepared for my two; alas! they are not here to eat it; but draw up, monsieur; put the basket in the corner there, and draw up to the table. you are heartily welcome to such as a poor widow has to give; and when you have satisfied your hunger i will show you to your bed. it was my boy's--my poor jean's--ah! will he ever sleep on it again?" i drew up to the table, in accordance with the poor old soul's invitation; and while partaking of what turned out to be a very savoury meal, did my best to cheer her up with the hope of speedily seeing her jean once more. my meal concluded, she conducted me up a rickety, worm-eaten staircase, to a small room above that which we had just left; and indicating one of the two beds therein as the one belonging to her jean, and the one, therefore, which i was to occupy, bade me good-night and retired. i must admit that, now i had fairly embarked upon my adventure, i found there were certain physical discomforts incidental to it, which were by no means to my taste. thus, the disguise upon which my safety to a great extent depended, consisted of clothing the reverse of clean, and though it was certainly odoriferous enough, the perfume was by no means that of "araby the blest." then there was my lodging. it was moderately clean, perhaps, compared with the condition of a few of the places in the immediate neighbourhood; but ideas of cleanliness, like ideas upon many other matters, vary, and this place, though doubtless considered scrupulously clean by the rightful occupants, was sufficiently the reverse to make me really uncomfortable; and for a short time i abandoned myself to reflections the reverse of self- complimentary with regard to the impulse which had led me into such a situation. but the fact remained that i was there; and common-sense suggested the desirability of making the best of the situation; i accordingly arranged matters as comfortably as i could, and flinging myself upon the coarse pallet was soon wrapped in a dreamless slumber. my first business in the morning was to find out and report myself to the _maire_. i had given a great deal of consideration to this matter while rowing ashore on the previous night, weighing carefully the arguments for and against such a course; and had finally arrived at the conclusion that, though such a proceeding would undoubtedly be fraught with great danger, yet it would in reality be the safest thing to do. the great thing to avoid was the exciting of suspicion; and the surest means of achieving this seemed to me to be, not the actual _courting_ of observation, certainly, but the careful avoidance of anything which seemed like shunning it. accordingly, after an early breakfast, during the discussion of which i easily extracted from my unsuspicious hostess all the information necessary to enable me to find my way to the various points i deemed it most important to visit, i shouldered my basket of fish, and set out on my way to the residence of monsieur le maire. as i slouched heavily and leisurely along the streets, affecting as nearly as i could the clumsy gait of a common seaman on _terra firma_, i glanced carefully about me to note such signs as might make themselves visible of the state of things within the town. it was not however until i reached the more respectable business quarter of the town that i was able to detect much. then i observed tickets in the windows and on the stalls, announcing the various articles for sale--and especially provisions--at _only_--such a price--and exorbitantly high these prices were, too. i soon had reason to see that my resolution to report myself was a wise one; for i had not proceeded far on my way before i found myself the subject of sundry suspicious glances, and shortly afterwards a corporal of infantry hurried up behind, and, laying his hand upon my shoulder, exclaimed,-- "halt, friend, and give me your name and place of residence, if you please. you are a fisherman, apparently, yet two of your own people have just pointed you out to me as certainly a stranger." "i _am_ a stranger, comrade," i replied composedly. "i only arrived in bastia late last night, after effecting my escape from the british fleet two hours previously. two of the fishermen belonging to this place-- jean leferrier and pierre cousin by name--venturing too far off shore last night, were pounced upon and made prisoners by a boat belonging to the fleet. they were placed in irons, and confined between the same two guns as myself, and learning that i intended trying to escape, they directed me how to find my way on shore, and how to behave when here; giving me also a note to convey to madame leferrier. i am now on my way to the house of monsieur le maire to report myself." "good!" exclaimed my unwelcome companion; "i will accompany you there, and show you the house, since you are a stranger." i did not, of course, dare to manifest any objection to such a proposal, or i should instantly have been made a prisoner, if indeed i might not consider myself in reality one already. i accordingly acquiesced in the most cheerful manner i could assume; and we trudged on together, i describing, in response to the corporal's questioning, the details of my assumed escape. just as i had finished my recital, we arrived at the corner of a street, and my companion stopped. "this," said he, "is the street in which monsieur le maire resides. but before we go further, may i ask, comrade, what you are going to do with those fish in your basket?" casting at the same time a hungry glance over my shoulder. "well," said i, "they really belong to poor jean leferrier and his mate; and i intended asking monsieur le maire to accept one or two of the finest of them, after which i should sell the remainder, and hand over the proceeds to jean's mother, who i find depended entirely upon her son for house, food, and clothing. but i suppose one or two more or less will not make much difference to the good dame, especially,"--a bright idea striking me--"as i intend going out to-night and trying my luck; so if you would like a bit of fish for dinner and will accept one or two, make your choice, comrade; you have been very kind in guiding me thus far, and i am sure you are heartily welcome." i was about to unsling the basket from my shoulders, as i spoke, but he hastily stopped me. "you are a good fellow, _mon ami_," said he, "and i accept your offer. but not here--it would never do for me to be seen here in public accepting such a present; it would be sure to get to our general's ears, and i should be simply flogged for my presumption. why, if you had not told me yourself that you are a stranger, i should have known it at once, from your ignorance of the value of the contents of your basket. why, we are closely besieged, _mon cher_; provisions are growing scarce, and your fish are worth--well--almost their weight in silver. _come_ this way; never mind monsieur le maire, he would only send you on to the general's quarters to report yourself there; so you may as well save your intended present to him--or, better still, hand it to the general's cook, and that will insure you from all further trouble in the future, especially if you happen to make a point of leaving a little bit of fish at the general's whenever you happen to be passing that way. ah! here we are at the barracks!" we turned in, as he spoke, through a pair of large, high folding gates of wood, thickly studded along the top with sharp iron spikes, and i found myself in the barrack square, a large open space, surrounded on three sides by buildings, and on the fourth--that side which abutted on the street--by a wall about twenty feet high. the edifice, which occupied the whole of that side of the square facing the street, was an extremely ancient structure, and had evidently been at one time a castle of considerable strength. the walls were constructed entirely of masonry, apparently of great solidity; but the age of the building, and the ravages of time were plainly indicated by the stained and weather-beaten appearance of the stone-work, as well as by the way in which the exterior surface of the masonry had crumbled away, leaving the once smooth face rough and jagged, with frequent indentations, where stones had become loosened in their setting and finally dislodged altogether. the chief entrance to the building was through a high and wide semicircular archway, of considerable depth, adorned with crumbling pillars and half-obliterated mouldings, flanked on each side by solid and bold projecting buttresses. the lower storey of the building was lighted by good-sized windows of modern construction, which had evidently been pierced in the walls at no very distant date; but above this the original narrow slits in the masonry which did duty as windows still remained. a short flagstaff, from which, the tricolour fluttered in the morning breeze, surmounted the central portion of the building, which, from its superior height and apparent strength, i judged must have originally been the keep. the two adjacent sides of the square were occupied by plain brick buildings, three storeys high, which evidently constituted the men's quarters. my companion conducted me across the square to the great centre door already mentioned, and, on our safely reaching the shelter of its deep recess, bade me place my basket on the ground. i did so; whereupon-- first glancing round to see whether there were any curious eyes turned in our direction, and apparently satisfied that there were not--he stooped down, and planting himself well in front of my basket, hastily selected a couple of moderate-sized fish, which he thrust up inside his tunic. this done, he seized a wooden handle which hung at the extremity of a rusty chain issuing from a small aperture in the wall, and tugged smartly at it. the result was a clanging from a large bell, imperfectly heard in the remote distance of the interior. a minute or so elapsed; and then a wicket, cut in the woodwork of the door, opened; and an individual in plain clothes, apparently an officer's orderly, became visible inside. "can monsieur lemaitre be seen?" inquired my companion. "doubtless," replied the individual to whom the question was put. "come in, jacques. what do you want with him?" "that i will tell him myself, comrade, when i see him," responded jacques, passing through the wicket and beckoning me to follow; which of course i did. "as you please, _mon ami_," replied the other; and without further parley he departed to apprise that important personage, the general's cook, that he was wanted. in the interval i employed myself in looking round me. i found myself in a sort of entrance-hall of considerable size. the wall opposite the door contained a huge fireplace, sunk in the thickness of the masonry. the side walls were pierced, on my right and left, with semicircular archways, deeply moulded, and closed with strong wooden doors; and on the left, a massive and elaborately carved stone staircase, of much more modern date than the building itself, led upward to a stone gallery which ran all round the wall, with doors communicating with the apartments above. the hall ceiling, two storeys above the pavement, was of stone, groined; the ribs of the groins boldly moulded, and massively keyed in the centre with a stone of considerable size, boldly carved with the representation of a dragon or griffin coiled into a circle. over the great fireplace hung a trophy of rusty and dinted armour, surmounted by another trophy of faded and dusty silken banners; and two other flag trophies adorned the side walls. by the time that i had completed my survey, a sound of shuffling footsteps was heard; and immediately afterwards there emerged from a passage underneath the staircase, a short, stout good-tempered-looking personage, dressed in a blouse and military trousers, with a cook's cap on his head, and a long white apron in front, reaching from his neck almost to his feet. he held a huge meat-knife in one hand, and a basting-ladle in the other. as he approached, my friend jacques hastily informed me in a whisper that this was monsieur lemaitre. in answer to this individual's inquiries, the corporal related the story of my pretended escape from the enemy, hinting also my desire to report myself to the general; and winding up with a description of my anxiety to procure monsieur lemaitre's acceptance, on behalf of the general, of the pick of my basket. i began dimly to see that the general--whoever he was--was a much- dreaded individual; and that this present of fish, suggested by my friend the corporal, was intended by him, in all kindness, as a bribe, whereby i might obtain as favourable an introduction as possible to the presence of the great man. monsieur lemaitre stooped down and, with much deliberation, turned over the various fish which i had brought, finally selecting a quantity of the choicest, amounting to about half my stock, which he laid upon the stone pavement of the hall. this done, he, in a very gracious and patronising manner, assured me i might count upon his best services to obtain for me an early interview with his master, and retired; promising to send some one forthwith to remove the fish he had selected. the moment he was out of sight, my friend the corporal turned to me, and congratulated me warmly upon the favourable reception which had been accorded me by the great man's great man; congratulating himself, at the same time, upon the opportunity which had been afforded him of rendering a service of some little importance to a stranger. as he spoke thus, he cast such an expressive glance into my fish-basket, that there was no possibility of my misunderstanding him. accordingly, when he immediately added that, as he could now be of no further service to me, he would take his departure, i uttered a few words of thanks for his kindness; and expressed a hope that he would oblige me by making a further selection of fish, as a slight token of my gratitude. "well, comrade," said he, "since you are so anxious about the matter, i will; and i do it all the more readily since--between you and me--you will find these fellows about here such sharks that you will have to part with every fish in your basket before you will get an opportunity of reporting yourself. for my part, i detest such greediness; nothing is more abhorrent to a sensitive soul like mine; i consider that it ought to be baulked and discouraged in every way; and in order to aid in so good a work as far as possible i will just take this--and this--and these three--under my own care. and now--good-bye, comrade--nay, no thanks; you are heartily welcome; and i wish you a pleasant interview with the general." saying which he hastily retired through the wicket; just as a sound of footsteps along the passage under the staircase announced the approach of monsieur lemaitre's assistants. chapter twenty. how the adventure terminated. the new-comers proved to be a couple of the kitchen servants. they were provided with a basket, in which they removed the fish selected by monsieur lemaitre, taking them up and conveying them away without vouchsafing to favour me with so much as a single word. the time passed on without any one else appearing; a silence, as if of the grave, prevailed in the building; and had it not been for the bugle- calls in the adjacent barrack-yard, the shouts of command and the measured tramp of the men at drill, together with the loud and frequent boom of artillery from the walls, and the fainter echo of our own ordnance in the distance, i might have supposed myself to be in a deserted city. at length the tramp of horses became audible outside; the sound increased rapidly; and in another minute i became aware that a cavalcade of some sort had approached the great door of the building; then there came the sound of champing of bits, the clatter of accoutrements, the jingle of spurs, and loud voices talking and laughing. finally the heavy latch of the door was turned, one leaf swung heavily back upon its well-oiled hinges, and a group of some fourteen officers entered the hall; among whom was one who i had no doubt was the general. the majority of the officers merely glanced carelessly at me and passed on; one of them, however, apparently a lieutenant, stopped and asked me what i wanted. i replied by telling him shortly the story i had arranged; adding that i had been advised to come up and report myself to the general. when i had finished he ordered me to follow him; and we made sail in the wake of the others; passing through a door at the far end of the hall, which led, not, as i had supposed, to a room, but to a long passage terminating in a yard, in one side of which was an archway leading through the building into the barrack-yard, and on the opposite side a group of one-storey buildings, the first of which appeared to be a sort of guard-room. entering this room, in which were some twenty men, who rose and saluted my conductor as we passed, we continued on through it into another and very large room, the tables in which were strewed with plans and drawings. here we found a great many of the officers who had preceded us, engaged in unbuckling their swords, etcetera, preparatory, as it seemed to me, to sitting down to work upon some of the drawings which lay scattered about. crossing this room also, followed by curious glances from many of its occupants, we paused before a door, at which my guide tapped. "_entrez_," exclaimed a voice from the inside. the lieutenant turned the handle, threw open the door, and passed into the other apartment, signing to me to follow. i did so, and found myself in a small but very comfortably furnished room, containing a press full of papers, a case of books, half a dozen chairs, and a large writing-table, at which the individual whom i had rightly taken to be the general was just seating himself. he was a man apparently between fifty and sixty years of age, a trifle above medium height, thin and spare of body, with a bronzed complexion, and grey hair and moustache, both cut quite short. his eyes were dark and piercing; the expression of his features severe and cruel; and his beauty--if he ever had any--was completely destroyed by a great ghastly scar which reached from the outer corner of his right eyebrow to his chin, splitting both the upper and under lip in its course. "well, saint croix; what now?" exclaimed he sharply, as we entered. "i have taken the liberty of introducing this man to you at once, sir," said my guide. "he informs me that he is an escaped prisoner from the english fleet; and that in accordance with advice received, he wishes, as a stranger in the town, to report himself to you and to be duly registered." "call montrouge here." the lieutenant retired into the adjoining room, and presently reappeared, accompanied by another officer; the general, meanwhile, taking no notice whatever of me, but busying himself in searching among a large bundle of papers which lay on the table. on the entrance of the two officers, their surly senior looked fiercely at the new-comer, and pointing to the opposite side of the table said,-- "sit down there; take paper; and note down what this fellow has to say for himself." then turning angrily to me, he ordered me to proceed. i told my story; stopping at intervals, when desired, in order that the officer who was taking it down might properly follow me. when i had finished, the officer called montrouge was ordered to read over to me what he had written; and at the close i was asked by the general if that was a correct transcription of my story. i replied that it was. i was then ordered to give all the information i possessed with regard to the fleet; its strength; number and calibre of guns; and so on. to this i replied that having been confined during the whole of my captivity between two guns, on the lower-deck, i had had no means of gaining any information whatever, either upon the points mentioned, or indeed any others. my statement was received with a look of incredulity and a dissatisfied grunt. "what think you, gentlemen," exclaimed the old martinet, "does this young man's story strike you as being truthful?" "it sounds plausible enough," replied the officer called montrouge. "i see no reason to doubt it." "what is your opinion, saint croix?" "i believe it to be the truth," replied the individual addressed. "good! we differ slightly in opinion, that is all, gentlemen," remarked the general. "for my own part, i am convinced that this story,"-- striking disdainfully the written statement, which he held in his hand--"is a simple tissue of falsehood. luckily, we possess the means of putting the matter to the test. send for guiseppe the corsican." guiseppe the corsican! the man who had sold me into the hands of the enemy once already, and who, i had every reason to believe, had betrayed count lorenzo di paoli also. if this man and i were brought face to face, i was hopelessly lost. at that moment, and not until then, did i feel what a shameful and despicable course of conduct i had entered upon. i had not only assumed voluntarily the _role_ of a spy; but i had sought to shelter myself beneath a cloak of falsehood; and now, out of my own mouth was i to be judged--and surely condemned. i felt thoroughly crestfallen and humiliated; not so much at my certain detection as a spy, but at having placed myself in a position where deliberate falsehood had become an absolute necessity to my safety, which after all it had not only failed to assure, but had hopelessly compromised. a long and--to me--most painful pause ensued, neither of the officers questioning me further. had they done so, i feel certain i should have thrown off the mask and avowed myself to be that hateful thing, a disguised and secret enemy. at length a tap came to the door; and lieutenant saint croix, who had gone out in search of guiseppe, returned, bringing the man with him. a single glance was sufficient to satisfy me that my former enemy once more stood before me. he approached the table, and, saluting the general, stood waiting, as it seemed to me, with some trepidation, to learn why he had been summoned to the dreaded presence of the chief. "attention, sir!" exclaimed the general harshly. "do you recollect the circumstances connected with the theft of captain leroux's yacht, `mouette,' from ajaccio?" "perfectly, sig-- i mean, monsieur," he replied. "did you happen to know the lad who was taken away in her?" "francois? yes, i knew him," he replied. "is he at all like this fisherman?" asked the general. the fellow turned his gaze on me with an expression of stolid indifference. regarding me steadfastly for a full minute, i saw his eyes brighten and gleam with an expression of fiendish malice; he approached me so closely that his hot breath fell full upon my cheek, his eyes glaring into mine like those of a tiger when he scents blood; then, turning to the general, he replied,-- "no, _monsieur le general_. this is the young naval officer who conveyed the despatches to count lorenzo di paoli, and who, it is believed, stole the `mouette' on the night when the count's chateau was attacked; afterwards leading the `vigilant' into an ambush whereby she was captured." "are you certain?" inquired the general. "quite certain," replied the corsican. "it was i who watched him land from the frigate, and afterwards discovered his lurking-place in the woodman's hut. and i also saw him frequently, after his escape from the troops, in the chateau of count lorenzo." "that is sufficient," replied the general. then, turning to me, he remarked sarcastically,-- "if you have anything to say in refutation of this man's statement, say it. but no, i see you have not. it is well, sir. you have chosen to enter this town in disguise and with a false story; the inference is plain. you are a spy; and as such you will be shot at daybreak to- morrow morning." "take him away," he continued, turning to lieutenant saint croix; "confine him securely in the tower; and you, guiseppe, take charge of him; i can spare none of my own men to play the part of gaoler. and remember, i shall hold you responsible for his safety!" "i will answer for it with my own life," exultingly exclaimed the scoundrel, as he roughly seized me by the collar and led me away. as we passed through the guard-room, lieutenant saint croix summoned a file of soldiers, who promptly placed themselves one on each side of me; and in this humiliating manner i was conducted to the prison from which, in a few short hours, i was to go to my grave. on leaving the guard-room, we crossed the small open court, and passed under the archway into the passage which led through to the barrack- yard. midway through the passage we came to a halt before a low door of solid oak, which was opened with the aid of a ponderous key, when a steep narrow stairway of stone lay before us. it wound upwards, corkscrew fashion, in the thickness of the wall, and, ascending it, we eventually reached a stone landing or short passage, very dimly lighted by two narrow unglazed windows, one at each end. there were two doors on each side of this passage, one of which the young officer unlocked and flung open, motioning me to enter. i did so, seeing that i had no choice in the matter; the door slammed heavily to, the massive bolts grated harshly back into their places, and i was alone. it was so dark that, until my eyes became accustomed to the gloom, i could see nothing except a narrow opening in the wall, far above my head, which admitted all the light and air the architect had considered necessary for the miserable occupants of the dungeon. i shut my eyes, and clasped my hands tightly over them, keeping them so for about five minutes; and when i opened them again, i was able to see with tolerable distinctness. i then found that i had been thrust into a chamber about ten feet square and as many feet high, the walls of which were of massive masonry. a stone bench ran along one side of the wall, and that was all; furniture of any kind there was absolutely none. the aperture in the wall, which i have already mentioned, was close up under the stone ceiling of the cell, and measured about two feet long and six inches wide. _so_ thick was the wall in which this was pierced, that standing back against the opposite wall i was unable to see the sky out through it. i felt all round the walls of my prison. they were perfectly smooth, and slimy with the accumulated damp of centuries. i then examined the door. it was of oak or some other hard wood, and evidently very thick, from the dead sound which my knuckles made when i rapped upon it. it was quite useless, then, to think of escape. so strong, indeed, was the place, that they had not thought it worth while to search me, being no doubt convinced that it would be impossible for me to break out with any tools or weapons i might happen to have in my possession. i had a stout knife in my pocket; but five minutes' work with it on the door satisfied me that it would be a labour of days, instead of the few hours which remained to me, to carve my way out with such an instrument. nothing then remained but to devote those few remaining hours to the work of preparation for my inevitable fate. i flung myself down upon the rough stone bench, and let my thoughts wander far away to my dear old hampshire home, and to the loved ones there whose hearts the vague tidings of my uncertain fate would go far to break. they would of course hear, through captain hood, of the mad venture upon which i had embarked; and would doubtless also be furnished with full details of my doings up to the moment when i disappeared from bob's lingering gaze into the darkness of the murky night. and from that moment all further trace of me would be lost, unless indeed bastia should eventually fall into the hands of the british; and even then it was improbable that, in the general bustle and excitement, anyone would remember to make inquiries about me. and so the years would drag slowly on; and while my body lay mouldering in an obscure and unmarked grave, those loved ones would be hoping against hope for tidings of me, until, under the long-continued and cruel strain, their hearts would slowly but surely break. the subject was of too painful a character to be longer dwelt upon; and i turned from it to seek in my hour of need the support and consolation of religion. i recalled to mind some of those sublime passages, so lavishly scattered through the pages of the "book of books," each solemn word breathing comfort, hope, and promise; but the words chased each other idly through my throbbing brain, which refused to grasp their meaning; turning aside instead to interest itself in all manner of idle fancies. then i strove to quell the tumult of my mind by earnest prayer; but it was of no use; words came readily enough to my dry and fevered lips; but they were words only, not aspirations of the soul. and so at length i had to abandon my useless efforts and allow my thoughts to be dragged away a helpless prey to every mad fancy born of my whirling brain. and all the while i was conscious that the sands in the hour-glass of my life were fast running out, and that the precious moments which were passing so swiftly away bore with them the possibilities of an eternity of bliss or an eternity of woe for me beyond the great boundary line which i was so soon to cross. and thus the hours sped swiftly on, until a thin shaft of golden light streamed in through the narrow opening above my head, and, striking on the opposite wall, gleamed there for a few minutes in radiant and dazzling beauty, passing obliquely upward the while until it grew narrower and more narrow, dwindled down to the thinness of a thread, and finally vanished. i had witnessed the last gleam of earthly sunlight i was ever to see. darkness now rapidly gathered round me; and in a short time it was impossible for me to distinguish anything but the faint outline of the loophole in the wall above me. as night descended upon the earth, a soft and gentle breeze sprang up, which, entering through the loophole, cooled my fevered blood and permitted me so far to regain control of myself that i once more became cognisant of outward sounds, of which i seemed to have lost all consciousness from the moment i had been thrust into that horrible dungeon. there was the roar of the artillery, the fainter boom of our own guns, the occasional rattle of vehicles along the street, the rumble of heavy ammunition waggons, the frequent clatter of horses' feet; and, now and then, the sound of a human voice. gradually most of these sounds lulled, and became more infrequent, until finally they died away altogether; and long intervals of perfect silence ensued, broken only by the occasional crashing discharge of a single gun. and so i knew that night had fallen upon the earth without as well as upon the unhappy prisoner within. after the lapse of some hours, as it seemed to me, i became conscious of a faint sound outside my prison-door; a key rattled in the lock, the bolts jarred back; the door was flung open; a stream of light flooded the cell, blinding me for the moment; and when my eyesight returned guiseppe the corsican was standing in the chamber, in the act of closing the door carefully behind him. placing upon the floor the small hand-lamp which he carried, he flung himself carelessly down on the stone bench; and, with an evil smile hovering about his lips, began to jeer at my unfortunate situation. "well, signor englishman," he commenced, "how like you your new lodging? it is scarcely so large, and i fear it is not as elegantly furnished, as francesca paoli's silken chamber, is it? but never mind, my friend; your stay here is but short; and i daresay you can contrive to put up with a little temporary inconvenience in the meantime, can you not?" "are you here to make sport of my misfortunes?" i asked. "certainly," he replied; "what other purpose do you suppose i could have in visiting you here in the dead of night? perhaps you thought i had come to set you free and help you to rejoin your accursed countrymen? no! i hate you all--you englishmen--and _you_ especially; and i could not deny myself the pleasure of looking in upon you to see how you face the approach of a disgraceful death. i am rejoiced to see how pale and haggard you look. it has told upon you, as it must necessarily tell upon all cowards. let me note carefully how you look, now; so that i may compare it with your appearance a few hours hence, when you face the muskets of your executioners. pah! why you are quailing already, you white-livered poltroon; what will it be in the morning?" i had resolved the moment i perceived the villain's object, that nothing he might say or do should wring any outward manifestation from me. but as he went on, the apathy which had before possessed me gave way under the influence of his taunts; my indignation was gradually aroused until my blood boiled; and now, rising suddenly, i sprang upon him with the bound of a tiger, clutching his sinewy neck with both hands and pressing my thumbs with all my strength into his throat. the ruffian was so completely taken by surprise by the suddenness and violence of this unexpected attack that he went down unresistingly before me, the back of his head striking violently upon the hard stone bench upon which he had been seated. i was now fully roused; i felt possessed of the strength and fury of a demon; and, still retaining my vice-like grasp upon his throat, i raised his head again and again and again, only to dash it with intensified violence against the stones each time. the miserable wretch grasped at the knife in his belt and drew it out; but before he had time to use it i had dashed his head yet once more against the stones, with such superhuman strength and violence that a dull crushing sound accompanied the blow, the man uttered a deep groan, and the knife fell clinking on the floor from his nerveless hand. relaxing my grasp upon his throat, i raised the lamp and allowed its rays to fall upon my victim's face. it was of a livid purple hue. the tongue, hanging out of the mouth, was bitten nearly through; his whiskers were wet with blood, which oozed in two thin streams from his throat where i had grasped it; and a slowly widening pool of blood was steadily spreading over the bench beneath his head. the first thought which presented itself was, "is he dead, or merely stunned?" the next--which flashed into my brain with the rapidity of lightning--was, that there lay my gaoler, the man who stood between me and liberty, helpless before me; and the chance of escape was once more in my hands. i rolled the senseless body off the bench on to the floor. it fell, and lay there motionless; the muscles all relaxed, and the same livid hue upon the face. hastily unrolling the crimson sash which encircled his waist, i cut it into convenient lengths; and, rolling the body over face downwards, quickly and with all the dexterity of a seaman secured the arms together at the wrists, and the feet at the ankles; after which i lashed the heels and hands close together, rolled the body back as far as it would come, and thrust into the mouth, as a gag, the long haft of his murderous sheath-knife, securing it in position by means of the handkerchief which he wore round his throat. i next possessed myself of the keys, of which there were two; one, of course, for the cell-door, and the other, doubtless, for the door at the foot of the stairs. i had no difficulty in fitting the right key to the cell-door; and as soon as i had done so i blew out the lamp, and placed it outside the cell, closed and locked the door, and, removing my boots, stealthily crept down the winding staircase. the door at the bottom was open; and as it folded inwards i noiselessly adjusted the key in the lock before venturing outside. i then stepped through the doorway; drew the door quietly to, and, with the utmost precaution, turned the key in the lock, managing to do so with very little noise. as i removed the key, and stood back in the recess to deliberate upon my next steps, i became conscious of the sound of running water; and looking along the passage into the barrack-yard, and the courtyard at the back of the tower, i saw, by the faint light of one or two lamps, that the ground was flooded, and that it was raining heavily. so much the better; there would be fewer people about, and my chances of escape would thereby be all the greater. the first question was, how to get beyond the boundaries of the barracks. the front or barrack-yard was bounded on three sides by lofty buildings and on the fourth by a high wall, with gates in it, it is true, but gates which would be closed and locked at that hour of the night. the difficulties of escape by way of the front were great, and might very possibly prove insurmountable; i therefore determined to make my first attempt at the back. keeping close within the deepest part of the shadow, i moved cautiously in the direction of the guard-room; and had just gained the courtyard when i heard footsteps entering the passage behind me. i darted out from under the archway, and hastily concealed myself behind one of the massive buttresses which supported the back wall of the building. peering cautiously out from my hiding-place, i saw the individual, whoever he was, emerge from the archway, cross the yard, and enter the guard-room. still crouching close behind the buttress, i looked carefully round to note the possibilities of escape which presented themselves in the rear of the tower. the yard, like the one in front, was enclosed by a wall, but it was only about twelve feet high. on the other side of this wall, looming indistinctly up against the murky sky, were some trees, one or two of which appeared to be near enough to enable me to spring into their branches, could i but reach the top of the wall. at first i could see no way of doing this. but a little closer scrutiny, and the exercise of a little consideration, at length suggested a means of escape. a sort of wing, projecting out from the main building of the old castle, formed one boundary of the courtyard, and joined the wall, the top of which i desired to reach; and i suddenly remembered the rough, uneven, and time-worn appearance of the masonry of this building which had attracted my attention in the morning. i thought that perhaps the masonry might be rough and uneven enough to permit of my climbing the face of it; and, as it seemed to be the only road of escape, i resolved to try it. i accordingly made my way to the point which i had resolved to attack, and set about the attempt. but i was unable to manage it. i found i required something more than the slight hold i was able to obtain with my hands, while working my way upward with my feet; and after a trial which must have lasted quite an hour i found myself just where i had started; namely, on the pavement of the courtyard. trembling with my violent exertions, and weak from my long fast (i had neither eaten nor drank since breakfast the previous morning), i was almost on the point of despairing, when a bright idea occurred to me. i would attempt my climb at the point where the wing jutted out from the main wall of the building, the two walls forming an angle. a stream of water was pouring down the wall from somewhere off the roof; and i took a hearty draught from this, which greatly refreshed me. i then renewed my attempt; and found to my great satisfaction that, though the labour was still severe, i was able to make slow but steady progress by bracing myself into the angle between the two walls with my arms and knees. in this way i gradually worked my way up the wall, until i arrived at a point where a bold moulding--called, i believe, a string-course--ran horizontally along the wall. i continued my climb until my feet rested upon this moulding, which constituted quite a firm foot-hold compared with what i had hitherto been able to obtain. i was now about five-and-twenty feet from the ground; and had it been light i should have been able to see over the wall; but as it was i could distinguish nothing but the indistinct masses of the trees, and, among them, a few greyish objects which looked to me like tomb-stones. the next thing was to pass along the face of the wing-wall to the point where it joined the boundary-wall of the courtyard; and the sooner this journey was accomplished the better; for the muscles of my hands were beginning to feel cramped and nerveless from the extraordinary strain which had been put upon them. i accordingly set out on my dangerous way; and, with the aid of the string-course, got on better than i expected; but my strength was going so rapidly that, by the time i had accomplished about a quarter of the distance, it was all i could do to support myself. i had no choice, however, but still to push on; and i persevered a short time longer; when, just as i felt that i was incapable of further effort, when my nerveless fingers were actually relaxing their hold upon the slight irregularities in the surface of the wall, and i felt that i must go helplessly crashing down again to the ground, i distinguished, within a yard of me, on my right, a dark cavity in the face of the wall; and the remembrance at once flashed upon me that i had noticed when crossing the yard in the morning, without paying any attention to it at the moment, a large window in this part of the wall. one more feeble but despairing effort enabled me to reach the opening; and with a frame quivering with exhaustion, and an incoherent thanksgiving upon my lips, i flung my body forward, and lay, breathless and half-fainting, partly in and partly out of the unglazed window. after recovering myself a little, i raised myself into a somewhat more secure and comfortable position, and took a good look round me. it was still as dark as ever--a circumstance at which i greatly rejoiced, since it would still take a considerable amount of time to make good my escape--but my eyes had by this time become so accustomed to the darkness that i was able to discern with some degree of clearness such objects as happened to be in my immediate vicinity; and the first thing i noticed was that there was another window at no great distance from me, but it was pierced in the _end_ wall of the building, and consequently overlooked the piece of ground which i took to be a cemetery. the next thing which attracted my attention was a sort of ledge about a foot wide on the inner side of the wall, which had apparently, at some time or other in the history of the building, supported a floor. this ledge seemed to offer an easy and safe approach to the other window; and i at once scrambled in through the opening wherein i was perched, and, lowering myself cautiously down on the inside, soon had the satisfaction of finding my feet firmly planted on the ledge. somewhat restored in strength, and my nerves steadied by my short rest, i set forward once more; and at length, without much difficulty, gained the other window. peering anxiously out through it, to see what facilities might exist for enabling me to effect a descent, i was overjoyed to find that the time- worn wall was covered with a thick growth of ivy. a descent by means of this was, after my perilous climb and passage along the face of the wall, a mere trifle; and in a couple of minutes more i was standing, safe and sound, in the burial-ground, and _outside_ the boundaries of my prison. i wasted no time in looking about me; but rapidly crossing the enclosure, and stumbling over the graves as i went, i soon reached a high railing, which was easily surmounted, when i found myself in a dark and lonely road, bounded on one side by a wall and on the other by a steep descent thickly planted with trees. pausing here for a moment, i rapidly recalled to mind the route by which i had arrived at the barracks on the previous day, and was by this means enabled to decide upon the direction which i ought to take in order to reach the harbour. this point settled, i stepped quickly out; and after two or three turns and windings, found myself in a street which i remembered passing through before. the rain was still pouring down in torrents, and not a soul was to be seen in any direction, nor a sound heard; and if any one had seen me flitting noiselessly along the silent and deserted street, i should assuredly have been taken for a washed-out ghost, for i had left my boots behind, and my feet gave only a faint, scarcely audible, pit-pat on the flooded causeway. half an hour of sharp walking brought me down to the harbour; and i at once proceeded to the slipway where i had moored the boat on the previous night. the previous night? ay; it was only some twenty-four hours since i had entered bastia; but it seemed as though i had been there at least a month. the boat was still there, with several others; and as my own safety was just then of more importance to me than any one else's convenience, i did not hesitate, on finding a much smaller and lighter boat among them, to help myself to her. casting the little craft adrift, i shipped the oars and paddled leisurely down the harbour until i approached the pierheads, when, noiselessly laying in my oars, i shipped one of them in the notch at the stern; and, sheering close in under the walls of the pier from which i had been hailed on the previous night, i sculled gently out to the open sea. i almost held my breath until i had gone far enough to lose sight of the pier altogether in the darkness, when i once more shipped my oars and pulled steadily out toward a line of twinkling lights which indicated the position of the fleet. the dawn was just breaking, grey, cheerless, and chill, as i reached the cutter and stepped in on deck over her low bulwarks, wet to the skin, nerveless from exhaustion and hunger, and with my feet, elbows, and knees lacerated and bleeding from my battle with the rough stone walls of my prison. chapter twenty one. le narcisse. my first act on regaining the cutter was to rouse bob and the boy who officiated as cook on board the "mouette;" with the object of obtaining from the former any news he might have to impart, and from the latter as substantial a breakfast as the resources of the cutter would permit. i listened to bob's story while engaged upon the highly necessary operation of cleansing my person and encasing it once more in "the uniform proper to my rank." bobby had very little to tell me; and that little was by no means reassuring. it appeared that a despatch-boat had arrived from malta on the previous day bringing letters for the fleet; and, among the rest, there had been a couple of epistles for me. bob had gone on board the "juno" for whatever letters there might be for the cutter's crew, and had been ordered by the skipper to request my presence on board. thereupon master bob had presented my note informing the skipper of my proposed expedition. instead of expressing his gratification at my zeal, as bobby had fully expected he would, it appeared that the skipper had exhibited a very considerable amount of irritation; finally ordering friend robert somewhat peremptorily back to the cutter, with instructions to send me without fail on board the "juno" immediately on my return, _if_ (which the skipper seemed to consider highly improbable) i ever succeeded in returning at all. by the time that summers had brought his story to a close i was ready for the breakfast which meantime had been preparing; and as it was still much too early to present myself before captain hood (who seldom appeared before eight bells) i sat down to the meal, with--it must be confessed--a somewhat diminished appetite; hastily skimming through my letters as i munched away at the weevily biscuits. there were two; one from my dear old dad, and one from sir peregrine. there was nothing of very special interest in either; my father's epistle dealing chiefly with a few items of home gossip, such as that farmer giles of the glebe had met with an accident in the hunting-field, his colt falling with him and breaking the worthy farmer's leg--doctor pronounced it a compound fracture; that the wife of lightfoot, the gamekeeper, had presented her husband with twins once more--two girls this time; mother and twins doing well; that old jane martin had been laid up all the winter with rheumatism, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera; and that finally, all at home were enjoying excellent health, and would be glad if i could find time to write to them a little more frequently. my great-uncle, sir peregrine, was not nearly so voluminous in his correspondence as my father--sailors are not as a rule very good correspondents--what he had to say was said in as few words as possible. two pages of note-paper sufficed the worthy admiral to inform me that he had been intensely gratified at the terms in which my name had been mentioned in connexion with the storming of the convention redoubt, and that he was writing per same mail to "his friend hood" (the admiral, not the captain), asking him to give me as many opportunities as he could of distinguishing myself--"or of getting knocked on the head," thought i; and that if i needed any cash my drafts upon him would be duly honoured. also, that he had not been out much during the winter, his old enemy the gout having attacked him so pertinaciously that he had been confined to the house for weeks at a time, moored "stem and stern" before the library fire, like a prison-hulk in portsmouth harbour! my letters and my breakfast were got through in about the same time; and as bob and i emerged from our tiny cabin on to the cutter's narrow deck the ship's bells were musically chiming out the eight strokes which proclaimed the end of one watch and the commencement of another. the skipper would, i knew, be stirring by this time, so i jumped into the dinghy, and proceeded on board the frigate. as i stepped in on the "juno's" deck, captain hood made his appearance at the cabin-door. touching my hat, i went up and reported myself. "good morning, mr chester," observed he affably; "i am very glad to see you have come safely out of your escapade. but what do you mean, sir," (assuming a tone of severity), "by presuming to undertake such an expedition without asking and obtaining permission? it is a manifest breach of discipline, and, as such, must be punished. i placed you in charge of the cutter as a kind of promotion, and by way of reward for your exemplary conduct generally. _now_ i shall be compelled to deprive you of your command. you will return forthwith to your duty on board the frigate, sir." "ay, ay, sir," i responded, considerably crestfallen. "i am extremely sorry to have incurred your displeasure, sir, i am sure. i _would_ have asked permission, sir, but i was afraid that, after poor mr tupper's death, it would be refused." "very well, mr chester. i have no doubt you _meant_ well, and therefore i have been lenient in the punishment which your breach of discipline demanded. you have been reprimanded on the quarter-deck, sir, and so we will say nothing more about it. only i must impress upon you the necessity of being careful to avoid a repetition of the offence. now come into the cabin and have some breakfast with me, and you can then tell us how you fared among the frenchmen. if you have not already breakfasted, mr annesley," (to the first lieutenant, who at this moment approached), "i shall be glad to have the pleasure of your company." so saying, the skipper turned on his heel, and led the way into the cabin, where we found the table well provided with a variety of good things highly provocative of appetite in a midshipman, even though he might have partaken of one breakfast already within an hour. as soon as we had seated ourselves, and were supplied from the stock of delicacies before us,-- "now," said the skipper, "overhaul your log, mr chester, and let us hear how you managed to conduct your difficult enterprise. that young scamp, summers, told me all about your gallant capture," (with just the faintest possible ironical emphasis on the word _gallant_) "of the unfortunate fishermen, so you may as well commence at the point where you left the cutter in their boat." in obedience to this command i at once proceeded with my story, giving a detailed account of everything that had happened from the time of leaving the cutter to the moment of my return. my auditors evinced the greatest interest in my narration, and were mightily tickled when i described the manner in which i had been relieved of my fish by the condescending cook and the friendly corporal. their interest increased when i described my imprisonment in and the mode of escape from my dungeon; and when i had finished they both congratulated me very heartily upon what captain hood called "the resolution and courage" which i had exhibited. "it was a remarkably narrow squeak, mr chester," remarked the skipper, "and i hope it will be a warning to you not to unnecessarily expose yourself to danger for the future. when duty calls it is of course quite another thing; and i am perfectly willing to give you credit for a desire in the present instance to perform a very important service. i have already reprimanded you for the breach of discipline which you committed in undertaking this expedition without first obtaining leave; let me now express my satisfaction with the way in which--apart from that--you have conducted yourself. you have succeeded in obtaining information which, i believe, will be of great value to the admiral, and i will endeavour so to represent your conduct to him as that he shall view it in a favourable light. now, if you have finished breakfast, you had better go on board the cutter and transfer your chest and hammock to the frigate, and by-and-by i will take you on board the flag-ship and introduce you to the admiral, when you can make your report." accepting this as a hint to be off about my business, i rose, and making my bow, left the cabin. on reaching the deck i found that the whole of the inmates of the midshipmen's berth, already apprised by the loquacious bob of my escapade, were anxiously awaiting my reappearance, to learn all particulars, including the result of my private interview with the skipper. briefly informing them, however, that i had been ordered to rejoin the frigate, and postponing all further information until a more convenient season, i hurried down over the side, and stepping into the cockleshell of a dinghy pulled on board the "mouette," where master bob received my narration with a show of sympathy which thinly veiled his exultation at being left in sole command of the cutter. somehow i did not greatly regret the change. i was beginning to tire of the cramped accommodation on board the "mouette;" and although i had been formally reprimanded for my "breach of discipline" i was acute enough to see that my conduct had, after all, made a favourable impression upon the skipper, and that i had, on the whole, risen, rather than fallen, in his estimation. hurriedly bundling my few belongings together and stowing them away in the boat, i shook hands with bob, and was soon once more on board the "juno." i had barely time to trim myself up a bit, when a message was brought me to the effect that the skipper's gig was alongside, and only waited my presence on board to shove off for the admiral's ship. the "victory" was lying at no great distance from us, and we were soon alongside. i followed the skipper up the side-ladder, and found myself in the presence of the admiral, who was taking a constitutional up and down the quarter-deck in company with sir hyde parker and vice-admiral hotham from the "britannia." captain hood immediately joined company (i remaining discreetly in the background, in accordance with previous instructions), and in the course of a minute or two the party, no doubt in consequence of a suggestion from the skipper, retired to the cabin. in about twenty minutes afterwards i was sent for. i entered the cabin with, i must confess, some slight degree of trepidation; for the admiral was a very queer sort of man in some respects, and one never knew in what light he would be likely to view such an exploit as mine. i had known of his having disrated more than one luckless mid for a far less heinous offence than so serious a breach of discipline as that of which i had been guilty; and disrating was the one thing which presented itself to me as more objectionable than anything else in the shape of punishment--except flogging; but i built my hopes upon the skipper's good offices; and the result showed that i had no grounds for fear. on entering, i was invited to take a chair which lord hood pointed out, and then, waiting until the cabin-door was shut, he rested his elbows on the table, and supporting his chin upon his hands, looked across at me and said-- "your captain informs me, young gentleman, that, understanding i was anxious to obtain information respecting the condition of the enemy in bastia, you voluntarily undertook a most hazardous journey thither, and were enabled, during your stay in the town, to make observations of considerable value. i should like to hear from your own lips a detailed narrative of the adventure." thus commanded, i once more told my story, lord hood interrupting me from time to time to jot down memoranda in his note-book. when i had concluded my narration the admiral thanked me heartily for the "very important service" which i had rendered, and i was also complimented by my audience upon "the skill and intrepidity" with which i had carried out the reconnoissance. taking these last remarks as a polite intimation that the interview was at an end, i bowed and withdrew. a few minutes afterwards the admiral's boat was ordered, and as soon as she was manned, lord hood, sir hyde parker, and the skipper got into her, and pulled away for the british lines on shore--captain hood directing me, as he passed down the side, to take his gig back to the frigate. on the following day a flag of truce was sent into the town negotiations were opened, and on the nd of may, , the garrison capitulated on very favourable terms to themselves. from this date i find nothing in my diary worthy of remark until we come to the reduction of calvi on the th of august following. i was at the time recovering from an attack of low fever, and had been off duty for some four or five weeks. on the evening of the capture i was walking slowly up and down the poop, when captain hood came up the poop-ladder and very kindly inquired after my health. i replied that i was getting rapidly stronger, and should be very glad when the doctor would allow me to return to duty. "ah! yes," said he, "i daresay you will. very irksome to be idling about the decks all day. i should think change of air would do you good." "i believe it would, sir," i replied, thinking from his manner of speaking that he had a proposal of some sort to make. "yes, no doubt about it," returned the skipper. "and you would like it? then be so kind as to find mr malcolm," (the surgeon), "and ask him to step into my cabin for a moment, if he is disengaged." certain now that there was something in the wind, i lost no time in hunting up the worthy medico and delivering the skipper's message, which i supplemented by a request upon my own account, that if any proposal were made to send me away upon another expedition, the doctor would kindly throw no difficulties in the way. to which the canny scotchman replied,-- "before makin' any sic a promise, i'll just bide a wee and speir a few particulars anent the nature o' the said expedition, laddie. if it's o' a nature to prove benefecial to your health--why then i'm no saying but what i may be induced to do what i can to forward your views; but no' itherwise." i watched him into the cabin, and then "stood off and on" outside upon the quarter-deck, awaiting his reappearance. i had not long to wait. in less than five minutes he came out upon the quarter-deck, and seeing me, beckoned me to approach. "it's a' right, laddie," said he, "just gang ben til him,"--pointing to the cabin--"and tak' your instructions. it's just the vera thing i wad hae prescribed for you had it been possible to hae had the prescription mad' up. but ye'll no gang oot o' the ship until ye hae been to me for a wee drappie pheesic ye maun tak' along wi' ye, d'ye mind?" i promised the kind-hearted old fellow i would be sure to do his bidding and then joyously entered the cabin. "sit down, mr chester," said the skipper, when i made my appearance. i took the chair which he had indicated, and he then proceeded,-- "the admiral has some important despatches to send away, which he is anxious should reach england as speedily as possible. the `vigilant' will take them hence to gibraltar, and the admiral there will be requested to despatch a frigate with them for the rest of the journey, as lord hood thinks the `vigilant' scarcely fit to cross the bay of biscay. the only question has been who to send with them, as there is still a great deal to be done before the fleet can leave the island, and there are no officers to spare. lord hood mentioned the matter to me, and i immediately thought of you. you will have nothing to do but simply navigate the craft to gibraltar, which, i learn, you are quite able to do; and it will be a pleasant change for you--beneficial, too, malcolm says. there is only one thing i feel called upon to suggest to you, and that is--_caution_. recollect that you are a despatch-boat, not a cruiser; and let _nothing_ which you can possibly avoid tempt you to delay the delivery of the despatches or endanger their safety. you are very young for such a trust, i know; but you seem to have as much tact and discretion as a good many of your seniors, and i see no reason why you should not execute the service satisfactorily. at all events i have answered for you, and i trust you will do all you can to justify my good opinion of you. you had better shift your traps over to the `vigilant' at once, and then proceed on board the admiral's ship for the despatches and your instructions, as he is anxious for you to sail at once." i thanked the skipper heartily both for the thoughtfulness and consideration which had procured for me the change of air which seemed needed for my complete recovery, and also for the confidence in me which such a commission argued; and i promised him most earnestly that the safe delivery of the despatches should be my paramount care. "that's right, mr chester," said he, as i rose to leave the cabin. "before i say good-bye, i may as well mention that i have been greatly pleased with your conduct ever since you first joined the ship. i consider you a most promising young officer; you have conducted yourself extremely well on more than one trying occasion, and i have procured this little commission for you in the hope that it will afford you still another opportunity of acquiring credit and advancing your interests. i wish you a quick and prosperous passage, and shall be glad to see your safe return. and as long as you continue to conduct yourself well, you may count upon me as a friend, willing to do all that is possible to aid you. now--good-bye! and take care of yourself." so saying, he shook hands heartily with me, and then, flinging himself back once more in his chair, he turned to a number of papers which littered his table; while i made my way out upon deck, scarcely knowing whether i stood upon my head or my heels, so overjoyed was i at the prospect of the trip. in less than an hour afterwards i was on board the "vigilant," with the despatch-box safely stowed away in the most secret hiding-place i could find, and my instructions in my breast-pocket. the night was lovely, not the faintest breath of air ruffled the surface of the glassy waters, in whose dark mysterious depths glittered a perfect reflection of every star which beamed in the blue-black vault overhead. so perfect was the stillness of nature that we could hear, with the utmost distinctness, the songs of the men on board the different ships, and even the talking and laughing on board those in our more immediate vicinity; and when we rigged out our sweeps to sweep the craft into the offing, where i hoped we might the sooner catch a breeze, their roll and rattle seemed almost unbearably loud in contrast with the quiet which prevailed around us. having a good strong crew on board, i kept them at the sweeps for a couple of hours, by which time we had gained an offing of about eight miles, when i ordered the sweeps to be laid in and the canvas to be set. shortly afterwards the moon rose, and, bringing up a nice little southerly breeze with her, we were soon slipping through the water, close-hauled on the port tack, and laying well up on our course for old gib. the skipper had been considerate enough to send with me another midshipman, a quiet, steady, and gentlemanly lad named harold smellie, a year younger than myself, and a boatswain's mate named tom hardy, a very superior and well-educated man for his position, a prime seaman, and thoroughly reliable in every way. these two i put in charge of the watches, and then, having seen that everything was satisfactory on deck and in the look of the weather, i went below and tumbled into my hammock, leaving of course the stereotyped charge to be called in the event of anything "turning up" out of the usual way. on awaking next morning, i found that the breeze had freshened very considerably during the night, so much so indeed that when i went on deck the "vigilant" was tearing through it with her lee-rail under, although the lateens were reefed to their utmost capacity. there was a very awkward jump of a sea on already, and it was fast increasing; but the light beamy little craft, although she tossed the spray in blinding showers from her weather-bow right aft and out over her lee quarter, never shipped a drop of green water, and i was highly delighted at her excellent sea-going qualities. i thought, however, that she would take the seas much more easily if she were relieved of the strain and leverage aloft of her long heavy swaying yards; i therefore had the lateens taken in and the lugs substituted for them, and was rewarded for my trouble by finding my anticipations amply realised. the wind continued to increase all through the morning, and by noon it was blowing quite a fresh gale, with a correspondingly heavy sea. at five p.m. the lookout reported a sail about two points on our weather-bow. "what do you make her out to be?" demanded i. "she looks large enough for a frigate," replied the man; "but i shall have a better sight of her in a few minutes, sir; she is steering this way." "i say, chester, suppose it's a frigate from gibraltar with despatches for the admiral; what will you do?" exclaimed young smellie, as we stood together by the weather-bulwarks, hanging on to the main-rigging. "there is only one thing that we _can_ do, and that is, exchange despatches, and each return as quickly as possible to our respective starting-points. it will be a great bore if we are obliged to cut short our cruise; but our despatches are urgent, and our duty plainly is to forward them with all possible speed; and as this vessel, if she prove to be a frigate, will almost certainly be a much faster craft than ourselves, we shall be in duty bound to put our despatch-box on board of her." "how will you get them on board?" inquired my companion. "it would be a very ticklish business to launch a boat in this sea." "we must get near enough, if possible, to effect the exchange without the aid of a boat," returned i. "with care on both sides i think it might be safely managed. what does the stranger look like by this time?" i continued to the lookout. "seems to me that he has a very frenchified look about him, sir," replied he. "phew! i hope not," said i to smellie. "lend me your glass a moment, will you? mine is down below. i think i'll take a trip aloft and see what i can make out about him." i accordingly went aloft to the fore-yard, and sitting astride it, close to the parrals, took as good a look at the fast-approaching craft as the swaying of the yard and the lively motion of the little "vigilant" would permit. i remained there for quite ten minutes, and by the end of that time felt perfectly satisfied as to her nationality. she was french, from her truck downwards, without a doubt. this was an extremely awkward _rencontre_, and one which i scarcely expected. indeed, our own frigates were at that time so thoroughly scouring the mediterranean, particularly that portion of it lying between gibraltar and malta, that an enemy's ship was almost the last object we might expect to see. "i'm afraid we're in a mess here," said i to smellie, as i joined him aft, by the companion. "that fellow is a frenchman, and he has the weather-gage, to say nothing of his ability to sail round and round us in this weather, if we took to our heels. now, the question is, how can we hoodwink him and slip through his fingers?" "perhaps we could personate some other craft of about our size and rig," suggested little smellie doubtfully. "um! possibly. let's get the french navy list, and just run through it. if there's anything at all like ourselves we shall soon find it." my companion dived down below, and in less than a minute afterwards returned with the list and the french signal-book. we turned it over together, and presently came upon a craft named the "vidette," which seemed, from her description, to be almost a sister- ship to the "vigilant." we accordingly determined to assume her name during the communications which would soon pass between us and the frigate. the french ensign was bent on, and we then turned up the "vidette's" number, and bent these flags also on the halliards, after which we could do nothing but wait. suddenly a thought struck me. there were several old red nightcaps still on board, which had been found when the vessel fell into our hands. these i at once routed out, and made each man on deck don one instead of his sou'-wester; we were then effectually disguised, as the rest of our clothing was concealed by the oilskins which we were wearing to protect ourselves from the drenching spray. we had scarcely finished our preparations when smellie, who was watching the frigate through his telescope, reported that our unwelcome neighbour had hoisted the tricolour, which was of course a polite request that we would show the colour of _our_ bunting. "run up the ensign and number," said i to the men who were stationed at the signal-halliards; and away went the bunting fluttering aloft, the flags all abroad, in the lubberly fashion which prevailed at that time in the french navy. in a few seconds our signal was read; and, in response, up went the frigate's number, which little smellie read out as it was going aloft. "private signal pennant. eight, two, seven, four." "run up the answering pennant," said i to the signal-man, as i turned up the number in the signal-book. "le narcisse" was the name corresponding to this number; and i was about to turn up the navy list, to learn what particulars i could respecting the craft, when my companion exclaimed, "more bunting. white flag with blue cross, diagonal. three, nine, nought, one." we acknowledged the signal, and, on turning it up, found that it was a request to "round-to under my lee: wish to communicate with you." this brought the signalling to a close; and in about a quarter of an hour afterwards, we rounded-to on the frigate's lee beam, while that craft laid her main-topsail to the mast. as soon as the two craft were within hailing distance a dapper little figure, dressed in the full uniform of a french naval captain, leaped into the mizzen-rigging with all the activity of a monkey, and, raising his hat slightly in salute (which i of course scrupulously returned), gave a preliminary flourish or two with a speaking-trumpet almost as big as himself, and then, applying it to his lips squeaked out, in french of course, in a shrill falsetto which set all our people on the broad grin,-- "`vidette ahoy!' are you the guarda-costa of that name?" "ay, ay, monsieur," i briefly replied. "oh! very well," said he. "i am citizen alphonse latour, captain of `le narcisse' frigate, in the service of the french republic. whither are you bound?" "we are cruising to the southward and eastward on the lookout for an english fleet which is reported to be somewhere hereabouts," i replied, with a mischievous desire to see what effect the mention of an english fleet would have upon him. "an english fleet! _hereabouts_!! diable!!!" he exclaimed. "i should like to fall in with them. i hope, however, _they_ will not fall in with my prize. ah! good!! listen, monsieur, i fell in with and captured an english merchantman yesterday, with a valuable cargo on board. you shall oblige me by going on until you fall in with him--he is only about one hundred miles south-east of us--and you shall escort him into toulon; while as for `le narcisse'--_parbleu_, she will remain here in waiting for the accursed english fleet, and fight them all when they shall arrive. is it not so?" "your orders shall have my best attention, monsieur," i replied; "and i trust you will not have to wait long for the english. i have the honour to wish you a very good day." we raised our hats and bowed simultaneously; the little french captain scrambled down out of the rigging; i sprang off the low rail on to the deck; and we filled away upon our course once more, leaving the fire- eating frenchman with his topsail still to the mast, waiting for "the accursed english." little smellie and i enjoyed a good laugh over the _rencontre_, now that it was past and we had escaped undetected; and we united in a cordial hope that the gallant little skipper of "le narcisse" would have his wish for a meeting with the english speedily gratified. _he had_, as we subsequently found out, but the result could scarcely have been satisfactory to him; for when next i saw malta "le narcisse" was in harbour there, a prize. at six o'clock next morning we were fortunate enough to fall in with the prize--a barque of about tons, loaded with various products of the east, forming, as captain alphonse latour had truly remarked, a very valuable cargo--she had been steering a course which threw her fairly into our arms, so to speak; and, as the weather had moderated, and the sea gone down a good deal we simply ran her on board, drove the astonished french prize crew below, and took possession. on instituting a search, we found that the astute skipper of "le narcisse" had taken out the entire crew except the second mate and three hands--whom he had left on board to assist in working the ship--so as to prevent all possibility of a rising and a recapture. we transferred the frenchmen to the "vigilant;" put eight of our own men on board, in charge of young smellie; and then made sail in company for gibraltar. as, however, the "vigilant" sailed two feet to the barque's one, we had run her completely out of sight by noon; and we could only hope that she would reach the rock in safety--which she luckily did, and we of the "vigilant" ultimately netted a good round sum in the shape of prize- money on her account. about three p.m. on the same day as that on which we took our prize, we made another sail dead to windward, steering the same way as ourselves, but rather edging down upon us. we must have sighted each other simultaneously; for, while still examining him with my telescope, i saw him bear up upon a course evidently intended to cut us off. the "vigilant," however, continued to steer the same course as before; my intention being to try the same trick with him--in the event of his being a frenchman--which had succeeded so well with "le narcisse"; and if he was an englishman, i had of course nothing to fear. in about another hour we had neared each other sufficiently to permit of our colours being seen; and no sooner was this the case than the stranger flew her ensign--the english--and fired a gun for us to heave- to. i at once obeyed; and in about twenty minutes afterwards she rounded-to within pistol-shot to windward of us and lowered a boat. the day being fine i was of course in my ordinary uniform; and i could not wholly conceal a smile at the look of disappointment and disgust which overspread the features of the officer in charge, as the boat approached sufficiently near to permit of his seeing that, whatever the ship might be, the crew were english. i awaited him at the lee gangway; and on his stepping up out of the boat, raised my hat in due form, a salute which he very gracefully returned. "well, young gentleman," said he, "what craft have you here, pray, and where are you bound to?" i told him briefly what we were, and so on; and in reply to his questions, gave him a short account of the way in which the "vigilant" had come into our hands, at which he seemed much interested. "well," said he, when i had finished the story, "i must say i am sorry you are not french; for we should then have had an opportunity of making a prize of some sort, even though you would have been but very small fry; but _anything_ will be fish which comes to our net now. we have been knocking about here for nearly a month, and never a sign of a frenchman have we seen during the whole time." "indeed!" said i, "you _have_ been unlucky; but i hope your luck has now changed at last. though you cannot make a prize of us, i think i can put you on the track of one." "ah! do you indeed? come, that's a great deal better," said he, in a very different tone from that which had characterised his conversation hitherto. "my dear boy, pray let us have your news without further ado." i accordingly described to him our meeting with "le narcisse," and mentioned captain alphonse latour's enthusiastic and patriotic determination to await on that spot the approach of the "accursed english;" concluding my story by giving the exact latitude and longitude of the place where our meeting with "le narcisse" took place. when i had given him all particulars he rose to take his leave. "good-bye," said he, "and accept, through me, the thanks of captain lacey, the officers, and the whole ship's company of the `diamond' for the very valuable information you have afforded us. i only hope monsieur latour was sincere in his resolve; we will not keep him waiting very long. a pleasant passage to you and i hope your prize will get safely in. lucky young dog, you are, and no mistake." "good-bye," i returned. "i wish you a speedy and pleasant meeting with monsieur latour." and with another shake of the hand we parted. poor fellow! he little knew what lay before him. the "diamond" actually found "le narcisse" cruising about the spot i had indicated, and one of the shot of the frenchman's first broadside took his head off. four days afterwards we anchored at gibraltar just in time to hear the evening gun, having been favoured, during the entire passage, with a wind which permitted us to lay our course with every thread of canvas drawing to its utmost. chapter twenty two. "in the bay of biscay, ho!" my instructions were to see the admiral without the delay of a single moment, should we happen to arrive at any hour when the worthy chief might be reasonably supposed to be out of his bed; i accordingly had the boat lowered, and proceeded to the shore the instant that our anchor was let go. when i reached the admiral's house, i found him busy at the entertainment of a party of "sodger officers" from the garrison. i was shown into his private room; and in a few minutes the gallant old veteran stumped in on his wooden leg, and saluted me with,-- "well, youngster, whose cat is dead now? are you aware that i very strongly object to be troubled after business hours, unless the matter happens to be one of very great importance?" "i must apologise for intruding upon you at so late an hour, sir," i replied; "but my instructions are that i should not lose a moment in placing in your hands the despatches from lord hood of which i have the honour to be the bearer." "_you_ have the honour! despatches from lord hood? the d--?" he exclaimed. "do you mean to say that _you_ have charge of the despatch- boat signalled this evening?" "i do sir, certainly," i rather resentfully replied. the somewhat contemptuous emphasis he laid on the word _you_ slightly nettled me. "what, in the name of--um! um! what's your name, pray, young gentleman?" said he. "ralph chester, midshipman, of the frigate `juno,' at your service, sir," i replied. "ralph chester, eh? of the `juno.' ah! um! let me see. um! your name seems familiar to me. where did i hear it before? _must_ have heard it before, somewhere; never make mistakes about names; _never. where_ did i hear it before, eh, youngster?" "it is quite impossible for me to say, sir," i replied. "the only way in which an officer in your high position is likely to become acquainted with the name of an obscure midshipman is, it seems to me, through the gazette." "gazette? gazette? oh, ay; to be sure. yes, yes; certainly; that was it. `juno'--captain hood--of course. and are you the lad who distinguished himself so conspicuously at the storming of the convention redoubt?" "i was named in the despatches in connection with that affair, sir," i modestly replied. "then i congratulate you most heartily, my boy," said he, shaking hands with me vigorously, and changing his hitherto gruff and somewhat churlish demeanour for one of almost paternal cordiality. "ha! ha! you made the whole service your debtor that night, by helping your skipper to get into the breach before the red-coat. the rascals! they like to `top the officer' over us, and claim to be the more useful arm of the service; but you gave us the pull on them that night, my boy, and no mistake. poor dundas! how awfully disgusted he must have felt. but-- sit down, and let me see your despatches--we can talk afterwards." i produced my box, and handed to him the letter from lord hood which was addressed to himself. he hastily tore open the envelope, and soon ran over the few lines which formed the contents of the letter. "can't do it," he exclaimed, testily, crumpling up the letter in his hand. "haven't a single frigate at my disposal; not even a corvette nor a despatch-boat--_nothing_, in fact, but my own barge. sheer impossibility; so there's an end of it. why, in the name of all that's ridiculous, could he not send one of his own frigates, so that these confounded despatches might have gone straight on? much more sensible than to send them here in a little hooker which is not fit to cross the bay of biscay. _why_ is she not fit, eh? what's the matter with her?" "there is nothing the matter with her, sir; nothing whatever," i replied. "it is only an idea of lord hood's that she is unfit to cross the bay. she, no doubt, appears to him a mere boat, compared with the `victory,' but _i_ should have no hesitation whatever about taking her across the bay, or across the atlantic itself, for that matter." "ah! is that the case?" he quickly returned. "um! um! that is a possible way out of the difficulty. look here. i've a few red-coats in the other room, spending the evening with me; i shall be very glad to have the pleasure of your company for the remainder of the evening, if you will join us, young gentleman. i can give you a bed here; and to- morrow i will go on board this little hooker of yours with you, and see for myself whether or no she seems fit to make the trip to england." we accordingly adjourned to the dining-room, where we found some dozen or so of military men seated round the table, discussing their wine and cigars, chatting over the events of the war, and bewailing their own ill-luck in being shut up in gibraltar instead of sharing in the miseries and glories (?) of the field. i was introduced by the admiral to his guests as one fresh from the seat of the operations in corsica, and was welcomed cordially and freely plied with questions of all kinds, to some of which, by-the-bye, i found it rather difficult to reply without exciting a feeling of jealousy in the breasts of the red-coats. fortunately, however, the evening passed without the occurrence of any incident of a disagreeable character; and at a late, or, more strictly speaking, at an early, hour next morning i turned in, so thoroughly tired that i felt scarcely able to remain awake until i had undressed. about : a knock sounded at my door, and a voice announced--in tones which struck me as being somewhat tremulous with suppressed laughter--"your shaving-water, sir." now, i may as well confess that at this particular period of my life the one subject upon which, above all others, i was most sensitive was shaving. i shaved with the most scrupulous regularity every morning; but it was done furtively, so far, at least as my elders were concerned. in the presence of my fellow- mids, the act was performed openly and with all due ceremony and solemnity--_all_ the mids on board the "juno" shaved--but i had noticed, upon more than one occasion, that any reference in the hearing of my elders to the punctuality with which i performed this duty was invariably received by them with a silence more eloquent than words, and with an expression of ironical incredulity which could only be adequately atoned for by the shedding of their heart's blood. therefore i had ceased to refer to a subject the mention of which was invariably followed by much annoyance, and hence the preternatural sensitiveness which caused me to suspect, rather than to absolutely detect, a quiver of suppressed laughter in the voice of the man who on this morning awoke me with the announcement of "your shaving-water, sir." the temporary irritation arising out of this painful and humiliating suspicion had one good result, however; it effectually awoke me and enabled me to promptly turn out; while, but for it, the late hours of the previous night might otherwise have caused me to doze off again, and so become guilty of the quite unpardonable offence of keeping an admiral waiting. as it was, i was dressed and down in the breakfast-room so promptly that the admiral rather kept _me_ waiting; which was quite a different matter. by eleven o'clock however, we were on board the "vigilant;" and after going carefully through and over the craft--accompanied by myself, tom hardy, and the carpenter's mate--the old boy came to the conclusion that she was strong enough to go round the world if required, and that he therefore need have no hesitation whatever about ordering us to proceed to england forthwith. he would, however, he said, take it upon himself to detain us until evening; by which time he would have ready some despatches of his own, which he wished to forward. we utilised the time by filling up provisions and water; a task which was left to the superintendence of tom hardy, while smellie and i had a scramble through the gun-galleries and to the telegraph-station at the summit of the rock; and just as the sunset-gun boomed out on the evening air we weighed and stood out of the bay, with a light north-easterly breeze, passing tarifa point shortly before midnight. by breakfast-time on the morning but one following, we were abreast of cape saint vincent. eighteen hours later, we made the rock of lisbon; and, on the fifth day out from gibraltar, finding ourselves in the latitude of cape finisterre, we hauled up to the northward and eastward for ushant; and entered the bay of biscay. so far, all had gone well. we had been favoured with fine weather, and winds which, while somewhat inclined to be light and variable, had still allowed us to lay our course, and we had really made a very fair passage up to this point. but we had scarcely entered the notorious bay of biscay when the aspect of affairs began to change. the first omen of evil revealed itself in a steadily and rather rapidly falling barometer. the wind for the previous twenty-four hours had been moderate, and steady at about east, but toward evening it became fitful, now dying away until the roll of the ship caused the canvas to flap heavily against the masts, and anon freshening up again for a few minutes, quite to a seven-knot breeze. then it would drop once more; and nothing would be heard but the heavy flap of the canvas, the creak of the spars, the _swish_ of the water as it lapped in over our bulwarks--the craft rolling gunwale-under--and a low weird moaning of pent-up wind, which teemed to be imprisoned in a heavy cloud-bank rapidly piling itself up on the north-western horizon. the sky, which had been clear all day, became overspread with a canopy of dirty lead- coloured vapour, between which and ourselves soon appeared small ragged patches of fast-flying scud. the moaning sound became louder and more weird and dismal in tone; while the sea--its surface curiously agitated by waves which leaped up and subsided without any apparent cause--grew black as ink. fortunately, we had ample and unmistakable notice of the impending change; and we fully availed ourselves of it by making every possible preparation for the expected gale, and adopting every possible precaution for the safety of our craft. our first act was to take in and secure our lofty lateen-canvas by getting the yards down on deck and firmly lashing them there; we then set a storm-jib and a leg-of-mutton mizzen, just to steady the craft and place her under command when the breeze should come. this done, we divided our crew into two parties, one of which, under the gunner's mate, secured the guns with extra breechings, while the other, under hardy, battened down everything, and put extra lashings upon the booms and boats. we were ready in excellent time; all our preparations being complete a good half-hour before the breeze came. at length, about the time of sunset, a sudden break appeared in the mass of cloud piled up to the north-westward, revealing a long narrow strip of fiery copper-coloured sky; and at the same instant the wind, which had hitherto blown in fitful gusts, died completely away. "here it comes!" was the exclamation which issued simultaneously from a dozen throats, as the eyes of the more watchful caught the glare of the tawny streak of sky away on our port beam; and even as we spoke the roar of the wind became apparent; and far away on the verge of the horizon we caught a glimpse of the whitening water, as it was lashed into foam by the first mad fury of the approaching squall. "port your helm! hard over with it!" i exclaimed; "and stand by to brail up the mizzen if she fails to pay off." we had at the wheel one of the best helmsmen on board, a cool, smart, active topman; and, almost before the words were out of my mouth, he sent the wheel spinning hard over with a single jerk of his muscular arm, while hardy mustered some three or four hands at the mizzen-brails. the squall, however, furious as it was at its commencement, had spent its greatest strength before it reached us; and when it struck the "vigilant" it came with merely sufficient force to lay her down to her bearings for a moment, when she gathered way, and, answering her helm at once, paid off before it, and began to surge away to leeward at the rate of about six knots. the squall proved to be merely the precursor of a strong but steady gale from the north-west: and as soon as this became sufficiently apparent we hauled our wind once more and hove the craft to on the larboard tack under her jib and mizzen. this arrangement, while it promised to be the best that could be made for the safety of the ship and our own comfort, also enabled us to drift along at the rate of about three knots an hour on our proper course. we found that under her short canvas the little "vigilant," with her flat and beamy build, sharp lines, and flaring bow, laid-to admirably, riding as lightly and almost as dry as a seagull over the mountainous sea which rapidly got up under the influence of the gale. i remained on deck long enough to thoroughly satisfy myself upon this point, and then, leaving the deck in charge of hardy (who had the watch), with one man to tend the wheel, and two others on the lookout, i sent the remainder of the hands below to get a good meal with plenty of strong hot coffee; while little smellie and i sat down to our own almost equally humble spread in the small but cosy cabin. the change from the cold wet sloppy deck, with its accompaniments of darkness, driving spray, and frequent rain-squalls, to the dry warm comfort of the cabin, lighted up with the brilliant rays of its single handsome swinging-lamp, its carpeted floor and well-cushioned lockers, was agreeable in the extreme; and the sound of the gale, as it roared overhead and shrieked through the rigging, the patter and drip of the rain on the deck, and the occasional heavy "swish" of the drenching spray-showers, served but to increase the feeling of comfort which we enjoyed. we spent some time, after the table was cleared, in consulting the chart, interspersed with frequent references to the book of sailing directions, and when we tired of these a book apiece served to wile away the time until midnight, when smellie had to turn out once more and take charge of the deck. as the eight strokes upon the bell proclaimed the expiration of the first watch, we donned our oilskins and repaired to the deck in company. the wind had been steadily increasing from the commencement of the gale, and was now blowing so heavily that every time the "vigilant" rose upon the crest of a sea she careened almost gunwale-to, even with the scanty shred of canvas under which she was hove-to. the sea, moreover, had increased with as great rapidity as the wind, and was now running tremendously high, breaking from time to time in a manner which made me somewhat uneasy. still, the little craft was behaving beautifully and making excellent weather of it; not a drop of anything heavier than spray having come on board her so far. the night was as dark as a wolf's mouth, there being no moon, and the sky remaining obscured by an impenetrable canopy of heavy black cloud-vapour which was darkest about the horizon, against which the phosphorescent wave-crests reared themselves portentously in startling relief. the intense darkness was my greatest source of anxiety, for we were directly in the track of outward-bound ships, and the wind was blowing from a quarter which, while not exactly fair, was sufficiently free to enable them to keep going, and that too at a speed which would send a ship of any size right over us almost without her crew knowing anything about it. we had, of course, our lights in their places, and brightly burning; but we were so frequently hidden in the trough of the sea that a very bright lookout would be needed to discover us in time to avoid a collision, which was then, as it is now, the thing i most dread at sea--excepting fire. it seems needless to say that a bright lookout was kept on board the "vigilant" that night; a man on each cat-head, two in the waist--one on the weather and one on the lee side--and our two selves aft were kept constantly on the alert; and with these precautions i was obliged to rest satisfied. as it happened, our elaborate precautions proved unnecessary, for not a single sail passed us during the night; and at four o'clock next morning, when the watch was relieved, i went below and turned in, as the sky appeared to be lightening up a trifle, and i knew that it would be daylight in a short time. when i went on deck again at seven bells ( : a.m.) things looked pretty much as i had left them, excepting that the sea had continued to get up and was now running higher than i had ever seen it before. our little craft was tossed about on its angry surface lightly as a withered leaf; now rising up as though about to take flight into the midst of the rushing storm-wrack overhead, and anon plunging down the steep sides of the watery hills as though intent on reaching the very ocean's bed itself. it was very exciting, as well, it must be confessed, as somewhat trying to the nerves, to stand on the deck and watch the approach of the mountainous seas, rushing with threatening upreared crest upon the little craft, as though determined to engulf her. but, by watchful attention to the helm, her bows always met them at a safe angle, and away they would sweep past us, harmless, but hissing and seething in impotent fury. according to custom, tom hardy had charge of the deck while smellie and i were below at breakfast. on our returning to the deck at the conclusion of the meal, he joined us to remark that he was under the impression he had once or twice heard the sound of firing to windward. "surely not," said little smellie; "you must be mistaken, mr hardy," (we always _mistered_ tom, to his intense gratification, now that he had charge of a watch). "what ships could possibly fight in this weather?" "depends on the course they happen to be steering, sir," responded tom. "it's poorish weather for a fight, i'll allow; but if one ship happens to be chasing t'other, and they'm both running before it, both bow and stern-chasers might be worked, heavy as the sea is. besides, it looks a deal worse to us, afloat here in this cock-boat, than 'twould if we was aboard the old `juno,' for instance; and a'ter all--hark! didn't you hear anything just then, gentlemen?" the boom of a gun, muffled by the roar of the gale, but still heard with sufficient distinctness to render the sound unmistakable, at that moment broke upon the ear. i pulled out my watch and noted the time. "now listen for the next report!" i exclaimed; "perhaps it is a ship in distress." but it was immediately evident that it could be nothing of that sort, for even as i spoke, another report came floating down upon the wings of the gale, and then two others in quick succession. tom hardy sprang into the main-rigging, and, going aloft as far as our short masts would permit, stood for nearly a minute, swaying about with the roll and pitch of the vessel, his eyes shaded by one hand, gazing eagerly to windward. "here they comes!" he hailed; "one a'ter t'other. two frigates, seemin'ly; and one on 'em's a frenchman all over--the chap that's leadin'; t'other's of course one of our ships." "how are they steering?" i hailed. "straight for us as ever they can come, sir," replied tom, as he nimbly descended the rigging again, and swung himself off the low rail to the deck. ten minutes afterwards the upper spars of the leading ship were in sight from the deck, when we rose upon the crest of a sea, and in another five minutes both craft were visible. the firing continued briskly on both sides, the rapidly-increasing distinctness of the reports testifying to the speed with which the chase was hurrying along. from the moment that the frigates became visible from the deck, our telescopes remained glued to our eyes, so to speak, and it was not long before we were able to distinguish that both were flying their colours, the leading ship showing the tricolour, and the other the white ensign. "i say, chester!" exclaimed little smellie; "what a lark! can't we have a flying shot at johnnie as he goes past. who knows? perhaps we might knock away one of his spars and so help our own craft to get alongside. my eye! ain't they carrying on, too; topgallant-s'ls and stunsails on both sides. what a strain upon their spars and rigging! cut away a brace or a backstay, now, aboard that frenchman, and away would go a whole heap of his canvas. what a splendid craft she is! it is a true saying, if ever there was one, that `the french know how to build ships, and the english how to sail them!' what do you say, chester; shall we have a shot at him as he goes by?" "and have his whole broadside poured into us by way of saying _thankee_," dryly remarked hardy. "i doubt whether he has his broadside guns cleared away, yet," i remarked; "and even if he has we are a very small target to fire at. i feel half inclined to take a shot at him if we get a good chance. at all events, you may clear away the long nine and load it; we can then be governed by circumstances." no sooner said than done. the men set to work with all the glee of a parcel of school-boys intent upon some piece of mischief, and in a very short time the long nine-pounder mounted amidships was ready for service and loaded. in the meantime pursuer and pursued continued their rapid flight down before the wind; both ships staggering along under a press of canvas which clearly indicated the alarm of the one and the determination of the other. as we stood watching them in breathless interest, the weather cleared somewhat; the dense canopy of cloud which had obscured the heavens for many hours broke up into rifts which permitted an occasional watery gleam of sunshine to penetrate through and light up the scene, glancing in streaks and patches here and there upon the mountain-surges, and changing their dull leaden hue into a dirty green, and shimmering for a moment upon the snowy canvas and bright copper of one or other of the frigates, only to fade away next instant and leave the picture, as it was before, a dull lifeless grey. by the time that the french ship had approached to within a mile of us, it became evident that if we both continued on our respective courses, without any alteration in our speeds, we should pass within perilous proximity of each other; the "vigilant's" fore-sheet was therefore let draw and the helm righted, so that we might forge ahead and cross the flying craft at a safe distance. she was yawing about most frightfully, sheering first to port and then to starboard in a manner which seemed every moment to threaten that she would broach-to. should such an accident occur in the then condition of the weather the total dismasting of the ship would be the least calamity which could reasonably be expected to follow; while it was far more probable that she would either capsize or founder stern foremost. the steering of the english ship was in marked contrast to this, though she also sheered about to a certain extent; still, it was so trifling in comparison with that of the frenchman, that it appeared to us as though the englishman was gaining upon the chase more by superior helmsmanship than by the possession of any advantage over him in point of actual speed. as the french frigate continued to sweep down towards us i became exceedingly anxious; for it now seemed as though we had delayed a trifle too long the act of filling away upon the "vigilant," and that, at our low rate of speed, we should be unable to draw out of her immediate path. the ship, now distant not more than half a mile, came surging on, with her broad expanse of canvas fully distended by the following gale, and straining at the stout spars and tough hemp rigging as though it would tear the very masts themselves out of the hull and come flying down to leeward like cobwebs before a summer breeze; or as though, when the ship rose upon the ridge of a sea, lifting her fore-foot and some forty feet of her keel clear out of the water, she would take flight, and, leaving the sea altogether, soar away upon her canvas pinions like a startled sea-fowl. she was rolling heavily, so much so indeed that we more than once saw her dip her stunsail-boom-ends alternately on the port and starboard sides into the water. at length, as we rose to the crest of one mountainous sea, which had completely hidden the french ship from us, up to her very royal-mast- heads, we saw her surging madly forward upon the breast of the one which followed it, the hissing foam-crest which pursued her rearing itself high and threateningly above her taffrail, while the ship herself, with her port gunwale deep buried in the water, was taking a desperate and uncontrollable sheer to starboard which we saw in a moment would hurl her crashing into the little "vigilant" somewhere about the mainmast. a cry, something between a yell and a shriek of horror and dismay, burst simultaneously from the lips of our crew as this awful danger burst upon us; and, in a momentary panic, a general rush was made by all hands to that part of the vessel which appeared likely to receive the annihilating blow, with the intention of making a spring for life at the frigate's bowsprit and headgear. even the helmsman was so infected by the sight that, abandoning the wheel, he too joined in the rush. there was no time for remonstrance. smellie and i were standing near the companion at the moment, watching the approach of the frenchman; and as the rush took place i seized him by the arm, and, shouting in his ear, "cut the mizzen-sheet!" sprang to the wheel, and with frantic energy whirled it hard up. by the greatest good luck the helmsman had already put the wheel a spoke or two over as the crest of the sea swept under us, so that we were actually paying-off at the moment that i took the wheel. this fact, combined with the additional amount of helm which i gave her, and the lightning-like rapidity with which little smellie whipped out his keen pocket-knife and drew it across the straining strands of the mizzen-sheet, saved the "vigilant." the mizzen flogged itself to ribbons in a moment, while the foresail paid our bows broad off, and, filling powerfully at the same time, dragged us clear by the bare skin of our teeth. the frigate rushed foaming past our stern, so closely that the surge from her port bow dashed in over our taffrail, and the leach of her lower stunsail, catching the head of our mizzen- mast, buckled the spar until the port shrouds parted, when, luckily for us, _crack_ went her stunsail-boom and her lower and fore-topmast stunsail began to thrash about so wildly, that they promised to give her crew their hands full to get in the sails without injury to any of the men. passing each other in such disagreeably close proximity, we had of course a perfect view of the french frigate, and a most superb craft she certainly was. a bran-new ship, to all appearance: she seemed to have been at sea scarcely long enough to wash the varnish off her teak and mahogany deck-fittings. the planks of her deck were almost snow-white, and some little taste and trouble appeared to have been expended in a successful effort to impart a graceful effect to the decorations about the front of her spacious poop, beneath the over-hanging pent-house of which appeared her handsome steering-wheel, with four men hard--a great deal _too_ hard, it seemed to me--at work at it. she showed eighteen ports of a side, all closed, and carried her due proportion of carronades on her forecastle and quarter-deck. her masts, magnificent sticks, and her short stout yards were bending like fishing-rods under the tremendous strain of her new canvas, which appeared as though it had not yet fully stretched into its proper shape; and every rope was coiled down in its proper place with the most scrupulous neatness. but, oh! the confusion and jabber and excitement of her crew. as she shaved past us, every man on deck jumped upon the hammock-rail and had his separate say to us--whether it were a word of caution, of congratulation at our escape from being run down, or of objurgation, it was quite impossible to tell; but, from the threatening character of their actions, i judged it to be the latter. there was only one calm individual among the whole, and he was the first lieutenant. he stood by the mizzen-rigging on the port side, clinging to a belaying-pin, and he vouchsafed us not so much as a passing glance, his whole attention being given to his spars and rigging, on which he kept his eyes anxiously fixed. the skipper, on the other hand, seemed to be more excited than any one else. when my eye lighted upon him he was grasping the poop-rail with his right hand and shaking his left fist at us. just then our eyes met, when, to my surprise and disgust, he turned to a marine near him and pointed at me, at the same time apparently giving the man an order. the fellow raised his piece and fired, and the next instant i felt a violent blow accompanied by a sharp burning pain in my left arm, which dropped helplessly at my side, broken between the elbow and the shoulder. all this passed in a single moment of time; the next instant we were vividly recalled to a sense of our own danger. as we rose upon the next wave our port quarter was exposed to its advancing crest, and there was only time to shout to all hands to "hold on for your lives!" before it came hissing up, and, arching over us quite six feet above our low bulwarks, tumbled on board, a regular comber, filling us to the gunwale, bursting in the companion-doors, flooding the cabin, smashing one of our boats to atoms, and washing away everything that was not securely lashed. by something approaching a miracle, none of the men were swept overboard; and as soon as i had ascertained this by a hasty glance round the deck, directly i got my head above water, i gave the order for the fore-lug to be loosed and set. the men wanted no second bidding; they knew that if we got pooped a second time it would be all over with us; and in an incredibly short space of time we had the sail set, and were bowling away to leeward after the frenchman. our position was now very much the reverse of an enviable one; as, being compelled for safety's sake to run dead before it, we were exactly in the line of fire between the two ships, which continued to bang away at each other from time to time, quite regardless of the possible consequences to us; and their shot came hissing past us and over us so closely that it was manifestly imperative upon us to shift our berth without loss of time. giving orders, therefore, that the spare mizzen should be bent and set, and the craft brought to once more--but on the starboard tack this time, so as to afford us an opportunity to knot the shrouds on the larboard side, carried away by the french frigate--i left little smellie and tom hardy on deck to see to its execution; and, summoning the assistant-surgeon to my aid, retired below to have my wounded arm coopered up. my friend sawbones had just arrived at that stage of his operations which required him to torture me almost beyond my powers of endurance by grinding the two broken bone-ends together to get them in proper position, when we felt a violent concussion, accompanied by a loud explosion on deck, speedily followed by vociferous cheering; and the next moment down trundled that young scamp smellie, his face beaming all over with a broad grin, as he exclaimed,-- "hurrah, chester, i've done it! did it _myself_, hardy will tell you so." "did _what_, for goodness' sake?" groaned i, as the medico, under the influence of a terrific roll, gave my arm a most awful wrench. "what did you fire for?" "fired at the frenchman, of course," replied he, somewhat disconcerted. "i understood that you agreed we should have a shot at him, so we gave him one from long tom. i pointed the gun myself; and--only fancy!-- knocked away his mizzen-topmast, which brought down his main-topgallant- mast with it; and there he is now in a pretty mess. my eye! _that_ was a close one," he added, as a twelve-pound shot sung close over our heads, without hitting anything however. "it sounds remarkably as though he were anxious to return the compliment, if he can," said i. "you had better go on deck again and hurry the men up with that mizzen; and round-to as soon as you possibly can. if one of those shot happen to plump on board us we shall probably have cause to remember the circumstance." the lad darted up the companion-way again, three stairs at a time; and very shortly afterwards i heard him shout down to me,-- "i say, chester, the mizzen is bent and all ready for setting; shall we hoist away?" "watch for a good opportunity," i shouted back, "and as soon as it comes, down with your helm, and sway up the sail at the same time." "ay, ay; we will do so," was the response. a few minutes elapsed; and then i felt the little craft rising up, up, up, until it seemed as though she were about to turn a summersault with us; there was a _thud_ at her stern, and a heavy _swish_ of water on her deck as the crest of the sea struck her and broke over the taffrail, and then tom hardy's voice exclaimed,-- "now--_now's_ your time, sir! jam your helm hard-a-port, you dick! hard over with it, man; that's your sort. now, sway away upon these here mizzen halliards; down with your fore-lug; ease up the fore-sheet there, for'ard; up with the mizzen, lads; bowse it _well_ up; that's well; belay. haul your fore-sheet over to wind'ard, and make fast. there! that's capital. now let's see what we can do to these here shrouds." from all of which, and the altered character of the little craft's motion, i learned that the ticklish manoeuvre of rounding-to had been safely executed. a quarter of an hour afterwards the medico finished me off, and i was able, with hardy's assistance, to go on deck again and take a look round before turning into my hammock to nurse my wounded arm. we were now hove-to upon the starboard tack, with our head to the southward; the english frigate had passed us, and was by this time some two miles to leeward, on our port quarter, the frenchman still leading, though he had lost ground considerably, and he seemed yet to be in the thick of his trouble with the wreck of his spars. the bow and stern- chasers of the two ships were still playing merrily away, but without any very marked result, as far as we could see; and shortly afterwards we lost sight of both ships in the thick weather to leeward, and saw no more of them. we were not long in getting our larboard mizzen shrouds knotted and set up afresh; and as soon as this was done we watched our chance and wore round once more, with our head to the northward--i remaining on deck to watch the operation--after which i was glad to get into my hammock and seek relief to my wounded fin. chapter twenty three. the french frigate. the gale lasted through the night and all next day, moderating about sun-down, however, sufficiently to allow of our setting our fore and main-lugs close-reefed, and keeping away upon our course. the wind continued to drop after that all through the night, the sea also going down rapidly; and next day we were able to shift our canvas, setting the lateens in place of the lugs; after which we bowled gaily along without further adventure, passing ushant on the evening of the fourth day after the gale had blown itself out, and arriving at spithead somewhat within the next forty-eight hours. the anchor let go, smellie and i jumped into the gig, and, taking the despatch-box with us, pulled ashore, landing at the sally-port. from thence we proceeded, first to the admiral's office, and afterwards to the "george" in high street, where i ordered a post-chaise; and then the pair of us sat down to a hastily-prepared dinner while the carriage was in process of fitting-out. in consequence of my representations to the admiral, he had ordered the "vigilant" into harbour immediately, to refit and make good the slight damage inflicted on us during the gale in the bay of biscay, and, when the post-chaise was announced, smellie only remained long enough to see me fairly under way, when he returned on board to take the little hooker into harbour, and superintend the operation of refitting. it was not quite six p.m. when we shoved off from before the door of the "george," and dashed away up the high street, and soon afterwards the chaise was bowling along at a spanking pace over the dry, white, dusty road in the open country--the landscape flooded in the lovely golden haze of a fine summer evening, and the air heavy with the perfume of flowers and the sweet, health-giving smell of rich pasture-lands, long chestnut-avenues, and thick pine plantations. the mingled odours of the country--so different from the strong smell of the sea-breeze--the sight of the slanting sunbeams glancing through the boles and branches of the venerable trees dotted here and there in clumps along the roadside; of the verdant hedges with their rich clusters of delicate dog-roses and trailing honeysuckle or wild convolvulus; of the groups of sleek cattle feeding in the fields, contemplatively chewing the cud under the shade of some over-hanging tree, or browsing along the roadside; of the knots of rosy, sun-tanned children playing about the village-roads or on the green, and turning to stand open-mouthed and stare at the chaise as we dashed past; of the pretty cottages nestling in a bower of greenery, each with its tiny flower-garden in front, and a thin wreath of blue smoke curling up from its chimney into the still evening air; of the picturesque villages, with their ancient church-spires pointing heavenward; and of the stately country-seats of the gentry, surrounded by noble trees, the growth of centuries, the deer clustered beneath their umbrageous branches, with their spacious flower-terraces and long avenues of limes, arching chestnuts, or venerable oaks, reaching from the house to the distant road, and terminating in snug little ivy- covered lodges and heavy ornamental iron gates with massive stone piers, moss-grown, and surmounted by time-worn and weather-stained stone sculptures of the arms of the family; the drowsy chime of the church- clocks; the barking of dogs; the lowing of cattle; the voices of herdsmen or field-labourers singing as they wended their weary way homeward after the labour and heat of the day--the sound softened and mellowed by distance; all combined to render that journey one of the most pleasant and enjoyable i had ever undertaken, notwithstanding the pain and discomfort which i experienced from my wounded arm. the evening passed on; the lovely, silent twilight insensibly deepened into night; the stars twinkled forth, one by one, in the pure, clear, deepening blue overhead; the road gradually widened; the houses along its sides became more and more frequent, the atmosphere thickened; the horizon ahead grew luminous; lights appeared and rapidly increased in number, soon they were glancing on both sides of us; a dull, heavy roar became audible, and finally, as the church-clocks were striking the hour of midnight, the chaise pulled up before the door of my uncle's house in saint james's square; and i had arrived in town. as the post-boy let down the steps and threw open the carriage-door for me to alight, i could see through the fanlight over the door that there was a light in the hall, so i felt pretty certain that my uncle had not yet retired. i ran up the steps and gave the bell-handle a tug which speedily brought old timothy to the door. "has sir peregrine retired yet, tim?" said i. "he has not, sir," replied the ancient, "but i much doubt if he will see any one at such a late--why, i declare, if it ain't master ralph! come in, sir; come in. sir peregrine is in the libr'y. won't he be glad to see you, just! he's always looking through the paper to see if there's any news of the `juno,' or if your name is mentioned, sir. this is an unexpected visit, though, master ralph; i hope there's nothing wrong, sir." "oh dear, no! quite the reverse i hope, tim, my boy. i've been sent home with despatches. now, lead the way to the library, if you please." this short confabulation passed in the hall while tim was relieving me of my cloak and hat. he now preceded me to the library, at the door of which he knocked, and then, flinging open the portal, he announced me. "master ralph, sir peregrine." i passed into the lofty apartment, its walls lined from floor to ceiling with well-stocked book-shelves, and found the worthy knight seated in his own particular old easy-chair, with one foot--ominously swathed in flannel--reposing upon another; his specs on his nose, and the gazette in his hand. he looked round with a start as my name was mentioned, shaded his eyes with his hand for an instant, as his eyes fell upon my advancing figure, and then--forgetting all about his gout--started to his feet with both hands outstretched. "why, ralph! my dear boy, where--_con_found this gout! it _always_ attacks me at exactly the wrong moment--but never mind; what cloud have you dropped from?" "from no cloud at all, my dear sir, but just from an ordinary post- chaise, in which i have come up from portsmouth. how are you, sir? i hope you have nothing worse than the gout to complain of. wish you were free of _that_, for it must be very troublesome." "troublesome enough, my boy, you may take my word for that; but the present attack is luckily very trifling--a mere fleabite, in fact. and how are you? you don't look particularly bright, rather the reverse, indeed; and what is the matter with your arm?" thereupon i gave him a hasty outline of my story, so far at least as the cruise in the "vigilant" was concerned; and then old richards, the butler, brought in the supper; serving it, by sir peregrine's orders, in the library, so that we might not be disturbed or my yarn interrupted by passing from one room to another. we sat until close upon three o'clock a.m., my uncle forgetting all about bed in his anxiety to hear full particulars of my doings since i had last parted from him. at length, however, he glanced at the clock upon the mantelpiece, and at once pulled me up short. "there, there! that will do for to-night, my dear boy. i've forgotten everything in listening to you, and have allowed you to talk all this time instead of sending you straight off to your bunk, as i ought to have done, and you with a broken arm, too. but i am delighted to have heard all that you have told me--the gazette tells one nothing--and i can afford you the satisfaction of knowing that your name has attracted attention in the right quarter; sir james has spoken to me about you on more than one occasion; and your promotion is certain. if you go on as you have begun, ralph, i predict that you will mount the ratlines rapidly. now, we will breakfast at ten o'clock, if that will suit you, and then i will go with you myself to the admiralty with the despatches. my gout? pooh! i'll lay a crown it will be gone by the time i turn out in the morning; and if it is not, it is not bad enough to keep me at anchor here when i can perhaps do you a good turn. i'll introduce you to sir james; i should like him to see for himself the sort of lad you are. now; good-night! tim will attend to you. god bless you, my boy." i trundled off, timothy leading the way with a light in each hand for the room which i had formerly occupied, and, having undressed with the assistance of my somewhat garrulous attendant, tumbled into the luxurious bed, and immediately fell into a sound sleep. the arrangement of the previous night was duly carried out, sir peregrine's gout having, as he had predicted, been merciful enough to afford him a respite. we drove to the admiralty, and i sent in my despatch-box. my uncle also sent in his card. half an hour elapsed, sir james happening to be engaged when we arrived, and then sir peregrine was admitted to the august presence. another half-hour passed, at the expiration of which time i also was invited into the sanctum. my uncle introduced me; sir james uttered a few complimentary phrases upon my past conduct, informed me that "he had his eye upon me," presented two fingers for me to shake, gave his entire hand to my uncle, and we were dismissed. as we passed through the outer office it was intimated to me that my presence would be required there at noon next day. "that's a good job well over," ejaculated my uncle, as we once more seated ourselves in the carriage and drove off. "you are in high favour, let me tell you, my boy," he continued. "lord hood has referred to you in very flattering terms in his despatches, in connexion with that hare-brained escapade of yours at bastia; and sir james has assured me of the very great satisfaction with which he views your conduct, and has promised moreover that he will take the earliest possible opportunity to show his appreciation of it. now, where shall we go? i suppose you do not feel very much in cue for sight-seeing, with your wounded arm, eh? very well; then we'll drive to my tailor's--you want a new gang of rigging put over your mast-head badly, my boy, and then we'll go home and you shall rest a bit. i have a few friends coming to dinner this evening; but you need not join us if you do not feel equal to it, you know." the "new gang of rigging" was duly ordered, and faithfully promised for next day at noon--sir peregrine insisting upon its being charged to his account--and then we returned to saint james's square. with the dinner-hour my uncle's guests arrived, some twenty in number; and, as i rather fancied the dear old gentleman would be glad if i were present, i put in an appearance. my suspicions were no doubt well founded, as it turned out that one of the guests was no less a personage than my new acquaintance of the morning--the great sir james himself. the old boy was a good deal less taut in the backstays than he had been in the morning, giving me his whole hand to shake on this occasion. during dinner he addressed himself to me several times, putting questions to me with reference to our recent operations in corsica--that happening to be one of the topics of conversation; and after the meal was over he invited me to haul alongside, and chatted with me quite half an hour upon the same subject. later on in the evening i happened to overhear him remark to my uncle,-- "like your nephew, portfire--am much pleased with him--promising young officer--very--smart and intelligent--seems steady too--shall keep my eye on him." which, of course, was very gratifying. i drove to the office next day at noon, sir peregrine accompanying me, but this time he remained in his carriage while i went inside. my despatch-box was handed back to me, together with written orders--which were read over to me--to proceed without delay to malta, there to hand over the contents of the said box to lord hood. in the event of his lordship not being there, i was to search for and find him. "well, ralph, what news?" asked my uncle, as i rejoined him. "i must leave you at once, dear sir," i replied. "i have orders to sail forthwith for malta, with these despatches. i had hoped they would have given me time to run down home, if only for a few hours; but all that is quite knocked on the head. as it is, i shall not be able to enjoy above another hour of your society, uncle, for i must start for portsmouth without a moment's delay." "ah!" remarked sir peregrine, "i anticipated this, from a remark which sir james let fall last night, and i have so far provided for it that we can start in an hour's time. i feel so much better that i shall run down with you. we will post down in my own carriage, and after i have seen you fairly off, i will look in upon your father and spend a day or two with them on my way back to town. i shall then be able to tell them all about you." i tried to dissuade the old gentleman from undertaking so fatiguing a journey, but, having once made up his mind, there was no moving him from his purpose; and accordingly, having partaken of a good substantial luncheon, we started away about two p.m., and, after a pleasant, uneventful journey, reached portsmouth a few minutes before eight o'clock in the evening. we put up at the "george;" and, after ordering dinner, walked down to the harbour, and soon made out the "vigilant," anchored about a quarter of a mile away. the tide was still flowing a little; so, jumping into a wherry, we were soon alongside. i found smellie on board, and all hands, including a strong gang of dockyard workmen, still busy, late as it was, putting the finishing touches to the repairs. the provisions, water, and other stores had been shipped during the day; but the boat, to replace the one destroyed, would not be ready until the next morning. my uncle had been trotting round, giving the little craft a thorough inspection, during the time i had been engaged with my junior, and expressed himself as being much pleased with her handsome model. when we were ready to return to the shore he proposed that we should take little smellie with us; and we accordingly all three trundled over the side into the shore-boat, which we had detained--leaving hardy to superintend the finishing touches--and rowed down the harbour again in the light of a beautiful, clear full moon. sir peregrine was in high spirits that evening at dinner; he said it reminded him of his young days to be down there once more, and he completely unbent from his usual stateliness, so that we spent a most delightful evening, turning in about midnight. i awoke early next morning, and, having roused out my second in command, we walked down to the dockyard to hurry the people up with the new boat, which they were just finishing off. we returned to the hotel to breakfast at eight o'clock; and by ten a.m., having completed all my business on shore, we once more chartered a wherry, and went on board, my uncle accompanying us. on reaching the "vigilant" i found that the new boat had been delivered and was hoisted in, the dockyard gang was clear of the ship, and everything was ready for an immediate start. i accordingly gave the word to unmoor, and in another quarter of an hour we passed out of the harbour with a nice little breeze from about n.n.e. my uncle remained on board until we were abreast of cowes, when he ordered the wherry--which had been towing astern--to be hauled alongside. the "vigilant" was hove-to; my uncle shook hands with little smellie, slipped a five-pound note into the hand of chips, the carpenter's mate, for the crew to drink my health, and then, taking a hasty but most affectionate leave of me, hurried over the side into the wherry, seized the yoke-lines, and bade the boatman make sail for portsmouth harbour. we at once filled away again; and two hours afterwards passed through the needles. nothing worthy of note occurred until we were half-way across the bay of biscay, when, about four bells in the forenoon watch of a most delightful day, with a moderate breeze from the westward, and a very long swell, but no sea, the lookout man aloft reported a sail broad on our lee bow. i was in the cabin at the time, reading. "what does she look like?" inquired smellie, who had the watch. "i can only see the heads of her fore and main-topgallantsails," replied the man, "but i believe she is a frigate, sir." smellie came to the open skylight and spoke down through it:-- "i say, chester, if it's not troubling you too much, will you hand me up my glass, please? it is in the beckets, just inside the door of my berth. here's a strange sail to leeward, and i want to take a squint at her." i found the telescope, and carried it on deck myself. master harold slung it over his shoulder, and in another minute was perched on the long tapering yard of the lateen mainsail. "what do _you_ make her out to be?" i hailed him, after he had given her a careful overhauling for some three or four minutes. "a frigate, without doubt," he replied, his glass still levelled at her. "i can see her mizzen-royal-mast, with the yard across. her sails are not large enough for a line-of-battle ship. ha! she has hove in stays. round she comes, smartly too. why, she is setting her royals! surely she can't be coming after us?" "as like as not," returned i. "if we can see her, she can see us; and as a craft of our rig is a rather unusual sight just about here, it is not improbable that her skipper may wish to learn a little more about us. what is she--english or french, think you?" "i believe she is french," was the reply. "i had a good look at her canvas as she hove about, and it appeared to me to be decidedly frenchified in shape." we were already hugging the wind as closely as was possible, and had every possible inch of canvas spread; so we could do nothing but stand on as we were going, and await the course of events. her sails rose rapidly above the horizon for the first hour or so, but after that, as we brought her more _on_ our quarter, they began to sink again. when about abeam of us, the stranger hoisted the tricolour at her gaff-end, fired a gun, and showed a signal from her main-royal mast- head, of which we could make nothing. we, however, hoisted the french flag also, and left them to make the best they could of it. after the first signal had been flying some time, it was hauled down, and another substituted, but with no better luck than before, and it was soon hauled down. "she is after us, for a guinea," said i. "ay, ay, nae doot o' that," quoth the old quarter-master; "but she'll no catch us the gait she's ganging the noo. this is oor ain weather, and i wad like brawly to see the _freegate_ that can beat us wi' nae mair wind than this. yon frenchman wad gie a hantle o' siller to see the breeze freshen, but it'll no do that yet awhile." the frigate stood on until she was well upon our weather quarter, by which time the heads of her topgallantsails were just visible from the deck, when, to remove any doubt that might have remained as to her intentions, she once more hove in stays and stood after us. i went below and looked anxiously at the barometer; it was perfectly steady. i then returned to the deck and keenly scrutinised the sky; it was covered with patches of thin fleecy cloud which allowed the sun to show through, with broad patches of clear blue sky between; and the breeze was just fresh enough to curl the tops of the wavelets over in tiny flecks of foam, and to heel the "vigilant" until our lee covering- board was just awash, with the clear, sparkling water occasionally welling up through the lee scuppers. it was, indeed, as old sandy had remarked, the weather in which the little "vigilant" stepped out to the greatest advantage, and i had very little fear of any square-rigged vessel being able to overhaul us so long as matters remained _in statu quo_. i knew that we were sailing a good couple of points nearer the wind than was the frenchman astern, and i believed we were going through the water nearly if not quite as fast as he was. by two bells in the afternoon watch the craft had dropped to leeward until she was a couple of points on our lee quarter, but she had certainly risen us a little, for by standing on the weather-rail i could see the heads of her topsails. matters remained in pretty much the same state for the rest of the day, excepting that our pursuer gradually tagged away farther and farther to leeward, until he was broad upon our lee quarter. toward sun-down, however, the breeze began to freshen, and our pertinacious companion soon showed us how great an advantage this was to him, by the way in which he drew up on our lee beam. when i went below to tea, i found that the barometer had fallen a little, and by the time that i had finished the meal and regained the deck, we were jerking through a short, choppy head-sea, with our lee bulwarks half-buried in the foam which hissed past our sides, the fore- deck drenched with the continuous heavy shower of spray which flew in over our weather bow, and our long yards swaying and bending as though each had been a fishing-rod with a lively salmon at the end of the line. i began to feel rather anxious, for the sea which the freshening breeze had knocked up was very detrimental to _our_ speed, while upon the frigate, owing to her vastly superior power, it had little or no effect. night at length fell. there was no moon, and the stars were partially obscured by the patches of cloud which covered the sky. i began to hope we were going to have a dark night, under cover of which we might give our pursuer the slip. as the darkness closed down upon us, and just before she vanished in the gloom, i took her bearings with the greatest accuracy. she had by this time crept up to within a couple of points abaft our lee beam, and from our deck the upper halves of her topsails were visible. i allowed half an hour to elapse, and then tried to find her with my night-glass. to my great disappointment, i did so without much difficulty; and, what was worse, she was fast drawing up abreast of us. it was by this time as dark as it was likely to be, so i resolved to heave about at once, in hope that we might execute the manoeuvre undetected, and so give the frenchman the slip. we accordingly tacked; and as soon as we were fairly round, and the sheets, etcetera, coiled down, i had another look for her. presently the small dark patch swam into view, as i carefully swept the horizon at the point where i knew her to be, and, to my disappointment, it showed much shorter than before. she also had tacked. "umph!" i muttered, "their night-glasses are as good as my own, apparently." i began to see a french prison looming in the distance; for, from the rapidity with which she had tacked, and the manner in which, notwithstanding our superior weatherliness, she was overhauling us, i knew that our pursuer must be an exceedingly smart ship, and her skipper was acting like a man who had all his wits about him. all our lights were of course most carefully masked--a tarpaulin being thrown over the cabin skylight, and a seaman's jacket over the binnacle, the helmsman steering by a star. we stood on thus for about a couple of hours after tacking, and i was seriously debating in my mind the possibility of giving the frenchman the slip by lowering away all our canvas and then running to leeward under bare poles, my eyes resting abstractedly upon a brilliant planet broad upon our weather bow, which was just on the point of dipping below the horizon, when suddenly the said planet vanished. i took no notice of this until it as suddenly reappeared in the space of a few seconds. "another sail, by all that's complicating!" i ejaculated. "another sail! where away, sir?" exclaimed hardy, who was standing between me and the helmsman. "just to the southward of that bright planet on the horizon, broad on our larboard bow," said i, as i levelled my glass. "ah! there she is. another frigate, by the look of her--hull up, too." "phew!" whistled hardy; "that's rather awk'ard; she may pick us out any minute. but perhaps she's english, sir. you don't often see two french ships so close together as this here. can you see her pretty plain, sir?" "not very," i replied. "but i fancy there's an english look about her." "let _me_ take a squint at her, sir." i handed him over the glass, and he took a good long look at her. suddenly he handed the glass back to me. "she's english, sir! i'll take my oath of it!" he exclaimed. "she's the `amethyst,' that's what she is. i knows her by the way her fore- topmast and topgallant-mast is looking over her bows. there ain't another ship afloat as has got such a kink in her foremast as the `amethyst,' and that's her, sir, as sure as i'm tom hardy." "are you _quite_ certain?" i inquired. "do not speak rashly because the consequences may prove serious to us. if you are _positive_ about the matter, i will signal him and turn the tables upon our friend astern." "let me take another look, sir." i handed over the glass, and he took another long look at her. "fire away with your lanterns, sir, as soon as you like," said he. "i'll stake my liberty that yon craft is none other than the `amethyst.' she's a twenty-eight; but her skipper is man enough to give a good account of johnny, i'll be bound." "then rouse out the lanterns, and let's make the private signal," said i. "but instead of hoisting them at our peak, where the frenchman will see them and perhaps suspect something, haul the staysail down, get a block well up on the fore-stay, and we will run them up there; our sails will then hide them from the craft astern." so said, so done; we showed the private signal, and in less than a minute it was properly answered, upon which we telegraphed the news that a french frigate was about ten miles astern in chase of us. our signal was duly acknowledged; and immediately afterwards the "amethyst"--for she it was--bore up. i now looked for the french frigate, to see if i could observe anything to show that they had seen the english frigate's signal lanterns; but she was still carrying on upon the same tack, and, as i judged that she and the "amethyst" were about seventeen miles apart, i hoped that the lights had escaped her notice. in about twenty minutes the "amethyst" passed us, a mile to windward, and apparently steering a course which would run her slap on board the frenchman in another half-hour. there was not a light to be seen anywhere about her; but for all that i knew that her crew were wide awake and busy. she was running down under courses, topsails, spanker, and jib, her topgallant-yards down upon the caps, with the sails clewed up, but not furled; royals stowed. "_now_ we shall see some fun shortly," exclaimed smellie, in high glee-- he having got an inkling that something out of the common was toward, in that mysterious way in which people _do_ learn such things on board a small ship, and had accordingly come on deck. but he was mistaken for once, if by the term _fun_ he meant a frigate action; for old clewline, the skipper of the "amethyst," was too seasoned a hand to do anything rashly. he ran down, his ship as dark as the grave, until he had attained a position about two miles dead to windward of our pursuer, when he hauled up and showed the private signal at his gaff-end. the french frigate immediately edged away about four points and showed some lanterns, but they were not a reply to the "amethyst's" signal; so clewline tried another--to make quite sure of avoiding any mistake. this was not answered at all; on the contrary, the frenchman hauled down his lanterns and wore short round, crowding sail at the same moment; whereupon the "amethyst" also bore up again and--clewline must have had his men aloft all the time, ready for the emergency--as she squared away in chase, we saw her stunsails fluttering out to their boom-ends on both sides. we then tacked and resumed our original course once more, heartily thankful for our escape, and chuckling mightily at the thought of the trap johnny crapaud had run his nose into. in less than half an hour afterwards we lost sight of both ships. we reached gibraltar without further incident, and failing there to obtain any intelligence as to lord hood's whereabouts, we filled up our water and sailed again for malta the same evening. we had a splendid but perfectly uneventful run from the rock, a westerly wind and fine weather prevailing during the whole trip. on our arrival at malta i learned that the "victory" was lying at genoa, and thither we accordingly went, picking up on the way a small french schooner from the levant, laden with fruit. we were over three weeks on the passage, having an alternation of calms and strong head-winds to contend with; so that i was heartily glad when we at length found ourselves in port, and the _mud-hook_ down. the "juno" was also there, and, on delivering my despatches and making my report, i was ordered to give up the command of the "vigilant" to the senior mid belonging to the "victory," and to rejoin my own ship. this, of course, i at once did; and i was not at all sorry to get back once more among my old shipmates, from whom i had been separated for so long a time. i had not left the "victory" many minutes before the signal was made for our skipper to repair on board the flag-ship. his boat was still alongside that craft when i went up over the "juno's" side with my trifling belongings; but by the time that i had stowed them away and had found my way on deck, captain hood was back again on board his own ship, and in conference with the first lieutenant in the former's cabin. it was not long before the first luff reappeared--with such a delighted expression upon his face that we at once felt certain he had heard pleasant news, and very soon it came out that i had brought, among my despatches, the order for the "juno" to return home and pay off. "hurrah for old england!" was now the cry; everybody was in the highest of spirits, for there was literally nothing to do but up anchor and away, which was promptly done, so that i scarcely spent half a dozen hours in the port of genoa, the "juno" sailing on the evening of the day on which the "vigilant" had arrived. we were nearly a month in reaching as far as gibraltar; but after getting fairly through the gut and round saint vincent we made short miles of it, the girls having taken hold of the tow-rope, as jack says, and eventually arrived at spithead without the occurrence of any circumstance worth recording. the ship was paid off next day, and i was enabled to return once more, after an absence of nearly two years, to the paternal roof. chapter twenty four. westward ho! i found all hands at home in the best of health, and received of course a hearty welcome from them. my father appeared to be exactly as i had left him, not a day older; but my mother had gathered an extra wrinkle or two about the comers of her eyes, i thought, and the grey hairs were mustering pretty strongly. poor soul! all the stress and strain fell upon her; it was she who had all the planning, the cutting, and contriving to make both ends meet; and it was no wonder if she showed here and there a scar received in the tough battle. the girls showed the greatest alteration, and, i may add, improvement of appearance, for they had developed from pretty girls into most lovely women--at least _i_ thought so. i had been home a fortnight when my uncle, sir peregrine portfire, to whom i had written shortly after my arrival, came down, and took up his quarters with us. life under the old roof-tree was very quiet and uneventful, and nothing worthy of note occurred for the first six weeks of my stay. i was taking matters quietly for a while, as i thought i was justified in doing, when, about the end of the time i have named, a chaise drove up to the door one evening, about half an hour before the appearance of dinner upon the table, and out jumped mr annesley. i was delighted to see him, and forthwith introduced him to my father and sir peregrine, both of whom gave him a most cordial welcome. my mother and the girls were dressing for dinner at the time. on dinner being announced, our newly-arrived and self-invited guest took my sister florrie in tow, and, having convoyed her safely to a chair, brought himself to an anchor alongside her, playing the agreeable so effectively that he quite absorbed miss florrie's attention during the meal. on the departure of the ladies, the object of his visit came out. he had, in just recognition of his services, been appointed to the command of a new frigate, named the "astarte," which was then fitting- out at portsmouth for the west india station; and he had hunted me up to see if i would go with him. i at once frankly told him there was nothing i should like better; and, as my uncle also approved of the proposal, the question was settled then and there. i learned, with a great deal of pleasure, that he had secured as his first lieutenant, mr flinn, our quondam "second" on board the "juno." bob summers and little smellie were also going to be with us once more, so that we promised to be quite a family party. mr flinn, it appeared, had already joined, as well as the second lieutenant, summers, smellie, and another midshipman; the former, assisted by smellie and the new mid, being engaged in superintending the fitting-out of the ship, while the second lieutenant and master bob were getting together a crew. the two latter were taking their time about this business--captain annesley being very anxious to have a thorough picked crew--but they had succeeded in securing some five and twenty of the primest seamen lately paid off from the "juno," as well as about forty other good men. my new skipper was kind enough to say that i need be in no hurry to join, as he would write and let me know when my services were required. these matters settled, we joined the ladies, and, as it seemed to me, the skipper was again very attentive to florrie, turning over the pages of her music, joining her in a duet or two, and reeling off small-talk by the fathom between whiles. next morning, after an early breakfast, we--that is, captain annesley, my uncle, and i--started for portsmouth; the former to remain there and watch the progress of work on board the "astarte," my uncle and i to just take a look at the new craft and get back home again in time for dinner. a smart drive of an hour and a half landed us at the "george" in portsmouth, and we forthwith proceeded to the dockyard and on board. the craft was still alongside the sheers, but her lower-masts were in and rigged, the tops over the mast-heads, and the three topmasts all ready for going aloft. she proved to be an -pounder -gun frigate, with a flush upper-deck fore and aft, which presented a beautifully spacious appearance to us who had been accustomed to the cramped look of the "juno's" upper-deck, cut into by the poop and topgallant-forecastle. her hull was very long, and rather lower in proportion than that of the "juno;" and her lines were as fine as it had been possible to make them. the joiners were still busily at work upon the captain's cabin and the gun-room, and everything was in a state of indescribable litter and confusion, but i saw enough to satisfy me that my new ship was as fine a craft of her class as ever slid off the stocks, and i looked forward to a happy and stirring life on board her. having taken a good look round her in every part, shaken hands with little smellie, and made the acquaintance of the new mid, a little shrimp of a fellow named fisher, my uncle and i started for home again. on the day but one following, sir peregrine and i trundled up to town to see about my outfit, as there were several things i should require on the west india station that had not been necessary in the mediterranean. on our return we found the skipper comfortably domiciled in his former quarters. things, he said, were going on so satisfactorily at portsmouth that he had felt no hesitation about leaving everything to mr flinn and accepting an invitation--which my father had pressed upon him on the occasion of his first visit--to spend christmas at the rectory, and to indulge in the unwonted luxury of a thorough rest. my father was always busy with his parish-work, and sir peregrine's gout precluded the possibility of his taking much outdoor exercise, so the duty of entertaining our guest devolved almost wholly upon the girls and myself. and i must say that our efforts in that direction appeared to be crowned with signal success. we had a spin after the hounds once or twice, and did a little shooting, but my superior officer appeared to enjoy the skating-parties most, when the frost would allow us to indulge in this pastime, and i could not help noticing how regularly we seemed to separate into two parties; the skipper invariably pairing off with florrie, and leaving amy to my care and pilotage. at length a letter came from mr flinn to say that the ship was all ataunto, and would in another eight-and-forty hours be quite ready for sea. it arrived while we were at breakfast; and as he announced its contents and intimated that we must both be off forthwith, i saw my sister florence go pale to the lips for a moment and then flush up as though the blood would burst through her delicate skin. the news threw a complete damper upon the previously merry party, and the meal was finished in almost perfect silence. at length my father returned thanks and rose to retire to his study. as he did so captain annesley also rose and said something to him in a low tone, which seemed to me to be a request for a few moments' private conversation. my father bowed, and led the way to the library, with the skipper following close in his wake. they were closeted together nearly an hour, and when the man-o'-war rejoined us, the first thing he did was to carry florrie off to the conservatory. my mother was, as usual, at that hour, busy in her own snuggery with the cook, so that amy and i found ourselves left alone in the drawing-room, sir peregrine having retired to the terrace for his morning smoke. i began by this time to see pretty clearly what was in the wind; so when amy proposed that i should accompany her as far as old mrs jones' cottage, i assented with effusion. we returned just in time to sit down to luncheon; and when we took our places at table, florrie's look of mingled joy and sadness, the sparkling diamond upon her engaged finger, and the elated look upon my skipper's handsome face told me all that i had before only shrewdly suspected. immediately after luncheon, the carriage was brought round, our traps tumbled on board, and the skipper and i started for portsmouth, after a most affecting leave-taking all round. poor florrie bore up bravely until the very last moment, when, as annesley took her hand and bent over her to say good-bye, her fortitude completely deserted her, and, flinging herself into his arms, she sobbed as if her heart would break. i felt a lump rise in my own throat as i sat an unwilling witness to her distress; while as for annesley--but avast! we are bound on a quest for honour and glory, so stow away the tear-bottles, coil down all tender feeling out of sight, and westward ho! for the land of yellow jack. on the day but one following, we sailed from spithead in half a gale of wind from e.n.e., with frequent snow-squalls; pretty much the same weather in fact as we had on the eventful occasion of my sailing in the "scourge." we looked into plymouth sound on out way, assumed the convoy of a fleet of some seventeen sail, and proceeded. oh! the misery of convoy-duty. to feel that you have a smart ship underfoot and a crew who will shrink from nothing their skipper may put them alongside, and to be doomed to drag along, day after day, under close-reefed topsails, in order to avoid running away from the sluggish, deep-laden merchantmen; with signalling and gun-firing going on day and night, restraining the swift and urging on the slow; with an occasional cruise round the entire fleet to keep them well together, and an everlasting anxious lookout to see that no fast-sailing privateer or pirate sneaks in and picks up one of your charges--it is almost as bad as blockading. however, all things come to an end sooner or later; and we were looking forward to a speedy release from our annoyances--having arrived within a couple of days' sail of the mona passage--when just after sun-rise the lookout aloft reported a small object apparently a boat, about five miles distant on our port bow. as the weather was beautifully fine, with our convoy bowling along under every rag of canvas they could spread, and no sign of any lurking picaroons in our neighbourhood, the skipper had our course altered, so as to give the strange object an overhaul. as we ran rapidly down upon it, we perceived that it was indeed a boat, but she showed neither mast nor oar, and we were unable to distinguish any one on board her. when within a mile of her, however, the lookout hailed to say he thought he saw some people lying down in her bottom. a few minutes more, and our doubts were removed by the sight of some person rising for a moment into a sitting position and then sinking down into the bottom of the boat again. "a shipwrecked crew, apparently," observed the skipper; "but why don't they out oars and stand by to pull alongside?" "perhaps they are lying asleep, tired out with a long spell of pulling already?" suggested mr woods, the second lieutenant. five minutes afterwards we swept close past her. "boat ahoy!" hailed the skipper; and once more a figure appeared for a moment above the boat's gunwale, waved its hand feebly, and sank down again. but--merciful heaven! what a sight it was, which was thus momentarily presented to our view. the figure was that of a full-grown man clad in the ordinary garb of a spanish seaman, but the clothes hung about it in rags, and the features were so shrunken that the skin appeared as though strained over a naked skull. "good god!" ejaculated captain annesley. "why, they are in the last stage of starvation. round-to and back the main-yard, if you please, mr flinn. mr chester, take the gig, and tow them alongside. where's the doctor?" i jumped into the gig, with six hands; she was lowered down, the tackles unhooked, and away we went. a few strokes took us alongside the boat; and i then saw a sight which i shall never forget. the boat seemed full of bodies, all huddled together in the bottom in such a way that it was impossible to count them as they lay there, and the stench which arose was so sickening that we had to hold our nostrils while the painter was being cleared away and made fast. we were soon alongside the frigate once more, and the doctor with his assistant at once jumped down into the spanish boat and proceeded to examine its occupants. three of them proved to be still alive; the remainder were dead and rotted almost out of the semblance of humanity. the survivors were hoisted as carefully as possible on board the frigate; and then, as the best means we could think of for disposing of the boat and her dreadful freight, half a dozen eighteen-pound shot were passed down into her, a plank knocked out of her bottom, and she was left to sink, which she did before the frigate had sailed many yards from the spot. the survivors were tended all that day with the utmost care by our worthy medico, and toward evening he was enabled to announce the gratifying intelligence that he hoped to save them all. the next day they were very much better; and on the day following one of them--the man whom we had seen rise up in the boat--was strong enough to tell us his story. i will not repeat it in all its dreadful details of suffering; suffice it to say that their ship, homeward-bound from saint iago, had been attacked by a piratical schooner, the crew of which, after rifling and scuttling the ship, had turned the crew adrift in one of their own boats, without provisions or water, masts or sails; and there they had been, drifting helplessly about the ocean for the to them endless period of nineteen days, without seeing a single sail until we hove in sight. on the fifth day after rescuing these poor creatures we arrived at port royal, where we anchored, while such of our convoy as were bound for kingston went on up the harbour. i had heard much respecting the beauty of the island of jamaica; and its appearance from the sea, as we had drawn in toward our anchorage, was such as to satisfy me that its attractions had not been overrated. i was anxious to have a run ashore; and was therefore very glad when the skipper, who had business at kingston, invited me to go with him. i ought to have mentioned, by-the-bye, that he had long ago taken me into his confidence with regard to his engagement to florrie--had done so, in fact, within a quarter of an hour of the time when he bade her good-bye, so that, though of course he was still the skipper in public, when we happened to be by ourselves he sank the superior officer, and merged into the friendly intimacy of the prospective brother-in-law. we jumped into the gig and rowed ashore to the wharf at port royal, it being the skipper's intention to take a wherry for the trip to kingston. the moment that our wants were made known, the black boatmen crowded round us in a perfect mob, each extolling the merits of his own boat and depreciating those of the others. from words they soon came to blows, the combatants lowering their heads and butting at each other like goats, until one hercules of a fellow, having won by force of arms--or rather, by the superior thickness and strength of his woolly skull--the right to convey us to our destination, we were led in triumph by him to his boat, and comfortably stowed away in the stern-sheets. the sea- breeze had by this time set in; and in a few minutes more we were tearing along the five-foot channel at a slashing pace. as we spun along toward our destination, i could not help remarking upon the perfect safety from attack by an enemy which kingston enjoys. in the first place, the approach from the outside is of so difficult a character, in consequence of the narrowness and intricacy of the channels between the outlying shoals and reefs, that it would be almost impossible for a stranger to find his way in. if, however, he should by any chance get safely as far as port royal, its defences would assuredly stop his further progress; and then, as though these were not deemed sufficient, a little way up the harbour we come to the apostle's battery; beyond which again is fort augusta. altogether i think i never saw a more strongly-defended place, excepting, of course, gibraltar. in due time we reached the wherry-wharf at kingston, and landed. a quarter of an hour's walk under the piazzas which line the streets in the lower part of the town brought us to mr martin's store, whither we were bound, and on inquiring for him, we were at once shown into his office. the skipper introduced himself and me, explained his business, which was soon done, and then we rose to leave. as mr martin shook hands with us, he said,-- "excuse me, gentlemen, but have you any engagements for to-day?" the skipper replied that we had not, we were both strange to the place, and we proposed chartering a carriage for a drive into the country, in order that we might see a few of the far-famed beauties of the island. "then pray allow me to be your pilot," said our new friend. "i have really nothing particular to attend to to-day, and i shall be very happy to show you round. if you can spare so much time, i am going this afternoon to visit a sugar-estate of mine a few miles out of town, stay the night, and return to-morrow morning after breakfast, and i shall be delighted to have the pleasure of your company." nothing could have suited us better; we accordingly accepted his invitation, and forthwith set off to see what there was to be seen of the town. in the course of our peregrinations we met and were introduced to several of our host's friends, each of whom shook hands with us as though he had known us all our lives, and forthwith gave us a pressing invitation to his "place." about four o'clock we returned to mr martin's store, where we found his ketureen--a sort of gig--waiting, and also that of a mr finnie, another sugar-planter who was going to make one of the party. the skipper jumped in alongside of mr martin, i stowed myself away alongside his friend, and away we dashed up the sandy streets and out of town in the direction of the blue mountains. we reached the estate, and the house upon it, just in time to escape a violent thunder-storm, accompanied by such rain as i had never seen before. it came down literally in _sheets_, completely obscuring everything beyond a couple of dozen yards distant, and rattling upon the thatched roof as though it would beat it in. it lasted about an hour, ceasing as suddenly as it had commenced, and leaving the air clear, cool, and pure. we had a most excellent dinner, washed down by a glass or two of good wine; some capital stories illustrative of life on the island were told; and about midnight we all turned in, i, for one, being almost knocked up by my tramp about kingston, after the confinement of the ship. the next morning we took a walk over the estate before breakfast, visiting the negroes' quarters, the sugar-mill, and other buildings, and gaining thereby an appetite which proved most destructive to our host's pickled mackerel, cold boiled tongue, eggs, etcetera. we made a clean sweep of the comestibles, washed all down with a cup or two of tea, and then started for kingston, finally arriving on board the "astarte" about noon. we remained at port royal two days longer, during which we gave the craft a brush of paint inside and out, and otherwise titivated her up after her run out from england, when we received orders to sail upon a three-months' cruise among the windward islands. we accordingly weighed, and stood out to sea with the first of the land breeze; and, having cleared the shoals, hauled up on the port tack, keeping close under the land to take all possible advantage of the land breeze in making our easting. by midnight we were off morant point, from which we took our departure; and in another hour were tearing along under topgallant-sails, upon a taut bowline, and looking well up for the island of grenada, under the influence of a strong trade-wind. the skipper was most anxious to thoroughly test the sailing powers of the "astarte," this being the first time that an opportunity had occurred for so doing; and we accordingly carried on all next day, taxing the toughness of our spars to their utmost limit, and so satisfactory was the result that all hands, fore and aft, felt sanguine that we should meet with very few craft able to beat us either in the matter of speed or weatherliness. the "astarte" also proved to be a very pretty sea-boat, though a trifle wet when being driven hard--but then, what craft is not? as we drew to the southward the trade-wind hauled round a trifle farther from the eastward, its prevailing direction being about e.n.e. this broke us off a couple of points, and set us so much the more to leeward, but beyond that we had nothing to complain of, for the weather continued fine, and the breeze strong and steady. on the evening of our third day out from kingston we sighted land on the lee bow, which turned out to be the south end of the island of oruba, off the entrance to the gulf of maracaybo. we weathered the island cleverly before dark, though without very much room to spare, and passed in between it and curacao, making land again about six bells in the middle watch, on the mainland this time, about hicacos point. at eight bells in the same watch we tacked ship and stood off shore; and when the sun rose, the island of curacao appeared upon our weather bow. continuing upon the starboard tack all that day, we hove about again at the beginning of the first dog-watch, thinking that we might possibly be able to pick up a stray spaniard or dutchman. on the following afternoon, about four p.m., land was once more made, directly ahead. "land!" murmured little fisher--who from his diminutive stature had acquired from his fellow-mids the sobriquet of "six-foot"--"land! it's nothing but `land ho!' what land _is_ it, for gracious sake?" to mr carter, the master's-mate, who happened to be standing near him. "the rocca islands," answered carter. "the master says it's a very likely spot in which to find a pirate's nest--just a group of some five- and-twenty rocks, they are not much larger, and one island about ten miles long and six wide, with reefs and shoals all round. did you ever smell gunpowder, six-foot?" "not yet," answered little fisher, "but you know this is only my second voyage?" "and your first was from london to margate, eh? well, perhaps you'll have a chance of smelling it before long." and carter walked away forward. the little fellow flushed up crimson, and then went pale to the lips. "why, six-foot, what's the matter with you; you are not frightened, are you? carter was only joking." "was he?" said the boy, "i didn't know. you asked me if i felt frightened, ralph, i don't know whether it was fright or not, but i felt very queer. you know i have never been in action yet, and i think it must be so _dreadful_ to hear the shot crashing in through the ship's sides, and to see strong men struck down maimed and bleeding, or perhaps killed outright, and i have a horrible feeling that when i see these things for the first time i shall turn sick and faint, and perhaps misbehave in some way. and i wouldn't act like a coward for the world; my father is a very proud man, and i don't think he would ever forgive me for bringing such disgrace on his name." i could understand the poor little fellow's feelings perfectly, i thought, for had i not experienced something of the same kind myself? i cheered him up as well as i could; telling him that whenever the time came i felt sure he would behave perfectly well, and that with the firing of the first shot all trace of the peculiar and unpleasant sensations of which he spoke would pass completely away. i was still talking with him when the skipper's steward came up to us with an invitation for both to dinner in the cabin. the subject was accordingly dropped, and we hurried away to dress. we were just finishing our soup when mr vining, the third lieutenant, came down to say that two ships had just rounded the southernmost end of the large island, and were working their way in among the shoals towards a small shallow bay on the north, western side. "what do they look like, mr vining?" queried the skipper. "one is a full-rigged ship, apparently of about six hundred tons; the other is a low, wicked-looking brigantine, sir, very loftily rigged, and with an immense spread of canvas." "um!" said the skipper. "just keep a sharp eye upon them, if you please, mr vining, and see what you can make of them. i'll be on deck shortly." the second lieutenant withdrew, and we hurried on with the meal. by the time that we had finished and were on deck once more, the sun had set, and the short twilight of the tropics was upon us. the islands--mere rocks, as carter had said--forming the western extremity of the group were already on our lee beam; the nearest of them being about three miles distant, while others stretched away to leeward of them right away to the horizon, and even beyond it. key grande, the largest of the group, lay right ahead, distant about fifteen miles; while el roque, another island, lay broad upon our weather bow, about five miles distant. the lookout aloft reported the two strange sail to be just anchoring. "we've stayed below a trifle too long, i'm afraid," said the skipper; "we shall have darkness upon us in ten minutes. mr chester, kindly slip up to the topsail-yard and see what you can make out about the strangers, if you please." "i'll come with you, ralph, my boy," said mr flinn. "four eyes are better than two; and, as i see that the skipper means to give them an overhaul, it is as well that we should learn all we can about them beforehand." we accordingly shinned up the ratlines together, and were soon comfortably settled on the fore-topsail-yard. we remained there until the brief twilight had so far faded that it was impossible to make out more than the general outline of the ships, and then we descended and made our report. the said report amounted to this. the brigantine, we had quite made up our minds, was either a privateer or a pirate, but of what nationality, if the former, we were not quite clear, and the ship we took to be a spaniard of about five hundred tons. the water was breaking so confusedly among and over the reefs ahead of us that we felt very doubtful whether the boats--much less the ship--could find a way through; but we were of opinion that there was a narrow belt of clear water close to the shore. mr martin, the master, had meanwhile brought up the chart and spread it open upon the capstan-head; but the moment that we looked at it and compared it with what we saw around us, it became evident that it was by no means to be relied upon, so far at least as this particular spot was concerned. "'bout ship at once, if you please, mr flinn," said the skipper. "we'll go no nearer--on _this_ side at all events--i don't half like being so close as we are now. we'll furl the topgallant-sails and take down a reef in the topsails also." it was done. the reefs now lay astern of us, key grande bore well upon our starboard quarter, and el roque was ahead of us, a trifle upon our weather bow. "keep her away a point, quarter-master, and give that island ahead a wide berth," said the skipper. "ay, ay, sir," answered gimbals; and i thought his voice sounded strange and melancholy in the deepening gloom. we were now standing to the northward, or about n. by w., under single- reefed topsails, and were going about nine knots, the spot we were in being sheltered by the islands and shoals to windward, and the water consequently smooth. in about half an hour's time, however, the frigate passed out from under the lee of el roque, and we were once more tearing and thrashing through the short head-sea. the sky to leeward, still aglow with the fading splendour which marked the path of the departed sun, strongly tinged the water in its wake with tints of the purest amber and ruby, against which the wave-crests leaped up black as ink, while the ocean everywhere else showed a dark indigo hue. overhead, in the darkening ether, the stars were twinkling out one by one; while away to windward the sky, already nearly as dark as it would be that night, was thickly powdered with a million glittering points. we continued upon the starboard tack until two bells in the first watch, when, the skipper being of opinion that we had made sufficient offing to go to windward of everything, we tacked ship and stood to the southward and eastward again. it was by this time quite dark, although starlight; and we knew that if the strangers inside had kept a watch upon us, they would have seen us still standing off the land as long as it was possible to see anything at all; and, this being the case, we hoped they would jump to the conclusion that they had seen the last of us, for that night at least, and think no more about us. by six bells we were dead to windward of the eastern end of el roque, and about ten miles from it, when we edged away a couple of points, and, getting a good pull upon the weather-braces, went rolling and plunging down past the weather side of key grande, giving the land a wide berth however, and stationing extra lookouts--the keenest-eyed men in the ship--to watch for any signs of broken water. two hours after bearing up, we were off the south-east angle of the island, when we wore ship, and, shortening sail to close-reefed topsails, jib, and spanker, dodged quietly in toward the land, under the lee of which we soon found ourselves. a couple of leadsmen were sent into the chains, and the lead kept constantly going, but we found there was plenty of water, so we stood on until we got into eight fathoms, when, being completely sheltered, we let go the anchor, and stowed our canvas. it was by this time about two o'clock a.m. the boats had been prepared long before, and nothing now remained but to lower away, unhook, and be off. as soon as the sails were furled, captain annesley went below to his cabin, and immediately sent for mr flinn, mr vining, mr martin, and me. we trundled down one after the other, and found our chief bending anxiously over a chart which was lying spread open upon the cabin-table. "pray be seated, gentlemen," said he; "draw your chairs up to the table, and you will all be able to follow me upon the chart. here is where we are,"--making a pencil dot on the chart to indicate the position of the frigate--"and here, as nearly as possible, is where the ship and brigantine are lying,"--a cross serving to indicate their position. "now i feel myself to be in a position of some little difficulty. i have very little doubt in my own mind that these two ships belong to our enemies, but i am not _sure_ of it; and to attack a vessel belonging to a friendly power would be a most deplorable accident. on the other hand, if we wait until daylight before doing anything, we run the risk of losing a good many of our men; for i should not feel justified in taking the frigate into the midst of so many unknown dangers, and an attack with the boats in broad daylight would give them ample time to make all their preparations for giving us a hot reception. i am inclined to think that the crews of those two craft will have no expectation of hearing from us to-night; and i have therefore determined to send in the boats to reconnoitre. you, mr flinn, will have charge of the expedition, and will take the launch. mr vining will take the first cutter, and mr martin the second, while mr chester, in the gig, must go ahead and endeavour to steal alongside the strange craft without giving the alarm, find out their nationality--while you lie off at a distance--and return to you with his report. if they are friends, there is no harm done; and if they are enemies, do as you think best." a few words of advice followed, and we then returned to the deck. the boats were lowered, a twelve-pound carronade placed in the bows of the launch, the fighting-crews paraded, and their weapons examined to see that everything was in fighting order, and then we trundled down over the side and shoved off. chapter twenty five. the rocca islets. the night had grown somewhat darker within the last hour, a few light clouds having come up to windward, spreading themselves over the sky and obscuring a good many of the stars; so that by the time we had been away from the ship about a quarter of an hour it was impossible to see anything of her except the light which twinkled at her gaff-end, and which might easily have been mistaken for a star. we rounded the south-west angle of the island; and soon afterwards found ourselves pulling up a narrow channel between the island and the reefs, in perfectly smooth water, save for the slight undulations of the ground-swell. we reckoned that the strangers were now about two miles distant, so with muffled oars, and in the strictest silence, we paddled gently on, mr flinn leading in the launch. after about half an hour of this work, the launch ceased pulling, the other boats following suit; and the word was passed for the gig--in which i had been bringing up the rear--to pass ahead. we did so, and in another minute were alongside the leading boat. "we can't be far off them now, ralph," said paddy in a loud whisper, "so just go aisy ahead, me darlint, and see what you can find out. and don't be a month of sundays about it, aither, you spalpeen, for we'll soon be havin' the daylight upon us; indade it looks to me as if the sky is lightin' up to the east'ard already, so we've no time to spare." "never fear," said i, "i'll not be a moment longer than i can help. give way, gigs, and pass the word for the bow oar to lay in and keep a bright lookout ahead." we swept silently away, the stroke oar having orders to keep his eye on the boats as long as it was possible to see them; and he was just reporting to me in a whisper that he had lost sight of them when the bow man gave the word "oars," and said he could see something broad on our port bow. the boat's head was sheered to port, and at the same moment i caught sight of the brigantine's spars showing up black and indistinct against the dark sky. she was not above fifty yards away from us, and i had just given the word to paddle quietly ahead when a voice hailed us in spanish, ordering us to keep off or they would fire. before we could reply, _crash_ came a volley of musketry at us, tearing up the water all round the boat, and one poor fellow dropped his oar and fell forward off his seat. "give way, men!" i shouted. "dash at her and get alongside before they have time to load again. the other boats will be here to support us in a moment." the men required no second bidding, but, bending to their oars until the stout ash bent like fishing-rods and the water flashed from the blades in luminous foam, they sent the boat like an arrow in under the main chains, dropping their oars and seizing their cutlasses as we sheered alongside, and springing like grey-hounds slipped from the leash at the craft's low bulwarks. but we had been reckoning without our hosts. instead of finding the crew all below comfortably asleep in their hammocks, there they were at quarters, with guns loaded and run out, boarding-nettings triced up, and in fact everything ready to repel an attack, and it was only our extremely cautious approach which had saved us from a broadside or two of grape. our people cut and slashed at the netting in a vain attempt to hew a passage through it, and were either shot down or thrust back with boarding-pikes; those who attempted to creep in at the ports receiving similar treatment. and all the time the small-arm men were playing briskly upon us with their muskets; so that at the end of five minutes i found myself with all hands beaten back into the boat, and every one of us, fore and aft, suffering from wounds more or less severe. "come, lads!" i exclaimed; "take another slap at them; we _must_ get on deck somehow. you jones, give me a hoist up on your shoulders; i think i can see a hole in the netting; here--a foot farther aft--so, that's well. now, _heave_." and up i went, clear above the craft's gunwale and neatly in through the hole which i had espied. i should have fallen on the deck on my head, and probably dislocated my neck had not a brawny spaniard happened to be immediately beneath me. taken by surprise at my abrupt appearance, he had not time to get out of my way or even to strike at me, and before he could recover himself my pistol was at his temple and he staggered backward, shot through the head. in his fall, he forced back two or three of those nearest him, creating a momentary confusion. one of the gigs was at that instant struggling to get in through the open port near me, and i bent down, seized him by the collar, and lugged him in on deck, recovering myself just in time to ward off a savage cutlass-blow. jones--who happened to be the man i had dragged inboard--was on his feet in an instant, and, placing himself alongside me, we both pressed a little forward, so as to leave room for the rest of the gigs to follow by the same entrance while we covered them. at the same moment a ringing cheer was heard forward; there was a rush of many feet, and flinn with his party poured aft, having come quietly in over the bows while the crew were engaged with us aft. "launches to the rescue!" he shouted; "hurroo, me bhoys! lay it on thick and heavy. don't give them time to recover themselves; if the naygurs won't go below or throw down their arrums, just haive them overboard." the onslaught of the three other boats' crews--which, having stolen quietly up in the confusion and slipped in over the bows without molestation, were perfectly fresh--was irresistible. the brigantine's crew were forced in a body right aft to the taffrail, when, to avoid being cut down where they stood, or driven overboard, they threw down their arms and begged for quarter. lights were procured; the prisoners were passed below and secured; and we then had time to turn our attention to the other craft. where was she? during the skirmish i had caught a momentary glimpse of her at about a cable's length on our port beam through the glancing of the pistol-flashes on her spars and rigging, but now she was nowhere to be seen. "matthews," said mr flinn, "take a blue-light from the launch into the fore-top and burn it." in less than a minute the glare of the blue-light illumined the scene with a ghastly radiance; and there, about a quarter of a mile distant, was the ship under way, standing to the northward and westward under jib and spanker, with her topsails just let fall ready for sheeting home. "oh, ho! is it that you're afther thin, me foine fellow?" exclaimed flinn, who always dropped into his native brogue under the influence of excitement. "by the powers but we'll soon sthop that little game. fore-top there! that'll do with the blue-light. jump on the topsail- yard and cast off the gaskets. lay out and loose the jib and fore- topmast-staysail, some of you; and mr chester, kindly get this mainsail set at once, if you please." "all ready with the topsail, sir," sang out the man aloft. "then let fall, and come down, casting loose the foresail as you do so. sheet home the topsail, lads; that's well! man the halliards and up with the yard. hoist away the jib and staysail; fore-sheets over to starboard. one hand to the wheel and put it hard-a-port. cut the cable, forward there. round-in upon the starboard braces--ease off your mainsheet, slack it away and let the boom go well out. now she has stern-way upon her. capital. now fill your topsail--smartly, lads!-- and haul aft your lee head sheets. steady your helm. now she draws ahead. hard up with the helm. there she pays off! square the fore- yard; gently with your weather-braces--don't round-in upon them too quickly. well there; belay!" all this had passed almost as quickly as the description can be read, and we were now under way and steering directly after the ship, which had only succeeded in getting her topsails sheeted home and the fore- topsail partially hoisted. "is that gun ready forward, mr vining?" asked flinn. "all ready, sir," answered vining. "then burn another blue-light and throw a shot over him." up flared once more the ghostly light; the ship, like a vast phantom, loomed out against the black sky directly ahead, and after a momentary pause the sharp report of the brass nine-pounder rang out forward, the flash lighting up the chase for an instant, and bringing every rope, spar, and sail into clear relief, while the sound was repeated right and left by the echoing cliffs of the island astern, and the startled sea- birds wheeled screaming all round us. no notice was taken by the ship of our polite request that she should heave-to; on the contrary, every effort seemed to be put forth to get the canvas set as speedily as possible. but the brigantine was slipping through the water three feet to their one, under the influence of the light baffling breeze which came down to us from over the lofty cliffs astern, and we were soon within hailing distance. "mr martin, are the starboard guns loaded?" asked mr flinn. "yes, sir," was the reply. "loaded with round and grape." "then elevate the muzzles of the guns as much as possible, if you please. i am going to range up alongside on the ship's port quarter, when we will pour in our broadside and board in the smoke. if we are not smart, both ships will be ashore on the reefs. mr vining, kindly take charge of the brigantine, with four hands; the rest prepare to follow me on board the ship." we were by this time close to the chase, on board which all was dark and silent as the grave. "stand by to heave the grapplings, fore and aft. now port your helm, my man--jones, isn't it? that's right, hard-a-port and run her alongside. this way, lads, our cat-head is your best chance. hurroo! boarders away!" shouted flinn, and away went the whole party swarming over the ship's lofty bulwarks helter-skelter, like a parcel of school-boys at play, our entire starboard broadside going off with a rattling crash at the same instant. and then uprose from the deck of the ship an infernal chorus of shrieks, groans, yells, and curses from those of her crew who had been mown down by our shot, mingling horribly with the cheers of our people, the oaths of those who opposed us, the popping of pistols, and the clash of steel. there were about forty men on board, chiefly spanish desperadoes, who fought like incarnate fiends; but they had no chance when once we were on board, and after contesting every inch of the deck until they, like the crew of their consort, had been driven aft to the taffrail, in which obstinate resistance they lost more than half their number, the survivors sullenly flung down their arms and surrendered. the next business was to attend to the safety of both vessels, which were now perilously near the reefs ahead. half a dozen men were sent on board the brigantine to assist those already there in working her, when the grapplings were cast off, the brigantine starboarded her helm while we ported ours, and the two ships separated, to haul up on opposite tacks. the ship's sails were not above half set, so as soon as we had hauled her to the wind the halliards were manned and the topsail-yards got chock up to their sheaves, the courses let fall, tacks boarded, and sheets hauled aft, when we eased the helm down and threw her in stays. day was by this time beginning to break. the sky overhead was lighting up, the stars paling out and fading away, while surrounding objects began to loom ghost-like and indistinct in the first grey of the early dawn. the brigantine was just visible about half a mile ahead and inshore of us, apparently hove-to. as we drew up abreast of her she filled her topsail and stood on in company, the ship by this time under every stitch of canvas, up to topgallantsails, while the brigantine drew ahead of us under mainsail, topsail, and jib, and was obliged to shiver her topsail every now and then in order to avoid running away from us. in twenty minutes more we rounded the point, and there lay the "astarte," a couple of miles off, rolling heavily upon the ground-swell. on reaching her, both our prizes were hove-to as close to the frigate and to each other as was consistent with safety, and mr flinn and i jumped into the gig and went on board to report. "well, mr flinn," said the skipper, meeting us at the gangway, "glad to see you back safe and sound; you too, mr chester," shaking hands with us both. "but how is this? are you hurt, ralph?" as on my facing to the eastward the light fell upon my face, and he saw blood upon it. "a broken skull, sir;" i replied, "nothing _very_ serious though, i believe." "and what's the news?" continued the skipper. "i see you have brought both vessels out with you. what are they?" "to tell you the truth, sir," answered flinn, "we have had no time yet to find out _what_ they are. they are both spaniards, however, and, if i am not greatly mistaken, we shall find that the brigantine is little better than a pirate." "um!" said the skipper, "likely enough; she has all the look of it. and now, what about casualties? have you suffered much?" "rather severely, sir, i am sorry to say. five killed, and eighteen--or rather, nineteen with mr chester--wounded; eight of them severely. i am afraid we shall lose little fisher, sir." "lose little fisher!" exclaimed the skipper. "why, whoever was thoughtless enough to let that poor child go upon so dangerous an expedition?" flinn looked at me, and i at him; but neither of us could plead guilty, so the matter dropped for the time. the surgeon and his assistant now trundled down over the side, with their tools under their arms, and went on board the prizes to attend to the poor fellows who were wounded, mr flinn returning with them to arrange the prize crews, and to anchor the prizes, the skipper having come to the determination to remain in smooth water until the wounded had all been attended to and placed comfortably in their own hammocks on board the frigate. in the mean time i trundled down into the midshipmen's berth, bathed my wound--a scalp-wound about six inches long--in cold water, clapped on a quarter of a yard of diachylon plaster, a sheet of which i always took the precaution to keep in my own chest, snatched a mouthful or so of biscuit and cold meat, and then returned to the deck to see if i could be of use. "oh! i've been looking for you, sir," said the captain's steward, as i put my head above the coamings. "the captain wishes to see you in his cabin at once, if you please, sir." "is he there now, polson? all right, then, i'll go down to him forthwith," and away i went. "come in!" said the deep, musical voice of the skipper, in answer to my knock. i entered. "oh! it's you, ralph. come in and sit down. i see you have been doing a little patching up on your own account. is it very bad?" "thank you, no; a mere breaking of the skin," i replied. "i shall be as good as new in a day or two, i hope." "that's well. still you had better let mr oxley look at it when he is at leisure. very trifling wounds turn out badly sometimes in this hot climate. and now--i want to speak to you about that poor lad fisher. i am told he was in the gig with you." "in the gig with me!" i echoed taken thoroughly by surprise. "i assure you, captain annesley, i was quite unaware of it, then. indeed, i was not aware that he had left the ship until mr flinn spoke of him as being wounded. i haven't even seen him throughout the affair." "i am glad to hear that," said the skipper, his brow clearing. "to tell you the whole truth, ralph, i have been feeling very angry with you; for when i heard that the poor boy had gone in your boat, i quite thought it must have been with your connivance. and i need scarcely point out to you that i could not approve of such a child as that being allowed to take part in an expedition of so dangerous a character, where he would only be in the way, and could be of no possible assistance. however, since you say that you know nothing about it, i suppose he must have slipped down into the boat surreptitiously and stowed himself away. now, as there is nothing particular for you to do, you may as well--" at this moment mr flinn entered. "sit down, mr flinn, sit down, man," said the skipper. "well, how are things looking on board the prizes by this time?" "capitally, sir, i am happy to say," replied flinn, with a beaming phiz. "the wounded have nearly all been attended to, and we may begin to transfer them at once. little fisher seems in a somewhat more promising condition now that his wounds have been dressed, and the others are also doing well. as to the prizes, the brigantine has such a heterogeneous assortment of goods in her hold that her cargo alone, which is very valuable, is sufficient to betray her character. her skipper was killed--by you, ralph, if i understand them rightly--early in the attack, but the mate, or lieutenant as he calls himself, swears she is a privateer. however, as he cannot produce anything like a commission, i am very glad i am not in his shoes. the craft is called the `juanita,' and the mate says they were bound from cumana to cartagena, but his papers look to me remarkably like forgeries. the ship is the `san nicolas,' bound from la guayra to cadiz, with a general cargo and--two large boxes of silver bricks, which we found stowed away down in the run. _her_ papers are all perfectly correct, and she is evidently a prize to the brigantine. the rascals on board her profess to be her regular crew, and disown all acquaintance with the crew of the `juanita,' but there are twice as many men on board as are entered in the ship's books, and altogether their tale is far too flimsy to hold water. i have no doubt they are a prize crew from the `juanita,' and that the ship's crew have all been murdered. so that we have done a very good-night's work, i think." "capital," said the skipper. "couldn't well be better, except for our losses in killed and wounded. let the poor fellows be transferred at once, if you please, mr flinn. when they are all stowed comfortably away, we will shift the silver into the frigate also; then there will not be much fear of its recapture. and lastly, we will shift the prisoners over to the frigate; then the prizes will not require such large prize crews." we then went on deck together, and i went away in the launch to effect the transfer of our killed and wounded. this was a long and painful business, some of the wounded requiring the most careful handling; but it was done at last, and by the end of the afternoon watch everything was ready for us to weigh and proceed to sea again, which we at once did; the prizes being ordered to rendezvous at barbadoes. mr vining, the third lieutenant, had charge of the "san nicolas," while the "juanita" was entrusted to carter, the master's-mate, who had strict injunctions to stick close to and protect the ship. we weighed in a body, and stood away to the southward, close-hauled on the larboard tack; the frigate cracking on, and leaving her prizes to follow at their best pace. vining also carried on upon the "san nicolas," giving her every stitch of canvas she could show, while carter had to haul down a couple of reefs in his mainsail and topsail, reef his foresail, and stow his flying-jib and fore-topmast-staysail in order to moderate his speed to that of his consort. at two bells in the first dog-watch, the crew were mustered, the men having cleaned and shifted their rig for the occasion, while the officers appeared in full-dress, sail was shortened, and the ship hove- to. the bodies of the five poor fellows who had fallen in the attack of the previous night were placed in the lee gangway, sewn up in their hammocks, each with an eighteen-pound shot at his feet, and the ensign spread over them as a pall. the skipper stationed himself at their heads with the prayer-book in his hand, and, having looked along the deck fore and aft to satisfy himself that everything was as it should be, took off his cocked hat, the rest of us uncovering at his example. "i am the resurrection and the life, saith the lord. he that believeth in me, though he were _dead_, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall _never_ die." the words, in all their solemn beauty of promise, uttered in a voice which quivered slightly with emotion, fell clearly and distinctly from the captain's lips, and went straight to the hearts of the throng of ocean warriors who had gathered to bid a last long, sad farewell to their fallen comrades, and to consign them with all honour to a sailor's grave. the bronzed and bearded faces of the listeners wore an expression of gravity well suited to the most solemn ceremonial of the christian faith, and as the impressive service proceeded, more than one of the stalwart seamen, who had a few hours before fought side by side with those who now lay at their feet wrapped cold and stark in their bloody shrouds, dashed with a hasty and furtive hand the unwonted tears away. nor were the externals of the scene altogether inappropriate to the occasion. the frigate, pausing in her rapid flight, swayed slowly and majestically upon the bosom of the surges which would soon receive the bodies of her dead heroes, and hung, as if in sentient grief, over the spot which was to be their tomb. her graceful hull, lofty spars, and snowy canvas gleamed refulgent in the last rays of the setting sun as he sank to his rest through a bank of rainbow-tinted clouds, and the rising wind sobbed and moaned dirge-like through her taut rigging. at length the glorious luminary touched the horizon, staining the bosom of the waters to a deep rosy hue, and flinging a broad pathway of glittering molten gold from the ocean's rim across the restless billows clear up to the frigate's side. slowly sank the broad disk behind the purple horizon, as the solemn ceremony drew to an end. the ensign, that meteor flag, beneath whose folds so many heroes have fought and died, was gently raised, and at the words "forasmuch as it hath pleased almighty god of his great mercy to take unto himself the souls of our dear brothers here departed, we therefore commit their bodies to the deep,"--the inner ends of the gratings upon which the dead lay were slowly elevated, the sullen plunge of the bodies smote upon the ear, and the last ray of the departing sun flashed upon the swirling eddies where they had disappeared, dyeing them deep in crimson and gold. the ocean suddenly darkened, the gorgeous cloud-tints faded into tender grey, and, as the service came to a conclusion, a gun boomed the frigate's farewell to her lost ones; the main-yard was swung; and the dead were left to their last long sleep deep within the sheltering bosom of the ocean they had loved in life so well. we stood on until midnight, when we tacked to the northward; in which direction we steered during the whole of next day and the following night, when we deemed ourselves far enough to windward to enable us to pass between the islands of saint lucia and saint vincent and fetch barbadoes on the other tack. in the meantime all the wounded were doing well except poor little fisher. his injuries were of a very serious nature, a cutlass-blow having cloven his right shoulder until it had nearly severed the arm from the body, and his right lung was penetrated by a pike-thrust. the skipper had ordered a cot to be slung for the little fellow in his own cabin, and thither i went as often as i could, to sit beside him, help him to the cooling drinks which our kind-hearted medico had concocted for him, and cheer him up when his spirits drooped, as they too often did. exhausted by loss of blood and severe physical suffering, his nervous system appeared to have completely broken down, and the incessant heave and roll of the ship distressed him almost beyond his powers of endurance. "oh! chester," he said to me one day, "if i could but be on shore, i believe i should get better. it tires me out to lie here, hour after hour, watching the sway of the ship. and then it is so dreadfully hot here, although the stern-ports are always open. what i should like is to be on shore, in a nice large room, with the windows open and the sea- breeze rushing in, laden with the odour of flowers, and to lie and listen to the rustle of leaves, and watch the branches of the trees swaying in the wind, with the birds and butterflies glancing to and fro, and the sunlight glittering upon the water. i can't sleep now, with the tramping of feet overhead, the creaking of the bulkheads, and the everlasting wash of the sea sounding in my ears, but i believe i _could_ sleep then; and if i could sleep i feel that i should get better." a day or two after he had said this, i went down to see him toward evening, and at the cabin-door i met the doctor just coming out. "how is he this evening, doctor?" i inquired. "worse; very much worse. i am beginning to despair of him now. he is light-headed, and i question if he will recognise you," was the discouraging reply. i went in and found the skipper himself standing by the cot, holding one dry burning hand in his, listening to the incoherent ramblings of the poor lad, and endeavouring to soothe him. home scenes and incidents of school-days seemed to be uppermost in his mind at the moment that i entered, but soon afterwards his thoughts wandered away to the night of the attack. "i must go, i _must_ go," he exclaimed in anxious tones; "if it be only to prove whether i _am_ a coward or no. chester spoke _very_ kindly to me, but i believe he thinks i am afraid. it will be dreadful, i know-- the flashing cutlasses, the fierce thrust of pikes, and perhaps the fire of grape and canister. and there will be gaping wounds, and blood-- blood everywhere; and oh! the suffering there will be; i have read of it all--the burning, unquenchable thirst, the throbbing and quivering of agonised limbs, and the upturned glance of unendurable torture. how can i possibly bear to look upon it all? and perhaps _i_ may be one of the wounded--or the slain. and if i am, what then? i do not care about pain for myself, i can bear it; but it is the sufferings of others that i dread to see. and if i am killed--why, i shall die doing my duty, and i am not afraid of death; i have never done anything that i need be ashamed of; i never did anything mean or dishonourable; i have always tried to be kind to every one; and i have read the bible regularly which my poor dear mother gave me." he paused a little. then the tears welled slowly up into his eyes. "i am dying--i know it, though none of them have said so. i wonder whether my father will be sorry. he is a proud man and stern--very stern; i cannot remember that he ever kissed me, and i have never been able to tell whether he cares for me or no. but i believe he does--i _hope_ he does; and at all events, he need not be ashamed of me, for i have proved that i am no coward. my mother will grieve for me, though; it will break her heart and--oh!" here a violent flood of tears came to the poor boy's relief, and he sobbed as though his heart would break. "phew!" exclaimed the skipper. "this will _never_ do; he is too weak to bear this, i am sure. run for oxley, and tell him to come at once, ralph; we must stop this at any cost." i rushed out of the cabin, and returned in another minute with the doctor. the poor boy was still sobbing occasionally, but he was crying more quietly now, and lying quite still in his hammock, instead of moving his limbs restlessly about as he had been. the doctor leaned over the cot, felt his pulse, and laid his hand upon his patient's forehead. "it is a dreadful tax upon his already exhausted strength," said the medico, "but i believe in the present case it has done good rather than harm. however, it will not do to risk a repetition of this sort of thing, so i will give him a mild opiate, although i would much rather not, in his present exhausted condition." he leaned over the cot once more with his finger on the lad's pulse, and gazed long and anxiously in the pale, upturned face, as though revolving in his mind some weighty problem. then, turning abruptly away, he left the cabin, beckoning me to follow. as he was mixing the draught in the dispensary, he remarked,-- "if he can only last out until we reach barbadoes, i believe we might save him yet; but it is this constant motion which is irritating his wound, and sapping his life. when do you think we shall get in?" "to-morrow morning, if the breeze holds," i replied. "too late, i am afraid," said my companion, shaking his head. "the patient is in such a critical state that a few hours more or less may make all the difference between life and death to him. however, i will not give him up without a fight. mr stuart and i will watch him through the night, and perhaps you could arrange to stay with him through the dog-watches, could you?" "assuredly," i replied. "i will speak to mr flinn about it, and i am sure he will excuse me." "very well, then; that's arranged," said the doctor. "now run away with that draught. if the poor boy is still agitated, give it him at once; if not, keep it by you for the present." i returned to the cabin, and found that little six-foot had stopped crying, and seemed disposed to sleep, so i put the bottle in a place of safety, and whispered to the skipper the doctor's arrangement. "all right," he returned. "you remain here. i must go on deck now; and i will mention to flinn that you will not be on deck during the dog- watch." he stole out on tiptoe, and i was alone with my patient. i settled myself in a low chair near the cot, and looked out through the stern- port. the sun was just setting, and the western sky glowed with the same gorgeous colouring which it had worn on the evening of the funeral. the sight reminded me of the sad incident, and i wondered whether we were to have a sadder one yet. i sat for some time lost in mournful thought, when there was a slight stir in the cot, and i heard little fisher's voice say weakly-- "is that you, ralph, sitting there? it is so dark i can scarcely make you out." "yes, it is i," i answered cheerfully. "how are you now, six-foot? you have had a bit of a snooze, have you not?" "i believe i _have_ been dozing," he replied. "i seem _very_ weak, ralph, and i have scarcely any feeling left in my legs. i fancy i shall not last many hours longer." "oh, nonsense!" i returned. "what has put that idea into your head? why, we shall be in carlisle bay by sun-rise to-morrow; and then, if you are strong enough to bear removal, you can have your wish as to going on shore, you know. and once there, you will _soon_ pull round, old fellow. no more rolling and knocking about then, harry; no more groaning bulkheads; but the quiet and coolness that you have been longing for, with the sea-breeze, and trees, the birds and butterflies, and tender women to nurse and pet and make much of you, instead of us clumsy people. only think of it! why, by this time to-morrow you will feel so much better for the change that you will be wanting to sit up in bed--or even to turn out, perhaps." "oh, no, no," he replied. "i am far worse than you seem to think, ralph. still, i believe i _might_ pull round even yet, if i could but get ashore." "well, look here," said i. "if you are to be moved to-morrow, it is of the greatest importance that you should have a _good_ night's rest to- night, so try, like a dear good fellow, to get to sleep again, will you? do you feel thirsty?" "rather," he replied. "but i seem to want something different from that stuff that the doctor has mixed for me. if i could only get a little fruit now--a bit of one of those pines you brought on board at kingston, for instance--i believe it would refresh me more than anything else." "would it?" said i; "then you shall have it; that is, if the doctor will allow it; for now that you speak of it, i know the skipper has one or two pines left, and i am certain you will be heartily welcome to them. do you mind being by yourself for a minute or two, while i run to the doctor, and speak to him about it? all right; i will be back in a second." the doctor saw no objection, so we soon had a splendid pine sliced up, and i held a thin piece to the poor little sufferer's lips. it refreshed him greatly, and after another draught of the acid mixture he settled down more comfortably than he had been at all. when i turned him over to the doctor at last and left the cabin, there seemed to be some slight improvement in his condition. in the early dawn of the following morning we anchored in carlisle bay, barbadoes, and by noon poor little fisher had been safely conveyed on shore and lodged in the colonel's residence near needham point, where he would have all the ladies belonging to the garrison to nurse him, and be conveniently situated for frequent visits from the staff-surgeon. chapter twenty six. a good morning's work. our prizes of course had not arrived, so, having seen little fisher comfortably bestowed, landed our silver at the dockyard, and handed over our prisoners to the proper authorities, we weighed again that same evening, and proceeded northward upon our cruise. when off martinique, which had fallen into our hands in the early part of the preceding year, we spoke the british frigate "blanche," steering towards barbadoes. her skipper came on board the "astarte," and, in reply to captain annesley's inquiries, reported that they had done nothing since the capture of the french frigate "pique" in january, on which occasion captain faulkner, the former skipper of the "blanche" and a most promising officer, was killed. her present captain, (watkins, acting) expressed great disgust at the state of affairs, and, rather cynically, ventured to hope we should have better luck than he had met with. nothing worthy of mention occurred until we arrived off guadaloupe. we had made a thorough inspection of all the neighbouring islands, beginning with mariegalante, and had looked into point-a-pitre harbour on the grand terre without making any discovery, when, one evening, while beating up under the south side of desirade, we espied a schooner at anchor near the shore and directly under the guns of a fort. preparations were immediately made for cutting her out; the frigate tacking meanwhile, and reaching off the shore again in order to lull any suspicions the frenchmen may have had as to our intentions. we worked up round the north-east end of the island, and it being by that time as dark as it would be, the frigate hove-to, and the boats, properly manned and armed, were despatched under sail. i took no part in this expedition, as i had shared in the other, and the skipper was anxious to give all his "young gentlemen" as far as possible equal opportunities of distinguishing themselves. the boats sent away on this occasion were the first cutter, under mr woods, the second lieutenant, the second cutter, under gimbals, the quarter-master, with little smellie to lend a hand, and the jollyboat, under the command of no less a personage than mr robert summers. we allowed them an hour and a quarter to get down to the schooner, at the expiration of which time we filled and stood after them. as we rounded the end of the island i slipped up as far as the fore- topmast crosstrees, to see if i could make out anything of what was going on. all was perfectly dark and quiet to leeward, however, for the first ten minutes of my stay, and then i saw a bright flash--another--a third--then two more in quick succession, and presently the distant _boom_ of heavy guns came rumbling up to windward. "ah!" thought i. "that is the battery playing upon our people, i expect." the fire was kept up pretty briskly for about ten minutes, and then it ceased. shortly afterwards a red light appeared inshore of us (the preconcerted signal of success), and almost immediately after its appearance i could make out the schooner, on board which it was displayed, coming out from under the land. a quarter of an hour afterwards she was hove-to on our lee quarter. mr woods' report was to the effect that he had got on board without much resistance and without any casualties, but that the schooner had been anchored so close in under the battery that its garrison had heard the sounds of the scuffle, and had, upon the schooner's weighing, opened fire upon her with effect, hulling her several times, inflicting rather severe injuries from splinters upon four of our people, breaking master bob summers' right leg below the knee, and cutting poor old gimbals in two. the schooner was a french privateer mounting eight long-sixes, and a long-nine upon her forecastle, with a crew of forty men. arrangements were being made for the transfer of the prisoners to the frigate when the french skipper sent a message begging that, before anything else were done, he might be favoured with an interview with captain annesley. the request was granted; he was brought on board the "astarte" in the gig, and conducted below into the skipper's cabin. he was there for about half an hour, and when he at length returned to his own ship, orders were sent to mr woods to secure the schooner's crew below and make sail in company with the frigate. we both accordingly bore up, and running round the south-west end of the island, hauled up for north-east bay in the grand terre, which we reached by daylight next morning. here a fine frigate was found snugly anchored in the south-east corner of the bay, in a sheltered bight, and under the protection of a battery mounting ten heavy guns. it now came out that this frigate, a french craft of forty guns named "l'artemise," had arrived at the islands on the previous day, and, hearing of our being in the neighbourhood, had immediately made her way to the spot where we had found her; whether to be in wait for us, or to hide from us, could not yet be said. the skipper of the schooner had picked up this piece of news, and had bargained with our captain to pilot him to the place where the french ship lay on condition that he, with his ship and crew, should be allowed to go free. the bargain was struck; our skipper insisting, however, upon the total disarming of the schooner. the "astarte" and her prize now hove-to; and, being still in deep water, orders were sent on board the schooner, to flood her magazine, and to throw her guns and all the small-arms into the sea, leaving weapons only in the hands of the master and his two subordinates, for the maintenance of proper discipline. this done, and all our people being taken out of the schooner, captain annesley wrote out a challenge to the captain of the french frigate and sent it in by the schooner. we then hoisted our colours and fired a gun. the french frigate and the battery on shore hoisted the tricolour soon afterwards; but though we watched the schooner into the anchorage, and saw a boat go from her to the frigate presumably with our challenge, no farther notice was taken of our presence; the frigate remaining all day obstinately at anchor in her secure position. of course everybody on board the "astarte" was on the _qui vive_ during the whole of that day. our three tops were permanently occupied by relays of officers; and every telescope, good, bad, or indifferent, was kept constantly levelled at the noble craft inshore. as for captain annesley, he never left the deck a moment as long as daylight lasted, except to snatch a hasty mouthful at meal times; and he that day exhibited the nearest approach to ill-temper that i ever saw in him. at length night fell; and still no sign had been made by the frenchmen. dinner had been postponed for an hour in the cabin, in hopes that the frigate would yet come out; and when at last all hope had been given up, the whole of the officers were invited to dine with the skipper. at sunset we wore round and stood away to the southward. the conversation round the captain's mahogany that night was naturally upon one topic only, namely, how to get hold of the frigate. captain annesley listened with exemplary patience to all that was said; and, at last, when every possible suggestion, practicable and impracticable, had been made, he said,-- "thank you, gentlemen, one and all, for your very valuable suggestions, none of which, however--if i may be excused for saying so--strike me as being so simple as the one i have myself thought upon. it is this. i propose returning during the night to a spot near where the french frigate lies--i marked it particularly to-day, while we were lying off and on--and sending a boat's crew ashore about an hour before daybreak to-morrow morning, to see what can be done with that battery. they will, of course, be kept upon the tiptoe of expectation all night to- night, anticipating an attempt to cut the frigate out, or something of that sort. toward morning, however, hearing nothing of us, and being fatigued moreover by their night's watch, they will relax their vigilance; and then i think perhaps something may be achieved in the nature of a surprise. i say a _surprise_, because, whatever is done, i should like done without giving the frigate the alarm. the battery once in our possession, be it only for five minutes, those heavy guns, of which i so much dislike the look, may be spiked; and _then_ we shall have nothing to do but run into the bay, lay the frigate alongside, and help ourselves. now, what do you think of my plan?" "capital! excellent! the very thing!" was the verdict, and everybody applauded to the echo, as of course in duty bound to do. but, apart from that, it really was an excellent proposal, and far better than any of the previous suggestions. "very well, then," resumed the skipper. "now as to details. the surprise and silencing of that battery is, as you must all see, a matter of the last importance, and will need a cool and steady hand as leader of the expedition. i cannot spare many men, as we are short of our complement already; and i have an idea that the french craft, ill- disposed as she seems to come out to us, will make a gallant defence when we go in to her. for the same reason, i can ill spare any of my officers. under such circumstances, who, in your opinion, should be sent to deal with the battery?" there was a dead silence for a minute. then up spake paddy flinn. "bedad thin," said he, his eyes sparkling with animation, "it's myself would like to take the job in hand if it wos _shtorrrming_ the battery that was wanted, captain, darlint; but since it's a surprise, for your own sake and that of iverybody else, don't send me; for i _know_ i'd be puttin' me fut in it and raising no end of a distorbance before i'd done wid it." there was a hearty laugh at this frank speech, in which the skipper joined until the tears rolled down his cheeks. "no, no, flinn," said he. "you are the last man i should think of sending upon such a business. besides, i shall want you to lead one of the boarding-parties, where i know you will be in your element. mr woods, i shall also want _you_; and i really don't see how i can well do without you, mr martin. so that we now come down to the midshipmen; and to tell the candid truth, young gentlemen, i have great qualms about entrusting so important a business to any of _you_. what do you say, ralph, do you think you could manage so delicate a business without making a hash of it?" "yes, sir," said i, "i believe i could. at all events, i'll _undertake_ to _silence_ the battery; and if care and patience will enable me to do so without alarming the frigate, it shall be done." "very well, then," said the skipper; "you shall conduct the enterprise; and remember that a surprise is eminently desirable, but that the spiking of the guns is _an imperative necessity_." we sat a little while longer, and then, rising and making our bows, retired in a body. we stood on until within an hour and a half of midnight, when we wore ship and began to retrace our steps. by three o'clock next morning we were off the spot which captain annesley had selected for the landing (a small strip of sandy beach, distant about a mile to the southward of the southernmost end of north- east bay); and the frigate was once more hove-to. the first cutter, which was the boat selected for the service, was lowered, and at four a.m. left the ship, having on board twenty picked men, in addition to the coxswain and myself, all fully armed. on approaching the shore, we found ourselves to all appearance with a rock-bound coast under our lee, upon which the sea was breaking with considerable violence. as we drew closer in, however, i made out the point behind which the landing-place was situate, and in five minutes afterwards we slid round the projection and found ourselves in smooth water, with the beach close aboard. giving the boat good way, we ran her well up on the sand, and all hands jumped out except two, who were to remain in her as boatkeepers. she was then shoved off again; the two men in charge being instructed to keep a bright lookout, and to be prepared to back in and receive us at a moment's notice, in the event of anything going wrong. i then paraded my small command, and, first repeating to them their instructions, led the way up the steep slope of the cliff. it was very dark, the moon--what there was of her--having set nearly an hour before; but, by dint of great caution and taking our time about it, we safely reached the top of the cliff in about ten minutes. here all hands lay down upon the grass, while i went forward on hands and knees over the brow of the hill to reconnoitre. it was some little time before i could distinguish anything but the black shapeless bulk of the land before me; but at length i made out something which i thought was the battery, at a distance of about a quarter of a mile away, and at a somewhat lower level than the spot upon which i found myself. returning to the surprise-party, we all moved cautiously forward toward the object which i had seen; and when within a hundred yards of it, i once more left the men, and crawled forward, as before, to reconnoitre. as we had drawn nearer to this object, i had seen that i was mistaken as to this being the battery; and i now made out that it was a block of two small stone buildings, evidently intended for use as a temporary barracks for the artillerymen belonging to the battery, and their officers. i crept right up to the walls of these buildings, and finding everything perfectly dark and silent, pushed my investigations somewhat farther. pulling off my boots, i passed right round both buildings; and then found that i had in the first instance come upon their rear. rounding a corner of the block (which was built in the form of the letter l with the points facing inwards) i at once became aware of the presence of two doors, one in each wing, both of which were open, and from which as well as from the windows, a feeble stream of light was issuing. from the position which i occupied, i was able to see in through the door of the smaller building; and there, in a couple of hammocks, lay two figures partially undressed; that is to say, they had thrown off their jackets, waistcoats, and boots. the jackets and waistcoats lay upon two chairs; and from the quantity of gold lace upon these i rightly conjectured that they were the officers. i then ventured to take a look in through the window of the larger room, observing the precaution to stand far enough away in the first instance to prevent the light falling upon my face and so betraying my presence to any perchance wakeful artilleryman. all, however, was perfectly still and silent; the long row of pallets on each side of the room might have been tenanted by so many corpses for all the movement that they made. a loud nasal chorus, however, prevented any apprehension i might otherwise have felt upon this subject. so far, so good. i now withdrew until i considered myself quite beyond the influence of the lamps burning in the two apartments--and which, by-the- bye, i judged from the clearness with which they burned, must have been very recently trimmed--in order to ascertain the position of the battery. there it was, sure enough, within twenty yards of me; and the only reason why i had not seen it before was because the barrack- buildings were interposed between it and me. i sank hastily down upon the grass to examine the structure, and made out that it was a sort of redan, the two faces of which, forming a very obtuse angle, were composed of stone-work masked with sods. five thirty-six-pounders grinned from the embrasures in each face, and alongside each gun was stacked up a goodly pile of shot. the merlons between the embrasures appeared to have been constructed in such a way as to form expense magazines, for i thought i could make out the doors leading thereto. the magazine proper i could not make out in the darkness, nor did i trouble to look for it. the battery, i ought to mention, was not enclosed at all in the rear, being evidently intended strictly as a sea- defence. i had been so busy noting all this that i had almost forgotten to look for the sentries which were sure to be posted somewhere. when i did at last make them out, i found, to my very great satisfaction, that there were only two of them, one at each wing of the battery; and these, instead of pacing backward and forward as they ought to have done, were standing with their backs turned toward me, gazing out to seaward--if indeed they were not more than half-asleep. i saw at once that the moment was eminently propitious; so hurrying back to my men, who must have wondered what had become of me, i led them up to within ten yards of the barrack-buildings, when i made each man take off his shoes. we then crept up to the barrack-walls, and telling off nine men, each provided with a hammer carefully faced with leather to deaden the sound, and a few nails (being similarly provided myself), i placed the remainder of my party, five at each wing of the building, well within the shadow, with instructions to seize--without noise it possible--and detain any one who might emerge from the building. in the event of an alarm being given and the garrison aroused, two of the men were to rush in and overpower the officers, while the remainder were to rally round the door of the larger room and prevent a sally until a signal-whistle should inform them that the work of spiking was completed, when the whole were to give leg-bail and make for the beach. but i warned them to prevent a general alarm, if possible, at all hazards. having posted this division of my party, i rejoined the other. each man was to spike a gun; but the two on each wing were, in addition, to creep up to and surprise the sentry on that wing; and no one was to attempt anything until the word should be passed from each wing. these arrangements made, we at once moved forward, noiseless as shadows, towards our respective points. i took the northern wing, while bob hawkins, a fine steady main-topman, took the other. as soon as we began to move, i devoted my whole attention to the sentry on my own wing, knowing i could not attend to him and look after other matters also. there the man still stood, motionless as a statue; but from a slight movement or two which he made, i soon saw that he was not asleep, but, on the contrary, wide awake. on we crept, and presently we were within six feet of him. at this moment one of our people sneezed violently, and the man instantly turned. my right-hand man and i sprang upon him on the instant, and while i wrenched his firelock out of his hand, my assistant grasped the unhappy man so tenaciously by the throat that he was utterly unable to utter a sound, and by sheer strength at the same time forced him down upon his knees. i laid the firelock carefully down upon the ground, and whipping out of my pocket a handful of oakum and some marline, stuffed it and a thowl-pin into the fellow's mouth, effectually gagging him, and, i fear, half-choking him at the same time. we next lashed him, neck and heels together, in such a way that he could not possibly move, and then set about spiking the guns, passing the word along at the same time. a distinct clinking, notwithstanding the leather facing to the hammers, on the right wing told me that all was going favourably in that quarter, and in another minute the work was effectually done. i was extremely anxious during that minute, for the sound of the hammers smote upon my excited ear like the sharp strokes of a bell. it soon ceased, however, and as everything remained quiet at the barrack-buildings, it seemed that the clinking had not been loud enough to reach the ears of the sleepers therein. giving the sentry on the right wing an overhaul to see that he, like his comrade was all safe, i immediately withdrew the spikers, and picking up the other party in our retreat we silently made the best of our way to the beach, which we safely reached in about a quarter of an hour, and, jumping into our boat, pulled cheerily out to seaward. it had by this time grown just sufficiently light to enable us to see the frigate looming like a seventy-four about a mile to windward. they were evidently on the lookout for us on board her, for we had scarcely shoved the boat's nose clear of the point before we saw the beautiful craft sweep gracefully round and run down toward us. she came as close in as the skipper dared bring her, and then hove-to. in ten minutes afterwards we were on board and the boat hoisted up. "well, ralph," said captain annesley, as i went up the side and touched my hat, "what news?" "we've carried out your orders to the letter, sir," i replied. "we have surprised the battery, and, without giving the slightest alarm to the french frigate, have spiked the ten thirty-six pounders which it mounts." "thirty-sixes, eh!" said he. "i thought they had the look of heavy metal when i saw them through the telescope yesterday. why, at their elevation, and at so short a range, they would have sunk us before we could get out again, had we attempted to go in there without first silencing them. thank you, mr chester; you have performed a difficult and most important service with equal skill and courage, and i shall have great pleasure in representing as much to the admiral." here was a feather in my cap. however, i had no time just then for self-gratulation, for as soon as our success had been made known, the frigate wore round--every preparation had been made long before--and we headed at once for north-east bay; our skipper having taken the utmost care to keep the french frigate shut in all night by the projecting point of land which forms the southern extremity of the bay, in order that the "astarte" herself might be equally hidden from the french frigate. ten minutes afterwards we shaved close in round the point, and there lay the "artemise," within half-a-dozen cables' lengths of us, with boarding-nettings triced up, guns run out, and everything apparently in readiness to receive us. for a moment or two our presence appeared to be unnoticed; then _crack_! went the sentries' pieces, one after another, on board her, the quick, short roll of drums was heard beating to quarters, and the hitherto silent craft became in a moment all astir with bustle and animation. in the meantime the "astarte," conned by the skipper in person, with old martin, the master, at the wheel, was put dead away before the wind until she had run in to within some five hundred yards of the beach and had barely eight feet of water between her keel and the bottom. the helm was then put gently over to port, and she swept round in a long graceful curve, during which the whole of her canvas was very smartly hauled down and clewed up, finally coming up head to wind, and gradually losing way, she ranged alongside her antagonist--the distance having been most accurately measured by the skipper--and the grapplings were instantly thrown and secured. the "artemise" reserved her fire until we were fairly alongside, when she delivered her entire broadside, the tremendous concussion of which caused the two frigates to sway heavily away from each other until the strength of the grapplings and lashings was taxed to its fullest extent. the marines on her poop, at the same moment, opened upon us a heavy and galling musketry-fire; but by neither did we suffer much loss, for our main-deck ports were closed, the guns being run in, and the entire crew upon the upper-deck crouching behind the lofty bulwarks. the moment that the first volley of musketry had rung out, away went both parties of boarders, fore and aft, making a way for themselves somehow, in spite of the nettings, and driving the frenchmen from both ends of the ship into her waist, where they were so huddled and crowded together that very few of them were able to use their weapons to any advantage. they fought well for the first two or three minutes; but when they found that the shore battery remained silent, they became confused and disheartened, as i easily gathered from their ejaculations and exclamations, and at length, after a really stubborn resistance of some ten minutes' duration, they threw down their arms and surrendered. the prisoners were at once sent below and the hatches clapped on over them, after which immediate steps were taken to remove the two ships from their somewhat perilous position, which was that of embayment upon a lee shore. a strong prize crew was placed on board the "artemise," leaving only just sufficient hands on board the "astarte" to work her sails, and then the latter set her canvas, cast off her fasts and grapplings, and canted to the southward. so close to the shore had the french frigate been moored, and so completely within the shelter of the bight, that there was very little room for manoeuvring, and the "astarte," short-handed as she was, narrowly escaped leaving bones to bleach on the rocky point. she managed, however, to scrape clear by the skin of her teeth, and once fairly outside and clear of danger she went about and hove-to on the starboard tack, to wait for her prize. the "artemise" had been placed in charge of mr flinn, who had selected me for his first and smellie for his second lieutenant; mr woods acting as first on board the "astarte." mr vining, the third lieutenant, and carter, were, it will be remembered, both absent in the prizes we had taken at the roccas. as soon as we saw that our own noble frigate was safe, paddy--who never liked to lose anything--gave the order to pass the messenger and get the anchor, instead of cutting the cable. the ship was riding by her best bower, and i was rather doubtful whether we should manage the job. the men, however, walked her manfully up to her anchor, until the cable was straight up and down, when they left the capstan-bars and flew aloft to loose the canvas, being as fully aware as their officers of the critical position of the ship, and of her liability to drive ashore unless the work were smartly executed, they achieved their task in an incredibly short time, and by almost superhuman exertions on their part the sails were set almost as quickly as though we had been fully manned. "well done, lads!" shouted paddy encouragingly. "now man the capstan- bars once more, break the anchor out at once, and run it straight up to the bows! if you cannot get it smartly all your labour will be lost by the ship driving ashore. play up, piper, and walk away cheerily, men!" the piper struck up some lively air--i forget what,--the seamen threw their whole weight upon the long capstan-bars, the cable strained and surged, the capstan jerked slowly round, pawl by pawl, and at length, as a heavier swell than usual rolled into the bay, there was a sudden and violent jerk, the capstan yielded somewhat unexpectedly to the violent exertions of the men, rolling two or three of them over on their noses, away went the rest at a run, laughing heartily at their comrades' discomfiture, and the great anchor drew reluctantly out of the ground. i was on the topgallant forecastle all the time, superintending the operations there, and as soon as i saw the cable swinging with the heave of the ship, "anchor's aweigh, sir!" i sang out. "thank you, mr chester. now put your helm hard-a-port, my man; over with it smartly. she has stern-way upon her and is driving in toward the shore. now she pays off. trim aft your lee headsheets, forward there. man the lee forebraces. now swing your fore-yard, board the fore and main-tacks, and haul aft the sheets. any news of the anchor yet, mr chester?" "the stock has just hove in sight, sir!" "that's well, let us have it up, and get it catted at once, if you please." the frigate was now under weigh on the starboard tack and looking up handsomely to windward of the northern extremity of the bay, having been extricated from an exceedingly awkward position mainly by the extraordinary exertions of the crew. the new skipper therefore deemed it an appropriate occasion upon which to raise the cry of "grog ho!" and the men soon had an opportunity of comparing the quality of the frenchmen's brandy with that of our own more unpretentious rum. the french cook, meanwhile, had been summoned to the galley, and was soon busy preparing breakfast for the men, and concocting a ditto for the cabin, which was intended to show his own officers--who, by the way, had given their parole--that the love of his art rose triumphant above _la fortune de la guerre_, and to impress us with the conviction that it is a frenchman only who can cook. captain annesley, on seeing us fairly under weigh, filled and stood on upon the same tack as ourselves. at length we were far enough to windward to fetch clear of everything upon the other tack with ease, and we accordingly went about, the "astarte" tacking at the same time. she edged down to within speaking distance of us shortly afterwards, and captain annesley hailed to say that--as we had fully expected--he intended to shape a course back to barbadoes, and wished us to make every effort to keep together. after breakfast we had a little friendly trial of speed, when it was found that the "astarte" could just spare us her fore and mizzen topgallant sails. at two p.m. on the following day we both anchored in carlisle bay, and were very pleased to see that vining and carter were also safely there. our skipper got very great credit for this exploit of ours, as indeed we all did; and i may as well here state that the participators in it eventually received the naval medal. the "artemise" was purchased into the british navy, under the same name, and the command of her given to mr flinn. mr woods was raised to the rank of first lieutenant, and mr vining also moved a step up the ratlines, leaving a vacancy for a third lieutenant, which our skipper most kindly filled up by giving me an acting order. as the "astarte" had received a considerable amount of damage to her hull from the double-shotted broadside of the "artemise," fired at such exceedingly close range, she was placed alongside the dockyard jetty for repairs, and it was not until next day that i had an opportunity to take a run ashore and make inquiries respecting little fisher. the skipper and i went together, and, to our very great gratification, found that the poor boy, thanks to the assiduous nursing he had received, was doing marvellously well. his wounds were healing in the most satisfactory manner, and he had so far recovered his strength that at the time of our visit he was daily expecting to receive the doctor's permission to sit up in bed for an hour or so. it was exceedingly doubtful, however, whether the poor lad would ever again have much use of his right arm, and in that case his prospects, as far as the navy was concerned at least, were at an end for ever. chapter twenty seven. the loss of the "juanita." a fortnight was very pleasantly spent by us at the island, during the progress of the repairs, the good people of bridgetown vieing with each other in their efforts for our amusement, a ball also upon a very grand scale being given in our honour by the officers of the garrison; and then all defects being made good, we once more put to sea. we appeared by this time to have come to the end of our run of good luck, however; for, though we most assiduously worked the entire archipelago, not a sign of an enemy could we find. at length, the period of our cruise having expired, we bore up and returned to port royal, where captain annesley was received by the admiral with effusion. the frigate remained at anchor in the harbour ten days, during which all hands indulged in a little welcome recreation, the officers attending quality balls, shooting, and visiting at various estates belonging to new-made, but most hospitable kingstonian friends. i had accepted an invitation from a mr finnie--whose acquaintance i had made on my previous visit to kingston--to spend a few days on his estate among the blue mountains and enjoy a little shooting on a small lake adjoining it; and in my indefatigable pursuit of this amusement i managed to contract a severe attack of yellow fever. i was most kindly and carefully nursed through it by mrs finnie, and it was chiefly owing to her unceasing attention, under god, that i recovered at all. i was ill for weeks, what with the fever, a relapse, and the terrible prostration which followed; and when at length i was able once more to crawl about, the "astarte" had been long gone to sea upon a sort of roving commission, from which it was quite uncertain when she would return. under such circumstances the time soon began to hang heavily on my hands, and i longed for a sniff of the pure salt sea-breeze, once more. i was therefore greatly delighted when, on calling at the country house of the admiral--to whom i had been introduced by captain annesley--the following conversation occurred. "ah! chester," said the admiral, "glad to see you on your pins once more; you have had a very narrow squeak of it, i hear." "indeed i have, sir," i replied. "so narrow was it that they had my coffin all ready built for me. i have managed to weather upon yellow jack this time, however, thank god; and now, if i could only get to sea again, i believe i should soon pull round and completely recover my strength." "ah! say you so? it is quite likely." the old gentleman was silent for a few minutes, and then, turning abruptly to me, he said,-- "have you heard that the `juanita'--that pirate brigantine which the `astarte' took among the roccas--has been brought to port royal, and that we are putting a new foremast in her and converting her into a topsail schooner?" "no, sir, i have not," i replied. "indeed i have heard _nothing_ in connection with naval matters, for i have not yet been as far as kingston." "umph! well, we _are_ doing so," he said. "how do you think the change will affect her?" "i believe it will be a great improvement. all that heavy gear forward must, i am sure, have been detrimental to her sailing powers, especially in a sea-way." "to be sure it was. couldn't have been otherwise. then you approve of the change?" "yes, sir, certainly," i replied, wondering why on earth so great a personage should attach any importance to the opinion of a midshipman. "ah! i am glad of that," returned the admiral; "because, since you have expressed a wish to go to sea again, the idea has come into my head to give her to you--that is to say, until the `astarte' comes in again." i murmured something--i hardly knew what--by way of thanks, to which the admiral kindly replied,-- "there, there; don't say a word about it, my dear boy. annesley has told me all about you, and if the half of what he says be true, i know of no one who is better fitted for the trust than yourself. besides, i have really nobody else to place in charge. if you feel well enough, you had better run down on board in the course of a day or two, and see how matters are going on. now come away into the other room and have some lunch." on the following morning, directly after breakfast, i started in mr finnie's ketureen for kingston, and, reaching the wharf about noon, chartered that fast-sailing clipper, the "fly-by-night," to convey me to port royal. the jabber of the black boatmen and the exhilarating sensation of being once more afloat had quite a tonic effect upon my spirits, which rose higher and higher as we tore down past the palisades, the boat careening gunwale-to, with the hissing, sparkling foam seething past and trailing away in a long wake astern. when i got on board the "juanita," i found that they had just stepped the foremast, and a most beautiful spar it was, without a knot in it, and as straight as a ray of light. fisher, the dockyard foreman, was on board, superintending operations, and from him i learned that it was intended to make some slight alterations in the armament of the craft; for, whereas when captured she carried four long-sixes of a side, it was now proposed to alter the position of the ports, reducing their number to three, and bringing them more toward the middle or waist of the vessel, and mounting three long- nines on each side instead of the four sixes, thus removing the weight from the two ends, and adding three pounds to the weight of her broadside. it was also proposed to take away the long-nine from forward, and to substitute for it a long-eighteen between the masts. these alterations accorded strictly with my own views upon the subject, and were precisely what i should have suggested, had i been asked. there had been some little talk about increasing the height of her bulwarks, but this, i was glad to hear, had been overruled; for it would certainly have gone far toward spoiling her light, jaunty, graceful appearance. it took the dockyard people just another week to complete the proposed alterations, during which i visited the craft every morning, returning to my quarters at mr finnie's in time for their six o'clock dinner. on the day week after my first visit she was out of fisher's hands, and as i left her late that afternoon i thought i had never seen a prettier little craft. her tall, slim, taper spars had a jaunty little rake aft, and were encumbered with only so much rigging as was absolutely necessary to prevent them from going over the side. her yards, though light, were of immense spread, and the new suit of sails with which she had been fitted fore and aft, and which had been stretching all the week and were permanently bent only that same morning, gleamed in the brilliant sunshine, white as snow. her hull was coppered to about six inches beyond the water-line, and above this she was painted a cool grey up to her rail, this colour being relieved by a narrow scarlet riband along the covering-board. it was a fancy of the admiral, that she should be made as unlike a ship of war as possible, in order that she might be the more thoroughly fitted for her destined work; and, between us all, we certainly managed to meet his wishes in that respect to perfection, for she looked, both in hull and rigging, more like a yacht than anything else. on the following day the stores and ammunition were shipped, and on the day after i called at the admiral's office for my instructions, joined the ship, and that same evening, as soon as the land breeze set in, proceeded to sea; my orders being to cruise among the windward passages for the protection of trade and the suppression of piracy until recalled, and to look in at the post office on crooked island about once a month for orders. keeping close along in under the land, so as to take full advantage of the land breeze, we were off morant point by midnight, when we stretched away to seaward, and finally, after being obliged to take to our sweeps to get across the calm belt between the _terral_ and the trade-wind, stood away to the northward, close-hauled upon the starboard tack, toward the cuban shore. weathering in due time cape maysi, the eastern extremity of the island of cuba, we shaped a course for crooked island passage, and being then able to get a small pull upon the weather-braces and to ease off the mainsheet a foot or so, we bowled along in a style which filled all hands with delight. on our arrival at crooked island we called at the post office, and i left a letter for the admiral, reporting progress. there was a fine full-rigged ship lying there when we arrived, bound for london; she had been there two days, waiting and hoping for the arrival of a man-of-war, under the protection of which to get safely through the passage. she carried a very rich cargo and some sixteen passengers, most of whom were ladies, and as she only mounted four small guns, and carried no more than just sufficient men to work the ship, her skipper was willing to lose a day or two upon the chance of getting a safe convoy clear of the islands, among which there had been of late some very daring cases of piracy. finding that the "centurion"--as his ship was named--was perfectly ready for sea, i arranged with her skipper to sail again that afternoon, which we accordingly did. the "centurion" proving to be a slow sailer, we were four days taking her out clear of everything, when, having done so without molestation, the two ships parted company, and we bore up for a regular cruise to the southward among the various passages. we fell in with a good many ships, all english, pushing through the various passages, and a few of them asked for convoy; but of pirates, slavers, or french privateers--any of which would have been game for our bag--we saw nothing. at length, having made the circuit of the archipelago once, calling at the post office on reaching it, but finding no orders, we had proceeded so far on our cruise as to have arrived off the square handkerchief shoal on our second round, and were about to bear up through the silver kay passage, when, toward the end of the afternoon watch, the wind suddenly dropped, and by sun-down it had fallen stark calm. the air turned close and hot as the breath of an oven, and as the evening wore on a heavy bank of black cloud worked up from to leeward and slowly overspread the sky, gradually settling down until the vapour appeared to touch our mast-heads. hawsepipe, a master's-mate, who was acting as master, had been very fidgety for some time, and at last, "what do you think all this means, mr chester?" said he. "i scarcely know _what_ to make of it," i replied. "i have never seen anything quite like it before. it looks more like an impending thunder- storm than anything else; but it _may_ be something very different, and i was about to give the order to shorten sail when you spoke." "i really think we had better," he returned. "i see no sign of wind as yet, certainly; still, as we are in no hurry, it would be just as well to be prepared for anything and everything that can possibly happen. what sail shall we get her under?" "well, being, as you remark, in no sort of hurry, i think we will make our precautions as complete as possible by stowing everything except the fore-trysail and staysail. let the men commence with the mainsail, as it is the largest and least manageable sail in a breeze." "all hands, shorten sail!" sang out hawsepipe. the boatswain's pipe sounded, his gruff voice reiterated the order, and the men, who had been grouped together on the forecastle discussing the singular appearance of the weather, sprang to their stations. "main and peak halliards let go! man the main-tack tricing-line and down with the throat of the sail; round-in upon the mainsheet! now, then, is there no one to attend to the peak downhaul? that's right. now roll up the sail snugly and put the coat on. in with the whole of your square canvas forward. royal, topgallant, and topsail halliards and sheets let go; man the clewlines, and clew them up cheerily, my lads. haul down and stow both jibs. lay aloft there! and see that you stow your canvas snugly, although it _is_ too dark at present for me to see what you are about." thus mr hawsepipe, in as authoritative a tone as though he were the first luff of a -gun ship. sail was shortened in considerably less time than it has taken to write the above description; for though this was the first cruise wherein hawsepipe had been placed in a position of actual authority, he was anything but a tyro in the science of seamanship, and insisted on _everything_ on board being done as thoroughly well as it was possible to do it, and the schooner was soon ready for whatever might come. the night grew hotter and hotter, and still the glassy calm continued. the darkness was so intense, so opaque, that on placing my hand close before my eyes, i was quite unable to see it; and the stillness of the air was such that the flame of a lamp brought on deck burned straight up and down, merely swaying a trifle with the heave of the ship upon the long, sluggish swell. this state of things continued until nearly four bells in the first watch, when a startling phenomenon occurred. the curtain of vapour grew more dense even than it had been before, entirely precluding the possibility of any light penetrating from above; notwithstanding which, the atmosphere very gradually became luminous with a ghastly, blue, sulphurous light, until it was possible, not only to see distinctly every object on board the schooner, but also to distinguish the gleaming surface of the water for a distance on every side of some three miles or so. the faces of the men huddled together on the forecastle looked ghastly and death-like in this unearthly light, and the hull, spars, rigging and canvas of the schooner assumed such a weird and supernatural appearance when illumined by it, that she might easily have been mistaken for a cruiser from phlegethon. but this was not all. about half-an-hour after this singular luminosity of the atmosphere first became apparent, and before the startled seamen had recovered their self-possession, in an instant, without any premonition whatever, there appeared at each mast-head and yardarm, at the jibboom-end--in fact, at the end of every spar on board the schooner--a globe of greenish-coloured light, about the size of an ordinary lamp-globe, each of which wavered and swayed, elongated and flattened, as the ship gently rose and fell over the glassy sea. the men were now thoroughly terrified. "see that, tom?" exclaimed one. "what d'ye call all them things?" "why, they be davy jones' lanterns, _they_ be," returned tom; "and right sorry am i to see 'em." "davy jones' lanterns?" echoed the questioner. "what--you don't mean as them lights has been h'isted aboard here by the real old genuine davy hisself, eh?" "that's just what i _do_ mean, then, and no mistake. my eyes! there's a show of 'em, too; never seed so many afore in my life. you mark my words, dick, and see if something out o' the common don't happen to this here little barkie afore four-and-twenty hours is over our heads." "what sort of a _somethin'_ d'ye mean, tom, bo'?" asked another. "why, harm or damage o' some kind," replied the oracle. "i've heerd say as how when them lanterns is showed aboard of a craft, that it's a sure sign as she's a doomed ship. i remembers one time when i was in the chinee seas in the old--lord ha' mercy on us! what's that?" a dazzling, blinding flash, which seemed to set both sky and sea on fire, and a simultaneous crash of thunder of so terrific a character that my ears rang and tingled, and i was stone-deaf for a few minutes afterwards, interrupted the speaker. i reeled under the awful concussion, as though i had received a crushing blow, and for a minute or two i felt dazed to the verge of unconsciousness. then i became sensible that hawsepipe was grasping my hand and trying to direct my attention forward; he seemed, too, to be anxious to say something, for his lips were moving rapidly in an excited manner. i looked forward, and--behold!--there lay our foremast, with all attached, over the side; the stump--standing about four feet above the deck--being nothing but a mass of charred and blackened splinters. this was bad enough, but, letting my glance travel forward, i saw that the whole of the men on the forecastle had been struck to the deck by the electric fluid. hawsepipe, the surgeon, the quarter-master, and i, all rushed forward in a body to the assistance of the unfortunate men, and to ascertain the extent of their injuries. we raised the poor fellows, as we came to them, into a sitting position against the bulwarks, while the surgeon hastily examined them. to our horror it was found that all but four had been killed by that tremendous discharge, the dead men's bodies being in some cases blackened and charred as if by fire; while, in other cases, their knives and the coin in their pockets were fused into shapeless lumps of metal. the living were carried aft to the cabin, where the surgeon, assisted by hawsepipe, devoted all his energies to their restoration, while the quarter-master and i returned to the deck to look after the safety of the ship. in the meantime a terrific thunder-storm heralded by that first destructive discharge, had set in, the green and baleful glare of the livid lightning illuminating the scene until it became almost as light as day; while the crashing roll of the thunder was absolutely continuous, and so deafening that i felt stunned and stupefied by it. there was no rain, neither was there any wind, properly speaking, the dead calm being only interrupted now and then by a momentary gust of wind, hot as the blasting breath of a furnace, which passed over us and was gone almost before we had time to realise its presence. these fitful and transient gusts of wind came from all quarters of the compass. i had never before experienced weather of at all a similar character, nor had simpson, the quarter-master, and we were equally puzzled as to what to expect. the heavens were black as ink, and the clouds, rendered visible by the unearthly bluish-green glare of the lightning, were seen to be writhing and working like tortured serpents; but there was nothing to indicate a probable breeze. there was plenty of work to be done, the clearing away of the wreck being our first task. simpson and i accordingly armed ourselves with a tomahawk each, and went forward to make a commencement. simpson began at the jibboom-end, cutting away the stays attached thereto, and working his way in, while i made an attack upon the shrouds and backstays. our intention was to cut away everything in the first instance, in case of bad weather coming on, and afterwards to save as much of the wreck as we could. i had scarcely begun my task when i fancied i smelt a smell of burning, but for the first minute or so i paid little attention to it, as the air had been for a long time pervaded by a strong choking sulphurous odour. i had struck but a few strokes with my tomahawk however, when a very strong whiff assailed my nostrils, and at the same instant a thin wreath of smoke appeared hovering over the fore-scuttle. dropping my tomahawk, i darted toward the opening, and, looking down, found the place full of smoke, which appeared to be prevented from rising by the peculiar condition of the atmosphere. "lay in, simpson," i shouted to the quarter-master; "the ship is on fire!" the old fellow, with his arm raised in the act of striking at the jib- stay, turned, and, catching sight of the smoke, bundled inboard in a trice. we descended to the forecastle together, and found it so full of dense pungent smoke that it was impossible to remain there a moment without adopting precautions of some kind to escape suffocation; we accordingly returned to the deck, and, removing our black silk handkerchiefs from our throats saturated them with water, and then bound them tightly about the lower part of our faces, leaving our eyes only uncovered. thus protected, we once more descended, and were then enabled to remain long enough to assure ourselves that the forecastle was not the seat of the fire. as we returned to the deck up the steep ladder, i detected smoke issuing into the forecastle in dense jets through the joints in the bulkhead, and this, together with the odour, which at that moment became very strong, led me to suspect that the fire was located in the store-room. saturating our handkerchiefs afresh and readjusting them upon our faces, we rushed aft and descended the main hatchway. here--that is to say, immediately in the wake of the hatchway--there was very little smoke, but with _every_ step forward it became more and more dense, and as we approached the store-room the heat and smoke became so stifling that we could only proceed with the utmost difficulty. at length, however, we managed to reach the store-room door, and then the heat, the heavy smoke, the dull roar and crackling of the flames, gave us unmistakable assurance that we had found the seat of the mischief. i placed my hand upon the thick planking of the bulkhead and found it to be scorching hot. we were unable to remain a moment where we were, so intense was the smoke and heat. we accordingly returned to the deck and summoned hawsepipe and the doctor to our assistance. we informed them in a few words of this new catastrophe, or rather of the unexpected result of the original one--for i had no doubt whatever that it was the lightning which had set the ship on fire,--and received from them in return the news that the four men had been restored to consciousness, but had not yet recovered the use of their limbs; we then at once set about cutting a hole through the deck into the store-room, hoping that by means of the fire-engine and hose we might yet be able to conquer the flames. a hole was first cut in the deck large enough to admit the end of the hose; the hose was then inserted, and packed carefully round with wet canvas where it passed through the deck, so as to prevent, as far as possible, the access of fresh air to the fire, and we four then manned the engine and proceeded with all our energy to pump water down upon the flames. we had been thus engaged for about a quarter of an hour, the lightning raging round us all the while in undiminished fury, when, in an instant, down came the rain in a perfect flood. "shut the ports!" yelled hawsepipe. we understood in a moment the object he had in view, and, leaving the engine, went round the decks, closing the ports and stopping up the scuppers with pieces of canvas, so as to prevent the water from flowing off the deck. the rain was descending in such copious torrents that in a few minutes we were up to our knees in warm, fresh water, when the hose was withdrawn from the hole in the deck and the water allowed to stream down into the store-room. a dense jet of steam rushed up through the hole immediately that we withdrew the hose and its packing. we now had a moment in which to take a look below, and see what result had attended our labours. a glance at the fore-scuttle was anything but reassuring, dense clouds of steam and smoke issuing by this time from the opening, and as we looked the smoke suddenly became tinged with the lurid reflection of flames. i darted to the opening, and looking down as well as i could through the blinding suffocating clouds which rushed up in denser volumes every instant, saw that the bulkhead was burned through, and the flames already spreading in every direction. the fire-engine was instantly started once more, the hose being this time directed down into the forecastle, and for twenty minutes we played upon the fire there--the rain all the while rushing down in sheets and fast filling our decks--without result; at the end of that time it became apparent that the ship was doomed. hawsepipe and the doctor had meanwhile pressed their investigations farther aft, soon reappearing with the alarming news that the fire was spreading aft with great rapidity. "then there is nothing for it but to take to the boat without further delay," said i. and we set about getting her over the side forthwith, our motions being considerably accelerated by the increasing loudness of the roaring crackling sound of the fire, the dense cloud of smoke which now enveloped the ship, and the almost unbearable heat of the deck. the flames spread so rapidly that by the time we had got the boat into the water, with her oars, sails, etcetera, a couple of breakers of water, a bag or two of biscuits, and a miscellaneous collection of small stores from the cabin lockers, the heat and smoke had become so unendurable that we could not remain still a moment, indeed so sorely pressed were we that the poor fellows who had been injured by the lightning, and who had been brought on deck some time before to save them from suffocation, were almost _thrown_ over the side into the boat; we scrambled in after them, and casting off got out the oars, and pulled as fast as we could from the ship, which in another minute was blazing from stem to stern, notwithstanding the still pouring rain. we pushed off in dead silence, and, having pulled far enough away to be clear of the scorching heat, laid with one consent upon our oars to watch the conflagration. we had been lying thus motionless upon the water some three or four minutes, when the mainmast swayed slowly to and fro for a moment, and then fell with a hissing splash into the water alongside, a shower of sparks shooting up at the same moment from the burning bulwarks which had been crushed out by the mast in its fall. we were watching and remarking upon the way in which the planks of the topsides were twisting up and opening out from the timbers under the influence of the tremendous heat, when suddenly an awful recollection flashed upon me. "pull! pull for your lives!" i screamed. "we have forgotten to drown out the magazine." not another word was needed. with one accord the oars dashed into the water, and you may rest assured that we threw our entire weight and strength into each stroke, bending the stout ash staves as though they were pliant whalebone, and all but lifting the boat clear out of the water. we had not pulled more than a dozen strokes before there was a violent concussion, as though we had run stem-on upon a sandbank, the schooner's sides burst apart, the flaming planks of the deck, with its fittings, the guns, and everything else upon it, soared into the air in the midst of a blinding sheet of flame, and then came the dull, heavy roar of the explosion, and--black darkness. we ceased pulling as the explosion took place, struck powerless for the moment at this sudden and terrible destruction which had befallen the craft so lately our home and ark of safety, and it was only when the fiery fragments began to fall thickly round us that we took to our oars once more. but our troubles had scarcely yet begun, for our oars had hardly dipped in the water when--_crash_!--there fell a ponderous fragment of one of the schooner's timbers down upon the boat, literally cutting her in two and killing poor old simpson on the spot. the boat at once sank from under us, leaving us all struggling for our lives in the water. hawsepipe was a famous swimmer, and he immediately seized the doctor--who could not swim a stroke--and placed him in a position of temporary safety upon the floating piece of timber which had inflicted upon us this fresh disaster, while i looked after the injured men who, probably owing to the shock of immersion, had suddenly so far recovered the use of their limbs as to be able with very little assistance to gain the same refuge. we now found, what we had been too busy to notice before, that the thunder-storm had nearly worn itself out; an occasional flash, low down upon the horizon, and its long, rumbling accompaniment of distant thunder being all that remained to remind us of it, except the frequent gleam of sheet lightning which continued to play all round the horizon and behind the great banks of cloud into which the black canopy overhead had now broken. the question calling for immediate attention was, how best to provide for our safety. clinging to the floating timber we were safe only as long as it remained calm; a very gentle sea would be sufficient to wash us from our hold. looking round me, i perceived that we were at no great distance from the wreck of the foremast, and i thought if all hands could only reach it, we might be able to construct from it and the spars attached to it a raft of sufficient capacity to accommodate us all in some degree of comfort and safety. i mentioned my idea to hawsepipe, who approved of it greatly; whereupon i left him to look after the survivors while i went to the spar. reaching it, i was able without much difficulty to form from the halliards of the various sails and the other running-gear still attached to the spars a warp long enough to reach from the foremast to the timber to which the others were clinging, with which i swam back. bending the end of this warp securely to the piece of timber, hawsepipe and i then swam to the foremast, and hauling upon the warp, soon had the rest of the party there also. hawsepipe undertaking with the assistance of the others to cut the yards adrift and separate the topmast from the lower-mast, i took another cruise with the warp, and was fortunate enough, after swimming about for over an hour, to bag a half-burned hen-coop with four dead fowls still therein, three hatches, and the remains of the mainmast with topmast attached, the latter spar being still in good enough condition to be serviceable, and the jibboom. all these things i contrived to get alongside the foremast without interrupting the labours of the others. hawsepipe evidently knew how to construct a raft upon scientific principles. the foremast he took for a sort of foundation or keel, laying the two topmasts, one on each side and parallel to it, at a distance of about ten feet. the ends of these spars were then crossed by and lashed to the two yardarms of the fore-yard at the end of the raft which he intended for its stern, and to the topsail yardarms at the fore end. this formed a rectangular staging, with the lower-mast running fore and aft through its centre. this staging was then strengthened by lashing the jibboom across it in the middle, and upon the top of all, the hatches and the hen-coop were firmly secured, forming a small platform, upon which, however, there was room for us all with a little crowding. the topgallant yard with the sail still attached was then got on end, one arm being lashed to the foremast, and the other sustained aloft by means of shrouds and stays. the topgallant sail we cut in two diagonally, and thus treated it formed a tolerably serviceable leg-of-mutton sail. it took us so long to do all this, that by the time we had finished, day was breaking; and as the sun rose the clouds cleared away, and the trade-wind once more resumed its sway, the fresh, cool breeze greatly reviving our exhausted energies, while it bore us, at the rate of about a knot and a half per hour, away from the scene of the catastrophe. chapter twenty eight. a voyage upon a raft. we had now time to look about us, and to realise our position, which-- though it might easily have been worse--was certainly the reverse of enviable. in the first place we were upon a frail raft which, well constructed though it was, could not be expected to hold long together, unless we were favoured with exceptionally fine weather. in the next place everything of which we were possessed in the shape of provisions was comprised in the four dead fowls found in the hen-coop; and of water, or any other liquid with which to quench our thirst, we had not a single drop. on the other hand the island of saint domingo was under our lee, at a distance of about ninety miles, and if our raft would only hold together so long and maintain the speed at which it was then travelling, we might hope to reach land in from two and a half to three days. i laid these facts before my companions, directing their special attention to the circumstance that we had to look forward to three days of suffering from thirst, and also from hunger in a minor degree, urging them to the brave endurance of these privations, if necessary, and pointing out to them that though unfortunately we happened to be in one of the least-frequented of the passages, there was a chance, although a somewhat slender one, of our being picked up at any hour, and i wound up by reminding them that, even on that frail raft, we were as much under the protection of him who holds the waters in the hollow of his hand as we should be were we safe on shore. at the doctor's suggestion we then all knelt down, while he offered up a brief but earnest prayer for our deliverance. we all felt much more hopeful after this short religious exercise, and went cheerfully about our work of examining the raft, now that we had daylight with us once more, with the object of ascertaining whether it was possible to make any improvement in it or not. the examination, careful and minute though it was, was soon over, and we came to the conclusion that no improvement was possible with the materials at hand, and that, if the lashings did not give way and the weather continued fine, we had not much to fear. hawsepipe had rigged steering-gear to the raft by lashing a piece of deck-plank, some twelve feet long, to the schooner's foremast in such a way that half of it was immersed in the water and acted as a rudder, while the other half slanted in over the raft and served as a tiller; it was, in fact, a rude substitute for a steering-oar. this answered its purpose perfectly, in so far as that it enabled us to keep the raft dead before the wind; but when i tried the experiment of edging a couple of points or so to the southward of the direction in which the wind blew, with the view of reaching the saint domingo shore as quickly as possible, i found that the speed of the raft lessened sensibly, and that she began to drive slightly sideways through the water--she would not, in short, travel in any direction except dead before the wind, and we were therefore compelled to rest content with that, and to devote all our energies to the most careful steering, so as to run straight to leeward and so get the greatest possible speed out of her. we steered in spells of two hours each, the rest seeking shelter from the sun's rays in the shadow of the sail, the seamen trying to pass away the time as much as possible in sleep. as the morning wore on, the heat became very great and our thirst grew with it, but we managed to stave off its worst pangs by pouring sea-water plentifully over each other, as we sat in our clothes. about noon we thought of dinner, but, hungry as we by that time were, we scarcely fancied our fare, which was one of the dead fowls, to be eaten raw of course, since we had no means of cooking it. finding that the rest were equally as squeamish as myself in this respect, i suggested and it was agreed that the fowls should remain untouched until we felt hungry enough to eat the uncooked flesh with a relish. toward sun-down we had a most unwelcome addition to our company, in the shape of three sharks, which suddenly made their appearance close under the stern of the raft, maintaining their position, at about three yards distance, with a perseverance which was worthy of a better cause. the size of their dorsal fins, which were carried well out of the water, assured us that our followers were sharks of the largest size, and enabled us to form a pretty fair idea of what would be our fate should any of us be unfortunate enough to fall or be washed off the raft. a keen lookout was maintained during the whole of that day, but no sail was seen, and at length the sun went down in a cloudless sky, giving us an assurance of the continuance of fine weather. i anxiously marked the position of the luminary when he reached the horizon, and saw, with a heart-sick feeling which i cannot describe, that we were--and had probably been all day--sailing a course about w.s.w., or two points more to the northward than i had hoped. this was a most serious matter, since it would throw us much farther to the westward, and necessitate our going a much greater distance, probably nearly double, before we could possibly reach land; and i began, for the first time, to fear that we might possibly miss saint domingo altogether. and i knew that if we did that we might give ourselves up for lost, as i could not entertain much hope of our being able to hold out until we should reach the windward channel, and even if we did, we might still fail to fall in with a ship to pick us up, in which case we should have to go on to jamaica, which we could scarcely reach, under the most favourable circumstances, in less than a fortnight. these disquieting thoughts, however, i deemed it prudent to confine to my own breast. about midnight my worst apprehensions as to the course of the raft were confirmed by the discovery of breakers ahead, which i knew, from the position of the "juanita" on the previous night, could indicate nothing else than that we were running down upon the square handkerchief shoal, of which i had hoped to pass clear to the southward. we gave the raft as much starboard helm as she would take, and after a long and most anxious time succeeded in just scraping clear of the breakers, which we found were occasioned by an extensive group of rocks just awash. the sight of these rocks enabled me to identify our position, as i recognised in them the rocks which occupy the north-east corner of the shoal. we were therefore passing as nearly as possible directly across the middle of the shoal, instead of going to the southward of it, as i had hoped. meanwhile the pangs of hunger and thirst were steadily intensifying with us. our tongues grew dry and hard, and the doctor's lips began to crack, while the men could talk of nothing but the clear, gurgling brooks and sparkling cascades by the side of which they had stood in other days. the wind had freshened somewhat during the night, and toward sun-rise a few clouds worked up to windward, the sight of which induced us for a time to hope that we might be blessed with a shower. but they passed over without dropping any of their longed-for moisture upon us, and the sun once more rose up in unclouded splendour to torture us with his scorching rays. our repugnance to raw fowl had by this time entirely passed away, and although upon examination our poultry turned out to be rather high, one of the defunct chickens was torn asunder, and, being divided among us with the most scrupulous fairness, was devoured in an incredibly short time. "ah!" exclaimed one of the men, as the last morsel of his allowance disappeared down his throat. "that's the most tasty snack as i've ate for many a long day. it's a pity there ain't more of it. but there, i s'pose it won't do to eat up all our wittals to oncet; let's be thankful as we've had even that small mossel. i say, mates, don't you find these here fowl-bones very sweet picking?" "uncommon," answered another. "there's a sort of a peculiar flavour with 'em that i don't disremember to have tasted with fowl-bones when i've had 'em for breakfast afore." there was unquestionably "a sort of a peculiar flavour" with my share, but i should scarcely have referred to it with such gusto as they did, i thought. "now if i could only have washed my breakfast down with a pannikin of grog," remarked a third, "i should ha' said as i'd thoroughly enj'yed it." "grog!" exclaimed the first speaker. "grog be blowed! whenever i've a glass of grog i always wants another on top of it, and so i should to- day. i'd give all the grog as ever was brewed for one good long swig at the spring which bubbles out from under the rocks behind my poor old mother's house on dartmoor. that _is_ sweet water, if you like, mates." "'tain't sweeter, i know, than the water of the trout-stream in which i used to fish with a bit of twine bent on to a crooked pin, when i was a boy," remarked another. "many's the time as i've gone down on my hands and knees upon a rock or a little bit of a shingly bar, when i've been hot and thirsty--as it might be now--and drunk and drunk until i could drink no more. my eyes! mates, but they _was_ drinks, and no mistake." and so they rambled on, their dry lips smacking with every fresh reminiscence. i knew that this sort of conversation would do more harm than good by intensifying the feeling of burning thirst from which they were suffering, so i cut it short by remarking,-- "by the way, lads, speaking of fishing, cannot one or another of you work up one of the nails out of those hatches into a fish-hook with your knives? the others meanwhile might get some threads out of that piece of spare canvas which we cut off the topgallant sail, and twist it up into a fishing-line." no sooner said than done. the poor fellows were glad of something to employ their minds and fingers upon, and went to work with avidity to carry out the suggestion. by sunset an ordinary three-inch nail had been hammered and bent and scraped down to a very respectable substitute for a hook; while the other three seamen had each contrived to spin up about five fathoms of good strong line. neither hook nor line, however, was ever used. the breeze again freshened during the night, driving the raft along about two knots in the hour; and again uprose the sun in a cloudless sky. we divided another of the dead fowls between us, but on this morning there was none of the cheerful chat which had accompanied the previous meal. the repulsive food was devoured in silence, due probably in part to the absence of any hopeful topic of conversation, and also, doubtless, to a great extent in consequence of the dry, sore, swollen sensation in the men's throats. for my own part my throat was in such a state that it was with the utmost difficulty i succeeded in swallowing my own allowance. hawsepipe, the doctor, and i struck up as lively a conversation as we could, touching the probability of our soon being picked up, and i embraced the opportunity of mentioning casually that in consequence of the great amount of easting in the wind i feared we should not reach land quite as soon as i had at first anticipated. i was almost sorry immediately afterwards that i had mentioned it, when i saw the despairing look which came into the faces of my fellow-sufferers, and the yearning glances upward at the pitiless sky, which showed not the faintest fleece of cloud--not the remotest promise of a single drop of pure, fresh water wherewith to moisten our parched and baked tongues and throats. the thirst-agony now began to paint its effects upon us more and more palpably every hour; our lips being dry, black, and gashed with deep cracks; while our tongues were dry and swollen until they seemed too large for our mouths. the skin upon the faces of my companions was burnt, parched, and shrivelled by the sun, seamed in every direction by cracks, and peeling off in many places; while their eyes glowed and sparkled like coals of fire with the fierce fever which consumed them. the sharks which had stuck to us with such frightful and ominous pertinacity had their number augmented this day by the arrival of three new-comers. "six of 'em," muttered the seaman who was steering the raft when the three new arrivals appeared; "that means as six out of us seven is doomed." another endless day of indescribable agony--another long night of torment; and again up rose the sun in a pitiless, cloudless sky. oh! how fervently i longed and prayed for an overcast sky and a pelting rain, even though it were accompanied by the wildest hurricane which ever blew; the worst that could happen to us in such a case would be drowning, the prospect of which seemed to be bliss itself compared with this slow fiery torment of thirst. on this day tom miles and ned rodgers, two of the four seamen, suddenly sprang to their feet, and with a despairing yell plunged over the side of the raft into the sea before we were aware of or could arrest their terrible intention. there was a frightful splashing in the water astern, as the sea-monsters fought over their prey; then all was quiet again. _two of the sharks had disappeared_. my companions regarded this terrible tragedy almost with indifference, and the doctor, in a weak and cracked voice which was scarcely audible, muttered something to the effect that "those _two_ were happily out of their suffering." before sunset the poor fellow had followed them, and _another shark had disappeared_. some time during the night i was awakened by hawsepipe, whose trick at the helm it was. he aroused me by giving me a feeble shake on the shoulder, and, being by this time unable to speak, raised his hand and pointed skyward. i looked up and saw that the firmament was obscured by heavy masses of cloud, which held out the promise of a speedy fall of thrice-blessed rain. i scrambled to my feet and hastened to arouse the two seamen, in order that we might take immediate measures to secure as much as possible of the priceless liquid. one of the poor fellows was in such a weak and exhausted condition that he was unable to rise; the other contrived to do so with the utmost difficulty, and we lowered down the sail, mast and all, so as to form with the canvas a receptacle for the expected blessing. at length it came in a sudden squall of wind, with a few flashes of lightning, and for two or three minutes it poured down almost as heavily as it did on that night--oh! how many ages ago it seemed now--when the "juanita" was destroyed. we gathered round the sail and drank greedily, recklessly, of the heaven-sent nectar; filled our hats and boots--our only receptacles--with it, and then drank and drank again as long as a drop remained in the sail. and oh! how we grudged the precious drops which poured in a stream through the thin canvas! to describe the reviving effect which this delicious draught had upon our exhausted frames is impossible; our strength and our voices returned to us like magic, our spirits revived, and we felt like new creatures. we re-hoisted the mast and sail into its place with comparative ease, and then, with one accord, knelt down and offered our sincere and heart- felt thanks for the mercy which had been shown us in our extremity; while the raft swept cheerily away before the rising blast at almost double her usual speed. on the following day we were again favoured with an example of the ease with which the almighty can supply the wants of his creatures, even in such a situation as ours; for during the forenoon a shoal of flying-fish rose out of the water alongside, and passed directly over the raft, nearly a score being intercepted in their flight by our sail, and caught before they were able to flop off into the water again. i thought that any attempt to preserve them would be sure to end in failure by their quickly becoming unfit for human food, and therefore proposed that they should be at once eaten, which proposition, i need scarcely say, met with the cordial approval of my companions, and was immediately carried out. we took with them the remainder of the water which we had caught and preserved in our hats and boots, but found, to our consternation, that a great deal of it had leaked away, and the little that remained had become strongly brackish from the quantity of spray which had flown over us and mingled with it since the freshening of the breeze. the wind remained fresh all that day and rose still higher during the following night, so that our speed gradually increased from a knot and a half to nearly four knots. the sea rose also in proportion, and this caused the raft to work to such an extent that i began to entertain serious fears as to whether it would hold together much longer. most of the lashings had worked quite loose; but there were now only three of us, and our united strength was wholly inadequate to the tightening of them until the sea should go down. another night passed, another day, and no more rain had fallen; and then our sufferings returned--as it seemed to us--with tenfold intensity. our strength went from us like water from a sieve; and when night once more closed down upon our tortured frames we abandoned ourselves, with one accord, to despair; the helm was left to itself, and the raft was allowed to steer herself as best she might. we sank down upon the hatches which formed our deck, and sought to evade in our slumbers some small portion of our horrible torments. as far as i was concerned, however, the effort was in vain; for the moment that sleep stole upon my exhausted frame visions of lakes and springs, murmuring brooks and sparkling fountains of cool, delicious, fresh water arose before me, and i suffered all the agonies of the mythical tantalus. at length i could endure the torment of dreaming no more, and started to my feet, went to the helm, and got the raft once more before the wind. i had scarcely done so and turned my glances astern for a moment, when, "a sail! a sail!!" i screamed. my two companions started to their feet and hurried to my side, eagerly questioning me as to her whereabouts. i pointed her out to them. there she was, about three miles directly astern, clearly visible in the light of the young moon, which gleamed faintly upon her canvas; but--oh, misery--she was close-hauled upon the starboard tack, dead to windward, _and sailing away from us_. we shouted until not another sound would our parched throats utter, but it was all of course of no avail; and we were far too low in the water to attract the attention of even the sharpest lookout in that feeble light; the ship swept steadily on and at length passed out of sight below the horizon. then, as we sank down again in utter abandonment, how bitterly we reproached ourselves and each other for not maintaining a lookout! had we done so, we should assuredly have made her out while still to windward of her, and could have lowered our sail until she had approached near enough to enable us to run down upon her. however, it was too late now to remind each other of that; the mischief was done; and the only thing that remained was to take care that there should be no recurrence of it. but i will dwell no longer upon the details of those endless days and interminable nights of indescribable torture. suffice it to say that i endured two more days and nights of suffering, during which i was only dimly cognisant of my surroundings; all my faculties were engaged in the task of wrestling with and assisting my tortured frame to bear up against the terrible anguish which consumed me; at the end of that time exhausted nature could bear no more, and relief at length came with unconsciousness. chapter twenty nine. farewell. when at length i recovered my senses, i found myself in bed, in a small, light, airy room lighted by a couple of windows, the jalousies of which were so adjusted as to admit all the air possible, while at the same time the direct rays of the sun were excluded. the bed upon which i was lying was a tolerably roomy affair for one person, and the linen, though somewhat plain in quality, was fresh and scrupulously clean. the only other furniture in the room was a small table, well-stocked with medicine-phials, etcetera, and a couple of chairs, upon one of which-- the one which stood next the head of the bed--sat a man in a white flannel shell-jacket and blue military trousers with a stripe of yellow braid down the seams. the room in which i found myself was evidently, from the size and position of the windows--one in the wall at the foot of the bed, and the other in the wall on my left--a corner room in some tolerably extensive building. looking out between the lattices of the jalousies, which were adjusted in such a way that i was able to see distinctly the various objects outside, i perceived that the building was situated in the midst of a park or grove of magnificent cotton, kennip, and other trees, the branches of which were swaying and the leaves rustling cheerily in the strong sea-breeze which rushed through them. the sunlight flashed brilliantly upon the swaying foliage, and gleamed upon the plumage of the bright-winged birds and gaudy butterflies which flitted restlessly from tree to tree; while the long, luxuriant grass in the distance-- where i could see it--bowed and undulated beneath the strong breeze like a billowy sea; the background of clear, pure, blue sky beyond completing a picture, the joyous freshness of which seemed almost heavenly to me in my extreme weakness. the air, too, was full of the chirping of millions of insects and lizards, the lowing of distant cattle, the bleat of sheep, the rifle-like crack of waggon-drivers' whips, the voices and laughter of men close beneath my window, and a multitude of other joyous sounds. i lay for a long time drinking in with silent ecstasy these glorious sights and sounds which fell so soothingly upon my senses, quite forgetful of self and my past suffering, and utterly indifferent to everything but the sensuous pleasure of the moment. indeed my poor head felt so light and weak that i seemed almost incapable of the exertion of thought. at length i turned my head toward the man in the chair by my bedside. he had a book in his hand, and his body was turned somewhat from me in order that the light might fall more fully upon the pages. "where am i?" i murmured. the man turned quickly, and rising laid his book upon the chair, face downward, while he bent over me. "how do you find yourself now, sir?" he asked. "i don't know," i replied, scarcely realising the meaning of my own words. "is there anything the matter?" "you've been very ill, sir, for a long time; but you seem a great deal better this morning. if you'll excuse me for a minute, sir, i'll send for the doctor." the man quietly left the room, was absent for a minute or two, and then as quietly returned. "where am i?" i again inquired. "you're in the military hospital at up-park camp, sir," he replied. "but if you'll excuse me, i think you'd better not talk much just yet; the doctor will be here directly, and he'll tell you all you want to know." some twenty minutes elapsed, and then the door once more opened, admitting a rather tall handsome man dressed entirely in white nankeen, with white canvas shoes on his feet. he came up to the side of the bed, and, before saying a word, put his cool fingers upon my pulse. he then laid his hand upon my forehead for a minute or two and upon the top of my head. "well, mr chester," said he, "how do you feel? you are very much better this morning, are you not?" "i really don't know," i answered. "i don't feel as though there is much the matter with me beyond weakness; my hands seem as though they were chained down to the bed, and i have very little feeling in my limbs; but beyond that i don't think there is very much wrong. i suppose i have been ill, though. what has been the matter with me?" "oh! quite a complication of disorders," he returned lightly; "brain- fever among other things. have you no recollection of falling ill?" "none whatever," i said. "stay, though--was it not something to do with a thunder-storm and--um--_what_ was it?" "there, there; never mind now; it is all over and done with. don't try to recall the circumstances just now; your brain is still too weak to be much exercised; it will all come back in good time, never fear. do you feel at all sleepy?" "not so much sleepy as hungry," i replied. "i feel as though i had not yet had my breakfast." "neither have you," he returned with a laugh. "the fact is you were not awake at breakfast-time, and atkins here had strict orders not to disturb you. however, it is not yet too late; i daresay we shall be able to find something for you. i will see to it myself; and when you have taken your breakfast, just try to get to sleep again. sleep will now do you as much good as either food or medicine." he then retired to the far end of the room, atkins accompanying him; and after whispering to his subordinate for a minute, he turned, nodded encouragingly to me, and retired. when he was gone i endeavoured to get a little information out of atkins, the attendant, but he briefly informed me that his orders not to talk to me were imperative, and begged that i would not ask him to transgress them. in a short time a basin of some kind of light broth, with a little bread crumbled into it, made its appearance, the whole of which i demolished, and soon afterwards fell into a sound sleep. i awoke again toward evening; was again visited by the doctor, and once more partook of a tolerably substantial basin of broth and bread. just as the light was fading away, atkins approached my bedside with something in a wine-glass which he invited me to swallow. i drank it off, made a wry face at its decidedly nauseous flavour, and soon afterwards fell asleep. the next day passed in a very similar manner, except that i remained awake longer during the day, and as i lay there enjoying the cool freshness of the breeze and looking out through the jalousies, the recollection of the events which attended and followed the destruction of the "juanita" returned to my memory. from this time my progress toward recovery was rapid, and at the end of a week i was allowed to sit up, partially dressed, for an hour or two during the day. when i had reached this stage i was deemed strong enough to learn the full particulars of my illness; and i was horrified to find that i had been for nearly eight months completely out of my mind. it seemed that the raft had drifted before the wind until--missing saint domingo altogether--it had reached the windward channel, where it was fallen in with by the "rattler" sloop-of-war; the skipper of which picked us up, and finding that we were still alive took the greatest care of us, cracking on until he reached port royal. hawsepipe and the seaman had sufficiently recovered by that time to be able to narrate all the circumstances connected with the loss of the schooner; but i was delirious with brain-fever, and the admiral--who was inexpressibly shocked at the recital of our sufferings--immediately made arrangements for my removal to the camp-hospital, that being deemed the spot where i should be most likely to recover. i had been nursed and attended there with the utmost assiduity, and the brain-fever eventually left me; but it left me insane, in which dreadful condition i had remained for nearly eight months. the brain-fever and the insanity were both attributed-- rightly, no doubt--to my frightful sufferings; and no effort had been spared to secure the restoration of my reason, which, by god's mercy, had at length been achieved. i learned, further, that the "astarte" was still upon the station, but was then at sea, having sailed upon another cruise a _few_ days only before my recovery. captain annesley had suffered greatly in mind through the long continuance of my affliction, and had spent hours by my side whenever the frigate happened to be in port, and had directed that no expense should be spared in the endeavour to secure my restoration to sanity. as soon as i was strong enough to be moved, i was placed in a grass hammock slung between two poles, and in that easy and agreeable mode of travelling was conveyed by negroes--who bore me four at a time, while another shaded me from the sun's rays with a huge umbrella--to mr finnie's country house; that most hospitable planter and his wife having insisted upon undertaking the task of once more nursing me back to health and strength. i remained with these kind-hearted friends over a month, and in that time managed to recover to a very great extent all that i had lost; but my head still remained unpleasantly weak; so that i could neither read nor write for more than half-an-hour a day. doctor musgrave, the head physician, who had looked after me during my long sojourn in the camp- hospital, and who still rode out to see me whenever he could spare the time--which, however, was not often--at length forbade me to touch either pen or book for at least six months, assuring me that my complete recovery depended entirely upon my scrupulous compliance with his injunctions, and very frequently and strongly urged upon me the desirability of my returning to england and retiring from the sea for a time. at length, seeing no other prospect of perfect restoration, i consented, and began leisurely to make my preparations for departure by the next packet. a few days after i had made up my mind upon this point, a ketureen rattled up to the front door of the house, and in another moment captain annesley rushed headlong and unannounced into the room in which i was seated chatting with my kind and gentle hostess, and seizing my hand began to shake it as though he would shake it off. "ralph, old man," he ejaculated excitedly, "_how_ are you? stand up, man, and let me look at you. ah! there you are; but--you are as thin as a rake, and still rather shaky, apparently. my _dear_ madam, _pray_ excuse me; upon my honour i never perceived you until this moment. i trust you are well, and your esteemed husband, also. thank god, old fellow, i see you something like your old self once more." the skipper rattled on until he was fairly out of breath, and then gradually subsided into his usual quiet and self-possessed manner. the "astarte," he told me, had arrived the previous day, and he had seized the first available moment to run out and see me, the admiral having acquainted him with the news of my recovery and removal. at the earnest invitation of my host and hostess he consented to remain over the night, his presence not being very particularly required on board the frigate until next day. in the course of the day i told him what dr musgrave had advised, and of the decision i had made to follow it. "well," said he, "if the doctor advises it, i have no doubt it will be best for you; still, it is a thousand pities, for i believe, if you could but hold on a little longer, we should all be able to go home together. i fancy it will not be very long before the frigate herself is ordered home." he left next morning, after an early breakfast, promising to return again in a day or two, when, according to arrangement, i was to go back on board with him for a day and renew my acquaintance with my old shipmates. on the day but one following, he reappeared in almost as excited a state as before. "hurrah!" he exclaimed, as he entered the room. "we are ordered to proceed home at once and payoff, so we can all go together. the frigate has had a very successful time of it while she has been out here; we shall go home with our pockets well lined; and i think i must seize upon the opportunity which the paying-off of the ship will afford, in order to get spliced. i should think florrie will never have the heart to send me to sea a bachelor again, will she?" "upon my word, sir, i don't know," i replied. "girls are very curious in their notions sometimes, and occasionally require a great deal of persuasion to bring them up to the mark. however, your persuasive powers seemed to be pretty effective with my sister when you last tried them upon her; and, as in duty bound, i will of course do all i can to promote my captain's success." "ah, you rogue," rejoined he. "you are fast recovering, i see. there is not much the matter with a midshipman when he is able to fling a sly jest in the face of his captain. but--midshipman? my dear ralph, you are no longer such. how _could_ i be so forgetful? your commission has come out by the packet which arrived yesterday, and the admiral will hand it you the first time you call upon him. now let me be the first to congratulate you, which i do most heartily." we left the house together in the cool of the evening, driving down to the wharf in a ketureen which some friend had been ill-advised enough to lend the skipper, who was no great hand at the ribbons, and who narrowly missed capsizing the concern two or three times during the trip. the gig was waiting for us; and, jumping in, the sails were set, and we flew down the boat-channel with a spanking land breeze under the glorious light of a full moon. when we reached the ship, i found that my return on board had been made the occasion of a regular jollification; the skipper having invited the whole of the quarter-deck officers to meet me in the cabin at a late dinner and wet my commission. all the old faces were there, i was glad to see, including even that of captain flinn, whose ship, the "artemise," happened to be in port at the time, and little fisher, who had recovered in a most marvellous manner from his dreadful wounds. there was a great deal of yarn-spinning, some capital singing, and a great deal of wine-drinking, too, on the part of one or two of the guests, notwithstanding which latter drawback we spent a very pleasant evening. on the following morning i waited upon the admiral and received my commission, the presentation of which he saw fit to accompany with a few complimentary as well as congratulatory remarks; and in the afternoon i drove out to hurstleigh, as mr finnie had named his place, for the purpose of packing up my few traps and bidding my kindest of friends farewell. i remained there that night, joining the ship about twelve o'clock next day. two days afterwards we sailed from port royal, about five o'clock a.m., and after a long but uneventful passage arrived safely home. we anchored at spithead on the night of our arrival, and next day the ship was taken into harbour and paid off. when all was done, it was too late for a start for home that night; so the skipper--who had no relations belonging to him, and therefore intended to visit his dearie before going anywhere else--and i put up at the "george," starting the first thing after breakfast next morning. i shall not attempt to describe the joy which our unexpected arrival produced; suffice it to say that the whole household, not excluding even my reverend father and my revered mother, behaved as though they had suddenly taken leave of their senses; and it was not until toward evening that anything approaching to calm settled down upon the party. then, of course, i had to tell the story of my voyage upon the raft, and of the incidents which followed it; a mere outline only having been written home by the skipper, the circumstance of my insanity being altogether suppressed; and then, equally as a matter of course, there were tears and murmured expressions of tender pity and so on, all of which can be a great deal better imagined than described. captain annesley remained with us three days, at the end of which, after a hotly-contested action, florrie hauled down her colours, and agreed that the wedding should take place on that day month. then my uncle--or great-uncle rather--sir peregrine, came down to see me, our family physician expressing a decided opinion that the noise and bustle of town would be injurious to me, and i had to fight all my battles over again for his benefit. then, as soon as they could be got together, an army of dressmakers and milliners was brought into the house, and sir peregrine and i were driven by them from room to room, until at length we were driven out of the house altogether; the building being, almost from basement to roof- tree, crowded with silks, muslins, ribbons, flowers, and every other imaginable species of frippery affected by the gentler sex. and very soon the wedding presents began to pour in; the carrier's cart rumbling up to the rectory door daily and discharging parcels and packets, hampers, cases, crates, and goodness knows what; so that at length i began to dream at night that the rectory was an indiaman taking in cargo, and that there was not stowage for it all. then sir peregrine rushed off to town early one morning, without acquainting anybody with his intention, returning on the day but one following with his pockets crammed full of small parcels, which he conveyed with much secrecy up to his own room. it was then my turn; and accordingly away i went in the same unexpected manner--surprises and secrecy appearing to be the order of the day just then,--returning home in due time with my humble offering to the blooming bride. at length the eventful week arrived in which the wedding was to take place; and from early on the monday morning--the wedding was fixed for wednesday--all the young girls of the village seemed to have become possessed with the idea that our garden was public property, and passed in and out, helping themselves with the utmost _sang-froid_ to what few early spring flowers there were, and as much greenery as they could carry--no one saying them nay. and i could not help noticing, as a somewhat unusual circumstance, that whenever i passed the noble old church its doors were sure to be open, and somebody passing in or out. tuesday evening came, and with it came the impatient bridegroom. the rectory was by that time turned upside-down, inside-out, and goodness knows what else in the shape of confusion; so that, in sheer desperation, sir peregrine and i were at last driven to betake ourselves and poor annesley--who had almost to be carried off by force, he having had no opportunity for anything more than a hasty word or two with florrie--to the snug little inn where the skipper was to find quarters that night. my father looked longingly after us, as we retreated through the front door, but, poor man, he was a prisoner with hard labour that night, and there was no escape for him. by daybreak next morning the whole house was astir, and, oh! the babel of sound and confusion that reigned therein. i was to act the part of best man, and, as far as i could understand it, my principal duty seemed to be to fix myself to the groom like a sucking-fish, and never allow him to have a moment to himself, or the slightest particle of peace. he was more excited than i had ever before seen him, and between us we made such a flusteration in that otherwise quiet little hostelry as i imagine its inmates will never forget. it was arranged that we should breakfast together and afterwards go in the same carriage--a distance of two or three cable's lengths at most--to church; and i have no reason to doubt that we carried out the arrangement; but neither of us is to this day prepared to swear, from our own recollection, that we did so. at length, however, we found ourselves somehow walking up the centre aisle of the church, without well knowing how we got there. the grand old fane was transmogrified into something between a forest and a flower-garden, and i then began, for the first time, to surmise where all our shrubs and flowers had betaken themselves; every pew was closely packed with quiet, well-dressed people; and the organ was pealing forth some grand old masterpiece which filled the church with melody. my father, in his robe as d.d., with his curate at hand to assist, stood within the altar-railing in readiness to commence the ceremony; while-- but avast! what nautical pen can hope to adequately describe a wedding, with its blushing bride, its blooming bridesmaids, its flowers and tears and kisses and congratulations, and all the rest of it? suffice it to say that florrie looked lovely, that annesley--after his first flusteration was over--never looked more quiet, self-possessed, and handsome than he did that morning; and that everybody pronounced it to be "a sweetly pretty wedding;" and there you have all i can tell you about it. the register signed, we weighed in succession, and all trundled home to the rectory, annesley with his prize leading the van. and then there was, of course, the breakfast--of which i, for one, ate very little--and the speechifying afterwards, and what not; and then the happy couple retired for a time, appearing again in travelling attire; then there was the half-laughing, half-tearful "good-bye," the descent of all hands in a body to the door, where annesley's handsome travelling-carriage and four stood in readiness; then more good-byes; and finally the departure, in the midst of a perfect storm of cheers and old shoes--all in regular order. after which the guests seemed to feel more at ease, and we ended all by having a regular jollification. the next few days were devoted to a general clearing up of the wreck and getting things back into their proper places again, after which the house settled down once more into its wonted peace and quietness, pretty much as though--except for the absence of one fair face from the family table--such things as weddings were unknown. and now, dear reader, my tale is told--my yarn is spun; and i have finished off in the orthodox form with a wedding, which seems to be the inevitable and only correct way in which a story can be brought to a symmetrical conclusion. nothing remains but to say farewell, which, believe me, i do with reluctance, sincerely hoping that an opportunity may yet occur for us to renew our acquaintance. *farewell*. the end. the lost middy, being the secret of the smugglers' gap, by george manville fenn. ________________________________________________________________________ this is yet another tension-packed teenagers' novel from the pen of g. manville fenn. the hero is a sixteen-year-old called aleck, who is an orphan being brought up by his uncle, whose main interest in life is writing a book of history. they live by the sea, and aleck's great pleasure is to take his little sailing boat along the coast, often in the company of a pensioned-off man-o'-war's man, called tom bodger. they get involved with a press-gang raid by one of hm sloops, which is accompanied by a revenue cutter. some of the men of the neighbouring hamlets are taken by the press-gang, but a middy from the sloop is also taken by the local smugglers, and hidden in the very cave where they normally hide their spoils. unfortunately aleck also stumbles on the track of the smugglers, and gets shut up in the same cave. both entrances of the cave are blocked up. there is no possible escape. nh ________________________________________________________________________ the lost middy, or the secret of the smugglers' gap, by george manville fenn. chapter one. there was a loud rattling noise, as if money was being shaken up in a box. a loud crashing bang, as if someone had banged the box down on a table. a rap, as if a knife had been dropped. then somebody, in a petulant voice full of vexation and irritability, roared out: "bother!" and that's exactly how it was, leaving aleck donne, who looked about sixteen or seventeen, scratching vigorously at his crisp hair as he sat back, with his elbows resting upon those of the big wooden arm-chair, staring at the money-box before him. "i call it foolishness," he said, aloud, talking, of course, to himself, for there was no one else in the comfortable room, the window of which opened out upon the most quaint garden ever seen. "it's all right to save up your money in a box and keep on dropping it through a slit; but how about getting it out? here, i'll go and smash the stupid old thing up directly on the block in the wood-shed." but instead of carrying out his threat, he leaned forward, picked up the curved round-ended table-knife he had dashed down, seized the money-box again, shook it with jingling effect, held it upside down above his eyes, and began to operate with the knife-blade through the narrow slit in the centre of the lid. for a good quarter of an hour by the big old eight-day clock in the corner did the boy work away, shaking the box till some coin or another was over the slit, and then operating with the knife-blade, trying and trying to get the piece of money up on edge so that it would drop through; and again and again, as the reward of his indefatigable perseverance, nearly succeeding, but never quite. for so sure as he pushed it up or tilted it down, the coin made a dash and glided away, making the drops of perspiration start out on the boy's forehead, and forcing him into a struggle with his temper which resulted in his gaining the victory again, till that thin old half-crown was coaxed well into sight and forced flat against the knife-blade. the boy then began to manipulate the knife with extreme caution as he kept on making a soft purring noise, _ah-h-h-h-ha_! full of triumphant satisfaction, while a big curled-up tabby tom-cat, which had taken possession of the fellow chair to that occupied by aleck, twitched one ear, opened one eye, and then seeing that the purring sound was only a feeble imitation, went off to sleep again. "got you at last!" muttered the lad. "half a crown; just buy all i want, and--bother!" he yelled, and, raising the box on high with both hands, he dashed it down upon the slate hearth with all his might. temper had won this time. aleck had suffered a disastrous defeat, and he sat there with his forehead puckered up, staring at the cat, which at the crash and its accompanying yell made one bound that carried it on to the sideboard, where with glowing eyes, flattened ears, arched back, and bottle-brush tail, it stood staring at the disturber of its rest. "well, i am a pretty fool," muttered aleck, starting out of his chair and listening for a few moments before stealing across the room to open the door cautiously and thrust out his head. there was no sound to be heard, and the boy re-closed the door and went back to the hearth. "i wonder uncle didn't hear," he muttered, stooping down. "i've done it now, and no mistake." as he spoke he picked the remains of the broken box from inside the fender. "smashed!" he continued. "good job too. shan't have any more of that bother. how much is there? let's see!" there was a small fire burning in the old-fashioned grate, and with a grim look the boy finished the destruction of the money-box by tearing it apart at the dovetailings and placing the pieces on the fire, where they caught at once, blazing up, while the lad hunted out and picked up the coins which lay scattered here and there. "three--four--five--and sixpence," muttered the boy. "i thought there was more than that. hullo! where's that thin old half-crown? haven't thrown it on the fire, have i? oh, there you are!" he cried, ferreting it out of the fleeces of the thick dark-dyed sheepskin hearth-rug at his feet. "eight shillings," he continued, transferring his store to his pocket. "well, i'm not obliged to spend it all. money-box! bother! i'm not a child now. just as if i couldn't take care of my money in my pocket." he gave the place a slap, turned to the window, looked out at the soft fleecy clouds gliding overhead, and once more made for the door, crossed the little hall paved with large black slates, and then bounded up the oak stairs two at a time, to pause on the landing and give a sharp knuckle rap on the door before him; then, without waiting for a "come in," he entered, to stand, door in hand, gazing at the top of a big shaggy grey head, whose owner held it close to the sheets of foolscap paper which he was covering with writing in a bold, clear hand. "want me, uncle?" the head was raised, and a pair of fierce-looking eyes glared at the interrupter of the studies from beneath enormously-produced, thick, white eyebrows, and through a great pair of round tortoise-shell spectacles. "want you, boy?" was the reply, as the speaker held up a large white swan-quill pen on a level with his sun-browned and reddened nose. "no, lick. be off!" "i'm going to run over to rockabie, uncle. back to dinner. want anything brought back?" "no, boy; i've plenty of ink. no.--yes. bring me some more of this paper." the voice sounded very gruff and ill-humoured, and the speaker glared angrily, more than looked, at the boy. "here," he continued, "don't drown yourself." "oh, no, uncle," said the boy, confidently, "i'll take care of that." "by running into the first danger you come across." "nonsense, uncle. i can sail about now as well as any of the fisher lads." "fisher? bah!" growled the old man, fiercely. "scoundrels--rascals, who wear a fisher's frock to hide the fact that they are smugglers--were wreckers. nice sink of iniquity this. look here, lick. take care and don't play that idler's trick of making fast the sheet." "i'll take care, uncle." "how's the wind, boy?" "just a nice soft breeze, uncle. i can run round the point in about an hour--wind right abaft." "and dead ahead coming back, eh?" "yes; but i can tack, uncle--make good long reaches." "to take you out into the race and among the skerries. do you think i want to have you carried out to sea and brought back days hence to be buried, sir?" "of course you don't, uncle; but i shan't hurt. old dumpus says i can manage a boat as well as he can." "he's a wooden-legged, wooden-headed old fool for saying so. look here, aleck; you'd better stop at home to-day." "uncle!" cried the boy, in a voice full of protest. "the weather's going to change. i can feel it in my old wound; and it will not be safe for a boy like you alone to try and run that boat home round the point." "oh, uncle, you treat me as if i were a little boy!" "so you are; and too light-headed." "it's such a beautiful morning for a sail, uncle." "do just as well to watch the sea from the cliffs, and the carrier can bring what you want from rockabie next time he goes." "uncle! i shall be so disappointed," pleaded the boy. "well! what of that? do you good, boy. life's all disappointments. prepare you for what you'll have to endure in the future." "very well, uncle, i won't go if you don't wish it." "of course you won't, sir. there, run round and get one of the eilygugg lads to help you with the boat." "please, uncle, i'd rather not. i don't like them, and they don't like me." "of course you don't like the young scoundrels, sir; but they can manage a boat." "i'd rather not go now, uncle," said the boy, sadly. "and i'd rather you did. there, go at once, while the weather's fine, and make that old man-o'-war's man help you to come back?" "tom bodger, uncle? but how's he to get back?" "i'll give him some shillings, and he can pay one of the smugglers to give him a lift home." "thank you, uncle," cried the boy, in an eager way, which showed plainly enough how well satisfied he was with the arrangement. "don't worry me. be off!" said the old man, bending over his writing again. aleck needed no further orders, and hurried out into the well-kept garden, where everything looked healthy and flourishing, sheltered as it was from the fierce winds of all quarters by the fact that it lay in a depression formed by the sinking of some two or three acres of land, possibly from the undermining of the sea in far distant ages, at the end of a narrow rift or chasm in the cliffs which guarded the shores, the result being that, save in one spot nearest the sea, the grounds possessed a natural cliff-like wall some fifty or sixty feet high, full of rift and shelf, the nesting-place of innumerable birds. here all was wild and beautiful; great curtains of ivy draped the natural walls, oak and sycamore flourished gloriously in the shelter as far as the top of the cliff, and there the trees ceased to grow upward and branched horizontally instead, so that from the level land outside it seemed as if nature had cut all the tops off level, as indeed she had, by means of the sharp cutting winds. aleck followed the garden path without looking back at the vine and creeper-clad house in its shelter, and made for one corner of the garden where the walls overlapped, and, passing round one angle, he was directly after in a zigzag rift, shut in by more lofty, natural walls, but with the path sloping downward, with the consequence that the walls grew higher, till at the end of about three hundred yards from the garden they were fully a couple of hundred feet from base to summit, the base being nearly level with the sea. this latter was hidden till the lad had passed round another angle of cliff, when he obtained a glimpse of the deep blue water, flecked here and there with silvery foam, but hidden again directly as he followed the zigzag rift over a flooring of rough stones which had fallen from the towering perpendicular sides, and which were here only some thirty or forty feet apart, and completely shut out the sunshine and a good deal of the light. another angle of the zigzag rift was passed, and then the rugged stony flooring gave place to dark, deep water, beautifully transparent--so clear that the many-tinted fronds of bladder-wrack and other weeds could be seen swaying to and fro under the influence of the tide which rose and fell. here, in a natural harbour, sheltered from all dangers, lay the boat the boy sought. it was moored in a nook by a rope attached to a great ring; the staple had been sunk in a crack and sealed fast with molten lead, and no matter what storms raged outside, the boat was safely sheltered, and swung in a natural basin at ordinary tides, while at the very lowest it grounded gently in a bed of white sand. it was well afloat upon this occasion, and skirting round it along a laboriously chipped-out ledge about a foot wide, the boy entered a crack in the rock face, for it could hardly be called a cavern. but it was big enough for its purpose, which was to shelter from the rain and rock drippings a quantity of boat gear, mast, sails, ropes, and tackle generally, which leaned or hung snugly enough about the rock, in company with a small seine, a trammel-net, a spare grapnel or two, some lobster-pots, and buoys with corks and lines. aleck was not long about carrying mast, yard, and sail to the boat and shipping them. then, in obedience to an idea, he placed a couple of fishing-lines, a gaff-hook, a landing-net, and some spare hooks aboard; then, taking a little bucket, he half filled it with the crystal water of the pool, and after placing it aboard took hold of a thin line, one end of which was secured to a ring-bolt in a block of wreck lumber, while the other ran down into the pool. a pull at the line brought a large closely-worked, spindle-shaped basket to the surface, when a commotion inside announced that the six-inch-wide square of flat cork, which formed a lid, covered something alive. so it proved; for upon unfastening the lid an opening was laid bare, and upon the "coorge"--as the fishing folk called the basket--being laid across the bucket and turned sidewise, some ten or a dozen silvery eel-shaped fish glided out into the bucket, and began swimming round and round in search of an outlet. "more bait than i shall want," said aleck, covering and letting the basket go back into the pool. then, unfastening the mooring-rope, the boy picked up a boat-hook, and by hooking on to the side rocks here and there he piloted the boat along the devious watery lane, with the mighty walls towering high on either side and whispering or echoing back every sound he produced on his way out to the open sea. it was beautiful--solemn--grand--all in one, that narrow, gloomy, zigzag way between the perpendicular walls; and a naturalist would have spent hours examining the many-tinted sea anemones that opened their rays and awl-shaped tentacles below the water, or lay adhering and quiescent upon the rocks where the tide had fallen, looking some green, some olive, and many more like bosses of gelatinous coagulated blood. but these were too common objects of the seashore for aleck donne to heed; his eyes were for the most part upon the blue and opalescent picture some two hundred yards before him, where the chasm ended, its sharp edges looking black against the sea and sky as he hooked on here, gave a thrust there, and sent the boat along till the rift grew lighter and lighter, and then was left behind, for a final thrust had sent the boat right out into the sunshine, and in full view of three huge skittle-shaped rocks standing up out of the sea, high as the wall-like cliff of which at some time or another they must have been a portion. they were now many yards away and formed the almost secure nesting-places of hundreds upon hundreds of birds, whose necks stood up like so many pegs against the sky, giving the rocks a peculiar bristling appearance. but the sense of security for the young birds was upset by the long flapping wings of a couple of great black-backed gulls which kept on sailing round and round, waiting till the opportunity came to make a hawk-like swoop and carry off some well-fatted, half-feathered young auk. one met its fate, in the midst of a rippling purring cry, just as aleck laid in his boat-hook and proceeded to step the mast, swaying easily the while with the boat, which was now well afloat on the rising and falling sea. chapter two. "my word! how she does go!" cried aleck, a short time later. for he had stepped the mast, hooked on the little rudder, and hoisted the sail, the latter filling at once with the breeze which, coming from the sea, struck the bold perpendicular rock face and glanced off again, to catch the boat right astern. one minute it was racing along almost on an even keel; then, like a young horse, it seemed to take the bit in its teeth as it careened over more and more and made the water foam beneath the bows. away to aleck's left was the dazzling stretch of ocean, to his right the cliffs with the stack rocks and a glimpse of the whitewashed group of cottages locally known as eilygugg, from their overlooking the great isolated, skittle-like, inaccessible stack rocks chosen by those rather rare birds the little auks for their nesting-place year after year. on and on sped the boat past the precipitous cliffs, which, with the promontory-like point ahead, were the destruction of many a brave vessel in the stormy times; and an inexperienced watcher from the shore would often have suffered from that peculiar sensation known as having the heart in the mouth on seeing the boat careen over before some extra strong puff of wind, till it seemed as if the next moment the sail would be flat on the water while the little vessel filled and went down. but many years of teaching by the fishermen and tom bodger, the wooden-legged old man-o'-war's man of rockabie, had made aleck, young though he was, an expert manager of a fore and aft sailing boat, and the boy sat fast, rudder in one hand, sheet in the other, ready at the right moment to ease off the rope and by a dexterous touch at the rudder to lessen the pressure upon the canvas so that the boat rose again and raced onward till the great promontory ahead was passed. in due time the land sheltered the young navigator, and he glided swiftly into the little harbour of the fishing town, whose roughly-formed pier curved round like a crescent moon to protect the little fleet of fishing-boats, whose crews leaned over the cliff rail masticating tobacco and gazing out to sea, as they rested from the past night's labour, and talked in a low monotonous growl about the wind and the prospects of the night to come. rockabie was a prolific place, as far as boys were concerned. there were doubtless girls to balance them, but the girls were busy at home, while the boys swarmed upon the pier, where they led a charmed life; for though one of them was crowded, or scuffled, or pushed off every day into deep water, when quarrelling, playing, or getting into someone's way when the fish were landed, they seemed as if formed of cork or bladder and wind instead of flesh and blood, for they always came up again, to be pulled out by the rope thrown, or hooked out by a hitcher, if they did not swim round to the rough steps or to the shore. not one was ever known to be drowned--that was the fate of the full-grown who went out in smack or lugger to sea. the sight of aleck donne's boat coming round the point caused a rush on the part of the boys down to the pier and drew the attention of the fishermen up on the cliff as well. but these latter did not stir, only growled out something about the cap'n's boat from the den. one man only made the comment that the sail wanted "tannin' agen," and that was all. but the boys were interested and busy as they swarmed to the edge of the unprotected pier, along which they sat and stood as closely as the upright puffins in their white waistcoats standing in rows along the ledges that towered up above the point. for everybody knew everybody there for miles round, and every boat as well. there was a good deal of grinning and chattering going on as the boat neared, especially from one old fisherman who lived inside a huge pair of very stiff trousers, these coming right up to his arm-pits, so that only a very short pair of braces, a scrap of blue shirt, and a woollen night-cap were required to complete his costume. this gentleman smiled, grunted, placed a fresh bit of black tobacco in his cheek, and took notice of the fact that several of the boys had made a rush to the edge of the water by the harbour and come back loaded with decaying fish--scraps of skate, trimmings, especially the tails, heads, and offal--to take their places again, standing behind their sitting companions. someone else saw the action too, and began to descend from the cliff by the long slope whose water end was close to the shore end of the pier. this personage would have been a tall, broad-shouldered man had he been all there; but he was not, for he had left his legs in the west indies, off the coast of martinique, when a big round shot from a french battery came skipping over the water and cut them off, as the ship's surgeon said, almost as cleanly as he could have done with the knife and saw he used on the poor fellow after the action was over, the fort taken, and the frenchmen put to flight. the result was that thomas bodger came back after some months to his native village, quite cured, in the best of health, and wearing a pair of the shortest wooden legs ever worn by crippled man--his pegs, as the boys of rockabie called them, though he dignified them himself by the name of toes. as to his looks, he was a fine-looking man to just below his hips, and there he had been razed, as he called it to aleck donne, while the most peculiar thing about him as he toddled along was what at first sight looked like a prop, which extended from just beneath his head nearly to the ground, as if to enable him to stand, tripod-fashion, steadily on a windy day. but it was nothing of the sort, being only his pigtail carefully bound with ribbon, and the thickest and longest pigtail in the "ryal navee." tom bodger, or--as he was generally known by the rockabie boys--dumpus, trotted down the slope in a wonderful way, for how he managed to keep his balance over the rough cobbles and on the storm-worn granite stones of the pier was a marvel of equilibrium. but keep upright he did, solely by being always in motion; and he was not long in elbowing his way through the crowd of boys, many of whom overtopped him, and planting himself at the top of the pier steps, where from old experience he knew that aleck would land. as soon as he was there he delivered himself of an observation. "look here," he growled, in a deep, angry voice, "i've been marking o' you youngsters with my hye, and i gives you doo warning, the fust one on yer as shies any o' that orfull at young master donne, or inter his little boat, i marks with what isn't my hye, but this here bit of well-tarred rope's-end as i've got hitched inside my jacket; so look out." "yah!" came in a derisive chorus, as the sailor showed the truthfulness of his assertion by drawing out about eighteen inches of stoutish brown rope, drawing it through his left hand and putting it back. "yah!" shouted one of the most daring. "yer can't ketch us. yah!" "not ketch ye, you young swab? not in a starn chase, p'raps, but i've got a good mem'ry and i can heave-to till yer comes within reach, and then--well, i'm sorry for you, my lad. i know yer;--davvy, davvy." the boy looked uncomfortable, and furtively dropped an unpleasant smelling quid which he had picked up as a weapon of offence, and very offensive it was; but another lad appropriated it instantly and sniffed at it, smiling widely afterwards as if approving hugely of the vile odour. probably familiarity had begotten contempt, for none of his companions moved away. meanwhile aleck had run his boat close in and lowered his sail. then, as he rose up, boat-hook in hand, he was greeted with a jeering chorus of shouts, for no other reason than that he was a so-called stranger who did not live there and was well dressed, and belonged to a better class. aleck was accustomed to the reception, and gave the little crowd a contemptuous look, before turning to the squat figure beginning to descend the steps, to where the boy stood ten feet below. "what cheer, tom!" he cried. "what cheer-ho, master aleck!" returned the sailor. "hearty, my lad, hearty." then, turning to the boys, he growled out, "now, then, you heered. so just mind; whether it's fish fresh or fish foul. the one as shies gets my mark." the voices of the boys rose in a curious way, making a highly pitched jeering snarl, while a number of unpleasant missiles that were held ready were fingered and held behind backs, but from a disinclination to become the victim of the sailor's marking, no lad was venturesome enough to start the shower intended to greet the newcomer. it was held in abeyance for the moment, and then became impossible, for peg, peg, peg, peg, tom bodger descended the steps till he was level with the gunwale of aleck's boat, upon which one extremity was carefully planted, and careful aim taken at the first thwart. the sailor was about to swing himself in, when aleck held out his hand-- "catch hold!" he cried. "tchah! i don't want to ketch hold o' nothing," grumbled the man. "stand aside." as he spoke he spun half round as upon a peg, the second wooden leg lightly touched the thwart, and the next moment, when it seemed as if the poor fellow's wooden appendages must go through the frail bottom of the boat, they came down with a light _tip-tap_, and he was standing up looking smilingly in the young navigator's face. "come along tidy quick, my lad?" he said. "yes, the wind was lovely. look here, tom; i'm going shopping--to get some hooks and things. mind that young rabble does not throw anything aboard." "all right, my lad; but i should just like to see one of 'em try." "i shouldn't," cried aleck. "but, look here; uncle says as there'll be a good deal of wind dead ahead, and i shall have to tack back again, you're to come with me." "course i should," said the sailor, gruffly. "wants two a day like this." "and he'll pay you; and you're to get one of the fishermen to pick you up and bring you back." "tchah! i don't want no picking up. it's on'y about six mile across from here to the den, and i can do that easy enough if yer give me time." "do as you like, but uncle will pay for the ride." "and i shall put the money in my pocket and toddle back," said the sailor, chuckling; "do me more good than riding. you look sharp and get back. i'll give her a swab out while you're gone, and we'll take a good reach out to where the bass are playing off the point, and get a few. i see you've brought some sand eels." "so we will, tom. i should like to take home a few bass." "so you shall, my lad," said the sailor, who had stumped forward to the fore-locker to get out a big sponge; and he was rolling up his sleeves over a pair of big, brown, muscular arms ornamented with blue mermaids, initials, a ship in full sail, and a pair of crossed cutlasses surmounted by a crown, as aleck stepped lightly upon the gunwale, sprang thence on to the steps, and went up, to run the gauntlet of the little crowd of boys, who greeted him with something like a tempest of hoots and jeers. but the lads fell back as, with a smile full of the contempt he felt, aleck pressed forward, marched through them with his hands in his pockets, and smiled more broadly as he heard from below a growling shout of warning from the sailor announcing what he would do if the boys didn't mind, the result being that they followed the well-grown lad at a little distance all along the pier, throwing after him not bad fish and fragments, which would, if well-aimed, have sullied the lad's clothes, but what an irishman would have called dirty words, mingled with threats about what they would give him one of these fine days. the feud was high between the rockabie boys and the bright active young lad from the den, for no further reason than has already been stated, and the dislike had increased greatly during the past year, though it had never culminated in any encounter worse than the throwing of foul missiles after the boat when it was pushed off for home. perhaps it was something in the air which made the rockabie boys more pugnacious and their threats more dire. possibly they may have felt more deeply stung by the contempt of aleck, who strode carelessly along the rough stone pier, whistling softly, with his hands in his pockets, till he reached the slope and began to ascend towards where the fishermen leaned in a row over the rail, just as if after a soaking night they had hung themselves out in the sun to dry. and now it was that the boys hung back and aleck felt that he could afford to pay no heed to the young scrubs who followed him, for there were plenty of hearty hails and friendly smiles to greet him from the rough seamen. "morn', master aleck." "morn', sir. how's the cap'n?" from another. then: "like a flat fish to take back with you, master? i've got a nice brill. i'll put him in your boat." and directly after a big broad fellow detached himself from the rail to sidle up with: "say, master aleck, would you mind asking the cap'n to let me have another little bottle o' them iles he gives me for my showther? it's getting bad again." "you shall have it, joney," cried aleck. "thankye, sir. no hurry, sir. just put the bottle in yer pocket nex' time you come over, and that'll do." aleck went on up town, as it was called,--and the men hung themselves a little more over the rail and growled at the boys who were following the visitor, to "be off," and to "get out of that; now," with the result that they still followed the lad and watched him, flattening their noses against the panes of the fishing-tackle shop window, and following him again when he came out to visit one or two other places of business, till all the lad's self-set commissions were executed, and he turned to retrace his steps to the harbour. so far every movement had been followed by cutting remarks expressive of the contempt in which the visitor was held. there had been threats, too, of how he would be served one of these times. remarks were made, too, on his personal appearance and the cut of his clothes, but there was nothing more than petty annoyance till the quarry was on his way back to where he would be under the protection of the redoubtable dumpus, who did not scruple about "letting 'em have it," to use his own words, it being very unpleasant whatever shape it took. but now the pack began to rouse up and show its rage under the calm, careless, defiant contempt with which it was being treated. words, epithets, and allusions grew more malicious, caustic, and insulting, and, these producing no effect by the time the top of the slope was reached, bolder tactics were commenced, the boys closing round and starting a kind of horse-play in which one charged another, to give him a thrust so as to drive him--quite willing--against the retiring visitor. this was delightful; the mirth it excited grew more boisterous, and the covert attacks more general. but aleck was on the alert and avoided several, till a more vigorous one was attempted by the biggest lad present, a great, hulking, stupid, hobbledehoy of a fellow, who drove a companion against aleck's shoulder, making him stagger for a moment, while the aggressor burst out into a hoarse laugh which was chorussed by the little crowd, and then stopped. the spring which set aleck's machinery in motion had been touched, making him wheel round from the boy who had been driven against him, make a spring at the great, grinning, prime aggressor, and bring his coarse laugh to an end by delivering a stinging blow on the ear which drove him sidewise, and made him stand shaking his head and thrusting his finger inside his ear, as if to try and get rid of a peculiar buzzing sound which affected him strangely. there was a roar, and the boy who had been thrust against aleck sprang at him to inflict condign punishment upon the stranger who had dared to strike his companion. the attack was vigorous enough, but the attacker was unlucky, for he met aleck's bony fist on his way before he could use his own. then he clapped his open hands to his nose and stood staring in wonder, and seemed to be trying to find out whether his nose had been flattened on his face. there was an ominous silence then, during which aleck turned and walked on down the slope in a quiet leisurely way, scorning to run, and even slackening his pace to be on his guard as he reached the bottom of the slope, for by that time the boys had recovered from their astonishment, and were in full pursuit. in another minute aleck was surrounded by a roughly-formed crowding-in ring, with the two lads who had tested the force of his blows eager to obtain revenge, incited thereto by a score or two of voices urging them to "give it him," "pay him," "let him have it," and the like. the two biggest lads of the party then came on at aleck at once; but, to be just, it was from no cowardly spirit, but from each being urged by a sheer vindictive desire to be first to obtain revenge for his blow. hence they were mastered by passion and came on recklessly against one who was still perfectly cool and able to avoid the bigger fellow's assault while he gave the other a back-handed blow which sent him reeling away quite satisfied for the present and leaving the odds, so to speak, more even in the continuation of the encounter. aleck was well on the alert, and, feeling that he was utterly out-matched, he aimed at getting as far as the steps, where he would have tom bodger for an ally, and the attack would come to an end; but he was soon aware of the fact that to retire was impossible, hedged in as he was by an excited ring of boys, and there was nothing for him but to fight his way back slowly and cautiously. so he kept his head, coolly resisting the attack of the big fellow with whom he was engaged, guarding himself from blows to the best of his ability, and paying little heed to the torrent of abuse which accompanied the blows the big fisher lad tried to shower upon him, and always backing away a few yards, as he could, nearer to the way down to his boat. by this time the word was passed along the top of the cliff that there was a fight on, and the fishermen began slowly to take themselves off the rail and descend the slope to see the fun, as they called it. they did not hurry themselves in the least, so that there was plenty of time for the encounter to progress, with aleck still calm and cool, warding off the blows struck at him most skilfully, and mastering his desire to retaliate when he could have delivered others with masterly effect. but a change was coming on. enraged by his inability to close with his skilful, active adversary, the big lad made more and more use of his tongue, the torrent of abuse grew more foul, and aleck more cool and contemptuous, till all at once his adversary yelled out something which was received with acclamations by the excited ring who surrounded the pair, while it went through aleck like some poisoned barb. he saw fire for the moment, and his teeth gritted together, as caution and the practice and skill he had displayed were no more, for, to use a schoolboy phrase, his monkey was up and he meant fighting--he meant to use his fists to the best effect in trying to knock the vile slanderous words, uttered against the man he loved and venerated, down the utterer's throat, while his rage against those who crowded around, yelling with delight, took the form of back strokes with his elbow and more than one sharp blow at some intruding head. but it was against the lout who had spoken that the fire of his rage was principally directed, and the fellow realised at once that all that had gone before, on the part of the stranger from the den, was mere sparring and self-defence. aleck meant fighting now, and he fought, showering down such volleys of blows that, at the end of a couple of minutes, in spite of a brave defence and the planting of nasty cracks about his adversary's unguarded face, the big lad was being knocked here and there, up, down, and round about, till the shouts and cries about him lowered into a dull, dead hum. the pier stones reeled and rose and sank and seemed to imitate the waves that floated in, and when at last, in utter despair, he locked aleck in his arms and tried to throw him, he received such a stunning blow between the eyes that he loosened his grasp to shake his head, which the next moment was knocked steady and inert, the big fellow going down all of a heap, and the back of his big bullet skull striking the pier stones with a heavy resounding bump. chapter three. in his excitement it seemed to aleck that the real fight was now about to begin, for the little mob of boys uttered an angry yell upon seeing their champion's downfall, and were crowding in. but he was wrong, for a gruff voice was heard from the fishermen, who had at last bestirred themselves to see more of what they called the fun, and another deep-toned voice, accompanying the pattering of two wooden legs, came from the direction of the steps. "here, that'll do, you dogs!" cried the first voice, and-- "stand fast, master aleck, i'm a-coming," cried the other. the effect on the boys was magical, and they gave way in all directions before the big fisherman who had asked for the "iles" for his shoulders, a medicament he did not seem to require, for his joints worked easily as he threw out his arms with a mowing action, right and left, and with a force that would have laid the inimical lads down in swathes if they had not got out of the way. "well done, young aleck donne," he cried. "licked big jem, have yer? hansum too. do him good. get up--d'yer hear--before i give yer my boot! i see yer leading the lot on arter the young gent, like a school o' dogfish. hullo, tom, you was nigher. why didn't yer come up and help the young gen'leman afore?" "'cause i didn't know what was going on, matey," cried the sailor. "why didn't yer hail me, master aleck?" "because i didn't want to be helped," cried the boy, huskily, his voice quivering with indignation. "a set of cowards!" "so they are, master aleck," cried the sailor, joining in the lad's indignation. "on'y wish i'd knowed. i'd ha' come up with the boat-hook." "never mind; it arn't wanted," said the big fisherman. "young mr donne's given him a pretty good dressing down, and if this here pack arn't off while their shoes are good we'll let him give it to a few more." "i want to know what their fathers is about," growled the sailor. "i never see such a set. they're allus up to some mischief." "ay, ay, that's a true word," cried another fisherman. "that's so," growled the sailor, who, as he spoke, kept on brushing aleck down and using his forearm as a brush to remove the dust and _debris_ from the champion's jacket. "pity he didn't leather another couple of 'em," cried the big fisherman. "ay," growled the sailor. "i don't want to say anything unneighbourly, but it seems a pity that some on 'em don't get swep' up by the next press-gang as lands. a few years aboard a man-o'-war'd be the best physic for some o' them. look at all this here rubbidge about! i see 'em. got it ready to fling at the young gent. i know their games." "nay, nay," said the big fisherman, as a low, angry murmur arose, and ignoring the allusion to the fish _debris_ lying about, "we don't want no press-gangs meddling here." "yes, you do," said the sailor, angrily, as he applied a blue cotton neckerchief he had snatched off and shaken out, alternately to a cut on aleck's forehead and to his swollen nose, which was bleeding freely. "nice game this, arn't it? i know what i'm saying. i was pressed myself when i was twenty, and sarved seven year afore i come home with a pension. it made a man o' me, and never did me no harm." there was a hoarse roar of laughter at this, several of the fishermen stamping about in their mirth, making the sailor cease his ministrations and stand staring, and beginning to mop his hot forehead with the neckerchief. "what are yer grinning at?" he said, angrily, with the result that the laughter grew louder. "have i smudged my face with this here hankychy, master aleck?" said the sailor, turning to the boy, who could not now refrain from smiling in turn. but aleck was saved the necessity of replying to the question by the big fisherman, who spoke out in a grimly good-humoured way, as he cast his eyes up and down the dwarfed man-o'-war's man: "lookye here, tom, mate," he said, good-humouredly, "i don't know so much about never doing you no harm, old chap." "what d'yer mean?" growled the sailor. "what about yer legs, mate?" cried another of the men. the sailor stared round at the group, and then a change came over him, and he bent down and gave his hip a sounding slap. "i'm blest!" he cried, with the angry looks giving place to a broad smile. "i'm blest! i never thought about my legs!" there was another roar of laughter now, in which tom bodger joined. "but lookye here, messmates, what's a leg or two? gone in the sarvice o' the king and country, i says. here am i, two-and-thirty, with ninepence a day as long as i live, as good a man as ever i was--good man and true. who says i arn't?" "nobody here, tom, old mate," cried the big fisherman, giving the sailor a hearty slap on the shoulder. "good mate and true, and as good a neighbour as we've got in rockabie. eh, lads?" "ay, ay!" came in a hearty chorus. "there, tom, so say all of us; but none o' that about no press-gangs, mate," cried the big fisherman. "the king wants men for his ships, but all on us here has our wives and weans. what was all right for a lad o' twenty would be all wrong for such as we." "ay, that's true," said the sailor, "and i oughtn't to ha' said it; but look at master aleck here. them boys--" "yes, yes, boys is boys, and allus was and allus will be, as long as there's land and sea. some on 'em'll get a touch o' rope's-end after this game, i dessay. lookye here, master aleck donne, you come up to my place, and the missus'll find you a tin bowl o' water, a bit o' soap, and a clean towel. you won't hurt after a wash, but be able to go home as proud as a tom rooster. you licked your man, and the captain'll feel proud of you, for big jem was too much of a hard nut for such a chap as you. come on, my lad." "no, no, thank you," said aleck, warmly; "i want to get back home now. i don't want to show mrs joney a face like this." "nay, my lad, she won't mind; and--" "tom bodger's going to sail my boat home," put in the boy, hastily, "and i shall hang over the side and bathe my face as i go. i say, all of you, i'm sorry i got into this bit of trouble, but it wasn't my fault." "course it wasn't," said the fisherman. "we all know that, and you've give some on 'em a lesson, my lad. well, if you won't come, my lad, you won't." "it's only because i want to get back home," said aleck, warmly. "it's very kind of you all the same." a few minutes later the boy was seated in the stern of the boat, while tom bodger stood up, looking as if he, too, were sitting, as he thrust the little craft along by means of the boat-hook and the pier walls, while the fishermen walked along level with them to the end, where half a dozen of the boys had gathered. "give him a cheer, lads," said the big fisherman, and a hearty valediction was given and responded to by aleck, who took off and waved his cap. but just then a hot-blooded and indignant follower of defeated big jem let his zeal outrun his discretion. waiting till the group of fishermen had turned their backs, he ran to the very end of the pier, uttered a savage "yah!" and hurled the very-far-gone head of a pollock after the boat. the next minute he was repenting bitterly, for the big fisherman made four giant strides, caught him by the waistband, and the next moment held him over the edge of the pier and would have dropped him, struggling and yelling for mercy, into the sea, but aleck sprang up and shouted an appeal to his big friend to let the boy go. "very well," growled his captor; "but it's lucky for him, master aleck, as you spoke. warmint!" he growled to the boy, lowering him to the rugged stones. "get home with yer. i'm going on by and by to your father, my lad. be off." the boy yelled as he started and ran off, limping, and with good cause, for the boots the fisherman wore were very loose, and hung down gaping to his ankles, as if to show how beautifully they were silver-spangled with fish scales, but the soles were very thick and terribly hard, especially about the toe. chapter four. "i didn't get my brill after all, tom," said aleck, as the sail filled out and the boat sped along over the little dancing waves. "never mind the flat fish, master aleck; we'll pick up a few bass as we go along through the race, and they'll be fresher than his brill." "no, tom," said aleck, frowning; "no fishing to-day. i want to get back and have a proper wash and change my shirt and collar." "well, you did get a bit knocked about, master aleck. you see, he's a hard sort o' boy; awfully thick-headed chap." "he is, and no mistake," said aleck. "look at my knuckles!" "ay, you have got 'em a bit chipped; but it'll all grow up again. but what was it he said as made you bile over and get a-fighting that how?" "oh, never mind," said the boy, flushing. "it's all over now." "yes," said the sailor, knitting his brow, "it's all over now; but," he added, thoughtfully, as he let the sheet slip through his fingers and tightened it again, giving and taking as the sail tugged in answer to the puffs of wind, "but it don't seem like you to get into action like that, master aleck. you're generally such a quiet sort o' chap, and don't mind the boys yelping about yer heels any more than as if they was dogs." "of course, and i never for a moment thought that anything they could say would put me in such a passion. oh, tom, i felt once as if i could kill him!" "monkey must ha' been up very much indeed, master aleck. i've been a-wondering what he could ha' called you to make you clear the decks and go at him like that. you must have hit out and no mistake." "yes, i hit them as hard as ever i could--both of them." "both? did you have two on 'em at yer at once?" "yes, part of the time." "then i am glad you licked 'em. it was just like a smart frigate licking a couple of two-deckers. what did he call yer?" "oh, never mind, tom; nothing." "but he must have called yer, as i said afore, something very, very bad indeed. yer needn't mind telling me, my lad, for i seem to ha' been a sort of sea-father to yer. i've heered a deal o' bad language at sea in my time, and i should like to hear what it was that made you fly out like that. tell us what it was." "no, no; don't ask me, tom." "not ast yer, my lad? well, i won't if yer say as i arn't to. but it must ha' been something very bad indeed." "it was, tom, horribly bad; but--but he didn't call me anything. it was something he said made me so angry. i wouldn't have fought like that for anything he had called me." "ho!" said the sailor, thoughtfully. "then it was about somebody else?" "yes, tom," said the lad, frowning, and with his eyes flashing with the remains of his anger. "then it must have been something as he called me," said the sailor, naively. "yes, i know he's got his knife into me. so you licked him well for saying what he did, master aleck?" "yes," said the lad, thoughtfully, and with the frown deepening upon his face. "then i says thankye, master aleck, and i won't forget it, for it was very hansum on yer." "what was?" said the lad, starting. "what was? why, you licking that big ugly lout, my lad, for calling me names." "no, no, no," cried aleck, quickly; "it was not for that." "why, you said just now as you did, master aleck," said the sailor, blankly. "oh, no; you misunderstood me, tom. it was not for that." "ho! then what for was it, my lad?" "i can't tell you, tom," cried the boy, passionately. "don't worry me. can't you see i'm all in pain and trouble?" "all right, sir; i don't want to worry yer. it don't matter. i couldn't help wanting to know why you larruped him; but, as i said afore, it don't matter. you did larrup him, and give it him well, and it strikes me as his father'll give him the rope's-end as well, as soon as he sees him for going back home with such a face as he's got on his front. my word, you did paint him up. his old man won't hardly know him." "tom!" cried aleck, excitedly, as these last words impressed him deeply. "ay, ay, sir! tom it is." "look at my face," said the lad, looking up sharply from where he had been leaning over the gunwale scooping up the water in his hand and bathing the injuries he had received in his encounter. "look at me. is my face much knocked about?" the sailor shifted the hands which had held rudder and sheet, afterwards raising that which held the latter and rubbing his mahogany brown nose with the rope. "well, why don't you speak, tom?" said the lad, pettishly. "'cause i was 'specting yer like, my lad--smelling yer over like, so as to think out what to say." "go on, then; only say something." "so i will, sir, if yer really wants to hear." "why, of course i do. does my face show much?" "well, yes, sir," said the sailor, gravely, as he went on rubbing one side of his nose with the rope. "you've got it pretty tidy." "tell me what you can see." the sailor grunted and hesitated. "go on," cried aleck. "here, my bottom lip smarts a good deal. it's cut, isn't it?" "that's right, sir. cut it is, but i should say as it'll soon grow up together again." aleck pressed the kerchief to his lip, and winced with pain. "arn't loosened no teeth, have yer, sir?" aleck shook his head. "go on," he said. "what about my nose? it's swollen, isn't it?" "well, yes, sir, it is a bit swelled like. puffy, as yer might say; but, bless yer 'art, it's nothing to what big jem's is. i shouldn't mind about that a bit now, for it have stopped bleeding. there's nothing like cold sea water for that, though it do make yer tingle a bit. i 'member what a lot o' good it used to do when we'd been in action and the lads had got chopped about in boarding the enemy. the frenchies used to be pretty handy with their cutlasses and boarding-pikes. they used axes too." "oh, i don't want to know about that," cried aleck, pettishly. "there's a scratch or something on my forehead, isn't there?" "it's 'most too big and long to call it a scratch, sir. i should call that a cut." "tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated aleck. "that'll soon be all right, sir," continued the sailor, cheerfully. "bit o' sticking plaster'll soon set that to rights. what i don't like is your eyes." "my eyes?" cried aleck. "yes, they do feel stiff when i wink them. do they look bad, then?" the sailor chuckled softly. "what do you mean by that?" cried the lad, angrily. "are they swollen too? i'm sure there's nothing to laugh at in that." the sailor tried to look very serious, but failed. the laughing crinkles were smoothed out of his face, but his eyes sparkled and danced with merriment as he said: "i didn't mean no harm, master aleck, but you wouldn't say what you did if you could see your eyes. they do look so rum." "why? how?" cried aleck, excitedly. "did yer see benny wiggs's eyes las' year after he took the bee swarm as got all of a lump in huggins's damsel tree?" "no, of course i didn't," cried aleck, impatiently. "ah, that's a pity, sir, because yourn looks just like his'n did. you see, they don't look like eyes!" "then what do they look like?" cried aleck. "well, sir, i'll tell yer: they looks just like the tops o' bread loaves going to the oven." "like what?" "i mean like the holes the missuses makes in the dough with their fingers. finishes off by giving a poke in the top with a finger, and that closes up into a crinkly slit with a swelling around." "bah!" growled aleck. "well, you would ask me, sir." "yes, of course. something like big jem's?" "yes, sir; on'y more squeezed in like. your eyes is allus handsome and bright like, but they arn't now. but, there, don't you mind that, sir. they turn nasty colours like for a bit, but, as i says, don't you mind. big jem's face was a reg'lar picter. i don't know what his father'll say when he sees him." "and i don't know what uncle will say when he sees me," said aleck, despondently. "eh? the captain?" cried the sailor, in a startled tone of voice. "phe-ew!" he whistled. "i forgot all about him. i say, my lad, he won't like to see you this how." "no," said aleck, dismally. "arn't got no aunts or relations as you could go and see for a fortnit, have you?" "no, tom; i have no relatives but uncle donne." "that's a pity, sir. well, i dunno what you'd better do." "face uncle, and tell him the whole truth." "to be sure, sir. of course. that's the way you'd better lay your head--to the wind like. and, look here, sir!" "i can't look, tom; my eyes feel closed up, and i can hardly see a bit." "i mean look here with understanding, sir. i used to be with a skipper who was a downright savage if we got beaten off, and threatened to flog us. but if we won, and boarded a ship and took her, he'd laugh at our hurts and come round and shake hands and call us his brave lads." "but what has that to do with uncle seeing me in this horrible state?" "why, don't you see, sir?" cried the sailor, eagerly. "he's a captain, and a fighting man." aleck frowned, but the sailor did not notice it, and went on: "you ups and tells him that big jem and the pack o' blackguard riff-raff come and 'sulted yer and said what you wouldn't tell me. the captain wouldn't want you to put up with that. i know the captain 'most as well as you do. `hullo!' he says; `what ha' you been doing--how did you get in that condition?' he says--just like that. then you ups and tells him you had it out with big jem and the rest. `what for, sir?' he says-- just like that. `for saying,'--you know what, sir--you says, and tells him right out, though you wouldn't tell me. `and you let that big, ugly, blackguardly warmint thrash you like that?' he says, in his fierce way--just like that. then your turn comes, and you ups and says, 'most as chuff as he does: `no, uncle,' you says, `i give him the orflest leathering he ever had in his life.' `did you, aleck?' he says, rubbing his hands together, joyful like. `well done, my boy,' he says; `i like that. i wish i'd been there to see. brayvo!--now go and wash your face and brush your clothes and 'air.'" "think he would, tom?" "sure on it, sir. i wouldn't ha' answered for him if you'd gone back with your tail between your legs, reg'larly whipped; but seeing how you can go back and cry cock-a-doodle-doo!--" "like a dog, tom?" said aleck, grimly, with a feeling of amusement at the way in which his companion was mixing up his metaphors. "like a dog, sir? tchah! dogs can't crow. you know what i mean. seeing how you can go back with your colours flying, the captain'll feel proud on yer, and if he's the gentleman i take him for he'll cut yer a bit o' sticking plaster himself. what you've got to do is to go straight to his cabin and speak out like a man." "yes, tom, i mean to--but, tom--" continued the lad, in a hesitating way. "ay ay, sir; what is it?" "did you ever hear any of the fishermen say anything against my uncle?" "eh? oh, i've heered them gawsip and talk together when they've been leaning theirselves over the rail in the sun, gawsiping like, as you may say; but i never took no notice. fishermen when they're ashore chatter together like old women over the wash-tubs, but i never takes no heed to what they says. the captain's been a good friend to me, and so i shuts my ears when people say nasty things." "then you know that they do say nasty things about him?" said aleck. "oh, yes, sir, and 'bout everyone else too. they lets out about me sometimes, i've heered, and about my losing my legs; but i don't mind. i say, though, master aleck, sir! haw--haw--haw! think o' me forgetting all about 'em and saying that being at sea never did me no harm! it was a rum 'un!" aleck was silent and thinking about his own troubles, making his companion glance at him uneasily, waiting for the lad to speak; but as he remained silent the sailor turned the state of affairs over in his own mind till he hit upon what he considered to be a very happy thought. "i say, master aleck." "eh? yes, tom." "i've been a-thinking that as a reg'lar thing i'm a bit skeart o' the captain. he's such a fierce, cut-you-off-short sort of a gentleman that i'm always glad to get away when i've been up to the den to do anything for yer--pitching the boat's bottom or mending holes, or overhauling the tackle; but i tell you what--" "well, what, tom?" said aleck, for the sailor stopped short and crossed his two dwarf wooden legs in the bottom of the boat, and then, as if not satisfied, crossed them the other way on. "i was thinking, master aleck, that you and me's been messmates like, ever since i come back from sea." "yes, tom." "i mean in a proper way, sir," cried the man, hurriedly. "i don't mean shoving myself forrard, because well i know you're a young gen'leman and i'm on'y a pensioned-off hulk as has never been anything more than a ab." "i don't know what you're aiming at, tom," said aleck, querulously, as he went on bathing his bruised face again. "of course we've been like messmates many a time out with the boat, but what has that to do with the trouble i'm in?" "well, just this here, sir. messmates is messmates, and ought to help one another when there's rocks ahead." "of course, tom." "well, then, as i've been thinking, suppose i come ashore with yer and follers yer right up to the captain, and lie close by when he begins to sort o' keelhaul yer?" "what good would that do, tom?" "cheer yer up, my lad. i once went ashore with a messmate to help him like when he was going to have a tooth out as had been jigging horrid for two days. he said it did him no end o' good to have me there. so s'pose i come, sir. it strikes me as the captain won't say half so much to yer p'raps with me standing by." "oh, no, no, no, tom," cried aleck, quickly. "it's very good of you, and i'm much obliged, but i'd rather go straight in and face my uncle quite alone. i'm sure he'd think i brought you because i was too cowardly to come alone." "would he, sir?" "i feel sure he would, tom." "well, master aleck, i dessay you knows best, but come i will if you'd like me to, sir." "yes, i know that, tom," cried the boy, warmly, "but it would be better for me to go in alone." "think so, sir?" "yes, i'm sure of it." "well, p'raps you're right, sir. it seems more brave british seaman to face the enemy straightforward like. not as i mean, sir, as the captain's a enemy, but on'y just standing for one till the row's over. d'yer see?" "yes, i see, tom, and i've been thinking, too, that it will be enough for me to go in and face uncle at once, and for you not to wait to be paid for this journey." "oh, i don't want no paying, my lad, for a little job like this. think of the times when you've give me pretty nigh all the fish you've caught!" "but uncle said you were to be paid, tom." "very well, sir. let him pay me then nex' time he sees me. that'll be all right. you'll be sending a rock through the boat's planks afore long, and i shall have to come over and put a bit o' noo planking in. the captain will pay me then. i say, it's time we put her about. we can make a good bit this reach. strikes me that the wind's more abeam than when we started." "is it?" said aleck, drearily, and he felt that it would have been far more satisfactory for it to be dead ahead, or to be blowing so fiercely that they would be compelled to put back to rockabie, and his return home deferred to another day. as it was, it became more and more favourable, and an easy passage was made round the great promontory, while the current that rushed round the point and raced outward was so calmed down by the tide being just at the turn that the boat glided round and into smooth water, the stack rocks soon after coming into sight, and, with what seemed to the lad like horrible rapidity, they ran in under the rocks and passed the regular rookery of sea-birds, whose cries were deafening when they were close in. "say when," cried the sailor, who had given up the tiller to aleck and stepped forward ready to lower the sail. "now!" cried the lad, dismally, a few minutes later; and down came the sail, while in obedience to the rudder the boat glided in between the two walls of perpendicular rock, running in for some little distance before it became necessary for the sailor to help her along by means of the boat-hook and guide her right into her little haven. here tom bodger was quite at home, and as active as the boat's owner, stumping about inside, and then hopping off one of the thwarts on to the rocks, ready to take mast, yard, oars, and boat-hook up into their places, securing the boat's painter to the big ring-bolt, and then taking one side while aleck took the other and swinging her right up on to the rocks. "there we are, then," said the sailor, a few minutes later; "all ship-shape and snug. shall i put them baits back in the coorge?" "no, no, tom," said aleck, dismally; "empty the bucket into the sea, and give them a chance for their lives." "ay, that's right, master aleck, for they begin to look as if they'd been too long in the bucket." this latter was emptied, and then the couple began to ascend the gap towards the opening into the sunk garden. tom stopped after getting over the stones like the rock-hopper penguin. "i'll slip off now, master aleck, case the captain may be out in the garden," whispered the sailor. "yes, you'd better go now, tom. do i look so very bad?" "tidy, sir, tidy; but don't you mind that. go right at him, and let him know as soon as you can that you beat. you'll be all right then. maybe he'll let out at you at first, but all the time he'll be beginning to feel that you leathered a big hulking chap as is the worst warmint in rockabie, and you'll come out all right. day, master aleck!" "good day, tom, and thank you. i'll remind uncle about your shillings if he forgets." "he won't forget, sir; the captain's a gen'leman as never forgets nothing o' that sort. now then, sir, ram your little head down and lay yourself aboard him. nothing like getting it over. head first and out of your misery, same as when i learned you to swim." tom bodger shut one eye, gave the lad a frown and a knowing look, and then away he went up a rugged staircase-like pathway to the top of the cliff, looking every moment, while aleck watched, as if he would slip off, but never slipping once, and finally turning at the top to take off and wave his hat, and then he was gone. chapter five. "oh, dear!" groaned aleck. "how am i to face him?" and he went on till only a few steps divided him from the cultivated garden, where he stopped again. "i wonder where he is. in the study, i suppose--write, write, write, at that great history. can't i leave it and get into my room with a bad headache? it's only true. it aches horribly. i'll send word by jane that i'm too poorly to come down. bah!" muttered the boy. "what nonsense; he'd come up to me directly with something for me to take. i wonder whether he is in his room or out in the garden. he mustn't see me till i've been up into my room and done something to my hair. perhaps he's in the summer-house and i can get in and upstairs without his seeing me. oh, if i only--" "hullo! aleck, lad, what are you doing there? why are you so late? dinner has been ready quite an hour." the captain had suddenly appeared from behind a great clump of waving tamarisk, and stood looking down at the lad. "i was coming to see if you were in sight, and--why, what in the name of wonder is the matter with you? where have you been? why, by all that's wonderful, you've been fighting!" "yes, uncle," said the lad, with a gasp of relief, for it seemed to him as if, instead of taking the bold plunge, swimming fashion, he had been suddenly dragged in. "i thought so," cried the captain, angrily. "here--no, stop; come up to the house, to my room. we can't talk here." "i don't see why not," thought the lad, dismally. "there's plenty of room, and we could get it over more easily, even if he does get into a furious passion with me." but the captain had wheeled round at once and began to stump back along over the shell and crunching spar-gravel path, his chin pressed down upon his chest, and not uttering a word, only coughing slightly now and then, as if to clear his voice for the fierce tirade of angry words that was to come. he did not glance round nor speak, but strode on, evidently growing more and more out of temper, the lad thought, for as he walked he kept on kicking the loose shelly covering of the path over the flower beds, while the silence kept up seemed to aleck ominous in the extreme. "but, never mind," he thought; "it must soon be over now. what a sight i must look, though! he seemed to be astonished." culprit-like, the lad followed close at his uncle's heels till the side entrance was reached, where, with what seemed to be another sign of his angry perturbation, the old officer stopped short, rested one hand upon the door-post to steady himself, and began to very carefully do what was not the slightest degree necessary, to wit: he scraped his shoes most carefully over and over again--for there was not even a scrap of dust to remove. "stand back a moment, sir," cried the captain, suddenly. "jane has heard us, and is carrying in the dinner. don't let her see you in that state." aleck shrank to one side, and then as a door was heard to close, started forward again in obedience to his uncle's order. "now in, quick--into the study." he led the way sharply, and aleck sprang after him, but the ascent of so many steps gave the maid time to re-open the little dining-room door, from which point of vantage she was able to catch a glimpse of the lad's face, which looked so startling that she uttered an involuntary "oh, my!" before letting her jaw drop and pausing, her mouth wide open and a pair of staring eyes. "come in!" roared the captain, angrily, as aleck paused to turn for a moment at the door; and instead of entering, stood shaking his head deprecatingly at the maid, while his lips moved without a sound escaping them as he tried to telegraph to one who took much interest in his appearance: "not hurt much. i couldn't help it!" he started violently then at his uncle's stern command, uttered like an order to a company of men to step into some deadly breach, and the next moment the door was closed and the old man was scowling at him from the chair into which he had thrown himself, sending it back with the legs, giving forth a sound like a harsh snort as they scraped over the bare oaken floor. aleck drew a long deep breath and tried to tighten up his nerves, ready for what he felt was going to be a desperate encounter with the fierce-looking old man whom from long experience he knew to be harsh, stern, and troubled with a terrible temper, which made him morose and strange at times, his fits lasting for days, during which periods he would hardly speak a word to his nephew, leaving him to himself save when he came upon him suddenly to see that he was not wasting time, but going on with one or other of the studies which the old man supervised, or working in the garden. "i want you, though you lead this lonely life with me, aleck," he would say, frowning heavily the while, "to grow up fairly learned in what is necessary for a young man's education, so that some day, when i am dead and gone out of this weary world, you may take your place as a gentleman--not an ornamental gentleman, whose sole aim is to find out how he can best amuse himself, but a quiet, straightforward, honourable gentleman, one whom, if people do not admire because his ways are not the same as theirs, they will find themselves bound to respect." these strange fits of what aleck, perhaps instigated by jane, their one servant, called "master's temper," would be followed by weeks of mental blue sky, when the black clouds rolled away and the sun of a genial disposition shone out, and the old man seemed as if he could not lavish enough affection upon his nephew. the result of all this was that the boy's feelings towards the old man, who had always occupied the position of father to him as well as preceptor, were a strange mingling of fear of his harshness, veneration of his learning and power of instructing him in everything he learned, and love. for there were times when aleck would say, gloomily, to himself, "i'm sure uncle thoroughly hates me and wishes me away," while there were times when he was as happy as the days were long, and ready to feel certain that the old man loved him as much as if he were his own child. "he must," thought the boy, "or he wouldn't have nursed and coddled me up so when i had that fever and the doctor told jane that he had done all he could, and that i should die--go out with the tide next day. that's what i like in uncle," he mused, "when he isn't out of temper-- he's so clever. knew ever so much better than the doctor. what did he say then? `doctors are all very well, aleck, but there are times when the nurse is the better man--that is, when it's a cock nurse and not a hen. you had a cock nurse, boy, and i pulled you through.'" but the love was in abeyance on this particular morning at the den, as the old man had named his out-of-the-way solitary dwelling, and aleck felt that the place was rightly named as he stood ready to face the savage-looking denizen of the place, who, after staring him down with a pair of fiercely glowing eyes, suddenly opened upon him with: "now, then, sir! so you've been fighting?" "yes, uncle," said the boy, meekly. "who with?" "some of the rockabie boys, uncle." "hah! and in the face of all that i have said and taught you about your being different by your birth and education from the young ragamuffin rout of rockabie harbour! cannot you run over there in your boat and do what business you have to carry out without being mixed up in some broil?" "no, uncle." "disgraceful, sir! a gentleman's education should teach him that his weapons are words properly applied, and not tooth and nail, blows and kicks." "i never bit or kicked, uncle," said aleck, sullenly. "of course not, sir; and don't retort upon me in that insolent way. you know perfectly well that i was speaking metaphorically. did you for a moment imagine i thought you used your teeth and claws like a savage dog?" "no, uncle." "then don't reply to me like that. of course i would know you would use your fists. look at your knuckles!" thundered the old man. aleck looked at those parts of his person dismally, and they looked bad. for the skin was damaged in three places, and the nail of his left thumb was split in a painful way. "disgusting," said the old man. "i trusted you to go over there, and you come back a disreputable wreck. all my teaching seems to be thrown away upon a pugnacious untrustworthy boy." "i'm not pugnacious, uncle, if they'd let me alone." "bah! you ought to be above noticing the scum of the place." "i am, uncle, and i don't notice them," pleaded the boy; "it's they who will notice me." "how, pray?" "i can't go into the place without their mobbing me and calling me names." "contemptible! and pray, sir," cried the old man, in harsh, sarcastic tones, "what do they call you?" "all sorts of things," replied the boy, confusedly. "i can't recollect now. yes, i know; sometimes they shout `fox' or `foxy' after me." "and pray why?" "because they say i've just come out of the den." "rubbish." "at other times it's `spider.'" "spider?" "yes, uncle; because i've got such long legs." "worse and worse," cried the old man. "to fight for that! it is childish." "oh, i didn't fight for that, uncle!" "what for, then, pray, sir?" "sometimes they lay wait for me and hide behind a smack or the harbour wall, and pelt me with shells and the nasty offal left about by the fishermen." "disgusting! the insolent young dogs! they deserve to be flogged. so that is why you fought this morning?" "sometimes they throw pebbles and cobble stones, uncle," said the boy, evasively. "and they're so clever with them; they throw so well. i don't like to be hit and hurt, uncle. i suppose i've got a bad temper. i do keep it under so long as they call me names and throw nasty, soft things, but when a stone hits me and hurts, something inside my chest seems to get loose, and i feel hot and burning. i want to hurt whoever threw as much as he hurt me." "what!" cried the old man. "haven't i taught you, sir, that you must be above resenting the attacks of the vulgar herd?" "yes, uncle." "of course. i have always had to bear those assaults, boy. and so the young ruffians threw stones at you?" aleck hesitated. "it was heads and bits of fish to-day, uncle." "the scum! the insolent scum! and some of the offal hit you?" "well, no; nothing hit me, uncle. they followed me about all through the place, and shouted at me every time i came out of a shop." "bah! and because some young ragamuffins were insolent to you, my nephew must lower himself to their level. this is not the first time, sir. you have complained to me before, and you remember what i said to you one day when you came back after engaging in a most degrading scuffle." "yes, uncle." "you promised me that should never occur again, after i had pointed out to you what your conduct ought to be, and how that the more you noticed these young rascals' proceedings the worse it would be." "yes, uncle, but i couldn't remember it to-day. you can't tell how bad it was, and how hard to bear." "i? not tell? not know?" cried the old man, passionately. "i not know what it is to be the butt of a few boys? you talk in your ignorance, sir, like a fool talketh. why, for long years past i have been the mark for the contumely and insult of civilised england. don't make your paltry excuses to me. i say your conduct has been disgraceful. you were trusted to go. i made no objection, sir, save that for your sake and protection you should have an experienced boatman to help manage your boat on the way back, and you come home in this degraded state-- hands and face bruised, your lips cut, and your eyes swollen up ready to turn black with horrible bruises. aleck, it is blackguardly. you make me feel as if i ought to treat you as you deserve--take down that dusty old riding whip and flog you soundly." aleck started violently, and his eyes flashed through the narrow slits of lids. "but i can't treat you, an educated, thoughtful lad, in such a degrading way. the lash is only for those whose nature is low and vile--whose education has never placed them upon a level with such as you. it would be the right punishment for the lads who continually annoy and assault you. but as for you--aleck, i am hurt and disappointed. to come back like this because a few boys pelted you!" "no, uncle, it was not because of that," cried the lad, warmly. "then, why was it, sir?" aleck was silent, and the sailor's advice suddenly came to mind: "tell him you won and thrashed your man." but the words would not come, and while he remained silent captain donne spoke again, very sternly now: "do you hear me, sir?" "yes, uncle," said the boy, desperately. "then answer my question. you say it was not because you were pelted and called names. why, then, did you degrade yourself like this and fight?" "it was because--no, no, uncle," cried the boy, through his teeth, which were compressed tightly as if he was afraid that the simple truth would escape; "i--i can't tell you." "then there is something more?" "yes, uncle." "what is it, then?" cried the old man, whose own temper was rapidly getting the mastery. "speak out, sir, and let me hear whether you have any decent excuse to offer for your conduct. do you hear?" "yes, uncle," faltered the lad. "then speak, sir." "i--i can't, uncle. don't ask me, please." "what! i will and do ask you, sir," cried the old man, furiously: "and what is more, i will be told. i am the proper judge of your conduct. how dare you refuse to speak--how dare you tell me almost to my face that you will not answer my question?" "i don't tell you that, uncle," cried the boy, passionately. "i only say i can't tell you." "you obstinate young scoundrel! how dare you!" roared the old man, now almost beside himself with rage. "tell me this instant. why, then, did you engage in this disgraceful encounter?" aleck darted an imploring look at the old man, which seemed to be begging him piteously not to press for the answer, but in his furious outbreak the old man could not read it aright--could only set it down to stubbornness--and, completely overcome by the passion bubbling up to his brain, he started to his feet and pointed to the door, but only to dash his hand down upon the table the next moment. "no," he cried, "if you forget your duty to me, aleck, i will not forget mine to you. i'll not be angry, but quite cool. now, sir," he cried, with his face looking congested and his heavy grey brows drawn down over his glowing eyes, while his voice sounded hoarse and strange. "aleck, tell me at once. i'll have an answer before you leave this room. why did you engage in that disgraceful fight?" "i can't tell you, uncle," said the boy, in a hoarse whisper. "ha! that means, sir, that you are obstinately determined not to speak?" "it isn't obstinacy, uncle." "don't contradict me, sir. i say it is obstinacy. now, once more, for the last time, will you answer my question?" aleck drew in a long, low, hissing breath and stood fast for a few moments, before saying, in a low tone, his voice quivering the while: "i can't tell you, uncle." there was a dead silence in the room for a few moments then; so dead was the silence, in fact, that if the proverbial pin had dropped it would have sounded loudly on the polished oaken boards. then the old man spoke, in a curiously suppressed tone of voice. "very well," he said, huskily; "it is what was bound to come sooner or later. i see i have made another of the mistakes which have blasted my existence. i must have time to think out what i shall do. one thing is very evident--you have rebelled against my rule, aleck, and are struggling to get away to think and act, sir, for yourself. i have done my best for you, but in my isolation i have doubtless been blind and narrow. it is the natural result of our solitary life here--the young spirit seeking to soar." "oh, no, uncle--" began the boy. "silence, sir!" thundered the old man. "hear me out. i say it is so, and i know. you resent my holding the tether longer, but you are too young yet to fly unheld. i have my duty to do for your mother's sake and for yours. i must have time to think out my plans, but in the meantime prepare yourself to go to some school or institution for a year or two before entering upon your profession." "but, uncle!" "that will do, sir," said the old man, sternly. "you have struck your blow against my authority, and this painful episode in my life must end." "if you'd only let me speak, uncle!" cried the boy, passionately. "i begged of you to speak, sir," said the old man, coldly. "i ordered you to speak; but in each case you refused. well, now then, tell me simply--i ask again on principle--why did you fight those boys?" aleck set his teeth and hung his head. "that will do," said the old man, in deep, husky tones. "go to your room and get rid of as much of the traces of your encounter as you can before going down to your dinner. you need not interrupt me here again till i send for you. there--go." the old man once more raised his hand to point towards the door, and, unable to contain himself longer, aleck rushed out, made for his room, and shut and bolted himself in. chapter six. it was some time before the boy could do anything but sit with elbows upon knees, chin upon hands, gazing straight before him into vacancy. his head throbbed so that he could not think consistently. in his struggle on the pier he had been a good deal shaken, and that alone was enough to produce a feverish kind of excitement. then on the way back his brain had been much troubled, while, worst of all, there had been the scene with his uncle. it was then no wonder that he could not arrange his thoughts so as to sit in judgment upon his acts, especially that last one, in which he had stubbornly, as it seemed, refused or declined to respond to his uncle's question. he tried, and tried hard, with a curious seething desire working in his brain, to decide upon going straight to the old man and speaking out, giving him frankly his reason for refusing to speak. but this always came to the same conclusion: "i can't--i dare not--i can't." at last, wearied out and confused more and more by his throbbing brain, the boy rose and walked slowly to the looking-glass, where he started in dismay at the image reflected there. for a few moments it seemed to be part and parcel of some confused dream, but its truth gradually forced itself upon him, and finally he burst out into a mocking, half hysterical laugh. "i don't wonder at uncle," he cried; "i don't wonder at his being in a rage." with a weary sigh he went to the washstand and half filled the basin. "i'd no idea i looked such a sight," he muttered, as he began to bathe his stiff and swollen features. "the brute!" he said, after a few moments. "i wish i'd told uncle, though, that i beat him well. but, oh, dear! what a muddle it all seems! i wish i'd hit him twice as hard," he said, with angry vehemence, half aloud. "yes?" for there was a gentle tapping at the door. "aren't you coming down to dinner, master aleck?" "no, jane; not to-day." "but it's all over-done, my dear--been ready more than an hour. do, do come, or it'll be spoiled." "go and tell uncle then. i'm not coming down." "but i have been, my dear, and he said i was to come and tell you. he isn't coming down. do make haste and finish and come down." "no, not to-day, jane. i can't come." "but what is the matter, dear? is master in a temper because you fell off the cliff and cut your face?" "i didn't fall off the cliff and cut my face," said aleck. "then, whatever is the matter, my dear?" "well, if you must know, jane, i've been fighting--like a blackguard, i suppose," cried the boy, pettishly. "and is that what made master so cross?" "yes." "did it hurt you very much?" came through the door crack in a whisper. "yes--no," replied aleck. "i don't know what you mean, my dear," sighed jane. "never mind. go away, please, now. i'm bathing my face." "but my dinner's all being spoiled, my dear. you won't come, and master won't come. what am i to do?" "go and sit down and eat it," cried aleck, in a passion now; "only don't bother me." "well, i'm sure!" cried the captain's maid, tartly. "master's temper's bad enough to drive anyone away, and now you're beginning too. i don't know what we're coming to in--" _um--um--murmur--murmur--murmur--bang_! at least that is how it sounded to aleck as he went on with his bathing, the sharp closing of the passage door bringing all to an end and leaving the boy to continue the bathing and drying of his injuries by degrees, after which he sat down by the open window, to rest his aching head upon his hand and let the soft sea air play upon his temples. he was very miserable, and in a good deal of bodily pain, but the trouble seemed to be the worse part, and it was just occurring to him that he felt very sick and faint and that a draught of water would do him good, when there was a sharp tap at the door after the handle had been tried. "uncle!" thought the lad, and the blood flushed painfully to his face. then the tap was repeated. "master aleck, master aleck!" "yes." "i've brought you up some dinner on a tray." "i don't want any--i couldn't eat it," said the boy, bitterly. "don't tell me, my dear. you do want something--you must; and you can eat it if you try. now, do come and open the door, please, or you'll be ill." aleck rose with a sigh and crossed the room, and the maid came in with a covered plate of something hot which emitted an appetising odour. "it's very good of you, jane," began aleck; "but--" "my! you are a sight, master aleck! whatever have you been a-doing to yourself?" "fighting, i tell you," said the boy, smiling in the middle-aged maid's homely face. "who with, my dear?" "oh, some of the fishermen's boys over at the town." "then it didn't ought to be allowed. you _are_ in a state!" "yes; i know without your telling me. what's under that cover?" "roast chicken and bacon, my dear." "oh, i couldn't touch it, jane!" "now, don't say that, my dear. people must eat and drink even if they are in trouble; because if they don't they're ill. i know what i've brought you isn't as nice as it should be, because it's all dried up, and now it's half cold. so be a good boy, same as you used to be years ago when i first knew you. there was no quarrelling with your bread and butter then, and you were always hungry. but, there, i must go. i wouldn't have master catch me here now for all the millions in the bank of england. oh, what a temper he is in, to be sure!" "have--have you seen him lately?" asked aleck, excitedly. "seen him? no, my dear. he's shut himself up, like he does sometimes; but i could hear him in the kitchen, walking all over my head, just like a wild beast in a cage, and now and then he began talking to himself quite out loud. it's all your fault, master aleck, for he was as good-tempered as could be this morning when i went in to ask him what i was to get ready for dinner, and what time." jane closed the door after her with these words and left aleck with the tray. "yes," he said, bitterly, in his pain; "it's all my fault, i suppose, and i'm to go away from everything i like here." he raised the cover over the plate as he spoke, and a pleasant, appetising odour greeted his nostrils; but he lowered the cover again with a gesture of disgust. "i couldn't touch it," he said, with a shudder, "even to do me good. nothing would do me good now. my face feels so stiff, and my eyes are just as if they'd got something dark over them." he went near the window again to look out in the direction of the sea, with some idea of watching the birds, of which so many floated up into sight above the cliffs that shut in the den. but it was an effort to look skyward, and he sat down by the window to think, in a dull, heavy, dreamy way, about his uncle's words. and it seemed to him, knowing how stern and uncompromising the old man was, that it would be a word and a blow. for aught he knew to the contrary letters might have been written by then, making arrangements for him to go to some institution where he would be trained to enter into some pursuit that he might detest. time back there had been talk about his future, the old man having pleasantly asked him what he would like to be. he had replied. "an officer in the army," and then stood startled by the change which came over the old man's face. "no," he had said, scowling, "i could never consent to that, aleck. i might agree to your going into the navy, but as a soldier, emphatically no." "why doesn't he want me to be a soldier?" mused the boy. "he was a soldier himself. i should like to know the whole truth. it can't be what he said." aleck sat wrinkling up his brow and thinking for some little time. not for long; it made his head ache too much, and he changed from soldiering to sailoring. "i don't see why i shouldn't," he said, half drowsily, for a strange sensation of weariness came over him. "i should like to be a sailor. why not go? tom bodger would help me to get a ship; and as uncle is going to send me away, talking as if he had quite done with me, i don't see why i shouldn't go." the drowsy feeling increased, so that the boy to keep it off began to look over his clothes, thinking deeply the while, but in a way that was rather unnatural, for his hurts had not been without the effect of making him a little feverish. and as he thought he began to mutter about what had taken place that afternoon. "uncle can't like me," he said. "he has been kind, but he never talked to me like this before. he wants to get rid of me, to send me away somewhere to some place where i shouldn't like to go. i've no father, no mother, to mind my going, so why shouldn't i? he'll be glad i'm gone, or he wouldn't have talked to me like that." aleck rested his throbbing head upon his crossed arms and sank into a feverish kind of sleep, during which, in a short half-hour, he went through what seemed like an age of trouble, before he started up, and in an excited, spasmodic way, hardly realising what he was doing in his half-waking, half-sleeping state, but under the influence of his troubled thoughts, he roughly selected a few of his under-things for a change and made them up into a bundle, after which he counted over the money he had left after the morning's disbursement, and told himself it would be enough, and that the sooner he was away from the dear old den the better. at last all his preparations were made, even to placing his hat and a favourite old stick given him by his uncle ready upon the chair which held his bundle; and then, with his head throbbing worse than ever, producing a feeling of confusion and unreality that was more than painful, he went once more to the glass to look at his strangely-altered features. "i can't go like that," he said, shrinking back in horror. but like an answer to his words came from far back in his brain, and as if in a faint whisper: "you must now. you've gone too far. you must go now, unless you're too great a coward." "yes," he muttered, confusedly; "i must go now--as soon as it's dark. not wanted here--tom bodger--he'll help me--to a ship." he had sunk heavily into a chair, right back, with his head nodding forward till his chin rested upon his breast, and the next moment he had sunk into a feverish stupor, in which his head was swimming, and in some unaccountable way he seemed to be once more heavily engaged with big jem, whose fists kept up a regular pendulum-like beat upon his head, while in spite of all his efforts he could never get one blow back in return at the malicious, jeering, taunting face, whose lips moved as they kept on saying words which nearly drove him wild with indignation. and what were the words, repeated quite clearly now? "master aleck, don't be so silly! wake up, you're pretending to be asleep. oh, my! what a state your face is in! and your head's as hot as fire." chapter seven. "that you, jane?" "why, of course it is. were you really asleep?" "asleep? no--yes. i don't know, jane. my head's all gone queer, i think." "and no wonder, fighting like that, and never touching a bit of the dinner i brought you up. yes, your head's all in a fever, and your poor swelled-up eyes too. that's better. now, then, you must take this." "what is it?" said the lad, drowsily. "what is it? why, can't you see?" "no; my head's all swimming round and round, and my eyes won't open." "never mind, poor boy, this'll do you good. i've brought you up a big breakfast-cup of nice, fresh, hot tea, and two rounds of buttered toast. they'll do your head good." "i say, jane, where's uncle?" "in his room. he's had some too. i didn't wait to be asked, but took the tea in." "what was he doing?" said aleck. "writing." "his book?" "no, letters; and as busy as could be. come, try and drink your tea." "but isn't it very early for tea--directly after dinner like this?" "directly after dinner? why, bless the boy, it's past seven!" "then i must have been asleep," said the boy, speaking more collectedly now. "i should just think you must, and the best thing for you. hark! there's master's study bell; he wants more tea. i must go; but promise me you'll take yours?" "yes, i'm dreadfully thirsty," said the lad, and as the woman left the room he began to sip the tea and eat pieces of the toast till all was gone, and then, after a weary sigh, he glanced at his bundle and hat upon the chair, reeled towards the bed, held on by the painted post, while he thrust off his boots and then literally rolled upon it, with his face looking scarlet upon the white pillow. the next moment he was breathing heavily in deep, dreamless sleep. that dreamless sleep lasted till the old eight-day clock on the landing had struck eleven, during which time jane, who was growing anxious about him, came in three times--the first to take away the tea and dinner things, the other twice to make sure that he was not going into a high fever, as she termed it, and feeling better satisfied each time. "nothing like so hot," she said to herself. "it was that cup o' tea that did him good. there's nothing like a hot cup o' tea and a good sleep for a bad headache." so jane left and went to bed after a final peep, and, as before said, the sound sleep went on till the clock began to strike, and then he began to dream that his uncle came into the room with a chamber candlestick in his hand, set it down where its light shone full upon his stern, severe old features, and seated himself upon the chair by the bed's head. then he began to question him; and it seemed to the boy that in his dream he answered without moving his head or opening his eyes, which appeared strange, for he fancied he could see the old man's angry face all the time. "not undressed, aleck?" said the old man. "no, uncle." "shoes here ready--hat, bundle, and stick on the chair! does that mean waiting till all is quiet, and then running away from home?" "yes, uncle." "hah! from one who took you to his heart when you were a little orphan child, just when your widowed mother had closed her eyes for ever on this weary world, and swore to treat you as if you were his own!" "yes, uncle." "and why?" "because you are tired of me, uncle, and don't trust me--and are going to send me away." "hah! you are not going to try and be taken as a soldier?" "no, uncle." "hah! what then? going to seek your fortune?" "no, uncle. i'm going to sea." perhaps that _hah_! that ejaculation, was louder than the other words-- perhaps aleck donne had not been dreaming--perhaps it was all real! at any rate the sleeper had awakened and with his eyes able to open a little more, and through the two narrow slits he was gazing at the stern, sorrowful face, lit up by one candle, seated there within a yard of the pillow. "head better, my lad?" "yes, uncle." "seems clearer, eh?" "yes, uncle." "feel feverish?" "no, uncle, i think not. i'm hardly awake yet." "i know, my lad. you got a good deal knocked about, then?" "i don't quite know, uncle. i suppose so. it all seems very dreamy now." "consequence of injury to the head. soldiers are in that condition sometimes after a blow from the butt end of a musket." "are they, uncle?" asked aleck, who was half ready to believe that this was all part of his dream. the captain nodded, and sat silent for a few moments, before glancing at the bundle, hat, and cane. then-- "so you've been making up your mind to run away?" "to go away, uncle; not run." "hah! same thing, my lad." "no, uncle." "what! don't contradict me, sir. do you want to quarrel again?" "no, uncle." "humph! you prepared those things for running away?" "i had some such ideas, uncle, when i tied them up," said the lad, firmly; "but i should not have done that." "indeed! then why did you tie them up?" "to go away, uncle." "well, that's what i said, sir." "that was not quite correct, uncle. if i ran away it would have been without telling you." "of course, and that's what you meant to do." "no, uncle; i feel now that i could not have done that. i should have come to you in the morning to tell you that i felt as if i should be better away, and that i would go to sea at once." "humph! and if you went away, sir, what's to become of me?" "i don't know, uncle, only i feel that you'd be better without such an obstinate, disobedient fellow as i am." "oh, you think so, do you? well, you shouldn't be obstinate then." "i didn't mean to be, uncle." "then, why, in the name of all that's sensible, were you? why didn't you tell me why you fought and got in such a state?" "i felt that i couldn't tell you, uncle." "why not, sir--why not?" aleck was silent once more. "there you are, you see. as stubborn as a mule." "no, i'm not, uncle." "now, look here, aleck; i couldn't go to bed without trying to make peace between us. don't contradict me, sir. i say you are stubborn. there, i'll give you one more chance. now, then, why did you fight those lads?" "don't ask me, uncle, please. i can't tell you." "but i do ask you, and i will know. now, sir, why was it? for i'm sure there was some blackguardly reason. now, then, speak out, or--or--or--i vow i'll never be friends with you again." "don't ask me, uncle." "once more, i will ask you, sir. why was it?" "because--" began aleck, and stopped. "well, sir--because?" raged out the old man. "speak, sir. you are my sister's son. i have behaved to you since she died like a father. i am in the place of your father, and i command you to speak." "well, uncle, it was because they spoke about you," said the lad, at last, desperately. "eh? ah! humph!" said the old man, with his florid face growing clay-coloured. "they spoke ill of me, then?" "yes, uncle." "about my past--past life, eh?" "yes, uncle." "humph! what did they say?" "uncle, pray don't ask me," pleaded aleck. "humph! i know. said i was disgraced and turned out of my regiment, eh? for cowardice?" "yes, uncle." "and you said it wasn't true?" "of course, uncle." "got yourself knocked into a mummy, then, for defending me?" "yes, uncle; but i'm not much hurt." "humph!" ejaculated the old man, frowning, and looking at the lad through his half-closed eyes. "said it was not true, then?" "of course, uncle," cried the boy, flushing indignantly. "humph! thankye, my boy; but, you see, it was true." aleck's eyes glittered as he stared blankly at the fierce-looking old man. for the declaration sounded horrible. his uncle had been one of the bravest of soldiers in the boy's estimation, and time after time he had sat and gloated over the trophy formed by the old officer's sword and pistols, surmounted by the military cap, hanging in the study. many a time, too, he had in secret carefully swept away the dust. more than once, too, in his uncle's absence he had taken down and snapped the pistols at some imaginary foe, and felt a thrill of pleasure as the old flints struck off a tiny shower of brilliant stars from the steel pan cover. at other times, too, he had carefully lifted the sword from its hooks and tugged till the bright blade came slowly out of its leathern scabbard, cut and thrust with it to put enemies to flight, and longed to carry it to the tool-shed to treat it to a good whetting with the rubber the gardener used for his scythe, for the rounded edge held out no promise of cutting off a frenchman's head. and now for the old hero of his belief to tell him calmly and without the slightest hesitation that the charge was true was so staggering, so beyond belief, that the blank look of dismay produced by the assertion gradually gave place to a smile of incredulity, and at last the boy exclaimed: "oh, uncle! you are joking!" the old soldier returned the boy's smile with a cold, stern gaze full of something akin to despair, as he drew a long, deep breath and said, slowly: "you find it hard to believe, then, aleck, my boy?" "hard to believe, uncle? of course i do. nobody could believe such a thing of you." "you are wrong, my boy," said the old man, with a sigh, "for everyone believed it, and the court-martial sentenced me to be disgraced." "uncle! oh, uncle! but it wasn't--it couldn't be true," cried aleck, wildly, as he sat up in bed. "the world said it was true, my boy," replied the old man, whose voice sounded very low and sad. "but you, uncle--you denied the charge?" "of course, my boy." "then the people on the court-martial must have been mad," cried the boy, proudly. "i thought the word of an officer and a gentleman was quite sufficient to set aside such a charge." "then you don't believe it was true, my lad?" "i?" cried the boy, proudly; "what nonsense, uncle! of course not." "but, knowing now what i have told you, suppose you should hear this charge made against me again, what would you do?" aleck's eyes flashed, and, regardless of the pain it gave him, he clenched his injured fists, set his teeth hard, and said, hoarsely: "the same as i did to-day, uncle. nobody shall tell such lies about you while i am there." captain lawrence caught his young champion to his breast and held him tightly for a few moments, before, in a husky, quivering voice, he said: "yes, aleck, boy, for they are lies. but the mud thrown at me stuck in spite of all my efforts to wash it away, and the stains remained." "but, uncle--" "don't talk about it, boy," cried the old man, hoarsely. "you are bringing up the past, aleck, with all its maddening horrors. i can't talk to you and explain. it was at the end of a disastrous day. our badly led men were put to flight through the mismanagement of our chief--one high in position--and someone had to suffer for his sins, there had to be a scapegoat, and i was the unhappy wretch upon whom the commander-in-chief's sins were piled up. they said that the beating back of my company caused the panic which led to the headlong flight of our little army. yes, aleck, they piled up his sins upon my unlucky shoulders, and i was driven out into the wilderness--hounded out of society, a dishonoured, disgraced coward. aleck, boy," he continued, with his voice growing appealing and piteous, "i was engaged to be married to the young and beautiful girl i loved as soon as the war was over, and i was looking forward to happiness on my return. but for me happiness was dead." "oh! but, uncle," cried the boy, excitedly, catching at the old man's arm, "the lady--surely she did not believe it of you?" "i never saw her again, aleck," said the old man, slowly. "six months after my sentence the papers announced her approaching marriage." "oh!" cried the lad, indignantly. "wait, my boy. no; she never believed it of me. she was forced by her relatives to accept this man. i have her dear letter--yellow and time-stained now--written a week before the appointed wedding-day which never dawned for her, my boy. she died two days before, full of faith in my honour." aleck's hands were both resting now upon his uncle's arm, and his eyes looked dim and misty. "there, my boy, i said i could not explain to you, and i have uncovered the old wound, laying it quite bare. now you know what it is that has made me the old cankered, harsh, misanthropic being you know--bitter, soured, evil-tempered, and so harsh; so wanting in love for my kind that even you, my boy, my poor dead sister's child, can't bear to live with me any longer." "uncle!" panted aleck. "i didn't know--" "let's see," continued the old man, with a resumption of his former fierce manner; "you said you would not run away, only go. to sea, eh?" "uncle," cried aleck, "didn't you hear what i said?" "yes, quite plainly," replied the old man, bitterly; "i heard. i don't wonder at a lad of spirit resenting my harsh, saturnine ways. what a life for a lad like you! well, you've made up your mind, and i'll be just to you, my lad. you shall be started well. when would you like to go?" "when you drive me away, uncle," cried the boy, passionately. "oh, uncle, won't you listen to me--won't you believe in me? how can you think me such a coward as to leave you, knowing what i do?" the old man caught him by the shoulders, held him back at arm's length, and stood gazing fiercely in his eyes for a few moments, and then his own began to soften, and he said, gently: "aleck, when i was your age my sister and i were constant companions. you have her voice, boy, and there is a ring in it so like--oh, so like hers! yes, i heard, and i believe in you. i believe, too, that you will respect my prayers to you that all i have said this night shall be held sacred. i do not wish the world to know our secrets. but, there, there," he said, in a totally changed voice, "what a day this has been for us both! you have suffered cruelly, my boy, for my sake, and i in my blindness and bitterness treated you ill." "oh, uncle, pray, pray say no more!" cried the boy, piteously. "i must--just this, aleck: i have suffered too, my boy. another black shadow had come across my darkened life, and in my ignorance i turned against you as i did. aleck, boy, your uncle asks your forgiveness, and--now no more, my boy; it is nearly midnight, and we must try and rest. can you go to sleep again?" "yes, uncle," cried the boy, eagerly, "i feel as if it will be easy now. good-night, uncle." "good-night, my boy," whispered the old man, huskily, and he hurried out, whispering words of thankfulness to himself; but they were words the nephew did not hear. as the door closed aleck sprang off the bed on to his feet, his knuckles smarting as he struck an attitude and tightly clenched his fists, seeing in imagination big jem the slanderer standing before him once again. "you cowardly brute!" he muttered; and then his aspect changed in the dim light shed by the candle, for there was a look of joyous pride in his countenance, disfigured though it was, as he said, hurriedly: "i didn't half tell uncle that i thoroughly whipped him, after all. but old tom bodger--he'll be as pleased as punch." it was rather a distorted smile on aleck's lips, as, after undressing, he fell fast asleep, but it was a very happy one all the same, and so thought captain lawrence as he stole into the room in the grey dawn to see if his nephew was sleeping free from fever and pain, and then stole out again without making a sound. chapter eight. the breakfast the next morning was rather late, consequent upon captain lawrence and his nephew dropping off each into a deep sleep just when it was about time to rise; but it was a very pleasant meal when they did meet, for the removal of a great weight from aleck's mind allowed some other part of his economy to rise rampant with hints that it had missed the previous day's dinner. there was a pleasant odour, too, pervading the house, suggesting that jane had been baking bread cakes and then frying fish. aleck noticed both scents when he threw open his window to let the perfume of the roses come in from the garden; but the kitchen windows and door were open, and the odour of the roses was regularly ousted by that of the food. "my word! it does smell good," said the boy to himself, and his lips parted to be smacked, but gave vent to the interjection "o!" instead, for the movement of the articulations just in front of his ears caused a sharp pain. "that's nice!" muttered aleck. "how's a fellow to eat with his jaw all stiff like that?" this reminder of the previous day's encounter brought with it other memories, which took the lad to the looking-glass, and the reflection he saw there made him grin at himself, and then wince again. "oh, my!" he said, softly. "how it hurts! my face feels stiff all over. i do look a sight. can't go down to breakfast like this, i know; i'll stop here, and jane will bring me some up. one can't stir out like this." grasping the fact that it was late, the boy dressed hurriedly, casting glances from time to time at the birds which sailed over from the sea, and at old dunning, the gardener, who was busy digging a deep trench for celery, and treating the soft earth when he drove in the spade in so slow and tender a way that it seemed as if he was afraid of hurting it. aleck noted this, and grinned and hurt himself again. "poor old 'nesimus," he said, feeling wonderfully light-hearted; "he always works as if he thought it must be cruel to kill weeds." the boy had a good final look at the old man, who wore more the aspect of a rough fisherman than a gardener. in fact he had pursued the former avocation entirely in the past, in company with the speculative growing of fruit and vegetables in his garden patch--not to sell to his neighbours, the fishing folk of the tiny hamlet of eilygugg, but to "swap" them, as he termed it, for fish. then the time came when the den gardener happened to be enjoying himself at rockabie with a dozen more men, smoking, discussing shoals of fish, the durability of nets, and the like, when they suddenly discovered the fact that a party of men had landed on the shore from his majesty's ship conqueror, stolen up to the town in the darkness, and, after surrounding the little inn with a network of men, drawn the said net closer and closer, and ended by trammelling the whole set of guests and carrying them off as pressed men to the big frigate. that was during the last war, and not a man came back to take up his regular avocation. consequently there was a vacancy for a gardener at the den, and it was afterwards filled up by fisherman onesimus dunning, the wrinkled-faced man handling the spade and dealing so tenderly with his mother earth when aleck looked out of the window. "i wonder old jane hasn't been up to see how i am," said aleck, as he handled his comb as gingerly as the gardener did his spade. "i wonder how master aleck is," said jane, just about the same time. "but i won't disturb him. nothing like a good long sleep for hurts." "i know," said aleck to himself; "i can't call down the stairs, because uncle would hear. i daresay he's asleep. i'll tell old ness to go round to the kitchen door and say she is to come up. no, i won't; he'd come close up and see my face, and it would make her cross now she's busy frying fish. how good it smells! i _am_ hungry! wish she'd bring some up at once. how _am_ i to let her know?" he had hardly thought this before he started, for there was a sharp rap at the door, the handle rattled, and the old captain came in. "getting up, aleck, boy?" he said. "ah, that's right--dressed. come along down. you must be hungry." "i am, uncle," replied the boy, returning his uncle's warm and impressive grasp; "but i can't come down like this," and the boy made a deprecating gesture towards his battered face. "well, you don't look your best, aleck, lad," said the old man, smiling; "but you are no invalid. never mind your looks; you'll soon come right." nothing loth, the boy followed his uncle downstairs, jane hurriedly appearing in the little breakfast-room with a hot dish and plates on hearing the steps, and smiling with satisfaction on seeing aleck. "ah, that's right, jane!" said the captain, cheerfully, making the maid beam again on seeing "master" in such an amiable frame of mind. "fried fish?" "yes, sir; brill." "some of your catching, aleck?" "no, sir," put in the maid, eagerly; "that tom bodger was over here with it as soon as it was light. he knocked and woke me up. said master aleck forgot it yes'day." "no wonder," said the captain, smiling at his nephew; "enough to knock anything out of your head, eh, aleck?" "yes, uncle; one of the fishermen said i was to bring it home." "that's right. shows you have friends as well as foes in rockabie." the breakfast went on, and after the first mouthfuls the boy's jaws worked more easily, and he was enjoying his meal thoroughly, when his uncle suddenly exclaimed: "what are you going to do to-day, my boy?" "go on with those problems, uncle, unless you want me to do anything else." "i do," said the old man, smiling. "i want you to leave your books to-day--for a few days, i should say, till your face comes round again-- i mean less round, boy," he added, laughing. "have a rest. go and ramble along the cliffs. take the little glass and watch the birds till evening, and then you can fish." aleck jumped at the proposal, for the thought of books and writing had brought on suggestions of headache and weariness; and soon after breakfast he went up to his uncle's study, to find him sitting looking very thoughtful, and ready to start at the boy's entry. "i've come for the spy-glass, uncle," said aleck. "to be sure, yes. i forgot," said the old man, hastily. "take it down, my boy; and mind what you're about--recollect you are half blind. let's have no walking over the cliff or into one of the gullies." "i'll take care, uncle," said the boy, smiling. "i'll be back to dinner at two." the captain nodded, and aleck was moving towards the door, when the old man rose hastily, overtook him, and grasped his hand for a moment or two. "just to show you that i have not forgotten yesterday, aleck, my boy," he said, gravely, and then he turned away. "who could forget yesterday?" thought the boy, as he slipped out by the side door and took the path leading round by the far edge of the cliff wall, the part which was left wild, that is, to its natural growth. for aleck's intent was to avoid being observed by the old gardener, whom he had last seen at work over the celery trench upon the other side of the house. "he'd only begin asking questions about my face, and grinning at me like one of the great stupid fisher boys," said aleck to himself, as he passed the sling strap of the spy-glass over his shoulder and hurried in and out among the bosky shrubs close under the great cliff wall, till, passing suddenly round a great feathery tuft of tamarisk, he came suddenly upon the very man he was trying to avoid, standing in a very peculiar position, his back bowed inward, head thrown backward, and a square black bottle held upside down, the neck to his lips and the bottom pointing to the sky. aleck stopped short, vexed and wondering, while the old gardener jerked himself upright, spilling some of the liquid over his chin and neck, and making a movement as if to hide the bottle, but, seeing how impossible it was, standing fast, with an imbecile grin on his countenance. "morning, master aleck," he said. "strange hot morning. been diggin'; and it makes me that thusty i'm obliged to keep a bottle o' water here in the shady part o' the rocks." "oh, are you?" said aleck, quietly, and he could not forbear giving a sniff. "ah! nice, arn't it, sir? flowers do smell out here on a morning like this, what with the roses and the errubs and wile thyme and things. it do make the bees busy. but what yer been eating on, sir? or have yer slipped down among the nattles? your face is swelled-up a sight. here, i know--you've been bathing!" "not this morning, ness; i did yesterday." "that's it, then, my lad, and you should mind. i know you've had one o' they jelly-fish float up agen yer face, and they sting dreadful sometimes." "yes, i know," said aleck, beginning to move onward past the man; "but it wasn't a jelly-fish that stung my face." "wasn't it now? yer don't mean it was a bee or wops?" "no, ness; it was a blackguard's fist." "why, yer don't mean to say yer been fighting, do 'ee?" "yes, i do, ness. going to finish the celery trench?" "yes, sir; but the ground's mighty hard. hot wuck, that it is. but where be going wi' the spy-glass?" "over yonder along the cliffs to look at the eilyguggs." "eh?" cried the man, sharply. "'long yonder, past the houses?" "yes." "nay, nay, nay, i wouldn't go that away. go east'ard. it's a deal better and nicer that way, and there's more buds." "i'll go that way another time," said the boy, surlily, and he hurried on. "a nasty old cheat," he muttered; "does he take me for a child? water, indeed! strong water, then. i shouldn't a bit wonder if it was smuggled gin. but, there, i won't tell tales." "ahoy there!" shouted the gardener. "master aleck, there's a sight more eggs yon other way." "yes, i know," cried the boy. "another time." then to himself, "bother his officiousness! wants to be very civil so that i shan't notice about his being there with that bottle." the man shouted something back, and upon aleck looking round he saw to his surprise that he was being followed, the gardener shuffling after him at a pretty good rate. "now, why does he want me to go the other way?" thought the boy. "i didn't mind which cliff i went along, but i do now. i'm not going to be dictated to by him. i know, he wants to come with me, just by way of an excuse to leave off digging for an hour or two and chatter and babble and keep on saying things i don't want to hear, as well as question me about yesterday's fight; and i'm not going to give him the chance." aleck smiled to himself, and winced again, for the swollen face was stiff and the nerves and muscles about his eyes in no condition for smiles. then, keeping on for a few yards till he was hidden from his follower by the thick shrubs, he stooped down, ran off to his right, and reached the path on the other side of the depression, well out of the gardener's sight; and reaching a suitable spot he dropped down upon his knees, having the satisfaction of watching the man hurrying along till he came to where the depression narrowed and the pathway along the chasm began. from here there was a good view downward, and the man stopped short, sheltered his eyes with his right hand to scan the narrow shelf-like declivity for quite a minute, before he took off his hat and began scratching his head, while he looked round and behind before having another scratch and appearing thoroughly puzzled. "wondering how i managed to drop out of sight," laughed aleck to himself. he was quite right, for he saw dunning turn to right and left, after looking forward, ending by staring straight up in the air, and then backward, before giving his leg a sounding rap, and taking off his hat to wipe the perspiration from his forehead. "he doesn't get so hot as that over his work," said aleck to himself, as he crouched lower, laughing heartily; and he had another good laugh when, after one more careful look, the old gardener shook his head disconsolately and turned to walk back. "given it up as a bad job," he said, merrily. "an old stupid! i could have found him. well, i can go now in peace." he waited till the coast was clear, and then, stooping low, set off at a trot, getting well down into the gorge-like rift. striking off gradually to his right, he attacked the great cliff wall in a perfectly familiar fashion, and climbed from ledge to ledge till he reached the top, glanced back to see that the gardener was not in sight, and then strode away over the short, velvety, slippery turf, with the edge of the cliff some fifty yards or so to his left, and the rough, rocky slope that led up to the scattered cottages of the eilygugg fishermen to his right. he soon reached a somewhat similar chasm to that which ended in his own boat harbour; but this was far wider, and upon reaching its edge he could look right down it to the sea, where at its mouth a couple of luggers and about half a dozen rowboats of various sizes were moored. the cottages lay round and about the head of the creek, and partly natural, partly cut and blasted out of the cliff side, ledge after ledge had been formed, giving an easy way down from the cottages to the boats. but there was not a soul in sight, and nothing to indicate that there were people occupying the whitewashed cots, save some patches of white newly-washed clothes which were kept from being blown away by the playful wind by means of big cobble stones--smooth boulders--three or four of which were laid upon the corners of the washing. there was not even one fisherman hanging about the front of the cottages, where all looked quiet and sleepy in the extreme, so, passing on, aleck hurried round the head of the narrow rugged harbour, and was soon after making his way along the piled-up cliffs, keeping well inland so as to avoid the great gashes or splits which ran up into the land and had to be circumvented, where they ended as suddenly as they appeared, in every case being perfectly perpendicular, with the water running right up, looking in some cases black, still, deep and clear, in others floored with foam as the waves rushed in over the black, jagged masses of rock that had in stormy times been torn from the sides. to a stranger nothing could have appeared more terrible than these zigzag jagged gashes or splits in the stern, rocky coast, for they were turfed to the sharp edge, where an unwary step would have resulted in the visitor plunging downward, to drown in the deep, black water, or be mutilated by the rocks amidst which the waters foamed. but "familiarity breeds contempt," says one proverb, "use is second nature" another, and there was nothing that appeared terrible to the boy, who walked quickly along close to the edge, glancing perhaps at its fellow, in some cases only a few yards away, and looking so exactly the counterpart of that on the near side that it seemed as if only another convulsion of nature was needed to compress and join the crack again so that it would be possible to walk where death was now lurking. but there was nothing horrible there to aleck who in every case turned inland to skirt the chasm, gazing down with interest the while at the nesting-places of the sea-birds which covered nearly every ledge, each one being alive with screaming, clamouring, hungry young, straining their necks to meet the swift-winged auks and puffins that darted to and fro with newly-captured fish in their bills. aleck had left the whitewashed cottages behind, along with the last traces of busy human life in the shape of boat, rope, spar, lobster-pot, and net, to reach one of the most rugged and inaccessible parts of the rocky cliffs--a spot all jagged, piled-up rift with the corresponding hollows--and at last selected a place which looked like the beginning of one of the chasms where nature had commenced a huge gaping crack a good hundred feet in depth, though its darkened wedge-shaped bottom was still quite a hundred feet above where the waves swayed in and out at the bottom, of the cliff. the sides here were not perpendicular, but with just sufficient slope to allow an experienced, cool-headed cliff-climber to descend from ledge to ledge and rock to rock till a nook could be reached, where, securely perched, one who loved cliff-scanning and the beauties of the ever-changing sea and shore, could sit and enjoy the wild wonders of the place. the spot was exactly suited to aleck's taste; and as old practice and acquaintance with the coast had made giddiness a trouble he never felt, he was not long in lowering himself down to this coign of vantage. here he perched himself with a sigh of satisfaction, and watched for a time the great white-breasted gulls which floated down to gaze with curious watchful eyes at the intruder upon their wild domain. the puffins kept darting down from the ledges, with beaks pointed, web feet stretched out behind, and short wings fluttering so rapidly that they were almost invisible, while the singular birds looked like so many animated triangles darting down diagonally to the sea, and gliding over it for some distance before touching the water, into which they plunged like arrow-heads, to disappear and continue their flight under water till they emerged far away with some silvery fish in their beaks. some little distance below a few sooty-looking cormorants had taken possession of an out-standing rock upon which the sun beat warmly, and here, their morning fishing over, leaving them absolutely gorged, they sat with wings half open and feathers erect, drying themselves, looking the very images of gluttonous content. birds were everywhere--black, black and white, black and grey, and grey and white, with here and there a few that looked black in the distance, but when inspected through the glass proved to be of a deep bronzy metallic green. but while the air and rocks were alive with objects that delighted the watcher's eye, there was plenty to see beside. close in where the deep water was nearly still, the jelly-fish floated at every depth, shrinking and expanding like so many opening and shutting bubbles of soap and water, glistening with iridescent hues. farther out the smooth, vividly-blue water every now and then turned in patches from sapphire to purple, and a patch--a whole acre perhaps in extent--became of the darkest purple or amethyst, all of a fret and work, while silvery flashes played all over it, reflecting the rays of the burning sun. for plenty of shoals of fish were feeding, over which the birds were rising, falling, darting and splashing, as they banqueted upon their silvery prey. all this was so familiar to aleck that, though still enjoying it, he satisfied himself with a few glances before, carefully focussing the glass he had brought, he began to sweep the coast wherever he could command it from where he sat. the opposite side of the rift seemed to take his attention most, and perhaps he was examining some of the deep cavernous hollows seen here and there high up or low down towards the sea; or maybe his attention was riveted upon some quaint puffin, crouching, solemn and big-beaked, watching patiently for the next visit of main or dad; or, again, maybe the lad was looking at a solitary greatly-blotched egg, big at one end, going off to almost nothing at the other, and wanting in the soft curves of ordinary eggs, while he wondered how it was that such an egg should not blow out of its rocky hollow when the wind came, but spin round as upon a pivot instead. anyhow, aleck was watching the other side of the half-made chasm, the great wedge-shaped depression in the coast-line, looking straight across at a spot about a hundred yards distant in the level, though higher up it was too, and going off to nothing at the bottom, where the place looked like the dried-up bed of a river. all at once he started and nearly dropped the glass, as he wrenched himself right round to gaze back and up, for a gruff voice had suddenly cried: "hullo!" the next moment the boy, was gazing in a fierce pair of very dark eyes belonging to a swarthy, scowling, sea-tanned face, the lower part of which was clothed in a crisp black beard, as black as the short head of hair. this head of hair of course belonged to a man, but no man was to be seen, nothing but the big round bullet head peering down from the edge of one of the ledges, while on both sides, apparently not heeding the head in the least, dozens of wild fowl sat solemnly together, looking stupid and waiting for the next coming of parent birds. "hullo!" cried the head again. "hullo!" retorted aleck, as gruffly as he could, after recovering from his surprise. "that you, eben megg?" "oh! ay, it's me right enough, youngster. what are you doing there?" "now?" said aleck, coolly. "looking up at your black face." "black face, eh, youngster? perhaps other people ha' got black faces too. what ha' you been doing of--tumbling off the rocks? strikes me you're trying it on for another tumble." aleck flushed a little at the allusion to his injured face, feeling guilty too, as it struck him that he had brought the allusion upon himself, a rowland for his oliver, on the principle that those who play at bowls must expect rubbers. "no, i haven't had a tumble, and i'm not going to tumble," he said, testily. "i daresay i can climb as well as you." "p'raps you can, youngster, and p'raps you can't; but, if you do want to break your neck, stop at home and do it, and don't come here." "what!" cried aleck, indignantly. "why not? i've as good a right here as you have, so none of your insolence." "oh, no, you haven't. all along here's our egging-ground, and we don't want our birds disturbed." "your egging-ground--your birds!" cried aleck, indignantly. "why, i do call that cool. you'll be telling me next that the fish in the sea are yours, and that i mustn't whiff or lay a fish-pot or trammel." "ay, unless you want to lose your net or other gear. i hev knowed folk as fished on other people's ground finding a hole knocked in the bottoms of their boats." "what!" cried aleck. "that's as good as saying that if i fish along here you'll sink my boat." "didn't say i would, but it's like enough as some 'un might shove a boat-hook through or drop in a good big boulder stone." "then i tell you what it is, master eben megg. if any damage is done to my seagull you'll have to answer for it before the magistrate." "oh! that's your game, is it, my lad? now, lookye here, don't you get threatening of me or you'll get the worst on it. we folk at eilygugg never interferes with you and the captain and never interferes about your ketching a bit o' fish or taking a few eggs so long as you are civil; but you're on'y foreigners and intruders and don't belong to these parts, and we do." "well, of all the impudence," cried aleck, "when my uncle bought the whole of the den estate right down to the sea! don't you know that you're intruders and trespassers when you come laying your crab-pots under our cliff and shooting your seine on the sandy patch off the little harbour?" "no, youngster, i don't; but i do know as you're getting a deal too sarcy, and that i'm going to stop it, and my mates too." "get out! who are you?" cried the boy, indignantly. "what do you mean?" "i mean that if you want to fish off our shore and wants a man to help with your boat you've got to ask some of us to help, and not get bringing none o' your wooden-legged cripples spying and poking about our ground." "spy? what is there to spy?" said aleck, giving the man a peculiar look. "never you mind about that. you be off home, and don't you come spying about here with none of your glasses." aleck laughed derisively. "ah, you may grin, my lad; but i've been a-watching of yer this morning," said the man, fiercely. "you've been busy with that glass, prying and peering about, and i caught yer at it." aleck laughed again. "oh! that's what you think, is it?" he said. "yes, and it's what i says; so be off home." "i shall do nothing of the kind, eben," said the boy, hotly. "i've a better right here than you have, and i shall come whenever i please. spying, eh?" "ay, spying, youngster; and i won't have it." "then it's all true, eh?" said the boy, mockingly. "what's true?" snarled the man. "you know. what have you got hidden away among the caverns--hollands gin or french brandy? perhaps it's silk or velvet. no, no; i know. but you can't think that. how do you manage to land the great casks?" "i dunno what you're talking about, youngster--do you?" "thoroughly. but aren't the tobacco casks too big and too heavy to haul up the cliffs?" "look here, young fellow," growled the man; "none o' your nonsense. you'd better be off before you get hurt. that's your way back." "is it?" said aleck. "then i'm not going back till i choose. i say, should you talk like this to one of the revenue sloop's men if he came ashore?" "oh, we know how to talk to that sort if he comes our way," said the man, with a chuckling laugh; "and they knows it, too, and don't come." "nor the press-gang either, eh?" said aleck, mockingly. up to that moment the man's fierce face had alone been seen, but at the word press-gang he gave a violent start and rose to his knees, upon which he hobbled close up to the edge of the shelf upon which he had perched himself. "oh, that's it, is it, my lad, eh?" he growled, shaking his fist savagely. "then, look here. if the press-gang--cuss 'em!--ever does come along here we shall know who put 'em up to it, and if they take any of our chaps--mind yer they won't take all, and them behind'll know what to do. i'm not going to threaten, but if someone wasn't sunk in his boat, or had a bit o' rock come tumbling down on him when he was taking up his net under the cliffs, it would be strange to me. d'yer hear that?" "oh, yes, i hear that," retorted aleck. "so you won't threaten, eh? what do you call that?" "never you mind what i call it, youngster; and what i says i means. so now you know." "yes," said aleck, coolly; "now i know that what people say about you and your gang up at eilygugg is quite true." "what do people say?" shouted the man. "what people?" "the rockabie folk." "and what do they say?" "that you're a set of smugglers, and, worse still, wreckers when you get a chance, and don't stop at robbery or murder. one of the fishermen--i won't say his name--said you were a regular gang of pirates." "the rockabie fishermen are a set o' soft-headed fools," snarled the man. "but what do i care for all they say? let 'em prove it; and, look here, if we're as bad as that you folk up at the den aren't safe." "which means that you threaten the captain, my uncle," cried aleck, defiantly. "are you going to tell him what i said?" "perhaps i am," said aleck; "perhaps i'm not. i'm going to do just as i please all along this coast, for it's free to everybody, and my uncle has ten times the rights here that you people at the fishermen's cottages have. you've just been talking insolence to me, so let's have no more of it. this comes of the captain, my uncle, being kind and charitable to you people time after time when someone has been ill." the man growled out something in a muttering way. "ah, you know it, eben megg! it's quite true." "who said it warn't?" growled the man; "but if he'd done ten times as much i'm not going to have you spying and prying about here. what is it you want to know?" "that's my business," said aleck, defiantly. "i say, you haven't made a fortune out of smuggling, have you, and bought the estate?" "you keep your tongue quiet, will yer?" growled the man, fiercely. "what do you know about smuggling?" "just as much as you do, eben megg," cried the boy, laughing. "just as much as everyone else does who lives here. didn't our old maid come in scared one night after a holiday and walking across from rockabie and go into a fit because she had seen, as she said, a whole regiment of ghosts walking over the moor, leading ghostly horses, which came out of the sea fog and crossed the road without making a sound? jane said they were the spirits of the old soldiers who were killed in the big fight and buried by the four stones on black hill, and that as soon as they were across the stony road they were all swallowed up in a mist. she keeps to it till now, and believes it." "well, why shouldn't she?" growled the man. "she arn't the first as has seen a ghost. why shouldn't she?" "because it's so silly, when it was a party of smugglers leading their horses, with kegs slung across their backs and bales on pack saddles." "bah!" cried the man. "horses loaded like that would clatter over the rough stones." "yes," said aleck, "if their hoofs weren't covered over with bits of canvas and a few handfuls of hay." "what!" "i found one that a horse had kicked off on the road one morning, eben," said the boy. "ah! i see now." "see--see what?" said the rough, fisherman-like fellow, sharply. "see why ness dunning was so anxious that i shouldn't come along the cliff this side." "ness dunning?" cried the man, scowling. "what did he say?" "that i'd better go the other way. behaved just like a silly plover which wants to prove to you that it has no nest on the moor, and sets you looking for it." "ness dunning's an old fool," cried the man, fiercely. "yes, he is a thick-headed old noodle, eben; i wouldn't trust him." "then because he did that he made you think there was something hid somewhere and come to hunt for it, did you?" cried the man, angrily. "no, i didn't think anything of the kind till just this minute, but i see now. you're not much wiser than old ness, eben, for you've been trying to throw me off the scent too, and now i know as well as if i could see it that you people have been running a cargo, and you've got it hidden in one of the caves or sunk in one of the holes." "what yer talking about?" "smuggled goods, eben. i could find it if i tried now." the man stepped down from the shelf on which he had been standing, and made a great show of being exceedingly ferocious, evidently thinking that the boy would turn and run away. but aleck stood fast, not even stirring when the man was close up, planting his doubled fists upon his hips and thrusting out his lower jaw in a peculiarly animal-like way. "so you're going to look and see if you can find something hidden, and when you've found it you're going to send word to the revenue cutter men to fetch it, are yer?" "who says i am?" said aleck, sharply. "who says it? why, i do, my lad. so that's what you think you're going to do, is it?" "no," said the lad, coolly enough. "why should i? it's no business of mine." "ho!" growled the man, frowning, and raising one hand to rub his short, crisp, black beard. "no," he said, after a pause, "it arn't no business of yours, is it?" "of course not," said the boy, coolly. "i don't want to know where the run cargo's hidden, and i wasn't looking for it. i only came to watch the birds and get a few eggs if i saw any that i hadn't got." the man made a sudden quick movement and caught aleck's right wrist tightly, leaning forward as if to pierce his eyes with the fierce look he gave. "don't do that--you hurt!" cried aleck, sharply. "yes, i mean to hurt," growled the man. "now, then, look at me! is that true?" "do you hear, eben megg? you hurt me. let go, or i shall hit out." "you'll do what?" cried the big fellow, mockingly, as he tightened his grasp to a painful extent, when _spank_! aleck's left fist flew out, striking the man full on the right cheek, not a heavy blow, but as hard as the boy could deliver, hampered as he was, being dragged close to his assailant's breast. "why, you--" roared the man. he did not say what, but flung the arm he had at liberty round the boy's waist and lifted him, kicking and struggling, from the ground, perfectly helpless, with the great muscular arm acting like a band of iron, to do more than try to deliver some ineffective blows, which his assailant easily avoided. "ah! would you?" he growled, fiercely. "you're a nice young game cock chick, you are. hold still!" he roared, taking a step forward, to stand on the very edge of the shelf. "keep that hand quiet, or i'll hurl you down among the rocks. you'll look worse then than you do now." "do, if you dare," cried the lad, defiantly. "you tell me what i asked," growled the man; "is what you said true?" "i won't tell you while you grip my wrist." "you'd better speak," cried the man. "d'yer see, you're like a feather to me. i could pitch you right out so as you'd go to the bottom yonder." "you could, but you daren't?" cried aleck, grinding his teeth and striving hard to bear the pain he suffered. "oh, i dare--i could if i liked! nobody would see out here. it would kill yer, and nobody would know how it happened; but they'd say when they found you that you'd slipped and fell when you was egging. they would, wouldn't they? that's true, arn't it?" "i suppose so," said the boy, huskily. "and that's what i'm going to do for hitting me, unless you tell me whether that was true what you said. now, then, beg me not to hurl yer down." "i--shan't," ground out the boy through his set teeth, and a grim smile crossed the man's dark face, making it look for the moment open and manly--a smile caused by something akin to admiration. "well, you're a nice-tempered sort of a young fellow," growled the man. "let go of my wrist." "will yer promise not to hit?" aleck nodded. "nor yet kick?" the boy nodded again. "there," said the man, loosening the prisoned wrist. "now, tell me, is it true?" "of course it is," said the boy, haughtily. "i'll believe yer," growled the man. "there," he continued, dropping the boy to his feet. "then you won't look for where the stuff's stowed?" aleck burst into a hoarse laugh. "then there is some stowed?" the man gave himself a wrench, and his face puckered up again with anger. "lookye here," he said, more quietly, "i don't say there is, and i don't say there arn't; but suppose there is, you're going to swear as you won't take no notice." "no, i'm not," said aleck, boldly. "then you do want me to chuck you down yonder?" "you've got to catch me first," cried the boy, making a backward bound which took him ten feet downward before he landed and kept his feet, following up his leap by running along the ledge of stony slate he had reached and then beginning to climb rapidly. the man had followed him at once, leaping boldly, but without aleck's success, for he slipped, through the stones giving way, and went down quite five-and-twenty feet in a rough scramble before he checked himself and took up the pursuit, which he soon found would be useless, for his young adversary was lighter and far more active, and soon showed that he was leaving him behind. "there, hold hard, master aleck," he growled, looking up at the lad. "i won't hurt yer now." "thankye," said the boy, mockingly, as he stopped, holding on by a projecting rock in the stiff slope, and well on his guard to go on climbing if there was the slightest sign of pursuit. "you made me wild by hitting out at me." "serve you right, you great lumbering coward, to serve me like that!" "i didn't mean to hurt you." "yes, you did--brute! you squeezed my wrist as hard as you could." "well, i didn't want to hurt you much. but you did make me wild, you know, hitting me like you did." "look here," cried aleck, fiercely, as the man took a step to continue climbing to where the boy stood, some thirty feet above him, "you come another step, and i'll send this big stone down at you--it is loose." "i don't want to ketch you now, only to talk quiet without having to shout." "i can hear you plainly enough. sit down." the great muscular fellow dropped at once, seating himself upon the slope and digging his heels into the loose screes to keep from sliding down. "there y'are," he growled. "now, then," said aleck, "what do you want to say?" "only about you coming along here to-day. you warn't trying to spy out nowt, was yer?" "no," cried aleck; "of course i wasn't. i've known for long enough that you people at eilygugg do a lot of smuggling. i've stood with the captain, my uncle, of a night and seen you signal with a lanthorn, and then after a bit seen a light shown out at sea." "you've seen that, youngster?" "lots of times; and the boats going and coming and the lights showing up against the cliff. of course we know what goes on, but my uncle doesn't care to interfere, and i've never tried to find out where you hide the smuggled goods; but i shouldn't be long finding out if i tried." "hum!" growled the man, gazing up searchingly. "p'raps you're right, youngster, p'raps you arn't; but there is a deal o' smuggling goes on along this coast." "especially about here," said aleck, with a smile. "well, what's the harm, eh? a man must live, and if one didn't do it another would." "look here; i don't want to know or hear anything about it," cried aleck. "only i shall come along these cliffs, egging or watching the birds, as often as i like." "well, i don't know as anyone'll mind, master aleck, if i speaks to 'em and says as you says as a young gentleman that you'll never take no notice of anything as you sees or hears--" "what! how can a gentleman promise anything of the kind about people breaking the law?" "how? why, by just saying as he won't." "a gentleman can't, i tell you. there, i won't promise anything." the man gave his rough head a vicious scratch, before saying, sharply: "then how's a man to trust yer?" "i don't know," said aleck, carelessly, "but i'll tell you this. if i'd wanted to i could have found out whether you've got a place to hide your stuff, as you call it, long enough ago." "i don't know so much about that," said the man, with a grin. "well, then, i could have told the revenue cutter's men where they had better look." "but you won't, master aleck? we are neighbours, you know." "neighbours!" said aleck, scornfully. "pretty neighbours! there, i'm not going to alter my words. i shall make no promises at all." "well, you are a young gentleman, and i'll trust yer," said the man; "for i s'pose i must. but i don't know what some of our lads'll say." "then i'd better tell my uncle that if anything happens to me he'd better get the revenue cutter's men to hunt out the eilygugg smugglers, because they pushed me off the cliff." "nay, don't you go and do that," said the man, anxiously. "i didn't mean it." "am i to believe that, eben?" said the boy, sharply. the man showed his teeth in a laugh, and put his hands round his neck in a peculiar way. "look here, master aleck," he said; "man who goes to sea has to take his chance o' being drownded." "of course." "and one who tries to dodge the revenue sailors has to take his chance of getting a cut from a bit o' steel or a bullet in him." "i suppose so." "that's quite bad enough, arn't it?" "yes." "bad enough for me, sir, so i'm not going to do what might mean being-- you know what i mean?" "what--" "yes, that's it. a bit o' smuggling's not got much harm in it, but they call it murder when a man kills a man." "by pushing him off a cliff, eben?" said aleck. "yes." chapter nine. it was about a fortnight later when aleck donne went down the garden directly after breakfast with the full intent, after thinking it over a good deal, of charging old onesimus dunning, the gardener, with being leagued with the eilygugg smugglers. "if i told uncle," he argued, "he would be sent away at once; but that would be doing the poor fellow a lot of harm and perhaps make him worse. perhaps, too, it would make him nurse up a feeling of spite against us, and he would set the eilygugg people against us as well. so i won't do that, but i'm not going to have the nasty old imposter smiling at me and pretending to be so innocent. i just want him to understand that i'm not such a child as to be ignorant of his tricks. i'll let him see that i know why he wanted me not to go along yonder by the west cliff." aleck knew exactly where the man was likely to be, for he had been mowing the lawn, sweeping up the fragment result, and wheeling it away. "he'll be stacking it round the cucumber frame," thought aleck, "to keep in the heat. by the way, i wonder what became of the beautiful cuke that lay, at the back under the big leaves--we didn't have it indoors! i'm sure he takes some of them away. uncle never misses anything out of the garden, but i do." the lad went round to the kitchen garden, which sloped round towards the south, so beautifully sheltered that it was a perfect hot-bed of itself in the summer, and there, sure enough, was the heaped-up barrow of fresh green mowings, and one armful had been piled up to half hide a part of the rough wooden frame. but no gardener was visible. "not here," thought aleck. "well, perhaps i was wrong about that cuke." the next minute he had raised the clumsily-glazed sliding sash, with a hot puff of moist air smelling delicious as it reached his nostrils, while he propped up the glass, reached in, and began turning over the prickly leaves, laying bare the rather curly little specimens of the cool, pleasant fruit; but there was no sign of the big, well-grown vegetable. "was i mistaken?" mused the lad. "no, there was one, and there's the remains of the stalk, showing where the cucumber has been cut. what a shame!" he muttered. "i'll tell him of that too. uncle would be angry if he knew." aleck closed the frame again and began to look round. "what a shame!" he said, again. "nice sort of a gardener to have--lazy, a smuggler, and little better than a thief. i'll just give him something to think about when i find him. oh, there he is!" for just then the boy looked up, to see the old gardener standing on the highest part of the sheltering cliff, his back to him, and shading his eyes as he looked out to sea. "ahoy! what are you doing there?" shouted aleck. the man started and looked down. "ships--men-o'-war--going behind the point," shouted the gardener. men-of-war going into rockabie harbour! that news was sufficient to upset all aleck's arrangements. he forgot all about the lesson he was going to give the gardener, and rushed indoors, to hurry upstairs and rap sharply at his uncle's study, and, getting no answer he threw open the door to cross the room and seize the glass from where it hung by its sling. then, dashing out again, he ran downstairs, crossed the garden, mounted the cliff zigzag path, and was soon after focussing the glass upon the men-of-war, which proved to be only a good-sized sloop followed by a trim-looking white-sailed cutter, both vessels with plenty of canvas spread, and gliding steadily over the smooth sunlit sea. "oh, i wish i'd known sooner!" groaned the lad, for he had hardly fixed the leading vessel before her bows began to disappear behind the point, and before ten minutes had elapsed the cutter was out of sight as well. "i don't know that i should much care about going to sea," muttered aleck, closing the glass, "but the ships do look so beautiful with their sails set, gliding along. what a pity! what a pity! i do wish i had known sooner." "what are they going to do there?" thought the boy, as he closed the glass and walked back to the cottage, where upon going upstairs to replace the glass he found his uncle in from his morning walk and about to settle down for a few hours' work. "well, aleck, boy," he said; "been scanning the sea?" "yes, uncle; two vessels came along into rockabie, but i only got a glimpse of them." "too late, eh? well, why not run over in the boat? i want something done in the town." "do you, uncle? oh!" cried the boy, half wild with excitement, as he turned and rushed to the little mirror over the chimney-piece to glance in. "yes," said the old man, smiling. "there, nothing shows now except that little darkness under your eyes. i'm quite run out of paper, my boy. go and get me some. but--er--no fighting this time." "no, uncle," cried the lad, flushing up; and then, quickly: "there's a beautiful soft breeze, dead on to the land, and it will serve going and coming." "off with you, then, while it holds. paper the same as before. get back in good time." aleck wanted no further incitement. the "wigging," as he termed it, that was to be given to dunning would keep, and he avoided the man as he hurried down into the gorge, stepped the mast and hooked on the rudder, guided the little vessel along the narrow, zigzag, canal-like harbour, and without an eye this time for the birds or beauty of the scene, he was soon after lying back steering and holding the sheet, while the well-filled sail tugged impatiently as if resenting being restrained. aleck had fully determined to avoid the boys of rockabie that morning, and he was half disposed to hug himself with the idea that after the thrashing big jem had received they would interfere with him no more. but he was quite wrong, for the port boys were too full of vitality, and always on the look-out for some means of getting rid of the effervescing mischief that bubbled and foamed within them. the distant sight of the king's vessels heading for the port was quite enough to attract them to the pier, and there they were in force, well on the look-out for something to annoy so as to give themselves employment till the sloop and cutter came in. there was the something all ready in the person of tom bodger, who was seated upon a ship's fender, one of those brobdingnagian netted balls covered with a network of tarred rope, used to keep the edge of the stone pier from crushing and splintering the sides of the vessel. this formed a capital cushion, albeit rather sticky in hot weather, and was planted close up to a stone mooring-post, which acted as a back to lean against, while, with his wooden legs stretched straight out, the man employed himself busily in netting, his fingers going rapidly and the meshes seeming to run off the ends of his fingers. intent upon his work, active with hands and arms, but rather helpless as to his legs, tom bodger was a splendid butt for the exercise of the boys' pertinacious tactics, and with mischief sparkling out of the young rascals' eyes they made their plans of approach and began to buzz round him like flies, calling names, asking questions, laughing and jeering too, all of which had but little effect upon the man, who was an adept at what he called giving "tongue." and so the boys found, for they decidedly got the worst of it. soon after, growing bolder, some of the most daring began to make approaches to snatch at the net or the ball of water-cord, but they gained nothing by that. for tom bodger never went out without his stick, a weapon he used for offence as well as defence, and there was not a boy there in rockabie who did not know how hard he could hit. a few little experiences of this sort of thing were quite enough to make the party draw off and take to the hurling of missiles. but they did not confine themselves to heads, tails, and bones of fish, for they were rather scarce, so they took to the stones which were swept up in ridges by the sea right across the harbour. but even this was dangerous, for the sailor could "field" the stones thrown at him and return them with a correctness of aim and activity that would have driven a skilful cricketer half mad with envy. finally, several of the bigger lads held a kind of conference, but not unseen, for though apparently bending intently over his netting, the sailor was watching them with one eye and asking himself what game they--to wit, the boys--were going, as he put it, to start next. old discipline on a man-of-war had made bodger thoroughly alert, and suspecting a rush he took hold of his ball of net twine, unrolled sufficient to make many meshes, and then put it down again, seizing the opportunity to draw the stout oaken cudgel he generally carried well within reach of his hand. then, netting away as skilfully as a woman, he indulged in a hearty laugh, chuckling to himself as he thought of the accuracy and force with which he could send it skimming over the ground, spinning round the while and looking like a star. "that'll give one on 'em a sore leg for a week if i do have to throw it. on'y wish i could do it with a string tied to it so as to haul it back. well, why not?" he added, eagerly, and then under cover of his netting he unwound thirty or forty yards of the twine, cut it off, and tied the end to the middle of his cudgel. "that'll do it," he muttered, and chuckled again with satisfaction. for tom lived in the days when the australian boomerang was an unknown weapon; otherwise he would have cut and carved till he had contrived one, and given himself no rest till he could hurl it with unerring aim and the skill that would bring it back to his hand. the sloop-of-war and the revenue cutter, its companion, had been lying at anchor some hundred yards from the end of the pier, and every now and then the sailor glanced at the trim vessels with their white sails and the sloop's carefully-squared yards--all "ataunto," as he termed it--and more than one sigh escaped his lips as he thought that never again would he tread the white deck that he helped to holy-stone, let alone show that he was one of the smartest of the crew to go up aloft. and as he glanced at the vessels from time to time, he, to use his words, "put that and that together," and noticed that, contrary to custom, there was not a single hearty-looking young fisherman lounging upon the rail that overhung the head of the harbour. "smells a rat," muttered the old sailor. "like as not they've dropped anchor here to see if there are any likely-looking lads waiting to be picked up after dark. why, there's a good dozen that would be worth anything to a skipper, and i could put the press-gang on to their trail as easy as could be; but they're neighbours, and i can't do them such a dirty turn. now, if they'd on'y take a dozen of these young beauties it would be a blessing to the place; but, no, the skipper wouldn't have them at a gift. but that's what they're after. hullo, here comes a boat!" "oh!" he laughed, as he saw the sloop's cutter lowered down with its crew and a couple of officers in the stern-sheets. "the old game. coming ashore for fresh meat and vegetables. i know that little game." bodger went on netting away, watching the boat out of the corner of one eye as it was rowed smartly up to the harbour steps, where the oars were turned up; and leaving the youth with him in charge of the boat's crew, the officer sprang out with one of the men and hurried up the steps, gave a supercilious glance at the crippled sailor, who touched his hat, and then went along towards the town. "yes, that's it," said the sailor to himself. "having a look round. there'll be a gang landed to-night as sure as my name's bodger." the thinker made a few more meshes and then had a glance down on the boat and her crew, his eyes dwelling longest upon the young officer, who had taken out a small glass, through which he began to examine the town. "middy," said bodger. "smart-looking lad too. what's their game now?" he continued, as the boys drew closer together. "they'll be up to some game or another directly. shying old fish at that youngster's uniform, or some game or another. strikes me that if they do they'll find that they've caught a tartar. just what they'd like to do--shy half a dozen old bakes' tails at his blue and white jacket. i might say a word to him and save it, but if i did i should be saving them young monkeys too, and--look at that now!--if that arn't master aleck's boat coming round the pynte! they sees it too--bless 'em! now they'll be arter him, safe. that'll save the middy, but it won't save master aleck. strikes me i'd better put my netting away and clear the decks for action." tom bodger's clearing for action consisted in turning himself aside so that he could drag a neatly-folded duck bag off the fender, and stuffing his partly-made net and twine, with stirrup, mesh, and needle, inside before tying up the neck with a piece of yarn. but his eyes were busy the while, and he watched all that went on, aleck's boat running in fast, the boys whispering together, their leader sending off a couple towards the town end of the pier, and eliciting the mental remark from the sailor: "going arter big jem for twopence. are we going to have another fight? well, if we are he arn't going to tackle two on 'em, for i'm going to see fair with my stick and the crew o' that cutter to look on to form a ring." by the time he had thought out this observation it was time for him to carefully ascend to the top of one of the great mooring-posts, the flattest-topped one by preference. how it was done was a puzzle, and it drew forth the observations of the cutter's crew, while the midshipman in charge shouted "bravo!" but somehow or other, by the use of his hands and a peculiar hop, tom bodger brought himself up perpendicularly upon the top of the post, steadied himself with his stick, and then held his head aloft. that was enough. aleck was near enough in to recognise the figure and comprehend the signal, which in tom's code read: "right and ready, my lad. steer for here." chapter ten. aleck ran his boat close in behind the cutter after lowering the sail so close that it touched the midshipman's dignity. "hi, you, sir!" he shouted. "mind where you're going with that boat." "all right," replied aleck, coolly enough. "i won't sink you." "hang his insolence!" muttered the middy; and as tom lowered himself from the post and then went, rock-hopper fashion, down the steps and boarded the boat, the young officer gave aleck a supercilious stare up and down, taking in his rough every-day clothes and swelling himself out a little in his smart blue well-fitting uniform. aleck felt nettled, drew himself up, and returned the stare before making a similar inspection of the young naval officer. "whose boat's that, boy?" said the latter, haughtily. "mine," was aleck's prompt reply. "what ship's that, middy--i don't mean the cutter, of course?" "well, of all the insolence--" began the lad. "do you know, sir, that you mustn't address one of the king's officers like that?" "no, i didn't know it," said aleck, coolly. "i thought you were only a midshipman. are you the captain?" "why, con--" "look out!" cried aleck, giving the speaker a sharp push which nearly sent him backward but saved him from receiving a wet dockfish full on the cheek, the unpleasantly foul object whizzing between the lads' heads, followed by a roar of laughter from a group of the young ruffians on the pier. "how dare you lay your hands upon a king's officer!" cried the midshipman, furiously. aleck shrugged his shoulders and laughed. "look out!" he cried. "here come two or three more," and he dogged aside, while the middy was compelled, metaphorically, to come down from his dignified perch and duck down nearly double to escape the missiles which flew over him. "do you see now?" said aleck, merrily. "oh! ah! yes! of course! the insolent young scoundrels! here, half a dozen of you jump ashore and catch that big boy with the ragged red cap. i'll have him aboard to be flogged." six of the boat's crew sprang out on to the steps, but there was no prospect of their catching the principal offender, who uttered a derisive yell and started off to run at a rate which would have soon placed him beyond the reach of the sailors; and he knew it, too, as he turned and made a gesture of contempt, which produced a roar of delight from the other boys who stood looking on. "after him!" yelled the middy to his men, as he stood stamping one foot in his excitement; and then turning to aleck: "if the cat don't scratch his back for this my name's not wrighton." the communication was made in quite a friendly, confidential way, which brought a response from aleck: "he'll be too quick for them. the young dogs are as quick as congers." "you wait and you'll see. i'll make an example of him." all this passed quickly enough, while the boy in the red cap, feeling quite confident in his powers of flight, turned again to jeer and shout at the sailors, whom he derided with impudent remarks about their fatness of person, weight of leg, and stupidity generally, till he judged it dangerous to wait any longer, when he went off like a clockwork mouse, skimming over the stones, and from the first strides beginning to leave the sailors behind. "i told you so," said aleck. "there he goes. i can run fast, but i couldn't catch him. ha, ha, ha! bravo, tom!" he cried. "look at that sailor!" for meanwhile tom bodger, stick in hand, had made his way back on to the pier, and just as the boy was going his fastest something followed him faster, in the shape of the wooden-legged sailor's well-aimed cudgel, which spun over the surface of the pier, thrown with all the power of tom's strong arm, and the next instant it seemed to be tangled up with the boy's legs, when down he went, kicking, yelling, and struggling to get up. "hi! oh, my! help, help!" he yelled at his comrades; but they only stood staring, while the foremost sailors passed on so as to block the way of escape, and the next instant the offender was hemmed in by a half circle of pursuers, who formed an arc, the chord being the edge of the pier, beneath which was the deep, clear water. "there," cried the middy, triumphantly. "got him!" then to his men: "bring the young brute here." meanwhile, as the boy lay yelping and howling in a very dog-like fashion, the laughing sailors began to close in, and then suddenly made a dart to seize their quarry, but only to stand gazing down into the harbour. for, in pain before from the contact of the stick and his heavy fall, but in agony now from the dread of being caught, the boy kept up the dog-like character of his actions by going on all fours over two or three yards, and then, as hands were outstretched to seize him, he leaped right off the pier edge, to plunge with a tremendous splash ten feet below, the deep water closing instantly over his head. "he's gone, sir," said one of the sailors, turning to his officer. "well, can't i see he has gone, you stupid, cutter-fingered swab?" cried the middy. "here, back into the boat and round to the other side of the pier. you'll easily catch him then." "not they," said aleck, quietly; "didn't i tell you he was as quick and slippery as a conger?" "look sharp! be smart, men," cried the middy, angrily. "what's the good of tiring the lads for nothing?" said aleck, as the men began to scramble into the cutter. "it will take them nearly ten minutes to get round to where he went off." "would it?" "of course." "but, i say," said the middy, anxiously, "mightn't he be drowned?" "just about as likely as that dogfish he threw at you. come and look!" aleck led the way up the steps, followed by the young officer, and then as they crossed the pier they came in sight directly of the boy, swimming easily, side stroke, for a group of rocks which formed the starting-point of the pier curve, and beyond which were several places where the boy could land. "he'll be ashore before we could get near him," said aleck. "what! shall i have to let him go?" cried the middy. "of course! he got a tremendous crack on the legs from tom bodger's stick--he was nearly frightened to death; and he has had a thorough ducking. isn't that enough?" "well, it will have to be," said the middy, in a disappointed tone. "i meant him to be treed up and flogged." aleck looked at him in rather an amused fashion. "well, what are you staring at?" said the middy, importantly. "i was only wondering whether you would be able to order the boy to be flogged." "well--er--that is," said the midshipman, flushing a little; "i--er-- said i should give him--er--report it to the captain, who would give the orders on my statement. it's the same thing, you know, as if i gave the flogging. `i'll give a man a flogging' doesn't, of course, mean that i, as an officer, should give it with my own hands. see?" "yes, i see," said aleck, quietly. "sit fast there," cried the middy to his men, as he began to descend the steps. "let the young scoundrel go." just then aleck glanced round and saw that the officer who had gone ashore was returning, followed by the man who had accompanied him, and he turned to bodger, who stood waiting for orders, before descending again to the boat. chapter eleven. "i say, tom," said aleck, "that was cleverly aimed, but you had better mind or you'll be breaking one of the boys' legs." "well-aimed, sir? oh, that was nothing tickler. an easy shot that, sir. no fear o' my breaking no legs. i can tell exactly how much powder to fire with. i give it 'em just strong enough to hurt; that's all." just then the officer came back, spoke to the young middy, and went off again with the six men who had been unsuccessful in their chase of the red-capped boy, while aleck and his companion exchanged glances. "there, tom, take away the boat," said aleck; "i must go and get my uncle's paper." "your uncle's paper, sir?" "yes, i've run over to get some for him." "why, you got some on'y t'other week, sir. did he have an axdent and burn it?" "no," said aleck, laughing. "it's all used up for writing." "wond'ful--wond'ful!" muttered the man. "here's me can't write a word, and him allus going at it. well, i suppose he was born that way. i'll take care o' your boat all the same, sir." "what do you mean with your all the same?" asked aleck, looking puzzled at the man's words. "all the same, sir, though i can't write a word." aleck went off, being saluted by a nod from the middy, who lay back in the stern-sheets of the cutter. it was a nod that might have meant anything--condescension, friendliness, or a hint to keep his distance; but it did not trouble the lad, who trudged along the pier to fulfil his mission, and was soon after in the rugged, ill-paved main street, where he in sight of the naval group from the sloop, evidently busy buying and loading up with fresh provisions from the little shops. he passed on, and was nearing the place where, in company with toys, grocery, and sweetmeats, the shopkeeper kept up a small supply of paper, for which the captain was his main customer, when a dark-bearded fisherman-like man suddenly turned out of a public-house, caught him by the arm, and hurried him sharply down a narrow alley which ran by the side of the little inn. the man's sudden action, coupled with the fact that he was the last person in the county he would have expected to see, took away the lad's breath for a moment or two while he gazed up in the fierce searching eyes that seemed to be reading his thoughts. "you, eben?" he said at last. "me it is, youngster. what game do you call this?" "i don't call it a game at all. what are you doing here?" "never you mind what i'm a-doing here. p'raps i'm watching you. i want to know what your game is." "i'm playing at no game," cried the boy, speaking rather indignantly. "let go of my arm." "when you've told me what you're a-doing of with them sailor chaps." "i? i'm doing nothing with them. i've come over in my own boat. i'm not along with them." "i know. i've had my eye on yer, my lad. but let's have the truth. you come over to meet these chaps from the boats lying off there." "not i. if you must know, i've come over to fetch some paper for my uncle." "and what else, my lad?" "nothing else," cried aleck; "but i don't know what right you have to question me." "you soon will, my lad. you say you're not with these folk. why, i saw you talking for ever so long to the chaps in the boat that come ashore to lie there by the harbour wall, and afore it had been there long you come into port and run your boat close alongside." "of course i did, to get up to the steps and land. look here; what are you thinking about?" "well," said the man, fiercely, "if you want to know over again what you knew before, i'm just going to tell you, so as to let you see that i'm not such a fool as you take me for, and also to let you know that i can see right through you, clever as you think yourself." "go on," said aleck. "let's have it all then." "well, here you are, my lad. i s'pose you know that's a man-o'-war sloop?" "yes, i know that, eben." "yes, i s'pose so, my lad, and you know what she's hanging about this coast for?" "i don't for certain," replied aleck, "but i shouldn't be a bit surprised if the captain wanted to press a few likely lads, if he could get hold of them." "oh, you wouldn't, wouldn't you? i s'pose not," said the man, in a sneering tone. "why, anybody would guess that." "p'raps they would and p'raps they wouldn't, my lad; but, of course, you don't know that there's the little revenue cutter that's looking out for any little bit of smuggling going on?" "why, what nonsense you're talking, eben! of course i knew." "yes, of course you did, my lad; and you've got a spy-glass, haven't you!" "no; but i use my uncle's." "that's right; and when them two vessels come into sight 'smorning you got the glass out to see what they were?" "yes; directly." "and then you went down to your boat-hole and ran over here as fast as you could?" "yes; but it wasn't fast, for the wind kept dropping. but how did you know this?" "never you mind how i knowed. you knowed that me and four mates came over here last night." "that i didn't," cried aleck. "what for--to run a cargo?" "never you mind what for, my lad. you knowed we'd come." "that i didn't. i hadn't the least idea you had. but how did you know i got out the glass to have a look at the vessels? bah! you couldn't know if you were over here. no one saw me but old dunning. it's impossible." "is it?" said the man, with a sneer. "then we arn't got a glass at eilygugg, of course, eh, and nobody left behind to look out for squalls and run across to tell us to look out when they see the wind changing? so, you see, clever as you think yourself, you're found out, my lad. now do you see?" "i see that you're on the wrong tack, eben," said the lad, scornfully, "and let me tell you that you've been talking a lot of nonsense. i don't see why i should tell you. it's absurd to accuse me of being a spy and informer. do you suppose we up at the den want to be on bad terms with all the fishermen and--and people about?" "you mean to say you haven't put the boat's crew yonder up to taking me and my mates?" "of course i do. why, i haven't even spoken to the officer, only to the midshipman." "well, it looks very bad," growled the man, gazing at the lad, searchingly. "if you think a press-gang is likely to come ashore to get hold of you and your mates, why don't you slip off into the hills for a bit?" the man stared, and his features relaxed a little and a little more, and he caught aleck by the sleeve. "look here, master aleck," he said; "the captain yonder's a gentleman, though we arn't very good friends, but he never did anything to get any of us took." "of course he didn't." "wouldn't like you to, p'raps." "why, of course he wouldn't. if the fleet want men they'll get them somehow, and the revenue cutter will hunt out the smugglers sooner or later; but for you to think that i'm on the look-out always to do you a bad turn--why, it's downright foolishness, eben." "well, i'm beginning to think it is, my lad," said the man, smiling; "but that's just what they thought at home, and my young brother bill ran across to give us the warning. i put that and that together, and i felt as sure as sure that you'd come over to inform agen us." "but you don't believe it now?" "no, my lad, i don't believe it now," said eben, "and i'm glad on it, because it would be a pity for a smart young chap like you to be in for it." "in for what?" said aleck. "for what? ah, you'd soon know if you did blow upon us, my lad. but, there, i don't believe it a bit now, and i got some'at else to do but stand talking to you, so i'm off. only, you know, my lad, as it's the best thing for a chap like you as wants to live peaceable like with his neighbours to keep his mouth shut--_mum--plop_." the two last words were sounds made by slapping the mouth closely shut and half open with the open hand, after doing which eben megg stepped down the narrow turning and mysteriously disappeared. "bother him and his bullyings and threats," cried aleck. "such insolence! but, there, i must see about my paper and get back." chapter twelve. left alone in the boat, tom bodger sat down on one of the thwarts with his wooden pegs stuck straight out before him. then he brought them close together with a sharp rap and began to rub one over the other gently; but these movements had nothing to do with the thinking, though he more than once told himself that he thought better when he was rubbing his legs together. as he sat there he naturally enough began to watch the man-o'-war boat with her smart young officer and neat, trim-looking crew, while, continuing his inspection, he ran his eyes over the boat and admired its beautiful lines. this brought up memories of the time when career and body had both been cut short by that unlucky cannon ball, leaving him a cripple and a pensioner. "but i dunno," he said to himself, in a way he had of making the best of things, "if i hadn't been hit i might ha' lived on and been drowned, and then there'd ha' been no pension to enj'y as i enj'ys mine; and i don't never have to buy no boots nor shoes, so there arn't much to grumble about, arter all." so tom sat rubbing his wooden legs together, watching the sailors in the boat, thinking of how he'd been coxswain of just such a boat as that, and then beginning to feel an intense longing to compare notes with the men left with the middy in charge; but the young officer kept his men in order, and twice over had them busily at work stowing away the vegetables, fresh meat, bacon, and butter that were brought down from time to time and packed well out of the way fore and aft. consequently there was no opportunity allowed for him to get up a gossip, the young officer looking fiercely important, and the men making no advance. "beautifully clean and smart," said tom. "wonder how long master aleck'll be." then he swept the edge of the pier ten feet above his head in search of inimical boys, letting one hand down by his side to finger his cudgel, and indulging in a chuckle at the skilful way in which he had brought down the young offender a short time before. "pretty well scared him away," said tom to himself; "he won't show himself here again to-day." but as it happened tom was wrong, for the boy, after landing in safety, with the water streaming down inside his ragged breeches and escaping at the bottom of the legs when it did not slip out of the holes it encountered on its way, had made his way up the steep cliff and round to the back of the town so as to get up on the moorland, where the sun came down hotly, when he began to drip and dry rapidly. he could sweep the pier and harbour now easily, looking over the fishing-boats and watching those belonging to the man-o'-war and aleck donne, with tom bodger sitting with his legs sticking straight out. and then he called tom bodger a very seaside salt and wicked name, in addition to making a vow of what he would do to "sarve him out." the boy gave another glance round as if in search of coadjutors, but all his comrades had disappeared; so he stood thinking and drying as he turned his thoughts inland, with the result that he had a happy thought, under whose inspiration he set off at a trot round by the back of the little town till he came within view of a group of patches of sandy land roughly fenced in and divided by posts of wreck-wood and rails covered with pitch--rough fragments that had once been boat planks. he ran a little faster now, and externally did not seem wet, for his hair was cropped so short that no water could find a lodgment, and his worn-old, knitted blue shirt and cloth breeches had ceased to show the moisture they had soaked up. once within hearing of the rough fenced-in gardens he put both hands to his mouth and uttered a frightful yell, with the result that a head suddenly shot up from behind one of the fences, and its owner was seen down to the waist, looking as if he were leaning upon an old musket. but this was only the handle of a hoe, and the holder proved to be big jem, occupied in his father's garden, where he had been hoeing and earthing up potatoes in lazy-boy fashion with a chip-chop and a long think, supplemented by a rest at the end of each row to chew tobacco. a minute later and the boys were lying down side by side, resting upon their elbows and kicking up their heels over their backs, what time the newcomer related what had passed down on the pier, and also what he should like to do. the narrative seemed to afford big jem intense satisfaction, for he uttered a hoarse crowing laugh from time to time and blinked his eyes, squeezing the lids very close and then opening them wide, when sundry signs of black, green and blue bruises became visible. when the newcomer had finished his narration, big jem crowed more hoarsely than ever, and indulged in what looked like an imitation of an expiring fish, for he stretched himself out flat and threw himself over from his face on to his back, beat the ground with his closed legs, and then flopped back again, over and over again, putting ten times the vigour and exertion into his acts that he had bestowed upon the hoeing, and ending by springing up, stooping to secure his hoe, and then tossing it right away to fall and lie hidden in one of the newly-hoed furrows between the potatoes. "do, won't it?" cried the new arrival. "yes," cried big jem, hoarsely. "sarve 'em both out. come on!" no time was lost, the two boys going off at a trot round by the back of the town and aiming for the shore, where by descending a very steep bit of ivy-draped and ragwort-dotted cliff they could get down to a row of black sheds used for fish-drying and the storage of nets, which lay snugly upon a shelf of the cliff. the place was quite deserted as the boys let themselves slide down a water-formed gully, peered about a bit, and then made for one of several boats moored some fifty yards from the sandy shore. more or less salt water was nothing to the rockabie boys, and after a glance along the shore, followed by a sweeping of the pier, which ran out between them and the harbour, they waded a little way out till the water reached their chests, and then began to swim for the outermost boat, into which big jem climbed, to hold out a hand, and the next moment his comrade had followed and leaned over, dripping away, to cast loose the rope attached to the buoy, while big jem put an oar out over the stern and began to scull. "ibney allus leaves one oar in his boat," said jem, sculling away. "but we mustn't go yet." "you hold your mouth," said big jem. "i'll show you. you shall see what you shall see. here, lay hold of the rope and make a hitch round that killick. see?" the other boy evidently did see, for he knelt down and began to edge a big oval boulder stone from where it lay in company with three more for ballast amidship, worked it right forward into the bows, and then lifted it on to the locker, when he took hold of the boat's painter at the end furthest from the ring-bolt, to which it was secured, and fastened the hempen cord round the boulder with a nautical knot. by the time this was done and the boy looked round for orders he caught sight of something moving at the shore end of the pier. "here comes the sailors back to their boat," he said. "they'll see us." "over with the killick, then--easy. don't splash." big jem drew in his oar, with which he had been making the boat progress by means of a fishtail movement, laid it along the thwarts, and then, as the other boy lifted the stone over the bows into the water, which it kissed without disturbance, it was let go and sank with a wavy movement, sending up a long train of glittering bubbles, running the rope out fast till bottom was reached and the boat swung from its stone anchor. "now, then, down with you," said big jem, and the next minute the two boys lay in the bottom, each with a great boulder for pillow, quite out of sight, unless their presence had been suspected, when a bit of coarse blue-covered body might have been seen, but then only to be taken for some idle fisher making up for last night's fishing with a nap. hence it was that when tom bodger swept the pier from where he sat in aleck's boat lying by the steps in the harbour, he saw nothing but the top of the pier, and his eyes fell again upon the sloop's beautifully clean boat, which he again compared with the one he occupied, with such unfavourable effect to the latter that he muttered to himself a little, took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves over his tattooed arms, and went in for a general clean up. tom was as busy as a bee and, to judge from the latter's usually contented hum, just as much satisfied, for his efforts certainly vastly improved the aspect of aleck's boat; and he was still hard at work swabbing and drying and laying ropes in coils, when a remark from one of the sailors in the adjacent boat made the midshipman spring up out of a doze in the hot sunshine and give the order to "be smart!" in other words, to be ready to help their messmates returning with their officer, well laden with fresh stores, which soon after were handed down into the boat and stowed. then the men took their places again, while the officers took theirs, the order was given to cast off, there was a thrust or two given by the coxswain, and the boat glided from the steps, leaving tom bodger watching the movements, smiling, and thinking of the past. he smiled again as the oars were poised for a minute and then at a word dropped to starboard and larboard with a splash before beginning to dip with rhythmic regularity, the midshipman seizing the lines and steering her for her run outward to the sloop. "well," said the midshipman, in a low voice, "what luck?" "pretty good," was the reply. "not all i should like, but i've seen enough to say that we ought to get a dozen smart fellows easily. there's some game or another on i hear from a man i know--a sort of meeting of fellows from along the coast--and brown picked up a hint or two." "a meeting, sir?" "well, call it what you like. brown thinks there's a cargo to be run somewhere and that the men are here to make arrangements for getting it inland." "what, right under our noses?" said the midshipman. "of course; that's a far better way than right under our eyes, my lad. give way, lads. i want to get aboard, mr wrighton, to hear what the captain and the lieutenant of the cutter have to say." the sloop's boat passed out between the two arms of the little harbour before tom bodger recommenced his polishing up in aleck's boat. "a pretty cutter," he said. "there arn't anything better worth looking at afloat than a man-o'-war's launch or cutter well manned by a smart crew. makes me wish i'd got my understandings again and was an ab once more. not as i grumbles--not me. rockabie arn't amiss, and things has to be as they is. here, let's get all ship-shape afore master aleck comes. wish i'd got a bit o' sand here to give them ring-bolts a rub or two. i like to see his boat look a bit smart. "wonder what them two's come in for--they arn't lying off here for nothing! some 'un's been sending 'em word there's a cargo going to be run along the shore, and so they've come in for soft tack and wegetables. haw! haw! haw!" he laughed, as he bent over his work. "it's well i know that game. fresh wegetables for the cook, a look round to find out what's what, and as soon as it's dark a couple o' well-armed boats to beat up the quarters and a dozen or so o' men pressed. i know. well, i s'pose it's right; the king must have men to fight his battles. they ought to volunteer; but some on 'em won't. they don't like going until they're obliged, and then they do, and wouldn't come back on no account. strikes me there's going to be a landing to-night. some un must ha' let 'em know. wonder who could do it, for there's a bit o' fun coming off to-night, i lay my legs. eben megg wouldn't be here for nothing, and there's half a dozen more hanging about. "well," he added, after a pause. "i'm not going to tell tales about either side. don't know much, and what i do know i'm going to keep to myself. smuggling arn't right; no more arn't playing spy and informer-- so i stands upon my wooden pegs and looks on. they won't take me. wouldn't mind, though, if they did. there, that looks quite decent and tidy, that does, and if master aleck don't say a word o' praise, why i say it's a shame. well done; just finished in time. here you are, then, my lad. got a load? why didn't yer let me come and carry it? hold hard a minute, and i'll fetch it aboard." for tom bodger had heard a step on the pier right above him as he stooped and saw the shadow of him who had made the sound cast right down upon the thwart and flooring of the boat, the maker of the shadow being evidently the bearer of some oblong object, which he carried at arm's length above his head. tom was balancing himself upon his wooden legs, and in the attitude of rising from his bent-down position, when he was conscious of a faint sound and an alteration in the shadow cast down, while the next instant there was a tremendous crash. chapter thirteen. a splintering crash as of a heavy mass of stone or metal striking full upon the thwart behind him, while crash again, right upon the first sound, there was a duller and more crushing noise. "here, hi! hullo! here, what in the name o' thunder! ahoy! help!" tom bodger was standing bolt upright as he uttered these last words, fully realising what had happened as he stared down at a rugged hole in the frail planking of the bottom of the boat, up through which the water was rising like a thick, squat, dumpy fountain. "what game d'yer call this, master aleck? eh, not there? i seed his shadder. he must ha' let it fall. went through like a sixty-four-pound shot. master aleck! ahoy! frightened yerself away, my lad? here, quick; come and lend a hand--the boat's going down!" tom bodger talked and shouted, but he did not confine himself to words, for he saw the extent of the emergency. the boat seemed to be filling rapidly from the salt fount in the middle prior to going down. so, acting promptly, he hopped on to the next thwart, down into the water in the bottom, which came above his stumps, and then on to the next thwart forward and the locker. from here he put one peg on to the bows and swung himself on to the lowest step, where he could seize the boat's painter, fastened to a huge rusty ring in the harbour wall. it was not many moments' work to cast the rope loose, and then he began to haul the rope rapidly through the ring, just having time to send the boat's head on to one of the steps under water, and hanging on with all his might, while the water rose and rose aft, till, with the bows still resting on the stone step, the after part of the boat was quite submerged. as a rule there were fishermen hanging over the rail on the top of the cliff a couple of hundred yards or so away, men busy with trawl or seine net on the smacks and luggers, and a score or two of boys playing about somewhere on the pier; but there was, as tom bodger had said, something going on in the town, and as soon as those ashore had done watching the man-o'-war's men and seen them row off, there was a steady human current setting away from the harbour, and not a listening ear to catch the sailor's hails and pass the word on for help, as he hung on to the boat's rope with all his might, feeling assured that if he slacked his efforts she would glide off the slimy stone and go to the bottom. "i arn't got no breath to waste in hollering," he panted. "why, there's a good fathom and a half or two fathom o' water under her keel, and if i slack out down she'll go. wants a couple o' boats to back in, one on each side, and get a rope under her thwarts. they could get her ashore then. oh, dear! oh, dear! oh, dear! for him to leave me in charge, and then come back and find i've sunk her! i warn't asleep, for i was standin' up at work, so i couldn't ha' dreamed i heard him come, and see his shadder cast down. no; it's all true enough. but what could he have had in his hands? i see his shadder plain, with a something held up in his hands. paper, didn't he say, he'd come to fetch? well, paper's heavy when it's all tight up in a lump, and he must ha' pitched it down off the pier to save carrying it and to let it come plop, so as to frighten me, not thinking how heavy it was, and then as soon as he see the mischief he'd done he squirms and runs away like a bad dog with his tail between his legs. why, i wouldn't ha' thought it on him. "oh, dear! what a weight she is! if i could only get a turn o' the rope round anywhere i could hold on easy, but if i move an inch down she'll go. "can't do it!" he groaned; "it's quite impossible. one hitch round the ring or a catch anywhere else'd do it, but i've got enough to do to hold on, and if i try any other manoover i shall make worse on it. it's no good, tommy, my lad, that there's your job; bite yer teeth hard and hold on. bime by it'll be too much for yer, and she'll begin to slide and slither; but don't you mind, it'll be all right--up'll go your hands with the rope, and then in they'll go, fingers first, into the ring. it's big enough to take your pretty little fists as far as yer knuckleses, and then they'll jam and jam more, and the more they jams the tighter they'll hold the rope till some 'un comes. take the skin off? well, let it. sarve it right for not being stuck tighter on to the hones. have to grow again, that's all. i arn't going to let master aleck's boat sink to the bottom if i die for it. but, hub, there! ahoy! is everybody dead yonder up town? why, i'd say bless him now if i could on'y set a hye on the wery wust o' them boys." the poor fellow hung on desperately, but he knew from his symptoms that he could not hold on much longer. the perspiration stood in huge drops all over his face, and they began to run together and trickle down, while now a queer thought flashed across his brain, bringing hope for the moment, but only for his heart to sink lower directly after. "no, no," he groaned, "i couldn't do it. if i could it'd be just fine; but who's to hang on with his hands and double hisself up enough to take aim with both his wooden pegs at once so that they could go right into that ring and stopper the rope like a cable going through a hawse hole? "can't be done, can't be done; but--ahoy there! dozens on yer hanging about if yer warn't wanted, and now not a lubber within hail. ahoy there! ship ahoy! is everyone dead, i say? ship a-a-hoy-y-y-y!" he yelled, in a despairing voice. "ahoy there! what's the matter? that you, tom bodger?" "bodger it is, master aleck. here, quick, or i shall have both my hands off as well as my legs, and you'll have to put me out of my misery then." "why, tom," cried aleck, wildly. "what ever--oh!" the lad wasted no more breath, for he grasped the position as soon as he reached the head of the steps. "can you hold on a minute?" "i can't, sir, but my fists will," groaned the man, and then in a hoarse whisper--"rope!" "i see," cried aleck, and he ran back a dozen yards along the pier to where he could see a coil of small rope for throwing aboard vessels in rough weather to bring back their looped cables and pass them over the posts. he was back again directly, uncoiling it as he came and leaving it trailing, while, end in hand, he reached the top of the steps, went down to where the poor fellow hung on, and shouting out words of encouragement the while, he passed a hand down, got hold of the loose painter below bodger's, and with the quick deft fingers of one used to the sea and the handling of lines he effected a quick firm knotting of the two ropes. this done, he made for the next ring hanging from the harbour wall, passed the fresh rope through, and hauled in all the slack. "now, tom," he cried, "both together--ahoy--ahoy!" he threw all his strength into the hauling, aided by the man-o'-war's man's last remaining force; no little either, for despair gave the poor fellow a spasmodic kind of power, so that the rope passed through the ring and whizzed and quivered, it was so tight. then another stay was found and a hitch taken twice round that before aleck fastened off, and, panting heavily, went up a step or two to the assistance of his humble friend. "you can let go now, tom. i have her fast." "sure, master aleck?" "yes, certain. let go; and mind what you're about, or you'll slip overboard." "it's all right, sir," said the man, in a hoarse whisper. "i've let go now." "nonsense! what are you thinking about? you've got hold tight as ever." "nay, i arn't, master aleck. i let go when you telled me. i'm on'y leaning agen the rope to keep from going down into the water." "why, tom, what's the matter with you?" cried aleck, wonderingly, as he placed his hands on his companion's. "i tell you that you're holding on as tight as ever." "eh?" said the man, feebly. "no, sir, i arn't; 'strue as goodness i arn't." "but you are," cried aleck, angrily, as he now grasped the full misfortune to his boat--not the very full, for he was not aware of the hole in her bottom. "your fingers are clasped tightly round the rope." "are they, sir?" "yes." "'tarn't my doing then, sir. i hoped and prayed as they might hold on to the last, and i s'pose that's how it is. ah-h!" he uttered a low groan, his eyelids dropped, and his fingers suddenly became inert, while it needed all the lad's strength to keep the poor fellow from slipping off the wet steps into the deep water of the harbour. "tom," he shouted; "rouse up, lad. do you hear?" he cried, frantically, as he held the man erect, and then in obedience to a sudden flash of thought forced him back into a sitting position on one of the steps. "hah!" he panted. "i couldn't have held you much longer. hold up, man. can't you hear what i say?" "eh? yes, master aleck, on'y don't talk so far off like, and--and--tell 'em to leave off ringing them bells in my ears." coupled with the loss of the boat, aleck's first thought was that the man had been indulging in a sailor's weakness and was the worse for rum; but a second glance at the ghastly face below him opened the lad's eyes to the simple truth, and he spoke more gently: "feel faint, tom?" "ay, sir, i s'pose it's that. i feel just as i did after that there cannon ball took off my legs. i'm getting better now you've stopped that ringing o' the bells in my ears." "that's right, tom." "but is the boat safe, sir? don't let her go right down." "she's safe enough so long as the rope doesn't part." "then look at her knots, sir. i did teach yer proper. don't say as you've tied one as'll slip." "the rope's all right, tom." "hah!" groaned the man. "then if you wouldn't mind, sir, just help me up the other steps and lie me down flat on my back for a minute. i feel as if that would set me right." "come on, then," said aleck; "but you must help, or we shall both go overboard." "i'm a-going to help, sir," said the man, with his voice beginning to grow stronger. "i think i can keep upright on my pegs again if you'll lend me a hand. no, hold hard a minute like, sir; there's no room for two on these bits o' steps. you've got plenty o' slack line, sir?" "yes." "then pass the end round under my arms and make fast. then you go atop and haul, and you can twist the line round a post so as i can't slip." "of course," cried aleck, and following out the poor fellow's instructions he went up to the pier, passed the rope round the nearest post, and hauled steadily, while without rising to his feet the poor fellow hitched himself, after a way he had learned, in a sitting position by means of his hands, right on to the pier, where once landed he rolled over with a groan, and fainted dead away. chapter fourteen. it was quite a minute before tom bodger opened his eyes again, to lie staring blankly up at the dazzling blue sky. he looked, for a mahogany and red sun-tanned individual, particularly unwholesome and strange with his fixity of expression, and in his anxiety aleck forbore to speak to him, but watched for the complete return of his senses, wondering the while that so sturdy a fellow could be affected in a way which he had always understood was peculiar to women. after staring straight upward for some little time the man began to blink, as if the intense light troubled him. then his eyes began to roll slowly round, taking a wider and wider circle, till at last they included aleck in their field of view and remained fixed, staring at him wonderingly. aleck's lips parted to ask the natural question, "how are you now?" but before he could utter a word tom frowned and said, severely: "what are you up to, my lad?" "it's what are you up to, tom? here, how are you now?" "quite well, thankye, master aleck. how are you? but, here," he cried, changing his manner, "what does it all mean? why, what--when-- wh-wh-what--ah, i know now, master aleck! i say, don't tell me the boat's gone down!" as he spoke he rose quickly into a sitting position and stared down through the opening where the steps began, uttered a sigh of content, and then said: "i was afraid you hadn't made them knots fast." "oh, they're all right. but has your faintness gone off?" "yes, sir, that's gone." "to think of a big sturdy fellow fainting dead away!" "ah, 'tis rum, sir, arn't it? all comes o' having no legs and feet. i never knew what it was till i lost 'em, as i telled yer." "well, you're better now. but, i say, tom, how did you manage to get the boat full of water like this?" "oh, come, master aleck," cried tom, indignantly. "i like that! how come you to chuck that great lump o' paper down and make that great hole in her bottom?" "i do what?" cried aleck. "here, wait a bit and rest. you haven't quite come to yet." "me, sir? i'm right as a trivet," cried tom; and to prove it he turned quickly over on his face propped himself up on his hands, with his elbows well bent, and then gave a sharp downward thrust which threw him up so that he stood well balanced once more upon his stout wooden legs. "that's right," said aleck, after a glance at the half-submerged boat. "now, then, how did you manage it?" "me manage it, sir? oh, that's how i allus gets up when i'm down." "no, no, no," cried aleck, impatiently. "i mean about the boat. did some other boat foul her?" "no-o-o!" cried tom. "you chucked that great lump of paper down and it went through the bottom." "paper? what, the paper i went to fetch?" "ay, sir." the lad went and picked up a small parcel he had dropped on the pier and held it up in the man's sight as he gazed wonderingly at him again, and then said, very severely: "look here, tom, you are mad, or have you been--you know?" aleck turned his hand into a drinking vessel and imitated the act of drinking. "no-o-o-o!" cried tom, indignantly. "haven't had a drop of anything but water for a week." "then how did you get my boat half full of water?" "i didn't, sir. you came and chucked that heavy lump of paper down, and it broke the middle thwart, being a weak 'un, because of the hole through for the boat's mast, and went on down through the bottom." "what! i did nothing of the sort, sir." "oh, master aleck! why, i seed yer shadow come right over me with yer hands up holding the lump o' paper, and afore i could straighten myself up down it come, and went right through the bottom." "you don't mean to tell me that there's a hole right through the bottom of my beautiful seagull?" cried aleck, wildly. "why, how could she have got full o' water if you hadn't chucked that down? i would ha' come up and fetched it, sir. that comes o' your being so rannish." "how dare you!" cried aleck, passionately. "i tell you i did nothing of the sort." "what's the good o' telling an out-an'-outer about it, master aleck, sir, when i see yer quite plain; leastwise, i see yer shadow when yer come to the edge." "you saw nothing of the sort," cried aleck, fiercely. "you scoundrel! you've been sailing her about while i've been up the town, and run her on a rock. i did trust you, tom, and now you try to hoodwink me with a miserable story that wouldn't deceive a child. tell me the truth at once, sir, or never again do you sail with me." "i won't," growled tom, sturdily. "what! you won't tell me the truth?" "i didn't say i wouldn't tell you the truth, master aleck. i mean i won't say as i took her out and run her on a rock." "but you did, sir." "tell yer i didn't, master aleck; she've been tied up ever since you went away, and i've given her a thorough clean up." "and started a plank or two by jumping down upon her with your wooden legs." "nay, i wouldn't be such a fool, sir. of course if i did i should go through." "i'd have forgiven you the accident," said aleck, sternly, "but i can't forgive the lie." tom stared up at his young employer, and took off his hat to give his head a thorough good scratch, before saying, quietly: "say, master aleck, you says to me just now with a sign like as i'd been having a drop o' rum. well, i arn't; but, you'll scuse me, sir, have you happened to call and see anyone as has given you some cake and wine as was rather too strong for a hot sunny day like this?" "no!" roared aleck, in a thorough passion now. "such insolence! say again that i threw a weight of paper and broke a hole through her." "well, sir, i see your shadder." "you did not, for i've not been back till just now." "then it was somebody else's, sir." "somebody else's, sir!" cried aleck, scornfully. "own at once that you had an accident with her." "me say that?" cried tom, waxing angry in turn. "i won't. i'd do a deal for you, master aleck, and if i'd stove in the boat i'd up and say so; but i arn't a-going to tell an out-an'-out wunner like that to screen you when you've had an accident. why, if i did you'd never trust me again." "i never will trust you again, sir. but, there, what's to be done? how am i to get back to the den? would a plug of oakum keep the water out?" "would a plug o' my grandmother keep the water out?" growled tom, scornfully. "why, she couldn't keep it out if we set her in it. i jest got one peep, and then the water hid it, but there's a hole pretty nigh big enough for you to go through." "my poor boat!" cried aleck, in agony. "but, there, it's of no use to cry after spilt milk. what's to be done?" "well, i've thought it out, sir, and seems to me that what's best to be done is to make her fast between two big boats, run her up on to the beach, get two or three of the fisher lads to turn her over, and then see what i can do with a bit o' thin plank. patch her up and pitch up the bit where i claps the plaster on, and i dessay she'll be watertight enough for you to run home in. i can mend her up proper when we get her back in the creek." "how long would it take to put on the patch?" "i can't say till i sees the hole, sir, but i might get it done by to-night." "by to-night? how am i to get back in the dark?" "oh, i dessay we could steer clear o' the rocks, sir." "we? no, thank you, sir. i don't want a man with me whom i can't trust." tom took his hat off and had a good rub before looking wistfully up in his young employer's face. "say, master aleck, arn't you a bit hard on a man?" he said. "no, not half so hard as you deserve. you told me an abominable lie." "nay, sir. i see your shadow just as you were going to throw down that there lump o' paper." "you--did--not, sir!" cried aleck, fiercely. "well, then, it must ha' been somebody else's, sir; that's all i can say." "whose, pray?" cried aleck. "who would dare to do such a thing as that? stop!" he cried, as a sudden idea flashed through his brain. "i saw two lads in a boat sculling away from the pier as hard as they could go." "you see that, master aleck?" "yes, when i came down from high street." "where was they going, sir?" cried the man, staring hard. "towards the curing sheds." "could you see who they was, sir?" "no; they seemed to be two big lads, just about the same as the rest." "where was they going from?" asked tom, excitedly. "from the pier; there was nowhere else they could be coming from. they wouldn't have been fishing at this time of day." "look here, master aleck, you mean it, don't you? it wasn't you as pitched something down?" "look here, tom, do you want to put me in a passion?" "no, sir, course i don't." "then don't ask such idiotic questions. of course i didn't." "then it was one of they chaps, master aleck." "well, it does look like it now, tom. but, nonsense! it must have been very heavy to go through the boat." "it weer, sir." "but why should anyone do that? you don't think that a boy would have been guilty of such a bit of mischief as that?" "what, master aleck?" cried the sailor, bursting into a loud guffaw. "why, there arn't anything they rockabie boys wouldn't do. why, they're himps, sir--reg'lar himps; and mischief arn't half bad enough a word for what they'd do." "oh, but this is too bad. why, the--the--" "stone, i should say it were, sir. bet a halfpenny as it was a ballast cobble as was hev down." "but it might have come down on you and killed you." "shouldn't wonder, sir." "but you have no one with such a spite against you as to make him do that?" "haven't i, master aleck? why, bless your innocence, there's dozens as would! i'd bet another halfpenny as that young beauty as i brought down with my stick this mornin' felt quite sore enough to come and drop a stone on my head. 'sides, they've got a spite agen you, too, my lad, and like as not big jem would try to sarve you out by making a hole through your boat for leathering him as you did a fortnit ago." "tom!" "ah, you may shout `tom!' till you're as hoarse as a bull, master aleck, but that seems to be about the bearings of it; and now i think more on it, that's about the course i means to steer. two on 'em, you says as you saw?" "yes, two biggish lads." "sculling hard?" "yes, the one who stood up in the boat was working the oar as hard as he could." "which means as he was in a hurry, sir." "it did seem like it, tom." "on a hot day like this here, sir. boys, too, as wouldn't work a scull if they warn't obliged. why, they'd been and done it, and was cutting away as hard as they could." "it does look likely, tom." "that's it, sir. we've got the bearings of it now. it were big jem and young redcap, warn't it?" "one of the boys had on a red cap, tom. i remember now." "then don't you wherrit your head no more about it, master aleck. it was them two as did it, and i shall put it down to their account." "but we ought to be sure." "sure, sir? why, we are sure, and they'll have to take it." "take _it_? take what?" "physic, sir. never you mind about it any more; you leave it to me. it's physic as they've got to take when the time comes; and all i've got to say is as i hopes they'll like it." "well, never mind that now, tom. what about my boat?" "oh, i'll see about her at once. i'll stop and take care of her while you go up to the houses on the cliff yonder, and you says as you have had an accident with your boat and you wants joney to come with a couple o' mates to help. they'll come fast enough." "very well. let's have a look first, though." they stepped to the edge of the pier and looked down into the disabled boat, while the water being still and as clear as crystal, they could see through the broken thwart and the splintered jagged hole through the bottom. aleck drew a deep breath like a sigh, and tom nodded his head sagely: "stone as big a killick, master aleck; that's what did that. precious big 'un too. now, then, you be off and get they chaps here while i chews it over a bit about how i'm to manage; but i tell yer this--it's going to be dark afore i gets that done. what d'yer say about walking over to the den to tell the captain what's happened?" "i say no, tom. i'm going to stay here and help you. you won't mind sailing over with me in the dark?" "not me, sir, and you needn't wherrit about what to do wi' me. i shall spread a sail over the boat when we've got her moored back in the creek, and creep under and sleep like a top. you'll give me a mug o' milk and a bit o' bacon in the morning afore i start back?" "of course, of course, tom. there, i'll run off at once." "hold hard a moment, master aleck. mebbe you'll see them two beauties." "i shouldn't wonder, tom." "looking as innercent as a pair o' babbies, sir," said tom, with a knowing wink. "then what you've got to do, sir, is look innercent too. you arn't going to suspeck them for a minute, cause they wouldn't do such a thing. we're a-going to wait till the right time comes." "and we're quite sure, tom?" "that's it, master aleck; and then--physic." aleck laughed, in spite of the trouble he was in, for tom's face was a study of mysterious humour and conspiracy of the most solemn nature. the next minute the lad was going an easy dog-trot along the pier towards the town. chapter fifteen. "hole in her bottom?" said the friendly fisherman who had presented the brill, in answer to aleck's application, "and want her brought ashore? sewerly, my lad, sewerly." his application to the big fisherman who had taken his part over the fight met with a precisely similar reply, when the lad found the men collected with a number of their fellows outside one of the public-houses, where something mysterious in the way of a discussion was going on, and aleck noted that their conversation ceased as soon as he appeared, several of the men nudging each other and indulging in sundry nods and winks. but the lad was too full of his boat trouble to dwell upon the business that seemed to have attracted the men together, and he led the way down to the harbour with his two fishermen acquaintances, finding that all the rest of the party followed them. had he wanted fifty helpers instead of three he could have had willing aid at once. as it was, his friends selected four more to help put off their boats, and the rest trudged slowly down the pier to form an audience and look on, while under tom bodger's direction the damaged boat was lashed by its thwarts to the fresh corners, and then set free and thrust off the step. the rest was easy. in a very short time she was rowed ashore, cast loose again, and half a dozen men waded in knee-deep to run her up a few feet at a time, the water escaping through the broken-out hole, till at last she was high and--not dry, but free from water. then the mast was unstepped and with the other fittings laid aside, while tom bodger had procured a basket of tools and the wood necessary for the repairs, and the little crowd of fishermen formed themselves into a smoking party, sitting upon upturned boats, fish boxes and buckets, to discuss the damage and compare it with that sustained by other boats as far back as they could remember. for tom required no further help then, save such as was given by aleck, preferring to work his own way, the idea being to make a temporary patchwork sufficient for safety in getting the boat home. to this end he measured and cut off, almost as skilfully as a ship's carpenter--consequent upon old experience at home with boats and at sea with the mechanic of a man-o'-war--a piece of board to form a fresh thwart, which was soon nailed tightly on the remains of the old. then the hole in the bottom was covered with this boarding, laid crosswise, the necessary fitting taking a great deal of time, so that the afternoon was spent before help was needed, and plenty of willing hands assisted in turning the boat right over, keel uppermost, ready for the laying on of plenty of well-tarred oakum to cover the fresh inside lining, tom having a kettle of pitch over a wood fire, and paying his work and the caulking liberally as he went on, whistling and chatting away to aleck the while, only pausing now and then to have a big sniff and to inhale much of the smoke cloud his friends were making. "i should like to stop and have a pipe mysen, master aleck," said tom, once. "well, have one; only don't be long, tom." "nay, sir; i'll have it as we sails over, bime by. i won't stop now. it's a long job, and it'll be quite dark afore i've done." he fetched the pitch kettle from the little fire a fisherman had been feeding with chips of wreck-wood and adze cuttings from a lugger on the stacks. "now then," he said, after carefully stuffing the damaged hole with oakum, "this ought to keep the inside dry, on'y the worst on it is that the pitch won't stick well to where the wood's wet." "but you're not going to pour all that in?" "i just am," said tom, with a chuckle. "i arn't going to spyle a ship for the sake of a ha'porth o' tar. there we are," he continued, spreading the melted pitch all over the patch with a thin piece of wood till, as it cooled, it formed a fairly level surface ready for the pieces of planking intended to form the outside skin. tom was a very slow worker, but very sure, and a couple more hours glided by and the sun had long set with the boat still not finished. so slow had the repairing been that at last aleck expressed his dissatisfaction; but tom only grinned. "i know what water is, sir, and how it'll get through holes. i don't want for us to go to the bottom, no more'n i want us both to be allus baling. didn't i say as it would take me till dark?" "you did, tom, but you needn't drive in quite so many nails. this is only temporary work." "tempry or not tempry, i want it to last till we gets home." "of course," said aleck, and to calm his impatience he turned to look at the group of fishermen, who sat and stood about, smoking away, and for the first time the lad noticed that the men had ceased to watch tom bodger but had their eyes fixed intently upon the sloop-of-war and the cutter, which lay at anchor a couple of miles from the harbour, and were now showing their riding lights. "'bout done, arn't yer, tommy?" said the man who was mending the fire. "nay, keep the pitch hot, messmet," said tom. "i'll just pay her over inside as soon as we've got her turned right again." "then that's going to be now, arn't it, matey?" said the big fisherman. "yes," said tom, to aleck's great satisfaction. "lend a hand, some on yer." the words seemed to galvanise the group into action, twice as many men offering to help as were needed, and in another few minutes, to the owner's delight, the boat was turned over, with the iron-plated keel settling down in the fine shingle and the rough inner workmanship showing in the dim twilight. "now," cried tom, "just that drop o' pitch. power it in, messmet. that's your sort. it'll soon cool. now, then, i'll just stick a bit or two of board acrorst there, master aleck, to protect that pitch; and then we'll say done." "and time it was done, tom," said aleck, impatiently. "look, you've tired everybody out!" tom looked round, and laughed softly. "yes," he said, as he noted how to a man the fisher folk had begun to saunter away. "i see. they've been all on the fidget to go for the last half-hour." "and no wonder; but they might have waited a bit longer, to launch her." "she arn't ready to launch yet, my lad, and she'll be all the better for waiting till that pitch is well cooled. besides, in less than an hour the tide'll be up all round her, and we can shove her off oursens." "oh, yes, of course; and as we have to go in the dark i suppose it doesn't matter to an hour." "that's what i've been a-thinking of, master aleck. but, i say, do you know why they wanted to be off?" "hungry, i suppose." "nay! not them. they're suspicious." "what of?" "why, didn't you see how they kep' one eye on the man-o'-war out yonder?" "yes, of course." "well, what does that mean? they've made up their minds as boats'll come in from the sloop arter dark just to see in a friendly way if they can't pick up a few likely lads to sarve the king." "from the smugglers who are hanging about?" said aleck, eagerly, as he recalled what had passed between him and eben megg that afternoon. "smugglers, or fishermen, or anyone else. all's fish that comes into a press-gang's net--'cept us, master aleck. they wouldn't take a young gent like you, and i should be no good to 'em now, sir," continued the poor fellow, with a ring of sadness in his voice, which gave place to a chuckle as he added, "unless they kep' me aboard the man-o'-war to poke my pins down the scupper holes to keep 'em from being choked. these here two bits o' thin board i'll nail in close together, and then we'll let the water come up all round and harden the pitch. just you rake them ashes together, master aleck, so as not to let the fire go quite out. i shan't be above half an hour now, and then i shall want a light for my pipe, and by the time i've done that you'll be back again." "back again? i'm not going away." "oh, yes, you are, master aleck; you're going up to the little shop yonder to get a noo crusty loaf and a quarter of a pound o' cheese." "oh, i can't eat now, tom," said the lad, impatiently. "can't yer, sir?" said tom, with a grin. "well, i can--like fun--and if you'll buy what i says i'll teach you how." "oh, of course, tom. how thoughtless of me! i've been so anxious; but, of course, you must be very hungry! i'll go and get some bread and cheese. and you'd like a mug of beer, wouldn't you?" "well, master aleck, i wouldn't say no to a drop if it was here." "i'll go at once, tom, without you want me to hold the boards while you nail them." "all right, sir. nay, nay, don't make a blaze. just rake the ashes together; any little ember will do to light my pipe. i say, master aleck, we haven't had a single boy nigh us." "no, not one. how strange!" "not it, sir. just shows as they all know about the boat, and whose game it was." aleck hurried off and obtained the simple provisions needed, and returned to find the last nails being driven triumphantly into the boat. "there you are, master aleck," cried tom, "and i warrant she won't leak a spoonful. there's the tide just beginning to lap up round the stern, so we'll get the rudder on again, step the mast, and put all ship-shape ready for a start, and if it's all the same to you i'll just light up my pipe at once, and smoke it as we get the tackle back in its place." "go on, then," said aleck, and, after filling the bowl of his pipe, the sailor went to the glowing embers of the fire, one of which he picked up with his hardened thumb and finger, lit the tobacco, and began smoking away. his first act was to scoop up a little water in the boat's baler and extinguish the fire. "too hot as it is, master aleck. we can feel the way to our mouths, and i'm allus mortal feared of sparks blowing about among boats and sheds." the shipping of the rudder, the stepping of the mast, and fastening of the boat's grapnel to the ring-bolt followed. then oars, boat-hook, and ropes were laid in, and the pair seated themselves in the darkness, to begin discussing their much-needed meal, listening the while to the whispering and lapping of the water, aleck thinking anxiously of how uneasy his uncle would be. "how soon shall we be able to start, tom?" he said. there was a strange sound which made aleck start. "what?" he cried. "what's the matter?" "beg pardon, master aleck; couldn't say it no better. mouth was full o' hard crust." "how long before we start?" "good hour, sir. there's a lot o' shallow yonder." "oh!" cried aleck, impatiently. "let's get some of the fishermen to come and launch us." "i don't think you'd find anyone as would come, sir. they're all lying low somewhere for fear o' the press-gang." "nonsense! here they come, a lot of them, to get us off." "why, so they be," grumbled tom, in a disappointed way. "can't see no faces, but--master aleck," he whispered, sharply, "it's them!" "well, i said so," began aleck, impatiently; but he got no farther, the words being checked by a feeling of astonishment. for a voice suddenly exclaimed: "quick, lads; surround!" and a hand was laid sharply upon the lad's collar, while two men grappled tom. "now, then," he growled, "what is it?" "hold your noise, or you'll have a fist in your mouth," said a sharp voice. "who are you?" "name bodger. ab, king's navee. pensioner for wounds. see?" it was dark, but the shooting out of tom's wooden legs at right angles to his body from where he sat was plain enough to all of the group of well-armed sailors who surrounded the boat. "what are you doing here?" "eating my supper; been mending our boat." "then who is this?" said the same sharp voice. "my young master. we got a hole in the boat's bottom and had to put in for repairs." "that's right enough, sir; here's the oakum and tools. been a fire. here's the little pitch kettle." "o' course it's right, messmets. what's yer game--press-gang?" "hush!" whispered the commanding voice. "you're an old sailor?" "nay, not old, your honour," said tom. "thirty-two, all but the legs i lost. they warn't so old by some years." "a joker, eh? well, look here, my lad. we're on duty, and it's yours as an ex-navy man to help. where are the fishermen? there seem to be none hanging about the cliff." "i d'know, your honour; up at the publics, p'raps, in the town." "there's a party of smugglers here to-night?" "is there, sir? running a cargo?" "you know they are." "that i don't, your honour. i haven't seen one." just at that moment there was the sound of yelling, and a couple of shots were fired. then more shouts arose, and a shrill whistle was heard. "answer that, bo'sun," cried the officer in command of the party, and a shrill chirping sound seemed to cut the night air. "now, my lads, forward!" "one minute," cried aleck. "we want to get afloat. tell your men to give my boat a shove off." "hang your boat!" cried the officer, angrily. "keep together, my lads. yes, all right; we're coming." the party went off after their leader at a run, for another sharp whistle rang out at a distance. "well, he might have been civil," said aleck. "haw! haw! haw! fancy your asking a luff-tenant on duty that, master aleck!" said tom, laughing, and talking with his mouth full, for he had recommenced his unfinished meal. "it wouldn't have hurt him," said aleck. "here, leave off eating, tom, and let's get away from here. i don't want to be mixed up with this horrid business." "'tis horrid, sir, to you, but i got used to it," said the man, rolling off the side to begin swaying the boat, aleck leaping out on the other side. "no good, sir. she's fast for another half-hour. tide rises very slowly round here." "then we shall have to stop here and listen. hark, that's glass breaking. people struggling too. i say, tom, try again; push hard." "hard as you tells me, sir; but it's no good--her deep keel's right down in this here fine shingle. we must wait till the tide lifts her." the sailor stopped short to listen, for the noise which came to them on the still night air increased. hoarse voices ringing out defiance, savage yells and curses, mingled with the shrieks and appeals of angry women, smote upon the listeners' ears, and aleck stamped one foot with impatient rage. "oh, tom," he cried, "i can't bear it. i never heard anything of this kind before." "and don't want to hear it again, sir, o' course. well, it arn't nice. i didn't like it till i got used to it, and then i didn't seem to mind." "how brutal!" said aleck, angrily. "hark at that!" "i hear, sir. that's some o' the fishermen's wives letting go." "yes; and you speak in that cool way. aren't you sorry for them?" "nay, sir; not me. i'm sorry for the poor sailor boys." "what!" cried aleck, angrily. "tom, i didn't think you could be so brutal." "you don't understand, sir. that's the women shouting and screaming as they give it to the press-gang. it's the sailors gets hits and scratches and called all sorts o' names, and they're 'bliged to take it all. but, my word, there's getting to be a shindy to-night and no mistake. let's try again to get the boat off!" they tried; but she was immovable, save that they could rock her from side to side. "we'll do it in another ten minutes, master aleck, and then we'd better row till we're outside the harbour. hark at 'em now! that's not the women now; that's the men. i say, i b'lieve there's a good dozen o' the smuggling lot about the town, master aleck, but i hadn't seen one. did you catch sight o' any on 'em?" "i saw eben megg," said the lad. "and he's about the worst on 'em, master aleck. well, it strikes me his games are up for a bit. he's a wunner to fight, and he'll stick to his mates; but they won't beat the press-gang off, for when they want men and it comes to a fight it's the sailors who win. well, it'd do young megg good. he's too much of a bully and rough 'un for me. fine-looking chap, but thinks too much of hisself. make a noo man of him to be aboard a man-o'-war for a few years." "pst, tom! listen! they're fighting up at the back there." "and no mistake, my lad." for fresh shouts, orders, and another whistle rang out, followed by what was evidently a fierce struggle, accompanied by blows, the sounds as they came out of the darkness being singularly weird and strange. "let's get away, tom," said aleck, huskily; "it's horrible to listen to it." "yes, sir. heave away, both together. now, then, she moves. no, she's as fast as ever." "oh!" groaned aleck, striking both hands down with a loud smack upon the boat's gunwale and then stopping short as if paralysed, for there were quick steps, then a rush, evidently up the nearest narrow way among the sheds. then all was silence, and a sharp voice cried: "halt there! surrender, or i fire." a rush followed the command, and then a pistol shot rang out, aleck seeing the flash; but the shot did not stop the man who received the command. as far as aleck in his excitement could make out he rushed at and closed with him who tried to stop him, when a desperate struggle ensued as of two men wrestling upon the cobble stones, their hoarse panting coming strangely to the listeners' ears. all thought of launching the boat was swept away by the excitement of listening to the struggle, which grew more painful as the voice that had uttered the command rose again in half-stifled tones: "this way, lads; help!" a dull thud followed, as of a heavy blow being delivered, followed by a fall and the rush of footsteps again, but this time over the loose shingle, and the next minute a dimly-seen figure approached, running straight for the water. but instead of the man running into the harbour, he turned sharp to his left on catching sight of the boat and staggered up to it. "who's that?" he said, hoarsely. "you, tom bodger--master aleck? here, quick, sir; for the love of heaven save a poor fellow! it's the press-gang. got five on us. help, sir! shove off with me. i'm too dead beat to swim." "i can't help you, eben. i dare not," cried aleck. "what could i do?" "oh! but, master aleck--hark! there's more coming!" "i tell you i can't. i dare not. they're the king's men, and--" "where are you, your honour?" came out of the darkness, to be answered by a groan and a feeble attempt at a whistle. "this way, lads," rang out, and there was the rush of feet and a deeper groan. "eben, you've killed the officer," whispered aleck, in his horror. "i was on'y fighting for my liberty, master," whispered the man, hoarsely. "master aleck, you don't like me, i know. i'm a bad 'un, i s'pose; but there's my young wife and the little weans yonder waiting for me, and when they know--" the great rough fellow could say no more, but choked. "run for it, then," said aleck; "wrong or right, we'll try and cover you." "it's no good, sir," whispered the man; "there's no end of 'em surrounding us, and i'm as weak now as a rat." he caught aleck's hand, as the lad thought, to cling to it imploringly, but the next moment he held it to his forehead, and it was snatched away in horror, for the man had evidently been cut down and was bleeding profusely. "he's wounded badly, tom," whispered aleck, excitedly. "we must help him now." "ay, ay, sir," said tom, gruffly. "ah, the boat! the boat!" panted the smuggler. "in with you then," said aleck. "nay, nay," whispered tom. "she arn't afloat, eben megg. here, lay yer weight on to her if yer can't shove." "hi! hallo there!" cried a voice from the direction where the struggle had taken place. in response there was the sound of the boat's keel grating on the water-covered shingle, and the smuggler pressed close up to aleck's side. "do you hear there?" came from the same quarter. "in the king's name, stand!" "lay yer backs into it," grunted tom. "shove, my lads, shove!" "come on, my lads! we must have them, whoever they are," came from apparently close at hand. "ah, look sharp! there's a boat." "now for it," whispered tom, and as he grunted hard the boat began to glide from shingle and water into water alone, while as aleck thrust with all his might, knee-deep now, he felt the boat give way, and then it seemed to him that the smuggler sank down beside him, making a feeble clutch at his clothes and uttering a low groan. aleck's left hand acted as it were upon its own responsibility, closing in the darkness upon eben's shirt and holding fast, while the lad's right hand held up the boat's gunwale. the next moment he felt himself drawn off his feet and being dragged through the water, in which the boat was jerking and dancing as if to shake itself free. it was too dark to see, but this is what was taking place. as the party of three were trying their best to get the little yawl afloat the shingle clung fast to its keel and very little progress was made, although tom bodger thrust and jerked at it with all his might, more like a dwarf than ever, for his wooden legs went down in the wet shingle at every movement, right to the socket stumps; but at last, when their efforts began to appear to be in vain, a little soft swell rolled in, just as a rush was being made by the press-gang, the boat lifted astern, and as the water passed under it, literally leaped up forward, shaking itself free of the clinging sand and stones, and, yielding to the three launchers, glided right away. it was none too soon. aleck was holding on upon one side nearly amidships, while tom on the other side let the gunwale glide through his hands till they were close to the bow, and then holding on fast with both hands he made one of his jumps or hops, to add impetus to the boat's way and get his breast over the bow and scramble in. his bound--if it could be so-called--was very successful, for the next moment he was balanced upon his chest across the gunwale, gripping at the edge of the fore-locker, with his legs sticking out behind, and exulting over the sensation of the boat dancing under him, when he felt himself seized by one of the press-gang party, who had dashed in after the boat and made a grab at the first thing that offered in the dark. the sailor was unlucky in his hold, but no wonder, for the darkness gave him no opportunity of making any choice, and as it happened he gripped one of tom's pegs with his right and followed it up by clapping his left hand alongside, trying hard to drag his prisoner out or to stop the boat. as aforesaid he was unlucky, for he was to suffer an entirely new experience. had he grasped an ordinary human leg in the black darkness he would only have had a jerking kick or two, and most probably he would have held on, but here it was something very different. "got 'em!" he cried, loudly. "come on!" and then he was smitten with a strange surprise, and also with something else. for tom bodger, as he lay balanced upon the lower part of his chest, half in and half out of the boat, had got his fingers well under the side of the locker and was holding on with all the strength of his horny fingers. "ah, would yer!" he roared, as he felt himself seized, and, unable to kick for want of yielding joints, he began to work his stumps, to his holder's horror, like a pair of gigantic shears gone mad. the one that was free struck the sailor a sounding rap on the ear and made him release his hold of the prisoned piece of timber for the moment, and when he splashed after the boat, after recovering from his surprise, and made another grab, the second free peg caught him on the arm like a blow from a constable's truncheon. the sailor uttered a yell for help, but it was cut short by a blow on each side of his neck as tom's legs snapped together, and then he fell forward with a splash and was helped out by a couple of his mates, who stood, waist-deep, gazing into the darkness after the boat. "where are yer, my lads?" panted tom, as he progressed over the side like a huge toad. "help! help!" came from his right, and with the boat rocking from side to side he felt about along the gunwale till his hand came in contact with aleck's fingers, clinging desperately to the edge of the boat. "got yer," said tom, gripping the lad's wrist and hanging over the side to speak. "can't yer hold on while i get an oar out and move her a bit furder away?" "no. help me in," said aleck, huskily. "right, sir. here, let me get my hands under yer arms, and i'll heave yer in. i say, wheer's eben megg?" "out here. i've got hold of him." tom bodger whistled softly in his astonishment. "hold tight on him, my lad," he growled; and then putting forth his great strength of arm and back, he raised aleck right over the boat's side, and as eben was drawn close in, loosened the former and got tight hold of the latter. "can yer shift for yourself now, master aleck?" he whispered. "yes; but have you got eben?" "ay, ay! got him fast. out o' my way." the next minute the smuggler lay perfectly inert at the bottom of the boat and aleck was passing an oar over the stern and beginning to scull. "get another oar out, tom," he whispered, "or they'll have us yet." "ay, ay!" was growled, softly. but it was too loud, for a voice close at hand shouted: "now, then, you in the boat, it's of no use. surrender, in the king's name!" the splashing made by the oars ceased, and tom put his lips close to aleck's ear. "you arn't going to surrender, are yer, master aleck?" "no; use your oar as a pole, and get us farther away." "do you hear there?" cried another voice. "heave-to, or i'll fire." "all gammon, master aleck; i know. don't believe they've got any pistols." "there was a shot fired," said aleck. "orficer's, p'raps, sir. here, i can't do no good a-poling; it's getting deeper here." "scull then," said aleck; "and be careful. they've got boats somewhere." just then there was a flapping noise, which gave them a turn. "what's that?" said aleck, sharply. "wind got the sail loose," said tom. "there's a nice breeze coming on. shall i shake out a reef or two of the sail, sir?" "yes, if you think we can see to steer?" "dunno about that, sir. we must go gently, and feel." the next few minutes were devoted to preparations for spreading a portion of the canvas to the light breeze, as they listened to hail after hail from the shore; and then, as they began to glide softly along, one of the hails from the shore bidding them heave-to was answered from round to their right. "ay, ay, sir!" "keep a sharp look out for a boat somewhere off here. three prisoners in her escaping." "my hye!" muttered tom bodger. "that's nice. resisting the law too. strikes me as we're going to be in a mess." chapter sixteen. aleck, in the midst of his excitement in his novel position, had somewhat similar thoughts to those of his rough sailor companion. for what was he doing, he asked himself--resisting the king's men performing a duty--for a duty it was, however objectionable it might be--and helping a man they were trying to impress. worse still, trying to secure the liberty of a well-known smuggler, one of the leading spirits in as determined a gang as existed on the coast. it was that appeal for the sake of the wife and children that had turned the scale in eben's favour, and, as aleck argued now to himself as they glided steadily over the waters of the outer harbour, what was done was done, and to hang back now would mean capture and no mercy, for he would probably find himself bundled aboard the sloop-of-war and no heed paid to his remonstrances. "say, master aleck," was suddenly whispered to him, "i hope eben megg arn't going to die." "die? oh, tom, no. i forgot all about his cut head. we must tie it up." "tied up it is, sir, wi' my hankychy, but he's got a nasty cut on the head. ah, it's bad work resisting the law, for lawful it is, i s'pose, to press men." "don't talk so loud. feel eben's head, and find out whether it has stopped bleeding." "did just now, sir, and it about hev. but, i say, master aleck, i'm all in a squirm about you." "about me? why?" "you see, we don't know hardly which way to turn, and i expects every minute to be running into one o' the man-o'-war boats." "well, if we do we do; but i think we can get right out, and it won't be so dark then." "i b'lieve there's a fog sattling down, sir, and if there is we shall be ketched as sure as eggs is eggs. i'm sorry for you, my lad, and i s'pose i'm sorry for eben megg, though we arn't friends. bit sorry, too, for myself." "oh, they can't hurt you, tom." "can't hurt me, sir? why, they'll hev me up afore the magistrits, and cut me shorter than i am." "nonsense!" said aleck, with a laugh. "they don't behead people now, and even if they did they wouldn't do it for helping a pressed man to escape." "tchah! i don't mean that way, my lad. i mean chop off my pension, and--" "pst!" unwittingly they had been slowly sailing right for one of the sloop's boats, and their whispers had been heard, for from out of the darkness, and apparently a very little way off, came a hail and an order to stop. "shall us stop, sir?" said tom. "stop going that way. helm down, tom," whispered aleck; and the little sail swung over and filled on the other side, the water rippling gently under their bows. otherwise it was so silent that they could hear whispers away to their right, followed by a softly given order, which was followed by the dip, dip, dip, dip of oars, and they glided so closely by the rowers that aleck fancied he could see the man-o'-war's boat. a couple of minutes later they tacked again, and were sailing on, when all at once aleck whispered, as he leaned over his companion: "that must be the low line of the fog bank, tom. look how black it is!" "where, sir?" "over where i'm pointing," replied aleck. "by jinks!" growled tom, excitedly, shifting the rudder and throwing the wind out of the sail, which flapped for a bit and then once more filled on the other tack. "what was it, tom?" "what was it, my lad? why, that warn't no fog bank lying low on the water, but the harbour wall. why, we should ha' gone smash on it in another jiffy, stove in, and sunk, for there's no getting up the place this side." "are you sure it was?" "sartain. we're all right, though, now, and it's done us good, for i know where we are, and i think we can get away now unless the boat's headed us once more." "keep her away a little more then. ah! hark at eben! he sounds as if he's coming to." the smuggler was very far from being dead, for he muttered a few words, and then all at once they heard the backs of his hands strike the boat sharply, while to their horror he yelled out the word "cowards!" tom bodger was active enough, in spite of his misfortune, as he abundantly proved--perhaps never more so than on this occasion--when again, with almost the action of a toad, he leaped right upon the smuggler, driving him back just as he was trying to rise, and covering his face with a broad chest and smothering his next cries. then aleck grew more horrified than ever, for a tremendous struggle began, the smuggler, evidently under the impression that he was in the hands of the press-gang, fighting hard for his liberty, bending himself up and calling to his companions for help. but his voice sounded dull and stifled, and in spite of his strength tom's position gave him so great an advantage that he was able to keep him down. "mind, mind, tom," whispered aleck; "you are smothering him." "and a precious good thing too, master aleck. he'll say thankye when he knows. why, if i let him have his own way he'd--lie still, will yer?-- want to have the press-gang down upon us. lookye here, messmet, if you don't lie quiet i'll make master aleck come and sit on yer too." "but i'm afraid, tom." "so'm i, my lad. pretty sort o' onreasonable beggar. asts us to save him from the king's men, and when we've got him off, kicking up such a fillaloo as this to show 'em where we are. i arn't got patience with him, that i arn't." the man struggled again so violently that he got his hand on one side, making the boat rock and tom bodger grunt in his efforts to keep his prisoner down. "it's no good, master aleck," he whispered, hoarsely; "if i'd got my legs i could twist 'em round him and keep him still; but there's no grip in a pair of wooden pegs. come and sit on his knees and help keep him quiet. lash the helm, sir. she'll run easy enough then." but at this the smuggler suddenly ceased his desperate efforts to get free, and lay perfectly still. "he's turned over a noo leaf, master aleck, and p'raps i shall manage him now. i say, wish i hadn't put them two pieces o' board over the pitch; he's got it just under his back, and it would have helped to hold him still." "who's that?" said the smuggler, hoarsely. "it's me, what there is left on me," growled tom. "great ugly rough 'un. best thing you can do will be smuggle me a noo blue shirt from jarsey." "tom bodger?" "tom bodger it is." "why are you sitting on me? i thought--" "you thought," growled tom, scornfully. "what right's a chap like you to think?" "but i thought the press-gang had got me." "well, i was pressing on yer as hard as i could to keep yer from shouting and flying out of the boat. here's master aleck and me getting oursens into no end o' trouble to keep you out o' the press-gang's hands, and you begins shouting to 'em to come and take you." "i'm very sorry, mate. i s'pose i was off my head a bit--seemed to wake up out of a bad dream about fighting. yes, that's it; i recollect now. where's the gang?" "cruising about trying to find us." "it's so dark. where are we?" "somewheers out beyond the pier head, and it's all as black as the inside of a barrel o' pitch. keep quiet; don't talk so loud." "no, mate," said the smuggler, petulantly; "but i'm not quite myself. i got a crack on the head from something; i've been bleeding a bit. but, tell me, are we safe?" "dunno yet. hope so." "am i lying in master aleck's boat?" "yes, on yer back," growled tom. "are yer comfy? i put in a nice noo bit o' pine board 'sevening for yer to lie on." "no; of course i'm not comf'table with you sitting on me." "course you arn't. think i am with that great brass buckle o' yourn sticking in the bottom o' my chest?" "is master aleck there?" said the smuggler, after a short pause. "yes, i'm here, eben, steering." "ah, i can see you now, sir." "no, yer can't," growled tom, "so none o' your lies. just because you want to be civil to the young master." "i tell you i can see him quite plain. think i've got eyes like a mole?" "look out then, and tell us where we are." "how can i look out with my head down here?" "let him get up, tom," said aleck. "easy, master aleck. let's make sure first as he won't go off his head again." "i shan't go off my head again now i'm safe, stoopid," cried the smuggler, angrily. "master aleck, sir, thankye kindly for helping a poor desprit fellow. i can't say much, but my poor little wife'll say: `gord bless yer for this for the sake of our weans.'" "there, don't talk about it, eben; only let it be a lesson to you not to go smuggling any more. do you bear?" "yes, sir, i hear; but this hadn't nothing to do with running a cargo or two. we was unlucky enough to be in rockabie, and someone has sold us to the press-gang. warn't you, were it, mate?" "get out!" growled tom; "is it likely?" "no. someone did, but i don't believe it was old double dot, master aleck." "and you believe i didn't, now?" "b'lieve yer? yes, sir; and i'll never forget this night." "look here," growled tom, "hadn't you and him better be quiet, master aleck? you're both talking very fine about saving and gettin' free and never forgettin', and all the time there's boats out arter us and they may be clost up for all i can say. it's about the darkest night i was ever out in." "let me get up, mate, and have a look round," said the smuggler. "think he's safe, master aleck?" "oh, yes, of course. let him get up and try if he can make out where we are." "but i can't get him down again if he goes off his head, sir, and tries to turn us out of the boat." the smuggler uttered a low, mocking laugh. "bit too strong for yer, eh, tommy?" "ay; but you wouldn't be if i was all here. there; get up then." tom's legs rattled on the planks of the boat as he rolled himself off and stood up and listened to the smuggler with a low, deep sigh as he sat up, tried to stand, and sat down again in the bottom of the little craft. "bit giddy," he said, apologetically; "things seems to swim round." he had put his hands up to his head as he spoke. then suddenly: "who tied my head up with a hankychy?" "i did," growled tom, surlily, "and just you mind as your missus washes it out and irons it flat for you to give it me agen next time you comes to rockabie." "i will, mate," said the smuggler, quietly. "there," he added, after drawing a long, deep breath, "i'm beginning to come right again. yes, it is a bit dark to-night," he added, after staring about him for a minute or two. then, uttering a sharp ejaculation, "here, quick, put your helm hard up, master aleck. quick, my lad; can't you see where you're going?" "no," said aleck, obeying the order quickly, with the result that the sail began to flap, while, as it filled again and the boat careened in the opposite direction, there was a dull, hissing, washing sound, followed by a slap and a hollow thud, as if a quantity of water had been thrown into a rift. "where are we?" said aleck, who felt startled. "running clear now, sir; but in another moment you'd ha' been right on the east skerries." "what!" cried tom. "don't holler, mate," said the smuggler, drily. "mebbe there's one o' the man-o'-war's boats." "running right on the east skerries! right you are, messmet. that was the tide going into the marmaid's kitchen. here, i feel as if i'd never been to sea and took bearings in my life, master aleck!" "yes; what is it?" "don't you never trust me again." "but do you mean to say that you can't see those rocks just abeam, tom bodger?" "not a rock on 'em, messmet; but i can hear the bladder-wrack washing in and out." "but you, master aleck?" "i can see it looks a little darker there," replied the lad, "and a little lighter lower down." "well, it's amazin', sir. i can see 'em quite plain. i s'pose my eyes must be a little better than yourn through being out so much of a night." "smuggling, eben?" said aleck, quietly. the man laughed softly, and, standing up now, holding on by one of the stays, he shaded his eyes and looked about him for some time. "there's the riding lights of the two king's ships," he said, half aloud, "but i can't see the boats. they'd be giving the rocks about here a wide berth, and you pretty well left 'em behind, master aleck. now, sir, what are you going to do?" "run home, of course," said aleck. "round outside the point, sir?" "of course." "you'd save a good two miles by running close to shore and inside the big island and the point." "but the rocks?" "you could steer clear of them, sir." "but you mean run through the narrows--through the channel?" "of course, sir." "oh, it couldn't be done," said aleck, excitedly. "easy enough at high water, sir; and that's what it'll be in another hour." "have you ever done it, eben?" "often, sir, and in a bigger boat than this." "could you steer us safe through?" the smuggler laughed. "my father taught me to do it, sir, when i was a little boy." "it would save an hour?" "quite, sir." "what do you say, tom? would you go?" "me, sir? i'd go anywhere as eben megg dared to steer." "but it is so dark," said aleck, hesitating. "the breaking water makes it lighter, sir, and the sea brimes to-night out yonder. look, we're getting to where it flashes, where it breaks!" "to be sure; it's beginning, too, where the boat cuts the water. come and take the helm then. but, stop; what about the wind?" "westerly, sir, and blowing astern of us all the way through." "then we will go, tom. why, no man-o'-war boat dare follow us there." "that they won't, sir," said tom, decidedly. "i say, messmet, what do you say to a couple o' reefs in the sail?" "let her be," said the smuggler, taking his seat by aleck, who handed him the little tiller. "there, sir, you may say good-bye to the press-gang boats now. i daresay they'll be hanging about on their way to their ship, but we shall hug the rocks in and out all along." all talking ceased now, and in his new-found confidence in and admiration of the smuggler's knowledge of the intricate ways between the huge rocks that had from time to time become detached from the tremendous cliffs, and stood up forming the stacks and towers frequented by the myriads of sea-birds, the lad sat in silence watching the anchor lights of the men-o'-war, which came into sight and then disappeared again and again. then, as they approached the wall-like cliffs, it seemed to grow lighter low down where the tide rushed and broke in foam, shedding a pale lambent glow, while deep down beneath them tiny points of light were gliding along as if the whole universe of stars had fallen into the sea and were illumining the dark depths below the boat. there was a strange fascination, too, in the ride, as without hesitation the smuggler turned the boat's head into channels where the tide rushed like a mill-race close up to towering masses, and round and in and out, threading the smaller skittle-like pieces, whose lower parts had been fretting away beneath the action of the sea till the bottom was not a third of the distance through near the top. tom, too, sat very silent for a long time, chewing a piece of pigtail tobacco, evidently feeling perfectly comfortable about the smuggler's knowledge of the coast. at last, though, he found his tongue: "i say, messmet, how's that head o' yourn?" "very sore, tommy." "ay, it will be. dessay you lost a lot o' blood." "i believe i did," said the steersman. "well, you're a big, strong fellow, and it'll do you good. but, i say, mind i has that hankychy back!" "i won't forget, mate," said eben, quietly. then to himself, "i shan't forget this night." "i don't like eben megg, and i don't like smugglers in general," tom bodger; "but human natur's human natur', even with old king's pensioned men as oughtn't to; but if eben comes to me with that there hankychy and slips a big wodge of hard hamsterdam 'bacco and a square bottle o' stuff as hasn't paid dooty into my hands in the dark some night, what am i to do? say i can't take it? well, i oughter, but--well, he arn't offered the stuff to me yet." the other occupants of the boat were thinking deeply during the latter part of the sail. aleck was wondering what his uncle would say, and eben megg thinking of his future, and he was startled from his reverie by aleck, who suddenly said: "what about the press-gang, eben--do you think they will know you again?" "hope not, sir; but i'm not very comf'table about it. someone set 'em on--someone as knows me; and, worse luck, they've got some of our chaps." "but they haven't caught you." "not yet, sir, but there's chaps as don't like me, and if they've been pressed they'll be a-saying to-morrow morning as it arn't fair for them to be took and me to get away. see?" "yes; but what difference will that make?" the smuggler laughed aloud. "only that they might put the skipper of the man-o'-war cutter up to where he'd find me." "but you had nothing to do with the cutter's men--that officer was from the sloop?" "ay, sir; but they're all working together, and the cutter's skipper has got a black mark against my name." "oh!" said aleck, thoughtfully. "then i suppose you'll go into hiding?" "that's right, sir; but i shan't feel safe then. eh, tom bodger?" "right, messmet; they'll be ferreting all along the coast arter yer. tell you what i should do if i was you." "what?" said the man, eagerly. "have a good wash up in the morning, and then jump in a boat and go and board the sloop like a man." "what!" "and then, says you, `i want to see the skipper,' you says, and as soon as he comes on deck, `here i am, your honour,' you says. `i warn't going to let your men take me last night as if i were an enemy or a thief; but if the king wants sailors, here i am, and i'll sarve him like a man.'" "well done, tom!" cried aleck. "think so, master aleck?" said the smuggler. "yes, it sounds very nice, i suppose; but it won't do. i'm the wrong sort. can't alter now." "you know your own affairs best, eben," said aleck, quietly; "but i expect they'll catch you, and then you'll be obliged to serve." "i expecks so too, master aleck, but i mean to have a fight for it first. there we are. p'raps you'd better take the tiller now and run your boat into the gap. you know the way better than i do. you, too, tom bodger." the latter went forward, to stand boat-hook in hand, while, after passing the tiller to the lad, eben laid hold of the rope and loosened it from the pin, ready to lower down the yard as soon as aleck passed the word. the next minute the boat had been run into the narrow jaws of the great chasm, the sail had been lowered, and after they had glided some distance along, helped by the boat-hook deftly wielded by tom bodger, the smuggler suddenly sprang out on to a shelf of rock at the side. "what are you doing?" cried aleck. "you can't get up there in the dark." "can't i, sir? you wait, and i'll hail you from the top before you get up to your mooring-rings." the smuggler kept his word, a low farewell shout coming from on high, and echoing in whispers right along the gap. "good-night or good morning!" he cried, and then he was gone. "i couldn't have got up there even in daylight, tom," said aleck. "nor me nayther, sir. might ha' done it once upon a time, but wooden legs arn't the best kind o' gear for rock-climbing, sir, any more than they are for manning the yards aboard ship; and that's why i was pensioned-off." "yes, tom; but what about you to-night?" "me, sir? i'm a-going to kiver mysen up with the sail and snooze away in the bottom of the boat." "very well; and i'll bring you something to eat as soon as i get in." "thankye, sir; that's about the right sort for me, as i didn't make much of a business over that there bread and cheese; and here we are!" "make her fast, tom," cried aleck, springing out. "i want to go and explain to uncle. i wonder what he'll say," the lad continued, to himself, as he hurried up the slope. "he can't be so very cross when he knows all." there was a candle burning in the kitchen window, evidently placed there to light the wanderer on his return up the gloomy depression; and, after glancing up at his uncle's room, to see that all was dark there, the lad made for the kitchen door. this was opened, and in a voluble whisper the housekeeper began: "oh, master aleck, i've been in sech a way about you! i made sure you'd been and drownded yourself, and here have i been sitting hours, fully expecting to see your white ghost coming up the dark path from off the sea." "don't be disappointed," said aleck, merrily; "but, tell me," he whispered, "has uncle gone to bed?" "hours ago, my dear." "was he very angry because i hadn't come back?" "he didn't say so, master aleck." "but he asked if i'd come home?" "nay, he didn't." "he went down into the boat harbour?" "that he didn't, master aleck." "then he went up on the cliff to look out with the glass?" "nay; he's been writing his eyes out of his head almost, master aleck. wouldn't come down to his dinner nor yet to his tea, and i had to take him up something on a tray, or else he wouldn't ha' eat a mossle. i shall be glad when he's writ his book." "then he didn't know i hadn't come?" "no, i don't believe he thought about you a bit." "hah!" sighed aleck. "but what have you been a-doing of, master aleck? not fighting again, have you?" "you don't see any marks, do you?" "nay, i don't see no marks; but whatever did make you so late, master aleck?" "someone broke a hole in the boat, and we had to mend it, that's all. now cut me some bread and ham for tom bodger down at the boat-shelter; he's nearly starved." the provender was willingly out and carried down, and soon after aleck lay dreaming over the adventures of the day. chapter seventeen. the next morning one of the first things that saluted aleck's eyes on making his way up to the look-out on the cliff, was the sloop-of-war about a couple of miles out, sailing very slowly along, followed at a short distance by the revenue cutter, and the lad had not been watching five minutes before he became aware of the fact that ness dunning's work in the garden was at a standstill, that individual being laid flat upon his chest watching the vessels' movements through a piece of pipe. away to the right on the cliffs, dotted about which lay eilygugg, there was a white speck here and a blue speck there, and a little more intent gazing proved to the lad that there was another speck upon the edge of the farthest cliff in view. "women on the look-out to give warning to the smugglers," thought aleck, and he hurried back to see if his uncle was down, and if he were not to return to the cliff-top with the glass. but the captain was just descending, and his first words were: "that's right, my boy; let's have breakfast. by the way, did you get my paper?" this started the lad, who was crammed with his news, which he hurriedly made known. "humph!" said the old man. "rather a lively experience for you, my lad; but you must be careful, for i don't want to have you in trouble over helping smugglers to escape." "no, uncle, of course not," said aleck; "but do you think i did wrong?" "certainly, my boy. this fellow--ill-conditioned fellow megg--was fighting against the law. he was doubtless there on some business connected with smuggling, and nearly got caught by the press-gang--an institution i do not admire, but those in authority consider it a necessity for the supply of the navy. keep away from all these worries, and as much as possible from rockabie and its young ruffians." "yes, uncle; but i really did not seek to be amongst all that business in rockabie yesterday," pleaded aleck. "of course not, my boy, and you need not look so penitent. the law's the law, of course, but i'm afraid if i had been appealed to as you were last night i should have done the same, and given the scoundrel a good talking to as i brought him away. there, have no more to do with it, and keep out of sight if there are boats landed, as there most probably will be, to make a search." "but suppose the officers land and know me again, uncle?" "there, there, i'm just in the midst of a tiresomely intricate chapter of my book, and don't want to have my attention taken off." "no, uncle, of course not; but if the officers and men know me again?" "why, let them, my lad. you were doing no harm, and they can do you none. now let's finish our breakfast." "shall i stay in, uncle?" said aleck. "tom bodger slept down in the boat last night, and i wanted to take him some breakfast." "go and take it then, of course." "and then stay in?" "no, no; nonsense. now don't bother me any more." "i won't get into any trouble," aleck said to himself, as he hurried out, armed with two huge sandwiches and a mug of well-sweetened coffee, with which he got on pretty well going through the garden, hardly spilling a drop, till he was startled by the voice of the gardener, saying, from the other side, in anticipation: "thankye, master aleck. that's very good of yer." that startling made the lad half stop, and about a tablespoonful of the hot preparation flew out on to the path. but aleck paid no attention, not even turning his head, but increasing his pace, with the mug troubling him a good deal in his efforts to preserve the liquid in a state of equilibrium in a rapidly descending and very slippery and uneven rocky path. "i daresay you'd like it," muttered aleck, as he hurried on, followed directly after by: "i'm over here, master aleck." "thank you for the information, ness, but they say none are so deaf as those who will not hear." at the next zigzag of the path he was out of sight and hearing, and a few minutes later close upon the niche devoted to his boat, with the big sandwiches complete, and quite three parts of the coffee in the mug. "sorry to have been so long, tom," he cried, breathlessly, "but here you--" aleck was going to say _are_, but he felt that it would not be correct, for tom was not there, nor anywhere within sight down the narrow waterway in the direction of the sea. he had left tokens of his presence in the shape of tidy touches, for the boat tackle had all been taken out and stowed away in the overhanging cavernous part, and the boat lay ready for any amount of necessary repairs, for, in spite of the sailor's declaration the previous evening, she had been leaking to such an extent during the night since she had been tied up, that she was one quarter full of water. "why, he ought to have stopped to mend the hole properly. seen the men-o'-war coming, i suppose, and gone back to rockabie so as not to be found if the sailors come searching here. but how stupid! what am i to do with this coffee and bacon?" a moment was sufficient for his decision, and he turned and hurried back, made straight for the tool-house, where he placed the mug on the bench, with the sandwiches carefully balanced across. then, carefully keeping out of the gardener's sight till the last minute, he turned down a path which led him near, and then, putting his hands to his lips, he shouted: "ness!" "yes, master aleck," came directly from where the man was making believe to have been busy for hours. "i've put some coffee and something to eat in the tool-shed," bellowed aleck. "let him think what he likes," he muttered, as he ran back indoors, obtained the glass, and was off again to make for the cliff and watch the proceedings of the men-o'-war. their proceedings seemed to be nil, for both vessels were hove to, and after watching them for a few minutes by means of the glass, aleck closed it, and hung about, undecided what to do. a minute later he had made up his mind, for the cave in which the smugglers' boats lay drawn up attracted him, and he was level with the cottages and preparing to descend when it occurred to him that he had better not go, for if eben had been suspicious of his visit and ready to think him guilty of giving information to the press-gang people and revenue men, it was quite possible that others there might be the same, while doubtless the women who had lost son, husband, or father during the past night would be in no pleasant temper to encounter. so instead of descending, aleck went on in the direction of the great gap in the cliff where he had had so exciting an encounter with the smuggler, intending to make for the shelf again so as to sit down and watch the sloop and cutter, but only to find when he reached the place, that the view in that direction was cut off by towering rocks. consequently he climbed back, went round the head of the deep combe, and crept round to the other side, mounted to the top, and then stood looking down into another of the great rifts in the coast-line, one which had perpendicular sides, the haunt of wild fowl, going sheer down to the water, which here came several hundred yards right into the land. there were plenty of capital places here where a strong-headed person could go and perch and excite no more notice than a sea-bird. they were what ordinary inshore folk would have called "terribly dangerous," but such an idea never occurred to aleck, who selected one of the most risky, in a spot where the vast wall where he stood was gashed by a great crack, which allowed of a descent of some thirty feet to a broad ledge littered by the preenings of the sea-birds, which seemed, though none were present, to have made it their home. it was a delightful spot for anyone who could climb to it without growing giddy; but there was no going farther, for the angle of the ledge was quite straight, and when the lad peered over he was looking straight into the gurgling, foaming and fretting water a hundred feet below. "what a boat cove that would have made," he thought, "if there were not so many sharp rocks rising from the bottom! i shouldn't like to try and take my kittiwake in there, big as it is." the gloomy place, with its black shadowy niches and caves at the surface of the water, had a strange fascination for him. in fact, with its solemn twilight and irregular crag, arch and hollow, it looked quite an ideal entrance to some mermaid city such as is described by the poets who deal in fable. but there were the two little men-o'-war to watch, and aleck drew back a step or two from the edge to select a comfortable seat, where the colour of the rock which rose up behind was likely to assimilate with his garments and not throw him up as a plainly-seen watcher if a telescope were directed shoreward from one of the vessels. "i wonder whether the smugglers ever come here," thought aleck, as he looked at the face of the rock in a spot that just suited his purpose; and then he laughed to himself and felt no doubt at all, for there, just level with his face, and about eighteen inches within a crack in the rock, a shabby old horn lanthorn was wedged, and just below it was a tinder-box and a square wide-mouthed bottle, well corked, evidently to protect its contents from the spray which would come rushing up from below in a storm, the contents being so many thin slips of wood, whose sharply-pointed ends had been dipped in molten brimstone. "one of their look-outs," he said to himself, as he turned again to sit down, but only to start and crouch upon his knees in surprise; for close up to the rock wall, half hidden by a tuft of sea-pink and grey sea holly, was a very old ragged black silk neckerchief, folded and creased as if lately torn off, and bearing strange rusty dark stains, dry and unpleasant-looking, and with very little consideration aleck settled in his own mind that, if it were not the kerchief tom had torn from his neck to wind round the smuggler's wound, it was as like it as could be. it did not look a nice thing to take up and handle, but the lad bent lower, before rising up to say, decisively: "it must be, i'm sure, for i almost seem to know the holes. then eben must have been here this morning watching for the press-gang people." another thought flashed across the lad's brain directly: "perhaps he's close by somewhere, watching me." this thought produced a very uncomfortable feeling, and aleck was divided between two forces which pulled different ways. one was to--as tom bodger called it--look out for squalls, the other to sit down quite calm and unconcerned to watch the vessels. "i can't help it if eben does fancy i'm watching his proceedings; he must feel that i should be longing to know what is going on. no, after last night i'm sure he won't think i should make signals to the ships. why should i? there's nothing to signal about." he focussed and re-focussed the glass, and held its larger end towards the sloop and placed one eye at the little orifice; but the left would not close and the right would not look at the sloop, but persisted in rolling about in every direction in search of eben, who, the boy felt certain now, must be crouching back in one of the rugged clefts watching every movement he made. aleck did the best he could to look calm and unconcerned, but anyone who had seen him from near at hand would have pronounced it as being a dismal failure. then all at once he started. down went the glass, and he craned forward towards the edge of the shelf to look down, for all at once there was a hoarse rumbling sound and a tremendous plash and crash as if a mass of rock had fallen from somewhere beneath him right into the rock-strewn gully below. he could not resist the desire to lie down upon his breast and edge himself forward till his face was over the edge and he could look right down into the water, which was all in motion, swaying and eddying, foaming round the half-submerged blocks of weed-hung stone, and behaving generally according to its custom as the tide went and came, for these chasms displayed little change, the water being very deep and never leaving any part of the bottom bare. there was nothing fresh to see, and after a time the lad drew back, to resume his old attitude with the glass to his eye. but he had hardly settled down again before he experienced a slight quivering sensation, as if the cliff had suddenly received a blow, while directly after there was a deep roar as of stones falling along some vast slope. then once more silence, with the water whispering and gurgling far below. "part of the cliff given way," thought aleck, as he called to mind places here and there where masses of the rocky rampart which guarded the western shores had evidently fallen, and about which he had heard traditionary stories. but these falls had taken place in far distant times. no one that he had heard speak of them could go farther back than chronicling the event as something of which "my grandfather heered tell." aleck thought no more of the sounds and went on watching the two vessels, till suddenly they seemed to be doing something in the way of action. a boat was lowered from each, and the lad's glass was powerful enough to enable him to make out the faces of the officers in the stern-sheets, one of whom was the midshipman who had charge of the boat at rockabie pier. aleck watched the boats rowing shoreward and separating after a time, one of the sloop's making for the eilygugg cove, the other rowing in the direction of the gap which led up to the depression in which lay the den. feeling that he would like to be at home if the boat entered their private chasm, as the lad dubbed it, he turned back along the cliff and reached the garden so as to descend to the mooring-place just in time to see the cutter's boat framed in the opening, the dark rocks round and above, and the little craft floating upon a background of opalescent sea and sky. "they can't have come right in," thought aleck, and after a time he made for the cliff again to get near the edge and look down, in time to see that both boats were being rowed back to their respective vessels. an hour after they were slowly gliding away in the direction of rockabie, their examination having been of the most perfunctory kind. chapter eighteen. "no, master aleck, not gone, as you may say, right off," replied tom bodger, a few days later, as he adzed and planed and hammered away at the kittiwake down in front of the natural boat-house. "they're a-dodging of it, strikes me. king's skippers is artful when they wants men. they just got enough of that smuggling lot aboard the sloop to make the cap'n hungry for more, and, you mark my words, he'll keep away so as to make the likely ones think they're safe, and then there'll come a night when they'll find they arn't." "oh, i don't think so, tom," said aleck, opening a fresh packet of glistening golden-hued copper nails. "i don't believe the press-gang will come again." "all right, master aleck, you go on thinking they won't, and i'll go on thinking they will, and let's see who's right." "but what makes you suspicious, tom?" "old sperience, sir," said the man, with a grim smile. "i 'member how we used to pick 'em up aboard the hajax--`our jacks,' as the lads used to call her. that's just how our old skipper used to work it; and if i were eben megg and didn't want to go to sea i should give up smuggling and take to an inland job, where he warn't known, and then he'd be safe. ha! them's the sort," he said, taking the fresh nails. "no rusting about them coppery nails." "no; but uncle says you're to be careful and not use so many, for they're expensive, and you do seem to like to drive in as many as you can." "now, you lookye here, master aleck," said the sailor, solemnly; "a copper nail may mean a man's life. you put in a hiron one and after a bit the sea water eats it all away. soon as the nail's eat away up starts a plank, in goes the water, and before you knows where you are down goes your boat and a man's drowned. copper nail costs a ha'penny, p'raps, and if it's a big 'un, a penny. well, arn't a man's life worth more'n that?" "of course; but how long shall you be before you've done?" "finish this week, sir; and then she'll last for years. you know how it was; soon as i ripped off that patch we found that a lot of her streaks under the pitch was rotten, and there was nothing for it but to cut a lot away and make a good job of it. well, sir, we're making a good job of it, and she'll be like a noo boat when i've done." "of course," said aleck; "and uncle said you were to do it thoroughly." "and thorough it is," said tom. "i've took a lot o' time, but there's been every bit to make good. let's see; this makes a week and three days i've been coming over reg'lar." "yes, tom," said aleck, laughing; "and what do you think ness says?" "dunno, master aleck," said the sailor, passing his hand, as if lovingly, over the well-smoothed sweet-smelling wood he was putting into the boat. "wants some beer?" "oh, of course," said aleck; "but he said he could have mended the boat up in half the time." "ah, he would," said tom, drily. "done it in two days, maybe, and first time she was out in bad weather the sea would undo all his work in quarter the time. won't do, master aleck; boat-building's boat-building, and it's all the same as ship-building--it means men's lives, and them who scamps work like this ought to be flogged. our old chips aboard the hajax, as i worked with as mate, used to say precious ugly things about bad boat-building, and he'd say what he'd do to him as risked men's lives by bad work. he taught me, master aleck, and i feel like him. i'd rather be paid a score o' shillings for doing a fortnight's good work than have it for doing a week's; and i'm going to drive in as many o' these here best copper nails as i thinks'll be good for the boat, and you're going to hold my big hammer agen their heads while i clinch 'em. then i shall feel as the boat's as safe as hands can make it. and, as i said afore, if i was eben megg, i'd drop the smuggling and go inland for a bit. that there sloop'll come into harbour some night when she arn't expected; you see if she don't! they was fine young men the skipper got the other night, and i say he'll try for another haul." "and i say," cried aleck, "that if he does send his men he'll be disappointed, for eben and the other smugglers will be too foxy to let themselves be surrounded as the men were at rockabie the other night." "well, master aleck, so much the better for them." then tom began hammering and clinching the soft copper nails as if he loved his work, and as soon as the sun went down started off to trudge across the moor to rockabie, taking his time over the task and looking as cheerful at the end as he did at the beginning of the long day. aleck had worked pretty hard, too, in the hot sun, and he was so drowsy that night that he was glad enough to see his uncle, wearied out with the writing, which seemed as if it would never come to an end, begin to nod and doze, and suddenly rise up and say: "let's go to bed!" aleck hardly knew how he got undressed, but he did afterwards recall going to the fully-open window and looking out at the dull night, as he drank in the soft cool air, which seemed so welcome after a still, sultry day. then he was asleep, dreaming of nothing, till about midnight, when his brain became active and he fancied that he was back in the darkness by the unlaunched boat at rockabie, growing wildly excited as he listened to the shouting and scuffling up one of the narrow lanes, followed by firing and what seemed to be either an order or a cry for help. the next moment the sleeper was wide awake, listening to what was undoubtedly a shout, and it was followed by another, both far away, but sounding clear on the night air, while from time to time came a dull murmur as of several voices together. "they're landing a cargo," thought aleck, and with his mind full of luggers lying off the coast, with boats going to and fro to fetch kegs, chests and bales, he hurried on his clothes, dropped from his bedroom window, hurried down the garden to the cliff path, and began to climb up the zigzag. the landing-place would no doubt be away to the west and below eilygugg, where the smugglers' fishing-boats lay, and as soon as he was up out of the depression on to the level down, aleck went off at a trot to get right at the edge of the cliff, where, unseen, he calculated upon getting a good view of what was going on by the light of, as he expected, many lanthorns. before he was half way to the edge a thrill ran through him, for a wild shrieking arose, beginning with one voice, and turning to that of several. "oh, it's a wreck!" cried the lad, wildly, and he hurried on, hoping to reach the way down to the boats and be of some use before it was too late. but as he ran on with throbbing heart and his breath growing short it gradually dawned upon him that the shrieks were those of angry women raging and storming, and this was soon confirmed, for there was the gruff burr of men's voices in the distance, followed by a shout or two, which sounded like the orders he had heard in his dream. "why, it's a fight," he cried, half aloud. "tom bodger's right; the press-gang has landed again, but, instead of going to rockabie, they've come here." he was as right as tom bodger, for at last when he made his way to the edge of the cliff it was to look down on the lanthorns carried by three boats, which were close up to the shingly patch of beach from which the fishing craft put off. as far as he could make out in the darkness, badly illumined by the lanthorns, there was a desperate struggle going on in the shallow water lying between the shingle and the boats. for the first few moments it seemed to aleck in his excitement that the press-gang was being beaten off by the smugglers. then he was puzzled, for he could hear hoarse shouts and laughter, mingled with shrieks and what seemed to be loud abuse in women's voices, followed by splashing in the water as of struggles going on again and again. after the last of these encounters the lights began to move outward in obedience to an order given loudly from one of the boats; the regular _dip-dip_ of oars came up, and then there was a rushing sound and a wild passionate chorus of cries from the shore. "i know," panted aleck, with a feeling of angry indignation attacking him. "they've taken and are carrying off some of the men, and the women have been fighting to try and rescue them. poor things, how horrible, but how brave!" he had confirmation of his surmises directly after, for there now rose up to his ears a burst of sobbing cries in a woman's voice, followed by confused eager talk from quite a party, who seemed to be trying to comfort the weeping woman. for a few moments there was a pause, during which in the deep silence there was the regular dip of oars, and the lanthorns gently rose and fell upon the smooth rollers of the tide. then there was a cry which went straight to aleck's heart, so piteous and wailing were its tones: "oh, eben! eben! come back, dear; come back!" it reached him for whom it was intended, and was answered directly from one of the boats in words which reached aleck more clearly perhaps then the listeners below him on the shore. "all right, lass. cheer up!" the order had its effect, for a cheer given heartily in women's voices was the result; but the lad's thoughts were active. "cheer up!" he said to himself. "how can the woman be cheerful with her husband dragged away like that?" the lights in the boats gradually grew more distant, while aleck lay thinking what he had better do, for the low eager murmur of voices down below raised a feeling of commiseration in his breast, which made him feel disposed to go down and try to say a few words of comfort to the bereaved women, who had evidently been trying hard to save their husbands. but he felt that he would only be able to act in a poor bungling way and that the smugglers' people might look upon him as an intruder and a spy. for though the den was so short a distance from eilygugg, there had been very little intercourse, and that merely at times when the help of the captain was sought in connection with some injury or disease. "they would likely enough turn on and begin fiercely at me," he thought. "i can do no good;" and he lay still, wanting to get away, but afraid to stir lest he should be heard. "they'll go soon," he thought; and he waited patiently, watching the lights gradually getting fainter and fainter as their distance from the shore increased. but the poor women seemed to have seated themselves just beyond reach of the lapping waves, which kept on breaking regularly in the little cove, and they, too, were watching the boat-lights till the last gleam had died away and all was darkness as far as they could see. then a low sobbing was heard, half drowned at times by many voices raised in angry protest, and mingled with threats. this went on and on, rising, falling, and quite dying out at times, but only to break out again, having a strange effect upon aleck, who would have given anything to get away unnoticed; but every now and then the silence was so perfect that he felt confident of being heard if he made the slightest movement, and consequently lay still. "they'd be sure to look upon me as an intruder," he muttered, "and be ready to resent my being here." at last though the silence was broken by the trampling of feet amongst the loose shingle, accompanied by a low murmured conversation, which was continued up the gap and died out finally high up towards the cottages, leaving the way for the listener clear. aleck took advantage of this, and, sad at heart, he was going slowly back towards the den, when suddenly became aware of steps coming from the direction of the smugglers' scattered patch of cottages. whoever it was had approached so near and had come upon him so suddenly that he obeyed his first impulse, which was to say, sharply: "who's that?" "eh? that you, master aleck?" "yes, it is i, ness. what are you doing out here at this time of night?" "mornin', arn't it, sir? same as you, i s'pose. who was to stop in bed with press-gangs coming and dragging folkses off to sea?" "then you heard them?" "heerd 'em, yes, sir! i was that feared o' being took myself that i got into hiding." "you were not fighting, then?" "me? fight? not me! i lay low and listened." "the press-gang landed and surprised the smugglers, then?" "yes, sir, and they've nabbed eben megg and six of his mates. did yer hear the women giving it to the sailors?" "i heard something of it." "they was fighting savage like to save their men, and the sailor chaps was glad enough to get back to their boats; but they took eben megg and half a dozen more along with 'em." "you seem to know all about it, ness," said aleck, suspiciously. "me, master aleck? well, you see, being such near neighbours like i can't help hearing a deal. but it's bad work smuggling, and i keep as clear of the folk as i can. going home to bed?" "yes." "that's right, sir. best place, too, of a night. but how did you know the press-gang was coming?" "i didn't know they were coming." "but you were theer?" said the old gardener, suspiciously. "i was there?" said aleck, "because the noise woke me, coming through my open window." "oh!" said the gardener. "i see." the next minute their ways diverged, and aleck soon after climbed up to his bedroom window, to drop off into a sleep disturbed by fights with press-gangs and smugglers all mixed up into a strange confusion, from which he was glad to awaken and find that he had hardly time to get dressed before his uncle would be down. chapter nineteen. captain lawrence listened with knitted brows to his nephew's narration of all that had taken place in the night, and shook his head. "it's miserable work, my boy," he said; "so piteous for the poor women. well, perhaps good will come out of evil, and it may be the breaking up of a notorious smuggling gang." it was just as aleck was finishing his third cup of coffee, which he set down sharply in the saucer, startled by the sudden rush of the gardener to the open window, through which he thrust his head without ceremony. "here's--" he began, excitedly. "oh!" for a big heavy hand appeared upon his shoulder, clutching him hard and snatching him away. "what is the meaning of this, boy?" cried the captain. aleck's head was already out of the window, and he drew it back again to answer: "a lot of sailors, uncle, and their officer." the lad's words were followed by the appearance of jane, whose eyes were wide open and staring, her mouth following suit to some extent, so that she had to close her lips before saying: "plee, sir, orficer, sir. to see you, sir." the captain nodded shortly and rose to go, followed by aleck, out into the little ball, at whose door a naval officer and a boat's crew of men were waiting. "good morning," said the officer, shortly; and then turning upon aleck, "hallo, young man, i've seen you before!" "yes, in rockabie harbour," said the lad, looking at him wonderingly, while his heart began to beat fast as he glanced at the party of sturdy sailors. "ah, to be sure," said the officer; then to the captain again, "you are aware, i suppose, that we made a descent last night upon your nest of smugglers here." "i have just learned, sir, what took place," said the captain, coldly. "of course. well, sir, in the struggle and after trouble with the women, who resented the taking away of the men, the young officer of the second boat was missed." "not the midshipman who was with your boat the other day?" said aleck, eagerly. "eh? yes," cried the officer. "what do you know about him?" "only that we had a few words together." "and you know that he was missed?" "i did not know till you told me," said aleck. "didn't know, i suppose, that there was that struggle over yonder by the cove last night, eh?" "yes," said aleck, frankly; "i saw some of it." "ah! then you were with the smugglers, eh?" "no," replied aleck; and he briefly related his experience, including his being awakened by shots. "ah, to be sure," said the officer; "they're a nice daring set of scoundrels--fired on the king's men; but we got the rascals who did. well, sir, what's become of our officer?" "how should i know?" said aleck, staring. "you must have seen something of what went on after we started back." "no," said aleck. "there seemed to be no one there but the women." "but you saw them and heard what they said? you heard them talking about him?" "no, i did not go near the women." "why?" said the officer, sharply. "because i was afraid they would think i had something to do with the press-gang coming." "well, he must be found. he's here somewhere." "is there any possibility of the poor young fellow having been knocked overboard during the struggle?" "not the slightest," replied the officer, shortly. "he may have been knocked down somewhere on the way between the cottages, where we pounced upon the men, and the landing-place. well, he must be found." "of course," said the captain, quietly. "you will go up, then, and search the smugglers' cottages--fishermen they call themselves?" "we have searched them thoroughly," said the officer, "and we've come across now, sir, to search your place--what do they call it?--the den." aleck glanced at his uncle's face, and could see the blood gathering in his cheeks. "search my house, sir?" he said. "are you so mad as to suppose that i should entrap one of the king's officers?" "possibly, sir," replied the visitor, "on the _quid pro quo_ principle, to hold on ransom. we've got some of your friends; you have snatched at one of ours." "this is the first time, sir, that i've been led to suppose that i was a friend to the smugglers. eh, aleck?" "what nonsense, uncle!" cried the lad, indignantly. "oh, indeed, young gentleman!" said the officer, turning upon him sharply. "no friends of yours neither?" "certainly not," cried aleck. "ho! then, perhaps you will be good enough to explain how it is that the gardener here is the smugglers' chief assistant in signalling, spying, and warning them?" "he isn't," said aleck, sharply. "he is," said the officer. "what is more, i found that cargoes are run down here in a cove or rift upon your coast, where a handy boat is kept." "we've got a boat down the rift," said aleck. "exactly; one that runs to and fro between here and rockabie." "yes," said aleck, mockingly; "to fetch fishing-tackle and grocery--and writing paper; eh, uncle?" the captain nodded, while the young lieutenant went on: "and to take messages from here to rockabie." "no," cried aleck; but the officer went on, quietly: "look here, sir, i am credibly informed that it was your boat that rescued one of the most daring of the smugglers on the night of an encounter we had there--a man whom i was holding with my own hands till i was savagely struck down. it is quite likely that this may be examined into later on, but my business now is to find my messmate. look here, it will save a good deal of trouble, and make things much easier for you, if you put me up to the place where the prisoner is hidden." "perhaps it would," said aleck, firmly now; "but i tell you i know nothing whatever about your young midshipman. if you think he is hidden somewhere here you are quite wrong." "perhaps so," said the officer, sternly, "but we shall see." then, turning to the captain, he said, shortly: "i shall have to search your place, sir," and then rather jeeringly, as if suggesting that it would not matter in the least if the captain objected, he added: "i presume that you will not put difficulties in my way?" "none whatever, sir," said the captain. "and as an old commissioned officer in his majesty's service should feel it my duty to help in any way i could." "eh? oh, thank you," said the officer, changing his manner. "i beg your pardon. i heard the people called you captain, but i supposed that you were captain of some fishing or trading boat." the captain bowed coldly. "aleck," he said, "do you know anything about dunning being intimate with the smugglers?" "yes, uncle; i have been suspecting it lately." "oh, master aleck!" came from outside. "me? how can you say such a word! when did you ever know me smuggle anything? oh, my dear lad, tell the truth; when did you--whenever did you know me smuggle anything?" "often," said aleck, bluntly. "what; tea and sperrits and 'bacco and silk?" "no," said aleck; "but fruit." "oh, fruit!" said the gardener, contemptuously. "what's a bit of fruit?" "perhaps you will have my house and grounds searched at once, sir," said the captain, waving the gardener back. "the house is small, and--" "stop a moment, sir," said the young lieutenant, for such he proved to be; "will you give me your word of honour as an officer and a gentleman that my brother officer is not concealed about your premises?" "certainly," said the captain. "i give you my word of honour that he is not; and i add to it that i have never had any dealings with the smugglers." "that is enough, sir. now, will you tell me where we are to find their hiding-places, for they must have some stowages for the goods they run." "i assure you, sir, that i have not the slightest knowledge of any such places. i have often suspected the existence of a cave or caves. aleck, my boy, do you know of any?" aleck turned sharply to speak, and as he did so he caught the gardener's eyes fixed upon him with a peculiar glare that might have been threatening or imploring, the lad could not tell which; but he spoke out frankly at once: "no, uncle. i've often wondered whether there was a smuggler's cave, but i never found one." "humph! that seems strange," said the officer. "you have a boat?" "yes, i have a boat." "and go coasting and fishing about close in. do you mean to tell me you never found anything of the kind?" "yes." "and you never saw a cargo being landed--i mean a cargo of smuggled goods?" "never," said aleck. "then you must have been very unobservant, young gentleman. i presume that you have seen smugglers about here?" aleck's face lit up, and he once more caught ness's eyes fixed upon him as he spoke. "oh, yes," he said; "several." "and you could direct us to their cottages?" "i could," said aleck, "but i'm not going to." "well done, master aleck!" shouted the gardener. "silence, sir," said the captain, sternly. "go on, aleck." "i've no more to say, uncle," replied the lad, "only that i'm not going to lead people to take and press men by force for sailors. besides, the lieutenant does not need showing--he has been to the men's cottages, and taken some of them." "to be sure," said the officer, good-humouredly; "and i don't want to be hard on you. it is not the thing to ask a gentleman to do. but please understand, sir, that i am not seeking for men to press now, but to find my brother officer who is missing. can you help me in that?" "i'm afraid i can't," said aleck, frankly; "but i will do all i can." "thank you; that's right," said the officer. "come, captain lawrence, we are making some progress after all." "i'm glad of it, sir," replied the captain; "but, tell me, you pressed some men last night?" "yes, we got seven sturdy fellows to the boats, in spite of a vigorous resistance." "seven?" said the captain. "well, surely that must be quite as many as we have living in the little cluster of cliff cottages! of course there are their wives and children!" "yes," said the lieutenant, drily; "we learned to our cost that they had wives, and strapping daughters too." "then how can it be possible that your brother officer can be here? there is no one to keep him a prisoner." "well, it doesn't seem likely," said the officer, in a disappointed tone. "unless," he added, "these viragoes of women are keeping him, out of spite." "there's not the slightest probability of that," said the captain. "i'm afraid, sir, that you will find an accident has befallen him." the lieutenant shook his head, and then turned to aleck. "you have a boat and a wonderfully retired nook where you keep her! where is it--down below here?" "your men came to the mouth of it last time you were here." "what, last night?" "no, no; a fortnight ago." "ah, yes, i remember. you mean that narrow split in the rock; but surely no boat could go in there?" "mine goes in, and out too," said aleck; "and it's nearly as big as yours. but what of that?" "is it likely that my brother officer, finding himself left behind, may have hidden himself there?" "not a bit likely," said aleck; "but, let's go and see!" "by all means," said the captain; and aleck led them off at once through the sunken garden and down to the slope which led into the chasm. "my word, what a place!" said the officer, in his admiration. "wonderful! and this is your boat-house, eh?" he added, when, followed by his boat's crew, they reached sea level and gazed into the great niche in which the kittiwake was securely moored. "not a bad place," said aleck; "and it's easy enough to get in and out when you know how." "one moment," said the officer; "here are plenty of cracks and crevices in the sides of this rift or cave, or whatever you call it, where a fellow might hide. here, my lads, give a good loud hail or two! raven--ahoy!" the hail rang out, the men shouting together, their powerful voices raising up a broadside of echoes as if the shout ran along zigzag to the mouth of the place before the hail passed out to sea, while at the first roar a multitude of sea-birds flung themselves off the shelf and flew up to the surface and away over the cliffs, shrieking and screaming in hundreds to add to the din. the men shouted again, and as soon as the echoes had died out sent forth a louder roar than ever; but there was no answering cry, and the lieutenant turned disappointed away. "he is evidently not here," he said. "forward, my lads, back up to the house. we're on the wrong tack, squire," he continued, speaking to aleck. "look here; i'm going back to our boat in the smugglers' cove to coast along each way as close in as we can get for the rocks. he may have gone off a rock into deep water during one of the scuffles and then swum to some nook or cavern, out of which he can't get on account of deep water." "that seems likely," said aleck. "like me to come and show you some of the caves?" "smugglers' caves?" "oh, no; little places where you couldn't row in, but where anyone might hide." "ah, that's better," said the officer. "you'll do that?" "of course i will," said aleck; and after a short visit to the house aleck led the boat's crew and their leader across the cliff and down the rough descent, feeling greatly relieved on finding that there was not a fisherman's wife in sight, for he was pretty certain that his appearance in company with their enemies might prove to be a very uncomfortable thing. in due time the beach was reached, and the keepers of the sloop's boat backed in to allow the officer and crew to get aboard, after which there was an order or two given, and then they rowed out a short distance and, keeping in as close as possible, visited cave and crevice for about half a mile, landing wherever it was possible, sometimes climbing over weed-hung slimy rocks, sometimes wading, and then returning to continue the search in the opposite direction far past the entrance to the den, before rowing back after an exhaustive search. the officer gave the word to stop as the entrance to aleck's boat haven was reached, and, under guidance, rowed and poled up till he could land. "thank you for all you've done, youngster," said the lieutenant; "it has been a barren search, but i shall give up for to-day. maybe i shall look you up again. meantime i hope you'll keep your ears open, and if you can pick up anything worth having hoist a white tablecloth or sheet on your boat's mast on the top of the cliff, if it's by day, and if it's night, burn one of the blue lights i'll leave with you. neither of these things will be fighting against your neighbours the smugglers, but only helping us to find our midshipman and making more friends than you know. you'll do this for us?" "of course," said aleck, eagerly. "hand out three of those blue lights, coxswain! next time we come, squire, i'll bring you a rocket or two. there; thankye, and good day!" "good day," said aleck; "but can you make your way out?" "my lads will, never fear," said the lieutenant, and aleck stood with the blue lights in his hand, watching the boat till it passed round one of the angles and was out of sight, when he turned round, to find that he was not alone. "you here, tom?" he said to the sailor, who was standing in the shadow of the boat haven, close up to the dark rocks. "me it is, sir." "what is it--any news?" "me, sir? no; on'y what i got when i come across to see what was going on about the press-gang coming here. say, master aleck, i told yer so." "yes, tom, you told me so," replied the lad, warmly. "there, i'm fagged out; let's get up to the house. i want some dinner. you want some too, don't you?" "oh, i dunno, sir! i had my braxfus." "so did i, tom, hours and hours ago. what time is it?" "'bout four, sir." "late as that? come and have some dinner with me. it's a horrible business about that poor midshipman." "ay, 'tis, sir. smart lad as ever i see." "where do you think he can be?" "carried out by the tide, i should say, sir." "oh! horrible! then you don't think the smugglers can have taken him prisoner?" "tchah! what could they do with prisoners, master aleck? may have given him a crack on the head and knocked him into the water. easy done in a scrimmage, and nobody none the wiser." "but mightn't he be hid in the smugglers' cave?" "well, he might be, sir, if there is one. if he is he's shut up tight and they've took away them as knows how to get in." "yes," said aleck, as they reached the garden and caught sight of the gardener watching them. "i say, tom, there must be a big cavern somewhere." "very like, sir." "you don't know where it is?" "not me, sir." "don't look that way, but tell me what you think. isn't old ness likely to know?" "very likely, sir; but if he did know he wouldn't tell." "then you think he is mixed up with the smuggling gang?" "that's so, sir." "then i'll make him tell me," said aleck, between his teeth. "do, sir, for i should like us to find the young gen'leman, he being an officer and me an old navy man. make old ness tell yer. you are good friends with him, arn't yer?" "yes, of course," said aleck. "no, of course not," he cried, angrily, for like a flash came the recollection of the scene that morning, when the gardener had protested against being suspected of having any dealings with such outlawed men. "oh, tom, what an unlucky fellow i am!" "feel like that, sir?" "yes." "that's because you wants yer dinner very bad, master aleck. you get indoors and have your salt beef and biscuit, or whatever your jane has stowed away, and you'll feel like a noo man." chapter twenty. the party from the sloop-of-war came twice, led by the lieutenant, and had long and patient searches with aleck in their boat ready to follow or lead the men into one or other of the openings in the rocks where the waves ran in with a peculiarly hollow echoing rush at low water, but which were covered deeply at half tide. these chasms were examined diligently, for the lieutenant had noted that the tide was very low when the attack was made. but nothing was discovered. aleck noted that the young officer looked very despondent on the second occasion, and the next morning when the lad went down to the smugglers' cove to meet the boat, which he had sighted from his look-out place on the cliff, where with tom's help he had set up a spar ready for signalling, he found another officer in command of a fresh set of men. the lad met them as a matter of course, feeling that his services would be welcome, but encountered a short, sharp rebuff in the shape of an enquiry as to who he was, and, upon explaining, he was told sharply to go about his business. "look here, sir," said the officer, "i don't want any natives to lead me on a false scent." "very well," said aleck, quietly, and he climbed up the cliff again, and after noting which way the boat's head was turned he went off beyond the smugglers' cove and reached the great gap, where he descended to the shelf where he had found the lanthorn and tinder-box. he had just reached it, when a figure started up and began to hurry inland, just giving him a glimpse of her face before she disappeared among the rocks, and he recognised eben megg's wife. "been looking out to sea, poor thing!" thought aleck. "i'm afraid she'll watch for a long time before she sees him coming back." he forgot the woman again directly in the business of watching the boat, which kept on coming into sight far below and disappearing again, drawing forth the mental remark from aleck, "labour in vain," for he felt that all the openings below where he stood had been thoroughly searched. aleck hung about till the afternoon, and saw the boat shoot off from beyond one of the points in the direction of the sloop lying at anchor, and then went home. the next morning, when he went up to his signalling spar to direct the glass at the sloop, she was not there; but the cutter, which had been absent, lay in about the same place, and after a time the lad made out another boat coming towards the smugglers' cove. "a fresh party," he said to himself. "well, i should like to help them find the poor fellow, but if they want help they must come and ask me; i'm not going to be snubbed again." he closed his glass and struck off by the shortest way across the head of the smugglers' cove, making once more for the high ground beyond, for it commanded the coast in two directions. but long before he reached his favourite spot he again caught sight of the fluttering blue petticoat of a woman, and saw her hurrying inland. "poor woman!" thought aleck. "she needn't be afraid of me." he kept an eye upon her till she disappeared, and then went on to the niche in the rock face, settled himself down with his glass, and watched the cutter's boat, which was steadily pulling in. the birds meanwhile kept on flitting down from where they sat in rows along the inaccessible shelves, skimmed over the water, dived, and came up again with small fishes in their beaks, to return to feed the young, which often enough had been carried off by some great gull, one of the many which glided here and there, uttering their peculiarly querulous, mournful cries, so different in tone from the sharp, hearty calls of the larger inland birds. there were a good many sailing about overhead, aleck noted, and they were more noisy than usual, and this, judging from old lore which he had picked up from tom bodger and the fishermen, he attributed to a coming change in the weather, wind perhaps, when the sea, instead of being soft blue and calm, might be lashed by a storm to send the waves thundering in upon the rocks, to break up into cataracts of broken water and send the glittering foam whirling aloft in clouds. "no more hunts then," thought aleck; and then aloud to a great white-breasted gull which floated overhead, watching him curiously, "well, what are you looking at? i've not come egging now." the gull uttered a mournful cry and glided off seaward, to dive down directly after beyond the cliff, its cry sounding distant and faint. the boat came on nearer and nearer till it, too, disappeared, being hidden by the great bluff to his left. then half a dozen more gulls rose up and came skimming along the rugged trough-like depression towards where he sat, with bird-covered ledges to left and right. when they caught sight of him they rose higher with a graceful curve, and began wheeling round, uttering their discordant cries, some of the more daring coming nearer and nearer upon their widespread spotless wings, white almost as snow, till a sway would send one wing down, the other up, giving the looker-on a glimpse of the soft bluish grey of their backs, save in the cases of the larger birds--the great thieves and pirates among the young--which were often black. there was no boat to watch now, so aleck, after sweeping the horizon in search of the sloop-of-war, gradually turned the end of his glass inland over the sweep of down and wild moor, till, just as he was in the act of lowering it, he caught sight, some distance off and directly inland, of some object which looked like a short, pudgy, black and white bird sitting upon a rock. "what's that?" he said, steadying the glass which had given him the glimpse in passing over it; but, try he would, he could not catch the object again. "couldn't have been a rabbit," he muttered. "fancy, perhaps," and he lowered the glass, to begin closing it as he trusted to his unaided vision and looked in the direction of the grey weathered rocks. "why, there it is!" he cried. "it's a black bird with a white breast. it must be some big kind of puffin sitting with its feathers stuck-up to dry." he began to focus the glass once more, and raised it to his eye; but he could not get the object in the field of the glass again, nor yet when he lowered it catch a glimpse of that which he sought with his naked eye. turning away to look down the deep depression, he began to watch the birds again, when he was impressed by the cry of one which seemed to have settled, after passing overhead, somewhere on the open beyond the ridge in which lay the niche containing the old lanthorn. "ahoy-oy-oy!" he cried, softly, trying to imitate, but with very poor success, the gull's querulous cry. "tah! tah! that's a jackdaw," said aleck, half aloud. "plain enough; but that mournful wail! it must be a different kind of gull. black-backed perhaps, with a bad cold through getting wet. i wonder whether a gull could be taught to talk! i don't see why not. let's see, parrots can be taught, of course, and cockatoos learn to say a few words. so do jackdaws and starlings, but very few. oh, yes! then there's the raven. uncle said he knew of one at an old country inn that used to say `coming, sir,' whenever anyone called for the ostler. then there are those indian birds they call mynahs. uncle says that some of them talk beautifully. hallo! there he goes again! it's just like `ahoy-oy-oy-oy!' plain enough to deceive anyone if it came off the sea. i'll wait till i catch sight of the gull that makes that noise, and next nesting-time i'll watch for some of the same kind and get two or three of the young ones to bring up. if they can say what sounds something like `ahoy!' so plainly it ought to be possible to teach one to say more." aleck sat and mused again, running over in his mind such gulls as he knew, and coming to the conclusion that unless it was some unusual specimen, of great vocal powers, it could not be the black-backed nor the lesser black-backed, nor the black-headed herring gull or kittiwake. "i don't know what it is," he said, "but, whatever it may be, it's a good one to talk," and as he listened he heard the peculiar, weird, wailing cry again, sounding something like "ahoy!" "gone now," said aleck, half aloud, as he keenly watched in the direction of the cry, which had now ceased. "it might as well have flown over this way instead of down over the cliff. hooray! there it goes!" he shaded his eyes to follow the steady regular course of a large bronze black bird flying close down the trough-like depression, as close to the bottom as it could keep clear of the rocks, till it reached the end, where it dipped down towards the sea and disappeared. "well, i'm a clever one," cried the lad, with a scornful laugh; "lived ever since i can remember close to the sea, and been told the name of every bird that comes here in the winter and in the summer to nest, and didn't know the cry of an old shag. well, say that cry, for it was very different from the regular croak i know. he had been fishing, having a regular gorge, and ended by swallowing a weevil. the little wretch set up its spines, i suppose, as it was going down and stuck, making the old shag come up there to sit and cough to get rid of it. if ever i'm along with anyone who hears that noise and wants to know what it is i can tell him it's a shag or a cormorant suffering from sore throat." aleck began to use the glass again, for the cutter's boat came into sight for a few minutes, before gliding along close in once more, to be hidden by the perpendicular cliffs. "gone," he said to himself. "well, they will not find the poor fellow, for i don't believe they can search any better than we did. it's very dreadful. nice, good-looking chap; as clever as clever. cocky and stuck-up; but what of that? fellow gets into a uniform and has a cocked hat and a sword, it makes him feel that he is someone of consequence. how horrible, though! comes along with the boat ashore over that press-gang kidnapping business, and the boat goes back without him. i wonder whether he was better off than i am, with a father and mother! they'll have to know soon, and then i wonder what they'll say!" aleck gave another look round, sweeping the sea, and carrying his gaze round to the land, and then starting. "there it is again!" he said, eagerly, as his eyes rested upon the distant black and white object inland. "come, i can get a shot at you this time," he muttered, as, carefully keeping his eyes fixed upon the squat-looking object amongst the rocks, he slowly raised the glass. "i believe it must be a black and white rabbit. there are brown and white ones sometimes, for i've seen them, so i don't see why there shouldn't be black and white. got you at last, my fine fellow. ha, ha, ha," he laughed. "how absurd! why, it's eben megg's wife; just her face with the patch of black hair showing above that bit of rock she's hiding behind. why, she must be watching me. i know; poor thing, she's watching for me to go away so that she can come and look out to sea again for poor eben." aleck closed his glass and rose to make his way back along the cliff and leave the place clear, a feeling of gentlemanly delicacy urging him to go right off and not intrude his presence upon one who must be suffering terribly from anxiety and pain. "it seems so dreadful," he mused, as he went right on without once turning his head in the woman's direction; "but somehow it only seems fair that both sides should suffer. she's all in misery because her husband has been dragged away. yes, he said he'd come back to her, but it's a great chance if she ever sees him again, and it's as great a chance whether that poor young middy's friends ever see him again. i don't like it, and it's a great pity there's so much trouble in the world. look at poor uncle! why, i don't know what real trouble is. i might have gone off to sea all in a huff after what uncle said, and then might have come back as badly off as poor old double dot. well, i'm very, very sorry for poor eben's wife, and--there i go again with my poor eben. why should i talk like that about a man who has the character of being a wrecker as well as a smuggler? he was never friendly to me and i quite hate him. but whether the king wants men or whether he doesn't, i just hate eben so much that if he wanted to escape back to his wife and asked me to help him i'd do it; and just the same, if the smugglers had caught that young middy and were going to ill-use him--kill him perhaps--why, i'd help him too. it's very stupid to be like that perhaps, sort of jack o' both sides, but i suppose it's how i was made, and it isn't my fault. why, i say, it must be near dinner-time. how hungry i do feel!" the coast was clear for eben megg's wife, and as soon as the lad was out of sight she once more made her way towards the cliff. chapter twenty one. aleck went along the cliff the next day to look out for the boat, fully intending to turn back if he caught sight of eben's wife; but as far as he could make out she was nowhere in that direction. still he concluded that she might possibly come to the place she affected, so he determined to keep on his own side of the depression, lowering himself down to the shelf in which was the niche or crack, in the belief that he could get a fair view over the sea from among the scattered masses of rock while being quite out of the woman's sight if she should come after all. he swung himself down till he stood upon the shelf, and gave one hasty look round, to come to the conclusion directly after that if the poor woman sought his favourite look-out spot he could not have chosen a worse place, for he would be in full view, no matter where he crouched. "i know," he said to himself; "i can get over here and lie down in the crack on the other side." he began to climb, after making for the hole where the lanthorn and tinder-box still lay tucked tightly in beyond the reach of the wind; and the next minute, after making his way diagonally upward, he came upon the beginning of a steep narrow gully, going right down more and more deeply, so that forty or fifty yards away he could not see the bottom, the place having the appearance of being a vast crack formed by a sudden subsidence of the rocky cliff. he was now out of sight from the other side of the great depression, and was just congratulating himself upon his selection of a hiding-place and look-out combined, when he recalled the sounds he had heard during a former visit. "why, it must have been caused by something falling down here," he argued, and he looked outward, to see that this was one of the narrowest, deepest and most savage-looking gullies he had seen, the place being giddy to look down and impressing him with the belief that the greatest care was necessary for anyone to move about; and as he dropped down upon his knees it was with a feeling of relief and safety, for accustomed though he was to climbing about upon the cliffs, this one particular spot looked giddy and wild. to his great satisfaction he found that he could follow the crack right down to the sea and obtain a good view without being seen, unless anyone had followed his example and climbed; but what most took his attention was that though he had been climbing about the place often in search of the eggs of rare birds, he had never been there before, or noted the existence of such a deeply-split cavity in the cliffs. "i must have been able to see it from off the sea," he argued, but gave himself up to the thought directly after that ridges and hollows had a completely different aspect when seen from below. "i should know it now directly if i were sailing by and looked up, of course. i fancy i can recollect this steep wall-like bit down below where i'm sitting." he started the next moment, for a great gull had come gliding up from behind and passed so closely over his head that he was startled by the faint whizz of its outspread wings, while the bird itself was so startled that it uttered a hoarse cry of alarm and plunged down head foremost like a stone. "why, that must have been the kind that made that cry like a hail," cried aleck, as the bird disappeared into the depths of the gully, while he had hardly realised the thought before there rose from below a faint, hoarse cry. "i thought so," he said; "those birds have different cries and they sound strange, according to where you are." he did not finish his words, for all at once the peculiar cry arose again, and this time it seemed to come from out of the deep jagged hollow, and certainly from the other side. "how strange!" said the lad, with a feeling akin to dread running through him. "that can't be a bird." he listened again, waiting for some minutes in the midst of the silence of the great wilderness in which he crouched. then "ahoy!" came up, so clearly that there was no room for doubt, and aleck's heart began to beat fast as thought after thought flashed through his brain. "it must be someone calling," he felt and when after a few minutes the cry arose again, the thought struck him that it must come from somewhere beneath his feet, from an opening in the wall of the crack and then strike against the opposite wall, from which it was reflected, so that it seemed to come from that side, and from some distance away. aleck waited till the cry came across again, and then shouted in answer: "hallo there! what is it?" there was no response. then after a pause came "ahoy!" once more. "where are you?" shouted aleck, but there was no reply, and the result was the same when he tried over and over again. "whoever it is, he can't hear me," thought the lad, and growing excited now as he concluded that some fisherman, or perhaps a strange wanderer, had slipped, fallen, and perhaps broken a limb, he began to set about finding him and affording help. coming to the belief more fully that the sound came from beneath him, aleck lay down upon his chest with his head over the brink of the rocky gash, and, holding on tightly, strained out as far as he could to look down. but he could see nothing, and rose up again to look to his left for the dying out in the solid cliff of the top end of the gorge. that meaning a difficult climb, he made up his mind, to lower himself down over the edge, and setting his teeth, he began to lower himself over; but a slip at the outset so upset his nerves that he scrambled back, panting as if he had been running a mile. "nearly went down," he muttered. "that's not the way to help anyone who has just fallen." he paused for a few moments to think about getting help from eilygugg. "there are no smugglers at home now," he said to himself, and his thoughts turned homeward. "uncle couldn't climb up here and handle ropes," he muttered; "and as for ness--bah! he's a stupid muddling old woman. "i must get right round somehow and see where the opening is," said the lad, at last. "but when i have found it, what then? i must get back here again; and then? yes, i must have help and a rope. oh, what a lonely old place this is when you want anything done! bah! what a grumbler you are," he cried, the next moment. "you forgot all about tom. he's sure to be over to-day, and i'll bring him with a rope." this thought heartened the lad up, and he set off cautiously and quickly to get round by the head of the great rocky gash to the other side. the journey was very dangerous and bad, but he was a good climber, and at the end of a dozen yards he was stopped by a great block which lay across his path with the portion to his right overhanging the gulf, forcing him to go round by the other end. this he passed with ease, and he uttered a cry of astonishment the next moment, for he found himself at the narrow head of a transverse gash which stopped further progress in the way he intended, but offered apparently, as it curved round and down, an easy descent to the very part he wished to reach. and so it proved, for proceeding cautiously, he began to descend by a narrow ledge or shelf, with the overhanging wall on his right and a sheer fall of twenty feet on his left. a few yards further it was forty feet, and again a few yards placed him in a position that cut off all view of the bottom. "won't do to be giddy here," he said to himself. "who'd have thought of finding such a place?" he moved along cautiously, holding on by the rock on his right, and found that it was singularly cracked and riven, but it afforded good hold. directly after a short pause and peer forward and downward to try if he could see any signs of the poor fellow who had called for help, he stepped on again slowly and cautiously, anchoring himself, as it were, by thrusting his arm to the elbow in a perpendicular crack, so that he could hang outward and get a better view down. "hullo!" he ejaculated, in wonder. "how strange!" and he began to sniff, as a cool dank puff of air saluted his nostrils and he recognised the peculiar odour of decaying seaweed. "this narrow crack must go right down to the sea somewhere," he said to himself. "well, why not? rocks do split all sorts of ways. there, i'm right," he added, for there was another moist puff of cool air, and in company with it a peculiar far-off whispering sound, one which he well knew, for he had heard it thousands of times, it being the soft rattling of pebbles running back over one another after being cast up by a wave. "this is queer," he muttered, and, withdrawing his arm, he took another step or two along the ledge, which curved more round to his right, so that he could not see above a couple of yards, while upon getting to the end of these he found that he had to pass an angle in the rock face which brought him to where the ledge widened out considerably. "i must be just under where i lay down to look over," he said to himself, and having plenty of room now he turned to look upward, and then stopped short as if turned to stone, for from somewhere just beyond where he stood came the soft hollow rush and hiss of shingle following a retiring wave, and with it a distant hollow-sounding "_ahoy_!" but aleck did not start forward to peer down some deep chasm leading through the huge cliffs to the sea, but, as has been said, stood fast, looking upward, as if turned to stone, his attention having been seized upon by the rattling, rustling sound made by something above his head, and the next moment a pair of feet came into sight so close to him that he could have touched them where they hung on a level with his eyes. they stopped short, with the toes resting for a few moments upon a projecting stone, and then a man dropped lightly upon the broad ledge with a panting ejaculation of relief. chapter twenty two. there was another ejaculation uttered upon that rough ledge of rock, and it was uttered by aleck, in the form of the one word: "eben!" the man gave forth a hoarse cry, sprang upon him, and pinned him by the shoulders against the rock, panting breathlessly the while as if exhausted by previous exertions, while his lips were drawn back from his white teeth and he wore generally the aspect of some savage bunted beast at bay. "don't!" cried aleck, angrily, dragging at the man's wrists as he noted his fierce looks; "you hurt. let go. why, i thought the press-gang had taken you right away?" "did yer?" growled the man, breathlessly, through his set teeth, while his dark eyes seemed to glitter. "then you see they haven't. what are you doing here?" "having the skin rubbed off the back of my head, i think," cried aleck, struggling to get free. "be quiet! are you mad?" "'most," panted the man, tightening his grasp. "but you'll have me off the ledge here if you don't mind." "yes, and then you'll tell no tales," growled the man, in a hoarse whisper, for he was recovering his breath. "what about?" said aleck, uneasily, for the man's manner was terrible in its intensity. "what about?" snarled eben. "yes; i don't understand you. i say, eben, have you escaped?" the man glared at him, and the look which met his--a look full of enquiry and perfectly fearless--seemed to disarm him somewhat. "no," he said, "i won't think it was your doing, my lad." "what?" asked aleck. "putting the gang on to us the other night." "mine? no; i was fast asleep in bed when the shots woke me, and i went up the cliff to see." "ah! i s'pose so," said the smuggler, in a hoarse whisper. "i've escaped for a bit, but they're after me. i s'pose they felt i should come back to the missus. i say," he continued, eagerly, "is she all right, master aleck?" "yes. i've seen her two or three times right up the cliff." "what for?" said the smuggler, sharply, and his eyes glittered fiercely again. "to look and see if you were coming, of course." "yes, of course," said the man, in a peculiar manner, and a curious smile dawned upon his lip. "but how did you manage to escape?" "jumped overboard and swam for it." "from the cutter's boat?" "no, from the sloop's port-hole, my lad. but what about the cutter's boat?" he added, with a sharply questioning look. "she came across to the cove this morning, and i saw her not long ago." "looking for me?" "no; for the young middy who is missing. tell me, eben, did you know anything about him?" "me? hush, don't talk! the cutter's men have been hunting me this last half-hour, and they're out yonder among the gullies now. they see me, i think. so you've found it then?" he said, with a savagely malicious grin. "yes; i never knew there was a way down here." "been often, i s'pose?" "been often? why, i'd just got here when i heard you coming." "ahoy!" came faintly from somewhere in front. "there it is again, eben," cried aleck, forgetting everything else now in the excitement of his discovery. "you heard it?" "yes, i heard it," said the man, grimly. "i heard it yesterday too," continued aleck. "some poor fellow has fallen down the cliff somewhere about here, and i was trying to get down to him." the man looked at him curiously and as if he was trying to read him through and through. "what for?" he said, hoarsely. "what for? don't i tell you i've heard him before, crying for help? he must have broken an arm or a leg, or he would have climbed back." "if he could," said the smuggler, grimly. "here, hold hard a minute. don't you stir, on yer life." "oh, i'm not going to run any risks!" said aleck, coolly. "i know it's dangerous." "very," said the hunted man, in a peculiar tone and with a peculiar look. "you stand fast, my lad." he had for some time released his hold of the lad, and turned to re-mount the rock. "what are you going to do?" said aleck. "hush! don't shout like that, youngster. don't i tell you the cutter's men saw me and are after me?" "oh, yes; of course," said aleck, coolly; "but, look here; you hide a bit, and i'll call them." "what!" gasped the smuggler, in his astonishment. "what for? to take me?" "no, no! they could help to find the poor fellow lying somewhere below there." "no, they couldn't," said the man, fiercely. "you be quiet there, i say." "well, of course you don't want to be taken, and i don't want them to take you, eben." "say that again, lad," cried the man, excitedly. "what for? i say i don't want the press-gang to drag you away, even if you are a smuggler." "why?" cried the man, excitedly. "because it seems so hard on your poor wife." "hah-ah-ah!" ejaculated the man, softly, as he turned away his face and spoke more gently. "you keep quiet here, master aleck, while i go and see what the cutter's men are about. i won't be long, and when they've gone i'll help you to find the poor fellow for saying that." "for saying what?" "your words about my poor lass. master aleck, i'm a bad 'un, but she don't think so, and if i don't get back to her it'll be the death of the poor gal. now, after my saying that soft stuff will you go and split upon me?" "betray you? no, you know i won't." "yes, i know you won't, my lad. you allus was a gentleman, master aleck. there, i'm off. i shan't be long, and when i come back i'll help you to find the poor chap as is hurt." "thank you, eben; but mind the men don't take you." "i'll mind, my lad; but if there's an accident and i don't come back you wait till the cutter's men have rowed me away, and then you go and tell the missus. say she's to help you find the poor chap as is hurt and get him away." "but she couldn't climb about here, eben." "better than you can, my lad." "very well, then. thank you," said aleck, feeling a bit puzzled at the man's words. "in the meantime i'll go on looking for him. he must be somewhere close by." "no, he isn't," said the man, grimly. "how do you know?" "'cause i do," was the reply, and then, actively as a goat, the smuggler sprang up the rocks and was gone. chapter twenty three. eben megg had only just disappeared when the faint, monotonous cry of "ahoy!" rose once more from below, setting the thoughts buzzing and throbbing about in aleck's brain in a most extraordinary way. for the lad felt utterly puzzled--he knew not why. he felt that there was something he ought to know, and yet he did not know it, and he failed to grasp the reason why he could not understand it. there was some mystery that he ought to clear up, he felt; but, all the same, simple as it was, he could not find it out. like the children playing at a nursery game, he was so close that he was burning, and at one moment he was on the point of being as wise as the smuggler, but just then a loud piercing whistle rang out, followed by answering shouts, and he did grasp at once from whence they came, and waited anxiously, fully expecting to hear more shouts, some of a triumphant character, telling that the fugitive was in view or perhaps caught. "i oughtn't to mind, of course," he muttered, as he strained his ears to catch the next sound; "but somehow i do, and, as i said, for that poor woman's sake. ah! they've caught him now. no; it was only an order shouted. why, they're coming right up here--i can hear them plainly!" the lad listened excitedly, for though he could see nothing of the sailors he could follow them by the sounds they made and tell that they had spread out over a good deal of ground in their hunt for the escaped man. nearer and nearer they came till aleck felt that they must have reached the ledge from which he had watched the rippling sea, while directly after they were so near to the hiding-place that he could catch a good deal of what was said, the voices ascending and then seeming to curl over and drop down the steep rockside where he stood. "they haven't caught him yet," thought aleck, after some few minutes' beating of the cliff-top and slopes had taken place. "perhaps they won't catch him, after all, for he must be as cunning as a fox about hiding-places. why, they must be coming here!" he thought, excitedly, as the voices began to come nearer and nearer. "they'll find me, for certain, and then-- "well, what then?" he thought, as he came to a sudden stop. "suppose they do catch me and ask me why i'm here! why, i can tell them i came to try and find someone whom i heard calling for help; and i can't help what eben says, i must let the sailors help me then." he listened, and felt certain that the sailors and their leader came along as far as the great piece of rock he had been obliged to circumvent, and once round that the men were bound to find him. "ahoy!" came faintly again. "ahoy yourself!" said a voice. "who's that so far off? some fellow has wandered right away and lost himself. idiot! why didn't he keep within touch of his messmates? ahoy, there! ahoy! ahoy!" the cry was answered, and in a few minutes aleck was able to detect the fact from the dying-away of the voices that the search party were growing more distant, so that the next mournful "ahoy!" fell upon his ears alone, sounding so despairing that the desire to go in search of the appealer for help was stronger than he could restrain. glancing back and upward then at the spot where eben had disappeared, he went cautiously forward for a few yards, to find to his astonishment that from being fairly broad the rugged shelf along which he was proceeding rapidly narrowed till progress grew risky, while at the end of another dozen feet or so it ceased, and he came to a dead stand, looking in vain for a way forward and a sight of some crack or passage along which he could descend towards the sea. then he listened for a repetition of the call for help as a guide to his next proceedings; but all was still save the querulous cry of a gull. "i can't understand it a bit," he said, looking about him in a more perplexed way than ever. "eben megg spoke as if he knew about someone being in trouble; yes, and that if he did not return i was to go to his wife. why, what nonsense it seems! how could he who has been away for days know anything about--about--oh! was there ever such a dense, wooden-headed idiot as i am!" he raged out. "why, of course! i can see now as clear as clear. it's that young middy--what's his name?--calling for help. they must have trapped him during the struggle, and there is a regular smugglers' cave somewhere, after all. the poor fellow must be shut up in it; and that explains why eben looked so furiously at me when he found me here. he thought i had discovered the secret hiding-place that he was making for. oh, my word, how plain and easy it all is when you know how! yes, that's it," he said aloud, excitedly, "and the cutter's people are gone, so i'm not going to hold myself bound by anything i have said to eben. that poor fellow must have been left to starve in some dark hole, and--no, he hasn't. `go to my wife,' he said. of course! because she knew where the prisoner was hid, and--to be sure, she wasn't going to watch for eben, as i thought, but to take the prisoner something to eat and drink. talk about wiping the dust out of one's eyes! i've got mine clear now, and that poor fellow has to be found, while, what is more, he must be somewhere down below where i stand." aleck's brow ran into lines and puckers as he stood looking about him for a few minutes before hurrying back to the perpendicular crevice he had discovered, and upon reaching it there was the hissing rush of the pebbles and a suggestion of a slapping sound as if water had struck against the rock, but evidently far, far down, while the damp seaweedy odour came cooler and fresher than ever to his nostrils. "i could get down here," he muttered, "if i were no bigger than a rabbit; but of course this isn't the way. there must be just such a place as this, only many times as big, and i've got to find it." "ahoy!" came faintly the next minute, but not up the cavity, and the lad stood puzzled and wondering for a few moments longer, before placing his face as far in as he could, and, breathing in the soft, salt, moist air, he shouted back down the hole, "ahoy!" as loudly as he could. then he stood listening, for "ahoy!" came from quite a different direction, and then there was a reply from somewhere else, closely followed by a shrill whistle. "that's not from the prisoner," said aleck, growing more excited. "the sailors are coming back. are they coming here, after all? well, i'm sorry for eben, but that poor fellow must be rescued, and i shall have to--" aleck did not say what, but hurried along the shelf again, startled by the sound of falling stones, and the next minute he caught sight of the smuggler's descending feet, and then the fierce-looking fellow dropped lightly before him and caught him by the arm. "they saw me," he panted, breathlessly, "and have been hot on my track-- i couldn't dodge them anyhow--quite surrounded. look here, master aleck--you know what it means if they get me--flogging now for escaping! you don't want me to be took?" "no, eben; but--" "don't talk, my lad. i'm hard set. you're a gentleman, and won't betray a poor fellow?" "no, but i won't help to keep that poor young officer a prisoner." "ah, you've found out then--you know where he is?" "then it is true that you've got him shut up somewhere?" "somewhere?" cried the man, sharply, in a hoarse whisper. "then you haven't found the place?" "no," said aleck, frankly, "only guessed that he is somewhere hidden, and keeps calling out." "look here, master aleck, it is true, and if i swear that as soon as all is safe i'll help you to set him free and put him where he can get back to his ship, will you swear, too, that you'll never tell where our stores are?" "i'm not going to swear anything, eben." the man made a fierce gesture, and the lad felt that he was at the fellow's mercy, where a sharp thrust of the hand would send him headlong down, most likely to his death. but he did not shrink. "i promise you i won't betray you, eben," he said, "if you give me your word to set the poor young fellow free." "come on, then--if there's time," said the smuggler, hoarsely. "i can hear 'em coming on fast. now, then, i'm going to show you what all us chaps have sworn on our lives never to let out. quick! i know you've got plenty of game in you, my lad. i'm going to jump down there." he pointed down over the edge of the shelf as he spoke. "are you mad?" said aleck, hoarsely, feeling that the man must be to propose what seemed to be like a leap into the next world. "not me, my lad. look! i trust you to come after me sharp--before the cutter's men see you. come, you won't shrink now?" "he came along this way, i'll swear," came from overhead, quite loudly, and a whistle rang out again. eben megg seized aleck's arm with his left hand, and with his right caught the lad's fingers for a moment in a firm grip. "jump just as i do. i'll be ready to catch you." aleck nodded, and then felt ready to shut his eyes, for the man gave one glance upward where a loud murmur of voices could be heard, and then stepped close to the edge of the shelf, placed his feet close together, drew himself up stiffly, and then made a little jump, just sufficient to let himself drop, as it were, clear of the rock, his back being visible just for a moment, and then there was a slight pat coming from below. aleck stood with his heart seeming to rise to his throat as if to choke him, while he listened intently for the sound of a falling body loosening a little avalanche of stones. but all was still below, while above there was the trampling of feet, and a voice said, loudly: "are you sure he came this way?" "quite, sir. he must have dodged round by that great block of stone." "forward then," cried the first voice, while from below where he stood came a low, hoarse whisper: "now, then, jump!" for a moment aleck felt that it was too much. coward or no coward, he dared not make such a leap in the dark as that. then, setting his teeth, he stepped close to the edge of the shelf, placed his feet exactly as he had seen the smuggler prepare to drop, and then, with his elbows pressed close to his sides and his open hands raised to a level with his chest, he took the little leap, with the opposite side of the rift seeming to rush upward past his staring eyes, while he dropped what seemed, from the time it lasted, to his overstrained nerves and imagination a tremendous depth--in reality about seven feet--before his feet came flat upon the rock and a strong arm caught him across the chest like a living protecting bar. aleck's eyes turned dim, and the rock face in front spun round before him as he felt himself pressed backward--a few feet beneath what seemed to be a rugged stone eave, which protected him and his companion from being seen by anyone who should peer over the edge, while the next moment the smuggler's lips were close to his ear and the breath came hot as the man whispered: "i never knowed a lad before who dared to jump like that. come on, master aleck; i'd trust you with anything now." chapter twenty four. aleck resigned himself to the smuggler's guiding hand, which gripped his arm tightly, and as the giddy sensation began to pass off and he saw more clearly, he grasped the position in which he stood--to wit, that he was upon another ledge of rock, apparently another stratum of the great slowly-built-up masses which formed the mighty cliffs, one, however, which had been eaten away more by the action of time, so that it was much more deeply indented, while the upper stratum from which he had dropped overlapped considerably, save in one place, where this lower shelf projected in a rocky tongue, which resembled a huge bracket, and a cold shiver ran through the lad as he saw now fully the perilous nature of his leap. "haven't found out the way yet," said eben, coolly; "but when they do they won't find out which way we've come. what do you say, sir?" "oh, no!" said aleck, trying to conceal a shiver. "but what a horrible leap!" "nothing when you're used to it, sir. all right if you keep your head, and safe from being found out." "but suppose anyone were on the opposite side?" "no good to suppose that, master. nothing ever comes there but the gulls and mews, with a few sea parrots. nobody could get there without being let down by a line, and the birds never nest there, so it's quite safe. now, then, if you're ready we'll go down." "go down?" "yes, my lad; this is the way down to the shore." "with an opening to the sea?" said aleck, eagerly, for his curiosity was beginning to overcome the tension caused by the shock his nerves had suffered. the smuggler laughed. "well, you're asking a good deal, youngster," he said, "but it's of no use for me to play at hide-and-seek with you now. yes; there's a way open to the sea just for 'bout an hour at some tides. then it's shut up again by the water, and that's what makes it so safe." half a dozen more questions were bubbling up towards his lips, but the smuggler made a movement and aleck felt that the best way to satisfy his curiosity would be to remain silent and use his eyes as much as he could. he was gazing sharply round, to see nothing that suggested a way down to the sea but the great gully beneath his feet, when he became aware of the fact that eben was watching him quietly with a dry, amused look in his eyes. "well," he said, "can you find it now?" aleck shook his head. "come along, then." the smuggler took a few steps along beside the great wall on their right, and aleck followed closely, till his companion stopped short and faced him. "well," he said, "see it now?" "no," said aleck. "look back, then." the lad turned, and found that without noticing it he had passed a spot where a great piece of rock terminated in a sharp edge, which overlapped a portion of the wall, and as he looked in the direction from which he had come there was a wide opening, quite six feet in height, looking as if a portion of the rock had scaled off the main mass, forming an opening some three feet wide, and remained fixed. into this the lad stepped at once, shutting out a portion of the light, and for a few moments it seemed to him that the place ended some seven or eight feet from the entrance; but as he ran his left hand along the wall for safety and guidance, he found that instead of its being solid wall upon his left, he had been touching a mere sheet of stone, which screened another opening leading back to the original direction. upon holding tight and peering round a sharp corner aleck found that he was gazing into black darkness; but a breath of cool, moist air and the peculiar odour told their own tale of what was beyond, and to endorse this came the soft, sighing, whispering rush of waves sweeping over pebbles far enough below. "now you know the way down, my lad," said eben. "yes, i suppose i do." "but even if you'd found it all by yourself i suppose you wouldn't have ventured down." "what, into that horrible cavern?" "'tarn't a horrible cavern, my lad, only a sort of a dark passage going straight down for a bit. had enough, or will you come further?" "i'll come, of course," said the lad, firmly. "all right, then. that's right; there's nothing to be afraid of. you do as i do." it was a faint twilight now where the pair were standing, with a dark forbidding chasm just in front, and aleck was longing for a lanthorn, which he half expected to see the smuggler produce. but instead of doing so he stepped suddenly into the darkness. "now, then," he said, "you'll do as i do. it's nothing to what you did just now in jumping, for there's no danger; only that looked better, for it was in the light. this is in the darkness. that was straight down; this is only a slope, and you'll hear me slide. i'll tell you when to come after me." "i understand," said aleck; and then suddenly, "what's that?" "what's what, my lad?" "it felt as if something soft had come right up in my face." "wind," said the smuggler. "but it's blowing the back of my head now, just as if something touched me," said aleck, in a husky voice. "yes, i know," said the smuggler. "it's just as if little soft snaky fingers were feeling about your head." "yes, just like that," said aleck, in a husky whisper. "i don't think it could be the wind." "yes, it is. that's right; only the wind, my lad. the cave's sucking because the sea keeps on opening and shutting the mouth at this time of the tide, and one minute the air's rushing in here and the next it's rushing out. now do you see?" "yes, i think so," said aleck. "then here goes." through the dim light the boy now saw his companion's face for a few moments, and then the smuggler turned round, took another step, spread out his arms to grasp the rocky sides, and the next minute there was a low rustling sound and a puff of wind struck the lad in the face, followed by silence. "are you there, eben?" said aleck, softly. "right, my lad. now, then, you don't want no more teaching. do as i did, and come down." "how far is it?" said aleck, hesitating. "eight or nine fathom, my lad. never measured it. ready?" "yes," said the lad, and setting his teeth hard he pressed his hands against the wall on either side, felt about with one foot, drew the other up to it, and then let go and began to slide down a steep slope, the passage taking away his breath, so that he was panting hard when his heels met with a sudden check and the smuggler's voice, sounding like a hollow whisper, said: "bottom o' this bit." "what, is there any more?" faltered aleck. "lots," said the man, laughing. "it's only a great ziggery-zag crack running right through the rock from top to bottom. there's nothing to mind, as you'd see if we'd got the lanthorn. they were so close after me that i hadn't time to get the one i left up yonder in the cliffs. now, then, i'm going down again. it's quite dry, and worn smooth with all sorts of things coming up and folk like us going down. just the same as before, my lad. i calls it jacob's ladder. natur' made a good deal on it, and my grandfathers, fathers, and us lot finished it a bit at a time and made it what it is." there was a rushing sound directly after, and the smuggler's voice next time he spoke came from a lower stage. aleck followed again with more confidence that he would not plunge into some horrible well-like hole full of water with he knew not what horrible, eel-like creatures waiting to attack him. this time the slide down felt comparatively easy, while at another angle of the zigzag, as he followed his unseen guide, aleck actually began to think that such a way of progression must be bad for the clothes. "you'll have to ease yourself down this next one," said eben, as he was starting for the next descent; "it's a bit steeper. let your hands run along the wall over your head, just touching it, and that'll be enough. don't shove hard, or you'll be taking the skin off." "i'll mind," said aleck, rather hoarsely. "what's the matter?" said the man. "i've hurt my head a little against the roof." "humph!" grunted the smuggler. "forgot to tell you about that bit. it's the only place where you can touch the top, and you run agen it. hurt yerself much?" "no." "then come on." the rather swift descent was accomplished more easily than aleck anticipated, and he slid down into a pair of hands. "now, then, the next bit's diff'rent," said the smuggler. "you'll sit down on your heels like to slide, but it arn't steep, and every now and then you'll have to give yerself a bit of a shove to help yer down to the next bit, and that's worse still." "worse?" said aleck, trying to suppress a catching of the breath; but the smuggler detected it. "not what you think bad," he said, with a hoarse chuckle, "but what we call bad. you have to walk all the way." "and there are no side places where you might slip into?" "not half o' one, my lad. there was a nasty hole at the bottom of the next but one, that seemed to go right down to the end of the world. p'raps it did, but we brought up big bits o' rock till some on 'em caught and got wedged into niches, and then we kept on till we filled it up level, and you wouldn't know it's there. now, then, let's get down." "stop a moment," said aleck. "i don't feel the wind coming and going now. have we got below where it comes in?" "not us. the tide's up above the mouth now, and there'll be no wind to feel till next tide. here's off." the rustling began, and the two next portions of the strange zigzag series of cleft were passed down easily enough, while, as he descended a couple more, aleck felt how smoothly floor and sides were worn and carved, and began to dwell upon the time that must have elapsed and the industry bestowed upon the curious passage by the smugglers, who had by virtue of their oaths and their interest in the place kept it a secret for generations. "i wonder how many more there are," aleck was thinking as he glided down, when all at once eben said, loudly: "bottom! stand fast, my lad, while i get a light." "that you, you scoundrel?" came in a strange echoing voice from a distance. "ay, ay, this is me," replied the smuggler. "i'll be there soon." there was silence, for, though eager to speak to the prisoner, aleck concluded that he had better wait, and not commence his first meeting with the prisoner in the character of one of his enemies. the next minute there was the rattle of iron or tin, and then a short, sharp, nicking sound began, accompanied by a display of flowery little sparks. at the end of a minute the frowning face of the smuggler was lit up as he blew softly at the tinder, into which a spark had fallen and caught; the light increased, and as a brimstone match was applied to the incandescent tinder, the brimstone melted, bubbled, and began to turn blue. then the splint of wood beneath began to burn, and at last emitted a blaze, which was communicated to the wick of the candle. this, too, began to burn, and then the door of the lanthorn was closed. "there we are," said the smuggler. "now let's go and see our bird." aleck made no reply, for his eyes were wandering over all that the feeble light of the dim horn lanthorn threw up; and very little though this was at a time, it was enough to fill the lad with wonder. for as far as he could make out, they were in a vast cavern, whose floor about where they stood supported stacks of kegs and piles of boxes and bales. there was also a tremendous collection of wood, the most part being evidently the gatherings of wrecks, and in addition there were the fittings of vessel after vessel, so various in fact that aleck hurriedly turned away his eyes, to gaze with something like a shiver at the reflection of the lanthorn in a far-stretching mirror of intense blackness which lay smooth and undisturbed, save in one part away to his left, where it was blurred and dimmed, rising and falling as if moved by some undercurrent. "water," he said, at last, as the smuggler raised up his lanthorn and smiled. "yes, and plenty of it." "but where's the mouth of the cave?" "over yonder," said the man, pointing towards where the surface was in motion. "let's walk towards it with the lanthorn," said aleck. "why, my lad?" "i want to see the daylight again." "but we couldn't get far along there with the tide up, and even if we could you wouldn't see the mouth of the cave." "why not?" asked aleck. "because it's under water." "never mind; hold up the lanthorn, and let me see what i can." "then i'd better hide it or shut it," said eben, and, setting the lanthorn down upon the rocky floor, he slipped off his rough jacket and covered the lanthorn so that not a ray of light could be seen escaping through the panes of thinly-scraped horn. to the lad's wonderment, no sooner was the lanthorn hidden than instead of the place being intensely dark, it was lit up by a soft translucent twilight, which seemed to rise out of the water where it was disturbed. this light, where the water was wreathing and swaying softly, was of a delicious, transparent blue, and by degrees, as he gazed in awe and wonder, a low archway could be made out spanning a considerable space, but beautifully indistinct, festooned as it was by filaments and ribands of seaweed and wrack, all apparently of a jetty black, seen through water of a wondrous blue. but the whole archway was in motion, as it seemed, and constantly changing its shape, while the sea growth swayed and curved and undulated, and at times lay out straight, as if swept by some swift current. "is it always like this?" said aleck, in a whisper, though he could not have explained why he spoke in such awe-stricken tones. "oh, no, my lad; it's a deal darker than that when the tide's high." "tide--high?" said aleck, in a startled voice. "does the water ever fill the cavern? no, no, of course not," he said, hastily. "i can see it never comes up to those stacks of bales and things." "that's right," said the smuggler. "and the tide lays the mouth quite open?" "not very often," said the smuggler. "just at certain tides." "but i must have seen the mouth from outside sometimes." "like enough; my lad, but i don't s'pose you were ever there when a boat could come in." "then a boat could come in?" "yes," said the smuggler, meaningly, "it could come in then. want to know exactly?" he added, with a laugh. "no, i don't know that i do," said aleck, shortly. "now, then, i didn't come to see how beautiful the place looked. i want to see and talk to that poor fellow you've got shut up here." "um!" grunted the smuggler. "i don't know about `poor fellow.' he has been better off, i daresay, than i was while they kept me a prisoner. better fed and all. nothing the matter, only he couldn't get out." "but why did you make a prisoner of him?" "i didn't," said the smuggler, contemptuously; "it was the silly women." "what for?" "they got the silly idea in their heads that they could make the press-gang officer exchange--give the pressed men back--if they held on to the lad." "but you'll set him free at once?" said aleck, quickly. "i don't know, my lad," was the reply. "it's rather a mess, i'm afraid, taking a king's officer like that; and it seems to me it will be a worse one to let him go." "oh, but you must let him go. the punishment will be very serious for keeping him." "so it will for breaking loose and swimming ashore after being pressed for a sailor." "yes," cried aleck; "but--" "yes, sir; but," said the smuggler, with a bitter laugh, "it's all one-sided like. i didn't begin on them--they began on me, to rob a poor fellow of his liberty. now, i know it was a foolish thing for those women to get hold of that boy, half smother him, and shut him up here; and i don't want to keep him." "of course not." "but what am i to do? if i let him go, and say `run for it,' he'll be back before i know where i am with another boat's crew to take me; and of course, being a man, i shall have to stand fire for everybody. 'sides which it'll be making known to the revenue officers where our lair is, and that'll be ruin to everybody." "then you must escape, eben, for that poor fellow must be set free." "don't see it yet, master aleck," said the man, stubbornly. "it wants thinking about. simplest way seems to me to be that i should put him out of his misery." "what! kill him?" "something of that sort, sir." "bah! you're laughing at me," cried aleck. "come, no nonsense--take me to him; and he must be set at liberty directly." "well, don't be in quite such a hurry, master aleck," said the man. "you ought to play fair after what has passed 'twixt us two." "and so i will, eben. i have promised you that i will not tell anyone about this place." "that's right enough, sir. so you say i must let him out?" "of course." "well, don't you think i ought to have my chance to get away?" "certainly." "very well, then, sir, you must wait a bit. you know what it'll be if he's let out now." "no, i don't." "very well, then, i'll tell you, sir. he'll forget all about being treated well and all that sort o' thing, and go and get help to try and catch me. then he'll come directly upon the party who've been hunting me, and i shall be took at once." "then you must have a few hours to escape, and then i will set him free." "i must have two or three days, or i shall be taken again. but you wait a bit; he can't be set loose yet. come and see him now if you like, or would you rather stay away?" "i'd rather go to him, poor fellow; he must be in a horrible state." "not he," said the smuggler, coolly. "he's had plenty to eat and drink, and a lot of canvas for a bed. he hasn't hurt." "you didn't hear his cries for help," said aleck. "no, or i should have come down to quiet him if i'd been near," said the smuggler, gruffly. "come on." he led the way farther in away from the mouth of the cavern, and in and out amongst rocks which lay about the rugged floor, the course being beside the water, which now began to grow of a jetty black, while from time to time aleck caught a gleam of something bright overhead, showing that here and there the roof came lower. he saw, too, that the winding, canal-like channel of water gradually grew narrower, till the lanthorn illumined the place sufficiently for the lad to see that they could easily cross to the other side by stepping from rock to rock, which rose above the shallow water. "we'll go over here," said the smuggler, "but by and by the water will be right over there, and you have to go right to the end and climb along the ledge. can you see where to step?" "yes. go on." "mind how you come; the stones here are slippery with the wet seaweed." "i can manage," said aleck, and he carefully stepped across and stood on the other side. "now, where is he?" "yonder, half way up that side! there's a snug hole there, plenty big enough for him. i've slept there lots of times when we've been busy." aleck did not enquire what the business was, but he surmised as he followed the guide, with the light from the lanthorn enabling him to see where to put his feet. they were now going back towards the submerged mouth of the vast cavern, and aleck felt a strange sensation of relief even at this, for thoughts would keep crowding into his brain about what would be the consequence if a greater tide than usual flooded the place, a thought so horrible that the perspiration stood out upon his forehead, though it might have been caused by the exertion of stepping over the rugged floor and the heat of the place. "isn't he very quiet?" whispered aleck. "yes, but he's watching us," said the man, in a hoarse whisper, while aleck looked in vain for a likely place to be the young officer's prison, "over yonder" being a very vague indication. just then the smuggler began to step up a steep slope of moderate-sized rocks piled one upon the other, to stop short about ten feet above where his companion was standing. he held the lanthorn down low for the lad to see, and as aleck stood beside him he raised the light as high as he could, so that the dim rays fell upon the angry staring eyes of the young officer, who lay upon a thick cushion composed of many folds of sail-cloth, the bolt ropes and reef points in which showed plainly that it had been in use possibly in connection with some unfortunate vessel wrecked upon the rocks of the iron-bound coast. the face was familiar enough to aleck as the midshipman hitched himself up a little higher upon the elbow which supported him, and his new visitor saw that the fierce eyes were not directed at him, but at the smuggler who bore the lanthorn. "then you've come at last?" he said, fiercely. "now, then, no more of this tomfool acting; unlock this iron and take me out into the fresh air, or as sure as you stand there, you great, black-muzzled, piratical-looking scoundrel, i'll say such things about you to the captain that he'll hang you to the yard-arm, and serve you right." "what!" growled the smuggler. "not got tame yet?" "tame, you miserable ruffian! how dare you speak to an officer in his majesty's navy like that? there never was such an outrage before. unfasten these irons, i say, and take me out!" "why, skipper," said the smuggler, mockingly, "your temper gets worse and worse." "my temper, you dog!" cried the midshipman, furiously. "how dare you treat me like this?" "and how dare you come with your gang, knocking honest men on the head and dragging them off to sea?" retorted eben. "you'd think nothing of putting them in irons because they wouldn't take to the sea. how do you like it, my young springold?" "i'm not going to argue with you, you ruffian, about that," cried the midshipman. "now, look here, that woman who brought me the wretched food said she dare not and could not unlock that iron i've got round my ankle, but that when her husband came i was to ask him. now, then, you're the husband, aren't you?" "oh, yes, i'm the husband, safe enough," growled the smuggler. "then i order you in the king's name to take these irons off." "you wait a bit, captain," said the smuggler; "all in good time. here, take it coolly for a bit longer; i've brought you some company." "ah, who's that with you? i thought i saw someone and heard whispering." the smuggler held the lanthorn lower and opened the door, so that the candle light shone full on aleck's face. "you?" cried the midshipman, excitedly. "then i was right; i thought you were one of the smuggling gang." "then you thought wrong," said aleck, shortly. "what do you want here?" cried the prisoner, wildly, for the fit of rage and command into which he had forced himself was fast dying down into misery and despair. "i've come to help you, middy," cried aleck, warmly, and he sank upon one knee and caught the poor fellow's hand. "to--to--to help me?" he gasped. "yes, and to have you out into the daylight again. you, eben megg, take off the chain directly!" cried aleck. "how dare you chain an officer and a gentleman as if he were a thief or a dog?" "oh!" cried the prisoner, and the ejaculation sounded wildly hysterical and passionate as that of a girl. "oh--oh! don't--don't speak to me-- don't! oh, you--i can't bear it! i'm not a coward, but i've been shut up down here in the horrible darkness of this place till i've been half mad at times, and--and i'm half mad now. it's the loneliness--the being alone down here night and day." "of course it is," cried aleck, feeling half choked as he spoke; and holding the lad's hand tightly between his own, he kept pressing it hard, and ended by shaking it more and more warmly as he spoke. "of course, of course it is. it would have driven me quite mad; but you shan't feel the loneliness again, for i'll stop with you till you're out, happen what may." "hah! thank you, thank you!" whispered the prisoner. "i couldn't help breaking down. i did try so very hard. i didn't think that i should behave like a girl." "hush!" whispered aleck, who had interposed between the prisoner and the gaoler with his lanthorn. "hold up; don't let him see. there, it's going to be all right now. there's a boat's crew and an officer from the cutter somewhere above on the cliff, trying to find you." "what!" cried the midshipman, holding on to aleck now with both hands. "is that true, or are you saying it to keep up my spirits?" "it's as true as true," cried aleck. "then i'll hail again. oh, how i have hailed! do you think they could hear me now the water's up?" "perhaps," said aleck. "i heard you, and i've been hunting for long enough to find the way down." "what!" cried the middy, who was beginning to master the emotion from which he had suffered. "then you didn't know the way?" "no, not till just now." "but you knew of this horrible cave?" "no; though it isn't above a mile from where i live." "i--i thought you were mixed up with these smugglers, and--and--i beg your pardon." "there's nothing to beg pardon about," said aleck, cheerfully. "there, i'm going to have you out of this. now, then, eben, bring the light closer. where did these fetters come from?" "out of a king's ship as was wrecked off black point, master aleck. we got dozens out of the sands. they're what they use when they put men in irons." "nonsense." "i tell you they are, sir. you ask tom bodger if they arn't." "yes, they're the regular irons," said the midshipman, huskily; and aleck, who still held his hand, felt that he was all of a tremble. "so, you see, master aleck, it's on'y fair. tit for tat, you know." "that will do, sir," cried the lad, sharply. "don't be a coward as well as cruel to this gentleman. now, then, set down the lanthorn on one of the stones and unlock this fetter, or whatever it is." "can't, sir," said the man, gruffly. "what! i order you to do it." "yes, sir, i hear you, but the chain's locked round his ankle." "well, i know that. unlock it." "well, i would, sir, as it's come to this, but i arn't got the key." "what!" cried aleck, with a chill of despair running through him. "where is it, then?" "my missus or one of the other women's got it." "but you said there were a lot of these irons; there must be more than one key." "i never saw but one, sir, and that we had up at home. it was my old woman's idee to chain him up like this. you see, it's three or four of them irons locked together, and one end's about his ankle and the other's locked to the ring there that we let into the rock and fixed with melted lead so as to fix tackle to when we wanted to haul in casks or moor a boat." "then you must go and find your wife, and get it," said aleck, firmly. "go up on the cliff, young gentleman, and walk right into the hands of the boat's crew hunting for me, eh?" "i don't care; i will have this gentleman set free. you may not meet any of the sailors," cried aleck, and almost at every word of his brave standing up for the prisoner he felt himself rewarded by a warm pressure of the hand. "that's all right enough, master aleck donne, but you know what i've told you 'bout being made prisoner and having to nearly lose my life in swimming for my liberty?" "yes, perfectly well; but i must have him cast free, even if he has to wait a bit before he goes out of the cave." "but you heard, too, what he said, sir, and i shouldn't be a bit surprised if, when they caught me, they did hang me to the yard-arm of one of their ships." "yes, yes, i know," said aleck; "but--" "but you arn't reasonable, master aleck. my life's as much to me as another man's is to him, whether he's a poor fellow or a gentleman. now, look here, you know yourself it arn't safe for me to go out of the cave now, is it?" "well, i'm afraid it is not just yet, eben; but--" "wait a minute, master aleck. give a man a chance. look here; as soon as it's dark i'll go up on to the cliff and try and get to my cottage, and as soon as i can get the key i'll come back and let your orficer here go loose if he'll swear as he won't show his people the way down here." "no," cried the midshipman, firmly; "i can't promise that." "not to get free, squire?" said eben, grimly. "n-no, i can't do that. it's my duty to help clear out this place. i can't; don't ask me. i can't promise that." "look here," said aleck, smiling; "could you lead a party down here?" the midshipman started, and was silent. "how did you come down here?" "come down? i didn't come down. i was half stunned, and then thrown into a boat. i can just recollect feeling myself dragged out again, and then i lay sick and giddy, just as if i was in a horrible dream, till i awoke in the darkness to find that i was chained up here." "then he could not lead a party here, eben," said aleck; "and you could get him out of here so that he would never know how he was taken out." "ah!" said the middy, sharply. "then you two didn't come in a boat?" "never you mind how we came or how we didn't, my lad," said the smuggler, "we're here; and as the game's up, master aleck, and all i want to do is to keep out of the clutches of the press-gang and the law, i'll do as i said, go up by and by and try to get the key, and if i can't get the key i'll bring down a file." "that will do, eben--i'll trust you; and as you're going to do your best now i don't think mr--mr--" "wrighton," said the middy. "mr wrighton will want to be hard on a man who wants to escape from being pressed. how long will it be before it's safe to go up?" "i daren't go till it's midnight, my lad. i've been run too close before, and as it is i'm not sure but what they'll be waiting for me about my home; but anyhow i'll try." "and i must wait till then?" said the middy, with a break in his voice. "yes," said aleck; "but i shall keep my word--i'll stick by you till you're free." "ah!" ejaculated the lad, and his voice sounded more natural, as he added, in a low tone to aleck: "don't think me a coward, please. you don't know what it is to be shut up in a place like this." "no," said aleck; "but if i were i should feel and act just as you have, and i hope be quite as brave." a pressure of the hand conveyed the midshipman's thanks, and directly after the two lads awoke to the fact that the smuggler was doing something which could mean nothing else but the providing of something to eat and drink. for upon raising the lanthorn to look around, he came upon a basket, and beside it a good-sized bottle, both of which he examined. "why, skipper," he said, "you haven't eat your dinner!" "how could i eat at a time like this?" said the midshipman, angrily. "well, i s'pose it didn't give you much hankering arter eating tackle," said the smuggler, grimly. "i took nowt but water when i was aboard your ship; but you ought to eat and drink now you ye got to the end of your troubles, thanks to master aleck here. why, you've got two lots. what's in the bottles?" the speaker screwed out the corks of two bottles, one after the other, and smelt the contents. "ha! water. want anything stronger?" he said, with a grin. "plenty o' right nantes yonder," he added, with a jerk of his thumb over the right shoulder. "no, no, i don't want anything," said the midshipman, impatiently. "well, sir, i do," said eben. "i'm down faint, and if you don't mind-- what do you say, master aleck?" "i never thought of it," replied aleck; "but now you talk about eating and drinking you make me feel ready. let's have something, mr wrighton; it will help to pass away the time." the result was that the contents of the basket were spread between them, and from forcing down a mouthful or two of food the prisoner's appetite began to return, and a good meal was made, aleck and the smuggler naturally playing the most vigorous part. chapter twenty five. aleck ate heartily, for the state of affairs began to look bright, but as he played his part his eyes were busy, and he noted that the beautiful effect of light which came through the transparent water beneath the submerged arch grew less and less striking till the colour had nearly faded out, while the water had evidently risen a good deal in the long canal-like pool, and was still rising, and where the cavern's weird configuration had in one part appeared through a dim shadowy twilight all was black darkness. there had been a little talking during the consumption of the meal, but when it was ended silence had fallen upon the group. the smuggler had proceeded to fill a black pipe which he had lit at the lanthorn, and then drawn back a little, leaving the two youths to themselves; but very little was said, conversation in the man's presence seeming to be impossible. the pipe was smoked to the very last, and then, after tapping out the hot ashes, the smuggler coughed and turned to the others. "look here, gen'lemen," he said; "i think we understand one another a bit now, which means i'm going to trust you two and you're going to trust me?" "yes," said aleck. "that's right, then. of course, all i want to do is to get safe away so as to bring back the key of them irons, or a file, and as soon as we've got them off you're going to give me till to-morrow about this time before you come out?" "we can't stay in this horrible hole all night," cried aleck, impetuously. "don't see as it's much of a horrible hole, master," said the man; "there's plenty to eat and drink, and a good roof over your heads. i've slept here times enough. there arn't nothing to worry you--no old bogies. wust thing i ever see here was a seal, which come in one night, splashing about; and he did scare me a bit till i knowed what it was. but that's the bargain, gentlemen, and there's no running back. there's the lanthorn, and there's a box yonder with plenty of candles, and a tinder-box with flint, steel, and matches, so you never need be in the dark. plenty of bread and bacon, cheese, and butter too, so you'll be all right; so there's no call to say no more about that. now, then, i'm going uppards to try if i can find out what's going on outside. i shall keep coming down to tell you till i think my chance of getting home has come, and then i shall run off and you'll wait till i come back." "very well," said aleck, who found that he had all the talking to do, and after a time the smuggler rose. "there," he said, "i'm going now. say good luck to me." "well," replied aleck, "good luck to you! be as quick as you can. but what are you going to do about a light?" "what for?" said the man, gruffly. "to find your way to the zigzag slopes." the smuggler laughed softly. "i don't want any light to go about this place, squire. there arn't an inch i don't know by heart." "i suppose not," said aleck, thoughtfully. "but, look here; what about that place?" "what about it, sir?" "the getting up. of course it was easy enough to slide down, but how about getting up?" "didn't i tell you? no, of course, i didn't. look here, sir; it's all smooth in the middle, but if you keep close up to the left you'll find nicks cut in the stone just big enough for your toes, and as close together as steps. you'll find it easy enough." "i understand," said aleck, and the next minute they were listening to the faintly-echoing steps, for the moment the man stepped out of the faint yellow glow made by the lanthorn he plunged into intense black darkness. but from what he had so far gleaned of the configuration of the place the lad was pretty well able to trace the smuggler by his footsteps, till all at once there was a faint rustling, and then the gloom around was made more impressive by the silence which endured for a couple of minutes or so, to be succeeded by a faint, peculiar, echoing, scraping sound. "what's that?" asked the midshipman, excitedly. aleck explained that it was evidently the noise made by the scraping of the smuggler's boots against the stone, as he ascended the zigzag crack to the surface. this lasted for about a minute, to be succeeded by a peculiar harsh noise as of stone being drawn upon stone, after which there was another peculiar sound, also in some way connected with stone jarring against stone; but aleck could give no explanation to his companion as to what that might be, feeling puzzled himself. another stone seemed to be moved then, and it struck the listener that it might be somehow connected with the more level of the zigzag passages, though why he should have thought that he could not have explained. probably not more than three minutes were taken up altogether before the last faint sound had died completely away, and then aleck found himself called upon to explain the configuration of the natural staircase by which ascent could be made and exit found. for it never occurred to the lad that he was in any way breaking the confidence placed in him in making the prisoner as familiar with the peculiarities of the cavern as he was himself. the midshipman, his companion in the strange adventure, had asked him about the shape and position of his prison, and he had explained what he knew. that was all. the account took some time, for the prisoner's interest seemed to increase with what he learned, and his questions succeeded one another pretty quickly, with the result that in his explanations aleck had to include a good deal of his own personal life, after which he did not scruple to ask his companion a little about his own on board ship. "i say," said aleck, at last, "isn't it droll?" "droll!" groaned the midshipman. "what, being shut up here?" "no, no; our meeting as we did in rockabie harbour, and what took place with the boys. i never expected to see you again, and now here have i found you out, a prisoner, chained by the leg, and in ever so short a time you and i have grown to be quite friends." "yes," said the midshipman, drawing a deep breath. "i didn't like you the first time we met." "and i didn't like you," said aleck, laughing. "i thought you were stuck-up and consequential. i say, i wish tom bodger were here!" "what, that wooden-legged rase sailor?" "yes." "what good could he do--a cripple like that?" "cripple! oh, i never thought of him as a cripple. he's as clever as clever. there isn't anything he won't try to do. i was thinking that if he were here he'd be scheming some plan or another to get rid of the chain about your leg." "hah!" sighed the midshipman, "but he isn't here. i say!" "well?" "hadn't you better have another candle to light--that one's nearly burned down?" "i've got one quite ready, lying out here on the stone." "hah! that's right," said the prisoner. "it's so horrible to be in the dark." "oh, no; not when you've got company." "but be quite ready. it might go out quickly." "well, if it did, i know where the flint and steel are." "you couldn't find them in the dark." "oh, couldn't i? i kept an eye on everything master eben did." "i say, do you think he will come back?" "yes; he's sure to, unless some of the cutter's men catch him and carry him off." "ah! and you think, then, that he wouldn't speak, out of spite, and leave us here to starve?" cried the middy, excitedly. "no, i don't," said aleck; "i don't think anything of the sort. don't you be ready to take fright." "i've been shut up in this place so long," said the middy, apologetically, "and it has made me as weak and nervous as a girl." "well, try not to be," said aleck. "look here; there's nothing like seeing the worst of things and treating them in a common-sense way. now, suppose such a thing did happen as that eben megg did not come back--what then?" "we should be starved to death." "no, we shouldn't, for i daresay there's a good store here of biscuits and corned beef out of some ship, as well as smuggled goods, that we could eat." "till all was finished," said the middy, sadly. "what of that? we could get out, couldn't we? i know the way." "oh, yes. i had forgotten that. but was there any door to the way down--trap-door?" "door? no," said aleck, laughing. "it's all the natural stone, just chipped a little here and there to make it easier." "that's right," said the midshipman, sadly. "but it is a terrible place to be shut up in. hasn't he been very long?" "oh, no. i daresay he'll be a long time yet. come, cheer up. let's watch the water there. i wish i knew what the time was. can't we tell? when the water looks blackest it ought to be high water. i wonder whether we shall see the arch quite cleared and the light shining through. have you noticed it?" "don't!" said the young sailor, rather piteously. "i know what it means--you are talking like this to keep up my spirits." "well, suppose i am?" "don't try; it only makes me more weak and miserable. you can't think of the horrors i've suffered." "but--" "yes, i know what you're going to say--that i ought to have been firmer, and fought against the dread and horror, and mastered the feelings." "something of the sort," said aleck. "well, i did at first, but i gradually got weaker and weaker, till in the darkness and silence something happened which scared me ten times more than the being here alone." "something happened? what?" said aleck, wonderingly. "i suddenly felt frightened of myself." "i don't understand you." "i was afraid that i was losing my senses." "well, then, don't be afraid like that any more, for you're not going to lose them." "men have lost their wits by being shut up alone," said the middy, piteously. "perhaps. but you're not going to, for you're not alone, and all you've got to do is to lie there patiently and wait. i say, aren't you tired?" "oh, horribly. i couldn't sleep for the horror i felt." "well, you could now. go to sleep, and i'll wake you when eben megg comes back." "no," said the middy; "i couldn't sleep now. suppose i awoke at last and found that you had gone!" "ah, you're going to imagine all sorts of things," said aleck, who felt that he must do something to keep his companion from brooding over his position. "look here; suppose i go up the passage and see if i can make out anything about eben!" before he had finished speaking he became aware of how terribly the poor fellow had been shaken by his confinement. for the lad caught him spasmodically by the arm with both hands. "no, no," he panted. "don't leave me--pray don't leave me." "very well, then, i'll stay," said aleck; "but i do hope the poor fellow will not be caught by the cutter's men." aleck felt sorry as soon as he had said these words, for his companion gave another start. "you feel that he won't come back?" "i feel," said aleck, quietly, "that we seem to be wasting time. have you got a knife?" "yes, of course." "so have i. well, mine has a small blade; has yours?" "yes. why?" "one small blade would not be strong enough, but if two were thrust into the back of those irons together we might be able to open them. i believe all these fetters are opened by a square key, and i'm going to try." "ah, yes; do." "once get you free, we could pass the time climbing up the natural staircase, and get a look out from the top at the fresh green trees and clear sky." aleck's attempt to take his companion's attention was successful, inasmuch as after the production of the knives, and the changing the position of the opened lanthorn so that the dim light should do its best in illuminating the rusty anklet and chain, the midshipman began to take some feeble interest in the proceedings. aleck knew as much about handcuffs and fetters as he did about the binomial theorem, but he was one of those lads who are always ready to "have a try" at anything, and, after examining the square deeply-set holes which secured the anklets, he placed the two pen-blades of the knives together, forced them in as far as they would go, and tried to turn them. the first effort resulted in a sharp clicking sound. "there goes the edge of one blade," said the lad, coolly. "i hope it's your knife, and not mine. hullo! hooray! it turns!" for the blades held fast, jammed as they were into the angles of the orifice, and the operator was able to turn the knives half way, and then all the way round. "now try," said the midshipman, beginning to take deep interest in the attempt. "i have," said aleck, gloomily; "the blades turn the inside, but the thing's as fast as ever." "but you are not doing it right," said the middy. "i suppose not; you try." "no, no; go on. but you haven't turned enough." "it wants the proper key," said aleck. "no, i think those knives will do, after all. i saw a sailor put in irons once for striking his superior officer, and i think that part wants not only turning like a key in a lock, but turning round and round, as if you were taking out a screw." "oh, i see," cried aleck, with renewed eagerness, and he turned and turned till, to his great delight, the anklet fell open like an unclasped bracelet, and then dropped on to the folded sail-cloth which formed the prisoner's couch. "hooray!" shouted aleck again. "hurrah! hurrah!" cried the young officer, with a decision in his voice that brought up their first meeting in the harbour. "there, it's all right," cried aleck, as the young officer caught him by the hands; "nothing like patience and a good try." "i--i can't thank you enough," said the middy, in a half suffocated voice. "well, who wants thanks, sailor?" cried aleck. "don't go on like that. it's all right. i'm as glad as you are. now, then--oh, i say, your being shut up here has pulled you down!" "yes, more than i knew, old fellow," said the middy. "there, i'm better now. you can't tell what an effect it had upon one. there were times in the night when, after dragging and dragging at that miserable iron, i grew half wild and ready to gnaw at my leg to get it free. why, if you know the way out we can escape now." "yes, but let's play fair by eben megg. he has gone to try and get the key to open this thing, and i promised that i would wait till he came back." "but he will not come back, i feel sure. he's only a smuggler, and ready to promise anything." "oh, no," said aleck, "i don't think that. if he is not taken by the men from the boat he'll come back, i feel sure. so let's wait till the morning." "i can't--i tell you i can't," cried the midshipman, half wild with hysterical excitement. "i must get out now at any cost. i couldn't bear another night in this place." "nonsense," cried aleck, good-humouredly. "you bore it when you felt almost hopeless as a prisoner; surely now that you are as good as free you can manage to bear one more night!" "no, i cannot and i will not," cried the young officer. "see to that lanthorn at once, and let's get out of this living tomb." aleck lit a fresh candle and secured it in the sconce, watching the midshipman the while as he sat up rubbing the freshly-freed leg, and then stood up and stamped his foot as if the leg were stiff. then, as if satisfied that he could get along pretty well, he turned to his companion. "it's rather bad," he said, excitedly; "but--i can manage now. jump up and come along." aleck remained silent. "do you hear?" cried the middy. "yes. it's time now that we had something more to eat," said the lad, quietly. "eat? eat? who's going to think of eating now? i want to get out and breathe the cool, soft air. i feel just as if i were coming to life after having been buried. here, pick up the lanthorn and let's start." "if eben megg does not come back by the morning," said aleck, coldly. "what! do you mean to tell me that you are going to stay here all night when the way's open?" "the way is not open," said aleck, coldly. "not open? you told me there was no door or fastening at all." "there is neither, but it's shut up by the promise i gave that man." "you tell me really that you mean to stop here all night waiting for him?" "yes," said aleck; "i was quite ready to stop here all night to keep you company when you were a prisoner chained to that wall." the midshipman stood staring down at his companion as if half stunned, till better thoughts prevailed. "yes," he said, at last, in a quieter way. "so you were; and you would have done it, wouldn't you?" "of course i would," said aleck. "and it wouldn't be fair to break your word, eh?" "that's what i feel," was the reply. "yes, and i suppose it's right, aleck--that's what they call you?" "yes, that's what they call me," said the lad, coldly. "yes--yes," said the middy, slowly. "i say, you're not an officer, but you're a jolly deal more of a gentleman than i am. you see, i've been a prisoner so long, and i want to get out." "of course; it's only natural." "well, then, you're going to show me the way out?" "to-morrow morning, when i feel satisfied that eben megg will not come." "no, no, to-night--if it is to-night yet. come!" "no," said aleck, firmly. "i gave him my word that i'd wait, and i'll stay even if he doesn't come back; but i have no right to try and stop you." "no, that you haven't; but i'm not going to behave worse than you do. now, once more, are you going to show me the way out?" "no," said aleck. to his intense astonishment the midshipman threw himself back upon his rough couch again. "all right," he said; "i know what it means when you're all alone in the stillness here and your brain's at work conjuring up all sorts of horrible things. you've behaved very handsomely to me, old fellow, and i'm not going to be such a miserable beggar as to go and leave you in the lurch. if you stay, i stay too, and there's an end of it. now, then, snuff the candle and hunt out some prog. i've been so that everything i put into my mouth tasted like sawdust, but i feel now as if i could eat like anything. look sharp." "do you mean this?" cried aleck, turning to his companion, excitedly. "of course i do," said the middy, merrily. "think you're the only gentleman in the world?" it was aleck's turn to feel slightly husky in the throat, but he turned away to the rough basket and began to hand out its contents, joining his companion in eating hungrily, both working away in silence for a time. then the ex-prisoner opened the conversation, beginning to talk in a boisterous, careless way. "i say, aleck, we shall have plenty of time before lying down to sleep. let's light two or three candles and have a jolly good rummage of the smugglers' stores." "we will," cried the lad addressed. "i shouldn't wonder if we find all sorts of things. treasure, perhaps, from wrecked vessels. i wouldn't bet that these people hadn't been pirates in their time. that eben, as you call him--i say, it ought to be ebony--he looks a regular blackbeard, skull-and-crossbones sort of a customer. we'll collar anything that seems particularly good. i'm just in the humour to say i've as good a right to what there is as anybody else; but we'll share--fair halves. i say!" "what?" "old blackbeard will stare when he finds that we've opened the irons. my word, i must go and see mrs ebony again. nice woman she is, and no mistake." "did she fasten the iron ring on your ankle?" "well, no; i think it was an ugly old woman of the party; but i couldn't be sure, for they half killed me--smothered me, you know--and when i came the half way back to life the job was done." aleck entered into the spirit of the rummage, as his companion called it, and their search proved interesting enough; but after finding a vast store of spirits, tobacco, and undressed italian silks, the principal things in the cavern were ship's stores--the flotsam and jetsam of wrecks, over which they bent till weariness supervened. "tired out," said aleck, at last. "so am i," was the reply, as they threw themselves side by side on the rough bed, after extinguishing all the candles they had stuck about the rock and confining themselves to a fresh one newly set up in the lanthorn. "shall we let it burn?" said aleck, in deference to his comrade's feelings. "oh, hang it, no!" was the reply. "it might gutter down and set us on fire." "then you don't mind being in the dark?" "not a bit with you here. do you mind?" "i feel the same as you." five minutes later they were both sleeping quietly and enjoying as refreshing a slumber as ever fell to the lot of man or boy. chapter twenty six. aleck woke up wondering, for he felt as if he had had a good night's rest and that it ought to be morning, whereas it was very dark. this was puzzling, and what was more curious was the fact that on moving he found that he had his clothes on. naturally enough he moved, and turned upon his other side, to find that it was not so dark now, for he was looking at what seemed to be a beautifully blue dawn. then someone yawned, and the lad was fully awake to his position. "sailor!" he said, loudly. "eh? my watch? my--my--i'll--here, aleck, that you?" "yes, it's morning; rouse up. i fancy it must be late." "looks to me as if it is dreadfully early. i fancied i was being roused up to go on deck. what are you doing?" "going to get a light." this aleck did after the customary nicking and blowing. the candle in the lanthorn was lit, and the lads, after cautiously testing the depth of the water, indulged in a good bathe, gaining confidence as they swam, and finally dried themselves upon an exceedingly harsh towel formed of a piece of canvas, one of many hanging where they had been thrown over pieces of rock. as they dressed they could see that it was getting lighter inside the arch, which gradually showed more plainly, and as the water grew lower during the time that they partook of the meal which formed their breakfast, the twilight had broadened, so that both became hopeful of seeing the tide sink beneath the crown of the arch so as to give them a glance at the sunlit surface of the sea. "how long are you going to wait for the smuggler?" asked the middy, suddenly. "not long," was the reply. "it is not fair to you. but i should like to give him a little law. what do you say to waiting here till the tide has got to its lowest, and as soon as it turns we'll start?" "very well, i agree," said the midshipman, "for i don't think that we shall have long to wait. i was expecting it to go down so low that i should see the full daylight yesterday, but before i got the slightest peep it began to rise again." "but it came lighter than this?" said aleck. "no; i don't think it was so light as this. i believe it is just about turning now." the sailor proved to be right; and as soon as aleck felt quite sure he turned to his companion and proposed that they should start. "i don't know what my uncle will say," he said. "you'd better come home with me. he will be astonished when he sees that i have found you." "did he know that i was lost?" "of course. your fellow officer came straight to our place to search it, thinking we knew where you were. well, uncle will be very glad. come along. i shall take the lanthorn with us to see our way up the zigzag. i think i could manage in the dark, as i came down and know something of the place, but it would be awkward for you." "oh, yes; let's have all the light we can," said the midshipman. "i'm quite ready. shall we start?" "yes, come on," was the reply, and, holding the lanthorn well down, aleck led the way along by the waterside till the rocks which had acted as stepping-stones were reached, and which were now quite bare. these were passed in safety, but not without two or three slips; and then after a walk back towards the twilight, somewhere about equal to the distance they had come, aleck struck off up a slope and in and out among the blocks that had fallen from the roof to where he easily found the lowest slope of the zigzag, which they prepared to mount, the light from the lanthorn showing the nicks cut in the stone at the side. "it's much harder work climbing up than sliding down," said aleck. "of course," replied the midshipman, who toiled on steadily in the rear; "but it's very glorious to have one's leg free, and to know that before long one will be up in the glorious light of day. i say, are you counting how many of these slopes we have come up?" "no," said aleck, "i lost count; but i think we must be half way up." "bravo! but, i say, these smugglers are no fools. who'd ever expect to find such a place as this? it must have taken them years to make." "they were making it or improving it for years," said aleck; "but they found the crack already made--it was natural." "think so?" "yes; the rock split just like a flash of lightning. mind how you come--the roof is lower down here. let's see, this must be where i hit my head in coming down. no, it can't be, for that was somewhere about the middle of one of the slopes, i think, and this is the end, just where it turns back and forms another slope." aleck ceased speaking and raised the lanthorn so as to examine the rock above and around him more attentively. "nice work this for a fellow's uniform. what with the climbing and sleeping in it i shall be in rags. but why don't you go on?" said the midshipman. "i--i don't quite know," said aleck, hesitating. "it seems different here to what it was when i came down." "but you said you came down in the dark?" "i did, and i suppose that's why it seems different." "well, never mind. go on. it hurts my feet standing so long resting in this nick." aleck was still busy with the lanthorn, and remained silent, making his companion more impatient still. "i say, go on," he said. "why do you stop?" "because it seems to me as if i had come the wrong way, taken a wrong turning that i did not know of--one, i suppose, that i passed in the dark." "but this must be right," said the midshipman; "it goes up. here are all the nicks for one's feet, and the part in the middle is all ground out as if things were dragged up. go on, old chap; you must be right." "so i think," said aleck; "but i can't go on. it seems to me as if the place comes to an end here, and i can get no farther." "that's a nice sort of a story. but you carried the light; have you taken a wrong turning?" "i didn't know that there were any turnings." "have another good look, and make sure." aleck peered in all directions by the aid of the lanthorn--a very short task, seeing how they were shut in--and then carefully felt the stones. "well?" said the midshipman. "i'm regularly puzzled," said aleck. "of course, it's very different coming in the other direction, and by candlelight instead of the darkness." "then you're regularly at fault." "quite." "try back, then. you light me and i'll lead." they slid down to the bottom of the slope and stopped. "i say," cried the midshipman; "you'll have to take me to your place and find me some clothes, for i shan't have a rag on if we're going to do much of this sort of thing." "this must be right," said aleck, without heeding the remark. "i can shut my eyes here and be sure of it by the feel." "then it's of no use to go down any farther?" "not a bit," said aleck, firmly. "look for yourself. here are the foot nicks at the side, and the floor is all worn smooth. we must be right." "then forward once more. you must have missed something." aleck toiled up the slope again, reached the top, where the crack should have run in a fresh direction and at a different inclination, and carefully examined the place with his light, while his heart began to beat faster and faster from the excitement that was growing upon him rapidly. for as he ran his hands over the rock in front, which completely blocked his way, he noted that there were three great pieces--one which ran right into the angle, where the pathway should have made its turn; a second, which lay between it and the smooth wall at the bend; and another smaller piece, which lay over both, jammed tightly in between the two other stones and the roof, and carrying conviction to aleck's mind as he now recalled the peculiar grating sounds he had heard soon after the smuggler left them the previous day. he was brought out of his musings by his companion, who suddenly exclaimed: "i say, look here; i'm not a puffin." "eh? no, of course not. what made you say that?" "because you seemed to think i was, keeping me perched up on a piece of rock like this. now, then, are you going on?" aleck was silent, for he had not the heart to say that which was within. "are you going dumb? if you've lost your way say so, and let's begin again." "it's worse than that," said aleck. "worse? what do you mean?" "look here," said aleck, holding the lanthorn up high with one hand, and pointing with the other. "well, i'm looking, and i can see nothing but stone--rough stone." "neither can i. we can go no farther." "what! you don't mean to say that the roof has fallen in?" "no; it's worse than that." "can't be," cried the middy. "yes, it is, for we could have dug the fallen stones away. sailor, i'm obliged to say it--we're regularly trapped!" "what! who by? oh, nonsense!" "it's true enough, i'm afraid. the smuggler would not do as we did. we trusted him, but he would not trust us." "you don't mean to say he has blocked us in?" "i'm obliged to say so. i heard him forcing down the stones after he'd gone. look for yourself. i can't move one." "no," said the midshipman, quietly, as he reached past aleck and tried to give the top one a shake. "he has been too clever for us. think we can move these lumps? no; their own weight will keep them down. that's it, aleck; the things here are too good to lose, and he has got us safe." to aleck's astonishment he had begun to whistle a dismal old air in a minor key after propping himself across the rough crack so that he could not slip. "what's to be done?" said aleck, at last. "done, eh?" was the reply. "well, i'm afraid if i had been alone and found this out, i should have lain down, let myself slide to the bottom, and then set to and howled; but the old saying goes, `two's company, even if you're going to be hanged,' and you're pretty good company, so let's go back to the cave. we can breathe there. the heat here is awful. this shows that it doesn't do to be too cocksure of anything. come on down." "but we must have a thoroughly good try to move the stones," said aleck, angrily. "not a bit of use. that brute has wedged them in and jumped upon them. why, we may push and heave till we're black in the face and do no good. we're fixed up safe." "and you're going to give up like that?" "not i," said the midshipman, calmly. "show me what i can do, and if it's likely to be any good i'll work as long as you like; but it's of no use to make ourselves more miserable than we are. come on down." the young sailor spoke in so commanding a tone that aleck yielded, and, following his comrade's example, he slid down slope after slope, and finally stood in the great open cavern, breathing in long deep breaths of the fresh soft air. "hah! that's better," said the midshipman. "i felt stifled up in that hole. now i don't bear malice against anybody, but i think i should like to see that smuggling ruffian shut up here for a few days. look here, aleck; all he said was pretence--he never meant us to get out again." "oh, i don't know," said aleck, passionately. "he might, or he might not. now, then, what's to be done--try and find some tools, and then get to work to chip those stones to pieces?" "no, it would only mean try and try in vain." "here, what has come to you?" cried aleck. "you take it all as coolly as if it were of no consequence at all. i don't believe you can understand yet how bad it all is." "oh, yes, i can," said the midshipman, coolly; "but i've got no more miserables left in me. i used 'em all up when i was chained up by myself in the dark. i feel now quite jolly compared to what i was." "nonsense. you can't grasp what a terrible strait we're in." "oh, yes, i can. we're buried alive." "well, isn't that horrible?" said aleck. "pretty tidy, but not half so bad as being buried dead. it would be all over then; but as we're buried alive perhaps we shall be able to unbury ourselves." "you must be half mad," said aleck, angrily, "or you'd never talk so lightly." "lightly? i don't talk lightly. i'm as serious as a judge." "but what are we to do?" "wait a bit and let's think. we can live down here for ever so long; that is, as long as the rations last. then we shall have to try some other way out." "yes; but what way?" the midshipman pointed towards the dimly-seen submerged arch. "can you swim?" he said. "of course. pretty well." "and dive?" "yes." "then my notion is that we take it as coolly as we can till we think it's a suitable time. then we'll strip, make a couple of bundles of our clothes, go in as near to that arch as we can, and then try to dive under and out to the daylight." aleck raised the lanthorn to bring its dim light full upon his companion's face, gazing at him hard as if in doubt of his sanity. for the words were spoken as calmly and coolly as if he had been proposing some ordinary jump into clear water at a bathing-place. but he only saw that the speaker's countenance was perfectly unruffled, and his next words convinced him that he was speaking in all seriousness. "well, don't look so horrified," he said, half laughingly. "you haven't been bragging, have you? don't say you can't swim?" "oh, i can swim easily enough," said aleck, impatiently; "but suppose one rose too soon, right up amongst those rugged rocks, with the sea-wrack hanging down in long strips ready to strangle us?" "i'm not going to suppose anything of the sort," said the midshipman. "why should you suppose such horrors? i might just as well say: suppose a great shark should rush in open-mouthed to swallow me down and then grab you by the leg, throw you over on to his back, and carry you about till he felt hungry again?" "but you don't see the danger?" cried aleck. "and don't want to see it. i daresay it is dangerous, but nearly everything is if you look at it in that way. well, what now? why do you look at me like that?" "because i don't understand you," said aleck. "yesterday you seemed as weak as a girl, while now you are proposing impossible things, and seem to be trying to brag as if to make me feel that you are not so weak as you were then." "perhaps so," said the middy, laughing good-humouredly. "i was as weak as a girl yesterday, but i don't feel so now; and though you are partly right, and i don't want you to think me such a molly, i really am ready to make a dash at it if you will." "i'll do anything that i think is possible," said aleck, gravely, "but i don't want to be rash." "then you think it would be rash to try and dive out under that archway?" "horribly," said aleck, with a shudder; and at that moment the candle, which, unnoticed through the dull horn, had burned down and begun flickering in the socket, suddenly flashed up brightly, flickered for a moment or two, and went out. chapter twenty seven. "ugh!" ejaculated the midshipman. "i don't feel half so brave now, and i don't believe i dare go in here in the darkness, set aside make a dive. where's the tinder-box? for goodness' sake, strike a light and let's have another candle. oh, you oughtn't to have let that out!" "come along," replied aleck. "i think i can find the way to the place again. mind how you come; there are so many stones. i say, why is it that one feels so shrinking in the dark and frightened of all sorts of things that we never dream of in the light?" "i don't know, and don't want to talk about it now. let's have a light first. i say, we must do something before the candles are all burnt out." "mind!" cried aleck, for his companion caught his foot against one of the pieces of projecting rock against which he had been warned, and but for the throwing out of a friendly hand he would have gone head first into the water. "ugh!" he panted, as he clung, trembling now violently. "i wonder how deep the water is just there! how horrible! i say, don't let go of my hand. what are you doing?" "i'm feeling for the lanthorn." "what!" cried the midshipman, aghast. "don't say you've lost that?" "i wasn't going to," said aleck, rather gruffly, as he thought that his companion was about the strangest compound of bravery and cowardice he had ever met. "but didn't you hear it go down crash?" "no, i heard nothing. here, what's this against my foot?" aleck stooped down and found that it was the missing lanthorn. "it's lucky it did not roll into the water. now, then, all right. keep hold of hands, and let's feel our way to where i left the tinder-box. hold up; don't stumble again." "i can't help it," said the middy, with his teeth chattering. "it feels as if all the strength had gone out of my legs. here, aleck, it's of no use to be a sham; hold on tightly by my hand and help me along. i'm afraid that was all brag about making the dive. i suppose i must be a horrible coward, after all." "i'm afraid i am too," said aleck bitterly, as he held the other's hand tightly and tried to progress cautiously in the dark. "i feel horrible, and as if the next step i take will send us both into the water." "ugh! don't say that," whispered the middy, huskily. "i remember what that fellow said about the seals; but it's my belief that a dark piece of water like this must swarm with all kinds of terrible creatures." "and yet you wanted to dive into it for a swim?" "yes, when the candle was alight." "i didn't feel anything attack us when we bathed," said aleck, quietly. "oh, don't talk about it," said the middy, shuddering. "i bathed then, but i don't feel as if, feeling what i do, i could risk another plunge in." aleck felt no disposition whatever to talk about the venture his companion in misfortune had proposed, for he was intent upon getting to the spot where the light-producing implement had been bestowed, and twice over he nearly lost his calmness, for the horrible idea attacked him that he had wandered quite away from the spot in the darkness. it was an ugly thought, bringing up others of a strangely confusing nature, but at last, just when he was ready to confess to this fresh trouble, he came upon candle and tinder-box, over which his trembling fingers played for some minutes before the welcome spark appeared in the tinder and suffered itself to be blown up into a glow instead of dying out. hot and tired, the two lads made for the resting-place, and were thankful to cast themselves down, to lie in silence for close upon an hour before either of them ventured to advert to their position; but at last the midshipman declared that he knew it from the first, and that they were a pair of idiots to trust the word of a smuggler. "i don't see it," said aleck, who felt ready to give the man credit for having met with some mishap. "well, i do. it was a deeply-laid scheme to trap us--shut us up here and leave us to die while he escaped." "nonsense," cried aleck. "why, it would be a horrible murder!" "yes; horrible--diabolical--shocking." "i don't believe eben megg would be such a wretch," said aleck, stoutly. "what, not a smuggler? they're the greatest villains under the sun." "are they?" said aleck, drily. "yes, i know that," cried the middy angrily; "but i'll let the brute see. i'll have him hung at the yard-arm for this. he shall find out he made a mistake." "when we get out," said aleck, smiling in spite of their trouble, for his companion's peppery way of expressing himself was amusing. "yes, when we get out, of course. you don't suppose i'm going to settle myself quietly down here, do you?" "of course not," said aleck; and then an idea occurred to him which made him check his companion just as he was about to burst into a tirade about what he would do. "i say," cried aleck, "it must be easy to get out of this if we wait till the time when the boats can come in." "but do they ever come in?" "of course. how else could the smugglers have landed all this stuff?" "it must be at a spring tide then," said the middy. "to be sure. when's the next?" "i don't know," said the middy. "you do, of course?" "not i. you're a pretty sort of a sailor not to know when the next spring tide is." "and you're a pretty sort of a fellow who lives by the shore and don't know. you seem to know nothing." "bother the spring tides," said aleck, testily. "i know there are spring tides, and that sometimes you can walk dry-shod half way down our gully; but i can't tell the times. tom bodger would know." "what, that wooden-legged sailor?" "yes." "then you'd better go and fetch him here." "i wish i could," said aleck, sadly. "what's the good of wishing? here, i'm hungry. let's have something to eat." "no, we mustn't do that," said aleck. "we had better eat as little as we can so as to make the food last as long as possible." "no, we hadn't," replied the middy, roughly. "we may just as well eat while we can. there's plenty to keep us alive; but if we can't get out we shan't be able to live all the same." "why?" the middy was silent for a few moments before he could master himself sufficiently, the horror that he as a sailor foresaw not having been grasped by his shore-going companion. "you haven't been to sea?" he said, at last, in quite a different tone. "only about in my boat." "in sight of land, when you could put ashore at any time." "yes; but what do you mean?" "i mean, the first thing a sailor, thinks about is his supply of fresh water." "to be sure," said aleck. "i always take a little keg from our spring when i go for a long day's fishing." "pity you didn't bring it here," said the middy, dismally. "eh? what do you mean?" "i want to know what we're going to do for water as soon as those bottles are empty?" it was aleck's turn to be silent now, and in turn he was some moments before he spoke. "i never thought of that," he said, and he felt as if a cold chill was running through him, to give place to a hot feverish sensation, accompanied by thirst. then he recovered his boyish elasticity. "here," he cried, "never say die! i'm not going to give up like this. look here; we've got a spring at home where the water trickles out of a crack in the rock and flows down into a great stone tank like a well. it only comes in drops, but it's always dropping, and so we have enough for our wants." "pity you didn't bring your tank here," said the middy. "what's the good of telling me that?" "because the cliff all along here for miles has places where the water trickles out, and i shouldn't be a bit surprised if we were to find that the smugglers have something in the shape of a tank here in this place. they must have wanted water here, and they would be sure to have saved any that trickled in." "then you'd better find it," said the middy. "come along, then; let's search. this place is very big." "you can if you like. i've had such a dose this morning, just when i felt i was going to get out, that i'm going to lie down and try to forget it." "what! go to sleep?" cried aleck. "yes." "that you're not. you're going to help me search the cavern." "i'm not." "you are," cried aleck, firmly. "look here; do you want to make it a fight?" "no, and you don't either. come on; we'll light another candle and stick it upon a piece of stone or slate. then we'll have a good hunt." "oh, very well," said the middy, rising. "come on, then; but i'm sure we're only going to tire ourselves for nothing." "never mind, it will keep us from thinking." there was no difficulty in picking up a flat piece of slate, and then a fresh candle was cut free from the bunch, its end melted, and stuck on to the stone, and then the lads looked at one another. "look here," said the middy; "i wish i wasn't such an awful beast." aleck laughed. "you don't look one," he said. "no, but i feel one. fellows in trouble ought to be like brothers, and i keep on having fits of the grumps. here, i mean to work with you now." "i know you do," said aleck, frankly, "but it's enough to make anyone feel savage." "now, then, where are we going to look for water?" "right up at the narrowest end of the cave." "why?" "because what there is always seems to make for the sea." "that's right," said the middy; and, taking the lead, he began to pick his way along by the side of the canal-like pool, whose clear waters reflected the lights as if it were a river. "water's higher now," said aleck. "yes, and it looks good enough to drink; but it's salter than the sea, i suppose. i say!" "well?" said aleck. "this place gets narrower. it seems to me that if the roof fell in it would make another of those caves you have all along this coast. i shouldn't wonder if in time all the top of this comes in and opens the mouth so that the waves can rush in and wash it bigger and bigger." "very likely," said aleck. "look here!" he held down the candle to show that they had come to the end of the deep water, which was continued farther in by a series of pools, which were probably only joined into one lane of water at very high tides. the middy said something of the kind, and then pointed out, as they progressed slowly, that the pools grew smaller and smaller till they came to an end, where the cavern had grown very narrow and seemed to be closing in, and where a huge mass of stone blocked the way. "how are we to go now? climb right over that big lump? i don't believe there's room to crawl between that and the roof." "i say," replied aleck, excitedly, "it's wet right up." "all the worse for our clothes," was the reply; "but is it any use to go any farther?" aleck's answer took the shape of action, for he sank upon his knees, set the piece of slate which formed his candlestick upon the rock floor, and going down upon his chest reached out and scooped up some of the water of the pool in his palm and raised it to his lips. "don't swallow it," said his companion; "it will only make you horribly thirsty." "no," cried aleck, exultantly, "it's all right--fresh and sweet. look here; you can see how there's water trickling very slowly down." "so there is," cried the middy. "you were all right about that." "yes," said aleck, "and i believe we shall find ships' stores enough amongst those barrels to last us for months." "let's see!" said the middy. "oh! this is getting too jolly," he added. "let's open some of the boxes too. why, the next thing will be that i shall be finding a new uniform all ready for putting on, but--oh, dear!" he added, dolefully. "well, of all the fellows," cried aleck. "here have we just found out that things aren't half so bad as they seemed, and now you're breaking out again. what is the matter now?" "i was thinking about the uniform, been lying here perhaps for months; it's sure to be too damp to put on." "bah!" cried aleck. "dip it right into the big pool and make it salt. it won't hurt you then." "right," shouted the middy. "now, then, what next? i believe if we keep on we shall find a fresh way out." "like enough. let's try." they tried, but tried in vain. the middy held the light, and aleck climbed up the wet face of the huge mass which blocked the way, and then began to crawl on beneath the roof. "how do you get on?" "splendid. it goes upward, and i could almost stand." "how are you getting on?" said the middy, after listening to the scrambling noise made by the climber. "middling. just room to crawl now." five minutes later the middy shouted again: "look here; hadn't i better come up now?" "yes, if you like." "is there plenty of room?" "no." "then what's the use of my coming?" "only to keep me company. better still, come and give a pull at my heels." "pull at your heels?" "yes, it's like a chimney laid on its side, and i'm quite stuck fast." "oh!" cried the middy; and then, "all right, i'm coming." "no, no, don't!" came to him in smothered tones, as he began to climb; "i've got room again. coming back." there was a good deal of shuffling and scraping, and then aleck's feet came into the light over the top of the block. the next minute he was on his feet beside his companion, hot, panting, and with the front of his clothes wet. "there's a tiny stream comes trickling in there," he said, brushing himself down softly; "but there isn't room for a rat to get any further than i did. my word, it was tight! i felt as if the water had made me swell out, and it didn't seem as if i was going to get back." "phew!" whistled the middy. "we should have been worse off then. i say, aleck, you'd have had to starve for a few days to get thin, and then i could have pulled you out. here, i say, though, old fellow, i'm not going on the grump any more; things might be worse, eh?" "ever so much," said aleck, cheerfully. "let's have a good drink now, and then go and examine some of those barrels. if one of them turns out salt beef or pork we'll go back and finish our stores, for we shall be all right for provisions." "without counting the fish i mean to catch. i'm sure there'll be some come in with the tide." "very foolish of them if they do," said aleck, wiping his mouth after lying down to take a long deep draught, in which action he was imitated by his companion. "now, then, i want to be satisfied about flour and meat." within half an hour he was satisfied, for a little examination proved to the prisoners that some unfortunate vessel had gone to pieces outside and its stores had been run in by the smugglers. "yes," said the middy, as they returned to their resting-place, to begin making a hearty meal, "things do look a bit more rosy, but you mustn't be too chuff over it. i'll bet sixpence, if you like, that the tackle in those tubs is as salt as brine." "i'm afraid so," said aleck, "and all the outside of the flour mouldy." "very likely," said the middy. "but never mind; if the outside's bad we'll eat the in." "look at the crack over yonder now!" cried aleck, after a time, during which the only sounds heard were those of two people eating. "what for?" "it look's so light; just as if the sun was shining upon it outside. i must try if i can't dive down and swim out." "with a rope round your waist," said the middy, eagerly, "so that if you stuck--" "you could pull me back," said aleck. "and if you got through safely--" cried the middy. "you would tie the other end round you," said aleck, "ready for me to haul and help you out in turn." "oh! what's the good of a fellow being grumpy?" cried the middy. "why, we're enjoying ourselves. this is one big adventurous game. i'm getting to be glad those women took me prisoner. i don't believe there ever were two who dropped in for such an adventure as this. but, i say, i don't think we'll try the diving trick to-day. we ought to be rested and fresh." "yes," replied aleck, "and we ought to have another good try up the zigzag first." "yes, it might be as well. i say, just ring for the people to clear away. i want to have a nap now. what time is it?" "oh, i don't know. why?" "because i want to know what to call it. you see, i don't know whether i'm going to have a siesta or a genuine snooze." "have both," said aleck, laughing, "and i'll do the same." "and it doesn't matter, does it, for night and day seem to be about the same? put out that candle, and mind where the tinder-box is." "here, you see where it lies," was the reply, and then there was silence, both lying thinking deeply before once more dropping fast asleep, many hours having been taken up by the hard toil and suffering they had gone through. chapter twenty eight. the next morning, as it seemed from the beautiful limpid appearance of dawn that rose from the surface of the waters, to become diffused in the soft gloom overhead, the lads lit a candle and set off manfully to try as to the possibility of making their way out through the zigzag passage, aleck trying first and dragging and pushing at the stones which blocked his way, till, utterly exhausted and dripping with perspiration, he made way for his comrade to have a try. the latter toiled hard in turn, and did not desist till he found that his fingers were bleeding and growing painful. "it's of no good," he said, gloomily; "that scoundrel has done his work too well. let's get down to where we can breathe. i say, though," he added, cheerily, "i've learned one thing." "what?" asked aleck. "that i was never cut out for a chimney-sweep. this is bad enough; i don't know what it would be if there was the soot." they slid down, and as soon as they were back in the comparatively cheerful cavern, where they could breathe freely, aleck proposed that they should look out amongst the sails and ships' stores for a suitable rope for their purpose. there was coil upon coil of rope, but for the most part they were too thick, and it seemed as if they would be reduced to venturing upon their dive untrammelled, when, raising the lanthorn for another glance round, aleck caught sight of the very piece he required, hanging from a wooden peg driven in between two blocks of stone. "looks old and worn," said the middy, passing the frayed line through his fingers. "let's try it." the means adopted was to tie one end round a projection of the rocky side, run the line out to its full length, and then drag and jerk it together with all their might. satisfied with the effects of this test, the rope was untied, the other end made fast, and the dragging and snatching repeated without the tough fibres of the hemp yielding in the least. "looks very old," said the middy, "but wear has only made it soft. if it stands all that tugging with the weight of both of us on the end it will bear one of us being dragged through the water, where one isn't so heavy. now, then, are we going to try this way?" "certainly," said aleck. "very well; who's to go first?" "i will," said aleck. "i don't know about that," replied the middy. "you're only a shore-going fellow, while i'm a sailor. i think i ought to go first." "it doesn't much matter who goes first, but i spoke first and i'll go." "look here," cried the middy; "if i give way and let you have first try, will you play fair?" "of course. but what do you mean?" "you won't brag and chuck it in my face afterwards that you got us out of the hole?" "do you think i should be such a donkey?" cried aleck. "why, look here, i'm going to try and chance it, but i don't believe i shall get through. never mind about who's to be first. let's do all we can to make sure of escaping. now, then, shall we try now, or wait till the water's at its lowest? it's going down now." "if we wait till the tide's at its lowest it will be slack water, and we shall get no help. it's running out now, and we can see the shape of the arch." "yes, and how rugged and weed-hung it is. i say, i don't like the look of it. you'd better go first." "very well," said the middy, promptly, and he began taking off his jacket. "hold hard," cried aleck, hurriedly stripping off his own. "come along." he led the way to the edge of the water where, though not the nearest, the best leap off seemed to present itself, and then stood perfectly still, gazing down into the softly illuminated water, quivering and wreathing as it ran softly out, and looking dim and blurred through being kept so much in motion by the retiring waves. "then you still mean to go?" said the middy. "of course. but what shall i do--strip, or try in my clothes?" "strip, decidedly," cried the middy. "i shall get scratched and scraped going under the rocks." "you'll get caught by them and hung up if you keep your clothes on. have 'em all off, man; you'll slip through the water then like a seal." "yes," said aleck, calmly, "i suppose it will be best." it did not take him long to prepare, and as soon as he was ready his companion made the rope fast just round beneath the arm-pits with a knot that would neither slip nor tighten. "there!" said the middy, as he finished his preparations by laying out the rope in rings and curves of various shapes, such as would easily run out. "i say, you are perfectly black when i look at you from behind, but in front you seem like a white image on a black ground. now, then, what do you mean to do?" "dive in from here and try to keep right down and swim as deeply as i can for the mouth." "try to swallow the job at one mouthful?" "yes." "won't do," said the middy, authoritatively. "you couldn't do it. you must slip in gently here and swim to that rock that's just out of the water." "what! that one that seems just to the left of the arch?" "that's the one. get out on it, wait a few moments, and then take a long, deep breath and dive." aleck pondered for a few moments. "yes," he said, "i think you're right. i should have had to swim so far first if i started from here." "to be sure you would. the less diving you have the better." "i see," said aleck. "now, then, let the rope run out easily through your fingers till i give it a sharp jerk. that means pull me back as fast as you can." "yes, because you can go no further." "if i pull twice it means i am safe through, and then--" "i shall tie my end of the rope round my chest and come too. you need not pull, only just draw in the line, unless it stops, because that would mean i had got into difficulties. do we both understand? i do." "so do i," said aleck, "so let's get it over. if i wait much longer i shall be afraid to go." "don't believe you," said the middy, bluntly. "now, then--ready?" "yes." the word was no sooner uttered than aleck slipped down into the water and began to swim, with the rope being carefully paid out by his comrade, and in a minute he was fairly started. he was at first invisible, but very soon began to look like a black object making its way over a surface that grew transparent. then all at once the rope ceased to run. "what is it?" cried the middy, anxiously. "got to the rock." "is the water deep?" "very." "well, get up, ready for your dive." "it's all seaweed, and horribly slippery." "never mind; up with you." a peculiar splashing sound arose, and the middy could just make out the dim shape of his companion climbing, or rather dragging, himself on to the slimy rock, whose top was about a foot above the surface of the water. "stop a minute or two first," said the middy, "so as to take--" he was going to say "breath," but before the word could be uttered aleck, who had drawn himself up to stand erect, felt his feet gliding from under him, and it was only by a violent effort that he escaped falling heavily upon the weed-covered rock. as it was he came down with a tremendous splash into the water, going head first in a sharp incline down and down, while, obeying his first impulse, he struck out sharply. the middy was about to obey his first impulse too, and that was not to pay out, but begin to haul his comrade back. his hands tightened round the line, but as he awoke to the fact that it was gliding through his hands in obedience to the regular pulsation of the movements of a swimmer, he felt that all must be right, and waited while, foot by foot, the rope glided on and the transparent water grew more and more agitated and strange to see. once he fancied he could clearly make out aleck's steadily swimming figure, but directly after he knew it was a great, waving, flag-like mass of weed fronds, and he uttered an impatient gasp and turned cold. "he couldn't have got his breath for the dive," he said to himself, "and the current must be taking him helplessly away. half the line must have run out, and perhaps he's insensible. no; that means swimming, for it goes in jerks, and--he has stopped. he must be through. hooray! well done, old--oh, that's the signal to pull him back!" it was surely enough, and the middy began at once to haul in, and then the cold feeling became a chill of horror, for he had drawn the rope quite tight at the second haul, and it was perfectly evident that the swimmer had signalled because in some way he was caught fast. what to do? the middy was energetic enough, and in those perilous moments, full of horror for his companion's sake, he hauled till he dared pull no more for fear that the rope should part, and, obeying now a sudden thought, he relaxed the strain, and the rope seemed to be snatched back towards aleck. "that can't be a signal," he said to himself, in despair; but he began to haul again, recovered the line lost, and to his intense delight he found that the swimmer was once more free, and that he was drawing him rapidly back to where he stood. the lad's action was as rapid now as he could pass hand over hand, and in a very short space of time he had the poor fellow close up to the rock edge, and then, taking hold of the rope where it passed round aleck's chest, he dragged him out, half insensible, upon the rocks. another half minute or so might have been fatal, but aleck had some little energy left, and, after a strangling fit of coughing, he was able to sit up. "take--the rope off!" he panted. this was done, and in a few minutes he was breathing freely and able to talk. "i didn't get a fair start," he said, hoarsely. "i slipped, and went in before i was ready; but i got on all right for a bit till i seemed to be sucked in between two pieces of rock, and felt myself going into black darkness. then i signalled to you." "i hauled directly." "yes, and it seemed to drag me crosswise so that i couldn't pass through between the two rocks again. how did you manage then?" "i did nothing, only let go so as to make a fresh start." "did you?" said aleck, quietly. "ah, i didn't know anything about that. i only knew that it was very horrible, and i thought it was all over. it was very near, wasn't it?" "oh, i don't know," said the middy, coolly. "you say that you didn't have a fair start?" "no; it was that fall. but it's queer work. you can't make out where you are going, and the current grinds your head up against the weedy rock." "but you got nearly through, didn't you?" "i suppose so, but i don't know. it was all one horrible confusion." "yes; but another few yards, i expect, and you would have been safe, and could have pulled me through, or helped me as i swam." "perhaps," said aleck, rather slowly, for he felt confused still. "but what are you doing?" "peeling off my clothes." "what for?" said aleck, speaking now with more animation. "to do my turn, and see how i get on." "no, no, no!" cried aleck, excitedly. "you mustn't try. it's too horrible." "horrible? nonsense. it's only a swim in the dark. i like diving." "i tell you it can't be done, sailor," cried aleck, angrily. "the risk is too great. i should have been drowned if you had not hauled me out." "well, and if i'm going to be drowned you'll haul me out. you're strong enough now, aren't you?" "oh, yes; but you mustn't risk it." "you wait till i get these things off, my lad, and i'll show you. why, you'd have done it splendidly if you had dived off the rock instead of going in flip-flap like a sole out of a basket. i'll show you how to do it." "you'd better take my word for it that it can't be done. let's wait till the tide's low enough, and then swim out in daylight." "you wait till i get out of my uniform," said the middy, stubbornly, "i'll show you, my fine fellow. i've practised diving a good deal. some day, if we get to the right place in the ocean, i mean to have a go down with the sponge divers, and if i'm ever in the south seas i mean to try diving for pearl shell." "well," said aleck, rather sadly, "i've warned you, and i suppose it is of no use for me to say any more?" "not a bit," said the middy, dragging off his second stocking. "you make fast the dry end of the line round my noble chest. not too tight, mind, and a knot that won't slip." the young sailor possessed the greater will power now, for aleck was yet half stunned by what he had gone through. he obeyed every order he received, and carefully knotted on the rope. "now, are you ready?" said the middy. "feel up to hauling me back if i don't get through?" "yes." "and, mind, when i am through i shall not drag you. no, no, don't untie your end of the rope; you'll want that. now, do you understand?" "yes." "very well, then, as soon as i'm through i shall get on a dry rock and signal to you to come. then you'll slip in and swim to the rock again, and take a header off it. don't bungle it this time, and when you feel my touch at the rope, mind it's not meant to haul, only to guide you to where i'm sitting." "but what about our clothes?" said aleck, drearily. "bother our clothes! we want to save our skins and not our clothes. now, then, ready?" "yes, if you will go." "will go? look here!" the lad sprang, feet foremost, into the water, and rose directly from out of the depths, to strike out, and as aleck tried hard to follow his movements, he heard him reach the weedy rock, drag himself out, and the rope was gently drawn more and more through his hands as the middy succeeded in getting erect upon the stone, close to its edge. "see that?" he shouted. "yes." "that's what you ought to have done. now, then, slacken the line well. i'm taking a long, deep breath, ready for you know what. that's it. ready--ho!" the middy sprang into the air, and very dimly aleck saw that he curved himself over, and the next moment his hands divided the water, and he plunged in for his dive almost without a splash, while as the rope ran swiftly through his hands aleck felt a flash of energy run through him, and stood ready for any emergency that might befall. then a feeling akin to jealousy came over him, as he found the rope drawn out vigorously, and it seemed to him that the midshipman was a far better swimmer and diver than he. "but he hasn't come to the difficult part yet," he thought, the next moment. "he'll find that he can't keep down deep, and that while he is trying to beat the tangling wrack to right and left something like a current sucks him upward and forces him against the rocks that form the arch." then, full of eagerness so as to be ready to help the diver when his time of extremity came, aleck held the rope attached to him with both hands gingerly enough to let it pass easily through as wanted, but at the same time, in the most guarded way, ready to let it fall against his right shoulder when, as he intended, he turned sharply to walk swiftly back into the interior of the cavern and draw his companion back to the water's edge. then a curious thought struck him, consequent upon the rope beginning to run out faster and faster. "why, he's getting through," he cried, mentally, with a suggestion of disappointment in his brain at his comrade's better success. "he's getting through, and he'll run out all the line quickly now and draw me in. "well, so much the better," he thought. "if he can pass through i can, and perhaps in a few moments we shall both have escaped. "wish i'd done something about our clothes," he muttered then. "we shall want them, of course. but, i know; we can hide somewhere about the mouth of the cave till it gets dark, and then i can take him up to the den, and--" aleck did not finish the plan he was thinking out, for the rope had seemed to him to be running out to a far greater extent than he had taken it himself; but in reality it had gone away at about the same rate, so that something like the same quantity had been drawn through his hands when it suddenly ceased to glide, and directly after a spasm shot through the lad's brain, for it had stopped, and directly after the signal was given sharply, sending a thrill through him. he responded directly by clutching the rope tightly and beginning to run. it was only a beginning, for he was brought up short on the instant, and so sharply that he was jerked backwards. "just the same as i must have been," he said to himself, excitedly, after bearing hard against the rope and finding it quite fast. "it's like conger fishing," he thought, "and i must give him line." slackening out at once, he waited for a moment or two, and then tightened again, when to his great delight he found that he was no longer dragging at something set hard, but at a yielding body, which he drew easily to the edge of the pool by means of his long coil, before dropping it and running to seize and repeat the middy's performance upon himself. "he's quite insensible," he gasped, as he drew the dripping lad right out on to the driest part. "that i'm not," panted the middy; "but another minute would have done it." he remained silent then, panting hard and struggling to recover his breath, while aleck untied the line and set his chest at liberty to act as it should. then for some minutes nothing was said, the only sound heard being the middy's hoarse breathing as he laboured hard to recover his regular inspirations. at last he spoke in an unpleasantly harsh, ill-humoured way. "well, aren't you going to have another try? it's lovely. only wants plenty of perseverance." "not i," replied aleck. "you don't seem to have got on so very well." "got on as well as you did," snarled the middy. "ugh! it was horrid. just as if, when i felt that i could hold my breath no longer, i was suddenly seized and sucked into a great sink-hole, only the water was running up instead of down." "yes, that's just how i felt," said aleck. "you couldn't have felt so bad as i did," said the lad, irritably and speaking in the most inconsistent way. "i got my head rasped, too, against the stones overhead, and it's bleeding fast. look at it, will you?" aleck examined the place, after opening the door of the lanthorn. "it isn't bleeding," he said. "don't talk nonsense," cried the middy, irritably. "it smarts horribly, and i can feel the blood trickling down the back of my neck." "that's water out of your hair." "are you sure?" "yes, certain. i can't even see a mark on your head." "well, there ought to be," grumbled the lad. "aren't you going to have another try?" "no. are you?" "not if i know it," replied the middy. "once is quite enough for a trip of that kind." "i don't think it's possible to get out by swimming." "well, it doesn't seem like it; but the smugglers get in." "yes, at certain times." "then this is an uncertain time, i suppose!" said the middy, beginning to dress. "hadn't we better get round and have a good rub with a bit of sail?" asked aleck. "no; we can't carry our clothes without getting them wet, and if we don't take them it means coming all the way round here again. let's dress as we are; the salt water will soon dry." "very well," said aleck, and he followed his companion's example with much satisfaction to his feelings, listening the while to the middy's plaints and grumblings, for he had been under water long enough to make him feel something like resuscitated people, exceedingly discontented and ill-humoured. every now and then he burst out with some disagreeable remark. one minute it was against his shirt for sticking to his wet back; another time it was at aleck for getting on so fast with his dressing consequent upon his being drier; and then he began to abuse eben megg. "a beast; that's what he is. it's just as bad as murdering us with a knife or chopper, that it is." they were dressed at something like the same time, aleck having achieved his task quietly, the middy with a sort of accompaniment of grumbles and unpleasant remarks. "there," he said, at last; "that seems to have done me a lot of good. there's nothing like a good growl." "got rid of a lot of ill temper, eh?" said aleck, smiling to himself. "yes, i suppose that's it. but, i say, we're not going to try that way out again! i say it's perfectly impossible." "so do i," said aleck. "we should both have been drowned if it hadn't been for the rope." "that we should, for a certainty," replied aleck. "well, there's nothing to be done but to wait patiently for the coming of that low tide when a boat could come in, as eben megg said, and as it's plain it does, or else all these stores couldn't have been brought in." "and when it does come?" said the middy. "we shall swim or wade out, of course," said aleck. "no, we shan't," grumbled the middy. "you see if it doesn't come in the night, when we're asleep." "we must be too much on the look-out for that," said aleck. "it will not come all at once, but by degrees--lower and lower tides, till we get the one we want; and till then we shall have to be patient." "hark at him!" said the midshipman. "who's to be patient at a time like this? well, i'm beginning to feel warm and dry again; what do you say to getting back and having dinner, or whatever you like to call it? oh, dear! eating and drinking's bad enough on ship board, but it's all feasts and banquets compared to this." "we must try to improve it," said aleck. "i don't see why we shouldn't be able to catch fish." "what? you don't suppose fish would be such scaly idiots as to come into a hole like this?" "perhaps not, but i believe they'd be shelly idiots enough. i shouldn't be a bit surprised, if we had a lobster or crab pot thrown out here, if we caught some fine ones." "set one, then," said the midshipman, sourly. "perhaps there is one." "not likely," replied aleck. "never mind, let's make the best of what we've got and be thankful." "no, that i won't," cried his companion. "i'll make the best of what we've got as much as you like, but i must draw the line somewhere--i won't be thankful." "i will," said aleck, good-temperedly; "thankful enough for both." "come on," said the midshipman, gruffly. "wait a moment till i've coiled up the line loosely. we may want it, and it must be hung up to dry." this was done, and then after noting that the water was growing deeper in the direction of the sea entrance, the pair made their way right round by the head, stopped at the spring to have a hearty drink, and then pressed on, lanthorn in hand, to their resting-place, where, thoroughly upset by his adventure, the midshipman grumbled at everything till aleck burst into a hearty laugh. "hallo!" cried his companion, eagerly; "let's have it. got a bright idea as to how to get out?" "no," said aleck, "i was laughing at the comic way in which you keep on finding fault." "humph! well, i have been going it rather, haven't i?" "doing nothing else but growl." "that's the worst of having a nasty temper. don't do a bit of good either, does it?" "not a bit," said aleck. "makes things still worse." "think so?" aleck nodded. "yes, i suppose you're right. i'll drop it then. now, then, what do you say to having a good long snooze?" "i'm willing," said aleck, "for i'm thoroughly tired out." "put out the light then. my word, what a good thing sleep is!" said the midshipman, after they had lain in silence for a few minutes. "makes you able to forget all your troubles." there was a pause, and then the midshipman began: "i say it makes you able to forget all your troubles, doesn't it?" still silence. "don't you hear what i say?" no answer. "hanged if he isn't asleep! how a fellow can be such a dormouse-headed animal at a time like this i don't know." he ought to have known, a minute later, for he was lying upon his back, fast asleep and breathing hard, dreaming of all kinds of pleasant things, some of which had to do with being feasted after getting free. chapter twenty nine. the next day the two lads could only think of their attempt with a shudder, for their efforts, though they did not quite grasp the narrowness of their escape from death, had resulted in a peculiar shock to their system, one effect of which was to make then disinclined to do anything more than sit and lie in the darkness watching the faint suggestion of dawn in the direction of the submerged archway. then, too, they slept a good deal, while even on the following day they both suffered a good deal from want of energy. towards evening, though, aleck roused up. "look here, sailor," he said, "this will not do. we ought to be doing something." "what?" said the middy, sadly. "try again to drown ourselves?" "oh, no; that was a bit of madness. we mustn't try that again." "what then? it seems to me that we may as well keep going to sleep till we don't wake again." "what!" shouted aleck, his companion's words fully rousing him from his lethargic state. "well, of all the cowardly things for a fellow to say!" "cowardly!" cried the middy, literally galvanised into action by the sound of that word. "you want to quarrel, then, do you? you want to fight, eh? very well, i'm your man. let's light the lanthorn and have it out at once." "oh, very well," cried aleck. "there's a nice soft bit of sand yonder that will just do." the middy snorted like an angry animal and began to breathe hard, while aleck, feeling regularly angry now, felt for the tinder-box and matches, and began to send the sparks flying in showers. the tinder was soon glowing, the match well alight, and a fresh candle stuck in its place, the lanthorn being set upon a flat stone, with the door open, after which the two lads slipped off their jackets and rolled up their sleeves. "shut the lanthorn door, stupid," cried the middy. "what for?" "what for? to keep the candle from tumbling out the first time i knock you up against that stone." "i should like to catch you at it," said aleck. "if i shut the door how am i to see to hit you on the nose?" "you hit me on the nose? ha, ha!" cried the middy. "why, i shall have you calling out that you've had enough long before you get there." "we shall see," said aleck. "don't you think that you're going to frighten me with a lot of bounce. now, then, are you ready?" "yes, i'm ready enough. i'll show you whether i'm a coward or not. here, hold out your hand." "what for?" "to shake hands, of course, and show that we mean fair play." "i never stopped for that when i had a fight with the rockabie boys, but there you are." hands were grasped, and the midshipman was about to withdraw his, but it was held tightly, and somehow or another his own fingers began to respond in a tight clench. and thus they stood for quite a minute, while some subtle fluid like common-sense in a gaseous form seemed to run up their arms through their shoulders, and then divide, for part to feed their brains and the other part to make their hearts beat more calmly. at last aleck spoke. "i say," he said, "aren't we going to make fools of ourselves?" "i don't know," was the reply, "but i'll show you i'm not a coward." "i never thought you were a coward, but you'd say i was one if i told you that i didn't want to fight." "no, i shouldn't," said the middy, "because i can't help feeling that it is stupid, and i don't want to fight either." "then, why should we fight?" "oh," said the middy, "there are times when a gentleman's bound to stand upon his honour. we ought to fight now with pistols; but as we have none why, of course, it has to be fists. besides, i don't suppose you could use a pistol, and it wouldn't be fair for me to shoot you." "i daresay i know as much about pistols as you do," said aleck. "i've shot at a mark with my uncle. but we needn't argue about that." "no, we've got our fists, so let's get it done." but they did not begin, for the idea that they really were about to make fools of themselves grew stronger, and as they dropped their hands to raise them again as fists, neither liked to strike the first blow. suddenly an idea struck aleck as he glanced sidewise to see their shadows stretched out in a horribly grotesque, distorted form upon the dark water, and he smiled to himself as he saw his fists elongated into clubs, while he said, suddenly: "i say, i don't want, you to think me a coward." "very well, then, you had better show you are not by fighting hard to keep me from giving you an awful licking." "you can't do it," said aleck; "but _i_ say i don't want to fight." "perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or i shall call you the greatest coward i ever saw." "but it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about." "well, yes, perhaps it does," replied the middy. "suppose, then, i do something brave than fighting you," said aleck. "what could you do?" "put the rope round me again and try to swim out. that would be doing some good." "you daren't do it?" "yes, i dare," cried aleck, "and i will if you'll say that it's as brave as fighting you." "i don't know whether it's as brave," said the middy, "but i'd sooner fight than try the other. ugh! i wouldn't try that again for anything." "very well, then, i will," said aleck, stoutly. "you must own now that it's a braver thing to do than to begin trying to knock you about. there, put down your hands, i'm not going to fight." "you're beaten then." "not a bit of it. i'm going to show you that i'm not a coward." "no, you're not," said the middy, after a few minutes' pause, during which aleck ran to the rock and brought back the now dry rope in its loose coil. to his surprise the middy took a step forward and caught hold of it tightly to try and jerk it away. "what are you going to do?" said aleck, in wonder. "put it back," said the middy. "why?" "because you're trying to make me seem a coward now." "i don't understand you." "do you think i'm going to be such a coward as to let you do what i'm afraid to do myself?" "then you would be afraid to go again?" "yes, of course i should be. so would you." "yes, i can't help feeling horribly afraid; but i'll do it," said aleck. "to show you're not a coward?" "partly that, and partly because i fancy that perhaps i could swim out this time." "and i'm sure you couldn't," said the middy, "and i shan't let you go." "you can't stop me?" "yes, i can; i won't hold the rope." "then i'll go without." "why, there'll be no one to pull you back if you get stuck." "i don't care; i'll go all the same." "then you are a coward," cried the middy, triumphantly. "mind what you're about," said aleck, hotly. "don't you say that again." "yes, i will. you're a coward, for you're going to try and swim out, and leave your comrade, who daren't do it, alone here to die." "didn't think of that," said aleck. "there, i won't try to go now; so don't be frightened." "what!" aleck burst out laughing. "i say," he cried, "what tempers we have both got into! let's go and do something sensible to try and work it off." "but there's nothing we can do," said the middy, despondently. "yes, there is. as the lanthorn's alight, let's go and have a try at the zigzag." the middy followed his companion without a word, and they both climbed up wearily and hopelessly to have another desperate try to dislodge the stones, but only to prove that it was an impossible task. literally wearied out, they descended, after being compelled to desist by the candle gradually failing, while it had gone right out in the socket before they reached the cave. but their utter despondency was a little checked by the sight of the soft pale light which seemed to rise from the water more clearly than ever before; and aleck said so, but the middy was of the opposite opinion. "no," he said. "it only seems so after the horrible darkness of that hole." "i don't know," said aleck; "it certainly looks brighter to me. see how clear the arch looks with the seaweed waving about! i say, sailor, i've a great mind to have another try." "no, you haven't," growled the middy, wearily. "i can't spare you. i'm not going to stop here and die all alone." "you wouldn't, for i should drag you out after me." "couldn't do it after you were drowned." "i shouldn't be drowned," said aleck, slowly and thoughtfully. "be quiet--don't bother--i'm so tired--regularly beat out after all that trying up yonder; and so are you. i say, aleck, i'm beginning to be afraid that we shall never see the sunshine again." aleck said nothing, but lay gazing sadly at the dimly-seen arch in the water, and followed the waving to and fro of the great fronds of sea-wrack, till he shuddered once or twice and seemed to feel them clinging round his head and neck, making it dark, but somehow without causing the horrible, strangling, helpless sensation he had suffered from before. in fact, it seemed to be pleasant and restful, and by degrees produced a sensation of coolness that was most welcome after the stifling heat at the top of the zigzag, which had been made worse by the odour of the burning candle. then aleck ceased to think, but lay in the cool, soft darkness, till all at once he started up sitting and wondering. "why, i've been asleep," he said to himself. "here, sailor." "yes; what was that?" "i don't know. i seemed to hear something." "have you been asleep?" "yes; have you?" "i think so," said the middy. "we must have been. but, i say, it really is much lighter this time." "so i thought," said aleck. "and, i say, i can smell the fresh seaweed. is the arch going to be open at last?" _phee-ew_! came a low, plaintive whistle. "hear that?" cried aleck, wildly. "yes, i heard it in my sleep. the place is getting open then. there it goes again. it must be a gull." "no, no, no!" cried aleck, wildly, his voice sounding cracked and broken from the overpowering joy that seemed to choke him. "don't you know what it is?" "a seagull, i tell you." "no, no, no! it's tom bodger's whistle. you listen now." there was a dead silence in the cavern, save that both lads felt or heard the throbbing in their breasts. "i can't hear anything," said the middy, at last. "what was it?" "nothing," gasped aleck. "i can't--can't whistle now." but he made another effort to control his quivering tips, mastered them into a state of rigidity, and produced a repetition of the same low, plaintive note that had reached their ears. directly after, the whistle was repeated from outside, and, as aleck produced it once more in trembling tones, the lads leaped to their feet, for, coming as it were right along the surface of the water, as if through some invisible opening, there came the welcome sound: "ship ahoy! master aleck--a--" _suck--suck--flop--flop_--a whisper, and then something like a sigh. "it is tom bodger!" cried aleck, in a voice he did not know for his own, and something seemed to clutch him about the throat, and he knelt there muttering something inaudible to himself. chapter thirty. _phee-ew! phee-ew_! the peculiar gull-like whistle once more, to run in a softened series of echoes right up into the farthest part of the cavern. then there came the peculiar sucking, ploshing sound as of water filling up an opening. a minute later "ship ahoy!" from outside. "tom! ahoy!" yelled aleck, wildly. "ahoy, my lad! ahoy!" and something else was cut off by the soft sucking splash of water again, while to make the lads' position more painful in their efforts to reply, twice over they were conscious of the fact that when they replied with a shout their cries did not pass through the orifice, which the water had closed. but the tide was ebbing steadily, and the tiny arc of the rocks which showed the way in was growing more open, so that at the end of a few minutes they heard plainly: "where'bouts are yer, my lad?" "in here!" shouted aleck, but only in face of a dull _plosh_. another minute and the question was repeated, but from whence the lads could hardly tell, for instead of coming from the cavern mouth the words seemed to come from far up the cavern, to be followed by another splash. it was quite half a minute before, taught by experience, aleck shouted: "shut in here! cave!" there was another plosh, but they had proof soon after that the words had been heard, for the hail now came: "are yer 'live, my lad?" "ye-es," cried aleck. "quite!" and then he could in his excitement hardly control a hysterical laugh at the absurdity of the question and answer. "thought yer was dead and gone, my lad," came now, in company with a fainter splashing. "tom bodger!" "hullo!" came quickly. "we're shut in by the water." "who's `we'?" "the cutter's midshipman and i." "wha-a-at! then there arn't nayther on yer dead and drownded, my lad?" "no-o-o-o!" "then i say hooray! hooray! but can't you swim out?" "no. we've tried." "ho!" came back. "wait a bit." "what for? can't you get help for us, tom?" "ay, ay, my lad," came back. "but jest you wait." then there was silence, and the prisoners joined hands, to kneel, waiting and listening. "he has gone for help," said the middy. "yes, and before he gets back that little hole that let his words in will be shut up again." "never mind," said the middy, sagely; "he knows we're here." "oh, but why didn't i think to tell him of the zigzag path? i daresay they could get the stones out from above where they were pushed in." "perhaps he hasn't gone," said the middy. "ahoy there!" there was a peculiar sound as of the water rising up and gurgling along a channel, while a lapping sound at their feet told that the water inside was being put in motion. "why, he has dived down," cried aleck, suddenly, "so as to try and get to us." "tchah! nonsense. that squat little wooden-legged man couldn't swim." but at the end of what seemed to be a long period they heard a louder splash, followed by another, and the illuminated water began to dance and a curious ebullition to be faintly seen. then there was a panting sigh, and a familiar voice cried: "where'bouts are yer?" "here, here!" cried the lads, in a breath, and the next minute they were conscious of something swimming towards them, which took shape more and more till they saw that it was a man swimming on his back. "what cheer-ho!" came now, in the midst of a lot of splashing. "lend us a hand, my lads, for i'm all at sea here. thanky! steady! let's get soundings for my legs. mind bringing that lanthorn a bit forrarder? that's right; now i can see where i go." tom bodger had managed to find a hold for his stumps, and stood shaking himself as well as he could for the fact that he had a lad holding tightly on to each hand. "well, yer don't feel like ghostses, my lads!" cried the sailor. "this here's solid flesh and bone, and it's rayther disappynting like." "disappointing, tom?" "yes, master aleck. yer see, your uncle says: `you find the poor lad's remains, bodger,'--remains, that's what he called it--`and i'll give yer a ten-pound bank o' hengland note,' he says." "oh!" cried aleck, passionately. "and the orficer there from the revenoo cutter, he says: `you find the body o' young mr wrighton of the man-o'-war sloop, and there'll be the same reward for that.'" "humph! i should have thought i was worth more than that," said the midshipman. "ay, ay, sir!" cried tom bodger, who was squeezing his shirt and breeches as he talked. "so says i, sir; but it's disappynting, for i arn't found no corpses, on'y you young gents all as live-ho as fish; and what's to come o' my rewards?" "oh, bother the rewards, tom! how did you get in?" "dove, sir, and swimmed on my back with my flippers going like one o' the seals i've seen come in here." "but we tried to do that, both of us, and we couldn't do it." "dessay not, sir. didn't try on the right tide." "nearly got drowned, both of us, my lad," said the midshipman. "but don't let's lose time. you show the way, and we'll follow you." "no hurry, sir; plenty o' time. be easier bimeby. tide's got another hour o' ebb yet. but how in the name o' oakum did you two gents manage to get in here? i knowed there was a hole here where the seals dove in, and i did mean to come sploring like at some time or other; but it's on'y once in a way as you can row in." aleck told him in a few words, and the man whistled. "well, i'll be blessed!" he said. "i allus knowed that eben megg and his mates must have a store hole somewhere, and p'raps if i'd ha' lay out to sarch for it i might ha' found it out. but i didn't want to go spying about and get a crack o' the head for my pains. the revenoo lads'll find out for theirselves some day; and so you young gents have been the first?" "stop a minute," said aleck. "what about eben megg?" "oh, they cotched him days ago, sir--cutter's men dropped upon him while they was hunting for this young gent's corpus, and he's aboard your ship, sir, i expect, along with the other pressed men." "but haven't they been looking for me any more?" said the middy. "no, sir; they give it up arter they'd caught eben; and, as i telled yer, there was a reward offered for to find yer dead as they couldn't find yer living." "so that's why eben didn't come back, sailor," said aleck, quietly. "yes," said the middy, "but why didn't he tell the cutter's officer that we were shut up here?" "too bitter about his capture, perhaps, or he might not have had a chance to speak while he was ashore." "i don't believe it was that," said the middy. "i believe he wouldn't tell where their storehouse was." "and so this here's the smugglers' cave, is it?" said tom bodger, looking about. "but where's t'other way out, sir?" aleck explained that the smuggler had closed the way up. "well, sir, it's a wery artful sort o' place, i will say that. lot o' good things stored up here, i s'pose?" "plenty." "hah! is there now? well, it means some prize money, mr wrighton, sir, and enough to get a big share." "and i deserve it, my man," said the middy, with something of his old consequential way; "but let's get out into the daylight. i'm afraid-- i'm--that is, i shouldn't like to be shut in again." "no fear, sir. you trust me. lot more time yet. 'sides, the tide'll fall lower to-morrow morning; but i'll get you out as soon as i can, for your poor uncle's quite took to his bed, master aleck." "uncle has?" "yes, sir. chuffy sharp-spoken gent as he always was, blest if he didn't say quite soft to me, with the big tears a-standing in his eyes: `it's all over, bodger, my man,' he says, `and you may have the poor boy's boat, for i know if he could speak now he would say, "give it to poor old tom."'" "poor old uncle!" said aleck, huskily. "then you're cheated again, tom, and have lost your boat?" "and hearty glad on it, too, master aleck, say i. a-mussy me, my lad, what would the den ha' been without you there? the captain wouldn't ha' wanted me. i don't wonder as i couldn't rest, but come over here every morning and stayed till dark, climbing about the rocks and cliffs, with the birds a-shouting at me and thinking all the time that i'd come arter their young 'uns--bubblins, as we calls 'em, 'cause they're so fat." "and so they haven't been looking for me any more?" said the middy, in a disappointed tone. "no, sir; not since they telled me to keep on looking for yer. you see, everybody said as you must ha' gone overboard and been washed out to sea, same as the captain felt that you'd slipped off the cliff somewhere, master aleck, and been drowned. but i kep' on thinking as both on yer might ha' been washed into some crivissy place and stuck there, and that's why i kep' on peeking and peering about, hoping i might come upon one of you if i didn't find both; and sure enough, here you are. i don't know what you gents think on it, but i call it a right-down good morning's work for such a man as me." "but you did not walk over from rockabie this morning, my man?" said the middy. "not walk over, sir? oh, yes, i did." "you must be very tired?" "not me, sir. my legs never get tired; and yet the queerest thing about it is that they allus feel stiff." "don't talk any more, tom," said aleck. "i want to get to business. now, then, don't you think we might get out now?" "well, yes, sir; p'raps we might. it's a good deal lighter, you see, since i come, but she's far from low water yet, and it'll come much easier when tide's right down. but can't i have a bit of a look round, master aleck?" "of course," was the reply, and the sailor grinned and chuckled as he ran his eyes over what he looked upon as a regular treasure house for anyone whose dealings were on the sea with boats. the cavern was lighter now than the two prisoners had ever seen it, so that tom was able to have a good look; and he finished off by trotting down as near to the mouth of the great place as he could, and then turning to aleck. "there," he said, "i think we might venture out now. you can swim out now without having to dive. what do you say, mr wrighton, sir?" "i think we ought to go at once." "come on, then, gen'lemen. you'll get a bit wet, but there's a long climb arterwards up the hot rocks in the sunshine, and you'll be 'most dry 'fore you get home." "oh, never mind the water," cried the middy. "my uniform's spoilt. i'm ready to do anything to get out of here." "will you go first, sir?" cried tom bodger. "no, you found the way in," was the reply, "so lead the way out." "right, sir. ready?" "then come on." the man took three or four of his queer steps, to stand for a moment on the edge of the deep pool, and then went in sidewise to swim like a seal for the low archway, whose weed-hung edges were only a few inches above the surface of the water, and as he reached it to pass under he laid his head sidewise so that the dripping shell-covered weed wiped his cheek. there had been no hesitation on the part of the prisoners. aleck sprang in as soon as their guide was a few feet away, and the middy followed, both finding their task delightfully easy as they swam some fifty yards through a low tunnel, whose roof was for the most part so close to the surface that more than once, as the smooth water heaved, aleck's face just touched the impending smoothly-worn stone. but there were two places, only a few yards in, where the arch was broken into a yawning crack, from which the water dripped in a heavy shower. "look up as you come along here," cried aleck to his companion, and then he shuddered, for his voice raised a peculiar echo, suggesting weird hollows and tunnels, while as he increased his strokes to get past and the middy came under in turn, he shouted again after his leader: "why, tom, that must be where the water snatched us up and nearly drowned us." five minutes later all three were swimming for a rough natural pier, and tom bodger gave his head a sidewise wag towards another low cavernous arch. "'nother way in there," he said. "jynes the one we came out of. you must have seen how the waves dance and splash there in rough weather, master aleck?" "no," was the reply. "i've only seen that it's a terribly rough bit of coast. i never came down here, and of course i was never out in my boat when it was rough." "course not, sir. it is a coarse bit. i had no end of a job to get down, and i spect that it's going to be a bit worse going up agen. what do you say to sitting up yonder in the sunshine on that there shelf? the birds'll soon go. you can make yourselves comf'able and get dry while i go up and get a rope. dessay i can be back in an hour or so." "no," cried the lads, in a breath. "we'll climb it if you can." climb up the dangerous cliff they did by helping one another, and with several halts to look down at the still falling tide; and in one of these intervals aleck exclaimed: "but i still can't see how the smugglers could run a boat up and row into that cavern." "course they couldn't row, sir," replied tom, "on'y shove her in. but don't you see what a beautiful deep cut there is? bound to say that at the right time they'd run a big lugger close in. look yonder! it's just like the way into a dock, and sheltered lovely. ah, they're an artful lot, smugglers! you never know what they're after." it was about an hour later that, without passing a soul on their solitary way, the party reached the cliff path down into the den garden, where no dunning was visible, and a chill came over aleck like a warning of something fresh in the way of disaster that he was to encounter. it came suddenly, but it was as suddenly chased away by his hearing the voice of jane crooning over the words of some doleful old west country ballad, not of a cheering nature certainly, but sufficient to prove that someone was at the house. "wait here," he whispered to his companions. "let me go and see my uncle first." he crept in unheard, glanced round to see that the lower room was empty, and then went softly up the stairs, his well-soaked boots making as little noise as if they had been of indiarubber. the study door yielded to a touch, and he stood gazing at the figure of his uncle, seated in his usual place, but with pen, ink and papers thrust aside so that he could bow his grey head down upon his clasped hands. "asleep, uncle?" said the lad, softly. "aleck, my boy!" cried the old man, springing up to catch the lost one in his arms. "heaven be thanked! i was mourning for you as dead." chapter thirty one. comfortably settled down at the den as aleck's guest and made most welcome, the middy felt not the slightest inclination to stir; but all through life there is to all of us the call of duty, and the lad was ready to recommence his, and eager to report to headquarters his discovery of the notorious smugglers' cave. enquiries at rockabie proved that the sloop and cutter had both sailed, so a letter had to convey some of the information--"a despatch," the young officer called it; and after it was sent he constituted himself guardian of the smugglers' treasure and headed a little expedition, composed of aleck and tom bodger, to examine the land way down into the cave, which they approached by a rope provided by tom, who said he didn't "keer" about jumping down from that there shelf, because his legs were so stiff. then a descent was made by the sloping zigzag paths, till the corner was reached, about half way down, where the way was blocked. "only fancy," said aleck. "how we did fight to get out from below, and it's all as simple as can be from up here." and so it was, for three stones had been drawn down the slope, one partly over the other and the other fitting nicely to either, but only requiring a little effort to pull them back, _after_-- yes, it was after one smaller wedge-shaped piece had been lifted out by tom bodger, this wedge being like a key stone or bolt to hold the others in place so tightly that it was impossible so shift them from below. tom bodger had just removed the last stone into a big recess, which had probably been formed by the smugglers to hold them, when the middy turned round sharply upon a dark figure which had, unseen before, been following them. "hallo!" he cried. "who are you?" "it's me, sir--dunning, sir--the captain's gardener, sir. come to see, sir, if i could be of any help." "no," cried aleck, sharply, "you've come to play the spy, you deceitful old rascal." "oh, master aleck, sir!" whined the man, "how can you say such a thing?" "because i know you by heart. you've been hand and glove with the smugglers all through." "master aleck, sir!" "that will do," cried the lad, indignantly. "i've never told my uncle what i've seen or heard, but i must now, and you know what to expect." "master aleck!" "that's it, is it?" said the middy. "he's one of the gang, and of course i shall make him a prisoner as soon as we get out. here, you, bodger, i order you in the king's name to take that man prisoner." "ay, ay, sir," cried tom, and he made a move towards the gardener. but it was ineffective, for the man suddenly thrust out a foot and hooked one of the pensioner's wooden legs off the stone floor of the slope, giving him a sharp thrust in the chest at the same time. there is a game called skittles, or, more properly, ninepins, in which if you strike one of the pins deftly it carries on the blow to the next, which follows suit, and so on, till the blow given to number one has resulted in all nine being laid low. "jes' like ninepins, master aleck," said tom, "only there's nobbut three on us. i beg your pardon, sir; i couldn't help it." "no, no, no, no, no!" roared aleck, each utterance being a part of a hearty laugh, for the gardener had knocked tom over, tom had upset him, and the blow he carried on to the midshipman had sent the latter rolling down the slope, to come raging up as soon as he could gain his feet and climb back. "what are you laughing at?" he shouted. "it was so comic," panted aleck, wiping his eyes. "shall i go arter him, sir?" said tom. "no, no. he is half way to the top by now." "yes, yes," cried the middy; "and look sharp, or perhaps he'll be trying to shut us up again." "not he," said aleck; "he won't stop till he is safe. i don't believe we shall see the lazy old scoundrel again." aleck's words proved to be true. later on he and his party made their way up to the smugglers' cottages, to find them deserted by everyone save eben megg's wife, with three pretty little dark-eyed children. the woman looked frightened, and burst into tears as she recognised the young officer, who began at her at once. "you're a nice woman, you are," he said. "what have you got to say for yourself for keeping me a prisoner below there?" "i--i only did what i was told, sir," faltered the woman. "were you told to fasten us down there to starve?" cried the middy. "fasten?--to starve? were you left down there, sir, when my eben was knocked down and carried away?" "of course we were." "i didn't know, sir," sobbed the woman. "if i had, though i was in such trouble, i'd have come and brought you all i could, same as i did before, sir. indeed i would." "humph!" grunted the middy. "well, you did feed me as well as you could. so you've lost your husband, then?" the woman tried to answer, but only sobbed more loudly. "there, don't cry," said the middy, more gently. "we shall make an honest man of him." "and what's to become of my poor weans, master aleck? we shall all be turned out of the cottage." "i don't think you will," said aleck. "i daresay uncle won't let anyone interfere with you." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ there were busy days during the next week, with men from the sloop and cutter, brought back by the middy's "despatch," going up and down the zigzag like so many ants, bringing up the principal treasures of the cave, the sailors working with all their might over the greatest haul they had ever made, and chuckling over the amount of prize money they would have to draw. there was a fair amount of work done and much recovering of valuable gear during two days of the next spring tide, when aleck and his companion were rowed in one of the sloop's boats along a narrow channel of deep water right up the cavern. they were poled in, and found so much to interest them that they stayed too long and were nearly shut in once more, for the tide rose fast, and the men had to lie down in the boat and work her out with their hands, and then a wave came in and lifted her, jamming the gunwale against the slimy rock and weeds, threatening a more terrible imprisonment still; but just as matters were very serious and the lives of the party in imminent danger, the water sank a few inches and enabled the men to thrust the boat on into daylight. that was the last time a boat entered that cave, for during a terrific storm in the ensuing winter the waves must have loosened and torn up some of the supporting stones of the archway, letting down hundreds of tons of rock in a land slide, so that where the cave had lain like a secret, the waves played regularly at high water, working more and more at every tide to lay bare the gloomy recesses to the light of day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ aleck saw no more of willie wrighton, midshipman, for two years, and then he came on a visit to the den. the next morning the two young men went for a stroll along the cliffs to have a look at the rocky chaos which had once formed the cave. as they came near they caught sight of a solitary figure down towards where the archway submerged had lain, and aleck made put that it was a big, well-built man-o'-war's man. "is that one of your fellows, sailor?" said aleck, with the appellation he had used when they were prisoners together. "yes, he came over with me from rockabie. capital fellow he is too. don't you know him again?" "no," said aleck, shading his eyes. "yes, i do. how he is changed! why, eben megg, i hardly knew you again without your beard." "glad to see you, master aleck," said the man, warmly. "mr wrighton here was good enough to bring me along with him to see the old place. i'm coming to make a long stay, sir, as soon as we're paid off, and-- and--there, i arn't good at talking--about them things," continued the man, huskily, "but god bless you and the captain, sir, for all you've done for my poor wife and bairns." "oh, nonsense! don't talk about it, eben," said aleck, huskily; "but, i say, young man, you nearly made an end of us by not coming back after you'd shut us in. what did you do it for--to kill us?" "to kill you both, sir? not me! i on'y wanted to make sure of you for an hour or two till i'd been home and scraped a few things together to take away with me. when i come back the cutter's lads dropped upon me, and i showed fight till a crack on the head knocked all the say out of me for about a fortnit. when i could speak they told me you'd both been found." "ahoy!" cried the middy, excitedly. "here comes your rase chap, old wooden pegs. i'd nearly forgotten him. does he live here?" "oh, yes, he's our gardener and odd man; been with us ever since dunning ran away. capital gardener he makes, sailor--digs a patch and then walks down it, making holes with his wooden legs to drop in the potatoes or cabbage plants, before standing on one leg and covering in the earth with the other. hallo, tom, what is it?" "sarvant, sir," said tom, pulling his forelock, man-o'-war fashion, to the young officer. "been showing eben megg how the cave was busted up, sir, in the storm. i beg pardon, sir; i've been scouring and swabbing out the boat 'smorning in case you and the luff-tenant wanted to go for a sail." "to be sure," cried aleck, eagerly. "here, we'll go for a run to rockabie and back, eben; come and take the helm and show mr wrighton how the smugglers could run a boat close in among the rocks. you know; the same as you did that night." "ay, ay, sir. come along, tom. shall we go round to the den gully and fetch her, sir? we could run in up the channel below here, and pick you up? bodger says the channel's quite clear." "do you think you could find your way in, eben?" said aleck, with a merry look. "find my way in, sir? ay, sir, if it was black as ink, or with my eyes shut." the end. paddy finn, by w h g kingston. ________________________________________________________________________ this is one of kingston's longest adventure stories, but possibly also one of his best. the eponymous hero is tracked through his time at sea as a midshipman. exciting events follow on each other's heels, fast and furious. very well written, showing the extraordinary depth of knowledge that the author possessed. you will definitely enjoy reading it, if you enjoy this genre at all. you may care to listen to it instead, in which case it makes an excellent audiobook. ________________________________________________________________________ paddy finn, by w h g kingston. chapter one. the home of my ancestors. "the top of the morning to you, terence," cried the major, looking down upon me from the window of his bedroom. i was standing in front of the castle of ballinahone--the seat of the o'finnahans, my ancestors--on the banks of the beautiful shannon, enjoying the fresh air of the early morning. "send larry up, will you, with a jug of warm water for shaving; and, while i think of it, tell biddy to brew me a cup of hot coffee. it will be some time before breakfast is ready, and my hand isn't as steady as it once was till i've put something into my inside." the old house had not been provided with bells for summoning the attendants; a loud shout, a clap of the hands, or the clatter of fire-irons, answering the purpose. "shure, larry was sent to meet the postboy, uncle, and i'll be after taking you up the warm water; but biddy maybe will not have come in from milking the cows, so if dan bourke is awake, and will give me the key of the cellar, mightn't i be bringing you up a glass of whisky?" i asked, knowing the taste of most of the guests at the castle. "arrah, boy, don't be tempting me!" cried the major in a half-angry tone; "that morning nip is the bane of too many of us. go and do as i bid you." i was about entering the house to perform the duty i had undertaken, when i caught sight of my foster-brother, larry harrigan, galloping up the avenue, mounted on the bare back of a shaggy little pony, its mane and tail streaming in the breeze. "hurrah! hurrah! yer honour; i've got it," he cried, as he waved a letter above his carroty and hatless pate. "i wouldn't have been after getting it at all, at all, for the spalpeen of a postboy wanted tinpence before he would give it me, but sorra a copper had i in my pocket, and i should have had to come away without it, if mr mccarthy, the bailiff, hadn't been riding by, and paid the money for me." i took the letter; and telling larry, after he had turned the pony into the yard, to bring up the warm water and the cup of hot coffee, i hurried, with the official-looking document in my hand, up to my uncle's room. he met me at the door, dressed in his trousers and shirt, his shirt-sleeves tucked up in order to perform his ablutions, exhibiting his brawny arms, scarred with many a wound,--his grizzled hair uncombed, his tall figure looking even more gaunt than usual without the military coat in which i was accustomed to see him. he eagerly took the letter. "come in, my boy, and sit down on the foot of the bed while i see what my friend macnamara writes in answer to my request," he said, as he broke the seal, and with a deliberation which didn't suit my eagerness, opened a large sheet of foolscap paper, which he held up to the light that he might read it more easily. while he was thus engaged, larry brought up the warm water and the cup of steaming coffee, and, with a look at the major's back which betokened anything but respect, because it was not a glass of whisky, placed the jug and cup on the table. larry was, i must own, as odd-looking an individual as ever played the part of valet. his shock head of hair was unacquainted with comb or brush; his grey coat reached to his calves; his breeches were open at the knees; his green waistcoat, too short to reach the latter garment, was buttoned awry; huge brogues encased his feet, and a red handkerchief, big enough to serve as the royal of a frigate, was tied loosely round his neck. he stood waiting for further orders, when the major, turning round to take a sip of coffee, by a sign bade him begone, and he vanished. major mcmahon, my mother's uncle, was an old officer, who, having seen much service for the better part of half a century,--his sword being his only patrimony,--on retiring from the army had come to live with us at castle ballinahone when i was a mere slip of a boy. knowing the world well,--having been taught prudence by experience, though he had never managed to save any of his pay or prize-money, and was as poor as when he first carried the colours,--he was of the greatest service to my father, who, like many another irish gentleman of those days, knew nothing of the world, and possessed but a small modicum of the quality i have mentioned. the major, seeing the way matters were going at castle ballinahone, endeavoured to set an example of sobriety to the rest of the establishment by abstaining altogether from his once favourite beverage of rum shrub and whisky punch, although he had a head which the strongest liquor would have failed to affect, and he was therefore well able to manage everything on the estate with prudence, and as much economy as the honour of the family would allow. my father was an irish gentleman, every inch of him. he delighted to keep up the habits and customs of the country, which, to say the best of them, were not calculated to serve his own interests or those of his family. he was kind-hearted and generous; and if it had not been for the rum shrub, and whisky-toddy, and the hogsheads of claret which found their way into his cellar, and thence into his own and his guests' insides, he would have been happy and prosperous, with few cares to darken his doors. but the liquor, however good in itself, proved a treacherous friend, as it served him a scurvy trick in return for the affection he had shown to it, leaving him a martyr to the gout, which, while it held sway over him, soured his otherwise joyous and happy spirits. it made him occasionally seem harsh even to us, though he was in the main one of the kindest and most indulgent of fathers. he was proud of his family, of his estate,--or what remained of it,--of his children, and, more than all, of his wife; and just reason he had to be so of the latter, for she was as excellent a mother as ever breathed, with all the attractive qualities of an irish lady. that means a mighty deal; for i have since roamed the world over, and never have i found any of their sex to surpass my fair countrywomen. i must describe our family mansion. enough of the old building remained to allow it still to be called a castle. a round tower or keep, with two of the ancient walls surmounted by battlements, stood as they had done for centuries, when the castle had often defied a hostile force; but the larger portion had been pulled down and replaced by a plain structure, more commodious, perhaps, but as ugly as could well be designed. round it ran a moat, over which was a drawbridge,--no longer capable of being drawn up,--while a flight of stone steps led to the entrance door, ungraced by a porch. the large hall, the walls of which were merely whitewashed, with a roof of plain oak, had from its size an imposing appearance. the walls of the hall were decked with firearms,-- muskets, pistols, arquebuses, blunderbusses,--pikes, and halberts, symmetrically arranged in stars or other devices; stags' horns, outstretched eagles' wings, extended skins of kites, owls, and king-fishers, together with foxes' brushes, powder-flasks, shot-pouches, fishing-rods, nets, and dogs' collars; while in the corners stood four figures, clothed in complete suits of armour, with lances in their hands, or arquebuses on their arms. over the front door were the skin and wings of an enormous eagle, holding a dagger in its mouth,--the device of our family. a similar device in red brick-work was to be seen on the wall above the entrance on the outside. paint had been sparsely used,--paper not at all,--many of the rooms being merely whitewashed, though the more important were wainscotted with brown oak, and others with plain deal on which the scions of our race had for several generations exercised their artistic skill, either with knives, hot irons, or chalk. the breakfast and dining-rooms, which opened from the great hall, were wainscotted, their chief embellishments being some old pictures in black frames, and a number of hunting, shooting, and racing prints, with red tape round them to serve the purpose of frames; while the library so-called was worthy of being the habitation of an ascetic monk, though two of the walls were covered with book-shelves which contained but few books, and they served chiefly to enable countless spiders to form their traps for unwary flies, while a table covered with green cloth and three wooden chairs formed its only furniture. the bedrooms were numerous enough to accommodate the whole of our large family, and an almost unlimited number of guests, who, on grand occasions, were stowed away in them, crop and heels. the less said about the elegance of the furniture the better; or of the tea and breakfast services, which might once have been uniform, but, as most of the various pieces had gone the way of all crockery, others of every description of size and shape had taken their places, till scarcely two were alike; but that didn't detract from our happiness or the pleasure of our guests, who, probably from their own services being in the same condition, scarcely noticed this. i had long had a desire to go to sea, partly from reading captain berkeley's _history of the navy_, _robinson crusoe_, and the _adventures of peter wilkins_, and partly from taking an occasional cruise on the shannon,--that queen of rivers, which ran her course past the walls of ballinahone, to mingle with the ocean, through the fair city of limerick. often had i stood on the banks, watching the boats gliding down on the swift current, and listening to the songs of the fishermen, which came from far away up the stream! i had, as most boys would have done, talked to my mother, and pestered my father and uncle, till the latter agreed to write to an old friend of his in the navy to consult him as to the best means of enabling me to gratify my wishes. but i have been going ahead to talk of my family, forgetful of my honoured uncle, the major. he conned the letter, holding it in his two hands, now in one light, now in another, knitting his thick grey eyebrows to see the better, and compressing his lips. i watched him all the time, anxious to learn the contents, and yet knowing full well that it would not do to interrupt him. at last he came to the bottom of the page. "it's just like him!" he exclaimed. "terence, my boy, you'll have the honour of wearing his majesty's uniform, as i have done for many a long year, though yours will be blue and mine is red; and you'll bring no discredit on your cloth, i'll be your surety for it." "thank you, uncle, for your good opinion of me," i said. "and am i really to become a midshipman, and wear a cockade in my hat, and a dirk by my side?" "within a few days you may be enjoying that happiness, my boy," answered the major. "my old friend, captain macnamara, writes me word that he'll receive you on board the _liffy_ frigate, which, by a combination of circumstances, is now lying in cork harbour,--fortunate for us, but which might have proved disastrous to her gallant officers and crew, for she was dismasted in a gale, and was within an ace of being driven on shore. but a miss is as good as a mile; and when under jury-masts she scraped clear of the rocks, and got into port in safety. here my letter, after wandering about for many a day, found him, and he has lost no time in replying to it. one of his midshipmen having gone overboard in the gale, he can give you his berth; but mind you, terence, don't go and be doing the same thing." "not if i can help it, uncle," i replied. "and larry? will he take larry? the boy has set his heart upon going to sea, and it would be after breaking if he were parted from me. he has been talking about it every day since he knew that i thought of going; and i promised him i would beg hard that he might go with me." "as captain macnamara says that the _liffy_ has had several men killed in action, i have no doubt that a stout lad like larry will not be refused; so you may tell him that when he volunteers, i'll answer for his being accepted," was the answer. "thank you, uncle; it will make him sing at the top of his voice when he hears that," i said. "and when are we to be off?" "to-morrow, or the day after, at the furthest," answered the major. "i intend to go with you to introduce you to your captain, and to have a talk with him over old times." "then may i run and tell my father and mother, and maurice, and denis, and the girls?" "to be sure, boy; but you mustn't be surprised if they are not as delighted to hear of your going, as you are to go," he answered, as i bolted out of the room. i found my brothers turning out of bed, and gave them a full account of the captain's letter. they took the matter coolly. "i wish you joy," said maurice, who was expecting shortly to get his commission in our uncle's old regiment. i then went to the girls, who were by this time dressed. kathleen and nora congratulated me warmly. "and shure are you going to be a real midshipman?" said nora. "i wish i was a boy myself, that i might go to sea, and pull, and haul, and dance a hornpipe." they, at all events, didn't seem so much cast down as my uncle supposed they would be. my father had just been wheeled out of his chamber into the breakfast room, for he was suffering from an attack of his sworn enemy. "keep up the honour of the o'finnahans, my boy; and you'll only do that by performing your duty," he said, patting me on the back,--for shaking hands was a ceremony he was unwilling to venture on with his gouty fingers. my mother was later than usual. i hurried off to her room. as she listened to my account her eyes were fixed on me till they became filled with tears. "you have chosen a rough life, terence; but may god protect you," she said, throwing her arms round my neck, and kissing my brow. "i could not prevent your going even if i would, as your uncle has accepted captain macnamara's offer; for a profession you must have, and it is a fine one, i've no doubt. but wherever you go, my dear boy, remember that the thoughts of those at home will be following you." more she said to the same effect. when she at length released me, i hurried out to tell larry, dan bourke, and the rest of the domestics. at first larry looked very downcast; but when he heard that he was to go too, he gave expression to his joy in a wild shout, which rang through the kitchen. biddy, the cook, and the other females were not so heroic as my sisters, for they began to pipe their eyes in a way i couldn't stand, so i ran off to the breakfast room; whether it was at the thoughts of losing larry or me, i didn't stop to consider. my speedy departure to become a son of neptune was the only subject of conversation during the morning meal. it was agreed that to enable me to make a respectable appearance on board his majesty's frigate, i ought to be provided with a uniform; and a message was despatched to pat cassidy, the family tailor, to appear forthwith, and exercise his skill in manufacturing the necessary costume. the major, who had frequently been at sea, believed that he could give directions for shaping the garments correctly; and as all were agreed that blue was the required colour, he presented me with a cloth cloak, which, though it had seen some service, was considered suitable for the purpose. pat cassidy soon arrived with his shears and tape; and being installed in a little room, where he was sure of not being interrupted, took my measure, and set to work, under the major's directions, to cut out and stitch a coat and breeches in what was considered approved nautical fashion. the difficulty was the buttons; but my mother fortunately discovered a moth-eaten coat and waistcoat of a naval lieutenant, a relative, who had paid a visit to castle ballinahone many years before, and, having been killed in action shortly afterwards, had never returned to claim his garments. there being fewer buttons than the major considered necessary, pat cassidy proposed eking them out with a few military ones sewn on in the less conspicuous parts. meantime, my mother and sisters and the maids were as busily engaged in preparing the rest of my kit, carrying off several of my brothers' shirts and stockings, which they faithfully promised in due time to replace. "where there's a will there's a way," and before night, pat cassidy, aided by the busy maids, had performed his task, as had my mother and sisters theirs; and it was considered that i was fairly fitted out for my new career, the major promising to get for me at cork such other things as i might require. with intense satisfaction i put on my uniform, of which, though the gold lace was somewhat tarnished, and the buttons not over bright, i was mightily proud. my father presented me with a sword, which had been my grandfather's. it was of antique make, and, being somewhat rusty, was evidently unwilling to leave the scabbard. nora, notwithstanding, proudly girded it on my side by a broad leathern belt with a huge silver clasp, which i thought had a very handsome appearance. i little dreamed that my costume was not altogether according to the rules and regulations of the naval service. the coat was long in the waist, and longer in the skirts, which were looped back with gold lace, pat having also surrounded the cuffs with a band of the same material. the inside was lined with white silk, and there were patches of white cloth on the collar. the waistcoat, which came down to my hips, was of flowered silk, made out of one of my great-grandmother's petticoats, which had long been laid by, and was now by unanimous consent devoted to my use. the breeches were very full, pat observing that i should be after growing rapidly on the salt sea, and would require room in them. white cotton stockings covered the lower part of my legs, and huge silver buckles adorned my shoes; a cockade, manufactured by my uncle, was stuck in my hat; while a frilled shirt and red silk handkerchief tied round my neck completed my elegant costume. having once donned my uniform,--if so it could be called,--i was unwilling to take it off again; and, highly delighted with my appearance, i paced about the hall for some time. my father watched me, while he laughed till the tears streamed from his eyes to see me draw my sword and make an onslaught on one of the mailed warriors in the corner. "hurrah, terence! bravo! bravo!" cried maurice. "but just be after remembering that a live enemy won't stand so quiet as old brian boru there." the toils of the day over, my father, in spite of his gout, was wheeled into the supper room, when he, in a glass of the strongest whisky-toddy, and my uncle in one of old claret, drank my health and success in the naval career i was about to enter, my brothers joining them in other beverages; and i am very sure that my fond mother more effectually prayed that i might be protected from the perils and dangers to which i should be exposed. chapter two. i commence my journey to cork. it was on a fine spring morning, the birds carolling sweetly in the trees, that i set forth, accompanied by my uncle and larry harrigan, to commence my career on the stormy ocean. my father had been wheeled to the hall door, my mother stood by his side with her handkerchief to her eyes, my sisters grouped round her, my brothers outside tossing up their hats as they shouted their farewells,--their example being imitated by the domestics and other retainers of the house. the major rode a strong horse suitable to his weight. he was dressed in his red long-skirted, gold-laced coat, boots reaching above his knees, large silver spurs, three-cornered hat on the top of his wig, with a curl on each side, his natural hair being plaited into a queue behind. a brace of pistols was stuck in his leathern belt, while a sword, with the hilt richly ornamented,--the thing he prized most on earth, it having been presented to him for his gallantry at the capture of an enemy's fort, when he led the forlorn hope,--hung by his side. i was mounted on my own horse, my legs for the journey being encased in boots. a cloak was hung over my shoulders; i also had a brace of pistols--the gift of my brother maurice--in my belt; while in my hand i carried a heavy riding-whip, as did my uncle, serving both to urge on our steeds, and to defend ourselves against the sudden attack of an unexpected foe. larry followed on a pony, with uncombed mane and tail, its coat as shaggy as a bear's; his only weapon a shillelah; his dress such as he usually wore on sundays and holidays. i need not describe the partings which had previously taken place. the major gave the word "forward!" and we trotted down the avenue at a rapid rate. i could not refrain from giving a lingering look behind. my sisters waved their handkerchiefs; my mother had too much use for hers to do so; my brothers cheered again and again; and i saw larry half pulled from his pony, as his fellow-servants gripped him by the hands; and two or three damsels, more demonstrative than the rest, ran forward to receive his parting salutes. my chest, i should have said, was to come by the waggon, which would arrive at cork long before the ship sailed. the more requisite articles, such as changes of linen and spare shoes, were packed in valises strapped to larry's and my cruppers; while the major carried such things as he required in his saddle-bags. we soon lost sight of the shannon, and the top of the castle tower appearing above the trees. for some time we rode on in silence, but as neither my respected relative nor i were accustomed to hold our tongues, we soon let them wag freely. he talked as we rode on in his usual hearty way, giving me accounts of his adventures in many lands. larry kept behind us, not presuming to come up and join in the conversation. he was of too happy a spirit to mind riding alone, while he relieved himself by cracking jokes with the passers-by. i have spoken of his warm affection for me. he also--notwithstanding his rough outside--possessed a talent for music, and could not only sing a capital song, but had learned to play the violin from an old fiddler, peter mcleary, who had presented him with an instrument, which he valued like the apple of his eye. he now carried it in its case, strapped carefully on behind him. we rode on too fast to allow of his playing it, as i have seen him do on horseback many a time, when coming from marriages or wakes, where he was consequently in great request. we made a long day's journey, having rested a couple of hours to bait our horses; and not reaching the town of kilmore till long after sundown. the assizes were taking place. the judge and lawyers, soldiers, police, and witnesses, filled every house in the town. consequently the only inn at which we could hope to obtain accommodation was crowded. all the guests had retired to their rooms; but the landlady, mrs mccarthy, who knew my uncle, undertook to put us up. larry took the horses round to the stables, where he would find his sleeping place, and we entered the common room. mrs mccarthy was the only person in the establishment who seemed to have any of her wits about her. the rest of the inmates who were still on foot had evidently imbibed a larger amount of the potheen than their heads could stand, she herself being even more genial than usual. "shure, major dear, there are two gentlemen of the bar up-stairs who don't know their feet from their heads; and as your honour will be rising early to continue your journey, we'll just tumble them out on the floor, and you can take their bed. we'll put them back again before they wake in the morning; or if we're after forgetting it, they'll only think they have rolled out of their own accord, and nobody'll be blamed, or they be the worse for it; and they'll have reason to be thankful, seeing that if they had really tumbled on the floor, they might have broken their necks." my uncle, who would on no account agree to this hospitable proposal, insisted on sitting up in an arm-chair, with his legs on another, assuring mrs mccarthy that he had passed many a night with worse accommodation. "shure, then, the young gentleman must go to bed," observed the hostess. "there's one i've got for him in the kitchen,--a little snug cupboard by the fireside; and shure he'll there be as warm and comfortable as a mouse in its hole." to this the major agreed, as the bed was not big enough for both of us, and indeed was too short for him. supper being ended, my uncle composed himself in the position he intended to occupy, with his cloak wrapped round him, and i accompanied mrs mccarthy into the kitchen, which was in a delightful state of disorder. she here let down, from a little niche in which it was folded, a small cupboard-bed, on which, though the sheets and blankets were not very clean, i was not sorry to contemplate a night's rest. the landlady, wishing me good-night, withdrew to her own quarters. molly, the maid-servant, i should have said, long before this, overcome by the sips she had taken at the invitation of the guests, was stowed away in a corner somewhere out of sight. pulling off my boots and laced coat and waistcoat, which i stowed for safe keeping under the pillow, i turned into bed by the light of the expiring embers of the fire, and in a few seconds afterwards was fast asleep. i was not conscious of waking for a single moment during the night; and had i been called, should have said that only a few minutes had passed since i had closed my eyes, when, to my horror, all at once i found myself in a state of suffocation, with my head downwards, pressed closely between the bolster and pillow, and my feet in the air. every moment i thought would be my last. i struggled as violently as my confined position would allow, unable, in my confusion, to conceive where i was, or what had happened. i in vain tried to shout out; when i opened my mouth, the feather pillow filled it, and no sound escaped. i felt much as, i suppose, a person does drowning. thoughts of all sorts rushed into my mind, and i believed that i was doomed to an ignominious exit from this sublunary scene, when suddenly there came a crash, and, shot out into the middle of the room, i lay sprawling on the floor, unable to rise or help myself, my head feeling as if all the blood in my body had rushed into it. the button which had kept the foot of the shut-up-bed in its place had given way. "murder! murder!" i shouted out, believing that some diabolical attempt had been made to take my life. "murther! murther!" echoed molly, who, broom in hand, was engaged at the further end of the kitchen. "och, somebody has been kilt entirely." and, frightened at the spectacle i exhibited, she rushed out of the room to obtain assistance. my cries and hers had aroused mrs mccarthy, who rushed in, followed by the waiting-man and my uncle, who, gazing at me as i lay on the floor, and seeing that i was almost black in the face, ordered one of the servants to run off for the apothecary, to bleed me. in the meantime, mrs mccarthy had hurried out for a pitcher of cold water. having dashed some over my face, she poured out several glasses, which i swallowed one after the other, and by the time the apothecary had arrived had so far recovered as to be able to dispense with his services. molly confessed to having got up at daylight, and begun to set matters to rights in the kitchen; and, not observing me, supposing that her mistress--who usually occupied the bed--had risen, she had hoisted it up into its niche, and had turned the button at the top to keep it in its place. had not the button given way, my adventures, i suspect, would have come to an untimely termination. having performed my ablutions, with the assistance of mrs mccarthy, in a basin of cold water, i was perfectly ready for breakfast, and very little the worse for what had happened. our meal was a hearty one, for my uncle, like an old soldier, made it a rule to stow away on such occasions a liberal supply of provisions, which might last him, if needs be, for the remainder of the day, or far into the next. breakfast over, he ordered round the horses, and we recommenced our journey. after riding some distance, on turning round, i perceived that larry was not following us. "he knows the road we're going, and will soon overtake us," said my uncle. we rode on and on, however, and yet larry didn't appear. i began to feel uneasy, and at last proposed turning back to ascertain if any accident had happened to him. he would surely not have remained behind of his own free will. he had appeared perfectly sober when he brought me my horse to mount; besides which, i had never known larry drunk in his life,--which was saying a great deal in his favour, considering the example he had had set him by high and low around. "we'll ride on slowly, and if he doesn't catch us up we'll turn back to look for the spalpeen, though the delay will be provoking," observed the major. still larry did not heave in sight. the country we were now traversing was as wild as any in ireland. high hills on one side with tall trees, and more hills on the other, completely enclosed the road, so that it often appeared as if there was no outlet ahead. the road itself was rough in the extreme, scarcely allowing of the passage of a four-wheeled vehicle; indeed, our horses had in some places to pick their way, and rapid movement was impossible--unless at the risk of breaking the rider's neck, or his horse's knees. those celebrated lines had not been written:-- "if you had seen but these roads before they were made, you'd have lift up your hands and blessed general wade." i had, however, been used to ground of all sorts, and was not to be stopped by such trifling impediments as rocks, bushes, stone walls, or streams. "something must have delayed larry," i said at length. "let me go back, uncle, and find him, while you ride slowly on." "no, i'll go with you, terence. we shall have to make a short journey instead of a long one, if the gossoon has been detained in kilmore; and i haven't clapped eyes on him since we left the town." we were on the point of turning our horses' heads to go back, when suddenly, from behind the bushes and rocks on either side of the road, a score of ruffianly-looking fellows, dressed in the ordinary costume of irish peasants, rushed out and sprang towards us, some threatening to seize our reins, and others pointing muskets, blunderbusses, and pistols at us. those not possessing these weapons were armed with shillelahs. one of the fellows, with long black hair and bushy beard,--a hideous squint adding to the ferocity of his appearance,--advanced with a horse-pistol in one hand, the other outstretched as if to seize the major's rein. at the same time a short but strongly-built ruffian, with a humpback, sprang towards me, evidently intending to drag me off my horse, or to haul the animal away, so that i might be separated from my companion. "keep close to my side, terence," he said in a low voice. "out with your pistol, and cover that villain approaching." at the moment, as he spoke, his sword flashed in the sunlight, and with the back of the blade he struck up the weapon of his assailant, which exploded in the air. he was about to bring down the sharp edge on the fellow's head, when a dozen others, with shrieks and shouts, rushed towards us, some forcing themselves in between our horses, while others, keeping on the other side of the major, seized his arms at the risk of being cut down. several grasped his legs and stirrups. his horse plunged and reared, but they nimbly avoided the animal's heels. two of the gang held the horse's head down by the reins, while an attempt was made to drag the rider from his seat. they doubtless thought if they could master him, that i should become an easy prey. their object, i concluded, was to make us prisoners, rather than to take our lives, which they might have done at any moment by shooting us with their firearms. still our position was very far from an agreeable one. my uncle, who had not spoken another word, firmly kept his seat, notwithstanding the efforts of the ruffian crew to pull him off his saddle. in the meantime, the hunchback, whose task, it seemed, was to secure me, came on, fixing his fierce little eyes on my pistol, which i fancied was pointed at his head. "if you come an inch further, i'll fire," i cried out. he answered by a derisive laugh, followed by an unearthly shriek, given apparently to unnerve me; and then, as he saw my finger on the trigger, he ducked his head, as if about to spring into the water. the pistol went off, the bullet passing above him. the next instant, rising and springing forward, he clutched my throat, while another fellow caught hold of my rein. chapter three. we meet with further adventures. in spite of my uncle's skill as a swordsman, and the pistols, on which i had placed so much reliance, we were overpowered before we could strike a blow in our own defence, and were completely at the mercy of our assailants. the major, however, all the time didn't lose his coolness and self-possession. "what are you about to do, boys?" he asked. "you have mistaken us for others. we are travellers bound to cork, not wishing to interfere with you or any one else." "we know you well enough, major mcmahon," answered the leader of the gang. "if you're not the man we want, you'll serve our purpose. but understand, we'll have no nonsense. if you come peaceably we'll not harm you; we bear you no grudge. but if you make further resistance, or attempt to escape, you must take the consequences; we care no more for a man's life than we do for that of a calf." the ruffian thundered out the last words at the top of his voice. "who are you, my friend, who talk so boldly?" asked the major. "if you want to know, i'm dan hoolan himself, and you may have heard of my doings throughout the country." "i have heard of a scoundrel of that name, who has murdered a few helpless people, and who is the terror of old women; but whether or not you're the man, is more than i can say," answered the major in a scornful tone. "blood and 'ounds, is that the way you speak to me?" cried hoolan, for there could be no doubt that he was the notorious outlaw. "i'll soon be after showing you that it's not only women i frighten. bring these fine-coated gentlemen along, boys, and we'll set them dangling to a branch of saint bridget's oak, to teach their likes better manners. och, boys, it'll be rare fun to see them kick their legs in the air, till their sowls have gone back to where they came from." i fully believed the outlaws were going to treat us as their leader proposed. "you dare do nothing of the sort, boys," said my uncle. "you know well enough that if you ill-treat us there will be a hue and cry after you, and that before many weeks have passed by, one and all of you will be caught and gibbeted." "that's more aisy to say than to do," answered hoolan. "bring them along, boys; and mind you don't let them escape you." "sorra's the chance of that," cried the men, hanging on tighter to our legs. we were thus led forward, still being allowed to keep our seats in our saddles, but without a chance of effecting our escape, though i observed that my uncle's eye was ranging round to see what could be done. he looked down on me. i daresay i was paler than usual, though i did my best to imitate his coolness. "keep up your spirits, terence," he said. "i don't believe that those fellows intend to carry out their threats. though why they have made us prisoners is beyond my comprehension." some of our captors growled out something, but what it was i could not understand, though i think it was a hint to the major and me to hold our tongues. the hunchback kept close to me, having released my throat, and merely held on to me by one of my legs. hoolan himself stalked at our head, with the pistol, which he had reloaded, in his hand. the men talked among themselves in their native irish, but didn't address another word to us. they seemed eager to push on, but the character of the road prevented our moving out of a foot's pace. on and on we went, till we saw a group of large trees ahead. hoolan pointed to them with a significant gesture. his followers, with loud shouts, hurried us forward. i now observed that two of them had coils of rope under their arms. they were of no great strength, but sufficient to bear the weight of an ordinary man. we quickly reached the trees, when the outlaws made us dismount under one, which, i remarked, had a wide extending bough, about fifteen feet from the ground. my uncle now began to look more serious than before, as if, for the first time, he really believed that our captors would carry out their threats. "terence, we must try and free ourselves from these ruffians," he said. "i have no care for myself, but i don't want your young life to be taken from you. keep your eyes about you, and if you can manage to spring into your saddle, don't pull rein until you have put a good distance between yourself and them." "i could not think of going, and leaving you in the hands of the ruffians, uncle mcmahon," i answered. "i'll beg them to spare your life, and will promise them any reward they may demand,--a hundred, or two hundred pounds. surely they would rather have the money than take your life." "don't promise them anything of the sort," he said. "if they were to obtain it, they would be seizing every gentleman they could get hold of. their object is not money, or they would have robbed us before this. do as i tell you, and be on the watch to escape while they are trying to hang me. i'll take care to give you a good chance." while he was speaking they were throwing the ropes over the bough, and ostentatiously making nooses at the end of each of them. they were not very expert, and failed several times in throwing the other end over the bough. the ends of each of the ropes were grasped by three men, who looked savagely at us, as if they were especially anxious to see our necks in the opposite nooses, and apparently only waiting the order from their chief. "if you have prayers to say, you had better say them now," cried the leader of the outlaws. "it's time to speak to you now, dan hoolan," said my uncle, as if he had not heard the last remark. "whether you really intend to hang us or not, i can't say; but if you do, vengeance is sure to overtake you. to kill an old man would be a dastardly deed, but doubly accursed would you be should you deprive a young lad like this of his life. if you have no pity on me, have regard to your own soul. there's not a priest in the land who would give you absolution." "hould there, and don't speak another word," shouted hoolan. "i have given you the chance of praying, and you wouldn't take it, so it's yourselves will have to answer for it. quick, boys, bring them along." our captors were leading us forward, and, as i had no wish to lose my life, i was looking out for an opportunity of obeying my uncle's instructions, when, with a strength which those who held him could not have supposed he possessed, knocking down one on either side, he threw himself upon hoolan, who, not expecting such an attack, was brought to the ground. at the same moment the major, drawing a knife which the ruffian had in his belt, held it as if to strike him to the heart. the hunchback, seeing the danger of his leader, regardless of me, rushed forward to his assistance; when, finding myself at liberty, i darted towards my horse, which was held by one only of the men, who, eagerly watching the strife, did not observe me. twisting his shillelah from his hands, and snatching the reins, i was in a moment in the saddle; but i had no intention of deserting my uncle. firmly grasping the shillelah, i laid it about the heads of the men who were on the point of seizing the major. hoolan, however, was completely at his mercy; and had they ventured to touch him, one blow of the knife would have ended the villain's life, though probably his companions would have revenged his death by shooting us the moment after. but just then loud shouts were heard in the distance, and a party of men on horseback, whom no one had observed, were seen galloping at a tearing rate towards us. "hoora! hoora! tim phelan's gained his cause!" shouted a horseman. "he's proved an alibi, and been set free by the judge." our captors, on hearing the shouts, turned to greet the new-comers, forgetting for the moment their previous intention and their leader, who lay on the ground, the major still holding his knife at his throat. presently, who should i see riding out from the crowd but larry harrigan himself. "thunder and 'ounds!" he exclaimed. "what were they going to do to you? shure i never thought they'd have ventured on that." he now came up to hoolan with my uncle bending over him. "spare his life, major dear," he exclaimed. "he never intended to kill you; and if you'll let him go i'll tell your honour all about it by and by." "is this the case, dan hoolan?" asked my uncle. "on your soul, man, did you not intend to put your threat into execution?" "no, i didn't, as i'm a living man," said the outlaw, as, released by my uncle, he rose to his feet. "i'll tell your honour. i wanted to see how you and your young nephew would face the death i threatened; and i intended at the last moment to release you both if you would promise to take a message to the judge who was trying tim phelan, swearing that he was free of the murder of mick purcell, and knows no more about it than a babe unborn; for there's one amongst us who did the deed, and they may catch him if they can." this announcement completely changed the aspect of affairs. the outlaws brought us our horses, and with many apologies for the trouble they had given us, assisted us to mount. "i'm not the man to harbour ill-feeling against any one," said the major, turning to the crowd of apparently humble-looking peasants. "but, my boys, i'd advise you to follow a better calling without delay. and now i'll wish you good morning. if we ever meet again, may it be under pleasanter circumstances." though the greater part of those present didn't understand what he said, the rest interpreted it in their own fashion: the outlaws and the new-comers raising a loud cheer, we rode off, followed by larry, and continued our journey as if nothing particular had occurred. "and what made you keep behind us, larry?" asked my uncle, who summoned him up alongside. "i'll tell your honour," answered larry. i was sleeping in the stables after i'd attended to the horses, when i heard three or four boys talking together; so i opened my eyes to listen, seeing it was something curious they were saying. i soon found that they were talking about tim phelan, who was to be tried in the morning. i thin recollected that tim was my father's second cousin's nephew, and so of course i felt an interest in the fate of the boy. "says one to the other, `if the alibi isn't proved, shure we're bound in honour to try and rescue him.' "`there are a hundred at least of us bound to do the same,' answered the other, `and of course we'll find many more to help if we once begin.' "`thin i'll be one of them,' i cried out, starting up without thinking that yer honour would be wanting me to continue the journey this morning. blood is stronger than water, as yer know, major dear, and with the thought of rescuing tim phelan, i forgot everything else. when i joined the boys, i found a dozen or more met together, and they made me swear a mighty big oath that i would stick to them till tim phelan was acquitted or set free if condemned. so when the morning came, i knew that i could overtake yer honour and maisther terence by making my baste move along after the trial was over. as soon as yer honour had started, i went back to my friends, and after some time, while talking to them, i heard that dan hoolan was on the road to carry out another plan of his own, in case tim should be condemned. what it was i didn't find out for some time, when one of the boys tauld me that dan intended to get hold of one of the lawyers, or a magistrate, or a gintleman of consequence, and to threaten to hang him if tim was not set free. i was almost shrinking in my brogues when i thought that dan hoolan might be after getting hold of yer honour, but my oath prevented me from setting off till the boys came rushing out of the court saying that tim was acquitted. i thin tauld them about all i was afraid of, so they jumped on the backs of the horses without waiting to cheer tim or carry him round the town. it was mighty convanient that we arrived in time; but, major dear, you will see clearly that if i hadn't stopped behind, there would have been three of us to be hung by dan instead of two; so well pleased i am that i found out that it was tim, my father's second cousin's nephew, who was going to be tried." "well, master larry, it's well for us all that you had your wits about you, so i'll say nothing more to you for neglecting your orders, which were to follow close at our heels," observed the major. "thank yer honour; but you'll be after remembering that i didn't suppose that dan hoolan was really going to hang yer honour, or i'd have been in a much more mighty fright at hearing that he was going to have a hand in the matter." this little incident will afford some idea of the state of my native country at the time of which i write. after larry had given this explanation for his non-appearance, he dropped behind, and my uncle and i rode on side by side, talking of various matters, and whenever the road would permit, putting our horses into a trot or a canter to make up for lost time. darkness overtook us before we reached the town at which my uncle proposed to stop for the night. i confess that i kept a look-out now on one side, now on the other, lest any more of dan hoolan's gang might be abroad, and have a fancy to examine our valises and pockets. we rode on for nearly three hours in the dark, without meeting, however, with any further adventure. we reached timahoe, where there being no event of importance taking place, we found sufficient accommodation and food both for man and beast, which was promised on the sign outside, though, to be sure, it could not be seen in the dark, but i observed it the next morning as we rode away. i must pass over the remainder of the journey till we had got over the greater part of our journey to the fair city of cork. we had been riding on like peaceable travellers, as we were, when we reached a village, through the centre of which, having nothing to detain us there, we passed on at our usual pace. it appeared quiet enough. the children were tumbling about with the pigs in the mud, and the women peered out of the half-open doors, but seeing who we were, drew in their heads again without addressing us, or replying to any of larry's most insinuating greetings. "there's something going on, though what it may be is more than i can tell," remarked my uncle. just as we got outside the village, though not a sound reached our ears, we caught sight, coming round a corner on the right, of a party of men, each armed with a shillelah, which he grasped tightly in his right hand, while he looked keenly ahead, as if expecting some one to appear. they had started forward apparently at the sound of our horses' feet, and stopped on seeing who we were. "good evening, boys," said my uncle, as we rode on. they made no reply. we had got a little further on when i saw another party on the left coming across the country at a rapid rate. one of them, running forward, inquired if we had seen any of the boys of pothrine, the name, i concluded, of the village we had just passed through. "not a few of them, who are on the look-out for you, boys, and if you're not wishing for broken heads, you'll go back the way you came," answered my uncle. "thank yer honour, we'll chance that," was the answer, and the man rejoining his party, they advanced towards the village. scarcely a minute had passed before loud cries, whacks, and howls struck upon our ears. "they're at it," cried my uncle, and turning back we saw two parties hotly engaged in the middle of the road; shillelahs flourishing in the air, descending rapidly to crack crowns or meet opposing weapons. at the same time larry was seen galloping in hot haste towards the combatants. my uncle called him back, but the noise of the strife must have prevented him from hearing the summons, for he continued his course. i rode after him, being afraid that he was intending to join in the scrimmage, but i was too late to stop him, for, throwing his rein over the stump of a tree which stood convenient at one side of the road, he jumped off, and in a second was in the midst of the fray. i had often seen faction fights on a small scale in our own neighbourhood, but i had never witnessed such ferocity as was displayed on the present occasion. conspicuous among the rest were two big fellows, who carried shillelahs of unusually large proportions. they had singled each other out, being evidently champions of their respective parties, and it was wonderful to observe the dexterity with which they assaulted each other, and defended their heads from blows, which, if delivered as intended, would have crushed their skulls or broken their arms or legs. in vain i shouted to larry to come out of it, and at last i got so excited myself, that had i possessed a shillelah, i think that, notwithstanding the folly of the action, i should have jumped off my horse and joined in the battle. at length one of the champions was struck to the ground, where three or four others on the same side were already stretched. it was the one, as far as i could make out, that larry had espoused, and to which the men who had spoken to us belonged. presently i saw larry spring out from the crowd, his head bleeding and his coat torn. on seeing me he shouted, "be off with yer, maisther terence, for they'll be coming after us," and running towards his pony, which the tide of battle was approaching, he took the reins and leaped on its back. knowing how annoyed my uncle would be if we got into any trouble, i followed larry's advice, but not a moment too soon, for the defeated party came scampering along the road, with the victors after them, shrieking and yelling like a party of madmen let loose. "on, on, master terence dear!" shouted larry, and galloping forward, i soon overtook my uncle, who had turned back on hearing the hubbub, to ascertain what had become of me. on seeing that i was safe, he again turned his horse's head, and as he had no wish to get involved in the quarrel, he rode forward, closely followed by larry. the howls, and shouts, and shrieks grew fainter as we advanced. "that boy will be brought into proper discipline before long if he gets on board the frigate," said my uncle when i told him what had occurred, "and that love of fighting any but his country's enemies knocked out of him, i've a notion." it was growing dusk when the lights of the town where we were to stop appeared ahead. suddenly it struck me that i didn't hear the hoofs of larry's steed. turning round to speak to him, he was nowhere visible. "larry, come on, will you?" i shouted, but larry didn't reply. "the boy can't have had the folly to go back with his broken head to run the chance of another knock down," observed my uncle. "we must go and see what he has been after." we accordingly turned round and rode back, i galloping ahead and shouting his name. i hadn't gone far when i saw his pony standing by the side of the road. as i got up to the animal, there was larry doubled up on the ground. i called to him, but he made no reply. leaping from my horse, i tried to lift him up. not a sound escaped his lips. i was horrified at finding that to all appearances he was dead. my uncle's first exclamation on reaching me was, "the lad has broken his neck, i'm afraid; but, in case there may be life left in him, the sooner we carry him to a doctor the better. help me to place him on my saddle, terence." stooping down, notwithstanding his weight, my uncle drew up his inanimate body, and placed it before him, whilst i led on his pony. fortunately, the inn was at the entrance of the town. my uncle, bearing larry in his arms, entered it with me, and ordering a mattress to be brought, placed him on it, shouting out-- "be quick, now; fetch a doctor, some of you!" my countrymen, though willing enough to crack each others' pates, are quite as ready to help a fellow-creature in distress; and, as my uncle spoke, two, if not three, of the bystanders hurried off to obey his order. meanwhile, the stable-boy having taken our horses, my uncle and i did our best to resuscitate our unfortunate follower. his countenance was pale as a sheet, except where the streaks of blood had run down it; his hair was matted, and an ugly wound was visible on his head. on taking off his handkerchief, i discovered a black mark on his neck, which alarmed me more than the wound. i fully believed that my poor foster-brother was dead. scarcely a minute had elapsed before two persons rushed into the room; one short and pursy, the other tall and gaunt, both panting as if they had run a race. "i have come at your summons, sir!" exclaimed the tall man. "and shure, so have i! and was i not first in the room?" cried the second. "in that, doctor murphy, you are mistaken!" exclaimed the tall man, "for didn't i put my head over your shoulder as we came through the door?" "but my body was in before yours, mr o'shea; and i consider that you are bound to give place to a doctor of medicine!" "but this appears to me to be a surgical case," said the tall man; "and as the head, as all will allow, is a more honourable part of the body than the paunch, i claim to be the first on the field; and, moreover, to have seen the patient before you could possibly have done so, doctor murphy. sir," he continued, stalking past his brother practitioner, and making a bow with a battered hat to the major, "i come, i presume, on your summons, to attend to the injured boy; and such skill as i possess--and i flatter myself it's considerable--is at your service. may i ask what is the matter with him?" "here's a practitioner who doesn't know what his patient is suffering from by a glance of the eye!" cried the doctor of medicine. "give place, mr o'shea, to a man of superior knowledge to yourself," exclaimed doctor murphy. "it's easy enough to see with half a glance that the boy has broken his neck, and by this time, unless he possesses a couple of spines,--and i never knew a man have more than one, though,--he must be dead as a door nail!" "dead!" cried mr o'shea; "the doctor says his patient's dead without feeling a pulse or lifting an eyelid." "you, at all events, ought to know a corpse from a live man," cried the fat medico, growing irate, "when it's whispered that you have made as many dead bodies in the town itself as would serve for a couple of battles and a few scrimmages to boot." "and you, doctor murphy, have poisoned one-half of your patients, and the others only survive because they throw the physic you send them to the dogs." "come, gentlemen," exclaimed the major, "while you are squabbling, any spark of life the poor boy may contain will be ebbing away. as i am not acquainted with the skill you respectively possess, i beg that you, doctor murphy, as holding the higher grade in your profession, will examine the boy, and express your opinion whether he is dead or alive, and state, if there's life in him, which you consider the best way to bring him round, and set him on his feet again." mr o'shea, on hearing this, stepped back a few paces, and, folding his arms, looked with supreme contempt on the little doctor, who, stooping down over larry with watch in hand, at which he mechanically gazed with a serious countenance, felt his pulse. "his hand is cold and clammy, and there's not a single thump in his arteries," he said with solemn gravity; and letting fall larry's hand he proceeded to examine his neck. "the vertebra broken, cracked, dislocated," he continued, in the same solemn tone. "d'ye see this black mark down his throat? it's amply sufficient to account for death. i hereby certify that this is a corpse before me, and authorise that he may be sent home to his friends for christian burial." "och ahone! och ahone!" i cried out, throwing myself by the side of the mattress. "is larry really dead? oh, doctors dear, can't both of you put your heads together and try to bring him to life again?" "when the breath is out of the body, 'tis more than all the skill of the most learned practitioners can accomplish," exclaimed doctor murphy, rising from his knees. "i pronounce the boy dead, and no power on earth can bring him round again." "i hold to the contrary opinion," said mr o'shea, advancing and drawing out of his pocket a case of instruments, from which he produced a large operation knife, and began to strop it on the palm of his hand. "it's fortunate for the boy that he didn't move, or doctor murphy would have been thrusting one of his big boluses down his throat and drenched him with black draughts. stand aside, friends, and you shall see that a surgeon's skill is superior to a doctor's knowledge. i have your leave, sir, to proceed as i consider necessary?" he asked, turning to the major. "certainly," answered my uncle; "if doctor murphy considers him dead and you believe him to be alive, and act accordingly, i have more hopes in the results of your skill than in that of the other gentleman." "you'll remain in town some time, sir, i presume, and as you're a gentleman, i shall expect a visit from you," exclaimed the fat doctor, as, nearing the door, he made a bow, and, gold cane in hand, waddled out of the room. mr o'shea cast a contemptuous glance at him, and then kneeling down, applied his knife to the nape of larry's neck. warm blood immediately spouted forth. "i told you so," he exclaimed; "blood doesn't flow like this from a corpse. bring hot water and cloths." these he applied to larry's neck, and continued to pour the water on them, "to draw out the blood," as he said, and relieve the patient's head. then pressing his knees against larry's shoulders, he gave a pull at his head which seemed likely to dislocate his neck, if it hadn't been broken already. as he did this, he exclaimed, "there now, i have taken the twists out, and the boy will be all to rights in the course of an hour." a groan and a heavy sigh proclaimed that there was still life in poor larry. presently he opened one eye and then the other, and some spoonfuls of whisky and water, which surgeon o'shea poured down his throat, contributed still further to revive him. in the course of half-an-hour larry asked in a low voice, "did yer beat back the o'sullivans, yer honour? shure they were coming after us at a mighty great rate, and i fancy some one of them gave me a whack on the crown which brought me to the ground." "keep quiet and don't be talking," answered the surgeon, who, proud of his success, had been carefully watching his patient. "he'll do now, gentlemen," he added, looking up at my uncle and me. "we'll put him to bed, and by to-morrow morning he'll be as blithe as a lark, barring a stiff neck." chapter four. my first day on board. i sat up with larry for the greater part of the night, after the surgeon had left him. he groaned sometimes as if in pain, and talked at one time of the scrimmage with the o'sullivans, and at another of his fiddle, which he feared had been broken. i accordingly, to pacify him, went down and got it, and managed to produce some few notes, which had the desired effect. the major after some time came in to relieve me, for we could not trust any of the people at the inn, who would to a certainty have been dosing our patient with whisky, under the belief that they were doing him a kindness, but at the risk of producing a fever. in the morning mr o'shea came in. "i thought you said that the boy would be all to rights by this time," i observed. "shure that was somewhat hyperbolical," he answered, with a wink. "you can't expect a man with a broken neck, and a gash as big as my thumb at the back of it, to come round in a few hours." we couldn't complain, for certainly the worthy surgeon had been the means of saving larry's life; but the incident detained us three whole days, before he was fit to mount his pony and accompany us to cork. before leaving my uncle called on doctor murphy, who, to his great amusement, he found had no intention of calling him out, but merely expected to receive a fee for pronouncing a living man a dead one. though my uncle might have declined to pay the amount demanded, he handed it to the doctor, and wished him good morning. i afterwards heard that doctor murphy had challenged mr o'shea. that gentleman, however, refused to go out on the plea that should he be wounded, and become a patient of his brother practitioner, he should certainly go the way of the rest of those under his medical care. for many a long day doctor murphy and mr o'shea carried on a fierce warfare, till their patients agreed to fight it out and settle the matter, when the doctor's party being defeated, no inconsiderable number of broken heads being the result, he left the town to exercise his skill in some other locality, where, as mr o'shea remarked, there was a superabundant population. we were too late on arriving at cork to go on board the frigate that evening, and thus larry got the advantage of another night's rest, and i had time to brush up my uniform, and, as i conceived, to make myself as smart as any officer in his majesty's service. the next morning my uncle hired a boat to proceed down the fair river of cork to the harbour where the frigate lay. as we approached her my heart thrilled with pleasure as i thought of the honour i was about to enjoy of becoming one of her officers. "there's the _liffy_, yer honour," said the boatman, pointing her out as she lay some distance from the shore. her masts had already been replaced, and her yards were across, though the sails were not as yet bent; this, however, i did not observe. "i hope i have not detained her, uncle," i said; "i should be sorry to have done that." the major seldom indulged in a laugh, but he did so on this occasion till the tears rolled down his cheeks. "midshipmen are not of so much account as you suppose, terence," he said, still laughing. "if you were to go on shore and not return on board in time, you would soon discover that the ship would not wait for you a single moment after the captain had resolved to put to sea." as we approached, the sentry hailed to know who we were. in my eagerness i replied, "major mcmahon and the new midshipman, mr terence o'finnahan," whereat a laugh came forth from one of the ports at which, as it appeared, some of my future messmates were standing. "you'd have better have held your tongue," said my uncle. "and now, terence, remember to salute the flag as you see me do," he added, as he was about to mount the side of the ship. he went up, i followed, and next came larry. on reaching the deck he took off his hat, and i doffed mine with all the grace i could muster, larry at the same time making a profound bow and a scrape of his foot. the master's mate who received us, when my uncle inquired for captain macnamara, pointed to the after-part of the deck, where my future commander, with several other well-dressed officers, was standing. my uncle at once moved towards him, and i and larry followed in the same direction. the captain, a fine-looking man, seeing him approach came forward, and they exchanged cordial greetings. "i have come expressly to introduce my nephew terence to you, macnamara," said my uncle. "you were good enough, in a letter i received from you a few days ago, to say that you would receive him as a midshipman on board your ship. he's a broth of a boy, and will be an ornament to the service, i hope." "can't say that he is much of an ornament at present," i heard one of the officers remark to another. "looks more like a mummer or stage-player than a midshipman." looking up, i observed a smile on their countenances, as they eyed me from head to foot. "wishing to present the boy in a respectable way to you on the quarter-deck of his majesty's ship, we had a uniform made for him at ballinahone, which is, i fancy, such as your officers are accustomed to wear on grand occasions," said the major, taking me by the arm as if to exhibit me to more advantage. "i thought rather that it was the fashionable dress worn by young gentlemen in the west of ireland at wakes or weddings," remarked the captain; "but i confess, my dear mcmahon, that i do not recognise it as a naval uniform, except in the matter of the buttons, which i see are according to the right pattern. the young gentleman will have to dress differently, except when he has a fancy to go to a masquerade on shore." the major stepped back with a look of astonishment; then surveying the uniform of the officers standing around, and taking another look at my costume, he exclaimed, laughing, "faith, i see there is a difference, but as no regulations or patterns were procurable at ballinahone, we did the best we could." "of that i have no doubt about, mcmahon; you always did your best, and very well done it was," said the captain; "but i would advise you to take your nephew on shore, and get him rigged out in a more proper costume as soon as possible." i was completely taken aback on hearing this, and finding that instead of making a favourable impression on the captain, my costume had produced a very contrary effect. in a short time, however, somewhat regaining my confidence and remembering larry, i turned to my uncle and begged that, according to his promise, he would introduce him. "to be shure i will," he answered, and then addressing the captain, he said, "my nephew has a foster-brother, the boy standing there, who has made up his mind to go to sea. will you receive him on board your ship? i own, however, that he will require a good deal of licking into shape before he becomes a sailor." "he appears to be a stout lad, and i have no doubt but that in course of time we shall succeed in making him one," answered the captain. "do you wish to go to sea, boy?" larry, who didn't quite understand, i suspect, what licking into shape meant, answered notwithstanding, "shure, yer honour, wherever maisther terence goes, i'm desirous of following, and as he's to become a midshipman, i'd wish to go wherever i can be with him." "that cannot be so exactly," answered the captain, laughing; "but if you become one of the crew, you'll not be far from him, and i hope i may see you some day following your leader on board an enemy's ship, and hauling down her flag." "hurrah! shure that's what i'll be after doing, and anything else your honour plaises," exclaimed larry at the top of his voice, flourishing his hat at the same time above his head. "i'll be after showing yer honour how the boys in tipperary fight." that matter being settled much to my satisfaction, larry was taken off to have his name entered on the ship's books, for in those days a fish having been once caught in the net, it was not thought advisable to let him go again. in the meantime, my uncle having gone into the captain's cabin to take luncheon, i was led by a person whom, though i thought he was an officer, i supposed, from his appearance, to be one of very subordinate rank, to be introduced to my new messmates, in the midshipmen's berth. "and so you think we wear silks and satins on board ship, i see, young gentleman, do you?" he said with a comical grin, eyeing my new coat and waistcoat. "you'll have to send these back to your grandmother, or the old woman who made them for you." "arrah, sir, d'ye intend to insult me?" i asked. "were they not put together by pat cassidy, the family tailor, under the direction of my uncle, major mcmahon, and he shure knows what a young gentleman should wear on board ship." "no, my lad, i only intended to laugh at you; but do you know who i am?" "no, but i'll have you to understand that an o'finnahan of castle ballinahone, county tipperary, ireland, is not to be insulted with impunity," i answered, trying to look as dignified as i could. "then i'll give you to understand, young sir, that i'm the first lieutenant of this ship, and that lieutenants don't insult midshipmen, even if they think fit to send them to the masthead. it will be your business to obey, and to ask no questions." as i knew no more, at the time, of the rank and position of a first lieutenant on board ship than i did of the man in the moon, this announcement did not make much impression on my mind. i only thought that he was some old fellow who was fond of boasting, and had a fancy to try and make me believe that he was a personage of importance, or perhaps to frighten me. i soon discovered, however, that though he generally wore a shabby uniform, he was not a man to be trifled with. i may as well here say that his name was saunders, that he was a thorough tar, who had come in at the hawse-hole, and had worked his way up to his present position. old "rough and ready" i found he was called. his hands were continually in the tar-bucket, and he was never so happy as when, with a marline-spike hung round his neck by a rope-yarn, he was engaged in gammoning the bowsprit, or setting up the rigging. but that i found out afterwards. "now come along, youngster, for i don't wish to be hard on you; i'm only laughing at the ridiculous figure you cut," he said, giving way to a burst of rough merriment. by the time it was over we reached the door of the berth, where the midshipmen were assembled for dinner. "young gentlemen," said mr saunders with perfect gravity, opening the door, "i have to tell you that this is mr terence o'finnahan, of castle ballinahone, county tipperary, ireland, who is to become your messmate as soon as he is docked of his fine feathers; and you'll be pleased to receive him as such." saying this he took his departure, and two of my new messmates seized me by the fists, which they gripped with a force intended perhaps to show the ardour of their regard, but which was excessively painful to my feelings. i restrained them, however, and stood looking round at the numerous strange faces turned towards me. "make room for mr terence o'finnahan, of castle ballinahone, county tipperary, ireland," cried an old master's mate from the further end of the table; "but let all understand that it's the last time such a designation is to be applied to him. it's much too long a name for any practical purpose, and from henceforth he's to be known on board this ship as paddy finn, the irish midshipman; and so, paddy finn, old boy, i'll drink your health. gentlemen, fill your glasses; here's to the health of paddy finn." every one in the berth filled up their mugs and cups with rum and water, in which they pledged me with mock gravity. having in the meantime taken my seat, i rose and begged to return my thanks to them for the honour they had done me, assuring them that i should be happy to be known by the new name they had given me, or by any other which might sound as sweet. "only, gentlemen, there's one point i must bargain for," i added; "let me be called paddy, whatever other designation you may in your judgment think fit to bestow on me, for let me tell you that i consider it an honour to be an irishman, and i am as proud of my native land as you can be of yours." "bravo, paddy!" cried several. "you're a trump," observed the president. "the chief has got pluck in him," said the scotch assistant surgeon, who sat opposite to the president, a man whose grizzled hair showed that he had been long in the service. "where did you get those clothes from?" asked a young gentleman, whom i afterwards found to be the purser's clerk. "he picked them up at a theatrical property shop as he passed through cork," remarked another. "haul in the slack of your impudence," cried the president, whose favour i had won. "if his friends had never seen a naval uniform, how should they know how to rig him out?" "i'm mightily obliged to you, sir," i said, for i was by this time getting heartily ashamed of my gay feathers; "and as the ship won't be sailing yet, i hope to get fitted out properly before i return on board." "all right, youngster," said the president. "now, i will have the pleasure of helping you to a slice of mutton. hand the greens and potatoes up to paddy finn." the plate was passed round to me, and i was allowed, without being further bantered, to discuss the viands placed under my nose, which i did with a good appetite. i was not silent, however, but introducing my journey to cork, amused my messmates with an account of the various incidents which had occurred. when, at length, one of the midshipmen who had being doing duty on deck appeared at the door to say that major mcmahon was about to return on shore, and wanted his nephew, my new friends shook me warmly by the hand, and the president again proposed three hearty cheers for their new messmate, paddy finn. chapter five. i make the acquaintance of one of my new messmates. i was in much better spirits when i rejoined my uncle than when i had been led below by mr saunders. i found him standing with the captain on the main-deck, they having just come out of the cabin. "i should like to take a turn round the ship before we leave her, in case i should be unable to pay you another visit," said the major. "i wish to brush up my recollections of what a frigate is like." "come along then," answered the captain, and he led the way along the deck. as we got forward, we heard loud roars of laughter and clapping of hands. the cause was very evident, for there was larry in the midst of a group of seamen, dancing an irish jig to the tune of one of his most rollicksome songs. "stop a bit, my boys, and i'll show you what real music is like," he exclaimed after he had finished the song. "wait till i get my fiddle among yer, and i'll make it squeak louder thin a score of peacocks or a dozen of sucking pigs;" and he then began again singing-- "a broth of a boy was young daniel o'shane, as he danced with the maidens of fair derrynane." then he went on jigging away, to the great delight of his audience,--no one observing the captain or us. it was very evident that larry had without loss of time made himself at home among his new shipmates. they treated him much as they would have treated a young bear, or any other pet animal they might have obtained. i had expected to find him looking somewhat forlorn and downcast among so many strangers; but in reality, i ought to have trusted an irish boy of his degree to make friends wherever he goes. "i think we may leave your follower where he is, as, should you not require his services, he is much more likely to be kept out of mischief here than he would be ashore," said the captain to the major. to this my uncle agreed. we had got some way along the deck when i felt a touch on my shoulder, and turning round, saw larry's countenance grinning from ear to ear. "shure they're broths of boys these sailor fellows, and i'm mighty plaised to be among them; but, maisther terence dear, i have a favour to ask you. would you tell the captain that i'd be mightily obliged to him if he would let me go back to cork for my fiddle. i left it at the inn, and if i had it now i'd set all the boys on board a-jigging, with the captain and officers into the bargain." i told him that as the captain thought it better he should remain on board, i could not ask leave for him to go on shore; but i promised that if i had an opportunity, i would send him his violin at once, or if not, would be careful to bring it myself. "you'll not be long then, maisther terence; for the boys here are mighty eager to hear me play." assuring him how glad i was to find that he was happy, i advised him to go back to his new friends again, promising not to forget his violin. we had come on board on the larboard side; we now went to the starboard. on each side of the gangway stood several officers and midshipmen, while on the accommodation-ladder were arranged two lines of boys. the captain's own gig was waiting for us, manned by eight smart seamen, their oars in the air. the captain himself descended, returning the salutes of the officers and men. i followed my uncle, who was treated with a similar mark of respect; but as i thought a portion was intended for me, and wishing to act in the politest way possible, i took off my hat altogether, and made several most polite bows. i had a suspicion, however, from the expression on the countenances of the midshipmen, with the suppressed titter among them, together with the grin on the faces of the men and boys, that i was doing something not altogether according to custom. perhaps, i thought to myself, i hadn't bowed low enough, so i turned, now to my right, now to my left, and, not seeing where i was going to, should have pitched right down the ladder had not one of the men standing there caught my arm, bidding me as he did so to keep my hat on my head. in my eagerness to get into the boat i made a spring, and should have leapt right over into the water had not another friendly hand caught me and forced me down by the side of the major. the captain, taking the white yoke-lines, gave the order to shove off; the boat's head swung away from the side of the frigate; the oars fell with their blades flat on the water; and we began to glide rapidly up the harbour, propelled by the sturdy arms of the crew. i felt very proud as i looked at the captain in his cocked hat and laced coat, and at the midshipman who accompanied him, in a bran new uniform, though, to be sure, there wasn't much of him to look at, for he was a mere mite of a fellow. had i not discovered that my own costume was not according to rule, i should have considered it a much more elegant one than his. after some time, the captain observing, i fancy, that i looked rather dull, having no one to talk to, said something to the midshipman, who immediately came and sat by me. "well, paddy, how do you like coming to sea?" he asked in a good-natured tone. "i've not yet formed an opinion," i answered. "true, my boy; cork harbour is not the atlantic," he remarked. "we may chance to see the waves running mountains high when we get there, and all the things tumbling about like shuttlecocks." "i'll be content to wait until i see that same to form an opinion," i answered. "as i've come to sea, i shall be glad to witness whatever takes place there." "you're not to be caught, i perceive," he said. "well, paddy, and how do you like your name?" "faith, i'm grateful to you and my other messmates for giving it," i answered. "i'm not ashamed of the name, and i hope to have the opportunity of making it known far and wide some day or other; and now may i ask you what's your name, for i haven't had the pleasure of hearing it." "thomas pim," he answered. "come, that's short enough, anyhow," i observed. "yes; but when i first came aboard, the mess declared it was too long, so they cut off the `h' and the `as' and `m' and called me tom pi; but even then they were not content, for they further docked it of its fair proportions, and decided that i was to be named topi, though generally i'm called simply pi." "do you mind it?" i asked. "not a bit," he answered. "it suits my size, i confess; for, to tell you the truth, i'm older than i look, and have been three years at sea." "i thought you had only just joined," i remarked, for my companion was, as i have just said, a very little fellow, scarcely reaching up to my shoulder. on examining his countenance more minutely, i observed that it had a somewhat old look. "though i'm little i'm good, and not ashamed of my size or my name either," he said. "when bigger men are knocked over, i've a chance of escaping. i can stow myself away where others can't get in their legs; and when i go aloft or take a run on shore, i've less weight to carry,-- so has the steed i ride. when i go with others to hire horses, i generally manage to get the best from the stable-keeper." "yes, i see that you have many advantages over bigger fellows," i said. "i'm perfectly contented with myself now i've found that out, but i confess that at first i didn't like being laughed at and having remarks made about my name and my size. i have grown slightly since then, and no one observes now that i'm an especially little fellow." tom spoke for some time on the same subject. "i say, paddy finn, i hope you and i will be friends," he continued. "i've heard that you irishmen are frequently quarrelsome, but i hope you won't quarrel with me, or, for your own sake, with any of the rest of the mess. you'll gain nothing by it, as they would all turn against you to put you down." "no fear of that," i replied, "always provided that they say nothing insulting of ireland, or of my family or friends, or of the opinions i may hold, or take liberties which i don't like, or do anything which i consider unbecoming gentlemen." "you leave a pretty wide door open," remarked tom; "but, as i said before, if you don't keep the peace it will be the worse for you." we were all this time proceeding at a rapid rate up the stream, between its wooded and picturesque banks. on arriving at cork, the captain wished the major good-bye, saying that i must be on board again within three days, which would allow me ample time to get a proper uniform made. i asked tom pim what he was going to do with himself, and proposed that, after i had been measured by the tailor, we should take a stroll together. "do you think the captain brought me up here for my pleasure?" he said. "i have to stay by the boat while he's on shore, to see that the men don't run away. why, if i didn't keep my eye on them, they'd be off like shots, and drunk as fiddlers by the time the captain came back." "i'm sorry you can't come," i said. "by the bye, talking of fiddlers, will you mind taking a fiddle on board to the boy who came with me,-- larry harrigan? i promised to send it to him, though i didn't expect so soon to have the opportunity." "with the greatest pleasure in the world," said tom pim. "perhaps i may take a scrape on it myself. when i was a little fellow, i learned to play it." "you must have been a very little fellow," i couldn't help remarking, though tom didn't mind it. as our inn was not far off, i asked my uncle to let me run on and get the fiddle, and take it down to the boat. as i carried it along, i heard people making various remarks, evidently showing that they took me for a musician or stage-player, which made me more than ever anxious to get out of a costume which i had once been so proud of wearing. having delivered the violin in its case to tom pim, who promised to convey it to larry, i rejoined my uncle. we proceeded at once to the tailor recommended by captain macnamara, who, having a pattern, promised to finish my uniform in time, and to supply all the other articles i required. we spent the few days we were in cork in visiting some old friends of the major's. i was very anxious about the non-appearance of my chest, but the night before i was to go on board, to my great satisfaction, it arrived. "it's a good big one, at all events," i thought; "it will hold all the things i want, and some curiosities i hope to bring back from foreign parts." it was capable of doing so, for although it might have been somewhat smaller than the one in which the bride who never got out again hid away, it was of magnificent proportions, solid as oak and iron clamps could make it; it was big enough to hold half-a-dozen of my smaller brothers and sisters, who used to stow themselves away in it when playing hide-and-seek about the house. soon after the chest arrived the tailor brought my uniform. it certainly was a contrast to the comical suit i had hitherto been wearing. i put it on with infinite satisfaction, and girded to my side a new dirk, which my uncle had given me, instead of my grandfather's old sword. the latter, however, my uncle recommended me to take on board. "you may want it, terence, maybe on some cutting-out expedition," he said; "and you'll remember that it belonged to your ancestors, and make it do its duty." as the chest was already full, i had a difficulty in stowing away the things the tailor had brought. i therefore began to unpack it while he was waiting, and i observed that he cast a look of supreme contempt on most of the articles it contained. he even ventured to suggest that he should be allowed to replace them with others which he could supply. "the boy has enough and to spare, and i should like to know how many of them will find their way back to cork," said my uncle. some of them i found, on consideration, that i should be as well without. among other things were a pair of thick brogues, which molly the cook had put in to keep my feet from the wet deck, and a huge cake; this, though, i guessed would not be sneered at in the mess, and would travel just as well outside. at length i found room for everything i required, and the chest was once more locked and corded. i don't believe i slept a wink that night with thinking of what i should do when i got on board the frigate. it was a satisfaction to remember that the ice had been broken, and that i should not appear as a perfect stranger amongst my messmates. i already knew tom pim, and he had told me the names of several others, among whom were those of jack nettleship the old mate and caterer of the mess, dick sinnet the senior midshipman, sims the purser's clerk, and donald mcpherson the assistant-surgeon. the others i could not remember. the lieutenants, he said, were very nice fellows, though they had their peculiarities. none of the officers were irishmen, consequently i had been dubbed paddy. chapter six. i commence my naval career. the morning came. my chest and my other strat things had been carried down in a cart to the river, where they were shipped on board a shore-boat. as we walked along following it, my uncle, after being silent for a minute, as if considering how he should address me, said: "you have got a new life before you, away from friends, among all sorts of characters,--some good, it may be, many bad or indifferent, but no one probably on whom you may rely. you will be placed in difficult, often in dangerous situations, when you'll have only yourself, or him who orders all things, to trust to. be self-reliant; ever strive to do your duty; and don't be after troubling yourself about the consequences. you will be engaged in scenes of warfare and bloodshed. i have taken part in many such, and i know their horrors. war is a stern necessity. may you never love it for itself; but when fighting, comport yourself like a man fearless of danger, while you avoid running your head needlessly into it. be courteous and polite, slow to take offence,-- especially when no offence is intended, as is the case in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred where quarrels occur. remember that it always takes two to make a quarrel, and that the man who never gives offence will seldom get into one. never grumble; be cheerful and obliging. never insist on your own rights when those rights are not worth insisting on. sacrifice your own feelings to those of others, and be ever ready to help a companion out of a difficulty. you may be surprised to hear me--an old soldier and an irishman--talking in this way; but i give you the advice, because i have seen so many act differently, and, wrapped up in intense selfishness, become utterly regardless of others,--reaping the consequences by being disliked and neglected, and finally deserted by all who were their friends. there's another point i must speak to you about, and it's a matter which weighs greatly on my mind. example, they say, is better than precept. now your father has set you a mighty bad example, and so have many others who have come to the castle. don't follow it. you see the effect which his potations of rum shrub and whisky-toddy have produced on him. when i was on duty, or going on it, i never touched liquor; and no man ever lost his life from my carelessness, as i have seen the lives of many poor soldiers thrown away when their officers, being drunk, have led them into useless danger. so i say, terence, keep clear of liquor. the habit of drinking grows on a man, and in my time i have seen it the ruin of many as fine young fellows as ever smelt powder." i thanked my uncle, and promised as far as i could to follow his excellent advice. as we reached the water-side, my uncle stopped, and putting one hand on my shoulder and taking mine with the other, looked me kindly in the face. "fare thee well, terence, my boy," he said; "we may not again meet on earth, but wherever you go, an old man's warmest affection follows you. be afraid of nothing but doing wrong. if your life is spared, you'll rise in the profession you have chosen, second only in my opinion to that of the army." i stepped into the boat, and the men shoved off. my uncle stood watching me as we descended the stream. again and again he waved his hand, and i returned his salute. he was still standing there when a bend of the river shut him out from my sight. i was too much engaged with my thoughts to listen to what the boatmen said, and i suspect they thought me either too dull or too proud to talk to them. as we pulled up on the larboard side, thinking that i was now somebody, i shouted to some men i saw looking through the ports to come down and lift my chest on board, though how that was to be done was more than i could tell. a chorus of laughs was the reply. presently i heard a gruff voice say, "send a whip down there, and have that big lumber chest, or whatever it is, up on deck." my chest was quickly hauled up, and as quickly transferred by the orders of the lieutenant in charge of the watch below, before mr saunders' eyes had fallen on it. i mounted the side in as dignified a way as i could, saluting the flag on reaching the deck, as my uncle had told me to do. i had recognised tom pim, who was ready to receive me. "you must go to the first lieutenant,--he's in the gun-room,--and say, `come aboard, sir,' and then when you're dismissed make your way into the berth," he said. "but how am i to be after finding the gun-room; is it where the guns are kept?" i asked. tom laughed at my simplicity. "no; it's where the gun-room officers, the lieutenants and master, the doctor, and purser, and lieutenant of marines, mess. they all mess together, as do the mates, and we the midshipmen, the second master and master's assistant, the clerks and the assistant-surgeon." "and have you no ensign?" i asked. "no; there are none in the marines, and so we have no soldiers in our berth," he answered; "but let's come along, i'll show you the way, and then you'll be in time for dinner." we descended to the gun-room door, where tom left me, bidding me go in and ask for the first lieutenant. i didn't see him, but one of the other officers, of whom i made inquiries, pointed me to the first lieutenant's cabin. i knocked at the door. "come in," answered a gruff voice. i found the lieutenant with his shirt-sleeves tucked up, he having just completed his morning ablutions, an old stocking on one fist and a needle and thread in the other, engaged in darning it. "come on board, sir," i said. "very well, youngster," he answered; "i should scarcely have known you in your present proper uniform. there's nothing like being particular as to dress. i'll see about placing you in a watch. you'll understand that you're to try and do your duty to the best of your abilities." "shure it's what i hope to do, sir," i answered briskly; "and i'm mighty glad you like my uniform." "i didn't say i liked it, youngster,--i said it was proper according to the regulations. turn round, let me see. there is room for growing, which a midshipman's uniform should have. you'll remember always to be neat and clean, and follow the example i try to set you youngsters." "yes, sir," i answered, my eyes falling on a huge patch which the lieutenant had on one of the knees of his trousers. "now you may go!" he said. "understand that you're not to quit the ship without my leave, and that you must master the rules and regulations of the service as soon as possible, for i can receive no excuse if you infringe them." altogether i was pretty well satisfied with my interview with old rough-and-ready, and hurrying out of the gun-room i directed my course for the young gentlemen's berth, as it was called, which was some way further forward on the starboard side. i intended, after making my appearance there, to go in search of larry, but the mulatto steward and a boy came hurrying aft along the deck with steaming dishes, which they placed on the table, and i found that the dinner was about to commence. "glad to see you, paddy," said jack nettleship, who had already taken his place at the head of the table. "you look less like a play-actor's apprentice and more like an embryo naval officer than you did when you first came on board. now sit down and enjoy the good things of life while you can get them. time will come when we shall have to luxuriate on salt junk as hard as a millstone and weevilly biscuits." plenty of joking took place, and everybody seemed in good humour, so that i soon found myself fairly at my ease, and all i wanted to be perfectly so was to know the ways of the ship. i succeeded in producing several roars of laughter by the stories i told, not attempting to overcome my brogue, but rather the contrary, as i found it amused my auditors. when the rum was passed round, of which each person had a certain quantum, the doctor sang out to the youngsters, including tom pim and me, "hold fast! it's a vara bad thing for you laddies, and i shall be having you all on the sick list before long if i allow you to take it. pass the pernicious liquor along here." tom obeyed, and so did i, willingly enough, for i had tasted the stuff and thought it abominably nasty, but two or three of the other midshipmen hesitated, and some seemed inclined to revolt. "i call on you, nettleship, as president of the mess, to interfere," exclaimed the doctor. "what do these youngsters suppose i'm sent here for, but to watch over their morals and their health; and as i find it difficult in the one case to do my duty with the exactitude i desire, i shall take care not to neglect it in the other. there's young chaffey there, who has stowed away enough duff to kill a bull, and now he's going to increase the evil by pouring this burning fiery liquid down his throat. do you want to be in your grave, jack? if not, be wise, and let the grog alone." chaffey, the fattest midshipman among us, looked somewhat alarmed, and quickly passed up the rum. i observed that the doctor kept it by his side, and having finished his own quantum, began to sip the portions he had forbidden the youngsters to drink. it was difficult to suppose that he was perfectly disinterested in his advice. being in harbour, we sat much longer than usual. at last i asked tom if he thought i could venture to go and look out for larry. "oh, yes; this is liberty hall," he answered. i was going forward, when i heard my name called, and going to the spot from whence the voice came, i saw the first lieutenant standing before my chest, at which he cast a look of mingled indignation and contempt. by his side was a warrant officer, whom i heard addressed as mr bradawl, with a saw and chisel and hammer in hand. "does this huge chest belong to you?" asked old rough-and-ready, as i came up. "yes, sir," i answered; "i'm rather proud of it." "we shall see if you continue so," he exclaimed. "do you think we have room to stow away such a lumbering thing as this? where's the key?" i produced it. "now tumble your things out." "but please, sir, i haven't room to pack them away. i have got this bundle, and that case, and those other things are all mine." "tumble them out!" cried the lieutenant, without attending to my expostulations. i obeyed. and the carpenter began sawing away at a line which old rough-and-ready had chalked out not far from the keyhole. mr bradawl had a pretty tough job of it, for the oak was hard. the lieutenant stood by, watching the proceeding with evident satisfaction. he was showing me that a first lieutenant was all-powerful on board ship. i watched this cruel curtailment of my chest with feelings of dismay. having sawn it thus nearly in two, the carpenter knocked off the end of the part he had severed from the rest, and then hammered it on with several huge nails. "now, youngster, pick out the most requisite articles, and send the others ashore, or overboard, or anywhere, so that they're out of the ship," exclaimed the first lieutenant; saying which he turned away to attend to some other duty, leaving me wondering how i should stow the things away. tom pim, who had seen what was going forward, came up to my assistance; and by putting the things in carefully, and stamping them down, layer after layer, we managed to stow away more than i had conceived possible. "i think i could find room for some of them in my chest, as we have been to sea for some time, and a good many of my own have been expended; and, i daresay, the other fellows will be equally ready to oblige you," said tom. i was delighted at the proposal, and hastened to accept it,--but i didn't find it quite so easy to get them back again! tom, however, soon smelt out the cake. at first he suggested that it would be safe in his chest, but chaffey coming by, also discovered it; and though he was most anxious to take charge of it for me, tom, knowing very well what would be its fate, insisted on its being carried into the berth. i need hardly say that by the end of tea-time it had disappeared. i had no difficulty in finding larry, when i at length set forth in quest of him. the sound of his fiddle drew me to the spot, where, surrounded by a party of admiring shipmates, he was scraping away as happy as a prince. on catching sight of me, he sprang out of the circle. "och, misther terence, i'm mighty glad to see you; but shure i didn't know you at first in your new clothes. i hope you like coming to sea as much as myself. shure it's rare fun we're having in this big ship; and is his honour the major gone home again?" i told him that i concluded such was the case, and how pleased i was to find that he liked his life on board,--though it didn't occur to me at the time that not having as yet been put to perform any special duty, he fancied he was always to lead the idle life he had hitherto been enjoying. we were both of us doomed ere long to discover that things don't always run smoothly at sea. chapter seven. mastheaded. the frigate was not yet ready for sea, and i had therefore time to pick up some scraps of nautical knowledge, to learn the ways of the ship, and to get a tolerable notion of my duties. i quickly mastered the rules and regulations of the service, a copy of which jack nettleship gave me. "stick by them, my lad, and you can't go wrong; if you do, it's their fault, not yours," he observed. "but suppose i don't understand them?" i asked. "then you can plead in justification that they are not sufficiently clear for an ordinary comprehension," he answered. "i do when i make a mistake, and old rough-and-ready is always willing to receive my excuses, as he can't spell them out very easily himself, though they are his constant study day and night. indeed, i doubt if he reads anything else, except norie's _navigation_ and the _nautical almanack_?" nettleship showed me a copy of the former work, and kindly undertook to instruct me in the science of navigation. all day long, however, he was employed in the duties of the ship, and in the evening i was generally sleepy when it was our watch below, so that i didn't make much progress. though i got on very well, i was guilty, i must own, of not a few blunders. i was continually going aft when i intended to be going forward, and _vice versa_. the day after i came aboard i was skylarking with tom pim, chaffey, and other midshipmites (as the oldsters called us), when i told them that i would hide, and that they might find me if they could. i ran up the after-ladder, when seeing a door open, i was going to bolt through it. just then a marine, who was standing there, placed his musket to bar my way. not wishing to be stopped, i dodged under it, turning round and saying-- "arrah, boy! don't be after telling where i'm gone to." the sentry, for such he was, not understanding me, seized hold of my collar. "you mustn't be going in there, whoever you are," he said in a gruff tone. "i'm a midshipman of this ship, and have a right to go wherever i like, i'm after thinking," i said, trying to shake myself clear of his grasp. "hush, now; be pleasant, will ye, and do as i order you!" "i shouldn't be finding it very pleasant if i was to break through the rules and regulations of the service," he answered. "now go forward, young gentleman, and don't be attempting to playing any of your tricks on me." "i'm your officer, and i order you not to interfere with me, or say where i'm gone," i exclaimed. "i obey no orders except from my own lieutenant or the captain and the lieutenants of the ship," answered the sturdy marine. "you can't go into the captain's cabin while i'm standing here as sentry;" and he proceeded to use more force than was agreeable to my dignity. "shure you're an impudent fellow to behave so to an officer," i exclaimed; at which the sentry laughed, and said-- "off with you, master jackanapes, and consider yourself fortunate that worse hasn't come of your larking." trying to look dignified i answered-- "you're an impudent fellow, and i shall make known your conduct to your superiors. i know your name, my fine fellow, so you'll not get off." i had observed his name, as i thought, on his musket. just then tom pim popped his head above the hatchway, and i, finding that i was discovered, made chase after him. he quickly distanced me; and as i was rushing blindly along, i ran my head right into the stomach of old rough-and-ready, who, as ill-luck would have it, was on his way round the lower deck. i nearly upset him, and completely upset myself. "shure, sir, i never intended to behave so rudely," i said, as, picking myself up, i discovered whom i had encountered. "go to the masthead, and stay there till i call you down," thundered the lieutenant, rubbing the part of his body i had assaulted. "please, sir, i had no intention in the world of running against you," i said, trying to look humble, but feeling much inclined to laugh at the comical expression of his countenance. "look to the rules and regulations of the service, where all inferiors are ordered to pay implicit obedience to their superiors," cried mr saunders. "to the masthead with you." "if you please, sir, i should be happy to do that same if i knew the way; but i haven't been up there yet, as the men have been painting the rigging with some black stuff, and i should be after spoiling my new uniform," i answered. "go to the masthead," again shouted the first lieutenant; "and you, pim, go and show him the way," he exclaimed, catching sight of tom pim, who was grinning at me from the other side of the deck. tom well knew that it was against the rules and regulations of the service to expostulate; therefore, saying, "come along, paddy," he led the way on deck. "do as i do," he said, as he began to mount the rigging. "just hold on with your hands and feet, and don't let the rest of your body touch the rattlings or shrouds, and don't be letting go with one hand till you have got fast hold with the other." up he went, and i followed. he was nimble as a monkey, so i had difficulty in keeping pace with him. looking up, i saw him with his back almost horizontal above me, going along the futtock shrouds to get into the top. these are the shrouds which run from the side of the mast to the outer side of the top, and consequently a person going along them has his face to the sky and his back to the deck. tom was over them in a moment, and out of sight. i didn't like the look of things, but did my best; and though he stood ready to give me a helping hand into the top, i got round without assistance. we now had to ascend the topmost rigging to the cross-trees, where we were to stay till called down. this was a comparatively easy matter, and as i didn't once cast my eyes below i felt no giddiness. tom seated himself as if perfectly at home, and bade me cross my legs on the other side of the mast. "it's lucky for you, paddy, that you are able to gain your experience while the ship is in harbour and as steady as a church steeple. it would be a different matter if she were rolling away across the bay of biscay with a strong breeze right aft; so you ought to be duly thankful to old saunders for mastheading you without waiting till we get there. and now i'd advise you to have a look at the rules and regulations of the service. it will please old rough-and-ready if you can tell him you have employed your time up here studying them, but don't forget you are up here, and go tumbling down on deck." i was very well disposed to follow tom's advice, and i held tight on with one hand while i pulled the paper out of my pocket and read a page or two relating to obedience to superiors. having thus relieved my conscience, i took a look round at the beautiful panorama in the midst of which the ship floated: the wooded banks, the magnificent harbour dotted over with numerous vessels; ships of war and merchantmen,--the latter waiting for convoy,--while among the former was the admiral's flag-ship riding proudly, surrounded by the smaller fry. the pretty town of cove, with neat houses and villas on the one side, and the mouth of the river lee, running down from cork, to the westward. sooner than we expected we heard old rough-and-ready's voice summoning us down. he was not an ill-natured man. he knew well that my fault had been unintentional, and that tom had certainly not deserved any punishment at all, for grinning at a brother midshipman in his presence could scarcely be considered disrespectful. "you may go through the lubber's hole," said tom, when we reached the top. "no, no. if you go round, i'll go to," i answered. for being thus put on my mettle, i determined to do whatever he did. by holding fast with my feet and following him, i managed to put them on the rattlings underneath, and thus, though i didn't like it at all, got down on to the main rigging. "next time you run along the deck, youngster, you'll look where you're going," said the first lieutenant, when i reached the deck. "ay, ay, sir," i said, touching my hat. "did you read the rules and regulations?" he asked. "yes, sir," i answered; "though i hadn't time to get through them all." he was pleased with the respect i paid him. "well, you'll know them by heart soon; and to ensure that, remember to take them with you whenever you're mastheaded." "of course, sir, if you wish it," i answered. he gave a comical look at me under his bushy eyebrows, and turned on his heel. after this i accompanied tom into the berth. old nettleship was there. i told him of the way the marine had behaved, and said that for the sake of keeping up the dignity of the midshipmen, i considered it necessary to make his conduct known, though i had no ill-feeling towards the man himself. at this remark the old mate burst into a hearty fit of laughter. "midshipmen generally find it necessary to carry their dignity in their pockets; and i'd advise you, paddy, to put yours there, though i approve of your spirit. the man will have been relieved some time ago, and you'll find it difficult to recognise him among others." "oh! i know his name--it was tower," i said in a tone of confidence. at this there was a general roar of laughter. "according to your notion all the jollies are towers," cried nettleship, when he regained his voice. "why, paddy, the muskets are all marked with the name of the tower of london, where the arms are stored before they are served out." "shure how should i know anything about the tower of london?" i asked. "i'm after thinking it's a poor place compared with castle ballinahone." this remark produced another roar of laughter from my messmates. "what are you after laughing at? i exclaimed. if any of you will honour us with a visit at castle ballinahone, you'll be able to compare the two places, and my father and mother, and brothers and sisters, will be mighty plaised to see you." the invitation was at once accepted by all hands, though for the present my family were pretty safe from the chances of an inundation of nautical heroes. "and what sort of girls are your sisters?" asked sims, who, i had discovered, was always ready for some impudence. "shure they're irish young ladies, and that's all i intend to say about them," i answered, giving him a look which made him hold his tongue. still, in spite of the bantering i received, i got on wonderfully well with my new messmates; and though i had a fight now and then, i generally, being older than many of them, and stronger than others who had been some time at sea, came off victorious; and as i was always ready to befriend, and never bullied, my weaker messmates, i was on very good terms with all of them. tom pim took a liking to me from the first, and though he didn't require my protection, i felt ready to afford it him on all occasions. he was sometimes quizzed by sims and others for his small size. "i don't mind it," he answered. "though i'm little, i'm good. if i've a chance, i'll do something to show what's in me." the chance came sooner than he expected. there were a good many raw hands lately entered, larry among others. from the first he showed no fear of going aloft, looking upon the business much as he would have done climbing a high tree; but how the ropes were rove, and what were their uses, he naturally had no conception. "is it to the end of them long boughs there i've got to go, misther terence?" he asked the first time he was ordered aloft, looking up at the yards as he encountered me, i having been sent forward with an order to the third lieutenant. "there's no doubt about it, larry," i said; "but take care you catch hold of one rope before you let go of the other," said i, giving him the same advice which i had myself received. "shure i'll be after doing that same, misther terence," he answered, as, following the example of the other men, he sprang into the rigging. i watched him going up as long as i could, and he seemed to be getting on capitally, exactly imitating the movements of the other men. a day or two afterwards we were all on deck, the men exercising in reefing and furling sails. the new hands were ordered to lay out on the yards, and a few of the older ones to show them what to do. larry obeyed with alacrity; no one would have supposed that he had been only a few times before aloft. i had to return to the quarter-deck, where i was standing with tom pim, and we were remarking the activity displayed by the men. i saw larry on the starboard fore-topsail yard-arm, and had just left tom, being sent with a message to the gun-room, when, as my head was flush with the hatchway, i saw an object drop from the yard-arm into the water. it looked more like a large ball falling than a human being, and it didn't occur to me that it was the latter until i heard the cry of "man overboard!" hastening up again, i sprang into the mizzen rigging, from which, just before i got there, tom pim had plunged off into the water. it was ebb tide, and a strong current was running out of the river lee past the ship. the man who had fallen had not sunk, but was fast drifting astern, and seemed unconscious, for he was not struggling, lying like a log on the water. tom pim, with rapid strokes, was swimming after him. i heard the order given to lower a boat. though not a great swimmer, i was about to follow tom to try and help him, when a strong arm held me back. "are you a good swimmer, youngster?" asked the first lieutenant, the person who had seized hold of me. "not very," i answered. "then stay aboard, or we shall be having to pick you up instead of saving the man who fell overboard. i know pim well; he'll take care of himself." saying this, the lieutenant stepped in on deck again, taking me with him. while he superintended the lowering of the boat, i ran aft, and watched tom and the drowning man. just then i caught sight of the countenance of the latter, and to my dismay, i saw that he was no other than larry harrigan. the boats usually employed were away, and the one now lowered was not in general use, and consequently had in her all sorts of things which should not have been there. it appeared a long time before she was in the water. i watched my poor foster-brother with intense anxiety, expecting to see him go down before tom could reach him. he was on the point of sinking when my gallant little messmate got up to him, and throwing himself on his back, placed larry's head on his own breast, so as completely to keep it out of the water. my fear was that larry might come to himself and begin to struggle or get hold of tom, which might be fatal to both. they were drifting farther and farther away from the ship. tom had not uttered one cry for help, evidently being confident that the boat would be sent to pick them up. every movement of his showed that he was calm, and knew perfectly what he was about. at length the boat was got into the water, the first lieutenant and four hands jumped into her, and away the men pulled as fast as they could lay their backs to the oars. it was blowing fresh, and there was a good deal of ripple in the harbour, so that the wavelets every now and then washed over tom. suddenly larry, coming to himself, did what i feared; he seized hold of tom, and in another instant would have dragged him down had not tom dexterously got clear and held him up by the collar of his shirt. the boat was quickly up to them, and they were, to my intense satisfaction, safely hauled on board. she then rapidly pulled back to the ship, and both greatly exhausted, larry being scarcely conscious, were lifted up on deck. mcpherson, the assistant-surgeon, who had been summoned at once, ordered tom to be taken below. "never mind me," said tom. "i shall be all to rights presently, when i've changed and had a cup of grog. you'll let me have that, won't you, mcpherson? and now you go and attend to the poor fellow who wants you more than i do." "vara true; he ought, from the way he fell, to have broken every bone in his body; and it's wonderful he did not do it. he seems, indeed, not to be much the worse for his fall, except a slight paralysis," he remarked when he had finished his examination. "take him down to the sick bay, and i'll treat him as he requires." i first went below to thank tom pim for saving my follower, and to express my admiration of his courage and resolution. "oh, it's nothing," he answered; "i can swim better than you, or you'd have done the same." i then went forward, where i found larry--his wet clothes stripped off-- between the blankets, in a hammock. the doctor administered a stimulant, and directed that he should be rubbed on the side on which he had fallen. "shure that's a brave young gentleman to save me from going to the bottom, misther terence dear; and i'll be mighty grateful to him as long as i live," he said to me. having spent some time with larry, who was ordered to remain in his hammock, i returned to the midshipmen's berth. all were loud in their praises of tom. tom received them very modestly, and said that though he felt very glad at being able to save the poor fellow, he didn't see anything to be especially proud of in what he had done. by the next morning larry was almost well, only complaining of a little stiffness in one side of the body. "he may thank his stars for being an irishman," said mcpherson; "no ordinary mortal could have fallen from aloft as he did, into the water, without breaking his bones, or being stunned." larry could scarcely believe that it was little tom pim who had saved him from drowning. "shure, young gintleman, i'll be after lovin' ye, and fightin' for ye, and seein' that no harm comes to ye, all the days of my life!" he exclaimed, the first time he met tom afterwards on deck. "i'm mighty grateful to ye, sir, that i am." i was very sure that larry meant what he said, and, should opportunity offer, would carry out his intentions. we were seated talking in the berth after tea, when old nettleship was sent for into the cabin. there were many surmises as to what the captain wanted him for. after some time, to my surprise, i was summoned. i found it was only nettleship that wanted to see me on deck. "paddy," he said, "we are to have an expedition on shore, and you are wanted to take part in it, and so is your countryman, larry harrigan. the captain, mr saunders, and i have planned it. we want some more hands, and we hear that there are a goodish lot hiding away in the town. they are waiting till the men-of-war put to sea, when they think that they will be safe. they are in the hands of some cunning fellows, and it'll be no easy matter to trap them unless we can manage to play them a trick. i can't say that i like particularly doing what we propose, but we're bound to sacrifice our own feelings for the good of the service." "what is it?" i asked. "of course i should be proud to be employed in anything for the good of the service." "all right, paddy; that's the spirit which should animate you. now listen. mr saunders and i are going on shore with a strong party of well-armed men, and we want you and the boy harrigan--or rather, the captain wants you, for remember he gives the order--to go first and pretend that you have run away from a man-of-war, and want to be kept in hiding till she has sailed. you, of course, are to dress up as seamen in old clothes--the more disreputable and dirty you look the better. we know the houses where the men are stowed away, in the lowest slums of cork, and we can direct you to them. you're to get into the confidence of the men, and learn what they intend doing; when you've gained that, you're to tell them that one of the lieutenants of your ship is going on shore with a small party of men, to try and press anybody he can find, and that you don't think he knows much about the business, as he is a stupid englishman, and advise them to lie snug where they are. then either you or harrigan can offer to creep out and try and ascertain in what direction the press-gang is going. there are several houses together, with passages leading from one to the other, so that if we get into one, the men are sure to bolt off into another; and it must be your business to see where they go, and harrigan must shut the door to prevent their escape, or open it to let us in. i now only describe the outlines of our plan. i'll give you more particulars as we pull up the river. we shall remain at passage till after dark, and you and your companion in the meanwhile must make your way into the town." "but shure won't i be after telling a lie if i say that larry and i are runaway ship-boys?" i asked. "hush, that's a strong expression. remember that it's all for the good of the service," said nettleship. still i was not altogether satisfied that the part i was about to play was altogether an honourable one. he, however, argued the point with me, acknowledging that he himself didn't think so, but that we were bound to put our private feelings into our pockets when the good of the service required it. he now told me to go and speak to larry, but on no account to let any one hear me, lest the expedition might get wind among the bumboat women, who would be sure to convey it on shore. to my surprise, larry was perfectly prepared to undertake the duty imposed on him, feeling flattered at being employed, and taking rather a pleasure at the thoughts of having to entrap some of our countrymen. "they may grumble a little at first, but they'll be a mighty deal better off on board ship than digging praties, or sailing in one of those little craft out there," he said, with a look of contempt at the merchant vessels. mr saunders took me into his cabin, and made me rig out in a suit of clothes supplied by the purser. i had to rub my hair about till it was like a mop; then, with some charcoal and a mixture of some sort, he daubed my face over in such a way that i didn't know myself when i looked in his shaving-glass. "you'll do, paddy," said nettleship when he saw me. "we must be giving a touch or two to harrigan. he seems a sharp fellow, and will play his part well, i have no doubt." in a short time the boats were ready. we went with mr saunders and nettleship in the pinnace. she was accompanied by the jolly-boat, which it was intended should convey larry and me into the neighbourhood of the town. we were, however, not to go on board her until we reached passage. the crew gave way, and as the tide was in our favour we got along rapidly. i found that the expedition we were engaged in was a hazardous one, especially for larry and me; for should the men we were in search of discover who we were, they might treat us as spies, and either knock our brains out, or stow us away in some place from which we should not be likely to make our escape. this, however, rather enhanced the interest i began to feel in it, and recompensed me for its doubtful character. neither mr saunders nor nettleship looked in the slightest degree like officers of the royal navy. they were dressed in flushing coats; the lieutenant in a battered old sou'-wester, with a red woollen comforter round his throat; nettleship had on an equally ancient-looking tarpaulin, and both wore high-boots, long unacquainted with blacking. they carried stout cudgels in their hands, their hangers and pistols being concealed under their coats. in about an hour and a half we reached passage, when nettleship and larry and i got into the jolly-boat. "i'm going with you," said nettleship, "that i may direct you to the scene of operations, and am to wait for mr saunders at the `fox and goose,'--a small public-house, the master of which knows our object and can be trusted." nettleship, as we pulled away, minutely described over and over again what larry and i were to do, so that i thought there was no chance of our making any mistake, provided matters went as he expected. it was dark by the time we reached cork. the boat pulled into the landing-place, and larry and i, with two of the men, went ashore, and strolled lazily along a short distance, looking about us. this we did in case we should be observed; but on reaching the corner, larry and i, as we had been directed, set off running, when the two men returned to the boat, which was to go to another landing-place a little way higher up, whence nettleship and his party were to proceed to our rendezvous. when we had got a little distance we pulled up, and to be certain that we had made no mistake, we inquired the name of the street of a passer-by. we found that we were all right. we now proceeded stealthily along to the lane where mother mccleary's whisky-shop was situated. i had no difficulty in recognising the old woman, as she had been well described to me. her stout slatternly figure, her bleared eyes, her grog-blossomed nose,--anything but a beauty to look at. her proceedings were not beautiful either. going to the end of the counter where she was standing, i tipped her a wink. "hist, mither! can yer be after taking care of two poor boys for a night or so?" i asked. "where do yer come from?" she inquired, eyeing us. "shure it's from the say," answered larry, who had undertaken to be chief spokesman. "we've just run away from a thundering big king's ship, and don't want to go back again." "why for?" asked the old woman. "for fear of a big baste of a cat which may chance to score our backs, if she doesn't treat us worse than that." chapter eight. the press-gang. "that's a big thundering lie," i heard larry whisper. "come in," said the old woman, lifting up the flap of the counter. "i'll house yer if yer can pay for yer board and lodging." "no fear of that, ma'am," i replied, showing some silver which i had ready in my pocket for the purpose. "come along, my boys," she answered, her eyes twinkling at the thought of being able to fleece us, as she led us into a small room at the back of the shop. there was no one else in the place at the time, except a boy attending to the counter, so that there was little chance of our being observed. having lit a small lantern, the old woman drew aside a curtain at the further end of the room, which had served to conceal a strong-looking door; then taking a big key out of her pocket, she opened it, and told us to go through. carefully closing the door behind her, she led the way along a narrow dark passage. it seemed of considerable length. at last we reached another door, and emerged into a court or alley, crossing which she opened a third door, and told us to pass through. we obeyed, and followed her past a couple of rooms, in one of which several men were sitting, drinking and smoking. unlocking another door, she showed us into a much larger apartment than any we had as yet seen. though low, it was spacious enough to be called a hall i took in the appearance of the place at a glance. on one side was a recess with a counter before it, at which a couple of damsels were serving out liquors and various sorts of provisions. at the further end, four large casks supported some planks which served as a platform, and on this a chair was placed,--the seat being evidently for a musician. three doors besides the one by which we had entered opened from the room, which was occupied by a dozen or more rough-looking men, mostly sailors. some were standing at the counter, others lounging on benches round the walls, most of them having dhudeens in their mouths. the place was redolent with the fumes of whisky and tobacco. no one took notice of us as we entered, but, seeing mother mccleary, seemed satisfied that all was right. "you'll find a stair through that doorway," she said, pointing to one near the orchestra, if so it could be called; "it will lead you to the sleeping-room, where you'll be after finding some beds. you'll remember that first come first served, and if you don't be tumbling into one it will be your own fault, and you'll have to prick for the softest plank in the corner of the room. now, boys, you'll be after handing me out a couple of shillings each. i don't give credit, except to those i happen to know better than i do you." i paid the money at once for larry and myself. the old woman, bidding us make ourselves at home, returned by the way she had come, locking the door behind her. i soon found that we were among as ruffianly and disreputable a set of fellows as i had ever fallen in with, but none of them interfered with us, and i began to doubt whether we should obtain the information we were in search of. to try to get into conversation with some one, we walked up to the counter, took a pork pie apiece, and called for a glass of whisky, which we prudently mixed with plenty of water. "don't be drinking much of it," i said to larry, "it's as hot as fire." two seamen then came up, and i asked one of them when the fun was to begin. arrah, then it'll be before long, when tim curtin, the fiddler, has come to himself; but he's been drunk all the blessed morning, since last night, and they're dousing him outside with cold water to bring him to. my new acquaintance being evidently inclined to be communicative, i plied him with further questions, and i gained his confidence by calling for another glass of whisky, with which i insisted on treating him. i, however, let larry carry on the chief part of the conversation. "if you've run from a man-of-war, you'll have to lie snug as mice in their holes till she sails, or there's three dozen at least for each of you, if they don't run you up at the yard-arm, as they did at portsmouth the other day to a poor boy, just because he wanted to go home to his wife and family," said the man. this, though a fact as far as the hanging was concerned, i hadn't heard of before. larry didn't show that he doubted the truth of the story, but pretended to be very frightened. "thin what should we be after doing?" he asked. "why, as i tell yer," he said, keep close; "you'll be wise not to show your noses out of doors for a week or two to come, if you've got money enough to pay old mother mccleary, for she doesn't keep us boys for nothing, you may stake yer davey." "what should we be after doing, then, supposing the press-gang were to come down upon us and find us out?" asked larry. "it will be at the end of a long day before the press-gang get in here; but see now, there's a room overhead where you can sleep secure, either in bed or out of it. then there's that door in the middle of the room, that leads to a long passage, just like the one you passed through when you came in here. at the end of it there's a court, and on the opposite side you'll find a door. go through that when it opens, which it will do when you have given three raps quick together, and you'll be in a house with well-nigh as many rooms and cellars as there's days in the month. it will be a hard matter if you don't stow yourselves away out of sight in one of them. i'll be after showing you the way by and by, when the dancing is over, and we've had a few more glasses of mother mccleary's whisky." while our friend, whose name we had not as yet learned, was speaking, i observed several more persons entering the room; and presently others came in, carrying among them a humpbacked little fellow, with a fiddle under his arm, who seemed scarcely able to walk by himself. they made their way to the platform i have described, and speedily lifted him into the chair. "strike up, tim," cried several voices. "give us a tune to set our feet agoing. be alive, man, if you know now where you are." tim, though apparently half-asleep, put his fiddle to his chin, and began scraping away, nodding his head and stamping with his foot in time to the tune he was eliciting from his instrument. the effect was magical. the whole party, men and women,--there were not a few of the latter, not among the most refined of their sex,--began dancing jigs. tim next played slower, but his speed increased again as he saw the dancers warming to their work, till his bow moved so rapidly over the strings of his fiddle, and his arm and his head gave such eccentric jerks, that i half expected at any moment to see the one fly off at a tangent and the other come bounding into the middle of the room. larry and i kept on one side, trying to look greatly interested with the performance, while we managed to have a few words now and then with some of the men, who were either seated on the benches or standing against the wall. among them were several who had not the appearance of seamen, and who, i surmised, were highwaymen or housebreakers. two of them were especially ruffianly looking. as i examined the countenance of one of these, i felt convinced that i had seen it before, and not long ago either. i was careful, however, that he should not discover that i was observing him. i took an opportunity of asking larry if he knew who the man was. "shure it's no other than dan hoolan himself," he answered. i fancied that at length his keen eyes were directed on larry, whom he was more likely to recognise than me, seeing that i was the most completely disguised of the two. at length, having gained all the information we could, i determined to try and get out of the place, so that i might make my way to nettleship, and show him the best situation for posting his men to capture any who might attempt to escape. it had been arranged that nettleship's party was to enter the grog-shop one by one; then, at a signal, force their way along the passage through which mother mccleary had led us. "i'm mighty afraid the press-gang will be coming this way, and if this hullaballoo reaches their ears, they'll be after putting their noses in to see what the fun is about. if they're from our own ship, bedad, we shall be worse off than we would have been outside," i said to our new acquaintance, who, by this time, was not quite steady on his pins. "i'd just like to slip away, and try and find out if they're near this at all. my mate here is plaised to stay behind, as he's mighty eager to dance himself." after further pressing the point with all necessary caution, our new friend, barney reillagan, as he called himself, offered to show me the way out, and to let me in again when i wished to return. "you're free of the place, i'm supposing; and shure i am that i may be after trusting you," he observed as he accompanied me into the passage i spoke of. i hoped that we were unobserved by hoolan or any of the other men, who might have suspicions of my true character. larry followed so noiselessly, that i do not think barney was aware he was with us. larry's object was to see that no harm came to me; and besides which, he wanted to learn how to let me in again on my return. barney himself was apparently an open-hearted seaman, who preferred serving on board a peaceable trader to a man-of-war, and i had no fear of his playing me false. we had to grope our way to the end of the passage, which was as long as he had described. unbolting a door, barney led me out into a narrow court. i could hear even there the strains of the riddle, and the shouts and screams of the dancers. barney told me that if i turned to the left i should come to a narrow archway, which led into the lane, and that by turning again to the left, i should come to the front of mother mccleary's whisky-shop. this information was sufficient to enable me to find my way without difficulty. i was somewhat surprised at the ease with which i had made my escape. i had little doubt of being able to bring nettleship and his men up to the right place. my only anxiety was about larry, who, if recognised by dan hoolan, might be severely handled, if not killed,--for so determined a ruffian was not likely to hesitate in committing any act, however atrocious, should he suspect larry of treachery. i slipped out into the court, and barney closed the door after me. the night was very dark; but i could see two or three shadowy forms flitting by, though no one stopped me. now and then a ruffian voice, a wild shriek, or a child's cry, came from the narrow windows looking into the court. i walked on as fast as i could venture to move, till i found the narrow archway which barney had described, and emerged into a lane, which, however, was not much broader than the court. here the sounds of wrangling voices, and shouts, and the drunkards' wild songs, broke the stillness of night. a few men rolled by, who had come out of mother mccleary's whisky-shop, or other similar establishments; but i carefully kept out of their way till i arrived at the "fox and goose," where i expected to find nettleship. it hadn't occurred to me, however, that i might have been followed, and our plan for trapping the seamen discovered. i at once entered, and found my messmate with his men ready to set out. "you've been longer than i expected, paddy; but i hope it's all right," he said. "if we are quick about it, i expect we shall catch a good number," i answered. "where is mr saunders? we shall require a strong party to overpower the fellows, especially as there are some desperate ruffians among them;" and i told him how i had discovered the outlaw, dan hoolan. "mr saunders is waiting just outside, round the corner," he said. "i'll go out and tell him that you have come back, and meanwhile you remain here." in a short time nettleship returned. "you are to accompany mr saunders," he said, "and lead his party round to the court, while i and my men take charge of mother mccleary, so that no one may escape on this side." mr saunders welcomed me in a good-natured voice. "you have done well thus far, my lad. i've no doubt that we shall trap some of them," he said, when i had given a description of the place and the characters it contained. "i have got hold of a man who knows the town, and will lead us round by a different way to the court to that by which you escaped, while nettleship goes directly up the lane," he added. "come along!" we set out at a rapid rate; the men being charged to make as little noise with their feet as possible. we must have gone a considerable way round, for it seemed a long while before we reached the archway, which i at once recognised. the lieutenant led, with a pistol in one hand and his hanger in the other, knowing that he was likely to be treated with scant ceremony should he encounter any of the residents of that neighbourhood. "now," he said to me, stopping, "do you creep forward and learn if harrigan is at the door ready to open it. if not, wait to get in yourself, and then take the first opportunity of admitting us. if you can't get in we must try and force the door open, but it would be a great matter to get along the passage, so as to rush in upon the fellows while they are at their revels, and before they expect our approach." as he spoke we could hear the sound of tim curtin's fiddle, and the hum of voices coming from the interior of the building. our fear was that any of the inmates of the neighbouring dens might be awake, and, catching sight of us, might give the alarm, and allow the men time to escape. as far as i had learned, however, the door we were now watching and mother mccleary's whisky-shop were the only outlets, though there might be underground passages and cellars and holes, where, should they stow themselves away, we might find it difficult to discover them. as i crept forward, i felt my heart beating more than it was wont to do,--not from fear, certainly, but from anxiety to succeed. i didn't like the business; i considered it a dirty one; but i was acting according to my orders, and for the good of the service. i had been told to give three rapid knocks, followed by others at short intervals, at the opposite door, and i concluded that this would be opened should i make the same signal. without loss of a moment i knocked, and presently i heard a bolt withdrawn, then another and another. "is that yourself?" asked a voice that i knew to be larry's. "yes, to be shure, and no other," i answered in the same tone. the door opened slightly. "they're suspecting me," said larry. be quick. mr saunders, who was on the watch, hearing this, dashed forward, followed by his men. they sprang, led by the lieutenant, one after the other, into the passage, nearly knocking larry and me over. there was not a moment to be lost, we knew, for the door at the further end was closed with a loud slam before we reached it, but not being as strong as the one on the outside, it was quickly battered in, when we caught sight of a dozen or more fellows, some trying to escape up-stairs, others through the two passages i have mentioned. three or four of the men, however, stood their ground in front of the passage leading to the whisky-shop, with hangers or pistols in their hands, which they apparently had just taken up from the corner of the room where they had deposited them. among these i recognised dan hoolan. bestowing a not very complimentary epithet on larry and me, he flourished his hanger and dared any one to come on and touch him. "i and my friends here are not seamen," he exclaimed. "you're after trying to press some of the poor fellows, i suppose; but if any man tries to lay hands on me, he'll be wise to say his prayers before he begins." "i intend to lay hands on you, and every fellow i find here," said mr saunders. "drop your hanger, or you'll have to repent the day you drew it." hoolan answered with a scornful laugh, and made a blow at the lieutenant, who, however, parried it. at that moment the door behind him was burst open, and in rushed nettleship and his party, who threw themselves at once upon hoolan. the outlaw fired his pistol at my head, but fortunately his arm was thrown up, and the ball struck the ceiling. his men, seeing their leader overpowered, made but little resistance. but we had not yet got the men whose capture was desired. mr saunders, leaving nettleship to secure those below, followed larry and me up the stairs. in the meantime the female part of the assemblage, some of whom had retired to different parts of the room, were saluting us with the most fearful cries and execrations. the lieutenant, however, took no more notice of them than if they had been so many lambs bleating, and at once hurried up the stairs to the room above, where we found well-nigh a score of men, some trying to make their way out of the window, but which, having been closed, they had only just then succeeded in opening; others hiding inside the beds or under them. three or four got away, but the remainder were knocked over by our men, or captured without resistance, scarcely any attempting to defend themselves. our success had been as complete as could have been hoped for. our captives were quickly dragged down the stairs, when mr saunders ordered the women to clear out of the house forthwith, and proceeded to lash the hands of the men behind their backs. it was very easy to give the order to the women, but not so easy to get it obeyed. they shrieked and abused us in a way in which few of the female sex can beat the lower orders of my countrywomen. at length, however, finding that their eloquence had no effect, they retreated through the door that we had left open. it turned out that the means of escape were not so elaborate as had been supposed, and, as far as we could learn, all the men in the neighbourhood had on this occasion collected at mother mccleary's. most of those we had captured behaved quietly enough, but hoolan and two or three others made violent efforts to escape, till a prog or two from a cutlass compelled them to be quiet. "and what are you going to do with me, a landsman who never was to sea in his life?" exclaimed hoolan. "we shall turn you into a sailor before long, my fine fellow," answered mr saunders. "you'll be wiser to walk along, and quietly too, as we've no time for nonsense." our prisoners were now marshalled, in most cases with a seaman to attend to each. hoolan had two to look after him, though one guard sufficed for some of the more peaceably disposed. nettleship led the way, and mr saunders and i brought up the rear, larry being employed in guarding a fellow twice his size, with orders to cut him down if he made any resistance. "we must be out of this as fast as we can," said mr saunders to me, "for very likely those fellows who made their escape will rouse their friends, and we may have a mob of all the ruffians in the town upon us before we can reach the boats." what had become of mother mccleary and her assistants we could not tell. she probably thought it wise to keep out of the way, lest any of her late guests might suspect her of betraying them, as she probably had done. we had not got more than half-way towards the boats, when our ears were saluted by a chorus of yells and shrieks, and we could distinguish through the gloom on either side of us a mass of human beings, apparently intending to attempt the rescue of our prisoners. "i warn you, good people, that if you come nearer, i'll give my men orders to fire on you," shouted my lieutenant. a volley of wild yells burst from the mob, sufficient to unnerve many who had not before heard such cries. directly afterwards a brickbat flew past my head, aimed, no doubt, at the more prominent figure of the lieutenant. fortunately, it missed us both. "remember, if any of you are killed, you'll have brought the punishment on yourselves," again shouted the lieutenant. though the people yelled as before, the warning had its effect, and we could see the dark moving mass retreating to a more respectful distance. they, apparently, only wanted a leader to make an onslaught. that leader, however, was not to be found. had hoolan been at liberty, i have no doubt but that we should have fared but ill. as it was, missiles from a distance came flying by us, though the prisoners suffered more than we did. mr saunders was naturally anxious to avoid bloodshed. at length the boats were reached. again hoolan made a desperate effort to get free, but he was hauled on board, and thrust down to the bottom of the pinnace, the rest of the men being disposed of, some in her, and others in the jolly-boat, of which nettleship took charge. as we shoved off the people collected on the quay, saluting us with renewed yells and execrations, and brickbats, stones, mud, and filth were hurled at us. we speedily, however, got beyond their reach, no one receiving any serious damage. "we've made a fine haul," observed mr saunders as we pulled down the river. "we shall soon turn these fellows into good seamen, as obedient and quiet as lambs." "i'm thinking, sir, that you'll not find dan hoolan as quiet as a lamb," i observed; and i told him of the encounter my uncle and i had had with the outlaw and his followers. "that'll make no difference," answered mr saunders. "when he finds that he can't escape, if he's got any sense in his brains he'll bend to circumstances." i still, however, doubted whether my lieutenant's opinion would prove right. when the boats arrived alongside the frigate, our captives, being unable to help themselves, were hoisted up like bales of goods, and made to stand on the deck in a line. they all looked sulky enough as the lantern was held up to their faces; but hoolan's countenance wore a ferocious aspect, which made me think that it would have been as well to have left him on shore to be hanged, which in all probability would ultimately have been his fate. mr saunders had changed his rough dress for his proper uniform, and as he went round to inspect the prisoners hoolan recognised him, and so savage did he look that i thought he would have sprung at his throat. "are you the captain of the ship?" he asked in a fierce tone. "no, i'm not the captain, but an officer, who you'll be compelled to obey," answered mr saunders, interrupting him. "keep down what was rising to your tongue, or it'll be the worse for you." "i'm no seaman, and i don't want to be after going to sea; and i beg you to tell me for what reason you knocked me down against the law?" "you were found among seamen, and if you're not one we'll make you one before long, my fine fellow," said the lieutenant. "arrah, it'll be a hard matter to do that same," cried hoolan, but he spoke in a less savage tone than at first. "we shall see to that," said mr saunders as he passed on to the other men, most of whom appeared quiet enough. even hoolan's followers didn't venture to say anything, having a just conception of the stern discipline on board a man-of-war. the execution of one or more seamen for frequent desertion, of which i have before spoken, showed them that they could not venture to play tricks with impunity. having had their names,--or such as they chose to give,--ages, and other particulars entered, they were sent down to the main-deck under a strong guard, with a hint that should they exhibit the slightest degree of insubordination it would be the worse for them. the light of a lantern happened to fall on my face while i was passing hoolan, who, with the rest, were seated on the deck, where they were to pass the remainder of the night. he started up, and glaring savagely at me, with a fierce oath exclaimed, as he stretched out his arm-- "there's one of the young traitors who brought us into this trouble. i wish we had strung you up to saint bridget's oak when we had you and your uncle in our power." "then, as i thought, you are dan hoolan," i said. "you have now a chance of leading an honest life, and i'd advise you to take advantage of it." hoolan, without replying, sank back on the deck. i was glad enough to turn in, and slept soundly till the hammocks were piped up next morning. on coming on deck i saw blue peter flying at the masthead of our own ship, and at those of the two other men-of-war, a frigate and a corvette, and of all the merchantmen. the admiral fired a signal-gun. we repeated it, and before the smoke had cleared away the merchantmen let fall their topsails, we setting them the example; the anchor was hove up to the merry sound of the fife, and, taking the lead, we stood out of the cove of cork with a fair breeze, the other frigate and corvette acting as whippers-in. the sky was clear and the sea smooth. we hove-to outside to wait for the vessels we were to convoy. in half an hour or so they were all out of the harbour. besides the men-of-war there were fully sixty merchantmen; and a beautiful sight they presented, dotting the blue ocean with their white sails. we were bound out to jamaica, where we were to leave the larger number of vessels, and proceed with the others to their several destinations, having then to return to port royal. two line-of-battle ships came out afterwards to convoy the fleet till we were well away from the coast, that, should we be seen by an enemy, it might be supposed that we were too strong a force to be attacked. i should have said that when we were getting under weigh i saw hoolan, and the other pressed men, dressed as man-of-war's men, working away at the capstan. he evidently didn't like his task, but could not help himself, as he had to go round with the others pressing against the capstan bars. he and the other landsmen were set to perform such work as they were capable of, of course being compelled to pull and haul when sail was made or shortened. "i'm after thinking, mr terence, that dan hoolan, though he's mighty quiet just now, will be playing us some prank or other before long, if he can find a chance," observed larry to me. "well, then, larry, just keep an eye on him, and let me know what he's about. i don't want to make you an eavesdropper, but for the man's own sake he must not be allowed to attempt any mischief. he'd be sure to have the worst of it." "arrah now, of course he would, mr terence. they're honest boys aboard here, and they'd soon clap him in limbo," observed larry as i passed on along the deck. he had already become thoroughly imbued with the right spirit of a british seaman. i gave myself, however, little concern about hoolan after this. for some time we had a favourable breeze; the sea was calm, and everything went smoothly. we had plenty of work keeping the squadron together, compelling the fast vessels to shorten sail, and the laggards to make it. some ran on with only their topsails set. others had studding-sails set on either side. we were all day long sending the bunting up and down, and firing guns as signals. "why are all those bits of coloured stuff hoisted to the masthead?" asked larry. "they tell me that the captain makes the young gentlemen run them up and down to keep their fingers warm." i explained to him that each flag represented a figure or number, and sometimes a word or a sentence, according to the distinguishing pennant hoisted over it. for which purpose every vessel was provided with a book of signals, and we could thus communicate with each other just as if we were speaking. chapter nine. a fight at sea. the ocean continued so calm, that larry was quite cock-a-hoop, thinking that he had become a perfect seaman. "i have heard tell, maisther terence, that the say runs mountains high, for all the world like the hills of connemara, but i'm after thinking that these are all landsmen's notions. we have been getting along for all the world like ducks in a pond." the very next day, larry had a different tale to tell. in the morning the line-of-battle ships parted from us, and we, the _amethyst_ frigate, and the _piper_ corvette, had to continue our course alone, to protect our somewhat erratic convoy. dark clouds were seen coming up from the north-west. the scud sped across the sky, the spin-drift flying over the fast-rising seas. in a short time the ship began to pitch into them as if determined to hammer them down, but they, not inclined to receive such treatment patiently, sent masses of spray flying over our bows, as if to show what they were capable of doing, should she persevere in her attempt. the merchantmen on all sides were bobbing away, and kicking up their sterns in the same comical fashion; and even the other frigate and corvette were playing similar pranks. the tacks were got aboard, however, and on we all went together, now heeling over when a stronger blast than usual struck us, till the water came hissing in at our main-deck ports. sail after sail was taken off the ship. now she rose almost on an even keel, and then again heeled over as before. the convoy followed our example, though not with the same rapidity. the sheets had been let go, and the sails of some were flying wildly in the breeze. three or four lost their loftier masts and lighter spars, but they were still compelled to keep up by the signals which we or the _amethyst_ threw out. at length i had to go aloft. i could not say that i liked it. it seemed to me that with the eccentric rolls the ship was making, i might at any moment be jerked off into the seething ocean; but i recollected tom pim's advice, and held on with teeth and eyelids. i got on, however, very well while i was aloft, and i managed somehow or other to reach the deck. then--oh! how truly miserable i began to feel. every moment i became worse and worse. as it happened, my watch was just over, and i descended to the berth. when i got there my head dropped on the table. i felt as i had never felt before; as utterly unlike as could be the brave tipperary boy i fancied myself. "why, paddy, what's come over you?" exclaimed nettleship, who had just then come below. "why, you look as if you had heard the banshee howl, or dipped your face into a pot of white paint." "oh! oh!" i exclaimed, my lip curling, and feeling the most miserable of human beings, so i fancied. i could utter no other articulate sound. "get up, youngster, and dance a hornpipe," cried nettleship; "or i'll just send to the galley for a lump of fat pork, and if you'll swallow an ounce or so, it will do you all the good in the world." the very mention of the fat pork finished me off. i bolted out of the berth, which was to windward, and went staggering away to the opposite side of the ship, having made a vain attempt to get to the main-deck, upsetting tom pim in my course, and not stopping till i pitched right against doctor mccall, our surgeon, much after the manner that i had treated old rough-and-ready. our good medico, not being so secure as the lieutenant on his pins, was unfortunately upset, and together we rolled into his dispensary, out of which he was at that moment coming. there we lay, amidst a quantity of phials, jars, and gallipots, which, having been improperly secured, came crashing down upon us. the doctor kicked and struggled, and endeavoured to rise, but i was too far gone to make any effort of the sort. had he been inclined, he might have pounded me to death before i should have cried out for mercy. i was unable even to say that i could not help it, though he must have known that well enough. i need not describe what happened. fortunately he had got to his feet before the occurrence to which i wish only delicately to allude took place. i felt wonderfully better. "why, paddy, is it you, my boy?" he exclaimed, not a bit angry; for being a good-natured man, he was ready to make every allowance for the occurrence. "i believe it's myself, sir; though i'm not altogether clear about it," i answered as i got up and tried to crawl out of the place. "stay, youngster, you shall have something before you go which will set you to rights," he said in a kind tone. as well as he could, with the ship pitching and rolling, he poured out a mixture, which he handed to me, and bade me drink off. it revived me considerably, though i still felt very shaky. "if i should ever want to have a leg or an arm cut off, i hope, sir, that you'll do it for me," i said, for i could think of nothing else at the moment to express my gratitude. the doctor laughed. "i wish you better luck than that, my boy," he observed. "what makes you say that?" "because, sir, you didn't find fault with me for tumbling you over; now, when i ran against mr saunders, he sent me to the masthead for a couple of hours." "you were skylarking then, my lad, and the ship was not pitching and tumbling about as she now is," he said. "however, go and lie down in the berth, if you can find room there, and you'll soon be all to rights." i willingly obeyed his injunctions, while he sent to have his dispensary cleaned, and the phials and gallipots which had escaped fracture picked up. i believe a good many were saved by tumbling upon us instead of upon the deck. as nettleship and the other midshipmen were merciful, i managed to have a good caulk on the locker. when i awoke i felt almost like myself again. i dreaded, however, having to go on deck to keep watch, and was much inclined to ask the doctor to put me on the sick list. in my sufferings i had not forgotten my follower, larry. as soon as i could, i hastened forward to see how he was getting on, as i had ascertained that it was his watch below. as i got forward, a scene of human misery and wretchedness presented itself, such as i had never before witnessed. half the marines were lying about the deck, unable to lift up their heads, while most of the boys were in the same condition. among them i found larry. he gazed at me with lack-lustre eyes as i approached. "shure, the say's not at all at all the place i thought it was, mr terence," he groaned forth. "i've been turned inside out entirely. i don't even know whether the inside of me isn't the outside." there was a general groan, as the ship at that moment pitched into a sea, and i had to hold on fast, or i should have been sent in among the mass of human misery. when she rose again and was steady for an instant, i was able to speak to larry. "i can't say i feel very comfortable myself," i said; "but rouse up and try to prevent your feelings from overcoming you." "och, master terence, but my faylings are mighty powerful, and for the life of me i can't master them," he groaned out. this was very evident; and what with the smells and the closeness of the air,--not to speak of the pitching and rolling of the ship,--i was again almost overpowered, when there came a cry of "all hands save ship!" and down sprang the boatswain's mates, and began kicking away at the hapless marines and green hands. larry in a moment leaped to his feet i heard a savage growl close to me, and just then caught sight of dan hoolan's countenance. though he was kicked and cuffed, nothing would make him get up, and i saw him still lying prostrate when i hurried off to gain the deck. the ship, struck by a heavy squall, was lying over almost on her beam-ends; the officers were shouting out their orders through their speaking-trumpets; the men were hurrying here and there as directed, some going aloft, others letting fly tacks, and sheets clewing up and hauling down. suddenly the buoyant frigate righted herself. it seemed a wonder that none of the men were jerked overboard. the canvas was further reduced, and on we went, pounding away into the seas. larry was as active as any one. he seemed to have forgotten all about his sickness. it was the last time, too, that i ever suffered from the malady, and from that day forward--blow high or blow low--i felt as easy in my inside as i should on shore. a few spars had been carried away on board the merchantmen, but, as far as we could see, no other damage had occurred. in a couple of days more the gale had completely worn itself out, and everything went as smoothly as heretofore. we were then within about a week's sail of the west indies. the weather was now warm and pleasant,--sometimes, during a calm, a little too hot. one morning, just at daybreak, the look-out from the masthead announced that he saw three sail to windward. the second lieutenant went aloft, and looked at them with his glass. when he came down he pronounced two of them to be frigates, and the other a smaller vessel. we threw out signals to the convoy to keep together, while we and the other two men-of-war, hauling our wind, stood closer to the strangers. at first it was supposed that they were english, but their manoeuvres made us doubt this, and at length they were pronounced decidedly french. that they intended to pick off some of the merchantmen there could be no doubt; and this it was our object to prevent. "paddy, my boy," said tom pim, coming up to me as i stood looking at the enemy from the quarter-deck, "we shall have some righting before long, no doubt about that. how do you feel?" "mighty pleased, and very ready for it," i answered. "we're fairly matched, i should think," remarked tom. "if we could count the guns of the enemy, i suspect there would not be found the difference of half a dozen between us. all depends on the way our ships are manoeuvred, and how we fight our guns,--though i've no fear on that score." it was soon evident that captain macnamara intended to fight, and the order was given to clear the ship for action. the drum beat to quarters. all hands went about their duties with alacrity. i was sent down into the cockpit with a message. there i found the surgeons making their preparations; with their tourniquets, saws, knives, and other instruments, arranged ready for the expected operations; and there were buckets, and bowls of water, and sponges, and various other things likely to be required. in the centre was the amputating table, on which, before long, some poor fellow would probably be stretched, to be deprived of a leg or an arm; while an odour of vinegar pervaded the place. the powder magazine had been opened. the gunner and his mates were engaged in serving out the ammunition, which the powder-monkeys were carrying up on deck in their tubs. cutlasses were girded on, and pistols stuck in belts. boarding pikes were arranged so as to be easily seized if wanted. the men, hurrying to their respective guns, loaded and ran them out; and as i passed along the decks i remarked their countenances all exhibiting their eagerness for the fight. among them i observed hoolan, who had been stationed at a gun. he was apparently as ready to fight as any one on board. his features were as stern and morose as ever, but there was a fire in his eye, which showed that he contemplated the approaching battle with more pleasure than fear. judging from the look of the men captured with him, i couldn't say the same of them. the crew generally were full of life and spirits, laughing and joking, as if they had forgotten altogether that in a short time they would be engaged in a fierce fight. i found larry at his gun, looking as pleased as if he were at a wake or a wedding. "shure we'll be after making this fellow bark, maisther terence," he said, slapping the breach. "if the old chap doesn't drill a hole in the side of one of those ships out there, or knock away one of their masts, say i'm not a tipperary boy." his remark produced a laugh among the seamen within hearing,--indeed they evidently thought that whatever larry said ought to be considered as a good joke. larry seemed to have a notion that his especial gun was to win the battle. as a similar feeling seemed to animate the rest of the crew, it was likely to contribute to our success. we were still some distance from the enemy, when tom pim, chaffey, and i were summoned to the quarter-deck, to act as the captain's aides-de-camp, so that i was enabled to see all that was going forward. the rest of the midshipmen were stationed mostly on the main-deck, each in command of a certain number of guns. the _liffy_ leading, we were now standing close hauled towards the enemy, who approached us almost before the wind. the _amethyst_ came next to us, and the corvette followed. we hoped that within another ten minutes we should get within range of the others guns, when suddenly the enemy's leading frigate hauled her wind. her consorts immediately afterwards followed her example. on seeing this, our captain ordered every stitch of canvas the _liffy_ could carry to be set, when, the breeze freshening, we rapidly came up with the enemy. i heard some of the officers say that they intended to make off. the men at the gun near which i was standing swore at their cowardice, and i began to think that there would be no fight after all. presently the french ships were seen to shorten sail, when our captain sent the hands again aloft to do the same. they had barely time to come down and return to their quarters, when a shot, fired by the leading french frigate, came flying across our deck. no one was hit, but a hammock and part of the hammock-nettings were knocked away. it showed what we had to expect. i expected that the captain would return the compliment, but he waited calmly till we got nearer. we were to leeward, it must be understood; but although that would have been a disadvantage had there been any sea running, as the ocean was calm it didn't make much difference, while we were thus better able to protect our convoy, and prevent the enemy from running among them and committing mischief. again the breeze freshened, and standing on, we passed the corvette, which fired a few shots at us without doing any damage. we then received a similar compliment from the second french frigate, several of her shots striking the _liffy_. in a few minutes we were up to our largest antagonist. as our bow gun came abreast of her quarter, our captain shouted, "fire!" and gun after gun was discharged in rapid succession, the enemy blazing away at us in return. the _amethyst_ was meantime engaged with the second frigate, and the corvette with the french ship of the same size as herself. shot after shot came on board. first one man was struck down, then another and another, and several were carried below to be placed under the hands of the surgeons. some were drawn aside, their fighting days over. what damage we were producing among the enemy could not at first be ascertained, for all the ships, from our rapid firing, were enveloped in clouds of smoke. looking up, i could see that our sails were pierced in several places. crash succeeded crash, as the enemy's shot struck our sides or bulwarks, and sent the splinters flying about in all directions. it was somewhat trying work for us, who had nothing to do except to keep our eyes upon the captain, in case he should have any orders to give us. we had made sure of capturing one of the french ships, if not all. presently, looking astern, i saw the fore-yard of the _amethyst_ come down on deck, and shortly afterwards our fore-top mast was carried away. our captain, hitherto so calm, stamped his foot on the deck with vexation. our men, to make amends, tossed their guns in and out as if they had been playthings, firing away with wonderful rapidity; and i believe the gun at which larry was stationed fully carried out his promise of drilling more than one hole in the side of our opponent. her masts and spars were entire, as were those of the other frigate, but their bulwarks were shattered in several places, which was evident by the white streaks their sides exhibited. "blaze away, my lads," cried the captain. "we'll still have one of them, at least, for they'll not long stand the pounding you're giving them." our crew cheered in reply; but just as we had delivered another broadside, signals having been made on board the leading french frigate, her crew were seen going aloft, and presently the courses, topgallant sails, and royals were set, and she stood away close hauled, the other frigate and corvette doing the same. neither the _amethyst_ nor we were in a condition to follow, and to our vexation, we saw the enemy escaping from us. that we had given them a good pounding was very evident; but whether or not after repairing damages they would renew the contest was doubtful. the little _piper_, being uninjured aloft, gallantly followed, and kept blazing away at the enemy, till the captain made a signal to her to return, fearing that she might be overpowered and cut off before we could sufficiently repair damages to go to her assistance. she obeyed the order, and the frenchmen didn't follow her. she had received less damage aloft than we had, though, as we afterwards found, she had lost several men killed and wounded. as she came within hail, she reported that the largest of the french frigates was pumping hard, and had evidently received much damage, while the second was not in a much better condition. this accounted for their not wishing to continue the combat, and standing away, while it seemed doubtful whether they would venture to renew it. we had plenty of work in repairing damages, clearing away the wreck of the fore-top mast, and getting a new one ready to send aloft. we could distinguish the convoy hull down to leeward, waiting the result of the fight. i asked nettleship whether he thought, as soon as we had got to rights, that we should follow the enemy. "if our captain were to act as his feelings prompt him, i should have no doubt about it," he answered. "fighting macnamara, as he is known in the service, would not let an enemy escape if he could help it; but duty before all other things, and our duty is to protect the convoy under our charge. if we were to go in chase of the enemy, we might lose sight of the merchantmen, and any rascally privateers might pounce down and carry off the whole lot of them. my belief therefore is, that we shall bear up and let the frenchmen go their way. it is not likely, after the taste they have had of our quality, that they'll again molest us." nettleship was right. the captain ordered the corvette to run down to the convoy to direct them to stand on under easy sail till we should join them. the captain and mr saunders, and the other officers, were exerting themselves to the utmost to get the ships to rights. the former sent me down into the cockpit, to learn from the doctor how the wounded men were getting on, and how many had been killed. i turned almost sick as i entered the place. there was anything but a fresh smell there now. i can't properly describe it,--perhaps it was more like the odour of a butcher's shop in the dog days, when the blue-bottles are revelling in the abundance hung up for their inspection. one poor fellow lay stretched on the table. the doctor was just then too busy to speak to me. i saw a foot sticking out of a bucket. it belonged to a leg which had just been taken off the man, who was in a dead faint. the assistant-surgeon was endeavouring to restore him to consciousness, while the surgeon was engaged in taking up the arteries. another, who had lost an arm, was lying on a locker, waiting to be carried to the sick bay; and several others sat round with their heads and shoulders bandaged up. at last the doctor looked up, and i then delivered my message. "five killed and nine wounded, and i'm afraid one or two of the latter may slip through my fingers," he said. i was thankful when i was able to hurry back on deck with my report. the captain was not addicted to the sentimental, but i heard him sigh, or rather groan, after i had delivered it. as soon as any of the men could be spared, the bodies of the killed were sewn up in canvas, with shot at their feet. as we had no chaplain on board, the captain read a portion of the burial service, and the sound of quick successive plunges told that they had sunk into their ocean grave. we and the _amethyst_ then stood away after the convoy. "our first action has not been a very glorious one," i observed, when most of the mess was once more assembled in the berth. "i made sure we should have captured one of those frigates." "it has been a successful one, paddy, and we should be content with that," said nettleship. "if we had taken one of the enemy, we should be probably more knocked about than we are, and should have delayed the merchantmen, or allowed them to run the risk of being captured. depend upon it, our captain will get credit for what he has done, and the credit he gets will be reflected on us." the wind fortunately continued fair, the sea smooth, and by the time we sighted jamaica we were again all ataunto. having seen the greater part of our charge into port royal, and sent the wounded ashore to the hospital, we stood on with the remainder of the merchantmen to barbadoes and other islands, where we left them in safety, and then made our way back to port royal. we saluted the forts, and the forts saluted us; flags were flying, the sea glittering, and everything looked gay and bright as we entered that magnificent harbour. "shure it's a beautiful place this, misther terence," said larry to me, as, the anchor being dropped, and the sails furled, we lay floating calmly on the placid waters. "there's only one place to my mind that beats this, and that's cork harbour, though, to be sure, the mountains there are not so high, or the sky so blue as out here." "or the sun so hot, larry," i remarked, "or the people so black. did you ever see irishmen like that?" and i pointed to a boat manned by negroes just coming alongside. larry had never before seen a blackamoor, for, as may be supposed, africans seldom found their way into tipperary. "shure, your honour, is them irishmen?" he asked. "speak to them, and you'll soon find out, and they'll tell you how long it has taken the sun to blacken their faces." "then, misther terence, shall we be after getting our faces painted of that colour if we stay out here?" he inquired with some trouble in the tone of his voice. "depend upon it, larry, we shall if we stay long enough," i answered. i left larry to reflect on the matter. i remembered a story i had heard of an irishman who had gone out intending to settle in demerara, where a large proportion of the white population have come from the emerald isle. as soon as the ship had dropped her anchor a number of blacks came off to her. the first he spoke to answered in a rich irish brogue. the new-comer looked at the negro with astonishment. "what's your name, my man?" he asked. "pat casey," was the answer. "and, pat, say as you love me, how long have you been out here?" "little better than six years, your honour," was the reply, such being the time that had elapsed since the negro had been imported, having in the meantime had an irish name given him, and learned to speak irish. "six years, and you have turned from a white-skinned irishman into a blackamoor!" exclaimed the new-comer; and not waiting for an answer, he rushed down into the cabin, which he could not be induced to quit until the ship sailed again, and he returned home, satisfied that the west indies was not a country in which he could wish to take up his abode. not long after the conversation i have mentioned, larry came up to me. "i've been after talking, misther terence, with some of those black gentlemen, and shure if they're from the old country they've forgotten all about it, which no raal irishman would ever do, i'll stake my davey!" he exclaimed. "they've never heard of limerick, or cork, or waterford, or the shannon, or ballinahone, and that proves to me that they couldn't have been in the old country since they were born. and now, misther terence dear, you were joking shure," he added, giving me one of his comical looks. "well, larry," i said, "it's a satisfaction to know that it will take us a long time to turn into niggers, or to forget old ireland." as no one was near, i asked him how dan hoolan and the other pressed men were behaving. "that's just what i wanted to be speaking to you about, misther terence," he answered. "i'm after thinking that they'll not be on board many days if they get a chance of slipping on shore. i heard them one day talking about it in irish, forgetting that i understood what they were saying; and as we had a hand in the taking of them, says i to myself, we'll not let you go so aisy, my boys, and i'll be after telling misther terence about it." "you have acted rightly, larry," i answered. "it's the duty of every seaman to prevent mutiny or desertion, and if you hadn't told me the fellows might have got off, though, to be sure, the best of them are king's hard bargains." i took an early opportunity of telling mr saunders. "thank you, my lad," he answered; "i'll take care that an eye is kept upon them." soon afterwards, while looking over the side, i saw a dark, triangular object gliding by at no great distance from the ship. it went about when it got under the stern, and appeared again on the other side. mr saunders saw it also. "lads," he said, "do you know what that is? you may have heard of port royal jack. that's him. he's especially fond of seamen's legs, and if any of you were to go overboard, he'd snap you up in a minute." the word was passed along the deck. half the crew were now in the rigging, taking a look at their enemy, and among them were dan hoolan and his companions. i observed a flesh-coloured mass floating a short distance off. presently the black fin sank; a white object appeared for a moment close to the surface, and a huge mouth gulped down the mass, and disappeared with it beneath the water. it was a lesson to any one who might have attempted taking a swim to the shore. chapter ten. a fight ashore. i have not attempted to describe port royal harbour. it is large enough to hold sail. the entrance is on the left side. a strip of sand, known as the palisades, runs east and west with the town of port royal, surrounded with heavy batteries at the further end. here are the dockyard and naval arsenal, and forts with heavy guns completely commanding the entrance. at the eastern end stands kingston, the commercial town, before which the merchantmen bring up, while the men-of-war ride at anchor nearer the mouth. a lofty range of hills, with valleys between them, rise beyond the northern shore. altogether, it is a grand place, and especially grand it looked just now, filled with a fleet of ships and smaller men-of-war. our captain, with the second lieutenant, the captain of the _amethyst_, and the commander of the corvette, went on shore, and were warmly welcomed by the merchants, who said that they had rendered them signal service in so gallantly protecting the convoy. they presented each of the commanders with a piece of plate and a sum of money, to show their gratitude. "i told you so," said nettleship when we heard of it; "we did our duty on that occasion, though it was a hard trial to have to let the enemy escape," as we were likely to be detained a week to replace our fore-top mast, to repair other damages, and to get stores and fresh provisions on board, most of our mess by turns got leave to go on shore, where, down to tom pim, we were all made a great deal of by the planters and merchants. we were invited to breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, and dances every night. most of our fellows lost their hearts to the dark-eyed creoles, and tom pim confided to me that a lovely little damsel of fifteen had captured his. "i didn't intend to strike to her, but i couldn't help it, for she blazed away at me with her smiles, and glances of her dark eyes, and her musical laughter, till i could stand them no longer, and i promised that when i become a commander i will return and marry her forthwith, if she will remain faithful to me." "and what did she say?" i asked. "she laughed more than ever, and inquired how long it was likely to be before i could get my promotion. when i said that it might be in five or six, or perhaps eight years, she remarked that that was a terrible long time to wait, and that though constancy was a very fine thing, it didn't do to try it too much." irishmen have susceptible hearts, i've heard, but i can't say that i lost mine to any one in particular. we had altogether a very jolly time of it, which we enjoyed all the more because we knew that it must soon come to an end. tom pim and i, who were inseparable, were at a party one evening, when a good-natured looking gentleman came up to us. "i see that you have been dancing with my little daughter lucy," he said, addressing tom. "may i ask your names, and the ship to which you belong?" we told him. "she's not likely, i understand, to sail for some days, and if you can obtain leave i shall be very happy to see you at my country house, some few miles away from this," he said. "my name is talboys, and as i'm well known to captain macnamara i'll write a note, which you can take on board, asking him or his first lieutenant to give you leave for a couple or three days,--the longer the better,--and to allow any other midshipmen who can be spared to accompany you." "thank you very much, sir," i answered; "but we have to return on board to-morrow morning by daylight, and i'm afraid that mr saunders won't be inclined to let us go ashore again." "there's nothing like asking," he observed; "and i think that he'll not refuse my request, so you had better try." taking us into an ante-room, he wrote the promised note, of which tom pim took charge. he told us, if we could obtain leave, to meet him at mammy custard's boarding-house, an establishment much frequented by midshipmen and other junior officers of the service. we had hitherto not slept on shore, but we knew the house well. the ball was kept up to a late hour. as soon as it was over we repaired to the quay, where several boats were waiting to take off those who had to return to their ships. tom and i agreed that we had very little chance of getting leave, but that we should not refuse it if we did. the sky was clear as nora creina's eye; every star was reflected on the calm surface of the water in the harbour. we were all inclined to be jolly--officers and men. our tongues went rattling merrily on. now and then there came a peal of laughter, now snatches of songs. we had got more than half-way down the harbour when the officer in command sang out, "mind your helm. where are you coming to?" at that instant we ran slap into a shore-boat pulled by negroes, and stove in her bows. loud shrieks and cries arose from the black crew, who began to scramble into our boat,--the wisest thing they could do, considering that their own was sinking. "oh, we all drown! we all drown!" they cried in loud tones. "jack shark catch me!" the four blacks had saved themselves, but there were two passengers in the stern-sheets who appeared to be less in a hurry to get on board. presently, however, finding the boat settling down, one of them made a spring and tumbled on board. "why, tim connor, where did you come from?" asked one of our men. at that moment the other man, instead of trying to save himself, plunged into the water, and began swimming towards the southern shore. perhaps he thought that he might escape in the confusion unperceived, but our lieutenant caught sight of him. "never mind the boat," he exclaimed. "out oars. we must get hold of that fellow, whoever he is." we were not long in coming up with the bold swimmer, who, speedily caught by the hair of his head, was hauled on board, in spite of his struggles to get free. as he was hauled aft by the orders of the lieutenant, i recognised dan hoolan. "who gave you leave to go on shore, my men?" asked the lieutenant. "plaise yer honour," answered tim connor, "we were only going for a spree, and intended being off again in the mornin'." dan hoolan sat sulkily, with his hands between his knees, not deigning to reply. "you'll find that you'll have to pay somewhat heavily for your spree," remarked the lieutenant. "seeing as we've not had it," i heard tim mutter. by the time we had got back to the boat she had almost disappeared, and we could only pick up a few of the remaining articles she had contained. a sharp look-out was kept on the two men, who had evidently intended to desert. no further words were exchanged with them. both sat with downcast looks, probably well aware of the punishment they had brought on themselves. on reaching the ship they were handcuffed, and placed under charge of a sentry. tom and i had to keep our watch, and got but little sleep that night. as soon as we could we presented our note to mr saunders. "why, you lads are always wanting to go on shore," he observed dryly; "one would suppose you were born on shore. however, as you conduct yourselves well, you may have the leave your friend asks for, and may return by the first boat to kingston." "thank you, sir," we answered, highly delighted. "and may sinnet and chaffey go too?" i asked. "were they invited?" he inquired. "we were desired to bring two more of our mess, and we thought that they could be best spared, sir." "yes, they may go," said mr saunders. without delay we conveyed the pleasant intelligence to them. before long we were again pulling up the harbour, and thus escaped seeing the punishment inflicted on my unfortunate countrymen. i knew that they deserved it, and therefore didn't trouble my head much about the matter. we repaired at once to mammy custard's, and had not been there long before mr talboys made his appearance. "glad you have got leave, my young friends," he said, shaking us all by the hands, as we introduced sinnet and chaffey. "the carriages will soon be at the door; but you must take some refreshment before we start, to fortify the inner man for the fatigues of the journey." having told mammy custard to place luncheon on the table, and desired us to commence operations without waiting for him, he went out, and left us to discuss the viands and refreshing beverages. we had just finished when mr talboys returned, with his daughter, in one buggy, into which he invited me to mount, while he told tom, sinnet, and chaffey to get into the other, which was driven by a black boy. as soon as we had taken our seats, the carriages dashed off, and away we went in a fine style out of kingston. i'm no hand at describing scenery, nor can i remember the names of the tropical trees which grew in rich profusion on both sides of the road, the climbing plants, the gaily-coloured flowers, and other vegetable wonders. miss lucy and i chatted away right merrily. i couldn't help thinking how jealous tom would be, and i would very gladly for his sake have changed places with him. "and what do you think of jamaica?" asked her papa after we had gone some distance. "it's a wonderfully fine country, sir," i answered. "and if it were not that i love ballinahone more than any other place on earth, i shouldn't be sorry to take up my abode here when i become a post-captain or an admiral, and wish to settle down for life, should peace be established, and my country not be requiring my services." "we have our little drawbacks, however," observed mr talboys. "you have not been here in the hot season yet. we now and then have an outbreak of the blacks, for the rascals--strange to say--are not contented with their lot. occasionally too, we are attacked by foreign foes, but we jamaica men are right loyal, and are prepared to defend our shores against all comers." "i thought that the blacks were merry peaceable fellows, who never think of rebellion," i observed. "nor would they, if they were not put up to it by designing knaves. but in different parts of the island we have had half a dozen outbreaks within my recollection, and not a few before it. some have been instigated by the enemies of our country; others by newly imported slaves, who have been chiefs, or kings, as they call themselves, in africa; and on some occasions the maroons have taken it into their foolish heads to rebel. they are, as you're doubtless aware, free blacks, who live an independent vagabond life on the mountains, and are too ignorant and savage to know that they have no chance of success." "but i hope, sir, that they're quiet now, or it can't be very pleasant for you to live so far away from the city." mr talboys laughed. "my negroes are quiet and obedient, and i should get information in good time were anything likely to happen," he answered. "no one would think of attacking our house," put in miss lucy. "we are well prepared, and they would gain nothing by the attempt." we drove on through fine and wild romantic scenery, each turn of the road bringing us to some new point of view. we passed a beautiful waterfall, the bottom and sides of which appeared as if composed of glass or porcelain; it consisted of a number of steps rising up the sides of the hill. these, my friend told me, were incrustations which had formed themselves over the roots of trees growing on either side. the water came flowing down over them, transparent as crystal, and as the rays of sunlight played between the waving branches of the trees, the water glittered with a thousand variegated tints. we descended from our carriages to enjoy a more perfect view. tom and charley took it into their heads to attempt walking across some of the steps. tom ran lightly over them; but chaffey, while following in his wake, being twice as heavy, broke through the incrustation, and in he soused. he quickly managed, however, to scramble out again, though not until he was wet through nearly up to his middle. "why, i thought it was all hard stone," he exclaimed as he reached dry ground. we all had a hearty laugh at his expense. in that climate a ducking doesn't much matter, and he was dry again before we had proceeded much further on our journey. late in the evening we caught sight of a long low building, with a broad verandah, surrounded with plantations, and a garden of fruit-trees on the gentle slope of a hill. as we got near, a shout from the master brought out several black boys, accompanied by a number of barking dogs, who welcomed us by leaping round the horses' heads, and yelping and frisking about with delight. mr talboys jumped out, and lucy leapt into his arms, while i descended on the other side. a stout lady in a sky-blue dress, accompanied by three small damsels in low white frocks, and a little boy in scanty clothing, appeared at the top of the steps. lucy, running up, kissed them all round, and then mr talboys introduced us in due form to his wife and younger daughters. after a little conversation madam talboys led us into a handsome hall, with a table in the centre, on which ample preparations for supper were spread, the light from a dozen wax candles falling on the cut glass, the silver forks and glittering steel, and an epergne filled with fragrant flowers, surrounded by dishes containing salads, fruits of every description, and other cold viands. "the young gentlemen would like to wash their hands before they commence operations," said mr talboys; and he ushered us into a room off the great hall, in which were four snow-white beds, with muslin curtains closely drawn round them, and wash-hand basins filled with deliciously cool water. we lost no time in plunging our faces into them, arranging our hair, and making ourselves neat and comfortable. "i say, we have fallen into pleasant quarters," exclaimed chaffey. "we owe it all to you, tom. if you hadn't paid attention to miss lucy, we should not have been here." "belay the slack of that," cried tom. "our host might overhear you, and he wouldn't be pleased; nor would miss lucy herself." we were quickly ready; and just as we returned to the hall several black boys entered, each carrying a steaming dish, on which we fell to, when helped, with keen appetites. two other gentlemen came in,--an overseer and a head clerk on the estate. we all laughed and talked at a great rate. the overseer, mr rabbitts, at the request of our host, sang a good song. the clerk followed with another. then miss lucy got her guitar, and warbled very sweetly. altogether we were merry as crickets. at length our host remarked that we must be tired, and led us to our sleeping-room. we soon had our heads upon the pillows, with the mosquito curtains drawn close around us. though midshipmen are rightly supposed to sleep soundly, i was awakened by fancying that the doctor was running his lancet into me, and was about to assure him that he was operating by mistake on me instead of on some other patient, when i heard a loud whizzing, buzzing sound. i hadn't been careful enough in closing the curtains, and a big mosquito had got in, and was revelling in my fresh blood. i tried in vain to catch the active creature, who was soon joined by others of his abominable race. the humming concert was increased by countless other sounds, which came through the open window,--the croaking of frogs and tree-toads, the chirping and whistling of insects and reptiles, while i could see a party of fireflies glistening among the curtains of the bed. now and then a huge beetle would make its way into the room, and go buzzing about round and round, till to my infinite relief it darted out of the window! but the noises and the stings of the mosquitoes drove sleep from my eyelids. presently i heard some one talking outside; it was a nigger's voice, deep and husky. "if de picaroons cum, den dey cum soon, and cut all our troats." "garramarcy, you don't say so!" exclaimed another. "better tell massa; he know what do." "me tink better run away and hide," said the first speaker. "massa want to stop and fight, and den we hab to fight too, and get killed." "but if we run away and don't tell massa, he get killed, and missy lucy, and missus, and de piccaninnies. me tink tell massa fust and den run away." "but if um tell massa, he make um stop and fight. no, no, cato; you one fool. wiser to run away, and not say where um go." the arguments of the first speaker appeared to prevail with his companion. they probably were not aware that any one was sleeping in the room overhead. as far as i could judge, the matter appeared serious. i recollected the conversation i had had in the morning about the maroons and the rebel blacks. without further thought i jumped from my bed, and rushing to the window, sang out, "stop, you cowardly rascals. if you move i'll fire at you. tell your master what you have heard, and he'll act as he considers necessary." the sound of my voice awakened my companions, who fancied that the house was attacked by thieves. as the blacks, notwithstanding my threats, seemed inclined to be off, i jumped out of the window, which was of no great height from the ground, followed by sinnet and tom. the niggers fancied, i believe, that we were spirits of another world, as we appeared in our night-shirts, which were fluttering in the breeze, and came back trembling and humble enough. we made them show us the window of mr talboys' room, as we could not get into the house. shouting loudly, we awoke him, and i then told him what i had heard. "you have acted judiciously, young gentleman, whether there is anything in it or not; but i'll be dressed directly, and come out to hear what account the black boys have to give. take care they don't run off in the meantime." presently i heard a bolt withdraw; the door opened, and mr talboys made his appearance, a red night-cap on his head and wrapped in a flowered dressing-gown, a candle in one hand, and a thick whip in the other. "i must examine these fellows," he said as he came out. "they're less liable to prevaricate if they see the whip. come, now, young gentlemen, you may wish to put on your garments, and while you do so i'll hear what my negroes have to say." as he was speaking, however, chaffey came out of our room, bringing our breeches, having first got into his own, lest, as he said, the ladies might inconveniently make their appearance. "what's this you were talking about, cato?" asked mr talboys, looking sternly at the blacks, who stood trembling before him. "caesar cum just now, and say dat cudjoe, with great number ob niggers, just come down from de mountains, and dey march dis way with muskets, and bayonets, and big swords, and spears, and swear dey kill all de whites dey cum across." i saw mr talboys start. "how did you hear this, caesar?" he asked. "please, massa, i out last night, to help bury mammy quacca, who die in de morning, when my brother sambo cum in and say he almost caught by cudjoe's fellows, and hear dem swear dat dey cum to kill all de white people, and before long he tink dey cum dis way to belmont." (that was the name of mr talboys' place.) "cudjoe! who are you talking about? the fellow has been dead these thirty years or more," said our host. "dey say him cudjoe. perhaps him come to life again," answered caesar, as if he fully believed such an event probable. "or maybe him `tree fingered jack.'" "three fingered jack" was a negro leader who about that time made himself notorious. "possibly some fellow has assumed the name of the old maroon leader," i observed. mr talboys, after further questioning the blacks, again turned to us, and remarked, "i'm afraid there's some truth in what these negroes say. at all events, it would be wise to be prepared." he spoke in a cool tone, not a bit flustered. "i'm very sorry to have brought you into a position which may not prove to be very agreeable," he continued; "but i know, young gentlemen, that i can rely on your assistance." of course we could give but one answer. "the first thing to be done is to barricade the house, and i'll get you to do that, with caesar to assist you," he said. "keep an eye on the boy, lest he should run away, while i send off cato to give notice to my neighbours, who will probably assemble here, as this house can be more easily defended than theirs. i will myself summon my overseer and clerks. i, of course, shall also despatch messengers to kingston for assistance, and we may hope to hold out till the troops arrive. the rebels expect to take us by surprise, and to murder us without resistance, as they have the whites in other districts. i must, however, tell my wife and daughters, or they may be alarmed should they suddenly discover what is going on." we heard a good deal of talking in mrs talboys' room, and then the master of the house came out, with a brace of pistols in his belt, and a sword in his hand. "the ladies are quite prepared, and will give you all the help they can," he said. "they'll show you where the arms and ammunition are kept." having finished dressing, we set to work, under caesar's directions, to put up shutters, and to strengthen the doors with planks and stout pieces of timber, which we found in a yard, apparently prepared for the purpose. we were soon joined by mrs talboys and miss lucy, who both appeared equal to the emergency. having shown us where the arms and ammunition were kept, they assisted to carry planks and to hold the boards up while we nailed them on. miss lucy had a hearty laugh at the grimaces made by chaffey when he happened to hit his finger instead of the nail he was driving in. we worked away as busily as bees, and before mr talboys returned had already secured most of the doors and the lower windows. they were all loopholed, so that on whatever side our enemies might assault the house, a warm reception would be given them. we were still working away when mr talboys appeared. "our friends will soon be here," he said. "we shall muster nearly a dozen muskets, and i hope that with them we may be able to keep the rebels at bay; though, if they're disposed for mischief, they may ravage our plantations with impunity." the overseer and clerks, each armed to the teeth, soon afterwards came in, and our preparations for defence went on still more rapidly. it was now midnight, but as yet none of the neighbours had arrived; and we formed but a small garrison to defend so small a building from the host of foes who might attack it. "me go out and see whether niggers come?" said caesar. "no, no; you stay in the house, and help fight," answered his master, who hadn't forgot the black's purpose of running away and leaving us to our fate. "cato, you go out towards silver springs, and learn, if you can, the whereabouts of the rebels. call at edghill on your way, and tell mr marchant and his family to hurry on here, and that we'll do our best to protect them." "yes, massa," answered cato, who, for a black, was a man of few words, and was evidently a trustworthy fellow. caesar looked somewhat disappointed. i suspect that if he had found the rebels approaching, we should not have seen his face again. we were kept fully employed improving the fortifications. mr talboys, who was full of resources, devised three platforms, which were run from the upper windows above the doorway, with holes in them through which hot water or stones, or other missiles, could be dropped on the heads of the assailants. we had also means of access to the roof, so that if it were set on fire, we might extinguish the flames. still the enemy didn't appear, nor did cato return to bring us information. had we been idle, the suspense might have been more trying; but as we were actively engaged, we scarcely thought of what might possibly happen. at last cato's voice was heard shouting-- "massa marchant and de piccaninnies come, but de rebels cum too, and dis nigger not know which get in first." "we must go and help our friends then. who'll accompany me?" asked mr talboys. "i will, sir," said i. "and i," said tom pim. and our other two messmates said the same. the overseer seemed inclined to stop and defend the house. we immediately set out, mr talboys leading the way, and we keeping close to him. the night was dark, and we might easily have missed our road. after going some distance he stopped for a moment to listen. there came through the night air the tramp of feet, and the hum of voices, though apparently a long way off. "what can have become of marchant?" exclaimed mr talboys, after we had gone some way further. "here i am," said a person who stepped out into the middle of the road with a child in his arms. "my wife was tired, and our children declared they could go no further without resting, and except our two nurse girls, all the slaves have run away." "they might have rested too long," said mr talboys. "come, mrs marchant, i'll help you; and these young gentlemen will assist the children." we discovered the family group seated on a bank; and each of us taking charge of one of the children, we followed mr talboys back towards belmont as fast as our legs could move. he strode along at a great rate, for the sounds, which before had been indistinct, now grew louder and louder, and we knew that the enemy could not be far off. that they were marching towards belmont there could be no doubt. mrs marchant gave a shriek of alarm every now and then, and the children cried with terror. we tried to soothe them, but it was no easy matter to do so as we ran along. "try and keep the children quiet," said mr talboys in a suppressed tone, "or the blacks will hear us. push on, young gentlemen; i'll bring up the rear and defend you." "i'll stay with you," i said; for it struck me that chaffey might easily carry the child i had charge of, and so i handed it to him. "and i'll stay also," said tom, giving his charge to sinnet, who, with one of the black girls, was dragging another along. mr marchant had enough to do to support his wife and carry another of their progeny. the house was already in sight, but we could hear the tramp of the insurgents' feet coming nearer and nearer, though we could not tell whether we ourselves were yet seen. mr marchant and his family hurried on, probably sorry that they had not made more speed at first. we had our pistols ready, a brace each, in our belts, and our swords by our sides, should we come to a close encounter; but the blacks had, we concluded, firearms, and might shoot us down, should they see us, at a distance. i could not but admire the cool gallantry of mr talboys, with so much at stake, yet willing to risk his own life in the defence of those he had promised to protect. he stood for nearly a minute to enable his friend's family to get ahead. the ground rose gradually towards the house, and we could now distinguish a dark mass coming across the open space in the plain below. "now we'll move on," said mr talboys; and we proceeded deliberately towards the house. "they must have got in now," he added shortly afterwards, speaking as before in a suppressed tone. it was time indeed for us to be hurrying on, for as we looked round, a party of blacks, forming the advance guard, and whom we had not previously seen, suddenly appeared, not fifty paces off. they saw us at the same time, and with loud yells came rushing up the slope. "on, lads, as fast as your legs can carry you," cried mr talboys, and, facing round, he fired his musket into the middle of them. whether any one fell we did not stop to see, but ran towards the house. the blacks followed, hoping to overtake us, and fortunately not stopping to fire. mr marchant and his family were only just then entering the house. they had got safe in, and we were about to follow when a shower of bullets came whistling round our heads and rattling against the walls. we sprang in, mr talboys following. no time was lost in closing the door and putting up the barricades. we had scarcely finished when a second volley was fired, showing that the rebels were in earnest, and meant, if they could do so, to destroy the inmates of the house. still, finding that we had escaped them, instead of dashing on, they kept at a respectful distance, under such cover as the hedges and palings afforded them. as the bullets pinged against the shutters and walls the children began to cry, and mrs marchant and her black damsels to shriek out. mrs talboys and lucy remained perfectly quiet, doing their best to calm the fears of their guests. "we have a strong house and brave defenders, and we need not be afraid of the rebels," said the former in a quiet tone. meantime mr talboys, leaving us to defend the lower storey, mounted to the top of the house, where, keeping under shelter, he could take a look-out at whatever was going on below. presently we heard him shout, "who are you, and what is it you want?" "we free and independent people," answered a voice from the crowd; "we want our rights. we no get dem, den we kill all de whites." "much obliged for your kind intentions," answered mr talboys. "there are two sides to that question, and you must look out not to be killed yourselves, which you will be, i promise you, if you attack us." "we see about dat," one of the blacks shouted out. mr talboys replied, and made what sounded to me so long a speech that i wondered the insurgents had patience to listen to it, till i discovered that his object was to prevent them as long as possible from recommencing hostilities. like other brave men, being unwilling to shed blood, he would not allow any of us to fire until it should become absolutely necessary. he again asked the rebels what they wanted. "we want our rights, dat's what we want," they shouted. "that's what all your friends in the island wish you to have, but you won't get them by murdering the few white people in your power," answered our host. "dat you say is true, massa talboys," cried a black from the crowd. "hold your tongue, quembo; take dat!" and the sound of a crushing blow, accompanied by a shriek, reached our ears, as if the last speaker had brained his wiser comrade. "we no cum here to talk, we cum to fight," shouted several together. there was a good deal of jabbering, and once more i saw, through a loophole out of which i was looking, the sable army approaching. "stand to your arms!" cried mr talboys. "we mustn't let these fellows get too confident. shade all the lights, but don't fire until i give the word." it was pretty evident, from the bold way the blacks came on, that they supposed we were badly supplied with firearms, one shot only having been discharged. mr talboys waited till they got within thirty paces, when, just as two or three of them had hurriedly discharged their pieces, he gave us the order to fire, and we sent a shower of bullets among the sable mass. without stopping to see what effect it had produced we all reloaded as rapidly as possible. a few bullets rattled against the house, but before we again fired the greater number of our assailants were scrambling off, in spite of the efforts of their leader to induce them to make a stand. as far as i could judge, looking through my loophole, none were killed, though several must have been wounded. chapter eleven. a narrow escape. the overseer proposed dashing out, with a whip in one hand and a sword in the other. "the rascals won't stop running if they see us coming after them," he said. mr talboys, however, wisely ordered all of us to remain inside the walls. "there are brave fellows among them, notwithstanding the cowardice of some, and they are very likely to turn round and cut us to pieces," he observed. this would certainly have been the case, for we heard the blacks shouting and shrieking at no great distance off, though beyond the range of our muskets. they had evidently halted. "we must be ready for another attack, my friends," cried mr talboys. "keep at your posts." miss lucy came up to where tom and i were standing. "we're so much obliged to you," she said. "if those dreadful blacks had got in, we knew that we should all be killed. you have defended us bravely, and we're so glad that no one has been hurt." "when we think that we have you to defend, we'll fight as long as we have a charge of powder and a ball remaining, and after that, too, for we should make good use of our swords, depend on it," answered tom gallantly. after this the blacks were quiet for some time, but we could not judge whether they intended again to come on. mr talboys assured us that they were still in the neighbourhood, and that we must be prepared at any moment for an attack. the time went slowly by. i heard caesar and cato talking; and as the danger appeared to lessen, the courage of the former increased. "dem niggers, how dey did run when we fired at dem! great cowards! just dey cum on again, and see how we pepper der legs," said caesar. "better dey not cum," observed cato, like a true philosopher, probably doubting his companion's resolution. as there was no necessity to keep at our posts, i went up and asked mr talboys if he would allow me to take his place, while he joined the ladies. "thank you," he said; "i was intending to summon you, for i wish to take a look round our fortifications, to be sure that we have no weak points, for i strongly suspect we have not done with those fellows yet." he was just about to descend, when i caught sight of a bright light away to the northward. "what is that?" i asked, pointing it out to him. "it comes from the direction of marchant's house," he answered. "i very much fear the rebels have set fire to it. yes, there is no doubt about it," he added, as forked flames were observed to burst up round the first light, and to extend on either side. presently another light was seen in the south-east. "that must be from peek's estate. i hope they had warning, and made their escape in time, or the villains will have murdered them, to a certainty. fortunately there are no women or children there." we stood watching the progress of the flames. "we'll not tell the marchants of the disaster," he continued. "it might drive them out of their wits; but they may consider themselves fortunate in having escaped with their lives." loud shouts rising from the spot where we supposed the blacks to be showed the pleasure they felt at seeing the houses burning. "they would be still more delighted could they destroy belmont," observed mr talboys. "they will, i fear, soon again attempt to carry out their design." he now begged me to remain where i was, and to give him immediate information, should i observe anything suspicious, and went down to carry out his intention of examining every assailable point in the house. i kept, my eyes turned, first to one side, then to the other, peering into the darkness, when i observed something moving, away to the right. it seemed like a black line; and after watching it for a few seconds, i felt sure that it was formed by a number of negroes creeping cautiously on to the right of the house, and endeavouring to conceal themselves. i was afraid that my voice might be heard should i shout out, so i went down the steps and soon found mr talboys. the moment i told him what i had seen, he sprang up with me, but we could see nothing, though we watched for some minutes. "if they were really blacks you saw, they intend to take us by surprise," he said. "we must keep a look-out, and be prepared for them." just as he was speaking, there came a loud crashing sound, and the next instant cries and shouts rang through the house. mr talboys sprang down the steps, and i followed him. there was no difficulty in ascertaining in what direction to go. a door had evidently been burst open in the southern wing of the house. a piercing shriek was heard as we hurried on. the rest of the party, deserting their posts, had already gone to drive back our assailants. the overseer and clerk, sinnet and chaffey, were encountering them bravely. two had already paid dearly for their temerity, when mr talboys, springing forward, attacked them furiously. i kept with him, and did my best with my hanger, cutting and slashing at the woolly pates of the fellows, who evidently were not prepared for so determined a resistance. those in front gave way, and others who were about to enter hesitated to advance. mrs talboys was rendering us good service by holding up a lantern, by which we could see our assailants, while the light, falling on their eyes, prevented them from seeing us. though i observed my other two messmates, i could nowhere see tom pim. what could have become of him? i thought. i was, however, sure that he would not have held back, for though he was but a little fellow, he knew how to use his hanger as well as any of us. the fight didn't last long; another black was killed, two lay wounded on the ground, and the rest bolted out of the door, which, though shattered, was not off its hinges. "quick! bring some planks," cried mr talboys. there were some near at hand, with which we had intended to secure that particular door. we were not long in putting them up, and placing a heavy chest of drawers against them. just as this was done, mrs talboys exclaimed-- "where is lucy?" "and where is tom pim?" i cried out. neither of them answered. before any search could be made, mr marchant, who had been watching at the other side of the house, shouted out-- "the enemy are upon us i the enemy are upon us! quick! quick!" we hurried to our posts, and before many seconds had elapsed, a shower of bullets came rattling against the walls. "fire away, my friends," cried mr talboys. we obeyed the order with alacrity. i was thinking all the time, however, as to what could have become of tom and lucy. in vain i expected my messmate to hasten to his post. again the blacks were checked. had they been a minute sooner, the case would have been very different. they calculated, of course, on their friends getting in at the back of the house, and causing a diversion in their favour. for twenty minutes or more we kept loading and firing as fast as we could. mr talboys was everywhere, now at one window, now at another, while the clerk and cato were guarding the back and wings of the house. how the hours had passed by i could not tell, when at length i saw a faint light in the eastern sky. it gradually increased in brightness, and in a wonderfully short time daylight burst upon the world. as the blacks had failed to get into the house during the night, it was less likely that they would succeed during the day. they fired a parting volley, and then, to our great satisfaction, beat a rapid retreat. the search for lucy and tom was now renewed. "oh, my dear husband, what can have become of her?" cried mrs talboy in accents of despair. that they were not in the house was very certain. i proposed to sally forth and search for them. "i'll go myself," said mr talboys. "the rebels will be on the look-out, and you very probably will be captured if you go alone." he consented, however, to my accompanying him. we went out at the back door, which mr talboys ordered to be closed after us. we had not gone far when we discovered a ribbon, which i knew miss lucy had worn on her shoulder. "she must have been carried off by the blacks when they first burst into the house," cried mr talboys. "the wretches cannot have had the barbarity to injure her," i said. "i don't know! i don't know!" answered her father in an agonised tone of voice. we followed the track of the blacks, which was distinctly marked by the plants and canes being trampled down where they had gone across the garden and plantation, and continued on for some distance. no other trace of tom or lucy could we discover. we had to proceed cautiously, as at any time we might come suddenly upon a party of them, when we might find it very difficult to escape. we were, however, both well-armed, with muskets in our hands, braces of pistols in our belts, and swords by our sides, so that we hoped, should we fall in with any enemies, to keep them at bay while we retreated. we looked round on either side, in the expectation of seeing something else that either lucy or tom might have dropped; but sometimes i could not help fearing that they might have been killed, and that we should come upon their dead bodies. still i tried to put away the thought from me, as it was too dreadful i suspect the same idea occurred to mr talboys, who looked stern and determined, and seldom spoke, while his eye was ranging round, far and near. we were going in the direction we fancied the blacks had taken. mr talboys was of opinion that, finding they could not succeed in destroying belmont, they had gone off to attack some other house and ravage the plantations. we were making our way across the country instead of along the high road, where the blacks might have discovered us at a distance; but sometimes the foliage was so thick that we could not see a dozen yards ahead. this had its advantages and its disadvantages. it was evidently the line which the party of blacks who had nearly surprised us had followed. now and then we got close to the high road, and we were able, while still keeping under shelter ourselves, to look along it either way. "the rebels have not, i suspect, gone off altogether, and we may not be far from them now," whispered mr talboys. "be very cautious; keep under cover as much as you can, and avoid making any rustling among the branches." we had moved on scarcely a dozen paces after this, when suddenly a number of black heads appeared above the bushes close in front of us. the white eyes of the negroes, as they caught sight of us, showed that they were more astonished than we were at the sudden encounter. exclamations of surprise escaped from their lips. "on, lads," shouted mr talboys at the top of his voice, as, drawing his sword, he sprang forward. "send those rascals to the right about." uttering a shout, i imitated his example. the blacks, evidently supposing that a strong body of whites was upon them, turned, and endeavoured to make their way through the brushwood, without looking back to see who was pursuing them. as they had no other encumbrances than their muskets, they soon distanced us. not one of them fell, for mr talboys refrained from firing, as did i, waiting until he told me to do so. "now, my young friend, it will be well to beat a retreat before these rascals discover that we are alone," he said. we were about to do as he proposed, when, unfortunately, one of the blacks, who was nearer to us than the rest, looked round, and seeing no one besides us, shouted to his companions. now one stopped, now another, till the whole party came to a stand-still, turned round, and faced us. "spring back and try to get under cover," said mr talboys in a low voice. "if the fellows advance, fire; but not till then. i'll speak to them." he then shouted, "you have carried off two young people from my house. give them up at once unhurt, and we will not punish you as you deserve; but if they're injured, not one of you shall escape hanging." "we not got de young white folks here," sang out a voice from among the negroes. "you talk ob hanging, massa; take care we not hang you. what we stop here for?" continued the speaker to his companions; "dere not many dere, or dey cum on." from the way the blacks were looking, i guessed that they were trying to discover how many persons were opposed to them; but as yet they fancied that there were others behind us. "do you quietly retreat, my young friend," said mr talboys in a low voice. "make your way back to the house as fast as you can, and tell them to be on their guard. i can manage these fellows as well alone, and your life would be needlessly risked by remaining." "i will do as you wish, sir; but if there's to be fighting, i should prefer to stay by you," i answered. "i'll try to avoid it, then," said my friend, and once more he spoke to the blacks. "if the young folks are not with you, tell me where they are." "we know nothin'," answered the black. "maybe by dis time dey hang from de branch ob one tree." "i don't believe that any of you would have had the cruelty to kill them," he cried out. "do as i wish you," he continued, in a low voice, to me. still i could not bring myself, for the sake of saving my own life, to leave him to be taken by the blacks; for it seemed to me that he would have but a small chance of escaping from them. i was hesitating, when i heard a shout from beyond where they were standing, and presently a number more rushed up, who by their furious gestures, as soon as they saw us, seemed to threaten our immediate destruction. "i'll kill the first who comes on," cried mr talboys. they answered with derisive cries, and several of them levelled their muskets. mr talboys and i kept ours pointed at them, sheltering ourselves as we could behind the trunks of two trees which stood close together. our chance of escaping appeared very small. while we thus kept the blacks in check, a sound in the rear struck my ears. it was the tramp of many feet. it became louder and louder. the blacks, jabbering away as they were to each other, did not apparently hear it. mr talboys did, however, and he knew that it was more important than ever to refrain from firing. he again shouted to them-- "do any of you who have just come know where my daughter and young friend are gone to?" they didn't reply, but we heard them talking to one another. this further put off the time. the sound of tramping feet grew louder. "you make fool ob us, massa talboys," at last said one of the blacks, who, probably from his understanding english, had been chosen as spokesman. gesticulating violently, the whole body now gave vent to loud shouts and cries, and dashed forward, with the intention of overwhelming us. we both fired, in the hopes of delaying their advance, and then sprang back to the shelter of some other trees we had noted behind us. the blacks, as they rushed on, fired, but their bullets passed high above our heads, stripping off the bark and branches, which came rattling down upon us. we had but a small chance of again escaping, should we attempt the same proceeding; but, as the blacks were within twenty paces of us, a party of redcoats dashed through the brushwood, one of their leaders being a small naval officer whom, to my joy, i recognised as tom pim. the blacks saw the soldiers, and, without waiting to encounter the sharp points of their bayonets, turned, and scampered off as fast as they could manage to get through the bushes, the speed of most of them being increased by the bullets poured in on them, while several bit the ground. the soldiers continued the pursuit till the blacks, scattering in all directions, got out of range of their muskets. mr talboys and i accompanied them; but not till the halt was called had we an opportunity of speaking to tom. "and where is lucy, my dear fellow?" asked mr talboys, grasping tom by the hand. "all right, sir," answered tom. "she's safe in the house. when the blacks broke in last night, she was close to the door, and a piece of wood striking her, she fell to the ground. the blacks, rushing in, seized her before i was able to lift her up, and while i was shouting out for assistance, and trying to defend her, they got hold of me, and carried us both off. it was only a short time ago that i knew you were safe; for i was dreadfully afraid that they had got into the house, and murdered you all. fortunately, the blacks allowed miss lucy and me to remain together; so i told her to keep up her spirits, and that i would try and help her to run away. most of the blacks who at first had charge of us hurried back, expecting to pillage the house, and only two remained. we heard the shots you fired, but i still did not know that you had driven them out. meantime our two black guards were so occupied in trying to find out what was going on, that i took the opportunity of drawing my hanger, which had not been taken from me, and giving one a slash across the eyes, and another a blow which nearly cut off his arm. i seized miss lucy's hand, and we ran off as fast as we could. neither of our guards were in a condition to follow us, and we ran and ran, scarcely knowing in what direction we were going. miss lucy said that she thought we were on the high road to kingston; but she became at last so tired that she could go no further, and we had to rest. it soon became daylight; and just as we were going on again, we met with the soldiers, who were being brought up by captain ryan to your assistance." "you behaved most bravely, and i am deeply indebted to you, my young friend," said mr talboys, grasping tom's hand. "had you not offered so determined a resistance, i believe that the blacks would have got into the house, and we should all have been destroyed." as the men had had a long and rapid march, their commander was glad to accept mr talboys' invitation to return at once to belmont, to partake of the refreshments they so much needed. miss lucy on our arrival rushed into her father's arms, and was warm in her praises of the gallant way in which tom had rescued her. everybody was engaged either in cooking or carrying provisions to the soldiers, who had assembled under the shade of the trees in front of the house. sentries were of course placed, to give due notice should the blacks rally and attempt another attack, though mr talboys considered it very improbable that such would be made. as our leave was to expire the day after these events took place, having enjoyed a sound sleep, early in the morning we started in the carriages that had brought us, cato driving tom and me. we were glad to think that our kind friends were well protected, as captain ryan said that his orders were to remain there until reinforcements arrived. i won't describe our parting, or what tom said to miss lucy; if not affecting, it was cordial. on our way we met more troops moving towards belmont. we got back to kingston, and thence on board the frigate, within the time mr saunders had given us leave to be absent. the account of our adventures created great interest on board. when i told larry of our narrow escape with mr talboys-- "thin, maisther terence dear, don't be after going on shore again without me," he exclaimed. "if you had been killed i'd never have lifted up my head, nor shown my face at ballinahone again; for they would be saying that i ought to have been by your side, and died with you if i could not save you." i promised larry not to go anywhere, if i could help it, without him. we expected soon to have sailed, but we were detained by sir peter parker, then the admiral at jamaica. there were also several other frigates and three line-of-battle ships in the harbour. tom and i especially wanted to be off, as we could not expect to obtain leave again to go on shore, though we determined if the ship was detained to ask for it. "not much chance of that," observed nettleship, who had just come from the shore. "the people are expecting an attack from the french and spaniards, who have large fleets out here under the count de grasse, and the governor has just got a letter, it is said, taken on board a prize, in which the whole plan for the capture of the island is detailed. the inhabitants are everywhere up in arms, and vow that they will fight to the last sooner than yield. more troops are expected, and every preparation is being made for the defence of the island." we had seen the _triton_ frigate go out that morning, though we were not aware of her destination. she carried despatches from sir peter parker, giving lord howe the information which had been received, and requesting that reinforcements might immediately be sent to the island. the people on shore were actively engaged in strengthening fort george, fort augusta, and the apostles' battery, and throwing up new forts in various directions. while the blacks were labouring at the fortifications, all the white men were being drilled to serve in the militia, which was numerous and enthusiastic; so we hoped that even should the french and spaniards land, they would be soundly thrashed. some days passed before we received any news of our friends at belmont. no leave was granted, as the captain could not tell at what moment we should be ordered to sea. tom and i were therefore unable to go to kingston to make inquiries about them. at length a shore-boat came off with letters, and one, which i knew by the superscription to be from mr talboys, was handed to me. as i opened it, a small delicate note-- addressed, tom pim, esquire, h.m.s. _liffy_--fell out. as tom was standing close to me at the time, he eagerly snatched it up. i was right in my surmises with regard to my letter. mr talboys having again expressed his thanks for the services my messmates and i had rendered him, after saying that his family were all well, went on to inform me that the outbreak of the blacks had been quickly suppressed, the ringleaders having been caught and hanged. mr marchant's house and three others had alone been destroyed, and with the exception of an overseer and two clerks, the remainder of the inhabitants had managed to escape. "i hope," he added, "that we shall see you and your messmates again, and i shall be especially pleased to welcome that brave young fellow who so gallantly rescued my daughter." "what does your letter say, tom?" i asked, when i had finished mine. "well, i shouldn't like to show it to any one else," he said; "but as you know how i regard miss lucy, i will to you. i can't say that i am quite satisfied with it. it's a little too patronising, as if she thought herself a great deal older than i am. you shall have it," and he handed me the note. "my dear tom,"--it began,--"you are such a dear little fellow that i feel i must write to you to say how grateful i am to you for having saved me from those dreadful blacks. i should not have supposed that you would have been able to do it, but i shall never forget your bravery. i long to come back to kingston, to see you again, and tell you so. but papa says that you are not likely to obtain leave, so i must wait patiently till we have beaten the french and spaniards who threaten to invade our island, and peace is restored. i wish i could promise to do as you ask me, but mamma says i should be very foolish if i did. do you know, i think so likewise; because it may be years and years before you are a commander, or even a lieutenant; but i want you to understand, notwithstanding, that i like you very much, and am very grateful, and shall always be so, as long as i live. so, my dear tom, believe me, your sincere friend,--lucy talboys." "it's very clear, tom, that miss lucy will not commit herself, and it's fortunate for you probably that she is so hardhearted," i observed. "i'd advise you not to be downcast about the matter, and be content with the friendship and gratitude of her family." tom, however, looked very melancholy, and some time afterwards chaffey observed to me that he was sure something was amiss with tom, as he was completely off his feed. while we were allowed to go on shore our life was pleasant enough, but when confined on board it was somewhat dreary work, and we all longed for a change of some sort. a climate with the thermometer at ninety doesn't conduce to high spirits. we were aroused one evening as most of us were below, by sinnet rushing into the berth, and exclaiming-- "the _glasgow_ is on fire, and the boats are ordered away to her assistance." the _glasgow_ was a frigate, lying at no great distance from us, and was to have sailed with the land breeze with a company of troops to the westward. we hurried on deck. our boats were being lowered, as were those of the other ships in the harbour. smoke in dense volumes was rising from the hatchways of the _glasgow_, and more was pouring out of her ports. her crew were at their stations, hauling up buckets of water, and labouring like brave men to quench the rising flames; but all their efforts, as far as i could see, were ineffectual. nettleship and some of the older midshipmen went off in the boats. "i hope that they'll draw the charges of their guns, or we shall have some of their shot rattling on board us," said tom. "there are plenty of boats, so i don't suppose any of the crew will be lost." "i should think not, unless the magazine catches fire," i answered. "they'll drown that the first thing, if they can," remarked tom. "i wish we could have gone in one of the boats. i don't like to see people in danger and be unable to try and help them." chapter twelve. the hurricane. in spite of all the exertions being made on board, with the assistance of the men from the other ships who had now arrived alongside, the smoke increased in denseness, and presently burst up above the hatchway, while we could see the red glare through the ports. the ship having been in the west indies for some time, her woodwork was like tinder, and the flames rapidly gained the mastery. now forked tongues of fire burst out from the midship ports, gradually working their way forward and aft. at length all attempts to save the ship were abandoned. the crew were seen descending into the boats, some collected forward, others under the quarter. down they came by ladders and ropes, the midshipmen and the boys first, the men following, looking like strings of sausages surrounding the ship. rapidly as every one moved, there was no confusion. as the boats were loaded they pulled off, others taking their places. so quickly had the fire spread that it seemed as if the officers had scarcely space left them to stand on before descending. shouts were raised when the glitter of the gold lace on their coats was seen as they came over the quarter. the last man to quit was the brave captain of the ship. almost in an instant afterwards she was in a fierce blaze fore and aft, the flames rushing out of the cabin windows as well as through the bow ports. we in the meantime had got springs on our cables, as had all the other ships, in case she should drift from her moorings. "i suspect the shot were withdrawn," i observed to tom pim. "i hope so," he answered; but just then--crash! there came a couple of round shot against our side, while more guns were heard going off in the opposite direction. we immediately hauled away on one of our springs, just in time to escape several more iron missiles, which went bounding across the harbour. three or four other ships were struck, but no one on board ours was hurt. presently there came a loud roar, the mizen-mast shot up, followed by the after-part of the deck, and then came hissing down into the water. the flames surrounding the other masts formed a fiery pinnacle rising into the dark sky, and immediately afterwards down they came with loud crashes, the ship looking like a huge roaring and raging cauldron of flame, while crash succeeded crash as the heated guns fell into the hold. several of the people brought on us were severely scorched, showing the desperate efforts they had made to try and save their ship. dr mccall and the assistant-surgeons had work enough in attending to them. fortunately the soldiers had not arrived alongside the _glasgow_ before she caught fire, and when they came down the harbour they were put on board our frigate, and we received orders to carry them to their destination. everything was done as rapidly as possible for their accommodation. the men were berthed on the main-deck. the captain received the commanding officer, the lieutenants messed in the gun-room, and we had the pleasure of entertaining the ensigns. the land breeze began blowing about eight o'clock, the time the _glasgow_ was to have sailed. we were detained some time in getting off provisions from the shore, but by dint of hard work all was ready by ten o'clock, and the night being bright, the anchor was hove up. with every sail that we could carry set, we glided out of the harbour. it was important to get a good offing, so that we might weather portland point, the southernmost part of the island, before the sea-breeze should again begin to blow. we hoped that the land breeze, which generally begins to drop about midnight, would last longer than usual, so as to carry us well out to sea. there are ugly rocks off portland which it is not pleasant to have under the lee at any time. "shure it would be hard to bate these nights out here, mr terence," said larry, whom i met on deck, and who seemed to enjoy as much as i did the calm beauty of the scene, the stars like specks of glittering gold shining out of the heavens of the deepest blue, each one reflected in the tranquil ocean. the line of coast, seen astern and on our starboard quarter, rose into various-shaped mountains, their outlines clearly marked against the sky; while every now and then a mass of silver light was spread over the water, as some inhabitant of the deep leaped upwards, to fall again with a splash into its liquid home. i asked larry how hoolan was going on after his flogging. "he doesn't talk much, mr terence, but he looks as sulky as ever, and i wouldn't trust him more than before," was the reply. "he can harm no one, at all events," i observed; "and i don't think he has much chance of making his escape, even if he still thinks of attempting it." "faith, i don't fancy he could hide himself among the black fellows; and no merchant skipper would like to have him aboard his craft," said larry. going aft, i met tom pim, for he and i were in the first watch. we were pacing the deck together, when we were joined by one of our passengers, ensign duffy. "can't sleep, my dear fellows," he said in a melancholy tone, which made tom and me laugh. "my thoughts are running on a charming little girl i met at kingston. i was making prodigious way with her when we were ordered off to the out-of-the-way corner of the world to which you are carrying us, and the chances are we shall not meet again." "what's her name, duffy?" i asked. "lucy talboys," he answered promptly. "i don't mind telling you young fellows, as you are not likely to prove rivals; but i say, if either of you meet her i wish you'd put in a word about me. say how miserable i looked, and that you are sure i had left my heart at kingston." "i will gladly say anything you wish; but perhaps she will think you left it with some other lady," i observed. "say i was always sighing and uttering `lucy! lucy!' in my sleep." "i'll not say anything of the sort," exclaimed tom. "i never heard you utter her name till now, and i don't believe she cares the snuff of a candle for you." just as we were about to go below, at eight bells, we made out portland point broad on our starboard beam, so that we hoped, should the wind not fail us before morning, to be well to the westward of it. we were just turning into our hammocks, the other watch having been called, when we heard the canvas flap loudly against the masts, and were summoned on deck again to take in studding-sails. still the land wind favoured us, the sails once more bulged out, and before we went below we had brought portland point on the quarter. when we went on deck again in the morning the frigate lay nearly becalmed off carlisle bay, thence we had a westerly course to pedro bluff. the sun, as it rose higher and higher in the cloudless sky, beat down hot and strong upon our heads, while officers and men, as they paced the deck, whistled perseveringly for a breeze. at length a dark blue line was seen extending in the south-east across the shining waters. it approached rapidly. presently the canvas blew out, and with tacks on board we stood along the coast. our speed increased with the rising breeze. we were not long in getting round pedro bluff, when we stood directly for savannah-le-mer, then a pretty flourishing little town at the south-west end of the island. here we were to land some of the redcoats, and were to take the rest round to montego bay, at the north-west end of jamaica. we came off it on the following morning. as the harbour is intricate, we hove-to outside, while the soldiers were landed in the boats. i went in one, and tom pim in another, the second lieutenant having the command of the whole. we had a long and a hot pull, and ensign duffy, who was in my boat, declared that if it was proportionately hot on shore to what it was on the water, he should expect to be turned into baked meat before he had been there long. larry was pulling bow-oar, and very well he pulled by this time, for though he was a perfect greenhorn when he came to sea, he had been accustomed to row on the shannon. the frigate, i should have said, was to call on her way back for some of the soldiers whom those we took out had come to relieve. our approach had been seen by the officers at the barracks, which were situated about a mile from the town; and they came down to welcome their comrades in arms. leaping on shore, the rocks which formed the landing-place being slippery, i fell, and came down on my knees with great force. i felt that i was severely hurt, and on attempting to rise, found it impossible to do so, even with the assistance of larry, who sprang to my side, uttering an exclamation of sorrow. on this, one of the officers, whom i perceived by his dress to be a surgeon, came up to me, and at once examined my hurt. "it requires to be instantly attended to," he said, "or inflammation may set in, and in this climate the consequences may be serious." my friend duffy proposed that i should be carried to the barracks, though my lieutenant at first objected to letting me go, declaring that he should not be long in getting back to the ship. "long enough to allow of the young gentleman losing his leg, or perhaps his life," remarked the surgeon. "i'll have him at once taken to a house in the town, and when your frigate comes back, i hope he'll be in a condition to embark." hearing this, the lieutenant not only gave me leave to remain, but allowed larry to stay and attend on me. tom pim took my hand as duffy and some of his men were placing me upon a door, which had been procured to carry me into the town. "i wish that i was going to stay with you, paddy," he said; "but it's of no use to ask leave, though i'd give a great deal if i could. we shall be very dull without you." "thank you, tom," i answered. "if i had my will i'd rather go off. i suppose the doctor is right; and it's safer to let him attend to me at once." i was carried immediately to a house which i found belonged to a mr hans ringer, an attorney, who had charge of several plantations in that flourishing neighbourhood. the doctor and he, it was evident, were on most intimate terms, for on our arrival, without any circumlocution, the latter at once said-- "i have brought a young midshipman who requires to be looked after, and i'd be obliged to you if you'd order your people to get a room ready for him immediately." i could scarcely have supposed that so serious an injury could have been so easily inflicted. soon after my arrival i nearly fainted with the pain, but the doctor's treatment at length soothed it, and he was able to set the injured bones. i must make a long story short, however. mr ringer and his family treated me with the greatest kindness; indeed, nothing could surpass the hospitality of the inhabitants of jamaica; and it was with the utmost difficulty, when i got better, that the doctor could get him to allow me to be carried to the barracks, where the fresher air would assist me in regaining my strength. larry, of course, spent most of his time with me; indeed, had i not insisted on his going out, he never would have left my bedside. i was now every day expecting the return of the frigate, when i believed that, well or ill, i should have to go on board her. "that must depend on circumstances, my lad," said dr mcmanus. "for if you can't go, you can't. the captain must find another opportunity of getting you on board." "but suppose the frigate has to fight an action, i would not be absent on any account," i exclaimed. "with a fractured tibia, and the inflammation which would be sure to supervene, you would not render much service to your country," observed the doctor. "when you have sufficiently recovered you can get back to port royal, and rejoin your ship; she's not likely to be sent to a distance while the enemy's fleet threaten the island. indeed, we require all the forces on shore and afloat we can collect. i don't quite understand what we shall do if we are attacked here, though i'm very sure we shall fight to the last before we let the french and spanish land." i saw that there was no use in arguing the point, but i was determined, if i could, to go off and rejoin my ship. larry did his best to console me. "it's not a bad place to be in, if you only had the use of your legs, mr terence. them nager boys and girls are mighty funny creatures. what bothers me most is that i didn't bring my fiddle on shore, for sure if i had, it would have been after setting them all dancing, till they danced out of their black skins. it's rare fun to see them laughing as if they'd split their sides, when i sing to them. they bate us irishmen hollow at that fun, i'll allow. i find it a hard matter to contain myself when i see them rolling their eyes and showing their white teeth as they stretch their mouths from ear to ear." i happened to tell dr mcmanus of larry's talent. "i'll try and get a fiddle for the boy, and put it to the test," he said good-naturedly. in the evening i was aroused from a nap into which i had fallen, by the sound of an irish jig played on a violin, followed by shouts of laughter, clapping of hands, shrieks, and merriment, while the noise of feet from the courtyard below told me that larry had been as good as his word. i thanked the doctor, who came in while the revels were at their height. "i sent into the town and borrowed a fiddle, for i was sure that your follower's music would do as much good to the men as the fresh air of the hills. they and the black boys and girls are all toeing and heeling it together. the niggers, i confess, beat them hollow in agility and endurance." i asked the doctor to wheel me to the window, that i might look out and see the fun. he good-naturedly complied, and assisted me to sit up. there were forty or fifty white men, and almost double the number of blacks of both sexes,--the women dressed in gay-coloured petticoats, with handkerchiefs round their heads; the men in white or striped cotton--the light colour contrasting with their dark skins,--one and all clapping their hands, snapping their fingers, and moving here and there in figures it was difficult to follow, but all evidently enjoying themselves immensely, judging by their grinning countenances and rolling eyes. after this larry became an immense favourite with the soldiers, as he found not a few of our countrymen among them. the officers of the little garrison were very kind to me, and i was never in want of society, as one or other was constantly by my bedside. notwithstanding this, as i got better i became more and more anxious to receive news of the frigate, and began to wonder what had become of her. though i could not walk, i saw no reason why i should not return on board. the doctor, however, was still of a different opinion; and i was greatly disappointed when, on returning from the town one day, he told me that she had come off the harbour, and that he had sent on board to say that i was not yet fit to be moved, but would rejoin my ship by the first opportunity after i was convalescent. i could only thank him for his kindness, keeping my feelings to myself. at length i was able to get out of bed, and walk with the assistance of a crutch. had the doctor and larry not held me up, however, the first time i made the attempt, i should have fallen down again. i felt just as, i suppose, an infant does on his first trying to toddle. after this i got rapidly better, and was soon able to join the officers in the mess-room, and in a short time to throw away my crutches. the first walk i proposed to take was into savannah-le-mer to inquire about vessels proceeding to port royal. i was accompanied by ensign duffy and larry. with their help i got on better than i expected; and though i didn't feel inclined to take a leap, i fancied that if put to it i could run as well as ever. we repaired to the house of mr ringer, who received us cordially, and from him i learnt that a fine vessel, the _princess royal_, would sail for kingston the next day. he insisted on my remaining at his house, promising to drive me back to the barracks in the evening, that i might wish the kind doctor and my other friends there good-bye. we accordingly returned as he proposed. it was a difficult matter to get larry away from his late companions, who seemed inclined to detain him _vi et armis_, the men grasping his hands, and the black girls hanging round him, many of them blubbering outright at the thoughts of parting from the "lubly irish boy dat play de fiddle,"--as for pronouncing his name, that they found beyond their power. the officers drank my health in overflowing bumpers, and had i not remembered my uncle's advice, and prevented my own glass from being filled, i should not have been in a fit state to present myself at mr ringer's hospitable mansion. i remember thinking the night oppressively hot, and was thankful that mr ringer was good enough to drive me from the barracks into the town. "i don't know what to make of the weather," said my host the next morning, when we met at breakfast. not a breath of wind stirred the atmosphere, and it seemed as if all nature was asleep; while the sky, instead of being of a cerulean blue, was suffused, as the sun rose, with a fiery red tinge. the hour--about noon--at which it was arranged that i should go on board was approaching. my host offered to accompany me down to the harbour, but before we reached it we encountered a violent squall, which almost took us off our legs, and sent larry's hat flying up the street. he made chase after it, and we stopped to let him overtake us, while a number of other people, caught by the wind, passed us running off in the same direction. at length his hat, driven into a doorway, was recovered, and larry came battling against the wind to rejoin us. "you'll not put to sea to-day," said my friend; "nor for many a day to come, if i mistake not; but we'll make our way to the harbour, and see how things are going on there." on reaching it we found the sea already lashed into a mass of seething foam. the larger vessels strained at their anchors, some tossing and tumbling about, others already overwhelmed by the waves. it was with difficulty we could stand our ground. "unless the hurricane passes by, for hurricane it is, not one of those vessels will escape destruction," said mr ringer. as he spoke, one of them parted from her cables and drove towards the shore. "we must beat a rapid retreat if we wish to save our lives," he continued; "the tempest is down upon us!" the wind, which had previously blown from the south-east, suddenly shifted to the southward. grasping my arm, he hurried me off from the spot on which we were standing. at the same time down came a deluge of rain--not in mere drops, but in regular sheets of water. it wetted us to the skin in a few moments. larry, now seizing my other arm, dragged me forward. as we looked back for a moment, we observed the sea rising in a mountain billow, hissing and foaming, and approaching the shore. it was but the first, however, of others still larger which were to follow. it broke with a thundering roar,--the water rushed on, flowing by the spot we had already reached; but even though we were nearly up to our knees, i couldn't resist taking another glance behind. the whole ocean was covered with wreck; and one of the larger vessels i had seen just before, had disappeared beneath the surface. as we hurried on, crash succeeded crash. first one house fell, then another, and another, and from some bright flames burst forth, which even the descending rain failed to quench. it was useless to attempt saving the lives of our fellow-creatures, for the same destruction would have overtaken us. our great object was to reach the higher country in the direction of the barracks. had larry and i been alone, we should in all probability have lost our lives; but mr ringer, knowing the town, led us quickly through it by the shortest route. as we dashed through the streets, scarcely looking to the right hand or to the left, piercing cries of agony and despair struck on our ears. the smaller and more lightly built houses were levelled in a moment, and many even of the larger were crumbling away. "don't you wish to go to your own house? if so, we must not stop you; we will go with you," i said to mr ringer. "we should only be crushed by the falling ruins if we made the attempt," he answered at the top of his voice, and even then i could scarcely hear what he said. "i'll try and get to it from the rear when i have seen you out of the town." not far off from where we then were was a fine house, that had hitherto withstood the hurricane. presently a blast struck us which, had we not clung together, would have blown us down. at the same time, looking up, i saw the house literally rocking. down came one wall, and then another, the roof fell in, and in one instant it was a heap of shapeless ruins. "i trust the inmates have escaped," cried mr ringer. just then loud shrieks and cries for help struck on our ears. they came, it seemed, from beneath the ruins. we could not withstand the appeal for assistance, and calculating as well as we could in what direction the still standing walls would fall, we sprang forward, taking a course to avoid them across the mass of ruins. an arch, which had apparently formed the centre of a passage, was yet uninjured, though blocked up. the cries seemed to us to come from thence. we should find, we knew, great difficulty in removing the _debris_ which encumbered it, and the walls might at any moment fall down and crush us. still larry and i, having climbed to the top of the heap, began pulling away the beams and planks and rubbish which stopped up the entrance. mr ringer joined us, though evidently considering our occupation a very dangerous one. however, we persevered, and at length had made an opening sufficiently large to look in. we could see two ladies, an old gentleman, and a mulatto servant. "we have come to help you," i cried out. "if you'll climb up here you'll be free, and there may yet be time, mr ringer thinks, to reach the open country." mr ringer joining us, the two gentlemen recognised each other. "what, martin! glad to see you safe," said the former. "come, get out of that place as fast as possible." encouraged by us, the youngest of the ladies first made the attempt, and succeeded in getting high enough to reach our hands. the old lady followed, though unless mr martin and the mulatto girl had shoved behind, we should have found it impossible to have got her through. mr martin and the girl followed. as may be supposed, we didn't stop longer on the ruins than was necessary, but scrambling over them, again reached the open street. scarcely were we there before down came the remaining wall, with a crash which broke in the arch. it would certainly have destroyed mr martin and his family had they been there. the event showed us clearly the importance of getting out of the town. it seemed scarcely possible that any one passing through the narrow streets could escape being killed. even in the broader ones the danger of being crushed was fearful. mr ringer assisted mrs martin, i offered my aid to the young lady, and larry took charge of the old gentleman, who required helping as much as his wife and daughter. i had forgotten all about my lameness. we of course were somewhat delayed in our progress. now we had to scramble over fallen walls--now we narrowly escaped being killed by masses of masonry and timber falling around us. at length the open was reached, and we made our way to some higher ground overlooking the bay. we had reason to be thankful that we were out of the town. providentially we reached a small stone building, which afforded us some shelter from the driving rain and furious wind, against which it was impossible to stand alone. the bay, as we looked down upon it, presented a fearful scene. the whole shore was strewn with masses of wreck. not a small craft had escaped, and the largest, with all anchors down, were tossing about, and seemed every moment likely to be engulfed. the town itself was a heap of ruins, scarcely a house was standing, and none had escaped injury. in some places flames were raging, which would have set fire to other houses had it not been for the mass of water descending on them, while even amid the uproar of the elements we could hear the shrieks and cries of the inhabitants who still survived. presently another immense wave rolled into sight, out of the dense mist which now shrouded the ocean. on it came with a tremendous roar. the first vessel it reached was in a moment buried beneath it. we thought the others would share the same fate, but the cables parted, and they were borne on the summit of the wave high up above the beach. on, on it came. mr ringer shouted out to us to escape; and he had reason to do so, for it seemed as if the wave would overwhelm the spot where we stood. though the water swept up a portion of the height, the wave broke before it reached it, leaving the _princess royal_ high and dry on the shore, while it receded, roaring and hissing, carrying off everything in its course. the crew of the stranded ship had good cause to be thankful for their escape. on again looking towards the town, we saw that the sea had swept away many of the houses in the lower part, while the water rushed through the streets, extinguishing some of the fires, and must have overwhelmed all caught in its embrace. mr ringer proposed that we should make our way to the barracks, but the ladies were unwilling to encounter the storm, and begged to remain where they were. evening was now approaching, but the hurricane gave no signs of abating. in whatever direction we looked we could see its dire effects. not a shrub, not a cane, remained standing. every tree had been blown down. it seemed as if a vast scythe had passed over the land. the uproar continued as loud as before. "this is a mighty curious country," shouted larry to me. "it beats a faction fight in tipperary hollow. i was after thinking it was the most peaceable disposed part of the world, seeing how quiet it has been since we came out here. hullo! what's that?" there was a loud rumbling sound. the earth shook beneath our feet. "it's an earthquake," cried mr ringer. "heaven forbid that it should increase." the ladies clung to mr martin with looks of terror. again there came that fearful shaking of the earth; many of the remaining buildings toppled over. flashes of lightning, brighter than i had ever before beheld, darted from the sky and lighted up the sea. even the night scarcely added to the horrors of those moments, as far as we were concerned, though it must have done so to the miserable people still within the precincts of the town. at one time the water seemed to recede altogether out of the bay, but presently, as if gathered up in a heap, it once more rolled over the land. hour after hour went by, till about midnight, almost as suddenly as it had commenced, the hurricane passed away from us on its devastating course; and in a short time, excepting the roar of the surf upon the shore, scarcely a sound was heard. on this we set out for the barracks, hoping that they had withstood the tempest. although they had suffered considerably, the larger portion had escaped. mr martin and his wife and daughter warmly expressed their gratitude to us for having rescued them from their perilous position, saying that they must have perished had we not come to their assistance. "i wish that i had a home to which to invite you, said mr martin, with a melancholy smile; but i trust that my house may ere long be rebuilt, and that i may have the means of showing my gratitude better than i can now." "i shall be very happy to stay with you if i have the chance," i answered; "but i suspect it will be a long time before i again get leave." the officers, as might have been expected, received us in the kindest way possible. duffy was delighted to see us. he fancied i might have gone on board, and sailed before the hurricane came on. next morning the commanding officer marched the whole of the men down, to render such assistance as they could to the survivors among the suffering inhabitants. i have never since witnessed a more fearful scene of destruction than the town presented. numbers were lying about in the streets, where they had been crushed to death by the falling masses, many among them being the principal people in the place. in all directions the survivors were rushing about in quest of relatives or friends; while the larger number of the dead lay concealed beneath the ruins. the appearance of the _princess royal_ was extraordinary. we had seen her cast on shore and left on her beam-ends. at present she was perfectly upright, the ground beneath her keel, during the earthquake, having given way: and there she lay, securely embedded, without the possibility of ever being set afloat again, about a quarter of a mile from the beach. two other vessels had been driven higher on shore, but lay on their beam-ends. it was at once proposed to utilise the vessel, by making her the home of the houseless inhabitants; and forthwith the women and children, and men unable to labour, were collected on board her. as i surveyed the effects of the hurricane, i naturally felt very anxious about my ship, fearing that she might have been at sea, and been lost. i afterwards learned that it was only the eastern wing of the hurricane that had swept by the western end of jamaica, but that its influence in a less degree had been felt over the whole island. as soon as the news reached kingston, vessels were despatched with provisions, and such relief as could be afforded, for the sufferers. as i was anxious to get back, i took my passage with larry on board the _rose_ schooner. the captain promised to land us at port royal in a couple of days; "always providing that we are not snapped up by the enemy, or that another hurricane doesn't come on," he observed. as we sailed out of the harbour, i could see at one glance, more clearly than before, the destruction worked by the hurricane and earthquake. the whole town appeared to be reduced to heaps of ruins, with here and there a few shattered walls standing up in their midst. the skipper of the _rose_ could give me no information about the _liffy_, there were a considerable number of men-of-war in the harbour, and he had not taken especial note of any of them. "if she was at sea during the hurricane, it is a hundred to one that she escaped," he observed. we made all sail, and kept in shore as much as we could, lest the enemy's privateers might spy us out, and carry us off to saint domingo, or elsewhere. we, however, escaped all dangers; and, to my great joy, on entering port royal i made out the _liffy_ among the other men-of-war at anchor. the _rose's_ boat took me alongside. mr saunders was on deck, so i went up to him. "come aboard, sir," i said, touching my hat. "what, my lad! is it you?" he exclaimed. "i'm glad to see you. there was a report that you had perished during the hurricane at savannah. how is your leg? able to return to your duty, i hope?" "as able and willing as ever, sir," i answered. "that's all right; there'll be work for us all, ere long." as i entered the berth there was a regular shout, "hurrah, paddy finn!" "glad to have you back, youngster," cried nettleship. tom pim grasped my hand, and seemed unwilling to let it go, though he didn't say as much as many of the others. i had to answer whole volleys of questions from my messmates, who were all eager to know what had happened to me. i described our narrow escape from the town, and modestly touched on the part i had taken in rescuing mr martin and his wife and daughter. "glad to see you uphold the honour of the cloth," said nettleship; "we should never see anybody in danger, and not try to help them at the risk of our lives." i was amply repaid by the praises my messmates bestowed upon me, for they knew that i had only told them the truth without exaggeration. i asked what they expected we should do next. "look out for the french and spanish fleets, which have long been threatening to pay the island a visit, and take possession of it, if they can," answered nettleship. "why they have not come before now i don't know; but there's some reason for it, i suppose." the sound of music, and the stamp of feet, as i went forward in the evening, showed me that larry's fiddle had been taken care of; and there he was, scraping away in high glee, setting his messmates dancing merrily to his music, they not troubling their heads about the fierce work which was in store for them. he had received, he afterwards told me, a hearty welcome from all hands, who were delighted to get him back among them. the next morning nettleship went on shore. we were most of us in the berth when he returned. "i have grand news, boys; not so much for us, though, as for the people of jamaica. the governor has received information that the spanish and french fleets were caught in the late hurricane, as they were cruising off cape francois. two spanish ships foundered, two more were driven no one knows where, and four were dismasted. two frenchmen were dismasted, one went to the bottom, and another was driven on shore, while the rest, considerably battered, had to bear away to havanna." "how do you know that it's all true?" asked several of the mess. "i heard it from the captain himself, and, what's more, we're to sail forthwith to carry the information to sir samuel hood, who is supposed to be at barbadoes. he sent me on to direct mr saunders to get the ship ready for sea, so that we may sail the moment he comes on board." the boatswain's call, summoning all hands on deck, prevented us from asking any further questions. it not being known at what moment the ship might be sent to sea, she was kept well provided with water and fresh provisions, so that we had nothing to wait for from the shore, except a few of the officers, who had gone to port royal. blue peter was hoisted and a gun fired, as a signal for them to come off. the topsails were loosed, the cable hove short, and we were ready to start at the first puff of the land breeze that might come off the mountains. we were all anxiously looking out for the appearance of the captain. the moment his gig came alongside, she was hoisted up, the anchor hove in, the sails let fall, and we glided out of the harbour. under the influence of the land breeze, with studding-sails set below and aloft, we ran on at a rapid rate, expecting that we should reach barbadoes in about a week at the furthest. when once away from the land, the wind dropped, and for hours we lay becalmed. the next morning we got a light breeze, which enabled us to steer our course. a constant look-out was kept for the enemy, for though the main body of the french fleet was said to be in harbour, it was likely that their cruisers would be met with. nettleship, tom pim, and i were in the morning watch. the first ruddy streaks, harbingers of the rising sun, had appeared in the eastern sky, when the look-out who had been sent aloft shouted, "a sail on the lee-bow." chapter thirteen. fresh captures. there had been a stark calm since the commencement of the middle watch. the sails still hung up and down against the masts. "what does she look like?" inquired mr bramston, the lieutenant of the watch. "a ship, sir," was the answer. nettleship, with his glass at his back, sprang up the rigging to take a look at the stranger. "she's a ship, sir, but appears to me to be a small one," he observed as he came down. the chances are that it's all we shall know about her. if she gets a breeze before us she'll soon be out of sight. soon after, some catspaws began to play across the water. "hurrah! we shall get the breeze before the stranger feels it," cried nettleship. now the canvas began to bulge out; now it again dropped. the royals and topgallant sails filled, and the frigate moved slowly through the water. her speed soon increased, however, as the breeze freshened. at length we could see the stranger from the decks, for, as she still lay becalmed, we were quickly coming up with her. nettleship again went aloft, and i followed him. "what do you think of her?" i asked. "she's spanish or french; i'm pretty certain of that. a flush-decked ship, probably carrying twenty to six-and-twenty guns." "if she can't escape, will she fight, do you think?" i inquired. "if her captain has any pluck in him, he may hope to knock away some of our spars, though he can't expect to take us," he said. when we again came below, and nettleship made his report, the drum beat to quarters. every stitch of canvas we could carry had been set, below and aloft. we were carrying down the breeze as we glided on towards the stranger. she also made all sail, though she still lay becalmed; but every moment we expected to see her canvas blow out, when, if she was a fast vessel, she might lead us a long chase before we could come up to her. as our object was to get down to barbadoes with all speed, the captain might consider it his duty to let her go, rather than be led out of his course. as we approached, our bow-chasers were got ready, to send her an unmistakeable message that she must strike, or run for it. hitherto she had shown no colours. presently the french ensign was run up at her peak. immediately afterwards a flash issued from her stern, and a shot came bounding over the water towards us; but we were not yet within range. "that's a long gun," observed nettleship. "if she keeps ahead, she may do us some damage with it before we get alongside of her." "give her the starboard bow gun, mr saunders," cried the captain. the gun being trained as far forward as possible, we yawed slightly to port. we watched the shot as it flew across the water. it was well aimed, for it struck the counter of the chase; but its force must have been nearly expended, for it fell back into the sea. all the sails of the chase were now drawing, and away she went before the wind. "she may still lead us a long dance, unless we can knock away some of her spars," observed nettleship. "she's evidently a fast craft, or her commander would not attempt to escape. we are, however, as yet gaining on her; and, if we can once get her under our broadside, we shall soon bring down her colours." while he was speaking, another shot was fired from the frenchman's stern. ricochetting over the surface, it passed close to our side. after this she continued firing shot after shot. two went through our canvas, others missed us. at last one came on board, and carried off a man's head. captain macnamara, anxious to get up to her, would not lose way by again yawing to fire; and we had to receive her shot without returning the compliment. "it's very annoying to be bothered by a small craft like that," said tom. "however, we'll pay her off when we do get up with her." fast as she was, our wider spread of canvas enabled us before long to bring our foremost guns to bear. they were fired in rapid succession. the first discharge produced no apparent damage; but at the second, down came her mizen-yard. on seeing this, our crew cheered lustily, and our guns were quickly run in and reloaded. the enemy, however, showed no intention of striking. just as we were again about to fire, putting her helm to starboard, she brought the whole of her larboard broadside to bear on us, and a dozen round shot came crashing aboard the frigate. three of our men fell, and several others were wounded, mostly by the splinters which flew about the deck. none of our spars, however, were shot away. before she could again keep before the wind the whole of our starboard broadside was poured into her. it was better aimed even than hers. the sound of the shrieks and cries rising from her deck told us of its fearful effects. still her colours were flying. again keeping before the wind, she stood on, blazing away at us from two long guns in her stern. the loss of her mizen told on her sailing. slowly but surely we got nearer and nearer. "shall we not soon be up with her?" i asked nettleship; for it was trying work to be peppered at without being able to return more than a single shot occasionally. "as surely as the sun sets and rises again, unless she knocks away one of our masts, or brings down our main or fore-yard; and then it's possible that she may get off after all." "i made sure we should have her before many minutes were over," i observed. i remarked the eager countenances of the men as they stood at their guns, expecting every moment the order to fire. it came at last. once more we kept away. "give it them now!" cried the captain, and every gun sent forth a sheet of flame. our shot told with fearful effect on the enemy's deck. there seemed to be confusion on board, and then a man was seen to spring aft, and down came the colours. a cheer rose from our men at the sight. we stood on, however, till we were close enough to hail, when the captain ordered through the speaking-trumpet the frenchman to heave to, threatening to fire another broadside if he failed to do so. the order was obeyed; and we also having hove-to, a boat was lowered to send on board and take possession. mr bramston went in her, and i accompanied him. on reaching the deck of the prize, a glance showed me the fearful damage our guns had produced. in all directions lay numbers of dead seamen, the deck slippery with gore. the bulwarks were shattered, two of the boats knocked to pieces, and the ship was otherwise severely damaged. a lieutenant stepped up to us. "my captain lies there," he said, and he pointed to a body concealed beneath a flag; "another of my brother officers is killed, the rest are wounded, and i alone am unhurt." mr bramston complimented him on his bravery, and told him to prepare for going on board the frigate. meantime other boats came alongside and removed the crew of the prize, which proved to be the _soleil_ carrying eighteen guns and six carronades, with a crew of one hundred and eighty men, upwards of thirty of whom were killed or wounded. mr bramston sent me back with this information. the captain at once decided to remove the prisoners, and send the prize to port royal. as no time was to be lost, the boats were lowered, and the prisoners soon brought on board. the captain at once sent for nettleship, tom, and me. "i intend to send you in charge of the prize, mr nettleship," he said, "and these two youngsters can accompany you. fifteen men are all i can spare you, so you must make the most of them. all the prisoners will be removed, with the exception of about a dozen, who may volunteer to assist in working the ship, so that you'll easily look after them." "thank you, sir, for the confidence you place in me," said nettleship, who would gladly have accepted the command, even if he had had but half a dozen men. tom and i promised to do our best, and hurried below to get our traps ready. i took care to apply for larry, and to remind him to bring his riddle with him, but i didn't hear what other men were selected to form the prize crew. ten of the frenchmen only could be induced to promise their assistance. tom and i, without loss of time, accompanied nettleship on board. as soon as the dead were put overboard, the decks washed down, and the damages the prize had received were repaired, the men who had come from the frigate to assist us returned to her. she stood to the southward, and we made sail for port royal. among the first men on whom my eyes fell was dan hoolan, looking as sulky and morose as ever, though he was going about his work with more activity than he generally displayed. as i caught sight of the rest of the crew, i found that three more of the irishmen pressed with him were among them. "i hope that by this time they are content with their lot, and will do their duty like men," i thought to myself; "still i would rather have had any others." "we are terribly short-handed, i must confess," said nettleship, as he and i were seated at dinner in the captain's cabin, while tom pim was acting as officer of the watch. "i know i can trust you two fellows, however, and we must make the most of the men we've got. there are many of them about the worst on board; but if we have fine weather, they won't have much to do, and we may hope not to catch a tartar on the way. we must take to our heels if we see a suspicious stranger, and the _soleil_ appears to have a fast pair, at all events, so we may hope to escape. though i would rather be in a condition to fight than have to run away." "the frenchmen only promised to assist in navigating the ship. we mustn't trust them to man the guns," i said. "we'll see what our own men can do without them, then," said nettleship in a cheery tone. we hurried over our dinner to let tom come down and take his, while nettleship and i went on deck. the weather looked favourable, and nettleship was in high spirits at finding himself in command of a fine ship. should he take her to port royal in safety, he might reasonably expect to obtain his long waited-for promotion. although the majority of the men sent with us were the least reliable of the crew, we had an old quartermaster, ben nash, and three other seamen, who were first-rate hands, and we took care to put two of them into each watch. of course there was plenty of work to do in getting the ship to rights. as soon as the men knocked off we heard larry's riddle going. stepping forward, i found that he had set all the frenchmen dancing, and some of our own men, too, who were enjoying themselves to their hearts' content. "larry will take good care to keep the people in good temper," i thought to myself, as i turned aft. when night came on, nettleship thought it prudent to shorten sail, as is the custom of careful merchant skippers, who can't perform that operation in a hurry. we lost nothing by so doing, as for some hours it was a stark calm. tom and ben nash were in one watch, nettleship and i in another. night passed quickly away. towards morning we got a breeze, and were once more standing on our course. we kept a bright look-out, not, as we should have liked, to watch for a prize, but to run away should a suspicious sail be sighted. we kept no colours flying, for should a frenchman see us, we might have a better chance of avoiding an encounter. at daylight, as we had a fair breeze, all sail was again set, and we stood gaily on our course. "if this weather holds, we shall be safe at anchor in a couple of days in port royal," said nettleship. "a sail ahead!" shouted the look-out, from aloft. "we must continue on our course till we see what she is," said nettleship. tom pim, who went aloft to have a look at her, on his return said that she was a brig, standing to the westward, but too far off at the time to judge of her size. she appeared to be almost becalmed, while we, carrying the breeze along with us, rapidly neared her. at length we could see her clearly from the deck. "she has hoisted her colours," observed nettleship. "though from the cut of her canvas she's english, as far as i can make out, her flag is french." we had not yet hoisted our colours; indeed, as we were standing, the frenchman could not have seen them even if we had. "there's no doubt about the flag," observed tom, who had taken the glass; "that is french, though she's an english merchantman, if i ever saw one. the people on board her recognise this ship as one of their own cruisers, and take us for a friend." "i believe you're right, tom," said nettleship, "and we'll not undeceive them." the stranger, having now got a breeze, hove-to, apparently wishing to speak us. we had to luff up a little to reach her. "hoist the french ensign," said nettleship to me; and i ran it up to the peak. as we got nearer it became necessary to shorten sail, that we might lower a boat to send on board and take possession, should it be found that the brig had been captured by the french. whether or not it was from the slow way in which we performed the operation, the suspicions of the frenchmen were aroused, and putting up their helm, they filled their sails and ran off before the wind. we immediately let fall our courses, and hauling down the french flag and hoisting the english, stood away in chase. "give her a shot, tom," said nettleship. "we mustn't let her lead us out of our course." tom and i hurried forward, and, training the gun ourselves, fired. the chase took no notice of the first shot, but we quickly again loaded, and managed to send a second plump on board her. to our satisfaction, she immediately rounded to, when we were soon up to her, we also heaving to to windward. "you shall board her, paddy," said nettleship. "take care to let the frenchmen understand that it was fortunate for them we didn't sink the brig." larry, hoolan, and four other men, formed my boat's crew, all of us of course being armed to the teeth. we found only ten men on board, three of whom were blacks, the rest french, under the command of a young french midshipman. he at once handed me his sword, with a polite bow. as i understood french,--i forget if i before said so,--i learnt from him that the brig was, as we supposed, english; that she had been captured a week before by a french corvette; and that he was on his way to saint domingo. he looked a little downcast on losing his command, but shrugged his shoulders, and observed that it was "_la fortune de la guerre_." i requested him and five of his white crew to accompany me on board my ship. he replied that he was ready, and begged that he might be allowed to carry his traps with him. "certainly, monsieur," i replied; and he dived down below, as he said, to pack them up. as he was much longer in the cabin than i considered necessary, i grew impatient, and followed him. i found him talking to a person in bed in one of the side-berths. "i ought, monsieur, to have told you that i have a brother aspirant, who is very ill; and i fear that it might cause his death were he to be removed. your captain would be conferring a great favour on us both, were he to allow me to remain with him, as no one else is so well able to nurse him as i am." "i'll ask him," i said, looking at the sick youth, who certainly appeared very ill. i regret, however, that i cannot delay longer, so you must come with me. "i'll obey you, monsieur," said the midshipman; and exchanging a few more words with his sick companion, he followed me on deck. leaving larry and two other men on board, i made three of the frenchmen take their places in the boat, and returned to the _soleil_ with the young frenchman. i told nettleship of the request he had made. "i don't like to refuse him, as what he says is no doubt true," said nettleship; "but we must take care that he plays us no tricks." "then am i to tell him that he may return on board the brig?" i asked. "yes, you may take him with you, for i intend to send you in charge of the prize, as i can't spare tom; but nash shall go with you,--you couldn't have a better man;--and so with five hands, and the help of the blacks you speak of, and a couple of the frenchmen, you'll be able to work the vessel, and by keeping in our wake you'll easily find your way to port royal." i was highly pleased at the confidence nettleship placed in me, especially as tom was not a bit jealous. "nettleship thinks that as i'm a little chap i shouldn't inspire the same respect among the frenchmen that you will," he said, as we shook hands before i went down the side. the brig was the _good luck_, bound from barbadoes to halifax when she had been captured. the french midshipman, who was profuse in his expressions of gratitude for being allowed to return to look after his sick messmate, told me that his name was la touche. as soon as the boat which had brought me on board had gone back to the _soleil_ she made sail, and i followed in her wake. i at once mustered my crew. the two frenchmen said that they were perfectly ready to do as their officer wished. "i desire you, then, to obey monsieur, who is in command of this vessel," said la touche. "certainly we will obey him," answered the frenchmen, making flourishing bows. the blacks, two of whom spoke english, said also that they were ready to obey me. on looking at the men, i saw that not only dan hoolan, but two of the men who had been pressed with him, had also been sent; but then i had ben and larry, on whom i could thoroughly rely; and the others, while we kept close to the _soleil_, would not venture to attempt any treachery. in less than an hour the wind fell very light. i saw, notwithstanding this, by the way in which the brig slipped through the water, that she was remarkably fast for an english merchant vessel. this was satisfactory, as i felt sure that during the night i was not likely to fall behind the _soleil_. as the day drew on the wind fell altogether, and we lay becalmed at a short distance from each other. i divided my crew into two watches. i took one with larry, two of our own crew, a frenchman, and a black. ben had charge of the other, with the remainder. i did not think it prudent to let la touche take a watch, though he politely offered to do so. the night was excessively hot, and i felt more inclined to remain on deck than below. after la touche and i had had supper, he said he would remain in the cabin to look after his sick friend. one of the frenchmen acted as steward, and the other as cook. the former frequently came into the cabin to bring us our meals, and to take food to the sick midshipman. i kept the first watch, and ben relieved me at midnight, when i lay down on deck, on a mattress i had brought up from the cabin, under a small awning rigged near the after-part of the vessel. i had been asleep for a couple of hours or more, when i was awakened by feeling the vessel heel suddenly over. "all hands on deck! shorten sail!" shouted ben in a lusty voice. i sprang to my feet. there was not a moment to lose. la touche, who had been awakened at the same time, rushed up on deck, followed by another person, who appeared to be as active as any one. as rapidly as we could, we let fly the topgallant sheets, lowered the peak, and brailed up the foresail, while the helm was put up. the brig righted, fortunately not carrying away the masts, and off we flew before the wind. the frenchmen and blacks behaved remarkably well, and ran aloft to reef the topsails, and stow the lighter sails, which were flapping loudly as they blew out with the wind. the sky had become overcast; the scud flew rapidly along, just above our heads, as it seemed, while the spoon-drift, blown off from rising seas, covered the ocean with a sheet of white. when all immediate danger was over, the stranger who had so mysteriously shown himself slipped down the companion ladder, and i was too busy to ask la touche who he was. i naturally concluded that he was the sick midshipman la touche had been so tenderly nursing. as soon as we had got the brig to rights, i looked out for the _soleil_ but could nowhere distinguish her. had she borne up? or having shortened sail in time, was she still keeping her course? i hoped that the latter was the case, and resolved to attempt hauling to the wind, and steering for port royal. i told ben of my intention, as he, i considered, was the best seaman among my crew. "it will be as much as we can do, sir, if we could do it at all," he answered. "the brig is not particularly stiff, or she would not have heeled over as sharply as she did just now." "the french officer knows better than we can what sail the brig will bear. i might ask his opinion," i remarked. "beg pardon, sir, but i would not ask him if i were you," said ben. "he'll of course say, `keep before the wind; but he won't say that if we do we shall chance to run right into the midst of a spanish or french fleet, or up to one of their cruisers, if so be this is only a passing gale." "i fear that it is not merely a passing gale; but still, if we can keep the brig on a wind, we'll try and do it," i said. i gave the order to man the braces, waiting for an opportunity to put the helm down and bring the brig up to the wind. scarcely was the order given, however, than a blast more furious than before struck the brig, and which, had i not delayed carrying out my intention, would either have hove her on her beam-ends or carried away the masts. on we flew before the wind, which was every moment increasing; while the seas rose higher and higher, and came roaring up around us. even now we had more sail set than we could safely carry, and i at once ordered the hands aloft to furl the main-topsail, and to closely reef the fore-topsail. yet even when this was done, the brig flew on at a tremendous pace. "to my mind, we've got old harry cane on board, sir," said ben; "and the sooner we get our fore-topsail stowed the better, to save it from being blown out of the bolt ropes, and the less likely we shall be to lose the masts. if the foremast goes, the mainmast will be pretty sure to follow." "you're right, ben," i answered, and i gave the order to furl the fore-topsail. ben and larry led the way aloft, and most of our own men followed; but the two frenchmen didn't seem to like the look of things, and remained on deck. i ordered them up, but they stood holding on to the bulwarks without moving, and i had no power to compel them. my own men, however, were able to perform the operation without their aid, and at length, having stowed the sail, they came down on deck. even now the brig dashed on at a furious rate, while the sea, roaring up astern, threatened constantly to poop her. fortunately, we had plenty of sea-room, and unless the wind should suddenly shift round to the opposite quarter, as i knew it might do, i hoped that we should keep afloat till the hurricane had abated. consulting with ben, i did everything he advised to secure the masts and spars. when la touche saw how we were employed, he went to the frenchmen and blacks, and induced them to assist; indeed, without their help we could scarcely have done what was necessary. as soon as we had finished all that was required, i went into the cabin, and asked la touche to find me a chart, and calculating where we had been when the hurricane first struck us, i marked down as well as i could the course we had since run, that i might better be able to find my way back to port royal. i was not a very experienced navigator, still, having the exercise of my wits, i hoped to succeed, and i felt not a little proud at the thought that i must trust to my own resources. i could not expect assistance from la touche, and no one else on board, except the sick midshipman knew anything about navigation. expecting to follow close in the wake of the _soleil_ i had not brought a quadrant with me, but i found one in the cabin, as well as a french nautical almanack; and i hoped, when the hurricane was over and the sky had cleared, to be able to use them. la touche had hitherto occupied the state-room, but supposing that i should turn him out, he had removed his things to a berth on the opposite side, close to that of his messmate. having placed the chart and quadrant with the almanack in what was now my cabin, i locked the door, and returned on deck. the hurricane showed no signs of abating; but the brig, which was fortunately not fully laden, behaved beautifully, and literally bounded over the waves as she ran before the wind. the crew continued on deck, holding fast on to the stanchions, belaying-pins, and the rigging, to save themselves from being washed away; for every now and then a sea tumbled on board, and swept along the deck, sometimes over one quarter, sometimes over another, and frequently over the bows; but the hatches had been battened down, and no water got below. "we shall do well, i hope, and carry the brig safely into port royal," i observed to la touche. he shrugged his shoulders, and answered-- "for your sake i may wish it, though i shall not be sorry if we fall in with one of our own cruisers before the voyage is ended." "very naturally; but should she appear, we will try our best to get away from her," i said, laughing. at length daylight broke. a wild scene the ocean presented; the foaming seas dancing up on all sides, through which the brig was struggling onwards. it seemed to me that the wind was blowing stronger than ever, and i began to fear that we should be driven over towards the reefs and shoals upon the american coast before it had ceased. if so, shipwreck was almost certain, and the chance of saving our lives would be small indeed. still i kept up my spirits, and took care not to express my fears to my shipmates. suddenly about noon the wind dropped, but whether or not it was gaining strength for a fresh blow i was not certain. i asked la touche. he replied that he could not tell, but that it might be so, and that it would be wise to be prepared for it. the seas tumbled about so much that i could not bring the brig to the wind. i, however, first set the fore, and then the main-topsail, and kept her before it to avoid the risk of the seas pooping us. the clouds at length began to disperse, and in a short time the sea itself went down. i lost no time in bringing the brig to the wind, making more sail, and shaping a course for jamaica. before nightfall the clouds had entirely disappeared; and the setting sun cast a radiant glow over the sky and sea, as the brig, heeling over to the breeze, sped on her way. "i congratulate you, monsieur, on the change of weather, for i should have been grieved as much as you would, had the brig been lost," said la touche, coming up to me. "still there's many a slip between the cup and the lip,"--he gave an equivalent proverb in french. "if one of our cruisers appears, you'll have to congratulate me, though i hope you'll receive the same courteous treatment that i have enjoyed from you, and for which i have to thank you." "i have no fear of that," i replied. "your cruiser has not yet appeared. the _good luck_ is fortunately a fast craft, and we'll do all we can to put her at her best speed." we had been unable to sit down to table during the hurricane, and had had no time to take a regular meal since; but me of the french seamen, who acted as steward, now placed a very substantial one on the table. i played the part of host, and la touche that of guest. his messmate was too ill to get up, he said, but notwithstanding, though a sick man, he managed to consume a fair quantity of the viands la touche took to him. "there ought to be some good wine in this locker, if the bottles were not broken during the hurricane," said la touche, rising and lifting up the lid. groping about, he produced a couple of bottles of claret, and another of cognac. "there are several more here, so that we need not stint ourselves," he said, laughing. a corkscrew was soon found. i took a couple of glasses. the wine was excellent, there was no doubt about that. la touche pressed me to take a third. "come, we must pledge each other," he said, replenishing my glass, and filling up his own. "here's to the continuance of our friendship." i felt pretty well tired, as i had been up the whole of the last night, and a good portion of the previous one, so i was not sorry to have something to set me up. we struck our glasses together, and wished each other health, prosperity, and promotion. "you like the wine," said la touche. "come--another glass; now we must finish the bottle, and i don't wish to take a larger share than you have." "no, no, my friend," i answered, thinking there was something peculiar in his manner. "i command this craft, and must keep a cool head on my shoulders, but i have no objection to your finishing the bottle, and taking a second, if you like." in vain he pressed me, for the more he pressed, the more determined i became not to take another drop. i found the wine indeed stronger than i had supposed it was. besides which, i recollected the major's advice, which strengthened me in my resolution. chapter fourteen. treachery. after supper we rose to go on deck. i observed as we did so, that la touche replaced the bottle in the locker. i felt more inclined to go to sleep than to pace the deck, but i resolved to take the first watch, that nash might have the middle one. the wind had fallen still more, the moonbeams cast a silvery light over the ocean. la touche, who had followed me out of the cabin, joined me, and we walked up and down for some time. at length, giving a yawn, he said-- "if monsieur does not wish me to keep watch, which i shall be happy to do, i shall turn in, for i can scarcely keep my eyes open." "thank you," i said; "but i cannot disobey my orders, though i should place perfect confidence in your honour." "i am much obliged to you for the compliment," he replied in a hesitating tone; and wishing me good-night, and a pleasant watch, he dived below. i continued walking up and down the deck, doing my utmost to keep myself awake. seeing larry, i called to him to come to me. one of our men was at the helm. i asked larry how the people were getting on forward. "we're all as friendly as bees, mr terence. shure the frenchmen are mighty pleasant fellows, though i wouldn't be after trusting to them too much. the steward has got some bottles of the crathur, and he's been serving it out pretty freely. i have been afraid that dan hoolan and mat would be after taking more than is good for them, though dan's head, to be sure, could stand lashins of liquor, and be none the worse for it." "take care, and not be tempted yourself, larry," i said. "no, no, mr terence, i know my duty too well for that, though the frenchmen in their love of me tried to force it down my throat." "i wish you could manage to find the bottles of liquor, and bring them aft, or heave them overboard; it would be putting temptation out of the men's way," i said. "shure, mr terence, i'll obey your orders, though the frenchmen won't be loving me so much, if they find out it was myself that did it." while larry went forward to carry out my directions, i continued my solitary walk. i was afraid even to rest against the bulwarks for a moment, or i should have been off to sleep like a shot. even as it was, as i stood on deck watching the canvas, to see that the man at the helm was steering properly, i more than once became unconscious of where i was. though my eyes might not have closed, i lost the power of seeing, now fancying myself on the deck of the frigate, now on board the _soleil_, and i heard the voices of nettleship and tom pim talking to each other, though except that they were speaking about me, i could not make out what they said. now i opened my eyes. "no higher!" i sang out, as i saw the head-sails almost aback. the helmsman turned the spokes of the wheel, and the sails filled i continued my walk, but soon again stopped. i went to the binnacle lamp to look at my watch. it still wanted half an hour to midnight. i would have given much to have had that half hour over; and it was with the greatest difficulty that i managed to stand upright. once more as i stood, now looking out forward, now at the sails, strange voices sounded in my ears, and my senses wandered. "faith, mr terence, the spalpeens have been too sharp for me; i could only find one bottle of spirits, and that was empty. the blacks are as drunk as fiddlers, and the frenchmen seem to have lost their senses, while dan hoolan and the rest of our men are much the same, barrin' tim logan here, at the helm, and ben nash, and he's fast asleep, waiting for me to call him, and relieve you." "well, then, larry, go and rouse him up at once, for if he doesn't come down soon there'll be only you and logan to look after the ship, as i'm pretty well done up." "hush, mr terence! i'd like to see logan kept at the helm," said larry, putting his hand to his mouth; "for when he goes forward i am after thinking that the frenchmen will be tempting him with the liquor, and he's not the boy to refuse a glass of the crathur when it's put before his nose." "i'll speak to nash when he comes," i said. "take a look-out ahead before you go below." in a short time ben nash came aft, hitching up his trousers and rubbing his eyes as if just awakened out of sleep. i gave him my directions, and inquired about the rest of the crew. "why, sir, the watch below don't seem inclined to turn out and the men forward seem more asleep than awake," he answered. "it seems to me that they have been having a drop too much; i only hope we shan't have to shorten sail, or there won't be many of them fit to go aloft." ben's reply confirmed what larry told me. it made me very unwilling to turn in, but so overpowerful was my sleepiness, that i knew it would be impossible for me to keep awake much longer. "i must lie down for half an hour or so," i said, "and if you observe anything unusual, send larry down to call me. let him stay by you if he can manage to keep awake, while logan remains at the helm a short while longer." "never fear, sir," answered nash. "i'll do as you order me." under other circumstances i should have myself gone forward and roused up the watch, but from the reports nash and larry had given me, i knew that it would be useless, as i had no power to enforce obedience. i therefore very unwillingly went below, and threw myself on the bed all standing, and in half a minute was fast asleep. i didn't dream; not a thought passed through my brain till i was at length partly awakened by a noise overhead. what it was i couldn't make out. presently i heard some one come down, as i supposed, to call me. now fully awake, i was on the point of jumping up to hurry on deck, when i became aware that two persons were standing close to my berth. "_soyez tranquille, monsieur_," said the voice of la touche. "the brig is no longer under your command; most of your people have joined my men, and they insist on carrying her into the havanna." "impossible!" i exclaimed. "my men would not have turned traitors. i'll go on deck and see how matters stand." "that we cannot allow. i did not instigate my men to recapture the vessel, they managed it themselves; but now that they have possession, i dare not order them to give her up." "i know that two of my people would have fought to the death rather than have turned traitors," i exclaimed. "those two you speak of--the old man and the irish lad--were overpowered, and are stowed safely below, with handcuffs on their wrists," he answered. "have i your word that you'll not interfere? you treated me with courtesy, and i wish you to be allowed to remain at liberty; but if you decline to give me your word, i cannot prevent you being treated as they are." while he was speaking, i felt for my pistols, which i had placed at the head of the berth, intending to spring up suddenly, knock him and his companion over, and gain the deck, but they were gone. my sword had also been taken away. i observed by the light of the lantern that his companion held, that both of them were fully armed, and prepared to resist any attack i might make on them. the countenance of the other person, who wore the uniform of a lieutenant, i did not recognise, but i guessed he must be the sick messmate to whom la touche had been so attentive. i could not help thinking also that la touche was not so ignorant altogether of the intentions of his crew as he asserted. "i'll consider the subject, and let you know in the course of a few minutes, if you'll give me that time for reflection," i answered. i was anxious to gain time, for i still had a lingering hope that nash and larry had managed to retain their liberty, and that if i could once get on deck, we might recover possession of the brig. "i'll not hurry you, monsieur, but shall be very much grieved if you will not give me your word, as i shall be under the painful necessity of subjecting you to an indignity such as i would willingly avoid," observed the lieutenant. i spent the time in considering what i would do, and finally came to the conclusion that it would be useless to refuse the freedom offered me, as, were i handcuffed and imprisoned below, i could not assist my two faithful men, or make any attempt to recover the brig. i therefore said, with as good a grace as i could command, "i accept your offer, monsieur la touche." "you must give your word to this gentleman, who is my superior officer," said la touche, turning to the supposed sick man. i said nothing; but i had a shrewd suspicion that he had remained on board for the purpose of carrying out the plan which had been so completely successful. i felt, however, very much downcast, and very foolish at being outwitted, and indignant at the treacherous conduct of my own men. yet what more could i have expected from hoolan and his associates? "monsieur, i promise not to interfere with the discipline of the brig, provided i am allowed to retain my liberty," i at length said, addressing the lieutenant. "that is well," he replied. "i would advise you to lie down again and finish your sleep. you will be in better heart to-morrow to bear your misfortune, and we wish to return the courtesy which we have received at your hands. it is the fortune of war, and we have acted fairly." i was not so clear about that, but there was no use in complaining, so i at once threw myself into the berth, and in a minute was in happy forgetfulness of all that had occurred. next morning, when i went on deck, i found the brig was steering to the north-west. how different i felt to the day before; then i was in command, now i was a prisoner. as i cast my eye along the deck, i caught sight of hoolan and the other mutineers. he scowled at me maliciously, but did not approach, and the others continued the work on which they were engaged. la touche had charge of the deck. i had my misgivings as to how it had fared with larry and nash. i turned to the french midshipman, and said-- "i should like to see my people who did not mutiny. where are they?" "two are in the hold, and the one who was at the wheel was struck down and killed with an axe, and is overboard. it was a case of necessity, and the fortune of war." i made no answer, for i was too indignant to speak. at last i said-- "will you give me permission to go down and see my poor men? it will be a consolation to them to know that i am safe, for one who is my foster-brother is much attached to me, and the other is a faithful fellow." the midshipman seemed struck at hearing this, and at once said that he would obtain permission from his lieutenant. he went into the cabin, and quickly returned, saying that i might go and see the men. taking a lantern which he ordered one of the crew to bring me, i went down into the hold, and there, in a small space on some planks placed on the cargo, and surrounded by casks, i found larry and ben nash, with handcuffs on their wrists, and their legs tied, seated side by side. "is it yourself, mr terence?" exclaimed larry, as i appeared. "have you come to set us free? have you got the brig again?" "i wish that i had," i answered, "but there's no such good luck for us. i'm a prisoner at large, and i have obtained permission to come and see you, as i wanted to know how you're getting on, and how it all happened." "shure it's bad enough for myself, mr terence, but it's worse for poor ben here, for just look at him,--he's got a mighty ugly prong in his side, another in his shoulder, and a knock in his head, which was enough to do for him. tim logan was killed entirely; but don't mind me, just look to ben, he can scarcely speak." ben's face was pale as death. "where are you hurt, nash?" i asked. he groaned as he told me. "but it's water i want, sir; the fellows haven't brought us any since we were down here. once dan hoolan came to look at us, and when i asked him for some, he turned away with a growl, swearing i might die of thirst before he would bring me any." immediately on hearing this i sprang on deck, and begged la touche to let me have a jug of water. he ordered one of the frenchmen to bring it to me, and i returned with it. i first gave some to nash, who, though he eagerly bent forward his head as i lifted the jug to his lips, seemed to have a difficulty in swallowing. i next put it to larry's mouth, and he quickly gulped down the contents. "shure, that does a boy good," he exclaimed, drawing breath. "i wouldn't have taken it all, if i had been after thinking that ben would have been wanting it." "i hope easily to get some more if he requires it," i said; but on looking at poor ben it appeared to me that neither water nor food would restore him. he was leaning back, gasping violently. his eyes, as i held the lantern to them, appeared to have lost all animation. i put the lantern down on the deck, and supported him in my arms. "it's cruel in those fellows to keep the manacles on him while he's suffering thus," i exclaimed. "i'll ask la touche to have them taken off. he could no longer, even if he had a will, interfere with them." springing on deck, i made my request to la touche; he replied that he would go below and consult his commanding officer. he soon returned. "if you think that the man is really dying, lieutenant dubois will give you leave to do as you desire," he said, "but you must be answerable for him." "i feel certain that he will die unless he is properly cared for," i answered. he called to one of the blacks who belonged to the armourer's crew on board the french frigate, and told him to go below and knock off the englishman's irons. i thought i might put in a word for larry. "may they release my foster-brother?" i asked. "poor fellow, he did but his duty in defending the brig, and i'll be responsible for his good conduct." "yes. lieutenant dubois fancied that i spoke of both of them, and for my part, i am very willing to do as you wish," he answered. i hurried below, accompanied by the black. nash was still breathing hard, and scarcely had the armourer commenced operations, when the poor fellow fell back in my arms, his spirit set free before his body was liberated from the irons. the black continued knocking away, quite indifferent to what had occurred. "it's all over with poor ben," exclaimed larry, who was eagerly watching the operation. "yes, he's gone," i answered, as i felt the honest seaman's wrist. the black finished his work, and then stretched the body out on the deck. "and now, my friend, i'll beg of you to release this young fellow," i said. "you wouldn't like to have irons on your wrists longer than you could help." "not de first time i hab dem on, and big chain too; but dis nuttin'," said the black, and a few blows sufficed to set larry free. he sprang to his feet, knocking his head against the deck above him with a force which brought him down again, but fortunately the crown of an irishman's head is thicker than that of most people, and he quickly recovered himself. telling him to sit quiet till i got leave for him to appear, i went on deck to report the death of nash. "ah, they told me the man was badly hurt," said la touche. "he was a brave fellow, for he fought desperately. we will bury him forthwith." "and my follower, may he return on deck?" i asked. "both of us will be glad to assist in navigating the ship, if our services are required." "yes, you can do so; but i do not think that you will return the compliment we paid you, by attempting to retake the brig from us," he answered, laughing. "you are right, monsieur," i answered. "i have given you my word to that effect, and the word of an english officer is never broken." la touche winced. "i took no part," he observed, "in capturing the brig; you'll understand that." i made no reply, though i was convinced that all along he was cognisant of the plot and plans of his lieutenant. the treachery of hoolan and his companions enabled him to succeed with greater ease than he could otherwise have expected. with the assistance of the black armourer, larry and i sewed ben up in a piece of canvas which he obtained for us, with a shot at the feet. we then together carried the body to a port, and launched it overboard, no one offering to render assistance, but at the same time not interfering with our proceedings. when lieutenant dubois came on deck, he bowed politely to me, and we exchanged a few words, but he didn't appear inclined to enter into conversation. perhaps he felt conscious that he was guilty of treachery in allowing his men to mutiny, even if he had not instigated them to do so, after the kind way in which he had been treated. of course nettleship made a great mistake in allowing him and the midshipman to remain on board; but judging them by his own sense of honour, he could not suppose it possible they would take advantage of his generosity, and even dream of attempting to recapture the brig. larry, when i was on deck, always kept close to me, and he asked whether i could obtain permission for him to sleep under the companion ladder, or anywhere aft, so that he might be within call. "in truth, mr terence, i'm not fond of the looks dan hoolan casts at me when i go forward," he said. "i shouldn't be surprised on waking some night to find him after cutting my throat or giving me a knock on the head, for he knows that if it hadn't been for poor ben and tim logan and me, he would have tried to kill you, mr terence, that you might not appear against him; but we fought as long as we could, till the french lieutenant came on deck, and there was only myself remaining unhurt." i felt very certain that what larry said was true, and la touche afterwards corroborated the account. how larry had escaped seemed a wonder, till i heard that he had seized a handspike, and using it as a shillelah, or rather as a singlestick, had kept his enemies at bay, and defended himself. whenever i saw hoolan on deck, i observed that he cast sinister looks at larry and me, and i felt very sure that if he had an opportunity he would carry out his threat of putting an end to us. when i told la touche of larry's wish, and his reason for it, after speaking to the lieutenant, he said it should be complied with. at meal-time the officers invited me into the cabin, and, to do them justice, treated me with as much courtesy as if i had been a willing guest. "we have changed places, but we hope that you don't bear us any ill-will," said la touche, filling up my glass with claret. "here's to your health, and may our friendship endure as long as our lives. when peace is established between our two countries which i suppose will be some day or other, i shall be enchanted if you will pay me a visit at my father's chateau in normandy." "with the greatest pleasure in the world," i answered; "though i confess i didn't think you would play me so cruel a trick." i didn't wish to use a harsher expression. "believe me, monsieur, that it was from no design of mine. i but performed my duty. until the vessel was in the hands of the mutineers, i was not aware myself of what was going to happen. monsieur dubois will corroborate what i state." "la touche speaks but the truth," said the lieutenant. "he acted under my orders, for, knowing his sense of honour, i didn't confide my plan to him." i was very glad to hear this, as i was much inclined to like la touche, and was grieved to suppose that i had been disappointed in him. the weather, after the hurricane which had been the chief cause of my misfortune, rapidly moderated, and became very fine; and though the wind was generally light, the brig made good way to the south-westward. during the day one of the frenchmen, or la touche himself, was constantly at the masthead, on the look-out for vessels, either to avoid suspicious strangers, or hoping to fall in with one of their cruisers. the lieutenant had at first intended to steer for havanna, on the northern coast of cuba; but just as we passed the latitude of jamaica the wind shifted to the westward, and he determined to run for port-au-prince, at the westward end of saint domingo. he didn't conceal his intentions from me; indeed there was no object in his doing so. he asked me whether we were likely to fall in with english cruisers between jamaica and cuba. i told him what i believed to be the case, that they would most probably be found on the south or west side of the island, looking out for the french and spanish fleets expected to be coming from havanna. "i am surprised, indeed, that we have not fallen in with one of our cruisers already," i said. "there is a reason for that," he remarked. "the hurricane, of which we only felt the edge, will have driven them into port, or have sent them ashore, or to the bottom. i thought of that before i ventured here, and calculated that it must have been some days before they could put to sea again." i believed that the lieutenant was right, and it lessened my hopes of the brig being retaken; still i did not abandon them altogether, and the thought contributed to keep up my spirits. supper over, after a few turns on deck i begged leave to turn in and finish out the sleep which had been so disagreeably interrupted the previous morning. both the officers begged i would return to the berth i had previously occupied. i thought it best to accept their courtesy. when larry saw me go below, he came down the companion ladder, and after attending on me, as i told him he might do, he stowed himself away under it. when i awoke next morning, finding myself in my old berth, for a few seconds i forgot all that had occurred, and fancied myself still in command of the brig, but the reality soon came back to me. with anything but pleasant feelings i turned out, and having dressed, went on deck. larry, who had slept undisturbed, followed me up. "i'm after thinking, mr terence, that dan was looking for me, but, as good fortune would have it, i found an empty biscuit cask, so what did i do but poke my head into it, and cover my neck up with a thick handkerchief," said larry, as he stood by my side. "thinks i to myself, if master dan wants to be after giving me a whack on the skull, i shall have had time to jump up before he has done for me; but the spalpeen did not find me out, i've a notion, and i'll be on the watch for him if he does, another night." i found la touche on deck, and we exchanged salutations. the brig was under all sail, standing to the eastward. i cast my eye eagerly astern, half hoping to see a british man-of-war in chase of us; but i found that the frenchmen were carrying all sail, as was but natural, to reach their destination as fast as possible. i could just distinguish to the southward the distant mountains of jamaica, rising like a blue irregular line above the horizon. nothing could be more beautiful than the weather. the sky was bright; the ocean glittered in the rays of the rising sun. in spite of this, i could not keep my spirits up, and put away the thoughts of the fate in store for me. instead of serving my country, gaining honour and promotion, and passing my time in the society of shipmates to whom i was much attached, i was doomed to be imprisoned in some out-of-the-way part of saint domingo, or sent across the atlantic to be shut up in a french fortress, as i knew that other officers had been. now that their hopes of escaping increased, the frenchmen became still more courteous, and did their best to make my stay on board pleasant. i should have been glad to have regained my liberty, but certainly should have pitied them if we had been captured. at length we made the west side of saint domingo, and, entering the bay of gonavez, ran up to the harbour at its eastern extremity. here we found a considerable number of men-of-war at anchor. we were at once visited by several officers, who seemed surprised to hear that we had been at sea and escaped being wrecked, every ship in the harbour having lost masts or spars, or received other serious damage. lieutenant dubois had promised that he would keep us on board as long as possible, as we should, on being landed, have been moved away into the interior. i was, of course, very glad to take advantage of his kind offer. we had not been long at anchor before an officer came off from the shore with an official-looking packet. i was in the cabin when he delivered it to lieutenant dubois. "the governor has heard of your arrival, and of the undamaged condition of your vessel," said the officer. "he is desirous of sending important information to admiral the count de grasse, who will probably be found at the island of guadaloupe, and he desires that you will sail forthwith, and convey these despatches. there is no vessel in harbour fit to go, and he considers your arrival a fortunate circumstance." dubois at once expressed his satisfaction, and promised to sail without a moment's delay. i was afraid that he might consider it necessary to send larry and me on shore; but i thought it prudent to say nothing, and continued seated as if i belonged to the vessel. the french officer from the shore made no remark, and having performed his commission, speedily took his departure. "all right," said dubois to me; "i'm not compelled to land you, and if you like we can continue our voyage together. it will give you a better chance of escape if the fortune of war should throw me into the hands of one of your ships; but i have no intention of being caught if i can help it." i thanked him very much, and assured him that nothing would give me greater pleasure than being once more able to play the host to him. before we sailed, however, six more hands, whom he had asked for, were sent on board to strengthen his crew; but hoolan and the other mutineers were allowed to remain, for which i was sorry. perhaps they would rather have gone on shore, for if the brig were recaptured, they would, to a certainty, have to grace her yard-arms before many days had passed over their heads. we had to beat out of the harbour, but rounding cape tiburon we got a fair wind, and stood away for guadaloupe. we had a long passage before us, and i was continually thinking of what the fortune of war might bring about. my fear was that we might fall in with a french cruiser, to which lieutenant dubois might consider it his duty to deliver up his despatches, that they might be conveyed more speedily to their destination, and that we might have to return to saint domingo. still i did my utmost to look at the bright side of the picture; and i fancied how pleasant it would be to find the brig under the guns of an english frigate,--perhaps the _liffy_ herself. i had another secret source of satisfaction: i had given my word to la touche simply not to interfere with the discipline of the ship, and i had made myself answerable that larry would not; although i had said nothing about not attempting to make my escape, should an opportunity occur, though that was very remote indeed. in a french port it would be useless, as i should only tumble out of the frying-pan into the fire, or find myself among enemies. i could not speak french well enough to pass for a frenchmen, and larry's tongue would at once have betrayed him. still hope kept me up, although what to hope for was indistinct and uncertain. larry, having somewhat got over his unpleasant suspicions of hoolan's intentions, was as merry as usual, and in the evening kept his fiddle going, and the frenchman and blacks dancing to their heart's content. he, however, was disinclined to remain forward after dark, and came back to his hiding-place under the companion ladder, where he was allowed to sleep under the supposition that he was there to attend on me. i should have said that when the officer from the shore had delivered his despatches to lieutenant dubois, the latter, instead of locking them up in his own berth, put them into a drawer in the cabin table. of their contents i, of course, was kept in ignorance,--indeed, i was not certain that lieutenant dubois himself knew their purport. i do not even now like to speak of the thoughts which passed through my mind about these despatches. i was greatly troubled by them. sometimes the idea occurred to me that when no one was in the cabin, i might throw them out of the stern port, and take the consequences of my act; but then i should be making an ungrateful return to the young french officers who had treated me so courteously. i dreaded to commit an act which might be dishonourable; at the same time, it was evident that by destroying the despatches i should be benefiting my country. from the eagerness which the officer who brought the packet had shown to get it off, i was convinced that it was of great importance, and that perhaps the fate of some of our islands might depend on its delivery. i was surprised at dubois' carelessness at leaving it exposed, though less at la touche, who, though a good-natured fellow, was harum-scarum and thoughtless in the extreme. perhaps he might have returned me the compliment. the wind was light; and there seemed every probability that we should make a long passage. so much the better, i thought. while we were at sea i was in good spirits, for i knew that there was a good chance of the brig being recaptured. larry kept the crew alive with his fiddle forward, and even dan hoolan looked somewhat less surly than usual; at the same time larry kept out of his way, and never trusted himself at night on deck when i was not there. whether he was right in his suspicions or not was uncertain, but at all events hoolan was a ruffian, and a traitor to his country. i treated larry as, of course, an officer does not usually treat an ordinary seaman. he was one night walking the deck with me, and we were talking of ballinahone and our early days, when he suddenly said, "shure, mr terence, there's something on your mind. i've thought so more than once. just say now what it is." "you are clever, larry, to find that out," i answered. "it's your love for me enables you to do it. it's nothing you would think much about. i'm troubled with the thoughts that we are carrying despatches to the french admiral, which, if delivered, may cause some serious injury to our country. they are kept in the drawer of the cabin table, and i might at any moment throw them overboard, and defeat the frenchmen's object." the moment i said this i regretted it, as it struck me that it was like instigating larry to do what i would not do myself. the effect on him was what i supposed my words would produce, for he at once replied, "thin, shure, overboard they go before the world's many hours older." "no, no, larry! you mistake me," i exclaimed. "that's just what i don't want you to do. if it has to be done, i'll do it myself, and i forbid you to touch the packet i insist on your promising me that you will not." very unwillingly larry gave the promise, and i knew that i could trust him. i then let the subject drop, regretting that i had broached it to my faithful follower. "if the frenchman choose to hang me, i will not bring the same fate on him," i thought. chapter fifteen. liffy ahoy! day after day went by. though we occasionally saw a sail, we kept out of her way. at length, one morning the look-out shouted, "a sail on the starboard quarter!" we were just then setting royals, which we did not carry at night. we watched the stranger. "she has borne up in chase," cried la touche, who had gone aloft. dubois immediately ordered the brig to be kept before the wind, and studding-sails to be set on either side. the wind freshened, and away we flew before it. the brig being lightly laden, it was her best point of sailing, as i had observed. it took us out of our course, however. i sincerely hoped that the wind would increase, and that it should carry away some of our spars, and thus enable our pursuer to come up with us, for i took it for granted that she was english. the frenchmen watched her eagerly, for we could see her topsails from the deck. "do you think we shall get away from her?" i asked la touche in an indifferent tone, as if it were a matter of no consequence to me. "i hope so," he replied. "this brig is a regular little fly-away, and your frigates are not generally fast sailers." "but why do you think she is one of our frigates?" i asked. "she may be french after all, and you may be running away from a friend." "i think she is english, because none of our cruisers are likely to be hereabouts at present," he answered; and then, as if he had said something without thought, correcting himself, he added, "of course she may be french; but we think it safest to keep out of the way of all men-of-war." the topsails of the stranger rose gradually above the horizon; she was evidently a large vessel--a frigate, if not a line-of-battle ship. the little brig flew on gaily, as if feeling as eager to get away as were those on board. "ah, my friend! a stern chase is a long chase," observed dubois, who saw me watching the stranger. "you are not going to rejoin your ship just yet." "i have made up my mind to be content with whatever happens," i said. "you are wise," answered dubois. "it is the best thing under all circumstances." still i did not despair of being overtaken. perhaps she might be the _liffy_ herself, which had gone back to jamaica, and was now returning to the south. we had a brisk breeze, though it did not increase, and the brig continued running on at her utmost speed. when i looked again, some time afterwards, it did not appear to me that the stranger had gained on us. the hours passed slowly on; evening, however, at length approached, and i was afraid that during the night dubois would alter the brig's course, and that we should manage to escape. when i went below for our meals, i endeavoured to maintain as calm a countenance as i could, and to appear as cheerful as usual. "you are a brave _garcon_," said dubois, as we sat at supper. "we should be very sorry to lose your society, and i'll endeavour to keep you on board as long as i can." i thanked him, and said that i hoped to have the satisfaction of returning his courtesy, should the tables once more be turned. at last darkness came on, and our pursuer was lost to sight. as it was useless to remain on deck, i turned in, and larry as usual followed me below. whether it was from the excitement i had gone through, or from having remained on deck all day, i cannot say; but i fell asleep immediately my head touched the pillow, and slept as soundly as a top. when i awoke, i saw by the dim light coming through the bull's-eye that the day had broken, and i hurried on deck, anxious to know if our pursuer was still in sight dubois and la touche were there. i saluted them as usual. they did not appear quite as cheerful as they did on the previous day. the brig was still before the wind, with every stitch of canvas she could carry set. on looking astern, there was our pursuer, though hull down, but considerably nearer than before. "do not be too sanguine that she will come up with us. when the breeze freshens, we shall again get away from her," said dubois. "it is of course what you wish, monsieur," i observed. "i've been after dreaming, mr terence, that that craft is the _liffy_, and that we were again on board her, as merry as crickets," said larry, coming to my side. "but dreams, they say, go by contraries," i answered. "it would have been better not to have dreamed that." "shure, thin, i wish that i had dreamed that we had run her out of sight," he answered. soon after the wind got up, and was soon blowing as freshly as on the day before. the frenchmen's spirits once more rose. larry's and mine fell. the big ship, however, continued about the same distance off; but as long as she did not gain on us, our captors did not mind. at length it seemed to me that we were actually drawing ahead. perhaps we might be leading our pursuer further out of her course than she wished to go, and she would give up the chase. the frenchmen, from their remarks, seemed to think so. mid-day arrived; an observation was taken. i found that we were in the latitude of the virgin islands, still a long way from guadaloupe. when once among the islands, we should very easily escape during the night. dubois and la touche were congratulating themselves, when the look-out aloft shouted, "several sail in sight to the south-east!" la touche, immediately on hearing this, went to the masthead. i should have liked to have followed him, eager to know what they were. he said nothing till he came down. i then saw by the way he spoke to dubois that he considered them to be enemies. after a short consultation the helm was put to starboard, and the brig headed more to the north; the yards were braced up, though the studding-sails were still set. in my eagerness to ascertain what the strangers were, i sprang aloft without waiting to ask leave of dubois. he did not, however, call me down. as i got to the topgallant masthead i looked eagerly to the southward, and i made out what i took to be a large fleet standing to the eastward, while here and there ships were scattered about, which i took to be frigates. i had no doubt that dubois concluded they were english, and had therefore no wish to run in among them. we had heard before we left jamaica that sir george rodney was expected out to join sir samuel hood, and i had little doubt but that the fleet in sight was that of either the one or the other of those admirals. whether the brig would escape them or not was doubtful, and i expected every instant to see either a frigate or corvette coming in chase of us. our other pursuer could not have seen the ships visible from our masthead, and would therefore not understand the reason for our change of course. had it been earlier in the day, our capture by either one or the other would have been certain; but dubois might now manage, by good seamanship, to slip between the two. the wind increased, and our starboard studding-sails were taken in; we carried those on our larboard side to the last. having satisfied myself, i returned on deck. "do you know what those ships are away to the southward?" asked dubois. "yes, monsieur, i believe them to be english," i answered. "and you expect them to catch us, do you?" he said. "that depends on circumstances," i replied; "but i know your determination, and believe that you will make every effort to escape." "you may be sure of that," he said, laughing. "see how i'm carrying on. many would have shortened sail before this." i made no reply, but looked aloft. the brig was literally tearing through the water; the breeze was increasing; the sails were bulging out, every rope stretched out to its utmost tension; the studding-sails pulled and tugged as if eager to fly away. presently there came a loud crack, and both studding-sail booms broke off close to the irons. the men attempted to get in the fluttering canvas. "cut! cut!" cried dubois. "let them go!" the wind shifted a point or two, and we had to haul still more up. as i had been unable lately to look at the chart, i could not make out exactly for what place we were steering, but i could distinguish several blue hillocks rising out of the ocean, which i knew must be small islands, either the virgin islands or others in their neighbourhood. we were now steering due north. i again went aloft. the main body of the fleet was no longer in sight, but three or four white sails could be seen shining brightly in the rays of the setting sun far away astern, while our pursuer could still be distinguished over our larboard quarter, yet apparently no nearer than before. on returning on deck dubois looked at me with a smile of satisfaction. "we are not caught yet," he said. "but bear it patiently, my young friend. we all have our trials." i made no reply, but walked to the other side of the deck. it was again night; the steward came and invited me down to supper, in which i joined dubois, while la touche remained on deck. he did not think fit to tell me what were his intentions, and though i should have liked to have known, i did not ask him. at last i turned in, and tried to go to sleep. i should not have minded hearing the brig go crash on shore, so vexed did i feel at the idea of her having escaped. still i could not but admire the determination of the two young french officers, and again better feelings rose in my breast. at length i fell fast asleep. as i had no watch to keep, i slept on, as usual, until daylight streamed in through the bull's-eye over my head, when, to my surprise, i heard the sound of the cable slipping out, and knew that the brig had come to an anchor. i dressed as speedily as i could, and went on deck. we were in a fine harbour with numerous vessels of all sizes and nations--spanish, french, dutch, and danish (the latter predominating)--floating on its bosom, and among them a frigate, with the colours of england flying at her peak. i knew, therefore, that we were in a neutral port, for which dubois had steered when he found he could not otherwise escape. on examining the frigate more narrowly, my heart gave a bound, for i felt almost sure that she was the _liffy_, but as several vessels were between us i could not make her out very clearly. dubois, who had probably been on deck most of the night, had gone below; and la touche was engaged in issuing his orders to the crew. i took care to conceal my feelings, and on speaking to larry i found he had not suspected that the frigate was the _liffy_. still he might do so, and i told him that i believed her to be our ship, charging him on no account to exhibit his feelings. "shure, mr terence, that's a hard matter," he exclaimed. "i half feel inclined to leap out of my skin and get aboard her." "we must try to do that by some means or other," i said; "but how to accomplish it is the question. even if captain macnamara knew that we were on board this brig, he could not come and take us by force." "why not, mr terence?" exclaimed larry in surprise. "shure if i see one of our boats pulling by, i'll be after shouting at the top of my voice, to tell them we're here, and to axe them to come and take us off. our captain's not the man to desert us, nor mr saunders either; and as soon as they know that we're prisoners, they'll be after sending a couple of boats to release us; or maybe they'll bring the frigate round, and blaze away at the brig till they sink her." "that would be an unpleasant way of proceeding for us, at all events," i answered, laughing. "the reason they can't take us by force is, that this is a neutral port, and all vessels in here must keep the peace towards each other; so that if monsieur dubois refuses to give us up, our captain can't compel him. we must therefore manage to get away by ourselves if we are to be free." "thin, mr terence, that's just what we will be after doing," said larry, taking off his hat and scratching his head while he considered how the undertaking could be accomplished. "couldn't we just slip overboard at night and swim to the frigate? it wouldn't be further than i have swum many a time in the shannon." "but the shannon and this place are very different," i answered. "jack shark keeps as sharp a look-out here as he does in port royal harbour; and we may chance to have our legs nipped off before we can get up the side of the frigate." "shure, mr terence, thin i never thought of that," said larry; "but maybe the officers will go on shore, and they don't keep very strict watch aboard here, so i might just manage to slip a grating and a spar or two over the side, to make a raft; then we might paddle on it to the frigate." "i don't see any better plan than you propose," i answered; "though i would risk a swim and the chances of encountering a shark rather than not make the attempt to escape; for, even supposing the frigate on the other side of those merchantmen should not prove to be the _liffy_, we should be welcome on board. it is of the greatest importance that the captain should know of the despatches the brig is carrying to guadaloupe, so that a watch may be kept on her movements, and that she may be pursued and captured outside the harbour." "thin, mr terence, let me go alone; i'd have no difficulty in slipping overboard, and there's less chance of my being missed," said larry. "when her captain knows that you're aboard the brig, he'll be after her in a jiffy." "no, no, larry; i can never let you go alone. whatever we do, we'll do together." "that's like you, mr terence. just trust to me, thin; only do you be ready for a start directly it's dark, and i'll be keeping a look-out on deck for the chance of one of the _liffy's_ boats coming near, to let them know that we're aboard." tantalising as it was to see the ship, as i supposed, to which i belonged within a short distance of me, and yet not be able to communicate with her, i felt that i could do nothing for the present, and that it was prudent not to be seen talking too much with larry. i therefore told him to keep away from me during the day, unless he had something particular to say, while i went below again, to finish my toilet and wait for breakfast. la touche had been too busy to speak to me, and dubois was still asleep. i remained in my berth until the steward announced that breakfast was ready, when i met the two officers, who had just come below. they politely invited me to take a seat at the table. "well, you see, we have managed to escape your cruisers," said dubois, as he poured me out a cup of coffee. "we have reason to congratulate ourselves, as we were very hard pressed." "i must compliment you, monsieur, on your skilful seamanship," i said. "i do so with sincerity, although i should have been very glad had you been caught. however, i am prepared to bear my disappointment philosophically. we have not yet reached guadaloupe, and i don't despair of regaining my liberty, though i conclude you'll not consider yourself justified in letting me leave the brig?" "for your sake i wish that we could," said la touche; "but you are known to be on board, and we should have to account for you; so i'm afraid you must exercise the philosophy you speak of." imitating the frenchman, i shrugged my shoulders, as if i was perfectly resigned to my fate. i made no remark about the english frigate in the harbour, as the frenchmen didn't allude to her, though they could not have supposed that i was ignorant of her being there. i saw that the brig was riding at single anchor and hove short, and i expected that dubois was waiting for an opportunity of slipping out of the harbour before the frigate was prepared to follow him. that she would do so, should the brig be discovered to be an english vessel, a prize to the french, there could be no doubt, unless detained by some matter of more importance. after breakfast we walked the deck for some time, and then dubois ordered la touche to take a boat and pull round the harbour. "see as you pass yonder frigate there, how she's riding," he said; "whether she appears to be ready to put to sea, and learn, if you can ascertain, what brought her in here. i wouldn't have come in had i known that we should have found so unpleasant a neighbour." "do you know what frigate she is?" he asked, turning to me. "as i can't see her hull clearly, were i perfectly acquainted with her i should be unable to answer your questions, monsieur," i replied. "well, then, favour me by going aloft with my telescope, and you'll then, by looking down on her deck, be able to tell me whether you recognise any of those on board, or have to your knowledge seen the frigate before." from his manner i believed he had not an idea that i suspected the frigate to be the _liffy_. i willingly agreed; and, taking the glass, went aloft. all my doubts were at an end. i at once made out captain macnamara walking the starboard side of the quarter-deck with mr saunders. on the opposite side, i distinguished several of my messmates by their figures. some of the men were forward, but the greater number were below, and i could see no signs of any intentions of getting under way. i waited a considerable time, and heartily i wished for a pair of wings, that i might fly over the masts of the other vessels, and pitch down on her deck. no sight could have been more tantalising. i descended at last, and returning the telescope to dubois, said-- "i confess frankly that i know the frigate. she is the one to which i belong." "is she a fast vessel?" inquired dubois. "she is considered so, monsieur," i answered. "faster than this brig?" he asked. "certainly, unless in a very light wind," i said. "if you expect to be chased, you have very little chance of escape from her, i should think." "i must hope for the best," he said. "there's a fine breeze out of the harbour, and we may be off again before the frigate finds we are moving. we have the advantage of being concealed from her sight, and she dare not fire a gun or send a boat after us, even should she wish it, till we're three leagues outside the harbour." dubois spoke in a confident tone, as if he did not think that there was the slightest chance i should even try to make my escape. i was dreading all the time that he would ask me to give my word not to do so. he didn't, however, appear to think of that. in a short time la touche came back, and reported, as i knew he would, that the frigate didn't appear to be preparing to sail. scarcely had he come on board than the wind began to drop, till it became a stark calm. i saw the officers exchange looks with each other as they observed the dog vane hanging right up and down. it was very certain that we could not move, for we had not boats sufficient to tow the brig out of the harbour. there was every prospect of the calm continuing for many hours. the frenchmen, by the way they paced the deck, showed their vexation, every now and then giving an impatient stamp with their feet. at last la touche stopped and said-- "wouldn't it be well to go on shore and try and pick up some news? we may gain intelligence which may be of importance; at all events, we shall pass the time more pleasantly than on board." "a good idea," answered dubois. "we will go. you'll be content to remain on board?" he added, turning to me. "it might be inconvenient to take you with us, as we might meet some of your brother officers; but i brought a few books of light literature in my portmanteau, besides my nautical almanack, and you can read them while we're on shore." i thanked him, and was very glad to find that he didn't wish me to go; as, although by landing i might have a chance of making my escape, i would not do so without larry. they did not wait for dinner; but telling the steward to bring me mine at the usual hour, pulled away in one of the boats, leaving the brig under the charge of a quartermaster, who had come on board at gonavez bay. he was a sharp-eyed old fellow, and had evidently been directed to keep a watch on larry and me. several shore-boats came alongside, but after some fresh provisions had been purchased, the others were ordered to keep off. soon after the officers had gone larry came up to me. "hwist, mr terence," he said in a low voice. "dan hoolan and the other boys know that the frigate out there is the _liffy_, and i heard dan say to one of them that they must take care we don't get away to her, for he's afraid, if we do, that captain macnamara, when he hears of the mutiny, will consider that he has a right to retake the brig, and that they'll all be triced up to the yard-arm before many hours are over afterwards." "we must try, then, to throw them off their guard, larry," i said. "have you thought of any other plan for escaping?" "not just yet, mr terence; but i'm still hoping that something will turn up. i'll tell you all about it presently; but i mustn't stop long aft, for i have a notion that dan and the rest have got something into their heads, and that they won't be stopping aboard if they can help it, to run the risk of hanging." larry again went forward, and i returned to the cabin. i cannot say that the books dubois left me were edifying; and after i had turned over a few pages, i threw them aside as abominable trash, not fit for any gentleman's eyes to rest on. they were such works as contributed to prepare the way for the french revolution. the steward brought me an excellent dinner, and placed a bottle of claret on the table, of which, however, i partook very moderately. i passed the afternoon as best i could, now and then going on deck to have the pleasure of taking a look at the _liffy_, and hoping to see one of her boats passing. i determined, should one pull by, to hail her and say who i was; for i was afraid that nettleship might suppose the brig had been lost, and that the report of my death might, by ill-luck, reach ballinahone. i watched, however, in vain. as evening approached i expected that dubois and la touche would return. something kept them on shore; probably, finding the calm continue, they were carrying out their intentions of amusing themselves. at last darkness came on, and i went back into the cabin. i should have said that the brig carried a small boat hoisted up astern, but which was in a dilapidated condition, and considered not fit to put into the water. as we had no carpenter on board able to repair her, she was allowed to remain hoisted up. i had been in the cabin some time, and i believe i must have dropped off into a doze, when i heard a sound of blocks creaking, and presently there was a splash in the water. springing up, i looked out of one of the stern ports, which was open, and could distinguish a boat just below me with a man in her, moving round the quarter. at first i thought he was larry, and then i felt sure that larry would not have taken a boat without first giving me notice of his intentions. in less than a minute afterwards, however, he poked his head into the cabin. "hwist, mr terence, it's just as i thought it would be," he whispered. "dan hoolan and the rest are going to pull on shore. they have made the watch below drunk, and they have seized the anchor watch and put them in limbo. they fancy that if they can get away up the country, they'll be safe, and i have a mind to go with them and pull the boat back, and take you off. keep a look-out of the cabin window, mr terence; maybe i'll come under the counter, and you can squeeze through the port without anybody on deck finding us out. now i'm off." larry hurried out of the cabin, leaving me in a state of anxious doubt as to whether he would succeed. i was afraid of going on deck lest i should be seen by the mutineers, and i at once therefore went to the port, hoping that i might catch a glimpse of them pulling away. even if larry got off with them, there might be many chances against his returning. the boat even might fill before she could reach the shore, or she might encounter the french officers returning to the brig, and be seized. i wondered at their carelessness in leaving the vessel with such a crew as theirs; for those who had proved traitors to me might have been expected to turn traitors to them. scarcely a minute had elapsed before, to my surprise, i heard a "hwist" come from under the counter, and larry's voice saying-- "lend a hand, mr terence, and catch the painter as i chuck it up." i did as he desired, and presently he climbed up in at the port. "hold fast there, mr terence," he said, as he squeezed through, and springing forward locked the cabin door. "i'll tell you all about it when we're free of the brig," he whispered. quick as thought he made the painter fast to an eye-bolt, used to secure the dead-light. "now jump into the boat, mr terence, and we'll be off," he added. as he bid me, i slid down the painter, expecting him to follow immediately. for a few seconds he didn't come, and i feared that something had happened to him; but he soon appeared, and slid down as i had done, holding in his mouth a knife, with which he quickly cut the rope. i had taken one of the oars, he seized another, and giving a shove against the counter, sent the boat off from the brig. we paddled away with might and main, making, however, as little noise as we could. scarcely, however, had we gone half a cable's length than i heard a gruff voice, which i recognised as dan hoolan's, uttering a fearful oath, and inquiring what had become of the boat. several others replied in the same tones; and one of them, who had apparently run aft, exclaimed, "shure there she is, and that so-and-so larry harrigan has gone off with her." "come back, come back, you villain!" shouted the men. "it's mighty likely we'll be after doing that," larry was on the point of shouting out, when i told him to be silent; and there being now less necessity for caution, we bent to our oars with all our might. "i wonder the villains don't fire at us," i said. "shure the cabin door's locked, and they can't get at the muskets, or they would be after doing the same," answered larry. we had ample reason to pull hard, for the water was leaking in through every seam in the boat; but i hoped that she might keep afloat long enough to enable us to reach the side of the frigate. hoolan and his companions, finding that it was of no use, had ceased hailing us. we had gone a short way when i saw a boat coming off from the shore. "a hundred to one the french officers are in her," i thought; "and if they have heard the shouting from the brig, they will fancy that something has happened, and be on the look-out. however, we are in for it." we were at first pulling ahead of the vessels which were at anchor between us and the frigate; but, on seeing the boat, i told larry we would pass under the stern of the one nearest us, and thread our way in and out among them, so that we might be concealed from the sight of those coming off from the shore, in case they should make chase after us. in a short time, however, the boat was half full of water. "we must get this out, or we shall be sinking," i said. there was no bailer; but i had seized my hat before i had got out of the cabin window, and putting in our oars we bailed away as hard as we could. we had succeeded in partly freeing the boat of water, when we heard the splash of oars coming from the direction of the brig. once more we gave way, the water still coming in. i very much doubted that we should reach the frigate without having again to stop. the boat, however, was gaining on us. should she come up before we could get under our own flag, we might lawfully be recaptured; the water was already up to the thwarts, and the boat pulled heavily; our pursuers were getting closer and closer. we were nearing the frigate. i looked round. i saw her high sides and tall masts against the sky. i shouted at the top of my voice, "_liffy_ ahoy! help, help here!" larry shouted still louder, for he had a voice of his own when he tried to exert it. the boat pulled more heavily than ever. if it had not been for the dread of the sharks, i should have jumped overboard and tried to swim to the frigate. still we made her move. i can't say what a leap my heart gave as we ran up against her side. some ropes were hove to us, for our shouts had attracted attention, and, swirming up them, we each reached a port in time to see our boat's gunwale flush with the water, and our pursuers turning round to pull away. as we got on deck the quartermaster brought a lantern, which he held so as to throw a light on our faces, and at the same time a midshipman ran up. "who have we here?" he exclaimed, and i recognised chaffey's voice. "what! paddy finn, my boy, where in the world have you come from?" "from a brig--a prize to the french," i answered. "but i say, chaffey, i want to see the captain at once. if there comes a breeze she'll be slipping out of the harbour, and we must be ready to go after her." "why, we thought you were on board the _soleil_, and expected she would be put into commission, and be sent out to rejoin us, as we want small craft to watch the movements of the french." i briefly told him what had happened. he in return told me what i was sorry to hear, that nothing had been heard of the _soleil_, though the idea was that she had got safely into port royal harbour. "the captain doesn't like to be roused up; but i suppose as your information is of importance, he won't give me a wigging for disturbing him," he said, as we reached the cabin door. mentioning his object, the sentry stationed there allowed him to pass, and i stood for a time outside, trying to squeeze the water out of my nether garments. i had formed a little pool round my feet by the time chaffey returned. "you're to go into the captain, paddy," he said. "he fired off his great guns and small arms at me, so he'll receive you pleasantly, i hope." giving a final wring to my coat tails, i made my way to the after cabin. the captain, with night-cap on head, had just got into his breeches. "glad to see you safe on board, finnahan," he said. "now give me the information you have brought. i'll hear about your adventures afterwards." "i have just escaped from a brig, sir, that is carrying despatches to the french admiral at guadaloupe, and as she may at any moment slip out of the harbour, i thought you would like to know of it, that you may follow and capture her as soon as she gets to a sufficient distance from this place." "how do you know she has despatches?" he asked. "i heard the french officer who came on board tell the lieutenant in command of the brig what they were, and i saw them in the drawer of the cabin table. i supposed that the lieutenant put them there that they might be handy to throw overboard, should he find at any time that the brig was likely to be recaptured." "then why didn't you bring them away with you?" asked the captain. "you made your own escape--you might easily, i should have thought, have got hold of them." "i felt in honour bound not to do so, sir. i was trusted on board; but as i had not given my word not to escape, i felt justified in getting away when the opportunity offered." "i consider you acted rightly," said the captain. "a man cannot have too nice a sense of honour; at the same time i believe you would have gained great credit if you had brought them off. much may depend on our getting hold of them. however, we must do our best to capture the brig, and prevent her delivering them to the french admiral. you deserve credit as it is for making your escape, and i'm glad you got off without breaking your parole. i should have regretted to find that you had done that. now call mr saunders, and--hillo! my lad, you're dripping wet! go and shift into dry clothes, or rather, if you're not wanted, turn into your hammock and get some sleep. you have not had much of that to-night, i conclude." getting a lantern from the sentry, i at once repaired to old "rough-and-ready's" cabin. "mr saunders," i shouted, "the captain wants to see you." he jumped up in a moment wide awake--a good first lieutenant always sleeps with one eye open. "why, where do you come from, youngster?" he asked, as, throwing his night-cap on the pillow, he rapidly slipped into his clothes. i very briefly told him while he finished dressing, which took him scarcely a minute, and he then hastened to the captain's cabin, while i gladly went below and had my marine roused up to get me out some dry clothes from my chest and to sling my hammock. i inquired for larry, who i found had gone forward. in a short time he came aft, having also got into dry clothes. "mighty glad we've got away from the brig, mr terence," he said; "but still i'm as sorrowful as a pig in a gale of wind. the first thing the men axed me for was my fiddle, and bedad i left it aboard the brig; so if she gets away i'll never be after seeing it again." "we must hope to take her," i said. "depend on it the captain will keep a look-out on her movements, and we shall then recover your fiddle, though i'm afraid we shall not get hold of the despatches." "is it them bundle of papers in the drawer you're speaking of?" asked larry. "i was after thinking it would be as well to bring them away, in case the captain should like to have a look at them, so i just put them in my shirt before i slipped out of the cabin window. i hope i won't be called a thief for taking them. here they are, mr terence;" and he handed me the packet which i had seen in the drawer. i hurried aft with it to the captain. i found him and the first lieutenant in the cabin. "why, what's this?" exclaimed the captain, as i gave him the packet. i told him that i believed it contained the despatches sent from port-au-prince; and that my companion, larry harrigan, unknown to me, had brought them away. "what! and you gave him a hint to do so?" said the captain. "no, indeed i didn't, sir," i answered firmly, though i blushed as i then explained, that although i had spoken to larry about them, it was with no intention of inducing him to do what i was unwilling to do myself. "i had told him of them, sir," i said; "but i give you my word of honour that i had no thought at the time of his getting hold of them. i did meditate, i confess, throwing them overboard; but under the circumstances i came to the conclusion that i had no right to do that, independent of the risk of being severely dealt with by the frenchmen, should my act be discovered." "well, well, i believe you, finnahan," said the captain in a kind tone. "we have got them, and we must take them at once to sir samuel hood. we need care very little about the brig now." chapter sixteen. old friends. "hadn't you better, sir, see what they contain?" observed mr saunders. "it's just possible, too, that the commander of the brig knows their contents, and will communicate it verbally to the french admiral, or perhaps he may have duplicates on board." "i don't think he has that, sir," i remarked. "i saw the packet delivered to the french lieutenant, and he certainly did not open it, though i can't say whether he knows the purport of the despatches." "it's likely enough that he does, though; and at all events we must prevent him, if we can, from communicating with his admiral," said captain macnamara. "when he finds that you have made your escape, he'll be eager to be off, and still more so if he discovers that the despatches are missing. send a boat, mr saunders, at once to watch the movements of the brig. heave the cable short, and be ready to sail the moment we get a breeze." mr saunders left the cabin to carry out the orders he had received. i hadn't yet told the captain of the way the brig was taken from me, and of the mutiny. i now, by his desire, gave him a detailed account of the circumstances. "there's no blame attached to you, finnahan," he said; "though as far as i can make out, the french officers didn't behave in an honourable way, and i hope those mutinous scoundrels will get their deserts before long. i'm sorry they are our countrymen, but i can show them no favour on that account. if we take the brig, every one of them will be hanged." "i rather think, sir, that the french officers will have saved us the trouble; for when they get on board and find what hoolan and his mates have been about, they won't be inclined to treat them leniently." "i wish that we had left them ashore at cork," observed the captain. "we should have been better without such scoundrels. now, with regard to these despatches. i don't understand a word of french, nor does the first lieutenant, nor any other officer in the ship except yourself, finnahan; still it may be necessary to act immediately on them. i'll open them, and you must translate their contents." i would thankfully have excused myself; for though i could jabber french pretty glibly, i was very little accustomed to write or translate it. the captain got out pens and paper from his desk and, telling me to sit down, opened the packet, and put it into my hands. the hand-writing greatly puzzled me, for it was not a style to which i was accustomed. i spelt out the words, however, as well as i could, and tried to get at the sense. it contained an account of the intended sailing of the marquis de boullie with four thousand troops for the relief of guadaloupe, which was at that time being attacked by the english under general prescott. there were also various directions for the guidance of the french forces in those seas; but the most important was a plan for the concentration of the fleet, carrying a large body of soldiers, so that they might pounce down on jamaica while the english squadrons were being led away in opposite directions. it was some time before i arrived at the gist of the matter. "this is important," exclaimed the captain. "you would have rendered essential service to the country by bringing these on board, and i must see that harrigan is rewarded; while the part you have played must not be forgotten, as, though your sense of honour prevented you from taking the packet, it is owing to your courage and determination that we have obtained it. however, we will talk of that by and by. we must look out, in the meantime, that the brig doesn't escape us; for though i have got the information to put sir samuel hood on his guard, the french may obtain it also, and act accordingly." while we were speaking, mr saunders came in to say the boat was ready, and the cable hove short; but that, as it was still a stark calm, there was no chance at present of the brig getting under weigh. "you must go in the boat, finnahan, and make sure that we watch the right brig. as we can't see her from the ship, we may be following the wrong vessel," said the captain. though i would much rather have turned in and gone to sleep, i of course obeyed orders. mr harvey, the third lieutenant, was in charge of the boat, and as i stepped into her, i found that larry harrigan formed one of the crew. they pulled away under my directions, and soon gained sight of the brig. "it's mighty hard that we can't jump aboard and take her," i heard larry say to the stroke oar, behind whom he was sitting. "i'd be after getting back my fiddle, at all events, if we could." "it's agen' the law of nations," answered the man; "though i should like to punish the rascal hoolan for murdering poor ben nash and tim logan." "silence, men," said mr harvey; "we must not let the people on board the brig find out that we are watching them. they'll probably take us for a guard-boat, but if they hear our english voices, they'll know who we are." we kept under the shade of one of the neighbouring vessels. all was quiet on board the brig. there were no signs of her being about to trip her anchor. i wondered whether dubois had put hoolan and the rest in irons when he discovered how they had behaved. i could scarcely suppose that they would have contrived to seize him and his boat's crew when they returned on board; yet such was possible, and would have been retributive justice on him for having taken the brig from us. still i should have been very sorry indeed to hear that he and la touche had met with any injury. we waited and waited, till it appeared that we were not likely to wait to any purpose. at last larry, who seemed to have forgotten the order he had received to keep silence, suddenly exclaimed-- "couldn't we go aboard just to axe the frenchmen to give me back my fiddle. that wouldn't be agen' the law of nations, would it, mr terence?" "silence there," said mr harvey, scarcely able to restrain his laughter. "i ordered you men not to speak." "shure i forgot the same," said larry in a suppressed tone. "och! my fiddle, my fiddle! what will i be after doing without it!" at length daylight dawned; and according to the orders mr harvey had received, we returned on board. as the sun rose, a light breeze began to play over the surface of the harbour. a look-out was sent aloft to keep watch on the brig, while every preparation was made for heaving up the anchor and making sail, should she be seen to get under weigh. dubois, knowing that larry and i had gone aboard the frigate, must have been aware that the captain was acquainted with the character of his vessel, and also that she was carrying despatches. he would certainly, i thought, suppose that we should follow him, should he put to sea. i therefore scarcely fancied that he would venture out of the harbour during daylight, but fully expected that he would wait another night, on the chance of there being a breeze during the time to enable him to get away. i was therefore greatly surprised when the look-out hailed-- "the brig is loosing her topsails, and heaving up her anchor." the breeze at this time had freshened considerably. scarcely had the words been uttered than i saw, between the other vessels, the brig, with her topsails and courses set, steering towards the narrow entrance, through which only small or light vessels could venture. the capstan was instantly manned; the hands were ordered aloft, and topsails, and topgallant-sails were let fall; but before we could cant the right way, the brig had passed us, and had already reached the passage, when, the head-sails filling, the anchor was tripped, and being run up to the bows, we steered for the broader and only safe channel. what had induced dubois to put to sea, and leave the safe shelter of the harbour, i could not divine. it made me suspect that he had not discovered the loss of the despatches, and knowing the importance of delivering them without delay, he had determined to run every risk for that object. he probably expected, by getting the first of the breeze, to be a long way ahead before we could follow, trusting to the various chances which might occur to effect his escape. had we been able to go through the narrow passage, he must have known that he would to a certainty have been caught; but our captain, from remarks i heard, seemed to think that the brig might possibly succeed in getting off, though he was resolved to use every exertion to overtake her, provided we were not led out of our course, for it was of still greater importance to get down to barbadoes, or wherever the english admiral might be. during the stay of the _liffy_ in the harbour, information had been obtained of the movements of the french fleet, as also that they had a large number of troops on board. their object was to capture as many of our west india islands as they could, and several had already fallen into their hands. saint christopher's, however, had hitherto held out; jamaica was prepared to resist to the last; and barbadoes, our pet island, was strongly protected by sir samuel hood's fleet. the french were, i should have said, vastly superior in numbers to the english. we had, however, brave and vigilant commanders, who took good care not to let the grass grow beneath their feet. had captain macnamara been certain that lieutenant dubois was ignorant of the contents of the packet larry had carried off, he would have cared very little about letting the brig escape. he thought, however, that dubois might possibly have duplicates, or might have learned the information they contained. the wind freshened as we got outside. we could now see the brig about five or six miles away to the southward, for she had got the first of the breeze, and had carried it along while we were getting under weigh. all sail being made, however, we rapidly gained on her. "it'll be a bad job for dan hoolan if we come up with the little hooker, mr terence," said larry. "if the frenchmen haven't shot him already, our captain will be shure to run him up to the yard-arm, with the poor fellows he decaived." "it's what he richly deserves," i replied; "but i wish that he had never been pressed. it would have been better to have left him on shore, to stand his chance of hanging, or turning honest." "ah, shure there's but little honesty likely to come out of dan hoolan," observed larry, who disliked him more than ever since he had caused the deaths of tim logan and ben nash. the brig was steering south-east directly for guadaloupe, and we followed in the same direction; but as there were numerous islands in her course, she might, if she could retain her distance ahead till dark, escape by keeping round them, or if hard pressed, run on shore, when the french officers would probably endeavour to forward the information they were conveying by some other vessel. she was, as i have said, very fast, and she was now carrying every stitch of canvas she could set. the _liffy_ was no laggard, and we pressed after her. the chase was as exciting as it could well be. scarcely any of the officers left the deck, except to take a hurried breakfast, and every glass on board was in requisition. now, when the breeze freshened, we appeared to be gaining on her; now, when it fell, she seemed to draw ahead of us. we passed between the islands of saint john and tortola; we sighted the east end of santa cruz, and then made out the curious conical hill of saba, to the north of saint eustatia. noon had passed, and the wind again freshening, we gained rapidly on the chase. the look-out aloft hailed that he saw several sail right ahead. it was a question whether they were english or french. if the latter, the brig might lead us under their guns, and it was necessary to be cautious. dubois must have seen them also, but probably was as uncertain about their character as we were. he might, after all, be captured should he stand on. at length he altered his course, and appeared to be making for saint eustatia, and from this it was pretty evident that he took the fleet ahead to be english. whether he was right in that respect or not we could not tell, but he made a mistake in hauling his wind. in another half hour we got near enough to send a shot, which fell aboard him; another and another followed, when, letting fly his head sheets, he put his helm to starboard, and hauled down his colours. we at once hove-to. a boat was lowered, and i, being able to speak french, was sent with mr harvey to take possession. we were soon alongside. dubois must have recognised me when in the boat. as we stepped on deck he and la touche advanced, and presented their swords to mr harvey, at the same time each of them made me a very formal bow. i returned it, and said, as i stepped forward-- "what is the meaning of this, monsieur dubois? you have made a gallant attempt to escape. it's the fortune of war that you have failed; but why do you treat me as a stranger? i wish to behave towards you as old friends, and will do all in my power to help you." "we do not desire the friendship of one who has been guilty of such an act as you have committed," answered dubois stiffly. "what act do you speak of?" i asked, suspecting, however, to what he alluded. "you were trusted. you made your escape, and carried off the despatches," he answered. "i had a right to make my escape, for i had not given you my word to remain," i said. "i did not carry off the despatches, nor did i instigate any one to do so. you'll find that i speak the truth." "i have, then, to beg your pardon," said dubois, with french politeness, though he looked doubtfully at me. there was little time for conversation, however. mr harvey desired the two french officers to prepare for going on board the frigate. "i understand that you have some english seamen on board. where are they?" he asked. "two of them lie there," said dubois, "and the third, in trying to swim on shore, was seized by a shark. we are well rid of them, for they were mutinous rascals." i looked forward; there, on the deck, lay dan hoolan and the other mutineer. a shot had struck him on the chest, and nearly knocked the upper part of his body to pieces, while it had cut his companion almost in two, but i recognised his features, grim and stern, even in death. one of the french seamen had also been killed, and his countrymen, without ceremony, hove his body overboard. mr harvey ordered our men to dispose of the mutineers in the same manner, and to wash down the deck, for the sight was not such as any of us cared to look at longer than was necessary. dubois and la touche, who had gone below to get their valises, now returning with them, stepped into the boat, and mr harvey left me in charge of the brig. i felt somewhat elated at finding myself on board the craft of the command of which i had been so suddenly deprived, and began to hope that i was to retain it. i resolved, at all events, should any of the frenchmen be left in her, to be careful that they didn't again take her out of my hands. i was sorry that i didn't know rather more about navigation, but i thought that i could manage, by carrying on, to keep in sight of the frigate. i was especially thankful that we had not been compelled to hang dan hoolan and the other men, for ruffians as they were, and outlaws as they had been, i felt for them as countrymen, and should have been sorry to see them suffer so ignominious a fate. the brig was still hove-to, and i was pacing the deck with all the dignity of a commanding officer, when i saw another boat come off from the frigate, full of men. in a short time, sinnet stepped up the side. "i have come to supersede you, paddy," he said. "the captain doubts your capabilities as a navigator; besides which, he wants you as an interpreter, so you need not consider yourself slighted." "not a bit of it," i answered. "only look out that the frenchmen don't take the brig from you." "the captain has made sure that that won't be the case, by ordering all the prisoners to be sent to the frigate," he replied. i saw larry step on deck with the new arrivals, and fancied that he had been sent to form part of the brig's crew. i asked him if we were to be separated. "no, mr terence, i'm thankful to say; but i axed leave of mr saunders to come and look for my fiddle. `to be shure,' said he; `it puts life into the men, and you may go.' so i've come, mr terence. if dan hoolan hasn't hove it overboard, i'll be after setting the men a-jigging this very evening, supposing we haven't to fight the french, or do any other trifle of that sort!" "be smart, then, larry, about it," i said, "for i have to be off;" and larry dived below. i ordered the frenchmen to tumble into the boat,-- they obeying in their usual light-hearted manner, not in any way looking as if they were prisoners. the last man had got into the boat, when larry came up from below with his fiddle-case under his arm. "hooray, mr terence! shure i'm in luck, for i've got back my cremona!" he exclaimed, as he came down the side, "i'll set your heels going, mounseers, so don't be down-hearted, my boys," he said, addressing the french prisoners. they seemed to understand him. some exclaimed, "_bon garcon_!" snapping their fingers, and moving their feet, to show that they were ready enough to dance notwithstanding that they were prisoners. "it's a wonder, mr terence: i've been after looking for dan hoolan, but never a sight could i get of him, or phelan, or casey," said larry. when he heard of their fate, he'd scarcely believe it, till i told him that i had seen two of them dead on the deck, and that dubois had accounted for the other. "well, i'm mighty thankful, for they might have had a worse ending, and it wasn't to be supposed that they'd come to a good one," he remarked. soon after i got back to the ship the captain sent for me into the cabin. "i wish you, finnahan," he said, "to try and ascertain from these two young french officers what they know about the proceedings of their fleet, and also learn whether they suppose the ships ahead are those of our country or theirs." i promised to do as he desired. i found dubois walking the deck, looking somewhat disconsolate. he received me as before, in a cold manner, though la touche held out his hand when i offered him mine. "it's of little consequence now," he said; "but i confess that we suspect you of carrying off the packet. we only discovered that it was gone after we left the harbour." i told him exactly how it had happened, and that i myself considered that under the circumstances i should not have been justified in taking it. "you have acted honourably, monsieur. i apologise for our wrong suspicions, and i hope dubois will do the same," he said. "certainly," said dubois. "i vowed, when i discovered our loss, that i would never trust an english officer again." "you will now acknowledge, then, that though we are compelled to be enemies, we act honourably towards you," i remarked. "however, all is said by you to be fair in love or war--is it not?" "we have got the saying, though it may not be a true one, for all that," he answered. i now tried to carry out the captain's instructions, but i confess that i could gain very little either from dubois or la touche. perhaps they didn't know much about the movements of their own fleet. their opinion was that the ships they had seen ahead were english, or they would not have gone out of their course to avoid them. captain macnamara was not quite satisfied on that point. we continued standing to the southward, with the brig following in our wake, while a bright look-out was kept aloft, that we might haul our wind, and get out of their way, in case they should prove enemies. it was fortunate that we were cautious, for, just before dark, the ships in sight were made out to be certainly french, and we immediately stood away to the southward to avoid them. two frigates were seen coming in chase, but we made all sail, and night hid them from our sight. whether or not they were still pursuing us we could not tell, but no lights were shown, and it was important to avoid an engagement, especially with enemies of a superior force. a careful look-out, however, was kept, lest they should come up with us during the night. when morning dawned we found that we had run them out of sight, and we now once more steered our course for barbadoes. on reaching carlisle bay, we found the fleet under sir samuel hood moored in order of battle. it was evident from this that the admiral expected an attack from the french fleet, and we afterwards learned that he had gained information that it had sailed from martinique in great force for the purpose of attacking the island. in an hour afterwards sinnet brought in the brig in safety, when he had to deliver her up to the prize agents. it was a fine sight to me, for i had never seen so many line-of-battle ships together, with their broadsides pointed in the same direction, sufficient, it seemed, to blow the whole navy of france into the air. captain macnamara, immediately on bringing up, sent mr harvey with the despatches to the admiral, and directed him to ask for instructions as to our future course. we waited hour after hour in expectation of the french fleet. "we shall have a good stand-up fight for it," observed sinnet to me. "i only wish that i had kept command of the brig, and i would have blazed away at the frenchmen with my pop-guns." the night passed away. early the next morning a sail was seen in the offing, standing towards the bay. we all supposed her to be one of the advance frigates of the french, sent ahead to ascertain our strength; but as the light increased she was seen to be a corvette, though at the same time she had a french appearance. she came steering directly for the admiral, and hove-to inside him. "why, i do believe it's the craft we took soon after we left jamaica, and nettleship and you were sent away in charge of," exclaimed sinnet, who had been watching her. i had also been examining her minutely, and had come to the same conclusion. directly she had furled sails, a boat went off from her to the admiral, and remained alongside for some time. we were thus left in doubt as to whether we were right. at length the boat, which had returned to the corvette, came pulling towards us. sinnet was watching her through a telescope. "why, i say, paddy, i'm nearly certain i see old nettleship in the stern-sheets, and tom pim alongside him," he said. "then there can be no doubt that the corvette is the _soleil_; but nettleship hoped to get his promotion, and if so, he has been made one of her lieutenants," i remarked. "he hasn't got on a lieutenant's uniform, at all events," said sinnet, looking through the telescope. in a short time the boat was alongside, and our doubts were solved, by seeing tom pim and nettleship come on deck. they went aft at once, and reported themselves to captain macnamara. as soon as they were dismissed they joined us. they both gave a start of surprise at seeing me. tom grasped my hand and said, "well, i am glad, paddy, to find you safe aboard. we fully believed that the brig was lost in the hurricane, and never expected to set eyes on you again." nettleship also greeted me warmly, though he looked somewhat down in the mouth. the cause of this soon came out. "why, nettleship," i said, "i thought you would have been made long before this." "it's my ill-luck that i'm not, paddy," he answered. "i thought so too. i got highly complimented for bringing the prize into port royal, and i was then told to rejoin my ship as soon as possible; while the _soleil_ was commissioned, and a commander and two lieutenants, who had just come out from england with strong recommendations from the admiralty, were appointed to her." "well, cheer up, old fellow; we are very glad to have you still with us," said sinnet. tom afterwards told me that nettleship got blamed by the admiral at jamaica for sending me aboard the brig with so few hands, and for allowing the prisoners to remain on board, as he shrewdly suspected what had really happened, that if we had managed to escape the hurricane, they had risen on us and taken possession of the vessel. the _soleil_ had brought intelligence which she had gained from the crew of a prize she had captured a few days before, that the count de grasse had borne away for saint christopher's, where he had landed a force under the marquis de boullie, which it was feared would overpower general fraser. the news soon ran through the fleet that, instead of waiting to be attacked, we were forthwith to sail in search of the french, to attack them. in a short time, at a signal thrown out from the flag-ship, the fleet, consisting of twenty-two sail of the line and several frigates, got under way, and stood out from carlisle bay. we first proceeded to antigua, where we obtained fresh provisions, and took on board the th regiment of foot and two companies of the th, under the command of general prescott; and on the evening of the same day we sailed for saint john's roads, and stood under easy sail for basse terre, two of our frigates going ahead to give timely notice of what the french were about. we and the _nymph_ frigate were on one flank, and two others on the opposite side. we were fully expecting that we should have warm work in the morning. few of the officers turned in. when a large fleet is sailing together, it is necessary to keep a very bright look-out. we could dimly see the other ships, with their lights burning, as we glided over the water. presently nettleship, near whom i was standing, remarked-- "there are two of them closer together than they should be;" and the next instant he exclaimed, "they're foul of each other! i feared that it would be the case." signals of distress were now thrown out from both the ships. we on this closed with them; and captain macnamara ordered the boats to be lowered, to ascertain what had happened, and to render assistance. i went in one of them with our second lieutenant. the first we boarded proved to be the _nymph_. she had been run into by the _alfred_. she was dreadfully knocked about, being almost cut in two. we heard aboard her that the _alfred_ herself had also been severely damaged. a boat was at once sent to report what had happened to the admiral, and as soon as daylight dawned he threw out signals to the whole fleet to lay to while the injuries the _alfred_ had received were being repaired. the _nymph_ herself was too severely damaged to proceed, and was ordered at once to return to antigua. while we were lying to, a sail was seen in the distance, when the admiral ordered by signal the _liffy_ to chase. before long we came up with her. she proved to be a large french cutter, laden with shells and ordnance stores for the besieging army. nearly the whole day was spent in repairing the damages the _alfred_ had received, and on our approaching basse terre, to our bitter disappointment, we found that the count de grasse had put to sea. the next night was spent in doubt as to what had become of him, but in the morning the french fleet, consisting of about twenty-nine sail of the line, was perceived about three leagues to leeward, formed in order of battle. sir samuel hood immediately ordered the british fleet to bear down as if to attack him. this had the effect of driving him still farther to leeward, when, to our surprise, the admiral threw out another signal, directing the fleet to stand for basse terre. in the evening we entered frigate bay, and anchored in line of battle. the object of this was to cut off the french from all communication with their forces on shore. before we had brought up, the count de grasse stood towards us, and commenced a furious attack on the rear of our fleet, commanded by commodore affleck. he, supported by the _canada_, captain cornwallis, and the _resolution_, lord robert manners, kept up so incessant a fire on the french, that, finding they could make no impression on us, their squadron bore up and stood again to sea. i mention these events to show the sort of work in which we were engaged. the night passed quietly, but in the morning the french fleet was seen again approaching. on they came, passing along our line, and pouring their broadsides into us. though superior to us in numbers, we returned so furious a fire, that after a time, finding we remained firm, they wore, and again stood out to sea. in the afternoon the french again appeared, but we again pounded them so severely that they at length, having had enough of it, once more retired, evidently having suffered severe loss. the french flag-ship, the _ville de paris_, was seen to be upon the heel, blocking up the shot-holes she had received between wind and water. all this time on shore the french were attacking general fraser, who had been compelled to retire to a fort on brimstone hill, and with whom it had become exceedingly difficult to communicate. i was in the berth when i received a message from the captain, to go to his cabin. "i have just come from the admiral," he said. "he wishes to send some one on shore to communicate with general fraser at brimstone hill. i told him at once that you would be able to succeed if any one could; though i warn you that the risk of being shot or captured by the enemy is considerable. are you, notwithstanding, ready to go?" "with all the pleasure in the world, sir," i answered, "if i am likely to be able to find my way to the fort." "you'll not have much difficulty in doing that," he said, unless you're stopped, for you'll be furnished with an exact plan. "am i to go in uniform, sir, or in disguise?" i asked. "i wouldn't have you risk your life by going in disguise," he replied. "if you were caught you would be shot as a spy. you must make the attempt at night, and by wearing a cloak you may escape detection, unless you happen to encounter any of the french soldiers; in that case you'll have to yield yourself a prisoner." "whatever the difficulties, i'm ready to go through with them, sir," i said; "and as i speak french, though not very well, should i meet any french soldiers, i may perhaps be able to make my escape from them." "the captain told me that the object of the admiral was to establish a communication between the fleet and brimstone hill, by means of signals, which i was to carry with me, the general not being supplied with them. it will be safer to take a man with you to convey the flags, while you carry the code of signals, which you must endeavour to destroy should you be made prisoner," he said. i had still some hours to wait, however, before it was dark enough for me to land. i soon afterwards met la touche. both he and dubois made themselves very happy on board, caring apparently very little about being prisoners. i told him of my intended expedition. "if you succeed, well and good," he said; "but if you are taken prisoner, i hope you'll mention dubois and me to the marquis de boullie, and suggest that he should make an offer to exchange you for me. perhaps he has captured another english officer, who would gladly be exchanged for dubois. not that we are weary of our captivity, as you all do your best to make it as light and agreeable as possible." i told la touche that i should be happy to carry out his wishes should i be taken prisoner, though i had no intention of being made one if i could help it. when i told tom pim of what i had to do, he declared that he was jealous of me, and that he thought he should try to get leave to go. i said that i should like to have his company, and accordingly we went together to the captain to ask leave. he, however, refused, saying that he would not risk the loss of two midshipmen at the same time. "you may, however, take harrigan with you," he said; "he is a sharp lad, and will serve you better than any other man in the ship." though i should have been unwilling to ask for larry, for fear of exposing him to danger, i was very glad to have him with me. just before dark a boat was lowered and manned, and nettleship was ordered to take me and harrigan on shore. i shook hands with my messmates. "we hope you'll get back, paddy," said sinnet. "if you're killed or taken prisoner, we will mourn over your hard fate. however, you're too sharp to be caught, and we shall see you back again before long, i daresay." the captain desired to see me before i started, and gave me further instructions, making me study well a plan of the road to the fort, so i did not fear that i should lose my way. at length we shoved off. instead, however, of pulling directly for the shore, we steered over to the opposite side of the bay to that where the enemy were encamped. nettleship seemed very anxious about me. "i wish that an older man had been sent, paddy," he said; "and i'm ashamed of myself that i don't understand french, or i might have been employed in the service. i envy you for the opportunity you have of distinguishing yourself." "i don't see that i shall have much to boast of, having only to creep along in the dark up to the fort and back again. there's no great difficulty in the undertaking, besides having to keep out of the way of the french pickets." "it's not so much what you have to do, as the object to be attained, and the danger of doing it, which will bring credit on you," he answered. it was perfectly dark before we reached the place which had been fixed on for landing, so that we ran no risk of being observed from the shore. it was arranged that nettleship was to wait off it until i made the signal for him to come in and take me aboard. not a word was spoken as larry and i stepped on to the beach, he carrying the signals and i the book and the admiral's letter. we kept first to our right till we found a path leading inland through a wood. we went on as rapidly as the nature of the ground would allow. the snake-like roots ran across the path, and creepers hung low down in festoons, forming nooses, which might have brought us sharply up if we had run our heads into them. now and then i fancied that i saw a huge snake winding its way along before me; and tree-frogs, crickets, and other nocturnal insects, kept up a noisy chorus as we went on. sometimes it was so dark that it was with the greatest difficulty i could make my way with the stick i carried. i was very glad when, getting out of the wood, we found ourselves on the borders of a sugar-cane plantation. this i knew i should have to skirt till i reached another path leading almost directly up to the fort. chapter seventeen. the last of the "liffy." we had proceeded some distance when the voice of a sentry hailing a passer-by struck my ear. the challenge was in french, as was the answer. it appeared to be some way off, and i hoped might come from one of the extreme outposts. still i knew that it was necessary to proceed with caution, or we might suddenly find ourselves close upon another. we went on and on, occasionally stopping to listen. no other sounds besides those of noisy insects broke the silence of night. already we could see the top of brimstone hill rising against the dark sky. in another quarter of an hour or so we might reach it. i hoped that we might find nothing to stop us in passing over the intervening space. we continued on, concealing ourselves as much as possible beneath the hedges of cacti, or the trunks of trees. we had got close to a thick copse, as we should call it, only that the plants were of a very different character, when i heard a sound of feet passing apparently before us. then i heard a remark made in french by one person to another, who answered it in the same tongue. grasping larry's arm, i dragged him towards the wood. fortunately we found some thick bushes, behind which we crouched down. presently the sounds of the footsteps grew louder, and i could just distinguish the dim outline of a party of men and several officers, passing along the road towards the left, where the french army were supposed to be encamped. they had evidently been out on a reconnoitring expedition, and were now returning. had we gone on we should certainly have fallen into their hands. i waited until they were out of hearing, and then, whispering to larry, we got up and made our way directly towards the fort, with much less fear than before of meeting any one. still i knew that we were not safe until we had actually gained our destination. at last we were hurrying on, when i heard a voice say, "who goes there?" and i answered, "a friend from the fleet, with a letter for the general." the sentry told us to pass on. in another minute we reached the picket, a soldier from which was sent up with us to the fort. we were at once admitted into the presence of general fraser, to whom i delivered the despatches and signals. "you have performed your service well, young gentleman," said the general. "are you to remain here, or to return to the fleet?" i told him that my directions were to get back as soon as possible. "i'll detain you, then, but a short time, while i write a letter to sir samuel hood," he said. "i hope that you'll be as successful on your journey back, as you were in coming here." before he began to write, he ordered a servant to bring me refreshments, and to look after my companion. the walk had given me an appetite; and i did justice to the food placed before me. the general had soon finished his letter; and, giving it to me, with a warm shake of the hand, told me that i was at liberty to set out when i was ready. "my orders are to return without delay, sir," i answered, and took my leave. the sentry accompanied larry and me to the outer picket, thence we hurried on as fast as we could manage to get along. still i maintained the same caution as in coming, for at any moment we might fall in with some of the enemy, who might be watching the fort from a distance. the farther we got, the more my hopes of succeeding increased. i could already make out the lights of the ships in the bay, and the sheen of the intermediate water. we reached the wood through which we had before passed, and had just made our way to the outside, when i caught sight of a body of men, apparently a patrol, a short distance to the right. we were still under the shade of the trees, and i hoped that we should not be discovered. we drew back to see in what direction they were coming. it appeared to me that they had already passed, and that we might gain the landing-place, even should they see us making towards it. we accordingly, after waiting a short time, darted forward, running at our full speed. scarcely, however, had we begun to run, than i heard a shout of-- "_arretez la_!"--stop there, stop! it was an order we were not likely to obey. it was too late to return to the wood, so, scampering as fast as our feet could move, we ran on to where we expected to find the boat. again the frenchmen shouted to us, and presently a shot came whistling by my ear. "stoop down, larry," i cried, "as low as you can; it doesn't do to present a larger target to the enemy than is necessary." i hoped that the shots would attract the attention of nettleship, and that he would pull in to take us aboard. i turned my head for a moment, and saw the soldiers running towards us; still, as we were some way ahead, i expected that we should have time to reach the boat, and to shove off to a distance before they came up. to make sure, i shouted out-- "nettleship, ahoy! pull in as hard as you can." though i could see lights on board the ships, close to the water as it was, i could not distinguish the boat, and i was afraid that, not expecting us so soon, nettleship had pulled to a distance. should he not arrive our capture was certain. we had nearly gained the rocks on which we had landed, when i made out a dark object on the water approaching. that must be the boat, i thought, and again hailed. nettleship, recognising my voice, answered, and i guessed by the sound of the oars that the men were bending to them with all their might. larry and i stood ready to spring in. we could hear the footsteps of the frenchmen approaching rapidly. by stooping down we managed to conceal ourselves, and to avoid several more shots which were fired. the moment the bowman touched the rock with his boat-hook, larry and i sprang on board. i scrambled aft, while nettleship shouted out-- "back oars all. now, starboard oars, give way." the boat was quickly got round, but we had pulled to no great distance before the frenchmen, reaching the beach, began to blaze away at us. we returned the compliment by firing the only two muskets which had been brought. the frenchmen standing up on the rock presented a good target. first one shot struck the stern, and another the blade of an oar, but no one was hurt, and the frenchmen, finding that they were the greatest sufferers, prudently retired from the beach. after a long pull we got back to the frigate. the captain, to whom i delivered general fraser's letter, complimented me on having performed the duty. "your conduct will be noted, finnahan, and you may depend upon obtaining your promotion as soon as you are old enough." i expected to be able to turn in, but he sent me with the letter at once on board the flag-ship, and i delivered it in person to sir samuel hood. the admiral almost repeated what the captain had said; and i had good reason to congratulate myself at the success of my adventure. next day, general prescott's division was re-embarked, as it was not a sufficient force to fight its way to general fraser at brimstone hill. other attempts were made to communicate with him, and two officers were captured; so that i had good cause to be thankful that i had escaped. dubois and la touche confessed that they were very sorry to see me back. "i felt sure that you would be made prisoner, and fully expected to have had the satisfaction of being exchanged for you," said the latter. "but we have to practise patience and laugh at our misfortunes, to get on in this world." "i'm very glad you were not caught, paddy," said tom pim. "i envy you your success, and only wish that i could talk french as you do, to be employed on the same sort of service. la touche is teaching me, and i'm trying to teach him english, but we make rum work of it without a grammar or dictionary, or any other book. i suspect he gets more out of me than i do out of him, though i try very hard to pronounce the words he says." we could hear the french guns thundering away at the fort, and those of the fort replying, hour after hour, without intermission, but the signals made by general fraser were not supposed to be satisfactory. at last, one day, we saw the flag hauled down; the guns at the same time ceased, and we knew that all was over, and the gallant garrison had been compelled to capitulate. information of this was sent on board to the admiral, with a flag of truce, by the marquis de boullie. that evening we sailed on a cruise to ascertain the movements of the french fleet. we had not been to sea many hours when we saw them standing in for nevis point, where they came to an anchor; and counting them, we found that they numbered no less than twenty-four sail of the line, several ships having lately joined them. we at once returned with the information to sir samuel hood. it was now discovered that the french had been throwing up gun and mortar batteries on a hill, which would completely command the fleet. we were seated in the berth after we had brought up, discussing the state of affairs. "we're in a nice position," said chaffey. "we shall be pounded at from the shore, and shall have the french fleet, with half as many more ships as we possess, down upon us before long, and it will be a tough job to fight our way out from among them." "just trust our admiral," answered tom; "he knows what he's about, depend on that; he won't let us be caught like rats in a trap." as he was speaking, nettleship came into the berth. "the captain was sent for on board the flag-ship, and he's just returned," he said. "i hear that he met all the captains of the fleet on board, and the admiral told them to set their watches by his timepiece, and directed all the ships to slip or cut their cables at eleven o'clock. the sternmost and leewardmost ships are to get under weigh first, and so on in succession, and we're to stand on under easy sail, in sight of each other, till we receive further orders from the admiral." no one turned in; the crews were at their stations; not a sign was shown which might allow the french--who were of course watching us from the shore--to discover that any movement was in contemplation. at the appointed time, the _alfred_, the most leeward of our ships, was seen to get under weigh, followed in rapid succession by the _canada_ the _president_, and the rest of the line-of-battle ships, which stood out of the bay, accompanied by the frigates, before probably the french were aware what we were about. it was a masterly movement, as it would have been madness to have stopped to be attacked by so superior a force as the french possessed; for though we might have driven them off, we must have suffered severely, and have had to return into harbour to refit. at this time we were outnumbered, and even out-manoeuvred, by the french, who took possession of several of our islands, which we were unable to protect. we were not to be idle, for there was plenty of work for the frigates in watching the enemy, and occasionally in engaging their frigates. we had not been long at sea when our captain received orders from sir samuel hood to stand in towards where the french fleet were supposed to be, and ascertain what they were about. we had sighted the island of antigua on our starboard bow, and were standing in towards nevis, when three sail appeared to the westward. one of the lieutenants went aloft to examine them. on returning on deck, he reported that one was a line-of-battle ship, and the other two frigates. as there could be no doubt, from their position, that they were enemies, the captain ordered our course to be altered, intending to pass to the northward of antigua. we had been seen by the enemy, who were making all sail in chase. i saw dubois and la touche watching them eagerly. "you expect this time to gain your liberty, my friend?" i said to la touche. "don't be too sure that your countrymen will come up with us, or if they do, that they will make the _liffy_ strike her flag." "i would rather be set at liberty in any other way," he answered, in his usual cordial tone; "but they appear to me to be gaining on us." "perhaps they are, and if so we must fight them, and drive them off," i observed. "it would be madness to do that," he remarked. "you cannot cope with a line-of-battle ship alone, independent of two frigates, each of which is a match for the _liffy_." it was soon seen that our captain had no intention of striking his flag without striking very hard first at the enemy. the strangers appeared to have a stronger breeze than filled our sails, and were coming up hand over hand with us. still we might get the wind, and run into an english harbour. it was the first time the _liffy_ ever had to run, and we didn't like it. i asked nettleship what he thought about the matter. "we shall have a tough fight, at all events; but if we can save our spars, i don't think, notwithstanding, the enemy will take us." this was the general feeling of all on board. we had sighted nevis, when two other ships were made out to the south-east. presently several more appeared in that direction. it was a question, however, whether they were friends or foes. had we been certain that they were friends, we should have stood towards them, but our captain was unwilling to run the risk of finding that he had made a mistake. a look-out was kept on them from aloft; and before long they were pronounced to be enemies. i saw by the looks of our captain that he didn't like it, though he tried to appear as confident as usual. the rest of the officers kept up their spirits. it was very evident that we were now in a difficult position. the line-of-battle ship was the closest; the two frigates, one to the north of us, the other some way to the south of her; while the new enemies we had discovered prevented us escaping in the opposite direction. our only hope was to knock away some of the spars of the line-of-battle ship, and then fight our way past the two frigates. the line-of-battle ship was rapidly approaching. a single broadside, should we be exposed to it, would almost sink us. every preparation had been made for fighting; and not a man flinched from his gun. the officers were at their stations; the powder-monkeys seated on their tubs; the surgeons below, preparing for the wounded; and we, the younger midshipmen, ready for any duty we might be called on to perform. at length a puff of smoke was seen issuing from the line-of-battle ship. the shot fell close to our counter. "that was fired from her forecastle," observed nettleship, "from a long gun, too. it will play old harry with us if well served, before we can return the compliment." a second shot quickly followed, and struck the hammock-nettings on the starboard side, knocking several overboard. we at length luffed up; and the captain ordered the whole of our starboard broadside to be fired. our guns were well aimed, and immediately we had fired we again kept away. our shot did considerable damage to our pursuer, but she still kept on, while we expected every moment to have her broadside crashing into us. fortunately for us the wind fell, and our light frigate moved rapidly through the water. the other frigates were, however, coming up. "what does the captain intend to do?" i asked of nettleship. he pointed ahead where the island of nevis rose green and smiling out of the blue water. "depend on it he won't let the enemy have our tight little frigate if he can help it," he answered. "my idea is that he'll try and get close in, and stand round the island, to give a chance to our big enemy to run on shore." shortly after this i heard nettleship involuntarily exclaim, "see! see! here it comes!" and as i looked aft i saw the line-of-battle ship luffing up, and as she did so her whole broadside was discharged at us. with a fearful uproar the shot came crashing on board. cries and shrieks arose from all sides. well-nigh a dozen of our men were struck down, and many more were wounded. the most severely hurt of the latter were carried below. comparatively little damage, however, had been done to our spars and rigging, though the rents in our sails showed where the shot had passed through; while blocks came rattling down on deck, and several ropes hung in festoons from the yards. still our stout-hearted captain held on. to return the enemy's fire would have been useless, and only the sooner insure our destruction. we got nearer and nearer the island. the men were ordered into the chains to heave the lead. the captain and master examined the chart, which had been brought from the cabin. we had no doubt of what their intentions were, but we couldn't hear a word they said. we were gaining on our pursuer, but at the same time the two frigates were not far astern, while the other ships, which had last been seen, were coming up rapidly. the men in the chains were heaving the lead. we were shoaling our water. "by the mark, nine," was called, and immediately followed by "by the mark, eight." before the men in the chains could again cry out, a loud crash was heard,--every timber in the ship trembled,--the tall masts quivered. "we're on shore," i cried out. "no doubt about that," said nettleship, "and likely to remain there too." the captain at once ordered the men aloft to furl sails. our pursuer, not wishing to meet with the same fate, hauled her wind, and stood to a distance, which left us beyond the reach of her guns. "roll them up anyhow. be smart about it," cried mr saunders. it was done. then the order came,--"out boats!" every boat was got into the water, and brought over to the starboard side, with a few hands in each. "we shall have to cut away the masts," said nettleship, whom i again passed. the ship was still forging over the ledge on which she had struck, closer and closer towards the shore. the order which he expected quickly came. "stand from under," shouted mr saunders. some of the men sprang below, others forward. we, the officers, rushed aft. the carpenter, with his mates, and the boatswain, stood ready, with their gleaming axes in their hands. "cut!" cried the captain. the shrouds were severed at one side, then the axes descended. a few strokes, and the masts in rapid succession fell overboard. we had all been so engaged in this operation that we had not watched our enemies. we now saw the line-of-battle ship signalling the frigates. shortly after they were seen to stand in, apparently for the object of attacking us. "it must be done," cried captain macnamara. "lads, i'm sorry to say we must leave our stout ship. we must not allow her, however, to fall into the hands of the enemy. get your clothes, and anything you value most, as i have resolved to destroy her." every one now hurried below to get their clothes, and such other things as they desired to preserve. the purser appeared with the ship's papers, the master with the ship's log, and the captain with a few instruments. muskets and ammunition, pistols and cutlasses, were then served out, so that we might have the means of resisting the enemy should they attempt to land. all were now ready for embarking. he would allow none of us to take larger sized packages than the men were permitted to carry away. the crew were now all told off to take their places in the boats. the midshipmen and boys, as in the case of fire or shipwreck, were sent first. larry was in my boat. "it's a sad day this, mr terence, which i never thought to see," he said; "but arrah! i've not forgotten my fiddle, and it will be mighty convenient to cheer the hearts of our poor fellows when we get ashore." most of the men took the matter very philosophically. those who suffered most were the unfortunate wounded, who had previously been lowered into the boats, with the surgeons to look after them. our two prisoners, dubois and la touche, had, i fancied, formed some plan for remaining on board, but a hint from rough-and-ready made them very quickly follow me into the boat, accompanied by a marine. "take care, finnahan, those two foreigners don't give you the slip," shouted the first lieutenant. "let them understand that they must remain under charge of the sentry, and that if they give leg-bail he has orders to shoot them. now shove off." i told my friends what mr saunders had said. "ah, that lieutenant of yours is very suspicious," remarked dubois. "we wish to get away! what folly to think of it." i said nothing more, but there was a twinkle in dubois' eye, which made me fancy he did think of it. the shore was soon reached; providentially there was no surf, and the men quickly landed. on this the boats at once put off to bring away the remainder of the crew. the men bent to their oars. there was no time to be lost, for the french frigates were approaching, and would soon be blazing away at our ship. on they came under all sail. "we'll have them right enough if they run ashore," cried one of the men; "there'll then be fair play maybe." "i wish that our captain would only just let us go back and fight them," exclaimed another; "we'd soon show them that the saucy _liffy_ hasn't done barking yet." but the frenchmen seemed to have no intention of running ashore if they could help it. as we got alongside they had come almost within range of our guns. the remainder of the crew and officers stood ready to embark. just at that moment i recollected that i had come away without my grandfather's sword, which was hung up in the berth. i sprang on deck and rushed down below to obtain it. having got it in my hand, i was hurrying out of the berth, when i saw the captain, accompanied by mr saunders with the gunner and his crew, just coming aft. at the same time i observed a dense smoke issuing from the fore-hold. they had matches in their hands, with which they had lighted some trains which had been laid leading to the after-part of the ship. i sprang back into the boat, into which the gunner and his crew followed me, the captain's gig still waiting alongside. mr saunders came down and took his seat. the captain stood for some moments gazing along the deck, then, lifting up his hat, he also descended. "shove off!" i heard him cry out, in a husky voice, just as we were pulling away. he was the last man to leave the frigate. as he did so several shot came crashing aboard her from the opposite side. we pulled away as fast as we could lay our backs to the oars, for we had a good chance of being hit. the shot dropped round us pretty thickly, but we escaped uninjured. as we looked astern thick wreaths of smoke were issuing from every part of our gallant frigate. "her fighting days are over," i observed. "not just yet, sir,--not just yet. wait a minute and you'll see," exclaimed the coxswain. he was right. before we landed the flames had reached the guns, and her whole broadside, pointed towards the frenchmen, went off in rapid succession. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted all the men; "the old girl dies game to the last." what damage the guns of our ship effected on the french frigates we could not discover, but they were seen to haul their wind and to stand off as fast as they could from the land. we soon gained the shore, which was as captivating in appearance as any shipwrecked mariner has ever landed on. it seemed like a perfect garden, with churches and planters' houses peeping out from among the trees, in the midst of the most picturesque scenery. in the centre rose a lofty cone, surrounded by a ruff of trees, below which all was one mass of verdure. we had little time or inclination just then to admire the beauties of nature. the crew having been mustered, none being missing except the poor fellows who were known to have been killed, the wounded were placed on litters formed of sails, and we were set off to march towards charlestown, the smart little capital of the island, whence captain macnamara expected to be able to send intelligence of the disaster to the admiral. we had gone some distance, and were all feeling hungry and thirsty, when we came in sight of the house of a planter. our approach was perceived. the master of the mansion came forth, and, addressing captain macnamara, insisted on our halting, and taking such refreshment as he could provide. his offer was gladly accepted. as the house wouldn't hold us all, we youngsters stopped in the shade of of a grove of trees close to it, the captain and gun-room officers being invited inside. the men threw themselves on the ground, in every variety of attitude, waiting for the expected feast. we of the midshipmen's berth formed a group by ourselves a little way from the men, close to a fountain, which sent up a jet of water into the quivering air. the sight of it alone was calculated to cool us, and we needed cooling, for our march had been hot and fatiguing. some of the men suffering most from thirst rushed to the fountain, and baled the water into their mouths, or lapped it up like dogs. "i say, paddy, what has become of your french friends?" asked nettleship, looking round. "i thought la touche would at all events have been with us, though dubois might have considered himself privileged to go in with the gun-room officers." "i haven't set eyes on them--since--since--let me see--not since we left the shore," i answered. "i suppose they must be in the house." just then i saw the marine who had had charge of the prisoners. i asked him what had become of them. he had been ordered to fall into the ranks with his comrades, and had handed them over, he said, to the second lieutenant,--simon silk,--known among us as softy. i told nettleship this. "oh, then of course they are in the house," he remarked. "not so sure of that, if softy had charge of them," said tom. in a short time a number of blacks came out, bringing provisions of all sorts. huge jugs of sangaree, baskets of pink shaddocks, bananas, oranges, pomegranates, figs, and grapes, in addition to the more substantial fare. how we did peg into the fruit, which we enjoyed the more from having been lately on salt provisions. to the poor wounded fellows the fruit was especially refreshing, and i believe the lives of several were saved who would otherwise have succumbed. "well, i shouldn't mind being shipwrecked occasionally, if i could always land in such a place as this," said chaffey, devouring a superb shaddock, while the rest of us were similarly employed, or sucking oranges, or popping grapes into our mouths. as we were at no great distance from charlestown, our kind host advised the captain to remain, and to pursue his march in the cool of the evening, undertaking to send on to the authorities that quarters might be provided for us. we were not at all sorry to hear this, as all of us needed rest. we ate the delicious fruit till we could eat no more, and then threw ourselves on the ground. our host came out and invited us into the house, but nettleship, who considered that he might have done so at first, declined his offer; indeed, we were far better off under the trees than between walls, and certainly more at our ease. at length mr saunders came out, and ordered us to get ready for marching; the men were formed in ranks, and, giving a cheer for our host, we set out. i had been looking about for dubois and la touche, when i saw lieutenant silk. i asked him if he knew where they were. "bless me! why, have they not been with you all this time?" he exclaimed. "i understood them to say that they would join you when we arrived at mr ballahoo's, and i never dreamed of their not doing so." the marine officer looked somewhat aghast on hearing that we had not even seen the frenchmen. "whether he dreamed it or not, they are off as sure as a gun," observed nettleship, when i told him. such proved to be the case; and though softy had to march back with a party of his men to look for them, they were nowhere to be found. i do not think that the captain was very much put out, though i was sorry to part from my polite friends without saying good-bye. as the enemy were in the neighbouring island, it was probable that they would send a force across to capture nevis, so that we fully expected to have work to do, as the governor was resolved to oppose them. we arrived at charlestown just at sunset, and were hospitably received by the inhabitants, among whom we were billeted, the wounded being sent to the hospital. we were expecting to have a pleasant stay in the town, but next day a frigate appeared off the place and sent her boat ashore, when our captain applied for a passage for himself and men to join the admiral. we had at once, therefore, to embark on board the _thisbe_. next day we stood across to antigua, and, having passed that island, we beat to the southward, when a large fleet was seen ahead. we approached cautiously till we got within signalling distance, when the fleet was found to be that of sir samuel hood, steering for antigua. we were ordered to join it, and the next day brought up in saint john's roads. we here remained at anchor for some time, till we were joined by sir george rodney, who had come out from england with several sail of the line. sir george rodney became commander-in-chief, and now considered himself strong enough to cope with the french and spanish. while the officers and crew of the _liffy_ were together, we were merry enough; but after we had undergone the trial for her loss, and our captain and his subordinates had been honourably acquitted, the time came for our separation. we were distributed among the different ships of the fleet. nettleship, tom pim, and i were ordered to join the _cerberus_, , with a portion of our men, among whom was larry. tom and i agreed that we felt lost in so big a ship. we soon, however, got accustomed to her, and became intimate with our new messmates, several of whom were very good fellows. tom declared that he should never like the gun-room after our snug little berth, for, should he once fetch away, he shouldn't bring up again until he had cracked his head against a gun or against the ship's side. for some time we had fine weather, so that he had no opportunity of experiencing the inconvenience he anticipated. we heard that the very day we left nevis the french had thrown an overwhelming force across and taken possession of the island. "i don't know that we should have prevented that," said tom, "so i am glad that we got away, or we might have been killed or made prisoners." the fleet being strengthened as i have described, we proceeded to saint lucia to complete our water. we now had to sail in search of a large french convoy which was expected to arrive from europe, and anticipated a rich prize; but the french were too sharp for us, for though a vigilant look-out was kept by the frigates, they managed, by sailing close under dominique and guadaloupe, to reach port royal bay unperceived by any of our ships. when sir samuel hood got information of this unlucky event, the line-of-battle ships returned to saint lucia to refit, while the frigates were employed in watching the movements of the enemy. the object of the french and spaniards was well known. it was to unite their fleets, and thus, forming a powerful force, to proceed to the conquest of jamaica. our object was to prevent them from doing this. the frigates had ample work in watching their movements, and many ran a great risk of being captured in the anxiety of their captains to keep a vigilant watch on them. our fleet lay ready for a start as soon as information was brought of the enemy having put to sea. chapter eighteen. lucy talboys again. at length, at daylight on the th of april, when i, acting as signal midshipman, was on the look-out, i saw a frigate standing towards us and making signals. i immediately communicated the information to the commander, who was on deck. "the _andromache_, captain byron," he exclaimed. "she tells us that she has seen the enemy's fleet with a large convoy coming out of port royal bay, and standing to the north-west." tom pim was immediately sent down to call the captain, and, as he appeared, the admiral threw out a signal from the _formidable_ to put to sea in chase of the enemy. cheers resounded from ship to ship, and never did fleet get under weigh with more alacrity. by noon we were clear of gros islet bay, when we stretched over to port royal, but, finding none of the french ships there or at saint pierre, we stood after them in the direction they were supposed to have taken. we continued on for some hours during the night, still uncertain as to whether we should overtake the enemy, when, to our joy, we discovered their lights right ahead. as morning broke, a large portion of the convoy was discovered under dominique, while to windward we could see the french fleet forming the line of battle. as the light increased, the admiral threw out signals to prepare for action and to form the line. it was welcomed by a hearty cheer from ten thousand throats. as, however, we got under dominique, to our bitter disappointment the sails flapped against the masts, and most of the ships lay becalmed, unable to obey the orders which had been received. it was tantalising in the extreme. at length, however, the lighter canvas filled, and the sea-breeze freshened. the _barfleur_, sir samuel hood's flag-ship, then our ship, then the _monarch_ and _warrior_, the _valiant_ and _alfred_ got the wind, and the whole of the van division, of which we formed a part, stretched to the northward on the starboard tack in chase, while the central and rear divisions, under sir george rodney, lay still becalmed and unable to join us. our gallant admiral, however, anxious to bring on an action, continued his course, when we saw the french fleet also forming their line on the starboard tack, in the hope of attacking us before we could be joined by sir george rodney. "now, paddy, we shall see what a real fight is like," said tom pim, as we stood on the quarter-deck. "i hope we shall see what a victory is like, too," i answered, as i eyed the approaching enemy, numbering fifteen ships, to oppose which we had but eight. sir samuel hood, however, knew what he was about, and the order was given to heave to, which brought our broadsides to bear upon the french, and at the same time would allow the other two frigates to come up with us as soon as they could get the wind. the first shot was fired from the _barfleur_ a few minutes before a.m., and then all our eight stout ships began blazing away at the french, as they stood down intending to break our line; but so tremendous was the fire with which they were received, that they found the attempt hopeless. they, however, returned it vigorously, and for a full hour we were pounding away at each other, not a few of our brave fellows being killed, and many more wounded. towards the end of the time, as the smoke cleared away, i saw the rest of our fleet coming up with the breeze, which had at length reached them. the french admiral also saw them, and, having had a taste of how eight ships could treat him, he stood away under all sail after the remainder of his fleet. sir george rodney now threw out a signal for a general chase, but the frenchmen beat us hollow in running away, and we in vain attempted to come up with them. for two whole days we were engaged in chasing. "i'm afraid, after all, the mounseers will get off, and reach jamaica before us," said tom pim to me; "and if they do, what will become of mr talboys and his family? poor lucy! she will be marrying a french count, perhaps, and i shall never see her again." "they are not quite out of sight, and though they're gaining on us, the wind may change, or some other accident may occur, and we shall have another stand-up fight," i answered. this was soon after sunrise on the th of april, when our fleet was standing to the northward, about five leagues north-west of prince rupert's bay, with a light breeze. the french were upon the same tack to windward of the saintes, with a fresh sea-breeze. the light increasing, we saw a ship which had lost her foremast and bowsprit, in tow of a frigate standing in for guadaloupe. on perceiving this the admiral threw out a signal for us and three other ships to chase; and, disabled as the french line-of-battle ship was, we made sure of capturing her. "we shall get hold of one ship, at all events, and the frigate too, if she doesn't up stick and run," said nettleship, as he watched the two frenchmen ahead. presently he exclaimed, "not so sure of that, though. i see the french admiral making signals, and we shall know what he has been saying presently." a short time afterwards he added, "his fleet is bearing up for the purpose of protecting the wounded bird." we stood on, however. the captain told tom pim, who was signal midshipman, to keep a sharp eye on our admiral. "if he keeps on that course he'll give us the weather gage, and we shall catch him as sure as his name is de grasse," cried nettleship. our crew of course were at their quarters, and we expected ere long to be exchanging broadsides with the enemy. presently the french again altered their course, and formed their line on the larboard tack. "the admiral has hoisted the recall signal," cried tom. directly afterwards we saw the signal made for our ships to form the line of battle on the starboard tack. rear-admiral drake's division was now leading, the _marlborough_ being ahead. the island of dominique was on our starboard hand, the wind coming off the land, and the french between us and it. thus they were to windward of us, standing almost directly for guadaloupe. we were now gradually nearing each other. just at a.m. the _marlborough_, in gallant style, opened fire on the rear of the french. at the same time rodney made the signal for close action. soon after it was hoisted all the other ships and rear-admiral drake's division commenced firing their broadsides. for a time admiral hood's division was almost becalmed, as were many of sir george rodney's ships, but as they drew ahead they got the wind much stronger clear of the land. after the action had continued for some time, the wind shifted, enabling us to get to windward of the enemy. "look out there, paddy, at the _duke_. see, that gallant fellow gardner is endeavouring to force the frenchman's line," cried nettleship. we watched for some minutes, when a shot carried away the _duke's_ main-topmast, and she dropped to leeward, and sir george rodney, followed by the _namur_ and _canada_, stood right in between the enemy's ships, not far from the _ville de paris_, carrying their admiral's flag. others quickly followed, when rodney wore and doubled upon the enemy, all the time, it must be understood, keeping up a tremendous and incessant fire. by this gallant manoeuvre the french line was completely broken, and thrown into the utmost confusion. their van bore away, and endeavoured to form to leeward, but our division, under sir samuel hood, now getting the breeze, came up, and joined in the close fight which had long been going on. to describe it so that my account should be understood would be difficult in the extreme. all the time the shot of the enemy came crashing aboard. our object was to catch sight of the hulls of the frenchmen amid the clouds of smoke, and to pound away at them. each of our ships did the same. amongst the ships was the _glorieux_, commanded by the vicomte d'escar. though surrounded by enemies, he continued to fire his broadsides until his masts and bowsprit were shot away by the board, and not till he saw that he must abandon all hope of rescue did he haul down his colours. we almost immediately afterwards came up with another ship, which we found to be the _caesar_, captain m. de marigney. we got so close up to her that our guns almost touched, and began furiously pounding away at her sides. she had already been severely battered before we attacked her. the gallant frenchman, however, continued to engage us, and, looking up, as for an instant the smoke was blown aside, we saw that he had nailed his colours to the mast. "we must knock them away notwithstanding," said nettleship. soon afterwards down came the enemy's mainmast, followed by her mizzenmast, fortunately falling over on the opposite side. still the frenchmen continued working their guns, but one after the other ceased firing, and at last an officer waved a handkerchief, to show that they surrendered. as he did so the foremast went by the board. we immediately ceased firing, and our second lieutenant was sent to take possession in one of the few of our boats which could swim. i accompanied him. i by this time had seen a good deal of fighting, but i had never yet witnessed any scene so dreadful as the decks of the _caesar_ presented. on reaching the upper deck, one of the first objects which met our eyes was the body of the gallant captain, who had just breathed his last. near him lay three or four other officers, and a little farther off two young midshipmen; while fore and aft lay the dead and wounded, their shipmates having had no time as yet to carry the latter below. everywhere there was wreck and confusion, masts and rigging trailing overboard, the stumps alone remaining, the bulwarks shattered, the guns upset, the carriages of some knocked to pieces, every boat damaged, while it was impossible, as we stepped along, to avoid the pools of blood and gore. the third lieutenant, his head bound up, stepped forward, saying that he was the officer of the highest rank remaining, and offered his sword. in the meantime the fight continued raging: the _ardent_ struck to the _belliqueux_, and the _hector_ to the _canada_; but the gallant cornwallis, leaving his prize, made sail after the count de grasse, who, together with his second, was endeavouring to rejoin his flying and scattered ships. we were fast approaching. notwithstanding this, the count de grasse held out till the _barfleur_ came up, and poured in so tremendous and destructive a fire, that at length the gallant frenchman, deserted by his ships, was compelled to haul down his flag, just as the sun sank beneath the horizon. the french fleet were now going off before the wind, pursued by some of our ships. others would have joined in the chase, but sir george rodney, wishing to collect the fleet and secure his prizes, made the signal to the fleet to bring to. our captain meantime had ordered us at once to commence removing the prisoners. i had shoved off with one boat-load, and just got alongside the _cerberus_, when i heard the cry, "the _caesar_ is on fire!" i hurried the prisoners up the side, eager to assist in extinguishing the flames, or to bring away as many as i could of those on board. several of the other ships were also sending their uninjured boats to the rescue; but before they could reach the blazing ship, we heard a fearfully loud explosion. up went her decks. fragments of planks and timbers, and even heavy guns, with human bodies torn and rent asunder, rose in the air; the whole ship blazed furiously, lighting up the surrounding vessels with a lurid glare, when suddenly her hull sank, and all was dark around. in her perished our third lieutenant and boatswain, and fifty of our gallant crew, besides four hundred frenchmen. our most valuable prize was the _ville de paris_, as she had on board a quantity of specie, and she was considered the finest ship afloat; but we had a heavy price to pay for our victory: captain bayne, of the _alfred_, and captain blair, of the _anson_, were killed, besides several lieutenants and other officers. altogether we lost two hundred and fifty-three men killed, and eight hundred and sixteen wounded. the french ships, having numerous troops on board, and carrying more men than ours, suffered more severely in proportion, and it was generally believed that three thousand were killed, and double the number wounded. on board the _ville de paris_ alone four hundred were slain. we remained three days under guadaloupe, repairing damages, when sir george rodney ordered sir samuel hood to proceed with his division in search of stragglers. in spite of the fighting we had had, with cheerful alacrity we stood away; and on the th sighted five of the enemy's ships. they were standing for the mona passage. "they hope to escape us," said nettleship. "but never fear, if they can get through, so can we." this proved to be the case. just then sir samuel hood threw out the signal for a general chase. a shout rose from our deck when it was seen that the wind had died away, and that the enemy lay becalmed. the _valiant_ early in the afternoon got alongside the _caton_, which immediately struck. captain goodall then stood on, leaving us to pick her up, and attacked the _jason_, of the same force, with so much impetuosity, that after a stout resistance of twenty minutes she also hauled down her colours. two other smaller ships were shortly afterwards captured, and only one, which got through the passage, effected her escape. a few days afterwards we rejoined sir george rodney under cape tiberoon, and with him proceeded to jamaica. great was the rejoicing of the inhabitants. guns were thundering, flags flying on steeples and houses and hundreds of flagstaff's; and the whole town of kingston turned out, with the military and civic authorities at their head, to receive the conqueror as he landed, accompanied by the count de grasse, the admiral who had threatened their subjugation. we aboard the _cerberus_ saw little of the festivities which took place, as we were engaged in repairing her, and fitting her for sea,--it being understood that in consequence of the damages she had received she was to be sent home. tom and i got leave only for one day to go up to kingston, in the hopes of seeing our friends the talboys. tom was in a great state of excitement. "i say, paddy, i wonder whether lucy still cares for me," he said. "perhaps she'll have forgotten all about me by this time; and if that fellow duffy has been stationed at kingston, as soon as we left he'll have done his best to cut me out." "i don't think her papa, at all events, would prefer an ensign to a midshipman; and depend upon it, that if she has transferred her affections, it would be to a post-captain or a colonel," i answered. "but cheer up, tom, don't be down-hearted; we'll hope for the best." almost the first gentlemen we saw on landing were two french officers, strolling along arm in arm. as we got close to them they turned their heads, and i recognised lieutenant dubois and la touche. they knew me in a moment, and held out their hands with more cordiality than i should have expected. "you see us again prisoners to your brave nation; but we have given our parole, and are allowed to be at large during the day," said dubois. "you'll come to our lodgings, i hope, and allow us to show you some hospitality," added la touche. "in this life we have many ups and downs. one day you are prisoners to us, and the next day we are prisoners to you. what matters it if we retain our honour and our lives. it's a miracle that we're alive." "how is that?" i asked. "we were aboard the _ville de paris_," he said, "and were doing duty on the lower deck. we fought to the last, and fully believed that the ship would go down. at one time the admiral was the only person left unwounded on the upper deck. officer after officer was killed as they went up to join him. we were about to follow, when our flag was hauled down. however, we expect to be exchanged soon, when, for my part, i intend to return to france." this was said as we walked along with the young frenchmen. the lodgings to which they introduced us consisted of a single room, in which they slept and took their meals; but they didn't seem a bit ashamed of it, and did the honours with as great an air as if they were receiving us in a magnificent saloon. they had evidently won the heart of their mulatto landlady, who placed an elegant repast on the table,-- indeed, in a country where fruits and delicacies are abundant, that is not any difficult matter. "the english are very polite to us here; and some of the young ladies are charming," observed dubois. "there is one family especially polite,--that of a monsieur talboys. ah! _ma foi_! his little daughter is perfectly charming." on hearing the name of talboys, tom pim pricked up his ears and looked at me, for he was not able to understand all that was said. "we are acquainted with mr talboys," i observed, "and all must admire his daughter. is she not engaged to be married yet?" "ah, yes, there's the pity," said dubois, shrugging his shoulders; "to a military officer, i'm told,--the capitaine duffy. he has lately obtained his promotion, and appeared at a ball in a bright new uniform, which completely captivated the young lady's heart." "i'll not believe it until i see her, and she tells me so," exclaimed tom, starting up. "you must have been misinformed, monsieur." "_ma foi_! i hope so," said dubois; "for i thought i was making great way, and resolved, if her father would accept me as his son-in-law, to give up the sea and settle down as a planter in jamaica." on hearing this tom became very fidgety, and proposed that we should go in search of our friends. as i was afraid that he might say something which might annoy our hosts, i agreed, and, wishing them good-bye, tom and i started for mr talboys' town house. we had no great difficulty in finding it. just as we reached the entrance, who should i see but duffy himself, strutting out in a captain's uniform. he didn't know me at first, until i hailed him. "what, duffy!" i exclaimed. "it must be yourself or your elder brother. let me congratulate you on obtaining your captain's commission. you have faster promotion in your service than we have in the navy." "ah, paddy! is it you?" he cried, taking me by the hand. "it's myself, i can assure you. thanks to this torrid climate, sangaree, and yellow jack, you're right, my boy. all the fine fellows you knew at savannah are invalided home, or are under the sod; but as i eschew strong drinks, and keep in the shade as much as i can, i have hitherto escaped the fell foe. i suppose you're going to call on my friends the talboys? they will be very glad to see you. we often talk about you, for the gallant way in which you, pim, and your other messmates behaved when the house was attacked." "here is pim," i said. "what! i beg your pardon," said he; "i really did not recognise you;" and he put out his hand, which tom took rather coldly. "we all owe you a debt of gratitude which none of us know how to repay." "i don't require payment," said tom, drawing himself up stiffly. "good morning, captain duffy! i don't wish to detain you." "well, as i have to go on guard, i mustn't stop, or i should like to go back and join lucy in thanking you." "i don't require thanks," said tom, gulping down his rising anger. "come along, paddy." as i saw that the sooner the interview was brought to an end the better, we entered the house. tom was even half inclined to turn back, and i think he would have done so had not mr talboys seen us, and insisted on our coming into the drawing-room. both of us followed him over the slippery floor, and nearly pitched down on our noses, making a somewhat eccentric entrance into the room. mrs talboys, with lucy and her younger girls, were seated on cane-bottomed sofas, dressed in white, with fans in their hands. the weather was unusually hot. a blush rose to lucy's cheek as she saw tom. she, however, came frankly forward, and we all shook hands. nothing was said about duffy. they were all eager to hear our adventures, which we narrated as briefly as we could. they knew dubois and la touche, and mr talboys thought them very agreeable frenchmen, but they didn't appear to be much in lucy's good graces. i was much inclined to speak of duffy, but lucy evidently didn't wish to mention him. we had observed the marks of fire on some of the houses as we came along, and mr talboys told us that since we had been there there had been a fearful conflagration; and had not the wind shifted, the whole town would have been burned down. he and his family were at that time in the country, and so escaped the alarm which the fire caused. mrs talboys invited us to spend the evening at the house, but tom at once answered for himself and me, and said that we had to return on board, and we were not pressed to stay. at last we got up to take our leave. "lucy is very anxious again to thank you, mr pim, for your brave conduct in saving her from the blacks. perhaps you'll meet in england, as she expects to go there shortly, should peace be established; but we are unwilling to allow her to risk the danger of the passage in war time." lucy had managed to get tom to the window, so i didn't hear what she said, but he looked far from happy. "i must tell you, mr finnahan, that my daughter will probably be soon married. captain duffy," said mrs talboys, "her intended, is an excellent young man, and heir to a good estate, with a sufficient fortune already in possession; and she could not expect to make a more satisfactory match. it has our entire approval. you know him well, he tells me?" i of course said that i did, that he had treated me very kindly at savannah, and that i must congratulate him on his good fortune. while we were speaking, tom came up, and said somewhat abruptly, "paddy, we must not delay longer." he didn't again turn towards miss lucy, to whom i went up and wished good-bye. tom and i then paid our adieus to the rest of the family. lucy was well-nigh crying, i thought, but the yellow light admitted through the blinds prevented me from seeing clearly. "it's all over," cried tom, as we got outside. "i thought it would happen. i've been and made a fool of myself, and i'll never do so again as long as i live; no, never--never!" i comforted tom as well as i could, and indeed he soon recovered his equanimity. i told him i was sure that miss lucy was very grateful, though she was not inclined to wait till he had become a post-captain, or even a commander, to marry him. we looked in on our way down to the harbour on our two french friends. we found them in high spirits, for they had just received information that they were to accompany the count de grasse, and other french officers, who were about to return home, on board the _sandwich_, sir peter parker's flag-ship, on their parole. as sir peter was on the point of sailing in charge of a homeward-bound convoy, sir george rodney remained as commander-in-chief at jamaica. a short time after, admiral pigot arrived out from england to supersede him, and sir george returned home in the _montague_. at length, after lying idle for some time, admiral pigot, with his flag on board the _formidable_ made the signal for the whole fleet to put to sea. a report reached us just before this that we and the other ships were to return to england, and highly delighted every one was at the thoughts of going home. we were, however, kept cruising for some time, till we fell in with the fleet of admiral graves off havanna; thence we proceeded to bluefields, on the south coast of jamaica, towards its western end. here admiral graves, whose flag was flying aboard the _families_, received orders to convoy a hundred sail of merchantmen, together with the french prizes, consisting of the _ville de paris_, no guns, the _glorieux_ and _hector_; of guns each, and the _ardent_ and _jason_, of guns each. the men-of-war accompanying them were the _canada_, our ship the _cerberus_, of guns each, and the _pallas_, of guns. "it's to be hoped that we shall have fine weather," said nettleship one day at mess. "even now we're obliged to keep the pumps going every watch. it's a wonder the hull and rigging hold together; while we're terribly short-handed, and, as far as i can judge, the rest of the ships are in no better condition, and the prizes are still more battered." "what an old croaker you've become," cried tom. "i thought you would have been the last person to talk in that way." others, joining tom, made the same sort of remarks. "i'm not croaking. i only say that never fleet put to sea in a worse condition; but i do hope we shall be blessed with fine weather, and not meet with a heavy gale, or have to encounter an enemy of superior force." those watching us from the shore could certainly not have supposed that the fine-looking fleet sailing along the coast of jamaica was unable to cope with the fiercest gale that it was likely to encounter. as we got away from land we found that the _jason_ had not joined us, being employed in completing her water, while during a calm the officers of the _ardent_ sent a memorial to the admiral stating that she was totally unseaworthy; and they had therefore the good fortune to be ordered back to jamaica to refit. for some time the fine weather lasted, and few doubted that we should convoy the merchantmen committed to our charge, and the trophies of our hard-earned victory, in safety to england. we had got about the latitude of the bermudas, when some of the convoy parted company, on their way to new york, leaving us, including the men-of-war and merchantmen, with only ninety-two sail,--the _ville de paris_, under an experienced navigator, leading the van through the gulf stream. the wind and sea, however, shortly after this got up, and two ships, the _caton_ and _pallas_, made signals of distress, each having sprung a leak. the admiral therefore ordered them to bear away for halifax, then less than a hundred leagues distant. scarcely were they out of sight than the wind shifted to the south-east, blowing strongly, while a still heavier sea got up. the admiral on this made signals for the whole fleet to collect together, and prepare for a heavy gale. he hove-to on the larboard tack under his mainsail, with topgallant masts struck. we and the other ships followed his example, with all our other canvas furled. nettleship, tom pim, and i, being in the same watch, were on deck together. we had just got the ship snug, and, our duties for the moment performed, were standing together, watching the fast-rising seas. "i say, nettleship, we have got that gale you hoped we should escape, and no mistake about it," said tom pim; "but the old barkie rides easily, and the wind must blow a good deal harder than it does yet to hurt her." "but we can't say that it won't blow harder, youngster," said nettleship, who was much graver than usual. "to my mind the weather looks as threatening as it well can be, and those in authority would have shown more wisdom had they waited till the equinox was over to send us to sea. just look round; now did you ever see a wilder sky?" nettleship was right. the clouds were rushing madly on overhead, while to the southward and east it had a peculiarly angry appearance. foam-capped waves were tossing and tumbling, the spoon-drift flying off their heads covering the ocean with a sheet of white, while a lurid light occasionally gleamed forth from the point where the sun was going down, tinging for a moment the crests of the seas and here and there a tossing ship on which it fell. the sea with thundering blows struck our bows and washed along our high sides, the blocks rattled, the wind whistled in the rigging, the masts groaned, the bulkheads creaked. we had to speak at the top of our voices to make each other hear, while the lieutenants had to shout their loudest through their speaking-trumpets as they issued their orders. we were the leewardmost of the men-of-war who were in sight, the merchantmen scattered around, all pitching and rolling together, in a way which threatened to send their masts overboard. the latter we could see had now a yard, now a topmast carried away, but as far as we could make out, no great damage had been done. each dog-watch the pumps were manned. their clanking was heard amid the uproar as night closed in. my old shipmates and i had to keep the morning watch, so as soon as the hammocks were piped down, we turned in to get some sleep first. seldom that i had my head on the pillow many seconds before my eyes closed, but this night the fearful uproar, the violent swinging of my hammock, and the plunges which i felt the ship making, kept me awake. my watch below seemed twice as long as usual. at length i heard eight bells strike. i turned out, and with my two messmates went on deck. "things haven't mended since sundown," observed nettleship, as he, pim, and i were together on the quarter-deck. indeed, the wind was howling more furiously than ever, and the big ship plunged and rolled in a way which made it difficult to keep our feet. "we've plenty of sea-room, that's one satisfaction, at all events," said nettleship. "i shouldn't like to be on a lee shore on a night like this." "faith, nor should i, unless there was a good harbour to run into," said i. "it must have a broad entrance, and be well lighted, then," he answered, "or we shouldn't be much better off than we are at present." two--four bells struck in the morning watch, and there appeared to be no improvement in the weather. the captain and second and third lieutenants came on deck, and, by the way they stood talking together, i saw that they considered matters growing serious. the pumps were kept going twice as long as usual. six bells had just struck, when there came a sound like thunder breaking over our heads. looking up, i saw the mainsail aback. the captain shouted out, "man the clew garnets, let fly tacks and sheets;" but the words were scarcely out of his mouth before the ship heeled over, with a suddenness which nearly took us all off our feet. there was no need for the officers to cry out, "hold on for your lives." we struggled to windward, grasping whatever we could clutch. more and more the ship heeled over; then there came another loud report, the mainmast went by the board, the fore-topmast fell over the starboard bow, and the next instant the mizzenmast was carried away half up from the deck, while the sound of repeated blows which came from the after-part of the ship, showed us that the rudder had been wrenched from the pintles, and was battering away under the counter. all these accidents happened in such rapid succession that it was impossible to do anything to avert them. the utmost vigilance was required to save ourselves from being crushed by falling yards and blocks, while cries and shrieks arose from many of our poor fellows, some of whom had been struck down, and others carried overboard, vainly endeavouring to regain the ship. suddenly she righted, with a violence which tore away the guns from their lashings, and jerked the shot out of the lockers. the captain, not for a moment losing his self-possession, shouted to the crew to clear away the wreck of the masts,--himself, axe in hand, setting the example. before, however, many strokes had been given, the sea came roaring up astern, and, bursting into the captain's cabin, swept everything before it. the doctor, purser, and several other officers who had remained below, came rushing up, some only in their shirts and trousers, others in their shirts alone, believing very naturally that the ship was going down. tom pim and i, with the other midshipmen, were exerting ourselves to see that the men obeyed the orders received. i met larry, axe in hand, chopping away vigorously at the shrouds. "ah, then, mr terence, things have come to a bad pass, i'm after fearing," he exclaimed. "will you be letting me keep by you, if you please? if the ship goes down, i'd like to see how we could save ourselves on a boat, or a raft, or one of the masts, if we can't get into a boat." "if it comes to that, larry, i'm afraid we shall have little chance of saving our lives," i answered; "at all events, however, i should like to have you near me." i can scarcely find words to describe the fearful condition of the ship. gun after gun broke loose, crushing several of the men against whom they were cast; shot, hove out of the lockers, were rolling about between decks, injuring many others. the water from below rushed from side to side, making a clean sweep of everything it encountered, doing almost as much mischief as the seas which broke aboard on the upper deck. the officers who had last come from below were unable to return, and stood shivering in their scanty clothing, no one having even a coat to spare. while some of the crew were clearing away the masts, which were striking with every surge against the ship's side, tearing off the copper, and, as the oakum washed out, increasing the leaks, others, encouraged by their officers, were labouring at the pumps, while a third party was endeavouring to bale out the water with buckets. i didn't expect to see another dawn; but the morning came notwithstanding, and a fearful sight it presented to us. away to leeward we discovered the _canada_, with her main-topmast and mizzenmast gone. the flag-ship, more to windward, seemed in no better condition. the _glorieux_ had lost her foremast, bowsprit, and main-topmast. the _ville de paris_ still proudly rode the waves, as far as we could judge, uninjured, yet ere long she was to share the fate of many others, for after that day she was never again seen, and must have foundered with all her crew. of the merchantmen several had already gone down, others had lost many of their spars, and some their masts, while out of the whole fleet not twenty remained in sight. not far off from us lay a large ship on her beam-ends. nettleship pointed her out to me. "poor fellows, they're worse off than we are," he said. the crew were attempting to wear her. first they cut away the mizzenmast, then shortly the mainmast went; still she lay helpless. "see, she's hoisting the ensign, union downwards," said nettleship. "it's her last despairing signal for help." no help could any one give her. we watched her for a few minutes, when her stern rose, the sea rolled up and plunged into it; down she went, the fly of her ensign the last object visible. she was the _dutton_ formerly an east indiaman, and then a storeship. her fate might soon be ours. "some of her poor fellows have escaped," cried nettleship. he pointed out to me a boat under sail, not far from where the _dutton_ had foundered. we watched the boat. now she was hid from sight in the trough of the sea, now she rose to the summit of a billow. still it seemed impossible that she could escape being swamped. yet on she went, driving before the gale. "that boat is well handled, or she would have been under water before this time," observed my messmate. "what she can do others can do, and some of us may have a chance for our lives if our old ship goes down. paddy, my boy, if that happens, do you try and get aboard a boat. you're young, with a good chance of promotion. i'm old, and have none; and i should like to have you and tom pim save yourselves." "but i can't go without larry," i answered; "and you too, nettleship, if you have any hope of a boat living in this sea, you must try to get off." he shook his head. "no, no, paddy. i have long made up my mind for the worst, and am ready for it. i should be thankful, though, to see you and pim escape, and your honest fellow, larry. there are two or three boats still uninjured. it's a pity that the lives of some of us should not be saved, if we can but manage to launch them." while he was speaking i was watching the progress of the _dutton's_ boat. first she steered for a ship some way to the eastward, but those on board at length saw that they should have to haul up to reach her, and again she kept away for a large merchantman to leeward. presently the boat ran alongside the merchantman, from whose deck a number of ropes were hove into her, and the men, clutching them as the boat surged by, were hauled up, and, as far as we could see, none were lost, though the boat herself almost immediately rilled and disappeared. in other directions most melancholy spectacles met our sight. the whole sea was literally covered with pieces of wreck and human beings clinging to them, among whom we observed several women lashed to spars or gratings, probably by brave fellows who themselves had perished after in vain attempting to preserve those they loved. no help could be given to the unfortunate wretches; and even had we been able to haul some who came near us on board our ship, it would only have been to prolong their lives for a few short hours. our captain and officers were making all possible efforts to save our ship, but from the first, i suspect, they must have seen they were hopeless. every possible weight was got rid of. the anchors were cut away; then the upper deck guns were hove overboard, though the operation in itself was a dangerous one, for, after the gun tackles were cut loose, there was the risk of the guns upsetting and crushing those standing near. all this time the pumps were being worked. the captain ordered all hands not otherwise engaged to bale, and we were formed in gangs to pass the buckets up and down and along the deck. chapter nineteen. the wreck of the "cerberus." we were thus employed when the carpenter came to the captain with consternation in his countenance, and told him that the pumps would no longer work, for, the shot-lockers being destroyed, the shot as well as the ballast had got into the well, and completely choked it up. "well, my lads," cried the captain, "we must try what baling will do, and lightening the ship by every means in our power." those who had been working at the pumps, and some others, were now divided into gangs under different officers, and were employed in getting rid of the heaviest things which could be reached. some hove the guns overboard, others got up the weightier stores, the boatswain's party being engaged in chopping up the cables and throwing them into the sea. while my messmates and i were hard at work with the rest, i saw the captain beckon nettleship to him. they talked for a minute or more. directly afterwards nettleship came to where tom and i were at work with larry and some of the men. "the captain has given me charge to try and save some of you youngsters," he said. "life is sweet, and i won't deny that i am glad to have the chance of preserving my own with honour. you tell tom pim and your boy larry. i'll speak to some of our other messmates, and try to pick out a few trusty men who i know are cool hands, and we will try and get a boat into the water. it will be no easy matter,--it may, i warn you, hasten our deaths; but the captain is satisfied that the ship can't float many hours longer. he argued the point, and showed me that if we don't get off as he directed, we shall not escape at all, as numbers will be rushing for the boats when they discover that the ship must go down." matters were growing rapidly worse. even now i don't like to think of that dreadful night which followed. when morning broke, the number of ships in sight had much diminished. the sea raged as furiously as ever, the wind blew with fearful force. all hands had been toiling away. nearly every one began to see that our efforts had been in vain. a loud noise was heard like that of an explosion coming from far down in the depths of the ship. the carpenter reported that the water in the hold had blown up the orlop deck. it was very evident that the ship was settling down. many of the men who had been looked upon as the bravest now gave way to despair, and went below, crying out to their messmates to come and lash them into their hammocks. other stout fellows were in tears as they thought of their country and those dear to them, whom they were never to see again. some, though they must have known it would be of no use, were lashing themselves to gratings and small rafts, which they had formed of spars. larry wanted me to do the same. "shure, mr terence, you and mr pim and i will be able to manage a raft between us, and we'll get aboard one of the ships in better plight than we are," he said. i pointed out to him the distance the ships were from us, and the impossibility of reaching one of them. some of the poor fellows launched their rafts overboard, but were quickly swallowed up by the sea. even the lieutenants went below; and, strange as it may seem, few of the men remained on deck. tom pim and i, however, kept together, with larry, who would not leave me. presently nettleship came up. "now is our time, lads, if we're to save our lives. i have spoken to those whom the captain named, but none of them will come. they shake their heads, and declare it useless." one of the quarter boats still remained uninjured. we went to her and found six of our men, one of whom was larry, standing by the falls ready to lower her. nettleship told us to jump in, there was not a moment to be lost. we found that he had put masts, and sails, and oars, and provisions aboard. waiting till a sea surged up alongside, he and the men sprang into her. "cut, cut!" he cried. the next instant i found that the boat was some fathoms from the ship. all was done so rapidly, and it seemed only by a miracle we got clear, that i can scarcely explain how it happened. i looked around, when what was my dismay to find that tom was not with us. looking up, i saw him on the deck. "leap! leap!" shouted nettleship, though in the uproar his voice could not have been heard so far. next instant tom was in the water, striking out towards us. "we have already as many aboard as the boat will carry," cried some of the men. what we had been about had been discovered by our unfortunate shipmates, who were now crowding to the side and shouting to us to return. several in their fear leaped into the sea, but immediately disappeared. i caught sight of one head still above water. it was tom pim. "oh, take him in--take him in!" i cried out. the men were getting out the oars. we were still, it must be understood, under the lee of the ship, or we should instantly have been swamped. "we must have that lad aboard," exclaimed nettleship sternly. "i'll not try to save you if you desert him." tom struck out bravely. larry and i stretched out our arms, and, catching hold of him, hauled him on board the boat. several others, now leaping into the water, tried to reach us, but, had we attempted to save them, we should to a certainty have perished together. nettleship sprang aft to the helm. "now, lads, step the mast and hoist the sail," he shouted. "get out the starboard oars." in another instant the boat was before the wind, a cable's length from the ship. we could scarcely believe that we were saved; indeed, every moment it seemed as if the fierce foaming seas would break aboard us and send us to the bottom. i could not resist still looking at the ship, nor could tom pim. he presently exclaimed-- "there's another boat being launched." we both saw her for a moment, but she presently disappeared. "she's gone," cried tom. "no--no, there she is," i exclaimed, as i caught sight of her on the summit of a sea, and again she sank out of view. as far as i could make out, there were several people in her, but she had no sail hoisted, and consequently in those foaming seas rising up between us was scarcely visible. we ran on, steering to the southward. most of the hands were employed all the time in baling out the water, while nettleship's whole attention was engaged in steering the boat, for he well knew that with the slightest want of care she would have filled in an instant. it seemed a wonder, indeed, that she could float in the midst of those foaming seas. tom and i still kept looking at the ship. "she is sinking lower and lower," said tom. i hoped that he was mistaken, and that she appeared to be so only because we were getting farther from her. not many minutes afterwards, as i looked, a huge sea rolled up towards her. the next instant tom cried out, "she's gone!" i rubbed my eyes. the foaming waters raged over the spot where the old _cerberus_ had floated; and i knew too well that every one of our helpless shipmates had perished, unless the other boat had got safely off. their fate might be ours before long, we all knew, though we did not despair. nettleship's first care was to see what provisions we had got. we found that we had but two quart bottles of water, a bag of biscuits, a small ham, a single piece of pork, and three bottles of french cordials. these he had placed in the stern-sheets, that they might be kept dry, and that none of the men might be tempted to take more than their share. we might be days, or even weeks, before we were picked up or reached land. nettleship pointed out to us the importance of husbanding our stores. the afternoon was far gone before we left the ship, and night was now approaching, while the gale had shown no signs of abating. humanly speaking, our lives depended on nettleship's steering. there was everything to try the skill and nerves of a man; but it was difficult in the darkness to watch the seas coming up so as to avoid those likely to break aboard. he sat in the stern-sheets like a figure of iron, his countenance fixed, his eyes turned now ahead, now on one, now on the other side. he seldom spoke, for his attention was occupied with the task he had undertaken. older seamen had given in, while his courage and resolution had remained unshaken. i had always liked him, ever since i joined the _liffy_, but now i admired and respected him above all men, barring my uncle the major, who would, i am sure, have acted in the same way, though he might not have had the nautical skill to steer the boat. "stretch yourselves as best you can, youngsters, in the stern-sheets, and go to sleep," said nettleship; "i intend to steer till daylight, and then let either hunt or ray (they were two quartermasters) take the helm." "but i don't like to leave you without company," i said. "don't trouble yourself about that, paddy," he answered; "the seas are my company, and precious rough company they are too; they'll prevent me nodding." he laughed at his own remark. at last tom and i did as he advised us; indeed, we couldn't keep our eyes open longer, for we had had no sleep, lashed as we had been to the bulwarks on the previous night. we both of us slept on right through the night. i awoke with a weary heart-sinking feeling. dawn was already casting a grey light over the still troubled ocean. clouds hung thickly overhead; the seas seemed to reach them as they rose up on either side. there sat nettleship, wide awake, his hand on the tiller, his eyes wearing a pained expression, as well they might, looking round watching the waves as they hissed up, threatening to overwhelm us. no one was speaking. most of the men sat with their arms folded and their heads bent down, still fast asleep. i believe that nettleship had been the only one awake among us during the night. "the wind has fallen, and the sea has gone down considerably, paddy," he said, looking at me. "cheer up, lad; we shall save our lives after all, i believe." tom, hearing him speak, awoke. "i wish you would let me take the helm, nettleship," he said. "no, no, tom! the responsibility is too much to impose on you; i'll let hunt steer presently." first one man woke up, then another, and another; but they all looked round with lack-lustre eyes and gloomy countenances. after some time, tom shouted out that there was a break in the clouds to the eastward. just then a ray of bright light streamed across the ocean, tinging the foam-topped seas with a ruddy hue. "it's the harbinger of better weather," i said. "you're right, sir," observed hunt. "it will be our own fault if we don't manage to keep the boat afloat." i saw nettleship for the first time showing signs of sleepiness. he aroused himself for the moment, and called to hunt to take the helm. the quartermaster stepped aft, and nettleship, resigning his seat to him, a moment afterwards was fast asleep. the men now cried out that they were very hungry, and pim and i agreed that it would be better to serve out some food without awaking nettleship. we gave each man a biscuit and a small piece of ham. the neck of a broken bottle was the only measure we had for serving out the water. the quantity was but just sufficient to moisten our lips, but not to quench our thirst. the men asked for more, but tom told them that until nettleship awoke he couldn't give them any. though the weather was moderating, the wind went down very slowly, and the seas tossed and tumbled with almost as much violence as before. it was noon when nettleship awoke. he approved of the allowance tom and i had served out. "but, my lads," he said, "you see these two bottles of water. we don't know how long we may have to go before we get more, so you must make up your minds to do with the allowance you have already had to-day. i'll take no more." he then told tom and me to give him what we had given the rest; and, after eating the biscuit and bit of ham, he drank the bottle-neck full of water. my own sensations made me hope that we should not have many days to live on so small an allowance. still, though my throat felt like a dust-bin, i determined to support nettleship, and i knew tom would do so, in whatever he thought necessary. we ran on all day, the wind going down very slowly. at noon, ray took the helm. whether he steered with less care, or, as i think, the seas broke in a different way, two in succession came aboard, and we had to bale as fast as we could, to get the water out of the boat. as it came in, it washed right aft and wetted through our bag of biscuits, which tom and i in vain tried to save. nettleship didn't blame ray, but warned him to be more careful. "i intend to steer to-night," he said, "so i'll finish out my snooze, and call me at sundown." both hunt and ray asked him to let them steer during part of the night, but he was firm. "no," he answered; "your lives are entrusted to me, and it's my duty to keep at the helm while there's most likely to be danger." tom and i, however, determined to have our eyes open, so as to make company for him during part of the night, which, it being summer time, was fortunately not long. had it been in the winter, none of us could have survived. nettleship appeared to have completely recovered himself. i sat up through part of the night, and tom through the remainder. we talked cheerfully and hopefully. when i lay down, i slept as soundly as i ever did in my bed. towards morning, i suppose it was, i dreamed of the various scenes i had gone through since i came to sea, among others of the earthquake at savannah, and then i was looking out into the barrack-yard, and there was larry fiddling away, with soldiers and blacks dancing to his music,--everything seemed so vivid that i had no doubt about its reality. then mr talboys and lucy and captain duffy came in and joined in the dance. i thought it very good fun, so i ran down and began to dance, and who should i see but the admiral and captain and old rough-and-ready, each with a black partner, and there we were jigging away right merrily, till i awoke, to find myself in the stern-sheet of the boat, and to see nettleship steering, while the notes of larry's fiddle sounded in my ears. there, sure enough, he was, seated on the after-thwart, with the fiddle at his chin, working away with right good-will. i sat up and looked at him with amazement. "shure, mr terence, i wasn't going to leave that behind after it had been saved from fire and water, so i took it into the boat the first thing, and mr nettleship gave me leave to play it, just to cheer up he boys a bit." the music had certainly had that effect, for all the people wore more cheerful countenances than they did the day before. larry, however, put his fiddle back in its case while breakfast was served out. it consisted only of wet biscuit, a modicum of ham, and a small taste of liquor. the water nettleship said he should keep till mid-day, to serve out with the pork. the sea was still rough, though there was much less than on the previous day, and careful steering was necessary to keep the boat free from water. as there was nothing for the men to do, nettleship advised us to spin yarns and sing songs in the intervals of larry's playing. he was ready enough to go on moving his bow as long as he had leave. during the day the clouds cleared away, and the sea went down still more. we were thankful for this, as we could now dry our clothes, and, what was of more importance, our biscuits, and move about in the boat to stretch our limbs. but then, again, with a calm we might be delayed, and, after all, perish from hunger and thirst. nettleship, i daresay, thought this, but notwithstanding cheered us up with the hopes of reaching land or being taken on board some vessel. next night passed much as the others had done. the sun rose in a clear sky, and as it got above the horizon the wind dropped, and there appeared every likelihood of a perfect calm. our scanty provisions were served out, and then nettleship, as he had done the day before, set us to spinning yarns and singing; but even those who had the best voices could scarcely bring out a note, and several appeared but little inclined to talk. larry, however, kept his fiddle going, and tom and i talked, and tried to draw out the men to tell something about themselves. at last my throat felt like a dust-bin, and i suspect the rest were very much in the same condition. there we were, floating out in the atlantic, hundreds of miles away from help, as far as we could tell, and the calm might continue after the gale for a week or more. at last nettleship ordered the men to get out the oars. "we may pull into a breeze, lads, perhaps," he said. "at all events, we shall get so much nearer land." tom and i each took an oar to encourage the rest, half of us pulling at a time. we had been at the oars for some five or six hours, when towards evening, nettleship, who had been standing up shading his eyes, said-- "lads, there's a sail in sight; she has a light breeze, and is standing to the northward. we shall, i hope, get up to her; but mark you, she may be english, but she may be french, and in that case we shall be made prisoners." "that won't be much odds," said one of the men; "better be made prisoners than die of hunger and thirst out here." that was true enough, but i didn't like the thoughts of the alternative. when nettleship, however, said that he was determined to try and come up with the stranger, the men bent to their oars. tom and i, at the time, were now pulling, and i was surprised to see the strength the men still possessed. gradually the stranger's topgallant-sails, and then the heads of her topsails, rose above the horizon. "she's a large ship, no doubt about that," said nettleship. "cheer up, lads! my belief is she's english, but we shall be better able to judge when we see her courses." we were now steering west-and-by-north, so as to cut her off. after going some distance, nettleship called to tom pim to stand up in the stern-sheets, and take a look at the stranger. "what do you think of the cut of her canvas, tom?" he asked. "is that english or french?" "i should say english," answered tom, "but we must get nearer to be certain." "have you made up your minds to a french prison, lads, if we're mistaken?" again said nettleship. "better a french prison with food and water, than out here starving to death," answered the men. "and we'll ask you, mr nettleship, for a drink of water apiece. we'll get aboard her before dark, and our throats are terribly dry." "i warn you, lads, that a breeze may spring up, and that even now we may miss her; and what shall we do if we have no water left?" said nettleship. still the men cried out for water. i could judge how my companions felt by my own sensations. nettleship reluctantly served out a double allowance, leaving scarcely a quarter of a bottleful,--the other had before been exhausted. the sun was sinking low, and we had not yet seen the hull of the ship. nettleship looked more anxious than before. the men strained every nerve, for they believed that their lives depended on their getting up to the ship before dark. some of them now called out for food, and declared that they could pull no longer without it; others asked for the remainder of the water. accordingly, while one half rested, nettleship served out a portion of our remaining stock of provisions. the other half then took a meal. this, however, only made us all more thirsty, and again the cry rose of-- "water! water! we must have it, or we shall have to give in!" nettleship seemed to think that it would be useless to resist their entreaties, and with a look of desperation he divided the remainder of the water, leaving not a drop at the bottom of the last bottle. rapidly the sun sank towards the horizon. in a short time it would be dark, and we should have no chance of being seen from the ship. the men cried out for the remainder of the liquor, saying that they could pull all the better if they could get it. this, also, to my surprise, nettleship served out to them,--the bottle-neck full to each of us, for we all shared alike,--and again they pulled as lustily as before for a short time; but we all felt our thirst increased. few of them spoke; but larry every now and then gave a shout, or made some comic remark to encourage his companions. nettleship also did his best to keep up our spirits. darkness, however, was fast approaching; the wind appeared to be freshening, and, should a strong breeze fill the stranger's sails, all hope of getting alongside her before she passed us would be lost. not a word was now uttered; but every now and then the men turned their heads to ascertain what progress we were making. nettleship now steered the boat rather more to the northward. presently a light streamed out towards us across the water. again our hopes of getting on board increased. the wind once more dropped. "we shall reach her, lads!" cried nettleship at length, in a confident tone. the men cheered, though their voices sounded husky, the ring of a british seaman's voice sadly wanting. they pulled bravely on, however. the light rose higher above the surface. it was now almost ahead. then another streamed forth from a port. presently nettleship's voice rang out clear and loud-- "ship ahoy! what ship is it?" "his britannic majesty's ship _hector_. what boat is that?" came over the water. nettleship replied. presently the order sounded out from aboard the ship-- "raise tacks and sheets! clew up mainsail and foresail! let fly topgallant-sheets!" the wind having fallen, the ship soon lost her way, and we pulled up alongside. a light gleamed through the entrance port, and ready hands, coming down, quickly assisted us up on deck, while the boat was secured, for none of us had much strength left to help ourselves. nettleship, tom, and i were at once conducted to the upper deck, where we found the gallant commander of the _hector_, captain bouchier, to whom nettleship at once gave a brief account of what had happened. "we have reason to be thankful that we escaped the gale, drury," said the captain, turning to an officer in a captain's uniform standing near him. "we should to a certainty have shared the fate of many others." captain bouchier made this remark, i found, in consequence of the unseaworthy condition of his ship. to enable her to perform the voyage, before she sailed from jamaica she had had twenty-two of her guns taken out of her, and her masts replaced by others of smaller dimensions. her crew amounted in all to scarcely three hundred men, many of whom were invalids, and others french and american prisoners, who had volunteered to assist in working the ship. as soon as nettleship had finished his account, the captain directed that we should be taken below, and hammocks slung for us. "i would advise you to turn in, young gentlemen, as soon as you have had some food," he said, as we were leaving. he also ordered that our boat's crew should be well looked after. the surgeon, who was summoned, went to attend to them, and to prevent them from being overfed, or overdosed with grog, which to a certainty they would otherwise have been by the seamen of the ship. as i was going down to the orlop deck, larry came aft, supported by two men, with his fiddle-case under his arm. "och, mr terence," he said, "i'm mighty glad to find ourselves safe aboard a big ship again, and to see you all right. it is more than i thought to do since our own went down with all her brave boys, barrin' ourselves." the doctor, finding that we did not require much of his assistance, attended to larry and the other men, who appeared far more knocked up than we were, and they were at once sent to their hammocks. we were ushered into the gun-room by the master's mate, who accompanied us. here we found a number of midshipmen seated at a table, employed in various ways. they greeted us warmly, and were all eager to know our adventures, which we told them while discussing the meal placed before us. scarcely, however, had i finished eating, when my head dropped on the table, and there i should have sat, had not one of the assistant-surgeons aroused me and advised me to turn in. i slept on, as did nettleship and tom, till the hammocks were piped up next morning, and, if left alone, should not have awoke for hours afterwards. we all three, though still weak, felt pretty well able to get about, and were in reality in a better state than many of the officers and men, who were suffering from the effect of the west indian climate. i never saw so pale and haggard a crew. we were treated with the greatest kindness by our new messmates, and nettleship was asked into the ward-room, to give a further account of what had happened to us. we had indeed ample reason to be thankful for our preservation, when so many on board our own and other ships had perished. in a couple of days we were as well as ever, and, as many of the mates and midshipmen were too ill to do duty, we were directed to take their places. larry, as usual, made himself at home with his fiddle, and soon set the seamen and french prisoners jigging away, as he had done on board other ships. we were standing on with all the canvas the battered old _hector_ could carry, with the wind from the southward, when the look-out aloft announced two sail away to leeward. one of the lieutenants, with his telescope on his back, immediately went to the main-topmast cross-trees to have a look at them. "as far as i can make out, they are two frigates, sir, coming up before the wind," he said to the captain when he came down. "are they english or french?" asked the captain. "according to my judgment, sir, they are french," was the answer. the captain took a few turns on deck, and then again sent aloft. the lieutenant, on his return, pronounced his opinion more decidedly that they were french, and both large frigates. the captain on this ordered the drum to beat to quarters, and the usual preparations were made for battle. evening was approaching, and it might be well on in the night before the enemy could be up to us. although the _hector_ was a -gun ship, she in reality only carried fifty-two guns, and, from her battered condition, was not fit to cope even with a single frigate. still our brave captain determined to struggle to the last. she being a heavy sailer, the two frigates came rapidly up with us, and there was no doubt from their appearance that they were enemies, although we could not as yet see their ensigns. all doubt on that score was dissipated, when, in a short time, french flags were run up at their peaks. the prisoners were accordingly ordered below and placed under sentries, while the captain went along the decks encouraging the men. they received him with cheerful countenances as he appeared, promising to do their best to beat the enemy. i asked nettleship what he thought would be the result of the contest. "heaven only knows!" he answered; "but there's one thing, i'm certain that our fellows will fight to the last. i never saw a crew, though so many of them are sick, more resolute or full of pluck." the leading frigate, now coming up on our starboard quarter, opened fire, and we, luffing up, returned it with our aftermost guns. she then ranged up abeam, while her consort placed herself on our larboard quarter, so that we could not luff up again without being raked by the other. we, however, could fight our starboard broadside, and occasionally could bring some of our larboard guns to bear on the enemy on that side. we could now see that each frigate mounted forty guns, their decks being crowded with men; indeed, they together mustered more than double our complement. these were fearful odds, but captain bouchier and his crew seemed in no way daunted. the men ran the guns in and out as fast as they could load them, but the enemy's shot came crashing aboard, committing fearful havoc in all parts of the ship. the french must have known, from our smaller masts and spars, that we were likely to be short-handed, and also soon discovered the small number of guns we carried. though i saw numbers struck down around me, i never for one instant thought of myself or expected to be killed. the surgeons below soon had their hands full, as one poor fellow after another was carried down to the cockpit. the dead were left where they fell, for all were too busy to remove them. the enemy generally fired at our hull rather than at our spars. i was standing near nettleship, when i heard him exclaim-- "here comes one of them alongside us." i looked out of a port, and there saw the frigate on the starboard beam dropping so close that i could distinguish the countenances of the people on her deck. presently the voice of the captain sounded loud and clear-- "boarders! repel boarders!" our crew, leaving the guns on the starboard side, seized their weapons; some stood armed with cutlasses and pistols, others with pikes, at the place where the frenchmen were likely to try and gain a footing on our deck. our larboard guns were still replying to the fire of the frigate on that quarter; but she now making sail, ranged up alongside, receiving, however, a heavy fire from our guns as she did so. a large body of her men, with the soldiers, stood on the forecastle, ready to leap aboard. "you must drive those fellows back," cried nettleship. "come on, my lads," he shouted to such of the men as were near him, among whom was larry. tom also, who saw what we were about, quickly joined us. just as the first frenchman sprang on to our deck, nettleship's sword cut him down. others, however, followed, but our men fought desperately. though the enemy came rushing on board, not an inch of ground did they gain. presently, a big fellow--the boatswain, apparently, from his dress-- joined his shipmates, and attacked nettleship. i saw another close behind him, aiming a pistol at his head. i sprang forward and knocked it up just as it exploded, and the next moment dealt the frenchman a blow on his sword arm, which saved nettleship's life. the fellow whose pistol i had knocked up, however, had his cutlass uplifted to strike me down, when larry, who was by my side, parried the blow with his cutlass, and, though he got a severe wound, he brought the man to the deck by a blow which he gave the next moment. others of our crew now coming to our assistance, we drove back the enemy, who had nearly gained a footing. the fight all the time was going on fiercely on the starboard side, and we could not tell whether the frenchmen were getting the best of it. as we had begun the action with but three hundred men, many of whom had been killed or wounded, and invalids who had scarcely strength to handle their weapons, and the french had upwards of six hundred, it might be seen that our chance of success was very small indeed. our men, however, fought with the most desperate courage. captain bouchier, with captain drury--who was a passenger--and several of the lieutenants, headed the men on the starboard side in repelling the enemy; while the master and two of the other lieutenants and the purser encouraged those on our side of the deck. directly the frenchmen had been driven back, the second lieutenant, calling off a portion of the men, hurried to the guns, when their thundering roar, with the crashing sounds which followed, showed us that their shot were creating a dire effect on the bows of our antagonist. all this time a withering fire of musketry had been kept up on us from a body of troops stationed on the forecastles of the french frigates, and many of our poor fellows had been struck down. again and again the frenchmen attempted to gain a footing on our deck, some springing down from the fore-rigging, others clambering up from the forecastle, and all the time the guns roaring, the musketry and pistols rattling, the cutlasses clashing, the men shouting and shrieking, while the ships surged against each other with tremendous crashes,--many of the frenchmen who were driven overboard being crushed to death between them. this continued, not for the few minutes which it has taken me to describe the scene, but for an hour or more, and it seemed sometimes that all the three ships must go down together. our marines were not idle, for some stationed on the forecastle, and others on the poop, kept up a hot fire on the enemy. at length our ship tore herself from her two antagonists almost at the same moment; and they apparently gave up all hopes of taking us by boarding, as they didn't attempt again to come close alongside, though their fire was even more destructive than at first, for now one passed under our stern and raked us, now the other performed the same manoeuvre; while we, with our braces shot away, our masts and yards injured, and our sails shot through and torn, were unable to move with sufficient swiftness to avoid them. already numbers of our men had fallen. i frequently looked round to see how it fared with larry, tom pim, and nettleship, and was thankful to find them still actively engaged at the guns, at which most of the officers were assisting the men. chapter twenty. old england again. occasionally, as the french ships were manoeuvring, alternately passing either ahead or astern of us, there was a cessation of firing, but it was only for a short time. again their shot came crashing aboard. i observed captain bouchier not far from me, when, just as we were receiving a raking broadside, he staggered, and would have fallen to the deck, had not the purser sprang forward and caught him. directly afterwards, the latter, summoning two men, the captain was carried below. on this, captain drury, shouting, "keep at it, my lads! we'll beat them off yet!" took his place, and issued the necessary orders. again the frenchmen ranged up as before,--one on our beam and the other on our quarter,--and made another attempt to board. captain drury, leading our men on the starboard side, while our first lieutenant commanded those on the other, drove them back, many falling dead on our deck and others overboard. in a few minutes we again separated. for four hours the action had continued (it appeared to me to be much longer), when, as the smoke from the guns cleared away, i saw that day was breaking. as it showed the enemy more clearly than before our shattered and weak condition, i could not help fearing that they would again renew the attack, with every prospect of success. from the numbers of the poor fellows who had been carried below wounded, and the many who lay stretched dead on the deck in all directions, i fancied that we must have lost half of our crew, while it seemed to me that at any moment our shattered spars would come tumbling down on deck. the fore-topmast hung over the bows, the main-yard was nearly cut in two, and not a sail remained whole. still captain drury and the other officers went about encouraging the men to persevere. when daylight increased, however, and we saw our two antagonists in comparison to our ship but slightly injured, we knew how desperate was our condition, yet our men stood sturdily to their guns, and blazed away as they could be brought to bear. while watching the two frigates, i observed signals exchanged between them, and almost immediately afterwards, to our astonishment, they hauled their tacks aboard, and stood away from us. our nearly exhausted crew, on seeing this, cheered again and again. "we must not be too sure that they don't intend to come back again when they have repaired damages, and renew the fight," said nettleship to me. "we will hope for the best, and if they do, try to beat them off again," i answered. "that's the right spirit, paddy," said nettleship. "please heaven, we shall do so." "hurrah! hurrah! we've licked the frenchmen," i heard larry shouting. "give them another cheer, boys! hurrah! hurrah!" and the men round him joined in his hurrahs. the men were still allowed to remain at their quarters, for it was yet difficult to say what the enemy would do next. we watched them anxiously, for even the most fire-eating of our men had no wish for more fighting, as by no possibility could we hope to capture either of the frigates. when some way astern they joined company, and we saw them standing to the westward. they got farther and farther off, and gradually their hulls sank below the horizon. we were now ordered to secure the guns. this done, the dead hove overboard, and the decks washed down, all hands were employed in knotting and securing the running and standing rigging, and strengthening the wounded spars. i asked one of the assistant-surgeons, who came on deck to get a little fresh air, if he knew how the captain was going on. "he has a desperate wound in the arm, but is likely to do well," he answered. he told me, besides, that there were six-and-twenty wounded men below, while nineteen had been killed. from the number of shot the frenchmen fired at us, i supposed that we had lost many more. a large proportion of the shot, however, had flown over our heads, and injured only our sails and rigging. the ship was but partially put to rights when another night closed in. i found it difficult enough even during my watch to keep my eyes open, and the moment i turned in to my hammock i was fast asleep. i suspect that all on board, both officers and men, were equally drowsy. i had not to turn out again till the hammocks were piped up. when i came on deck i found that the weather had changed. dark clouds were rushing across the sky, the sea had got up, and the ship was rolling and pitching into it. the wind was from the southward. two reefs had been taken in the topsails, but from the way the ship heeled over it was evident that she had more canvas on her than she could carry. captain drury had just come on deck. "we must shorten sail," he said to the first lieutenant. "hands aloft," he shouted. just at that moment, as the men were about to spring into the rigging, a tremendous blast struck the ship, and over she heeled. "up with the helm!" cried captain drury. the ship did not answer it, but heeled over more and more. i thought she was about to share the fate of the _cerberus_, the moment afterwards a heavy sea came roaring up, a succession of crashes was heard, the masts went by the board, and she rose on an even keel, the wheel flying round and sending the men at it across the deck. the rudder had been carried away, and the ship lay a helpless wreck on the stormy ocean. the men looked at each other, with blank dismay in their countenances, but our brave commander did his best to conceal his anxiety, and the officers followed his example. "clear away the wreck, lads; the gale won't last long, and when the wind goes down we must try to get up jury-masts and repair the rudder," he cried out. all hands were now employed in trying to save some of the spars, and to cut the masts clear, for their butts were striking with fearful force on our larboard side, already shattered by the shot of the enemy. while we were thus employed, the carpenter and his mates, who had been below, came on deck, and went up to the captain. i saw by his looks as he passed me that something was the matter. directly afterwards the order was given to man the pumps, and they were set clanging away as fast as they could be made to work. the quantity of water gushing out showed that the ship must be leaking at a rapid rate. there was so much work to do that but few words were spoken. i happened to meet larry. "cheer up, mr terence," he exclaimed. "things look mighty bad; but though our ship went to the bottom we were saved, and i'm after hoping that we'll be saved again. it would be hard to have beaten the enemy and yet to lose her." "i don't expect that we shall do that," i answered. "the wind is fair for nova scotia, and when we get up jury-masts and rig a new rudder, we may be able to get her along." though i said this, i confess that i was not very sure about it. things didn't improve. the sea increased, the wind blew stronger and stronger, and though the pumps were kept going without cessation, we could not get the water under. it came in faster and faster. the reports from the sick bay were also disheartening. several of the poor fellows who had left their hammocks to fight had since succumbed, and many others were following them. the wounded, who might have done well under other circumstances, dropped off one by one. the only satisfactory intelligence was the state of the captain, who, though so badly wounded, was progressing favourably. the day after the gale commenced ten men died, and the following a still larger number. it was sad to see them lashed in their hammocks as they were slid overboard. there was no time for any funeral ceremonies. even the healthiest among us looked pale and broken in spirits. on the fourth or fifth day, i think it was, from that on which the gale commenced, the purser's steward, on getting up provisions, found that the salt water had spoiled all the bread, while many of the casks with fresh water had broken loose and their contents were lost. to try and stop the leaks, captain drury ordered the only spare mainsail to be fothered and drawn under the ship's bottom. to prepare it a quantity of oakum was spread over the sail, and stitched down by the sail-makers, thus forming what seemed like an enormous mat. this was lowered over the bows, and gradually hauled under the ship's bottom, where the leaks were supposed to be the worst. we all looked anxiously for the result. though, in addition to the pumps, a gang of men were set to bale, the water still continued to gain on us. in spite of this, neither officers nor men appeared to lose heart. "the gale will come to an end some day," cried captain drury, "and we must keep the ship afloat till then. we should be cowards to give in." he did his best to speak in his usual cheery tone, but even his voice was more husky than usual, and it was easy to see that he didn't say what he thought. at last many of the men were seen to desert the pumps. "come, paddy," said tom pim, "we must not let them do that. you and i will take their places and shame them back." we turned to, and worked away till our arms ached. "spell ho!" we cried, and, catching hold of two men, we dragged them back to the pumps. nettleship did the same with others. the lieutenants were constantly going about trying to keep the crew at work. some of them behaved exactly as those aboard the _cerberus_ had done before she was lost, and were about to lash themselves into their hammocks. the first lieutenant and the boatswain, going round, quickly routed them out, and they returned to their duty, either to pump or bale. the carpenter and his mates, assisted by the boatswain, were attempting to get at the leaks, but even they at last abandoned their efforts on finding them hopeless. captain drury, who had been to visit captain bouchier, now returned on deck, and ordered the guns to be hove overboard to lighten the ship. all hands not engaged in pumping were employed in this duty. one by one they were sent plunging into the sea, and the big seventy-four was left at the mercy of the smallest privateer afloat. this gave the ship relief, and our hopes rose of saving her. of late we had been on the smallest possible allowance of water, and now, to our dismay, the purser announced that the last cask was expended. nor could wine or spirits be got at owing to the quantity of water in the hold. we had beef and pork, but the bread was all spoiled; thus, even should we keep the ship afloat, we ran the risk of dying of hunger and thirst. of the crew of the _hector_, which had consisted of three hundred men when my companions and i got on board, nearly one hundred had been killed in action, or had since died, and still others were dropping off fast. day after day went by. we had known when in the boat what it was to suffer from thirst, but i now felt it more severely. even nettleship owned to me that he didn't think he could get through another day. "i don't know whether either of us will survive, paddy," he said, "but if you do, i want you to write to my mother and sister, who live near plymouth, to tell them what happened to me, and that i thought of them to the last; and should be thankful if you could just get some one to let the admiralty know that jack nettleship did his duty while life remained." i tried to cheer him up, at the same time promising to carry out his wishes if i should survive him. i fancy a good many, both of officers and men, were feeling as he did. still, no one i saw showed any signs of cowardly apprehension. our chief work was now to keep the men at the pumps and baling. it was only by the constant efforts of the officers that they could be induced to remain at their stations; and when "spell ho!" was cried, and a fresh gang was ordered to take their places, the people relieved staggered away, and fell down on the deck like drunken men. the others, after labouring away for some time, relaxed in their exertions. nettleship and i were standing near, occasionally taking a turn to help them. one poor fellow fell down. we ran forward to lift him up, but he was dead. we could only just drag him out of the way and call to another to take his place. before many minutes were over another fell in the same way, dying at the post of duty, as heroically as if he had been standing at his gun. one of the lieutenants, who just then came up, called the surgeon to examine them. he came at once, but his efforts proved ineffectual to restore the men, and they were soon sent to join a number of their shipmates in their ocean grave. two or three others, i heard, died in the same manner, when i was not present. the gun-room had become uninhabitable from the water washing through it. we had to move up to the ward-room. the deck below us was fast sinking. the carpenter reported that some of the beams of the orlop deck had fallen into the hold, though they must have done so gradually, for we had heard no sound to account for what had taken place. indeed, the loud noise of the seas beating against the ship, and the water washing about in the hold, prevented any noises except the loudest from being heard. we all now knew that the ship was sinking. only by the greatest exertions could she be kept afloat to prolong our lives for a few hours. still no one talked of giving in. captain bouchier, wounded as he was, got up and went about, encouraging both officers and men. the spirit he and captain drury displayed encouraged us all. for three days we had none of us tasted a drop of water or spirits. we could judge by our own sufferings the fearful agonies the sick and wounded must be enduring. not one would have survived, had not the surgeon discovered a few bottles of claret, which the captain insisted should be reserved for them, and though he required it as much as any one, he would not touch a drop himself. the third day since the water had been exhausted came to an end, and few of us expected to see another sunrise. that night was a dreadful one. the loud lashing of the sea against the side, the creaking of the bulkheads, the ominous sounds which came from the depths of the ship, the groans and cries of the sick and dying, heard at intervals, the ceaseless clanging of the pumps, rang in our ears as we lay, during our watch below, on our damp beds extended on the ward-room deck. the night, however, did come to an end, and we found ourselves still alive, though the ship had evidently sunk lower since the previous day. i joined nettleship on deck, for we naturally kept together as much as we could. i found that the wind was still blowing strongly, and the sea running high, although it had lately somewhat gone down. nothing could be seen around but the leaden-coloured foaming seas rising and sinking between us and the horizon. on comparing notes, my two messmates and i agreed that we didn't suffer nearly so much from thirst as we had done in the boat. such provisions as could be got at were served out, but none of us cared much for food, though we ate what we could to keep up our strength. we were soon summoned to watch and assist the men at the pumps and buckets, for even now, not for an instant were they allowed to relax in their exertions. captain bouchier, weak as he was, went frequently amongst them. "keep at it, my lads!" cried nettleship; "while there's life there's hope. if we can keep the ship afloat for a short time longer, it may make all the difference whether we save our lives or perish. cheer up, lads, cheer up! show that you're british seamen to the last!" the men uttered a faint cheer when the captain, leaning on the purser's arm, returned. captain drury, who had fought the ship so bravely after captain bouchier was wounded, was the life and soul of all on board. noon had passed, and still the stout ship lay rolling in the trough of the sea. inch by inch the water was rising, and we knew that if we were to cease pumping and baling, it would gain upon us still more rapidly. already despair could be seen on nearly every countenance. notwithstanding, few, if any, flinched from their work. those who spoke, talked of home and friends whom they never expected to see again. some shook hands, believing that at any moment the ship might make the last fatal plunge, and sink beneath the waves. larry was now like my shadow, wherever i went, he followed, no one preventing him, except when he had to take his turn at the pumps or buckets. some of the officers had written letters addressed to friends or relatives, and were enclosing them in bottles headed up in small casks, so that some record might be preserved of our fate. nettleship had prepared one. "have you anything to say to your friends at ballinahone, paddy?" he asked. "yes; beg your mother to write to them, and say that i send my love to all, not forgetting my uncle the major, and that i have been thinking much of them to-day," i answered, as well as i could speak with the choking sensation in my throat. "and please, mr nettleship, may i be so bold as to axe you to put in a word about larry harrigan, and to say that he stuck to mr terence to the last, and that if he couldn't save him, it wasn't the will that was wanting, but the cruel say was too much for us at last." "and put in a word to my family,--you know their address," said tom; "just my love, and that i was thinking of them. they'll know that i was likely to have done my duty as far as i could, so i won't trouble you with a longer message." just as nettleship had returned to the gun-room to add the messages to his letter, there came a shout from the poop-- "a sail! a sail!" many of the officers rushed up to take a look at her. tom pim and i followed them. we could make her out clearly,--a small vessel, right away to windward. the question was whether she would see us. captain drury also had his telescope on her. now she was hidden by the seas which rose up between us; now she came clearly into view, her hull almost visible. "she's standing this way," said captain drury, "and i believe has made us out, but of that we can't be certain. however, we must not relax in our efforts to keep the ship afloat, for it may be many hours before we can get aboard her." i should have said that we had had a spar secured to the stump of the mainmast, to which an ensign with a jack downwards had been nailed from the first, in the hopes of attracting the attention of any passing vessel. captain bouchier, who had been informed that a sail was in sight, now came up to have a look at her, but almost immediately went down again among the men. "lads," he said, "your exertions will be rewarded, i hope; but you must not slacken in them, or your labours may be thrown away. we may keep the ship afloat many hours longer if you bale and pump as sturdily as heretofore. by that time the sea may have gone down, and we may manage to get aboard the vessel in her boats, though she probably will not venture alongside." the men received his address with a faint cheer, and turned to again at the pumps, while those employed in baling passed the buckets to and fro with greater alacrity even than before. i occasionally ran up on deck to see how near she was getting. i know my heart bounded when i saw the english flag flying out at her peak. she appeared to be a good-sized merchantman, a "snow," and i heard some of the officers who had been looking through their glasses say that she had guns aboard. on hearing my report when i returned, some of the men burst into tears, others shouted for joy and shook each other by the hand, believing that our deliverance was near. night was now coming on. the sea still ran too high to allow of boats laden with men to pass from one vessel to the other. for the same reason it was impossible for the stranger to come near enough to take any of us off. many would very probably perish in the attempt, even if the snow should escape being hove against us and stove in. again i ran up. all those on deck were now stretching out their hands towards her. she came close enough for the voice of her captain--who stood on the poop--to be heard through his speaking-trumpet. "i'll stay by you during the night," he shouted. "the sea is going down. in the morning i'll take you off,--please god." the last words reached us as the stranger surged by, close under our lee. she then hove-to at a safe distance. eager eyes were turned towards her before the light altogether faded away, and many looked as if they were tempted to leap overboard and swim to her. thirsty, hungry, and weary as we were, we would gladly have knocked off baling; but the captain wisely ordered us to keep at it as long as we remained on board. "you can't tell, my lads, when the bucketful will leak in that will send her to the bottom," he said, and the men again turned to. he ordered, however, the carpenter to patch up such of the boats as could be made serviceable enough to float even for a short time, so that they might be employed in carrying us aboard the snow. without the masts the launch could not be got off the deck, but we had three other boats fit to be repaired; all the others had been completely knocked to pieces. no one slept at all events during that night, for we were all kept spell and spell at the pumps and buckets. the certainty that relief was at hand if we kept afloat, inspired us with renewed strength. when morning dawned the snow came as close as she could venture. three of her boats approached and pulled towards us. the order was now given for the men to prepare for leaving the ship. sentries were placed at the gangways to prevent any crowding in till they received the order to go down the side, but this was unnecessary. the few survivors of the sick and wounded were first lowered into the boats, with the surgeons to attend them. the boys and midshipmen were then ordered to go down the side, the names of all being called in succession. as soon as the snow's boats were filled and had pulled away, ours were lowered. tom pim and i went, with larry, in one of them, nettleship having charge of her. i looked up at the old ship. she seemed to be settling fast. the water came out of the scuppers, showing that, according to the captain's orders, the hands were still at the pumps. there was no hurry, yet all was done rapidly. the moment we shoved off our crew gave way, and we were soon aboard the snow. while nettleship returned for more men, tom and i stood watching them anxiously. it seemed even now that before they could escape the ship would go down. though the sea had much decreased, there was no little danger, while the boats were alongside the _hector_, of their being swamped. as fast as they could the boats went backwards and forwards, taking their cargoes in through the lower ports. i saw captain drury and the first lieutenant pressing captain bouchier to leave the ship, but in spite of his wound he insisted on remaining to the last. our men, as they arrived, stood watching the ship from the deck of the snow, and gave a cheer as they saw him descending, the last man, into the cutter, for they knew that not a soul was left on board the gallant _hector_, scarcely had the captain been helped up the side, than we saw the ship's head begin to sink. lower and lower it went, then down she plunged, her ensign flying from the spar secured to the stump of her mainmast, streaming upwards, alone showing us the spot where she was sinking into the depths of the ocean. a groan escaped from the breasts of many of those who had long sailed in her. we found that we were on board the _hawk_ snow, a letter-of-marque belonging to dartmouth, captain john hill, and bound from lisbon to saint john's, newfoundland. when captain bouchier expressed his gratitude to the master for receiving him and his people, the reply was-- "don't talk of it, sir; i'm but doing my duty. i would wish to be treated the same way by others." besides his own crew of five-and-twenty men, he had now two hundred of the _hector's_ on board. we had brought neither provisions nor water, and were still many a long league from our port. the _hawk_ had fortunately hitherto had a quick passage. we had, therefore, more provisions and water on board than would otherwise have been the case. still two hundred mouths in addition was a large number to feed, yet neither the captain nor his ship's company grumbled or made the slightest complaint. to stow us all away was the difficulty. to solve it, the captain at once ordered his men to heave overboard the more bulky portion of his cargo. his owners, he said, would not complain, for he himself was the principal one, and he trusted to the justice of his country to replace his loss. we were, of course, put on an allowance, but after the starvation we had endured, it appeared abundance. even when the cargo had been got rid of it was unpleasantly close stowing for most of us, but we had great reason to be thankful to heaven for having escaped with our lives. the officers and crew of the _hawk_ treated us with the greatest kindness; most of our poor fellows, indeed, required help, and were unable to move about the deck by themselves. the wind, however, continued fair, and those who had abundant sleep recovered their spirits. still several died, worn out by fatigue and sickness. we were safe for the present, and we did not allow ourselves to recollect that another gale might spring up before we could reach saint john's, to which port we were bound, or that contrary winds might keep us from our port, and that, after all, we might perish from hunger and thirst. i was talking of what we should do when we got ashore. "wait till we are there, paddy," said nettleship. "i don't say that we shall not reach it, but we may not. that noble fellow, hill, knows that such may be the case as well as i do; and i admire his calmness, and the care he takes not to show us that he fears he and his people may suffer the fate from which they rescued our ship's company. you see they are all put on the same allowance that we are, yet not one of them complains." i heartily agreed with him. shortly afterwards i asked nettleship what he had done with his letter. "i left it in the cask aboard, paddy," he answered. "so in case we're lost, our friends will know our whereabouts, though they'll not hear of our being rescued, and the chance we have had of escaping; but that won't matter much, though i should like to have made hill's conduct known." never, perhaps, did seamen watch the weather more anxiously than we did. our lives, as far as we could see, depended on the winds. already the stock of provisions and water was getting low, and it was necessary to diminish the allowance of both. still the crew of the _hawk_ would only receive the same quantity that we did. the sun rose and set, and again rose, and we sailed on. mr hill met us each morning at breakfast, his honest countenance beaming with kindness, and jocularly apologised for the scantiness of the fare. even he, however, one morning looked grave; the wind had fallen, and we lay becalmed. he had good reason to be grave, for he knew what we did not, that he had only one cask of water left, and provisions scarcely sufficient for a couple of days. "i have come away without fish-hooks," he observed. "if i had had them, gentlemen, i might have given you cod for dinner; and i promise you i'll never be without them again, when i make this voyage." "then i only hope, captain, that you'll take us up again if we happen to have our ship sinking under us," i said, at which there was a general laugh. as we had nothing else to do, all hands employed themselves in whistling for a breeze. just before the sun again rose, a cheering shout was heard from the masthead-- "land! land!" in a short time the rocky coast of newfoundland rose on the larboard bow, and we stood along to the northward for saint john's harbour, on the east coast. before evening we were passing through the narrows, a passage leading to the harbour, with perpendicular precipices rising to a considerable height on either side. passing under fort amhurst, a voice came off hailing-- "where are you from? what length of passage?" the answer announcing, "we have on board the officers and crew of h.m.s. _hector_," evidently caused considerable excitement, and signals were made to a post on the top of a lofty hill on the right side, whence the information was conveyed to the town. before we dropped our anchor, the last cask of water was emptied, the last particle of food consumed. the moment we brought up, the vessel was surrounded by boats, the news of our arrival having preceded us. before landing, all the officers again expressed their thanks to our gallant preserver, who, i hope, received the reward he so well merited, from our government, we ourselves being unable to offer him any. none of us, indeed, had more than the clothes we wore, and a few articles we had been able to carry off with us from the wreck. we were received with the greatest kindness and hospitality by the inhabitants of saint john's. nettleship, tom, and i were lodged together in the house of a merchant, whose wife and daughters, pitying our condition, did everything they could to restore us to health. certainly we were very unlike the gay midshipmen we appeared when we sailed from jamaica. both the young ladies were very nice girls; but tom confided to me that his heart had become hard as adamant since lucy's cruel treatment of him. "it will soften by and by, tom," i answered, laughing, though i could not say that i felt mine inclined to yield to their attractions. we agreed, however, that nettleship, as we thought, would knock under. what might have been the case i don't know; but as soon as the men had somewhat recovered from their hardships,--there being no man-o'-war likely to call off the place,--the captain chartered two merchant brigs to convey himself and the survivors of the _hector_ to halifax, nova scotia, whence he expected to get a passage home for us to england. nettleship, tom, and i, accompanied by larry, had to go on board the _jane_, one of the vessels, of which captain drury went in charge; while captain bouchier, though still not recovered from his wound, went in the other, the _john thomas_. i did not mention it at the time, but larry had managed to save his riddle uninjured when he left the _hector_, and his appearance with it under his arm afforded no small amount of satisfaction to the crew of the _jane_. the _john thomas_ proved a much faster sailer than the brig, and soon ran ahead of us. we had just lost sight of cape race when a sail was made out, standing towards us from the southward. "i don't like her looks," observed nettleship to me, as she approached. "i shouldn't be surprised if she proves to be a french privateer." the captain appeared to be of this opinion, for, after: examining the stranger through his glass, he ordered all the sail we could carry to be set, and stood away right before the wind, to the north-west. the stranger, however, came up with us hand over hand. in a short time the french ensign was seen blowing out at her peak, leaving no doubt as to her character. "we must not be taken, lads. i trust to you to fight to the last, before we strike our flag," cried the captain. the crew cheered, and promised to do their best. the _jane_ had six nine-pounders, while the enemy carried twice as many guns, evidently of much heavier metal. as a few men only were required to work them, the captain ordered the rest to go under shelter. tom and i were among those ordered below. in a short time we heard our guns go off, and the shot of the enemy came rattling on board. presently there came a crash, and we guessed that the privateer had run us alongside. "on deck, lads!" cried the captain. "boarders, repel boarders." at the summons we eagerly rushed up through every hatchway, to see a number of frenchmen swarming on board; but they didn't get far beyond the bulwarks before they were driven back, we in return boarding them. tom and i led our men into the fore part of the vessel. more and more of our fellows followed. the frenchmen gave way, some leaped below, others ran aft, where they encountered nettleship and his party; in less than five minutes the privateer was ours, and larry, shouting-- "wallop-a-hoo-aboo! erin go bragh!" hauled down her colours. the enemy had so completely been taken by surprise, that they had offered but a slight resistance, and few, therefore, had lost their lives, while we had only half a dozen wounded. captain drury, with two-thirds of our men, went on board the prize, retaining the larger number of our prisoners; while nettleship, tom, and i remained in the _jane_, with orders to follow close astern. "we must take care, paddy, that our prisoners don't play us the same trick yours played you," said nettleship. "they would like to try it, no doubt." we had thirty prisoners to look after. "i'll take remarkably good care that they don't do that," i answered; "and to make sure, it would be as well to keep them in durance vile till we reach halifax." the frenchmen grumbled at finding that they were to have their arms lashed behind them, and be kept below under charge of a couple of sentries. they were somewhat more contented when we fed them carefully, and told them that it was because we considered them brave fellows, and felt sure that if they had the opportunity they would take the brig from us, that we were obliged to treat them so unceremoniously. fortunately the wind held fair, and we had a quick passage to halifax, where we arrived before the harbour was frozen up. of course we gained great credit for our last exploit at that favourite naval station. we found the _maidstone_ frigate just about to sail for england, on board of which all who were well enough were ordered home. we were pretty considerably crowded, but we were a merry set, and had plenty to talk about. the midshipmen of the _maidstone_, which had been for some time at halifax, spoke warmly of the kindness they had received, and of the fascinations of the young ladies of the place, except an old mate and an assistant-surgeon, who declared that they had been abominably treated, and jilted by half-a-dozen whose hearts they thought they had won. old grumpus, the master's mate, was especially bitter. "look here," he said, producing a sketch which he had made. "see these old ladies seated on chairs on the quay, watching their daughters fishing. there are a dozen girls at least, with long rods and hooks, baited with all sorts of odds and ends. and see what sort of fish they're after,--naval officers--marine officers--and of all ranks, from an admiral down to a young midshipman. and there's a stout dame--she can't be called a young lady exactly--casting her hook towards a sturdy boatswain. "`look here,' one of them cries out, `mother, mother, i've got a bite.' "`play him, my dear,' cries the mother, `till you see what he is.' "`oh, mother, mother!' she cries out presently, `i've caught a midshipman.' "`throw him in, my dear, he's no good,' answered the old lady. "presently another sings out, `mother, i've got a bite. i'm sure it's from a lieutenant, from the way he pulls.' "`let him hang on a little, my dear,' says the mother; `may be if you see a commander or a post-captain swimming by, you may cast him off, and hook one of the others instead.' "presently a fourth cries out, `oh, mother, i've hooked a captain!' "`run, jane, run, and help your sister to land him,' cries mrs thingamebob; and just see the way they're doing it, so as not to frighten him, and make him turn tail. "at last another shouts, `mother, i've hooked a master's mate.' "`then go and cut the line, susan. don't let nancy land that brute, on any account. he's the worst of the lot.' "and so it goes on," exclaimed old grumpus. "however, to my mind they're all alike. why, while we have been there a dozen officers from different ships have been and got spliced. it's lucky for you fellows that you were not there long, or you would have been and done it, and repented it all your lives afterwards." during the voyage old grumpus brought out his sketch a score of times, and repeated his story as often, with numerous variations, which afforded us all much amusement. he had anecdotes of other descriptions without end to tell, most of them hingeing on the bad way the junior officers of the service were treated. he didn't say that most of those junior officers were rough diamonds like himself, who would have been much better off if they had not been placed on the quarter-deck. we had a somewhat long and stormy passage, and were half frozen to death before it was over, most of us who had been for years in the west indies being little prepared for cold weather. we should have been much worse off, however, in a line-of-battle ship, but in the midshipmen's berth we managed to keep ourselves tolerably warm when below. at length we sighted the coast of ireland. "hurrah, mr terence! there's the old country," said larry, throwing up his hat in his excitement, and nearly losing it overboard. "if the captain would only put into cork harbour, we would be at home in two or three days, and shure they'd be mighty pleased to see us at ballinahone. what lashings of whisky, and pigs, and praties they'd be after eating and drinking in our honour, just come home from the wars. och! i wish we were there, before a blazing turf fire, with the peat piled up, and every one of them red and burning, instead of being out here with these cold winds almost blowing our teeth down our throats." the picture larry drew made me more than ever wish to get home. not that i was tired of a sea life, though i had found it a pretty hard one in some respects; but i longed to see my father, and mother, and brothers, and sisters again, and my kind uncle the major, as i had not heard from them for many a long day. letters in those days were conveyed to distant stations very irregularly. i had only received two all the time i had been away. indeed, friends, knowing the great uncertainty which existed of letters reaching, thought it scarcely worth while to write them. we could just see the land, blue and indistinct, over our larboard bow, when the wind veered to the eastward, and instead of standing for plymouth, as we expected to do, we were kept knocking about in the chops of the channel for three long weeks, till our water was nearly exhausted, and our provisions had run short. there we were, day after day, now standing on one tack, now on another, never gaining an inch of ground. every morning the same question was put, and the same answer given-- "blowing as hard as ever, and right in our teeth." we sighted a number of merchant vessels, and occasionally a man-of-war, homeward-bound from other stations, but all were as badly off as we were. at last one morning the look-out at the masthead shouted, "a sail to the eastward coming down before the wind." it was just possible she might be an enemy. the drum beat to quarters, and the ship was got ready for action. on getting nearer, however, she showed english colours, and we then made out her number to be that of the _thetis_ frigate. as soon as we got near each other we both hove-to. though there was a good deal of sea running, two of our boats were soon alongside her to obtain water, and some casks of bread and beef, for, as far as we could tell to the contrary, we might be another month knocking about where we were. in the meantime, one of her boats brought a lieutenant on board us. "peace has been signed between great britain and france," were almost the first words he uttered when he stepped on deck. "i can't give particulars, but all i know is, that everything we have been fighting for is to remain much as it was before. we are to give up what we have taken from the french, and the french what they have taken from us, and we are to shake hands and be very good friends. there has been great rejoicing on shore, and bonfires and feasts in honour of the event." i can't say that the news produced any amount of satisfaction to those on board the _maidstone_. "then my hope of promotion has gone," groaned nettleship; "and you, paddy, will have very little chance of getting yours, for which i'm heartily sorry; for after the creditable way in which you have behaved since you came to sea, i fully expected to see you rise in your profession, and be an honour to it." "what's the use of talking to sucking babies like paddy and tom here about their promotion, in these piping times of peace which are coming on us," cried old grumpus, "if we couldn't get ours while the war was going on?" chapter twenty one. festivities at home. the news of peace was received perhaps with more satisfaction by the men who had no promotion to look for, and who now expected to visit their families, or enjoy themselves in spending their prize-money according to their own fashion on shore. parting from the _thetis_, we continued beating backwards and forwards for another week, when the wind shifting suddenly to the southward, we ran up to plymouth, and at last dropped anchor in hamoaze. we lived on board till the ship was paid off. in the meantime, i wrote home to say that larry and i would return as soon as we could manage to get a passage to cork. tom pim was uncertain of the whereabouts of his family, so he also waited till he could hear from them. nettleship had told us that his mother and sister lived near plymouth, and he got leave to run over and see them. "it won't be a good thing for you youngsters to be knocking about this place by yourselves," he said, on his returning; "and so, having told my mother this, she has invited both of you, with larry, to come up and stay with us till you can go home. you'll be much better off than in lodgings, or stopping at an inn, even though you may find it somewhat dull." tom at once accepted the invitation, and persuaded me to do so, though i wanted to see some of the fun of plymouth, which my other shipmates had talked about. i won't describe the scenes which took place on board,-- the noise and uproar,--the characters of all descriptions who crowded the ship, eager to take possession of the sailors, or rather of the money which lined their pockets. i saw very much the contrary of fun in it. we had then a midshipman's paying-off dinner on shore, to which some of the ward-room officers were invited. the wine flowed freely. healths were drunk and sentiments given, and in a short time most of the party became very uproarious, those who were sober enough on shore being as bad as the rest. "come, paddy," said nettleship, "we have to get home to my mother's house to-night, and i can't introduce you, remember, if you're not quite yourself." tom pim was ready. "so am i," i said. "i'll not take another drop." our intended departure being discovered, we were assailed with hoots, and shouts, and groans. "never mind them," said nettleship. "if we were to be moved by that sort of stuff, those very fellows would be the first to laugh at us another day." on seeing us gaining the door, several jumped up, intending to bring us back. "run for it, paddy; run, tom," cried nettleship. "i'll guard your retreat. they'll not stop me." "hands off," he shouted, as grumpus and some others attempted to seize him. "i have made up my mind to go, and go i will, though every one in the room were to jump up and try to bar my passage." tom and i got safe into the street, where we were joined by larry, who had been waiting for us; and nettleship came up, saying that he had got clear off, at the cost of flooring two or three of his assailants. "not a satisfactory way of parting from old friends," he said, "but the only one which circumstances would permit." we at once set off, walking briskly, to get as soon as possible away from the scene of our shipmates' revels. we at length reached a pretty little cottage, a short way out of plymouth, where mrs nettleship and her daughter received us in the kindest manner possible. i was struck by the appearance of the two ladies, so nicely dressed, and quiet in their manners, while the house seemed wonderfully neat and fresh, greatly differing from the appearance of ballinahone. it was the first time in my life that i had ever been in an english house. when nettleship talked of his mother's cottage, i had expected to see something like the residence of an irish squireen. both inside and out the house was the same,--the garden full of sweetly-scented flowers, the gravel walks without a weed in them, and the hedges carefully trimmed. then when tom and i were shown to the room we were to occupy, i was struck by the white dimity hangings to the beds, the fresh curtains and blinds, the little grate polished to perfection, and a bouquet of flowers on the dressing-table. tom was not so impressed as i was, though he said it reminded him of his own home. miss fanny was considerably younger than nettleship, a fair-haired, blue-eyed, sweetly-smiling, modest-looking girl, who treated tom and me as if we were her brothers. nettleship and tom accompanied me into plymouth each morning, that i might learn if any vessel was sailing for cork, and thus be saved the journey to bristol, with which place and ireland, as there was a considerable amount of trade carried on, i was told that i should have no difficulty in obtaining a vessel across. i was so happy where i was, however, that i was less in a hurry than might have been supposed. i had no want of funds for the purpose, for i had received my pay; and a good share of prize-money for the vessels we had captured was also due to me, though, as nettleship told me, i must not count upon getting that in a hurry. at last, one morning, on going to a shipbroker, who had promised to let me know of any vessel putting into plymouth on her way to cork, he told me that one had just arrived, and would sail again in a few hours. i at once went on board the _nancy_ schooner, and engaged a passage for larry and myself, and then hurried back to wish mrs nettleship and her daughter good-bye. my old shipmates returned with me, and larry carried our few traps over his shoulder, as i had not possessed a chest since mine was lost in the _liffy_. "good-bye, paddy, old fellow," cried nettleship. "if i get appointed to a ship i'll let you know, and you must exert your interest to join her; and i hope tom also will find his way aboard. we have been four years together without so much as a shadow of a quarrel; and if we were to spend another four years in each other's company, i'm sure it would be the same." tom merely wrung my hand; his heart was too full to speak. "good-bye, mr pim," said larry, as the schooner's boat was waiting for us at the quay. "your honour saved my life, and i would have been after saving yours, if i had had the chance, a dozen times over." "you saved it once, at least, larry, when you helped to get me out of the water as the boat was leaving the _cerberus_ and i hope that we may be again together, to give you another chance." "there's nothing i'd like better. may heaven's blessing go with your honour," said larry, as tom held out his hand and shook his warmly. our friends stood on the shore as we pulled across the catwater to the schooner, which lay at the entrance. directly we were on board she got under weigh, and with a fair breeze we stood down plymouth sound. she was a terribly slow sailer, and we had a much longer passage to cork than i had expected. we had no longer any fear of being snapped up by a privateer, but, seeing her style of sailing, i hoped that we should not be caught in a gale on a lee shore, or we should have run a great chance of being wrecked. larry made friends with all on board, keeping them alive with his fiddle, which he was excessively proud of having saved through so many and various dangers. "shure, i wouldn't change it for all the gold in the _ville de paris_, if it could be fished up from the bottom of the say," he exclaimed, "for that couldn't cheer up the hearts of my shipmates as my old fiddle can be doing. won't i be after setting them toeing and heeling it when we get back to ballinahone!" at length our eyes were rejoiced by a sight of the entrance to cork harbour, and the wind being fair, we at once ran up to passage, where i engaged a boat to take us to cork. as we had no luggage except what larry could carry, and he wouldn't let me lift an article, we proceeded at once to the inn at which my uncle and i had put up. i was just about to enter through the doorway, when i saw a tall figure standing before me, not older by a wrinkle than when i, a stripling, had last seen him, standing on the quay waving me a farewell; his hat and coat, the curl of his wig, every article of dress, was the same. for a moment he looked at me as if i were a stranger; then, recognising my features, though in height and breadth i was so changed, he stretched out his arms, exclaiming-- "terence, my nephew! is it you, indeed?" and embracing me, his feelings overcame him, and he could say no more for some minutes. "i came on the chance of meeting you, though i knew not when you would arrive," he said at length. "i have been waiting day after day, every hour in expectation of seeing you; but faith, when my eyes first fell on your figure i forgot the change that four years would have produced in you, and took you for a stranger. and you have brought back larry safe from the wars? glad to see you, boy. i thought you would be taking care of the young master." "faith, your honour, i should have been mighty grieved at myself if i hadn't done the best i could; and it's a pleasure to hand him back to you, major, without a wound or a scratch, though the round shot and bullets have been flying about pretty quickly round him; and we've escaped from fire and hurricane, and shipwrecks and earthquakes, and a mighty lot of other things besides." "and you, uncle, don't look a day older than when i went away," i said. "you must not trust too much to appearances, terence," he answered, shaking his head. "the enemy has been sapping the foundations, though he has not as yet taken the fortress. i have a good many things to try me. matters at home are not in a satisfactory state." "it was about them all i was going to ask, uncle," i said. "how are my father and mother, the girls and the boys?" "your mother is not so strong as she was, though she bears up bravely; but your poor father has greatly changed. though he has given up his claret, he still sticks to his potations of rum shrub and whisky punch, which are rapidly bringing him to his grave, though he won't believe it kathleen and nora are married; kathleen to eustace fitzgerald, and nora to tim daley. i would rather they had found steadier husbands, but they'll bring the boys into order, i hope, in time. your brother maurice got his commission soon after you left home, and, having seen some service in america, has lately returned home on leave. i was in hopes that he would have fallen in with you. denis stops at home to help me mind the house and keep things in order. the rest have grown into strapping lads, and it's time to be sending them out into the world to seek their fortunes. the fitzgeralds and the daleys are staying at the castle, and they'll be mightily pleased to see you. we will start to-morrow morning at daylight. i brought horses for you and larry, with tim sweeney to look after them, for i suppose that larry will scarcely know the head from the tail of one by this time." "och, your honour, i'll soon be after remembering which is which when i see the bastes again, though i haven't crossed a horse's back since i left," said larry, in answer to my uncle's remark. "i'll trust you for that, my lad," said the major; "and now, terence, we will go in and order supper, and while it's coming, you shall give me an account of your adventures." i was soon seated before the fire, briefly describing what i had gone through, in as clear a way as i could. my uncle was deeply interested, and constantly stopped me to put questions, when he did not clearly understand my descriptions. even when we were at supper he made me talk on, appearing scarcely to think about what he was eating, so eager was he to listen to me. he was much struck on hearing of dan hoolan's fate. "i can't say the country is much the quieter, for unfortunately there are too many boys of the same character to take his place," he remarked, "but i hope we shall reach ballinahone without meeting any of them." at last, seeing that i was getting sleepy, he advised me to turn in, to be ready to start in the morning. larry in the meantime had been well taken care of by tim sweeney,-- indeed, too much taken care of; for when he came into my room to see if i wanted anything, he stood balancing himself with difficulty, and talking away, until i was obliged to turn him out and bid him go to bed as fast as he could. the next morning we were on the road, the major sitting his horse as firmly as ever; and indeed, except that we were going in an opposite direction, i might have fancied, until i looked at larry and felt the change that had come over myself, that we were but continuing our journey of four years back. having plenty to talk about, i rode alongside my uncle, larry and tim following us, the latter listening with eager ears to the wonderful accounts larry was giving him. we pushed on as fast as our horses would carry us, but as the roads were none of the best, our progress was much slower than i liked. the afternoon of the second day my uncle proposed that, instead of stopping at the village through which we were then passing, we should push on to a little roadside inn, that we might be so much the further on our way next morning. it was almost dark when we arrived, but the landlord, pat casey, who knew my uncle well, received us warmly, promising to give us all the accommodation we could desire, and a supper and breakfast not to be despised. pat at once fulfilled his promise by placing some rashers of bacon and fresh eggs, and actually a white loaf, which with several others he said he had received that morning, on the table. "i would be after having some tay for breakfast, but i wouldn't dream of giving it to your honours for supper," he said, as he placed instead on the table a bottle of the cratur, from which, he observed with a wink, the revenue had not in any way benefited, while a bowl of smoking hot potatoes formed the chief dish of the feast. i remember doing good justice to it, and was not sorry when my uncle proposed that we should retire to our downy couches. unpretending as was the outside of the inn, they were far superior to what i should have expected; mine was a feather bed to which many hundreds of geese must have contributed, while the curtains were of silk, faded and patched, to be sure, but showing that they had come from some grand mansion. i slept like a top, till my uncle roused me up in the morning with the announcement that breakfast was nearly ready. to that i was prepared to do more ample justice than i did to the supper. "come, terence, let us take our seats," said my uncle. "biddy has just placed the things on the table, and they will be getting cold." the breakfast looked tempting. there was a pile of buttered toast, plenty of new-laid eggs, a beautiful griskin broiled to perfection, and water boiling on the hot turf fire in a saucepan. the teapot having taken to leaking, as biddy said, she had made the tea in the potheen jug. i was just about to follow my uncle's example, when there came a rap at the outside door of the paved parlour in which we were sitting. "come in," said my uncle. no one answered. "go and see who it is, terence; maybe it's some modest fellow who doesn't like to open the door." no sooner had i lifted the latch than i felt a heavy shove. the door flew open, and before i could get out of the way, in rushed a huge sow, knocking me over in a moment; and while i was kicking my heels in the air, over my body came nearly a dozen young pigs, their amiable mother making her way round the room, grunting, snorting, and catching the air through her enormous proboscis. "jump up, terence! jump up, or she'll be at you!" said my uncle, coming to my assistance; but the sow was too rapid in her movements, and, ere he could reach me, charged furiously at his legs. fortunately he escaped her by springing with wonderful agility out of her way, and, mounting on a chair, got up on the top of a chest of drawers, which formed a convenient place of retreat. in the meantime i got on my legs, and, seeing the savage sow was inclined to attack me, i sprang on to the chest of drawers, the only safe place i could discover. here we sat, regularly besieged, for our weapons of offence and defence had been left on the table. the sow, seeming to know the advantage she had gained, kept eyeing us savagely. indeed, unless we had thought it worth while to run the risk of an attack from her, we saw that we must make up our minds to remain where we were. the louder we shouted for help, the more enraged the sow became, thirsting, as we had reason to believe, for our blood. she was the lankiest, the tallest, and grisliest beast i ever saw; her back, arching higher than a donkey's, resembled a rustic bridge; her loose-flapping ears nearly hid her small sunken, fiery eyes, their ends just covering one half of her mouth, which divided her head, as it were, into an upper and under storey, clearly showing that she had the means of taking a huge bite out of our legs, could she get at them. her tusks, like those of a boar, projected from under her nostrils, and the ring and hook in her nose was a formidable weapon of offence, though intended to prevent her from digging up the ground. her promising family were not little pigs, but had nearly attained the age when they would be turned out to shift for themselves, regular hobbledehoys of swinehood. after rampaging round the room, sniffing the air, and vainly attempting to get at us, the sow ran under the table, which she unceremoniously upset, when, with a peculiar grunt summoning her progeny to the feast, she and they immediately commenced gobbling up our viands. seeing this, i jumped down, intending to drive her away, but scarcely had i reached the ground when she made so savage a rush at me that i was glad to regain my former position. "this is too bad," cried the major; and, slipping off the drawers, he seized a chair, with the intention of belabouring our assailant, when just at that moment one of the young pigs, of an inquisitive disposition, hearing the bubbling water on the fire, attempting to look into the pot, brought the scalding contents down upon itself. on feeling its tender bristles getting loose, it set up the most terrific cries, louder even than the most obstinate of its race when the butcher is making preparations for manufacturing it into corned pork. the sow, attributing the cries of her darling to some torture inflicted by us, rushed to the drawers, making several savage attempts to rear up against them so that she could seize us by the legs. every moment we expected to be caught hold of by the hook in her nose, when we should have inevitably been brought down. in vain we kicked and stamped at her to drive her off, while we shouted loudly for assistance. as it turned out, larry and tim were in the stables attending to the horses, while the landlord and his family, having performed, as they supposed, all their required duties in attending on us, had gone to the potato garden. not for some minutes did pat hear our voices, and then in he rushed, with astonishment depicted on his countenance. seizing a stick, he began belabouring the sow, bestowing on her epithets numberless and profuse. "och! the curse of crummell light on you for a greedy old sow as ye are," he exclaimed, whacking away at the creature, who didn't care for his blows, though she dared not attack him. at length tim and larry came in, and, seizing the sow by the tail, attempted to drag her out; she, supposing that they wanted her to go into the room, in the usual swinish spirit of contradiction turned to snap at their legs, and, followed by her hopeful progeny, bolted out of the door. my uncle and i burst into fits of laughter, though in reality it was no laughing business as far as our breakfast was concerned. pat expressed his fear that there was not another morsel of food in the house; however, biddy and her assistant, coming in from the potato garden, soon set matters to rights, and put some water on to boil, hunted up some fresh eggs, and produced another loaf. we were too hungry to let them toast and butter it, however. we made a very good breakfast after all, our appetites being sharpened by the exercise of our lungs, not to speak of the alarm we had been in. the occurrence delayed our departure till a later hour than we intended, and we pushed on to try and make up for lost time. i confess that i occasionally looked round, half expecting to see some of dan hoolan's successors come out from behind the rocks or bushes, and demand our valuables; but if any were lying in wait in the neighbourhood, they probably thought four well-armed men too formidable to be assailed, and we proceeded towards our journey's end without molestation. i had at first felt a sort of callousness about reaching home, and should have been indifferent had any delay occurred; but as i approached castle ballinahone i became more and more eager to be there, and could scarcely restrain my feelings when i saw the towers rising beyond the trees in the distance, and the shannon shining brightly in the rays of the setting sun. my uncle and i gave our horses the rein, and our two attendants clattered after us. the gate of the park was open, and as we dashed up the avenue at full speed, the sounds of our horses' hoofs attracted the attention of the inmates of the castle. the door was thrown open, and my mother and sisters, and maurice and denis and my two brothers-in-law, appeared on the steps, down which the younger boys came springing towards us; while from the servants' wing out rushed a whole posse of men and girls and dogs,--tumbling over each other, the dogs barking, the girls shrieking, and the men shouting with delight, as they surrounded larry, and half pulled him off his horse. dismounting, i sprang up the steps into my mother's arms, where she held me for some time before she was willing to let me go. i received a similar welcome from my sisters. "you see i have brought him back safe after all," said the major, benignantly smiling. my hands were next seized by my brothers and brothers-in-law, who wrung their fingers after receiving the grips which i unconsciously bestowed upon them. "and my father?" i asked, not seeing him. "he is in the parlour," answered my mother in an altered tone; and she led me in. he was seated in his wheelchair, a look of dull imbecility on his countenance. "what! are you terence?" he asked in a quavering tone. "come back from the wars, eh? i suppose you are terence, though i shouldn't have known you. we will drink your health, though, at supper in whisky punch, if he'll let me have it, for we can't afford claret now,--at least so he says, and he knows better than i do." i was much pained, but tried to conceal my feelings from my mother, though my father's changed appearance haunted me, and prevented me from being as happy as otherwise would have been the case. his state had been that of many of his neighbours, whom he was fond of boasting he had seen under the sod,--once fine intelligent men, who might have lived out their natural course of years in health and happiness, with everything to make their lives pleasant, had it not been for the drinking habits so general among their class. after the greetings with my family were over, i went into the servants' hall to have a talk with the old domestics. larry was in the height of his glory, just getting out his fiddle to give them a tune in honour of our return. they all crowded round me, each eager to grasp my hand, and congratulate me on having escaped the dangers of the wars. i felt myself more of a hero than i had ever done before. the moment i retired i heard larry's fiddle going, and the boys and girls beginning to make use of their feet, for it was impossible to keep them quiet while such notes sounded in their ears. after a visit to my chamber, which had long been prepared for me, accompanied by denis, who wanted to hear all i had got to tell him, i returned to the drawing-room. i there found the family assembled, fully as anxious as my brother to have a narrative of my adventures. my mother, taking my hand, which she held in hers, led me to the sofa, and fondly looked in my face as i described the battles i had been engaged in and the shipwrecks i had encountered. my uncle nodded approvingly as i described the actions in which i had taken a prominent part. my poor father, who had been wheeled into the room, stared with lack-lustre eyes, evidently only comprehending a portion of what i said. the rest of the family occasionally uttered exclamations of surprise and astonishment, now and then putting questions to help me along, when i stopped for want of breath or to recollect myself. i had never in my life talked so much at a stretch. at last we went in to supper. my poor father, lifting his glass with trembling hands to his lips, drank my health. my brothers-in-law, maurice and denis, followed his example. the major kindly nodded. "you have done well, terence, and i'm proud of you," he exclaimed; "and though the war is over, i hope you'll still find means to climb up the rattlings, as you say at sea." several neighbours looked in, hearing of my arrival, to congratulate me and my family. the whisky-toddy flowed fast. i as usual drank but little; in truth, i had no taste for the stuff, though probably it would have grown upon me, as it does upon others. my uncle looked at me approvingly. "i'm glad to see, terence," he said, "that you possess one of the qualities of a good officer, and that even when off duty you retain the habit of sobriety." my brothers-in-law glanced at each other and laughed, but took care that the major should not observe them. the guests took no notice of my uncle's remark, evidently intending to make the whisky punch flow freely, the great object for which they had come. toasts and sentiments, according to the fashion of the day, were given. my father tried to sing one of his old songs, but soon broke down. several of the other gentlemen, however, took up his stave, and soon began to be uproarious. my mother on this got up, and beckoned to my sisters to follow her. they whispered to their husbands, who, however, only nodded and laughed. my uncle's object was rather to guide than to suppress the hilarity, and when he observed anything like a dispute arising, he put in a word or two nipping it in the bud in a calm, determined way, to soothe irritated feelings. in a short time dan bourke came in, and, putting his hands on the back of my father's chair, said, "by your leave, gentlemen, i'm come to wheel the master away;" and without more ado, though my poor father stretched out his hand trying to grasp his glass, before he could reach it he was at a distance from the table. it was a melancholy spectacle, and i almost burst into tears as i saw him moving his arms like a child, and trying to kick out with his gouty feet. as dan wheeled him round towards the door, he shouted and cried, "just let me have one glass more, dan, only one; that can't be after doing me harm." one of the guests exclaimed, "can't you be leaving the master alone, and let him have a glass to comfort his soul? just one glass can make no matter of difference." but dan was obdurate, and, looking over his shoulder, he said, "it's the orders of the mistress, and they're to be obeyed." had the major's eye not been upon him, i don't know how dan would have behaved, but without another word he wheeled my poor father out of the room, and closed the door behind him. it was almost the last time he appeared at table. his state made a deep and lasting impression on me. as soon as he was gone, the guests went on talking and singing as before, and would probably have kept up their revels till a late hour, had not my uncle reminded them that he and i had just come off a long journey. "as i've been playing the part of host, i can't be so rude as to leave you at table, gentlemen." the hint, as he intended it to be, was too broad not to be taken, and those whose brains had still some sense left in them rose to take their departure, hoisting the others in a friendly way out of their seats, when arm-in-arm they staggered to the door. "the ladies have retired, so you need not stop to pay your farewell respects to them," said my uncle; and he told dan bourke, who was in the hall, to order the gossoons to bring round the gentlemen's horses. some mounted without difficulty, but others had to be helped up on their steeds by my brothers-in-law and denis. i thought they would have tumbled off. "they'll be all to rights when once in their saddles," said denis. "they're accustomed to ride home in that state. to be shure, one of them now and then dislocates his neck or breaks his head, but that's a trifle. it's too common a way for an irish gentleman to end his mortal career for anything to be thought of it." "i hope, denis, that you'll not be after following their example," i remarked. "faith, the major keeps me in too strict order for that at present," he said; "i don't know what i should do if i hadn't his eye upon me, but i'll acknowledge i have no wish to become a brute beast, as some of them are." my first day at home was over. i felt less happy than i had expected. my father's melancholy condition,--my mother's sorrow, which she in vain tried to conceal,--and the fallen fortunes of the family, damped my spirits. my brothers-in-law were fine young fellows, but not altogether what i liked; and my sisters were graver than they used to be. everything about the house looked in a dilapidated condition. my mother and sisters wore old dresses; the furniture was faded; the servants, if not ragged, were but poorly habited. had it not been for the major, the family, i suspect, would long ere this have been turned out of house and home. i must not spend much time in describing my life at castle ballinahone. i soon got tired of it, and began to wish myself at sea again, for i knew that my only chance of promotion was to keep afloat. i told the major. he said that he perfectly agreed with me, and that he would at once write to captain macnamara, who was in london, and to two or three other friends, and ask them to try and get me appointed to a ship without delay. after i had been at home a few days, fitzgerald and daley invited me to accompany them to the fair at mullyspeleen, where they wished to dispose of some horses they had bred on my father's property. larry begged that he might come, just to see the fun. i observed, as he mounted, that he had strapped his fiddle-case on his back. my journey had made me as much at home as ever on horseback, so that i was enabled to keep up with my brothers. the distance we had to go was about fifteen miles, through beautiful country, with a range of hills in the distance, below which is situated the old castle of tullinhoe, once the seat of a powerful family, many of the descendants of whom were now probably selling pigs at the fair. we met people wending their way towards the place of meeting, some on foot, some on horseback, others in cars and carts of primitive construction, all grinning and shouting in high glee at the thoughts of the fun to be enjoyed. what that fun was we were soon to witness. not only were there men, but women and children, down to small babies in arms,--the men with frieze coats, with shillelahs in hands, the women in cloaks and hoods, and caps under them. others had gaily-coloured handkerchiefs tied over their heads. as we got near the fair the crowd increased, till we sometimes had a difficulty in making our way among the people. as we pushed them aside, however, they were in no way offended, but good-humouredly saluted us with jokes of all sorts. there were tents and booths of various descriptions, the most common among them being formed of wattles,--that is, young saplings cut from some neighbouring estate, the thick ends stuck in the ground some distance apart, and the thin ends bent down till they met, when they were fastened together with haybands. some twenty or thirty of such arches having been formed, and further secured by a long pole at the top, were covered over with blankets, sheets, and quilts, borrowed from the nearest cottages, occasionally eked out with petticoats and cloaks of varied hue; the quilts, being of every variety of pattern, and of all the colours of the rainbow, had a very gay appearance. the tables were composed of doors carried off from farm buildings and cottages, elevated on hillocks of clay dug from underneath. the benches on either side generally consisted of doors cut longitudinally in two or three parts, and to be nailed together again when done with. outside several of the tents were huge turf fires, on which pots were boiling, some containing lumps of salt beef and cabbage, while fried herrings were sending up a fragrant odour attractive to hungry visitors. there were cold viands also displayed, to tempt those disposed for a snack, rounds or rumps of beef, hams, bread and cheese, and whisky enough to make every soul in the fair moderately drunk if equally divided. here and there were booths containing toys and trinkets; but the great object of the fair was for the sale of horses, cows, pigs, and poultry. besides these were the more pretentious booths of the frieze merchants, who were likely to run a good trade to supply the place of the garments which would be torn into shreds before the fair was over. in other booths, earthenware, knives, and agricultural implements were to be procured. my brothers-in-law having disposed of their horses at a good price,-- especially good to them, as the animals had cost them nothing since they were foals,--we agreed to ride round the fair and see the fun, which had now been going on for some time, while, as the eating and drinking booths had been constantly filled and emptied, a large portion of the visitors were already in a hilarious condition. we were passing a booth, when a man came out, who, taking off his long frieze coat, which he trailed along behind him on the ground, at the same time flourishing his shillelah, shouted out-- "who'd be after daring to put a foot on that, i should like to know?" he hadn't gone far, when from another tent out sprang a stout fellow, holding a cudgel big enough to fell an ox with. rapidly whirling it in the air, he exclaimed-- "that's what i'll dare to do!" and he made a fierce blow at the head of the owner of the coat, which would have felled him in a moment, had he not been prepared to defend himself with his shillelah. a clatter of blows succeeded, when the owner of the coat fell, stunned, to the ground. at the same instant numbers of fellows in frieze coats, brogues, and battered hats, rushed forth from the various tents, flourishing their shillelahs, and shouting at the tops of their voices, some siding with the fallen man, others with the victor, till a hundred or more were ranged on either side, all battering away, as fast as they could move their arms, at each other's heads. now one party would scamper off as if in flight; then they would meet again, and begin cudgelling each other, apparently with the most savage fury, while the women and children stood around, the latter forming a squalling orchestra, which kept time to the blows. when matters were becoming serious, a number of the women, handing their babies to their companions, sprang into the fight, shrieking out, "come out o' that, pat!" "come out o' that, tim!" and dragged their husbands, or sons, or lovers, away from each other. the men mostly, however, endeavoured to release themselves by leaving their coats in the women's hands, exclaiming-- "let me get at them, biddy. i'll not be held back!" the women succeeded in dragging but a very few out of the fray, and again the combatants went at it, till one after the other was stretched on the ground. at length a priest arrived, and exhorted those who were of his flock to desist; and, rushing in among them, where words were ineffectual, dealt them pretty hard blows with his own cudgel. i was inclined to go and assist his reverence, but fitzgerald advised me to do nothing of the sort. "they treat him with some sort of respect," he observed, "but they would treat you with none, and a broken head would be the consequence." the tumult and uproar had made our horses restive; and as a party of the combatants, with loud shrieks and clashing of shillelahs, came rushing against mine, he began to kick and plunge, and at length bolted with me, scattering the people in his course right and left. shouts and imprecations followed me, but though i pulled at the rein with all my might, i could not stop him. on he went, upsetting a booth of crockery and scattering the contents; he dashed in among a herd of pigs, which scampered off in all directions; when finally, attempting to leap over a tent in our course, he went through one side of it, pitching me before him, and down he came on to the middle of the table, with his hind legs under the bench, and very nearly on the top of me. i scrambled out of the way, bruised and scratched, receiving no very friendly greeting from the owner of the booth. larry, who had seen what was going on, followed, and assisted to extricate my steed as well as me. its knees were cut and hind legs sprained, and i felt as if every bone in my body was broken, though i managed to get on my feet, and, giving myself a shake, had the satisfaction of discovering that nothing of the sort had occurred. my brothers-in-law, coming up, paid the men for the damage done to the crockery booth and the tent my steed had upset, out of the proceeds of their sale; and i, to show that i was not daunted, remounted my horse. "have you sufficiently enjoyed the humours of the fair, terence?" asked fitzgerald. "faith, indeed i have, and sufficient to last me a mighty long time," i answered. in one place there were a dozen fellows piled up, one upon another, struggling and kicking, with their heads cut and their noses bleeding; but few of them had lost their voices, and not one of them was mortally wounded. i had charged larry not to join in any of the fights; and though he confessed that he had been sorely tempted, he had become too well disciplined at sea to disobey me. he came out of the fair, therefore, with a whole skin, having employed himself for a good portion of the time in amusing the boys and girls with some tunes on his fiddle. i took care to see him clear of the fair, and free from danger, before we put our horses into a trot. the whole scene gave me some idea of the state of my native country, to become still more unhappy before many more years were over, owing to the misguiding of hot-headed men, and the cruel treatment of a government whose only notion of ruling was by stern suppression and terrorism. we rode too fast to allow of larry playing his fiddle, so he was obliged to put it in its case, and trot after us. i felt dreadfully stiff for several days after this adventure, and but little inclined to ride, though i managed to walk about. denis begged me to go with him to fish in a stream which ran into the shannon three or four miles from the house. i agreed, for the sake of having his society, although no adept in the art of throwing a fly. larry accompanied us, to carry our baskets, and the fish we intended to bring home. we started later in the day than we had intended, so that the best part of it had gone by before we could reach the stream. i was more successful than i had expected, and succeeded in hooking and landing a brace of tolerably-sized salmon,--denis having caught twice as many. this encouraged us to go on, and the shades of evening had already begun to spread over the beautiful landscape before we thought of giving in. at length larry came up to me. "i wouldn't be after wishing to frighten you, mr terence," he said in a whisper, "but i have just now seen something i don't like." "what is it, larry?" i asked. "is it in human shape, or with four legs, a couple of horns, and a tail?" "don't be laughing at it, mr terence. i'm thinking you don't know where we are, or you wouldn't be after doing that," he whispered. "we are fishing in the stream of corregan," i said. "but does your honour know what happened here?" he asked, in a low voice. "it's his ghost i've seen, as sure as i'm a living man, just behind yon clump of trees there hanging over the water; and i'm thinking he'll be showing himself again if we stop here longer." "i shall be very happy to make his acquaintance, whoever he is," i said. "does mr denis know anything about him?" "master denis would be only laughing at me if i were to speak to him about it," said larry. i called to denis, and said that i was ready to put up my rod, as i wished to make the acquaintance of a suspicious individual who was said to be lurking about the stream. he replied that he would be ready to come as soon as he had landed a salmon he had lately hooked. "come, larry, tell me all about this ghost, or spirit, or whatever it was, you fancy you saw just now," i said, while engaged in winding up my line. "hish! your honour; we mustn't speak loud about him, if you plaise, and i'll tell you," he answered. "it's just this, your honour: while we were away in foreign parts, there was a broth of a boy,--i knew him well,--dominic brian. well, nick was one evening going home from reaping, along this very part of the stream, when what did he do but cut his own head off. why he did it no one to this day can tell; but certain sure his body was found on the bank, with his bloody scythe beside him, but his head was gone. they say he comes every evening at the same hour to look out for his head, since he doesn't rest quiet in his grave without it. when they told me about it i laughed, thinking it couldn't be true; but seeing's believing, and as sure as i'm a living man, i saw dominic brian this very evening with his head under his arm." "i thought you said that he always came to look for his head?" i observed. "shure so i did, mr terence; but the ghost i saw had his head tucked under his arm, just as if it had been a keg of potheen." "whether he has his head under his arm or has got it on at all, i'll rout him out," i exclaimed. "oh, don't, mr terence, don't!" cried larry. "no one can tell what he'll be after doing to you. shure it will be safer for us to be away from this as fast as our legs can carry us. just shout to master denis to make haste, or we don't know what will be happening." chapter twenty two. a ghost and a wedding. laughing at larry's fears, i, having just finished winding up my line and disconnecting my rod, bade him take up the fish, while i walked towards the clump of trees where he had seen the headless ghost. i didn't feel altogether sure that something would not appear. i had not gone many paces before i caught sight of a white object. larry saw it also, and my gallant follower, who would have tackled a dozen frenchmen with a cutlass in his hand, fairly turned tail and scampered away, shouting out-- "the ghost! the ghost! it's nick brian himself, barring his head. run, mr terence! run, mr denis! or he'll be taking hold of us, and carrying us off into the river to help him to look for it." in spite of larry's shouts, i still went on, although not feeling over comfortable, when, as i got nearer, out flew, with a loud hiss, a large white swan, whose nest was probably thereabouts. though i might have defended myself with the end of my rod, i thought it prudent to beat a retreat and leave her in quiet possession of the locality. on seeing this she also returned to her nest. when i overtook larry,--who, finding that i was not following him, had halted,--i assured him that the ghost was only a swan. he, however, still remained incredulous, declaring that it might have appeared like a swan to me in the gloom of the evening, but he felt sure it was nick brian, and no one else. in vain i endeavoured to induce him to return with me. "i'd rather not, mr terence, if it's the same to you," he answered. "it's not wise to be hunting up them sorts of things." denis now joined us, and though he laughed at the idea of a ghost, he remarked that it would be as well, while there was sufficient light to see our way, to commence our return home, which, as it was, we should not reach till long after dark. i saw larry every now and then turning his head round, evidently expecting that nick brian the headless would be following us. we got home without any other adventure, where larry gave a full account of our encounter with nick brian's ghost, and the gallant way in which mr terence had faced him, though he was not ashamed to confess that he had not backed me up as he should have done, had i been attacked by a human foe. though denis had not seen the ghost, and i assured every one that it was only a white swan, i found that larry's account was believed in preference to mine; the general opinion being that i fancied i had seen the bird, though it was a ghost notwithstanding. to do honour to my return, and to keep up the dignity of the family, my mother and sisters considered it necessary to give a ball to the neighbours, and invitations were issued accordingly. the major was rather against the matter, on the score of expense, but he didn't hold out as stoutly as usual. the preparations, however, were not on a very extensive scale. such flags and banners as were to be found in the castle--many of them tattered and torn--were arranged so as to decorate the entrance hall. the furniture was carried out of the dining-room-- the largest room in the house--and piled up in the dingy study. supper-tables were placed on one side of the hall; and my mother and sisters, and all the females in the establishment, were engaged for some days in manufacturing pasties, tarts, and jellies; while at the same time sundry pieces of beef, ham, turkeys, and poultry were boiling and roasting at the kitchen fire. at the usual hour the guests began to arrive,--some in family coaches, once covered with paint and gilt, but now battered and dingy; others came in cars and gigs, and a considerable number of the fair sex on horseback, having sent their ball dresses on before, by the invitation of my sisters, who had promised their assistance in bedecking them. my father complained that he was hurried away from the dinner-table that due time might be obtained for making the necessary preparations. he was left in his chair in the corner of the room, whence he watched the proceedings with an expression which showed that he could not make out exactly what was being done. i went up to him several times and tried to make him understand. at last the o'maleys, the o'flahertys, the frenches, the fitzgeralds, the burkes, the geraldines, and the members of numerous other families began to arrive, and larry, habited in a sky-blue coat, a huge frill to his shirt, pink breeches and green stockings, with four or five other musicians, similarly attired, playing various instruments, took their places on a raised platform which served as an orchestra. a country dance was speedily formed, the couples standing opposite each other, reaching from the top to the bottom of the room, and i had the honour of leading out miss nora o'flaherty, who was considered one of the beauties of the county, though in many respects i doubt whether tom pim would have looked upon her with the same eyes as he had done on lucy talboys. taking my partner, i led her prancing down the centre, and proud enough i felt as i heard the remarks made upon us. then we had to come back and turn each couple, and so on in succession till we reached the bottom. it was pretty hard work, though my fair partner seemed to enjoy it amazingly. of course, as was the custom of those days, i could not take another partner, and i had every reason to congratulate myself on having obtained so good a one. i suspect that many envied me. i was naturally over head and ears in love with her before the evening was over. there was very little rest between the dances. as soon as one was over another was started, the musicians playing away with might and main. we got through a few minuets, but such dances were too tame for my fair countrywomen; indeed, but few of the men were able to perform them, whereas all took to the country dances as if by instinct. while we younger ones were thus amusing ourselves, the older people passed the time playing cards, and afterwards did ample justice to the supper. indeed, very few of the young ladies were very backward at that. even nora managed to discuss the wing and breast of a chicken, with ham and a slice of beef, not to speak of tartlets and other delicacies, without the slightest difficulty. i saw her to her family coach, which conveyed her mamma, two sisters, and a he cousin besides, of whom i felt prodigiously jealous. i could think of nothing and talk of nobody but nora o'flaherty all the next day, and proposed riding over to pay my respects to the family. "you'll do nothing of the sort, terence!" said my uncle. "i should be the first to say `go,' if i thought it would add to your happiness; but, to the best of my belief, the young lady is engaged to her cousin; and even supposing that she cared for you, and would consent to wait till you became a post-captain, you would then only have your pay, and she has not a stiver in the world, and you would thus be doing her a great injustice. talk of her as you like, think of her as a perfect angel; but angels don't make good wives down here on earth, whatever they might do in ethereal regions." in fine, my uncle talked and laughed me out of my first love. instead of going over to castle moirty, i employed myself in fishing, shooting, and other rural sports with my brothers and my brothers-in-law, and occasionally with the major. this sort of life, however, didn't suit my taste, and i began to wish myself once more afloat. among the young ladies present at the ball given in honour of my return was a miss kathleen o'brien, to whom i observed my brother maurice paid the most devoted attention, and i guessed, as i afterwards discovered, that he was over head and ears in love with her. it was not a matter of surprise, considering that she was among the prettiest of the very pretty girls present. as she was an only daughter, and heiress of a very fine estate, my family were highly delighted at the prospect of his winning her; and as he was supposed to be crowned with laurels, had a couple of honourable wounds in his arms, and our family was equal to hers, it was hoped that no impediment would be thrown in the way of their marriage, provided the young lady would accept him. young ladies in those days in ireland had a free will of their own, and maurice acknowledged that he was not certain what way he had made in her affections. my mother and sisters, however, encouraged him, and, considering that there was no young man like him in that part of the country, assured him that he had no cause to fear. thus it appeared to me that the battle was half won, and i had no doubt, when he set out the next morning, attired in his red military suit, to pay his respects at castle blatherbrook, that he would return back an accepted lover. we cheered him as he set forth. "good luck go with you," cried denis. "we will welcome you as an intended benedict when you come back again. kathleen's tender heart will never stand that gay coat and clashing sword. talk of your laurels, maurice, and tell her how beautiful she will look with a wreath of orange-blossoms across that fair brow of hers." maurice, a good-natured fellow, took all our jokes in good humour, and, waving his hand as he put spurs to his steed, galloped off; while denis and i went to amuse ourselves with our fishing-rods, in hopes of obtaining some variety to our usual fare. on our return we found that maurice had not come back from his wooing. this was considered a good sign, as it was hoped that he was detained at the castle as an accepted suitor. our own meal was over, and evening was approaching; still maurice did not appear. my mother and sisters were very positive that he had won the lady. at length, just as it grew dark, his horse's hoofs were heard clattering up the avenue. "you must not be disappointed," said the major, as we were all rushing out to welcome him. "girls are not always to be won by once asking." maurice threw his rein to larry, who had taken up his old office of groom, with what we thought a disconsolate air. "well, my dear boy, has she accepted you?" "yes, i'm sure she has. she could not have said no," exclaimed my mother, taking him by the hand. "faith, then, she has," cried maurice, "and i ought to be, and fancy i am, the happiest man under the sun. but i am to quit the army, and turn my sword into a ploughshare, and gather oats instead of laurels; and i am not quite certain how i shall take to that sort of life." we all congratulated him on his good fortune, and assured him that he would soon get accustomed to a domestic state of existence. after this i had very little of his society, as he rode off every morning to blatherbrook. he used to look bright and happy enough when he came back, and denis and i agreed that he was by degrees getting accustomed to the thoughts of his expected change of life. this was very good fun for maurice, but i began to find it rather dull, and even to wish myself afloat again. however, i wanted to wait for the wedding, which, to my great satisfaction, i found was fixed for an early day. i managed to spend the intermediate time much as before,--fishing or sailing and shooting on the shannon, with larry as crew and old mike o'hagan as pilot, when we explored not only the banks of the beautiful river, but the various lochs which opened out of it. at last the happy day arrived which was to see my brother united to his lady love. the ceremony was to take place at her father's house, as was the custom of those days among people of rank and fashion. everything was arranged on a splendid scale. all our neighbours from far and near assembled at castle ballinahone, to see the bridal party set off, and to wish us good luck. we had wedding favours down from dublin, and wedding clothes of resplendent hue, no one just then troubling themselves much as to how they were to be paid for. my sisters were adorned with silks and satins, and looked unusually handsome; but my mother, as became her position, was attired in a costume of silver satin, so that when she put it on the evening before, the light of the lamps made her resemble a moving constellation. my brother, as became his military character, was habited in a scarlet uniform, to which the tailor had added a sufficient amount of gold lace to adorn the coats of half a dozen field-marshals, white satin breeches, silk stockings, and diamond buckles in his shoes, setting him off to great advantage, and we all agreed that a more gallant bridegroom never set forth on a matrimonial expedition. the family coach had been burnished up for the occasion, and was drawn by four of the sleekest steeds in the stable, larry and the other boys having been employed for many a day previously in currying them down. dan bourke was turned into coachman for the occasion, dressed in a magnificent bright blue coat and hat adorned with gold lace. the footboys, mick kelly and tim daley, were habited in new liveries, of the same colour as dan's, and stood behind the coach, in which were ensconced my mother, two sisters, and the happy bridegroom. my uncle, disdaining to enter a coach, led the way on horseback, dressed also in full uniform; and amid the shouts and good wishes of the assembled spectators, the family coach set off, those who had horses or vehicles immediately following at a respectful distance. denis, my two brothers-in-law, and i had a vehicle to ourselves, which it had not been thought necessary to furbish up. it was an old travelling chaise, which had long rested in an out house, covered with dust and cobwebs, and often the roosting-place of poultry. it was drawn by two sorry hacks, and driven by phil kearney, the gamekeeper, for so he was called, though there was but little game on the estate to keep, he being our usual attendant on all sporting expeditions; while larry, dressed in the attire in which he had appeared at our ball, mounted the rumble with his beloved fiddle, all ready, as he said, for setting the heels of the boys and girls going in the kitchen, while their betters were dancing in the hall. denis and our two brothers-in-law were habited, as became the attendants of the happy bridegroom, in white cloth coats with blue capes, waistcoats and breeches of blue satin, spangled and laced all over, while their heads were adorned with large paste curls, white as snow, and scented with bergamot. i was more modestly attired in a new naval uniform, carefully made from the pattern of my last old one under my uncle's inspection. as we wished to reach blatherbrook castle before the rest of the party, we took a short cut across the country, so as to get into another high road, which would lead us directly to our destination. phil lashed on our steeds, when, with a pull and a jerk, our horses, not being accustomed to work together, dashed forward at a rapid pace over the stones, in a way calculated not only to dislocate our limbs, but to shake the vehicle to pieces, but we held on to the sides, trying to keep it together as best we could. when we settled to take this route, we forgot that there existed a turnpike on the road, an institution to which irishmen have a decided objection. the old turnpike-keeper, a discharged soldier, who had only lately been sent there, and was thus unacquainted with any of us, cautiously closed the gate, knowing that travellers often forgot to pull up and pay. we, as loyal subjects of his majesty, were ready to disburse whatever was demanded of us. i accordingly put my hand in my pocket, but not a coin could i find in it, and, knowing that my brothers-in-law were not over-willing to draw their purse-strings if there was any one else ready to do it, i desired denis to give the gate-keeper the toll. "i quite forgot to put any money in my pocket," he observed. "but you can pay him, daley." "i have not a stiver," said daley, feeling first in one pocket, then in the other. "well, we must come upon you, fitz," i said. "faith, i left my purse in my other small-clothes," he answered. "is there any cash in it?" asked daley, with a wink. "well, but the man must be paid," i said. "i'll tell phil kearney," and, looking out of the window, i called to him. "sorra a ha'p'orth of coppers there are in my pocket, seeing not a sight of coin have i got from the master this many a day," he answered. i then turned to larry, hoping that he might be better off than the rest of us. "faith, mr terence, it's a long time since i have had a coin to boast of, and if i had that same, i'd not be after chucking it to an old spalpeen for just opening a gate." phil at this juncture, observing that the gate was swinging slowly back, lashed on his horses, and attempted to pass through, on which the old soldier seized them by their heads; but phil, not inclined to be stopped, furiously flourishing his whip, bestowed his lashes, not only on their backs, but on the shoulders of the gate-keeper. fitzgerald, who was the most peppery of the party, tried to get out to join in the fight, but fortunately could not open the carriage door. just then the gate-keeper's wife hurried out, and joined her husband in hurling abuse at us. "i see who you are," she exclaimed, "a party of vagabond stage-players running away from cork, where you haven't paid your bills, and going to wheedle the people at limerick out of their money." "that's true enough, mistress," said fitzgerald, who had a soft tongue in his head when he chose to use it; "but we're coming back soon, and we'll pay you double for the beating your husband has got, and remember, the next time he deserves it you'll pardon him for our sakes, and it will save you the trouble of giving it to him. it's not to limerick we're going, but only to castle blatherbrook, where we're to play for the entertainment of the wedding guests, for it's mr maurice o'finnahan is to marry miss kathleen o'brien; and mr o'brien, the lady's father, will be after paying us well, for he's as rich as croesus, and we'll bring away a bottle or two of the cratur to comfort your old soul." as phil had by this time ceased beating his horses, which stood quietly enough while fitz was giving this address, the old man let go their heads and came to listen. "shure then you look like dacent stage-players, for certain; and as i'm mighty fond of a good tune, now just give us one, and maybe if i like it, i'll let you off this time, and thank you into the bargain," said the old soldier. "with all the pleasure in the world," answered fitz. "there's our musician sitting behind the coach, and he'll tune up his fiddle while we tune up our pipes, and just consider what's likely to please you." larry, on hearing this, shouted out-- "i'll be after giving you what'll make your old hearts bump right merrily, if it doesn't set your heels agoing," and, putting his riddle to his chin, he began playing one of his merriest airs. "arrah now, but that's a brave tune," cried the old woman, beginning to shuffle her feet, though she hadn't much elasticity in her limbs. "it's a song we're after wanting," cried the gate-keeper; "shure you'll give us a song, gentlemen?" "well, you shall have one to begin with, and you shall have a dozen when we come back from the wedding," cried fitz, and he struck up-- "as beautiful kitty one morning was tripping with a pitcher of milk from the fair of coleraine, when she saw me she stumbled, the pitcher it tumbled, and all the sweet buttermilk water'd the plain. "`och! what shall i do now? 'twas looking at you now; sure, sure, such a pitcher i'll ne'er meet again; 'twas the pride of my dairy, och, barney mccleary, you're sent as a plague to the girls of coleraine.'" so fitz ran on, verse after verse, and tune after tune, till he stopped for want of breath. highly delighted, the old pikeman insisted on shaking us all round by the hand, and then, running in, brought us out a glass of whisky each. he was much surprised to find denis and i declined taking it. daley, however, prevented his feelings being offended by singing another song. then larry gave them a second tune on the fiddle, which pleased him still more, and he set to work with phil to put to rights the harness, which had been considerably disarranged by the prancing of our steeds. then he exclaimed-- "good luck to you. you'll give us some more tunes when you come back. off with you now. success! success!" phil lashing on the horses, away we went, laughing heartily at our adventure. we soon arrived at the castle, where we found the guests rapidly assembling. i won't describe the ceremony. my brother and kathleen o'brien were indissolubly united. no sooner was it over than every one rushed forward to kiss the blushing bride, and then we all heartily congratulated each other at the happy event. my mother took charge of her new daughter-in-law, who cried a little, but, soon recovering, looked as bright and blooming as any of her fair bridesmaids. plum-cake and wine were then handed round, just to stay our appetites till dinner was announced,--a substantial repast, to which all did good justice. then the ball commenced, the bride leading off the dance. it was kept up, with an interval for a hot supper, until three or four in the morning. it was lucky for me that nora o'flaherty, for some reason or other, was not present, or i believe that in spite of my uncle's advice i should have forgotten my poverty and confessed my love. but there's luck in odd numbers, and there were so many charming girls present that my heart was pretty evenly divided among them. the whole of the guests were put up in the house,--and pretty close stowing it was, but no one complained,--and, after a breakfast as substantial as the supper, we set off to return home. we purposely went back by the way we came, and greatly astonished the old pike-keeper by not only paying him his toll, but treble the value of the whisky he had bestowed on us, as well as two or three additional songs. he had by this time discovered who we were, and was profuse in his apologies for the way in which he had behaved. we assured him that he had but done his duty, and as we had chosen to pass for stage-players we could not complain of him for believing us. for a few days things went on much as usual. at last my uncle received a letter from captain macnamara, saying that he had not been appointed to a ship himself, but had applied to lord robert altamont, who had just commissioned the _jason_ at plymouth, and who had agreed to receive me on board on his recommendation. "your nephew will meet some of his old shipmates, who, i have no doubt, will be glad to have him among them," he added. at first i was highly delighted at this news, but when the time came for parting i wished that i had been able to remain longer at home. it appeared to me very unlikely that i should ever see my father again, and the state of our pecuniary affairs was evidently telling on my mother, though my brave uncle was doing his utmost to keep things together. it was settled, of course, that larry was to accompany me. "i should like to go with you," said my uncle; "but you're old enough to take care of yourself, and affairs at home require my presence. two men will, however, attend you, to look after the horses and bring them back." i will not describe our leave-takings a second time, or my journey to cork. i found there was a vessel just about to sail for plymouth, and i therefore secured berths on board her for myself and larry. nothing particular occurred during the passage. we dropped anchor in the catwater at plymouth five days after leaving cork. i at once repaired on board the _jason_, lying in hamoaze. who should i find walking the deck as first lieutenant but old rough-and-ready. he put out his hand and shook mine cordially. "glad to have you aboard, my lad," he said. "you see, their lordships, knowing my value as a first lieutenant, have taken good care not to promote me, lest my peculiar qualities should be lost to the service." "i should have been glad to have served under you, had you been in command of a corvette, sir," i said; "and i'm very happy to be with you again." "you'll find two or three old shipmates on board, for lord robert, being a friend of captain macnamara, applied to him to recommend such officers as he thought well of. he has immense interest, and i hope that we shall all get our promotion when he's done with us, though he'll take very good care it will not be till then." i begged mr saunders to let me go ashore again to procure an outfit, as i had not got one at cork. "have you brought another family chest with you?" he asked. "no, sir; i'll get one of the proper dimensions this time, knowing the size you approve of," i answered. on going into the berth, i found, to my infinite satisfaction, my old friends nettleship and tom pim. "glad to see you, paddy," they exclaimed in the same voice, each grasping a hand. "we heard rumours that you were appointed to the _jason_, but could not ascertain the fact for certain," said nettleship. "well, here you see me, after all the actions i have taken part in, still an old mate. lord robert assures me that he will look after my interests; but he has said the same to everybody else, and will probably tell you so likewise." tom pim accompanied me on shore, and assisted me by his advice in getting the outfit i required, and i took care to choose the smallest chest i could find, that there might be no risk of its being cut down. in the evening nettleship joined us, and we accompanied him to pay his respects to his mother and sister. i was more than ever struck by the sedate manner of the young lady, after having been so lately accustomed to those of irish girls. though miss nettleship was very pretty, i didn't lose my heart to her. tom pim, however, seemed to admire her greatly, though it was impossible to judge of how her feelings were affected towards him. we spent a very pleasant evening, and i took greatly to mrs nettleship, who seemed to me to be a very kind and sensible old lady. we had to return on board at night, to be ready for duty the next morning, for the frigate was now being rapidly fitted out old rough-and-ready was in his true element, with a marline-spike hung round his neck, directing everywhere, and working away with his own hands. he made us do the same. "we don't want dainty young gentlemen on board," he said, "but fellows who are not afraid of the tar-bucket." though not pleasant, this was useful, and i learned a good many things which i had before not known perfectly. the ship was completely fitted for sea before lord robert altamont made his appearance on board. we all turned out in full fig to receive him as he came up the side. he had sent down a pattern of the dress he wished his crew to wear, and the men as they joined had to put it on. it consisted of a blue jacket, a red waistcoat, white or blue trousers, slippers of white leather, and a hat with the ship's name in gold letters under a crown and anchor. all the men wore pigtails, to the arrangement of which they devoted a considerable portion of sunday morning. they might then be seen in groups, combing and brushing each other's hair, which hung down very long behind, and then tying up the tails with a bit of blue cotton tape. the captain was a young man, tall and slight, with a very effeminate air, and as unlike his first lieutenant as he well could be. still his countenance was not bad, and he smiled in a pleasant way as he returned our salutes. "very well done, mr saunders," he said, looking aloft, and then glancing round the deck. "you have got the ship into good order, and i hope to find the crew in the same satisfactory state. if not, we must take measures to make them so. though it's peace time, we must maintain the discipline of the service." after a few more remarks he retired to his cabin, where he had ordered dinner to be prepared. he now sent to invite the first and second lieutenants, the lieutenant of marines, the doctor, and three of the young gentlemen, to dine with him. such an invitation was like a royal command. nettleship and i, with dick larcom, who had just joined the frigate, and who was a _protege_ of the captain, were the favoured ones. the repast was sumptuous in my eyes, and unlike anything i had seen before. lord robert was all courtesy and kindness. he inquired of each of us what service we had seen, and particulars about our family history. "my father was a lieutenant, killed in action, and my mother lives in a cottage near plymouth," answered nettleship. "and i came in at the hawse-holes, and worked my way up. i have been in ten general actions, and five-and-twenty engagements with single ships, or cutting-out expeditions in boats," said mr saunders. "here i am a first lieutenant; and a first lieutenant i suppose i shall remain until i'm too old to keep at sea, when perhaps i shall be rewarded with my master's and commander's commission." "long before that period arrives, i hope," said lord robert, smiling blandly. "i trust before many years are over to see you posted to a ship like this." i answered his lordship's questions with all due modesty, and he seemed well pleased at hearing about my family. his lordship happened to look at dicky larcom, who, supposing that he had to give an account of himself, said-- "i haven't done anything yet, lord robert, because i have only been two days in the navy; but i intend to do as much as admiral benbow, lord rodney, or sir samuel hood, if i have the chance." "no doubt about it, youngster," said his lordship, laughing. "while i think of it, i wish two of you young gentlemen to breakfast with me every morning. i wish you all to learn manners, in which i find occasionally a great deficiency among the junior officers of the service. i'll say nothing about their seniors. you'll let it be known in the berth, finnahan. you can all come in rotation." "thank you, my lord," i answered, for i found that he always liked to be thus addressed. the announcement did not afford as much pleasure as i had expected. the oldsters voted it a great bore, though dicky larcom and the other youngsters looked upon the invitation as an especial honour, and anticipated the good breakfasts they were to enjoy several times a week. where we were to be sent to was now the question, for as yet that important information had not transpired. the bumboat-woman, the great authority as far as midshipmen were concerned, could not enlighten us, though some of the more knowing expressed an opinion that we should be attached to the channel squadron, which, in other words, meant that lord robert intended to remain in harbour as much as possible, to save himself from the perils and discomforts he might be exposed to at sea. we waited day after day, while the captain, it was understood, was transacting important business on shore, though it was shrewdly suspected that he was amusing himself as he thought fit. at length he received a peremptory order to proceed to sea. when he came on board, he complained to old rough-and-ready of the hardships to which he was subjected. "don't you think, mr saunders, that it's a shame that men of rank like myself should be at the beck and call of such old fogies as my lords commissioners of the admiralty?" he exclaimed. "i have had positively to give up lady seacombe's ball on the th. putting my own feelings aside, there will be several sweet girls who will be bitterly disappointed." "i don't know anything about balls, except round shot and musket-balls," answered the first lieutenant. "for my part, if i'm asked the use of a ship-of-war, i should say that it is to be afloat, looking after the interests of the country. i don't know, however, since the government have thought fit to shake hands with the french and spaniards, and to knock under to the yankees, what we have got to do; only i do know that we shall never get the ship into a proper state of discipline till we're at sea, and can exercise the men at their guns, reefing and shortening sail." "oh, yes, to be sure! that's a very proper matter for you to think about, mr saunders," said the captain; "but for my part, i esteem that sort of thing as a great bore. however, understand that i want you to do whatever you consider right and proper." "thank you, my lord. if you leave the matter to me, i'll do my best to make the ship's company the smartest in the service," answered the first lieutenant. "well, i'm much obliged to you, and will support you to the best of my ability," said the captain. i overheard this conversation; indeed, his lordship was not at all particular as to what he said, or as to who was present when he expressed his opinions. that afternoon, the wind being fair, we went out of harbour, and by dark were well to the south-west of the eddystone. as lord robert said he preferred having plenty of sea-room, we at once steered out into the atlantic. "we may thus, you see, mr saunders, be able to get a fair breeze from whatever quarter the wind blows, which is far better than having to batter away against a head-wind, and make ourselves uncomfortable. i wrote some lines on the subject:-- "we're rovers where'er rolls the fetterless sea, for the boundless blue ocean was made for the free. "they are fine, are they not? shall i go on with them?" "they may be, my lord, but i'm no judge of pottery," answered mr saunders; "indeed, i never read a line in my life, except some old sea-songs. and as to being free, we should soon get the ship into a pretty state of disorder if the men were to get that notion into their heads; they may not be slaves, but they must do what they're ordered, and pretty smartly too, or look out for squalls, i've a notion. that's what we must do at present.--all hands, shorten sail!" he shouted. "be smart about it, lads." lord robert put his paper into his pocket, and threw himself into an attitude of command, while he glanced up at the straining canvas, and mr saunders shouted the necessary orders, which he did not receive from the captain. the hands flew aloft. my station was in the main-top, to which i quickly ran up. royals and topgallant sails were speedily taken in, two reefs in the topsails, the yards were squared, and we ran off before the fast-rising gale. we pitched and rolled pretty considerably as it was; it would have been much worse if we had been close-hauled. as the gale was from the northward, we ran south all the night. in the morning it was my turn, with dicky larcom, to breakfast with the captain, which, according to his lordship's orders, the young gentlemen in the berth had taken their turns to do with considerable, regularity. we had to dress in our best, and at the appointed hour we made our appearance at the cabin door. the captain treated us with his usual urbanity. we took our seats, and had got through some slices of ham and toast, when lord robert told us to help ourselves to coffee. as the ship was rolling and pitching, i, knowing what might happen if i filled my cup, poured out only a small quantity. poor dicky, not aware of the necessity of taking the same precaution, filled his to the brim; when, just as he was about to lift it to his lips, out flew the contents over the fine blue damask table-cloth. on this lord robert jumped up, his countenance exhibiting anything but an amiable expression, and, seizing poor dicky by the collar, he gave him a kick which sent him flying to the cabin door, with an expression which sounded very unlike a blessing, exclaiming-- "who is to wash breakfast-cloths for such a young powder-monkey as you? remember that in future you only breakfast with me once a month." then turning to me, he said in a gentle tone, "you see, finnahan, i must maintain discipline." i of course said nothing, but bolted the remainder of my breakfast as fast as i could, thinking it prudent to take my leave, lest his lordship should, with or without reason, find fault with anything i might do, and treat me in the same way. chapter twenty three. a middy flogged. on returning to the berth, i found poor dicky blubbering, and looking very melancholy. "it was not the loss of my breakfast, for i don't care if i never have another with him, but it was the indignity with which i was treated," he exclaimed. at this most of our messmates laughed. "indignity, do you call it, dicky, to be kicked by a lord? it's a high honour," said old grumpus, who had joined us just before we sailed, and did duty as mate of the lower deck. "look out, youngster, that you don't get treated with greater indignity before long. i took the skipper's measure the day i first set eyes on him. with all his mincing manners and fine talk, depend upon it he'll prove a tartar at bottom." besides dicky, another youngster had come to sea for the first time, and was related, it was supposed, to the captain. alfred de lisle was somewhat older than dicky larcom, and a refined, nice fellow. i took a great liking to him, though he had his faults. he was excessively indignant when he heard how dicky had been treated. "it's a great shame. i wouldn't stand it," he exclaimed. "if he treats me in the same way, i'll leave the ship and go home." "bravo, youngster," cried grumpus, backing him up. "there'll be one less in the service to be placed over my head one of these days, and so i approve of your resolution; only just stick to it. when the captain next orders you to do anything you don't like, just let it alone. don't say you won't, or you'll be guilty of mutiny." de lisle took what grumpus said in downright earnest, though i didn't fancy he would have done so, or i should have given him better counsel. as the gale increased, the captain, as we heard, sent for the first lieutenant, and said he should like to bear up for the cove of cork or plymouth sound. "there's just one objection to our doing that," observed old rough-and-ready. "you see, my lord, they happen to be right away to windward, and we can no more get there until the wind shifts, than we can reach the moon. we'll heave the ship to, if your lordship pleases, and she'll be so much nearer portsmouth than if we run on as we're doing." "oh, pray heave to; it is the best thing we can do under the circumstances," answered his lordship. the hands were accordingly turned up, and the ship brought to the wind at the risk of carrying away some of our bulwarks and boats. we thus rode, hove-to, for a couple of days, when, the gale moderating, we were able to make sail, and steer for the channel. as soon as the weather was fine enough, old rough-and-ready, according to promise, kept all hands exercising at the guns and shortening and reefing sails for hours together. he was in no hurry to get into port again, as he wanted before then to have a smart ship's company. this evidently gave the captain great satisfaction, for he knew he would gain the credit, and he was not above wishing that for himself, if it could be obtained without too much trouble. he had come on deck with his arms akimbo to give his orders, in a voice very different from that in which he spoke when in his cabin or ashore, introducing as many expletives and adjurations as the boatswain himself could have done. no sooner had the sails been again loosed, and tacks and sheets hauled down, than he sang out once more-- "shorten sail. if you're not smart enough about it, i'll flog the last man in off the yards." the midshipmen had to furl the mizzen-topsail. we consequently flew aloft with the rest. de lisle, though active enough in general, didn't at all like this, and chose to take his time about it. he was consequently the last on deck. the captain had marked several of the men for punishment, which they got the next morning, and took it as a matter of course. the captain, however, said nothing to de lisle, who did not dream, therefore, that he would carry out his threats. he was in the morning watch the next day, and had to turn out at eight bells to assist in holy-stoning and washing down decks. this was always done under the supervision of the first lieutenant, who appeared on such occasions in an old sou'-wester, a jacket patched and darned, a comforter round his throat, and a pair of blue trousers tucked up at the knee, without shoes or stockings. the midshipmen had also to go about with bare feet, as of course had the men. they, with buckets in hand, were dashing the water over the decks to carry off the sand through the scuppers, and then they had to dry the decks with huge swabs, which they swung about, now bringing them down on one side, now on another, with loud flops. when old rough-and-ready's eye was off them, all sorts of larks would take place. one would heave a bucket of water over a messmate, the other would return it with interest, and a battle royal would ensue, till every one was soused through. then one fellow would bring his swab across the back of another, and a swab fight would generally follow, till the first lieutenant would turn round and call them to order. de lisle on this morning had not made his appearance. at length rough-and-ready, recollecting him, sent below. he came up dressed in full uniform. "what are you after?" exclaimed the first lieutenant staring at him. "turn to at once, and attend to your duty." "i don't consider it my duty, sir, to engage in such dirty work as washing down decks; i should spoil my dress if i did," answered de lisle. "what i order you is your duty; and if i tell you to put your hands in the tar-bucket and black down the rigging, you'll have to do it," said the first lieutenant, for once in a way growing angry. "i'll go and change my clothes, then, sir," said de lisle. he was so long about this that when he came on deck the operations were concluded, and the men were flemishing down the ropes. rough-and-ready said nothing at the time, and de lisle attended to his duty as usual. before noon, however, the captain sent for several of us youngsters into the cabin. though i had been so long at sea i was still considered a youngster. the master-at-arms was standing with a small cat in his hand, a weapon of punishment capable of inflicting a considerable amount of pain, but not of so formidable a character as the large cat used on delinquents among the crew. by the captain's side stood his clerk, with a printed document in his hand. "read the articles of war," said the captain, "and do you youngsters listen." when he came to the part referring to obedience to the orders of superior officers, he looked at de lisle, and exclaimed in a thundering voice-- "do you hear that, youngster? prepare to receive the punishment you merit for disobedience to orders." on the port side was a gun which lord robert had chosen to have painted green, carriage and all, to make it harmonise with the furniture. "strip," he said. de lisle, trembling, seemed disinclined to obey; but the master-at-arms seized him, and quickly had his jacket off, and his back exposed. he then, in spite of the boy's struggles, secured him to the gun. "give him half-a-dozen lashes," said the captain. the cat descended till the blood came. "i'll tell my father and mother," sang out poor de lisle in his agony. "two more for that," cried the captain. "oh! could my brothers and sisters see my disgrace!" cried out poor de lisle, scarcely knowing what he said. "two more for that," shouted lord robert. again the cat descended. he thus got ten instead of six lashes. he did not again speak. overcome by his feelings rather than by the pain, he had fainted. the captain sent for the doctor, who soon brought him to, when he was led off to the surgery to have his wounds attended to. "that's a lesson for you all, young gentlemen," said lord robert in a subdued tone, differing greatly from that which he had lately used. "i'm determined to maintain discipline aboard my ship; and you'll understand that though i wish to treat you all with consideration, i will certainly punish any disobedience to orders." we looked at each other, and then at the captain, and, supposing that we were not required to stay longer, i led the way out of the cabin, followed by the rest, my feelings boiling over with indignation, for i had never before seen a midshipman flogged. still i could not but acknowledge that de lisle merited punishment, and he confessed as much to me afterwards, though he did not expect to receive it in that fashion. he harboured no ill-will towards the captain in consequence, and became far smarter than he had ever been before in attending to his duties. the lesson was not thrown away on any of us, and we took good care not to run the risk of incurring the captain's displeasure. notwithstanding the captain's effeminate looks and manners, he managed to gain the respect of the men, who liked to have a lord to rule over them, though they knew well enough that it was old rough-and-ready who had got the ship into such prime order; and for him they would have gone through fire and water, though they might not have wished to have him in supreme command. the captain having abundance of stores on board, our cruise continued for a longer period than we had expected, and we in the midshipmen's berth had run short of all our luxuries, and were condemned to exist on salt junk and hard biscuits. this gave old grumpus, nettleship, and other oldsters the opportunity of grumbling, which made them, as tom said, perfectly happy. we enjoyed, however, an occasional blow-out, when we breakfasted or dined with the captain. we were beginning to wish, however, that another war would break out, or that we might return into port and have a spree on shore. besides making and shortening sail, we were constantly exercised at the guns, as well as the small arms. our chief employment was firing at a cask with a flag at the top of it, in doing which we expended as much powder and shot as would have enabled us to fight a couple of pitched battles; but it made the men expert gunners, and would have enabled them, as old rough-and-ready observed, to take an enemy's frigate in half the time they would otherwise have done. at length we sighted the coast of ireland, and, with a westerly breeze, stood up channel under all sail. we expected to put into plymouth, and nettleship invited tom and me to come and pay his mother and sister a visit, but, to our disappointment, we found the ship passing the eddystone, and heard that we were to go on to portsmouth, where the captain had his reasons for wishing to remain, namely, that he might be so much the nearer to london. on a fine bright morning we stood in through the needles, and steered for spithead, where the fleet was lying at anchor. we carried on in fine style as we stood up the solent, between the isle of wight and the mainland, exciting the admiration of all beholders on shore. "now, my lads, let's show the admiral how smartly we can shorten sail and bring the ship to an anchor," said the captain, who appeared in full fig on deck. we were all on the alert, and the moment "away aloft!" reached our ears we flew up the rigging. the boatswain's pipe sounded shrill, the topsails came down smartly with a loud whirr. the ship was rounded to, the men lay out on the yards and briskly handed the canvas, and the anchor was let go, a short distance from the flag-ship. directly afterwards a signal was made for lord robert to go aboard her. i had the honour of accompanying him. the boats were newly painted, the men wearing white trousers and shirts, the oars without a speck; and in good style we dashed alongside. the admiral received lord robert on the quarter-deck, and desired to compliment him on the splendid way in which he had brought his ship to an anchor. lord robert bowed, and, with a self-satisfied smile, replied he was glad to find that his efforts to bring his crew into a state of good discipline met with approval, and his only regret was that, it being peace time, he was unable to bring in a prize in tow, which, as he pleasantly observed, he should otherwise without doubt have done. i thought that he might possibly refer to the assistance he had received from old rough-and-ready, but not a word escaped his lips to allow the admiral to suppose that all was not due to his own admirable system. he then hinted that the ship had been in some heavy weather, and that it might be necessary to go into harbour, to have her damages made good. the admiral made no objection, and we accordingly, the next morning, got under weigh, and stood in to portsmouth harbour, where we brought up some distance from the dockyard. we found two or three other frigates lying there, and several sloops-of-war and corvettes and brigs. we had not been there long before our captain received invitations from the residents in the neighbourhood, who had known him as a lieutenant and commander, and were accustomed to make much of him. he was acquainted with most of the captains of the other ships, and they were constantly dining on shore in each other's company. they had all been invited to dinner at the house of a baronet some miles out of portsmouth, and their boats were ordered to be in waiting for them at about half-an-hour after midnight. all the commanders and most of the post-captains were young men, full of life and spirits, two or three of them noted for their harum-scarum qualities. i had been sent to bring off lord robert, and a midshipman was in each of the other boats belonging to the different ships. we waited and waited for our respective captains, sitting in the stern-sheets wrapped in our thick cloaks, afraid to go ashore lest our men should take the opportunity of slipping off into one of the public-houses on the common hard, standing temptingly open. at last we heard the voices of a party of revellers coming along, and i recognised among them that of my captain, who seemed to be in an especially jovial mood. in those days there stood on the hard a sentry-box, furnished with a seat inside, on which the sentry was accustomed to sit down to rest his legs between his turns. presently i heard lord robert sing out-- "hillo! where's the sentry?" he and the other captains then gathered round the box. the sentry was fast asleep. they shouted to him. he made no reply. there was a good deal of laughing and talking. then they called several of the men, and in another minute they brought the sentry-box, with the sentry in it still fast asleep--or rather dead drunk--down to the boats. securing two together, the sentry-box was placed across them, and, the order being given, we shoved off. instead, however, of returning to our ships, we made our way across the harbour to the gosport side, when the sentry-box was safely landed, and placed with the sentry, his head fortunately uppermost, and his musket by his side, on the beach. we then left him, the boats casting off from each other amidst shouts of laughter, and we pulled back to the _jason_. the captain didn't say much, for the best of reasons, he was not very well able to use his tongue, but rubbed his hands, chuckling at the thoughts of what he had done. i helped him up the side, and assisted him to his cabin. i believe most of the other captains were also, as he was, three sheets in the wind, or they probably would not have engaged in the proceeding. next morning, soon after daybreak, nettleship and i were sent ashore by the first lieutenant to look out for three men who had not come off on the previous evening, and who, it was supposed, might have deserted. "something like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay," said nettleship, as we pulled towards the hard. "the chances are we shall find them drunk in some house or other, or perhaps in the gutter with black eyes and broken heads. it's not pleasant work, but it must be done." i said nothing about the condition in which the captains had come off the previous evening, but i thought to myself if captains set such an example, no wonder if the men follow it in their own fashion. on landing we found an unusual number of people on the hard for that early hour, while parties of soldiers, headed by sergeants, were passing at the double-quick march. we inquired of one of the men we met what had happened. he said that on the relief coming to the spot where the sentry-box had stood, and finding neither box nor sentry, they had been seized with alarm. the captain of the guard had immediately reported the circumstance to the fort major, and, forgetting that peace had been established, he roundly asserted that the french squadron was at spithead, that the isle of wight had been captured, and that portsmouth would be attacked. the whole garrison was aroused, and the telegraphs on the hills set to work to communicate the intelligence far and wide. as i was the only person in the boat who knew what had actually occurred, i thought it prudent to hold my tongue and let things take their course. nettleship and i therefore proceeded in search of the men, and before long found them, much in the condition we had expected, though sufficiently recovered to walk. helped along by their shipmates, we got them down to the boats. the excitement was still at its height, when, just as we were shoving off, a boat arrived from the gosport side, with the astounding intelligence that the missing sentry-box, with the sentry in it, was standing upright on the beach. immediately a number of boats, one of which contained the captain of the guard and several other officials, pulled across to investigate the matter. "we may as well go to see the fun," said nettleship; "the first lieutenant won't find fault with us when i explain the object." away we pulled with the rest, and lay off the beach, while captain bouncer and his party landed. the sentry, who was standing in his box, stepped out, and saluted in due form. "how did you get here, my man?" inquired captain bouncer in an angry tone. "faith, captain, that's more than i can be after telling you," answered the sentry, whom i recognised as a countryman. "you don't mean to tell me that you don't know how you and your sentry-box were transported across the harbour in the middle of the night!" exclaimed captain bouncer. "that's just what i'm saying i can't do, captain dear," replied the sentry. "you must have been drunk as a fiddler," shouted the captain. "i can swear, your honour, by all the holy saints, that i was sober as a judge," answered pat. "shure it's my belief i was lifted up by a couple of witches riding on broomsticks, and carried across without so much as wetting my feet, for my boots are as dry as if they had been roasting before the fire." "if witches carried the man across, they must be hunted up and punished," cried one of the bystanders. "witches be hanged!" exclaimed the captain; "the man must give a better account than that of the way he came across." "then, captain, if it was not witches, it must have been a score of will-o'-the-wisps, who just upset the sentry-box and towed it across the harbour while i was sitting quiet, not dreaming of what was happening, and only just looking up at the stars shining brightly above me," said pat in a wheedling tone. "you must have been asleep, at all events, or you would have discovered that your box was being moved," said the captain. "asleep is it, your honour!" exclaimed the sentry; "shure pat donovan, and that's myself, never went to sleep on guard since he listed in his majesty's army." "whether the sentry was drunk or asleep, whether transported across by witches or imps, we must have the sentry-box back again," said captain bouncer, and he gave orders to have it lifted into a boat. this was found, from its weight, not to be an easy matter, confirming the people in their belief that the sentry had been carried across as he stated, for if heavy when empty, it must have been much heavier with him in it. poor pat meantime was placed under arrest, and carried away to be further examined by the town major, and dealt with as might seem expedient, while we pulled back to our ship. there were many among the crowd who believed that pat donovan, of her majesty's ---th regiment, had been spirited across portsmouth harbour by a couple of witches riding on broomsticks, though where they were to be found was more than one could say. we heard afterwards that a dozen old women had been seized and accused of the crime, and that had it not been for the interference of certain naval officers, whose names were not mentioned, they would have been subjected to the ordeal of being ducked in the harbour, or tossed in a blanket. it was reported that our captain had seen what he took to be a sentry-box floating across the harbour on the night in question, and he could swear that no such agency as was reported had been employed. whatever the educated might have believed, the lower classes were still forcibly impressed with the idea that the sentry-box and sentry had been carried across by witches; but on board ship the real state of the case was soon known, and the men, who kept the secret, chuckled over the credulity of their friends on shore. portsmouth had become very dull, i was told, since the war was over, and we certainly at times found a difficulty in knowing how to pass our time. our captain occasionally posted up to london, but, having no business there, received a hint from the admiralty that he must remain on board his ship, and therefore had to post down again as fast as he could. he consoled himself by spending nearly all the day on shore, generally at the houses of people in the neighbourhood. he had one evening gone to dine at a house situated some way in the country, on the gosport side, and he had ordered his boat to be waiting for him at the nearest landing-place to it, punctually at ten o'clock. as he had a picked crew, not likely to desert, no midshipman went in the boat. as it happened, the doctor, the second lieutenant, and the lieutenant of marines had been invited to spend the evening close to gosport, and i was ordered to go and bring them off at half-past ten, not far from the place where the captain had intended to embark. when i got in i found his boat still there. the men had been talking and laughing, and had evidently managed to get some liquor on board. they did not see me, and as i was afraid that they might send over some to my men, i kept my boat as far off as i could get. presently the steward came down, and told the coxswain that his lordship had made up his mind to stay on shore, and that the boat was to return to the ship. just then, however, i saw an animal of some sort, but what it was i could not distinguish through the gloom of night, come close down to the water. a couple of the men instantly jumped ashore, and, catching hold of it, lifted it into the boat, laughing and chuckling loudly. i had a short time longer to wait before the officers came down. of course i said nothing of what i had seen. we pulled alongside the frigate, the boats were hoisted up, and my watch being over, i turned in to my hammock. i had not been long asleep when my ears were saluted by the most unearthly sounds, so it seemed to me, that ever broke the stillness of night. a universal panic seemed to be prevailing. men were rushing up on deck, shouting out that old nick himself had gained possession of the ship, some carrying their clothes with them, but others only in their shirts, leaving in their terror everything else behind. the alarm which had begun forward extended aft; the marines, headed by their sergeant and corporal,--though the sentries still remained at their posts,--ever mindful of their duty, and ready to do battle with foes human or infernal. i and the other midshipmen, thus awakened from our sleep by the fearful sounds, jumped out of our hammocks, and began dressing as fast as we could. it was not until i was half-way up the ladder, and still not quite awake, that i recollected the occurrence at the landing-place. again the sounds which had alarmed us came forth from the lower depths of the ship. many of the men in their terror seemed inclined to jump overboard. before long, however, old rough-and-ready came hurrying on deck, with his small-clothes over his arm and night-cap on head; his voice rang out above the uproar, inquiring what was the matter. the drum beat to quarters, the boatswain's whistle sounded shrilly, piping all hands on deck, though the greater number were there already. no one answered the first lieutenant's question. again the sound was heard. the men who were at their stations seemed inclined to desert them, when it struck me that only one animal in existence could make that fearful noise, and as matters were getting serious, i went up to the first lieutenant and said-- "i fancy, sir, that it's a donkey's bray." "of course it is," exclaimed mr saunders. "how in the name of wonder came a donkey on board the ship?" i thought it prudent not to reply; and the second lieutenant and other officers who had come off with me of course said that they knew nothing about it. the first lieutenant, having now got into his breeches, calling the mate of the lower deck, the master-at-arms, and others, to bring lanterns, descended to the fore-hold. none of the men, however, except those who were summoned, appeared inclined to follow them. i, however, expecting to have my suspicions verified, went forward with tom pim. we heard old rough-and-ready shouting out for a tackle, and in another minute up came an unfortunate donkey. the poor brute, having fallen into the hold, had given expression to its dissatisfaction by the sounds which had driven the ship's company well-nigh out of their wits. how the donkey had come on board was still to be discovered. my boat's crew knew nothing about the matter; and it was surprising that the captain's crew, including the coxswain, were equally unable to account for the mysterious occurrence. as they had been engaged in transporting the sentry-box across the harbour, it was just possible that they might have taken it into their heads to imitate the example of their superiors, and play a trick on their own account. whatever the first lieutenant might have thought on the subject, he took no steps in the matter, but awaited the return of the captain. the first thing the next morning, however, he sent the poor donkey ashore. late in the afternoon lord robert came on board, and received due information of what had occurred. perhaps he might have suspected how the donkey had entered the ship; at the same time it is possible that his conscience may have smote him for having set the example of practical joking. at all events, he made no strenuous attempts to discover the culprits. the next day he issued an order that, even if his satanic majesty and a thousand of his imps should come aboard, the men were not to turn out of their hammocks till piped up by the boatswain. chapter twenty four. a trip to london. while we lay in harbour, three ships of sir edward hughes' squadron from the east indies came home and were paid off, the crew not only receiving their pay, but large sums for prize-money. scarcely had they dropped their anchors than the ships were boarded by hundreds of harpies in all shapes, eager to fleece the crew,--or rather, to win their confidence, in order to fleece them as soon as they had received their hard-earned wages. pinchbeck watches, copper chains which passed for gold, huge rings for the fingers and ears, trinkets of all sorts, and cutlery made of tin, were pressed upon jack as loans, to be paid for as soon as he landed; and the moment he got his pay, no time was lost in commencing the operation of fleecing him. some sturdy fellows, who had been played that trick often before, attempted to resist the importunities of their pretended friends, and kept their hands in their pockets, turning scornful glances on either side, as they rolled along; but most of them, unless they could resist the grog-shop, were very soon doomed to fall into more warily-laid traps. tom and i were on shore the day the _hero_ was paid off, one of the ships which had so often encountered the squadron of the french admiral de soufryen. the whole of portsmouth was in an uproar. we met dozens of stout fellows rolling along, with massive chains hung from their fobs, rings on their fingers, their heads adorned with lovelocks, pigtails, and earrings, with female companions hung on to each of their arms, rolling and shouting as they went, paying no respect to anybody out of uniform, in the height of good humour as long as they could have their way, but evidently ready to quarrel with any one whom they might fancy wished to interfere with them. at the door of one of the principal inns we found a couple of coaches, with four horses each, prepared for starting, and surrounded by some twenty or thirty seamen. some quickly clambered up on the roof and into the front seats, and others behind; those who had climbed outside shouting out that the ship would be top-heavy if the rest did not stow themselves away below, the last half-dozen or so got inside. "drive on, coachee," cried one of the men in front; "let's see how fast your craft can move along." the coachman smacked his whip, and off galloped the horses, the men cheering and waving their hats at the same time, and throwing showers of silver among the boys in the street, who had gathered to look on, and who were soon engaged in a pretty scrimmage to pick up the coins thus profusely bestowed on them. tom and i could with difficulty refrain from joining in the scramble. the junior officers were at a paying-off dinner at the "blue posts," to which tom and i, and nettleship, who afterwards joined us, were invited. the wine of course flowed freely. before the feast was over, the larger number of the party scarcely knew what they were about. at last it was proposed that we should sally forth, and out we went, arm-in-arm, in good humour with ourselves, and ready for anything that might turn up. one of the party commenced a sea-song, in the chorus of which we all joined at the top of our voices, awaking the sleeping inhabitants, who, however, were not unaccustomed to such interruptions to their slumbers. we were becoming more and more uproarious, when we encountered a party of watchmen in greatcoats, carrying lanterns and rattles. having been lately reprimanded for allowing disturbances in the streets, they took it into their heads to disperse us, telling us in no very courteous manner to return on board our ships. they were received with shouts of laughter, and, as they still persisted in interfering, our leader cried out-- "charge them, lads." at the word we rushed forward, scattering the old gentlemen right and left. "chase them, boys! chase them!" cried our leader. as they went up one street, and then down another, this was no easy matter, and we became quickly dispersed. "i say, paddy, this sort of thing doesn't do," said tom. "it may be all very well for those fellows who are paid off, and are going home, but we shall be getting into a row before long, and it would look foolish to return on board with broken heads and black eyes." just then we met nettleship, who had been looking for us, and who, being perfectly sober, fully agreed with tom. we accordingly directed our course to the point, where we knew we should find a boat to take us off. just as we were turning out of the high street, however, we encountered three of the guardians of the night who had been assailed by our party. they instantly accused us of attacking them, and i fully expected that we should be carried off into durance vile. "how dare you say anything of that sort?" said nettleship. "we belong to the _jason_, lord robert altamont, and his lordship will take very good care to bring you to justice should you venture to detain us. make way there. let us pass." the watchmen were overawed by his manner, and we walked steadily on. seeing that we were perfectly sober, they supposed that we did not belong to the party, as they had at first fancied, and we reached the water's edge without further interruption. "you see the dangerous consequences of being in bad company," observed nettleship. "we might have been kept locked up all night, and had our leave stopped for a month when we returned on board." "but you joined us," said tom. "i know i did," said nettleship, "and i am more to blame than you are, in consequence of setting you so bad an example; but that does not prevent me from reading you a lecture. it's easier to preach than to practise." "you are right, i see," said tom; "and i am very glad we haven't lost our senses, as most of the other fellows have done." we roused up a waterman who was sleeping in the bottom of his boat, and got on board the frigate in time to keep the middle watch. lord robert altamont being fond of amusing himself on shore, was willing to allow his officers the same liberty, provided a sufficient number remained on board to maintain the discipline of the ship, for which he was at all times a great stickler. "you have never been in london, paddy," said nettleship to me one day. "i have some business that calls me up there. it's a legal affair, and if i am successful it will add some fifty pounds or more a year to my mother's income. i have obtained leave, and if you like to accompany me, i'll ask leave for you to go, and promise to take charge of you." it was not likely that i should refuse such an offer, and, leave being obtained, we set off by the coach as nettleship intended. we had inside places, for there was only room outside for four persons besides the coachman, and on the hinder part, on a little box of his own, sat the guard, arrayed in a scarlet coat, a three-cornered hat, a brace of pistols in his belt, a hanger by his side suspended by a sash over his shoulder, while a couple of blunderbusses were stuck into cases on either side of him ready to his hand. "why does the man carry all these arms?" tasked. "if he didn't, the chances are that the coach, when passing over hounslow heath, would be attacked by highwaymen or footpads, and the passengers robbed, if not murdered," answered nettleship. "as it is, occasionally some bold fellows stop the coach and cry, `your money or your lives,' and the guard is either shot down or thinks it wise not to interfere, and the passengers have to deliver up their purses." "i hope that sort of thing won't happen to us," i said. "when they look in and see two naval officers, with a brace of pistols and swords by their sides, the highwaymen will probably ride on. they are generally, i fancy, arrant cowards, and prefer pillaging old dowagers, who are likely to afford good booty without any risk," said nettleship. notwithstanding nettleship's assertions, i half expected to be stopped, but we reached london in safety. when he had time nettleship accompanied me about to see the sights, but when he was engaged i had to go out by myself, and consequently very often lost my way. i always, however, managed to get back to our lodgings without having to obtain a guide. i will not here describe the adventures i met with. as, according to nettleship's advice, i looked upon every one who spoke to me as a rogue, i escaped being fleeced, as some of my shipmates were who ventured into the metropolis by themselves. our leave had nearly expired, and we had to be down at portsmouth the following evening. when we went to the coach office to secure our places, we were told that the whole coach had been engaged, it was supposed by a gentleman who was going to take down his family. "but we must go," said nettleship to me, "even if we travel in the boot, for i've not got money enough left to pay for posting, and i should not like to expend it so even if i had." we waited until the coach drove up to the office, expecting to see a dignified gentleman with his wife and daughters inside, and his sons and servants on the outside. what was our surprise, then, to behold only a jovial jack tar, with his arms akimbo, seated on the roof, looking as dignified and independent as the sultan on his throne. "come, there's plenty of room," i said to nettleship. "no one else seems to be coming; the gentleman who took the coach has probably delayed his journey." nettleship put the question to the coachman. "there's the gentleman who's taken the coach," he replied, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. "he says it's his, and that no one else is to ride, inside or out. he has paid his money, and we can't interfere." all this time jack was regarding us with supercilious glances. i felt very indignant, and proposed opening the door and getting inside, whatever the seaman might say, but the doors were locked, and the shutters drawn up. "that will never do," observed nettleship. "let me tackle him, though it won't do to give him soft sawder. i say, my man, you lately belonged to the _hero_, didn't you?" he asked. "yes, i did, but i'm free of her now," answered jack. "you fought some pretty smart actions in her, i've a notion. we have heard speak of them. my young messmate and i were out in the west indies, and belonged to the _liffy_. she ran ashore. then we joined the old _cerberus_, which went down in the atlantic; and then we went on board the _hector_, which fought the two french frigates. we had a narrow squeak for our lives, for she went the way of our former ship. and now we belong to the _jason_, and shall have to keep the middle watch to-night, which is what you'll not have to do, i fancy. now if we overstay our leave and don't get down, you know what the consequences will be." "i've some notion of it," said jack. "what is it you're driving at?" "if you'll just let us get inside your coach we'll say you're a mighty good fellow; and if you don't, we'll leave you to call yourself what you think you would be," answered nettleship. "come, i like an outspoken fellow," said jack. "jump in, youngsters; i'll give you a passage down, and nothing to pay for it. you guard there, with your long horn, open the door and let the young gentlemen in, but mind you, you take up nobody else, not if the first lord and all the admiralty come and axe for places." in we sprang with our valises, and we heard jack shout-- "make sail, coachee, and see how many knots you can run off the reel." the coachman smacked his whip, and away we rattled through the villages of knightsbridge, kensington, and hammersmith. the coach pulled up at the "green dragon" at the latter place, and some parcels were offered, but jack kept his eyes about him, and would not let one be taken on board. in an authoritative tone he ordered the landlord to bring us out a tankard of ale, and likewise treated the coachman and guard. as we knew it would please him, we did not refuse the draughts. he flung the landlord a sovereign. "there's payment for you, old boy," he cried out. "don't mind the change; and, i say, you may treat as many thirsty fellows as you like with it. now drive on, coachee." thus jack went on at each stage, sitting, while the coach was in motion, with his arms folded, looking as proud as a king on his throne. i thought at one time that he would have quarrelled with us because we declined to taste any more of the ale he offered. he was pretty well half-seas over by the time we arrived at portsmouth. when he came to the door to help us out, nettleship began to thank him. "i don't want your thanks, young masters," he answered gruffly. "i've had my spree, and maybe before long i shall be at your beck and call; but i'm my own master now, and intend to remain so as long as the gold pieces jingle in my pocket. maybe i'll have another ride up to london in a day or two, and if you like the trip, i'll give it you. you may thank me or not as you like." nettleship and i saw that it would be no use saying more, so, wishing him good evening, we took our way down to the hard. i turned for a moment, and saw our friend rolling up the middle of the street with his hands in his pockets, as proud as the grand bashaw. a few nights after this tom pim and i, having leave on shore, took it into our heads to go to the theatre. in the front row of seats sat our friend who had given us so seasonable a lift down from london. the seats on either side of him were vacant, and when any one attempted to occupy them he told them to be off. he had taken three seats that he might enjoy himself. there he was, with his arms folded, looking as if he thought himself the most important person in the house. there were a good many more seamen on the other benches,--indeed, the house was more than half filled with them, some in the pit, others in the upper boxes and galleries. the play was "the brigand's bride." the lady evidently had a hard time of it, and appeared to be in no way reconciled to her lot, her great wish being clearly to make her escape. in this attempt she was aided by a young noble in silk attire, who made his appearance whenever the brigand, a ferocious-looking ruffian, was absent. the lady made piteous appeals to the audience for sympathy, greatly exciting the feelings of many of them, though tom and i were much inclined to laugh when we saw the brigand and the lover hob-nobbing with each other behind a side scene, which, by some mischance, had not been shoved forward enough. at length the young count and the brigand met, and had a tremendous fight, which ended in the death of the former, who was dragged off the stage. soon afterwards, the lady rushed on to look for him, and the brigand, with his still reeking sword, was about to put an end to her existence, when, stretching out her hands, she exclaimed-- "is there no help for me on earth? am i, the hapless one, to die by the weapon of this cruel ruffian?" "no, that you shan't, my pretty damsel," cried our friend jack, forgetting all the stern selfishness in which he had been indulging himself,--"not while i've got an arm to fight for you." just as he was speaking, a dozen of the brigand's followers had appeared at the back of the stage. "hurrah, lads! boarders! repel boarders!" he exclaimed, starting up. "on, lads, and we'll soon put this big blackguard and his crew to flight." suiting the action to the word, he sprang over the footlights, followed by the seamen in the pit. the lady shrieked at the top of her voice, not at all relishing the interruption to her performance, and far more afraid of the uproarious seamen than of the robber from whom she had just before been entreating protection. bestowing a hearty box on jack's ear, she freed herself from his arms, and rushed off the stage, while the brigand and his companions, turning tail, made their escape. "blow me if ever i try to rescue a young woman in distress again, if that's the way i'm to be treated," cried jack. "shiver my timbers, if she hasn't got hold of that vagabond. there they are, the whole lot of them, carrying her off. no, it's impossible that she can be wanting to go with such a set of villains. on, lads! on! and we'll soon drive them overboard, and just bring her back to learn what she really wants." saying this, jack, followed by a score of seamen, rushing up the stage, disappeared behind the side scenes. we heard a tremendous row going on of mingled cries and shouts and shrieks. presently the seamen returned, dragging with them the perfidious heroine, and well-nigh a dozen of the brigands whom they had captured. in vain the latter protested that they were not really brigands, but simply scene-shifters and labourers, who had been hired to represent those formidable characters. the lady also asserted that she was the lawful wife of the robber chief, and the mother of six children, and that she didn't stand in the slightest fear of him, but that he was the kindest and most indulgent of husbands. at length the manager came on the stage, leading forward the murdered youth and the brigand himself, who now, having laid aside his beard and wig, looked a very harmless individual. the manager, politely addressing the seamen, requested them to return to their seats and allow the performance to continue. after some persuasion they complied, but the illusion was gone, and by the loud remarks which issued from their lips they evidently took very little interest in the plot of the piece. "i say, smith, how are the babies at home?" shouted one. "you know if you was such a villain as you say, you would be triced up to the yard-arm in quarter less than no time," cried another. the poor actress, as she reappeared, was saluted with, "how goes it with you, mrs smith? have you been to look after the babies?" while the carpenters and scene-shifters were addressed as jones and brown and other familiar names. in vain the manager protested against the interruption of the performance. he was desired to dance a hornpipe or sing a sea-song. to the latter invitation he at last acceded, and at length restored somewhat like order in the theatre. tom and i, having to return on board, left the house before the performance was concluded, so i can give no further account of what happened on that memorable evening. some days after this, the boatswain, with a party of men, having gone ashore to obtain some fresh hands to fill up our complement,--there was no need of the press-gang at that time,--returned on board with six stout fellows. among them i recognised the seaman who had given us a passage down in the coach from london, and who had taken so prominent a part in the defence of the brigand's bride. they were at once entered, the man i speak of under the name of john patchett. he looked at nettleship and me as if he had never before seen us in his life, and i at first almost doubted whether he could really be the same man; but when i observed the independent way in which he went rolling along the deck, evidently caring for no one, and heard the tone of his voice, i was certain that he was the fellow i had supposed; so also was nettleship, who said that he would have a talk with him some day, under pretence of learning what ships he had served aboard. he told me afterwards that he had done so, but that patchett didn't allude to his journey in the coach. his only answer when he asked him if he knew anything about it was-- "well, the fellow had his spree, but he was a fool for all that." at last lord robert, whose name had appeared very frequently at balls and entertainments given in london, received peremptory orders from the admiralty to put to sea. he came back in very ill-humour, complaining as before to mr saunders of the harsh treatment he received from the admiralty. in a cheerful tone the following day old rough-and-ready, who was always happier at sea than in harbour, gave the order to unmoor ship. visitors were sent on shore, and sail being made, we stood out of portsmouth harbour to spithead. we there dropped our anchor near the spot where, four years before, the _royal george_ with brave admiral kempenfeldt and upwards of four hundred men, went down. a large buoy marked the place where the stout ship lay beneath the waves. some cases of claret and other stores which lord robert expected had not arrived, and he declared that it would be impossible to put to sea without them. it was a matter of perfect indifference to us in the midshipmen's berth how long we remained, or where we went, for in those piping times of peace we expected to have very little to do. in that respect we were not mistaken. after waiting three days, the expected stores, which had come down from london by waggon, were brought alongside, and, going out by saint helen's, we stood down channel. we put into plymouth sound, where we remained a whole week, while lord robert went on shore; but as it was impossible to say at what moment we might be ordered to sea, no leave was granted. we all wished for a gale of wind from the south-west, which might compel us to run into hamoaze, as the sound itself afforded no shelter. lord robert had better have kept at sea if he had wished to remain on the home station, for by some means or other information was sent to the admiralty of our being at plymouth, and a courier came down post haste from london, with despatches for the _jason_ to convey to the mediterranean. we were well pleased when the news was brought aboard. the captain, however, looked in not very good humour at having to go so far from home. the wind being to the eastward, we immediately got under weigh, and proceeded on our course down channel. old rough-and-ready tried his best to restore the men to their former discipline, by exercising them at the guns, and repeatedly shortening and making sail. the despatches, i suppose, were of no great importance, as lord robert appeared not to be in a hurry to deliver them. we took it easily, therefore, and at times, when the wind was light or contrary, furling everything, and then making all sail again; that done, we had once more to reef and furl sails, and to brace the yards about. however, at last we got a strong breeze and continued our course. about a month after leaving plymouth, we came in sight of the rock of gibraltar, and brought up in the bay. lord robert delivered the despatches he had brought out to the governor. we got leave to land and visit the wonderful galleries hewn out in the rock, which had bid defiance to the fleets and armies of france and spain when general elliot was in command of the place, in , while we were in the west indies. we heard many particulars of the gallant defence. general elliot had comparatively a small force of troops to garrison the fortress, but they were reinforced by the seamen of the fleet, who were landed, and formed into a brigade under the command of captain robert curtis, of the _brilliant_ frigate. the french and spaniards had a fleet of forty-seven sail of the line, besides floating batteries of a peculiar construction, frigates, zebecks, gun and mortar boats, and upwards of , troops, who besieged the fortress on the land side. the naval brigade had charge of the batteries at europa point, and so ably did they work their guns, that they soon compelled the spanish squadron to retire out of the reach of their shot. besides the vessels i have mentioned, the spaniards had large boats, collected from every part of spain, which were to be employed in landing the troops. early in the morning on the th september, the fleet, under the command of admiral moreno, got under way, and, approaching to a distance of about a thousand yards, commenced a heavy cannonade, the troops on the land side opening fire at the same time. it was replied to by the garrison with tremendous showers of red-hot shot, which, falling on board the spanish ships, set that of the admiral and another on fire. the spaniards were seen in vain attempting to extinguish the flames. the fiery shower was kept up, and during the night seven more vessels took fire in succession. the spaniards were seen making signals of distress, and the boats of their fleet came to their assistance, but were so assailed by the showers of shot, that they dared no longer approach, and were compelled to abandon their ships and friends to the flames. chapter twenty five. in the mediterranean. when morning broke, a scene of fearful havoc was exhibited. numbers of men were seen in the midst of the flames imploring relief, others floating on pieces of timber; and even those on board the ships where the fire had made but little progress were entreating to be taken off. captain curtis, on seeing this, regardless of the danger he was running, or that those in distress were enemies, embarked with several of his boats to their assistance. they boldly boarded the burning ships and rescued the perishing crews. while engaged in this glorious service, one of the largest of the ships blew up, scattering its fragments far and wide around. one english gunboat was sunk, and another was considerably damaged. a piece of timber falling struck a hole in the bottom of the barge in which was captain curtis. his coxswain was killed, and two of his crew wounded, and the boat would have sunk had not the seamen stuck their jackets into the hole. by these means she was kept afloat till other boats came to their assistance. don moreno left his flag flying on board his ship, and it was consumed with her. the english garrison had sixty-five killed and four hundred wounded, and the naval brigade only one killed and five wounded. soon after this a heavy gale from the southward sprang up, dispersing the enemy's fleet. a fine seventy-four was driven close under the rock, when, after a few shots, she struck. others received much damage. the garrison was finally relieved by the fleet under lord howe, who attacked the french and spaniards, and gave them a severe drubbing. they managed, however, to escape, and stood up the mediterranean, where lord howe didn't consider it prudent to follow them. tom pim and i agreed that we wished we had been there. when we had gone over the place, we were not so much surprised as we might have been at its having been able, with so small a garrison, to resist the enormous force brought against it. the spaniards received a lesson at that time which they have never since forgotten. all now looked peaceable and quiet. the country people came jogging on their mules across the neutral ground up to the forts, and seemed on perfectly good terms with their old enemies. after spending a week at gibraltar, we steered for the bay of naples, lord robert intending, we heard, to pay his respects to the king and queen of that very insignificant state, and to give an entertainment to their majesties. cork harbour is a fine place, but the bay of naples, we all agreed, beat it hollow. lord robert went on shore, and was, we suppose, received by the king and queen, for two days afterwards we were ordered to dress the ship with flags, and to rig an awning over the quarter-deck, so as to turn it into what looked very much like a tent. old rough-and-ready grumbled as if he were not at all pleased at what he had to do, but he did it notwithstanding. all the officers then turned out in full uniform, and shortly afterwards we saw a magnificent barge coming off, followed by a number of smaller boats. the barge came alongside, and the captain went down the accommodation ladder which had been rigged to receive his royal guests. they seemed highly pleased with the appearance of the ship, and, it was said, did good justice to the banquet which had been prepared for them. we then very quickly unrigged the tent and hauled down the flags, and, getting under weigh, took a cruise round the bay. as the water was perfectly smooth, their majesties seemed to enjoy themselves, and the king remarked that he was not surprised that the king of england's son should become a sailor. "i've a notion that the prince has a very different sort of life to this," remarked old rough-and-ready, "though i have no doubt they make it as easy for him as they can." when we came to an anchor, their majesties, with their courtiers, went ashore, and we had the ship to ourselves. we got leave to visit a number of ruins and other places. as far as we could judge, we should have time to become well acquainted with the neighbourhood, as our captain was evidently intent on enjoying himself after his own fashion, and showed no inclination to put to sea. lord robert knew, however, that even he must not remain there for ever, and, fearing that the commodore might come in and send him off, with orders not to return, reluctantly came on board; the anchor was weighed, and we sailed on a cruise along the african coast. at that time the barbary states, as they were called, were nominally at peace with england, but their cruisers didn't object to capture english merchantmen when they could fall in with them, and carry off their crews into slavery. in the daytime we stood close to the coast, and at night kept at a respectful distance. we had one night been standing to the eastward, about nine miles off the land. just as day dawned the look-out from aloft shouted, "two sail ahead!" "what are they like?" inquired the first lieutenant. "i can't make out, sir," was the answer. "one seems to me as if she had boarded the other, for she's close alongside." mr saunders at once sent me aloft to have a look at the strangers. i was also at first puzzled, till the light increased, when i made out an english merchant vessel, and a foreign-looking ship alongside her. soon after i came down, and had reported what i had seen, we made them out clearly from the deck. "we must overhaul those fellows," said the first lieutenant, and he instantly gave orders to make all sail. the breeze was increasing, and we soon neared them. at last we saw the larger ship make sail, and stand in for the land, while the other remained, with her yards some one way some another. as she was not likely to move, we steered after the first. the captain had been called, and now made his appearance on deck. our fear was that the stranger would run on shore, or get into some harbour before we could come up with her. that she was an algerine pirate, and had been engaged in plundering the brig, we had no doubt. however, she was not a very fast sailer, and we soon got her within range of our guns. "give her a shot across the forefoot, and make her heave to," cried the captain, who was more animated than i had ever yet seen him. our larboard bow-chaser was fired, but the algerine took no notice of it. we now sent our shot as fast as our guns could be run in and loaded. several struck her, and at last her main-yard was knocked away. still she stood on, her object being, apparently, to induce us to follow till we ran ashore. the men were sent into the chains to heave the lead. occasionally the chase fired at us, but her shot did us no damage. "she will escape us after all," cried the captain, stamping with impatience. scarcely had he uttered the words than there came a loud roar. up rose the masts of the algerine, with her deck, and fragments of wreck and human bodies, and then down they fell into the water, and, except a few spars and planks, the fine vessel we had just seen vanished from sight. the frigate's head was at once put off shore; the boats were lowered, and pulled away to rescue any of the unfortunate wretches who had escaped destruction. i went in one of the boats, and we approached the scene of the catastrophe. we saw two or three people clinging to the spars, but as they perceived us they let go their hold and sank from sight, afraid, probably, of falling into our hands alive. as soon as the boats returned on board, the frigate's sails were filled, and we stood for the brig alongside which we had seen the algerine, hoping to find that her crew had escaped with their lives, even though the vessel might have been plundered. as we again caught sight of her, however, we observed that her yards were braced, some one way, some another, and she lay like a boy's model vessel on a pond, without a hand to guide the helm. "that looks bad," observed nettleship. "perhaps the poor fellows are below, thinking the algerine still in sight, and are afraid to return on deck," i remarked. "very little chance of that," he replied; "however, we shall see presently." on getting near the brig, the frigate was hove-to, and i was sent in a boat with the second lieutenant to board her. a fearful sight met our eyes. on her deck lay stretched the bodies of her officers and crew, almost cut to pieces by the sharp scimitars of their assailants. we hurried below, hoping to find some still alive, but not a voice answered to our shouts. finding a couple of lanterns, we explored the vessel fore and aft, but the wretches who had just met their doom had made certain work of it, having killed every human being who had attempted to resist them. many of the sufferers whom they had captured must have perished when their vessel blew up. the lieutenant sent me back to report the state of things to the captain. after a short talk with mr saunders, lord robert sent for nettleship. "i put you in charge of the brig," he said. "you may take pim and finnahan with you, and follow close in our wake, i intend to steer for gibraltar, and will there ascertain whether it is necessary for me to send the brig to england or not." on receiving the captain's orders through mr saunders, we immediately got our traps ready, and the boat carried us on board the brig, with eight hands to form our crew. among them was larry, who jumped into the boat in the place of another man, who was glad enough to escape having to go, and jack patchett, our coach friend, who proved himself, though a sulky, self-conceited fellow, a prime seaman. as we were short-handed we were not sorry to have him. on getting on board the brig we had first to bury the bodies of the murdered crew. her ship's papers showed her to be the _daisy_ of london, john edwards, master. the pirates had rifled his pockets, and those of his mates, so that we were unable to identify them. we at once, therefore, set to work to sew the murdered men up in canvas, when, without further ceremony, they were launched overboard. we then washed down decks, to try and get rid of the dark red hue which stained them; but buckets of water failed to do that. the lieutenant and his men having assisted us in knotting and splicing the rigging, and in bracing the yards the proper way, returned on board the frigate, which directly made sail, we following in her wake. the _daisy_ was not a fast craft, and though we made all sail we could carry, we found she was dropping astern of the frigate. "it matters very little," said nettleship, who had brought his quadrant and nautical almanac; "we can find our way by ourselves." we saw the frigate's lights during the early part of the night, but before morning they had disappeared. this being no fault of ours, we did not trouble ourselves about the matter. as daylight approached the breeze fell, and became so light that we scarcely made more than a knot an hour. as soon as it was daylight, we turned to with the holy-stones to try and get the blood-stains out of the deck before they had sunk deeply in. we were thus employed till breakfast. by this time the wind had completely dropped, and it became a stark calm, such as so often occurs in the mediterranean. the brig's head went boxing round the compass, and chips of wood thrown overboard lay floating alongside, unwilling to part company. the heat, too, was almost as great as i ever felt it in the west indies. still we tried to make ourselves as happy as we could. we were out of sight of the african coast, and were not likely to be attacked by salee, riff, or algerine corsairs; and tom observed that if we were, it would be a pleasing variety to our day's work, as we should to a certainty beat them off. "we must not trust too much to that," observed nettleship. "we have only six small pop-guns, and as we muster only eleven hands, all told, we might find it a hard job to keep a crew of one hundred ruffians or more at bay." we kept the men employed in putting the brig to rights, and setting up the rigging, which had become slack from the hot weather. as the vessel was well provisioned, and one of the men sent with us was a tolerable cook, we had a good dinner placed on the table. nettleship and i were below discussing it, while tom pim had charge of the deck. i hurried over mine, that i might call him down, and was just about to do so, having a glass of wine to my lips, when there came a roar like thunder, and over heeled the brig, capsizing everything on the table, and sending nettleship and me to the lee side of the cabin. we picked ourselves up, and rushed to the companion ladder, but it was upset. while we were endeavouring to replace it, i heard tom's voice shouting-- "cut, lads, cut!" just as he had uttered the words, a succession of crashes reached our ears, and the brig righted with a suddenness and force which threw us off our legs. we quickly, however, had the ladder replaced, and sprang up on deck. we found that both the masts had been carried away by the board and were trailing alongside. tom pim was holding on to the starboard bulwarks, while jack patchett was at the helm, steering the brig before the gale. none of the men appeared to have been lost or injured, but were standing forward, looking very much astonished at what had happened. "the first thing to do is to clear the wreck," cried nettleship, and he called the men aft; while i ran down to get up some axes which we had seen in the cabin. when i returned on deck, to my surprise i found that the wind had suddenly fallen. the brig had been struck by a white squall, which frequently occurs in the mediterranean, and either whips the masts out of a vessel, or sends her to the bottom. we accordingly, under nettleship's directions, began hauling the masts alongside, to obtain such spars as we could that might serve us to form jury-masts. we could scarcely hope, with the limited strength we possessed, to get the masts on deck. we were thus employed till dark. we had saved the spars and some of the sails, though it was rather difficult to avoid staving in the boats, which had been lowered that we might effect our object. the weather might again change, and it was important to get up jury-masts as soon as possible. during the night, however, we could do but little, as the men required rest. one half, therefore, were allowed to turn in. the night was as calm as the greater part of the day had been. at dawn we all turned out and set to work. we were thus employed, when i saw several sail standing down towards us, and bringing a breeze with them. i pointed them out to nettleship. "it's to be hoped the wind will continue moderate," he said, "or we may be driven nearer to the african coast than may be pleasant." we were at this time just out of sight of land, to the northward of algiers. as the ships got nearer, we made them out to be a large fleet, several being line-of-battle ships, others frigates, and vessels of various rigs. in a short time many more came in sight, till we could count upwards of one hundred. these appeared not to be all. the larger number had lateen sails and long tapering yards. "what can they be about?" asked tom. "that's more than i can say," said nettleship; "but i suspect they are bound upon some expedition or other,--perhaps to attack the algerines." as we got near enough to make out their flags, we distinguished four to be spanish ships, two had maltese flags flying; there were two portuguese, and one sicilian. "then i have no doubt about it," said nettleship, "for the dons and portingales have the chief trade up the levant, and are likely to suffer most from those rascally corsairs. since blake gave them a good drubbing they have generally been pretty careful how they interfere with english vessels; but we have strong proof in this unfortunate craft that they want another thrashing to keep them in order." as we had not as yet got up our jury-masts, we were unable to move out of their way, and there appeared to be some risk of our being run down. every now and then jack patchett hailed with his stentorian voice, and warned the vessels approaching us that they might pass ahead or astern, as the case might be. at last a spanish man-of-war, carrying an admiral's flag, was sailing quite close to us, when a voice asked from her deck in english-- "can we render you any assistance?" "the best assistance you can give us, is to take us in tow, and carry us to gibraltar," answered nettleship. he said this without the slightest expectation of its being done. "we'll heave to and send a tow-rope on board," was the answer; and presently the line-of-battle ship, shortening sail, hove-to under our lee. a couple of boats being lowered, came rowing towards us. their object, we found, was to tow us close enough to receive a hawser on board. as one of them came alongside, an officer stepped on to our deck, and, advancing towards nettleship, said-- "i am an englishman, and have joined an expedition to attack algiers, for my hatred and detestation of the cruelty the algerians inflict on the unfortunate europeans they capture. an english vessel in which i sailed lately up the levant was attacked, and not until we had lost several men did we succeed in beating off the algerines." nettleship explained that the _daisy_ had also been plundered and her people murdered. "that is a good reason why you should join us in our proposed attack on algiers," said the officer. "i must introduce myself to you as henry vernon, a name not unknown to fame. i am a nephew of the admiral, and my desire is to emulate his deeds." nettleship at once agreed to accompany the fleet, and expressed his readiness to take part in the expected engagement. "we have no help for it," he said to tom and me; "and i think i am justified in agreeing to mr vernon's proposal. we shall, i expect, see some heavy work. algiers is a strong place, i'm told, and the algerines are not likely to knock under without trying to defend themselves." tom and i were of course well pleased with this. the spanish ship, the _guerrero_ having taken us in tow, continued her course after the fleet. we waited just out of sight of land till nightfall, when, some of the smaller vessels piloting ahead, we stood in towards the bay of algiers. before daybreak the troops were embarked on board a number of galleys and gunboats, which landed them a short distance from the town. by harry vernon's advice we dropped our anchor out of range of the algerine guns, as the brig could not be of any assistance in the attack. nettleship had resolved to go on board the flag-ship to assist. tom and i asked him to take us with him. he replied that it was impossible for both of us to go, but that tom pim should remain in charge of the brig with four hands, while the rest of us should go on board the _guerrero_ to assist in working her guns. tom did not at all like this arrangement, but nettleship replied that as he was senior to me, he was the proper person to take charge of the brig. we shook hands with him as we went down the side to go on board the flag-ship. "never mind, tom," said nettleship, "you're doing your duty by remaining where you are." the admiral don antonio barcelo expressed his pleasure, through harry vernon, at having the assistance of so many english officers and men, whose noted courage, he said, would animate his crew. the wind being fair at daybreak, the line-of-battle ships stood slowly in, each having to take up an appointed position before the town. the ships were stationed as close as they could venture, the gun and mortar boats being placed in the intervals between them, but still closer to the shore. scarcely had the anchors been dropped and the sails furled, than the algerines began blazing away along the whole line of their batteries, the ships discharging their broadsides at the same moment. the troops had been ordered to make an assault at the same time; and it was hoped by the combined efforts of the land and sea forces that the pirates would soon be compelled to yield. after some hours of firing, however, news was brought to the admiral that the assault made by the troops had failed, and as far as we could judge from what we could see through the wreaths of smoke which enveloped the ships, no impression had been made on the walls of the city, though the flames bursting forth here and there showed that some of the houses inside had been set on fire. don antonio barcelo, thus finding that his efforts were unavailing, the wind having shifted, ordered the ships to get under weigh, and stand out of the reach of the algerine shot. we had lost a few men, but had not been at sufficiently close quarters to receive much damage. vernon was much disappointed, and so were we; but the admiral assured him that he would go at it again the next day, after the troops had had a little breathing-time. he was as good as his word; and soon after dawn the fleet again stood in, and recommenced the attack. the algerines, however, kept up so tremendous a fire, that some of the ships, being much damaged, withdrew to a safer distance. the admiral also received information that the enemy had made a sortie on the troops, and had driven them back with fearful slaughter. still he was undaunted, and declared his intention of succeeding. "if he would dismiss a few of the maltese and sicilian ships, he would have a better chance of doing so," said vernon. "the spaniards and portuguese are brave enough, but they are not much given to coming to close quarters, while the others would keep out of the fight altogether if they could." another attack was accordingly planned, and don antonio ordered the smaller craft to stand closer in than before. the other ships, however, brought up at a respectful distance when they found the algerine shot came rattling aboard them. judging by the thunder of the guns and the amount of the smoke, it seemed to me impossible that the algerines could long stand out against our assaults. in all directions houses were seen in flames; and i thought that the whole city must be burned down, for the flames were extending, yet the guns and batteries replied with as much briskness as at first. again news was brought from the shore that the troops had made another assault, but that the algerines had sallied out, and were cutting them fearfully up. on this don barcelo notified his intention of going himself to lead them, and invited vernon to accompany him. "if you like to come and see what is going on, i can give you a seat in the boat," said vernon, an offer i was delighted to accept. we at once pulled off from the side of the flag-ship. the admiral had promised vernon the command of one of the ships, the captain of which had shown the white feather, and he expected to have the honour of leading the attack and taking the ships in closer. away we pulled, but we had not gone very far when a couple of shots struck the boat herself, killing three men. i remember hearing two distinct crashes, and the next moment found myself in the water, and about to sink. i believe i should have gone down, had not a friendly hand held me up; and, looking to see who it was, i recognised the face of my faithful follower, larry harrigan. "it's all right, mr terence, and i'll not let you go while i can keep my feet moving," he cried out, energetically treading water. "we will swim back to the big ship, and there'll be plenty of ropes hung over the sides by this time." the distance, however, was considerable, and, independent of the chances of being hit by the round shot which were plunging into the water around us, i doubted whether we could swim as far, even though i did my best to second his efforts to keep me afloat. we were now joined by patchett, who came swimming up, and offered to assist larry in supporting me. "hurrah! here comes a boat," cried patchett. looking round, i saw one approaching, and soon made out nettleship standing up in the stern-sheets; but as the shots from the algerine batteries came plunging into the water close to her, it seemed doubtful whether she would reach us. she soon, however, got up uninjured, and i and my companions were taken on board. we then went on to where two persons were still floating. the one was vernon. he had been gallantly supporting the spanish admiral. "take him aboard first," cried vernon; "he's unable to help himself." we accordingly hauled in the don, while vernon held on with one hand to the gunwale of the boat. nor till the admiral was safe would vernon allow us to lift him in. he sat down, looking very ghastly. "why, my dear fellow, you are yourself wounded," said nettleship, examining his shoulder, from which the blood was flowing. "yes, i fancy i was hit," answered vernon, though i have not had time yet to think about it. "the sooner you're under the doctor's care the better," said nettleship, as he got the boat round. "now give way, lads." chapter twenty six. a miraculous escape. the spanish crew understood his gestures more than his words, and with might and main pulled back to the flag-ship. as we went on, the shot fell like hail around us, but providentially none of us were hit. on getting to the opposite side of the ship, the admiral and vernon were lifted on board. the rest of us quickly followed. vernon was at once carried below to be placed under the care of the surgeon; while, without waiting to change our wet clothes, we hurried to the guns, to encourage the spanish crew, some of whom appeared to think they had had enough of it. don barcelo, however, retired to his cabin, and, having changed his uniform, shortly afterwards reappeared. he showed no wish, however, to make another attempt to land, but sent off despatches by an officer to the commander of the land forces. what were their contents did not at the time transpire. he continued, however, pacing the deck, watching, as far as the smoke would allow, the other ships, and the forts opposed to us. "i very much doubt whether we shall thrash the algerines after all," said nettleship to me. "the villains fight desperately, and i can't see that we have made a single breach in any part of the walls. see! two more of our galleys have sunk; and i have seen half-a-dozen gun or mortar boats go down. several of the ships and frigates are already tremendously cut about. the old don is a plucky fellow, or he wouldn't keep at it so long." while he was speaking the admiral came up, pointing first towards a sinking vessel, and then at one of the boats alongside. "just ask him, paddy, if he doesn't want me to go and rescue the fellows," said nettleship. i addressed the admiral in french, which he understood tolerably well. "yes, i shall be obliged to him if he will. my officers and men are required to fight the ship," answered the admiral. "they don't exactly like the sort of work," observed nettleship; "but i'll go willingly." "and i will go with you," i said. we ran down and got into the boat, followed by larry and patchett, the rest of our crew being made up of spaniards, who were ordered by their officers to man the boat. away we pulled, and had time to save a good many people from the vessel, which had sunk before we reached her. we were exposed all the time to the shot, which came splashing into the water close to us. i heartily hoped that none would come aboard, for, crowded as the boat was, a number of the people must have been killed. there was no necessity to tell the spanish crew to give way, for they were eager enough to get back. soon after returning on board, the admiral, having received intelligence from the shore that the attack had again failed, threw out a signal to his ships to discontinue the action. fortunately the wind enabled us to stand off the shore, in spite of the shattered condition of many of the ships, when we anchored out of range of the enemy's guns. as soon as we had brought up, nettleship and i went down to see vernon. though the surgeon had told him that the wound was a bad one, he didn't complain. "i fear, after all, that we shall not succeed, and i advise you, nettleship, to return on board your brig, and get her into a condition to put to sea," he said. "the admiral may not be able to help you as i could wish, and you will have to look out for yourself." nettleship thanked him for his advice, saying that he intended to follow it, as we could not further assist the cause, and that it was our duty to get the brig to gibraltar as soon as possible. the admiral had invited both of us to supper in the cabin. he spoke in the highest terms of vernon, and said that he had intended to give him command of one of his ships, that he might lead the next attack. "i wish, gentlemen, also to show you my high sense of the assistance you have rendered me by coming on board," he added. when i translated this to nettleship, he said-- "tell the old fellow that i shall be obliged to him if he'll send a dozen of his best hands, with such spars and rigging as we require, to set up jury-masts." "it shall be done to-morrow," replied the admiral. "i intend to give the crew of my ships a short breathing-time before i again renew the attack." though we were ready enough to fight, we were not sorry to find the next day that the old don was as good as his word, and had sent us on board a sufficient number of spars, which, with the aid of his men, enabled us to set up jury-masts, and to get the brig into condition for putting to sea. the spaniards worked very well, and as soon as their task was accomplished, larry offered to give them a tune on his fiddle. when, however, he began scraping away, instead of jumping up, and toeing and heeling it as frenchmen would have done, they stood with their arms folded, gravely listening to his strains. "arrah, now, my boys, there is no quicksilver in your heels," he exclaimed, observing their apathy. "what's the use of playing to such grave dons as you?" we then tried them with a song, but with no better effect. at last their officer, who took supper with us in the cabin, ordered them into the boat, and they pulled back to their ship. "i say, paddy," said tom, "i wish that you would let me go instead of you to-morrow, if the dons make another attack on the city. i daresay nettleship will consent, if you ask him." i did not like to disappoint tom, but at the same time, as i should thereby be avoiding danger, it was just the request to which i could not well agree. nettleship, however, settled the matter. "to tell you the truth," he answered, "i have been thinking over what is our duty, and have arrived at the conclusion that, now the brig is ready for sea, we ought to make the best of our way to gibraltar. as far as i can judge, no impression has been made on the city; and if the spaniards and their allies could not succeed while their ships were in good order, they are less likely to do anything now. had the spanish admiral requested our assistance, we should have been bound to afford it; but as he said nothing on the subject, i don't feel called upon to offer it again." we, however, remained at anchor during the night. the next day the fleet showed no signs of renewing the attack, though righting was taking place on shore. nettleship, however, having desired me to accompany him, we pulled on board the flag-ship to bid farewell to don barcelo and henry vernon. the admiral again thanked us, but, from the remarks he made, i judged that he was rather anxious than otherwise that we should go away, so as not to witness his defeat. when i wished him success, he looked very gloomy, and made no reply. having paid him our respects, we went down into the cockpit to see vernon, who was, we were sorry to find, suffering greatly. the surgeon, however, who was present, assured me that his wound was not mortal, though it would be some time before he recovered. when nettleship told him his intention of leaving the fleet, he replied that it was the wisest thing he could do. "if you could speak spanish you might have taken the command of the ship which was to have been given to me; but as it is, the men would not place confidence in you, and you could do nothing with them; so, to tell you the truth, i think you are well out of it. our success is very uncertain. the troops on shore have again been defeated with heavy loss, and i suspect have been so demoralised that they'll take to flight whenever the enemy rush out upon them." these remarks strengthened nettleship in his resolution, and, wishing our new friend good-bye, we pulled back to the brig. the wind was from the south-east, and nettleship thought it prudent to get a good offing before night, lest it should again shift and blow us back towards the land. the brig sailed under her reduced canvas tolerably well, and before daybreak the next morning we had made fair progress towards gibraltar. as the sun rose, however, the weather gave signs of changing. the wind veered round to the north-west, and blew heavily directly towards the bay of algiers. "don barcelo and his fleet will catch it, i'm afraid, if they don't manage to get out of the bay before this gale reaches them," remarked nettleship. "i'm very thankful that we put to sea, or we should have fared ill." as it was, we ran a great risk of losing our masts; but they were well set up, and we shortened sail in good time, and were able to keep our course. our chief anxiety, however, was for the gallant henry vernon; for should the flag-ship drive on shore, he would to a certainty lose his life. "we must hope for the best," observed nettleship; "the _guerrero_ was less damaged than many of the other ships, and may be able to ride it out at anchor, or claw off shore." as we could never manage to get more than four knots an hour out of the brig, we were a considerable time reaching gibraltar. to our satisfaction we found the _jason_ was still there. we were warmly congratulated on our return on board, as from our non-appearance for so long a time it was supposed that we had either been lost in a squall, or that the brig had been taken by another pirate. we were much disappointed to find that the brig had to be delivered up to the authorities at gibraltar, as we fully expected that nettleship would have been ordered to take her home. though she was an especially detestable craft, yet he and tom pim and i were very happy together, and we had enjoyed an independence which was not to be obtained on board the frigate. when lord robert got tired of gibraltar, we sailed to the eastward, and again brought up in the bay of naples. we here heard of the failure of the expedition against the algerines. nearly half the troops had been cut to pieces in the repeated and resolute sallies made by the moors. during the gale we had encountered, the ships narrowly escaped being wrecked. several smaller vessels sank, and all were severely damaged. the troops were finally embarked, and the ships got back to the ports from which they had sailed, with neither honour nor glory to boast of. their ill success encouraged the pirates in their warfare against civilised nations. the people of tripoli, tunis, and other places imitated their example, so that the voyage up the straits became one of considerable danger in those days. after leaving naples we stood up the mediterranean to alexandria, where we saw pompey's pillar and cleopatra's needle, and other wonderful things in the neighbourhood, of which i will not bother my readers with a description. on our way we kept a sharp look-out for tunisian or algerine rovers; but as we were known to be in those seas, they took good care that we should not get a sight of them, and our cruise was bootless as far as prizes were concerned. lord robert managed to eke out a few more weeks at naples, the pleasantest place, he observed, at which he could bring up. thence we sailed to gibraltar, where we found orders awaiting us to return to england. "i have managed it very cleverly," said lord robert to mr saunders. "when i was last here, i wrote to some private friends in the admiralty, telling them i was getting heartily tired of the mediterranean, and requesting that we might be sent home; and you see how readily their lordships have complied with my wishes. their willingness arose from the fact that i'm going to stand for one of our family boroughs, and have promised the ministry my support." "it would be a good job for dick saunders if he had a friend at court to look after his interests," said the first lieutenant; "but as he knows not a soul who would lift a finger to help him, he must be content to remain at the foot of the rattlins, till a lucky chance gives him a lift up them." "don't be down-hearted, my dear fellow," said lord robert in a patronising tone. "when once i'm in parliament i'll look after your interests. the first lord is sure to ask me to name some deserving officers for promotion, and i'll not forget you." we had contrary winds, and then we were hove-to for two or three days, during a heavy gale in the bay of biscay. after that we were kept knocking about in the chops of the channel for a week, when, the wind shifting, we ran for plymouth sound, and came to an anchor in hamoaze. lord robert immediately went on shore, and we all wondered what would next happen to us. we had no reason to complain. we got plenty of leave. tom and i accompanied nettleship to pay a visit to his family. i won't describe it just now, except to say that we were received in as kind a way as before. we guessed that if lord robert was returned to parliament we should have no further chance of seeing any foreign service while the ship remained in commission. nettleship, indeed, was of opinion that before long she would be paid off. i wrote home to say where we were, and in the course of a fortnight received a letter from the major, telling me to come to ballinahone if i wished to see my father alive. i with difficulty obtained leave on urgent family affairs, and next day, going to the catwater, i found a small hooker belonging to cork, just about to return there. although she was not the sort of craft aboard which i should have chosen to take a passage, yet as she was likely to afford the most speedy way of getting to my destination, i forthwith engaged berths for myself and larry, for whom i also got leave. nettleship and tom went on board with me. there was a little cabin aft, about eight feet square, with a sleeping place on either side, one of which was occupied by the skipper, while i was to enjoy the comforts of the other. the crew, consisting of three men and a boy, were berthed forward, in a place of still smaller dimensions, and only just affording room for larry. "i would rather you had gone to sea in a stouter craft," said nettleship; "but as the skipper tells me he has made the passage a dozen times a year for the last twenty years, i hope he'll carry you across in safety." the wind was light, and my messmates remained on board, while the hooker towed their boat some way down the sound. wishing me farewell, they then pulled back to hamoaze, and we stood on, fully expecting to be well on our voyage by the next morning. during the night, however, a strong south-westerly breeze sprang up, and the skipper considered it prudent to put back to cawsand bay, at the entrance to the sound. here, greatly to my disgust, we lay the best part of a week, with a number of other weather-bound vessels. i dared not go on shore lest the wind should change, and had nothing to do but to take a fisherman's walk on deck,--three steps and overboard. larry had, of course, brought his fiddle, with which he entertained the crew, who were as happy as princes, it being a matter of indifference to them where they were, provided they had the privilege of being idle. the skipper, who had remained on board all the time, at last one day went ashore, saying that he must go and buy some provisions, as our stock was running short. we had hitherto been supplied by bumboats with vegetables and poultry, so that i had not supposed we were in want of any. i had fortunately brought two or three books with me, and had been sitting reading by the light of the swinging lamp in the small cabin, when, feeling sleepy, i went to bed. i was awakened by hearing some one entering the cabin, and, looking out of my berth, i observed that it was the skipper, who, after making a lurch to one side, then to another, turned in, as far as i could see, all standing. this, however, did not surprise me, as i thought he might be intending to sail early in the morning. soon after daylight i awoke, and, having dressed, went on deck, when what was my surprise to find that all the other vessels had got under weigh, and were standing out of the bay. i tried to rouse up the skipper, but for some time could not succeed. when he opened his eyes, by the stupid way he stared at me, it was very evident that he had been drunk, and had scarcely yet recovered. i told him that a northerly breeze had sprung up, and that we had already lost some hours of it. at last, getting up, he came on deck, and ordered his crew to heave up the anchor and make sail; but this they could not have done without larry's and my assistance. as i hoped that the skipper would soon recover, i did not trouble myself much about the matter. he had brought the stores he had procured in a couple of hampers, which i found on deck. they contained, as i afterwards discovered, not only provisions, but sundry bottles of whisky. there being a fresh breeze, the little hooker ran swiftly along over the blue ocean; the eddystone being soon left astern and the lizard sighted. the skipper told me he intended to run through the passage between the scilly islands and the main. "if the wind holds as it does now," he said, "we'll be in cork harbour in a jiffy. shure the little hooker would find her way there if we were all to turn in and go to sleep till she gets up to passage." "as i'm not so confident of that same, captain, i must beg you to keep your wits about you till you put me ashore," i observed. he gave me a wink in reply, but said nothing. during the day i walked the deck, going into the cabin only for meals. the skipper spent most of his time there, only putting up his head now and then to see how the wind was, and to give directions to the man at the helm. from the way the crew talked, i began to suspect that they had obtained some liquor from the shore, probably by the boat which brought the skipper off. not being altogether satisfied with the state of things, i offered to keep watch. the skipper at once agreed to this, and suggested that i should keep the middle watch, while he kept the first. before i went below the wind veered round almost ahead. the night, i observed, was very dark; and as there was no moon in the sky, while a thick mist came rolling across the water, had i not supposed that the skipper was tolerably sober i should have remained on deck; but, feeling very sleepy, i went below, though thinking it prudent not to take off my clothes. i lay down in the berth just as i was. i could hear the skipper talking to the man at the helm, and it appeared to me that the vessel was moving faster through the water than before. then i fell off to sleep. how long i had slept i could not tell, when i was awakened by a loud crash. i sprang out of my berth, and instinctively rushed up the companion ladder. just then i dimly saw a spar over me, and, clutching it, was the next moment carried along away from the deck of the vessel, which disappeared beneath my feet. i heard voices shouting, and cries apparently from the hooker. the night was so dark that i could scarcely see a foot above me. i scrambled up what i found must be the dolphin striker of a vessel, and thence on to her bowsprit. "here's one of them," i heard some one sing out, as i made my way on to the forecastle of what i supposed was a ship of war. my first thought was for larry. "what has become of the hooker?" i exclaimed. has any one else been saved? the question was repeated by the officer of the watch, who now came hurrying forward. no answer was returned. "i fear the vessel must have gone down. we shouted to her to keep her luff, but no attention was paid, and she ran right under our bows," said the officer. "i'm not certain that she sank," i answered. "she appeared to me to be capsizing, and i hope may be still afloat." "we will look for her, at all events," said the officer; and he gave the necessary orders to bring the ship to the wind, and then to go about. so dark was the night, however, that we might have passed close to a vessel without seeing her, though eager eyes were looking out on either side. having stood on a little way we again tacked, and for three hours kept beating backwards and forwards; but our search was in vain. the vessel which had run down the hooker was, i found, h.m. brig of war _osprey_, commander hartland, on her passage home from the north american station. "you have had a narrow escape of it," observed the commander, who came on deck immediately on being informed of what had occurred. "i am truly glad that you have been saved, and wish that we had been able to pick up the crew. i have done all i can," he said at length, "and i feel sure that if the hooker had remained afloat, we must have passed close to her." "i am afraid that you are right, sir," i said, and i gave vent to a groan, if i did not actually burst into tears, as i thought of the cheery spirits of my faithful follower larry being quenched in death. chapter twenty seven. a visit to france. "what is the matter?" asked the commander in a kind tone. "i had a man on board who had been with me ever since i went to sea," i answered. "we had been through dangers of all sorts together, and he would have given his life to save mine." "very sorry, very sorry to hear it," he said in a kind tone. "come into my cabin; i'll give you a shake-down, and you must try to go to sleep till the morning." i gladly accepted his offer. the steward soon made up a bed for me; but after the dreadful event of the night, i found it more difficult than i had ever done before to close my eyes. i kept thinking of poor larry, and considering if i could have done anything to save him. i blamed myself for turning in, when i saw the half-drunken condition of the skipper. his crew probably were in the same state, and had neglected to keep a look-out. i at last, however, went to sleep, and didn't awake till the steward called me, to say that breakfast would be on the table presently. i jumped up, and, having had a wash, went on deck. the officers of the brig received me very kindly, and congratulated me on my escape. presently a master's mate came from below, and looked hard at me for a moment, and then, stretching out his hand, exclaimed, "why, paddy, my boy! is it yourself? i'm delighted to see you." i recognised sinnet, my old messmate on board the _liffy_. "why, i thought you were a lieutenant long ago," he said, after we had had a little conversation. "for my part i have given up all hopes of promotion, unless we get another war with the french, or dutch, or spaniards; but there's no use in sighing, so i take things as they come." "that's much as i must do, and as we all must if we would lead happy lives," i answered. it cheered me up to meet sinnet, and we had plenty of talk about old times. a strong north-westerly breeze was blowing, and the brig, under plain sail, was slashing along at a great rate up channel. i hoped that she would put into plymouth, but somewhat to my disappointment i found that she was bound for portsmouth. i was now summoned by the captain's steward to breakfast, and a very good one i enjoyed. when i told the commander where i was going when the hooker was run down, he said that he thought it very likely he should be sent round to the irish coast, and that if i liked to remain on board he would land me at the first port we might touch at near my home. next day we ran through the needles' passage, and brought up at spithead, where the _osprey_ had to wait for orders from the admiralty. as we might sail at any moment, we were unable to go on shore. though i was the commander's guest, i several times dined with the midshipmen, or spent the evening in the berth. our berth in the _liffy_ was not very large, but this was of much smaller dimensions, and had in it the assistant-surgeon, two master's mates, the master's assistant, all grown men, besides two clerks and four midshipmen. it was pretty close stowing, when all hands except those on watch were below, and the atmosphere, redolent of tobacco-smoke and rum, was occasionally somewhat oppressive. as the brig had been some time in commission, the greater part of the glass and crockery had disappeared. there were a few plates of different patterns, which were eked out with platters, saucers, and two or three wooden bowls. the bottoms of bottles, two or three tea-cups without handles, and the same number of pewter mugs, served for glasses. three tallow dips stuck in bottles gave an uncertain light in the berth. salt beef and pork with pease-pudding, cheese with weevilly biscuits, constituted our fare till we got to spithead, when we obtained a supply of vegetables, fresh meat, and soft tack, as loaves are called at sea. the ship's rum, with water of a yellowish hue, formed our chief beverage; but the fare being what all hands were accustomed to have, no one, except the assistant-surgeon, a welshman, who had lately come to sea, grumbled at it. i wrote to my uncle to tell him i was safe; for, having said i was coming by the hooker, as she would not arrive, my family, i conjectured, might be alarmed at my non-appearance. i also mentioned the loss of poor larry, and begged the major to break the news to his family. their great grief, i knew, would be that they would not have the opportunity of waking him. i also wrote to nettleship to tell him of my adventure, and enclosed a letter to the captain, begging that in consequence my leave might be prolonged. after we had been three days at anchor, the commander, who had been on shore, told me on his return that he had received orders to proceed at once to cork, and that he would land me there. we had a quick passage, and as soon as we had dropped our anchor in the beautiful bay, captain hartland very kindly sent me up, in a boat under charge of sinnet, to cork. having fortunately my money in my pocket when the hooker went down, i was able to hire a horse through the help of the landlord of the "shamrock" hotel, and as i knew the road thoroughly i had no fear about finding my way. having parted from my old messmate sinnet, i started at dawn the next morning, intending to push on as fast as my steed would carry me. i had somewhat got over the loss of larry, but it made me very sad when i had to answer the questions put to me about him by the people of the inns where we had before stopped. "and to think that him and his fiddle are gone to the bottom of the say! och ahone! och ahone!" cried biddy casey, the fair daughter of the landlord of the inn, the scene of our encounter with the irate sow. it was late in the evening when i reached ballinahone, and as i rode up the avenue i saw a tall figure pacing slowly in front of the house. it was my uncle. i threw myself from the saddle, and led my knocked-up steed towards him. he started as he turned and saw me. "what, terence, is it you yourself?" he exclaimed, stretching out his hands. "you have been a long time coming, and i fancied your ship must have sailed, and that you could not obtain leave." i told him that i had twice written, but he said that he had not received either of my letters. "you come to a house of mourning, my boy," he continued, "though i doubt not you'll have been prepared for what i have to tell you." "my father!" i exclaimed. "yes, he's gone; and really from the condition into which he had fallen, it was a happy release, at all events to the rest of the family, who could not watch him without pain." "and my mother?" i answered anxiously. "she is slowly recovering, and i think that your arrival will do her good," he said. "maurice and his young wife have come to live at the castle, and they get on very well with your sisters and their husbands. but what has become of larry?" he asked, looking down the avenue, expecting to see him following me. when i told him, and had to mention how i had been so nearly lost, he was greatly grieved. "i am thankful we did not get your letter saying you were coming, or we should have been very anxious about you," he said. "now take your horse round to the stables, while i go in and prepare your mother for your arrival. it's better not to give her a sudden surprise." i did as my uncle told me. as soon as i had entered the courtyard i met tim daley, who gave a loud shout as he saw me, and at once, as i knew he would do, inquired for larry. "don't be asking questions," i said, fearing that there would be a wild hullaballoo set up in the kitchen, which might reach my mother's ears before my uncle had time to tell her of my arrival. "but isn't larry come with your honour?" asked tim. "seamen can't always get leave from their ships," i answered, wishing to put him off. "i'll tell you all about it by and by. and now just take that poor brute into the stable. rub him down well, and give him some oats, for he's scarcely a leg left to stand on." "ah! shure your honour knows how to ride a horse smartly," said tim, as he led off the animal, while i hurried round to the front door. one of my sisters let me in, and i had the opportunity of talking to her before i was summoned to my mother. she appeared sad and much broken, but the sight of me cheered her up, and as i talked on with her i was inclined to hope that she would recover her usual health and spirit. as soon as i could i mentioned my own narrow escape, and larry's loss, for i knew that, should my uncle tell any one, there would soon be an uproar of wild wailing in the kitchen, which might alarm her if she did not know the cause. i was right, for, as the major had thought it best to mention what had happened, the news soon spread throughout the house. as i went down-stairs a chorus of shrieks and cries reached my ears, expressive of the domestics' grief at larry's loss. it was some time before i ventured down among them to give an account of what had happened; and as i narrated the circumstances, between each sentence there arose a chorus of cries and sighs. "och ahone! och ahone! and we'll never be after seeing larry harrigan again," cried biddy and molly together. similar exclamations burst from the lips of the other domestics, and i confess that my feelings were sufficiently sensitive to make me thankful to get away to the parlour. the supper was more cheerful than i expected it would be. maurice and his young wife did the honours of the house with becoming grace. of course i had plenty of accounts to give of my adventures in the mediterranean. they were highly amused at my account of lord robert; and fitzgerald exclaimed that he wished he could get him to ballinahone, and they would soon knock his dignity out of him. as maurice had sheathed his sword, denis had determined to take his place as one of the defenders of his country. my uncle told me that he hoped soon to get a commission for him in the same regiment. "maurice stood well among his brother officers, and that will give denis a good footing as soon as he joins," he observed to me. "he is a steady, sensible boy, and with his irish dash and pluck he is sure to get on in the army. we have plenty of fellows with the latter qualities, but too few with the former, for they fancy if they're tolerably brave they may be as harum-scarum, rollicking, and careless as they like. i wish that denis had seen something of the world before he joins his regiment, for he's as green as a bunch of shamrock. if it could be managed, i should like him to take a cruise with you, terence, and to run up to dublin for a few weeks, but funds are wanting for the purpose, though, as you observe, we have managed to get the house into better order than it has been of late years." "i have some prize-money, though not much pay, due to me," i answered, "and i shall be very glad to hand it over to denis for the purpose you name." "no! no! i could not allow that. it's little enough you'll get out of the estate, and you mustn't deprive yourself of funds, my boy," answered the major. "we will think of some other plan." i observed the next day a great improvement in the general state of things about the house. the furniture had been repaired and furbished up. there were clean covers to the sofas and chairs in the drawing-room, and a new carpet in my mother's chamber, while the servants had a less dingy and untidy look than formerly, showing that they had received their wages. i had spent a few pleasant days with my relations, when i received a letter from old rough-and-ready, peremptorily ordering me to return. i concluded that the letter i wrote from portsmouth had not reached nettleship, and consequently that my request for prolonged leave of absence had not been received. as there was no time if i wrote to receive an answer, which very probably would not reach its destination, my uncle advised me to set off at once. i must pass over my parting with my mother and other members of my family. my mother had greatly recovered, and i had no reason to be apprehensive about her health. the major announced his intention of accompanying me, with denis, as far as cork. "i wish that we could make the journey with you to plymouth; but to say the truth, i find it prudent not to be longer away from ballinahone than can be helped," he observed. "my superintendence is wanted there as much as ever." we accordingly the following morning set out, denis in high spirits at having to make the journey, for hitherto his travels had not extended farther than limerick. the major rode ahead, and he and i followed, talking together, though occasionally we rode up when we thought that our uncle wanted company. a journey in those days was seldom to be made without some adventures. none, however, occurred that i think worth mentioning. on our arrival at cork, i found a vessel sailing direct for bristol. my uncle advised me to go by her as the surest means of reaching plymouth quickly. wishing him and denis, therefore, good-bye, i hurried on board, and two days afterwards was on my journey from the great mart of commerce to plymouth. part of the distance i performed by coach, part by post-chaise, the rest on horseback. i felt somewhat anxious lest my ship should have sailed, and i might have to kick my heels about plymouth until she came back, or have to make another journey to get aboard her. great was my satisfaction, therefore, when i saw her at anchor in hamoaze. i at once went aboard. old rough-and-ready received me with a somewhat frowning brow when i reported myself. on my explaining, however, what had happened, he said that he would make things all right with lord robert, who was expected on board every hour. as soon as his lordship appeared, we went out of harbour. we found that parliament being prorogued, we were to take a short summer cruise. it was shorter than we expected. after knocking about for a couple of weeks, we put back again into the sound, where we received a packet of letters, which had been waiting for us at the post office. i got one from my uncle, stating that all things were going on well at ballinahone, and enclosing another in an unknown hand, and bearing a foreign post-mark. on opening it i found that it was from la touche, reminding me of my promise to pay him a visit when peace was restored, and inviting me over to his chateau in the neighbourhood of vernon. it appeared to me that i had but little chance of being able to accept his invitation. i at once wrote him a letter, stating that i was still on board, but that, should i be at liberty, i would without fail endeavour to go over and see him; that though we had been fighting with his nation, i had met so many brave men among them, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to become acquainted with la belle france, and to see him again. i at once sent the letter on shore to be posted. the same mail brought despatches to the captain. their tenor was soon announced. it was that the ship was to sail immediately for portsmouth, where she had been fitted out, to be paid off. as his lordship was never addicted to doing anything in a hurry, he waited, before obeying the order he had received, till he could get a supply of fresh butter and eggs and other comestibles on board. we therefore did not sail till the next day. we had a fair breeze going out of the sound, but the wind headed us when we got into the channel, and we made a tack towards the french coast. the wind continued light and baffling, and we were three days before, having gone round by saint helen's, we came to an anchor at spithead. here we had to wait until the wind again shifted, when we ran into portsmouth harbour. i have already given a description of the scenes which occurred when i was last paid off, so i need not repeat it. lord robert made us a speech, promising to attend to the interests of all the officers who had served with him, and especially to bear in mind the strong claims of his first lieutenant to promotion. he took down all our addresses, saying we should hear from him before long. "i'll buy a golden frame to put his letter in, if i receive one," growled old rough-and-ready. "i doubt whether he'll put pen to paper for my sake," said nettleship. most of the rest of us made similar remarks. we were not wrong in our conjectures, and, as far as i could learn, his lordship forgot all about us and his promises from the moment he started for london; and we were cast adrift to shift for ourselves. nettleship intended to go down to plymouth, and wanted tom pim and me to accompany him; but tom's family were expecting him at home, and i hoped to get round direct from portsmouth to cork by sea. the _osprey_, which had returned to portsmouth, was paid off at the time we were, and as there was no vessel sailing for cork, i accepted an invitation from sinnet to go over to cowes, where his family were staying. we ran across in a wherry he had engaged. as we were entering the harbour, we saw a fine-looking lugger at anchor, and while passing i inquired where she was bound to. "over to france, to the port of grisnez or thereabouts," answered a man who was walking the forecastle with his hands in his pockets. "when do you sail?" i asked. "may be to-morrow, may be next day," was the answer. "i say, sinnet, i've a great mind, if the lugger remains here long enough, to take a passage in her, and go and pay my promised visit to la touche. i wish you could come too; i am sure he will be glad to see you." "i wish i could, for i'm certain we should have good fun; but you see i have not been with my family for a long time, and they would look upon me as destitute of natural feeling if i went away so soon. if you, however, have a wish to go, don't stand on ceremony. should the lugger, however, remain long enough, i'll take advantage of your proposal," he said, as i accompanied him up to his house. i was introduced to his father and mother and sisters, who were all such nice people that i was half inclined to give up my idea. sinnet, however, mentioned the matter to the old gentleman, who at once told me not to stand on ceremony. "you could not have a better opportunity of seeing france; and perhaps before long we shall be at loggerheads again, when no englishman will be able to set foot in the country except as a prisoner; therefore go, and come back to us when you have got tired of frogs' legs and _soup maigre_." in the evening i went down with sinnet to the quay, where a man was pointed out to us as skipper of the lugger. we at once went up to him, and i told him that i wished to get across to france. "i have no objection to take you, young gentleman, though we do not generally like having king's officers on board our craft," he answered. "but i'm not on service now," i observed, guessing the meaning of his allusion. "what sum do you expect for passage money?" "five guineas," he answered. "i do not care to take less." "five guineas you shall have, if you land me where i wish to go," i said. "now, when shall i be on board?" "to-morrow morning at six o'clock. the tide will serve to carry us out at the needles; and i don't intend to wait a moment longer." "at six o'clock i will be on board, then; and, by the by, what is your name, captain?" "jack long, though some call me little jack," answered the skipper, with a laugh. "and your vessel, that there may be no mistake?" "the _saucy bet_," he said; "and now you know all you need know about her." "then, captain long, i'll be aboard the _saucy bet_ at the hour you name," i said, as i took sinnet's arm. we strolled back to his house, and a very pleasant evening i spent with my messmate's family. we had music and singing. two or three girls and some young men came in, and we got up a dance. altogether, i began to regret that i had not arranged to remain longer. my old messmate turned out at an early hour to accompany me down to the quay. as soon as i got on board the lugger, the anchor was hove up, and we made sail. i found a roughish looking crew, several of them being jerseymen or frenchmen. we soon got a fresh breeze from the northward, when the _saucy bet_ walked along at a great rate, with large square topsails set above her lower lugs. she had a small cabin aft, neatly fitted up, and a large hold, but now perfectly clear. she could mount eight guns, all of which were now below. soon after we got outside the needles, however, they were hoisted up and placed on their carriages. "what sort of a cargo do you generally carry, captain long?" i asked. "that depends on what we stow away in the hold," he answered, with a knowing wink. "silks, satins, and ribbons, sometimes; and at others tobacco and brandy, a few cases of gloves or lace, and such articles as english ladies are fond of, and are glad to get without paying duty." "then you acknowledge yourself to be a smuggler, captain?" "i intend to be as long as i can make an honest living by it," he answered, laughing. "i'm not ashamed of it. it is fair play, you see. if i'm caught i lose my goods and vessel, and am sent to prison, or serve his majesty on board a man-of-war. if i land my cargo, as i generally contrive to do, i make a good profit." as he was thus open i argued the point, trying to show that the government must have a revenue to pay their expenses, and that his proceedings were lawless. "that's their business, not mine," he answered, not in the least degree moved by my observations. "the government could not think very ill of us," he remarked; "for if they want information about what is going on in france, or have to send over anybody secretly, they are ready enough to apply to me, and pay well too. why, in the war time, if it hadn't been for us smugglers, they couldn't have managed to send a messenger across channel. bless you! i've carried over a queer lot of characters now and then. but you must be getting hungry, young gentleman, and it's time for dinner. come below." i found a plentiful repast, which, though somewhat roughly cooked, i did ample justice to. the skipper produced a bottle of claret and another of cognac, and pressed me to drink, but he himself, i observed, was very moderate in his potations. "if i did not keep a cool head on my shoulders, the _saucy bet_ would soon get into trouble," he remarked; "still, that need not stop you from making yourself happy if you like." he seemed very much surprised when i told him that i had no fancy for making myself happy in that fashion. in the afternoon the wind fell, and we lay becalmed, floating down channel with the ebb. the smugglers swore terribly at the delay, as they were in a hurry to get over to the french coast. in the evening i walked the deck some time with the skipper, who was full of anecdotes. in the war time he had commanded a privateer, which had been tolerably successful, but his vessel had been captured at last, and he had spent some months a prisoner in france. he had on that occasion picked up a fair knowledge of french, which much assisted him, he said, in his present vocation. he was always on good terms with the mounseers, he told me, though he amused himself sometimes at their expense. "some of my chaps and i were ashore one night, not long ago, taking a glass at a wine shop near the harbour, when a frigate came in, and a beauty she was, no doubt about that." he continued: "the frenchmen began to praise her, and says one of them to me-- "`there, you haven't got a craft like that in the whole of your navy.' "`i don't know what we've got,' says i; `but if there comes a war we should precious soon have one, for we should have she.' "you should have seen the rage the frenchmen were in when i said that, and heard how they _sacred_ and swore. but i calmed them down by reminding them that they had taken some of our frigates, and that it was only to be expected that we should take some of theirs in return." the captain gave me a side-berth in the little cabin, occupied generally, i found, by one of the mates. it was somewhat close, but i was soon asleep, and slept soundly until daylight the next morning. by noon a breeze sprang up from the eastward, and under all sail we stood away to the southward. by nightfall we were well in with the french coast, but farther to the west than i expected. "the tide will soon make in shore, and we must beat back to the eastward," observed the skipper. "you mustn't hope, howsomdever, young gentleman, to get ashore till to-morrow morning." this mattered little to me, as i had no great objection to spend a few hours more on board. during the night i awoke, and found the vessel perfectly motionless. "can another calm have come on?" i thought. i was going off to sleep again, when i heard a footstep in the cabin, and, looking out of my bunk, by the light from the swinging lamp i saw the skipper examining some papers at the table. "has the wind dropped again?" i inquired. "no, we are at anchor; we have been chased by a _chasse-maree_, and so, to escape her, we slipped in here; and here we shall remain perhaps for some days, till the coast is clear," he answered. "in that case, captain, i shall prefer going on shore, and making my way overland to my friend's house. i shall find conveyances of some sort, i suppose?" i said. "as to that i can't say. it isn't much of a place, but you may get along in a country cart, or hire a nag." as i had no objection to seeing something of the country, i did not complain of this, and as soon as it was daylight i turned out. being anxious not to lose time, i got captain long to send me ashore with my valise. a small cabaret being open, i intended to take up my quarters there until i could obtain some means of conveyance to the chateau la touche. a cup of coffee, which was at once offered me, enabled me to wait until a more substantial breakfast was prepared. in the meantime i took a stroll through the village. it was a small place, and, as far as i could judge, primitive in the extreme. it was the first time i had been in france, yet, as i spoke the language pretty well, i felt myself perfectly at home. indeed, the people i addressed took me for a frenchman, and were extremely civil. on getting back to the inn, the landlady asked me if i had been to see the wonderful animal which had been landed some time before by a fisherman, who had found him, she said, on board a vessel, navigating her all by himself. "what sort of an animal?" i inquired. "ah, monsieur, they say it is a bear. it certainly looks like one, for it has a bear's head and claws, and a tail; but it does all sort of things that no other bear that i have heard of can do; and what is more strange, it can talk, though no one can understand what it says." "i must go and have a look at this bear after breakfast," i said. "certainly monsieur would not leave our village without seeing so great a wonder," she replied. "my boy pierre can show you the way. jacques chacot, who is the fortunate possessor of the bear, lives not more than a quarter of a league away to the west. he charges half a franc to each person to whom be shows his wonder, and the people come from far and near. he talks of taking his bear to paris to exhibit it, and if he does he will surely make a fortune." though i was somewhat incredulous as to whether the bear could really speak, and had also a doubt as to the way the woman said the animal had been found, i felt curious to see it; and as soon as i had breakfasted, conducted by pierre, i set out for the cottage of jacques chacot. on the way the boy amused me by giving further accounts of the strange animal we were to see. we found a number of other people going in the same direction, for my landlady had given no exaggerated account of the curiosity which it had excited. jacques chacot evidently possessed the talent of a showman. he had enlarged the front of his cottage so as to form a sort of theatre, the inner part serving as a stage. we found him standing at the door with a couple of stout young fellows, his sons, ready to receive visitors, for he allowed no one to go in until he had obtained payment. a strong bar was run across in front of the stage, which jacques chacot explained was to prevent the spectators from approaching too close to the bear, who, he observed, was sometimes seized with sudden fits of ferocity, and might, he was afraid, do some injury. the room was already half full when pierre and i entered, and a considerable number of people came in afterwards. they were all country people, decently dressed, who behaved with the usual politeness the french exhibit when not excited by any special cause. chapter twenty eight. larry's disguise. at last jacques chacot, looking round the room, gave notice that his bear would at once commence his performance. in a short time a door opened, and he appeared, leading out what looked like a large brown bear, followed by one of his sons, carrying a couple of chairs. jacques chacot, who had in his hand a long pole with a sharp point to it, took his seat on one chair, and made signs to the bear to sit down on the other, which it immediately did. the lad then handed a glass of wine to the bear, which, making a bow to the audience, it drank off, putting the glass, it seemed to me, almost down its throat, in a very curious fashion. its keeper then ordered it to stand on its head, which it did with seeming unwillingness, kicking its hind legs up in the air. "now show mesdames and messieurs how you can dance," cried chacot. "strike up, jean," he added to his son, who, getting down a riddle from the wall, commenced scraping away, and producing a merry tune. up got the bear, and began shuffling and leaping about, in a fashion which strangely resembled an irish jig, at the same time singing in a voice which sounded remarkably like that of a human being. the audience applauded; but the bear at length, getting tired from its exertions, took a chair and sat itself down in a corner. on this chacot shouted to it to go on; but the bear, being seized with sulkiness, refused, till the fellow, giving it a poke with his pole, the bear sprang up and recommenced its performance, jean fiddling away as before. "now address the company, and give them an account of your adventures," said chacot. the bear on this got up, and, making another bow, uttered some words which certainly no one present could have understood. listening attentively, i caught several words which sounded remarkably like irish. "who are you, and where in the world do you come from?" i exclaimed in my native tongue. no sooner had i uttered the words, than the bear made a spring right off the stage, and rushed towards me, exclaiming, "arrah! i'm larry harrigan, mr terence dear! and shure you've found me at last?" at the first movement the bear made the audience rushed from all parts of the room, trying to effect their escape through the door, while jacques chacot endeavoured to seize it, and to drag it back on the stage. larry, however, was not to be hindered, and, grasping my hand, he held it in his shaggy paws, his voice alone assuring me who he was. "hands off from him, chacot!" i cried out. "he is an honest irishman whom i know well. if you injure him it will be at your peril. stop, friends, stop!" i shouted to the people as they were escaping. "the bear will do you no harm; come and assist me." jacques chacot, however, fearing that the chance of making further gains by his prisoner would be lost, dragged him back by main force, while poor larry, closely encased as he was in a skin, and padded out with pillows, was unable to help himself. at the same time, one of the sons, seizing his pike, threatened to run me through if i interfered. i in vain called to the people to help me; they seemed to think that i was as mad as the bear, or that i was a mere bearish englishman, who had lived so long amongst animals of that description that i very naturally took it for an old friend larry continued to shout out to me for help, until jacques chacot seized his jaws, and, closing them, prevented his voice from coming out, while the young frenchmen dragged him away. "keep up your spirits, larry," i cried. "if there's justice in the country, i'll obtain it for you." as i found it would be impossible at that moment to set larry free, i followed the people out of the show, and endeavoured to explain to them that the bear was no bear at all, but a human being, whom i had known all my life. this, however, i found they were by no means inclined to believe. it was a very strange bear, they acknowledged, but they had no reason to doubt that bears could speak; and the words he had uttered were just such as might be expected to proceed from a bear. young pierre had bravely stuck by me all the time, and was more inclined to believe me than any one else. "i have heard say that jacques chacot is a great rascal, and if monsieur will take my advice he will go to monsieur jules pontet, the mayor, who will compel him to allow the bear to be properly examined, and if it proves to be a man have him set at liberty," he observed. "you are a sensible little fellow," i answered; "and if you will show me the way to the mayor's house, we will go to him at once. but don't let any one know, or chacot will take means to hide the bear, or carry him off, or perhaps throw him into the sea and drown him, so that there may be no evidence of his knavery." "that's just what i was thinking, monsieur," said pierre, as he led the way. we hurried on, for i was very anxious about larry's safety, fearful that chacot would play him some trick. in about twenty minutes we reached the most respectable-looking house in the village. "monsieur the mayor lives here," said pierre. "he is at home, i know, for he never leaves so early in the day." i knocked at the door, and, being admitted by a neat-looking woman in a high cap, was ushered into a room, where i found monsieur jules pontet, the mayor, seated, with number of papers before him. i explained that, having been induced to go and see a strange animal said to be a bear, i had discovered a countryman, an old acquaintance of my own, who had been compelled by some means or other to play the part, that he was being cruelly treated, and desired to be set free. the mayor listened politely. "i have heard of this strange animal, and suspected that there was some trick," he observed; "i will accompany you forthwith, and if you are right in your conjectures, we will have the man set free." "they are more than conjectures, they are certainties, monsieur," i answered. i then thanked him for his courtesy, when, getting his hat and cane, he immediately set out with me, followed by pierre, who was eager to see the end. we found a number of people collected round chacot's cottage, which made me hope that during my absence he had not been able, had he contemplated violence, to carry his intention into effect. "i wish to see this strange animal i have heard of," said the mayor in an authoritative tone. "go, some of you, and tell chacot that i desire him to bring the creature out on the stage, and let him perform his tricks before me. come, my friends, come in, you shall see the sight without payment this time." whether chacot was aware or not that i had brought the mayor, i could not tell, as he might not have observed me among the crowd. in a short time the door of the stage opened, and chacot appeared, dragging in the bear, who came very reluctantly, urged on by one of the young fellows from behind with a pike. larry was going through his performances, when the mayor said, turning to me-- "speak to him, and tell him to come down quickly. i see the whole trick; no bear would walk as that creature does." no sooner did larry hear my voice than he sprang off the stage, before chacot or his sons could stop him, and i rushed forward to meet him, followed by monsieur pontet. "have any of you a knife?" asked the worthy magistrate. "hand it to me at once." a knife was given him, and he began forthwith to cut away at the bear-skin, larry standing patiently while the operation was going forward. he soon got the head off, when larry's honest countenance was displayed beneath it. loud shouts of laughter burst from the people, mingled with no small amount of abuse hurled at chacot for the trick he had played them. as the mayor proceeded, a quantity of hay tumbled out, which had served to stuff out poor larry to the required proportions. "faith, mr terence dear, you'd better not take it off altogether before so many decent people; for, to say the truth, i've got nothing under it but my bare skin," said larry to me in a subdued voice. such, indeed, i perceived to be the case, as did the mayor. "bring the man's clothes at once, and let him have a room in which he may dress himself properly," he exclaimed to chacot, who had, by the mayor's orders, remained on the stage, and had been watching our proceedings. chacot, with no very good grace, obeyed, and i, fearing that some violence might be offered, accompanied him into the room. chacot soon appeared with a seaman's dress, which larry, jumping out of his bear-skin, quickly put on. as yet he had had no time to tell me how he had come into the power of the french fisherman; and as i also did not wish to keep the mayor waiting, as soon as larry was ready, we hurried out to join him. "i'll have my revenge on you one of these days," i heard chacot exclaim, but i thought it as well to take no notice of his remark. "come with me to my house," said monsieur jules pontet. "i want to hear how that fellow jacques chacot got hold of the english seaman. he must have been a stupid fellow to have allowed himself to be so ill-treated." "i have not yet had time to make inquiries, monsieur," i said, "but i will, if you wish it, at once ask him how it happened." "by all means," replied the mayor; so i desired larry to tell me how he had escaped from the hooker, and been turned into a bear. "it is a long yarn, mr terence, but i'll cut it short to plase the gintleman. you'll remember the night we were aboard the hooker. i was asleep forward, just dreaming of ballinahone, an' thinking i was leading off a dance with molly maguire, when down came the whole castle tumbling about our heads. opening my eyes, i jumped out of my bunk, and sprang up the fore hatchway, just in time to see that the masts had been carried away, and that the hooker was going to the bottom. how it all happened i couldn't for the life of me tell. i sang out at the top of my voice for you, mr terence, and rushed aft to the cabin, where i expected to find you asleep. but though i shouted loud enough to waken the dead, you didn't answer, and not a soul was aboard but myself. for a moment i caught sight of the stern of a vessel steering away from us, which made me guess that we had been run down. the water was rushing into the little craft, and i knew that she must go to the bottom. her masts and spars were still hanging to her side, an' so, thinks i to meself, i'll have a struggle for life. i had seen an axe in the companion hatch, and, getting hold of it, i cut away the rigging, and had time to get hold of a cold ham and some bread and a bottle of water, which i stowed in a basket. thinks i, i'll make a raft, and so i hove overboard some planks, with part of the main hatch and a grating, and, getting on them, lashed them together in a rough fashion, keeping my eye all the time on the hooker, to see that she didn't go down, and catch me unawares. i was so mighty busy with this work, that if the vessel which had run the hooker down had come back to look for us i shouldn't have seen her. i had just got my raft together, when i saw that the hooker was settling down, so i gave it a shove off from her side; and faith i was only just in time, for it made a rush forward, and i thought was going down with the vessel, but up it came again, and there i was, floating all alone on the water. "during the night a light breeze from the northward sprang up, and i began to fear that i might be drifted out into the atlantic. however, i couldn't help myself, and was not going to cry die. i was mighty thankful that the sea was smooth, and so i sat on my raft, trying to be as happy as i could; but the thinking of you, mr terence, and not knowing if you had escaped, often made me sad. i wished, too, that i had had my fiddle, when i would have played myself a tune to keep up my spirits. i can't say how many days i spent on the raft, sleeping when i could not keep my eyes open, till all the provisions and the water i had brought were gone. then i got very bad, and thought i was going to die. the weather, too, was changing, and the sea getting up. i was just lying down on the raft, not long before the bright sun sank into the ocean, and not expecting to see it rise again, when i heard a shout, and, opening my eyes, i saw a small craft, which i guessed was a french fishing-boat from her look, coming towards me. she having hove-to, presently a boat was lowered from her deck, and i was taken on board, more dead than alive. the frenchmen gave me some food, and, taking me down into the cabin, put me to bed. "it came on to blow very hard that night. for some days we were knocking about, not able to get back to port. from the heavy seas which broke over the little vessel, and from the way i heard the frenchmen speaking, i thought that after all we should be lost, but i was too weak to care much about the matter just then. "however, at last the weather moderated, and after several days i found that we were at anchor in smooth water. i was still very bad, so the french skipper carried me ashore to his cottage. he fed me pretty well, and i at last got strong enough to walk about. by this time i had managed somehow to make him understand me, and i asked him to tell me how i could cross over to ireland, as i wanted to get home and learn if you had escaped. he laughed at me, however, and said that i owed him a hundred francs for taking care of me, and that i must pay him. i answered that i would be glad enough to pay him, like an honest man, as soon as i could get any prize-money, and that i would send it over to him. to this, however, he would not agree, but said that if i would help him in a trick he wanted to play off on the people, he would be satisfied. he then explained that i must dress up like a bear, and that he would show me off as a wonder. as i had no help for it, i consented. he at once made me get into the bear-skin which you, mr terence, cut me out of, and showed me how i was to behave myself. after i had had some days' practice, he sent round to let it be known that he had picked up a bear at sea, which could talk and play all sorts of tricks; and in a short time people came to look at me. at first i thought it a good joke, but at last he treated me so like a real bear, for he chained me up at night and never let me get out of my skin, that i began to grow heartily tired of the fun; and it's my belief, if you hadn't found me out, he'd have been after making away with me, lest the people should discover the trick he had played them." i translated larry's story to the mayor, who, being a humane man, was very indignant, but said that he had no power to punish chacot, as larry confessed that he had consented to be dressed up. when i told this to larry, he said that he should be very sorry to have chacot suffer, as, whatever his motive, he had certainly saved his life. in a couple of days larry was fit to set out. with the aid of monsieur pontet, i purchased two horses. they were sorry steeds to look at, but had more go in them than i expected from their appearance. larry carried my valise, and i had my sword and a brace of pistols, though monsieur pontet assured me i should have no necessity for their use. i had become intimate with him, and he kindly gave me a letter of introduction to a friend of his at vernon, a monsieur planterre, who, he said, would dispose of my horses for me, and afford me any other assistance i might require, in case la touche should be absent from home. bidding farewell to monsieur pontet, i started on my journey at an early hour in the morning, fully expecting to enjoy the trip, as all was new and strange to me. the people i met with were primitive in their habits, and invariably treated me with civility. the inns i stopped at were small, and not over comfortable, but as they afforded sufficient accommodation for man and beast, i did not complain. i must pass over the incidents of the journey. it was towards evening when the towers of vernon, situated on the banks of the seine, appeared in sight, and, passing across the boulevards which surrounded the town, i entered the narrow, crooked streets, with timber-framed houses on either side, and kept clean by running streams. on my way i inquired for the house of monsieur planterre, which i found situated at the entrance of an avenue which leads to the chateau de bizy, belonging to the duc de penthievre. the house, though of a primitive style of architecture, was better than most of those i had passed. being admitted, larry having taken charge of my horse, monsieur planterre received me with much courtesy, and, telling me that i could not possibly reach the chateau la touche that evening, invited me to take up my quarters at his house. i of course was glad to accept his invitation, and larry was at once sent round to the stables with the horses. i took no further concern for him, being well aware that he could make himself at home wherever he was. monsieur planterre told me that he was acquainted with my friend la touche, and should be happy to accompany me to the chateau the next day. i learned from him more of the state of things in france than i had before known. he told me that republican principles were gaining ground in all directions, and that the people were everywhere complaining of the taxes imposed on them by the government. "discontent indeed prevails everywhere, and unless reforms take place, i know not what will be the result," he said, with a deep sigh. "even in this place the people are in an unsatisfactory state of mind." i was introduced to madame planterre and her daughters, bright, pretty young ladies, who seemed much attached to their parents. they gave me a very pleasant idea of a french family of the upper middle class. next morning monsieur planterre asked me to defer starting for a couple of hours, as he had to attend a meeting at the town hall, where he hoped to propose some measure for the benefit of the poorer inhabitants. he suggested that i should pass the intermediate time in taking a turn through the town, and visiting an ancient tower and hospital founded by saint louis, and other objects of interest. giving larry directions to have the horses ready, i set out. having spent nearly two hours in visiting different parts of the town, i ascended to the top of the ancient tower i have mentioned, from which i obtained a fine view, not only of the picturesque old town, but along the seine for a considerable distance up and down, and also of the chateau de bizy, with the fine avenue leading to it. i was about to descend, when i saw a vast number of people emerging from the various streets into a broad space called the place, a short distance below me. from their movements they appeared highly excited, for loud cries and shouts reached my ears. the greater number were armed, either with muskets, pikes, scythes, swords, or other weapons. as i was curious to know what they were about, i hastened down, and made my way along the street leading to the place. i had no fear of going among the people, for i did not suppose that they would interfere with me. many of those i passed were of respectable appearance, and as i got into the place i inquired of one of them what they were about to do. "they have just tried and condemned to death one of our principal citizens, monsieur planterre, who has always proved himself one of their best friends," was the reply. "monsieur planterre!" i exclaimed. "where is he?" my friend was pointed out to me, in the midst of a band of ruffians, who were dragging him forward, shouting, "_a la lanterne! a la lanterne_!" seized with an impulse i could not control, to preserve, if i could, the life of my kind host, i dashed forward through the crowd. the people made way for me, until i reached his side. "good people of vernon, what are you about to do?" i exclaimed. "i hear every one speaking in favour of monsieur planterre, and yet you threaten him with instant death." my friend, whilst i was speaking, stood pale and trembling; the rope was round his neck, and the ruffians had hold of the end, as if eager to strangle him. "what has he done to outweigh his kind deeds?" i asked. no answer was vouchsafed, the mob only shouting the louder, "_a la lanterne! a la lanterne_!" "who are you, young stranger? be off with you, or you shall share his fate," cried out a big ruffian; and many of them pressing on, shoved me aside, endeavouring to separate me from their intended victim. i saw that it was a moment for action,--that should i exhibit the slightest hesitation the life of a worthy man would be sacrificed; and, regardless of the danger i myself ran from the fury of the excited crowd, again dashing forward, i succeeded in reaching monsieur planterre, round whom i threw my arms, and held him fast. "you shall not injure him. back, all of you!" i shouted. "i will not allow you to destroy an honest man. there must be some mistake. you are not executioners, you are assassins, and are about to commit a deed of which you will repent." notwithstanding what i said, the ruffians still pressed upon us, and attempted to drag monsieur planterre away, shouting, "_a la lanterne_!" but i held him fast. "my friends," i cried,--"for i will not call you enemies,--if you hang this man you must hang me, for alive i will not be separated from him, and you will be guilty of the murder of two honest men instead of one." as i spoke a reaction suddenly took place; my words had even more effect than i expected on the volatile crowd. one of them rushed forward and removed the rope from monsieur planterre's neck. "you have saved his life!" cried another. "you are a brave fellow!" shouted a third. "long live the noble englishman! he is worthy of our regard." these and similar cries burst from the throats of numbers standing round, and were echoed by the would-be executioners. before i knew what was about to happen, a number of them, rushing forward, lifted me on their shoulders, and carried me along in triumph, shouting and singing, while monsieur planterre's friends, who had been watching the opportunity, pressing forward, hurried him away in another direction. to my infinite satisfaction, i saw him carried off, while i was borne along by the crowd, who shouted and sang in my praise until their voices were hoarse. i thought it wise to submit to the honours paid me; at the same time i could not tell at what moment the feelings of the fickle mob might change, and perhaps they might carry me to the _lanterne_ instead of the man i had rescued. i made the best of my position, and kept bowing to the mob right and left, expressing my admiration for france and frenchmen in the most glowing terms i could command. this seemed to please them mightily; but i was curious to know what they were going to do with me. they appeared highly delighted at having an object on which to bestow their admiration. first they carried me round and round the place, shouting and cheering, while they told all who came up what i had done. perhaps they found it quite as amusing as hanging their townsman. at last some one proposed that they should carry me to the hotel de ville. the proposal was received with acclamations by the crowd, and my bearers set off, several of them going before cheering and gesticulating, while, as we passed through the narrow, crooked streets, the people looked out from the windows, waving coloured handkerchiefs and shawls, for by this time the whole town had heard, with perhaps a few exaggerations, of the act i had performed. on arriving at the town hall, i saw a number of gentlemen in full dress, with various insignia, whom i suspected to be the civic authorities, standing on the steps, drawn up to welcome me. my bearers halted when a small gentleman, in a powdered wig and cocked hat, who was, i found, the mayor, stepping in front of the rest, made me a long oration, at which the mob cheered and cheered again. i then found, from all eyes being turned towards me, that it was expected i should say something in return. i accordingly expressed, in the best french i could command, my sense of the honour done me, and my satisfaction at having been the means of saving the life of one who, from his many virtues, was esteemed by his fellow-citizens; and i added i felt sure that those who had intended to put him to death were under an erroneous impression, as was shown by the generous way in which they treated me. i now begged to thank my bearers for having carried me so long on their shoulders, and, unwilling though i was to descend from so honourable a position, i requested that they would have the goodness to put me down on my feet that i might see their faces, so that i might be able at any future time to recognise them, which i owned i should at present be unable to do. after some demur, they at last acceded to my request, letting me down on my feet. when i did see their countenances, it struck me that they were as hideous a set of ruffians as any of those i had before seen. concealing my feelings, however, i shook each of them by the hand, calling them my dear brothers, and assuring them that i should never forget the honour done me. after they had shaken themselves and stretched their brawny limbs, they appeared inclined to get hold of me again and carry me off on another round of the place. feeling especially unwilling, for the reason i have before given, to undergo another ovation, i stepped back among the civic authorities, and got inside the town hall, conducted by a gentleman, who whispered that he was a friend of monsieur planterre's, and that he had been sent by him to escort me back to his house. "monsieur planterre is anxious to get out of the town as soon as possible, and advises you to do the same, for we cannot tell at what moment the mob may change their minds, and perhaps take it into their heads to hang you and him together," he said, as, leading me through the town hall, he conducted me out by a back door. "we are going by a somewhat circuitous route to the house of monsieur planterre, where he himself is waiting for us," he continued, as we walked on together. "your horses are in readiness, and he has had one prepared for himself, so that you may start as soon as you arrive." as we passed through the streets we could hear the shouts of the people in the distance, but what they were about we could not tell. my guide appeared to be in a somewhat agitated state, as if he feared that they would commit some other deed of violence, to recompense themselves for losing the pleasure of hanging monsieur planterre. on arriving before the house i found larry holding three horses. presently a serving-man came out and took hold of the rein of one of the animals. on looking at him, to my surprise i recognised monsieur planterre himself. "i think it wise to leave the town in this disguise, lest the mob should suddenly regret having allowed me to escape, and, seeing me go, pursue me," he said. i immediately mounted, and monsieur planterre, pointing out the road i was to take, i moved forward, followed by him and larry, they appearing in the characters of my two lackeys. they kept close behind me, in order that monsieur planterre might tell me when to turn to the right or left. he evidently expected that we should be pursued, but though i looked round occasionally, i could see no one following us. upon the road monsieur planterre rode up to my side, and gave me a good deal of information, both about my friend's family and that of other families in the neighbourhood. "i am grateful to you," he continued, "for the service you have rendered me, and i am anxious for your safety. i would advise you, therefore, to make no long stay in france. the whole country is, i can assure you, like a volcano, ready to burst forth at any moment. the people are generally imbued with republican principles, and they have lost all respect for the priests; they complain of the heavy taxes which go to support a profligate court; and are weary of the tyranny under which they have so long groaned." "but has not the king a powerful army to keep them in order?" i inquired. "the army cannot be depended on," answered my friend. "it is thoroughly disorganised, and at any moment may side with the people. the only reliable troops are the swiss, and other foreigners. we are coming upon troublous times, of that i am confident." until now i had known nothing of france, and had fancied that frenchmen were a light-hearted race, thoroughly contented with themselves and their country; indeed, i even now scarcely believed what monsieur planterre told me. in less than a couple of hours we caught sight of an ancient mansion, with a high roof, and towers at the corners, standing up amid the trees. "there is the chateau la touche," said my companion. "i will not present myself in this disguise at the front gate, but when you descend will accompany your servant, who has not discovered who i am, and takes me for one of his fellows." on arriving at the gate, monsieur planterre, having given his horse to larry, went up the steps and rang the bell, and then came down and held my steed whilst i dismounted. as soon as the door opened he led my horse off. la touche, who had been advised of my arrival, hurried out to meet me, and embraced me affectionately according to the french fashion. "overjoyed to see you, my dear friend," he exclaimed. "i have been long looking for you, and am delighted that you have been induced to come. i have been preparing various entertainments, as i wish to show you how we frenchmen enjoy life." i said everything that was proper in return, when, after he had made many inquiries as to how i had come to france, and the adventures i had met with on my journey, he added-- "now i must introduce you to madame _ma mere_ and my young sister. they are prepared to receive you as a friend, and are delighted to find that you possess the accomplishment of speaking french." he forthwith led me into a handsome _salon_, or drawing-room, in which i saw two ladies seated, engaged in embroidery work. they both rose as we entered. the eldest was a stately and handsome dame, but my eyes were naturally attracted by the younger. it was fortunate, perhaps, that monsieur planterre had described her, or i do not know how i should have behaved myself. she was in truth the most lovely little damsel i had ever seen, fair, and of exquisite figure, with blue, laughing eyes. they received me without any form, as if i had been an old friend, and i at once felt myself perfectly at home. without speaking of my adventures at vernon, i told them of my landing, and highly amused them with the description of the way in which i had found my follower larry compelled to act the part of a bear. i said how grateful i felt to the worthy mayor for the assistance he had given me, as also for his introduction to monsieur planterre. while i was speaking, la touche was summoned out of the room by a servant. he in a short time returned, and then, to my surprise, gave his mother and sister a full account of the way i had rescued monsieur planterre from the hands of the mob. mademoiselle sophie appeared to be highly interested, and kept looking at me while her brother was speaking, and, although she did not join in the praises her mother lavished upon me for what she called my gallant conduct, evidently regarded me as a hero. "you have come into our country in what i fear will prove troublous times," observed la touche, as we were seated at the supper table. "the people are inclined to take the law into their own hands in other places besides vernon, and are specially ill-disposed towards the _noblesse_, who, they declare, have been living on the fat of the land, while they have been starving. our friend monsieur planterre, after what has occurred, not considering his life safe in the town, has come out here, but thought it wiser not to appear as a guest, lest it should be reported that i have entertained him. my people suppose him to be a lackey, as he acts the part to admiration; and he will take his departure to-morrow morning, without, i hope, being discovered, so that they will all be ready to declare that monsieur planterre has not come to the chateau." "yes, there is a sad time coming for france, from what i hear is taking place in paris," said madame la touche. "the people have already got the upper hand, and the king himself is, i fear, in hourly peril of his life." "ah! we must not think or talk about such things too much," said la touche. "my object at present is to make our guest's stay in france pleasant, and not to speak of disagreeable subjects. sophie will, i am sure, aid me in that object." sophie smiled, and said that such an occupation would afford her much pleasure. chapter twenty nine. conclusion. as the supper was at a comparatively early hour, we retired to the drawing-room, where the young lady played and sang, with much spirit, several lively airs, which her brother selected. she then chose one for herself of a more plaintive character, which had, as she intended it should have, a strange effect upon me. i listened in raptures, for her voice was sweet and melodious. "i am indeed glad that you understand french so well," she said. "when i heard that an englishman was coming some day, i thought that we should have had to carry on a conversation by signs, and that would have been very stupid." "i fear that i do not speak it very correctly, but i must try to improve myself," i remarked. "you do make a few mistakes now and then, but i shall be delighted to instruct you, and to correct your errors, if you will allow me to do so." that night, although somewhat tired from the exertions i had gone through in the morning, it was some time before i felt inclined to turn in; and when i did at length go to bed, i remained awake far longer than usual, thinking of the beautiful sophie, her sweet voice still sounding in my ears. i was awakened next morning by larry, who accompanied one of the servants to my room. "i did not see you last night, mr terence, and i couldn't tell what had become of your honour," he exclaimed. "faith, i tried to tell the people of the house that i wanted to find you, but not a word of my best french did they understand." i told larry how well i had been treated, and that he need not have any apprehensions about me. the servant had brought a cup of coffee, which i found was the custom of the french to take in the morning, and he told me that breakfast would not be ready for an hour or more. as soon, therefore, as i had dressed i descended to the garden, which was of considerable extent, with lawns, fish-ponds, fountains, statues, and labyrinths. i had not gone far, when i saw a small figure tripping on lightly before me. i was tempted to hasten my steps. she turned--it was sophie. "i will show you the garden," she said, "and my favourite spots. you might lose yourself without my guidance, and perhaps you will accept it." i of course had but one answer to give. we walked on in the fresh morning air. i thought her lovely in the evening, but she appeared still more so now, looking as fresh and bright as the gay flowers which adorned the parterres. i felt that i had entered into a new existence; it was no wonder, for we were both young, and she had lived a secluded life, she told me, since her father's death. we very naturally forgot all about breakfast, and when we arrived at the house madame la touche chided her for her thoughtlessness in allowing me to starve. such was the commencement of my stay. my friend insisted that i should go out with him to shoot, believing that such was the only amusement i was likely to care for; but the preserves were full of game, and we had to do little more than stand still and shoot the birds as they were put up by the dogs. we returned to dinner, and as la touche gave me the choice, i preferred a stroll in the garden with him and his sister to a more extended excursion. the following days were spent in the same delightful manner. every hour i became more and more attached to sophie. i could not but feel a desire that she should return my affection. i forgot my poverty, and that until i could obtain my promotion, i should have nothing on which to support a wife, as the ballinahone property had been entailed on my brother. i ought, i knew, to have assumed an indifference to the young lady, and speedily taken my departure, and i was in consequence much to blame. still la touche should not have invited me to the chateau; but in throwing me into the society of so charming a being as his sister, he did no perhaps think of the consequences, or, if he did, fancied that i was possessed of wealth, or at least a competency. we were living all the time a peaceful secluded life, for we never went beyond the walled grounds of the chateau, and few visitors came to the house. we heard occasionally, however, what was going forward both in paris and other parts of the country. matters were growing more and more serious. risings had occurred in various places, and lives had been lost. an army of fishwives, and other women of the lowest orders, had marched to versailles, and threatened the king and marie antoinette, if food was not given them. we were one evening seated at supper when a servant rushed into the room, with terror depicted in his countenance. "oh, monsieur! oh, madame!" he exclaimed, "i have just received notice that a vast array of people are marching this way, threatening to destroy all the chateaux in the neighbourhood, and the chateau la touche in particular. they declare that you are an aristocrat." "are you certain that this is true?" exclaimed la touche, starting from his seat. "if monsieur will come to the northern tower, he will hear the voices of the people in the distance," replied the servant. "do not be alarmed, my mother and sister," said la touche. "the report may be exaggerated, but it is as well to be prepared. we will close all the lower doors and windows, and set the ruffians at defiance if they come. will you accompany me, finnahan, and as we go give me your advice as to the best way of defending the house?" i would willingly have stopped to try and tranquillise the alarm of madame la touche and sophie, but i could not refuse my friend's request. i set off with him, and we soon reached the tower. we looked out from a narrow window towards the north, but at first could see no one approaching, though on listening attentively we fancied that we could distinguish the murmur of voices far off. presently a bright light appeared on the left, rising, it seemed, out of the midst of a forest at some distance from the banks of the seine. the light rapidly increased in size, and flames began to ascend, while clouds of smoke darkened the sky. "ah! that must come from the chateau l'estrange!" exclaimed la touche. "the rabble have attacked the house, and set it on fire. fortunately, none of the family are at home except the old domestics, and they, poor people, will too probably be sacrificed. the villains would like to treat my chateau in the same way, and will before long make the attempt." "but we will defend it, and drive them back," i exclaimed. "have you a sufficient supply of arms and ammunition for its defence? we must barricade all the doors and windows; and, unless they have cannon, they will not succeed in getting in, i trust." "we have plenty of arms, and i obtained a supply of ammunition a short time since," said la touche. "i doubt, however, the courage of some of my domestics; they would rather yield to the rabble than risk their lives in the defence of my property." "larry and i will try to make up, as far as we can, for their want of bravery," i said. "thank you, my friends; you will be a host in yourselves. now let us see about preparing to give the insurgents a warm reception should they attack the chateau." on descending from the tower, la touche entered the supper room singing and laughing. "there is not much to be afraid of, so you need not be anxious, _ma chere mere_; or you either, sophie," he said in a cheerful tone of voice. "we are going to shut the doors and windows in case any of the rabble may try to creep in at them. you can retire to your rooms or stay here, as you think best. you will oblige me, however, by keeping the women quiet, or they may be running about and interfering with our proceedings." "we will do more than keep them quiet," exclaimed sophie; "we will make them useful by setting them an example; only tell us what you want us to do." "the best thing you can do is to close all the shutters and windows looking to the front in the upper storey, and to place chests of drawers and bedding against them, so that if bullets are fired they will do no harm." "that we will do, my son," said madame la touche, rising from her seat; and she hurried off, accompanied by sophie. la touche at once summoned his _maitre d'hotel_ and the other servants. "my friends," he said, "i have no intention of letting the insurgents destroy my chateau, as they have done those of other persons, and i will trust to you to defend it to the last." a party of englishmen would have cheered. they, however, merely said, "_oui! oui! monsieur_; we are ready to do what you tell us." among the servants came larry. i told him what we expected would happen, and what he was to do. "shure we'll be after driving the `spalpeens' back again," he answered. "i was little thinking that we should have this sort of fun to amuse us when we came to france." we lost no more time in talking, but immediately set to work to shut all the doors on the ground floor, and to nail pieces of timber and strong planks against them. the windows were closed with such materials as could be obtained. there were more forthcoming than i expected; and la touche acknowledged that he had laid in a store some time before. he then summoned the _maitre d'hotel_ and two other servants, and led the way--accompanied by larry and me--down a steep flight of stone steps to a vault beneath the house. opening the door of what was supposed to be a wine cellar, he showed us a stand of twenty muskets, with pistols and pikes, several casks of powder and cases of bullets. larry, at once fastening a belt round his waist, and tucking a couple of muskets under each arm, hurried off, the servants following his example. la touche and i each took as many more, and returned to the hall. his first care was to place his men two and two at each of the parts of the building likely to be attacked. "these countrymen of mine fight better together than singly," he observed. "and now let us go round and examine our defences, to ascertain that no part is left insecure." some time was spent in making these various arrangements. every now and then la touche ran in to see his mother and sister, and to assure them that they need not be alarmed. "i have no fears," said sophie, on one of these occasions, when i accompanied him. "with the help of this brave englishman and his follower, i am sure that you will drive back the insurgents." "_ma foi_! i hope so," said la touche to me, as we left the room. "but they are the same sort of ruffians as those who destroyed the bastile." the news of that event had a short time before reached us. "now let us return to the watch-tower, and try to make out what the _canaille_ are about." the mob, as far as we could observe, were not as yet approaching. they were probably dancing and singing round the burning chateau, the flames from which were ascending in all directions, its towers forming four pyramids of fire. "they are waiting to see the result of their handiwork," said la touche. "when the roof has fallen in and the towers come to the ground, they will be satisfied, and will probably make their way in this direction. ah! what are those lights there?" he suddenly exclaimed. i looked towards the spot he pointed at, when i saw advancing along the road a number of men bearing torches. "they are coming, as i expected, fully believing that they will destroy this chateau as they have the chateau l'estrange," said la touche. "now, my friend, it is possible that they may succeed, notwithstanding all our preparations. i will therefore have a carriage prepared, and the horses put to, with two others for riding. i know, should i be unable to go, that you will protect my mother and sister, and endeavour to conduct them to a place of safety, either to the coast or to the house of a friend whom they will name to you." "you may trust me indeed, although i hope for your sake that there will be no necessity for such a proceeding," i answered, my heart beating strangely at the thought of having sophie and her mother committed to my charge. i resolved, of course, to protect them to the last, and i hoped that in my character as a foreigner i might be able to do this more effectually than la touche himself. madame should pass as my mother, and sophie for my sister, and i hoped that we might thus pass through the fiercest mob, whose rage, being turned against the aristocrats, would not interfere with an englishman, whom they would imagine was merely travelling through the country for the sake of seeing it, as many had been doing for some time past. we had very little longer time to wait, when some hundreds of persons appeared coming along the road directly for the chateau. we could see them from the tower, where we had remained. a large number were carrying torches. the entrance gate was locked and barred, and the chateau itself, all lights being concealed, must have appeared shrouded in darkness. "let them exhaust their strength in breaking down the gate," said la touche. scarcely a moment after, the mob reached the gate, waving their torches, and shrieking and shouting out-- "down with the aristocrats! down with the tyrants! down with those who pillage us, and live upon the product of our toil?" "let them shout themselves hoarse," remarked la touche. "they will not find it a very easy matter to break down that stout old gate, or to climb over the wall." on discovering the impediment in their way, their shouts and threats increased in fury. a number of them, rushing against the bar of the gate, endeavoured to force it from its hinges. not a word all this time was uttered by any of our garrison. the insurgents, finding that the gate would not yield, shouted for some one in the chateau to open it. no one replied. again and again they shook it. at last we heard the sound of loud blows, as if it were being struck by a sledge hammer, while several figures appeared on the top of the wall, ladders having been procured to assist them up. "why do you come here, my friends?" demanded la touche abruptly. "the gate is locked as a sign that i wished to be in private." "it is the residence of an aristocrat, and all such we have resolved to level to the ground," shouted one of the mob. "i warn you that you will pay dearly if you make the attempt," cried la touche. "we are well-armed, and are resolved to defend the place." "we are not to be stopped by threats. on, comrades, on!" exclaimed another voice among those who were clambering over the wall. "if one of our number falls, remember that every one of those inside the house will be destroyed." "you have been warned,--the consequence will be on your own heads if you attack us," said la touche. by this time a considerable number of persons had got into the yard by clambering over the wall, but the stout iron gate had hitherto resisted all attempts to force it open. "we might kill or wound all the fellows in front of the house," said la touche to me, "but i am unwilling to shed the blood of my countrymen if it can be avoided; i will give them another chance. you are in our power, friends," he shouted out; "if we fire, not one of you will escape. go back to where you came from, and your lives will be spared." derisive shouts were the only answers given to what la touche had said. more people were all the time clambering over the wall, while continued blows on the gate showed that the mob had not given up the idea of forcing an entrance. presently there was a loud crash, the gate was thrown open, and in rushed a number of savage-looking fellows, all armed with some weapon or other, many of them carrying torches, which they waved wildly above their heads, shouting all the time, "down with the aristocrats! revenge! revenge for the wrongs they have done us!" "they are in earnest, of that there can be no doubt," said la touche. "we must drive them back before they become more daring. it is useless to hold further parley with them;" and he gave orders to our small garrison to open fire. loud shrieks and cries rent the air, several people were seen to fall, but this only increased the rage of the rest, who, running up to the front door with axes and other weapons, began hacking away at it, probably expecting quickly to force it open. more and more people followed, until the whole yard was full of men surging here and there, some firing, others waving their torches, apparently to distract our attention, while the more determined assailed the doors and windows. "are there no troops likely to come to our assistance?" i asked, seeing that matters were growing serious. "no; we must defend ourselves, and i fear that if these ruffians persevere, they will succeed at last," whispered la touche to me. "we must endeavour to save my mother and sister, for the mob, if they once get in, will sacrifice them as well as the rest of us. i am resolved to stop and defend my house to the last, but i must provide for their safety by committing them to your charge. the carriage is in readiness, and there are two faithful servants to whom i have given orders how to act. go, i beseech you, at once, and request my mother and sophie to enter the carriage and set out without a moment's delay. two saddle-horses are in readiness for you and your servant. you will go as their escort. tell them i will retreat in time to follow them. take the road towards paris, and wait for me. should any one attempt to interfere with you, say that you are an english officer, and that the ladies are under your charge. i do not apprehend that you will be molested; go, therefore, lose no time." he wrung my hand as if he would take no denial. i of course, although unwilling to leave him, was ready to carry out his wishes. i hastened to the room where i had left madame la touche and sophie, and explained to them what la touche wished them to do. "but will he follow us?" asked madame la touche in an agitated tone. "he has promised to do so, madame," i answered; "but let us not delay, lest the mob should get round to the other side of the house and cut off our retreat." madame la touche hesitated no longer, but allowed me to lead her and her daughter down to the yard at the back of the house, where we found the horses already put to, and i handed the ladies into the carriage. the coachman mounted the box; another servant was holding the two riding horses; and i was preparing to mount, when larry, sent by la touche, came springing down the steps and was in his saddle in a moment. the french servant mounted behind the carriage; and the coach drove off down an avenue which led along the banks of a stream running through the pleasure-grounds. i was in hopes that la touche would have followed at once, for i saw that there was very little probability of his being able successfully to defend the house against the savage mob who had resolved to destroy it. i could hear the wild shrieks and shouts and cries of the assailants, the rattle of musketry, and the loud thundering against the doors and windows; but, anxious as i felt about my friend, my duty was to push on with my charges, and with all possible speed to convey them out of danger. the coachman was equally desirous to preserve his mistress, and lashed on his horses at their utmost speed. fortunately he knew the road, which was an unusually good one. we were soon outside the grounds belonging to the chateau. proceeding along a road which ran parallel with the river, we soon got beyond the sounds of the strife; but on looking round i saw a bright light suddenly appear in the direction of the chateau. it increased in size. another and another appeared; and i could distinguish the flames bursting out from several windows. could the mob so soon have broken into the chateau, and set it on fire? i feared the worst, and that my gallant friend and his servants had been overwhelmed, and too probably massacred. i felt thankful, however, that madame la touche and sophie had escaped in time. had they remained a few minutes longer, they might have been too late. had i been alone, i should have been unable to restrain myself from galloping back to ascertain what had occurred; but to protect them was now my great object. i kept as close as possible to the carriage, not knowing what might at any moment occur. i was afraid that they might look out of the window and see the flames; but they were too much overcome with grief and terror to do that, and sat back in the carriage, clasped in each other's arms. when the road would allow, i rode up and spoke a few words to try and comfort them, although it was no easy matter to do that. "when will henri come?" exclaimed madame la touche. "he ought to have overtaken us by this time." "you forget, madame, we have been travelling at a rapid rate," i observed. "he promised to retreat in time, should he find it necessary to abandon the chateau. he will probably overtake us when we stop for the night. there is no fear that the mob will follow him to any distance." the coachman said he knew of an inn about six leagues on the paris road, where madame and sophie might rest securely, as the mob could not get so far that night. it was where monsieur la touche had ordered him to remain. i bade him therefore go on as his master told him, although he proceeded at a slower rate than at first, for fear of knocking up his horses. i was very thankful when the little inn was reached. it was kept by a buxom dame, who received madame la touche and sophie politely, and offered the best accommodation her house would afford. i handed the ladies from the carriage. madame entered the house at once, but sophie lingered for a moment. "oh, tell me, monsieur finnahan, has henri come yet? i dread lest he should have done anything rash, and lost his life. it would break mamma's heart if he were to be killed; and she will not rest, i am convinced, until she knows he is safe. i cannot ask you to go back to look for him, but will you send your servant to gain intelligence, and bring it to us?" "i would go back myself, but my duty is to remain and guard you," i said. "what do you wish?--tell me." "we shall be perfectly safe here, and i desire for my mother's sake to know what has happened to henri," she answered. i thought that sophie was right, and my own anxiety made me desire to ride back. i accordingly mounted my horse, leading larry's. i left my faithful retainer with instructions that in the event of the mob approaching, he was to drive off with the ladies. i galloped on at full speed, anxious without loss of time to reach the chateau. if la touche had escaped, he would probably require my assistance. i had no expectation of finding he had beaten back the insurgents; indeed, i was not free from the fearful apprehension that he and his people had been surprised by them, and massacred before they could make good their retreat; still, as the insurgents, when i left the chateau, appeared to have no intention of making their way round to the back of the building, i hoped that he would have contrived to escape in time. that they would have murdered him if caught i had not the shadow of a doubt. i had marked the road as i came along, and had no fear as to finding my way. the moon, too, had risen, which enabled me to do this with less difficulty. as i galloped on, i looked carefully about on either side, for i knew that the clatter of my horses' hoofs would attract the attention of any one coming along the road. but i met no one along the whole length of my ride. at last i could distinguish the tall towers with the flames bursting out from their summits, and i knew that the chateau was doomed to destruction. suddenly both horses started, and i heard a voice say-- "who goes there?" it was la touche. he was wounded badly, and unable to proceed farther. had i not gone to look for him, he would most probably have perished. "the chateau will be burned to the ground," he observed. "but i care not for that, now that i know, thanks to you, finnahan, that my mother and sophie have escaped." having bound up his wounds, i assisted him to mount the spare horse, and we set out for the inn where i had left madame la touche and her daughter. we met with many adventures and hair-breadth escapes before i ultimately succeeded in escorting them on board the _saucy bet_, and seeing them safely landed in england i shortly afterwards obtained my promotion. and though i have much more to narrate which my readers may like to hear, i was now lieutenant, and my adventures as a midshipman therefore come to a conclusion at this period of my life. the end. fitz the filibuster, by george manville fenn. ________________________________________________________________________ another well-written book of nautical adventure by a writer who is a master of suspense. our hero is a young midshipman called fitzgerald burnett, but always known as fitz. the warship in which he serves is on channel patrol, and they are on the lookout for a smuggler who is running arms to a friendly central american small republic. they get more caught up in the struggle that is going on in that country, and so take part in several small fights and other tense situations. the book is full of well-drawn characters, especially some of the old seamen that fitz has to deal with. nh ________________________________________________________________________ fitz the filibuster, by george manville fenn. chapter one. aboard a gunboat. "well, mr burnett, what is it?" "beg pardon, sir." "now, my good boy, have i not told you always to speak out in a sharp, business-like way? how in the world do you expect to get on in your profession and become a smart officer, one who can give orders promptly to his men, if you begin in that stammering, hesitating style? here, i'm busy; what do you want?" "i beg pardon, sir, i--" "will--you--speak--out!" "yes, sir; mr storks is going off to-night with an armed boat's crew--" "thank you, mr burnett, i am much obliged; but allow me to tell you that your news is very stale, for i was perfectly aware of that fact, and gave the orders to mr storks myself." "yes, sir; of course, sir; but--" "my good boy, what do you want?" "to go with them, sir." "oh! then why didn't you say so at first?" "i didn't know how you'd take it, sir." "then you know now: very badly. no; the boat's going on important business, and i don't want her packed full of useless boys. what good do you expect you could do there?" "learn my profession, sir." "oh! ah! h'm! well--that's smart. yes, i like that, mr burnett, much better. well, i don't know what to say. there's no danger. perhaps you will be away all the night and get no sleep." "shouldn't mind that, sir. mr storks said that he wouldn't mind." "doesn't matter whether mr storks minds or not. well--yes; you may go. there, there, no thanks; and--er--and--er--don't take any notice, mr burnett; i am a little irritable this evening--maddening toothache, and that sort of thing. don't get into mischief. that'll do." commander glossop, r.n., generally known as captain of h.m. gunboat _tonans_, on special duty from the channel squadron, went below to his cabin, and fitzgerald burnett--fitz for short--midshipman, seemed suddenly to have grown an inch taller, and comparatively stouter, as he seemed to swell out with satisfaction, while his keen grey eyes literally sparkled as he looked all a boy. "thought he was going to snap my head off," he mattered, as he began to walk up and down, noticing sundry little preparations that were in progress in connection with one of the quarter-boats, in which, as she swung from the davits, a couple of the smart, barefooted sailors, whose toes looked very pink in the chill air, were overhauling and re-arranging oars, and the little mast, yard and sail, none of which needed touching, for everything was already in naval apple-pie order. fitz burnett ended his walk by stopping and looking on. "going along with us, sir?" said one of the sailors. "yes," said the lad shortly, and sharply enough to have satisfied his superior if he had overheard. "that's right, sir," said the man, so earnestly that the boy looked pleased. "know where we are going, sir?" the other man ventured to ask. "is it likely?" was the reply; "and if i did know do you suppose that i would tell you?" "no, sir, of course not. but it's going to be something desperate, sir, because we have got to take all our tools." "ah, you'll see soon enough," said the boy, and full of the importance of being one in some expedition that was to break the monotony of the everyday routine, as well as to avoid further questioning, and any approach to familiarity on the part of the men, fitz continued his walk, to come in contact directly after with another superior officer in the shape of the lieutenant. "hullo, mr burnett! so you are to go with us to-night, i hear." "yes, sir," cried the boy eagerly. "would you mind telling me what we are going to do?" "then you don't know?" "no, sir." "then why did you ask the captain to let you go?" "i wanted to be there, sir. armed boat's crew going off! it sounded so exciting." "i don't think that you will find much excitement, mr burnett; but wait and see. if you want more information i must refer you to the captain." this last was accompanied by a nod and a good-humoured smile, as the officer moved away to look at the boat, but turned his head to add-- "better put on a warm jacket; i dare say we shall have a cold night's work." "i don't care," said the boy to himself. "anything for a change. i do get so tired of this humdrum steaming here and steaming there, and going into port to fill up the coal-bunkers. being at sea isn't half so jolly as i used to think it was, and it is so cold. wish we could get orders to sail to one of those beautiful countries in the east indies, or to south america--anywhere away from these fogs and rains. why, we haven't seen the sun for a week." he went forward, to rest his arms on the bulwark and look out to sea. the sight was not tempting. the mouth of the mersey is not attractive on a misty day, and the nearest land aft showed like a low-down dirty cloud. away on the horizon there was a long thick trail of smoke being left behind by some outward-bound steamer, and running his eyes along the horizon he caught sight of another being emitted from one of two huge funnels which were all that was visible of some great atlantic steamer making for the busy port. nearer in there were two more vessels, one that he made out to be a brig, and that was all. "ugh!" ejaculated the boy. "i wish--i wish--what's the use of wishing? one never gets what one wants. whatever are we going to do to-night? it must mean smuggling. well, there will be something in that. going aboard some small boat and looking at the skipper's papers, and if they are not right putting somebody on board and bringing her into port. but there won't be any excitement like one reads about in books. it's a precious dull life coming to sea." fitz burnett sighed and waited, for the evening was closing in fast, and then he began to brighten in the expectation of the something fresh that was to take place that night. but knowing that it might be hours before they started, he waited--and waited--and waited. there is an old french proverb which says, _tout vient a point a qui sait attendre_, and this may be roughly interpreted, "everything comes to the man who waits." let's suppose that it comes to the boy. chapter two. bravo, boy! the dim evening gave place to a dark night. the _tonans_ had for some two or three hours been stealing along very slowly not far from land, and that something important was on the way was evident from the captain's movements, and the sharp look-out that was being kept up, and still more so from the fact that no lights were shown. the gunboat's cutter had been swung out ready for lowering down at a moment's notice, the armed crew stood waiting, and one man was in the stern-sheets whose duty it was to look after the lantern, which was kept carefully shaded. fitz, who was the readiest of the ready, had long before noted with intense interest the fact that they showed no lights, and his interest increased when the lieutenant became so far communicative that he stood gazing out through the darkness side by side with his junior, and said softly-- "i am afraid we shall miss her, my lad. she'll steal by us in the darkness, and it will all prove to be labour in vain." fitz waited to hear more, but no more came, for the lieutenant moved off to join the captain. "i wish he wouldn't be so jolly mysterious," said the midshipman to himself. "i am an officer too, and he might have said a little more." but it was all waiting, and no farther intercourse till close upon eight bells, when fitz, feeling regularly tired out, said to himself-- "bother! i wish i hadn't asked leave to go. i should have been comfortably asleep by now." he had hardly thought this when there was a quick movement behind him, and simultaneously he caught sight of a dim light off the starboard-bow. an order was given in a low tone, and with a silence and method learned on board a man-of-war, the boat's crew, followed by their officers, took their places in the cutter, and in obedience to another command the boat was lowered down, kissed the water, the hooks were withdrawn, she was pushed off, the oars fell on either side, and away they glided over the dancing waters in the direction of the distant light. "now we are off, fitz," said the lieutenant eagerly, speaking almost in a whisper, but without the slightest necessity, for the light was far away. "yes, sir, now we are off," replied the boy, almost resentfully, and his tone suggested that he would have liked to say, why can't you tell me where we are going? possibly the officer took it in this light, for he continued-- "this ought to be a bit of excitement for you, burnett. we are after a schooner bound for somewhere south, laden with contraband of war." "war, sir?" whispered the lad excitedly. "well, some petty central american squabble; and the captain has had instructions that this schooner is going to steal out of port to-night. some one informed. we got the information yesterday." "contraband, sir?" "yes; guns and ammunition which ought not to be allowed to be shipped from an english port against a friendly state.--give way, my men!" the rowers responded by making their stout ashen blades bend, and the cutter went forward in jerks through the rather choppy sea. "then we shall take the schooner, sir?" "yes, my lad, if we can." "then that means prize-money." "why, burnett, are you as avaricious as that?" "no, sir; no, sir; i was thinking about the men." "oh, that's right. but don't count your chickens before they are hatched." "no, sir." "we mayn't be able to board that vessel, and if we do, possibly it isn't the one we want. it's fifty to one it isn't. or it may be anything-- some trading brig or another going down south." "of course, sir. there are so many that pass." "at the same time it may be the one we want." "yes, sir." "and then we shall be in luck." "yes, sir." "they must surrender to our armed boat." fitz burnett had had little experience of the sea, but none as connected with an excursion in a boat on a dark night, to board a vessel whose sailing light could be seen in the distance. they had not gone far before the lieutenant tabooed all talking. "still as you can, my lads," he said. "sound travels far over the sea, and lights are very deceptive." the midshipman had already been thinking the same thing. he had often read of will-o'-the-wisps, but never seen one, and this light seemed to answer the description exactly, for there it was, dimly-seen for a few moments, then brightening, and slowly going up and down. but the great peculiarity was that now it seemed quite close at hand, now far distant, and for the life of him he could not make out that they got any nearer. he wanted to draw his companion's attention to that fact, but on turning sharply to the lieutenant as if to speak, he was met by a low "hist!" which silenced him directly, while the men rowed steadily on for quite a quarter of an hour longer, when all at once the lieutenant uttered in an angry whisper-- "what are you doing, you clumsy scoundrel?" for there was a sudden movement behind where they sat in the stern-sheets, as if the man in charge of the lantern had slipped, with the result that a dull gleam of light shone out for a few moments, before its guardian scuffled the piece of sail-cloth by which it had been covered, back into its place, and all was dark once more. "why, what were you about?" whispered the lieutenant angrily. "beg pardon, sir. slipped, sir." "slipped! i believe you were asleep." the man was silent. "you were nodding off, weren't you?" "don't think i was, sir," was the reply. but the man's officer was right, and the rest of the crew knew it, being ready to a man, as they afterwards did, to declare that "that there bill smith would caulk," as they termed taking a surreptitious nap, "even if the gunboat were going down." "put your backs into it, my lads," whispered the lieutenant. "now then, with a will; but quiet, quiet!" as he spoke the speed of the boat increased and its progress made it more unsteady, necessitating his steadying himself by gripping fitz by the collar as he stood up, shading his eyes and keeping a sharp look-out ahead. a low hissing sound suggestive of his vexation now escaped his lips, for to his rage and disgust he saw plainly enough that their light must have been noticed. fitz burnett had come to the same conclusion, for though he strained his eyes with all his power, the will-o'-the-wisp-like light that they were chasing had disappeared. "gone!" thought the boy, whose heart was now beating heavily. "they must have seen our light and taken alarm. that's bad. no," he added to himself, "it's good--capital, for it must mean that that was the light of the vessel we were after. any honest skipper wouldn't have taken the alarm." "use your eyes, burnett, my lad," whispered the lieutenant, bending down. "we must have been close up to her when that idiot gave the alarm. see anything?" "no, sir." "oh, tut, tut, tut, tut!" came in a low muttering tone. "look, boy, look; we must see her somehow. how are we to go back and face the captain if we fail like this?" the boy made no reply, but strained his eyes again, to see darkness everywhere that appeared to be growing darker moment by moment, except in one spot, evidently where the land lay, and there a dull yellowish light glared out that seemed to keep on winking at them derisively, now fairly bright, now disappearing all at once, as the lantern revolved. "hold hard!" whispered the lieutenant, and the men lay on their oars, with the boat gradually slackening its speed till it rose and fell, rocking slowly on the choppy sea, and the eye-like lantern gave another derisive wink twice, and then seemed to shut itself up tight. "it's of no use to pull, burnett," whispered the lieutenant. "we may be going right away. see anything, my lads?" "no, sir," came in a low murmur, and the culprit who had gone to sleep sat and shivered as he thought of the "wigging," as he termed it, that would be his when he went back on board the gunboat; and as the boat rocked now in regular motion the darkness seemed to grow more profound, while the silence to the midshipman seemed to be awful. he was miserable too with disappointment, for he felt so mixed up with the expedition that it seemed to him as if he was in fault, and that when they returned he would have to share in the blame that captain glossop would, as he termed it, "lay on thick." "oh, mr bill smith," he said to himself, "just wait till we get back!" and then a reaction took place. "what's the good?" he thought. "poor fellow! he'll get it hot enough without me saying a word. but how could a fellow go to sleep at a time like this?" "it's all up, burnett," came in a whisper, close to his ear. "the milk's spilt, and it's no use crying over it, but after all these preparations who could have expected such a mishap as that?--what's the matter with you?" he added sharply. "you'll have me overboard." for the midshipman had suddenly sprung up from where he sat, nearly overbalancing his superior officer as he gripped him tightly by the chest with the right hand, and without replying stood rigidly pointing over the side with his left, his arm stretched right across the lieutenant's breast. "you don't mean--you can see--bravo, boy!--pull, my lads, for all you know." as he spoke he dropped back into his seat, tugging hard with his right hand at one of the rudder-lines, with the result that as the cutter glided once more rapidly over the little waves she made a sharp curve to starboard, and then as the line was once more loosened, glided on straight ahead for something dim and strange that stood out before them like a blur. as the men bent to their stout ash-blades, pulling with all their might, a great thrill seemed to run through the cutter, which, as it were, participated in the excitement of the crew, boat and men being for the time as it were one, while the dark blur now rapidly assumed form, growing moment by moment more distinct, till the occupants of the stern-sheets gradually made out the form of a two-masted vessel gliding along under a good deal of sail. she had so much way on, as the cutter was coming up at right angles that instead of beating fast, fitz burnett's heart now continued its pulsations in jerks in his excitement lest the schooner should glide by them and leave them behind. it was a near thing, but the lieutenant had taken his measures correctly. he was standing up once again grasping the rudder-lines till almost the last moment, before dropping them and giving two orders, to the coxswain to hook on, and to the crew to follow--unnecessary orders, for every man was on the _qui vive_, knew his task, and meant to do it in the shortest possible time. and now a peculiar sense of unreality attacked the young midshipman, for in the darkness everything seemed so dream-like and unnatural. it was as if they were rowing with all their might towards a phantom ship, a misty something dimly-seen in the darkness, a ship-like shape that might at any moment die right away; for all on board was black, and the silence profound. there was nothing alive, as it were, but the schooner itself, careening gently over in their direction, and passing silently before their bows. one moment this feeling strengthened as fitz burnett dimly made out the coxswain standing ready in the bows prepared to seize hold with the boat-hook he wielded, while the men left their oars to swing, while they played another part. "the boat-hook will go through it," thought the lad, as, following the lieutenant's example, he stood ready to spring up the side. the next moment all was real, for the cutter in response to a jerk as the coxswain hooked on, grated against the side and changed its course, gliding along with the schooner, while, closely following, their officers, who sprang on board, the little crew of stout man-of-war's men sprang up and literally tumbled over the low bulwarks on to the vessel's deck. for a short period during which you might have counted six, there was nothing heard but the rustle of the men's movements and the _pad, pad, pad_ of their bare feet upon the deck. "where's the--" what the lieutenant would have said in continuation was not heard. surprised by the utter silence on board, he had shared with fitz the feeling that they must have boarded some derelict whose crew, perhaps in great peril, had deserted their vessel and sought safety in the boats. but the next moment there was a sudden rush that took every one by surprise, for not a word was uttered by their assailants, the thud, thud, thud of heavy blows, the breathing hard of men scuffling, followed by splash after splash, and then one of the schooner's masts seemed to give way and fall heavily upon fitz burnett's head, turning the dimly-seen deck and the struggling men into something so black that he saw no more. chapter three. waking up. it is a curious sensation to be lying on your back you don't know where, and you can't think of the reason why it should be so, but with your head right off, completely detached from your body, and rolling round and round like an exceedingly heavy big ball, that for some inexplicable reason has been pitched into a vast mill on purpose to be ground, but, probably from its thickness and hardness, does not submit to that process, but is always going on and on between the upper stone and nether stone, suffering horrible pain, but never turning into powder, nor even into bits, but going grinding on always for a time that seems as if it would never end unless the millstones should wear away. that is what seemed to be the matter with fitz burnett, for how long he could not tell. but a change came at last, with the gnawing, grinding pain becoming dull. later on it did not seem that his head was detached from his body, and he had some undefined idea that his hands were where he could move them, and at last, later on still, he found himself lying in comparative calmness and in no pain, but in a state something between sleeping and waking. then came a time when he began to think that it was very dark, that he was very tired, and that he wanted to sleep, and so he slept. then again that it was very light, very warm, and that something seemed to be the matter with his berth, for he was thinking more clearly now. he knew he was lying on his back in his berth, and curiously enough he knew that it was not his berth, and while he was wondering why this was, something tickled his nose. naturally enough as the tickling went on, passing here and there, he attributed it to a fly upon his face, and his instinct suggested to him to knock it off. he made a movement to do this quickly and suddenly, but his hand fell back upon his chest--whop! it was only a light touch, but he heard it distinctly, and as the movement resulted in dislodging the fly, he laughed to himself, perfectly satisfied. he felt very comfortable and went to sleep again. hours must have passed, and it was light once more. he turned his head and looked towards that light, to see that it was dancing and flashing upon beautiful blue water all rippled and playing under the influence of a gentle breeze. he could not see much of it, for he was only looking through a round cabin-window. this was puzzling, for there was no such window as that in the gunboat, and the mental question came--where was he? but it did not seem to matter. he was very comfortable, and that dancing light upon the water was one of the most lovely sights he had ever seen. he thought that it was a beautiful morning and that it was very nice to lie and watch it, but he did not think about anybody else or about whys or wherefores or any other puzzling problems, not even about himself. but he did think it would be pleasant to turn himself a little over on his side with his face close to the edge of the berth, and take in long breaths of that soft, sweet air. acting upon this thought, he tried to turn himself, and for the first time began to wonder why it was that he could not stir; and directly after he began to wonder what it was he had been dreaming about; something concerning his head aching horribly and going round and round in a mill. it was while he was obliged to give this up as something he could not master that he heard a click as of a door opening, and the next moment some one came softly in, and a face was interposed between his and the cabin-window. it was a rather rough but pleasant-looking face, with dark brown eyes and blackish curly hair, cut short. the face was a good deal sunburnt too. but he did not take much notice of that; it was the eyes that caught his attention, looking searchingly into his, and fitz waited, expecting the owner of the eyes would speak; and then it seemed to him that he ought to ask something--about something. but about what? he did not quite know, for he felt that though he was wide-awake he could not think as he should. it was as if his apparatus was half asleep. but the owner of the eyes did not say anything, only drew back and disappeared, and as he did so, fitz found that he could think, for he was asking himself how it was that the fellow who had been looking at him had disappeared. he came to the conclusion directly afterwards that it was a dream. then he knew it was not, for he heard a gruff voice that seemed to come through the boards say-- "all right, poole. tumble up directly. what say?" "he's awake, father, and looks as if he had come to himself." "eh? oh, that's good news. come and see him directly." now fitz began to think fast, but still not about himself. "father, eh?" he thought. "whose father is he? he said he was coming to see some one directly. now i wonder who that may be." that was as much as fitz burnett could get through upon this occasion, for thinking had made his eyelids heavy, and the bright flashing water at which he gazed seemed to grow dull and play upon the boards of his berth just over his head and close at hand. from growing dull, this rippling water grew very dark indeed, and then for some time there was nothing more but sleep--beautiful sleep, nature's great remedy and cure for a heavy blow upon the head that has been very close upon fracturing the bone, but which in this case fell so far short that fitz burnett had only had severe concussion of the brain. chapter four. another boy. it was either sunrise or sunset, for the cabin was full of a rich warm glow, and fitz lay upon his back listening to a peculiar sound which sounded to him like _fuzz, whuzz, thrum_. he did not attempt to turn his head for some moments, though he wanted to know what made those sounds, for during some little time he felt too lazy to stir, and at last he turned his head gently and remembered the eyes that had looked at him once, and recalled the face now bent down over something before him from which came those peculiar sounds. fitz felt interested, and watched the busy ringers, the passing and re-passing needle, and the manipulation of a mesh, for some time before he spoke. "how quick and clever he is!" he thought, and then almost unconsciously a word slipped out. "netting?" he said. needle, string and mesh were thrown down, and fitz's fellow-occupier of the cabin started up and came to his side, to bend over and lay a brown cool hand upon his forehead. "feel better?" he said. "better?" said fitz peevishly. "yes, of course." "why--here, stop a moment. who are you?" "no doubt about it," was the reply. "that's the first time you have talked sensibly." "you be hanged!" said fitz sharply. but as he spoke it did not seem like his own voice, but as if somebody else had spoken in a weak, piping tone. he did not trouble himself about that, though, for his mind was beginning to be an inquiring one. "why don't you answer?" he said. "who are you? what's your name?" "poole reed." "oh! then how came you in my cabin?" "well," said the lad, with a pleasant laugh, which made his rather plain face light up in the warm sunset glow and look almost handsome; not that that was wonderful, for a healthy, good-tempered boy's face, no matter what his features, always has a pleasant look,--"i think i might say what are you doing in my cabin?" "eh?" cried fitz, looking puzzled. "how came i--your cabin--your cabin? is it your cabin?" the lad nodded. "i don't know," said fitz. "how did i come here?" "but it is my cabin--rather." "yes, yes; but how did i come here?" "why, in the boat." "in a boat?" said fitz thoughtfully--"in a boat? i came in a boat? yes, i suppose so, because we are at sea. but somehow i don't know how it is. i can't recollect. but i say, hasn't it turned _very_ warm?" "yes. getting warmer every day." "but my head--i don't understand." "don't you? well, never mind. how do you feel?" "oh, quite well, thank you. but i want to know why i am here--in your cabin." "oh, you will know soon enough. don't worry about it now till you get strong again." "till i get strong again? there, now you are beginning to puzzle me once more. i am strong enough now, and--no, i am not," added the lad, rather pitifully, as he raised one hand and let it fall back. "that arm feels half numbed as if it had been hurt, and," he added, rather excitedly, "you asked me how i was. have i been ill?" "yes, very," was the reply. "but don't fret about it. you are coming all right again fast." fitz lay back with his brow wrinkled up, gazing at his companion and trying to think hard; but all in vain, and with a weary gesticulation-- "i can't understand," he said. "i try to think, but my head seems to go rolling round again, and i can only remember that mill." "then take my advice about it. don't try to think at all." "but i must think; i want to know." "oh, you'll know soon enough. you can't think, because you are very weak now. i was just the same when i had the fever at vera cruz--felt as if my head wouldn't go; but it got better every day, and that's how yours will be." "did i catch a fever, then?" said fitz eagerly. "no," was the reply. "you caught something else," and the speaker smiled grimly. "caught something else? and been very bad?" the lad nodded. "then--then," cried fitz excitedly, "captain glossop had me sent aboard this ship to get me out of the way?" "well, not exactly. but don't you bother, i tell you. you are getting right again fast, and father says you'll be all right now you have turned the corner." "who's `father'?" said fitz. "that's a rum question. why, my father, of course--the skipper of this schooner." "oh, i see; the skipper of this schooner," said fitz thoughtfully. "is it a fast one?" "awfully," said the lad eagerly. "you will quite enjoy seeing how we can sail when you are well enough to come on deck. why, if you go on like this we ought to be able to get you up in a day or two. the weather is splendid now. my father is a capital doctor." "what!" cried fitz. "why, you told me just now that he was the skipper of this schooner." "well, so he is. but i say, don't you worry about asking questions. couldn't you drink a cup of tea?" "i don't know; i dare say i could. yes, i should like one. but never mind about that now. i don't quite understand why captain glossop should send me on board this schooner. this is not the liverpool hospital ship, is it?" "oh no." "how many sick people have you got on board?" "none at all," said the lad, "now you are getting well." fitz lay looking at the speaker wistfully. there was something about his frank face and manner that he liked. "i don't understand," he said sadly. "it's all a puzzle, and i suppose it is all as you say through being so ill." "yes, of course. that's it, old chap. i say, you don't mind me calling you `old chap,' do you?" "well, no," said fitz, smiling sadly. "you mean it kindly, i suppose." "well, i want to be kind to you, seeing how bad you've been. i thought one day you were going to davy jones's locker, as the sailors call it." "was i so bad as that?" cried fitz eagerly. "yes, horrid. father and i felt frightened, because it would have been so serious; but there, i won't say another word. i am going to get you some tea." the invalid made an effort to stay him, but the lad paid no heed-- hurrying out of the cabin and shutting the door quietly after him, leaving fitz deep in thought. he lay with his white face wrinkled up, trying hard, in spite of what had been said, to think out what it all meant, but always with his thoughts tending towards his head rolling round in a mill and getting no farther; in fact, it seemed to be going round again for about the nth time, as mathematicians term it, when the cabin-door once more opened, and his attendant bore in a steaming hot cup of tea, to be closely followed by a bluff-looking, middle-aged man, sun-browned, bright-eyed and alert, dressed in semi-naval costume, and looking like a well-to-do yachtsman. he smiled pleasantly as he gave a searching look at the invalid, and sat down at once upon a chair close to the lad's pillow, leaning over to touch his brow and then feel his pulse. "bravo!" he said. "capital!--humph! so you are thinking i don't look like a doctor, eh?" "yes," replied fitz sharply. "how did you know that?" "because it is written in big letters all over your face. why, you are getting quite a new man, and we will have you on deck in a day or two." "thank you," said fitz. "it is very good of you to pay so much attention to an invalid. i knew you were not a doctor because your son here said so; but you seem to have done me a great deal of good, and i hope you think i am grateful. i am sure captain glossop will be very much obliged." "humph!" said the skipper dryly. "i hope he will. but there, try your tea. i dare say it will do you good." as he spoke the skipper passed one muscular arm gently under the boy's shoulders and raised him up, while his son bent forward with the tea. "thank you," said fitz, "but there was no need for that. i could have-- oh, how ridiculous to be so weak as this!" "oh, not at all," said the skipper. "why, you have been days and days without any food--no coal in your bunkers, my lad. how could you expect your engines to go?" "what!" cried fitz. "days and days! wasn't i taken ill yesterday?" "well, not exactly, my lad," said the skipper dryly; "but don't you bother about that now. try the tea." the cup was held to his lips, and the lad sipped and then drank with avidity. "'tis good," he muttered. "that's right," said the skipper. "you were a bit thirsty, i suppose. why, you will soon be ready to eat, but we mustn't go too fast; mind that, poole. gently does it, mind, till he gets a bit stronger.--come, finish your tea.--that's the way. now let me lay you down again." this was done, and the boy's face wrinkled up once more. "i am so weak," he said querulously. "to be sure you are, my lad, but that will soon go off now. you've got nothing to do but to lie here and eat and drink and sleep, till you come square again. my boy poole here will look after you, and to-morrow or next day we will carry you up on deck and let you lie in a cane-chair. you will be able to read soon, and play draughts or chess, and have a fine time of it." "thank you; i am very much obliged," said the young midshipman warmly. "i want to get well again, and i will try not to think, but there is one thing i should like to ask." "well. so long as it isn't questions, go on, my lad." "i want you to write a letter home, it doesn't matter how short it is, about my having been ill--so long as you tell my mother that i am getting better from my attack. your son said when i asked him, that i got it on the head, and i am afraid my mother would not understand that, so you had better say what fever it was, for i am sure she'd like to know. what fever was it, captain? you might tell me that!" "eh, what--what fever?" said the skipper. "ah, ah," and he gave a peculiar cock of his eye towards his son, "brain-fever, my lad, brain-fever. it made you a bit delirious. but that's all over now." "and you will write, sir? i'll give you the address." "write?" said the captain. "why not wait till you get into port? you will be able then to write yourself." "oh, but i can't wait for that, sir. if you would kindly write the letter and send it ashore by one of the men in your boat, it will be so much better." "all right, my lad. i'll see to it. but there, now. you've talked too much. not another word. i am your doctor, and my orders are that you now shut your eyes and go to sleep." as he spoke the skipper made a sign to his son, and they both left the cabin, the latter bearing the empty cup. chapter five. aghast. as the cabin-door closed fitz lay back, trying to think about his position, but he felt too comfortable to trouble much. there had been something so soft and comforting about that tea, which had relieved the parched sensation in his throat and lips. then the skipper and his son had been so kind and attentive. it was so satisfactory too about getting that letter off, and then that evening glow rapidly changing into a velvety gloom with great stars coming out, was so lovely that he felt that he had never seen anything so exquisite before. "there, i won't think and worry," he said to himself, and a minute later he had fallen into a sleep which proved so long and restful, that the sun had been long up before he unclosed his eyes again to find his younger attendant once more netting. "morning," said the lad cheerily. "you have had a long nap, and no mistake." "why, i haven't been asleep since sunset, have i?" "you have, and it seems to have done you a lot of good. you can eat a good breakfast now, can't you?" "yes, and get up first and have a good wash. i long for it." "you can't. i shall have to do that. here, wait a minute. i will go and tell the cook to get your breakfast ready, and then come back and put you all a-taunto." the lad hurried out of the cabin, leaving fitz wide-awake now in every sense of the word, for that last rest had brought back the power of coherent thought, making him look wonderingly out of the window at the glorious sea, so different from anything he had been accustomed to for months and months, and setting him wondering. "why, this can't be the irish channel," he thought, "and here, when was it i was taken ill? i seem to have been fast asleep, and only just woke up. where was i? was that a dream? no, i remember now; the lieutenant and the cutter's crew. that schooner we were sent to board in the darkness, and--" here his young attendant re-entered the cabin with a tin-bowl in one hand, a bucket of freshly dipped sea-water in the other, and a towel thrown over his shoulder. "here, hullo, midshipman!" he cried cheerily. "my word, you do look wide-awake! but there's nothing wrong, is there?" "yes! no! i don't know," cried fitz excitedly. "what's the name of this schooner?" "oh, it's all right. it's my father's schooner." "and you sailed from liverpool?" "i haven't come here to answer your questions," said the lad, almost sulkily. "that proves it, then. i remember it all now. we boarded you in the dark, and--and--" before the speaker could continue, the cabin-door was thrust open and the bluff-looking skipper entered. "hullo!" he said sternly, "what's the matter here?" "your son, sir, won't answer my questions," cried fitz excitedly. "quite right, my lad. i told him not to until you get better, so don't ask." "i am better," cried the boy, trying to spring up, but sinking back with a groan. "there, you see," said the skipper, "you are not. you are far too weak. why not take my word for it, my lad, as a bit of a doctor? now, look here! you want to know how it is you came on board my craft--wait patiently a little while, and when i think you are well enough to bear it i will tell you all." "but i don't want to be told now," cried the boy passionately--"not that. i boarded with our men, and i can remember i felt a heavy blow. i must have been knocked down and stunned. what has become of our lieutenant, the boat and men?" "oh, well, my lad, if the murder must out--" "murder!" cried fitz. "murder, no! nonsense! that's a figure of speech. i mean, if the story must come out, here it is. i was going peacefully down channel when your boat boarded us." "as she had a right to," cried fitz, "being from one of the queen's ships on duty." "oh, i am not going to argue that, my lad," said the skipper coolly. "i was sailing down channel, interfering with nobody, when i was boarded by a lot of armed men in the dark, and i did what any skipper would do under the circumstances. the boat's crew meant to capture my craft and my valuable cargo, so after a scuffle i had them all pitched overboard to get back to their boat, and gave them the go-by in the darkness, and i haven't seen anything of them since." "oh!" exclaimed fitz. "resisting one of her majesty's crews! do you know, sir, what it means?" "i know what the other means, my lad--losing my craft and valuable cargo, and some kind of punishment, i suppose, for what i have done." "but you have taken me prisoner, then?" cried fitz. "well, not exactly, my lad," said the skipper, smiling. "i shouldn't have done that if i had known. nobody knew you were on board till the next morning, for we were all too busy clapping on all sail so as to give your gunboat a clean pair of heels." "never mind me," cried fitz excitedly. "what about the boat's crew?" "oh, they'll be all right. they got back to their boat. we could hear plainly enough the shouting one to the other, and your officer hailing till the last man was picked up. they were showing their lantern then without stint, not giving us a mere glimpse like they did when we saw it first." "oh!" ejaculated fitz, drawing his breath between his teeth as he recalled the dropping off to sleep of poor bill smith. "it was not till sunrise, my lad, that i knew you were on board. you had had an unlucky crack on the head which sent you down the companion-ladder, and when my lads brought and laid you up on deck it seemed to me the worst part of the night's business." "then why didn't you put me ashore at once?" cried fitz. "you were keeping me a prisoner here," and he looked from father to son, the former where he had seated himself quietly by the head of the middy's berth, the other standing leaning against the bulkhead folding and unfolding the clean towel, with the bucket of water and tin-bowl at his feet. "why didn't i put you ashore at once?" replied the skipper. "say, why didn't i put myself and men all in prison for what i had done? well, hardly likely, my lad. i couldn't afford it, between ourselves. there! it was your people's fault. you may call it duty, if you like. mine was to save my schooner if i could--and i did. so now you know the worst. come; be a good boy and let poole there wash your face." "oh, this is insufferable," cried fitz. "you are insulting a queen's officer, sir." "i am very sorry, sir," said the skipper coolly, "but i have got another duty to do now, and that is to make you quite well. this is only a fast trading schooner, but in his way a skipper is as big a man as the captain of a queen's man-of-war. he is master, and you have got to obey--the more so because it is for your own good. why don't i set you ashore? because i can't. as soon as i safely can, off you go, but till then just you take it coolly and get well." "put me aboard the first ship you see." "i shall put you where i like, my boy; so once more i tell you that you have got to obey me and get well. if you go on like this, exciting yourself, we shall have the fever back again, and then, mark this, the words of truth, you will be too ill to ask me to write to your mother and tell her how bad you are." poor fitz's lips parted, and he lay back upon his pillow speechless and staring with a strange, wistful look in his eyes, making not the slightest resistance, not even attempting to speak again, as the skipper laid a hand once more upon his forehead, keeping it there a few minutes before he removed it. "not so hot," he said, "as i expected to feel it. go on, poole, my boy, and get him his breakfast as soon as you can." the lad took his father's place as he vacated it and moved towards the cabin-door, but only to return directly, step to the side of the berth, and take one of the middy's hands and hold it between his own. "there, there," he said, "i am sorry to be so hard with you, my lad, for you have spoken very bravely and well. come! a sailor has to take the ups and downs of his profession. you are all in the downs now, and are, so to speak, my prisoner; but we shan't put you in irons, eh, poole?" "no, father," said the lad addressed, smiling; "not quite." "and i shall be disgraced--disgraced!" groaned the midshipman. "disgraced! nonsense! what for? why, my lad, your captain when he knows all ought to put a big mark against your name; and i have no doubt he will." as he spoke he left the cabin without another word, and the silence was just as great within; but it was a busy silence all the same, while fitz lay back, unable to avoid feeling how cool and pleasant was the touch of the water, and how gentle were his attendant's hands. he was still miserable, but there was something very satisfying later on in being propped up with a great locker-cushion and a well-stuffed pillow, feeling the deliciously warm morning air float through the open cabin-window, what time, by the help of the skipper's son, he partook of a capital breakfast, at first feeling that every mouthful was choking him, then with eager appetite, poole smiling pleasantly at him all the while. it was annoying too, for the middy felt that, to use his own term, he ought to hate this "filibustering young ruffian" with all his heart. as for speaking to him unless it were to give him some imperious order, he mentally vowed he would not do that. but that coffee was newly roasted, and though they were far at sea, the fresh bread-cakes were nice and warm, and the butter not in the slightest degree too salt. fitz had been long without any food to signify, returning health was giving him the first instalments of a ravenous appetite, and somehow it seems to be one of nature's rules that _one_ fasting has his temper all on edge, while when he is satisfied it does not take much to make him smile. so it was that before the breakfast was over, fitz burnett had forgotten his mental vow. curiosity got the better of him. "how far are we from land?" he said. "the nearest?" fitz nodded. "oh, about eight hundred miles." "and where's that? somewhere south?" "no, north by east." "do you mean it?" it was poole's turn now to nod. the young midshipman sank back aghast, trying to mentally fill up the blank between that night off the dark waters near liverpool, and the bright sunny sea before him now. it was a thorough failure, for before many minutes had passed, his thinking powers seemed to be rendered misty by a sunny glow through which he was wafted back to england, kent, and his own old pleasant home. his head had sunk back, and he was sleeping peacefully and well, not in the least disturbed by his attendant as the breakfast-things were removed and the cabin touched up. this done, poole stood beside him, examining his position. "seems comfortable enough," he said, "and i don't think he can roll over. poor old chap! it does seem a nasty turn, but it was not our fault. i hope he'll soon settle down, because he seems to be the sort of fellow, if he wasn't quite so cocky, that one might come to like." chapter six. on two sides. fitz burnett slept on during the greatest part of that day and most of the next; each time that he woke up he seemed better, and ready for the food that he had missed for so long and which was now so carefully prepared for him. very little had been said; the skipper's son attended upon him assiduously, and was ready to enter into conversation, but his advances were met so shortly and snappishly, that he soon contented himself with playing the nurse seriously, while the invalid frowned and kept his eyes fixed upon the sea through the open cabin-window, rarely glancing at his attendant at all. it was on the fourth day after the lad had recovered his senses and learned the truth of his position, that poole made a remark about this change in their passenger to his father, who had come into the cabin to find the midshipman fast asleep. "is it right, father, that he should sleep so much?" said the lad. "certainly. he's getting on fast. let him sleep as much as he can. his wound is growing together again as quickly as it can. can't you see how much better he is?" "well, i thought i could, dad," was the reply; "but every now and then i think he's getting worse." "eh? what makes you think that, lad? does he begin to mope for his liberty?" "i dare say he does, dad. it's only natural; but that isn't what i meant. what i thought was that though he seemed rather nice at first, he keeps on growing more and more disagreeable. he treats me sometimes just as if i were a dog." "well, you always were a precious young puppy, poole," said the skipper, with a twinkle of the eye.--"ah! no impudence now! if you dare to say that it's no wonder when i am such a rough old sea-dog, i'll throw something at you." "then it won't be thrown," said the lad, laughing. "but really, father, he is so stuck up and consequential sometimes, ordering me about, and satisfied with nothing i do, that it makes me feel peppery and ready to tell him that if he isn't satisfied he'd better do the things himself." "bah! don't take any notice of him, boy. it's all a good sign, and means he's getting well fast." "well, it's not a very pleasant way of showing it, father." "no, my boy, no; but we can't very well alter what is. fellows who have been ill, and wounded men when they are taking a right turn, are weak, irritable, and dissatisfied. i think you'll find him all right by and by. take it all calmly. he's got something to suffer, poor fellow, both mentally and from that hurt upon his head. well, i'll go back on deck. i did come down to examine and dress his sconce again, but i'll leave that till another time." he had hardly spoken before fitz opened his eyes with a start, saw who was present, and turned pettishly away. "oh, it's you, doctor, is it?" he said. "i wish you wouldn't be always coming in here and bothering and waking me up. what do you want now?" "i was only coming to bathe and re-plaster your head, squire," replied the bluff skipper good-humouredly. fitz gave himself an angry snatch round, and fixed his eyes frowningly upon the speaker. "look here," he said, "let's have no more of that, if you please. have the goodness to keep your place, sir. if you don't know that you have a gentleman on board, please to learn it now, and have the goodness to be off and take that clumsy oaf with you. i want to sleep." "certainly," said the skipper quietly, and his son gave him a wondering look. "but as i am here i may as well see to your head. it is quite time it was done again." "look here," cried fitz, "am i to speak again? i told you to go. when i want my head bandaged again i will send you word." "all right, my lad," said the skipper good-humouredly. "all right, _what_?" cried fitz. "will you have the goodness to keep this familiar way of speaking to people of your own class!" "oh, certainly," said the skipper. "very well, then; send for me when you feel disposed to have it dressed; and i'll tell you what, you can let poole wait till the cool of the evening, and he can bathe it and do it then." "bah!" cried the lad angrily. "is it likely i am going to trust myself in his clumsy hands? there, stop and do it now, as i am awake. here, stop, get some fresh cool water and hold the basin. pish! i mean that nasty tin-bowl." poole got what was necessary without a word, and then stood by while the injury was carefully bathed and bandaged, the patient not uttering a single word of thanks, but submitting with the worst of graces, and just giving his doctor a condescending nod when with a word of congratulation the latter left the cabin. there was profound silence then, saving a click or two and a rustle as poole put the various things away, fitz lying back on his pillow and watching him the while, till at last he spoke, in an exacerbating way-- "here, you sir, was that doctor, skipper, or whatever he calls himself, trained before he came to sea?" poole flushed and remained silent. "did you hear what i said, boy?" cried fitz. "yes," was the short reply, resentfully given. "yes, _sir_. impudent scoundrel! do you know whom you are addressing? _sir_ to an officer in her majesty's service, whatever his rank." "oh, yes, i know whom i am talking to." "yes, _sir_, you oaf! where are your manners? is that fellow a surgeon?" "no; he is captain of this ship." "ship! captain!" sneered the boy, in a contemptuous tone which made his listener writhe. "why, it's a trading schooner, isn't it?" poole was about to speak out sharply, when a glance at the helpless condition of the speaker disarmed him, and he said quietly-- "oh, yes, of course it's a trading schooner, but it was originally a gentleman's yacht, and sails like one." "indeed!" said the boy sneeringly. "and pray whose is it?" poole looked at him open-eyed as if expecting to see him suffering from a little deliriousness again; but as no sign was visible he merely said quietly-- "my father's." "and pray who's your father?" poole looked at him again, still in doubt. "that is." "oh!" there was silence for a few moments, before fitz turned himself wearily and said in a careless, off-hand tone-- "and what's the name of the craft?" "the _silver teal_." "silver eel--eh? what a ridiculously slippery name for a boat!" "_silver teal_," said poole emphatically. "silver grandmother! a nice set you must be to give your gimcrack craft such a name as that! but you may take my word for it that as soon as ever you are caught in your slippery eel you will all either be hung or go to penal servitude for life--though perhaps you'll be let off, as you are nothing better than a boy." "oh yes, i am only a boy," said poole, rather bitterly; "but the _silver teal_, or silver eel as you call it, has to be caught yet. your people did not make a very grand affair of it the other night." "pooh! that's only because one of our stupid fellows who had been on the watch the night before dropped to sleep. they'll soon have you. you'll have the _tonans_ thundering on your heels before you know where you are. i am expecting to hear her guns every minute." "that's quite possible," said poole quietly; "but our little schooner will take some catching, i can tell you." "so you think," said fitz, "but you in your ignorance don't know everything. you only sail, and what's the use of that against steam? just let our gunboat be after you in a calm, and then where are you going to be?" "i don't know, and i don't think it's worth while to argue about it when we are out here in mid-ocean, and i suppose your gunboat is hanging about somewhere off the port of liverpool. but look here, hadn't you better take father's advice and not talk so much? i don't mind what you say to me, and it doesn't hurt a bit, but you are rather weak yet, and after all you have gone through i shouldn't like to see you go back instead of forward. why not have another nap?" fitz gave a contemptuous sniff, held his tongue as if his companion in the cabin were not worthy of notice, and lay perfectly still gazing out to sea, but with his face twitching every now and then as he lay thinking with all his might about some of the last words poole had said connected with the possibility of the gunboat being so far away, and he alone and helpless among these strangers, his spirits sank. how was it all going to end? he thought. what a position to be in! the skipper had said something about putting him aboard some vessel, or ashore;--but how or when? the position seemed hopeless in the extreme, and the poor weak lad thought and thought till his tired brain began to grow dizzy and ache violently, when kindly nature led him to the temporary way out of the weary trouble which tortured him, and he fell fast asleep. chapter seven. getting the worst of it. another morning passed, and the schooner was once more sailing away through the beautiful calm blue see, heaving in long slow rollers which seemed to be doing their best to rock the injured prisoner back to a state of health. he had breakfasted and been dressed by his sea-going attendant, and was so much better that he was more irritable than usual, while the skipper's son met all his impatient remarks without the slightest resentment. the result was that the sick middy in his approach to convalescence was in that state called by irish folk "spoiling for a fight," and the more patient poole showed himself, the more the boy began to play the lord. it was not led up to in any way, but came out in the way of aggravation, and sounded so childish on this particular occasion that poole turned his head and crossed to the cabin-window to look out, so that fitz should not see him smile. "i have been thinking," he said, with his back to the boy's berth, "that while we are sailing along here so gently, i might get some of old butters' tackle." "who's butters?" said fitz shortly. "our bo'sun." "but what do you mean by his tackle? you don't suppose that i am going to do any hoisting, or anything of that sort, do you?" "no, no; fishing-tackle. i'd bait the hooks and throw out the line, and you could fish. you'd feel them tug, and could haul in, and i'd take them off the hook?" "what fish would they be?" cried the boy, quite eagerly, and with his eyes brightening at the idea. "bonito or albicore." "what are they?" "ah, you have never been in the tropics, i suppose?" "never mind where i've been," snapped out the boy. "i asked you what fish those were." "something like big mackerel," replied poole quietly, "and wonderfully strong. you would enjoy catching them." the way in which these words were spoken touched the midshipman's dignity. "hang his impudence!" fitz thought. "patronising me like that!" "shall i go and ask him for some tackle?" "no," was the snappish reply. "i don't want to fish. i have other things on my mind. i have been thinking about this a good deal, young man, and i am not going to put up with any of your insolence. i am an officer in her majesty's service, and when one is placed in a position like this, without a superior officer over one, it is my duty to take the command; and if i did as i should do, i ought to give orders to 'bout ship and make sail at once for the nearest port." "that's quite right; and why don't you?" "well--er--i--er--that is--" "here, i say, old chap, don't be so cocky. what's the good of making a windbag of yourself? i've only got to prick you, and where are you then? you don't think you are going to frighten my dad with bluster, do you?" "blus-ter, sir?" "yes, b-l-u-s-t-e-r. you can't call it anything else. i know how you feel. humbled like at being caught like this. i'm sorry for you." "sorry! bah!" "well, i am, really; but, to tell the truth, i should be more sorry if you could get away. it's rather jolly having you here. but you are a bit grumpy this morning. your head hurts you, doesn't it?" "hurts? horrid! it is just as if somebody was trying to bore a hole in my skull with a red-hot auger." poole sprang up, soaked a handkerchief with water, folded it into a square patch, and laid it on the injured place, dealing as tenderly with his patient as if his fingers were those of a woman, with the result that the pain became dull and fitz lay back in his bunk with his eyes half-closed. "feel well enough to have a game of draughts?" said poole, after a pause. "no; and you haven't got a board." "but i have got a big card that i marked out myself, and blackened some of the squares with ink." "where are your men?" "hanging up in that bag." "let's look." poole took a little canvas bag from the hook from which it hung and turned out a very decent set of black and white pieces. "you didn't make those?" "yes, i did." "how did you get them so round?" "oh, i didn't do that. chips lent me his little tenon-saw, and i cut them all off a roller; he helped me to finish them up with sandpaper, and told me what to soak half of them in to make them black." the invalid began to be more and more interested in the neat set of draughtsmen. "what did you soak them in--ink?" he asked. "no; guess again." "oh, i can't guess. ship's paint, perhaps, or tar." "no; they wouldn't have looked neat like that. vitriol--sulphuric acid." "what, had you got that sort of stuff on board the schooner?" "the governor has in his big medicine-chest." "and did that turn them black like this?" "yes; you just paint them over with it, and hold them to the galley fire. i suppose it burns them. they all come black like that, and you polish them up with a little beeswax, and there you are." "well, it was rather clever for a rough chap like you," said fitz grudgingly. "can you play?" "oh, just a little--for a rough chap like me. one has so much time out at sea." "oh, well, we'll have just one game. how many pieces shall i give you?" "oh, i should think you ought to give me half," was the reply. "very well," said fitz cavalierly; "take half. i used to be a pretty good fist at this at school. where's your board?" poole thrust his hand under the cabin-table and turned a couple of buttons, setting free a stiff piece of mill-board upon which a sheet of white paper had been pasted and the squares neatly marked out and blacked. the pieces were placed, and the game began, with fitz, after his bandage had been re-moistened, supporting himself upon his left elbow to move his pieces with his right hand, which somehow seemed to have forgotten its cunning, for with double the draughts his cool matter-of-fact adversary beat him easily. "yes," said fitz, rather pettishly; "i'm a bit out of practice, and my head feels thick." "sure to," said poole, "knocked about as you were. have some more pieces this time." "oh no!" said fitz, "i can beat you easily like this if i take more care." the pieces were set once more, and fitz played his best, but he once more lost. "have some more pieces this time," said poole. "nonsense!" was snapped out. "i tell you i can beat you this way, and i will." the third game was played, one which took three times as long as the last, and as he was beaten the middy let himself sink back on his pillow with a gesture full of impatience. "yes," he said; "i know where i went wrong there. my head burns so, and i wasn't thinking." "yes, i saw where you made that slip. you might as well have given up at once." "oh, might i?" was snapped out. "here, let me give that handkerchief a good soaking before we begin another." "yes, you didn't half wet it last time. don't wring it out so much." "all right. why, it's quite hot. it must have made your head so much the cooler. there, does that feel more comfortable?" "yes, that's better. now make haste and set out the men." poole arranged the pieces, and fitz sat up again. "here, what have you been doing?" he cried. "you have given me two more." "well," said the skipper's son, smiling, "it'll make us more equal." "don't you holloa till you're out of the wood," cried fitz haughtily, and he flicked the two extra pieces off the board. "do you think i'm going to let you beat me? my head's clearer now. i think i know how to play a game of draughts." the sick boy thought so, but again his adversary proved far stronger, winning easily; and the middy dropped back on the pillow. "it isn't fair," he cried. "not fair." "you didn't tell me you could play as well as that." "of course not. i wasn't going to brag about my playing. let's have another game. i think we're about equal." "no, i'm tired now. i say," added fitz, after a pause, as he lay watching the draughtsmen being dropped slowly back into the bag, "don't take any notice of what i said. i don't want you to think me cocky and bragging. my head worries me, and it makes me feel hot and out of temper, and ready to find fault with everything. we'll have another game some day if i'm kept here a prisoner. perhaps i shall be able to play better then." "to be sure you will. but it doesn't matter which side wins. it is only meant for a game." chapter eight. a basin of soup. fitz had just finished his semi-apology when the fastening of the door clicked softly; it was pushed, and a peculiar-looking, shaggy head was thrust in. the hair was of a rusty sandy colour, a shade lighter than the deeply-tanned face, while a perpetual grin parted the owner's lips as if he were proud to show his teeth, though, truth to tell, there was nothing to be proud of unless it was their bad shape and size. but the most striking features were the eyes, which somehow or another possessed a fiery reddish tinge, and added a certain fierceness to a physiognomy which would otherwise have been very weak. fitz started at the apparition. "the impertinence!" he muttered. "here, i say," he shouted now, "who are you?" "who am i, laddie?" came in a harsh voice. "ye ken i'm the cook." "and what do you want here, sir? laddie, indeed! why didn't you knock?" "knock!" said the man, staring, as he came right in. "i didna come to knock: just to give you the word that it's all hot and ready now." "what's hot and ready?" "the few broth i've got for you. ye didna want to be taking doctor's wash now, but good, strong meaty stuff to build up your flesh and bones." fitz stared. "look here, you, poole reed; what does this man mean by coming into my cabin like this? is he mad?" "no, no," said poole, laughing. "it's all right; i'd forgotten. he asked me if he hadn't better bring you something every day now for a bit of lunch. it's all right, andy. mr burnett's quite ready. go and fetch it." the man nodded, grinned, in no wise hurt by his reception, and backed out again. "rum-looking fellow, isn't he, mr burnett?" "disgusting-looking person for a cook. can anybody eat what he prepares?" "we do," said poole quietly. "oh, he keeps his galley beautifully clean, does andy campbell--cawmell, he calls himself, and the lads always call him the camel. and he works quite as hard." he had only just spoken when the man returned on the tips of his bare toes, looking, for all the world, like the ordinary able seaman from a man-of-war. he bore no tray, napkin, and little tureen, but just an ordinary ship's basin in one hand, a spoon in the other, and carefully balanced himself as he entered the cabin, swaying himself with the basin so that a drop should not go over the side. "there y'are, me puir laddie. ye'll just soop that up before i come back for the bowl. there's pepper and salt in, and just a wee bit onion to make it taste. all made out of good beef, and joost the pheesic to make you strong." "give it to me, andy," cried poole, and the man placed it in his hands, smiled and nodded at the prisoner, and then backed out with his knees very much bent. poole stood stirring the broth in the basin slowly round and round, and spreading a peculiar vulgar odour which at first filled the invalid with annoyance; but as it pervaded the place it somehow began to have a decided effect upon the boy's olfactory nerves and excited within him a strange yearning which drove away every token of disgust. "it's too hot to give you yet," said poole quietly. "you must wait a few minutes." fitz's first idea had been that he would not condescend to touch what he was ready to dub "a mess." it looked objectionable, being of a strange colour and the surface dotted with yellowish spots of molten fat, while mingled with them were strange streaky pieces of divided onion. but animal food had for many days been a stranger to the sick lad's lips-- and then there was the smell which rapidly became to the boy's nostrils a most fascinating perfume. so that it was in a softened tone that he spoke next, as he watched the slow passage round and round of the big metal spoon. "it doesn't look nice," he said. "no. ship's soup never does," replied poole, "but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, you know. the camel's about right, though. this is the best physic you can have. will you try it now?" this was an attack that the boy could not stand. he wanted to say no, with a gesture of disgust, but nature would not let him then. "i dunno," he said dubiously. "did he make it?" "of course." "but he looks like a common sailor; not a bit like a cook." "he is a foremast-man, and takes his turn at everything, like the rest; but he does all the cooking just the same." "but is he really clean?" "he made all those bread-cakes you have eaten," was the reply. "oh," said fitz quickly, for the soup smelt aggravatingly nice. "would you mind tasting it?" poole raised the spoon to his lips, and replaced it. "splendid," he said. "you try." he carefully placed the basin in his patient's lap, with the spoon ready to his hand, and drew back, watching the peculiar curl at the corners of the boy's lips as he slowly passed the spoon round and then raised it to his mouth. a few seconds later the spoon went round the basin again and was followed by an audible sip, on hearing which poole went to the window, thrust out his head, and began to whistle, keeping up his tune as if he were playing orchestra to a banquet, while he watched the dart and splash of a fish from time to time about the surface, and the shadowy shapes of others deep down below the schooner's stern-post, clearly enough seen in the crystal sunlit water set a-ripple by the gentle gliding through it of the vessel's keel. after waiting what he considered a sufficient time, poole said loudly, without turning round-- "there's plenty of fish in sight." but there was no reply, and he waited again until in due time he heard a sharp click as of metal against crockery which was followed by a deep sigh, and then the lad turned slowly, to see the midshipman leaning back in the berth with his hands behind his head, the empty basin and spoon resting in his lap. poole reed did not say what he would have liked, neither was there any sound of triumph in his voice. he merely removed the empty vessel and asked a question-- "was it decent?" and fitz forgot himself. for the moment all his irritability seemed gone, and the natural boy came to the surface. "splendid!" he cried. "i never enjoyed anything so much before in my life." and all that about a dingy basin of soup with fragments of onion and spots of fat floating therein. but it was the first real meal of returning health. chapter nine. a mon frae the north. poole looked as solemn and calm as a judge as he raised the soup-basin and listened to his patient's words, while all at once a suspicious thought glanced through fitz's brain, and he looked at the lad quickly and felt relieved, for no one could have imagined from the grave, stolid face before him that mirth like so much soda-water was bubbling and twinkling as it effervesced all through the being of the skipper's son. "i couldn't have held it in any longer," said poole to himself, with a sigh of relief, for just then the door clicked and the camel's head came slowly in with the red eyes glowing and watchful. then seeing that the meal was ended he came right in, and took basin and spoon from poole as if they were his own special property. "feel better, laddie?" he said, with a grin at the patient. "oh yes, thank you, cook," was the genial reply. "capital soup." "ay," said the camel seriously, "and ye'll just take the same dose every morning at twa bells till you feel as if you can eat salt-junk like a mon. ah weel, ah weel! they make a fine flather about doctors and their stuff, but ye mind me there isn't another as can do a sick mon sae much good as the cook." "hear that, mr burnett?" "oh yes, i hear," said fitz, smiling, with a look of content upon his features to which they had for many days been strangers. "i am not going to say a word the noo aboot the skipper, and what he's done. he's a grand mon for a hole or a cut or a bit broken leg. he's got bottles and poothers of a' kinds, but when the bit place is mended it's the cook that has to do the rigging up. you joost stick to andy cawmell, and he'll make a man of you in no time." "thank you, cook," said fitz, smiling. "and ye'll be reet. but if ye'd no' mind, ye'll joost kindly say `andy mon,' or `laddie' when you speak to me. it seems more friendly than `cook.' ye see, cook seems to belang more to a sonsy lassie than a mon. just let it be `andy' noo." "all right; i'll mind," said the middy, who looked amused. "ah, it's a gran' thing, cooking, and stands first of all, for it keeps every one alive and strong. they talk a deal about french cooks and their kickshaws, and about english cooks, and i'm no saying but that some english cooks are very decent bodies; but when you come to irish, ould oireland, as they ca' it, there's only one thing that ever came from there, and that's irish stew." "what about taters, andy?" "why, isna that part of it? who ever heard of an irish stew without taters? that's irish taters, my lad, but if you want a real good irish stew you must ha'e it made of scotch mutton and scotch potatoes, same as we've got on board now. and joost you bide a wee, laddies, till we get across the ocean, and if there's a ship to be found there, i'll just show you the truth of what i mean. do ye mind me, laddie?" continued the cook, fixing fitz tightly with his red eyes. "mind you? yes," said fitz; "but what do you want with a ship to make a stew in?" "what do i want with a ship?" said andy, looking puzzled. "why, to cook!" "cook a ship?" "ah, sure. won't a bit of mutton be guid after so much salt and tinned beef?" "oh, a sheep!" cried fitz. "ay, i said so: a ship. your leg of mutton, or a shouther are all very good in their way, but a neck makes the best irish stew. but bide a wee till we do get hold of a ship, and i'll make you a dish such as will make you say you'll never look at an irish stew again." "oh!" cried poole. "he means one of those--" "nay, nay, nay! let me tell him, laddie. he never ken'd such a thing on board a man-o'-war. d'ye ken the national dish, mr burnett, sir?" "of course," said fitz; "the roast beef of old england." "pugh!" ejaculated the scot. "ye don't know. then i'll tell ye. joost gi'e me the liver and a few ither wee bit innards, some oatmeal, pepper, salt, an onion, and the bahg, and i'll make you a dish that ye'll say will be as good as the heathen deities lived on." "do you know what that was?" said fitz. "ay, laddie; it was a kind of broth, or brose--ambrose, they called it, but i dinna believe a word of it. ambrose, they ca'ed it! but how could they get hahm or brose up in the clouds? a'm thinking that the heathen gods didn't eat at all, but sippit and suppit the stuff they got from the top of a mountain somewhere out in those pairts--i've read it all, laddies, in an auld book called _pantheon_--mixed with dew, mountain-dew." "nonsense!" cried fitz, breaking into a pleasant laugh. "nay, it's no nonsense, laddie. i've got it all down, prented in a book. ambrosia, the chiel ca'ed it, because he didn't know how to spell, and when i came to thenk i see it all as plain as the nose on your face. it was not ambrose at all, but athol brose." "and what's that?" cried fitz. "hech, mon! and ye a young laird and officer and dinna ken what athol brose is!" "no," said fitz; "we learnt so much greek and latin at my school that we had to leave out the scotch." "hearken to him, young poole reed! not to know that! but it is greek-- about the greek gods and goddesses. and ye dinna ken what athol brose is?" "no," said fitz; "i never heard of it in my life." "weel, then, i'll just tell ye, though it's nae good for boys. it's joost a meexture half honey and half whisky, or mountain-dew; and noo ye ken." "but you are not going to make a mess like that when you get a sheep." "ship, laddie--ship. if ye ca' it like that naebody will think ye mean a mutton that goes on four feet." "well, pronounce it your own way," said fitz. "but what is this wonderful dish you mean to make?" "he means kidney-broth, made with the liver," said poole. "nay, nay. dinna you mind him, laddie. he only said that to make you laugh. you bide a wee, and i'll make one fit for a queen. you've never tasted haggis, but some day you shall." andy cawmell closed one eye and gave the convalescent what was intended for a very mysterious, confidential look, and then stole gravely out of the cabin, closed the door after him, and opened it directly after, to thrust in his head, the basin, and the spoon. "d'ye mind, laddie," he whispered, tapping the basin, "at twa bells every day the meexture as before." he closed the door again, and this time did not return, though fitz waited for a few moments before speaking, his eyes twinkling now with merriment. "haggis!" he cried. "scotch haggis! of course, i know. it's mincemeat boiled in the bag of the pipes with the pipes themselves chopped up for bones. you've heard of it before?" "oh yes, though i never tasted it. andy makes one for the lads whenever he gets a chance." "do they eat it?" "oh yes, and laugh at him all the time. i dare say it's very good, but i never felt disposed to try. but he's a good fellow, is andy, and as fine a sailor as ever stepped. you'll get to like him by and by." "get to like him?" said fitz, pulling himself up short and stiff. "humph! i dunno so much about that, young fellow. look here, how long do you expect it's going to be before i am set aboard some ship?" "ah, that's more than anybody can say," replied poole quietly. fitz was silent for a few moments, and then said sharply-- "what's the name of the port for which you are making sail?" "name of the port?" said poole. "yes; you heard what i said, and i want to know." "yes; it's only natural that you would," said poole. "i say, shall i get the tackle now?" "no; i want an answer to my question," replied fitz, firing up again. "well, i can't tell you. that's my father's business. we are sailing under what you would call sealed orders on board a queen's ship." "that's shuffling," cried fitz angrily, with the black clouds coming over the little bit of sunshine that lit up his face after his soup. "now, sir, i order you to tell me, an officer in the queen's service, where this schooner is bound." poole was silent. "do you hear me, sir?" "oh yes, i hear," said poole, "but i am in a state of mutiny, and i'm going to ask old butters to lend me his long line and hooks." he moved towards the door as he spoke, but fitz shouted to him to stop. it was all in vain, for the lad closed the door and shut in the midshipman's angry face. "gone!" ejaculated fitz. "he's too much for me now; but only just wait till i get well and strong!" chapter ten. what fitz wanted. "what do you think of this for weather?" said poole, one morning. "isn't it worth sailing right away to get into such seas as this?" "yes," said fitz dreamily, as he lay on one side in his berth with his hand under his cheek, gazing through the cabin-window at the beautiful glancing water; "it is very lovely." "doesn't it make you feel as if you were getting quite well?" "i think it would," said the boy, almost as if speaking to himself; "it would be all right enough if a fellow could feel happy." "well," said poole, "you ought to begin to now. just see how you've altered. father says you are to come up this afternoon as soon as the heat of the day has passed." "come on deck?" cried fitz, brightening. "ah! that's less like being a prisoner." "a prisoner!" said poole merrily. "hark at him! why, you are only a visitor, having a pleasant cruise. father's coming directly," he added hastily, for he saw the look of depression coming back into the boy's face. "he says this is the last time he shall examine your head, and that you won't want doctoring any more. come, isn't that good news enough for one morning?" fitz made no reply, but lay with his face contracting, evidently thinking of something else. "as soon as he's gone," continued poole, "i am going to bring the lines and some bait. old butters said you could have them as much as you liked. don't turn gruff again this time and say you don't want to try." fitz appeared to take no notice, and poole went on-- "there are shoals of bonito about, and the camel can dress them fine. you don't know how good they are, freshly caught and fried." fitz made an impatient gesture. "how soon is your father coming below?" he said. "oh, he may be down any moment. he and mr burgess are taking observations overhead and calculating our course." "then he won't be very long," said fitz. "oh no. want to speak to him?" "yes, particularly." poole gave the speaker a sharp look, which evidently meant, i wonder what he wants to say. at that moment the boys' eyes met, and fitz said, as if to evade a question-- "don't you learn navigation--take observations, and that sort of thing?" "oh yes, lots of it; but i have been having a holiday since you've been on board. so have you. it must be quite a change after your busy life on board a gunboat, drilling and signalling, and all that sort of thing." fitz was hearing him speak, but listening intently all the time, so that he gave an eager start and exclaimed-- "here's your father coming now." for steps were plainly heard on the companion-ladder, and the next minute the door was thrust open, and the bluff-looking skipper entered the cabin. "morning, sir," he cried. "how are we this morning? oh, it doesn't want any telling. you are getting on grandly. did poole tell you i wanted you to come up on deck this afternoon?" "yes, sir; thank you. i feel a deal better now, only my legs are very weak when i try to stand up holding on by my berth." "yes, i suppose so," said the skipper, sitting down by the boy's head and watching him keenly. "you are weak, of course, but it's more imaginary than real. any one who lays up for a week or two would feel weak when he got out of bed." "but my head swims so, sir." "exactly. that's only another sign. you are eating well now, and getting quite yourself. but i am going to prescribe you another dose." "physic?" said fitz, with a look of disgust. "yes, fresh air physic. i want you to take it very coolly for the next few days, but to keep on deck always except in the hottest times. in another week you won't know yourself." "hah!" ejaculated the boy. "then now, sir--don't think me ungrateful, for nobody could be kinder to me than you and poole here have shown yourselves since i have been aboard." "thank you, my lad, for both of us," said the skipper, smiling good-humouredly. "i am glad you give such ruffians as we are so good a character. but you were going to say something." "yes, sir," said the boy excitedly, and he cleared his voice, which had grown husky. "go on, then. you are beating about the bush as if you had some favour to ask. what is it?" "i want," cried fitz excitedly, and his cheeks flushed and eyes flashed--"i want you, sir," he repeated, "now that you say i'm better and fit to get about--" "on deck," said the skipper dryly. "oh yes, and anywhere as soon as this giddiness has passed off... i want you now, sir, to set me ashore." "hah! yes," said the skipper slowly. "i knew we were coming to that." "why, of course, sir. think of what i must have suffered and felt." "i thought poole here had done his best to make you comfortable, my lad." "oh yes, and he has, sir," cried the boy, turning to look full in his attendant's eyes. "he has been a splendid fellow, sir. nobody could have been kinder to me than he has, even at my worst times, when i was so ill and irritable that i behaved to him like a surly brute." "it's your turn now, poole," growled the skipper, "to say `thank you' for that." "but you must feel, sir, how anxious and worried i must be--how eager to get back to my ship. in another day or two, captain reed, i shall be quite well enough to go. promise me, sir, that you will set me ashore." the skipper had pursed up his lips as if he were going to whistle for the wind, and he turned his now frowning face to look steadfastly at his son, who met his eyes with a questioning gaze, while the midshipman looked anxiously from one to the other, as if seeking to catch an encouraging look which failed to come. at last the boy broke the silence again, trying to speak firmly; but, paradoxically, weakness was too strong, and his voice sounded cracked as he cried, almost pitifully-- "oh, captain reed! promise me you will now set me ashore!" the skipper was silent for a few moments, before turning his face slowly to meet the appealing look in the boy's eyes. "set you ashore?" he said gruffly. "yes, sir, please. pray do!" and the answer came-- "where, my boy? where?" chapter eleven. thoughts of home. fitz burnett looked wonderingly at the skipper as if he did not comprehend the bearings of the question. "where?" he faltered. "yes; you asked me to set you ashore. i say, where?" "oh, at any american or english port, sir." "do you know how far we are from the nearest?" "no; i have no idea how far we have come." "never mind that," said the skipper gravely. "let's take it from another way of thinking. do you know what it means for me to set you ashore at some port?" "oh yes, sir: that i shall be able to communicate with any english vessel, and get taken back to liverpool." "well," said the skipper grimly, "you are a young sailor, but i am afraid that you have very small ideas about the size of the world. i dare say, though, that would be possible, sooner or later, for you go to very few ports now-a-days without coming across a ship flying british colours. it would be all right for you; but what about me?" fitz looked at him wonderingly again. "what about you, sir?" he stammered. "i was not thinking about you, but about myself." "that wanted no telling, my lad. it's plain enough. you were not thinking about me, but i was. look here, my boy. do you know what my setting you ashore means just now?" "yes, sir," said the boy sharply. "getting rid of a very troublesome passenger." "oh, you think so, do you? well, i'll tell you what i think. it would mean getting rid of one troublesome passenger, as you call yourself, and taking a dozen worse ones on board in the shape of a prize crew. why, young burnett, it would mean ruin to me and to my friends, whose money has been invested in this cargo." "oh no, _no_, sir. i am alone out here, and my captain's vessel is far away. i couldn't go and betray you, even if i wanted to. you could set me ashore and sail away at once. that's all i want you to do." "sweet innocency!" said the skipper mockingly. "but i won't set it down to artfulness. i think you are too much of a gentleman for that. but do you hear him, poole? nice ideas he has for a beardless young officer in her majesty's navy. why, do you mean to tell me, sir, you know nothing about international politics, and a peculiar little way that they have now-a-days of flashing a bit of news all round the world in a few minutes of time? don't you think that after that bit of a turn up off liverpool way, a full description of my schooner and her probable destination has been wired across the atlantic, and that wherever i attempted to land you, it would be for the port officials to step on board and tap me on the shoulder with a kindly request to give an account of myself?" "i didn't think of that," said fitz, slowly. "no," said the skipper. "you thought that i could hail the first ship i saw, or sail up to the side of a quay, pitch you ashore, and sail off again. why, fitz burnett, as soon as i came in sight i should be overhauled, seized, delayed for certain, and in all probability end by losing schooner, cargo, and my liberty." "surely it would not be so bad as that, sir?" "surely it would be worse. no, my lad; i am sorry for you. i regret the ugly accident by which you were knocked over; but you are thinking, as we said before, about your position, your duty. i have got to think of mine. now, here's yours; you came on board here, unasked and unseen until the next morning when we had put a good many knots between us and your gunboat. it was impossible to land you, and so we made the best of it and treated you as well as we could. time is money to me now, and my coming up punctually means something much more valuable than hard cash to the people i have come to see. to be plain, i can't waste, even if i were so disposed, any time for sailing into port to put you ashore." "never mind that, then, sir," cried fitz excitedly. "speak the first vessel you see, of any country, under any flag, and put me aboard there." "no, my lad," said the skipper sternly. "and i can't do that. i am going to speak no ships. my work is to sail away and hold communication with no one. i have no need to make all this explanation to you, my boy, but i am doing it because we are sorry for you, and want to make things as easy as we can. now, look here, you are a sensible lad, and you must learn to see your position. i can do nothing for you beyond treating you well, until i have made my port, run my cargo of knick-knacks, and cleared for home. by that time i shall have a clean bill of health, and be ready to look all new-comers in the face." "but how long will that be, sir?" cried fitz excitedly. "dunno, my lad. it depends on what's going on over yonder. if all goes smooth it may be only a month; if all goes rough, perhaps two, or three. i may be dodging about a long while. worse still, my schooner may be taken, condemned, and my crew and i clapped in irons in some spanish-american prison, to get free nobody knows when." "oh!" groaned fitz excitedly. "i am being very plain to you, my lad, now that the cat's out of the bag, and there's nothing to hide. i am playing a dangerous game, one full of risk. it began when i was informed upon by some cowardly, dirty-minded scoundrel, one who no doubt had been taking my pay till he thought he could get no more, and then he split upon me, with the result that your captain was put upon the scent of my enterprise, to play dog and run me down in the dark. but you see i had one eye open, and got away. now i suppose the telegraph will have been at work, and the folks over yonder will be waiting for me there, so that i shall have to hang about and wait my chance of communicating with my friends. so there, you see, you will have to wait one, two, perhaps three months, before, however good my will, i can do anything for you." "but by that time," cried fitz, "i shall be disgraced." "bah! nonsense, my lad! there can be no disgrace for one who boarded a vessel along with his crew, and had the bad luck to be struck down. now, my boy, you know i'm a father. let me speak like a father to you. your real trouble is this, and i say honestly i am sorry, and so's poole there, not so much for you as for your poor relatives. there, it's best i should speak quite plainly. it's as well to know the worst that can have happened, and then it generally proves to have been not so bad; and that's what clever folks call philosophy. the real trouble in your case is this, that by this time your poor relatives will probably know that your number has been wiped off your mess; in short, you have been reported--dead." "what!" cried the boy, in a tone full of anguish. "they will have sent word home that i am dead?" "i am afraid so," said the skipper. "it's very sad, but you have got to bear it like a man." "sad!" cried the boy passionately. "it's horrible! it will break her heart!" "you mean your mother's," said the skipper gravely, and he laid his hand kindly on the boy's shoulder. "but it's not so bad as you think, my lad. i have had a little experience of women in my time--wives and mothers, boy--and there's a little something that generally comes to them in cases like this and whispers in their poor ears. that little something, my boy, is always very kind to us sea-going people, and it's called hope. and somehow at such times as this it makes women think that matters can't be so bad as they have been described, or that they can't be true. now i'd be ready to say that in spite of the bad news that's come to your mother about you, she won't believe it's true, and that she's waiting patiently for the better news that will some time come, and that it will be many, many months, perhaps a year, before she will really believe that you are dead." "oh, but it's too horrible!" cried the boy wildly. "no, no, no. come! pluck up your spirits and make the best of it. look here, boy. you must bear it for the sake of the greater pleasure, the joy that will come when she finds that she was right in her belief, and in the surprise to all your friends when they see you come back alive and kicking, and all the better for your voyage. i say, look at the bright side of things, and think how much better it has all been than if you had been knocked overboard to go down in the darkness at a time when it was every one for himself, and no one had a thought for you." fitz turned away his head so that neither father nor son could see the workings of his face. "there, my lad," said the skipper, rising, "i was obliged to speak out plainly. i have hurt you, i know, but it has only been like the surgeon, to do you good. i am wanted on deck now, so take my advice; bear it like a man. here, poole, i want you for half-an-hour or so, and i dare say mr burnett would like to have a bit of a think to himself." he gave the boy a warm pressure of his hand, and then strode out of the cabin, his example being followed the next moment by poole, whose action was almost the same as his father's, the exception being that he quickly caught hold of the middy's hand and held it for a moment before he hurried out. then and then only did fitz's face go down upon his hands, while a low groan of misery escaped his lips. chapter twelve. making friends. "well, what is it?" said the skipper gruffly, as his son followed him on deck and touched him on the arm. "don't you think it possible, father, that--" "that i could turn aside from what i have got to do, boy? no, i don't." "but he's ill and weak, father." "of course he is, and he's getting better as fast as he can. what's more, he's a boy--in the depth of despair now, and in half-an-hour's time he'll be himself again, and ready to forget his trouble." "i don't think he will, father." "don't you? then i do. i have had more experience of boys than you have, and i have learned how nature in her kindness made them. look here, poole, i believe for the time that boys feel trouble more keenly than do men, but nature won't let it last. the young twig will bend nearly double, and spring up again. the old stick snaps." the skipper walked away, leaving his son thinking. "i don't believe father's right," he said. "fitz doesn't seem like most boys that i have met. poor chap, it does seem hard! i don't think i ever felt so bad as he must now. i wish i hadn't had to come away, for it was only an excuse on father's part. he doesn't want me. it was only to leave the poor chap alone." acting upon these thoughts, poole tried to think out some excuse for going down to the cabin again as soon as he could. but as no reasonable excuse offered itself, he waited till the half-hour was expired, and then went down without one, opened the cabin-door gently, and gravely stepped in, to stop short, staring in astonishment at the change which had come over his patient, for he was sitting bent down with his hands upon his knees at the edge of his berth, swinging his legs to and fro, with every trace of suffering gone out of the eyes which looked up sharply. if poole reed was surprised at the midshipman's appearance, he was far more so at his tones and words. "hallo!" he cried. "thought you'd gone to fetch those fishing-lines." "i--i--oh, yes, i'll get them directly," stammered poole. "look sharp, then. the fish are playing about here like fun. i saw one spring right out of the water just now after a shoal. the little ones look like silver, and the big chap was all blue and gold." "all right; i won't be long," cried poole, and he hurried out, letting the door bang behind him. "well, i was a fool to worry myself about a chap like that. why, he doesn't feel it a bit." but poole reed was not a good judge of human nature. he could not see the hard fight that was going on behind that eager face, nor how the well-trained boy had called upon his pride to carry him through this struggle with his fate. poole thought no more of his patient's condition, but hurried to the boatswain, who scowled at him fiercely. "what!" he said. "fishing-lines? can't you find nothing else to do, young fellow, on board this 'ere craft, besides fishing?" "no; there is nothing to do now." "wha-a-at!" "you know i spoke about them before. it is to amuse the sick middy." "yah!" came in a deep growl. "why didn't you say so before? poor boy! he did get it hot that time." "yes," said poole maliciously, "and i believe it was you who knocked him down." the grim-looking, red-faced boatswain stared at the speaker with his mouth wide open. "me?" he said. "me? why, i was alongside the chap at the wheel." "were you?" said poole, grinning to himself at the effect of his words. "then it couldn't have been you, butters. come on and get me the line." "gammon!" growled the boatswain. "you knew it warn't all the time. come on." he led the way to his locker and took out a couple of square reel-frames with their cord, hooks, and sinkers complete. "ketch hold," he said gruffly, and then giving poole a tin box which rattled loudly, he growled out, "plenty of spare hooks in there. but don't lose more than you can help. where are you going to fish? off the taffrail?" "no; out of the stern-window." "what! how are you going to haul in your fish?" "oh, i don't know." "see what a mess you'll make, my lad." "i'll clean up afterwards," said poole. "i don't believe you will get any. if you hook one you'll knock it off in pulling it in. why don't you bring the poor lad up on deck and let him fish like a human being, not keep him cuddled up below there like a great gal?" "but he's so weak, he can hardly stand." "set him down, then, in a cheer. do him good, and he'll like it all the more." "well, i never thought of that," said poole eagerly. "i will. but oh, i mustn't forget the bait. i must go and see the camel." "nonsense! bait with a lask cut off from the first fish you catch." "of course," cried poole; "but how am i to catch that first one first?" "'m, yes," said the boatswain, with a grim smile. "tell you what; go and ask the camel to give you a nice long strip of salt pork, fat and rind." "ah, that would do," cried poole; and he hurried off to the galley, where he was welcomed by the cook with a nod and wink, as he drew a little stew-pan forward on the hot plate, and lifted the lid. "joost cast your nose over that, laddie," he whispered mysteriously. "eh? what for?" "it's the middy laddie's soup fresh made, joost luvely." "oh yes, splendid," said the lad, and he hurriedly stated his wants, had them supplied, and went back to the cabin ready to prepare for catching the first fish. "look here, burnett," he said, "it'll be very awkward fishing out of this window. how'd it be if i put a cane-chair close up under the rail? don't you think you could manage if i helped you up there?" "i don't know. i am afraid i couldn't walk," said the boy dubiously. "i'd try." "oh, never mind about your walking! if you'll come i'll run up and put a chair ready, and then come back for you. i could carry you easily enough if i got you on my back." one moment fitz had been looking bright and eager; the next a gloomy shade was passing over his face. "like a sack," he said bitterly. "well, then, shall i make two of the lads carry you in a chair?" "no," said the boy, brightening up again. "if i put my arm over your shoulder, and you get one round my waist, i think i could manage it if we went slowly." "to be sure," cried poole, and he hurried on deck, thrust a long cane reclining chair into the place he thought most suitable, and had just finished when his father came up. "what are you about, boy?" he said; and poole explained. "well, i don't know. i meant for him to come up this afternoon, but i thought that it was all over after that upset. how does he seem now?" "just as if he were going to make the best of it, father." "then bring him up." a minute later the tackle and bait were lying on the deck beside the chair, and poole hurried down to the cabin to help his patient finish dressing, which task was barely completed when there was a tap at the door and the camel appeared, bearing his morning "dose," as he termed it. this was treated as a hindrance, but proved to be a valuable fillip after what the boy had gone through, and the preparation for that which was to come, so that, with the exception of once feeling a little faint, fitz managed to reach the deck, leaning heavily upon his companion; but not unnoticed, for the mate caught sight of him from where he was on the look-out forward, and hurried up to take the other arm. "morning, mr burnett," he said eagerly. "come, this is fine! coming to sit in the air a bit? oh, we shall soon have you all right now." the boy flushed and looked pleased at the kindly way in which he was received, and as he reached the chair there was another welcome for him from the hand at the wheel, who had the look of an old man-of-war's man, and gave him the regular salute due to an officer. "feel all right?" said the mate. "yes, much better than i thought." "fishing, eh?" said the mate. "well, good luck to you! come, we shan't look upon you as an invalid now." "lie back in the chair a bit," said poole, who was watching his companion anxiously. "what for?" "i thought perhaps you might feel a little faint." "oh no, that's all gone off," cried the boy, drawing a deep long breath, as he eagerly looked round the deck and up at the rigging of the smart schooner, whose raking taper masts and white canvas gave her quite the look of a yacht. there was a look of wonder in the boy's eyes as he noted the trimness and perfection of all round, as well as the smartness of the crew, whose aspect suggested the truth, namely, that they had had their training on board some man-of-war. from craft and crew the boy's eyes wandered round over the sea, sweeping the horizon, as he revelled in the soft pure air and the glorious light. "how beautiful it seems," he said, half aloud, "after being shut up so long below." "come, that's a good sign," said poole cheerily. "what's a good sign?" was the sharp reply. "that you can enjoy the fresh air so much. it shows that you must be better. think you can hold the line if i get one ready?" "of course," said fitz, rather contemptuously. "all right, then." poole turned away and knelt upon the deck, laughing to himself the while, as he thought that if a big fish were hooked the invalid would soon find out the difference. and then the boy's fingers moved pretty quickly as he took out his junk-knife and cut a long narrow strip from the piece of fatty pork-rind with which the cook had supplied him. through one end of this he passed the point of the hook, and then brought it back to the same side by which it had entered, so that a strip about six inches long and one wide hung down from the barbed hook. the next process was to unwind twenty or thirty yards of the line with its leaden sinker, and then drop lead and bait overboard, running out the line till the bait was left about fifty yards astern, but not to sink far, for there was wind enough to carry the schooner along at a pretty good pace, trailing the bait twirling round and round behind, and bearing no small resemblance to a small, quickly-swimming fish, the white side of the bait alternating with the dull grey of the rind, and giving it a further appearance of life and movement. "there you are," said poole, passing the line into the midshipman's hands. "i will unwind some more, have fished like this before, haven't you?" "only a little for whiting and codlings," was the reply. "i never got hold of anything big. i suppose we may get a tidy one here?" "oh yes; and they are tremendously strong." "not so strong but what i can hold them, i dare say," said fitz confidently. but his confidence was not shared by his companion, who unwound the line till there was no more upon the frame, and then gave the end two or three turns about one of the belaying-pins, leaving a good many rings of loose line upon deck. there was need for the foresight, as was soon proved. fitz was sitting leaning right back with his eyes half-closed, thoroughly enjoying the change; the trouble of the morning was for the moment numbed, and no care assailed him. he was listening as he enjoyed the sensation that thrilled the nerves of his arm as the bait and lead sinker were drawn through the water far astern with a peculiar jigging motion, and questioning poole about the kind of fish that they were likely to encounter as far south as they then were. "you have been across here, then, before?" he said. "oh yes; four times." "ever seen any sharks?" "lots; but not out here. i saw most close in shore among the islands." "what islands?" "oh, any of them; saint lucia, nevis, trinidad. pretty big too, some of them." "ever catch one?" "no, we never tried. nasty brutes! i hate them." "so does everybody, i suppose. but, i say, think we shall catch anything to-day?" "oh yes; but you mustn't be disappointed if we don't. fish swarm one day, and you can see as many as you like; another time--you go all day long and you don't see one." "i say, this isn't going to be one of those days, is it? i haven't had a bite yet. think the bait's off?" "not it. that tough skin closes up round the hook, and you would almost have to cut it to get it over the barb. it makes a capital bait to stick on, but of course it isn't half so attractive as a bit of a bright silvery fish. i'll change it as soon as i can. i wish we had got one of those big silvered spoons. i think father's got two or three. i will go and ask him if you don't soon get a--" "oh! poole! here! help! i--i can't--oh, he's gone!" panted the middy. for all at once his right arm received a violent jerk, and as the line was twisted round his hand he was dragged sideways, and but for poole's ready help would have been pulled off the chair helplessly on to the deck. fortunately for him the skipper's son was on the _qui vive_, and stopping the convalescent's progress with one hand, he made a snatch at the line with the other. "he's too much for you," cried poole. "here, shake your hand clear of the line. i've got him. that's the way. has it hurt you?" "it seemed to cut right into the skin," panted fitz. "he must be a monster. oh, whatever you do, don't let him go!" "no, i won't let him go," was the reply; "not if i can help it. he is a pretty good size. we will make a double job of it. here, i'll haul him in a few feet, and then you can take hold in front of me, and we will haul him in together. no, he won't come yet. i shall have to let him run a little--i mean, we shall have to let him run a little. now then, foot by foot. let's let the line run through our hands." this was done steadily and slowly, till another fifty yards of line had been given, the fish that had been hooked darting the while here and there, and at a tremendous rate, and displaying enormous strength for a creature of its size. but it had to contend not only with the drag kept up by the boys, but the motion of the schooner as well, with the result that its strength soon began to fail, till at last it was drawn behind the gliding schooner almost inert. "there," cried poole; "now i think we might have him in. i was afraid to haul before for fear of dragging the hook out of its jaws. look at that now!" he cried impatiently. "what's the matter? don't say he has gone!" "oh no, he's not gone. why, he is making a fresh dash for his liberty. but we can't lift him in by the hook, and i never thought about getting a gaff.--here, hi!" he cried. "come here, chips!" one of the sailors sidled up--a dry-looking, quaint man with a wrinkled face, who broke out into a smile as he saw what was going on. "fish, sir?" he said, and his hand made a movement toward his cap. "want me to fetch my bag of tools?" "yes," cried poole. "i mean, get that long-handled gaff from down below." "right, sir," and the man trotted off, leaving the two lads slowly and steadily hauling in yard after yard of the line. "still fast on, sir?" cried the man to fitz, as he stood what looked like a highly-educated boat-hook against the rail. fitz made no reply, for his face was flushed and his teeth hard set in the excitement of his task. "oh yes, we've got him fast enough, chips," said poole. "be very careful, for he's a heavy one, and mr burnett here wouldn't like to lose him now." "all right, sir," said the man, taking up the long shaft again, and lowering it down over the side. "i don't know, though, whether i shall be able to reach him from up here. it looks like being best to get down to the rudder-chains. no; it's all right. i shall manage him if you get him close up to the side." "steady! steady!" cried poole. "he's making another flurry. let him go again. no, it's all right--all over; haul away." by this time the great drops of perspiration were standing upon fitz's brow, joining, and beginning to trickle down the sides of his face; but his teeth were still hard set, and intent upon the capture he kept on hauling away as hard as his weakness would allow. "there," cried poole, at last. "you caught him; but you had better let me have the line to myself now to get him closer in, so that chips can make a good stroke with the gaff and pull him right aboard." "yes," said fitz, with a sigh; "i suppose i must," and with his countenance beginning to contract with the disappointment he felt, he resigned the line and sat back in the chair, breathing hard, gently rubbing his aching muscles, and intently watching what was going on. that did not take long, but it was long enough to attract the other men who were on deck, and they came round, to form a semi-circle behind the middy's chair, while poole hauled the fish closer and closer in beneath the counter, and then stayed his hand. "can you do it now?" he cried. "not quite. i'll come round the other side," replied the handler of the gaff, who, suiting the action to the word, changed his place, leaned right over the rail, almost doubling himself up, and then uttered a warning-- "ready?" "yes," was the reply. "now then, half-a-fathom more." what followed was almost instantaneous. poole made two fresh grips at the line, pulled hard, and then with an ejaculation fell backwards on to the deck with the hooks upon his chest. "gone!" groaned fitz; but his exclamation was drowned in a roar of laughter from the men, and a peculiar flapping, splashing noise caused by the fish, in which the gaff had taken a good hold, bending itself into the shape of a half-moon as it was hauled over the side, giving the man saluted as chips a violent blow with its tail, and then as it flopped down upon the deck slapping the planks with sounding blow after blow. following directly upon the laughter there was a loud cheer, and in the midst of his excitement at the triumphant capture, fitz heard the mate's voice-- "well done, mr burnett! that's about the finest bonito i ever saw. i thought you'd lost him, chips." "nay, sir; i'd got my hook into him too tight; but it was touch and go." "yes, that's a fine one," said poole, taking hold of the detached hook and drawing the captive round in front of fitz's chair. "yes," replied the boy, who sat back wiping his brow; "but it isn't so big as i expected to see." "oh, he's pretty big," said the mate--"thick and solid and heavy; and those fellows have got such tremendous strength in those thin half-moon tails. they are like steel. going to try for any more?" the mate looked at fitz as he spoke. "it's very exciting," he said, rather faintly, "but i am afraid i am too tired now." "yes," said the mate kindly. "i wouldn't try to overdo it the first time you are up on deck. lie back and rest, my lad. send for the camel, poole, lad, when you have done looking at it. now, my lads, two of you, swabs." he turned away, and a couple of the men set to work to wash and dry the slimy deck, but waited until the little admiring crowd had looked their fill, the foremost men seeming to take a vast amount of interest in fishology, making several highly intellectual remarks about the configuration of the denizen of the deep. before long though the real reason of their interest escaped them, for one made a remark or two about what a fine thick cut could be got from "just there," while another opined that a boneeter of that there size ate tenderer boiled than fried. by that time fitz's excitement had died down, and he no longer took interest in the beautiful steely and blue tints mingled with silver and gold, that flashed from the creature's scales. in fact, in answer to a whispered query on the part of poole, he nodded his head and let it lie right back against the chair. this was the signal for the camel to be fetched to help bear the big fish forward to the galley, ready for cutting up, while the two men with bucket and swab rapidly finished cleaning and drying the deck, so that the damp patches began to turn white again in the hot rays of the sun. it was all very quickly done, and then poole began to slowly wind up the long line, giving every turn carefully and methodically so as to spread the stout hempen cord as open and separate for drying purposes as could be. he took his time, dropping in a word or two now and then, apparently intent upon his task, but keenly watching his companion all the while. "hasn't been too much for you, has it?" he said. "no," replied fitz; "not too much, for it was very interesting; but it was quite enough. i don't quite know how it is, but i have turned so sleepy." "ah, you are tired. sit quite back, and i will draw the chair over here into the shade. a nap till dinner-time up here in the air will do you no end of good, and give you an appetite for dinner. there; the sun won't be round here for an hour." it was easily done, the cane legs gliding like rockers over the well-polished deck, and the lad returned to his place to turn the winder where he had stood the line to dry. this process was going on rapidly, and he stopped bending over the apparatus to examine the hook and stout snood, to see that it had not been frayed by the fish's teeth. this done, he turned to speak to fitz again, and smiled to himself. "well," he said, "it doesn't take him long to go to sleep," for the tired midshipman's eyes were tightly closed and he was taking another instalment of that which was to give him back his strength. chapter thirteen. a question of duty. the wind was paradoxical. a succession of calms and light breezes from adverse quarters--in short, as bad as could be for the schooner's expedition. but, on the other hand, the days grew into weeks in a climate that might be called absolutely perfect, and from his first coming on deck and helping in the capture of the bonito, fitz burnett advanced by steps which became long strides on his journey back to health. with the disappearance of suffering, away went all bad temper with the irritation that had caused it. the boy had lain in his berth and thought every night before going to sleep about his position and his helplessness, and had fully come to the conclusion that though the people among whom he was, skipper, officers and men, were in a way enemies, he could not be held accountable for anything they did, and as they had treated him throughout with the greatest kindness, it would be ungracious on his part to go, as he termed it, stalking about on stilts and making himself as disagreeable to them as he would be to himself. "old reed's quite right, after all," he said, "though i don't like it a bit. i must make the best of my position. but only let me get half a chance, and i shall be off." the boy then, as he rapidly recovered his strength, went about the deck amongst the men, and became what he termed extremely thick with poole. there were times when he felt that they were becoming great friends, for poole was a thoroughly intelligent lad who had had a good deal of experience for one of his years; but in these early stages of his recovery, so sure as there was a little change in the weather, with the damp or wind, twinges of pain and depression of spirits attacked the midshipman; the physical suffering introduced the mental, and for a few hours perhaps fitz would feel, to use his own words, as disagreeable as could be. it was during one of these attacks that the idea came back very strongly that he was not doing his duty as an officer. he worked himself up into the feeling that he was behaving in a cowardly way now that he had great opportunities, and that if he did not seize one of these it would be to his disgrace. "i ought to do it," he said, "and i will. it only wants pluck, for i have got right on my side. it is almost as good as having the gunboat and her crew at my back. it's one of those chances such as we read of in history, where one fellow steps out to the front and carries all before him. i did not see it so clearly before as i do now. that's what i ought to do, and i am going to do it. poole will think it abominably ungrateful, and his father will be horribly wild; but i have got my duty to do, and it must be done, so here goes." but "here" did not go, for on second thoughts matters did not seem quite so clear; but a day or two after, when the notion had been steadily simmering in his mind it seemed at last to be quite done, and shutting his eyes to all suggestions regarding impossibility or madness, he made his plunge. fitz was not well. the weather had grown intensely hot, and unconsciously he was suffering from a slight touch of fever, which he complained about to poole, who explained to him what it was, after reference to his father, and came back to him with a tiny packet of white crystals in some blue paper, and instructions that he was to take the powder at once. "fever, is it?" said fitz, rather sourly. "one couldn't be catching fever out here in the open sea. i shall see your father myself. why didn't he come on deck yesterday?" "because he isn't well. he's got a touch of fever too. he had got the bottle out of the medicine-chest, and was taking a dose when i went into his cabin." "what!" cried fitz. "then he's caught the fever too?" "oh no; he caught it years ago, on the mosquito coast, and now and then when we get in for a change of weather like we have just had, it breaks out again and he's very ill for a few days; but he soon comes round." "but i was never on the mosquito coast," cried fitz impatiently. "i never caught a fever there, and i couldn't catch one like that of your father." "no," said poole; "father was talking about it, and he said yours was a touch due to your being susceptible after being so much hurt. that's how he said it was. now then, come down to the cabin and take your physic like a good boy." "i am not going to do anything of the sort," said fitz shortly. "i took plenty while i was ill and weak, and you could do what you liked with me. but i am strong enough now, and if what i feel is due to the weather, when it changes the trouble will soon go off." "i dare say it will," said poole, laughing; "but you needn't make a fuss about swallowing this little scrap of bitter powder. come on and take it like a man." "don't bother," said fitz shortly, and he walked away right into the bows, climbed out on to the bowsprit, and sat down to think. "he's a rum chap," said poole, as he stood watching him, and putting the powder back into his pocket. "he makes me feel as if i liked and could do anything for him sometimes, and then when he turns cocky i begin to want to punch his head." poole turned and went down into the cabin, where his father was lying in his berth looking flushed and weary, and evidently suffering a good deal. "well, boy," said the skipper; "did he take his dose?" "no, father. he's ready to kick against everything now." "well," said the skipper shortly, "let him kick." fitz was already kicking as he sat astride the bowsprit, looking out to sea and talking excitedly to himself. "yes," he said, "i like them, and we have got to be very good friends; but i have got my duty to do as a queen's officer, and do it i will. why, it's the very chance. like what people call a fatality. that's right, i think. just as if it were made on purpose. of course i know that i am only a boy--well, a good big boy, almost a man; but i am a queen's officer, and if i speak to the men it is in the queen's name. and look at them too. they are not like ordinary sailors. i have not been on board this schooner and mixing with them and talking to them all this time for nothing. it was plain enough at first, and i was nearly sure, but i made myself quite. nearly every one of them has been at some time or other in the royal navy--men who have served their time, and then been got hold of by the skipper to sign and serve on board his craft. they are a regular picked crew of good seamen fit to serve on board any man-of-war, and i wonder they haven't been kept. they weren't all trained for nothing. see how well they obey every order, as smart as smart. that means training and recollecting the old discipline. why, if i talk to them right they won't stop to think that i am only a middy. i shall speak to them as an officer, and it will come natural to them to obey--in the queen's name. it is my duty too as an officer, and as an officer it means everything--midshipman, lieutenant, captain or admiral--an admiral is only an officer, and at a time like this i am equal to an admiral--well, say captain. i don't care, i'll do it.--all these rough plucky chaps of course wouldn't be afraid of me as a boy; they'd laugh at me. of course i know that; but it will be the officer speaking--yes, the officer." the middy's head began metaphorically to swell out until it seemed to grow very big indeed, making him feel quite a man--and more. "yes," he said, "i'll do it. i must do it. now's the time, and i should be an idiot if i neglected such a chance." drawing a deep breath, he turned his head slowly, and assuming as careless a manner as he could command, he looked back inboard beneath the swelling sails, to see that several of the men were lying asleep in the shade, while others were smoking and chatting together. the boatswain was not visible, and the mate was apparently below, the after part of the vessel being vacant save that the man at the wheel was standing with outstretched hands resting upon the spokes, moving his lower jaw slowly as he worked at his succulent quid. poole was still below with his father in the cabin, so that to the middy's way of thinking he had the deck to himself. he took another deep breath, and with his heart beating heavily, swung himself round, laid hold of a rope, and climbed inboard again, when assuming a nonchalance he did not feel as he dropped upon the deck, he thrust his hands into his pockets, mastered the desire to run, and beginning to whistle, stalked slowly aft till he reached the companion-hatch, and began to descend the steps without a sound. now was the critical time, for as he went down he could see that the cabin-door was shut, and hear the dull burr, burr, burr-like murmur of the captain's voice talking to his son. half-way down fitz stopped short, for he heard a movement as if poole were crossing the cabin, and if he came out now the opportunity was gone. the middy felt the sensation as of a spasm attacking his chest, and as he paused there, half suffocated, he trembled with anger against himself for losing such a chance; but the sound within the cabin ceased, the captain's voice went murmuring on once more, and the suffocating sensation passed away, leaving the boy ready to seize his opportunity, and quick as thought he descended the last few steps, paused at the cabin-entry, and raising his hand quickly and silently, secured the outer door. chapter fourteen. a bold stroke. fitz burnett did not pause to think of the rights or wrongs of his proceedings, but smothered up everything in the belief that he was doing his duty. he would not even pause to consider whether his ideas were possible or impossible; everything was swallowed up in action, and with feverish energy he hurried back on deck to make the most use of the flying moments while he could. hurrying forward to where the men were dozing, smoking, and thinking, he signed to those who noticed his approach, and called to the others. "now, my lads!" he cried. the men sprang up wonderingly, apparently influenced by old traditions, and in no wise surprised to find the young officer about to give them some order. "look here, my lads," he said, in a low, quick, excited voice; "a word with you! i know you were all abs to a man." "ay, ay, sir!" said the nearest sailor at whom he looked. "old men-of-war's men," continued fitz to another. "ay, ay, sir! that's right," said the sailor. "it is my duty to make you, a crew of good men and true, know exactly how you stand." the listeners looked wonderingly at the excited boy, and then at one another, as if asking for the meaning of these unusual words. "look here," continued fitz, "you have all been good fellows to me since i have been aboard." "ay, ay, sir! why not?" said one of the men, with his face broadening into a hearty grin. "and that's why i, an officer in the navy, feel friendly disposed to a set of smart fellows who used to serve the queen." "ay, ay, sir! we served the queen," came in a murmur. "you did it in ignorance, no doubt, but in what you are doing you are offenders against the law, and may at any time be taken, and perhaps be strung up to the yardarm after a short trial. certainly you will be severely punished." a low murmur of dissent, almost derision, came from the little knot of men, and one of them laughed. "you don't believe me," cried fitz. "it is true. and now listen to what i say, one and all; i call upon you in the queen's name to obey my orders, for i take possession of this schooner as an officer in her majesty's service. in the queen's name!" there was a low murmur of mingled surprise and derision at this. "silence, there!" cried fitz. "i know that i am a very young officer to speak to you, but i am in the queen's navy, and i order you in her majesty's name to obey all my commands. i am going to sail at once for kingston, where i have no doubt there will be a man-of-war on the station, and if you behave well i shall speak to the captain and get him to make it easy for you, but of course i shall give up the skipper and his son as prisoners." "here, say something, chips," growled one of the men; and the carpenter spoke out. "say, squire, won't that be rather hard on them?" "silence, sir! how dare you! that is not the way for a common sailor to address an officer." "beg pardon, sir, but i am not a common sailor; i am a hartisan. why, you know--the chips." there was a titter here. "attention!" roared fitz. "this is no laughing matter, my lads. perhaps each man's life, certainly his liberty, is at stake." "ay, ay, sir!" came in a growl. "that's better," said fitz. "now, i don't want to be hard on you, my lads." "hear, hear! thank you, sir," cried the carpenter. "and i should be sorry to be harsh to any man; but once more, as an officer in the royal navy, i have got my duty to do, and i mean to do it." "ay, ay, sir!" came again, in a low acquiescent growl. "but he needn't keep on a-telling us." "those men who stand by me and do their duty in navigating this vessel shall have ample pay and reward." "what about prize-money, sir?" shouted a voice. "there'll be no prize-money." the men groaned. "but there will be reward in the shape of salvage, my lads. i, single-handed, have taken this schooner as a prize to the gunboat _tonans_, commanded by captain glossop, whose officer i am. she will be condemned and sold, and those who help me loyally will have their reward. now then, every man stand forward who is ready to do his duty by me." at that moment there was a sharp tapping heard from below. "what's that?" cried fitz sharply, though he perfectly well knew. "it's the skipper, sir, a-opening his eyes, i think," said the carpenter. "you've woke him up, talking like that, and he's coming on deck with a pair of revolving bulldogs, to begin potting us all round. here, who's coming below?" "silence, sir; and keep your places." the carpenter stepped back behind the rest, and the next moment there rang out a most perfect imitation of the crow of a bantam cock, which was followed by a roaring outburst of merriment from the men. fitz turned scarlet with rage. "how dare--" he began. "ahoy! on deck, there!" came faintly from the cabin, followed by a heavy sound of beating and kicking. one of the men made a start aft for the companionway, followed by two more, but fitz stepped before them. "stop!" he shouted fiercely. "on deck, there! do you hear? open this door!" came from below. "take no notice," shouted fitz, "until i give orders. here, you carpenter; where's the arm-chest?" "down in the cabin, sir." "no, no; i mean the other one--the men's." "arn't no nother one, sir. we always goes to the captain's tool-chest when we've got anybody as wants killing, or any job of that kind on hand!" "ahoy, there!" came from below once more, and then the sharp report of a pistol, a crash, and poole came bounding up on deck, revolver in hand. just as he came into sight the skipper's voice was heard distinctly-- "lay hold of the first mutineer, poole, and drag him down here." "that's meant for you, mr fitz, sir," said the carpenter with a chuckle, and the men roared again. fitz turned upon him, white as ashes, like an angry dog about to bite. "silence, you insolent scoundrel!" he shouted. "what's the meaning of this, burnett?" cried poole. "this, sir," said the lad haughtily, stepping forward to meet him, laying one hand on his shoulder, and making a desperate snatch at the revolver; "i seize this schooner in the queen's name. now, my lads, make this boy your prisoner." poole clapped the pistol behind him as he shook himself free. "look here, sir," he cried; "have you gone mad?" "do you hear, men?" cried fitz, seizing him again. "forward! you, poole, in the queen's name, surrender!" not a man stirred, all standing in a group looking on, some wonderingly, some thoroughly amused, while the carpenter whispered-- "all right, lads; let them fight it out. of all the cheek!" "did you say, you poole or you fool?" said the skipper's son quietly; "because one of us seems to be behaving very stupidly. take your hand off my collar. this pistol's loaded in five chambers, and was in six till i blew the lock off the cabin-door.--quiet, i tell you, before there's an accident. why, you must have gone off your head." "did you hear what i said, men?" shouted fitz furiously. "in the queen's name, make this boy your prisoner! here, you, boatswain, take the lead here and obey my orders." for that individual had just made his appearance on deck. "what's the row, young gentlemen? here, you, squire poole, put away that six-shooter. if you and mr fitz here has fell out, none of that tommy-rot nonsense. use your fists." "boatswain," cried fitz haughtily, "i, as an officer, seize this schooner in the queen's name." "what, has she telled you to, sir? i never heared her come aboard." "no trifling, man. for your own sake, obey my orders. seize this lad, and then make sail for the nearest british port." the boatswain took off his cap and scratched his head, looking at the boys in a puzzled way, while poole made no further resistance, but resigned himself to being held, as he kept the pistol well behind his back. "do you hear me, men?" shouted fitz, his heart sinking with despair the while, as he noted the smiling looks of every face before him, and felt what a miserable fiasco he had made. "oh yes, i can hear you, sir," said the boatswain. "i'd be precious deaf if i didn't; but you're giving rather a large order, taking a lot on yourself now as the skipper's lying in dock. any one would think as you had got a gunboat's well-manned cutter lying alongside, and i don't see as it is. what was that there shot i heard?" "i blew the lock off the cabin-door by my father's orders," cried poole. "we were locked in." "ho!" said the boatswain. "then this 'ere's been what they used to call aboard a ship i was in, a hen-coop _de main_. i don't quite exactly know what it means, but it's something about shutting up prisoners in a cage. but don't you think, young gentleman, you have been making a big mistake? but oh, all right--here's the skipper hisself coming on deck." fitz turned sharply towards the companion-hatch, to see the head and shoulders of the skipper as he stood there holding on by the combings, and swaying to and fro, looking very ill and weak. his voice, too, sounded feeble as he said huskily, addressing the boatswain-- "is there any boat alongside, butters?" "i arn't seen one, sir," replied the boatswain. "any cruiser within sight?" "no, sir." "where's mr burgess?" "down below, sir. i'm afraid he's got the fever too." "tut-tut-tut!" ejaculated the skipper. "there, i needn't ask any questions. i have heard and seen enough. mr burnett, come here. no? well, stay where you are. my good lad, have you been too much in the sun, to begin playing such a silly prank as this? there, no more nonsense!" he added sternly, and with his voice gathering in force. "it is evident to me that you don't know what stuff my men are made of. but i'm too weak to stand talking here. come and lend me a hand, poole. you, my young filibuster, had better come below with me, where you can talk the matter over like a man. ha, ha, ha!" he added, with a peculiar laugh. "there, i'm not angry with you, my boy. i must say i admire your pluck; but you must see how absurd all this is!" the midshipman's hands had dropped to his sides, and a strange, hopeless, bitterly despondent look made his face display so many incipient wrinkles, the germs, so to speak, of those which in manhood would some day mark his frank young features. "it's all over," he groaned to himself; "they are all laughing at me. i wish i were overboard! what an idiot i have been!" the laugh was there all ready in the eyes of the crew, and ready to burst out in a roar, as, thrusting the revolver into his breast, poole ran to his father's side, and steadied him as he went back into the cabin; but not a sound was heard till the way was quite clear and fitz stood alone looking wildly about him like some hunted animal seeking a place of refuge where he might hide. but the lad's choice was limited to the cook's galley, the cable-tier, and the forecastle-hatch, none of which would do. there were only two courses open, he felt, and one was to end his troubles by going overboard, the other to surrender like a man, obeying the skipper's orders and following him below--anywhere to be out of sight of the jeering crew, whose remarks and mirthful shouts he momentarily expected to hear buzzing about his devoted head. and hence it was that as soon as the companion-hatch was clear he drew himself up to his full height--it did not take much doing, for it is very hard work for a boy to look like a man--and gazing straight before him, walked haughtily to the cabin-hatch and disappeared. the men seemed to have been holding their breath; their faces relaxed into smiles and grins, and the carpenter exclaimed-- "chips and shavings! bantams aren't--" in another moment there would have been a roar of derisive laughter, but butters growled out hoarsely and sternly-- "stand by! d'y' hear? steady, my lads! none of that 'ere! grinning like a set of cheshire cats! what have you got to sneer at? my word! my word! and a boy like that! that's what i call genuine british pluck! what a hofficer he'd make!" "ay, ay!" cried the carpenter. "right you are. all together, lads! he is the right sort! three cheers!" they were given, with the boatswain pining in, and fitz winced as he heard them down by the cabin-door; but he was himself again directly, for there was no jarring note of derision in the sound. chapter fifteen. a miss-fire. fitz burnett felt the next moment as if it would be easier to do that which had never fallen to his lot--board with an excited crew an enemy's ship, as he stood there for a few brief moments at the cabin-door listening to the heavy breathing and movements of the skipper, sounds which he knew meant that he was being helped back into his berth. for the cabin-door had swung to, and he could see nothing of that which was passing within. but the task had to be done, and the men's cheer, rightly interpreted, seemed to have heartened him up, so that feeling more himself, he waited till he heard a heavy sigh of relief which told its own tale, and then giving the door a thrust, he stepped into the little cabin, to face its owner lying extended upon his back. seeing poole standing by his father's head, facing him, he waited motionless for a few moments. "hah! that's better!" sighed the skipper. "get me the quinine-bottle out of the chest, my boy. this fever has made me as weak as a rat." poole moved to one of the lockers at once, leaving the way clear for his father to see the young midshipman where he stood; and the boy set his teeth as the skipper's fierce fiery eyes seemed to look him through and through. "now for it," thought fitz, as he held his breath. "what will he say?" he was not long kept in doubt, for the skipper spoke at once, not with some furious denunciation, not with mocking contempt of the childish effort of which the lad had been the hero, but in a quiet, easy-going tone, strangely contrasted with the fierce look in his eyes. "oh, there you are, my lad," he said. "do you see what work these tropic fevers can make of a strong man? why, if you had only had me to deal with you would have had it all your own way. there, come and sit down, and let's have a palaver." "i can stand, sir, thank you," said the boy coldly, "and you needn't exert yourself to talk. i know all that you would say, and i confess at once that i have failed. but," he added excitedly, "i am not sorry, not a bit. i felt it my was duty under the circumstances, and i feel now that i might have succeeded, and that it would have been right." "of course you do," said the skipper quietly. "but there, come and sit down here, all the same. that's right. we can talk more easily now. one moment; just open that window a little wider. this place is like an oven, and i want cool air.--hah! that's better." he lay with his head thrown back and his eyelids half-closed. "well," he said at last, good-humouredly, and with a smile beginning to play about his rugged face, with the effect of sending a thrill of anger through the boy's frame, as he flashed out furiously-- "don't laugh at me, sir! put me in irons; punish me as much as you like; but don't jeer at me. i can't bear that." "steady, my boy, steady!" said the skipper quietly. "you must cool down now. why, burnett, my lad, you had better furl up all your romantic sails and let's talk like men. i am not going to put you in irons, i am not going to punish you. what nonsense! why, when i was your age and just as thoughtless, if i had been placed in your position i might likely enough have tried on just such a trick. it will be a lesson for you to follow out the old proverb, `look before you leap.' you can't see it now, but some day i have no doubt that you will feel that it was a mad idea, attempted because you didn't know the people among whom you had been cast, nor thought it out so as to see how impossible it all was for a boy like you--a lad like you, single-handed, but with all a man's pluck, and even unarmed, to make yourself master of my little craft. it was rather a big venture to make, my lad; don't you think it was?" "no, sir," said the lad firmly. "i had something else behind me." "what, the belief that my lads only wanted a leader to turn against me?" "no, sir; that i was backed up, as an officer of the queen, by the whole power of the law." "oh, i see," said the skipper. "yes. exactly. that's all very big and grand, and it might act sometimes and in some places, and especially when there are men well-armed to back it up as well; but if you had thought it out, my lad, i think you would have seen that it could have had no chance here.--oh, that my dose, poole? half or full?" he continued, as he raised his hand to take a little silver mug which his son had brought. "only half, father," replied the lad. "you had a full dose just before you went to sleep." "to be sure; so i did," said the skipper, whose hand was trembling as he took the cup.--"it's of no use to ask you to drink with me, mr burnett?" fitz shook his head. "no, i suppose not," continued the skipper; "but we are going to be good friends, all the same." fitz watched the sick man as he drained the cup. "ah! bitter stuff! if you just think of the bitterest thing you ever tasted and multiply it by itself, square it, as we used to call it at school, you would only come near to the taste of this. but it's not a nasty bitter, sickly and nauseous and all that, but a bitter that you can get almost to like in time.--thank you, poole," and he handed back the cup. "it makes me feel better at once. nasty things, these fevers, squire burnett, and very wonderful too that a man, a strong man, should be going about hale and hearty in these hot countries, and then breathe in something all at once that turns him up like this. and then more wonderful still that the savage people lower down yonder in south america--higher up, i ought to say, for it was the folk amongst the mountains--should have found out a shrub whose bark would kill the fever poison and make a man himself again. they say--put the cup away, poole--that wherever a poisonous thing grows there's another plant grows close at hand which will cure the ill it does, bane and antidote, my lad, stinging-nettles and dock at home, you know. i don't know that it holds quite true, but i do know that there are fevers out here, and quinine acts as a cure. but there's one thing i want to know, and it's this, how in the name of all that's wonderful these south american people first found it out." fitz looked at him in a puzzled way. "what does he mean," he thought, "by wandering off into a lecture like this?" the skipper smiled at him as if he read his thoughts. "hah!" he said. "i am beginning to feel better now. the shivers are going off. not such a bad doctor, am i? you see, one always carries a medicine-chest, but one has to learn how to use it, and i have been obliged to pick up a few things. i shouldn't be at all surprised some day if i have to doctor you for something more than a crack on the head. look here, poole," he continued, with a broad, good-humoured smile crossing his features, "come into consultation. what do you think? our friend here is a bit too hot-blooded. do you think he need be bled? no, no; don't flush up like that, my lad. it was only my joke. there," he cried, holding out his hand, which had ceased to tremble--"shake. i'll never allude to it again. you did rather a foolish thing, but it is all over now--dead and buried, and we are going to be just as good friends as we were before, for i like you, my lad, none the less for the stuff of which you are made--the pluck you have shown. but take my advice; don't attempt anything of the kind again. fate has put you into this awkward position. be a man, and make the best of it. some day or other you will be able to say good-bye to us and go back to your ship, feeling quite contented as to having done your duty. come now, let's shake hands and begin again." he held out his hand once more, and after a moment's hesitation, fitz, who dared not trust himself to speak, placed his own within it, to have it held in a firm, warm pressure for some moments before it was released. "there," said the skipper, smiling, "i am coming out in a nice soft perspiration now, and i feel as if that bit of excitement has done me good. here, poole, i'm tired, and i think that i can sleep and wake up better. burnett, my lad, perhaps you would like to stay below the rest of the day.--poole, mix mr burgess a dose. you know how many grains. tell him i can't come to him myself, and see that he takes it. it's my orders, mind. these attacks are sharp but short. i'm half asleep already. oh, by the way--" he stopped short, drawing a heavy breath. "by the way, i--" he was silent again. "i--poole." "yes, father," said the lad softly. "are you there?" "yes, father." the boys exchanged glances. "i--i think--hah!" the skipper was fast asleep. the two lads remained silent for a few moments, watching the sleeper, and then poole looked full in his companion's eyes and slowly took out the revolver which he had thrust into his breast, before raising the hammer and bringing the cartridge-extractor to bear so that one after another the charges were thrust out, each to fall with a soft tap upon the cabin-table, after which the chambers were carefully wiped out, and the weapon put back into a holster close to the head of the berth, the cartridges being dropped into the little pouch attached to the belt. when all was done, steadily watched by fitz the while, poole raised his eyes to his companion once again. "shall we do as you and father did just now?" he asked. "yes," said fitz slowly and sadly, "if you will." "will?--of course!" the two lads shook hands. chapter sixteen. land ho! two days passed, during which time fitz kept to his cabin, and towards evening poole came down, to find the middy seated with his back to the door gazing through the cabin-window at what seemed to be a beautiful blue cloud low-down on the horizon. "hullo!" cried poole cheerily. "you can see it, then?" "yes," said fitz, without looking round. "that's land, i suppose." "yes, that's one of the islands; but look here, what's the good of going on like this?" "if i choose to sit at my prison-window and look out for the islands, i suppose i have a right to do so," said fitz coldly. "i say, take care. recollect you have not quite got your strength up again. mind you don't fall." "may i inquire what you mean?" said fitz haughtily. "of course. i mean, take care you don't tumble off the stilts now you have got on to them again." "bah!" ejaculated the boy. "well, what's the good of going on like that, sulking and pretending you are a prisoner?" "there's no pretence in that," said fitz bitterly. "yes, there is," retorted poole quickly. "it's all shammon and gam--i mean, gammon and sham. you are no more a prisoner than i am. why, even father says you seem to be riding the high horse. i suppose you do feel a bit awkward about coming on deck amongst the men, after going through that--i mean, after what happened." "oh, say it!" cried fitz angrily. "after going through that performance, you meant." "i am not going to argue and fence. look here, you have got to face the men, so why not make a plunge and do it? you think the lads will be winking and exchanging glances and whispering to one another, when all the time there's only one body on board the _teal_ who gives all that business a thought, and that's you. tchah! sailors have no time to think about what's past. they have always got to keep a sharp look-out for the rocks ahead. you are such a sensitive chap. come on up, and let's have a turn at fishing." "is your father quite well again?" said fitz, without heeding his companion's proposal. "oh yes; that was only one of his fits. they come and go." "and how's mr burgess?" "pretty well right again. come up. have the glass. you can see another island astern, one of the little ones, and i think we are going to have one of these lovely tropic sunsets, same as we had last night when you wouldn't come and see it." "how can a fellow situated as i am care for sunsets?" "just in the same way as he can care for sunrises if he's awake early enough. oh, do pitch all that up! it has all gone by. but i see how it is. you think that you made a mistake, and that everybody will be ready to laugh at you." "and so they will," cried fitz passionately. "i can never show my face on deck again." "ha, ha!" laughed poole. "well, you are a rum chap, fancying a thing like that. why, my father's too much of a gentleman ever to notice it again, and i'm sure old grumpy burgess wouldn't, from what he said to me when i was telling him all about it afterwards." "what!" cried fitz, flashing out. "you went down tale-bearing to the mate like that?" "there you go again! i didn't go tale-bearing. he'd heard about it from one of the men, and next time i took him his quinine he began questioning me." "and what did he say?" cried fitz fiercely. "shan't tell you." "what!" cried fitz. "and you profess to be my friend!" "yes; that's why i won't tell you," said poole, with his eyes twinkling. "i want to spare your feelings, or else it will make you so wild." "the insolent piratical old scoundrel!" cried fitz. "how dare he!" "oh, don't ask me. he's a regular rough one with his tongue, as you know by the way in which he deals with the men; gives the dad the raspy side of his palaver sometimes, but dad never seems to mind it. he never takes any notice, because burgess means right, and he's such a splendid seaman." "means right!" cried fitz angrily. "is it right to abuse a prisoner behind his back when he's not in a position to defend himself?" "yes, it was too bad," said poole sympathetically. "what did he say?" "oh, you had better not know," replied poole, winking to himself. "i insist upon your telling me." "oh, well, if you will have it--only don't blame me afterwards for letting it out." "what did he say?" repeated the boy. "it was while he had got a very bad fit of the shivers on, and the poor fellow's teeth were all of a chatter with the fever." "i think your teeth seem to be all of a chatter," snarled the midshipman fiercely. "ha, ha! you are a wonderful deal better, queen's man," cried poole merrily. "have you come down here like the rest to insult and trample on me?" cried fitz, springing to his feet. "ah, now you are getting yourself again." "i insist upon your telling me what that man burgess said." "what he said? well, he said you were a plucked 'un and no mistake." "bah!" ejaculated fitz, and there was silence for a few moments, during which poole thrust his head out of the cabin-window to give his companion time to calm down. "yes," said the lad, looking round. "clouds are gathering in the west, and we are going to have a grand show of such colours as i never saw anywhere else. come on up, there's a good chap." fitz remained silent, and the skipper's son winked to himself. "where's mr burgess now?" said fitz at last. "he's in his cabin, writing home to his wife. you would never think how particular such a gruff old fellow as he is about writing home. writes a long letter every week as regular as clockwork. doesn't seem like a pirate, does it?" "is your father on deck?" "no. he's in his cabin, busy over the chart. we are getting pretty close to the port now." "ah!" cried fitz eagerly. "what port are we making for?" "san cristobal." "where's that?" "in the armado republic, central america." "oh," said fitz. "i never heard of it before. is there a british consul there?" "oh, i don't know. there generally is one everywhere. i think there used to be before don villarayo upset the government and got himself made president." "and is it to him that you are taking out field-guns and ammunition?" "i never said we were taking out field-guns and ammunition," said poole innocently. "there's nothing of that sort down in the bills of lading-- only birmingham hardware. oh no, it is not for him. it is for another don who is opening a new shop there in opposition to villarayo, and from what i heard he is going to do the best trade." "what's the good of your talking all this rubbish to me? of course i know what it all means." "that's right. i supposed you did know something about it, or else your skipper would not have sent you to try and capture our birmingham goods." "birmingham goods!" cried fitz. "fire-arms, you mean." "to be sure, yes," said poole. "i forgot them. there are a lot of fireworks ready for a big celebration when the new don opens his shop!" "bah!" cried fitz contemptuously; and then after a few moments' thought, "well," he said shortly, "i suppose i shall have to do it. i can't stop always in this stuffy cabin. it will make me ill again; and i may just as well face it out now as at some other time." "just," said poole, "only i am afraid you will be disappointed, for you will find nothing to face." fitz turned upon the speaker fiercely, looking as if he were going to make some angry remark; but he found no sneer on the face of the skipper's son, only a frank genial smile, which, being lit up by the warm glow gradually gathering in the west, seemed to glance upon and soften his own features, till he turned sharply away as if feeling ashamed of what he looked upon as weakness, and the incident ended by his saying suddenly--"let's go on deck." chapter seventeen. "old chap"--"old fellow." days of slow sailing through calm blue waters, with quite an archipelago of eden-like islands showing one or another in sight. very slow progress was made on account of the wind, which was light and generally adverse. fitz passed his time nearly always on deck with the skipper's glass in hand, every now and then close enough in to one of the islands to excite an intense longing to land, partly to end his imprisonment, as he called it, partly from sheer desire to plunge into one or another of the glorious valleys which ran upward from the sea, cut deep into the side of some volcanic mountain. "lovely!" was always on the boy's lips. "i never saw anything like this before, poole. but where's the port we are sailing for? are we never going to land?" "oh, it's only a little farther on," was the reply. "if this wind only gets up a little more towards sundown i expect we shall soon be there." "that's what you always keep saying," was the impatient retort. "yes," said poole coolly; "but it isn't my fault. it's the wind." "oh, hang the wind!" "you should say, blow it!" said poole, laughing. "but i say, old chap, i don't want to damp you, but you really had better not indulge in any hope of seeing any consul or english people who will help you to get away. san cristobal is a very solitary place, where the people are all mongrels, a mixture of native indians and half-bred spaniards. father says they are like the volcano at the back of the city, for when it is not blowing up, they are." "well, i shall learn all that for myself," said fitz coldly. "you will, old fellow, and before long too." "what do you mean by that?" said fitz sharply. "only that we shall be there for certain to-night." as it happened, the wind freshened a little that evening, while the sunset that poole had prophesied was glorious in the extreme; a wondrous pile of massive clouds formed up from the horizon almost to the zenith, shutting out the sun, and fitz watched the resplendent hues until his eyes were ready to ache--purple, scarlet, orange and gold, with flashes in between of the most vivid metallic blue, ever increasing, ever changing, until the eye could bear no more and sought for rest in the sea through which they sailed, a sea that resembled liquid rubies or so much wine. but the end was coming fast, and like some transformation scene, the clouds were slowly drawn aside, the vivid tints began to pale till they died away into a rich, soft, purple gloom spangled with drops of gold. and a deep sigh escaped from the middy's breast as he stood wondering over the glories of the rapid change from glowing day into the soft, transparent, tropic night. "i never saw anything like that before," sighed the boy. "no, i suppose not," was the reply. "it was almost worth coming all this way to see. doesn't it seem queer to you where all the clouds are gone?" "yes," said fitz; "i was thinking about that. there is only one left, now, over yonder, with the sun glowing on it still." "that's not the sun," said poole quietly. "yes, it is. i mean there, that soft dull red. look before it dies out." "that's the one i was looking at, and it won't die out; if you like to watch you will see it looking dull and red like that all night." "oh, i see," cried fitz mockingly; "you mean that the sun goes down only a little way there, and then comes up again in the same place." "no, i don't," said poole quietly. "what you see is the glow from the volcano a few miles back behind the town." "what!" cried fitz. "then we are as close to the port as that?" "yes. we are not above a dozen miles away. it's too dark to see now, or you could make out the mountains that surround the bay." "then why couldn't we see them before the sun was set?" cried fitz sceptically. "because they were all hidden by the clouds and golden haze that gather round of an evening. yes, yonder's san cristobal, and as soon as it is a little darker if you use the glass you will be able to make out which are the twinkling electric lights and which are stars." "electric lights!" cried fitz. "oh yes, they've got 'em, and tram-cars too. they are pretty wide-awake in these mushroom spanish republic towns." "then they will be advanced enough," thought fitz, "for me to get help to make my way to rejoin my ship. sooner or later my chance must come." within an hour the soft warm wind had dropped, and the captain gave his orders, to be followed by the rattling out of the chain-cable through the hawse-hole. the schooner swung round, and fitz had to bring the glass to bear from the other side of the deck to make out the twinkling lights of the semi-spanish town. everything was wonderfully still, but it was an exciting time for the lad as he leaned against the bulwarks quite alone, gazing through the soft mysterious darkness at the distant lights. there were thoughts in his breast connected with the lowering down of one of the boats and rowing ashore, but there was the look-out, and the captain and mate were both on deck, talking together as they walked up and down, while instead of the men going below and seeming disposed to sleep, they were lounging about, smoking and chatting together. and then it was that the middy began to think about one of the four life-buoys lashed fore and aft, and how it would be if he cut one of them loose and lowered himself down by a rope, to trust to swimming and the help of the current to bear him ashore. his heart throbbed hard at the idea, and then he turned cold, for he was seaman enough to know the meaning of the tides and currents. suppose in his ignorance instead of bearing him ashore they swept him out to sea? and then he shuddered at his next thought. there were the sharks, and only that evening he and poole had counted no less than ten--that is to say, their little triangular back-fins-- gliding through the surface of the water. "no," he said to himself, "i shall have to wait;" and he started violently, for a voice at his elbow said-- "did you speak?" "eh? no, i don't think so," replied the boy. "you must have been talking to yourself. i say, what a lovely night! did you notice that signal that we ran up?" "no," cried fitz eagerly. "it was while you were looking at the sunset. father made me run up a flag. don't you remember my asking you to let me have the glass a minute?" "yes, of course." "well--i don't mind telling you now--that was to the fort, and they answered it just in time before it was too dark to see. i think they hoisted lights afterwards, three in a particular shape, but there were so many others about that father couldn't be sure." "then i suppose that means going into port at daylight?" "yes, and land our cargo under the guns of the fort. i say, listen." "what to?" "that," said poole, in a whisper. "oh yes, that splashing. fish, i suppose." "no," whispered poole. "i believe it's oars." he had hardly spoken when the skipper's voice was heard giving orders almost in a whisper; but they were loud enough to be heard and understood, for there was a sudden rush and padding of feet about the deck, followed by a soft rattling, and the next minute the middy was aware of the presence of a couple of the sailors armed with capstan-bars standing close at hand. then all was silence once more, and the darkness suddenly grew more dense, following upon a dull squeaking sound as of a pulley-wheel in a block. "they've doused the light," whispered poole. "it's a boat coming off from the shore," he continued excitedly, with his lips close to the middy's ear. "it's the people we expect, i suppose, but father is always suspicious at a time like this, for you never know who they may be. but if they mean mischief they will get it warm." fitz's thoughts went back at a bound to the dark night when he boarded with the cutter's crew, and his heart beat faster and faster still as, leaning outward to try and pierce the soft transparent darkness of the tropic night, he felt his arm tightly gripped by poole with one hand, while with the other he pointed to a soft pale flashing of the water, which was accompanied by a dull regular _splash, splash_. "friends or enemies," whispered poole, "but they don't see us yet. i wonder which they are." just then the lambent flashing of the phosphorescent water and the soft splashing ceased. it was the reign of darkness far and near. chapter eighteen. anxious times. as the minutes glided by in the midst of that profound silence, a fresh kind of feverish feeling began to steal over fitz. there in the distance, apparently beyond the dome of great stars which lit up the blackish purple heavens, was the dull glowing cloud which looked like one that the sunset had left behind; beneath that were the twinkling lights of the town, and between the schooner and that, a broad black plain of darkness, looking like a layer which extended as high as the top of the masts. but as fitz looked down, it was to see that the blackness below his feet was transparent and all in motion with tiny glowing specks gliding here and there as if being swept along by a powerful current. there were moments when he could have fancied that he was gazing into a huge black mirror which reflected the vast dome of stars, but he knew by experience that these moving greenish golden specks were no orbs of light but the tiny phosphorescent medusas gliding in all directions through the transparent water, and every now and then combining to emit a pale green bluish flash of light, as some fish made the current swirl by giving a swoop with its tail. moment by moment in the silence all seemed to grow more and more unreal, more dream-like, till he felt ready to declare that all was fancy, that he had heard no splash of a coming boat, and that the next minute he would start into wakefulness and find that it was all imagination. then all at once he was listening with every nerve on the strain, wishing that he knew spanish instead of latin, for a low clear voice arose out of the darkness, saying, as he afterwards learned-- "aboard the english vessel there! where are you? i have lost my way." the skipper answered directly in spanish. there was a quick interchange of words, and then the latter gave an order in english which came as a relief to fitz and made his heart jump, suggesting as it did that the next minute there was going to be a fight. "get the lads all round you, burgess, and be on the alert. it seems all right, but it may be a bit of spanish treachery, so look out." as he was speaking fitz with straining eyes and ear saw that the pale golden green water was being lifted from the surface of the sea and falling back like dull golden metal in patches, with an interval of darkness between them, the bestirred water looking like so much molten ore as it splashed about. then there was the scraping of a boat-hook against the side, close to the gangway, and the dimly-seen figure of a man scrambling on board. no enemy certainly, for fitz made out that the newcomer grasped both the captain's hands in his, and began talking to him in a low eager excited tone, the captain's responses, given in the man's own tongue, sounding short and sharp, interspersed too with an angry ejaculation or two. the conversation only lasted about five minutes, and then the visitor turned back to the side, uttered an order in a low tone which caused a little stir in the boat below, and stepped down. fitz could hear him crossing the thwarts to the stern, and the craft was pushed off. then the golden splashes in the sea came regularly once more, to grow fainter and fainter, in the direction of the city lights; and then they were alone in the silence and darkness of the night. it was not fitz's fault that he heard what followed, for the skipper came close up to where he was standing with poole, followed by the mate, who had sent the men forward as soon as the boat was gone. "well," said the skipper, "it's very unfortunate." "is it?" said the mate gruffly. "yes. couldn't you hear?" "i heard part of what he said, but my spanish is very bad, especially if it's one of these mongrel half indian-bred fellows who is talking. you had better tell me plainly how matters stand." "very well. horribly badly. things have gone wrong since we left england. our friends were too venturesome, and they were regularly trapped, with the result that they were beaten back out of the town, and the president's men seized the fort, got hold of their passwords and the signalling flags that they had in the place, and answered our signals, so that they took me in. if it had not been for his man's coming to-night with a message from don ramon, we should have sailed right into the trap as soon as it was day, and been lying under the enemy's guns." "narrow escape, then," said the mate. "nearly ruin," was the reply. "but hold hard a minute. suppose, after all, this is a bit of a trick, a cooked-up lie to cheat us." "not likely," said the skipper. "what good would it do the enemy to send us away when they had all we brought under their hand? besides, this messenger had a password to give me that must have been right." "you know best," said the mate gruffly. "then what next?" "up anchor at once, and we sail round the foreland yonder till we can open out the other valley and the river's mouth twenty miles along the coast. don ramon and his men are gathering at velova, and they want our munition badly there." "right," said the mate abruptly. "up anchor at once? make a big offing, i suppose?" "no, we must hug the coast. i dare say they will have a gunboat patrolling some distance out--a steamer--and with these varying winds and calms we should be at their mercy. if we are taken, don ramon's cause is ruined, poor fellow, and the country will be at the mercy of that half-savage, president villarayo. brute! he deserves to be hung!" "i don't like it," said burgess gruffly. "you don't like it!" cried the skipper. "what do you mean?" "what do i mean? why, from here to velova close in it's all rock-shoal and wild current. it's almost madness to try and hug the coast." "oh, i see. but it's got to be done, burgess. you didn't take soundings and bearings miles each way for nothing last year." "tchah!" growled the mate. "one wants an apprenticeship to this coast. i'll do what you want, of course, but i won't be answerable for taking the _teal_ safely into that next port." "oh yes, you will," said the skipper quietly. "if i didn't think you would i should try to do it myself. now then, there's no time to waste. look yonder. there's something coming out of the port now--a steamer, i believe, from the way she moves, and most likely it's in reply to our signals, and they're coming out to give us a surprise." the mate stood for a few moments peering over the black waters in the direction of the indicated lights. "yes," he growled, "that's a steamer; one of their gunboats, i should say, and they are coming straight for here." "how does he know that?" whispered fitz, as the skipper and the mate now moved away. "the lights were some distance apart," replied poole, "and they've swung round till one's close behind the other. now look, whatever the steamer is she is coming straight for here. fortunately there is a nice pleasant breeze, but i hope we shall not get upon any of these fang-like rocks." "yes, i hope so too," said fitz excitedly; and then poole left him, and he stood listening to the clicking of the capstan as the anchor was raised, while some of the crew busily hoisted sail, so that in a few minutes' time the schooner began to heel over from the pressure of the wind and glide away, showing that the anchor was clear of the soft ooze in which it had lain. chapter nineteen. ticklish. burgess the mate went forward, to stand for a few minutes looking into the offing, before going back aft to say a word or two to the man at the wheel, as the schooner was now gliding rapidly on, and then walked sharply to where the skipper was giving orders to the men, which resulted in a big gaff sail being run up, to balloon out and increase the schooner's rate of speed through the water. a short consultation ensued, another man was put on the look-out forward, and the mate went back to take the wheel himself. "ah, that's better," said poole quietly. "what's better?" asked fitz. "old burgess taking the wheel himself. it's a bad enough place here in the daylight, but it's awful in the darkness, and we are not quite so likely to be carried by some current crash on to a rock." "then why, in the name of common-sense, don't we lay-to till daylight?" "because it wouldn't be common-sense to wait till that steamer comes gliding up, and takes possession of the _teal_. do you know what that means?" "yes; you would all be made prisoners, and i should be free," cried fitz, laughing. "my word, master poole, i don't want you to have a topper first, but i'd let you see then what it is to be a prisoner aboard the _silver teal_." "oh yes, of course, i know," replied poole mockingly. "but you don't know everything. when i asked you if you knew what it meant it was this, that our cargo would go into the wrong hands and about ruin don ramon's cause." "well, what does that matter?" "everything. ramon, who has been striking for freedom and all that's good and right, would be beaten, and the old president don villarayo would carry on as before. he is as bad a tyrant as ever was at the head of affairs, and it's to help turn him out of the chair that my father and his spanish friends are making this venture." "well, that's nothing to me," said fitz. "i am on the side of right." "well, that is the side of right." "oh no," said fitz. "according to the rule of these things that's the side of right that has the strongest hold." "bah!" said poole. "that would never do, unless it is when we get the strongest hold, and that we mean to do." "well, i hope old burgess, as you call him, won't run this wretched schooner crash on to a rock. you might as well hand me out a life-belt, in case." "oh, there's time enough for that," said poole coolly. "i'll take care of you. but i say, look! that gunboat is coming on two knots for our one. can't you see?" "i can see her lights, of course, but it doesn't seem to me that she is getting closer." "she is, though, and she's bound to overtake us, for old burgess is keeping right along the main channel. why, if i didn't know who was at the wheel," cried the lad excitedly, "i should be ready to think that the steersman had proved treacherous, and was playing into the enemy's hands. oh, here's father! i say, dad, do you see how fast that gunboat is overhauling us?" "oh yes," said the skipper coolly. "it's all right, my boy; burgess knows what he's about. he wants to get a little more offing, but it's getting nearly time to lie over on the other tack." he had hardly spoken when the mate at the wheel called out-- "now!" the skipper gave a short, sharp order or two, the men sprang to the sheets, the schooner was turned right up into the wind, the sails began to shiver, and directly after they began to fill on the other tack, were sheeted home, and the _teal_ lay so over to starboard that fitz made a snatch at a rope so as to steady himself and keep his feet. "why, he'll have the sea over her side," whispered fitz excitedly. "very likely," said poole coolly. "ah, you don't know how we can sail." "sail! why, you will have her lying flat in the water directly." "make the sails more taut," said poole coolly. "i say, we are going now. i didn't see what he meant. we have just turned the south rocks. talk about piloting, old burgess does know what he's about. we are sailing as fast as the gunboat." "but she's overhauling us." "yes, but she won't try to pass those rocks. she will have to keep to the channel. we are skimming along over the rocky shallows now." "yes, with the keel nearly up to the surface," panted fitz excitedly. "all the better! less likely to scrape the rocks." "well, you are taking it pretty coolly," continued the midshipman. "this must be risky work." "yes, we don't want to be taken. you wait a few minutes and watch the gunboat's lights. you will see that she will be getting more distant as she goes straight on for the open sea. her captain will make for the next channel, two or three miles south, to catch us there as we come out--and we shan't come out, for we shall go right on in and out among the shallows and get clear off, so as to sail into velova bay. we shall be all right if we don't come crash on to one of the shark's fin rocks." "and if we do?" "well, if we do we shan't get off again--only in the boats--but old villarayo's gang won't get the ammunition, for that will go down to amuse the sharks." "well, this is nice," said fitz. "the schooner was bad enough before; now it's ten times worse." "nonsense. see how we are skimming along. this is a new experience for you. you will see more fun with us in a month than you would in your old tea-kettle of a gunboat in twelve." "phew!" ejaculated the skipper, coming up, straw hat in one hand, pocket-handkerchief in the other, and mopping his face. "this is rather warm work, poole, my boy. well, mr burnett, what do you think of blockade running for a change?" "what do i think of it, sir?" said fitz, who was still holding on tight to one of the ropes. "yes. good as yachting, isn't it?" "well, i don't like it a bit, sir. i don't call it seamanship." "indeed, young gentleman! what do you call it, then?" "utter recklessness, sir." "oh!" said the skipper. "well, it is running it rather close, but you can't do blockade running without. not afraid, are you?" "oh, i don't know about being afraid, sir, but i think that we shall have to take to the boats." "yes, that's quite likely, but the chances are about equal that we shall not. mr burgess knows what he is about, and as likely as not we shall be right into velova bay soon after sunrise, and the president's gunboat twenty miles away." several times over during the rest of the night's run, fitz observed that there was a little anxious conference between the skipper and the mate, the former speaking very sternly, and on one occasion the latter spoke out loud in a sharp angry voice, the words reaching the middy's ear. "of course it is very risky," he said, "but i feel as if i shall get her through, or i shouldn't do it. shall we take soundings and drop anchor in the best bit we can find?" "where we shall be clearly seen as soon as day breaks? no! go on." it was a relief then to both the lads when the day broke, showing them a line of breakers about half-a-mile away on the starboard-bow, and clear open water right ahead, while as the dawn lifted more and more, it was to show a high ground jungle and the beautiful curve of another bay formed by a couple of ridges about three miles apart running down into the sea. "there," cried poole triumphantly; "we have been running the gauntlet of dangerous rocks all night, and we've won. that's velova bay. you will see the city directly, just at the mouth of the valley. lovely place. it's the next city to san cristobal." "fetch my glass, poole," said the skipper; and upon its being brought its owner took a long searching sweep of the coast as he stood by the mate's side. "i can only make out a few small vessels," he said; "nothing that we need mind. run straight in, and we can land everything before the gunboat can get round, even if she comes, which is doubtful, after all." "yes, knowing how we can sail." the boys were standing near, and heard all that was said, for their elders spoke freely before them. "what about choice of place for landing?" asked the mate. "oh, we will go up as close as we can get. ramon is sure to have a strong party there to help, and in a very short time he would be able to knock up an earthwork and utilise the guns as we get them ashore. that would keep the gunboat off if she comes round." "yes," said the mate quietly, and he handed over the wheel to one of the men, the sea being quite open now between them and the shore a few miles away. "well," said the skipper, "what do you make of it?" for the mate was shading his eyes and looking carefully round eastward. "have a look yourself," was the gruff reply. the skipper raised the glass he had lowered to his side, and swept the horizon eastward; knowing full well the keenness of his subordinate's eyes, he fully expected to see some suspicious vessel in sight, but that had not taken the mate's attention, for as soon as the glass had described about the eighth of a circle the skipper lowered it again and gave an angry stamp with his foot. "was ever such luck!" he cried. "no," replied the mate; "it is bad. but there is only one thing to be done." "yes, only one thing. we must get out while we can, and i don't know but what we may be too late even now." for the next few minutes all was busy on board the schooner. it was 'bout ship, and fresh sail was set, their course being due east, while as soon as fitz could get poole to answer a question, what had so far been to him a mystery was explained. "we are in for one of those hurricanes that come on so suddenly here," said the lad, "and we are going right out to sea, to try and get under shelter of one of the isles before it breaks." "but why not stop here in harbour?" said fitz sharply. "because there is none. when the wind's easterly you can only expect one thing, and that is to be blown ashore." "but is there time to get under the lee of some island?" "i don't know. we are going straight into danger now, for as likely as not we shall meet the gunboat coming right across our bows to cut us off." chapter twenty. on two sides. the speed they were able to get out of the schooner, and the admirable seamanship of her commander enabled them to reach the sought-for shelter before the fury of the west indian hurricane came on. it was rough work, but with two anchors down, the _teal_ managed to ride out the blast, and fortunately for her crew the storm subsided as quickly as it had risen, leaving them free to run in for velova with a gentle breeze over a heavy swell, which as evening approached began to subside fast. it still wanted a couple of hours of sunset when the morning's position was reached, and with favourable wind and the signal flying they were running close in, when fitz suddenly caught poole by the arm. "look yonder," he said. "what at?--my word!" the boy rushed aft to where his father was standing watching the distant city through his glass; but that which he was about to impart was already clearly seen. from behind a wooded point about a mile behind them the black trail of smoke rising from a steamer's funnel was slowly ascending into the soft air, and for a few moments the skipper stood with his teeth set and his face contracted with disappointment and rage. "think they have seen us, burgess?" he said at last. "yes; they have been lying in hiding there, watching us till we were well inside." "can we get outside again?" "not a chance of it," was the reply; "the wind will be dead in our teeth, and we can only tack, while they are coming on full speed, and can begin playing long bowls at us with heavy shot whenever they like." "what's to be done?" said the skipper, and without waiting for an answer he added, "keep on right in. there is one chance yet." "there, don't look so precious pleased," poole whispered to fitz. "we are not taken yet." "i--i wasn't looking pleased." "yes, you were," said poole sourly; "but you needn't be, because you would be no better off with them than you are with us. but you are not with them yet. father seems to be taking things very easily, and that only means that we are going to get away." it did not seem like it, though, for as the schooner sailed on into the beautiful orange glow of the coming evening, the gunboat neared them swiftly, spreading a golden trail of light far behind her over the sea which her screw churned up into foam, while overhead trailed backward what seemed to be like a triumphant black feather of smoke. the city before them looked bright and attractive with its gaily-painted houses, green and yellow jalousies, and patches of verdure in the gardens, beyond which the mountains rose in ridge after ridge of green and purple and grey. the bay in front of them was singularly devoid of life. probably on account of the swell remaining from the hurricane there were no fishing-boats afloat save one, with a long white lateen sail running up into the air like the pointed wing of some sea-bird gliding over the surface of the sea. no one paid any heed to the boat, which drew nearer and nearer from the fact that it was gliding across the bay right in the schooner's course. in fact, every eye was directed at the gunboat, which came steadily on without hurry, as if her commander felt that he was perfectly certain of his prize, while what went on upon her deck was plainly visible through the glass, the boys noting in turn that her heavy gun was manned and ready to bring them to whensoever the gunboat captain pleased to make her speak. "oh, fitz!" groaned poole. "it does seem so hard. i did think we were going to do it now." "well, i can't help being sorry for you," said the middy. "yes, it does seem hard, though i suppose i oughtn't to speak like this. i say, though, look at those stupid niggers in that boat! why don't they get out of the way? we shall run them down." "murder! yes," cried poole, and pulling out his knife he ran to one of the life-buoys to cut it free; but ere he could reach it there was a sharp crack as the schooner seemed to glide right over the fishing-boat, the tall white lateen sail disappeared, and fitz ran to the side, expecting to see those who manned the slight craft struggling in the water. to his surprise, though, he saw that a dark-complexioned man was holding on with a boat-hook, boat and trailing sail were being carried onward by the schooner, and another man was climbing over the port bulwark. what followed passed very quietly. the man gained the deck and ran aft to where the captain and mate were hurrying to meet him. there was a quick passing of something white, and then the man almost glided over the bulwarks again into the boat, which fell astern, and those who manned her began to hoist the long lateen sail once more. "a message from the shore," whispered poole excitedly, as he saw his father step into the shelter of one of the boats swinging from the davits, to screen himself from any observant glass on the gunboat's deck, and there he rapidly tore open a packet and scanned the message that it contained. "oh, i should like to know what it says," whispered poole, "but i mustn't ask him. it's lucky to be old burgess," he continued, for the captain walked slowly to his chief officer, who stood sulkily apart as if not paying the slightest heed to what was going on. the skipper stood speaking to him for about a minute, and the lad saw the heavy-looking mate give a short nod of the head and then turn his eyes upwards towards the white spread sails as they still glided on through the orange glow. _boom_--_thud_! and fitz literally jumped; the report, and its echo from the mountain-backed shore, was so sudden and unexpected. "blank shot," said poole, looking at the white smoke curling up from one of the man-of-war's small guns. "order to heave-to," said fitz; "and you will have to, or a ball will come skipping along next." "yes, i suppose so," said poole, "across our bows; and if we didn't stop for that i suppose they would open fire with their big gun. think they could hit us?" "i don't know about them," said fitz, rather pompously, "but i know our old _tonans_ would send you to the bottom with her first shot." "then i'm glad it isn't the _tonans_" said poole, laughing. "here, we are not going to be sunk;" for in obedience to the summons the schooner was thrown up into the wind, the big sails shivering in the soft breeze, and gradually turning of a deeper orange glow. meanwhile there was a bustle going on aboard the gunboat, and an orange cutter manned by orange men glided down into the sea. then oars began to dip and at every stroke threw up orange and gold. so beautiful was the scene that fitz turned from it for a moment to look westward for the source of the vivid colouring, and was startled for the moment at the curious effect, for there, balanced as it were on the highest point of the low ridge of mountains at the back of the city, was the huge orange globe that lit up the whole bay right away to sea, and even as he gazed the sun seemed to touch the mountains whose summit marked a great black notch like a cut out of its lower edge. "here they come," said poole, making fitz start round again. "what swells," he continued bitterly. "the dad ought to go below and put on his best jacket. look at the golden braid." "i say," cried fitz, "he'll see my uniform. what will he say to me?" "take you for an english officer helping in a filibustering craft." "oh, but i shall explain myself," cried fitz. "but it would be rather awkward if they didn't believe me. here, you, poole, i don't understand a word of spanish; you will have to stand by me and help me out of a hole." "and put my father in?" cried poole. "you are a modest chap!--why, look there, i am bothered if the dad isn't going to do it!" cried the lad excitedly. "do what?" "put on his best jacket. look, he's going to the cabin-hatch. no, he isn't. what's he saying to old butters?" the lad had no verbal answer, but he saw for himself. the gunboat's cutter was still a couple of hundred yards away, and coming steadily on, when, as if by accident or from the action of the swell, the spokes of the wheel moved a little, with the consequence that the wind began to fill the schooner's sails, the man at the wheel turned it a little, and the canvas shivered once more. but the schooner had begun to move, gliding imperceptibly along, and as this manoeuvre was repeated, she moved slowly through the water, keeping the row-boat almost at the same distance astern. a full minute had elapsed before the officer noticed this, and he rose in the stern-sheets and shouted an order in spanish, to which the mate replied by seeming to repeat it to the man at the wheel, who hurriedly gave the spokes a turn, the sails filled, and the _teal_ glided steadily on. "yah!" roared butters furiously. "out of the way, you great clumsy lubber!" and he made a rush at the man, who loosed his hold of the spokes and backed away as if to shelter himself from blows, while, swinging free, the rudder yielded to the pressure of the swell and the schooner glided along faster still. there was a threatening shout from the boat and a hostile movement of weapons, to which butters responded by roaring out in broad, plain english-- "ay, ay, sir! all right! clumsy lubber! break his head." as he spoke he moved slowly to the wheel, seized the spokes, rammed them down as if confused, and then hurriedly turned them the other way, with the result that the schooner still kept gliding slowly on, with the cutter at the same distance astern. "that'll do," said the skipper; "drop it now," and trembling with excitement as he grasped the manoeuvres being played fitz made a grab at poole's arm, while poole made a grab at his, and they stood as one, waiting for the result. in obedience to his orders, the boatswain now turned and held the schooner well up in the wind, her forward motion gradually ceasing, and the gunboat's cutter now gaining upon them fast. "why, the sun's gone down," whispered fitz excitedly. "yes," said poole, "and the stars are beginning to show." "in another five minutes," said fitz, "it will be getting dusk." "and in another ten," whispered poole hoarsely, "it will be dark. oh, dad, now i can see through your game." "so can i," whispered fitz, though the words were not addressed to him. "why, poole, he means to fight!" "does he? for a penny he doesn't mean to let them come on board. why, look at butters; he's lying down on the deck." "yes," whispered fitz; "to be in shelter if they fire while he's working the spokes. look, the sails are filling once again." "it's too soon," whispered poole hoarsely. "they'll see from the gunboat and fire, and if they do--" "they will miss us, my boy," said the skipper, who had approached unseen. "lie down, my lads--every one on deck." "and you too, father," whispered poole. "they may hit you with a bullet." "obey orders," said the skipper sternly. "the captain must take his chance." _crack, crack, crack_, and _whizz, whizz, whizz_! the officer of the cutter saw through the manoeuvre at last, and fired at the retreating schooner's skipper, while a minute later, as the _silver teal_ was gliding rapidly into a bank of gloom that seemed to come like so much solid blackness down the vale, there was a bright flash as of lightning, a deep boom as of thunder, which shook the very air, and a roar of echoes dying right away, while the great stars overhead now stood out rapidly one by one in the purple velvet arch overhead. chapter twenty one. by the skin of their teeth. "when we have escaped," cried fitz excitedly, a few minutes later, a very brief time having sufficed to shut out the cutter and gunboat too. "escaped!" said poole, with a little laugh, as he clapped his companion on the shoulder. "well, _we_ have." "yes, yes, of course," said fitz; "i meant you. but what will be done now? we are--you are regularly shut in this bay. the gunboat will keep guard, and her boats will begin patrolling up and down so that you can't get away. it only means waiting till morning." "waiting till morning, eh?" "of course. and then they'll sink you as sure as you are here." "yes," said poole, laughing merrily; "not a doubt about it." "well," said fitz, "i don't see anything to laugh at." "don't you? then i do. why, you don't suppose for a moment that we shall be here? the fellows in that fishing-boat brought father some despatch orders for a _rendezvous_ somewhere else, i should say. just you wait a little, my boy, and you will see what the _teal_ can do. she can't dive, but she can dodge." "dodge in a little bay like this--dodge a gunboat?" "of course. just wait till it's a little darker. i dare say father has got his plans all ready made, just the same as he had when it seemed all over just now. if he and old burgess were too much for the spanish dons in broad daylight, you may depend upon it that they will give them the go-by in the dark. quiet! here he is." "yes, here i am, my boy," said the skipper quietly. "look here, you two. hear--see--as much as you can:--and say nothing. everything on board now must be quiet, and not a light seen." "all right, father," replied poole, "but i can't see anything of the gunboat's lights." "no, and i don't suppose you will. they will take care not to show any. well, mr burnett, may i trust you not to betray us by shouting a warning when the enemy are near? we are going to play a game of hide-and-seek, you know. we shall do the hiding, and the spaniards will have to seek. of course you know," he continued, "it would be very easy for you to shout when we were stealing along through the darkness, and bring the enemy's boats upon us just when they are not wanted." "well, yes, sir, i was thinking so a little while ago," replied the middy. "well, that's frank," said the skipper; "and is that what i am to expect from your sense of duty?" fitz was silent. "well, sir," he said at last, "i don't quite know. it's rather awkward for me, seeing how i am placed." "yes--very; but i don't believe you would think so if you knew what sort of a character this usurping mongrel spaniard is. there is more of the treacherous indian in his blood than of the noble don. perhaps under the circumstances i had better make you a prisoner in your cabin with the dead-light in, so that you can't make a signal to the enemy with lamp or match." "it would be safer, sir," said fitz. "but most unpleasant," continued the skipper. "but there, my lad, situated as you are, i don't think you need strain a point. give me your parole that you will content yourself with looking on, and i won't ask you to go below." "oh, he will, father. i'll answer for that," cried poole. "answer for yourself, my boy. that's enough for you to do. let mr burnett give me his own assurance. it would be rather mean, wouldn't it, mr burnett, if you did betray us?" "yes, sir; horrible," cried fitz quickly. "but if it were one of our ships i should be obliged." "of course," said the skipper; "but as it is you will hold your tongue?" "yes, sir; i shall look on." "that's right. now then," continued the skipper, "the game's going to begin. there is sure to be some firing, so keep well down under the shelter of the bulwarks. of course they will never have a chance to take aim, but there is no knowing what a random shot may do." "want me to do anything, father?" said poole eagerly. "no, my boy. there is nothing you can do. it will all lie with mr burgess; butters, who will be at the wheel; myself, and the men who trim the sails." "you are going to sail right away then; eh, father?" "that all depends, my boy--just as the chances come." "but as the schooner draws so little water, sir," said fitz eagerly, "won't you sail close in under the shore?" "no, my lad. that's just what the enemy will expect, and have every boat out on the _qui vive_. i don't mind telling you now what my plans will be." he was silent for a few minutes, and they dimly made out that he was holding up his left hand as a warning to them not to speak, while he placed his right behind his ear and seemed to be listening, as if he heard some sound. "boat," he said, at last, in a whisper, "rowing yonder right across our stern. but they didn't make us out. oh, i was about to tell you what i meant to do. run right by the gunboat as closely as i can without touching her, for it strikes me that will be the last thing that they will expect." he moved away the next moment, leaving the boys together once again, to talk in whispers about the exciting episode that was to come. "i say, fitz," whispered poole excitedly, "isn't this better than being on board your sleepy old _tonans_?" "you leave the sleepy old _tonans_ alone," replied the middy. "she's more lively than you think." "could be, perhaps; but you never had a set-out like this." "no," said fitz stiffly, "because the _tonans_ never runs away." "that's one for me," said poole, laughing. "there are times when you must run, my lad, and this is one. hullo, they're shaking out more canvas. it's going to be yachting now like a race for a cup. it's 'bout ship too." "yes, by the way one can feel the wind," replied fitz; "but i don't believe your people can see which way to steer." "nor i neither," said poole coolly. "father is going to chance it, i believe. he'll make straight for where he saw the gunboat last, as he thinks, and take it for granted that we can't run on to her. besides, she is pretty well sure to be on the move." "most likely," said fitz; "but it's terribly risky work." the rippling of the water under the schooner's bows came very plainly now, as the boys went right forward, where two men were on the look-out. these they joined, to find that they had the sternest instructions, and these were communicated by the men to the two lads. "mustn't speak, gentlemen," they said. "just one word," whispered fitz. "what are you going to do if you make out that you are running right on to the enemy?" "whistle," said the man addressed, laconically. "what, for more wind?" asked fitz. "no, sir," said the man, with a low chuckle; "for the man at the wheel. one pipe means starboard; two pipes, port. see?" "no," said poole, "but he can hear." as they were whispering, the louder rippling beneath the schooner's cut-water plainly told of the rate at which they were gliding through the dark sea. the stars were clear enough overhead, but all in front seemed to be of a deep transparent black, whose hue tinged even the staysail, jib, and flying-jib, bellying out above their heads and in front. as far as the lads could make out they had been running in towards the city, taken a good sweep round, and then been headed out for the open sea, with the schooner careening over and rushing through the water like a racing yacht. there are some things in life which seem to be extended over a considerable space of time, apparently hours, but which afterwards during calmer thought prove to have taken up only minutes, and this was one. poole had just pointed out in a low whisper that by the stars they were sailing due east, and the man nearest to them, a particularly sharp-eared individual, endorsed his words by whispering laconically-- "straight for the open sea." the water was gliding beneath them, divided by the sharp keel, with a hissing rush; otherwise all was still; for all they could make out the gunboat and her satellites, sent out to patrol, might have been miles away. there was darkness before them and on either hand, while in front apparently lay the open ocean, and the exhilaration caused by their rapid motion produced a buoyant feeling suggesting to the lads that the danger was passed and that they were free. then in another moment it seemed to fitz burnett as if some giant hand had caught him by the throat and stopped his breath. the sensation was appalling, and consequent upon the suddenly-impressed knowledge that, in spite of the fact that there was about a mile and a half of space of which an infinitesimally small portion was occupied by danger, they were gliding through the black darkness dead on to that little space, for suddenly in front there arose the dull panting, throbbing sound of machinery, the churning up of water to their left, and the hissing ripple caused by a cut-water to their right. it was horrible. they were going dead on to the gunboat, which was steaming slowly across their bows, and it seemed to the breathless, expectant group that the next moment they would be cutting into her side, or more likely crumpling up and shivering to pieces upon her protecting armour. but there is something in having a crew of old man-of-war's men, disciplined and trained to obey orders in emergencies, and thinking of nothing else. the skipper had given his commands to his two look-out men, and in the imminence of the danger they were obeyed, for as fitz burnett gripped his companion's arm, involuntarily drawing him sideways in the direction of the bulwark, to make a leap for life, a sharp clear pipe, like the cry of some sea-bird, rang out twice, while the panting and quivering of the machinery and the churning rush of the gunboat's crew seemed right upon them. suddenly there was a loud shout, followed by a yell, the report of a revolver, succeeded by the deep booming roar of a fog-syren which had been set going by the funnel, and then as fitz burnett felt that the crash was upon them, the roar of the fog-horn was behind, for the _teal_ had as nearly as possible scraped past the gunboat's stern, and was flying onward towards the open sea. for a few moments no one spoke, and then it was one of the look-out men. "about as near as a toucher, that, messmate." "ay, and i seemed to have no wind when i wanted to blow. once is quite enough for a job like that." "is it true, poole?" whispered fitz, and his voice sounded hoarse and strange. "i don't quite know yet," was the reply as the lad walked aft. "it seemed so impossible and queer--but it is, and, my word, how close!" chapter twenty two. in the dark. "silence there!" came in a stern, deep voice. "sound travels in a night like this." it was the speaker's ultra caution spoken in a moment of intense excitement in which he hardly realised how far they had left the gunboat behind. but his orders were obeyed, utter stillness ruling on board the schooner till they had visual proof that there was no necessity for such care. "what's that? look!" whispered fitz, as there was a faint lambent glare far astern, one which gradually increased, and poole whispered back-- "they are burning a blue light." "yes," said the skipper, who was still close at hand. "know what that means, my boy?" "well, i suppose it's to try if they can see us, father." "not it," said the skipper sharply. "you know, mr burnett?" "i should say it's a signal, sir, to recall their boats." "right, my lad; that's it; and that will take some little time, for i dare say they are spread all over the bay. she's not likely to have a consort; eh, burgess?" "i should think not," was the reply. "no, i don't think we need trouble ourselves about that." "right, then. get well out into the offing, and then sail for south-east by south." the mate grunted, gave an order or two, with the result that a gaff-topsail was run up, and the schooner heeled over more and more, while now the dim light that had been thrown down on the binnacle was increased a little, and the skipper took his place beside the steersman. "that means that he is not afraid of our being seen," said poole quietly. "i say, what an escape we had! don't you call this exciting?" "yes," said fitz; "rather more so than i like. let's go right forward again to where the look-out men are." "to help them keep a sharp look-out for rocks? there are none out here, or we shouldn't be going at this rate." "think that they will come after us?" "sure to," said poole. "full steam ahead." "then they'll see us again at daylight." "think so? why, we have got all the night before us, and the gunboat's captain isn't likely to follow in our wake." "i suppose not. it would be a great chance if he did. how beautiful the water is to-night!" "yes! one had no chance to admire it before. 'tis fine. just as if two rockets were going off from our bows, so that we seem to be leaving a trail of sparks behind." "yes, where the water's disturbed," said fitz. "it's just as if the sea was covered with golden oil ready to flash out into light as soon as it was touched." "why, you seem quite cheery," said poole. "of course. isn't it natural after such a narrow escape?" "yes, for me," replied poole banteringly; "but i should have thought that you would have been in horribly low spirits because you were not captured and taken on board the gunboat." "no, you wouldn't," said fitz shortly. "i know better than that. i say, you will stop on deck all night, won't you?" "of course. shan't you?" "oh yes. i couldn't go to sleep after this. besides, who can tell what's to come?" "to be sure," said poole quietly. "who can tell what's to come? in spite of what old burgess says, the gunboat may have a consort, and perhaps we are running out of one danger straight into another." perhaps due to the reaction after the excitement, the lads ceased to chat together, and leaned over the bows, alternately watching the phosphorescent sea and the horizon above which the stars appeared dim and few. fitz looked more thoughtful as the time went on, his own words seeming to repeat themselves in the question--who knows what might happen? once they turned aft, to look right astern at where they caught sight once or twice of the gunboat's light. then it faded out and they went forward again, the schooner gliding swiftly on, till at last the mate's harsh, deep voice was heard giving his orders for an alteration of their course. it was very dark inboard, and it was not until afterwards that the two lads knew exactly what had taken place. it was all in a moment, and how it happened even the sufferer hardly knew, but it was all due to a man having stepped in the darkness where he had no business to be; for just after the giving of the order, and while the spokes were swinging through the steersman's hands, one of the booms swung round, there was a dull thud, a half-uttered shout, and then a yell from one of the foremost men. "man overboard!" was roared, and as the skipper ran forward, after shouting to the steersman to throw the schooner up into the wind, another man answered his eager question with-- "it's bob jackson, sir. i saw him go." the captain's excited voice rang out mingled with the shrill whistle of the boatswain's pipe, and then to be half-drowned by his hoarse roar as the men's feet pattered over the deck, now rapidly growing level as the pressure was taken off the sails. "now then, half-a-dozen of you!" came hoarsely. "don't stand staring there! are you going to be all night lowering down that boat? sharp's the word! i am going to show you the way." as he spoke, fitz had a dim vision of the big bluff fellow's action, as, pulling out his knife, he opened it with his teeth. "sharks below there!" he roared. "'ware my knife!" and running right astern he sprang on to the rail, looked round for a moment, fixed his eyes upon a luminous splash of light that had just taken fitz's attention, and then sprang overboard into the black water, which splashed up like a fountain of fire, and the bluff sailor's figure, looking as if clad in garments of lambent gold, could be seen gliding diagonally down, forming a curve as it gradually rose to the surface, which began to emit little plashes of luminosity as the man commenced to swim. "well done! bravo!" panted fitz, and then he rushed to the spot where the men were lowering down, sprang on to the bulwark, caught at the falls, and slipped down into the boat just as it kissed the water. "you here!" cried a familiar voice. "yes," panted fitz, "and you too!" "why, of course! pull away, my lads. i'll stand up and tell you which way to go." the falls were already unhooked and the oars over the side, the men pulling with all their might in the direction where the regular splashes made by the motion of the boatswain's arm could be seen as he scooped away at the water with a powerful side stroke. "pull, lads--pull!" roared the skipper's son, while in his excitement fitz scrambled over the oars to get right in the bows, where he strained his eyes to try and make out the man who had gone over first, and a terrible catching of the breath assailed him as he realised the distance he had been left behind by the swiftly-gliding schooner. even the boatswain was far away, swimming hard and giving out a heavy puff like some grampus just rising to breathe. "this way, boys!" he shouted. "come along! cheer up, my hearty! i am coming fast." he ceased speaking now, as the boat followed in his track, and fitz as he knelt in the bows reached behind him to begin fumbling for the boat-hook, finding it and thrusting it out like a little bowsprit, ready to make a snatch when the time should come. but his effort seemed as if it would be vain, for after what seemed in the excitement to be a terribly long row, the boat was brought abreast of the swimming boatswain. "can't you see him, butters?" shouted poole, who had now joined fitz. "no, my lad," came in a hoarse gasping tone. "can't you?" "no. i saw the water splash not a minute ago. it was just beyond where you were swimming." "no; more to the left," cried fitz. "ah, there! there! there!" and he pointed out in the direction he had described. "yes, that's it," roared the boatswain, who seemed suddenly to have recovered his breath, and throwing himself away from the boat, whose side he had grasped, he splashed through the water for a few yards towards where a ring of gold seemed to have been formed, and as the boat followed, and nearly touched his back, he seemed to be wallowing in an agitated pool of pale greenish fire, which went down and down for quite a couple of fathoms, the boat passing right above it with the men backing water at a shout from poole, so that they passed the disappearing swimmer again. "now," shouted fitz, as the golden light began to rise, and thrusting down the boat-hook he felt it catch against the swimmer's side. the next moment the boatswain was up with a rush, to throw one arm over the bows. "got him!" he gasped. there was a quick scramble, the water almost lapped over the side as the starboard-bow went down, and then, partly with the hauling of the boys, partly by the big sturdy boatswain's own efforts, the unfortunate bob jackson was dragged aboard, the boatswain rolling in after him with his messmates' help, and subsiding between two of the thwarts with a hoarse, half-strangled groan. "hooroar!" came from the men, the boys' voices dominating the shout with a better pronunciation of the word. "hooroar it is!" gasped the boatswain. "bravo, butters! well done! well done!" cried poole. "well done? i am done, you mean. i thought i'd let him go. keep back, some on you--give a fellow room to breathe. that's better," came with more freedom. "now then, give your orders, mr poole," panted the man; "i've lost my wind. get him on his back and pump his into him. that's your sort!" he continued, as in obedience to the young skipper's commands two men began to row while the others set to work upon the first aid necessary in the case of a half-drowned man. "ah!" sighed the boatswain, now sitting up in the bottom of the boat and shuffling himself aft a little so as to give more room. "i am as weak as a babby. well done! pump away, my lads. that's your sort! pore chap, he's all water and no wind now! i dunno what he'd been about. had he been soaping his feet?--think he's coming round, mr poole?" "i hope so," was the reply. "i am afraid, poor fellow, he must have been half-stunned. come and look, butters; i want you to feel his chest." the boatswain came and leaned over. "keep it up, my lads. it will be all right soon. oh yes, his own pump's going on inside. his kit won't be for sale. but i don't believe he'd have taken his trick at the wheel again if i hadn't gone down and fetched him up." "no; you saved his life, mr butters," cried fitz excitedly. "i never saw anything so brave before. would you mind--" "eh!--what, sir?--shake hands?--certainly, sir, hearty, and same to you!" "oh!" ejaculated fitz involuntarily. "i am very sorry, sir. did i squeege too hard?" "why, it was a scrunch," said the boy petulantly. "but it's all right now. your fingers, though, are as hard as wood." "well, they arn't soft, sir. but hallo! i never shut up my knife." he closed the keen blade with a sharp snap. "there! now you see the vally of a lanyard," he continued, as he thrust the great clasp-knife into the waist-band of his trousers.--"keep it up, my lads. i'll take a turn as soon as i've got my own wind again. ah, there's nothing like a lanyard. if it hadn't been for that my snickersee would have gone zigger-zagging down through the dark black water disturbing the little jellyfish and lighting the way for a snip, snap, swallow, all's fish that comes to their net style, to go inside some shark. but i've got it safe. it's a fine bit of sheffield stuff, and i'll be bound to say it would have disagreed with him as had swallowed it. here, somebody--who's got a match? mine'll be all wet. strike a light, will you; i want to see if he's beginning to wink yet." a match was struck, and as it burned steadily in the still air a faint light was shown from the schooner far, far away. "see there, my lads? he's winking his eyes like fun; but go on pumping slow and steady to keep him breathing--mustn't let him slip through your fingers now. pull away there, my lads; put your backs into it. my word, there's a stiff current running here!" "yes," said poole; "we are much farther away than i thought." "but what an escape!" cried fitz. "eh? what do you mean?" "look yonder; that streak of light gliding along and making the water flash. you can just make out now and then something dark cutting through it." "ah, that's plain enough," said the boatswain; "a jack shark's back fin, and a big un too." "lucky for you both," said poole, "that you are safe on board." "lucky for him, you mean," said the boatswain. "that knife of mine's as sharp as hands can make it. if i had let him have it he'd have shown white at daylight, floating wrong side up." "if you had hit him," said fitz. "if i'd hit him, sir! a man couldn't miss a thing like that. but of course there wouldn't have been time to pick my spot." "oh!" ejaculated fitz, in a long-drawn sigh. "seems to turn me quite over! that's about the most horrible cry i know--man overboard! it's bad enough in the daylight, but on a night like this--" "ah, it would make you feel a bit unked, my lad," said the boatswain, "if you had time to think; but it was a fine night for the job. i have been out in a boat after one of these silly chaps as didn't mind where he was going, when you couldn't make out his bearings at all. to-night the sea brimed so that you could tell where he was at every move. splendid night for the job!" "and it was a very brave act, butters," said poole warmly. "what was, sir?" "why, to jump overboard on a dark night, not knowing whether you would ever reach the schooner again." "tchah! nonsense, sir! you shouldn't talk stuff like that to a wet man! it was all charnsh, of course; but a sailor's life is all charnsh from the moment he steps aboard. we are charnshing now whether they'll pick us up again, for they can't see us, and we don't seem to be making no headway at all in this current. here, you, sam boulter, get right in the stem and stand by there with that there box of matches. keep on lighting one and holding it up to let it shine out. be careful and don't burn your ringers." a low chuckle rose from the oarsmen, followed the next moment by a deep groan and a low muttering from the reviving man. "hah!" said the boatswain. "he's coming round now, and no mistake." just then there was a sharp scratch, a pale light of the splint of wood stood out in the darkness, and mingled with a spluttering husky cough came the voice of the half-drowned foremast-man. "here, easy there! what are you doing? hah! boat! boat! help!" this was consequent on the gleaming match shining out before the poor fellow's eyes. "steady there!" roared out the boatswain. "what are you singing out like that for? can't you see you are safe aboard?" "eh? eh? oh, thank goodness! i thought it was the schooner's lights. that you, mr butters?" "me it is, my lad! all right now, aren't you?" "yes, yes; all right. but i thought it was all over with me that time." "so it ought to have been! why, what were you about? did you walk overboard in your sleep?" "i--no--i--i dunno how it was. i suppose i slipped." "not much suppose about it," said the boatswain, as the man sat up. "here, i'll give you a dose that'll do you good. take one of them oars and pull." "oh no!" cried poole. "the poor fellow's weak." "'course he is, sir, and that'll warm him up and put life into him. tit for tat. we've saved him from what the old folks at home calls a watery grave, and now it's his turn to do a bit of something to save us." "to save us, mr butters?" whispered fitz, laying his hand on the boatswain's arm. "why, you don't think--" "yes, i do, sir. i'm thinking all the time, as hard as a man can. here, you'd better not handle me; i'm as wet as wet." "but we shall soon get alongside the schooner, shan't we?" "well, it don't seem like it, sir. wish we could! i should just like a good old jorum of something warm, if it was only a basin of old andy's broth as he makes so slimy with them little round wet barley knobs. i'm all of a shiver. here, you number one, get up and i'll take your oar. i don't like catching cold when i'm at sea." "but surely they'll tack round, or something, so as to pick us up." "here, hi! you look alive there with another of those matches. you don't half keep them going, so that they can see where we are." "aren't any more," said the man in the stem. "i held that one till it did burn my fingers, and it was the last." "humph!" grunted the boatswain. "well, they can't see us, of course, and the sea's a bit big and wide out here; let's try if we can't make them hear." he had scarcely spoken when there was a soft bellowing roar; but the sound took form and they made out--"ahoy-y-y-y! where away there?" breathed, it almost seemed, so distant and strange was the hail, through a speaking-trumpet. "cease pulling!" shouted the boatswain. "now then, all together. take your time from me. one, two, three--ahoy-y-y-y!" every lusty throat on board the boat sent forth the cry at once, and a strange chill ran through fitz's breast as he noted not only how feeble the cry sounded in the immensity of space, but how it seemed thrown back upon them from something it could not penetrate--something soft and impervious which shut them in all round. chapter twenty three. boating. "well, mr poole, sir, we seem to have got ourselves into a pretty jolly sort of mess. i feel quite damp. you are skipper, sir; what's to be done?" "shout again," cried poole; "all together,"--and another lusty yell was given. "there, 'tarn't no use, sir," said the boatswain, "if so be as i may speak." "speak? of course! i am only too glad of your advice. what were you going to say?" "only this 'ere, sir--that it aren't no use to shout. i am wet and cold, and hollering like this is giving me a sore throat, and the rest of the lads too. there's dick boulter is as husky as my old uncle tom's cochin fowl. here, i want to know why the skipper don't show a blue light." "he dare not," said poole hastily. "it would be showing the gunboat where the schooner is." there was a sharp slap heard in the darkness, caused by the boatswain bringing his hand smartly down upon his sturdy thigh. "right you are, my lad. i never thought of that. i oughter, but it didn't come. 'cause i was so wet, i suppose. well, sir, what do you think?" "try, every one of you," said poole, "whether you can make out a light. the _teal_ oughtn't to be very far away." "nay, sir, she oughtn't to be, but she is. off shore here in these seas you get currents running you don't know where. we don't know, but i expect we are in one of them, and it's carrying us along nobody knows how fast; and like as not another current's carrying on the same game with the _teal_." "well, we must row, and row hard," said poole. "but that may be making worse of it," put in fitz, who had been listening and longing to speak. "well done," said the boatswain. "spoke like a young man-o'-war officer! he's right, mr poole, sir. i am longing to take an oar so as to get warm and dry; but it's no use to try and make what's as bad as ever it can be, ever so much worse." "that would puzzle you, mr butters," said fitz, laughing. "oh, i don't know, sir," said the boatswain seriously, and perfectly unconscious of the bull he had made. "we might, you know. what's to be done, mr poole?" "i can only see one thing to be done," said the skipper's son, "and that seems so horrible and wanting in spirit." "what's that?" said fitz sharply. "wait for daylight." "oh!" cried fitz impatiently. "impossible! we can't do that." "well, i don't know, mr burnett, sir," growled the boatswain, gazing round. "seems to me as if we must. look here, you bob jackson," he almost roared now, as he turned sharply on the shivering foremast-man who had just been brought back to life, "what have you got to say for yourself for getting us all into such a mess as this? i always thought you were a bit of a swab, and now i knows it." "don't bully the poor fellow," cried poole hotly. "it was an accident." "of course it was, sir," cried the boatswain, in an ill-used tone, as he drew off his jacket and began to wring it as tightly as he could; "and accidents, as i have heared say, will happen in the best-manned vessels. one expects them, and has to put up with them when they comes; but people ought to have accidents at proper times and places, not just when we've escaped running ourselves down, and the spanish gunboat's arter us. now then, bob, don't sit there hutched up like a wet monkey. speak out like a man." "i haven't got nothing to say, mr butters, sir, only as i am very sorry, and much obliged to you for saving my life." "much obliged! sorry! wuss and wuss! yah! look at that now! wuss and wuss. it never rains but it pours." "what's the matter?" cried fitz, for the boatswain had made a sudden dash with one hand as if striving to catch something that had eluded his grasp. "matter, sir? why, i squeeged my brass 'bacca-box out of my jacket-pocket. it was chock-full, and it would go down like lead. here, i give up now. give your orders, mr poole, and i'll row or do anything else, for i'm quite out of heart." "never mind your tobacco-box," said fitz. "i'll give you a good new one the first time i get the chance." "thankye kindly, sir," replied the man, "but what's the good of that? it aren't the box i mind. it's the 'bacca. can you give me a mossel now?" "i am sorry to say i can't," said fitz. "i've got plenty of that, mr butters, sir," said his wet companion, dragging out a box with some difficulty, for his wet hand would hardly go into his tight breeches-pocket, and when he had forced it in, declined to come out. "you've got plenty, bob, my lad?" cried the boatswain. "then you are a better man than i thought. there, i'll forgive you for going overboard. it were an accident, i suppose.--hah! that's better," he continued, opening his knife and helping himself to a quid, which completely altered the tone of his voice. "there you are, my lad; put that there box back, and take care on it, for who knows but what that may be all our water and biscuit and other stores as will have to last us till we get picked up again? now, mr poole, sir, what's it to be? i am at your sarvice if you will give the word." "i think we had better keep pulling gently, butters, and go by the stars westward towards the land. it will be far better, and the feeling that we are doing something will keep us all from losing heart." "right, my lad. your father the skipper couldn't have spoken wiser words than them. here, you bob jackson, get out of that jacket and shirt, and two of you lads hold the things over the side and one twist one way and t'other t'other, like the old women does with the sheets on washing-day. i am going to do just the same with mine. and then we two will do what bit of rowing's wanted till we gets quite dry. say, mr fitz, sir, you couldn't get better advice than that, if you had been half-drowned, if you went to the best physic doctor in liverpool." shortly after, steering by the stars, the boat was headed pretty well due west, and a couple of oars were kept dipping with a monotonous splash, raising up the golden water, which dripped in lambent globules from the blades. all above was one grand dome of light, but below and around it was as if a thick stratum of intense blackness floated on the surface of the sea. so strangely dark this seemed that it impressed the boat's crew with a sense of dread that they could not master. it was a condensation of dread and despair, that knowledge of being alone in a frail craft at the mercy of the sea, without water or supplies of any kind, and off a coast which the currents might never let them reach, while at any hour a tempestuous wind might spring up and lash the sea into waves, in which it would be impossible for the boat to live. "don't sit silent like that, burnett," whispered poole. "say something, there's a good fellow." "say? what can i say?" was whispered back. "anything. sing a song, or tell a story. i want to keep the lads in good heart. if we show the white feather they'll show it too." "that's right enough," said fitz gloomily; "but i don't feel as if i could do anything but think. i couldn't sing a song or tell a story to save my life." "but you must. it _is_ to save your life." "i tell you i can't," cried fitz angrily. "then whistle." the middy could not even whistle, but the suggestion and the manner in which it was said did have a good effect, for it made him laugh. "ah! that's better," cried poole. "i say, butters, do you think if we had a fishing-line overboard we should catch anything?" "like enough, lad, if we had a good bait on. fish is generally on the feed in the night, and there's no end of no-one-knows-whats off these 'merican coasts. might get hold of something big as would tow us right ashore." "yes, or right out to sea," said fitz. "ay, my lad; but we should have to chance that." "but there's not likely to be a line in the locker," said poole. "and if there was," said fitz, "you have no bait." "'cept 'bacca," said the boatswain, "and they wouldn't take that. and even if they would, we couldn't afford to waste it on fish as most likely wouldn't be good to eat. you catches fishes off these coasts as is painted up like parrots--red, and green, and yaller, and blue; but they are about as bad as pison.--getting warmer, bob?" "bit," said the man addressed. "so'm i.--tell the lads to keep their ears open, mr poole, for breakers. there may be shoal water anywhere, and we don't want to run into them." "you think it's likely, then," said fitz, "that we may reach the shore?" "oh yes, sir; we might, you know; and if we did i dare say you young gents would find it an uninhabited island where you could play at robinson crusoe till a ship come and took us off. what do you say to that?" "nothing," said fitz. "i want the daylight to come, and a sight of the _silver teal_." "same here, sir. my word, i'm beginning to feel like wishing we had got the camel here, though he would be no good without the galley and his tools. not a bad chap to have, though, mr poole, if we was to land in a sort of robinson crusoe island. there's worse messmates at a time like that than a chap as can knock up decent wittles out of nothing; make a good pot of soup out of a flannel-shirt and an old shoe, and roast meat out of them knobs and things like cork-blocks as you find growing on trees. some of them cookie chaps too, like the camel, are precious keen about the nose, long-headed and knowing. old andy is an out-and-out clever chap at picking out things as is good to eat. i had a ramble with him once up country in trinidad. he was a regular wunner at finding out different kinds of plants. `look 'ere,' he says, `if you pull this up it's got a root something like a parsnep whose grandfather had been a beet.' and then he showed me some more things creeping up the trees like them flowers at home in the gardens, wonvuluses, as they call them, only he called them yams, and he poked one out with his stick, and yam it was--a great, big, black, thick, rooty thing, like a big tater as had been stretched. andy said as no fellow as had brains in his head ought to starve out in a foreign land; and that's useful to know, mr poole and mr burnett, sir. come in handy if we have to do the robinson crusoe for a spell.--keep it up, young gents," he whispered; "the lads like to hear us talk.--`that's all very fine, andy,' i says," he continued, aloud, "`but what about water? whether you are aboard your ship or whether you are in a strange land, you must have plenty of water in your casks!' `find a river,' he says. `but suppose you can't,' says i. `open your snickersee,' says he, `and dig a hole right down till you come to it. and if there aren't none, then use your eyes.' `why, you can't drink your eyes,' i says, `and i'd rather have sea-water any day than tears.' `use them,' he says; `i didn't say drink 'em. look about. why, in these 'ere foreign countries there's prickly plants with long spikes to them to keep the wild beasts from meddling with them, so as they shall be ready for human beings; and then all you have got to do is to rub or singe the spikes off and they're chock-full of water--juice, if you like to call it so--only it's got no taste. then there's plahnts with a spunful of water in their jyntes where the leaves come out, and orkard plahnts like young pitchers or sorter shucks with lids to keep the birds off, and a lot of water in the bottom of them, besides fruits and pumpkin things. oh, a fellow can rub along right enough if he likes to try. i could manage; i know that.' and i believe he could, gentlemen, and that's what makes me say as the camel would be just the right sort of fellow to have with us now, him and old chips, so long as old chips had got his basket of traps; not as he would stand still if he hadn't, for he's just the fellow, if he has no tools, as would set to and make some." and the night gradually wore on, with the men taking their turns at rowing. the boatswain and bob jackson both declared themselves to be as dry as a bone, and what with talking and setting despair at defiance, they went on and on through the great silence and darkness that hovered together over the mighty deep, till all at once the boatswain startled fitz by turning quite suddenly and saying to him-- "there aren't no farmyard and a stable handy, sir, to give us what we want. could you make shift to do it?" "to do what?" said fitz wonderingly. "crow like a cock, sir. it's just the right time now." "you don't mean to say it's morning, butters?" "no, sir; it's natur' as is a-doing that. you've got your back to it. turn round and look behind you. that's the east." both lads wrenched themselves round upon the thwart where they sat, to gaze back over the sea and catch the first glimpse of the faint dawn with its promises of hope and life, and the end of the terrible night through which they had passed. and after the manner of the tropics, the broad daylight was not long in coming, followed by the first glint of the sun, which, as it sent a long line of ruddy gold over the surface of the sea, lit up one little speck of light miles upon miles to the north of where they lay. fitz burnett was the first to make it out, but before he could speak the boatswain had seen it too, and broke out with-- "three cheers, my lads. put all you know into it, hearty. there lies the _teal_. can you see the skipper, mr poole, sir?" "see my father?" cried the lad. "no! what do you mean?" "ah, you want practice, sir. you ought to see him with your young eyes. he's there on deck somewhere with that double-barrelled spyglass of his, on the look-out for this 'ere boat." "perhaps so," said poole quietly, "and i suppose that's one of the _teal's_ sails; but it's only half as big as a pocket-handkerchief folded into twenty-four." two hours later they were on board, for it had not been long before the double-barrelled spyglass had picked them out. chapter twenty four. on the wrong side. an anxious look-out had been kept up all through those early hours on board both schooner and boat, for during the long delay caused by the accident, it seemed highly probable that as the gunboat did not come in sight she must have passed them in the darkness, gone on, and hence might at any moment come into view. a man was sent up to the cross-trees, and a sharp look-out was kept up as well from the deck for the missing crew who were got safely on board, and the schooner sailed away towards the south and west, and still with no danger in sight. "you've given me a bad night, young fellows," said the skipper, as he stood looking on at the lads enjoying their morning meal, one over which the camel seemed to have taken extra pains, showing his large front teeth with a smile of satisfaction as he brought it in relays of newly-made hot cakes, before retiring to slip fresh slices of bacon in the pan. "yes, father," said poole; "but see what a night we had!" "ah, but yours was merely physical, my boy; mine was mental." "i thought ours was both; eh, burnett?" said poole, laughing. "oh, yes, it was," cried the middy. "you don't know what a night we had, captain reed." "well, i suppose you did not have a very pleasant time, my lads.--oh, here's mr burgess. well, they don't seem much the worse for it, do they? nothing in sight?" "no, nothing. i don't think she could have followed us out. have you any more to say to me about the course?" "no," said the skipper. "i think we pretty well understand about the bearings as given in the letter. the don put it all down pretty clearly, and in very decent english too." fitz looked up sharply, for the mention of the letter brought to mind the light fishing-boat with the bird-wing-like lateen sail and the rapidity with which the bearer of the despatch delivered it to the skipper and went overboard again. captain reed noticed the boy's inquiring look, and said quietly-- "perhaps we had better say no more about that with an enemy present." fitz was in the act of helping himself to some more of the hot bread, but at the skipper's words he flushed warmly, put down the cake without taking out of it a semi-circular bite, and rose from his seat. "i don't wish to play the spy, sir," he said haughtily. "i will go on deck till you have finished your business." "sit down!" cried the skipper. "sit down! what a young pepper-castor you are! mayn't a man think what he likes in his own cabin?" "certainly, sir; but of course i cannot help feeling that i am an intruder." "that's just what i feel, my boy, for coming in and disturbing you at your meal. sit down, i say. if anybody is going to leave the room, i am that person; but i am not going to leave my cabin, so i tell you." the skipper gave his son a peculiar look, his eyes twinkling the while. "think we can trust mr burnett here?" he said. fitz gave a start. "oh yes, father. he won't go and tell tales. he won't have a chance. what was in that letter?" "just a few lines, my boy, to say that everything was going very wrong at present, and begging me whatever i did to keep the schooner's cargo out of villarayo's hands, and to join ramon as soon as i possibly can." "but where, father? both the towns are in the enemy's hands." "at his hacienda at the mouth of the oltec river." "hacienda?" said poole. "that means a sort of farm, doesn't it, father?" "yes, my boy, and of course that's just the sort of place to deliver a cargo of such agricultural implements as we have brought on board. what do you say, mr burnett?" "agricultural implements, sir? why, captain glossop had notice that you had taken in guns and ammunition." "oh yes; people do gossip so," said the skipper dryly. "i didn't examine them much myself, but i know there were things with wheels." "but there was a lot of powder, sir--kegs of it, i heard." "chemical manure perhaps, my lad; potash and charcoal and sulphur perhaps to kill the blight. must be innocent stuff, or else my old friend don ramon would not want it at his farm." "i don't understand," said the middy. "well, it doesn't matter," cried poole, laughing. "go on, father." "that's what we are doing, my boy. but you go on with your breakfast, mr burnett, and make a good one while you have a chance. we may be getting news any minute that the gunboat is in sight; and if it is, there's no knowing when we shall get a square meal again." "but whereabouts is this oltec river, father?" "well, as near as i can tell you, my boy, it's on the coast about thirty miles by sea from velova, though only about half the distance through one of the mountain-passes by land. we ought to have been there now, and i dare say we should have been if mr burgess had not run us on to a rock. but that fellow going overboard quite upset my plans. it was a great nuisance, and i seemed to be obliged to heave-to, and wait to see if you people would come back on board." "yes, father, i suppose so," said poole coolly. "done eating, you two?" the lads both rose, and the whole party went on deck to scan their position, the lads finding the schooner gliding along southward before a pleasant breeze, while miles away on the starboard-bow a dim line marked the coast, which seemed rugged and broken up into mountain and vale; but there was no sign of gunboat nor a sail of any kind, and poole breathed more freely. "one's so helpless," he said to his companion, "on a coast like this, where one time you have a nice sailing wind, and the next hour it has dropped into a calm, so that a steamer has you quite at its mercy." "yes," said fitz dryly; "but i don't see that it matters when you have nothing on board but agricultural implements and chemical manures. what business is it of the gunboat?" "ah, what indeed?" cried poole, laughing. "it's a piece of impudence, isn't it, to want to interfere! but i say, burnett, what father says sounds well, doesn't it--a hacienda at the mouth of a river, and a mountain-pass? that means going ashore and seeing something, if we are in luck. i do know that the country's glorious here, from the peep or two i once had. my word! people think because you go sailing about the world you must see all kinds of wonders, when all the time you get a peep or two of some dirty port without going ashore, and all your travels are up and down the deck of your ship--and nothing else but sea." "i wish i could get landed at some big port," said fitz bitterly. "i wouldn't call it dirty." "my word, what a fellow you are!" said poole. "grumbling again!" "grumbling!" cried fitz hotly. "isn't it enough to make any one grumble, dragged off my ship a prisoner like this?" "no," cried poole. "why, some chaps would call it grand. now you've got about well again it's all a big lark for you. every one's trying to make you comfortable. look at the adventures you are going through! look at last night! why, it was all fine, now that we have got through it as we did. you can't say you didn't like that." "well, no," said fitz; "it was exciting." "so it is now. the gunboat's safe to be after us, and here we are, going to take refuge up a river in perhaps no end of a wild country at the don's hacienda. who knows what adventures we are going to have next!" "not likely to be many adventures at a muddy farm." "how do you know?" "because i pretty well know what a farm is." "not a central american one, my fine fellow. i dare say you will have to open your eyes wider than you think." "perhaps so," said fitz, who was growing more good-humoured over his companion's frank, genial ways; "but i feel more disposed to shut my eyes up now, and to have a good sleep." "oh, don't do that! there will be plenty of time when it gets dark, and before then i hope we shall be off the river. we are slipping along pretty quickly now, and old burgess is creeping closer in. that's his artfulness; it means looking out for creeks and islands, places where we could hide if the gunboat came into sight, or sneaking into shallows where she couldn't follow. the old man knows what he is about, and so does father too. here, let's go and fetch a glass and get up aloft. i want to make out what the coast is like." the binocular was fetched from the cabin, and the lads mounted the rigging as high as they could to get comfortably perched, and then shared the glass, turn and turn, to come to the conclusion that every knot they crept along through the shallow sea brought them more and more abreast of a district that looked wild and beautiful in the extreme: low mountain gorge and ravine, beautiful forest clothing the slopes, and parts where the country was green with the waving trees almost to the water's-edge. and so the day slipped by, and the sun began to sink just as they glided into a narrow sheltered estuary, which, as far as they could make out, ran like a jagged gash inland; and an hour later the schooner was at anchor behind a headland which completely bid them from the open sea. "there," cried poole, turning to the middy, who was sweeping the forest-clad slopes on either hand, "what do you think of this?" "lovely!" cried fitz enthusiastically, forgetting all his troubles in the wondrous tropic beauty of the golden shores. "come on, then. i don't know what andy has got us for supper, but it smells uncommonly good." "supper!" said the middy, in tones of disgust. "why, you can't leave a scene like this to go and eat?" "can't i?" cried poole. "do you mean to tell me that you are not hungry too?" "well, no," said fitz, slowly, closing the glass; "i don't think i can. i didn't know how bad i was until you spoke." chapter twenty five. a tropic river. strict watch was set, no lights were shown, and a quiet, uneventful night was passed, the boys sleeping so hard that it was with some difficulty that they were awakened, to start up wondering that it was day. "why," cried fitz, "i feel as if i had only just lain down." it proved, though, that they had each had nine hours' solid sleep, and after a hasty breakfast, preparations were made for ascending the river. the men were armed, the largest boat lowered, and fitz hung about watching eagerly all that was going on; but, too proud to ask questions, he waited to see how matters would shape themselves. as he expected, poole came to him after a time, and in answer to the middy's questioning looks said eagerly-- "the don's hacienda is right up this river somewhere, and the dad is going up in a boat with about half the lads, to see how the land lies, while old burgess stops at home and takes care of the _teal_. and i suppose he will have to take care of you too, you being a prisoner who don't take any interest in what we do. what do you think?" "think? that i shouldn't do any harm if i came with you, should i?" "well, i don't know," said poole, with mock seriousness. "you wouldn't like to come too with me?" fitz looked at him blankly. "it's going to be quite an expedition. the lads are going to have rifles and plenty of ammunition; revolvers too. i am going to have the same, because there is no knowing what sort of fellows we may meet. but, as the dad says, if they see we are well-armed they won't meddle with us. in these revolutionary times, though, every one is on the rampage and spoiling for a fight. pity you can't go with us." fitz was silent. "you see, i could have arranged it nicely. we might have had old andy to carry a couple of bags, and you could have had the governor's double gun, and looked after the pot. we should have had you blazing away right and left as we went up the river at everything that the camel said was good to eat. you would soon have filled both the bags, of course." "look here," said fitz, "none of your sneers! i dare say if i tried i could shoot as well as you can." "sneers!" cried poole, with mock solemnity. "hark at him! why should i sneer about your filling the bags when you are not going? of course you wouldn't. you'd think it wouldn't be right. i thought of all that, and said so to father." fitz coughed, and then said huskily-- "what did he say?" "what did he say? well--" "why don't you speak?" cried fitz angrily. "you might give a fellow time. what did father say?" "yes, of course!" "oh, he said he didn't like much shooting, because he did not want the enemy to know we were up the river, but that if i saw anything in the shape of a deer or a big bird, or anything else good to eat, i was to fire." "hah!" sighed fitz, as he saw himself spending a lonely day on board. "hah!" sighed poole, in imitation. "i wish you had been going too." fitz looked at him searchingly. "there!" he cried. "you are gammoning me." poole could not keep it in; his face expanded into a broad grin. "i knew you were," cried fitz. "yes, it's all right, old chap. the governor said that you were to come, for he didn't think that there would be any trouble, and it would be a pleasant change for you." "your father is a regular trump," cried fitz excitedly. "i say, though; i should have liked to have a gun." "well, you are going to have his. i'll carry a rifle, so as to bring down all the bucks." "how soon do we start?" "directly. old burgess is looking as blue as butters' nose because he has got to stop at home, and butters himself is doing nothing else but growl. he didn't like it a bit when the dad said that he must be tired after the other night's work. but he's got to stop." half-an-hour later the well-manned boat was being pulled vigorously up the rapidly narrowing river, with the two boys in the bows, on the look-out for anything worthy of powder and shot which might appear on either bank; but there was nothing save beauty to recompense their watchful eyes. birds were plentiful enough, and of the loveliest plumage, while every now and then a loud splash followed the movement of what seemed to be a log of wood making the best of its way into deep water. and once high in a mighty tree which shot up its huge bole from the very mud of the bank, poole pointed out a curious knot of purple, dull buff and brown, right in the fork where a large branch joined the bole. "not a serpent, is it?" whispered fitz. "it is, though," was the reply; and the middy raised his piece. "no, no; don't shoot," said poole softly. "it isn't good to eat, and we might be giving the alarm." fitz lowered the double gun with a sigh, and the boat glided on, sending the rushing water in a wave to go lapping amongst the bushes that overhung from the bank, and directly after the serpent knot was hidden by the leaves. the rapid little river wound here and there, and they went on mile after mile, with the steamy heat growing at times almost unbearable. but the men did not murmur, tugging away at their oars and seeming to enjoy the beauty of the many scenes through which they passed, for every now and then the river widened out, to look like some shut-in lake. and so mile after mile was passed, no spot where they could land presenting itself in the dense jungle which covered the banks, and it was not till afternoon that at a sudden turn they came upon an opening which had evidently been produced by the axe, while a short distance farther on at a word from the skipper the progress of the boat was checked at a roughly-made pier of piles driven into the mud, to which were pinned huge sticks of timber, beyond which was a rough corduroy road leading evidently to something in the way of civilisation. "it must be up here somewhere, boys," said the skipper. "two of you stop as keepers, my lads, while we land and go and see. the hacienda must certainly be hereabouts from the description don ramon gave;" and as all stepped on to the rough timber pier, the skipper instructed the boat-keepers to get well under shelter out of the sun and to keep strict watch, before leading the way along the wooded road through the thick growth which had newly sprung up amongst the butts of the great trees that had been felled or burned off level with the soil. it must not be judged from this, that it was any scene of desolation, for every stump and relic of fallen tree was ornamented with lovely orchids, or wreathed with tangling vines. butterflies of the most vivid hues fluttered here and there in the glorious sunshine, while humming-birds literally flashed as they darted by. the clearing had evidently been the work of many men, and it was plain to see what the place must have been before the axe was introduced, by the dense mass of giant trees that stood up untouched a couple of hundred yards on either side--the primaeval forest in its glory, untouched by man. chapter twenty six. a night watch. it was not many minutes later when, attracted by a group of the lovely insects playing about the shrubs that were in full bloom, fitz had hung back, making them an excuse while he rested, standing mopping his face, streaming with perspiration, while poole, no less willing to enjoy a few minutes' halt, stood looking back watching him. meanwhile the skipper had gone on, closely followed by the men, and passed out of sight. and then the few minutes became a few minutes more, neither of the lads noting the lapse of time, for everything around was so beautiful that they had no thought for the task in hand, nor fear of being interrupted by any of the enemy who might be near. everything was so dreamy and beautiful that poole cast his eyes around in search of some fallen trunk, with the idea that nothing could be more delightful than to sit down there in the shade and drowse the time away. then he was awake again, for from somewhere ahead, but so far off that it sounded quite faint, there came a shout-- "ahoy! poole!" the lad ran, rifle in hand, to answer his father's call, but only to stop short to look round sharply, feeling that he was leaving fitz behind. "oh, there you are," he cried, as he caught sight of the lad following swiftly after. "i thought that you were not coming." "i was obliged to. you don't suppose that i want to be left alone here by myself?" "no, i suppose not. 'tis a wild spot. it wouldn't be very pleasant if one of the enemy came upon you. you'd be rather safer along with us. come on; we had better run. mind how you come. these logs are rather slippery where the sun doesn't shine." "yes, and you had better mind, or some of this tangled stuff that's growing up between will trip you up. rather awkward if your gun went off." a few minutes later they came up to where the skipper was standing waiting for them. "found the place, father?" "yes; it's just over yonder in a clearing beyond those trees." "where are the men?" "inside the house." "has don ramon come?" "no. there's not a soul in sight. i can't see any signs of a fight, but it looks to me as if the enemy had been destroying all they came across. i hope they didn't come upon him and take him prisoner, but it looks very bad." "what shall you do, father?" "what he told me, my boy: take possession, and hold it if the enemy come back. i have told the men to try and knock up a breastwork and close up the windows. to put it into a state of defence is not possible, but they can make it look stronger, and it will be better than the open jungle if those mongrel scoundrels do come on. winks is there with half-a-dozen men; join them and superintend. make them stick to it hard. i am afraid of their thinking that there is no danger, and taking it too coolly." "all right, father," said poole, giving fitz a glance as he stood ready for starting off. "oh, by the way, mr burnett, i am sorry to have got you into this trouble. it doesn't seem the thing, does it? but i can't help myself. i daren't let you get into the hands of the enemy, for they are a shady lot. only please mind this; you are a looker-on, and you are not to fight." "of course not, sir," cried fitz. "well, don't forget it. let's have none of your getting excited and joining in, if the row does begin. but it's hardly likely. if the scoundrels see a strong-looking place they will give it a wide berth. but if they do come, just bear this in mind; you are a spectator, and not to fire a shot." "i shall not forget my position, sir," said fitz quietly. "that's right. you can't be in a safer place than in the shelter of ramon's farm. off with you, poole. i will join you soon." the two lads trotted off, and as they ran on side by side, fitz said rather testily-- "your father needn't have talked to me like that. 'tisn't likely that i should join in such a fight as this." "of course not," said poole coolly; "only you look rather warlike carrying that double gun." "absurd! a sporting piece, loaded with small shot!" cried fitz. "not so very small," said poole, laughing. "i shouldn't like it to be loaded with them by any one firing at me. oh, there's the hacienda yonder. i heard of this place when i was here before. it's a sort of summer-house near the river and sea, where don ramon used to come. my word, though, how it seems to have been knocked about! it looks as if there had been fighting here. the grounds have all been trampled down, and the porch has been torn away." "what a pity!" cried fitz, as he trotted up, with his gun at the trail. "it must have been a lovely place. oh, there are some of our men." "yes," said poole, smiling to himself and giving a little emphasis to one word which he repeated; "there are some of `our' men. look at old chips scratching his head." for the carpenter on hearing their approach had stepped out into the wrecked verandah, and two or three of the sailors appeared at the long low windows belonging to one of the principal rooms. "oh, here y'are, mr poole, sir!" cried the carpenter, waving his navy straw hat and giving it two or three vicious sweeps at the flies. "just the very gent as i wanted to see. how are yer, mr burnett, sir? warm, aren't it? don't you wish you was a chips, sir?" he added sarcastically, as fitz gave him a friendly nod. "a chips? a carpenter, winks?" said fitz. "no; why should i?" "of course not, sir. because if you was you would be every now and then having some nice little job chucked at your head by the skipper." "why, of course," cried poole. "what are you on board the schooner for?" "oh, nothing at all, sir--only to stop leaks and recaulk, cut sticks out of the woods to make new spars and yards, build a new boat now and then, or a yard or two of bulwark or a new keel. just a few little trifles of that sort. it's just like so much play. here's the very last of them. nice little job ashore by way of a change. skipper's fresh idea. he didn't say so, but seems to me as if he means to retire from business, and this 'ere's going to be his country house." "and a very nice place too," said fitz, laughing. "it only wants doing up." "that's right, sir," cried the carpenter; "only just wants doing up, and a bit of paint, and then all you'd have to do would be to order a 'technicum van or two of new furniture out of totney court road, or elsewhere. and an other nice little job for me to lay down the carpets and hang the picturs, and it would be just lovely." "well, you seem in a nice temper, chips," said poole. "temper, mr poole! why, i feel as soft and gentle as a baby. i arn't got nothing to grumble at." "and if you had you are the very last person in the world to say a word; eh, chips?" "hear that, mr burnett, sir? that's mr poole, that is! he's known me two years and a narf, which means ever since he come on his first voyage, when i teached him how to handle an adze without cutting off his pretty little toes. if ever i wanted my character, mr burnett, sir, i should refer captains and other such to mr poole reed, as knows me from the top of my head down to the parts i put lowest in my shoes." "look here, chips, i want you to get to work. whatever is the matter now?" "oh, nothing at all, sir; nothing at all! carn't you see how i am smiling all over my face?" "oh yes, i know your smile. now then, speak out. what do you want? what is there wrong?" "oh, nothing worth speaking of, mr poole. i arn't the sort of fellow to grumble, mr burnett, sir; but now just look here, gentlemen.--get out, will you! bother the flies! i wish i could 'ford to keep a nigger with a whisk made out of a horse's tail. they are regular tarrifying me to-day. i wouldn't keer if i could kill one now and then; but i carn't. either they're too fast or i'm too slow. but now just look here, both on you, gentlemen. here's a pretty position for a fellow to be in! nobody can't say even in this hot country as i arn't willing to work my spell, but here's the skipper says to me, he says, `i want you to do everything you can,' he says; `take what men you want, and make this 'ere aitch--he--hay--ender as strong as you can.' now, i ask you, just give your eyes a quick turn round the place and tell me, as orficers as knows what's what, how am i to make a thing strong as arn't strong, and where there arn't a bit of stuff to do it with? for what's the good of a lot of bamboo-cane when what one wants is a load of good honest english oak, or i wouldn't say no to a bit of teak." "well, it is a ramshackle sort of place, certainly, chips." "ramshackle, sir? why, a ramshackle shed is a tower of london to it. it's just a bandbox, that's what it is--just one of them chip and blue paper things the same as my old mother used to keep her sunday bonnet in. why, i could go to one end, shet my eyes, and walk through it anywhere. why, it wouldn't even keep the wind out. look at them windows--jalousies, as they calls them, in their ignorant foreign tongue. look at 'em; just so many laths, like a venetia blind. what's to be done to them? and then them doors. why, they wouldn't keep a cat in, let alone a spaniel out. i dunno what's to be done; and before i know where i am the skipper will be back asking me what i have been about. do you know what i'm about? about off my head. a man can't make something out of nothing. where's my tools? says you. aboard the schooner. where's the stuff to work with? nowhere. why, i aren't got so much as a tenpenny-nail. it's onreasonable; but i suppose it aren't no use to talk. come on, my lads, and let's see. axes here. get one in between them two floor-boards and wedge one of them out--that's the style!" and as he spoke, _rip, rip, crack_! the board was wrenched out of its place, leaving a long opening and easy access to the boards on either side. "steady there, mates; don't lose a nail. they are very poor ones, and only rusty iron now, but just you handle them as if they was made of gold. that's your sort. we'll just nail them boards up across the lower parts of them windows, far enough apart for us to fire through, and when that's done they'll make a show if they don't do anything else. it'll satisfy the skipper; but as to keeping the bullets out, when the beggars begin to fire, why, mr poole, sir, i believe i could take half-a-dozen of them little sugar-loaf-shaped bits of lead in my mouth and stand outside and blow them through.--what do you say, camel? where's a hammer? there are dozens of them, mate, in high street, liverpool, at any price from one-and-six up to two bob. did you leave your head aboard the schooner?" "did i leave my head aboard the schooner? what are you talking about?" growled the cook. "thought perhaps you had left it in the galley, stood up in one of the pots to keep it safe till you got back. turn the axe round and use the head of that, stoopid. chopper-heads was invented before hammers, i know." "well, you needn't be so nasty, mon," growled the cook. "make you nasty if you was set to cook a dinner without any fire, and no meat." andy grunted and began hammering away, helped by two of his messmates, who held the floor-boards in place while such nails as had come out of the joists were driven in. satisfied with this, the carpenter set to work at the end of one of the joists, using a sharp axe so deftly that the great wedge-like chips began to fly, and in a minute's time he had cut right through. "that's your sort!" he cried. "now, lads, two on you hoist up." the men had hold of the freshly-cut end of the stout joist in an instant, raised it up, its length acting as a powerful lever, and it was wrenched out of its place, to be used beneath its fellows so dexterously that in a short time there was no longer any floor to the principal room of the hacienda, the joists being piled up on one side, and those who were in it stood now a couple of feet lower with the window-sills just on a level with their chests. "bravo! splendid!" cried fitz excitedly. "why, that gives us a capital breastwork--bulwark, i mean--to fire over." "yes," cried poole, "and plenty of stuff, chips, for you to barricade the doors." "barricade the doors, sir? you mean stop 'em up, i suppose. but how? arn't got a big cross-cut saw in your pocket, have you?" "go on, old chap, and don't chatter so," cried poole. "break them in half." "nice tradesman-like job that'll make, sir! it is all very fine to talk. here, stand aside, some on you. i never was in a hurry but some thick-headed foremast-man was sure to get in the way. let's see; where's my rule? yah! no rule, no pencil, no square. lay that there first one down, mates. what are they? about twelve foot. might make three out of each of them." one of the joists was laid on the earth close to a collection of dry leaves. "looks like an old rat's nest," said fitz. "like enough, sir, only we haven't no time to hunt 'em. sure to be lots in a place like this." "yes, i can smell them," said poole--"that nasty musky odour they have!" the carpenter paced along beside the joist, dividing it into three, and made a notch in two places with his axe, to begin the next minute delivering a sharp blow or two where he intended to break the joist. but at the first stroke the violent jar made the far end of the joist leap and come heavily down upon the gathered-together nest of leaves. "wo-ho!" cried the carpenter. "steady there!" "eh, mon! look at that!" yelled the cook, as there was a scuffling rush, and a thickish snake, about seven feet long, dashed out from its nest and made for the door. there was a yell of dismay, and the men rushed here and there for the windows, to escape, the boys as eager as their companions. it was only the carpenter who stood firm, and he made a chop with his axe at the reptile's tail, but only to drive the blade into the dry earth a yard behind. "after him, camel!" he roared. "don't lose him, lad! he'd do to cook like a big eel. yah, butter-fingers! you let him go! why didn't you try and catch him by the tail? here, come back, all of you. take hold of a joist or two and stir up them nest-like places in the corners. i dare say there's some more. we shall be hungry by and by. don't let good dinners go begging like that. here, mr burnett, sir, and you, mr poole, never you mind them cowardly lubbers; come inside and have a hunt. it'll be a regular bit of sport." "thanks, no," said fitz, who was looking in through one of the windows, poole following his example at another. "you had better mind, chips," said the latter. "i dare say there are several more there, and they may be poisonous." "so am i, sir," said the carpenter, grinning. "just you ketch hold of my axe." "what are you going to do?" said poole, as he took hold of the handle. "you stand by a moment, sir," said the carpenter, picking up the joist upon which he had been operating, and holding it as if it were a lance. "i am going to poison them." as he spoke he drove the end right into a heap of indian corn-husks that lay in the first corner, the blow being followed by a violent rustling, and another snake made its appearance, not to dash for the door, but turning, wriggling, and lashing about as it fought hard till it wriggled itself free of the little beam which had pinned it into the corner, crushing its vertebra about a third of its length from the head, and ending by tying itself in a knot round the piece of wood and holding on. "below there!" shouted the carpenter. "stand clear!" he advanced towards fitz with the joist, and as the boy leaped back he thrust out the piece of wood, resting the middle on the window-sill. "here you are, camel," he cried; "fresh meat, all skewered for you like a bun on a toasting-fork. look alive, old haggis, and take him off. he's a fine un, master poole. i can't abear to see waste." fitz and poole both stepped back, and at that moment with one quick writhe the little serpent seemed to untie itself, dropping to the ground limply, writhed again as if to tie itself into a fresh knot, and then stretched itself out at full length. "take care, mr burnett, sir," cried the carpenter, hastily taking from poole and holding out the axe he had been using. "don't go too near. them things can be precious vicious. ketch hold of this and drop it on to him just behind his head." "no, no, don't, fitz!" cried poole. "look at its little fiery eyes. it may strike." "not it," cried fitz. "chips has spoiled all his fighting for good;" and taking a step or two forward with the axe he had snatched from the carpenter's hand, he made one quick cut and drove it into the earth, for the blade to be struck at once by the serpent's head, while the ugly coils were instantaneously knotted round the haft. fitz involuntarily started back, leaving the axe-handle with its ugly load standing out at an angle, and the two lads stood watching the serpent's head as the jaws parted once or twice and then became motionless, while the folds twisted round the stout ash-handle gradually grew lax and then dropped limply and loosely upon the earth, ending by heaving slightly as a shudder seemed to run from the bleeding neck right to the tail. "he's as good as dead, gentlemen," said the carpenter. "he won't hunt no more rats under this place. give me my chopper, please; i am thinking there are a few more here. let's have 'em out, or they'll be in the way and get their tails trodden on when the fighting begins." "yes, let's have them out, chips," cried poole; "but be careful. they may be poisonous, and savage with being disturbed." "oh yes, i'll be careful enough," cried the carpenter; and raising the joist again he stepped back from the window and drove it into another corner of the room, the boys peering in through the nearest window and eagerly watching for the result. "nothing here," cried the carpenter, after giving two heavy thrusts. "yes, there is. here's a little baby one. such a little wriggler! a pretty one too; seems a pity to kill him." "no, no," cried fitz, as he watched the active movements of the little snake that suddenly raised itself like a piece of spiral spring, its spade-shaped head playing about menacingly about a foot from the ground. "yes, take care," cried poole. "i believe that's a viper." "so's this," said the carpenter, letting one end of the joist rest upon the ground and the other fall heavily right across the threatening snake. "hah! that's a wiper, and i wiped him out." next moment he lifted the joist again, and used it pitchfork-fashion to jerk the completely crushed dangerous reptile out of another window, before advancing to the third corner, where a larger heap of indian corn-husks seemed to have been drawn together. "anything there, chips?" cried fitz. "oh yes, there's a big un here--two on 'em; and they're telling tales of it, too, for they've left 'em hanging outside. now, whereabouts will their heads be?" "take care," cried poole, "for you may cripple one and leave the other to dart at you." "yes, and that wouldn't be nice," said the carpenter thoughtfully. "i don't mind tackling one of them, but two at a time's coming it a bit too strong. 'tarn't fair like." "look here," cried fitz, "we'll come in, and each have a joist. we should be sure to kill them then." "i dunno so much about that, gen'lemen. you might help, and you moten't. if they made a rush you might be in my way, and you know, as old andy says, too many cooks spoil the snake-soup. here, i know; i can soon turn them out." "how?" cried poole, as the man stood the joist up against the wall. "i'll soon show you," cried the carpenter, pulling out a match-box. "you'll burn the place down." "nay," cried the man; "them corn-shucks will just flare up with a fizz; i can trample them out before they catch the wood. you two be on the look-out, for there's no knowing which window my gentlemen will make for as soon as they find as it aren't the sun as is warming them up." he struck a match as he spoke, let the splint get well alight, and then stepping forward softly he stooped down to apply it to the pale, dry, creamy-looking corn-leaves. "look out!" cried fitz excitedly. "oh, my fingers are too hard to burn," growled the carpenter, ignoring the notion of the danger being from the serpents; and he applied the burning match to three places, letting the flame drop in the last, before he stepped quickly back, watching the bright crackling flare which rose in each spot where he had applied the match and then began to run together to form one blaze. "why, there's nothing there," cried poole. "oh, yes, there is, gen'lemen, and they're beginning to feel it. it's so nice and warm that--look, they are pulling their tails in under the blanket to get their share. now they says it's too hot. look out; here they come." the warning was not needed, for there was a sharp, fierce hissing heard plainly above the spluttering crackle of the burning husks, the pile was violently agitated, and then the burning heap was heaved up and scattered about in various directions, while, half-hidden by the smoke, it seemed as if a couple of pieces of stout manilla cable were being furiously shaken upon the earthen floor. "murder!" shouted poole, starting back from the window where he stood, his action being involuntarily imitated by fitz, who just caught a glance of the snake that had startled his companion passing like a flash over the window-sill, and making at what seemed to be an impossible speed for a clump of bushes close at hand. "that's one of them," cried fitz breathlessly. "what about the other?" _bang! bang! thud! thud_! came from inside the room, and then the answer in the carpenter's gruff voice-- "i got him at last," he said. "he was a lively one. reg'lar dodger. come and look here. it's all right; he's done. my! he is a whopper!" the inclination to look in was not great, but the boys stepped back at once to the windows they had left, to see that the burning heap was well alight, but apparently all in motion, while the carpenter was standing near, half-hidden by smoke, pressing the end of the joist he had used down upon a writhing serpent which he was holding pinned against the earth in the middle of the flames. "take care! take care!" cried poole. "it'll be furious if it gets from underneath that piece of wood." "he'd be clever if he did, sir. i got him too tight. it's all right, and i am making use of him at the same time." "nonsense! come out, man; you will have the place on fire directly." "oh, no, i shan't, sir. don't you see, i am letting him whack and scatter it all out. there won't be enough to do any mischief now.--hah! he's quieting down; and he's the last on 'em. if there were any others they are smoked out." as he spoke the lads could plainly see that the reptile's efforts to escape were growing weaker, while the rest of the party, who had been busy at the other end of the hacienda, had collected at window and door, attracted by the rising smoke. "just in time, mates! about another two minutes and he'll be done. now then," the speaker added, "i don't want to spoil him," and raking out the heaving reptile, he forked it to the door and tossed it a few yards away into the clearing. "all together!" he shouted. "fair play! knives out. who's for a cut of hot roast?" chips's pantomime was at an end, for, rifle in hand, the skipper came running up. "what's the meaning of this?" he roared. "why don't you put that fire out? do you want to burn the place down? who's been smoking here?" "it's all right, father. there were snakes under the floor, but chips has burned them out." "oh, that's it! dangerous brutes! here, winks, how have you been getting on?" "oh, tidy, sir, tidy," said the carpenter, wiping his smarting eyes as he tried to check a cough and made it worse. "you see, there was no stuff, and i had to tear up the floor." "capital," said the skipper, as he examined the preparations. "couldn't be better, my man. here, if there's time you shall serve those other two rooms the same. axes here, my lads. cut down those bushes and pile them up under the windows. we mustn't leave them there for cover." "take care," cried fitz. "there's a great snake in there. here, poole, let's each take a joist and beat him out." "hadn't we better try a match, sir? them there bushes are that ily evergreen stuff as'll burn like fun." "yes," said the skipper. "we don't want the stuff for protection, and the enemy might throw a light in and burn us out. but look here, chips, are there any sparks inside there, likely to set the wood-work alight?" "nay, sir; it was all fluffy touch-and-go stuff. there's nothing there now but smoke." the man moved as he spoke towards the clump of ornamental shrubs in which the big snake had taken sanctuary, the two lads, each armed with a joist carried lance-fashion, following him up, while the skipper hurried into the building with one of the men, to satisfy himself that the carpenter's words were correct. the remainder stood by to watch the firing of the clump of bushes, the news that they hid a serpent putting all upon the _qui vive_. "take care chips," said poole anxiously. "they are dangerous, treacherous things. we don't want to get you bitten." "of course you don't, my lad; but tchah! they aren't half so dangerous as i am with a box of matches in my hand. here, wait a moment; which way's the wind? oh, this 'ere. blest if i know whether it's north south, or east west, for i've quite lost my bearings. anyhow, it don't blow towards the house. now then, i think i'll just have an armful of these 'ere plantain-leaves and them there bamboo. they're the things to burn." he hastily collected as many dry great ragged banana-leaves as he could grasp, laid them in a heap to windward of the clump, and jumped back quickly, grinning hugely as he turned to the boys. "he's there still," he said; "i heard him whisper like a sick goose as i popped that stuff down." "we'd better look out, then, on the other side," cried fitz, "or he'll make a bolt. shall i get my gun?" "no, no," said poole; "we must have no firing now." fitz moved, joist in hand, towards the other side of the clump. "nay, you needn't do that, sir," cried the carpenter. "that's what we want him to do." "oh, i see; you don't want there to be any waste," said poole. "ugh!" shuddered fitz, and the carpenter grinned as he hurriedly snapped off as many dead bamboos as he could secure from a waving, feathery group, bore the bundle the next minute to the edge of the clump of shrubs, laid them on the heap of banana-leaves, and then rapidly applied a burning match to the dry growth, which still retained a sufficiency of inflammable oil to begin to flare at once, making the bamboos crackle and then explode with a series of little reports like those of a revolver. "that's right," said the carpenter; "if we had only got a few dozen cocoanut-shells to help it on, we should have a bonfire as'd beat a guy foxer all to fits." but there were no cocoanuts to be had without paying a visit to the seashore, so the fire was mended with the bushes that were cut down from here and there, blazing up so furiously that in a few minutes the clump was consumed, and the snake with it, for it was not seen again. "now then," said the skipper, "scatter those embers about, and put an end to that smoke, or it will attract the enemy and show them where we are." these orders were carried out, and the next hour was spent in adding to the defences as far as was possible, in seeing to there being a supply of water, and examining what there was in the shape of provisions in store. but other precautions were being taken at the same time, the skipper having sent out three of the men right and left along the forest-paths and towards the shore, so as to ensure them against surprise. then the afternoon wore away, and the evening approached, without alarm, and before the night could fall in its rapid, tropical way, the scouts were recalled, sentries posted, and the defenders gathered-together in their little fortress for their evening meal, by the light of the great stars, which seemed to fitz double the size that they were at home. every one had his arms ready for use at a moment's notice, and the two lads sat together nibbling the biscuit they had brought with them, and moistening it from time to time with a draught of the water from the big pannikin which they shared. that change from glowing sunset to darkness had been wonderfully swift, and as the beauty of the surrounding jungle, with its wondrous tints of green, changed into black gloom, the aspect of the place affected the two young adventurers at once, fitz giving vent to a long-drawn sigh. "what's the matter?" said poole, in a low voice. "oh, i don't know," replied the middy. "it seems so strange and weird here in the darkness. it makes me feel quite low-spirited." "do you know why that is?" asked poole. "of course i do. it is all dark and dangerous, and at any time we may have those mongrel spaniels, as chips calls them, rushing at us and firing as they come." "well, we should fire at them back again," said poole coolly. "but it isn't that that makes you nervous and dull." "isn't it? well, i suppose i am not so brave as you," whispered the middy. "fudge! it's nothing to do with being brave. i don't feel brave. i am just as low-spirited as you are. it's because we are tired and hungry." "why, we are keeping on eating." "yes; biscuit-and-water. but that only keeps you from starving; it doesn't do you good. why, if old andy had a good fire and was roasting a wild turkey, or grilling some fish, we shouldn't feel dull, but be all expectation, and sniffing at the cooking, impatient till it was done." "well, i suppose there is something in that," said fitz, "for i feel as faint as can be. i seem to have been so ever since i began to get better. always wanting something more to eat." "of course you do. that's right enough." "what's that?" cried fitz, catching his companion by the arm; for there was a loud slap, as if the water of the river had suddenly received a sharp blow with the blade of an oar. "i d'know," said poole. "boat coming, i think. did you hear that, father?" and the speaker looked in the direction where the skipper had last been seen. "oh yes," was the reply, coming from outside one of the windows of the room they had strengthened with a breastwork. "it's a boat coming, isn't it, father?" "no, my lad," said the skipper, in a deep-toned growl. "it's one of the crocodiles or alligators fishing for its supper." "no, no, mr reed," cried fitz; "we mean that sound like a heavy slap on the water. there it goes again! that!" "yes, that's the sound i meant," said the skipper. "sounds queer, doesn't it, in the darkness? but that's right. it's one of the great alligator fellows thrashing the water to stun the fish. this makes them turn up, and then the great lizardly thing swallows them down." fitz uttered a little grunt as if he thought it was very queer, and then went on nibbling his biscuit. "poole," he whispered, "what stupids we were not to go and fish before it got dark." "that's just what i was thinking," was the reply. "yes," continued fitz; "we hadn't as much sense as an alligator. i wish we had a good fish or two here." "to eat raw?" said poole scornfully. "raw? nonsense! we'd set old andy to work." "no, we shouldn't. how could we have a fire here? it would be like setting ourselves up for the enemy to fire at. why, they could creep in through the jungle till they were fifty or sixty yards away, and take pot-shots at us. but only let us get to-night over, and we will go shooting or fishing as soon as it's day." "hark at that," said fitz, catching him by the arm. "here they come at last!" and not only the boys, but every one present but the skipper, felt a strange fluttering about the heart, as a curious hollow cry rose from somewhere at the edge of the jungle. and then from out of the darkness there was a sharp _click, click_! of the lock of a rifle, the force of example bringing out quite a series of the ominous little sounds, which came forth sharp and clear as every one prepared to use his piece. "steady there, my lads!" growled the skipper. "you don't think you can shoot that bird?" "there, laddies; i kenned it was a bird--one of them long-legged, big-beaked chaps that stand out in the water spearing eels. wish we had got him now." "was that a bird, father?" whispered poole. "why, you ought to have known it was, my lad. there goes another, and another. if you listen you can hear the cry dying right away in the distance--one of those great cranes." "fine bird to keep for singing," said the cook, "only i want everything for the pot or the spit. there he goes again. what a rich voice, laddies! sounds as if he were fat." the rifles were uncocked gently and carefully, and all sat listening again, thoroughly on the _qui vive_, for though fully expecting that the first warning of danger would be a shot from one of the sentries, all felt that there was a possibility of the enemy stealing up in the darkness and making a rush which would quite take them by surprise. it was depressing work to the wakeful, and as the hours stole slowly on first one and then another, tired out with the exertions of the day, let his head sink upon his breast where he crouched and gave audible notice that he had forgotten everything in the way of danger, in sleep. from time to time the boys kept up a desultory conversation, but at last this ceased, and fitz suddenly lifted his head with a jerk and began to look wonderingly round at the great stars. "what's the matter?" said poole, in a startled way. "i dunno," replied the middy. "it seemed to me that somebody got hold of me and gave me a jerk." "that's just how i felt. look out!" fitz did look out as far as the darkness would allow, and his hands began to turn moist against the stock of his gun; but there was nothing to be heard but the heavy breathing of the sleepers, and both lads were beginning to think that the start and jerk were caused by their having been asleep themselves, when there was a familiar voice close at hand. "well, lads, how are you getting on?" "not very well, father," replied poole. "is it all right?" "yes, my boy; i have heard nothing but the cries of the night birds, and the creeping of something now and then among the boughs." "think the enemy will come to-night, mr reed?" said fitz. "can't say, my lad. they may, or they may not. if they knew how easily they could get the better of us they would make a rush. tut, tut, tut! kick that fellow, poole. can't he sleep without snoring like that? who is it?" "i think it's winks, father." "rouse him up, then." "eh? hullo! all right! my watch?" "no, no," said poole. "be quiet; you are snoring away as if you were sawing wood." "was i, my lad?" whispered the man. "well, i believe i dreamed i was at that game. any fighting coming off?" "no, not yet." "all right; then i'll have another nap." but at that moment from out of the darkness, at apparently the edge of the jungle beyond the hacienda clearing, there was a sudden crashing as of the breaking of wood, followed instantly by an exceedingly shrill and piercing shriek, the rustle and beating of leaves, two or three low piteous sobs, and then silence for a few moments, followed by a soft rustling which died away. "steady there!" whispered the skipper, as he heard the click of a lock. "don't fire, my lad. it would only be wasting a charge." "but the savage has killed somebody, mr reed," whispered fitz, in a voice he did not know as his own; and he crouched rigidly there with the butt of his piece to his shoulder, aiming in the direction of the sounds, and with every nerve upon the strain. "yes," said the skipper coolly; "the savage has killed somebody and has carried him off. there, you can hear the faint rustling still." "but a savage could not carry a man off like that," said fitz wonderingly. "no," replied the skipper, with a low chuckle. "but that savage has gone off with the body he seized. don't you know what it was, my lad?" "no," replied fitz wonderingly. "then i'll tell you, as far as i know myself. i should say that was one of those great cats, the tigers, as they call them here, the jaguars. he was prowling along in one of those big trees till he could see a monkey roosting, and then it was a leap like a cat at a rat, and he carried him off." "ah!" said fitz, with a sigh. "i thought it was something worse." "couldn't have been any worse for the monkey," said poole, laughing. "no," continued fitz thoughtfully; "but i didn't know there were jaguars here." "didn't you, my lad?" said the skipper quietly. "why, we are just at the edge of the impenetrable jungle. there is only this strip of land between it and the sea, and the only way into it is up that little river. if we were to row up there we should have right and left pretty well every wild creature that inhabits the south american jungles: tigers--you have had a taste of the snakes this afternoon--water-hogs, tapirs, pumas too, i dare say. there goes another of those great alligators slapping the water with his tail." "would there be any of the great serpents?" asked fitz. "any number," replied the skipper, "if we could penetrate to where they are; the great tree-living ones, and those water-boas that live among the swamps and pools." "they grow very big, don't they?" said fitz, who began to find the conversation interesting. "all sizes. big as you or me round the thickest part, and as long as--" "a hundred feet?" said poole. "well, i don't know about that, my boy," said the skipper. "i shouldn't like to meet one that size. i saw the skin of one that was over thirty, and i have heard tell by people out here that they had seen them five-and-forty and fifty feet long. they may grow to that size in these hot, steamy jungles. there is no reason why they shouldn't, when whales grow to seventy or eighty feet long in the sea; but i believe those monster anacondas of fifty feet long were only skins, and that either they or the stories had been very much stretched." "what time do you think it is, father?" "well, by the feel of the night, my lad, i should say it's about three." "as late as that, father? time seems to have gone very quickly." "quickly, eh? that's proof positive, my boy, that you have had a nap or two. i have not, and i have found it slow." chapter twenty seven. a junction. the skipper moved off into the darkness, and all was wonderfully still once more in the clearing. there was the dense jungle all round, but not a sound broke the silence, for it was the peculiar period between the going to rest of the myriad creatures who prey by night, and the waking up of those expectant of the sun. then there was a sound of about the most commonplace, matter-of-fact character that can be imagined. fitz, as he lay half upon a heap of dry leaves and canes, opened his mouth very widely, yawned portentously and loudly, ending with, "oh, dear me!" and a quickly-uttered correction of what seemed to him like bad manners: "i beg your pardon!" "ha, ha!" laughed poole, "i was doing just the same. here, you are a pretty sort of fellow," he continued, "to be on the watch, and kick up a shindy like that! suppose the enemy had been sneaking in." he had hardly finished speaking when fitz caught him by the arm and sprang up, for there was a faint rustling, and the two lads felt more than saw that some one was approaching them. relief came directly, for instead of a sudden attack, it was the skipper who spoke. "silence!" he said softly. "here, if you two lads are as sleepy as that, lie down again till sunrise." "no, no, father," said poole; "i am all right now. you must be tired out. burnett and i will go your rounds now." "thanks, my lad; but no, thank you." "but you may trust me, father, and i will call you at daybreak." "no, my boy; i couldn't sleep if i tried." "no more could i now, father. let me help you, then; and go round to see that the watch is all right." "very well. you go that way, and have a quiet chat with the man on duty. it will rouse him up. i am going round here." the skipper moved off directly, and poole, before starting off in the indicated direction, whispered to fitz-- "you can have another snooze till i come back." "thank you; but i am going along with you." quite willing to accept his companionship, poole led the way slowly and cautiously; but at the end of a few yards he stopped short. "what's the matter?" whispered fitz. "nothing yet; but i was just thinking. is there any password?" "i dunno," whispered fitz. "i didn't ask father, and it would be rather awkward if we were challenged and shot at." "oh, there's no fear of that. you'd know by the voice which of the men it was who spoke, and he'd know yours when you answered." "to be sure. false alarm. come on." it seemed darker than ever as they went forward on what seemed to be the track, but proved to be off it, for all at once as they were going cautiously on, literally feeling their way, poole caught his foot against a stump and nearly fell headlong. "bother!" he ejaculated loudly, to add to the noise he made, and instantly a gruff voice from their right growled out, "who goes there?" accompanying the question with a clicking of a rifle-lock. "friends," cried fitz sharply. "the word." "_teal_" cried poole, as he scrambled up. "aren't right," growled the same voice. "that you, mr poole?" "oh, it's you, chips!" cried the lad, in a tone full of relief. "winks it is," was the reply; "but the skipper said i warn't to let anybody pass without he said sponson." "sponson," cried fitz, laughing. "ah, you know now," growled the carpenter, "because i telled you; but it don't seem right somehow. but you aren't enemies, of course." "not much," said poole. "well, how are you getting on, chips?" "oh, tidy, sir, tidy; only it's raither dull work, and precious damp. a bit wearisome like with nothing to do but chew. thought when i heard you that there was going to be something to warm one up a bit. wonderful how chilly it gets before the sun's up. i should just like to have a bit of timber here, and my saw." "to let the enemy know exactly where we are?" "ah, of course; that wouldn't do. but i always feel when i haven't got another job on the way that it's a good thing to do to cut up a bit of timber into boards." "why?" asked fitz, more for the sake of speaking than from any desire to know. "plaisters, my lad." "plaisters?" "ay; for sore hulls. a bit of thin board's always handy off a coast where there's rocks, and there's many a time when, if the carpenter had had plenty of sticking-plaister for a vessel's skin, a good ship could have been saved from going down. nice place this. what a spot it would have been if it had been an island and the schooner had been wrecked!" "what do you want the schooner wrecked for?" cried poole. "me, sir? i don't want the schooner wrecked. i only said if it had been, and because you young gents was talking the other day about being on a desolate island to play robinson crusoe for a bit." "oh yes, i remember," said fitz. "so do i, sir. it set me thinking about that chap a good deal. some men do get chances in life. just think of him! why, that fellow had everything a chap could wish for. aren't talking too loud, are we, mr poole?" "oh no. no one could hear us whispering like this." "that's right. i am glad you young gents come, for it was getting very unked and queer all alone. quite cheers a fellow up. set down, both on you." "thanks, no," said fitz; "the ground's too wet." "nay, i don't mean on the ground. feel just behind you. there aren't a arm-chair, but a big bit of timber as has been cut down.--there, that's better. may as well make one's miserable life happy, and i don't suppose we shall have anybody sneaking round now.--ah, yes, that there robinson crusoe did have a fine time of it. everything his own, including a ship safely docked ashore full of stores, and nothing to do but break her up and sort the bits. and there he'd got all the timbers, keel-knees, planks, tree-nails, ropes, spars and yards, and plenty of sheet-metal, i'll be bound, for copper bottoming. why, with plenty of time on his hands, he might have built anything, from a yawl to a schooner. but he didn't seem to me to shine much in naval architecter. why, at first he hadn't a soul much above a raft." "it was very useful, though," said fitz. "nay; more trouble, sir, than it was worth. better have built himself some kind of a boat at once. look at his raft! always a-sinking, or fouling, or shooting off its cargo, or trying to navigate itself. i don't believe in rafts. they're no use unless you want to use one to get washed ashore. for my part--pst!" the boys sprang up at the man's whispered signal, fitz the more actively from the fact that the carpenter's horny hand had suddenly gripped his knee so forcibly that he had hard work to restrain a cry of pain. "somebody coming," whispered poole, quite unnecessarily, for a loud rustling through the bushes was announcing the approach of the expected enemy. "stand by!" roared the carpenter, and his rifle flashed a line of light through the darkness as he fired in the direction of the sounds. "now, my lads," he whispered, "double back into the ship." as the words passed his lips a voice from out of the darkness shouted in broken english, and with a very spanish accent-- "don't fire! friends! friends! friends!" the words checked the retreat on the hacienda, but they did not clear away the watch's doubts. "yes," growled the carpenter, "so you says, but it's too dark to see your faces." then aloud, "who are you? give the word." "friends!" was shouted again. "well! where's the word?--he don't say sponson, mr poole," added the carpenter, in a whisper. "captain reed! captain reed!" cried the same voice, from where all was perfectly still now, for the sounds of the advance had ceased. "who wants captain reed?" shouted poole. "ah, yes, i know you," came excitedly. "tell your father don ramon is here with his men." chapter twenty eight. strange doings. all doubts as to the character of the new-comers were chased away by the coming up of the skipper to welcome the don, who had nothing but bad news to communicate. he had passed the night in full retreat with the remnant of his followers before the forces of the rival president. "everything has gone wrong," he said. "i have lost heavily, and thought that i should never have been able to join my friends. what about the hacienda? have you done anything for its defence?" "the best we could," replied the skipper. "i suppose you know that the enemy had been here, that there had been a fight, and that they had wrecked the place." "i? no!" cried the don, in a voice full of despair. "i sent a party of my friends here to meet you, and this was the _rendezvous_. don't tell me that they have been attacked and beaten." "i have as good as told you that," said the skipper dryly. "ah-h-h!" panted the don. "we have put the place in as good a state of defence as there was time for, but we have not seen a soul." "it is terrible," groaned the don. "my poor friends! prisoners, or driven off! but you! you have your brave men." "i have about half my crew here, sir," said the skipper sternly; "but we haven't come to fight, only to bring what you know." "ah! the guns, the ammunition, the store of rifles!" cried the don joyously. "magnificent! oh, you brave englishmen! and you have them landed safe?" "no," replied the skipper, as the middy's ears literally tingled at all he heard. "how could i land guns up here? and what could you do with them in these pathless tracts? where are your horses and mules, even if there were roads?" "true, true, true!" groaned the don. "fortune is against me now. but," he added sharply, "the rifles--cartridges?" "ah, as many of them as you like," cried the skipper, and fitz burnett's sense of duty began to awaken once again as he seemed in some undefined way to be getting hopelessly mixed up with people against whom it was his duty to war. "excellent; and you have them in the hacienda?" "no, no; aboard my vessel." "but where is this vessel? you could not get her up the river?" "no; she is lying off the mouth. i came up here in a boat to meet you and get your instructions, after, as you know, being checked at san cristobal and velova, where your emissaries brought your despatches." "brave, true fellows! but the gunboat! were you seen?" "seen? yes, and nearly taken. i only escaped by the skin of my teeth." "you were too clever," cried the don enthusiastically. "but you should have sunk that gunboat. it would have meant life and success to me. why did not you send her to the bottom?" "well," said the skipper quietly, "first, because i am not at war, and second, because she would have sent me to the bottom if i had tried." "no, no," cried the don enthusiastically. "you english are too clever and too brave. the captain of that gunboat is a fool. you could easily have done this thing. but you have the guns you brought all safe aboard?" "yes." "and you have some of your brave men with you?" "yes; more than half my crew." "then i am saved, for you will fight upon my side, and every one of your brave englishmen is worth a hundred of the miserable three parts indian rabble bravos and cut-throats who follow villarayo's flag." "well, i didn't come here to fight, don ramon, and i have no right to strengthen your force," said the skipper sternly. "my duty is to land the munitions of war consigned to you; and that duty i shall do." "but your men! they are armed?" "oh yes. every one has his rifle and revolver, and knows how to use them." "and suppose you are attacked?" said the don, catching him by the arm. "well," said the skipper dryly, "we english have a habit of hitting back if we are tackled, and if anybody interferes with us in what we have to do, i dare say we shall give a pretty good account of ourselves. but at the present moment it seems to me that it's my duty to get back to my ship and wait until you show me where i can land my cargo." "ah!" said the don, and as he spoke fitz had his first announcement that day was near at hand, for he began to dimly see the eager, animated countenance of the spaniard, and to make out the figures of his well-armed followers clustering round. "well, sir, what is to be done?" "one moment; let me think. it will be safest, perhaps, for you to return to the ship and wait." "where?" said the skipper. "that gunboat is hanging about the coast, waiting to capture us if she can." "yes, i know; i know. and ashore villarayo's men are swarming. they have hunted us through the pass all night, and hundreds of them are coming along the coast to cut us off from reaching boats and escaping out to sea." "then it's time we were off," said the skipper sharply. "too late," replied the don. "but my schooner?" "will they capture that?" cried the don. "well no," replied the skipper. "there's not much fear, sir; my mate will look out too sharply. no. that will be safe. don ramon, if you will take my advice, you and your party had better break up and take to flight for the present, while i will make for any port you like to name and wait your orders, ready for when you can gather your friends together and make another attempt." "ah, yes, captain reed, you mean well; but where shall i flee? this is my last place of refuge! here, at my own home! it is best perhaps that you and your men should get back to your ship. i and my friends are pretty well surrounded, and have but two ways open to us. the one is to surrender to villarayo's merciless cut-throats and die like dogs; the other, to stand at bay behind the walls of my poor home, fight to the last, and die for our wretched country like soldiers and like men. shake hands, captain, in your brave english way. i and my friends thank you for all you have done, and for making, as you say you have, a little stronghold where we can hold on to the last. it is not your fault, neither is it mine. i could have won the day, and brought happiness and peace to my poor land; but it was not to be. villarayo has been too strong. that war-vessel with its mighty gun holds us at its mercy. whoever has that to back him up can rule this place; for any fort that we could raise, even with the guns you have brought, would be crumbled into the dust. there! farewell! you have your boat. save yourself and your true, brave men. quickly, while there is time!" "yes, don ramon; that must be so," said the skipper, and fitz burnett's cheeks began to burn, heated with the spirit within him, as he listened to the speaker's words, almost in disgust, for in his excitement it seemed as cowardly as cruel to leave these brave spaniards to such a fate. but then came the change, and his heart gave a leap, and his eyes flashed with pride. he thought no more of his own position in the royal navy than he did of the complications that had placed him where he was. the british fighting spirit that has made our nation what it is was strong within him, and his fingers tingled to clasp the skipper's hand, and failing that, he tightly gripped poole's arm, as the lad's father said-- "no, don ramon, i can't leave you in the lurch like this. you and your fellows must come with me." "no," said the don proudly; "my place is here," and he drew himself up, looking every inch in the broadening light the soldier and the man. what more the skipper would have spoken remained unsaid, for _crack, crack, crack_! sounding smothered amongst the trees, came the reports of the rifles and the replies made by don ramon's vedettes as they were driven in, and the skipper's eyes flashed as he placed a little whistle to his lips and blew shrilly, bringing his own men together at the run. then taking in the position in one quick glance, he could see a puff of smoke arising from the direction of the river and the boat, telling only too plainly that even had he wished to escape with his men, the way to safety was cut off. but in those moments no such idea entered his head, any more than it did that of fitz or poole. the way was open to the hacienda, and joining hands with the spanish don, he began to retire towards the defence he had prepared, and in a very few minutes the house had been reached, and the breastworks manned by the mingled force, consisting of don ramon's followers and the schooner's crew, whose shots began to tell in such a way that the enemy's advance was checked, and the bright sun rose above the distant jungle, lighting up the enemy at bay. chapter twenty nine. the non-combatant. "here, you, mr burnett, you are a non-combatant," said the skipper, suddenly coming upon fitz, after going round the walls of the hacienda with don ramon, and seeing that they were manned to the best advantage. "oh, yes, sir, i don't want to fight," replied the boy carelessly, and wincing rather with annoyance as he saw the spaniard give him a peculiar look. "but you look as if you do, fingering that double-barrelled gun." "do you wish me to give it up, sir?" "no, certainly not. keep it for your defence. you don't know how you will be situated, and it may keep one of the enemy from attacking you. the sight of it will be enough. you, poole, keep well in shelter. i don't want you to be running risks." "i shan't run risks, father, unless you do," replied poole. "i shall keep close beside you all the time." "no," said the skipper sharply, "you will stop with mr burnett. i leave him in your charge, and--here! who's that? winks, you stop with my son and mr burnett there. be ready to help them if they are in trouble." "ay, ay, sir," cried the carpenter, and he drew himself up with his rifle-butt resting on his bare toes. "there, fitz," said poole, grinning with delight; "you can't go back to your old tea-kettle of a gunboat and say that we didn't take care of you." "such nonsense!" cried fitz, flushing. "any one would think that i was a child. i don't see anything to laugh at," and as he spoke the boy turned sharply from poole's mirthful face to look searchingly at the carpenter, who was in the act of wiping a smile from his lips. "oh, no, sir, i warn't a-laughing," the man said, with his eyes twinkling. "what you see's a hecho like, or what you call a reflection from mr poole's physiomahogany. this 'ere's a nice game, aren't it! i'm sorry for those pore chaps aboard, and our two mates in the boat. they'll be missing all the fun." "why, poole," cried fitz suddenly, "i forgot all about them. i suppose they'll have gone back to the schooner." "not they!" "then you think the enemy's captured them?" "that i don't," replied poole. "they'll have run the boat in, according to orders, in amongst the shade, and be lying there as snug as can be, waiting till they're wanted." "well, i don't know so much about that, mr poole, sir," put in the carpenter. "strikes me that as sure as nails don't hold as tight as screws unless they are well clinched, when we have driven off these here varmin, and go to look for them in that 'ere boat we shall find them gone." "what do you mean?" cried poole. "muskeeters will have eaten them up. they are just awful under the bushes and among the trees." "look there," said fitz, interrupting the conversation. "seem to be more coming on." "that's just what i was thinking, mr burnett, sir. reinforcement, don't you call it? my! how wild our lads will be, 'specially old butters, when i come to tell 'em all about it. makes me feel like being on board a man-o'-war again, all the more so for having a young officer at my elber." "don't you be insolent," said fitz. "well!" cried the carpenter. "i say, mr poole, sir, i call that 'ard. i didn't mean cheek, sir, really." "all right, chips, i believe you," said fitz excitedly. "look, poole; they're getting well round us. look how they are swarming over yonder." "yes, it means the attack," replied poole coolly. "yes," cried fitz. "oughtn't we to begin, and not let them get all the best places? there's nothing like getting first blow." "ha, ha!" laughed poole, who did not seem in the slightest degree impressed by the serious nature of their position. "you're not a player, you know. this is our game." fitz reddened, and turned away with an impatient gesture, so that he did not see the carpenter give poole a peculiar wink and his leg a silent slap, indicative of his enjoyment. every one's attention was fully taken up the next moment, for it was evident from the movements on the enemy's part that they were being divided into three bodies, each under a couple of leaders, who were getting their ragged, half indian-looking followers into something like military form, prior to bringing them on to the attack in a rush. fitz watched all this from behind one of the breastworks he had seen put up by the carpenter, who was going about testing the nailing of the boards, and as he did so giving don ramon's followers a friendly nod from time to time, as much as to say, only seeing as it had got a good hold, mate,--and then, once more forgetting poole's reminder, the boy said excitedly-- "well, i don't think much of don villarayo's tactics. he's exposing his men so that we might shoot half of them down before he got them up to the astack." "oh, they're no soldiers, nor sailors neither," replied poole. "it's a sort of bounce. he thinks he's going to frighten us out of the place; and we are not going to be frightened, eh, chips?" "_we_ are not, mr poole, sir; i'll answer for that. but i don't know how mr ramon's chaps will handle their tools." "i should say well," cried fitz, still warming up with the excitement, and speaking frankly and honestly. "they'll take the example of you old men-of-war's men, and fight like fun." "thankye, sir," said the carpenter, brightening up. "hear him, mr poole? i call that handsome. that's your sort, sir! there's nothing like having one of your officers to give you a good word of encouragement before you start, and make the sawdust and shavings fly." just at that minute don ramon, who had been hurrying from side to side encouraging his followers, uttered a warning shout which was echoed by an order from the skipper to his men not to waste a single cartridge, and to aim low. "bring 'em down, my lads," he said. "cripple 'em. we don't want to kill." he had hardly spoken when the nearest body of the enemy uttered a wild yell, which was taken up by the others, and all advanced clear of the bushes at a run, firing wildly and without stopping to re-load, dashing on, long knife in hand. but before they had accomplished half the distance, each party was met by a ragged volley from don ramon's men, whose instructions had been carefully carried out. this staggered the enemy for the moment, but they came on, leaping over or avoiding their wounded comrades, and gaining confidence at the silence within the hacienda, they yelled again. so far not one of the englishmen had fired a shot, but now at a word from the skipper, a slow, steady rifle fire began, with every shot carefully aimed, and seeming to tell, so that ere they got close up to the walls of the hacienda, nearly a score had dropped, the skipper having used his rifle and then stood with the barrel of his revolver resting on the edge of a plank and picking off man after man. in the brief space of time occupied by the advance the enemy had had little time to think, but suddenly the fighting madness died out of one of the rough-looking bravos as he saw a companion at his side throw up his arms just in front of one of the windows and fall backwards. that started the panic, for the man turned with starting eyes, uttered a yell of dismay, and dashed back. "look at that," growled the carpenter. "just like sheep. one goes for the gap in the hedge, and all the rest will follow. ah, you may shout, old chap--don whatever your name is. you'll have to holloa louder than that to stop 'em now." for the whole of the attacking body was in retreat, racing for the shelter of the trees in a disorderly crowd whose paces were hastened by don ramon's men, now re-loaded, sending another ragged volley in their rear. their action was very different from that of the schooner's men, who contented themselves with re-loading and breaking out under the leadership of winks into a hearty british cheer, in which don ramon's men now joined. "well," said poole, taking out his pocket-handkerchief and carefully wiping the lock of his rifle, "what do you think of that?" "oh," cried fitz excitedly, "i wouldn't have missed it for--eh? i don't know, though," he added, after breaking off short, his eyes having lit upon the fallen men who were crawling back into shelter. "it is very horrid, though, all the same." "yes," said poole; "but we didn't ask them to come, and it would have been twenty times as horrid if we hadn't stood fast and they had got in here with those long knives." fitz looked at him fixedly. "think they'd have used them if they had got the day?" "think they'd have used them!" cried poole scornfully. "why, if they had been pure spaniards i believe they would in the excitement; but fellows like those, nearly all of indian blood, if they had got the upper hand, wounded or sound i don't believe they'd have left a man alive." "i suppose not," said fitz; "but it is very horrid, all the same. where's your father? oughtn't we to go and see to the wounded men?" "we shall have to leave that to the enemy," replied poole. "if we went out they'd begin firing from under cover. but here, i say--here, you chips, go and ask my governor whether we ought to do anything about those wounded men?" "ay, ay, sir," replied the carpenter; "but i know what he'll say." "what?" said fitz sharply. "same as mr poole did, sir, for sartin," and the man trotted away. "you sent him off because you wanted to speak to me. what is it? is there fresh danger?" "oh no; they'll think twice before they come again. but, i say, what have you been about?" "been--about? what do you mean?" "look at that gun! why, fitz burnett, you've been firing too!" the boy's jaw dropped, and he stared at the speaker, then at the lock of the double fowling-piece, and then back, before raising the cocks, opening the blackened breech, and withdrawing a couple of empty cartridges. "i didn't know," he said softly. "had it been fired before?" "it's kept warm a long time if it had," said poole, with his face wrinkling up with mirth. "do you call this being a non-combatant?" "oh, but surely--" began fitz. "i couldn't have fired without knowing, and--" he paused. "it seems that you could," cried poole mirthfully. "you've popped off two cartridges, for certain. have you used any more?" "oh no! i am certain, quite certain; but i am afraid--in the excitement--hardly knowing what i was about--i must have done as the others did." "yes, and you said you didn't mean to fight. i say, nice behaviour this for an officer in your position. how many anti-revolutionists do you think you've killed?" "oh, poole reed, for goodness' sake don't say you think i've killed either of these poor wretches?" "any of these poor wretches," corrected poole gravely, and looking as solemn as he could. then reading his companion's horror in his face, he continued cheerily, "nonsense, old chap! you couldn't have killed anybody with those cartridges of swan-shot unless they were close at hand." "ah!" gasped fitz. "and i don't really think--" "oh, but you did. it was in the excitement. every one about you was firing, and you did the same. it would have been rather curious if you had not. oh, here's my governor coming along with chips." "i say," began fitz excitedly. "all right; i wasn't going to; but slip in two more cartridges and close the breech." this was quickly done, and the skipper came up, talking to the carpenter the while. "yes, my lad," he was saying, "i'd give something if you had a hammer and a bag of spikes to strengthen all the wood-work here.--well, poole," he continued, "don ramon is in ecstasies. he says this is his first success, and i believe that if i were not here he'd go round and embrace all the lads.--but about those poor wretches lying out there. i'm not an unfeeling brute, my lads," he continued, taking in fitz with a glance the while, "but all i can do i have done." "but there are those two men moving out there, sir, that you can't have seen," cried fitz imploringly, "and it seems so horrid--" "yes, my lad; war is horrid," said the skipper. "i saw them when they first went down, and"--he added to himself--"i am afraid i was answerable for one. but, as i was saying, i have done all i could, and that is, insisted upon don ramon ordering his men to leave them alone and not fire at every poor wretch who shows a sign of life." "but," began fitz, "poole and i wouldn't mind going out and carrying them under shelter, one at a time." "no, my lad," said the skipper, smiling sadly, "i know you would not; but i should, and very much indeed. you have both got mothers, and what would they say to me for letting two brave lads go to certain death?" "oh, but surely, sir," cried fitz, "the enemy would not--" "those worthy of the name of enemy, my boy, certainly would not; but those fighting against us are most of them the bloodthirsty scum of a half-savage tropical city, let loose for a riot of murder, plunder, and destruction. why, my dear boy, the moment you and poole got outside the shelter of these walls, a hundred rifles would be aimed at you, with their owners burning to take revenge for the little defeat they have just now suffered." "are you sure you are right, captain reed?" "quite, my lad; as sure as i am that it is not all ill that we have done this morning, for san cristobal and velova will both be the better for the absence of some of those who are lying dead out there." he stood gazing out between two boards for some few minutes, before turning back, and glancing round the room he said a few words to the english defenders. "splendid, my lads," he said. "nothing could have been cooler and better. we want no hurry at a time like this." "think they'll come again, father?" asked poole. "sure to, my lad, and we shall drive them back again. after that, this don villarayo will have his work cut out to get them to come up again, and i don't believe he will succeed." "will they retreat then, sir?" asked fitz. the skipper smiled. "i should like to give you a more encouraging reply," he said, "but--oh, here's don ramon. let's hear what he says." "ah, my friend," cried the don, coming up to grasp the speaker's hands effusively. "and you too, my brave lads, as you english people say. it has been magnificent," and as he shook the boys' hands in turn, fitz flushed vividly, feeling guilty in the extreme. "oh, it has been magnificent--grand! captain reed, if i can only persuade you to join hands with me here with your men, and make me succeed, i would make you admiral of my fleet. ah, yes, you smile. i know that it would only be a fleet of one, and not that till the gunboat was taken and become my own, but i would not be long before i made it two, and i would work until i made our republic one of which you would be proud." "don't let's talk about this, sir," said the skipper quietly, "until we have gained the day. do you think that the enemy will come on again?" "the wretches, yes! but villarayo--the coward!--will keep watching from the rear. he seems to lead a charmed life." "there, my lads; you hear. but we shall drive them back again, president?" don ramon's eyes flashed at the compliment, and then he shrugged his shoulders and said sadly-- "president! not yet, my brave captain. there is much yet to do, and fate has been bearing very hard upon me lately." "it has, sir. but about the enemy; you think they will come on again?" "yes, for certain--and go back again like beaten curs. you and your men have done wonders here in strengthening this place." poole drove his elbow into the ribs of chips, and winked at fitz, who could hardly contain his countenance at the carpenter's peculiar looks, for the big rough sailor seemed as bashful as a girl, and nodded and gesticulated at the lads in turn, while the next moment he looked as if about to bolt, for the skipper suddenly clapped him on the shoulder and exclaimed as he turned him round-- "you must thank this man, president, not me, for he was my engineer-in-chief. weren't you, chips?" "ah, my friend," cried the spaniard, "some day, when i get my own, believe me that i will pay you for all that you have done." "oh, it's all right, sir. don't you worry about that. 'course you see it warn't much of a job." he took off his straw hat and wiped the great drops from his sun-browned brow with the back of his hand. "you see, sir, it was like this 'ere. the skipper he puts me on the job, and `chips,' he says, `make the best of it you can by way of offence.' `niver another word, sir,' and off he goes, and here was i when the young gents come up, all of a wax; warn't i, mr poole, sir? i put it to you, sir. `look here, sir,' i says, `the skipper's put me on this 'ere job with my kit of tools left aboard the schooner, and not a bit of stuff.' didn't i, sir? speak out straight, sir. i only asks for the truth." "you did, chips," said poole solemnly, and setting his teeth as he spoke; "didn't he, burnett?" "oh yes," replied the middy, "he did say something like that," and then as he caught poole's eye he had to turn his back, looking out through the slit in the window and biting his tongue hard the while, while he heard the carpenter maunder on to the president something more about not having a bit of stuff, and every nail to straighten before he could drive it in again. "yes, that's right. winks," said the skipper, bringing the speech to an end, and not before it was time, for the carpenter was beginning to repeat himself again and again. "you did splendidly, and if we had a few hundred feet of battens and boards, we could hold this place for a month.--well, president," he continued, turning his back on his man, who sighed with relief and whispered to fitz that that was a good job done, "and after we've driven them back again?" "ah! after! treachery, fire, powder to blow us up! the fighting of cowards. but with your help, my brave, as soon as they are cowering among the trees we must attack in turn." "no, president," said the skipper, laying his hand upon the other's shoulders; "you are too brave and rash. this is your last stronghold, is it not?" "alas, yes!" "then you must hold it, sir, and tire the enemy out." "yes, yes; you are right. but food--water? what of them?" "ah! there we must see what strategy will do. there is the river not far away, and as soon as they grow thirsty, my lads will contrive that we have enough to drink." "to drink--ah, yes. but the food?" "well, perhaps they will contrive that too. sailors are splendid fellows to forage, sir." "yes. if i could only be a president of sailors!" cried the president warmly. "there seems to be nothing that the english sailor cannot do. but can they make powder-cartridges when their own is fired away?" "well, i don't say that," said the skipper; "but they know how to save them, and not fire good ammunition to waste; and that's what you must try to teach your men. but look out yonder; while we are talking there is something going on." don ramon looked out keenly, ran into the next room to look out in another direction, and then came back. "they are coming on again, captain," he said. "it may be an hour yet. but they mean attack, to leave more of their force behind." "now is your time, then, sir, to speak to your men. tell them to use the cartridges as if each was the last he had and his life depended upon sending it home." "yes, yes," said the president. "i see; i see. but when my men are fighting and the blood is up they will not think; but we shall see." within half-an-hour another and a fiercer attack was made--one more ably sustained and better met too by the defence; for the president's words to his followers went home, the men grasping their position, and though the attack was more prolonged it ended by another panic and a roar of cheers. "now, president," said the skipper, "what of the next attack?" "i don't know," was the reply. "if one is made it will be some treachery with fire; but you see they have retired farther back, and it is all their leaders can do to keep them from breaking up into retreat. villarayo must be mad, and will be thinking how to scheme my downfall to the end. captain, my heart is sick. what of the coming night? what of the darkness which will shroud them like a cloak?" "it will not be dark for a couple of hours yet," replied the skipper. "we can rest now, and refresh our men. after that we must plant our outposts with those whom we can trust the most. they will warn us of any attack, and if one is made--well, we shall be stronger than we were this morning." "stronger! what do you mean? do you see coming help?" replied don ramon. "no, sir. we must help ourselves. but our men are more confident in their strength, while the enemy is weakened by defeat." the hours went on and the darkness fell, with the men rested and refreshed; every avenue by which danger could advance was carefully commanded, and before half-an-hour of full darkness had passed one of the vedettes formed by winks and poole, with fitz to keep him company, was alarmed by the approach of a stealthy figure, upon whom winks pounced like a cat upon a mouse, and dragged him towards the hacienda, to be met directly after by the skipper, the prisoner protesting almost in a whisper that he was a friend, but covered by the barrel of a revolver the while. chapter thirty. a cunning scheme. "yes," said the skipper sternly, speaking in very fair spanish, "you may say you are a friend, but a friend doesn't come crawling into a camp like a serpent. it seems to me you are a spy; and do you know what is the fate of a spy at a time like this?" "yes, yes, senor; a spy would be shot." "right--to save other people's lives. where were you going?" "i was coming here, senor, to the hacienda." "so i supposed; but what for?" the man seemed to hesitate, and tried to speak, but no words would come, for he was either suffering from agitation, exhaustion, or utter fear, and fitz burnett's hands turned wet and cold at the thought of the stern judgment that would be passed upon the trembling wretch if he could not prove his words. "do you hear what i say?" said the skipper, in a stern, fierce voice. "yes, yes, senor," gasped the man at last, just when the two lads had grasped hands, each to deliver a speaking pressure to the other. "tell me, then. why were you coming here?" "because i believed that don ramon was here." "do you know don ramon?" "yes, senor; he is an old friend." "we can soon prove that," said the skipper. "here, poole, the don is lying down asleep, utterly worn out, but he must be awakened to see his friend," he added meaningly. poole gripped fitz's hand tightly, as if to say, come with me; and the two lads hurried off to where the don was lying asleep, guarded by four of his men, under the shelter of a shed. "i hope to goodness," whispered poole, "that the poor fellow's told the truth." "your father wouldn't have him shot if he had not, surely?" poole was silent for a few moments. "i don't know," he said evasively.--"yes, friends," he said, in answer to a challenge in spanish, "i want to speak to don ramon." "he is asleep, senor, and must not be awakened," was the reply. "i know he is asleep," said poole sharply and authoritatively, "and he must be awakened. it is a case of life or death." the awakening was already performed, for at the sound of the lad's half-angry voice the man he sought sprang up, revolver in hand, ready for action. "yes?" he said. "are they coming on?" "no," replied poole. "we have taken a spy, as we think, but he professes to know you, sir, and asks to see you at once." "i'll come," said the don; and then turning to the lads with a smile: "friends are very scarce; i mustn't slight this one." in another minute he was where the prisoner was anxiously awaiting his coming, ready to utter a sigh of relief as the don caught him in his arms with-- "miguel, my friend! what brings you here?" "i knew you were in danger," was the reply. "and you came to tell me--" "yes, and it was a risky task. what with your enemies and your friends," he added meaningly, "i wonder that i am alive." "forgive me!" cried don ramon. "i had been looking upon you as one who had forsaken me in my distress. but yes, you are right; i am in danger, but still alive. surely you have no worse news?" "yes, the worst." "well, tell me; i can bear anything now." "you have beaten villarayo off twice to-day." "yes, with the help of my friends," said the don, turning in a courtly way towards the english party. "and you have come to warn me that they are just going to make another attack?" "they are, but not yet. i have been with them at the risk of my life, and i know that the men were so horribly discouraged by their losses that they refused to attack again, and threatened to break up and return to their homes; but at last villarayo has prevailed upon them to stay, and messengers went hours ago along the passes to velova." "yes; what for?" "with instructions that every fighting man from the fort and the earthworks facing the sea, is to be withdrawn, and come through the mountains to villarayo's help. they will be here some time to-morrow, and you must be overwhelmed, or flee at once." "it is impossible," said ramon coldly. "we are shut in here, and my sun must rise or set to-morrow. this is my last stand." "but your wife--your children! think of them." "i have thought of nothing else, waking and sleeping," said the don coldly. "but my wife would not look upon me if i forsook my country, and my children shall not live with the knowledge that ramon's is a coward's name." "is this your decision?" said the messenger of bad tidings. "yes. captain reed, my brave true friend, look at him. he is half-dead with hunger and exhaustion. can you give him water and food?" "he shall share what we have, sir, and i am sorry that we cannot give him better fare than biscuit and water; but the rations we brought with us were small, and they are nearly at an end. don miguel, i ask your pardon for me and mine. you will forgive us our rough treatment? we were fighting for your friend." "i know," said the visitor faintly, and he took and grasped the captain's hand. a few minutes later he was sharing don ramon's shelter, and struggling hard to recoup nature with the broken biscuit he was soaking in a pannikin of water, while fitz and his companions returned to their old station to resume the watch. they sat for some time thinking, for nobody seemed disposed to talk, even the carpenter, the most conversational of the trio, seeming to prefer the society of the piece of dirty-looking black tobacco which he kept within his teeth; but the silence became so irksome, for somehow the firing seemed to have driven every wild creature to a distance, that fitz broke it at last. "i don't know when i felt so nervous," he whispered. "i felt sure that something that would have seemed far more horrible than the fight was about to occur." "what, my father ordering that poor fellow to be shot? yes, it would have been horrible indeed." "but would the skipper have ordered him to be shot, mr poole, sir?" said winks thoughtfully. "i'm afraid so, chips." "humph! don't seem like him. he bullies us chaps pretty sharp sometimes, and threatens, and sometimes the words he says don't smell of violets, nor look like precious stones; but i can't see him having a chap shot because he was a spy. why, it'd be like having an execution without a judge." "yes, very horrible," said fitz, "but it's time of war; as in the duke of wellington's time,--martial law." "who's him, sir? you mean blucher--him as got into trouble over the army boots?" "no, no," said poole. "mr burnett means the law that is used in fighting times when a commander-in-chief acts as judge." "oh! all right, sir. but it sounds a bit harbitrary, as they calls it in the newspapers. i should have thought a hundred dozen would have been punishment enough, without putting a stinguisher on a man right out. i suppose it's all right, but i wouldn't have given it to him so hot as that. well, i'm glad he come, because now we know what we've got to expect to-morrow. do you know what i should like if i could have three wishes same as you reads of in the little story-books?" "camel to come up now with one of his hot steak-and-kidney puddings boiled in a basin?" "_tlat_!" ejaculated the carpenter, with a smack of the lips. "and the inions a-smelling looshus a hundred yards away. nay, it warn't that." "a carpenter's tools?" said fitz. "nay, but you ain't far off, mr burnett. what i was wishing for was one of them barge-loads of neatly-cut timber as you see piled upon the mersey, run right up this 'ere little river ready for all our chaps to unload. my word! talk about a fortification! why, i'd make a sixtification of it with them timbers, and so quickly that to-morrow when the enemy come they should find all our spaniels sitting behind the little loop-holes like a row of monkeys cracking nuts, a-laughing and chaffing the enemy, and telling of them to come on." "oh, bother!" said poole. "don't talk so much. it's enough to tempt the enemy to sneak up and begin potting at us. i know what i should like to do." and he relapsed into silence. "well, what?" said fitz, when he was tired of waiting. "get all the men together and make a sally." "a what?" said the carpenter. "what for? blest if ever i heard of such a dodge as that before. what'd be the good of a she-male at a time like this? i could make a guy, sir, if that would suit you." "will you hold your tongue, you chattering old glue-pot!" "all right, sir! go it! stick it on thick! glue-pot, eh? what will you call me next? but what would be the good of a sally?" "sally! to issue forth all together, stupid, and surprise the enemy in their camp." "oh! well, i suppose they would be surprised to have us drop upon them all at once; but if they heard us coming we should be surprised. no, sir; let them come to us, for they're about ten to one. we are safest where we are." "yes; chips is right," said fitz. "it would be very dangerous unless we could get them on the run. i wouldn't do that." "what would you do, then?" said poole. "well," said fitz, "you told me i was not a player, and that it was your game." "yes, but that was before you began peppering the beggars with that double gun." "now, that's too bad," cried fitz petulantly. "there, i've done now." "no, you haven't. you have got something on your mind, and if it's a dodge to help us all out of this mess, you are not the fellow to keep it back. so come; out with it." "well, i'll tell you what i've been thinking," said fitz, "almost ever since i heard what that mr miguel said about the reinforcements coming from velova." "what, to crush us up?" said poole. "enough to make any one think! but what about it?" "why, the fort and earthworks will be emptied and all the fighting men on the way to-morrow to come and fight us here." "of course, and they'll be here some time to-morrow afternoon, and if they don't beat us they will be going back with sore heads; but i am afraid that those of us who are left will be going back as prisoners. is that what you meant?" "no," said fitz, and without heeding a faint rustling sound such as might have been made by some wild creature, or an enemy stealing up to listen to their words, he went on: "i was thinking that this is what we ought to do--i mean your father and the don--steal off at once without making a sound, all of us, english and spaniards too, down to that timber-wharf." "but suppose the enemy have got scouts out there?" "i don't believe they have. after that last thrashing they drew off ever so far, and that president is doing nothing but wait for the coming of his reinforcements." "that sounds right, mr poole, sir," said the carpenter. "well, it's likely," said poole, and the faint rustling went on unheard. "but what then?" "whistle up the boat. the men would know your signal." "yes?" "load her up till the water's above the streak, and let her drop down with the stream. i noticed that it ran pretty fast. land the men at the mouth; leave them to signal for the schooner to come within reach-- they could do that with the lantern, or a bit of fire on the shore, if they didn't hear the captain's pipe--and while they are doing that, four men with oars row back as hard as ever they could go, to fetch another boat-load." "boat-load?" said poole. "why, it would take about four journeys, if not more." "very likely," said fitz. "but there would be hours to do it in." "and what then?" "get everybody on board the schooner and make sail for the north. get into velova bay, and you could take the town with ease." "and what about the gunboat?" said poole. "ah! that's the awkward point in my plan. but the gunboat is not obliged to be there, and even if she were you could take the town if you managed to get there in the dark; and once you've got the town you could hold it, even if she knocked the fort to pieces." "hum!" grunted the carpenter. "it'd be a tight fit getting everybody here on board our schooner." "nonsense!" said fitz. "i could get a hundred men on board easily; and besides, we should all be saved." "and besides, we should all be saved," said poole, half aloud. "yes, that's true. it does seem possible, after all, for there would be no defenders hardly left at velova, and we could fit up a defence of some kind to keep off the enemy when they found we had gone and old villarayo came raging back; and that wouldn't be for another two days. yes, there's something in it, if we could dodge the gunboat again." "humph!" grunted the carpenter once more. "no; there's a hole in your saucepan, and all the soup is tumbling out. the enemy is bound to have some fellows on the watch, and likely enough not a hundred yards from here, and they would soon find out that we were evacuating the place, come and take us at a disadvantage, and perhaps shoot the poor fellows crowded up in the boat. oh no, my lad; it won't do at all." "humph!" grunted the carpenter again. "don't you be in such a hurry, mr son-of-the-skipper," said fitz. "i'd thought of that, and i should keep the enemy from coming on." "how?" said poole, rather excitedly now. "light three or four watch-fires--quite little ones--and put up a stick or two amongst the bushes with blankets on them and the spaniards' sombrero hats. they'd look at a distance like men keeping the fire, and we could make these fires so that they would glow till daylight and go on smoking then; and as long as smoke was rising from these fires, i believe not one of the enemy would come near until the reinforcements arrived. and by that time, if all went well, we should be off velova bay." "humph!" grunted the carpenter again. "it won't do, burnett," said poole; "it's too risky. there's nothing in it." "humph!" grunted the carpenter once more. "and hark at that! you've set old chips off snoring with your plot." "that he aren't!" growled the carpenter. "i've heared every precious word. it's fine, mr poole, sir--fine! there's only one thing wanted to put it right, and that's them sallies sitting round the fire. i wouldn't have sallies. i'd have guys. i could knock you up half-a-dozen with crossed bamboos, each on 'em looking like tatter-doolies looking after crows with a gun. i says the plan would do." "and so do i, carpenter," said the skipper, in his quick short tones as he stepped out from among the trees, making the three start to their feet. "and i, my friend," cried don ramon excitedly catching the middy by the hand. "poole, my lad," continued the skipper, "get one of the other men and go cautiously down to the landing-place with every care, and if you reach it unhindered, whistle up the boat at once. carpenter, get others to help you, and start fires as quickly as you can. _very_ small. the others can do that, while you contrive your rough effigies.--now, don ramon, you'll take the covering of our efforts with your men while mine work. remember, it is for our lives, and our only chance." chapter thirty one. fitz shows pepper. "here, mr burnett!" came out of the darkness, and fitz stopped short. "yes, sir." "do you know that you are a great nuisance?" it was invisible, but fitz flushed and felt, after his fashion, peppery. "i don't understand you, sir," he said hotly. "i spoke plainly, my lad. you are always in my way, and you never were more so than at this minute." "then why did you take me prisoner, sir?" said the boy angrily. "why, in the name of thunder, did you come and tumble down my hatchway instead of stopping on the gunboat? i didn't ask you to come. here, you are as bad as having a girl on board, or something made of wax, that mustn't be spoiled. i can't stir without thinking of having to take care of you." "oh," cried fitz angrily. "this is adding insult to injury, sir." "well, yes, it don't sound very pleasant, does it, my boy? but you are a young nuisance, you know. i mustn't have you hurt. you see, poole's my own, and i can do what i like with him; but you--now then, what were you going to do?" "i was going with poole, sir." "of course!" cried the skipper angrily. "just like a middy. i never had anything to do with one before, but i've heard times enough from those who have, that if there's a bit of mischief afloat, the first nose that goes into it is a middy's." "i don't know what i've done, sir, that you should keep on insulting me like this." "insult! bah! is it insulting you to stop you from going into the most dangerous bit of to-night's work?" "poole's going, sir." "yes; to do his duty as my son, in this emergency. but it's not your duty, and you will be in the way. it's very risky, my lad. for aught i know there may be half-a-dozen scouts between here and the landing-place, waiting to shoot down any one who tries to open up communication with the boats." "i know that, sir." "and yet you want to go?" "yes," said the boy warmly. "you are going to send poor poole, and i want to share his danger with him. i might help him." "i am going to send poor poole? yes, my boy, because i am obliged. that job has to be done, and i'd sooner trust him than any one here. i can't spare my men, and i can't send one of these spanish chaps. it won't do to have it muffed. but _poor_ poole, eh? you seem to have grown mighty fond of him all at once." "oh no, i'm not," said the boy haughtily; "but he has been very kind to me, and i'm not ungrateful. i might be able to help him if he gets into danger." "oh," said the skipper; "and suppose you get into danger?" "oh, then he'd help me, sir, of course. i'm sorry for him. he can't help being a filibuster's son." "filibuster, eh? so i'm a filibuster, am i? upon my word, you're about the most cheeky young gentleman i ever ran against in my life. well, all right. you must chance it, i suppose." "yes, please," said fitz eagerly. "yes, please, eh? well, keep your eyes well skinned, my lad. you two sharp-eyed youngsters ought to be able to take care of yourselves; but look here, i don't want you to fight. this is our mess, not yours." "well, i don't want to fight," said fitz. "i want to get back on board some english vessel." "same here. that's what i want to do: get you on board the schooner. that's an english vessel." "but not the sort i want, sir." "beggars mustn't be choosers, my lad; but there, i've no more time to talk. just one word, though: i don't want you to fight, but i see you've got my double gun, and i'll just say this. if you see poole in difficulties with any of those murderous mongrels, nine parts indian and one part spaniard, don't you flinch about using it." "i shouldn't, sir, then." "all right; then be off." the skipper turned away, and poole hurried up. "what's my governor been saying to you?" "bullied me for being here," replied fitz; "but he said that i might go with you." "he did!" "yes, and gave me orders to shoot all the niggers who attacked you." "hooray! then come on." the two lads hurried off together through the darkness, leaving the hacienda and its defenders behind as they began to retrace their steps along the rough track leading to the corduroy road. "here, we mustn't talk," whispered poole. "there's pretty nearly sure to be a post of the enemy somewhere in front. we can't have such luck as to get down there to the river without something in our way. i'll go on first." "that you don't," said fitz. "if any one goes first i will." "now, no nonsense!" cried poole angrily. "i'm boss of this job, and if you don't do as i tell you i'll leave you behind." "i've got your father's orders to come and take care of you," retorted fitz; "and if you come any of your bounce and cheek now there'll be a row, and it will end in my punching your head." "poof! cock-a-doodle-do!" whispered poole. "there: come on! let's walk side by side. i'll settle all that with you when the work is done. i say, keep your eyes skinned, and both ears wide open. i'll look to the right, you look to the left. we'll get on that wooden road and follow it down to the wharf." "pretty wharf it is! i say, i hope those poor fellows haven't been murdered." "oh, don't talk like that. they've got the boat, and let's hope they're safe. but it's been hard lines for them, waiting there all this time, with nothing to do but nibble their biscuits and kill flies.--pst!" fitz imitated his companion's act and stopped short, his eyes striving hard to pierce the gloom in front; but for nearly a minute both stood on the strain. "nothing," said poole. "come on. it was some little animal escaping through the bushes; but make ready." the clicking of the locks of both pieces sounded painfully loud in the silence as they went cautiously on, stopping again and again to listen, each wishing they could hear some sound to relieve the painful tension from which they suffered; but everything living seemed to have been scared away, and they kept on without interruption, while the river instead of getting nearer seemed to grow farther off, till at last poole slipped on one of the muddy logs which formed the road, and nearly went headlong, but was saved by his companion, who in his effort to hold him up, fetched him a sharp rap on the head with the barrel of his gun. "thank you," said poole. "oh, i only tried to keep you up," said fitz, breathing hard. "i meant for that affectionate crack you fetched me on the head. i say, this arn't sporting, you know." "what do you mean?" whispered fitz. "i mean, don't shoot me so as to fill the bag." "don't fool," cried fitz angrily. "all right; but don't hit me again like that. it hurts." "pish! it was an accident. i am afraid--" "so am i," said poole, taking him up sharply; "horribly." "i mean, that we have got on the wrong road." "i thought so; but we can't be. there is only this one, if you call it a road, leading straight down to the river--no, not straight; circumbendibus-y." "no," said fitz, "it must have branched off, or we should have been at the river long enough ago." "no, we have come too slowly." "where is the river, then?" said fitz. _plash! quenk_! at that moment some kind of waterfowl rose from its lair with a good deal of fluttering of its wings, and a plaintive cry of alarm. "ah!" sighed fitz, with a deep expiration of his breath. "at last!" "yes, at last. mind how you come. the wharf must be just here. can you make out that bank of mist?" "yes; i can see the top of it cut off quite sharply, and with the stars above it. that must be the river, then." "that's right," said poole. "here, look out; we are quite close to the edge of the wharf. i say, what luck! we've got here safely, after all. ah-h! what are you about?" "slipped," said fitz, with a gasp. "the wood's like ice." "precious hot ice. i'm dripping. do take care. if you go overboard you'll be swept right away, and i'm bothered if i come after you." "i don't believe you," said fitz, with a little laugh. "but oh, i say!" "what's the matter now? smell crocs?" "no, no. i was thinking about those poor fellows in the boat. it's so horribly silent. surely they have escaped." poole was silent for a few moments, and it seemed to the middy that he was breathing unusually hard. "is anything the matter?" whispered fitz, at last. "oh, don't talk like that!" came in an excited whisper. "then why don't you give the signal? what is it?" "i was listening, and fancied i heard some one coming behind us. face round, and if any one tries to rush us let 'em have it--both barrels. those big shot of yours may check them, and i'll hold my bullet in reserve." fitz made no answer, but breathed harder as he stood ready with his fingers on the triggers. "fancy," said poole at last. "now then." "are you going to shout?" "no; i've got the dad's pipe," and applying the little silver whistle to his lips he made it give forth one little shrill chirrup, and then waited, while the stillness seemed to fitz more awful than before, and his heart sank lower with the dread lest the men were dead, the boat gone, and his project completely at an end. _chirrup_! another what seemed to be a painfully long pause, and then _chirrup_! once again. the pause seemed even longer than before to the listeners, but the interval was short indeed before from out of the mist in front came a low hoarse "what cheer, oh!" followed by a sneeze and a grunt. "teals?" cried poole. "ay, ay! two on us," came back. "shall we pull ashore?" "yes; come on." "right. that you, mr poole?" "yes! look sharp!" there was a loud rustling, apparently about a hundred yards away, followed by the scraping of an oar over the side of the boat, and then the sound of paddling coming nearer and nearer, till the dimly-seen forms appeared out of the mist, and the boat grated against the side of the rough pier. "how goes it, sir?" said one of the men. "all right so far," replied poole. "but how is it with you two?" "offle, sir." "what do you mean?" "heads so swelled up with skeeters that we can't wear our hats. we've finished the grub, and to-morrow morning we was a-going to toss whether i should eat him or him should eat i." "no nonsense," said poole. "no, sir; there arn't been none," said the speaker, in a low growl. "this 'ere's been the roughest job i was ever on. we'd have given anything to come and jine our mates so as to get a shot. anybody lost the number of his mess?" "no," said poole. "no one even hurt." "'cept us, sir, and we've each of us got ten hundred million wounds." "wounds?" "yes, sir; skeeters. trunks as big as elephants. they'd have sucked poor jem here quite dry, only he did as i did, made it up with water, and there was plenty of that.--but you've come to fetch us, haven't you?" "no; only to set you on the alert." "on the which, sir? what ship's that?" "nonsense!" cried poole. "we are all coming down to get on board the schooner as quickly as we can." "and a blessed good thing too," growled the other man. "but you'd better stop where y'are, for this 'ere's an awful place. anybody might have my job for me." "yes," said poole, "i know it must have been terribly bad, but we are off again directly with the news that you two are all right." "that we are which, sir?" said the first speaker. "oh, i say, mr poole, sir, don't go and tell the skipper a lie like that." "no, no; of course i'll tell him about how you have suffered; but we haven't been lying in feather-beds up there. here, i say, fitz, don't laugh." "i couldn't help it," cried fitz. "no, sir, you couldn't," said the first man. "we couldn't at first. i laughed at jem to see him smacking his own face all over, and he laughed at me and said mine looked beastly. and we didn't either of us look nice when the sun rose this morning, not even when we'd had a good wash. but it's all over now, as you are coming down, and the first thing jem and me's going to do as soon as we gets aboard the schooner is to go and hide our heads in the hold. say, jem, old lad, i wonder what chips will say to you when he sees your mug!" "just the same as he will say to you, messmate, about yourn." "hush! don't talk. get back into hiding again, and be ready to pick up the first load as soon as they come down." "what of, sir? prisoners or plunder?" "spaniards, my lad. come, be serious. we are in a queer fix up there, shut in by the enemy. have you seen anything of them here?" "yes; about a couple of dozen ugly-looking beggars, sort of mahogany-brown, come and had a look; but they didn't see us, and went back. it was just afore that first firing began." "that's right," cried poole. "back with you; but it won't be long before some one comes, and then you must drop down to the coast, signal the schooner, land your load, and come back; but keep two men to help you." "ay, ay, sir." "one word; you haven't seen any of the teals, i suppose?" "oh yes, sir. old butters rowed up with the dinghy this evening." "last evening, mate," growled the other. "yes, that's right, messmate. he just had a word with us. mr burgess sent him. he wanted news, but of course we had got none, only about the shooting. the bosun said that if the skipper didn't soon come back he was afraid accidents would happen to the schooner--catch fire, or something--for old burgess was making it so hot for everybody that he was glad to get away in the little boat." "off with you!" said poole, and he and his companion hurried back through the gathering mist. chapter thirty two. winks's sallys. the distance back to the hacienda seemed short enough, and in anticipation of his mission proving successful, the skipper had his first boat's load told off ready for their start. "well done! splendid!" he said to the lads. "off with you back. take the command, poole. are you going again, mr burnett?" "yes, sir; of course." fitz turned sharply round when he was addressed, from where he was standing with the carpenter, after noting that here and there at a distance a tiny fire was burning, indicating the different posts between them and the enemy, and just before winks had come hurriedly up to him and given him a nudge. "i arn't got them set up yet, sir," he whispered, "but i've made four. not much to look at, but they will be all right. two crossed sticks, bamboos, blankets, and them spanish hats. there's two sallys and two guys. the sallys has got the blankets right over the tops with the hats down close. they looks just like old women a little way off.--going back again, sir?" "yes," replied fitz. "we shan't be very long this time." "all right, sir. i shall have the traps set by the time you come again. my word! i should like to be there when the span'ls finds they are nothing but a set of paddies. i should like to hear the words they said. it would be something pretty in bad spanish, i'll be bound." "now, mr burnett," cried the skipper sharply, and somehow feeling as if he were one of the schooner's officers, the middy hurried off, helping to guide the party, consisting of don ramon's followers all but two, and succeeding in reaching the wharf without an adventure, the boat coming up at once on hearing their approach, and in a very short time loaded gunwale down, gliding off along the swift stream. "that's one lot," said poole excitedly, as the stern of the boat disappeared. "well, we had no orders, but of course we've got to go back for another lot and bring them down. i suppose we shall have them here long before the empty boat returns from the schooner." "it will be a stiff pull against the stream," said fitz. "yes, but empty, and i made them fully understand that they were to start back after shipping the men and communicating with old burgess. i think that will turn out all right." it did, and in due time a second load was despatched to the schooner, forming half the human cargo she would have to bear. they were anxious times during these journeys in the boat. all was going well, but at any moment the fiction of the watchers by the fires might have been discovered, and the enemy come on to the attack upon a force weakened first by one-fourth, then by half, and later on by three-fourths of its number, the danger increasing at a terrific ratio for those who were left. at last, still keeping manfully to their posts, the last portion--the last quarter of the little force--stood waiting, nearly all english, those of spanish descent consisting of don ramon and his most staunch adherent. the skipper had urged him to go with the third party, but he had scornfully refused. "what!" he cried. "provide for my safety, and leave you brave englishmen to fight my battle all alone! bah! you would never be able to call me friend again. but tell me this: why did you not go yourself and leave me to guard the hacienda till the boat came back?--hah! you say nothing! you cannot. no, i shall stay, and we will escape together, ready to sail round, seize velova, and meet mine enemies when they return." the peril seemed to increase minute by minute, as the little party watched, straining their ears in the darkness to catch the slightest sound, while it seemed hours since the last party had left them, and they awaited the coming of the two lads to announce that the boat had returned. it was weary work for these goers to and fro, but excitement and exertion kept them from feeling the agony of the englishmen who, apparently calm, kept watch and ward at the hacienda, while from time to time the skipper and winks went from fire to fire, mending them and arranging more fuel so that when they were left for good they might still keep burning. they had been round for the last visit, and returned to the hacienda, walking very slowly, and pausing from time to time to listen for any movement in the enemy's lines, and at last they stopped short close to the spot where the carpenter had destroyed the snake, when after standing for some time listening to a faint murmur of voices close at hand, coming from the waiting crew, the carpenter uttered a peculiar husky cough. it was so strange and unnatural that the skipper put the right interpretation upon it at once. "yes?" he said. "you wanted to ask me something?" "yes, sir. it's this waiting makes me want to speak. i can't stand the doing nothing at a time like this. i'd ten times rather be on the fight." "so would i, winks, if you come to that. it's a cruel strain, my lad. worse than being in the wildest storm. but go on; what did you want to say?" "oh, only this, sir. i want you to give me orders to go round again and give the fires a poke. you needn't come, sir. you are wanted here. you can trust me to do the lot." "yes, i know that," said the skipper sternly; "but that isn't all. you were thinking something else, and now it's come to the point you are afraid to speak." "how did you know that, sir?" said the man huskily. "by your manner and the tone of your voice. what is it you are thinking? out with it at once." "well, sir, i dunno how you come to know, but it has come over me just lately like a skeer. aren't the young gents been much longer this time?" "yes, much," replied the skipper; "or else it seems to be." "i thought so, sir, and i've got so now that i feels as if i can't bear it. what are you going to do, sir? follow 'em up and see what's wrong?" "i shall give them ten minutes longer, winks. i meant to stay here to the very last, ready to give the enemy a volley and a check if they should come on; but now the time has come to hurry on to the wharf and wait there in the hope that the boat may still come and take us off without further waste of time." "but don't let me make you downhearted, sir," said the carpenter, trying to speak cheerily. "i'm a bit of an old woman in my ways sometimes. maybe it's all right, after all." "maybe it is," said the skipper. "we are tired out and over-anxious now. it's quite possible that we shall have them back here soon." "pst!" whispered the carpenter. "there's some one coming." it was from their rear, and the next moment they were joined by don ramon. "ah, you are here," he said. "is it not time that the boys came back?" "nearly," said the skipper quietly. "no, no," said don ramon; "they have been twice too long. something must have happened, or they would have come by now." "pst! look out!" whispered the carpenter, and he cocked his rifle. "no: all right," he continued. "it's not from the enemy's side." he was quite right, for directly after the two boys trotted up. "all right, father," cried poole. "the boat's back." "we thought she would never have come," added fitz. "they have had a very hard pull up stream, for the water has risen, and they thought that they'd never get to the landing-place." "but they are there!" cried the skipper eagerly. "what about the others? have they got on board?" "everything was going right, father. i had a few words with butters, and he was very eager to know how soon i could get you all down." "and you couldn't tell him?" "no, father.--i think that's all." "bravo! magnificent!" cried don ramon. "you have both done wonders," and to the lads' disgust he caught them in turn to his breast and kissed them. "it is grand, and your fathers should be proud. my lads, it is the grandest thing in life to be a spaniard of pure castilian descent, but next to that the greatest thing in the world is to be an english boy." "this is no time for compliments, don ramon," said the skipper sternly. "they have done their duty; that is all. now then, will you lead on at once with half our party, and i with the rest will form the rear-guard. if even now the enemy come up we shall be able to hold them in check. we shall fire, and then double past you and your party, who will halt and fire, and then retire past us again. we are very few and they are many, but i think we can reach the boat in safety after all." the don made no reply, but put himself at the head of his little party at once, leaving the skipper, the two lads, and the remainder facing the enemy's camp and watching the flickering fires between, the hardest task of all when the way was open and they felt that with a good rush they might reach the boat in safety. but discipline was master, and fighting down all desire to break away, the remnant of the little force stood waiting, while the carpenter made a last effort to find himself something to do, by suggesting that it would be best perhaps to give them there fires just another touch. "no," said the skipper sternly. "in another two minutes we shall follow on." "thank goodness!" whispered fitz excitedly. "i don't feel as if i could stand any more." "not even one of don ramon's speeches and a hug?" "oh, don't talk about it," whispered fitz angrily. "what! isn't it grand to be an english boy?" "bosh!" cried fitz, and like an echo of his ejaculation came the skipper's command-- "forward!" and directly afterwards, "poole--mr burnett--will you watch with me?" the lads stepped to his side at once. "the last to turn our backs, fitz burnett," whispered poole. "the place of honour after all." chapter thirty three. aboard again. the little party strained their ears as they tramped silently on towards the boat; but not a sound was heard suggesting that the enemy grasped the fact that the strategy had been cleverly carried out. the dull reflection of the fires had from time to time been faintly discernible upon the low-hanging mist; but this soon died out, and fortune seemed to be smiling kindly upon their efforts now. "i'd give something to know what time it is," whispered poole, and he took a step nearer to his father to ask him how long he thought it would be before day. "i haven't the least idea, my boy," he replied. "the night has seemed far too short, but it must be nearly at an end. but if we can once get into the boat and reach the schooner i shall begin to hope that we may reach velova before the enemy." "we have got much farther to go than they have, though, father." "yes, and everything will depend upon how long it is before the reinforcements come and they make their advance. it may be hours yet, and it may be before the break of day. there, don't talk to me again, my lad; i want to think." so it was in silence and darkness that the corduroy road was traversed, and the rear-guard reached the little wharf to find the advance gathered-together, waiting to fire or descend at once into the boat. there was not a sound to be heard from the direction by which they had come, and the skipper giving the order to embark at once, the men stepped down carefully and well, till, dangerously packed, the order was given to push off, poole and fitz being together in the stern, where the skipper passed out an oar to steer, and they began rapidly to descend the flooded stream. "there must have been rain in the mountains," he said quietly, and then aloud, "sit fast, my lads, and keep her well in trim. two oars out there, just to give me steering way, but you need hardly pull. everything depends upon your keeping steady. there, boys," he said, to those at his side, "we are none too soon. it's lightening yonder in the east." that morning the sun, as it rose high above the mist, shone down upon the crowded decks of the schooner, her white sails glistening as the land was left behind, with poole and fitz burnett using the glass in turn to watch the mouth of the little river; but they watched in vain, for there was no sign of enemy hurrying to the bank, nothing to disturb the peace and beauty of the scene. poole scuffled up to the masthead, glass in hand, and fitz burnett followed him, to stand as near as he could, with the ratlines cutting into his feet and a crick coming in the back of his neck, as he held on tightly, and leaned back watching his companion's action, longing to get hold of the glass and use it himself. in fact, he was suffering from that impatience which often attacks us all and makes us feel as we watch another's action how much better we could do it ourselves, from the greatest matter down to such a trifle us untying a knot in a piece of string. meanwhile, with the white sails swelling out above and below, and the double glass to his eye, the skipper's son was slowly sweeping the coast-line, letting nothing escape him, as he looked in vain for some sign of the enemy. "see her, my boy?" came from the deck, and fitz looked down, to see that the skipper and don ramon were watching them. "no, father," cried poole. "i wasn't looking out to sea." "then why don't you?" cried the skipper angrily. "are you trying to see cocoanuts on the trees? sweep the horizon, sir, and give us the first notice of that gunboat's masts." "all right, father," said the lad quietly, and he wrenched himself round and made the lenses of the binocular slowly travel along the horizon-line, as he rocked gently here and there with the action of the schooner riding swiftly over the long smooth swell; for there was a pleasant breeze, all possible sail was set, and they were rapidly diminishing the distance between them and velova bay. "see her?" said fitz, as he noted that the skipper and his spanish friend had walked together forward--don ramon's followers, who crowded the deck and sent up scores of tiny films of smoke from their cigarettes, politely making way and forming quite a lane for their leaders. they were idling, chattering, and laughing together, the very types of a party of idlers out on a sea-trip, and their rifles were leaning against the bulwarks here and there, lying about the deck, or stuck in sheaves together with their barrels appearing above the sides of the boats swinging from the davits. no one could have imagined from their careless indolent bearing that they were posing as patriots, men who a short time before had escaped from a deadly peril, and were now for aught they knew sailing straight away into one as great. they formed a strong contrast to the old men-of-war's men, who retained their well-drilled bearing as the crew of the schooner, eager, alert, and ready at any moment to spring to sheet and brace at the mate's orders when they went upon another tack. "no," replied poole, after a long interval. "there's a shoal of fish out yonder, and something sprang out farther to the east and went in again with a splash, and there's a bad sign out yonder; cat's-paws on the surface." "you don't mean to say that it looks like a calm coming?" "just like that," said poole slowly, with the glass still at his eye. "well?" rose from the deck, as the two chiefs came slowly back. "nothing, father--not a sign," cried poole. "well, you needn't stop up there, my lad. come down, and go up again in a quarter of an hour's time." poole slipped the glass into the case slung from his left shoulder, laid hold of a rope, and looked at his companion, who did the same, and they slid down together and dropped upon the deck, to begin walking forward. "i shan't be sorry," said poole quietly, "when all these fellows are ashore." "nor i neither," replied fitz, and then he turned his head sharply, for a familiar head was thrust out of the galley, where the stove was black and cold. "weel, laddies," whispered the camel, "i have had to put up the shutters and shut up shop, for i canna pretend to feed all this lot; but ah'm thenking ye'll feel a bit hungry now and then, and when ye do, joost go below into the cahbin when there's naebody looking, and open the little locker. i dinna mean to say another word, but--" he closed one ferrety-looking red eye, laid a finger alongside of his nose, showed his big teeth, and drew his head in again. "a nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse," said poole, laughing. "well done, camel! but that's all you, fitz." "nonsense! it was a hint for both." "no. he has taken a fancy to you. he told me himself he had, and that it was his doing that you got up your strength so quickly." "oh, gammon!" cried fitz petulantly. "no, it was what he calls his pheesic. he told me that when a man was in bad health--crenky, he called it--that the thing to pull him round was soup; and you know how he was always scheming something of the kind for you. i shouldn't like to analyse too strictly what he made it of." "why, meat, of course," cried the middy. "i don't know," said poole dryly. "you see, it's not like being ashore; but you had soup pretty well every day, and you said yourself that it tasted all right. but it doesn't matter. it did you good." "don't you think we had better change the subject?" said fitz sharply. "yes; and we'll go up aloft again. coming?" "of course," was the reply. they turned back to go aft towards the mainmast-shrouds, don ramon's followers making room for them to pass; but as they reached the part of the deck where they were going to ascend, they came upon the boatswain looking as black as thunder. "hullo, butters! anything the matter?" said poole. "matter!" growled the copper-faced old fellow. "look at my deck--i mean, as much of it as you can see. i am pretty nigh sick of this! a set of jabbering monkeys; that's about what they are." "up aloft again, poole?" cried the skipper. "just going," was the reply, and giving up his place by the starboard main-shrouds to fitz, the lad ran across the deck to the port side, where he began to ascend, the pair meeting at the masthead upon equal terms. "here, i'd give up the glass to you," cried poole, "but father mightn't like it, though your eyes are as sharp or sharper than mine. i'll give one sweep round and report to the deck, and then you shall have a turn." poole passed his arm round a stay and raised the glass to his eyes, while fitz took a turn round the rope with one leg, and waited, thinking. "isn't such a bad fellow," he said to himself, as he watched the captain's son, "but he's getting a little too familiar. he seems to forget sometimes that i'm an officer; but there, it doesn't much matter, and it won't last long." "well, my lad?" came from the deck. "all clear, father," was the reply, and as fitz glanced down he saw don ramon place the cigarette he was holding between his teeth and clap his hands, while from his crowd of followers who were looking on there ascended a loud _viva_! and the hot day glided on. there was a fair breeze, and the schooner fairly danced over the laughing waters, sending shoals of flying-fish skimming out before them, with their wing-like fins glistening like those of gigantic dragon-flies, before they dropped back into the sea. rations were served out to the eager crowd, and a buzz of conversation was kept up, to ascend to the two lads, who spent most of their time aloft, watching, talking, and comparing notes about what a peaceful time it seemed and how strange a contrast to the excitement of the previous day and night. "it's too good to be true, my lads," said the skipper quietly, as the afternoon glided by. "we have made such a splendid run that it isn't reasonable to expect fortune will favour us much farther." "ah, you think that?" said don ramon, who came up rolling a fresh cigarette. "yes, sir, i do. in another hour we shall be round that headland, and in sight of velova if the mate keeps us clear of that long reef of rocks which guards the bay." "ah, and then you think villarayo will be waiting for us with his men?" "oh no," said the skipper; "i can't say for certain, but i should doubt whether he has found out as yet that we are gone. i feel certain now that he would not stir till all his reinforcements had reached him." "that is right," said the don eagerly, "and even then--i know our people well--they will fight bravely twice, but it is very hard to move them again. but you spoke as if you _were_ in doubt. what is it you expect?" "i expect, sir, that as soon as we get round that headland we shall see the gunboat waiting for us, and ready to open fire. and once she gets well within range--" reed stopped. "yes, what then?" cried don ramon eagerly. the skipper shrugged his shoulders. "what can we do, sir, with my schooner crowded up like this?" "fly," said the don, with his eyes flashing. "of course; there is nothing else to be done. but if they have decent men to work that gun, one well-placed shot or shell will wreck my rigging, and we shall lie like a wounded bird upon the water." the don looked fixedly in the skipper's face for some moments before giving him a short nod and turning away to light his cigarette. chapter thirty four. no burgess aboard. but the skipper's forebodings were needless. as they sailed round the headland it was through a sea of golden light. there lay velova with every window flashing in the late afternoon sunshine. small coasting vessels were at anchor, boats were putting out to sea to reach the fishing-grounds; and, save that through the glass a few figures could be seen about the little fort with its flagstaff flying the national colours, and the rough earthworks could be made out mounting a few small guns, all was calm and peaceful. "there, captain," cried don ramon triumphantly, "what do you say now?" "it is for you to speak, sir. what do you say now?" "sail right in as close up to the wharf as you can get; you can lay your vessel alongside in these calm waters." "and if they open fire?" "they will not dare," cried the don, his eyes flashing with excitement. "we must be first, and there will be scarcely any one there." "but if they did, sir?" "if they did, my men would crowd into your boats, we should row ashore and carry the fort and earthworks. we can do that with ease while you come right on to where we will meet you, and help to land the guns. captain reed, our young friend's plans have opened the way to triumph. you will see that all the people in velova now will declare for me. i shall arm them with the rifles you have brought, strengthen the fort and earthworks, and plant three of the pieces upon the road leading to the mountain-pass by which the enemy are bound to come. let them attack then if they dare. do you see? do you understand?" he added quickly. "yes. excellent. nothing could be better than your plan, sir; and if villarayo should not arrive till morning the game would be your own." "would be! will be," said the spaniard fiercely. "what is to prevent it now?" the skipper glanced round as they stood together aft, and saving the two lads there was no one to overhear his words, as he leaned a little nearer to the excited spaniard and said, almost in a whisper-- "the gunboat." there was a faint click. don ramon had closed his teeth sharply, and he turned half round to gaze out to sea. the next minute he turned back with his brow knit and his eyes half-closed. "yes, my good friend," he said quietly; "that is the great enemy. ah! if you could show me how to get control of that it would mean all. still i do not despair. she is not here now, and there is the land, the country all before me. let her keep away till after villarayo has returned, and i have scattered all his horde of ruffians, the sweepings of the place--as i shall, for once i have landed with my warlike supplies, all that is good and true in velova will fight for me to the death--and then the march to san cristobal will be an easy task. the news that villarayo and his people are scattered will go before me, and the people there will crowd to me for arms, the arms that i shall send round by your vessel to meet me there. oh, it will be all child's play now, and in another few days my flag will be flying at san cristobal, as it will be flying here." "if," said fitz quietly to poole, as the spaniard walked forward to address his men, "he is not counting his chickens before they are hatched." "yes," said the skipper, who had heard his words; "and if the gunboat does not return." "well, father, there are some things in his favour," said poole, "even about the gunboat." "what?" "this is a very rocky coast. that gunboat must draw a good deal of water." "true, my boy; true." "and, father," said poole, with a smile, "they haven't got a burgess on board." chapter thirty five. the contraband. the evening was coming on fast as the schooner sailed on towards the little port with her overburdened decks. "are we going to run right in, poole?" asked fitz, as he watched the excitement of the crowd on deck, where every one of don ramon's followers was busy polishing up his rifle, to the great amusement of the carpenter, who slouched up to where the lads were standing. "just look at 'em," he said. "they thinks they're soldiers; that's what they have got in their heads. rubbing up the outsides of them rifles! i've been watching of them this last half-hour. they're just like an old farmer i used to know. always werry pertickler, he was, to whitewash the outsides of his pig-sties; but as to the insides--my!" that last word sounded like a bad note on a clarionet, for, as he spoke, winks was holding his nose tightly between his finger and thumb. fitz laughed, and asked the question that begins the second paragraph of this chapter. "seems like it," said poole, "but i don't know whether it's going to be safe." "won't be safe for them," continued the carpenter, "if they don't run their loading-rods and a bit of rag through them barrels. sore shoulders for some of them. my word, how they will kick! soldiers!" he chuckled. "i say, mr burnett, have you ever seen them there recruiting-sergeants about trafalgar square, london?" "yes, often," said fitz. "why?" "nice smart-looking, well-built chaps, as looks as if their uniforms had growed on 'em like their skins." "yes, they are smart picked men of course," said fitz. "that's so, sir. what do you think they would say to these tan-leather-coloured ragged jacks, if they went up and offered to take the shilling?" "well, they wouldn't take many of them, i think," replied the middy. "take many of them, sir? i seem to see one of the sergeants now. he'd hold that little walking-stick of his with both hands tight and close up under his left arm, stand werry stiff, and drop his head a little on one side as he looked down at them; and then he'd give a sniff, and that would be all." but don ramon did not despise his followers. he was bustling about among them, addressing and exhorting and working them up to a tremendous pitch of excitement, making them shout and cheer till they were hoarse. then they swarmed into the rigging and clustered in the shrouds, to wave their rifles and hats at the crowd gathering upon the shore and cheering shrilly in reply, the men's voices being mingled with those of women and children, who seemed to be welcoming them as their deliverers. "well, it's all right, don ramon," said the skipper, who was standing by burgess busily conning the schooner as she glided in now towards the shore. "yes," cried the don proudly; "it is what you call all right. you see there will be no fighting now." _bang_! went a gun from the fort, and the lads started as they gazed at the grey ball of smoke which began to turn golden as it rose in the air. "they're reckoning without the fort," said fitz excitedly, as he strained his eyes in vain for the ball which he expected to see come skipping over the smooth water. "yes," said poole.--"no: it was a blank. look, they are hauling down the flag. oh, it's all right. a regular walk-over. three cheers for don ramon!" "yes," shouted the skipper. "with a will, my lads! three cheers for don ramon!" and they were given with such energy that the don sprang up upon the cabin-light, to bow and press his hands to his breast. he was down again the next instant, to run to the skipper and catch and wring his hands. "you see," he cried, "the people are with me. but you will help me still?" "as far as i can," was the reply; "but you must not call upon me to land my men and help you in your fight with villarayo." "no?" said the don, in a questioning way. "no," replied the skipper. "the fight at the hacienda was an exception. i was driven to that." "but you will help me still? the arms--the ammunition?" "yes; it is our duty to land everything safely to your order." "then i want the rifles and cartridges now." "yes," said the skipper. "you feel satisfied that it will be safe to have them landed?" "quite. so as to arm my friends." "then as soon as your men are ashore i will have the cases got up from the hold." "no," said don ramon; "you must do it now. have them up on deck so that my people can bear them ashore as soon as we reach the wharf." "it shall be done," said the skipper quietly. "all that i require is your authority, that you take them in charge." "i give you my authority before all your witnesses," replied don ramon proudly; "and i take them in charge. is that sufficient?" "quite, sir. mr burgess, you will lay the schooner alongside the wharf. pass the word for the carpenter and eight or ten men. i want these tarpaulins and hatches off. order your men back, don ramon. i want room for mine to work." it was a busy scene that followed. sails were lowered, for they were close in now; hammers were ringing; the way down into the hold was laid bare; tackle was rigged up; and by the time the schooner lay alongside a fairly-made wharf, a dozen long white cases bound with hoop-iron lay piled up upon the deck, while dozens more lay waiting to take their place. the excitement was tremendous; the wharf and its approaches were crowded by an enthusiastic mob, eager and clamouring for arms, which during the next hour were lavishly supplied, along with a sufficiency of ammunition, with the result that don ramon's little force had grown into a well-armed crowd, so full of enthusiasm that they gave promise, if not of victory, of making a desperate defence. at last, with the help of those who seemed to be among the chief people of the place, the little army, well-armed, was marched away from the waterside to take up strategic positions under don ramon's instructions, after which he returned to where the skipper and his men had opened another hatch and were busily hoisting up the little battery of six-pounder field-guns, with their limbers, everything being of the newest and most finished kind. these, with their cases of ammunition, proving much heavier than they looked, were swung round from the deck with the tackle necessary and landed upon the wharf, where they were seized upon at once by the don's roughly-selected artillery-men, and at last dragged off by teams of mules to the places of vantage where they were to be stationed; and all amidst a scene of the wildest enthusiasm. as the last gun was landed, hastily put together, and seized and dragged away by a human team, don ramon came back from the shore, palpitating with emotion, and hurrying to where the skipper stood upon the deck with the lads, wiping his face after superintending every part of the delivery himself. "there, don ramon," he cried, "my work's done, and you have got everything safe. i hope your fellows will be careful with the ammunition." "yes, yes," was the reply; "everything is being done. i have come back to thank you. if you do not see me again yet awhile, it is because i am over yonder--because i am wanted everywhere at once. captain reed, and you, my brave young friends, i want to tell you of the gratitude i feel, but--but--my heart is too full. i cannot speak. but one word; to-morrow the enemy will be here, a great battle will rage, for my people will fight now to the very death. if i fall--" he stopped short. he truly could say no more, and waving his hands to them, he sprang back on to the wharf out of the light cast by the swinging lanterns, which had for some time past thrown their weird gleams upon the scene, and was gone. chapter thirty six. real war. there was little sleep that night for those on board, for once his little cargo was discharged, the skipper had everything made snug and ready for putting to sea if necessary at a moment's notice. most of the men had been busy over the landing of the cases and guns, and fitz had thoroughly enjoyed the looking on, feeling a strange longing the while to go ashore and superintend the unpacking and putting together of the gun-limbers, and the mounting of the pieces. not that there was a great deal to do, for, in obedience to instructions, the british manufacturers had sent the little field-guns with everything so simplified that the rough artillery-men from the central american fort had few difficulties with which to contend. he saw little of poole in the darkness, but knew that he was busy over something with a couple of men at his beck, while a third had had a duty of his own where a bright light had gleamed out and a little chimney had roared in a way which made poole anxiously consult his father, who was superintending the landing of cases, when in their brief conversation something was said about sparks, and then a couple of tarpaulins were rigged up with lines, in a way which entirely cut off the galley from the rest of the deck. the result of all this was, that when the deck was clear and hatches replaced, the camel stood smiling, with glistening face, for his work too was done, and the fresh provisions that had been abundantly brought on board by the women of the place were in a most welcome form for the half-starved, weary crew, and about midnight there was something as nearly like a banquet as could be expected under the circumstances, and to the delight of all. there had been no form; the only ceremony had been for officers and men to sit down sailor or tailor fashion, cross-legged upon the deck, and eat as much as such men would. "hah!" said the boatswain, turning towards the two lads, after being very silent for quite half-an-hour. "i call this something like; but i do hope as the camel's had time to pick a bit." so busy had the party on board been, that they had thought little about the proceedings on shore, the less so that the excitement and noise of shouting orders, trampling feet, and the buzz of chattering women and children had drifted farther and farther away to the opposite side of the town, where beyond the low houses and hovels of the poorer part of the population the long low valley commenced which rapidly became a pass, the key, so to speak, of the little city. here don ramon had mustered his force, and here during the rest of the night his men worked by the light of the stars, making a wall of stones with openings for the field-pieces, and clearing the road behind between them and the earthwork nearer to the fort, to which in case of emergency they could be withdrawn ready for another stand. he was no novice in such matters, having passed his life as he had amidst a volcanic people where revolutions came and went as if indigenous to the countries bordering upon the mexican gulf. in his way he was no bad soldier, and in fact a better man than his rival the tyrant and oppressor, whom he had been urged by the superior part of his fellow-countrymen to supplant. hence it was that before morning, and without interruption, he made the most of the rough but enthusiastic and willing materials to his hand, so that at last he could breathe more freely and accept the congratulations of his friends over the knowledge they shared that villarayo would find when he came up that not only had he a formidable nut to crack, but the probability before him that the nutcrackers would give way first. all this was plain enough in the coming daylight, when the skipper and the two lads made their way ashore in one of the boats from the spot where the _teal_ was moored, floating more lightly now, and almost as gracefully in the pearly grey light as the beautiful little waterfowl after which she was named. "why, it looks almost like an anthill," said fitz, as they approached the mouth of the pass, whose sides were dotted with men, most of whom were carrying rifles, while each displayed a formidable knife in his belt. "but there doesn't seem to be any sign of the enemy as yet." "no," said poole; "but i say, father, do you think that they will be able to manage those guns?" "yes," said the skipper gravely. "the men who had the gumption to plant them like that will be pretty sure to find out the way to use them with effect. besides, they have had some experience, of course, with the old-fashioned pieces in the fort." "there go their colours up!" cried fitz excitedly, as the national flag was run up to the head of the flagstaff that had been raised during the night. "i hope they'll win, captain reed, for the don's been very plucky, and i suppose he is in the right." "if he hadn't been in the right i wouldn't have helped him as i have," said the skipper gruffly. "no," said poole firmly, as if to endorse his father's words. "but don't you think, father, that if you brought all our chaps ashore to set these men by the guns at liberty and leave our lads to work them, they'd manage them much better--fire more regularly and twice as fast?" "yes, that they would," cried fitz excitedly. "there's hardly one of them who doesn't know his gun-drill." "how do you know that?" said the skipper grimly. "oh, i asked them," replied the lad, flushing. "they all talk to me about their old life on board different queen's ships. it was because i was a midshipman, i suppose. why," he continued, growing more excited by what he saw, "our chips--i mean, your chips," he said, hastily correcting himself--"would make a splendid captain for one of the guns; mr butters another, of course; and the camel, though he's cook now. oh, i could man all those guns easily." "like to do it, perhaps," said the skipper dryly, "and fancy that battery was the broadside of a ship?" "yes, of course," said the lad; "i mean--" he stammered--"that is--oh, it's nothing to do with me." "no," said the skipper quietly, as he stood looking critically at the preparations don ramon had made, while the scene around seemed to have had the same peculiar exciting effect upon his son as it had upon the midshipman, for poole said suddenly-- "why, father, if you were to do that it would make all the difference, and be like turning the scale to don ramon's side." "yes, my boy," said the skipper, "and here he is;" for the don suddenly appeared, mounted upon a sturdy mule, cantering towards them, with his steed making very light of the rugged stony ground, and stopping short close up to the group in response to a touch upon its rein, when its rider sprang lightly to the ground, looking as wiry and fresh as the beast he rode, in spite of the labours of the night. "ah, my friend! welcome!" he cried. "and you too, my braves. now," he added joyously, his eyes sparkling with excitement, "have not my brave fellows worked? are we not ready for the enemy when he comes? what have you to say? there are the guns! tell me, are they well-placed? you who have brought them know so much. if they are not right, tell me what to do, and it shall be done." "i would not alter anything now," said the skipper gravely. "why not, if they, are wrong? there is time, and plenty, for my scouts are far enough away, and the enemy is not in sight." the skipper was silent, but his eyes were not idle, and he seemed to be examining every disposition closely. "he does not speak," continued don ramon. "then you, my young english officer; you come from a ship with guns, what have you to say?" "i was wondering," said fitz, flushing, "not about the guns, for they seem well-placed, but whether the enemy could come down that little valley up yonder or get round by the rear." "no, no, no," cried the don exultantly. "velova can only be reached by this pass, which my guns command. there is no other way--by land--but there is the sea." "and the gunboat?" said fitz. "ah-h, yes, the gunboat!" cried the don, with his face convulsed, as he clenched his hands. "the gunboat--yes. it is the key to the presidency." "no," said the skipper suddenly, "i would change nothing, don ramon. as far as i know, your position is magnificent." "hah!" cried the don, with his face smoothing once more, and his eyes lighting up with pleasure. "but you think my grand, my beautiful and perfect little guns that you have brought me are well-placed?" "capitally," said the skipper sincerely. "but they are not perfect," said the don, with a peculiar smile, as he keenly watched the skipper the while. "there is one thing wanting." "surely not," cried the skipper angrily. "i saw them packed myself, and i can answer for it that nothing was left out, unless it was in the hurry of the unpacking last night. quick, while there is time! what has been left behind? do you mean there is something still on board?" "yes, my good friend," said the don softly; "the crew. captain reed," he continued excitedly, "with your brave fellows to man that battery the day must be my own. villarayo's sun would set in blood and dust; my poor oppressed country would rise in pride to happiness and peace; and i should be president indeed--my people's father--he who has saved them from slavery and chains." the skipper shook his head. "no, no," continued the don softly. "listen. this country is rich in mines; there are precious stones; there is no reward you could ask me afterwards that i would not give. i care for nothing of these things, for i am fighting for my country and my people's homes. captain reed, you have always been my friend, my trusted friend, who brought me all these in answer to my prayer. there is this one thing more. i ask it of my trusted friend." poole glanced at his father's stern face, which seemed to turn colder and harder than he had ever seen it before, and then turned quickly to look at fitz, who was watching him with questioning eyes which seemed to say, what will he reply? but reply there was none, apparently for minutes, though the space of time that elapsed could have been numbered in moments, before he spoke, and then it was in a low, softened and pained voice. "no, don ramon," he said. "you ask me for what i cannot give." "give!" cried the don passionately. "i offer to pay you!" "yes, sir," said the captain, without changing his tone, "and that makes it worse. i tell you my heart is with you in your project, and that i wish you success, but i am answerable to those men, their friends, and i suppose to my country's laws for their lives. i have no right to enter into such an enterprise as this." "why?" cried the don passionately. "you fought with me before!" "yes--to save their lives and yours. it was in an emergency. this is a different thing. i cannot do it." "then you forsake me?" cried the don angrily. "that is neither true nor fair," replied the skipper sternly. "i have helped you truly and well, and run great risks in bringing you those munitions of war. with that you must be content. as for forsaking you, you know in your heart, through my help and the counsel you have received from my young companion here, you never stood in a better position for dealing a death-blow at your rival's position. is that the truth, or is it not?" "ah!" cried the don passionately, evading the question. "when your help means so much you give me empty words." "that is no answer, sir," replied the skipper. "is what i have said the truth, or is it not?" don ramon turned upon him furiously, his eyes flashing and his hands clenched; but as he met the englishman's stern questioning eyes he stopped short, fixed by them, as it were, and then tossing his open hands in the air with a gesture which seemed to say, there, i surrender! his angry countenance softened, and he supported himself by taking hold of the pommel of his saddle. "yes," he said wearily, "of course it is the truth. you always were the man in whom i could trust, and i suppose you are right. forgive me for being so exacting. but, captain, i have so much at stake." "then trust to the strength of your cause, your position, and the bravery of your people. but i am not going to forsake you, ramon," continued the skipper, in a graver and softer tone, "and i will tell you this; if the day goes against you, the schooner will be lying a few hundred yards from shore with her boats ready to take off you and as many of your friends as you wish to bring. i will do that at any risk, but i can do no more." don ramon was silent for a few moments, before repeating the captain's last words slowly. then, after a pause-- "it may be different," he said, "but if matters are as bad as that, it will be because i have fired my last shot, and villarayo has found that another lover of his country is in his way no more. no, captain reed, i shall not have to put your hospitality to the test. i could not escape, and leave those who have been fighting for me to the death. there," he added quickly, completely changing his tone, "i do not mean to die; i mean to win. forgive me once again. you will after your fashion shake hands?" "with all my heart," cried the skipper, stretching out both his, which were eagerly caught and raised quickly to the spaniard's lips. "thank you," he cried, "i am a man once more. just now i talked like a disappointed woman who could not have her way.--what does that mean?" he said sharply as there was a shout from the distance. "people coming down the pass," cried fitz excitedly, and there was the report of a rifle which ran reverberating with many echoes along the rocks. before the sounds had ceased don ramon had sprung upon his mule, to turn smiling with a comprehensive wave of his hand to the trio, and then cantered off amongst the rugged stones, while they watched him till he reached the battery of field-pieces and sprang off to throw the rein to one of his men. "that shot was the opening of the ball," said the skipper. "now, my lads, back aboard the schooner, to make our arrangements, poole, for keeping my word with the don if he and his people have to run." "no!" burst out both the boys in a breath. "no?" cried the skipper good-humouredly. "what do you mean? this isn't going to be a show. you don't want to stop and see the fight?" "not want to stop and see it?" cried fitz excitedly. "well, i am not fond of fighting, father," said poole, "but i do. i want to see don ramon win." "humph!" grunted the skipper. "well, you must be disappointed. as for you, mr burnett, the sooner you are out of reach of bullets the better." "well," cried fitz, "i like that--coming from the skipper of a trading schooner! do you know what i am?" "of course," was the answer, with a smile. "it doesn't seem like it," cried fitz. "i know i am almost a boy still--don't laugh, poole!" he added sharply, with a stamp of the foot--"well, quite a boy; but young as i am, i am a naval officer, and i was never taught that it was my duty to run away if ever i came under fire." "it's the safest way," said the skipper mockingly. "`he who fights and runs away, will live to fight another day.' that's it, isn't it?" "i suppose so," said fitz, getting on his stilts--"to be laughed at for a coward as long as he lives. look here, captain reed, i am your prisoner, but you are not my captain, and i mean to stop and see this fight. why, i must. i shall have to tell. captain glossop all about this some day, and i should look well if i owned that i had run away.-- but you don't mean it, sir. it's all nonsense to talk of being in danger up here, all this distance off. yes, he is joking, isn't he, poole?" "well, there's not much joke about it, my lad," said the skipper gravely. "i must own that i don't want to go away myself. seems to me that what we ought to do is to hurry back to where the women are, get a good supply of linen and bandages from them, and muster some bearers for--yes, the firing is going on, and i don't suppose that it will be long before some poor fellows will be falling out and crawling back to the rear." "yes," said fitz eagerly; "i never thought of that. come on, then, and let's make haste so as to get back in time." the skipper nodded, and they hurried away, but had very little distance to go, for the sound of the firing was bringing the curious from out of the town, and it was not long before they had been furnished with the material for binding up wounds, and better still, with a doctor, who joined hands with them at once in making the rough ambulance arrangements. within half-an-hour they were back at the spot where the interview with don ramon had taken place, to find that which their ears had prepared them for, the rattle of musketry going steadily on as the enemy advanced, while they were just in time for the sharp dull thud and echoing roar of the first field-piece, whose shell was seen to burst and send up its puff of smoke far along the rugged valley. this checked the advance for some minutes, scattering the enemy in all directions, but it was plain to the lookers-on from their post of observation, that they were being rallied, and the speaking out of the second gun from the battery plainly told that this was the case. what followed in the next two hours was a scene of confusion and excitement far up the valley, and of quiet steady firing from the battery, whose shells left little for don ramon's advance posts to do. they lay low in their shelters, and built up rifle-screens, hastily made, firing as they had a chance, but their work only helped to keep the enemy back. it was to the guns that don ramon owed his success. there was no lack of bravery on the part of the enemy's officers, for they exposed themselves recklessly, rallying their men again and again, and gradually getting them nearer and nearer to those who served the guns. but the rifle-firing was wild, and not a man among the gunners went down, or was startled from his task of loading and laying the sheltered pieces. all the same the enemy advanced, the rugged pass affording them plenty of places that they could hold, and at the end of three hours they had made such progress that matters were beginning to look serious for the defenders of velova, and the time had come when it was evident to the watchers that don ramon was making ready to retire his guns to his next defence, for the teams of mules were hurried up and placed in a hollow beyond the reach of the enemy's rifles; and now too it was seen plainly enough that villarayo or his captains were preparing for a rush to capture the guns, and in the excitement the skipper forgot about all risks to him and his, and proposed that they should hurry to a spot higher up one side of the pass and fifty yards nearer to the battery. this proved to be an admirable point of vantage, and enlightened the lookers-on to far more than they had been before, for they were startled to see how much greater was the number of the attacking force than they had believed. the enemy were in two bodies, gathered-together and lying down on the opposite sides of the pass, and the lads had hardly raised their heads above the shelter of some stones when they saw that the order had been given for the advance, and the men were springing to their feet. "i must go and warn him," cried the skipper, beneath his breath, "or he will lose his guns; and then--" he said no more, but stood spellbound like his young companions at what was taking place, for don ramon was better supplied with information than he had believed, and as the attacking forces of the enemy sprang up, he found that the direction of the battery's fire had been altered to left and right, and the attacking forces had barely commenced their crowded charge when the six pieces burst forth almost together with such a hurricane of grape that a way was torn through each rough column and the fight was over, the smoke from the discharge as it rose showing the enemy scattered and in full flight, the steep sides of the little valley littered with the wounded, and more and more faltering behind and dropping as their comrades fled. "_viva_!" shouted the skipper, with all his might; but it was a feeble sound as compared with the roar of voices which rose from the battery and beyond, while it only needed the rifle-shots of those lying in the shelters higher up the pass, and a shell dropped here and there till the full range of the field-pieces had been reached, to complete villarayo's discomfiture for that day at least. "now," said the skipper quietly, "we must leave the succour of the wounded to ramon's own people. i am sick of all this. let's get back on board the schooner." it was about an hour afterwards that poole went to his father on the deck of the _teal_. "oughtn't we to have stopped a little longer," he said, "and tried to be of some help?" "i should have liked to, my boy," said the skipper sadly, "but i didn't want you and young burnett to see what was bound to follow. the rougher portion of don ramon's followers have not the same ideas of mercy to a fallen enemy that belong to a european mind, and so i came away." chapter thirty seven. political questions. happily for them, the boys saw little more of the horrors of the petty war. aboard the schooner what met their eyes were the triumphs of peace. the next day flags were flying, bells ringing, guns firing, and the whole of the inhabitants of the town were marching in procession and shouting _vivas_. crowds gathered upon the shore nearest to where the schooner was moored, to shout themselves hoarse; and not content with this, they crowded into boats to row out round the little english vessel and shout themselves hoarser there, many of the boats containing women, who threw flowers which floated round. "i am getting rather tired of this," said fitz, at last. "i suppose it's very nice to them, and they feel very grateful to your father for bringing the guns and ammunition to beat off this other president fellow; but keeping on with all this seems so babyish and silly. why can't they say, `thank heaven!' and have done with it?" "because they are what they are," said poole, half contemptuously. "why, they must have been spoiling their gardens to bring all these flowers. they are no use to us. i should call that boat alongside-- that big one with the flag up and all those well-dressed women on board." "no, don't!" cried fitz excitedly. "why, they'd come and shout more than ever, and begin singing again. what's the good of doing that?" "i'll tell you," said poole; "and i should tell them that it would be a deal more sensible to go back and fetch us a boat-load of fruit and vegetables, and fowls and eggs." "ah, to be sure," cried fitz. "it would please old andy too; but--but look there; they are more sensible than you think for." "well done!" cried poole, "why, they couldn't have heard what i said." "no," said fitz, "and if they had there wouldn't have been time. you must have telegraphed your thoughts. why, there are two boat-loads." "three," said poole. and he was right, and a few minutes later that number of good-sized market-boats were close alongside, their owners apparently bent upon doing a good stroke of trade in the edibles most welcome to a ship's crew after a long voyage. "well, boys," said the skipper, joining them, "who's going to do the marketing? you, poole, or i?" "oh, you had better do it, father. i should be too extravagant." "no," said the skipper quietly. "the owners of the _teal_ and i don't wish to be stingy. the lads have done their work well, and i should like them to have a bit of a feast and a holiday now. here, boatswain, pass the word for the cook and get half-a-dozen men to help. we must store up all that will keep. here, burgess, we may as well fill a chicken-coop or two." "humph!" grunted the mate surlily. "want to turn my deck into a shop?" "no," said the skipper good-humouredly, "but i want to have the cabin-table with something better on it to eat than we have had lately. i am afraid we shall be having mr burnett here so disgusted with the prog that he will be wanting to go ashore, and won't come back." "all right," growled the mate, and he walked away with the skipper, to follow out the orders he had received. "i say," said fitz, "i wonder your father puts up with so much of the mate's insolence. any one would think that burgess was the skipper; he puts on such airs." "oh, the dad knows him by heart. it is only his way. he always seems surly like that, but he'd do anything for father; and see what a seaman he is. here, i say, let's have some of those bananas. they do look prime." "yes," said fitz; "i like bananas. i should like that big golden bunch." "why, there must be a quarter of a hundredweight," said poole. "do you think they'll take my english money?" "trust them!" said poole. "i never met anybody yet who wouldn't." they made a sign to a swarthy-looking fellow in the stern of the nearest boat, and fitz pointed to the great golden bunch. "how much?" he said. the man grinned, seized the bunch with his boat-hook, passed it over the bulwark, and let it fall upon the deck, hooked up another quickly, treated that the same, and was repeating the process, when poole shouted at him to stop. "hold hard!" he cried. "i am not going to pay for all these." but the man paid no heed, but went on tossing in fruit, calling to the lads in spanish to catch, and _feeding_ them, as we say, in a game, with great golden balls in the shape of delicious-looking melons. "here, is the fellow mad?" cried fitz, who, a regular boy once more, enjoyed the fun of catching the beautiful gourds. "we shall have to throw all these back." "try one now," said poole. "right," cried fitz. "catch, stupid!" and he sent one of the biggest melons back. the man caught it deftly, and returned it, shouting-- "no, no, no! don ramon--don ramon!" something similar was going on upon the other side of the schooner, where, grinning with delight, the camel was seizing the poultry handed in, and setting them at liberty upon the deck, while now an explanation followed. the three boat-loads of provisions were gifts from don ramon and his people to those who had helped them in their time of need, while the don's messengers seemed wild with delight, eagerly pointing out the good qualities of all they had brought, and chattering away as hard as ever they could, or laughing with delight when some active chicken escaped from the hands that held it or took flight when pitched aboard and made its way back to the shore. it was not only the men in the provision-barges that kept up an excited chorus, for they were joined by those in the boats that crowded round, the delivery being accompanied by cheers and the waving of hats and veils, the women's voices rising shrilly in what seemed to be quite a paean of welcome and praise. "what time would you like dinner, laddies?" came from behind just then, in a familiar voice, and the boys turned sharply round to face the camel, who seemed to be showing nearly all his teeth after the fashion of one of his namesakes in a good temper. "ma word, isn't it grand! joost look! roast and boiled cheecan and curry; and look at the garden-stuff. i suppose it's all good to eat, but they're throwing in things i never washed nor boiled before. it's grand, laddies--it's grand! why, ma word! hark at 'em! here's another big boat coming, and the skipper will have to give a great dinner, or we shall never get it all eaten." "no," cried poole, "it's a big boat with armed men, and--i say, fitz, this doesn't mean treachery? no, all right; that's don ramon coming on board." the tremendous burst of cheering from every boat endorsed the lad's words, every one standing up shouting and cheering as the president's craft came nearer, threading its way through the crowd of boats, whose occupants seemed to consider that there was not the slightest risk of a capsize into a bay that swarmed with sharks. but thanks to the management of don ramon's crew, his barge reached the side of the schooner without causing mishap, and he sprang aboard, a gay-looking object in gold-laced uniform, not to grasp the skipper's extended hand, but to fall upon his neck in silence and with tears in his eyes, while directly afterwards the two lads had to submit to a similar embrace. "oh, i say," whispered fitz, as soon as the president had gone below with the skipper; "isn't it horrid!" "yes," said poole; "i often grumble at what i am, only a sort of apprentice aboard a schooner, though i am better off through the dad being one of the owners than most chaps would be; but one is english, after all." "yes," said fitz, with a sigh of content; "there is no getting over that." further conversation was ended by the approach of burgess, the mate, who at a word from the captain had followed him and the president below, and who now came up to them with a peculiar grim smile about his lips, and the upper part of his face in the clouds, as poole afterwards expressed it, probably meaning that the mate's brow was wrinkled up into one of his fiercest frowns. "here," he growled, "you two young fellows have got to go below." "who said so?" cried fitz. "the skipper?" "no, the president." "but what for?" cried the middy. "oh, i dunno," replied the mate grimly, and with the smile expanding as he recalled something of which he had been a witness. "i thinks he wants to kiss you both again." "then i'll be hanged if i go," cried fitz; "and that's flat!" "haw haw!" came from the mate's lips, evidently meant for a laugh, which made the middy turn upon him fiercely; but there was no vestige of even a smile now as he said gruffly, "yes, you must both come at once. the don's waiting to speak, and he said that he wouldn't begin till you were there to hear it too." "come on, burnett," said poole seriously, and then with his eyes twinkling he added, "you can have a good wash afterwards if he does." "oh," cried fitz, with his face scarlet, "i do hate these people's ways;" and then, in spite of his previous remark about suspension, he followed the skipper's son down into the cabin, with burgess close behind, to find the president facing the door ready to rise with a dignified smile and point to the locker for the boys to take their seats. this done, he resumed his own, and proceeded to relate to the skipper as much as he could recall of what had been taking place, the main thing being that villarayo's large force had completely scattered on its way back through the mountains _en route_ to san cristobal, while velova and the country round was entirely declaring for the victor, whose position was but for one thing quite safe. "then," said the skipper, as the president ceased, "you feel that if you marched for san cristobal you would gain an easy victory there?" "i know my people so well, sir," replied the president proudly, "that i can say there will be no victory and no fight. villarayo would not get fifty men to stand by him, and he would either make for the mountains or come to meet me, and throw himself upon my mercy. and all this is through you. how great--how great the english people are!" poole jumped and clapped his right hand upon his left arm, while fitz turned scarlet as he looked an apology, for as the middy heard the president's last words and saw him rise, a thrill of horror had run through him, and he had thrown out one hand, to give his companion a most painful pinch. but the president resumed his seat, and feeling that there was for the moment nothing to mind, the boy grew calm. "ah," said the skipper gravely. "then but for one thing, don ramon, you feel now that you can hold your own." "yes," was the reply bitterly. "but i shall not feel secure while that gunboat commands these seas. it seems absurd, ridiculous, that that small armour-plated vessel with its one great gun should have such power; but yet after all it is not absurd. it is to this little state what your grand navy is to your empire and the world. while that gunboat commands our bays i cannot feel safe." "but you don't know yet," said the skipper quietly. "how will it be when her captain hears of villarayo's defeat? he may declare for you." "no," said the president. "that is what all my friends say. he is villarayo's cousin, and has always been my greatest enemy. he knows too that my first act would be to deprive him of his command." "then why do so?" said the skipper. "he need be your enemy no longer. make him your friend." "impossible! i know him of old as a man i could not trust. the moment he hears of the defeat he will be sending messages to villarayo bidding him fortify san cristobal and gather his people there, while at any hour we may expect to see him steaming into this bay. that is the main reason of my coming to tell you now to be on your guard, and that i have been having the guns you brought mounted in a new earthwork on the point yonder, close to the sea." "well done!" cried the captain enthusiastically. "that was brave and thoughtful of you, don ramon," and he held out his hand. "why, you are quite an engineer. then you did not mean to forsake your friend?" "forsake him!" said the don reproachfully, and he frowned. but it was for a moment only. "ah," he continued, "if you had only brought me over such a gunboat as that which holds me down, commanded by such a man as you, how changed my position would be!" "yes," said the skipper quietly. "but i did not; and i had hard work to bring you what i did, eh, mr burnett? the british government did not much approve of what it called my filibustering expedition, don." "the british government does not know villarayo, sir, and it does not know me." "that's the evil of it, sir," replied the captain. "unfortunately the british government recognises villarayo as the president of the state, and you only as the head of a revolution; but once you are the accepted head of the people, the leader of what is good and right, master villarayo's star will set; and that is bound to come." "yes," said don ramon proudly; "that is bound to come in the future, if i live. for all that is good and right in this little state is on my side. but there is the gunboat, captain." "yes," was the reply; "there is the gunboat, and as to my schooner, if i ventured everything on your side at sea, with her steaming power she would have me completely at her mercy, and with one shot send me to the bottom like a stone." "yes, i know," said the don, "as far as strength goes you would be like an infant fighting against a giant. but you english are clever. it was due to the bright thought of this young officer here that i was able to turn the tables upon villarayo." the blood flushed to fitz's forehead again--for he was, as poole afterwards told him, a beggar to blush--and he gave a sudden start which made poole move a little farther off to avoid a pinch. "what say you, don burnett?" if possible fitz's face grew a deeper scarlet. "have you another such lightning stroke of genius to propose?" "no, sir," said the boy sharply; "and if i had i must recollect that i am a neutral, a prisoner here, and it is my duty to hold my tongue." "ah, yes," said the don, frowning a little; "i had forgotten. you are in the government's service, and my good friend captain reed has told me how you happen to be here. but if the british government knew exactly how things were, they would honour you for the way in which you have helped me on towards success." "yes, sir, no doubt," said the lad frankly; "but the british government doesn't know what you say, and it doesn't know me; but captain glossop does. he's my government, sir, and it will be bad enough when i meet him, as it is. what will he say when he knows i've been fighting for the people in the schooner i came to take?" "hah!" said the president thoughtfully, and he was silent for a few moments. then rising he turned to the skipper. "i must go back, captain reed," he said, "for there is much to do. but i have warned you of the peril in which you stand. you will help me, i know, if you can; but you must not have your brave little schooner sunk, and i know you will do what is best. fate may favour us still more, and i shall go on in that hope." then without another word he strode out of the cabin, and went down into his barge amidst a storm of cheers and wavings of scarves and flags, while those on deck watched him threading his way towards the little fort. "he's the best spaniard i ever met, burgess," said the skipper. "yes," said the mate. "he isn't a bad sort for his kind. if it was not for the poor beggars on board, who naturally enough all want to live, i should like to go some night and put a keg of powder aboard that gunboat, and send her to the bottom." "ah, but then you'd be doing wrong," said the skipper. "well, i said so, didn't i? i shouldn't like to have it on my conscience that i'd killed a couple of score fellow-creatures like that." "of course not; but that isn't what i mean. that gunboat's too valuable to sink, and, as you heard the don say, the man who holds command of that vessel has the two cities at his mercy." "yes, i heard," said burgess; "and t'other side's got it." "that's right," said the skipper; "and if we could make the change--" "yes," said burgess; "but it seems to me we can't." "it seems to me we can't. it seems to me we can't," said poole, repeating the mate's words, as the two lads stood alone watching the cheering people in the boats. "well," cried fitz pettishly, "what's the good of keeping on saying that?" "none at all. but don't you wish we could?" "no, i don't, and i'd thank you not to talk to me like that. it's like playing at trying to tempt a fellow situated as i am. bother the gunboat and both the dons! i wish i were back in the old _tonans_ again." "i don't believe you," said poole, laughing. "you're having ten times as much fun and excitement out here. i say," he added, with a sniff, "i can smell something good." and strangely enough the next minute the camel came smiling up to them. "i say, laddies," he said, "joost come for'ard as far as the galley. i don't ask ye to come in, for, ma wud, she is hot! but just come and take a sniff as ye gang by. there's a dinner cooking as would have satisfied the don. i thot he meant to stay, but, puir chiel, i suppose he dinna ken what's good." chapter thirty eight. a night's excitement. every one seemed bent on celebrating that day as a festival. the fight was a victory, and all were rejoicing in a noisy holiday, while for some hours the crew of the schooner had their turn. not all, for after a few words with the skipper, the two lads went aloft with the binocular to keep a sharp look-out seaward, and more especially at the two headlands at the entrance to the bay, which they watched in the full expectation of seeing the grim grey nose of the gunboat peering round, prior to her showing her whole length and her swarthy plume of smoke. arrangements had been made below as well, and the schooner was swinging to a big buoy--head to sea, the sails ready for running up or dropping down from her thin yards. "a nice land wind," the skipper had said, "and if she came it would not be long before we were on equal terms with her." "but it won't last," said burgess gruffly. "it'll either drop to a dead calm at sundown, or swing round and be dead ahead." "well, i don't mind the last," replied the captain, "but a dead calm would be dangerous, and sets me thinking whether it wouldn't be better to be off at once." "well, that depends on you," said the mate. "if it was me i should stop till night and chance it. but where do you mean to go? right away home?" "i don't know yet," was the reply. "for some reasons i should like to stop and see don ramon right out of his difficulties. besides, i have a little business to transact with him that may take days. no, i shan't go off yet. i may stay here for months, working for don ramon. it all depends." "very well," said the mate coolly, as if it did not matter in the slightest degree to him so long as he was at sea. from time to time the skipper in his walk up and down the deck paused to look up inquiringly, but always to be met with a quiet shake of the head, and go on again. but about half-an-hour before sundown, just when festivities were at their height on shore, and the men were for the most part idling about, leaning over the bulwarks and watching as much of the proceedings as they could see, the two lads, after an hour's rest below, having returned to their look-out, fitz suddenly exclaimed-- "there she is! but she doesn't look grey." "no," replied poole eagerly. "what there is of her looks as if turned to gold." then loudly, "sail ho!" though there was not a sail in sight, only the steamer's funnel slowly coming into sight from behind one headland and beginning to show her smoke. all was activity now, the men starting to their different places at the bulwarks, and eagerly listening to the skipper's "where away?" "coming round the south headland," replied poole. "that's right," said the skipper. "i can see her now." "well?" said burgess. "i shan't move yet. it will be pitch-dark in less than an hour. we can see her plainly enough with the open sea beyond her, but like as not they can't see us, lying close up here under the land. the chances are that they won't see us at all, and then we can run out in the darkness; and i suppose you will have no difficulty in avoiding the rocks?" "oh, i don't know," said the mate coolly. "like as not i may run spang on to them in the dark. i shan't, of course, if i can help it." "no," said the skipper dryly; "i suppose not." their task ended, the boys slid down to the deck once more, and somehow the thought of his anomalous position on board the schooner did not trouble the middy for the time being, for he was seaman enough to be intensely interested in their position, and as eager as poole for their escape. "do you think the sun's going down as quickly as usual?" he said suddenly; and his companion laughed. "what's that for?" said fitz. "did i say something comic?" "comic or stupid, whichever you like." "bah!" ejaculated fitz angrily, feeling more annoyed with himself than with poole. "why of course she is going down at her usual rate." "sun's a he," said fitz. "it isn't the moon." "thankye. you have grown wise," replied poole sarcastically. "do you know, i should have almost known that myself. but bother all this! i want to see the canvas shaken out ready for making a start." "very stupid too," said fitz. "why?" "because the people on board the gunboat mayn't see us now, with our bare poles; and even if they could make us out they wouldn't be able to distinguish us from the other craft lying close in shore." "right," said poole sharply. "i was getting impatient. i suppose we are going to run out through the darkness, same as we did before." "i hope not," said fitz meaningly. "once was enough for a scrape like that." poole grunted, with agreement in his cones, and then they leaned over the bulwarks together forward, following the example of most of the men, who were just as keenly on the look-out, and growing as excited in the expectation of the coming adventure, all but two, who, in obedience to a growl from the mate, lowered down the dinghy and then pulled her hand-over-hand by the mooring-cable to where it was made fast to the big ring in the buoy; and there they held on, ready to slip the minute the order was given from the deck. meanwhile the rejoicings were going on ashore, no one so far having become aware of the approach of the enemy, till she was well clear of the headland, with her smoke floating out like an orange-plume upon a golden sky. "there's the signal," cried fitz suddenly, as a ball of smoke darted out from the front of the fort, followed by a dull thud. "hah!" said poole. "that's like the snap of a mongrel pup. by and by perhaps we shall hear the gunboat speak with a big bark like a mastiff. i wonder whether they will make us out." "so do i," said fitz. "it will be easy enough to sneak off if they don't." "don't say sneak," said fitz. "why?" "it sounds so cowardly." "well, this isn't the _tonans_. the _teal_ was made to sail, not to fight." "yes, of course," said fitz; "but i don't like it all the same." "all right, then, i won't say it again. i wonder where the dad will make for." "well, that will depend on whether the gunboat sights us. i say, does it make you feel excited?" "yes, awfully. i seem to want to be doing something." "so do i," said fitz, "instead of watching the sun go down so slowly." "look at the gunboat, then. she's not moving slowly. my word, she is slipping through the water! why, she's bound to see us if it don't soon get dark." the boys lapsed into silence, and as they ceased speaking they were almost startled by the change that had taken place on shore. the shouting and singing had ceased; there was no sound of music, and the bells had left off their clangour; while in place there came a low, dull, murmurous roar as of surf beating upon some rocky coast, a strange mingling of voices, hurrying foot-steps, indescribable, indistinct, and yet apparently expressive of excitement and the change from joy to fear. "it has upset them pretty well," said poole. "why, i did hear that they were going in for fireworks as soon as it was dark, and they fired that gun like a challenge. i shouldn't wonder if they have fireworks of a different kind to what they expect." "yes," said fitz excitedly. "the gunboat will begin firing shells perhaps, and set fire to the town." "bad luck to them if they do," cried poole earnestly, "for it's a beautiful old place with its groves and gardens. here, i say, burnett, i wish this wretched little schooner were your _tonans_, and we were going to fight for poor old don ramon. don't you?" "there's the sun beginning to go down behind the mountain," said fitz, evading the question. "i say, how long will it be before it's dark?" "oh, you know as near as i do. very soon, and the sooner the better. oh, i say, she must see us. she's heading round and coming straight in." "for us or the fort?" "both," said poole emphatically. and then they waited, fancying as the last gleam of the orange sun sank out of sight that they could hear the men breathing hard with suppressed excitement, as they stood there with their sleeves rolled up, waiting for the first order which should mean hauling away at ropes and the schooner beginning to glide towards the great buoy, slackening the cable for the men in the dinghy to cast-off. "here, look at that!" cried fitz excitedly, unconsciously identifying himself more and more with the crew. "what's the matter?" said poole. "wet your hand, and hold it up." "right," said poole; "and so was old burgess. i don't believe there's a man at sea knows more about the wind than he does. half-an-hour ago, dead to sea; now right ashore." "stand by, my lads," growled the boatswain in response to a word from the mate; and a deep low sigh seemed to run all across the deck, as to a man the crew drew in a deep long breath, while with the light rapidly dying out, and the golden tips of the mountains turning purple and then grey, the first order was given, a couple of staysails ran with jigging motion up to their full length, and a chirruping, creaking sound was heard as the men began to haul upon the yard of the mainsail. "ah!" sighed fitz. "we are beginning to move." as he spoke the man at the wheel began to run the spokes quickly through his hands, with the result that to all appearance the men in the dinghy, and the buoy, appeared to be coming close under their quarter. then there was a splash, the dinghy grated against the side, and one of its occupants climbed aboard with the painter, closely followed by the other, the first man running aft with the rope, to make it fast to the ring-bolt astern, while the stops of the capstan rattled as the cast-off cable began to come inboard. "oh, it will be dark directly," said poole excitedly, "and i don't believe they can see us now." the enemy would have required keen eyes and good glasses on board the gunboat to have made them out, for as the sails filled, the schooner careened over and began to glide slowly along the shore as if making for the fort, which she passed and left about a quarter of a mile behind, before she was thrown up into the wind to go upon the other tack, spreading more and more canvas and increasing her speed, as the gunboat, now invisible save for a couple of lights which were hoisted up, came dead on for the town, nearing them fast, and calling for all the mate's seamanship to get the schooner during one of her tacks well out of the heavy craft's course, and leaving her to glide by; though as the darkness increased and they were evidently unseen, this became comparatively easy, for the war-vessel's two lights shone out brighter and brighter at every one of the schooner's tacks. but they were anxious times, and fitz's heart beat fast during the most vital reach, when it seemed to him as they were gliding by the gunboat's bows that they must be seen, even as he could now make out a few sparks rising from time to time from the great funnel, to be smothered in the rolling smoke. but the next minute they were far away, and as they tacked it was this time so that they passed well abaft under the enemy's stern. "ah," said a voice close to them; and as they looked round sharply it was to see the skipper close at hand. "there, boys," he said, "that was running it pretty close. they can't have been keeping a very good look-out aboard that craft. it was much nearer than i liked.--ah, i wonder how poor don ramon will get on." that finished the excitement for the night, for the next hours were passed in a monotonous tacking to and fro, making longer and longer reaches as they got farther out to sea; but they looked shoreward in vain for the flashes of guns and the deep thunderous roar of the big breech-loading cannon. but the sighing of the wind in the rigging and the lapping of water against the schooner's bows were the only sounds that greeted them in the soft tropic night. chapter thirty nine. "never say die!" as long as the excitement kept up, fitz paced the deck with poole, but for two or three nights past regular sleep and his eyelids had been at odds. the consequence was that all at once in the silence and darkness, when there was nothing to take his attention, he became very silent, walking up and down the deck mechanically with his companion to keep himself awake, and a short time afterwards for no reason at all that he was aware of, but because one leg went before the other automatically, his will having ceased to convey its desires to these his supporters, and long after poole had ceased talking to him, he suddenly gave a violent lurch, driving poole, who was in a similar condition, sideways, and if it had not been for the bulwark close at hand they would both have gone down like skittles. for they were both fast asleep, sound as a top, fast as a church, but on the instant wide-awake and angry. "what did you do that for?" cried fitz fiercely. "i didn't," cried poole angrily. "you threw yourself at me." "that i didn't! how could i?" "how should i know? but you've made a great bruise on my elbow; i know that." "quiet! quiet!" said the mate, in a deep low growl. "do you want to bring the gunboat down on us, shouting like that?" and he seemed to loom up upon them out of the darkness. "well, but he--" began fitz. "quiet, i tell you! i have been watching you lads these last ten minutes. you've both been rolling about all over the deck, and i expected to see you go down on your noses every moment. snoring too, one of you was." "well, that wasn't i, i'm sure," cried fitz shortly. "oh, are you?" said the mate. "well, i'm not. there, you are no use up here, either of you. go down and tumble into your bunks at once." "but--" began poole. "you heard what i said, my lad. go and have a good long snooze, and don't make a stupid of yourself, bandying words like that. the watch have all been laughing at you both. now then, clear the deck. i am going to keep things quiet." the officer in charge of a deck is "monarch of all he surveys," like robinson crusoe of old, according to the poem, and as "his right there is none to dispute," both lads yielded to burgesses sway, went down to their berths, rolled in just as they were, and the next minute were fast asleep, breathing more loudly than would have been pleasant to any neighbour. but there was none. their sleep was very short but very solid all the same, and they were ready to spring up wide-awake and hurry on deck just before sunrise, upon hearing the trampling overhead of the watch going through the manoeuvres known as 'bout ship, and then proceeding to obey orders angrily shouted at them by the mate, whose loud voice betokened that he was in an unusual state of excitement, for his words were emphatic in the extreme as he addressed the men after the cry of "all hands on deck," in a way which suggested to one who overheard that they were a gang of the laziest, slowest slovens that ever handled a rope. "here, rouse up!" cried poole. "hear him?" "hear him? yes. what's the matter?" "i dunno. any one would think that we were going to run the gunboat down." the lads ran up on deck, and stared in wonder, for instead of the catastrophe that poole had verbally portrayed, the reverse seemed the probability. in fact, instead of their tacking against the adverse wind having carried them well out to sea, the progress they had made in a direct line was comparatively small, and to the dismay of both the sleepers as they looked over the stern, there was the gunboat not three miles away, foaming down after them under a full pressure of steam. "how do you account for this?" said fitz. "i dunno, unless they went right in, got to know that we had just left, and came after us full chase." it was the idea of the moment, and to use the familiar saying, poole had hit the right nail on the head. it was morning, and nature's signals were in the east, announcing that the sun was coming up full speed, while the former tactics of tacking against the freshening wind had to be set aside at once, for it was evidently only a question of an hour before the gunboat would be within easy range, and what she might do in the interim was simply doubtful. but the skipper and his mate were hard at work; the course had been altered for another run southward, close along the coast; studding-sail booms were being run out from the yards ready for the white sails to be hoisted; and a trial of speed was being prepared between canvas and steam, proof of which was given from the gunboat by the dense clouds of black smoke rolling out of the funnel and showing how hard the stokers were at work. it was a busy time then; sail after sail filled out till the schooner showed as a cloud of canvas gilded by the rising sun, while she literally skimmed through the water dangerously near to a rocky coast. but as the sun rose higher that danger passed away, for as if by magic the wind dropped, leaving the sails flapping, the graceful vessel no longer dipping her cut-water low-down into the surface and covering the deck with spray. poole looked at his father and drew his breath hard, for he saw too plainly the peril in which they stood. they were still gliding gently through the water, but more slowly each minute, and riding now upon an even keel, while the gunboat astern was tearing along, literally ploughing her way, and sending a diverging foam-covered wave to starboard and port. "pretty well all over, burgess," he said, in a low hoarse voice, and fitz stole out his hand to grip poole's wrist and give a warm sympathetic pressure; and he did not draw it back, but stood holding on, listening the while to the mate's slow, thoughtful reply. "i don't know yet," said the latter, half closing his eyes and looking towards the west. "the winds play rum games here sometimes, and you hardly know where you are. they may go through one of their manoeuvres now. this is just about the time, and i shouldn't wonder if we had a sharp breeze from the west again, same as we did yesterday and the day before." "no such luck," said the skipper bitterly. "it won't be the wind off shore; it will be the _teal_ on. you'll have to make for the first opening you see as soon as there's wind enough, and run her right in. don't hesitate a moment, burgess; run her right ashore, and then we must do the best we can with the boats, or swim for it." "run her right ashore!" said the mate grimly. "yes--so that she's a hopeless wreck, impossible to get off." "seems a pity," growled the mate; and his words found an echo in fitz burnett's breast. "yes, but it would be a greater pity for my beautiful little schooner to fall a prize to that wretched tea-kettle there; and i won't have my lads treated as prisoners. i'd sooner we all had to take to the woods." "all right, sir. you're skipper; i'm mate. it's you to give orders, me to carry them out. but i'm beginning to think that they'll have us before we get the wind. you see, it's nearly calm." "yes," said the skipper, "i see; and i wonder they haven't begun firing before." he walked right aft with the mate, leaving the lads alone, with poole looking five years older, so blank and drawn was his face. but it brightened directly, as he felt the warm grip of the young middy's hand, and heard his words. "oh, poole, old chap," fitz half whispered, after a glance round to see if they were likely to be overheard, but only to find that every seaman was either intent upon his duty or watching the enemy in expectation of a first shell or ball from the heavy gun. "oh, poole, old chap," he said again, "i am sorry--i am indeed!" "sorry?" said poole quietly. "yes; for you've all been very kind to me." "well, i am glad to hear you say so, for i tried to be, and the dad liked you because you were such a cocky, plucky little chap. but there: it's no use to cry over spilt milk. i suppose it isn't spilt yet, though," he added, with a little laugh; "but the jug will be cracked directly, and away it will all go into the sea. but i say, can you swim?" "oh yes, i can swim. i learnt when i was a cadet." "that's right; and if we can't get off in one of the boats you keep close alongside of me--i know the dad will like me to stick with you-- and i'll get a life-belt, or one of the buoys, and we will share it together, one to rest in it while the other swims and tows. we'll get to shore somehow, never fear--the whole lot of us, i expect, for the lads will stand by, i am sure." "yes, yes," said fitz, glancing round over the sunlit sea. "but what about the sharks?" "oh!" ejaculated poole involuntarily, and he changed colour. it was just as the skipper and mate came walking sharply forward again. "there!" cried the latter triumphantly. "what did i say?" "splendid!" cried the skipper. "but will it last?" "it did yesterday. why not to-day?" cried the mate fiercely. for the wind had suddenly come in a sharp gust which filled the sails, making several of them snap with a loud report, laid the schooner on her beam-ends, and sent her rushing through the water for some hundred yards, making it come foaming up through the scuppers in fountains, to flood the deck, before she was eased off by the man at the wheel and rose again. but directly after the calm asserted itself once more; the greater part of the sea was like a mirror, with only cat's-paws here and there; and the gunboat came pounding on as stern as fate. "all right," said the mate cheerily; "it's coming again," and he ran to the man at the wheel. "stand by, my lads," cried the skipper, "ready to let go those stuns'ls. we mustn't be taken again like that." the men rushed to the sheets, and when the wind came again, it came to stay, striking the heavily-canvassed schooner a tremendous blow, to which she only careened over, and not a drop of water came on board, for the light studding-sails were let go to begin flapping and snapping like whip-thongs until the violence of the gust had passed; and by that time the men were busy reducing the canvas, and the schooner was flying through the water like the winning yacht in a race. "never say die!" cried poole, with a laugh. "we are going faster than the gunboat now." "yes," replied fitz thoughtfully; "but she has the command of the sea, and can cut us off." "as long as her coals last," said poole, "and they're burning them pretty fast over this. i'd give something to guess what old burgess means to do. he's got something in his head that i don't believe my father knows." "oh, he'd be sure to know," said fitz, whose hopes were rising fast, his sympathies being entirely now with those who had proved such friends. "oh, no, he wouldn't. old burgess can be as mute as a fish when he likes, and there's nothing pleases him better than taking people by surprise." "but what can he do more than race right away?" "well, i'll tell you, burnett, old chap. it's no use for him to think of racing right away. what he'll do is this. i have said something of the kind to you before. he knows this coast just like his abc, the bays and rivers and backwaters and crannies all amongst the rocks. he's spent days and days out in a boat sounding and making rough charts; and what he'll do, i feel certain, is this--make for some passage in amongst the rocks where he can take the little _teal_, run right in where the gunboat dare not come, and stay there till she's tired out." "but then they'll sink us with their gun." "oh no; he'll get her right into shelter where she can't be seen." "then the gunboat captain will send after us with his armed boats and board us where we lie." "let him," said poole grimly. "that's just what old burgess and all the lads would like. mr don what's-his-name and his men would find they had such a hedgehog to tackle that they'd soon go back again faster than they came." "do you think your father would do that?" said fitz, after a glance aft, to note that they were leaving the gunboat steadily behind. "why, of course," cried poole. "but it's resisting a man-of-war." "well, what of that? we didn't boggle about doing it with one of the queen's ships, so you don't suppose that dad would make much bones about refusing to strike to a mongrel spaniard like that?" fitz was silent, and somehow then in a whirl of exciting thoughts it did not seem so very serious a thing, but brought up passages he had read in old naval books of cutting-out expeditions and brave fightings against heavy odds. and then as they went flying through the water the exhilaration of the chase took up all his attention, and the conversation dropped out of his mental sight, for it lasted hours, and during all that time the _teal_ skimmed along, following out her old tactics close to a lovely surf-beaten shore, passing bluff and valley openings where there were evidently streams pouring out from the mountains to discolour the silver sea, and offering, as the middy thought, endless havens of refuge, till about the hottest part of the day, when the pitch seemed to be seething in the seams. all at once the captain, after a short conversation with his mate, went forward with a couple of men, and burgess went himself to take the wheel. "now then," said poole, "what did i tell you?" "do you think we are going to turn in here?" "that's just what i do think. here, do you want a job?" "yes--no--of course--what do you want me to do?" "go and tell the camel to get the oiliest breakfast he can all ready, for we are half-starved." "don't talk nonsense!" cried fitz angrily. "what do you mean?" "mean? why, look! old grumbo's running us right in for the line of surf below that bluff. there's an opening there, i'll be bound. look at the coloured water too. there must be a good-sized river coming down from somewhere. oh, the old fox! he knows what he's about. there's one of his holes in there, and the hunt is nearly up. i mean, the little _teal_ is going in to find her nest." "well, i hope you are right," said fitz quietly; and then he stood watching while the little schooner seemed as if being steered to certain destruction, but only to glide by the threatened danger into a wide opening hidden heretofore, and where the rocks ran up, jungle-covered, forming the sides of a lovely valley whose limits were hidden from the deck. at that moment the middy became aware of the fact that one of the men was busy with the skipper heaving the lead and shouting the soundings loud enough for the mate to hear, while with educated ear fitz listened and grasped the fact how dangerously the water shoaled, till it seemed at last that the next minute they must run aground. for a few minutes it was as though something was clutching at the boy's throat, making his breath come hot and fast; and he glanced back to see where the gunboat was, but looked in vain, for a side of the valley rose like a towering wall between, and on glancing in the other direction there was another stupendous wall running up to mountain height, and all of gorgeous greens. the next minute, when he looked forward, feeling that at any moment he might have to swim, the voice of the man with the lead-line seemed to ring out louder and more clear, announcing fathoms, as a short time before he had shouted feet. there was a curious stillness too reigning around. the roar of surf upon the rocky shore was gone; the wind had dropped; and the _teal_ was gliding slowly up the grand natural sanctuary into which she had been steered, while the lad awakened to the fact that they had entered a rushing stream, and as the feeling gained ground of all this being unreal, their safety being, as it were, a dream, he was brought back to the bare matter-of-fact by hearing an order given, the anchor descending with a splash, and poole bringing his hand down sharply upon his shoulder, to cry exultantly-- "there, old chap; what did i say!" chapter forty. "defence, not defiance." "what did you say? oh yes, i remember. it has come out all right; but we shall have them in here directly, after us." "what's that?" said the skipper, who overheard his words. "i hope not, and i doubt of their getting within shot. here, burgess." "hallo!" growled the mate, and he came slowly up, looking, as poole afterwards said, like the proverbial bear with a sore head. "here's mr burnett prophesying all kinds of evil things about us." "ah!" growled the mate. "he didn't know any better. i never prophesy till after the thing has taken place. what did he say?" "that we shall have the gunboat in here after us directly. what do you say to that?" the mate's sour countenance expanded into a broad smile, and he came close up to the middy and clapped him on the shoulder. "good lad," he said. "i hope you are right." "hope i'm right!" said fitz, staring. "why, if she steams in within shot they'll make such practice with that gun that we shall be knocked all to pieces." "you mean they would if they got well within sight; but look for yourself. where could they lay her to get a shot? i can't see." "no," said fitz thoughtfully, as he looked anxiously back and saw that they were thoroughly sheltered by projecting cliff and headland. "i suppose they couldn't get within shot." "no. that's right, my lad; and they couldn't come in anything like near enough if it were all open water from here to where they are now." "what, is the water so shoal?" asked fitz. "shoal? yes," growled the mate, his face growing sour again. "we've nearly scraped the bottom over and over again. i only wish they'd try it. they'd be fast on some of those jags and splinters, and most likely with a hole in the bottom. my opinion, captain reed, is that if the skipper of that gunboat does venture in he'll never get out again; and that would suit us down to the ground. bah--bah! he knows this coast too well, and he won't be such a fool as to try." "no," said the skipper confidently; "you are quite right, burgess. he won't be such a fool as to try. but we must have a boat out at once to go back and watch, for i'm pretty sure that don what's-his-name will be lowering a couple of his with armed crews to come in and scuttle us if they can't tow us out." "ah, well, they can't do that," said the mate coolly. "they'd be meeting us on equal terms then, and you won't let them." "no," said the skipper, smiling, as he turned to fitz; "i don't think we shall let them do that, mr burnett. my lads will be only too glad to receive the gunboat's crew on equal terms and send them back with a flea in their ears." "ay," said the mate, with a grunt; "and quite right too. i think it is our turn to give them a bit of our mind, after the way in which they have been scuffling us about lately. shall i go with the boat?" "yes, you'd better. take the gig, and four men to row." "i can go, father?" cried poole eagerly. "well, i don't know," said the skipper. "if you go, mr burnett here will want to be with you, and i know how particular he is as a young officer not to be seen having anything to do with our filibustering, as he calls it." fitz frowned with annoyance, and seemed to give himself a regular snatch. "you'd rather not go, of course?" continued the skipper dryly. "i can't help wanting to go, mr reed," replied the lad sharply; "and if i went just as a spectator i don't see how i should be favouring any of your designs." "well, no," said the skipper dryly, "if you put it like that. i don't see after all how you could be accused of turning buccaneer. but would you really like to go?" "why, of course," said fitz. "it's all experience." "off with you then," said the skipper; "only don't get within shot. i don't want to have to turn amateur doctor again on your behalf. i am clever enough at cuts and bruises, and i dare say if i were hard put to it i could manage to mend a broken leg or arm, but i wouldn't undertake to be hunting you all over to find where a rifle-bullet had gone. accidents are my line, not wounds received in war; and, by the way, while we are talking of such subjects, if we have to lie up here in this river for any time, you had better let me give you a dose or two of quinine." "oh, but i am quite well now," cried fitz. "yes, and i want you to keep so, my lad. that's a very good old proverb that says, `prevention is better than cure.'" a very short time afterwards the schooner's gig, with her little well-armed crew, was allowed to glide down with the stream, with the mate, boat-hook in hand, standing in the bows, poole astern with the rudder-lines, and fitz a spectator, thoroughly enjoying the beauty of the vast cliffs that arose on either side as they descended towards the river's mouth. it was all zigzag and winding, the stream carrying them along slowly, for a sharp sea-breeze was dead against them, explaining how it was that the schooner had sailed up so easily as she had. fitz had ample proof, without poole's drawing his attention to the fact, that there was no possibility of the gunboat making practice with her heavy piece, for everywhere the schooner was sheltered, the course of the river being all zigzag and wind, till all at once, as the men were dipping their oars gently, the gig passed round a bend, and there was the enemy about three miles off shore, lying-to, with her great black plume of smoke floating towards them, spreading out like a haze and making her look strange and indistinct. "did you bring a glass, poole, my lad?" growled the mate. "no; i never thought of that." "humph! never mind. i think i can manage. both of you lads give a sharp look-out and tell me what you can see." "why, there's something between us and her hull," said poole, "but i can't quite make out what it is. surely she isn't on a rock?" "no," cried fitz; "i can see. she has lowered a boat." "two," said the mate, in his deep hoarse voice. "i can make 'em out now. i thought that was it at first. pull away, my lads, for all you're worth. pull your port line, my lad, and let's run back. hug the shore as much as you can, so as to keep out of the stream. hah! if we had thought to bring a mast and sail and one of the other boats we could have been back in no time with this wind astern." the gig swung round as the men bent in their quick steady pull, and they began to ascend the stream once more, while fitz rose in his place, to look back watching the half-obscured gunboat till they had swept round the bend once more and she was out of sight, when he re-seated himself and noticed that the mate was still standing, intent upon cautiously taking cartridges from his pouch and thrusting them into the chambers of the revolver which he had drawn from the holster of his belt. this looked like business, and fitz turned to dart an inquiring look at his companion, who answered it with a nod. "well," thought fitz, "if he thinks we are going to have a fight before we get back, why doesn't he order his men to load?" but it proved that the mate did not anticipate a fight before they got back. he had other thoughts in his head, and when at last, after a long and anxious row against the sharp current, with the lads constantly looking back to see if the gunboat's men were within sight, they reached the final zigzag, and caught sight of the schooner, old burgess raised his hand and fired three shots at the face of the towering cliff. these three were echoed back as about a score, when there was an interval, and three tiny puffs of grey smoke darted from the schooner's deck, and echoed in their turn. "signal answered," said poole quietly, and the men made their ash-blades bend again in their eagerness to get back aboard. "why, what have they been about?" whispered fitz. "looks like going fishing," said poole, with a grin. "don't chaff at a time like this," cried fitz pettishly. "i didn't know that you had got boarding-netting like a man-of-war." "what, don't you remember the night you came aboard?" "not likely, with everything knocked out of my head as it was." "oh yes, we've got all these little necessaries. father goes on the volunteer system: `defence, not defiance.'" "well, that's defiant enough," said fitz. "it's like saying, `you're not coming aboard here,' in string." "of course. you don't suppose we want a set of half indian, half spanish mongrel sailors taking possession of the _teal_? you wait till we get aboard, and you'll see all our lads busy with the fleas." "busy with the fleas?" said fitz. "what do you mean?" "those father talked about, to put in the don's ears before we send them back." "how can you go on making poor jokes at a time like this?" said the middy, in a tone of annoyance. "why, it looks as if we are in for a serious fight." "as if _we_ are!" said poole, emphasising the "we." "how many more times am i to tell you that it is our game and not yours?" "but look here," said fitz excitedly. "your father really does mean to fight?" "my father does, and so does every one else," replied poole. "in oars, my lads," and the next moment the mate hooked on close to the gangway. "i suppose," continued poole, "you will stop on deck till the row begins? you will want to see all you can." "of course," said fitz, whose face was once more growing flushed. "well, i wouldn't stop up too long. the enemy may fire, and you will be safer down below." "yes, i suppose so," said the middy coolly; "and of course you are coming too?" "coming too? that's likely, isn't it?" said poole contemptuously. "just as likely as that i should go and hide." "but it's no business of yours. you are not going to fight." "no," said fitz, "but i want to see." chapter forty one. fitz forgets. the boarding-netting was partially drawn aside, and fitz noted that more than ever the crew of the schooner looked like well-trained man-of-war's men, each with his cutlass belted on, waiting for the next order, given in the skipper's voice, when the gig's falls were hooked on and she was run up to the davits and swung inboard, as were the other boats, and when the lad sprang on deck he saw that the netting was being lowered down and secured over the gangway. it was plain enough that from the moment the gig had pushed off, all hands had been at work preparing to resist attack if an attempt at capture were made; and once more the middy forgot his own identity as a naval officer in his eagerness and interest in all that was going on. "oh, one word, mr burnett," said the skipper, as he passed where the lad was standing. "hadn't you better go below? you've got to think about who you are if the spaniards take us," and then with a good-humoured smile as he read the vexation in the boy's countenance, "hadn't i better lock you up in the cabin?" "i say, captain reed," cried the boy, in a voice full of protest, "i do wish you wouldn't do this. i can't help having a nasty temper, and this puts me all of a tingle. it seems so hard that men should always laugh at boys and think they are cowards. we can't help being young." "of course you can't, my lad," said the skipper, patting him on the back. "there, i will never tease you again. in all probability there won't be anything serious, but if there is, take care of yourself, my boy, for i shouldn't like you to be hurt." he gave his listener a pleasant nod, and hurried on towards the mate, while fitz joined poole, who had nothing now to do, and they occupied themselves in keeping watch for the expected boats and going about amongst the men, whose general appearance seemed to fitz to be that they were going to some entertainment by way of a treat. but the treat promised to be serious, for rifles were here and there placed ready for use, and close to every man there was a capstan-bar, evidently intended to use as a club, a most effective weapon whose injuries would not prove of a very dangerous type. fitz whispered as much to his companion, who nodded and then replied-- "well, that depends on what the lads call the spaniel dogs. the dad doesn't want it to be too serious, of course, but we can't help it if these fellows make our lads savage. you see, we've got cutlasses and rifles, and fellows forget to be gentle if they are hurt." "but we are not at war with don villarayo's state." "no," said poole, "and villarayo is not at war with our schooner and the men, but if he begins giving us olivers he must expect to get rolands back. those who play at bowls, you know, must expect rubbers, and when englishmen rub, they rub hard." fitz half turned away to look astern. "i say," he said, "aren't they a long time coming?" "no; they had a long way to row." "seems a long time. perhaps they have thought better of it and gone back." "think so? well, i don't. they are sure to come. but i dare say it will be a good quarter of an hour yet--perhaps half." "well," said fitz, "for my part, i--" he stopped short, and poole looked at him curiously. "well?" he said. "you what? what were you going to say?" "nothing. you'd only think that i was afraid." "oh, i know," said poole. "you were going to say that you hope it won't turn out serious. i shouldn't think that you were afraid. i feel just the same. but you may make up your mind for one thing. we are in the strongest position, and villarayo's sailors won't be allowed to take the _teal_. if it comes to bloodshed, it's their doing, mind, and not ours. now, don't let's talk any more." "why not?" said fitz. "i feel as if i must. perhaps i shouldn't if i were one of your crew, and like that." he pointed quickly to his companion's belt, from which hung a sword, and then quickly touched the flap of the little holster buttoned over the brass stud. "you won't use that, will you?" he said. "not if i can help it," was the reply. "help it! why, of course you needn't unless you like." "well, i shouldn't like to, of course. but if you were i, and you saw one of these fellows aiming at one of your men, say at old butters or chips, setting aside the dad, wouldn't you try and whip it out to have first shot?" fitz nodded shortly, and for the time being the conversation ceased, while the lads' attention was taken up by the sight of the camel, who after making a rattling noise as if stoking his fire in the galley, shut the door with a bang, and came out red-faced and hot, wiping his hands prior to buckling on a belt with its cutlass and then helping himself to a capstan-bar. it was only a few minutes later that the bows of a large cutter came in sight, followed by the regularly dipping oars of the crew of swarthy sailors who were pulling hard. the next moment the uniforms of two officers could be made out in the stern-sheets, where they sat surrounded by what answered to marines, and before the cutter had come many yards the bows of its consort appeared. as they came within sight of the schooner a cheer arose, a sort of imitation british cheer, which had a curious effect upon the schooner's crew, for to them it seemed so comic that they laughed; but a growl from the mate made every one intent for the serious work in hand, as at the next order they divided in two parties, each taking one side of the schooner for the defence under command of the skipper and his chief officer. "you understand, burgess?" said the former sternly. "you will keep a sharp eye on us, and i'll keep one on you. it must be a case of the one helping the other who is pressed." the mate grunted, and the skipper spoke out to his men. "look here, my lads," he said; "we are not at war, and i want no bloodshed. use your capstan-bars as hard as you like, and tumble them back into their boats, or overboard. no cutlass, edge or point, unless i give the word." the answer was a cheer, and then all eyes were directed to the boats, which were coming faster through the water now, till, at a command from the foremost stern-sheets, the men slackened and waited for their consort to come up abreast. another command was given, when the oars dipped faster all together, the boats dividing so as to take the schooner starboard and port. "not going to summon us to surrender?" said the skipper sharply. "very well; but i think we shall make them speak." the two boys stood together in the stern, close to the wheel, seeing the boats divide and pass them on either hand; and then with hearts throbbing they waited for what was to come--and not for long. matters moved quickly now, till the boats bumped and grazed against the schooner's sides, two sharp orders rang out as their coxswains hooked on, and then with a strange snarling roar their crews began to scramble up to the bulwarks, and with very bad success. they had not far to go, for the schooner's bulwarks were very low for a sea-going vessel, but here was the main defence, the nets fully ten feet high and very strong--a defence suggestive of the old gladiatorial fight between the retiarius, or net and trident-bearer, and the secutor, or sword and shield-carrying man-at-arms. there was no firing then; the spaniards seized the net and began to climb, some becoming entangled, as in their hurry a leg or an arm slipped through, while the defenders dashed at them and brought their capstan-bars into use, crack and thud resounding, sending some back upon their companions, others into the boats, while three or four splashes announced the fall of unfortunates into the water. loud shouts came from the boats as the officers urged the men on, and from each an officer in uniform began to climb now and lead, followed by quite a crowd on either side, some of them hacking at the stout cord with their cutlasses, but doing little mischief, crippled as they were by the sharp blows which were hailed down by the schooner's crew, upon hand, foot, and now and then upon some unlucky head. chips the carpenter, who was nothing without making some improvement upon the acts of his fellows, made a dash at the officer leading the attacking boat on the starboard side, delivering a thrust with the bar he carried, which passed right through the large mesh of the net, catching the spaniard in the chest and sending him backwards into the boat. "that's what i calls a canterbury poke, dear boys," he cried. "let 'em have it, my lads. the beggars look like so many flies in a spider's web; and we are the spiders." the shouting, yelling, and struggling did not last five minutes. man after man succeeded the fallen, and then it was all over, the boats floating back with the current until they were checked by those in command, who ordered the oars out and the men to row. but it was some little time before the confusion on board each could be mastered, and the disabled portions of the crew drawn aside. "well done, my lads!" cried the skipper. "couldn't be better!" "here," shouted the mate, "a couple of you up aloft and tighten that net up to the stay. two more of you get a bit of signal-line and lace up those holes." "ay, ay, sir!" came readily enough, and the men rushed to their duty. "think that they have had enough of it?" said fitz huskily. "not they," replied poole. "we shall hear directly what they have got to say." he had scarcely spoken before there was a fierce hail from one of the boats, whose commander shouted in spanish to the skipper to surrender; and upon receiving a defiant reply in his own tongue, the officer roared-- "surrender, you scum, or i'll order my men to fire; and as soon as you are my prisoners i'll hang you all, like the dogs you are." "back with you to your ship, you idiot, before you get worse off," cried the captain sternly. "dogs can bite, and when english dogs do, they hold on." "surrender!" roared the officer again, "or i fire." "at the first shot from your boat," cried the skipper, "i'll give the order too; and my men from shelter can pick off yours much faster than yours from the open boat." "insolent dog!" roared the officer, and raising a revolver he fired at the skipper, the bullet whistling just above his head. in an instant poole's revolver was out, and without aiming he fired too in the direction of the boat. he fired again and again over the attacking party's heads, until the whole of the six chambers were empty, and with the effect of making the republican sailors cease rowing, while their boats drifted with the current, rapidly increasing the distance. the order to fire from the boats did not come, but the second boat closed up to the first, and a loud and excited colloquy arose, there being evidently a difference of opinion between the leaders, one officer being for another attack; the second--so the skipper interpreted it from such of the words as he could catch--being for giving up and going back to the gunboat for advice. and all the time, both boats still in confusion drifted farther and farther away; but at last the fiery leader of the first gained the day; his fellow gave up, and when the order was given to advance once more in the first boat he supplemented it in the second, and a low deep murmur rose up. "why, fitz," whispered poole, "they have had enough of it. the mongrels won't come on." "think so?" whispered back fitz, gazing excitedly over the stern, while poole's fingers were busy thrusting in fresh cartridges till his revolver chambers were full. "yes, it's plain enough," cried poole, for the voices of the officers could be heard angrily threatening and abusing their men; but all in vain. there was the appearance of struggles going on, and in one boat the sun flashed two or three times from the blade of a sword as it was raised in the air and used as a weapon of correction, its owner striking viciously at his mutinous men. "ah!" ejaculated fitz. "that's done it. they are more afraid of him than they are of us--of you, i mean. they are coming on again." for the oars were dipping, making the water foam once more, as the crews in both the boats began to pull with all their might. but only half; the others backed water, and directly after the boats' heads had been turned and they were being rowed back as hard as they would go, till they disappeared round the first bend to the tune of a triumphant cheer given in strong chorus by every man upon the _teal_. just at that moment fitz clapped one hand to his cheek, for it felt hot, consequent upon the thought having struck him, that in his excitement he had been cheering too. that burning sensation was the result of a hint from his conscience that such conduct was not creditable to a young officer in the royal navy. chapter forty two. the camel's demand. the nets were soon mended and the slack places hauled up taut, while the _teal's_ crew sauntered about the deck, waiting patiently for the next attack, and compared notes about the slight injuries they had received. meanwhile the skipper and mate were anxiously on the alert for what might happen next. "i want to know what they mean, burgess," the lads heard the skipper say. "they'll never put up with such a rebuff as this." "oh, i don't know," growled burgess. "the officers wouldn't, of course, but they'll never get those swabs to face us for another bout." "what do you think, then? that they will go back for fresh boats' crews?" "that's somewhere about it, or some stinkpots to heave aboard, or maybe, if they have got one, for a barge or pinnace with a boat's gun." "possibly," said the skipper, and poole gave fitz a nudge with his elbow as if to ask, did you hear that?--a quite unnecessary performance, for fitz had drunk in every word. "yes," continued the skipper; "they'll be after something or another. don cousin is bound to take us by some means, and we must be on the look-out for a surprise. can we wait till dark and slip out to sea again?" "no," said the mate abruptly; "i want broad daylight for anything like that. i couldn't take the schooner a quarter of a mile in the dark without getting her on the rocks." "i suppose not," said the skipper; "and i suppose it's no use to try and get higher up the stream?" "not a bit," replied the mate. "the boats would follow us anywhere. i am very sorry. i've brought you into a regular trap, and there's only one way out, and the gunboat's sitting on it. but under the circumstances there was nothing else to be done. how i do hate these tea-kettles! but one must look the plain truth in the face. they can go anywhere, and we, who depend upon our sails, can't." "that's all true enough," said the skipper, "but it doesn't better our position. what i want to know is, how things are going on lower down. now, if you lads, or one of you," he continued, turning to the boys, "could shin up that high cliff yonder you could see the boats and the gunboat too, and make signals to us so that we might know what to expect." "all right, father," said poole sharply, and he glanced at fitz as he spoke; "have me landed in the dinghy, and i'll go up and see." fitz looked at the speaker, and his eyes said, "all right, i'll come with you;" but the skipper made no answer for a time, but stood shading his eyes and sweeping the face of the cliff, before dropping his hand and saying-- "how would you do it, my lad?" "oh, by climbing up, father, a bit at a time, getting hold of the bushes and hauling oneself up sometimes." "ah," said the skipper quietly. "you would be very clever if you did. it might be managed for a little way up, but all that upper part isn't perpendicular; it hangs right over towards us. impossible, my lad. nothing could get up there but a bird or a fly. we must give up that idea. burgess, you will have to lower a boat and let her drift down to the headland there, stern on, and with the men ready to pull for their lives, as you may be fired at. when you get to the head you must let her slide along close under the bushes till you get a sight of the boats and see what they're doing." "right," said the mate. "now?" "yes; the sooner the better." poole glanced at fitz, and then started to speak to his father; but before he could open his lips there was an emphatic-- "no! you would only be in the way, my lads. i want four strong men to row, and one in the stern to look out; and that one is mr burgess." "very well, father," said the lad quietly, but he looked his disappointment at fitz, whose vexation was plainly marked on his countenance, as he mentally said, "oh, bother! he might have let us go." things were done promptly on board the _teal_, and in a few moments the cutter was lowered down with its little crew after the netting had been cast loose and raised; and then they watched her glide down with the stream, stern on, with the rowers balancing their oars, the stroke dipping his now and then to keep her head to stream, and the mate standing with his back to them till the headland was reached, when he knelt down, caught at the overhanging bushes and water-plants, and let the boat drift close in and on and on without making a sign, till she disappeared. just then fitz heaved a sigh. "what's the matter, old chap?" said poole. "oh, we shall have nothing to do but wait now, perhaps for hours, for i expect the enemy has gone right back to the gunboat, and waiting is a thing i do thoroughly hate. eh? is that you, camel?" "andy cawmell it is, sir. a'm thenking that it would be joost a good time for a wee bit food. ah've been watching mr burnett here, and the puir laddie looks quite white and faint. would you mind telling the skipper that i've got a wee bit hot dinner a' ready? and if he will gi'e the word i'll have it in the cabin in less time than duncan made-hose took his pinch of sneeshin." "well done, camel!" cried poole, who darted to his father, leaving the cook blinking and smiling at fitz, who looked at him in admiration. "why, camel," he said, "you are a deal too clever for a ship's cook, and i don't know what i owe you for all you have done for me." "oh, joost naething at all, laddie." "nothing! i want to make you a big present when i can." "you do, laddie? vairy weel, and i'll tell you what i'd like. ye'll just gi'e me one of them quarter-poond tins of glasgie sneeshin." "snuff!" said poole contemptuously. "ay, laddie; snuff, as ye call it. nay, don't turn your nose up at sneeshin. ye should turn it down. thenk of what it is to a man condemned to get naething but a bit of dirty black pigtail tobaccy that he has to chew like the lads do in their barbarous way. ye'll mind that: a four-ounce tin of the rale glasgie." "oh, but--" "nay, nay, laddie. that'll make us square. now then, what's the young skipper got to say?" "the sooner the better, camel, for he's half-starved; but you are to keep a bit hot for mr burgess." "ou, ay," said the camel, smiling. "i never forget the mate. he wadna let me if i would." the two lads watched anxiously for the return of the boat, but in vain, and then, in answer to the summons, went reluctantly below as far as their minds were concerned, but with wondrous willingness on the part of their bodies, to join the skipper over a capital meal, which was hastily discussed, and then the trio went on deck to where the men were keeping watch, and ordered them to go below. "get your dinner, lads, as quickly as you can, and then come up again. we'll keep watch until you do." they took their places aft at once, and the watch began, lasting till, headed by the boatswain, the men hurried up again, looking inquiringly in the faces of those they relieved; but they looked in vain, for nothing had been seen of the cutter, and quite an hour had passed when she came round the bend, being rowed swiftly, for the mate to hail the skipper and make the announcement-- "they have gone right back to the gunboat, and i waited till they were run up to the davits, and then came back. is there anything we can have to eat?" chapter forty three. winks's plans. the mate and the boat's crew went below, and the skipper took a turn or so up and down the deck, thinking deeply, while the two lads went and settled themselves down aft to keep a keen look-out for any danger that might approach, and naturally dropped into conversation, first about the fight, a subject which they thoroughly exhausted before they began a debate upon their position. "what's to be done, eh?" said poole, in response to a question. "i don't know. we are regularly boxed up--trapped. you heard what was said, and here we are. we can't attempt to sail out in the daylight because don cousin would sink us as sure as his great gun, and we can't sneak out in the dark because, even if we got a favourable wind, old burgess couldn't find the way." "we might take to the boats, and slip off as soon as it was dark, and row along close in shore. we should be out of sight long before daybreak, and join don ramon at velova." "exactly," said poole sarcastically; "and leave a note on the binnacle, `with father's compliments to don cousin, and he begged to make him a present of the smartest little schooner, just as she stands, that ever crossed the atlantic.' likely, isn't it?" "oh no," said fitz hurriedly. "of course that wouldn't do." "oh, i don't know," said poole, in the same mocking vein. "it doesn't do to be in too much of a hurry over a good idea. there, you wait till the dad turns and is coming back this way, and then you go and propose it to him." "likely, as you say," said fitz, with a laugh. "but look here, what is to be done?" "i only know of one thing," replied poole; "keep a strict watch for the next prank they will play, and beat them off again till they get tired and give it up as a bad job." "that they will never do," said fitz decidedly. "think they could land and get up on one of these cliffs from the shore side, and pick us off by degrees with their rifles?" "no," said poole, leaning back and gazing upwards. "i think that would be impossible." "well," said fitz, "what do you say to this? man the boats after dark, row out to the gunboat, board her, and take her. now, i think that would be grand." "oh yes, grand enough; but she's a man-of-war with small guns as well as the big one, and a large, well-drilled crew. no, no, they would be too keenly on the watch. i don't believe we could do that. i've a good mind to mention it, though, to father. no, i won't. he'd have thought of that, and he'd only look upon it as so much impudence, coming from me." "i dunno," said fitz. "here he comes. try." "here, you two," said the skipper, coming close up to them; "i have a nice little job for you. take four men, poole, and drop down in a boat cautiously. don't be seen, and get down to where you can watch the gunboat till dark, and then come back here and report what you have made out. of course if they make any movement you come back directly and let me know." these orders put all farther scheming out of the lads' heads, and a very short time afterwards poole had selected chips and three other men, and the boat was gliding down with the current, each bend being cautiously rounded in the expectation of the enemy being seen once more ascending the river. but the last headland was passed with the boat kept well under shelter of the overhanging growth, and the open sea lay before them; and there, about two miles away, and exactly opposite the mouth of the river, lay the gunboat with a film of smoke rising from her funnel, indicating that steam was being kept up, while by means of the glass that this time had not been left behind, they could plainly make out that she was lying at anchor, keeping watch upon the shore. "there," said poole, "i'll be bound to say she's just at the mouth of the channel by which we came in, and as close as she dare come. we should look nice sailing down nearer and nearer to her. bah! we should never get half-way there." "well, what's to be done?" said fitz. "what we were told. make ourselves comfortable till the sun's just beginning to go down, and then get back as quickly as we can.--make her fast, my lads, with the painter--there, to that branch, only so that we can slip off in a minute, for we may have to go in a hurry at any time." this was done, and they watched and waited in silence, keeping well out of sight behind the shrubby growth, from the knowledge that the mouth of the river was certain to be carefully scanned by those on board the gunboat with their glasses. "looks to me," observed poole, "as if they mean to tire us out." "oh yes, sir, that's it," said chips. "i wish i had brought my tools with me." "why?" said poole, who was glad to break the monotony of their watch by a chat with the men. "oh, it's as well to make the most use of your time, sir. looks to me as if the don captain had taken a lease of that pitch and meant to stay; and under the suckumstances i couldn't do better than land here and get up to that sort of shelf yonder. beautiful situation too, freehold if you held tight. raither lonely perhaps, but with my axe and these 'ere three stoopids to help me, i could knock the skipper up a nice eligible marine villa, as they calls it, where we could all live comfortable for a year or two; and you young gents could have nice little gardens of your own. then i could make you a little harbour where you could keep your boat and go fishing and shooting and having a high old time. i don't think you'd get such a chance again." "and what about the schooner?" said fitz, laughing. "oh, we should have to dismantle her, and work up the stuff, bulkheads and such-like, to line the new house. i've got an idea that i could work in all the hatches and tarpaulins for a roof; for though you get plenty of sunshine out here, my word, when it do rain, it do! what do you say, sir?" "nothing," said poole. "it won't do, chips." "well, no, sir; i thought it wouldn't when i first began to speak." "try again." "don't think i have got any more stuff, sir. but lookye here; why don't the skipper take us all down in the boats when it's dark, and let us board the enemy and take her? we could, couldn't we, messmates?" "yes, of course," came in a growl. "there, sir! you 'ear?" "yes, i hear," said poole, "and i dare say we could, but only at the expense of half the lads killed and wounded; and that would be paying too dear. now, look here, my lad; here's an idea rather in your way. couldn't we make a plan to scuttle and sink the gunboat where she lies? what do you say to that?" "can't be did, sir. i could creep alongside the schooner and do it to her; but that there gunboat's got heavy steel plates right round her, going ever so deep, and they'd be rather too much for my tools. they'd spoil every auger i've got. the skipper hasn't got a torpedo aboard, has he? one of them new 'uns that you winds up and sets a-going with a little screw-propeller somewheres astern, and a head full of nitro-- what-d'ye-call-it, which goes off when it hits?" "no," said poole, as he lay back gazing at the gunboat through his half-closed eyes, and in imagination saw the little thread-like appearance formed by the disturbed water as a fish-torpedo ploughed its way along; "we didn't bring anything of the kind." "no, sir; i thought you wouldn't. but what about a big bag of powder stuck alongside her rudder? you see, you might tie the bag up with a bit of spun-yarn rubbed with wet powder, and leave a long end hanging down as far as the boat in which you rowed out." "and set a light to it?" said fitz. "that's right, sir. you see," cried chips, "and it would go fizzling and sparkling till we rowed right away out of reach, and up she'd go, bang." "and while you were striking matches to light the touch-string, the enemy would be shooting at you or dropping cold shot or pig-ballast into us to sink the boat," said poole. "bah!" said fitz. "they keep such a strict watch that they would never let a row-boat come near." "no, sir," said chips; "that's just what i think. them spaniels aren't very clever, but they all seem to have got eyes in their heads. now, this 'ere's a better idee. say you are the skipper, and you says to half-a-dozen of us, `now, my lads, them there span'ls is making themselves a regular noosance with that there big gun. don't you think you could take the gig to-night, drop down under their bows, hook on by the fore-chains, and then swarm up on the quiet like, catch hold of the big gun, carry her to the side, and drop her over into deep water!'" "ha! ha! capital!" cried fitz. "splendid! yes, i don't believe she weighs more than two or three tons. why, poole, we ought to go to-night. they wouldn't be able to get her up again without a lighter and divers from new york. but it's a capital idea." "don't you mind what he says," growled the carpenter. "he's a-quizzing on us, my lads. well, i gives that up. that job would be a bit too stiff." "yes," said poole, laughing. "try again." "i dunno what they wants a great clumsy lumbering thing like that aboard a ship for. bower-anchors is bad enough, banging against your craft; but you can lower them down to the bottom when your ship gets tired, and give her a bit of a rest." "yes," said one of the other sailors; "you'll have to think of something better than that, shavings." "ay, but that was a fine idea, my lad, if the gun had been a bit lighter. the span'ls would have been so flabbergasted when they heard the splash, that we should have had lots of time to get away. now, let me see; let me see. what we wants is a big hole in that gunboat's bottom, so that they would be obliged to take to their boats. what do you say to this? i've got a bottle of stain aboard as i used to do over the wood at the top of the locker in the skipper's cabin, and made it look like hoggermy. now, suppose i undressed a bit, say to my flannel-shirt, tied an old red comforter that i've got round my waist, to keep my trowges up, and then touches my hands and arms and phiz over with some of that stain. then i swims off to the gunboat, asks civil like for the don skipper, and says i'm a spanish ab and a volunteer come on the job." "and what then?" said fitz, laughing. "ah, you may laugh, sir. but you can't expect a common sailor like me, who's a bit handy with his hammer and saw, to be up to all the dodges of an educated young gent like you as has sarved his time aboard the _bry-tannia_ in dartmouth harbour. but of course there's a `what then' to all i said. i shouldn't want to dress myself up like a play-hactor in a penny show, with a red pocket-hankerchy tied to a mop-stick, big boots, and a petticut instead of trowges, pretending he's a black pirate, with a blood-red flag, one of your penny plain and twopence coloured kind, you know. i did lots of them when i was a young 'un, and had a box of paints. not me. there's a `what then' to all this 'ere, a sting to it, same as there is in a wopse's tail." "let's have it then," said fitz. "i want to hear what you'd do when don cousin there shakes hands with you and says, `you're the very man i've been waiting for all through this voyage.'" "yes, sir; that's it. you've got it to rights. that's just what he says, only it'd be in his spanish liquorice lingo; and then the very first time i takes my trick at the wheel i looks out for one of them ugly sharp-pinted rocks like a fang just sticking out of the water, runs the gunboat right a-top of it, makes a big hole in her bottom; down she goes, great gun and all, and there you are. now, mr poole, sir, what have you got to say to that?" "nothing," said poole. "it's too big for me. when do you mean to start?" "well, i haven't quite made up my mind as to that yet, sir," said chips quietly. "there's the skipper's consent to get, and the painting to do; and then i aren't quite sure about that there red comforter. i am afraid it's in my old chest, the one that's at home, and i shouldn't look so span'l-like without a bit of colour. but it's a good idea, isn't it, sir, although mr fitz don't seem to think much of it? what do you make of them now on board the gunboat?" "there's somebody on the bridge, and he's got a glass, and i saw the light flash off the lens just now." "then they must be a-watching of us, sir, taking stock of the place. i shouldn't wonder if we had a visit from them soon after dark, to try and take us by surprise." "well, they won't do that," said poole. "we shall keep too good a watch; but i shouldn't wonder if they tried." the time glided by, and the sun began to sink, to disappear quite early to the watchers, shut in by high cliffs; and as soon as it was out of sight the boat was dragged up stream, well hidden behind the overhanging boughs that dipped their tips to the edge of the river, till the first bend had been passed, when the men took to their oars and pulled hard till the schooner was reached. there was scarcely anything to report, the only thing that took the skipper's attention being fitz's statement that he had seen somebody on the gunboat's bridge using a glass, and this was sufficient to start the skipper making preparations for the night, for after a short consultation with burgess, they came to the conclusion that they would be attacked before long; and about an hour after darkness had set in, a whisper from one of the watch told that he had heard the faint creakings of oars on rowlocks. a minute later a faint spark lit up what appeared to be a scale hanging from its chains and being lowered down from the schooner's side into the water; but as it touched the surface it grew and grew, and went gliding down the stream, developing as it went into a tin dish containing some combustible which grew brighter and brighter as it went on, till it flashed out into a dazzling blue light which lit up the sides of the cliffs and glistened like moonlight in the water, till at about a hundred yards from the schooner's stern it threw up into clear relief the shapes of three boats crowded with men, the spray thrown up by their oars glittering in the blue flare, and then ceasing. for all at once a few softly-uttered words were heard upon the schooner's deck, followed by a bright flash, and the roar of a volley echoed like thunder from the cliff-sides, for the skipper's preparations had been well made, so that about a score of rifle-bullets were sent whizzing and hissing over the enemy's heads, while those who looked on over the schooner's bulwarks saw the blue light begin to sink and grow pale as it went on down stream, throwing up the boats in less bold relief as they too went down towards the mouth in company with their illuminator. five minutes later all was dark and still again. "showed them we were pretty well prepared for them," said poole, at last. "yes," replied fitz. "think they'll come again?" "no," said the skipper, who was standing by in the darkness. "we shall keep watch, of course, but i don't think we shall see any more of them to-night. there, you two go below and sleep as hard as ever you can. i'll have you roused if anything occurs." "honour bright, father?" "yes, and extra polished too," replied the skipper. "come on, then, burnett," whispered poole, gripping his companion by the arm. "i don't think that i ever felt so sleepy in my life." chapter forty four. fitz has a dream. the middy did not say much, but a very short time later he proved that he shared his companion's feelings, both lads sleeping with all their might, and trying to make up for a great deal of exertion connected with their disturbed existence of the past few days. it is generally conceded by the thoughtful over such matters, that dreams come after the more solid portion of a person's sleep, that they are connected with a time when the rested brain is preparing to become active once again, and set to work in its daily routine of thought. this may be the rule, but it is said that there is no rule without an exception. fitz burnett's slumber in his hot, stuffy berth was one of these exceptions, and rather a remarkable one too, for almost directly after dropping off he began to dream in the most outrageous manner, that proving for him a sort of arabian night which had somehow been blown across on the equatorial winds to central america. the whole of his dream was vivid in the extreme while it was in progress, and if it could have been transcribed then, no doubt it would have proved to be of the most intense interest; but unfortunately it had to be recalled the next morning when its clearness was muddled, the sharpness of its features blurred. two or three times over he tried to dismiss it from his mind altogether, for it worried him; but it absolutely refused to be got rid of, and kept coming back with the utmost persistency, making him feel bound to drag it back and try to set it in order, though this proved very difficult. it was some time before he could get hold of the thread at all, and at the first pull he found that he drew up several threads, tangled and knotted up in the most inextricable confusion, while they were all in some way connected with chips the carpenter's plans. he did not want the task: it bothered him, for in the broad sunshine of the morning chips's notions seemed to him to be ludicrously absurd; but somehow he felt bound to go on disentangling them, because he was, as it were, in some way mixed up with them, and had been during the night helping him to carry them out. "makes my head feel quite hot," he said to himself, as he leaned over the bulwark looking down at the water hurrying past the schooner. "i haven't got a fever coming on, have i? if it doesn't all soon go off i'll ask captain reed to give me some of his quinine. ugh! horribly bitter stuff! i have had enough physic this voyage to last me for a year." and then he lapsed into a sort of dreamy state in which he dragged out of his sleeping adventures that he had been acting as a sort of carpenter's boy, carrying the bag, which weighed him down, while all the time he had to keep handing gigantic augers to chips, and wiping his forehead every now and then with handfuls of shavings, while his master kept on turning away, trying to bore holes through the steel plates of the gunboat, and never making so much as a scratch. then came a rest, and he and chips were lying down together in a beautiful summer-house built upon a shelf of the cliff, with lovely vines running all over it covered with brilliant flowers, and growing higher and higher, with the upper parts laden with fruit which somehow seemed to be like beans. he did not know why it was, but his rest in this beautiful vine-shaded place, whose coverings seemed to grow right up into the skies, was disturbed by the carpenter's banter, for chips kept calling him jack, and laughing at him for selling his mother's cow for a handful of beans, and asking why he didn't begin to climb right up to the top of the great stalk into the giant land. before he could answer they were back again by the side of the gunboat, seated in the dinghy, and chips was turning away at his cross-handled auger, which now seemed to go through the steel as easily as if it were cheese-rind, while when the dreamer took hold of a handful of the shavings that were turned out, they were of bright steel, and so hard and sharp that they made the carpenter angry because they did not remove the perspiration and only scratched his face. but he kept on turning all the time, till the auger had gone in about six inches, when he left off and asked for another, driving this in at a tremendous rate and again asking for another and another, until he had driven in a whole series of them which extended from the level of the dinghy's gunwale right up the gunboat's side. then it seemed to the sleeper that the dinghy was passed along to the war-vessel's stern, where chips made her fast to the rudder-chains, and then held out his hand for the powder-bag, which was so big that it filled up all the bottom of the little boat and swelled right over the side. it was very heavy, but fitz felt that it must be done, though it was not proper work for a young officer in her majesty's navy. but chips was sitting astride the rudder, holding out his hands, and the bag was obliged to be passed up. directly afterwards it was made fast, and chips came back holding a black string moistened with gunpowder, and holding out the end to him to light with a match. this he did, after striking many which would not go off because his hands were wet; and then he sat back watching the powder sparkle as it gradually burned along the string towards the neck of the bag full of black powder, which somehow seemed to be the soot from one of the chimneys at home, while chips the carpenter was only the sweep. fitz remembered his sensations of horror as he sat expecting to see the explosion which would blow him into the water; and his dread was agonising; but just then the dinghy began to glide along till it was underneath the augers extending upwards like a ladder, and up these the carpenter climbed, beckoning him to follow, to the gunboat's deck, where all the spanish sailors were lying fast asleep. here he seemed to know that he must step cautiously for fear of treading on and waking the crew; but chips did not seem to mind at all, going straight in one stride right to where the big breech-loader lay amidships on its carriage, waiting to be lifted out and dropped overboard. and here the confused muddle of dreams became condensed into a good solid nightmare that would not go, for fitz felt himself obliged to step to the heaviest part of the huge gun and lift, while chips took the light end and grinned at him in his efforts to raise it, while as he lifted, and they got the gun poised between them, each with his clasped hands underneath, it kept going down again as if to crush his toes. but he felt no pain, and kept on lifting again and again, till somehow it seemed that they were doing this not upon the gunboat's planks, and that they could not get it overboard because the deck was that shown in the tinselled picture of the red rover hanging upon the wall of the gardener's cottage at home, while the sea beyond was only paper painted blue. all the same, though, and in spite of his holding one end of the gun, chips was there, wearing a scarlet sash and waving a black flag upon which was a grinning skull and cross-bones. when he got as far as that, fitz could get no farther, for things grew rather too much entangled; so much so that it seemed to him that he awoke just then with his brain seething and confusion worse confounded, telling himself that he must have had the nightmare very badly indeed, and wondering whether it was due to fever coming on, or something indigestible he had had to eat. but he said nothing about his dream for some hours, long after he had been on deck, to find that there had been no alarm during the night, had been refreshed by breakfast, and had heard that the gunboat was at anchor where she had been the previous night, and this from mr burgess's lips, for he had been down stream with the boat himself. it was getting towards mid-day, when the sun was shining with full power, and the opinion was strong on deck that if the gunboat people intended to make another attack they would defer it till the day was not quite so hot. just then fitz burnett seemed to come all at once to a conclusion about his confused dream. perhaps it was due to the heat in that valley, having ripened his thoughts. whatever it might have been, he hurried to poole, got hold of his arm, and told him to come forward into the bows. "what for?" asked poole. "because there's no one there, and we can talk." "all right," said the lad. leading the way he perched himself astride upon the bowsprit and signified that his companion should follow his example; and there they sat, with the loose jib-sail flapping gently to and fro and forming an awning half the time. "now then," said poole, "what is it? you look as if you had found something, or heard some news. is the gunboat going away?" "i wish it were," was the reply. "i wanted to tell you that i had last night such a dream." "had you? well, are you going to tell it to me?" "no; impossible, for i can't recollect it all myself, only the stupid and muddled part of it. but i have been trying to puzzle it out this morning, and that set me thinking about other things as well, till at last, all of a sudden, i got the very idea we want." "you have! what is it?" cried poole excitedly. "tell me gently, for perhaps i could not bear it all at once." "it's the way to disable the gunboat." "do you mean it?" "yes." "a good sensible, possible way, that could be done?" "yes, and by one person too, if he had the pluck." chapter forty five. too good to be true. it was rather a queer position occupied by the two lads, seated astride the bowsprit like children playing at horses--sea- or river-horses, in this case, for the swift current was running beneath them. poole looked hard at fitz, his sharp eyes seeming to plunge into those of his companion as if he read his very thoughts, while as fitz returned the gaze his look became timid and shrinking; a curious feeling of nervousness and regret attacked him, and the next minute he was wishing that instead of planning out a suggestion by which he would help these filibusters, he had kept silence and not begun a proposal which he felt to be beneath his dignity as a young officer of the queen. "well," said poole at last, in a tone of voice which added to fitz's chill; "what is it?" fitz remained silent. "well, out with it! what's the scheme?" still fitz did not speak, and poole went on--"it ought to be something good to make you so cocksure. i have gone over it all again and again, turned it upside down and downside up, and i can't get at anything one-half so good as old chips's cock-and-bull notions. i suppose you are cleverer than i am, and if you are, so much the better, for it's horrible to be shut up like this, and i feel as if i'd rather wait for a good wind, clap on all sail, and make a dash for it, going right ahead for the gunboat as if you meant to run her down, and when we got very close, give the wheel a spin and shoot by her. they'd think we were coming right on to her, and it might scare the crew so that they wouldn't be able to shoot straight till we got right by. and then--" "yes," said fitz; "and then perhaps when they had got over the scare they'd shoot straight enough. and suppose they did before they were frightened. what about the first big shell that came aboard?" "ah, yes, i didn't think of that," said poole. "but anyhow, that's the best i can do. i've thought till my head is all in a buzz, and i shan't try to think any more. i suppose, then, that yours is a better idea than that." "ye-es. rather." "well, let's have it." fitz was silent, and more full of bitter regret that he had spoken. "i say, you are a precious long time about it." "well, i don't know," stammered fitz. "i don't think i ought to; perhaps it wouldn't be a good one, after all." "well, you are a rum fellow, burnett! i began to believe in you, and you quite made my mouth water, while now you snatch the idea away. what's the matter?" fitz cleared his throat, and pulled himself together. "well," he said; "you see, it's like this. i've no business as your prisoner to take part with you against a state which is recognised by the british government, and to which your father has surreptitiously been bringing arms and ammunition that are contraband of war." "_phee-ew_!" whistled poole, grinning. "what big words! what a splendid speech!" "look here, if you are beginning to banter," replied fitz hotly, "i'm off." "yes, you've just let yourself off--bang. we had got to be such friends that i thought you had dropped all that and were going to make the best of things. you know well enough that villarayo was a bully and a brute, a regular tyrant, and that don ramon is a grand fellow and a regular patriot, fighting for his country and for everything that is good." "yes, yes, i know all that," said fitz; "but that doesn't alter my position until he has quite got the upper hand and is acknowledged by england. i feel that it is my duty to be--to be--what do they call it?--neutral." "oh, you are a punctilious chap. then you would be neutral, as you call it, and let villarayo smash up and murder everybody, because don ramon has not been acknowledged by england?" "yes, i suppose so," said fitz; "but these are all diplomatic things with which i have nothing to do." "and you have got a good idea, then, that might save us out of this position?" "ye-es; i think so." "and you won't speak?" "i feel now that i can't." "humph!" grunted poole. "it seems too bad, and not half fair to the governor." "it is not fair to me to make me a prisoner," retorted fitz. "he didn't make you one. you came and tumbled down into our hold, and we did the best we could for you. but don't let's begin arguing about all that again. perhaps you are right from your point of view, and i can't think the same, only of helping to get the _teal_ out of this scrape." "i wish i could help you and do my duty too," said fitz. "i wish you could," replied poole. "but i don't think much of your notion. you said it was all a dream." "no, not all. it came from my dreaming and getting into a muddle over what chips the carpenter said." "i thought so," said poole coolly; "all a muddle, after all. dreams are precious poor thin stuff." "this isn't a dream," cried fitz sharply. "and this isn't a dream," cried poole, flushing up. "i have been thinking about it, and i can't help seeing that as sure as we two are sitting here, those mongrel brutes that swarm in the gunboat will sooner or later get the better of us. our lads are plucky enough, but the enemy is about six to one, and they'll hang about there till they surprise us or starve us out; and how will it be then?" "why, you will all be prisoners of war, of course." "prisoners of war!" cried poole contemptuously. "what, of villarayo's men, the sweepings and scum of the place, every one of them armed with a long knife stuck in his scarf that he likes to whip out and use! hot-blooded savage wretches! prisoners of war! once they get the upper hand, there will be a regular massacre. they'll make the schooner a prisoner of war if i don't contrive to get below and fire two or three shots into the little magazine; and that i will do sooner than fall alive into their hands. do you think you would escape because you are an english officer? not you! whether you are fighting on our side or only looking on, it will be all the same to them. i know them, burnett; you don't; and i am telling you the honest truth. there! we'll take our chance," continued the lad coldly. "i don't want to know anything about your dreams now." poole was in the act of throwing one leg over the bowsprit, and half turned away; but fitz caught him tightly by the arm. "i can't help it," he cried excitedly, "even if it's wrong. sit still, poole, old chap. i've been thinking this. you see, when i went aboard the _tonans_ everything was so fresh and interesting to me about the gun-drill and our great breech-loader.--did you ever see one?" "not close to," said poole coldly. "ah, well, i have, and you have no idea what it's like. big as it is, it's all beautifully made. the breech opens and shuts, and parts of it move on hinges that are finished as neatly as the lock of a gun; and it is wonderful how easily everything moves. there are great screws which you turn as quietly as if everything were silk, and then there's a great piece that they call the breech-block, which is lifted out, and then you can stand and look right through the great polished barrel as if it were a telescope, while all inside is grooves, screwed as you may say, so that the great bolt or shell when it is fired is made to spin round, which makes it go perfectly straight." "well, yes, i think i knew a good deal of that," said poole, almost grudgingly. "well, you know," continued fitz excitedly, "perhaps you don't know that when they are going to fire, the gun is unscrewed and the breech-block is lifted out. then you can look through her; the shell or bolt and the cartridge are pushed in, the solid breech-block is dropped in behind them, and the breech screwed up all tightly once again." "yes, i understand; and there's no ramming in from the muzzle as with the old-fashioned guns." "exactly," said fitz, growing more and more excited as he spoke. "and you know now what a tremendously dangerous weapon a great gun like that is." "yes, my lad," said poole carelessly; "of course i do. but it's no good." "what's no good?" said fitz sharply. "you are as bad as chips. if we got on board we couldn't disable that gun, or get her to the side. she'd be far too heavy to move." "yes," said fitz, with his eyes brightening, and he gripped his companion more tightly than ever. "but what's the most important part of a gun like that?" "why, the charge, of course." "no," cried fitz; "the breech-block. suppose i, or you and i, got on board some night in the dark, unscrewed the breech, lifted out the block, and dropped it overboard. what then?" poole started, and gripped his companion in turn. "why," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "they couldn't fire the gun. the charge would come out at both ends." "to be sure it would." "well--oh, i don't know," said poole, trembling with excitement; "i should muddle it. i don't understand a gun like that." "no," cried fitz; "but i do." "here," panted poole; "come along aft." "what are you going to do?" "do! why, tell my governor, of course! oh, burnett, old fellow, you'll be the saving of us all!" the lad's emotion communicated itself to the proposer of the plan, and neither of them could speak as they climbed back on to the deck, and, seeing nothing before their eyes but breech-loaders, hurried off, to meet mr burgess just coming out of the cabin-hatch. "is father below there?" cried poole huskily. "yes; just left him," grunted the mate, as he stared hard at the excited countenances of the two lads. "anything the matter?" "yes. quick!" cried poole. "come on down below." the skipper looked up from the log he was writing as his son flung open the cabin-door, paused for the others to enter, and then shut it after them with a bang which made the skipper frown. "here, what's this, sir?" he said sternly, as he glanced from one to the other. "oh, i see; you two boys have been quarrelling, and want to fight. well, wait a little, and you'll have enough of that. now, mr burnett, speak out. what is it? have you and my son been having words?" "yes, father," half shouted poole, interposing--"such words as will make you stare. tell him, burnett, all that you have said." the skipper and the mate listened in silence, while poole watched the play of emotion their faces displayed, before the skipper spoke. "splendid, my lad!" he cried. "but it sounds too good to be true. you say you understand these guns?" "yes, sir; i have often stood by to watch the drill, and seen blank cartridge fired again and again." "but the breech-block? could it be lifted out?" "it could aboard the _tonans_, sir, and i should say that this would be about the same." "hah!" ejaculated the skipper. "but it could only be done by one who understands the working of the piece, and we should be all worse than children over such a job." poole's eyes were directed searchingly at the middy, who met them without a wink. "as i understand," continued the captain, "it would be done by one who crept aboard in the dark, unscrewed the gun, took out the block, and carried it to the side. i repeat, it could only be done by one who understands the task. who could do this?" "i could, sir," said fitz quietly. "and you would?" "if i were strong enough. but i am sure that i could do it if poole would help." "then if it's possible to do, father," said the lad quietly, "the job is done." "but look here," interposed the mate, in his gruff way; "what about don ramon? what will he say? he wouldn't have that great breech-loader spoiled for the world." "how would it be spoiled?" cried fitz sharply. "aren't you going to disable it by chucking the breech-block over the side?" "pooh!" cried fitz contemptuously. "these parts are all numbered, and you can send over to england and get as many new ones as you like." chapter forty six. to cut and run. the mate's face lit up in a way that those who knew him had not seen for months. "well done, youngster!" he said, in quite a musical growl. "splendid! here, poole reed, you ought to have thought of that." "how could i?" said the lad. "i never learnt anything about breech-loading cannon." "no more you did, my boy," said the skipper; "and we don't want to take the honour from mr burnett. we shall have to do this, sir, but it will be risky work, and i don't know what to say about letting you go." "oh, i don't think that there will be much risk, captain reed," said fitz nonchalantly. "it only means going very quietly in the dark. it would be done best from the dinghy, because it's so small." "and how would you go to work?" said the skipper. "oh," said fitz, "i should arrange to go about two bells, let the dinghy drift close in under her bows after studying the gunboat well with a glass, and i think one ought to be able to mount by climbing up the anchor on the starboard side. if not, by the fore-chains." "and what about the watch?" "i've thought about that, sir, and i don't believe that they keep a good one at all. it won't be like trying to board a gunboat in the british navy. like as not those on deck will be asleep." "yes, i think so too," said poole. "well," said the skipper, "i have something of the same sort of idea. they'd never believe that any one from the schooner would do such a daring thing. what do you say, burgess?" "same as you do, sir," said the mate gruffly. "but what do you think would be the great advantage of doing this, mr burnett?" said the skipper. "the advantage, sir?" replied the middy, staring. "why, it would be like drawing a snake's fangs! you wouldn't be afraid of the gunboat without her gun." "no," said the skipper thoughtfully, "i don't think i should; and for certain she'd be spoiled for doing any mischief to don ramon's forts." "oh yes, father," cried poole excitedly. "it would turn the tables completely. you remember what don ramon said?" "what, about the power going with the party who held the gunboat? well, it's a pity we can't capture her too." "or run her ashore, father." "what, wreck her? that would be a pity." "i meant get her ashore so that she'd be helpless for a time." "well, now's your time, my boy. it has come to a pretty pass, though, burgess, for these young chaps to be taking the wind out of our sails." "oh, i don't mind," growled the mate. "here, let's have it, poole. look at him! he's got something bottled up as big as young mr burnett, i dare say." "eh? is that so, my boy? have you been planning some scheme as well?" "well, father, i had some sort of an idea. it came all of a jump after burnett had proposed disabling the gun." "well done!" whispered fitz excitedly. "what is it, my lad?" said the skipper. "oh, i feel rather nervous about it, father, and i don't know that it would answer; but i should like to try." "go on, then; let's hear what it is." "you see, i noticed that they have always got steam up ready to come in chase at any time if we try to slip out." "that's right," growled the mate. "well, i was thinking, father, how would it be if we could foul the screw?" "why, a job, my lad, for them to clear it again." "but wouldn't it be very risky work lying waiting while they tried to clear the screw? you know what tremendous currents there are running along the coast." "but they wouldn't affect a craft lying at anchor, my lad," growled the mate. "no," said poole excitedly; "but i should expect to foul the screw just when they had given orders to up with the anchor to come in chase of us or to resist attack." "and how would you do it, my lad?" said the skipper. "well, father, i was thinking--but i don't profess for a moment that it would succeed." "let's have what you thought, and don't talk so much," cried the skipper. "how could you foul the screw?" "well, the dinghy wouldn't do, father; it would be too small. we should have to go in the gig, with four men to row. i should like to take the big coil of manilla cable aboard, with one end loose and handy, and a good rope ready. then i should get astern and make the end fast to one of the fans of the screw, and give the cable a hitch round as well so as to give a good hold with the loop before we lowered it overboard to sink." "good," said burgess. "capital! and then if the fans didn't cut it when they began to revolve, they'd wind the whole of that cable round and round, and most likely regularly foul the screw badly before they found out what was wrong." "yes," said the skipper quietly. "the idea is excellent if it answered, but means the loss of a good new cable that i can't spare if things went wrong; and that's what they'd be pretty sure to do." poole drew a deep breath, and his face grew cloudy. "the idea is too good, my lad. it is asking too much of luck, and we couldn't expect two such plans to succeed. what do you say, burgess?" "same as you do," said the mate roughly. "but if we got one of our shots to go off right we ought to be satisfied, and if it was me i should have a try at both." "yes," said the skipper, "and we will. but it seems to me, burgess, that you and i are going to be out of it all." "oh yes. they've planned it; let 'em do it, i say." "yes," said the skipper; "they shall. but look here, do you lads propose to do all this in one visit to the gunboat?" "poole's idea, sir, is all fresh to me," cried fitz. "i knew nothing of it till he began to speak, but it seems to me that it must all be done in one visit. they'd never give us a chance to go twice." "no," said the mate laconically, and as he uttered the word he shut his teeth with a snap. "when's it to be, then?" "to-night, sir," said fitz, "while it's all red-hot." "yes, father; it ought to be done to-night. it's not likely to be darker than it is just now." "very well," said the skipper; "then i give you both authority to make your plans before night. but the dinghy is out of the question. with the current running off the coast here you'd never get back in that. you must take the gig, and five men. pick out who you like, poole: the men you would rather trust. you'd better let him choose, mr burnett; he knows the men so much better than you, and besides, it would be better that they should be under his orders than under yours. there, i have no more to say, except this--whether they succeed or not, your plans are both excellent; but you cannot expect to do anything by force. this is a case for scheme and cunning. under the darkness it may be done. what i should like best would be for you to get that breech-block overboard. if you can do the other too, so much the better, but i shall be perfectly satisfied if you can do one, and get back safely into the river. there, poole; make what arrangements you like. i shall not interfere in the least." "nor i," said the mate. "good luck to you both! but i shouldn't worry much about preparing for a fight. what you have got to do is to act, cut, and run." chapter forty seven. 'cause why. "now we know," said poole joyously, as they left the cabin and went forward to their old place to discuss their plans: "what we have got to do is to cut and run. come on; let's go and sit on the bowsprit again. it will soon be dinner-time. i wonder what the camel has got?" "oh, don't talk about eating now," cried fitz, as they reached the big spar, upon which he scrambled out, to sit swinging his legs, and closely followed by poole. "what's the first thing?" "who's to man the gig," said poole; "and i've got to pick the crew." "i should like to pick one," cried fitz. "all right, go on; only don't choose the camel, nor bob jackson." "no, no; neither of them," cried fitz. "i say, we ought to have old butters." "one," said poole sharply. "now it's my turn; chips." "yes, i should like to have him," cried the middy. "but i don't know," he continued seriously. "he's a splendid fellow, and so handy; but he might want to turn it all into a lark." "not he," cried poole. "he likes his bit of fun sometimes, but for a good man and true to have at my back in a job like this, he's the pick of the whole crew." "chips it is, then," said fitz. "that's two." "dick boulter, then." "three!" cried fitz. "harry smith." "four," said fitz. "four, four, four, four," said poole thoughtfully. "who shall we have for number five? here, we'll have the camel, after all." "oh," cried fitz; "there'll be nothing to cook." "yes, there will; the big gun and the propeller. he's cook, of course, but he's nearly as good a seaman as there is on board the schooner, and he'll row all right and never utter a word. there, we've got a splendid boat's crew, and i vote we go and tell father what we've done." "i wouldn't," said fitz. "it'll make him think that we hadn't confidence in ourselves. unless he asks us, i wouldn't say a word." "you are right," said poole; "right as right. now then, what's next? i know: we'll go and make the lads get up the manilla rope and lay it down again in rings as close as they'll go." "on the deck here?" said fitz. "no, no; right along the bottom of the gig. and we must have her lowered down first with two men in her, ready to coil the cable as the others pass it down. now then, let's get inboard again and find old butters." "but he'll be wanting to know what we want with that rope." "sure to," said poole; "but he'll have to wait. oh, here he comes. here, bosun!" he cried. "i want you to get up that new manilla cable, lower down the gig, and coil it in the bottom so that it will take up as little room as possible, and not be in the men's way." "what men's way?" said the boatswain. "chips, harry smith, the camel, and dick boulter," said poole. "ho!" grunted the boatswain, and he took off his cap and began to scratch his head, staring at both in turn. "whose orders?" he grunted, at last. "i just seen mr burgess, and he never said a word." "the skipper's orders," cried poole. "ho!" said the boatswain again. "well, that's good enough for me," and he stood staring at them. "well, get the men together and see about the rope," cried poole. "what's your game? going to take the end out to a steam-tug, or is the gunboat going to tow us out to sea?" "don't ask questions, please. it's private business of the skipper's, under the orders of mr burnett and me." "ho! all right, my lad; only oughtn't i to know what we are going to do? you are going off somewhere in the boat, eh?" "yes, that's right." "and i'm not to come?" "oh, but you are," cried poole, "and i've told you the men i've picked for the job. don't you think it's a good crew?" "middling," said the boatswain grudgingly. "might be better; might be wuss. but look here, young fellow; i don't like working in the dark." "i am sorry for you," said fitz, "for this will be an all-night job." "then i'd better take my nightcap," said the boatswain quietly. "but what's up? are you going to make fast to the gunboat and tow her in?" "you know we are not," replied poole. "well, i did think it was rather an unpossible sort of job. but hadn't you better be open and above-board with a man, and say what it all means?" "it means that you and the other men are under the orders of mr burnett and me, and that we look to you to do your best over what's going to be a particular venture. you'll know soon enough. till then, please wait." "all right," said the boatswain. "i'm your man. for the skipper wouldn't have given you these orders if it wasn't square;" saying which the man walked off to rouse up the little crew, all but the camel, whom he left to his regular work in the galley. "we shan't want him yet," said butters, as the boys followed him. "had he better get us some rations to take with us?" "oh no," said poole. "we oughtn't to be away more than three or four hours if we are lucky." "why, this 'ere gets mysteriouser and mysteriouser," grumbled the boatswain. "but i suppose it's going to be all right," and he proceeded to give his orders to the men. "now we shall begin to have them full of questions," said poole. "i begin to wish we were making it all open and above-aboard." "i don't," said fitz; "i like it as it is. if we told everybody it would spoil half the fun." "fun!" cried poole, screwing up his face into a quaint smile. "fun, do you call it? do you know that this is going to be a very risky job?" "well, i suppose there'll be some risk in it," replied the middy; "but it will be all in the dark, and we ought to get it done without a shot being fired. i say, though, i have been thinking that you and i must keep together, for i am afraid to trust myself over getting out that block. i should have liked to have done that first, but the splash it would make is bound to give the alarm, and there would be no chance afterwards to get that cable fast, without you let old butters and the men do that while we were busy with the gun." "no," said poole decisively; "everything depends upon our doing these things ourselves. the cable can be made fast without a sound, and as soon as it is passed over the side of the boat, the men must lay the gig alongside the bows for us to swarm up, do our part, and then get to them the best way we can. i expect it will mean a jump overboard and a swim till they pick us up." "yes," said fitz; "that's right. ah, there comes the end of the cable. it's nice and soft to handle." "yes," said poole, "and needn't make any noise." the lads sauntered up to where the men were at work, three of them lowering down the gig, while the carpenter and boatswain were bringing up the cable out of the tier, the former on deck, the boatswain down below. "so you're going to have a night's fishing, my lad?" said the carpenter. "well, you'll find this 'ere a splendid line. but what about a hook?" "oh, we shan't want that yet, chips," said poole coolly. "nay, i know that, my lad; but you've got to think about it all the same, and you'll want a pretty tidy one for a line like this. i didn't know the fish run so big along this coast. any one would think you'd got whales in your heads. i never 'eard, though, as there was any harpoons on board." "oh no, we are not going whale-fishing," said poole quietly. "what's it to be then, sir? bottom fishing or top?" "top," said poole. "then you'll be wanting me to make you a float. what's it to be? one of them big water-barrels with the topsail-yard run through? and you'll want a sinker. and what about a bait?" "we haven't thought about that yet, chips." "ah, you aren't like what i was when i was a boy, mr poole, sir. i used to think about it the whole day before, and go to the butcher's for my maggits, and down the garden for my wums. of course i never fished in a big way like this 'ere; but i am thinking about a bait. i should like you to have good sport. means hard work for the camel to-morrow, i suppose." "and to-night too, chips, i hope," said poole. "that's right, sir," said the man cheerily, as he hauled upon the cable. "but what about that bait? i know what would be the right thing; perhaps the skipper mightn't approve, and not being used to it mr burnett here mightn't like to use such a bait." "oh, i don't suppose i should mind, chips," said fitz, laughing. "what should you recommend?" "well, sir, i should say, have the dinghy and go up the river a mile or two till we could land and catch a nice lively little nigger--one of them very shiny ones. that would be the sort." the two lads forgot the seriousness of the mission they had in view, exchanged glances, and began to laugh, with the result that the man turned upon them quite an injured look. "oh, it's quite right, gentlemen; fishes have their fancies and likings for a tasty bit, same as crocodiles has. i arn't sailed all round the world without picking up a few odds and ends to pack up in my knowledge-box. why, look at sharks. they don't care for nigger; it's too plentiful. but let them catch sight of a leg or a wing of a nice smart white sailor, they're after it directly. them crocs too! only think of a big ugly lizardy-looking creetur boxed up in a skin half rhinoceros, half cow-horn--just fancy him having his fads and fancies! do you know what the crocodile as lives in the river nile thinks is the choicest tit-bit he can get hold of?" "not i," said poole. "giraffe perhaps." "no, sir; what he says is dog, and if he only hears a dog running along the bank yelping and snapping and chy-iking, he's after him directly, finishes him up, and then goes and lies down in the hot sun with his mouth wide open, and goes to sleep. ah, you may laugh, sir; but i've been up there in one of them barges as they calls darbyers, though how they got hold of such an irish name as that i don't know. it was along with a orficer as went up there shooting crocs and pottomhouses. oh, i've seen the crocs there often--lots of them. do you know what they opens their mouths for when they goes to sleep, mr burnett, sir?" "to yawn, i suppose," said fitz. "haul away there, my lad! look alive!" came in a deep growl from below; and chips winked and made the great muscles stand out in his brown arms as he hauled, but kept on talking all the same. "yawn, sir! nay, that isn't it. it's a curiosity in nat'ral history, and this 'ere's fact. you young gents may believe it or not, just as you like." "thank you," said fitz dryly; "i'll take my choice." "ah, i expect you won't believe it, sir. but this 'ere's what it's for. he leaves his front-door wide open like that, and there's a little bird with a long beak as has been waiting comes along, hippity-hop, and settles on the top of mr croc's head, and looks at first one eye and then at the other to see if he's really asleep, and that there is no gammon. he aren't a-going to run no risks, knowing as he does that a croc's about one of the artfullest beggars as ever lived. i suppose that's why they calls 'em amphibious. oh, they're rum 'uns, they are! they can sham being dead, and make theirselves look like logs of wood with the rough bark on, and play at being in great trouble and cry, so as to get people to come nigh them to help, and then snip, snap, they has 'em by the leg, takes them under water to drown, and then goes and puts 'em away in the cupboard under the bank." "what for?" said poole. "what for, sir? why, to keep till they gets tender. them there errubs of the desert gets so sun-tanned that they are as tough as string; so hard, you know, that they wouldn't even agree with a croc. yo-hoy! haul oh, and here she comes!" added the man, in a low musical bass voice to himself, as he kept on dragging at the soft manilla rope. "i say, burnett," said poole seriously, "don't you think we'd better get pencil and paper and put all this down--natural history notes by peter winks, head carpenter of the schooner _teal_?" "nay, nay, sir, don't you do that. stick to fact. that's what i don't like in people as writes books about travel. they do paint it up so, and lay it on so thick that the stuff cracks, comes off, and don't look nat'ral." "then you wouldn't put down about that little bird that comes hippity-hop and looks at the crocodile's eyes?" "what, sir! why, that's the best part of it. that's the crumb of the whole business." "oh, i see," said fitz. "then that's a fact?" "to be sure, sir. he's larnt it from old experience. i dare say he's seen lots go down through the croc turning them big jaws of his into a bird-trap and shutting them up sudden, when of course there aren't no more bird. but that's been going on for hundreds of thousands of years, and the birds know better now, and wait till it's quite safe before they begin." "begin what?" said fitz sharply. "well, sir," said the carpenter, as he hauled away, "that's what i want to tell you, only you keep on interrupting me so." fitz closed his teeth with a snap. "go on, chips," he said. "i'll be mute as a fish." "well, sir, as i said afore, you young gents can believe it or you can let it alone: that there little bird, or them little birds, for there's thousands of them, just the same as there is crocodiles, and they are all friendly together, i suppose because crocs is like birds in one thing--they makes nests and lays eggs, and the birds, as i'm telling of you, does this as reg'lar as clockwork. when the croc's had his dinner and gone to sleep with his front-door wide open, the little chap comes hopping and peeping along close round the edge, and then gets his own living by picking the crocodile's teeth." "ha-ha!" laughed fitz. "'pon my word, poole, i should like to put this down." "oh, it don't want no putting down, sir; it's a fact; a cracker turns mouldy and drops off." "well, won't this go bad?" cried fitz, laughing. "not it, sir. you don't believe it, i see, but it's all natur'. it's a-using up of the good food as the croc don't want, and which would all be wasted, for he ain't a clean-feeding sort of beast. he takes his food in chops and chunks, and swallows it indecent-like all in lumps. a croc ain't like a cow as sits down with her eyes half shut and chews and chews away, sentimental-like, turning herself into a dairy and making a good supply of beautiful milk such as we poor sailors never hardly gets a taste on in our tea. a croc is as bad as a shark, a nasty sort of feeder, and if i was you young gents i'd have a study when i got ashore again, and look in some of your big books, and you'd find what i says is all there." "did you find what you've been telling us all there?" said poole. "nay, my lad; i heard best part of it from my officer that i used to go with. restless sort of chap he was--plenty of money, and he liked spending it in what he called exhibitions--no, that aren't right-- expeditions--that's it; and he used to take me. what he wanted to find was what he called the nile sauce; but he never found it, and we never wanted it. my word, the annymiles as he used to shoot when we was hungry, and that was always. my word, the fires i used to make, and the way i used to cook! why, i could have given the camel fifty out of a hundred and beat him. we didn't want any sauce. did either of you gents ever taste heland steak? no, i suppose not. fresh cut, frizzled brown, sprinkled with salt, made hotter with a dash of pepper, and then talk about juice and gravy! lovely! wish we'd got some now. why, in some of our journeys up there in what you may call the land of nowhere and nobody, we was weeks sometimes without seeing a soul, only annymiles--ah, and miles and miles of them. i never see such droves and never shall again. they tell me that no end of them has got shot.-- beautiful creatures they were too! such coats; and such long thin legs and arms, and the way they'd go over the sandy ground was wonderful. they never seemed to get tired. i've seen a drove of them go along like a hurricane, and when they have pulled up short to stare at us, and you'd think that they hadn't got a bit of breath left in their bodies, they set-to larking, hip, snip, jumping over one another's backs like a lot of school-boys at leap-frog, only ten times as high." "did you ever see any lions?" said fitz, growing more serious as he began to realise that there was very little fiction and a great deal of fact in the sailor's yarn. "lots, sir. there have been times when you could hear them roaring all round our camp. here, i want to speak the truth. my governor used to call it camp, but it was only a wagging, and we used to sleep on the sand among the wheels. why, i've lain there with my hand making my gun rusty, it got so hot and wet with listening to them pretty pussy-cats come creeping round us, and one of them every now and then putting up his head and roaring till you could almost feel the ground shake. ah, you may chuckle, mr poole, but that's a fact too; i've felt it, and i know. and do you know why they roared?" "because they were hungry?" "partly, sir; but most of it's artfulness. it's because they know that it will make the bullocks break away--stampede, as they calls it--and rush off from where there's people to take care of them with rifles, and then they can pick off just what they like. but they don't care much about big bullock. they've got tasty ideas of their own, same as crocs have. what they likes is horse, and the horses knows it too, poor beggars! it's been hard work to hold them sometimes--my governor's horse, you know, as he hunted on; and i've heard them sigh and groan as if with satisfaction when the governor's fired with his big double breech-loader and sent the lions off with their tails trailing behind and leaving a channel among their footprints in the sand. i've seen it, mr burnett, next morning, and i know." "all right, chips," cried poole. "we won't laugh at you and your yarns. but now look here; there must be no more chaff. this is serious work." "all right, sir," said the man good-humouredly, as he wiped his dripping face. "no one can't say as i aren't working--not even old butters." "no, no," said poole hastily. "you are working well." "and no one can't say, sir, as i've got my grumbling stop out, which i do have sometimes," he added, with a broad grin, "and lets go a bit." "you do, chips; but i want you to understand that this is a very serious bit of business we are on." "o!" a very large, round, thoughtful _o_, and the man hauled steadily away, nodding his head the while. "serous, eh? then you aren't going fishing?" "fishing, no!" "then it's something to do with the gunboat?" "don't ask questions," cried poole. "be satisfied that we are going on a very serious expedition, and we want you to help us all you can." "of course, my lads. shall i want my tools?" "no." the man was silent for a few moments, looking keenly from one to the other, and then at the rope, before giving his leg a sharp slap, and whispering with his face full of animation-- "why, you're going to steal aboard the gunboat in the dark, and make fast one end of this 'ere rope to that there big pocket-pistol, so as we can haul her overboard. but no, lads, it can't be done. but even if it could it would only stick fast among them coral rocks that lie off yonder." "and what would that matter, so long as we got it overboard?" "ah, i never thought of that. but no, my lad; you may give that up. it couldn't be done." "well, it isn't going to be done," said fitz sharply; "and now let's have no more talk. but mind this--mr poole and i don't want you to say anything to the other men. it's a serious business, and we want you to wait." "that's right, sir. i'll wait and help you all i can; and i'll make half-a-davy, as the lawyers calls it, that i won't tell the other lads anything. 'cause why--i don't know." chapter forty eight. very wrong. very little more was said, and the preparations were soon finished, with the rest of the crew looking on in silence. it seemed to be an understood thing, after a few words had passed with the selected men, that there was to be no palaver, as they termed it. as for fitz and poole, they had nothing to do but think, and naturally they thought a great deal, especially when the night came on, with the watching party who had been sent below to the mouth of the river back with the announcement that the gunboat was in its old place, the boats all up to the davits, and not a sign of anything going on. but far from taking this as a token of safety, the skipper and mate made their arrangements to give the enemy a warm welcome if they should attack, and also despatched a couple of men in the dinghy to make fast just off the edge of the first bend and keep watch there, trusting well to their ears for the first warning of any boat that might be coming up. the two lads stole away into their favourite place for consultations as soon as it was dark, to have what they called a quiet chat over their plans. "i don't see that we could do any more," said fitz, "but we must keep talking about it. the time goes so horribly slowly. generally speaking when you are expecting anything it goes so fast; now it crawls as if the time would never be here." "well, that's queer," said poole. "ever since i knew that we were going it has seemed to gallop." "well, whether it gallops or whether it crawls it can't be very long before it's time to start. i say, how do you feel?" "horrible," said poole. "it makes me think that i must be a bit of a coward, for i want to shirk the responsibility and be under somebody's command. my part seems to be too much for a fellow like me to undertake. you don't feel like that, of course." fitz sat there in the darkness for a few minutes without speaking. then after heaving a deep sigh-- "i say," he whispered, "shall you think me a coward if i say i feel just like that?" "no. feeling as i do, of course i can't." "well, that's just how i am," said fitz. "sometimes i feel as if i were quite a man, but now it's as if i was never so young before, and that it is too much for chaps like us to understand such a thing." "then if we are both like that," said poole sadly, "i suppose we ought to be honest and go straight to the dad and tell him that we don't feel up to it. what do you say?" "what!" cried fitz. "go and tell him coolly that we are a pair of cowardly boys, for him and mr burgess to laugh at, and the men--for they'd be sure to hear--to think of us always afterwards as a pair of curs? i'd go and be killed first! and so would you; so don't tell me you wouldn't." "not going to," said poole. "i'll only own up that i'm afraid of the job; but as we've proposed it, and it would be doing so much good if we were to succeed, i mean to go splash at it and carry it through to the end. you will too, won't you?" "yes, of course." there was a slight rustling sound then, caused by the two lads reaching towards one another and joining hands in a long firm grip. "hah!" exclaimed fitz, with a long-drawn expiration of the breath. "i'm glad i've got that off my mind. i feel better now." "same here. now, what shall we do next? go and talk to old butters and tell him what we want him to do?" "no," cried fitz excitedly. "you forget that we are in command. we've no business to do anything till the time comes, and then give the men their orders sharp and short, as if we were two skippers." "ah, yes," said poole, "that's right. that's what i want to do, only it seems all so new." "i tell you what, though," said fitz. "we shall be going for hours and hours without getting anything, and that'll make us done up and weak. i vote that as we are to do as we like, we go and stir up the camel and tell him to send us in a nice meal to the cabin." "but it isn't long since we had something," suggested poole. "yes, but neither of us could eat nor enjoy it. i couldn't, and i was watching you; but i feel that i could eat now, so come on. it'll help to pass the time, and make us fit to do anything." "all right," said poole, and they fetched andy from where he was sitting forward talking in whispers with his messmates, told him what they wanted, and ordered him to prepare a sort of tea-supper for the little crew of the gig. the camel was ready enough, and within half-an-hour the two lads were doing what poole termed stowing cargo, the said cargo consisting of rashers of prime fried ham, cold bread-cake, hot coffee and preserved milk. they did good justice to the meal too, and before they had ended the skipper came down to them, looked on for a minute or two, and then nodded his satisfaction. "that looks well, my lads," he said. "it's business-like, and as if your hearts were so much in your work that you didn't feel disposed to shirk it. it makes me comfortable, for i was getting a little nervous about you, i must own." the boys exchanged glances, but said nothing. "here, don't mind me," continued the skipper. "make a good hearty meal, and i'll talk to you as you eat." "about our going and what we are about to do, father?" said poole. "well, my boy, yes, of course." "i wish you wouldn't, father. it's too late now to be planning and altering, and that sort of thing." "yes, please, captain reed," cried fitz excitedly. "it's like lessons at school. we ought to know what we've got to do by now, and learning at the last minute won't do a bit of good. if we succeed we succeed, and if we fail we fail." "do you know what a big writer said, my boy, when one of his characters was going off upon an expedition?" "no, sir," said fitz. "good luck to you, perhaps," said poole, laughing, though the laugh was not cheery. "no, my lad," said the skipper. "i have not been much of a reader, and i'm not very good at remembering wise people's sayings, but he said to the young fellow when he talked as you did about failing, `in the bright lexicon of youth there is no such word as fail,' which i suppose was a fine way of saying, go and do what you have got to do, and never think of not succeeding. you're not going to fail. you mustn't. there's too much hanging to it, my boys; and now i quite agree with you that we'll let things go as they are." chapter forty nine. chips sniffs. the silence and darkness made the lads' start for their venturesome expedition doubly impressive, the more so that the men were looking on in silence and wonder, and no light was shown on board the schooner. the gig with its load of cable had been swinging for hours by the painter, and midnight was near at hand, when the little crew, each armed with cutlass and revolver, stood waiting for their orders to slip down into their seats. this order came at last, accompanied by one command from the skipper, and it was this-- "perfect silence, my lads. obey orders, and do your best.--now, my boys," he continued, as soon as the men were in the boat, "do not fire a shot unless you are absolutely obliged. mr burgess will follow in the large boat with a dozen men, to lie off the mouth of the river ready to help you if you are in trouble; so make for there. if you want to signal to them to come to you, strike a couple of matches one after the other, and throw them into the water at once. last night the gunboat did not show a light. i expect that it will be the same to-night, as they will think they are safer; but i fancy amongst you, you will have eyes sharp enough to make her out, and the darkness will be your best friend, so i hope the sea will not brime. there, your hand, mr burnett. now yours, poole, my boy. over with you at once." the next minute the boys had slid down into the boat, to seat themselves in the stern-sheets with the boatswain; the carpenter pulled the stroke oar, so that he was within reach if they wished to speak, and with the boatswain taking the rudder-lines they glided slowly down the stream. "tell them just to dip their oars to keep her head straight, boatswain," said poole quietly. "we have plenty of time, and we had better keep out in mid-stream. a sharp look-out for anything coming up." "ay, ay, my lad," was the reply, and they seemed to slip on into the black darkness which rose before them like a wall, while overhead, like a deep purple band studded with gold, the sky stretched from cliff to cliff of the deep ravine through which the river ran. "now, poole," said fitz suddenly, speaking in a low voice, almost a whisper, "you had better say a word or two to mr butters about the work we are on." "no," replied poole; "it was your idea, and you're accustomed to take command of a boat, so you had better speak, for the boatswain and the carpenter ought to know. the other men will have nothing to do but manage the gig--" "hah!" ejaculated the boatswain, in a deep sigh, while chips, who had heard every word, only gave vent to a sniff. fitz coughed slightly, as if troubled with something that checked his breath. "then look here, mr butters," he said quickly; "we're off to disable the gunboat yonder, and do two things." "good!" came like a croak. "first thing is to foul the screw." there was another croak, followed by-- "lay that there cable so that she tangles herself up first time she turns. that's one." fitz coughed again slightly. "you will run the boat up in silence, the men will hold on, while you and chips make fast the end to one of the fans, and then let the cable glide out into the water as we pass round to the bows. it must all be done without a sound. all the rope must be run out, to sink, and then i propose that you hold on again under the starboard anchor." "suppose starboard anchor's down?" growled the boatswain. "pass the boat round to the port; either will do; but if we are seen or heard, all is over." "won't be seen," growled the boatswain. "it's black enough to puzzle a cat." "very well, then--heard," continued fitz. "right, sir. what next?" "there are no more orders. you will hold on while mr poole and i get aboard. we shall do the rest." "hah!" sighed the boatswain; and like an echo came a similar sound from the carpenter. then _pat, pat, pat_ came the kissing of the water against the bows of the gig, and the sides of the ravine seemed as weird and strange as ever, while the darkness if anything grew more profound. at this point, with the boat gliding swiftly down stream, poole leaned sideways to run his hand down fitz's sleeve, feel for his hand, and give it a warm pressure, which was returned. then they went on round bend after bend, the current keeping them pretty well in the centre, till at last the final curve was reached, the starry band overhead seemed to have suddenly grown wider and the air less oppressive, both hints that they were getting out to sea, and that the time for the performance of the daring enterprise was close at hand. most fortunately the sea did not "brime," as the west-countrymen say, when the very meshes of their nets turn into threads of gold through the presence of the myriad phosphorescent creatures that swarm so thickly at times that the surface of the sea looks as if it could be skimmed to clear it of so much lambent liquid gold. this was what was wanted, for with a phosphorescent sea, every dip of the oar, every wavelet which broke against the boat, would have served as signal to warn the watch on board the gunboat that enemies were near. but unfortunately, on the other hand, there was the darkness profound, and not the scintillation of a riding light to show where the gunboat lay. they knew that she was about two miles from shore, and as nearly as could be made out just at the mouth of the channel along which the _teal_ had been piloted to enable her to reach the sanctuary in which she lay. but where was she now? the answer did not come to the watchers who with straining eyes strove to make out the long, low, dark hull, the one mast, and the dwarfed and massive funnel, but strove in vain. fitz's heart sank, for the successful issue of his exploit seemed to be fading away, and minute by minute it grew more evident that there was not the slightest likelihood of their discovering the object of their search; so that in a voice tinged by the despair he felt, he whispered his orders to the boatswain to tell the men to cease rowing. then for what seemed to be quite a long space of time, they lay rising and falling upon the heaving sea, listening, straining their eyes, but all in vain; and at last, warned by the feeling that unless something was done they were bound to lose touch of their position when they wanted to make back for the mouth of the little river, fitz whispered an order to the boatswain to keep the gig's head straight off shore, and then turned to lay his hand on poole's shoulder and, with his lips close to his ear, whisper-- "what's to be done?" "don't know," came back. "this is a regular floorer." the boy's heart sank lower still at this, but feeling that he was in command, he made an effort to pull himself together. "in the bright lexicon of youth there is no such word as fail," seemed to begin ringing as if at a great distance into his ears, and he rose up in his place, steadied himself by a hand on his companion's shoulder, and slowly swept the horizon; that is to say, the lower portion of the sky, to which the stars did not descend. in vain! there was no sign of gunboat funnel, nothing to help them in the least, and coming to the conclusion that their only chance of finding her was by quartering the sea as a sporting dog does a field, and at the same time telling himself that the task was hopeless, he bent down to try if he could get a hint from the boatswain, when he muttered to himself the words that had now ceased to ring, and his heart gave quite a jump. for apparently about a hundred yards away there appeared a faint speck of light which burned brightly for a few moments before with a sudden dart it described a curve, descending towards the level of the sea; and then all was black again. for a moment or two the darkness upon the sea seemed to lie there thicker and heavier than ever, till, faint, so dim that it was hardly visible, the lad was conscious of a tiny light which brightened slightly, grew dim, brightened again, and then the boatswain uttered a low "hah!" and chips sniffed softly, this time for a reason, for he was inhaling the aroma of a cigar, borne towards them upon the soft damp night air. the lads joined hands again, and in the warm pressure a thrill of exultation seemed to run from their fingers right up their arms and into their breasts, to set their hearts pumping with a heavy throb. neither dared venture upon a whisper to inform his comrade of that which he already knew--that some one on board the gunboat was smoking, probably the officer of the watch, and that they must wait in the hope that he might go below after a look round, when there was still a possibility that the crew might sleep, or at least be sufficiently lax in their duty to enable the adventurers to carry out their plans. they could do nothing else, only wait; but as they waited, with fitz still grasping his companion's hand, they both became conscious of the fact that by slow degrees the glowing end of that cigar grew brighter; and the reason became patent--that the current running outward from the river, even at that distance from the shore, was bearing them almost imperceptibly nearer to where the gunboat lay. the idea was quite right, for fortune was after all favouring them, more than they dared to have hoped. all at once, as they were watching the glowing light, whose power rose and fell, those on board the gig were conscious of a slight jerk, accompanied by a grating sound. this was followed by a faint rustle from the fore part of the boat. what caused this, for a few moments no one in the after part could tell. they knew that they had run upon something, and by degrees fitz worked out the mental problem in his mind, as with his heart beating fast he watched the glowing light, in expectation of some sign that the smoker had heard the sound as well. but he still smoked on, and nothing happened to the boat, which had careened over at first and threatened to capsize, but only resumed her level trim and completely reversed her position, head taking the place of stern, so that to continue to watch the light the middy had to wrench himself completely round; and then he grasped the fact that the current had carried them right on to the anchor-chain where it dipped beneath the surface, before bearing them onward, still to swing at ease. the man who acted as coxswain--the camel to wit--having leaned over, grasped the chain-cable and almost without a sound made fast the painter to one of the links. chapter fifty. a daring deed. the brains of the other occupants of the boat had been as active as those of fitz, and their owners had come to pretty well the same conclusion, as they all involuntarily lowered their heads and sat perfectly still listening, and hardly able to believe that the man who was smoking was not watching them and about to give the alarm. but the moments glided by and became minutes, while the silence on board the gunboat seemed painful. the perspiration stood upon fitz's brow, forming drops which gradually ran together and then began to trickle down the sides of his nose, tickling horribly; but he dared not even raise his hand to wipe them away. by degrees, though, all became convinced that they could not be seen, and something in the way of relief came at the end of about a quarter of an hour, when all at once the cigar in the man's mouth glowed more brightly, and then brighter still as it made a rush through the air, describing a curve and falling into the sea, when the silence was broken by a hiss so faint that it was hardly heard, and by something else which was heard plainly. some one, evidently the smoker, gave vent to a yawn, a spanish yawn, no doubt, but as much like an english one as it could be. then, just audible in the silence, there was the faint sound of feet, as of some one pacing up and down the deck, another yawn, and then utter silence once again. no one stirred in the gig; no one seemed to breathe; till at last poole raised his hand to fitz's shoulder, leaned closer till he could place his lips close to his companion's ear, and whispered softly-- "i think they've let the fires out. i've been watching where the funnel must be, and i haven't seen a spark come out." fitz changed his position a little so as to follow his companion's example, and whispered in turn-- "nor i neither, but i fancy i can see a quivering glow, and i've smelt the sulphur quite plainly." there was another pause, and poole whispered-- "think there's anybody on deck?" the answer came-- "if there is he must be asleep." "what about that chap who was smoking?" "i think after that last yawn he went below." "then isn't it time we began?" fitz whispered back-- "yes, if we are going to do anything; but our plans seem turned topsy-turvy. we are close to the bows, where we ought to get up for me to tackle the gun." "yes," whispered poole, "but if we do that there'll be no chance afterwards to foul the screw; and that ought to be done, so that we can get rid of this cable. it will be horribly in the way if we have to row for our lives." fitz pressed his companion's arm sharply, for at that moment there was another yawn from the gunboat's deck, followed by a muttering grumbling sound as of two men talking, suggesting that one had woke the other, who was finding fault. but all sound died out, and then there was the deep silence once again. the lads waited till they thought all was safe, while their crew never stirred, and poole whispered once more--"well, what is to be done?" the next moment fitz's lips were sending tickling words into the lad's ear, as he said sharply-- "mustn't change--stick to our plans. i am going to tell butters to work the boat alongside, and then pass her to the stern." "hah!" breathed poole, as he listened for the faint rustle made by his companion in leaning towards the boatswain and whispering his commands. the next minute the boat was in motion, being paddled slowly towards the gunboat in a way the boys did not know till afterwards, for it was as if the gig as it lay there in the black darkness was some kind of fish, which had suddenly put its fins in motion, the five men having leaned sideways, each to lower a hand into the water and paddle the boat along without a sound. the darkness seemed to be as black as it could possibly be, but all at once, paradoxical as it may seem, it grew thicker, for a great black wall had suddenly appeared looming over the boat, and poole put out his hand, to feel the cold armour-plating gliding by his fingers, as the men, to his astonishment, kept the craft in motion till they had passed right along and their progress was checked by the gig being laid bow-on beside the gunboat's rudder; and as soon as the lads could fully realise their position they grasped the fact that the propeller must be just beneath the water the boat's length in front of where they sat. then silence once again, every one's heart beating slowly, but with a dull heavy throb that seemed to send the blood rushing through the arteries and veins, producing in the case of the lads a sensation of dizziness that was some moments before it passed off, driven away as it was by the tension and the acute desire to grasp the slightest sound where there was none to grasp. every one was waiting now--as all felt sure that so far they had not been heard--for the middy's order to commence, while he felt as if he dared not give it, sitting there and letting the time glide by, convinced as he was now that the end of the manilla cable could not be attached to one of the fans without their being heard, and in imagination he fancied the alarm spread, and saw his chance of ascending to the deck and reaching the gun, die away. then he started, for poole pinched his arm, sending a thrill through him, and as it were setting the whole of his human machine in action. "now or never," he said to himself, and leaning forward to the boatswain he whispered a few words in the man's ear, with the result that a very faint rustling began, a sound so slight that it was almost inaudible to him who gave the order; but he could feel the boat move slightly, as it was held fast beside the rudder, and the next minute when the young captain of the adventure raised his hand--as he could not see--to feel how the boatswain was getting on, he touched nothing, for the big sturdy fellow was already half-way to the bows of the gig. fitz breathed hard again, and listened trembling now lest they should fail; but all was perfectly still save that the boat rocked slightly, which rocking ceased and gave place to a quivering pulsation, as if the slight craft had been endowed with life. this went on while the two lads gazed forward and with their minds' eyes saw the boatswain reach the bows and join the camel, while two of the men who had not stirred from their places held on by the rudder and stern-post, one of them having felt about till his hand encountered a ring-bolt, into which he had thrust a finger to form a living hook. and as the lads watched they saw in imagination all that went on. they did not hear a sound, either in the bows or from above upon the gunboat's deck, while the two handy men were hard at work laying out the rope that was already securely attached to the cable; and then came the first sound, just after the boat moved sharply, as if it had given a slight jump. the slight sound was the faintest of splashes, such as might have been caused by a small fish, and it was due to the end of the rope slipping down into the water, while the jump on the part of the boat was caused by its having been lightened of chips's weight, for he had drawn himself upwards by grasping the rudder, across which he now sat astride, to grip it with his knees. the man wanted no telling what to do. he had rehearsed it all mentally again and again, and quick and clever of finger, he passed the rope through the opening between rudder and stern-post, and drew upon it softly and steadily till he had it taut, and was dragging upon the cable. old burgess was working with him as if one mind animated the two bodies. he knew what would come, and waited as the spiral strands of the rope passed through his hand; and when it began to grow taut he was ready to raise up the end of the big soft cable, pass it upwards, and hold it in place, so that it gradually assumed the form of a loop some ten feet long, and it was the head of that loop that jammed as it was drawn tight against the opening between stern-post and rudder, and very slowly laced tightly in position by means of the rope. but this took time, and twice over chips ceased working, as if he had failed; but it was only for a rest and a renewal of his strength, before he ceased for the third time and made a longer wait. but no one made a sign; no one stirred, though the two lads sat in agony, building up in imagination a very mountain of horror and despair branded failure in their minds, for they could hardly conceive that their plans were being carried out so silently and so well. at last fitz gripped poole's arm again so as to whisper to him; but the whisper did not pass, for at that moment, after being perfectly still for some time, the boat began to pulsate again, for the carpenter was hard at work once more, his hands acting in combination with those of the boatswain, for, still very slowly, working like a piece of machinery, they began to haul upon the cable in the boat. at the first tightening that cable now seemed to begin to live like some huge serpent, and creep towards them, the life with which it was infused coming, however, from the camel's hands, as, feeling that it was wanted, he began to pass it along, raising each coil so that it should not touch against the gunwale of the boat, or scrape upon a thwart. he too knew what was going on, as between them, the boatswain in the bows, the carpenter still astride the upper portion of the rudder, they got up enough of the cable to form another loop, whose head was softly plunged down into the water, passed under one fan of the great screw and over another, and then, its elasticity permitting, drawn as tight as the men could work it. this feat was performed again, and as final security the boatswain formed a bight, which he thrust down and passed over the fan whose edge was almost level with the surface. then as the boys sat breathing hard, and fancying that the daylight must be close at hand, the boat gave another jerk, careening over sideways towards the rudder, for the carpenter had slowly descended into the bows, to crouch down and rest. but the boatswain was still at work, with the camel now for mate, and between them they two were keeping up the quivering motion of the gig, as, slowly and silently, they went on passing the thick soft manilla cable over the side, to sink down into the sea until the last of the long snaky coils had gone. the announcement of this fact was conveyed to the two lads by the motion of the boat, fitz learning it first by feeling his right hand as it hung over the side begin to pass steadily through the water, which rippled between his fingers; and as he snatched it out to stretch it forth as far as he could reach, he for a few moments touched nothing. then it came in contact with the sides of the gunboat, and his heart gave a jump and his nerves thrilled, for he knew that the first act of their desperate venture was at an end, that the gig was gliding forward, paddled by the sailors' hands, towards the gunboat's bows, so as to reach one or other of the hanging anchors, up which he had engaged to scramble and get on board to do his part, which, now that the other had been achieved, seemed to be the most desperate of all. "i shall never be able to go through with it," he seemed to groan to himself in his despair; but at that moment, as if by way of encouragement, he felt poole's hand grip his arm, and at the touch the remembrance of the skipper's words thrilled through his nerves, to give him strength. the next moment he was sitting up firmly and bravely in his place, tucking up his cuffs as if for the fight, as he softly muttered-- "there is no such word as fail." chapter fifty one. is the deed done? the boat had stopped, and fitz had heard the faintest of faint clicks as of iron against iron, for the hook in the carpenter's hands had lightly come in contact with the port anchor, which was hanging in its place, teaching them that it was the starboard that was down; and as fitz looked up sharply, he fully expected to see a row of faces peering over the bulwark and looking down into the boat as the watchers gave the alarm, which would result in a shower of missiles being hurled upon their heads, the precursors of a heavy shot that would go crashing through the bottom of the boat. but he was only gazing up at a black edge and the stars beyond, and just above his head something rugged and curved which he knew were the anchor's flukes. fitz knew that to hesitate was to give place to doubts as to his success, and that the longer he waited the more likely they were to be discovered. that no watch was being kept was certain, and rising in the boat he took hold of the anchor as far up as he could reach, its ponderous nature rendering it immovable; and drawing himself steadily upward he began to climb. it was easy enough to an active lad, and once started there was no time for shrinking. quickly enough he was standing first upon the flukes, then upon the stock, while the next minute he was grasping the port-rail and trying to look down on to the deck, where he fancied he made out the figures of three or four men. but everything was so indistinct that he could not be sure, and he prepared to climb over, when he felt a touch upon his arm and started violently, for he had forgotten their arrangement that poole should bear a part in the disabling of the gun. he dared not speak, but just gave his companion's arm a grip, slipped silently over the bulwark, and went down at once on all-fours like a dog. poole was by his side directly, and as they knelt, both tried to make out the exact position of the gun, and both failed, till fitz lowered himself a little more, and then repeating his investigation managed to bring the muzzle of the great piece between him and the stars, towards which it was pointed, slightly raised. all was so still, and the deck apparently so deserted, that his task now seemed to be ridiculously easy; and beginning to creep aft towards the great carriage, which was planted a little forward of 'midships, one hand suddenly came into contact with something soft and warm, with the result that there was an angry snarl, a snap, and a hand was brought down with a heavy slap upon the deck. in an instant there was a start, and a low growling voice asked what was apparently a question as to what was the matter. the response came from the man who had struck the blow; but what he said was unintelligible to the listeners, who had immediately shrunk flat upon the deck, conscious as they were that two of the crew had been sleeping within touch, while for aught they knew others might be all around. all notion now of the task being ridiculously easy was swept away, and the two adventurous lads lay hardly daring to breathe for what seemed a quarter of an hour, before a deep stertorous breathing told that the danger was for the moment passed and the time for action come. it was fitz who this time set the example of beginning, and he did it by thrusting softly with one foot till he could feel where poole lay ready to seize him by the ankle and give it a warm pressure which the lad took to mean--go on. raising himself a little, he began to creep aft once more, bearing to his left towards where he believed the carriage and turn-table of the great gun to be, and reaching them without further interruption, and so easily that his task seemed to become once more simple in the extreme. reaching carefully out, he satisfied himself as to his position, took a step upward, and found directly after that he was about the middle of the gun, whose breech lay a little to the right and was reached with ease. "oh, if i could only whisper to poole," he thought. "come on, quick, old fellow, and then together we can get it to the side, drop it overboard, and follow so quickly that we need only make one splash, for it would be impossible to go back as we came." "yes, that will be the way," thought fitz; "and our fellows will row towards the splash at once, and pick us up. why didn't i think to tell them? never mind. that's what they are sure to do." directly after he was running his hand along the pleasantly cool surface of the gun; but he paused for a moment to listen, and begin to wonder in the darkness why it was that poole had not made some sign of being near. he reached back, giving a sweep with his hand; but poole was not there, and he took a step forward to repeat the movement--still in vain. "oh, i am wasting time," thought fitz, as he stepped back to his former position. "he's waiting for me to reconnoitre and fetch him if i want him." in this spirit he felt the gun again, guiding himself by his hands to its huge butt, his fingers coming in contact first with the sight and then with the two massive ball-ended levers which turned the great screw. he could barely see at all, but his finger-tips told him that it was just such a piece as they had on board the _tonans_, but not so large. forgetting poole for the moment, he passed right round to the breech, thrust in his hand, which came in contact with the solid block, and then withdrawing his hand he seized hold of the great balls, gave them a wrench, and in perfect silence the heavy mass of forged and polished steel began to turn, the well-oiled grooves and worm gliding together without a sound, and, after the first tug, with the greatest ease. it was all simple enough till he came to the final part of his task, and attempted to lift out the breech-block, the quoin that when the breech was screwed up held all fast. he took hold and tried to lift, but tried in vain, for it seemed beyond his strength. his teeth gritted together as he set them fast in his exasperation against poole for not being at hand to help and make what now seemed an impossibility an easy task. perspiring at every pore, he tried again and again, the more eagerly now, for a low growling voice was heard from the direction whence he had crawled. but the piece of steel was immovable, and in his despair he felt that all was over and that he had failed. then came light--not light to make the gun visible, but mental light, with the question, had he turned the levers far enough? uttering a low gasp in his despair, for the growling talk grew louder, he seized the great balls again, gave them another turn or two, and once more tried to stir the block, when his heart seemed to give a great jump, for it came right out as he exerted himself, with comparative ease, and directly after he had it hugged to his chest and was staggering and nearly falling headlong as he stepped down from the iron platform, making for the side. but he recovered himself, tottering on, and then in the darkness kicking against something soft--a sleeper--the encounter sending him, top-heavy as he was, crash against the bulwark, but doing all that he wanted, for the breech-block struck against the rail, glanced off, and went overboard, to fall with a tremendous splash, followed by another, which the middy made himself, as he half flung himself over, half rolled from the rail, to go down with the water thundering in his ears. the heaviness of his plunge naturally sent him below for some distance, but it was not long before he was rising again. it was long enough, though, for thought--and thoughts come quickly at a time like this. fitz's first flash was a brilliant one, connected with his success, for the breech-block was gone beyond recovery; his next was one of horror, and connected with the sharks that haunted those waters; his third was full of despair; where was poole, whom he seemed to have left to his fate? hah! the surface again, and he could breathe; but which way to swim for the boat? there was none needed, for his shoulders were barely clear of the water when his arm was seized in a tremendous grip, another hand was thrust under his arm-pit, and he was literally jumped, dripping, into a boat, to pant out his first audible utterance for the past hour. it was only a word, and that was-- "poole!" "i'm all right," came from out of the darkness close at hand. "then give way, my lads, for your lives!" panted fitz, and the oars began to splash. it was quite time, for there was no sleeping on board the gunboat now. all was rush and confusion; voices in spanish were shouting orders, men hurrying here and there, a few shots were fired in their direction, evidently from revolvers, and then a steam-whistle was heard to blow, followed by a hissing, clanking sound, and the man who had hauled fitz in over the bows put his face close to him and whispered-- "steam-capstan. they're getting up their anchor. but there was three splashes, sir. what was that there first?" "the breech-block, chips." "hooroar!" it was some little time before another word was spoken, during which period the men had been rowing hard, and the boatswain, who had got hold of the rudder-lines, was steering almost at random for the shore, taking his bearings as well as he could from the gunboat, out of whose funnel sparks kept flying, and a lurid glare appeared upon the cloud of smoke which floated out, pointing to the fact that the stokers were hard at work. "mr burnett--mr poole, sir," said butters, at last, "i aren't at all satisfied about the way we are going. i suppose we may speak out now?" "oh yes," cried fitz; "i don't suppose they can hear us, and if they did they couldn't do us any harm, for it must be impossible for them to make us out." "oh yes, sir," cried the boatswain. "no fear of that." "but what do you mean about not being satisfied?" "well, sir, my eyes is pretty good, and if you give me a fair start i can take my bearings pretty easy from the stars when i knows what time it is. but you see, it's quite another thing to hit the mouth of that little river in the dark. i know the land's right in front, but whether we are south'ard or north'ard of where the schooner lays is more than i can tell, and there's some awkward surf upon some of the rocks of this 'ere coast. will you give your orders, please." "well, i don't know that i can," replied fitz. "i think the best thing is to lie-to till daylight. what do you say, poole?" he continued, from his position to where poole was, right forward. "same as you do," was the reply. "it's impossible to make for the river now. we may be only getting farther away." "just keep her head on to the swell, my lads." the next minute the gig began riding gently over the long smooth waves, while her occupants sat watching the gunboat, the only light from which now was the glow from the funnel. "bit wet, aren't you, mr burnett, sir?" said chips. "what do you say to taking off two or three things and letting me give them a wring?" "ah, it would be as well," replied fitz, beginning at once to slip off his jacket, and as if instinctively to take off attention from what he was doing he began to question poole. "you had better do the same, hadn't you?" he cried. "doing it," was the reply. "i say, are you all right?" "no; i am so horribly wet. what about you?" "just the same, of course." "but i say," said fitz, who was calming down after the excitement; "why didn't you come on and help?" "how could i? one of those fellows lying on the deck threw a leg and an arm over me in his sleep. i just brushed against him, and he started as if i had touched a spring, and held me fast. i tried to get away, but it was of no use, and if i had shouted it would have only given the alarm. i didn't get loose till the row began, and then there was nothing to do but come overboard and be picked up. i was in a way about you." "same here about you," cried fitz. "i didn't know what had happened, and when i tumbled over the rail--i didn't jump--i felt as if i had left you in the lurch." "well, but that's what i felt," said poole. "it was queer." "it made us all feel pretty tidy queer, young gentlemen," said the boatswain; "but if i may speak, the fust question is, are either of you hurt?" "i am not," cried fitz. "nor i," said poole. "that's right, then," said the boatswain gruffly. "now then, what about that there block of iron? was it that as come over plosh, only about a yard from the boat's nose?" "yes," cried fitz excitedly. "then all i can say is, that it's a precious good job that mr burnett didn't chuck it a little further, for if he had it would have come right down on chips and drove him through the bottom, and we couldn't have stopped a leak like that." "but i should have come up again," said the carpenter, "just where i went down, and as the hole i made would have been just the same size as me, i should have fitted in quite proper." "yah!" growled the boatswain. "what's the use of trying to cut jokes at a time like this? look here, gentlemen, have we done our job to rights?" "as far as the gun's concerned," replied fitz, "it's completely disabled, and of no use again until they get another block." "then that's done, sir." "and about my job," said poole. "i am afraid the screw's not fouled, for i fancy the gunboat is slowly steaming out to sea." "well, i don't see as how we can tell that, mr poole, sir," said the boatswain. "i can't say as she's moving, for we are both in a sharp current, and she may be only drifting; but seeing the way as you made fast the end of that there cable, and then looped over bight after bight round them there fans, and twistened it all up tight, it seems to me that the screw must be fouled, and that every turn made it wuss and wuss. i say that you made a fine job of that there, mr poole. what do you say, chips, my lad?" "splendid!" cried the carpenter. "why, it was you two did it," said fitz. "well, that's what i thought, sir," said the carpenter; "but it was so dark, i couldn't see a bit." "zackly," said the boatswain; "and you said it was your job, sir." "oh, nonsense!" cried poole. "i meant yours." "well," said fitz, "all i can say is that i hope your knots were good." "i'll answer for mine," said the boatswain, "but i won't say nothing for chips here. he aren't much account unless it's hammers and spikes, or a job at caulking or using his adze." "that's right," said chips, "but you might tell the young gents that i'm handiest with a pot o' glue." there was silence for a few moments, and then fitz said-- "it's almost too much to expect that both things have turned out all right; but i can't help believing they have." "well, sir," said the boatswain, "i do hope as that there cable is not all twisted up in a bunch about them fans--reg'lar wound up tight--and if it is there's no knowing where that there gunboat will drift during the night; for i don't care how big a crew they've got aboard, they can't free that there propeller till daylight, if they do then. but it do seem a pity to spoil a beautiful new soft bit of stuff like that, for it'll never be no good again." "fine tackle for caulking," said the carpenter, "or making ships' fenders." "yah!" cried the boatswain. "we should never get it again. it's gone, and it give me quite a heartache to use up new ship's stores like that. but what i was going to say was, that the skipper will be saddersfied enough when we get back and tell him that mr burnett's crippled the big gun." "oh, but that was the easy job," said fitz. "it was just play, lifting out that block and dropping it overboard." "and a very pretty game too, mr burnett, sir," said the boatswain, chuckling. "but i say, seems quite to freshen a man up to be able to open his mouth and speak. while you two young gents was swarming up that anchor, and all the time you was aboard till you come back plish, plosh, i felt as if i couldn't breathe. i say, mr poole, would you like to take these 'ere lines?" "no," said poole shortly; "i want to get dry. but why do you want me to take the lines?" "to get shut of the 'sponsibility, sir. i can't see which way to steer." "oh, never mind the steering," cried fitz. "just keep her head to the swell, and let's all rest, my lads. i feel so done up that i could go to sleep. we can't do anything till daylight. here, i say, camel, did you bring anything to eat?" "the orders were to bring the rations stowed inside, sir," replied the cook; "but a'm thenking i did slip a wee bit something into the locker for'ard there, juist ahind where ye are sitting, sir. would you mind feeling? hech! i never thought of that!" "thought of what?" said fitz. "ye've got the ship's carpenter there, and he's got a nose like a cat for feesh. awm skeart that he smelt it oot in the dairk and it's all gone." "haw, haw!" chuckled the carpenter. "you are wrong this time, andy. i got my smelling tackle all choked up with the stuff the bearings of that gunboat's fan was oiled with--nasty rank stuff like scotch oil. i don't believe i shall smell anything else for a week." _rap_! went the lid of the little locker. "it's all right, my lads," cried fitz. "here, andy, man, those who hide can find. come over here and serve out the rations; but i wish we'd got some of your hot prime soup." "ay, laddie," said the cook softly, as he obeyed his orders; "it would ha' been juist the thing for such a wetting as you got with your joomp. mr poole, will ye come here too? i got one little tin with enough for you and mr poole, and a big one for the lads and mysen. but i'm vairy sorry to say i forgot the saut." "he needn't have troubled himself about the salt," said poole softly. "i should never have missed it. you and i have taken in enough to-night through our pores." "yes," said fitz.--"splendid, andy." "ah," said the camel; "i never haud wi' going upon a journey, however short, wi'out something in the way of food." chapter fifty two. fitz's conscience pricks. daybreak brought a blank look of amazement into the lads' countenances. the soft, sweet, bracing air of morning floated from the glorious shore, all cliff and indentation looking of a pearly grey, almost the same tint as the surf that curled over upon the rocks distant about two miles. a mere glance was directed at the dangerous coast, for every eye was turned seaward, east, north, and south, in search of the gunboat; but she was not to be seen. "surely she's not gone down!" cried fitz. "oh, hardly," said poole; "but it's very puzzling. what do you make of it, butters?" "well, sir," said the boatswain, "i'm thinking that like enough she's got upon a rock and stuck fast, while the sharp current has carried us along miles and miles, and quite out of sight." "but they may have got the screw all right, and gone straight out to sea." "nay, sir. not in the dark. we got them fans too fast; and besides, i don't see no smoke on the sea-line. the steamer leaves a mark that you can see her by many miles away. no, sir, i think i'm right; it's us as has drifted." "which way?" said poole. "north or south?" "can't say yet, sir. may be either. south," he added emphatically the next moment. "how do you know?" cried fitz. the boatswain smiled. "by the colour of the sea, sir," replied the man, screwing up his eyes. "look at the water. it isn't bright and clear. it's got the mark of the river in it. not much, but just enough to show that the current hugs the shore, bringing the river water with it; and there it all is plain enough. look at them little rocks just showing above the surface. you watch them a minute, and you'll see we are floating by southward, and we may think ourselves precious lucky that we haven't run upon any of them in the night and been capsized. you see, we have come by two headlands, and we have only got to row back to the north to come sooner or later in sight of landmarks that we know." "then give way, my lads," said fitz; "a fair long steady stroke, for the skipper must be getting terribly uncomfortable about us, poole, eh?" "yes. pull your best, boys. what do you say, fitz, to taking an oar each for a bit? i'm chilly, and a good way from being dry." "good idea," said fitz, changing places with one of the men. "you'll keep a sharp look-out, boatswain. the enemy may come into sight at any moment as we round these points, and even if she daren't come close in, she may send after us with her boats." "trust me for that, sir," said the boatswain, and the oars began to dip, with the sun soon beginning to show tokens of its coming appearance, and sending hope and light into every breast. it was a glorious row, the chill of the night giving place to a pleasant glow which set the lads talking merrily, discussing the darkness through which they had passed, the events of the night, and their triumphant success. "if we could only see that gunboat ashore, burnett!" cried poole. "ah," said fitz, rather gravely; "if we only could!" and then he relapsed into silence, for thoughts began to come fast, and he found himself wondering what commander glossop would say if he could see him then and know all that he had done in the night attack. "i couldn't help it," the boy said to himself, as he pulled away. "i shouldn't wonder if he would have done precisely the same if he had been in my place. i feel a bit sorry now; but that's no good. what's done can't be undone, and i shan't bother about it any more." "now, mr burnett, sir," said the boatswain, in a tone full of remonstrance, "don't keep that there oar all day. seems to me quite time you took your trick at the wheel." "yes," said the lad cheerily; "i am beginning to feel precious stiff," and he rose to exchange seats with the speaker, poole rising directly afterwards for the carpenter to take his place. "i'd keep a sharp look-out for'ard along the coast, mr burnett, sir," said the boatswain, with a peculiar smile, as the lad lifted the lines. "oh yes, of course," cried fitz, gazing forward now, and then uttering an ejaculation: "here, poole! look! why didn't you speak before, butters?" "because i thought you'd like to see it fust, sir. yes, there she lies, just beyond that headland." "at anchor?" cried poole. "can't say yet, sir, till we've cleared that point; but she's upon an even keel, and seems to be about her old distance from the shore. that must be the southernmost of them two great cliffs, and we are nearer the river than i thought." "lay your backs into it, my lads," cried poole. the gig travelled faster as the two strong men took the place of the tired lads; and as they rowed on it was plain to see that the gunboat was much farther from the point and shore than had been at first imagined. "it would be awkward," said fitz, "if they sent out boats to try and take us, for they must see us by now." but the occupants of the gunboat made no sign, and when at last the _teal's_ gig was rowed round the headland which formed the southern side of the entrance to the river, all on board could hardly realise how greatly they had been deceived by the clear morning light, for the gunboat was still some three or four miles away, and apparently fast upon one of the reefs of rocks, while from her lowered boats, crowded with men, it was evident that they were either busy over something astern, or preparing to leave. "they must be hard at work trying to clear the screw," cried fitz excitedly. "can't make out, for my part, sir," replied the boatswain, while poole carefully kept silence; "but it looks as much like that as ever it can, and we have nothing to mind now, for we can get right in and up the river long before their boats could row to the mouth." poole steered close in to the right bank of the river, so as to avoid the swift rush of the stream, this taking them close under the perpendicular cliff; and they had not gone far before there was a loud "ahoy!" from high overhead. looking up they made out the face of burgess the mate projecting from the bushes as, high upon a shelf, he held on by a bough and leaned outwards so as to watch the motions of the boat. "ahoy!" came from the men, in answer to his hail. "all right aboard?" shouted the mate. "yes. all right!" roared the boatswain. "what are they doing out yonder to the spaniel?" "trying to get her off, i suppose. she went ashore in the night. i came up here with a glass to look out for you, and there she was, and hasn't moved since. what about that gun?" "burnett has drawn its tooth," shouted poole. "father all right?" "no. got the grumps about you. thinks you are lost. you didn't foul the screw, did you?" "yes," shouted poole. "then that's what they're about; trying to clear her again; and when they do they've got to get their vessel off the rocks. i'm going to stop and see; but you had better row up stream as hard as you can, so as to let the skipper see that you have not all gone to the bottom. he told me he was sure you had." the men's oars dipped again, and they rowed with all their might, passing the dinghy with the man in charge moored at the foot of the cliff, while soon after they had turned one of the bends and came in sight of the schooner a loud hail welcomed them from those who were on board. then poole stood up in the stern, after handing the rudder-lines to his companion, and began waving his hat to the skipper, who made a slight recognition and then stood watching them till they came within hail. "well," he said, through his speaking-trumpet, "what luck?" "the gun's done for, father, and the gunboat's ashore," shouted poole, through his hands. "oh. i heard that the enemy had gone on the rocks. and what about the propeller?" "oh, we fouled it, father," said poole coolly. "that's right," said the skipper, in the most unconcerned way. "i thought you would. there, look sharp and come aboard. there's some breakfast ready, but i began to think you didn't mean to come. what made you so long?" he did not wait to hear the answer, but began giving orders for the lowering of another boat which he was about to send down to communicate with the mate. "i say," said fitz, grinning, "your dad seems in a nice temper. he's quite rusty." "yes," said poole, returning the laugh. "i suppose it's because we stopped out all night. there, get out! he's as pleased as can be, only he won't make a fuss. it's his way." the day glided on till the sun was beginning to go down. messages had passed to and fro from the watchers, who had kept an eye upon the gunboat, which was still fast. fitz, after a hearty meal, being regularly fagged out, had had three or four hours' rest in his bunk, to get up none the worse for his night's adventure, when he joined poole, who had just preceded him on deck. he came upon the skipper directly afterwards, who gave him a searching look and a short nod, and said abruptly-- "all right?" "yes, quite right, thank you, sir." "hah!" said the skipper, and walked on, taking no notice of poole, who was coming up, and leaving the lads together. "i say," said fitz sarcastically, "i can bear a good deal, but your father goes too far." "what do you mean?" asked poole. "he makes such a dreadful fuss over one, just for doing a trifling thing like that. almost too much to bear." "well, he didn't make much fuss over me," said poole, in rather an ill-used tone. "i felt as if we had done nothing, instead of disabling a man-of-war.--hullo! what does this mean?" for just then the boat came swiftly round the bend, with the mate sitting in the stern-sheets, the dinghy towed by its painter behind. a shout from the man on the watch astern brought up the skipper and the rest of the crew, including those who had been making up for their last night's labours in their bunks, all expectant of some fresh news; and they were not disappointed, nearly every one hearing it as the boat came alongside and the mate spoke out to the captain on the deck. "found a way right up to the top of the cliff," he said, "and from there i could regularly look down on the gunboat's deck." "well?" said the skipper sharply. "no, ill--for them; she's completely fast ashore in the midst of a regular wilderness of rocks that hardly peep above the surface; and as far as i could make out with my spyglass, they are not likely to get off again. they seem to know it too, for when i began to come down they had got three boats manned on the other side, and i left them putting off as if they were coming up here." "again?" said the skipper thoughtfully. "yes; to take it out of us, i suppose, for what we've done. how would it be to turn the tables on them and make a counter attack?" "granting that we should win," said the skipper, "it would mean half our men wounded; perhaps three or four dead. i can't afford that, burgess." "no," said the mate abruptly. "better stop here and give them what they seem to want. i think we can do that." "yes," said the skipper. "all aboard; and look sharp, burgess. let's be as ready for them as we can. the fight will be more desperate this time, i'm afraid." "not you," said the mate, with a chuckle, as he sprang on deck. "well, my lads, you did wonders last night. how did you like your job?" "not at all," cried fitz, laughing. "it was too wet." the mate smiled, and the next minute he was hard at work helping the skipper to prepare to give the spaniards a warm reception, taking it for granted that it would not be long before they arrived, burning for revenge. the preparations were much the same as were made before, but with this addition, that the carpenter, looking as fresh as if he had passed the night in his bunk, was hard at work with four men, lashing spare spars to the shrouds, so as to form a stout rail about eighteen inches above the bulwarks, to which the netting was firmly attached. there was no question this time about arming the crew with rifles, for every one felt that success on the part of villarayo's men would mean no quarter. "then you mean this to be a regular fight?" fitz whispered to poole, after watching what was going on for some time. "why, of course! why not?" "oh, i don't like the idea of killing people," said fitz, wrinkling up his forehead. "well, i don't," said poole, laughing. "i don't like killing anything. i should never have done for a butcher, but i would a great deal rather kill one of villarayo's black-looking ruffians than let him kill me." "but do you think they really would massacre us?" said fitz. "they can't help looking ruffianly." "no, but they have got a most horribly bad character. father and i have heard of some very ugly things that they have done in some of their fights. they are supposed to be civilised, and i dare say the officers are all right; but if you let loose a lot of half-savage fellows armed with knives and get their blood up, i don't think you need expect much mercy. they needn't come and interfere with us unless they like, but if they come shouting and striking at us they must take the consequences." "yes, i suppose so," said fitz; "but it seems a pity." "awful," replied poole; "but there always has been war, and people take a deal of civilising before they give it up. and they don't seem to then," said the lad, with a dry smile. "no," said fitz; and the little discussion came to an end. chapter fifty three. worse than ever. "this is bad, my lads," said the skipper, joining the boys. "what's wrong, father?" said poole. "why, it's close upon sundown, and it begins to look as if they are going to steal upon us in the dark, which will give them a lot of advantage. i would rather have been able to see what we are about. what an evening, though, for a fight! i have journeyed about the islands and central america a good deal, and it is nearly all beautiful, but this river and its cliffs, seen in the warm glow, is just my idea of a perfect paradise. look at the sky, with those gorgeous clouds! look at the river, reflecting all their beauties! and the trees and shrubs, looking darker in the shades, and in the light as if they had suddenly burst forth into bloom with dazzling golden flowers. and here we are going to spoil everything with savage bloodshed." "we are not, captain reed," said fitz sharply; "you would not fire a shot if you were not obliged." "not even a blank cartridge, my boy," said the skipper, laying his hand upon the middy's shoulder. "i loathe it, and i feel all of a shiver at the thought of my brave lads being drilled with bullets or hacked with knives. if it comes to it--and i am afraid it will--" "i say, father, don't talk of trembling and being afraid!" said poole reproachfully. "why not, my boy?" "because i don't know what fitz burnett will think." "whatever he thinks he'll know that i am speaking the truth. but i say, lad," continued the skipper, gripping the middy's shoulder tightly; "you'll help me, won't you?" "haven't i forgotten myself enough, sir?" said fitz, in a tone as full of reproach as that of poole. "no, my boy. i think you have behaved very bravely; and i don't think, if your superior officer knew all, that he would have much to say. but i don't want you to fight. i mean, help me after the trouble's over; i mean, turn assistant-surgeon when i take off my jacket." "yes, that i will," cried fitz. "i ought to be getting ready some bandages and things now." "oh, i think i've got preparations enough of that sort made," said the skipper; "and there is still a chance that we may not want them. hah! that hope's gone. ahoy! bosun! let them have the pipe." old butters's silver whistle rang out shrill and clear, but only called one man to his duty, and that was the camel, who came tumbling out of the galley and gave the door a bang. every one else was on the alert, watching a boat coming round the bend, followed by two more, crowded with armed men whose oars sent the water splashing up like so much liquid gold. the fight began at once, for the skipper had given his instructions. these he supplemented now with a sharp order which was followed by the crack of a rifle echoing from cliff to cliff, and fitz, who had run towards the stern to look over, was in time to see that the skipper's comment, "good shot, my lad!" was well deserved, for one of the officers in the stern-sheets of the first boat sprang up and would have gone overboard but for the efforts of his men, who caught and lowered him back amidst a little scene of confusion and a cessation of the rowing. another shot rang out and there was more confusion, the way of the leading boat being stopped; but the orders issued in the other boats were plainly heard on board the schooner; oars splashed more rapidly, and once more all three boats were coming on fast. "fire!" cried the skipper, and with slow regularity shot after shot rang out, to be followed by a ragged volley from the enemy, the bullets whizzing overhead and pattering amongst the rigging of the well-moored vessel, but doing no real harm. "keep it up steadily, my lads," shouted the skipper. "no hurry. one hit is worth five hundred misses. we mustn't let them board if we can keep them back. go on firing till they are close up, and then cutlasses and bars." but in spite of the steady defence the enemy came on, showing no sign of shrinking, firing rapidly and responding to their officers' orders with savage defiant yells, while shots came thick and fast, the two lads growing so excited as they watched the fray that they forgot the danger and the nearness of the enemy coming on. "they are showing more pluck this time, burgess," said the skipper, taking out his revolver and unconsciously turning the chambers to see that all was right. "yes," growled the mate. "it's a horrible nuisance, for i don't want to fight. but we've made rather a mess of it, after all." "what do you mean?" said the skipper. "ought to have dropped that other anchor." "why?" said the skipper sharply. "because they may row right up and cut us adrift." "yes," said the skipper quietly; "it would have been as well. take a rifle and go forward if they try to pass us, and pick off every man who attempts to cut the cable." "all right," replied the mate; "i will if there is time. but in five minutes we shall be busy driving these chaps back into their boats, and they will be swarming up the sides like so many monkeys." "yes," said the skipper. "but you must do it if there _is_ time. they don't seem to mind our firing a bit." "no," fitz heard the chief officer growl angrily. "their blood's up, and they are too stupid, i suppose." "cease firing!" shouted the skipper. "here they come!" the order came too late to check six of the men, who in their excitement finished off their regular shots with a ragged volley directed at the foremost boat, and with such terrible effect that in the midst of a scene of confusion the oars were dropped and the boat swung round broadside to the stream, which carried it on to the next boat, fouling it so that the two hung together and confusion became worse confounded as they crashed on to the third boat, putting a stop to the firing as well as the rowing. the commands of the officer in the last boat were of no effect, and the defenders of the schooner, who had sprung to their positions where their efforts would have been of most avail, burst forth with a wild cheer, and then turned to the skipper for orders to fire again. but these orders did not come, for their captain had turned to the mate with-- "why, burgess, that's done it! i believe we've given them enough." then heartily, "well done, boys! give 'em another cheer." in their wild excitement and delight the schooner's crew gave two; and they had good cause for their exultation, for the firing from the boats had quite ceased, the efforts of their commanders being directed towards disentangling themselves from their sorry plight, many minutes elapsing before the boats were clear and the men able to row, while by this time several hundred yards had been placed between them and the object of their attack. then the spanish officers gave their orders to advance almost simultaneously; but they were not obeyed. they raged and roared at their men, but in vain--the boats were still drifting down stream towards the bend, and as the darkness was giving its first sign of closing in, the last one disappeared, the skipper saying quietly-- "thank you, my lads. it was bravely done." a murmur rose from among the men, only one speaking out loudly; and that was the carpenter, who, as he took off his cap and wiped his streaming forehead, gave fitz a comic look and said-- "well, yes; i think we made a neat job of that." some of the men chuckled, but their attention was taken off directly by the boatswain, who shouted-- "here, you camel, don't wait for orders, but get the lads something to peck at and drink. i feel as if i hadn't had anything to eat for a week." "yes, and be quick," cried the skipper. "it's all right, my lads; i don't think we shall see the enemy again." chapter fifty four. "of course we will." the next morning reconnoitring began once more, prior to the skipper giving his orders, and the schooner dropping down slowly towards the mouth of the river; for the mate had been up on the cliff soon after daybreak, busy with his glass, and had returned to report that the spot where the gunboat lay still fast on the rocks was so distant from the channel through which the schooner had sailed, that it was doubtful whether, if they attempted to sail out, she could be reached by the small pieces that the enemy had on board. "then we won't give them the chance to attack again," was the skipper's comment, and the wind favouring, the channel was soon reached, and with the mate conning the craft, they sailed outward along the clear water, with the men armed and ready for any attack that might be attempted by the man-of-war's boats. it was not very long before the boys, who had mounted aloft with their glass to watch the deck of the foe, were able to announce that boats were being manned for lowering, and the tortuous nature of the channel now began to lead the schooner ominously near; but both the skipper and the mate were of opinion that at the rate they were sailing they would be able to evade an attack. "and if they are not very careful," growled the latter, "it strikes me i shall be running one if not two of them down. they'd be much safer if they stopped aboard." but still the dangerous nature of the rocks forced them nearer and nearer to the enemy. "not much doubt about the big gun being disabled," poole remarked to his companion, as they noted how busily the crew were preparing to lower the boats. "we should have had a shot long before this." "and there's no doubt either about the screw being fouled," said fitz. "i say, take the glass. they're doing something which i can't make out. you try." poole re-focussed the binocular, but it was some moments before he spoke. "can't you?" cried fitz excitedly. "yes, but i'm not quite sure. yes, now i am. right!" for at that moment a white ball of smoke shot out from the gunboat's deck, followed by a dull thud, and something came skipping over the heaving sea, before there was another sharp crack and a shell burst about a hundred yards from the schooner's stern. "i wonder whether we shall have to go any nearer," said poole excitedly. "they'd be able to do us a deal of mischief like that. i believe she's got four of those small guns on board." "judging from their gunnery," said fitz coolly, "they are not likely to hit us, even if we go much more near." "well, i hope not," said poole. "those are nasty waspish things, those shells. there she goes again. i wonder whether we could do anything with rifles at this range." the skipper proved to be of opinion that they could, but he preferred to devote all his attention to the navigation of the schooner, and in fact there was plenty to do, for every now and then they found themselves dangerously near the spots where a little creamy foam showed upon the surface of the sea, insidious, beautiful patches that would have meant destruction to the slight timbers of the yacht-like craft. but the mate was perched up on high, and between him and the steersman the skipper stood ready to transmit the keen chief officer's signals to the man at the wheel, so that they rode in safety through the watery maze, paying no heed whatever to the shells which came at intervals from the gunboat's deck, the small modern guns having a terribly long range. the boats filled with men still hung from the davits, ready for the order to start, which was never given, the captain of the gunboat evidently being of opinion that his rowing men would not be able to compete with the schooner's sails, and waiting as he was for the bursting of some shell overhead bringing down one of the important spars by the run, while it was always possible that the schooner's fate might be the same as his, to wit, running stem on to some rock, to sink or remain fast. under these circumstances the boats would have been of avail, and another attempt might have been made to board and take the little schooner. but the spaniards' gunnery was not good enough; the shells were startling, but their segments did no worse than speckle the surface of the sea, and at last involuntarily cheers rang out, for the _teal_ was running swiftly away from the danger, and the shells that came dropping were far astern. about half-an-hour later, and long after the firing had ceased to be dangerous, the mate came down from his eyrie, to seat himself and begin wiping his dripping face. "you look tired, mr burgess," said fitz, going up to him, "shall i get you a tin of water?" "thank you, my lad," said the rugged fellow huskily. "i am nearly choked with thirst." fitz ran to the breaker, took the tin that stood ready, dipped it, and bore it to the mate, who drained it to the last drop. "thank you, my lad. that's the sweetest drop i ever tasted in my life. hard work for the body will make a man thirsty, but work like that i have just been doing is ten times as bad. hah! it's horrid!--horrid! i believed i knew that channel pretty well, but for the last hour, and every minute of it, i have been waiting to hear the little schooner go scrunch on to some hidden rock; and now i feel quite done." "it must have been horrible," said the middy, looking his sympathy. "of course we all knew it was dangerous, but none of us could have felt like that." "no, my lad," said the mate, holding out his rough hand. "i don't believe anybody felt like that," and he gripped the boy's hand firmly. "but i say, between ourselves, i didn't mean to speak. it's made me feel a little soft like, and i shouldn't like anybody to know what i said." "you may trust me, mr burgess," said the lad warmly. "i do, my lad; i do, for i know what a gentleman you are. but to nobody, please, not even to young poole." the rough mate nodded his satisfaction as he met the middy's eyes, and somehow from that minute it seemed to fitz that they had become great friends. "now, that's what i call the prettiest view we've seen of that gunboat yet, mr burnett, sir," said the carpenter a short time later, as the lad strolled up to where he was leaning over the bulwarks shading his eyes from the sun. "i don't profess to be a artist, sir; nighest i ever come to making a picter was putting a frame round it and a bit of glass in front, as i kep' in tight with brads. but i've seen a deal of natur' in my time, hot and cold, and i say that's the prettiest bit of a sea-view i ever set eyes on. she's a fine-built boat--nice shape. looks like about half-way between a flat-iron and one of them as the laundresses use with a red-hot thing in their insides. but it ain't only her shape as takes my fancy. it's her position, and that's one that everybody on board must admire, as she lies there nice and distant with the coast behind, sea in front, and a lovely bit of foam and breakers both sides. ah! she makes a lovely pictur'. she don't want no frame, and the beauty of her is that she's one of them what they used to call dissolving views. you see, we shan't see her no more, and don't want to, and that's the beauty of it." "yes, you're right, chips," said poole, laughing. "we've seen rather too much of her as it is. but you are a bit wrong. i dare say we shall see her again. don ramon will be for trying to get her off the rocks when he hears how she lies. why, chips, that's in your way. what a job it would be for you!" "job for me, sir?" said the man, staring. "yes. that gunboat and her fittings must have cost a tremendous sum of money. it would be the making of you if you could get her off." the carpenter stared, and then gave his thigh a slap which sounded like the crack of a revolver. "yuss!" he cried. "i never thought of that. my word, shouldn't i like the job!" "think you could do it, chips?" cried fitz. "i'd try, sir. only let 'em give me the job. but the skipper wouldn't let me go." "well, you don't want to go, winks," said poole. "that's a true word, sir. i don't want to go. the _teal's_ good enough for me. but i should like to have the getting of that gunboat off all the same. let's see; that there don ramon wants it, doesn't he?" "yes," cried poole. "i say, look out!" cried fitz. "here's chips's dissolving view dissolving away." the declaration was quite true, for the gunboat was slowly disappearing, as the _teal_ sailed on, to reach velova bay without further adventure or mishap. all seemed well as they sighted the port, and don ramon's flag was fluttering out jauntily; but to the astonishment of all on board, as they drew nearer the fort there was a white puff of smoke, and then another and another. the british colours were run up, but the firing went on, and the skipper grew uneasy. "villarayo must have captured the place," he said, as he looked through his double glass. "here, i don't see any shot striking up the water, father," cried poole. "no; i tell you what it is," cried fitz. "they are glad to see us back. they are firing a salute." fitz was right, and before long a barge was coming off, with the national colours trailing behind, don ramon being made out seated in the stern-sheets in uniform, and surrounded by his officers. he looked ceremonious and grand enough in his state barge, but there was no ceremony in his acts. he sprang up the side as soon as the coxswain hooked on, and embraced the skipper with the tears in his eyes, the two lads having to suffer the same greeting in turn, so as not to hurt the feelings of one whose warmth was very genuine. "oh, my friend the captain," he cried, "i have been wasting tears on your behalf. you did not _come_ back, and the news was brought by three different fishing-boats that the enemy had driven you ashore and wrecked and burned your beautiful schooner, while there had been a desperate fight, they said, and they had heard the firing, so that i could only guess what must have been the result. i believed my brave true friend and all on board had been slain, while now i have you all safely back again, and my heart is very glad." "and so am i, don ramon," said the skipper warmly, for he felt how genuine the greeting was. "but things are much better than you thought." "yes, better far," cried the don. "but make haste. let us get ashore. my people are getting up a banquet in your honour and that of every _one_ on board." "oh, i'm not a banqueting man," said the skipper, laughing. "ha, ha! we shall see," said the don, laughing in his turn. "how came they, though, to tell me such false news? i believed the men who brought it could be trusted." "well, i dare say they can be," said the skipper. "but they didn't stay long enough. we had almost to run ashore, and there were two or three fights; that was true enough. but if they had stayed long enough they could have brought you the best news that you have had for months." "best news!" cried the don excitedly. "yes; the gunboat, with her big breech-loader and propeller disabled, is fast upon the rocks." "captain reed!" cried the don, seizing him by both hands. "is this true?" "as true as that i am telling you." "but the captain and his men?" "they're standing by her. but they will never get her off." "oh!" shouted fitz, giving a sudden jump and turning sharply round, to see the carpenter backing away confused and shamefaced, for he had been listening eagerly to the conversation, and at the critical point alluding to the gunboat being got off, he had in his excitement given fitz a vigorous pinch. "here, what are you thinking of doing?" said the skipper. "doing?" said the don excitedly. "there will be no banquet to-night. i must gather together my men, and make for the gunboat at once." "what for?" cried the skipper. "to strike the last blow for victory," cried the don. "we must surround and take the gunboat's crew, and then at any cost that gunboat must be floated. i don't quite see yet how it is to be done, but the attempt must be made before there is another gale. that gunboat must be saved. no," he continued thoughtfully, "i don't see yet how it can be done." "i do, sir," cried winks, dashing forward. "i'll take the job, sir, and do it cheap. say a word for me, skipper. you know me. it's fust come fust served at times like this. say a word for me, sir, afore some other lubber steps in and gets the job as won't do it half so well. mr burnett, sir--mr poole, you will put a word in too, won't you?" "i do not want any words put in," said the new president gravely. "i know you, my man, and what you can do. i know you too as one of the friends who have fought for me so bravely and so well. you shall get the gunboat off the rocks." in his excitement chips did the first steps of the sailor's hornpipe, but suddenly awakening to a sense of his great responsibility, he pulled himself up short with a sharp stamp upon the deck, thrust his right fore-finger into his cheek, and brought it out again _plop_. "stand by there, sir! steady it is. i like things right and square. i never did a job like this afore; but you trust me, and i'll do my best." "i do trust you," said don ramon, smiling and holding out his hand, "and i know such a british seaman as you will do his best." the carpenter flushed like a girl and raised his hand to grasp the president's, but snatched his own back again to give it three or four rubs up and down, back and front, upon the leg of his trousers, like a barber's finishing-touch to a razor, and then gave the much smaller spanish hand such a grip as brought tears not of emotion but of pain into the president's eyes. "now then, for the shore!" cried the don. "but, captain reed, my friend, i am never satisfied. you will help me once again?" "you know," replied the skipper, "as far as i can." "oh, you will not refuse this," said the president, laughingly. "it is only to transport as many of my people as the schooner will bear. i shall have to trust to fishing-boats and the two small trading vessels that are in the port to bear the rest, i must take a strong force, and make many prisoners, for not one of the gunboat's crew must escape." "oh, you won't have much trouble with that," said the skipper. "once you have the full upper hand--" "i have it now," said the spaniard haughtily. "then they will all come over to your side." "you will come with me ashore?" said the don. "yes; but when shall you want to sail? to-morrow--the next day?" "within an hour," cried the spaniard, "or as soon after as i can. i must strike, as you english say, while the iron is in the fire." "well, that's quick enough for anything," whispered fitz. the two lads stood watching the departing barge, with the skipper by the president's side, and then turned to go aft to the cabin. "this is rather a bother," said fitz. "i should have liked to have gone ashore and seen the banquet, and gone up the country. i am getting rather sick of being a prisoner, and always set to work. but--hullo, chips!" "just one moment, sir; and you too, mr poole." "yes; what is it?" "that's rather a large order, gentlemen, aren't it? that there don will be wanting to make me his chief naval constructor, perhaps. but that wouldn't do. i say, though, mr burnett, sir, can you give a poor fellow a tip or two?" "what about?" said fitz. "what about, sir? oh, i say, come! i like that! how am i going to get off that there gunboat? she's a harmoured vessel, you know." "oh, you'll do it, chips. you could always do anything, even when you hadn't got any stuff. what about pulling up the hacienda floor?" "to make fortifications, sir? yes, we did work that to rights. but iron's iron, and wood's wood. you can drive one into t'other, but you can't drive t'other into one." "no, chips," said fitz, laughing. "but there are more ways of killing a cat than hanging." "so there are, sir; toe be sure. making up your mind to do a thing is half the battle. i should like to have the help of you two young gents, though, all the same. a word from a young officer as knows how to disable a armstrong gun, and from another who thinks nothing of tying a screw-propeller up in a knot, is worth having." "oh, i'll help you," said fitz. "but i am afraid my help won't be of much use." "the same here," said poole. "ditto and ditto." "then i shall do it, sir," cried the carpenter confidently. "of course," cried fitz. "but that gunboat must be very heavy. how shall you go to work?" the carpenter gave a sharp look round, and then said in a low confidential tone-- "a deal too heavy, sir, for us to lift her. the only way to do is to make her lift herself." "how?" "taking out of her everything that can be moved; guns first, then shot and shell, and laying them overboard outside upon the rocks, ready for hoisting in again at low water when she's afloat. next thing i should do would be to find out whether she's got any holes in her, and if she hasn't--and i don't believe she has, for there's been no storm to bump her on the rocks--then i shall pump her dry, have her fires got up, and at high water full steam ahead, and if she don't come off then i'm a double dutchman." "but what about the screw?" "them as hides can find, sir, which means them as tie can untie. i think we can get her off, sir, if we put our backs into it. what say you?" "get her off?" cried fitz. "of course we will!" chapter fifty five. boarding the gunboat. that evening, followed by a heterogeneous fleet of about twenty small vessels crammed with fighting men, the _teal_ sailed again, and their time of arrival was so contrived that dawn of the next morning but one found the little fleet in delightfully calm weather forming a semi-circle from one point of the shore to the other, the focus of its radius being formed by the gunboat on the rocks. the plans had been made on the voyage, and as there was plenty of water for every vessel but the schooner, the latter's boats, well filled with men, alone accompanied the rest. it was an attack, but no defence, for as soon as the crew of the gunboat realised the formidable nature and numbers of the expedition, they took to the boats to try and escape to the shore. but the cliffs forbade this, and after another attempt or two to get away, all surrendered and gave up their arms, ready, as had been predicted, to begin cheering don ramon, the officers as they gave up their swords humbly asking to be allowed to retain their positions under the new government, for there seemed to be a general acceptation of the fact now that the petty war was at an end. don ramon's answer to this was to accept the services of the officers and the best of the men. the rest were boated off to the mouth of the river and set ashore. "ornamental, i call it," said chips, as he sat forward in one of the schooner's boats commanded by poole, in which, as a matter of course, fitz had taken his place. "what is, chips?" said poole. "do you mean your head?" "my head, sir," said the carpenter, staring. "well, no, sir, i didn't mean my head. 'tain't a bad one as it goes, but i never set myself up for a good-looking chap, one of your handsome sort. i allus left that to the camel here." the men, who were resting on their oars, burst into a roar of laughter, and the cook laughing as heartily as the rest and displaying his great teeth, but his mirth was silent. "hark at him," he said. "chips is a wonderful man for a joke." "nay, and i never set up as a joker either," said the carpenter; "but about this 'ere head of mine, i allus reckoned it was more useful than ornamental. what did you mean was the matter with it, mr poole?" "oh, only that it was swelled out so since you've been head contractor and engineer-in-chief for the getting the gunboat off the rocks. doesn't your hat feel very tight?" "nay, sir, and you are all wrong, for there's such a breeze here coming off the sea, hitting slap agin the rocks and coming back right in your face, that i have been longing for a piece of paper to fold up and put inside the band of my hat to make it tight. why i nearly lost it twice." "oh," said poole, "i thought it must be swelled. you've grown so important ever since you took the job." "never mind what he says, chips," cried fitz, "he's only chaffing you." "bless your 'eart, sir," cried the carpenter, "i know: this aren't the first voyage i've had with master poole." "but what do you mean about being ornamental?" said poole. "oh, us teals, sir, and our boats. here have we been figuring about holding up our rifles in the sun, and with these here cutlashes getting in the men's way wherever we rowed. regular ornamental i calls us, never so much as fired a shot or hit any one on the nose with one's fist. we have done a bit of shouting though. i've hooroared till if i had tried to do any more, i should roar like a sick bull in a cow-yard shut up to eat straw, while all the cows were in the next field getting fat on grass. i want to know what's the use of our coming at all!" "as supporters of the don," said fitz; "for prestige." "for what, sir?" "prestige," said fitz, laughing. "oh! that's it, was it, sir? well, i'm glad you told me. where does that come in?" "why, all through. shows how english men-of-war's-men have helped to frighten these mongrels into surrender. haven't you?" "well, i dunno about me, sir. i dare say the sight of the camel there has scared them a bit. wherever he showed his teeth, they must have said to themselves, `what a beggar that would be to bite!' and i suppose that made them a bit the readier to chuck it up as they did. but it's just what i said. we teals have been ornamental all through this job, and i should have liked to have had just one more go in by way of putting a neat finish." "oh, you've got job enough coming off," said poole. "there's your work," and he pointed to the gunboat lying about a quarter of a mile away. the carpenter became serious directly, frowned severely, laid his coxswain's boat-hook across his knees, and took off his straw hat to give his dewy forehead a couple of wipes with his bare mahogany-brown arms. "yes, gentlemen," he said, "that's a big handful for one man, and i feel a bit staggered, and get thinking every now and then that it was the biggest bit of cheek i ever showed in my life." "what was?" said fitz. "what was, sir? why, to say that i would get that there vessel off them rocks. there are times when i feel skeered, and ready to tuck my tail between my legs and run away like a frightened dog." "you!" cried fitz, and the two lads laughed heartily. "ah, it's all very fine, gentlemen, you are on the right side. you aren't got it to do. i have, and if i was to try and laugh now it would be on the other side of my mouth." "get out," said poole, "you'll do it right enough. won't he, fitz?" "of course." "think so, gentlemen?" "to be sure we do," cried fitz. "you'll do it, chips. go in and win." "thank you, sir," said the man, rather sadly. "i did say i'd do it, didn't i?" "to be sure you did." "well then, of course i must try." "to be sure you must," cried fitz. "why, you'll be able to do it in broad daylight with nobody to interrupt you." "so i shall, mr burnett, sir. it won't be like swarming up her side in the dark, expecting a couple of dozen of them half-bred niggers to come at you with their long knives ready to pitch you overboard. here: i am glad you talked. i was getting all in the downs like over that job, when it aren't half so 'ard as for a young gent like you to swarm up that anker, that very _one_ yonder as is hanging from the cat-head now, and then taking out that breech-block and--" "there, that will do," cried fitz, turning scarlet; "i don't want to hear any more about that. i say, chips, how do you mean to begin?" the carpenter screwed his face up into a very cunning smile. "like me to tell you, sir?" "of course," cried the boys in a breath. "well," said the carpenter, "you are both very pleasant young gents as has allus been good friends to me, and i'd tell you in a minute but for one reason." "you don't want your messmates to know your plans?" said fitz quickly. "oh no, sir, it's a bigger reason than that. you see, it's just like this 'ere. i'll tell you, only don't let 'em know in the other boat. you see there's mr burgess yonder, and old butters." "well, don't make such a rigmarole of it all, chips," cried poole. "what's your big reason?" "well, sir, it's just this 'ere," said the carpenter solemnly. "i'll be blessed if i know it myself." "bah!" cried poole angrily. "what i want is clean decks, with all them there trash cleared away, and time for me and the bosun having the craft to ourselves just to go round and smell it all over before we begin." "of course," cried poole. "you see, it's a big job, gentlemen, and it's no use for us to roosh it. what i want is for us to be able to lay this 'ere boat aboard, and leave to begin. i want room, sir, and to see what tools i want, and--" "ahoy there, mr poole!" came from the next boat. "let your men give way and follow me. i am going to board the gunboat now, and put a prize crew on board." "ay, ay, sir," cried poole; and then to the carpenter, who sat moistening his hands prior to giving them a rub on his knees, "there you are, chips. give way, my lads. we are going to make fast a tow-rope to the gunboat's stern. keep your eyes open, and you will see how chips will haul her off." there was another laugh as the men bent to their oars, rowing so vigorously that several of the small craft full of don ramon's followers, hanging round the ponderous-looking craft upon the rocks, hurriedly made way as if half expecting to be run down, and a few minutes later the schooner's boats, headed by mr burgess, were alongside their late dangerous enemy, to spring on board, the spanish crew drawing back to the other side to crowd together and look carelessly on, all idea of resistance being at an end. chapter fifty six. winks's luck. neither fitz nor poole had felt any desire to pose as the heroes of the little night attack, which had resulted in the disabling of the armoured man-of-war, but it was with a strange feeling of exultation that they climbed on board in the full sunshine, eager as they were to stand once more upon the decks, and see in the broad daylight what the vessel was like into which they had climbed in the darkness of the night. fitz's first thought as he passed through the gangway was to make for the great gun that stood amidships upon its iron platform and revolving carriage, the huge muzzle elevated, and looking ready to hurl its great shells far and wide; but he had to wait and stand with the schooner's men drawn up while the prisoners and volunteers who had joined the winning side filed down into the boats that swarmed around, till with one exception the crew had all left the deck, the exception being the firemen, who willy nilly were retained on board for service in connection with the engine under the new president. all this took time, but at last don ramon's dread had become his joy, and he showed his feeling of triumph as he paced the gunboat's deck rubbing his hands, and every now and then giving vent to a satisfied "hah!" as he stopped to converse with burgess, or to say a kindly word to one or other of the prize crew, not least to the two boys. "hah!" cried the carpenter at last. "now then, gentlemen, i think we must say going to begin. here's mr burgess as hungry as i am. you would like to come round with us, wouldn't you, mr poole? mr burgess says we can get to work as soon as ever we like." "of course we should," said poole. "come on, fitz;" for just then don ramon came up to the mate to make a flowery speech, telling him that he left him in perfect confidence to hold the prize while he went to see to the disposal of the rest of the prisoners who were left, so that no attempt might be made to regain the upper hand. poole turned to fitz expecting to see him eager to follow the carpenter, but it was to find him standing with one foot upon the platform of the great gun, looking at the muzzle, as it sloped toward the sky, evidently deep in thought, and he did not stir until poole laid a hand upon his arm with the query-- "what are you thinking about?" "that night," was the reply. "so was i just now," said poole. "look there, that's where i lay with one of the spaniards holding me down, and afraid to make a sound, or to struggle. it was horrid, and i couldn't tell what sort of a position you were in. it was ticklish work and no mistake." "yes," said fitz, thoughtfully, "horrible for you, but i believe it was worse for me, because something seemed to be tagging at me all the time and telling me that i had no business there." poole looked at his companion curiously. "but you felt that you must do it, didn't you?" he said. "oh, yes," cried fitz, "i was desperate; but i never want to go through such a five minutes again. let's see, i stepped along there," he continued, pointing and following the steps his memory taught him that he must have taken to get round to the back of the great gun. "yes, this is exactly where i stood to swing round those great balls and open the breech, but only to be disappointed, finding as i did that the block was fast. oh, poole, how i did tug and strain at it, feeling all the while that i had been boasting and bragging to your father, and that after all i was only a poor miserable impostor who had been professing to know a great deal, when i was as ignorant as could be, and that i was being deservedly punished in that terrible failure that was taking place." "ah, i remember," cried poole; "you said the block stuck fast?" "yes, till the idea came that i had not turned the great screw far enough." "but you ought to have made sure of that at first." "of course i ought," cried fitz sharply, "and i ought to have been as cool and calm as possible when doing such a venturesome thing--in the pitch-darkness, with perhaps ten or a dozen of the spanish sailors--the watch--" "the watch!" cried poole, laughing. "come, i like that." "well, then, men lying about all round us. you were perfectly cool of course?" "i!" replied poole. "why i was in a state of high fever. i didn't know whether i was on my head or my heels. i believe, old fellow, that i was half mad with excitement." "i'm sure i was," cried fitz, "till the thought came that perhaps i had not turned the screw far enough. that thought made me quite jump. then there was the feeling the screw move. i felt as if i could see the great thread all shining as it glided along, while i must have seen the block when i lifted it out." "but that was all fancy of course. it was the darkest, blackest night i ever saw." "i know, but i certainly seemed to see the block as i held it hugged to my breast." "i should have liked to see you when you were making for the side all top-heavy, and went flying over after the great quoin as you called it. my word, fitz, that was a flying leap overboard." "ugh!" ejaculated the latter with a shudder. "as i go over the task again, it seems as if it is all part of a queer dream." "a very lively one though," said poole, laughing. "i say, i wonder how deep you went down." "oh, don't talk about it! ever so far. it seemed a terribly long time all going down and down, feeling all that time as if i should never come up again, and thinking about sharks too. why, it couldn't have been half-a-minute from the time i touched the water till i was at the top again swimming, and yet it seemed to be an hour at least." "it does seem long at a time like that. but i say, what a narrow escape that was." "of being caught, yes." "no, no," cried poole; "i mean when the breech-block went over the side." "it just was," said the carpenter, coming up. "i know somebody, gentlemen, who thinks as he had a very narrow squeak of being took down to the bottom with that bit o' steel and kept there. but that would ha' been better than floating up again to be pulled to pieces by the sharks. i don't suppose that they stops much about the bottom o' the sea; they generally seem to be too busy up at top, drying their back-fins in the open air. trying your little bit o' performance over again, gentlemen?" "yes, chips," said fitz, as the man stood smiling at him. "it was a horrible night's work." "well, no, sir, not horrid. we came out to do something and we did it fine. the on'y awkward bit on it is the risk you ran a-popping that there breech-block on somebody's head, for which miss he's very much obliged--very much indeed. but i came to see if you gents wouldn't like to come down below with us to sound the well, for i expect there's a precious lot o' water there, and a big hole to let it in. mr burgess have gone down with butters." the two lads hurriedly followed the carpenter below, to encounter the mate and boatswain fresh from their task. "deal more water than i like to see, my lads," said the boatswain, "but we shall know better where we stand after that steam-pump has been going for a couple of hours." "job for that engineer and his fireman," said the carpenter coolly; and very soon after the panting of the donkey-engine, the rattle of the pump, and the vigorous splashing down of clear water betokened the relieving of the gunboat's lower parts of some portion of their burden, as poole said, but only to be met by a damping remark from fitz. "not much good," he said, "if the water runs in as fast as it runs out." as time could be the only test for this, the little party of examiners descended now into one of the schooner's boats, the carpenter standing up in her bows and passing her along to make fast by one of the ringbolts of the stern-post, and giving the two lads a peculiar look as he proceeded to examine the propeller. "well, how does it seem?" said the mate. "seem, mr burgess, sir?" said the carpenter dryly, "don't seem at all, sir. there's nothing here but the biggest ball o' string i ever see. would you mind coming forard, mr butters, sir, and seeing what you can make of it?" the boatswain passed over the thwarts and joined his comrade of the past night's work, stood looking down for a few moments, and then took off his cap and scratched one ear. "you young gents had better come and have a look," he said; "you had the designing on it." the boys did not wait for a second invitation, but hurriedly went forward, to find that their scheme had acted far beyond their expectations, for the fans of the propeller had wound up the thick soft cable so tightly that the opening in which the fish-tail mechanism turned was completely filled with the tightly-compressed strands of rope, so that poole suggested that all that needed was to get hold of one end, and then as soon as the steam was well on to reverse and wind the cable off in a similar way to that in which it had been wound on. "hah, to be sure," said the boatswain, giving his leg a sailor's slap, "there's nothing like a bit o' sense, mr poole, sir; that nice noo manilla cable's been twisted round my heart, sir, ever since it was used, and made me feel quite sore. nothing i hates worse than waste." "it wasn't waste," said fitz, impatiently. "you might just as well say the bait was wasted when you have been fishing. don't you get something good in return?" "ah, but that's fishing, young gentlemen, and this aren't," said butters, with a very knowing smile. "not fishing!" cried fitz. "i think it was fishing. you used the cable, and you've caught a gunboat." "but s'pose we've got the gunboat and the bait back as well, how then?" cried the boatswain. "look ye here, my lad, i'm going to have that there end of the cable taken a turn round the steam-capstan, and as soon as the chaps have got full steam on, the screw shall be turned, and we'll wind it off fine and good as noo." fitz shook his head as he gazed down through the clear water at the mass of rope, and exclaimed-- "i know it won't do." "what, aren't you saddasfied now?" said the boatswain, while chips wrinkled up his face and looked uneasy. "aren't never seen a screw fouled like that afore, along of a coir cable, mr fitz, sir, have you?" "no," replied the middy. "but i've seen a manilla cable after it's been down with a heavy anchor in a rocky sea off the channel islands." "and how was that, sir?" "frayed in half-a-dozen places by the rocks, so that the anchor parted before we'd got it weighed, and the captain was obliged to send for a diver to get the anchor up." "but there aren't no rocks here, mr fitz, sir, to fray this here one, because it has never been down." "no, but it has been ground against the iron stern-post till it's nearly through in ever so many places. look there, and there, and there." "hah, look at that, bosun," cried the carpenter triumphantly. "just cast your eye along there and there. our side's right and the manilla cable's all wrong. i'm afeard too as we're going to find out a good many other things is wrong, and the gunboat aren't afloat yet." "no, but you've undertaken to float her, chips," said poole. "i wouldn't reckon on being don ramon's head naval architect and engineer just yet." "no, sir, i don't," said the carpenter seriously. "but anyhow we'll set the screw free before we trouble any more about that leakage;" and in a very business-like way he carried out the boatswain's plans, connecting the cable with the capstan, and winding it off; but it was so damaged by grinding against the edges of the opening that it parted five different times before it was all off, to the boatswain's great disgust. "what have you got to say about the leakage, mr burnett, sir?" whispered the carpenter after the cable task was ended, and the fans of the propeller showed clearly in the water just below the surface, and had been set whirling round in both directions to churn up the water, and prove that the shaft had not been wrenched or dragged from its bearings. "nothing at present, chips," replied the middy. "because i'd take it kindly, sir, if you'd drop a fellow a hint or two. this is a big job, sir, and means my making or my breaking, sir." "but you shouldn't ask me, my man," replied the middy. "you are old and experienced, while i'm only a boy." "yes, sir, i knows that," said the man; "but you're come out of a gunboat, sir, and you've got your head screwed on the right way, sir. i never see a young gent with such a head as yours, nor yet one as was screwed on so tight." "oh, nonsense, chips," cried the boy, flushing. "it's your job, not mine." "nay, sir, it aren't nonsense, it's sound sense. i like a bit of the first as well as any man when larking helps to make hard work go easy. often enough a bit o' fun acts like ile to a hard job, but it won't ile this one. and as i said afore, sir, i'd take it kindly if you'd put in a word now and then over the rest o' the job same as you did over the cable." "but you ought to consult with mr burgess or the captain, my man," said fitz, uneasily. "nay, i oughtn't, sir. i'd a deal rayther have a word or two from you when you see things going wrong." "why?" said fitz quickly. "i've telled you, sir. doesn't all you say come right? i've kinder got a sort o' confidence in you, mr burnett, sir, as makes me feel as if i should like to be under you in some ship or another, and i aren't the on'y one aboard as feels that, i'm sure." "well, it's very kind of you to put so much faith in me," said the middy; "but don't say any more, please, and don't believe in me too much for fear i should make some horrible blunder, and disappoint you after all." "ah, you won't do that, sir," said the carpenter confidently. "of course i shall be only too glad to help you if i can, for i should be very glad to see you float the vessel." "and you will keep an eye on what i do, sir, and put in a word if you think i'm going wrong?" "if you wish it, yes," replied fitz. "thanky, sir," whispered the man earnestly. "it may be the making of me, sir, and anyhow, as i have took up this job, i don't want these spaniel chaps to see an englishman fail." "they shall not, chips, if i can help it," cried fitz, warmly. "there now, let's see whether the donkey-engine is able to keep the water down, or whether she's lower in the water than she was." "there, sir," whispered the man, "hark at you! call yourself a boy! why you couldn't ha' spoken better if you'd been a hold man of a 'undered. you made me want to give you a shout, only i had to keep quiet, and let the spaniels think i'm doing it all to rights. i don't mind about our lads. they all know me, and what i can do and what i can't. i don't want to try anything and chuck dust in their eyes--not me; but i do want to show off a bit and let these spanish mullotter chaps see what an englishman can do, for the sake of the old country and the british flag." "then let's go below, chips," said fitz, "and see what the pumping has done." poole, who had been aft with the mate during this conversation, rejoined them now, and together they went below to sound the well. "good luck to us, gentlemen," said the carpenter, rubbing his hands. "good luck," cried poole eagerly. "you don't mean to say she's making less water?" "nay, sir, but i do say that the engine's lowering it. there's a foot less in her now than when we began pumping, and that means we win." a few hours later, after the donkey-engine had kept on its steady pumping, chips made another inspection, and came up to where fitz and poole were together, pulling a very long face. "why, what's the matter, chips?" cried fitz anxiously. "you don't mean to say that anything is wrong?" "horribly, gentlemen," cried the man. "it's always my luck! chucking away my chances! why, she's as good as new!" "well, what more do you want? isn't that good enough for you?" "yes, sir, it's good enough; but mr butters here and me, we was half asleep. we ought to have formed ourselves into a company--winks and co., or butters and co., or butters and winks, or winks and butters, or co. and co." "why not cocoa and cocoa?" said fitz, laughing. "anyhow you like, gentlemen, only we ought to have done it. bought the gunboat cheap, and there was a fortune for us." "never mind that," said poole. "you'll be all right, chips. don ramon will be presenting you with a brass tobacco-box, or something else, if you get her off." "go and ast him to order it at once, so as to have it ready, for we shall have her off to-morrow as soon as them 'hogany lubbers have got the steam up." "you don't mean that?" cried poole. "ask mr butters here, and see what he says." "yes," said the boatswain coolly; "and i thought we should have to lighten her by a couple of hundred tons or so. but it makes a man feel very proud of being an english sailor. these half-breeds here give up at once. why, if she'd had an english crew aboard, that cable wouldn't have stopped round the screw, and the lads wouldn't have sat down to smoke cigarettes and holloa. why, they might have had her off a score of times." "but what about getting her safely into the channel again?" said poole. "what about getting old burgess aboard to con her; she going slow with a couple of fellows at work with the lead in the chains? why, it's all as easy as buttering a bit of biscuit." not quite, but the next evening the gunboat was well out in deep water, comparatively undamaged, and flying don ramon's colours, making her way towards velova bay, towing a whole regiment of boats, the _teal_ proudly leading under easy sail. chapter fifty seven. a startler. "ah," said don ramon to the skipper, the morning after their arrival, "if only that gun were perfect!" "well, it ought to be in two months' time. you'll have to get command of the telegraph at san cristobal." "to get command?" cried the don. "i have full command. resistance to my rule is dead, and i have only to wait to be acknowledged by the powers. but go on with what you were saying." "oh, it was only this. you can wire to the makers of the gun to send you out a new breech-block by the first steamer. they will honour your order, i'll be bound." "it shall be done," said don ramon eagerly. this took place in the principal building of the little port, where the don was entertaining the skipper and the two lads; and he seemed quite disturbed when, after a short communication had passed, fitz and poole got up and asked their host to excuse them. "you wish to go so soon?" he said. "why, i have friends coming to whom i wish to introduce you as the brave young heroes who helped me to success." "oh, there's no need for that sir," said fitz. "we don't want to be made a fuss over." "but i take it that you would be willing to gratify your host," replied the don loftily, "and it would please me much if you would stay." "but we must get back on board, sir," said fitz anxiously. then noticing the air of displeasure in the president's countenance, the middy added hastily, "there, sir, we will come back at once." they hurried down to the shore, where the schooner's gig was lying with her crew on board. "well, i don't understand whatever you want," said poole, "unless you have suddenly found out that because ladies are coming you ought to put on a clean shirt." "get out!" cried fitz; and then, assuming command of the boat, to poole's great amusement, though he said nothing, fitz gave orders to the men to give way and row them out to the gunboat. "why, i thought you wanted to go to the _teal_! oh, i see. well, it's very nice of you. you want us to go and take charge of the prize crew so as to let old burgess go and have some tucker with the don." "nothing of the kind," said fitz shortly. "what is it then?" said poole. "what's the good of keeping things so close?" "wait and see. i don't know yet myself." "dear me!" said poole. "i suppose his lordship has found out that he left his purse in the cabin." "wrong," said fitz. "it was only an old leather one if he had, with nothing in it. can't you wait a few minutes till i see if i am right?" "oh, yes, i'll wait; only too glad to get away while the other people come. i say, fitz, old chap, let's be as long as we can. i do hate all that fuss. it makes me feel so weak." "yes; i don't like it. that's the worst of foreigners. they are so fond of show. i say, poole, old chap, i've got such a grand idea." "what is it?" "wait and see." "now, just you look here," said poole; "you can't say but what i'm a good-tempered sort of fellow, but if there's much more of this you'll put me out. i'm not a little child, and you are not playing at bob-cherry, so leave off dangling nothing before my lips and then snatching it away." "ah, you wait and see," said fitz. just then, as poole turned upon him irritably, the gig touched the gunboat's side, and the boys sprang on board, to be greeted by the mate and the members of the prize crew, who had moored her well under the guns of the little fort. "hullo, young fellows! i know what you want," cried the mate. "then you are cleverer than i am," said poole, laughing, "for i don't." "then why have you come?" "ask burnett here. he seems to be grand panjandrum now." "you've come," said the mate, "by the president's orders, to bring me ashore to drink wine and eat cake, or some nonsense of that kind, and you may go back and tell him i can't leave my post." "wrong," said fitz; and he hurried away forward, to come into sight again waving his hand to poole to join him. "whatever's the matter with the fellow?" said poole to himself, as he followed the middy. fitz met him half-way, caught him by the collar, and with his face flushed and eyes flashing, whispered something in his ear. "no!" cried poole. "you don't mean it!" "i do," said fitz, and he whispered a few more words that made his companion stare. "shall we?" cried fitz excitedly. "oh, i don't know," replied poole. "it would make such a scare." "i don't care," said fitz. "it will make don ramon ready to jump out of his skin. i don't know what he won't say when he gets the news; and besides, i feel as if i had a right." meanwhile the people were beginning to arrive to crowd the _salle_ where the president and the skipper were ready to receive them, and the president had risen at once, and amidst a tremendous burst of applause, to begin a speech in which he intended to congratulate his hearers upon the end of the war and the commencement of what he hoped would be a long term of peace, when he and all present were startled by a terrific roar as of thunder close at hand, followed by what seemed like a minute's silence, when the echoes began to speak, carrying on the sound along the valley and up into the mountains, where it rolled and died out, rose again, and was eddied on and on, to finally fade away in a dull whisper. for the time no one spoke, no one stirred, but stood as if turned to stone, as so many statues where but a few minutes before all was animation and suppressed excitement consequent upon what was looked upon as the successful determination of the revolution. upon every face horror was now depicted, cheeks were pale, eyes dilated and staring, and fear with all its horrors seemed to have enchained the crowded _salle_. there was one pale face though that seemed to stand out the central figure of the gaily-dressed and uniformed crowd. it was that of the president, who slowly stretched out his hands on high, his fists clenching and his features convulsed. there was no horror there in his looks, but one great reflex of the despair within his heart. "oh," he groaned, "and at a time like this, when i have fought so hard, when i would have given up my very life for my unhappy country. gentlemen, we have a new enemy to contend with, and that is fate. am i to own that all is lost, or appeal to you, my faithful friends, to begin again to fight the deadly battle to the very last?" "but what is it?" cried one of the officials. "yes," shouted another, "what does this mean?" the president smiled bitterly, and stood for a few moments gazing back sadly at his questioners as the crowd began to sway to and fro, some of those present beginning to make for the door, but in an undecided way, and swaying back to press once more upon their leader, as if feeling that he was their only hope. he seemed to read this in their faces, and suddenly the blood began to flush like a cloud across his pallid brow, nerving him as it were to action. throwing his right hand across his breast he sought for the hilt of his sword, which his left raised ready, and he snatched the blade from its scabbard, whirled it on high, and then held it pointed towards the nearest open window, through which a thin dank odoured cloud of smoke was beginning to float, telling its own tale of what the explosion was. for a few moments the president was silent, rigid and statuesque in his attitude, while his eyes flashed defiance and determination. "gentlemen," he cried, "you ask me what this means," and he seemed to flash his glance around the room to take in everybody before letting his eyes rest at last upon the skipper. "it means that the scotched snake has raised its poisoned head once more, how i know not, nor yet what following he hab. but the enemy still lives, and we must fight again to the very death if needs be." a murmur of excitement ran through the _salle_, and once more the weak amongst those assembled raised a murmur, and glances were directed towards the door, as if the next moment panic was about to set in and a rush was imminent. at that moment, as if in response to the president's appealing look, the big bronzed skipper, poole's father, british to the backbone, took a step or two forward, and the president's face lit up with a smile as he uttered a loud "hah!" full of the satisfaction he felt. "silence there," he shouted, directing his words at his wavering followers, whose spirits seemed to have been completely dashed. "silence, and let our brave captain speak." "i have only this to say," cried the skipper. "be calm, gentlemen, be calm. are we who have carried all before us to be frightened by a noise? it is an explosion. whatever has happened you must be cool, and act like the brave men you are. this is either some accident, or the cunning enemy has sent in some emissary to lay a train. it is all plain enough. some of the powder collected in the magazine of the fort has gone. there was a great flash, i saw it myself, and it evidently came from there. now, president, take the lead. out with your swords, gentlemen. i don't believe you will need them. some pounds of gunpowder have been destroyed. had the enemy been there we should have heard their burst of cheering, and the noise of their coming on, for this place would have been the first they would have attacked." the skipper's sensible words were greeted with a groan of despair, for at that moment that of which he had spoken came floating in turn through the open window. "ah," cried the president, catching at the skipper's arm and gripping it fast as he pointed to the open window with his sword. "brave words, my friend, but you hear--you hear--" and another murmur of despair ran through the crowd. "oh yes," said the skipper, "i can hear." "the cries," said the president, "of the savage enemy." "no," roared the skipper with a mocking laugh. "your enemies, man, can't cheer like that," and he rushed to the window. "there they go again. why, don, that's not a spanish but good old english shout. yes, there they go again. i don't know what it means, but i can hear, far off as they are, those were the voices of some of my crew." "what?" cried the president. "come here, all of you," cried the captain, "and look out. there's nothing to fear. follow my lead and give another cheer back. that shouting came from the gunboat deck. look, don ramon, you can see my fellows waving their caps, and those two boys are busy on the bridge doing something, i can't make out what. yes, i can, they're bending on a flag. there: up it goes. why, gentlemen, we have been scaring ourselves at a puff of powder smoke. why, by all that's wonderful--" he stopped short and held up his hand. "silence, please," he cried after a pause, and a dead stillness reigned once more as every one who could get a glimpse of the gunboat strained his neck to stare. "i am stunned, confused," whispered the president. "what is it, captain? for pity's sake speak." "no, sir, i'll let your best friend do that." "my best friend? you speak in riddles." "yes, wait a minute, and the answer, a big one, to this great riddle will come," cried the captain. "can't you see, man? the lads are busy there getting ready for your friend to speak. another moment or two and you will hear what he says--that don ramon is president of this republic, and his seat in the chair is safe against any enemy that may come. ah, all together. hooray! hooray! hooray!" the skipper's cheer was loud, but it was stifled before it was half-uttered, for once more that terrific roar arose, making the presidential building quiver and the glass in several of the windows come tinkling down into the stone-paved court. most of those present had this time seen the flash--the roar had set the ears of all ringing once again, as a great puff of smoke dashed out like a ball and then rose slowly in the sunshine, forming itself into a great grey ring, quivering as another burst of cheering arose from the gunboat's deck. for it was neither attack from the cunning enemy nor the catastrophe caused by explosion, as the fresh burst of cheering from the gunboat fully explained, for they were british cheers from the prize crew, echoed by those on board the schooner. there was nothing the matter, only a happy thought had occurred to the middy, and he wondered that it had not come before, as he hurried to the proper spot, made a little search, and found that he was right--that there was a spare breech-block on board which enabled him and poole, after gaining access to the magazine, to thrust a blank cartridge into the great gun and announce the fact in what was literally a _feu de joie_. chapter fifty eight. a regular young filibuster. "oh, pray don't say any more to me about it, sir," cried fitz, the next day. "it was only just an idea." "an idea, my dear young friend!" cried the president. "yes, sir; a mere trifle." "a trifle!" said the president. "oh, how lightly you english boys do take such things. your trifle, as you call it, has made me fast in the governmental chair. i shall always think that i owe you my success." "what, because i thought there was another breech-block, sir?" "oh, not merely that. there was your first idea about getting away from the hacienda and coming round here by sea. they may seem trifles to your young elastic spirit, but their effect has been great." "once more, sir; please don't say any more. my only wonder is now, that somebody else on board the gunboat did not think about the spare block and get it into use." "ah, yes; one of the officers has been talking to me about it. he said he was the only man on board who knew of its existence, and--simply because it had not been wanted--he had almost forgotten, or, as he put it, it was for the time driven out of his head by the great trouble they were in, caused by the fouling of the screw, and the current carrying them on to the rocks." "oh, i am glad of that," said fitz. "glad? why?" said the president, looking at him wonderingly. "because it makes poole reed stand out so much better than i do. it was entirely his notion to foul the screw." "oh, come, come, come!" cried don ramon. "i am not going to weigh you both in the balance to see which was the better. i shall always look upon you as a pair of young heroes." "oh, i say," cried poole, "please don't!" "very well," said the spaniard, laughing; "i'll say no more, but i shall think." "i don't mind his thinking," said fitz, a short time later when he was talking to his companion about what had been said. "but i hope next time he wants to go into ecstasies about what we did, he'll let them all off at you." "thankye," said poole; "much obliged." the lads had something else to think of the next day, for in the midst of the rejoicings over don ramon's success, and when the gunboat was dressed with colours from head to stern, the new president's flag predominant, and her old officers accepting the alteration in the state of affairs with the greatest nonchalance, and in fact on the whole pleased with the change of rulers, signals were shown from the high look-out at the entrance of the harbour indicating that a vessel was in sight. in the midst of the excitement that this caused, steam was hastily got up on board the gunboat, and the decks cleared for action ready for an engagement if necessary in don ramon's cause. the excitement soon ceased to be alarming, for in due course the stranger's flag was made out, her signal for a pilot answered, and in the course of the afternoon a united states cruiser steamed in, answering the salute from the fort and gunboat, and taking up her position close under their guns. the rest of the customary civilities were interchanged, and the captain of the yankee came ashore to visit the new president, laughingly saying that he had come to see don villarayo, but as he was in the mountains and a new president governed in his stead, and as he supposed it was only a matter of form before don ramon would be acknowledged by the american government, he had nothing to do but wait for instructions after he had communicated with washington. the captain made himself very agreeable, chatting with don ramon's notabilities, and the schooner's skipper; but several times he glanced searchingly in the direction of fitz burnett, who had been awaiting his opportunity either to be introduced or to go up and speak. his turn came at last, for the captain fixed his eyes upon him with a look of invitation to which fitz instantly responded by closing up, colouring slightly the while with consciousness, as it seemed to him that the american captain, all spick and span in his neat naval uniform, was looking askant at the well-worn garments the lad was wearing. "how do, youngster?" he said. "i didn't know one of your cruisers was in these waters. has she left you here as a hostage, or something of the kind? you english chaps are everywhere." for long enough fitz burnett had been waiting for this moment, ready to pour out his troubles and adventures to somebody who would give him help; and now that the time had come he could hardly speak. the american captain noticed it, and raised his eyebrows a little. "why was it?" he said kindly, as he saw how thoroughly agitated the boy was. "in trouble?" "yes, sir," cried fitz. "you don't mean to tell me you've done such a stupid school-boy act as to desert your ship?" "oh, no, no, no!" cried fitz excitedly; and out it all came, the captain listening eagerly and questioning him wherever the boy hesitated, till he had finished his adventurous tale. "well, this is something fresh, my lad," cried the american captain. "but i reckon that the time will come when you'll think you've been in luck. for you've done nothing wrong. you were regularly taken prisoner while doing your duty, and your skipper can't blame you." "think not, sir?" cried fitz, warming up in the gratitude he felt for the captain's sympathy. "think not? of course! if he does, and won't have you back, i'll find you a berth on my ship, and be glad to have you. what do you say? will you come?" fitz looked at him searchingly, and shook his head. "i am in the queen's service, sir," he said. "and a fine service too, my lad. but how has this skipper behaved to you since you've been with him?" "oh, as if i had been his own son, sir," cried fitz warmly; "and his boy and i have been the best of friends." "but i say, you've been a regular young filibuster all the time, breaking the laws and helping in a revolution. why, you've been carrying on high jinks, and no mistake! but you don't mean to tell me you want to stay with them?" "oh no, of course not. i want to rejoin the _tonans_." "where do you say--in the channel service? well, i can't take you there." "i thought, sir, that perhaps you would put me on board some english cruiser," cried fitz. "and i will, of course. but it may be a month first." "i don't mind that, sir," said fitz, "so long as i can send a message home, for they must think i'm--" he broke down here, for he could bear no more. what he had thought would be all joy proved to be pain, and as he was turning away, it was with the knowledge that the american captain had read him through and through, giving him a warm pressure of the hand, and saying, just loud enough for him to hear-- "directly i can get at the wires i'll send a message to new york, telling our people to communicate with your admiralty, that you are alive and well." the next minute the captain was talking with both the reeds, and to fitz's great satisfaction he saw that they were chatting, evidently on the most friendly terms. as the american captain had suggested, it was nearly a month before he sailed away with fitz on board, after a parting that made the hearts of the two lads ache, while the pressure of the skipper's hand lingered long. but after the fashion of most boys under such circumstances they hid their emotions like men. "i suppose," said the skipper, "i shall never have the chance to give you such a cruise again." "no," said fitz, laughing; "never, i should say. good-bye, sir! good-bye, poole, old chap, till next time." "yes," said poole merrily. "so long!" the end. the black bar, by george manville fenn. _______________________________________________________________________ hms nautilus is on patrol off the west coast of africa, intercepting the american slave ships that were trying at that time to purchase cargoes of slaves from the dealers, and then to take them across the atlantic in loathsome conditions. slavery had been abolished in british territories in , many years before, and the british were actively policing african waters in the hope of deterring the americans and the portuguese from retaining the slave trade. nautilus has two midshipmen aboard, and one of these, mark vandean, is the hero of the story. the book is in the usual manville fenn style, with a succession of dreadful situations in which the hero finds himself. "how ever does he extricate himself from this?" the reader is continually asking. of course he does, but it is often by means of something quite unexpected. a black bar is a device in heraldry, indicating that there is something shameful in the wearer's ancestry. nh ________________________________________________________________________ the black bar, by george manville fenn. chapter one. two middies and a monkey. "we've done wrong, van. there'll be a jolly row about it." "get out! what's the good of talking now? you were as ready to have him as i was. lie still, will you? or i'll pitch you overboard." two middies talking in the stern-sheets of the cutter belonging to her majesty's fast little cruiser _nautilus_, stationed on the west coast of africa "blackberrying," so the men called their duty, tom fillot, one of their jokers, giving as the reason that the job was "black and berry nasty." the sun shone as it can shine in the neighbourhood of the equator, and the sea looked like so much glistening oil, as it slowly heaved up and sank with the long ground swell, the light flashing from the surface attacking the eyes with blinding power, bronzing the faces of some, peeling the noses of others. setting aside the smart crew of the cutter in their white duck shirts and trousers and straw hats, with faces, necks, and hands of a mahogany brown, the two speakers may be taken as fair samples of what the sun could do with a fresh-coloured english lad of sixteen or seventeen. mark vandean, who leaned back and had wrenched himself round to sharply adjure something behind him in the bottom of the boat, was burned of a good warm russian leather brown, while his companion, bob howlett, who held the rudder-lines, displayed in addition to ruddy brown cheeks a nose in a most disreputable state of rag. the boat went swiftly through the water, as the men bent with regular stroke, and made the tough ash blades of their oars curve ere they rose and scattered the flashing drops, which seemed to brighten the scene where all was flat and monotonous, and the view contracted by a dead silvery haze of heat. behind them was the low flat shore with a few scattered white houses and factories behind a rough landing-stage. there were palms of different kinds in a straggling line, and on either side of the opening out of a muddy river, a bordering of dingy green mangroves--tree cripples, mark vandean called them, because they all looked as if standing up on crutches. a few boats lay in the mouth of the river, a dissolute-looking brig with its yards unsquared was at anchor higher up, and a sharp eye could detect a figure or two about the beach. on either side, as far as eye could reach, there was a line of surf. that was all shoreward, while out to sea, a couple of miles or so away, smart and business-like, with her tall spars and carefully squared yards and rigging, cobweb-like in texture at that distance, lay at anchor in the open road-stead hms _nautilus_ waiting to gather "blackberries" at the first opportunity, and toward which smart little vessel the cutter was being steadily propelled. the object ordered to lie still under pain of being pitched overboard did not lie, but crouched a little lower, and increased the wrinkles in its deeply lined forehead, above which was a thin fringe of hair, blinked its wondering eyes, and looked piteously at the speaker. it was the face of an old man with enormous mouth pinched together, and devoid of lips, but giving the idea that it was about to smile; nose there was none, save a little puckering in its place, but as if to make up for the want, the ears were largely developed, rounded, and stood out on either side in a pronounced fashion. for it was the most human of all the apes, being a chimpanzee about as big as a sturdy two-year-old boy. all at once the stroke oarsman ceased rowing, and began to wipe the perspiration from his open, good-humoured face. "hullo!" shouted one of the middies, "what's that mean? why are you not pulling?" "beg pardon, sir; won't be none of me left to," said the man, "i'm trickling all away. like to put the new hand in my place?" "new hand?" said the other middy; "what do you mean?" "gent as you have behind you there." mark vandean frowned, and drew himself up, tried to look severe as an officer, but he was confronted by five grinning faces, and the mirth was contagious; he smiled at the idea, and the men roared. "there, pull away, my lads, and let's get on board. this is no time for skylarking." the men bent to their oars again, and the boat answered to its name, cutting swiftly through the water towards the little man-o'-war. "but there will be a row about it, old fellow," whispered bob howlett. "oh, very well then, they must row," said mark vandean pettishly. "there's no harm in having a monkey onboard--if we can get it there." "don't you be uneasy about that, mr vandean, sir," said the stroke oarsman; "me and my mates'll smuggle the young nigger gent aboard somehow, even if i has to lend him my duds." "you leave off cutting jokes, tom fillot, and pull hard." "ay, ay, sir," cried the man, chuckling, and he and his fellows made the boat skim through the glowing water. "perhaps the letter is important," said the first middy, "and may mean business at last." "i hope not," said the other. "i'm sick of it. nothing but wild-goose chases after phantom ships. i don't believe there are any slavers on the coast." "oh, aren't there, bob?" "don't seem like it. where are they, then; and why don't we catch 'em?" "i dunno." "fancy going off again to-night sneaking down to another of these rivers all among the mosquitoes and fever mists. ugh! if i'd known, you wouldn't have caught me coming to sea." "oh, we shall catch one of 'em yet. a big yankee schooner full of slaves; and then look at the prize-money." "no catchee, no havee, van. oh, i say, i am hot. why, i believe you could fry eggs in the sun." "dare say you might if you could get there, bob." "oh, my! aren't we witty this morning! i say, i wonder what old staples will say to the monkey, van." "so do i," said the first middy, uneasily. "i half wish we hadn't bought it. but it seemed such a chance." "well, we're in for it now. staples will give it us pretty sharply, and then forget all about it." "but then there's the skipper." "ah," said the second middy, thoughtfully; "i forgot about him. bother the monkey! phew! i am hot. i say, they may well call this oily bight. the sea looks just as if it had been greased. oh, don't i wish i were in a good wet fog in the channel. this is a scorcher." the lads ceased speaking, and sat back watching the anchored vessel and relieving the tedium of the long row by scratching the monkey's head and pulling its ears, the animal complacently accepting both operations, and turning its head about so that every portion should receive its share of the scratching, till all at once the boat was run alongside, the coxswain took hold with his boathook, and while the falls were hooked on, an order was given above, and they were run up to the davits. directly after, mark vandean stepped on deck, touched his cap to a severe-looking officer, and presented a letter. "take it in to the captain," he said; and mark marched off to the cabin, while the first lieutenant, who had turned toward the boat, out of which the men had sprung, suddenly raised one hand, and pointed at the boat's side, above which a head had been raised, and its owner was gazing round with wrinkled forehead as if wondering what was going to happen next. bob howlett saw the first lieutenant's fixed stare and pointing hand, and glancing round, he caught sight of the head with its chin on the gunwale. "who's that?" cried the first lieutenant, sharply; and the men screwed up their faces and looked comically solemn on the instant, but no one spoke. "mr howlett," cried the officer again, "i asked you who that was in the boat!" "beg pardon, sir; didn't know you were speaking to me. which, sir?" the lieutenant's lips were compressed as he took a couple of strides and brought himself alongside of the middy. "if you are not careful, sir," he said severely, "trouble will follow this. you did know i spoke to you, sir. i said, `who is that young black?' why, it's an ape." "yes, sir; chimpanzee, sir." "how dare you bring a monkey on board, sir?" "only a natural history specimen, sir; and i thought--" "oh, there you are, staples," said the captain, coming up. "look, i think this is right at last;" and he handed the letter to his second in command. "looks correct, sir," said the lieutenant, after reading the letter. "shall you act upon it?" "act upon it, man! of course." the monkey was forgotten. the boatswain's pipe rang out, the men came tumbling up, and as fast as it could be achieved, the anchor was raised, sail after sail hoisted, and an hour after, with every scrap of canvas that could be set, the _nautilus_ was slowly gliding along right out to sea, with the palm and mangrove-lined shore slowly fading into the haze, while the men collected together in knots and discussed the possibility of catching a slaver that night. "what's it to be, van," said bob howlett, "fun or flam?" "tell you to-morrow morning," was the reply. "i say, i've fed the chim', and he's asleep." "wish i was too," said bob howlett, "oh, i say, ain't it hot?" chapter two. blackberrying at sea. that night the _nautilus_ was pretty close inshore, as soon as she could approach without being seen. every light was out, the sail had been reduced, and they were gliding slowly along, watching the mouth of a river about twenty miles south of port goldby. they had been lying off here for days, waiting for the news the british agent had been trying hard to obtain for them, so as to enable the officer in command of her majesty's cruiser to strike a severe blow at the horrible traffic being carried on by swift-sailing schooners and barques trading between the west coast of africa and the southern ports of the united states. the _nautilus_ had been for weeks upon the station, and so far all her efforts had proved vain. but now very definite information of the sailing of a large schooner from palm river had been obtained, and everyone on board was in a most profound state of excitement. the night-glasses were being used, and as the vessel cruised to and fro off the mouth of the river, it did not seem possible for a fishing-boat to get away, leave alone a large schooner. this would be sure not to leave the river till the turn of the tide, two hours after dark, when she was expected to drop down with her cargo of unfortunates, collected at a kind of stockade by a black chief, who was supposed to be working in collusion with a merchant, whose store up the river had been ostensibly started for dealing in palm oil, ivory and gold dust with the above chief, a gentleman rejoicing in the name of quoshay dooni. captain maitland's plan had been well carried out, for the haze had helped him; and after sailing right away, the vessel had crept close in at dark; and as night fell with all the suddenness of the tropics, she had reached the mouth of the river as aforesaid unseen. after listening impatiently for some time, orders were given, and a couple of boats were lowered, each furnished with lanterns for signalling, of course kept hidden; and the monkey episode being for the time forgotten, mark vandean obtained permission to go in the first cutter, bob howlett being sent in the second. "whether we catch them or no," thought mark, as the boat kissed the water, "it will be a bit of a change." then, after a few whispered orders given to the second lieutenant, who was in charge, the two boats pushed off, the men dipping their muffled oars gently, and after separating for a couple of hundred yards, both cutters made their way silently through what appeared to be a wall of blackness, while each ear was alert to catch the slightest sound--the object being to make sure that the slaver did not slip down the river in the darkness, and pass the _nautilus_ unseen. "keep that sail well over the lanterns, dance," whispered the lieutenant to the coxswain; "don't show a glimmer, but mind that they are kept burning." "ah, ay, sir." "shall i take them in charge, mr russell?" whispered mark. "no, my lad; i want you for company. keep your eyes well skinned, as the yankees say. if you sight the vessel first i'll give you a ring." "thankye, sir," said mark, and then to himself, "no such luck!" the next moment he was peering over the heads of the men, and to right and left, straight into the black darkness, as the boat was steered, as nearly as they could guess, right up the river, the only guide they had being the steady rush of the muddy water which they had to stem. "seems a blindman's buff sort of game, doesn't it, mr russell?" whispered mark, at the end of a couple of hours. "yes, my lad, it's all chance work. i only wish, though, that we could blunder on to the abominable craft. they'll be too sharp for us i'm afraid." another hour passed, and they were still completely shut up in the darkness, with a thick haze overhead; and at last the lieutenant whispered,--"lucky if we don't some of us catch fever to-night." "look here, vandean, if we don't soon see something i shall signal the ship for a recall. we shall do nothing to-night. eh? what?" "i heard voices off to the left," mark whispered. "then it's the schooner," said the lieutenant, in a suppressed voice. "give way, my lads! steady! i shall lay the boat alongside, and you must board her somehow. coxswain only stay in the boat." the men received their orders in silence, but a suppressed sigh told of their eagerness and readiness to act. a minute later there was a sharp rattling sound, a savage growl, and a loud burst of laughter. the first cutter had come in contact with the second, and directly after there was a whirring, brushing sound of branches sweeping over the boats, one of which bumped against a root and nearly capsized. "tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated the lieutenant; "back water, my lads! we are doing no good here. it is impossible to see where we are going." there was a slight splashing, and the boats began to descend the stream, swept along by the tide for a time, till they lay on their oars again. "what's that, mr russell?" whispered mark, all at once. "what? i heard nothing but one of the oars badly muffled." "i didn't near anything. i meant what's that i can smell?" the lieutenant started, and just then there was a peculiarly offensive, sickening odour perceptible. "no mistaking that," whispered the lieutenant; and, giving orders, a lantern was taken from beneath the sail, and shown above the gunwale of the boat. almost immediately a faint star-like light shone out at a distance on their left, and the lantern was hidden and the star disappeared. "why's that?" whispered mark. "let the other boat know the slaver's dropping down," was whispered back. "but is she?" said mark, excitedly. "no doubt about that, my lad. pull steady." the men obeyed, and the boat was steered in a zigzag fashion down the river, but there was no sign of the slaver. if she was dropping down it was so silently that her presence was not detected, and at last a fresher feeling in the air warned the occupants of the first cutter that they must be nearing the mouth of the river. "light," whispered mark, pointing off to his right, where, faintly seen, there was a feeble ray. "signal," whispered the lieutenant. the lantern was shown, and there was an answering light from behind them, proving that the one forward must be at sea. "it's a recall," said the lieutenant, with a sigh of relief; "give way, my lads." then to mark: "the captain must be uneasy about us, or he would never show that light. it's like letting the slaver know. bah! what an idiot i am. that's not our light. pull, my lads, pull! that must have been shown by the ship we are after." as he spoke the light disappeared, and a fresh one appeared from astern. they showed their own lantern, and their signal was answered, the second cutter running up close to them a few minutes later, while the lieutenant was boiling over with impatience, for he had been compelled to check his own boat's way. "what is it?" he said to his second in command. "see that light ashore, sir?" "no; i saw one out at sea; it's the slaver. follow us at once." "but that light was ashore, sir." "mr ramsay, do you think i'm blind? mr howlett, are you there?" "yes, sir." "didn't you see a light off to sea?" "no, sir; ashore." "i tell you it was at sea, and it is the craft we are after. now, my lads, give way." _crash_. "why, we're among the trees again." "yes, sir; shore's this way," said the coxswain. "then where in the name of wonder is the sea?" said the lieutenant, in an angry whisper, as the tide bore them along, with the men's oars rattling among the mangrove stems. "i think we've got into a side channel," said mark. "rubbish! how could we?" "beg pardon, mr russell, sir," came from the boat astern; "we've got into a sort of canal place with the tide running like a mill stream. hadn't we better lie to till daybreak?" "better sink ourselves," growled the lieutenant. "here are we regularly caught in a maze, and that schooner getting comfortably away to sea." "'fraid so, sir," said the boatswain. "that there was a light showed ashore to warn 'em that we were in the river; some of 'em must have heard." the lieutenant made no answer, but ordered the men to back water, and for the next four hours they were fighting the swift river, trying to extricate themselves from the muddy system of branches into which they had been carried in the darkness, but in vain; and at last, in despair, they made fast to the mangroves, and waited for day. light came at last, piercing the white fog in which they lay; and in a short time they were back in the wide river, close to the sea, dejected, weary, and wondering that they could have been so confused in the darkness. "nice wigging we shall have, vandean," said the lieutenant; "the skipper will sarcastically tell me he had better have sent one of the ship's boys in command. but there, i did my best. ugh! how chilly it feels!" an hour later they were alongside the _nautilus_, which lay at the edge of a bank of mist which covered the sea, while shoreward all was now growing clear from a gentle breeze springing up. the lieutenant was a true prophet, for the captain almost used his officer's words. "then you haven't seen a sign of the schooner?" "no, sir; but we smelt it." "what!" cried the captain. "sail ho!" shouted the man at the look-out, and in a moment all was excitement, for, about a mile away, down what looked like a clear lane through the white fog, was a two-masted vessel, crowded with sail; and as rapidly as possible the boats were hoisted up, and the _nautilus_ was in pursuit. but hardly had she careened over under the press of sail than the fog shut the vessel from their sight, and for the next two hours she was invisible, while the captain of the _nautilus_ had to lie to, for fear of some slippery trick on the part of what was undoubtedly the slaver, since she was more likely to make for the shelter of a creek than to risk safety in flight. but the wind was not favourable for this manoeuvre, and toward mid-day the sea grew clear, and there was the slaver plainly visible miles away, sailing out west, while the _nautilus_ crowded on every stitch of canvas in pursuit. a stern chase is a long one, says the proverb, and night came with the craft still miles away, but the sky was brilliantly clear, and the moon shone forth, showing the white-sailed schooner in a strangely weird fashion far across the flashing sea. "we're gaining on her," said bob howlett, who was as full of excitement as the men, while mark felt a strange suffocating sensation at the chest as he strained his eyes and watched the swift schooner, whose captain tried every manoeuvre to escape the dogged pursuit of the queen's cruiser. "hang it all! he's a plucky one," said bob, as the chase went on. "he must be taken, but he won't own to it." "thought a ship was a she," said mark. "well, i was talking about the skipper, wasn't i?" "a man doesn't want to lose his ship, of course." "nor his cargo," cried bob. "there, give it up, old fellow; we're overhauling you fast." it was a fact: the _nautilus_, with all her studding sails set, was creeping nearer and nearer, till at last, amid no little excitement on the part of the two midshipmen, a gun was shotted, run out, and a turn or two given to the wheel. then, as the _nautilus_ swerved a little from her course, the word was given, and a shot went skipping across the moonlit sea, splashing up the water in a thousand scintillations, and taking its final plunge far ahead of the schooner. every eye and every glass was fixed upon the slaver, for such she was without a doubt, since she kept on, paying no heed to the shot and its summons to heave to; and after a second had been sent in chase, the captain gave the word, and a steady fire was kept up at the spars and rigging. "i can't fire at her hull, staples," the captain said. "no, it would be slaughtering the poor wretches down below; never mind, sir, we'll capture her directly. she's ours, safe." "then the sooner the better," said bob to his companion. the firing continued, and the crews of the two guns which sent their shot in chase vied with each other in their efforts to hit a spar and bring down the sails of the schooner; but they tried in vain. sails were pierced, but no other harm was done, and the slaver kept gallantly on. but all her efforts were in vain. the _nautilus_ crept on and on, nearer and nearer, till she was only about a quarter of a mile away, and then the slaver altered her course, and gained a little by her quick handling. but the _nautilus_ was after again, and after two or three of these manoeuvres captain maitland was able to anticipate her next attempt to escape, and all seemed over. "i wonder how many poor wretches she has on board?" tried mark, excitedly, as the word was passed for one of the boat's crews to be ready for boarding as soon as the slaver captain struck the flag he had run up in defiance. "hundreds perhaps," said bob, coolly; "but we haven't got her yet." "no; but they're going to give in now. i can see the captain quite plainly," said mark, who was using a glass. "what are they doing? oh, bob, look!" for through the glass he saw what seemed to be a struggle on the moonlit deck, and directly after there was a splash. "great heavens!" cried captain maitland. "staples! look! they're throwing the poor fellows overboard." "no," said the first lieutenant, with his glass to his eye; "only one." a mist came for a moment over mark vandean's sight, but it passed away; and, with the feeling of suffocation at his throat increasing now, he kept his glass upon the black head in the midst of the quivering water, where a man was swimming hard for life. brought almost close to him by his powerful glass, mark could nearly make out the agonised look upon the swimmer's face, as, at every stroke, he made the water shimmer in the moonlight; and every moment as his forehead grew wet and his hands clammy, the midship, man expected to see the waves close over the poor wretch's head. just then his attention was taken up by the voices of the captain and lieutenant. "the scoundrel! the fiend!" cried the former, with a stamp of rage upon the deck; "if it were not for those on board i'd sink him." "i wish we could, sir," replied the first lieutenant; "we shall lose him." "no," cried the captain. "he has thrown that poor wretch overboard, believing that we shall heave to and pick him up sooner than let him drown." "while he gets a mile away," said the first lieutenant; "and as soon as we overhaul him again, he'll throw over another--that is, sir, if we stop to pick the poor creatures up." "help! boat! help!" cried mark, unable to contain his feelings longer; and lowering his glass, he turned to the captain. "look, sir, look!" he cried, pointing in the direction of the drowning black; "the poor fellow's going down." chapter three. saving a brother's life. there was a moment's dead silence after mark had, in his excitement, cried for help. then the word "fire!" was uttered sharply, and there was the deafening report of a gun, whose shot again passed between the schooner's masts, but without doing the slightest harm. then, almost mingled with the bass roar of the cannon, the captain's orders rang out; the boatswain's pipe sounded shrilly, and as the _nautilus_ was thrown up into the wind, and her sails began to shiver, down went the boat with its crew, mark, at a sign from the captain, who gave him a friendly smile, having sprung in. then there was a quick thrust off by the coxswain, the oars fell on either side with a splash, and the young midshipman stood up, balancing himself on the thwart in the stern-sheets, directing the officer who held the rudder-lines how to steer, for far-away on the moonlit water, when the swell rose high, he could still see the dark head and the rippling made by the swimmer struggling for his life. "starboard!" shouted mark. "pull, my lads, pull. starboard a little more." "starboard it is," cried the officer. "see him still?" "yes," cried mark. "oh, pull, my lads, pull, or he'll go down before we get to him. now port a little: they're pulling stronger on one side than on the other--not too much. that's right. yes, i can--no, he is down in the hollow. there he is again. pull your hardest," he cried, excitedly; and the men jerked at their oars as they cheered. "hold on; we're coming," cried mark to the drowning man, thoughtless of the fact that the negro would not understand his words, even if he heard them, which was doubtful in the wild agony of his struggle, as with breath growing short, weak as he was from confinement, he struck out more quickly, and fought hard with the waves for his unhappy life. "see him still?" cried mark's companion, as the boat made the water foam. "yes--no--no," said mark, hoarsely; "he's down in the hollow again. straight on. we're going right for him, and--" "don't say he has gone down," cried the officer. "no; i shall see him directly. we must be close to him now. ready there with the boathook." "ay, ay, sir," cried the man in the bows, as he stood up ready to make a snatch at the drowning man. "see him, sir?" mark was silent as he strained his eyes over the surface of the sea, looking vainly for the struggling figure which had been making so brave a fight for life. there was a terrible feeling of dread oppressing him, as for the first time he was face to face with death; and in those awful moments he was unconscious of the regular reports of the guns as the _nautilus_ kept up her fire at the flying schooner. he heard nothing, saw nothing but the sea shimmering in the moonbeams. for after a long and desperate fight, with the water rising higher about his lips, the unfortunate black had grown weaker and weaker, and at last had given one tremendous plunge, which raised him high, so that he could glare wildly round for help; then he had ceased his struggle and gone slowly down, the water closing over his staring eyes and glistening teeth; there were a few bubbles, and the sea heaved and fell gently over the spot where he sank. "i have been close here, sir," cried the coxswain. "easy, my lads," cried the young lieutenant in command. "can't you see him, van? oh, hang it, lad, look! we mustn't let the poor beggar drown, even if he is a nigger." mark uttered a groan. he had come to save a human being--a fellow-creature cast to destruction by the brutal captain of the slaver--and he had failed. "got him?" came faintly from the distant ship. "no, sir," shouted the second lieutenant, through his hands. "oh, look! look!" cried mark, wildly. "pull, my lads. starboard men, back water. he must be somewhere here. he is sure to come up again." the men obeyed, and in those terrible moments the silence was appalling. then came the deafening roar of a gun--the last fired then at the now distant schooner--and mark sank down from the thwart and was turning away from the men to hide his drawn face, when he uttered a wild cry, flung himself half over the side of the boat, and made a desperate clutch at something which just rose above the water. then hand grasped hand, the white holding the black in a desperate clutch, as the lieutenant dropped the rudder-lines, and saved mark from going overboard by seizing him round the waist. then came a little hauling, followed by a cheer, as the nude figure of a stalwart black was dragged in, to sink helpless, perfectly insensible, in the bottom of the boat. "now pull, my lads!" shouted the lieutenant; "pull all you know, and let's get aboard. we've got to take that schooner before we've done." the men cheered, and pulled for the ship, from which came an answering cheer; but as mark knelt down by the black he felt they had been a little too late, for the man lay there, in the moonlight, apparently quite dead. he had not stirred, neither did there seem to be the slightest pulsation as the boat was pulled alongside the _nautilus_ and run up to the davits, the graceful vessel beginning to glide once more rapidly in pursuit of the schooner, which had by the cruel manoeuvre placed a considerable distance between her and her pursuer. "the black-hearted scoundrel!" cried the captain, as he stood looking down at the slave. "i'll follow him to america but what i'll have him. well, doctor, all over with the poor fellow?" "oh no," said the gentleman addressed; "he's coming round." almost as he spoke there was a faint quiver of the black's eyelid, and a few minutes after he was staring wildly round at the white faces about him. the men set up a cheer, while a feeling of exultation such as he had never before experienced caused a strange thrill in the midshipman's breast. "he may thank you for his life, vandean," said the second lieutenant, "for we should never have seen him. now i wonder whether that scoundrel will try the same game over again." "safe to, russell," said the first lieutenant, gruffly. "here, my lads, get the black below; give him a place to lie down. he'll be all right in the morning, and a free man at any rate." "i say, van," said bob howlett, "aren't we all making a precious lot of fuss about a nigger? wonder whether you'd all make as much about me." "go overboard and try," said mark. "eh? thankye. well, not to-night. i say, can't that schooner sail?" "so can we--and faster. what a rate we're going at. shan't capsize, shall we?" "hope not, because if we did that schooner would escape. why don't they fire?" "waste of powder and shot, my boy," said a voice behind them; and, looking sharply round, there stood the first lieutenant with his glass to his eyes, watching the flying boat. "ha! we're moving now. better get on a lifebelt, mr vandean, if you feel afraid." he walked away, leaving the lad flushed and indignant. "needn't catch a fellow up like that," he muttered. "who said anything about being afraid?" bob howlett laughed, and then turned his eyes in the direction of the schooner. chapter four. in great jeopardy. meanwhile everything possible was being tried to get another half knot of speed out of the _nautilus_, which glided along under her cloud of sail, sending the water foaming in an ever-widening double line of sparkling water on either side. the hose was got to work, and the sails wetted, sheets were hauled more tightly home, and the captain and officers walked the decks burning with impatience as they scanned the distant schooner. "if i was the skipper i'd be ready for him this time," said mark to his companion. "how? what would you do?" "have the boat's crew ready to drop down the moment the slaver captain pitched another poor fellow overboard. no, no," he added, quickly; "he'll never be such a wretch as to do that again." "oh, won't he just?" cried bob, nodding his head, a great many times; "he'll go on chucking the whole cargo out one by one, just like the man did his gloves and things to the bear, for it to stop and smell them while he escaped. here, i mean to go and save the next black chap, and then perhaps i shall look as cocky as you do. oh, what a wonderful chap you are, van!" mark made a quick gesture, as if to hit out at his messmate, and then looked on in wonder as the captain ordered the cutter's crew back into the boat, and the men to the falls, ready in case the slaver captain should repeat his manoeuvre, while the guns were double-shotted and laid for the moment when the schooner would be once more within range. "i say," whispered bob, "don't the skipper look savage? i believe he'd send a broadside into the schooner if it wasn't for the slaves on board." "of course he would; he said so," replied mark, and he went forward and then down below to where, by the dim light of a swinging lantern, he could see the wild eyes of the black as he lay in a bunk, ready to start up in dread as the lad approached. "all right; be still," said the midshipman, laying his hand upon the man's shoulder, and pressing him back; "how are you?" the man glared at him in silence, but made no sound. "it's of no use to talk to you, i s'pose," continued mark. "there, go to sleep. perhaps we shall have some companions for you in the morning. hullo! begun again!" for at that moment there was a dull roar and the jarring sensation of a gun being fired overhead, making the black start and look wonderingly about him. "i say, that startled him," said bob howlett, who had stolen down behind his messmate, and had stood in the semi-darkness laughing at the black's astonishment. "what do you think of that, old chap? that's some of our private thunder. large supply kept on the premises. there goes another! here, van, we mustn't stop below." for a second report shook the deck, and the black tried to rise, but sank back from sheer weakness. "tell him it's all right, van, and that he'd better go to sleep." "how?" replied mark. "ah, 'tis how! i say, what a shame for us to be sent on the west coast in such a state of ignorance. here, all right, massa sambo. go to sleep. i say, do come on, van, or there'll be a row." the next minute the two lads were on deck, to find that they were rapidly overhauling the schooner, and they were just in time to hear the orders given as the boat was ready to be lowered. "come, mr howlett, where have you been?" this from the first lieutenant. bob murmured some excuse, and sprang into the boat, which dropped out of sight directly, and then darted in again as the men bent to their stout ashen oars, and sent her rapidly in the schooner's wake, where mark made out by the troubled water seen through his glass that another poor fellow had been tossed overboard by the slaver captain, for he rightly judged that no english officer would leave the black to drown. he was quite correct in his judgment, for though captain maitland had fumed and declared that he would not give up the chance of capture for the sake of a black, when he felt that he might seize the schooner and put an end to the mischief she was doing probably year after year, he had his vessel's course stayed, and waited patiently for the return of the boat he had lowered. the mission of this cutter was almost an exact repetition of the one in which mark took part, bob howlett having the luck to seize the second drowning man, over whose body the boathook had slipped. "and no wonder," growled the coxswain afterwards. "he'd got on no duds, and i didn't want to stick the hook into his flesh." while this was going on, the captain stamped above on one side of the quarter-deck, the first lieutenant on the other. for they kept as far apart as they could, and it was an understood thing amongst the junior officers that it would be to come in for the full force of an explosion to speak to either of them now. "pull, men, pull!" roared the first lieutenant through his speaking trumpet. "mr russell, do you want to keep us here all night?" "ay, ay, sir," came back from the boat. "what?" "no, no, sir; i beg your pardon. we've got the man." "got the man!" cried the captain, angrily; "do you think we have no glasses on board? make haste, sir." "oh!" "what's that?" cried the captain, sharply, for there had been the sound of a sharp crack, and mark had uttered the cry. "what's that, sir?" cried the lieutenant in a rage; "why it's mr vandean, sir, getting under my feet like a spaniel dog, and the moment i move he yelps out, sir." "it wasn't your foot, sir," cried mark sharply, for his head was stinging with pain. "you swung round your speaking trumpet, sir, and hit me." "silence, sir! how dare you, sir? you should get out of the way, sir," roared the first lieutenant. "that will do, staples," said the captain, calming down now. "now, men, up with that boat." the cutter was already swinging from the davits, while at a turn of the wheel the _nautilus_ began to forge through the water again, and the men stood ready for another shot at the flying schooner. just then the cutter's crew lifted out the black they had rescued, and he too sank down helpless on the deck, half dead from exhaustion. "that's one to me, van," whispered bob. "i saved that chap." "then you only half did it, mr howlett," said the doctor, who overheard him. "let me finish." "i say," whispered bob, "what a nuisance it's getting, you can't say a word on board without somebody hearing. hullo! what's the matter with your head?" "old staples was in a passion because you were so long, and hit me over the head with his speaking trumpet." "get out--and we weren't so long as you were first time. russell said so. what was it? he wouldn't dare to hit you." "but he did; swung round just when i was behind him." "serve you right for being behind him." "what?" cried mark, furiously. "no, no, i mean serve him right for being before you." "less talking, young gentlemen," cried the officer of whom they were speaking, and he looked round at them so sternly that they separated, each hurrying to his post, and, glass in hand, watching the distant schooner. "look here, mr russell," said the captain, walking up to that officer, as, once more, they began to near the white-sailed vessel gliding along in the brilliant moonlight. "if that scoundrel tries his cowardly scheme again, i shall drop you to pick up the poor wretch, and keep on as hard as we can, or we shall lose her. save the poor fellow, and then pull steadily after us. i think i can overhaul her in less than half-an-hour, and then i shall heave to, and wait for you to come aboard." the second lieutenant saluted, and the captain went forward to watch the schooner. "are you coming with me this time, vandean?" said the lieutenant. "yes, i hope so, sir," said the lad. "hope, eh? humph. you don't know what you are talking about, my lad." "please don't speak," said mark, excitedly. "i've got it just right now. look sir, look, there's a regular fight going on aboard. they're getting ready to pitch another man overboard." the lieutenant raised the glass to his eyes, and immediately gave orders to the crew to stand ready. then, following the midshipman's example, he fixed his glass upon the schooner, and watched her moonlit deck with its busy dark figures, in the full expectation of seeing another heavy splash. but nothing more disturbed the surface of the water but the rush of the swift schooner, in whose wake lay what looked like an arrow-head of foam, as the lines diverged from each side of her sharp prow; and as they neared her the captain grew excited. "she's going to heave to," he cried. just then a shot went skipping along the water, making the sea flash into silver at every dip, and sped right on in front of the schooner's bows, a messenger sufficiently faithful to warn the yankee skipper of what would be the fate of his vessel if he did not strike his colours, for the man who aimed that shot could as easily have hulled the swift craft. at the captain's words every eye was directed to the american flag which the skipper was disgracing, but it remained in its place as both vessels sped on, and a couple more shots were fired and sent through the main and foresails, which showed, with the aid of the glasses, a couple of black spots. that was all. "he's laughing at us," growled mr staples. "oh, if we could send a few shots through his wretched craft!" "and i dare not," cried the captain. just then mark again caught sight of something which was taking place on the schooner's deck, not five hundred yards from where they pressed on in pursuit. it was hard to see at that distance, but he made out that a sturdy black was evidently renewing the struggle which had taken place before; but in spite of his efforts, he was being dragged to the side; then, to mark's horror, a hand was raised and a blow struck, followed by a splash in the water, which was scattered far and wide, as the young midshipman closed his glass with his wet hands, feeling as if it had revealed horrors which he could not bear. "first cutters!" rang out, and the lad ran to the boat; the captain repeated his orders to the second lieutenant as the _nautilus_ was run on, so as to get as near as possible to the drowning slave before her speed was checked and her boat lowered. there, all ready in their seats, the boat's crew waited. the expected moment came as the sails shivered, the boat kissed the water, the falls were unhooked, and in an extremely short space of time the _nautilus_ was gliding on in full chase, and the cutter's oars were dipping in a quick, regular stroke which took them wide of the vessel's course, as she literally darted away. and now, as he stood up once more on the thwart, to try and make out the head of the black cast overboard, it struck mark for the first time that they were alone upon the wide sea, and that the _nautilus_ was very rapidly increasing her distance, while the schooner, to his excited fancy, already began to look small. but he had very little time for thinking. "be ready with that boathook," shouted the second lieutenant. "ay, ay, sir. mustn't miss this one," muttered the speaker to himself. "see him, mr vandean?" "no, not yet, sir." "you ought to, by now. watch for the rippled water where he is swimming." "that's what i am doing, sir," replied mark, "but i can't see anything." "he's floating, perhaps. pull away, my lads. steady; we don't want to pass him." there was a few minutes' silence. "see him now, mr vandean?" said the lieutenant again, and mark was silent for a few moments, as he scanned the surface round from beneath his hand. "no, sir, no sign of him." "oh, don't say that, my lad. look, look. we mustn't miss the poor fellow. strikes me that we're going to pick up the whole cargo this way. now then, wasn't that a splash yonder?" "no, sir, i can't see anything," said mark sadly; and as he still eagerly scanned the surface amidst a breathless silence, only broken by the flapping of the water against the bows of the boat, it again struck mark with a chill of awe that they were being left alone there; and he asked himself what would happen if the _nautilus_ could not find them again. this was momentary, for his attention was taken up by his search, and the officer said again, in angry impatience now,--"come, mr vandean, where's this poor fellow? here, lie to, my lads." the men ceased rowing, and sat with their oars balanced, looking out on either side for some sign of the man overboard but there was none, and mark heaved a deep sigh. "yes," said the lieutenant, as if that sigh were in words; "it's a bad case, my lad. i am afraid he's gone, poor fellow." "someone struck him before he went overboard," said mark. "you saw that?" "yes, sir." "then he has gone. we never saw him swimming. i'm afraid we must begin to row for the ship if we do not see him in a few minutes. she's leaving us a long way behind." "i see him, sir," cried the coxswain. "here he is!" he made a dash with his boathook, but the object he sought to reach was so far out, that he overbalanced himself and went in with a heavy plunge. "you clumsy dog!" roared the lieutenant. "back water port, pull starboard. that's it. now then, in oars there, and lay hold of him." the men on the port side obeyed, and in their excitement, three started up and reached out to seize their struggling comrade, who had hold of a black arm with one hand, and swam with the other. "now then, lay hold quick," roared the lieutenant. "mind! take care!" shouted mark. the words were necessary, but useless, for as the men reached over and raised the coxswain and his burden, the gunwale of the boat sank too low, there was a rush of water, and in what seemed like one beat of time the crew were all thrown out, and as they rose to the surface after an unexpected dive, it was to find the oars floating about, with straw hats here and there, and a couple of yards away the cutter lying bottom upwards. mark's first instinct as he caught sight of the glistening keel was to strike out and seize it, his next to look wildly round for help; and now he fully realised the fact that they were alone and in deadly peril, with the help that should have been at hand gliding rapidly away. "hi! help! your hand!" cried a choking voice close by; and instinctively mark stretched out the asked-for help, to feel one hand seized and the other glide from the slippery keel. the next moment the water was thundering over his head. chapter five. a fight with a boat. were you ever nearly drowned? did you ever feel the sensation of the waves rushing and roaring over you, as if full of triumph at having captured a human being to drag down into their depths and devour? it is to be hoped not, and that you never will be in such jeopardy as that in which mark vandean found himself as the pale, soft moonlight was suddenly shut out from sight, and he went down into the black darkness, too much startled and confused to grasp his position and make a calm, matter-of-fact attempt to save his life. he was conscious of receiving a kick, which sent him lower, and then of rising and striking his head against something hard. this blow roused him into action, and, realising in a flash that he had knocked his head against some portion of the boat, he struck out strongly, and the next moment was gazing around at the agitated water, and then made out, close at hand, what looked like the glistening back of some sea monster. it was only the imagination of the moment. directly after he was swimming for it, seeing that it was the bottom of the capsized boat, about which the crew were clustering. then a strong hand was stretched out to him, and he was drawn to the keel, tom fillot, who had rowed stroke oar, helping him to a good position. "hold on a bit, sir, and we'll try and right her." "yes," panted mark. "where's mr russell?" "here," came rather faintly from the other side of the boat, accompanied by a fit of gasping and coughing. "all right now; i got under the boat. all here, my lads?" "ay, ay, sir." "then you one and all deserve a flogging," cried the second lieutenant, angrily. "what were you about to capsize the boat?" "dunno, sir," said tom fillot, gruffly. "she went over all of her own sen." "don't be an idiot, man." "where's the black?" panted mark, who had not yet got back to his regular breathing. "i have him, sir," said the coxswain, "but i don't think he's--" "oh, don't say he's dead!" cried mark. "course not, sir, if you says i'm not," muttered the man; "but it strikes me as he was dead before he reached the sea. some one seems to have hit him on the head." the lieutenant changed his position, so as to place himself alongside the coxswain, and then moved away again. "dead?" whispered mark, as he drew himself a little more on the bottom of the boat, and craned his neck towards his brother officer. russell did not answer for the moment, but gravely bent his head. "the brutes!" he then said, softly; "and all this risk for nothing." then aloud--"now, my lads, quick. swimmers. the oars." these words roused the little crew, which had been clinging to the keel, half lying on either side of the boat, as if there was nothing more to be done but wait for help but now three of the men at once quitted their hold, and began to swim about in search of the oars and other objects floating about in the glistening moonlight. "never mind the hats, man," shouted the lieutenant. "the oars--the oars." this was to one of the sailors who had reached a straw hat and clapped it upon his head as he swam, but the same man recovered one of the oars and brought it alongside. "any one seen my hitcher?" shouted the coxswain from where he hung on, supporting the black. "no." "yes," came from mark, who pointed; "there it is, standing up like a great quill float. see it?" "yes, sir, i see it," cried a sailor; and he swam off towards the white-looking pole, while others sought for and recovered the whole of the oars, which floated a short distance away, the men having gained a little more confidence, and freely quitting their hold of the boat, as it slowly rose and fell in the midst of the smooth, heaving sea. mark had done nothing but hold on to the keel and try to direct the men, as they swam here and there, giving a longing glance, though, from time to time at the distant _nautilus_, whose white sails gleamed in the moonlight. now, as the crew resumed their places, and tried to keep the oars and boathook alongside the keel, he turned to the lieutenant. "what are you going to do about--about that?" he whispered. "get the poor creature on board--if we can," was the reply; and the young midshipman could not help shuddering. "it is what we were sent to do, vandean," continued the officer, "and we must do our duty. now, my lads," he cried, "all of you over here, and let's right the boat." the men opposite swam round, and, the oars being left floating, an effort was made to drag the boat over, all hanging on the keel. but, in spite of effort after effort, she refused to right, and mr russell gave the word to rest for a few minutes, and collect the floating oars, which were getting scattered once more. this being done, mark turned to his officer, and said in a low voice,--"you want the coxswain to help?" "i do, my lad," replied the lieutenant, but he stopped short and looked at his young companion. "i will not mind," said mark. "i'll try and hold the poor fellow up, and set joe dance free." without waiting to be ordered, mark drew a deep breath, edged himself right astern to where the coxswain held on to the keel with one hand and grasped the black's wrist with the other. "go and take my place," he said; and making an effort over self, he searched for and found one of the little fenders suspended from the boat's side, took a firm hold, and then stretched out his right hand to grasp the black's wrist. "mean it, sir?" said the man. "yes," replied mark, huskily. "go and help." the next minute the lad hung there in the water, with his face kept toward the boat, and his hand retaining that which he could not muster up sufficient courage to turn and gaze at, as it lay calm and stern, looking upward toward the peaceful moonlit skies. then began a sturdy effort to right the boat, and mark's position grew irksome in the extreme, for at every struggle to drag the keel down toward them, the midshipman was drawn lower, and he felt that if his companions in misfortune succeeded in righting the boat, he would have to let go and try to keep himself afloat for a time. but in spite of try after try, the boat remained stubbornly bottom upward, and at last, worn out by their exertions, all ceased their efforts, and rested half on the keel which offered a tempting halting place for those who liked to climb upon it, and sit astride. just then dance the coxswain made his way to mark, and without a word seized the wrist of the black, and in a low growl bade the young officer rest. "soon as you can, my lad," he whispered, "reach down and get hold of one of the rudder-lines. i'll make him fast to that." "but his head--it must be kept above water," whispered back mark in a choking voice, for he felt hysterical and strange. "what for, my lad?" said the coxswain. "it can do no good. half a million o' doctors couldn't save his life. he was done for when they pitched him in, and i should like to have my will o' them as done it. precious little marcy they'd get out o' me." "come along here, mr vandean," cried the lieutenant from the bow end of the boat; and mark shudderingly left the coxswain making fast the wrist of the dead black to one of the rudder-lines, and joined his brother officer, easily passing from one to the other of the men as they half lay on the bottom, resting and clinging by one hand to the keel. "cheer up, my lad!" said the lieutenant. "there's nothing to mind. the sea couldn't be smoother, and we can hold on like this for any length of time. the captain is sure to come back soon to pick us up." mark made no answer, but crept into as secure a place as he could beside his officer, gazed away at the dimly-seen vessels, and listened to the dull report of gun after gun. "well, you are very quiet," said the lieutenant after a long pause. "why don't you speak?" "i have only one thing to say," replied mark, "and i did not like to say that." "why not? what is it?" "i wanted to know whether they would ever find us again." "find us? yes, of course," cried the lieutenant. "they must find us. there, it's all right. never despair. no fear of our being washed off, and we've nothing else to mind." "sharks?" said mark, involuntarily. "hush!" whispered the lieutenant, fiercely. and then with his lips to the lad's ear he said, "never utter a word likely to damp your men's courage at a time like this. do your duty and hope for the best. trust in god for the help to come, my lad. that's how a sailor should act." "i'll try, mr russell," whispered back mark, with a curious choking feeling at his breast as he thought of home in far-away old england, and of the slight chance he had of ever seeing it again. "of course you will try, black as it all looks. now then, we're a bit rested, and going to have another start." but he gave no orders then, for with his wet hand shading his eyes, he tried to make out what was going on between the _nautilus_ and the schooner, the firing having now ceased. "i'm afraid the yankee skipper's carrying on the same manoeuvre," he said at last; "and perhaps we shall have to wait for morning. now then, i want this boat righted and baled out, but we shall be colder sitting in our wet clothes than we are now. ready, my lads?" "ay, ay, sir." still he did not give orders for the men to renew their efforts, but hung there watching the distant vessels, while alone in the great ocean the capsized boat softly heaved and fell on the long smooth rollers. "yes," said the lieutenant at last, "he will be obliged to let her escape." "not take her?" cried mark, rousing himself a little at this. "no, not take her. he must heave to and pick us up. as soon as it is day glasses will be at work in the maintop; and directly they see our plight the _nautilus_ will come down to us with every stitch of canvas set." "hooray!" shouted the men as they heard the lieutenant's words; and when he gave his orders, they set to with a will to drag the keel down toward them. discipline, training, all was in their favour; but the boat was heavy, and seemed to fight against them. turning their bodies into weights, they drew it more and more over, till it was so low that the lieutenant bade one man climb up and reach over to get hold of the side. this was done again and again, but only for the weight to disturb the equilibrium, and send it back, the man in each case going right over with it, to be plunged in, head-first, on the other side. sailors are light-hearted fellows, and even in times of peril they soon forget their troubles, and are ready to join in a grin. it was so here. a roar of laughter saluted each man who went down as soon as he rose again and swam round, taking it all good-humouredly enough, as he resumed his place to renew the struggle, till at last the lieutenant was ready to give up in despair. "let me try this time," said mark at last. "i'm lighter, and i think i could get hold of the side with the boathook as soon as i am on the keel." "hear that, my lads?" shouted dance, "and me to have handled a hitcher all these years, and never to have thought of it. boat's righted, messmates, now; only, by your leave, sir, if you'd let me try, i think i could do it easier than you." "try then, my lad," said the lieutenant; and, getting hold of the hook, the coxswain moved into the centre on one side as the crew seized the keel and dragged it down, while the man, boathook in hand, climbed up, finding good foothold on the clinker-built boat, steadying himself with his pole as he worked. at last he stood upright on the side of the keel, reached over and fixed his hook upon one of the rowlocks; then holding on firmly by the pole and pressing his feet against the keel, he hung right away, his body now forming so heavy a balance-weight that upon the men making a simultaneous effort to draw the boat over, she came down more and more. then with a sudden lurch the resistance against them was overcome, and she came right over to an even keel, plunging dance into the water, from which he rose spitting and sputtering, to begin swimming back amidst a hearty burst of cheers. chapter six. alone on the ocean. "all very fine for you, my lads," grumbled the coxswain, "but see what a wetting i got." "vandean, my lad," whispered the lieutenant, "that idea of yours saved us," and he caught and pressed the lad's cold hand. then aloud: "now, my lads, get the oars in under the thwarts, so that they don't float out, and then you, dance, and you, tom fillot, in over the side and begin baling." the boat was floating with its gunwale level with the water, and the two men had only to press the side a bit and literally roll in, to squat down and begin baling; for, to the great delight of all, it was found that the locker in the bows was unopened, though full of water, and a couple of tin balers were fished out from amidst some tackle. directly after, working with all their might, the men began to make the water fly out in showers. meanwhile the oars were collected and thrust down into the boat beneath the thwarts, along with the hitcher, and the rest of the little crew held on by the gunwale outside. for a time this seemed to remain level with the surface, but the two balers toiled so hard that in a short time the lieutenant turned to mark, and said shortly--"in with you." the lad looked at him in wonder, but junior officers have to obey, and he crept in over the side, and getting right aft, began to scoop out the water with his joined hands. a quarter of an hour later a fresh order was given, and two more men got into the boat to seat themselves and take the balers, while the pair who had been acting prepared to get out again and hang on. but a short, sharp order checked them. "there is no need, my lads," said the lieutenant. "you can begin scooping out water as soon as you are a bit rested. the boat will hold you now." he was quite right, for, though the presence of four men weighed her down heavily, and sent her gunwale once more nearly level with the surface, it soon began to rise again as, pint by pint, the interior was relieved, until another man crept in, and soon after another, till the whole crew were back, and the lieutenant got in last. ten minutes later two men forward were steadily baling, whilst two others seized their oars, under the lieutenant's direction, and getting the boat's head round as they sat there with the water still well up over their ankles, they began to pull steadily in the direction of the _nautilus_, now nearly invisible in the distant silvery haze. they were still so heavily water-logged that progress was very slow, but this was no discouragement, for their position improved minute by minute, and the men were so much cheered that they put plenty of spirit into their work. but before they had taken many strokes the lieutenant gave the order to stop, and mark shuddered as he saw the reason. mr russell had turned to the rudder-lines, and there was a terrible burden towing astern. those were solemn moments which followed. the lieutenant signed to the coxswain to come, and then helped him to draw the lifeless body of the poor fellow over the gunwale, and, as decently as was possible, laid the remains of what had once been a big, strong man in the bottom of the boat. a flag was then taken from the locker and covered over him, just as, by a strange coincidence, and very faintly heard, came the report of a gun. the coxswain then went forward and helped with the baling, while the men recommenced rowing in silence. "the lads will think all this unnecessary, vandean," said the lieutenant in a low voice, as mark sat by his side; "but it would be horribly un-english to leave the poor wretch floating at the mercy of the waves. he was free enough, poor fellow, before we shaded him with the british flag. what would you have done?" "as you have, sir," replied the lad. "i couldn't have left him behind, though it seems very horrible to have taken him on board, and to have him here with us in the night." "all fanciful sentiment, van, my lad. what is there in that poor fellow now to excite our fear? come, you must be more manly than that. cold?" "yes; very, now." "so am i, my lad. these wet things are not comfortable. we'll take to the oars and row for a bit to keep off the chill. why, vandean, you ought to be well praised for this night's work. i feel quite ashamed of myself for letting you suggest a way out of our difficulty with the capsized boat." "oh, it was nothing, sir. it just occurred to me," replied mark. "i wish it had just occurred to me, my lad; and what is more, i wish we could see the _nautilus_ coming towards us with the slave schooner astern, but there is no such good fortune in store for us till morning." by this time the water was getting very low in the bottom of the boat, and ordering the coxswain aft to steer, the lieutenant took the oar of tom fillot, who was rowing stroke, sent him forward, and then made mark take the oar of the next man. they both pulled steadily together for the next half hour, mr russell telling the coxswain how to steer, so as to keep steadily in the wake of the _nautilus_, which had now for long enough been out of sight. the long row thoroughly circulated mark's blood, driving away all the feeling of chill, so that it was with a pleasant glowing sensation that the lad took his place once more in the stern-sheets to sit beside the lieutenant, and with him anxiously look-out ahead in the hope of seeing some sign of the ship. "she may send up a rocket, mayn't she, mr russell?" said mark, after a long silence, during which the boat had risen and fallen with the swell, and felt beating with a living pulsation as the men toiled steadily on at their oars. "rocket? well, yes, she may, but i doubt whether we could see it at this distance." "then she is very far-away?" "very, my lad. you see that she is out of sight." "and suppose we have lost sight of her altogether, sir--what then?" "what then? oh, don't let's calculate upon things that are barely possible. captains in her majesty's service are too particular about their juniors and ship's company to leave a boat's crew in the lurch." "yes, but captain maitland might not be able to find us again, sir." "come, come, my lad, don't croak like a raven. at your age you ought to be hopeful, and set me an example of high spirits. don't begin imagining the worst." "who's going to be hopeful," muttered tom fillot to the man behind him, "with the body o' that poor nigger aboard? strikes me that we're in for a spell o' bad luck, mates." "what's that?" cried the lieutenant. "only having a bit of a grumble, your honour, about our luck," said the man, respectfully. "we're all feeling as if it was time our watch ended, and as though we'd like a bit o' something to eat and drink. that's all, sir." the man's oar dipped steadily as he spoke, and after that there was a dead silence on board. the last drop of water had been swabbed up and squeezed overboard, and the exercise had helped to dry the men's saturated garments. a steady progress was kept up, and after fighting back a heavy, drowsy feeling, mark sat watching the setting stars away straight before him in the direction in which the _nautilus_ had disappeared. twenty times over it had seemed to him as if the night would never end, and in spite of his officer's cheering utterances, his spirits sank very low, as he wondered whether it would not have been better if the boat's head had been turned, so that they might have rowed due east, to make the land from which they had sailed. then the moon began to sink lower, and the sky to grow of a darker slaty colour, while the regular beat of the men's oars sounded distant--then very softly--and then ceased altogether, or so it appeared to mark vandean, who suddenly opened his eyes with a start, and gazed wonderingly about him at the sunlit sea, now all orange and gold. "have i been to sleep, sir?" he cried apologetically. "yes, my lad; sound asleep for hours." "and the ship, sir--can you see the _nautilus_?" "no, my lad," said the lieutenant, in a voice which he tried to make cheerful, but whose tones spoke of the deep despondency in his breast. "she is not in sight yet." the midshipman glanced sharply at the heavy, saddened countenances of the men, and read there a reflection of his own thoughts, that they were far-away on the wide ocean in an open boat without food or water, exhausted by a long night's rowing, and in an hour the torrid sun would be beating down upon their heads. hunger--thirst--heat--all three to fight; but there was a worse enemy still--despair, as a torrent of recollections flashed through the lad's brain, and he felt that unless the _nautilus_ hove in sight, their position was less to be envied than that of the poor negro lying dead beneath the flat which hid his face from their sight. chapter seven. a terrible task. hunger at first--a sharp, grinding sensation of hunger attacked mark vandean; but as the sun rose higher this was forgotten in the intense thirst. for the heat rapidly grew scorching, and then, as mark thought, burning, and saving the flag in the stern-sheets there was not a scrap of anything that could be used for an awning. every eye was strained westward in search of the returning _nautilus_, but in the clear morning light there was no sign of her; and as the sun rose higher, the distance became obscured by a hot haze, which grew more dense as the hours went on, till it was impossible to see a mile in any direction, while this thickening of the atmosphere had the effect of heightening the power of the rays of the sun. "we shall never be able to see the ship, mr russell," said mark towards mid-day, as they lay there parched beyond endurance, rising slowly and falling upon the smooth atlantic swell. "do you think they will fire again?" "sure to, my lad," was the reply. "there, i'm glad you have spoken. this silence was getting unbearable." "i couldn't talk before," replied mark; "it all seemed to be so horrible lying here in this scorching heat, and i was so thirsty and faint i felt as if i couldn't keep up." "we all felt the same, my lad, but we must bear it till help comes. there, you are my lieutenant now, and we must have a consultation as to what is best to be done." for they had lain there all the fore part of the day watching the west for the return of their vessel. it was madness to order the men to go on rowing, weary and suffering as they were under that burning sun, farther away into the vast ocean in search of the _nautilus_; and on the other hand, lieutenant russell was unwilling to give up the chance of being picked up by turning their backs on help and making for the coast. but now the time had come for action. the men sat about in the boat looking wild-eyed with thirst and heat, and the chances of being seen by the returning ship were now growing small on account of the haze. so feeling that captain maitland would give him the credit of making for port goldby or one of the factories on the coast, lieutenant russell announced his determination of making for the east. "but will the men be able to row as far?" said mark. "they must be able, with our help, vandean. to be plain, my lad, it is our only chance." "but through this heat?" "they will suffer less rowing than sitting still;" and giving his orders, the men, accustomed to move smartly at the slightest word, sprang into their places, but directly after there was a low whispering and muttering among them, and they appeared to be making a communication to dance the coxswain. "what's the matter, my lads?" cried the lieutenant sharply; and he forgot his own sufferings now that there was a sudden call made upon his energy. "tell the lufftenant, joe dance," said fillot, who was nearest to where his officers sat, but who preferred to pass task on to the coxswain, who was farthest off. "why couldn't yer tell him yersen?" growled the coxswain. "speak out, dance. no nonsense, my lad. we are in difficulties, and we have to behave like british seamen till we get out of them." the coxswain took off his well-dried straw hat and saluted. then coughed, hesitated, and at last blurted out--"well, sir, you see it's like this. the lads says they're willing enough, and they'll pull till they drop, but they want to know if you don't think it's time something was done about him as we come to pick up." "leave that to me, my lads," said the lieutenant, gravely. "i shall do my duty by you all, so please to do yours by me. wait till nightfall and see." "ay, ay, sir," came huskily, the oars dropped into the water, and to mark there was quite a feeling of relief in the motion of the boat, and also in the knowledge that they were moving--slowly enough, but surely-- toward help. whether they would live to reach that aid was another thing. "shall we take an oar each, mr russell?" said mark after a time, during which he had sat watching the dispirited, weary looks of the men as they dragged more and more slowly at their rowing. "no, my lad; we can do nothing in this heat. the poor fellows can do very little good themselves; i am only letting them pull because it keeps them from sinking into a state of despair. they can leave off when they like, and row when they like." the men heard his words and ceased pulling for a few minutes to gaze blankly round in search of help, but the shining, sunny haze shut them in, and tom fillot settled himself in his seat again. "better pull, mates," he said, in a harsh, strange voice; "the orficer's right. we're worse off doing nothing." the oars dipped again, and the boat went on slowly eastward toward the distant coast, as the terrible sense of depression and exhaustion increased with mark, mingled with a strange desire to scoop up some of the clear, glittering, tantalising water, and drink what he knew would be so horribly salt and bitter that his sufferings would be increased. now and then a curious sensation of vertigo attacked him, which seemed as if by some means the shining haze had floated right into his brain, dimming his eyesight so that for a time he could not see. then it lightened up, and he could see ships, and clear bubbling waters, and green trees. then there were low, harsh voices speaking, and he was back again, wondering at the curious day-dream he had had, and listening to some remark made by lieutenant russell, who, in spite of his own sufferings, strove hard to cheer his companions in the boat. now and then a man would start out of a half-drowsy state, and hold up his hand. dance the coxswain was the first affected in that way, but after a few moments mark felt that the poor fellow had been suffering in a similar way to himself. for the man suddenly exclaimed--"there! did you hear that? a gun, lads. the _naughtylass_ is coming down on us with every stitch o' canvas on her." three of the men ceased rowing, and gazed through the haze in full belief that their messmate had heard a signal shot fired, for the man's attitude and tone were so convincing that there could be no doubt. but there was no sound to break the utter silence till tom fillot growled forth-- "lie down and go to sleep, joe dance. you're only teasing us, and making wuss of it." "i tell you i heerd a gun," cried the coxswain. "ay, in your head, mate. i've been hearing the skipper giving it to mr russell here for keeping the cutter out all night, but it don't mean nothing, only sort o' dreams. how could the _naughtylass_ sail to us without a breath o' wind?" dance stared at him wildly, and his face grew convulsed with anger, but the next moment he let his head drop down upon his hands with a groan. night seemed as if it would never come to bring a relief from that burning sun, which affected man after man with this curious delirium, the last touched being mr russell, who suddenly started up in the boat just about the hottest part of the afternoon; and, his mind still impressed by the coxswain's words, he exclaimed in a peculiarly angry voice, as he stared straight before him--"i refuse to take the blame, captain maitland. i did my duty by you and toward the brave, patient fellows under my charge. if there is any one to blame it is yourself for leaving us behind. quite right, vandean. now, my lad, for a good drink. the water's deliciously cool and sweet, and what a beautiful river. ahoy! what ship's that?" he lurched forward as he suddenly ceased speaking, uttered a low groan, and but for tom fillot's strong arm he would have gone overboard. the sailor lowered him down into the bottom of the boat, where he lay back, and mark took his kerchief from his neck, soaked it in the sea-water, wrung it out, and then laid it over the poor fellow's brow, ending by gazing inquiringly in the oarsman's face, as if asking for help. "that's all you can do, sir," said the man, sadly. "touch o' sunstroke, and he's got it worse than the rest on us." "shall i bathe his face with the water, tom?" "no, sir, i don't know as i would. it might make him thirstier and worse. better wait for sundown. when the cool time comes he may work round." the man ceased speaking, and his companions laid in their oars before sinking down in the bottom of the boat and resting their heavy heads against the sides. as for mark, the rest of that afternoon passed as if he were in some fevered dream, during which he was back home at the devon rectory, telling his father and mother of his adventures with the slaver. then he was bathing in a beautiful river, whose water suddenly grew painfully hot and scalded him. after that there was a long blank time, and imagination grew busy again, his brain dwelling upon the chase of the slaver, and he saw through his glass the splash in the moonlit water, as one of the poor wretches was thrown overboard to stay the progress of the _nautilus_. soon after some one touched him, and he started up to find that all was dark, and that the edge of a dense cloud was silvered by the moon, while a face was bent down close to his. "what's the matter?" he cried, excitedly. "things is getting wuss, sir. mr russell's lying there talking like in his sleep, and t'others have got it bad. you and me's the only two as have any sense left." "i--i couldn't understand for a bit, tom," said mark, making an effort. "it all seemed puzzling, but i think i know now." "that's right, sir; and as your superior officer's down, you're in command, and have got to tell me what to do." "what can i tell you to do?" cried mark, in desperation. "you can't row the boat back to the coast alone." "that's true enough, sir, but there's one thing you ought to order me to do at once." "yes; what?" the sailor pointed to the flag spread out behind where the midshipman sat; and mark shuddered as he grasped his meaning. "do you think i ought to, tom?" whispered the lad at last, in awe-stricken tones. "what do you think, sir, left in charge as you are?" returned the man. "seems a terrible thing for a young gent like you to give orders about, but i can't see no way out of it. we did our best to save him, and now it don't seem as we can save ourselves. 'tall events, we can do no good to him, and i think the skipper--beg pardon, sir, no offence meant, the captain--will say you did what was quite right in giving me my orders." mark was silent, and tried to think out the matter calmly and with reason, but his head throbbed and burned, and all kinds of thoughts of other things kept on coming to confuse him and stop the regular flow of his thought, till it was as if he could think of everything else but the subject of such great importance to those on board. at last, though, he leaned over the side, and bathed his throbbing temples with the comparatively cool water, when, by slow degrees, the beating ceased, and the power to think calmly came back. "do you really feel it would be right, tom fillot?" he said. "i'm sure it would, sir." "no, no, i couldn't do it," cried the boy, excitedly; "it seems too dreadful." "more dreadful not to do it, sir, begging your pardon," said the man, quietly; and mark gazed at him wonderingly to see how calm, manly, and serious he, the wag of the ship, had grown to be now. "no, no, i dare not. here, i'll speak to mr russell." "do, sir; but i'm afraid you won't make him understand. he's too far gone for that." mark went down on his knees by his officer and took his hand. then, placing his lips close to the stricken man's ear, he asked him again and again to give him his advice what to do, but elicited nothing but a peevish muttering, as the lieutenant tossed his head from side to side. "what i told you, sir." "then i'll ask dance," cried mark. "he is over you men, and i cannot do this without some one to share the responsibility." "try him, sir; but he's quite off his head, and if he says do, his advice ain't worth having, for he'll never know he said it." all the same, in his terrible perplexity, mark crawled over the thwarts and between the men to where the coxswain lay muttering incessantly right forward, with his head resting against the pole of his hitcher; but in spite of appeal after appeal the man lay with his eyes fixed, quite insensible to every word addressed to him, and the midshipman crept back to where tom fillot sat. "i'm nobody, sir, only a common man afore the mast, so it's like impidence for me to offer to share the responsibility with a young gent like you. but being half as old again, i may say i know a little of what a man ought to do in a case like this; and i say that as you're now in command, sir, it's your duty to us, as well as to the dead." "no, no," groaned mark. "we may be overtaken by the ship at any time." "look here; it's of no use for you to shrink from it. recollect where we are. you must." but still mark shook his head. "it ain't as if we could do him any good, sir." "but without christian burial, tom fillot." "he warn't a christian, sir," said the sailor, slowly. "i'm only an ignorant man, but i've heerd say that you were a parson's son, sir, and know what's right to do at such a time. mr vandean, sir, you must." mark heaved a sigh, rose in the boat, and looked round him, trying to pierce the gloom in search of help out of his difficulty; but the moon was hidden by a black cloud, and look which way he would there was naught but the thick darkness hemming him in. with a piteous sigh he turned back to where the sailor sat waiting, made a sign, and then sank upon his knees in the bottom of the boat, feeling for the first few moments utterly alone. the next minute the feeling of loneliness had passed away, and firm and strong at heart, he raised his head, and made a fresh sign to his companion, who had followed his example, and who now rose and stepped over to the very stern of the boat, to stand with his back to his young officer. then as he bent down it seemed to mark as if the darkness had grown more profound, till there was a faint rustling noise, and a soft plunge in the black water, followed by a faint rippling whisper against the sides. directly after the moon appeared from behind the thick mass of clouds and shed a path of silver over the sea, till it flooded the part where the cutter lay; and as mark vandean knelt there, he saw tom fillot standing before him with the union jack in his hand. chapter eight. "will morning never come?" for the full space of an hour there was utter silence in the boat, where the lieutenant and his stricken crew lay as in a stupor. the black clouds had rolled away, and the calm sea was bathed in silvery light. the air was warm, but, by comparison with the scorching day, the temperature was delicious. tom fillot had folded up the flag and laid it back in the locker, after which he had seated himself to wait for orders. at last, after quite an effort, mark roused himself from his musings, and turned to his companion in distress. "tom," he said, "what ought i to do?" "nothing, sir," said the man, promptly. "there ain't nothing you can. someone else must do whatever is to be done for us. we've got to wait." "but could we row back to the port?" "without biscuit or water, sir, and with that sun sure to come up to-morrow ready to 'most scorch out our brains. what do you think?" "i think it's impossible, tom." "don't say think, sir. it's what you say without the think, and so i tell you. impossible, and i don't say that because i ain't willing to work. i'll take an oar, and row till i drop if you like, but what good will one man do, or one man and a young gentleman? you needn't say you think it's impossible, sir, for you know it is, and that all we can do is to sit and wait. to-morrow morning, i'll rig up the flag over an oar, so as to keep the sun off mr russell, sir." "if the ship hasn't come and picked us up, tom." the sailor was silent. "don't say you think she will not," cried the lad. "very well, sir, but i'll say this she can't sir, till there's some wind, and that's why it is. the captain has either took the schooner or give it up; and then, as he was coming back to pick us up, he's been and got becalmed. when the crew has whistled enough and the wind come, he'll make all sail, but whether he'll find any of us left to pick up is more'n i can say." the man ceased speaking, and resting his chin upon his hands, sat watching the glittering water stretching right away beneath the moon, a scene of beauty so grand that for the moment it thrilled mark, but only for that moment; the next he was in utter despair, famished, his mouth dry, and above all, suffering from a terrible feeling of horror which made him shrink within himself, as he knew that he was face to face with a fearful lingering death. "beg pardon, sir," said tom fillot, suddenly, their companionship in misfortune having in no wise interfered with the sailor's respect for his superior, "like to try a bit o' 'bacco, sir?" mark shook his head. "o' course not. you ain't used to it and don't want it. try and go to sleep, sir. i'll keep the watch." "sleep?" cried mark, bitterly; "what for? to wake up and find it morning with the sun up, ready to scorch us to death?" "that's looking at the very worst side of things, sir," replied the sailor, cheerfully. "there's always a best side as well as a worst, and we're as likely to see one side as the other." "don't, don't keep on talking," cried mark, passionately. "all right, sir," said tom fillot. "i'll be as dumb as a ship's lead." "i mean--i didn't mean to speak roughly to you, tom fillot," cried mark, eagerly. "i didn't want to wound you, but i know you were saying all that to try and cheer me." "well, sir, to be downright honest, p'raps it was." "then don't please. i'm sick and faint, and ready to die." "nay, not you, sir. too much pluck in you." "pluck!" cried mark, bitterly. "i'm in despair." "nay, not you, sir. you're in command here, and as an officer you've got to let yourself drift off nowhere, and think about taking care of us. that's your duty, sir, and you know it. what's to become o' us if you cut yourself adrift? that won't do at all. there, sir, let's wait for day. we may have quite a breeze come with the sun, and soon after catch sight of the _naughtylass_ bowling down to us. for, trust me, they'll see us fast enough. young mr bob howlett'll be up at the masthead spying out with his glass, see if he ain't. better have a sleep, sir." "no, man, no; i'm too ill and miserable to sleep." "then if you won't mind, sir, and'll give me leave, i will have a snooze. for i can't do you no good, and it will rest me, so as i shall be able to do something in the morning." "sleep if you can," said mark, bitterly. "nay, sir, i can't sleep if you take it and speak like that. dessay i shall be just as well awake." "no, no, lie down and rest a bit," cried mark. "mean it, sir?" "mean it, man? yes." "then thank ye, sir; and if you want me, just give the word, and i'll tumble up at once." to the lad's wonder, tom fillot lay down in the bottom of the boat, and five minutes after he was breathing deeply and as regularly as if nothing whatever were wrong. how that night passed mark vandean could hardly tell. he crept from place to place in the boat to see how the men were, and then crept back to his old seat close by mr russell. then, with the boat gently rising and falling, he waited for the day, thinking of home, of the possibilities of escape, and above all, of the terrible hunger and fearful thirst which dried him up. "will morning never come?" he cried, bitterly, and then prayed that it might not, as he recalled the sufferings of the past day; and now he was content to sit, thankful that the day did not break, for there was rest and less pain in the moonlight. it was like the delirium of a fever, in which one moment it was all calm, soft light in darkness, the next the sun had rolled above the horizon, and the boy strained his eyes in all directions for the coming ship, but looked in vain. sea--smooth, slowly-heaving sea--everywhere, all ruddy gold and amber now, and heat once more burning into his brain, till a strange sense of weariness came over him, a feeling as of the beginning of sleep. he fought against this time after time, and strove to keep to his duty, but it was all-powerful, and at last, feeling that he was sinking into delirium or a deadly sleep, he stretched out his hand to awaken tom fillot, but paused so as to give one despairing glance round. the next instant he had glided down into the bottom of the boat, insensible to everything save his fevered dream, which was of green fields, sparkling waters, and home. for the cutter was alone on the sun-bright water; and as a great bird slowly floated over them, it looked down with cruel gaze, as if waiting and watching and wondering which would be the first of the insensible men on board to sink into a deeper sleep--one from which there would be no return. that was just as mark was dreaming the brightest of his old devon home, and the sun was turning the sea into paler gold, and then into silvery dazzling white. chapter nine. bob howlett as nurse. "oh, mr whitney, sir, don't say he's dead." "wasn't going to, my lad." mark heard those words spoken by familiar voices, but why or about whom he could not tell. all he knew was that he was aboard ship, with the warm air coming in through the port, and the water was splashing and slapping against the side. then there was a good deal of buzzing conversation carried on, and the voices all sounded familiar still, but they grew more distant, and next all was dark and comfortable, and mark felt as if he were very tired and thoroughly enjoying a good sleep. then, unknown to him, time went on, and he opened his eyes again, and lay and listened to some one making a noise--that is to say, the person who made it believed that he was singing, but mark vandean did not believe anything of the kind, and lay quite still, and laughed gently as from close to his head there came in a low, harsh, croaking buzz, with the faintest suggestion of a tune-- "and we jolly sailor boys were up, up aloft, and the landlubbers lying down below, below, below, and the landlubbers lying down below." then there was a pause, and the scratching of a pen as if some one were writing. the noise began again, and mark, as he lay in his cot, chuckled; but though he did not know it, his silent laugh was in a feeble way. at last he spoke. "what's the matter, young 'un?" there was a quick movement, and the light was shut out by bob howlett, who rushed to his side and caught him by the shoulders. "matter? there's nothing the matter now, old chap. hip--hip--hip-- hurray! you are getting better, then?" "better? have i been ill?" "ill? oh, i suppose you can't call it being ill, because it wasn't humpty dums, or winkey wanks, or grim fever; but i thought you were going to die, old chap, or do some other mean and shabby thing. i say, how do you feel?" "all right, only i thought you had something the matter with you." "me? why?" "you were groaning so when i woke up." "groaning? why, i was singing," cried bob, indignantly. "oh, were you? i shouldn't have known if you hadn't told me. but, i say, i wouldn't sing any more if i were you, bob. it isn't in your way." "get out! sing as well as you can. there, don't lie shamming being sick any more, because you are quite well thankye, or you wouldn't begin chaffing." "but have i been ill? why, my voice sounds queer, doesn't it?" "queer? it sounds just like a penny whistle, while mine's as solid as a big trombone." "what?" "oh, never mind about that, old chap. we'll soon feed you up, old whitney and i. make you strong as a horse again. van, old cockalorum, i am glad." and to show his delight, bob howlett executed a kind of triumphal dance, ending with a stamp. "don't be an idiot, bob," said mark, feebly. "come close here. i want to know what's been the matter. has there been a fight, and was i wounded?" "no!" cried bob. "why, what an old stuffy head you are. don't you understand? can't you recollect?" "recollect what?" "the going off in the first cutter with poor old russell to pick up that nigger?" "no," said mark, dreamily. "i don't recollect any--yes i do, and we found him, and--i say, bob, what's wrong with my head? i can't think properly." "won't draw. chimney wants sweeping, old chap. but don't you fidget about that," cried bob, laying a hand upon his companion's forehead, and then feeling his pulse with much professional correctness. "temperature normal, sir; pulse down to one. we must exhibit tonics, sir; sulph quin pulv rhei; liquor diachylon. great improvement, my dear sir. allow me your tongue." "don't be a fool, bob. tell me, there's a good chap." "ah! i remember now," cried mark, excitedly. "tom fillot let the poor fellow slide overboard, and mr russell and the men were all down with the heat, and then--yes, i recollect now; i went to sleep." "yes, you did, old chap," said bob howlett, holding his messmate's thin hand in his; "and it seemed such a sound sleep when we picked you up that i began to think you wouldn't wake again." "but do pray tell me," cried mark, excitedly. "how was it? we were all dying of hunger and thirst in the boat. stop, how is mr russell?" "bad. can't rustle a bit; but he's coming round." "and dance, and tom fillot, and the others?" "tom fillot looks cranky, but there isn't much the matter with him. coxswain dance couldn't jig to save his life. t'others are blue mouldy, and old whitney talks about 'em as if he was using bricks and mortar. he says he shall build 'em up." "but do pray tell me all about it, bob," said mark, querulously. "i say, don't cry about it, or i won't tell you anything." "i won't say a word, only i am so impatient to know." "want to know it all--from the very beginning?" "of course. don't tease me, bob, now i'm so _weak_." "oh, won't i. got you down flat, old chap. can't bounce and bully me now. give me much of your nonsense, i'll punch your old head. now, then, where'll you have it?" bob struck an attitude, and began to square at his messmate playfully; but he sat down again directly. "well, i'll let you off this time, and take pity on you as you're such a cripple. ahem! all in to begin?" mark looked at him piteously, and bob laid his hand upon his arm. "all right, old chap," he said, huskily; "i won't tease you. i feel so jolly to see you open your eyes again, that it made me play the fool." bob choked a little, and said it was because he felt dry. a possible thing, but his eyes looked wet. then he went on hastily--"well, it was like this, old chap; as soon as we'd dropped you first cutters, we cracked on after the schooner again as hard as we could go, with maitland and old staples, one on each side of the deck, barking and snapping at the lads because we couldn't get more out of the old girl. we went pretty fast, though; and knowing that the yank would try it on again, old ramsey had to pipe himself and the crew ready for the second cutter. sure enough, there was the same game tried again, and the second cutter was dropped, with old ram in command, and we left him, too, to pick up the black thrown overboard, while we raced on again, getting close enough to send shot after shot through the schooner's rigging; but she seemed to be a flying dutchman sort of a craft, for we never once hit a spar." "but you've taken her, bob?" "you just lie still and hold your tongue, will you? if you can tell the story better than i can, you don't want me to speak." "i'll be patient and not say a word," said mark, humbly. "hit a spar," continued bob; "and there is no mistake about the way that yankee skipper can sail his craft, for he dodged and turned, and kept throwing us off in the most cunning way, trying to show us a clean pair of heels, and over and over again he distanced us. but maitland and old staples grew madder and madder, trying all they knew to crowd on sail till once more we got near, and then down went another of the poor blacks. old staples regularly jumped off the deck in his rage, for we were obliged to drop the captain's gig this time to pick up the poor wretch--leastwise, try to, for they didn't get him, and as we couldn't spare any more hands we had to wait for the gig to come aboard again. "that gave old stars and stripes a chance to get ever so far-away, and i tell you it wasn't safe to go near the skipper. ah! we may well call him that. he made some of 'em skip, i can tell you, that day. "`i'll sink her,' i heard him say, `i'll sink her,' and i expected to hear him order the guns to be depressed next time we got near enough for a shot." "but he didn't do that," said mark excitedly. "lie down, sir! quiet, will you?" cried bob fiercely. "how am i to flow on if you keep stopping me?" "go on, please," said mark. "of course i didn't let him fire," continued bob, importantly. "how could i go plunging round-shot into the miserable schooner and kill no end of niggers? wasn't to be thought about. so we crowded on again till they dropped another black overboard, and we had to heave to and pick him up, and then another and another till we had got four. the other two were either hurt, i think, or so weak that they couldn't swim, and the poor fellows went down before our lads could get to them." "how horrible!" "yes; it'll be pretty horrible for yankee doodle if old maitland ever gets his paw on him." "if ever--" began mark. "will you lie down?" cried bob. "well, i am lying down," replied mark. "i don't feel as if i could sit up." "no, nor you won't till whitney and i have bricked and mortared you well." "pray, pray go on, and tell me about capturing the schooner." "you won't let me with your interruptions," cried bob. "it's always the way with you fellows when you're getting better. you are right down nasty." "go on, bob." "well, on we went after my gentleman, getting close enough to make his sails ragged, and then being dodged about in every direction as he went through all sorts of manoeuvres to escape. now we were hove to, to pick up some of his cargo, now in full chase again, till i got sick of it by daylight, and every one else too, and the men so savage that they would have liked to pour in a broadside if it hadn't been for the poor fellows under hatches. at last it was morning, and the sun up, with the schooner a good mile away, and then came the worst of it." "the worst of it?" "ay, ay, sir! as we say at sea. no sooner was the sun well up than the sails began to shiver. "`wind's failing, sir,' says old staples. "`bah! nonsense!' says the skipper, and there came a hot puff and filled the sails again, making us careen over. `there, mr staples,' says the skipper, `what do you think of that?' "`last puff, sir, for the day,' says staples. "`nonsense we shall have her now,' says the skipper; and then he crossed just in front of me and gave a big stamp, for the sails flopped down all at once, and there we were gliding slowly on for a bit, and then settling on an even keel, while a mile away there was the schooner with a light breeze, going along as easily as could be, and if the yankee captain didn't have the cheek directly after to load a little swivel gun he had on board, and fire at us over the stern, as if he were laughing at us. "then i saw maitland give old staples such a savage look, and go down into his cabin." "well?" said mark. "oh no, it wasn't, old chap; it was ill. there we were regularly becalmed, and if the wind didn't keep along astern of the schooner and carry her right away, till she was hull down, and then by degrees we lost sight of her sails, and the game was up." "then you didn't take her?" cried mark. "take her? how could we take her when we were becalmed?" "and the yankee skipper got right away?" "right away, a robber; and took the prize-money we had so honestly earned along with him. all that trouble for nothing; and what was worse, we couldn't come in search of you, for it fell about the deadest calm i ever saw in all my experience at sea, and that isn't saying much, is it, van?" "oh!" ejaculated mark, "how horrible! you ought to have caught her, bob." "that's right jump on me just as if i didn't do my best." "go on now, and tell me the rest," said mark sadly. "not that it is of much consequence. i know you picked us up." "oh, well, i may as well tell you, though, as you say, it was of no consequence whatever. government could have afforded a new first and second cutter and tackle; men are plentiful; and as to officers, there's any number in stock." "don't chaff, bob. tell me, there's a good chap. you came on then in search of us as soon as you knew that you couldn't catch the schooner." "no, we didn't. how could we without a breath of wind? all we did was to lie there and roast and roll on the big swell, with maitland savage at losing the schooner, and fidgeting to death about the two absent boats. i heard him talking to staples. "`a great error, staples,' he said. `i had no business to leave the poor fellows behind without any provisions in case of accident, and i ought to have known better.' "all that day we had the horizon swept with glasses in the hope of seeing you fellows come rowing after us, but it was getting close to night before the man at the masthead shouted that a boat was in sight, and i went up aloft to make out if it was you. but it wasn't, old chap. it was ramsey with the second cutter, and the poor chaps' faces were awful as they were hauled up to the davits. they were so hoarse that they couldn't speak, and i felt queer to see their wild-eyed look and the rush they made for the water that was put ready for them. "of course they had seen nothing of you, and that night everybody began to look blank and talk in whispers, while i had something for supper, van, which didn't agree with me, and i never got a wink of sleep all night. "next day was calm as ever, and we were slowly rolling on the swell; the hammock rails were as hot as the bell, and the pitch was oozing out everywhere. i quite spoilt a pair of hind leg sleeves with the tar, going up to the masthead. my word, they were gummy." "what had you been doing? who mast-headed you?" asked mark. "doing? nothing. nobody mast-headed me, only myself." "what for?" "well, you are a lively sort of a chap to have for a messmate, van. that's gratitude, that is, for going up to look after you with the glass. now if it had been my case i should have said:--`mark vandean, my most attached friend, i regret extremely that in your anxiety to gain tidings of me and my boat, you should have brought the cloth of your sit-downs into contact with the inspissated juice of the norwegian fir, to their destruction and conversion into sticking-plaister. my tailors are burns and screw, cork street, bond street, london. pray allow me to present you with a new pair.'" "oh, bob, what a tongue you have!" "lovely. but i say--inspissated juice is good, isn't it?" "do go on telling me, bob. i'm too weak to stand banter. so you went up to the masthead to look for me, old chap?" "i did, my son, and pretty well lived up there--i mean died--it was so hot. but there was nothing to see eastward but the dim hazy sea and sky, though i watched for days and days." "days and days?" said mark, wonderingly. "well, i'm not quite sure about how long it was, for the sun made me so giddy. i had to lash myself to the mast, or i should have taken a dive overboard; and my head grew muddly. but it was an awful long time. my eye! how the men whistled!" "for wind?" "yes; and the more they whistled the more it didn't come. old maitland was in a taking, and it wasn't safe to speak to staples. i say, van, old chap, he came right up to the cross-trees himself and told me i didn't know how to use a spy-glass. he said the boat with you fellows in lay just due east, and that he could make it out directly." "and did he?" "no; he just didn't; and then, after trying for half an hour, he said mine was a wretchedly poor weak glass, and came down again. you see, the skipper and old staples were mad about losing the schooner, and just wild about leaving the boat behind and going on so far before coming back to pick you up. "of course, they couldn't tell that the wind would drop so suddenly," said mark. "well, you caught sight of us at last?" "look here, friend of my boyhood, do you want to finish this authentic narrative?" "no, i don't. go on." "then hold your tongue. i do like that, you saying what a tongue i've got. spikes and spun yarn! it's about nothing to yours. there, i won't keep you longer in suspense, as my old aunt used to say. after the crew had whistled the air quite full, it all condensed and turned into a breeze--on the third evening, i think it was, and i mast-headed myself again, and there was another man sent up to the fore-masthead." "i beg your pardon," said mark, with a feeble smile upon his thin face. "i said another man was sent up to look-out. i'm afraid that the exposure and fasting have affected your hearing a little, my son. but to go back to our muttons, as the french say. the breeze came on just right from the south-east, and we soon had plenty of sail on, and made some good big tacks; but it came on dark without our having got a squint of you; and that night once more my supper spoilt my rest, and every one else's disagreed with him. for the crew were on deck all night, walking about uncomfortable, and the worst of it was old whitney's prescriptions didn't do any one a bit of good." "of course," said mark, thoughtfully. "it must have been a terrible time of anxiety for the officers." "oh, i don't know," said bob, coolly. "it was a nuisance, for that first cutter was always considered our fastest boat. well, to proceed. next day, when the sun was hot enough to fry salt junk, someone caught sight of the boat lying like a speck on the glittering water." "who did?" cried mark, eagerly. "who did?" replied bob, thoughtfully. "let me see. i half--dear me now, who--how strange! it must have been somebody, because the ship's head was altered, and--now how curious it is that i can't think who it was sighted the boat!" "i know," said mark. "you did, bob." "oh, i say, doctor!" "did i?" said that young gentleman, scratching his head. "well, now you say so, i think it was robert howlett, esquire, with the spy-glass old staples abused so, and a pretty row there was went on below on deck. the chaps were half mad, and were dancing about the planks, and all bubbling over with excitement, as they tried to get a peep at you. and when--oh, my!--we did at last come up to you, a nice pretty respectable lot you looked, lying about in the boat, with no more discipline than you'd see in a shoal of seals on a rock. you looked as if you had all been pitched in anyhow, and--_gug_!" "why, bob! what's the matter, old chap?" mark turned to gaze on the convulsed face, and just obtained one glance before it was turned away. for bob's voice had suddenly changed from its light, half-cynical, playful tone. there was a sudden choking as if something had come in his throat; and as mark read his feelings thoroughly stole a thin, feeble hand into his, and whispered softly, "oh, bob, old chap!" the face was turned sharply back at him, and its owner burst out in a half-whimpering, half-angry way: "well, so would you if you'd seen it. even iron staples pretty nearly broke down. it was just horrid. didn't seem to be a bit of life in any one of you but tom fillot, and he couldn't have cut a joke to save his life. as for you, i wouldn't have given a penny more for you than the worth of your uniform, and that was all shrunk. you looked--" "how will he look to-morrow, mr howlett?" cried a sharp voice, that of the doctor. "so this is the way you keep watch over a patient, is it, sir? he was getting better, and now my work's all undone again. i expect you've killed him." "silence!" cried that gentleman, feeling mark's pulse. "yes, of course. fever greatly increased. hush, not a word, vandean. lie perfectly still. i ought to have been told that you had fully recovered your consciousness. now, mr howlett, you had better be off." "no, sir; don't send me away. i'll be so careful in future." "i can't trust you, my lad." "you may indeed now, sir. it was all with being so glad that poor vandean's better." "glad! why, you looked sorry. there, then, if you promise to be very quiet, you may stay. vandean, he must not talk to you, and you must hardly say a word. i'll go and get you a little draught." the doctor left the midshipman's quarters, and as he departed bob made a gesture suggestive of kicking him before returning to his seat beside his messmate. "tell me, bob," whispered mark. "no; mustn't speak." "only this. did everyone--was everyone--" mark stopped short. "you're not to talk while you're so weak. now then, what do you want to know? did any one die?" "yes." bob nodded his head, and a pang shot through mark as he thought of the handsome young lieutenant, and the frank, manly fellows who had formed their crew. he closed his eyes, and a feeling of weak misery choked his utterance. he would have given anything for the power to question his companion, and learn for certain who were living of the party; for the idea had in his weakness become now a certainty, that though he had seemed to hear that mr russell was recovering, he it was who had died. at last the power to think returned, and he turned his wan, pain-drawn face to bob. "tell me," he whispered. "no, sir, nothing," cried the doctor. "here, i have brought you the little draught myself, so as to see that it is taken properly. i don't know why i should have so much trouble over a pack of lads who are more worry than they are worth. why, bless my heart, mr vandean, you are going backward. here, mr howlett, go to my quarters and send my fellow here." chapter ten. in the doctor's clutches. it was the next day, and, in spite of wind-sails and open ports, hotter than ever. the _nautilus_ was back off the palm river, lying at anchor, waiting as usual for news which might end in a more successful expedition than the last, for the nefarious traffic was still being carried on just under the nose of her majesty's little cruiser, in spite of every effort to catch the cunning skippers who set the officers at defiance. mark opened his eyes after a long, refreshing sleep, for bob howlett had contrived to keep the cabin comparatively cool; and as soon as the lads' eyes met, the sick middy's thoughts went back to the last conversation they had held. "bob," he whispered. that young gentleman held up his hand. "only a word or two and i'll be quiet." "yes, you'd better. if you say much i'll fetch old whitney to give you an awful dose." "tell me this: is the captain much cut up, and mr staples, too?" "of course they are, both of them, horribly." mark sighed, and was silent for some moments. "tell me about tom fillot," he said at last. "how is he?" "pretty well all right again." there was another pause, which lasted some minutes, before the sick lad spoke again. "couldn't the doctor save them?" "no; only the two," replied bob, coolly. "you see, the starving and heat were too much for them. whitney did everything he could for them, but, as he said, they died off like flies." mark looked at him in horror. "how can you be so brutally cynical?" he said, with a shudder. "who's brutally cynical?" cried bob, indignantly, and forgetting all the doctor's orders. "i'm very sorry, of course. we did all we could to save the poor fellows, but they died, and there's an end of them. i don't feel bound to be miserable because the doctor couldn't save them." mark's brow contracted a little. he felt that he did not like bob howlett half so well as of old, but that perhaps he had been too hard in calling him brutally cynical, and he spoke more gently now. "who were the two that recovered?" "eh? i dunno." mark stared. "well, how should i know what their names are? hashy and quashy, or something of the kind. they're out and outers to eat, and don't seem a bit the worse. i called 'em soup and taters yesterday after seeing 'em at their feeding." "what are you talking about?" "i was answering your questions about the black fellows." "i didn't ask you about the blacks." "yes, you did." "i didn't, stupid," said mark, angrily. "huh! ha, ha!" cried bob. "he's getting better. go it, old chap! call me something else." "i asked you about the boat's crew." "no, you didn't. what about 'em?" "i asked you about their being saved, and you said all were dead but two." "oh, i say, what a cracker! you are getting better, and no mistake. you asked me about how many of the black fellows the doctor saved, and i told you those two first fellows that we got on board, and the others died." "then mr russell and the lads?" "oh, they're all right," cried bob; "leastways, not all right, but ever so much better. you've been by a long way the worst." "then mr russell isn't dead?" gasped mark. "here, steady, my lad. what's the matter?" "oh, tell me--tell me!" cried mark, excitedly. "why, of course he isn't. now, don't go on like that. here, i'll run for old whitney." "no, no," whispered mark, clinging to his messmate's arm. "i'm better now. i thought you told me that he was dead. it has worried me dreadfully." "oh, but you shouldn't get all sorts of fancies in your head now it's a bit weak. i don't know about saying _now_ it's a bit weak," said bob, with a comical smile, "because you always were a soft-headed sort of fellow. that's better. now you've cooled down." "yes," said mark, with a smile, "and i shall soon be better now." "that's your style. all my doing. i say, van, old chap, i'll take to doctoring you now; so kick old whitney over, and leave it to me. russell says he shall come and see you soon--" "i wish he would," cried mark. "if you don't soon come and see him." "i only wish i could," said mark, and he made an effort to rise, but sank back with a piteous look of misery in his face, which made bob seize his hand. "here, i say," he cried cheerily. "oh! don't look like that. you're only a bit weak, messmate. avast there! take a good grip o' the health tack; haul in your slack, and ahoy! you'll be full sail again in a week. i say, what do you think of that? i'm getting on with my nautical lingo, ain't i?" mark smiled feebly--just a wan, sickly smile, like a bit of sunshine on a wintry day. "avast there! none of your grinning," cried bob. "better than you could do it, old chap. that's your sort. cheer up. i must be off now. i'll come back and talk to you as soon as i can, and if you behave yourself i'll sing you a song." there was a genuine smile on mark vandean's face now, as he heard these words delivered with utmost seriousness. "no, no, don't, bob," he said, feebly. "i am getting better, really, now. don't do that. it would be more than i could stand." bob howlett uttered a peculiar sound, half-angry cry, half growl, caught up his cap, and marched out, as if in high dudgeon, while mark lay back, staring at the open port-hole, through which came the warm glowing light of the tropic sunshine. "poor old bob!" he muttered; "he thinks he can sing, and of all the dreadful noises ever made.--ha, ha, ha!" he laughed merrily at the recollection of some of his messmate's vocal efforts, and his face was lit up as if with inward sunshine, till he heard a voice and looked round in wonder, to see that captain maitland, mr staples, and the doctor were at the doorway watching him. "humph!" cried the captain; "not much cause for anxiety here." "no," said the first lieutenant: "he's what the men call miching. here, vandean, when are you coming on deck? can't have you lying here with half a dozen people to wait upon you." "i don't want to, sir," said mark, in a piping voice. "mr whitney knows." "yes, i know," said the doctor. "there," he continued, turning to the two officers; "you don't think much of your doctor, but what do you say to that?" he patted mark's head as he spoke. "i believe half the surgeons in the navy would have let the poor fellows slip through their fingers. i saved them all when they were in the most hopeless state." "not all," said mr staples, with a sharp look at the captain. "what about the poor niggers?" "well, i saved two of them, sir. the others were as good as dead when you called me to them. humph! did my part better than you did yours. why didn't you take the schooner?" the captain laughed. "he has us there, staples," he said. "let the doctors alone; they are a bad set of people to play with. only serve you out when you come into their hands. don't take any notice of him, whitney. well, vandean, i'm very glad to see you so cheerful, but don't presume upon it. you must take it quietly, and be patient. i want to see you on deck again." "quite out of the question yet," said the doctor, sharply. "i don't mean on duty, whitney," said the captain smiling, "but in a cane seat under the awning. it would be brighter and better for him to see the men about." "thank you, sir," cried mark, with a smile full of gratitude. "oh, that's different," said the doctor. "well, after a few days i'll have him carried up." "yes," said the first lieutenant, "and he can lie there and hatch mischief along with mr howlett, and play with the monkey. nice trio." "eh? oh, yes, by the way, i cannot allow you young gentlemen to have pets of that class on board my ship. you are not schoolboys now. why, you will be wanting white mice and guinea-pigs next!" "shall i have the animal thrown overboard?" said mr staples. "hump! well--er--not till mr vandean is better. you'd like to keep it a little longer, eh?" said the captain, turning to the young invalid. "very much," cried mark, as he thought of the quaint little old man he and bob howlett had bought. "very well, you can for the present." "and now, gentlemen," interposed the doctor, "my patient requires rest and cool air. you are fidgeting him and making the place hot." "that means go. well, staples, we must give way, i suppose. the doctor is always above the admiral. make haste and get well, vandean. good-bye." he shook hands warmly and turned to leave the cabin, the first lieutenant following his example, and turning to give the midshipman a friendly nod. "hah!" said the doctor, as soon as they were alone; "they want to go too fast, and undo my work. i shall not have done with you yet awhile, vandean, and you'll have to attend very strictly to my orders if i'm to make a man of you. did you take my medicine?" "yes, sir." "sure?" mark coloured. "yes, sir, i told you." "cock-a-doodle-doo!" cried the doctor. "dear me, how bumptious we are, young fellow. there, i believe you, but that's more than i'd do for some of your tribe. there's mr bob howlett, for instance. if he had to take a dose, i should not only stop till he had emptied the glass, but i should pinch his nose till i was sure he had swallowed it. there, i will not give you more than is good for you, my lad. you think i'm glad to get hold of a job, and will not leave it till i'm obliged; but don't you fall into an error about that, my dear sir. i'm too fond of ease." "i'm sure you will do the best you can for me," said mark; "and i want to be grateful." "ah! then you're an exception, my lad." "how is mr russell, sir?" "getting on, but obstinate; wants to be well all at once, and get to his duties. i must go and see him now. mind and take your stuff regularly. morning." the cabin was empty once more, save for the patient, who uttered a sigh of relief, and lay listening to the soft _pad_, _pad_ of the sailors' bare feet on the deck, and the voices of the officers giving their orders, all sounding pleasantly familiar as he lay back there feeling that he must be better from the interest he took in all that was going on, and the pleasant clearness of his head. "i wonder how long it will be before they have me on deck," he said to himself. chapter eleven. "soup" and "taters." "hooray!" cried bob howlett, about a week later, as he burst into the cabin. "what is it?" cried mark, excitedly. "why are they getting the anchor up?" "don't know. nobody knows but the skipper, but we're off somewhere, thank goodness, and you're to come on deck to-day, and old russell too." "that is good news." "yes, i shall have you all right now, in no time, getting the breeze away from this dismal shore. here, i've told your lady's-maid-- "hoozoar we're off to sea--he--he, hoozoar we're off to sea." mark thrust his fingers into his ears till the last word was sung, and then withdrew them. "here, what do you mean about the lady's-maid?" "i've told tom fillot to come. he's to attend to you down here. i've got some one else for you on deck." "tell him to make haste, then." "come in," cried bob; and tom fillot came in, pulled his forelock, and kicked out one leg behind, as he stood grinning, but looking rather white and pulled down. "ah, tom," cried mark, "glad you have got well again. coming to help me?" "yes, sir! mr howlett said i was to come and wally de sham you, as he calls washing yer down and dressing of yer up. same to you, sir, only you don't look quite as i should like to see yer." half an hour later mark was on deck in a long cane chair, the awning above his head, the monotonous-looking coast off astern, and forward and to right and left the blue dancing water, rippled by a light breeze which made the _nautilus_ careen over and glide through the little waves. "and how beautiful it all looks!" sighed the lad. "i never thought the ship so delightful, nor the sea so bright before." just then, dance the coxswain came by, and saluted, bob howlett passing them the same moment. "here you are, then, skipper," he said. "what do you think of joe dance? looks yellow about the gills, don't he? here comes the captain. can i do anything for you, vandean?" "morning, mr vandean," said the captain. "come, that's better. now then, be smart and get well." "i almost think i am well, sir," replied mark, "and feel ashamed of being so idle." "humph!" said mr staples, from behind him, "first midshipman i ever knew with so fine a conscience. but come, he does look better, sir." "oh yes. only wants time," said the captain. "you'll be ready to help take the next slaver, vandean--eh?"--this to the lieutenant; "well, say the next but one. by the way, mr vandean, you can send your attendant to the cabin for any books you like to read. look here, staples." they went aft together talking, and then descended to the cabin, when bob howlett hurried up. "why, you're holding quite a levee, old chap. i want to introduce two gentlemen to you, only i don't know about bringing them on the quarter-deck. all right, i will. it can be to move your chair." before mark could say a word, the lad was off, and a minute later he returned with a couple of black sailors in white duck shirt and trousers--big built, fierce-looking fellows, whose black faces, hands, and feet showed strangely in contact with their snowy clothes. they followed bob howlett on deck and to the chair occupied by mark, stopping at a sign given by the midshipman who led them up. "here we are," he said. "you two don't understand a word i say, and i can't make out a word of yours, so we're free and equal there. now, look here, this is captain vandean, and i'm captain howlett. that is, we shall be some day. now then, listen." the two blacks gazed at him intently, as if trying hard to understand him. "this, i say, is captain vandean, and i'm captain howlett, and we came in the boat and saved your lives when you were pitched overboard out of the slaver." "are these the two men?" said mark, eagerly. "right, my lord. these are they. i've had 'em holy-stoned and fresh painted. they seemed to want to stay, and the skipper said as he was short-handed he'd give 'em a trial. of course, i took their parts; and i said to maitland--" "yes, what did you say to maitland, mr howlett?" said the captain, who had returned unobserved. bob's jaw dropped. he was as a rule ready enough, but he was so completely taken aback that he was now speechless. "ah," said the captain, "your memory is so short that you cannot recollect. but try and bear this in mind, mr howlett. don't vapour and don't brag. these things are not becoming to an officer and a gentleman." he passed on, and bob's face was a study. "there, it's all over," he said, dismally. "don't laugh at a fellow. you might have said he was coming up." "i can't help laughing, and i didn't know, bob, really," said mark, merrily, "oh, i say, you did look a muff." "so would you," said bob, angrily. "there, i can't say what i was going to say to you, only that their names are soup and taters. this is the one you brought aboard--soup. and this is my one--taters. soup-- taters," he said again, and he touched the two men on the shoulders as he spoke, both smiling faintly as they heard his words, and gazing from one to the other as if striving hard to catch the meaning. "now then, what do you think of them?" "they both seem to be big, strong, healthy fellows." "yes, and i shall make first-class seamen of them." "i suppose so," said mark, smiling. "there you go again--chaffing. ah, you're ever so much better," grumbled bob. then turning to the two blacks--"now then, you may both go below, only recollect that we've got a sort of right in you, because mr van here saved one of you, and i saved the other." the two blacks gazed hard at the speaker, the man who had been dragged into the first cutter through mark, bending forward a little, with his soft opal eyeballs gleaming and a wonderful intense look in his swart face. there was a twitching about the temples, and his lower lip trembled a little, while one hand was raised; but as bob howlett finished, he uttered a low sigh, muttered a few words to his companion, and drew himself up, folding his arms across his broad chest. "well done, noble savage," said bob. "we very nearly understand each other. here, soup." the black started at the word, and looked inquiringly at the speaker. "don't worry the poor fellows," said mark. "who's going to worry them? look here, soup, you're going to serve the queen, and the sooner you understand the queen's english the better. i'm going to suit the action to the word. now then, see here." bob glanced sharply round, to see that only the officer of the watch was on deck, and then, going through a kind of pantomime with great rapidity, he made believe to be struggling with an assailant toward the bulwarks, and being pitched overboard, while the blacks looked on in astonishment. "here, they think you're going mad, bob," cried mark. "drop it." "sha'n't! look at 'em! they understand. look here, soup. now then, taters, i'm swimming for my life." he struck out and swam drily, going through all the actions till he pretended to grow weak, threw up his hands, made believe to splash, and then let his head droop as he reached mark's chair. "now then," he said, "pretend to pull me into the boat." mark laughed and obeyed, helping to finish the pantomime, which was quite comprehended by the two blacks, when bob pointed to his messmate, and said: "here, soup, this is the noble being who saved you." the man uttered a few softly liquid words, smiled, and with his eyes full of thankfulness he took a step forward, his companion imitating his acts, and dropped down on his knees before mark's chair. "there," cried bob, "what do you say to--oh, i say, stow that, taters; not to him. i saved you. don't give him all the honour and glory." but his explanation was in vain. both the poor fellows had interpreted his words to mean that mark had saved them both, and they crouched before him, making signs that he was their lord and they his humblest slaves. "well! i do call this sickening," cried bob. "that's just my luck. look here, taters. i should just like to peel you and give you three dozen, you nasty black-looking, ungrateful swab. hi! jump up! here comes old staples. now then, both of you, come along." he seized one with each hand by the sleeves of their duck frocks, and dragged them forward; but in an instant, they had snatched themselves free, and returned to mark, speaking softly in their own tongue, and with a good deal of gesticulation, till mark ended bob's perplexity by pointing to the lower deck, when they walked obediently after the midshipman right away to the forecastle hatch, and went below. five minutes later bob was back again by his messmate's side. "that's just my luck," he said, sourly. "i beat the bush and somebody else catches the bird. oh, here's mr russell coming; we shall have the whole quarter-deck on the sick list directly." but all the same bob ran across to offer the second lieutenant his arm, as he walked feebly toward where mark was seated, and eagerly stretched out his hand to grasp that of the young brother officer who had shared the peril of what had so nearly been their last adventure. mark heaved a sigh, but it was one full of satisfaction as they two sat quietly talking together, with first one and then another to come up and utter a few words of congratulation; and when sailors and marines passed and saluted with a friendly smile, there was no mistaking the popularity of the two convalescents. meanwhile the _nautilus_ glided along due south, and there was a good deal of speculation as to her next destination, till mr staples came up, and in the conversation which ensued, announced that they were to search for a river about sixty miles along the coast, one which was not marked down in any chart, but was supposed to exist, and to be a stronghold of those engaged in the slave trade. it was getting toward evening, and the two invalids had pleaded for the doctor's permission to stay longer on deck, for the soft air was delicious, and gave them fresh strength at every breath. they were very silent as they sat watching with keen delight the varied business of the ship, doubly interesting to them now that they could not take part in it, when the wind began to drop, and the course of the vessel to grow more sluggish. there was nothing for the men to do, and permission had been given to a party of them, just towards sundown, to take the grains forward and try to harpoon some of the swift fish playing about their bows in the golden water; but instead of going and perching himself somewhere to take part in the sport, bob howlett hung about the chair of his brother middy. "why don't you go and join in the fishing, howlett?" said mr russell. "oh, i don't know," he said. "it'll be quite dark directly, and i was wishing, sir, for something to happen to make me an invalid." "because you have such an affection for doctor whitney's doses?" said mark, laughing. "no, so you needn't make nasty remarks," replied bob. "i thought so, because middies who have been a little out of sorts get all kinds of attentions, and those who are quite well get bullied by first lieutenants, and are spoken to by captains as if they weren't worth their salt, as mr staples calls it." "i shall have to report mr robert howlett's insubordinate language," said mark's fellow-invalid, when all at once there came a cry of rage, followed by a loud shouting somewhere forward. then more cries, and confusion, and directly after there was a desperate scuffle going on by the forecastle hatch. "what's that?" cried the first lieutenant; and in a few minutes, after a desperate fight, the two blacks were dragged forward, pushed by four of the men, and held by main force while the captain, who had hurried on deck, called for an explanation. this was given by a dozen voices at once, but in obedience to a command there was silence, in which the heavy panting breathing of the blacks could be plainly heard. "now then," said the captain, "one man speak. you, dance, step forward. what does this mean?" "beg pardon, sir," said the coxswain of the first cutter; "some of the lads got skylarking and playing tricks with the two black hands." "_who_ did?" said the captain, sternly. "beg pardon, sir, didn't see, sir, but it made the two niggers wild, and one got a knife and the other a marlin-spike; and if they hadn't been held there'd ha' been murder done, and--" "man overboard!" was yelled from right forward where the fishing had been going on, and following a loud splashing from just beneath the ship's counter came that most thrilling of cries to send the blood coursing back even from the strongest man's cheek. "boat, boat--help--help!" in tropic waters just as the sun had sunk below the horizon, and the rapid darkness was coming on. chapter twelve. dance makes mistakes. "he's tangled with the line," came in a clear voice, which mark recognised as bob's, and a shudder ran through him. it needs all the strict discipline and long training to prevent confusion even on board a man-of-war, in a time of emergency. here the disposition of the men was to run to the ship's side, and shout words of advice, but a sharp command or two brought the crew back to order, and the men rushed to the boat nearest to the spot where the man was struggling in the water. it was a fine, smart young sailor, who had been standing on a stay below the bowsprit, holding on with one hand, and straining out to aim a good throw at a large fish gliding beneath the bows. he had darted the harpooning "grains" or trident, struck the fish deeply, but from inexperience he had not carefully arranged the line attached to the staff. the result being that there was a sudden rush on the part of the fish as soon as it was struck, a ring of the line was tightened round the man's arm in a firm tangled knot, and he was jerked from his hold and dragged down into the deep water for some distance before he rose again, struggling wildly and calling for help. he would get his lips above water for a moment or two, and then be dragged under again. then he would rise to the surface and shriek for help in tones which thrilled his hearers. "quick, my lads!" roared the first lieutenant. "bless the man! why can't he cut himself loose?" there was a gurgling cry and silence, as the wheels of the falls chirruped and the boat began to descend; but at that moment there was a fresh excitement plainly seen from where mark had tottered to the bulwark, and stood looking over the side at what seemed to be a moving shadow, far down under the surface, jerked about in a most extraordinary manner. he looked round sharply, for there was a loud cry, a babble of tongues, and the shouting of fresh orders, and simultaneously a life-buoy splashed in the sea, near where the man had been dragged down; the boat was descending and a white figure was seen to leap on to the bulwarks after a desperate struggle to free itself from those who had held it, and plunge head-first into the darkening waters. it was the bigger of the two blacks, who had in his insane rage taken advantage of the confusion and excitement to escape from those who held him prisoner and leap overboard, to swim for his liberty. the loud cries of excitement increased at this fresh development of the trouble. two were overboard now; and one of the men who had held the black had been hurled upon the deck, rose to his knees holding a wrenched arm. "he'll be drowned now," growled the man; "and sarve him right. he's as strong as a hox." mark saw the white-clothed figure strike the surface with a heavy plunge, and go down, make a carve of light beneath the water, and rise again to shake his black head and strike out for the open sea before him, insensible for the moment to everything but the idea of getting away. he, poor fellow, in his blind ignorance, knew no more, but before he had taken many strokes there was a wild gurgling shriek behind him, as the sailor's head appeared, and the black stopped, turned, and swam back in time to seize the drowning man and hold him up just as he was dragged under again, the boat which had just kissed the water being still far-away, the _nautilus_ having glided on. the natural result was that as the fish gave its fierce jerking tug, and the black held on to the sailor, both were dragged under; but grasping the difficulty, the black seized the line and made a desperate snatch at it, with sufficient strength to detach the grains, and they both rose again, with the rescuer swimming strongly, the rescued half drowned, helpless and unable to raise a hand to save himself. "hold on! coming! swim this way," shouted the officer in charge of the boat; and as mark looked aft at the actors in this scene, all growing more distant moment by moment, he heard bob howlett's shrill voice plainly in spite of the distance,--"hold on, soup. coming." the words sounded incongruous--ridiculous--but the voice influenced the black, who turned and swam slowly toward them, trying to support his charge. "can you see, vandean?" said mr russell, who had crept to the bulwarks and stood beside the midshipman. "yes, but how slow the boat is." "they are keeping afloat, then--swimming?" "i think one of them is," said mark in a whisper. "hah!" sighed the young lieutenant, "my eyes are dim and weak. how near is the boat now?" "oh, it must be fifty yards away, and they're going down. the men don't try." "it seems so to us, but they must be rowing their best. are they getting near now?" "i don't think so, and--and i can't see anybody. oh! how horrible. pull, pull!" "hush?" said russell. "i can't see, but the boat must be between us and the men. how was it all?" "i don't quite understand, but the black seemed to try and save the man overboard. don't--don't speak! i want to see. oh, if i only had a glass. mine's below." "can you see them now?" said russell, in a faint whisper. "no, no, this is dreadful," groaned mark; "they are so far-off, but i can see the boat. yes, they are pulling hard now. no; they have ceased rowing, and two men are standing up now, and--too late--too late." "hurray!" came faintly from the distance, where the shades of the fast-falling tropical night had rendered the boat nearly invisible. the cheer was echoed from on board with a tremendous shout, as the distant cry rose again. "there, they have saved them, mr russell," cried mark excitedly. "hah!" came in a low, deep sigh, as the lieutenant's legs gave way beneath him, and he would have fallen if it had not been for the sudden action of mark, who held the poor fellow's arms pressed down over the rail as he called for help. "what is it?" cried a firm voice from close at hand, and the captain strode up. "ah! mr russell fainting. let him go, mr vandean. i'll drop him into this seat." the captain dragged a cane reclining-chair forward, and lowered the feeble man gently down. "there, he will soon come to," said the captain. "he is too weak to be on deck." "the sight of the men drowning upset him, sir." "of course, mr vandean. it nearly upset me, who have not been ill. not a pleasant sight to see our fellow-creatures losing their lives, and not to be able to help them. come, russell, man, this will not do." the lieutenant looked up at him wonderingly, as he unclosed his eyes. "are they saved!" he said, faintly. "thank god! yes," replied the captain; and just then a fresh cheer arose from the cutter, which was being pulled steadily back; the cheer was answered, and soon after the boat hung from the davits, and bob cried up excitedly to mark,--"i say, i saved him this time, old chap." then followed a few stern words from the captain, strictly forbidding further fishing except by the older and more experienced hands. turning to the first lieutenant, he said in mark's hearing,--"now comes the difficulty. how am i to punish this black for the knife business? he cannot understand a word that is said." "no; it is difficult," replied the first lieutenant; "but it cannot be passed over." "the man evidently meant to escape, but repented on seeing a fellow-creature drowning, and saved his life. well, that's a good trait in his character, staples. black and savage though he is, the man must have good qualities. i'm afraid it was a mistake to keep the two poor fellows on board." "hasn't turned out well so far, sir," said the first lieutenant, gruffly. "there, sir, it's for you to settle about the punishment. something must be done." "the plus seems to me to balance the minus, staples," said the captain. "i want to do something, but these poor savages cannot understand." then to the men gathered below, "look here, my lads, with respect to this affray--" "beg pardon, sir," came from forward. "who's that?" said the captain, sternly. "how dare you interrupt!" "axing your pardon, sir, joe dance, sir, coxswain fust cutter." "well, what is it, sir?" "i only wanted to say, sir, as i was down below, and i kep' on saying to the lads, sir, as was a teasing the niggers--" "the blacks, my man," said the captain, sharply. "yes, your honour, the black niggers, sir. `let 'em bide,' i says; `what's the good o' teasing 'em? you'll only make 'em want to bite.' but they wouldn't take no notice o' what i said, sir, and kep' it up till the poor chaps turned savage like, and it was hooroar, and all the fat in the fire." "stop, sir!" cried the captain, sternly. "speak plain english, sir." "yes, sir; that's what i'm a-trying to do, sir." "you say that the men were teasing and baiting the two black hands, and you advised them not to?" "well, your honour, it was hardly adwice, because i said i'd shove my fist in someone's eye if he didn't let the poor beggars bide." mr staples uttered a curious sound, and the captain coughed. "ah, well, you tried to make them stop their cowardly, unmanly tricks." "that's it, your honour." "then now give me the names of the men who were guilty, and as each man's name is called let him stand out three paces to the front. go on." joe dance scratched his head, but did not speak. "now, coxswain, speak out. the first man?" "adam," whispered bob to mark, at whose elbow he now stood, and mark jerked back his elbow into the boy's chest. "well, sir, who was the first man?" cried the captain. "beg pardon, your honour," said joe dance, gruffly; "it was down in the fo'c'sle." "i know that, sir, but i want to know the names." a faint sound arose as if several men had drawn a deep breath. "do you hear me, dance?" cried the captain. "oh yes, your honour." "he won't tell tales of his messmates," said bob, with his lips close to mark's ear. "silence, mr howlett!" cried the captain, sternly. "now, dance, the names?" "beg pardon, your honour, but there was only one dip a-going in the lantern, and it didn't give light enough to tell which was your right hand and which was your left." "the names, sir!" cried the captain, as once more there was the sound of a deep breath. "couldn't give yer one of 'em, sir, unless it was tom fillot." "hah! stand out, sir." "why, i was taking my trick at the wheel, your honour," cried tom fillot, in tones of protest. "so you was, messmet," growled dance; "so you was. there, your honour," he continued, turning to the captain, "you see how dark it were." "try again, sir," said the captain, sternly. "dick bannock," said dance. "which i were o' dooty in my watch, mate," cried the man. "ay, so you was, messmet. no, your honour, it were too dark. p'r'aps," he added, cunningly, "one o' the blacks knows." here there was a murmur. "silence!" cried the captain, sternly. "i'm afraid i shall have to recall this as a mark against you, dance, when the time comes for promotion. it is very plain, sir, that you do know, and will not speak. hark here, my lads, i am going to pass this over. i cannot punish two ignorant, half-savage men for resenting a cruel attack upon them--cruel and cowardly. go below now, and show me in the future that you have too much common sense to play such boys' tricks again. let the two blacks step out." efforts were made to induce the two africans to advance, but without avail. "now, are those men coming aft?" said the captain, sternly; but there was only a buzzing sound below, and something extremely like a scuffle. "beg pardon, sir; they don't understand," said bob howlett. "they'd come up if i spoke to 'em." "then go down and send them aft--or no," said the captain, impatiently. "i want them to understand that they are pardoned, but that there must be no violence again. there, that's enough, mr staples. pipe the men below." "and that's an end of it," whispered bob howlett, as soon as the captain was out of hearing. "i say, van, wasn't old joe dance a trump?" chapter thirteen. the enemy once more. "all this time sailing here and there," said mark one day, "and not done a bit of good." "do you hear that, mr whitney?" cried bob. "there's gratitude, when it has been just as if we were under orders to keep at sea so as to get him and mr russell well again; and look at 'em now. why, it has quite cured 'em both." "and their doctor has done nothing, mr bob howlett?" "oh, i didn't mean that, sir, exactly," said that gentleman, colouring a little. "of course you have done them a lot of good, sir, and--" "there, you are only floundering about, young gentleman, and making worse of it," said the doctor, gruffly. "wait a bit; you will be laid by the heels one of these days, and then you will sing a very different song. but you are a wonderful deal better, vandean, and i congratulate you. i shall not have to ask for you to be sent home." "oh yes, i'm much better, sir," cried mark. "well, don't talk as if you were afraid i was going to order you pills and draught. i've done with you, but you had better be careful mr russell can go on without me now. as for mr howlett here--well, we'll wait for that." he gave bob a curious look and strolled away, leaving that gentleman with his face screwed up in a way which made mark burst out laughing. "oh yes, it's all very well for you to grin," grumbled bob; "you're out of the wood. he don't like me, and you see if he doesn't serve me out first chance he gets." "then you should have been more careful about what you said." "well, i was. i do believe he'd like to have me down in his cabin to cut up for experiment, and to practise physic on. ugh! the old wretch!" he continued, with a shudder. "hallo! what's the matter now?" he added, as the man up aloft shouted "sail ho!" and glasses were rapidly brought to bear upon a point miles away down south, where a few palm trees were dimly-seen through the hot haze. "what do you make of her, mr russell?" said the captain to the young officer, who had gone aloft. "barque, sir. small. heavily-rigged. she's going right in. there must be either a bay there, or a large river." "no mention of any bay or harbour there," said the captain. "looks bad--or good," he added. "what else can you make out?" "nothing, sir. the trees hide her now completely." "slaver, then, without a doubt. now, gentlemen, she has gone in without seeing us, and it will be our fault if she gets away. we must have no mistake this time." "hurray!" whispered bob to his companion. "prize-money at last." "chickens," said mark. "what do you mean?" "don't count 'em till they're hatched." "get out, croaker!" just then the two blacks came along the deck, looking very smart in their white sailor trousers, and not a little proud of their straw hats. each man brightened up and displayed his teeth, as he saw the midshipmen, muttering something incomprehensible in reply to bob's "how do, soup? how are you, taters?" and passing on. "i say," said mark, "it's too bad to nickname the poor fellows like that." "not a bit of it. what's in a name? they answer to 'em right enough, and the men like 'em." "yes, of course they do. whoever heard of a sailor who didn't like a bit of fun of that kind?" "oh, then you call it fun?" "yes--ill-natured fun." "bother! here's the skipper. let's seem to be doing something, or we shall be lectured." but captain maitland was too eager about the sailing of his ship, and paid no heed to the midshipmen's idleness, only thinking as he was of getting round the land in front, and overhauling the stranger, who was now quite out of sight beyond the point, and it took two hours to get within sight again. but they found that, instead of there being a river, the coast turned sharply to the east, and the barque, in place of being close to them, was sailing steadily away east and south, and farther from them than ever. "bah! another false alarm," cried mr staples; "are we never to capture one of the scoundrels?" just then mark touched his elbow, and pointed to a vessel which had been unnoticed before, lying as it did close under the shore, with bare poles raked well back, and the whole of the long, low, schooner-rigged vessel wearing a look of having been built for swift-sailing more than for any ordinary trading purpose. "well done, sharp eyes!" cried the lieutenant; "that's one of the scoundrels;" and the course of the _nautilus_ was changed directly with a peculiar result. the minute before not a soul was to be seen on board the schooner, which might have been absolutely deserted; but, as soon as the course of the _nautilus_ was changed and those on board saw that, in spite of lying close up under the trees of the muddy shore of what appeared to be a creek, they had been observed, sails were rapidly hoisted, and the slight, graceful vessel began to glide so swiftly through the water that it was evidently no slow ship that would catch her should she once get into the offing. she was about a mile away and promised to escape, but captain maitland did not mean to be out-manoeuvred this time. the crew were beat to quarters, a gun fired, and the colours run up as the course of the _nautilus_ was again altered so as to cut the schooner off, and in due time a second gun gave out its puff of smoke. but no heed was taken, and the schooner kept along close in shore till her captain saw that escape was impossible in the direction he was taking, and altering his helm, the swift vessel glided round and made off in the opposite direction. but the _nautilus_ was again too quick for her, and in a few minutes was once more hard in chase and sending shot after shot, till one better directed than the rest went through her maintopmast. the crew of the _nautilus_ sent up a tremendous cheer as the great spar came down with its gaff sail, leaving the schooner for the time like a bird with a broken wing. "we shall have her now for certain," said bob howlett. "yes; and she has shown no colours," replied mark; "but suppose she does not turn out to be a slaver, after all." "suppose pigs were to fly," cried bob. "she's a slaver for certain, and we've got her." "doesn't look like it," replied his companion; "where's she making for now? why, she sails as well as ever." this was a slight exaggeration, but all the same the vessel glided along rapidly, and through the glasses the crew could be seen rapidly cutting away the damaged rigging, while her helm was manipulated so that she appeared to be sailing right for the shore. another shot and another was fired, but not the slightest heed was paid; and as the _nautilus_ went swiftly on, it was noted that, unseen before, there was a narrow river running up through the trees, with its regular fringe of mangroves, and the schooner was being steered for this. "she'll get right up that river, after all," said mark, who in the excitement had forgotten all his past illness, and appeared to be as strong as ever. "not she. we shall have her first, my lad. hurray! look, she has given in. they've stopped and surrendered." "she has struck on one of the banks, sir," cried lieutenant staples, excitedly, for the schooner's way through the water had suddenly ceased, and she slowly swung round broadside on, with her sails shivering and flapping. "a prize at last!" cried mark, as the men cheered, and the _nautilus_ glided on, till, when they were about a quarter of a mile away, mr russell announced that a couple of boats were leaving the schooner, and it was seen that her captain and crew were making for the shore. "no doubt now about what she is, gentlemen," said the captain. "pipe away the cutter's crew. mr russell, you would like to begin work again. jump in, sir, and go and take possession." "and pursue the boats, sir?" "bah! no! they are not worth the labour. you can take one of the young gentlemen with you." bob took a step forward, but mr russell turned to mark. "you'll come, vandean," he said; and the lad leaped into the cutter, which was rapidly rowed away through the muddy water, just as the schooner's boats disappeared round a headland covered with trees, which screened the outlet of a stream far larger than had been imagined, and for which without doubt now the schooner's captain had been making. "a splendid prize, vandean," said mr russell, as they drew near and saw the admirable build of the vessel, which looked nearly new. "she was evidently on her way for a cargo of the poor wretches. we ought to have taken her afterwards, when she was laden." "yes, we should have done more good then. but if they had no slaves on board, why did they run? oh!" the midshipman uttered an ejaculation expressive of the utter disgust which he felt as they neared the schooner's side. "what is it? what's the matter?" cried the lieutenant; and then his countenance changed. "back water!" he exclaimed, as he turned away his head. "how horrible!" then, altering his order, he cried, "row--row, my lads--pull!" for from somewhere on board, now not a dozen yards from them, there rang out in smothered tones a piteous cry of despair. chapter fourteen. in the schooner's hold. it was undoubtedly a terrible cry of despair from a human being in deadly peril, and with all the force of englishmen sent to answer such a call for aid, the boat was rushed through the water, the coxswain hooked on, and setting at defiance that which had horrified and disgusted them, the two officers, followed by all their men but the boat-keeper, sprang on board the beautifully clean, trim-looking schooner, where the remains of the broken spar, axes that had been hastily thrown down, and a tangle of cordage and canvas cumbered the deck. "what is it?" cried mark, excitedly. "is someone being killed?" "some dozens," cried russell, fiercely, as the cry was repeated from beneath their feet, followed by a horrible scuffling sound mingled with groans. "the wretches have battened down the hatches, and the poor creatures below are suffocating." as he spoke, he caught up one of the axes from where it lay, an example followed by mark, and they struck off the fastenings which held down the hatches close by where they stood. the horrible sounds ceased at the first blow of the axe, and a deathly silence succeeded, followed by a low, deep, murmuring roar. "stop!" cried mr russell. "stand by, lads, and be prepared. the poor wretches may not know friends from foes." the next minute the hatch was thrown up, and there was a fearful rush, not that for which they had prepared, but one perhaps worse. the wretched blacks crowded down in the stifling hold were too much cowed by the brutality from which they had suffered to dare then to raise a hand; and, instead of making a dash for liberty as anticipated, they waited in expectation of death being the portion of the man who first reached the opening. the boat's crew shrank away from the hatch, driven back by the rush of poisonous air of so fearful an odour that the lieutenant turned ghastly as he cried,--"oh, horror! how can the poor creatures exist?" how indeed? relief had only come in time. the captain of the schooner had probably intended to pretend that he had no slaves on board, but had altered his mind and fled after the poor wretches had been shut down; and, without doubt, if they had been unable to break out to the deck, in less than an hour not a soul would have been left alive. "here, vandean," cried mr russell, "we must risk their attacking us, and have them on deck. how are we to make them understand? hi! below there! come up into the fresh air." but there was no reply, save a stifled moan or two. "volunteers," cried the lieutenant. "two men to go down and bring one of the poor wretches up. we can show him that we mean well, and then he can act as interpreter." for a few moments no one spoke, and mr russell cried:--"i know it's a terrible task, my lads. who'll come with me?" "no, with me," said mark, quickly; and he stepped to the mouth of the noisome pit. "oh, i'll go with you, mr vandean, sir," cried tom fillot; and without a word mark drew a deep breath, stepped in on the ladder, and descended, the light being shut out directly by the sailor. the heat was awful, and after holding his breath till he reached the bottom, at the first inspiration mark felt giddy and sick; but making a brave effort, he took a step forward, trying to pierce the darkness around--black darkness to one who had just come out of the blazing sunshine--and made a snatch at the arm of the man nearest to him in the crowd. he only held on for a moment, and then the arm was wrested free. he seized another, speaking gently the while. the man uttered a yell of horror, and struggled so fiercely, that mark was fain to let go. "we must get one on deck, tom," cried mark. "lay hold of one as gently as you can, and let's pull him up." tom fillot seized the first he could distinguish in the herd of poor cowering wretches, but this one, too, filled the foul air with his piercing yells, and fought so hard to free himself, that tom let go, and stepped back below the hatch. "they think we want to chuck 'em overboard, mr vandean, sir. i don't know what to say to 'em. no good to tell 'em that under the british flag they're free." "let's go and breathe for a few moments, tom," said mark, his voice sounding as if he were half-stifled. "i'd rather do that, sir, than have the best glass o' grog ever mixed," said the man. "now below there!" came from the hatch; "how are you getting on?" mark answered the question by stumbling up the ladder till he could put his face over the combings of the hatch, and breathe the air blowing over the vessel, tom fillot following suit. "you look white as ashes, vandean," said the lieutenant. "i had no business to let you go down. but the men are not dangerous?" "like so many sheep," replied mark, rather faintly; "but we could not get one to come." "come out, and i'll go myself." "no," said mark, stoutly. "i have only half done my work. come along, tom fillot." before he could be stayed, he stepped down once more into the terrible hold, where, his eyes growing now more accustomed to the darkness, he began to make out eyes everywhere--glistening, starting eyes--all apparently staring fiercely, and in a threatening way. the whole scene was horrible, every surrounding was sickening. the poor creatures had been herded together down in the foul place, with less care for their health than if they had been cattle, while in the emergency of the slave captain's escape, they had been left to die. but, horrible as the place was, mark made a brave effort to master his dread and compunction. risking attack from some one or other of the men who might very well have been infuriated by his wrongs, the young midshipman once more made an effort to seize one of the blacks and get him on deck. watching his opportunity, he stepped boldly forward to where the crowd had shrunk back together, and again caught a man by the arm. "now, tom fillot," he cried, "help me." the sailor seconded him well, but the poor wretch, in an agony of fear, made a desperate plunge, got free again; and at that moment, in alarm about his young officer's safety, mr russell sternly ordered him to come back on deck. it was with a mingling of satisfaction and disinclination that the lad obeyed; and as they stood about the open hatch, mr russell said,--"we must give them time to find out that we are friends. this is my first experience, in spite of all our chasing, vandean, and it is worse than i could have believed." "signal from the _naughtylass_, sir," said tom fillot. "yes; the captain is getting anxious. here, vandean, go back in the boat, and tell them the state of affairs." "and leave you alone with these people? there must be fifty or a hundred down below." "i shall have four defenders with me," said the lieutenant, quietly, "and you will be back soon with a reinforcement. we must get the poor wretches on deck, out of that loathsome den, or they will half of them be dead of fever in four and twenty hours." "you wish me to go?" said mark, hesitating. "i order you to go, my lad," said the lieutenant, speaking sternly, but with a friendly light in his eye. "there, off at once." mark passed over the side with half the boat's crew, and, feeling extremely uneasy about his officer's fate, had himself rowed back, and stated the case to the captain. "horrible!" he said. "well, the men must be brought on board if the schooner is a fixture. take back ten men with you, and tell mr russell to get out an anchor and see if he cannot haul off the vessel. if he cannot, the slaves must be brought on board, and the schooner burned." "but how are we to get the men out of the hold, sir? they are frightened to death of us," said mark. "to be sure, yes. try fair means, and if they do not answer, the poor wretches must be hoisted on deck with ropes. they will soon grow satisfied when they feel that we mean them no harm." "but--i beg your pardon, sir," faltered mark; "we cannot make them understand that we are friends." "may i speak, sir?" cried bob howlett. "silence, sir; don't interfere," said mr staples, sternly. "oh, you lucky beggar," whispered bob; "you get all the fun." "go back at once, mr vandean," said the captain. "you understand. get the schooner off if possible. if not, bring the slaves on board, and the vessel is to be set on fire. well, mr howlett, why are you making signs?" "i beg pardon, sir, but i could make the slaves understand." "_you_?" "yes, sir; i should take soup and--i mean the two black fellows--and make them interpret." "of course; a capital idea, my lad; but--stop. how are you going to understand the men you would take?" "oh, i think i could manage that, sir," said bob, importantly. "indeed?" "yes, sir. i am making a study of their language, and i've learned a few words and taught them." "take them with you in the boat, then, sir, by all means;" and bob darted a triumphant glance at the first lieutenant, in ignorance of the fact that this gentleman was watching him, and met his look in a terribly stony fashion, which made bob's face turn blank in the extreme. to hide his confusion, he ran off forward, and, partly by signs, partly by hauling, he drew the two blacks to the waiting boat, into which they stepped willingly enough, and five minutes later the little party were on their way back to the schooner. chapter fifteen. a difficult task. "old staples'll serve me out for this," cried bob, merrily. "hallo! what's the matter? don't stare in that solemn fashion." "i was looking at the schooner," said mark. "mr russell has so few men with him in case of a rising on the part of the blacks. he would be as good as helpless." "as bad, you mean," cried bob. "oh, it's all right. the niggers won't rise. they'd better!" this was said so importantly that the men began to laugh; and as bob turned upon them sharply, they grew preternaturally serious. "i say, look at soup and taters," whispered bob; "they're as pleased as children to have a ride. i shall make two clever sailors out of them before i've done." mark glanced at the two blacks, and saw that their faces were lit up as they rode over the glancing waters. then turning to bob,-- "that was a good idea of yours to bring them." "yes, i reckon that was a bright notion." "only you've spoiled it by being so cocky. i say, bob, what a conceited chap you are." "oh, am i? pity you aren't a little more so, too. hallo! what's the matter with soup?" mark looked at the black sharply, half expecting that he was again going to leap overboard and swim for his liberty, for the man was glaring at the schooner they were approaching fast, his nostrils distended, and there was a curious lurid light in his eyes as if he were suddenly enraged. "why, taters has got it too. look at him." the bigger of the two blacks had muttered something to his companion as they sat together forward, and they both turned to mark now as they started up in the boat and pointed to the schooner, uttering a low guttural cry. "sit down both of you; do you hear?" cried bob. "i see," cried mark, excitedly. "they know that it is a slaver, and they think we are going to take them off in it." "no, no!" growled the bigger black, fiercely. "yes; that's what they think," cried mark. "then they're a pair of black-looking old noodles," said bob. "here, hi! sit down, or you'll be overboard." "yes; sit down," said mark, rising, and speaking authoritatively as he pointed downward. "yes, sir, begging your pardon, that's what it is; they think you're going to sell 'em, sir." "i wish to goodness they could understand english," said mark, impatiently. "how am i to explain?" "oh, they know a lot," said bob. "here, i'll show you. hi, soup! taters, ahoy!" the two blacks looked at him excitedly. "it's all right." "all--righ?" said soup. "yes, all right." the man turned to mark and looked at him inquiringly. "all righ?" he said. "yes; all right," cried mark, with a look which gave the men some confidence, and they sat down. "that's right, my dark-skinned messmate," growled tom fillot, "why don't you larn to understand that you're a free nigger now?" they were close alongside of the schooner; and the blacks' nostrils began to quiver and their excitement increase as they caught the horrible, sickening effluvium which was wafted from the hold. starting up, they made as if they were about to jump overboard, in the full belief that they were once more about to be entrapped into the hold of a slaver; but dropping the rudder-lines, mark sprang to them, and laid his hands upon their shoulders. "i tell you it is all right," he said. "won't you believe me?" the men could not understand his words, but the open countenance and frank manner of the midshipman inspired confidence, and they sank down, stretched out their hands to him, took his, and held it against their foreheads in turn. "come, that's right, my lads," continued mark, smiling. "there, don't think we english folk could be so treacherous. you'll see directly what we want of you. come along." "well, i'm blest!" cried bob. "i say, play fair, van. you're taking my job out of my hands. i'm showman here. stow that." "show up, then," cried mark, merrily. "there, up with you." he sprang on board, to find that there had been no change in the state of affairs, but that mr russell had been anxiously awaiting his coming. the men followed, till only the coxswain and the two blacks remained hanging back, for once more the feeling of mistrust had come uppermost, and they were muttering together and looking wildly round. "here, i say," cried bob; "there's sharks enough about here to make any man sorry who begins to swim. come on board. d'ye hear?" "what is it?" said the lieutenant. "the two blacks are suspicious; they don't understand why we want to bring them aboard this schooner. they think we mean mischief to them." "poor fellows! no wonder," said the lieutenant. "we must be careful, or we shall scare them, and they'll try to swim ashore." "well, wouldn't that be best for them?" "no, vandean; they'd only be captured and sold again. you must coax them aboard." "are you two coming?" cried bob, looking as fierce as he could--"fierce as a maggot," tom fillot said. "because if you're not, i'm coming to fetch you." the men joined hands and stood back. "come," said mark, quietly, as he stepped to the gangway and held out his hand; "it is all right." "no all righ," cried the big black, fiercely, as he pointed to the vessel's side and listened to the peculiar dull humming sound which came from the hold. "yes--i--tell--you--it--is--all--right," said mark, quietly. "you hardly understand me, but you may believe." the big black turned to his fellow, and said something, and then without a word they came on board, with their nostrils working, and the big black's eyes flashed as he pointed to the way down into the vessel's hold, as much as to say, "there, you are deceiving me." "yes, i know," said mark, quietly; and the man looked more at ease, but still terribly suspicious. "there," cried bob; "now you see what a pair of black fools you were." "that will do, mr howlett," said the lieutenant sternly; "let mr vandean manage them. he can do it better than you." "well, i am blest!" muttered bob, turning scarlet. "that was a capital thought of yours, mr vandean. you brought these men to interpret." "well, i _am_ blest, and no mistake," muttered bob, "and him going to take all the _kudos_. it's too--" he had no time to say _bad_, for mark spoke out,-- "no, sir; it was bob howlett's idea." "oh, was it?" said mr russell. "well, never mind; they seem to trust you. go on and see what you can do." "it's so difficult, because they cannot understand, sir," replied mark; "but i think i can show them what we want. shall i try?" "yes, of course," said the lieutenant, to whom mark had already given his message. "the schooner is too fast on the bank here for us to get her off, so the blacks must be taken to the _nautilus_, and then we'll fire her at once. pity too--such a fine boat. there, try and get the poor wretches on deck, and let's see how many there are. i'm afraid that some are dead." mark shuddered and turned to the blacks, who were watching him eagerly. signing to them to pick up a couple of buckets, he led them to the fresh-water tub, made them fill them, and then, taking up a couple of pannikins, he led the way to the mouth of the noisome hold, from which low moans were now issuing. they followed him, and he pointed down, but they shrank away wildly, their eyes rolling, and the fear of treachery still in their breasts. "very well, then," said mark, quietly, while the officers and boat's crew looked on. "we are going to give those poor creatures some water;" and he stepped through the hatch to the ladder, and once more began to descend. that was enough. the two blacks carefully raised their buckets of water and followed him down, to the satisfaction of every one save bob howlett, who felt horribly aggrieved. "hadn't i better go too, mr russell?" he said. "i understand those two blacks." "perhaps you had," said the lieutenant, drily. "by all means go." "thankye, sir," cried bob; and he stepped toward the hatch, where, as mr russell turned away, he found tom fillot looking at him with his face puckering up into a broad grin. meanwhile bob had reached the hatch and bent over it prior to stepping down, but instead of raising his foot for that step, he started back, his hand to his face, and a look of the most intense horror and disgust overspreading his merry countenance. "oh!" he ejaculated; and then again, "oh!" "what is the matter, mr howlett?" said the lieutenant, quietly. "oh, just you go there, sir. 'pon my word! it's just awful." "ah, yes, i know," said the lieutenant, quietly. "the hold is bad with the poor creatures being shut up there. that is why i want to get them on deck;" and he walked to the hatch. "you beggars! i'll serve some of you out for this," said bob to himself, as he saw several of the men grinning hugely at his discomfort. he turned away and found himself face to face with tom fillot, who looked at him with a preternaturally solemn aspect. "find it a bit strong, sir?" "what?" cried bob, haughtily. "i said find it a bit strong, sir? i did at first when i went down; but, bless your 'art, sir, after the first few sniffs you don't mind it a bit, you rather likes it." "then you'd better go down, sir," said bob, sharply. "yes, sir, soon as i'm wanted, sir. i did go down before with mr vandean." "did he go down, then?" "oh yes, sir. we was there ever so long. just you go down and see, sir; it's very interesting. never was in the hold of a slave ship, sir, i s'pose? it's something to talk about, i can tell you. wonderful dark, and all you can see is the niggers' eyes. you see, them being black, they fits in with the darkness, and as they never laughs you don't see their teeth. i'd go if i was you." bob hesitated. it would never do for him to show the white feather before the man, and if he did not go mark vandean was taking all the credit. tom fillot was right, it would be something to talk about, and after another moment's hesitation, he turned to the sailor. "i say, tom fillot," he whispered, "is it very bad?" "what, down there, sir?" "yes; i mean can a fellow bear it?" "bear it, sir? oh yes, if it comes to that; you see, mr vandean and me bore it ever so long. you'd stand it, i should say. oh yes, you've got so much pluck in you, sir, you'd stand it right enough. there, sir, if i was you i'd go. you could but come up again." "yes, of course," said bob, cavalierly. "i could come up again." "of course, sir, if you could stand it, and didn't faint right away." bob turned upon him sharply, with the fact dawning upon him that tom fillot, the most impudent joker on board the _nautilus_, was laughing in his sleeve at his expense; but before he could make quite sure, a thrill ran through all on deck, and a rush was made for the hatchway. the moment before, mr russell was peering down uneasily, and his conscience was smiting him for allowing so young an officer to undertake the onerous task of descending into that loathsome den. for strange noises--low mutterings, and harsh whisperings--were going on; and directly after, to his horror, mark's voice rang out in wildly excited tones, just as there were the sounds of a struggle going on. "here, men--mr russell! help--quick!" shouted mark; and in response thereto the lieutenant shouted to the boat's crew to come on, took a step downward to lead the way, and then stepped back as the lesser of the two black sailors suddenly appeared at the hatchway with his face wild with excitement, and his white duck frock and trousers horribly stained with blood. chapter sixteen. interpreting under difficulties. "come _on_!" bravery or determination, whichever you please, say both, were displayed by mark vandean as he fought horror and disgust in his effort to do his duty and master self. stepping quickly down, he stood at the bottom of the ladder in utter darkness once more, listening to the strange whispering, thrilling noise about him, while first one and then the other black cautiously descended with the bucket of water he bore. by the time they were in the hold his sight was beginning to grow accustomed to the change from the bright glare of sunshine on deck, and once more there were faint suggestions of glistening eyes watching him out of the cave-like darkness, as if so many savage beasts were about to spring. but he had no time to think of his own feelings, for the two blacks now stood gazing at him inquiringly, and with some trace of their old suspicious aspect lingering still. "water--to drink," said mark: and he pointed away into the darkness. they understood him, and dipping the pannikins full, they took each a step into the darkness, and held out the precious fluid toward those who must have been suffering agonies for its want. but no one stirred--not an advance was made, to mark's great surprise, for he had anticipated that the black faces of his ambassadors would have been sufficient to make the prisoners feel confidence that no harm was intended. "go closer," said mark; and the two blacks looked back at him inquiringly, but obeyed as soon as he laid his hand upon their shoulders and pressed them forward. then a voice broke the silence, the big black saying a few words in his own tongue, their effect being magical. a low murmur ran through the hold, and a harsh voice croaked out what was evidently a question, for the big black answered in a hesitating way, saying a few words, and then sharply one in a questioning tone, as if he had not understood. the harsh, croaking voice was heard again, speaking angrily, and there were several interchanges of question and answer, as if between two men who did not quite understand each other's dialect. and now mark's eyes had become so accustomed to the darkness that he could dimly see that the place was full of a steamy mist, through which horrible-looking, ill-defined figures were moving, wild-eyed and strange. some were tossing their arms about, others were stretching out their hands supplicatingly toward the water pannikins, which the two blacks kept dipping full and handing to those who pressed toward them; but there was no scuffling or fighting for the water, as might have been expected under the circumstances. the wretched prisoners seemed gentle and tolerant to each other, drinking and making way for companion sufferers. as this went on, and mark was able to search the horrible gloom more and more, he shuddered; and, suffering as he was from the effects of the deadly mephitic air, the whole scene preyed upon his mind until he could hardly believe that he was gazing at reality, the whole tragedy before him resembling the dream accompanying some fever, and it was only by an effort that he could master the intense desire to struggle up the ladder and escape into the light and the free fresh air. the buckets were nearly empty, and he felt that it would be better for what was left in one to be poured into the other, so that the supplying might still go on while more was fetched, when it suddenly struck him that there was something wrong. in the darkness he could dimly make out two or three tall blacks pressing forward toward where the white-clothed sailors were dispensing the precious fluid, and it struck him that their aspect was threatening. the next moment he set the idea down as being imaginative, and the result of the unreal-looking, dreamy scene before him. for it was impossible, he argued, for the slaves to be about to resent the treatment they were receiving. "it's my head all in a whirl," he said to himself; "and it's just like i used to feel when i was ill and half dead in the boat." but the next minute he felt that the first idea was correct; something was wrong, and it struck him that the prisoners were going to make an attack. but he could not be sure; the darkness was too thick, and the excitement and horror of the whole scene made his imagination play strange pranks. at one moment he could see right back into the fore part of the hold where it was crowded with writhing, struggling beings; the next the mist closed over it apparently, and he could only make out gleaming eyes and shadows sweeping toward him and fading away, to appear at the side or hovering over his head. "yes; it's all from a disordered imagination," he said to himself; and he had hardly come to this conclusion, when he knew that he was gazing at the real, for dimly-seen, there before him was a crowd of figures surrounding the two black sailors. a harsh sound arose--a mingling of muttered cries and savage growlings as of wild beasts; there was the noise of the buckets being knocked over, of a fierce struggle and heavy blows, and a hot, sickening wave of mephitic air was driven outward. thoroughly alarmed now, mark shouted for help, and was then thrust aside as one of the blacks whom he had brought down made for the hatchway, and in the brief glance he obtained in the light which shone down from above, he saw that the man was covered with blood. for a moment or two, weak still from his late illness, mark felt completely prostrate and unable to act; but he recovered himself as quickly, and started forward to grasp the black's arm. "hurt?" he cried. the man dropped back from the ladder to gaze at him, and then uttered a few words excitedly as he pointed back into the forward part of the dark hold. "here, stand aside!" cried the lieutenant, as he stepped down into the noisome hold, followed by tom fillot and a couple of the crew, each man with sword or cutlass in hand. "now, mr vandean, quick; an attack?" "yes, sir; the slaves attacked our two men. one of them's badly wounded." at that moment a dead silence fell, and the big black's white shirt and trousers were visible, and he, too, now stepped forward into the light, while before he could speak a low groan came out from the darkness. "i thought he was killed," cried mark, and the man began to speak volubly and gesticulate, pointing back. "bah!" exclaimed mr russell. "we ought not to be here without an interpreter. he is not hurt; it is the other black. stand fast, my lads, in case the poor wretches attack. now, then, where are you hurt?" this was to the second black sailor, whose white duck shirt was horrible with stains of blood, as he began to talk fast now and point forward. "wounds must be slight," cried the lieutenant. "can you make out a word of what he says, vandean?" "no, sir; but let me try." mark pointed forward, and without a moment's hesitation the two black sailors plunged into the darkness and returned, half dragging, half carrying a ghastly-looking object into the square of light shed from above. "oh, here's the wounded man, then," cried the lieutenant. "let's get him up into the daylight." mark pointed down at the slave, who was bleeding freely, and the big sailor now spoke out a few words fiercely, with the result that half a dozen nude slaves came shrinkingly forward, and in obedience to a gesture, lifted the wounded man and carried him up to the deck. the officers and men followed, and the two black sailors came last, to pay no heed to the wounded man, but proceed at once to refill the buckets, and carry them down into the hold past the guard set over the hatchway. then after bidding bob howlett to hoist a signal for the surgeon to come aboard, mr russell roughly bandaged the terrible wound the slave had upon his head, the others who had carried up the sufferer looking stupidly on, blinking and troubled by the sunlight, to which they had evidently been strangers for some time. "now," said mr russell, as he rose, "we are in the dark as much as ever. can't you explain what was wrong, mr vandean?" "no, sir; i saw a struggle, and one man seemed wounded." "and it was someone else. tut--tut--tut! and we can't understand a word. what a useful thing speech is, after all." just then the two blacks came up for more water, and mark tried to communicate with them, but only with the result that they looked puzzled till the midshipman pointed to the wounded man. "how did it happen?" he said; and the big black looked at him heavily. then he seemed to grasp the meaning of the question, and laughed excitedly. pointing to the wounded man lying on the deck, he ran to the group of slaves standing staring at him, with their foreheads wrinkled up and their eyes full of despair; he seized one, whose countenance assumed a stern look of anger as the black sailor pointed to him, and made the sign of striking a blow, pointing again at the wounded man. "he evidently means that the man was wounded by his fellow-slave," said mr russell. the black sailor watched the officer, and then thrust his hand behind the slave to take a short, flat piece of wood from the poor wretch's waistband--a piece of heavy wood, shaped something like a willow leaf. "the weapon evidently," said mr russell; "but i don't see why he should wound his fellow-sufferer." but the black sailor had not done with his explanation. he looked to see that the officers were watching him, and then placed the weapon in its owner's hand, which he raised, and said a few words to his fellow black with the blood-stained garb. this man waited a moment to assist in the pantomimic explanation, and then, as his companion brought down the weapon towards his own head, he rushed up between them and received the blow, staggered away as if very much hurt, and, still acting, reeled and fell down beside the wounded man, pointing to him as he half rose, and then at the stains upon his own shirt. "well, what do you make of it?" said mr russell. "i know, sir," cried bob howlett; "he wants you to understand that if we take them and make sailors of them, they'll kill all the slavers." "thank you, mr howlett. now, then, mr vandean, what do you say?" "i see now," cried mark, eagerly. "what happened below helps me. that big fellow thought our man taters was an enemy, and he tried to cut him down, but this poor fellow knew better, rushed between and received the blow." "i'm inclined to think you are right," said mr russell. "ah, here comes the doctor. now, then, about getting these poor wretches up. perhaps they'll come now." he was right, for the task was easy. the blacks on deck, apathetic as they were, gradually comprehended that they had fallen into hands where they would be well treated, and after a few gestures and orders given by mark, the two black sailors turned to the slaves and spoke. the result was that the big, fierce-looking black who was answerable for the injury done to his fellow-prisoner went down on his knees before soup, and touched the deck with his forehead before rising with some show of animation, and then going to the hatch, descended in a half-crippled way, and they heard his voice directly after. by this time the doctor was on board, sniffing about with an air of the most intense disgust. "faugh!" he ejaculated; "how horrible! and no disinfectants. hallo! wounded man, eh? humph!" he forgot everything else in the interest he took in his fresh case, while now, slowly and shrinkingly, the slaves began to come up from below, foul, weak from injuries, and suffering from the dreadful air that they had been forced to breathe. they were a terrible crowd to gaze upon. men, women, and children, all herded together like cattle, and flinching away whenever a sailor went near, as if expecting a blow. there were nearly a hundred when all were on deck, and the first thing done was to distribute food and water. the next, to arrange about their being rowed on board the _nautilus_, while the schooner was burned. "and the best thing too," said the doctor. "faugh! the vessel's loathsome. nothing like fire for purifying." "but we have to try first if we can get her off," said the lieutenant. "then all i can say is i hope you will not," said the doctor. "but if we get her off," said mark, smiling, "it means that the slaves will stay on board here." "eh? does it? oh, well then, i hope you will," cried the doctor. "now, russell, have me rowed back. that fellow's badly wounded, but he'll soon get well." chapter seventeen. mark's rest is disturbed. the boat started back with the doctor, while the other took out an anchor right astern, the capstan was rigged, a good strain got upon the cable, and after a great deal of tugging with the handspikes the men gave a hearty cheer and began to strain harder, for the tide had risen a little, and the schooner gradually glided off into deeper water. an answering cheer came back from the _nautilus_, and a signal was hoisted, which mr russell read to mean, "well done!" five minutes after they were lying at anchor, and tom fillot took the opportunity of passing to whisper to mark,-- "we did tug at them bars, sir. it means no end o' prize-money--the saving of a smart craft like this; but, beg pardon, sir, ain't we going to have a bit of a wash and swab?" "more signals, sir," cried bob, who was watching the _nautilus_ and the flags being run up. "yes, i see," said the lieutenant. "take the boat, mr howlett, and ask for stores to be sent on board here. we are to remain." bob looked disappointed, and then pleased. "you're in for it, van," he whispered, as they walked to the gangway. "i say, shall i send you a bottle of eau-de-cologne with the stores?" mark made a gesture as if to kick him, but bob dropped down into the boat, was rowed off, and in due time the supplies arrived. "not quite the sort of duty we expected, vandean," said the lieutenant, "but we must take the rough with the smooth, i suppose." "shall we have to stop on board here?" "not a doubt about it, my lad; but she's a valuable prize, and by to-morrow we'll have her different from this, or know the reason why." he set to work giving orders after the men had been refreshed; and, now that the two black sailors grasped the object of the taking of the schooner, and comprehended that the slaves were to be set free, they began to work with tremendous energy. though speaking a dialect somewhat different from that of the poor creatures on board, they made them understand that their lot had been bettered, and, as soon as this was understood, a complete change came over the scene. the women laughed and cried, and the men evinced a desire to help, so that before night the hold had been cleansed and ventilated, and the deck opened to let in light, till, though still far from being pure, the place began to be bearable. the task had not been completed, though, without attendant horrors, for upon the first steps being taken to examine the hold, no less than six poor creatures, victims to the hideous traffic, were found lying where they had fallen--dead. it was horrible in the extreme, mark felt, but nothing else could be done, and the sufferers were committed to the deep by their more fortunate companions, with a few wails of grief and beatings of the breast. then all was over, and the cleansing went on, till mr russell gave orders for the men to cease. "and pretty well time," grumbled tom fillot. "there's been some hundred millions o' buckets o' water slooshed about this here schooner." "more or less, tom," said mark, laughing. "well, sir, i dessay you're right," said the man, "for i didn't count; but i've been hauling up buckets and swabbing till i don't seem to have no arms. howsoever, we are a little bit more decent, and i don't think we shall have anything on our consciences to-night." "what do you mean?" "i don't think any niggers'll die 'cause of our not taking care on 'em, sir, that's all." just before dark, bob howlett was back on board with a despatch for the lieutenant, and soon after he had gone mr russell told mark the contents. "we're to make sail as soon as there's a breath of wind," he said, "and steer for port goldby, so as to get the blacks ashore and in charge of the authorities as quickly as possible. but there will be no wind to-night, my lad, and i shouldn't be surprised if it was calm all day to-morrow. still, there, one never knows what the weather is likely to be." "it's calm enough now," said mark, as he looked shoreward over the glassy sea to where a thin haze veiled the shore. "how hot it is!" "yes; africa deserves its character," said the lieutenant, smiling. then, as he looked toward the groups of blacks--slaves no longer--lying about the deck in comparative bliss, after what they had gone through--"i must send those poor creatures below," he said. "i don't think there is the most remote idea among them of an attempt to turn against us, but the land is near, and they might think they would like to strike off for liberty, and it would be a cruelty to let them go back to slavery, as they would if they got ashore." "it does seem hard to send them down into that stifling hold," said mark; "but i suppose it must be done." "yes, and at once," said mr russell, firmly. "call that big black." mark went forward and summoned soup, who came smiling, to look from one to the other inquiringly. with some difficulty he was made to understand what was wanted; and as soon as he did he called his companion, and in a very few minutes they had cleared the deck, the women and children going below docilely enough, and the men making not the slightest opposition, though giving a longing look round at the soft evening sky. "no trouble there," said mr russell. "now, vandean, i propose that we divide the night. i'll take the watch, and will call you for the next, unless the wind springs up, and then of course it will be all hands on deck. who will you have in your watch--dance, or fillot?" "fillot," said mark, promptly. "most amusing companion, but dance is the better seaman." "shall i have dance, then, sir?" "i would rather you did, my lad, as the responsibility is great, and i should lie down to rest with more confidence. not that i doubt you," he hastened to add. "there, i'll join you at a bit of supper at once. things seem pretty comfortable in the cabin, and, as it is our prize, we may make free with what we like. come along." mark gave a sharp look round as they walked toward the cabin-hatch, to see through the hot glow the _nautilus_ at anchor, looking trim, and with every yard squared. she seemed to stand up out of the water in the transparent atmosphere, with every rope clearly seen, but there was a peculiar look seaward, as if the transparent darkness were sweeping over the ocean to shut her in. he looked shoreward to faintly discern the tops of some palms, but all below these was shut in by haze which rose from the mouth of the river. "doesn't look a healthy place, and this can't be a healthy ship, vandean, but we must make the best of it, and be off to sea at the first chance." they both stood at the head of the cabin stairs, and took another look round, to see if anything had been left undone; and just then dance the coxswain came up and touched his hat. "shall i hoist an anchor-light, sir, as soon as it's dark?" said the man, respectfully. "no," replied the lieutenant, decisively. "no one is likely to run us down, here. now, vandean." he led the way into the cabin, saying, "we don't want to show people ashore where we are. hah! that's right. this is tom fillot's doing. he's a handy fellow." he pointed to the preparations for a meal of no mean proportions, for the skipper of the schooner and his crew had been liberally provided for by their owners; and now, feeling hungry for the first time that day, mark ate a hearty supper. after a little chat they went on deck again, to find that the sky was now literally black, and the only thing visible as they lay there in the utter silence was a star-like light lying apparently close by--a light which mark knew at once must be that of the _nautilus_. "why, she has come in closer while we've been below," he said. "on the contrary, she has run out with the tide, and is a good two miles away. let's have a look round." the first movement was to the sentry on guard over the hatch, from which came the sounds of heavy breathing, and the man reported in a whisper that the blacks had not made another sound. the rest of the watch were next visited, and there was nothing to report. "there," said the lieutenant, "all's well. go and sleep, my lad. i'll keep a faithful watch over you; when your turn comes do the same for me. good-night." "good-night, sir," said mark, eagerly taking the hand extended to him, and gripping it firmly. then going below, feeling weary, but unwilling to leave the deck, he crept into the skipper's comfortable bunk to rest himself, feeling certain that he would not sleep. for it was very hot down there, in spite of the open cabin window; the mosquitoes were uttering their tiresome fine-drawn hum, and he was excited by the events of the day. "it's like going to sleep on the edge of a volcano," he thought. "suppose the blacks do rise, and, led by our two fellows, attack us. we should be taken by surprise, and it would be all over in a minute. i can't go to sleep. i'll lie still a bit, and then go on deck." mark lay still a bit, but did not go on deck, for he dropped off into a deep sleep, which seemed only to have lasted five minutes when mr russell came and roughly told him to turn out, flashing the lanthorn in his eyes as he awoke, puzzled and confused at the rough way in which his fellow-officer spoke. then with a start he grasped the reality. it was not the lieutenant holding the light, but someone else, who growled,--"make so much as a sound and it will be your last--all but the splash going overboard. d'yer see this? guess you do. mind it don't go off." there was no need for guessing; the object named was plain enough in the light of the lanthorn, being a pistol barrel, whose muzzle was about two feet from the lad's head. chapter eighteen. a confused awakening. "now then, out you come." mark vandean did come out of the bunk in remarkably quick time, but he was still confused, and his brain refused to solve the puzzle before him, so he, to use a familiar expression, pulled himself together. the young officer resented being spoken to in this rough manner and threatened by a stranger with an american accent, and in as haughty a tone as he could assume he cried,-- "who are you? what are you doing here?" "come, i like that. hear him. oh, all right," cried the man, as there was a hoarse chorus of laughter. "who'm i, eh, my bantam cock? waal, i'm cap'n ephrum bynes, o' charleston, south car'lina. that's who i am. and what am i doing here? i'm kicking a set o' sarcy britishers out o' my ship. now you know that." "where's lieutenant russell?" "down in the boat, my sarcy tom chicken; and that's all you've got to know. say another word, and i'll have you pitched into the sea among the sharks instead of into the boat. so mind that. bring him on deck." rough hands seized mark on the instant, and as a man carrying the lanthorn stepped back, mark saw the legs of the yankee skipper ascending the companion ladder, and a minute later he was rudely dragged on deck, his heart beating wildly as he tried to pierce the darkness around in search of his companions. but all was pitchy black, and though his eyes wandered in search of the bright star-like lamp of the _nautilus_, it was not to be seen. the next moment he knew why; a pleasant breeze was blowing off shore, hot but powerful enough to be acted upon, and in those brief moments he knew that the vessel must have sailed. he had little time for thought. he was suddenly lifted from the deck, and he began to struggle wildly, striking out with his fists, but all in vain. "over with him!" cried the yankee skipper, and a cry escaped from mark's lips as he felt himself swung out over the side of the schooner, to fall, he expected, splash into the sea. he had time to think all this, for thought flies fast in emergencies, but his fall was partly upon someone below, partly upon the thwart of a boat, and a deep groan came from close to his ear as he looked up and saw the lanthorn resting on the schooner's bulwark, and several faces staring down. "my compliments to your skipper," said a mocking voice, "if you ever ketch him, and tell him he's welkim to my boat. i'll take a glass o' liquor with him if ever he comes our way.--now then, shove off, you there forward. if you stop another minute, i'll send a pig o' ballast through your bottom." this was said with a savage snarl, and as mark struggled up into a sitting position, he felt the boat begin to move. "here, ahoy, below there! you'd best lay your head to the north," came the voice again, as the light was suddenly hidden or put out. "your skipper made signals when the wind rose, and we answered 'em for you. get your oars out sharp, or you won't overtake them this year." then all was silence and darkness save where the movement of an oar sculling over the stern made the water flash and gleam with phosphorescence, and raised up ripples of pale lambent, golden light. "who's that?" said mark, in a whisper. "on'y me, sir," replied a familiar voice, in company with a smothered groan. "tom fillot?" "ay, ay, sir," came back dismally. "i've got us out o' reach o' that pig o' ballast." "but, tom," cried mark, excitedly, "what does it mean? where's mr russell?" "somewheres underneath you, sir. i think you're a-sitting on him." "there's someone lying here," cried mark. "yes, sir, several someuns," said tom fillot. "oh, my poor head!" "but you don't tell me what it all means," cried mark, angrily. "didn't know as it wanted no telling on, sir. thought you knowed." "but i know nothing. i was roused up, dragged out of the cabin, and thrown down into the boat." "yes, sir; so was we, and not very gently, nayther." "then the--" began mark, but he did not finish. "that's it, sir. you've hit it. the yankee captain come back from up the river somewhere in his boat as quiet as you please, and the first i knowed on it was that it was dark as pitch as i leaned my back against the bulwarks, and stood whistling softly, when--_bang_, i got it on the head, and as i went down three or four of 'em climbed aboard. `what's that? you there, fillot?' i heered in a dull sort o' way, and then the poor lufftenant went down with a groan, and same moment i hears a scrufflin' forrard and aft, cracks o' the head, and falls. minute arter there was a row going on in the fo'c's'le. i heered that plain, sir, and wanted to go and help my mates, but when i was half up, seemed as if my head begun to spin like a top, and down i went again, and lay listening to the row below. there was some fighting, and i heered joe dance letting go awful. my, he did swear for a minute, and then he was quiet, and there was a bit o' rustling, and i hears a voice say, `guess that's all. show the light.' then there seemed to me to be a light walking about the deck with a lot o' legs, and i knowed that they were coming round picking up the pieces. sure enough they was, sir, and they pitched all the bits of us overboard into a boat alongside; and i knowed we hadn't half kept our watch, and the yankee skipper had come back and took his schooner." "oh, tom fillot!" groaned mark. "and was that all?" "no, sir; for i heered the skipper say, `anyone been in the cabin?' and when no one spoke he began to cuss 'em for a set o' idgits, and they all went below with the lanthorn, and come up again along o' you. my word, mr vandean, sir, how you must have slep'!" "oh, tom fillot!" cried mark again. "yes, and it is `oh, tom fillot,' sir," groaned the poor fellow. "my skull's cracked in three or four places sure as a gun." "and the others. oh! the others. are they killed?" "i dunno, sir. i ain't--not quite. sims to me that they'd got bats, and they hit us with 'em like they do the pigs in the north country, or the cod-fish aboard the fishing smacks. my poor head feels as if it's opening and shutting like a fish's gills every time i moves my mouth." "are all the men here, tom?" "yes, sir; i think so. if they're not, it's 'cause they're dead." "this is mr russell; i can feel his uniform," whispered mark; "and he's dead--no, i can feel his heart beating. come here, tom, and help me." "i'll come, sir; but i can't help you, and it don't seem no use for me to be waggling this 'ere oar about. just as well let the tide send us along." there was the sound of the oar being laid along the thwart, and then of someone stumbling. "that was most nigh overboard, sir. wish it warn't so dark. why, it's black. what's that?" there was a creaking sound from a little distance, and the man whispered,-- "they're making sail, sir, and they'll creep out afore morning, and get right away." "with those poor creatures on board." "just as we'd made 'em clean and comf'able, sir. oh, my poor head!" "let's see to mr russell first, and then i'll bind up your head as well as i can." "how's one to see to mr russell, sir? why, plagues o' egypt's nothing to darkness like this." mark bent over his brother officer, and passed his hand over his face and head. "he's not bleeding," he whispered, impressed as he was by the darkness and their terrible position. "more am i, sir, but i'm precious bad all the same. don't s'pose any one's bleeding, but they got it hard same as i did. wood out here ain't like wood at home. oak's hard enough, but iron-wood's like what they call it." "who is this?" said mark, as, after gently letting mr russell's head sink back, his hands encountered another face. "i dunno, sir. it was every man for hisself, and i was thinking about tom fillot, ab, and no one else. what's he feel like?" "like one of our men." "but is it a hugly one with very stiff whiskers? if so be it is, you may take your davy it's joe dance." "how am i to know whether he's ugly?" cried mark, petulantly. "by the feel, sir. try his nose. joe dance's nose hangs a bit over to starboard, and there's a dent in it just about the end where he chipped it agin a shot case." "oh, i can't tell all that," cried mark--"yes, his nose has a little dent in it, and his whiskers are stiff." "then that's joe dance, sir." "avast there! let my head alone, will yer?" came in a low, deep growl. "that's joe, sir, safe enough. harkee there! hear 'em?" sundry creaking sounds came out of the darkness some distance away now, and tom fillot continued in a whisper,-- "they're hysting all the sail they can, sir. look! you can see the water briming as she sails. they're going same way as we. tide's taking us." "oh, tom fillot, i oughtn't to have gone to sleep. i ought to have stopped on deck." "no yer oughtn't, sir. your orders was to take your watch below, and that was enough for you. dooty is dooty, sir, be it never so dootiful, as the proverb says." "but if i had been on deck i might have heard them coming, tom." "and got a rap o' the head like the pore fellows did, sir." "well, perhaps so, tom. i wonder why they didn't strike me as they did you." "'cause you're a boy, sir, though you are a young gentleman, and a orficer. fine thing to be a boy, sir. i was one once upon a time. wish i was a boy at home now, instead o' having a head like this here." "i'm thinking of what the captain will say," muttered mark, despondently, as he ignored the man's remark. "say, sir? why, what such a british officer as cap'n maitland's sure to say, sir, as he won't rest till he's blown that there schooner right out of the water." "and those poor blacks," sighed mark. "ah, it's hard lines for them poor chaps, and the women and bairns too, even if they are niggers. oh, if i'd only got that there skipper by the scruff of his neck and the waistband of his breeches! sharks might have him for all i should care. in he'd go. hookey walker, how my head do ache all round!" "i'm very sorry, tom fillot." "which i knows you are, sir; and it ain't the first trouble as we two's been in together, so cheer up, sir. daylight'll come some time, and then we'll heave to and repair damages." just then there was a low groan from forward. "that's one of our blacky-toppers, sir. 'tarn't a english groan. you feel; you'll know him by his woolly head, and nose. if he's got a nose hooked one way, it's soup. if it's hooked t'other way--cocks up--it's taters." "the hair is curly," said mark, who was investigating. "p'raps it's dick bannock, sir. there, i said it warn't an english groan." by this time some of the men were recovering from the stunning effect of the blows they had all received, and there were sounds of rustling and scuffles. "steady there, mate," growled one man. "what yer doing on?" "well, get off o' me, then," said another. "here, hi! what are you doing in my bunk? hullo! ahoy there! where are we now?" "steady there, and don't shout, my lads." "all right, sir," growled a voice. "i was a bit confoosed like! oh, my head!" "ay, mate," said tom fillot, "and it's oh, my, all our heads. beg pardon, sir, for the liberty, but if you'd do it for me, i should know the worst, and i could get on then. i'm all nohow just now, and it worries me." "do what, tom?" said mark. "just pass your finger round my head, and tell me for sartin whether it's broke or no. it feels all opening and shutting like. go it, sir; don't you be feared. i won't holler." mark leaned forward and felt the man's head. "it's not fractured, tom," he said. "if it had been it would have made you feel very different from this. you would have been insensible." "well, that what's i am, sir, and always have been. i never was a sensible chap. but are you sure as it ain't broke, sir?" "certain, tom." "then who cares? i don't mind a bit o' aching, and i'm ready for any game you like. what do you say, sir, to trying to captivate the schooner again?" "you and i, tom?" "well, it ain't a very strong force, sir, be it?" "we must wait for daylight, tom, and i hope by then some of the lads will be able to pull an oar." "ay, ay, sir, o' course." "i'm ready now," said dick bannock, with his voice sounding husky out of the darkness; and there was silence, broken only by a groan or two for a few minutes, during which mark, feeling the terrible responsibility of his position, tried to make some plan as to his future proceedings, but only to be compelled to come back to the conclusion that there was nothing to be done but wait for morning. at one moment insane ideas as to the recapture of the schooner came to trouble him, and this brought to mind what ought to have been his first duty as the officer upon whom the command had suddenly fallen. "tom fillot," he cried, excitedly, "go round the boat as carefully as you can, and count the men, ourselves included. we ought to be eleven, ought we not?" "let's see, sir. two orficers is two; six ab's and coxswain seven, and seven and two's nine; and the two nig--blacks, sir; nine and two's 'leven. that's right, sir 'leven." "go round then, and count." "i think they could all answer to their names, sir, now, if i might be so bold." "call them over, then." "ay, ay, sir. here goes, then, lads. first orficer, mr russell, sir, and you, sir's, two as we needn't count. joe dance, answer to your name." "ay, ay," came in a growl. "dick bannock." "here." "bill billings." "what's left on me, mate." "sam grote." "here, but ain't got no head." "bob stepney." "here; and wish i warn't," came surlily out of the darkness. "don't you be sarcy 'fore your orficers, bob, or there may be a row," said tom fillot, sharply. "i can't see no orficers, messmate," said the same voice. "that'll do, bob stepney. that's cheek. tim dunning." "that's me." "all here, sir, and able to use their tongues. fisties, too, i dessay." "the two blacks!" said mark, quickly, and with a feeling of thankfulness to find matters so far well. "ay, ay, sir. thought i'd give the white uns a chance first," said tom fillot. "now, you two, try and understand plain english. answer to your names. soup." there was no reply. "taters." still no reply. "not here?" said mark, anxiously. "don't sabbee, p'raps, sir. i'll try again." "taters." no answer. "soup." no reply. "soup and taters." "aren't aboard," growled several voices in chorus. "i'm 'fraid the soup and taters is done, sir," said tom fillot in a low voice. "oh, man, man, how can you try to joke at a time like this!" cried mark, angrily. "'tarn't no joke, sir," cried tom fillot. "i'm sorry as you are, for they were getting to be two good messmates. they'd on'y got minds like a couple o' boys, but the way in which they took to their chew o' 'baccy was wonderful to behold." "the men must have overlooked them," cried mark. "they were below asleep." "nay, sir, they didn't care to go below. they was both asleep curled up forrard under the bulwarks. they'd had so much being below, that they shied at going down a hatchway." "then what do you think about them, tom?" cried mark, excitedly. there was no reply. "why don't you answer, man?" "didn't like to tell you, sir," said tom fillot, quietly. "tell me what you are thinking at once." "well, sir, i thinks same as my mates do here. them piratical sharks o' slavers didn't dare to be too hard on us because they knowed if they was ketched arterwards it meant a bit o' hemp round the neck, and a dance on nothing at all in the air; but when it comes to blacks, they're no more account to them than blackberries as grows on brambles. strikes me they give them poor chaps a crack o' the head apiece, and knocked 'em down, same as they did we, but they wouldn't take the trouble to carry them and pitch them into a boat. they just chucked them overboard at once." "oh, impossible!" cried mark, excitedly. "they could not be such brutes." "what! not them, sir?" cried tom fillot, indignantly. "harkye here, messmates; i says as chaps as'd half kill such a orficer as mr russell, who's as fine a gen'leman as ever stepped, 'd murder a king as soon as look at him." "ay, ay," came in a low growl. "and if any o' you thinks different to my sentiments, let him speak out like a man." "that's what we all think, messmet," came in another growl. "and there you are, sir, and them's fax. they chucked them two pore chaps overboard, and, speaking up for my messmates and self, i says we don't hold with killing nobody 'cept in the name of dooty; but here's a set o' miserable beggars as goes about buying and selling the pore niggers, and treating 'em worse than they would a box o' worms to go fishing with. why, it's murder, sir, wholesale, retail, and for exportation, as the man said over his shop door in our town o' bristol, and if we can only get at 'em--well, i won't say what we'll do, but if there ain't some fatal accidents that day, my name ain't tom." "that's so, messmet--that's so," came in another deep growl. "it's horrible, horrible," groaned mark; and he bent over mr russell's face, and tried to make out whether there was any sign of returning consciousness. "at a time like this, messmets," whispered tom fillot to those nearest to him, "i'd be quiet. mr vandean's in a deal of trouble about the lufftenant." "hi! all on you," came sharply from the forward part of the boat, which rocked a little from some one changing his position; and as it rocked tiny waves of light like liquid moonbeams flowed away to starboard and port, while dull sparks of light appeared in the water down below. "what's the matter there?" said mark, rousing himself up to speak. "be silent, and keep the boat still." "ay, ay," growled tom fillot, but the boat still swayed. "do you hear there?" cried mark, sharply. "who's that?" "hi! all on you!" came again. "did you hear my order, dance?" cried mark. "sit down, man. do you want to capsize the boat?" "i want my hitcher," said the man, sharply. "who's been a-meddling with my boathook? it ain't in its place." "sit down, man. this is not the first cutter, but one of the schooner's boats. your boathook is not here." "do you hear, all on you? i want my hitcher. some on you's been and hidden it for a lark. give it here." "are you deaf, dance?" cried mark, angrily. "how dare you, sir! sit down." "i know," continued the man, who was tumbling about forward. "some on you's took it for a game, and lufftenant staples ain't the man to stand no larks. `where's that there boathook, joe dance?' he says. `produce it 'twonce, sir, or--' `ay, ay, sir. starn all it is. where are you coming? pull. starboard there--on portsmouth hard in portsmouth town. three cheers, my merry lads--now then, pull--pull hard--ay, ay, sir--now all together, my lads!'" as the coxswain was speaking from out of the darkness, to the wonderment of all, tom fillot whispered quickly to his young officer,-- "it's the crack he got, sir. he'll be overboard if we don't mind. poor chap, he has gone right off his nut." creeping forward past the men, tom made for where joe dance was speaking loudly, evidently under the belief that he was talking to a number of people around. then, stamping about in the boat, his words came forth more rapidly, but in quite a confused gabble, of which hardly a single word was comprehensible. invisible though he was, it was evident that he was growing more and more excited, for his words flowed strangely, swiftly, and then became a mere babble, as, with a shout, he rushed aft at the touch of tom fillot. "stop him, some on you; he's mad!" roared tom fillot; and as instinctively mark started up, it was to be seized by the poor wretch in his delirium, and held back, in spite of his struggles, more and more over the side of the boat toward the sea. chapter nineteen. a disabled crew. "i thought it was all over with you, sir," said tom fillot, who, regardless of those over whom he had passed, had plunged aft and thrown himself upon the coxswain, bearing him and the young midshipman down into the stern-sheets of the boat, and holding the former till he was dragged away, laid in the bottom, and held down forward, in spite of his struggles and cries. "i thought so, too, tom. ugh! how horrible! as if our position was not bad enough before; it is too hard to have a madman on board." "'tis, sir; but i wonder we ain't all mad. my head's bad enough for me to be. are you much hurt, sir?" "more frightened than hurt. i thought we should have been over into the black water." "and it you had been, he'd ha' drowned you, as sure as sure, sir, for we couldn't ha' found you in the darkness." "and the worst of it is, i don't know what to do," said mark. "if dr whitney were only here." "no use to wish, sir. if it was, i'd wish the _naughtylass_ was here to try and catch the schooner and her crew. there is one thing to wish for, though, and that's for to-morrow morning to come instead of to-night, sir." "yes, and i'm afraid it's a long way off yet," said mark, with a sigh, as he looked round at the veil of black darkness which shut them in, and then sat listening to the struggles and cries of the unfortunate coxswain, till by degrees they grew weaker and weaker, and the men who had been holding him relaxed their efforts, for their prisoner sank into a heavy stupor. startling and painful as this episode in their night's adventures had been, it had had one advantage, that of making the time pass more swiftly; and in consequence it was with a feeling of wonder that the young officer turned sharply round as tom fillot said drily,-- "good morning, sir." "what! what do you mean?" "first signs of it, sir. listen! you can hear the birds beginning to pipe." "yes; that's a bird's whistle," said mark. "then we can't be so very far from the shore." "that's right, sir, and what i hope is that we're not very far from the _naughtylass_, and that they'll be at work with the spy-glasses to see where we are." "and i've got to face the captain," thought mark, "and give him an account of our night's work. how shall i do it? it's horrible to go back like this." as the time glided on, the sounds grew more frequent from the shore, and by degrees there was a lightening around them, and they made out that they were slowly gliding along over the calm sea beneath a thick canopy of mist, some eight or ten feet above their head; and this was gradually growing opalescent, and shot with bright tints, till all beneath was fairly light, and the midshipman looked round for the _nautilus_ and the schooner. but there were no signs of either, perhaps because the mist prevented them from seeing fifty yards in any direction. there was plenty to see, however, inboard, and at the first glance round, before his gaze was concentrated upon his officer, mark vandean's heart sank within him at the sight of the wretched, dilapidated men, whom he had seen on the previous evening looking so smart and active. to a man they were battered, bruised, and bore traces of the terrible struggle through which they had passed. the coxswain lay asleep, and, upon examining him, he seemed cool, and with the hope that he might wake up calm and collected, mark gave one look at tom fillot--who was the most disfigured of all, the blows he had received having caused his face to swell up till he was hardly recognisable--and then devoted his attention to mr russell, who lay senseless. it seemed terrible to have him once more lying helpless in the bottom of the boat, and as the lad gazed at his companion, he began to think it would be wise to study surgery, ready for acting in an emergency like this. mark did what he could with tom fillot's help, doubling up a jacket for a pillow, and laying the lieutenant at his ease, before taking advantage of the mist beginning to disappear beneath the powerful rays of the morning sun to try and make out their position. this was soon done. they were about a couple of miles from the shore, and the tide was carrying them southward right away from the river at whose mouth the schooner had been ashore, for the water was perfectly clear here, while there it had been muddy and discoloured. getting a clear view northward as the sun rose higher, both mark and tom fillot carefully scanned the horizon in search of the _nautilus_, but she was not in view. there was a possibility of her being round a headland which stretched out some ten miles away, but that was all. the next search was for the schooner; and, as she was nowhere in sight seaward, they had to content themselves with the possibility of her having taken refuge in some river or creek, such as were plentiful enough on the low-lying shore. mark thought of his previous experience in an open boat, as he looked at their position, lying there with a crew suffering from the effects of their encounter--two men seriously injured, and neither provisions nor water. as to weapons, some of the men had preserved theirs, but others were unarmed. tom fillot watched his officer as he looked round, and then ventured an observation. "looks lively, sir, don't it?" "it's horrible, tom; but we must act, and at once." "right, sir, and we're ready. four on us can take an oar well enough, if you'll give the word." "we must row in shore and coast along till we come to a stream." "not row out after the ship, sir?" "without food or water? have you forgotten our last trip?" cried mark. "no, sir, and never shall forget it," said the man, with a shiver. "you're right, sir, of course. water we must have, victuals if we can get any. nothing like having an officer with you, clever as you may think yourself." five minutes later the men were rowing steadily toward the land, while mark rejoiced at the only piece of good fortune he had encountered since the previous night when he lay down, and that was in the fact that to get rid of the party who had captured the schooner, the slaver captain had not scrupled to send them adrift in his own boat, one which proved to be light, swift, strong, and admirably adapted for facing the heavy swell that deluged the shore. mark's time was pretty well divided between steering, watching his patients, and keeping a look-out for an inlet into which the boat could be run. so as not to weary the men, he made them row with the tide until they had gone south some miles, and he was hesitating as to whether he ought not to turn back, when there were signs ahead of the mouth of a river whose banks were heavily timbered. these signs proved to be correct, and in half an hour the boat was steered into a narrow canal-like channel among the mangrove growth, made fast to a stem, and the men, feverish--hot and suffering, drank eagerly of the swiftly rushing water, forgetting its muddiness in the delicious coolness it imparted to their burning throats; while fillot and his young officer busied themselves, as they lay in the shade of the overhanging trees, in bathing the heads of the two sufferers, in each case winning for reward sighs of satisfaction and content. "hah!" ejaculated tom fillot, when, after holding down his face close to the water, and drinking for some time like a horse, he sat up with a tin baler in his hands, sipping from the full vessel, enjoying himself, and making comments for his comrades to hear. he had tried to smile, but the effort consequent upon the state of his swollen face was too painful, and he gave that up. "yer health, messmets," he said, raising the baler, "and wishing us all out of our difficulties." he took another sip of the muddy fluid, and nodded as he passed the tin to the next man. "drink hearty, messmet," he said, "and pass it on. this is something like water. reg'lar strong slab stuff as has got plenty o' victuals in it as well as drink. reg'lar meaty water, like soup." "why, it's on'y mud, mate," said the man who held the tin; "hadn't we better let it settle?" "what for? drink, my hearty. what's mud but dust o' the earth made wet? well, we're all made o' the dust o' the earth, ain't we, and consequently wet dust's just the stuff to make yer grow strong again. deal better than salt junk and pickled pig and biscuit, i can tell yer. there, tip it up. it's wonderful filling at the price." the man laughed, and emptied the baler. "'tarn't bad, mate," he said, as he leaned over the side to refill the tin. "bad? i should think not. i feel like a noo man." "and you looks it, too, matey," said the other grinning. "i shouldn't ha' knowed you with that boiled duff fizz-mahogany o' yourn. how much bigger's it going to get?" "well, of all the pot calling kettle black as ever i knowed on," said tom fillot, "that's about the rummest. why, your head's all o' one side like an ugly turmut, and your eyes is on'y two slits." "we ain't none on us got much to boast on, 'cept our orficer," said dick bannock. "pass that there tin." "to be sure," said tom fillot, "and handsome is as handsome does. might be a deal worse off, mates. drink away; the mud won't hurt us. we're in the shade and got plenty o' water. different to being right out at sea in a calm, eh, mr vandean, sir?" "don't talk about it, my lad," said mark. "but look, joe dance is getting up. pray don't let him break loose again." for the coxswain suddenly sat up and stared about him wildly. then calming down, he cried,-- "got a drink o' water, messmets?" "plenty, my lad," said tom fillot, passing the tin. "how's your head this morning?" "bit achey," said the coxswain, who took the tin and drained it. "hah!" he ejaculated, as he drew a long, deep breath, "that's good, but you forgot to send it through the skipper's pilfer." "warn't time, matey," said tom watching him curiously. "'sides, pilfered water ain't good for you." "feel better this morning, dance?" said mark. "yes, sir, thankye sir. head aches a deal and feels muzzy like, and i didn't sleep quite as i should like. too much bad dream to please me." "no wonder, mate," struck in tom fillot. "having your head rubbed so hard with a big bat ain't good for no one." mark sat by his brother officer in the comparative coolness trying to think out some plan to adopt, for though they were resting in the shade, and the agonies of thirst were assuaged, he knew that it would not be long before they were all suffering from hunger, and he shuddered as he thought of the tales he had heard respecting the straits men had been driven to when perishing for want of food in an open boat. but though he thought long and patiently, no idea came to him better than for them to coast along till they came abreast of some village, though he felt very little hope of meeting with such good fortune upon that sparsely inhabited shore. further north there were towns and villages, but these were hundreds of miles away. there was a possibility of their finding a native village, the home of some black chief, if they proceeded up the river; but it was chance work, and, unless compelled, mark shrank from leaving the coast and cutting himself off from the chance of being seen by the _nautilus_ if she came back in search of them. so he decided to keep along the shore. and now he blamed himself bitterly for his ignorance. for if he had devoted a little time to studying the charts, he might have had a fair knowledge of the coast, and the chance of finding some trading settlement north or south; while now, as he told himself, here he was in command of a boat, and, boy as he was, answerable to his superior officer for the lives of the men. accident had placed him in his present position, but then officers had, as he knew, to be prepared for such emergencies, and he was not ready in the slightest degree. he made a vow to make up for lost time if the opportunity occurred again, and began once more to examine mr russell's state. the insensibility continued still, and the faint hope he had nursed of the lieutenant recovering sufficiently to relieve him of his responsibility died away, so he landed with fillot and began to look about him. the place he had selected at the river's mouth, for the sake of the shade and water, was hidden from any vessel passing, but it was so suited for their purpose that he felt it would be unwise to change it, as they could row out if a vessel hove in sight, and a good watch would be kept. anything was better than exposing the men to the broiling sun, weak as they were with their injuries, and he felt that such a course would be fatal to mr russell, so he determined to stay, at all events till the heat of the day had passed, and then make the men row steadily north. he had just come to this conclusion, when he caught sight of tom fillot's occupation, which was the unravelling of the boat's painter. "what's that for, fillot?" he asked, sharply. "well, sir, i couldn't see no fruit trees nor no fields o' corn ashore, so i thought the best thing to do would be to have a try at ketching a fish." chapter twenty. what mark said to the crew. the position of the men would have been delightful if they had had a fair stock of provisions. for the cool water rippled by their boat, there was a refreshing breeze in the shady trees, and a pleasant sensation of dreamy repose and restfulness came over all as they lay about watching the dazzling sea and beautiful verdant tropic shore. and as he gazed, mark felt that undoubtedly fruit of some kind could be found sufficient to sustain life; and, with the determination to wait till another day, when the men would be better able to act, forgetful of the fact that fasting would make them more unfit, he thought of landing again directly after daylight, for a search, and then went to the boat and sat back to gaze out at sea. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "mr vandean, sir! mr vandean!" "eh? yes! what's the matter?" "nothing sir, only i couldn't wake you up." "was i asleep?" "yes, sir; we've all been asleep, more shame for me to say so, and the lads have only just woke me up." "oh, it's horrible!" cried mark; "how can i ever trust myself again?" "oh, don't you take on about that, sir: human natur's human natur. everybody's weak and queer with the knocking about we had, and the proper thing for us was to have a good snooze, and we've only been getting ready to do a good night's work." mark looked at mr russell, who lay breathing comfortably enough, and then, in a stern way, he gave orders for the boat to be unmoored, and dance rose at once, seeming feeble, but quite in his right mind, and ready to resent an attempt on the part of fillot to relieve him of the task. a good thrust was given to the boat out into the rushing stream, oars fell on either side, and the men began to row, so as to get out of the mouth of the river and begin making their way north. but in a very few minutes mark was enlightened as to the state of affairs. while they slept the tide had turned, and in place of a swift stream of fresh water running out, they were in the rapid tidal current running in, any doubt he might have had on the subject being set at rest by scooping up a little water with his hand, to taste it, and find it salt. the men were pulling steadily, but with a feeble, slow stroke, which at first kept them about stationary. then by slow degrees the boat gave a little and a little more, till in the waning light mark saw a cluster of trees ashore, by which they had been passing, begin to glide the other way. "pull, my lads, pull!" he cried, and the men tugged again for a few minutes, and managed to keep abreast of the trees, but their strokes again grew more feeble, and, in spite of spurt after spurt, it was evident enough that the tide was too strong for men suffering from injuries, and famishing with hunger, nothing having passed their lips save water for many hours. "here," cried tom fillot, "you don't half pull. let me come. we'll soon get outside, where the current won't be so strong." "it's o' no use, mate," said dick bannock. "she's too much for us. you can't do no good. after getting well, and a lot o' beef and biscuit, we might do it, but there's no pulling agin that 'ere." "you don't half try," said tom fillot, sitting down and getting an oar over the side to add his strength, when all pulled again, working hard for quite half an hour, when mark called to them to stop. "waste of strength, my lads," he said; "we've been drifting all the time." "yes, sir," said tom fillot. "i knowed it and was only waiting for you to speak. most too dark to see, but i'm 'bout sure." "we must let her go up with the tide, tom, or else moor her again by the trees." "well, we should be brought back again, sir; but i think it would be best to make fast." "steadily, my lads," said mark; "let's pull in shore with the tide till i see a good place." "or, feel it, sir," whispered tom fillot. "yes, or feel it, tom," said mark. "how dark it's getting. easy--easy there; just dip so as to get nearer the shore. the current's so swift we may be capsized." "easy it is, sir," said tom, and they rowed gently on with the current, getting nearer and nearer the shore with its heavy fringe of verdure, mark watching eagerly in the gathering blackness for a big tree with overhanging boughs, but all in vain. it was so dark now that they seemed to be gliding along right in the shadow, while more out towards the middle of what was evidently a broad river--the stream widening above the mouth--it was comparatively light, sufficiently so for them to see any object afloat. "can't you make anything we can hook on to, sir?" said tom fillot. "no, my lad, not yet. but i shall directly. you be ready." "ready it is, sir. if i see a chance, shall i ketch hold?" "_hist_!" "what's the matter, sir?" "talk lower. what's that? it may be enemies." "phew!" whistled tom fillot, softly. "it was behind me. i didn't see that. there, you have it." he caught hold of the overhanging bough of a tree and brought the boat up as they both stood there watching a gleaming light at a little distance, which gradually was made out to be a lanthorn carried by someone here and there. "ashore," whispered mark. "afloat," said tom. "it's somebody aboard ship. hark at that!" there was the rattle of a chain, apparently being let out through the hawse-holes of a vessel, then a little more rattling, followed by the disappearance of the light, and silence once more. "what do you make of it, sir?" whispered tom. as he spoke there came a strange, plaintive, smothered sound, so full of agony that mark shuddered. "i can hardly tell," he said. "i thought at first it was the _nautilus_." "no, sir; people on board the _naughtylass_ don't howl like that." "then--no: it can't be! is it the slaver?" faltered mark, as his heart beat rapidly with excitement. "it's she or another on the cowardly beggars," whispered tom fillot, hoarsely. "don't make a sound, my lads." "but oh, it can't be," cried mark, trembling now with eagerness. "don't see why not, sir. she was bound to go into hiding a bit till our ship had gone, and she's crept in here to lie by, and sail perhaps when the tide turns." "take a turn with a rope round that branch, tom," whispered mark; "and not a sound." "trust me, sir, for that," was whispered back; and there was a little rustling heard as mark carefully made his way in the darkness to where tom fillot stood. "sit down," whispered mark. "i want all the men to hear. lean this way, all of you." there was another rustling sound, and a certain amount of deep breathing as mark whispered softly,-- "mind, not a word when i've done, or we shall be heard aboard that vessel. she's not two hundred yards away." there was not a sound, and after waiting a few moments to command his voice and to try and stay the tumultuous beating of his heart, mark went on,-- "my lads, that must be the schooner waiting, as tom fillot said." he paused again, for his words would hardly come. then, more and more huskily from his emotion: "my lads, i know you're weak, but you've got the pluck. the crew of that schooner stole upon us in the night, struck you all down, and pitched us into the boat." there was another pause--a longer one, for it required a desperate effort to get out the words. then, so faintly as to be hardly heard, but with a strength in them which electrified the listeners, mark vandean, midshipman and mere boy, said to the stout men around him,-- "it's dark as pitch now, lads, so couldn't we steal aboard and serve them the same?" chapter twenty one. a desperate attempt. for the boat quivered as to a man all sprang up, and forgetting everything in their excitement, the men were about to cheer, but were brought back to a knowledge of their position by that softly-uttered warning sound just as a lanthorn was seen moving at a distance once more, followed by a sharp sound like the closing of a hatch. the boat rocked a little again as the men sank back in their places, while mark felt as if he were being suffocated, as he trembled, and felt the perspiration stand in big drops upon his forehead. for he was startled at his venturesome plan, knowing that such a task would be that of a strong, experienced, determined man, and now that he had made the proposal he felt as if he must have been mad. to carry out such a venture needed quite fresh, active men. those to whom he had proposed the attempt were in no wise fit, and to induce them to try and recapture the schooner was like tempting them to their death. "it is all foolishness," he said to himself in the brief instants during which these thoughts flashed through his brain, but the next moment he awoke to the fact that he had set a spark in contact with a train of human gunpowder, that the spark had caught, and that it was impossible now to stop. "heads close together, mates," whispered tom fillot. "not a sound on your lives. come, mr vandean, sir, say the word--when. now? at once?" "no, no," whispered back mark; "you are all weak and ill. i've been thinking about it since i spoke, and it is too much for you to do." a low, angry murmur arose, and tom fillot chuckled. "too much for us, sir? not it. you've only got to give the word, and there's that in us now as'll carry us through anything. only you lead us, sir, and we'll do all the work. is that the right word, maties?" "yes," came like a hiss from the whole party. "there, sir. you hear. don't you be afraid as we won't do our duty by you." "no, no, tom fillot, i'm not a bit afraid of that, but the venture seems too wild." "not it, sir. why, we're all red hot to be let go; so now then, what about the plans?" "i have none, and we had better give up the business." "you're saying that to save us, sir, but we don't want to be saved the trouble. we want to get that schooner back, and serve out the rough 'uns who half killed all on us. and what's more, me and my mates liked the taste o' the prize-money we had got to our mouths afore it were snatched away, so we want to get it back again. that's so, ain't it, lads?" "ay, ay," was whispered so deeply that it hardly reached mark's ears; but there was a fierce earnestness in it that told how strong was the determination on the part of the men to try and wipe out the past night's disgrace, while, just as he thought this, by a strange coincidence, tom fillot whispered,-- "we must take her, sir. you can't go back and meet the skipper without the schooner." the most cunningly contrived advice could not have affected mark more powerfully. his heart beat rapidly, and, carried away now by the contagious enthusiasm of the men, he said,-- "right; then we will take her." a low humming buzz went up at this, and mark went on,-- "we shall wait till everything is quite still on board, and then let the boat drift alongside. dance will hold on with the hook; we shall board her and take them by surprise as they did us, unless their watch is sharper than ours." "you trust us, sir. we'll have her," whispered tom fillot. "we must." "then, now--silence. we must wait for a time, the later the better. when i give the word, tom fillot will let the boat drift, two men will give a few dips with oars, and i shall steer her alongside; then dance will hook on. you will all follow me--" "and the schooner's ours once more." "if it is the schooner," said mark, dubiously. "if she ain't, she's a slaver, sir," replied tom fillot, "and that's enough for we." they waited in the silence and darkness, listening intently for every sound, but very little was heard from the vessel. once there were footsteps, and later on they made out a glow of light upon the water, which they judged rightly to be the reflection from the cabin windows, which of course was farthest from them, the vessel being moored from the stem. then they sat listening to the rippling of the swiftly-running water, and the peculiarly weird cries and other sounds which came from the shore, terribly suggestive of prowling beasts seeking their nightly food. it must have been getting toward two bells when mark, who had been bending over mr russell, to try and make out by touch how he was, started up in horror, for, from the direction of the moored vessel, there came a burst of cries, as if someone was being tortured in a terrible way. "what's that?" cried mark, in an excited whisper. "what i wanted to hear, sir," replied tom fillot in the same tone. "it might ha' been as that warn't a slaver, after all; but that there noise settles it." "then you think it was the poor wretches crying out?" "sure on it, sir; as sure as i am that there's somebody going to shout at 'em to be quiet, or he'll come and chuck some of 'em overboard." even as the man spoke, footsteps were heard, and then there was a sharp sound like the banging of the top of the hatch with a capstan bar, followed by a fierce shout delivered in a threatening way. then came a low, piteous moaning and sobbing, mingled with the crying of children, and once more the top of the hatch was banged. "guess i'm coming down to give it to some of you. stop that! do yer hear?" these words came clearly enough over the water in the silence of the tropic night, and once more all was still again, and there was a low whistling, as if someone were walking back to the cabin-hatch, where he stood for a few minutes, and then went below. "tom," said mark, "that's the slaver skipper." "yes, sir, so i s'pose. nobody else wouldn't bully like that." "i mean the skipper of the schooner we took." "think so, sir?" cried the man, excitedly. "i'm sure of it. i know his voice again. that's the man who had me thrown into the boat." "that's right, then, sir. i couldn't tell, because my head was all dumb with the crack i got; but you weren't hit, and of course you'd know." just then there came a low, piteous, half-stifled wail from the vessel, which went so home to mark's feelings, that his voice sounded changed and suffocated, as he whispered,-- "i've often said that i was sorry i came to sea, tom fillot, so as to be sent on this horrible slavery business, but i'm glad now." "that's right, sir." "and we'll have that schooner back, and set those poor creatures free if i die for it." "that you shall, sir," cried tom fillot. "no, no, that you shan't, i mean." "not take her?" said mark, half aloud in his surprise. "hist! no, no, sir. i didn't mean that; i mean not die for it." "oh, i see." "you shall take her, sir, as soon as you give the word; but, begging your pardon, sir, if i might ask a favour for me and the men--" "yes; what is it?" "don't be too hard on us, sir, in the way of orders." "what do you mean? i won't ask you to do anything i shall not try to do myself." "oh, it ain't that, mr vandean, sir. we know you for a fine, plucky young gent, as we'd follow anywhere. what i meant was, don't be too stiff with the men in the way o' stopping 'em. we don't want to kill any of the beggars, but we should like to give it 'em as hard as we can." "do, tom," whispered mark, excitedly. "the beasts! the wretches! the unmanly brutes! oh, how can those poor blacks be such pitiful, miserable cowards, and not rise up and kill the villains who seize them and treat them in such a way!" "i'll tell you, sir. it's because they've been beaten. i don't mean larruped with a stick, but beaten in some fight, and made prisoners up the country. since then they've been chained and driven and starved and knocked about till all the man's gone out of 'em, and made 'em so that they haven't got a spark o' pluck left. you take 'em and treat 'em well, and it all comes back, like it did to poor old soup and poor old taters. they was fast growing into good, stiff, manly sort o' messmates, with nothing wrong in 'em but their black skins, and i don't see as that's anything agin a man. all a matter o' taste, sir. dessay the black ladies thinks they're reg'lar han'some, and us and our white skins ugly as sin." "we must have that schooner, tom fillot," said mark, after a short pause. "you've got it, sir, and we'll sail her up to the port with flying colours. you'll see." "i hope you'll turn out a true prophet, tom." "so do i, sir, and i'm just going to whisper to the boys what you say, and then i'm thinking it'll soon be time to go on board and kick those chaps over the side." "no killing, tom." "no, sir. you trust us. we won't go quite so far as that," said the sailor grimly; and he crept away to begin whispering to his messmates, while mark sat straining his eyes in the direction of the schooner, hot, excited, but without the slightest sensation of shrinking. this had given place to an intense longing for action, which made his heart beat with a heavy throb, while, from time to time, there was a strange swelling in his throat, as he thought of the agony of the poor creatures pent-up in the stifling heat of the schooner's hold, some of them, perhaps, dying, others dead, and waiting to join their fellows in the silent waters, happily released from their pain. he was so deeply plunged in thought that he did not notice tom fillot's return, and he gave quite a start as the man laid a hand upon his knee. "look there, sir," he whispered. "eh? where?" "over the trees, behind me." "fire?" whispered mark, excitedly, as he gazed at a warm glow away beyond the forest. "no, sir; the moon. she'll soon be up, and we must have that schooner in the dark." "then we'll begin at once," said mark, decisively. "right, sir. the lads have some of 'em got their cutlashes, and them as ain't have each got two good hard fists; and it strikes me as they'll use 'em too. so when you're ready, sir, give the word." mark felt for his dirk, which was safe in his belt, and then thought of the quiet little parsonage at home, and of the horror that would assail his mother if she could know of the perilous enterprise upon which he was bound. then came the recollection of his grave, stern-looking father, and of what would be his feelings. "would he say don't go?" thought mark. the answer seemed to come at once. "no; he'd say, `it's your duty, boy. in god's name go and do your best.'" "i'm ready, tom fillot," he said half aloud, as he felt for and seized the rudder-lines. "now, my lads." there was a low buzz of excitement, and then, in obedience to an order, a couple of oars were softly thrust into the water. dance stood ready, but there was no boathook, and he fretfully asked what he was to do. "hold on by the chains, mate," whispered tom fillot, "and i'll help you. dessay we can make the painter fast afore we get aboard." as he spoke, he was busily loosening the rope which held them to the tree, and then stood holding the end just round the bough. "ready, sir, when you like to say `let go!'" mark paused a moment or two, breathing hard, and tried to think of anything that had been left undone, knowing as he did that the slightest hitch in the proceedings might mean failure; but he could think of nothing, and leaning forward, he whispered,-- "you understand, my lads? drop down, make fast, all in silence. then follow me aboard, make for the cabin, and knock down every man who tries to get on deck." "ay, ay, sir," came in a whisper that was terribly impressive in its earnestness. nothing then remained but for him to say "let go!" but he hesitated yet, and looked about him, to see that in a very few minutes the moon's edge would be rising above the forest, flooding the river with its silvery light. if a watch was kept, which seemed to be certain, they would be seen, the captain and crew alarmed before they could get aboard, and, with so weak an attacking party, they would be at a terrible disadvantage. so hesitating no longer than to give himself time to loosen his dirk in its sheath, he leaned forward once more, and in a low, earnest whisper gave the order,-- "go!" there was a faint rustle as the rope passed over the bough, a little splash as it struck the water, the two oars dipped without a sound, as the boat swung round, and they glided rapidly up the river with the tide. the distance, at the rate of speed at which they were going, was extremely short, and mark had to whisper to the men to pull harder, so as to make the boat answer to the rudder: while the moon rose higher, and though still invisible above the horizon, sent upward so warm a glow that the topmasts of the schooner became visible, and mark was able to steer right for her bows. "now!" he whispered, "in with your oars." he was obeyed, and the men laid them in, but made a slight noise--a mere trifle of sound, but it was sufficient to alarm the man forward, who was keeping watch; and to mark's horror, he heard a quick movement, followed by a shout of alarm. but it was just as the boat grazed up against the schooner's side, glided along, and tom fillot gripped the chains, stopped her course, and made fast the painter. "what's the matter? are they getting out?" cried the skipper, hurrying on deck, and of course upsetting the plan of keeping him and his men below. but before he had quite finished his question, mark's voice rang out,--"forward!" and he sprang up in the chains, followed by his men, leaped on deck, and directly after there was aflash and the report of a pistol, but the man who fired it was driven headlong down upon the deck, to roll over and over until stopped by the bulwark. it was the skipper who fired, and then went down with a fierce cry of rage, for tom fillot had rushed at him, striking him in violent collision, the weight of the running sailor being sufficient to send him flying. but he struggled up in a moment, and using his pistol as a club, struck with it fiercely in all directions as he cheered on his men, and bravely resisted the attempt to drive him and his followers below. it was still very dark; the schooner's crew had rushed up at the first alarm, and as fast as they cleared the combings of the hatch, they dashed at their assailants, with the consequence that in a very few seconds the deck was a confusion of struggling, yelling, and cursing men, the two parties fighting hard for their different aims, to beat the defenders below--to drive the attacking party overboard into their boat or into the river--anywhere to clear the deck. it was a wild and savage affair, the energy of desperation being fully developed on either side. weapons were little used, for the two parties closed in a fierce struggle, or else struck out with their fists; and as the two parties were pretty well balanced for numbers, the fight was obstinate to a degree. cheering on his men, mark had been one of the first to leap on deck, and, once there, he had dashed, dirk in hand, at the first sailor he encountered, and immediately found out that even if armed with a dirk, a middy of seventeen is no match for a sturdy, well-built fellow of thirty; and though he caught his adversary by the throat with one hand, and pointed his dirk with the other, as he bade the man surrender, matters went badly for him. for the man, who knew that the capture of the vessel meant endless trouble and loss to him, had not the slightest intention of surrendering to a mere boy, and in two vigorous efforts he sent mark's dirk flying in one direction, and hurled him in another so violently that the lad fell heavily on his head and shoulder, and for the space of two minutes there was no one to hold the command. but mark's semi-insensibility only lasted those two minutes; then he was fully awake to the shouting and struggling going on around and over him. naturally objecting to be trampled, jumped upon, and used as a stumbling-block for friends and enemies to fall over, he exerted himself to get out of the way, rolled over and found his dirk beneath him, rose to his feet, aching, half-stunned, and, in pain intense enough to enrage him, he once more rushed at the nearest man, roaring to his followers to come on. the orders were unnecessary, for the men had come on, and were locked in the embrace of their enemies, but the cry stimulated the brave fellows to fresh exertion, and to the rage and mortification of the yankee skipper, the schooner's crew were driven back step by step aft, till the next thing seemed to be that they would be forced below, the hatch clapped on, and the englishmen be masters of the slaver. but it was not so. load a gun with powder, fire it, and the force of the preparation will drive the bullet a certain distance. but then the powder has exploded, and its force is at an end. so it was with mark's followers; the force in them was expended and sent the slavers right aft, but there was no more power left. they were all weak and suffering, and in obeying mark's last cry they were completely spent, while their enemies were vigorous and strong. finding out the weakness of the attacking party, the slavers ceased giving way, rebounded, and the tables were rapidly turned, mark's men being driven back step by step, forward and to the side over which they had come to the attack. it was in vain that they shouted to one another to stand by and come on, and that tom fillot bounded about, making his fists fly like windmill sails, while mark's voice was heard above the din: they were thoroughly beaten. it was weak and injured men fighting against the well-fed, strong and hearty, and in spite of true british pluck and determination, the former gave way more and more, till the fight resolved itself into assault against stubborn resistance, the men seeming to say by their acts, "well, if you are to pitch us overboard, you shall have as much trouble as we can give you." "ah, would yer!" roared tom fillot, making one of his rushes in time to upset a couple of the schooner's men, who had seized mark in spite of his struggles, and were about to throw him over the side. as the men went down mark had another fall, but he gathered himself up, looking extremely vicious now, and while tom fillot was still struggling with the slavers, one of whom had got hold of his leg, another man made at the midshipman, and drove at him with a capstan bar, not striking, but thrusting fiercely at his face with the end. mark ducked, avoided the blow, and naturally sought to make reprisal with the ineffective little weapon he held, lunging out so sharply that it went home in the man's shoulder, and he yelled out, dropped the bar, and fled. "why didn't you do that before, ten times over, sir?" cried tom fillot, kicking himself free. "it's too late now, sir. i'm afraid we're beat this time." "no, no, no," cried mark, angrily. "come on, my lads!" and he made a rush, which must have resulted in his being struck down, for he advanced quite alone, tom fillot, who would have followed, being beaten back along with the rest, till they stood against the bulwarks--that is, those who could stand, three being down on their knees. "mr vandean, sir--help! help!" roared tom fillot just in the nick of time; and, striking out fiercely with his dirk, mark returned to his men and released poor dance, who was one of the weakest, by giving his assailant a sharp dig with the steel. "now, my lads, never mind the boy," cried the yankee skipper; "over with them." the men, who had drawn back for the moment, made a rush at tom fillot, seized him, there was a short struggle, a loud splash, and the schooners men had got rid of the most vigorous of their assailants. a shout and another heave, and dance had gone. then dick bannock, who kicked and cursed like a madman, was swung up and tossed over. the rest followed, and, with his back to the bulwarks and his dirk advanced, mark stood alone upon the deck, last of the gallant little crew, knowing that his turn had come, but ready to make whoever seized him smart for the indignity about to be put upon a british officer, even if he were a boy. "bah! rush him," roared the captain, and mark had time for two blows at his assailants, whom he could now see clearly from where he had run right to the bows, for a flood of moonlight softly swept over the scene. then as he struggled hard with the men cursing and buffeting him with their fists, there came a loud, wildly appealing cry, as it seemed to him, from the hold where the poor blacks were confined; and it was with a bitter feeling of despair at his being unable to help them, that mark made his last effort to free himself. the next moment he was jerked out from the side of the schooner, fell with a tremendous splash in the swiftly-running tide; there was a flashing as of silver in the moonbeams, then black darkness, and the thunder of the rushing waters in his ears. chapter twenty two. unexpected allies. "here, hi! look-out, lads! where's our orficer?" these words greeted mark vandean as, after a few struggles, his head shot up from the black water into the bright moonlight, and, giving it a good shake, he struck out for the boat. the cold plunge had braced him up, clearing away the brain mists caused by exhaustion in the fight; and now once more he was himself, ready to save his own life, and think, as an officer should, about his men. of course his first thoughts ought to have been about saving his men, and self afterwards; but he followed the natural instinct, and strove to reach the boat. "here i am," he shouted, as soon as he could get his breath; "shove out an oar." tom fillot had already caught sight of his wet face shining in the moonlight, and thrusting an oar over the stern, began to paddle to turn the boat, but was checked directly by the painter, which he had made fast to the chains when they boarded the schooner. to have stopped to unfasten it would have meant too much loss of time, so throwing himself on his chest, he reached out as far as he could with the oar toward mark, who had been borne down from where he was plunged in at the bows toward the boat. "lay hold, sir!" cried tom, excitedly. "yah! cowards! look-out!" was yelled behind tom; the boat received a violent jerk as dick bannock gave it a thrust right away from the schooner, and simultaneously the men were deluged with water by a tremendous splash close to their side. then a big wave rose and lapped over into the boat, striking mark just as his fingers touched the tip of the oar blade, and the next moment he was swept on by the tide up the river. "all right, sir!" cried tom fillot, loudly; "swim steady. we'll have you directly. you, dick bannock, cut that painter. now, then: oars!" he dropped down into a seat, and pulled a big stroke to send the boat's head round. "here, help me aboard, mate," cried a voice. "and me, messmet," cried another, the two speakers holding on by the side which they had reached after being thrown from the schooner. "no, no, hold on, mates," cried tom. "let's get mr vandean first. what was that 'ere?" "pig o' ballast they chucked over to stave the bottom," growled dick bannock, beginning to row. "if i hadn't shoved her off, they'd ha' sunk us." "we'll sink them yet," growled tom fillot. "coming, mr van, sir. we'll have you directly. easy, mates," he cried, throwing in his oar, and leaning over again toward where mark was swimming steadily facing the tide, but letting himself drift, content to keep afloat. "can you reach him, mate?" growled dick. "not quite; pull your oar," cried tom. "that's right. hooray! got him!" this last was given with a yell of triumph, as he made a snatch at mark's wrist, caught it firmly, and hauled the dripping lad over into the boat. "thankye," said mark, panting. "i'm all right. now then, help these two fellows in.--well done!" he said this breathlessly as he stood up and gave himself a shake, and then as the two men who had held on went to their places, he resumed his seat and looked round. "who's missing?" he cried. "all here, sir, 'cept poor joe dance. i ain't seen him." "ain't looked," said a faint voice from under the men's legs. "they chucked me over, and i'm afeard i've squashed poor mr russell, for i come right down upon him." "then nobody's missing," cried mark, joyously. "look here, my lads; oars out--pull! pull!" the men obeyed as vigorously as they could, rowing back toward the schooner, but slowly, for the tide was running sharply still, and the fight was hard. "what yer going to do, sir?" said tom fillot, in a low tone. "do?" cried mark, excitedly, for his blood was regularly up; "why, have another try, of course." "well done us!" said dick bannock, thickly. "i'm ready. we ain't beat." "no good, sir," growled tom fillot, in a low, deep voice. "we ain't beat, but we can't do it, sir, for want o' strength." "what?" cried mark, who was determined upon his mad project--mad now in the face of so many difficulties. "there isn't a man here who will not follow me, and i'm sure you won't turn tail, tom fillot." "not me, sir," said the man; "you're orficer, and where you goes i follows. it's hard lines to let go of a prize like that. lay her close alongside, sir?" "yes, of course," cried mark, standing up as they began to near the schooner once more. "why, there's something the matter on board-- they're fighting--they're killing the blacks. here, pull, men, pull. quick! don't you see? the blacks have got loose, and are fighting for their liberty; pull!" the men forgot their pains and weakness once more as a fierce yelling, shouting, and shrieking arose from the deck of the schooner. then shots were fired, and as the boat approached, now unobserved, they could see that the crew were driving back quite a little crowd of naked blacks, who seemed helpless before the attack of the armed men, but still in their desperation they gave way slowly, uttering fierce cries of rage and despair. it was all plain in the bright moonlight which flooded the scene, and mark could see the slaver captain making a rush here and a rush there, and at each effort he struck down some poor wretch with a heavy bludgeon he wielded with terrible force. then, as the boat glided in close under the stern, all this was shut out, but the noise increased. "now, my lads!" whispered mark, "we shall take 'em between two fires. as soon as the blacks see us come they'll fight like fury, and we shall win. do you see, tom fillot?" "see, sir? yes. it's all right. we'll have 'em yet. i'll make fast to the main chains, and then up we go. but don't give the word till i'm ready, sir. i can fight now." the preparations took almost less time than the talking, and then, freshly nerved by the exciting scene on deck, mark vandean and his men climbed on board to collect for a rush, just as the blacks were making a desperate stand. there in the front were two of the stoutest armed with capstan bars, and as the crew of the boat were about to dash forward, these two blacks yelled together and charged at the schooner's men, striking out so savagely that two of their adversaries went down, and the next they attacked shrank back. "stand aside!" roared the slaver skipper, raising a pistol, but it was not fired, for as the two blacks whirled their bars about and fought on, mark gave a cheer, his men followed suit, and, taking the schooner's crew in the rear, they were scattered at the first charge. what followed was a series of furious, short hand-to-hand conflicts, men being driven in among the blacks, who came on now wild with excitement. they seized their enemies and, in spite of their struggles, hurled them overboard to swim for the shore, till only the skipper was left, and he was being hunted from place of vantage to place of vantage, till he made a dash and ran down into the cabin. but the biggest of the blacks, one of the two armed with capstan bars, rushed down after him, followed by his brave companion, and the next minute there was the sound of a plunge, evidently from the cabin window. mark and tom fillot rushed to the stern together, and looked over. "have they killed him?" said the midshipman, hoarsely. "no, sir; he's swimming like a seal--the warmint. he'll reach the shore. but hadn't you better get us together, sir? the niggers may have a turn at us now. p'r'aps they don't know we're friends." "oh yes they do, tom; they must have seen how we fought for them." but all the same the lad gave a long piercing whistle, and his men clustered about him, ready for the blacks, who were now coming aft in a body. "it means another fight, sir," whispered tom. "can't anybody say in nigger lingo as we're friends?" "yes, friends; all friends," cried a harsh voice, as the great, perfectly nude, black sprang up out of the hatchway, and threw down his heavy wooden bar, an example followed by the other, while, as the moon now shone full upon their convulsed and excited faces, tom fillot burst into a roar of laughter, rushed forward, and slapped first one and then the other on the bare shoulder, yelling out,-- "here's a game, mates; why, it's old soup and taters. why, my black-mugged messmates, we thought you was both on you drowned. what's become of your _tog-a-ree_?" the blacks' faces relaxed into a broad smile, as, led by mark, the men crowded round to shake hands warmly, while the crowd of slaves set up a peculiar cry, and danced about them, waving their arms, ending by going down upon their knees about mark and laying their foreheads on the deck, while the women in the background set up a strangely wild wail. "then you two escaped," cried mark, as soon as the excitement had subsided a little; and the big black tried to explain, but could only get out the words, "all right, messmate," and then spoke volubly in his own tongue. "never mind, sir; they did get off," cried tom fillot. "they must have been chucked below along with the rest, and then kep' prisoners." "and a good job for us, tom," said mark. "ay, ay, sir, and no mistake, for we couldn't have took the schooner again without them." "there, silence!" cried mark. "these men must keep the blacks in order, while you, my lads, get the arms together. we must have a strong watch kept. the scoundrels may try to retake the schooner." "they'd better, sir," growled tom, who was in the act of restoring his cutlass to its sheath. "i didn't use this," he muttered, "but if they came again i'm sorry for the chap as hits at me." the watch was set, and when mark could extricate himself from the crowd of blacks who pressed about him, he looked round for soup and taters, even going so far as to ask for them, rather unwillingly, by these names, but they were missing. he forgot all about them directly in the business and excitement which followed, for there was much to be done. one of his first tasks was to have the schooner's boat run up to the davits, and mr russell carefully lifted out, and borne down into the yankee skipper's comfortable cabin. then he found out more and more how multitudinous are the demands made upon an officer. in this case he had to play the part of surgeon as well, for many of the blacks were, like his own men, suffering from contusions, though fortunately no one seemed to be seriously injured; and the brilliant moonlight was a great aid in his endeavour to restore something like order on board. "i want those two fellows," cried mark at last, angrily; "they could be of so much use in managing the blacks." "here they are, sir," cried one of the men. "they've been below." "what have they been doing below--getting at the provisions?" he asked no more, for at that moment the two men came forward, smiling, in their neat white man-o'-war garments, which had been confiscated by the slaver captain when he turned them below into the hold with the rest of the blacks, little thinking that by this act he was contriving the means of restoring them all to liberty. "hah! that's better!" cried mark smiling. "now then see to these poor creatures. i'm going to serve out something for them to eat and drink." with the help of a little pantomime he made them readily understand, and they went forward to the blacks, who at once sat down quietly on the deck and waited. at the words eating and drinking, tom fillot had gone below, and by the time his officer was ready to show the way to the stores, biscuit and water were being served out and eagerly attacked by all. "and now i think it's our turn," said mark, who had become conscious of a peculiar sensation of faintness. "i've put something ready for you in the cabin, sir," whispered tom fillot. but mark was too sensible of his responsibility to go below to eat and rest, and his refreshment consisted of the same food as was partaken of by the rest--to wit, biscuit moistened with water. for there was the watch to visit, the tide to be examined for the hour of its change, and a score of other little matters to attend to, in addition to noting mr russell's condition from to time. "how soon will it be high water?" asked mark at last, after wearily watching the constant flow. "must be soon, sir," said tom fillot, who seemed to have dropped into the position of first lieutenant. "beg pardon, sir, you mean to sail with the ebb?" "certainly. we must not stay here. that scoundrel may return with help." "you're right, sir. sooner we're out at sea the better i shall like it." "exactly. i want the men to go below and have a good rest. poor lads! they have been slaves." "to save slaves, sir; but beg pardon, sir; you won' be offended?" "offended? no, tom fillot; you've been too good a friend," cried the midshipman, eagerly. "what were you going to say?" "only this, sir. what we're most feared of is the yankee skipper coming back!" "of course." "then why not strengthen the watch, sir?" "how? i wish i could." "oh, i'll soon show you how, sir. you get soup and taters, and make 'em understand what you want, and it will be all right." "but what do i want, tom?" "i'll show you, sir, and i think you can make 'em understand. tell 'em to pick out half-a-dozen of the strongest young blacks, and we'll give 'em a cutlash and a belt apiece, and set 'em to keep guard by the schooner's side." "but would it be safe, tom?" cried mark eagerly. "not very, sir, for the skipper and his men. soup'll explain it to 'em, and once they know, you see if they don't do all that dooty splendid, and leave us free to navigate the schooner." "navigate the schooner, tom?" said mark, rather dolefully, as he thought of his shortcomings in that direction. "oh, it'll be easy enough, sir. all we've got to do is to sail doo north and hug the shore. we can't go wrong." soup and taters were summoned, and grasped the idea readily enough, with the result that in a very short time they had under their command six of the blacks keeping watch and ward against surprise, leaving the weary crew opportunity for getting up the anchor when the tide turned. then a sail was hoisted for steering purposes, and the men gave a hearty cheer as they began to drop down the river with their prize. "lor', mates!" said dick bannock, "who'd ha' thought of our getting of her after all. shows as it never does to say die. `persewere,' says you, `and never mind the difficoolties.' what yer larfin' for, tom fillot? don't i say what's true?" "i warn't laughing at you, messmate, but at the niggers keeping watch." "ay, they do look rum," said dick, smiling; "but they do splendid. seem proud o' their uniform too, eh?" "yes," said joe dance, who was leaning his back against the bulwark, "but you might give 'em a bit of something else to put on." "well, yes, i might--a sword-belt ain't much for a man to wear, and his legs would be very thin to get 'em hid behind a scabbard. but we shall see, my lad, we shall see." chapter twenty three. a strange awakening. "what's a wonder to me, sir," said tom fillot, respectfully, "is as no one seems to have been killed." "but we don't know that," said mark, sharply. "tired as i was when i lay down last night, i couldn't sleep for thinking of those men. do you think they could reach the shore?" "reach the shore, sir! why not? what was to prevent 'em?" "some of them were half-stunned when they were dashed overboard." "then the water would make 'em come to, sir, and freshen 'em up. don't you wherrit yourself about that, sir. i saw 'em all swimming for the bank, and they'd get there before the crocks woke up to try for 'em." "crocodiles?" "oh yes, sir, i should think there'd be plenty of them in the river: sure to be in a hot country like this." "i wish i could feel sure they were safe." tom fillot's look at the young officer was a mingling of admiration and contempt. "it's very nyste of you, sir, to think so much about the enemies as nearly killed our mr russell, i didn't think nothing o' them. i was hard at it about our poor chaps as has been knocked about, and the way they bear it all without hollering is, i says, sir, a credit to a englishman, let alone a scotchman such as dick bannock is. as i says afore, it's wonderful as none of us was killed, being whacked over the head as we was, 'sides being nigh drownded." "it was wonderful, tom, and if only poor mr russell would come round, i should be as happy as could be. but he doesn't show a sign of recovery." "no, sir, he don't, but there's the t'other side o' the book in keeping account like--he don't show no sign o' getting worse and dying. you know what's the matter with him, o' course?" "matter?" said mark, looking at the man wonderingly, as the schooner glided along, a mile away from the coast, the evening after their struggle in the river. "of course i do. he was beaten about the head worse than any of us." "'zactly, sir; but did you examine on him?" "yes, and retied the bandage about his head." "that's good, sir; but you didn't find out quite what was the matter." "i thought i knew enough." "yes, sir, but i did examine him when you sent me below to see how he was, and i found out." "what?" cried mark, eagerly. "well, sir, he's got the same as an old messmate o' mine had in my last ship--the _foogoose_." "the what?" "_foogoose_, sir." "oh, the _fougueux_." "that's her, sir. well, we was up aloft shortening sail on a rough day, and micky missed the stirrup just as the ship give a regular pitch. `i'm off, tommy,' he shouts, and down he went head fust on to the yard below, and then snoots off on to one of the stays, and from there on to the deck, where every one thought he was killed. but he warn't, only onsensible because his skull was dinted in, and the doctor said it rested on his brain; and that's what's the matter with our lufftenant, for i felt his head." "and did the man die?" cried mark. "no, sir; the doctor tackled him, and lifted up the bit o' broken bone, and made him a better man than ever; and that's what mr whitney'll do with mr russell, sir, as soon as we get back to the _naughtylass_." "oh, if we only could get back, tom!" "all right, sir; give us time; and the longer the better, i say, sir, for if you goes aboard with us lads looking all chipped and knocked about like we are, cap'en maitland'll be arksing you why you ain't took better care of your men." "oh, i don't mind that, tom," cried mark, triumphantly; "i've got the schooner, and the slaves." "you have, sir, and it's such a splendid job for a young orficer like you to have done, that mr howlett'll be ready to eat his head off like with disappyntment because he warn't in the game. you've done it this time, sir. why, our skipper ought to put you down for a swab on your shoulder as soon as you've got one big enough to carry it." "now, no joking, tom fillot, because i'm friendly with you. recollect i'm your officer." "right, sir, i will. i didn't mean no harm. it's only a way my tongue's got o' saying things. i say, sir, just look at them poor half-starved blacks. 'most makes me feel like a girl, sir, and soft, to see how happy they are." "yes, poor creatures. but tell me, tom. it's a terrible responsibility for me with this vessel and all those people. are they likely to make a fight for their liberty?" "why, they've got it, ain't they, sir?" "yes, but they don't understand it. they may think it's only a change of masters, and rise against us." "not they, sir. why, see how they looks at us, sir. they'd lay down and let you walk over 'em, sir. why, i've seen all them poor women look as if they could eat you, sir. i don't mean with their teeth, but with their eyes. they're safe enough, sir. they've been well-fed on soup and taters--i mean them two black messmates of ourn's talked to 'em till they understands about being under the union jack, and all that sort o' thing." "i hope they do, tom, for it makes me very uneasy." "course it do, sir. but now just look here, sir; there's nothing for you to fear, so if you'll take my advice, you'll go and have three or four hours' sleep below." "what?" "i mean it, sir. you can't keep on without rest, so go and have it. joe dance and me'll keep the schooner steady on her course till you've had your dowse, and then you come up and give us a turn below." "i can't leave the deck, tom." "yes you can, sir, and you must. what are we going to do if you run yourself aground and break up? orficers want rest like other folk. look here, sir; you're dead beat. out, ain't you? why, you warn't down below an hour." "yes, i feel done up, tom, but--" "you can't do everything yourself, sir, and must get yourself fit to keep going. now look round, sir. there's soup and taters keeping guard; shore's a mile away; light breeze sending us norrard; joe dance at the wheel. could you find a better time for a snooze?" mark hesitated. he knew that he could not hold out. it was within an hour of sundown, and the blacks were lying about forward in restful content; the schooner's sails were gently filled, and there was not a cloud in the sky. no better opportunity could be found for a rest, and, after giving strict commands to tom fillot to call him at eight bells, he went below, bent over mr russell, and shudderingly satisfied himself that tom fillot was right. "it's horrible," he muttered; "but it may not mean death;" and, throwing himself on a locker, he dropped off into a deep sleep almost instantly, and then sprang to his feet directly after, as he imagined, roused up by a tremendous shock, followed by a heavy thud; and he knew what was coming then--to wit, the rush of water, as a wave deluged the schooner from stem to stern, while all was so pitchy dark that he could not for the moment make out where the door of the cabin lay. chapter twenty four. a responsible position. confused and still half-steeped in sleep, mark blundered about for a few moments before he reached the door, and was then thrown back, for the schooner heeled over, and then there was a tremendous bump, which made her shiver. "mr vandean, sir, quick! all hands on deck!" came in familiar tones, as the lad struggled to the door once more, and then up through the hatchway, to find the schooner on her beam ends rushing through the water, which was foaming around them. then a wave once more struck her, deluging the deck, and making her shiver as she rose again upon an even keel. "where are you, tom fillot?" shouted the midshipman. "here, sir. wheel," came back; and the next minute he was beside tom fillot and joe dance, who were trying to steady the vessel as she rode on through the surf. "where are we?" shouted mark, his voice sounding pitifully small amidst the roar of the waves. "ashore, 'mong the breakers," cried tom with a groan. "but i think we're 'most through 'em, sir." just then, dimly-seen by its white crest, a huge billow rose up before them, as if to crush the little vessel into matchwood, but she lifted and passed right over it, and then over another and another, for there was a brisk breeze from off the shore; and after a few minutes of terrible peril the beautifully built vessel glided into smooth water, rapidly leaving the roaring surf behind, though the rollers extended far enough out, and the schooner rose and fell as she sailed away north-west at a rapid rate. not another word had been spoken, though all the men were on deck clinging to the bulwarks, and in the full expectation that the vessel would go to pieces next time she struck; but, now that the peril was past, dick bannock was sent below to report on the water, while the rest rapidly rigged the pump ready for use. to their great relief, though, the young sailor came on deck to declare the schooner dry as a bone; and now to hide his own self-reproach, mark turned to the men for an explanation. "i had no business to go below," he said to himself; land then aloud, "how was this, fillot? who was at the wheel?" "me, sir," said the cutter's coxswain. "me it were, and i don't want no one else to be blamed. tom fillot was forrard seeing to the watch, and that them blacks was--them blacks was--them blacks was--" "well, what?" cried mark, angrily. "what do you mean, man?" "dunno, sir--dunno, i'm sure," said the coxswain, humbly. "it's my head won't go proper, sir. i was standing there by the wheel one minute, sending her along right enough, and the next minute was--was--was--was ashore with the breakers all around." "why, you went to sleep!" roared mark. "_you_! in charge of the wheel, went to sleep!" "nay, sir. i never went to sleep. i was steering, and them blacks was--them blacks was--them blacks was--say, tom fillot, what was that along o' them blacks?" "oh, they're all right, messmate," growled tom fillot. "fact is, sir, he ain't quite right about his main truck yet, and i oughtn't to ha' let him take his trick at the wheel." "i ought not, you mean, tom," said mark, bitterly. "i had no business to go below." "nay, don't say that, sir, 'cause it was your dooty to. fact is, sir, we was all so knocked about in the upper works that there ain't a man on us good for much; and you see poor old joe dance's got it bad next to mr russell, sir, only we thought him so much better." "yes, i'm better," said the coxswain. "all right again, mate, but i can't get over it about them blacks. what was it as--" "here, what are you doing with that there wheel?" cried tom fillot, rushing at the man, and thrusting him aside. for dance had suddenly grown excited, and was turning the spokes first in one direction and then in another in a most reckless way, while as he was thrust off, he staggered for a few steps, and then sat down on the wet deck to hold his head with both hands and rock it to and fro. "want to send us ashore among the breakers again?" growled fillot. "nay, my lad, nay. there's something wrong in my head, and it wants fishing or splicing, sir. it won't go. them blacks has got in it somehow, and i can't get 'em out." "go below and lie down, dance," said mark, gently. "you'll be better after a good long sleep." "sleep, sir? no, i can't sleep. who's to take my trick at the wheel? point or two more, sir; and, tom fillot lad, what was it about them blacks?" "help him down below," said mark, and two of the men lifted the poor fellow to his feet and then helped him down to the place prepared for the crew close to the skipper's cabin. "he'll come round again, sir," said tom from the wheel. "spoke or two loose in his steering gear, that's all. lucky i got to him in time, or we should have been ashore hard and fast." "was that on a sandbank we struck?" said mark. "yes, sir, twice over; and if the masts had gone it would have been all over with us. but plenty of sail on and a nice breeze helped us to scrape off, though my heart was in my mouth all the time." "the schooner must be wonderfully well-built, tom." "well-built and ill built, sir. first as to timbers, second as to use, sir. why, some of our merchant craft would have been shook to pieces like one o' them card houses as we used to build when we was little ones." that morning, as they were sailing on over the calm waters, rising and falling slowly to the gentle atlantic swell, it seemed hard to believe that they had been so near wreck only a few hours before. but mark had only to turn his eyes eastward to where the great billows broke upon the shore, making a chaos of foaming, tumbling waters, to be convinced of the danger they had escaped. the blacks soon forgot the scare, and lay basking about on deck perfectly happy, and ready to smile at the crew; and, saving a few cuts and bruises, which did not show, apparently very little the worse for their encounters. the swellings, too, on board the prize crew, to use tom fillot's way of expressing it, had diminished rapidly. a little too rapidly, tom said. "you see if we've got no marks to show the officers and men, they won't believe we've been in so much trouble, sir. my heye! wouldn't the skipper have given it to you, mr vandean, if you'd took us back without this craft." mark had plenty of anxieties to cope with. so long as the weather kept fine, he had no great difficulty about the navigation. there was the low-lying shore, two or three miles on their starboard bow, and as far as was possible this distance was kept to. provision on board was ample; the water-casks had been well filled, and even if the store of this prime necessity had failed there would have been no great difficulty in running up one or other of the rivers for a fresh supply. as to the blacks, the hours glided on, and there was very little to disturb mark's confidence. the two sailors--soup and taters--paraded the deck forward with a great show of authority, to which their unclothed fellow-countrymen submitted with a very excellent grace; and it was evident that there was nothing to fear from them. "they're rum sort of beggars, sir," tom said. "why, tom?" "well, sir, i ain't good at explaining what i mean, but it seems to me like this:--give them enough to eat and drink, and plenty of sunshine to lie about in, that's about all they want." "yes, tom, they're soon satisfied." "that's so, sir, and they don't seem to have no memories. you'd think they'd all be fretting to get away ashore, and back home; but look at 'em: they don't, and it seems to me that they're not troubling themselves much about to-morrow or next day neither." the young sailor appeared to be quite right, for hour by hour as the horrors of the slaver's hold grew more remote, the little crowd of blacks forward appeared to be more cheerful. mark's great trouble was the state of mr russell, who still lay calmly enough either below in the yankee skipper's cot, or under an awning the sailors had rigged up on the deck. he ate and drank mechanically, but made not the slightest sign when spoken to, and for his sake mark kept every stitch of sail on that the schooner could bear, so as to reach medical assistance as soon as possible. dance was decidedly better, but subject to fits of absence; and on these occasions tom fillot said he was mad as a hatter. but in spite of the anxieties and the terrible feeling of responsibility, mark found something very delightful in being the captain for the time being of the smart schooner which sailed swiftly along at the slightest breath of wind. there was the hot, hazy shore on his right, and the glistening sea on his left, an ample crew which he could recruit if he liked from the blacks, and all ready to obey his slightest order with the greatest alacrity. he felt at times as if he would be glad to sight the _nautilus_, and so be relieved of all his cares; but, on the other hand, he could not help feeling that he would be sorry to give up and return to the midshipman's berth. "i wish, though, that bob howlett was here," he said to himself, as he longed for a companion of his own age and position. "i don't know, though," he said, directly after. "if bob were here, he would not like to knuckle under and play second fiddle. well, i shouldn't either. perhaps it's best is it is, i'm captain, and can do as i like, only it isn't always nice to do as one likes, and i often feel as if it would be much nicer to have some one to order me." but there was no one to order him, and with the whole responsibility upon his shoulders, he for the first time in his life began to realise what it meant to be the captain of a ship, answerable for everything thereon. chapter twenty five. a horrible thought. two days glided by, during which tom fillot proved himself to be invaluable. the merry joker of the ship's company showed that he possessed plenty of sound common sense, and that he was an excellent seaman. thrown, too, as he was, along with his young officer, he never presumed thereon, but, evidently feeling how great a burden there was on the lad's shoulders, he did all he could to lighten the load, by setting a capital example to his messmates of quick obedience, and was always suggesting little bits of seamanship, and making them seem to emanate from mark himself. the consequence was that matters went in the most orderly way on board, and they steadily kept on north, north-west, or sometimes due west, according to the trend of the land. "easy enough thing, sir, navigation," tom said, merrily, "if you've got nice calm weather, no rocks or shoals, and a fair line of coast to steer by." "yes, it's easy enough now, tom," replied mark. "'tis, sir; only i should like it better if it was right up in the north, where the sun don't set. one can't help feeling a bit scared sometimes when it's very dark. i was nearly coming las' night and asking leave to let go the anchor." "if i get well out of this, tom," said mark, "i mean to study up my navigation. it's horrible to be so helpless. i'm ashamed, too, being in charge here, and obliged to trust to seeing the shore for a guide." "oh, that'll all come, sir, but it strikes me that as soon as the captain finds we don't get into port, he'll be sailing down after us." "the sooner the better, tom," said mark. "but now then, tell me: how are we off for water?" "plenty yet, sir, and there's enough prog--beg pardon, sir, wictuals--to last us for some days; and--look, sir, look. here's a chance." "what? where?" cried mark, startled by the man's excitement. "another slaver coming round the point there. you must take that one too, sir, and then you can go into port with flying colours. double flying colours, sir!" mark looked eagerly at the long, low vessel just creeping into sight in the distance, and his follower's words inspired him with an intense desire to act and make a second seizure. it was very tempting, but-- yes, there was a but, a big but, and a suppose in the way. his men were still anything but strong; and though the blacks were willing enough, it would not be wise to trust to them for help in an attack upon a vessel with possibly a strong crew. his musings were interrupted by the sailor. "shall i alter our course, sir?" he said. "no, tom. better not," replied mark. "i was thinking." "what about, sir--our being able to catch her?" "no; about the dog and the shadow." "what about him, sir? was he in the sun?" "you know the old fable about the dog with the piece of meat in his mouth, seeing his reflection in the stream and thinking it was another dog with a piece of meat." "i did once, sir, but i've forgot," said tom. "well, in his greediness he snapped at his shadow to get the other piece of meat, and dropped his own. suppose i try to catch that other vessel and the crew prove too strong for me, and i lose this one?" "mr vandean, sir! you a british orficer, and talk like that? it ain't greediness, sir, but you a-trying to do your dooty as the orficer as has succeeded mr russell, i know what you feel, sir--all the 'sponsibility." "yes, tom; and that we are not strong enough to try experiments." "strong enough, sir? why, there's that in our chaps now as'll make 'em go through anything. you say slaver to 'em, and it'll be like saying `rats' to a dog. they'll be vicious to attack; and old soup and taters'll be as good as four strong men. you see if they ain't." "it's very tempting, tom, but--" "don't say but, sir. you make up your mind to take that vessel; give your orders; and we'll do it." mark shook his head. "oh, mr vandean, sir, look at her. she's another schooner about the same cut as this, and though she can see us, she isn't showing us her heels, for she don't know there's a man-o'-war's crew aboard, headed by the smartest young midshipman in the ryle navy." "that'll do, tom fillot. no gammon, please." "it ain't gammon, sir," cried tom, sturdily, "but the solid truth. think i'd come and ask you to do this if i didn't feel what a plucky young orficer you are? why, the lads'll follow you anywheres. they like mr howlett, too, but do you think they'd follow him like they do you? not they, sir." "it's very tempting," said mark, hesitating. "tempting, sir? why, captain maitland and mr staples'd both go wild with delight if they got such a chance as has come right to you." "and she isn't running away, tom?" "no, sir, but just quietly going on her course, and if you do the same it will bring you both close together, and like enough she'll try to speak you." "yes, tom, it is very tempting, and if i could feel sure of taking her, i'd try." "don't you think anything about it, sir. you make up your mind to take her, and send me aboard, or go yourself, and she's yourn." "if she's a slaver, tom." "well, sir, what else can she be?" "trading vessel." "likely, sir!" cried tom, with a laugh. "trading schooner with masts and booms like that! she's made to sail, sir, and her cargo's contraband." "i can't help feeling tempted, tom." "that's right, sir." "i'll go below and see if mr russell can understand me this morning. i should like his advice at a time like this." "course you would, sir; and if he could give it, he'd say go in and win." mark went below, to find his officer lying perfectly still, with his eyes closed, and breathing easily, but there was no response to his words, and, hesitating still, and excited, he went back on deck, to find the schooner still gliding on her course, and the stranger well out now from the point. "what did mr russell say, sir?" asked tom. mark shook his head, and raising his glass, carefully inspected the distant vessel. "yes," he said at last; "she looks too smart fer a trader." "she do, sir." "and i don't like to run any risks, tom fillot." "oh mr vandean, sir!" "but we're out here to deal a deathblow at the slavery traffic." "to be sure we are, sir," cried tom fillot, excitedly. "and it would be cowardly to give up such a chance." "cowardly--begging your pardon, sir--ain't half bad enough word for it, mr vandean? sir." "one moment i feel that i ought not to risk it, and the next i feel that i ought, tom," said mark, slowly. "safe and sure is the motto to go upon, but--oh, i can't, as i am officer in command, stand still here and see that vessel go away, perhaps loaded with slaves, tom fillot. wrong or right, i must do it." "three cheers for you, sir!" cried tom, excitedly; "and there ain't no wrong in it, for if you made a mess of it you would still be doing right. then now, sir, shall i have a little more canvas shook out, and alter her course, sir?" "no," cried mark, firmly. "you won't try and take her, sir?" said the sailor, despondently. "indeed, but i will, tom fillot," cried mark; "but if we begin to chase her, she'll be off, and sail perhaps as quickly as we do. we must trap her, tom, by pretending to take no notice, and then be ready to go aboard." "why, of course, sir. my, what a dunder-headed beetle of a fellow i am. cunning's the word." "yes," said mark, decisively now. "now, my lads, quick. off with those duck frocks, all of you, and make yourselves untidy-looking. tom fillot, get that american flag ready to hoist if she signals us, and send the blacks below, all but our two and their gang. let them lie down on the deck." the blacks looked surprised at being sent down into the stifling hold, but soup seemed to have some inkling of what was intended, and he spoke eagerly to his companion before talking very earnestly, and with a good deal of gesticulation, to the men whom he had selected for his followers. these appeared to understand what was on the way, looking earnestly at the distant vessel, and then taking the positions assigned to them when all was ready, and tom fillot burst into a hearty laugh. "they'll walk into the trap beautiful, sir, see if they don't," he said. "lor', sir, if you only could make yourself look like the yankee skipper, we should be lovely." mark said nothing, but quietly went on with his preparations. he made the man at the wheel look as much as possible like an ordinary sailor, and transformed another in the same way. then, counter-ordering his instructions about the men's duck frocks, he partly lowered down the boat with an armed crew, including tom fillot, with instructions to keep out of sight, and ready for him to drop and board the stranger later on. then, going below, he made a few alterations in his own dress, so as to conceal the fact that he was in uniform; threw his belt, dirk, jacket, and cap into the stern-sheets of the boat, and clapped a panama hat, which he found in the cabin, upon his head. then he walked about the deck in shirt and trousers, and with the yankee skipper's big spy-glass under his arm. the last thing he did was to plant two of the men forward, where they readily played their parts of standing looking over the bulwarks, and watching the coming vessel. for she had altered her course and came steadily toward them, after hoisting her colours--the stars and stripes--the same flag being sent aloft by dick bannock at a word from mark. "now, my lads," he said, "whatever you do in the boat, keep out of sight. if they catch a glimpse of you they'll be off, and we may never get alongside." "ay, ay, sir," came eagerly from the boat in which the two black sailors had also been stowed, each looking eager and excited about the work to come. the wind was light, and a couple of hours passed, with mark's steersman gradually edging the schooner nearer to the stranger, which, having the advantage of the wind, glided down to them, evidently meaning to speak them, and ask for news. "it couldn't be better, sir," said tom fillot; "only if you would get one of the skipper's big cigars and smoke it as you walk about, they're sure to be using a spy-glass now and then." "but i can't smoke, tom." "then light it, sir, and only blow at it so as to make the smoke show now and again. have a lighted lanthorn under the bulwarks, and shove the end in now and then. it'll make it all look so quiet and safe aboard that they'll walk right into the trap." mark did as he was requested, but with a good deal of discomfort; and then waited with a throbbing heart, and a strong desire to cough and sneeze from time to time as he marched about the deck, stopping to use his glass, and making out a tall, thin man similarly armed with a glass, and wearing a panama hat as well. but there was no sign of a black on board. some half-dozen ordinary-looking sailors lounged about the deck, and save that it was such a smartly-built heavily-rigged craft, there was not a trace of her being anything but an ordinary trader. matters went exactly as mark desired, the stranger schooner gliding nearer and nearer, while the midshipman's heart beat faster, and he trembled lest a glimpse should be caught of the armed boat hanging from the davits, with her keel just dipping into the water from time to time. but by clever steering it was kept out of sight, and when the right moment came a turn or two of the wheel sent the schooner a little way ahead, and then another turn, and she swept round a little, her sails shivered, and she lost way, while the stranger hailed them as she came closer, and was thrown up head to wind. by this time the two schooners were not above fifty yards apart, and a hail came in decidedly american tones,-- "i'll send a boat aboard." there was a little movement, and mark lay waiting for his time, for this action on the part of the stranger was thoroughly playing into his hands. the american's boat was lowered down on the side farthest from them, with the skipper sitting aft with four men to row; and as her head appeared round the stern, mark dropped over into his own boat. the falls were cast off as she dropped into the water, and bidding the men give way, she shot off round the schooner's bows, the panama hat gave place to the naval cap, the jacket was hurried on, and away they went for the stranger, whose crew on board stared in astonishment over the bulwarks at the man-of-war's men, while a horrible thought struck the young officer. he was going to seize the stranger vessel, but he had left his own almost unprotected, and the yankee skipper was being rowed to her. "i'm playing dog and the shadow, after all, tom," he whispered, excitedly. "what do you mean, sir?" "suppose the yankee seizes our prize while we try to take his schooner." "murder!" exclaimed tom fillot, leaping up in the stern-sheets. "i never thought of that." chapter twenty six. trading with the american. for a few brief moments mark was ready to turn back and make sure of his prize, but every stroke was carrying him nearer to the stranger, and in less time than it takes to describe it, he found out that he had alarmed himself with his own bugbear. for the yankee skipper, apparently taken quite aback at the sight of the armed boat's crew, began by ordering his men to stop, and then turned and had himself rowed back as swiftly as possible, with the result that the boats reached the two sides of the second schooner nearly together. and as mark scrambled up and over the stern, in spite of the menacing looks of three men at the side, who, however, fell back before tom fillot and those who followed, the yankee master stepped over the bulwarks too, and advanced to meet mark. "how are yew?" he said, coolly. "didn't know yew was coming aboard. can yew trade me a barrel or two o' good whites flour? i'm running rayther short." "perhaps i can," said mark, sharply, as he cast an eye over the deck. "what ship's this?" "ef yew'd looked at her starnboard yew'd hev seen, mister. she's the _mariar b peasgood_, o' charleston, south carlinar, trading in notions. what's yourn?" "prize to her britannic majesty's ship _nautilus_." "prize schooner, eh?" said the american, coolly, gazing over mark's shoulder at the graceful little vessel. "wal, i am surprised. i said as she looked a clipper as could sail a few." "your papers, please." "eh? oh, suttunly. air yew an officer?" "yes," replied mark, shortly. "your papers, please." "wall, i thowt _we_ was pretty smart, and made skippers of our boys in mighty good time, but you beat us. i give in. ephrim, fetch up them thar papers outer my cabin." a sour-looking fellow with a villainous grin slouched to the little cabin-hatch; and by this time the whole of the boat's crew, including the two blacks, and saving the coxswain, who held on to the chains, were aboard, tom fillot scanning the deck eagerly for some sign of the nefarious traffic, but none was visible. "guessed yew was pirates for a moment, mister," said the skipper. "yew quite scarred me, and i kim back in a hurry, thinking yew meant robbery on the high seas. hev a cigar?" he held out a handful, which he had taken from his pocket, and all in the coolest, most matter-of-fact way. "thanks, no," said mark. "i don't smoke." "he--he!" laughed the american; "yew needn't be shamed on it. yewr cap'en don't like it, p'r'aps; but i see yew pulling away at a cigar threw my glass." mark turned crimson. "needn't tell a cracker about it, squaire. here we are," he continued, taking the papers from ephraim--evidently his mate. "hev a look at 'em, squaire; but i reckon if one of our officers was to board one of your traders, and ask for 'em, yewr folk'd make no end of a fizzle about it." mark felt uncomfortable as he took and glanced through the papers, which were all in the most correct style. there was not a point upon which he could seize; and without some grounds he had no right to search the vessel, whose hold looked to be closely battened down, while there was not a sound to suggest that there were slaves on board. "we've made a mistake," he thought, as the writing on the papers seemed to dance before his eyes; "and yet i could have sworn she was a slaver." "find 'em all right and squaire?" said the american, with his little grey eyes twinkling; and he held out his hand for the papers. "yes," said mark, returning them reluctantly, and then glancing at tom elliot, whose countenance was a puzzle. "that's right, squaire; that's right. theer, i shan't cut up rusty, though i might, of course. it was yewr dewty, i s'pose." "yes, of course," said mark. "that's right, squaire. allus dew yewr dewty. i ain't riled. but yew'll trade that barl or tew o' whites flour with me, i reckon, and anything i've got you shall hev. what dew yew say to some chicago pork? rale good." "i--a--thank--you, no," said mark, looking wildly round in the hope of finding some excuse for ordering his men to search the vessel; "but you shall have the flour if i can find it." "that's what i call real civil, mister," said the american, advancing, and backing mark toward the side, for the lad gave way, feeling that he had no excuse for staying. "smart schooner that o' yewrn. guess yew could sail round my old tub. won't take a cigar?" "no, no: thanks," cried mark, turning to tom fillot. "we can do nothing more," he whispered. "no, sir," said tom, saluting. "he's too many for us. and yet i could swear to it." disappointed, confused, and angry at his position, mark felt that he must give up, and that a far more experienced officer would have done the same. turning to his men, he gave orders for them to go down into the boat, and then, telling the skipper to come on board the schooner, he gave another glance forward at the hatches, straining his ears to catch the slightest sound, meaning, if he heard either groan or cry, to seize the vessel at once and search. without such a sign or sound he dared not. it would have been overstepping his authority. "ready, mister? guess i'll come in my own boat," said the american; and he backed mark farther to the side. "look at old soup, sir," whispered tom, excitedly. "yes; and taters has got it too." "here, hi!" shouted the american. "whare air yew going?" for soup had taken a step or two forward, after looking wildly and in a puzzled way at mark, as if wondering that he did not act, and then throwing back his head, he stood with his eyes rolling and his broad nostrils inflated, snuffling like a horse over some doubtful hay. the next moment his fellow was following his example, and uttering something in a low, deep whisper in his own tongue. "guess them two niggers o' yewrn hev got the megrims, squaire. get 'em both aboard, lay 'em down, and hev 'em dowsed with buckets o' water." "stop!" cried mark, excitedly, as he thrust back the american. "here, my lads, what is it?" the two blacks did not understand his words, but they did his gesture, and soup made a bound forward to the main hatchway, uttered a low, deep roar, and stooped, pointing down. "it ain't megrims; it's hyderyphoby," cried the american, quickly. "he's dangerous. get him aboard;" and as he spoke he drew a pistol from his breast, cocked it, and took aim at the black. but with one motion tom fillot whipped out his cutlass, giving it so broad a sweep that the flat of the weapon struck the american's wrist, and the pistol flew out of his hand. at that moment, in answer to a loud cry from soup, there came a wild, excited, smothered clamour from below the hatch; and with a cry of rage, the american stooped to pick up his pistol, while his men rushed to seize hatchet and capstan bar. mark's dirk was out now, and he presented it at the american skipper. "surrender, sir!" he cried; "the game's up. draw, my lads, and cut them down if they resist. fillot, have off that hatch." at a sign, the two blacks tore it open: and with the horrible vapour that arose came a wild, piteous clamour from the imprisoned slaves below. "guess yew're right, curse you!" said the american, in an angry snarl. "drop it, boys; they're too many for us this time. we're done, and it's of no use to be ugly." "hurray!" shouted mark's little party, as they drove the crew below in the forecastle; and after a guard was set, tom fillot came back to his officer, who stood talking to the american, while that worthy lit himself a cigar. "this is some dollars out o' my pocket, mister," he said. "guess i wish that thar nigger had been drowned afore you brought him here. what air yew going to dew now?" that was a question mark was not prepared to answer, with two prizes on his hands. chapter twenty seven. "a last resource." but mark vandean soon began to show the american slaving skipper what he meant to "dew now," and that in times of emergency he did not mean to talk much. for turning to tom fillot, he gave his orders respecting the slaver's crew. "keep them below in the forecastle," he said; "and place the second black over them as guard." "ay, ay, sir!" cried tom, and he proceeded to plant taters on guard over the hatch, armed with a drawn cutlass, to the black's intense satisfaction. "here, i say, mister," cried the skipper, "yew ain't going to put a nigger as sentry over a crew o' white men, air yew?" "i have done it," said mark, sharply. "what! going to keep them free american citizens prisoners below like a pack o' niggers?" "why not?" said mark. "do you think i'm going to let you and your men hatch up a scheme to retake this schooner?" the man laughed. "guess yew're a sharp one, squaire. wall, what are you going to do with me?" "take you aboard my ship, sir." "and hang me at the yardarm, squaire?" said the skipper, with a grin. "not if you behave yourself," said mark; "but i warn you not to try any tricks, sir, or matters may turn out unpleasantly. here, soup!" he made a sign, and the great broad-shouldered black ran up to him eagerly. "here, my lad," said mark, signing to the man what to do; "draw your cutlass and take this gentleman on board the other schooner. you'll keep guard over him till i come." soup whipped out his cutlass, caught the american skipper by the arm, and there was a tremendous yell. "say, mister, yew didn't tell him to kill me." "no, no, soup, you don't understand," cried mark, arresting the man, for he had evidently taken it that he was to play the part of executioner upon the white skipper; while to judge from his aspect, he was prepared to perform his part with great gusto. then making the men understand, he was about to despatch them over the side in one of the boats, when the american turned obstinate. "look here, squaire," he said, "i give in, but yew're an officer and i'm an officer. play fair with a man. that nigger'll kill me sure as a gun if i go along with him. seems to me i shan't be safe 'less i'm along o' you, so i guess i'll stop here." mark was about to insist, but a glance at soup was sufficient to alter his mind. "very well, stop for the present, sir, till i go back aboard." "yew're going back, then?" said the american, with a flash of the eye. "i am, sir," said mark, sharply, "but i'm going to leave a strong prize crew here on board, and i wouldn't advise you or your men to make any attempt at recapture. matters might turn out, as you call it, `ugly.'" "all right, squaire, but i don't see where your strong prize crew is coming from," said the man, drily. "indeed!" said mark. "i shall be able to show you. i can pick out half-a-dozen blacks from the other schooner who will help the man forward to keep pretty good watch over your crew, and who will not be over particular if there are any tricks." "oh! slaves!" said the man, with a sneer. "there are no slaves here, sir, now. under the british flag all men are free." "oh, if yew're going to talk buncombe, squaire, i've done." "and so have i, sir," said mark, "for there is plenty of work wanting me." leaving the american in charge of the big black, mark set to at once to make his arrangements, after the poor creatures had been let out of the hold, where they had been nearly suffocated, and now huddled together on deck, trembling and wondering what was to be their fate. "i don't like parting with you, tom fillot," said mark, "but i must. you will take charge here with billings, dance, potatoes, and three of the blacks soup drilled as his guard. it's a poor crew for you." "best we can do, sir," said tom fillot, cheerily. "i'll have half the americans on board with me." "beg pardon, sir, don't." "but they are too many for you to have with your weak force." "well, sir, quite enough, but you keep the skipper on one schooner, and the men on the other. they're best apart, sir." "but you cannot manage." "lookye here, sir, i'm going to have a talk to old taters, and i shall give him a capstan bar to use, instead of the cutlash. i don't understand his lingo, but him and me can get on, and i can make him see what i want; and after that it won't be safe for any man o' the yankee crew to put his head above the combings of that hatch. you trust me, sir, to manage. dick bannock'll be quite as good as me if you appynt him mate. get back aboard, and make sail, and we'll follow steady like in your wake." "but the blacks we have set free?" "taters and me'll manage them, sir, and 'fore many hours are up, we'll have two or three on 'em good at pulling a rope. you won't make much sail, sir, of course, now?" "as little as i can, tom; just as much as we can manage. then now i'll get back, and the sooner we can set eyes on the _nautilus_ the better." "so say i, sir. but you keep a good heart, sir, and above all things don't you trust mr yankee skipper, sir." mark gave the sailor a meaning look. "that's right, sir, and above all things mind he don't get hold o' no pistols." mark laughed, and after a few instructions he ordered the american into the boat; his men followed, and he was about to step down too, when there was a yell forward, and the sound of a heavy blow or chop. mark faced round in time to see that taters had struck at one of the american sailors, but missed him, his cutlass coming in contact with the edge of the hatch, and the next moment there was a desperate struggle going on. the second schooner's crew were forcing their way up on deck, and as mark called up the men from the boat to help quell the attempt, the american skipper took advantage of his being for the moment unwatched, and climbed on deck once more to make a rush to help his men. but quick as he was, tom fillot was quicker; and turning sharply round, he struck out with his double fist, catching the american right in the centre of his forehead, with the result mathematical that two moving bodies meeting fly off at a tangent. the american skipper's head flew off at a tangent, and then he rolled heavily on the deck, while in less than five minutes, with the help of soup and taters, who fought fiercely, the american crew were beaten back, and driven or tumbled down into the forecastle one after the other. "hi! yew, don't shut down that there hatch," cried one of the men; "yew'll smother us." "and a good job too," panted tom fillot, as he banged down the square covering. "here, you taters, sit down on this, will you?" the black understood his sign, and squatted upon it, sitting upon his heels with a grin of satisfaction. while this struggle was going on, the freed slaves huddled together helplessly, seeming more bent on getting out of the way of the combatants than on joining in, though some of the men, warriors perhaps in their own country before they had been crushed down by conquest, imprisonment, and starvation, did once or twice evince a disposition to seek some weapon and strike a blow. but they soon subsided into an apathetic state, and watched. "hurt much, tom fillot?" said mark, as soon as excitement would let him speak. "well, sir, tidy--tidy. i was just thinking about some of our chaps aboard the _naughtylass_, growling and grumbling at her for being an unlucky ship, and no fighting to be had. they wouldn't find fault if they was out here, sir, eh?" "no, tom; we're getting our share of it. i wouldn't mind if mr howlett was here to have his taste." "my! how you can crow over him, sir, when we get back, eh?" "let's get back first, tom." "oh, we'll do that, sir, never you fear. that ain't what i'm scared about." "then what is?" "well, sir, i want to get back without killing anybody if i can, but when they come these games with us and hit hard as they do, it's 'most more than flesh and blood can bear to have a cutlash and not use it. i know i shall make someone bleed with a cut finger 'fore i've done." there was so much meaning in the sailor's words, and at the same time so droll a look in his eyes, that mark could not forbear a smile. "if it's only a cut finger, tom, i shan't mind," he said. "that's right, sir. well, i think you might start back now, and we'll get sail on. sooner we've got these two into port the better i shall like it. i think i can manage, sir." "but i've altered my plans," said mark, thoughtfully. "yes, sir? what do you mean to do now?" "i'll tell you. it seems to me madness, after this lesson in the american's intentions, to divide my little crew. i want them altogether, and we're weak enough then." "don't say you mean to give up the prize, sir," cried tom fillot, appealingly. "not while i can lift a hand, tom. we'll try another plan. i'll get the skipper on board the other schooner. then we'll have the crew down in our forecastle." "and leave me to navigate this one, sir? no, that won't do, sir. what isn't safe for me, isn't safe for you." "no, i felt that. my plan's a different one. we'll have a hawser from our schooner to this one, after you've made all snug aloft, and tow her while the weather keeps fair." "well, sir, i don't see why not," said tom, thoughtfully. "we can leave the blacks on board; and then we shall have plenty of force to meet the yankees if they try to master us again." "that's right, sir; and as long as the weather holds good, we may do, though i think we shall have our hands full. but look here, sir; why not--" "why not what?" "there's lots o' irons below, such as they used for the poor niggers. why shouldn't we couple a lot of the prisoners together, and make 'em safe?" "put them in irons, tom? no, i don't like to do that--only as a last resource." "very well, sir," said tom, rubbing his head where he had received a heavy blow, "only if you wouldn't mind telling on me, sir, i should like to know what you calls a last resource." "i will, tom, when i know," said mark, smiling. "hail our schooner, and tell them to come aboard in the other boat." tom turned away and obeyed the order, passing the american skipper, who was leaning on the bulwark looking sick, and as the sailor came up he turned to him with an ugly leer. "guess i'm going to pay yew for that, young man," he said. "i don't let a chap hit me twice for nothing." "like to do it now?" said tom, sharply. "no; i'm not quite ready, mister. yew'll know when i am." "thankye," said tom fillot. "then now look here; just you let me give you a hint, too. i'm acting as mate to my young officer here, and he takes a good deal o' notice o' what i say. if you don't keep a civil tongue in your head, i'll tell him as you're real dangerous, and that the best thing he can do is to have some o' them irons clapped on your arms and legs, and then shove you below along with your men." "what!" cried the skipper, fiercely; "put me in irons! me, an amurrican citizen. i should like to see him do it!" "you soon shall," said tom, "if you don't mind. now then, get down into that boat." "who are yew ordering about, sir?" "you," cried tom. "now then, once more, get down into that boat." the skipper turned to walk away, but tom's temper was getting hot, and without a moment's hesitation he seized the man by the collar and waistband, thrust him to the side, and jerked him out of the gangway. "ketch hold!" he shouted, and the man in charge of the boat caught hold and dragged the skipper down into the boat just as the other was rowed alongside. the skipper started up to revenge himself, and then sat down again to brood over the affront, while, as rapidly as they could be transferred, two more men were thrust into the same boat with him, and the rest into the other boat, the fellows looking fierce, and ready for a fresh attempt to recapture their schooner. but the arms of the english sailors, and the fierce readiness of the blacks, soup and taters, awed them, especially as their skipper made no sign, and a quarter of an hour later captain and men were safely fastened in the forecastle, with soup now as sentry--taters having been sent on board the second schooner to see to the freed slaves, with another man to help him. then a hawser was made fast and sail set, the first schooner towing the second fairly well, and some knots were sailed toward the north before the position of the sun suggested to mark that an anxious time was coming. for if an attempt were made to turn the tables upon them, it would for certain be that night. however, mark went on with his preparations. the blacks on both ships were fed, every precaution taken, and, giving up all idea of sleep for that night, a well-armed watch was set, and he paced the deck, feeling quite an old man with his responsibility. he asked himself whether there was anything he had left undone, whether the tow-line would hold, and a score of other questions, while all above was calmness, and the great stars glittered and shone down from the purply black sky. "are we to have a peaceful night?" he thought, as he looked over the schooner's counter at the dark silent vessel towed behind. tom fillot gave him the answer, by running aft to him, his bare feet making a soft _pad_ _pad_ upon the deck. "got your shooter, sir?" he whispered. "yes." "loaded?" "of course; but why do you ask?" cried mark, excitedly. "the game has begun, sir. it will have to be the irons, after all." almost as he spoke there was a flash and the report of a pistol, fired from the forecastle hatch. chapter twenty eight. tom fillot advises. there was a fierce howl of rage and a heavy crash from forward as mark drew and cocked his pistol, running toward the hatch with tom fillot into the foul smelling smoke that hung around, in the midst of which stood the great black, whirling the capstan bar with which he was armed about his head, after delivering a crushing blow at someone who had tried to climb out, and then dropped back groaning, but not much injured, fortunately for him, the principal force of the blow having fallen upon the woodwork of the hatchway. as the black saw them he uttered a low, savage roar, and pointed to his shoulder, which had been grazed by a pistol ball, the smarting making the great fellow grin with rage and roll his eyes. "hi, below there!" cried mark, the excitement making him forget all danger. "hand up that pistol and any other weapons you have, or we'll fire down among you." the answer was a flash, a sharp report, and a puff of smoke, mark being conscious of a whizzing sound close by one ear. "you scoundrels!" he cried, passionately. "surrender; do you hear?" "not we," came in a familiar voice. "s'render yourselves. you're not queen's officers, only pirates, and i'm going to retake my ship." "if that pistol is not thrown out on the deck, sir, i give the orders to fire," cried mark. "that's jist what you darn't do, mister," said the american skipper. "let 'em have it, sir," whispered tom fillot, excitedly. but mark felt as if the skipper's words were correct, and that he dare not fire down into that cabin to the destruction of some poor wretch's life, so he did not--to use tom fillot's expression--"let 'em have it," but gave orders sharply in the way of defence, and not attack. "clap on the hatch, tom," he shouted; and the covering, which had been forced off in some way, was thrust back and held down for a moment or two, before tom leaped away as a shot crashed through, and the hatch was driven off once more. by this time the rest of the men were gathered round, and it was just as well, for a daring attempt was made to climb on deck, but only for each man who attempted the feat to be sent down again by a blow on head or shoulder. "if you'd give orders, sir," said tom, "we'd soon have that hatch over again, and fifty fathom o' chain cable piled atop." "i don't like risking you men's lives," said mark; "but there's no going back now; it must be done." "come on, dick bannock," cried tom fillot, rolling up his sleeves. "you chaps stand by with the end of that cable." another shot was fired from the forecastle, and directly after the muzzle of a pistol appeared over the side with a hand directing it, when _bang_, _crash_--down came soup's capstan bar, striking pistol and hand with such good effect that they were snatched back, and a burst of fierce oaths came up. "well done, my lad!" cried mark; and the black looked at him and showed his white teeth as he stood watchful, and ready, with the bar raised for another blow. by this time the men had laid hold of the end of the cable and drawn some two or three fathoms up from the little forward compartment, while tom fillot and bannock seized the loose hatch ready to clap on. "no, no," cried mark, hastily; "don't expose yourselves needlessly, my lads. lie down and crawl toward the hatchway, pushing the cable before you." "thought you'd fancy we were cowardly, sir," said tom, obeying his orders. "then don't think so again, sir," cried mark, who wondered at his own sharpness and authoritative way. "now then, stand by all. ready?" "ay, ay, sir." "hah! look-out!" _crash_. "well done, my lad." this was as a pistol was once more thrust out, and the hand which held it appeared ready for soup to hit at, which he did, and missed. but, all the same, the hand and pistol disappeared, and the next minute tom and dick, one on each side, thrust the cover over the hatch as they crawled forward, tom flinging himself across it, while the rest of the men hauled away, and began to pile on the chain cable. _bang_ again--a pistol-shot fired up through the hatchway lid, and tom gave a sharp start. "ah! hurt?" cried mark, excitedly, as the sailor rolled over, while as quickly as possible more of the cable was piled up where he had lain. "dunno yet, sir," said tom, rising up and feeling his side. "something give me an awful whack on the ribs. don't look like a dead 'un, do i?" "don't say you're wounded, tom," said mark, in a hoarse whisper. "wasn't going to, sir," replied the man, whose hands were still busy feeling his side. "no, i don't think i'm wounded; don't feel like it-- only savage, and as if i should like to drop on to the chap as fired that shot. i know: i have it. the bullet must have hit the chain, and drove it against my ribs. i'm all right, sir. deal o' fight in me yet." "thank heaven!" said mark to himself, as he thought of how helpless he would have been without the frank young sailor who was completely his strong right hand. by this time the hatch was loaded with coil upon coil of the strong chain, and, though a couple more shots were fired, the bullets were only flattened against the iron links. "hah, that gives us breathing time, my lads," cried mark. "now then, what next?" "daylight'd be the best thing, sir," said dance; "and then i should be able to see about--" he stopped short, put his hand to his head, and looked around vacantly. "what was it i wanted to see about?" "it's all right, messmate; don't you worry about that," cried tom, clapping him on the shoulder. "eh? no, i won't, tom," said dance, thoughtfully. "it's my head goes all foggy sometimes, and then i can't think; but i'm all right again, ain't i, mate? not going to be like the lufftenant, eh?" "not you," said tom fillot. the coxswain laughed. "yes, i'm coming round," he said. "head's a bit soft, that's all; but i'm coming round." while this was going on, mark had turned to the black, whose shirt was wet with the blood which oozed from the score made in his shoulder by the bullet fired at him when first the attempt was made to escape, and then by the light of a lantern, while the man knelt down, the wound was bound up, the black smiling and making very light of it the while. as mark busied himself, he could not help thinking of how much demand there was made upon an officer in command, with the result that his respect for those over him was wonderfully increased. all further thought of rest for the men was given up, and the remainder of the night was devoted to keeping a careful watch, mark pacing the deck and stopping to have a quiet consultation now and then with his mate. "i can't think where they obtained their arms, tom," he said on one occasion. "oh, you needn't wonder at that, sir," replied the man, with a laugh. "'mericans ain't like englishmen, and pretty well every man jack of 'em's got a pistol hid somewhere about him. it ain't to be wondered at, sir," continued the man, stretching out and clenching his big hand. "i never see a 'merican yet with a good fist like that, and a man must have something to fight with when he goes knocking about in the world. well, sir, as you say i'm to be mate while we're on this expedition, p'r'aps you won't mind me asking what you're going to do next 'bout the prisoners. is it to be irons?" "no," said mark, firmly. "i can't do that." "then if i were you, sir, i'd risk them trying to take the schooner again, and send 'em adrift first thing in one of the boats." "on an uninhabited shore? why, it would be like murdering them, man." "well, hardly, sir, because you give 'em all a chansh for their lives, though it ain't lively for a look-out to be cast ashore where there's only palm trees and nothing else 'cept the niggers, who might want to serve you out for captering their brothers and sisters for slaves." "no, tom, it will not do. we must keep the men prisoners, and make the best of our way north, to where we can hand them over to the officers of the law." "very good, sir," said tom fillot, "only either o' my ways would be easier." "do you think mr russell would act as you propose?" said mark, sharply. tom fillot screwed up his face, and shook his head. "no, sir. he'd do as you're going to. but we must keep a sharp eye on 'em, or they'll be too many for us, i'm afraid. they're the sort as it don't do to be easy with, sir, because if you are, they only think you're feared on 'em." "there shan't be much easiness with them, tom," said mark, firmly. "they're prisoners, and prisoners they shall stay." "if they don't circumwent us, sir, and get out," said tom; and the discussion closed. chapter twenty nine. difficult prisoners. never was morning greeted with greater joy than by the crew of the _nautilus'_ first cutter. for with the darkness half the troubles to which they were exposed faded away; and though tired out from long watching, excitement, and loss of sleep, the bright sunshine made things look quite hopeful. so when the midshipman had partaken of a good breakfast and attended to mr russell's wants, he felt ready to believe that his brother officer was a little better, and had understood him when he spoke, for there was a look of intensity in his countenance widely different from the vacant, drowsy aspect which had been so marked ever since the hour when he was struck down. on deck there was so much to see to that weariness was soon forgotten. there were the unfortunate blacks to feed on both vessels, though this had already grown into a much simpler task, soup and taters giving orders to the men they had selected to help them; and these latter, now that they had thoroughly grasped the fact that nothing but good was intended by their fresh captors, eagerly devoting themselves to the task of distributing the rations amongst their unfortunate fellow-country folk, and watching mark and his men with the greatest intentness as they strove to comprehend their wishes. that morning, as soon as the party on board the first schooner was provisioned, the boat was manned, and fillot, accompanied by soup, went aboard the second schooner, where all proved to be satisfactory, taters greeting them smilingly, while the emancipated slaves were ready to lie down on the deck. "to make it soft for us to walk upon," tom said on his return. this was eagerly looked for by mark, who had spent his time watching the schooner astern, and the shore a couple of miles away, in the hope of their coming upon a town where he could land his prisoners, their presence on board being risky in the extreme. tom fillot's return was looked for so eagerly on account of the action of the prisoners, who had begun to clamour for the hatch to be opened, and after several orders to be silent had been disregarded, now beat heavily on the hatchway cover, and shouted to be let out. mark had deferred taking any action while his right-hand man was absent; but the uproar became at last so obstreperous that he walked to the cable-covered hatchway and struck heavily upon the deck. "now," he said, sharply, "what is it?" "look here, squaire," came in the skipper's muffled tones, "guess yew don't want to kill us?" "then have off that there hatch. we're being smothered: that's so." "it's not true," said mark, firmly. "the ventilator's open." "wal, that say gives 'bout air enough for one man to drink in. we want more." "you're getting more now than you considered enough for those unfortunate blacks, sir. so be silent, or i'll have you all in irons." "don't you try it, mister," cried the skipper. "but look here, squaire, we want our breakfast." "your rations shall be served out to you all in good time," replied mark. "but we want 'em now, mister; my lads are half famished." "i tell you that you shall have them soon, so wait patiently." "wall, don't be ugly about it, squaire. we're not ugly now. look here, it's hot and smothering down here. let us come up on deck and have a confab about this business. it's of no use for us to quarrel about it, so let's square matters." "i don't understand you." "yew don't? wall, look here; yew've took the schooner, and i s'pose she's your prize if yew say yew ain't pirates. 'scuse me for thinking yew was, seeing as yew came in a schooner as don't look a bit like a britannic majesty's ship o' war." "i told you that was a prize to her majesty's ship." "ah, so yew did, and now yew've got another, but yew don't want a lot o' murrican corpses aboard, squaire, so let us out, so as we can breathe. we'll make a truce with yew." the boat had come back from the second prize, and tom fillot walked up to look on, listening and wondering. "you mean to say that if i let you come on deck--you and your men--you will not attempt to escape or recapture the schooner?" "that's so, captain." tom made an angry gesticulation, and took a step nearer to his young officer. "then to show your good faith," cried mark, "hand up all your pistols through the ventilator." there was a few moments' silence, and tom slapped his knee softly. "well, do you hear?" cried mark. "wall, captain, i'm willing," said the skipper, "but my lads here say air yew to be trusted? and what's to become o' them if they come up and yew and yewr men turn nasty, and them without weepons?" "you heard what i said, sir; hand up your pistols," said mark, firmly. "guess we can't do that, squaire. but look here, captain." the complimentary title did no good, for mark turned sharply away. "see that some biscuit and water are lowered down to these people, fillot," he cried. "ay, ay, sir." "biscuit--water?" roared the american skipper, his voice coming up through the ventilator with a yell. "yew don't mean to say--" he stopped short to listen to tom fillot's next words. "shall we open the hatch, sir?" "no; lower all down through the ventilator," cried mark, from where he had walked. tom fillot joined him, with a grim smile on his countenance, soon after. "hear the skipper, sir?" he said. "no; what did he say?" tom fillot gave the midshipman a comical look. "i don't think you'd care to hear what he said, sir. but my word, he is in a snag. swears he'll be even with you yet, sir, and that we're a set of thieves and pirates, and not british sailors at all." "i thought you were not going to tell me what he said, tom." "i ain't, sir. that was only some of the nice innercent bits. you'll excuse me, sir, won't you?" "excuse what?" "just hinting again about the irons, or setting of 'em afloat near the shore." "i'll excuse you, tom fillot, but i shall not do it." "very good, sir; you're officer, i'm only man; but i'm afeared of 'em." "i don't believe it, tom." "well, sir, i don't mean feared in one way, but in the t'other. i mean i'm feared they'll get out, and if they do, and we surwive, they'll either put us in irons or set us ashore." "they've got to get out yet, tom. that cable's heavy enough to keep them from opening the hatch." "yes, sir; it's heavy enough, but i can't feel sure of 'em. these yankees are such clever chaps. it's wonderful what dodges and tricks they can think of. i only wish the _naughtylass_ would heave in sight, and take charge of both schooners. the blacks are enough to take care on without a gang o' savage chaps like them below." chapter thirty. a joint watch. that day passed quietly enough. the weather was hot, but tempered by a gentle gale, which wafted them on their way; and, as mark gazed at the verdant shore through a glass and then at the glistening sea, it seemed to him as if heaven was smiling upon their efforts to save the poor weak, trembling creatures, who were ready to wince and shrink away every time he marched forward to where their part of the deck was shut off by a rope stretched taut from side to side. but as soon as he put off the stern official look he wore--an unconscious copy of captain maitland's quarter-deck manner--and smiled at them, their faces lit up, and he felt as if they would go down upon their knees to him and kiss his feet, if he would permit it. already they looked better, and, like those in the second prize, basked in the sunshine, and talked together in a low, soft, pleasantly-sounding tongue. the second prize was visited twice, and in addition to taters, grote and dance were left on board, to take it in turns at the wheel and manage the little sail, hoisted now to help the steering and ease the strain on the tow-rope. so everything went well that day: the americans were quiet down below, and though the progress made was only slow, mark felt hopeful, as he swept the horizon with his glass, of seeing the _nautilus_ come round some point, or appear in the offing at any time. that night, so as to guard against their being passed by their friends in the darkness, lights were hoisted as a signal that would be pretty sure to bring them help; and this being done, tom fillot approached his superior respectfully, to speak him, as he called it, about the division of the watches. "you'll let me take the first, sir, while you'll go below and have a good sleep, sir, won't you?" he said. "certainly not," said mark, shortly. "so sure as i go to sleep, something happens." "but you can't do without sleep, sir," said the man. "i can to-night, tom. i've been resting and having little naps of a few minutes at a time all day." "well, sir, begging your pardon, it's the rummest sort o' rest i ever see. take my word for it, sir, you can't hold up." "i must somehow, tom; so no more words. look here, we'll seep watch together, and the one who feels drowsy can take a nap now and then, ready to start up at the slightest alarm." "very well, sir, if you won't sleep reg'lar, so be it." but it proved to be hard work. nature is a terrible tyrant to those who try to break her laws, and after about an hour's duty on deck, when the clustering stars had been watched, and their reflections in the sea, the wheel visited again and again, an ear given from time to time at the forecastle hatch and ventilator, where everything was silent as the grave, all of a sudden mark would find himself at home, talking to his father and mother, or on board the _nautilus_, listening to mr whitney, the doctor, or to the captain, and then start up with a jerk to find he had been asleep. "how long was i off, tom?" he would whisper, angry with himself. "'bout five minutes, sir." "not more?" "no, sir." "that's right. all quiet?" "yes, sir. have another." "nonsense! i'm better now." mark took a turn to the wheel, said a few words to the steersman, and returned to his seat, to find that in those brief minutes tom fillot had gone off too, but only to start up, fully awake, at the moment his young officer sat down. "look here, sir," he said; "mortal natur' won't bear it. i'll take a trot up and down now while you sleep." "i'm not going to sleep," said mark, shortly. "begging your pardon, sir, you are," said tom; and he took a few turns up and down, to return at last and find mark quite fast. "i knowed it," he said to himself, but he had hardly thought this when mark started up again, vexed with himself, but unable to control the desire for rest. the consequence was that during the next two hours this natural process went on, the one who sat down going off instantly to sleep, while the other kept up his sentry-like walk, and no more words were uttered respecting it. they felt that it was nature's work and accepted their position till toward midnight, when mark was resting with his back to the bulwark, and his chin upon his breast, sleeping heavily, as he had been for about a minute. tom fillot stepped up lightly to his side and touched him. "yes? what?" cried mark, starting up in alarm. "hist, sir! steady! they're a-breaking out." "what!" said mark, in an awe-stricken whisper, as his hands involuntarily sought pistol and dirk. "hark!" came in a whisper to his ear; and leaning forward and peering into the darkness, he distinctly heard at intervals a faint, dull clink, as if some one were very carefully and slowly moving pieces of iron. for the moment, half drowsed still by his desire for sleep, mark could not make out what it meant. then he grasped the meaning of the sound. "why, tom fillot," he whispered, "they're getting off the chain cable from the hatch." "that's it, sir; link by link." chapter thirty one. a novel fastening. "come on!" whispered mark; "we must stop that game. who's on the watch at the hatch?" "sam grote, sir; but, poor lad, he can't keep awake." "a lantern," said mark, laconically; and tom fillot trotted aft to the cabin, and came back in five minutes with a light half hidden in his breast. during his absence, mark had stood there listening in the darkness with a peculiar shuddering sensation to the soft clinking as link passed over link; and in imagination, while he peered through the transparent darkness, he saw a hand, which had been thrust out after the hatch had been raised a little, softly lifting and passing the cable off to the deck. tom came back so silently that mark was half startled. then together they went on tiptoe in the direction of the sound, the lantern being carefully screened, and then only just a ray of light allowed to shine out forward. it fell upon the figure of the sailor grote in a very peculiar attitude; for the poor fellow, unable to keep awake, had knelt close by the hatch, with his drawn cutlass point downward, resting on the cover, his two hands upon the hilt, and his forehead upon his hands--fast asleep. it was a dire offence against discipline, and a hot feeling of indignation swelled in mark's breast against the man. but it died out as quickly as it had come. the man had done his best to guard against the cover of the hatch being moved, feeling certain that any attempt to stir it must be communicated to his brain by the cutlass; and so no doubt it would have been later on. he was fast asleep, but for the last two nights he had hardly closed his eyes, though utterly worn out by the day's exertion, while still suffering from his injuries. greater reason still why mark could not sit in judgment upon his man; he himself had been utterly unable to keep awake. these thoughts passed as the ray of light was shifted by tom fillot's manipulation of the lantern, which shone directly after upon the clean white planks, with their black, well-caulked seams. then, very slowly and cautiously, tom fillot guided the little patch of light along the boards till it fell upon a big heap of rusty chain between them and the hatch, showing how long and patiently someone must have been at work, and also the terrible fact that before long every link would have been removed, and in all probability the crew would have been taken by surprise. for now, as tom still guided on the little patch of light, it fell upon a red hand visible as far as the wrist. this had been thrust out beside the edge of the cover after a portion had been hacked away with a knife, and the fingers, rust covered and strange looking, were working away, industriously easing down link after link on to the deck, their weight helping the worker, while the heap on the hatch was steadily, as it were, melting away. they stood watching this for a few moments, and then steadying the lantern with one hand, tom slowly raised his cutlass with the other. a slight alteration of the rays of light must have flashed in the signal _danger_! to the man at work, for the strange dull clinking of the links finished suddenly with one louder clink than the rest. the chain had been dropped as the hand darted in. grote started back into wakefulness at the sound and sprang to his feet, on guard with his cutlass, while tom fillot fully uncovered the lantern, and held it up right in the man's face, the light gleaming on the weapons they held. "yes, you're a nice 'un, you are," growled tom fillot, "look at that. where should we have been in another hour if we'd trusted to you?" the man stared at the two heaps of chain, then at tom fillot, and then at his young officer, as he uttered a low groan. "i've done it now, sir," he faltered, in his deep bass. "i did try so hard, sir; oh, so hard, but it come over me like all of a sudden, and walking up and down warn't no good. i was asleep as i walked, and at last i thought if i shut my eyes a moment--" _bang_! a sharp flash and a report made all three start back, and spread the alarm, one of the first to run up being the great black, bar in hand, his eyes flashing, his teeth gleaming, and all eager to join in any fray on behalf of those who had saved his life. "wish my cutlash had come down heavy on the hand as fired that shot," muttered tom fillot. "put out the light," said mark sharply. tom fillot drew his jacket over the lantern, and they all stood round ready for the next order. "haul back the chain," said mark, in a low voice. "fillot, stand by, ready to cut at the first hand which thrusts out a pistol." then going close to the ventilator, he shouted down, "below there you heard my orders. we shall show no mercy now." a shout of defiance came up, followed by another shot, as the chain began to clink and chink while being hauled back and piled round and round from the edge toward the centre. "stop!" cried mark, as a thought struck him. then in a whisper, "i'll have an anchor laid on instead of the cable, and then i'll have that run back into the tier. no: better still. get up the biggest water cask we have." "ay, ay, sir," cried tom; and, with all the alacrity of man-o'-war's men, he and his fellows went off with the lantern, and before long had a cask on deck and rolled it up to the hatchway. "but what for i dunno," muttered tom, "unless it's for a sentry box." he soon learned. "buckets," said mark, laconically; and as soon as these were obtained, though in full expectation of shots being fired through the wooden cover at them, he gave his orders and the chain was rapidly hauled to the deck. but no shot was fired from below, the americans evidently expecting that they would be attacked, and reserving their fire for the moment when the chain was all off, and the hatch thrown open. but as the last link fell off upon the deck two men who were standing ready lifted and banged the empty cask down heavily upon the hatch, a couple of buckets of water were splashed in directly, and then as rapidly as they could be drawn from over the side, others followed and were poured in. those below were so puzzled that for a time they remained utterly without movement. then as the water poured in there was a low whispering, and soon after a heaving up of the hatch a little way, but a man held on to the top of the cask on either side, and their weight proved to be too much for those who tried to heave up the hatch. ten minutes after, the addition of many buckets of water turned the cask into a ponderous object beyond their strength. "right to the brim," said mark; and the cask was filled. "there," cried tom; "it would puzzle them to move that." the men below evidently thought so too, for they made no further effort, and subsided into a sulky kind of silence, while the chain was run back into the cable tier, and the watch resumed without fresh alarm till morning. chapter thirty two. "hatching mischief." a long, busy day similar to the last, as they slowly crept along by the coast. the weather glorious, the blacks docile to a degree, and the americans perfectly silent in their prison. provisions and bottles of water were lowered down to them by means of a line through the ventilator; but the prisoners made no sign. "my!" said tom, with a laugh, as he fastened a string round the neck of a well-corked bottle to lower it down, "won't the yankee skipper be mad when he puts that to his lips. being a bottle, he'll think it's rum. some folks can't think as a bottle would hold anything else." but no sound came even then, and mark began to feel anxious. "we haven't suffocated them, have we?" he said in a low voice. "they are so very quiet." "not we, sir. they aren't the chaps to lie down and die without making a pretty good flurry over it fust. no sir; they're a-settin'." "sitting, tom," said mark, wonderingly. "no, sir; setting. hatching mischief. they'll give us another of their chickens after dark, and you and i must have a sleep apiece, so as to be ready for 'em to-night." "yes. we must," said mark; and after leaving the deck in charge of stepney and grote, of the latter especially, as mark felt sure that he could be trusted now, he and tom fillot lay down under an awning they had rigged up, and in less than a moment they were both sleeping heavily. it was nearly sundown when mark awoke with a start from an uneasy dream, in which he fancied that he had been neglecting his duty. tom fillot was standing over him, and the lad's first words were,-- "what's the matter?" tom fillot hastened to reply. "nothing, sir, i've been all round. prisoners safe, rations been issued, blacks all quiet, shore three miles off, and nice wind from the sou'-west." "ah!" sighed mark, with a feeling of relief stealing over him. "i thought something was wrong, and that i had slept too much. how is mr russell?" "just as he was, sir; lying as quiet as a babby." mark crossed to where a bucket of water stood on the deck, signed to one of the men to empty it and draw another, and into this he plunged his face, bathing it for a few minutes to get rid of the remains of his drowsiness, while tom fillot fetched him a towel from the cabin. "you haven't had half enough snooze, sir, but i thought i had better rouse you up," he said. "sleep? we mustn't think of any more for a couple of nights, fillot. now what is the next thing to be done?" "nothing, sir, but wait." "nothing?" "i dunno of anything, sir. sails all right, and unless you set us to scrape the chain cable, i can't think of a job." "job? there is only one, and that is to get these two schooners safe alongside of the _nautilus_. we must not lose them now." "course not, sir. we won't." "how are the men?" "well, sir, you've been asleep about five hours, so they aren't had time to change much, but they've mended as much as they could in that little time." "of course. it was a stupid question, tom. but about the prisoners?" "oh, they're quiet enough, sir. that cask o' water settled 'em." "but are they not too quiet, tom? i mean there is no danger of their suffering from the hatch being closed?" "now look here, mr vandean, sir; 'scuse me, but you're too easy and soft over 'em. i don't say they're comfortable, for i wouldn't like to sleep down there without having the hatch opened, but the air they've got's quite good enough for such as them." "but you said they were very quiet, and it is startling." "as i told you afore, sir, they won't die without hollering; so make your mind easy, and go below, and have something to eat. i've had some coffee made, and it's all ready. sort o' breakfast upside down. go and eat and drink well, and then you'll feel ready for anything, sir." "yes. i'll go forward, though, first." mark smiled and felt brightened directly as a low murmured chorus of sound arose from the blacks, the men showing their teeth and the women smiling at him. he stopped by the forecastle hatch, and listened, but there was not a sound to be heard, and feeling startled, in spite of tom fillot's words, he cautiously approached the ventilator, and listened there. the silence was ominous, and a chill of horror came over him as he turned his eyes upon his companion, while his active brain pictured before him the bottom of the forecastle, with a party of suffocated men lying one over the other, just as they had fallen in their last struggle for air. tom smiled encouragement, but an angry frown made the lad's brow look rugged, and he was about to give orders for the hatch to be removed, when there was a yawn, and a smothered voice said,-- "guess it's hot enough down here." mark gave vent to a sigh of relief as he turned away, went aft, and below into the cabin to bend over mr russell, who, still perfectly insensible, was sleeping, as tom fillot said, "as quiet as a babby." mark sighed, and the sight of his brother officer took away his appetite; but feeling the necessity of eating and drinking to keep up his strength, he sat down and began, and after the first few mouthfuls felt better, and made a hearty meal. there's something wonderfully cheering in a good meal, and though only a boy, still the midshipman felt like a new man as he went on deck, ready for anything now, and determined to make a brave fight against any odds of enemy or weather to get his prizes under the wing of the _nautilus_, or into port. everything on deck looked cheery and encouraging. the men were in excellent spirits, and ready to salute him. their hurts were better, and though the bruises visible did not improve their personal appearance, they looked in working or fighting trim, and ready for anything if he gave the word. mark's heart swelled with elation, and he was ready to give the big black, whose absurd name of soup had already ceased to sound nonsensical, a friendly nod, to which the great fellow responded with a regular man-o'-war's man's bow and scrape. "how's the wound, soup?" cried mark, touching the bandage. "all righ'!" was the reply, with a laugh, for nearly everything was all right with the freed slave now. "and how are the people?" "all righ'!" he cried again, as mark waved his hand towards the negroes. then, as the young officer moved forward, the black drew the cutlass he wore, shouldered arms, and began to march behind his leader, as if ready to use the blade when ordered. the men laughed, and soup looked round sharply and wonderingly. "no, no," cried mark, "i don't want you yet. go back to the others." he pointed, and the man obeyed on the instant, while mark used his glass to have a good long look-out for help, but only closed it again with a shake of the head; for there was the far-stretching sea and the long line of coast without sign of human habitation. nothing more, save that the sun was sinking, with its lower edge close to the horizon, while the sea and sky were glorified by the wonderful colours that spread far and wide. mark walked right aft now, and hailed dance on board the other schooner to find that there were cheery answers, and all appeared to be right there, the blacks crowding into the bows to shout and wave their hands to him whom they looked upon as their preserver. "i'm glad, after all, that bob isn't here," thought mark; "he'd be as jealous as could be, and say i was as cocky as a lieutenant who had just received his promotion. am i? one can't help feeling a bit proud, but it was as much tom fillot and the boys as it was i, and they got all the hard knocks." "any orders about the watch, sir, or making or taking in sail?" said tom fillot, meeting him as he turned, and touching his hat respectfully. "n-no," said mark, giving a quick look round aloft and slow. "everything seems to be right." "did what i thought was best, sir." "you say the men below have had their rations?" "yes, sir; and i lowered 'em down some meat as well, but they never said thankye, sir." "i suppose not," muttered mark. "but now about the watch over the prisoners." "can't do better than let soup and one of the blacks do that, sir. they've had a good long snooze in the sun. and if they watch, and you or me give an eye to 'em now and then, we can't do better." "no, i suppose not, tom. that will do, and we'll be on deck all night. i don't see that we can do anything more to make the hatch safe." "no, sir, nothing. that cask's a puzzle for 'em. we've got 'em safe now." "yes, tom, and they're having a taste of what it means to coop up fellow-creatures below hatches like cattle." then came the tropic darkness, as if a heavy veil were drawn slowly over the sky. lanterns were lit, the blacks went below without being told, and the business of the schooner already began to work as orderly as if it had been turned into a man-o'-war. the men examined their arms, mark and tom fillot looked to their pistols, and the darkness was met with every precaution for the safety of the ships and crew. then came a long interval of solemn silence, with the light on the schooner they were towing rising and falling slowly on the long heaving swell, and both vessels gliding gently along toward the north. the night was once more grand, with the great soft stars illuminating sea and sky; but, in his anxiety, mark could not study their beauty, nor that of the myriads of phosphorescent creatures softly emitting flash and spark, fathoms below in the clear water. these were not the stars or sparks that had any interest for the midshipman now. he watched with interest the lantern in the bows of the schooner they were towing astern, and then from time to time walked forward in the solemn silence, only broken by a sigh from the hold uttered by some black sleeper, dreaming, perhaps, of the village far-away in his own land; then laying the glass on the bulwark, mark carefully swept the horizon--astronomer like--in search of the star that would send hope and delight into his breast--the lamp shown by the _nautilus_ coming down to their aid. all this was done again and again, but there was no sign of that help, and he felt angry with captain maitland and the lieutenant for forgetting them, or leaving them to their fate. "but of course they could not know what a pickle we are in," he said to himself the next moment, as he resumed his patient watch, going to and fro, noting that steersman and blacks were all intent upon their duty, while tom fillot was forward keeping a bright look-out. and so hours passed, and then an intense feeling of drowsiness came for him to combat. it made mark angry with nature, for it seemed to be so absurd that after taking a good mid-day rest he could not go through a night without feeling so wretchedly sleepy. but after a good sluice in a fresh bucket of water he felt better, and getting a biscuit, began to nibble that and walked forward again. then back to the cabin, and grew melancholy to see his brother officer lying there so utterly helpless, just when he wanted his aid so badly. once more in the bows he stood using his glass in vain, and then telling himself that it was not to be expected, he turned to tom fillot. "i suppose we shall not sight the _nautilus_," he said. "no, sir, i don't expect it. two or three days more like this, though, and we shall be in port without her help." "i hope we shall," said mark, rather despondently; and, tucking his glass under his arm, he went aft again toward where he could see the faint glow from the binnacle light shining up in the steersman's face. he spoke to the man at the wheel. "quite an easy job," he said. "ay, ay, sir: easy enough. wish it was a little rougher, for everything's so quiet that it's sleepy work." "for all of us, my lad," said mark, quickly, and he walked forward again, half amused at his own importance, and thinking of how only the other day he was at school, and captain of the second cricket eleven, instead of commodore of two schooners. as he reached the forecastle hatch he stopped short, for a heavier breathing than usual caught his ear, and, peering forward, it was to see that soup and the naked black who shared his watch were both fast asleep. flushing up with anger, the midshipman took his heavy glass from under his arm to tap both blacks on the head: but second thoughts stayed his hand, and he glanced forward to see tom fillot's figure dimly as he leaned over the bulwark staring away ahead. "they ought to be punished," he thought; "but, poor fellows, they're tired out. i will not be hard on them." stepping to the back of the cask, he reached over to scoop up some of the water with his right hand to splash over them, and wake them up unseen, and then he felt quite a shock, for his hand did not touch water. he thought the cask was filled right up. then he was sure of it. yes, filled quite full. softly reaching over a little more, he tried again, but still could not reach. "it's more than half empty," he said to himself; and, listening intently, he could hear a trickling sound, and then a faint splash somewhere below. the lad's heart began to throb heavily, and stepping away from the hatch, he walked on tiptoe to where tom fillot stood close to the bowsprit, and laid his hand upon the man's shoulder. tom fillot started round fiercely. "oh! you, sir," he said in a tone of relief. "i thought--" "hist! fetch up the other fellows quietly-armed." "what's up, sir?" "the yanks have bored a hole through into the bottom of the cask, and the water's nearly out." tom ran aft, barefooted, and without a sound, while mark stepped back to the hatch, and reached over to feel for the water once more. as he did so, and was straining over, with the edge of the cask against his armpit, he distinctly felt it heave up, as if men were busy raising it from below. chapter thirty three. methodical madness. those were thrilling moments in the darkness, as one side of the cask was heaved up and let down again, probably to try its weight, for it was by no means empty, and the water within washed to and fro, and then made whispering noises as it subsided, but the trickling sound went on. then came, faintly heard, a whispering, as of orders what to do; and mark drew his dirk in an agony of desperation, wondering the while why he did not rouse up the blacks to help him. the moments seemed to be drawn out into minutes, the minutes to hours, before he heard the soft patting of the men's bare feet over the deck. then they were about him, each seizing the side of the cask to hold it down, and the blacks sprang up, ready to strike at those around. "yah!" growled tom fillot, fiercely; "it's court-martial for you." at that moment there was a strong heave up of the hatch, but the attempt was vain; and knowing that all had been discovered, a low growl arose, and then, as if enraged beyond bearing at their failure, one of the men below fired a shot upwards, one which passed through the bottom of the cask, but did no harm to its holders, the only effect produced being the trickling out of the water through a second hole. "shall we have it off now, sir, and nail down the hatch?" "no," said mark; "two of you open the cable tier, and hand out the chain." "again, sir?" whispered tom. "yes, man, quick!" fillot and stepney seized the chain and brought the end forward. "ready, sir," cried the former, as the links rattled and clinked over the deck; and they stood waiting for the cask to be removed for the chain to be laid down in its place. "now then, in with it!" cried mark. "in with it, sir?" "yes; into the cask." "oh!" cried tom fillot, with an exultant cry, and the next moment the chain was being rattled into the empty cask at a rapid rate, and in very short time, a quarter of a ton was occupying the place of the water. "i think that'll puzzle 'em now, sir," cried tom; and mark vandean breathed freely once again. but there were the blacks to punish, and the men fell back while mark turned angrily upon the two culprits, who stood trembling before him with the light from a lantern one of the men had fetched thrown full upon their faces. only a short time before the big black had been an utter savage, but now in this very brief space, though unable fully to comprehend the words and ways of the english officers, he had grown to realise what discipline and authority meant; and as he stood there before mark, who looked frowning and stern, he literally shivered, his eyes dropped, and he stooped before the midshipman, as if expecting a blow. for he knew that he had betrayed his trust, and that some punishment was about to be inflicted upon him for his lapse from duty. the men looked on eagerly, and thoughts of flogging, putting in irons, even of hanging, flashed across their minds, as they gazed in their young officer's face. mark did not speak for a few moments, and then drawing a long breath, and forgetting his youthfulness, everything in the fact that he was in supreme authority as a british officer there, he spoke out firmly. "it is of no use to waste words with you, my man," he said. "i was ready to trust you and treat you as a british sailor, but you have broken faith. you cannot understand my words, but your own heart tells you that you have done wrong. there--i cannot punish you for being neglectful and ignorant, but in future you will be only one of the blacks." he turned his back upon the great fellow, who shivered at the lad's words, and then, with a cry of despair, ran after his officer, flung himself down on the deck at his feet, and held up the cutlass he had drawn when he went on duty and had held ever since. he held it up by the blade, and made signs for mark to take it and use it upon him. "there is no need to punish you," said mark, quietly; "you feel your position quite bitterly enough. there, get up, man, and go to your duty. i ought to have known better than to trust you. get up." as the black still grovelled at his feet, mark stooped down and caught hold of his collar, giving it a drag, and the man rose to his knees. "no," said mark, making signs; "sheathe your cutlass. i am not a west-coast tyrant, ready to take off your head. get them away, bannock, i want to think of what is to be done next." the sailor stepped forward, and clapped the big black on the shoulder. "come along, my hearty. you've got off wonderfully easy. no cat for you to-day. it's all right." "all righ'?" cried the black, eagerly. "yes." "no all righ'," he continued, mournfully, as he shook his head and rose to follow the sailor; but he turned directly and ran to mark's side, sank on one knee, and kissed his hand. then he rose, and hurried off with his fellow sleeper. "you're a rum 'un, soup," growled the sailor. "who'd have thought it of a savage? why, it was reg'lar polite and genteel. i couldn't ha' done that. who'd ha' expected it of a chap who dresses in an orstridge feather and a wisp o' grass when he's at home?" the black gazed at him inquiringly, striving hard to make out his meaning, the poor fellow's face growing more puckered every moment. "dessay you were a prince when you was over yonder; now you're a foremast man. well, ups and downs in life we see, soup old chap. mebbe i shall be a prince some day. ah, well, you're not a bad sort, and i'm glad you haven't got flogged." meanwhile mark was talking to tom fillot about the culprits. "then you think i ought to have punished them, tom?" said mark. "well, sir," said tom, rubbing one ear, "i do and don't, sir. what's to be done with chaps like that, as don't know no better?" "exactly," cried mark. "they fought for us as well as they could." "they have, sir, and it ain't as if they'd had a twelvemonth of the first luff to drill 'em into shape. but, bless your 'art, sir, if they had they mightn't have been able to fight agin sleep. able seamen can't always do it, so what's to be expected of a regular black just picked out of a slaver's hold?" "that will do, then," said mark. "you have helped me so that i didn't like you to think i went against your advice." "don't you be afeared of that, sir," cried tom. "i give you my bit of advice for you as a gentleman and a scholard, to see if it's worth taking. well, sir, what about the prisoners now?" "i think they must be safe this time, tom," said mark, walking back to the cask, and giving a pull at it, to find it as solid as so much iron. "well, sir, that's what i think; but don't you trust 'em. they mean to get out and take the schooner again." "and we mean that they shan't, tom," said mark, merrily; "and as we have the strongest position, we must win." "that's it, sir; so if you'll give me the watch there by the fo'c'sle hatch, i'll promise you i won't go to sleep." "take the watch, then," said mark; and then suddenly, "why, what does that mean?" for just then the prisoners began in chorus to whistle an american air, accompanying it with a rhythmic clapping of hands. then the sound ended as quickly as it had begun, and there was a hearty burst of laughter. "merry, eh?" said tom fillot. "well, there's no harm in that." they listened in the darkness, and one man with a musical voice began a plantation ditty, his companions breaking in with a roaring chorus at the end of every verse, clapping their hands and stamping their feet, ending by one of the party starting up and breaking into a kind of jig or hornpipe, evidently keeping it up till he was tired, when, with a shout, another man took his place and danced with all his might. the listeners had to trust to their ears for all this, but it was perfectly plain, and it seemed to mark that in despair of escaping the americans had determined to make the best of their position. this went on for some time with great spirit and a tremendous amount of noise, sufficient to make the slaves in the hold uneasy, and a good deal of murmuring and talking went on. the sounds ceased, and there was a hail from the forecastle. "hey, there, yew, on the watch!" "hullo! what is it?" cried tom fillot. "ask yewr young skipper to pitch us down a little 'bacco, will you, mister? my lads here is out, and they want to make their miserable lives happy." "i oughtn't to let them have any," thought mark; "but it may keep them quiet. i hope they will not set the ship on fire." so a roll of tobacco was thrown down to them through the ventilator, pipes were evidently lit, for the strong fumes came up, and the singing and dancing went on again more uproariously than ever, till mark began to feel annoyed. "the brutes!" he said to himself; "they've been asleep all day and can sit up all night. ah, well, they're prisoners, so i will not be too hard upon them." just then tom fillot left his post for a moment. "they must have got some grog below, sir, or they wouldn't keep on dancing like that. nuff to tire anyone." "oh, let them enjoy themselves," said mark; "it's better than hatching plans to attack us." it was now within about an hour of daybreak, and mark kept on looking longingly away over the mist eastward, in hopes of seeing the stars begin to grow pale. but all was deep, dark night at present, and he paced the deck, going from place to place, listening to the uproar made by the americans, which was as loud as ever. "yes," said mark at last. "they must have got some spirits down below, tom, or they would never keep up noise like that." just as he was speaking one of the prisoners finished off a dance with a tremendous stamp, stamp, stamp, and the others began to applaud and cheer vociferously. then all was silent, and mark exclaimed,-- "at last!" "perhaps they'll go to sleep now, sir, and i hope they won't wake again for a week." "why, what's the matter now?" cried mark. "i'm not going to have the blacks begin. here, pass the word for soup--pish! i mean for the big black." "ay, ay, sir;" and soup came up quickly, all excitement at the noise going on in the hold. "why, they're quarrelling and getting up a fight," cried mark, as the noise increased; and there was evidently a struggle, while blows were being struck and savage cries arose. "go down and stop it," cried mark. "stupid idiots! why can't they be still?" soup ran to the hold hatch and lowered himself rapidly down, just as the noise below culminated in shrieks and yells, while the fighting was rapidly growing desperate. "we must go down and stop it," said mark. "shall i pipe all hands on deck, sir?" cried tom. "no, no; we can quiet them. get a light. they'll settle down as soon as they see me." tom fillot fetched a lantern, and two men who had heard the fierce yelling came up to see just as mark reached the ladder, and was about to descend, when, to his astonishment, soup came rushing up, and fell heavily upon the deck. "why, soup, my lad, have they attacked you?" cried mark, taking the lantern to hold over the prostrate black. "hi! look-out, sir!" roared tom fillot, blowing a whistle with all his might, as he drew his cutlass, and made a cut at a dark shadow which leaped on deck; and before mark could grasp what it all meant, other shadowy figures rushed up from below, made a desperate charge, and a moment later he, tom fillot, and dick bannock, with stepney, were driven down into the cabin, while the body of the big black was hurled upon them, and the hatchway doors banged to. for a few moments mark could neither get his breath nor speak. then wriggling himself out from beneath poor soup, he cried angrily,-- "the treacherous brutes! this is setting blacks free, so that they may turn against us. why, they've half killed him." "and us, too, sir," groaned tom fillot. "i always thought they'd be too many for us." "what do you mean?" cried mark. "why, sir, all that caterwauling and stamping was to hide what they were about." "who were about?" cried mark. "them yankees, sir. they've done us this time. i thought they would." chapter thirty four. in desperation. "in the name of common sense, tom fillot, what are you talking about?" cried mark, angrily. "the yanks, sir." "but what have they to do with it? oh, my arm! it's nearly dragged out of the socket. here, speak out. what do you mean?" "only this, sir: they were too cunning for us. they cheated us with that row they made." "look here," cried mark, pettishly, for he was in great pain, "i'm in no humour for listening to your rigmaroles. help me to get this hatch undone, and then we must make a rush at them and drive them below. nice state of affairs to beat the americans, and all the time leave the way open for those wretched blacks to take us in the rear." "you don't see the rights of it, sir," said tom fillot, dismally. "yes, i do. the blacks thought they had a good chance of getting their own way, and they took it." "ah, you think it was the niggers, then?" "why, of course. bah! how stupid of me. they made that noise below in the forecastle--the yankees, i mean." "yes, sir, you've got the right pig by the ear now," said tom fillot. "they kicked up that row to cover the noise they made breaking through the bulk-heading, so as to get into the hold where the blacks are." "yes," cried mark, excitedly, "and the slaves fought and tried to keep them back. of course; and we thought it was those poor fellows. well, it was a cunning trick. a ship makes a bad prison for one's enemies." "yes, sir; they've been one too many for us this time," said tom fillot. "the yankees are sharp, and no mistake." "do you mean to say, mate," growled dick bannock, "that the yanks got out through the hold where the niggers was?" "yes; that's it." "oh, very well; that's it, then. stow all that talking, mate, and let's have a go at 'em again. strikes me we'd better drive 'em overboard this time." "ay, but then they'd come up through the keel or in at the hawse-holes," growled tom fillot. "silence!" said mark, sharply. "who else is down here?" "there's me," said stepney. "fillot, stepney, bannock, and the black, isn't it?" "ay, ay, sir. you're here, soup?" "ay, ay, sir," came in the negro's familiar voice. "anybody wounded?" asked mark, anxiously. "too dark to see, sir," growled stepney. "i feel as if i'd got only one leg." "ah! your leg not broken?" "no, sir, i don't think so. i'm a-feeling for it. it's all right, sir; it's here, only got it doubled under me when i fell. aren't we going to make someone's head ache, sir, for this?" "we're going to make a dash for them directly," said mark, in a voice full of suppressed excitement. "ah! the light at last. now we shall be able to see what we are going to do. hush! what's that?" for there was a loud rattling of chain forward, and mark looked inquiringly at the face of tom fillot, which was gradually growing plainer in the coming light. "they're a-hauling the chain cable out o' the cask, sir, and running it back into the tier. hadn't we better make a try, sir, now they're busy?" "yes. now then, fillot--bannock, open that hatch, and then follow me." "better let me go first, sir," growled tom. "i'm harder than you, and had better take the first hits." "don't talk," cried mark, snappishly. "now then, can you get it open?" "no, sir," grumbled tom, after a good deal of trying, thrusting and dragging at it. "tight as a hoyster." as he spoke, he and bannock heaved and thrust at the door, and a heavy blow was struck upon it outside. "keep below there, dew yew hear?" came in an unmistakable voice. "you might as well mind your own business," growled tom fillot. "d'yer hear? keep below." the door cracked again with tom fillot's efforts, and the next moment there was a sharp report, and a bullet crashed through. "guess yew'd best keep from ahind that theer hatchway, strangers, for i'm out o' practyse, and i'm going to make a target o' that theer door." "stand down, tom," said mark. "oh, i ain't feared, sir, if you like to say keep on," cried tom fillot. "i know that, my lad; but i'm not going to run foolish risks." the man came down, and the little party stood gazing at each other in the low ceiled cabin, as the first rays of the rising sun flooded the place, and they could see the schooner astern, with joe dance, and taters the black, looking over the bows eagerly, as if wondering what had taken place. mark turned to where mr russell lay, in the same calm state of stupor, and the sun lit up his face. "don't look like dying, sir," said tom fillot. "strikes me, sir, as he's getting all the best of it." mark turned upon him angrily, and tom fillot gave him a deprecating look. "beg pardon, sir. it's my tongue, not me. it will talk." "i suppose the others are imprisoned in the forecastle," said mark, ignoring his remark. "dessay, sir. that's why they were getting the chain out of the cask." "i hope they are not much hurt." "oh, i don't suppose they are, sir. we naughtylasses are all about as hard a lot as the captain could pick out." "ay, ay," said dick bannock, "they're knocked about, same as we." just then there reached them a savage yell; the report of a pistol, and then another; and it was evident from the sounds that a fierce conflict was going on, exciting the men so that they made another desperate effort to get out; but the cabin entrance was too strong, and mark ran to the window. "can we reach the deck from here?" he cried in his excitement, feeling as he did that the cause of the sounds was that the blacks were making an effort on their behalf against their old enslavers, and that at any cost they must get on deck and help. dragging open the cabin light, mark began to climb out, but had just time to avoid a blow from a heavy bar, struck at him by someone looking over the poop, and evidently on guard there to keep them from reaching the deck in that direction. "let me try, sir," said tom. "i can dodge him, perhaps, and get up." "let's try together," said mark; and looking up again, he could see that there was only one man, a sour, sinister-looking fellow, who seemed to take intense delight in his task. "wall," he shouted to them, "come on. sharks is getting hungry, i dessay." his words sent a chill through mark, and he hesitated as he thought of the consequences of receiving a blow, losing his hold, and falling under the schooner's stern, where, in all probability, one or two of the savage fish were waiting for the unfortunate slaves who died and were thrown out of such vessels from time to time. this idea did not strike tom fillot, who got well out and was about to climb up, when a blow came with a _whish_ within an inch of his head. "miss is as good as a mile," he said, coolly. "here you, sir; it's rank mutiny to resist the queen's men. put down that capstan bar and surrender." "come up and take it away from me, mister," said the american, with a laugh. "wall, why don't you come on?" "i'm a-coming," said tom fillot, "only that bar's a bit in my way. better lay it down, mate, for i get a bit nasty if i'm hurt, and if you let me run my head again it, i might be in a passion, and chuck you overboard." "oh, i shouldn't mind," said the american, laughing. "come on." tom made a feint of climbing up, but there was another fierce blow at him, and all the while quite a battle was raging somewhere on deck, the sounds of blows and firing, with yells, oaths, and shrieks of agony reaching their ears in a confused murmur. "come on, tom," cried mark, who was completely carried away by the excitement, and half maddened by the knowledge that if they could make a diversion, the schooner and its cargo might yet be saved. "right, sir," cried tom. "forward, then!" mark reached up, caught at the ornamental work of the stern, and in another moment would have drawn himself on deck, but the man struck a savage blow at him, and, as mark threw himself sidewise to avoid the bar, one hand gave way, and in his efforts to save himself, the other followed, his feet seemed to be dragged from the ledge of the window upon which he stood, and he fell headlong. but he was checked, and the next moment found himself hanging head downwards, with his face pretty close to the murky water, in which he fancied he could see the broad shovel nose of a shark. he fell no farther, for, quick as light, tom had made a dash at him as he slipped, and managed to grasp one leg, which glided through his great, strong hand till he gripped it fast by the ankle. "hold on tight to me," cried tom, excitedly; and two men grasped him firmly as he hung over the window-ledge, supporting mark suspended there, face downward, and just above the level of the sea. chapter thirty five. history repeating itself. "how do you like that?" cried the man, leaning over the poop. "i'll tell you bime by," said tom fillot beneath his breath. then aloud, "all right, my lad. i've got you, you know that." mark did know it as he hung there with his teeth set fast, for tom fillot's fingers pressed into his flesh, and seemed to be crushing it against the bones of his ankle. "hi, some on you, get more grip o' me," shouted tom. "get well hold, dick. you, too, bob. now, then, haul away, and have us both in together." this was as he hung out of the window from the waist, holding mark vandean; and exerting their great strength, the two sailors--for tom was helpless--drew him right back and inward till bannock could seize mark's other leg. as they drew him in the man overhead made a savage blow at the boy with the bar he held, but it fell short. "all right, sir, we'll pay all that back," said tom, as mark stood on the cabin floor once more, looking rather white, and listening to the smothered cries and yells still coming from the deck, while the big black's face was a study to see in his wild excitement. he had hardly noted mark's adventure, being all the time close up by the cabin door, listening to the brave fight made by his compatriots; and now, as a fresh pistol-shot was heard, he came from the door. "all righ'!" he cried. "no, no. come. fight." there was an ominous silence on deck succeeding his words, then a murmur of voices and the banging down of a hatch. next came a loud splash, and mark dashed to the cabin window to look-out for that which he felt sure he would see. and there it was--the body of a man floating slowly by, and then on backward in the schooner's wake, the body of one of the blacks, with wild upturned eyes set in death, and, as it seemed to mark, a look of horror and appeal in the stern, staring face, gazing heavenward, as if asking why such things should be. a low, deep sigh made the young officer start and look round from the dead figure which fascinated him, to see the big black, whose face was working, and he looked hard now at the young officer, and pointed back at the cabin door, as if asking to be led on deck to avenge his fellow-countryman who had passed before them, another victim to the hated slaving--a black bar across a grand nation's fair fame. "yes," said mark, slowly, as he looked at the negro, and met his appealing eyes, and spoke as if the man could comprehend every word, "we will punish them for this. the wretches deserve no mercy at our hands." the great black could hardly grasp a word, but he smiled, as if a great satisfaction had filled his breast. for the tones in which the boy officer spoke and his manner were sufficient to make him stand back against the bulkhead with his arms folded, as if waiting for his superior's orders, and patiently watching as mark called what may be dubbed a council of war. the difficulty was to propose a plan of action, but tom fillot said cheerily: "don't know that there's much difficulty about it, sir. them yankees have shown us the way. all we've got to do is to follow their lead. why not?" "'cause they'll take jolly good care we don't, messmate," said dick bannock, wagging his head. "we've guv 'em a lesson in taking care of prisoners, and take my word on it, tom fillot, they've larnt it by heart." "hark!" cried tom fillot; "they're a-lowering down the boat." for the chirruping of the little wheels of the falls sounded familiarly on their ears. "it's to go to the other schooner," cried mark, excitedly. "they'll take dance and grote prisoners too. do you think you could reach the tow-rope, tom?" the sailor looked out from the little window and upward. "no, sir," he said, despondently. "too high up, and that chap's waiting to give me one on the head." "yes; that will not do," cried mark, as the splash of the schooner's boat in the water was heard, and the voice of the skipper shouting some directions. mark stood hesitating for a few moments, and then, acting upon a sudden thought, he placed his hands to his mouth, reached out of the cabin window, and shouted with all his might: "schooner ahoy! coxswain!" "ay, ay, sir," cried dance from the bows of the towed vessel, just as the boat with five men in glided into sight close to her right. "danger! prisoners!" "hi! yew stop that!" cried a voice from the boat, and a man stood up and pointed a pistol at the midshipman. "ay, ay, sir," cried dance. "keep the schooner off, and follow at a distance," roared mark. _bang_! there was a puff of smoke, the dull thud of a bullet striking the side of the cabin window, and, directly following, the sharp report. "loose the schooner," yelled mark, between his hands. "go in, yew," roared the man in the boat, presenting his pistol again; but at that moment tom fillot took aim with an empty bottle he had kicked from out of a locker, and hurled it over mark's head with all his might. so true was tom's aim, and so swiftly was the bottle sent, that the american had not time to avoid it, and received a heavy blow in the chest, sufficient to disorder his aim as he fired again. "ay, ay, sir," cried dance, who seemed quite clear again in his head. "quick, then," cried mark, excitedly. "cut the tow-rope and stand off." "yah!" came in a roar from the boat, as the man suddenly sat down, "give way--pull, boys--pull like steam!" the men began to send the boat through the water, making it foam, and they had but a cable's length to go, but the moments were lengthened out by excitement, and it seemed to mark as if joe dance would never get the cable cut in time. for while the oars splashed and the men pulled, the coxswain tried to get out his knife, and as mark and the others watched him, he was evidently nervous, and fumbled. then he tried to open it with his teeth, but the spring was strong, and he had to alter his tactics and begin to open it with his forefinger and thumb nail, and still it seemed as if he could not get it open; and all the time the boat was rapidly setting nearer. in another few seconds it would be alongside, and the americans would be on board, five against two, unless taters made a brave defence. there were a couple of dozen blacks on deck, but they were only staring stupidly at the approaching boat, and joe dance was still fumbling with his knife, while grote had disappeared. "oh, if i was only there!" cried tom fillot. "they might have saved that schooner," groaned mark. "oh, tom, tom, is there nothing we can do?" "no, sir; only look on. hah! at last." "yes, he's sawing at the cable with his knife." "and it's blunt as hoop iron," groaned tom. "they're alongside. it's all over. was there ever such luck?" "cut, you beggar, cut!" yelled tom fillot. "too late--too late!" said mark bitterly, as he saw dance still hacking at the cable, and the boat pulled alongside, while the bow man threw in his oar, and seized a boathook as he rose in his place. in another minute the americans would have been on deck, and the schooner taken; but, just as mark vandean's heart sank heavy as lead, grote suddenly appeared with an axe in his hand, while his words of warning came clearly to where they stood looking on. "stand aside!" then--_chop_! one dull, heavy blow, and the hawser, cut closely through where it passed over the bows, dropped with a splash into the water and disappeared. the little party at the cabin window sent out a cheer and then a groan, for the bow man had hooked on, and the americans began to climb up, their leader having his hands on the bulwarks, and sprang aboard, when something black, which proved to be taters' fist, struck him in the face, and he fell back. another's head appeared above the side, and there was another blow and a splash. almost simultaneously grote struck at another man with a capstan bar, and to avoid the blow, the man ducked his head, lost his hold, and, less fortunate than mark had been, was hurled with a tremendous splash into the water, in company with the second man, while another got his head up in time to receive a crack which sent him also backward into the sea. the man holding on loosed his hold to save his companions, who were swimming; and as the nautiluses at the cabin window breathlessly watched and saw them picked up, they became as much interested in the fate of one of the party as if he had been a friend. "get an oar over," cried mark. "scull your boat to that man; he's going down." "the muddle-head!" cried tom fillot. "can't he scull?" no doubt they were hard upon the man, who was doing his best. he had helped two men into the boat--no easy task when they are half-stunned, and by consequence comparatively helpless--and he had been doing his best to get to the others, who had paddled feebly and then thrown up their hands to grasp wildly at vacancy, so that the case began to look hopeless indeed. for, failing in his efforts to scull the boat along with one oar, and evidently getting confused in his excitement, the uninjured man now sat down on a thwart and got two oars over the side to begin to row to where a drowning man lay, fully a dozen yards from him. "gone!" cried tom fillot, excitedly, as the boat was pulled to the place where the man had made a last feeble struggle and then sunk. mark drew a deep breath, and uttered a faint groan, as the sailor stood up in the boat, hitcher in hand, looking wildly about. a volley of cries now came from the poop, just over where the prisoners were watching. words of advice, orders, abuse, were hurled at the man's head, and mark, as he watched, thought of his efforts in the cutter to save the blacks' lives, and it seemed to him like a natural form of retaliation coming upon the slavers' heads, as history almost repeated itself, with a difference. he was, he felt, spectator of a tragedy, and a cold sensation of horror almost paralysed him, but passed away instantly as he saw the man standing in the boat suddenly make a dash with the hook and draw something toward him. there was a cheer from the cabin window, as the boat careened over, and the nearly drowned man was dragged in. "say, messmates," said tom fillot, rubbing one ear, "that can't be right." "what, tom?" cried mark, excitedly. "why, sir, our cheering at an enemy being saved. we ought to be glad to see him drown, oughtn't we?" "it was the man, not the enemy, tom," said mark. "course, sir. i see now; i couldn't make out why we cheered." and now the little party noted for the first time that the vessel they were in had been gliding steadily on, trailing the divided tow-rope, and being lightened of her burden, was now far-away from the boat, while the second schooner, having one sail set, had also glided away. then a second sail was hoisted a little, and the helm being seized, her course was altered so as to send her to the west. "hurrah!" cried mark, forgetting the officer in the elation of the boy. "joe dance will not let the yankees overhaul him now. look, he's getting the blacks to help haul up the mainsail. then that prize is all right," he added, with a sigh of satisfaction. "hope so, sir," said tom. "i should feel better satisfied, though, if we were aboard too. my, how we could stick to the ribs of this boat here, and lay her aboard some day, and take her again. ah, here comes the boat." in effect the boat was slowly pulled alongside, and amidst a great deal of shouting and noise, the prisoners could hear the men helped on board, and the boat hoisted into its place. chapter thirty six. after a rest. "i wish i knew what was best to do," said mark vandean. it was not long before he had to come to the conclusion that unless accident favoured them there was very little chance of escaping from the cabin, and he sat at the window at last, fretting with impatience, trying to master his disappointment, and comparing his fate with that of bob howlett, who was doubtless quietly going on with his duties, and amusing himself in his leisure teaching the chimpanzee to chew tobacco. "i wish i knew what was best to do," mark said to himself again. "see that, sir?" mark looked round sharply. "see what?" "they've altered her course, sir, and are going after the other schooner." it was plain enough, now that his attention was drawn to the fact. the coast which had been on the starboard side was now on the port, and there, about a mile away was the other schooner just gliding round, and with her sails filling for the other tack. "joe dance sees what they're up to, sir, but he'll never get away. too short-handed." "but he and grote mean to try for it. look, tom." "ay, well done, my lads," cried tom fillot, slapping his leg and then wincing. "oh, how sore i am! he has the niggers hauling. pull away, my lads, up with her. go on, altogether--another pull. that's her. now then, sheet her home. my wig, look at her now, sir. she can sail." "yes, like a yacht," cried mark, as the great mainsail, which had been only half hoisted in a slovenly way, now spread its broad canvas to the light breeze, and the graceful vessel sped rapidly through the calm sea, and passed out of their sight. "why, tom, this boat will have to sail well to catch her." "they won't catch her, sir, by fair means. if they do, it will be by seamanship, and having plenty of hands to manoeuvre." "well, tom, it seems as if we can do nothing?" said mark. "no, sir, 'cept sit on the deck and growl, and that won't do no good, will it? wish we could see how joe dance is getting on." "i've thought every way i can," continued mark, "but i can find no means of escape." "might perhaps get on deck when it's dark, sir. dessay i could manage to get up enough to make a jump on to the chap on the watch, and hold him till you were all alongside." "a desperate venture, tom." "yes, sir, and we're all desperate now, i can tell you." no more was said then, and after making a hearty meal from the provisions in the cabin, the men sat about and went off fast asleep, worn out as they were with watching and exertion. but mark could not sleep. there was the great sense of responsibility to keep him awake, and the question always troubling him: had he done the best as an officer who had succeeded to so important a charge? he went to where mr russell lay in his berth, and bent over him for a few minutes, but only to go away again with his feeling of misery increased, and seat himself once more at the cabin window in the hope of catching a glimpse of the other schooner when a tack was made; but fate did not favour him. all he could make out was that the vessel must be sailing south and south-west, and the one they were in keeping on in full pursuit. "i don't wonder," he thought. "it means a splendid profit for them to take her and her living freight." it was terribly hot down in that cabin, and an intense longing came over the lad to get on deck in the fresh air. then he looked longingly down into the clear sparkling water through which they were rushing, and thought of how delightful it would be to plunge down and swim. "right into the jaws of some shark," he muttered, bitterly, and then, "oh, bob howlett, i wish you were here to take your share of the worry." the heat and anxiety seemed too much for him, and despair made everything now look black; he could see no ray of light. but nature is very kind, and she came to the sufferer's help, for as he looked round sourly at those in the cabin, mr russell in his stupor-like slumber, and the rest breathing heavily in perfect repose, he muttered: "not one of them seems to care a bit. even tom fillot and that black asleep, and at a time like this!" it is a bad thing to set up as a judge without a plentiful stock of profundity. mark scowled angrily at the sleepers, and turned away in disgust to gaze out of the cabin window at the flashing sea and try in vain to catch sight of some sail, that might bring help. the next minute he, too, was sleeping heavily, for nature was building them all up again ready for the struggles yet to come. a heavy bang as of a closing door made mark vandean start up and strike his head against a piece of wood--a blow which for the moment increased his confusion. where was he? what had happened? no answer came, but there was a question from out of the darkness. "say, messmates, hear that?" "tom fillot." "ay, ay, sir." "where are we?" "dunno, sir. here, i think." "but where is here, stupid?" "that's a true word, sir. i am stupid--who's this?" "dick bannock, ab, it is," said the familiar voice of that seaman. "know where we are, mate?" "no. awake, i think." "well, we know that," cried mark, pettishly. "yes, i remember now. i must have gone to sleep." "that's about as near as we shall get to it, sir," said tom fillot. "this here's the cabin, and there ought to be a locker here, with matches in it, and a lamp. wait a moment." there was a rustling as mark listened, and the rush of the water came up from below, and he could feel that the schooner was gently careening over as she glided on through the calm sea. "hooroar!" said tom; and the next moment there was the scratch of a match, and the little cabin was illumined, showing tom fillot learning over a lamp, which directly after burned up, and showed that the cabin door must have been opened while they slept, for a tub of water and a bucketful of biscuits had been thrust in. "look at that," cried dick bannock. "now, if we'd been awake, some of us might have got out and took the schooner again." "not much chance o' that, messmate," said tom fillot. "they're too cunning not to have taken care. don't mean to starve us, seemingly." "put out the light," said mark, after a glance round, to see that mr russell was unchanged, and the next moment the cabin was in darkness. "have your arms ready," he whispered, "and keep silence. perhaps--" he did not finish speaking, for a faint shadow lay across the cabin skylight, and he was aware of the fact that some one must have been watching, probably listening as well. the shadow passed away; and mounting on the cabin table by the midshipman's orders, one of the men tried hard to find some way of opening the light, but short of breaking it open with sturdy blows of a sledge-hammer, there was no possibility of escape that way. after a time mark whispered with tom fillot as to the renewal of an ascent through the cabin window and over the poop. "proof o' the puddin's in the eatin', sir," said the sailor. "only way is to try." "yes, by-and-by," said mark, "when all is quiet. some of them are sure to go to sleep." for there was a good deal of talking going on upon deck, and they could smell tobacco, and once there came down the rattle of a bottle neck against a glass. so the prisoners waited patiently in the darkness, mark discussing from time to time the possibility of the second schooner having been captured, but they had no means of knowing. one thing was, however, certain--they were sailing very gently, evidently not in pursuit, and, judging by the stars, they were going south, and thus farther away from aid. making a guess at its being about midnight, and when all was wonderfully still, mark whispered his plans to the men. they were simple enough. he told them that he should climb up over the poop, and do so without exciting the attention of the hand at the helm, for it was possible, though doubtful, that the man set as sentry over them would be asleep. he had no reason to expect this, but it was probable, and he was going to try it. "best let me go first, sir," said tom fillot. "you might be knocked over at once, and dropped into the sea." "if i am, you must haul me out again," said the lad, coolly. "there's a coil of signal or fishing line there, strong enough to hold me--there, in that locker. i shall make it fast round my waist, and if i get up in safety, i shall secure it to a belaying-pin, so that it will be handy for you who follow. mind, as silently as cats. get it out, and make it fast. two of you can hold the end." there was a slight rustling sound as tom obeyed; the line was declared to be quite new, and kept there in store; and at last, amidst the deep breathing of the excited men, mark prepared to climb out, while his followers in this forlorn hope were eager and waiting for their turn. the recollection of the last attempt would trouble the lad, try as he would to be calm and firm. "i can do it in less than a minute," he said to himself; "but i wish that my heart would not beat quite so hard." but it would beat all the same, and at a tremendous rate, as he, in imagination, saw the sentry ready to strike him down. "ready, sir?" whispered tom. "yes. got the line?" "right, sir; and we'll just keep touch of you, and pay it out. moment you've made it fast." "if i do," whispered mark. "you will, sir," said the man, confidently. "give four jigs, and up we come. got your dirk?" "yes." "draw it, sir; hold it in your teeth, to leave your hands free, and if any one comes at you use it. that thing can't kill." mark drew a deep breath, thrust himself half out of the window, turned, and gazed up. all was perfectly silent--not a suggestion of an enemy above; and getting right out, the boy seized the carved ornamentation of the stern above the window, raised one foot, to find a resting-place on a kind of broad beading or streak, and began to climb. chapter thirty seven. on deck again. nothing of a climb up over the stern of that schooner, a trifle compared to the same task on the _nautilus_; but it was hard work to mark vandean, who had to move by inches, getting well hold and drawing himself up till he was about to reach his hand over the top, when he felt one foot gliding from its support, and thought that he was gone. but a spasmodic clutch saved him, and after clinging there motionless and in a terribly constrained attitude for a time, he drew a long breath once more, reached up suddenly, got a secure hold, and then hung for a few moments before seeking about with his foot for a fresh resting-place. to his great delight, he found one directly; and, slight as it was, it was sufficient to enable him to raise his head very slowly till his eyes were level with the edge, and he could peer over the stern rail. that which he saw paralysed him, and he remained perfectly motionless, gazing at the black silhouette of the man at the helm seen against the dull, soft light shed by the binnacle lamp. this man was motionless, leaning on the wheel with his back to the spectator, but the light shone softly upon the forehead of another, seated on a coil of rope not six feet from mark, and a little to his left. this man, whom he recognised at once as the fellow who had struck at him, was intent upon the task of shredding some tobacco up finely, and tucking it into the bowl of a pipe, dimly-seen below where the light from the lamp struck; and as mark watched him, not daring to move for fear of being heard, the slaver finished his task. "open that lantern," he said shortly to the other; and, rising, he took a step forward, mark taking advantage of the noise he made to lower his head and listen. the next moment the man altered his mind, as he stuck his pipe between his teeth, and turning and stepping aft, he came to the stern and looked over on the port side, mark being more to starboard. thump--thump--thump went the lad's heart in those perilous moments, as he clung there close to the stern, preparing to drop the moment the man made a step to knock him off into the sea, and consoling himself with the knowledge that the line was tight round his waist, and that his friends had the other end ready to haul him into safety. they certainly were agonising moments, and yet the man did not stir, only seemed to gaze out over the sea, then downward; and at last he turned away from mark and walked back to his companion. "why didn't you open the lantern?" he said, sourly. "hands full," came to mark's ears, as, unable to restrain his curiosity, the lad raised his head slightly and peered over again to see the lamp opened and the glare of light fall on the thin, sharp features of the smoker, as he drew the flame into the bowl of his pipe till the tobacco was glowing. then the lantern was closed again with a snap, and the light was softened to a faint glow, shining on the binnacle and the black, shadowy figures before it. "keep a sharp look-out," said the man at the helm in a harsh growl; "don't want them fellows to come up and break my head while i'm not looking." "not likely to. they'd better. make out anything of the little schooner?" "not since i saw her light. she's ten mile away by now." "she'll be a cable's length astern to-morrow," said the man, significantly. "will she?" thought mark, but he felt directly after that he had made a slip, for he could see no way of carrying out the plans they had hatched below, and a miserable feeling of despondency came over him. for he knew that if he stirred and made the slightest noise, he must be heard by the man posted to guard against attack. to get on deck was next to impossible, and even if he did he would not be able to make the line fast unless--mark shuddered and set aside the horrible thought, which was in full--unless he used his dirk. in open fight it would have been terrible enough, but then it would have been in self-defence, and for the sake of the poor enslaved creatures they were trying to save; but to wait there for an opportunity to strike would be like playing the assassin, and he felt that he would rather jump back into the sea and risk the sharks. it was hard work hanging there. his arms and wrists ached, his legs felt cramped, and a peculiar tingling numbness began to assail him, as more and more he was forced to the conclusion that there was only one way out of the difficulty, and that was to descend--if he could, for he knew that this would be as difficult a task again. there was a slight rustling, and raising his head once more very slowly, he looked over to dimly make out the figure of the man who was on guard leaning over the same part of the stern as before, and smoking, a faint glow arising from his pipe at every puff. "it's all over," thought mark. "i shall have to drop into the water and let them haul me in. i can't get down. if i move, he'll come and break my head or smash my fingers." in this spirit he turned his head a little to try and look downward, but it was too dark to see anything, and if it had been otherwise, he could at the most have seen his shoulder, in the cramped attitude he occupied. he had some idea of signalling by tugging at the cord, but he found that he could not get at it without loosening one hand, which was not to be thought of; besides, if he had tugged, in all probability tom fillot would have believed that it was the signal that the cord was made fast, tighten it, and drag him off. so at last he said to himself, "now for it," and prepared to drop. but he hesitated. who would not under the circumstances? it was not many feet down, but the water was black, and there was the thought of the sharks. he tried to make up his mind for the bold plunge, but still he could not. the perspiration stood out on his forehead, his hands grew wet, and his breath came short; but at last, when feeling that his task must be done, for if he did not drop, tom fillot would begin to climb up, only to be struck back, he drew a long breath, and pressing his feet hard against the stern, instead of descending he began to draw himself up. striving gently he glided on to the rail, and from there, as softly as a serpent, lowered himself to the deck, crept along for a few feet and then began to unfasten the line about his chest, and secured it to the stout iron upon which the block ran from side to side, and held down the heavy boom of the fore and aft mainsail. for all at once, when he was at his worst pitch of agony and despair at his failure, a familiar voice from somewhere forward cried sharply: "jeffs." "hello," said the man close by him, softly. "forward!" the man went away, and mark felt that his time had come. he might be able to make the rope fast after all, without being heard by the man at the wheel. he could hardly believe in his good fortune, for just as the fellow jeffs went forward, the helmsman began to hum over some sea-song, pretty loudly, to amuse himself; while he held his hand below his eyes and gazed over it forward, to see what was going on, and why his companion had been summoned. he was still occupied in this way when mark gave the line the signal tugs, and crept sidewise into the shelter of the bulwark, where all was perfectly black. there he crouched dirk in hand, listening to the beating of his heart, and the peculiar dull sound made by the line as it tightened, and this was supplemented by a crack or two as it gave over the wood across which it was strained. the man at the wheel was so intent upon his song, and that which was going on forward, that he did not notice the sounds which were terribly loud to the midshipman's ear, till tom fillot had climbed up, was about to throw his legs over, but slipped. the noise he made in his slip was slight in the extreme, but unfortunately he uttered a sharp ejaculation as he saved himself from going down. the helmsman looked round, uttered a shout of warning, and picked up a heavy cudgel lying by him on the deck. tom fillot leaped forward, then back, and shouted: "up with you, lads!" and then made a rush at the helmsman, avoided a blow aimed at him, and retaliated with a thrust which sent the man staggering back against the next corner, checking him for the moment, and giving dick bannock time to get over on to the poop. but before the others could mount, the schooner's crew came with so fierce a rush that, being in the forefront boldly heading his little party of two, mark was driven back to the rail, and tossed over, but made a desperate clutch to save himself, and caught at the line he had secured. it was a terrible scrape for his hands, but he held on, came with a heavy bang against the stern, and feeling as if his arms had been jerked from his shoulders, he hung there for a moment, and was then helped into the cabin by the black and stepney, who had been stopped from climbing up by the strength of the defence. then after a sturdy struggle there were a couple of heavy splashes in the dark water below, while from overhead came a jeering series of cheers. fortunately, when the man left the wheel, the way of the schooner was to some extent stopped, or tom fillot and bannock would have been hopelessly left behind, the slavers not having the slightest intention of lowering a boat to pick up their enemies; but under the circumstances, as the vessel rolled in the hollow with her sails flapping and the great booms swaying to and fro, the men rose and swam close under the stern, dick bannock getting hold of a ring-bolt, and holding on in the darkness, while tom fillot swam with all his strength to keep up. "can't lend you a hand, mate," growled dick, "or i would. take a grip of me with your teeth--oh!" dick uttered a yell, so firmly had tom fillot followed out his instructions, and there the pair hung as the wheel was seized once more, and the schooner began to glide rapidly through the water. "how long can you hold on?" cried mark, whose hands were busy the while. no answer came, but by this time he had reached up as high as he could, and cut the line, at which the men on deck were jerking and tugging. there was enough for his purpose, and rapidly making a loop, he threw it down. "get an arm through that, tom, and we'll haul you up," cried mark. "got it!" there was a peculiar sound from tom fillot, and then a cheery "all right, sir," as the line tightened. for his first utterance had been when his teeth were set fast in dick bannock's trousers and leg, the second when he had quitted his hold. with four in the cabin to haul, and tom fillot's activity to help, it was not long before he was up and in at the window, getting the noose of the line off his arm. "hold on, dick," cried mark, leaning out as far as he could. "can't, sir," came like a groan. "there's so little to hold on by." "here, quick! the line!" cried mark, dragging it to him in loops, and, leaning out, he dropped it right on to the man, who made a desperate snatch at it, and twisted it round his wrist as the swift current seemed to snatch him from his hold. the lad's heart felt as if it had stopped in those brief moments when he gazed down at the dimly-seen figure in the agitated water. "right!" came the next moment; and then the word, "haul." in another minute dick lay panting on the cabin floor, breathless and trembling, so that for a time he could not speak. "better now?" said mark, sympathetically. "yes, sir," said the man, faintly. "i'm a-coming round, sir, but that there was very near." "near?" "yes, sir; i thought i was gone." "but you warn't, mate," said tom fillot; "and you and me's got to pollergise for making the cabin floor so wet." "never mind the cabin floor," said mark. "you dunno how juicy i am, sir, or you wouldn't talk like that," said tom. "are either of you much hurt?" said mark. "can't tell yet, sir; haven't had time to think. pretty tidy, though, i should say." "let's have a light and see." "oh, never mind about that, sir. we shan't hurt, dick and me. it was all wrastling, and no knives or pistols. we shall do. sorry we didn't get up quicker." "it was a failure, tom, but only the first time. they tried till they took the schooner; we're going to try the same." "that's the way to take it, sir. won't try again to-night, i suppose?" "of course not, nor yet that way, tom. we'll wait for morning now." chapter thirty eight. tom makes a suggestion. morning was a long time coming to the prisoners, but at last the bright light of day shed hope into all their hearts, and, forgetful of the sufferings of the night, mark's eyes were strained as far as the cabin window would admit in search of their prize. it was nowhere in sight. dance's head had evidently proved sufficiently clear to enable him to sail the craft well enough to keep out of the would-be captor's reach, unless she were somewhere in sight forward and the american captain was in pursuit. whenever any tack was made, eyes were strained to try and catch a glimpse of her, but all in vain, and the prisoners sat about avoiding each other's eyes, for, in spite of all determination to be patient and try and think out some plan, a hopeless state of despondency would creep over them. their captors, following their own example, flung them some biscuit through the cabin skylight, and lowered a bucket of fresh water, the american skipper shouting down in a fierce snarl that if they made any further attempt to escape he would have them shot like mad dogs. "if you can," cried mark, defiantly, and then he shrank and gave an uneasy glance round at his men to see what effect the american's words had upon them. for with a contemptuous laugh the yankee uttered the one word "cockerel," and slammed down and fastened the light. "never you mind, sir," whispered tom fillot at the first opportunity; "cockerels is young game cocks, and we know as you're game to the backbone. you'll give him one p'r'aps 'fore he knows where he is." it was weary work in that breathlessly hot cabin, but no one murmured, and mark sat gazing out of the window and wondering why their captors did not set them adrift in a boat, the simple explanation being that they would have done so had they not dreaded being followed and caught when becalmed, and then surprised. for it was evident that, for reasons of his own, the american skipper shrank from leaving the coast, with its many creeks and rivers, where he could hide or run from pursuit. it soon became evident that either the other prize had been taken and sent off, or dance had managed to effect his escape, for there was no further sign of her. tom fillot felt bitterly aggrieved. "he must ha' been a bit flighty still, sir, or he wouldn't ha' done it. he's gone off with that there craft. i would ha' stood by my messmates if it had been me." night came, with the position unaltered. they were still coasting along south, and they had full testimony of the fact that their captors did not mean to give them the slightest chance to escape. the skylight was tried and the door. there was a discussion as to the possibility of getting through the bulkhead forward, and one or two attempts were made, but each time, at the first crack made by the wood, there was the report of a pistol, and the shattering of the bulkhead above their heads, plain proof that they were strictly watched by one who had had orders to fire at the first attempt. "p'raps we'd best take it coolly, sir," said tom fillot, the second time, "or else put it off till after dark." mark nodded, and sat listening to some cries which made their black companion begin to pant and glare at the cabin-hatch; and mark himself felt as if he could have enjoyed lashing with wires the backs of the scoundrels who treated their black fellows worse than they would have treated dogs. then night came once more, with the resolve to make another attempt to get on deck; but to their disgust and misery, they found that a lanthorn was placed upon the skylight, where it would cast down its rays and show what they were about, and once more when a movement was made to make an attack upon the door, there came the splintering of glass, a bullet struck down into the floor, and a sharp report told them how well their captors were upon the _qui vive_. "look here," shouted tom fillot, "i know who you are, mr skipper. you'll be hitting some one if you don't mind, and it may be murder." there was no response, and the little party subsided into a state of despair. excepting mark. he was as determined as ever to escape, and felt that there must be a way if he could only hit upon it. his last idea was to raise some of the cabin floor boards and get down below, where they might reach a hatchway; but there was no chance of doing this while a man was watching them, armed with a pistol. nothing could be done but wait. mark sat back against the bulkhead, with his hand playing with the hilt of his midshipman's dirk, which he had managed to retain all through his various struggles, from the habit of thrusting it into its sheath the moment opportunity served; and as he sat he glared up at the skylight feeling as if he would give anything to have a fair chance on deck, his men against the american skipper's, and the victory to the bravest and most strong. he was ready, boy as he was, to lead them on, being wound up to a pitch of utter recklessness. almost, for he had sense enough and teaching enough to know that it would be an act of cruel madness to his men to force them to squeeze themselves, one by one, up through that light, ready to be knocked back helpless into the cabin. he glanced at mr russell, where he lay in his stupor, and recalled some words that officer had once said to him respecting the management of his followers:--"always use them as if their lives were of greater value than your own, vandean," he said. "never risk them recklessly." "and that would be recklessly," mark said, half aloud. "you speak to me, sir?" said tom fillot. "eh? no, tom; i was only thinking." "of how to get out of this place, sir, and dropping on to them beggars up above?" mark shook his head. "don't say that, sir. do think o' some way. it's 'orrid, and i feel 'shamed o' myself. i'd sooner have a fight for it, and be down in hospital six months arter, than be beaten like this here." "so would i, tom; but what can be done?" "why, here's five on us, sir, and you to lead us, all ready to make a rush for it. we're a bit knocked about, but full of fight. it's only for you to say the word." "i'm ready to say the word, man, but how can i?" cried mark, eagerly. "can we get out on deck through that light?" "well, i'm feared as only 'bout a couple on us would, sir." "right, even if we could manage that; and the survivors would be thrown back, worse off than we are now." "that's a true word, sir." "well, you know what happened trying the cabin window?" "yes, sir, i just do," said tom, dolefully. "i thought fillot ab's kit was for sale aboard the _naughtylass_." "then the door--the hatch; what about that?" "ah," said tom, thoughtfully, "what about that?" "why, it's wedged and barricaded up, and exit that way is impossible." "hah! exit that way's impossible," said tom, after a deep breath. "exit that way's impossible." "we could not batter it open, but if we did, the whole gang would be waiting for us, ready to beat us back as we crept through, one at a time. our only chance is to take them by surprise." "only charnsh is to take 'em by surprise," said tom, thoughtfully--"surprise--surprise. look ye here, sir," he suddenly cried, eagerly, "why not take 'em then by surprise?" "how?" "powder, sir, out o' that there locker." "what! and blow them up?" "o' course, sir," whispered tom, "sky high." chapter thirty nine. desperate measures. "powder? an explosion?" "yes, sir; blow the whole thing out just when they didn't expect it." "the powder?" cried mark, excitedly. "yes, of course. why, tom, i _never_ thought of that. we will in the morning, when they are not so strictly on the watch." he looked excitedly at tom fillot for a few moments, and then his countenance changed. "no," he said; "it is impossible." "not it, sir. lay the powder snug again the door, make a train, fire it, get out of the way. then _bang_ it goes; smash tumbles the door and hatch and all the rest of it, and then out we rushes, knocks 'em over one at a time, and the schooner's ours." "man, man, can't you see that if we did that we should blow ourselves up as well?" "no, we wouldn't sir, because we'd lie down." "well, what difference would that make?" "all on it, sir. powder flies up, and it wouldn't hurt us." "think not?" "sure on it, sir." "tom, i'm not sure; but dare we risk--" "o' course, sir." mark sat thinking for a few moments. "we might try it with a little." "it must be a big dose or none at all, sir." "yes, and we must risk it," said mark. "now, then, it must be done quietly, for depend upon it that scoundrel is watching us." "then i tell you what," said tom, "as now it's dark he can see us, and we can't see him, i say, sir, let's all have a nap, and directly after the sun's up get ready." "that's good advice, tom. we can sleep in peace with the way of escape open to us--that is, _if_ we can." "t'others can, sir," said tom; "they're all sound enough." mark glanced at their companions, who had been unheeded during their earnest conversation, and could see that his lieutenant's words were correct. "let's lie down, then;" and, setting the example, his mind was so utterly weary, and yet so much at peace, that he was soundly asleep in less than five minutes, tom fillot in two. meanwhile on deck, after a bit of a consultation, the american skipper had determined to get rid of his dangerous prisoners; and to this end he had had the worst boat slightly provisioned with biscuit and water, and she hung at the davits, ready for the midshipman and his followers to be had up one by one, soon after daylight, and disarmed and bundled into the boat to make for the shore. "we'll get too far out for 'em to nab us again," the skipper said, as he glanced shoreward through his night-glass, where the coast lay some seven or eight miles away. in profound ignorance of all this, mark slept on till he was awakened by tom fillot, and started up, staring and wondering, till he recalled that which was before him. then he felt a chill of dread, for it would be a terrible thing to do-- that firing off a sufficient charge of powder to blow out the door and yet leave the occupants of the cabin uninjured. tom fillot had no such dread, and after trying to make out whether they were watched, he quietly thrust an arm beneath the lid of the locker and drew out a tin of powder, which he carried across, and placed with the neck opened and on its side, so that a little of the contents ran out close by the cabin entrance. this he did three more times, laying the tins neck to neck, each open, and helping to make a little hill of black grains, while his comrades looked gloomily on. then, fetching a fifth, he opened it, and laid a zigzag train completely along the cabin floor right to beneath the window, and returned carefully to empty the remainder on the little heap and about the necks of the other tins. five pounds of gunpowder! plenty to bring destruction upon all within the cabin, as well as knock out the door and hatch beyond. "there we are, sir," said tom fillot, seeking for a box of matches and coolly taking one out. "now we'll all lie down together when you think it's a good time, and keep our heads close to the floor. the blaze'll go right over us, and you understand, lads, as soon as the blow up comes, we shall all rush out, take 'em by surprise, and capter the schooner. that's right, sir, ain't it?" "yes, that's right, tom. be ready, my lads." "ay, ay, sir," said the men, coolly; and the black grasped a cutlass as well, looking prepared for anything. "it'll be sharp work, my lads, but we must win." "and we will," said tom, grimly. "think i can do better with the powder, sir?" "no; that will be excellent for the purpose," said mark. "now give me the box and lie down." "give you--the box o' matches, sir?" stammered tom fillot. "yes. i shall fire the train." tom handed over the box unwillingly. "hadn't i better, sir? you might be burnt." "well, if i am, what then? ready, my lads?" whispered mark. "all is quiet now." "ay, ay, sir, ready," said the men, as they pressed closely to the floor, holding down their heads for the most part; but tom fillot with a face full of anxiety watched. "then the moment after the explosion spring up and follow me." as mark spoke he lay down close to the end of the train right beneath the open window, took a match from the box, struck it, and, as it burst into flame, touched the powder, which began to burn along the zigzag train with a peculiar rushing hiss. chapter forty. firing a train. a sound like a sigh or the escape of some pent-up emotion came from the little group of prostrate men, all of whom, save the black, knew that the powder might after all, while driving out the cabin door and its barricading, injure, perhaps kill them, in its explosion. but no one flinched, as the schooner careened over in obedience to a turn or two of the wheel, and glided rapidly off on a fresh tack, while the flame of the heavy train ran here and there over the cabin floor, its peculiar hiss suggesting to mark the idea of a fiery reptile, and the strain of those exciting moments growing till they appeared to be minutes. away it sped in its serpent-like trail, for tom had made liberal sweeps of the powder, and the whole course was marked by an ever-increasing cloud of white smoke, which rapidly filled the cabin, till only about four of the bends remained between the fire and the heap of powder, when with a suddenness that sent a thrill through all, there was a tremendous crash, followed by a heavy, dull jar which shook the vessel from stem to stern. mark vandean sprang up, gave one glance toward the stern window as if he were going to spring out, and then flung himself between the burning train and the powder tins, rolling himself over and over in the hissing flame, and at the same time sweeping the powder, so carefully laid in zigzag curves, right and left and away toward the cabin window, where it sputtered and flashed innocuously. "quick, tom!" he panted; "sweep away. mind it don't go off." "why, it has gone off," cried tom, rising up on his knees and speaking from out of the dense white smoke, which now completely filled the cabin and rendered the men invisible to each other. he was making for the cabin door, when mark seized and clung to him. "come on, my lads," cried tom. and then, "all right, sir; you lead them." "don't--don't you see?" panted mark. "no, sir; who is to see in this blessed smoke? but you're losing time. come on." "the door isn't open." "what? it must be. come on." "i mustn't go near," cried mark. "look. these sparks." "ay, you're all afire, sir. what made you go so soon? you ought to have waited." "you don't understand," cried mark, who could hardly sneak for trembling. "that was not the explosion. i--i stopped it." "you stopped it, sir," cried tom fillot, as he kept on passing his hands over mark's garments to press out a few sparks which lingered there. "yes, of course. didn't you hear what that was?" "course i did, sir, though i was down on my face with my fingers in my ears. it went off well. come on, the door must be down." another heavy report seemed to strike the schooner again, as the smoke curled rapidly out of the cabin window, and mark pressed to it, thrust out his head, and uttered a loud cheer. "why--no--yes--hooray!" roared tom fillot, as he caught a glimpse of something half a mile away, seen through the thick white smoke. "cheer, lads, cheer! it's the _naughtylass_ just astarn." "i--i knew it," panted mark, "and stopped the train just in time. look at the floor and sweep away any sparks that are left. i--i can't now. mind the powder doesn't go off." the smoke in the cabin was less dense now, and, awakening fully to the fact that there were sparks here and there where the train had ignited a few tindery spots between the boards, tom fillot and bannock carefully trampled them out and swept away with their caps any portions of the loose powder which might communicate with the heap by the cabin door. "that's about right now, sir," said tom; "and that's about safe, but i'm blessed if i didn't think it had all gone off." _bang_! went another gun. "go it, old gal," cried tom. "i say, sir, that first shot must have hit us somewheres forrard. oughtn't we to give 'em a cheer?" "yes," cried mark; and the men pressed to the cabin window, but before they could shout there was the smashing of glass overhead, and the barrel of a pistol was thrust down. "say, there," came in the skipper's voice. "just yew all lie down. yew show yewrselves at that winder any one of yew and i'll send a bullet through the fire that signals." mark's first idea was to commence war on their side, but he waited his time, and sat down smarting and throbbing, as the black came across to him and laid a hand upon his knee, looking commiseratingly in his face. "oh, it's nothing much," said mark, hastily, though he was quivering with pain. "but it is much, sir," said tom fillot, who, at a sign from mark, had drawn back and now stood gazing at his young leader. "does it show, tom?" "want me to tell you the hull truth, sir?" "yes, of course." "hair's all singed off, sir, and you ain't got a bit a' eyebrow or eyelash left." mark groaned. "but they'll all grow again, sir," cried the sailor, eagerly, "and it might ha' been worse." "couldn't, tom. it does smart so." "but s'pose your whiskers had growed, sir. why, it would ha' took all them off too." "don't--don't talk, man," cried mark impatiently. "only try if you can see what's going on. how was it we didn't see the _nautilus_ before?" "she must ha' come round some pynte sudden-like, and took 'em on the hop, sir. we couldn't make her because we can only see just astarn. they're luffing a bit aboard the _naughtylass_ to fire. there she goes." almost as he spoke there was a white puff of smoke, a shot came skipping along the surface and then went right over the schooner, and splashed in the sea beyond. "hadn't we better hyste them colours out o' winder?" said tom. "what for?" said mark, trying to suppress the manifestations of pain which would keep showing. "they'll think we've surrendered and cease firing." "but that would be helping the schooner to escape." "why, of course, sir," cried tom, slapping his leg; "that wouldn't do no good. i was only thinking of its being onpleasant to sit here and be shot at by one's own messmates. but it don't matter; they can't hit very often." mark glanced up at the skylight, to see if they were being watched, and had ample proof of that being the case, for he could see the skipper looking down at him. directly after the man walked away, and they heard him giving some orders, which were followed by a quick trampling, and directly after, to the lad's annoyance and disgust, the cabin was partially darkened by a sail being hung down over the stern. "to keep us from seeing what is going on," grumbled dick bannock. "no," said mark; "to keep us from signalling." but though they could not see, they could hear, and they all sat listening with intense excitement as shot followed shot, and the schooner lay so much over to one side that it was evident that she was carrying a very heavy press of sail, and that the slaver captain was straining every nerve to escape. "now, then," cried mark, "be ready for a rush either at the door or up through the skylight, in case the boats board. we can then take the yankee between two fires." "ay, ay, sir," cried tom; "strikes me, begging your pardon, sir, as some of us aboard the _naughtylass_ is terrible bad shots. i want 'em to hit us--forrard, o' course; not here." "they could hit fast enough," said mark, petulantly, for he was in great pain, "only they are firing at the rigging, so as not to injure the slaves." "course. i forget that, sir; only if they don't bring down a spar, and the beggars escape again, where are we?" just at that moment there was a rattling and thumping at the cabin door, as if something was being removed; and as the prisoners listened, the skipper's voice was heard at the skylight. "below there!" he cried. "ah, it's of no use. i'm covering yew with this pistol. look here, i've got a boat alongside ready; that door's a-going to be opened, and one of yew will come out a time, and tumble into the boat. one at a time, mind; and if there's any show o' fighting, we'll shoot you down without mercy. do yew hear?" "yes, i hear," said mark bitterly. "soon as yew're all over the side, we'll cut yew adrift; and when yew're skipper picks yew up, yew may tell him that i'll throw every nigger overboard before he shall take us, and run the schooner aground and blow her up this time." "you can give your message when captain maitland has you safely in irons, sir," said mark, stoutly. "thankye," said the skipper; and at that moment, in obedience to an order previously given, the cabin door was dragged open. "what d'yer say to a rush, sir?" whispered tom fillot. he had hardly uttered the words, when there was a fresh crashing noise, a heavy report, and a splintering of wood, accompanied by a strange rustling sound. the door was clapped to again and fastened, and as there was a rush of feet, a shouting of orders, and the sound of axes being used, the schooner swung round, stopped, and the prisoners set up a cheer. "mainmast down by the board," cried tom fillot, slapping his leg. "we can aim straight, sir, arter all." mark forgot the smarting and throbbing from his burns on the instant, as he snatched out his dirk, for knowing as well as if he could see everything that the whole of the after-rigging was lying across the deck and dragging at the side, so that the schooner lay on the water like a gull with a broken wing, he felt that in a few minutes a couple of boats' crews from the _nautilus_ would be aboard; and if there was to be any resistance, now was the time to make a diversion. "make ready, my lads," he cried. "cutlasses only. quick!" just then there was a fresh crackling and breaking sound, and the skylight, through which he had meant to lead his men, was also darkened by the falling over it of a part of the great sail and the gaff; so that they were in twilight. "better try the door, sir," cried tom fillot. "we'll kick it out now, sir; there's nothing behind." "quick, then, quick!" cried mark, excitedly; and the men went at it with a cheer, while the shouting of orders on deck grew more loud and angry. "we must get out, tom," cried mark, "and make a desperate effort ourselves. if the boats get here first, they will claim to have taken the schooner, and rob us of all the honour." "we'll try, sir," cried tom. "go it, my lads! lay your backs into it. soup, heave!" but the door resisted all their efforts, and it was evident that the americans had wedged it with a couple of pieces of wood. "oh, this is maddening," cried mark. "they mustn't find us prisoners here below." "let's try the skylight, sir," cried tom fillot; and at a word from mark, he mounted the little table, and began to drag at the heavy canvas, so as to get it aside, but came down with a crash, as there was a flash and the report of a pistol. "hurt, tom?" cried mark, in agony, as he went down on one knee in the dim cabin, and caught at the sailor's arm. "hurt, sir!" grumbled the man. "just you lose your footing, and come down with your ribs on the edge of that table, and see if you wouldn't be hurt." "but i mean shot--wounded." "yah! no. he couldn't hit a hay-stack, sir. i'm all right." "let me try," said dick bannock, "while he's loading his pea-shooter." the man mounted the table, and began to drag at the canvas and tangle of rope, and blocks, but there was no attack made upon him, and he struggled on till he was obliged to give up with a sigh of despair. "can't you do it?" cried mark. "no, sir, nohow. wants someone on deck with a hax." "let's try the window again," cried mark; but a few minutes decided that. hampered by the great sail hanging down, there was no exit there without cutting a way through, while those who tried would have been quite at the mercy of the men on deck. back at the door, they hammered and beat and thrust, trying all they knew without avail, till suddenly, as a cheer was heard alongside, one of the pieces of wood which wedged them in so securely gave way a little, then a little more, and with the tramping of feet increasing overhead, the door flew open. mark bounded out, but was driven back into the cabin by bob howlett, who forced his way in with his men, his first words shouted in the dark cabin--doubly dark to those who entered from the glaring afric sunshine--silencing tom fillot and his comrades, who shrank back puzzled at first, then full of mirth and enjoyment at the midshipman's mistake. for, seeing in the blackened object whom he had helped to drive back into the cabin a foe of a calibre suited to his size, and one whom he could tackle, bob howlett shouted to his men--"cut 'em down if they resist," and then to mark. "now you slave-catching dog, surrender, or this goes through you like a spit." chapter forty one. fun! "this" was, of course, bob howlett's little midshipman's dirk, a weapon worn more for ornament than use. but the boy looked as if he meant to use it, for, according to his own way of expressing himself, his monkey was up, he was bubbling over with excitement, and ready for anything. as it happened, he was exceeding his duty, for the officer in command would never have given a mere lad charge of men to make a desperate attack upon enemies who had apparently taken refuge below. but without a moment's hesitation he bore mark back against the bulkhead, gripping him with one hand and with the other holding the point of his dirk against the lad's throat. "here, do as i do, my lads," he shouted; and then to mark: "yield, you miserable yankee hound, or i'll run you through." excitement, the emotion and relief at finding himself among friends once more, and the prize safe, robbed mark for a few moments of all power of speech or action; and then the absurdity of the position tickled him into the determination to hold his peace for a few minutes, and keep up the joke. "here," he cried, imitating the yankee captain's drawl, and speaking in a husky, disguised voice, "just mind what yew're about with that there toothpick, or yew'll be hurting somebody if yew don't cut yewrself." "silence, you dog!" cried bob, fiercely. "do you surrender?" "eh? dew yew mean give myself up as a prisoner?" "yes, of course, sir." "then why didn't yew say so, mister, and not talk in that windy-bag way?" "disarm the others, my lads," cried bob. "now you sir," he continued to mark, "give up your sword." "shan't." "what?" "i'm not going to give it up to yew. tell 'em to send an orfycer, not one of the ship's boys." "you insolent hound!" "if yew call me a hound again, squaire, i'll kinder punch your head," said mark, quietly. "what!" cried bob, trying to give his prisoner a shake, but shaking himself instead. "if you dare to say that again, sir, i'll have you clapped in irons. here, my lads, bring 'em all out, and let's have a look at the hang-dog scoundrels." "cock-a-doodle-do!" mark gave a fair imitation of the crowing of a cock, and bob was furious. "how dare you, sir!" he cried. "recollect you are prisoner to her majesty's ship _nautilus_." "commanded by bob howlett, esquire," said mark, in his natural tones, "oh, i say, bob, how you can bully and bounce!" bob's hands dropped to his side, and just then a familiar voice shouted,-- "where's mr howlett?" "here, sir," said bob, dismally. "ah, that's right. nobody there, i suppose?" the voice was quite close to the door now, and a shadow was cast down into the darkened cabin. "oh yes, sir, there's some one down here," said bob. "we haven't taken the schooner after all." "what!" "it's all right, sir," said mark, stepping out on to the deck to face mr staples. "we took the schooner." "mr vandean! bless me, my dear boy, i am glad to see you again. we thought you were gone. but in the name of all that's horrible, how did you come in this state?" "state, sir?" said mark, who had for the moment forgotten his injuries. "my dear boy, yes; why, you haven't a bit of hair on face or head, and you're black as a negro." "i'd forgotten, sir. it was the powder." "powder! an explosion?" "yes, sir; no, sir." "mr vandean," cried the lieutenant, "do you want to aggravate me?" "no, sir," cried mark; and he told him hastily what had taken place. "lucky for you that you did stop the train," cried the lieutenant; "why, my good sir, it was too desperate; not one of you would have been left alive. but where is mr russell?" "in the cabin, sir, wounded." "tut--tut--tut! signal for the surgeon, mr howlett," he cried; and bob went off, while the lieutenant looked sharply around. "where are the rest of your men?" "dance and grote are in the other schooner we took, sir." "another? well, this is a curious state of affairs. you are left in charge of a prize--" "yes, sir, and we lost her and took her again, and then captured a second prize. dance and grote have charge of her. haven't you seen her, sir?" "no--yes. of course, that is the vessel we sighted just before we attacked here to-day. but the other three men?" "don't know, sir, unless they are prisoners in the forecastle." "go and see, my lads," cried the lieutenant; and, to the delight of their messmates, the others were set free from where they had been imprisoned. "then we are all accounted for," said mark, holding his hand to his burning face, "but where are the yankees, sir?" "oh, they performed their old manoeuvre," said the lieutenant, bitterly; "as soon as we set off from the _nautilus_ to board, they took to the boat they had ready trailing alongside, and made for the shore, where i hope the niggers'll catch 'em and turn 'em into slaves. hah, here comes mr whitney! poor russell! has he been long like this?" "yes, sir; all the time since the yankees came off in their boat and surprised us." "then you--you--why, mr vandean, you don't mean to say you've been in command all the time?" "yes, sir," said mark, modestly. "fillot has been my first lieutenant." "humph! the forecastle joker, eh?" said mr staples, grimly. "no, sir, there has been no joking," said mark. "it has been too serious for that." "so i should suppose, my lad. hah, whitney, here's work for you. poor russell again. been insensible for days." "and this lad--burned?" said the doctor, sharply. "why, mr vandean! why, my dear boy, what a state you're in! get him under an awning at once. i'll dress your face soon." mark was quite ready to walk, but he was carried and laid down under the shelter of a sail, and in a few minutes mr russell was laid beside him, and the doctor went down on one knee to make a careful examination. "very bad?" mark heard the first lieutenant whisper. "bad enough," replied the doctor. "fracture, with a piece of bone resting upon the brain. we must get him on board the _nautilus_ at once." "dangerous?" "pretty well." "fatal?" "in some hands," said the doctor, importantly, "but we shall see." mark could hardly believe it true an hour later when he was lying in a comfortable cot on board the _nautilus_, with cool applications to his face and head, and a man told off to attend upon him--that man being tom fillot. the captain had been to see him, and shaken hands, thanking him for what he had done toward capturing the two schooners, the second, with dance and grote on board, being now only a few cables' lengths away. "we found you did not put in an appearance, mr vandean, so we sailed south in search of you, and a pretty dance you have led us. but you have behaved uncommonly well, my dear boy--very well, indeed." as soon as he could get a chance, bob howlett paid the patient a visit, and reported that the doctor had performed an operation upon mr russell's head, and said that he had borne it very well. "what an unlucky fellow he is," mark cried, as he lay there in perfect peace now that he was relieved of his responsibility, and could rest. "not half such an unlucky beggar as some one i know," grumbled bob. "oh, you mean me," said mark, quietly. "that i don't," cried bob. "i call you lucky." "me?" "yes; look at the fun you've had all to yourself. a regular cruise." "fun?" "yes, fun. captain of the schooner; capturing another; complimented by the skipper; praised by old hooks and staples; and of course, just when i thought i was going to distinguish myself, and charged down into that dark cabin and made sure i'd captured the skipper at the point of my sword--" "dirk," said mark. "well, dirk, if you like--of course it must turn out to be you. bah! it's disgusting." "nonsense!" "it is, i say," cried bob, angrily. "you get all the fat and gravy of life. and now you're as good as wounded, and you'll be named in the skipper's despatch, and--but oh, what a lark!" cried bob, bursting into a roar of laughter. "what a jolly old fifth of november guy you do look!" chapter forty two. convalescence. "hallo, old mole!" "i'm going to give you a thoroughly good licking, bob, as soon as i get well," said mark, a few mornings later, on being saluted as above. "i should like to see you do it." "you shall, my dear young friend. last night it was rat; night before owl; now it's mole." "well, so you are a jolly old mole. regular night bird." "didn't know a mole was a night bird." "boo! clever. he's getting well, is he? you're always sneaking about in the dark. why, if i'd been wounded i should be proud of my scars." "should you?" said mark, passing his hand over his bald head and scorched eyebrows. "well, i'm not, and i shan't care about showing myself till my hair's grown." "look here, i'll get the armourer to make you a wig out of some oakum." "bob howlett, i'm strong enough to lick you now," said mark, gripping the boy's thin arm, "so just hold your tongue. now tell me how's poor mr russell?" "coming round fast. whitney goes about rubbing his hands when he thinks no one is looking. he's as proud as a peacock with ten tails because he operated on russell's head and lifted up something, and now the poor fellow's going on jolly. i like russell." "so do i. he's a true gentleman." "and i shall make him take me next row there is on. he's sure to be wounded or something, he's such an unlucky beggar, and then i should have to be in command." mark burst out laughing. "now don't be sneering and jealous," cried bob. "think nobody else can capture slavers but you? nasty slice of luck, that's all it was. yah! i'm sick of it." "of what?" "hearing the fellows puffing and blowing you up. you'll go pop like a soap bubble one of these days." mark laughed good-humouredly. "anyone would think you had done wonders, and were going to be promoted to admiral instead of being only a middy who has to pass his examination years hence, and then going to be plucked for a muff, for i know more navigation than you do. look here, guy fawkes: when the sun is in right declination forty-four degrees south, how would you find the square root of the nadir?" "put your head a little nearer, bob; i can't hit out quite so far." "hit--hit me? why, you bald-headed, smooth-faced--no, i won't jump on you now you're down. i'll be bagdadibous, as the chap with a cold in his head said through his nose. favourite of fortune, i forgive you." "thankye." "because i shall get my whack of the prize-money same as you, old chap." "ah, how are all the slaves?" "nice and clean. they've all been white-washed." "get out." "well, i mean the holds, and they eat and drink and lie about in the sun basking like black tom-cats with their wives and kittens. i wish they wouldn't be so jolly fond of lying down on the deck like door-mats, and asking you to wipe your shoes on 'em." "they don't." "no, poor beggars, but they're so delighted that they're just like pet dogs. seem as if they couldn't make enough of you." "got any news, bob?" "no. leastwise, not much," said bob, taking out his knife and sharpening it on his boot, which was a sign that he was going to cut his initials somewhere, to the great detriment of her majesty's ship's fittings and boats. "it's rather dull down here sometimes." "then why don't you come on deck?" "i'd--i'd rather wait a bit," said mark, sadly. "perhaps it would be best. you do look such a rum 'un. i know. capital idea. i'll ask the ship's tailor to make you a turkish costume, white. your bare head would look all right then. what'll you have--a fez or a turban? say fez; your complexion would look well with the scarlet." bob joked, mark read, and trusted to his friend for reports, and meanwhile the two schooners sailed on with their prize crews in the wake of the _nautilus_. in due time port goldby was reached, and the freed slaves disembarked, all chattering and happy as so many girls and boys. there had been times when mark missed the excitement of his adventures, and agreed with bob that it was hot and tame; but his burns rapidly healed, and he received visits from the men who had shared his troubles, and after dark stole unseen to mr russell's quarters, to sit in his cabin and talk to him gently about all the past. "you'll have all the work to do next time, mr russell," mark used to say. "some day i shall be the one down, but i hope i shall be with you when you command some other expedition." "i hope you will be with me," said the lieutenant, feebly; "but not be so unlucky as i have been. but there: never mind past troubles. i'm getting stronger, thanks to mr whitney. all that time i passed insensible is to me like a long night's rest. mark, my lad, i hope we shall have many adventures together yet; but whether we do or no, though i am much older than you are, remember one thing: you and i must always be good friends, and some day, if ever i command a ship, i hope you will be my lieutenant." "ah," said mark, "that's a long way off, but i hope i may." chapter forty three. mark is wanted on deck. "here, mark, old chap, the skipper wants you on the quarter-deck," said bob howlett some weeks later. "wants me?" cried mark, clapping his hand to his head. "yes." "why, i heard the men piped up, and everybody's there." "yes, all of 'em. russell's there too, and whitney." "whitney?" "yes, i think the skipper's going to have your bare head exhibited, and the doctor's to give the men a lecture on the new growth of hair on the human skull." "get out; he doesn't want me, bob. i shall be obliged to give you that licking." "no gammon, really. you are to come at once." "is this serious?" "yes: honour." "but--oh, bob, i'm such a guy." "you are, my boy; but we'll forgive you. come on." mark hurriedly covered as much of his disfigurement as he could with his cap, and followed his messmate on deck, where, to his horror, he found officers and men all drawn up, with the shabby port and town of goldby glorified by the setting sun, and all beneath the quarter-deck awning bathed in a golden glow. one of the first objects upon which his eyes lit was the young lieutenant, looking weak and pale, as he sat there in uniform for the first time during many days. tom fillot and the rest of the prize crew were in front, and as mark shrinkingly marched up to where the captain was waiting, mr russell gave him a friendly smile, and the first lieutenant one of his frowning nods. mark felt miserable, for, as bob kindly told him afterwards, he looked just like an escaped lunatic, who had jumped out of a strait waistcoat into a middy's uniform. he felt as if the men were smiling in derision at his aspect, especially tom fillot and dance, who were grinning, while soup and taters displayed nearly every one of their magnificent white teeth. there was a singing in his ears too, and a sensation of giddiness; and when mr whitney nodded and looked hard at him, the midshipman half thought that bob howlett's words were right, and that the doctor was really going to lecture upon his bald head. then the captain spoke, amidst the most profound silence, and mark felt as if he were a culprit, and as ready to hang his head; but somehow he drew a deep breath and held himself up stiffly, and his eyes flashed defiance, as he said to himself, "let them laugh if they like. i did my duty." "glad to see you on deck again, mr vandean," said the captain, shaking hands, and speaking in his clear, penetrating tones. "i know that you have felt a little shrinking naturally, sir, but no british sailor need be ashamed of scars received in an honourable service." "thank you, sir," murmured mark, in a choking voice, and his eyes looked his gratitude. "i sent for you, mr vandean, because i felt that you ought to hear an announcement i have to make to the whole crew of her majesty's sloop _nautilus_." he paused for a moment or two, and whispered to mr staples, who was close behind him. then he nodded, and went on: "the two schooners so gallantly taken, lost, and retaken by the brave little prize crew i sent on board, have been condemned and sold. they are beautiful little well-formed vessels, and have made a splendid price.--silence!" there had been a low murmur, which was instantly checked. "then for head money on one hundred and eighty-seven poor black fellow-creatures rescued from what to them were floating hells, there will also be a handsome sum to add, and make a capital distribution of prize-money amongst the smartest crew a captain in her majesty's service could wish to command." here there was an attempt at a cheer, but the captain held up his hand. "i have a few more words to say, and they are these. we all owe our thanks to those officers and men who have turned what had so far been a barren time into one rich in action. there is not a man among us who would not gladly have done his duty as well; and no doubt--it shall not be my fault if they do not--others will have plenty of opportunities for distinguishing themselves. but i feel that we ought all to publicly thank these officers and men for the brave fight they made on our behalf. you will be glad to hear that i have strongly recommended my gallant friend mr russell for promotion, which he has won by his brave efforts and his sufferings in our great humane fight to wipe away the sinister black bar from the world's shield of civilisation. stop, my lads; you shall cheer directly. dance, fillot, and bannock stand next for promotion, and i thank them publicly for setting so brave an example with their messmates, of patient self-denial, obedience, and sterling british manly pluck in a good cause." another murmur ran along the ranks, and mark saw that tom fillot was hanging his head and colouring like a schoolboy, while dance could not stand still. almost at the same moment mark caught bob howlett's eyes, which twinkled with mischief and seemed to say, "your turn now." "one more word," said the captain, "and i have done." he paused, and in the intense, painful silence the glowing quarter-deck, with its many faces, seemed to swim round mark vandean. "there is one whom i have not named," said the captain--"mr vandean." here, unchecked, there was a tremendous cheer, in which the officers joined, and the captain smiled, while now mark's head did hang a little, and he trembled. then, as there was silence once more, the captain turned to him. "mr vandean," he said, "i thank you--we all thank you for what you have done. i name you, of course, in my despatch, but it is folly to talk to you of promotion for years to come. that is certain, however, if you go on in the course you have followed since you joined my ship. i tell you, sir, that it is such lads as you who have made the words british boy admired--i may say honoured--wherever our country's name is known. mark vandean, i am proud of you, and some day i feel that your country will be as proud--proud as we all are--proud as the father and mother at home will be when they know everything about their gallant son. god bless you, my boy! a british captain should be like a father to the lads whom he commands. heaven knows i feel so toward you." he stopped, with his hand on mark's shoulder, and the first lieutenant stepped forward, cap in hand, to wave it wildly. "now, my lads," he shouted, "for lieutenant russell and mr vandean: cheer!" they did. "one more for our captain!" the voices rang out again and again, and yet again. and made the water ripple round the ship, bob howlett afterwards declared. but five minutes after, when he was down with mark in the middies' berth, while the hero of the evening sat hot and quivering in every nerve, bob uttered a contemptuous snort. "oh!" he cried, "what a jolly shame!" mark stared. "you do get all the crumb, old chap. all that fuss over a fellow with a head of hair like yours!" then, as he saw the pained look in his messmate's countenance, the tears rose in his eyes, and he gulped out,-- "only my gammon, old chap. i'm as proud of you as any of 'em, and i only wish now that we were two great gals." "why?" cried mark, wonderingly, as he caught the hands extended to him by his friend. "because then i could hug you. but i can't: it would be so frenchy." "fists'll do," said mark, gripping bob's fingers with all his might. "yes, and we're to stick to each other always." "always." "through thick and thin." "through thick and thin." "chums to the end." "to the very end, bob." "yah!" roared the latter, angrily, as he picked up a bread tray to throw at a head he had seen through his dim eyes watching them intently, "how dare you sneak in, sir to watch what's going on? why, i thought it was one of the men. come here and stand on your head, ugly. you can't tell tales of how stupid and choky i've been." the chimpanzee came forward out of the semi-darkness, and squatted down to have its ears pulled; while, as soon as he grew more calm, and his heart beat regularly once again, mark sat down to pen a long, long letter to that best of places--his far-off home. salt water, the sea life and adventures of neil d'arcy the midshipman, by w h g kingston. ________________________________________________________________________ one interesting feature of this book is that it must have been one of the earliest to be written by kingston. it does not appear that there was another edition for sixty years, by which time the author had been dead for years. it is also a very good book of his genre, with lots of battle, murder, and sudden death. it deals with the adventures of a young boy who joins the royal navy as a midshipman in the care of his uncle. most of the action takes place in the mediterranean, even so far as the ionian sea, where he visits zante (now called zakynthos), cephalonia, and even corfu. of course practically everybody appearing in the book is slain, except the young hero, who survives all. if you want to read, or listen to, a rattling good yarn, try this one. ________________________________________________________________________ salt water, the sea life and adventures of neil d'arcy the midshipman, by w h g kingston. chapter one. neil d'arcy's life at sea. my ancestors--larry harrigan, and my early education--choice of a profession--first start in life. "the sea, the sea," if not my mother, has been my nurse (and anything but a dry one) from the earliest days of my recollection. i was born within the sound of old ocean's surges; i dabbled in salt water before i could run; and i have floated on salt water, and have been well sprinkled with it too, from that time to the present. it never occurred to me, indeed, that i could be anything but a sailor. in my innocence, i pictured a life on the ocean wave as the happiest allowed to mortals; and little did i wot of all the bumpings and thumpings, the blows and the buffetings, i was destined to endure in the course of it. yet, even had i expected them, i feel very certain they would not have changed my wishes. no, no. i was mightily mistaken with regard to the romance of the thing, i own; but had i to begin life again, with all its dangers and hardships, still i would choose the ocean for my home--the glorious navy of england for my profession. but now for my antecedents. i will not trouble the reader with many of them. i was born at the family seat in the south of ireland. my mother died while i was very young, and my father, colonel d'arcy, who had seen much service in the army and had been severely wounded, after a lingering illness, followed her to the grave. during this time i was committed to the charge of larry harrigan, the butler and family factotum; and, in truth, i desired no better companion, for well did i love the old man. he was a seaman every inch of him, from his cherished pigtail to the end of the timber toe on which he had long stumped through the world. he had been coxswain to my maternal grandfather, a captain in the navy, who was killed in action. larry had gone to sea with him as a lad, and they had seldom been separated. a few minutes before his commander, in the moment of victory, lost his life, larry had his leg shot away; and on being paid off, he repaired to where my mother's family were residing. when my father married, he offered the old seaman an asylum beneath his roof. he certainly did not eat the bread of idleness there, for no one about the place was more generally useful. there was nothing he could not do or make, and in spite of his loss of a limb, he was as active as most people possessed with the usual complement of supporters. larry had loved my mother as his own child, and for her sake he loved me more than anything else on earth. as he considered it a part of his duty to instruct me in his own accomplishments, which being chiefly of a professional character, i at a very early age became thoroughly initiated in the mysteries of knotting, bending, and splicing, and similar nautical arts. i could point a rope, work a turk's-head, or turn in an eye, as well as many an a.b. not content with this, he built me a model of a ship, with her rigging complete. he then set to work to teach me the names of every rope and spar; and when i knew them and their uses, he unrigged the ship and made me rig her again under his inspection. this i did several times, till he considered i was perfect. he next bought fresh stuff for a new suit of rigging, and made me cut it into proper lengths and turn it all in correctly before i set it up. "now you see, master neil," said he, "we've just got the lovely _psyche_ out of the hands of the shipwrights, and it's our duty to get the rigging over her mastheads, and fit her for sea as fast as the work can be done; so let's see how soon we can do the job." such were our indoor amusements, and thus i rapidly acquired an amount of knowledge which most midshipmen take a long time to get stowed away in their heads. larry also used to take me out on the waters of the bay, and taught me to row and to manage the sails of a small boat with tolerable dexterity. i learned also to swim; and had it not been for my possession of that art, i should probably long ago have been food for fishes. and here i must endeavour strongly to impress on the minds of my young readers the importance of learning to swim well; for not only may they thus be enabled to save their own lives, but they may have the happiness of preserving those of their fellow-creatures. while my poor father lived, he attended to the more intellectual branches of my education. my mother taught me to read, and for her sake i loved reading. she also instilled those religious principles into me which have been my support through life. short and fleeting as was the time she remained on earth, inestimable were the blessings she bestowed on me. whatever of the milk of human kindness flows round my heart, from her gentle bosom i drew it forth; and surely i do not err when i believe that her earnest prayers before the throne of mercy have caused watchful spirits to shield me from the perils of the stormy ocean, and from still greater dangers, the treacherous quicksands and dark rocks which have laid in my course through life. i was ten years old before it occurred to any one that a little of the discipline of a school might be beneficial to me, to prepare me somewhat better than i could be prepared at home to rough it in the rude world into which i was ere long to be plunged. to the academy, therefore, of a certain doctor studdert, near cork, i was sent, where i contrived to pick up a few crumbs of knowledge and some experience of life. i had no great dislike to school, but liked home much better; and no one sung-- "packing up and going away, all for the sake of a holiday," more joyously than did i when my first midsummer holiday came round. larry was on the watch for me as i jumped out of the carriage which had been sent over to kerry to meet me. the old seaman had expected me to come back a prodigy of learning; but was horrified to discover that i was puzzled how to make a carrick-bend, and had nearly forgotten the length of the _psyche's_ main-top bowline. "and that's what the doctor calls schooling, does he, master neil?" he exclaimed, indignantly. "now i'll make bold to say that among all the bigwigs he has under him, including himself, there isn't one on 'em knows how to gammon a bowsprit or turn in a dead-eye. now, to my mind, if they can't give you more larning than you've got since you've been away, you'd better stop at home altogether." i agreed with larry, but the higher authorities ruled otherwise; so back to school i went at the end of the holidays, having regained all the nautical knowledge i before possessed, with a little in addition. i will pass over the sad time of my brave father's death. i was left to the guardianship of my uncle, counsellor d'arcy, the great dublin barrister, and of doctor driscoll. i was removed to the house of the latter, with poor larry, who threatened to do all sorts of dreadful deeds, if he were not allowed to accompany me. my patrimony, which had become somewhat attenuated, was in the meantime put out to nurse. i was rather surprised at not being sent back to school, when one day the doctor, as he sat cross-legged before the fire after dinner, rubbing his shins, called me to him. "neil, my boy, your uncle, counsellor d'arcy, has requested me to speak to you on a very important subject. it is time, he thinks, that your studies should be directed to fit you for the profession you may select. what would you wish to be, now? have you ever thought on the matter? would you like to follow his steps, and study the law; or those of your honoured father, and enter the army; or those of your grandfather, and go to sea; or would you like to become a merchant, or a clergyman; or what do you say to the practice of medicine?" "that i would never take a drop, if i could help it, doctor; or give it to others either," i answered. "i fear that i should make a bad minister, and a worse merchant; and as for the law, i would not change places with the counsellor himself, if he were to ask me. i should have no objection to the army; but if i'm to choose my profession, i'll go to sea, by all means. i've no fancy for any but a sea life; but i'll just go and talk the matter over with larry, and hear what he thinks about it." the doctor said nothing. he considered, i conclude, that he had obeyed my uncle's wishes in proposing the matter to me, and his conscience was at rest. i forthwith ran off and broached the subject to larry; not that i doubted what his advice would be. the old seaman gave a hitch to the waistband of his trousers, as he replied, with no little animation-- "why, you see, master neil, to my mind there's only one calling which a man, who is anything of a man, would wish to follow. the others are all very well in their way: the parsons, and the soldiers, and the big-wigged lawyers, and the merchants, and the doctors, and the `'plomatics'--them who goes abroad to desave the furriners, and takes up so much room and gives themselves such airs aboard ship; but what, just let me ax, is the best on 'em when you puts him alongside a right honest, thorough-bred seaman? what's the proudest on 'em, when it comes to blow half a capful of wind? what's the boldest on 'em in a dark night, on a lee shore? not one on 'em is worth that!" and he snapped his fingers to show his contempt for landsmen of every degree. "on course, master neil, dear, you'll be a seaman. with my will, the navy is the only calling your blessed mother's son should follow. your grandfather died in it, and your great-grandfather before him; and i hope to see you in command of one of his majesty's ships before i die-- that i do. but i was forgetting that you were growing so big, and that you would be going off to sea so soon," continued the old man, in an altered tone. "you'll remember, for his sake, all the lessons larry gave you, master neil? and you'll think of your old friend sometimes in a night watch, won't you, now?" i assured him that i would often think of him, and try not to forget any of his lessons. i then went back to the doctor, to inform him that larry agreed with me that the navy was the only profession likely to suit me. my future calling being thus speedily settled, doctor driscoll, who was aware that knowledge would not come by intuition, sent me to an old master in the navy, who fortunately resided in the neighbourhood, to be instructed in the rudiments of navigation. as i was as wide awake as most youngsters of my age, i very soon gained a fair insight into its mysteries; and by the time the spring came round, i was pronounced fit for duty. a brother of my mother's, who commanded a large revenue cutter on the south coast of england, having been applied to for advice by the doctor, answered by the following short note:-- "dear sir,--i'll make a seaman of neil, with all my heart, if you will send him across to portsmouth. let him inquire for me at the `star and garter.' should i be away on a cruise, i will leave word with the landlady what is to be done with him. my craft is the _serpent_. "i remain, faithfully yours,-- "terence o'flaherty." "what! send the child all the way over to portsmouth by himself!" exclaimed good mrs driscoll, the doctor's wife, on hearing the contents of this epistle. "why, he might be spirited off to the plantations or the black hole of calcutta, and we never hear any more about him. what could mr o'flaherty be thinking about?" "that his nephew is about to be an officer in his majesty's service, and that the sooner he learns to take care of himself, the better," replied the doctor. "let him begin, then, by slow degrees, as birds are taught to fly," urged the kind dame. "he has never been out of the nest yet, except to school, when he was put in charge of the coachman, like a parcel." "he will find his way safe enough," muttered the doctor. "won't you, neil?" to speak the truth, i would gladly have undertaken to find my way to timbuctoo, or the antipodes, by myself; but i had just formed a plan which i was afraid might be frustrated, had i agreed with the doctor. i therefore answered, "i'll go and ask larry;" and without waiting for any further observations, off i ran, to put it in train. it was, that larry should accompany me to portsmouth; and i had also a notion that he might be able to go to sea with me. he was delighted with my plan, and backing mrs driscoll's objections to my being sent alone, it was finally arranged that he should take charge of me till he had handed me over to my uncle. such parts of my outfit as could be manufactured at home, mrs driscoll got ready for me, and larry was empowered to procure the rest for me at portsmouth. i confess that i did not shed a tear or cast a look of regret at my birthplace; but with a heart as light as a skylark taking his morning flight, i mounted alongside larry on the top of the coach bound for dublin. while in that city we saw my uncle, the counsellor. i do not remember profiting much by the visit. he, however, shook me kindly by the hand, and wishing me every success, charged larry to take care of me. "arrah!" muttered the old man as we walked away, "his honour, sure, would be after telling a hen to take care of her chickens now." in london we put up at an inn at the west end, near exeter 'change; and while dinner was getting ready, we went to see the wild beasts which dwelt there in those days. i thought london a very smoky, dismal city, and that is all i can remember about it. larry was rigged for the journey in a suit of black; and though he would have been known, however dressed, by every one for a seaman, he was always taken for an officer of the old school, and was treated accordingly with becoming respect. indeed, there was an expression of mild firmness and of unassuming self-confidence in his countenance, added to his silvery locks and his handsome though weather-beaten features, which commanded it. we spent only one night in london; and by five o'clock in the afternoon of the day we left it we were rattling down the high street of portsmouth, on the top of the fast coach, while the guard played "see the conquering hero comes"--which i had some notion he did in compliment to me. i thought portsmouth a much nicer place than london (in which idea some people, perhaps, will not agree with me); while i looked upon the "star and garter," where we stopped, as a very fine hotel, though not equal in dignity to the "george." my chest, made under larry's superintendence, showed that its owner was destined for the sea. taking my hand, larry stumped up the passage, following the said chest and the bag which contained his wardrobe. "what ship has your son come to join?" asked good mrs timmins, the landlady, curtseying, as she encountered us. "faith, marm, it's not after being the son of the likes of me is master d'arcy here," he answered, pleased at the same time at the dignity thus conferred on him. "this is the nephew, marm, of lieutenant o'flaherty of his majesty's cutter, the _serpent_; and i'll make bold to ax whether she's in the harbour, and what directions the lieutenant has left about his nephew?" "oh dear, now, the cutter sailed this very morning for the westward," answered the landlady; "that is unfortunate! and so this young gentleman is lieutenant o'flaherty's nephew. well, then, we must take good care of him, as she won't be back for a week; and you know, mister, you needn't trouble yourself more about him." "faith, marm, it's not i will be after leaving the young master till i see him safe in his uncle's hands," answered larry, with a rap on his thigh. "so i'll just trouble you to give us a room with a couple of beds in it, and we'll take up our quarters here till the cutter comes back." this arrangement of course pleased the worthy mrs timmins, as she got two guests instead of one; and i thus found myself established for a week at portsmouth. having selected our chamber, we went into the coffee-room and ordered dinner. there were several youngsters there, and other junior officers of the profession, for the "star and garter" was at that time more frequented than the far-famed "blue posts." at first some of the younger portion of the guests were a little inclined to look superciliously at larry and me; but he stuck out his timber toe, and returned their glances with such calm independence, that they soon suspected he was not made of the stuff to laugh at; and they then showed an evident disposition to enter into conversation with him to discover who he could be. this, for my sake, he did not wish them to do; for, as he was to act the part of guardian, he thought it incumbent on him to keep up his dignity. we passed, to me, a very interesting time at portsmouth. we constantly visited the dockyard, which was my delight. he took me over the _victory_, and showed me the spot where nelson fell; and with old associations many a tale and anecdote which, long since forgotten, now returned to his memory, he poured into my eager ear. some people declare, and naval men even do so, that there's no romance in a seafaring life--that it's all hard, dirty, slaving work, without anything to repay one, except prize-money in war time and promotion in peace. now, to my mind, there's a great deal of romance and chivalry and excitement, and ample recompense in the life itself; and this larry, who ought to have known, for he had seen plenty of hard service, had himself discovered. it is that some do not know where to look for the romance, and if found, cannot appreciate it. the stern realities of a sea life--its hardships, its dangers, its battles, its fierce contests with the elements, its triumphs over difficulties--afford to some souls a pleasure which ignobler ones cannot feel: i trust that my adventures will explain what i mean. for my own part, i can say that oftentimes have i enjoyed that intense pleasure, that joyous enthusiasm, that high excitement, which not only recompenses one for the toil and hardships by which it is won, but truly makes them as nothing in comparison to the former. all i can say is, let me go through the world sharing the rough and the smooth alike--the storms and sunshine of life; but save me from the stagnant existence of the man who sleeps on a feather bed and always keeps out of danger. chapter two. don the true blue--romance of the sea--larry and his wife. my uniform was to be made at portsmouth. of course i felt myself not a little important, and very fine, as i put it on for, the first time, and looked at myself in the glass, with my dirk buckled to my side, and a round hat with a cockade in it on my head. we were sitting in the coffee-room, waiting for dinner, on that eventful day, when a number of youngsters belonging to a line-of-battle ship came into the inn. they had not been there long, when the shiny look of my new clothes, and the way i kept handling my dirk, unable to help looking down at it, attracted the attention of one of them. "that's a sucking nelson," he exclaimed, "i'll bet a sixpence!" "hillo, youngster! to what ship do you belong?" asked another, looking hard at me. "to the _serpent_ cutter," i answered, not quite liking the tone in which he spoke. "and so you are a cutter's midshipman, are you?" he asked. "and how is it you are not on board, i should like to know?" i told him that the cutter was away, and that i was waiting for her return. "then i presume that you haven't been to sea at all yet?" observed the first who had spoken, in a bland tone, winking at his shipmates, with the intention of trotting me out. i answered simply that i had not. larry, i must observe, all the time was sitting silent, and pretending not to take any notice of them, so that they did not suspect we belonged to each other. "poor boy, i pity you," observed the young gentleman, gravely, and turning up his eyes. "i'd advise you seriously to go back to your mamma. you've no idea of all the difficult things you'll have to learn; of which, how to hand, reef, and steer isn't the hundredth part." "in the first place, i have not a mamma to go to," i replied, in an indignant tone; for i did not like his mentioning her, even. "and perhaps i know more about a ship than you think of." "you! what should you know about a ship, i should like to know?" exclaimed the midshipman, contemptuously. "why, i know how to gammon a bowsprit," i replied, looking at him very hard. "i can work a turk's-head, make a lizard, or mouse a stay--can't i, larry?" i asked, turning to the old sailor. "and as for steering, i've steered round kilkee bay scores of times, before you knew how to handle an oar, i'll be bound--haven't i, larry?" the old man, thus appealed to, looked up and spoke. "faith, you may well say that same, master neil; and proud am i to have taught you. and i'll just tell you, young gentlemen, i'll lay a gold guinea that master d'arcy here would get the rigging over the mastheads of a ship, and fit her for sea, while either of you were looking at them, and thinking how you were to sway up the topmasts. no offence, you know; but as for gammoning--i don't think any one would beat you there." several of the midshipmen muttered murmurs of applause at what larry and i had said, and in a very short time we were all excellent friends, and as intimate as if we were shipmates together. they at once respected him, for they could not help recognising him as a true sailor; and they also saw that, young and inexperienced as i appeared, i was not quite as green as they had at first supposed. and we all parted excellent friends. we had been waiting some time at the "star and garter," and there were no signs of the _serpent_, and from the information larry gained from those who were likely to know, he was led to believe that several days more might elapse before her return; so he proposed that we should look out for lodgings, as more economical, and altogether pleasanter. i willingly agreed to his plan, so out we set in search of them. we saw several which did not suit us. at last we went to southsea, which we agreed would be more airy and pleasant; and seeing a bill up at a very neat little house, we knocked at the door, and were admitted. there was a nice sitting-room and bed-room, and a small room which larry said would do for him. the landlady, who was a pleasant-looking, buxom dame, asked only fifteen shillings a week, including doing for us; so we agreed to take it. by some chance we did not inquire her name. "good-bye, missis," said larry. "i'll send the young gentleman's traps here in half an hour, and leave him mean time as security. i suppose you'll have no objection to stay, master d'arcy?" he added, turning to me. i had none, of course, and so it was arranged. while larry was gone, the good lady took me into the sitting-room, and begging me to make myself at home, was very inquisitive to know all about me. i had no reason for not gratifying her, so i told her how my mother and then my father had died and left me an orphan, and how i had come all the way from kerry to portsmouth, and how i belonged to a cutter which i had not yet seen, and how i intended one day to become a nelson or a collingwood. of my resolution the kind lady much approved. "ah, my good, dear man, if he had lived, would have become a captain also; but he went to sea and died, and i never from that day to this heard any more of him," said she, wiping the corner of her eye with her apron, more from old habit than because there were any tears to dry up, for she certainly was not crying. "those things on the mantel-piece there were some he brought me home years and years ago, when he was a gay young sailor; and i've kept them ever since, for his sake, though i've been hard pushed at times to find bread to put into my mouth, young gentleman." the things she spoke of were such as are to be found in the sitting-rooms of most sailors' wives. there were elephants' teeth, with figures of men and women carved on them, very cleverly copied from very coarse prints; and there were shells of many shapes, and lumps of corals, and bits of seaweed, with the small model of a ship, very much battered, and her yards scandalised, as if to mourn for her builder's loss. she was placed on a stand covered with small shells, and at either end were bunches of shell flowers, doubtlessly very tasteful according to the widow's idea. the room was hung round with coloured prints, which even then i did not think very well executed. one was a sailor returning from a voyage, with bags of gold at his back and sticking out of his pockets. i wondered whether i should come back in that way; but as i did not know the value of money, there was nothing very exciting in it to me. there were two under which was written "the lover's meeting." in both cases the lady was dressed extravagantly fine, with a bonnet and very broad ribbons; and the lover had on the widest trousers i ever saw. another represented a lady watching for her lover, whose ship was seen in the distance; and one more i remember was a seaman cast upon the shore, with a female bending over him; while there were several pictures of ships, some of which were on the tops of waves running truly mountains high, and curling over in a very terrific way indeed. i had time to inspect all these things while my landlady was getting my bed-room ready. i had not dined; and when larry, who was rather longer than i had expected, returned, i found that he had purchased all sorts of necessary provisions, and that they only wanted cooking for me to eat them. while he laid the cloth, the landlady performed the office of cook; and in a little time a very nice dinner of veal cutlets, ham, and fried potatoes made its appearance. when larry had nothing to do but to look about him, i observed him fix his eyes in a strange sort of way on the model of the ship, and then at the shells and the other things in the room. at last he turned to the landlady. "please, marm," said he, "where did you get all them things from?" "oh, sir," answered the landlady, "they were given to me by my poor dear man, who has been dead and gone this many a long year." "may i be bold to ask, and no offence, what is your name, marm?" said larry. "my husband was an irishman, like you, and my name is harrigan," answered the landlady, who held at the moment a jug of beer, from which she was going to pour me out a tumblerful. "faith, you may well say that he was like me, marm, for, curious enough, that's my name too," answered larry. "your name!" exclaimed the landlady, standing still and looking doubtfully at him. "yes, my name--it is, indeed," said larry. "and may i ask what is your christian name, marm?" "jane is my name, and yours is lawrence!" shrieked mrs harrigan, letting fall the jug of beer, which was smashed to pieces, and rushing towards him. "by the pipers, you're right now; but if you're yourself--my own jane harrigan, whom i thought dead and buried, or married long ago to another man, it's the happiest day of my life that i've seen for a long time," cried larry, throwing his arms round her and giving her a hug which i thought would have squeezed all the breath out of her body. i looked up at the pictures on the wall, and fancied he was imitating one of the persons there represented; though, to be sure, my friends were rather aged lovers. "and i thought you were lost at sea long, long ago," cried mrs harrigan, now sobbing in earnest. "faith, so i was, jane, and it's a long time i've been being found again," said larry; "and how we've both come to life again is more than i can tell." "oh, i never forgot you, and wouldn't listen to what any other man had to say to me," said mrs harrigan. "nor i, faith, what the girls said to me," returned larry. "but for the matter of that, my timber toe wasn't much to their liking." "i see, larry, you've lost your leg since i lost you, and it was that puzzled me, or i should have known you at once--that i should," observed mrs harrigan, giving him an affectionate kiss on his rough cheek. they did not mind me at all, and went on talking away as if i was not in the room, which was very amusing. larry afterwards confessed to me that he should not have recognised his wife, for when he went to sea and left her for the last time, she was a slim, pretty young woman; and though she was certainly not uncomely, no one could accuse her of not having flesh enough. larry, as many another sailor has done, had married at the end of a very short courtship, his wife, then a nursery-maid in an officer's family at portsmouth; and a few weeks afterwards he had been pressed and sent out to the east indies. while there, he had been drafted into another ship, and the ship in which he had left home had been lost with all hands. of this event his wife became acquainted, and having come from an inland county, and not knowing how to gain further information about him, she had returned to her parents in the country. they died, and she went again into service. meantime, larry, having lost his leg, came home, and notwithstanding all his inquiries, he could gain no tidings of her. at last he came to the conclusion that she must have married again, probably another sailor, and gone away with him--no uncommon occurrence in those days; so he philosophically determined to think no more about her, but to return to the land of his birth to end his days. she had gone through the usual vicissitudes of an unprotected female, and at last returned to portsmouth with a family in whose service she acted as nurse. here, having saved up a little money, she determined to settle as a lodging-house keeper, and she had taken the house in which we found her. this event, caused me very great satisfaction, for it had occurred to me that larry would find himself very forlorn going back to ireland without me to look after, and no one to care about; and now, instead, he would have a good wife, and a comfortable house to live in. she also would be the gainer, for he had saved some money when in our service; and as he was a sober, temperate man, he would be able to assist her very much in her business. on my own account also i was very glad, because i should now have many opportunities of seeing him whenever i returned to portsmouth. several days passed away after this, during which time i must say no one could have taken better care of me than did good mrs harrigan; and i felt convinced that my old friend would likewise be well looked after during my absence. chapter three. lieutenant o'flaherty--my ship and shipmates--the pilot's boat--results of drunkenness--my first command. one day, on going with larry, according to custom, to the "star and garter" to learn tidings of the cutter, i saw a fine sailorlike-looking man, with an intelligent and good-humoured expression of countenance, talking to the landlady. "there's the young gentleman himself," she exclaimed, pointing at me. "what, my lad, are you indeed my nephew?" said the officer, kindly, putting out his hand and pressing mine warmly. "faith, i needn't ask that, though; you are the very picture of your poor mother. well, neil, the sooner you get on board and begin learning your duty, the better." i answered that i was perfectly ready, for i at once took a great fancy to him, and thought i should be very happy in the cutter. he now observed larry for the first time. "what! old shipmate," he exclaimed, shaking him warmly by the hand, "are you the trustworthy person dr driscoll told me he would send to look after the youngster? i'm delighted to see you again, and wish i could give you a berth on board my craft, but i'm afraid the service won't permit that. you must, however, come and take a cruise with us, and talk over old times." "faith, your honour, i'm not much fit for duty, i own, with my timber toe, afloat, and i've just found a snug berth on shore, which i intend to keep till master d'arcy settles down in the halls of his fathers, and wants my services; but i'll gladly take a cruise with your honour, and just see how he practises all i've taught him. you'll find him in a few days, i'll warrant, as smart a seaman as many who've been two or three years afloat." to make a long story short, while larry remained on shore with his new-found wife, i went on board the cutter; and the following day we ran out of harbour, round by saint helen's, and stood down channel in search of a smuggling craft, of whose movements the commander had received notice. i found my uncle, on further acquaintance, to be what his looks betokened him, a thoroughly honest, hearty sailor. his first officer was a very old mate who had long given up all hopes of promotion in the service. he was married; and his wife and family lived near portsmouth. his name was john hanks. there was a second master and a clerk in charge; so that, for a cutter, we made up an unusually large mess. we had no surgeon, as we could always run into harbour if any of us required doctoring. my uncle, who was a poor man, had taken the command of the cutter for the sake of his wife and family; and when i came to know my sweet young aunt, i felt, with her smiles to welcome him when he got home, lieutenant o'flaherty was a happier man far than many who roll in their easy carriages about the streets of smoky london. mrs o'flaherty, with the two children she then had, lived in a pretty little cottage near ryde, where he was able every now and then to go and see her. of course he was never wanting in an excuse, when duty would allow him, to be off ryde; and on one of these occasions he first introduced me to his wife. i loved her at once, for she was a thoroughly genuine, graceful woman, young and pretty, with a kind, warm heart, and a sweet expression of countenance, which her character did not belie. my little cousins and i also became great friends, and i confess that i felt i would much rather stay with her than have to go to sea and knock about in all weathers in the cutter; but duty sent us both on board again, and it was a long time before i had another opportunity of paying a visit to daisy cottage. but i have been going ahead of my narrative. we were standing down channel in the _serpent_. our cruising ground was chiefly from saint helen's to the start; but we were liable to be sent elsewhere, or might go wherever our commander had notice there was a chance of catching a smuggler. we had been out some days, keeping a sharp look-out off portland point for a noted fellow, myers by name, the owner of a fast lugger, the _kitty_, who was expected to try and run a cargo of tubs in that neighbourhood. the smugglers played us all sorts of tricks, and i must own we were more than once taken in by them. on one occasion, while it was blowing very fresh, a cutter hailed us and told us that she had just passed over a number of tubs, pointing out the direction where we should find them. while we were engaged in picking them up, she made sail for the shore; and we afterwards learned, to our mortification, that she had run a very large cargo of contraband goods. thanks to larry's instructions, as i was very handy in a boat, and understood the duties of a midshipman tolerably well, i was, to my great delight, soon placed in charge of one of the gigs. a few days after the occurrence i have described, when we were about mid channel, we observed a vessel whose appearance was suspicious. it had just gone two bells, in the forenoon watch. it was blowing pretty fresh from the south-west, and there was a lop of a sea, but not enough to endanger a boat. we made sail towards the stranger, and as we neared her we perceived that she was veering about, apparently under no control. "her main-boom has gone," observed hanks, "and there doesn't seem to be a soul on deck; her crew have been knocked or washed overboard, i suspect." "i am afraid so," said the commander. "she looks to me like a pilot-boat. she was probably struck by a squall, with only a couple of hands left in her." "lubberly work somehow, at all events," remarked hanks. in another ten minutes we were close to the pilot-boat, and the cutter being hove-to, a boat was lowered, and hanks and i were ordered to go in her and see what was the matter. when we gained the deck, we found that the boom had knocked away part of the bulwarks and companion-hatch, and committed other damage. the first thing we did was to lower down the mainsail and to secure the boom, which task, after some difficulty, we accomplished. we next set about searching the vessel, thinking that no one was on board. the main hatch was on, but there was a little cabin aft, with a small stove in it, and six berths, in which the crew lived. there was a table in the cabin, and on it were a couple of tumblers, a thick-necked, square-sided glass bottle, on its side, a broken pipe, and wet marks, and ashes of tobacco, as if people had very lately been drinking there. "what's wrong here?" said hanks. "it could not have been long ago since some one was on board." our eyes soon began to get accustomed to the sombre light of the cabin, which was darkened by the mainsail hanging over it. i happened to stoop down, and my eyes glanced under the table, where we had not before looked. "hillo," i exclaimed, "why here are a man's legs." "there seems to be two brace of them," said hanks, laughing. "come out, my hearties, and give an account of yourselves." saying this, he began to drag towards the companion-ladder one of the men; i following his example with regard to the other. "why, jim, we ain't got in yet; so let us alone, will ye," grunted out one, as he turned on his side, without opening his eyes. the other was too drunk to speak; indeed, had we not loosened his neckcloth, i believe he would have died of apoplexy, for he was already getting black in the face. we placed them near the companion-ladder, where they could obtain some air; and then, getting off the main hatch, we proceeded to search the vessel. in the hold were several casks of french brandy, immensely strong spirit, intended to be diluted before being sold. from one of these the crew had evidently been helping themselves, and not being accustomed to so potent a liquid, fancying it of the ordinary strength, it had overcome their senses before they were aware of what was happening to them. we found, also, dutch drops, several bales of tobacco, and sundry other things, amply sufficient to condemn the craft as a smuggler, but which also proved that it was an unusual venture, and that the people were not adepts in the contraband trade. we searched the vessel throughout, but no one else was discovered. "who, then, could jim be?" we asked ourselves. the drunken men were still too fast locked in a state of stupor to answer. when nothing more could be done, hanks sent me back to the cutter, to report proceedings, hoping to be ordered to take the prize in himself. when i had made my report, "very well," said the commander, "i wish to try what amount of discretion you possess, neil; so you shall take the prize up to portsmouth, and deliver her and the people over to the proper authorities. take thole and four hands with you. look out that the prisoners do not escape, and i dare say you will do well. i shall be up at portsmouth in a day or so, to take you off. now get on board, and assume your command as fast as you like. send mr hanks on board again." a change of things was soon put up in a bundle, and i and it bundled on board the prize. "and so you are to go, youngster, are you?" remarked hanks, as i got on board. "it's all my ill luck, for i thought to go myself; but good-bye, youngster, and a pleasant trip to you." saying this, he stepped into the boat alongside, and returned to the cutter, leaving me in possession of my new-fledged honours. the pilot-boat belonged to some place on the dorsetshire coast, and had drifted up off saint alban's head, where we found her. the needles were just in sight ahead, or rather the end of the isle of wight, off which they extend, so it seemed an easy matter to run in; but i suspect, without thole i should have made some slight mistake or other, which might have laid my charge on the rocks. thole showed me the proper marks, and by keeping the two lighthouses on hurst point in one, we ran in between the needles and the shoal of the shingles. i felt very grand, as i walked the deck with my spy-glass under my arm, and watched the chalk-white cliffs of alum bay rising high above us on the right, and the curiously-coloured strata of sand at the eastern end of it, the wood-covered heights of freshwater, and the little town of yarmouth; on the left, the old castle of hurst, and the long extent of the forest shores of hampshire, with the picturesque town of lymington rising among the green trees and green fields. i had, i confess, a feeling--grand as i had to appear--that i knew less than anybody else on board about affairs nautical; but modesty is the frequent companion of merit, and though i was very little, i might have been remarkably good. by this time one of the prisoners began to come to himself, and his astonishment was only equalled by his alarm when, on sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he found himself surrounded by strange faces, and discovered that the craft was running up the solent channel. my uniform at once told him the truth. "where's jim?" he asked, on seeing only his drunken companion near him. "jim--i don't know who you mean," answered thole. "if it was any one you left on deck, master, why, all i can say is, he wasn't there when we boarded you." on hearing this announcement, he started to his feet, instantly throwing off all appearance of drunkenness, except that his eye was haggard and his cheek discoloured. he was a man of about fifty, of a stout build and a weather-beaten, bronzed face, rather full and good-humoured, certainly not giving one the notion that he was an habitual drunkard. his hair was somewhat long, and dishevelled and grizzled, from exposure to the atmosphere. "what! jim not on board?" he exclaimed, rushing on deck. "where is my boy--what has happened to him?" he stood for a few seconds leaning against the companion-hatch, while his eye scanned the condition of the vessel, and he seemed instinctively to comprehend what had happened. "where is jim?" he repeated, in a hollow voice. "i don't know, master," answered one of our men, whom he seemed to address. "we only found you two below. if there was another of you, he must have been washed overboard while you lay drunk in the cabin." "drunk!" he ejaculated; "then, my son, i've murdered you." as he uttered these words he sprang to the side, and would have thrown himself overboard, had not thole, who just then came on deck, caught him by the legs and dragged him forcibly back. the unhappy man struggled violently in his endeavour to perpetrate his intention. "jim, jim, my son! you gone--gone for ever; how can i go home and face your mother, my boy?" he cried, his bosom heaving with the passion raging within. then he turned frantically to us, swearing oaths too frightful to repeat. "you've been murdering him, some of you, you bloody-handed king's officers. i know you of old. it's little you care for the life of a fellow-creature. where is he, i say? i left him on deck sound and well, as fine a lad as ever stepped. how could he have gone overboard? he hadn't touched a drop; he was as sober as any one of you; but i know how it was, you chased him and he wouldn't give in--he stood at the helm like a man; so you, you cowardly hounds, shot him down as if he were a brute. there's his blood on the deck--the brave lad's blood, and you dabbling your feet in it--you, his murderers,--and laughing at me, his father." thus the unhappy man went raving on, conjuring up, in his excited imagination, scenes the most dreadful. of course we heeded not his raving abuse, for we pitied him most sincerely. there was now no doubt that, while the father and his smuggling companion were drunk below, the son had been knocked overboard. in vain had the voice of the poor lad implored aid from those whose brutal intoxication prevented them even from hearing his death-shriek ere he sunk for ever. it was with the greatest difficulty we could hold the wretched man as we dragged him below and lashed him into one of the standing bed-places. he there still continued raving as before, now calling on his son to come to him, and then accusing us of his murder. his cries and groans at last awoke the other man out of his drunken trance, but it was some time before he could comprehend what had happened. he was not a father, and when at length he came to his senses, he, with brutal indifference abused his companion for disturbing him. as i stood over the skylight which had been got off to give air to the little stifling cabin, i heard him growl out, "jim's gone, has he? his own fault then, not to keep a better look-out. it's he, then, who's brought us into this scrape; and i don't see why you should make such a jaw for what can't be helped. there now, old man, just belay all that, and let me finish my snooze. we can't hang for it, you know; there, there, now,"--and he actually turned on his side and went off to sleep again. at length the father of the drowned lad wore himself out and fell off, it seemed, into a sort of stupor. "i never knew no good come of smuggling," observed thole, rather sententiously. "what they makes they spends as fast as they gets, and no one's the better for it." nobody had a better right than had he to know this, for he had been somewhat addicted to the practice in his youth, and had in consequence been sent on board a man-of-war. the flood and fair wind carried us right into portsmouth harbour, where i dropped my anchor and pulled on shore to report my arrival to the custom-house authorities. i was in one respect sorry that my cruise was over, because i was obliged to descend from my rank as commander to that of midshipman; but as i hoped some day to regain it, i did not grieve much about it, especially as i expected to be soon able to set off and pay larry a visit. the two smugglers were sent to prison; one afterwards entered on board of a man-of-war; the unhappy father died raving mad in the hospital, calling himself the murderer of his son. thus ended what i may consider my first cruise. chapter four. myers the smuggler--i learn to play the fiddle--smell gunpowder--action with a lugger--left in the lurch. the cutter soon after came in, and after seeing my men safe on board her, i got leave for a day to pay a visit to larry. on ringing, i heard him stumping downstairs to open the door. when he saw me, he could scarcely contain his delight; and forgetting etiquette and all rules and precedents, he seized me in his arms as if i had been a baby, and almost squeezed the breath out of my body. though i had not been away six weeks, he vowed that i had grown wonderfully, and looked like a man already. mrs harrigan was equally complimentary, and i could not help feeling myself a person of mighty importance. i was very glad to find that my old friend was perfectly contented with his wife, and that he made himself very useful to her, so that there was every prospect of their being comfortable together. the house was full of lodgers; but there was a little room which they insisted on my occupying. they themselves lived in a back parlour, where i spent the evening with them. i slept at their house, and the next morning returned on board the cutter. we were ordered to keep an especial look-out for myers, whose lugger was reported to have run more cargoes than any free-trader among the vast numbers engaged in the illicit traffic. she belonged to beere, a small town on the dorsetshire coast, in west bay. it is a pretty, quiet little place, and consists of one long, broad street, built in the centre of a valley reaching close down to the water's edge, with white cliffs on either side of it. the lugger was often seen off there; but we could not then touch her, as she was never found with anything in her to enable us to prove that she was engaged in smuggling. myers, whenever on these occasions we paid him a visit, was always the politest of men; and a stranger might suppose that he had a vast regard for all king's officers, and for us especially; and yet in reality no man hated us more cordially, or would more readily have worked us harm. cruising after smugglers is not the noblest work, perhaps, in which one can be engaged; but it is necessary, not altogether unprofitable, and at times highly exciting. in the war time, the smugglers had large armed vessels, which set the king's cruisers at defiance, and seldom failed to show fight. when i was in the _serpent_, they were frequently armed; but their business was to run, and they never fired unless in hopes of knocking away the spars of a pursuer, or, at the last extremity, to defend themselves. i should be very ungrateful to old hanks if i omitted to mention his kindness to me, and the pains he took to give me instruction in my profession. among other accomplishments, he taught me one of which he was not himself a little proud. "d'arcy," said he one day to me, "i've a regard for you, and i'll put you in the way, my lad, of gaining your bread, should other trades fail." "what is it, hanks?" i asked. "i am glad to learn anything you will teach me." "it is to perform on the violin, my boy," he answered. "i learned the art for the reason i mention. i have never yet been called upon to gain a livelihood by it; but i do not know how soon i may be, if things don't mend with me." "is it to learn the fiddle you mean?" said i. "faith, with all my heart, hanks; and the sooner i begin then, the better." hanks was delighted at gaining so willing a scholar, though i suspect our shipmates would rather have had us both securely moored at the bottom of fiddler's race, off yarmouth. whenever duty permitted us, our fiddles were never idle. my performance was not very scientific, certainly; but i learned to play, after some months' scraping, many a merry tune, such as would make the men kick up their heels irresistibly when they heard it. "there, d'arcy," said my kind instructor, at the end of the tune; "now, my boy, whatever happens, and wherever you go, provided you can save your arms and your fiddle, you'll be a welcome guest, and will never want a morsel to put in your mouth." i found his words true; and on parting, he gave me one of his two fiddles, which he valued as much as any piece of property he possessed.--but i am forestalling events. we had been cruising about for several days in search of myers, when one morning at daybreak, we found ourselves in the midst of a dense fog. it was literally so thick that one could not see from one end of the cutter to the other. just the sort of weather, indeed, when, without unusual care, vessels are apt to run into each other. there was about wind sufficient to send us gliding through the water at the rate of three to four knots an hour; but the sea was perfectly smooth,--kept down, it seemed, by the very weight of the fog. one hand was stationed forward on the look-out, and two others on either quarter, to guard against our being run into, or our running into something else. the wind was about west, and our whereabouts was as nearly as could be half-way between portland bill and berry head. we were all on deck in our thick flushing coats, for the fog in its effects was nearly like a shower-bath in regard to wetting us, and it hung in large drops like heavy dew on many a tarpaulin hat, bushy whisker, and shaggy jacket; while the sails were stiff and wet as if it had been raining hard all night. it was not a pleasant morning, but it might certainly have been very much worse in a hundred ways. we ran on for a couple of hours, with our main-boom over the larboard quarter, the tack triced up, and the peak-halyards eased off, for we had no reason to hurry. it was just about striking five-bells in the morning-watch, when, as i happened to cast my eyes ahead, i thought i saw a dark object looming through the mist. the look-out saw her at the same moment. "a sail on the starboard bow," he sung out in a low voice--for revenue men learn to be cautious. on hearing this, the commander stepped forward, and i followed him. we could just distinguish through the mist the three sails of a long, low lugger, standing close-hauled to the northward. "by jupiter, there's the _kitty_ at last!" exclaimed my uncle, rubbing his hands. "we'll have her this time, however." there could be little doubt that if she was the _kitty_, her people would be keeping too bright a look-out not to have seen us; but probably they fancied we had not observed them, for they did not alter their course, which would have carried them clear across our bows. for another minute we stood on as before, thus rapidly drawing nearer the stranger. during this time, our guns were cast loose, loaded and primed, ready to fire, in case she should prove to be the smuggler, and refuse to heave-to. "let the mainsail jibe over; down with the tack; hoist the foresail," sung out the commander in a brisk tone. "be smart, my lads; set the gaff-topsail. stand by, to haul in the mainsheet." these orders were issued just as the lugger was about to cross our bows; but our helm being put down, prevented her from accomplishing this purpose; and a shot, sent skimming along the sea ahead of her, showed her that we were wide awake. all hands who had time to turn their heads in her direction, were peering at her through the fog; and the general opinion was that she was no other than the long-sought-for _kitty_. to the shot she paid not the slightest attention, hoping to forereach us, probably, and to get away in the fog. the chances were much in her favour, unless we could wing her, for some little time to come; but after that, we should get her into the bay, and then we might jam her down into the bight, and catch her. "give her another shot across her fore-foot, mr waddilove," cried the commander. "if she does not pay attention to that, fire right into her, and we will try to knock away some of her spars." "ay, ay, sir," answered the gunner, right willingly, as he hurried to perform his duty. she did not seem to regard the second shot with more respect than the first. there was now no doubt that she was a smuggler, and that she knew her to be a royal cruiser, but whether the _kitty_ or not still remained to be discovered. we accordingly, without ceremony, set to work in earnest to make her a target for our shot; but though we believed that we hulled her several times, we could not manage to knock away any of her rigging or spars. fast as we fancied the _serpent_, the chase, whatever she was, could, we soon found, show as fleet a pair of heels; and this made us doubly anxious to wing her, lest, by the fog coming down thicker, she might disappear altogether. not a sound was heard from her except the sharp pat as our shot at intervals struck her; nor did she offer other than the passive resistance of refusing to heave-to. at last, so faint was her outline as she glided onwards on our starboard bow, that i could scarcely help fancying that we were attacking a mere unsubstantial phantom. it was only from the large size she appeared to be, that one could judge of her nearness to us. for some minutes we ran on without a syllable being uttered, except the necessary words of command for loading and firing the guns. "now let me see if i can hit the fellow," exclaimed hanks, growing impatient at our want of success; and stooping down and taking a steady look along the gun, he fired. a fearful shriek was the answer sent back from the lugger's deck. she was standing on as before, her rigging untouched, and her hull apparently unharmed. that sound must have been the death-cry of some of her crew. an almost solemn silence followed, and then, as if slumbering hitherto, the fury of the smugglers burst forth, and a shower of shot from great guns and musketry came flying about us. it was evident that she was prepared to resist to the last. we now found that we had been under-rating her strength. our two other guns were run over to the starboard side, the small-arms were got up on deck and loaded, and cutlasses were buckled on, and all hands not required to work the guns began blazing away with the muskets. "how do you like the smell of gunpowder, my boy?" asked hanks, as he was driving down his ramrod. "as for the smell, i can't say that i have any objection to it," i replied, laughing; "and for the shot, they don't seem likely to do us much harm." "don't be too sure of that till the guns of the enemy are silenced," he replied. scarcely had he spoken, when i heard a deep groan; and oh, how my heart turned sick within me, as i saw a poor fellow writhing in agony on the deck. a round-shot had torn away his chest and ribs. he gave a few convulsive struggles, and all was over. it was the first time i had ever seen death in any form, or even blood spilt, and for the moment i felt so faint that i thought i should have fallen; but hanks roused me by calling for a loaded musket, and in a few moments those dreadful sensations went off, never again to return. two of his messmates drew the dead body out of the way, and then returned to their gun without apparently taking further notice of the matter. our commander was all life and ardour, urging on the men to activity, while he kept a watchful eye on our opponent, to take advantage of any accident which might happen to her, or to follow any change in her course. it is difficult to describe the scene our decks presented. though our guns were light, the men, from habit, had stripped themselves to the waist, and each one had bound a silk handkerchief round his loins and another round his head; their figures, even at a little distance, being obscured by the thick fog and smoke from their guns and the small-arms. all the guns were over on the starboard side, and those not required to work them or tend to the sails were either loading or taking aim over the bulwarks at our phantom foe. i did not dare to look at the dead body which lay near me, and was praying that no one else might be hit, when i heard a sharp tap, and old thole, who was standing with his musket at his shoulder by my side, fell to the deck. i stooped down, shuddering, for i expected to see such another ghastly spectacle as the other poor wretch had presented; but he looked as calm as possible, as if nothing was the matter with him, and i began to wonder why he had fallen. he had not even uttered a cry or groan. "what is the matter, thole; are you hit?" i asked. hanks heard me speak, and seeing thole on the deck, he knelt down by his side and took his hand. "there's no use, my lad, in talking to the poor fellow, for he'll never speak another word," he said, in a calm tone, as if nothing strange or awful had occurred; and rising quickly, he seized a musket and recommenced firing away at the lugger with renewed earnestness. "come, my lads, fire away; we must put a stopper on this work as soon as possible," he exclaimed. "hurrah! see, we've shot away his mizen-halyards." i did not see it, for i could make nothing out through the fog but a dark mass moving along on our beam. the order had been given to keep the helm up and to stand by the mainsheet, in expectation of the lugger's running off the wind, when, quick almost as thought, the mizen-halyards were spliced, and the sail was again hoisted up. "never mind, my lads; try and wing him again," cried my uncle. the men answered with a cheer, and several of our shot told. unhappily, two more of our people were wounded, though not badly; and as yet we were no nearer victory than we had been at the commencement of the fight. i heard my uncle tell hanks that he had some hopes that the smugglers were not aware how deep we were running into the bay. "i'm afraid, sir, those fellows are far too wide awake not to know exactly where they are," answered hanks. "i rather am inclined to think that they have some dodge or other they intend to practise if they can; and if we don't soon manage to stop them, they will be wishing us good morning without our leave." for an instant after he spoke there was a cessation of firing, and then came a whole broadside of great guns and small-arms concentrated in one focus, crashing among our rigging. several of the shot told--the head of the mainsail was riddled, and down came our peak, the halyards shot away in two places. the smugglers were not long in discovering our disaster and the advantage they had gained, and a loud derisive cheer showed us the triumph they felt. without the loss of a moment, hands were sent aloft to reeve fresh halyards; but before the peak could be got up, the lugger had shot ahead of us, and was rapidly edging up to windward. every exertion was made again to set the mainsail; but as we were swaying up the peak, another iron shower came rattling among us. one of the hands aloft was hit, and would have fallen on deck, had not another caught him and helped him down the rigging. it was the last broadside the smuggler fired, and the next instant we saw him shoot by our bows, and before we could get a gun over to bear on him, he disappeared in the fog to the northward. once well to windward he would have a decided advantage over us on a long stretch. luffing as close to the wind as we could, we stood on for a few minutes in the hope of again seeing him; and then we tacked, on the chance, should he also have tacked, as he probably would do, of overhauling him on the other board. we now more earnestly than ever wished the fog to clear away to give us a wider view; but yet minute after minute passed away, and still it would pertinaciously hang down over us like a thick canopy, shutting out the surrounding world. my uncle and hanks, who both had seen much of gun-shot wounds, did their best to doctor the poor fellows who had been hit; the bodies of the two men who were killed, were placed side by side abaft the mast, and covered up with a union jack; and we then piped to breakfast. i had not recovered my appetite, which the scenes i had witnessed during the morning had taken away. hanks rallied me on my sensibility. "why, my boy, you should get over all those sort of feelings at a leap, or you'll never be fit for the service. i remember once upon a time having some of the queer sensations you talk of; but now, whatever happens, i never let it interfere with my meals, provided i can get the food to make them of." instigated by his example and remarks, i took a little tea, and then a slice of beef and bread; and i confess that in a few minutes i began to experience my usual midshipman-like state of perfect health, with perhaps a little weight about the region of the heart, as if some calamity had happened to me, but that very soon wore off. we were speedily on deck again, looking out for the chase; while in the meantime the carpenter and most of the crew were busily employed in repairing damages. the sun as he rose higher in the sky, was every instant gaining power, and in almost an hour after we lost sight of the smuggler, he victoriously darted through the mass of vapour which in thick wreaths rolled away before it, our hitherto confined horizon every instant increasing, while the bright beams of the luminary struck down on our blood-stained deck. no vessel, however, appeared in the direction we expected; but as hanks was glancing round the horizon, his eye fell on a sail, hull down to the eastward. "there she is," he exclaimed; "i should know her among a hundred other craft. d'arcy, run below and tell the commander that to my belief the _kitty_ is in sight down to leeward." my uncle had gone to take his breakfast. i descended to the cabin. i found him sitting with his face resting on his hands on the table. he did not notice my entrance. i heard him groan deeply. "i hope, sir, you are not ill or wounded," said i; for i thought he must be hurt. "no, lad, no," he answered; "but it's a sad thing to have so many of one's men killed and hurt by a rascally smuggler. but we must try and catch the fellow, and then get the doctor's aid as fast as we can for those to whom it may yet be of use. but what do you come for?" i made my report. in an instant he shook off the feeling which was oppressing him, and springing on deck, he ordered the helm to be kept up and the mainsheet eased off till we were standing after the supposed smuggler. this was our best point of sailing, and probably the lugger's worst; at all events that rig of vessel has generally the greatest advantage on a wind. our square-sail, square-topsail, and every sail the cutter could carry was now set, to overtake the chase; and the breeze freshening as the day advanced, we bowled away at a famous rate. "do you think, hanks, we have a chance of catching her?" i asked, as the old mate and i were intently watching her. "as to catching her, depends upon circumstances. if we get the strength of the breeze before her, and she doesn't hide away in another fog; but she has a long start, and we are out of luck this time, to my mind. however, why is it, d'arcy, you are so anxious to have another brush with the chap? i thought you had had sufficient taste of his quality." "to punish him for killing poor thole there," answered i, for i felt very bitter against the smugglers for the harm they had done. "i thought so," answered hanks. "it's the way with most people. before a blow is struck, they are all peaceable enough; but the moment blood is drawn, they are all as blood-thirsty as a savage." "i hope you don't think me a blood-thirsty savage," said i. "i wouldn't trust you, d'arcy, my boy," he replied. "when the blood boils, all the ferocity of the heart bubbles up to the top, and we feel more like wild beasts than men." "are we gaining on the chase, mr hanks, think you?" sung out my uncle at this moment. "a little, sir; but the sky has got so much clearer thereaway in the last half-hour, that perhaps she only appears nearer," was the answer; and then hanks went aft, to walk the quarter-deck with his commander. there is off portland bill a race, or overfall of water, caused by a shallow and rocky bottom, where the sea at times breaks so violently that vessels have been known to be swamped, and to go down amid the turmoil, with scarcely a possibility of any of the hapless crew escaping. during south-westerly gales, and with an ebb tide, the race runs the highest; but sometimes, even in moderate weather, without any apparent cause, there is a strange chopping and leaping of the sea, which makes it dangerous for a small vessel to pass through. the faint outline of the well-known headland was now seen on our larboard bow, and it was pretty evident that the lugger was getting her starboard tacks aboard, to haul off round the outside of the race, if not to stand away towards the french coast. we, accordingly, had to alter our course after her; but i suspected that there was no very great chance of our being able to overtake her. still we stood on, our main hope being that another cruiser might fall in with her, and turn her again towards us. after the fog had disappeared, the sky overhead became beautifully clear; but, as the day drew on, clouds began to gather, and by the time i went down to dinner they were coming up pretty thick from the south-west and south, rather an unusual circumstance after the sort of morning we had had. while we were discussing our meal, the cutter heeled over, and nearly sent our scanty dinner-service away to leeward. "hillo, what's the matter now?" i asked. "matter! why the breeze is freshening, to be sure," said old growl, our acting master. "look out for your plates, and when you go on deck it will be time enough to learn all about it." old growl was in many respects not dissimilar to hanks. he was of the same age, if not older; as fond of spirits, if not fonder; and as addicted, indeed i think more so, to grumbling. he was not a gentleman by birth, education, or manners; but he was kind of heart, and i liked him very well. i think i remarked that all the officers were very old for their standing. growl's hair was white, and so was scriven's, the clerk in charge. i was young enough to be the son of any of them, in fact, and was treated almost as such. fortunately, my uncle did his best to throw responsibility on my shoulders, so that, in spite of the pains they took to spoil me, i gradually learned to think and act for myself. dinner was over, for the best of reasons--that we had eaten up all our boiled beef and potatoes, and the greater portion of our last cheese, and i was thinking how much pleasanter it was to be sitting there quietly, and nibbling biscuit and sipping my glass of grog, than standing up to be shot at, as i had to do all the morning, when hanks, whose watch it had been on deck, came below. his eye immediately fell on my tumbler of grog, which was, i own, stiffer than usual; and without saying a word, he emptied half the contents into another, and drinking them off, filled my glass with water. i dared not remonstrate, for i had been transgressing his orders in taking more than the quantity he allowed me. "neil, my child," he used to say, "drink is a bad thing; and it grows upon a fellow. if you were to take your full allowance now, by the time you grow up you would be a drunkard, so for your sake i shall swallow your grog; besides, you know, what is bad for a little chap like you, is good for an old worn-out follow like me, who wants something to keep his soul alive in his body." i did not exactly understand his reasoning; but as, notwithstanding his peculiarities, i was fond of my old messmate, i was well content to yield him up part of my allowance, for the sake of keeping him alive. "well, hanks, are we gaining on the chase?" i asked. "no, boy; but our ill-luck has gained upon us," he replied. "the wind has taken it into its head to veer round to the south-west, and given the rascally lugger an advantage she doesn't deserve. boy, bring me dinner." the boy who acted as steward brought him in his portion of beef, which had been saved, and i followed growl, whose watch it was on deck. the sea had got up considerably, and the cutter was heeling over to the rapidly increasing breeze. an exclamation from growl made me look anxiously ahead for the lugger. "where is she?" he asked of the quartermaster, who had charge of the deck. "just slipped into that bank of clouds gathering in the southward, sir," was the answer. "can any of you see her," he inquired of the people on deck. "no, sir, no; not a sign of her," said several voices. "then we shan't see her again this cruise," he exclaimed. no more we did. we followed her, notwithstanding, for some hours, when darkness approaching and the wind increasing, we were obliged to bear up and run into weymouth, where we anchored at a late hour in the night. the next day we buried our two shipmates, and a surgeon came off to attend to the wounded ones, whom he took on shore with him. a gale got up, which lasted three days, during which time we remained at anchor, ready, as soon as it should moderate, to put to sea again in quest of myers. the engagement with the smuggler made a good deal of noise, we heard. some said that we ought to have taken her; others, that our commander was not a man to leave undone what could have been done. however, as no one had any doubt that myers was in command of the lugger, a large reward was offered to whoever would give information that might lead to his apprehension, and a still larger to the person who should place him, bound, in the hands of justice. one evening, after dark, a small boat came alongside, with a single man in her. i was on deck. "is lieutenant o'flaherty on board?" asked the man. i told him he was. "then," said the stranger, springing on board, "take this note to him, young gentleman, and say the bearer waits to see him." the stranger was of a strongly-built, stout figure, and had the appearance of a rough seafaring man. i took a paper he handed me into the cabin. my uncle read it attentively two or three times over, as if puzzled to comprehend its meaning. "i must see the rascal, and hear what he has to say," he muttered. "but i never like to trust a traitor. show the man below, d'arcy." i did as i was ordered. the man bowed as he entered, and then i saw him take a chair and seat himself, without being asked to do so. i longed to hear what he had to say, so i lingered in the cabin, as if waiting for orders. the stranger looked at me hard. "what i have to say is for your ear, lieutenant; so i can't speak with another present, though he is but a little one," he remarked, in a tone i thought remarkably impudent. "neil, go on deck," said my uncle. in about half an hour the stranger appeared on deck, and without saying a word, jumped into his boat and pulled away. i observed that he did not pull directly for the shore, but that he steered for a considerable distance to the northward before attempting to land, thus not allowing any one who might meet him to suspect that he had visited us. the mysterious stranger afforded considerable matter for surmise among all on board, the general opinion being that he had brought off some important information, which might lead to the capture of myers or of some of his smuggling confederates. chapter five. expedition on shore--the informer's fate--the smugglers cave--jack stretcher--the smuggler's revenge--our dreadful position. the _serpent_ was again in west bay, just near enough to portland bill to be distinguished by any one looking out for her; and she was standing with a light breeze from the north-east, as if bound across channel. we stood on till dusk, and then tacked and worked back into the bay, till we got close in with the dorsetshire coast. the cutter was now hove-to, and the boats were lowered and manned, all hands being well-armed. "mr hanks," said my uncle, as he came on deck, "you will take charge of the ship, and keep her as near as possible to where she now is: i expect to be absent about an hour." hanks gave the usual "ay, ay, sir," and then continued the duty he was about in superintending the lowering the boats. i seized the opportunity, while he was waiting for the final preparations, to go up and speak to my uncle. "may i go, sir?" i asked. "if there is anything to be done, i should like to see it." "we shall only find hard knocks and little glory," he replied. "however, a midshipman should see everything. can you spare mr d'arcy, mr hanks?" "oh yes, sir, if you please," said hanks, laughing. i had at first felt very grand at the way my uncle spoke of me; but there was something in hanks' tone of voice which considerably lowered my pride. however, i gained my object, and jumping into the first gig with my commander, the order was given to shove off, and away we pulled towards the shore. there was no moon, but the sky was clear, and the stars overhead shone brightly forth into the calm, silent water beneath them. i never saw the water smoother; and the little wind there was came off the shore, gently sighing as it passed over the dry grass and low bushes which fringed the edge of the cliffs above our heads. not a word was spoken, and our oars were muffled, as we pulled along shore, a considerable distance to the westward of where we left the cutter. there were three boats, so we all knew it was possible some considerable opposition might be expected. after we had pulled about three or four miles, our commander ordered two of the boats to remain off shore, the crews resting on their oars, till they should see a blue light burned; they were then to give way as fast as they could, and support us if necessary. we then pulled slowly in, our people being told to make as little noise as possible on beaching the boat. "neil," said my uncle, "we have a chance of catching that accomplished rascal, myers, through the means of another rascal, who has offered to betray him, and who is to meet us off that point yonder, and to conduct us where myers and his gang are to be found. if we come to blows at any time, just keep behind me, boy, and don't be after getting yourself killed or hurt, or i'll never take you to see any more fun, remember that." it was clear, by this remark, that my uncle had not forgotten the old country; and i promised to obey his directions. in a few minutes the bow of the boat touched the shore, and we, by aid of a boat-hook, jumped on the sand. ordering two of the men to accompany him, and giving directions to the others to keep silence, and on no account to quit the boat, our commander advanced towards the foot of the cliff. we went on some little way without meeting anybody. "it is very extraordinary," he observed, in a low voice. "i cannot have mistaken the spot or the hour. it was just here the man langdon appointed to meet me." we halted for some minutes and listened attentively, but not a sound was to be heard except the low, soft, and musical lap of the tide as it glided by the shingly beach. above us was the lofty cliff beetling over our heads, its dark outline well-defined against the brilliant sky. "something, i'm afraid, is wrong," remarked my uncle; "or can the fellow have been imposing on me?" having waited for some time in vain, we again advanced. we had not gone many paces when a figure was seen leaning against the cliffs. the person, apparently, from his not moving at our approach, was fast asleep. "that must be the fellow langdon," said my uncle. "why, what can he be about?" on this he whistled twice, very softly, but there was no answer. we then hurried up to the spot where the figure was observed. it was no optical illusion; there certainly was a person, but he took no notice of our presence. our two men then went up to him, thinking to awake him; but as they took him by the arms he slipped from their grasp, and fell to the ground. an exclamation of horror made us hurry up to them. it was a corpse we saw. a dark spot on the forehead, from which a stream of blood, rapidly coagulating, oozed forth. his singed hair, and the black marks on one side of his face, showed how the deed had been done. it was evident that he had been shot by a pistol placed close to his head. "he hasn't been dead above a quarter of an hour," observed stretcher, one of the men, feeling his heart. "he is still warm, sir." "then his murderers cannot be far off," said my uncle. "i'll land our people, and we will hunt them down. the poor wretch could scarcely expect any other fate were he discovered." "what--do you know the man, sir?" i asked. "yes, he is the informer, langdon; the very man who was to have conducted us to myers' retreat," was the answer. "here, sir, is a bit of card tied round the man's neck, and close to him was this pistol and handkerchief," said tomkins, who had placed the body on the sands, bringing him the articles. "very well; do you take charge of those things, tomkins, and on no account lose them. d'arcy, do you go back with sims to the boat; burn a blue light close down to the water, shade it by the boat's side so that it may not be seen from the cliffs above; and then, as soon as the boats come in, order two hands to remain in each, and bring the rest up here." "ay, ay, sir," i replied with alacrity, for i was always proud of having any orders given me by my uncle; and away i and sims hurried towards the boat. we had not got many paces before a shout from jack stretcher made us turn back, and at the same moment several men came leaping down by a narrow path in the side of the cliff. "run in--they are smugglers--run in!" cried sims, setting the example, and shouting to our people in the boat. it was the wisest thing he could do to get help, for the man was no coward; but before i had time to think whether or not i could run down to my uncle, i found myself knocked down by one of the foremost of the new comers, with a not very complimentary remark to midshipmen in general, and to me in particular. what became of sims i could not tell, for the blow on my head made me feel inclined to keep my eyes shut. when, after a moment or so, i attempted to rise, i found myself seized by a couple of men. my arms were lashed behind me in a very uncomfortable way, and which reminded me of the necessity of not tumbling down, if i was anxious to preserve the regular outline of my nose; while a handkerchief was secured tightly over my eyes. directly afterwards i heard a scuffle, and my uncle's voice among that of many others; blows were struck, and two or three pistols were fired; and then there appeared more scuffling, and all was quiet except the suppressed murmur of apparently many voices as i was dragged forward by the people who held me. we went along the seashore for some way, and then up the cliffs; and next we descended, and i was led along what seemed a narrow path by the careful way in which my conductors stepped. we went over certainly more than a mile of ground, and then we halted till other parties came up, and i was led down a gentle declivity on a soft, sandy soil; but i no longer felt the light cool wind blowing on my cheek, from which i conjectured we were leaving the open air. scarcely a word had been spoken to me the whole of this time by any one of the party. i once ventured to ask my conductors where they were going to take me; but the answer i got in a low growl--"hold your tongue, you young whelp!" and the click of a pistol lock--made me unwilling to enter on another question. i was more seriously alarmed about my uncle. for myself i feared nothing, as i did not think that the smugglers would hurt a young boy like me; but from the manner of their proceeding, and the few words they let fall of concentrated hate and anger, i was afraid that, supposing they were the crew of the _kitty_, they might wreck their vengeance on his head and murder him. i had become deeply attached to him. i felt miserable at the thought of his danger, and i earnestly, though silently, prayed for his preservation. after we had gone a little way, i was almost convinced, from the damp, stagnant feel of the atmosphere, that we were in a cavern or a large vault of some sort or other. i was confirmed in this opinion by hearing a voice before me say, "stoop down your head or you will hit the rock." i thought he addressed me, so i bent down as if i were passing under a very low archway, when my conductors laughed, and one observed to the other, "the youngster thinks himself a giant; howsomever, he won't ever be much bigger than he now is, will he, jim?" "no; he's nibbled his last biscuit," growled out his companion. "come, heave ahead, master." on hearing these last observations i had stopped, scarcely able to make my feet move on; for i thought the villains were going to treat me as they had treated the poor wretch we had just found, for i had no doubt they were his murderers. they again urged me forward, and i presently found myself in a place surrounded by a number of people--at least so i judged by the suppressed hum of voices which i heard. "cast off the handkerchiefs from the prisoners' eyes," said a voice in an authoritative tone. i felt a fellow fumbling at the handkerchief round my head; but pretending, i suspect, that he could not undo it, he forced it down over my face, to the considerable damage of my nose, and then, giving his knuckles a turn with the dexterity of a thug, very nearly throttled me. when i had somewhat recovered, and the stars had done flying about before my eyes, i perceived that i was in a large cave, standing at the foot of a rude table, at the further end of which sat a powerfully-built, bold-looking man, dressed in a nautical costume, while a number of other men, mostly seamen, sat on either side of him. i looked anxiously round for my uncle, and my mind was much relieved to see him standing, unhurt apparently, a few paces from me. however, my satisfaction was much mitigated when, being able to distinguish objects more clearly, i perceived that there were two men standing on either side of him, with pistols in their hands; and it instantly occurred to me that they were there to act the part of executioners, and to blow his brains out, at the command of the ruffian i saw sitting as judge in this lawless court. we recognised each other at the same moment; and if i could judge by the expression of his countenance, he had more compassion for me than fear for himself. he made no attempt to speak to me, but instantly resumed his former undaunted attitude, with his arms folded on his bosom, and his eye resting on the leader of the smugglers. but there was another object which was, indeed, well calculated to fill me with horror. it was the corpse of the murdered man, stretched out on some rough planks, resting on four casks placed on end; the face uncovered and bloody; the eyes staring wide open, for no one had taken the trouble to close them; and the features distorted by the wound or, perhaps, by fear of the fate which he saw prepared for him when his murderers appeared. the corpse was close to me, and i could not keep my eyes from it, dreadful as it was. it seemed to possess a terrible fascination; and every time i turned my eyes away, it attracted them back again; so that, wild and remarkable as was the whole scene, that horrible object is to this day the most prominent to my mental vision, and all the rest is but an indistinct background to the picture. i found that jack stretcher was close to me, on my left side, also in custody of two smugglers. the cave itself was a complete storehouse of goods of every description. there were arms--swords, pistols, and muskets; and bales of silks, boxes of laces and ribbons, and casks of spirits: indeed, everything with a high duty on it was here collected, ready to be sent up to london or through the country, to the _highly respectable_ shops which dealt in such things. i had not time, however, to make many observations, when the fierce ruffian at the head of the table commenced the proceedings by inquiring who we were and what was our object in coming on shore that night. "you know perfectly well who we are, and with regard to our object on shore, you certainly are not qualified to question me," answered my uncle, with a firm voice. "then i must answer for you," replied the smuggler. "you came, instigated by a wretch whose body lies there, under the hopes of taking me and my men in our nest. he has received his reward. the very moment he was thinking he had got us secure, a pistol bullet went through his head. what do you think you deserve?" my uncle did not answer. "speak, and answer me!" exclaimed the ruffian, levelling a pistol at him. i tried to spring forward to throw myself before him, but the smugglers held me back, though the action, instead of making them angry, seemed to gain we more respect from them, as they held me less rudely than before, and no longer amused themselves by twisting the handkerchief, thug fashion, round my gullet. my uncle looked calmly at the smuggler and answered, "i came on shore in pursuit of my lawful duty, to apprehend you, or any others, breaking the revenue laws. further than that, i have no feeling of ill-will against you, or any of those connected with you." "very fine talking, mr lieutenant; but that won't do here. you came to injure us; there's no doubt about that, from what you own yourself; and you must take the consequences." "you will suffer for it, if you injure me or any of my people!" exclaimed my uncle, indignantly. "we don't want to hurt any of your people; but you and that young cub of an officer must be prepared to die this very night. your man there we don't intend to hurt; and he may, if he likes, join us, which he probably will be glad enough to do; if not, we carry him away over the water, far enough from this." "no, that i won't, you cold-hearted scoundrels, you!" exclaimed jack stretcher, vehemently. "my commander there, i tell you, is a truer and braver man than any one of you; and you to think of murdering him because he is doing his duty, and that young innocent boy, his nephew--a mere baby to any of you,--it just shows what a white-livered crew you smugglers are; but, howsomdever, if you'll let them go without harm, you may make a shot fast to my feet and heave me over the cliffs outside here, or do what you like with me; you can but kill me, and i don't fear you--so heave ahead, my hearties." this address of jack stretcher created some considerable sensation among the smugglers; but their chief seemed immovable. what surprised me most was, that they were not in the slightest degree enraged at the abuse showered so liberally on their heads; but, on the contrary, they infinitely admired him for his fearlessness and fidelity to his superior. "what you say, my man, can't be done; those two die, for conspiring with a traitor to betray us. we shall keep you shut up for some time, and then carry you over to america, perhaps, or some distant part; but we shan't take your life; so now you know what you have to expect. take those two off, and heave them over high-peak cliff. be sharp about it, now." before my uncle could speak a word or attempt to free himself, he was dragged back and pinioned, and i was treated in the same way; our eyes were tightly bandaged, as before; and we were forced out of the cavern by a large body of the smugglers. "never fear, sir," shouted stretcher. "they'll hang for it yet, and i shall live to see you revenged." extraordinary as it may appear, i had no particular dread of the fate which was awaiting me. perhaps it was a presentiment that i should escape. i cannot now explain the cause of the feeling; indeed, at the time, i could not probably have done so. i thought much more of my brave uncle being thus brought to an untimely end, and of the grief of my sweet young aunt at ryde, when she should hear of his barbarous murder. the atrocity of the deed was increased by the cold-blooded manner in which the wretches proceeded, by dragging us to their pretended court, and then condemning us, with scarcely even the mockery of a trial. indeed the affair seemed so unusual, that i could hardly believe in the reality. my most absorbing feeling was bitter indignation, and a burning desire to break from my guards, and to rescue my uncle. however, as i wriggled about helplessly in their grasp, i must own that i was very like an unhappy cockchafer stuck through with a pin by a cruel schoolboy, without the remotest chance of escaping. my uncle was dragged away first, and i followed him closely, as i judged by the voices of the villains who had him in charge. what became of stretcher i could not learn, though i supposed that he was detained in the cavern. even now, i could scarcely have believed that the smugglers were going really to put their threat into execution, had it not been for their acknowledgment of the murder they had committed, and the perfect confidence with which they exhibited their cavern, and the smuggled goods it contained; for, though taken blindfold to the place, we could, of course, have little difficulty in finding it again; and they must have been well aware that, if we escaped, we should do our best to discover them and bring them to justice. they appeared to me to be dragging us for a very long distance. we went up and down hill, and along the seashore, and then we again mounted, it seemed, to the top of the cliffs, and went over several miles of ground. i thought we should never get to high-peak cliff. i cannot say that i was in any hurry to get there, which is not surprising, considering the pleasant prospect which i had before me. at length we ascended a considerable height, it seemed; and i concluded, from what i heard some of the smugglers remark, that we had reached the place of the intended murder. i shuddered as i felt that i was standing at the edge of the precipice from which i was in a few minutes to be hurled; a cold perspiration burst out over me, and i felt an awful horror, such as i had never before experienced. i was aware that any instant, without a moment's preparation, a shove might send me rolling over and over down to the rocks below, where i must instantly be dashed to pieces, as i judged that i was standing close to the very edge of the precipice; and i even fancied that i could hear the sound of the water breaking on the sands, many hundred feet beneath, borne upward on the calm night air. still, there i stood, as yet unharmed, and i found the delay was caused by some of the party, whose voices i could hear at a little distance, holding a consultation in a whisper. i was hoping that they, more merciful than their leader, were proposing not to execute his directions, when i was undeceived by their return. one of them then addressed us. "we give you and the youngster, lieutenant, three minutes more to prepare for death," said the villain, in a diabolically cold tone; "after that, we intend to hang you over the cliff by your hands, and when you can't gripe on any longer, you may let go. just understand, now, we do this in mercy to you, that you may not say we sent you out of the world without warning. youngster, you hear what is said, so just make ready, for you haven't many moments of life in you." to appeal to the mercy of the wretches was, i knew, hopeless; so i did my best to prepare for the fate awaiting me. "the time's up," said a voice, and i found myself urged back a few paces, and my feet lifted over the edge of the cliff. it is impossible to describe my sensations of horror at this moment. i was then lowered down, every instant expecting to be let drop, till i found my hands clutching the grass, and my nails digging into the uncertain soil which fringed it. i judged that my uncle had been treated in the same way, from what the smugglers said. they then left us, satisfied that we could not release ourselves. bad as they were, perhaps they did not wish to witness our death, though i could hear their mocking laughter as they quitted the spot. i was light, and i held on for dear life. "uncle, are you there?" i exclaimed. "yes, neil, i am," he answered; "but i am afraid of using any exertion to lift myself up, lest the earth should give way. you are light, though; so try to drag yourself slowly up by your arms, then get your elbows on the turf, and tear the bandage from your eyes, and come to my assistance." "oh, i cannot, uncle, i cannot!" i cried, in an agony of fear; for i found it impossible to move without almost a certainty of missing my hold altogether. again i tried all i could to lift myself up, but it would not do. i shouted at the top of my voice. every instant my strength was failing me. "i must let go, uncle, indeed i must," i exclaimed. "good-bye, uncle." "so must i, my boy," he answered. "good-bye, if we do not succeed; but make a final effort, and spring up. so now--" i tried to spring up, and so did he, i conclude. alas! the earth crumbled beneath his hands; a deep groan escaped his bosom--not for himself, but for his wife and children, and all he held dear in the world. he could hold on no longer. i also failed in my attempt to spring up. down i went; but what was my surprise, instead of being dashed to pieces, to find that i had reached a bottom of some sort, rather splashy certainly, only a few feet below where i had been hanging. an exclamation at the same moment from my uncle reached my ears. i tore off the bandage from my eyes, and looking round, i saw him but a short distance from me, and discovered that we were at the bottom of a chalk-pit, with all our limbs safe and sound, instead of being both of us mangled corpses at the foot of high-peak cliff. our position was not dignified; and certainly, though it was much less romantic and full of horror than it would have been had the catastrophe we expected really occurred, and had we figured in the newspapers as the subjects of a dreadful accident, it was, i must own, far more agreeable to my feelings. "uncle," i sung out, "are you hurt?" "no, neil, my boy; but rather wet, from a puddle i've fallen into," he answered. "so those confounded rascals have been playing us a trick all the time. however, it's better thus than we expected, and it proves that they are not as bad as we thought them." "so i was thinking," i replied, moving up to him. "but, i say, uncle, how are we to get out of this?" he was sitting down on a ledge of the chalk rock, endeavouring to recover from the shock which his nervous system had received. "why, as i have not a notion where we are, we had better wait till daylight, or we shall run a great chance of going over the cliffs in reality," said he. "the sun will rise in little more than an hour hence, i hope, and then we shall be able to ascertain whereabouts we are." in accordance with his advice, i sat myself down by his side, and remained silent for some time, while i watched the stars glittering overhead. at length i remarked, "it is very odd, uncle, that myers did not murder us, as he did the poor wretch we found under the cliff." "i fully expected he would; but, after all, there are several reasons against such an act," he answered. "he put the spy to death, both for the sake of vengeance and that he might not betray any more of his secrets, or show us the smugglers' hides. myers, however, knew that if he murdered a king's officer, the government authorities would not rest till they had brought him to punishment. there is also a wild notion of justice among these outlaws; and as they know we are but doing our duty in pursuing them, they have not the same bitter feeling towards us as they have towards any of their companions who turn traitors. myers, perhaps, might have wished to secure a friend, in case of need. the fellows who had charge of us, however, could not resist the temptation of playing us a trick, and trying to frighten us out of our wits. some years ago, also, myers was in my custody, and i treated him, as i should any fellow-creature, with some kindness and consideration. i spoke to him seriously, and endeavoured to win him from his evil courses. i did not consider myself either as his judge or executioner. perhaps, therefore, gratitude may have induced him to spare our lives." "i have no doubt of it," said i. "i have to thank you, therefore, uncle, for my life." "i don't suppose they would have hurt you, neil, had you been alone," he observed, laughing. "do you think that we shall be able to discover the cavern?" i asked. "i fear not," he replied. "even if we did, it would be emptied of its contents. depend on it, the smugglers were prepared to carry off everything into the interior, and all the valuable goods are by this time a long way on their road to london. at all events, whatever were the motives of the smugglers, let us offer our thanks to god for the preservation of our lives, for they have been in great peril." we knelt and prayed. i hope i did so sincerely. what other remarks he made i do not remember, for i soon after this felt very drowsy, and quickly fell asleep. i dreamed all the time that i was tumbling head over heels down precipices, but never reached the ground. so i shall end this chapter at the bottom of a chalk-pit. chapter six. we get out of the pit--jack stretcher's adventure--search for myers-- hanks' advice--lose our ship in a fog--minute-guns heard. i was awoke by my uncle, and looking up, i saw that the stars had grown dim, and that the rosy dawn was rapidly spreading over the sky. when there was sufficient light to enable us to see distinctly, we discovered that we were in an unusually large and deep chalk-pit. we had, however, but little difficulty in climbing out of it, and in reaching the top of the down in which it was situated. what was our surprise, on looking seaward, to discover the cutter riding at anchor below us, and the boats just going off to her! we therefore went to the most conspicuous height, and waved our caps and handkerchiefs, in the hopes that some one might by chance be on the look-out with a telescope, and perceive us. we waited for some time, and were just giving up the case in despair, when one of the boats put off from the cutter, and pulled directly for the beach, above which we were standing; so we hurried down by a rough zigzag path cut in the cliff, and were ready on the shore to receive her when she pulled in. who should we see in the boat but stretcher, whom we fancied all the time held in durance vile by the smugglers. the honest fellow's satisfaction at seeing us was even greater than our surprise; for he had fully believed that we had been murdered, and had reported our death on board. the boat's crew gave three cheers as they ran up on the beach; and in their delight they almost lifted my uncle and me into the boat. we were not long in getting on board again, when the cheers were repeated by all hands; and i must do honest old hanks the justice to say, that, though he had doubtless begun to indulge in dreams of getting his promotion and the death vacancy, his pleasure was as genuine as that of the rest. he had, we found, been already arranging a plan to search for us, and to discover and capture the smugglers. the latter part of it, our commander determined forthwith to execute. before we went to breakfast, stretcher was sent for to make his report--a proceeding of which i did not approve, for i was very sharp-set; but midshipmen's appetites are seldom much thought of on such occasions. jack soon made his appearance, with his hat in one hand, while he smoothed down his hair most pertinaciously with the other. "well, stretcher, my man; i wish to know how you managed to escape so well out of the fangs of those rascals," said my uncle. "why, your honour," he answered, "i scarcely know how it all happened myself, for after the blackguards dragged off you and mr d'arcy, i was in such a taking, thinking that they were going to heave you over the cliff, that i didn't seem to know where i was or what i was doing. at last they made the handkerchief fast round my eyes again, so that i couldn't see a wink; and they began to haul me along, till i found that i was out of the cave and in the open air. on i went, up and down hill, some way inland, it seemed; and then back again through a chine down to the seashore. after a bit they led me up hill, and making me sit down on a rock, they told me that if i stirred an inch before daylight, i should meet with the same fate my master had done. "`how am i to tell when daylight comes, you lubbers, if you leave me with my eyes blinded,' said i. "no one answered, but i fancied i heard some one laugh close to me. they then lashed my arms behind me, so that i could not cast off the bandage from my eyes. "`so you are not going to carry me to foreign parts,' said i, for i thought, as they didn't mind killing my officer, they would think nothing of sending me over the cliffs also. "`we've changed our minds,' said they, `and can't be troubled with you; so ask no questions.' "i didn't like the answer at all, for i made sure they was going to do away with me somehow; but, as i couldn't help myself, i was not going to show them what a funk i was in; so i pretended to whistle, quite happy like. i had been whistling away some time, when i thought i heard their footsteps moving off; and so it proved; for when i next sung out to them, no one answered. i called them all manner of names, and blackguarded them like fun; but it didn't make them angry, because, you see, there was no one there to hear me. at last, when i'd grown hoarse with hallooing after them, i thought i might as well go to sleep a bit, seeing as how i couldn't manage to move, or to cast off the lashings round my arms. how long i slept i don't know; but i was woke up by hearing some one hail me, and i soon knew that they were some of the cutter's people. when they got up to me, and cast off the handkerchief from my eyes, then i found i had been sitting not ten feet above the beach, and directly opposite where the cutter is brought up. that, your honour, is all i know about it; but who the people are who played us the trick, or whereabouts the cave is, is more than i can say." "do not you think that we might manage to discover the cave, though?" asked the commander. "no, sir, certainly not," answered stretcher, positively. "it may be close to us, or it may be five miles off. to my mind, it's some very clever hide; and those who took us there knew very well we should never find it again." "we must see about that," observed my uncle. "by-the-bye, stretcher, i gave you some things to take charge of; where are they?" "here, sir; they never overhauled my pockets, which shows that they have some manners, at all events," said jack, producing a pistol, a handkerchief, and a card. my uncle took the card, and on it were written the words, "this is the way we punish informers and traitors." "perhaps, sir, you don't know who the man was who took the lead of the rest in the cave," said stretcher. "who was he?" asked the commander. "no other than bill myers himself," answered jack. i knew him directly, and several of those with him; but i thought it better to keep a silent tongue in my head, so they didn't suspect me. to my mind, myers murdered the man as a warning to others not to attempt to play a like trick upon him. from what i happened to hear, i suspect the lugger has run her cargo, and is by this time off again; for i am certain some of the people we saw belonged to her, and they wouldn't be likely to stay in this place after the work which has been done. nothing more of importance being elicited from jack, he was dismissed; and my uncle arranged with hanks that all the boats should visit the shore, and that a strict search should be made to discover the cave; while we should communicate with the authorities, and state what had occurred. the mist of the morning having cleared off, a look-out was kept at the masthead for the lugger, should she be in sight, but not a sign of her appeared; and as soon as breakfast was over, a large party of officers and seamen went on shore to hunt for the cave. my uncle, stretcher, and i, meantime, went off to the nearest magistrate, to make our depositions. mr gibson, the magistrate, received us very politely, and expressed his anxiety to sift the affair to the bottom, and to bring the offenders to justice. he took charge of the things we had found; and while he entertained us at luncheon, he sent about to make inquiries on the subject. the man, whose corpse we believed we had seen, was found to be missing, and we learned that he was well-known to be connected with the smugglers; but of the cave, and the cargo which we suspected to have been run, no one could, or rather would, afford any information. when, however, it was known that murder had been committed, several persons, who had no objection to assist in simple smuggling, but had a prejudice against murdering people, came voluntarily forward to state all they knew and suspected about the matter. by several, myers had been seen on shore during the previous day; and, what is extraordinary, one of the witnesses, an alehouse-keeper, swore that he had seen him use the very handkerchief we had found to sweep the crumbs off a table at which he had been eating bread and cheese, in order to have it clean for writing. he had also given him a letter to post, which he had forgotten to do. the handwriting was exactly like that on the card. another witness said that he knew myers by sight perfectly; that later in the day, as he was taking a cut across some fields near the cliffs, he had seen him seated under a tree, and that he was either loading or cleaning a pistol of the size and shape of the one now produced. indeed there was ample circumstantial evidence to enable mr gibson to issue a warrant for the apprehension of myers on a charge of murder, whenever and wherever he could be found. a reward was afterwards offered to whoever should capture him. it is very extraordinary that the cave could not be discovered, nor could we gain any information about the goods which had been seen. of myers himself no tidings could be obtained. there was no doubt that he had committed the murder, and he must have been aware that many of his old friends might be tempted by the prospect of the reward to deliver him up, should he venture again among them. the general opinion was, therefore, that we should hear nothing more of him. we, however, continued cruising in search of his lugger; but, though we chased at different times several craft which we thought might be his, we never got them within range of our guns. we, however, captured several other smuggling vessels, and made prize of a considerable number of tubs. the latter we picked up, either floating out at sea, or we got them by groping after they had been sunk. smuggling vessels carry a considerable portion of their cargo lashed along outside, just above the water. when hard pressed these are cut away, and the rest are thrown overboard, so that when overhauled, nothing contraband may be found on board. when within a short distance of land, so that marks on the shore can be seen, weights are attached to the tubs, which are all fastened together; and the marks being observed, so that the spot should be known again, they are sunk. sometimes we saw them being hove overboard and sunk; and then, of course, we did our best to get them again. we at length took a longer cruise than usual, and were for some time knocking about in the longitude of plymouth, and that turbulent portion of the aqueous world--the chops of the channel. there was a light wind and a smooth sea, and we were dodging along under easy sail, being in no hurry to get anywhere. i was walking the deck with hanks, talking on matters doubtless very erudite and abstruse; but i now forget what they were. scriven was casting up his accounts--literally, not metaphorically, be it understood; growl was endeavouring to forget his cares, with eyes fast closed, on two chairs in the gun-room; and our commander was below, reading. "d'arcy, i have taken a fancy to you, and i want to give you some good advice," remarked my companion, after some time. "just remember what i say, and it will be useful to you in elbowing your way, as you must, through this crowded world. first, then, keep that potato-trap of yours shut, except when you want to catch potatoes in it; and your eyes and ears open on all occasions. there is little harm in knowing a thing, but there is a very great deal in repeating it; and much harm often in letting others be aware that you do know it. then, my boy, always remember to look before you leap, and not to let go one rope before you have a firm gripe of another. you pretty boys from green erin's isle are too apt to do things in a hurry--to knock a fellow down, and then to ask his pardon, on finding that he wasn't the man you intended to floor; like the irish soldier officer who declared that anchovies grew on the walls of gibraltar, and when he had shot his friend for doubting his statement, recollected that it was capers he meant." i laughed at hanks' old story, though it was a hit against my countrymen; for i have always found it far better to laugh off anything said against one's self, than to put on the dignities and to look grand. laughter and good humour are like polished shields, which make the shafts of satire glance off on either side; but sulkiness and dignity are sure to bring them thick around them. our conversation was interrupted by the cry of "a sail on the weather bow!" the wind was about south-east, and the cutter's head was up channel. i went to report her to the commander, who immediately came on deck, and, looking at her attentively through his glass, ordered a boat to be lowered. he then returned below, and brought up a package. "mr d'arcy," said he--and i felt very grand to be so called,--"take this parcel on board yonder ship. i think i know her. if she is bound to ---, leave it with the master, to be delivered immediately on his arrival; if not, bring it back." i forget now the name of the place he mentioned. "ay, ay, sir," i answered; and jumping into the boat, shoved off. jack stretcher, who, in consequence of his behaviour with the smugglers, had gained the estimation of all on board, was with me in the boat. away we pulled towards the ship with rapid strokes, for we knew that the faster we pulled the less distance we should have to go. we were about half-way between the cutter and the ship, when a bank of mist came rolling slowly along from the southern horizon, the opposite extremities seeming to close in, till a circle was formed around us, still, however, having the cutter and the ship within its confines. on we rowed, the circle growing smaller and smaller, till, by the time we reached the ship, our own vessel was completely shrouded from view. as i knew exactly where she was, that did not trouble me. the ship proved to be the one i was sent to board--the _ajax_, i think, was her name. i delivered my despatches. the master asked me down into the cabin to take a glass of wine, which it would have been against the principles of a midshipman to refuse. i took two or three, and ate some cold chicken and ham into the bargain. there were, i remember, a number of passengers, who were very civil, and some gave me letters to take on shore; indeed it is just possible that one of the reasons why i was so hospitably entertained was that time might be obtained to finish and close the said letters. at last the package of farewells, last words, and before-forgotten directions, being ready, i tumbled with it into the boat, and shoved off to return to the cutter. i calculated that she bore about north-north-west from the ship; and not having a compass, the last thing i did was to take a careful glance at the one on board. i then pulled away, thinking that i should not lose sight of the merchantman before we got hold of our own craft. in about ten minutes i found that i was not a little mistaken. i had told stretcher, who was pulling stroke-oar, to keep his eye on the ship, while i, meantime, was looking out for the cutter. every moment i expected to see her; but, as we advanced, the fog appeared to rise up with redoubled thickness around us; and my difficulty was still further increased when jack stretcher exclaimed-- "i can't see the ship nowhere, sir! she was there not a moment ago, and just as i passed my hand over my brow, she was gone." "well, we must pull on," i exclaimed. "if we keep the breeze on the starboard quarter, we cannot be far wrong." however, not many minutes afterwards, the wind, true to its proverbial character of fickleness, died away, and we were left without any guide by which to steer our course across the trackless deep. still we pulled on, i fancied, in the direction of the coast. we should have been wise had we laid on our oars, and gone to sleep. as i could not see ahead, i steered by the wake astern, and was under the impression that i was keeping a wonderfully straight line. how long we had gone on i can scarcely tell, when we heard the sound of a gun booming along the water; but, instead of coming from the direction in which we were steering, it seemed to be astern of us. still we thought it must be the cutter firing. the men even declared that they knew the sound of the gun. the probability was, certainly, that it was her gun, as she would be sure to fire to show her whereabouts to us; and it was not likely that any other vessel near us would be firing for a similar purpose. although i was very confident, from the straight wake i fancied i had kept, that jack was mistaken, and that the sound of the gun had come from some other vessel, yet i yielded to his opinion, and pulled in the direction whence we thought it proceeded. we had not made good a quarter of a mile when we again heard the sound; but still, to our surprise and vexation, it was indubitably right astern. "that gun's from the cutter, sir," said jack; "but i can't make it out how it comes from away there." no more could i; but determined this time, at all events, not to miss our vessel, we pulled away directly towards the spot whence we were certain the sound proceeded. "give way, my lads, we shall soon be up with her," i shouted; and the crew sent the boat flying through the smooth water. i kept looking out on either bow for the cutter, expecting every instant to see her looming through the fog; when, for the third time, a gun was heard, but in spite of all our hopes and expectations, and almost against our belief, it also sounded right astern, and further away than any of the others. i was ready to cry with vexation. it seemed like the work of magic, and as if a set of mischievous imps or spirits, like those on prospero's island, were employed in trying our tempers and patience. there seemed no use in going on thus, to be constantly baulked; so i ordered the men to lay on their oars, resolved to wait either till the mist cleared off, or till we could devise some better means of finding our way to the shore than we now possessed. thus for an hour or more we floated listlessly on the water. chapter seven. fall in with a wreck--dreadful scene on board--mr. marlow and his daughter--alice marlow's account of the voyage--bring the ship into harbour. "hillo! where does that come from?" i exclaimed, as the low deep boom of a gun came rolling over the calm water. another and another report followed, and then, as if affected by the concussion, the mist on a sudden lifted a few feet from the surface, and revealed, about three miles off, the hull of a large ship on which the rays of the now setting sun glittered brightly for an instant, ere she sank beneath the wave. it was sufficient to show us our position, and we might easily have found our way towards the shore; but, as i was about putting the boat's head in that direction, jack observed-- "there's something wrong with that ship yonder, sir, or she wouldn't be firing in the way she does." i listened attentively. there could be no doubt--those were minute-guns, the well-known signal of distress at sea. we could do but little good, probably; but what good we could do i determined to attempt. my men needed no encouragement. the fact that fellow-creatures wanted help was sufficient to nerve their arms. had an enemy been in sight, and had there been heads to be cracked, it would have been much the same. round spun the boat, and away they pulled as hard as they could lay their backs to the oars. the breeze which had cleared off the mist, had likewise got up the sea a little, and the spray flew over our bows as we dashed through the dancing waves. away we went; the big sea-serpent could not have beaten us. every minute the low, dull sound of the gun reached our ears, growing louder and louder as we drew nearer the ship. her distress was evidently great. from the somewhat irregular way the gun was fired, and from its tone, jack pronounced the ship to be a merchantman, as he remarked that minute-guns from a man-of-war would have been far louder and more regular. the mist, fortunately, did not again settle down thickly over the ship, so that, although twilight was coming on, we could still distinguish her whereabouts. as we drew near, we saw that she was of considerable size, and that all her masts had gone by the board. we were evidently not perceived, even though we had got close up to her, for she continued firing as before. "now, my lads, we'll let the poor fellows know that we are at hand to help them," i exclaimed; and on this my men joined me in raising a right hearty cheer, which must have given the people on board no unpleasing notice of our approach. there was a pause, as if they were recovering from their surprise; and then it was answered by a shout so feeble, that it sounded more like the sighing of the wind among the crumbling walls of some old building, than a cheer of welcome. it was now too dark to distinguish any one, but i fancied that i saw the heads of several people over the taffrail, as if eagerly watching us. we were soon alongside, when some one attempted to heave us a rope, but it fell short of the boat. we, however, hooked on to the main-chains, and, followed by jack, i was not long in scrambling on board. a seaman stood there, holding a ship's lantern, which shed a feeble light around, where all was wreck and confusion; and it besides exhibited more strongly his own countenance, which looked haggard and emaciated in the extreme. the greater part of the bulwarks, the spare spars, the caboose, and the boats had been carried away,--indeed, the sea must have made a clean sweep over her; and it seemed not a little surprising, from the appearance of the deck, that any human beings should have remained, and that the ship herself should have escaped foundering. besides the man who held the lantern, three equally wretched-looking beings came to meet us. i observed that some others were lying on the deck, round one of the chain-pumps, as if they had sunk down with fatigue; while two more were stretched out alongside the only remaining gun, the report of which we had heard. i thought to myself, can those poor fellows be dead? but i dared not ask the question. "you seem in a bad plight," i observed, as i looked round. "bad enough," answered one of the seaman; "and if you don't bear a hand, we shall have the ship sinking under us." "we'll do our best for you; but how can our boat carry all your ship's company?" i asked, for i thought i saw other people moving aft, and fancied that some must be below. "oh, she'll carry all of us that's alive," returned the same rough-spoken seaman. "but, sir," he continued, "we have two aboard here whom we must get out of harm's way before we look after ourselves." "where are they?" i asked. "right aft, sir," he answered, leading the way along the deck. as i followed him, i passed two bodies stretched out at full length. "they'll never break biscuit again," observed one of the men. "we were near thirty souls in all, and this night there only remain six of us alive." there was no time just then to ask questions. the companion-hatch had not been washed away, and as the seaman held up the lantern, its light fell on the figure of a man kneeling on the deck, bending over the fair face of a young girl, who reclined on a seat by the side of it. "rouse up a bit, sir; there's help come when we didn't expect it," said the seaman. the gentleman, for such i saw that he was, had not his voice proved it, rose from his knees. "heaven be praised, my child may yet be saved!" he exclaimed, clasping his daughter in his arms, and scarcely appearing to notice my presence. "alice, dearest, bear up but a little longer; we may once more hope to reach the shore." the young girl endeavoured, to raise herself, and feebly returned his embrace. then turning to me, he said, "you have arrived most opportunely. we had well nigh abandoned all hope of escaping death. what do you propose we should do?" "as the people on board seem to say that the ship may go down any moment with slight warning," i replied, "i think, sir, the sooner you and the young lady get into the boat, the better. we will follow you when it becomes absolutely necessary. meantime we must see what can be done on board." i then told him that i belonged to a cutter, which could not be far off, and that i hoped by daylight we should see her, and that she would come to our assistance. the gentleman, on this, took his daughter in his arms and carried her to the gangway. "how are the poor men who were so ill?" i heard her ask. "they are free from all pain," was the evasive answer; but it seemed to satisfy her. we soon got them safely placed in the boat, in which i left two boat-keepers, with orders to be ready to shove off at a moment's notice. the rest of the boat's crew came on board to lend a hand to what might be required. i then set to work to see what was best to be done. there was no time to ask questions as to how the ship had got into her present condition. my first care was to attend to the wants of the sick. the seaman who had received us and my own people went round with me. unhappily, we found that most of the other poor fellows were beyond human aid. three only were still alive, verging on the portals of death. we fortunately had a flask of spirits, a keg of water, and some biscuits in the boat; of these i served out sparingly among the crew. the food had the effect of speedily reviving them. i next took a lantern, and, accompanied by jack, went below to discover, if i could, how much water the ship had in her. i was not quite comfortable during the time, for i thought she might take it into her head to go down before we could regain the deck. the water we found was over the cabin floors; but, as far as we could judge, it was not gaining on her. half of it might have got in while the sea broke over the ship. the contents of the cabin, bedding, and tables, and chairs, and crockery, and books, and clothing, were washing about together. returning on deck, we went forward. the forepeak was much in the same condition. "she'll not sink yet awhile, sir," said jack. "hark, now! don't you hear a bubbling sound right forward, there? now, to my mind, if we were to get a sail thrummed and brought across her bows, we might carry her into harbour yet." "if you think so, we'll try it, by all means," i answered, feeling no little pride at the prospect of saving the ship. no time was to be lost in setting about the work, if it was to be done. i had only three men; and the four we found able to move about on board were still too weak to be of much use. officers there were none. i shall have to tell a sad tale on that subject, by-and-by. we had no little difficulty in getting at the sail-room; but, after much rummaging about, we discovered a spare topsail, with which we set to work as we proposed. what with searching for the ropes and getting the sail ready, it took us an hour before it was brought under the ship's bows. meantime the water gained very slowly on us. it was nervous work, for we could not tell at what moment the last bucketful might come in which would send her to the bottom. "that will do, sir, i think," said jack stretcher, who, i must own, was the prime mover. "the leak seems to suck in the sail, and we may now try to clear her of the water." with a will we manned the chain-pumps, and after an hour's hard work it became evident that we had materially lessened its depth. in the meantime the little girl and her father, with the weakest of those we found on board, had remained in the boat. "you may come on board again, sir; i don't think the ship is going to sink this time," i sung out, as i looked down on them. at first the gentleman would not venture to quit the boat, for he could not believe that the ship was not on the point of sinking. after some persuasion, however, i got him and his daughter on deck, and we wrapped her up comfortably, and placed her on the seat by the companion-hatch, for the cabin was too damp for her to occupy. the sick men we placed on the poop, with a sail stretched over them, to shelter them somewhat from the night air. the dead were carried forward. we had no time, however, to spare from the pumps; but, with the aid of the fresh hands, we again set to for a spell, the gentleman helping, as far as his strength would allow him. as may be supposed, i was curious to know who he was; and while we were pumping away, i bethought me i would ask him his name. "you may call me marlow," he answered. "i ought to have mentioned that before." the reply made me fancy that there was some mystery or other, and my imagination conjured up all sorts of romantic stories. "and that young lady," thought i, "is miss alice marlow." "alice marlow--alice marlow; what a very pretty name," i kept repeating to myself, while my arms were aching with the exertion of pumping. fortunately it remained very calm, or i suspect we should not have gained on the leak. mr marlow was anxious to get on shore for the sake of his daughter, and would willingly have abandoned the ship; but at the same time he was glad to save some valuable property he had on board. all hands worked with a will, spelling each other, till we were almost knocked up. i thought the night the longest i had ever spent. we had no time for conversation, so i was still ignorant of how the ship had been brought into her present condition. at last the cold grey light of the coming day appeared. i looked out in the hope of discovering the blue line of the land on the northern board; but the dull, leaden sea surrounded us on every side, fortunately, unruffled as a looking-glass. neither the cutter nor any other sail was in sight. we had given our own provisions to the half-famished crew, and were becoming very sharp-set ourselves. some nutritious food had, i found--much to the credit of those on board,--been reserved for the exclusive use of the little girl, and this had been the means of preserving her life, notwithstanding all the hardships she had undergone. mr marlow, overcome with fatigue, had wrapped himself in a cloak, and lay asleep at his daughter's feet. two of the ship's crew had fairly given in, and dropped off also; but my own fellows, urged on by jack, worked away like trojans at the pump. "do ye see, lads, if we get this here craft into harbour, we shall make a better job of it than of any prize we are ever likely to pick up in the whole course of our lives; but if she sinks, why, do ye see, we shall get nothing," he remarked, whenever he saw them inclined to flag in their exertions; and each time he spoke, the water always seemed to flow faster than before out of the scuppers. our prospect was not a very pleasant one. we had a boat certainly; but with any sea running she would scarcely carry the remnant of the crew and passengers; and while the ship floated i would on no account desert her. the beams of the sun, as he rose out of the ocean, fell on the little girl's face. i had fancied her rather pretty at night, but i now thought her very lovely. while my arms were resting i stood watching her, when the dazzling light of the sun aroused her from her sleep, and opening a very bright pair of blue eyes, she fixed them on me with a look of extreme surprise. it may be laid down as a general rule that a midshipman, especially an irish one, does not take a long time to fall in love, nor, it must be confessed, to fall out again--which latter, taking all things into consideration, will be considered a very fortunate circumstance. i, accordingly, instantly conceived a very ardent affection for miss alice marlow, and felt ready to go right round the world, and to perform all sorts of prodigies for her sake. she looked at me, and then around her, as if trying to collect her scattered senses. "where are we--where are we going?" she asked, in a very sweet and musical voice. "we are in the chops of the channel; and we are going nowhere at present, but we hope soon to be," i answered. "we must try to rig a sort of a jury-mast, and if we get a little breeze from the southward, we may hope to fetch plymouth." the idea of getting up a jury-mast had only just occurred to me. her voice aroused mr marlow. it was pleasant to see the way in which the father and daughter greeted each other. i left them together, offering up their thanks to heaven for having preserved them to see another day, while i went forward to propound my idea to jack. he was about to propose the same to me, the only want being the spars with which to make the mast. a few remained, certainly, on deck, but they were short and broken. on putting them, however, together, we found that we might splice them so as to form a mast and a yard of sufficient length to answer our purpose. all hands set to with a will, in the hopes that a breeze might spring up from the southward or westward, and blow us on to the english coast. the ebb, i found, had drifted us down channel, and the flood, now again making strong, sent us the way we wished to go. as the sun also rose, and the mist which had so long hung over the sea cleared off somewhat, we at length made out the land to the northward, which we had no doubt was the coast of cornwall. things now began to wear a much more cheering aspect. we had to knock off mast building, however, every now and then, to take a spell at the pumps. mr marlow assisted us at either work to the best of his power; and even little miss alice seemed very anxious to lend a hand, and, though i own she could have been but of slight use, her presence encouraged us to perseverance. it did me at all events. i have all my life felt doubly energetic in the presence of a lady, and fancy, at all events, that there is not a deed which i would not dare for the sake of winning the smile of an amiable girl. at last we got something like a mast built, and lashed to the stump of the foremast. we stayed it up, got a yard across it, and bent a topsail to it, which we fortunately found below. this was but very little sail: but it was all we could hope to be able to set, and without a wind even that was of no use to us. the pumps, in the meantime, kept us fully occupied; clang--clang--clang they went, till i thought i never should get the sound out of my ears. jack every now and then turned his eye over the smooth, glassy sea to the northward, as if he observed some sign which i did not. before long he gladdened our ears by exclaiming, "here it comes! we'll stand by, sir, if you please, to hoist the sail." i went aft to the helm. a nice fresh, laughing breeze came rippling and curling up briskly the hitherto sullen waters. it struck us abeam on the larboard side. the sail was hoisted, the ship answered her helm, and i steered her in the direction in which i believed that plymouth was to be found. as the binnacle had been swept off the deck, and the only compass i could find in the cabin had been so damaged by water as to be of no use, i had only the distant blue land to steer by. our sail, fortunately, required but little attention, so that my whole ship's company were at liberty to work at the pumps, which was very necessary, as, whenever they relaxed in their efforts, the water again rapidly gained on us. miss alice, being of no assistance to them, came and stood by me to help me to steer the ship, which, i assured her, was very kind of her. as all danger appeared past, and the sun shone forth bright and warm, her spirits revived. her voice was very sweet and low, and i thought that i had never heard anything more musical. "what is your name, little officer?" she asked, putting her hands on the spokes of the wheel, and imitating my attitude as i stood on the other side of it. "neil d'arcy, little lady," i answered, not quite liking the epithet she bestowed on me. "oh, i so much wished to know it; for papa and i are so very, very grateful to you for coming to save our lives, and we can never thank you enough," said she. "oh, i have done nothing at all to be thanked for; i wish that i had," i replied. "i wouldn't mind any trouble or danger to serve you; and i would go right round the world for your sake, that i would." "it's very kind of you to say so," said miss alice. "and i know that i shall like you some day very much--indeed i do so now--for the service you have been to us; but tell me, mr neil d'arcy, are you a captain of a ship?" "no, i am a midshipman," i replied, modestly. "is a midshipman higher than a captain?" she inquired, innocently. "sometimes; when he's mast-headed," i answered. this seemed to satisfy her; and i, not wishing to be lowered in her estimation, was anxious to change the subject. i therefore said, "it seems very odd that though i've been on board so many hours, and seem to be so well acquainted with you, i do not know where you have come from, or how you got into this terrible plight." "oh, i will tell you all about it, then," she replied. "you must know that papa has been a great merchant in the brazils, where we have lived almost since i can remember. dear mamma died there; and if it had not been for my sake, i believe papa would have died too. you cannot tell how fond he is of me, for i have no brothers or sisters, and there was no one else in that country for him to love. at last the doctor told him he must come to england, so he took a passage in this ship, which is called the _poictiers_. there were some other passengers, and i had an old black nurse to take care of me. at first we had fine weather, and things seemed to go pretty well; but, sad to say, the captain was a very tipsy man, and we, i believe, lost our way, and the wind blew against us and kept us back a long time." "oh, i see! the master got out of his reckoning, and met with a succession of foul winds," i remarked. "i don't know, but i know we were very uncomfortable, and had very little to eat, and what we had was very bad," she continued. "it was very horrid, was it not? a fever also, which one of the passengers had brought from rio, spread among the people on board. several of the other passengers and many of the crew died of it, and among others, my poor nurse josefa. god was very kind, and saved dear papa and me. i do not think the captain caught it; but he was always very tipsy, and now was worse than ever. one night he fell into the sea and was drowned." "drinking brought on _delirium tremens_, and in his madness he jumped overboard probably," i remarked. "no wonder his ship was in so bad a condition; but go on." "both the mates died, and we were left without any officers. fortunately the crew were very steady, and behaved well; and at last the fever went away, and those who were sick recovered. the carpenter was the only person on board who had any idea how we should steer, so the rest made him act as captain." "it was a mercy, under such circumstances, that you found your way into the chops of the channel." "where is that?" asked miss alice, naively. "where we now are," said i; and i should probably have gone on to explain the reason of the name, but that i was very anxious to hear more of her account. as far as i could make out, three very anxious weeks passed by while the ship remained in this condition, when, as they were getting near soundings, a gale sprang up and drove her furiously before it. "one evening," continued the little girl, "papa and i were in our cabins, when suddenly the ship rolled over dreadfully on her side, and-- most horrible!--the water came rushing down into them. at the same time there was a frightful crash, and we heard sad shrieks and cries. poor papa flew into my cabin, and seized me in his arms, for he thought the ship was sinking, so did i, and we wished to die together." "the ship had broached to, and had been thrown on her beam-ends, and the masts had gone by the board," i remarked. "it was fortunate they did so, or she would have been sent to the bottom to a certainty. when the masts went the ship righted, and you saw there was a chance of escape." "i was too frightened to think anything just then," said she. "all i know is, that papa, carrying me in his arms, found his way in the darkness to the companion-ladder, and then up on deck. when we got there, i wished that we were in our cabin again. we were in the midst of high, black, foaming waves and bright flashes of lightning; and when i looked up, there were no masts and no sails, but the deck was covered with their broken remains. it was so very dreadful, i cannot talk more about it now. i did not cry or faint, but i felt my heart beat very quick as i clung to papa, while he held tight to the companion-hatches, which, as you see, still remain firm." "but where have you lived all the time you have been on the wreck?" i asked. "oh, i remained where you first found me," she answered. "at night they covered me up with cloaks and a sail, and in the daytime i was able to walk about, for the sea, fortunately, was tolerably smooth. the kind sailors also, though suffering much from hunger, i heard papa say, brought me all i required to eat, which was not much, you may suppose." this was all about the shipwreck i heard from miss alice at the time. it appeared that when the masts had been carried away, the mizen-mast had hung on by some of the rigging, and by dragging astern had assisted in making the head of the ship pay off. this caused her to drive before the gale, and saved the decks from being swept by the seas, which would otherwise have cleared them of every human being. as soon as all the damage had been committed, the wind and sea began to go down, and by the morning there was only a moderate breeze. the carpenter, however, discovered that the ship had sprung a leak, and all hands were now summoned to work the pumps; but weakened by disease and famine, and overcome with fatigue, they were soon obliged to give up the almost hopeless task. three days of horror passed away without any ship coming near them, while several of them died from sheer starvation. fortunately, at last they discovered some gunpowder which, being in tin cases, was not spoilt, and with it they managed to fire the guns which had attracted our attention. miss alice told me many more incidents, which i now forget. our conversation was interrupted by jack stretcher, who came aft. "sir," said he, touching his hat, "i'm afraid we shall have to take to the boat, for the people are almost all knocked up; and, do all we can, the ship won't float much longer." "i'm sorry to hear that, for i should have liked to have got her safe into harbour," i answered. "but i suppose there is no help for it." "we'll take another spell at the pumps before we give in," he replied. "but i wanted to tell you, sir, that to my mind that poor gentleman will be killing himself if he works away as he does; and as he is of no great use to us, it would be better if he sat down and rested himself." on hearing this, miss marlow darted forward to her father, and seizing him by the arm, tried to force him away from the pumps. he soon yielded to her entreaties, and almost fainting with fatigue, came and sat down aft. "now, my lads," cried jack to the men, who, one after the other, had thrown themselves down on the deck, "we'll see if we can't keep the old craft afloat till we get her into harbour." but no one responded to his summons. just then my eye fell on the white sail of a vessel appearing above the dark horizon right ahead of us. i pointed it out to jack. "it's the cutter, sir, to a certainty," he exclaimed, after scrutinising it attentively. "huzza! my lads, there's help at hand, if you will but hold out an hour longer." the men, encouraged by his words and example, resumed their labours, and again sent the water gushing through the scuppers. it was an anxious time; for after all i felt that the sail in sight might not prove to be the cutter, or she might be crossing our course and not see us. our last remnant of food and water had been served out, with the exception of a biscuit, which i had kept for the little girl and her father; so that all hands were very hungry as well as fatigued. i had tightened my belt round my waist to serve me for my breakfast. i watched the vessel as she rose higher and higher above the horizon; and, to my great joy, i at length saw that she was, at all events, a large cutter, beating up towards us. i called jack to look at her again. "she's the _serpent_, and no mistake," he exclaimed. "she'll be down to us in another hour, if the wind holds. my doubt is if the ship will swim as long," he added in a whisper to me; "but we'll do our best, sir." "let me know in time if the water gains much on us, that we may get the young lady and the gentleman into the boat," said i. "ay, ay, sir," he answered, as he went forward, and with a loud cheer, resumed his labours. the minutes dragged slowly on; for, though i had no fear for our lives, i was anxious to get fresh hands to keep the ship afloat. "is that little vessel yours?" asked miss marlow, pointing to the cutter as she approached. "yes," said i. "i hope before long to take you on board her." "that will be very nice; for dear papa and i want to leave this dreadful ship. you will carry us home to old england, will you!" she said. "if the cutter makes us out, i hope to get you on shore this evening or to-morrow," i replied. "but i am not quite certain that she sees us." she had just then tacked, and was apparently standing away from us. i watched her eagerly. again she tacked, and i was certain she saw us. i steered towards her, and now, the breeze freshening, we rapidly neared each other. she stood on, and passing under our stern, kept alongside of us. "hillo, d'arcy, my boy, how did you get there?" hailed my uncle, as he recognised me at the helm. "fell in with her, sir. pray send some fresh hands, for we are sinking; and some prog, for we are starving," i shouted, in return. the cutter flew by us, and hove-to a short distance ahead. a boat was lowered, and as we came up, she hooked on to our main-chains, and my uncle stepped on board. i was thus speedily shorn of the honour of command. as soon as i had introduced mr marlow and his daughter to him, and given him a brief account of what had occurred, he invited them on board the cutter, ordering me to take charge of them, and to send hanks with another boat's crew to assist in working the ship. he had brought some provisions, which very soon restored my hungry people, and enabled them to pull me and my charges on board the cutter, while the fresh hands took their places at the pumps. even when miss alice discovered my unexalted position, she did not seem to esteem me the less, for i had already, i rather fancy, established myself in her good graces. i did my best to make her and her father comfortable in my uncle's cabin; and flitch, his steward, soon placed before them such a breakfast as they had not seen for many a long day, to which i, at all events, did not fail to do ample justice. the young lady appeared to think that naval officers were very hungry mortals, as she saw numberless slices of bacon and eggs disappear down my throat. "we have no lady's maid on board to attend on you, miss marlow," said i, as i got up to leave the cabin; "but flitch will put your berth to rights; and if you'll follow my advice, you'll turn in and take a good snooze, for you want it, i think." the poor little girl was almost falling asleep at table. mr marlow thanked me for my good advice, which he said he and his daughter would follow. when i went on deck i found that the cutter had taken the ship in tow, and that we were running up channel. my uncle soon came on board, and praising me for my behaviour, said he should try and carry our prize into portsmouth. he was in high spirits, for he expected to get a good round sum for salvage. the breeze held favourable, and in two days we were steering safely through the needles passage. chapter eight. alice at daisy cottage--a boat's crew capsized--pick up dicky sharpe-- our friendship commenced. i may as well say that my uncle got a fair round sum for the salvage of the good ship the _poictiers_, and a very welcome addition to his year's pay. our passengers went on shore at portsmouth, and as soon as we arrived there, i thought i was to see no more of them, when, having accompanied them to the door of the george hotel, i was about to bid them farewell. "what! we are not going to part yet," said mr marlow. "come in, young gentleman--come in." there was the usual bustle consequent on the arrival of a party at an inn. it soon subsided. rooms were selected, and we found ourselves seated in a parlour, which looked doubly comfortable after the deck of the dismasted ship and the small cabin of the cutter. "you will come and dine with us to-day, mr d'arcy; and i must beg you to convey an invitation to your uncle," said mr marlow. as midshipmen are not always their own masters, i had to explain that i would, if i could; though i did not think my uncle would refuse me leave. i was not disappointed; and at six o'clock i found myself seated at mr marlow's dinner-table, and opposite my commander. i thought the little lady, miss alice, still looked very much fatigued. "she is scarcely yet fit to perform the journey to london," observed her father. "still i am anxious to be there, and must also visit liverpool in the course of a few days." "if you will allow her to remain with mrs o'flaherty, i can answer for my wife being most happy to receive her," said my uncle. to my great joy, though i was afraid of showing if, mr marlow at once acceded to the proposal. "i will, then, bring mrs o'flaherty over to fetch her," added my uncle. "you will, i suspect, agree very well, miss alice." "indeed, my dear sir, you are laying me under a tenfold obligation," said mr marlow. "all our connections are, i believe, in the north, and in dreary london there is no one with whom i could leave the dear child." i don't remember the rest of our conversation. i know that i discussed a very good dinner; and that same evening we got under weigh and ran over to ryde, and my uncle went up to daisy cottage. the next morning my aunt accompanied him on board, and we returned to portsmouth. she received little alice, as i knew she would, most kindly, and before many hours had passed they became great friends; and, to make a long story short, miss marlow became an inmate for several weeks of daisy cottage. we were lying one day soon after this in portsmouth harbour, off haslar creek, ready to start for the westward. it was sunday. my uncle had gone over to ryde, and i was in hopes of getting across in the afternoon to visit my aunt and her guest. i had turned out in full fig; and while all the people were below dressing for muster, i walked the deck as officer of the watch, with my spy-glass under my arm, looking out for the signal from the flag-ship to make it eight-bells. i felt very important, but i have reasons to doubt whether i looked proportionably consequential. all the ships in the harbour and at spithead ran up their bunting at the same moment; and i had just belayed our signal halliards when i saw a boat, crowded with seamen and marines, putting off from a frigate lying right ahead of us. the tide was running strong out of the harbour. a young midshipman was at the helm, and he did not seem to have made due allowance for the strength of the current. the consequence was that the boat drifted down some way below the intended place of landing, and while he was putting her head up the harbour to regain his lost ground, her keel struck the mast of a barge which had sunk the day before, and which scarcely showed above the water. in an instant over she went, and the people in her were spilt out into the eddying, rushing tide-way. some struck out for the shore, a few clung on the boat, and others came drifting down helplessly with the current. so suddenly had the accident occurred, that i had not a moment to consider what was best to be done, nor to call any one from below. fortunately we had a punt alongside. casting off the painter, i jumped into her, and shoved off to where three men were struggling, close ahead of the cutter. i caught hold of one who was just sinking, and hauled him over the bows, while the other two got in without my help. i looked round to see what had become of the rest of the people. two marines were clinging to the keel of the boat, and she was on the point of striking our stern, by which she would have been carried under our bottom, when i sculled alongside and got the two jollies on board. by the glance i had had at her just before, i observed that another person had been with them, while, as i was getting in the three first men, a cry for help had reached my ears. "oh! sir, there's mr --- gone, poor fellow!" exclaimed one of the marines saved. "there he is, though!" directly under the water, where he pointed, i saw a head of hair or a bunch of seaweed, i could not tell which; but, on the chance of its being the former, i sculled up to it. the sun shone forth brightly, and i caught a glimpse of a human face convulsed with agony beneath the tide. twice it eluded me; but stretching out my arm, and almost going overboard and capsizing our already over-crowded boat, i got firm hold of a person by the hair, who, i saw, had a midshipman's patch on the collar of his jacket. i had some difficulty in getting the seemingly lifeless body of my brother officer into the boat. seeing that there was no one else to be saved--for several boats had shoved off from the shore and vessels at anchor near at hand to pick up the rest of the people--i paddled my nearly sinking boat alongside the cutter. hearing my hail as i jumped into the punt, the crew had rushed on deck, and were standing ready to hand on board the half-drowned midshipman and the men i had been the means of saving. the latter were none the worse for their ducking, except that their clothes were wettish. "you'll want a clean shirt, mate," said one of our people to a patlander from the frigate. "arrah! now didn't i put a dry one in my pocket this blessed morning; so it will be all handy for me," he exclaimed, diving into the recesses of his dripping peacoat. the midshipman, who was still insensible, was, by hanks' advice, carried down into the gun-room. we were unwilling to run the risk of the delay which must have occurred had he been conveyed on board his own ship. "bring a glass of hot grog; and let it be pretty stiff, steward!" said hanks, as we were engaged in stripping our patient and putting him into my berth between the blankets. we then set to work to rub his body with a coarse worsted sock, the first suitable thing which came to hand. having got some of the salt water he had swallowed out of his mouth, hanks poured a little warm grog into it instead. this, with the rubbing, had the effect of speedily restoring animation. in a few minutes he opened his eyes, and tried to sit up and look about him. "hillo! where am i? i say, are the poor fellows all picked up?" he asked, in a weak tone. i liked him at once for thinking of his men. "all right, mate," i answered; "no harm has come of the capsize, except a few wet jackets." just then, on looking round, i saw a man, who by his uniform i knew to be a naval surgeon, standing near me. "so i see you've saved me my work, gentlemen," he said, smiling. "you could not have acted better than you appear to have done; and, thanks to you, we shall soon have him all right again." "thank'ee, doctor, i've come round pretty well already," sung out the midshipman. "but, i say, mate, i just want another glass of your stuff. it's prime physic." the medico smelt the tumbler, which stood on the table full of grog, and then felt the youngster's pulse and looked at his tongue. "you may take half a glass--it's quite enough for you, and then we'll have you wrapped up in blankets, and carried on board," he answered. "oh, thank'ee, doctor, i'm very comfortable where i am, and my clothes ain't dried yet; so if you'll let me stay here, i think it would be the better for me," said the midshipman. the doctor's objections, if he had any, were soon overruled; and, telling the midshipman to return on board the frigate as soon as his clothes were dry, he quitted the cutter. "what's your name, mate?" asked my new friend, as he was sipping his glass of grog. i told him. "mine's richard sharpe; but i'm mostly called dicky sharpe," he answered. "some of my messmates give me all sorts of names; but i don't mind them. as long as they don't cob me, it's all very well. i'm a happy fellow, and ready for all the ups and downs of life. i'm pretty well wide awake, and know my duty, so i don't often get mast-headed. if i happen to get a fall, i generally manage to pitch on my feet; and as i'm some day or other to come into a fortune, i'm not troubled about the future. if the lords commissioners of the admiralty give me my promotion, it will be all very well; if not, why they'll have to dispense with my valuable services, and the country will be the loser." i was highly edified by master dicky's philosophy, and i at once conceived a great regard and respect for him. "now, d'arcy, my boy," he continued, in his free and easy tone, "it's stupid work lying here between the blankets; so if you'll just give me the loan of some of your toggery till mine are dry, i'll sit up at table and crack a bottle of wine with you." i had to remind him of the early hour, and to confess that wine our mess did not possess, but that he should have some breakfast and hot tea, which would be better for him, and that he should be welcome to my clothes. while he was seated at table, hanks, who had gone on deck to see the medico off, returned. "well, d'arcy, i told him how you had saved the youngster and the other men," he said. "it will be a feather in your cap, my lad, and you deserve to wear it." "what!" exclaimed my volatile young friend, grasping my hand, while the tears came into his eyes, "you saved me from drowning. on my word, i'm very much obliged to you. i shouldn't like to have become food for fishes just yet. i'd rather eat a few dinners off them first." "oh, faith, i could not have done less if you'd been only a sheep or a pig," i answered, laughing; "so you've little to thank me for." "i suppose, though, even a sheep or a pig would have tried to show their gratitude, unless you had intended to turn them into mutton and pork directly afterwards," replied dicky sharpe. "so, d'arcy, i must look upon you as my friend and preserver; and i just wish, when you can get leave, that you would come down and see my governor and mother and sisters. they won't make much of you, won't they, that's all." i told him that i should be very glad to accept his invitation if i could; but at the time i was thinking that my aunt and miss alice would admire the feather hanks said i might wear in my cap more than anybody else. i never met a merrier or more contented fellow than dicky sharpe. i was quite sorry to lose him when his clothes were dry and a boat came alongside to take him on board his ship, the _cynthia_, what was my surprise to receive by her, at the same time, a note from the captain of the frigate, inviting me to dine with him on the following day, stating that he wished to thank me for the presence of mind i had displayed in saving the lives of one of his midshipmen and several of his people. "i'm glad to hear it," exclaimed hanks. "it shows your talents are not hid under a bushel; and now get away over to ryde with that note in your pocket, and explain its meaning in the best way you can." i jumped into a wherry just then passing, and in less than an hour landed at ryde pier, whence i found my way up to daisy cottage. my aunt was delighted to hear my story, which, i flatter myself, i told with all the innate modesty of an irishman. alice, i thought, blushed her approval most sweetly; and my uncle congratulated me warmly. i spent a very pleasant evening, some of the time walking with alice on the shore, and resting under the trees, which come almost close down to the water's edge. i found that i could not dine with captain bruff, as we were to sail next morning for the westward; so i was obliged to be content with the empty honour of the invitation; and, i dare say, my absence did not break his heart. i was more sorry to miss seeing dicky sharpe again, as i should have liked to have had another palaver with him; and before our return the _cynthia_ would probably have sailed. chapter nine. a chase--a prize--capture a french smuggler--our prisoner's politeness-- do not trust a greek, even when polite. at the hour i was asked to dine with captain bruff we were running out at the needles, with a fresh breeze and a thick, drizzling rain, which called pea-coats and sou'westers into requisition. we cruised about for three or four days without seeing anything suspicious; not a tub afloat, nor a craft with a smuggling look about her. at last we found something to give us employment. one evening a mist settled down over the water, which, though there was a good breeze, was perfectly calm. although the night was in no ways dark, yet the density of the fog prevented our seeing beyond the bowsprit end, or even so far. it was just such a night as a smuggler delights in. the cutter was on her old ground, off portland bill. we were slipping through the water at the rate of some five or six knots an hour, when stretcher, who was standing close to me, exclaimed, "ah! see there, sir; there's a craft of some sort right away to leeward, trying to steal off from us." i looked, and could just distinguish the shadowy form of a sail through the mist. the commander was called, and the cutter was instantly kept away in chase. jack pronounced her to be a wherry; but i thought her something much larger. the wind was from the southward, and she, choosing what was probably her best point of sailing, made for the english coast. she sailed well; but we kept her in sight, for daylight had just broke, and the mist had partially cleared away. as soon as my uncle came on deck he ordered a shot to be fired wide of her, to make her heave-to. she paid no attention to it. "fire another, stretcher, right into her this time, and we will make her show her quality," said he. the mists had now cleared off sufficiently to show that she was a wherry, though rather a small one. the shot went through her foresail, but still she held on. she was heavily laden, and her crew must have seen that her chance of escape was small, if not impossible. to render this still more difficult, it was every instant growing lighter and lighter. there were numerous sharp eyes on board the cutter fixed on her, and we now perceived her crew heaving the tubs overboard as fast as they could. they fancied, probably, that we could not see them. there were no weights attached to them, so they floated; but as we had no time to stop and pick them up, we noted carefully our course as we passed them, so as to be able to find them again. "fire away at her, my lads, till she heaves-to," cried my uncle, seeing that she still held on. "surely she'll not get away from us," i remarked to jack. "not so sure of that, mr d'arcy," he answered. "now she's got her cargo out of her, should the wind fall on a sudden, and the fog come on thicker, she may contrive to hide herself away in it before we can get our boats out." the fog deceived us as to her true distance from us, for after the first, none of our shot struck her, though that mattered nothing, for the breeze freshening, we were now coming up with her hand over hand. "lower your canvas!" shouted my uncle, as we got near. her people thought it wise to obey, to avoid the shot, which could not now well miss its aim. she was next ordered to pull alongside, which she immediately did; but there was not a symptom of a cask or keg of spirits in her. she had five hands in her. they were desired to come on board. one of them acknowledged himself the skipper. "we want to know why you chased and fired at us, sir," he said, in the most innocent manner possible, addressing my uncle. "for having contraband goods on board," he answered. "lord love ye, sir--we have contraband goods aboard, sir!" replied the skipper, with a feigned look of surprise. "we was just taking our pleasuring, and didn't know but what you was an enemy, or a pirate, or some chap of that sort, so we runned away, sir, do ye see." "very well; you'll remain on board the cutter for the present, and perhaps i may prove to the contrary," said my uncle. the smugglers were compelled, with a very bad grace, to go below; the wherry was dropped astern, and the cutter stood back over the ground we had before crossed. before eight-bells we had picked up fifty tubs of brandy. as plenty of our people could swear that they saw a number of tubs thrown overboard from the wherry, there was no doubt of her being condemned. when our prisoners perceived that their escape was impossible, they seemed to screw themselves up to bear their reverses like brave men. though somewhat down in the mouth, they apparently felt no ill-will, but were obedient and respectful. luck was against them. they had tried to smuggle, and we, as in duty bound, had stopped them. the worst they had to expect was a few months' residence in winchester gaol. my uncle had each of them down separately in his cabin, to try and obtain any information they might be inclined to give, especially about myers, whom he was most anxious to get hold of. from one of them he learned that a large lugger was to run across the following night but one, from cherbourg; and he resolved to intercept her. a course was immediately shaped for that port. he had explained his plan to hanks, who was to take the wherry with four hands and to keep a bright look-out for the lugger, and to board her if he met her, as soon as she was half-way across channel. i obtained leave to accompany him, for though i could not be expected to do much while blows were being given and taken, i was considered a good hand at steering; and my uncle was glad to let me see as much service as possible, holding the opinion that in that way only could i become a good practical officer. when we had got about mid channel between saint catharine's and cherbourg, the cutter was hove-to and the wherry hauled up alongside. "success attend you," said my uncle, as hanks and i stepped into the wherry. "mind, mr hanks, keep a sharp look-out for the lugger; but do not let anything else with a smuggling air about her escape unexamined." "ay, ay, sir," answered hanks, as we shored off. "i hope to get hold of the lugger, and myers in her." we had in the boat provisions for four or five days; cloaks, blankets, a compass, and lantern; with three muskets, and pistols and cutlasses for each person. our directions were to cruise about for three days, should the weather remain moderate, and then to rejoin the cutter off the needles. we started away with a light breeze and a smooth sea, and stood for a short way towards cherbourg, while the cutter returned over part of the course she had come. the weather was very pleasant, and the sunbeams sparkled cheerily on the rippling wavelets caused by the meeting of the tide and wind, as we ran through the water at the rate of some five or six knots an hour. hanks lighted his favourite short black pipe, such as in ireland we should call a "dodeen." he never indulged in a cigar, except one was given him. while he leaned back, with his legs stretched along the seats, i steered. i used to think it very hard that he would never let me smoke, but i have since been much obliged to him. "this is what i call comfort, neil," said he. "one of the smooths of life; but it won't last, so let us enjoy it while we can. before long we may be getting broken heads, with a gale of wind into the bargain." so he smoked his pipe, took ever and anon a sip from the rum-bottle, sang a snatch from a song, and joked and talked away till the sun began to hasten his descent into the ocean. we were all the time keeping a look-out for any suspicious craft. at last the sails of a lugger appeared against the evening sky as she got clear of the land. we made sure it was the vessel we were in search of, and prepared for action. "d'arcy, do you stay at the helm, and keep the wherry alongside, while the rest of us jump aboard," said hanks. "stretcher, you must knock down the fellow at the helm; i'll grapple with the skipper, if they show fight." on came the lugger. i thought it very unlikely if myers was on board, from his well-known character, that he would fail to show fight; indeed, it seemed much more probable that he would do his best to knock us all on the head, and heave us overboard again, should we manage to set foot on his deck. however, i said nothing, and felt just as eager for the fray as if such an idea had not crossed my mind. hanks had been taking a steady look at the lugger through his spy-glass. "well!" he exclaimed, "hang me if i don't think, after all, that she's one of those french _chasse marees_. our lugger hasn't yet come out." "d'ye think, sir, that they chaps was deceiving of us?" said jack. "they be up to all sorts of dodges." "oh, hang it, no; i hope not," answered hanks, with considerable doubt, notwithstanding, in his tone. "the commander cross-questioned them a great deal too close for them to deceive us. we shall see the right craft by-and-by." we were soon convinced, however, that the lugger in sight was a _chasse maree_. she hauled her wind, and stood along shore. had she observed us she would probably have had no little suspicion of our business out there. after watching for the lugger to no purpose for three hours or more, the moon rose out of the dark water, and gave us a wider range of vision. hour after hour passed away, and still she did not appear. we began at last to be afraid either that the smugglers had deceived us, or that she had slipped out and passed us unobserved. as our blockade might be somewhat long, hanks divided the crew into watches; he taking command of one, and i of the other. when it was my turn to sleep, i rested as soundly as i usually did in my own berth, though i dreamed that i had caught sight of myers, and that i was chasing him round and round the world with a pair of ten-league boots on my legs. how he kept ahead of me i could not tell. hanks awoke me to take some breakfast, and then let me go to sleep again, for i was so drowsy that i could not keep my eyes open. while i was still more asleep than awake, i heard jack's voice exclaim-- "that's her, sir, i'll take my davy." "yes, that's her, and no mistake, this time," added hanks. i was on my feet in a moment, and looking towards the french coast, i saw a lugger about two miles off, running down to us. all hands were on the alert, and every preparation was made to ensure the success of our enterprise. we hauled our wind, and steered a course so as to intercept her, without, if possible, exciting the suspicion of the smugglers till we were alongside. as the sea was perfectly smooth and the wind light, we should have no difficulty in getting on board. hanks, jack, and i alone showed ourselves; the rest were ordered to lie down in the bottom of the boat. the lugger, we could see, was heavily laden, and her general appearance betokened her to be french. "remember, my lads, we shall have to give and take some hard blows; but sharp's the word, and she'll be ours before her people know what we are after," exclaimed hanks, in an inspiriting tone. it was an exciting moment. as we drew near, we could count some twelve men or more on her deck. we were by this time well over on the british half of the channel. "keep her away a little, d'arcy," said hanks. the smugglers had been watching us without apparently suspecting our intentions. "now, hard up!--ease off the mainsheet!--hook on!--follow me, my lads!" as hanks uttered the last words we had run alongside. the next moment he leaped over the bulwarks of the lugger on to her deck, and grappling with her captain, a frenchman, tripped him up. jack at the same time knocked down the man at the helm with a boat's stretcher. there was a mighty deal of jabbering and swearing in french, and some round oaths uttered in english, when, as hanks was working his way forward, some of the crew, plucking courage, made a rush, and, seizing him, bore him overboard, fortunately on the larboard side, on the same which the wherry was: small thanks to the smugglers on that account. we were going through the water, it must be remembered, though not very quick. hanks made a desperate attempt to clamber on board again by the lugger's forechains, but missed his aim; then, giving a glance of defiance at the rascals, he kept himself afloat while he sung out, "hillo, d'arcy, lend me a hand here!" directly i saw what had happened i seized an oar, and thrust it out towards him. he grasped it as we passed by, and quickly clambered into the wherry. the moment after, with the stretcher, which he had never let out of his grasp, he was again on the lugger's deck, belabouring both right and left those of the crew who still resisted. as none of the smugglers had seen him get out of the water, they were completely taken by surprise, and without striking another blow, sung out for quarter. "you don't deserve it, you blackguards, for daring to resist a king's officer in the execution of his duty," cried hanks, flourishing his stretcher. "but, forward with you, there, and don't move till i give you leave." the frenchmen did not understand him, but the english smugglers did, and his action showed what he desired. the crew were soon penned up in the fore part of the vessel, with the exception of the captain and the man jack had knocked down, who were sitting on deck rubbing their eyes, hardly yet recovered. scarcely three minutes had passed since we ran alongside, and the lugger was ours. i was still in the boat, waiting for orders. "come on board, d'arcy," said hanks at length, looking over the side. "we'll lower the wherry's sails, and tow her astern." i gladly jumped out of her when we had stowed her canvas and made fast the painter. our prize turned out to be a valuable one, for she had not only spirits, but silk and lace on board. her papers clearly proved also that these goods were intended to be smuggled, so i remember hanks saying; but how that was i did not trouble myself, nor do i to this day know. the smugglers, as well as they might, were certainly sulky; and hanks, as a gentle hint for them to behave themselves, stationed a man with a double-barrelled pistol in his hand close to them, while they stood huddled together on the little forecastle. i took the helm, while the sails were trimmed and a course shaped for the needles. in a short time a breeze sprang up, and we spanked along at a furious rate. the french skipper had now recovered, and getting on his legs, with a polite bow, expressed a hope, in tolerable english, that we would make ourselves at home on board his vessel. "no fear of that, monsieur," answered hanks. "cool, is he not, d'arcy?" "you no have taken dinner, sare," continued the skipper. "i will tell de cook to make dinner ready." "not a bad idea, monsieur," said hanks. "which of you chaps is cook?" the frenchman pointed to the fellow whose head jack had nearly broken. he spoke a few words to him, and the man--having got up and stretched himself to ascertain, i suppose, that no bones were broken--dived below, and presently returned with a white cap and apron, and several pans and dishes, and began busying himself in the mysteries of his art. again he dived, the fire in the forepeak burned up brightly, and savory smells began to ascend therefrom. in about an hour the skipper, with another bow, invited us into his little well-like cabin aft, where a collation, such as an epicure might envy, was placed before us. what were its component parts i did not inquire. they may have been cats and frogs, but neither hanks nor i were in any way particular, and no dreadful surmises crossed my mind. an englishman would have broached a keg of brandy, but our friend, monsieur didot, placed a bottle of fine-flavoured claret and a variety of first-rate liqueurs before us, not that either hanks or i was well able to appreciate the former. "come, monsieur, hand us out a bottle of some real stuff or other; i'm not fond of your pink vinegars," exclaimed hanks, as he tossed off a tumbler of the claret. "this isn't bad for washing the dust out of a fellow's throat on a hot day, but there's no life-blood in it." the skipper, with a twinkle of his eyes which betokened mischief, though unfortunately hanks did not perceive it, produced a large square bottle, thick at the top, from which he poured out a glass of first-rate scheidam. hanks smacked his lips as he tasted it. "take care, neil, my child," said he, "you don't swallow much of that stuff; it's too good. i'll just smack at another glass, and then we'll go on deck out of the way of temptation." the frenchman looked mightily disappointed when he saw that hanks was not so easily taken in as he doubtless expected he would be. i happened to look round as we left the cabin, and saw him shrugging his shoulders and making hideous grimaces, and no very complimentary gestures at us. before this little incident i had thought him the pink of politeness. he wore love-locks and rings in his ears, and was dressed with the most accurate french nautical precision; in fact he looked thoroughly unlike an english seaman. in his manners he was a very mild man, and certainly he had nothing of the ruffian about him. i cannot say as much for his crew, some of whom were very ill-looking dogs. it would have been wiser in hanks to have handcuffed them all, including the skipper and cook (though we should thereby have gone without a good dinner), and stationed a sentry with a loaded musket over them, with orders to shoot the first who should attempt to escape. the french skipper, when he found that his plan to obfuscate the brains of the knowing old hanks had totally failed, went and sat himself down forward among his people, apparently in a fit of the sulks. hanks, who was in high spirits at the success of our enterprise, walked the deck with me, looking out for the high land of the isle of wight above the needle rocks, which we were approaching. the breeze had increased and kicked up a little sea, and we were running fast through the water. "d'arcy, my boy, this is a fine haul, isn't it?" exclaimed my superior, rubbing his hands. "credit and prize-money together. both good things. when i was a youngster i thought something about the first; but now, do you see, mrs hanks and i have a fancy for t'other. it keeps the pot boiling, do ye see? i should think your uncle, by this time, was much of my way of thinking, though he's a round number of years younger than i am." "i'm not so sure of that," said i. "my uncle thinks a good deal of gaining honour, and i believe he'd rather take an enemy's frigate after a hard-fought action, than capture a spanish galleon without a blow." "well, it's the proper spirit," said hanks, with a sigh. "the revenue service don't nourish it much, though. take my advice; get out of it as soon as you can; or," he continued with much feeling, "it will spoil you otherwise, depend on it." we continued walking the deck for some time longer. we then sat down to rest, watching the coast, from which we were about three miles distant. jack was at the helm, and the rest of our people were giving a hand to the sheets, as the wind had veered a little to the westward. the smugglers were seemingly fast asleep, with the exception of the skipper, who had lighted a cigar to console himself under his mishap. chapter ten. the tables turned--console myself with the fiddle--set the frenchmen dancing--captain didot--my place of imprisonment--escape--greater danger--frighten my friends. everything was going on as tranquilly as possible. hanks was sweeping the horizon with his glass, looking out for the cutter, when suddenly, without the slightest warning, i saw the sentry's pistol knocked out of his fist, and he himself hove headlong into the sea. away flew the skipper's cigar, and up he jumped as lively as a cricket, and, with two of his men, threw himself upon hanks, who, taken unawares (his eyes engaged in his telescope), was bundled overboard. i tried to catch him by the leg, but his old blue trousers tore in my grasp, and a big frenchman dealt me such a blow on the head that i was for an instant stunned. when i came to my senses, i saw the wherry dropping astern, and the frenchmen, with pump-handles and boat-hooks, striking at the poor fellows they had hove overboard, with the foul intent of drowning them. i observed that somebody was in the wherry, for her sails were being hoisted, and i was bolting aft for the purpose of jumping into the water and swimming to her, when the skipper caught me by the arm. "stay, my little fellow," he exclaimed; "we don't want to hurt you, and don't want witnesses to this work. you must go with us." while he was speaking, some of the smugglers had got hold of the muskets which our people had brought on board, and presenting them at the wherry, snapped the locks. fortunately they were not loaded, or the priming had fallen out, and the villains were saved from the perpetration of further crimes. the men in the water swam towards the wherry, and i judged from her movements that those in her were engaged in picking them up. i sang out and struggled in vain; but the frenchman held me fast, and finally, to save himself further trouble, lifted me up by the collar and shoved me down the companion-hatch into the cabin, closing the slide over me. there was i, like a mouse caught in a trap. at first i burst into a fit of tears, more from rage and indignation at being outwitted and surprised by the frenchman than from the prospect in store for me, which was not, however, very pleasant. i might expect to be kept a prisoner in some out-of-the-way place in france, or perhaps, to be shipped to the other side of the globe and to be unable to return home for years to come. i made ineffectual attempts to get on deck to see what had become of hanks and our men; but as i could not move the slide, i was obliged to sit down quietly in the cabin. my melting mood was soon over. "better now," thought i to myself. "i won't let these big blackguards of frenchmen see me down-hearted, any how. for the honour of old ireland and the name of d'arcy, i'll put a bold face on the matter," and i began to sing. there was a row on deck, and a great deal of jabbering; and the little vessel heeled over to the breeze; but i had no means of discovering what was taking place, nor where we were going. the only light let into the vessel was through a bulls-eye in the deck, so that at first i thought i was shut up in darkness. as, however, my sight got accustomed to the glimmer, i discovered a fiddle and bow hung up against the bulkhead. "come," thought i, "i'll show the froggies that, though they may shut me up, they can't damp my spirits in a hurry," and seizing the instrument, i struck up an irish jig. it was the most jolly tune i could recollect, and seldom failed to move the heels of all who heard it. i played away for some time without any notice being taken of my music; then i heard one fellow begin to shuffle away overhead, and then another, and presently it appeared as if the whole crew were toeing and heeling it in fine style. then there were loud fits of laughter; and afterwards the slide was withdrawn and the skipper descended into the cabin. "vell, you are, _bon garcon_, one merry fellow," he said, laughing. "you make good use of my violin." "i am fond of music, and play when i can," i answered in an indifferent tone; "but i'm tired now, and intend to go to sleep." "well, but i have come to take you on deck to play to my people," said he. "they are pleased with you, and it will be better for you if you do." "what! you ask me to play for the amusement of the men who have been ill-treating my shipmates, and murdering them, for what i know to the contrary," i answered, indignantly. "no! i played for my own amusement, and do not intend to play any more." "your shipmates attacked us first; and besides, my little man, we have not murdered them, or done them much harm either, except depriving them of your company, and of a few muskets and pistols," he answered. "take my advice: be as obliging as you can; they will be civil to you in return." "well, monsieur, i believe you are right," i replied. "if they really have not hurt my brother officer and our men, i will fiddle for them as long as they like." saying this, i followed him on deck, where i seated myself on the companion-hatch; and as i played away, in spite of the tumbling of the little vessel in the heavy sea running, all the frenchmen, including monsieur didot, kept skipping, and jumping, and whirling about, hugging each other like bears, and shouting with glee at having saved their cargo from the clutches of the revenue people. we were standing, close-hauled, towards the french coast. i looked anxiously for the wherry, for i thought hanks would have followed; but she was nowhere in sight. one of the englishmen was at the helm, and the other two were forward. they were sulky brutes, and seemed much more bitter against me than were the frenchmen. whenever i ceased playing, the skipper gave me a hint to go on again; and there sat i, one of his majesty's officers, scraping away on an old cremona for the amusement of a set of smugglers and outlaws. the scene struck me as so ludicrous that i burst into a loud fit of laughter till the tears began to stream down my cheeks. i fiddled all the faster, till the delight of the frenchmen knew no bounds; and as a proof of their regard, some of them came up and actually almost hugged the breath out of my body, calling me a brave _garcon_, a jolly _garcon_ and an ornament to my country. this fun continued till we made the land, about dark. some time afterwards, i found that we were running into a small harbour, with a pier on one side and a lighthouse on it. its name i could not learn; but i supposed it was somewhere to the eastward of cherbourg. i was trying to make out the look of the place, when the captain, touching me on the shoulder, said, "go down below, _my boy_; when i want you i will come for you." there was that in his tone which showed me that it would be useless to dispute his orders; so i returned to the cabin. finding a berth with some bed-clothes in it, i crept in, and coiling myself away, was soon, fast asleep. i was awoke after some time by the skipper's voice. he was holding up a lantern, and looking round, seemingly much surprised at not seeing me. he laughed as i poked my head out of my crib. "ah, _mon petit_, you make yourself at home wherever you go," he exclaimed. "but get up; you must come with me, and i will find a worthy lady who will take good care of you for some time to come." i answered that i was very much obliged to him, but that i wanted to return home as soon as possible. "ah, that cannot be," said he, in a quiet tone. "i am sorry to inconvenience you; but you will allow that it is better to be kept a prisoner than to have been thrown overboard as food for the fish." "much obliged to you, monsieur," i replied. "i cannot dispute your reasoning; so just be good enough to tell me what you want me to do." "to get up and come with me," said he; "and listen, my young friend,--if you attempt to run away, i will simply blow your brains out. i don't wish you any harm, as i have proved; but necessity compels me to be explicit." i did not know whether or not he was in earnest; but as it is dangerous to trifle with a man who has the power to put so unpleasant a threat in execution, i thought it wisest to obey him. i accordingly followed him on deck, when he took my hand and led me along a plank which was thrown from the vessel to the shore. we walked through the narrow street of a village odoriferous of fish, and then out into the country, which in agreeable contrast smelt of fresh grass and flowers. proceeding along a road which, by looking at the stars overhead, i judged ran inland, we reached a farm-house, standing a little back from the road. the smuggler knocked with his fist at the floor, but no one answered, nor was any light seen through the windows. we waited some further time without receiving any answer to our summons. "_morbleu_! i forgot the hour; they have all gone to bed. i must knock again," said he, giving several thundering blows on the door. at length a female voice asked who was there. "it is captain didot and a friend; open quick, good madeleine," he said in french. "we are tired and hungry and sleepy, and wish to be inside instead of outside your door." "ah! it is you, monsieur didot, i know full well," answered the voice. "i will let you in." we were, however, kept some time longer, and at last the door opened, and a young woman made her appearance, dressed in a high white cap and short petticoats, dark woollen stockings, and wooden shoes, but very neat and trim. i had never before seen a woman in so odd a rig. she smiled a welcome to my companion, and shutting the door behind us, a good deal of talking took place; but though i could manage to make out captain didot's french, i did not understand a word she said. we then went into a nice clean parlour, with a red-brick floor, and sat down and talked again. suddenly, up jumped the lady in the high cap, and after an absence of ten minutes or so, returned with a tray covered with eatables and drinkables. i instinctively drew my chair to the table at the sight without waiting to be bid, whereat our hostess smiled, and observed that the _pauvre enfant_ was hungry. captain didot took the hint and helped me; nor did he forget himself; and setting to work, we made a very capital supper. "i must now be off," observed monsieur didot, as he came to an anchor; "but before i go, i must give you a caution, monsieur englishman. you are not to make your appearance outside these garden walls for the next fortnight. if you attempt to get away, ill-will come of it. remember that madame here will take care of you, and you may have as much fruit to eat and wine to drink as you like; and now, good night, my friend. you hear, do you not?" i did hear; but i was so very sleepy that i could not recollect enough french to answer him. while he continued talking to madame, i dropped off asleep in my chair, and for long in my dreams i heard the buzz of their voices. when i was at last awoke, by feeling a hand placed on my shoulder, the smuggling captain was gone. "come," said the good-natured woman; "you want rest, my boy;" and taking a candle, she led me into a neat little room with a comfortable bed in it, where i very soon forgot myself in slumber. the next morning, when i turned out, i found that i was an occupant of a comfortable farm-house, with a garden attached, full of fruit-trees and vegetables. an old man and his wife made their appearance, and i discovered that the young woman who had received us the previous night was their daughter. while we were at breakfast, i heard the old couple complaining of captain didot for having brought me there. they evidently fancied that i did not understand french. "he will be getting us into trouble with his tricks, one of these days," remarked the old lady. "ah! madeleine, my daughter, it would be much wiser in you to have nothing more to say to him." mademoiselle looked very glum, as if she did not like the counsel. i pretended to be deeply absorbed, discussing the fresh eggs and other eatables placed before me. "ha, ha!" thought i to myself; "i see how the wind blows. they will not dare, then, to keep me a prisoner longer than i like to stay. well, i'm very comfortable here at present; so i will spend a day or so with the good people." i saw that i was narrowly watched wherever i went; but i did not forget the french skipper's advice to take advantage of the fine fruit with which the garden abounded. when madeleine saw that i was apparently contented, we became very good friends; and i must own that i spent the day not unpleasantly. i began, however, to reflect that i had no business to remain where i was if i had the power of getting away; so i turned in my mind how i could best make my escape. i guessed that to do so would not be quite so easy as at first appeared; for i had observed a labourer continually near me, and i remarked that whenever i went to a distant part of the garden his occupation invariably took him in the same direction. "somehow or other i must manage to make a run for it," thought i to myself; but when i came to examine the locality, i found that the garden was surrounded with fields and ditches; and though i might swim across the latter, i should certainly have been caught and made very uncomfortable and dirty into the bargain. i therefore gave up that idea, and amused myself in the best way i could. i helped mademoiselle madeleine in her poultry-yard and dairy, looked in on the old lady employed in her culinary affairs, walked over the farm with the old man, and chatted in my somewhat unintelligible french, with every one i met. happening to go into my own room in the evening, i found the window open, and looking out, i saw that the height from the sill to the ground was not more than from twelve to fifteen feet. "ho, ho!" thought i; "it will be a foolish bird which can't get out of a cage like this; but i will bide my time." i hurried away, and ran downstairs, where i was soon after summoned to supper. i made myself quite at home, and did not fail to do justice to the meal. the household went to rest early, and as soon as i fancied every one was asleep i got up from my bed, where i had thrown myself, and reconnoitred the ground. to avoid the risk of laming myself by a jump, i tied my sheets together, and secured them to the leg of a table, which i managed to jam between the shutter and the wall so as to prevent its slipping; and placing my hat tightly on my head, and buttoning up my coat, i let myself quietly down to the ground. i was afraid of awakening some one in the house should i run, as i felt inclined to do; so i crept softly away, till i had got to some distance, and then took to my heels, as fast as i could go, in the direction of the town or fishing village where i had landed. after going for some distance, i thought that i must have missed my way; but the murmur of the water on the beach assured me that i had taken the right direction. at last i found myself among some straggling cottages, my nose helping me to find the locality i was in search of. my first care was to look out for the lugger, to avoid her. much to my satisfaction, she was not there, neither was any one moving on the quay; so i walked about till i found a shed somewhat less odorous than its neighbours, where i determined to take up my abode till daylight. here i quickly made myself a nest with some ropes and spars--albeit not a very soft one,--and fell fast asleep. having the necessity of being alert on my mind, i awoke just as dawn was breaking, and, jumping up, i ran down to the quay. the flapping of a sail told me that some one was astir, and, looking round, i saw at the end of the quay a cutter preparing to get under weigh. "cutter ahoy!" i sung out, running the chance of anybody understanding me. "where are you bound for?" "hillo; who are you?" asked a voice in english. "i want a cast across the channel," i answered. "well, come aboard, and we'll see what we can do for you," said the same speaker. i accordingly ran along the quay, and jumped on the cutter's deck just as her last warp was cast off. i had a rough flushing coat buttoned up close round me; and as i had on also a low tarpaulin hat, i thought i looked the character i wished to assume. the people on board were likewise too busy to afford me more than a passing glance as i sprung on deck. a rough, weather-beaten old fellow, with one eye, who, from the orders he issued, i knew to be the master, stood at the helm. his crew consisted of seven hands--strong, active-looking fellows,--many more than the craft required to work her. this circumstance at once made me suspect that she was not over honest. "faith," thought i to myself, "this isn't the best place in the world for a revenue officer to find himself in." but it was now too late to get oh shore again. the headsheets were let draw, the main eased off a little, the peak hoisted up, and, with a fair breeze, the cutter glided out of the harbour. "well, youngster, you were not long in making up your mind about coming," said the old skipper, scrutinising me, i thought, pretty narrowly from head to foot. "what place are you bound for, eh?" i told him ryde, in the isle of wight. "well, we'll put you ashore at the back of the wight; i suppose that will do for you?" he answered, in a good-natured tone. i thanked him for his offer; and we went on talking very amicably for some time, till we had run some fifteen miles from the coast. i think, from the first, the old man had some suspicions of me; but i had acted my part well, and i fancied that i had succeeded in lulling them. just as i thought all was right, as ill-luck would have it, i happened to want to use my pocket-handkerchief, and in searching for it i incautiously threw open my jacket and exposed my uniform buttons to view. in the first place, the sort of boy i pretended to be would not have possessed such an article as a pocket-handkerchief; and i ought to have remembered that the sight of the crown and anchor would not be acceptable to persons of my friends' vocation. "why--hullo, youngster! who are you, i should like to know?" exclaimed the old skipper, seizing me by the arm, and giving me no gentle shake. "he's a spy, surely, and no mistake," cried several of the crew. "heave the young shrimp overboard." "overboard with him!" exclaimed the rest in chorus. "we'll teach the government to send their whelps to hunt us out in this fashion." i own that i began to feel very uncomfortable; for the threatening looks of the fellows were in no way calculated to lessen my apprehensions. now my feelings always prompt me to try and escape from a dilemma by at once candidly confessing the truth. i therefore acknowledged that i belonged to a revenue cutter, and explained what had occurred. "i only obeyed the orders of my superior officers in attacking the lugger," i observed, in as bold a tone as i could manage to muster. "her people carried me off against my will; and, as i wanted to get home, i came aboard you; but i never thought of doing you or any of your friends harm, if i could help it. how am i to blame, then?" "never listen to his chaff; heave him overboard, i say," growled out one of the men. "thank you all the same, master," said i, looking him as boldly as i could in the face; "but i'd rather stay aboard till i can get put decently on shore, and not have to swim there, as you would have me do." "swim! by god, you wouldn't swim long, i expect," said the ruffian. "faith, i've no fancy for trying, either," i answered. "if i intended treachery, do you think, masters, i should have put myself in your power as i have done? just answer me that." "well, now, i don't think as how you would," exclaimed the old skipper. "you're a brave lad anyhow, and deserve a better calling than trying to injure poor fellows who are just doing their best to make a honest livelihood for their families." "well," said i, seeing the favourable impression i was making, "i'm going soon to be appointed to a frigate on a foreign station, so there's little chance of my falling in with you again. if you kill me you will be hung, that's certain, for murder is always out some day or other." "don't be coming any of your irish blarney over us," growled out a sour-looking ruffian. "if you're a spy, overboard you go, that's all." "i'm no spy," i answered in an indignant tone. "all i ask of you is to put me on shore anywhere at the back of the wight, and i'll give you my word none of you will be the worse for my being here." the skipper gave an approving nod as i pleaded for my life. some of the ruffians seemed to give way. "just tell me, then, what harm can a small chap like me do you?" i continued. "how do i know what you've got on board, or what you're going to do with it. be good-natured fellows now, and if i can ever do you a good turn, i will." "oh, come, let the little chap alone; there's no harm in him, i'm sure!" exclaimed one of the smugglers, slapping me on the shoulder. "cheer up, my lad; we'll do you no harm." the others soon came round, and shaking me by the hand, declared that i was a brave little cock, and they only wished i was one of them. a coarse but plentiful dinner was soon afterwards placed on the deck, the chief part of it appearing in a square iron pot, round which we sat as merry as crickets; and there was i hob-nobbing with a band of smugglers as if we were the best friends in the world. towards evening we made the land, no cutter being in sight. i had a sovereign and a few shillings in my pocket, which i offered the old skipper, but he would receive nothing; and, as good as his word, as soon as it was dark, he ran in and put me on shore not far from shanklin. as there was some sea on the beach, all hands got not a little wet, but they took it in good part, and wished me a hearty good-bye as i set off to clamber up the cliffs. i at length found a path which took me into the high road; as soon as i reached it i began to make the best of my way towards ryde. my legs ached, but i ran and walked as fast as i could. i had not proceeded far when i heard the sound of wheels coming along the road. a cart soon overtook me. "is this the road to ryde?" i asked. "yes, it be," said the driver. "be you going there?" "if i can manage to get as far," i answered. "well, if you be tired, jump in, and i'll gie ye a lift; i be going most of the way," replied the good samaritan. i obeyed with alacrity, and took my seat by his side. he was one of the substantial farmers who abound in the island. i gave him an account of my adventures, at which he was much amused; nor did he seem to have any very great antipathy to my smuggling friends. "lord bless 'e! they wouldn't have hurt your little fingers," he remarked, when i told him how the crew of the cutter had threatened my life. he would not part from me till he had deposited me at the gates of daisy cottage. the lights were shining through the drawing-room windows. my aunt was sitting working, and sweet alice marlow had a book before her. they both looked very sad, i thought. i tapped at the window, which opened to the ground, to call their attention, and grinned a "how-d'ye-do" through the glass. no sooner did alice see my face, than letting her book fall, she gave a loud scream, as if she had seen a spectre. "hillo! what's the matter?" i exclaimed, shaking the handle of the window. "let me in, aunt, please; i'm not a thief or a ghost, on my word." my aunt, more courageous than the little girl, had risen from her seat, and my voice assuring her of my identity, she opened the door, and i very soon convinced her and alice that i was a living being by kissing them both, and then devouring every scrap of supper she set before me. i found that, from hanks' report, they had been led to believe that the frenchmen had knocked me on the head; and were mourning for me accordingly. my aunt was, i verily believe, employed in making a black gown to put on for my sake. my uncle had sailed again to look after the lugger, so that i was able to enjoy the height of a midshipman's felicity, a holiday on shore. three days afterwards the _serpent_ came back, having re-captured the lugger and two hundred tubs. i saw captain didot, who was very angry at finding that i had escaped, and vowed he would pay me off in a different coin, if he ever caught me again. i told him he might, if he ever did. chapter eleven. hanks and my ghost--hanks' learning--myers again--escapes once more-- appointed to a frigate--prepare for sea--my shipmates--sail from england--messrs. trundle and chissel--dicky sharpe and a tale of a beef-bone. on reaching portsmouth, i took a boat and pulled off to the cutter, which was lying out in the middle of the harbour. hanks was walking the deck as i came alongside, but something having attracted his attention in the direction of gosport, he did not observe me. handing the boatman a shilling, i jumped on board unnoticed, and just as hanks turned round, i stood before him, with my hand out ready to grasp his. for an instant the colour forsook his cheeks, and he stared at me without speaking, rolling his eyes round as if he saw my wraith. "why, hanks, old fellow! don't you know me?" i exclaimed, bursting into a loud laugh at his extraordinary way of receiving me. my voice convinced him that it was not my ghost which was offering to shake hands with him. "what, d'arcy, my boy! is it you, indeed, come back to us after all?" he cried, seizing both my hands in his own well-hardened paws. "i'm glad to see you, that i am, lad; we thought those scoundrel smugglers had done for you. it would have been just like them, to kill the smallest of the lot. but how did you escape? come, tell us all about it. we've had another brush with that rascal myers: we are certain it was him. he had the daring to fire into us; killed one of our people, poor tom darling, and wounded two, getting off into the bargain. but we will be even with him before long, and when we do catch him, we'll pay him off, that's all. well i'm glad you escaped, that i am; but come below, and let us hear the whole story." in this way the kind-hearted fellow ran on. having been welcomed by growl, scriven, and the rest of my shipmates, i went to report myself to my uncle, who was in his cabin. he seemed truly glad to find that i had not become food for fishes, though he did not exhibit his pleasure exactly in the same way hanks had done. when i was dismissed by him, i dived down into our berth, and there, over a glass of his too-favourite beverage, old hanks listened to an account of my adventures. "it was the cremona did it, after all!" he exclaimed, slapping my shoulder. "i told you it would stand you in good stead. stick to it, my lad, and you'll become as great a man as that old chap orpheus, i've heard tell of, who made the beasts jig when he fiddled. who the gentleman was, i can't say, except that he was one of julius caesar's generals, wasn't he?" i must observe that hanks' knowledge of history, both ancient and modern, was somewhat limited and confused; indeed he was impressed with a notion that julius caesar, for whom he had a high respect, came over to england somewhere in the last century, and having taken possession of the country, was in his turn thrashed by william the conqueror. of all subsequent events till the time of nelson, he professed total ignorance. "ah, nelson was the chap who made the english!" he used to exclaim in triumph; "and as for nap, whom they talk so much about, what was he to him, i should like to know. why, the little frenchman couldn't put a ship about in a steady breeze, i'll warrant; and as for handling her in a gale, i doubt if he could have done it even if his crown depended on it." hanks had no very great respect for science either. "what do i care for your algebra and your trigonometry?" he one day observed. "i take my john norie and my gunter's scale, and i work out my day's work as well as any man; and what more should i want to know, tell me? your mathematicians are all humbugs in my opinion, and that's a fact." i mention these little traits in hanks' character, because i shall now have to bid him farewell for a season. he was a worthy fellow, nevertheless; not without sense of a practical sort; a curious specimen of a school now rapidly becoming obsolete. soon after this we were once more on our old cruising ground, to the westward. we had been a week or more knocking about, when it came on to blow very hard from the south-west. my uncle was not a man to be frightened by a capful of wind; so, getting our storm-sails, we stood off shore, and faced the gale like men; for this was just the weather smugglers would choose to run across channel, when they think no one will be on the look-out for them. towards evening, however, it came on to blow harder than before; so that at last we were obliged to up-helm and run for shelter into harbour; but just as we were bearing up, a sea struck the cutter, carried away our stern-boat, and stove in one of those on our quarter. in this squall the wind seemed to have worn itself out; for before we had made the land it suddenly fell, and by daylight a dead calm came on, followed by a dense fog. when it cleared somewhat, we found close to us another revenue cutter. her commander, lieutenant simmons, came on board and told my uncle that he had been directed to cruise in search of the _kitty_ lugger, commanded by the notorious smuggler bill myers. "he has been adding wholesale murder to his other performances," observed the lieutenant. two weeks ago, a boat from the _hawk_ cutter fell in with him at night. he gave her the stem and cut her in two. three of her crew climbed up the lugger's bows, but were instantly knocked on the head and hove overboard. the rest were drowned, with the exception of one who clung to the wreck and was picked up by the cutter the next morning. this account made us more eager than ever to catch myers. another cruiser was sent down to assist us in our search; but, though for several weeks we kept a sharp look-out after him, he managed to escape us; and neither he nor the _kitty_ was again heard of on that coast. i was destined, however, to fall in with him again in another clime. we were not sorry to get back to portsmouth after all this knocking about. the first person i met on going on shore was larry harrigan. he had seen the cutter coming in, and had hurried down to the point to meet me. "oh, master neil, i've good news for you," he exclaimed, as i jumped out of the boat and found myself in his arms, for he still looked on me as the baby he had so carefully watched over. "you are no longer to be kept in that tub-hunting service, saving his honour your uncle's pardon; but you are to go to sea in reality, in a fine, smart frigate, which won't be letting the grass grow under her keel, i'll warrant." "that's good news, indeed, larry; where did you learn it?" i asked. "from no less a man than the captain himself, and that's good authority, you'll allow," he answered, in a tone of no little satisfaction. "he's a friend of your honoured grandfather's, and was a midshipman and lieutenant on board two ships i served in. he has been lodging in my house for some months back; and when he heard who you were and who had brought you up and given you your sea-learning, says he, `larry, you've made a seaman of him, that i'll answer for. the lad shall go along with me when i get a ship, for his grandfather's sake and yours too, old friend.' those were his last words, master neil, they were indeed; and he's kept his promise, as i knew he would." this very satisfactory information larry communicated on our way to southsea. it was confirmed soon afterwards by my uncle, who followed me up to larry's house. he, as i suspected, had also made an application in my favour, and had just received a letter from captain poynder--which was, i found, my future commander's name,--desiring me forthwith to join his ship, the _harold_, which was, however, still in the hands of the dockyard people. though i would rather have gone afloat at once, this was, i found, a great advantage, as i had thus an opportunity of seeing her masted, rigged, and fitted for sea. officers are often glad to shirk this, for it is far from pleasant work, and portsmouth is not the most delectable of residences. i should advise all midshipmen not to miss an opportunity of seeing a ship fitted out, if they possibly can. they will find it will save them an immense deal of after trouble, and prove the quickest way of gaining a knowledge of their future home. meantime larry was as busy as a bee in getting my kit in order, aided by his better half; and few midshipmen ever obtained so good an insight at so cheap a rate. i got leave to run over to ryde for a couple of days to wish my aunt and young cousins good-bye. i asked after alice marlow. i was in hopes of hearing that she was coming back to ryde, that i might see her before i sailed. i blushed as i mentioned her name, and had a curious palpitation about the region of the heart. my aunt smiled as she replied, "i am afraid, neil, that i shall not be able to get my young friend to come here again for a long time. mr marlow writes me word that he proposes going abroad and taking her with him. but cheer up; she will return here some day, i hope; and when you came back from one of your voyages, you will find her with us, perhaps. i should be, indeed, very sorry if i did not expect to see the dear little girl again." my aunt was the kindest creature alive; and i was very certain that she regretted that alice was not there to bid me farewell. i wished her and my cousins good-bye. they all cried a little, and so, in truth, did i; for they were the only creatures i had to love in the world. i, however, quite recovered my spirits before i got half-way across to portsmouth. my uncle came several times on board the frigate, and, had i been his own son, he could not have taken more interest in me than he did. as for larry harrigan, he was on board every day, and all day long, following me about to show me how everything was done, and why it was done. the first-lieutenant was a very worthy, kind man; and as soon as he had heard larry's history, he used to talk to him and encourage him to come on board. greatly to larry's delight, he gave me leave to spend an evening sometimes at his house, and very pleasant evenings they were. the officers now began to join fast. lieutenants, mates, and midshipmen were every day arriving. we soon had our full complement of men, and having got clear of the dockyard people, were ready to go out to spithead. i was now to turn over a new page in the history of my career. although i had gained a considerable amount of nautical knowledge, my experience of life was somewhat limited; but henceforth it was to be enlarged and extended, i trusted, over the greater part of the surface of the globe. for the present, the lands of the myrtle and vine were to be our destination--the shores of the mediterranean; and the man must indeed be difficult to satisfy who is not pleased with their varied and glowing beauties. our gallant ship; our berth, so long our home; my messmates, as well as our superior officers and men, merit description. i will touch on each of them in their turn. first i will speak of our berth, which was in truth somewhat different to the abodes of the naval heroes of great britain of the rank of midshipmen, with which the public are familiar. few, perhaps, are like it, though after we had been a year or two at sea it had sadly been shorn of its glory. its brilliancy had departed, and its polish was no more. we happened to have a caterer, who liked to have everything very natty about him, and who had accordingly taken on himself to spend a few pounds in having our berth neatly done up. the bulkheads were painted of a salmon colour; there was a gilt and blue moulding; a neat oilcloth over the table and lockers; and at one end a buffet filled with plated dish-covers and dishes, tumblers and wine-glasses, forks and spoons, and china teacups; while two swing-lamps hung from the deck above. it afforded a contrast, certainly, to the times of the old school, when a purser's dip was stuck in a black bottle, and battered tin cups served alternately for grog and tea and soup; but though the language of the occupants of our berth was somewhat more refined, and our opinions more liberal, i will venture to say that the spirit to will and to do deeds of daring burnt not the less brightly in our bosoms than in those of midshipmen of former times. while i was at ryde the ship's company moved out of the old _topaze_, alongside of which we were lashed, into the frigate; and the day after several mates and midshipmen, with somewhat aristocratic pretensions, joined us. i got a hint, when i came back from ryde, that they were rather inclined to look down upon me as having been a cutter's midshipman. "they shan't cut me, at all events," said i to myself. so as soon as i got on board i went below, and taking the fiddle old hanks had given me, i sat myself down on my chest, and began playing away with all my might a merry irish jig. "hillo; who is the jolly fellow out there?" asked one of the new mates from the berth. "oh, that's the irish midshipman, d'arcy," answered onslow, a mate who had sometime joined. "give us another tune, paddy, that's a good boy." on this i forthwith struck up "saint patrick's day in the morning," and half a dozen other irish airs. "if no one objects, i'll sing, too, mates," said i, when i had played out my tunes. without waiting for an answer, i locked up my fiddle, and taking my seat at one end of the berth, i trolled out, with a very fair voice, several songs which used to delight old hanks and my other shipmates in the cutter. the effect was evidently good. i showed my wish to please; and though afterwards a few attempts were made to snub me, i took them all in good humour, as if they were intended as jokes, and finally established myself as a favourite with the mess, and i may, i believe, honestly say, with nearly everybody on board. as soon as possible we went out to spithead, and joined a large squadron under command of sir peppery portfire. we mustered altogether some eighteen sail of vessels or more, and a very warlike appearance we made. we were bound, we knew, for the mediterranean; and we all looked forward with no little satisfaction to our visit to that most favourite of stations. our powder was next taken on board, with a further supply of stores, and more midshipmen. among the latter, who should climb up the side but my quondam friend dicky sharpe. he did not see me, as i was aloft at the time, and before i came on deck, he and his traps had gone below. when my watch on deck was over, i descended to our berth, where i found him busily employed in cramming his new messmates, and endeavouring to raise himself to a high position in their estimation. "you see, my good fellows, it isn't everybody has got a minister for a cousin, and a lord of the admiralty for an uncle," he remarked in a consequential tone, as i got to the door of the berth. "and i don't think you have either, dicky, my boy," said i, laughing. "but i am very glad to see you, notwithstanding; but don't be after bamboozling us jolly greens now." at first he attempted to look very indignant at the attack made on his veracity; but no sooner did he recognise me than his good feelings got the better of his love of trying to make himself of importance; and jumping up, he seized my hand and wrung it warmly. "why, d'arcy, is it you yourself, indeed?" he exclaimed. "i am delighted to find you here, i am indeed. why, messmates, if it hadn't been for d'arcy i should have been food for fishes; i should, on my word. think what a loss the service would have had." a loud laugh from all hands followed this remark, though i verily believe dicky spoke in all gravity; but the fact that i had been the means of saving his life thus came out. it raised me, i had afterwards reason to know, in the good opinion of all on board; and dicky himself gained many friends by the feeling way in which he spoke of it. i was very soon seated alongside him in the berth, and our tongues were rattling away as fast as they could wag. dicky's propensity to brag, amusing as it was to others, was continually getting him into scrapes. we had an old mate, adam stallman by name, who was proportionably as tall, grave, and silent, as dicky was little, merry, and loquacious. one day dicky having thrown a biscuit at me, which, unfortunately, hit adam's nose, the latter looked at him sternly. "sharpe, you are small," he exclaimed; "but cobbing was invented to make midshipmen grow, and i intend to make you grow." "then, faith, stallman, i suspect your mother began cobbing you as soon as you were born," answered the undaunted dicky. adam's hands had been busy under the table with his handkerchief; now, suddenly leaning forward, he grasped dicky by the crop of the neck, and before he had time to expostulate, he had him in such a position that he could apply with the greatest effect the instrument of torture he had manufactured. as all the oldsters sided with adam, the youngsters dared not interfere; and poor dicky was held in that undignified position while other handkerchiefs were knotted, and before he was cast loose he received a cobbing which made him treat ever afterwards all the oldsters with abundant respect. but dicky, if he did not forget, did what was as wise, he forgave; and i do not think he nourished the slightest ill-will against his cobbers. of captain poynder i have spoken. he was a worthy man and a good officer; and if he had a fault, it was not being sufficiently strict. then comes johnny du pre, our gallant first. i have still an affectionate regard for johnny, though many an hour have i spent at our masthead at his instigation; while dicky, promoted by the like authority, was taking sights at me from another. we were sent there not without cause, i own, and still the amount of moral turpitude which gained us that elevated distinction was not such as to make me blush as i think of it, or to make me anxious to conceal it from the public. neither as a first-lieutenant nor as a man was lieutenant du pre perfect; but who is there with whom one cannot find a fault. he was kind-hearted, a fair seaman, and anxious to do his duty. but our second lieutenant, basil vernon, was still more worthy of notice. refined and elegant both in person and manners, he appeared, at first sight, to be what is called a fine gentleman; but kind-hearted, brave, and generous almost to a fault, a first-rate seaman and officer, a better fellow never stepped, nor one more beloved by all classes afloat, as well as by all who knew him on shore. i soon became very much attached to him, and would have gone round the world to do him a service. many times did he save me from punishment when i specially deserved it. he was indeed very far from being one of those fine fellows whom no ordinary mortals can approach; for he had a heart tender as a woman's, and he would as readily sympathise with the grief of the smallest middy, as with the sorrow or suffering of the roughest tar on board. he was a sincere christian too, and, what was more, was not ashamed of his christianity. he exhibited his principles in his practice--in the daily duties of life,--till he taught the most profane and profligate to respect him, if not to adopt them. i wish there were more basil vernons in the service. thank heaven! there are some shining lights to lighten us in our darkness--leaven, which gradually, though slowly, may, by god's providence, leaven the whole mass. our third lieutenant, hugh summers, wrote poetry, talked sentiment, and dreamed dreams, and required a flapper to remind him when to put the ship about at times; but when once aroused into action, he was as energetic as any one, and had plenty of resources on an emergency. the master, surgeon, and purser, were also very good fellows in their way, and if not shining ornaments, were no disgrace to his majesty's service. at last the pay-clerks came on board, and paid the ship's company. a fine bright morning saw the signal flying from the admiral's ship for the fleet to weigh and work out to saint helen's. there was a nice working breeze, a blue sky, and the water just rippled enough to reflect with more dazzling splendour the rays of the glorious sun, as he shed them almost along the path we were to pursue. it was, in truth, a beautiful sight; and considering the number of ships--some eighteen sail or more, all beating out together within so narrow a channel,--it was surprising that much damage was not done, especially when it is remembered that the crews of half the ships had never been to sea before, and that the ropes were stiff and new, and did not work well. one ship, i believe, carried away her flying jib-boom against the stern of another; and with that slight loss, and a small expenditure of abuse from the respective crews, who thought each other to blame, we reached saint helen's. the next day we were fairly off to sea; the fleet formed in two lines, the white and the blue squadrons, which sir peppery manoeuvred with much skill, to the no small trouble of the signal midshipmen. the second day, ned lenny, the young gentleman on board the _harold_ who held that office, vowed he must leave the service and go into the dragoons, if it was to be carried on in that way; though the following morning he thought better of it. he gained, however, the _sobriquet_ of the heavy, which, as he was a cocksparrow of a fellow, he retained ever afterwards. captain poynder was not inclined to save either officers or crew till we got into good order, which we accordingly did our best to accomplish. after cruising for six weeks, we were ordered to spithead to complete our provisions, water, and stores; and then, having taken some passengers on board, made all sail for our station in mediterranean. we had not been long at sea when dicky and i, wearying of the daily routine of duty, began to play pranks which were calculated to bring us into trouble. the boatswain, who rejoiced in the name of timotheus trundle, was one of the most extraordinary of his class, though not a bad boatswain for all that. his appearance in foul weather was that of a short lump of big coats and trousers, with a small red pumpkin growing out of them. on a nearer approach, one discovered in the said pumpkin a pair of red, ferrety eyes, an excrescence for a nose, and a hole into which his whistle fitted for a mouth, and on either side of it, on a sunday morning, two very high shirt-collars, they towards the end of the week gaining a darker hue and an outward curve. on the top of the pumpkin was a round spanish hat, the fluff of the catskin which composed it being long enough to make a dozen beavers. he wore, with considerable pride, round his neck a handsome silver call and chain. but with all his oddities, his enemies--and he had a few--were obliged to confess that he knew and did his duty as well as any man in the ship. among his other qualifications, he was a bit of a sea-lawyer; not of the cantankerous sort, however, for it might be more justly said that he preferred sitting on the judicial bench, and he was ever ready to settle all disputes either by arbitration or the rope's-end; indeed, in most cases he had recourse to the latter, as being the most summary mode of proceeding. when his duty did not require his presence on his own territory, the forecastle, he was fond of taking a walk on the main-deck, alongside the carpenter's bench, for he was of a social disposition, and delighted in what he called `rasheral' conversation. now, ichabod chissel, our carpenter, was another of those heroes of the tongue, who pretend to know everything, and never fail in a story for want of a little invention. by his own crew, who looked up to him and esteemed him for his sterling qualities, he was considered a first-rate politician. the two officers were tolerably good friends in general; but a very slight thing would make them fall out, though they as speedily patched up their quarrels again. one day there was a light breeze and a smooth sea, and trundle, not expecting to be wanted, had repaired to the main-deck, where chissel was superintending his crew at work. dicky sharpe and i happened to be near, and observing that they were both more than usually excited, we drew closer to see the fun going forward. "well, that was a storm as fierce as ever i did see," remarked chissel. "why, there was a thunderbolt as big as six of my fists put together, fell right through the decks, and out through the ship's bottom; and if i hadn't been there to plug the hole, we should all have gone to davy jones' locker, as sure as fate. you was there, trundle, and you know, old ship, that i speak true." "i was there! yes; but i know you speak a hanged lie, if you say that," exclaimed trundle. "what's that you say?" shouted chissel, highly indignant at being told he lied before all his crew, though he doubtless would have cared very little about the matter, had the polite remark been made when the two were alone. just then mr summers, who was the officer of the watch, sung out, "hands about ship! where's the boatswain?" "never in his station," observed chissel, as trundle, call in mouth, was making his way forward. "and very little use when he is there," he added, either thinking the boatswain would not hear him, or caring very little if he did. trundle caught the words just as he was going up the fore-ladder, and though he could not just then take his pipe from his mouth to utter a retort, he gave a fierce look with one of his ferrety eyes, which showed that he acknowledged himself deeply in his messmate's debt. his pipe sounded more shrill than usual, as he could not give any other vent to his feelings. "there'll be a row before long between those two heroes, just you mark that," said i to dicky, as we both hurried off to our stations. "ay," said he, giving me a wink; "and i think i can put a spoke in their wheel to help them along." it was near twelve o'clock, the ship being put about, the decks cleared up, and grog served out preparatory to dinner, when the boatswain made his appearance before the carpenter, his anger in no way appeased. "what's that you were saying about me, mr ichabod chissel, i should like to know?" he exclaimed, in an irate tone. "why, mr trundle, no man likes to have his ferocity (veracity?) doubted, and if you goes for to affirm that i'm a liar--i don't mince matters, you'll understand me,--why, all i've got to say is, that you're the biggest speaker of untruths as ever was born, whoever the mother was who got you. put that in your pipe, mr trundle, and smoke it." this most insulting of all remarks increased tenfold the boatswain's rage, and the two would have come instantly to fisticuffs, but that, fortunately, at that moment the order to pipe to dinner was given. the boatswain's call came into requisition, and all hands, except the watch on deck, were soon busily employed in discussing the contents of a cask of beef, boasting of but a small proportion of fat or lean and a considerable superfluity of bone. now it happened to be dicky sharpe's watch on deck while dinner was going on, and at one o'clock, being relieved, he came down to his own repast, which he was not long in discussing. while he sat turning a large rib-bone over and over, in disgust at finding so little meat on it, and waiting for the boy to clear away, the boatswain, whose cabin could be seen from the berth on the larboard side, roused up from a nap, and began to contemplate his visage in his glass, to discover if he looked in any way as if he had been asleep. it must be understood that it is contrary to the principles of a boatswain worthy of the rank ever to require sleep. he would consider himself disgraced in the eyes of the whole crew, if he were caught taking a wink. a regular-built boatswain is often on deck from half-past three in the morning till eleven at night, and should it be bad weather, or from any other cause, frequently two or three times during the night also; and as to his cabin, he merely looks in occasionally and keeps his donnage there. now, to do him justice, trundle was a thoroughgoing boatswain. while he was rubbing his eyes, to get the sleepiness out of them, pulling up his shirt-collar, and brushing back his hair, the demon of mischief put a thought into dicky sharpe's head. to conceive, with dicky, was to execute. i happened to be descending from the main-deck, when i saw dicky standing at the door of the berth, with the rib-bone in hand, and a wicked look in his eye. i instantly perceived the state of affairs, and divined what was to happen. away flew the bone across the deck, with so good an aim that it made a cannon against the boatswain's nose and his glass, breaking both one and the other with a loud crash, which was followed by a volley of oaths. the steerage of a frigate, even when a sunbeam penetrates through a scuttle, is not over and above brilliantly lighted; and on the present occasion a purser's dip here and there just enabled us to grope our way about the deck. now it happened that the carpenter at that moment was coming out of his berth, which was nearly opposite the boatswain's. "oh! you blessed chissel; i saw you heave that, you aggrawating so-and-so," exclaimed trundle, in a towering rage, exhibiting his bleeding nose and broken glass. "i never hove anything, and that you know, you so-and-so," answered ichabod, drawing near to his adversary. "you did, though, you so-and-so," cried trundle, doubling his fist, and dealing ichabod a hit on the eye which almost stove it in. the blow was given back, and returned with interest, with expressions not fit for ears polite, till the noses of both heroes were streaming with blood, and their voices were hallooing away at the highest pitch. dicky was rubbing his hands in high glee at the successful result of his experiment, when the captain, aroused by the hubbub, rang his bell to know what was the matter. this sound, like that of oberon's magic horn, instantly paralysed the combatants; and the sentry having put his head into the cabin, and made some report which apparently satisfied the skipper, the two warriors, like a couple of lions growling defiance at each other, retired to their berths, to staunch their bleeding wounds, and wash away the stains of the fight from their faces. here the first thing which met the eye of the boatswain, as he stooped to pick up the fragments of his glass, was the missile which had inflicted the injury. now, as the officers generally choose the long ribs of beef for roasting, for which they pay one pound in six for the good of the ship's company, and the boatswain had actually seen the carpenter's servant carrying a piece of rib-beef for his master's dinner, he felt perfectly satisfied who had thrown the bone. seizing it, therefore, in his hand, with the fragments of his glass, and his nose still bleeding, he rushed on deck, and halted, quivering with rage, on the quarter-deck, in presence of the first-lieutenant. "by jupiter, what a wigging i shall get," whispered dicky, in a terrible funk. "i say, d'arcy, my boy, don't 'peach, though." i cocked my eye, and, pointing to the masthead,--"six hours a day for the next week, eh!--pleasant, dicky," i answered. master dicky dared not show his face, lest his consciousness of guilt might betray itself; for, though unable to resist doing a piece of mischief when the temptation came in his way, he had not got the brazen front of a hardened sinner. i also, anxious as i was to learn the result of the trial, was afraid of showing too great an interest in it, lest suspicion should fall on me, and therefore walked the quarter-deck at a respectful distance, picking up what information i could on the way. "what is this you have to complain of, mr trundle?" asked the first-lieutenant, as he stood at the capstern-head, with the enraged boatswain before him. "why, sir, as i was a-cleaning myself just now in my cabin, a-thinking no harm of nobody, mr ichabod chissel, the carpenter of this here ship, sir, and my brother officer, thinks fit to heave this here rib-bone right across the steerage against my nose and my glass, and breaks both on 'em. if that ain't enough to aggrawate and perwoke and--and-- and--(he stopped for a word) flabbergast any one, i don't know what is, sir, you'll allow." "very much so, i grant," observed mr du pre, taking the bone between his fingers and holding it behind his back. "send mr chissel here." the carpenter soon made his appearance. "pray, mr chissel, what part of the meat had you for your dinner, to-day?" asked mr du pre. "the tail, sir," said the carpenter. "what became of the bone after dinner?" asked the first-lieutenant. "the boy cleared it away with the rest of the things, sir," was the answer. "let the boy be sent for," said mr du pre. bobby smudge soon came rolling along, hitching up his trousers as he approached the capstern. there was a wicked look in the young rascal's eye, which made me suspect he knew all about the matter. he was the most complete little pickle in the ship, and was continually getting punished, and most deservedly too, by his master. the very day before, the carpenter had reported him, and he had got eleven finnams on the hand for having, in conveying mr chissel's grog from the tub to his cabin, being detected in the very act of taking a hatchway nip--the said hatchway nip, let it be understood, being a sip snatched furtively by the bearer of a glass of grog on the ladder descending from the main to the lower deck. a finnam, i must also explain, is a blow inflicted on the hand, with a cane generally, by the master-at-arms or the ship's corporal. to the said finnams poor bobby smudge's black paws were well accustomed. "boy, what was done with the bone after your master's dinner?" asked mr du pre, in a severe tone. "i'm sure i don't know, sir," replied bobby smudge, in a long drawl, worthy of a london professional street-beggar. "should you know it again if you saw it?" asked the first-lieutenant. "oh yes, sir; i'm sure i should," replied master smudge, brightening up and looking the picture of innocent simplicity. "well, my boy, what do you say to this?" said mr du pre, producing the bone from behind his back. all eyes turned towards bobby smudge: the carpenter's fate hung on his decision. the young monkey felt his importance, and determined to exert it. chissel knew it was the very sort of bone he had scraped not an hour before. bobby took it, and, turning it round, examined it narrowly. "oh yes, sir; i'll swear to it, that i will," he exclaimed, holding up his blistered hand behind his back so that the carpenter might observe it. "as i was a-trying to get my dinner off it, i notched it with my knife, i knowed i did, 'cause there was so little meat on it." "oh, you wretched young liar," muttered the carpenter, for he dared not speak aloud; "won't i pay you off, that's all?" the boy heard him, and gave a grin of defiance. "mr chissel, go to your cabin, and consider yourself under arrest," said the first-lieutenant; "i must report this affair to the captain. the discipline of the ship cannot be thus trifled with; and officers especially, who ought to know better, must not be allowed to set the men so bad an example with impunity." saying this, mr du pre resumed his walk on the quarter-deck, and i hurried down to report what had occurred, to my chum dicky. at first he was highly delighted at having escaped detection. "stop a bit, dicky," said i; "i don't think you are quite out of the fire yet. it will never do to let the carpenter be disrated or dismissed the ship for conduct of which he is innocent. the truth must come out; and, to my mind, honesty is the best policy." "well, but don't you see, d'arcy, i shall get mast-headed and have my leave stopped, and i don't know what else--all for shying a bone across the steerage," argued dicky. "what business had the boatswain and carpenter to hit each other, i should like to know. if that stupid trundle had taken the joke in good part, there wouldn't have been all this row." i laughed outright at master richard's style of reasoning. "that argument won't stand good with the skipper," said i. "now, come, let me do the only thing which can set matters to rights; because it is the right thing. i'm a bit of a favourite with mr du pre, i suspect; and i'll go up to him at once, and tell him the truth. if anything can get you off, that will; and if the affair reaches the ears of the captain, there will be a very serious row, i'm certain." at last dicky consented to my plan, and without waiting to let him change his mind, i went on deck, where i found the first-lieutenant. "i've got something to say about that beef-bone, sir," i began. "what's that, mr d'arcy," he exclaimed, turning sharp round. "when am i to hear the last of that beef-bone?" "why, sir, it wasn't the carpenter threw it, but one of the midshipmen; he couldn't help it, though. no one could, i'm sure," i rapped out. "why, master d'arcy, i verily believe you're the culprit," he exclaimed, looking at me steadfastly. i detected, however, a smile in his eye, which showed that his anger was not very serious; so i at once told him exactly how the matter had occurred, and that dicky had begged me to come and confess the truth and intercede for him. master sharpe was therefore sent for; and having been severely reprimanded, was told that as soon as we got into harbour his leave would be stopped, and was then ordered to the masthead for a couple of hours, to sit there instead of on the stool of repentance. the carpenter was released from arrest, on condition that he should keep the peace. the boatswain's nose mended in the course of a few days; and though reminded of the outrage every time he attempted to shave before his broken bit of looking-glass, he and chissel soon patched up their quarrel and resumed their former intimacy. the person who fared worst was bobby smudge, who, never a favourite with his master, now obtained a double allowance of finnams, and a sly rope's-ending whenever opportunities offered. bobby began to discover that revenge, though sweet, may recoil on the head of the avenger, and become very bitter. more ultimately came out of the beef-bone affair. chapter twelve. reach the mediterranean--malta--a ride on shore--a ball--a heroine--our partners--mr. nip and his partner--an odd egg hatched--adam stallman's advice--the right thing the best thing. nothing of importance occurred that i remember during our passage across the bay of biscay. we had the usual heavy swells (though i have found it as level as a fish-pond), a stiffish breeze for a day or so, which gave us a cheery shove on our way, and light and variable winds and calms, which latter let us roll till our yard-arms almost touched the water, and effectually turned the landsmen inside out. ten days after leaving plymouth, we were in the latitude of lisbon. it was early morning, and the land we were approaching was shrouded to common eyes by a soft silvery haze, which allowed only a circle of blue sea to be perceived round the ship, and a patch of about the same size of clear sky overhead. on the larboard bow was perceived a darker mass of mist, which after some time resolved itself into the well-known form of the rock of lisbon. the wind being light and variable, we drew very gradually inshore, till the mist suddenly lifting, as if at the command of a magician, disclosed to us the splendid and fantastic scenery of those rocky heights, as they rose proudly from the glittering ocean, which was dotted with numerous sails of fishing-boats and coasters, and here and there the canvas of some loftier merchantmen, making for the mouth of the tagus. on the lower land, to the north of the rock, was seen the royal palace of mafra--a curious huge pile, imposing from its height and the large extent of ground it covers. i do not, however, intend to bother my readers with accounts of places and scenery, which they may find much better described in numberless books of voyages and travels. the wind freshening and coming fair, we continued our course, and, passing the capes of ortegal and finisterre on the second day after leaving the rock, were off cape saint vincent, immortalised in naval memories by sir john jervis' great action, and since then, by the way, by a very pretty bit of fighting under charlie napier, when he took possession of don miguel's fleet with one half its size. cape trafalgar next came in sight, and was eagerly viewed by all hands, for, often as one may gaze on its dark blue cliffs, the deep interest they inspire can never fail; one is reminded that in their neighbourhood the glorious navy of england, under the greatest of its chiefs, secured the freedom of the world, and struck the blow which stopped the victor of continental europe in his wild career of conquest. peace to the names of england's gallant defenders, who died for their country off trafalgar's cape! and sacred be the memory of the immortal nelson, our meteor-flag of victory!--but, little neil d'arcy, where are you steering for? has the sight of trafalgar made you fancy you can do a bit of fine writing? just get back, boy, to your usual style, and leave such attempts to the pens of novelists and travellers. it was near nightfall when we made the rock of gibraltar; and as we passed through the straits when i was snug below in my hammock, my journal contains no description of that wonderful fortress. when the morning dawned, the high mountains of spain were just visible in the horizon; and the next land we sighted was the coast of barbary, somewhere to the westward of tunis. six days after that we were in sight of sicily, when, after hauling off the coast, a gale sprung up, and such thick and cloudy weather came on, that we could take no observations. the ship was therefore hove-to; and while sail was being taken off her i got an ugly fall, which laid me up in my hammock for several days. during my illness, dicky sharpe was constantly with me, whenever he was off duty, and we became greater friends than ever. "do you know, d'arcy, i am really very much obliged to you for having got me so well out of that scrape with the boatswain and the beef-bone!" he said to me in a tone of confidence one day, after we had reached valetta harbour. "i have not ventured to ask mr du pre leave to go on shore. do you think he would give it me?" "i rather think not, dicky," said i. "don't say a word about it for some time to come, and then you can begin to look dull and melancholy, and to pine for the shore; and perhaps his heart will soften with compassion, and he will give you leave." "capital advice! won't i look melancholy, that's all, when the time comes?" he exclaimed. "how soon ought i to begin?" "not till i'm well and can go on shore to look after you," i answered. the fact was, i wanted dicky's company when i could go on shore myself, which the surgeon told me i might do in a few days; and when asking for myself, i intended putting in a word with mr du pre in his favour. when i crawled on deck i found the ship had taken up her moorings in dockyard creek, a branch of the grand harbour, from which it runs at right angles, on the opposite side to valetta. most deservedly is the grand harbour so called, for in beauty, size, and security it is unsurpassed; and it is singular that it should exist in an island of dimensions so limited. malta has an individuality of its own. it is like no other spot in the world; and when one looks at the magnificent lines of batteries, bristling with cannon, and the mass of churches, monasteries, and houses, which towers above them, one can scarcely believe that the whole has been hewn out of the solid rock of which the island is composed. but i am not going to describe malta. in three or four days more i was quite well, and having succeeded in obtaining leave from mr du pre for dicky to accompany me on shore, we landed at the nix mangiare steps, and took our way through the town. the first thing we did was to hire horses to take a ride into the country. both of us could stick on pretty well (what midshipman cannot?); but as for science, we had none of it. at first we trotted on gaily enough, and then our horses broke into a gallop, which we enjoyed very much. "capital goers, these!" exclaimed dicky. "if they keep up at this rate, i vote we take a regular circuit of the island." "faith, then, i'm ready for that same," said i; and on we galloped. so delighted were we at the way our steeds went, that we sat the saddles and held our reins rather loosely. on a sudden they both came to a full stop, and up simultaneously went their heels in the air. over their heads we flew, and alighted some dozen yards off; while the well-trained beasts, with neighs of derision which were truly provoking, galloped back to their stables, leaving us to find our way into valetta as best we could. by-the-bye, the horse-master had taken very good care to get paid first. dicky sat up on the ground and rubbed his head, to discover if it was broken. i followed his example, and finding no bones dislocated, my spirits rose again. we looked at each other, when there appeared something so ludicrously forlorn in the expression of our countenances, that we both burst out into fits of laughter. we indulged in our mirth for some time, and then got up and commenced our walk back into the town. fortunately we had not got any very great distance from the walls, so the walk was easy of accomplishment. we had proceeded about a mile or so, when two midshipmen hove in sight, galloping along in high glee on the very horses which had just disburdened themselves of us. "hillo! you fellows, those are our horses," sang out dicky; "just get off now, will you?" but he might as well have called a whirlwind to halt; for helter-skelter, past us they dashed, without minding us a bit. dicky was highly indignant. "well, i never was so treated in my life!" he exclaimed. "wait a bit," said i; for i had a shrewd suspicion that the horses would play their present riders the same trick they had served us; and sure enough, in about ten minutes, we heard a clattering of hoofs behind us, and, looking round, saw the knowing old steeds coming, galloping along by themselves. "now, now's the time, dicky," i sang out. "you catch one and i'll catch the other, and we'll still have our ride out. the horses are ours, there's no doubt of it." sooner said, however, than done. the beasts came on very steadily till they got close to us, and then they began rearing and frisking, and kicking up such a dust that it was impossible to catch hold of their bridles; and, it must be confessed, we were glad enough to get out of their way without being trampled over. "where are the brutes?" i asked, feeling very foolish. "where are they?" echoed dicky, looking the same. "there they go, as steady as cart-horses. hang it! they knew we were midshipmen." our only satisfaction was to see a third set of riders come out on the same brutes, and to be able to laugh in our sleeves, while we wished them a pleasant ride across the island. what became of all the riders i don't know. the steeds again passed us just before we reached the gates.--three or four evenings after this, the officers of the ship were asked to a ball, and the captain took dicky and me. we did not know anybody, and were hard up for partners, till the skipper introduced us each to a maltese girl. they were both very short, though that was a fault on the right side; but they were also very fat and very dark, and could not speak a word of english; and one squinted, and the other had lost an eye. their noses turned up, and their lips were thick and large. they were not beauties, certainly; but we danced with them all the evening, changing every now and then for variety, though i had to look hard to make out which was my original partner, as i only knew them apart by the defect in their eyes. dicky asked me if i didn't think them as pretty as alice marlow, at which i very nearly knocked him down in the ball-room. but he appeased me by assuring me with the greatest gravity, that he admired the squinting one very much, and should certainly, if he were older, make her mrs sharpe. he did nothing but talk about her for two days afterwards; and, as we did not know her real name, we called her miss smaitch, which, though not euphonious, did as well as any other. on the third day he dined with an officer in the dockyard who had a numerous family of daughters, to one of whom he transferred his affections, and they remained steady for nearly a week, about which time we left malta. to return to the ball, however. when dicky and i were not dancing, we amused ourselves by watching what was going forward, especially in observing the occupations of our superior officers. "i say, d'arcy, who is that young lady mr vernon is dancing with, i wonder? she is a stunner, isn't she, my boy?" said dicky, sidling up to me, and pointing with his chin towards a very beautiful girl, to whom our second lieutenant had just then given his hand, and was leading up to form a quadrille. there was a roseate blush on her cheek, and a brightening glance in her eye, as she looked up at the gallant officer, which betokened more than ordinary satisfaction at being chosen his partner in the dance. the colour increased, and the eyes brightened still more, while a smile played round her ruby lips, as mr vernon uttered, in a low tone, a few words in her ear. dicky observed it. "i twig something there," he whispered. "what will you bet me, d'arcy, that mr vernon doesn't splice that same young lady, now? it's a regular case, depend on it. i thought there was something going on, he's been so constantly on shore since we came into harbour. he's a right good fellow, and i wish him joy." "i hope, if it is a case, that he'll not marry till the ship is out of commission," i remarked. "i should be sorry indeed to lose him. but we must not talk so loud, or we shall be overheard." just then the captain came up, to make dicky dance with miss smaitch. i was left alone to watch proceedings. from what i saw, i was fully convinced that master sharpe's conjectures were well founded, and that mr vernon and the fair unknown were certainly deeply in love with each other, and most probably engaged. she certainly, as far as i could judge from mere appearance, was well worthy the love of any man. young as i was, she made a deep impression on me; and even at this distance of time i can bring her hebe-like figure before me, with almost the vivid colours of reality. she was not tall, but her figure was full of grace and life. her complexion was beautifully fair; her eyes were blue; and the expression of her countenance was soft, feminine, and full of sweetness; at the same time, the arch smile which occasionally played over it showed that she was not destitute of sense and wit. while i was looking on, i was joined by adam stallman, one of the senior mates of the _harold_. i have slightly mentioned him before. he was of a somewhat grave and taciturn disposition, but generous and kind, and as brave and honourable as any knight _sans peur et sans reproche_. he read much and thought more, and was ready to give good advice when asked for it; but innate modesty prevented him from volunteering to afford it, except on rare occasions, when he saw that it was absolutely necessary to preserve a person from following a path which might lead him to ruin. dicky and i were favourites of his; for though he kept us in order, and more than once had inflicted a sound cobbing on my chum (certainly well deserved), he was very kind to us. "i say, stallman, can you tell me who the young lady is with whom mr vernon is dancing?" said i. "why do you ask?" he inquired. "because she is very beautiful," i replied. the colour heightened on his generally impassive, well-bronzed features, as his eye fell on the lady whom i indicated. "yes," he answered, with a firm voice, "that lady is miss blanche norman, the daughter of major norman, who is out here for his health. but wouldn't you like to dance, youngster?" i told him that i had been engaged by the captain to dance with miss smaitch number . "well, come to me if you want a partner," he said, and moved on. i saw him soon afterwards go up and shake hands with miss norman. his lip momentarily quivered, i saw; but his countenance otherwise remained firm. she received him as an old acquaintance, and seemed glad to see him. i took it into my head that adam was in love with her, or had been; but that, as he had little besides his pay to depend on, he could not indulge a dream of marrying. from what i afterwards learned, i was right in this conjecture. poor fellow! he had loved her well and deeply, but he had never told his love. she might have suspected his attachment, but with the tact and delicacy of a right-minded woman, she did not allow him to discover that she did so, but endeavoured, by the frank kindness of her words and manner, to take away the bitterness from the wound she was inflicting. i do not mean to say, however, that at the time i knew this, but i made a pretty shrewd guess at the truth. in a little time dicky came hurrying up to me with a look full of importance. "i say, d'arcy, i've found out all about it. i heard our medico tell old nip (meaning the purser) that vernon proposed a few days ago to miss norman, and was accepted; so they are regularly engaged, you know, and he has a right to dance with her as often as he likes. what fun for him! i know that i should like to be in his place. that's her father: not the tall man with the white hair, but the shorter one next him. he looks almost too young to be her father, doesn't he? perhaps his being ill makes him look so. they are soon going home; but they are to stop at gibraltar, so the doctor says." "i am afraid you've been an eavesdropper, dicky, to hear all this," i observed; "and that, you know, is not a very creditable character." "i know that as well as you do," he answered; "but i could not help myself, for i was jammed up in the refreshment room between two fat maltese ladies and the supper-table, and i couldn't have moved without the risk of staving in their sides with my elbows. old nip and the medico were on the other side of them, sipping their negus, and didn't see me." "that's all right; and small blame to you, dicky," said i. "well, i heartily wish mr vernon joy; and if his love don't run smooth, and he ever wants a helping hand, i only hope he'll let me give it him." "there's nothing i should like better too, independent of my regard for mr vernon," observed dicky, pompously. i remember that we long discussed the probabilities of mr vernon's requiring our services; and we came to the conclusion that, though we should be delighted to help him to obtain the lady's hand in any way he might require, in principle the running away with a lady was decidedly wrong. the subject was changed by our seeing the purser lead out one of the fat ladies, behind whom dicky had been hid, to attempt a waltz. never was there a more extraordinary performance. neither of them had a notion of the dance. they floundered and flolloped, and twisted and turned, and tumbled against all the other couples, till they spread consternation around; and at last found themselves the sole performers in the room. as poor nip went twirling round, much in the way that a child's humming-top does when it begins to stagger preparatory to stopping, he perceived a suppressed laugh on the lips and in the eyes of the surrounding spectators; and suspecting that he might be the cause of it, gave a convulsive gripe at his partner's waist, or at the part where her waist should be, in order to bring himself to an anchor. the effort was too great for his powers, and both he and she came with a run to the floor, close to where dicky and i were standing. there they kicked and struggled in vain efforts to rise. at this dicky could no longer contain himself, but, regardless of the purser's anger, burst into a loud fit of laughter. however, we ran forward to do our best to get the hero and heroine on their legs again, though we were too much convulsed to be of much assistance. "i'll pay you off for this, master sharpe," whispered the purser, looking up fiercely. "i couldn't help it, indeed i could not," answered dicky in an apologetic tone; "you did look so funny." "i'll wring your ears off, you young puppy," cried poor nip, rising and shaking himself, in his rage forgetting the fair sharer of his misfortune. "look to your partner, mr cheesnip," said captain poynder, coming up, and guessing the cause of the purser's anger. "here, sharpe, help me to put the lady on her legs." by some pulling and hauling, and by others shoving behind, we got madame cheesnip, as we ever after called her, into a perpendicular position; but she was too much shaken to dance again, especially with the cause of her misfortune. indeed, for the rest of the evening the ladies fought very shy of poor nip, and we took good care to keep out of his way. dicky and i stayed to the last, spending our time very satisfactorily between our two partners and the refreshment and supper rooms; and i am afraid to mention the vast amount of sandwiches, cakes, and bonbons which dicky consumed, washed down by cups of coffee, lemonade, and negus. at length, when nearly everybody was gone, with the exception of a few other midshipmen, and the musicians could no longer wag their bows, we deemed it time also to retire. we had got leave to stay on shore, but it just then occurred to us that we had forgot to order our beds. "never mind," said dicky; "we are certain to find them at some hotel or other." as we were putting on our cloaks, we found that there were five or six more midshipmen belonging to other ships in the same predicament as ourselves. to get beds at that hour of the morning, we discovered was not so easy, as all the hotels, from some cause or other, were full. we hunted about for some time, and were proposing trying to get on board our ships,--though dicky sharpe declared he should take up his berth inside one of the casks generally found down on the shore of the harbour, with their heads off; but we advised him not, as they are the usual abode of the beggar boys who infest nix mangiare stairs, and would be apt to have more inhabitants than one,--when some of the party who were on ahead, shouted out that they had found as cozy a place of shelter as they could wish. we were in the upper part of the town, which, as most of my readers probably know, is at a considerable elevation above the water. as it had lately begun to rain hard, and we had no desire to wander farther, there was a general rush made to the front. the cozy place to which we were invited, turned out to be an old family coach, which was standing at the top of a narrow lane intended to be used only by foot passengers. however, it was a place where some midshipmen had lately amused themselves by galloping up and down; but, to prevent such an exhibition of horsemanship, a guard had been stationed at the bottom, to prevent any similar attempt for the future. but to return to the coach. the first comers had taken possession, and one after the other the rest scrambled in, till by the time dicky and i, who were rather behind, got up, it could hold no more: at all events those inside decided that such was the case. this was not what we had bargained for, and neither of us was inclined to yield his right to a share and shelter without a struggle. the doors had not been shut; and while dicky boarded on one side, i tried to get in on the other. wet caps and fists were dashed in our faces, but, undaunted, we strove on. i had actually forced my way in, and was stretching over my hand to my chum, who had got his feet on the step, when some one exclaimed, "by jupiter! she is under way." and, sure enough, our struggles had set the lumbering old vehicle moving. on it went, rolling and rattling down the steep pathway, which we had totally forgotten. to get out was impossible, without the certainty almost of knocking our heads against the walls of the houses on either side, of being jammed between them and the wheels, or of being run over. we hauled dicky in to save his life, and away we all went together, the vehicle every moment increasing its velocity. the path, from sloping from each side to the centre, kept her on a straight course, or we should have brought up against some steps, or a kerbstone, and been saved from the approaching catastrophe. but no such good fortune was in store for us. rolling and rattling, and screeching and creaking, and bumping and thumping, downward went the carriage, we inside keeping up a chorus of shouts and shrieks. most of us laughed; but one or two, who were strangers to the place, were in a mortal fright, not knowing whether we might find a precipice at the bottom, and be shot over, perhaps into the sea. very soon, too, we reached some steps, down which we went, of course faster than ever, with terrific bounds, till the cranky old vehicle could no longer stand the unusual movement. "who goes there?" shouted the sentry at the bottom of the steps. "turn out the guard," echoed the sergeant, not able to make out the cause of the unusual commotion. just then the carriage split asunder, and sent us flying, with swords, dirks, and hats, in different directions. "arrah, was ever such an egg hatched before?" exclaimed the sergeant, who was an irishman, running up and seizing hold of the first he could lay hands on. "come, young gentlemen, i must march you off to the guard-house." "march the coach off, if you please, sergeant; but we are innocent, like the new-hatched babes which we are," cried dicky sharpe, who was one of those in custody. "the order is against people on horseback coming this way: we hadn't even horses to our egg-shell." the sergeant, amused by the way dicky took up his joke, and seeing there was no use detaining us, consented not to molest us. we then invited ourselves to go to the guard-house, where we passed the remainder of the night, with our cigars to comfort us. i am sorry to say that we did not go back to try and find the owners of the coach, that we might apologise to them for having inflicted so much injury on their property, which we ought certainly to have done. we none of us thought anything more would come of it. "oh!" said dicky sharpe, rubbing his hands, "the owners will think that the old coach grew tired of waiting all by itself, so ran down the hill to get warm." we resolved therefore to say nothing about the matter. the next day, while it was my watch on deck, we were ordered to send a boat to bring off a party of ladies from the shore. dicky, who belonged to the boat, went in her. as they reached the ship, and the sides were manned to receive them, i saw that mr vernon was in the boat, accompanied by major and miss norman, and several other ladies and gentlemen. the care with which he handed her up the side, and the attention he paid her, as he showed the party round the decks, convinced me still further that what i had heard last night was the truth. adam stallman accompanied them; he was grave, but kind and courteous as usual, and seemed to take great pains to answer all the questions, some of them not a little ridiculous, which were put to him. mr vernon invited him to join the luncheon-party in the ward-room, so i did not see what followed. as soon as the boat was hoisted in, dicky came up to me. "i say, d'arcy," said he, "it's all blown, and we are in for it, i guess." "what's blown?" i asked. "why, the coach affair, of course," he replied. "as we were coming off they were all talking of it, and mr vernon said he was very sure i was one of the chickens, so there was no use denying it. if it gets to the captain's ears we shall have our leave stopped, and i shan't have a chance of seeing little miss smaitch again." we consulted long what was to be done, but could come to no decision on the subject. after the guests were gone, adam stallman came down into the berth. "youngsters," said he, "i suspect both of you were engaged in the destruction of the coach last night. is it not so?" we confessed the truth, and told him exactly how it happened. "did you endeavour to find out the owners, and to make them all the amends in your power for the mischief you had committed?" we owned that we had not. "you neglected your bounden duty, then," he observed. "you should recollect that every act of meanness committed by a british officer brings discredit on the cloth. when a man is guilty of a fault, he but increases it if he neglects to make reparation for it. now, if i get leave for you to accompany me on shore, will you follow my directions?" we promised we would. "well then, we will find out the owners of the coach, and you must go and tell them that you are very sorry for the mischief you committed, explain how it happened, and beg their pardon. i do not think you can exactly offer to give them a new coach; nor would they expect it, probably." at this dicky looked very blue; but he could not escape from his promise, and he soon mustered a sufficiency of moral courage to carry him through the work. i was, i own, very glad in being thus supported in doing what i felt was right. in the afternoon we went on shore, and set off at once to the scene of our adventure: the fragments of the coach had been removed. climbing up the lane, we made inquiries at the top--at least adam, who spoke italian, did--for any family from the country who might be stopping at a house near at hand. "oh, you want signora faranelli, whose coach was run away with last night by some ragamuffins!" said the master of a small shop where we inquired. "the same," answered adam. "she and her daughters are staying with signor bianconi at the big house, there." adam led us to the house indicated. "i feel in a great funk," whispered dicky; "don't you, d'arcy? what shall we say?" "the truth," said i. "it's the only thing we can say. tell our tale from beginning to end." we sent in our cards, with a message to say that two naval officers wished to speak to signora faranelli. adam said he should wait outside for us, and told us to make haste. we were speedily requested to walk upstairs, and were ushered into a room full of company, when a very pleasing, kind-looking lady came forward and inquired to what cause she was indebted for the honour of our visit. as i knew sharpe would make some mistake, i had offered to act as spokesman, and at once told the whole of our tale. "oh, it was very naughty in the carriage to run away with you," she replied, in a good-natured tone, in somewhat broken english; "and it was very stupid in my servants to leave it standing on the top of the hill, though but natural that you, on a rainy night, should take shelter within it. i had been told that it was purposely sent rolling down the hill by a party of tipsy naval officers, and i was resolved to complain of them; but the frank way in which you have come forward to explain the matter removes all disagreeable feeling on the subject, and i am very happy to make your acquaintance." dicky sharpe drew a deep breath, as if some dire forebodings were removed. i don't know what he thought was going to happen to us. "i must now introduce you to signor bianconi, and i am sure he will have great pleasure if you can remain and spend the evening with us," continued the lady. "i shall hope also to see you shortly at my house in the country." we thanked signora faranelli very much for her kindness, but explained that we had a friend waiting outside for us, who had, however, nothing to do with the carriage affair. of course adam stallman was requested to come in, and, to my surprise, he consented. "i like what you tell me of the people, d'arcy, and their acquaintance must be worth making," he observed. we spent a very pleasant evening, got on board in good time, and the next day, meeting some of our companions in the carriage adventure, were able to relieve their minds from certain apprehensions of the consequences, and to tell them of the satisfactory results; nor did we fail to give stallman credit, which was his due. they, the rogues, were now in a great hurry to go and apologise also; but their impudence, for a wonder, would not carry them up to the point for action. whenever we put into malta, dicky and i did not fail to call on signora faranelli and signor bianconi: and many a happy day we spent at their houses. often and often i have since seen that, by acting with truthfulness and candour, very much inconvenience, and even misery and suffering, might have been saved, and much good obtained. there is a golden rule i must urge on my young friends ever to follow: _do right, and leave the result to god_. chapter thirteen. sailing of the ariadne--chissel's cruelty--loss of bobby smudge--a heavy squall--bobby smudge's ghost--reflections thereon. shortly after this we were ordered to get ready for sea, though our destination was not known. before we sailed, major and miss norman again came on board, and we heard that, his health being re-established, they had taken their passage in a brig bound for england. we were very sorry for this, as we feared that mr vernon would be wishing to go home to marry, and that we should thus lose him. the next morning the _ariadne_, the brig in question, a remarkably fine vessel for an english merchantman of those days (for a more detestable fleet of tubs were never sent afloat), was seen to be getting up her anchor and loosing topsails. mr vernon had gone away in the second gig at an early hour; and she was now alongside, while he, with his boat's crew, were on board. we could see him standing with miss blanche norman on deck. "more gallant knight or fairer lady never trod this mortal world," quoth our poetical third, as he took a sight at his brother officer through his spy-glass. i heard a deep sigh, and looking round, i saw adam stallman standing near me; but his countenance was unmoved, and turning on his heel, he continued pacing the deck as if he had been an unconcerned spectator of what was going on. the anchor of the brig was run up to the bows and catted; sail after sail was dropped from its brails and quickly sheeted home; and under a wide spread of canvas the gallant craft came standing out of the harbour. "a prosperous voyage to you," shouted mr du pre through his speaking-trumpet, as she passed us. he and all the officers took off their caps. major norman and the master of the _ariadne_ did the same, and miss norman bowed. it was a trying moment for her, poor girl; for in a few minutes he whom she had so lately learned to love must quit her for an indefinite period, to buffet the rude winds and waves of the ocean, or, perchance, to endure the dangers of the fight,--so said our third lieutenant, or something to that effect. we watched the _ariadne_, as long as her topsails appeared above the horizon, with no little interest, for mr vernon's sake. he at length came back, after a long pull, and was for several days somewhat grave and abstracted at times; but that mood wore off by degrees, and there was a buoyancy in his step, and a light in his eye, which showed that he loved, and was conscious of being beloved in return. it would be impossible to give an account of all the minor adventures i met with in the mediterranean; but such as i can i will narrate. captain poynder was very anxious to make his midshipmen gentlemen, and to give us a knowledge of polite literature, as well as to instruct us in navigation and seamanship. accordingly he got a maltese on board to teach us italian. poor signor mezzi had never, i believe, been at sea before; and though we tried to make him comfortable, and dicky sharpe generally resisted the temptation to play him tricks--for he was certain to be cobbed by the oldsters if he did,--i fear that his life was far from a pleasant one. when we had completed our refit, and had stowed away a supply of provisions, despatches were sent on board, and we were ordered to proceed to tripoli and tunis. we made a very quick passage to tripoli, which is the capital of the most easterly of the barbary states. it boasts of a castle and port, and has a large harbour, defended by a moat and batteries, capable of containing a considerable fleet of merchantmen. we remained there a very short time, so i do not remember much about the place, nor exactly for what purpose we went there. there is another town of the same name in syria, and they are often confounded. leaving tripoli, we made sail for tunis. it was on this trip, if i remember rightly, that a circumstance occurred, which for some time appeared wrapped in mystery. the adventure of the rib-bone, in which dicky sharpe played so prominent a part, will be remembered. since that time, ichabod chissel, the carpenter, had led his unfortunate boy, bobby smudge, a very dog's life. i fully believe, however, that master smudge richly deserved every rope's-ending he got. he was always dirty: he loved dirt, and nothing could keep him clean. his honesty also was doubtful. while in malta harbour, some of our plate had disappeared. our boy accused bobby of taking it, though he denied this, and, to our surprise, confessed that he knew where it was. "why, do you see, sir," he said to stallman, who sat as judge on his trial, "it somehow or other got into my tub of hot water, and i never knowed it; and when i went to heave the water overboard, i then see'd the glitter of it in the sea, as it sunk to the bottom." the defence was ingenious, and as there was no witness to prove to the contrary, bobby escaped punishment on that occasion; though, as he had been seen in deep confabulation with an ill-looking jew a short time afterwards, suspicion went much against him. from bad, things grew to worse with bobby smudge. not a day passed, scarcely an hour, that he did not taste the flavour of a rope's-end--most frequently bestowed by his master, the carpenter. "you will be the death of me, i know you will, master chissel," he groaned out one day, when his castigator was even severer than usual. "i'll go and drown myself, that i will, if this goes on much longer-- you'll see if i don't. i won't stand it, that i won't;" and he blubbered as few have blubbered before. "you will, will you, you young scamp?" exclaimed the carpenter, seizing a rope's-end. "take that, then, and remember, when you come back from the drowning of yourself, i'll give you six times as much." and poor bobby got it worse than ever. i think chissel was very wrong in the way he treated the poor wretch. had he been tolerably kind and considerate, he might, i am certain, have worked on his good feelings, and certainly have improved him; but the unhappy lad had from his earliest days been so constantly knocked about, and so accustomed to receive more kicks than halfpence, that all his better feelings had been pretty well beaten out of him. it so happened that one evening, as the ship was running pretty fast through the water, and as darkness was coming rapidly on, a loud splash was heard alongside, and that cry, so startling to a seaman's heart, was raised--"a man overboard!" "silence, fore and aft," sang out captain poynder, who at the same moment appeared on deck. "does anybody see him?" there was no answer. "does anybody hear him?" there was an ominous silence. a pin might have been heard to drop on deck. the life-buoy had been let go at the first by the officer of the watch. its signal fire now burned bright astern, but no one was seen clinging to it. there could be little doubt that the poor fellow, whoever he was, had sunk at once. the ship had been running at the time a few points off the wind. she was now brought close on a wind, and then the helm was put down, and she was hove about with her head towards the life-buoy. while she was in stays, the two quarter-boats were manned and lowered. mr vernon jumped into one of them, and the master into another; and as the frigate lost her way, they shoved off and pulled in the direction of the spot where the man was supposed to have fallen. "who can it be? who is missing?" was asked by all hands, while we were anxiously looking out towards the boats, to see if they were picking up anybody. when the ship reached the same locality, she was hove-to, and there we remained till the boats, having picked up the life-buoy, returned on board. they brought, however, too probable a sign of some one having been lost--a boy's hat. it had been picked up exactly at the spot where the ship was supposed to have been when the alarm was first given. the ship's muster-roll was now called over, to ascertain who of the ship's company was missing. one after the other had answered to their names, and it had so nearly reached the end, that we began to hope there might be some mistake after all, when that of bobby smudge was called. there was no answer. poor bobby! there could be but little doubt that the unfortunate wretch had put his threat of making away with himself into execution, rather than longer endure the tyranny of mr chissel. i hoped that the carpenter's accusing conscience would make him repent of his cruelty. this surmise as to the poor boy's fate was confirmed the next morning, when some of his clothes were discovered under the forechains. the next day the chief conversation among the men was about bobby smudge's suicide, and of the threats he had uttered of haunting the ship. this led to the recounting of similar circumstances; and many a forecastle yarn was spun that evening, abounding in horrors sufficient to make the hairs of a less stout-hearted auditory stand on end. from the extraordinary remarks i heard as i passed about the decks, i declared, when i went to the berth, that i believed that some of the men fully expected to see poor bobby smudge come in at one of the ports and drive all hands out of the ship. a seaman will encounter anything living and tangible with a hearty good-will; but he has a mortal antipathy to meet any spirit, black, blue, white, or green, from the nether world. "i say, d'arcy, it would be great fun if we could just manage to give some of these fellows a fright," whispered dicky sharpe. "a white sheet and a howl would do it. i could manage to imitate bobby smudge's voice, and i should just like to look in on old chissel when he is taking his first snooze. i'd just mutter, `bobby smudge's ghost come to fetch you away, you old sinner,' and his villainous conscience would do the rest." "don't play any such foolish trick, dicky," said i. "you would certainly be found out in the first place, and get severely punished into the bargain. besides, the matter is too serious to be turned into a joke. think of that poor unfortunate wretch, driven to despair, and plunged suddenly into another world, through the cruelty and tyranny of one who ought to have protected him, and tried to make him better!" "but he was plunged into the sea," said dicky, interrupting me; "and as for the cruelty he received, i don't think he was so very much worse off than numbers of other fellows in his position." "i tell you, it is not a subject for joking on. perhaps poor bobby smudge had a mother and sisters who will mourn bitterly when the ship returns home, and they find he is not in her." "dirty drabs, in all probability, who won't care a rap what has become of him," persisted the incorrigible dicky. "for shame, sharpe--for shame," said i; thinking how my cousins would grieve for me if i were to be lost overboard. i began to feel a strange sort of satisfaction at the idea. sentiment, or whatever it might be called, was very quickly put to flight by the shrill sound of the boatswain's whistle, and the hoarse cry of "all hands--shorten sail!" we were hurrying to our stations aloft as fast as our legs could carry us--for the tones in which the order was issued showed us that there was not a moment to be lost,--when, just as we were springing into the rigging, a squall, which had but the moment before been perceived by the officers of the watch, struck the ship. as ill-luck would have it, it was the third lieutenant who had the first watch, and he happened to be in a poetical mood, and deeply absorbed in composing an ode to queen dido, or the dodo--i don't remember which it was reported was the case-- one or the other, i know. the squall was a very heavy one: if not a white squall, not inferior to it in strength and suddenness. the ship rushed through the water, which was lashed in an instant into a sheet of foam; the masts bent like wands, and looked as if they would instantly go by the board. the helm was ordered to be put up; but before she could answer it--stiff as she generally was--over she went, as if she had been a mere skiff, till her yard-arms almost touched the water. it appeared as if she would never right herself again. then many a stout heart quailed, and many a brave man gave himself up for lost; but, dreadful as was the scene, discipline triumphed speedily over all unworthy fears. some of the ports were open, and the water rushed through them in torrents. such was the case with the one in our berth. poor signor mezzi, our italian master, was sitting there. never was a poor wretch more completely horrified. he gave up all for lost, and fancied that every moment the ship, and all in her, were going to the bottom. the assistant-surgeon and captain's clerk, who were at the time in the berth, each seized a pillow from the hammocks, which had just before been piped down, and cramming them into the port with tolerable effect, stopped the gush of water; but terror had too completely mastered the poor dominie to allow him to observe what was going forward. he shrieked out for mercy from every saint in the calendar, and entreated one or all of them to carry him on shore, even if it was but to the sandy coast of africa. "_ah! misericordia, misericordia, misericordia_!" was the burden of his plaint. "_e impossible_, signor. if you do go to the bottom, heretics though we are, you will be in very goodly company," exclaimed tourniquet. "and then think of the magnificent feast we shall make for the fishes. let that be your consolation." but poor signor mezzi refused to be comforted even by such a prospect; and even our medico himself, when he found the ship still remaining in her unusual position, and heard the uproar going on overhead, began to entertain some very disagreeable doubts as to the possibility of the event to which he was alluding actually occurring, and looked very blue about the gills; whereat little scribble, the clerk, laughed heartily at him, and seated himself on the table, with his feet on the side of the ship, affirming that he was not afraid, and was as contented and happy as ever--the truth being, not that the young donkey was a bit more brave than the other two, but that he had not the sense to know the danger he was in, and that not a seaman on board but saw that the next moment might be his last. tourniquet had not the heart to move and give scribble a thrashing, or he would have done so. but to return on deck. the instant the squall struck the ship, captain poynder hastened from his cabin, and, seizing his speaking-trumpet, in a calm tone issued the necessary orders. "down, every youngster, from the rigging. clue up--haul down--let fly of all!" it was too late. before the words were out of his mouth, the ship was over on her beam-ends, and lay like a log, neither sails nor rudder having longer power over her. to describe the wild horror of the scene would be almost impossible. the rent sails flashing and flapping in the gale; the ropes lashing furiously, as if in an attempt to seize some one within their deadly coils; every timber quivering and groaning; the wind roaring; and the foam in thick sheets flying over us. though the helm, as i have said, was hard up, still she lay in the trough of the sea, without a hope of once more rising. "send the carpenter and his crew aft, with their axes," shouted the captain. chissel and his mates quickly obeyed the summons, for he had seen from the first that his services would too probably be required. "stand by, to cut away the masts," added captain poynder. it was a melancholy alternative, but the only one to save the ship from foundering. afterwards we must trust to our anchors; and if they failed to hold with the wind as it then was, we could not fail of being driven on the inhospitable coast of africa. and who could tell how many might reach the shore alive!--perhaps none. the uplifted axes gleamed in the hands of chissel and his mates, as they stood round the mizen-mast; others were sent to cut away the shrouds, and clear the wreck of the mast as it fell. once more captain poynder raised his trumpet to his lips. it was to give the dire orders to cut, when, at that moment, the ship with a violent jerk righted herself, and, speedily answering to the helm, away she flew before the wind. as such a course would very quickly have brought us up, sail was taken off her; and then, merely under her spanker and fore-staysail, she was brought to the wind, for it was discovered that the bowsprit was badly sprung, and that the topsail sheets were carried away. happily the squall, having vented its fury on our heads, quickly passed over, and we were left with much less wind than before. "this is all that young beggar bobby smudge's doing, i'll warrant," i heard ned grummit, a topman, exclaim, as he came down from aloft. "i never knowed a chap of that sort who went for to go for to drown hisself, if he threatened to do mischief, but found means to do it. i knowed it would be so from the first, and we shall be lucky if worse doesn't come of it." i tried to expostulate with the man, for whom i had a liking, for he was an honest fellow; but to no purpose. he still persisted in the belief that poor bobby, who, while alive, had never done anybody harm, was destined to work us all sorts of mischief. everything had been made as snug as circumstances would allow. the watch below had been piped down, and had turned in; and silence reigned on board, and on the face of the ocean around us. it had been my watch on deck, and i was just about being relieved, when the silence was broken by a loud, unearthly cry; and the carpenter rushed on deck in his shirt, his hair standing on end, and his eyeballs starting from their sockets. had not several men laid hold of him, i believe he would have thrown himself overboard. he was carried back to his cabin, and the doctor was summoned. all chissel could say was, "bobby smudge! bobby smudge! you young villain, be off with you!" the doctor gave him some stuff or other, and the carpenter went off into a sound sleep; but a man was ordered to sit up by his side, and watch him. "now," thought i, "this has been one of dicky sharpe's tricks, and all my good advice has been thrown away." but when i looked into dicky's hammock, he was sleeping away with such unfeigned soundness that i could scarcely fancy that he had played any trick; and the next morning he assured me, on his word of honour, that he knew nothing whatever about the matter. i had never known dicky to tell an untruth, and i felt very sure that he would not conceal anything he had done from me; indeed, the great pleasure he had in playing any mischievous prank was, to tell me of it afterwards, if i happened not to be a partaker of it,--a very rare occurrence, by-the-bye. "suppose you had played your trick on old chissel, and what he has seen was really an evil spirit, how very dreadful it would have been for you to have met the unnameable thing at his bedside!" said i. "oh! don't talk of such a thing," exclaimed dicky, shuddering. "i am sure i will never again think of carrying out such a joke as i contemplated. the idea is too frightful." i advised him not; and, after talking the subject over, and turning it in every way, we came to the conclusion that, as no one else was likely to have tried to frighten old chissel, if he had not really seen a ghost, his terror had been the result of his own evil conscience. "yes, it is a dreadful thing to have a bad conscience," said dicky, with a sigh. "do you know, d'arcy, i sometimes wish that i had not played so many wild pranks in my life. i know that they will some time or other bring me into trouble; and yet, when the fit seizes me, i cannot help it. i wish that you would remind me of my good resolutions when i next propose anything of the sort." i promised that i would, but suggested that unless he had some higher motive than the fear of being brought into trouble, he would in all probability continue as great a pickle as ever, if he did not go on from bad to worse. indeed i read my chum a very severe lecture, which he took with perfect composure, feeling at the time that he fully deserved it; though i fear that he was not in the end very much the better for my sage advice. we were busy all day repairing damages as well as we could at sea; but it was found that they were so considerable that the captain resolved to return to malta, instead of pursuing our course to tunis. while the work was going forward, a man in the forechains discovered a jacket and waistcoat, which were known to have belonged to bobby smudge. this was considered still stronger proof that the poor lad had destroyed himself, as no doubt he had hung them there before jumping into the sea. seamen are certainly the most superstitious beings alive, for this trifling matter made them talk the whole evening after they had knocked off work about bobby and his ways; and scarcely one but believed that his spirit would haunt the ship as long as she remained in commission. the crippled state of the ship prevented our making much sail on her, and as we had frequently baffling winds, our voyage to malta was considerably prolonged. dirty bob, as poor bobby smudge was generally called, excited far more interest after his death than he had done during his lifetime, as is not unfrequently the case with much greater men. the night succeeding the squall passed off, as far as i know, quietly enough; but the next morning i saw several groups of men talking together, as if something mysterious had occurred. "i knowed it would be so," said ned trunnion, as i passed by. "he was as bold a topman as ever stepped. i knowed the little chap wouldn't let us alone, after he'd given mr chissel a taste of his quality. no, no; depend on't he'll haunt the ship for many a long day, if he don't manage to run her ashore, or to send her to davy jones' locker outright." "what's that about?" i asked, for i suspected the observation was intended for my ears. "why, sir," said tom barlow, another topman, "dirty bob (saving your presence) has been aboard again, a playing off his pranks, and many of us see'd him as clear as we see you." "nonsense, man," said i. "if you mean bobby smudge, he's snug enough at the bottom of the sea, fifty miles astern of us, by this time; besides, if any of you saw him, why did you not catch him?" "it wasn't 'xactly him we saw, sir," blurted out ned. "it was his spirit or ghost like; and a chap might just as well try to catch one of them things as to grip an eel with greased fingers." "how do you know it was his spirit, though?" i asked; for i suspected that the men had been working on each other's imagination till all fancied they had seen what perhaps only one had dreamed of. "why, sir," replied tom barlow, with a hitch to his waistband, "we knowed it was him, because it was as like him as he could stare, only a good deal blacker and dirtier even than he was in his lifetime. it had just gone two bells in the middle watch, when three or four of us who was awake saw him as plainly as we do you, sir, now--creeping about for all the world like a serpent, in and out among the hammocks. it was more, just then, than any one of us wished to do, to speak to him; but, thinks i, there can't be any harm telling him to cut his stick, just civilly like; so i lifts up my head, and sings out, `be off, you dirty son of a sea cook!' but scarcely was the words out of my mouth, than he was away like a shot up the main-hatchway, and through one of the ports, or right through the bottom of the ship, for what i knowed; for i couldn't see, you may suppose. all the others who saw him said, too, there was a strong smell of sulphur, wherever he'd been, and that he vanished away in a flame of fire; but i can't 'xactly swear to that myself." i laughed outright at the absurdity of the story, and was more convinced than ever that the men had allowed their imaginations to be worked up to a pitch which would make them believe anything. dicky sharpe and i talked the matter over, and agreed not to say anything about it, as were the circumstances to get to the ears of the captain, it would certainly make him very angry. i thought we should hear no more about the matter; but two days after this i found the people more busy than ever talking about bobby smudge's ghost. numbers declared they had seen it. some described it as having one shape, some another. not a few gave it a tail, and horns, and fiery eyes. all described it as black; and several were ready to affirm on oath that it smelt strongly of sulphur and other horrible odours. at length many of the men showed a great unwillingness to go below, and to turn into their hammocks. old chissel had become a completely altered character. his conscience told him that he was the cause of poor bobby's death. he grew thin and pale; his voice was no longer heard in loud dispute with his brother officer, the boatswain; and even his manner was softened towards his inferiors. the men remarked the change; and all argued that the ghost had done him some good at all events, though it certainly confirmed them in their belief of its existence. night after night, no sooner was it dark, and the watch below turned in, than dirty bob's ghost was sure to appear to some one or other; till at length the gun-room officers heard of the matter, and ultimately the captain himself was informed of it. at the same time a curious circumstance occurred. every morning one or other of the messes had to complain that their bread-bags had been rifled, and different sorts of eatables had disappeared in a most unaccountable manner. none of the men suggested for a moment that the ghost had anything to do with the matter--for what could a ghost want with biscuit, bacon, or cheese; but captain poynder, who at length heard of this also, had, it appeared, formed a different notion on the subject. two of the marines--steady old hands--who were ready to believe or disbelieve in ghosts or spirits, and to fight carnal or spiritual enemies in any shape or of any colour, as their superior officers might command them, were sent for into the cabin. what their orders were i do not know; but one of them, jabez cartridge, was placed that night as sentry on the lower deck. the first watch had nearly run out, and jabez, who had his eyes about him in every direction, had seen nothing of the ghost, when, as it had just gone seven bells, he fancied that he observed a dark object gliding about under the hammocks. he stood as upright and stiff as his own ramrod. so immovable was he, that any one might have supposed him asleep on his post; but his little black eyes were not the less vigilant. the dark object moved slowly and cautiously on till it reached the lockers, where the men's mess things were kept. jabez saw that it had hands, and, by the peculiar movement of those hands, he came to the conclusion that it had pockets. still a ghost might have hands, and trousers too, for what he knew to the contrary. to convince himself, he sprang forward, and the ghost, with an unearthly shriek, took to flight; but jabez was too quick for the phantom, and grasping him tight, he sung out, "i don't care if you be a ghost or not, but i've got you, at all events." "oh, let me go, let me go! and i'll lie snug and quiet till we get into harbour, and then i'll leave the ship and never come back--that i won't," answered the ghost, in piteous accents. but jabez was inexorable, and dragging him to the sentry's lantern, by its sickly light discovered features which belonged to no other than bobby smudge. "why, where have you been, you young scoundrel, all the time?" asked jabez. "in the coal-hole," blubbered out poor bobby. "i never thought of doing harm to no one; but i can't live without eating. oh! let me go back,-- oh! do, now." "my order is to take you to the captain," replied jabez, unmoved; and forthwith to the captain's cabin the unhappy smudge was led captive. he was soon, however, sent out again under charge of the sentry, and kept in durance vile till the next morning. after breakfast the men were called aft; and the captain appeared on the quarter-deck with bobby, in the same garb and condition in which he had been captured. he was truly a wretched object, as he stood trembling, and blubbering, and covered with coal dust and dirt, before all the crew. "i have called you aft, my men, to show you how foolish you have been to allow yourselves to be frightened by the equally foolish trick of this miserable lad," said captain poynder. "i am not angry with you; but i wish you to learn, from this event, that all the ghosts you are ever likely to see will turn out to be no more ghosts than is this poor fellow at the present moment. he confesses that to avoid punishment, and in the hopes of ultimately escaping from the ship, he devised the scheme for making it appear that he had destroyed himself. he managed, it seems, to get a lump of coal in the forechains, and after heaving it into the water, and crying out that a man was overboard, to get in at a port, and to stow himself away in the coal-hole. trusting to the superstition and folly which the people have exhibited, he thought he might venture out at night to supply himself with food. his plan succeeded; and had the story not come to my ears, i conclude he would have kept up the farce till the ship got into port. i ask, my men, do you think it possible that god, who made this mighty universe, and governs it by just and wise laws, would allow a mischievous imp, who could do no harm while alive, to return to earth, merely for the sake of wreaking his own petty malice, or for troubling and frightening a number of grown men such as you are. to believe such a thing is both wicked and absurd, for it is mistrusting god's wisdom and providence; and i hope, when you come calmly to consider the matter over, you will think as i do. i have another word to say, both to petty-officers and men. the lad must have received much cruel treatment to make him attempt to escape from it by the expedient he followed. remember, for the future, i will have no bullying. the discipline of the ship will be kept up far better by strict justice. had it not been for this, i should have punished the lad severely for the prank he has played. as it is, he has pretty well suffered already. but beware. if anybody attempts to imitate his example, he will find i do not overlook the matter so easily. now pipe down." the captain's speech did much good in several ways. it put a stop to any outrageous bullying for some time; for the men knew perfectly well that what he threatened he would effectually carry out. it also tended to cure some of them of their superstitious belief in ghosts and goblins. "well, i never heard the like afore," said tom barlow, as he and his messmate, ned trunnion, were talking over the affair of the previous day. "the skipper says as how there is no such thing as ghosts; and i suppose, seeing as how he has as much larning as a parson, he knows all about it. it don't come within my category, though." "what he says is all shipshape," replied ned. "i never yet met the man who really did see a ghost, though i've met scores who've heard of some one who's seen them, and for that matter come to fisticuffs with them; and certain sure i never see'd one myself till that young cheese-nibble made himself into one. then, if he hadn't been found out, i'd have staked my davy that he was one in reality." "that is what the captain says," i remarked, as i stopped a moment. "all the ghosts which have been seen will turn out to be only shams after all." but enough of bobby smudge and his ghost. chapter fourteen. letter from my uncle--chase of myers--supposed loss in portland race-- good advice--the ariadne missing--mr. vernon's anxiety. two days after this, much shorn of the pride and beauty with which we left it, we entered malta harbour. as may be supposed, mr vernon hastened to the post-office as soon as he could get on shore. i accompanied him, with a note captain poynder had to send to the governor. his eye brightened as it glanced at the superscription of a letter which was handed to him. he read it over eagerly. "i hope, sir, that you have good accounts from your friends," i said. "they have had most provoking light winds and calms; and, when this letter was written, had not made good half the distance. heaven grant that the _ariadne_ may have escaped any squall such as crippled us." "indeed, sir, i trust so," i replied; but as he again turned to his letter, i made no further remark. i found a letter also for myself, to my no little surprise, for i thought no one would take the trouble of writing to me. i did not deserve a letter, i felt, for i had not written a line to any one since i left england. it was from my uncle. i put it in my pocket, to read at my leisure when i returned on board. it ran as follows:-- "my dear nephew,--as a word or two now and then from those who are deeply interested in your welfare, will but tend to keep them in your remembrance, and to cheer your spirits, should you find yourself surrounded by troubles or hardships, your aunt and i hope occasionally to send you a sheet of paper, with an account of what is going on at home; and i must beg you in return to let us know how the world speeds with you. your aunt and cousins are well, and one day passes with them so like another, that i have little to tell of them. terence grows apace, and seems resolved to go to sea. i will not baulk the lad of his wish when he is big enough; and i hope better times will come in the navy, both for you and him, than i have seen for some time past. i have given the cutter plenty of work, and have made several captures; but the prize i most covet, that villain myers, has again slipped through my fingers. i must tell you all about it. it is supposed, indeed, that he has at length gone to render up his final account in another world; but even now i can scarcely believe but that he will yet turn up somewhere or another in this. i had received notice that he had been again seen in england, and that he had got command of a cutter of about sixty tons,--a very fast craft, which nothing could come up to; so, of course, i resolved to try and catch him. i soon found that he was visiting his old haunts. i conclude that he fancied no one would believe he would have the audacity to go there after all the crimes he had committed, and that therefore no one would be on the watch for him. he had succeeded in running two cargoes, and all the goods were got up to london. he had gone away for a third, and i learned that preparations were made to receive it in west bay, not far from beere. for two days and nights we had been cruising about, just far enough out not to be seen from the shore, in the best spot for cutting him off, when it came on to blow very hard from the north-west. it had blown long enough to kick up a heavy sea, when, just as it had gone three bells, in the middle watch, we caught sight of a cutter standing in for the shore, and going along at a tremendous rate, not the eighth of a mile to the eastward of us. we were on the larboard tack; but we were instantly about, and in chase of her. we could just make her out through the darkness; but i do not think many eyes could have seen her, but those long accustomed to such work as ours. it was some time before she perceived us; for, from the way we were standing, we were end on to her. as soon, however, as she saw us, she kept away, and off she went like a shot before the wind. we packed everything on the cutter she could carry, and rather more canvas, as you may suppose, than under ordinary circumstances i should like to set; but the stranger, at all events, seemed resolved not to be outdone; and though by this time it was blowing half a gale of wind, had not only his whole mainsail, but his square-sail and gaff-topsail all set. this circumstance made me pretty certain that myers was on board, for he knew well that a halter would be his lot if he was caught. i think he would have done better by keeping on a wind, for before the wind her larger size gave the _serpent_ a decided advantage over him. after an hour's chase, if we had not overhauled him, he certainly had not increased his distance from us; and we had great hopes, should the wind increase, or the sea get up any more, that we should at last catch him. it was a trial of the strength of our sticks, and the goodness of our rigging. i had every confidence in ours; but i also knew that the smuggler would not fail to have got a tough stick for a mast, and sound rigging also. another half-hour passed, and hanks agreed with me that we were certainly gaining on the chase. to give us a chance of winging him, we now ran a gun forward; but with the heavy sea there was, and the way both vessels were pitching into it, there was very little probability that we should do so. we, however, fired several times; but with no effect. only think! the fellow had the audacity to run out a couple of guns, and to return the fire. to be sure, it was his only chance of escaping; for if he could manage to knock away any of our spars, he would, he thought, show us a clean pair of heels. his practice was not a bit better than ours; indeed, it would only have been by chance that a shot could have hit its mark. however, we both of us kept blazing away at each other with hearty good-will. in the meantime the wind and sea, already high, were getting up very much. at any other time i should have hove the cutter to; but now, follow i must; and i hoped, from our greater power, we should be able to hold out the longest, and that at last the smuggler must give in. we were now nearing portland race, and never in my life had i observed the sea running higher on it than it now did. `the fellows will never attempt to cross it,' observed hanks: `they'll be swamped if they do; and if they haul up to round it, we shall catch them to a certainty.' `cross it they will try, at all events,' i replied; `they can never carry canvas on a wind, in a breeze and with a sea like this. see, they are standing into the very thickest of the breakers.' sure enough, there was the cutter approaching the most dangerous part of the race. the spring-tide was making down, and the wind, meeting it, threw the foaming breakers higher up than usual. still it was possible, if everything was battened down, that the cutter might shove through them. we all held our breath. if she got through, we also must follow. we had everything secured, and were better prepared than she was. on she went--her white sails appearing against the dark sky--her whole hull enveloped in foam. for some seconds she pushed on bravely. i never took my eye off her. suddenly the white canvas seemed to bend low down--the breakers danced on as before. i rubbed my eyes, but without avail: the sail had disappeared. there was a cry of horror on board the cutter, but no shout of triumph, though our long-sought-for foe was no more. he and everybody on board must have been swallowed up in those foaming billows. we had barely time to shorten sail and to haul off, to avoid sharing the same fate; for i scarcely think, on that day, that even we could have run through the race. some days after this i was on shore on portland bill, and the lighthouse-keeper told me that he had witnessed the catastrophe. he told me, also, that several planks and spars had shortly after come on shore, and with these the body of a man. when, however, he went down to the beach to look for the body, he could nowhere find it; so he concluded that it had been swept away by the tide. such is the fate of the smuggler myers, and certainly no one ever deserved it more richly. i have no other events to narrate. "i should like to give you some good advice, neil; but i am so little accustomed to lecture others, i cannot find words to do it. i will try, however. never forget that you were sent into this world to do your duty to heaven and to man; not to amuse yourself, but to obey god's laws,--to prepare for another world, which will last for ever. remember always that this world is only a place of trial--of probation. trials of all sorts are sent on purpose to prove us. when man, through disobedience, fell, and sin entered the world, the devil was allowed to have power over him. he would have gained entire power, and man in his fallen state would have been inextricably lost for ever; but christ in his mercy interfered, and by his obedience, his sufferings on earth,--by his death on the cross,--was accepted by god as a recompense for all sinners who believe in him. by his resurrection, he became a mediator for us, showing us also that we too shall rise, like him, from the dead, in the bodies in which we died. thus a pure and just god, who cannot otherwise than hate sin, was able at the same time to show forth his justice and his mercy,--to punish those who go on in their wickedness, but to pardon those who believe in their great mediator, and repent of their sins. i remind you of these important truths, neil, because i know all men are too apt to forget them. endeavour always to remember them, and i am sure that they will keep you from evil more than any other safeguards which i can offer you. i do not tell you, my boy, not to do this, or not to do that; but i remind you that christ came down on earth, on account of the sins of mankind, to teach men his laws; that he suffered pain, toil, and disgrace, and a dreadful death; and that, in gratitude to him, we are bound to do our utmost to obey him. read your bible constantly--not now and then, but every day; learn what his will is, and do your best to follow it. remember, also, that the devil is ever at your elbow, endeavouring to persuade you not to follow it,-- telling you that sin is sweet and pleasant; that god will not be angry with you if you sin a little; that hell is far off; that god would not be so cruel as to send you there; and that it is cowardly to be afraid. oh, my boy, let me entreat you to pray to god for grace to enable you to resist those temptations. come they will, assuredly; and never trust in your own strength to resist them. christ will give you strength. fly to him in prayer. go to your bible,--read that, and you will be strong to resist all temptations. of course, never mind what your companions may say or think on the subject. i ask, are you to be biassed by the opinions of poor, weak, sinful mortals; or to obey the laws of the great all-powerful god, who made the whole universe--the innumerable globes you see in the sky--the world we inhabit, with all its wonders--man, with his proud intellect--the animals of the forest, the birds of the air, the creeping things innumerable, scarcely the nature of one of which you can comprehend,--of the merciful saviour, who died for you, and who is eager to preserve you and all who believe on him? still i know that, with a full consciousness of god's greatness and goodness--of christ's mercy--man is so weak that nothing but constant prayer for grace will enable him to keep in the right way. i feel, my dear nephew, that i could not write too much on this all-important subject; but still i must conclude. keep my letter by you, and look at it at times when you are inclined to forget its advice. your aunt joins me in earnest prayer for your welfare. "your affectionate uncle,-- "terence o'flaherty." i am most grateful to my kind uncle for having sent this letter to me. it had a very beneficial effect on my mind. i do not mean to say that at the time i received it i thought as seriously of its contents as i did afterwards; yet i tried somewhat to follow its advice,--not as i might have done; but i read my bible more frequently, and prayed more earnestly than i had ever done before. i do not mean to say that i knelt down by the side of my hammock to pray, as those on shore are able to do by the side of their beds; but i found many an opportunity to offer up my prayers during a watch on deck at night, and on those occasions i felt more freedom and earnestness. also i often would do so after i had turned into my hammock, and before i turned out in a morning. i own that when i was first observed to read my bible i was frequently called by my messmates a methodist and a saint, and dicky sharpe was especially liberal in his application of such epithets to me; but adam stallman soon silenced him as well as others. "let me ask you, master dicky, what you mean by a methodist?" he inquired. "if it is applied to a man who acts the part of a consistent christian, and does his duty methodically--with system, and not by fits and starts,--it is a very high compliment you pay him; and as for the term saint, let me assure you that those who do not become saints have their souls in a very perilous condition." these remarks of stallman's, though my young messmate tried to look unconcerned and indifferent to them at the time, had, i believe, a very beneficial effect on him. i will not, however, dwell longer on this subject, important though it is, or my readers may declare that, instead of writing my adventures for their amusement, i am giving them a book of sermons. i will not do that; but still i must urge them to pay attention to what i have said--never to be ashamed of their religion; far, far rather to be proud of it, and ever to make god's word the rule of their conduct.--to return to my narrative. the repairs of the frigate having been completed, we once more put to sea, and made sail for tripoli and tunis. our poor italian master, signor mezzi, had declared most positively that nothing would ever again tempt him to venture on the treacherous ocean; but a few weeks on the smooth water of malta harbour had wonderfully reassured him, and he continued therefore with us, to our somewhat problematical benefit. nothing occurred on our passage to and from those places. we were once more entering malta harbour. mr vernon at once went on shore, and i again accompanied him. he repaired to the post-office, but there were, to his evident disappointment, no letters for him. he considered for a moment. "we'll go to the agents of the _ariadne_; she must have arrived at gibraltar long before the last mails left." the agent's office was close to the harbour. we threaded our way to it among bales, and casks, and packages. the senior partner, mr dunnage, received us very politely; and when mr vernon inquired for the brig, his countenance assumed a grave look. "we must hope for the best," he replied; "but she is, i own, very long overdue, and we have had no tidings whatever of her. she may have put into some little-frequented port, with the loss of her spars or masts, and the master may not have been able to communicate with us." "nay, i am sure it must be so," he continued, seeing the agitation into which the information had thrown my lieutenant. "was the master a steady and good seaman?" asked mr vernon, in a voice husky with emotion. "not a steadier man nor a better seaman comes to this port," replied mr dunnage. "if his craft was caught by a squall, or got into any other difficulty, i am sure he would have done all that could be done for her." "we fell in with a terrific squall soon after she was at sea," mused mr vernon. "heaven grant that she was not exposed to it." "it is impossible to say," answered the merchant in a kind tone. "i feel more than usually anxious, on account of her passengers, i own. sailors are accustomed to hardships; they expect to meet them in their career; and they are aware, when they go afloat, that they must be prepared to lose their lives in the gale or the battle." mr vernon shuddered. he began to realise the possibility of the loss-- the dreadful death of her he loved. still he was a right-minded, brave man, and what is more, a sincere christian; and he resolved not to give way to despair. mr dunnage perceived, at length, the effect his information had produced, and he now did his best to mitigate the anxiety of my lieutenant, entering warmly into all his plans for gaining information as to the fate of the brig. it was agreed that he should write round to all the ports on the shores of the mediterranean, near which it was possible the _ariadne_ could have been driven; and that his correspondents there should send boats along the coast from port to port, so that no part should remain unexplored. "i should advise you also to see the admiral; he will, i am sure, take a warm interest in the matter." no sooner said than done. when sensible men are in earnest about an affair, they do not lose time by talking, the plan of action being at once decided on. mr dunnage having penned the draft of a circular letter to be sent to the ports, left it to be copied by his clerks, while we set forth to see the admiral, who was, fortunately, at malta. the worthy old man at once entered into all the proposed plans for searching for the brig, and suggested others. "we'll send the _harold_ to sea at once; and i'll despatch all the small craft i can spare on the search. stay,--you shall take an order to captain poynder to sail forthwith. i suppose he's ready to go?" said he to mr vernon. "we are well supplied with provisions, and can soon fill up with water; we can be off this evening, i know," replied mr vernon. "away with you! and may your search be prosperous," said the admiral, with much feeling. the order to go to sea again was at first received with no little surprise on board; but the fact that the _ariadne_ was missing being generally known on shore, and the blue-peter being hoisted, the officers who had gone on leave came hurrying back. that night, with a fine breeze we had run malta out of sight. chapter fifteen. sail in search of the ariadne--fall in with a boat and crew--the master of the helen--his narrative--attack of pirates--captain delano--can he have seized the ariadne? "something black and low over the starboard bow," sung out the man stationed on the main-topgallant-masthead. "how far off is it?" hailed the first-lieutenant. "two miles or thereabout, sir," was the reply. "what does it look like?" was again asked. "a boat, i think, sir, as much as anything," answered the look-out. scarcely had the seaman aloft hailed the deck, than mr vernon, his countenance paler than usual, showing the agitation within, had slung his glass over his shoulder, and was on his way up the rigging. at the topgallant-masthead he now sat, eagerly looking out towards the point indicated. the ship's course was instantly directed towards it. it was an exciting moment. it might prove to be a boat, keel uppermost, and have no tale to tell, except to let us surmise that she had proved no ark of safety to those who had trusted to her; or she might have living beings on board, whom our discovery of her might rescue from starvation and death. other officers followed mr vernon aloft. "she is a boat afloat, and pulling towards us," sung out one of them. everybody on board was looking over the sides or out of the ports at the boat, which we neared rapidly. we soon made out that there were several people in her besides those who were pulling; but whether there was a lady or not, we could not discover. i pitied poor mr vernon's feelings all the time very much. he came down on deck again, and stood at the gangway pale as death, but manfully suppressing his emotion. the boat drew near us. she was evidently belonging to a merchantman, and, from her build, and the appearance of the people, they were english; but there was no female form among them. mr vernon scrutinised the countenances of those in the boat as she came alongside; but he soon, apparently, recognised none as those he had seen on board the _ariadne_, for he drew a deep breath, and, i thought, seemed more composed. the people from the boat now came up the side, and she was hoisted up. she was in a very battered condition, and had evidently been lately repaired in a hurried manner. they were received at the capstern by captain poynder. an honest, sturdy-looking gentleman stepped forward as spokesman. "i see that i am fortunate enough to have got on board a british man-of-war," he began. "well, sir, i have a pretty account of piracy and attempted wholesale murder to give." "let me hear it at once, sir, that i may judge what is to be done," said captain poynder. "yes, sir, certainly. my name is hudson, sir. you must know that i am, or rather was, master of the _helen_ brig. we sailed from liverpool, where we took in a valuable cargo of manufactured goods, chiefly silks and fine cottons. we were bound for leghorn. while we were taking in our cargo, there lay alongside of us a fine new brig, the _william_, owned by some very respectable merchants of our port. her master was a certain captain delano, a very well-spoken, fine-looking man. i cannot say that i ever liked him. there was something in his eye, and way of talking, which made me doubt him. not but that he said many things that were very good and right, but there was nothing hearty in them; and now and then he let out opinions which made me sure he was a bad man, notwithstanding the way he had managed to come over his owners. there were several suspicious things which i had heard of him from time to time. he was an american, hailing from new york; yet he fought very shy of all masters coming from thence, and had refused, on some excuse or other, to take charge of a vessel going there. he, two years ago, had command of a barque, the _brunswick_, trading up the straits. some queer things were said to have taken place in her; and i'm very much mistaken if the black flag did not fly aboard her more than once. at last this mr delano was caught attempting to carry out a large smuggling transaction in malta harbour, as, perhaps, you may have heard, sir, when you have been there. he was convicted, and thrown into prison. after having been shut up for a year, he was liberated, ruined in character, and without a penny in his pocket. any other man, almost, would never again have been able to lift up his head; but his tongue served him in good stead, and finding his way to liverpool, he had the impudence to present himself before his owners, and the wit to persuade them that he was a much-injured individual, and innocent as the new-born babe of all the charges brought against him. they gave him in consequence, as i said, the command of the _william_, a new brig just off the stocks. on some pretext or other, he was constantly aboard us as we were taking in our cargo; and, with the thoughts i had of him, i cannot say that i quite liked it. i understood also, from my people, that four of the _brunswick's_ crew had found him out, and shipped with him; and the night before he sailed another very suspicious-looking character shipped aboard, and, as the vessel went out of harbour, was seen doing duty as mate. i mention these things, sir, that you may judge whether i am likely to be right in my conjectures as to what afterwards occurred. i will not now keep you longer than i can help. we had a fine passage to the gut, though with three or four days of light and baffling winds. we had got through the straits; and about a couple of days after we had passed them, we made out on our weather-bow, a brig, under easy canvas, standing across our course. "`where can she be bound to?' says i to my mate, here. "`only to the coast of africa,' says he; `for you see, sir, she had a fair wind up or down the mediterranean.' "`she is in no hurry, at all events,' says i, `with that sail she has set.' "`i can't make it out,' says he. `see, sir, she looks as if she intended to speak us. she has altered her course a couple of points. ay, i see how it is--she is short-handed, by the way those sails are set, and the ropes, too, are all hanging slack about her. perhaps she has lost some of her people by fever, or maybe they have been washed overboard in a squall.' "as i looked at the brig more attentively, there was a strange foreign look about the paint on her sides and figure-head which puzzled me, and still the cut of her sails and the rake of her masts was english. presently, however, an ensign, with the stars and stripes of the united states, flew out at her peak. that seemed to set the matter at rest. the stranger soon bore down on us, and i hailed her to know who she was, and what she wanted. "`the _crescent_, from new york, bound for the levant,' was the answer. `we've lost more than half our ship's company in trying to save some people off a wreck, and have ourselves sprung a leak. can you send any of your people aboard to help us to try and stop it?' "`ay, ay,' i answered; for you see, sir, i am always glad to lend a hand to any other ship's company requiring assistance. to show that what he stated was true, three or four hands were working at the pumps, though i did not see that they were forcing much water over the sides. we lowered a boat accordingly, and i jumped in, with four hands, and pulled aboard the stranger. as the bowman caught hold of the main-chains-- "`why, she has canvas over her sides,' he remarked. "`shove off, my lads; it's not all right,' i sung out. "but before the bowman could clear his boat-hook, a couple of cold shot were hove into the boat, and she began to fill rapidly. we had no choice but to scramble on board, or to go down with her. as soon as we were on the deck of the stranger, we found ourselves knocked over; and before we could get on our legs, we were bound hand and foot. the men who acted as officers, as well as the crew of the vessel, were rigged out in so odd a fashion, and their faces so covered up with hair and black patches, that i could not have recognised them had i known them ever so well; but still, at the time, it struck me that the fellow who seemed to be the captain, had a figure very like that of delano. of course i did not say anything, as i knew that to do so would be a sure way of getting knocked on the head, and made food for fishes. leaving my people and me on the deck to think what we might, the villains, who had now got a boat in very good condition, lowered her, and, with pistols hid under their shirts, and cutlasses and muskets stowed away underneath the thwarts, went aboard my brig. in a few minutes they hailed, which showed me that they had made quick work in taking possession. the two vessels were now brought alongside each other, and lashed together, and my men and i were then handed on board our own craft, and carried below--i into my cabin, and the rest into the forepeak, where others of the crew had been already conveyed. i won't attempt to tell you how i felt, as i saw the villains rifling my boxes and lockers, and carrying off everything worth having. they made quick work of it, being hurried on by their captain; and then they set-to to take possession of our cargo. they left me in my own sleeping-berth, on my back, so that i could see nothing; but, from the sounds i heard, i judged that they were handing bale after bale of our cargo into their own craft. their cargo, if they had one, i suppose they hove overboard, to make room for ours. how long they continued at this work, i don't know. it seemed to me an age, you may be sure, sir. at last they knocked off, and there was silence for some time. i thought they were going to leave us, when i heard them return on board; and there was a sound which i could not mistake. the murderous villains were boring holes in the ship's bottom. i felt it was all up with us. they intended to let the brig founder, with all her crew, so that there should be no witnesses to their robbery. in vain i tried to get my hands loose. they were too well secured, and i had, therefore, nothing to do but to resign myself to my fate. it was not the first time that i had faced death; and, sirs, i knew in whom to trust. he had before preserved my life. gentlemen, i should be an ungrateful wretch if i did not thus at once acknowledge god's great mercy to us. he has preserved our lives, and we are here." the reverential way in which the worthy master spoke made a deep impression on me. there was no ostentation, no hypocrisy, no cant; but heartfelt gratitude, and humble reliance on god's protecting hand. "no excuse necessary. what you say is right--perfectly right. you speak as a christian should, and i honour you for it; but go on," replied captain poynder, who was evidently anxious to arrive at the conclusion of the master's somewhat prolix narrative. "well, sir," he continued, "of one thing i felt pretty certain, that delano was the perpetrator of this horrible outrage. it was the very trick he was reported to have played before, and which, from what i had seen of him, i judged he would be ready to play again. i could hear the water begin to rush into the ship, but it did not reach the deck of the cabin so soon as i expected. there was a good deal of noise on deck, as if the pirates were knocking things to pieces; and then i judged that the vessels had separated, and that the pirate had sheered off to leave us to our fate. all was silent, and i could not tell whether my poor fellows had been carried off or been left to share my fate with the brig. some twenty minutes or half an hour had passed in this state of uncertainty, when i heard a noise, as if bulkheads were being knocked in, and my own name was called by a voice which i recognised as that of my mate. i shouted joyfully in return, and in a few seconds he and some of the crew rushed into the cabin and released me. `the brig seems in no way inclined to go down, captain,' they exclaimed. `if we could but get the pumps rigged, we might save her as well as our lives; but the pirate has only sheered off to a short distance, and if the villains on board were to catch sight of our faces on deck, they would soon return and put a finishing stroke to us.' `let's see if we can do anything to keep the water out,' said i, though i had little hope of success. on going into the hold, which was pretty well free of cargo, on examination i discovered that the holes had been bored through the timbers, instead of through the planks. `either a friend or a lubber has done this,' exclaimed my mate. `i think the former,' i observed. `get some plugs as fast as you can, my lads, and we'll soon stop these leaks, and yet keep the old barkie afloat.' the holes were bored mostly high up, so that they were easily got at, and we thus had the greater number of them quickly plugged. there is no doubt in my mind that the man who bored the holes hoped by that means to save our lives. one of the crew, who had all been shut up in the forepeak, told me that the man who had lashed his hands took occasion to pass him, when he whispered, `don't move till we're clear off. things are not so bad for you as they look.' when i heard this, i was sure that all on board the pirate were not as great villains as their leaders. as soon as this man had got his hands free--which he did without difficulty, for they were purposely ill secured--he loosed the rest; and then, afraid to show themselves on deck, lest the pirates should see them, they worked their way aft to my cabin. a strong confirmation to my suspicions that the pirate brig is no other than the _william_, commanded by delano, is, that as one of my people lay bound on her deck, when we were knocked down on boarding her, he observed the name of the sailmaker on her fore-topsail--john reynolds, of liverpool. he remarked the name particularly, because he was the maker who had furnished the sails of the last vessel he had sailed in; and he remembered that he had observed the same name on the _william's_ sails. we remained below for some little time after we had plugged the holes, and then we managed to wrench off the hatches of the forepeak. when we had done this, i crept cautiously out, and looking over the bulwarks, i saw the pirate about a quarter of a mile off, laying by us apparently to watch till we should go down. this made our position very perilous, for any moment the pirates might return and knock us all on the head, though, for that matter, i resolved that if they attempted it, we would sell our lives at no cheap rate. as i glanced my eyes along our deck and up aloft, a sad scene of havoc and destruction met them. our running rigging was un-rove and carried off, our standing rigging was cut through, and what sails remained on the yards were hanging in shreds. on deck, our boats were stove in, the caboose knocked to pieces, and the cooking things gone. indeed i could scarcely have supposed that so much mischief could have been committed by a few people in so short a time. having made these observations, i again went below to hold a consultation with my mates as to what was best to be done. we made up our minds that as long as the water did not gain on us, and the pirate lay near us, all we could do was to remain quiet below; but we agreed to arm ourselves in the best way we could, and, if the pirates returned, to rush out on them in a body, and to attempt to take them by surprise. the arms from my cabin had been carried off; but there were three brace of pistols and a couple of fowling-pieces in a chest in the after-hold, which had escaped their notice; as also some ammunition. we had also among us a couple of axes, and some thick ends of crowbars; so that we were likely to prove pretty formidable in a close scuffle. when we were ready, we almost wished that the fellows would come back, that we might punish them for what they had done, and i believe that we should have rendered a good account of them. but at the same time, as bloodshed must have followed--and that in any case is bad,--and we could not have regained our property, i cannot say but what i am glad they did not make the attempt. if we had had the brig under control, we might have done something; but without sails, and almost sinking, we were helpless. i now returned on deck, to watch the movements of the pirate. all this time the water kept coming in, and i began to fear that our brig would not keep afloat till the pirate had sheered off, when suddenly i saw her sheet home her topsails, let fall her courses, and make sail away to the eastward. after watching her for a quarter of an hour--which seemed four times as long a period,--to make sure that the pirates could no longer see us, i called the people up from below to rig the pumps. the pirates had, however, done their utmost to render them useless, and we soon found that we must give up all hopes of clearing the ship of water. we then turned-to to examine the boats. one was so completely stove in that she was perfectly useless; and we made up our minds that we should have to take to a raft, when the carpenter reported that he could in a very short time render the other boat seaworthy. we accordingly did our best to make her fit to float, though darkness came down upon us before we had finished. we could only find one lantern, which enabled us to continue our work, but very slowly. we made a rough sort of a raft to keep us afloat, in case the brig should go down suddenly; but i never passed a more anxious night. it was noon the next day before the boat was ready. scarcely had we got clear of the brig before she went down; and certainly it was from no mercy of delano's that we did not sink in her. i at once shaped a course for malta, as the wind had shifted round to the westward, and it was the british port we could most easily reach, and where we could at the same time get aid to go in search of the pirate. what with baffling winds, we have been a long time knocking about, and might have been still longer, had we not fallen in with you, sir. all i can say more is, that the sooner a stop is put to the career of those villains, the better. it is impossible to tell what other atrocities they may have committed." while the master of the _helen_ was giving his narrative, i saw mr vernon turn very pale; and as he made this last observation, i thought he would have fallen. it had evidently occurred to him that the _ariadne_ might have been seized by delano. by a mighty effort of self-command, however, he recovered himself. "i am much pleased with your clear statement, mr hudson," said captain poynder. "we will return to malta immediately, and take steps to discover what has become of the _william_, or rather the pirate which plundered you. i cannot doubt that they are one and the same craft." "thank you, sir; that's what i think should be done," said the worthy master. "i've no doubt the pirate will be found before long." "captain poynder, is it possible that the pirate could have fallen in with the _ariadne_?" said mr vernon in a hollow voice, trembling with agitation. "i trust not--i trust not," replied the captain. "we'll hope for the best: at the same time we will do our utmost to ascertain the truth." chapter sixteen. return to malta--sail in a schooner--search for the william--the ionian islands--reach smyrna--surprise the pirates--i preserve the ship from being blown up--myers and his tricks. we had a foul wind, and it took us three days to beat back into malta harbour. our return caused much surprise, for it was deemed prudent to keep captain hudson's narrative a secret till we had ascertained what had become of delano, lest any of his friends should hear of it, and, by giving him notice, might enable him to escape. i was again mr vernon's companion on shore, where we went as soon as we had dropped our anchor. we first bent our steps to the office of mr dunnage, as he seemed to take a warmer and more active interest than anybody else in the mysterious disappearance of the _ariadne_. we were shown into the worthy merchant's private room, where he sat surrounded by piles of tin boxes, with long bygone dates marked on their sides, and heaps of old ledgers and journals; with pictures of ships on the walls, and a model of one of antique build, fully rigged, over an old dark oak press at his back. mr dunnage had a full fresh, anglo-saxon countenance, which, though i at first thought rather grave and cold, after a few minutes' conversation seemed to beam with kindness and good nature. he looked grave as we entered, and having motioned us to be seated, shook his head as he remarked, "i have no news, lieutenant, of the brig, i am grieved to say. have you anything to report." "the worst surmises only, sir," said mr vernon; and he then gave him an account of our having picked up the master and crew of the _helen_, and of the outrage they had suffered. mr dunnage listened with deep interest. "ah! that fully accounts for a circumstance which has puzzled me exceedingly. that very brig, the _william_, belongs to my friends, hodge, podge, and company, of liverpool; and i am sure they would have consigned her to me, had they intended her to come here. here she came, however, consigned to a jew, a man of very disreputable character; and i understand that she discharged but a very small part of her cargo. we must try and find out what has become of it, and see if captain hudson can identify any portion of it. when i sent down to inquire about her, i found that she had sailed again, and, it was reported, had proceeded up to the levant. altogether my suspicions were very much excited, especially when i found, on inquiry, that delano was her master. her crew, also, were said to have come on shore in gay-coloured silk waistcoats, and to have spent more money than seamen are likely to have lawfully possessed." "oh, let us at once try and find out what was the nature of the cargo sold by delano," exclaimed mr vernon. "can you tell me what the _ariadne_ had on board?" "i see the drift of your question," answered mr dunnage; "but i do not think that, foolhardy as delano may be, he would have ventured to offer for sale articles which had been shipped from this, and would be so easily recognised. no; all that we can hope to prove without a doubt is, that the _william_ is the brig which plundered the _helen_; and we must then take means to find out, without delay, what has become of her, and to put a stop to her career. stay; let me consider what is best to be done. the admiral will, i am sure, gladly send all the men-of-war that can be spared to look out for her." "i have thought of that already," said mr vernon; "but, my dear sir, i suspect that such would not be the best way to capture the pirate crew. they would very likely hear of our being on the search for them, or would become suspicious at the sight of a man-of-war, and contrive to make their escape. we shall require to use great caution to get hold of so clever a fellow as delano is described to be. i would propose rather to fit out a small merchantman, a xebeque or schooner, and to man her with men-of-war's men. we may, in a craft of that description, be able to get alongside the _william_, unsuspected, and to capture her without loss of life." "a capital idea," exclaimed mr dunnage. "i have a craft in my eye, which i think you will consider suitable for the object; and i am certain the merchants here will gladly defray all expenses." so the matter was settled; and as neither mr dunnage nor my lieutenant were men who would allow the anchor to block up mr neptune's cottage door for many days together, we immediately set off to have a look of the vessel proposed. she was a small schooner, the _thisbe_,--most vessels in the mediterranean have classical names; and the result of the examination was the opinion that she was well suited for the purpose. "now, my dear lieutenant," said mr dunnage, "do you go on board and beat up for a crew. i will run round to the merchants to get them to share the expenses. by this evening she shall have her stores on board and be ready for sea. don't suppose i'm bragging. where there is a will there is a way." off ran our excellent friend, while mr vernon and i hastened on board to describe the proposed plan to captain poynder, and to get his leave to borrow some of the _harold's_ men. as may be supposed, there were plenty of volunteers for the expedition,--indeed, everybody wanted to go; but we had to wait patiently till mr dunnage came on board, as he promised to do, to announce what arrangements he had made. when i got back into the berth, i found all the youngsters discussing the subject of the disappearance of the _ariadne_. it was the general opinion that it was possible delano and his crew might have fallen in with her; but still she had had ample time to reach gibraltar. we made up our minds that mr vernon would be placed in command of the expedition, and we each of us hoped to be selected to accompany him. adam stallman, who was in the berth, did not make any remark; but after a time he got up and went on deck. he looked, i observed, more sad and full of care than even mr vernon. at last mr dunnage came on board with a despatch from the admiral to captain poynder. mr vernon was soon afterwards sent for into the cabin. the consultation was very short. when he came out, he informed adam stallman that he had applied for him as his mate, and, to my great satisfaction, told me that i was also to accompany him. i was very anxious to get dicky sharpe; so, mustering up all my courage, i boldly asked captain poynder if he might be of the party. "i suppose mr du pre can dispense with his valuable services in the ship for a time," replied the captain; "so, if mr vernon will take charge of him, and you, mr d'arcy, will undertake that he gets into no mischief, he has my leave to go." the truth was, the captain was glad to allow the mates and youngsters to go away in small craft, as he considered that they thus gained more knowledge of seamanship, and confidence in their own resources, than they could have done by remaining on board. twenty picked men were selected from among the volunteers to man the schooner. mr hudson, and four of his crew, were also asked to go, to identify, if they could, the pirates. as soon as the volunteers had got their bags ready, and been mustered, we were ordered away in the boats to bring the schooner down to the frigate, from up a creek in the harbour where she lay; while the purser was directed in the meantime to get provisions and stores in readiness for her. where a body of disciplined men labour with a will, a large amount of work can be done in a short time; and thus, before night set in, we had the _thisbe_ fitted for sea, provisioned, stored, and watered. we shipped, likewise, four light guns, and a supply of small-arms and cutlasses, that we might make sure of mastering the pirates, in case the plan of taking them by surprise should miscarry. we were also ordered to take with us our rough clothes, that we might look as much as possible like merchant seamen. our shipmates in the _harold_ gave us three cheers as we cast off from her side, and, with a light breeze and a clear sky, stood out of the harbour. the merchants had left full discretion to mr vernon to proceed as he judged best from the information he might obtain; but they suggested, at the same time, that he should run through the greek islands, among which it was probable the pirate would have gone; and, not finding her there, proceed to smyrna, where it was reported one of the pirates had said they were going. both mr vernon and adam stallman had been on shore all day picking up what information they could. among other things, they found that the crew of the _william_ had been very profuse in their expenditure on shore; and, as if to account for the quantity of cash they possessed, had said that they had the luck to fall in with an abandoned vessel. to show, however, how difficult it is for rogues to agree in a false story, one had said that they had met her in the bay of biscay, and another, inside the straits, while a third had the audacity or blind folly to declare that the name was the _helen_, though the others gave her different names. as soon as it was known that suspicions were attached to the crew of the _william_, several tradesmen came forward to say what they knew about them. one of these gentlemen said that he thought it rather odd, as i think indeed he might, when one of the men ordered twenty silk waistcoats of him of different gay patterns, and paid the price down at once, while another bought six green coats. i dare say mr snip charged him a full price. he declared that he had not sufficient reason to give any information to the police about the matter, as seamen were curious fellows, and sometimes fond of displaying fine clothes. another had spent large sums in a jeweller's shop, and had gone out with several gold chains about his neck. from what was reported, indeed, it appeared that the wretched crew had spent a large part of their ill-gotten wealth. to account for their having so much cash, it was ascertained that they had at first gone to leghorn, where delano had doubtless disposed of some part of the cargo. it is only surprising that the authorities at leghorn had not detained her, when there were so many suspicious circumstances about her. thus, all the time that the wretches were under the idea that their crime was unknown, and themselves unsuspected, they were insuring the means of their own detection and capture. i kept the first watch, with adam stallman, the night we sailed, when he made the above remark, and many others. "you will observe, d'arcy," said he, "as you go through life, that evil-doers nearly always lay nets for their own destruction: i might, i think, safely say always. these men have already given us evidence which must be sufficient to convict them; and, if not, depend on it, we shall find it before long. now, how do you think this happens? because, as i believe the evil spirit is ever going about seeking whom he may devour, he tempts men to commit sin; and then so blinds their minds, that they can no longer form a right judgment, even to save themselves from the detection of their fellow men. his temptations, also, are so weak and frivolous, when viewed in their proper light, that, did not one know the folly of man, one would be surprised that he could venture to make use of them. his baits are always of a tinselly or shadowy nature, either worthless when caught, or altogether illusions, as useless to people in general as the gold chains and silk waistcoats are to these rough pirates. should it not make our hearts sink with sorrow, when we see the worthless wealth, the empty titles, for which men barter away their souls?" i agreed with stallman as to the correctness of his remarks. my excellent messmate was very fond of endeavouring, in a similar mode, to give instruction to the youngsters brought in contact with him. to do him justice, he contrived to do so in a more interesting way than my account might leave my readers to suppose. we had a fair wind, though light, for the first twenty-four hours, and the schooner made good way; but at the end of that time it shifted round to the eastward, a regular sneezer came on, the sea got up, and, close-hauled, the little schooner was soon ploughing her way through the foaming waves. my long service in the cutter made me perfectly at home; but dicky sharpe, who had never been in a small craft in his life, was very soon done up. he threw himself down on a locker in the little cabin aft, looking the very picture of misery. "oh! d'arcy, my dear fellow, do have the kindness to heave me overboard," he groaned out. "i can be of no further use to any one in this world, and it would be a charity to put me out of it. it would, indeed, i assure you." "oh, nonsense, sharpe," i answered. "you are speaking gross folly: only your sea-sickness excuses you." "now, don't scold me, neil,--don't," he replied. "if you felt as i do, you would not be inclined to be very sensible." "well, then, get up, and be a man," said i. "if you give in like that, and fancy yourself dying, and all sorts of things, you deserve to be thrown overboard; though i'm not the person going to do it." "all hands shorten sail!" sung out adam stallman, who had charge of the deck. i sprang up the companion-ladder, followed by dicky, and from that moment he forgot all about his sea-sickness. we soon got the little craft under snug canvas, and time it was to do so; for, as man-of-war's men often do small craft, we had been treating her like a big ship, and carrying on till the last moment. never had the _thisbe_ been shoved through the water, probably, at the rate we had lately been going; but more haste the worst speed, as we ran a great chance of proving to our cost, for we were very near carrying the masts over the sides, or making the small craft turn the turtle. for two days we beat up against the gale, not one of us keeping a dry thread on our backs; but after forty-eight hours of a good honest blow, the wind seemed to have done enough for the present, and turning into a light baffling breeze, left us to make an easy, though slow, passage across the blue calm sea. this sort of weather continued till we made the mountainous and wild-looking coast of the island of cephalonia. we ran in close along shore, as there are no rocks to bring up a vessel; and, standing up a deep bay on the western side, with guardiana, or lighthouse island, on the north, dropped our anchor off argostoli, the chief town. most of the people were ordered to keep quiet below, while mr vernon, in plain clothes, went on shore in the dinghy. he came back in a short time, and reported that he could gain no tidings answering to the description of the _william_. my own knowledge of cephalonia is but slight; but stallman, who had been there before, gave me some information about it. it is one of the ionian islands, under the protection of england, and had an english garrison, at that time consisting of about five hundred of the rifle brigade. thanks to sir frederick adams, the country appears to be in a flourishing condition; the roads are excellent, and the inhabitants cultivate not only the fertile valleys, but every inch of soil to be found among its rocky heights. there is another neatly-built and pleasantly--situated town, called luxuria, about three miles from guardiana. if we thought cephalonia interesting, zante, the next place at which we touched, was far more so. its citadel occupies a lofty hill, situated at the head of a deep bay. the citadel, bristling with guns,--the town, with its steeples and domes,--and the surrounding country, with its groves of olives, its fields of waving corn, and its villas and hamlets, presented to our eyes a scene of surpassing loveliness. not a word of information could we obtain of the objects of our search; so we again weighed anchor and stood on towards corfu, the most beautiful and interesting of all the ionian islands, within sight of the lofty and picturesque mountains of albania. the citadel of corfu, standing on an island on the southern side of the town, may, from its lofty position, surmounted by a lighthouse, be discovered at a considerable distance out at sea. its southern side is completely inaccessible, and art has rendered the other sides equally difficult to ascend; so that it is almost, if not entirely, impregnable. the island is connected to the mainland by a bridge, at the end of which is the fine open place called the esplanade, extending from the west side of the bay, to the palace of the lord high commissioner on the east. most of the streets run at right angles to each other; the principal, the strada real, runs to the gate which forms the chief entrance to the town. the houses are for the most part built in an irregular and slovenly manner; and even the public buildings cannot boast of much beauty. the inhabitants, of the town especially, are a mixture of greeks and venetians. in the country the population is more purely greek. the roads, constructed chiefly by fatigue parties from the garrison, are excellent, and extend to every corner of the island, and must contribute much to its material prosperity. at all events, british rule has been of great benefit to the ionian people. it might have been of greater. more might have been done to educate and improve the people, both morally and religiously; but had they been left to themselves, they would most probably be in a far worse position than they now are. our inquiries here were as little satisfactory as at other places; and we were just tripping our anchor, when a merchant-brig, coming up the harbour, passed us. mr vernon hailed her, to learn where she came from. "smyrna," was the reply. she brought up near us, and he went on board. he returned shortly with more animation in his countenance than i had long seen there. "i have at last notice of the fellow," he said. "a vessel answering the description of the _william_ was in smyrna harbour when the brig came out. the crew, by their conduct, seem to have excited some suspicion; and my only fear is that they may find it not safe for them to remain, and will, therefore, take their departure." this information put us all in spirits, for we had begun almost to despair of catching the pirate after all. not a moment was lost in getting under weigh, and in making all sail the schooner could carry. we had a fair wind, and nothing worthy of note occurred on the passage, till we made the entrance of smyrna harbour, in the outer port of which we dropped anchor. mr vernon then dressed himself like the mate of a merchantman, and with one of our own people, and one of the crew of the _helen_, prepared to leave the schooner's side in the dinghy. just at the last moment i mustered courage to beg that he would let me accompany him. i had rigged myself in plain clothes, and might, i fancied, have been taken for a steward, or the captain's son. mr vernon considered for a moment. "yes, come along, d'arcy," said he. "you will not do us any harm in that dress, and your eyes and judgment may be of service." i was delighted at the permission i had gained, and eagerly jumped into the boat. away we then pulled up the harbour, in the lazy fashion of a collier's crew. we scrutinised narrowly each vessel in our course, but none answered the description of the _william_. at last john norris, the seaman from the _helen_, exclaimed-- "there, sir, that's her; inside the barque there. see, she's got her fore-topsail loosed, and there's the name of the maker on it--the very thing which first let us know that she was the _william_." to make more sure that the man was not mistaken, we pulled up the harbour a little way, and then touching the shore, so as not to excite the suspicion of the pirates, should they by chance observe us, we passed close by the vessel on our return. there was, i thought, as i watched her, a dark, ill-boding look about her; but that might have been fancy. one man only was to be seen. he was walking the deck, with his hands in his pockets, and occasionally looking over the side. he caught sight of us as we pulled by, and seemed to be watching us narrowly. i felt almost sure that he suspected something was wrong; but probably he had got a habit of scrutinising everything which approached him, as a london pickpocket does when he knows that the police are aware of his course of life. as we dropped past the brig's quarter, i got a better view of his countenance, and i felt sure that i had seen it before. it was that of a man i supposed to have been hidden long ago, with all his crimes, beneath the waves--no other than bill myers. it was a countenance i could not readily forget, after our encounter in the cavern. then, in spite of all probabilities, he had contrived to escape from the breakers of the portland race. i was afraid to look up again, lest he should also recognise me, and give the alarm to his shipmates; indeed, i was not at all satisfied that he had not already suspected our intentions. a small boat was floating astern of the brig. he watched us for some time, as we returned towards the schooner, and as long as i could observe him, he was keeping his eye on us. we lost not a moment, on returning on board, in getting out a merchantman's long-boat, which we had brought with us. she pulled four oars, and was a large, roomy boat. besides the hands to pull her, eight of our men were stowed away under a tarpaulin, which was thrown over them, to look exactly as if it were covering up some merchandise. all hands under the tarpaulin were strongly armed, and arms were placed in readiness, stowed away for the use of those who were pulling. mr vernon again changed his dress, and i followed his example, lest myers--or the man i took for him--might recognise us. with beating hearts we once more left the schooner. we pulled slowly up the harbour, and soon came in sight of the pirate brig. the people, who had probably been at their dinners when we before passed, were now some of them aloft, fitting the rigging, and others working on deck. it required, therefore, careful management on our part to take them by surprise. we pulled up, as if we were going to pass them at some little distance on the starboard side. the men imitated admirably the lubberly, sluggish fashion in which some merchant seamen handle their oars. just as we were abeam, each of the two men pulling our port oars pretended to catch crabs, and this suddenly brought the boat broadside on to the brig's side. before, however, we could hook on, even the hands aloft seemed to suspect that something was not right, and came sliding down the rigging. but notwithstanding this, we were too quick for them, and before they could get below to alarm the rest, the party under the tarpaulin had thrown it off, and we all together sprung up the sides, and attacked every one we encountered. some fought desperately. one fellow tried to throw himself overboard; but we soon overpowered them, and had them lashed hands and feet. to rush into the cabin was the work of a moment. the door was locked, but we burst it open. the noise made the captain, who was in his hammock, start up. he gazed at us for a moment, wildly and fiercely, and then drawing a pistol from under his pillow, fired it at us. the ball passed close to mr vernon's ear, and buried itself in the bulkhead. with a savage oath, the pirate was drawing out another pistol, when we threw ourselves on him and seized his arms. the weapon went off in the struggle, and very nearly finished my career--the ball actually taking off the rim of my tarpaulin hat. before he could make any further resistance, three of our people followed us into the cabin, and we soon had him, with his arms lashed behind him, and his feet secured together. while the operation was going on, he glanced at us like a tiger, but did not utter a word. the remaining few of the pirates, who had been asleep forward in their hammocks, had been secured without resistance. i looked round for myers, or the man i had taken for him, but he was nowhere to be seen. just as we had finished securing delano, i bethought me that i smelt an unusual sulphurous odour. a dreadful suspicion had seized me. outside the main cabin was a door, leading to a smaller one. i forced it open, with a strength i did not think myself capable of exerting. i felt that there was not a moment to be lost. on the deck were a couple of casks, and a slow match, burning at one end, communicated with one of them. i cannot say that i thought, and yet i was conscious, that in another moment i and all on board might be blown into eternity. i know not what impulse moved me; but, bending down my mouth, i seized the burning match between my teeth, and, though it much burned my lips and tongue, held it there till it was extinguished. then, overcome by the excitement of my feelings, i sunk down over one of the casks. there i lay for a moment, almost unconscious of anything. i need scarcely say that the casks were filled with gunpowder. i should have fainted had not mr vernon come in, and had me carried on deck. "your presence of mind has saved all our lives, d'arcy, and i can never forget it," he exclaimed. "but we have still more work to do. lift off the hatches, my lads." this order was quickly obeyed. with eager haste he hunted through every part of the ship. i guessed at length what was in his mind. he was seeking to discover any property of the normans, or any articles which might have been on board the _ariadne_. it was a moment of dreadful anxiety. nothing, however, was to be found which could lead us to suppose that the _ariadne_ had fallen into the power of delano. mr vernon had directed adam stallman to get the schooner under way, and to bring her up alongside the pirate brig, as soon as he calculated we could have taken possession. she now appeared, and, furling sails, dropped her anchor close to us. the scuffle on board the _william_ had attracted the attention of the crews of the vessels lying near, several boats from which presently came alongside; and it was, i fancy, at first believed that we were a band of pirates, attempting to cut out a british merchantman. mr vernon explained to them what had occurred, and after a little time satisfied them that we had full authority for what we were doing. i can scarcely describe events in the order they occurred. our search over the brig having been concluded, and no one else being discovered, we made inquiries among the pirate crew, to learn who had laid the plan for blowing up the ship; but one and all denied having any knowledge of it. even delano was taken by surprise when he was told of it by mr vernon. "ah! that's the work, then, of that unhung scoundrel, my mate, dawson," he exclaimed. "it was a thought worthy of him. what! and has he escaped?" "we found no one who appears to be your mate," said mr vernon. "but what could have induced him to commit such an atrocious act?" "to try and save his own neck by sending us all to perdition before our time," exclaimed delano, evidently for the moment forgetting all caution, from his feeling of exasperation, and thus clearly inculpating himself. "where do you think he has gone, then?" inquired mr vernon, quickly, hoping to gain further information from the pirate in his present mood. "that's not for me to say," he replied; but not another word could we elicit from him on the subject. he kept his fierce eyes glaring on us as we searched the cabin. we came on a box of cigars in one of the lockers. "ah! bring me one of those," he growled out. "you will let a man make himself comfortable in his own cabin, at all events." a seaman, as sentry, had been placed over him, with a pistol in his hand. "may i give it him, sir?" asked the man. "no; not on any account," replied mr vernon; "but do you, d'arcy, light one and put it in his mouth." as i stooped down to follow my superior's directions, i fancied the pirate would have tried to bite off my fingers, he gave so vindictive and fierce a look at me. as i stood by him, i asked, "has your mate, whom you call dawson, ever been known by the name of myers?" "what's that to you, youngster? most men have more than one name," was his somewhat equivocal answer. his manner, however, rather confirmed me in my suspicion that the man i had seen on deck was no other than the daring smuggler we had so often tried in vain to capture in the cutter. having thoroughly examined the ship, we transferred delano and five of his crew into the schooner, while the remainder were secured on board the brig, into which adam stallman and sharpe, with ten of our people, were sent as a prize crew. before sailing, mr vernon went on shore to report to the english consul, as well as to the turkish authorities, what had occurred. he got great credit from the merchants for the mode in which he had captured the pirate. it appeared that even there the conduct of the crew had begun to excite suspicion; but as it happened to be nobody's business to inquire into the affair, they would have escaped, had we not opportunely arrived, that very day. no information could be obtained of the missing mate. he had not been seen to land, and no one had heard of him. the dinghy, however, having disappeared from the brig's stern, was sufficient proof that he had effected his escape in her. i was too much occupied all the time i was at smyrna, to make many observations about the place. figs are the great staple produce and subject of conversation for the greater part of the year, enlivened now and then by a visit from the plague, and then people talk about that; but at the time i speak of, i do not know that it had ever occurred to the inhabitants that they had the means in their own hands of avoiding its constant presence by properly draining their city. i have since, from the observations i have made in my course through life, come to the belief that there is not an ill which afflicts mankind which they have not the means of mitigating, if not of avoiding altogether.--but to return to my narrative. as there was nothing more to detain us at smyrna, the two vessels made sail, and shaped a course for malta. chapter seventeen. voyage to malta--the repentant pirate--the plague--a squall--bobby smudge proves useful--attempt to capture the schooner--trial of the prisoners--their execution--the young pirate's dying counsel. we had been five days at sea, and a fair breeze, though somewhat light at times, had sent us tolerably well on our course. a strict watch had been kept on the prisoners. all seemed very unconcerned as to the almost certain fate which awaited them. they ate and drank, and laughed and conversed among themselves, as if they were to be released at the end of the voyage. one of their number, however, who had received a severe hurt in the scuffle when they were captured, was in a very different temper. he kept as far apart from them as he could, and joined neither in their jokes nor conversation. he was far younger than the rest; and as i watched him i observed an expression in his countenance which would not have been there had he been a hardened villain. he seemed grateful to me also for noticing him, and i consequently frequently took an opportunity of saying a word to him appropriate to his situation. "i should like to read, sir, if i had a book," he said to me one day. "i once was used to reading, and it would be a great comfort." i promised to try and get him a book. when i told mr vernon of the man's request, he advised me to lend him my bible. "he may not care for it at first," he observed; "but as he wishes to read, he may draw instruction and comfort from it; and it may, by god's grace, enable him to perceive the evil of his career." i accordingly took the pirate my bible--it had been my sainted mother's. the unhappy man's eye brightened as he saw it. "well, sir, i was ashamed to ask for it, and i knew not if one might be on board; but that is the book i wanted." i left it with him, and he was constantly reading it attentively and earnestly; nor did he allow the sneers and jeers of his companions to interrupt him. i had perceived a considerable change in him since he was brought on board; and he every day seemed to grow thinner and weaker. i thought that he was dying; and i believe that he was of the same opinion. some bulkheads had been run up in the after-part of the hold to form a cabin for delano--not for his own comfort and convenience, because he was the greatest villain of the gang; but in order not to allow him an opportunity of communicating with his companions. he lay there on a mattress, with his heavy handcuffs, and his legs chained to staples in the deck, like a fierce hyaena, glaring on all who looked at him. i should not, however, picture him properly if i described him as a wild-looking savage. on the contrary, there was nothing particularly objectionable in his face and figure. his face was thin and sallow, without much whisker; his features were regular, and could assume a very bland expression; his figure, too, was slight and active, and his address not ungentlemanly: but it was his eye, when either sullen or excited, which was perfectly terrible. conscience he seemed to have none: it was completely dead, as were all the better feelings of which our nature is capable: they were destroyed, too, by his own acts--his long unchecked career of wickedness. once he had been gay, happy, and innocent; but no good principles had ever taken root in his heart. very early, those a mother's care had endeavoured to instil into him had been eradicated; and step by step--slow at first, perhaps--he had advanced from bad to worse, till he became the consummate villain he now was. but i am forestalling the account i afterwards got of him. we had three officers' watches on board the schooner. mr vernon kept one, i kept another, and an old quartermaster we had with us kept the third. mr vernon, in compassion to poor bobby smudge, had applied for him as cook's boy, to get him out of the way of chissel the carpenter, his master, and in hopes of improving him by a somewhat different treatment to what he had been accustomed. the good effect of considerate kindness was already apparent; and the poor lad seemed most grateful for any encouraging word spoken to him. the best of our men had been sent on board the brig, and we remained only with eight and the _helen's_ crew--a very fair complement, had we not always required two to stand sentry over the prisoners. we had another and a more insidious enemy on board, of whom we wot not, and whom no sentry could control-- the plague--that fell scourge of asiatic cities. how it came on board we could not discover. it might have been in some of the pirates' clothes, or some of our men might have caught it while they were on shore for a short time; or it might have been concealed in the schooner long before, and only brought forth by a congenial state of the atmosphere. there it was, however. it made its appearance on the fifth day, and in two days carried off three of our people and one of the _helen's_ crew. the pirates escaped unscathed. it seemed, indeed, in no way to alarm them. they laughed and talked, and blasphemed more than ever. we hailed the brig, which had hitherto kept us company, and found that she was free from the affliction; so that, of course, except at a distance, we could hold no communication with her. i will not attempt to describe the appearance of that dreadful disease. it was sad to see the poor fellows attacked, with so little prospect of their recovery; while no one could tell who would be the next victim. as they died they were sewn up in their hammocks, with a shot at their feet, and at once consigned to the deep. mr vernon read the funeral service appointed by the church of england for such an occasion. after the first man was buried--a fine, active young fellow two days before, apparently full of life and strength--he addressed the crew:-- "do not suppose the prayers i have read can do any good to him who has just gone for ever from our sight. for your benefit they were offered up. a like fate to his may be that of any one of us before another day has passed; and i would earnestly urge you, for the short time which yet may remain for you, to turn your hearts to god--to prepare for eternity." something more he said to the same effect. it was good advice at the proper time. i am sorry to say that it was very little heeded, or, at all events, very quickly forgotten. two of those who stood by and heard it, were themselves, within two days, called to their last and dread account. mr vernon took it very much to heart; anxious and agitated as he had been of late, his nerves were much shaken, and i feared that he would be the next victim. he bore up bravely, like a christian, for some time; but, as one after another of the crew was taken ill, he succumbed, not to the malady itself, but to very weariness, and was compelled to take to his cot. my commander's illness threw a larger amount of responsibility on me than i had ever before enjoyed. i felt on a sadden grown wonderfully manful, and did my best to be up to my duty. watson, the quartermaster, was a great aid to me. the old man seemed never to want sleep. he was on deck at all hours, constantly on the look-out, or seeing that the sentries were on the alert. perhaps he did not place full confidence in my experience. we had had light winds or calms, with a hot burning sun, and sultry nights, for nearly a week. when this weather commenced, the plague appeared. the barometer had been falling for some hours; but still there was no other indication of a change of weather. a fourth man was taken ill. i had gone below to report the case to mr vernon, when i heard watson's voice, in quick eager tones, calling the people on deck to shorten sail. i sprang up the companion-ladder. the sea was as smooth as glass, and the sky was bright and clear enough in the south-east, whence a small dark cloud came sweeping up at a rapid rate towards us. i perceived that there was not a moment to lose. the people sprang to the halyards and brails; but before all the sail could be taken off the vessel, the squall had struck her. over she went on her beam-ends. a cry of terror was heard above the roar of the wind in the rigging, and the rattling of ropes and blocks, and the dash of the surging waves. the water almost reached the combings of the hatches: everybody on deck thought we were gone. two of the men were washed overboard. watson, who was aft, hove one of them a rope. he seized it with convulsive energy: his life, dear to the meanest, depended on the firmness of his grasp. we hauled him in out of the seething cauldron; but the other poor fellow drifted far away. to the last he kept his straining eyes fixed on the vessel. he was a strong swimmer, and struck out bravely--lifting himself, every now and then, high out of the water, as if that useless exertion of strength could bring him nearer to us. perhaps he was looking for a plank, or something to make for, to support himself. unhappily, none was hove to him in time. all hands were too much occupied in the means for preserving their own lives. weak and ill as he was, mr vernon had rushed on deck as he felt the vessel going over. he had ordered the helm to be put up; and watson had seized an axe, waiting his directions to cut away the mainmast, when the throat-halyard block parted, the peak-halyards had already been let go, and the mainsail coming in of itself, the vessel righted in an instant; then, feeling her helm, and the headsail being yet set, she flew off before the squall. while we were rejoicing at our own preservation, we almost forgot our poor shipmate. never can i forget the cry of despair he gave as he saw us flying from him. he knew full well that it was impossible for us to return; not a spar or plank was near to support him, to prolong his life even for a few short hours. the brig, also, was too far away to leeward to render him any help; so that aid from man he had none. lifting up his arms, with eyeballs starting from his head, he gave one last look at us; and then, uttering a cry of agony, sunk for ever. it had been dreadful to see strong men struck down by the plague, and die by rapid degrees; but i know not whether a scene like this was not still more harrowing. in the course of an hour we had run out of the squall, and the weather had become cool and refreshing. the squall had one very beneficial result, for no other persons were attacked with the plague, and the man who was suffering from it began rapidly to recover. vernon also sensibly felt the change in the weather, and every day i saw an improvement; though the causes of his illness were too deeply seated to callow the atmosphere to have much effect on him. we very soon repaired the damages which the schooner had sustained, and by the next morning we were all to rights. our chief anxiety was for the brig. we had lost sight of her in the squall, and we could not tell whether she had been more prepared than we were to meet its fury. even had she not suffered from the gale, the plague might have broken out in her. mr vernon came occasionally on deck, but he was compelled, from weakness, to spend the greater part of the day in his cot, though this was very much against his inclination. we had in vain questioned and cross-questioned our prisoners, to discover if they knew anything of the fate of the _ariadne_, but not a particle of information could we obtain; and i was myself satisfied that they really knew nothing about her. our late peril suggested a new cause of alarm to the mind of mr vernon, which apparently had not before occurred to him; and he began to fear that the vessel in which the normans had sailed might have been overtaken by one of those white squalls so common in the mediterranean, and might have suffered the fate we so narrowly escaped. since the squall, our prisoners had remained unusually quiet; though, while the plague was aboard, they were as noisy and blasphemous in their conversation as ever. the sick man continued in the same state as before, though he seemed more reserved when i spoke to him than he had been at one time. he continued reading all day, as long as there was light, and asked to be allowed to have a candle to read at night; but this, of course, could not be permitted. there was evidently something working in his mind, which he would gladly be rid of, but could not. having lost so many hands, the duty fell, naturally, more severely on the survivors; and we had enough to do to keep watch on deck, and a vigilant guard over our prisoners. one night i had charge of the deck. besides the man at the helm there was the look-out forward, and two hands lying down by the windlass. there was no moon, and the sky was covered with clouds, so that it was very dark. as i kept moving about, now looking out to windward, now over the lee-side, and then at the binnacle, to see that the schooner was kept on her proper course, i fancied that i saw a dark figure come up the main-hatchway; and while i stopped at the waist, i heard a voice, in a low whisper, say-- "hist, sir, hist! i want to speak to you." "who is it?" said i, in the same low tone. "bobby smudge, sir; listen: there are not many moments to lose, before we shall all have our throats cut, if we don't take care." this piece of intelligence put me on the _qui vive_, though, remembering master smudge's pranks, i own that i did not much credit it. "come here," said i, rather impatiently, "and let me know all about it." "i didn't like to be seen, sir," he replied, coming cautiously up to me, and looking round to ascertain that no one was near. "i don't know, sir, who's a friend and who's an enemy aboard here, just now." "what do you mean, boy?" i asked. "why, just this, sir. that thundering scoundrel below there, is just trying hard to turn all the men's heads; and if we don't look alive, he'll do it, too." i now felt that there might be some truth in poor smudge's information. "go on, my lad," said i. "well, sir, i has to confess that he first tried it on with me. while the people were dying with the plague, and no one was looking on, he called me to him, and told me that he knowed where loads of gold was stowed away--enough to sink the ship and freight another twice the size; and that if i would help him to get his liberty, he'd show it to me, and that i might have as much as i wanted. i listened to him, and thought there would be no great harm if i was to help him to get free, and save his neck; so i agreed to take a message to the rest of the brig's people, to tell them to keep up their spirits, and to try and get their arms and legs out of limbo. he then told me to hunt in the carpenter's chest for a file, and a cold-chisel and hammer. while i was looking one night for the tools, the thought struck me, all of a heap like--if this chap was to get free, what would he do with mr vernon and you, sir, who had been so kind to me, and saved me from so many of that mr chissel's finnams? why, he'll be cutting their throats, to be sure, and making off with the schooner; and where should i then be, i should like to know. so i goes back to captain delano, and tells him i couldn't find the tools. he swears a great deal at this, and tells me to go and look for them again; and that if i didn't bring them, he'd be the death of me. how he was to do me any harm while he was chained hand and foot, i couldn't tell; but still i was very much frightened. well, howsomedever, i keeps a watch on him, and i soon seed that he was trying it on with some of the _helen's_ crew; and at last, that he'd got one of our people to listen to him. how far he had succeeded in getting them over to his plans, i couldn't tell till just now. i had stowed myself away in the coil of the hawser, just before the bulkhead of his cabin, where i lay in a dark shadow, so that no one could see me, when i heard a man talking to him. i made out that he had almost got his fetters off his limbs, and that the other people would be shortly free of theirs; and that they knew where the arms were to be found; and that as soon as they had got them, they would make a rush on deck, and throw overboard all who wouldn't join them. then they were to carry the schooner to the coast of africa, to the very place where all captain delano's gold is stowed away." how much of this story might be true, and how much imagination, i could not tell; but it was too serious a matter to allow any risk to be run; so i ordered him to slip below, and to beg mr vernon would at once join me on deck with his pistols. he was then to make his way forward, and to rouse up watson, with directions to him to come to us. bobby was so quick in his movements, that before a minute had passed they both joined me. they were but just in time, when some dark heads were seen rising up above the combings of the hatchway. before, however, they had time to make their footing good on the deck, mr vernon, watson, and i had sprung on them, and knocked them below again with the butt-ends of our pistols. at the same time, before they could make another attempt, the three men forward came running aft, and we quickly got the hatches on over them. there they and the two wretched traitors delano had inveigled to release them remained, like wild beasts shut up in a cage,--much more dangerous, however, for they had the sentries' muskets, and perhaps other arms which might have been conveyed to them. they were, moreover, driven to desperation, and it therefore required great caution in dealing with them. mr vernon had recourse to a _ruse_ to assist in damping their spirits. "brig ahoy!" he sung out, "send your boat aboard here well-armed; our prisoners have broken loose. watson," he whispered, "go and get the people up from forward. i suppose you can trust them." "ay, ay, sir, they are all true enough," he replied; "it's only one of the merchant-brig's crew, and that poor fellow, nolan, who was always weak-like. they ought never to have been placed as sentries." when all the people were mustered, we outnumbered the pirates; but, though we had arms in our hands, so had they; and if we took the hatches off, we could scarcely hope that they would yield without a struggle, which would very probably prove a bloody one. still, if we let them remain below, they might commit some mischief--very probably set the ship on fire, or force their way out through the bulkheads, either forward or aft, when we were not expecting them. while this state of things was continuing, i happened to look over the side: my eyes caught sight of an object looming through the darkness. "a sail on the weather bow!" i sung out, with no little satisfaction. we hauled up a little, and stood for her. she had seen us and shortened sail. "what vessel is that?" i inquired. "a prize to his majesty's ship _harold_," answered the voice of adam stallman. "all right; we want your aid. heave-to, and send your boat aboard, with the people well-armed," i sung out. in a few minutes adam himself stood on our deck, with four well-armed followers. the inconvenience of a lengthened quarantine, to which he would be exposed, was not, under the circumstances, to be taken into consideration. a plan of operations was soon settled on. we agreed to have lanterns ready, and by swinging them down into the hold the moment the hatches were off, we hoped to discover where the pirates were stationed, and thus, if they attempted to fire, to be able to take better aim at them in return. it was an anxious moment. at a signal the hatches were in a moment thrown off. delano stood like a lion at bay, with a musket in his hand. he fired it at stallman, and then attempted to spring up on deck. happily the ball missed its aim, and he was knocked over by several stout fists, which his head encountered, and fell like a log back into the hold. several shots were exchanged, and the four pirates fought desperately in their hopeless attempt to regain their freedom. they were soon, however, overpowered, and borne down on the deck, without loss of life to either party. the only people who did not fight were the two traitors and the sick pirate, and he remained bound as before, having refused to be liberated. delano had been stunned by his fall, and when he regained his senses, he found himself again in irons, with additional chains round his arms. this showed him probably that all that had passed was not a dream, as it might otherwise have appeared to him. he growled out curses against his ill-luck, but he had no other means of venting his rage and disappointment. the other men took the matter very coolly. it appeared to me that their minds were too dull and brutalised, and their hearts too callous, to comprehend their awful position. seared in their consciences, they were truly given over to a reprobate mind. the two men who had been gained over by delano to assist him we sent on board the brig, exchanging them for two who could be relied on; and now our misfortunes seemed to have come to an end. the young man i have spoken of belonging to the pirate's crew, after this seemed to sink faster than ever. mr vernon, in consideration of his condition, had him removed from the immediate neighbourhood of the others, and placed within a screen in the after-part of the hold. i then, at his request, went to visit him one afternoon. he was sitting up, with the bible on his knees, and his back resting against the bulkhead, so that the light which came down the hatchway-glanced on his forehead and the leaves of the sacred book. his hair, which was of a light brown (almost auburn, it had probably been, as a lad), was very long, and hung down on either side of his high, smooth, and sunburnt brow. his dress was that of an ordinary seaman, and when he was first captured it was perfectly neat and clean. i went and sat down on a bucket by his side. "i have asked to see you again, sir, for you are the best friend i have found for many a year," he began, in a weak voice, speaking apparently not without pain and difficulty. "from this book i have discovered, at length, the cause of all my crimes, my sufferings, and ultimate doom. disobedience brought me to what i now am. i never learned to obey or to fear god or man. i was born in the same rank of life in which you move, perhaps with far greater expectations; and when i think of what i might have been and what i am, it drives me to madness, and i wish that i had never been born. my father was a man of property and position, and much esteemed for many virtues. my mother was highly educated and refined, and of religions feeling. it might be supposed that a child of such parents could not but turn out well. unhappily for me, they loved me much, but not wisely. i was allowed to have my own way in all things, i was never taught to obey. as i grew up, my self-willed disposition became more and more developed. i could not bear constraint of any sort. too late they discovered their error. i had received at home some little religious instruction; i even knew something about the contents of the bible, but its spirit was totally beyond my comprehension. at last it was determined to send me to school. i went willingly enough, for the sake of the change; but, not liking it, ran away. i was not sent back, but instead a tutor was provided for me. he was totally unfitted for his occupation, and was unable, had he tried, to make any good impression on me. we quarrelled so continually, that he was dismissed, and i was persuaded to go to school again. once more i ran away; but this time i did not run home. i wanted to see the world, and i was resolved to become a sailor. i cannot bear to dwell on my ingratitude and heartlessness. i knew that my disappearance would almost break my mother's heart, and that my father would suffer equally; yet i persevered. i little thought what i was to go through. a fine brig was on the point of sailing for the coast of africa. i fell in with the master, and offered to go with him. he asked no questions as to who i was, or where i came from; but, wanting a boy, he shipped me at once. the next day we were at sea, and all means of tracing me were lost. i was not ill-treated; for the captain, though bad enough in many respects, had taken a fancy to me. we were to engage, i found, in the slave-trade. at first i was shocked at the barbarities i witnessed, but soon got accustomed to them. we did not always keep to that business. the profits were not large enough to satisfy our avarice; and even piracy we did not hesitate to commit at times, when opportunity offered. at length the brig was cast away, and many of the crew and all our ill-gotten gains were lost. i, with two or three others, who escaped, shipped on board a spanish slaver. we changed from bad to worse. knives were in constant requisition; more than once i dyed my hands in blood. i gained a name, though a bad one; and was feared, if not loved. such was the training--such the scenes of my youth. after a time i began to weary of the life, and wished to see english faces, and to hear english spoken once more; so, finding a vessel short of hands returning home, i ran from the slaver, and shipped on board her. we were cast away on the south coast of england; many of my shipmates never reached the land. i was picked up by a boat's crew when almost exhausted, and was carried by them into a cave near the shore. "they belonged to a large band of smugglers,--their leader one of the most daring and successful on the coast. i was too much hurt to be moved for some days, and passed the time listening to their adventures, which they were at no pains to conceal. i became so much interested in their mode of life, that a few words of encouragement from their chief, who was known under the name of myers, induced me to join them. i thought i would take a few cruises with him before i paid a visit to my home, to inquire for my father and mother. a wild life i spent for some time. our lawless occupation led us into many acts of violence, in which i was never backward. one you are cognisant of. i was in the cavern when you and your commanding officer were brought there, and i assisted in hanging you over the pit. i was a favourite with myers; and he trusted me entirely. when he was obliged to leave the country, i had resolved to start homeward; but was engaged in running a cargo on shore, when i was captured by the revenue men, and after an imprisonment of some months, sent on board a man-of-war. she was bound for the coast of africa. i laughed at the climate which carried off many of my shipmates; but the discipline of a king's ship did not suit me, and i took an early opportunity of running from her. "i lived among the blacks for some time; but it was a weary life, and finding a trader homeward bound, i got on board, and at length reached liverpool. i went to my father's house. both he and my mother were alive, but i had great difficulty in persuading them of my identity. when they were convinced of it, they were ready to receive me like the prodigal. but i had not repented. i was not fit to dwell with them. i felt like a wild beast among lambs. i had not an idea in common with them. when the novelty wore off, my evil habits came uppermost. i asked my father for money. he told me that he wished me to embrace some regular calling, and desired to know what i would choose. i laughed at the notion. he still declined giving me the sum i asked for, but i insisted that i must have it. my looks alarmed him, and at length he reluctantly gave it me. with it i set off for liverpool, where i soon spent it. then the first pang of remorse came across me. i thought of the calm quiet of that home for which i had so completely unfitted myself. i was meditating returning to it once more, and asking my father to explain his wishes, when, as i was sauntering along the quays, i encountered myers. he was much disguised, but he knew me and stopped me. he told me that he was engaged in a scheme by which a rapid fortune was to be made; that he could not then unfold it; but that, if i would ship on board a vessel with him, he would explain it when we were at sea. my impulse was to refuse; but i was tired and weary, and consented to enter a tavern with him. he there plied me with liquor till all my scruples vanished, and i became once more his slave. "what occurred on board that vessel i cannot now tell; but you will probably know ere long. but the favour i have to ask of you is, that if i die, as i hope to do before our trial, you will find out my parents, and tell them, not all the truth, but how you encountered me on the point of death, and that i died repentant." i promised the unhappy young man that i would do as he desired, and, at his request, i took down the name and address of his parents. i have often since thought, as i recollected this story, that if parents did but consider the misery they were storing up for themselves and their children by neglecting the precepts of the wise king of israel, they would, oftener than they do, search that book for counsel and advice, and would teach their children also to seek instruction from its copious pages. oh! my young friends, remember that you cannot live well without some rule of conduct, any more than you can steer a ship across the ocean without a compass or knowledge of the stars. then, let me urge you to take the best rule you can find; and where, let me ask, does there exist one comparable, in any way, to that found in the proverbs of solomon? if you would be truly wise, learn them by heart, and remember them always. we were very thankful when, at length, we reached malta harbour. of course we were put into quarantine, but we were relieved from the charge of our prisoners. to his own surprise, as well as mine, charles adams-- so he called himself--the young man whose short history i have just narrated, still survived, and there appeared every probability that he would be able to undergo his trial. our first inquiry was to ascertain if any news had been received of the _ariadne_; but nothing had been heard of her, and poor mr vernon was doomed still longer to endure the tortures of suspense. at last our quarantine was concluded, the pirates were carried off to prison, and we returned on board our ship, which had come in from a cruise just in time to receive us. for several days we did nothing but talk about our adventures with our own messmates, as well as with various people who came off to see us. i got great credit for the way in which i had saved the brig from being blown up; though, as i was as much interested as any one else in the success of the performance, i cannot say that i thought i had done any great thing. poor bobby smudge came in, too, for his share of praise for having informed us of the plot of the pirates to retake the schooner; and most certainly he had been the means of saving all our lives. no one after this attempted to bully him, and i observed a marked improvement in his appearance and character. the trial of the pirates came on at once; and the _harold_ was kept in harbour, that we might attend it as witnesses. i will not enter into minute particulars. the leading facts of the case will be of sufficient interest. evidence had been collected to prove that the _william_ had sailed from england with one description of cargo, and that her master had disposed of various articles not among it. to account for this, captain delano replied that he had fallen in with an abandoned ship, and had taken part of her cargo out of her. he stood bold and unabashed, as if confiding in his innocence; but his countenance fell when two of his own crew appeared in the witness-box, and he was informed that they had turned king's evidence. "then there is a conspiracy against me, and my life will be sworn away," was his reply. nothing that he could say, however, made any one doubt his guilt. i was in hopes that the young man in whom i had taken so much interest would have been allowed to turn king's evidence, but i found that he had refused to do so. "no," said he, when asked the question; "i do not wish to preserve my own worthless life by aiding in the condemnation of others. if i am found guilty, i am ready to suffer with them." nothing, i found, would alter his determination. when brought into dock, he was far too weak to stand; but there was a look of calm contentment in his countenance--i might describe it almost as happiness--seldom borne by a person in his awful position. his appearance excited much interest in all those who saw him, though few were aware of the mighty change which had taken place within his bosom, and still less of the cause of that change. how different did he look from the rest! no ferocity, no callousness, no stoical indifference, no assumption of innocence could be traced in any one of his features. calm and thoughtful, he sat watching the proceedings, as one deeply interested in their result. people could scarcely believe their senses when they heard the evidence given against him. who more blood-thirsty, who more eager for plunder, who so regardless of the terror and sufferings of others, as charles adams? from the evidence brought out in court, it appeared that delano, late master of the _william_ brig, belonged to new york, in the united states of america. though of most respectable parents, at an early age he had taken to evil courses, and was at length compelled to leave his native city for some notorious act of atrocity. his plausible manners, however, enabled him after a time to get command of several merchantmen in succession. one after another, they were cast away under very suspicious circumstances. the underwriters suffered, and the owners built larger and finer vessels, while he had evidently more money than ever at command. it now appeared, by the evidence of one of the prisoners who had sailed with him, that one at least he had purposely cast away, for the purpose of obtaining the insurance, she being insured for a far larger amount than she was worth. after this he got into the employment of a highly respectable firm in liverpool, and sailed in command of a fine brig for the mediterranean. here was a good opening for making an honest livelihood; but such a course did not suit the taste of delano. several of his crew, brought up in the slave-trade, or as smugglers, were ill-disposed men; others were weak, ignorant, and unprincipled, and were easily gained by his persuasions to abet him in his evil designs. finding, after they had been some time at sea together, that neither his mates nor his crew were likely to refuse joining in any project he might suggest, he boldly proposed to them to turn pirates; and not only to plunder any vessels they might fall in with, whose crews were unable to offer resistance, but, by putting them out of the way, to prevent all chance of detection. they waited, however, till they got into the mediterranean, and they there fell in with a fine brig, out of london, laden with a valuable cargo. they surprised and overpowered the crew, whom they confined below, while they plundered her of everything valuable. some of her crew had recognised them. to let them live would certainly lead to their own detection; so they scuttled the ship, and remained by her till she sunk beneath the waves, with the hapless people they had plundered on board. then they went on their way rejoicing, and confident that no witnesses existed of their crime. they knew not of the eye above which had watched them; they thought not of the avenging witness in their own bosoms. in the wildest revels and debauchery they spent their ill-gotten wealth. this time they were true to each other, and if any one suspected that their gold was obtained by unfair means, it was found impossible to prove anything against them. it was before this, i believe, that delano had attempted to carry out some smuggling transaction at malta, and had been thrown into prison; on being liberated from which, ruined in fortune, he had taken to the desperate courses i have described. he next got command of the _william_ brig, in which he was joined by four of his old crew. two were put in by the owners,--the carpenter and another man. he would willingly have sailed without them. he was also joined by an old comrade, bill myers, who had just lost his cutter off portland. he had no fears of finding any opposition to his projects from his scruples. the _william_ lay alongside the _helen_, which vessel was taking in a rich cargo. he easily excited the cupidity of his crew by pointing it out to them. his own vessel had a cargo of very inferior value--chiefly, i believe, of earthenware. the _william_ sailed a short time before the _helen_. he first proposed the plan of plundering her to the four old pirates. they did not offer the slightest objection, but expressed their doubts whether all the crew would join them. "they must be made to do it," answered delano, fiercely. myers at once acceded to delano's proposal. charles adams was the next to join them. they now felt themselves strong enough to talk openly of their project. each man boasted of the deeds of atrocity he had committed with impunity, especially of their last act of piracy, and of the mode in which they had spent the proceeds of their crime. they told tales of the buccaneers of old--of the adventures of pirates in their own day, of which they had heard, and of some with which they were acquainted--of the hoards of wealth they had acquired. when they found that these stories had not sufficient effect with some of their shipmates, they applied to delano, and liquor was freely served out. most of those who had before resisted now consented, in their drunken state, to join in the proposed scheme. the most persevering and eager tempter was the mate. if he could not persuade, he laughed away the scruples of the more honest or more timid. "detection! nonsense!" he exclaimed. "who can ever find it out? who can know it, unless you go and talk of it yourselves? what's the reason against it? let's be men! let's be above such folly! if they go to the bottom--why, a gale of wind and a started butt might easily send them there; so, where's the difference? in one case, their rich cargo would go with them; now, you see, shipmates, we shall get it. so, hurra for the black flag, and overboard with all scruples!" now, however glaring the folly and wickedness of such reasoning may appear to us, it seemed very tempting and sensible to the miserable men to whom it was addressed. the carpenter only, and another man, refused to drink, or to participate in any way in the project. they could not, however, turn the rest from their intentions. the treacherous mode in which the _helen_ was taken possession of, i have already described. the carpenter alone held out; the other man pretended to join them, with the hope, it appeared, of saving the lives of their prisoners. when they had mastered the crew of the _helen_, the pirates jeered and laughed at them, as they were removing the cargo, and, bound as they were, even kicked and struck them, and treated them with every indignity. they then compelled the carpenter to accompany them on board with his tools, and, holding a pistol at his head, made him bore holes in the ship's bottom. no one appeared to have been wilder or more savage than adams. having completed this nefarious work, as they thought, effectually, the pirates left their victims to their fate. they would certainly have returned to remedy their mistake, and to send the _helen_ more speedily to the bottom, when they caught sight of a ship of war in the distance. they watched impatiently, but still the _helen_ floated. at length the strange sail drew near, and, fearful of being found by her in the neighbourhood of the plundered vessel, they stood away under every stitch of canvas they could set. scarcely had the deed been committed, than each began to fear that the other would betray him; and, as if oaths could bind such wretches effectually, they all agreed to swear, on crossed swords, that they would never divulge what had occurred. they compelled the carpenter and the other honest man to join them in their profane oath, threatening to blow out their brains forthwith, if they refused. it seems strange that men guilty of such crimes should make use of the sign of the cross to confirm their oaths, and call god especially to witness their misdeeds. what extraordinary perversity such is of reason! yes; but are not those we mix with every day guilty of similar wickedness and madness, when in their common conversation they call on the name of the most high god to witness to some act of folly, if not of vice, of extravagance, of cruelty, or senselessness? the pirates sailed first for leghorn, where they sold part of the plundered cargo, and spent the proceeds in a way to excite much suspicion. they then sailed for the island of sardinia; but they there found that they were already suspected. nothing could be more foolhardy than their visit to malta, where the crew spent their money in rigging themselves out in gold chains, silk waistcoats, and green coats. how their conduct should not have excited suspicion, i cannot say; but it does not appear that the people with whom they dealt thought anything was wrong. it is one of the numberless examples to prove that criminals are deprived even of ordinary wisdom. delano, however, saw, from the way his crew were behaving, that if he remained long at malta, they would inevitably bring destruction on themselves. having, therefore, got them on board, he sailed for smyrna. on the voyage myers tried to induce them to plunder other vessels; but none they could venture to attack fell in their way. their rage against myers was excessive when they found that he had attempted to blow them up, and that he had done so doubtless for the purpose of getting possession of a considerable amount of treasure which had been left on shore in the hands of an agent of delano's. i afterwards heard that he had in all probability succeeded, as the agent had stated that he had presented an order from delano for its payment about the very moment we were taking possession of the brig, and, as he thought, being blown into the air. search was made for him throughout smyrna before we left the place, and continued for some time afterwards; but the last accounts had brought no intelligence of him, and it was concluded that he had escaped in disguise. during the greater part of the trial, delano had maintained his confidence and composure; but at length the evidence of his own people, and the master and crew of the _helen_, became so overwhelming that he lost all hope, and, overcome by the most abject fear, sunk down, and would have fallen, had he not been supported. recovering himself a little, he broke forth into earnest petitions that his life might be spared. he made the most trivial and weak excuses for his conduct, utterly unlikely to avail him anything. he declared that he had been led on by myers; that his crew had forced him to consent to the piracy; that he had endeavoured to dissuade them from it, and that the fear of death alone had induced him to consent. nothing he could say could, of course, alter the decision of his judges; and he, with six of his companions, was condemned to be hung at the fore-yard-arms of the _william_, then lying in quarantine harbour. it was dreadful to hear the shriek of despair to which delano now gave vent. "mercy! mercy! mercy!" he cried. "oh, spare my life! i am unfit to die! send me to toil from day to day in chains, with the meanest in the land; but, oh, take not away that which you cannot restore!" "let him be removed," said the judge of the court; and he was borne away, still crying out for mercy. the miserable man, who had never shown mercy to others, still besought it for himself. the other prisoners said not a word in their defence. one only voice was heard when all others were hushed in the court. it was solemn, though hollow and weak. "our doom is most just. we suffer rightly; and may god have mercy on our souls," were the words spoken. i recognised the voice of charles adams. i saw him the night before his execution. he was calm and happy. "o that my fate," said he, "might be a warning to others! and i should feel still more contented to die." he begged to keep my bible to the last, promising to give it to the chaplain to be delivered to me. i will not dwell on the dreadful particulars of the execution. no maltese could be found willing to perform the office of executioner. the chief of the police, therefore, ordered a swinging stage to be formed on either side of the vessel, on which the criminals were placed with ropes round their necks, secured to the fore-yard-arms, three on each side. these stages were secured in their horizontal position by ropes rove through blocks made fast to the fore-rigging, with lanyards at the end. as the chaplain reached a certain word in the service, the seamen stationed at the lanyards were ordered to cut them. this was done, and the stages sinking from under their feet, the miserable men were launched into eternity. a barge was then brought alongside, into which the bodies were lowered, and carried to fort ricasoli, at the entrance of the great harbour. four of the bodies, being sewn up in tarred canvas, were hung in chains to a lofty gibbet; while two were buried beneath it. for many long months afterwards the four pirates hung there,--a terrible and disgusting sight, and an awful warning to all who might be inclined to pursue the same evil course. the chaplain returned me my bible the following day. within it i found a note from adams, first, thanking me warmly for my attention to him; and it then continued,--"shameful as is my merited fate, i would that all my young countrymen may know it. tell all you meet that they are sent into this world, not to live for themselves, but for others,--as a place of trial, not of amusement; that if they would secure contentment now, and happiness for the future, they must, first of all things, learn to conquer themselves; they must overcome their tempers--their passions--their love of ease--of self-indulgence; they must remember that they are surrounded by snares and temptations of all sorts, all allowed to exist for the purpose of trying them; that the devil is always going about, ever ready to present the bait most likely to lure them to destruction. i entreat you--i adjure you--to make this known wherever you can. the knowledge of this may save numbers from ruin. it cannot too often be brought before the minds of the young. i was ignorant of it. i thought that i had a right to follow my own inclinations,--that it was manly to do so; and, oh! how sorely have i suffered for my ignorance!--how bitterly do i repent my infatuation. yet, miserable as is my fate, if i can but prove a warning to others, i shall not have lived in vain." chapter eighteen. can she be the ariadne?--sail for the reef coast--discover the lost vessel--make a prisoner--adventures on shore--visit the old sheikh--find jack stretcher--how we did the reefians--jack and his hornpipe--our flight--pursued--escape. so completely had mr vernon's health and spirits given way, that we on board the _harold_ were afraid he would have to leave the ship and go home. at this juncture a merchant-brig came in from the westward, and the master reported that, having been driven close in on the african coast, he had seen a vessel, apparently a complete wreck, on shore. he stated that he had stood-in to examine her more closely, when, seeing through his glass a number of armed men come down and prepare to launch their boats, he judged it prudent to stand-off out of their reach. mr dunnage obtained this important information, and instantly brought it on board. mr vernon's eye brightened as he heard it; for hope, almost extinguished, once more dawned within him. captain poynder, who felt a deep interest in the fate of major norman and his daughter, easily managed to get ordered down to the barbary coast to examine into the matter. having ascertained from the master of the merchantman the spot, as nearly as he could describe it, where he had seen the wreck, we made sail for the westward. we came off the coast about dusk, and then hove-to. "boats away!" was on this occasion a welcome sound; for we knew that it portended that there was work to be done. mr vernon commanded one of the boats, and i went with him. stallman had charge of a second, and dicky sharpe, who since our trip to smyrna had much improved in steadiness, accompanied him; while stanfield, another mate, went in a third. a light gun was placed in the bow of each boat; and each man had a musket and brace of pistols, as well as his cutlass; so that we were well-armed and ready for anything. we were in high spirits, though we knew full well that it was no party of pleasure we were on; for, if discovered, we might expect some pretty sharp fighting, as the inhabitants of that part of the coast are the most warlike and determined pirates along the shores of the mediterranean. with muffled oars and in perfect silence we pulled towards where the wreck was supposed to be. there was no moon; but the stars of a southern clime were shining--as they well know how to do in that region,--so that we could distinguish the dark outline of the coast, backed by a range of high mountains. the only sound was from the splash of our oars, which, as they rose rapidly from the water, let drop a sparkling shower of phosphorescent fire. i steered, while mr vernon with his night-glass swept the coast, in the hopes of discovering the wreck. we got close in with the shore; but not a sign of her was to be seen. "avast pulling, and let the other boats close up," he whispered. when the boats had got near enough, he ordered stallman to pull to the eastward, and directed me to steer to the west, and stanfield to follow us. that the coast was pretty thickly inhabited we had strong evidence; for so close in with it were we, that we could hear dogs barking, and music, and even human voices; while now and then the report of firearms showed that some arabs were coming home from hunting, or were firing off their muskets at some festival or other. we had pulled at least five miles along the coast, when i fancied that i discerned, still further on, some dark object on the sands. we pulled up to it, and there, sure enough, lay a stranded vessel. mr vernon now directed stanfield to wait off about a quarter of a mile, while we went in and tried to board the vessel, to ascertain positively what she was. "should any accident happen to us, or should we be taken prisoners," he continued, "you will wait till nearly dawn to render us assistance, in case you have an opportunity, and then make the best of your way back to the ship. captain poynder will then, without doubt, devise some plan for rescuing us or any other persons we may find on shore." stanfield, of course, knew very well what he meant by this, and promised to keep a bright look-out, whatever might occur. using still more caution than ever, we approached the vessel. she lay with her head inshore, in a small inlet, and it appeared much more likely that she had purposely been hauled in there, than that she had been driven on shore. there was ample water for our boat right under her stern. the stern-windows were open. holding on by the rudder-chain, mr vernon climbed up, and got in at a sternport. without asking leave, i followed his example, and the bowman then handed us up a lantern. i had a match-box in my pocket. we struck a light and lighted the lantern, and then commenced an examination of the cabin. at the first glance we saw it was that of an english merchantman. there were the state-cabins on either side, the buffets for plate and crockery, the neat book-case, the racks for charts and telescopes, the sofa at one end, and the fireplace, all showing an attention to the comfort of any passengers who might be on board. everything valuable had, however, been carried away, the more cumbrous articles alone remaining. mr vernon looked round with deep anxiety depicted on his countenance. "yes, d'arcy, this is indeed the _ariadne_. i know her well," he whispered. "i myself put up that book-case, and screwed in those hooks for a cot in the state-cabin. oh! what can their fate be? i must ascertain it without delay." "it would never do to go on shore as you are at present, sir. you would be taken prisoner or murdered outright, to a certainty," i replied. he was silent for a minute. "you are right, d'arcy, you are right," he replied, in a dejected tone. "the affair requires time and great circumspection. these people are not to be trifled with, i know. force alone will not succeed, or i am certain captain poynder would land every man who can be spared from the ship, and would compel these reefians to let us know what has become of their captives." "yes, sir, and every man would gladly follow, wherever you might lead," i replied. "i know they would--i know they would, d'arcy," said he. "but let us take a look over the ship, and perhaps we may find out something to direct our proceedings." we opened the cabin-door cautiously, and crept up the companion-ladder. the hatch was off. we got on deck: no one was there. shrouding the lantern, we crept along the deck, and descended into the main-hold. the entire cargo had been removed. we concluded that the vessel had no one on board, and were about to return, when i suggested that we should look into the forepeak. we therefore moved cautiously, as before, along the deck, and were descending the ladder, when mr vernon touched my leg. "there is some one breathing down here," he said. "be prepared for a rush." when we got to the bottom of the ladder, as he threw the rays of the lantern round the place, they fell on the sleeping form of a young arab, dressed in a turban, and his white haick folded gracefully round him. the instant the light fell on his eyes, he started up with a look of mute astonishment, and laid his hand on the hilt of a dagger by his side. before he could unsheath it, mr vernon had thrown himself upon him, and wrenched it from his grasp, while, i following, we without much difficulty secured him; for, though graceful and active in appearance, he had not much muscular power. he did not call out. perhaps he disdained to do so. but to prevent him, should he show any inclination to call for help, mr vernon rather unceremoniously thrust a handkerchief into his mouth. "now, hurry, d'arcy, and call up one of the men to help carry this lad into the boat. here is a prize worth having indeed," he said. "he may be of incalculable service to us." i did as i was ordered, and he quickly got the lad securely bound and up on deck. as we were dragging him along, the handkerchief fell out of his mouth, and he gave a shriek, which showed that he was no willing prisoner. the noise, however, only made us hurry him along the faster down the companion-ladder, and out at the port into the boat. we handed him along into the stern-sheets, and then, mr vernon giving the order to shove off, we backed out of the creek, and got the boat's head round, to pull out to sea. we were only just in tune, for the lad's cry had attracted the notice of his friends; and we could hear people shouting, as they ran down to the beach, to learn who it was that had cried out. unfortunately the splash of our oars attracted their notice, and they began firing away at us, as fast as they could load their matchlocks. "give way, my lads, give way!" cried mr vernon, more from habit than that the men required any inciting to pull fast, as the shot came splattering about us. the young moor made one or two attempts to rise, evidently with the intention of springing into the water, and swimming on shore again; but we held him down; and, as we got further off, he either saw that the attempt would be useless, or, from something he learned from the shouts of his countrymen, he thought it wiser to remain quiet. we were congratulating ourselves on none of the shot reaching us, and fancied that we were getting out of danger, when we saw a dark object glide out from a creek or harbour to the westward, followed by another, and then another, which we at once made out to be row-boats, pulling probably some twenty oars or so, and famed for their speed. we had the start of them, however, by half a mile or more; and, as our two gigs were far from slow coaches, we did not altogether despair of escaping. still the odds were fearfully against us; and, even if we were not killed outright, potato-digging and water-drawing for the rest of our days was not a pleasant prospect for contemplation, independent of failing in the object we had in view. this made all hands bend to their oars with redoubled vigour. happily the row-boats had no guns in their bows, or if they had, the people had forgotten their powder or shot, as the few bullets which reached us now and then were the only missiles we had to dread. well, away we pulled, with the reefian row-boats after us, our great hopes being that we should decoy them within range of the _harold's_ guns, and then, if we could bag a boat-load, we might hope to treat advantageously for any prisoners they might have taken. we made the dark, smooth water hiss and bubble under our bows, as we clove our rapid way through it, throwing up a mass of shining foam before us, and leaving a line of liquid fire in our wake. we soon gained more hope of escape, from the rate at which our pursuers came on; and we began to suspect that the boats, probably in the hurry of the moment, were manned with old men and lads, and any one who was at hand; and that they were likely rather to fall off than to increase their speed. this proved to be the case. we gained on them slowly at first, but more rapidly by degrees, till we actually ran them out of sight. our next business was to find our ship; and i kept a bright look-out for her. our young captive, meantime, lay at the bottom of the boat, and when he found that we had escaped from his countrymen, he seemed to take things very coolly; and when mr vernon assured him that we meant him no injury, he replied, that if we took his life, his tribe would some day cut us up piecemeal, and throw the bits to the jackals. as we were pulling along, we heard a shout, which proved to come from stallman, who had, of course, seen no wreck; but he had discovered a spot where the water was deep up to the shore, and where there appeared to be no inhabitants, so that he had been able to pull close in, and could have landed, if necessary. we now altogether pulled out to sea, and in another hour fell in with the frigate. she then stood off shore, and by daylight we were out of sight of land, so that the reefians could not have guessed who their visitors could have been. i think that i before have said that mr vernon was a great linguist. he spoke arabic perfectly, and was thus able to hold communication with our young prisoner, whose fears, before long, he succeeded completely in silencing, and whose confidence also he soon appeared to have gained. all the morning mr vernon was in earnest conversation with the young reefian, and, by his countenance, he appeared to be gaining information of a highly interesting character. he then went into the captain's cabin, and after a long conversation with him, the ship's course was shaped for tangiers. just before we reached that place, he called me to him. "d'arcy," he said, "i have remarked your steadiness and discretion above your years; and as i have a difficult and--i will not conceal it from you--a hazardous expedition to make, in which a companion to assist me would be very valuable, i wish to know whether, if the captain will allow you, you would be willing to accompany me?" where is the midshipman who would not have answered as i did, and say that i should be delighted, and that the more danger the better fun? in fact, my heart almost came into my mouth at the proposal; and my only fear was that the captain might put his veto on it. "oh! just tell him, sir," said i, "that i have neither father nor mother, nor brother nor sister; and i don't think that the great counsellor d'arcy would break his heart if anything happened to me, nor bring an action against him for expending a midshipman uselessly. my other uncle is a naval officer, and he would never dream of objecting." i do not know if these reasons had any weight with the captain, but he granted his consent to my accompanying mr vernon, who forthwith gave me a sketch of his proposed plan of proceeding. "you must know, d'arcy," said he, "that the young reefian informs me that the _ariadne_ was driven inshore by a heavy gale; and that before she had time to haul off, a calm came on, when several boats, manned by his people, pulled off to her. the master, who seems to have been a brave fellow, had no notion of yielding without a blow, and, arming his crew, gave them a warm reception. several of the reefians were killed and wounded before they could make good their footing on board. the gallant master was killed, and so were more than half his crew. major norman and the rest of the people escaped without a wound, though they expected to be cut to pieces; but their defence had so excited the admiration of their captors, that they were, instead, treated with considerable kindness, though ultimately marched off as prisoners. miss norman was discovered in the cabin; but when it was known who was her father, he was allowed to accompany her. the people who captured the brig belong to a tribe ruled over by a powerful chief, who resides some miles along the coast. he seems to have claimed the brig as his own perquisite; and this youth, who is a relation of his, was living on board to take care of her. miss norman and her father likewise became his property, but i cannot speak my gratitude to heaven, on finding that she is treated with the most perfect respect, while her father is employed in the gardens of the kaid. his young nephew describes him as a fierce, despotic old fellow, not at all likely to give up his captives, unless compelled by force. he says that he is so very wealthy, that no temptation of a high ransom will influence him. this, however, i am resolved, without delay, to ascertain, and to employ every means in my power to liberate my friends. he seems to owe no allegiance to the emperor of morocco, or to any other acknowledged potentate; so that i will not attempt the long business of negotiation, which would, too probably, end in disappointment. at first i thought of taking the lad with me, but then i considered that he would be of more service as a hostage on board; and i have promised him that, if his information be correct, and i succeed in recovering my friends, i will give him an unerring rifle and a silver-mounted dagger, so that i have won him over completely to our interest. as i speak arabic as well as any turk, i have resolved to assume the character of a turkish jewel-merchant on a journey to buy precious stones for the sultan. i feel that i can act the part very well. how does the plan strike you?" "very good; capital, sir," i answered, the romance of the thing taking my fancy immensely. "but, as i do not speak a word of arabic, or any eastern language, i do not see how i am to help you." "i have thought of that," said mr vernon. "you must pretend to be dumb; i hope that you will not have to hold your tongue long. i wish you also to take your violin. i do not know that the turks ever play it; but you must be my slave, you know--a christian slave, not long captured,--and that will account for your knowledge of so nazarene-like an instrument. miss norman heard you play once on board, and you will thus certainly attract her notice, and be able to hold communication with her." "oh! excellent--excellent," i exclaimed, enchanted at finding the very event i had once dreamed of about to be realised. "when are we to commence our adventure?" "as soon as i can arrange our costumes, and make other necessary preparations. captain poynder, after he has landed us, intends to watch off the coast, and to stand in at night, to be ready to render us any assistance we may require." two days after this conversation, a party of travellers were seen issuing from the ancient gates of the city of tangiers,--in days long gone by, when charles the second ruled the land, held by a british garrison, till delivered over to the portuguese. he who seemed to be the leader of the party rode a strong, active horse, and was habited in long, dark, flowing robes, a turban of many folds of muslin, long yellow boots, and spurs of great size. a large moustache, and a beard bushy and long, almost concealed his month. the ink-horn at his waist, and his want of weapons of defence, showed that he was a peaceable character. a lad also, in an eastern dress, though of simple and somewhat coarse materials, followed him on a stout mule, which likewise carried a pair of saddle-bags, and a small square chest secured in front. slung over the back of the youth was a long case, of curious form. a dagger at his side was the only arm he wore. a tall man, well-armed with matchlock and scimitar, rode ahead on a stout nag. on his head was the high red moorish cap, with many folds of muslin twisted round it. the flowing hair fell over his shoulders, above which he wore a soolham of red cloth, while gaily-worked yellow boots, and a pair of spurs of cruel length and sharpness, adorned his feet. he evidently felt his importance, as the protector and fighting-man of the party. another personage followed, of inferior rank, with a mule, which carried the chief part of the baggage. the country through which they travelled was of an undulating character, but parched by the suns of summer, the beds of the winter torrents being now stony ravines, and the only green visible being furze and palmetto, and here and there patches of indian corn not quite ripe, though the stubble of fine wheat and barley extended over a considerable portion of the ground. "d'arcy, my boy, how do you like being turned into a young turk?" said mr vernon, calling me up to him, after we had proceeded some way. i touched my mouth, and pointed to out escort. "never mind them," he replied; "they are, i am assured, faithful to the backbone, and know how matters stand. there is little use of giving such men half-confidences." "then," said i, "i'll make play with my tongue while i can. i like the fun amazingly. what do you propose to do, sir, next?" "in the first place, when we get up to the territory of the old chief, mulai mohamed, we must leave our escort and proceed alone to his village. we must present ourselves at his residence, and, inquiring whether he has jewels to sell or wishes to buy others, must endeavour to gain access to the inmates of his harem; or, at all events, we must try to meet with major norman, or some of the crew of the _ariadne_. however, we must be guided entirely by circumstances." it was a great satisfaction to me to be able to talk, for i fancied that i should have had to hold my tongue from the moment i set foot on shore. i wish that my space would allow me to describe my journey, for it lasted a considerable number of days, and was very amusing. we pushed on as rapidly as the strength of our steeds would allow, though that was far from fast enough to suit mr vernon's impatience. we met with a variety of adventures also. at night we used to halt, and pitch our tent, and fetch water, and cook our supper; while our followers would sit before the fire, recounting their adventures, or boasting of the deeds of their ancestors or friends, or telling tales of genii or ghouls, and a variety of other beings, in whose existence they firmly believe. as we journeyed on, we killed a quantity of game, chiefly partridges, which crossed our path in great numbers; and now and then we got a shot at a wild boar, and knocked him over. at night, watch was always kept with a good fire, or we should have had the jackals, who were always howling round us, paying us a visit. these beasts the moors do not object to eat, though they will not touch pig. we one day fell in with an encampment of a powerful tribe, the sheikh of which insisted on my master, taleb moostafa, otherwise lieutenant vernon, dining with him. i accompanied him for the pleasure of looking on, though, of course, i was not expected to eat likewise. on arriving at the tent of the sheikh, we found him seated within it, on a cushion, covered with thick skin, another being placed for the taleb, or scribe, for to that learned profession mr vernon thought he might venture to belong. a variety of compliments having passed, a table was brought in and placed between them. it was circular, about two feet in diameter, and scarcely more than six inches from the ground, richly inlaid and painted in arabesque. a large bowl, full of a highly-seasoned soup, with some sort of macaroni in it, was first placed on the table. the bowl contained spoons, with which the guests were to help themselves at the same time. next came a plate of beef, much stewed, and garnished with melons; and lastly a huge dish of kesksoo,--a thick porridge, made of wheaten flour piled up, which the sheikh attacked most vigorously, while my master attempted to follow his example. when dinner was over, some of the tribe assembled on horseback, and played all sorts of pranks. some stood on their heads while their horses went; they charged each other at a rapid speed; they changed places with their companions at full gallop; then they would dash up to where we stood, and, discharging their muskets, wheel about and give place to others, who followed at their heels. some would dash their haicks or turbans on the ground, and leaning from their horses, would pick them up, without for an instant slackening their speed. next they shot at a mark, a flower on a pile of stones being their target; and certainly they managed to hit it in a wonderful way. the same men, however, would probably have but a poor bag of game to show after a day's walk over the moors in scotland. our friendly sheikh accompanied us some way on our journey on the following day, with many good wishes for our welfare. i must leave out the rest of our adventures, till one evening, hamed, our chief guide, pointing to a line of lofty mountains which fringed the coast, exclaimed-- "there, most learned taleb, at the foot of yonder mountains, you will find the residence of the fierce sheikh you seek. further we dare not go, as we have no wish to feel our throats being cut. here we will remain till you return, if you ever do return, which allah grant may soon be, though i am doubtful of it. if you do not come back, we will report your loss to your friends, and trust they may find means to avenge you." taleb mohammed laughed at this speech, though he saw the difficulties in our way; and next morning, leaving our tents and heavy baggage, we entered the district of the reefian chief. it was towards evening that we approached his dwelling, which we discovered from its superior size to the rest of the neighbouring sun-dried brick cottages, thatched with reeds. it was surrounded by a garden, full of melon plants and vines, and many other fruits, delicious in a hot climate; and backed by fields of indian corn. before entering the village, we ascended a height, whence mr vernon took a long anxious glance over the blue sea with his telescope, which he had brought with him. "there she is, d'arcy," he exclaimed at length, in an animated tone, pointing to a white speck just seen above the horizon, which i made out to be a ship's royal. "i knew that captain poynder would be up to his time. now we can depend on help from without, if we can but find our friends." it was near the time that the voice of the mueddin, from the summit of the village mosque, announced that the hour of evening prayer had arrived, and called on the faithful to worship allah, when we entered the village. without halting, we rode at once up to the entrance-gate of the great man's abode. cool confidence afforded us the best chance of success. we were brought up at a porch, with a closed gate, in a high wall which ran round the mansion. we knocked loudly, and after a time the gate was opened by a slave, who salaamed low as he demanded our business. "to see your great, powerful, and most illustrious master, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera," said mr vernon, in arabic. "tell him that i have come to treat with him about a matter of great importance." the slave on this disappeared, keeping us outside, though he shortly returned, with two or three more slaves and a couple of armed men. two of the slaves taking our steeds, the first signed us to advance, and led the way through a garden full of sweet-scented plants, the verbena, the jessamine, and rose, and shaded by luxuriant vines, trailed on bamboo trellice-work over head, the fruit hanging down in tempting bunches within our reach. in front of an alcove, or summer-house, on a rich carpet, sat a stout old man, in flowing robes, and long white beard, which hung down over his breast. we bowed low, and then stood still before him, for he did not offer us cushions to sit on; while mr vernon, paying the fullest compliments his knowledge of the language could command, opened his business. "i do not understand clearly what all this is about," said the old sheikh, in reply. "jewels to sell and jewels to buy. perhaps to-morrow i may understand better. come again in the forenoon, and show me your wares, and we will see what is to be done." taking this remark as a signal that we were dismissed, we salaamed as before, and retired down the garden. we had reached the entrance, when a slave overtook us, and informed us that his master would allow us to sleep in a guest-room, opening into an outer court-yard, on one side of the main entrance. mr vernon told me afterwards, that not having any definite plan, he thought it would be wise to accept the sheikh's offer with a good grace, as more likely not to excite suspicion. the room to which we were shown was a small one, without windows or furniture, some little apertures over the entrance alone admitting light and air when the door was shut. it had the advantage, however, of enabling us to get out without being observed. still a great difficulty remained--how we were to obtain any information about miss norman in the first place, and how we were to gain access to her in the second. in my character of a slave, i assisted the sheikh's slaves in bringing in the box of jewels, the saddle-bags, and saddles, and horse-cloths, as well as our blankets, which we had brought to form our beds at night. our room being arranged, mr vernon told me to remain within, while he went out to try and obtain some information in the village, advising me in the meantime to amuse myself with my fiddle, which had already delighted the ears of many of the believers of the prophet of mecca during our long journey. i had some misgivings about his going, for i was afraid that the villagers might suspect his character, and might ill-treat him. for myself i had no fear as long as i could continue to feign dumbness, as my character was easily kept up. he had told the sheikh's people that i was a nazarene lad, who was ignorant of their language. being dumb, they considered me under the peculiar care of providence. after a little time, having recovered my spirits and cast all forebodings from me--which are, after all, but the result of a morbid imagination, or of a want of trust in god's providence,--i sat myself down on the chest, and pulling my fiddle out of its case, began playing away most vigorously some of the old tunes hanks had taught me. i had gone through some five or six of them, when a voice, which i felt sure i had often heard, hailed-- "hillo! shipmate, what part of the world do you come from?" the faint light which came through the door was obscured by the figure of a seaman. "why!" i exclaimed, forgetting that i was dumb, as he stepped into the room,--"why, if i can believe my senses, there is jack stretcher himself." "what! is that you, mr d'arcy?" he answered; coming up to me, and taking my hand. "i should not have known you in that rum rig, sir, if it hadn't been for your voice, i declare." our errand was soon explained; and he then told me that, having been offered a berth as second mate of the _ariadne_, he had obtained his discharge from the cutter. to my great satisfaction, he told me that major norman was really a slave in the sheikh's house, and that his daughter was in the harem. what had become of the rest of the crew he could not tell. while i had been speaking, i had been scraping away to drown my voice, in case anybody came near. i now urged jack to go and find the major, to let him know that help was at hand. "time enough by-and-by, when he comes in from the fields, where they've sent the poor gentleman to work. they put me to field labour at first, but they found out that i was handy as a rigger, so they've put me to refitting some of their craft. they've given me to understand that if i'll consent to turn moor or turk, or somewhat of that sort, and worship their prophet, they'll make me a captain, or admiral for what i know, and will give me one of their black-eyed young women for a wife; but i'll see them all triced up at their own yard-arms before i changes my religion, or forgets my own faithful rosy-cheeked poll at home." i applauded his resolution, and charged him to adhere to it in ease he should not escape. "no fear of me, sir, i hope," he answered. "but, i say, sir," he added, in a serious tone, "i hope mr vernon, who used to be a very nice young gentleman when i knew him in the _turtle_, ain't turned turk in earnest." i assured him that he was only acting the part for a short time, which, i believed, was lawful. "well, i'm glad of that, sir," he replied. "but, i say, sir, what do you think?" he looked out of the door, and then came back, and continued,--"i see a number of these moorish fellows coming here, drawn, it's pretty clear, by your music. now i'll just see if we can't astonish the natives. do you strike up a right jolly hornpipe, and i'll toe and heel it till all's blue, and see if i don't make them understand what a real sailor can do with his feet when he's inclined." the idea pleased me amazingly; so i came to the door, and began to scrape away right merrily, while jack commenced one of the wildest hornpipes i ever saw danced. how he cut and shuffled,--how he crossed his feet and sprang up in the air, and kicked and capered,--it is almost impossible to describe. i could scarcely forbear laughing myself, especially when i saw a number of grave long-bearded moors assembled round him, with looks of mute astonishment and admiration at his agility. mr vernon soon joined them, and was as much astonished, evidently, as the rest. at last even jack's physical powers could hold out no longer, and, exhausted, he threw himself down on one of our horse-rugs near the door. he had, however, not remained there long, when one of the sheikh's slaves made his appearance, and, salaaming mr vernon, said that his master had been informed that his young follower possessed a wonderful instrument, and a wonderful talent for playing on it, and that he wished to hear him. he intimated also to jack that he must get up and go through his hornpipe again. jack, nothing loth, sprang to his feet, and, as he passed mr vernon he whispered, "now's your time, sir; look about you." we and several of the spectators were now forthwith ushered into the presence of the great chief. we found him seated in the garden-porch of his house, a number of lamps hanging from the trees around him. it was a picturesque and romantic scene. four or five persons--mostly grave old gentlemen with long white beards--sat on cushions on either side of him; while others, in rich dresses, which betokened some rank, stood behind him. he had evidently been having a dinner party, and now wanted an evening entertainment. mr vernon salaamed before him, and asked what was the pleasure of so generous, magnificent, and grand a chief. "why, this: understanding your young slave can play in a wondrous manner, i wish to hear him," said the sheikh. "but tell me, o merchant! how is it that he can communicate with my captive, as i am told he does. they must have been acquainted before." this question at first puzzled the pretended turk, but he promptly replied, "o most wise and sagacious chief, worthy of being monarch of the faithful, know that these nazarenes are in their youth instructed in many arts and sciences. some play on instruments, some dance, others sing, or paint likenesses of men and beasts, strange abomination as that may appear. now my slave is one who has learned to play on an instrument, and he who has the happiness to be owned by your highness, is one who has learned to dance." "i see, i see," exclaimed the chief; "and it is a sin that two such accomplished slaves should belong to different masters; therefore, merchant, what price do you fix on yours? for, if he answers my expectations, i intend to become his purchaser." this announcement puzzled mr vernon somewhat; but, of course, he could not refuse at once. "he is unworthy of being possessed by your highness," he replied; "for nature has not allowed him the power of speech. but, rather than speak of that matter, let him show you a specimen of his art." he then made a sign to me, and i struck up jack's favourite hornpipe; the moors, old and young, black beards and grey, short and long, forming a circle round him. up he jumped, and, with arms akimbo, commenced his dance. if he had before shuffled, and kicked, and capered, he now redoubled his efforts, snapping his fingers, clapping his hands, turning and twisting in every conceivable way. scarcely ever before was such a hornpipe danced. it drew forth rounds of applause from even the gravest of the spectators. the chief was delighted. turning to one of his attendants, he gave an order, which i did not then comprehend. mr vernon had kept outside the circle, to be ready for any emergency which, as jack hinted, might occur. i, meantime, played away a variety of other tunes, till jack, jumping up from the spot where he had thrown himself, made a sign to me to begin another hornpipe. this time he even outdid either of his former attempts; indeed, before, i believe that he was only shamming being tired; for my fingers and elbows began to ache before his legs or breath gave any signs of his wish to end the dance. "change the tune, mr d'arcy. wallop-ahoo-aboo! i'll just give them an irish jig to keep them staring." a jig i played, and a jig he danced, with agility enough to win the heart of any nora creina in old ireland. then i tried a scotch reel, and he almost outdid the jig: nor did he cease till he saw mr vernon rejoin the circle. "now if we haven't bamboozled the old gentleman famously, my name's not jack stretcher!" he exclaimed with a loud laugh, slapping his thigh; an action which was naturally supposed by his audience to mark the _finale_ of his barbaric dances. exclamations of wonder broke from the lips of all around; and i, having played a few more airs, we were dismissed, graciously, to our dormitory. mr vernon then told me that, while jack was dancing, he had managed to speak both to major norman and his daughter, the chief having sent for the inmates of his harem to witness the strange seaman's dancing. it was arranged that we should the following night try to communicate with the frigate's boats; and if they could manage to send a party on shore, that we should scale the walls of the harem, and carry off miss norman--they being ready to support us. she, at at all events, would be prepared for the emergency. mr vernon told me that, from what he heard, there would be no use negotiating, as the old chief boasted that he never had given up a slave he had taken, and never would. he was also subject to fits of fury, so that no time was to be lost in carrying out our plans. the great difficulty was to communicate with the boats, but jack undertook the task. while employed in the harbour he had observed where some small skiffs lay, and he declared that he could easily steal off with one of them, and should without difficulty fall in with the boats. the next day was to be spent in marking out our line of retreat, and in settling the spot at which the boats were to land. in the afternoon mr vernon was sent for to exhibit his jewels, and i went with him. the sheikh laughed at the idea of he himself having any to sell, but he had no objection to buy some; and that the ladies of the harem might select for themselves, we were ushered to the entrance of its sacred precincts. i kept my eyes very sharp about me, and i saw that, by scaling a not very high wall, we could easily get up to the very door of the harem, which was separated from the main building. i at once recognised miss norman, though she was veiled like the rest of the ladies. she came forward to examine the jewels, and looked at several which the sheikh offered her. one after the other she put them back into the box, till at last mr vernon contrived, unobserved, to slip a paper into her hand. "it's all right," thought i. "miss norman will now be prepared when we are ready to help her to escape." a few jewels were bought; but mr vernon signifying that he would be happy to return on the following day, should any of the ladies desire to change their mind, they unanimously declared that he must certainly come. several times during the day jack made excuses for coming up from the harbour, and each tune brought his ample pockets full of rope. as soon as it was dark he came cautiously into our chamber, where we all set to work, and in a short time had manufactured a rope-ladder quite long enough to go over the garden wall. "now," said he, "i must be off, and try and fall in with the frigate's boats. i have a skiff all ready, but i may have some way to pull; so don't, sir, make a start till i come back and let you know all's right." several very anxious hours passed away after jack's departure, and mr vernon and i at last began to fear that some accident had occurred to him, or that he had missed the boats, and that we should have to risk another day within the old sheikh's power. major norman and his daughter must have been still more anxious, for they were separated from each other, and less able to account for the delay than we were. at length our anxious ears caught the sound of a light footstep, and jack poked his head in at the door. "all right," he whispered. "the boats are ready to pull in when i signalise them. while you, gentlemen, go and get the young lady, i'll be off and call the major." eagerly mr vernon and i hurried out, carrying the ladder between us. it was a wonder some of the numerous dogs, found in every moorish village, did not give tongue at us. we reached the part of the wall nearest the harem. mr vernon soon clambered up it, and, hoisting up the ladder, secured one end on the garden side, by pegs in the ground, which we had before prepared; while i held down the outer side. i heard him give a low whistle, as he had arranged. while i was anxiously waiting his return, i felt a hand placed on my shoulder. i started with horror, and almost let go the ladder, for i thought it was a moor come to capture me, and that our enterprise had failed; but, looking up, i saw jack's honest face, and major norman behind him. "i think, sir," said jack, "if you were to go over the wall, and help the lady up, it would make quicker work, and it won't take you long to follow." his advice seemed so good that i did as he recommended. fortunately i did so, for i do not think otherwise the ladder would have kept in its place. i found mr vernon waiting at the door of the harem, in despair almost at the non-appearance of miss norman. at length the bars within were gently removed, and, the door opening, she stepped forth into the garden. there was no time for greeting. closing the door, mr vernon took her hand, and hurried on to the ladder. climbing up, he had lifted her over the wall, and placed her in safety in her father's arms, and i was following, when a door in another part of the building flew open, and a bright light streaming forth, i saw the old chief and a number of his attendants, with arms in their hands, rush out into the garden. i was over the wall in an instant, pulling the ladder after me, and not waiting to see which way they came. "fly, sir, fly!" i exclaimed. "the old tiger is after us." no second warning was necessary, and mr vernon and her father, lifting miss norman between them, hurried along the road towards the beach, jack and i bringing up the rear, to keep our pursuers at bay. lights now appeared in different parts of the village, and just as we turned a corner we saw the old sheikh and his people in hot pursuit of us. "run, sir! run as fast as your legs can carry you, and bring up the people from the boats," cried jack, as he saw our enemies coming after us, and drawing a cutlass with which he had provided himself from the boats, and buckled to his side. "i'll keep these chaps off from the young lady till help comes to us, i'll warrant." i darted forward as fast as my legs could carry me. i was afraid every instant of being stopped by some moor who might dart out from his house; but happily at that time the inhabitants of the village were fast asleep, and as yet there had been no noise to awaken them. fortunately the old sheikh was too fat to move fast; and his slaves, probably, had no fancy to encounter the formidable englishman, whose agility of heel had made them fancy him little short of a gin, or evil spirit of some sort. at last i reached the little creek where the boats were lying, the men resting on their oars, ready to shove off at a moment's warning. "help! help!" i exclaimed, panting for breath. "help! or mr vernon will be retaken." in a moment adam stallman, and a dozen men from the different boats, were by my side. all had been arranged for the emergency which had occurred. on we ran, in close order, at a double-quick step. scarcely were we in time. the moors were up to our friends, but jack was laying about him in such gallant style, that no one could manage to lay hold upon them. his sword flew round his head like a flash of lightning; and though his opponents cut and thrust at him from all sides, he remained unhurt, while he had drawn blood from several of their sides. he shouted, and shrieked, and leaped about, springing now on one side, now on the other, yet back again in the middle of the road, if they attempted to press too much forward. stallman, seeing at a glance how affairs stood, divided his people, so that they could encircle mr vernon and his friends; and then, coming up to jack's assistance, for a moment entirely drove back his assailants. by this time the whole village was aroused, and the moors, collecting in numbers from the houses, attacked us furiously on all sides. our brave fellows, however, kept them at bay, and retreated in good order towards the boats. we had no time to lose, in truth, for they were making for the boats themselves, and, if they got in our rear, might cut us off, and overpower also the party left in the boats. it was with no small satisfaction that i heard the voice of dicky sharpe shouting out to us to come on; and then a brisk fire from the men with him cleared the intervening space of reefians, who had got ahead of us. the old chief and his slaves had hitherto not fired, either for fear of hurting miss norman, or because they had no powder or firearms. now, however, the blood of all parties was up, and pistols began to flash, and sabres to clash, and a hot fight was going on, as we made a dash for the boats, and miss norman was lifted safely in. the reefians now rushed furiously down on us. adam stallman and jack stretcher were the last men in, they keeping a whole host of moors at bay, while the boats were being shoved off; then, by a desperate leap, jack, by stallman's order, got into one of the boats, while he himself sprang into another. alas! at that moment a volley came rattling down among us, and before stallman could take his seat he fell into the bottom of the boat. it was the one i had reached. i stooped down. "where are you hurt, stallman? oh! tell me, tell me," i exclaimed, taking his hand. "in my side; lend me a handkerchief, pray," he answered, faintly. "but give way, my lads--give way; never mind me." the men had stopped in their exertions for a moment, and were leaning forward to discover if he was much hurt. they needed not, however, a second order, for volley after volley came rattling over us; while the foremost and more daring reefians in their rage rushed into the water, in the hope of seizing us. some who grasped the gunnel had reason to repent their temerity; for we dealt them such blows with our cutlasses, that they were compelled to let go, every wound they received increasing their fury. others waded after us up to their arm-pits, firing their pistols, and cutting at us with their scimitars, shouting fiercely at us all the time, and grinding their teeth with rage and disappointment. it was no child's play; for, had they caught us, they would have destroyed every one of the party. by dint of great exertion the boats were at length got clear and into deep water. by the flashes of the firearms i could see the old sheikh standing on the beach, and trying to urge his followers to pursue us still further. when they found that all hope of preventing our embarkation had gone, they hurried of to the harbour to launch their own boats for the pursuit. we had a long way to pull, several of our people were hurt, and the boats were likewise full of men; so that we felt we were far from certain of escaping after all. mr vernon ordered the gun in the bow of his boat to be fired, to draw the attention of the frigate, should she not have heard the sound of the musketry; and i followed his example. by this time we were a couple of miles or more away from the shore, but the frigate was still some five or six miles from us. before long, by the light of the dawn just breaking, we could see the reefian boats stealing out from the land; but we had now no great fear of being caught. still our enemies pulled very fast, and were animated with every feeling of rage and revenge to excite them to exertion. hitherto there had been a dead calm, which much facilitated our progress; and as the gloom of night cleared away, we could see, in the grey of the morning, the frigate's topsails hanging uselessly in the brails. i kept anxiously looking back at our pursuers. "do they gain on us?" asked stallman, who sat propped up in the stern-sheets. "i fear so," i replied; "but the frigate is still not so very far off." "if they overtake us, i will ask you, d'arcy, to drop astern a little, and try and keep them at bay, so as to afford the first gig a better chance of escaping," he said, faintly. this was the boat miss norman was in. "of course, stallman," i answered, "every one here will do their best to defend the young lady. won't you, my lads?" "ay, ay, sir; never fear," replied the men, with one voice, at the same time giving a cheer. "hurra! hurra!" the enemy's boats were now drawing uncomfortably near, and the headmost ones had begun to fire, though their shot did not reach us. still it was too evident that they would be up to us before the frigate could come to our assistance. there she still lay, like a log on the water. i did not much fear the enemy; but i knew if they overtook us, even if we escaped, it would be the cause of much more bloodshed. presently, as i was thinking of this, i saw a light ripple curling over the smooth, shining surface of the leaden-coloured sea. another and another cat's-paw followed; the frigate let fall her topsails--they were sheeted home; sail after sail was set; and just then, as the sun rose in a blaze of glory, our gallant ship was seen standing towards us--a magnificent and welcome sight--under a press of canvas, lighted up by the bright rays of the warmth-giving luminary. a simultaneous cheer rose from the boats' crews as they beheld the spectacle; and, with redoubled efforts, they gave way to meet the ship. the reefians saw that their prospect of catching us was gone; and giving us a parting, though happily harmless volley, they pulled round, and made all haste to the shore, to avoid being themselves in their turn pursued and captured. we were, soon after this, on board, and heartily welcomed. the poor fellows--there were four or five of them who had been badly wounded--were carried to their hammocks, and tended carefully by the surgeon. adam stallman was conveyed to mr vernon's berth in the gun-room. he was evidently more hurt than anybody else. the doctor gave a very unfavourable report of his case to the captain from the first. every one on board grieved much to hear of his danger, for he was much beloved; but he seemed calm and contented. when i saw him his looks were cheerful--a smile was on his lips. few would have believed that he was a person about shortly to die, and that he full well knew it. it was not a stoical indifference to death; not the courage of a man endowed with physical hardihood; but true christian fortitude and resignation to the will of god, trust in his maker's promises, hope in the future, which supported him. we were now returning to malta; for captain poynder saw that there would be no use of attempting to punish the reefians for their late acts, and that we should certainly only be the chief sufferers if we attacked them. one day adam stallman sent for dicky sharpe and me. "my dear boys," he said, "i have sometimes given you good advice, and i much regret that i have not given you more, as you always took it well. i may never have an opportunity of speaking to you again." "oh! don't say so, stallman," sobbed my young messmate. "don't die! you must recover, and stay with us." "life and death are in god's hands alone," replied adam stallman. "as you have a regard for me, promise me that you will try not to forget what i say to you. remember always that you were sent into this world as a place of trial--that you have numberless bad propensities existing in you, and many temptations constantly offered to you--that your trial consists in the way you conquer the one and resist the other; but also recollect that you have no power whatever of yourselves to do this--that of yourselves you would not even know how to resist--you would not know that it was necessary to resist. but then you must know that god is just, merciful, and kind; that he has given mankind a guide, not only to tell them that they must resist, but to show them how to resist temptation--how to conquer evil propensities; that if they will pray to him, he will give them knowledge and grace, and strength sufficient for all their wants. in that guide--that book of books--he tells them that he sent his only son, that his sufferings and death might be accepted instead of their eternal suffering and death, to which their sins would most justly have consigned them. therefore, my dear boys, i want you to study, that book, day after day--never give it up. but, at the same time, do not fancy that you are doing a meritorious act by merely reading it. you must examine it, and treasure it, as you would a precious gift. you should read it with thankfulness and joy that god has given you that precious gift. you are not doing him any service by reading it. the acts alone which result from reading it do him any service; and, after all, those acts are only your bounden duty. common gratitude demands them from you. never forget. you must pray daily-- pray for grace, and faith, and strength, and knowledge; and be assured that god will give them to you at last. never cease praying. what i have said may seem hard to you, my dear boys; but it is the truth; and i could not have died happy without saying it, as i felt that it was my duty to say it. be religious, and never be ashamed of your religion. hoist your colours in sight of the enemy, and fight bravely under them wherever you go." much more our friend said, but the above was the pith of his discourse. i believe that neither my young messmate nor i ever forgot what he said. by following his advice, we have found a comfort, a joy, a strength, which we should never otherwise have known. our kind friend's forebodings were speedily fulfilled; and before we reached malta he had, in perfect peace, yielded up his life to the god who gave it. "what! did the good adam stallman really die?" some of my young readers may ask. yes; good and bad, rich and poor, of all ranks and stations in society, are often summoned in their joyous youth, their flowering manhood, by a just god, to render up an account of their mode of life. oh! my young friends, remember that you, too, may be summoned away from this bright world, and all you hold dear, in an hour, a day, a year--at a moment you think not of; and that you, too, must render up an account of how you have lived on earth before the great, the just, the all-seeing judge; that every thought of your heart, every action you have performed, will then be laid bare; and that, unless you can say, i did my duty to the best of my power and knowledge, and i trusted to christ to save me, it were better, far better, that you had never been born. i shall be glad to find that my adventures amuse you, but i should also deeply blame myself if i did not try and make you understand these things; and i should feel that it were also far better that my book had not been written. chapter nineteen. return to england--appointed to the opossum--the commander's oath--how he kept it--the gale--loss of masts--old popples--death of commander-- the pirate--end of myers. i forgot to say in the last chapter, that before shaping our course for malta, we ran a little way down the coast, and landed our young reefian prisoner. it might have been better had captain poynder endeavoured, through his means, to treat with the old sheikh for the liberation of his captives; but, probably, the success of such a plan was considered too doubtful to be attempted. what became of mr vernon's jewel-box i do not know: i fancy the contents were of very little intrinsic value. we carried major norman and his daughter to gibraltar, whence they went to england. mr vernon did not marry for upwards of a year after this. he and his wife are among my most intimate friends. we met with no more adventures worth recording in the old _harold_. at length we returned to portsmouth, and being paid off, i was once more a gentleman at large. i did not long remain so, for my kind uncle took care to get me another ship as soon as possible. in the meantime, i accompanied dicky sharpe to the home of his father and mother, sir john and lady sharpe. they were excessively kind, and made a great deal of me; and so did the misses sharpe, who, being a good deal older than dicky, treated us somewhat like little children, petting and humouring our fancies, which did not altogether please me. it made me much more inclined to act like a child, and to join dicky in any pranks he proposed. i was very sorry, however, to have to go away. it was, at the same time, no little satisfaction to both of us, that we found ourselves appointed to the same ship--a fine sixteen-gun brig, just fitting out--the _opossum_, captain cranley. dicky, however, got leave for two or three weeks, while i had to join at once. his friends got him the appointment because it was considered better that he should see some service in a small craft, with a smart officer, which our commander was said to be; while i joined because i was not likely to get a better. i had gone to see larry as soon as i reached england, and found him and his wife flourishing. when i got back to portsmouth, while the brig was fitting out, i paid him frequent visits, to the old man's great delight; and he used to tell everybody he met what a first-rate sailor i had become, winding up invariably, with a look of no little pride, "ay, sir, and 'twas i taught him--didn't i, master neil?" i must not forget to mention my kind uncle and aunt, and daisy cottage, where i was always a welcome guest. he had paid the cutter off, but expected soon to obtain another appointment. of the marlows i could only hear that they had gone abroad; but as miss alice had promised to write to my aunt as soon as they had settled, i was in hopes of hearing about them. but i must get on with my story. the _opossum_ was at sea, running down channel, with orders to wait at falmouth for despatches and mails for halifax, nova scotia. with the exception of dicky sharpe, all my brother officers were strangers to me, and mostly to each other, so it took a little time before we became acquainted and shook into our places. captain cranley, i found, was somewhat of the old school--very kind-hearted and simple-minded, and not less strict towards himself than towards others--with a nice sense of honour, and very sensitive of rebuke. i was very glad to find that my old friend jack stretcher had volunteered, with the hope of one day becoming a warrant-officer. i must also mention the boatswain, who, though an oldish man, had not long taken out his warrant. he was a prime seaman, with nothing very remarkable in his appearance, except that he was tall and thin, and had a long bushy beard, now somewhat grizzled. the aforesaid individual, mr popples, was neat and clean, and had really good manners; his great ambition being to rise in the world, though he had begun to ascend rather late in life. we youngsters had a great respect for him, notwithstanding some of his peculiarities, and should never have dreamed of playing him the tricks we did old chissel and trundle in the _harold_. two days after we left falmouth, the wind, which had been from the eastward and moderate, chopped round to the westward and north-west, and began to blow very heavily. our commander, however, was not a man to be frightened by a capful of wind; so we close-reefed the topsails, and lay upon our course as near as we could. the gallant little brig headed the seas bravely, and gave us every reason to hope that we might weather out the gale without damage. towards the evening of the third day, however, it came on to blow harder than ever; the clouds came gathering up in thick masses, as if hurried one on the other, without the means of escaping, and the sea rose higher and higher. mr pullen, the master, kept glancing to windward in a significant manner. "what do you think of it, master?" asked captain cranley. "why, sir, the sooner that we up-helm, and run into port, the better for the ship and ourselves," replied mr pullen. "there's no use straining a vessel till every timber in her creaks and groans with pain,--that's my opinion." "a very just one, master, and i'll follow your advice," said the captain. "all hands wear ship." the delicate, operation was successfully performed. the helm was put up--the aftersails were brailed up and furled--more headsail was got on her. for an instant she rolled heavily in the trough of the sea; then her headsail, feeling the full force of the wind, carried her head away from it, and, like a sea-bird released from imprisonment, off she flew on rapid wings before it. a number of vessels, driven in by stress of weather, were collected in falmouth harbour as we entered. we ran by them, past the flag-ship, for the purpose of bringing up, when we were hailed with-- "what! captain cranley, are you afraid of a capful of wind? there's nothing to hurt you now outside; so go to sea again without bringing up." these words stung our old captain to the quick. "it's the first time james cranley was ever taunted for being afraid of anything, much less a gale of wind; and it shall be the last time, too, whatever comes of it, so help me heaven!" fearfully did the old man keep his vow. accordingly, we forthwith stood out again to sea. when we were clear of the land, we found the gale completely abated, and we had a very fine passage, till within about a hundred miles of our port, when it fell calm. never do i recollect a more perfect calm. the sea was like lead in colour, but as smooth as glass, though every now and then there came a long, slow, gently-moving undulation, as if there were some unseen power beneath the water. there was something, i thought, very ominous in the whole appearance of the atmosphere. the barometer, the seaman's warning friend, began also to sink, and each hour the quicksilver got lower and lower. thus passed two days, but not a breath of wind came. captain cranley paced his deck with uneasy steps. the master likewise looked far from satisfied, i thought, with the appearance of the weather, and kept continually glancing round the horizon, in search of the expected sign of a change. the sails hung idly down against the masts, every now and then flapping loudly, as the vessel rolled slowly in the swell. it would have been more seamanlike had they been furled; but, to tell the truth, our commander appeared seized with a fit of infatuation, which deprived him of his usual clear judgment on professional matters. he had not got over his late unjust reprimand. with a morbid feeling of injured honour, he allowed it to rankle in his bosom. people are apt to have a foreboding of evil; but on the present occasion there were ample reasons for dreading mischief. "to my mind, if we were to furl every stitch of canvas, and send down our topmasts, we should be acting like seamen," said old popples, as i was forward, attending to some duty. "why do you say that?" i asked. "the sea is like glass, and there's no wind, nor chance of any, as far as i can judge." "because i haven't sailed round the world for the last forty years with my eyes shut, mr d'arcy," he replied. "be sure, when the weather's like this, there's no slight gale coming on; but the commander is a good seaman, and i suppose he'll give the order soon." the commander, however, did not seem to apprehend any immediate change of weather. not so mr pullen. whenever he went into the cabin, he found that the silver in the barometer had sunk lower than ever; and each time he came on deck, looking more anxious than before. after some time spent in watching the sky to the northward, he walked up to the commander. "captain cranley, sir," said he, "it's my duty to tell you that, in my opinion, this weather won't last many hours longer--not to say minutes, perhaps; and if the squall i look for catches us with all this canvas set, it will carry the masts over the side to a certainty." "it's the custom in the service generally for officers to wait till their opinion is asked," replied the commander, turning on his heel, and taking a few more turns on the quarter-deck. at last he stopped, and looked out towards the northward and westward, where a thick mass of clouds was banking up, each instant rising higher and higher. "mr fairman," he said, to the first-lieutenant, "call all hands to shorten sail; put the brig under double-reefed topsails. whichever way the squall comes, we mustn't be frightened at it this time, eh?" the command was quickly obeyed, but the air remained as stagnant as ever. still old popples was not satisfied. "we are better so than we were before, i'll allow," he remarked; "but the gale, when it does begin to blow, will, to my mind, be a regular hurricane, and we shall be glad to run before it under bare poles. mark my words, mr d'arcy!" boatswains do not always deliver their opinion thus freely about their captain; but old popples was privileged, at all events with us midshipmen. mr pullen shrugged his shoulders and said nothing, though he evidently held the same opinion as the boatswain. the commander had just retired to his cabin, while the master continued his walk, turning his eye every now and then towards the quarter whence he expected the wind to come. suddenly he stopped. "here it is!" he exclaimed. "up with the helm--square away the afteryards." scarcely had he spoken, than a terrific roar was heard, and down came the gale upon us with unbridled fury, driving before it vast masses of spoondrift, and tearing up the water into huge waves, which every instant rose higher and higher. off flew the brig's head, however, before it, and it seemed like a race between her and the dense sheets of spray which careered over the seas, and the clouds of scud which chased each other across the sky. her course, however, was to be suddenly arrested. the commander made his appearance hurriedly on deck. "what means this?" he exclaimed. "there's our port, sirs," pointing to the north-west. "bring the ship on a wind--down with the helm--brace up the yards!" the officers stood aghast, but the order was not to be disputed. no sooner did the brig feel the full force of the wind, than she heeled over, till her lee guns were buried in the waves, and the spray came flying over us, fore and aft. still we looked up to it, and, had the wind not increased, we might have weathered it very well; but it was evident that the gale had not yet come to its height. magnificently the brave little brig dashed through it; but it was fearful work,--the timbers groaned, and the masts bent, every instant threatening to go by the board. once more mr pullen urged the commander to bear up. "no, no, master," he answered, shaking his head; "i've sworn that no power shall ever again turn me away from the port to which i am bound; and james cranley is not a man you would ask to break his oath, i hope." "well, sir, but the brig will hold her own better under closer canvas, you'll allow," urged the master. after some time the commander permitted the topsails to be close-reefed, but not another stitch would he take off her. still the brig had too much sail set; and wearily and heavily she laboured through the yet fast rising seas. i had been on deck for some hours, and, drenched to the skin, was shivering with cold, when mr pullen, with whom i was a favourite, told me to go and lie down in his berth, our own not being tenable, from the water which the straining of the ship allowed to run into it. all the officers and the watch were on deck. in spite of the heavy pitching of the ship, i soon fell asleep. how long i remained so i know not, when a terrific noise awoke me. i felt the suffocation of drowning, and for a moment saw the water in dark green masses rushing into the cabin. in another instant it was all dark. i uttered a prayer for mercy, for i felt that the brig was on her side and sinking. still the love of life did not desert me. through the darkness i discerned one bright spot overhead. i made for it, and as i found my hands grasping the combings of the gun-room skylight, the brig, with a sudden jerk, righted again. i thought it was only preparatory to going down. still i held on. the water rolled away, and disappeared from above and beneath me, and i was able to obtain a clear view along the deck. what a scene of destruction and horror met my view! of all those living men who lately peopled her decks, not a soul was there--not a mast was standing--not a boat remained--as if the destroying sword of the archangel had swept over them. the decks were swept clear of everything; while the green foam-topped seas, in mountain masses, rose above them, threatening every instant to overwhelm my hapless vessel. a glance showed me all this. looking forward, i saw another head rising from the fore-hatchway; it was that of old popples, the boatswain. "what! are they all gone?" he shouted; "then i'm captain. lend a hand, mr d'arcy, and we'll try and get the ship before the wind." "captain of a sinking ship you may be, mr popples," i answered, amused, even in that moment of horror, at the old man's extraordinary ambition. but there was no time for talking. i sprang on deck, as he had done, and at the same instant a cry reached our ears, and looking to leeward, we saw the faces of several of our shipmates, clinging to the spars and rigging, which still hung on to the ship. at first, surrounded as they were with the seething foam, their countenances convulsed with terror or agony, as they clung with their death-grasp to the rigging, it was difficult to recognise them; while, one by one, they were torn from their uncertain hold, and borne far away to leeward. still some clung on. i trusted my friend dicky sharpe might be of the number; for even then, strange as it may seem, i pictured to myself the grief and misery his loss would cause at that home where i had lately seen him the hope and joy of a loving mother and affectionate sisters. these thoughts occupied scarcely a second. in a few moments i recovered from the sensation of almost overwhelming horror which the scene had caused; and, as i gazed more attentively, i recognised dicky himself, with captain cranley, and the master, yet clinging to the rigging. the watch below, whom the boatswain had summoned, joined us without delay; and i must do him the justice to say, that no one could more nobly have exerted himself than he did in trying to save those who would speedily deprive him of his new-fledged honours. the foremast and its rigging, in falling, had torn away the chain-plates and everything which secured it forward; and the whole tangled mass of spars and ropes now hung on by the after-shrouds, and had both served to put the brig before the wind, by holding back her stern, while it allowed her head to pay off, and acted also as a sort of breakwater, which saved us from being pooped. the poor fellows in the water were crying loudly for help as they caught sight of us on deck. one of the nearest was dicky sharpe. calling jack stretcher to my aid, i got him to heave a rope with a bight at the end which i had made. it fell close to dicky's head. he grasped it with one hand, and slipped it over his shoulders. we hauled on it till we got him near the side. just then the foreyard came surging up, and i thought would strike him. "give me your hand!" i shrieked out. i caught it barely in time. stretcher leaned through a port, and we got dicky in at the moment that the yard came thundering against the side, almost grazing his foot. all this was but the work of a second. popples had in the meantime, by great exertions, managed to get the master on board; and his next attempt was to save captain cranley. he, however, was much further out, hanging on to one of the topmasts. none of the ropes near him which we could reach would come home. there appeared to be no means of saving him. two other men were, however, got in. "come, i can't bear to see our old skipper washed away before our eyes. what will his wife and children do?" exclaimed jack stretcher. "i've no one at home to care for me; so some on you clap on here, while i just make a fly out, and see if i can't get hold of him." the gallant fellow had made a rope fast to his waist, and was on the point of making his perilous attempt by springing into the raging sea, when a terrific wave came rolling up astern. its curling crest lifted high the spar to which the commander clung. i fancied that i could see his starting eyes take one last earnest glance at the ship, and his lips moved as if imploring us to save him. then down came the wave; and as the ship was hurried on before it, its broken waters tore away his already failing grasp, and in a moment he was buried from our sight. we had no time to mourn for him then. mr pullen instantly took command, and popples was fain to act as his first-lieutenant; while sharpe and i did our utmost to make ourselves useful. the wreck of the masts, as i have said, kept the brig before the wind. while some hands set to work to rig the pumps, others got up a bit of a jury-mast, secured to the stump of the foremast. on this we managed to spread a topgallant-sail, which helped her along famously. all hands who could possibly be spared were required to work the pumps, spell and spell; and the wonder was, when we found the immense quantity of water she had taken on board, that she had not gone down. as it was, her deck and upper works leaked in every direction; and we all felt that such, even now, might be our fate. i shall never forget the anxiety of that first night, as, amid the raging seas, with the gale howling round us, our near sinking ship, battered and dismasted, ran through the darkness, every sea, as, foam-crested, it came rolling up astern, threatening to overwhelm us. who but fools would not, on such occasions, feel the utter helplessness of their own arm to help them, or would fail to put their trust alone in him who is all-powerful to save. yes; it is amid the raging storm and on the battered wreck that the seaman, if his mind be but directed aright, gains a practical knowledge of the value of religion. but alas! how few--how very few--are taught religious truths; and the very men who wander round the globe, and might act as important pioneers of civilisation and christianity among the heathen, are allowed, for the most part, to remain ignorant and profane--a disgrace, instead of an honour, to the christian nation to which they belong. such a state of things ought not to exist; and i ask you, my young friends, to aid in conveying the blessings of the gospel to our gallant seamen, and, through their means, to the far distant nations of the earth. but to return to the brig. for two days we ran to the southward, without any change in the weather. at length it began to moderate, and in three days more we had run into comparatively a smooth sea. no one would willingly have blamed our late unfortunate commander; but we all felt that, had he bore up in time, as a seaman should have done, instead of obstinately persisting in holding his ground, he would have saved his own and many valuable lives, and the brig would have escaped the disaster she had suffered. mr pullen had shaped a course for the bermudas; but, low as they are, it was necessary to keep a very sharp look-out, to prevent running past them, or on to the coral reefs by which they are surrounded. our landfall, however, was better than we expected; and one of the fine pilot-boats, for which the islands are so deservedly noted, coming off to us, we were safely towed into harbour. the brig was some months in the hands of the dockyard people before we were ready for sea, our despatches, after some weeks' detention, being sent on to their destination. during the period of our stay, the merchants, as well as the military officers, were very kind to dicky and me. the bermudas are also called somers' islands, because sir george somers was cast away on them in , since when they have been inhabited by english settlers. their productions are very similar to those of the west indies. there are a number of blacks on them, who at the time i speak of were slaves, but are now, of course, free. they consist of four principal islands, the chief of which is called saint george, and other smaller ones. they take their name from juan bermudez, who discovered them in . i have no time to say more about the place. before we were ready for sea, a new commander was sent out from england--captain idle. his name was very far from appropriate to his character. he brought us the pleasing information that we were destined for the coast of africa, where some fast cruisers were much wanted to put down the slave-trade. captain idle had seen some service. he had been thirty years at sea, out of which time he had not probably spent two on shore. he had been in the north seas and west indies, in the antarctic ocean, and on the coast of africa, in the indian seas, and in every part of the pacific. there was not an unhealthy station in which he had not served. he had served for ten years as a first-lieutenant. he had been three times wounded, and had obtained his rank, both as lieutenant and commander, for two remarkable deeds of gallantry; and now, as a special reward for his services, i suppose, he was sent out to the coast of africa. a first-lieutenant also joined us--reuben spry by name,--and two mates, the senior of whom did duty as second lieutenant--holland and waller. the very day we were ready for sea we went out of harbour, and made the best of our way towards the coast of africa. a succession of easterly winds had kept the _opossum_ more to the west than she would otherwise have been. we were about the latitude of barbadoes, when, having run on during most of the night with a fair breeze, towards morning it dropped altogether, and we found ourselves rolling away in a tropical calm. as we were already in the seas where slavers are to be found, a bright look-out was kept, in the hopes of our falling in with a prize, though as yet not a sail had been seen to which it was thought worth while giving chase. as morning broke, of a day i shall not easily forget, there appeared to the southward, not four miles from us, two vessels becalmed like ourselves. one, a large barque, somewhat the nearest to us, was clearly an english merchantman; the other, a low, black schooner, had the wicked, rakish appearance of a spanish slaver. the look-out from the foretopmast-head gave notice at the same time that he could see two boats pulling from one vessel to the other. the captain and all the officers were speedily on deck. "there's some mischief going on there," exclaimed captain idle, after a look at the vessels. "mr spry, call the boats away; we must send and overhaul these fellows." three boats, under the command of the first-lieutenant, were speedily in the water, and manned, all hands being well-armed. waller had charge of one boat, i of the third,--and not a little proud did i feel of the honour. a cup of cocoa and some biscuit being first served out to each of us, to give us strength for the work to be accomplished, away we pulled towards the barque. it was hot enough when we started, but as the sun rose higher it grew hotter still, and the glare on the smooth water became so bright as almost to blind us; but nothing relaxed our exertions, all hands feeling that there was some work before us. the other boats had reached the barque when we were yet three miles off, and very probably had not observed us, although the people from the rigging of the merchantman must have done so. the report of firearms was now heard, and this made us redouble our efforts to get up. "the merchantman is attacked by pirates; there is not a doubt of it," shouted mr spry. "fire off your muskets, my lads; it will give both parties notice that we are coming to put a stop to their fun." those not pulling blazed away right merrily for a few minutes, and then watched for the result. it seemed to have encouraged one party and to have disheartened the other, for the boats we had before seen were observed pulling back to the schooner. "follow me, waller. after the boats, my lads!" shouted mr spry. "d'arcy, do you board the barque. see if any assistance is required, and if not, pull for the schooner." it took me but a short time to find myself alongside the barque, while the rest of our party were in chase of the strange boats. so eagerly were those on board looking out at the chase, that they did not observe me step on board. alas! the appearance of the deck showed too plainly that mischief had already been done. one man lay dead, and two more sat on the deck, supported by their shipmates. but there were two persons in a group standing aft, whom i thought i recognised. i looked again. i was sure i could not be mistaken, and running up to them, i found myself shaking hands most warmly with mr marlow and his daughter. he did not recognise me; but she did in a moment, and told him who i was. "again you have helped to save our lives, mr d'arcy," he exclaimed; "for, thanks to our brave captain here, we were able to resist a band of villainous pirates who attacked us, till your appearance frightened them off." i of course told them how happy i was to be of service, and then, finding that my presence on board the barque was not required, i tumbled into my boat, and gave way after my shipmates. the pirates' boats had gained the schooner about ten minutes before they had. i was not long behind them, and the aid of my boat's crew was very welcome. the deck of the schooner was crowded with men, who were making a desperate resistance. the most prominent of them fought more like a demon than a human creature. with desperate energy he wielded a huge cutlass, with which he kept the deck clear around him. his men, however, a mixture of spanish, portuguese, blacks, and a few english or americans, were falling thick on either side, and several had actually been driven overboard. my gallant fellows gave a loud shout as we scrambled on deck, and, led by jack stretcher, they cleared everything before them. some of the pirates were forced down the hold, others overboard, and several sunk on the deck to rise no more. still the captain stood at bay. i now had a better opportunity of observing him, and at once i recognised my old enemy, the villain myers. "your time is come at last, bill myers," i shouted. the words seemed to have a paralysing effect. what thoughts they called up, i know not. perhaps he had not for long been known by that name. he made a few steps backward, and then, with one bound, cleared the side of the vessel and leaped overboard. there was no land to swim to--no boat to pick him up--but ravenous sharks surrounded the scene of strife, already collected by the taste of blood. in another instant the long-sought-for smuggler, murderer, and pirate was their prey. the remainder of the pirates yielded without another blow. we found that they had shipped for a slave voyage only; but had been induced by myers, who had lately got command, to commence a course of piracy, which, by our appearance, had happily been cut short. after some hours, a breeze springing up, we brought the vessels together. waller and i were ordered to take the prize into barbadoes, where the barque also was bound; while the _opossum_ cruised outside to look out for slavers. mr marlow was going to spend some time at bridgetown, where he had a house of business. he received waller and me most kindly, and nothing could exceed the hospitality of the inhabitants generally when they heard of our exploit. captain curtis, also, the master of the barque, got great credit for the way he had defended his vessel till we came to his assistance. miss alice marlow had grown somewhat, but still she was very little for her age. she was, however, as kind as ever, and i, for one, was very sorry when the _opossum_ came in with another prize. the survivors of the men who had boarded the barque were hung, and the schooner herself was condemned. this business being accomplished, the _opossum_ once more made sail for the coast of africa. chapter twenty. look out for slavers in a boat--weary of waiting--a sail in sight-- capture her--attacked by a larger slaver--desperate fight--beat her off. we had been some weeks on the coast without having taken a prize, although we had chased several suspicious-looking craft, which had contrived to get away from us. at sierra leone we had shipped a dozen kroomen, to get wood and water for the ship, a work which europeans in that climate are unable to perform without great risk. at length captain idle began to grow impatient. one day he sent for waller, who had been on the coast before with him, and was a very clever, active fellow. "waller," said he, "i want you to go away in the pinnace, and while some of these slaving gentlemen are running away from us, perhaps you may be able to render a good account of them. you will require a companion. will you like to take d'arcy with you?" waller expressed his readiness to go, and to have my society; and so it was settled. among his other accomplishments, he was a first-rate shot with a rifle, and it was reported, when he was before on the coast, that he used to pick off the men at the helm, and any of the crew who went aloft or appeared above the bulwarks, and had thus caused the capture of several slavers. i was to see this talent exerted. jack stretcher, who was a capital companion, went with us as coxswain. we were all dressed in thick flannel shirts, and had blankets in which to wrap ourselves at night. we had water and provisions for ten days, and a small stove, with which to warm up our cocoa and tea, and to make a stew or a broil on occasion. i do not remember that we had any other luxuries. towards the end of the afternoon watch we shoved off from the brig's side, having wished our shipmates "good-bye!" with a sort of feeling that we might not meet again. while the _opossum_ stood away on a bowline to the northward, we shaped a course for the mouth of the gaboon river. we arrived at our cruising ground before daybreak. waller then ordering the men to lay in their oars, which had hitherto been kept going, and lowering the sail, told them to wrap themselves in their blankets, and to lie down under the thwarts. i kept watch while he also slept. the night was bright and beautiful, and the sea, smooth as a mirror, reflected the glittering stars which shone forth from the dark blue heavens, while our boat lay floating idly on its slumbering bosom. so deep was the silence which reigned around, that the breathing of the sleepers sounded strangely loud, and i fancied that i could hear vessels, even though out of sight, passing by, or fish rising to the surface to breathe, or cleaving the water with their fins. at other times my imagination made me fancy that i could hear beings of another world calling to each other as they flew through the air or floated on the ocean; and i almost expected to see their shadowy forms glide by me. about an hour before dawn, waller got up and told me to take some rest. i was not sorry to lie down, albeit my rest was far from refreshing. i soon began to dream, and dreamed that i was a plum-pudding, and that betty, the cook at daisy cottage, had fastened me up in a flannel pudding-bag, and put me into a pot to boil. the water soon began to simmer, and i to swell and swell away, till the string got tighter and tighter round my throat, while a thick black smoke arose from some coals which she had just put on. i was looking out of the pot, and meditating on the proverb, "out of the frying-pan into the fire," when, being unable to stand it any longer, i jumped out of the pudding-bag, and found myself rolling at the bottom of the boat. "why, d'arcy, i thought you were going to spring overboard," said waller. when i told him my dream, he laughed heartily, and agreed there was ample cause for it. our blankets were wet through and through, and a dense black fog hung over us, through which it was impossible to discover the position of the sun, which had some time been up, or of any object ten fathoms off; while the sea was as smooth as a sheet of glass, and as dull-coloured as lead. as i awoke i found my throat sore from the unwholesome moisture i had inhaled. we had nothing, therefore, to do but cook and eat our breakfast, and practise patience. there was little use exhausting the men's strength by pulling, as we were as likely to pull from, as towards, a vessel. hour after hour thus passed away, till at length the sun conquered the mist, and gradually drew it off from the face of the deep, discovering a wide expanse of shining water, unbroken by a single dot or speck which was likely to prove a sail; while to the eastward arose a long dark line of mangrove-trees, at the mouth of the gaboon river. the land-breeze came off to us, smelling of the hot parched earth; and we turned our eyes anxiously whence it blew, in the hope of seeing some white sail dancing before it over the bar of the river; but we were doomed to disappointment. the hot sun struck down on our heads, and tanned and scorched our cheeks, and the upper works of the boat cracked with the heat, till a beefsteak might have been broiled on the gunwale. at last the land-wind died away; there was again a dead calm, in which we roasted still faster, till the sea-breeze set in and somewhat cooled our parched tongues. now we looked out seaward, in the hopes of finding some slaver, unsuspectingly standing in, either to ship the whole or the portion of a cargo, having already, perhaps, taken some on board at another part of the coast. nothing is more trying to the temper than to have to sit quiet and do nothing; yet such was our fate from day to day, as we lay like a snake ready to spring on its prey. the sun rose, and roasted us, and set, leaving us to be parboiled, and rose again, without a sail appearing. we ate our breakfasts, and dinners, and suppers, and smoked our pipes, and sat up, and went to sleep again, in the same regular manner for several successive days. at length, one morning, a light breeze sprang up; and, as the fog was blown off in dense wreaths, the topsails of a schooner were seen rising above them. "out oars, my men, and give way with a will!" exclaimed waller, in an animated voice. "we are not yet seen, and may get alongside before they find us out." the men, in their delight at the prospect of having something to do, would have cheered, but he silenced them. we hoped that she was a slaver; but she might, after all, be only an honest liverpool trader. when first seen, she was little more than a mile off, to the south-west of us, running in for the land with the wind, which was from the northward abeam. "what do you think of her, jack?" asked waller, after stretcher had been eyeing her narrowly. "why, sir, to my mind, those topsails have only been cut by spanish fingers; so i make pretty sure she's nothing else than a nigger passage-vessel." this announcement made the men give way still more heartily, for, though the wind was fair, we did not make sail, as we should thereby have been more quickly seen. away we pulled, the water bubbling and hissing under our bows as we cut through it. when we got within a quarter of a mile of the chase, she saw us, we judged, by hearing a musket fired and seeing a bullet strike the water near us. "that proves he has got no guns on board. give way, my lads!" shouted waller. the men cheered, and bent to their oars with greater vigour. we then hoisted the british ensign, and fired a musket to make the fellow heave-to; but, taking no notice of the signal, he held on his course. the wind continued so light, however, that we were overhauling him fast; but there were signs, both on the sky and water, that it might again get up, and afford him a better chance of escaping. at all events, he was evidently not inclined to give in. "i must teach the fellow that the british flag is not to be trifled with," said waller, taking up his rifle. "i have no compassion on these slaving villains." scarcely had he spoken, when a man, whom we both took to be the captain, jumped into the netting abaft the main-rigging, and made some very significant gestures to us to be off; and directly afterwards, seeing that we continued our course, several of his crew let fly their muskets at us. "you've brought it on your own head," exclaimed waller, loading his rifle. he fired. the next moment we saw the man fall back upon his deck. there was then a great deal of shouting on board the schooner; her helm was put up, and, the breeze freshening, she began to pay off before the wind. she had not got round, though, before we were under her quarter. "hook on to her main-chains, my lad,--hook on fast!" cried waller. unfortunately the bowman missed his aim; and the schooner, falling off, brought the stern of our boat in contact with her counter. without a moment's thought, waller had sprung over her low bulwarks, followed by stretcher and me. in an instant we were attacked by the whole of the slaver's crew, who, with loud shouts and ferocious gestures, rushed aft, fully hoping, as they saw that the pinnace had dropped astern, to make us an easy prey. the mainsheet of the schooner had been eased off, the foreyards had been squared, and, with the now strengthening breeze, the schooner was running fast through the water. waller took one glance over his shoulder, and that showed him that there was scarcely a chance of the boat overtaking us. our fate was sealed: no mercy could we expect from the slaver's crew. one hope only remained,--waller had thought of it. "knock down the man at the helm, and jam the tiller down hard!" he sung out to stretcher. "we will keep the other fellows at bay in the meantime." "ay, ay, sir," answered jack, as coolly as if he had been merely ordered to give a pull at the main-brace. there was a cry, and the next moment the body of the helmsman dropped on the deck. jack had literally cut his head off with a sweep of his cutlass. the sight had the effect of making the spaniards hang back for a moment, when jack, putting the helm hard down, made the sails all shiver, and finally got her fore-topsail aback. seeing what had occurred, the crew of the pinnace cheered, and, giving way, were soon clambering over the counter, while we made a dash at the spaniards, few of whom attempted to oppose us even for a moment; most of them, indeed, throwing away their arms, made their escape to the forecastle. the rest followed their example; and in two minutes the schooner _zerlina_, with a hundred and fifty slaves on board, was ours. besides the captain, and the other man who was killed, there were twenty stout fellows, two or three only being out of fighting order with their wounds. we had difficulty enough to keep the rest quiet. they were, in truth, very sulky, and inclined to revolt, when they had recovered from their fright, and saw to how few they had succumbed. curses, loud and many, escaped their lips, and showed that, if they had an opportunity, they would murder us, and retake their vessel, without scruple. we therefore kept four of our men as a watch over them, with loaded muskets, with orders to shoot the first who showed signs of proving mutinous. having made these arrangements, we turned our attention to the living cargo crowded between her decks. it was a sickening sight, as we got the hatches off and looked down upon the mass of black faces which, with their white eyeballs rolling and mouths agape, gazed up at us, wondering what was next to happen. there sat a hundred and fifty human beings chained down to iron bars running across the deck--men and women of all ages, their chins resting on their knees, without space to stretch out their limbs, or to alter their position in any way; a rag round their loins being their only covering. they were in good health, not having been out many days; and there was a good supply of water and farina on board. we did our best to make them understand that we were friends, and would set them on shore again, and make them free, as soon as we could. during our examination of the schooner, we had discovered a number of spare handcuffs. jack stretcher brought them from below, and threw them on the deck, with a significant look at the spaniards, who, in defiance of orders, had made several attempts to come out on deck. "i think if we was to clap 'em on to them spanish lubbers, it wouldn't be amiss, sir," said he to me, holding up a pair before me. i mentioned the suggestion to waller, who at length agreed that it would be safe to follow it, taking one-half at a time, while the rest remained in their berth under the forecastle. jack received the necessary orders. "ay, ay, sir," he answered. "senhor dons, understando, move forewardo instanto, or i'll drive the pointo of my cutlasho into vostros sternosos." the prisoners understood his actions more than his words, for he fully suited the one to the other, and they showed no inclination to dispute them, he having evidently made them respect him, from his strength, and the daring he had displayed on boarding. some we confined forward--some in the after-cabin; and most fortunate it was that we did so. it was some time before all our arrangements were made. about an hour before dark we tacked, to stand inshore again, waller intending, should we not fall in with the brig, to shape a course for sierra leone. we tacked again about midnight; but when daylight came, not a sign was there of the _opossum_; and, accordingly, towards the above-mentioned place we steered. we had the pinnace in tow; but we had taken the gun out of her, and placed it amidships on the deck of the schooner. overcome with fatigue, waller had thrown himself down aft, wrapped up in his blanket, while i stood near him, with my eyes winking, and trying in vain to be wide awake, when i was startled by the cry of "a sail on the weather-bow!" "which way is she standing?" asked waller, springing to his feet. "right down for us," answered jack, who had gone aloft. "i was hoping she might be the brig, at first; but she's a large square-topsail schooner, and, by the cut of her canvas, she looks like a spanish or a portuguese slaver." as the stranger drew near, no doubt as to what she was remained on our minds. waller took his measures accordingly, with perfect coolness. seeing that the prisoners were thoroughly secured, we got ready all our arms, and supplied ourselves with ammunition. the gun amidships was also loaded to the muzzle, and covered with a tarpaulin. with the calm courage which british seamen on all occasion display, our men waited the approach of the stranger. as she drew near, we made out that she had three guns on each side, and that her decks were crowded with men. notwithstanding this overpowering disparity of force, our men looked at her in no way daunted; and i felt sure that what men could do they would for our defence. waller, however, judged that it would be as well to animate their courage with a few words. "now, my men," said he, "we are but ten of us on board this craft, but we are true and honest; and though there are probably fifty or sixty spaniards in yonder schooner, they are a set of slaving scoundrels, who cannot stand up a moment before british seamen. they will not attempt to hull us with their shot, because they will wish to get back the schooner uninjured; so they will try to take us by boarding. i hope they may, that we may show them that they have caught a tartar. all we have to do is to blaze away with our muskets till we can give them a taste of our cutlasses. our big gun we'll keep for a last dose; so now, my boys, trust in a righteous cause, and huzza for old england and victory." our men cheered long and lustily, and the sound must have reached the ears of the spaniards, and at once showed them, had they before doubted it, that the schooner was a prize to a british cruiser. they forthwith began to blaze away with their guns; but, as we had expected, they fired high, in the hope of cutting away some of our rigging, that they might the more easily lay us aboard. we replied with our musketry as soon as they got within range, and waller picked off several of their people with his rifle, so that they probably fancied we had some good marksmen concealed under our bulwarks. when they drew nearer, however, they could not have failed to discover the smallness of our numbers. as they sailed faster than we did, all we could do to prevent their raking us, which more than once they attempted to do, was to keep away when they endeavoured to cross our bows, and to luff up again when they threatened to pass under our stern. seeing, therefore, that the quickest way of deciding the engagement was to run us on board, they bore right down upon us; and, unable to avoid them, the fluke of our anchor became hooked on to their fore-rigging. at the same instant full thirty swarthy figures were seen crowding into the spaniard's riggings and nettings, brandishing their swords, with fierce cries of vengeance, thinking to terrify us into surrendering. "now, my lads! give them the dose i spoke of," shouted waller. the enemy leaped down on our deck, and were already in possession of the forecastle. the tarpaulin was cast off from the gun, and the muzzle, loaded as it was with missiles of all sorts, was turned towards them, and fired right in among them where they mustered the thickest. scarcely a man escaped being hit; five were killed outright; and so astonished were the rest, that, thinking probably that the vessel herself was blowing up, they tumbled, scrambled, and clambered back into their own schooner in the greatest confusion. "on! my boys, on!" shouted waller; and, making a dash at the fellows, we much expedited their movements. in an instant not an enemy was left alive on our decks. "up with the helm!" sung out waller; and at the same time jack and another man cutting away at the fore-rigging of the enemy, we sheered clear of him; while he, backing his fore-topsail, dropped under our stern without firing a shot. we therefore hauled our wind, and kept on our course, and soon afterwards he filled his sails, and stood away to the southward. he had enjoyed a sufficient taste of our quality. not one of us was hurt, while a quarter of his people must have been killed or wounded. our men gave a loud huzza as they found themselves free. to me it seemed like a wild dream. a few minutes before we were engaged in a desperate struggle for life; and now, uninjured, we were sailing gaily over the calm water, victors in the strife. had it not been for the dead bodies of our foes remaining on the deck, we could scarcely have believed our senses. this action is considered one of the most gallant that has occurred on the coast. the next day, to our great satisfaction, the _opossum_ hove in sight. captain idle, having taken our prisoners out of us, ordered us to proceed forthwith with the negroes to sierra leone for adjudication. chapter twenty one. blown off the coast--waller's kindness to the negroes--run short of provisions and water--vessel leaking--american hard-heartedness-- waller's noble resolve--beach bahia--audacious trick of brazilian slave-dealers. we had parted from the _opossum_ about a couple of days, when we observed signs of one of those terrific easterly gales which sometimes blow off the coast of africa. waller, from his previous experience, knew them, and remarked them in time, so that we were able to get all snug to meet the wind when it came. on a sudden the hitherto calm leaden water was covered with a foam-drift, like the fine sand swept across the stony desert. the only sail we had set was a close-reefed topsail and storm-jib; the helm was put up, and away she flew before the gale, swift as the albatross on its snowy wing. away, away we sped, and soon, leaving the african coast far astern, were ploughing the water of the south atlantic. the _zerlina_, though a beautiful model, as are most of her class, was flimsily built, and far from a good sea-boat, speed only having been cared for in her construction. as we got away from the land, we met a good deal of sea, in which she laboured much; and ned awlhole, one of the carpenter's mates, who was acting carpenter, came one afternoon with a very long face into the cabin, where waller and i were sitting at dinner, to inform us that she was making far more water than was satisfactory. "get the pumps rigged, then, and we must try and keep her clear till we can manage to beat back to sierra leone," said waller, as coolly as if it were a matter of slight importance. "it is rather a serious thing this, is it not?" i observed. "i wonder you make so light of it." "very serious; and on that account it behoves us, as officers, to keep up our own spirits, and to cheer up the men," he replied. "i am sorry to say also, that i very much fear we shall fall short of water before we get into port, if this wind continues; and, with all these poor blacks on board, that will indeed be a very serious thing. good seamanship may enable us to keep, the ship afloat, but god only can provide us with water." "what must we do, then?" i asked. "we must place all hands on short allowance, and we may fall in with some vessel which may supply us; or showers may come, and we may collect enough for our more pressing wants," he replied. "we must keep the poor negroes on deck as much as possible--with fresh air they may exist with less water." waller had speedily won the confidence and affection of the negroes, by his kindness and considerate conduct. at first, when we had taken possession of the vessel, they looked upon us as enemies, for the spaniards had told them that we should cook and eat them; but waller, who could speak a few words of their language, soon tranquillised their fears on that account. he then got upon deck the sick, and those whose limbs were chafed or bruised, and gave them medicines, and dressed their wounds with his own hands. he told them that they should be set free to go where they wished, and should, if possible, be enabled to return to their own country. few, however, had any hope of being enabled to do the latter, for they had mostly all been taken in war, or kidnapped from districts away from the coast, the wars being undertaken by the chiefs nearer the sea for the express purpose of making prisoners to sell into slavery. two or three of those who had been kidnapped had already been at sierra leone, or other british settlements, and as they understood a good deal of english, we were able to communicate pretty freely with them. we found them, poor children of ham, very intelligent fellows, and as capable of receiving instruction as the people of any other race i have ever met. waller's good example was followed by the crew, and at last each man vied in showing kindness to the poor wretches, so that they learned to look on us truly as their friends and protectors. we did but our duty. they were our fellow-creatures, and we were soon to be fellows in suffering. at first i own it was very trying, and more than once, as i was dressing their wounds, i turned sick; but i recollected that they were fellow-beings, with human feelings, and souls to be saved, like ours, and i returned to my duty with renewed strength to perform it. at length we found that we could, with perfect safety, allow all the blacks to come on deck as they liked. whenever waller appeared, they shouted after him--"how do, masser waller? bless 'um, masser waller!" and some would come and kneel down, and put his hand on their heads, with a look of affection which was unmistakeable. "i believe, sir, it's all very right with these poor fellows, and there's no harm in them," said jack stretcher to me one day. "but, to my mind, it doesn't do to trust these strange niggers too much. they sometimes, i've heard, rises and cuts the throats of their friends." i agreed with jack that it was necessary, in most cases, to be cautious; but in the present instance it was evident, as things turned out, that it was owing to waller's judicious treatment of the negroes that all our lives were preserved. all this time the wind was blowing so strongly from the eastward, that we found it impossible to beat up against it, so we had nothing else to do but to continue running before it. every day matters were getting more and more serious; our own provisions were growing shorter. of anything like luxuries we had none--salt beef and pork, hard biscuit and rice, and a little tea and sugar, with a cask of rum--none of the best either, by-the-bye. waller called me into the cabin for a consultation. "to get back to the coast is now impossible," he remarked. "if this wind holds, and we can keep the craft afloat, our best chance is to try and make the coast of brazil. the port of bahia is the nearest, and i propose steering for that place." i agreed with him; but we neither of us had any very strong hopes of being really able to make it in time to save our own lives and those of the negroes. on carefully examining our stock of provisions, we found that only by the most economical expenditure of them, and with the most favourable weather, should we be able to reach our destination in time. a foul wind, or a day or two of calm, would ruin us; and a gale would in all probability send us to the bottom. the blacks, of their own accord, took their spell at the pumps, and finally relieved our men entirely of the labour. had they been compelled to continue pumping, it would, i am certain, have worn them out. we most dreaded a want of water. not a cloud appeared from which we might draw it forth, and scarcely could we expect a shower. though constantly on the look-out, not a vessel could we see, from whence we might get provisions. at length, one morning, as jack stretcher had gone aloft-- "a sail on the weather-bow!" he sung out, in a cheery tone, which gave hope to all our hearts. "she's standing across our course, so we can speak her without altering it." in about two hours we were up to her. she was a good sized brig, and the ensign, with the stars and stripes, which flew out at her peak, showed that she hailed from the united states. we had a signal of distress flying, in addition to the british ensign. "hillo! what are you?" sung out a man in her main-rigging. "a prize to his britannic majesty's brig of war _opossum_," answered waller. "what are you?" "the _go-along_, from baltimore, bound for rio," answered a person on board the brig, through a speaking-trumpet. "heave-to, if you please, sir, and i will pay you a visit--we are in great distress," said waller. "ay, ay, sir," was the reply from the brig, as she was speedily brought up on a wind and hove-to. so soon as we could get a boat in the water, leaving jack in charge, waller and i went on board the brig. the master, a tall, thin, sallow man, with a pointed beard, no whiskers, and a hooked nose, with a huge cigar in his mouth, a straw hat on his head, loose nankeen trousers, and a gingham swallow-tailed coat, received us at the gangway. "walk into the cabin, gentlemen, and let's liquor a bit," said he, as we stepped on board, showing us the way before we had time to reply. the cabin, to our eyes, looked luxuriously furnished, and not unwelcome was the repast of cold beef and ham and fine biscuits which the steward placed speedily before us, not forgetting a spirit-stand with four tall bottles. we did ample justice to the good things placed before us. "and now, what's your pleasure, mr lieutenant?" laid the master of the brig. waller explained exactly what had occurred. "and now," he continued, "we are in a sinking state; we have neither provisions nor water to last us till we can reach a port; and the destruction of all these poor people is sealed if you do not help us." "what! take all them dirty niggers aboard my craft?" exclaimed the skipper, with a look of ineffable disgust. "you britishers have rum notions, i calculate." "no, pardon me," said waller. "i only ask you to preserve from almost certain destruction a number of our fellow-creatures; and any remuneration which you may require will certainly be paid you." "what! do you call them black niggers fellow-creatures, master? that's a rum joke, i guess," exclaimed the skipper. "i should be happy to be of service to you, but you are so unreasonable,--that you are." "scarcely unreasonable, sir," urged waller, mildly. "can you not name a sum for which you could land all the people i have on board at bahia, or the nearest port we can make." "no, sir; i guess no sum would pay me to defile my vessel in the way you propose," said the yankee. "i'll take you and your own crew with pleasure; but the niggers are out of the question." "what! would you leave the poor wretches to perish in the most horrible way, with thirst and starvation?" exclaimed waller, shuddering at the thought. "they are niggers," said the yankee, coolly puffing forth a cloud of smoke, and leaning back in his chair with a self-satisfied look. "hear me, sir!" exclaimed waller, rising, a flush mantling on his brow. "i have six thousand pounds of my own in this world. that sum i will make over to you, by every legal means you can devise, if you will take these poor people on board your brig, and land them in a place of safety. this shall be over and above what my government may award you. i entreat you, as you hope for mercy here and hereafter, to do as i ask." "not if you were to go down on your knees and pray till to-morrow morning," replied the yankee, slowly. "niggers are niggers, and they can't be otherwise. if you and your people like to come aboard, you are welcome. you've got my answer, sir." "then, sir," exclaimed waller, rising from his seat, "i'll trust to the negroes' god, to mine, and to yours, for that help which you deny them. may you never be in the same strait and seek in vain for help. good day, sir." the yankee looked at us with an expression more of surprise than anger as we left the brig's deck. "stay! you are not a bad chap, i guess. here, just take these things; you are welcome to them." saying this he ordered a cask of water, some beef and biscuits, and a few little luxuries, to be put into the boat. we were not in a position to decline the gift; and, to do the yankee full justice, he would receive no remuneration. we thanked him sincerely; and assured him that we regretted deeply our opinions on the nature of negroes did not coincide; at which he shrugged his shoulders, and we pulled back to the schooner. we again made sail for the westward. when i told jack stretcher what had occurred, he slapped his hand on his thigh, and exclaimed: "mr waller was right, sir, that he was, not to think of deserting the poor niggers; and there isn't a man of us but would gladly stick by him to the last." i told waller what jack had said, and he replied that he was sure all our people would have refused to have deserted the poor blacks, even if he had proposed so cruel a proceeding to them. we husbanded to the utmost the provisions we had brought from the brig; though, divided among all the people, there was scarcely more than enough to sustain life for a day. still, not a seaman grumbled. far from so doing, he willingly shared his own scanty allowance with any negro who appeared more particularly to require sustenance. it was amusing to see the weather-beaten, thick-bearded men carrying about the little black children, whose mothers were too weak to bring them on deck. though these africans had hitherto been taught, with good reason, to look upon white men as incarnations of devils, they began to consider our gallant fellows as something approaching to angels; and, like savages in general, always in extremes, they were ready now to worship us. providentially the easterly wind continued, and the sea remained calm, so that we made very good way, and were able to keep the leak under. it was with a sense of deep gratitude that we at length made the land, when we had not a drop of water remaining, and with scarcely food enough to sustain life for another day. we fondly believed that all our troubles were over. the negroes shouted, and clapped their hands, and laughed with joy: some of them fancied, i believe, that they had got back to africa. the next morning we dropped our anchor in the harbour of bahia. waller proposed to get the schooner repaired, to take in a supply of provisions, and to return to sierra leone, intending, if necessary, to bear all the expenses himself. now i am going to relate a circumstance which may seem very strange, but is, nevertheless, perfectly true. as soon as we brought up, waller went on shore, intending to report all that had occurred to the british consul, and to get his assistance in carrying out his intentions. i was in the meantime left in charge on board. waller had been gone a couple of hours, and i was looking anxiously for his return, hoping that he would bring some provisions and water, when, as i was walking the deck, i observed three boats pulling off towards us. as they came near, i saw that one of them contained several men in uniform. they stepped on board without ceremony; and one of them presented a paper, in portuguese, which looked like an official document, though, of course, i could not make it out. i shook my head to signify this, when he commenced explaining in broken english that he and his party were sent by the governor to convey the negroes on shore, that the vessel might be the more speedily hove-down to be repaired. i was somewhat surprised that waller had not first returned; but it never occurred to me to suspect a fraud in the matter. while the portuguese were speaking, three more boats came alongside, and in a very few minutes all the blacks were transferred from the schooner into them. without an instant's delay, the boats left the schooner's sides; but instead of making towards the town, they pulled away to a spot some distance from it, where the negroes were landed, and i lost sight of them. about an hour after this, waller returned. "i have settled with the consul, who will have a large store, where our poor blackies can be housed comfortably while the schooner is repaired; but he says we must keep a strict watch over them, for the people here are such determined slave-dealers, that they will kidnap them before our eyes." my heart sunk as i heard these words, and i felt like a culprit. "why," i exclaimed, "the governor has sent and had them all conveyed on shore." waller could scarcely believe his senses when he found all the negroes gone. he hurried back to the consul, who went with him to the governor. the governor knew nothing whatever of the matter, nor did any of the officials of the town. the consul and some of the british in the place made every inquiry in their power, but no information whatever could they obtain. there could, however, be no doubt that some slave-dealers had carried out the nefarious plot, while, by the employment of bribes, they easily contrived to escape detection. waller felt the matter very severely. to have the poor negroes, in whom he took so great an interest, carried into slavery, after all the toil and danger he had gone through, was almost heartbreaking. for long afterwards he could scarcely bear to speak on the subject. it was not without difficulty that we got the schooner repaired; but at last she was ready for sea, and without further delay we made sail for sierra leone. we had a very fine run across. within a day's sail of the coast, we fell in with a slaver, which, supposing us to be of the same kidney as herself, allowed us to ran alongside; so that, without the slightest opposition, we took possession of her. although she had no slaves on board, she was in every respect fitted to carry them. she had but a small crew, it being evidently intended to take more men on board when the slaves were shipped. waller thought it best to remove them into the _zerlina_, while he sent me and three hands, with jack stretcher as my first-lieutenant, to navigate the prize into port. as may be supposed, i felt very proud of my new command, and pictured to myself the satisfaction i should have in reporting my arrival at sierra leone. chapter twenty two. my new command--a heavy squall and capsize--saved on the bottom of the schooner--taken off by a slaver--chased by the opossum--the spaniard's threat--a hurricane--shipwreck--my friends the marlows--conclusion. there is a common saying that "there's many a slip between the cup and the lip." i experienced the truth of it on the present occasion. scarcely had i got on board my new command, when one of the thick fogs i have before described came on. the _zerlina_ was leading, and being by far the faster vessel of the two, was already a mile ahead of us. however, i was pressing on all sail to keep up with her, while waller shortened sail to enable me to effect this object. the fog grew thicker and thicker, and at last night came on, and we lost sight of our consort. the fog lasted two days. when at length it partially cleared, we saw a sail hull down to the southward; but not another speck was visible in the whole circle of the horizon. "we must pack on her, and try and overtake mr waller," said i to jack stretcher. "he will heave-to for us, probably, when he finds we are so far astern." pack on her we did, in truth. if jack had a fault as a seaman, it was a too great fondness for carrying on to the last. we neither of us took warning from our misfortune in the _opossum_. the faster the little schooner ran through the water, the greater was our satisfaction. "if we continue to make as good way as we do at present, we shall soon overtake the _zerlina_," said i to jack. "she's got a clean pair of heels of her own, i'll allow; but we have taught our little craft to go along too," he answered, looking up with no small amount of pride at our well-set canvas. a true sailor has a pride in the good behaviour of any craft he happens to be on board. thus a couple of hours passed, and we certainly were gaining on our consort. i own that i had not been keeping that look-out to mark any change in the weather which i ought to have done. in a tropical climate, especially, a seaman cannot be too careful--the changes are so very sudden. i had gone below to dinner, that meal consisting of some cold salt beef and hard biscuit, washed down with rum-and-water drunk out of a tin cup. i had been off the deck rather more than half an hour, and was just putting my head up the companion-hatch, when i heard jack stretcher sing out, "let go the fore-sheet!--down with the helm!--down with the--" before he could finish the sentence, there came the rushing sound of a heavy squall. down bent the schooner to its fury--over, over she went. to spring on deck and to clamber up to the weather-bulwarks was the work of a moment. still the vessel rose not: the helm had lost its power; the sheets remained fast; her sails reached the water. "she's gone!--she's gone!" shouted my crew. i still had a faint hope she might right herself again; but when she made the attempt, the furious wind beat her back, the sea washed over her sails, and in another moment she turned completely over. i can scarcely describe my sensations. i had no time, i fancy, to experience any; at all events, i do not remember what they were. i never lost hope; for, bad as things were, i did not expect to be drowned. in the meantime i had clambered to the outside of the bulwarks. "give me your hand here, sir!" i heard jack stretcher sing out, and looking up, i saw that he was hanging on to the main-chains. with his assistance, as the vessel went over, i managed to climb up on her keel, and there we together sat for the moment in comparative security. like a true sailor, he had caught hold of a rope, and brought the end up with him. our first thought was to look out for our shipmates. one had, unhappily, been below; the other two had been washed off the deck. they were, however, supporting themselves in the water, at no great distance from the vessel. when they saw us they shouted to us to help them, for neither of them were good swimmers. "keep up, my lads!" cried jack, in return. "get a little nearer, and i'll lend you a hand." meantime he was hauling in on the rope, and coiling it up ready to heave to them. just then i saw something dark moving under the water close astern of the vessel. jack saw it also, as i guessed by the glance of his eye. "what's that!" i asked, a thrilling sensation of horror creeping over me, for i knew too well. "one of those sea-devils--a shark, sir," he answered, in a low tone. then he shouted out, "strike away, my lads!--strike away! you'll soon be within reach. never say die! strike away! hurra!" inspirited by these words of encouragement, one of the men at length got within reach of the rope. jack hove it to him. he made a spring and grasped the end, and without difficulty we hauled him up, he little suspecting the terrific danger he had for the present escaped. the strength of the other poor fellow was evidently fast failing. the dreaded monster of the deep was not far from him. still, happily, he did not know of its presence, and the exertions he made kept it at a distance. "i'm afraid poor sandy will never reach us, sir," said jack, looking at him compassionately. "just do you, sir, and jim dore, lay hold of the end of the rope, and i'll try and carry it out to him. there isn't much fear of jack shark as long as one keeps moving; and i see a bit of a stick down there, which i'll catch hold of, and give him such a rap on the nose if he attempts to meddle with me, that he'll remember it for many a day to come." he said this as he was coiling up the rope again. i could not dissuade him from his gallant resolve, and yet so dreadful seemed the risk of his being destroyed by the shark, that i almost wished he had not thought of it. jim and i caught hold of the other end of the rope, and seizing it without another word, he plunged into the sea, encouraging sandy to perseverance with his loud shouts. he first grasped the piece of wood he had seen, and with it in his hand he swam towards sandy, every now and then stopping to strike the water vehemently with it. although the foam was flying over the tops of the waves all the time, and the sea was washing up the sides and almost sweeping as off from where we sat, under the lee of the vessel it was comparatively calm. anxiously indeed did i watch my brave shipmate's proceeding. every moment i expected to see the shark make a dash at him, but his splashings and kickings kept the monster at bay. he was almost up to poor mctavish, when the latter threw up his arms and disappeared from our sight. jack was after him, though; and, diving down, in another instant appeared holding him by the hair. throwing the bight of the rope under his arms, he sang out to us to haul away on it. we did so, while he supported the man with one hand, and kept slashing the water with the stick which he held in the other. meantime i saw the fin of the shark as the monster kept swimming about in his neighbourhood, eager evidently to make a dash at him, yet afraid of approaching. at length we got the almost drowned man up to the side of the vessel, and were hauling him up, jack still being in the water, when some feeling, i scarcely know what, prompted me to look in the direction where i had just before seen the shark. the monster was no longer there. i instantly cried out to jack. the words were scarcely out of my mouth, when he made a spring and scrambled out of the water by the main-chain-plates. then, turning round, he dealt a tremendous blow at the tail of the shark, who had closely followed him. "i'll teach you to play such a sneaking trick as that, my boy!" he shouted, as the greedy fish swam off discomfited. i breathed more freely when brave jack was once more seated alongside of me on the keel of the vessel sandy mctavish, whose life he had thus so gallantly preserved, now came to his senses, and in a short time was sufficiently recovered to take care of himself. our position, however, was far from enviable. here were we, four human beings, seated on the keel of a vessel which might any moment go down, with neither land nor a sail in sight. for some time, after all our exertions, we sat silent, collecting our thoughts. "well, jack," said i, "what are we to do?" "wait patiently, till god sends us help, sir," he replied. "we can't help ourselves. it's fortunate we've just had our dinners. we shall hold out the longer." we scarcely exchanged another word for some hours, but kept wistfully glancing our eyes round the horizon, in the hopes of a sail appearing. shortly before darkness came on, and the hour of ten passed by, i began to feel rather hungry. at the same time i happened to put my hand into my pocket, and there i found the greater part of a ship's biscuit, which, as i was quitting the cabin, i had mechanically thrust into it. i almost shouted for joy as i found the prize--though it was not much to be divided among four men. the discovery made the rest fumble in their pockets. mctavish had a tobacco-box, which he had only just filled, and jack found a huge lump of grease, which, though not very savoury, was not to be despised. how it had come there he could not recollect. these treasures, however, we determined not to begin to consume till the following morning, for that night we had no hopes of being taken off the wreck. the squall had rapidly passed off, and the ocean was now as calm as before. the sky was clear, and the sun went down in a blaze of glory, shedding a bright ruddy hue over the wide expanse which surrounded us. night came on, and the stars burst forth from the blue vault of heaven, and cast their reflection on the smooth, mirror-like water, as we sat on, hour after hour, afraid of going to sleep, lest we should slip from our hold, yet longing for repose. at last it occurred to me to have the rope passed from one to the other, and secured round our waists, so that if one fell asleep and began to slip, the rest might support him. thus we got through the longest night i had ever then passed. the grey dawn came at length, and as the light rapidly increased, we looked anxiously around the horizon, but nothing but the smooth glassy sea met our sight. oh, then, well do i remember it! there came over me a deep sense of our utter helplessness, and of the palpable necessity of dependence on a higher power. of what use was our strength? of what use was our seamanship? our strength without food would quickly leave us; while all we could do was to sit still. i spoke my thoughts to my companions. they listened attentively, and we all knelt down together on our unstable support, and prayed to god for preservation from our great peril. after this act we felt refreshed and encouraged; and i observed that the voices of my companions assumed a more cheerful tone than before. our trials, however, were but commencing. as the sun rose in the sky, his beams struck down on our undefended heads and scorched us dreadfully, till jack bethought him of fastening his handkerchief over the top of his, and we followed his example. instead of breakfast, we each of us took a quid from sandy's box, and that had the effect of staying our appetites for some hours. this, however, did not satisfy our stomachs entirely, and a short time after noon we could no longer resist attacking our scanty store of provisions. my biscuit i broke in two, and returning one-half to my pocket, i divided the other into four parts, jack treating his lump of grease in the same way. we ate it with a relish i can scarcely describe. it was the only food we consumed for the whole of the day. again the sun went down without a sail having appeared. that night passed away as had the former one, though each of us got rather more sleep. the next morning there was the same dull calm. noon came, and with a heavy heart i served out the remainder of our provisions, but none of us seemed to care much for food. water was what we craved for. a thimbleful to moisten our tongues would have been worth its bulk in gold. a raging thirst was growing on us. i urged the men to abstain from drinking salt water, for i well knew that if they did, it would only increase their sufferings. earnestly did i pray that we might not have to endure another night on the wreck, for i thought that we could never exist through it; but the night came, and we passed it, how, i scarcely know, for, though not asleep, i was certainly not fully awake, except to a sense of some overpowering misfortune. the day came, a day which we must pass without food or water. our sufferings hitherto had not been great, but this morning they became very intense. hope, which had till now never deserted us, began to grow faint, and alas! even trust in god's providence to wane. i tried to pray, but my thoughts were confused. i could not for two consecutive minutes fix them on the same subject, and i experienced practically the folly of attempting to wait for a death-bed repentance, for sickness, or for such a moment as the present, for reconciliation with god. i speak of my own feelings, and i believe that they were not far different from those of my men. hour after hour we sat gazing stupidly at each other. the hot sun rose and scorched us as before, while the bright glare his rays cast on the smooth ocean almost blinded our eyes. several times i tried to rouse myself to talk to my men, and to encourage them; but i own that i failed miserably in the attempt, and, from weakness, i was scarcely able to refrain from giving way to a flood of tears. it was some time past noon, when i saw jack's countenance brighten up. "what is it?" i asked. he pointed eagerly to the southward. i turned round, and looked, and there i saw in the horizon a long, thin, well-defined, dark blue line, and in the centre of it a white speck. "a breeze! a breeze!" i cried. "ay, and a sail, too," added jack. "she is standing this way. huzza! my lads." jim and sandy cheered faintly. they were the first words they had uttered for some hours. we now all found our tongues, a fillip had been given to our spirits, and we thought scarcely of our hunger or thirst. the dark blue line advanced, and grew wider and wider, till it spread itself over the ocean; and the white speck grew higher and higher, till the topsails of a vessel were seen rising out of the water. oh! with what intense anxiety did we watch her, fearing every moment to see her alter her course, or pass by without noticing us. "can she be the _zerlina_?" said i to jack. "i think when mr waller found that we were not following him, he would have put back to look for us." "no, sir; she has too wide a spread of canvas, to my mind, for the _zerlina_," answered jack. "i'm doubtful what she is." "maybe she's the _opossum_ hersel'," remarked sandy. "i ken she ought to be found hereabouts." "no, no, my boy; that craft is a square-rigged schooner, and a big one too," said jack, positively. less than an hour showed us he was right, and a long, low, black, rakish-looking schooner, with a wide spread of canvas, everything set alow and aloft, to catch the breeze, came sweeping past us. "she's a slaver," i exclaimed, with dismay. "ay, and has as wicked a look as i ever wish to see," said jack. he was right in his description, and as she glided by us, a villainous set of ruffians of every shade of colour, of every variety of costume, appeared looking at us over her bulwarks. still, ruffians as they might be, it appeared better to be taken off by them than to remain and perish where we were. we waved to them to come to us, and jack and jim dore sung out, "_misericordia_! _misericordia_!" they appeared, however, to take no notice, either of our signs or our cries, and our hearts sank within us. happy would it have been for us had they left us where we were (so it seemed a short time afterwards). however, directly they had passed us, their studding-sails were taken in, the yards braced up, and in fine seamanlike style the schooner was rounded-to, close to leeward of us. a boat was instantly lowered, and pulled up alongside the wreck. her crew did not improve in appearance on a nearer inspection. as they made signs to us to get into the boat, we slid off the bottom of the schooner, when they hauled us in, and placed us in the stern-sheets. while they were pulling on board their own vessel i saw them eyeing my uniform with suspicious glances, and they made remarks which i did not understand. our condition was sad enough to excite the compassion of anything human. when we were lifted on deck we could scarcely stand, and even jack, with drooping head, had to support himself against the bulwarks, and little would any of those who saw him have supposed the gallant deeds of which his brawny arm was capable. our lack-lustre eyes and parched lips showed what we most needed, and at last some of the crew brought us some water in a bowl, which speedily revived us, while others came with a mixture of soup and beans. i never ate anything i thought so delicious, in spite of its being redolent of garlic, and containing no small quantity of grease. while we were being fed, the boat was hoisted in, the schooner put before the wind, and the studding-sails again set. she was a powerful vessel, and, from several unmistakeable signs, i perceived that she was full of slaves. i had done eating, and was beginning to look about me, when a little, dark, one-eyed man, who by his dress i saw was an officer, came up to me, and taking me by one of my uniform buttons, asked-- "what for this?" "it's the button of my coat," said i, in a simple tone. "i know. you officer, then?" asked my friend. "english ship?" "i have that honour," i replied. "what ship, then?" he inquired. i told him. "how came you, then, there?" he asked, pointing to the wreck, which we were fast leaving astern. i told him the truth. "what say you, then, if we cut your throats, and heave you overboard?" he asked; and as i looked at the twinkle of his one eye, and the expression of his lips, i thought that he was capable of any act of atrocity; but i determined to put a good face on the matter. "i do not see why you should murder us," i replied, calmly. "we neither wish to harm you, nor can we; and as you have just preserved our lives, it would be something like destroying your own work." "we will see about that," he remarked. "you might find us sometimes in a humour when there would not be much doubt about the matter. your men are safe enough, as they will doubtless join us, and three stout hands will be welcome. you may think yourself fortunate, if you ever set foot ashore alive." i saw jack, who was listening, put his tongue in his cheek, as much as to say, "do not reckon on my joining your villainous crew." i had remarked that the captain of the slaver, for such i guessed the little man to be, improved in his way of speaking english as he proceeded, and i therefore warned jack and the others to be careful what they said, lest they should offend him. after this conversation we were left alone, and sitting down on deck, i was very soon fast asleep. i was awoke by a man bringing me a mess of some sort to eat, and when i had devoured it i should have fallen asleep again, but the captain came up and told me that i might turn into a spare cabin on deck. taking off my clothes, i threw myself on the bed, and slept without moving till the grey light of dawn came in at the scuttle. i was awoke by a loud jabbering and swearing, and presently the sound of a gun came booming over the water. there was then the noise of blocks creaking and ropes rattling, denoting that more sail was being made on the vessel. i dressed quickly and opened the door of my cabin, but scarcely had i stepped out on deck when my shoulder was roughly seized by the captain of the slaver, while with his other hand he pointed to a large brig about three miles off, under all sail, standing directly for our larboard quarter. "what craft is that?" he asked, fiercely. "your men say they do not know her. do you?" i looked again. i had no doubt she was the _opossum_. "if i am not mistaken, she is the ship to which i belong," i replied, calmly. "is she fast?" he asked. "she is reputed so," i answered. "but i doubt it she is so fast as this vessel." "for your sakes, as well as for ours, it is to be hoped not," he observed, with a grin which i thought perfectly demoniacal. "if she overhauls us, we shall be obliged to put into execution a trick we play at times, when too hotly pursued by your cruisers; only, instead of expending our negroes, who are valuable, we shall be compelled to make use of you and your people. it will be happy for you, if there are no sharks ready to grab you before your ship lowers a boat to pick you up. you understand me?" i did, too well. the slavers, when hotly pressed by a cruiser, will throw overboard some of their blacks, one by one, lashed to something to float them, trusting that the humanity of the british commander will induce him to heave-to, and to pick them up, although thus delaying him in his chase. i felt very sure my one-eyed friend would put his threat into execution; and though it certainly afforded us a way of getting back to our ship, the risk in the interim of being caught by a shark was far too great to be contemplated with equanimity. "if you do throw us overboard, i only hope that you will provide us with sticks, or some weapons with which to defend ourselves against the sharks," said i. "you are a brave boy," said he, "and deserve a better fate; but it cannot be helped." there was a fine breeze, but nothing more; and by the time the schooner's sails were trimmed, as i looked over the side i saw that she was making good way through the water. i doubted whether the _opossum_ could go faster; and i saw, at all events, that, like other stern chases, this would be a long one. it very probably would last two or three days, perhaps longer. i scarcely knew what to wish. were it not for those dreadful sea monsters, we all of us might be able to get on board the brig, and help to capture the schooner afterwards, i thought to myself. we were allowed perfect liberty to walk about the decks as we liked; so i went up to jack, and asked him what he thought about the probability of the brig overtaking us. "why, sir," he replied, after contemplating her, and looking over the schooner's side for some time, "this craft has got as clean a pair of heels as any vessel i was ever aboard; and though our brig, i'll allow, is no laggard, i doubt if she'll overtake her, if the wind holds steady, before we reach the west indies, where, i take it, we are bound." jack was right, with regard to the relative speed of the two vessels, at all events. as i kept my eye on the brig, i could not but acknowledge that we were slowly but surely increasing our distance from her. this put the captain in good humour. "ah! my young friend," he said, tapping me on the shoulder, "you have escaped the sharks this time, i believe." at night i turned in and went to sleep, for i had not yet recovered from my want of rest and unusual anxiety. the next morning, there, however, was the brig, right astern of us, though we had much increased our distance from her. when i appeared, the captain gave me no friendly look; and it was only towards the evening, when we had brought her topsails beneath the horizon, that his good humour was re-established. another night passed, and the brig was out of sight. i thought it more than probable, however, that captain idle was still following, in the hopes of finding us becalmed, or in some other way falling in with us. i cannot stop to describe the scenes of gambling and fighting continually going on among the schooner's lawless crew, though their outbreaks of fury were generally repressed, before arriving at extremities, by the energy of the little captain. we got on tolerably well with them. jack danced his hornpipe, i sang, and the other two men made themselves generally useful. i, therefore, no longer had any great fears about our present safety. a dreadful doom was, however, prepared for most on board. one night i was awoke by a terrific noise, and, rushing on deck, i found that one of those fierce hurricanes which occur at times in the tropics had just commenced. amid a mass of spoondrift the schooner drove helplessly before it. the night was dark as pitch, except when vivid flashes of forked lightning darted from the clouds and shed a bright blue glare on our decks, exhibiting a scene of horror and confusion seldom surpassed. the seamen ran to and fro shrieking with terror, calling on their saints to help them, and vowing candles and other offerings at their shrines, the fiercest and most quarrelsome generally showing the most abject fear. the little captain, to do him justice, kept his presence of mind, and endeavoured to restore order, but he had lost all control over his crew. jack found his way aft to where i was standing, and i was truly glad to have him near me. "it's to be hoped there's no land under our lee, or it will fare ill with us," said he. "but i'm not quite certain. just now, when there was a bright flash of lightning, i thought i saw something very like it right ahead of us. we must be ready for the worst, i'm thinking, mr d'arcy." i felt this to be the case, and prayed earnestly to god to stretch forth his hand to save us. scarcely a minute had elapsed after jack had spoken, when the tempest, thundering down on the accursed slave ship more violently than before, the lightning flashing more vividly, a terrific shock was felt, which made her tremble as if about to part asunder; the tall masts bent like willow wands, and fell with a crash into the sea; and the voracious waves came curling up, foam-crested, astern, and sweeping everything before them. the howling of the fierce hurricane overpowered the agonised shrieks of the drowning crew, as they were carried overboard; while from the hold arose the heart-piercing cries of despair and terror of the helpless negroes who were confined there, deprived of even a chance of escape. our two shipmates had found their way aft, to where jack and i were holding on for our lives, sheltered partly by the raised poop. still we drove on. we had evidently been forced over a reef, and we hoped that we might reach smooth water. the sea no longer broke over us. "what say you, lads? let's try to give those poor fellows down there a chance for their lives," cried jack. all agreed to the proposal. there were scarcely any spaniards left to stop us; and had there been, i do not think they would have ventured to interfere. i had observed some axes hung up inside the cabin-door, and seizing them, we tore off the hatches, and leaped down among the terror-stricken wretches below. sandy had bethought him of securing some lanterns, for in the dark we could do nothing. as soon as he had brought them, and we had got them lighted, jack singing out, "_amigos_!--_amigos_!--have no fear, my hearties!" we set to work with a right good will, and knocked the fetters off a considerable number of the unfortunate negroes. the operation was nearly completed, when we felt another terrific shock vibrate through the ship. again and again she struck. we had just time to spring up the main-hatchway, followed by the howling terrified blacks, when the sides of the ship seemed to yawn asunder; a foaming wave rushed towards us, and at the same moment a vivid flash of lightning showed us the shore, not a hundred yards off. "there's hope yet," i heard jack exclaim. there is, after that, a wild confusion in my mind of shrieks and groans; of foaming, tossing waters; of pieces of plank driven to and fro; of arms outstretched; of despairing countenances, some pale or livid, some of ebon hue, lighted up ever and anon by a flash of lightning. i was clinging, i found, to a small piece of timber torn from the wreck. now i was driven near the sands; now carried out to sea; tossed about on the tops of the foaming waves, rolled over and over, and almost drowned with the spray. still i held on convulsively, half conscious only of my awful position. it seemed rather like some dreadful dream than a palpable reality. how long i had been tossing about in this way, i knew not. daylight had been stealing on even before the final catastrophe had occurred. at length i know that i felt myself carried near the sands, and while i was trying to secure a footing, some black figures rushed into the water and dragged me on shore. my preservers were, i discovered, some of the negroes who had escaped from the wreck. i was too much exhausted to stand; so they carried me up out of the reach of the waves, and laid me on the sands, while they returned once more to the edge of the water. their object was evident. by the increasing light i saw several figures clinging to the rocks, against which i concluded the vessel had struck. full twenty negroes were on the beach, which was strewed with bits of plank and spars, and coils of rope, and other portions of the wreck. presently i saw four or five of them plunge into the water together, holding the end of a rope. they struck out bravely, and though more than once driven back, they still made way, till they reached the rock, up which they clambered. the people on the rock helped them out of the water. there were several negroes, a few of whom were women, and three white men. one of the white men held a black infant in his arms, and as the light increased, i recognised my friend jack stretcher. "just like the gallant fellow!" thought i. at that dreadful moment, when most people would have been thinking only of their own preservation, he looked out for the most helpless being, that he might try and save it, even at the risk of his own life. i hope the mother of the infant has escaped to thank him; but, at all events, he will have his reward. the other two men were my shipmates. of the slaver's crew, not a man had escaped. after this i remember nothing; for, from exhaustion, consequent on the blows i had received in the water, i fainted. i had a dreamy notion of being lifted up and carried along some distance, and of the hot sun scorching me; and then of entering the cool shade of a house, and of hearing a voice which i fancied i recollected, and thought very sweet, say, "why, papa, it's that little officer again. poor, poor fellow! how ill and wretched he looks!" i tried to open my eyes to look at the speaker, but had no strength left to lift even my eyelids. how long i had remained in a state of unconsciousness i could not tell, though i afterwards found it was some weeks. the next time i recollect opening my eyes, they rested on the features of miss alice marlow, and by her side was a young man in a lieutenant's uniform while at the foot of my couch stood jack stretcher. "where am i? how's all this?" i asked, in a faint voice. "you are in mr marlow's house, in the island of barbadoes," said the young officer. "as to the rest, it's a long yarn, and we'll spin it another time." "ah, and now i know you. you are waller," replied i. "well, old fellow, i'm glad you've got your promotion." "but the doctor says we must on no account have any talking; so come away, henry; and here, jack, is the fruit for mr d'arcy. he may eat as much of it as he likes," said miss alice. i recollect this scene; but i fancy after it i got a relapse, through which, however, i was mercifully carried, after a tough contest with death. oh! how tenderly and kindly i was nursed; every want was attended to--every wish gratified, almost before expressed--by an old black woman, who, day or night, scarcely ever left my bedside. i quite loved her good, old, ugly face--for ugly it was, without the possibility of contradiction, according to all european notions of beauty, though some of the descendants of ham, in her own torrid land, might at one time have thought it lovely. she was assisted in her labours by a damsel of the same ebon hue, who had been saved out of the slave ship; and i believe that the attention of the two women was redoubled on account of the way i had treated their unhappy countrymen on board that vessel. jack stretcher had been obliged to rejoin the brig, and had gone away in her. i was, however, frequently favoured by a visit from miss alice marlow and her kind father, in whose house i remained for many months, treated as if i had been a well-loved son. at length i was one morning riding down by the seashore, when the wide-spread canvas of a man-of-war caught my sight, standing in for the land. i recognised her at once as the _opossum_, and was therefore not surprised when, some hours afterwards, waller walked into mr marlow's drawing-room. captain idle and the doctor followed soon afterwards, and a consultation having been held, i was pronounced fit for duty, and compelled, with many regrets, to leave my kind friends, and to go on board. the brig soon afterwards returned to the coast of africa, where we took some slavers, went through various adventures, and lost several officers and men with fever; and i again fell sick, so that my life was despaired of. now, entertaining as these sort of things may be to read about, no one was sorry when, one fine morning, another brig-of-war hove in sight, bringing us orders to return home. "hurra for old england!" was the general cry, fore and aft. "hurra! hurra!" at length i once more found myself an inmate of daisy cottage, and many happy weeks i spent there--perhaps the happiest in my life--in the society of my uncle and aunt and young cousins. i there slowly, but effectually, recovered from the effects of the african climate, and the hardships i had lately gone through, and was ultimately pronounced as fit as ever for service. when larry harrigan heard that i was ill, he came over to ryde, and could scarcely be persuaded to leave me for a moment, till assured by the doctor that i was in no danger whatever, but even he seemed much to doubt the judgment of the learned disciple of galen. afterwards he allowed very few days to pass without coming to set me, till i was strong enough to return his visits, which i did not fail to do. the good, kind old man! he never went back to ireland, but lived on at southsea, in perfect comfort, till he and his wife reached a green old age. he used to tell me, confidentially, that there was an honest navy agent, who had found him out, and insisted on paying him a wonderful interest for a certain share of prize-money, which he had fortunately neglected to claim in his younger days. it was, in truth, a way i took of contributing to maintain the old man in comfort, without his feeling that he was a pensioner on my bounty. some time after i had been at home, i heard from my gallant friend waller, who had gone back to barbadoes. he gave me a piece of information, at which i own i was not very much surprised, namely, that he was on the point of bringing miss alice marlow to england as his bride. "i hope that she will prove worthy of him, for a finer fellow does not exist," said i. a short time before i left daisy cottage to join my next ship, i was sitting in the drawing-room, when sir richard sharpe was announced, and in walked dicky himself. we almost wrung each other's hands off before we could speak, and then we did indeed rattle away. his father was dead, he told me. "i have been compelled to deprive the navy of my services," said he, with perfect gravity. "but you see that i have my estates to look after, and my mother and sisters' welfare to attend to; and i could not fulfil my duties in these respects were i to remain afloat. do you know, d'arcy, i am very glad indeed that i went to sea," he continued, more seriously. "it made me think much less of myself, and cured me of many faults; for i am very sure that i should have been spoiled had i remained at home. they always let me have too much of my own way, and that is bad for the best of us. now in the service i got cobbed and mast-headed, and made to do what i was told; and i'm all the better for the discipline, though i did not like it at the time. then i learned a very important lesson,--that every man, whatever his position, has his duties to perform; and that, if he does not do them to the best of his power, he must certainly expect to be disrated." "you mean to say that you learned this out of the man-of-war's homily-book,--the station bill," said i, smiling at my own conceit. i must explain that this station bill is a book in which is entered the place which every man on board is to occupy, as well as the duties he is especially to attend to, though at the same time he is expected to do his very utmost in performing any other work which may be necessary. "that's just it," replied sir richard. "i used to think that the captain of a man-of-war had a good deal to do to keep his ship in good order; but i can tell you that i feel that the owner of a large estate has many more and multifarious duties; and that in a great degree every soul upon it is committed by god to his care, and at his hands will they be required." i fully agreed with my old messmate in these matters, and was rejoiced to find that he had really discovered the true object of life. i am happy to say that he was after this a very frequent visitor at daisy cottage, and that ultimately one of my cousins became lady sharpe. they, the vernons and the wallers, are among my most valued friends; and at the houses also of admiral poynder and captain idle, and most of my subsequent commanders, i am a welcome guest. i must not forget to mention, once more, my gallant companion in so many adventures, honest jack stretcher. he volunteered into the next ship to which i was appointed, to my very great satisfaction; and afterwards taking out his warrant as a boatswain, he was with me for several years, and a better boatswain there is not in the service. i have never revisited my ancestral halls since i left them with larry to go to sea; and, to say the truth, the encumbered estates court knows more about them than i do. the ocean is my only heritage; my ship is my wife, and i look on my crew as my children. i went to sea again as a midshipman; then, after passing, i spent four years as a mate, and six as a lieutenant; during which time i saw a good deal of hard service. at length i got my promotion as a commander, and have still to look for my post step. every career has its trials. a naval life has many; but we must always bear in mind that we were sent into this world for the express purpose of undergoing them, and that while some persons are proved by hardships and poverty, others are so by abundance of ease and wealth. i, for my own part, feel that i have much for which to be grateful; and though i have neither rank nor riches, i do not consider myself unfortunate nor ill-treated. and once more i say, that, had i to begin my career again, i should prefer to every other a life on salt water. the end. mr midshipman easy, by captain marryat. ________________________________________________________________________ [see also etext # , a different print edition of this book produced by john edward heaton] captain frederick marryat was born july , and died august . he retired from the british navy in in order to devote himself to writing. in the following years he wrote books, many of which are among the very best of english literature, and some of which are still in print. marryat had an extraordinary gift for the invention of episodes in his stories. he says somewhere that when he sat down for the day's work, he never knew what he was going to write. he certainly was a literary genius. "mr midshipman easy" was published in , the ninth book to flow from marryat's pen. this e-text was transcribed in by nick hodson, and was reformatted in , and again in . ________________________________________________________________________ mr. midshipman easy, by captain frederick marryat. chapter one. which the reader will find very easy to read. mr nicodemus easy was a gentleman who lived down in hampshire; he was a married man, and in very easy circumstances. most couples find it very easy to have a family, but not always quite so easy to maintain them. mr easy was not at all uneasy on the latter score, as he had no children; but he was anxious to have them, as most people covet what they cannot obtain. after ten years, mr easy gave it up as a bad job. philosophy is said to console a man under disappointment, although shakespeare asserts that it is no remedy for toothache; so mr easy turned philosopher, the very best profession a man can take up, when he is fit for nothing else; he must be a very incapable person indeed who cannot talk nonsense. for some time, mr easy could not decide upon what description his nonsense should consist of; at last he fixed upon the rights of man, equality, and all that; how every person was born to inherit his share of the earth, a right at present only admitted to a certain length that is about six feet, for we all inherit our graves, and are allowed to take possession without dispute. but no one would listen to mr easy's philosophy. the women would not acknowledge the rights of men, whom they declared always to be in the wrong; and, as the gentlemen who visited mr easy were all men of property, they could not perceive the advantages of sharing with those who had none. however, they allowed him to discuss the question, while they discussed his port wine. the wine was good, if the arguments were not, and we must take things as we find them in this world. while mr easy talked philosophy, mrs easy played patience, and they were a happy couple, riding side by side on their hobbies, and never interfering with each other. mr easy knew his wife could not understand him, and therefore did not expect her to listen very attentively; and mrs easy did not care how much her husband talked, provided she was not put out in her game. mutual forbearance will always ensure domestic felicity. there was another cause for their agreeing so well. upon any disputed question mr easy invariably gave it up to mrs easy, telling her that she should have her own way--and this pleased his wife; but, as mr easy always took care, when it came to the point, to have his way, he was pleased as well. it is true that mrs easy had long found out that she did not have her own way long; but she was of an easy disposition, and as, in nine cases out of ten, it was of very little consequence how things were done, she was quite satisfied with his submission during the heat of the argument. mr easy had admitted that she was right, and if like all men he would do wrong, why what could a poor woman do? with a lady of such a quiet disposition, it is easy to imagine that the domestic felicity of mr easy was not easily disturbed. but, as people have observed before, there is a mutability in human affairs. it was at the finale of the eleventh year of their marriage that mrs easy at first complained that she could not enjoy her breakfast. mrs easy had her own suspicions, everybody else considered it past doubt, all except mr easy; he little "thought, good easy man, that his greatness was ripening;" he had decided that to have an heir was no easy task, and it never came into his calculations that there could be a change in his wife's figure. you might have added to it, subtracted from it, divided it, or multiplied it, but as it was a zero, the result would be always the same. mrs easy also was not quite sure--she believed it might be the case, there was no saying; it might be a mistake, like that of mrs trunnion's in the novel, and, therefore, she said nothing to her husband about the matter. at last mr easy opened his eyes, and when, upon interrogating his wife, he found out the astounding truth, he opened his eyes still wider, and then he snapped his fingers, and danced, like a bear upon hot plates, with delight, thereby proving that different causes may produce similar effects in two instances at one and the same time. the bear dances from pain, mr easy from pleasure; and again, when we are indifferent, or do not care for anything, we snap our fingers at it, and when we are overjoyed and obtain what we most care for, we also snap our fingers. two months after mr easy snapped his fingers, mrs easy felt no inclination to snap hers, either from indifference or pleasure. the fact was, that mrs easy's time was come, to undergo what shakespeare pronounces "the pleasing punishment that women bear;" but mrs easy, like the rest of her sex, declared, "that all men were liars," and most particularly poets. but while mrs easy was suffering, mr easy was in ecstasies. he laughed at pain, as all philosophers do when it is suffered by other people, and not by themselves. in due course of time, mrs easy presented her husband with a fine boy, whom we present to the public as our hero. chapter two. in which mrs. easy, as usual, has her own way. it was the fourth day after mrs easy's confinement that mr easy, who was sitting by her bedside in an easy-chair, commenced as follows: "i have been thinking, my dear mrs easy, about the name i shall give this child." "name, mr easy! why, what name should you give it but your own?" "not so, my dear," replied mr easy; "they call all names proper names, but i think that mine is not. it is the very worst name in the calendar." "why, what's the matter with it, mr easy?" "the matter affects me as well as the boy. nicodemus is a long name to write at full length, and nick is vulgar. besides, as there will be two nicks, they will naturally call my boy young nick, and of course i shall be styled old nick, which will be diabolical." "well, mr easy, at all events then let me choose the name." "that you shall, my dear, and it was with this view that i have mentioned the subject so early." "i think, mr easy, i will call the boy after my poor father--his name shall be robert." "very well, my dear, if you wish it, it shall be robert. you shall have your own way. but i think, my dear, upon a little consideration, you will acknowledge that there is a decided objection." "an objection, mr easy?" "yes, my dear; robert may be very well, but you must reflect upon the consequences; he is certain to be called bob." "well, my dear, and suppose they do call him bob?" "i cannot bear even the supposition, my dear. you forget the county in which we are residing, the downs covered with sheep." "why, mr easy, what can sheep have to do with a christian name?" "there it is; women never look to consequences. my dear, they have a great deal to do with the name of bob. i will appeal to any farmer in the county, if ninety-nine shepherds' dogs out of one hundred are not called bob. now observe, your child is out of doors somewhere in the fields or plantations; you want and you call him. instead of your child, what do you find? why, a dozen curs at least, who come running up to you, all answering to the name of bob, and wagging their stumps of tails. you see, mrs easy, it is a dilemma not to be got over. you level your only son to the brute creation by giving him a christian name which, from its peculiar brevity, has been monopolised by all the dogs in the county. any other name you please, my dear, but in this one instance you must allow me to lay my positive veto." "well, then, let me see--but i'll think of it, mr easy; my head aches very much just now." "i will think for you, my dear. what do you say to john?" "oh, no, mr easy, such a common name?" "a proof of its popularity, my dear. it is scriptural--we have the apostle and the baptist--we have a dozen popes who were all johns. it is royal--we have plenty of kings who were johns--and, moreover, it is short, and sounds honest and manly." "yes, very true, my dear; but they will call him jack." "well, we have had several celebrated characters who were jacks. there was--let me see--jack the giant killer, and jack of the bean stalk--and jack--jack--" "jack spratt," replied mrs easy. "and jack cade, mrs easy, the great rebel--and three-fingered jack, mrs easy, the celebrated negro--and, above all, jack falstaff, ma'am, jack falstaff--honest jack falstaff--witty jack falstaff--" "i thought, mr easy, that i was to be permitted to choose the name." "well, so you shall, my dear; i give it up to you. do just as you please; but depend upon it that john is the right name. is it not now, my dear?" "it's the way you always treat me, mr easy; you say that you give it up, and that i shall have my own way, but i never do have it. i am sure that the child will be christened john." "nay, my dear, it shall be just what you please. now i recollect it, there were several greek emperors who were johns; but decide for yourself, my dear." "no, no," replied mrs easy, who was ill, and unable to contend any longer, "i give it up, mr easy. i know how it will be, as it always is: you give me my own way as people give pieces of gold to children, it's their own money, but they must not spend it. pray call him john." "there, my dear, did not i tell you, you would be of my opinion upon reflection? i knew you would. i have given you your own way, and you tell me to call him john; so now we're both of the same mind, and that point is settled." "i should like to go to sleep, mr easy; i feel far from well." "you shall always do just as you like, my dear," replied the husband, "and have your own way in everything. it is the greatest pleasure i have when i yield to your wishes. i will walk in the garden. good-bye, my dear." mrs easy made no reply, and the philosopher quitted the room. as may easily be imagined, on the following day the boy was christened john. chapter three. in which our hero has to wait the issue of an argument. the reader may observe that, in general, all my first chapters are very short, and increase in length as the work advances. i mention this as a proof of my modesty and diffidence. at first, i am like a young bird just out of its mother's nest, pluming my little feathers and taking short flights. by degrees i obtain more confidence, and wing my course over hill and dale. it is very difficult to throw any interest into a chapter on childhood. there is the same uniformity in all children until they develop. we cannot, therefore, say much relative to jack easy's earliest days; he sucked and threw up his milk, while the nurse blessed it for a pretty dear, slept, and sucked again. he crowed in the morning like a cock, screamed when he was washed, stared at the candle, and made wry faces with the wind. six months passed in these innocent amusements, and then he was put into shorts. but i ought here to have remarked, that mrs easy did not find herself equal to nursing her own infant, and it was necessary to look out for a substitute. now a commonplace person would have been satisfied with the recommendation of the medical man, who looks but to the one thing needful, which is a sufficient and wholesome supply of nourishment for the child; but mr easy was a philosopher, and had latterly taken to craniology, and he descanted very learnedly with the doctor upon the effect of his only son obtaining his nutriment from an unknown source. "who knows," observed mr easy, "but that my son may not imbibe with his milk the very worst passions of human nature." "i have examined her," replied the doctor, "and can safely recommend her." "that examination is only preliminary to one more important," replied mr easy. "i must examine her." "examine who, mr easy?" exclaimed his wife, who had lain down again on the bed. "the nurse, my dear." "examine what, mr easy?" continued the lady. "her head, my dear," replied the husband. "i must ascertain what her propensities are." "i think you had better leave her alone, mr easy. she comes this evening, and i shall question her pretty severely. dr middleton, what do you know of this young person?" "i know, madam, that she is very healthy and strong, or i should not have selected her." "but is her character good?" "really, madam, i know little about her character; but you can make any inquiries you please. but at the same time i ought to observe, that if you are too particular in that point, you will have some difficulty in providing yourself." "well, i shall see," replied mrs easy. "and i shall feel," rejoined the husband. this parleying was interrupted by the arrival of the very person in question, who was announced by the housemaid, and was ushered in. she was a handsome, florid, healthy-looking girl, awkward and naive in her manner, and apparently not overwise; there was more of the dove than of the serpent in her composition. mr easy, who was very anxious to make his own discoveries, was the first who spoke. "young woman, come this way, i wish to examine your head." "oh! dear me, sir, it's quite clean, i assure you," cried the girl, dropping a curtsey. dr middleton, who sat between the bed and mr easy's chair, rubbed his hands and laughed. in the meantime, mr easy had untied the string and taken off the cap of the young woman, and was very busy putting his fingers through her hair, during which the face of the young woman expressed fear and astonishment. "i am glad to perceive that you have a large portion of benevolence." "yes," replied the young woman, dropping a curtsey. "and veneration also." "thanky, sir." "and the organ of modesty is strongly developed." "yes, sir," replied the girl, with a smile. "that's quite a new organ," thought dr middleton. "philo-progenitiveness very powerful." "if you please, sir, i don't know what that is," answered sarah, with a curtsey. "nevertheless you have given us a practical illustration. mrs easy, i am satisfied. have you any questions to ask? but it is quite unnecessary." "to be sure, i have, mr easy. pray, young woman, what is your name?" "sarah, if you please, ma'am." "how long have you been married?" "married, ma'am?" "yes, married." "if you please, ma'am, i had a misfortune, ma'am," replied the girl, casting down her eyes. "what, have you not been married?" "no, ma'am, not yet." "good heavens! dr middleton, what can you mean by bringing this person here?" exclaimed mrs easy. "not a married woman, and she has a child!" "if you please, ma'am," interrupted the young woman, dropping a curtsey, "it was a very little one." "a very little one!" explained mrs easy. "yes, ma'am, very small indeed, and died soon after it was born." "oh, dr middleton!--what could you mean, dr middleton?" "my dear madam," exclaimed the doctor, rising from his chair, "this is the only person that i could find suited to the wants of your child, and if you do not take her, i cannot answer for its life. it is true that a married woman might be procured; but married women who have a proper feeling will not desert their own children; and, as mr easy asserts, and you appear to imagine, the temper and disposition of your child may be affected by the nourishment it receives, i think it more likely to be injured by the milk of a married woman who will desert her own child for the sake of gain. the misfortune which has happened to this young woman is not always a proof of a bad heart, but of strong attachment, and the overweening confidence of simplicity." "you are correct, doctor," replied mr easy, "and her head proves that she is a modest young woman, with strong religious feeling, kindness of disposition, and every other requisite." "the head may prove it all for what i know, mr easy, but her conduct tells another tale." "she is well fitted for the situation, ma'am," continued the doctor. "and if you please, ma'am," rejoined sarah, "it was _such a little one_." "shall i try the baby, ma'am?" said the monthly nurse, who had listened in silence. "it is fretting so, poor thing, and has its dear little fist right down its throat." dr middleton gave the signal of assent, and in a few seconds master john easy was fixed to sarah as tight as a leech. "lord love it, how hungry it is--there, there, stop it a moment, it's choking, poor thing!" mrs easy, who was lying on her bed, rose up, and went to the child. her first feeling was that of envy, that another should have such a pleasure which was denied to herself, the next that of delight, at the satisfaction expressed by the infant. in a few minutes the child fell back in a deep sleep. mrs easy was satisfied; maternal feelings conquered all others, and sarah was duly installed. to make short work of it, we have said that jack easy in six months was in shorts. he soon afterwards began to crawl and show his legs; indeed, so indecorously, that it was evident that he had imbibed no modesty with sarah's milk, neither did he appear to have gained veneration or benevolence, for he snatched at everything, squeezed the kitten to death, scratched his mother, and pulled his father by the hair; notwithstanding all which, both his father and mother and the whole household declared him to be the finest and sweetest child in the universe. but if we were to narrate all the wonderful events of jack's childhood from the time of his birth up to the age of seven years, as chronicled by sarah, who continued his dry nurse after he had been weaned, it would take at least three volumes folio. jack was brought up in the way that every only child usually is--that is, he was allowed to have his own way. chapter four. in which the doctor prescribes going to school as a remedy for a cut finger. "have you no idea of putting the boy to school, mr easy?" said dr middleton, who had been summoned by a groom with his horse in a foam to attend immediately at forest hill, the name of mr easy's mansion, and who, upon his arrival, had found that master easy had cut his thumb. one would have thought that he had cut his head off by the agitation pervading the whole household--mr easy walking up and down very uneasy, mrs easy with great difficulty prevented from syncope, and all the maids bustling and passing round mrs easy's chair. everybody appeared excited except master jack easy himself, who, with a rag round his finger, and his pinafore spotted with blood, was playing at bob-cherry, and cared nothing about the matter. "well, what's the matter, my little man?" said dr middleton, on entering, addressing himself to jack, as the most sensible of the whole party. "oh, dr middleton," interrupted mrs easy, "he has cut his hand; i am sure that a nerve is divided, and then the lockjaw--" the doctor made no reply, but examined the finger: jack easy continued to play bob-cherry with his right hand. "have you such a thing as a piece of sticking-plaster in the house, madam?" observed the doctor, after examination. "oh, yes--run, mary--run, sarah!" in a few seconds the maids appeared, sarah bringing the sticking-plaster, and mary following with the scissors. "make yourself quite easy, madam," said dr middleton, after he put on the plaster, "i will answer for no evil consequences." "had i not better take him upstairs, and let him lie down a little?" replied mrs easy, slipping a guinea into the doctor's hand. "it is not absolutely requisite, madam," said the doctor; "but at all events he will be kept out of more mischief." "come, my dear, you hear what dr middleton says." "yes, i heard," replied jack; "but i shan't go." "my dear johnny--come, love--now do, my dear johnny." johnny played bob-cherry, and made no answer. "come, master johnny," said sarah. "go away, sarah," said johnny, with a back-hander. "oh, fie, master johnny!" said mary. "johnny, my love," said mrs easy, in a coaxing tone, "come now--will you go?" "i'll go in the garden and get some more cherries," replied master johnny. "come, then, love, we will go into the garden." master johnny jumped off his chair, and took his mamma by the hand. "what a dear, good, obedient child it is!" exclaimed mrs easy: "you may lead him with a thread." "yes, to pick cherries," thought dr middleton. mrs easy, and johnny, and sarah, and mary went into the garden, leaving dr middleton alone with mr easy, who had been silent during this scene. now dr middleton was a clever, sensible man, who had no wish to impose upon any one. as for his taking a guinea for putting on a piece of sticking-plaster, his conscience was very easy on that score. his time was equally valuable, whether he were employed for something or nothing; and, moreover, he attended the poor gratis. constantly in the house, he had seen much of mr john easy, and perceived that he was a courageous, decided boy, of a naturally good disposition; but from the idiosyncrasy of the father and the doting folly of the mother, in a sure way of being spoiled. as soon, therefore, as the lady was out of hearing, he took a chair, and made the query at the commencement of the chapter, which we shall now repeat. "have you no idea of putting the boy to school, mr easy?" mr easy crossed his legs, and clasped his hands together over his knees, as he always did when he was about to commence an argument. "the great objection that i have to sending a boy to school, dr middleton, is, that i conceive that the discipline enforced is, not only contrary to the rights of man, but also in opposition to all sound sense and common judgment. not content with punishment, which is in itself erroneous and an infringement of social justice, they even degrade the minds of the boys still more by applying punishment to the most degraded part, adding contumely to tyranny. of course it is intended that a boy who is sent to school should gain by precept and example but is he to learn benevolence by the angry look and the flourish of the vindictive birch--or forbearance by the cruelty of the ushers--or patience, when the masters over him are out of all patience--or modesty, when his nether parts are exposed to general examination? is he not daily reading a lesson at variance with that equality which we all possess, but of which we are unjustly deprived? why should there be a distinction between the flogger and the flogged? are they not both fashioned alike after god's image, endowed with the same reason, having an equal right to what the world offers, and which was intended by providence to be equally distributed? is it not that the sacred inheritance of all, which has tyrannously and impiously been ravished from the many for the benefit of the few, and which ravishment, from long custom of iniquity and inculcation of false precepts, has too long been basely submitted to? is it not the duty of a father to preserve his only son from imbibing these dangerous and debasing errors, which will render him only one of a vile herd who are content to suffer, provided that they live? and yet are not these very errors inculcated at school, and impressed upon their mind inversely by the birch? do not they there receive their first lesson in slavery with the first lesson in a b c; and are not their minds thereby prostrated, so as never to rise again, but ever to bow to despotism, to cringe to rank, to think and act by the precepts of others, and to tacitly disavow that sacred equality which is our birthright? no, sir, without they can teach without resorting to such a fundamental error as flogging, my boy shall never go to school." and mr easy threw himself back in his chair, imagining, like all philosophers, that he had said something very clever. dr middleton knew his man, and therefore patiently waited until he had exhausted his oratory. "i will grant," said the doctor at last, "that all you say may have great truth in it; but, mr easy, do you not think that by not permitting a boy to be educated, you allow him to remain more open to that very error of which you speak? it is only education which will conquer prejudice, and enable a man to break through the trammels of custom. now, allowing that the birch is used, yet it is at a period when the young mind is so elastic as to soon become indifferent; and after he has attained the usual rudiments of education, you will then find him prepared to receive those lessons which you can yourself instil." "i will teach him everything myself," replied mr easy, folding his arms consequentially and determinedly. "i do not doubt your capability, mr easy; but unfortunately you will always have a difficulty which you never can get over. excuse me, i know what you are capable of, and the boy would indeed be happy with such a preceptor, but--if i must speak plain--you must be aware as well as i am, that the maternal fondness of mrs easy will always be a bar to your intention. he is already so spoiled by her, that he will not obey; and without obedience you cannot inculcate." "i grant, my dear sir, that there is a difficulty on that point; but maternal weakness must then be overcome by paternal severity." "may i ask how, mr easy, for it appears to be impossible?" "impossible! by heavens, i'll make him obey, or i'll--" here mr easy stopped before the word "flog" was fairly out of his mouth--"i'll know the reason why, dr middleton." dr middleton checked his inclination to laugh, and replied, "that you would hit upon some scheme, by which you would obtain the necessary power over him, i have no doubt; but what will be the consequence? the boy will consider his mother as a protector, and you as a tyrant. he will have an aversion to you, and with that aversion he will never pay respect and attention to your valuable precepts when he arrives at an age to understand them. now it appears to me that this difficulty which you have raised may be got over. i know a very worthy clergyman who does not use the birch; but i will write, and put the direct question to him; and then if your boy is removed from the danger arising from mrs easy's over-indulgence, in a short time he will be ready for your more important tuition." "i think," replied mr easy, after a pause, "that what you say merits consideration. i acknowledge that in consequence of mrs easy's nonsensical indulgence, the boy is unruly, and will not obey me at present; and if your friend does not apply the rod, i will think seriously of sending my son john to him to learn the elements." the doctor had gained his point by flattering the philosopher. in a day he returned with a letter from the pedagogue in answer to one supposed to be sent to him, in which the use of the birch was indignantly disclaimed, and mr easy announced to his wife, when they met that day at tea-time, his intentions with regard to his son john. "to school, mr easy? what, send johnny to school! a mere infant to school!" "surely, my dear, you must be aware that at nine years it is high time that he learned to read." "why he almost reads already, mr easy; surely i can teach him that. does he not, sarah?" "lord bless him, yes, ma'am, he was saying his letters yesterday." "oh, mr easy, what can have put this in your head? johnny dear, come here--tell me now what's the letter a. you were singing it in the garden this morning." "i want some sugar," replied johnny, stretching his arm over the table to the sugar-basin, which was out of his reach. "well, my love, you shall have a great lump if you will tell me what's the letter a." "a was an archer, and shot at a frog," replied johnny, in a surly tone. "there now, mr easy; and he can go through the whole alphabet--can't he, sarah?" "that he can, the dear--can't you, johnny dear?" "no," replied johnny. "yes, you can, my love; you know what's the letter b. now don't you?" "yes," replied johnny. "there, mr easy, you see what the boy knows, and how obedient he is too. come, johnny dear, tell us what was b." "no, i won't," replied johnny, "i want some more sugar;" and johnny, who had climbed on a chair, spread himself over the table to reach it. "mercy! sarah, pull him off--he'll upset the urn," screamed mrs easy. sarah caught hold of johnny by the loins to pull him back, but johnny, resisting the interference, turned round on his back as he lay on the table, and kicked sarah in the face, just as she made another desperate grasp at him. the rebound from the kick, given as he lay on a smooth mahogany table, brought johnny's head in contact with the urn, which was upset in the opposite direction, and, notwithstanding a rapid movement on the part of mr easy, he received a sufficient portion of boiling liquid on his legs to scald him severely, and induce him to stamp and swear in a very unphilosophical way. in the meantime sarah and mrs easy had caught up johnny, and were both holding him at the same time, exclaiming and lamenting. the pain of the scald and the indifference shown towards him were too much for mr easy's temper to put up with. he snatched johnny out of their arms, and, quite forgetting his equality and rights of man, belaboured him without mercy. sarah flew in to interfere, and received a blow which not only made her see a thousand stars, but sent her reeling on the floor. mrs easy went off into hysterics, and johnny howled so as to be heard at a quarter of a mile. how long mr easy would have continued it is impossible to say; but the door opened, and mr easy looked up while still administering the punishment, and perceived dr middleton in mute astonishment. he had promised to come in to tea, and enforce mr easy's arguments, if it were necessary; but it certainly appeared to him that in the argument which mr easy was then enforcing, he required no assistance. however, at the entrance of dr middleton, johnny was dropped, and lay roaring on the floor; sarah, too, remained where she had been floored, mrs easy had rolled on the floor, the urn was also on the floor, and mr easy, although not floored, had not a leg to stand upon. never did a medical man look in more opportunely. mr easy at first was not certainly of that opinion, but his legs became so painful that he soon became a convert. dr middleton, as in duty bound, first picked up mrs easy, and laid her on the sofa. sarah rose, picked up johnny, and carried him kicking and roaring out of the room; in return for which attention she received sundry bites. the footman, who had announced the doctor, picked up the urn, that being all that was in his department. mr easy threw himself panting and in agony on the other sofa, and dr middleton was excessively embarrassed how to act: he perceived that mr easy required his assistance, and that mrs easy could do without it; but how to leave a lady who was half really and half pretendedly in hysterics, was difficult; for if he attempted to leave her, she kicked and flounced, and burst out the more. at last dr middleton rang the bell, which brought the footman, who summoned all the maids, who carried mrs easy upstairs, and then the doctor was able to attend to the only patient who really required his assistance. mr easy explained the affair in a few words broken into ejaculations from pain, as the doctor removed his stockings. from the applications of dr middleton, mr easy soon obtained bodily relief; but what annoyed him still more than his scalded legs, was the doctor having been a witness to his infringement of the equality and rights of man. dr middleton perceived this, and he knew also how to pour balm into that wound. "my dear mr easy, i am very sorry that you have had this accident, for which you are indebted to mrs easy's foolish indulgence of the boy; but i am glad to perceive that you have taken up those parental duties which are inculcated by the scriptures. solomon says, `that he who spares the rod, spoils the child,' thereby implying that it is the duty of a father to correct his children, and in a father, the so doing does not interfere with the rights of man, or any natural equality, for the son being a part or portion of the father, he is correcting his own self only; and the proof of it is, that a father, in punishing his own son, feels as much pain in so doing as if he were himself punished. it is, therefore, nothing but self-discipline, which is strictly enjoined us by the scriptures." "that is exactly my opinion," replied mr easy, comforted at the doctor having so logically got him out of the scrape. "but--he shall go to school tomorrow, that i'm determined on." "he will have to thank mrs easy for that," replied the doctor. "exactly," replied mr easy. "doctor, my legs are getting very hot again." "continue to bathe them with the vinegar and water, mr easy, until i send you an embrocation, which will give you immediate relief. i will call tomorrow. by-the-bye, i am to see a little patient at mr bonnycastle's: if it is any accommodation, i will take your son with me." "it will be a great accommodation, doctor," replied mr easy. "then, my dear sir, i will just go up and see how mrs easy is, and to-morrow i will call at ten. i can wait an hour. good-night." "good-night, doctor." the doctor had his game to play with mrs easy. he magnified her husband's accident--he magnified his wrath, and advised her by no means to say one word, until he was well, and more pacified. the next day he repeated this dose, and, in spite of the ejaculations of sarah, and the tears of mrs easy, who dared not venture to plead her cause, and the violent resistance of master johnny, who appeared to have a presentiment of what was to come, our hero was put into dr middleton's chariot, and with the exception of one plate of glass, which he kicked out of the window with his feet, and for which feat, the doctor, now that he had him all to himself, boxed his ears till he was nearly blind, he was, without any further eventful occurrence, carried by the doctor's footman into the parlour of mr bonnycastle. chapter five. jack easy is sent to a school at which there is no flogging. master jack had been plumped down in a chair by the doctor's servant, who, as he quitted him, first looked at his own hands, from which the blood was drawn in several parts, and then at master jack, with his teeth closed and lips compressed, as much as to say, "if i only dared, would not i, that's all?" and then walked out of the room, repaired to the carriage at the front door, when he showed his hands to the coachman, who looked down from his box in great commiseration, at the same time fully sharing his fellow-servant's indignation. but we must repair to the parlour. dr middleton ran over a newspaper, while johnny sat on the chair all of a heap, looking like a lump of sulks, with his feet on the upper front bar, and his knees almost up to his nose. he was a promising pupil, jack. mr bonnycastle made his appearance--a tall, well-built, handsome, fair man, with a fine powdered head, dressed in solemn black, and knee buckles; his linen beautifully clean, and with a peculiar bland expression of countenance. when he smiled he showed a row of teeth white as ivory, and his mild blue eye was the _ne plus ultra_ of beneficence. he was the beau-ideal of a preceptor, and it was impossible to see him and hear his mild pleasing voice, without wishing that all your sons were under his protection. he was a ripe scholar, and a good one, and at the time we speak of had the care of upwards of one hundred boys. he was celebrated for turning them out well, and many of his pupils were rising fast in the senate, as well as distinguishing themselves in the higher professions. dr middleton, who was on intimate terms with bonnycastle, rose as he entered the room, and they shook hands. middleton then turned to where jack sat, and pointing to him, said, "look there." bonnycastle smiled. "i cannot say that i have had worse, but i have almost as bad. i will apply the promethean torch, and soon vivify that rude mass. come, sit down, middleton." "but," said the doctor, as he resumed his chair, "tell me, bonnycastle, how you will possibly manage to lick such a cub into shape, when you do not resort to flogging?" "i have no opinion of flogging, and therefore i do not resort to it. the fact is, i was at harrow myself, and was rather a pickle. i was called up as often as most boys in the school, and i perfectly recollect that eventually i cared nothing for a flogging. i had become case-hardened. it is the least effective part that you can touch a boy upon. it leaves nothing behind to refresh their memory." "i should have thought otherwise." "my dear middleton, i can produce more effect by one caning than twenty floggings. observe, you flog upon a part for the most part quiescent; but you cane upon all parts, from the head to the heels. now, when once the first sting of the birch is over, then a dull sensation comes over the part, and the pain after that is nothing; whereas a good sound caning leaves sores and bruises in every part, and on all the parts which are required for muscular action. after a flogging, a boy may run out in the hours of recreation, and join his playmates as well as ever, but a good caning tells a very different tale; he cannot move one part of his body without being reminded for days by the pain of the punishment he has undergone, and he is very careful how he is called up again." "my dear sir, i really had an idea that you were excessively lenient," replied middleton, laughing; "i am glad that i am under a mistake." "look at that cub, doctor, sitting there more like a brute than a reasonable being; do you imagine that i could ever lick it into shape without strong measures? at the same time, allow me to say, that i consider my system by far the best. at the public schools, punishment is no check; it is so trifling that it is derided: with me punishment is punishment in the true sense of the word, and the consequence is, that it is much more seldom resorted to." "you are a terrorist, bonnycastle." "the two strongest impulses in our nature are fear and love. in theory, acting upon the latter is very beautiful; but in practice, i never found it to answer,--and for the best of reasons, our self-love is stronger than our love for others. now i never yet found fear to fail, for the very same reason that the other does, because with fear we act upon self-love, and nothing else." "and yet we have many now who would introduce a system of schooling without correction; and who maintain that the present system is degrading." "there are a great many fools in this world, doctor." "that reminds me of this boy's father," replied dr middleton; who then detailed to the pedagogue the idiosyncrasy of mr easy, and all the circumstances attending jack being sent to his school. "there is no time to be lost then, doctor. i must conquer this young gentleman before his parents call to see him. depend upon it, in a week i will have him obedient and well broke in." dr middleton wished jack good-bye, and told him to be a good boy. jack did not vouchsafe to answer. "never mind, doctor, he will be more polished next time you call here, depend upon it," and the doctor departed. although mr bonnycastle was severe, he was very judicious. mischief of all kinds was visited but by slender punishment, such as being kept in at play hours, etcetera; and he seldom interfered with the boys for fighting, although he checked decided oppression. the great _sine qua non_ with him was attention to their studies. he soon discovered the capabilities of his pupils, and he forced them accordingly; but the idle boy, the bird who "could sing and wouldn't sing," received no mercy. the consequence was, that he turned out the cleverest boys, and his conduct was so uniform and unvarying in its tenor, that if he was feared when they were under his control, he was invariably liked by those whom he had instructed, and they continued his friends in after life. mr bonnycastle at once perceived that it was no use coaxing our hero, and that fear was the only attribute by which he could be controlled. so, as soon as dr middleton had quitted the room, he addressed him in a commanding tone, "now, boy, what is your name?" jack started; he looked up at his master, perceived his eye fixed upon him, and a countenance not to be played with. jack was no fool, and somehow or another, the discipline he had received from his father had given him some intimation of what was to come. all this put together induced jack to condescend to answer, with his forefinger between his teeth, "johnny." "and what is your other name, sir?" jack, who appeared to repent his condescension, did not at first answer, but he looked again in mr bonnycastle's face, and then round the room: there was no one to help him, and he could not help himself, so he replied "easy." "do you know why you are sent to school?" "scalding father." "no; you are sent to learn to read and write." "but i won't read and write," replied jack sulkily. "yes, you will and you are going to read your letters now directly." jack made no answer. mr bonnycastle opened a sort of book-case, and displayed to john's astonished view a series of canes, ranged up and down like billiard cues, and continued, "do you know what those are for?" jack eyed them wistfully; he had some faint idea that he was sure to be better acquainted with them but he made no answer. "they are to teach little boys to read and write, and now i am going to teach you. you'll soon learn. look now here," continued mr bonnycastle, opening a book with large type, and taking a capital at the head of a chapter, about half an inch long. "do you see that letter?" "yes," replied johnny, turning his eyes away, and picking his fingers. "well, that is the letter b. do you see it? look at it, so that you may know it again. that's the letter b. now tell me what that letter is." jack now determined to resist, so he made no answer. "so you cannot tell; well, then, we will try what one of these little fellows will do," said mr bonnycastle, taking down a cane. "observe, johnny, that's the letter b. now, what letter is that? answer me directly." "i won't learn to read and write." whack came the cane on johnny's shoulders, who burst out into a roar as he writhed with pain. mr bonnycastle waited a few seconds. "that's the letter b. now tell me, sir, directly, what that letter is." "i'll tell my _mar_." whack! "o law! o law!" "what letter is that?" johnny, with his mouth open, panting, and the tears on his cheeks, answered indignantly, "stop till i tell sarah." whack came the cane again, and a fresh burst from johnny. "what letter's that?" "i won't tell," roared johnny; "i won't tell--that i won't." whack--whack--whack, and a pause. "i told you before, that's the letter b. what letter is that? tell me directly." johnny, by way of reply, made a snatch at the cane. whack--he caught it, certainly, but not exactly as he would have wished. johnny then snatched up the book, and dashed it to the corner of the room. whack, whack. johnny attempted to seize mr bonnycastle with his teeth. whack, whack, whack, whack; and johnny fell on the carpet, and roared with pain. mr bonnycastle then left him for a little while, to recover himself, and sat down. at last johnny's exclamations settled down in deep sobs, and then mr bonnycastle said to him, "now, johnny, you perceive that you must do as you are bid, or else you will have more beating. get up immediately. do you hear, sir?" somehow or another, johnny, without intending it, stood upon his feet. "that's a good boy; now you see, by getting up as you were bid, you have not been beaten. now, johnny, you must go and bring the book from where you threw it down. do you hear, sir? bring it directly!" johnny looked at mr bonnycastle and the cane. with every intention to refuse, johnny picked up the book and laid it on the table. "that's a good boy; now we will find the letter b. here it is: now, johnny, tell me what that letter is." johnny made no answer. "tell me directly, sir," said mr bonnycastle, raising his cane up in the air. the appeal was too powerful. johnny eyed the cane; it moved, it was coming. breathlessly he shrieked out, "b!" "very well indeed, johnny--very well. now your first lesson is over, and you shall go to bed. you have learned more than you think for. to-morrow we will begin again. now we'll put the cane by." mr bonnycastle rang the bell, and desired master johnny to be put to bed, in a room by himself, and not to give him any supper, as hunger would, the next morning, much facilitate his studies. pain and hunger alone will tame brutes, and the same remedy must be applied to conquer those passions in man which assimilate him with brutes. johnny was conducted to bed, although it was but six o'clock. he was not only in pain, but his ideas were confused; and no wonder, after all his life having been humoured and indulged--never punished until the day before. after all the caresses of his mother and sarah, which he never knew the value of--after stuffing himself all day long, and being tempted to eat till he turned away in satiety, to find himself without his mother, without sarah, without supper--covered with weals, and, what was worse than all, without his own way. no wonder johnny was confused; at the same time that he was subdued; and, as mr bonnycastle had truly told him, he had learned more than he had any idea of. and what would mrs easy have said, had she known all this--and sarah too? and mr easy, with his rights of man? at the very time that johnny was having the devil driven out of him, they were consoling themselves with the idea, that, at all events, there was no birch used at mr bonnycastle's, quite losing sight of the fact, that as there are more ways of killing a dog besides hanging him, so are there more ways of teaching than _a posteriori_. happy in their ignorance, they all went fast asleep, little dreaming that johnny was already so far advanced in knowledge as to have a tolerable comprehension of the _mystery of cane_. as for johnny, he had cried himself to sleep at least six hours before them. chapter six. in which jack makes essay of his father's sublime philosophy and arrives very near to truth at last. the next morning master jack easy was not only very sore but very hungry, and as mr bonnycastle informed him that he would not only have plenty of cane, but also no breakfast, if he did not learn his letters, johnny had wisdom enough to say the whole alphabet, for which he received a great deal of praise, the which if he did not duly appreciate, he at all events infinitely preferred to beating. mr bonnycastle perceived that he had conquered the boy by one hour's well-timed severity. he therefore handed him over to the ushers in the school, and as they were equally empowered to administer the needful impulse, johnny very soon became a very tractable boy. it may be imagined that the absence of johnny was severely felt at home, but such was not the case. in the first place, dr middleton had pointed out to mrs easy that there was no flogging at the school, and that the punishment received by johnny from his father would very likely be repeated--and in the next, although mrs easy thought that she never could have survived the parting with her own son, she soon found out that she was much happier without him. a spoiled child is always a source of anxiety and worry, and after johnny's departure, mrs easy found a quiet and repose much more suited to her disposition. gradually she weaned herself from him, and, satisfied with seeing him occasionally and hearing the reports of dr middleton, she at last was quite reconciled to his being at school, and not coming back except during the holidays. john easy made great progress; he had good natural abilities, and mr easy rubbed his hands when he saw the doctor, saying, "yes, let them have him for a year or two longer, and then i'll finish him myself." each vacation he had attempted to instil into johnny's mind the equal rights of man. johnny appeared to pay but little attention to his father's discourses, but evidently showed that they were not altogether thrown away, as he helped himself to everything he wanted, without asking leave. and thus was our hero educated until he arrived at the age of sixteen, when he was a stout, good-looking boy, with plenty to say for himself,--indeed, when it suited his purpose, he could outtalk his father. nothing pleased mr easy so much as jack's loquacity.--"that's right; argue the point, jack--argue the point, boy," would he say, as jack disputed with his mother. and then he would turn to the doctor, rubbing his hands, and observe, "depend upon it, jack will be a great, a very great man." and then he would call jack and give him a guinea for his cleverness; and at last jack thought it a very clever thing to argue. he never would attempt to argue with mr bonnycastle, because he was aware that mr bonnycastle's arguments were too strong for him, but he argued with all the boys until it ended in a fight which decided the point; and he sometimes argued with the ushers. in short, at the time we now speak of, which was at the breaking up of the midsummer holidays, jack was as full of argument as he was fond of it. he would argue the point to the point of a needle, and he would divide that point into as many as there were days of the year, and argue upon each. in short, there was no end to jack's arguing the point, although there seldom was point to his argument. jack had been fishing in the river, without any success, for a whole morning, and observed a large pond which had the appearance of being well stocked--he cleared the park palings, and threw in his line. he had pulled up several fine fish, when he was accosted by the proprietor, accompanied by a couple of keepers. "may i request the pleasure of your name, young gentleman?" said the proprietor to jack. now jack was always urbane and polite. "certainly, sir; my name is easy, very much at your service." "and you appear to me to be taking it very easy," replied the gentleman. "pray, sir, may i inquire whether you are aware that you are trespassing?" "the word trespass, my dear sir," replied jack, "will admit of much argument, and i will divide it into three heads. it implies, accordng to the conventional meaning, coming without permission upon the land or property of another. now, sir, the question may all be resolved in the following. was not the world made for all? and has any one, or any portion of its inhabitants an exclusive right to claim any part of it, as his property? if you please, i have laid down the proposition, and we will now argue the point." the gentleman who accosted jack had heard of mr easy and his arguments; he was a humorist, and more inclined to laugh than to be angry; at the same time he considered it necessary to show jack that under existing circumstances they were not tenable. "but, mr easy, allowing the trespass on the property to be venial, surely you do not mean to say that you are justified in taking my fish; i bought the fish, and stocked the pond, and have fed them ever since. you cannot deny but that they are private property, and that to take them is a theft?" "that will again admit of much ratiocination, my dear sir," replied jack; "but--i beg your pardon, i have a fish." jack pulled up a large carp, much to the indignation of the keepers and to the amusement of their master, unhooked it, placed it in his basket, renewed his bait with the greatest _sang froid_, and then throwing in his line, resumed his discourse. "as i was observing, my dear sir," continued jack, "that will admit of much ratiocination. all the creatures of the earth were given to man for his use--man means mankind--they were never intended to be made a monopoly of. water is also the gift of heaven, and meant for the use of all. we now come to the question how far the fish are your property. if the fish only bred on purpose to please you, and make you a present of their stock, it might then require a different line of argument; but as in breeding they only acted in obedience to an instinct with which they are endowed on purpose that they may supply man, i submit to you that you cannot prove these fish to be yours more than mine. as for feeding with the idea that they were your own, that is not an unusual case in this world, even when a man is giving bread and butter to his children. further--but i have another bite--i beg your pardon, my dear sir. ah! he's off again--" "then, mr easy, you mean to say that the world and its contents are made for all." "exactly, sir, that is my father's opinion, who is a very great philosopher." "how then does your father account for some possessing property and others being without it?" "because those who are the strongest have deprived those who are weaker." "but would not that be always the case even if we were in that state of general inheritance which you have supposed. for instance, allowing two men to chase the same animal, and both to come up to it at the same time, would not the strongest bear it off?" "i grant that, sir." "well, then, where is your equality?" "that does not disprove that men were not intended to be equal; it only proves that they are not so. neither does it disprove that everything was not made for the benefit of all; it only proves that the strong will take advantage of the weak, which is very natural." "oh! you grant that to be very natural.--well, mr easy, i am glad to perceive that we are of one mind, and i trust we shall continue so. you'll observe that i and my keepers being three, we are the strong party in this instance, and admitting your argument, that the fish are as much yours as mine, still i take advantage of my strength to repossess myself of them, which is, as you say, very natural.--james, take those fish." "if you please," interrupted jack, "we will argue that point--" "not at all; i will act according to your own arguments--i have the fish, but i now mean to have more--that fishing-rod is as much mine as yours, and being the stronger party, i will take possession of it.-- james, william, take that fishing-rod--it is ours." "i presume you will first allow me to observe," replied jack, "that although i have expressed my opinion that the earth and the animals on it were made for us all, that i never yet have asserted that what a man creates by himself, or has created for him for a consideration, is not his own property." "i beg your pardon; the trees that that rod was made from were made for us all, and if you, or any one for you, have thought proper to make it into a rod, it is no more my fault than it is that i have been feeding the fish with the supposition that they were my own. everything being common, and it being but natural that the strong should take advantage of the weak, i must take that rod as my property, until i am dispossessed by one more powerful. moreover, being the stronger party, and having possession of this land, which you say does not belong to me more than to you--i also shall direct my keepers to see you off this property. james, take the rod--see mr easy over the park palings. mr easy, i wish you a good morning." "sir, i beg your pardon, you have not yet heard all my arguments," replied jack, who did not approve of the conclusions drawn. "i have no time to hear more, mr easy: i wish you a good morning." and the proprietor departed, leaving jack in company with the keepers. "i'll trouble you for that rod, master," said william. james was very busy stringing the fish through the gills upon a piece of osier. "at all events you will hear reason," said jack. "i have arguments--" "i never heard no good arguments in favour of poaching," interrupted the keeper. "you're an insolent fellow," replied jack. "it is by paying such vagabonds as you that people are able to be guilty of injustice." "it's by paying us that the land an't poached--and if there be some excuse for a poor devil who is out of work, there be none for you, who call yourself a gentleman." "according to his 'count, as we be all equal, he be no more a gentleman than we be." "silence, you blackguard, i shall not condescend to argue with such as you: if i did i could prove that you are a set of base slaves, who have just as much right to this property as your master or i have." "as you have, i dare say, master." "as i have, you scoundrel; this pond is as much my property, and so are the fish in it, as they are of your master, who has usurped the right." "i say, james, what do you say, shall we put the young gentleman in possession of his property?" said william, winking to the other. william took the hint; they seized jack by the arms and legs, and soused him into the pond. jack arose after a deep submersion, and floundered on shore blowing and spluttering. but in the meantime the keepers had walked away, carrying with them the rod and line, fish, and tin-can of bait, laughing loudly at the practical joke which they had played our hero. "well," thought jack, "either here must be some mistake in my father's philosophy, or else this is a very wicked world. i shall submit this case to my father." and jack received this reply--"i have told you before, jack, that these important truths will not at present be admitted--but it does not the less follow that they are true. this is the age of iron, in which might has become right--but the time will come when these truths will be admitted, and your father's name will be more celebrated than that of any philosopher of ancient days. recollect, jack, that although in preaching against wrong and advocating the rights of man, you will be treated as a martyr, it is still your duty to persevere; and if you are dragged through all the horse-ponds in the kingdom, never give up your argument." "that i never will, sir," replied jack; "but the next time i argue it shall be, if possible, with power on my side, and, at all events, not quite so near a pond." "i think," said mrs easy, who had been a silent listener, "that jack had better fish in the river, and then, if he catches no fish, at all events he will not be soused in the water, and spoil his clothes." but mrs easy was no philosopher. a few days afterwards, jack discovered, one fine morning, on the other side of a hedge, a summer apple-tree bearing tempting fruit, and he immediately broke through the hedge, and climbing the tree, as our first mother did before him, he culled the fairest and did eat. "i say, you sir, what are you doing there?" cried a rough voice. jack looked down, and perceived a stout, thick-set personage in grey coat and red waistcoat, standing underneath him. "don't you see what i'm about," replied jack, "i'm eating apples--shall i throw you down a few?" "thank you kindly--the fewer that are pulled the better; perhaps, as you are so free to give them to others as well as to help yourself, you may think that they are your own property!" "not a bit more my property than they are yours, my good man." "i guess that's something like the truth; but you are not quite at the truth yet, my lad; those apples are mine, and i'll trouble you to come down as fast as you please; when you're down we can then settle our accounts; and," continued the man, shaking his cudgel, "depend upon it you shall have your receipt in full." jack did not much like the appearance of things. "my good man," said he, "it is quite a prejudice on your part to imagine that apples were not given, as well as all other fruit, for the benefit of us all--they are common property, believe me." "that's a matter of opinion, my lad, and i may be allowed to have my own." "you'll find it in the bible," says jack. "i never did yet, and i've read it through and through all, bating the 'pocryfar." "then," said jack, "go home and fetch the bible, and i'll prove it to you." "i suspect you'll not wait till i come back again. no, no; i have lost plenty of apples, and have long wanted to find the robbers out; now i've caught one i'll take care that he don't 'scape without apple-sauce, at all events--so come down, you young thief, come down directly--or it will be all the worse for you." "thank you," said jack, "but i am very well here. i will, if you please, argue the point from where i am." "i've no time to argue the point, my lad; i've plenty to do, but do not think i'll let you off. if you don't choose to come down, why then you may stay there, and i'll answer for it, as soon as work is done i shall find you safe enough." "what can be done," thought jack, "with a man who will not listen to argument? what a world is this!--however, he'll not find me here when he comes back, i've a notion." but in this jack was mistaken. the farmer walked to the hedge, and called to a boy, who took his orders and ran to the farm-house. in a minute or two a large bull-dog was seen bounding along the orchard to his master. "mark him, caesar," said the farmer to the dog, "mark him." the dog crouched down on the grass, with his head up, and eyes glaring at jack, showing a range of teeth, that drove all our hero's philosophy out of his head. "i can't wait here, but caesar can, and i will tell you, as a friend, that if he gets hold of you, he'll not leave a limb of you together-- when work's done i'll come back." so saying, the farmer walked off, leaving jack and the dog to argue the point, if so inclined. what a sad jade must philosophy be, to put her votaries in such predicaments! after a while the dog laid his head down and closed his eyes as if asleep, but jack observed, that at the least movement on his part one eye was seen to partially unclose; so jack, like a prudent man, resolved to remain where he was. he picked a few more apples, for it was his dinner-time, and as he chewed he ruminated. jack had been but a few minutes ruminating before he was interrupted by another ruminating animal, no less a personage than a bull, who had been turned out with full possession of the orchard, and who now advanced, bellowing occasionally, and tossing his head at the sight of caesar, whom he considered as much a trespasser as his master had our hero. caesar started on his legs and faced the bull, who advanced pawing, with his tail up in the air. when within a few yards the bull made a rush at the dog, who evaded him and attacked him in return, and thus did the warfare continue until the opponents were already at some distance from the apple-tree. jack prepared for immediate flight, but unfortunately the combat was carried on by the side of the hedge at which jack had gained admission. never mind, thought jack, there are two sides to every field, and although the other hedge joined on to the garden near to the farm-house, there was no option. "at all events," said jack, "i'll try it." jack was slipping down the trunk, when he heard a tremendous roar; the bull-dog had been tossed by the bull; he was then high in the air, and jack saw him fall on the other side of the hedge; and the bull was thus celebrating his victory with a flourish of trumpets. upon which jack, perceiving that he was relieved from his sentry, slipped down the rest of the tree and took to his heels. unfortunately for jack, the bull saw him, and, flushed with victory, he immediately set up another roar, and bounded after jack. jack perceived his danger, and fear gave him wings; he not only flew over the orchard, but he flew over the hedge, which was about five feet high, just as the bull drove his head into it. "look before you leap," is an old proverb. had jack done so, he would have done better; but as there were cogent reasons to be offered in extenuation of our philosopher, we shall say no more, but merely state that jack, when he got on the other side of the hedge, found that he had pitched into a small apiary, and had upset two hives of bees, who resented the intrusion; and jack had hardly time to get upon his legs before he found them very busy stinging him in all quarters. all that jack could do was to run for it, but the bees flew faster than he could run, and jack was mad with pain, when he stumbled, half-blinded, over the brickwork of a well. jack could not stop his pitching into the well, but he seized the iron chain as it struck him across the face. down went jack, and round went the windlass, and after a rapid descent of forty feet our hero found himself under water, and no longer troubled with the bees, who, whether they had lost scent of their prey from his rapid descent, or being notoriously clever insects, acknowledged the truth of the adage, "leave well alone," had certainly left jack with no other companion than truth. jack rose from his immersion, and seized the rope to which the chain of the bucket was made fast--it had all of it been unwound from the windlass, and therefore it enabled jack to keep his head above water. after a few seconds jack felt something against his legs, it was the bucket, about two feet under the water; jack put his feet into it and found himself pretty comfortable, for the water, after the sting of the bees and the heat he had been put into by the race with the bull, was quite cool and refreshing. "at all events," thought jack, "if it had not been for the bull, i should have been watched by the dog, and then thrashed by the farmer; but then again, if it had not been for the bull, i should not have tumbled among the bees; and if it had not been for the bees, i should not have tumbled into the well; and if it had not been for the chain, i should have been drowned. such has been the chain of events, all because i wanted to eat an apple." "however, i have got rid of the farmer, and the dog, and the bull, and the bees--all's well that ends well but how the devil am i to get out of the well?--all creation appears to have conspired against the rights of man. as my father said, this is an iron age, and here i am swinging to an iron chain." we have given the whole of jack's soliloquy, as it will prove that jack was no fool, although he was a bit of a philosopher; and a man who could reason so well upon cause and effect, at the bottom of a well up to his neck in water, showed a good deal of presence of mind. but if jack's mind had been a little twisted by his father's philosophy, it had still sufficient strength and elasticity to recover itself in due time. had jack been a common personage, we should never have selected him for our hero. chapter seven. in which jack makes some very sage reflections, and comes to a very unwise decision. after all, it must be acknowledged that although there are cases of distress in which a well may become a place of refuge, a well is not at all calculated for a prolonged residence--so thought jack. after he had been there some fifteen minutes, his teeth chattered, and his limbs trembled; he felt a numbness all over, and he thought it high time to call for assistance, which at first he would not, as he was afraid he should be pulled up to encounter the indignation of the farmer and his family. jack was arranging his jaws for a halloo, when he felt the chain pulled up, and he slowly emerged from the water. at first he heard complaints of the weight of the bucket, at which jack was not surprised, then he heard a tittering and laughing between two parties, and soon afterwards he mounted up gaily. at last his head appeared above the low wall, and he was about to extend his arms so as to secure a position on it, when those who were working at the windlass beheld him. it was a heavy farming-man and a maid-servant. "thank you," said jack. one never should be too quick in returning thanks; the girl screamed and let go the winch; the man, frightened, did not hold it fast: it slipped from his grasp, whirled round, struck him under the chin and threw him over it headlong, and before the "thank you" was fairly out of jack's lips, down he went again like lightning to the bottom. fortunately for jack, he had not yet let go the chain, or he might have struck the sides and have been killed; as it was, he was merely soused a second time, and in a minute or two regained his former position. "this is mighty pleasant," thought jack, as he clapped his wet hat once more on his head: "at all events, they can't now plead ignorance; they must know that i'm here." in the meantime the girl ran into the kitchen, threw herself down on a stool, from which she reeled off in a fit upon sundry heaps of dough waiting to be baked in the oven, which were laid to rise on the floor before the fire. "mercy on me, what is the matter with susan?" exclaimed the farmer's wife. "here--where's mary--where's john?--deary me, if the bread won't all be turned to pancakes." john soon followed, holding his under-jaw in his hand, looking very dismal and very frightened, for two reasons; one, because he thought that his jaw was broken, and the other, because he thought he had seen the devil. "mercy on us, what is the matter?" exclaimed the farmer's wife again. "mary, mary, mary!" screamed she, beginning to be frightened herself, for with all her efforts she could not remove susan from the bed of dough, where she lay senseless and heavy as lead. mary answered to her mistress's loud appeal, and with her assistance they raised up susan; but as for the bread, there was no hopes of it ever rising again. "why don't you come here and help susan, john?" cried mary. "aw-yaw-aw!" was all the reply of john, who had had quite enough of helping susan, and who continued to hold his head, as it were, in his hand. "what's the matter here, missus?" exclaimed the farmer, coming in. "highty-tighty, what ails susan, and what ails you?" continued the farmer, turning to john. "dang it, but everything seems to go wrong this blessed day. first there be all the apples stolen--then there be all the hives turned topsy-turvy in the garden--then there be caesar with his flank opened by the bull--then there be the bull broken through the hedge and tumbled into the saw-pit--and now i come to get more help to drag him out, i find one woman dead like, and john looks as if he had seen the devil." "aw-yaw-aw!" replied john, nodding his head very significantly. "one would think that the devil had broke loose to-day. what is it, john? have you seen him, and has susan seen him?" "aw-yaw." "he's stopped your jaw, then, at all events, and i thought the devil himself wouldn't have done that--we shall get nothing of you. is that wench coming to her senses?" "yes, yes, she's better now.--susan, what's the matter?" "oh, oh, ma'am! the well, the well--" "the well! something wrong there, i suppose: well, i will go and see." the farmer trotted off to the well; he perceived the bucket was at the bottom and all the rope out; he looked about him, and then he looked into the well. jack, who had become very impatient, had been looking up some time for the assistance which he expected would have come sooner; the round face of the farmer occasioned a partial eclipse of the round disc which bounded his view, just as one of the satellites of jupiter sometimes obscures the face of the planet round which he revolves. "here i am," cried jack, "get me up quick, or i shall be dead;" and what jack said was true, for he was quite done up by having been so long down, although his courage had not failed him. "dang it, but there be somebody fallen into the well," cried the farmer; "no end to mishaps this day. well, we must get a christian out of a well afore we get a bull out of a saw-pit, so i'll go call the men." in a very short time the men who were assembled round the saw-pit were brought to the well. "down below there, hold on now." "never fear," cried jack. away went the winch, and once more jack had an extended horizon to survey. as soon as he was at the top, the men hauled him over the bricks and laid him down upon the ground, for jack's strength had failed him. "dang it, if it bean't that chap who was on my apple-tree," cried the farmer--"howsomever, he must not die for stealing a few apples; lift him up, lads, and take him in--he is dead with cold--no wonder." the farmer led the way, and the men carried jack into the house, when the farmer gave him a glass of brandy; this restored jack's circulation, and in a short time he was all right again. after some previous conversation, in which jack narrated all that had happened, "what may be your name?" inquired the farmer. "my name is easy," replied jack. "what, be you the son of mr easy, of forest hill?" "yes." "dang it, he be my landlord, and a right good landlord too--why didn't you say so when you were up in the apple-tree? you might have picked the whole orchard and welcome." "my dear sir," replied jack, who had taken a second glass of brandy, and was quite talkative again, "let this be a warning to you, and when a man proposes to argue the point, always, in future, listen. had you waited, i would have proved to you most incontestably that you had no more right to the apples than i had; but you would not listen to argument, and without discussion we can never arrive at truth. you send for your dog, who is ripped up by the bull--the bull breaks his leg in a saw-pit--the bee-hives are overturned and you lose all your honey--your man john breaks his jaw--your maid susan spoils all the bread--and why? because you would not allow me to argue the point." "well, mr easy, it be all true that all these mishaps have happened because i would not allow you to argue the point, perhaps, although, as i rent the orchard from your father, i cannot imagine how you could have proved to me that the apples were not mine; but now, let's take your side of the question, and i don't see how you be much better off. you get up in a tree for a few apples, with plenty of money to buy them if you like--you are kept there by a dog--you are nearly gored by a bull-- you are stung by the bees, and you tumble souse into a well, and are nearly killed a dozen times, and all for a few apples not worth twopence." "all very true, my good man," replied jack; "but you forget that i, as a philosopher, was defending the rights of man." "well, i never knew before that a lad who stole apples was called a philosopher--we calls it petty larceny in the indictments; and as for your rights of man, i cannot see how they can be defended by doing what's wrong." "you do not comprehend the matter, farmer." "no, i don't--and i be too old to learn, master easy. all i have to say is this, you are welcome to all the apples in the orchard if you please, and if you prefers, as it seems you do, to steal them, instead of asking for them, which i only can account for by the reason that they say, that `stolen fruit be sweetest,' i've only to say that i shall give orders that you be not interfered with. my chaise be at the door, master easy, and the man will drive you to your father's--make my compliments to him, and say that i'm very sorry that you tumbled into our well." as jack was much more inclined for bed than argument, he wished the farmer good-night, and allowed himself to be driven home. the pain from the sting of the bees, now that his circulation had fully returned, was so great, that he was not sorry to find dr middleton taking his tea with his father and mother. jack merely said that he had been so unfortunate as to upset a hive, and had been severely stung. he deferred the whole story till another opportunity. dr middleton prescribed for jack, but on taking his hand found that he was in a high fever, which, after the events of the day, was not to be wondered at. jack was bled, and kept his bed for a week, by which time he was restored; but during that time jack had been thinking very seriously, and had made up his mind. but we must explain a circumstance which had occurred, which was probably the cause of jack's decision. when jack returned on the evening in question, he found seated with his father and dr middleton, a captain wilson, a sort of cousin to the family, who but occasionally paid them a visit, for he lived at some distance; and having a wife and large family, with nothing but his half-pay for their support, he could not afford to expend even shoe-leather in compliments. the object of this visit on the part of captain wilson was to request the aid of mr easy. he had succeeded in obtaining his appointment to a sloop of war (for he was in the king's service), but was without the means of fitting himself out, without leaving his wife and family penniless. he therefore came to request mr easy to lend him a few hundred pounds, until he should be able, by his prize-money, to repay them. mr easy was not a man to refuse such a request, and, always having plenty of spare cash at his banker's, he drew a cheque for a thousand pounds, which he gave to captain wilson, requesting that he would only repay it at his convenience. captain wilson wrote an acknowledgment of the debt, promising to pay upon his first prize-money, which receipt, however binding it may be to a man of honour, was, in point of law, about as valuable as if he had agreed to pay as soon "as the cows came home." the affair had been just concluded, and captain wilson had returned into the parlour with mr easy, when jack returned from his expedition. jack greeted captain wilson, whom he had long known; but, as we before observed, he suffered so much pain, that he soon retired with dr middleton, and went to bed. during a week there is room for much reflection, even in a lad of fourteen, although at that age we are not much inclined to think. but jack was in bed; his eyes were so swollen with the stings of the bees that he could neither read nor otherwise amuse himself; and he preferred his own thoughts to the gabble of sarah, who attended him. so jack thought, and the result of his cogitations we shall soon bring forward. it was on the eighth day that jack left his bed and came down into the drawing-room. he then detailed to his father the adventures which had taken place, which had obliged him to take to his bed. "you see, jack," replied his father, "it's just what i told you: the world is so utterly demoralised by what is called social compact, and the phalanx supporting it by contributing a portion of their unjust possessions for the security of the remainder, is so powerful, that any one who opposes it, must expect to pass the life of a martyr; but martyrs are always required previous to any truth, however sublime, being received, and, like abraham, whom i have always considered as a great philosopher, i am willing to sacrifice my only son in so noble a cause." "that's all very good on your part, father, but we must argue the point a little. if you are as great a philosopher as abraham, i am not quite so dutiful a son as isaac, whose blind obedience, in my opinion, is very contrary to your rights of man: but the fact, in few words, is simply this. in promulgating your philosophy, in the short space of two days, i have been robbed of the fish i caught, and my rod and line--i have been soused into a fish-pond--i have been frightened out of my wits by a bull-dog--been nearly killed by a bull--been stung to death by bees, and twice tumbled into a well. now, if all that happens in two days, what must i expect to suffer in a whole year? it appears to be very unwise to attempt making further converts, for people on shore seem determined not to listen to reason or argument. but it has occurred to me, that although the whole earth has been so nefariously divided among the few, that the waters at least are the property of all. no man claims his share of the sea--every one may there plough as he pleases, without being taken up for a trespasser. even war makes no difference; every one may go on as he pleases, and if they meet, it is nothing but a neutral ground on which the parties contend. it is, then, only upon the ocean that i am likely to find that equality and rights of man, which we are so anxious to establish on shore; and therefore i have resolved not to go to school again, which i detest, but to go to sea, and propagate our opinions as much as i can." "i cannot listen to that, jack. in the first place, you must return to school; in the next place, you shall not go to sea." "then, father, all i have to say is, that i swear by the rights of man i will not go back to school, and that i will go to sea. who and what is to prevent me? was not i born my own master?--has any one a right to dictate to me as if i were not his equal? have i not as much right to my share of the sea as any other mortal? i stand upon perfect equality," continued jack, stamping his right foot on the floor. what had mr easy to offer in reply? he must either, as a philosopher, have sacrificed his hypothesis, or, as a father, have sacrificed his son. like all philosophers, he preferred what he considered as the less important of the two, he sacrificed _his_ son; but--we will do him justice--he did it with a sigh. "jack, you shall, if you wish it, go to sea." "that, of course," replied jack, with the air of a conqueror, "but the question is, with whom? now it has occurred to me that captain wilson has just been appointed to a ship, and i should like to sail with him." "i will write to him," said mr easy mournfully, "but i should have liked to have felt his head first;" and thus was the matter arranged. the answer from captain wilson was, of course, in the affirmative, and he promised that he would treat jack as his own son. our hero mounted his father's horse, and rode off to mr bonnycastle. "i am going to sea, mr bonnycastle." "the very best thing for you," replied mr bonnycastle. our hero met dr middleton. "i am going to sea, dr middleton." "the very best thing for you," replied the doctor. "i am going to sea, mother," said john. "to sea, john, to sea? no, no, dear john, you are not going to sea," replied mrs easy, with horror. "yes, i am; father has agreed, and says he will obtain your consent." "my consent! oh, my dear, dear boy!"--and mrs easy wept bitterly, as rachel mourning for her children. chapter eight. in which mr. easy has his first lesson as to zeal in his majesty's service. as there was no time to lose, our hero very soon bade adieu to his paternal roof, as the phrase is, and found his way down to portsmouth. as jack had plenty of money, and was very much pleased at finding himself his own master, he was in no hurry to join his ship, and five or six companions not very creditable, whom either jack had picked up, or had picked up jack, and who lived upon him, strongly advised him to put it off until the very last moment. as this advice happened to coincide with jack's opinion, our hero was three weeks at portsmouth before any one knew of his arrival, but at last captain wilson received a letter from mr easy, by which he found that jack had left home at the period we have mentioned, and he desired the first-lieutenant to make inquiries, as he was afraid that some accident might have happened to him. as mr sawbridge, the first-lieutenant, happened to be going on shore on the same evening for the last time previous to the ship's sailing, he looked into the blue posts, george, and fountain inns, to inquire if there was such a person arrived as mr easy. "oh, yes," replied the waiter at the fountain--"mr easy has been here these three weeks." "the devil he has," roared mr sawbridge, with all the indignation of a first-lieutenant defrauded three weeks of a midshipman; "where is he; in the coffee-room?" "oh dear no, sir," replied the waiter, "mr easy has the front apartments on the first floor." "well, then, show me up to the first floor." "may i request the pleasure of your name, sir?" said the waiter. "first-lieutenants don't send up their names to midshipmen," replied mr sawbridge; "he shall soon know who i am." at this reply the waiter walked upstairs, followed by mr sawbridge, and threw open the door. "a gentleman wishes to see you, sir," said the waiter. "desire him to walk in," said jack: "and, waiter, mind that the punch is a little better than it was yesterday; i have asked two more gentlemen to dine here." in the meantime mr sawbridge, who was not in his uniform, had entered, and perceived jack alone, with the dinner-table laid out in the best style for eight, a considerable show of plate for even the fountain inn, and everything, as well as the apartment itself, according to mr sawbridge's opinion, much more fit for a commander-in-chief than a midshipman of a sloop of war. now mr sawbridge was a good officer, one who had really worked his way up to the present rank, that is to say, that he had served seven-and-twenty years, and had nothing but his pay. he was a little soured in the service, and certainly had an aversion to the young men of family who were now fast crowding into it--and with some grounds, as he perceived his own chance of promotion decrease in the same ratio as the numbers increased. he considered that in proportion as midshipmen assumed a cleaner and more gentlemanly appearance, so did they become more useless, and it may therefore be easily imagined that his bile was raised by this parade and display in a lad, who was very shortly to be, and ought three weeks before to have been, shrinking from his frown. nevertheless, sawbridge was a good-hearted man, although a little envious of luxury, which he could not pretend to indulge in himself. "may i beg to ask," said jack, who was always remarkably polite and gentlemanly in his address, "in what manner i may be of service to you?" "yes, sir, you may--by joining your ship immediately. and may i beg to ask in return, sir, what is the reason you have stayed on shore three weeks without joining her?" hereupon jack, who did not much admire the peremptory tone of mr sawbridge, and who during the answer had taken a seat, crossed his legs and played with the gold chain to which his watch was secured, after a pause very coolly replied: "and pray, who are you?" "who am i, sir?" replied sawbridge, jumping out of his chair--"my name is sawbridge, sir, and i am the first-lieutenant of the _harpy_. now, sir, you have your answer." mr sawbridge, who imagined that the name of the first-lieutenant would strike terror to a culprit midshipman, threw himself back in the chair, and assumed an air of importance. "really, sir," replied jack, "what may be your exact situation on board, my ignorance of the service will not allow me to guess, but if i may judge from your behaviour, you have no small opinion of yourself." "look ye, young man, you may not know what a first-lieutenant is, and i take it for granted that you do not, by your behaviour; but depend upon it, i'll let you know very soon. in the meantime, sir, i insist upon it, that you go immediately on board." "i'm sorry that i cannot comply with your very moderate request," replied jack coolly. "i shall go on board when it suits my convenience, and i beg that you will give yourself no further trouble on my account." jack then rang the bell; the waiter, who had been listening outside, immediately entered, and before mr sawbridge, who was dumb with astonishment at jack's impertinence, could have time to reply: "waiter," said jack, "show this gentleman downstairs." "by the god of war!" exclaimed the first-lieutenant, "but i'll soon show you down to the boat, my young bantam; and when once i get you safe on board, i'll make you know the difference between a midshipman and a first-lieutenant." "i can only admit of _equality_, sir," replied jack; "we are all born equal--i trust you'll allow that." "equality--damn it, i suppose you'll take the command of the ship. however, sir, your ignorance will be a little enlightened by-and-by. i shall now go and report your conduct to captain wilson; and i tell you plainly, that if you are not on board this evening, to-morrow morning, at daylight, i shall send a sergeant, and a file of marines, to fetch you." "you may depend upon it, sir," replied jack, "that i also shall not fail to mention to captain wilson that i consider you a very quarrelsome, impertinent fellow, and recommend him not to allow you to remain on board. it will be quite uncomfortable to be in the same ship with such an ungentlemanly bear." "he must be mad--quite mad," exclaimed sawbridge, whose astonishment even mastered his indignation. "mad as a march hare--by god." "no, sir," replied jack, "i am not mad, but i am a philosopher." "a _what_?" exclaimed sawbridge, "damme, what next?--well, my joker, all the better for you; i shall put your philosophy to the proof." "it is for that very reason, sir," replied jack, "that i have decided upon going to sea: and if you do remain on board, i hope to argue the point with you, and make you a convert to the truth of equality and the rights of man." "by the lord that made us both, i'll soon make you a convert to the thirty-six articles of war--that is, if you remain on board; but i shall now go to the captain, and report your conduct, sir, and leave you to your dinner with what appetite you may." "sir, i am infinitely obliged to you; but you need not be afraid of my appetite; i am only sorry, as you happen to belong to the same ship, that i cannot, in justice to the gentlemanly young men whom i expect, ask you to join them. i wish you a very good morning, sir." "twenty years have i been in the service," roared sawbridge, "and, damme,--but he's mad--downright, stark, staring mad." and the first-lieutenant bounced out of the room. jack was a little astonished himself. had mr sawbridge made his appearance in uniform it might have been different, but that a plain-looking man, with black whiskers, shaggy hair, and old blue frock-coat and yellow casimere waistcoat, should venture to address him in such a manner, was quite incomprehensible;--he calls me mad, thought jack, i shall tell captain wilson what is my opinion about his lieutenant. shortly afterwards, the company arrived, and jack soon forgot all about it. in the meantime, sawbridge called at the captain's lodgings, and found him at home: he made a very faithful report of all that had happened, and concluded his requests by demanding, in great wrath, either an instant dismissal or a court-martial on our hero, jack. "stop, sawbridge," replied captain wilson, "take a chair. as mr easy says, we must argue the point, and then i will leave it to your better feelings. as for the court-martial, it will not hold good, for mr easy, in the first place, has not yet joined the ship, and in the next place, could not be supposed to know that you were the first-lieutenant, or even an officer, for you went to him out of uniform." "very true, sir," replied sawbridge, "i had forgotten that." "then, as for his dismissal, or rather, not allowing him to join, mr easy has been brought up in the country, and has never seen anything aquatic larger than a fish-pond, perhaps, in his life; and as for the service, or the nature of it, i believe he is as ignorant of it as a child not a year old--i doubt whether he knows the rank of a lieutenant; certainly, he can have no idea of the power of a first-lieutenant, by his treatment of you." "i should think not," replied sawbridge dryly. "i do not think, therefore, that conduct which must have proceeded from sheer ignorance, should be so severely punished--i appeal to you, sawbridge." "well, sir, perhaps you are right--but still he told me he was a philosopher, and talked about equality and rights of man. told me that he could only admit of equality between us, and begged to argue the point. now, sir, if a midshipman is to argue the point every time that an order is given, the service will come to a pretty pass." "that is all very true, sawbridge; and now you remind me of what never occurred to me at the time that i promised to take mr easy in the ship. i now recollect that his father, who is a distant relation of mine, has some very wild notions in his head, just like what have been repeated by his son on your interview with him. i have occasionally dined there, and mr easy has always been upholding the principles of natural equality and of the rights of man, much to the amusement of his guests, and i confess, at the time, of mine also. i recollect telling him that i trusted he would never be able to disseminate his opinions in the service to which i belonged, as we should have an end of all discipline. i little thought, at the time, that his only son, who has no more occasion to go to sea than the archbishop of canterbury, for his father has a very handsome property--i believe seven or eight thousand a year-- would ever have sailed with me, and have brought these opinions with him into any ship that i commanded. it is a pity, a great pity--" "he never could have brought his pigs to a worse market," observed sawbridge. "i agree with you, and, as a father myself, i cannot but help feeling how careful we should be how we inculcate anything like abstract and philosophical idea to youth. allowing them to be in themselves correct, still they are dangerous as sharp instruments are in the hands of a child; allowing them to be erroneous, they are seized upon with an avidity by young and ardent minds, and are not to be eradicated without the greatest difficulty, and very often not until they have accomplished their ruin." "then you think, sir, that these ideas have taken deep root in this young man, and we shall not easily rid him of them." "i do not say so; but still, recollect they have been instilled, perhaps, from the earliest period, by one from whom they must have been received with all confidence--from a father to a son; and that son has never yet been sufficiently in the world to have proved their fallacy." "well sir," replied sawbridge, "if i may venture to offer an opinion on the subject, and in so doing i assure you that i only shall from a feeling for the service--if, as you say, these opinions will not easily be eradicated, as the young man is independent, would it not be both better for himself, as well as for the service, that he is sent home again? as an officer he will never do any good for himself, and he may do much harm to others. i submit this to you, captain wilson, with all respect; but as your first-lieutenant, i feel very jealous at any chance of the discipline of the ship being interfered with by the introduction of this young man, to whom it appears that a profession is no object." "my dear sawbridge," replied captain wilson, after taking one or two turns up and down the room, "we entered the service together, we were messmates for many years, and you must be aware that it is not only long friendship but an intimate knowledge of your unrewarded merit, which has induced me to request you to come with me as my first-lieutenant. now, i will put a case to you, and you shall then decide the question--and, moreover, i will abide by your decision. "suppose that you were a commander like myself, with a wife and seven children, and that, struggling for many years to support them, you found yourself, notwithstanding the utmost parsimony, gradually running into debt. that, after many long applications, you had at last succeeded in obtaining employment by an appointment to a fine sloop, and there was every prospect, by prize-money and increased pay, of recovering yourself from your difficulties, if not realising a sufficient provision for your family. then suppose that all this prospect and all these hopes were likely to be dashed to the ground by the fact of having no means of fitting yourself out, no credit, no means of paying debts you have contracted, for which you would have been arrested, or anything sufficient to leave for the support of your family during your absence, your agent only consenting to advance one-half of what you require. now, suppose, in this awkward dilemma, without any one in this world upon whom you have any legitimate claim, as a last resource you were to apply to one with whom you have but a distant connection, and but an occasional acquaintance--and that when you had made your request for the loan of two or three hundred pounds, fully anticipating a refusal (from the feeling that he who goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing)--i say, suppose, to your astonishment, that this generous person was to present you with a cheque on his banker for one thousand pounds, demanding no interest, no legal security, and requests you only to pay it at your convenience--i ask you, sawbridge, what would be your feelings towards such a man?" "i would die for him," replied sawbridge, with emotion. "and suppose that, by the merest chance, or from a whim of the moment, the son of that man was to be placed under your protection?" "i would be a father to him," replied sawbridge. "but we must proceed a little further: suppose that you were to find the lad was not all that you could wish--that he had imbibed erroneous doctrines, which would probably, if not eradicated, be attended with consequences fatal to his welfare and happiness, would you therefore, on that account, withdraw your protection, and leave him to the mercy of others, who had no claims of gratitude to sway them in his favour?" "most certainly not, sir," replied sawbridge; "on the contrary, i would never part with the son until, by precept or otherwise, i had set him right again, and thus had, as far as it was possible, paid the debt of gratitude due to the generous father." "i hardly need say to you, sawbridge, after what has passed, that this lad you have just come from, is the son, and that mr easy of forest hill is the father." "then, sir, i can only say, that not only to please you, but also from respect to a man who has shown such goodwill towards one of our cloth, i shall most cheerfully forgive all that has passed between the lad and me, and all that may probably take place before we make him what he ought to be." "thank you, sawbridge; i expected as much, and am not disappointed in my opinion of you." "and now, captain wilson, pray what is to be done?" "we must get him on board, but not with a file of marines--that will do more harm than good. i will send a note, requesting him to breakfast with me to-morrow morning, and have a little conversation with him. i do not wish to frighten him: he would not scruple to run back to forest hill--now i wish to keep him if i possibly can." "you are right, sir; his father appears his greatest enemy. what a pity that a man with so good a heart should be so weak in the head! then, sir, i shall take no notice of this at present, but leave the whole affair in your hands." "do, sawbridge; you have obliged me very much by your kindness in this business." mr sawbridge then took his leave, and captain wilson despatched a note to our hero, requesting the pleasure of his company to breakfast at nine o'clock the ensuing morning. the answer was in the affirmative, but verbal, for jack had drunk too much champagne to trust his pen to paper. chapter nine. in which mr. easy finds himself on the other side of the bay of biscay. the next morning jack easy would have forgotten all about his engagement with the captain, had it not been for the waiter, who thought that, after the reception which our hero had given the first-lieutenant, it would be just as well that he should not be disrespectful to the captain. now jack had not, hitherto, put on his uniform, and he thought this a fitting occasion, particularly as the waiter suggested the propriety of his appearance in it. whether it was from a presentiment of what he was to suffer, jack was not at all pleased, as most lads are, with the change in his dress. it appeared to him that he was sacrificing his independence; however, he did not follow his first impulse, which was to take it off again, but took his hat, which the waiter had brushed and handed to him, and then set off for the captain's lodgings. captain wilson received him as if he had not been aware of his delay in joining his ship, or his interview with his first-lieutenant, but before breakfast was over, jack himself narrated the affair in a few words. captain wilson then entered into a detail of the duties and rank of every person on board of the ship, pointing out to jack that where discipline was required, it was impossible, when duty was carried on, that more than one could command; and that that one was the captain, who represented the king in person, who represented the country; and that, as the orders were transmitted from the captain through the lieutenant, and from the lieutenant to the midshipmen, who, in their turn, communicated them to the whole ship's company, in fact, was the captain alone who gave the orders, and that every one was _equally_ obliged to obey. indeed, as the captain himself had to obey the orders of his superiors, the admiral and the admiralty, _all_ on board might be said to be _equally_ obliged to obey. captain wilson laid a strong emphasis on the word _equally_, as he cautiously administered his first dose; indeed, in the whole of his address, he made use of special pleading, which would have done credit to the bar; for at the same time that he was explaining to jack that he was entering a service in which _equality_ could never for a moment exist, if the service was to exist, he contrived to show that all the grades were levelled, by all being equally bound to do their duty to their country, and that, in fact, whether a seaman obeyed _his_ orders, or he obeyed the orders of _his_ superior officer, they were in reality only obeying the orders of the country, which were administered through their channels. jack did not altogether dislike this view of the subject, and the captain took care not to dwell too long upon it. he then entered upon other details, which he was aware would be more agreeable to jack. he pointed out that the articles of war were the rules by which the service was to be guided, and that everybody, from the captain to the least boy in the ship, was _equally_ bound to adhere to them--that a certain allowance of provisions and wine was allowed to each person on board, and that this allowance was the same to all; the same to the captain as to the boy: the same in quantity as in quality; every one _equally_ entitled to his allowance;--that, although there were, of necessity, various grades necessary in the service, and the captain's orders were obliged to be passed and obeyed by all, yet still, whatever was the grade of the officer, they were _equally_ considered as gentlemen. in short, captain wilson, who told the truth, and nothing but the truth, without telling the whole truth, actually made jack fancy that he had at last found out that equality he had been seeking for in vain on shore, when, at last, he recollected the language used by mr sawbridge the evening before, and asked the captain why that personage had so conducted himself. now, as the language of mr sawbridge was very much at variance with equality, captain wilson was not a little puzzled. however, he first pointed out that the first-lieutenant was, at the time being, the captain, as he was the senior officer on board, as would jack himself be if he were the senior officer on board; and that, as he before observed, the captain or senior officer represented the country. that in the articles of war, everybody who absented himself from the ship, committed an error, or breach of those articles; and if any error or breach of those articles was committed by any one belonging to the ship, if the senior officer did not take notice of it, he then himself committed a breach of those articles, and was liable himself to be punished, if he could not prove that he had noticed it; it was therefore to save himself that he was obliged to point out the error; and if he did it in strong language, it only proved his _zeal_ for his country. "upon my honour, then," replied jack, "there can be no doubt of his zeal; for if the whole country had been at stake, he could not have put himself in a greater passion." "then he did his duty; but depend upon it it was not a pleasant one to him: and i'll answer for it, when you meet him on board, he will be as friendly with you as if nothing had happened." "he told me that he'd soon make me know what a first-lieutenant was: what did he mean by that?" inquired jack. "all zeal." "yes, but he said, that as soon as he got on board, he'd show me the difference between a first-lieutenant and a midshipman." "all zeal." "he said my ignorance should be a little enlightened by-and-by." "all zeal." "and that he'd send a sergeant and marines to fetch me." "all zeal." "that he would put my philosophy to the proof." "all zeal, mr easy. zeal will break out in this way; but we should do nothing in the service without it. recollect that i hope and trust one day to see you also a zealous officer." here jack cogitated considerably, and gave no answer. "you will, i am sure," continued captain wilson, "find mr sawbridge one of your best friends." "perhaps so," replied jack: "but i did not much admire our first acquaintance." "it will perhaps be your unpleasant duty to find as much fault yourself; we are all equally bound to do our duty to our country. but, mr easy, i sent for you to say that we shall sail to-morrow: and, as i shall send my things off this afternoon by the launch, you had better send yours off also. at eight o'clock i shall go on board, and we can both go in the same boat." to this jack made no sort of objection, and having paid his bill at the fountain, he sent his chest down to the boat by some of the crew who came up for it, and attended the summons of the captain to embark. by nine o'clock that evening, mr jack easy was safe on board his majesty's sloop _harpy_. when jack arrived on board, it was dark, and he did not know what to do with himself. the captain was received by the officers on deck, who took off their hats to salute him. the captain returned the salute, and so did jack very politely, after which the captain entered into conversation with the first-lieutenant, and for a while jack was left to himself. it was too dark to distinguish faces, and to one who had never been on board of a ship, too dark to move, so jack stood where he was, which was not far from the main bitts; but he did not stay long; the boat had been hooked on to the quarter davits, and the boatswain had called out: "set taut, my lads!" and then with the shrill whistle, and "away with her!" forward came galloping and bounding along the men with the tackles; and in the dark jack was upset, and half a dozen marines fell upon him; the men, who had no idea that an officer was floored among the others, were pleased at the joke, and continued to dance over those who were down, until they rolled themselves out of the way. jack, who did not understand this, fared badly, and it was not till the calls piped belay, that he could recover his legs, after having been trampled upon by half the starboard watch, and the breath completely jammed out of his body. jack reeled to a carronade slide, when the officers, who had been laughing at the lark as well as the men, perceived his situation--among others, mr sawbridge, the first-lieutenant. "are you hurt, mr easy?" said he kindly. "a little," replied jack, catching his breath. "you've had but a rough welcome," replied the first-lieutenant, "but at certain times, on board ship, it is every man for himself, and god for us all. harpur," continued the first-lieutenant to the doctor, "take mr easy down in the gun-room with you, and i will be down myself as soon as i can. where is mr jolliffe?" "here, sir," replied mr jolliffe, a master's mate, coming aft from the booms. "there is a youngster come on board with the captain. order one of the quartermasters to get a hammock slung." in the meantime jack went down into the gun-room, where a glass of wine somewhat recovered him. he did not stay there long, nor did he venture to talk much. as soon as his hammock was ready, jack was glad to go to bed--and as he was much bruised he was not disturbed the next morning till past nine o'clock. he then dressed himself, went on deck, found that the sloop was just clear of the needles, that he felt very queer, then very sick, and was conducted by a marine down below, put into his hammock, where he remained during a gale of wind of three days, bewildered, confused, puzzled, and every minute knocking his head against the beams with the pitching and tossing of the sloop. "and this is going to sea," thought jack; "no wonder that no one interferes with another here, or talks about a trespass; for i'm sure any one is welcome to my share of the ocean; and if i once get on shore again, the devil may have my portion if he chooses." captain wilson and mr sawbridge had both allowed jack more leisure than most midshipmen, during his illness. by the time that the gale was over, the sloop was off cape finisterre. the next morning the sea was nearly down, and there was but a slight breeze on the waters. the comparative quiet of the night before had very much recovered our hero, and when the hammocks were piped up, he was accosted by mr jolliffe, the master's mate, who asked, "whether he intended to rouse and bit, or whether he intended to sail to gibraltar between his blankets." jack, who felt himself quite another person, turned out of his hammock and dressed himself. a marine had, by the captain's orders, attended jack during his illness, and this man came to his assistance, opened his chest, and brought him all that he required, or jack would have been in a sad dilemma. jack then inquired where he was to go, for he had not yet been in the midshipmen's berth, although five days on board. the marine pointed it out to him, and jack, who felt excessively hungry, crawled over and between chests, until he found himself fairly in a hole infinitely inferior to the dog-kennels which received his father's pointers. "i'd not only give up the ocean," thought jack, "and my share of it, but also my share of the _harpy_, unto any one who fancies it. equality enough here! for every one appears equally miserably off." as he thus gave vent to his thoughts, he perceived that there was another person in the berth--mr jolliffe, the master's mate, who had fixed his eye upon jack, and to whom jack returned the compliment. the first thing that jack observed was, that mr jolliffe was very deeply pockmarked, and that he had but one eye, and that was a piercer; it appeared like a little ball of fire, and as if it reflected more light from the solitary candle than the candle gave. "i don't like your looks," thought jack--"we shall never be friends." but here jack fell into the common error of judging by appearances, as will be proved hereafter. "i'm glad to see you up again, youngster," said jolliffe; "you've been on your beam ends longer than usual, but those who are strongest suffer most--you made your mind up but late to come to sea. however, they say, `better late than never.'" "i feel very much inclined to argue the truth of that saying," replied jack; "but it's no use just now. i'm terribly hungry--when shall i get some breakfast?" "to-morrow morning at half-past eight," replied mr jolliffe. "breakfast for to-day has been over these two hours." "but must i then go without?" "no, i do not say that, as we must make allowances for your illness; but it will not be breakfast." "call it what you please," replied jack. "only pray desire the servants to give me something to eat. dry toast or muffins--anything will do, but i should prefer coffee." "you forget that you are off finisterre, in a midshipman's berth: coffee we have none--muffins we never see--dry toast cannot be made, as we have no soft bread; but a cup of tea, and ship's biscuit and butter, i can desire the steward to get ready for you." "well then," replied jack, "i will thank you to procure me that." "marine," cried jolliffe, "call mesty." "pass the word for mesty," cried the marine--and the two syllables were handed forward until lost in the fore part of the vessel. the person so named must be introduced to the reader. he was a curious anomaly--a black man who had been brought to america as a slave, and there sold. he was a very tall, spare-built, yet muscular form, and had a face by no means common with his race. his head was long and narrow, high cheek-bones, from whence his face descended down to almost a point at the chin; his nose was very small, but it was straight and almost roman; his mouth also was unusually small; and his lips thin for an african; his teeth very white, and filed to sharp points. he claimed the rank of prince in his own country, with what truth could not of course be substantiated. his master had settled at new york, and there mesty had learned english, if it could be so called: the fact is, that all the emigrant labourers at new york being irishmen, he had learned english with the strong brogue and peculiar phraseology of the sister kingdom dashed with a little yankeeism. having been told that there was no slavery in england, mesty had concealed himself on board an english merchant vessel, and escaped. on his arrival in england he had entered on board of a man-of-war. having no name, it was necessary to christen him on the ship's books, and the first lieutenant, who had entered him, struck with his remarkable expression of countenance, and being a german scholar, had named him mephistopheles faust, from whence his christian name had been razeed to mesty. mesty in other points was an eccentric character; at one moment, when he remembered his lineage, he was proud to excess, at others he was grave and almost sullen--but when nothing either in daily occurrences or in his mind ran contrary, he exhibited the drollery so often found in his nation, with a spice of irish humour, as if he had caught up the latter with his irish brogue. mesty was soon seen coming aft, but almost double as he couched under the beams, and taking large strides with his naked feet. "by the powers, massa yolliffe, but it is not seasonable at all to send for me just now, anyhow, seeing how the praters are in the copper, and so many blackguard 'palpeens all ready to change net for net, and better themselves by the same mistake, `dam um.'" "mesty, you know i never send for you myself, or allow others to do so, unless it is necessary," replied jolliffe; "but this poor lad has eaten nothing since he has been on board, and is very hungry--you must get him a little tea." "is it tay you mane, sir?--i guess, to make tay, in the first place i must ab water, and in the next must ab room in the galley to put the kettle on--and 'pose you wanted to burn the tip of your little finger just now, it's not in the galley that you find a berth for it--and den the water before seven bells. i've a notion it's just impassible." "but he must have something, mesty." "never mind the tea, then," replied jack, "i'll take some milk." "is it milk massa manes, and the bumboat woman on the oder side of the bay?" "we have no milk, mr easy; you forget that we are on blue water," replied jolliffe, "and i really am afraid that you'll have to wait till dinner-time. mesty tells the truth." "i tell you what, massa yolliffe, it just seven bells, and if the young gentleman would, instead of tay, try a little out of the copper, it might keep him asy. it but a little difference, _tay_ soup and _pay_ soup. now a bowl of that, with some nuts and a flourish of pepper will do him good, anyhow." "perhaps the best thing he can take, mesty; get it as fast as you can." in a few minutes the black brought down a bowl of soup and whole peas swimming in it, put before our hero a tin bread-basket full of small biscuit, called midshipmen's nuts, and the pepper-castor. jack's visions of tea, coffee, muffins, dry toast, and milk, vanished as he perceived the mess; but he was very hungry, and he found it much better than he expected; and he moreover found himself much the better after he had swallowed it. it struck seven bells, and he accompanied mr jolliffe on deck. chapter ten. showing how jack transgresses against his own philosophy. when jack easy had gained the deck, he found the sun shining gaily, a soft air blowing from the shore, and the whole of the rigging and every part of the ship loaded with the shirts, trousers, and jackets of the seamen, which had been wetted during the heavy gale, and were now hanging up to dry; all the wet sails were also spread on the booms or triced up in the rigging, and the ship was slowly forging through the blue water. the captain and first lieutenant were standing on the gangway in converse, and the majority of the officers were with their quadrants and sextants ascertaining the latitude at noon. the decks were white and clean, the sweepers had just laid by their brooms, and the men were busy coiling down the ropes. it was a scene of cheerfulness, activity, and order, which lightened his heart after the four days of suffering, close air, and confinement, from which he had just emerged. the captain, who perceived him, beckoned to him, asked him kindly how he felt: the first lieutenant also smiled upon him, and many of the officers, as well as his messmates, congratulated him upon his recovery. the captain's steward came up to him, touched his hat, and requested the pleasure of his company to dinner in the cabin. jack was the essence of politeness, took off his hat, and accepted the invitation. jack was standing on a rope which a seaman was coiling down; the man touched his hat and requested he would be so kind as to take his foot off. jack took his hat off his head in return, and his foot off the rope. the master touched his hat, and reported twelve o'clock to the first lieutenant--the first lieutenant touched his hat, and reported twelve o'clock to the captain--the captain touched his hat, and told the first lieutenant to make it so. the officer of the watch touched his hat, and asked the captain whether they should pipe to dinner--the captain touched his hat and said, "if you please." the midshipman received his orders, and touched his hat, which he gave to the head boatswain's mate, who touched his hat, and then the calls whistled cheerily. "well," thought jack, "politeness seems to be the order of the day, and every one has an equal respect for the other." jack stayed on deck; he peeped through the ports, which were open, and looked down into the deep blue wave; he cast his eyes aloft, and watched the tall spars sweeping and tracing with their points, as it were, a small portion of the clear sky, as they acted in obedience to the motion of the vessel; he looked forward at the range of carronades which lined the sides of the deck, and then he proceeded to climb one of the carronades, and lean over the hammocks to gaze on the distant land. "young gentleman, get off those hammocks," cried the master, who was officer of the watch, in a surly tone. jack looked round. "do you hear me, sir? i'm speaking to you," said the master again. jack felt very indignant, and he thought that politeness was not quite so general as he supposed. it happened that captain wilson was upon deck. "come here, mr easy," said the captain; "it is a rule in the service, that no one gets on the hammocks, unless in case of emergency--i never do--nor the first lieutenant--nor any of the officers or men--therefore, upon the principle of equality, you must not do it either." "cerainly not, sir," replied jack, "but still i do not see why that officer in the shining hat should be so angry, and not speak to me as if i were a gentleman, as well as himself." "i have already explained that to you, mr easy." "oh, yes, i recollect now, it's zeal; but this zeal appears to me to be the only unpleasant thing in the service. it's a pity, as you said, that the service cannot do without it." captain wilson laughed, and walked away; and shortly afterwards, as he turned up and down the deck with the master, he hinted to him that he should not speak so sharply to a lad who had committed such a trifling error through ignorance. now mr smallsole, the master, who was a surly sort of a personage, and did not like even a hint of disapprobation of his conduct, although very regardless of the feeling of others, determined to pay this off on jack, the very first convenient opportunity. jack dined in the cabin, and was very much pleased to find that every one drank wine with him, and that everybody at the captain's table appeared to be on an equality. before the dessert had been on the table five minutes, jack became loquacious on his favourite topic; all the company stared with surprise at such an unheard-of doctrine being broached on board of a man-of-war; the captain argued the point, so as to controvert, without too much offending, jack's notions, laughing the whole time that the conversation was carried on. it will be observed, that this day may be considered as the first in which jack really made his appearance on board, and it also was on this first day that jack made known, at the captain's table, his very peculiar notions. if the company at the captain's table, which consisted of the second lieutenant, purser, mr jolliffe, and one of the midshipmen, were astonished at such heterodox opinions being started in the presence of the captain, they were equally astonished at the cool, good-humoured ridicule with which they were received by captain wilson. the report of jack's boldness, and every word and opinion that he had uttered (of course much magnified) was cirulated that evening through the whole ship; it was canvassed in the gun-room by the officers, it was descanted upon by the midshipmen as they walked the deck; the captain's steward held a levee abreast of the ship's funnel, in which he narrated this new doctrine. the sergeant of marines gave his opinion in his berth that it was damnable. the boatswain talked over the matter with the other warrant officers, till the grog was all gone, and then dismissed it as too dry a subject: and it was the general opinion of the ship's company, that as soon as they arrived at gibraltar bay, our hero would bid adieu to the service, either by being sentenced to death by a court-martial, or by being dismissed, and towed on shore on a grating. others, who had more of the wisdom of the serpent, and who had been informed by mr sawbridge that our hero was a lad who would inherit a large property, argued differently, and considered that captain wilson had very good reason for being so lenient--and among them was the second lieutenant. there were but four who were well inclined towards jack--to wit, the captain, the first lieutenant, mr jolliffe, the one-eyed master's mate, and mephistopheles, the black, who, having heard that jack had uttered such sentiments, loved him with all his heart and soul. we have referred to the second lieutenant, mr asper. this young man had a very high respect for birth, and particularly for money, of which he had very little. he was the son of an eminent merchant who, during the time that he was a midshipman, had allowed him a much larger sum for his expenses than was necessary or proper; and, during his career, he found that his full pocket procured him consequence, not only among his own messmates, but also with many of the officers of the ships that he sailed in. a man who is able and willing to pay a large tavern bill will always find followers--that is, to the tavern; and lieutenants did not disdain to dine, walk arm in arm, and be "hail fellow well met" with a midshipman, at whose expense they lived during the time they were on shore. mr asper had just received his commission and appointment, when his father became a bankrupt, and the fountain was dried up from which he had drawn such liberal supplies. since that, mr asper had felt that his consequence was gone: he could no longer talk about the service being a bore, or that he should give it up; he could no longer obtain that deference paid to his purse, and not to himself; and he had contracted very expensive habits, without having any longer the means of gratifying them. it was therefore no wonder that he imbibed a great respect for money; and, as he could no longer find the means himself, he was glad to pick up anybody else at whose cost he could indulge in that extravagance and expense to which he had been so long accustomed, and still sighed for. now, mr asper knew that our hero was well supplied with money, as he had obtained from the waiter the amount of the bill paid at the fountain, and he had been waiting for jack's appearance on deck to become his very dearest and most intimate friend. the conversation in the cabin made him feel assured that jack would require and be grateful for support, and he had taken the opportunity of a walk with mr sawbridge, to offer to take jack in his watch. whether it was that mr sawbridge saw through the design of mr asper, or whether he imagined that our hero would be better pleased with him than with the master, considering his harshness of deportment; or with himself, who could not, as first lieutenant, overlook any remission of duty, the offer was accepted, and jack easy was ordered, as he now entered upon his duties, to keep watch under lieutenant asper. but not only was this the first day that jack may be said to have appeared in the service, but it was the first day in which he had entered the midshipman's berth, and was made acquainted with his messmates. we have already mentioned mr jolliffe, the master's mate, but we must introduce him more particularly. nature is sometimes extremely arbitrary, and never did she show herself more so than in insisting that mr jolliffe should have the most sinister expression of countenance that ever had been looked upon. he had suffered martyrdom with the small-pox, which probably had contracted his lineaments: his face was not only deeply pitted, but scarred, with this cruel disorder. one eye had been lost, and all eyebrows had disappeared--and the contrast between the dull, sightless opaque orb on one side of his face, and the brilliant, piercing little ball on the other, was almost terrifying. his nose had been eaten away by the disease till it formed a sharp but irregular point: part of the muscles of the chin were contracted, and it was drawn in with unnatural seams and puckers. he was tall, gaunt, and thin, seldom smiled, and when he did, the smile produced a still further distortion. mr jolliffe was the son of a warrant officer. he did not contract this disease until he had been sent out to the west indies, where it swept away hundreds. he had now been long in the service, with little or no chance of promotion. he had suffered from indigence, from reflections upon his humble birth, from sarcasms on his appearance. every contumely had been heaped upon him at one time or another, in the ships in which he served; among a crowd he had found himself desolate--and now, although no one dared treat him to his face with disrespect, he was only respected in the service from a knowledge of his utility and exemplary performance of his duties--he had no friends or even companions. for many years he had retired within himself, he had improved by reading and study, had felt all the philanthropy of a christian, and extended it towards others. silent and reserved, he seldom spoke in the berth, unless his authority, as caterer, was called for; all respected mr jolliffe, but no one liked, as a companion, one at whose appearance the very dogs would bark. at the same time every one acknowledged his correct behaviour in every point, his sense of justice, his forbearance, his kindness, and his good sense. with him life was indeed a pilgrimage, and he wended his way in all christian charity and all christian zeal. in all societies, however small they may be, provided that they do but amount to half a dozen, you will invariably meet with a bully. and it is also generally the case that you will find one of that society who is more or less the butt. you will discover this even in occasional meetings, such as a dinner-party, the major part of which have never met before. previous to the removal of the cloth, the bully will have shown himself by his dictatorial manner, and will also have selected the one upon whom he imagines that he can best practise. in a midshipman's berth this fact has become almost proverbial, although now perhaps it is not attended with that disagreeable despotism which was permitted at the time that our hero entered the service. the bully of the midshipman's berth of h.m. sloop _harpy_ was a young man about seventeen, with light, curly hair, and florid countenance, the son of the clerk in the dockyard at plymouth, and his name was vigors. the butt was a pudding-face tartar-physiognomied boy of fifteen, whose intellects, with fostering, if not great, might at least have been respectable, had he not lost all confidence in his own powers from the constant jeers and mockeries of those who had a greater fluency of speech without perhaps so much real power of mind. although slow, what he learned he invariably retained. this lad's name was gossett. his father was a wealthy yeoman of lynn, in norfolk. there were at the time but three other midshipmen in the ship, of whom it can only be said that they were like midshipmen in general, with little appetite for learning, but good appetites for dinner, hating everything like work, fond of everything like fun, fighting _a l'outrance_ one minute, and sworn friends the next--with general principles of honour and justice, but which were occasionally warped according to circumstances; with all the virtues and vices so heterogeneously jumbled and heaped together, that it was almost impossible to ascribe any action to its true motive, and to ascertain to what point their vice was softened down into almost a virtue, and their virtues from mere excess degenerated into vice. their names were o'connor, mills, and gascoigne. the other shipmates of our hero it will be better to introduce as they appear on the stage. after jack had dined in the cabin he followed his messmates jolliffe and gascoigne down into the midshipmen's berth. "i say, easy," observed gascoigne, "you are a devilish free and easy sort of a fellow, to tell the captain that you considered yourself as great a man as he was." "i beg your pardon," replied jack, "i did not argue individually, but generally, upon the principles of the rights of man." "well," replied gascoigne, "it's the first time i ever heard a middy do such a bold thing; take care your rights of man don't get you in the wrong box--there's no arguing on board of a man-of-war. the captain took it amazingly easy, but you'd better not broach that subject too often." "gascoigne gives you very good advice, mr easy," observed jolliffe; "allowing that your ideas are correct, which it appears to me they are not, or at least impossible to be acted upon, there is such a thing as prudence, and however much this question may be canvassed on shore, in his majesty's service it is not only dangerous in itself, but will be very prejudicial to you." "man is a free agent," replied easy. "i'll be shot if a midshipman is," replied gascoigne, laughing, "and that you'll soon find." "and yet it was the expectation of finding that equality that i was induced to come to sea." "on the first of april, i presume," replied gascoigne. "but are you really serious?" hereupon jack entered into a long argument, to which jolliffe and gascoigne listened without interruption, and mesty with admiration: at the end of it, gascoigne laughed heartily and jolliffe sighed. "from whence did you learn all this?" inquired jolliffe. "from my father, who is a great philosopher, and has constantly upheld these opinions." "and did your father wish you to go to sea?" "no, he was opposed to it," replied jack, "but of course he could not combat my rights and free-will." "mr easy, as a friend," replied jolliffe, "i request that you would as much as possible keep your opinions to yourself: i shall have an opportunity of talking to you on the subject, and will then explain to you my reasons." as soon as mr jolliffe had ceased, down came mr vigors and o'connor, who had heard the news of jack's heresy. "you do not know mr vigors and mr o'connor," said jolliffe to easy. jack, who was the essence of politeness, rose and bowed, at which the others took their seats, without returning the salutation. vigors had, from what he had heard and now seen of easy, thought he had somebody else to play upon, and without ceremony he commenced. "so, my chap, you are come on board to raise a mutiny here with your equality--you came off scot free at the captain's table; but it won't do, i can tell you, even in the midshipman's berth some must knock under, and you are one of them." "if, sir," replied easy, "you mean by knock under, that i must submit, i can assure you that you are mistaken. upon the same principle that i would never play the tyrant to those weaker than myself, so will i resent oppression if attempted." "damme, but he's a regular sea lawyer already: however, my boy, we'll soon put your mettle to the proof." "am i then to infer that i am not on an equality with my messmates?" replied jack, looking at jolliffe. the latter was about to answer him, but vigors interrupted. "yes, you are on an equality as far as this--that you have an equal right to the berth, if you are not knocked out of it for insolence to your masters; that you have an equal share to pay for the things purchased for the mess, and an equal right to have your share, provided you can get it; you have an equal right to talk, provided you are not told to hold your tongue. the fact is, you have an equal right with every one else to do as you can, get what you can, and say what you can, always provided that you can do it; for here the weakest goes to the wall, and that is midshipmen's berth equality. now, do you understand all that; or will you wait for a practical illustration?" "i am then to infer that the equality here is as much destroyed as it even will be among savages, where the strong oppress the weak, and the only law is club law--in fact, much the same as it is at a public or large school on shore?" "i suspect you are right for once. you were at a public school: how did they treat you there?" "as you propose treating people here--`the weakest went to the wall.'" "well, then, a nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse, that's all, my hearty," said vigors. but the hands being turned up, "shorten sail" put an end to the altercation for the present. as our hero had not yet received orders to go to his duty, he remained below with mesty. "by de powers, massa easy, but i lub you with my hole soul," said mesty. "by jasus, you really tark fine, massa easy; dat mr vigor--nebber care for him, wouldn't you lik him--and sure you would," continued the black, feeling the muscle of jack's arm. "by the soul of my fader, i'd bet my week's allowance on you anyhow. nebber be 'fraid, massa easy." "i am not afraid," replied jack; "i've thrashed bigger fellows than he;" and jack's assertion was true. mr bonnycastle never interfered in a fair fight, and took no notice of black eyes, provided the lessons were well said. jack had fought and fought again, until he was a very good bruiser, and although not so tall as vigors, he was much better built for fighting. a knowing westminster boy would have bet his half-crown upon jack, had he seen him and his anticipated adversary. the constant battles which jack was obliged to fight at school had been brought forward by jack against his father's arguments in favour of equality, but they had been overruled by mr easy's pointing out that the combats of _boys_ had nothing to do with the rights of man. as soon as the watch was called, vigors, o'connor, gossett, and gascoigne, came down from the berth. vigors, who was strongest in the berth, except jolliffe, had successively had his superiority acknowledged, and, when on deck, he had talked of easy's impertinence, and his intention of bringing him to his senses. the others, therefore, came down to see the fun. "well, mr easy," observed vigors, as he came into the berth, "you take after your name, at all events; i suppose you intend to eat the king's provision, and do nothing." jack's mettle was already up. "you will oblige me, sir, by minding your own business," replied jack. "you impudent blackguard, if you say another word i'll give you a good thrashing, and knock some of your equality out of you." "indeed," replied jack, who almost fancied himself back at mr bonnycastle's; "we'll try that." whereupon jack very coolly divested himself of his upper garments, neckerchief, and shirt, much to the surprise of mr vigors, who little contemplated such a proof of decision and confidence, and still more to the delight of the other midshipmen, who would have forfeited a week's allowance to see vigors well thrashed. vigors, however, knew that he had gone too far to retreat; he therefore prepared for action; and, when ready, the whole party went out into the steerage to settle the business. vigors had gained his assumed authority more by bullying than fighting; others had submitted to him without a sufficient trial; jack, on the contrary, had won his way up in school by hard and scientific combat: the result, therefore, may easily be imagined. in less than a quarter of an hour vigors, beaten dead, with his eyes closed, and three teeth out, gave in; while jack, after a basin of water, looked as fresh as ever, with the exception of a few trifling scratches. the news of this victory was soon through the ship; and before jack had resumed his clothes, it had been told confidentially by sawbridge to the captain. "so soon!" said captain wilson, laughing; "i expected that a midshipman's berth would do wonders; but i did not expect this, yet awhile. this victory is the first severe blow to mr easy's equality, and will be more valuable than twenty defeats. let him now go to his duty: he will soon find his level." chapter eleven. in which our hero proves that all on board should equally sacrifice decency to duty. the success of any young man in a profession very much depends upon the occurrences at the commencement of his career, as from those is his character judged, and he is treated accordingly. jack had chosen to enter the service at a much later period than most lads; he was tall and manly for his age, and his countenance, if not strictly handsome, wore that expression of honesty and boldness which is sure to please. his spirit in not submitting to, and meeting vigors when he had hardly recovered from his severe prostration of sea-sickness, had gained him with the many respect, and with all, except his antagonist and mr smallsole, goodwill. instead of being laughed at by his messmates, he was played with; for jolliffe smiled at his absurdities, and attempted to reason him out of them, and the others liked jack for himself and his generosity, and, more over, because they looked up to him as a protector against vigors, who had persecuted them all; for jack had declared, that as might was right in a midshipman's berth, he would so far restore equality, that if he could not put down those who were the strongest, at all events he would protect the weak, and, let who would come into the berth, they must be his master before they should tyrannise over those weaker than he. thus did jack easy make the best use that he could of his strength, and become, as it were, the champion and security of those who, although much longer at sea and more experienced than he was, were glad to shelter themselves under his courage and skill, the latter of which had excited the admiration of the butcher of the ship, who had been a pugilist by profession. thus did jack at once take the rank of an oldster, and soon became the leader of all the mischief. we particularly observe this, because, had it so happened that our hero had succumbed to vigors, the case would have been the very reverse. he then would have had to go through the ordeal to which most who enter the naval service are exposed, which cannot be better explained than by comparing it to the fagging carried to such an iniquitous extent in public schools. mr asper, for his own reasons, made him his companion: they walked the night-watch together, and he listened to all jack's nonsense about the rights of man. and here mr asper did good without intending it, for, at the same time that he appeared to agree with jack, to secure his favour, he cautioned him, and pointed out why this equality could not exist altogether on board of a man-of-war. as for himself, he said, he saw no difference between a lieutenant, or even a captain, and a midshipman, provided they were gentlemen: he should choose his friends where he liked, and despised that power of annoyance which the service permitted. of course, jack and mr asper were good friends, especially as, when half the watch was over, to conciliate his good will and to get rid of his eternal arguing, mr asper would send jack down to bed. they were now entering the straits, and expected to anchor the next day at gibraltar, and jack was forward on the forecastle, talking with mesty, with whom he had contracted a great friendship, for there was nothing that mesty would not have done for jack, although he had not been three weeks in the ship; but a little reflection will show that it was natural. mesty had been a great man in his own country; he had suffered all the horrors of a passage in a slave ship; he had been sold as a slave twice; he had escaped--but he found that the universal feeling was strong against his colour, and that on board of a man-of-war he was condemned, although free, to the humblest of offices. he had never heard any one utter the sentiments, which _now_ beat in his own heart, of liberty and equality--we say _now_, for when he was in his own country before his captivity, he had no ideas of equality; no one has who is in power: but he had been schooled; and although people talked of liberty and equality at new york, he found that what they preached for themselves, they did not practise towards others, and that, in the midst of liberty and equality, he and thousands more were enslaved and degraded beings. escaping to england, he had regained his liberty, but not his equality; his colour had prevented the latter, and in that feeling all the world appeared to conspire together against him, until, to his astonishment, he heard those sentiments boldly expressed from the lips of jack, and that in a service where it was almost tantamount to mutiny. mesty, whose character is not yet developed, immediately took a fondness for our hero, and in a hundred ways showed his attachment. jack also liked mesty, and was fond of talking with him, and every evening, since the combat with vigors, they had generally met in the forecastle to discuss the principles of equality and the rights of man. the boatswain, whose name was biggs, was a slight, dapper, active little man, who, as captain of the foretop, had shown an uncommon degree of courage in a hurricane, so much so, as to recommend him to the admiral for promotion. it was given to him; and after the ship to which he had been appointed was paid off, he had been ordered to join h.m. sloop _harpy_. jack's conversation with mesty was interrupted by the voice of the boatswain, who was haranguing his boy. "it's now ten minutes, sir, by my repeater," said the boatswain, "that i have sent for you;" and mr biggs pulled out a huge silver watch, almost as big as a norfolk turnip. a jew had sold him the watch; the boatswain had heard of repeaters, and wished to have one. moses had only shown him watches with the hour and minute hands; he now produced one with a second hand, telling him it was a repeater. "what makes it a repeater?" inquired the boatswain. "common watches," said the cunning jew, "only tell the minutes and the hours; but all repeaters tell the seconds." the boatswain was satisfied--bought the watch, and, although many had told him it was no repeater, he insisted that it _was_, and would call it so. "i swear," continued the boatswain, "it's ten minutes and twenty seconds by my repeater." "if you please, sir," said the boy, "i was changing my trousers when you sent for me, and then i had to stow away my bag again." "silence, sir; i'd have you to know that when you are sent for by your officer, trousers or no trousers, it is your duty to come up directly." "without trousers, sir!" replied the boy. "yes, sir, without trousers; if the captain required me, i should come without my shirt. duty before decency." so saying, the boatswain lays hold of the boy. "surely, mr biggs," said jack, "you are not going to punish that boy for not coming up without his trousers!" "yes, mr easy, i am--i must teach him a lesson. we are bound, now that newfangled ideas are brought into the ship, to uphold the dignity of the service; and the orders of an officer are not to be delayed ten minutes and twenty seconds because a boy has no trousers on." whereupon the boatswain administered several smart cuts with his rattan upon the boy, proving that it was quite as well that he had put on his trousers before he came on deck. "there," said mr biggs, "is a lesson for you, you scamp--and, mr easy, it is a lesson for you also," continued the boatswain, walking away with a most consequential air. "murder irish!" said mesty--"how him cut caper. de oder day he hawl out de weather ear-ring, and touch him hat to a midshipman. sure enough, make um cat laugh." the next day, the _harpy_ was at anchor in gibraltar bay; the captain went on shore, directing the gig to be sent for him before nine o'clock; after which hour the sally-port is only opened by special permission. there happened to be a ball given by the officers of the garrison on that evening, and a polite invitation was sent to the officers of h.m. sloop _harpy_. as those who accepted the invitation would be detained late, it was not possible for them to come off that night. and as their services were required for the next day, captain wilson allowed them to remain on shore until seven o'clock the next morning, at which hour, as there was a large party, there would be two boats sent for them. mr asper obtained leave, and asked permission to take our hero with him; to which mr sawbridge consented. many other officers obtained leave, and, among others, the boatswain, who, aware that his services would be in request as soon as the equipment commenced, asked permission for this evening. and mr sawbridge, feeling that he could be better spared at this than at any other time, consented. asper and jack went to an inn, dined, bespoke beds, and then dressed themselves for the ball, which was very brilliant, and, from the company of the officers, very pleasant. captain wilson looked on at the commencement, and then returned on board. jack behaved with his usual politeness, danced till two o'clock, and then, as the ball thinned, asper proposed that they should retire. having once more applied to the refreshment-room, they had procured their hats, and were about to depart, when one of the officers of the garrison asked jack if he would like to see a baboon, which had just been brought down from the rock; and, taking some of the cakes, they repaired to the court where the animal was chained down to a small tank. jack fed the brute till all the cakes were gone, and then, because he had no more to give him, the baboon flew at jack, who, in making his retreat, fell back into the tank, which was about two feet deep. this was a joke; and having laughed heartily, they wished the officer good-night, and went to the inn. now, what with the number of officers of the _harpy_ on shore, who had all put up at the same inn, and other occupants, the landlord was obliged to put his company into double and treble bedded rooms; but this was of little consequence. jack was shown into a doubled-bedded room, and proceeded to undress; the other was evidently occupied, by the heavy breathing which saluted jack's ear. as jack undressed, he recollected that his trousers were wet through, and to dry them he opened the window, hung them out, and then jammed down the window again upon them, to hold them in their position, after which he turned in and fell fast asleep. at six o'clock he was called, as he had requested, and proceeded to dress, but to his astonishment found the window thrown open and his trousers missing. it was evident that his partner in the room had thrown the window open during the night, and that his trousers, having fallen down into the street, had been walked off with by somebody or another. jack looked out of the window once more, and perceived that whoever had thrown open the window had been unwell during the night. a nice drunken companion i have had, thought jack; but what's to be done? and in saying this, he walked up to the other bed, and perceived that it was tenanted by the boatswain. well, thought jack, as mr biggs has thought proper to lose my trousers, i think i have a right to take his, or at least the wear of them, to go on board. it was but last night he declared that decency must give way to duty, and that the orders of a superior officer were to be obeyed, with or without garments. i know he is obliged to be on board, and now he shall try how he likes to obey orders in his shirt tails. so cogitating, jack took the trousers of the boatswain, who still snored, although he had been called, and, putting them on, completed the rest of his dress, and quitted the room. he went to that of mr asper, where he found him just ready, and, having paid the bill--for asper had forgotten his purse--they proceeded down to the sally-port, where they found other officers waiting, sufficient to load the first boat, which shoved off, and they went on board. as soon as he was down below, jack hastened to change his trousers, and, unobserved by any one, threw those belonging to mr biggs on a chair in his cabin, and, having made a confidant of mesty, who was delighted, he went on deck, and waited the issue of the affair. before jack left the hotel, he had told the waiter that there was the boatswain still fast asleep, and that he must be roused up immediately; and this injunction was obeyed. the boatswain, who had drunk too much the night before, and, as jack had truly imagined, had opened the window because he was unwell, was wakened up, and, hearing how late it was, hastened to dress himself. not finding his trousers, he rang the bell, supposing that they had been taken down to be brushed, and, in the meantime, put on everything else, that he might lose no time: the waiter who answered the bell denied having taken the trousers out of the room, and poor mr biggs was in a sad quandary. what had become of them, he could not tell: he had no recollection of having gone to bed the night before; he inquired of the waiter, who said that he knew nothing about them--that he was very tipsy when he came home, and that when he called him, he had found the window open, and it appeared that he had been unwell--he supposed that he had thrown his trousers out of the window. time flew, and the boatswain was in despair. "could they lend him a pair?" "he would call his master." the master of the inn knew very well the difference of rank between officers, and those whom he could trust and those whom he could not. he sent up the bill by the waiter, and stated that, for a deposit, the gentleman might have a pair of trousers. the boatswain felt in his pockets and remembered that all his money was in his trousers' pocket. he could not only not leave a deposit, but could not pay his bill. the landlord was inexorable. it was bad enough to lose his money, but he could not lose more. "i shall be tried by a court-martial, by heavens!" exclaimed the boatswain. "it's not far from the sally-port; i'll make a run for it, and i can slip into one of the boats and get another pair of trousers before i report myself as having come on board;" so, making up his mind, the boatswain took to his heels, and with his check shirt tails streaming in the wind, ran as hard as he could to where the boat was waiting to receive him. he was encountered by many, but he only ran the faster the more they jeered, and, at last, arrived breathless at his goal, flew down the steps, jumped into the boat, and squatted on the stern sheets, much to the surprise of the officers and men, who thought him mad. he stated in a few words that somebody had stolen his trousers during the night; and as it was already late, the boat shoved off, the men as well as the officers convulsed with laughter. "have any of you a pea-jacket?" inquired the boatswain of the men--but the weather was so warm that none of them had brought a pea-jacket. the boatswain looked round; he perceived that the officers were sitting on a boat-cloak. "whose boat-cloak is that?" inquired the boatswain. "mine," replied gascoigne. "i trust, mr gascoigne, you will have the kindness to lend it to me to go up the side with." "indeed i will not," replied gascoigne, who would sooner have thrown it overboard and have lost it, than not beheld the anticipated fun; "recollect i asked you for a fishing-line, when we were becalmed off cape st. vincent, and you sent word that you'd see me damned first. now i'll see you the same before you have my boat-cloak." "oh, mr gascoigne, i'll give you three lines, directly i get on board." "i dare say you will, but that won't do now. `tit for tat,' mr boatswain, and hang all favours," replied gascoigne, who was steering the boat, having been sent on shore for the others. "in bow--rowed of all." the boat was laid alongside--the relentless gascoigne caught up his boat-cloak as the other officers rose to go on board, and rolling it up, in spite of the earnest entreaties of mr biggs, tossed it into the main chains to the man who had thrown the stern-fast, and to make the situation of mr biggs still more deplorable, the first lieutenant was standing looking into the boat, and captain wilson walking the quarter deck. "come, mr biggs, i expected you off in the first boat," cried mr sawbridge; "be as smart as you please, for the yards are not yet squared." "shall i go ahead in this boat, and square them, sir?" "that boat, no; let her drop astern, jump up here and lower down the dinghy. what the devil do you sit there for, mr biggs?--you'll oblige me by showing a little more activity, or, by jove, you may save yourself the trouble of asking to go on shore again. are you sober, sir?" the last observation decided mr biggs. he sprung up from the boat just as he was, and touched his hat as he passed the first lieutenant. "perfectly sober, sir, but i've lost my trousers." "so it appears, sir," replied mr sawbridge, as mr biggs stood on the planeshear of the sloop where the hammock netting divides for an entrance, with his shirt tails fluttering in the sea breeze; but mr sawbridge could not contain himself any longer; he ran down the ship ladder which led on the quarter deck, choked with laughter. mr biggs could not descend until after mr sawbridge, and the conversation had attracted the notice of all, and every eye in the ship was on him. "what's all this?" said captain wilson, coming to the gangway. "duty before decency," replied jack, who stood by, enjoying the joke. mr biggs recollected the day before--he cast a furious look at jack, as he touched his hat to the captain, and then dived down to the lower deck. if anything could add to the indignation of the boatswain, it was to find that his trousers had come on board before him. he now felt that a trick had been played him, and also that our hero must have been the party, but he could prove nothing; he could not say who slept in the same room, for he was fast asleep when jack went to bed, and fast asleep when jack quitted the room. the truth of the story soon became known to all the ship, and "duty before decency" became a by-word. all that the boatswain could do he did, which was to revenge himself upon the poor boy--and gascoigne and jack never got any fishing-tackle. the boatswain was as obnoxious to the men as vigors, and in consequence of jack's known opinions upon the rights of man, and his having floored their two greatest enemies, he became a great favourite with the seamen, and, as all favourites are honoured by them with a sobriquet, our hero obtained that of _equality jack_. chapter twelve. in which our hero prefers going down to going up; a choice, it is to be hoped, he will reverse upon a more important occasion. the next day being sunday, the hands were turned up to divisions, and the weather not being favourable, instead of the service, the articles of war were read with all due respect shown to the same, the captain, officers, and crew with their hats off in a mizzling rain. jack, who had been told by the captain that these articles of war were the rules and regulations of the service, by which the captain, officers, and men were equally bound, listened to them as they were read by the clerk with the greatest attention. he little thought that there were about five hundred orders from the admiralty tacked on to them, which, like the numerous codicils of some wills, contained the most important matter, and to a certain degree make the will nugatory. jack listened very attentively, and, as each article was propounded, felt that he was not likely to commit himself in that point, and, although he was rather astonished to find such a positive injunction against swearing, considered quite a dead letter in the ship, he thought that, altogether, he saw his way very clear. but to make certain of it, as soon as the hands had been piped down he begged the clerk to let him have a copy of the articles. now the clerk had three, being the allowance of the ship, or at least all that he had in his possession, and made some demur at parting with one; but at last he proposed--"some rascal," as he said, "having stolen his tooth-brush"--that if jack would give him one he would give him one of the copies of the articles of war. jack replied that the one he had in use was very much worn, and that unfortunately he had but one new one, which he could not spare. thereupon the clerk, who was a very clean personage, and could not bear that his teeth should be dirty, agreed to accept the one in use, as jack could not part with the other. the exchange was made, and jack read the articles of war over and over again, till he thought he was fully master of them. "now," says jack, "i know what i am to do, and what i am to expect, and these articles of war i will carry in my pocket as long as i'm in the service; that is to say, if they last so long; and, provided they do not, i am able to replace them with another old tooth-brush, which appears to be the value attached to them." the _harpy_ remained a fortnight in gibraltar bay, and jack had occasionally a run on shore, and mr asper invariably went with him to keep him out of mischief; that is to say, he allowed him to throw his money away on nobody more worthless than himself. one morning jack went down in the berth, and found young gossett blubbering. "what's the matter, my dear mr gossett?" inquired jack, who was just as polite to the youngster as he was to anybody else. "vigors has been thrashing me with a rope's end," replied gossett, rubbing his arm and shoulders. "what for?" inquired jack. "because he says the service is going to hell--(i'm sure it's no fault of mine)--and that now all subordination is destroyed, and that upstarts join the ship who, because they have a five-pound note in their pocket, are allowed to do just as they please. he said he was determined to uphold the service, and then he knocked me down--and when i got up again he told me that i could stand a little more--and then he took out his colt, and said he was determined to ride the high horse--and that there should be no equality jack in future." "well," replied jack. "and then he colted me for half an hour, and that's all." "by de soul of my fader, but it all for true, massa easy--he larrap, um, sure enough--all for noteing, bad luck to him--i tink," continued mesty, "he hab debelish bad memory--and he want a little more of equality jack." "and he shall have it too," replied our hero; "why, it's against the articles of war, `all quarrelling, fighting, etc.' i say, mr gossett, have you got the spirit of a louse?" "yes," replied gossett. "well, then, will you do what i tell you next time, and trust to me for protection?" "i don't care what i do," replied the boy, "if you will back me against the cowardly tyrant." "do you refer to me?" cried vigors, who had stopped at the door of the berth. "say yes," said jack. "yes, i do," cried gossett. "you do, do you?--well then, my chick, i must trouble you with a little more of this," said vigors, drawing out his colt. "i think that you had better not, mr vigors," observed jack. "mind your own business, if you please," returned vigors, not much liking the interference. "i am not addressing my conversation to you, and i will thank you never to interfere with me. i presume i have a right to choose my own acquaintance, and, depend upon it, it will not be that of a leveller." "all that is at your pleasure, mr vigors," replied jack, "you have a right to choose your own acquaintance, and so have i a right to choose my own friends, and further, to support them. that lad is my friend, mr vigors." "then," replied vigors, who could not help bullying even at the risk of another combat which he probably intended to stand, "i shall take the liberty of giving your friend a thrashing;" and he suited the action to the word. "then i shall take the liberty to defend my friend," replied jack; "and as you call me a leveller, i'll try if i may not deserve the name"-- whereupon jack placed a blow so well under the ear, that mr vigors dropped on the deck, and was not in condition to come to the scratch, even if he had been inclined. "and now, youngster," said jack, wresting the colt out of vigors's hand, "do as i bid you--give him a good colting--if you don't i'll thrash you." gossett required no second threat--the pleasure of thrashing his enemy, if only for once, was quite enough--and he laid well on. jack with his fists doubled ready to protect him if there was a show of resistance, but vigors was half stupified with the blow under the ear, and quite cowed; he took his thrashing in the most passive manner. "that will do," said jack, "and now do not be afraid, gossett; the very first time he offers to strike you when i am not present, i will pay him off for it as soon as you tell me. i won't be called equality jack for nothing." when jolliffe, who heard of this, met our hero alone, he said to him, "take my advice, boy, and do not in future fight the battles of others, you'll find very soon that you will have enough to do to fight your own." whereupon jack argued the point for half an hour, and then they separated. but mr jolliffe was right. jack began to find himself constantly in hot water, and the captain and first lieutenant, although they did not really withdraw their protection, thought it high time that jack should find out that, on board a man-of-war, everybody and everything must find its level. there was on board of his majesty's sloop _harpy_, a man of the name of easthupp, who did the duty of purser's steward; this was the second ship that he had served in; in the former he had been sent with a draft of men from the tender lying off the tower. how he had come into the service was not known in the present ship, but the fact was, that he had been one of the swell mob--and had been sent on board the tender with a letter of recommendation from the magistrates to captain crouch. he was a cockney by birth, for he had been left at the workhouse of st. mary axe, where he had, been taught to read and write, and had afterwards made his escape. he joined the juvenile thieves of the metropolis, had been sent to bridewell, obtained his liberty, and by degrees had risen from petty thieving of goods exposed outside of the shops and market-stalls, to the higher class of gentlemen pickpockets. his appearance was some what genteel, with a bullying sort of an impudent air, which is mistaken for fashion by those who know no better. a remarkable neat dresser, for that was part of his profession; a very plausible manner and address; a great fluency of language, although he clipped the king's english; and, as he had suffered more than once by the law, it is not to be wondered at that he was, as he called himself, a _hout-and-hout_ radical. during the latter part of his service, in his last ship, he had been employed under the purser's steward, and having offered himself in this capacity to the purser of h.m. sloop _harpy_, with one or two forged certificates, he had been accepted. now, when mr easthupp heard of jack's opinions, he wished to cultivate his acquaintance, and with a bow and a flourish, introduced himself before they arrived at gibraltar, but our hero took an immediate dislike to this fellow from his excessive and impertinent familiarity. jack knew a gentleman when he met one, and did not choose to be a companion to a man beneath him in every way, but who, upon the strength of jack's liberal opinions, presumed to be his equal. jack's equality did not go so far as that; in theory it was all very well, but in practice it was only when it suited his own purpose. but the purser's steward was not to be checked--a man who has belonged to the swell mob is not easily repulsed; and although jack would plainly show him that his company was not agreeable, easthupp would constantly accost him familiarly on the forecastle and lower deck, with his arms folded, and with an air almost amounting to superiority. at last, jack told him to go about his business, and not to presume to talk to him, whereupon easthupp rejoined, and after an exchange of hard words, it ended by jack kicking mr easthupp, as he called himself, down the after-lower-deck hatchway. this was but a sorry specimen of jack's equality--and mr easthupp, who considered that his honour had been compromised, went up to the captain on the quarter-deck, and lodged his complaint--whereupon captain wilson desired that mr easy might be summoned. as soon as jack made his appearance, captain wilson called to easthupp. "now, purser's steward, what is this you have to say?" "if you please, captain vilson, i am wery sorry to be obliged to make hany complaint of hany hofficer, but this mr heasy thought proper to make use of language quite hunbecoming of a gentleman, and then to kick me as i vent down the atchvay." "well, mr easy, is this true?" "yes, sir," replied jack; "i have several times told the fellow not to address himself to me, and he will. i did tell him he was a radical blackguard, and i did kick him down the hatchway." "you told him he was a radical blackguard, mr easy?" "yes, sir; he comes bothering me about his republic, and asserting that we have no want of a king and aristocracy." captain wilson looked significantly at mr sawbridge. "i crtainly did hoffer my political opinions, captain vilson; but you must be avare that ve hall ave an hequal stake in the country--and it's a hinglishman's birthright." "i'm not aware what your stake in the country may be, mr easthupp," observed captain wilson, "but i think that, if you used such expressions, mr easy was fully warranted in telling you his opinion." "i ham villing, captain vilson, to make hany hallowance for the eat of political discussion--but that is not hall that i ave to complain hof. mr easy thought proper to say that i was a swindler and a liar." "did you make use of those expressions, mr easy?" "yes, sir, he did," continued the steward, "and, moreover, told me not to cheat the men, and not to cheat my master the purser. now, captain vilson, is it not true that i am in a wery hostensible sitevation, but i flatter myself that i ave been vell edecated, and vos vonce moving in a wery different society--misfortains vill appin to us hall, and i feel my character has been severely injured by such impertations;" whereupon mr easthupp took out his handkerchief, flourished, and blew his nose. "i told mr heasy that i considered myself quite as much of a gentleman as himself, and at hall hewents did not keep company with a black feller (mr heasy will understand the insinevation), vereupon mr heasy, as i before said, your vorship, i mean you, captain vilson, thought proper to kick me down the atchvay." "very well, steward, i have heard your complaint, and now you may go." mr easthupp took his hat off with an air, made his bow, and went down the main ladder. "mr easy," said captain wilson, "you must be aware that, by the regulations of the service by which we are all equally bound, it is not permitted that any officer shall take the law into his own hands. now, although i do not consider it necessary to make any remark as to your calling the man a radical blackguard, for i consider his impertinent intrusion of his opinions deserved it, still you have no right to attack any man's character without grounds--and as that man is in an office of trust, you were not at all warranted in asserting that he was a cheat. will you explain to me why you made use of such language?" now our hero had no proofs against the man; he had nothing to offer in extenuation, until he recollected, all at once, the reason assigned by the captain for the language used by mr sawbridge. jack had the wit to perceive that it would hit home, so he replied, very quietly and respectfully: "if you please, captain wilson, that was all zeal." "zeal, mr easy? i think it but a bad excuse. but pray, then, why did you kick the man down the hatchway?--you must have known that that was contrary to the rules of the service." "yes, sir," replied jack demurely, "but that was all zeal too." "then allow me to say," replied captain wilson, biting his lips, "that i think that your zeal has in this instance been very much misplaced, and i trust you will not show so much again." "and yet, sir," replied jack, aware that he was giving the captain a hard hit, and therefore looked proportionally humble, "we should do nothing in the service without it--and i trust one day, as you told me, to become a very zealous officer." "i trust so too, mr easy," replied the captain. "there, you may go now, and let me hear no more of kicking people down the hatchway. that sort of zeal is misplaced." "more than my foot was, at all events," muttered jack, as he walked off. captain wilson, as soon as our hero disappeared, laughed heartily, and told mr sawbridge "he had ascribed his language to our hero as all zeal. he has very cleverly given me it all back again; and really, sawbridge, as it proves how weak was my defence of you, you may gain from this lesson." sawbridge thought so too--but both agreed that jack's rights of man were in considerable danger. the day before the ship sailed, the captain and mr asper dined with the governor, and as there was little more to do, mr sawbridge, who had not quitted the ship since she had been in port, and had some few purchases to make, left her in the afternoon in the charge of mr smallsole, the master. now, as we have observed, he was jack's inveterate enemy-- indeed jack had already made three, mr smallsole, mr biggs the boatswain, and easthupp, the purser's steward. mr smallsole was glad to be left in command, as he hoped to have an opportunity of punishing our hero, who certainly laid himself not a little open to it. like all those who are seldom in command, the master was proportionally tyrannical and abusive--he swore at the men, made them do the duty twice and thrice over on the pretence that it was not smartly done, and found fault with every officer remaining on board. "mr biggs--by god, sir, you seem to be all asleep forward; i suppose you think that you are to do nothing, now the first lieutenant is out of the ship? how long will it be, sir, before you are ready to sway away?" "by de holy poker, i tink he sway away finely, massa easy," observed mesty, who was in converse with our hero on the forecastle. mr smallsole's violence made mr biggs violent, which made the boatswain's mate violent--and the captain of the forecastle violent also; all which is practically exemplified by philosophy in the laws of motion, communicated from one body to another: and as mr smallsole swore, so did the boatswain swear--also the boatswain's mate, the captain of the forecastle, and all the men; showing the force of example. mr smallsole came forward--"damnation, mr biggs, what the devil are you about? can't you move here?" "as much as we can, sir," replied the boatswain, "lumbered as the forecastle is with idlers;" and here mr biggs looked at our hero and mesty, who were standing against the bulwark. "what are you doing here, sir?" cried mr smallsole to our hero. "nothing at all, sir," replied jack. "then i'll give you something to do, sir. go up to the mast-head, and wait there till i call you down. come, sir, i'll show you the way," continued the master, walking aft. jack followed till they were on the quarter-deck. "now, sir, up to the main-top gallant mast-head; perch yourself upon the cross trees--up with you." "what am i to go up there for, sir?" inquired jack. "for punishment, sir," replied the master. "what have i done, sir?" "no reply, sir--up with you." "if you please, sir," replied jack, "i should wish to argue this point a little." "argue the point," roared mr smallsole. "by jove, i'll teach you to argue the point--away with you, sir." "if you please, sir," continued jack, "the captain told me that the articles of war were the rules and regulations by which every one in the service was to be guided. now, sir," said jack, "i have read them over till i know them by heart, and there is not one word of mast-heading in the whole of them." here jack took the articles out of his pocket, and unfolded them. "will you go to the mast-head, sir, or will you not?" said mr smallsole. "will you show me the mast-head in the articles of war, sir," replied jack; "here they are." "i tell you, sir, to go to the mast-head if not, i'll be damned if i don't hoist you up in a bread-bag." "there's nothing about bread-bags in the articles of war," replied jack; "but i'll tell you what there is, sir," and jack commenced reading: "all flag officers, and all persons in or belonging to his majesty's ships or vessels of war, being guilty of profane oaths, execrations, drunkenness, uncleanness, or other scandalous actions, in derogation of god's honour, and corruption of good manners, shall incur such punishment as--" "damnation," cried the master, who was mad with rage, hearing that the whole ship's company were laughing. "no, sir, not damnation," replied jack, "that's when he's tried above; but according to the nature and degree of the offence--" "will you go to the mast-head, sir, or will you not?" "if you please," replied jack, "i'd rather not." "then, sir, consider yourself under an arrest--i'll try you by a court-martial, by god. go down below, sir." "with the greatest of pleasure, sir," replied jack, "that's all right, and according to the articles of war, which are to guide us all." jack folded up his articles of war, put them into his pocket, and went down into the berth. soon after jack had gone down, jolliffe, who had heard the whole of the altercation, followed him. "my lad," said jolliffe, "i'm sorry for all this; you should have gone to the mast-head." "i should like to argue that point a little," replied jack. "yes, so would everybody; but if that were permitted, the service would be at a standstill--that would not do;--you must obey an order first, and then complain afterwards, if the order is unjust." "it is not so in the articles of war." "but it is so in the service." "the captain told me that the articles of war were the guides of the service, and we were all equally bound to obey them." "well, but allowing that, i do not think your articles of war will bear you out. you observe, they say any officer, mariner, etcetera, guilty of disobedience to any lawful command. now are you not guilty under that article?" "that remains to be argued still," replied jack. "a lawful command means an order established by law; now where is that law?--besides, the captain told me when i kicked that blackguard down the hatchway, that there was only the captain who could punish, and that officers could not take the law into their own hands; why then has the master?" "his doing wrong as superior officer is no reason why you as an inferior should disobey him. if that were permitted--if every order were to be cavilled at and argued upon, as just or unjust, there would be an end of all discipline. besides, recollect, that in the service there is custom, which is the same as law." "that admits of a little argument," replied jack. "the service will admit of none, my dear boy: recollect that, even on shore, we have two laws, that which is written, and the _lex non scripta_, which is custom; of course we have it in the service, for the articles of war cannot provide for everything." "they provide a court-martial for everything though," replied jack. "yes, with death or dismissal from the service--neither of which would be very agreeable. you have got yourself into a scrape, and although the captain is evidently your friend, he cannot overlook it: fortunately, it is with the master, which is of less consequence than with the other officers; but still, you will have to submit, for the captain cannot overlook it." "i'll tell you what, jolliffe," replied jack, "my eyes now begin to be opened to a great many things. the captain tells me, when i am astonished at bad language, that it is all zeal, and then i found out that what is all zeal in a superior to an inferior, is insolence when reversed. he tells me, that the articles of war are made to equally guide us all--the master breaks what is positively mentioned in the second article twenty times over, and goes scot free, while i am to be punished, because i do not comply with what the articles do not mention. how was i to know that i ought to go to the mast-head for punishment? particularly when the captain tells me that he alone is to punish in the ship. if i obey an order in opposition to the captain's order, is not that as bad as disobeying the captain? i think that i have made out a very strong case, and my arguments are not to be confuted." "i'm afraid that the master will make out a very strong case, and that your arguments will never be heard." "that will be contrary to all the rules of justice." "but according to all the rules of service." "i do believe that i am a great fool," observed jack, after a pause. "what do you imagine made me come to sea, jolliffe?" "because you did not know when you were well off," replied the mate dryly. "that's true enough; but my reason was, because i thought i should find that equality here that i could not find on shore." jolliffe stared. "my dear boy, i heard you say that you obtained those opinions from your father; i mean no disrespect to him, but he must be either mad or foolish, if at his age he has not yet discovered that there is no such thing in existence." "i begin to think so," replied jack; "but that does not prove that there ought not to be." "i beg your pardon; the very non-existence proves that it ought not to be--`whatever is, is right'--you might as well expect to find perfect happiness or perfection in the individual. your father must be a visionary." "the best thing that i can do is to go home again." "no, my dear easy, the best thing that you can do is to stay in the service, for it will soon put an end to all such nonsensical ideas; and it will make you a clever, sensible fellow. the service is a rough, but a good school, where everybody finds his level--not the level of equality, but the level which his natural talent and acquirements will rise or sink him to, in proportion as they are plus or minus. it is a noble service, but has its imperfections, as everything in this world must have. i have little reason to speak in its favour, as far as i am concerned, for it has been hard bread to me, but there must be exceptions in every rule. do not think of quitting the service until you have given it a fair trial. i am aware that you are an only son, and your father is a man of property, and, therefore, in the common parlance of the world, you are independent; but, believe me, no man, however rich, is independent, unless he has a profession, and you will find no better than this, notwithstanding--" "what?" "that you will be, most certainly, sent to the mast-head to-morrow." "we'll argue that point," replied jack; "at all events, i will go and turn in to-night." chapter thirteen. in which our hero begins to act and think for himself. whatever may have been jack's thoughts, at all events they did not spoil his rest. he possessed in himself all the materials of a true philosopher, but there was a great deal of weeding still required. jolliffe's arguments, sensible as they were, had very little effect upon him, for, strange to say, it is much more easy to shake a man's opinions when he is wrong than when he is right; proving that we are all of a very perverse nature. "well," thought jack, "if i am to go to the mast-head, i am, that's all; but it does not prove that my arguments are not good, only that they will not be listened to;" and then jack shut his eyes, and in a few minutes was fast asleep. the master had reported to the first lieutenant, and the first lieutenant to the captain, when he came on board the next morning, the conduct of mr easy, who was sent for in the cabin, to hear if he had any thing to offer in extenuation of his offence. jack made an oration, which lasted more than half an hour, in which all the arguments he had brought forward to jolliffe in the preceding chapter were entered fully into. mr jolliffe was then examined, and also mr smallsole was interrogated: after which the captain and the first lieutenant were left alone. "sawbridge," said captain wilson, "how true it is that any deviation from what is right invariably leads us into a scrape. i have done wrong: wishing to get this boy out of his father's hands, and fearful that he would not join the ship, and imagining him to be by no means the shrewd fellow that he is in reality, i represented the service in a much more favourable light than i should have done; all that he says i told him i did tell him, and it is i who really led the boy into error. mr smallsole has behaved tyrannically and unjustly; he punished the lad for no crime; so that what between the master and me, i am now on the horns of a dilemma. if i punish the boy, i feel that i am punishing him more for my own fault and the fault of others, than his own. if i do not punish him, i allow a flagrant and open violation of discipline to pass uncensured, which will be injurious to the service." "he must be punished, sir," replied sawbridge. "send for him," said the captain. jack made his appearance, with a very polite bow. "mr easy, as you suppose that the articles of war contained all the rules and regulations of the service, i take it for granted that you have erred through ignorance. but recollect, that although you have erred through ignorance, such a violation of discipline, if passed unnoticed, will have a very injurious effect with the men, whose obedience is enforced by the example shown to them by the officers. i feel so convinced of your zeal, which you showed the other day in the case of easthupp, that i am sure you will see the propriety of my proving to the men, by punishing you, that discipline must be enforced, and i shall therefore send for you on the quarter-deck, and order you to go to the mast-head in presence of the ship's company, as it was in the presence of the ship's company that you refused." "with the greatest pleasure, captain wilson," replied jack. "and in future, mr easy, although i shall ever set my face against it, recollect that if any officer punishes you, and you imagine that you are unfairly treated, you will submit to the punishment, and then apply to me for redress." "certainly, sir," replied jack, "now that i am aware of your wishes." "you will oblige me, mr easy, by going on the quarter-deck, and wait there till i come up." jack made his best bow, and exit. "old jolliffe told me that i should have to go," said jack to himself, "and he was right, so far; but hang me if i hadn't the best of the argument, and that's all i care about." captain wilson sent for the master, and reprimanded him for his oppression, as it was evident that there was no ground for punishment, and he forbade him ever to mast-head another midshipman, but to report his conduct to the first lieutenant or himself. he then proceeded to the quarter-deck, and, calling for mr easy, gave him what appeared to be a very severe reprimand, which jack looked upon very quietly, because it was all _zeal_ on the captain's part to give it, and all _zeal_ on his own to take it. our hero was then ordered up to the mast-head. jack took off his hat, and took three or four steps, in obedience to the order--and then returned and made his best bow--inquired of captain wilson whether he wished him to go to the fore or to the main-mast head. "to the main, mr easy," replied the captain, biting his lips. jack ascended three spokes of the jacob's ladder, when he again stopped, and took off his hat. "i beg your pardon, captain wilson--you have not informed me whether it is your wish that i should go to the topmast, or the top-gallant cross-trees." "to the top-gallant cross-trees, mr easy," replied the captain. jack ascended, taking it very easy: he stopped at the main-top for breath; at the main-topmast head, to look about him; and, at last, gained the spot agreed upon, where he seated himself, and, taking out the articles of war, commenced them again, to ascertain whether he could not have strengthened his arguments. he had not, however, read through the seventh article before the hands were turned up--"up anchor!" and mr sawbridge called, "all hands down from aloft!" jack took the hint, folded up his documents, and came down as leisurely as he went up. jack was a much better philosopher than his father. the _harpy_ was soon under way, and made all sail, steering for cape de gatte, where captain wilson hoped to pick up a spanish vessel or two, on his way to toulon to receive the orders of the admiral. a succession of light breezes and calms rendered the passage very tedious; but the boats were constantly out, chasing the vessels along shore, and jack usually asked to be employed on this service: indeed, although so short a time afloat, he was, from his age and strength, one of the most effective midshipmen, and to be trusted, provided a whim did not come into his head; but hitherto jack had always been under orders, and had always acquitted himself very well. when the _harpy_ was off tarragona, it so happened that there were several cases of dysentery in the ship, and mr asper and mr jolliffe were two of those who were suffering. this reduced the number of officers; and, at the same time, they had received information from the men of a fishing-boat, who, to obtain their own release, had given the intelligence, that a small convoy was coming down from rosas as soon as the wind was fair, under the protection of two gun-boats. captain wilson kept well off-shore until the wind changed, and then, allowing for the time that the vessels would take to run down the distance between tarragona and rosas, steered in the night, to intercept them; but it again fell calm, and the boats were therefore hoisted out, with directions to proceed along the shore, as it was supposed that the vessels could not now be far distant. mr sawbridge had the command of the expedition in the pinnace; the first cutter was in charge of the gunner, mr minus; and, as the other officers were sick, mr sawbridge, who liked jack more and more every day, at his particular request gave him the command of the second cutter. as soon as he heard of it, mesty declared to our hero that he would go with him; but without permission that was not possible. jack obtained leave for mesty to go in lieu of a marine: there were many men sick of the dysentery, and mr sawbridge was not sorry to take an idler out of the ship instead of a working man, especially as mesty was known to be a good hand. it was ten o'clock at night when the boats quitted the ship; and, as it was possible that they might not return till late the next day, one day's biscuit and rum were put on board each, that the crews might not suffer from exhaustion. the boats pulled in-shore, and then coasted for three hours, without seeing anything: the night was fine overhead, but there was no moon. it still continued calm, and the men began to feel fatigued, when, just as they were within a mile of a low point, they perceived the convoy over the land, coming down with their sails squared, before a light breeze. mr sawbridge immediately ordered the boats to lie upon their oars, awaiting their coming, and arranging for the attack. the white lateen sails of the gun-boat in advance were now plainly distinguishable from the rest, which were all huddled together in her wake. down she came like a beautiful swan in the water, her sails just filled with the wind, and running about three knots an hour. mr sawbridge kept her three masts in one, that they might not be perceived, and winded the boats with their heads the same way, so that they might dash on board of her with a few strokes of the oars. so favourable was the course of the gun-boat, that she stood right between the launch on one bow and the two cutters on the other; and they were not perceived until they were actually alongside; the resistance was trifling, but some muskets and pistols had been fired, and the alarm was given. mr sawbridge took possession, with the crew of the launch, and brought the vessel to the wind, as he perceived that at the alarm all the convoy had done the same, directing the cutters to board the largest vessels, and secure as many as they could, while he would do the same with the launch, as he brought them to: but the other gun boat, which had not yet been seen, and had been forgotten, now made her appearance, and came down in a gallant manner to the support of her comrade. mr sawbridge threw half his men into the launch, as she carried a heavy carronade, and sent her to assist the cutters, which had made right for the gun-boat. a smart firing of round and grape was opened upon the boats, which continued to advance upon her; but the officer commanding the gun-boat, finding that he had no support from his consort, and concluding that she had been captured, hauled his wind again, and stood out in the offing. our hero pulled after her, although he could not see the other boats; but the breeze had freshened, and all pursuit was useless: he therefore directed his course to the convoy, and, after a hard pull, contrived to get on board of a one-masted xebeque, of about fifty tons. mesty, who had eyes as sharp as a needle, had observed that when the alarm was given, several of the convoy had not rounded the point, and he therefore proposed, as this vessel was very light, that they should make short tacks with her, to weather the point, as if they were escaping, and by that means be able, particularly if it fell calm again, to capture some others. jack thought this advice good. the convoy who had rounded the point had all stood out to seaward with the gun-boat, and had now a fresh breeze. to chase them was therefore useless; and the only chance was to do as mesty had proposed. he therefore stood out into the breeze, and, after half an hour, tacked in shore, and fetched well to windward of the low point; but finding no vessels, he stood out again. thus had he made three or four tacks, and had gained, perhaps, six or seven miles, when he perceived signals of recall made to leeward, enforced with guns. "mr sawbridge wants us to come back, mesty." "mr sawbridge mind him own business," replied mesty, "we nebber take all dis trubble to ply to windward for noting." "but, mesty, we must obey orders." "yes, sar, when he have him thumb upon you; but now, must do what tink most proper. by de powers, he catch me 'fore i go back." "but we shall lose the ship." "find her again, by-and-bye, massa easy." "but they will think that we are lost." "so much the better, nebba look after us, massa easy; i guess we have a fine cruise anyhow. morrow we take large vessel--make sail, take more, den we go to toulon." "but i don't know my way to toulon; i know it lies up this way, and that's all." "dat enough, what you want more? massa easy, 'pose you not find fleet, fleet soon find you. by god, nobody nebba lost here. now, massa easy, let um go 'bout gain. somebody else burn biscuit and boil kettle to-morrow for de gentlemen. murder irish! only tink, massa easy--i boil kettle, and prince in my own country!" easy was very much of a mind with mesty; "for," argued jack, "if i go back now, i only bring a small vessel half full of beans, and i shall be ashamed to show my face. now it is true, that they may suppose that we have been sunk by the fire of the gun-boat. well, what then? they have a gun-boat to show for their night's work, and it will appear that there was harder fighting than there has been, and mr sawbridge may benefit by it." (jack was a very knowing fellow to have learned so much about the service already.) "well, and when they discover that we are not lost, how glad they will be to find us, especially if we bring some prizes--which i will do, or i'll not go back again. it's not often that one gets a command before being two months at sea, and, hang me, now i've got it if i won't keep it; and mr smallsole may mast-head whom he pleases. i'm sorry for poor gossett though; if vigors supposes me dead how he will murder the poor little fellow--however, it's all for the good of the service, and i'll revenge him when i come back. hang me if i won't take a cruise." "i talk to the men, they say thay all tick to you like leech. now dat job settled, i tink we better go 'bout again." a short time after this decision on the part of our hero, the day broke: jack first looked to leeward, and perceived the gun-boat and convoy standing in for the shore about ten miles distant, followed by the _harpy_, under all sail. he could also perceive the captured gun-boat lying to in-shore to prevent their escape. "_harpy_ hab um all, by gosh!" cried mesty; "i ab notion dat she soon settle um hash." they were so busy looking at the _harpy_ and the convoy, that, for some time, they quite forgot to look to windward. at last mesty turned his eyes that way. "dam um, i see right last night; look, massa easy--one chip, one brig tree lateen--dem for us. by de power, but we make _bon_ prize to-night." the vessels found out by mesty were not above three miles to windward; they were under all sail, beating up for the protection of a battery not far distant. "now, massa, suppose dey see our boat, dey tink something; keep boat alongside, and shift her when we go 'bout every time: better not sail so fast now--keep further off till they drop anchor for de night; and den, when it dark, we take 'em." all mesty's advice was good, with the exception perhaps of advising our hero how to disobey orders and take a cruise. to prevent the vessel from approaching too near the others, and at the same time to let her have the appearance of doing her best, a sail was towed overboard under the bows, and after that they watched the motions of the _harpy_. the distance was too great to distinguish very clearly, but mesty shinned up the mast of the vessel, and reported progress. "by jasus, dare one gun--two gun--go it, _harpy_. won't she ab um, sure enough. now gun-boat fire--dat our gun-boat--no, dat not ours. now our gun-boat fire--dat pretty--fire away. ah, now de _harpy_ cum up. all 'mung 'em. bung, bung, bung--rattle de grape, by gosh. i ab notion de spaniard is very pretty considerable trouble just now, anyhow. all hove-to, so help me gosh--not more firing; _harpy_ take um all--dare gun boat hove-to, she strike um colours. by all powers, but suppose dey tink we no share prize-money--they find it not little mistake. now, my lads, it all over, and," continued mesty, sliding down the mast, "i tink you better not show yourself too much; only two men stay on deck, and dem two take off um jackets." mesty's report was correct; the _harpy_ had captured the other gun-boat, and the whole convoy. the only drawback to their good fortune was the disappearance of mr easy and the cutter: it was supposed that a shot from the gun-boat must have sunk her, and that the whole crew were drowned. captain wilson and mr sawbridge seriously regretted the loss of our hero, as they thought that he would have turned out a shining character as soon as he had sown his wild oats; so did mr asper, because our hero's purse went with him; so did jolliffe, because he had taken an affection for him; so did little gossett, because he anticipated no mercy from vigors. on the other hand, there were some who were glad that he was gone; and as for the ship's company in general, they lamented the loss of the poor cutter's crew for twenty-four hours, which, in a man-of-war, is a very long while, and then they thought no more about them. we must leave the _harpy_ to make the best of her way to toulon and now follow our hero. the cutter's crew knew very well that jack was acting contrary to orders, but anything was to them a change from the monotony of a man-of-war; and they, as well as mesty, highly approved of a holiday. it was, however, necessary that they should soon proceed to business, for they had but their allowance of bread and grog for one day, and in the vessel they found nothing except a few heads of garlic, for the spaniards coasting down shore had purchased their provisions as they required them. there were only three prisoners on board, and they had been put down in the hold among the beans; a bag of which had been roused on deck, and a part put into the kettle to make soup. jack did not much admire the fare of the first day--it was bean-soup for breakfast, bean-soup for dinner, and if you felt hungry during the intervals it was still bean-soup, and nothing else. one of the men could speak a little lingua franca, and the prisoners were interrogated as to the vessels to windward. the ship was stated to be valuable, and also one of the brigs. the ship carried guns, and that was all that they knew about them. as the sun went down the vessels dropped their anchors off the battery. the breeze continued light, and the vessel which contained jack and his fortunes was about four miles to leeward. as for the _harpy_, they had long lost sight of her, and it was now time to proceed to some arrangement. as soon as it was dark jack turned his hands up and made a very long speech. he pointed out to the men that his zeal had induced him not to return to the ship until he had brought something with him worth having--that they had had nothing but beans to eat during the whole day, which was anything but agreeable, and that, therefore, it was absolutely necessary that they should better their condition; and there was a large ship not four miles off, and that he intended to take her; and as soon as he had taken her he intended to take some more; that he trusted to their zeal to support him on this occasion, and that he expected to do a great deal during the cruise. he pointed out to them that they must consider themselves as on board of a man-of-war, and be guided by the articles of war, which were written for them all--and that in case they forgot them, he had a copy in his pocket, which he would read to them to morrow morning, as soon as they were comfortably settled on board of the ship. he then appointed mesty as first lieutenant; the marine as sergeant; the coxswain as boatswain; two men as midshipmen to keep watch: two others as boatswain's mates, leaving two more for the ship's company, who were divided into the larboard and starboard watch. the cutter's crew were perfectly content with jack's speech, and their brevet rank, and after that they commenced a more important topic, which was, how they were to take the ship. after some discussion, mesty's advice was approved of; which was, that they should anchor not far ahead of the ship, and wait till about two o'clock in the morning, when they would drop silently down upon her in the cutter, and take possession. about nine o'clock the vessel was anchored as they proposed, and jack was a little astonished to find that the ship was much larger that he had any idea of; for, although polacca-rigged, she was nearly the same tonnage as the _harpy_. the spanish prisoners were first tied hand and foot, and laid upon the beans, that they might give no alarm, the sails were furled, and all was kept quiet. on board of the ship, on the contrary, there was noise and revelry; and about half-past ten a boat was seen to leave her and pull for the shore; after which the noise gradually ceased, the lights one by one disappeared, and then all was silent. "what do you think, mesty?" said jack; "do you think we shall take her?" "it is take her, you mane; sure enough we'll take her, stop a bit--wait till um all fast asleep." about twelve o'clock there came on a mizzling heavy rain, which was very favourable for our hero's operations. but as it promised soon to clear up, by mesty's advice they did not delay any longer. they crept softly into the boat, and with two oars to steer her dropped under the bows of the vessel, climbed up the forechains, and found the deck empty. "take care not fire pistol," said mesty to the men as they came up, putting his finger to their lips to impress them with the necessity of silence, for mesty had been an african warrior, and knew the advantage of surprise. all the men being on deck, and the boat made fast, jack and mesty led the way aft; not a soul was to be seen: indeed, it was too dark to see anybody unless they were walking the deck. the companion-hatch was secured, and the gratings laid on the after-hatch ways, and then they went aft to the binnacle again, where there was a light burning. mesty ordered two of the men to go forward to secure the hatches, and then to remain there on guard--and then the rest of the men and our hero consulted at the wheel. "by the power we ab the ship!" said mesty, "but must manage plenty yet. i tink der some damn lazy rascal sleep 'tween the guns. a lilly while it no rain, and den we see better. now keep all quiet." "there must be a great many men in this ship," replied our hero; "she is very large, and has twelve or fourteen guns--how shall we manage to secure them?" "all right," replied mesty, "manage all dat by-and-bye. don't care how soon daylight come." "it has left off raining already," observed easy; "there is a candle in the binnacle--suppose we light it and look round the decks." "yes," replied mesty, "one man sentry over cabin hatch, and another over after-hatch. now den we light candle, and all the rest go round the deck. mind you leave all your pistols on capstern." jack lighted the candle, and they proceeded round the decks: they had not walked far, when, between two of the guns, they discovered a heap covered with gregos. "there de _watch_," whispered mesty; "all fast-- not ready for dem yet." mesty blew out the candle, and they all retreated to the binnacle, where mesty took out a coil of the ropes about the mizzen-mast, and cutting it into lengths, gave them to the other men to unlay. in a few minutes they had prepared a great many seizings to tie the men with. "now den we light candle again, and make sure of them lazy hounds," said mesty; "very much oblige to dem all de same; they let us take de ship-- mind now, wake one at a time, and shut him mouth." "but suppose they get their mouths free and cry out?" replied jack. "den, mr easy," replied mesty, changing his countenance to an expression almost demoniacal--"there no help for it"--and mesty showed his knife which he held in his right hand. "oh, no! do not let us murder them." "no, massa--suppose can help it; but suppose they get upper hand--what become of us? spaniards hab knives, and use dem too, by de power!" the observation of mesty was correct, and the expression of his countenance when he showed his knife proved what a relentless enemy he could be, if his blood was once roused--but mesty had figured in the ashantee wars in former days, and after that the reader need not be surprised. they proceeded cautiously to where the spaniards lay. the arrangements of mesty were very good. there were two men to gag them while the others were to tie their limbs. mesty and easy were to kneel by them with the candle, with raised knives to awe them into silence, or to strike home, if their own safety required it. the gregos were removed off the first man, who opened his eyes at the sight of the candle, but the coxswain's hand was on his mouth--he was secured in silence. the other two men were awaked, and threw off their coverings, but they were also secured without there being occasion to resort to bloodshed. "what shall we do now, mesty?" "now, sar," said mesty, "open the after-hatch and watch--suppose more men come up, we make them fass; suppose no more come up, we wait till daylight--and see what take place." mesty then went forward to see if the men were watchful on the forecastle; and having again gone round the whole of the deck to see if there were any more men on it, he blew out the candle, and took his station with the others at the after-hatchway. it was just at break of day that the spaniards who had to keep the morning watch having woke up, as people generally do at that hour at which they expect to be called, dressed themselves and came on deck, imagining, and very truly, that those of the middle watch had fallen asleep, but little imagining that the deck was in possession of englishmen. mesty and the others retreated, to allow them all to come up before they could perceive them, and fortunately this was accomplished. four men came on the deck, looked round them, and tried to make out in the dark where their shipmates might be. the grating was slapped on again by jack, and before they could well gain their eyesight, they were seized and secured, not, however, without a scuffle and some noise. by the time that these men were secured and laid between the guns it was daylight, and they now perceived what a fine vessel they had fairly taken possession of--but there was much to be done yet. there was, of course, a number of men in the ship, and, moreover, they were not a mile from a battery of ten guns. mesty, who was foremost in everything, left four men abaft and went forward on the forecastle, examined the cable, which was _coir_ rope, and therefore easily divided, and then directed the two men forward to coil a hawser upon the fore-grating, the weight of which would make all safe in that quarter, and afterwards to join them on the quarter-deck. "now, mr easy, the great ting will be to get hold of captain; we must get him on deck. open cabin-hatch now, and keep the after-hatch fast. two men stay there, the others all come aft." "yes," replied jack, "it will be a great point to secure the captain-- but how are we to get him up?" "you no know how to get captain up? by de holy, i know very well." and mesty took up the coils of rope about the mizzen-mast, and threw them upon deck, one after another, making all the noise possible. in a short time there was a violent pull of a bell at the cabin door, and in a minute afterwards a man in his shirt came up the cabin-hatchway, who was immediately secured. "dis de captain's servant," said mesty, "he come say no make such damned noise. stop a little--captain get in passion, and come up himself." and mesty renewed the noise with the ropes over the cabin. mesty was right; in a few minutes the captain himself came up, boiling with indignation. at the sound of the cabin door opening, the seamen and our hero concealed themselves behind the companion-hatch, which was very high, so as to give the captain time to get fairly on deck. the men already secured had been covered over with the gregos. the captain was a most powerful man, and it was with difficulty that he was pinioned, and then without his giving the alarm, had there been anyone to assist him, but as yet no one had turned out of his hammock. "now we all right," said mesty, "and soon ab de ship; but i must make him 'fraid." the captain was seated down on the deck against one of the guns, and mesty, putting on the look of a demon, extended above him his long nervous arm, with the sharp knife clutched, as if ready every instant to strike it into his heart. the spanish captain felt his situation anything but pleasant. he was then interrogated as to the number of men in the ship, officers, etcetera, to all which questions he answered truly: he cast his eyes at the firm and relentless countenance of mesty, who appeared but to wait the signal. "i tink all pretty safe now," said mesty. "mr easy, we now go down below and beat all men into the hold." our hero approved of this suggestion. taking their pistols from the capstern, they rushed down with their cutlasses, and leaving two men to guard the cabin door, they were soon among the crew, who were all naked in their hammocks: the resistance, although the numbers were more than double of the english, was of course trifling. in a few minutes, the spaniards were all thrown down into the hold of the vessel, and the hatches placed over them. every part of the ship was now in their possession except the cabin, and to that they all repaired. our hero tried the door, and found it fast; they beat it open, and were received with loud screams from one side of the cabin, and the discharge of two pistols from the other, fortunately without injury: those who had fired the pistols were an elderly man and a lad about the age of our hero. they were thrown down and secured; the cabin was searched, and nobody else found in it but three women; one old and shrivelled, the other two, although with their countenances distorted with terror, were lovely as houris. so thought jack, as he took off his hat, and made them a very low bow with his usual politeness, as they crouched, half dressed, in a corner. he told them in english that they had nothing to fear, and begged that they would attend to their toilets. the ladies made no reply, because, in the first place, they did not know what jack said, and in the next, they could not speak english. mesty interrupted jack in his attentions, by pointing out that they must all go upon deck--so jack again took off his hat and bowed, and then followed his men, who led away the two prisoners taken in the cabin. it was now five o'clock in the morning, and there was movement on board of the other vessels, which lay not far from the ship. "now then," said jack, "what shall we do with the prisoners?--could we not send the boat and bring our own vessel alongside, and put them all in, tied as they are? we should then get rid of them." "massa easy, you be one very fine officer one of dese days. dat damn good idea, anyhow;--but suppose we send our own boat, what they _tink_ on board of de oder vessel? lower down lilly boat from stern, put in four men, and drop vessel 'longside--dat it." this was done; the cutter was on the seaward side of the ship, and, as the ship was the outermost vessel, was concealed from the view of the spaniards on board of the other vessels, and in the battery on shore. as soon as the lateen vessel was alongside, the men who had already been secured on deck, amounting to seven, were lowered into her, and laid upon the beans in the hold; all, except the captain, the two cabin prisoners, and the captain's servant. they then went down below, took off one part of the hatches, and ordered the spaniards up from the hold: as they came on deck they were made fast and treated in the same manner. mesty and the men went down to examine if there were any left concealed, and finding that they were all out, returned on deck. the men who had been beaten down in the hold were twenty-two in number, making the whole complement of thirty. as soon as they had all been put into the xebeque, she was again hauled off and anchored outside, and jack found himself in possession of a fine ship of fourteen guns, with three prisoners male and three prisoners female. when the men returned in the boat from the vessel in which the prisoners had been confined (the hatches having been secured over them, by way of further precaution), by the advice of mesty they put on the jackets and caps of the spanish seamen, of which there was a plentiful supply below. "now what's to be done, mesty?" inquired jack. "now, sar, we send some of the men aloft to get sails all ready, and while they do that i cast loose this fellow," pointing to the captain's servant, "and make him get some breakfast, for he know where to find it." "capital idea of yours, mesty, for i'm tired of bean-soup already, and i will go down and pay my respects to the ladies." mesty looked over the counter. "yes, and be quick too, massa easy; damn the women, they toss their handkerchief in the air to people in the battery--quick, massa easy." mesty was right--the spanish girls were waving their handkerchiefs for assistance; it was all that they could do, poor things. jack hastened into the cabin, laid hold of the two young ladies, very politely pulled them out of the quarter gallery, and begged that they would not give themselves so much trouble. the young ladies looked very much confused, and as they could no longer wave their handkerchiefs, they put them up to their eyes and began to weep, while the elderly lady went on her knees, and held her hands up for mercy. jack raised her up, and very politely handed her to one of the cabin lockers. in the meantime mesty, with his gleaming knife and expressive look, had done wonders with the captain's steward, for such the man was: and a breakfast of chocolate, salt meat, hams and sausages, white biscuit and red wine, had been spread on the quarter-deck. the men had come from aloft, and jack was summoned on deck. jack offered his hand to the two young ladies, and beckoned the old one to follow: the old lady did not think it advisable to refuse his courtesy, so they accompanied him. as soon as the females came on deck, and found the two cabin prisoners bound, they ran to them and embraced them with tears. jack's heart melted, and as there was now no fear, he asked mesty for his knife, and cut loose the two spaniards, pointing to the breakfast, and requesting that they would join them. the spaniards made a bow, and the ladies thanked jack with a sweet smile; and the captain of the vessel, who still lay pinioned against the gun, looked, as much as to say, why the devil don't you ask me? but the fact was, they had had such trouble to secure him, that jack did not much like the idea of letting him loose again. jack and the seamen commenced their breakfast, and as the ladies and prisoners did not appear inclined to eat, they ate their share and their own too; during which the elderly man inquired of jack if he could speak french. jack, with his mouth full of sausage, replied that he could; and then commenced a conversation, from which jack learned as follows:-- the elderly gentleman was a passenger with the young man, who was his son, and the ladies, who were his wife and his two daughters, and they were proceeding to tarragona. whereupon jack made a bow and thanked him; and then the gentleman, whose name was don cordova de rimarosa, wished to know what jack intended to do with them, hoping, as a gentleman, he would put them on shore with their effects, as they were non-combatants. jack explained all this to mesty and the men, and then finished his sausage. the men, who were a little elevated with the wine which they had been drinking, proposed that they should take the ladies a cruise, and jack at first did not dislike the idea, but he said nothing; mesty, however, opposed this, saying, that ladies only made a row in a ship, and the coxswain sided with him, saying, that they should all be at daggers drawn. whereupon jack pulled out the "articles of war," and informed the men, that there was no provision in them for women, and therefore the thing was impossible. the next question was, as to the propriety of allowing them to take their effects; and it was agreed, at last, that they might take them. jack desired the steward to feed his master the captain, and then told the spanish don the result of the consultation; further informing him, that as soon as it was dark, he intended to put them all on board the small vessel, when they could cast loose the men and do as they pleased. the don and the ladies returned thanks, and went down to pack up their baggage; mesty ordering two men to help them, but with a caution, that they were not to encumber themselves with any of the money, if there should happen to be any on board. the crew were busy during the day making preparations for sailing. the coxswain had examined the provender in the ship, and found that there was enough for at least three months, of water, wine, and provisions, independent of luxuries for the cabin. all thoughts of taking any more of the vessels were abandoned, for their crew was but weak to manage the one which they had possession of. a fine breeze sprang up, and they dropped their fore-topsails, just as a boat was shoving off from the shore; but seeing the fore-topsails loosed, it put back again. this was fortunate, or all would have been discovered. the other vessels also loosed their sails, and the crews were heard weighing the anchors. but the _nostra senora del carmen_, which was jack's prize, did not move. at last the sun went down, the baggage was placed in the cutter, the ladies and passengers went into the boat, thanking jack for his kindness, who put his hand to his heart and bowed to the deck; and the captain was lowered down after them. four men well armed pulled them alongside of the xebeque, put them and their trunks on deck, and returned to the ship. the cutter was then hoisted up, and as the anchor was too heavy to weigh, they cut the cable, and made sail. the other vessels followed their example. mesty and the seamen cast longing eyes upon them, but it was of no use; so they sailed in company for about an hour, and then jack hauled his wind for a cruise. chapter fourteen. in which our hero finds that disagreeable occurrences will take place on a cruise. as soon as the ship had been hauled to the wind, jack's ship's company seemed to think that there was nothing to do except to make merry, so they brought some earthen jars full of wine, and emptied them so fast that they were soon fast asleep on the deck, with the exception of the man at the helm, who, instead of thirty-two, could clearly make out sixty-four points in the compass, and of course was able to steer to a much greater nicety. fortunately, the weather was fine, for when the man at the helm had steered till he could see no more, and requested to be released, he found that his shipmates were so overpowered with fatigue, that it was impossible to wake them. he kicked them one by one most unmercifully in the ribs, but it was of no use: under these circumstances, he did as they did, that is, lay down with them, and in ten minutes it would have taken as much kicking to awake him as he gave his shipmates. in the meantime the ship had it all her own way, and not knowing where she was to go she went round and round the compass during the best part of the night. mesty had arranged the watches, jack had made a speech, and the men had promised everything, but the wine had got into their heads, and memory had taken that opportunity to take a stroll. mesty had been down with jack, examining the cabin, and in the captain's state-room they had found fourteen thousand dollars in bags: of this they determined not to tell the men, but locked up the money and every thing else of value, and took out the key. they then sat down at the cabin table, and after some conversation, it was no matter of surprise, after having been up all the night before, that jack laid his head on the table and fell fast asleep. mesty kept his eyes open for some time, but at last his head sank down upon his chest, and he also slumbered. thus, about one o'clock in the morning, there was not a very good watch kept on board of the _nostra senora del carmen_. about four o'clock in the morning, mesty tumbled forward, and he hit his head against the table, which roused him up. "by de mass, i tink i almost fall asleep," cried he, and he went to the cabin window, which had been left open, and found that there was a strong breeze blowing in. "by de lord, de wind ab come more aft," said mesty, "why they not tell me?" so saying, he went on deck, where he found no one at the helm; every one drunk, and the ship with her yards braced up running before the wind, just by way of a change. mesty growled, but there was no time to lose; the topsails only were set-- these he lowered down, and then put the helm a-lee, and lashed it, while he went down to call our hero to his assistance. jack roused up, and went on deck. "this nebber do, massa easy; we all go to devil together--dam drunken dogs--i freshen um up any how." so mesty drew some buckets of water, with which he soused the ship's company, who then appeared to be recovering their senses. "by heavens!" says jack, "but this is contrary to the `articles of war'; i shall read them to them to-morrow morning." "i tell what better ting, massa easy; we go lock up all de wine, and sarve out so much, and no more. i go do it at once, 'fore they wake up." mesty went down, leaving jack on deck to his meditations. "i am not sure," thought jack, "that i have done a very wise thing. here i am with a parcel of fellows who have no respect for the articles of war, and who get as drunk as david's sow. i have a large ship, but i have very few hands; and if it comes on bad weather, what shall i do?-- for i know very little--hardly how to take in a sail. then--as for where to steer, or how to steer, i know not--nor do any of my men; but, however, as it was very narrow when we came into the mediterranean, through the straits, it is hardly possible to get out of them without perceiving it: besides, i should know the rock of gibraltar again, if i saw it. i must talk to mesty." mesty soon returned with the keys of the provision-room tied to his bandana. "now," says he, "they not get drunk again in a hurry." a few more buckets of water soon brought the men to their senses: they again stood on their legs, and gradually recovered themselves. daylight broke, and they found that the vessel had made an attempt for the spanish coast, being within a mile of the beach, and facing a large battery _fleur d'eau_; fortunately they had time to square the yards, and steer the ship along shore under the top-sails, before they were perceived. had they been seen at daylight in the position that they were in during the night, the suspicions of the spaniards would have been awakened; and had a boat been sent off, while they were all drunk, they must have been recaptured. the men, who perceived what danger they had been in, listened very penitently to jack's remonstrances; and our hero, to impress them more strongly on their minds, took out the articles of war, and read that on drunkenness from beginning to end; but the men had heard it read so often at the gangway, that it did not make a due impression. as mesty said, his plan was better, and so it proved; for as soon as jack had done, the men went down to get another jug of wine, and found, to their disappointment, that it was all under lock and key. in the meantime, jack called mesty aft, and asked him if he knew the way to toulon. mesty declared that he knew nothing about it. "then, mesty, it appears to me that we have a better chance of finding our way back to gibraltar; for you know the land was on our left side all the way coming up the mediterranean; and if we keep it, as it is now, on our right, we shall get back again along the coast." mesty agreed with jack that this was the _ne plus ultra_ of navigation: and that old smallsole could not do better with his "pig-yoke" and compasses. so they shook a reef out of the top-sails, set top-gallant-sails, and ran directly down the coast from point to point, keeping about five miles distant. the men prepared a good dinner; mesty gave them their allowance of wine, which was just double what they had on board the _harpy_--so they soon appeared to be content. one man, indeed, talked very big and very mutinously, swearing that if the others would join him, they would soon have liquor enough, but mesty gave him his look, opened his knife, and swore that he would settle him, and jack knocked him down with a handspike; so that, what with the punishment received, and that which was promised, the fellow thought he might as well say no more about it. the fact is, that had it not been from fear of mesty, the whole of the men would, in all probability, have behaved equally as bad; nevertheless, they were a little staggered, it must be owned, at seeing jack play so good a stick with the handspike. after this night jack and mesty kept watch and watch, and everything went on very well until they were nearly abreast of carthagena, when a gale came on from the northward, and drove them out of sight of land. sail after sail was reduced with difficulty from their having so few hands, and the gale blew for three days with great fury. the men were tired out and discontented. it was jack's misfortune that he had but one good man with him: even the coxswain of the boat, although a fine-looking man, was worth nothing. mesty was jack's sheet-anchor. the fourth day the gale moderated, but they had no idea where they were: they knew that they had been blown off, but how far they could not tell; and jack now began to discover that a cruise at sea without a knowledge of navigation was a more nervous thing than he had contemplated. however, there was no help for it: at night they wore the ship, and stood on the other tack, and at daylight they perceived that they were close to some small islands, and much closer to some large rocks, against which the sea beat high, although the wind had subsided. again was the helm put up, and they narrowly escaped. as soon as the sails were trimmed, the men came aft, and proposed that if they could find anchorage, they should run into it, for they were quite tired out. this was true; and jack consulted with mesty, who thought it advisable to agree to the proposal. that the islands were not inhabited was very evident. the only point to ascertain was if there were good anchorage. the coxswain offered to go in the boat and examine; and, with four men, he set off, and in about an hour returned, stating that there was plenty of water, and that it was as smooth as a mill-pond, being land-locked on every side. as they could not weigh the bower-anchor, they bent the kedge, and, running in without accident, came to in a small bay, between the islands, in seven fathoms water. the sails were furled, and everything put in order by the seamen, who then took the boat and pulled on shore. "they might as well have asked leave," thought jack. in an hour they returned, and, after a short discussion, came aft to our hero in a body. the coxswain was spokesman. he said that they had had hard work, and required now to have some rest,--that there were provisions on board for three months, so that there could not be any hurry,--and that they had found they could pitch a tent very well on shore, and live there for a short time,--and that as there was no harm in getting drunk on shore, they expected that they might be allowed to take provisions and plenty of wine with them; and that the men had desired him to ask leave, because they were determined to go, whether or no. jack was about to answer with the handspike; but perceiving that the men had all put on their cutlasses, and had their pistols at their belts, he thought proper to consult mesty, who, perceiving that resistance was useless, advised jack to submit, observing, that the sooner all the wine was gone the better, as there would be nothing done while it lasted. jack, therefore, very graciously told them, that they should have their own way, and he would stay there as long as they pleased. mesty gave them the keys of the provision-hatch, and told them, with a grin, to help themselves. the men then informed jack that he and mesty should stay on board, and take care of the ship for them, and that they would take the spaniard on shore to cook their victuals; but to this jack observed, that if he had not two hands, he could not obey their orders, in case they wished him to come on shore for them. the men thought there was good argument in that observation, and therefore allowed jack to retain the spaniard, that he might be more prompt to their call from the beach: they then wished him good day, and begged that he would amuse himself with the "articles of war." as soon as they had thrown a spare sail into the boat, with some spars to make a tent, and some bedding, they went down below, hoisted up two pipes of wine out of the three, a bag or two of biscuit, arms and ammunition, and as much of the salt provisions as they thought they might require. the boat being full, they shoved off, with three cheers of derision. jack was sensible to the compliment: he stood at the gangway, took off his hat, and made them a polite bow. as soon as they were gone, mesty grinned with his sharp-filed teeth, and looking at our hero, said: "i tink i make um pay for all dis--stop a little; by de piper as played before moses, but our turn come by-and-by." as for jack, he said nothing, but he thought the more. in about an hour the men returned in the boat: they had forgotten many things they wanted--wood to make a fire, and several utensils; they helped themselves freely, and having now everything that they could think of, they again went on shore. "how damn lucky we never tell dem about the dollars," said mesty, as jack and he were watching the motions of the men. "it is, indeed," replied jack, "not that they could spend them here." "no, massa easy, but suppose they find all that money, they take boat and go away with it. now, i hab them in my clutch--stop a little." a narrow piece of salt pork had been left at the gangway: jack, without knowing why, tossed it over board; being almost all fat it sank very gradually: jack watched it as it disappeared, so did mesty, both full of thought, when they perceived a dark object rising under it: it was a ground shark, who took it into his maw, sank down, and disappeared. "what was that?" said jack. "that ground shark, massa easy,--worst shark of all; you neber see him till you feel him;" and mesty's eyes sparkled with pleasure. "by de powers, they soon stop de mutiny; now i hab 'em." jack shuddered and walked away. during the day, the men on shore were seen to work hard, and make all the preparations before they abandoned themselves to the sensual gratification of intemperance. the tent was pitched, the fire was lighted, and all the articles taken on shore rolled up and stowed away in their places; they were seen to sit down and dine, for they were within hail of the ship, and then one of the casks of wine was spiled. in the meantime the spaniard, who was a quiet lad, had prepared the dinner for easy and his now only companion. the evening closed, and all was noise and revelry on shore; and as they danced, and sung, and tossed off the cans of wine by the light of the fire, as they hallooed and screamed, and became more and more intoxicated, mesty turned to jack with his bitter smile, and only said: "stop a little." at last the noise grew fainter, the fire died away, and gradually all was silent. jack was still hanging over the gangway when mesty came up to him. the new moon had just risen, and jack's eyes were fixed upon it. "now, massa easy, please you come aft and lower down little boat; take your pistols and then we go on shore and bring off the cutter; they all asleep now." "but why should we leave them without a boat, mesty?" for jack thought of the sharks, and the probability of the men attempting to swim off. "i tell you, sar, this night they get drunk, to morrow they get drunk again, but drunken men never keep quiet--suppose one man say to others, `let's go aboard and kill officer, and then we do as we please,' they all say yes, and they all come and do it. no, sar--must have boat--if not for your sake, i must hab it, save my own life anyhow, for they hate me and kill me first;--by de powers, stop a little." jack felt the truth of mesty's observation; he went aft with him, lowered down the small boat, and they hauled it alongside. jack went down with mesty into the cabin and fetched his pistols--"and the spaniard, mesty, can we leave him on board alone?" "yes, sar, he no got arms, and he see dat we have--but suppose he find arms he never dare do any thing--i know de man." our hero and mesty went down into the boat and shoved off, pulling gently on shore; the men were in a state of intoxication, so as not to be able to move, much less hear. they cast off the cutter, towed her on board, and made her fast with the other boat astern. "now, sar, we may go to bed; to-morrow morning you will see." "they have everything they require on shore," replied easy; "all they could want with the cutter would be to molest us." "stop a little," replied mesty. jack and mesty went to bed, and as a precaution against the spaniard, which was hardly necessary, mesty locked the cabin door--but mesty never forgot anything. jack slept little that night--had melancholy forebodings which he could not shake off; indeed, jack had reflected so much since he had left the ship, he had had his eyes so much opened, and had felt what a responsibility he had taken by indulging himself in a whim of the moment, that it might be almost said that in the course of one fortnight he had at once from a boy sprung up into a man. he was mortified and angry, but he was chiefly so with himself. mesty was up at daylight and jack soon followed him: they watched the party on shore, who had not yet left the tent. at last, just as jack had finished his breakfast, one or two made their appearance: the men looked about them as if they were searching for something, and then walked down to the beach, to where the boat had been made fast. jack looked at mesty, who grinned, and answered with the words so often repeated: "stop a little." the men then walked along the rocks until they were abreast of the ship. "ship ahoy!" "halloo," replied mesty. "bring the boat ashore directly, with a breaker of water." "i knew dat," cried mesty, rubbing his hands with delight. "massy easy, you must tell them no." "but why should i not give them water, mesty?" "because, sar, den they take boat." "very true," replied easy. "do you hear on board?" cried the coxswain, who was the man who hailed--"send the boat immediately, or we'll cut the throats of every mother's son of you, by god!" "i shall not send the boat," replied jack, who now thought mesty was right. "you won't--won't you?--then your doom's sealed," replied the man, walking up to the tent with the other. in a short time all the seamen turned out of the tent, bringing with them four muskets, which they had taken on shore with them. "good heavens! they are not, surely, going to fire at us, mesty." "stop a little." the men then came down abreast of the ship, and the coxswain again hailed, and asked if they would bring the boat on shore. "you must say no, sar," replied mesty. "i feel i must," replied jack, and then he answered the coxswain, "no." the plan of the mutineers had been foreseen by the wily negro--it was to swim off to the boats which were riding astern, and to fire at him or jack, if they attempted to haul them up alongside and defend them. to get into the boats, especially the smaller one, from out of the water, was easy enough. some of the men examined their priming and held the muskets at their hips all ready, with the muzzles towards the ship, while the coxswain and two men were throwing off their clothes. "stop, for god's sake, stop!" cried jack "the harbour is full of ground sharks--it is, upon my soul!" "do you think to frighten us with ground sharks?" replied the coxswain, "keep under cover, my lad; jack, give him a shot to prove we are in earnest, and every time he or that nigger show their heads, give them another, my lads." "for god's sake, don't attempt to swim," said jack, in an agony; "i will try some means to give you water." "too late now--you're doomed;" and the coxswain sprang off the rock into the sea, and was followed by two other men: at the same moment a musket was discharged, and the bullet whistled close to our hero's ear. mesty dragged jack from the gangway, who was now nearly fainting from agonising feelings. he sank on the deck for a moment, and then sprang up and ran to the port to look at the men in the water. he was just in time to see the coxswain raise himself with a loud yell out of the sea, and then disappear in a vortex, which was crimsoned with his blood. mesty threw down his musket in his hand, of which he had several all ready loaded, in case the men should have gained the boats. "by the powers, dat no use now!" jack had covered his face with his hands. but the tragedy was now complete: the other men, who were in the water, had immediately turned and made for the shore; but before they could reach it, two more of those voracious monsters, attracted by the blood of the coxswain, had flown to the spot, and there was a contention for the fragments of their bodies. mesty, who had seen this catastrophe, turned towards our hero, who still hid his face. "i'm glad he no see dat, anyhow," muttered mesty. "see what?" exclaimed jack. "shark eat 'em all." "oh, horrid, horrid!" groaned our hero. "yes, sar, very horrid," replied mesty, "and dat bullet at your head very horrid. suppose the sharks no take them, what then? they kill us, and the sharks have our body. i think that more horrid still." "mesty," replied jack, seizing the negro convulsively by the arm, "it was not the sharks--it was i--i who have murdered these men." mesty looked at jack with surprise. "how dat possible?" "if i had not disobeyed orders," replied our hero, panting for breath, "if i had not shown them the example of disobedience, this would not have happened. how could i expect submission from them? it's all my fault--i see it now--and, o god! when will the sight be blotted from my memory?" "massa easy, i not understand that," replied mesty: "i think you talk foolish--might as well say, suppose ashantee men not make war, this not happen; for suppose ashantee not make war, i not slave--i not run away-- i not come board _harpy_--i not go in boat with you--i not hinder men from getting drunk--and that why they make mutiny--and the mutiny why the shark take um?" jack made no reply, but he felt some consolation from the counter-argument of the negro. the dreadful death of the three mutineers appeared to have had a sensible effect upon their companions, who walked away from the beach with their heads down and with measured steps. they were now seen to be perambulating the island, probably in search of that water which they required. at noon, they returned to their tent, and soon afterwards were in a state of intoxication, hallooing and shouting as the day before. towards the evening they came down to the beach abreast of the ship, each with a vessel in their hands, and perceiving that they had attracted the notice of our hero and mesty, tossed the contents of the vessels up in the air to show that they had found water, and hooting and deriding, went back, dancing, leaping, and kicking up their heels, to renew their orgies, which continued till after mid night, when they were all stupified as before. the next day jack had recovered from the first shock which the catastrophe had given him, and he called mesty into the cabin to hold a consultation. "mesty, how is this to end?" "how do you mean, sar?--end here, or end on board of de _harpy_?" "the _harpy_!--there appears little chance of our seeing her again--we are on a desolate island, or what is the same thing; but we will hope that it will be so: but how is this mutiny to end?" "massa easy, suppose i please i make it end very soon, but i not in a hurry." "how do you mean, mesty, not in a hurry?" "look, massa easy, you wish take a cruise, and i wish the same ting: now because mutiny you want to go back--but, by all de powers, you tink that i, a prince in my own country, feel wish to go back and boil kettle for de young gentlemen. no, massa easy, gib me mutiny--gib me anyting-- but--once i was prince," replied mesty, lowering his voice at the last few emphatic words. "you must one of these days tell me your history, mesty," replied jack; "but just now let us argue the point in question. how could you put an end to this mutiny?" "by putting an end to all wine. suppose i go shore after they all drunk, i spile the casks in three or four places, and in the morning all wine gone--den dey ab get sober, and beg pardon--we take dem on board, put away all arms 'cept yours and mine, and i like to see the mutiny after dat. blood and 'ounds--but i settle um, anyhow." "the idea is very good, mesty--why should we not do so?" "because i not like run de risk to go ashore--all for what? to go back, boil de kettle for all gentlemans--i very happy here, massa," replied mesty carelessly. "and i am very miserable," replied jack; "but, however, i am completely in your power, mesty, and i must, i suppose, submit." "what you say, massa easy--submit to me?--no, sar, when you are on board _harpy_ as officer, you talk with me as a friend, and not treat me as negro servant. massa easy, i feel--i feel what i am," continued mesty, striking his bosom, "i feel it here--for all first time since i leave my country, i feel dat i am someting; but, massa easy, i love my friend as much as i hate my enemy--and you neber submit to me--i too proud to allow dat, 'cause, massa easy--i am a man--and once i was a prince." although mesty did not perhaps explain by words half so well as he did by his countenance, the full tide of feeling which was overflowing in his heart, jack fully understood and felt it. he extended his hand to mesty, and said: "mesty--that you have been a prince, i care little about, although i doubt it not, because you are incapable of a lie; but you are a man, and i respect you, nay, i love you as a friend--and with my will we never part again." mesty took the hand offered by jack. it was the first peace-offering ever extended to him, since, he had been torn away from his native land--the first compliment, the first tribute, the first acknowledgment, perhaps, that he was not an inferior being; he pressed it in silence, for he could not speak; but could the feelings which were suffocating the negro but have been laid before sceptics, they must have acknowledged that at that moment they were all and only such as could do honour, not only to the prince, but even to the christian. so much was mesty affected with what had happened, that when he dropped the hand of our hero, he went down into the cabin, finding it impossible to continue the conversation, which was not renewed until the next morning. "what is your opinion, mesty?--tell me, and i will be governed by it." "den, sar, i tell you i tink it right that they first come and ask to come on board before you take them--and, sar, i tink it also right, as we are but two and they are five, dat they first eat all their provision--let 'em starve plenty, and den dey come on board tame enough." "at all events," replied jack, "the first overtures of some kind or another must come from them. i wish i had something to do--i do not much like this cooping up on board ship." "massa, why you no talk with pedro?" "because i cannot speak spanish." "i know dat, and dat why i ask de question. you very sorry when you meet the two pretty women in the ship, you not able to talk with them--i guess that." "i was very sorry, i grant," replied jack. "well, massa easy, by-and-by we see more spanish girl. why not talk all day with pedro, and den you able to talk with dem." "upon my word, mesty, i never had an idea of your value. i will learn all the spanish that i can," replied jack, who was glad to have employment found for him, and was quite disgusted with the articles of war. as for the men on shore, they continued the same course, if not as before, one day succeeded another, and without variety. it was, however, to be observed, that the fire was now seldomer lighted, which proved their fuel scarce, and the weather was not so warm as it had been, for it was now october. jack learnt spanish from pedro for a month, during which there was no appearance of submission on the part of the mutineers, who, for the first fortnight, when intoxicated, used to come down and fire at jack or mesty, when they made their appearance. fortunately drunken men are not good marksmen, but latterly this had been discontinued, because they had expended their ammunition--and they appeared to have almost forgotten that the ship was there, for they took no notice of her whatever. on the other hand, jack had decided that if he waited there a year, the overtures should come from them who had mutinied; and now, having an occupation, he passed his time very quietly, and the days flew so fast that two months had actually been run off the calendar, before he had an idea of it. one evening, as they were down in the cabin, for the evenings had now become very cold, jack asked mesty whether he had any objection to give him a history of his life. mesty replied, that if he wished he was ready to talk; and at a nod from our hero, mesty commenced as follows. chapter fifteen. in which mutiny, like fire, is quenched for want of fuel and no want of water. although we have made the african negro hitherto talk in his own mixed jargon, yet, as we consider that, in a long narration, it will be tedious to the reader, we shall now translate the narrative part into good english, merely leaving the conversation with which it may be broken in its peculiar dialect. "the first thing i recollect," said mesty, "is that i was carried on the shoulders of a man with my legs hanging down before, and holding on by his head. "every one used to look at me, and get out of the way, as i rode through the town and market place, so loaded with heavy gold ornaments that i could not bear them, and was glad when the women took them off: but, as i grew older i became proud of them, because i knew that i was the son of a king--i lived happy, i did nothing but shoot my arrows, and i had a little sword which i was taught to handle, and the great captains who were about my father showed me how to kill my enemies. some times i lay under the shady trees, sometimes i was with the women belonging to my father, sometimes i was with him and played with the skulls, and repeated the names of those to whom they had belonged, for in our country, when we kill our enemies, we keep their skulls as trophies. "as i grew older, i did as i pleased; i beat the women and the slaves; i think i killed some of the latter--i know i did one, to try whether i could strike well with my two-handed sword made of hard and heavy wood-- but that is nothing in our country. i longed to be a great captain, and i thought of nothing else but war and fighting, and how many skulls i should have in my possession when i had a house and wives of my own, and i was no longer a boy. i went out in the woods to hunt, and i stayed for weeks. and one day i saw a panther basking in the sun, waving his graceful tail. i crept up softly till i was behind a rock within three yards of it, and drawing my arrow to the head i pierced him through the body. the animal bounded up in the air, saw me, roared and made a spring, but i dropped behind the rock, and he passed over me. he turned again to me, but i had my knife ready, and, as he fixed his talons into my shoulder and breast, i pierced him to the heart. this was the happiest day of my life; i had killed a panther without assistance, and i had wounds to show. although i was severely hurt, i thought nothing of it. i took off the skin as my blood dropped down and mixed with that of the beast--but i rejoiced in it. proudly did i go into the town dripping with gore and smarting with pain. every one extolled the feat, called me a hero and a great captain. i filed my teeth, and i became a man. "from that day i ranked among the warriors, and, as soon as my wounds were healed, i went out to battle. in three fights i had gained five skulls, and when i returned they weighed me out gold. i then had a house and wives, and my father appointed me a caboceer. i wore the plume of eagle and ostrich feathers, my dress was covered with fetishes, i pulled on the boots with bells, and with my bow and arrows slung on my back, my spear and blunderbuss, my knives and my double-handed sword, i led the men to battle and brought back skulls and slaves. every one trembled at my name, and, if my father threatened to send me out, gold-dust covered the floor of his hall of council--now, i boil the kettle for the young gentlemen. "there was one man i liked. he was not a warrior, or i should have hated him, but he was brought up with me in my father's house, and was a near relative. i was grave and full of pride, he was gay and fond of music; and although there was no music to me equal to the tom-tom, yet i did not always wish for excitement. i often was melancholy, and then i liked to lay my head in the lap of one of my wives, under the shady forest behind my house, and listen to his soft music. at last he went to a town near us where his father lived, and as he departed i gave him gold-dust. he had been sent to my father to be formed into a warrior, but he had no strength of body, and he had no soul; still i loved him because he was not like myself. there was a girl in the town who was beautiful; many asked for her as their wife, but her father had long promised her to my friend; he refused even the greatest warrior of the place, who went away in wrath to the fetish-man, and throwing him his gold armlets asked for a fetish against his rival. it was given, and two days before he was to be married my friend died. his mother came to me, and it was enough. i put on my war dress, i seized my weapons, sat for a whole day with my skulls before me, working up my revenge, called out my men, and that night set off for the town where the warrior resided, killed two of his relatives and carried off ten of his slaves. when he heard what i had done, he trembled and sent gold; but i knew that he had taken the girl home as his wife, and i would not listen to the old man who sought to pacify me. again i collected a larger force, and attacked him in the night: we fought, for he was prepared with his men, but after a struggle he was beaten back. i fired his house, wasted his provision ground, and taking away more slaves, i returned home with my men, intending soon to assault him again. the next day there came more messengers, who knelt in vain, so they went to my father, and many warriors begged him to interfere. my father sent for me, but i would not listen; the warriors spoke, and i turned my back: my father was wroth and threatened, the warriors brandished their two-handed swords-- they dared to do it; i looked over my shoulder with contempt, and i returned to my house. i took down my skulls, and i planned. it was evening, and i was alone, when a woman covered up to the eyes approached; she fell down before me as she exposed her face. "`i am the girl who was promised to your relation, and i am now the wife of your enemy. i shall be a mother. i could not love your relation, for he was no warrior. it is not true that my husband asked for a fetish--it was i who bought it, for i would not wed him. kill me and be satisfied.' "she was very beautiful, and i wondered not that my enemy loved her--and she was with child--it was his child, and she had fetished my friend to death. i raised my sword to strike, and she did not shrink: it saved her life. `thou art fit to be the mother of warriors,' said i, as i dropped my sword, `and thou shalt be my wife, but first his child shall be born, and i will have thy husband's skull.' "`no, no,' replied she, `i will be the mother of no warriors but my present husband, whom i love; if you keep me as your slave i will die.' "i told her she said foolish things, and sent her to the women's apartment, with orders to be watched--but she hardly had been locked up before she drew her knife, plunged it into her heart, and died. "when the king my father heard this he sent me a message--`be satisfied with the blood that has been shed, it is enough'--but i turned away, for i wished for mine enemy's skull. that night i attacked him again, and met him hand to hand; i killed him, and carried home his skull, and i was appeased. "but all the great warriors were wroth, and my father could not restrain them. they called out their men, and i called out my men, and i had a large body, for my name was terrible. but the force raised against me was twice that of mine, and i retreated to the bush--after a while we met and fought and i killed many, but my men were too few and were overpowered--the fetish had been sent out against me, and their hearts melted; at last i sank down with my wounds, for i bled at every pore, and i told my men who were about me to take off my feathers, and my dress and boots, that my enemies might not have my skull: they did so, and i crawled into the bush to die. but i was not to die; i was recovering, when i was discovered by those who steal men to sell them: i was bound, and fastened to a chain with many more. i, a prince and a warrior, who could show the white skulls of his enemies--i offered to procure gold, but they derided me; they dragged me down to the coast, and sold me to the whites. little did i think, in my pride, that i should be a slave. i knew that i was to die, and hoped to die in battle: my skull would have been more prized than all the gold in the earth, and my skin would have been stuffed and hung up in a fetish-house--instead of which, i now boil the kettle for the young gentlemen." "well," replied jack, "that's better than being killed and stuffed." "mayhap it is," replied mesty, "i tink very different now dan i tink den--but still, its women's work and not suit me. "they put me with others into a cave until the ship came, and then we were sent on board, put in irons, and down in the hold, where you could not sit upright--i wanted to die, but could not: others died every day, but i lived--i was landed in america, all bone, and i fetched very little money--they laughed at me as they bid their dollars: at last a man took me away, and i was on a plantation with hundreds more, but too ill to work, and not intending to work. the other slaves asked me if i was a fetish-man; i said yes, and i would fetish any man that i did not like: one man laughed, and i held up my finger; i was too weak to get up, for my blood had long boiled with fever, and i said to him, `_you shall die_;' for i meant to have killed him, as soon as i was well. he went away, and in three days he was dead. i don't know how, but all the slaves feared me, and my master feared me, for he had seen the man die, and he, although he was a white man, believed in fetish, and he wished to sell me again, but no one would buy a fetish-man, so he made friends with me; for i told him, if i was beat he should die, and he believed me. he took me into his house, and i was his chief man, and i would not let the other slaves steal, and he was content. he took me with him to new york, and there after two years, when i had learned english, i ran away, and got on board of an english ship--and they told me to cook. i left the ship as soon as i came to england, and offered myself to another, and they said they did not want a cook; and i went to another, and they asked me if i was a good cook: everybody seemed to think that a black man must be a cook, and nothing else. at last i starve, and i go on board man-of-war, and here i am, after having been a warrior and a prince, cook, steward and everyting else, boiling kettle for de young gentlemen." "well," replied jack, "at all events that is better than being a slave." mesty made no reply: any one who knows the life of a midshipman's servant will not be surprised at his silence. "now, tell me, do you think you were right in being so revengeful, when you were in your own country?" inquired jack. "i tink so den, massa easy, sometimes when my blood boil, i tink so now--oder time, i no know what to tink--but when a man love very much, he hate very much." "but you are now a christian, mesty." "i hear all that your people say," replied the negro, "and it make me tink--i no longer believe in fetish, anyhow." "our religion tells us to love our enemies." "yes, i heard parson say dat--but den what we do with our friends, massy easy?" "love them too." "i no understand dat, massa easy--i love you, because you good, and treat me well--mr vigors, he bully, and treat me ill--how possible to love him? by de power, i hate him, and wish i had him _skull_. you tink little massa gossett love him?" "no," replied jack, laughing, "i'm afraid that he would like to have his skull as well as you, mesty--but at all events we must try and forgive those who injure us." "then, massa easy, i tink so too--too much revenge very bad--it very easy to hate, but not very easy to forgive--so i tink that if a man forgive he hab _more soul_ in him, he more of a _man_." "after all," thought jack, "mesty is about as good a christian as most people." "what that?" cried mesty, looking out of the cabin window--"ah! damn drunken dogs--they set fire to tent." jack looked, and perceived that the tent on shore was in flames. "i tink these cold nights cool their courage any how," observed mesty--"massa easy, you see they soon ask permission to come on board." jack thought so too, and was most anxious to be off, for, on looking into the lockers in the state-room, he had found a chart of the mediterranean, which he had studied very attentively--he had found out the rock of gibraltar, and had traced the _harpy's_ course up to cape de gatte, and thence to tarragona--and, after a while, had summoned mesty to a cabinet council. "see, mesty," said jack, "i begin to make it out; here is gibraltar, and cape de gatte, and tarragona--it was hereabout we were when we took the ship, and, if you recollect, we had passed cape de gatte two days before we were blown off from the land, so that we had gone about twelve inches, and had only four more to go." "yes, massa easy, i see all dat." "well, then, we were blown off shore by the wind, and must of course have come down this way; and here you see are three little islands, called zaffarine islands, and with no names of towns upon them, and therefore uninhabited; and you see they lie just like the islands we are anchored among now--we must be at the zaffarine islands--and only six inches from gibraltar." "i see, massa easy, dat all right--but six debbelish long inches." "now, mesty, you know the compass on the deck has a flourishing thing for the north point--and here is a compass with a north point also. now the north point from the zaffarine islands leads out to the spanish coast again, and gibraltar lies five or six points of the compass to this side of it--if we steer that way we shall get to gibraltar." "all right, massa easy," replied mesty; and jack was right, with the exception of the variation, which he knew nothing about. to make sure, jack brought one of the compasses down from deck, and compared them. he then lifted off the glass, counted the points of the compass to the westward, and marked the corresponding one on the binnacle compass with his pen. "there," said he, "that is the way to gibraltar, and as soon as the mutiny is quelled, and the wind is fair, i'll be off." chapter sixteen. in which jack's cruise is ended, and he regains the harpy. a few more days passed, and, as was expected, the mutineers could hold out no longer. in the first place, they had put in the spile of the second cask of wine so loosely when they were tipsy that it dropped out, and all the wine ran out, so that there had been none left for three or four days; in the next, their fuel had long been expended, and they had latterly eaten their meat raw; the loss of their tent, which had been fired by their carelessness, had been followed by four days and nights of continual rain. everything they had had been soaked through and through, and they were worn out, shivering with cold, and starving. hanging they thought better than dying by inches from starvation; and, yielding to the imperious demands of hunger, they came down to the beach, abreast of the ship, and dropped down on their knees. "i tell you so, massa easy," said mesty: "damn rascals, they forget they come down fire musket at us every day: by all de powers, mesty not forget it." "ship ahoy!" cried one of the men on shore. "what do you want?" replied jack. "have pity on us, sir--mercy!" exclaimed the other men, "we will return to our duty." "debbil doubt 'em!" "what shall i say, mesty?" "tell 'em no, first, massa easy--tell 'em to starve and be damned." "i cannot take mutineers on board," replied jack. "well, then, our blood be on your hands, mr easy," replied the first man who had spoken. "if we are to die, it must not be by inches--if you will not take us, the sharks shall--it is but a crunch, and all is over. what do you say, my lads? let's all rush in together: good-bye, mr easy, i hope you'll forgive us when we're dead it was all that rascal johnson, the coxswain, who persuaded us. come, my lads, it's no use thinking of it, the sooner done the better--let us shake hands, and then make one run of it." it appeared that the poor fellows had already made up their minds to do this, if our hero, persuaded by mesty, had refused to take them on board. they shook hands all round, and then walking a few yards from the beach, stood in a line while the man gave the signal--one--two. "stop," cried jack, who had not forgotten the dreadful scene which had already taken place,--"stop." the men paused. "what will you promise if i take you on board?" "to do our duty cheerfully till we join the ship, and then be hung as an example to all mutineers," replied the men. "dat very fair," replied mesty; "take dem at their word, massa easy." "very well," replied jack, "i accept your conditions; and we will come for you." jack and mesty hauled up the boat, stuck their pistols in their belts, and pulled to the shore. the men, as they stepped in, touched their hats respectfully to our hero, but said nothing. on their arrival on board jack read that part of the articles of war relative to mutiny, by which the men were reminded of the very satisfactory fact, "that they were to suffer death;" and then made a speech which, to men who were starving, appeared to be interminable. however, there is an end to everything in this world, and so there was to jack's harangue; after which mesty gave them some biscuit, which they devoured in thankfulness, until they could get something better. the next morning the wind was fair, they weighed their kedge with some difficulty, and ran out of the harbour: the men appeared very contrite, worked well, but in silence, for they had no very pleasant anticipations; but hope always remains with us; and each of the men, although he had no doubt but that the others would be hung, hoped that he would escape with a sound flogging. the wind, however, did not allow them to steer their course long; before night it was contrary, and they fell off three points to the northward. "however," as jack observed, "at all events we shall make the spanish coast, and then we must run down it to gibraltar: i don't care--i under stand navigation much better than i did." the next morning they found themselves, with a very light breeze, under a high cape, and, as the sun rose, they observed a large vessel inshore, about two miles to the westward of them, and another outside, about four miles off. mesty took the glass and examined the one outside, which, on a sudden, had let fall all her canvas, and was now running for the shore, steering for the cape under which jack's vessel lay. mesty put down the glass. "massa easy--i tink dat de _harpy_." one of the seamen took the glass and examined her, while the others who stood by showed great agitation. "yes, it is the _harpy_," said the seaman. "oh mr easy, will you forgive us?" continued the man, and he and the others fell on their knees. "do not tell all, for god's sake, mr easy." jack's heart melted; he looked at mesty. "i tink," said mesty apart to our hero, "dat with what them hab suffer already, suppose they get _seven dozen apiece_, dat quite enough." jack thought that even half that punishment would suffice; so he told the men, that although he must state what had occurred, he would not tell all, and would contrive to get them off as well as he could. he was about to make a long speech, but a gun from the _harpy_, which had now come up within range, made him defer it till a more convenient opportunity. at the same time the vessel in shore hoisted spanish colours, and fired a gun. "by de powers, but we got in the middle of it," cried mesty; "_harpy_ tink us spaniard. now, my lads, get all gun ready, bring up powder and shot. massa, now us fire at spaniard--harpy not fire at us--no ab english colours on board--dat all we must do." the men set to with a will; the guns were all loaded, and were soon cast loose and primed, during which operations it fell calm, and the sails of all three vessels flapped against their masts. the _harpy_ was then about two miles from jack's vessel, and the spaniard about a mile from him, with all her boats ahead of her, towing towards him; mesty examined the spanish vessel. "dat man-o'-war, massa easy--what de debbil we do for colour? must hoist someting." mesty ran down below; he recollected that there was a very gay petticoat, which had been left by the old lady who was in the vessel when they captured her. it was of green silk, with yellow and blue flowers, but very faded, having probably been in the don's family for a century. mesty had found it under the mattress of one of the beds, and had put it into his bag, intending probably to cut it up into waistcoats. he soon appeared with this under his arm, made it fast to the peak halyards and hoisted it up. "dere, massa, dat do very well--dat what you call _all nation colour_. everybody strike him flag to dat--men nebber pull it down," said mesty, "anyhow. now den, ab hoist colour, we fire away--mind you only fire one gun at a time, and point um well, den ab time to load again." "she's hoisted her colours, sir," said sawbridge, on board of the _harpy_; "but they do not show out clear, and it's impossible to distinguish them; but there's a gun." "it's not at us, sir," said gascoigne, the midshipman; "its at the spanish vessel--i saw the shot fall ahead of her." "it must be a privateer," said captain wilson, "at all events, it is very fortunate, for the corvette would otherwise have towed into carthagena. another gun, round and grape, and well pointed too; she carries heavy metal, that craft; she must be a maltese privateer." "that's as much as to say that she's a pirate," replied sawbridge; "i can make nothing of her colours--they appear to me to be green--she must be a turk. another gun--and devilish well aimed; it has hit the boats." "yes, they are all in confusion: we will have her now, if we can only get a trifle of wind. that is a breeze coming up in the offing. trim the sails, mr sawbridge." the yards were squared, and the _harpy_ soon had steerage way. in the meantime jack and his few men had kept up a steady, well-directed, although slow, fire with their larboard guns upon the spanish corvette; and two of her boats had been disabled. the _harpy_ brought the breeze up with her, and was soon within range; she steered to cut off the corvette, firing only her bow-chasers. "we ab her now," cried mesty, "fire away--men take good aim. breeze come now; one man go to helm. by de power, what dat?" the exclamation of mesty was occasioned by a shot hulling the ship on the starboard side. jack and he ran over, and perceived that three spanish gun-boats had just made their appearance round the point, and had attacked them. the fact was, that on the other side of the cape was the port and town of carthagena, and these gun-boats had been sent out to the assistance of the corvette. the ship had now caught the breeze, fortunately for jack, or he would probably have been taken into carthagena; and the corvette, finding herself cut off by both the _harpy_ and jack's vessel, as soon as the breeze came up to her, put her head the other way, and tried to escape by running westward along the coast close in shore. another shot, and then another, pierced the hull of the ship, and wounded two of jack's men; but as the corvette had turned, and the _harpy_ followed her, of course jack did the same, and in ten minutes he was clear of the gun-boats, which did not venture to make sail and stand after him. the wind now freshened fast, and blew out the green petticoat, but the _harpy_ was exchanging broadsides with the corvette, and too busy to look after jack's ensign. the spaniard defended himself well, and had the assistance of the batteries as he passed, but there was no anchorage until he had run many miles farther. about noon the wind died away, and at one o'clock it again fell nearly calm; but the _harpy_ had neared her distance, and was now within three cables' length of her antagonist, engaging her and a battery of four guns. jack came up again, for he had the last of the breeze, and was about half a mile from the corvette when it fell calm. by the advice of mesty, he did not fire any more, or otherwise the _harpy_ would not obtain so much credit, and it was evident that the fire of the spaniard slackened fast. at three o'clock the spanish colours were hauled down, and the _harpy_, sending a boat on board and taking possession, directed her whole fire upon the battery, which was soon silenced. the calm continued, and the _harpy_ was busy enough with the prize, shifting the prisoners and refitting both vessels, which had very much suffered in the sails and rigging. there was an occasional wonder on board the _harpy_ what that strange vessel might be which had turned the corvette and enabled them to capture her, but when people are all very busy, there is not much time for surmise. jack's crew, with himself, consisted but of eight, one of whom was a spaniard, and two were wounded. it therefore left him but four, and he had also some thing to do, which was to assist his wounded men, and secure his guns. moreover, mesty did not think it prudent to leave the vessel a mile from the _harpy_ with only two on board; besides, as jack said, he had had no dinner, and was not quite sure that he should find anything to eat when he went into the midshipmen's berth; he would therefore have some dinner cooked, and eat it before he went on board in the meantime, they would try and close with her. jack took things always very easy, and he said he should report himself at sunset. there were other reasons which made jack in no very great hurry to go on board; he wanted to have time to consider a little what he should say to excuse himself, and also how he should plead for the men. his natural correctness of feeling decided him, in the first place, to tell the whole truth, and in the next, his kind feelings determined him to tell only part of it. jack need not have given himself this trouble, for, as far as regarded himself, he had fourteen thousand good excuses in the bags which lay in the state-room; and as for the men, after an action with the enemy, if they behave well, even mutiny is forgiven. at last jack, who was tired with excitement and the hard work of the day, thought and thought till he fell fast asleep, and instead of waking at sunset did not wake till two hours afterwards; and mesty did not call him, because he was in no hurry himself to go on board and _boil de kettle for de young gentlemen_. when jack woke up he was astonished to find that he had slept so long: he went on deck; it was dark and still calm, but he could easily perceive that the _harpy_ and corvette were still hove-to, repairing damages. he ordered the men to lower down the small boat, and leaving mesty in charge, with two oars he pulled to the _harpy_. what with wounded men, with prisoners, and boats going and coming between the vessels, every one on board the _harpy_ were well employed; and in the dark jack's little boat came alongside without notice. this should not have been the case, but it was, and there was some excuse for it. jack ascended the side, and pushed his way through the prisoners, who were being mustered to be victualled. he was wrapped up in one of the gregos, and many of the prisoners wore the same. jack was amused at not being recognised: he slipped down the main ladder, and had to stoop under the hammocks of the wounded men, and was about to go aft to the captain's cabin to report himself, when he heard young gossett crying out, and the sound of the rope. "hang me, if that brute vigors an't thrashing young gossett," thought jack. "i dare say the poor fellow had had plenty of it since i have been away; i'll save him this time at least." jack, wrapped up in his grego, went to the window of the berth, looked in, and found it was as he expected. he cried out in an angry voice, "_mr vigors, i'll thank you to leave gossett alone_." at the sound of the voice vigors turned round with his colt in his hand, saw jack's face at the window, and, impressed with the idea that the reappearance was supernatural, uttered a yell and fell down in a fit--little gossett also trembling in every limb, stared with his mouth open. jack was satisfied, and immediately disappeared. he then went aft to the cabin, pushed by the servant, who was giving some orders from the captain to the officer on deck, and entering the cabin, where the captain was seated with two spanish officers, took off his hat and said: "come on board, captain wilson." captain wilson did not fall down in a fit, but he jumped up and upset the glass before him. "merciful god! mr easy, where did you come from?" "from that ship astern, sir," replied jack. "that ship astern! what is she?--where have you been so long?" "it's a long story, sir," replied jack. captain wilson extended his hand and shook jack's heartily. "at all events, i'm delighted to see you, boy: now sit down and tell me your story in a few words; we will have it in detail by-and-bye." "if you please, sir," said jack, "we captured that ship with the cutter the night after we went away--i'm not a first-rate navigator, and i was blown to the zaffarine islands, where i remained two months for want of hands: as soon as i procured them i made sail again--i have lost three men by sharks, and i have two wounded in to-day's fight--the ship mounts twelve guns, is half laden with lead and cotton prints, has fourteen thousand dollars in the cabin, and three shot-holes right through her-- and the sooner you send some people on board of her the better." this was not very intelligible, but that there were fourteen thousand dollars, and that she required hands sent on board, was very satisfactorily explained. captain wilson rang the bell, sent for mr asper, who started back at the sight of our hero--desired him to order mr jolliffe to go on board with one of the cutters, send the wounded men on board, and take charge of the vessel, and then told jack to accompany mr jolliffe, and to give him every information; telling him that he would hear his story to-morrow, when they were not so very busy. chapter seventeen. in which our hero finds out that trigonometry is not only necessary to navigation, but may be required in settling affairs of honour. as captain wilson truly said, he was too busy even to hear jack's story that night, for they were anxious to have both vessels ready to make sail as soon as a breeze should spring up, for the spaniards had vessels of war at carthagena, which was not ten miles off, and had known the result of the action: it was therefore necessary to change their position as soon as possible. mr sawbridge was on board the prize, which was a corvette mounting two guns more than the _harpy_, and called the _cacafuogo_. she had escaped from cadiz, run through the straits in the night, and was three miles from carthagena when she was captured, which she certainly never would have been but for jack's fortunately blundering against the cape with his armed vessel, so that captain wilson and mr sawbridge (both of whom were promoted, the first to the rank of post-captain, the second to that of commander), may be said to be indebted to jack for their good fortune. the _harpy_ had lost nineteen men, killed and wounded, and the spanish corvette forty-seven. altogether, it was a very creditable affair. at two o'clock in the morning, the vessels were ready, everything had been done that could be done in so short a time, and they stood under easy sail during the night for gibraltar, the _nostra senora del carmen_, under the charge of jolliffe, keeping company. jolliffe had the advantage over his shipmates, of first hearing jack's adventures, with which he was much astonished as well as amused--even captain wilson was not more happy to see jack than was the worthy master's mate. about nine o'clock the _harpy_ hove-to, and sent a boat on board for our hero and the men who had been so long with him in the prize, and then hoisted out the pinnace to fetch on board the dollars, which were of more importance. jack, as he bade adieu to jolliffe, took out of his pocket and presented him with the _articles of war_, which, as they had been so useful to him, he thought jolliffe could not do without, and then went down the side: the men were already in the boat, casting imploring looks upon jack, to raise feelings of compassion, and mesty took his seat by our hero in a very sulky humour, probably because he did not like the idea of having again "to boil de kettle for de young gentlemen." even jack felt a little melancholy at resigning his command, and he looked back at the green petticoat, which blew out gracefully from the mast, for jolliffe had determined that he would not haul down the colours under which jack had fought so gallant an action. jack's narration, as may be imagined, occupied a large part of the forenoon; and, although jack did not attempt to deny that he had seen the recall signal of mr sawbridge, yet, as his account went on, the captain became so interested that at the end of it he quite forgot to point out to jack the impropriety of not obeying orders. he gave jack great credit for his conduct, and was also much pleased with that of mesty. jack took the opportunity of stating mesty's aversion to his present employment, and his recommendation was graciously received. jack also succeeded in obtaining the pardon of the men, in consideration of their subsequent good behaviour; but notwithstanding this promise on the part of captain wilson, they were ordered to be put in irons for the present. however, jack told mesty, and mesty told the men, that they would be released with a reprimand when they arrived at gibraltar, so all that the men cared for was a fair wind. captain wilson informed jack that after his joining the admiral he had been sent to malta with the prizes, and that, supposing the cutter to have been sunk, he had written to his father, acquainting him with his son's death, at which our hero was much grieved, for he knew what sorrow it would occasion, particularly to his poor mother. "but," thought jack, "if she is unhappy for three months, she will be overjoyed for three more when she hears that i am alive, so it will be all square at the end of the six; and as soon as i arrive at gibraltar i will write, and, as the wind is fair, that will be to-morrow or next day." after a long conversation jack was graciously dismissed, captain wilson being satisfied from what he had heard that jack would turn out a very good officer, and had already forgotten all about equality and the rights of man; but there captain wilson was mistaken--tares sown in infancy are not so soon rooted out. jack went on deck as soon as the captain had dismissed him, and found the captain and officers of the spanish corvette standing aft, looking very seriously at the _nostra senora del carmen_. when they saw our hero, who captain wilson had told them was the young officer who had barred their entrance into carthagena, they turned their eyes upon him not quite so graciously as they might have done. jack, with his usual politeness, took off his hat to the spanish captain, and, glad to have an opportunity of sporting his spanish, expressed the usual wish that he might live a thousand years. the spanish captain, who had reason to wish that jack had gone to the devil at least twenty-four hours before, was equally complimentary, and then begged to be informed what the colours were that jack had hoisted during the action. jack replied that they were colours to which every spanish gentleman considered it no disgrace to surrender, although always ready to engage, and frequently at tempting to board. upon which the spanish captain was very much puzzled. captain wilson, who under stood a little spanish, then interrupted by observing: "by-the-bye, mr easy, what colours did you hoist up? we could not make them out. i see mr jolliffe still keeps them up at the peak." "yes, sir," replied jack, rather puzzled what to call them, but at last he replied that it was the banner of equality and the rights of man. captain wilson frowned, and jack, perceiving that he was displeased, then told him the whole story, whereupon captain wilson laughed, and jack then also explained, in spanish, to the officers of the corvette, who replied that it was not the first time, and would not be the last, that men had got into a scrape through a petticoat. the spanish captain complimented jack on his spanish, which was really very good (for in two months, with nothing else in the world to do, he had made great progress), and asked him where he had learned it. jack replied, "at the zaffarine islands." "zaffarine isles," replied the spanish captain; "they are not inhabited." "plenty of ground sharks," replied jack. the spanish captain thought our hero a very strange fellow, to fight under a green silk petticoat, and to take lessons in spanish from the ground sharks. however, being quite as polite as jack, he did not contradict him, but took a huge pinch of snuff, wishing from the bottom of his heart that the ground sharks had taken jack before he had hoisted that confounded green petticoat. however, jack was in high favour with the captain, and all the ship's company, with the exception of his four enemies--the master, vigors, the boatswain, and the purser's steward. as for mr vigors, he had come to his senses again, and had put his colt in his chest until jack should take another cruise. little gossett, at any insulting remark made by vigors, pointed to the window of the berth and grinned; and the very recollection made vigors turn pale, and awed him into silence. in two days they arrived at gibraltar--mr sawbridge rejoined the ship-- so did mr jolliffe--they remained there a fortnight, during which jack was permitted to be continually on shore--mr asper accompanied him, and jack drew a heavy bill to prove to his father that he was still alive. mr sawbridge made our hero relate to him all his adventures, and was so pleased with the conduct of mesty, that he appointed him to a situation which was particularly suited to him--that of ship's corporal. mr sawbridge knew that it was an office of trust, and provided that he could find a man fit for it, he was very indifferent about his colour. mesty walked and strutted about, at least three inches taller than he was before. he was always clean, did his duty conscientiously, and seldom used his cane. "i think, mr easy," said the first lieutenant, "that as you are so particularly fond of taking a cruise"--for jack had told the whole truth--"it might be as well that you improve your navigation." "i do think myself, sir," replied jack, with great modesty, "that i am not yet quite perfect." "well, then, mr jolliffe will teach you; he is the most competent in this ship: the sooner you ask him the better, and if you learn it as fast as you have spanish, it will not give you much trouble." jack thought the advice good: the next day he was very busy with his friend jolliffe, and made the important discovery that two parallel lines continued to infinity would never meet. it must not be supposed that captain wilson and mr sawbridge received their promotion instanter. promotion is always attended with delay, as there is a certain routine in the service which must not be departed from. captain wilson had orders to return to malta after his cruise. he therefore carried his own despatches away from england--from malta the despatches had to be forwarded to toulon to the admiral, and then the admiral had to send to england to the admiralty, whose reply had to come out again. all this, with the delays arising from vessels not sailing immediately, occupied an interval of between five and six months--during which time there was no alteration in the officers and crew of his majesty's sloop _harpy_. there had, however, been one alteration; the gunner, mr minus, who had charge of the first cutter in the night action in which our hero was separated from his ship, carelessly loading his musket, had found himself minus his right hand, which, upon the musket going off as he rammed down, had gone off too. he was invalided and sent home during jack's absence, and another had been appointed, whose name was tallboys. mr tallboys was a stout dumpy man, with red face, and still redder hands; he had red hair and red whiskers, and he had read a good deal-- for mr tallboys considered that the gunner was the most important personage in the ship. he had once been a captain's clerk, and having distinguished himself very much in cutting-out service, had applied for and received his warrant as a gunner. he had studied the _art of gunnery_, a part of which he understood, but the remainder was above his comprehension: he continued, however, to read it as before, thinking that by constant reading he should understand it at last. he had gone through the work from the title-page to the finis at least forty times, and had just commenced it over again. he never came on deck without the gunner's vade-mecum in his pocket, with his hand always upon it to refer to it in a moment. but mr tallboys had, as we observed before, a great idea of the importance of a gunner, and, among other qualifications, he considered it absolutely necessary that he should be a navigator. he had at least ten instances to bring forward of bloody actions, in which the captain and all the commissioned officers had been killed or wounded, and the command of the ship had devolved upon the gunner. "now, sir," would he say, "if the gunner is no navigator, he is not fit to take charge of his majesty's ships. the boatswain and carpenter are merely practical men; but the gunner, sir, is, or ought to be, scientific. gunnery, sir, is a science--we have our own disparts and our lines of sight--our windage and our parabolas and projectile forces--and our point blank, and our reduction of powder upon a graduated scale. now, sir, there's no excuse for a gunner not being a navigator; for knowing his duty as a gunner, he has the same mathematical tools to work with." upon this principle mr tallboys had added john hamilton moore to his library, and had advanced about as far into navigation as he had in gunnery, that is, to the threshold, where he stuck fast, with all his mathematical tools, which he did not know how to use. to do him justice, he studied for two or three hours everyday, and it was not his fault if he did not advance--but his head was confused with technical terms; he mixed all up together, and disparts, sines and cosines, parabolas, tangents, windage, seconds, lines of sight, logarithms, projectiles and traverse sailing, quadrature and gunter's scales, were all crowded together, in a brain which had not capacity to receive the rule of three. "too much learning," said festus to the apostle, "hath made thee mad." mr tallboys had not wit enough to go mad, but his learning lay like lead upon his brain: the more he read, the less he understood, at the same time that he became more satisfied with his supposed acquirements, and could not speak but in "mathematical parables." "i understand, mr easy," said the gunner to him one day, after they had sailed for malta, "that you have entered into the science of navigation--at your age it was high time." "yes," replied jack, "i can raise a perpendicular, at all events, and box the compass." "yes, but you have not yet arrived at the dispart of the compass." "not come to that yet," replied jack. "are you aware that a ship sailing describes a parabola round the globe?" "not come to that yet," replied jack. "and that any propelled body striking against another flies off at a tangent?" "very likely," replied jack, "that is a _sine_ that he don't like it." "you have not yet entered into _acute_ trigonometry?" "not come to that yet," replied jack. "that will require very sharp attention." "i should think so," replied jack. "you will then find out how your parallels of longitude and latitude meet." "two parallel lines, if continued to infinity, will never meet," replied jack. "i beg your pardon," said the gunner. "i beg yours," said jack. whereupon mr tallboys brought up a small map of the world, and showed jack that all the parallels of latitude met at a point at the top and bottom. "parallel lines never meet," replied jack, producing hamilton moore. whereupon jack and the gunner argued the point, until it was agreed to refer the case to mr jolliffe, who asserted, with a smile, that those lines were parallels and not parallels. as both were right, both were satisfied. it was fortunate that jack would argue in this instance: had he believed all the confused assertions of the gunner, he would have been as puzzled as the gunner himself. they never met without an argument and a reference, and as jack was put right in the end, he only learned the faster. by the time that he did know something about navigation he discovered that his antagonist knew nothing. before they arrived at malta jack could fudge a day's work. but at malta jack got into another scrape. although mr smallsole could not injure him, he was still jack's enemy; the more so as jack had become very popular: vigors also submitted, planning revenge; but the parties in this instance were the boatswain and purser's steward. jack still continued his forecastle conversation with mesty; and the boatswain and purser's steward, probably from their respective ill-will towards our hero, had become great allies. mr easthupp now put on his best jacket to walk the dog-watches with mr biggs, and they took every opportunity to talk at our hero. "it's my peculiar hopinion," said mr easthupp, one evening, pulling at the frill of his shirt, "that a gentleman should behave as a gentleman, and that if a gentleman professes hopinions of hequality and such liberal sentiments, that he is bound as a gentlemen to hact up to them." "very true, mr easthupp; he is bound to act up to them; and not because a person, who was a gentleman as well as himself, happens not to be on the quarter-deck, to insult him because he only has perfessed opinions like his own." hereupon mr biggs struck his rattan against the funnel, and looked at our hero. "yes," continued the purser's steward, "i should like to see the fellow who would have done so on shore however, the time will come when i can hagain pull on my plain coat, and then the insult shall be vashed out in blood, mr biggs." "and i'll be cursed if i don't some day teach a lesson to the blackguard who stole my trousers." "vas hall your money right, mr biggs?" inquired the purser's steward. "i didn't count," replied the boatswain magnificently. "no--gentlemen are above that," replied easthupp; "but there are many light-fingered gentry habout. the quantity of vatches and harticles of value vich were lost ven i valked bond street in former times is incredible." "i can say this, at all events," replied the boatswain, "that i should be always ready to give satisfaction to any person beneath me in rank, after i had insulted him. i don't stand upon my rank, although i don't talk about equality, damme--no, nor consort with niggers." all this was too plain for our hero not to understand, so jack walked up to the boatswain, and taking his hat off, with the utmost politeness, said to him: "if i mistake not, mr biggs, your conversation refers to me." "very likely it does," replied the boatswain. "listeners hear no good of themselves." "it appears that gentlemen can't converse without being vatched," continued mr easthupp, pulling up his shirt-collar. "it is not the first time that you have thought proper to make very offensive remarks, mr biggs; and as you appear to consider yourself ill-treated in the affair of the trousers, for i tell you at once, that it was i who brought them on board, i can only say," continued our hero, with a very polite bow, "that i shall be most happy to give you satisfaction." "i am your superior officer, mr easy," replied the boatswain. "yes, by the rules of the service; but you just now asserted that you would waive your rank--indeed, i dispute it on this occasion; i am on the quarter-deck, and you are not." "this is the gentleman whom you have insulted, mr easy," replied the boatswain, pointing to the purser's steward. "yes, mr heasy, quite as good a gentleman as yourself, although i av ad misfortune--i ham of as hold a family as hany in the country," replied mr easthupp, now backed by the boatswain; "many the year did i valk bond street, and i ave as good blood in my weins as you, mr heasy, halthough i have been misfortunate--i've had hadmirals in my family." "you have grossly insulted this gentleman," said mr biggs, in continuation; "and notwithstanding all your talk of equality, you are afraid to give him satisfaction--you shelter yourself under your quarter-deck." "mr biggs," replied our hero, who was now very wroth, "i shall go on shore directly we arrive at malta. let you, and this fellow, put on plain clothes, and i will meet you both--and then i'll show you whether i am afraid to give satisfaction." "one at a time," said the boatswain. "no, sir, not one at a time, but both at the same time--i will fight both or none. if you are my superior officer, you must _descend_," replied jack, with an ironical sneer, "to meet me, or i will not descend to meet that fellow, whom i believe to have been little better than a pickpocket." this accidental hit of jack's made the purser's steward turn pale as a sheet, and then equally red. he raved and foamed amazingly, although he could not meet jack's indignant look, who then turned round again. "now, mr biggs, is this to be understood, or do you shelter yourself under your _forecastle_?" "i'm no dodger," replied the boatswain, "and we will settle the affair at malta." at which reply jack returned to mesty. "massa easy, i look at um face, dat feller, eastop, he no like it. i go shore wid you, see fair play, anyhow--suppose i can?" mr biggs having declared that he would fight, of course had to look out for a second, and he fixed upon mr tallboys, the gunner, and requested him to be his friend. mr tallboys, who had been latterly very much annoyed by jack's victories over him in the science of navigation, and therefore felt ill-will towards him, consented; but he was very much puzzled how to arrange that _three_ were to fight at the same time, for he had no idea of there being two duels; so he went to his cabin and commenced reading. jack, on the other hand, dared not say a word to jolliffe on the subject: indeed, there was no one in the ship to whom he could confide but gascoigne: he therefore went to him, and although gascoigne thought it was excessively _infra dig_ of jack to meet even the boatswain, as the challenge had been given there was no retracting: he therefore consented, like all midshipmen, anticipating fun, and quite thoughtless of the consequences. the second day after they had been anchored in vallette harbour, the boatswain and gunner, jack and gascoigne, obtained permission to go on shore. mr easthupp, the purser's steward, dressed in his best blue coat with brass buttons and velvet collar, the very one in which he had been taken up when he had been vowing and protesting that he was a gentleman, at the very time that his hand was abstracting a pocket book, went up on the quarter-deck, and requested the same indulgence, but mr sawbridge refused, as he required him to return staves and hoops at the cooperage. mesty also, much to his mortification, was not to be spared. this was awkward, but it was got over by proposing that the meeting should take place behind the cooperage at a certain hour, on which mr easthupp might slip out and borrow a portion of the time appropriated to his duty, to heal the breach in his wounded honour. so the parties all went on shore, and put up at one of the small inns to make the necessary arrangements. mr tallboys then addressed mr gascoigne, taking him apart while the boatswain amused himself with a glass of grog, and our hero sat outside teasing a monkey. "mr gascoigne," said the gunner, "i have been very much puzzled how this duel should be fought, but i have at last found it out. you see that there are _three_ parties to fight; had there been two or four there would have been no difficulty, as the right line or square might guide us in that instance; but we must arrange it upon the _triangle_ in this." gascoigne stared; he could not imagine what was coming. "are you aware, mr gascoigne, of the properties of an equilateral triangle?" "yes," replied the midshipman, "that it has three equal sides--but what the devil has that to do with the duel?" "everything, mr gascoigne," replied the gunner; "it has resolved the great difficulty: indeed, the duel between three can only be fought upon that principle. you observe," said the gunner, taking a piece of chalk out of his pocket, and making a triangle on the table, "in this figure we have three points, each equidistant from each other; and we have three combatants--so that placing one at each point, it is all fair play for the three: mr easy, for instance, stands here, the boatswain here, and the purser's steward at the third corner. now, if the distance is fairly measured, it will be all right." "but then," replied gascoigne, delighted at the idea, "how are they to fire?" "it certainly is not of much consequence," replied the gunner, "but still, as sailors, it appears to me that they should fire with the sun; that is, mr easy fires at mr biggs, mr biggs fires at mr easthupp, and mr easthupp fires at mr easy, so that you perceive that each party has his shot at one, and at the same time receives the fire of another." gascoigne was in ecstasies at the novelty of the proceeding, the more so as he perceived that easy obtained every advantage by the arrangement. "upon my word, mr tallboys, i give you great credit; you have a profound mathematical head, and i am delighted with your arrangement. of course, in these affairs, the principals are bound to comply with the arrangements of the seconds, and i shall insist upon mr easy consenting to your excellent and scientific proposal." gascoigne went out, and pulling jack away from the monkey, told him what the gunner had proposed, at which jack laughed heartily. the gunner also explained it to the boatswain, who did not very well comprehend, but replied: "i dare say it's all right--shot for shot, and damn all favours." the parties then repaired to the spot with two pairs of ship's pistols, which mr tallboys had smuggled on shore; and, as soon as they were on the ground, the gunner called mr easthupp out of the cooperage. in the meantime, gascoigne had been measuring an equilateral triangle of twelve paces--and marked it out. mr tallboys, on his return with the purser's steward, went over the ground, and finding that it was "equal angles subtended by equal sides," declared that it was all right. easy took his station, the boatswain was put into his, and mr easthupp, who was quite in a mystery, was led by the gunner to the third position. "but, mr tallboys," said the purser's steward, "i don't understand this. mr easy will first fight mr biggs, will he not?" "no," replied the gunner, "this is a duel of three. you will fire at mr easy, mr easy will fire at mr biggs, and mr biggs will fire at you. it is all arranged, mr easthupp." "but," said mr easthupp, "i do not understand it. why is mr biggs to fire at me? i have no quarrel with mr biggs." "because mr easy fires at mr biggs, and mr biggs must have his shot as well." "if you have ever been in the company of gentlemen, mr easthupp," observed gascoigne, "you must know something about duelling." "yes, yes, i've kept the best company, mr gascoigne, and i can give a gentleman satisfaction; but--" "then, sir, if that is the case, you must know that your honour is in the hands of your second, and that no gentleman appeals." "yes, yes, i know that, mr gascoigne; but still i've no quarrel with mr biggs, and therefore, mr biggs, of course you will not aim at me." "why, you don't think that i'm going to be fired at for nothing," replied the boatswain; "no, no, i'll have my shot anyhow." "but at your friend, mr biggs?" "all the same, i shall fire at somebody; shot for shot, and hit the luckiest." "vel, gentlemen, i purtest against these proceedings," replied mr easthupp; "i came here to have satisfaction from mr easy, and not to be fired at by mr biggs." "don't you have satisfaction when you fire at mr easy," replied the gunner; "what more would you have?" "i purtest against mr biggs firing at me." "so you would have a shot without receiving one," cried gascoigne: "the fact is, that this fellow's a confounded coward, and ought to be kicked into the cooperage again." at this affront mr easthupp rallied, and accepted the pistol offered by the gunner. "you ear those words, mr biggs; pretty language to use to a gentleman. you shall ear from me, sir, as soon as the ship is paid off. i purtest no longer, mr tallboys; death before dishonour. i'm a gentleman, damme!" at all events, the swell was not a very courageous gentleman, for he trembled most exceedingly as he pointed his pistol. the gunner gave the word, as if he were exercising the great guns on board ship. "cock your locks!"--"take good aim at the object!"--"fire!"--"stop your vents!" the only one of the combatants who appeared to comply with the latter supplementary order was mr easthupp, who clapped his hand to his trousers behind, gave a loud yell, and then dropped down: the bullet having passed clean through his seat of honour, from his having presented his broadside as a target to the boatswain as he faced towards our hero. jack's shot had also taken effect, having passed through both the boatswain's cheeks, without further mischief than extracting two of his best upper double teeth, and forcing through the hole of the farther cheek the boatswain's own quid of tobacco. as for mr easthupp's ball, as he was very unsettled, and shut his eyes before he fired, it had gone the lord knows where. the purser's steward lay on the ground and screamed--the boatswain spit his double teeth and two or three mouthfuls of blood out, and then threw down his pistols in a rage. "a pretty business, by god," sputtered he; "he's put my pipe out. how the devil am i to pipe to dinner when i'm ordered, all my wind 'scaping through the cheeks?" in the meantime, the others had gone to the assistance of the purser's steward, who continued his vociferations. they examined him, and considered a wound in that part not to be dangerous. "hold your confounded bawling," cried the gunner, "or you'll have the guard down here: you're not hurt." "han't hi?" roared the steward. "oh, let me die, let me die; don't move me!" "nonsense," cried the gunner, "you must get up and walk down to the boat; if you don't we'll leave you--hold your tongue, confound you. you won't? then i'll give you something to halloo for." whereupon mr tallboys commenced cuffing the poor wretch right and left, who received so many swinging boxes of the ear, that he was soon reduced to merely pitiful plaints of "oh, dear!--such inhumanity--i purtest--oh, dear! must i get up? i can't, indeed." "i do not think he can move, mr tallboys," said gascoigne; "i should think the best plan would be to call up two of the men from the cooperage, and let them take him at once to the hospital." the gunner went down to the cooperage to call the men. mr biggs, who had bound up his face as if he had a toothache for the bleeding had been very slight, came up to the purser's steward. "what the hell are you making such a howling about? look at me, with two shot-holes through my figure-head, while you have only got one in your stern: i wish i could change with you, by heavens, for i could use my whistle then--now if i attempt to pipe, there will be such a wasteful expenditure of his majesty's stores of wind, that i never shall get out a note. a wicked shot of yours, mr easy." "i really am very sorry," replied jack, with a polite bow, "and i beg to offer my best apology." during this conversation, the purser's steward felt very faint, and thought he was going to die. "oh, dear! oh, dear! what a fool i was; i never was a gentleman--only a swell: i shall die; i never will pick a pocket again--never--never--god forgive me!" "why, confound the fellow," cried gascoigne, "so you were a pickpocket, were you?" "i never will again," replied the fellow, in a faint voice: "hi'll hamend and lead a good life--a drop of water--oh! _lagged_ at last!" then the poor wretch fainted away: and tallboys coming up with the men, he was taken on their shoulders and walked off to the hospital, attended by the gunner and also the boatswain, who thought he might as well have a little medical advice before he went on board. "well, easy," said gascoigne, collecting the pistols and tying them up in his handkerchief, "i'll be shot, but we're in a pretty scrape; there's no hushing this up. i'll be hanged if i care, it's the best piece of fun i ever met with." and at the remembrance of it gascoigne laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. jack's mirth was not quite so excessive, as he was afraid that the purser's steward was severely hurt, and expressed his fears. "at all events, you did not hit him," replied gascoigne; "all you have to answer for is the boatswains's mug--i think you've stopped his jaw for the future." "i'm afraid that our leave will be stopped for the future," replied jack. "that we may take our oaths of," replied gascoigne. "then look you, ned," said easy; "i've lots of dollars; we may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb, as the saying is; i vote that we do not go on board." "sawbridge will send and fetch us," replied ned; "but he must find us first." "that won't take long, for the soldiers will soon have our description and rout us out--we shall be pinned in a couple of days." "confound it, and they say that the ship is to be hove down, and that we shall be here six weeks at least, cooped up on board in a broiling sun, and nothing to do but to watch the pilot fish playing round the rudder, and munch bad apricots. i won't go on board; look ye, jack," said gascoigne, "have you plenty of money?" "i have twenty doubloons, besides dollars," replied jack. "well, then we will pretend to be so much alarmed at the result of this duel, that we dare not show ourselves, lest we should be hung. i will write a note, and send it to jolliffe, to say that we have hid ourselves until the affair is blown over, and beg him to intercede with the captain and first lieutenant. i will tell him all the particulars, and refer to the gunner for the truth of it; and then i know that, although we should be punished, they will only laugh; but i will pretend that easthupp is killed, and we are frightened out of our lives. that will be it; and then let's get on board one of the speronares which come with fruit from sicily, sail in the night for palermo, and then we'll have a cruise for a fortnight, and when the money is all gone we'll come back." "that's a capital idea, ned, and the sooner we do it the better. i will write to the captain, begging him to get me off from being hung, and telling him where we have fled to, and that letter shall be given after we have sailed." they were two very nice lads--our hero and gascoigne. chapter eighteen. in which our hero sets off on another cruise, in which he is not blown off shore. gascoigne and our hero were neither of them in uniform, and they hastened to nix mangare stairs where they soon picked up the padrone of a speronare. they went with him into a wine-shop, and with the assistance of a little english from a maltese boy, whose shirt hung out of his trousers, they made a bargain, by which it was agreed that, for the consideration of two doubloons, he would sail that evening and land them at gergenti or some other town in sicily, providing them with something to eat and gregos to sleep upon. our two midshipmen then went back to the tavern from which they had set off to fight the duel, and ordering a good dinner to be served in a back room, they amused themselves with killing flies, as they talked over the events of the day, and waited for their dinner. as mr tallboys did not himself think proper to go on board till the evening, and mr biggs also wished it to be dark before he went up the ship's side, the events of the duel did not transpire till the next morning. even then it was not known from the boatswain or gunner, but by a hospital mate coming on board to inform the surgeon that there was one of their men wounded under their charge, but that he was doing very well. mr biggs had ascended the side with his face bound up. "confound that jack easy," said he, "i have only been on leave twice since i sailed from portsmouth--once i was obliged to come up the side without my trousers, and show my bare stern to the whole ship's company, and now i am coming up, and dare not show my figure-head." he reported himself to the officer of the watch, and hasting to his cabin, went to bed, and lay the whole night awake from pain, thinking what excuse he could possibly make for not coming on deck next morning to his duty. he was, however, saved this trouble, for mr jolliffe brought the letter of gascoigne up to mr sawbridge, and the captain had received that of our hero. captain wilson came on board, and found that mr sawbridge could communicate all the particulars of which he had not been acquainted by jack; and after they had read over gascoigne's letter in the cabin, and interrogated mr tallboys, who was sent down under an arrest, they gave free vent to their mirth. "upon my soul, there's no end to mr easy's adventures," said the captain. "i could laugh at the duel, for after all, it is nothing--and he would have been let off with a severe reprimand; but the foolish boys have set off in a speronare to sicily, and how the devil are we to get them back again?" "they'll come back, sir," replied sawbridge, "when all their money's gone." "yes, if they do not get into any more scrapes--that young scamp gascoigne is as bad as easy, and now they are together there's no saying what may happen. i dine at the governor's to-day; how he will laugh when i tell him of this new way of fighting a duel!" "yes, sir, it is just the thing that will tickle old tom." "we must find out if they have got off the island, sawbridge, which may not be the case." but it was the case. jack and gascoigne had eaten a very good dinner, sent for the monkey to amuse them till it was dark, and there had waited till the padrone came to them. "what shall we do with the pistols, easy?" "take them with us, and load them before we go--we may want them: who knows but there may be a mutiny on board of the speronare?--i wish we had mesty with us." they loaded the pistols, took a pair each and put them in their waists, concealed under their clothes--divided the ammunition between them, and soon afterwards the padrone came to tell them all was ready. whereupon messrs. gascoigne and easy paid their bill and rose to depart, but the padrone informed them that he should like to see the colour of their money before they went on board. jack, very indignant at the insinuation that he had not sufficient cash, pulled out a handful of doubloons, and tossing two to the padrone, asked him if he was satisfied. the padrone untied his sash, put in the money, and with many thanks and protestations of service, begged our young gentlemen to accompany him: they did so, and in a few minutes were clear of nix mangare stairs, and, passing close to his majesty's ship _harpy, _were soon out of the harbour of vallette. of all the varieties of vessels which float upon the wave, there is not, perhaps, one that bounds over the water so gracefully or so lightly as a speronare, or any one so picturesque and beautiful to the eye of those who watch its progress. the night was clear, and the stars shone out brilliantly as the light craft skimmed over the water, and a fragment of a descending and waning moon threw its soft beams upon the snow-white sail. the vessel, which had no neck, was full of baskets, which had contained grapes and various fruits brought from the ancient granary of rome, still as fertile and as luxuriant as ever. the crew consisted of the padrone, two men and a boy; the three latter, with their gregos, or night greatcoats with hoods, sitting forward before the sail, with their eyes fixed on the land as they flew past point after point, thinking perhaps of their wives, or perhaps of their sweethearts, or perhaps not thinking at all. the padrone remained aft at the helm, offering every politeness to our two young gentlemen, who only wished to be left alone. at last they requested the padrone to give them gregos to lie down upon, as they wished to go to sleep. he called the boy to take the helm, procured them all they required, and then went forward. and our two midshipmen laid down looking at the stars above them, for some minutes, without exchanging a word. at last jack commenced. "i have been thinking, gascoigne, that this is very delightful. my heart bounds with the vessel, and it almost appears to me as if the vessel herself was rejoicing in her liberty. here she is capering over the waves instead of being tied by the nose with a cable and anchor." "that's a touch of the sentimental, jack," replied gascoigne; "but she is no more free than she was when at anchor, for she now is forced to act in obedience to her steersman, and go just where he pleases. you may just as well say that a horse, if taken out of the stable, is free, with the curb and his rider on his back." "that's a touch of the rational, ned, which destroys the illusion. never mind, we are free, at all events. what machines we are on board of a man-of-war! we walk, talk, eat, drink, sleep, and get up, just like clock-work; we are wound up to go the twenty-four hours, and then wound up again; just like old smallsole does the chronometers." "very true, jack; but it does not appear to me, that, hitherto, you have kept very good time: you require a little more regulating," said gascoigne. "how can you expect any piece of machinery to go well, so damnably knocked about as a midshipman is?" replied our hero. "very true, jack; but sometimes you don't keep any time, for you don't keep any watch. mr asper don't wind you up. you don't go at all." "no; because he allows me to go _down; _but still i do _go, _ned." "yes, to your hammock--but it's _no go_ with old smallsole, if i want a bit of _caulk_. but, jack, what do you say--shall we keep watch to-night?" "why, to tell you the truth, i have been thinking the same thing--i don't much like the looks of the padrone--he squints." "that's no proof of anything, jack, except that his eyes are not straight; but if you do not like the look of him, i can tell you that he very much liked the look of your doubloons--i saw him start, and his eyes twinkled, and i thought at the time it was a pity you had not paid him in dollars." "it was very foolish in me; but at all events he has not seen all." "he saw quite enough, ned." "very true, but you should have let him see the pistols, and not have let him see the doubloons." "well, if he wishes to take what he has seen, he shall receive what he has not seen--why, there are only four of them?" "oh, i have no fear of them, only it may be as well to sleep with one eye open." "when shall we make the land?" "to-morrow evening with this wind, and it appears to be steady. suppose we keep watch and watch, and have our pistols out ready, with the greatcoats just turned over them, to keep them out of sight?" "agreed--it's about twelve o'clock now--who shall keep the middle watch?" "i will, jack, if you like it." "well, then, mind you kick me hard, for i sleep devilish sound. good-- night, and keep a sharp lookout." jack was fast asleep in less than ten minutes; and gascoigne, with his pistols lying by him all ready for each hand, sat up at the bottom of the boat. there certainly is a peculiar providence in favour of midshipmen compared with the rest of mankind; they have more lives than a cat-- always in the greatest danger, but always escaping from it. the padrone of the vessel had been captivated with the doubloons which jack had so foolishly exposed to his view, and he had, moreover, resolved to obtain them. at the very time that our two lads were conversing aft, the padrone was talking the matter over with his two men forward, and it was agreed that they should murder, rifle, and then throw them overboard. about two o'clock in the morning, the padrone came aft to see if they were asleep, but found gascoigne watching. he returned aft again and again; but found the young man still sitting up. tired of waiting, anxious to possess the money, and supposing that the lads were armed, he went once more forward and spoke to the men. gascoigne had watched his motions; he thought it singular that, with three men in the vessel, the helm should be confided to the boy--and at last he saw them draw their knives. he pushed our hero, who woke immediately gascoigne put his hand over jack's mouth, that he might not speak, and then he whispered his suspicions. jack seized his pistols--they both cocked them without noise, and then waited in silence, jack still lying down while gascoigne continued to sit up at the bottom of the boat. at last gascoigne saw the three men coming aft--he dropped one of his pistols for a second to give jack a squeeze of the hand, which was returned, and as gascoigne watched them making their way through the piles of empty baskets he leaned back as if he was slumbering. the padrone, followed by the two men, was at last aft--they paused a moment before they stepped over the strengthening plank, which ran from side to side of the boat between them and the midshipmen, and as neither of them stirred they imagined that both were asleep--advanced and raised their knives, when gascoigne and jack, almost at the same moment, each discharged their pistols into the breast of the padrone and one of the men, who was with him in advance, who both fell with the send aft of the boat, so as to encumber the midshipmen with the weight of their bodies. the third man started back. jack, who could not rise, from the padrone lying across his legs, took a steady aim with his second pistol, and the third man fell. the boy at the helm, who, it appeared, either was aware of what was to be done, or seeing the men advance with their knives, had acted upon what he saw, also drew his knife and struck at gascoigne from behind. the knife fortunately, after slightly wounding gascoigne on the shoulder, had shut on the boy's hand--gascoigne sprang up with his other pistol, the boy started back at the sight of it, lost his balance, and fell overboard. our two midshipmen took a few seconds to breathe. "i say, jack," said gascoigne at last, "did you ever--" "no, i never--" replied jack. "what's to be done now?" "why, as we've got possession, ned, we had better put a man at the helm--for the speronare is having it all her own way." "very true," replied gascoigne; "and as i can steer better than you, i suppose it must be me." gascoigne went to the helm, brought the boat up to the wind, and then they resumed their conversation. "that rascal of a boy gave me a devil of a lick on the shoulder; i don't know whether he has hurt me--at all events it's my left shoulder, so i can steer just as well. i wonder whether the fellows are dead." "the padrone is, at all events," replied jack. "it was as much as i could do to get my legs from under him--but we'll wait till daylight before we see to that--in the meantime, i'll load the pistols again." "the day is breaking now--it will be light in half an hour or less. what a devil of a spree, jack!" "yes, but how can one help it? we ran away because two men are wounded--and now we are obliged to kill four in self-defence." "yes, but that is not the end of it; when we get to sicily what are we to do? we shall be imprisoned by the authorities--perhaps hung." "we'll argue that point with them," replied jack. "we had better argue the point between ourselves, jack, and see what will be the best plan to get out of our scrape." "i think that we just have got out of it--never fear but we'll get out of the next. do you know, gascoigne, it appears to me very odd, but i can do nothing but there's a bobbery at the bottom of it." "you certainly have a great talent that way, jack. don't i hear one of these poor fellows groan?" "i should think that not impossible." "what shall we do with them?" "we will argue that point, ned--we must either keep their bodies or we must throw them overboard. either tell the whole story or say nothing about it." "that's very evident; in short, we must do something, for your argument goes no further. but now let us take up one of your propositions." "well then, suppose we keep the bodies on board, run into a seaport, go to the authorities, and state all the facts, what then?" "we shall prove, beyond all doubt, that we have killed three men, if not four; but we shall not prove that we were obliged so to do, jack. and then we are heretics--we shall be put in prison till they are satisfied of our innocence, which we never can prove, and there we shall remain until we have written to malta, and a man-of-war comes to redeem us, if we are not stabbed, or something else in the meantime." "that will not be a very pleasant cruise," replied jack. "now let's argue the point on the other side." "there is some difficulty there--suppose we throw their bodies overboard, toss the baskets after them, wash the boat clean, and make for the first port. we may chance to hit upon the very spot from which they sailed, and then there will be a pack of wives and children, and a populace with knives, asking us what has become of the men of the boat." "i don't much like the idea of that," said jack. "and if we don't have such bad luck, still we shall be interrogated as to who we are, and how we were adrift by ourselves." "there will be a difficulty about that again--we must swear that it is a party of pleasure, and that we are gentlemen yachting." "without a crew or provisions--yachts don't sail with a clean-swept hold, or gentlemen without a spare shirt--we have nothing but two gallons of water and two pairs of pistols." "i have it," said jack--"we are two young gentlemen in our own boat who went out to gozo with pistols to shoot sea-mews, were caught in a gale, and blown down to sicily--that will excite interest." "that's the best idea yet, as it will account for our having nothing in the boat. well then, at all events, we will get rid of the bodies; but suppose they are not dead--we cannot throw them overboard alive--that will be murder." "very true," replied jack; "then we must shoot them first, and toss them overboard afterwards." "upon my soul, easy, you are an odd fellow: however, go and examine the men, and we'll decide that point by-and-bye--you had better keep your pistol ready cocked for they may be shamming." "devil a bit of sham here, anyhow," replied jack, pulling at the body of the padrone, "and as for this fellow you shot, you might put your fist into his chest. now for the third," continued jack, stepping over the strengthening piece--"he's all among the baskets. i say, my cock, are you dead?" and jack enforced his question with a kick in the ribs. the man groaned. "that's unlucky, gascoigne, but, however, i'll soon settle him," said jack, pointing his pistol. "stop, jack," cried gascoigne, "it really will be murder." "no such thing, ned; i'll just blow his brains out, and then i'll come aft and argue the point with you." "now do oblige me by coming aft and arguing the point first. do, jack, i beg of you--i entreat you." "with all my heart," replied jack, resuming his seat by gascoigne; "i assert, that in this instance killing's no murder. you will observe, ned, that by the laws of society, any one who attempts the life of another has forfeited his own; at the same time, as it is necessary that the fact should be clearly proved and justice be duly administered, the parties are tried, convicted, and then are sentenced to the punishment." "i grant all that." "in this instance the attempt has been clearly proved; we are the witnesses, and are the judges and jury, and society in general, for the best of all possible reasons, because there is nobody else. these men's lives being therefore forfeited to society, belong to us; and it does not follow because they were not all killed in the attempt, that therefore they are not now to be brought out for punishment. and as there is no common hangman here, we, of course, must do this duty as well as every other. i have now clearly proved that i am justified in what i am about to do. but the argument does not stop there-- self-preservation is the first law of nature, and if we do not get rid of this man, what is the consequence?--that we shall have to account for his being wounded, and then, instead of judges, we shall immediately be placed in the position of culprits, and have to defend ourselves without witnesses. we therefore risk our lives from a misplaced lenity towards a wretch unworthy to live." "your last argument is strong, easy, but i cannot consent to your doing what may occasion you uneasiness hereafter when you think of it." "pooh! nonsense--i am a philosopher." "of what school, jack? oh, i presume you are a disciple of mesty's. i do not mean to say that you are wrong, but still hear my proposition. let us lower down the sail, and then i can leave the helm to assist you. we will clear the vessel of everything except the man who is still alive. at all events, we may wait a little, and if at last there is no help for it, i will then agree with you to launch him overboard, even if he is not quite dead." "agreed; even by your own making out, it will be no great sin. he is half dead already--i only do _half _the work of tossing him over, so it will be only _quarter _murder on my part, and he would have shown no quarter on his." here jack left off arguing and punning, and went forward and lowered down the sail. "i've half a mind to take my doubloons back," said jack, as they launched over the body of the padrone, "but he may have them--i wonder whether they'll ever turn up again?" "not in our time, jack," replied gascoigne. the other body, and all the basket lumber, etcetera, were then tossed over, and the boat was cleared of all but the man who was not yet dead. "now let's examine the fellow, and see if he has any chance of recovery," said gascoigne. the man lay on his side; gascoigne turned him over, and found that he was dead. "over with him, quick," said jack, "before he comes to life again." the body disappeared under the wave--they again hoisted the sail, gascoigne took the helm, and our hero proceeded to draw water and wash away the stains of blood; he then cleared the boat of vine-leaves and rubbish, with which it was strewed, swept it clean fore and aft, and resumed his seat by his comrade. "there," said jack, "now we've swept the decks, we may pipe to dinner. i wonder whether there is anything to eat in the locker?" jack opened it, and found some bread, garlic, sausages, a bottle of aquadente, and a jar of wine. "so the padrone did keep his promise, after all." "yes, and had you not tempted him with the sight of so much gold, might now have been alive." "to which i reply, that if you had not advised our going off in a speronare, he would now have been alive." "and if you had not fought a duel, i should not have given the advice." "and if the boatswain had not been obliged to come on board without his trousers, at gibraltar, i should not have fought a duel." "and if you had not joined the ship, the boatswain would have had his trousers on." "and if my father had not been a philosopher, i should not have gone to sea; so that it is all my father's fault, and he has killed four men off the coast of sicily, without knowing it--cause and effect. after all, there's nothing like argument; so having settled that point, let us go to dinner." having finished their meal, jack went forward and observed the land ahead; they steered the same course for three or four hours. "we must haul our wind more," said gascoigne; "it will not do to put into any small town: we have now to choose, whether we shall land on the coast and sink the speronare, or land at some large town." "we must argue that point," replied jack. "in the meantime, do you take the helm, for my arm is quite tired," replied gascoigne: "you can steer well enough; by-the-bye, i may as well look at my shoulder, for it is quite stiff." gascoigne pulled off his coat, and found his shirt bloody and sticking to the wound, which, as we before observed, was slight. he again took the helm, while jack washed it clean and then bathed it with aquadente. "now take the helm again," said gascoigne; "i'm on the sick list." "and as surgeon--i'm an idler," replied jack; "but what shall we do?" continued he; "abandon the speronare at night and sink her, or run in for a town?" "we shall fall in with plenty of boats and vessels if we coast it up to palermo, and they may overhaul us." "we shall fall in with plenty of people if we go on shore, and they will overhaul us." "do you know, jack, that i wish we were back and alongside of the _harpy; _i've had cruising enough." "my cruises are so unfortunate," replied jack; "they are too full of adventure; but then, i have never yet had a cruise on shore. now, if we could only get to palermo, we should be out of all our difficulties." "the breeze freshens, jack," replied gascoigne; "and it begins to look very dirty to windward. i think we shall have a gale." "pleasant--i know what it is to be short-handed in a gale; however, there's one comfort, we shall not be blown _off shore _this time." "no, but we may be wrecked on a lee shore. she cannot carry her whole sail, easy; we must lower it down, and take in a reef; the sooner the better, for it will be dark in an hour. go forward and lower it down, and then i'll help you." jack did so, but the sail went into the water, and he could not drag it in. "avast heaving," said gascoigne, "till i throw her up and take the wind out of it." this was done; they reefed the sail, but could not hoist it up: if gascoigne left the helm to help jack, the sail filled; if he went to the helm and took the wind out of the sail, jack was not strong enough to hoist it. the wind increased rapidly, and the sea got up; the sun went down, and with the sail half hoisted, they could not keep to the wind, but were obliged to run right for the land. the speronare flew, rising on the crest of the waves with half her keel clear of the water: the moon was already up, and gave them light enough to perceive that they were not five miles from the coast, which was lined with foam. "at all events, they can't accuse us of running away with the boat," observed jack; "for she's running away with us." "yes," replied gascoigne, dragging at the tiller with all his strength; "she has taken the bit between her teeth." "i wouldn't care if i had a bit between mine," replied jack; "for i feel devilish hungry again. what do you say, ned?" "with all my heart," replied gascoigne; "but, do you know, easy, it may be the last meal we ever make." "then i vote it's a good one--but why so, ned?" "in half an hour, or thereabouts, we shall be on shore." "well, that's where we want to go." "yes, but the sea runs high, and the boat may be dashed to pieces on the rocks." "then we shall be asked no questions about her or the men." "very true, but a lee shore is no joke; we may be knocked to pieces, as well as the boat--even swimming may not help us. if we could find a cove or sandy beach, we might, perhaps, manage to get on shore." "well," replied jack, "i have not been long at sea, and, of course, cannot know much about these things. i have been blown off shore, but i never have been blown on. it may be as you say, but i do not see the great danger--let's run her right up on the beach at once." "that's what i shall try to do," replied gascoigne, who had been four years at sea, and knew very well what he was about. jack handed him a huge piece of bread and sausage. "thank ye, i cannot eat." "i can," replied jack, with his mouth full. jack ate while gascoigne steered; and the rapidity with which the speronare rushed to the beach was almost frightful. she darted like an arrow from wave to wave, and appeared as if mocking their attempts as they curled their summits almost over her narrow stern. they were within a mile of the beach, when jack, who had finished his supper, and was looking at the foam boiling on the coast, exclaimed: "that's very fine--very beautiful, upon my soul!" "he cares for nothing," thought gascoigne; "he appears to have no idea of danger." "now, my dear fellow," said gascoigne, "in a few minutes we shall be on the rocks. i must continue at the helm, for the higher she is forced up the better chance for us; but we may not meet again, so if we do not, good-bye, and god bless you." "gascoigne," said jack, "you are hurt and i am not; your shoulder is stiff, and you can hardly move your left arm. now i can steer for the rocks as well as you. do you go to the bow, and there you will have a better chance. by-the-bye," continued he, picking up his pistols, and sticking them into his waist, "i won't leave them, they've served us too good a turn already. gascoigne, give me the helm." "no, no, easy." "i say yes," replied jack, in a loud, authoritative tone, "and what's more, i will be obeyed, gascoigne. i have nerve, if i haven't knowledge, and at all events i can steer for the beach. i tell you, give me the helm. well, then, if you won't--i must take it." easy wrested the tiller from gascoigne's hand, and gave him a shove forward. "now do you look out ahead, and tell me how to steer." whatever may have been gascoigne's feelings at this behaviour of our hero's, it immediately occurred to him that he could not do better than to run the speronare to the safest point, and that therefore he was probably more advantageously employed than if he were at the helm. he went forward and looked at the rocks, covered at one moment with the tumultuous waters, and then pouring down cascades from their sides as the waves recoiled. he perceived a chasm right ahead, and he thought if the boat was steered for that, she must be thrown up so as to enable them to get clear of her, for at every other part escape appeared impossible. "starboard a little--that'll do. steady--port it is--port. steer small, for your life, easy. steady now--mind the yard don't hit your head--hold on." the speronare was at this moment thrown into a large cleft in a rock, the sides of which were nearly perpendicular; nothing else could have saved them, as, had they struck the rock outside, the boat would have been dashed to pieces, and its fragments have disappeared in the undertow. as it was, the cleft was not four feet more than the width of the boat, and as the waves hurled her up into it, the yard of the speronare was thrown fore and aft with great violence, and had not jack been warned, he would have been struck overboard without a chance of being saved; but he crouched down and it passed over him. as the water receded, the boat struck, and was nearly dry between the rocks, but another wave followed, dashing the boat farther up, but, at the same time, filling it with water. the bow of the boat was now several feet higher than the stern, where jack held on; and the weight of the water in her, with the force of the returning waves, separated her right across abaft the mast. jack perceived that the after-part of the boat was going out again with the wave; he caught hold of the yard which had swung fore and aft, and as he clung to it, the part of the boat on which he had stood disappeared from under him, and was swept away by the returning current. jack required the utmost of his strength to maintain his position until another wave floated him, and dashed him higher up: but he knew his life depended on holding on to the yard, which he did, although under water, and advanced several feet. when the wave receded, he found footing on the rock, and still clinging, he walked till he had gained the fore-part of the boat, which was wedged firmly into a narrow part of the cleft. the next wave was not very large, and he had gained so much that it did not throw him off his legs. he reached the rock, and as he climbed up the side of the chasm to gain the ledge above, he perceived gascoigne standing above him, and holding out his hand to his assistance. "well," says jack, shaking himself to get rid of the water, "here we are, ashore at last--i had no idea of anything like this. the rush back of the water was so strong that it has almost torn my arms out of their sockets. how very lucky i sent you forward with your disabled shoulder. by-the-bye, now that it's all over, and you must see that i was right, i beg to apologise for my rudeness." "there needs no apology for saving my life, easy," replied gascoigne, trembling with the cold; "and no one but you would ever have thought of making one at such a moment." "i wonder whether the ammunition's dry," said jack; "i put it all in my hat." jack took off his hat, and found the cartridges had not suffered. "now then, gascoigne, what shall we do?" "i hardly know," replied gascoigne. "suppose, then, we sit down and argue the point." "no, i thank you, there will be too much cold water thrown upon our arguments--i'm half dead; let us walk on." "with all my heart," said jack, "it's devilish steep, but i can argue up hill or down hill, wet or dry--i'm used to it--for, as i told you before, ned, my father is a philosopher, and so am i." "by the lord! _you are_," replied gascoigne, as he walked on. chapter nineteen. in which our hero follows his destiny and forms a tableau. our hero and his comrade climbed the precipice, and, after some minutes' severe toil, arrived at the summit, when they sat down to recover themselves. the sky was clear, although the gale blew strong. they had an extensive view of the coast, lashed by the angry waves. "it's my opinion, ned," said jack, as he surveyed the expanse of troubled water, "that we're just as well out of that." "i agree with you, jack; but it's also my opinion that we should be just as well out of this, for the wind blows through one. suppose we go a little farther inland, where we may find some shelter till the morning." "it's rather dark to find anything," rejoined our hero; "but, however, a westerly gale on the top of a mountain with wet clothes in the middle of the night with nothing to eat or drink, is not the most comfortable position in the world, and we may change for the better." they proceed over a flat of a hundred yards, and then descended--the change in the atmosphere was immediate. as they continued their march inland, they came to a high-road, which appeared to run along the shore, and they turned into it; for, as jack said very truly, a road must lead to something. after a quarter of an hour's walk, they again heard the rolling of the surf, and perceived the white walls of houses. "here we are at last," said jack. "i wonder if any one will turn out to take us in, or shall we stow away for the night in one of those vessels hauled up on the beach?" "recollect this time, easy," said gascoigne, "not to show your money; that is, show only a dollar, and say you have no more, or promise to pay when we arrive at palermo; and if they will neither trust us, nor give to us, we must make it out as we can." "how the cursed dogs bark! i think we shall do very well this time, gascoigne: we do not look as if we were worth robbing, at all events, and we have the pistols to defend ourselves with if we are attacked. depend upon it i will show no more gold. and now let us make our arrangements. take you one pistol, and take half the gold--i have it all in my right-hand pocket--my dollars and pistarenes in my left. you shall take half of them too. we have silver enough to go on with till we are in a safe place." jack then divided the money in the dark, and also gave gascoigne a pistol. "now then, shall we knock for admittance?--let's first walk through the village, and see if there's anything like an inn. those yelping curs will soon be at our heels; they come nearer and nearer every time. there's a cart, and it's full of straw--suppose we go to bed till to-morrow morning--we shall be warm, at all events." "yes," replied gascoigne, "and sleep much better than in any of the cottages. i have been in sicily before, and you have no idea how the fleas bite." our two midshipmen climbed up into the cart, nestled themselves into the straw, or rather indian corn-leaves, and were soon fast asleep. as they had not slept for two nights, it is not to be wondered at that they slept soundly--so soundly, indeed, that about two hours after they had got into their comfortable bed, the peasant, who had brought to the village some casks of wine to be shipped and taken down the coast in a felucca, yoked his bullocks, and not being aware of his freight, drove off without, in any way, disturbing their repose, although the roads in sicily are not yet macadamised. the jolting of the roads rather increased than disturbed the sleep of our adventurers; and, although there were some rude shocks, it only had the effect of making them fancy in their dreams that they were again in the boat, and that she was still dashing against the rocks. in about two hours, the cart arrived at its destination--the peasant unyoked his bullocks and led them away. the same cause will often produce contrary effects: the stopping of the motion of the cart disturbed the rest of our two midshipmen; they turned round in the straw, yawned, spread out their arms, and then awoke. gascoigne, who felt considerable pain in his shoulder, was the first to recall his scattered senses. "easy," cried he, as he sat up and shook off the corn-leaves. "port it is," said jack, half dreaming. "come, easy, you are not on board now. rouse and bitt." jack then sat up and looked at gascoigne. the forage in the cart was so high round them that they could not see above it; they rubbed their eyes, yawned, and looked at each other. "have you any faith in dreams," said jack to gascoigne, "because i had a very queer one last night." "well, so had i," replied gascoigne. "i dreamt that the cart rolled by itself into the sea, and went away with us right in the wind's eye back to malta; and, considering that it never was built for such service, she behaved uncommonly well. now what was your dream?" "mine was, that we woke up and found ourselves in the very town from which the speronare had sailed, and that they had found the fore-part of the speronare among the rocks, and recognised her, and picked up one of our pistols. that they had laid hold of us, and had insisted that we had been thrown on shore in the boat, and asked us what had become of the crew--they were just seizing us, when i awoke." "your dream is more likely to come true than mine, easy; but still i think we need not fear that. at the same time, we had better not remain here any longer; and it occurs to me, that if we tore our clothes more, it would be advisable--we shall, in the first place, look more wretched; and, in the next place, can replace them with the dress of the country, and so travel without exciting suspicion. you know that i can speak italian pretty well." "i have no objection to tear my clothes if you wish," replied jack; "at the same time give me your pistol; i will draw the charges and load them again. they must be wet." having reloaded the pistols and rent their garments, the two midshipmen stood up in the cart and looked about them. "halloo!--why, how's this, gascoigne? last night we were close to the beach, and among houses, and now--where the devil are we? you dreamt nearer the mark than i did, for the cart has certainly taken a cruise." "we must have slept like midshipmen, then," replied gascoigne: "surely it cannot have gone far." "here we are, surrounded by hills on every side, for at least a couple of miles. surely some good genius has transported us into the interior, that we might escape from the relatives of the crew whom i dreamt about," said jack, looking at gascoigne. as it afterwards was known to them, the speronare had sailed from the very seaport in which they had arrived that night, and where they had got into the cart. the wreck of the speronare had been found, and had been recognised, and it was considered by the inhabitants that the padrone and his crew had perished in the gale. had they found our two midshipmen and questioned them, it is not improbable that suspicion might have been excited, and the results have been such as our hero had conjured up in his dream. but, as we said before, there is a peculiar providence for midshipmen. on a minute survey, they found that they were in an open space which, apparently, had been used for thrashing and winnowing maize, and that the cart was standing under a clump of trees in the shade. "there ought to be a house hereabouts," said gascoigne; "i should think that behind the trees we shall find one. come, jack, you are as hungry as i am, i'll answer for it; we must look out for a breakfast somewhere." "if they won't give us something to eat, or sell it," replied jack, who was ravenous, clutching his pistol, "i shall take it--i consider it no robbery. the fruits of the earth were made for us all, and it never was intended that one man should have a superfluity and another starve. the laws of equality--" "may appear very good arguments to a starving man, i grant, but still, won't prevent his fellow creatures from hanging him," replied gascoigne. "none of your confounded nonsense, jack; no man starves with money in his pocket, and as long as you have that, leave those that have none to talk about equality and the rights of man." "i should like to argue that point with you, gascoigne." "tell me, do you prefer sitting down here to argue, or to look out for some breakfast, jack?" "oh, the argument may be put off, but hunger cannot." "that's very good philosophy, jack, so let's go on." they went through the copse of wood, which was very thick, and soon discovered the wall of a large house on the other side. "all right," said jack; "but still let us reconnoitre. it's not a farm-house; it must belong to a person of some consequence--all the better--they will see that we are gentlemen, notwithstanding our tattered dress. i suppose we are to stick to the story of the sea-mews at gozo?" "yes," replied gascoigne; "i can think of nothing better. but the english are well received in this island; we have troops at palermo." "have we? i wish i was sitting down at the mess-table--but what's that? a woman screaming?--yes, by heavens!--come along, ned." and away dashed jack towards the house, followed by gascoigne. as they advanced the screams redoubled; they entered the porch, burst into the room from whence they proceeded, and found an elderly gentleman defending himself against two young men, who were held back by an elderly and a young lady. our hero and his comrade had both drawn their pistols, and just as they burst open the door, the old gentleman who defended himself against such odds had fallen down. the two others burst from the women, and were about to pierce him with their swords, when jack seized one by the collar of his coat and held him fast, pointing the muzzle of the pistol to his ear: gascoigne did the same to the other. it was a very dramatic tableau. the two women flew to the elderly gentleman and raised him up; the two assailants being held just as dogs hold pigs by the ear, trembling with fright, with the points of their rapiers dropped, looked at the midshipmen and the muzzles of their pistols with equal dismay; at the same time, the astonishment of the elderly gentleman and the women, at such an unexpected deliverance, was equally great. there was a silence for a few seconds. "ned," at last said jack, "tell these chaps to drop their swords, or we fire." gascoigne gave the order in italian, and it was complied with. the midshipmen then possessed themselves of the rapiers, and gave the young men their liberty. the elderly gentleman at last broke the silence. "it would appear, signors, that there was an especial interference of providence, to prevent you from committing a foul and unjust murder. who these are that have so opportunely come to my rescue, i know not, but thanking them as i do now, i think that you will yourselves, when you are calm, also thank them for having prevented you from committing an act which would have loaded you with remorse and embittered your future existence. gentlemen, you are free to depart: you, don silvio, have indeed disappointed me; your gratitude should have rendered you incapable of such conduct: as for you, don scipio, you have been misled; but you both have, in one point, disgraced yourselves. ten days back my sons were both here--why did you not come then? if you sought revenge on me, you could not have inflicted it deeper than through my children, and at least you would not have acted the part of assassins in attacking an old man. take your swords, gentlemen, and use them better henceforth. against future attacks i shall be well prepared." gascoigne, who perfectly understood what was said, presented the sword to the young gentleman from whom he had taken it--our hero did the same. the two young men returned them to their sheaths, and quitted the room without saying a word. "whoever you are, i owe to you and thank you for my life," said the elderly gentleman, scanning the outward appearance of our two midshipmen. "we are," said gascoigne, "officers in the english navy, and gentlemen; we were wrecked in our boat last night, and have wandered here in the dark, seeking for assistance, and food, and some conveyance to palermo, where we shall find friends, and the means of appearing like gentlemen." "was your ship wrecked, gentlemen?" inquired the sicilian, "and many lives lost?" "no, our ship is at malta; we were in a boat on a party of pleasure, were caught by a gale, and driven on the coast. to satisfy you of the truth, observe that our pistols have the king's mark, and that we are not paupers, we show you gold." gascoigne pulled out his doubloons--and jack did the same, coolly observing: "i thought we were only to show silver, ned!" "it needed not that," replied the gentleman; "your conduct in this affair, your manners and address, fully convince me that you are what you represent--but were you common peasants, i am equally indebted to you for my life, and you may command me. tell me in what way i can be of service." "in giving us something to eat, for we have had nothing for many, many hours. after that we may, perhaps, trespass a little more upon your kind offices." "you must, of course, be surprised at what has passed, and curious to know the occasion," said the gentleman; "you have a right to be informed of it, and shall be, as soon as you are more comfortable; in the meantime, allow me to introduce myself as don rebiera de silva." "i wish," said jack, who, from his knowledge of spanish, could understand the whole of the last part of the don's speech, "that he would introduce us to his breakfast." "so do i," said gascoigne; "but we must wait a little--he ordered the ladies to prepare something instantly." "your friend does not speak italian," said don rebiera. "no, don rebiera, he speaks french and spanish." "if he speaks spanish my daughter can converse with him; she has but shortly arrived from spain. we are closely united with a noble house in that country." don rebiera then led the way to another room, and in a short time there was a repast brought in, to which our midshipmen did great justice. "i will now," said the don, "relate to you, sir, for the information of yourself and friend, the causes which produced this scene of violence, which you so opportunely defeated. but first, as it must be very tedious to your friend, i will send for donna clara and my daughter agnes to talk to him; my wife understands a little spanish, and my daughter, as i said before, has but just left the country, where, from circumstances, she remained some years." as soon as donna clara and donna agnes made their appearance and were introduced, jack, who had not before paid attention to them, said to himself, "i have seen a face like that girl's before." if so, he had never seen many like it, for it was the quintessence of brunette beauty, and her figure was equally perfect; although, not having yet completed her fifteenth year, it required still a little more development. donna clara was extremely gracious, and as, perhaps, she was aware that her voice would drown that of her husband, she proposed to our hero to walk in the garden, and in a few minutes they took their seats in a pavilion at the end of it. the old lady did not talk much spanish, but when at a loss for a word she put in an italian one, and jack understood her perfectly well. she told him her sister had married a spanish nobleman many years since, and that before the war broke out between the spanish and the english, they had gone over with all their children to see her; that when they wished to return, her daughter agnes, then a child, was suffering under a lingering complaint, and it was thought advisable, as she was very weak, to leave her under the charge of her aunt, who had a little girl of nearly the same age; that they were educated together at a convent near tarragona, and that she had only returned two months ago; that she had a very narrow escape, as the ship in which her uncle, and aunt, and cousins, as well as herself, were on board, returning from genoa, where her brother-in-law had been obliged to go to secure a succession to some property bequeathed to him, had been captured in the night by the english; but the officer, who was very polite, had allowed them to go away next day, and very handsomely permitted them to take all their effects. "oh, oh," thought jack; "i thought i had seen her face before; this then was one of the girls in the corner of the cabin--now, i'll have some fun." during the conversation with the mother, donna agnes had remained some paces behind, picking now and then a flower, and not attending to what passed. when our hero and her mother sat down in the pavilion she joined them, when jack addressed her with his usual politeness. "i am almost ashamed to be sitting by you, donna agnes, in this ragged dress--but the rocks of your coast have no respect for persons." "we are under great obligations, signor, and do not regard such trifles." "you are all kindness, signora," replied jack; "i little thought this morning of my good fortune--i can tell the fortunes of others, but not of my own." "you can tell fortunes!" replied the old lady. "yes, madam, i am famous for it--shall i tell your daughter hers?" donna agnes looked at our hero, and smiled. "i perceive that the young lady does not believe me; i must prove my art, by telling her of what has already happened to her. the signora will then give me credit." "certainly, if you do that," replied agnes. "oblige me, by showing me the palm of your hand." agnes extended her little hand, and jack felt so very polite, that he was nearly kissing it. however, he restrained himself, and examining the lines: "that you were educated in spain--that you arrived here but two months ago--that you were captured and released by the english, your mother has already told me; but to prove to you that i knew all that, i must now be more particular. you were in a ship mounting fourteen guns--was it not so?" donna agnes nodded her head. "i never told the signor that," cried donna clara. "she was taken by surprise in the night, and there was no fighting. the next morning the english burst open the cabin door; your uncle and your cousin fired their pistols." "holy virgin!" cried agnes, with surprise. "the english officer was a young man, not very good-looking." "there you are wrong, signor; he was very handsome." "there is no accounting for taste, signora; you were frightened out of your wits, and with your cousin you crouched down in the corner of the cabin. let me examine that little line closer--you had--yes, it's no mistake, you had very little clothes on." agnes tore away her hand and covered her face. "e vero, e vero; holy jesus! how could you know that?" of a sudden agnes looked at our hero, and after a minute appeared to recognise him. "oh, mother, 'tis he--i recollect now, 'tis he!" "who, my child?" replied donna clara, who had been struck dumb with jack's astonishing power of fortune-telling. "the officer who captured us, and was so kind." jack burst out into laughter, not to be controlled for some minutes, an then acknowledged that she had discovered him. "at all events, donna agnes," said he at last, "acknowledge that, ragged as i am, i have seen you in a much greater deshabille." agnes sprang up and took to her heels, that she might hide her confusion, and at the same time go to her father and tell him who he had as his guest. although don rebiera had not yet finished his narrative, this announcement of agnes, who ran in breathless to communicate it, immediately brought all the parties together, and jack received their thanks. "i little thought," said the don, "that i should have been so doubly indebted to you, sir. command my services as you please, both of you. my sons are at palermo, and i trust you will allow them the pleasure of your friendship when you are tired of remaining with us." jack made his politest bow, and then with a shrug of his shoulders, looked down upon his habiliments, which, to please gascoigne, he had torn into ribands, as much as to say, we are not provided for a lengthened stay. "my brothers' clothes will fit them, i think," said agnes to her father; "they have left plenty in their wardrobes." "if the signors will condescend to wear them till they can replace their own." midshipmen are very condescending--they followed don rebiera, and condescended to put on clean shirts belonging to don philip and don martin; also to put on their trousers--to select their best waistcoats and coats--in short, they condescended to have a regular fit-out--and it so happened that the fit-out was not far from a regular _fit_. having condescended, they then descended, and the intimacy between all parties became so great that it appeared as if they not only wore the young men's clothes, but also stood in their shoes. having thus made themselves presentable, jack presented his hand to both ladies, and led them into the garden, that don rebiera might finish his long story to gascoigne without further interruption, and resuming their seats in the pavilion, he entertained the ladies with a history of his cruise in the ship after her capture. agnes soon recovered from her reserve, and jack had the forbearance not to allude again to the scene in the cabin, which was the only thing she dreaded. after dinner, when the family, according to custom, had retired for the siesta, gascoigne and jack, who had slept enough in the cart to last for a week, went out together in the garden. "well, ned," said jack, "do you wish yourself on board the _harpy_ again?" "no," replied gascoigne; "we have fallen on our feet at last, but still not without first being knocked about like peas in a rattle. what a lovely little creature that agnes is! how strange that you should fall in with her again! how odd that we should come here!" "my good fellow, we did not come here. destiny brought us in a cart. she may take us to tyburn in the same way." "yes, if you sport your philosophy as you did when we awoke this morning." "nevertheless, i'll be hanged if i'm not right. suppose we argue the point?" "right or wrong, you will be hanged, jack; so instead of arguing the point, suppose i tell you what the don made such a long story about." "with all my heart; let us go to the pavilion." our hero and his friend took their seats, and gascoigne then communicated the history of don rebiera, to which we shall dedicate the ensuing chapter. chapter twenty. a long story, which the reader must listen to, as well as our hero. "i have already made you acquainted with my name, and i have only to add, that it is one of the most noble in sicily, and that there are few families who possess such large estates. my father was a man who had no pleasure in the pursuits of most young men of his age; he was of a weakly constitution, and was with difficulty reared to manhood. when his studies were completed he retired to his country-seat, belonging to our family, which is about twenty miles from palermo, and shutting himself up, devoted himself wholly to literary pursuits. "as he was an only son, his parents were naturally very anxious that he should marry; the more so as his health did not promise him a very extended existence. had he consulted his own inclinations he would have declined, but he felt that it was his duty to comply with their wishes; but he did not trouble himself with the choice, leaving it wholly to them. they selected a young lady of high family, and certainly of most exquisite beauty. i only wish i could say more in her favour, for she was my mother; but it is impossible to narrate the history without exposing her conduct. the marriage took place, and my father, having woke up as it were at the celebration, again returned to his closet, to occupy himself with abstruse studies; the results of which have been published, and have fully established his reputation as a man of superior talent and deep research. but, however much the public may appreciate the works of a man of genius, whether they be written to instruct or to amuse, certain it is that a literary man requires, in his wife, either a mind congenial to his own, or that pride in her husband's talents which induces her to sacrifice much of her own domestic enjoyment to the satisfaction of having his name extolled abroad. i mention this point as some extenuation of my mother's conduct. she was neglected most certainly, but not neglected for frivolous amusements, or because another form had more captivated his fancy; but, in his desire to instruct others, and i may add, his ambition for renown, he applied himself to his literary pursuits, became abstracted, answered without hearing, and left his wife to amuse herself in any way she might please. a literary husband is, without exception, although always at home, the least domestic husband in the world, and must try the best of tempers, not by unkindness, for my father was kind and indulgent to excess, but by that state of perfect abstraction and indifference which he showed to everything except the favourite pursuit which absorbed him. my mother had but to speak, and every wish was granted--a refusal was unknown. you may say, what could she want more; i reply, that anything to a woman is preferable to indifference. the immediate consent to every wish took away, in her opinion, all merit in the grant; the value of everything is only relative, and in proportion to the difficulty of obtaining it. the immediate assent to every opinion was tantamount to insult; it implied that he did not choose to argue with her. "it is true that women like to have their own way; but they like, at the same time, to have difficulties to surmount and to conquer; otherwise, half the gratification is lost. although tempests are to be deplored, still a certain degree of oscillation and motion are requisite to keep fresh and clear the lake of matrimony, the waters of which otherwise soon stagnate and become foul, and without some contrary currents of opinion between a married couple such a stagnation must take place. "a woman permitted always and invariably to have her own way without control, is much in the same situation as the child who insists upon a whole instead of half a holiday, and before the evening closes is tired of himself and everything about him. in short, a little contradiction, like salt at dinner, seasons and appetises the repast; but too much, like the condiment in question, spoils the whole, and it becomes unpalatable in proportion to its excess. "my mother was a vain woman in every sense of the word--vain of her birth and of her beauty, and accustomed to receive that homage to which she considered herself entitled. she had been spoiled in her infancy, and as she grew up had learned nothing, because she was permitted to do as she pleased; she was therefore frivolous, and could not appreciate what she could not comprehend. there never was a more ill-assorted union." "i have always thought that such must be the case," replied gascoigne, "in catholic countries, where a young person is taken out of a convent and mated according to what her family or her wealth may consider as the most eligible connection." "on that subject there are many opinions, my friend," replied don rebiera. "it is true, that when a marriage of convenience is arranged by the parents, the dispositions of the parties are made a secondary point; but then, again, it must be remembered, that when a choice is left to the parties themselves, it is at an age at which there is little worldly consideration: and, led away, in the first place, by their passions, they form connections with those inferior in their station, which are attended with eventual unhappiness; or, in the other, allowing that they do choose in their own rank of life, they make quite as bad or often a worse choice than if their partners were selected for them." "i cannot understand that," replied gascoigne. "the reason is, because there are no means, or if means, no wish, to study each other's disposition. a young man is attracted by person, and he admires; the young woman is flattered by the admiration, and is agreeable; if she has any faults she is not likely to display them--not concealing them from hypocrisy, but because they are not called out. the young man falls in love, so does the young woman; and when once in love, they can no longer see faults; they marry, imagining that they have found perfection. in the blindness of love, each raises the other to a standard of perfection which human nature can never attain, and each becomes equally annoyed on finding, by degrees, that they were in error. the reaction takes place, and they then underrate, as much as before they had overrated, each other. now, if two young people marry without this violence of passion, they do not expect to find each other perfect, and perhaps have a better chance of happiness." "i don't agree with you," thought gascoigne; "but as you appear to be as fond of argument as my friend jack, i shall make no reply, lest there he no end to the story." don rebiera proceeded. "my mother, finding that my father preferred his closet and his books to gaiety and dissipation, soon left him to himself, and amused herself after her own fashion, but not until i was born, which was ten months after their marriage. my father was confiding, and, pleased that my mother should be amused, he indulged her in everything. time flew on, and i had arrived at my fifteenth year, and came home from my studies, it being intended that i should enter the army, which you are aware is generally the only profession embraced in this country by the heirs of noble families. of course, i knew little of what had passed at home, but still i had occasionally heard my mother spoken lightly of, when i was not supposed to be present, and i always heard my father's name mentioned with compassion, as if an ill-used man, but i knew nothing more: still this was quite sufficient for a young man, whose blood boiled at the idea of anything like a stigma being cast upon his family. i arrived at my father's--i found him at his books; i paid my respects to my mother--i found her with her confessor. i disliked the man at first sight; he was handsome, certainly: his forehead was high and white, his eyes large and fiery, and his figure commanding; but there was a dangerous, proud look about him which disgusted me--nothing like humility or devotion. i might have admired him as an officer commanding a regiment of cavalry, but as a churchman he appeared to be most misplaced. she named me with kindness, but he appeared to treat me with disdain; he spoke authoritatively to my mother, who appeared to yield implicitly, and i discovered that he was lord of the whole household. my mother, too, it was said, had given up gaieties and become devout. i soon perceived more than a common intelligence between them, and before i had been two months at home i had certain proofs of my father's dishonour; and what was still more unfortunate for me, they were aware that such was the case. my first impulse was to acquaint my father; but, on consideration, i thought it better to say nothing, provided i could persuade my mother to dismiss father ignatio. i took an opportunity when she was alone to express my indignation at her conduct, and to demand his immediate dismissal, as a condition of my not divulging her crime. she appeared frightened, and gave her consent; but i soon found that her confessor had more power with her than i had, and he remained. i now resolved to acquaint my father, and i roused him from his studies that he might listen to his shame. i imagined that he would have acted calmly and discreetly; but, on the contrary, his violence was without bounds, and i had the greatest difficulty from preventing his rushing with his sword to sacrifice them both. at last he contented himself by turning father ignatio out of the house in the most ignominious manner, and desiring my mother to prepare for seclusion in a convent for the remainder of her days. but he fell their victim; three days afterwards, as my mother was, by his directions, about to be removed, he was seized with convulsions and died. i need hardly say, that he was carried off by poison; this, however, could not be established till long afterwards. before he died he seemed to be almost supernaturally prepared for an event which never came into my thoughts. he sent for another confessor, who drew up his confession in writing at his own request, and afterwards inserted it in his will. my mother remained in the house, and father ignatio had the insolence to return. i ordered him away, and he resisted. he was turned out by the servants. i had an interview with my mother, who defied me, and told me that i should soon have a brother to share in the succession. i felt that, if so, it would be the illegitimate progeny of her adultery, and told her my opinion. she expressed her rage in the bitterest curses, and i left her. shortly afterwards she quitted the house and retired to another of our country-seats, where she lived with father ignatio as before. about four months afterwards, formal notice was sent to me of the birth of a brother; but as, when my father's will was opened, he there had inserted his confession, or the substance of it, in which he stated, that aware of my mother's guilt, and supposing that consequences might ensue, he solemnly declared before god that he had for years lived apart, i cared little for this communication. i contented myself with replying that as the child belonged to the church, it had better be dedicated to its service. "i had, however, soon reason to acknowledge the vengeance of my mother and her paramour. one night i was attacked by bravos; and had i not fortunately received assistance, i should have forfeited my life; as it was, i received a severe wound. "against attempts of that kind i took every precaution in future, but still every attempt was made to ruin my character, as well as to take my life. a young sister disappeared from a convent in my neighbourhood, and on the ground near the window from which she descended, was found a hat, recognised to be mine. i was proceeded against, and notwithstanding the strongest interest, it was with difficulty that the affair was arranged, although i had incontestably proved an _alibi_. "a young man of rank was found murdered, with a stiletto, known to be mine, buried in his bosom, and it was with difficulty that i could establish my innocence. "part of a banditti had been seized, and on being asked the name of their chief, when they received absolution, they confessed that i was the chief of the band. "everything that could be attempted was put into practice; and if i did not lose my life, at all events i was avoided by almost everybody as a dangerous and doubtful character. "at last a nobleman of rank, the father of don scipio, whom you disarmed, was assassinated; the bravos were taken, and they acknowledged that i was the person who hired them. i defended myself, but the king imposed upon me a heavy fine and banishment. i had just received the order, and was crying out against the injustice, and lamenting my hard fate, as i sat down to dinner. latterly, aware of what my enemies would attempt, i had been accustomed to live much alone. my faithful valet pedro was my only attendant. i was eating my dinner with little appetite, and had asked for some wine. pedro went to the beaufet behind him, to give me what i required. accidentally i lifted up my head, and there being a large pier-glass opposite to me, i saw the figure of my valet, and that he was pouring a powder in the flagon of wine which he was about to present to me. i recollected the hat being found at the nunnery, and also the stiletto in the body of the young man. "like lightning it occurred to me that i had been fostering the viper who had assisted to destroy me. he brought me the flagon. i rose, locked the door, and drawing my sword, i addressed him:-- "`villain; i know thee; down on your knees, for your life is forfeited.' "he turned pale, trembled, and sank upon his knees. "`now, then,' continued i, `you have but one chance--either drink off this flagon of wine, or i pass my sword through your body.' he hesitated, and i put the point to his breast--even pierced the flesh a quarter of an inch. "`drink,' cried i--`is it so very unjust an order to tell you to drink old wine? drink,' continued i, `or my sword does its duty.' "he drank, and would then have quitted the room. `no, no,' said i, `you remain herd, and the wine must have its effect. if i have wronged you i will make amends to you--but i am suspicious.' "in about a quarter of an hour, during which time i paced up and down the room, with my sword drawn, my servant fell down, and cried in mercy to let him have a priest. i sent for my own confessor, and he then acknowledged that he was an agent of my mother and father ignatio, and had been the means of making it appear that i was the committer of all the crimes and murders which had been perpetrated by them, with a view to my destruction. a strong emetic having been administered to him, he partially revived, and was taken to palermo, where he gave his evidence before he expired. "when this was made known, the king revoked his sentence, apologised to me, and i found that once more i was visited and courted by everybody. my mother was ordered to be shut up in a convent, where she died, i trust, in grace, and father ignatio fled to italy, and i have been informed is since dead. "having thus rid myself of my principal enemies, i considered myself safe. i married the lady whom you have just seen, and before my eldest son was born, don silvio, for such was the name given to my asserted legitimate brother, came of age, and demanded his succession. had he asked me for a proper support, as my uterine brother, i should not have refused; but that the son of friar ignatio, who had so often attempted my life, should, in case of my decease, succeed to the title and estates, was not to be borne. a lawsuit was immediately commenced, which lasted four or five years, during which don silvio married, and had a son, that young man whom you heard me address by the same name; but after much litigation, it was decided that my father's confessor and will had proved his illegitimacy, and the suit was in my favour. from that time to this there has been a constant enmity. don silvio refused all my offers of assistance, and followed me with a pertinacity which often endangered my life. at last he fell by the hands of his own agents, who mistook him for me. don silvio died without leaving any provision for his family; his widow i pensioned, and his son i have had carefully brought up, and have indeed treated most liberally, but he appears to have imbibed the spirit of his father, and no kindness has been able to imbue him with gratitude. "he had lately been placed by me in the army, where he found out my two sons, and quarrelled with them both upon slight pretence; but, in both instances, he was wounded and carried off the field. "my two sons have been staying with me these last two months, and did not leave till yesterday. this morning don silvio, accompanied by don scipio, came to the house, and after accusing me of being the murderer of both their parents, drew their rapiers to assassinate me. my wife and child, hearing the noise, came down to my assistance--you know the rest." chapter twenty one. in which our hero is brought up all standing under a press of sail. our limits will not permit us to relate all that passed during our hero's stay of a fortnight at don rebiera's. he and gascoigne were treated as if they were his own sons, and the kindness of the female part of the family was equally remarkable. agnes, naturally perhaps, showed a preference or partiality for jack: to which gascoigne willingly submitted, as he felt that our hero had a prior and stronger claim, and during the time that they remained a feeling of attachment was created between agnes and the philosopher, which, if not love, was at least something very near akin to it; but the fact was, that they were both much too young to think of marriage; and, although they walked and talked, and laughed, and played together, they were always at home in time for their dinner. still, the young lady thought she preferred our hero even to her brothers, and jack thought that the young lady was the prettiest and kindest girl that he had ever met with. at the end of the fortnight our two midshipmen took their leave, furnished with letters of recommendation to many of the first nobility in palermo, and mounted on two fine mules with bell bridles. the old donna kissed them both--the don showered down his blessings of good wishes, and donna agnes's lips trembled as she bade them adieu; and, as soon as they were gone, she went up to her chamber and wept. jack also was very grave, and his eyes moistened at the thoughts of leaving agnes. neither of them were aware, until the hour of parting, how much they had wound themselves together. the first quarter of an hour our two midshipmen followed their guide in silence. jack wished to be left to his own thoughts, and gascoigne perceived it. "well, easy," said gascoigne, at last, "if i had been in your place, constantly in company of, and loved by, that charming girl, i could never have torn myself away." "loved by her, ned!" replied jack; "what makes you say that?" "because i am sure it was the case; she lived but in your presence. why, if you were out of the room, she never spoke a word, but sat there as melancholy as a sick monkey--the moment you came in again she beamed out as glorious as the sun, and was all life and spirit." "i thought people were always melancholy when they were in love," replied jack. "when those that they love are out of their presence." "well, then, i am out of her presence, and i feel very melancholy, so i suppose, by your argument, i am in love. can a man be in love without knowing it?" "i really cannot say, jack, i never was in love myself, but i've seen many others _spooney_. my time will come, i suppose, by-and-bye. they say that for every man made there is a woman also made to fit him, if he could only find her. now, it's my opinion that you have found yours-- i'll lay my life she's crying at this moment." "do you really think so, ned? let's go back--poor little agnes--let's go back; i feel i do love her, and i'll tell her so." "pooh, nonsense! it's too late now; you should have told her that before, when you walked with her in the garden." "but i did not know it, ned. however, as you say, it would be foolish to turn back, so i'll write to her from palermo." here an argument ensued upon love, which we shall not trouble the reader with, as it was not very profound, both sides knowing very little on the subject. it did, however, end with our hero being convinced that he was desperately in love, and he talked about giving up the service as soon as he arrived at malta. it is astonishing what sacrifices midshipmen will make for the objects of their adoration. it was not until late in the evening that our adventurers arrived at palermo. as soon as they were lodged at the hotel, gascoigne sat down and wrote a letter in their joint names to don rebiera, returning him many thanks for his great kindness, informing him of their safe arrival, and trusting that they should soon meet again: and jack took up his pen, and indited a letter in spanish to agnes, in which he swore that neither tide nor time, nor water, nor air, nor heaven, nor earth, nor the first lieutenant, nor his father, nor absence, nor death itself, should prevent him from coming back and marrying her, the first convenient opportunity, begging her to refuse a thousand offers, as come back he would, although there was no saying when. it was a perfect love-letter, that is to say, it was the essence of nonsense, but that made it perfect, for the greater the love the greater the folly. these letters were consigned to the man who was sent as their guide, and also had to return with the mules. he was liberally rewarded; and, as jack told him to be very careful of his letter, the italian naturally concluded that it was to be delivered clandestinely, and he delivered it accordingly, at a time when agnes was walking in the garden thinking of our hero. nothing was more opportune than the arrival of the letter; agnes ran to the pavilion, read it over twenty times, kissed it twenty times, and hid it in her bosom; sat for a few minutes in deep and placid thought, took the letter out of its receptacle, and read it over and over again. it was very bad spanish and very absurd, but she thought it delightful, poetical, classical, sentimental, argumentative, convincing, incontrovertible, imaginative, and even grammatical, for if it was not good spanish, there was no spanish half so good. alas! agnes was, indeed, unsophisticated, to be in such ecstasies with a midshipman's love-letter. once more she hastened to her room to weep, but it was from excess of joy and delight. the reader may think agnes silly, but he must take into consideration the climate, and that she was not yet fifteen. our young gentlemen sent for a tailor and each ordered a new suit of clothes; they delivered their letters of recommendation, and went to the banker to whom they were addressed by don rebiera. "i shall draw for ten pounds, jack," said gascoigne, "on the strength of the shipwreck; i shall tell the truth, all except that we forgot to ask for leave, which i shall leave out; and i am sure the story will be worth ten pounds. what shall you draw for, jack?" "i shall draw for two hundred pounds," replied jack; "i mean to have a good cruise while i can." "but will your governor stand that, easy?" "to be sure he will." "then you're right--he is a philosopher--i wish he'd teach mine, for he hates the sight of a bill." "then don't you draw, ned--i have plenty for both. if every man had his equal share and rights in the world, you would be as able to draw as much as i; and, as you cannot, upon the principles of equality, you shall have half." "i really shall become a convert to your philosophy, jack; it does not appear to be so nonsensical as i thought it. at all events it has saved my old governor ten pounds, which he can ill afford, as a colonel on half-pay." on their return to the inn, they found don philip and don martin, to whom don rebiera had written, who welcomed them with open arms. they were two very fine young men of eighteen and nineteen, who were finishing their education in the army. jack asked them to dinner, and they and our hero soon became inseparable. they took him to all the theatres, the conversaziones of all the nobility, and, as jack lost his money with good humour, and was a very handsome fellow, he was everywhere well received and was made much of: many ladies made love to him, but jack was only very polite, because he thought more and more of agnes every day. three weeks passed away like lightning, and neither jack nor gascoigne thought of going back. at last, one fine day, h.m. frigate _aurora_ anchored in the bay, and jack and gascoigne, who were at a party at the duke of pentaro's, met with the captain of the _aurora_, who was also invited. the duchess introduced them to captain tartar, who, imagining them, from their being in plain clothes, to be young englishmen of fortune on their travels, was very gracious and condescending. jack was so pleased with his urbanity that he requested the pleasure of his company to dinner the next day: captain tartar accepted the invitation, and they parted, shaking hands, with many expressions of pleasure in having made his acquaintance. jack's party was rather large, and the dinner sumptuous. the sicilian gentlemen did not drink much wine, but captain tartar liked his bottle, and although the rest of the company quitted the table to go to a ball given that evening by the marquesa novara, jack was too polite not to sit it out with the captain: gascoigne closed his chair to jack's, who, he was afraid, being a little affected with the wine, would "let the cat out of the bag." the captain was amazingly entertaining. jack told him how happy he should be to see him at forest hill, which property the captain discovered to contain six thousand acres of land, and also that jack was an only son; and captain tartar was quite respectful when he found that he was in such very excellent company. the captain of the frigate inquired of jack what brought him out here, and jack, whose prudence was departing, told him that he came in his majesty's ship _harpy_. gascoigne gave jack a nudge, but was of no use, for as the wine got into jack's brain, so did his notions of equality. "oh! wilson gave you a passage; he's an old friend of mine." "so he is of ours," replied jack; "he's a devilish good sort of a fellow, wilson." "but where have you been since you came out?" inquired captain tartar. "in the _harpy_," replied jack, "to be sure, i belong to her." "you belong to her! in what capacity may i ask?" inquired captain tartar, in a much less respectful and confidential tone. "midshipman," replied jack; "so is mr gascoigne." "umph! you are on leave then." "no, indeed," replied jack; "i'll tell you how it is, my dear fellow." "excuse me for one moment," replied captain tartar, rising up; "i must give some directions to my servant which i forgot." captain tartar hailed his coxswain out of the window, gave orders just outside of the door, and then returned to the table. in the meantime, gascoigne, who expected a breeze, had been cautioning jack, in a low tone, at intervals, when captain tartar's back was turned; but it was useless, the extra quantity of wine had got into jack's head, and he cared nothing for gascoigne's remonstrance. when the captain resumed his seat at the table, jack gave him the true narrative of all that had passed, to which his guest paid the greatest attention. jack wound up his confidence by saying that in a week or so he should go back to don rebiera and propose for donna agnes. "ah!" exclaimed captain tartar, drawing his breath with astonishment and compressing his lips. "tartar, the wine stands with you," said jack, "allow me to help you." captain tartar threw himself back in his chair, and let all the air out of his chest with a sort of whistle, as if he could hardly contain himself. "have you had wine enough?" said jack, very politely; "if so, we will go to the marquesa's." the coxswain came to the door, touched his hat to the captain, and looked significantly. "and so, sir," cried captain tartar, in a voice of thunder, rising from his chair, "you're a damned runaway midshipman, who, if you belonged to my ship, instead of marrying donna agnes, i would marry you to the gunner's daughter, by god! two midshipmen sporting plain clothes in the best society in palermo, and having the impudence to ask a post-captain to dine with them! to ask me, and address me as _tartar_, and _my dear fellow_! you infernal young scamps!" continued captain tartar, now boiling with rage, and striking his fist on the table so as to set all the glasses waltzing. "allow me to observe, sir," said jack, who was completely sobered by the address, "that we do not belong to your ship, and that we are in plain clothes." "in plain clothes--midshipmen in mufti--yes, you are so: a couple of young swindlers, without a sixpence in your pocket, passing yourselves off as young men of fortune, and walking off through the window without paying your bill." "do you mean to call me a swindler, sir?" replied jack. "yes, sir, you--" "then you lie," exclaimed our hero, in a rage. "i am a gentleman, sir-- i am sorry i cannot pay you the same compliment." the astonishment and rage of captain tartar took away his breath. he tried to speak, but could not--he gasped and gasped, and then sat or almost fell down in his chair--at last he recovered himself. "matthews--matthews!" "sir," replied the coxswain, who had remained at the door. "the sergeant of marines." "here he is, sir." the sergeant entered, and raised the back of his hand to his hat. "bring your marines in--take charge of these two. direct you are on board, put them both legs in irons." the marines with their bayonets walked in and took possession of our hero and gascoigne. "perhaps, sir," replied jack, who was now cool again, "you will permit us to pay our bill before we go on board. we are no swindlers, and it is rather a heavy one--or, as you have taken possession of our persons, you will, perhaps, do us the favour to discharge it yourself;" and jack threw on the table a heavy purse of dollars. "i have only to observe, captain tartar, that i wish to be very liberal to the waiters." "sergeant, let them pay their bill," said captain tartar, in a more subdued tone--taking his hat and sword, and walking out of the room. "by heavens, easy, what have you done?--you will be tried by a court-martial, and turned out of the service." "i hope so," replied jack; "i was a fool to come into it. but he called me a swindler, and i would give the same answer to-morrow." "if you are ready, gentlemen," said the sergeant, who had been long enough with captain tartar to be aware that to be punished by him was no proof of fault having been committed. "i will go and pack up our things, easy, while you pay the bill," said gascoigne. "marine, you had better come with me." in less than half an hour, our hero and his comrade, instead of finding themselves at the marquesa's ball, found themselves very comfortably in irons under the half-deck of h.m. frigate _aurora_. we shall leave them, and return to captain tartar, who had proceeded to the ball, to which he had been invited. on his entering he was accosted by don martin and don philip, who inquired what had become of our hero and his friend. captain tartar, who was in no very good humour, replied briskly, "that they were on board his ship in irons." "in irons! for what?" exclaimed don philip. "because, sir, they are a couple of young scamps who have introduced themselves into the best company, passing themselves off as people of consequence, when they are only a couple of midshipmen who have run away from their ship." now the rebieras knew very well that jack and his friend were midshipmen; but this did not appear to them any reason why they should not be considered as gentlemen, and treated accordingly. "do you mean to say, signor," said don philip, "that you have accepted their hospitality, laughed, talked, walked arm in arm with them, pledged them in wine, as we have seen you this evening, and after they have confided in you that you have put them in irons?" "yes, sir, i do," replied captain tartar. "then, by heaven, you have my defiance, and you are no gentleman!" replied don philip, the elder. "and i repeat my brother's words, sir," cried don martin. the two brothers felt so much attachment for our hero, who had twice rendered such signal service to their family, that their anger was without bounds. in every other service but the english navy there is not that power of grossly insulting and then sheltering yourself under your rank; nor is it necessary for the discipline of any service. to these young officers, if the power did exist, the use of such power under such circumstances appeared monstrous, and they were determined, at all events, to show to captain tartar, that in society, at least, it could be resented. they collected their friends, told them what had passed, and begged them to circulate it through the room. this was soon done, and captain tartar found himself avoided. he went up to the marquesa and spoke to her--she turned her head the other way. he addressed a count he had been conversing with the night before--he turned short round upon his heel, while don philip and don martin walked up and down talking, so that he might hear what they said, and looking at him with eyes flashing with indignation. captain tartar left the ball-room and returned to the inn, more indignant than ever. when he rose the next morning he was informed that a gentleman wished to speak with him; he sent up his card as don ignatio verez, colonel commanding the fourth regiment of infantry. on being admitted, he informed captain tartar that don philip de rebiera wished to have the pleasure of crossing swords with him, and requested to know when it would be convenient for captain tartar to meet him. it was not in captain tartar's nature to refuse a challenge; his courage was unquestionable, but he felt indignant that a midshipman should be the cause of his getting into such a scrape. he accepted the challenge, but having no knowledge of the small-sword, refused to fight unless with pistols. to this the colonel raised no objections, and captain tartar despatched his coxswain with a note to his second lieutenant, for he was not on good terms with his first. the meeting took place--at the first fire the ball of don philip passed through captain tartar's brain, and he instantly fell dead. the second lieutenant hastened on board to report the fatal result of the meeting, and shortly after, don philip and his brother, with many of their friends, went off in the governor's barge to condole with our hero. the first lieutenant, now captain _pro tempore_, received them graciously, and listened to their remonstrances relative to our hero and gascoigne. "i have never been informed by the captain of the grounds of complaint against the young gentlemen," replied he, "and have therefore no change to prefer against them. i shall therefore order them to be liberated. but, as i learn that they are officers belonging to one of his majesty's ships lying at malta, i feel it my duty, as i sail immediately, to take them there and send them on board of their own ship." jack and gascoigne were then taken out of irons and permitted to see don philip, who informed him that he had revenged the insult, but jack and gascoigne did not wish to go on shore again after what had passed. after an hour's conversation, and assurances of continued friendship, don philip, his brother, and their friends, took leave of our two midshipmen, and rowed on shore. and now we must be serious. we do not write these novels merely to amuse,--we have always had it in our view to instruct, and it must not be supposed that we have no other end in view than to make the reader laugh. if we were to write an elaborate work, telling truths, and plain truths, confining ourselves only to point out errors and to demand reform, it would not be read; we have therefore selected this light and trifling species of writing, as it is by many denominated, as a channel through which we may convey wholesome advice a palatable shape. if we would point out an error, we draw a character, and although that character appears to weave naturally into the tale of fiction, it becomes as much a beacon, as is a vehicle of amusement. we consider this to be the true art of novel-writing, and that crime and folly and error can be as severely lashed, as virtue and morality can be upheld, by a series of amusing causes and effects, that entice the reader to take a medicine, which, although rendered agreeable to the palate, still produces the same internal benefit as if it had been presented to him in its crude state, in which it would either be refused or nauseated. in our naval novels, we have often pointed out the errors which have existed, and still do exist, in a service which an honour to its country; for what institution is there on earth that is perfect, or into which, if it once was perfect, abuses will not creep? unfortunately, others have written to decry the service, and many have raised up their voices against our writings, because they felt that, in exposing error, we were exposing them. but to this we have been indifferent; we felt that we were doing good, and we have continued. to prove that we are correct in asserting that we have done good, we will, out of several, state one single case. in "the king's own," a captain, when requested to punish a man _instanter_ for a fault committed, replies that he never has and never will punish a man until twenty-four hours after the offence, that he may not be induced by the anger of the moment to award a severer punishment than in his cooler moments he might think commensurate--and that he wished that the admiralty would give out an order to that effect. some time after the publication of that work, the order was given by the admiralty, forbidding the punishment until a certain time had elapsed after the offence; and we had the pleasure of knowing from the first lord of the admiralty of the time, that it was in consequence of the suggestion in the novel. if our writings had effected nothing else, we might still lay down our pen with pride and satisfaction; but they have done more, much more, and while they have amused the reader, they have improved the service; they have held up in their characters a mirror, in which those who have been in error may see their own deformity, and many hints which have been given, have afterwards returned to the thoughts of those who have had influence, have been considered as their own ideas, and have been acted upon. the conduct of captain tartar may be considered as a libel on the service--is it not? the fault of captain tartar was not in sending them on board, or even putting them in irons as deserters, although, under the circumstances, he might have shown more delicacy. the fault was in stigmatising a young man as a swindler, and the punishment awarded to the error is intended to point out the moral, that such an abuse of power should be severely visited. the greatest error now in our service, is the disregard shown to the feelings of the junior officers in the language of their superiors: that an improvement has taken place i grant, but that it still exists, to a degree injurious to the service, i know too well. the articles of war, as our hero was informed by his captain, were equally binding on officers and crew; but what a dead letter do they become if officers are permitted to break them with impunity! the captain of a ship will turn the hands up to punishment, read the article of war for the transgressing of which the punishment is inflicted, and to show at that time their high respect for the articles of war, the captain and every officer take off their hats. the moment the hands are piped down, the second article of war, which forbids all swearing, etcetera, in derogation of god's honour, is immediately disregarded. we are not strait-laced,--we care little about an oath as a mere _expletive_; we refer now to swearing at _others_, to insulting their feelings grossly by coarse and intemperate language. we would never interfere with a man for damning his _own_ eyes, but we deny the right of his damning those of _another_. the rank of a master in the service is above that of a midshipman, but still the midshipman is a gentleman by birth, and the master, generally speaking, is not. even at this moment, in the service, if the master were to damn the eyes of a midshipman, and tell him that he was a liar, would there be any redress, or if so, would it be commensurate to the insult? if a midshipman were to request a court-martial, would it be granted?--certainly not: and yet this is a point of more importance than may be conceived. our service has been wonderfully improved since the peace, and those who are now permitted to enter it must be gentlemen. we know that even now there are many who cry out against this as dangerous and injurious to the service; as if education spoiled an officer, and the scion of an illustrious house would not be more careful to uphold an escutcheon without blemish for centuries, than one who has little more than brute courage; but those who argue thus are the very people who are injurious to the service, for they can have no other reason, except that they wish that the juniors may be tyrannised over with impunity. but it remembered that these are not the observations of a junior officer smarting under insult--they are the result of deep and calm reflection. we have arrived to that grade, that, although we have the power to inflict, we are too high to receive insult, but we have not forgotten how our young blood has boiled when wanton, reckless, and cruel torture has been heaped upon our feelings, merely because, as a junior officer, we were not in a position to retaliate, or even to reply. and another evil is, that this _great error_ is _disseminated_. in observing on it, in one of our works, called _peter simple_, we have put the following true observation in the mouth of o'brien. peter observes, in his simple, right-minded way: "i should think, o'brien, that the very circumstance of having had your feelings so often wounded by such language when you were a junior officer would make you doubly careful not to use it towards others, when you had advanced in the service?" "peter, that's just the first feeling, which wears away after a time, till at last, your own sense of indignation becomes blunted, and becomes indifferent to it; you forget, also, that you wound the feelings of others, and carry the habit with, you, to the great injury and disgrace of the service." let it not be supposed that in making these remarks we want to cause litigation, or insubordination. on the contrary, we assert that this error is the cause, and eventually will be much more the cause, of insubordination; for as the junior officers who enter the service are improved, so will they resist it. the complaint here is more against the officers, than the captains, whose power has been perhaps already too much curtailed by late regulations: that power must remain, for although there may be some few who are so perverted as to make those whom they command uncomfortable, in justice to the service we are proud to assert that the majority acknowledge, by their conduct, that the greatest charm attached to power is to be able to make so many people happy. chapter twenty two. our hero is sick with the service, but recovers with proper medicine--an argument, ending, as most do, in a blow up--mesty lectures upon craniology. the day after the funeral, h.m. ship _aurora_ sailed for malta, and on her arrival the acting captain sent our two midshipmen on board the _harpy_ without any remark, except "victualled the day discharged," as they had been borne on the ship's books as supernumeraries. mr james, who was acting in the _aurora_, was anxious to join the admiral at toulon, and intended to sail the next day. he met captain wilson at the governor's table, and stated that jack and gascoigne had been put in irons by order of captain tartar; his suspicions, and the report that the duel had in consequence taken place; but gascoigne and jack had both agreed that they would not communicate the events of their cruise to anybody on board of the _aurora_; and therefore nothing else was known, except that they must have made powerful friends somehow or another; and there appeared in the conduct of captain tartar, as well as in the whole transaction, somewhat of a mystery. "i should like to know what happened to my friend jack, who fought the duel," said the governor, who had laughed at it till he held his sides; "wilson, do bring him here to-morrow morning, and let us have his story." "i am afraid of encouraging him, sir thomas--he is much too wild already. i told you of his first cruise. he has nothing but adventures, and they all end too favourably." "well, but you can send for him here and blow him up just as well as in your own cabin, and then we will have the truth out of him." "that you certainly will," replied captain wilson, "for he tells it plainly enough." "well, to oblige me, send for him--i don't see he was much to blame in absconding, as it appears he thought he would be hung--i want to see the lad." "well, governor, if you wish it," replied captain wilson, who wrote a note to mr sawbridge, requesting he would send mr easy to him at the governor's house at ten o'clock in the morning. jack made his appearance in his uniform--he did not much care for what was said to him, as he was resolved to leave the service. he had been put in irons, and the iron had _entered into his soul_. mr sawbridge had gone on shore about an hour before jack had been sent on board, and he had remained on shore all the night. he did not therefore see jack but for a few minutes, and thinking it his duty to say nothing to him at first, or to express his displeasure, he merely observed to him that the captain would speak to him as soon as he came on board. as gascoigne and our hero did not know how far it might be safe, even at malta, to acknowledge to what occurred on board the speronare, which might get wind, they did not even tell their messmates, resolving only to confide it to the captain. when jack was ushered into the presence of the captain, he found him sitting with the governor, and the breakfast on the table ready for them. jack walked in with courage, but respectfully. he was fond of captain wilson, and wished to show him respect. captain wilson addressed him, pointed out that he had committed a great error in fighting a duel, a greater error in demeaning himself by fighting the purser's steward, and still greater in running away from his ship. jack looked respectfully to captain wilson, acknowledged that he had done wrong, and promised to be more careful another time, if captain wilson would look over it. "captain wilson, allow me to plead for the young gentleman," said the governor; "i am convinced that it has only been an error in judgment." "well, mr easy, as you express your contrition, and the governor interferes in your behalf, i shall take no more notice of this; but recollect, mr easy, that you have occasioned me a great deal of anxiety by your mad pranks, and i trust another time you will remember that i am too anxious for your welfare not to be uncomfortable when you run such risks. you may now go on board to your duty, and tell mr gascoigne to do the same; and pray let us hear of no more duels or running away." jack, whose heart softened at this kind treatment, did not venture to speak; he made his bow, and was about to quit the room, when the governor said: "mr easy, you have not breakfasted." "i have, sir," replied jack, "before i came on shore." "but a midshipman can always eat two breakfasts, particularly when his own comes first--so sit down and breakfast with us--it's all over now." "even if it was not," replied captain wilson, laughing, "i doubt whether it would spoil mr easy's breakfast;--come, mr easy, sit down." jack bowed, and took his chair, and proved that his lecture had not taken away his appetite. when breakfast was over, captain wilson observed: "mr easy, you have generally a few adventures to speak of when you return; will you tell the governor and me what has taken place since you left us." "certainly, sir," replied jack; "but i venture to request that it may be under the promise of secrecy, for it's rather important to me and gascoigne." "yes, if secrecy is really necessary, my boy; but i'm the best judge of that," replied the governor. jack then entered into a detail of his adventures, which we have already described, much to the astonishment of the governor and his captain, and concluded his narration by stating that he wanted to leave the service; he hoped that captain wilson would discharge him and send him home. "pooh, nonsense!" said the governor, "you shan't leave the mediterranean while i am here. no, no; you must have more adventures, and come back and tell them to me. and recollect, my lad, that whenever you come to malta, there is a bed at the governor's house, and a seat at his table, always ready for you." "you are very kind, sir thomas," replied jack, "but--" "no buts at all, sir--you shan't leave the service; besides, recollect that i can ask for leave of absence for you to go and see donna agnes-- ay, and send you there too." captain wilson also remonstrated with our hero, and he gave up the point. it was harsh treatment which made him form the resolution, it was kindness which overcame it. "with your permission, captain wilson, mr easy shall dine with us to-day, and bring gascoigne with him; you shall first scold him, and i'll console him with a good dinner--and, boy, don't be afraid to tell your story everywhere: sit down and tell it at nix mangare stairs, if you please--i'm governor here." jack made his obeisance, and departed. "the lad must be treated kindly, captain wilson," said the governor; "he would be a loss to the service. good heavens, what adventures! and how honestly he tells everything. i shall ask him to stay with me for the time you are here, if you will allow me: i want to make friends with him; he must not leave the service." captain wilson, who felt that kindness and attention would be more effectual with our hero than any other measures, gave his consent to the governor's proposition. so jack ate at the governor's table, and took lessons in spanish and italian until the _harpy_ had been refitted, after heaving down. before she was ready a vessel arrived from the fleet, directing captain wilson to repair to mahon, and send a transport, lying there, to procure live bullocks for the fleet. jack did not join his ship very willingly, but he had promised the governor to remain in the service, and he went on board the evening before she sailed. he had been living so well that he had, at first, a horror of midshipman's fare, but a good appetite seasons everything, and jack soon complained that there was not enough. he was delighted to see jolliffe and mesty after so long an absence; he laughed at the boatswain's cheeks, inquired after the purser's steward's shot-holes, shook hands with gascoigne and his other mess-mates, gave vigors a thrashing, and then sat down to supper. "ah, massa easy, why you take a cruise without me?" said mesty; "dat very shabby--by de power, but i wish i was there; you ab too much danger, massa easy, without mesty, anyhow." the next day the _harpy_ sailed, and jack went to his duty. mr asper borrowed ten pounds, and our hero kept as much watch as he pleased, which, as watching did not please him, was very little. mr sawbridge had long conversations with our hero, pointing out to him the necessity of discipline and obedience in the service, and that there was no such thing as equality, and that the rights of man secured to every one the property which he held in possession. "according to your ideas, mr easy, a man has no more right to his wife than anything else, and any other man may claim her." jack thought of agnes, and he made matrimony an exception, as he continued to argue the point; but although he argued, still his philosophy was almost upset at the idea of any one disputing with him the rights of man, with respect to agnes. the _harpy_ made the african coast, the wind continued contrary, and they were baffled for many days; at last they espied a brig under the land, about sixteen miles off; her rig and appearance made captain wilson suspect that she was a privateer of some description or another, but it was calm, and they could not approach her. nevertheless, captain wilson thought it his duty to examine her; so at ten o'clock at night the boats were hoisted out: as this was merely intended for a reconnoitre, for there was no saying what she might be, mr sawbridge did not go. mr asper was on the sick-list, so mr smallsole the master had the command of the expedition. jack asked mr sawbridge to let him have charge of one of the boats. mr jolliffe and mr vigors went in the pinnace with the master. the gunner had the charge of one cutter, and our hero had the command of the other. jack, although not much more than seventeen, was very strong and tall for his age; indeed, he was a man grown, and shaved twice a week. his only object in going was to have a yarn for the governor when he returned to malta. mesty went with him, and, as the boat shoved off, gascoigne slipped in, telling jack that he was come to take care of him, for which considerate kindness jack expressed his warmest thanks. the orders to the master were very explicit; he was to reconnoitre the vessel, and if she proved heavily armed not to attack, for she was embayed, and could not escape the _harpy_ as soon as there was wind. if not armed he was to board her, but he was to do nothing till the morning: the reason for sending the boats away so soon was, that the men might not suffer from the heat of the sun during the day-time, which was excessive, and had already put many men on the sick-list. the boats were to pull to the bottom of the bay, not to go so near as to be discovered, and then drop their grapnels till daylight. the orders were given to mr smallsole in presence of, the other officers who were appointed to the boats, that there might be no mistake, and the boats then shoved off. after a three hours' pull, they arrived to where the brig lay becalmed, and as they saw no lights moving on board, they supposed they were not seen. they dropped their grapnels in about seven fathoms water and waited for daylight. when jack heard captain wilson's orders that they were to lie at anchor till daylight he had sent down mesty for fishing-lines, as fresh fish is always agreeable in a midshipman's berth: he and gascoigne amused themselves this way, and as they pulled up the fish they entered into an argument, and mr smallsole ordered them to be silent. the point which they discussed was relative to boat service; gascoigne insisted that the boats should all board at once--while our hero took it into his head that it was better they should come up one after another; a novel idea, but jack's ideas on most points were singular. "if you throw your whole force upon the decks at once, you overpower them," observed gascoigne; "if you do not, you are beaten in detail." "very true," replied jack, "supposing that you have an overpowering force, or they are not prepared; but recollect, that if they are, the case is altered; for instance, as to fire-arms--they fire theirs at the first boat, and they have not time to reload, when the second comes up with its fire reserved; every fresh boat arriving adds to the courage of those who have boarded, and to the alarm of those who defend; the men come on fresh and fresh. depend upon it, gascoigne, there is nothing like a _corps de reserve_." "will you keep silence in your boat, mr easy, or will you not?" cried the master; "you're a disgrace to the service, sir." "thank ye, sir," replied jack, in a low tone. "i've another bite, ned." jack and his comrade continued to fish in silence till the day broke. the mist rolled off the stagnant water, and discovered the brig, who, as soon as she perceived the boats, threw out the french tricolour and fired a gun of defiance. mr smallsole was undecided; the gun fired was not a heavy one, and so mr jolliffe remarked; the men, as usual, anxious for the attack, asserted the same, and mr smallsole, afraid of retreating from the enemy, and being afterwards despised by the ship's company, ordered the boats to weigh their grapnels. "stop a moment, my lads," said jack to his men, "i've got a bite." the men laughed at jack's taking it so easy, but he was their pet; and they did stop for him to pull up his fish, intending to pull up to the other boats and recover their loss of a few seconds. "i've hooked him now," said jack; "you may up with the grapnel while i up with the fish." but this delay gave the other boats a start of a dozen strokes of their oars, which was a distance not easy to be regained. "they will be aboard before us, sir," said the coxswain. "never mind that," replied jack; "some one must be last." "but not the boat i am in," replied gascoigne; "if i could help it." "i tell you," replied jack, "we shall be the _corps de reserve_, and have the honour of turning the scale in our favour." "give way, my lads," cried gascoigne, perceiving the other boats still kept their distance ahead of them, which was about a cable's length. "gascoigne, i command the boat," said jack, "and i do not wish my men to board without any breath in their bodies--that's a very unwise plan. a steady pull, my lads, and not too much exertion." "by heavens, they'll take the vessel before we get alongside." "even if they should, i am right, am i not, mesty?" "yes, massa easy, you are right--suppose they take vessel without you, they no want you--suppose they want you, you come." and the negro, who had thrown his jacket off, bared his arm, as if he intended mischief. the first cutter, commanded by the gunner, now gained upon the launch, and was three boats'-lengths ahead of her when she came alongside. the brig poured in her broadside--it was well directed, and down went the boat. "cutter's sunk," exclaimed gascoigne, "by heavens! give way, my men." "now, don't you observe, that had we all three been pulling up together, the broadside would have sunk us all?" said jack, very composedly. "there's board in the launch--give way, my men, give way," said gascoigne, stamping with impatience. the reception was evidently warm; by the time that the launch had poured in her men, the second cutter was close under the brig's quarter--two more strokes and she was alongside; when of a sudden a tremendous explosion took place on the deck of the vessel, and bodies and fragments were hurled up in the air. so tremendous was the explosion, that the men of the second cutter, as if transfixed, simultaneously stopped pulling, their eyes directed to the volumes of smoke which poured through the ports, and hid the whole of the masts and rigging of the vessel. "now's your time, my lads, give way and alongside," cried our hero. the men, reminded by his voice, obeyed--but the impetus already given to the boat was sufficient. before they could drop their oars in the water they grazed against the vessel's sides, and, following jack, were in a few seconds on the quarter-deck of the vessel. a dreadful sight presented itself--the whole deck was black, and corpses lay strewed; their clothes on them still burning, and among the bodies lay fragments of what once were men. the capstern was unshipped and turned over on its side--the binnacles were in remnants, and many of the ropes ignited. there was not one person left on deck to oppose them. as they afterwards learned from some of the men who had saved their lives by remaining below, the french captain had seen the boats before they anchored, and had made every preparation; he had filled a large ammunition chest with cartridges for the guns, that they might not have to hand them up. the conflict between the men of the pinnace and the crew of the vessel was carried on near the capstern, and a pistol fired had accidentally communicated with the powder, which blew up in the very centre of the dense and desperate struggle. the first object was to draw water and extinguish the flames, which were spreading over the vessel; as soon as that was accomplished, our hero went aft to the taffrail, and looked for the cutter which had been sunk.--"gascoigne, jump into the boat with four men--i see the cutter floats a quarter of a mile astern: there may be some one alive yet. i think now i see a head or two." gascoigne hastened away, and soon returned with three of the cutter's men; the rest had sunk, probably killed or wounded by the discharge of the broadside. "thank god, there's three saved!" said jack, "for we have lost too many. we must now see if any of these poor fellows are yet alive, and clear the decks of the remnants of those who have been blown to pieces. i say, ned, where should we have been if we had boarded with the pinnace?" "you always fall upon your feet, easy," replied gascoigne; "but that does not prove that you are right." "i see there's no convincing you, ned, you are so confoundedly fond of argument. however, i've no time to argue now--we must look to these poor fellows; some are still alive." body after body was thrown through the ports, the habiliments, in most cases, enabling them to distinguish whether it was that of a departed friend or foe. jack turned round, and observed mesty with his foot on a head which had been blown from the trunk. "what are you about, mesty?" "massa easy, i look at dis, and i tink it massa vigor's head, and den i tink dis skull of his enemy nice present make to little massa gossett; and den i tink again, and i say, no, he dead and nebber thrash any more--so let him go overboard." jack turned away, forgiving vigors in his heart, he thought of the petty animosities of a midshipman's berth, as he looked at the blackened portion of a body, half an hour before possessing intellect. "massy easy," said mesty, "i tink you say right, anyhow, when you say forgive: den, massa vigors," continued mesty, taking up the head by the singed hair, and tossing it out of the port, "you really very bad man-- but ashantee forgive you." "here's somebody alive," said gascoigne to jack, examining a body, the face of which was black as a cinder and not to be recognised, "and he is one of our men too, by his dress." our hero went up to examine, and to assist gascoigne in disengaging the body from a heap of ropes and half-burned tarpaulings with which it was entangled. mesty followed, and looking at the lower extremities said, "massa easy, dat massa jolliffe, i know him trousers; marine tailor say he patch um for ever, and so old dat de thread no hold; yesterday he had dis patch put in, and marine tailor say he damn if he patch any more, please nobody." mesty was right; it was poor jolliffe, whose face was burned as black as a coal by the explosion. he had also lost three fingers of the left hand, but as soon as he was brought out on the deck he appeared to recover, and pointed to his mouth for water, which was instantly procured. "mesty," said jack, "i leave you in charge of mr jolliffe; take every care of him till i can come back." the investigation was then continued, and four english sailors found who might be expected to recover, as well as about the same number of frenchmen; the remainder of the bodies were then thrown overboard. the hat only of the master was picked up between the guns, and there were but eleven frenchmen found below. the vessel was the _franklin_, a french privateer, of ten guns and sixty-five men, of which eight men were away in prizes. the loss on the part of the vessel was forty-six killed and wounded. on that of the _harpy_, it was five drowned in the cutter, and eighteen blown up belonging to the pinnace, out of which total of twenty-three, they had only mr jolliffe and five seamen alive. "the _harpy_ is standing in with a breeze from the offing," said gascoigne to easy. "so much the better, for i am sick of this, ned; there is something so horrible in it, and i wish i was on board again. i have just been to jolliffe; he can speak a little; i think he will recover. i hope so, poor fellow; he will then obtain his promotion, for he is the commanding officer of all us who are left." "and if he does," replied gascoigne, "he can swear that it was by having been blown up which spoiled his beauty--but here comes the _harpy_. i have been looking for an english ensign to hoist over the french, but cannot find one; so i hoist a wheft over it--that will do." the _harpy_ was soon hove-to close to the brig, and jack went on board in the cutter to report what had taken place. captain wilson was much vexed and grieved at the loss of so many men: fresh hands were put in the cutter to man the pinnace, and he and sawbridge both went on board to witness the horrible effects of the explosion as described by our hero. jolliffe and the wounded men were taken on board, and all of them recovered. we have before stated how disfigured the countenance of poor mr jolliffe had been by the smallpox--so severely was it burned that the whole of the countenance came off in three weeks like a mask, and every one declared that, seamed as it still was, mr jolliffe was better looking than he was before. it may be as well here to state that mr jolliffe not only obtained his promotion, but a pension for his wounds, and retired from the service. he was still very plain, but as it was known that he had been blown up, the loss of his eye as well as the scars on his face were all put down to the same accident, and he excited interest as a gallant and maimed officer. he married, and lived contented and happy to a good old age. the _harpy_ proceeded with her prize to mahon. jack, as usual, obtained a great deal of credit; whether he deserved it, or whether, as gascoigne observed, he always fell upon his feet, the reader may decide from our narrative; perhaps there was a little of both. the seamen of the _harpy_, if summoned in a hurry, used very often to reply, "stop a minute, i've got a bite"--as for jack, he often said to himself, "i have a famous good yarn for the governor." chapter twenty three. jack goes on another cruise--love and diplomacy--jack proves himself too clever for three, and upsets all the arrangements of the high contracting powers. a few days after the arrival of the _harpy_ at port mahon, a cutter came in with despatches from the admiral. captain wilson found that he was posted into the _aurora_ frigate, in which a vacancy had been made by the result of our hero's transgressions. mr sawbridge was raised to the rank of commander, and appointed to the command of the _harpy_. the admiral informed captain wilson that he must detain the _aurora_ until the arrival of another frigate, hourly expected, and then she would be sent down to mahon for him to take the command of her. further, he intimated that a supply of live bullocks would be very agreeable, and begged that he would send to tetuan immediately. captain wilson had lost so many officers that he knew not whom to send: indeed, now he was no longer in command of the _harpy_, and there was but one lieutenant, and no master or master's mate. gascoigne and jack were the only two serviceable midshipmen, and he was afraid to trust them on any expedition in which expedition was required. "what shall we do, sawbridge? shall we send easy or gascoigne, or both, or neither?--for if the bullocks are not forthcoming, the admiral will not let them off as we do." "we must send somebody, wilson," replied captain sawbridge, "and it is the custom to send two officers, as one receives the bullocks on board, while the other attends to the embarkation." "well, then send both, sawbridge, but lecture them well first." "i don't think they can get into any mischief there," replied sawbridge; "and it's such a hole that they will be glad to get away from it." easy and gascoigne were summoned, listened very respectfully to all captain sawbridge said, promised to conduct themselves with the utmost propriety, received a letter to the vice-consul, and were sent with their hammocks and chests in the cabin on board the _eliza ann_, brig, of two hundred and sixteen tons, chartered by government--the master and crew of which were all busy forward heaving up their anchors. the master of the transport came aft to receive them: he was a short red-haired young man, with hands as broad as the flappers of a turtle; he was broad-faced, broad-shouldered, well-freckled, pug-nosed; but if not very handsome he was remarkably good-humoured. as soon as the chests and hammocks were on the deck, he told them that when he could get the anchor up and make sail, he would give them some bottled porter. jack proposed that he should get the porter up, and they would drink it while he got the anchor up, as it would save time. "it may save time mayhap, but it won't save porter," replied the master; "however, you shall have it." he called the boy, ordered him to bring up the porter, and then went forward. jack made the boy bring up two chairs, put the porter on the companion hatch, and he and gascoigne sat down. the anchor was weighed, and the transport ran out under her fore-topsail, as they were light-handed, and had to secure the anchor. the transport passed within ten yards of the _harpy_, and captain sawbridge, when he perceived the two midshipmen taking it so very easy, sitting in their chairs with their legs crossed, arms folded, and their porter before them, had a very great mind to order the transport to heave-to, but he could spare no other officer, so he walked away, saying to himself, "there'll be another yarn for the governor, or i'm mistaken." as soon as sail was made on the transport, the master, whose name was hogg, came up to our hero, and asked him how he found the porter. jack declared that he never could venture an opinion upon the first bottle--"so, captain hogg, we'll trouble you for a second"--after which they troubled him for a third--begged for a fourth--must drink his health in a fifth, and finally, pointed out the propriety of making up the half-dozen. by this time they found themselves rather light-headed, so, desiring captain hogg to keep a sharp lookout, and not to call them on any account whatever, they retired to their hammocks. the next morning they awoke late; the breeze was fresh and fair: they requested captain hogg not to consider the expense, as they would pay for all they ate and drank, and all he did, into the bargain, and promised him a fit-out when they got to tetuan. what with this promise and calling him captain, our hero and gascoigne won the master's heart, and being a very good-tempered fellow, they did what they pleased. jack also tossed a doubloon to the men for them to drink on their arrival, and all the men of the transport were in a transport, at jack's coming to "reign over them." it must be acknowledged that jack's reign was, for the most part of it, "happy and glorious." at last they arrived at tetuan, and our pylades and orestes went on shore to call upon the vice-consul, accompanied by captain hogg. they produced their credentials and demanded bullocks. the vice-consul was a very young man, short and thin, and light-haired; his father had held the situation before him, and he had been appointed his successor because nobody else had thought the situation worth applying for. nevertheless mr hicks was impressed with the immense responsibility of his office. it was, however, a place of some little emolument at this moment, and mr hicks had plenty on his hands besides his sister, who, being the only english lady there, set the fashion of the place, and usurped all the attention of the gentlemen mariners who occasionally came for bullocks. but miss hicks knew her own importance, and had successively refused three midshipmen, one master's mate, and an acting purser. african bullocks were plentiful at tetuan, but english ladies were scarce; moreover, she had a pretty little fortune of her own, to wit, three hundred dollars in a canvas bag, left her by her father, and entirely at her own disposal. miss hicks was very like her brother, except that she was more dumpling in her figure, with flaxen hair; her features were rather pretty, and her skin very fair. as soon as the preliminaries had been entered into, and arrangements made in a small room with bare walls, which mr hicks denominated his office, they were asked to walk into the parlour to be introduced to the vice-consul's sister. miss hicks tossed her head at the two midshipmen, but smiled most graciously at captain hogg. she knew the relative ranks of midshipman and captain. after a short time she requested the honour of captain hogg's company to dinner, and begged that he would bring his midshipmen with him, at which jack and gascoigne looked at each other and burst out in a laugh, and miss hicks was very near rescinding the latter part of her invitation. as soon as they were out of the house, they told the captain to go on board and get all ready whilst they walked round the town. having peeped into every part of it, and stared at arabs, moors, and jews, till they were tired, they proceeded to the landing-place, where they met the captain, who informed them that he had done nothing, because the men were all drunk with jack's doubloon. jack replied that a doubloon would not last for ever, and that the sooner they drank it out the better. they then returned to the vice-consul's, whom they requested to procure for them fifty dozen of fowls, twenty sheep, and a great many other articles, which might be obtained at the place; for, as jack said, they would live well going up to toulon, and if there were any of the stock left, they would give them to the admiral, for jack had taken the precaution to put his _father's philosophy_ once more to the proof, before he quitted mahon. as jack gave such a liberal order, and the vice-consul cheated him out of at least one-third of what he paid, mr hicks thought he could do no less than offer beds to our midshipmen as well as to captain hogg; so, as soon as dinner was over, they ordered captain hogg to go on board and bring their things on shore, which he did. as the time usual for transports remaining at tetuan before they could be completed with bullocks was three weeks, our midshipmen decided upon staying at least so long if they could find anything to do, or if they could not, doing nothing was infinitely preferable to doing duty. so they took up their quarters at the vice-consul's, sending for porter and other things which were not to be had but from the transport; and jack, to prove that he was not a swindler, as captain tartar had called him, gave captain hogg a hundred dollars on account, for captain hogg had a large stock of porter and english luxuries, which he had brought out as a venture, and of which he had still a considerable portion left. as, therefore, our midshipmen not only were cheated by the vice-consul, but they also supplied his table, mr hicks was very hospitable, and everything was at their service except miss julia, who turned up her nose at a midshipman, even upon full pay; but she made great advances to the captain, who, on his part, was desperately in love: so the mate and the men made all ready for the bullocks, jack and gascoigne made themselves comfortable, and captain hogg made love, and thus passed the first week. the chamber of easy and gascoigne was at the top of the house, and finding it excessively warm, gascoigne had forced his way up to the flat roof above (for the houses are all built in that way in most mahomedan countries, to enable the occupants to enjoy the cool of the evening, and sometimes to sleep there). those roofs, where houses are built next to each other, are divided by a wall of several feet, to insure that privacy which the mahomedan customs demand. gascoigne had not been long up there before he heard the voice of a female, singing a plaintive air in a low tone, on the other side of the wall. gascoigne sang well himself, and having a very fine ear, he was pleased with the correctness of the notes, although he had never heard the air before. he leaned against the wall, smoked his cigar, and listened. it was repeated again and again at intervals; gascoigne soon caught the notes, which sounded so clear and pure in the silence of the night. at last they ceased, and having waited another half-hour in vain, our midshipman returned to his bed, humming the air which had so pleased his ear. it haunted him during his sleep, and rang in his ears when he awoke, as it is well known any new air that pleases us will do. before breakfast was ready, gascoigne had put english words to it, and sang them over and over again. he inquired of the vice-consul who lived in the next house, and was answered, that it was an old moor, who was reported to be wealthy, and to have a daughter, whom many of the people had asked in marriage, but whether for her wealth or for her beauty he could not tell; he had, however, heard that she was very handsome. gascoigne made no further inquiries, but went out with jack and captain hogg, and on board to see the water got in for the bullocks. "where did you pick up that air, gascoigne? it is very pretty, but i never heard you sing it before." gascoigne told him, and also what he had heard from mr hicks. "i'm determined, jack, to see that girl if i can. hicks can talk arabic fast enough; just ask him the arabic for these words--`don't be afraid-- i love you--i cannot speak your tongue,'--and put them down on paper as they are pronounced." jack rallied gascoigne upon his fancy, which could end in nothing. "perhaps not," replied gascoigne; "and i should have cared nothing about it, if she had not sung so well. i really believe the way to my heart is through my ear;--however, i shall try to-night, and soon find if she has the feeling which i think she has. now let us go back: i'm tired of looking at women in garments up to their eyes, and men in dirt up to their foreheads." as they entered the house they heard an altercation between mr and miss hicks. "i shall never give my consent, julia; one of those midshipmen you turn your nose up at is worth a dozen hoggs." "now, if we only knew the price of a hog in this country," observed easy, "we should be able to calculate our exact value, ned." "a hog, being an unclean animal, is not--" "hush," said jack. "mr hicks," replied miss julia, "i am mistress of myself and my fortune, and i shall do as i please." "depend upon it, you shall not, julia. i consider it my duty to prevent you from making an improper match; and, as his majesty's representative here, i cannot allow you to marry this young man." "mercy on us!" said gascoigne, "his majesty's representative!" "i shall not ask your consent," replied the lady. "yes, but you shall not marry without my consent. i have, as you know, julia, from my situation here, as one of his majesty's _corps diplomatick_, great power, and i shall forbid the banns; in fact, it is only i who can marry you." "then i'll marry elsewhere." "and what will you do on board of the transport until you are able to be married?" "i shall do as i think proper," replied the lady; "and i'll thank you for none of your indelicate insinuations." so saying, the lady bounced out of the room into her own, and our midshipmen then made a noise in the passage, to intimate that they had come in. they found mr hicks looking very red and vice-consular indeed, but he recovered himself; and captain hogg making _his_ appearance, they went to dinner; but miss julia would not make _her_ appearance, and mr hicks was barely civil to the captain, but he was soon afterwards called out, and our midshipmen went into the office to enable the two lovers to meet. they were heard then talking together, and after a time they said less, and their language was more tender. "let us see what's going on, jack," said gascoigne; and they walked softly, so as to perceive the two lovers, who were too busy to be on the lookout. captain hogg was requesting a lock of his mistress's hair. the plump julia could deny him nothing; she let fall her flaxen tresses, and taking out the scissors cut off a thick bunch from her hair behind, which she presented to the captain: it was at least a foot and a half long and an inch in circumference. the captain took it in his immense hand, and thrust it into his coat pocket behind, but one thrust down to the bottom would not get it in, so he thrust again and again, until it was all coiled away like a cable in a tier. "that's a liberal girl," whispered jack; "she gives by _wholesale_ what it will take some time to _retail_. but here comes mr hicks, let's give them warning; i like hogg and as she fancies pork, she shall have it, if i can contrive to help them." that night gascoigne went again on the roof, and after waiting some time, heard the same air repeated: he waited until it was concluded, and then, in a very low tone, sang it himself to the words he had arranged for it. for some time all was silent, and then the singing recommenced, but it was not to the same air. gascoigne waited until the new air had been repeated several times, and then giving full scope to his fine tenor voice, sang the first air again. it echoed through the silence of the night air, and then he waited, but in vain; the soft voice of the female was heard no more, and gascoigne retired to rest. this continued for three or four nights, gascoigne singing the same airs the ensuing night that he had heard the preceding, until at last it appeared that the female had no longer any fear, but changed the airs so as to be amused with the repetition of them next evening. on the fifth night she sang the first air, and our midshipman responding, she then sang another, until she had sung them all, waiting each time for the response. the wall was not more than eight feet high, and gascoigne now determined, with the assistance of jack, to have a sight of his unknown songstress. he asked captain hogg to bring on shore some inch line, and he contrived to make a ladder with three or four poles which were upstairs, used for drying linen. he fixed them against the wall without noise, all ready for the evening. it was a beautiful clear moonlight night, when he went up, accompanied by jack. the air was again sung, and repeated by. gascoigne, who then softly mounted the ladder, held by jack, and raised his head above the wall; he perceived a young moorish girl, splendidly dressed, half lying on an ottoman, with her eyes fixed upon the moon, whose rays enabled him to observe that she was indeed beautiful. she appeared lost in contemplation; and gascoigne would have given the world to have divined her thoughts. satisfied with what he had seen, he descended, and singing one of the airs, he then repeated the words, "do not be afraid--i love you--i cannot speak your language." he then sang another of the airs, and after he had finished he again repeated the words in arabic; but there was no reply. he sang the third air, and again repeated the words, when, to his delight, he heard an answer in lingua franca. "can you speak in this tongue?" "yes," replied gascoigne, "i can, allah be praised. be not afraid--i love you." "i know you not; who are you? you are not of my people." "no, but i will be anything that you wish. i am a frank, and an english officer." at this reply of gascoigne there was a pause. "am i then despised?" said gascoigne. "no, not despised, but you are not of my people or of my land; speak no more, or you will be heard." "i obey," replied gascoigne, "since you wish it, but i shall pine till to-morrow's moon. i go to dream of you. allah protect you!" "how amazingly poetical you were in your language, ned," said easy, when they went into their room. "to be sure, jack, i've read the _arabian nights_. you never saw such eyes in your life: what a houri she is!" "is she as handsome as agnes, ned?" "twice as handsome by moonlight." "that's all moonshine, and so will be your courting, for it will come to nothing." "not if i can help it." "why, gascoigne, what would you do with a wife?" "just exactly what you would do, jack." "i mean, my dear ned, can you afford to marry?" "not while the old governor lives, but i know he has some money in the funds. he told me one day that i could not expect more than three thousand pounds. you know i have sisters." "and before you come into that you'll have three thousand children." "that's a large family, jack," replied gascoigne, bursting out into laughter, in which our hero joined. "well, you know i only wanted to argue the point with you." "i know that, jack; but i think we're counting our chickens before they are hatched, which is foolish." "in every other case except when we venture upon matrimony." "why, jack, you're becoming quite sensible." "my wisdom is for my friends, my folly for myself. good-night." but jack did not go to sleep. "i must not allow gascoigne to do such a foolish thing," thought he--"marry a dark girl on midshipman's pay, if he succeeds--get his throat cut if he does not." as jack said, his wisdom was for his friends, and he was so generous that he reserved none for his own occasions. miss julia hicks, as we before observed, set the fashions at tetuan, and her style of dress was not unbecoming. the moorish women wore large veils, or they may be called what you will, for their head-dresses descend to their heels at times, and cover the whole body, leaving an eye to peep with, and hiding everything else. now miss julia found this much more convenient than the bonnet, as she might walk out in the heat of the sun without burning her fair skin, and stare at everybody and everything without being stared at in return. she therefore never went out without one of these overalls, composed of several yards of fine muslin. her dress in the house was usually of coloured sarcenet, for a small vessel came into the port one day during her father's lifetime, unloaded a great quantity of bales of goods with english marks; and as the vessel had gone out in ballast, there was a surmise on his part by what means they came into the captain's possession. he therefore cited the captain up to the governor, but the affair was amicably arranged by the vice-consul receiving about one quarter of the cargo in bales of silks and muslins. miss hicks had therefore all her dresses of blue, green, and yellow sarcenet, which, with the white muslin overall, made her as conspicuous as the only frankish lady in the town had a right to be, and there was not a dog which barked in tetuan which did not know the sister of the vice-consul, although few had seen her face. now it occurred to jack, as gascoigne was determined to carry on his amour, that in case of surprise it would be as well if he dressed himself as miss hicks. he proposed it to gascoigne the next morning, who approved of the idea, and in the course of the day, when miss hicks was busy with captain hogg, he contrived to abstract one of her dresses and muslin overalls--which he could do in safety, as there were plenty of them, for miss hicks was not troubled with mantua-maker's bills. when gascoigne went up on the roof the ensuing night, he put on the apparel of miss hicks, and looked very like her as far as figure went, although a little taller. he waited for the moorish girl to sing, but she did not--so he crept up the ladder and looked over the wall--when he observed that she was reclining, as before, in deep thought. his head covered with the muslin caught her eye, and she gave a faint scream. "fear not, lady," said gascoigne, "it is not the first time that i have beheld that sweet face. i sigh for a companion. what would i not give to be sitting by your side? i am not of your creed, 'tis true--but does it therefore follow that we should not love each other?" the moorish girl was about to reply, when gascoigne received an answer from a quarter whence he little expected it. it was from the moor himself, who, hearing his daughter scream, had come swiftly up to the roof. "does the frankish lily wish to mingle her perfumes with the dark violet?" said he, for he had often seen the sister of the vice-consul, and he imagined it was she who had come on the roof and ascended the wall to speak with his daughter. gascoigne had presence of mind to avail himself of this fortunate mistake. "i am alone, worthy moor," replied he, pulling the muslin more over his face, "and i pine for a companion. i have been charmed by the nightingale on the roof of your dwelling; but i thought not to meet the face of a man, when i took courage to climb this ladder." "if the frankish lily will have courage to descend, she can sit by the side of the dark violet." gascoigne thought it advisable to make no reply. "fear not," said the old moor; "what is an old man but a woman?" and the moor brought a ladder, which he placed against the wall. after a pause, gascoigne said, "it is my fate;" and he then descended, and was led by the moor to the mattress upon which his daughter reclined. the moor then took his seat near them, and they entered into conversation. gascoigne knew quite enough of the vice-consul and his sister to play his part--and he thought proper to tell the moor that her brother wished to give her as wife to the captain of the ship, whom she abhorred, and would take her to a cold and foggy climate; that she had been born here, and wished to live and die here, and would prefer passing her life in his women's apartments, to leaving this country. at which abdel faza, for such was his name, felt very amorous; he put his hand to his forehead, salaamed, and told gascoigne that his zenana, and all that were in it, were hers, as well as his house and himself. after an hour's conversation, in which azar, his daughter, did not join, the old moor asked gascoigne to descend into the women's apartment; and observing his daughter's silence, said to her: "azar, you are angry that this frankish houri should come to the apartments of which you have hitherto been sole mistress. fear not, you will soon be another's, for osman ali has asked thee for his wife, and i have listened to his request." now osman ali was as old as her father, and azar hated him. she offered her hand tremblingly, and led gascoigne into the zenana. the moor attended them to the threshold, bowed, and left them. that gascoigne had time to press his suit, and that he did not lose such a golden opportunity, may easily be imagined, and her father's communication relative to osman ali very much assisted our midshipman's cause. he left the zenana, like most midshipmen, in love, that is, a little above quicksilver boiling heat. jack, who had remained in a state of some suspense all this time, was not sorry to hear voices in an amicable tone, and in a few minutes afterwards he perceived that gascoigne was ascending the ladder. it occurred to our hero that it was perhaps advisable that he should not be seen, as the moor, in his gallantry, might come up the ladder with the supposed lady. he was right, for abdel faza not only followed her up the ladder on his side, but assisted her to descend on the other, and with great ceremony took his leave. gascoigne hastened to jack, who had been peeping, and gave him a detail of what had passed, describing azar as the most beautiful, fascinating, and fond creature that ever was created. after half an hour's relation he stopped short, because he discovered that jack was fast asleep. the visits of gascoigne were repeated every night; old abdel faza became every time more gallant, and our midshipman was under the necessity of assuming a virtue if he had it not. he pretended to be very modest. in the meantime captain hogg continued his attentions to the real miss hicks; the mate proceeded to get the bullocks on board, and as more than three weeks had already passed away, it was time to think of departing for toulon; but captain hogg was too much in love, and as for gascoigne, he intended, like all midshipmen in love, to give up the service. jack reasoned with the captain, who appeared to listen to reason, because miss hicks had agreed to follow his fortunes, and crown his transports in the transport _mary ann_. he therefore proposed that they should get away as fast as they could, and as soon as they had weighed the anchor, he would come on shore, take off miss hicks, and make all sail for toulon. jack might have suffered this; the difficulty was with gascoigne, who would not hear of going away without his lovely azar. at last jack planned a scheme, which he thought would succeed, and which would be a good joke to tell the governor. he therefore appeared to consent to gascoigne's carrying off his little moor, and they canvassed how it was to be managed. jack then told gascoigne that he had hit upon a plan which would succeed. "i find," said he, "from captain hogg, that he has an intention of carrying off miss hicks, and when i sounded him as to his having a lady with him, he objected to it immediately, saying, that he must have all the cabin to himself and his intended. now, in the first place, i have no notion of giving up the cabin to miss hicks or mrs hogg. it will be very uncomfortable to be shut out because he wishes to make love; i therefore am determined that he shall not take off miss hicks. he has proposed to me that he shall go on board, and get the brig under way, leaving me with a boat on shore to sign the vouchers, and that miss hicks shall slip into the boat when i go off at dusk. now i will not bring off miss hicks; if he wants to marry her, let him do it when i am not on board. i have paid for everything, and i consider the cabin as mine." "look you, ned, if you wish to carry off your little moor, there is but one way, and that is a very simple one; leave her a dress of miss hicks's when you go there to-morrow night, and tell her to slip down at dusk, and come out of the house: all the danger will be in her own house, for as soon as she is out she will be supposed to be the vice-consul's sister, and will not be observed or questioned. i will look out for and bring her on board instead of miss hicks. hogg will have the brig under way, and will be too happy to make all sail, and she shall lock the cabin inside, so that the mistake shall not be discovered till the next morning, and we shall have a good laugh at captain hogg." gascoigne pronounced that jack's scheme was capital, and agreed to it, thanking him and declaring that he was the best friend that he ever had. "so i will be," thought jack, "but you will not acknowledge it at first." jack then went to captain hogg, and appeared to enter warmly into his views, but told him that hicks suspected what was going on, and had told him so, at the same time declaring that he would not lose sight of his sister until after hogg was on board. "now," says jack, "you know you cannot do the thing by main force; so the best plan will be for you to go on board and get under way, leaving me to bring off miss hicks, when her brother will imagine all danger to be over." "many thanks, mr easy," replied captain hogg; "it will be capital, and i'll arrange it all with my julia. how very kind of you!" "but, hogg, will you promise me secrecy?" "yes," replied the captain. "that gascoigne is a very silly fellow, and wants to run away with a girl he has made acquaintance with here; and what do you think he has proposed? that after the ship was under way, i should carry her off in the boat; and he has borrowed one of the dresses of miss hicks, that it may appear to be her. i have agreed to it, but as i am determined that he shall not commit such a folly, i shall bring off miss hicks instead; and observe, hogg, he is that sort of wild fellow, that if he was to find that i had cheated him, he would immediately go on shore and be left behind; therefore we must hand miss hicks down in the cabin, and she will lock the door all night, so that he may not observe the trick till the next morning, and then we shall have a fine laugh at him." captain hogg replied it would be an excellent joke, as gascoigne did before him. now it must be observed, that the water and the bullocks, and the sheep and fowls, were all on board; and mr hicks, having received his money from jack, had very much altered his manner; he was barely civil, for as he had got all he could out of our hero, he was anxious to get rid of him as well as of captain hogg. our hero was very indignant at this, but as it would not suit his present views, pretended not to notice it-- on the contrary, he professed the warmest friendship for the vice-consul, and took an opportunity of saying that he could not return his kindness in a better way than by informing him of the plot which had been arranged. he then told him of the intended escape of his sister, and that he was the person intended to bring her off. "infamous, by heavens!" cried the vice-consul; "i shall write to the foreign office on the subject." "i think," said jack, "it will be much better to do what i shall propose, which will end in a hearty laugh, and to the confusion of captain hogg. do you dress yourself in your sister's clothes, and i will bring you off instead of her. let him imagine that he has your sister secure; i will hand you down to the cabin, and do you lock yourself in. he cannot sail without my orders, and i will not sign the vouchers. the next morning we will open the cabin door and have a good laugh at him. desire your boat to be off at daylight to take you on shore, and i will then make him proceed to toulon forthwith. it will be a capital joke." so thought the vice-consul, as well as gascoigne and captain hogg. he shook hands with jack, and was as civil to him as before. that night gascoigne left one of miss hicks's many dresses with azar, who agreed to follow his fortunes, and who packed up all the jewels and money she could lay her hands upon. poor little child, she trembled with fear and delight. miss hicks smuggled, as she thought, a box of clothes on board, and in the box was her fortune of three hundred dollars. mr hicks laughed in his sleeve, so did jack; and every one went to bed, with expectations that their wishes would be realised. after an early dinner, captain hogg and gascoigne went on board, both squeezing jack's hand as if they were never to see him again, and looks of intelligence passed between all the parties. as soon as they were out of the door the vice-consul chuckled, and miss hicks, who thought he chuckled at the idea of having rid himself of captain hogg, chuckled still more as she looked at our hero, who was her confidant, and our hero, for reasons known to the reader, chuckled more than either of them. a little before dark, the boat was sent on shore from the brig, which was now under way, and mr hicks, as had been agreed, said that he should go into the office and prepare the vouchers--that is, put on his sister's clothes. miss hicks immediately rose, and wishing our hero a pleasant voyage, as had been agreed, said that she should retire for the night, as she had a bad headache--she wished her brother good-night, and went into her room to wait another hour, when our hero, having shoved off the boat to deceive the vice-consul, was to return, meet her in the garden, and take her off to the brig. our hero then went into the office and assisted the vice-consul, who took off all his own clothes and tied them up in a handkerchief, intending to resume them after he had gone into the cabin. as soon as he was ready, jack carried his bundle and led the supposed miss hicks down to the boat. they shoved off in a great hurry, and jack took an opportunity of dropping mr hicks's bundle overboard. as soon as they arrived alongside, mr hicks ascended, and was handed by jack down into the cabin: he squeezed jack's hand as he entered, saying in a whisper, "to-morrow morning what a laugh we shall have!" and then he locked the door. in the meantime the boat was hooked on and hoisted up, and jack took the precaution to have the dead-lights lowered that mr hicks might not be able to ascertain what was going on. gascoigne came up to our hero and squeezed his hand. "i'm so much obliged to you, jack. i say, tomorrow morning what a laugh we shall have!" as soon as the boat was up, and the mainyard filled, captain hogg also came up to our hero, shaking him by the hand and thanking him; and he, too, concluded by saying, "i say, mr easy, to-morrow morning what a laugh we shall have!" "let those laugh who win," thought jack. the wind was fair, the watch was set, the course was steered, and all went down to their hammocks, and went to sleep, waiting for to-morrow morning. mr hicks, also, having nothing better to do, went to sleep, and by the morning dawn, the transport _mary ann_ was more than a hundred miles from the african shore. chapter twenty four. our hero plays the very devil. we must leave the reader to imagine the effect of the next morning's _denouement_. every one was in a fury except jack, who did nothing but laugh. the captain wanted to return to obtain miss hicks, gascoigne to obtain azar, and the vice-consul to obtain his liberty--but the wind was foul for their return, and jack soon gained the captain on his side. he pointed out to him that, in the first place, if he presumed to return, he would forfeit his charter bond; in the second, he would have to pay for all the bullocks which died; in the third, that if he wished to take miss hicks as his wife, he must not first injure her character by having her on board before the solemnity; and lastly, that he could always go and marry her whenever he pleased; the brother could not prevent him. all this was very good advice, and the captain became quite calm and rational, and set his studding-sails below and aloft. as for gascoigne, it was no use reasoning with him, so it was agreed that he should have satisfaction as soon as they could get on shore again. mr hicks was the most violent; he insisted that the vessel should return, while both jack and the captain refused, although he threatened them with the whole foreign office. he insisted upon having his clothes, but jack replied that they had tumbled overboard as they pulled from the shore. he then commanded the mate and men to take the vessel back, but they laughed at him and his woman's clothes. "at all events, i'll have you turned out of the service," said he to our hero, in his fury. "i shall be extremely obliged to you," said jack--and captain hogg was so much amused with the vice-consul's appearance in his sister's clothes, that he quite forgot his own disappointment in laughing at his intended brother-in-law. he made friends again with jack, who regained his ascendancy, and ordered out the porter on the capstern-head. they had an excellent dinner, but mr hicks refused to join them; which, however, did not spoil the appetite of jack or the captain: as for gascoigne, he could not eat a mouthful, but he drank to excess, looking over the rim of his tumbler as if he could devour our hero, who only laughed the more. mr hicks had applied to the men to lend him some clothes, but jack had foreseen that, and he was omnipotent. there was not a jacket or a pair of trousers to be had for love or money. mr hicks then considered it advisable to lower his tone, and he applied to captain hogg, who begged to be excused without he consented to his marriage with his sister, to which mr hicks gave an indignant negative. he then applied to gascoigne, who told him in a very surly tone to go to hell. at last he applied to our hero, who laughed, and said that he would see him damned first. so mr hicks sat down in his petticoats, and vowed revenge. gascoigne, who had drunk much and eaten nothing, turned in and went to sleep--while captain hogg and our hero drank porter on the capstern. thus passed the first day, and the wind was famously fair--the bullocks lowed, the cocks crew, the sheep baa'd, and the _mary ann_ made upwards of two hundred miles. jack took possession of the other berth in the cabin, and his majesty's representative was obliged to lie down in his petticoats upon a topsail which lay between decks, with a bullock on each side of him, who every now and then made a dart at him with their horns, as if they knew that it was to him that they were indebted for their embarkation and being destined to drive the scurvy out of the toulon fleet. we cannot enter into the details of the passage, which, as the wind was fair, was accomplished in ten days without the loss of a bullock. during this time mr hicks condescended to eat without speaking, imagining that the hour of retribution would come when they joined the admiral. gascoigne gradually recovered himself, but did not speak to our hero, who continued to laugh and drink porter. on the eleventh morning they were in the midst of the toulon fleet, and mr hicks smiled exultingly as he passed our hero in his petticoats, and wondered that jack showed no signs of trepidation. the fleet hove-to, jack ran under the admiral's stern, lowered down his boat, and went on board, showed his credentials, and reported his bullocks. the general signal was made, there was a fair division of the spoil, and then the admiral asked our hero whether the master of the transport had any other stock on board. jack replied that he had not; but that having been told by the governor of malta that they might be acceptable, he had bought a few sheep and some dozen of fowls, which were much at his service, if he would accept of them. the admiral was much obliged to the governor, and also to jack, for thinking of him, but would not, of course, accept of the stock without paying for them. he requested him to send all of them on board that he could spare, and then asked jack to dine with him, for jack had put on his best attire, and looked very much of a gentleman. "mr easy," said the flag-captain, who had been looking at the transport with his glass, "is that the master's wife on board?" "no, sir," replied jack; "it's the vice-consul." "what, in petticoats! the vice-consul?" "yes, the vice-consul of tetuan. he came on board in that dress when the brig was under way, and i considered it my duty not to delay, being aware how very important it was that the fleet should be provided with fresh beef." "what is all this, mr easy?" said the admiral; "there has been some trick here. you will oblige me by coming into the cabin." easy followed the admiral and flag-captain into the cabin, and then boldly told the whole story how he tricked them all. it was impossible for either of them to help laughing, and when they began to laugh it was almost as impossible to stop. "mr easy," said the admiral at last, "i do not altogether blame you; it appears that the captain of the transport would have delayed sailing because he was in love--and that mr gascoigne would have stayed behind because he was infatuated; independent of the ill-will against the english which would have been excited by the abduction of the girl. but i think you might have contrived to manage all that without putting the vice-consul in petticoats." "i acted to the best of my judgment, sir," replied jack, very humbly. "and altogether you have done well. captain malcolm, send a boat for the vice-consul." mr hicks was too impatient to tell his wrongs to care for his being in his sister's clothes: he came on board, and although the tittering was great, he imagined that it would soon be all in his favour, when it was known that he was a diplomatic. he told his story, and waited for the decision of the admiral, which was to crush our hero, who stood with the midshipmen on the lee-side of the deck; but the admiral replied, "mr hicks, in the first place, this appears to me to be a family affair concerning the marriage of your sister, with which i have nothing to do. you went on board of your own free will in woman's clothes. mr easy's orders were positive, and he obeyed them. it was his duty to sail as soon as the transport was ready. you may forward your complaint if you please, but, as a friend, i tell you that it will probably occasion your dismissal, for these kind of pranks are not understood at the foreign office. you may return to the transport, which, after she has touched at mahon, will proceed again to tetuan. the boat is alongside, sir." mr hicks, astonished at the want of respect, paid to a vice-consul, shoved his petticoats between his legs and went down the side amidst the laughter of the whole of the ship's company. our hero dined with the admiral, and was well received. he got his orders to sail that night for minorca, and as soon as dinner was over he returned on board, where he found captain hogg very busy selling his porter--gascoigne walking the deck in a brown study--and mr hicks _solus_ abaft, sulking in his petticoats. as soon as they were clear of the boats, the _mary ann_ hoisted her ensign and made sail, and as all the porter was not yet sold, jack ordered up a bottle. jack was much pleased with the result of his explanation with the admiral, and he felt that, for once, he had not only got into no scrape himself, but that he had prevented others. gascoigne walked the deck gloomily; the fact was that he was very unhappy; he had had time to reflect, and now that the first violence had subsided, he felt that our hero had done him a real service, and had prevented him from committing an act of egregious folly; and yet he had summoned this friend to meet him in the field--and such had been his gratitude. he would have given the world to recall what had passed and to make friends, but he felt ashamed, as most people do, to acknowledge his error; he had, however, almost made up his mind to it, and was walking up and down thinking in what manner he might contrive it, when jack, who was sitting, as usual, in a chair by the capstern, with his porter by him, said to himself, "now i'll lay my life that ned wants to make friends, and is ashamed to speak first; i may be mistaken, and he may fly off at a tangent, but even if i am, at all events it will not be i who am wrong--i'll try him." jack waited till gascoigne passed him again, and then said, looking kindly and knowingly in his face: "i say, ned, will you have a glass of porter?" gascoigne smiled, and jack held out his hand; the reconciliation was effected in a moment, and the subject of quarrel was not canvassed by either party. "we shall be at minorca in a day or two," observed jack, after a while; "now i shall be glad to get there. do you know, ned, that i feel very much satisfied with myself; i have got into no scrape this time, and i shall, notwithstanding, have a good story to tell the governor when i go to malta." "partly at my expense," replied gascoigne. "why, you will figure a little in it, but others will figure much more." "i wonder what has become of that poor girl," observed gascoigne, who could not refrain from mentioning her; "what hurts me most is, that she must think me such a brute." "no doubt of that, ned--take another glass of porter." "her father gave me this large diamond." "the old goat--sell it, and drink his health with it." "no, i'll keep it in memory of his daughter." here gascoigne fell into a melancholy reverie, and jack thought of agnes. in two days they arrived at mahon, and found the _aurora_ already there, in the command of captain wilson. mr hicks had persuaded captain hogg to furnish him with clothes, jack having taken off the injunction as soon as he had quitted the admiral. mr hicks was aware that if the admiral would not listen to his complaint, it was no use speaking to a captain: so he remained on board a pensioner upon captain hogg, and after our midshipmen quitted the transport they became very good friends. mr hicks consented to the match, and captain hogg was made happy. as for poor azar, she had wandered about until she was tired in miss hicks's dress, and at last returned broken-hearted to her father's, and was admitted by abdel faza himself; he imagined it was miss hicks, and was in transports--he discovered it was his daughter, and he was in a fury. the next day she went to the zenana of osman ali. when jack reported himself he did not tell the history of the elopements, that he might not hurt the feelings of gascoigne. captain wilson was satisfied with the manner in which he had executed his orders, and asked him, "whether he preferred staying in the _harpy_ or following him into the _aurora_." jack hesitated. "speak frankly, mr easy; if you prefer captain sawbridge to me i shall not be affronted." "no, sir," replied easy, "i do not prefer captain sawbridge to you; you have both been equally kind to me, but i prefer you. but the fact is, sir, that i do not much like to part with gascoigne, or--" "or who?" said the captain, smiling. "with mesty, sir; you may think me very foolish--but i should not be alive at this moment, if it had not been for him." "i do not consider gratitude to be foolish, mr easy," replied captain wilson. "mr gascoigne i intend to take with me, if he chooses to come, as i have a great respect for his father, and no fault to find with him, that is, generally speaking--but as for mesty--why, he is a good man, and as you have behaved yourself very well, perhaps i may think of it." the next day mesty was included among the boat's crew taken with him by captain wilson, according to the regulations of the service, and appointed to the same situation under the master-at-arms of the _aurora_. gascoigne and our hero were also discharged into the frigate. as our hero never has shown any remarkable predilection for duty, the reader will not be surprised at his requesting from captain wilson a few days on shore, previous to his going on board of the _aurora_. captain wilson allowed the same licence to gascoigne, as they had both been cooped up for some time on board of a transport. our hero took up his quarters at the only respectable hotel in the town, and whenever he could meet an officer of the _aurora_, he very politely begged the pleasure of his company to dinner. jack's reputation had gone before him, and the midshipmen drank his wine and swore he was a trump. not that jack was to be deceived, but upon the principles of equality he argued that it was the duty of those who could afford dinners to give them to those who could not. this was a sad error on jack's part; but he had not yet learned the value of money; he was such a fool as to think that the only real use of it was to make other people happy. it must, however, be offered in his extenuation that he was a midshipman and a philosopher, and not yet eighteen. at last jack had remained so long on shore, keeping open house, and the first lieutenant of the _aurora_ found the officers so much more anxious for leave, now that they were at little or no expense, that he sent him a very polite message, requesting the pleasure of his company on board that evening. jack returned an equally polite answer, informing the first lieutenant that not being aware that he wished to see him, he had promised to accompany some friends to a masquerade that night, but that he would not fail to pay his respects to him the next day. the first lieutenant admitted the excuse, and our hero, after having entertained half a dozen of the _auroras_, for the _harpy_ had sailed two days before, dressed himself for the masquerade, which was held in a church about two miles and a half from mahon. jack had selected the costume of the _devil_, as being the most appropriate, and mounting a jackass, he rode down in his dress to the masquerade. but, as jack was just going in, he perceived a yellow carriage, with two footmen in gaudy liveries, draw up, and, with his usual politeness, when the footmen opened the door, offered his arm to hand out a fat old dowager covered with diamonds; the lady looked up, and perceiving jack covered with hair, with his trident and his horns and long tail, gave a loud scream, and would have fallen had it not been for captain wilson, who, in his full uniform, was coming in, and caught her in his arms: while the old lady thanked him, and captain wilson bowed, jack hastily retreated. "i shall make no conquests to-night," thought he, so he entered the church, and joined the crowd; but it was so dense that it was hardly possible to move, and our hero soon got tired of flourishing his trident, and sticking it into people, who wondered what the devil he meant. "this is stupid work," thought jack, "i may have more fun outside:" so jack put on his cloak, left the masquerade, and went out in search of adventures. he walked into the open country about half a mile, until he came to a splendid house, standing in a garden of orange-trees, which he determined to reconnoitre. he observed that a window was open and lights were in the room; and he climbed up to the window, and just opened the white curtain and looked in. on a bed lay an elderly person, evidently dying, and by the side of the bed were three priests, one of whom held the crucifix in his hand, another the censer, and a third was sitting at a table with a paper, pen, and ink. as jack understood spanish, he listened, and heard one of the priests say: "your sins have been enormous, my son, and i cannot give you extreme unction or absolution unless you make some amends." "i have," answered the moribund, "left money for ten thousand masses to be said for my soul." "five hundred thousand masses are not sufficient: how have you gained your enormous wealth? by usury and robbing the poor." "i have left a thousand dollars to be distributed among the poor on the day of my funeral." "one thousand dollars is nothing--you must leave all your property to holy church." "and my children!" replied the dying man faintly. "what are your children compared to your salvation?--reply not: either consent, or not only do i refuse you the consolation of the dying, but i excommunicate--" "mercy, holy father--mercy!" said the old man, in a dying voice. "there is no mercy, you are damned for ever and ever. amen. now hear: _excommunicabo te_--" "stop--stop--have you the paper ready?" "'tis here, all ready, by which you revoke all former wills, and endow the holy church with your property. we will read it, for god forbid that it should be said that the holy church received an involuntary gift." "i will sign it," replied the dying man; "but my sight fails me; be quick, absolve me." and the paper was signed, with difficulty, as the priests supported the dying man. "and now--absolve me." "i do absolve thee," replied the priest, who then went through the ceremony. "now this is a confounded rascally business," said jack to himself; who then dropped his cloak, jumped upon the window-sill, opened wide the window-curtains with both hands, and uttered a yelling kind of "ha! ha! ha! ha!" the priests turned round, saw the demon, as they imagined--dropped the paper on the table, and threw themselves with their faces on the floor. "_exorciso te_," stammered one. "ha! ha! ha! ha!" repeated jack, entering the room, and taking up the paper, which he burned by the flame of the candle. our hero looked at the old man on the bed; his jaw had fallen, his eyes were turned. he was dead. jack then gave one more "ha! ha! ha! ha!" to keep the priests in their places, blew out the candles, made a spring out of the window, caught up his cloak, and disappeared as fast as his legs could carry him. jack ran until he was out of breath, and then he stopped, and sat down by the side of the road. it was broad moonlight, and jack knew not where he was; "but minorca has not many high-roads," thought jack, "and i shall find my way home. now let me see--i have done some good this evening. i have prevented those rogues from disinheriting a family. i wonder who they are; they ought to be infinitely obliged to me. but if the priests find me out, what shall i do? i never dare come on shore again--they'd have me in the inquisition. i wonder where i am," said jack; "i will get on that hill, and see if i can take a departure." the hill was formed by the road being cut perpendicularly almost through it, and was perhaps some twelve or fourteen feet high. jack ascended it, and looked about him. "there is the sea, at all events, with the full moon silvering the waves," said jack, turning from the road, "and here is the road; then that must be the way to port mahon. but what comes here?--it's a carriage. why, it's the yellow carriage of that old lady with her diamonds, and her two splashy footmen!" jack was watching it as it passed the road under him, when, of a sudden, he perceived about a dozen men rush out, and seize the horses' heads--a discharge of fire-arms, the coachman dropped off the box, and the two footmen dropped from behind. the robbers then opened the door, and were hauling out the fat old lady covered with diamonds. jack thought a second--it occurred to him, that, although he could not cope with so many, he might frighten them, as he had frightened one set of robbers already that night. the old lady had just been tumbled out of the carriage door, like a large bundle of clothes tied up for the wash, when jack, throwing off his cloak, and advancing to the edge of the precipice, with the full moon behind him throwing out his figure in strong relief, raised his trident, and just as they were raising their knives, yelled a most unearthly "ha! ha! ha! ha!" the robbers looked up, and forgetting the masquerade, for there is a double tremor in guilt, screamed with fear; most of them ran away, and dropped after a hundred yards; others remained paralysed and insensible. jack descended the hill, went to the assistance of the old lady, who had swooned, and had to put her into the carriage; but although our hero was very strong, this was a work of no small difficulty. after one or two attempts, he lowered down the steps, and contrived to bump her on the first, from the first he purchased her on the second, and from the second he at last seated her at the door of the carriage. jack had no time to be over-polite. he then threw her back into the bottom of the carriage, her heels went up to the top, jack shoved in her petticoats as fast as he could, for decency, and then shutting the door seized the reins, and jumped upon the box. "i don't know the way," thought jack, "but we must needs go when the _devil drives_;" so sticking his trident into the horses, they set off at a rattling pace, passing over the bodies of the two robbers, who had held the reins, and who both lay before him in a swoon. as soon as he had brought the horses into a trot, he slackened the reins, for, as jack wisely argued, they will be certain to go home if i let them have their own way. the horses, before they arrived at the town, turned off, and stopped at a large country house. that he might not frighten the people, jack had put on his cloak, and taken off his mask and head-piece, which he had laid beside him on the box. at the sound of the carriage wheels the servants came out, when jack, in a few words, told them what had happened. some of the servants ran in, and a young lady made her appearance, while the others were helping the old lady out of the carriage, who had recovered her senses, but had been so much frightened that she had remained in the posture in which jack had put her. as soon as she was out, jack descended from the coach-box and entered the house. he stated to the young lady what had taken place, and how opportunely he had frightened away the robbers, just as they were about to murder her relation; and also suggested the propriety of sending after the servants who had fallen in the attack, which was immediately done by a strong and well-armed party collected for the occasion. jack, having made his speech, made a very polite bow and took his leave, stating that he was an english officer belonging to a frigate in the harbour. he knew his way back, and in half an hour was again at the inn, and found his comrades. jack thought it advisable to keep his own secret, and therefore merely said that he had taken a long walk in the country; and soon afterwards went to bed. the next morning our hero, who was always a man of his word, packed up his portmanteau, and paid his bill. he had just completed this heavy operation, when somebody wanted to speak to him, and a sort of half-clerical, half-legal sort of looking gentleman was introduced, who, with a starched face and prim air, said that he came to request in writing the name of the officer who was dressed as a devil in the masquerade of the night before. jack looked at his interrogator, and thought of the priests and the inquisition. "no, no," thought he, "that won't do; a name i must give, but it shall be one that you dare not meddle with. a midshipman you might get hold of, but it's more than the whole island dare to touch a post-captain of one of his majesty's frigates." so jack took the paper and wrote captain henry wilson, of his majesty's ship _aurora_. the prim man made a prim bow, folded up the paper, and left the room. jack threw the waiter half a doubloon, lighted his cigar, and went on board. chapter twenty five. in which the old proverb is illustrated, "that you must not count your chickens before they are hatched." the first lieutenant of the _aurora_ was a very good officer in many respects, but, as a midshipman, he had contracted the habit of putting his hands in his pockets, and could never keep them out, even when the ship was in a gale of wind; and hands are of some use in a heavy lurch. he had more than once received serious injury from falling on these occasions, but habit was too powerful; and, although he had once broken his leg by falling down the hatchway, and had moreover a large scar on his forehead, received from being thrown to leeward against one of the guns, he still continued the practice; indeed, it was said that once, when it was necessary for him to go aloft, he had actually taken the two first rounds of the jacob's ladder without withdrawing them, until, losing his balance, he discovered that it was not quite so easy to go aloft with his hands in his pockets. in fact, there was no getting up his hands, even when all hands were turned up. he had another peculiarity, which was, that he had taken a peculiar fancy to a quack medicine, called enouy's universal medicine for all mankind; and mr pottyfar was convinced in his own mind that the label was no libel, except from the greatness of its truth. in his opinion, it cured everything, and he spent one of his quarterly bills every year in bottles of this stuff; which he not only took himself every time he was unwell, but occasionally when quite well, to prevent his falling sick. he recommended it to everybody in the ship, and nothing pleased him so much as to give a dose of it to every one who could be persuaded to take it. the officers laughed at him, but it was generally behind his back, for he became very angry if contradicted upon this one point, upon which he certainly might be considered to be a little cracked. he was indefatigable in making proselytes to his creed, and expatiated upon the virtues of the medicine for an hour running, proving the truth of his assertion by a pamphlet, which, with his hands, he always carried in his trousers pocket. jack reported himself when he came on board, and mr pottyfar, who was on the quarter-deck at the time, expressed a hope that mr easy would take his share of the duty, now that he had had such a spell on shore; to which jack very graciously acceded, and then went down below, where he found gascoigne and his new messmates, with most of whom he was already acquainted. "well, easy," said gascoigne, "have you had enough of the shore?" "quite," replied jack, recollecting that after the events of the night before he was just as well on board; "i don't intend to ask for any more leave." "perhaps it's quite as well, for mr pottyfar is not very liberal on that score, i can tell you; there is but one way of getting leave from him." "indeed," replied jack; "and what is that?" "you must pretend that you are not well, take some of his quack medicine, and then he will allow you a run on shore to work it off." "oh! that's it, is it? well then, as soon as we anchor in valette, i'll go through a regular course, but not till then." "it ought to suit you, jack; it's an equality medicine; cures one disorder just as well as the other." "or kills--which levels all the patients. you're right, gascoigne, i must patronise that stuff--for more reasons than one. who was that person on deck in mufti?" "the mufti, jack? in other words, the chaplain of the ship; but he's a prime sailor, nevertheless." "how's that?" "why, he was brought up on the quarter-deck, served his time, was acting lieutenant for two years, and then, somehow or other, he bore up for the church." "indeed--what were his reasons?" "no one knows--but they say he has been unhappy ever since." "why so?" "because he did a very foolish thing, which cannot now be remedied. he supposed at the time that he would make a good parson, and now that he has long got over his fit, he finds himself wholly unfit for it--he is still the officer in heart, and is always struggling with his natural bent, which is very contrary to what a parson should feel." "why don't they allow parsons to be broke by a court-martial, and turned out of the service, or to resign their commissions, like other people?" "it won't do, jack--they serve heaven--there's a difference between that and serving his majesty." "well, i don't understand these things. when do we sail?" "the day after to-morrow." "to join the fleet off toulon?" "yes; but i suppose we shall be driven on the spanish coast going there. i never knew a man-of-war that was not." "no; wind always blows from the south going up the mediterranean." "perhaps you'll take another prize, jack--mind you don't go away without the articles of war." "i won't go away without mesty, if i can help it. oh, dear, how abominable a midshipman's berth is after a long run on shore! i positively must go on deck and look at the shore, if i can do nothing else." "why, ten minutes ago you had had enough of it." "yes, but ten minutes here has made me feel quite sick. i shall go to the first lieutenant for a dose." "i say, easy, we must both be physicked on the same day." "to be sure; but stop till we get to malta." jack went on deck, made acquaintance with the chaplain and some of the officers whom he had not known, then climbed up into the maintop, where he took a seat on the armolest, and, as he looked at the shore, thought over the events that had passed, until agnes came to his memory, and he thought only of her. when a mid is in love, he always goes aloft to think of the object of his affection; why, i don't know, except that his reverie is not so likely to be disturbed by an order from a superior officer. the _aurora_ sailed on the second day, and with a fine breeze, stood across, making as much northing as easting; the consequence was, that one fine morning they saw the spanish coast before they saw the toulon fleet. mr pottyfar took his hands out of his pockets, because he could not examine the coast through a telescope without so doing; but this, it is said, was the first time that he had done so on the quarter-deck from the day that the ship had sailed from port mahon. captain wilson was also occupied with his telescope, so were many of the officers and midshipmen, and the men at the mast-heads used their eyes, but there was nothing but a few small fishing-boats to be seen. so they all went down to breakfast, as the ship was hove-to close in with the land. "what will easy bet," said one of the midshipmen, "that we don't see a prize to-day?" "i will not bet that we do not see a vessel--but i'll bet you what you please, that we do not take one before twelve o'clock at night." "no, no, that won't do--just let the teapot travel over this way, for it's my forenoon watch." "it's a fine morning," observed one of the mates, of the name of martin; "but i've a notion it won't be a fine evening." "why not?" inquired another. "i've now been eight years in the mediterranean, and know something about the weather. there's a watery sky, and the wind is very steady. if we are not under double-reefed topsails to-night, say i'm no conjuror." "that you will be, all the same, if we are under bare poles," said another. "you're devilish free with your tongue, my youngster. easy, pull his ears for me." "pull them easy, jack, then," said the boy, laughing. "all hands make sail!" now resounded at the hatchways. "there they are, depend upon it," cried gascoigne, catching up his hat and bolting out of the berth, followed by all the others except martin, who had just been relieved, and thought that his presence in the waist might be dispensed with for the short time, at least, which it took him to swallow a cup of tea. it was very true; a galliot and four lateen vessels had just made their appearance round the easternmost point, and, as soon as they observed the frigate, had hauled their wind. in a minute the _aurora_ was under a press of canvas, and the telescopes were all directed to the vessels. "all deeply laden, sir," observed mr hawkins, the chaplain; "how the topsail of the galliot is scored!" "they have a fresh breeze just now," observed captain wilson to the first lieutenant. "yes, sir, and it's coming down fast." "hands by the royal halyards, there." the _aurora_ careened with the canvas to the rapidly increasing breeze. "top-gallant sheet and halyards." "luff you may, quarter-master; luff, i tell you. a small pull of that weather maintop-gallant brace--that will do," said the master. "top-men aloft there;--stand by to clew up the royals--and, captain wilson, shall we take them in?--i'm afraid of that pole--it bends now like a coach-whip," said mr pottyfar, looking up aloft, with his hands in both pockets. "in royals--lower away." "they are going about, sir," said the second lieutenant, mr haswell. "look out," observed the chaplain, "it's coming." again the breeze increased, and the frigate was borne down. "hands reef topsails in stays, mr pottyfar." "ay, ay, sir--'bout ship." the helm was put down and the topsails lowered and reefed in stays. "very well, my lads, very well indeed," said captain wilson. again the topsails were hoisted and top-gallant sheets home. it was a strong breeze, although the water was smooth, and the _aurora_ dashed through at the rate of eight miles an hour, with her weather leeches lifting. "didn't i tell you so?" said martin to his mess-mates on the gangway; "but there's more yet, my boys." "we must take the top-gallant sails off her," said captain wilson, looking aloft--for the frigate now careened to her bearings, and the wind was increasing and squally. "try them a little longer;" but another squall came suddenly--the halyards were lowered, and the sails clewed up and furled. in the meantime the frigate had rapidly gained upon the vessels, which still carried on every stitch of canvas, making short tacks in-shore. the _aurora_ was again put about with her head towards them, and they were not two points on her weather bow. the sky, which had been clear in the morning, was now overcast, the sun was obscured with opaque white clouds, and the sea was rising fast. another ten minutes, and then they were under double-reefed topsails, and the squalls were accompanied with heavy rain. the frigate now dashed through the waves, foaming in her course and straining under the press of sail. the horizon was so thick that the vessels ahead were no longer to be seen. "we shall have it, i expect," said captain wilson. "didn't i say so?" observed martin to gascoigne. "we take no prizes this day, depend upon it." "we must have another hand to the wheel, sir, if you please," said the quarter-master, who was assisting the helmsman. mr pottyfar, with his hands concealed as usual, stood by the capstern. "i fear, sir, we cannot carry the mainsail much longer." "no," observed the chaplain, "i was thinking so." "captain wilson, if you please, we are very close in," said the master: "don't you think we had better go about?" "yes, mr jones. hands about ship--and--yes, by heavens, we must!--up mainsail." the mainsail was taken off, and the frigate appeared to be immediately relieved. she no longer jerked and plunged as before. "we're very near the land, captain wilson; thick as it is, i think i can make out the loom of it--shall we wear round, sir?" continued the master. "yes--hands wear ship--put the helm up." it was but just in time, for, as the frigate flew round, describing a circle, as she payed off before the wind, they could perceive the breakers lashing the precipitous coast not two cables' length from them. "i had no idea we were so near," observed the captain, compressing his lips--"can they see anything of those vessels?" "i have not seen them this quarter of an hour, sir," replied the signalman, protecting his glass from the rain under his jacket. "how's her head now, quarter-master?" "south south-east, sir." the sky now assumed a different appearance--the white clouds had been exchanged for others dark and murky, the wind roared at intervals, and the rain came down in torrents. captain wilson went down into the cabin to examine the barometer. "the barometer has risen," said he on his return on deck. "is the wind steady?" "no, sir, she's up and off three points." "this will end in a south-wester." the wet and heavy sails now flapped from the shifting of the wind. "up with the helm, quarter-master." "up it is--she's off to south-by-west." the wind lulled, the rain came down in a deluge--for a minute it was quite calm, and the frigate was on an even keel. "man the braces. we shall be taken aback directly, depend upon it." the braces were hardly stretched along before this was the case. the wind flew round to the south-west with a loud roar, and it was fortunate that they were prepared--the yards were braced round, and the master asked the captain what course they were to steer. "we must give it up," observed captain wilson, holding on by the belaying pin. "shape our course for cape sicie, mr jones." and the _aurora_ flew before the gale, under her foresail and topsails close reefed. the weather was now so thick that nothing could be observed twenty yards from the vessel; the thunder pealed, and the lightning darted in every direction over the dark expanse. the watch was called as soon as the sails were trimmed, and all who could went below, wet, uncomfortable, and disappointed. "what an old jonah you are, martin," said gascoigne. "yes, i am," replied he; "but we have the worst to come yet, in my opinion. i recollect, not two hundred miles from where we are now, we had just such a gale in the _favourite_, and we as nearly went down, when--" at this moment a tremendous noise was heard above, a shock was felt throughout the whole ship, which trembled fore and aft as if it were about to fall into pieces; loud shrieks were followed by plaintive cries, the lower deck was filled with smoke, and the frigate was down on her beam ends. without exchanging a word, the whole of the occupants of the berth flew out, and were up the hatchway, not knowing what to think, but convinced that some dreadful accident had taken place. on their gaining the deck it was at once explained; the foremast of the frigate had been struck by lightning, had been riven into several pieces, and had fallen over the larboard bow, carrying with it the main topmast and jib-boom. the jagged stump of the foremast was in flames, and burned brightly, notwithstanding the rain fell in torrents. the ship, as soon as the foremast and main topmast had gone overboard, broached-to furiously, throwing the men over the wheel and dashing them senseless against the carronades; the forecastle, the fore part of the main deck, and even the lower deck, were spread with men, either killed or seriously wounded or insensible from the electric shock. the frigate was on her beam ends, and the sea broke furiously over her; all was dark as pitch, except the light from the blazing stump of the foremast, appearing like a torch, held up by the wild demons of the storm, or when occasionally the gleaming lightning cast a momentary glare, threatening every moment to repeat its attack upon the vessel, while the deafening thunder burst almost on their devoted heads. all was dismay and confusion for a minute or two: at last captain wilson, who had himself lost his sight for a short time, called for the carpenter and axes--they climbed up, that is, two or three of them, and he pointed to the mizzen-mast; the master was also there, and he cut loose the axes for the seamen to use; in a few minutes the mizzen-mast fell over the quarter, and the helm being put hard up, the frigate payed off and slowly righted. but the horror of the scene was not yet over. the boatswain, who had been on the forecastle, had been led below, for his vision was gone for ever. the men who lay scattered about had been examined, and they were assisting them down to the care of the surgeon, when the cry of "fire!" issued from the lower deck. the ship had taken fire at the coal-hole and carpenter's storeroom, and the smoke that now ascended was intense. "call the drummer," said captain wilson, "and let him beat to quarters-- all hands to their stations--let the pumps be rigged and the buckets passed along. mr martin, see that the wounded men are taken down below. where's mr haswell? mr pottyfar, station the men to pass the water on by hand on the lower deck. i will go there myself. mr jones, take charge of the ship." pottyfar, who actually had taken his hands out of his pockets, hastened down to comply with the captain's orders on the main deck, as captain wilson descended to the deck below. "i say, jack, this is very different from this morning," observed gascoigne. "yes," replied jack, "so it is; but i say, gascoigne, what's the best thing to do?--when the chimney's on fire on shore, they put a wet blanket over it." "yes," replied gascoigne; "but when the coal-hole's on fire on board, they will not find that sufficient." "at all events, wet blankets must be a good thing, ned, so let us pull out the hammocks; cut the lanyards and get some out--we can but offer them, you know, and if they do no good, at least it will show our zeal." "yes, jack, and i think when they turn in again, those whose blankets you take will agree with you that zeal makes the service very uncomfortable. however, i think you are right." the two midshipmen collected three or four hands, and in a very short time they had more blankets than they could carry--there was no trouble in wetting them, for the main deck was afloat--and followed by the men they had collected, easy and gascoigne went down with large bundles in their arms to where captain wilson was giving directions to the men. "excellent, mr easy! excellent, mr gascoigne;" said captain wilson. "come, my lads, throw them over now, and stamp upon them well;" the men's jackets and the captain's coat had already been sacrificed to the same object. easy called the other midshipmen, and they went up for a further supply; but there was no occasion, the fire had been smothered: still the danger had been so great that the fore magazine had been floated. during all this, which lasted perhaps a quarter of an hour, the frigate had rolled gunwale under, and many were the accidents which occurred. at last all danger from fire had ceased, and the men were ordered to return to their quarters, when three officers and forty-seven men were found absent-- seven of them were dead--most of them were already under the care of the surgeon, but some were still lying in the scuppers. no one had been more active or more brave during this time of danger than mr hawkins the chaplain. he was everywhere, and when captain wilson went down to put out the fire he was there, encouraging the men and exerting himself most gallantly. he and mesty came aft when all was over, one just as black as the other. the chaplain sat down and wrung his hands--"god forgive me!" said he, "god forgive me!" "why so, sir?" said easy, who stood near, "i am sure you need not be ashamed of what you have done." "no, no, not ashamed of what i've done; but, mr easy--i have sworn so, sworn such oaths at the men in my haste--i, the chaplain! god forgive me!--i meant nothing." it was very true that mr hawkins had sworn a great deal during his exertions, but he was at that time the quarter-deck officer and not the chaplain; the example to the men and his gallantry had been most serviceable. "indeed, sir," said easy, who saw that the chaplain was in great tribulation, and hoped to pacify him, "i was certainly not there all the time, but i only heard you say, `god bless you, my men! be smart,' and so on; surely, that is not swearing." "was it _that_ i said, mr easy, are you sure? i really had an idea that i had damned them all in heaps, as some of them deserved--no, no, not deserved. did i really bless them--nothing but bless them?" "yes, sir," said mesty, who perceived what jack wanted; "it was nothing, i assure you, but `god bless you, captain wilson!--bless your heart, my good men!--bless the king!' and so on. you do noting but shower down blessing and wet blanket." "i told you so," said jack. "well, mr easy, you've made me very happy," replied the chaplain; "i was afraid it was otherwise." so indeed it was, for the chaplain had sworn like a boatswain; but, as jack and mesty had turned all his curses into blessings, the poor man gave himself absolution, and shaking hands with jack, hoped he would come down into the gun-room and take a glass of grog; nor did he forget mesty, who received a good allowance at the gun-room door, to which jack gladly consented, as the rum in the middy's berth had all been exhausted after the rainy morning--but jack was interrupted in his third glass, by somebody telling him the captain wanted to speak with mr hawkins and with him. jack went up and found the captain on the quarter-deck with the officers. "mr easy," said captain wilson, "i have sent for you, mr hawkins, and mr gascoigne, to thank you on the quarter-deck, for your exertions and presence of mind on this trying occasion." mr hawkins made a bow. gascoigne said nothing, but he thought of having extra leave when they arrived at malta. jack felt inclined to make a speech, and began something about when there was danger that it levelled every one to an equality even on board of a man-of-war. "by no means, mr easy," replied captain wilson, "it does the very contrary, for it proves which is the best man, and those who are the best raise themselves at once above the rest." jack was very much inclined to argue the point, but he took the compliment and held his tongue, which was the wisest thing he could have done; so he made his bow, and was about to go down into the midshipmen's berth when the frigate was pooped by a tremendous sea, which washed all those who did not hold on down into the waist. jack was among the number, and naturally catching at the first object which touched him, he caught hold of the chaplain by the leg, who commenced swearing most terribly, but before he could finish the oath, the water, which had burst into the cabin through the windows--for the dead-lights, in the confusion, had not yet been shipped--burst out the cross bulkheads, sweeping like a torrent the marine, the cabin-door, and everything else in its force, and floating jack and the chaplain with several others down the main hatchway on to the lower deck. the lower deck being also full of water, men and chests were rolling and tossing about, and jack was sometimes in company with the chaplain, and at other times separated; at last they both recovered their legs, and gained the midshipmen's berth, which, although afloat, was still a haven of security. mr hawkins spluttered and spit, and so did jack, until he began to laugh. "this is very trying, mr easy," said the chaplain: "very trying indeed to the temper. i hope i have not sworn--i hope not." "not a word," said jack--"i was close to you all the time--you only said, `god preserve us!'" "only that? i was afraid that i said `god damn it!'" "quite a mistake, mr hawkins. let's go into the gun-room, and try to wash this salt water out of our mouths, and then i will tell you all you said, as far as i could hear it, word for word." so jack by this means got another glass of grog, which was very acceptable in his wet condition, and made himself very comfortable, while those on deck were putting on the dead-lights, and very busy setting the goose-wings of the mainsail, to prevent the frigate from being pooped a second time. chapter twenty six. in which our hero becomes excessively unwell, and agrees to go through a course of medicine. the hammocks were not piped down that night: some were taken indiscriminately for the wounded, but the rest remained in the nettings, for all hands were busy preparing jury-masts and jury-rigging, and mr pottyfar was so well employed that, for twelve hours, his hands were not in his pockets. it was indeed a dreadful night: the waves were mountains high, and chased the frigate in their fury, cresting, breaking, and roaring at her taffrail; but she flew before them with the wings of the wind; four men at the helm assisted by others at the relieving tackles below. jack, having been thanked on and washed off the quarter-deck, thought that he had done quite enough; he was as deep as he could swim before he had satisfied all the scruples of the chaplain, and stowing himself away on one of the lockers of the midshipmen's berth, was soon fast asleep, notwithstanding that the frigate rolled gunwale under. gascoigne had done much better; he had taken down a hammock, as he said, for a poor wounded man, hung it up, and turned in himself. the consequence was, that the next morning the surgeon, who saw him lying in the hammock, had put him down in the report; but as gascoigne had got up as well as ever, he laughed, and scratched his name out of the list of wounded. before morning, the ship had been pumped out dry, and all below made as secure and safe as circumstances would permit; but the gale still continued its violence, and there was anything but comfort on board. "i say, martin, you ought to be thrown overboard," said gascoigne; "all this comes from your croaking you're a mother carey's chicken." "i wish i had been any one's chicken," replied martin; "but the devil a thing to nestle under have i had since i can well remember." "what a bore to have no galley fire lighted," said one of the youngsters, "no tea, and not allowed any grog." "the gale will last three days," replied martin, "and by that time we shall not be far from the admiral; it won't blow home there." "well, then, we shall be ordered in directly, and i shall go on shore to-morrow," replied easy. "yes, if you're ill," replied gascoigne. "never fear, i shall be sick enough: we shall be there at least six weeks, and then we'll forget all this." "yes," replied martin, "we may forget it, but will the poor fellows whose limbs are shrivelled forget it? and will poor miles, the boatswain, who is blind for ever?" "very true, martin, we are thinking about ourselves, not thankful for our escape, and not feeling for others," replied gascoigne. "give us your hand, ned," said jack easy. "and, martin, we ought to thank you for telling us the truth--we are a selfish set of fellows." "still we took our share with the others," replied one of the midshipmen. "that's more reason for us to be grateful and to pity them," replied jack; "suppose you had lost your arm or your eyesight--we should have pitied you; so now pity others." "well, so i do, now i think of it." "think oftener, youngster," observed martin, going on deck. what a change from the morning of the day before!--but twenty-four hours had passed away, and the sea had been smooth, the frigate dashed through the blue water, proud in all her canvas, graceful as a swan. since that, there had been fire, tempest, lightning, disaster, danger, and death; her masts were tossed about on the snowy waves hundreds of miles away from her--and she, a wreck, was rolling heavily, groaning and complaining in every timber as she urged her impetuous race with the furious-running sea. how wrong are those on shore who assert that sailors are not religious!--how is it possible, supposing them to be possessed of feeling, to be otherwise? on shore, where you have nothing but the change of seasons, each in his own peculiar beauty--nothing but the blessings of the earth, its fruit, its flowers--nothing but the bounty, the comforts, the luxuries which have been invented, where you can rise in the morning in peace, and lay down your head at night in security-- god may be neglected and forgotten for a long time; but at sea, when each gale is a warning, each disaster acts as a check, each escape as a homily upon the forbearance of providence, that man must be indeed brutalised who does not feel that god is there. on shore we seldom view him but in all his beauty and kindness; but at sea we are as often reminded how terrible he is in his wrath. can it be supposed that the occurrences of the last twenty-four hours were lost upon the mind of any one man in that ship? no, no. in their courage and activity they might appear reckless, but in their hearts they acknowledged and bowed unto their god. before the day was over a jury-foremast had been got up, and sail having been put upon it, the ship was steered with greater ease and safety--the main brace had been spliced to cheer up the exhausted crew, and the hammocks were piped down. as gascoigne had observed, some of the men were not very much pleased to find that they were minus their blankets, but captain wilson ordered their losses to be supplied by the purser and expended by the master; this quite altered the case, as they obtained new blankets in most cases for old ones; but still it was impossible to light the galley fire, and the men sat on their chests and nibbled biscuit. by twelve o'clock that night the gale broke, and more sail was necessarily put on the scudding vessel, for the sea still ran fast and mountains high. at daylight the sun burst out and shone brightly on them, the sea went gradually down, the fire was lighted, and mr pottyfar, whose hands were again in his pockets, at twelve o'clock gave the welcome order to pipe to dinner. as soon as the men had eaten their dinner, the frigate was once more brought to the wind, her jury-mast forward improved upon, and more sail made upon it. the next morning there was nothing of the gale left except the dire effects which it had produced, the black and riven stump of the foremost still holding up a terrific warning of the power and fury of the elements. three days more, and the _aurora_ joined the toulon fleet. when she was first seen it was imagined by those on board of the other ships that she had been in action; but they soon learned that the conflict had been against more direful weapons than any yet invented by mortal hands. captain wilson waited upon the admiral, and of course received immediate orders to repair to port and refit. in a few hours the _aurora_ had shaped her course for malta, and by sunset the toulon fleet were no longer in sight. "by de holy poker, massa easy, but that terrible sort of gale the other day anyhow--i tink one time we all go to davy joney's lacker." "very true, mesty; i hope never to meet with such another." "den, massa easy, why you go to sea? when man ab no money, noting to eat, den he go to sea, but everybody say you ab plenty money--why you come to sea?" "i'm sure i don't know," replied jack thoughtfully; "i came to sea on account of equality and the rights of man." "eh, massa easy, you come to wrong place anyhow; now i tink a good deal lately, and by all de power, i tink equality all stuff." "all stuff, mesty, why? you used to think otherwise." "yes, massa easy, but den i boil de kettle for all young gentleman. now dat i ship's corporal and hab cane, i tink so no longer." jack made no reply, but he thought the more. the reader must have perceived that jack's notions of equality were rapidly disappearing; he defended them more from habit, and perhaps a wilfulness which would not allow him to acknowledge himself wrong; to which may be added his love of argument. already he had accustomed himself to obedience to his superiors, and, notwithstanding his arguments, he would admit of no resistance from those below him; not that it was hardly ever attempted, for jack was anything but a tyrant, and was much beloved by all in the ship. every day brought its lesson, and captain wilson was now satisfied that jack had been almost cured of the effects of his father's ridiculous philosophy. after a few minutes, mesty tapped his cane on the funnel, and recommenced. "then why you stay at sea, massa easy?" "i don't know, mesty; i don't dislike it." "but, massa easy, why you stay in midshipman berth--eat hard biscuit, salt pig, salt horse, when you can go shore, and live like gentleman? dat very foolish! why not be your own master? by all power! suppose i had money, catch me board ship. little sea very good, massa easy--open one eyes; but tink of the lightning t'other night: poor massa boatswain, he shut um eyes for ebber!" "very true, mesty." "me hope you tink of this, sar, and when you go on shore, you take mesty wid you: he sarve you well, massa easy, long as he live, by de holy st. patrick. and den, massa easy, you marry wife--hab pickaninny--lib like gentleman. you tink of this, massa easy." the mention of the word marriage turned the thoughts of our hero to his agnes, and he made no reply. mesty walked away, leaving our hero in deep thought. this conversation had more effect upon jack than would have been imagined, and he very often found he was putting to himself the question of mesty--"why do you stay at sea?" he had not entered the service with any particular view, except to find equality; and he could not but acknowledge to himself that, as mesty observed, he had come to the wrong place. he had never even thought of staying to serve his time, nor had he looked forward to promotion, and one day commanding a ship. he had only cared for the present, without indulging in a future anticipation of any reward, except in a union with agnes. mesty's observations occasioned jack to reflect upon the future for the first time in his life; and he was always perplexed when he put the question of mesty, and tried to answer to himself as to what were his intentions in remaining in the service. nevertheless, jack did his duty very much to the satisfaction of mr pottyfar; and after a tedious passage, from baffling and light winds, the _aurora_ arrived at malta. our hero had had some conversation with his friend gascoigne, in which he canvassed his future plans; all of which, however, ended in one settled point, which was that he was to marry agnes. as for the rest, gascoigne was of opinion that jack ought to follow up the service, and become a captain, but there was plenty of time to think about that, as he observed, now all they had to consider was how to get on shore; for the refitting of the ship was an excuse for detaining them on board, which they knew mr pottyfar would avail himself of. jack dined in the gun-room on the day of their arrival, and he resolved that he would ask that very evening. captain wilson was already on shore at the governor's. now, there had been a little difference of opinion between mr pottyfar and mr hawkins, the chaplain, on a point of seamanship; and most of the officers sided with the chaplain, who, as we have before observed, was a first-rate seaman. it had ended in high words, for mr hawkins had forgotten himself so far as to tell the first lieutenant that he had a great deal to learn, not having even got over the midshipman's trick of keeping his hands in his pockets; and mr pottyfar had replied that it was very well for him as chaplain to insult others, knowing that his cassock protected him. this was a bitter reply to mr hawkins, who at the very time that the insinuation made his blood boil, was also reminded that his profession forbade a retort: he rushed into his cabin, poor fellow, having no other method left, vented his indignation in tears, and then consoled himself by degrees with prayer. in the meantime, mr pottyfar had gone on deck, wroth with hawkins and his messmates, as well as displeased with himself. he was, indeed, in a humour to be pleased with nobody, and in a most unfortunate humour to be asked leave by a midshipman. nevertheless, jack politely took off his hat, and requested leave to go on shore and see his friend the governor. upon which mr pottyfar turned round to him, with his feet spread wide open, and thrusting his hands to the very bottom of his pockets, as if in determination, said, "mr easy, you know the state of the ship; we have everything to do--new masts, new rigging, everything almost to refit--and yet you ask to go on shore! now, sir, you may take this answer for yourself and all the other midshipmen in the ship, that not one soul of you puts his foot on shore until we are all a-taunto." "allow me to observe, sir," said our hero, "that it is very true that all our services may be required when the duty commences, but this being saturday night, and to-morrow sunday, the frigate will not be even moved till monday morning; and as the work cannot begin before that, i trust you will permit leave until that time." "my opinion is different, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "perhaps, sir, you will allow me to argue the point," replied jack. "no, sir, i never allow argument; walk over to the other side of the deck, if you please." "oh, certainly, sir," said jack, "if you wish it." jack's first idea was to go on shore without leave, but from this he was persuaded by gascoigne, who told him that it would displease captain wilson, and that old tom, the governor, would not receive him. jack agreed to this, and then, after a flourish about the rights of man, tyranny, oppression, and so forth, he walked forward to the forecastle, where he found his friend mesty, who had heard all that had passed, and who insidiously said to him in a low tone: "why you stay at sea, massa easy?" "why, indeed," thought jack, boiling with indignation, "to be cooped up here at the will of another? i am a fool--mesty is right--i'll ask for my discharge to-morrow." jack went down below and told gascoigne what he had determined to do. "you'll do no such thing, jack," replied gascoigne "depend upon it, you'll have plenty of leave in a day or two. pottyfar was in a pet with the chaplain, who was too much for him. captain wilson will be on board by nine o'clock." nevertheless, jack walked his first watch in the _magnificents_, as all middies do when they cannot go on shore, and turned in at twelve o'clock, with the resolution of sticking to his purpose, and quitting his majesty's service; in fact, of presenting his majesty with his between two and three years' time, served as midshipman, all free, gratis, and for nothing, except his provisions and his pay, which some captains are bold enough to assert that they not only are not worth, but not even the salt that accompanies it; forgetting that they were once midshipmen themselves, and at the period were, of course, about the same value. the next morning captain wilson came off; the ship's company were mustered, the service read by mr hawkins, and jack, as soon as all the official duties were over, was about to go up to the captain, when the captain said to him: "mr easy, the governor desired me to bring you on shore to dine with him, and he has a bed at your service." jack touched his hat, and ran down below, to make his few preparations. by the time that mesty, who had taken charge of his chest, etcetera, had put his necessaries in the boat, jack had almost made up his mind that his majesty should not be deprived yet awhile of so valuable an officer. jack returned on deck, and found that the captain was not yet ready; he went up to mr pottyfar, and told him that the captain had ordered him to go on shore with him; and mr pottyfar, who had quite got over his spleen, said: "very well, mr easy--i wish you a great deal of pleasure." "this is very different from yesterday," thought jack; "suppose i try the medicine?" "i am not very well, mr pottyfar, and those pills of the doctor's don't agree with me--i always am ill if i am long without air and exercise." "very true," said the first lieutenant, "people require air and exercise. i've no opinion of the doctor's remedies; the only thing that is worth a farthing is the universal medicine." "i should so long to try it, sir," replied jack; "i read the book one day, and it said that if you took it daily for a fortnight or three weeks, and with plenty of air and exercise, it would do wonders." "and it's very true," replied mr pottyfar, "and if you'd like to try it you shall--i have plenty--shall i give you a dose now?" "if you please, sir," replied jack; "and tell me how often i am to take it, for my head aches all day." mr pottyfar took jack down, and putting into his hand three or four bottles of the preparation, told him that he was to take thirty drops at night, when he went to bed, not to drink more than two glasses of wine, and to avoid the heat of the sun. "but, sir," replied jack, who had put the bottles in his pocket, "i am afraid that i cannot take it for long; for as the ship is ready for fitting, i shall be exposed to the sun all day." "yes, if you are wanted, mr easy; but we have plenty here without you; and when you are unwell you cannot be expected to work. take care of your health; and i trust, indeed i am sure, that you will find this medicine wonderfully efficacious." "i will begin to-night, sir, if you please," replied jack, "and i am very much obliged to you. i sleep at the governor's--shall i come on board to-morrow morning?" "no, no; take care of yourself, and get well; i shall be glad to hear that you get better. send me word how it acts." "i will, sir, send you word by the boat every day," replied jack, delighted; "i am very much obliged to you, sir. gascoigne and i were thinking of asking you, but did not like to do so: he, poor fellow, suffers from headaches almost as bad as i do, and the doctor's pills are of no use to him." "he shall have some, too, mr easy. i thought he looked pale. i'll see to it this afternoon. recollect, moderate exercise, mr easy, and avoid the sun at midday." "yes, sir," replied jack, "i'll not forget;" and off went jack, delighted. he ordered mesty to put up his whole portmanteau instead of the small bundle he put into the boat, and telling gascoigne what a spoke he had put into his wheel, was soon in the boat with the captain, and went on shore, where he was cordially greeted by the governor. chapter twenty seven. in which captain wilson is repaid with interest for jack's borrowing his name; proving that a good name is as good as a legacy. "well, jack, my boy, have you any long story ready for me?" inquired the governor. "yes, sir," replied jack, "i have one or two very good ones." "very well, we'll hear them after dinner," replied old tom. "in the meantime find out your room and take possession." "that must not be for very long, governor," observed captain wilson. "mr easy must learn his duty, and there is a good opportunity now." "if you please, sir," replied jack, "i'm on the sick-list." "sick-list," said captain wilson; "you were not in the report that mr wilson gave me this morning." "no, i'm on mr pottyfar's list; and i'm going through a course of the universal medicine." "what's all this, jack--what's all this?--there's some story here--don't be afraid of the captain--you've me to back you," said the governor. jack was not at all afraid of the captain, so he told him how the first-lieutenant had refused him leave the evening before, and how he had now given him permission to remain, and try the universal medicine, at which the governor laughed heartily, nor could captain wilson refrain from joining. "but, mr easy," replied the captain, after a pause, "if mr pottyfar will allow you to stay on shore, i cannot--you have your duty to learn. you must be aware that now is your time, and you must not lose opportunities that do not occur every day. you must acknowledge the truth of what i say." "yes, sir," replied jack, "i admit it all, provided i do intend to follow the profession;" and so saying, our hero bowed, and left the veranda where they had been talking. this hint of jack's, thrown out by him more with the intention of preventing his being sent on board than with any definite idea, was not lost upon either the captain or the governor. "does he jib, then?" observed the governor. "on the contrary, i never knew him more attentive and so entirely getting rid of his former notions. he has behaved most nobly in the gale, and there has not been one complaint against him--i never was more astonished--he must have meant something." "i'll tell you what he means, wilson--that he does not like to be sent on board, nothing more. he's not to be cooped up--you may lead him, but not drive him." "yes, but the service will not admit of it. i never could allow it--he must do his duty like the rest, and conform to the rules." "exactly, so he must; but look ye, wilson, you must not lose him: it's all easily settled--appoint him your orderly midshipman to and from the ship; that will be employment, and he can always remain here at night. i will tell him that i have asked, as a favour, what i now do, and leave me to find out what he is thinking about." "it may be done that way, certainly," replied captain wilson, musing; "and you are more likely to get his intentions from him than i am. i am afraid he has too great a command of money ever to be fond of the ship; it is the ruin of a junior officer to be so lavishly supplied." "he's a long way from ruin yet, wilson--he's a very fine fellow, even by your own acknowledgment. you humoured him out of gratitude to his father, when he first came into the service; humour him a little now to keep him in it. besides, if your first lieutenant is such a fool with his universal medicine, can you wonder at a midshipman taking advantage of it?" "no, but i ought not to allow him to do so with my eyes open." "he has made it known to you upon honour, and you ought not to take advantage of his confidence: but still what i proposed would, i think, be the best, for then he will be at his duty in a way that will suit all parties. you, because you employ him on service--the first lieutenant, because jack can take his medicine--and jack, because he can dine with me every day." "well, i suppose it must be so," replied captain wilson, laughing; "but still, i trust, you will discover what is working in his mind to induce him to give me that answer, governor." "never fear, jack shall confess, and lay his soul as bare as that of a catholic bigot before his padre." the party sat down to dinner, and what with the governor's aide-de-camp and those invited, it was pretty numerous. after the cloth had been removed, the governor called upon jack for his stories, whereupon, much to the surprise of captain wilson, who had never heard one word of it, for the admiral had not mentioned anything about it to him during the short time the _aurora_ was with the toulon fleet, our hero gave the governor and the company the narrative of all that happened in the _mary ann_ transport--the loves of captain hogg and miss hicks--the adventures of gascoigne--and his plan, by which he baulked them all. the governor was delighted, and captain wilson not a little astonished. "you prevented a very foolish thing, mr easy, and behaved very well," observed the captain, laughing again at the idea; "but you never told me of all this." "no, sir," replied jack, "i have always reserved my stories for the governor's table, where i am sure to meet you, and then telling once does for all." jack received his appointment as orderly midshipman, and everything went on well; for, of his own accord, he stayed on board the major part of the day to learn his duty, which very much pleased the captain and mr pottyfar. in this jack showed a great deal of good sense, and captain wilson did not repent of the indulgence he had shown him. jack's health improved daily, much to mr pottyfar's satisfaction, who imagined that he took the universal medicine night and morning. gascoigne also was a patient under the first lieutenant's hands, and often on shore with our hero, who thought no more of quitting the service. for seven weeks they had now remained in harbour, for even the masts had to be made, when, one day, captain wilson opened a letter he received at breakfast-time, and having read it, laid it down with the greatest surprise depicted in his countenance. "good heavens! what can this mean?" said he. "what's the matter, wilson?" said the governor. "just hear its contents, sir thomas." captain wilson then read in spanish as follows:-- "honourable sir:-- "it is my duty to advise you that the honourable lady signora alforgas de guzman, now deceased, has, in her testament, bequeathed to you the sum of one thousand doubloons in gold as a testimony of your kind services on the night of the th of august. if you will authorise any merchant here to receive the money, it shall be paid forthwith, or remitted in any way you please to appoint. may you live a thousand years. "your most obedient servant:-- "alfonzo xerez." jack heard the letter read, rose quietly, whistled low, as if not attending to it, and then slipped out of the room, unperceived by the governor or captain wilson. the fact was, that although jack had longed to tell the governor about his adventures after the masquerade, he did not like yet awhile, until he was sure that there were no consequences--because he had given the captain's name instead of his own. as soon as he heard the letter read, he at once perceived that it had been the old lady, and not the priests, who had made the inquiry, and that by giving captain wilson's name he had obtained for him this fine legacy. jack was delighted, but still puzzled, so he walked out of the room to reflect a little. "what can it mean?" said captain wilson. "i never rendered any services to any one on the th of august or after it. it is some mistake-- th of august--that was the day of the grand masquerade." "a lucky one for you, at all events--for you know, mistake or not, no one else can touch the legacy. it can only be paid to you." "i never heard of anything taking place at the masquerade--i was there, but i left early, for i was not very well. mr easy," said captain wilson, turning round, but jack was gone. "was he at the masquerade?" asked the governor. "yes, i know he was, for the first lieutenant told me that he requested not to come on board till the next day." "depend upon it," replied the governor, striking his fist upon the table, "that jack's at the bottom of it." "i should not be surprised at his being at the bottom of anything," replied captain wilson, laughing. "leave it to me, wilson, i'll find it out." after a little more conversation, captain wilson went on board, leaving jack on purpose that the governor might pump him. but this sir thomas had no occasion to do, for jack had made up his mind to make the governor his confidant, and he immediately told him the whole story. the governor held his sides at our hero's description, especially at his ruse of giving the captain's name instead of his own. "you'll kill me, jack, before you've done with me," said old tom, at last; "but now what is to be done?" our hero now became grave; he pointed out to the governor that he himself had plenty of money, and would come into a large fortune, and that captain wilson was poor, with a large family. all jack wished the governor to manage was, that captain wilson might consent to accept the legacy. "right, boy, right! you're my own boy," replied the governor; "but we must think of this, for wilson is the very soul of honour, and there may be some difficulty about it. you have told nobody?" "not a soul but you, sir thomas." "it never will do to tell him all this, jack, for he would insist that the legacy belonged to you." "i have it, sir," replied jack. "when i was going into the masquerade, i offered to hand this very old lady, who was covered with diamonds, out of her carriage, and she was so frightened at my dress of a devil, that she would have fallen down had it not been for captain wilson, who supported her, and she was very thankful to him." "you are right, jack," replied the governor, after a short pause; "that will, i think, do. i must tell him the story of the friars, because i swore you had something to do with it--but i'll tell him no more: leave it all to me." captain wilson returned in the afternoon, and found the governor in the veranda. "i have had some talk with young easy," said the governor, "and he has told me a strange story about that night, which he was afraid to tell to everybody." the governor then narrated the history of the friars and the will. "well, but," observed captain wilson, "the history of that will afford no clue to the legacy." "no, it does not; but still, as i said, jack had a hand in this. he frightened the old lady as a devil, and you caught her in your arms and saved her from falling, so he had a hand in it, you see." "i do now remember that i did save a very dowager-like old personage from falling at the sight of a devil, who, of course, must have been our friend easy." "well, and that accounts for the whole of it." "a thousand doubloons for picking up an old lady!" "yes, why not?--have you not heard of a man having a fortune left him for merely opening the pew-door of a church to an old gentleman?" "yes, but it appears so strange." "there's nothing strange in this world, wilson, nothing at all--we may slave for years and get no reward, and do a trifle out of politeness and become independent. in my opinion, this mystery is unravelled. the old lady, for i knew the family, must have died immensely rich: she knew you in your full uniform, and she asked your name; a heavy fall would have been to one so fat a most serious affair; you saved her, and she has rewarded you handsomely." "well," replied captain wilson, "as i can give no other explanation, i suppose yours is the correct one; but it's hardly fair to take a thousand doubloons from her relations merely for an act of civility." "you really are quite ridiculous; the old lady owned half murcia, to my knowledge. it is no more to them than any one leaving you a suit of mourning in an english legacy. i wish you joy; it will help you with a large family, and in justice to them you are bound to take it. everybody does as he pleases with his own money,--depend upon it, you saved her from breaking her leg short off at the hip joint." "upon that supposition i presume i must accept of the legacy," replied captain wilson, laughing. "of course, send for it at once. the rate of exchange is now high. i will give you government bills, which will make it nearly four thousand pounds." "four thousand pounds for preventing an old woman from falling," replied captain wilson. "devilish well paid, wilson, and i congratulate you." "for how much am i indebted to the father of young easy!" observed captain wilson, after a silence of some minutes; "if he had not assisted me when i was appointed to a ship, i should not have gained my promotion--nor three thousand pounds i have made in prize-money--the command of a fine frigate--and now four thousand pounds in a windfall." the governor thought that he was more indebted to jack than to his father for some of these advantages, but he was careful not to point them out. "it's very true," observed the governor, "that mr easy was of service to you when you were appointed; but allow me to observe that for your ship, your prize-money, and for your windfall, you have been wholly indebted to your own gallantry in both senses of the word; still mr easy is a fine generous fellow, and so is his son, i can tell you. by-the-bye, i had a long conversation with him the other day." "about himself?" "yes, all about himself. he appears to me to have come into the service without any particular motive, and will be just as likely to leave it in the same way. he appears to be very much in love with that sicilian nobleman's daughter. i find that he has written to her, and to her brother, since he has been here." "that he came into the service in search of what he never will find in this world, i know very well; and i presume that he has found that out-- and that he will follow up the service is also very doubtful; but i do not wish that he should leave it yet; it is doing him great good," replied captain wilson. "i agree with you there--i have great influence with him, and he shall stay yet awhile. he is heir to a very large fortune, is he not?" "a clear eight thousand pounds a year, if not more." "if his father dies he must, of course, leave: a midshipman with eight thousand pounds a year would indeed be an anomaly." "that the service could not permit. it would be as injurious to himself as it would to others about him. at present, he has almost, indeed i may say quite, an unlimited command of money." "that's bad, very bad. i wonder he behaves so well as he does." "and so do i: but he really is a very superior lad, with all his peculiarities, and a general favourite with those whose opinions and friendship are worth having." "well, don't curb him up too tight--for really he does not require it. he goes very well in a snaffle." chapter twenty eight. "philosophy made easy" upon agrarian principles, the subject of some uneasiness to our hero--the first appearance, but not the last, of an important personage. the conversation was here interrupted by a mail from england which they had been expecting. captain wilson retired with his letters; the governor remained equally occupied; and our hero received the first letter ever written to him by his father. it ran as follows:-- "my dear son:-- "i have many times taken up my pen with the intention of letting you know how things went on in this country. but as i can perceive around but one dark horizon of evil, i have as often laid it down again without venturing to make you unhappy with such bad intelligence. "the account of your death, and also of your unexpectedly being yet spared to us, were duly received, and i trust, i mourned and rejoiced on each occasion with all the moderation characteristic of a philosopher. in the first instance i consoled myself with the reflection that the world you had left was in a state of slavery and pressed down by the iron arm of despotism, and that to die was gain, not only in all the parson tells us, but also in our liberty; and, at the second intelligence, i moderated my joy for nearly about the same reasons, resolving, notwithstanding what dr middleton may say, to die as i have lived, a true philosopher. "the more i reflect the more am i convinced that there is nothing required to make this world happy but equality, and the rights of man being duly observed--in short, that everything and everybody should be reduced to one level. do we not observe that it is the law of nature-- do not brooks run into rivers--rivers into seas--mountains crumble down upon the plains?--are not the seasons contented to equalise the parts of the earth? why does the sun run round the ecliptic, instead of the equator, but to give an equal share of his heat to both sides of the world? are we not all equally born in misery? does not death level us all _aequo pede_, as the poet hath? are we not all equally hungry, thirsty, and sleepy, and thus levelled by our natural wants? and such being the case, ought we not to have our equal share of good things in this world, to which we have an undoubted equal right? can any argument be more solid or more level than this, whatever nonsense dr middleton may talk? "yes, my son, if it were not that i still hope to see the sun of justice arise, and disperse the manifold dark clouds which obscure the land--if i did not still hope, in my time, to see an equal distribution of property--an agrarian law passed by the house of commons, in which all should benefit alike--i would not care how soon i left this vale of tears, created by tyranny and injustice. at present, the same system is carried on; the nation is taxed for the benefit of the few, and it groans under oppression and despotism; but i still do think that there is, if i may fortunately express myself, a bright star in the west; and signs of the times which comfort me. already we have had a good deal of incendiarism about the country, and some of the highest aristocracy have pledged themselves to raise the people above themselves, and have advised sedition and conspiracy; have shown to the debased and unenlightened multitude that their force is physically irresistible, and recommended them to make use of it, promising that if they hold in power, they will only use that power to the abolition of our farce of a constitution, of a church, and of a king; and that if the nation is to be governed at all, it shall only be governed by the many. this is cheering. hail, patriot lords! all hail! i am in hopes yet the great work will be achieved, in spite of the laughs and sneers and shakes of the head which my arguments still meet with from that obstinate fellow dr middleton. "your mother is in a quiet way; she has given over reading and working, and even her knitting, as useless; and she now sits all day long at the chimney corner twiddling her thumbs, and waiting, as she says, for the millennium. poor thing! she is very foolish with her ideas upon this matter, but as usual i let her have her own way in every thing, copying the philosopher of old, who was tied to his xantippe. "i trust, my dear son, that your principles have strengthened with your years and fortified with your growth, and that, if necessary, you will sacrifice all to obtain what in my opinion will prove to be the real millennium. make all the converts you can, and believe me to be, your affectionate father and true guide:-- "nicodemus easy." jack, who was alone, shook his head as he read this letter, and then laid it down with a pish! he did it involuntarily, and was surprised at himself when he found that he had so done. "i should like to argue the point," thought jack, in spite of himself; and then he threw the letter on the table, and went into gascoigne's room, displeased with his father and with himself. he asked ned whether he had received any letters from england, and it being dinner-time, went back to dress. on his coming down into the receiving-room with gascoigne, the governor said to them: "as you two both speak italian, you must take charge of a sicilian officer who has come here with letters of introduction to me, and who dines here to-day." before dinner they were introduced to the party in question, a slight-made, well-looking young man, but still there was an expression in his countenance which was not agreeable. in compliance with the wishes of the governor, don mathias, for so he was called, was placed between our two midshipmen, who immediately entered into conversation with him, being themselves anxious to make inquiries about their friends at palermo. in the course of conversation jack inquired of him whether he was acquainted with don rebiera, to which the sicilian answered in the affirmative, and they talked about the different members of the family. don mathias, towards the close of the dinner, inquired of jack by what means he had become acquainted with don rebiera, and jack, in reply, narrated how he and his friend gascoigne had saved him from being murdered by two villains; after this reply the young officer appeared to be less inclined for conversation, but before the party broke up requested to have the acquaintance of our two midshipmen. as soon as he was gone, gascoigne observed in a reflective way, "i have seen that face before, but where i cannot exactly say; but you know, jack, what a memory of people i have, and i have seen him before, i am sure." "i can't recollect that ever i have," replied our hero, "but i never knew any one who could recollect in that way as you do." the conversation was then dropped between them, and jack was for some time listening to the governor and captain wilson, for the whole party were gone away, when gascoigne, who had been in deep thought since he had made the observation to jack, sprang up. "i have him at last!" cried he. "have who?" demanded captain wilson. "that sicilian officer--i could have sworn that i had seen him before." "that don mathias?" "no, sir thomas! he is not don mathias! he is the very don silvio who was murdering don rebiera, when we came to his assistance and saved him." "i do believe you are right, gascoigne." "i'm positive of it," replied gascoigne; "i never made a mistake in my life." "bring me those letters, easy," said the governor, "and let us see what they say of him. here it is--don mathias de alayeres. you may be mistaken, gascoigne; it's a heavy charge you are making against this young man." "well, sir thomas, if that is not don silvio, i'd forfeit my commission if i had it here in my hand. besides, i observed the change in his countenance when we told him it was easy and i who had come to don rebiera's assistance; and did you observe after that, easy, that he hardly said a word?" "very true," replied jack. "well, well, we must see to this," observed the governor; "if so, this letter of introduction must be a forgery." the party then retired to bed, and the next morning, while easy was in gascoigne's room talking over their suspicions, letters from palermo were brought up to him. they were in answer to those written by jack on his arrival at malta: a few lines from don rebiera, a small note from agnes, and a voluminous detail from his friend don philip, who informed him of the good health of all parties and of their good-will towards him; of agnes being as partial as ever; of his having spoken plainly, as he had promised jack, to his father and mother relative to the mutual attachment; of their consent being given, and then withheld, because father thomas, their confessor, would not listen to the union of agnes with a heretic; but, nevertheless, telling jack this would be got over through the medium of his brother and himself, who were determined that their sister and he should not be made unhappy about such a trifle. but the latter part of the letter contained intelligence equally important, which was, that don silvio had again attempted the life of their father, and would have succeeded, had not father thomas, who happened to be there, thrown himself between them. that don silvio in his rage had actually stabbed the confessor, although the wound was not dangerous. that, in consequence of this, all further lenity was denied to him, and that the authorities were in search of him to award him the punishment due to murder and sacrilege. that up to the present they could not find him, and it was supposed that he had made his escape to malta in one of the speronares. such were the contents of the letter, which were immediately communicated to the governor and captain wilson, upon their meeting at breakfast. "very well, we must see to this," observed the governor, who then made his inquiries as to the other intelligence contained in the letters. jack and gascoigne were uneasy till the breakfast was over, when they made their escape: a few moments afterwards captain wilson rose to go on board, and sent for them, but they were not to be found. "i understand it all, wilson," said the governor; "leave them to me; go on board and make yourself quite easy." in the meantime our two midshipmen had taken their hats and walked away to the parapet of the battery, where they would not be interrupted. "now, gascoigne," observed jack, "you guess what i'm about--i must shoot that rascal this very morning, and that's why i came out with you." "but, easy, the only difference is this, that i must shoot him, and not you; he is my property, for i found him out." "we'll argue that point," replied jack: "he has attempted the life of my is-to-be, please god, father-in-law, and therefore i have the best claim to him." "i beg your pardon, jack, he is mine, for i discovered him. now let me put a case: suppose one man walking several yards before another, picks up a purse, what claim has the other to it? i found him, and not you." "that's all very well, gascoigne; but suppose the purse you picked up to be mine, then i have a right to it, although you found it; he is my bird by right, and not yours." "but i have another observation to make, which is very important: he is a blood relation of agnes, and if his blood is on your hands, however much he may deserve it, depend upon it, it will be raised as an obstacle to your union; think of that." jack paused in thought. "and let me induce you by another remark--you will confer on me a most particular favour." "it will be the greatest i ever could," replied jack, "and you ought to be eternally indebted to me." "i trust to make him _eternally_ indebted to me," replied gascoigne. sailors, if going into action, always begin to reckon what their share of their prize-money may be, before a shot is fired--our two midshipmen appear in this instance to be doing the same. the point having been conceded to gascoigne, jack went to the inn where don silvio had mentioned that he had taken up his quarters, and sending up his card, followed the waiter upstairs. the waiter opened the door, and presented the card. "very well," replied don silvio, "you can go down and show him up." jack, hearing these words, did not wait, but walked in, where he found don silvio very busy removing a hone upon which he had been whetting a sharp double-edged stiletto. the sicilian walked up to him, offering his hand with apparent cordiality; but jack with a look of defiance said, "don silvio, we know you; my object now is to demand, on the part of my friend, the satisfaction which you do not deserve, but which our indignation at your second attempt upon don rebiera induces us to offer; for if you escape from him you will have to do with me. on the whole, don silvio, you may think yourself fortunate, for it is better to die by the hands of a gentleman than by the gibbet." don silvio turned deadly pale--his hand sought his stiletto in his bosom, but it was remaining on the table; at last he replied, "be it so--i will meet you when and where you please, in an hour from this." jack mentioned the place of meeting, and then walked out of the room. he and gascoigne then hastened to the quarters of an officer they were intimate with, and having provided themselves with the necessary fire-arms, were at the spot before the time. they waited for him till the exact time, yet no don silvio made his appearance. "he's off," observed gascoigne; "the villain has escaped us." half an hour over the time had passed, and still there was no sign of gascoigne's antagonist, but one of the governor's aides-de-camp was seen walking up to them. "here's atkins," observed jack; "that's unlucky, but he won't interfere." "gentlemen," said atkins, taking off his hat with much solemnity, "the governor particularly wishes to speak to you both." "we can't come just now--we'll be there in half an hour." "you must be there in three minutes, both of you. excuse me, my orders are positive--and to see them duly executed i have a corporal and a file of men behind that wall--of course, if you walk with me quietly there will be no occasion to send for their assistance." "this is confounded tyranny," cried jack. "well may they call him king tom." "yes," replied atkins, "and he governs here _in rey absoluto_--so come along." jack and gascoigne, having no choice, walked up to the government-house, where they found sir thomas in the veranda, which commanded a view of the harbour and offing. "come here, young gentlemen," said the governor, in a severe tone; "do you see that vessel about two miles clear of the port? don silvio is in it, going back to sicily under a guard. and now remember what i say as a maxim through life. fight with gentlemen, if you must fight, but not with villains and murderers. by _consenting_ to fight with a _blackguard_, you as much disparage your cloth and compromise your own characters, as by refusing to give satisfaction to a _gentleman_. there, go away, for i'm angry with you, and don't let me see you till dinner-time." chapter twenty nine. in which our hero sees a little more service, and is better employed than in fighting don silvio. but before they met the governor at his table, a sloop-of-war arrived from the fleet with despatches from the commander-in-chief. those to captain wilson required him to make all possible haste in fitting, and then to proceed and cruise off corsica, to fall in with a russian frigate which was on that coast; if not there, to obtain intelligence, and to follow her wherever she might be. all was now bustle and activity on board of the _aurora_. captain wilson, with our hero and gascoigne, quitted the governor's house and repaired on board, where they remained day and night. on the third day the _aurora_ was complete and ready for sea, and about noon sailed out of valette harbour. in a week the _aurora_ had gained the coast of corsica, and there was no need of sending look-out men to the mast-head, for one of the officers or midshipmen was there from daylight to dark. she ran up the coast to the northward without seeing the object of her pursuit, or obtaining any intelligence. calms and light airs detained them for a few days, when a northerly breeze enabled them to run down the eastern side of the island. it was on the eighteenth day after they had quitted malta that a large vessel was seen ahead about eighteen miles off. the men were then at breakfast. "a frigate, captain wilson, i'm sure of it," said mr hawkins the chaplain, whose anxiety induced him to go to the mast-head. "how is she steering?" "the same way as we are." the _aurora_ was under all possible sail, and when the hands were piped to dinner, it was thought that they had neared the chase about two miles. "this will be a long chase; a stern chase always is," observed martin to gascoigne. "yes, i'm afraid so--but i'm more afraid of her escaping." "that's not unlikely either," replied the mate. "you are one of job's comforters, martin," replied gascoigne. "then i'm not so often disappointed," replied the mate. "there are two points to be ascertained; the first is, whether we shall come up with the vessel or lose her--the next is, if we do come up with her, whether she is the vessel we are looking for." "you seem very indifferent about it." "indeed i am not: i am the oldest passed midshipman in the ship, and the taking of the frigate will, if i live, give me my promotion, and if i'm killed, i shan't want it. but i've been so often disappointed, that i now make sure of nothing until i have it." "well, for your sake, martin, i will still hope that the vessel is the one we seek, that we shall not be killed, and that you will gain your promotion." "i thank you, easy--i wish i was one that dared hope as you do." poor martin! he had long felt how bitter it was to meet disappointment upon disappointment. how true it is that hope deferred maketh the heart sick! and his anticipations of early days, the buoyant calculations of youth, had been one by one crushed, and now, having served his time nearly three times over, the reaction had become too painful, and, as he truly said, he dared not hope: still his temper was not soured but chastened. "she has hauled her wind, sir," hailed the second-lieutenant from the topmast cross-trees. "what think you of that, martin?" observed jack. "either that she is an english frigate, or that she is a vessel commanded by a very brave fellow, and well manned." it was sunset before the _aurora_ had arrived within two miles of the vessel; the private signal had been thrown out, but had not been answered, either because it was too dark to make out the colours of the flags, or that these were unknown to an enemy. the stranger had hoisted the english colours, but that was no satisfactory proof of her being a friend; and just before dark she had put her head towards the _aurora_, who had now come stem down to her. the ship's company of the _aurora_ were all at their quarters, as a few minutes would now decide whether they had to deal with a friend or a foe. there is no situation perhaps more difficult, and demanding so much caution, as the occasional meeting with a doubtful ship. on the one hand, it being necessary to be fully prepared and not allow the enemy the advantage which may be derived from your inaction; and on the other, the necessity of prudence, that you may not assault your friends and countrymen. captain wilson had hoisted the private night-signal, but here again it was difficult, from his sails intervening, for the other ship to make it out. before the two frigates were within three cables length of each other, captain wilson, determined that there should be no mistake from any want of precaution on his part, hauled up his courses and brailed up his driver that the night-signal might be clearly seen. lights were seen abaft on the quarter-deck of the other vessel, as if they were about to answer, but she continued to keep the _aurora_ to leeward at about half a cable's length, and as the foremost guns of each vessel were abreast of each other, hailed in english-- "ship ahoy; what ship's that?" "his majesty's ship _aurora_," replied captain wilson, who stood on the hammocks. "what ship's that?" by this time the other frigate had passed half her length clear of the beam of the _aurora_, and at the same time that a pretended reply of "his majesty's ship--" was heard, a broadside from her guns, which had been trained aft on purpose, was poured into the _aurora_ and, at so short a distance, doing considerable execution. the crew of the _aurora_, hearing the hailing in english, and the vessel passing them apparently without firing, had imagined that she had been one of their own cruisers. the captains of the guns had dropped their lanyards in disappointment, and the silence which had been maintained as the two vessels met was just breaking up in various ways of lamentation at their bad luck, when the broadside was poured in, thundering in their ears, and the ripping and tearing of the beams and planks astonished their senses. many were carried down below, but it was difficult to say whether indignation at the enemy's ruse, or satisfaction at discovering that they were not called to quarters in vain, most predominated. at all events it was answered by three voluntary cheers, which drowned the cries of those who were being assisted to the cockpit. "man the larboard-guns and about ship!" cried captain wilson, leaping off the hammocks. "look out, my lads, and rake her in stays! we'll pay him off for that foul play before we've done with him. look out, my lads, and take good aim as she pays round." the _aurora_ was put about, and her broadside poured into the stern of the russian frigate--for such she was. it was almost dark, but the enemy, who appeared as anxious as the _aurora_ to come to action, hauled up her courses to await her coming up. in five minutes the two vessels were alongside exchanging murderous broadsides at little more than pistol-shot--running slowly in for the land, than not more than five miles distant. the skin-clad mountaineers of corsica were aroused by the furious cannonading, watching the incessant flashes of the guns, and listening to their reverberating roar. after half an hour's fierce combat, during which the fire of both vessels was kept up with undiminished vigour, captain wilson went down on the main deck, and himself separately pointed each gun after it was loaded; those amidships being direct for the main-channels of the enemy's ship, while those abaft the beam were gradually trained more and more forward, and those before the beam more and more aft, so as to throw all their shot nearly into one focus, giving directions that they were all to be fired at once, at the word of command. the enemy, not aware of the cause of the delay, imagined that the fire of the _aurora_ had slackened, and loudly cheered. at the word given the broadside was poured in, and, dark as it was, the effects from it were evident. two of the midship ports of the antagonist were blown into one, and her main-mast was seen to totter, and then to fall over the side. the _aurora_ then set her courses, which had been hauled up, and, shooting ahead, took up a raking position while the russian was still hampered with her wreck, and poured in grape and cannister from her upper deck carronades to impede their labours on deck, while she continued her destructive fire upon the hull of the enemy from the main-deck battery. the moon now burst out from a low bank of clouds, and enabled them to accomplish their work with more precision. in a quarter of an hour the russian was totally dismasted, and captain wilson ordered half of his remaining ship's company to repair the damages, which had been most severe, whilst the larboard men at quarters continued the fire from the main deck. the enemy continued to return the fire from four guns, two on each of her decks, which she could still make bear upon the _aurora_; but after some time even these ceased, either from the men having deserted them, or from their being dismounted. observing that the fire from her antagonist had ceased, the _aurora_ also discontinued, and the jolly-boat astern being still uninjured, the second lieutenant was deputed to pull alongside of the frigate to ascertain if she had struck. the beams of the bright moon silvered the rippling water as the boat shoved off; and captain wilson and his officers who were still unhurt, leant over the shattered sides of the _aurora_, waiting for a reply: suddenly the silence of the night was broken upon by a loud splash from the bows of the russian frigate, then about three cables' length distant. "what could that be?" cried captain wilson. "her anchor's down. mr jones, a lead over the side, and see what water we have." mr jones had long been carried down below, severed in two with a round shot--but a man leaped into the chains, and lowering down the lead, sounded in seven fathoms. "then i suspect he will give us more trouble yet," observed captain wilson; and so indeed it proved, for the russian captain, in reply to the second lieutenant, had told him in english, "that he would answer that question with his broadside," and before the boat was dropped astern, he had warped round with the springs on his cable, and had recommenced his fire upon the _aurora_. captain wilson made sail upon his ship, and sailed round and round the anchored vessel, so as to give her two broadsides to her one, and from the slowness with which she worked at her springs upon her cables, it was evident that she must be now very weak-handed. still the pertinacity and decided courage of the russian captain convinced captain wilson that, in all probability, he would sink at his anchor before he would haul down his colours; and not only would he lose more of the _aurora's_ men, but also the russian vessel, without he took a more decided step. captain wilson, therefore, resolved to try her by the board. having poured in a raking fire, he stood off for a few moments, during which he called the officers and men on deck, and stated his intention. he then went about, and himself conning the _aurora_, ran her on board the russian, pouring in his reserved broadside as the vessels came into collision, and heading his men as they leaped on the enemy's decks. although, as captain wilson had imagined, the russian frigate had not many men to oppose to the _aurora's_, the deck was obstinately defended, the voice and the arm of the russian captain were to be heard and seen everywhere, and his men, encouraged by him, were cut down by numbers where they stood. our hero, who had the good fortune to be still unhurt, was for a little while close to captain wilson when he boarded, and was about to oppose his unequal force against that of the russian captain, when he was pulled back by the collar by mr hawkins, the chaplain, who rushed in advance with a sabre in his hand. the opponents were well matched, and it may be said that, with little interruption, a hand-to-hand conflict ensued, for the moon lighted up the scene of carnage, and they were well able to distinguish each other's faces. at last, the chaplain's sword broke; he rushed in, drove the hilt into his antagonist's face, closed with him, and they both fell down the hatchway together. after this, the deck was gained, or rather cleared, by the crew of the _aurora_, for few could be said to have resisted, and in a minute or two the frigate was in their possession. the chaplain and the russian captain were hoisted up, still clinging to each other, both senseless from the fall, but neither of them dead; although bleeding from several wounds. as soon as the main-deck had been cleared, captain wilson ordered the hatches to be put on, and left a party on board while he hastened to attend to the condition of his own ship and ship's company. it was daylight before anything like order had been restored to the decks of the _aurora_; the water was still smooth, and instead of letting go her own anchor, she had hung on with a hawser to the prize, but her sails had been furled, her decks cleared, guns secured, and the buckets were dashing away the blood from her planks and the carriages of the guns, when the sun rose and shone upon them. the numerous wounded had, by this time, been put into their hammocks, although there were still one or two cases of amputation to be performed. the carpenter had repaired all shot-holes under or too near to the water-line, and then had proceeded to sound the well of the prize; but although her upper works had been dreadfully shattered, there was no reason to suppose that she had received any serious injury below, and therefore the hatches still remained on, although a few hands were put to the pumps to try if she made any water. it was not until the _aurora_ presented a more cheerful appearance that captain wilson went over to the other ship, whose deck, now that the light of heaven enabled them to witness all the horrors even to minuteness, presented a shocking spectacle of blood and carnage. body after body was thrown over; the wounded were supplied with water and such assistance as could be rendered until the surgeons could attend them; the hatches were then taken off, and the remainder of her crew ordered on deck; about two hundred obeyed the summons, but the lower deck was as crowded with killed and wounded as was the upper. for the present the prisoners were handed over down into the forehold of the _aurora_, which had been prepared for their reception, and the work of separation of the dead from the living then underwent. after this such repairs as were immediately necessary were made, and a portion of the _aurora's_ crew, under the orders of the second lieutenant, were sent on board to take charge of her. it was not till the evening of the day after this night-conflict that the _aurora_ was in a situation to make sail. all hands were then sent on board of the _trident_, for such was the name of the russian frigate, to fit her out as soon as possible. before morning--for there was no relaxation from their fatigue, nor was there any wish for it--all was completed, and the two frigates, although in a shattered condition, were prepared to meet any common conflict with the elements. the _aurora_ made sail with the _trident_ in tow; the hammocks were allowed to be taken down, and the watch below permitted to repose. in this murderous conflict the _trident_ had more than two hundred men killed and wounded. the _aurora's_ loss had not been so great, but still it was severe, having lost sixty-five men and officers. among the fallen there were mr jones the master, the third lieutenant mr awkwright, and two midshipmen killed. mr pottyfar, the first lieutenant, severely wounded at the commencement of the action. martin, the master's mate, and gascoigne, the first mortally, and the second badly, wounded. our hero had also received a slight cutlass wound, which obliged him to wear his arm, for a short time, in a sling. among the ship's company who were wounded was mesty: he had been hurt with a splinter before the _trident_ was taken by the board, but had remained on deck, and had followed our hero, watching over him and protecting him as a father. he had done even more, for he had with jack thrown himself before captain wilson, at a time that he had received such a blow with the flat of a sword as to stun him and bring him down on his knee. and jack had taken good care that captain wilson should not be ignorant, as he really would have been, of this timely service on the part of mesty, who certainly, although with a great deal of _sang-froid_ in his composition when in repose, was a fiend incarnate when his blood was up. "but you must have been with mesty," observed captain wilson, "when he did me the service." "i was with him, sir," replied jack, with great modesty, "but was of very little service." "how is your friend gascoigne this evening?" "oh, not very bad, sir--he wants a glass of grog." "and mr martin?" jack shook his head. "why, the surgeon thinks he will do well." "yes, sir, and so i told martin; but he said that it was very well to give him hope--but that he thought otherwise." "you must manage him, mr easy; tell him that he is sure of his promotion." "i have, sir, but he won't believe it. he never will believe it till he has his commission signed. i really think that an acting order would do more than the doctor can." "well, mr easy, he shall have one to-morrow morning. have you seen mr pottyfar? he, i am afraid, is very bad." "very bad, sir; and, they say, is worse every day, and yet his wound is healthy, and ought to be doing well." such was the conversation between jack and his captain, as they sat at breakfast on the third morning after the action. the next day easy took down an acting order for martin, and put it into his hands. the mate read it over as he lay bandaged in his hammock. "it's only an acting order, jack," said he; "it may not be confirmed." jack swore, by all the articles of war, that it would be; but martin replied that he was sure it never would. "no, no," said the mate, "i knew very well that i never should be made. if it is not confirmed, i may live; but if it is, i am sure to die." every one that went to martin's hammock wished him joy of his promotion; but six days after the action poor martin's remains were consigned to the deep. the next person who followed him was mr pottyfar, the first lieutenant, who had contrived, wounded as he was, to reach a packet of the universal medicine, and had taken so many bottles before he was found out, that he was one morning found dead in his bed, with more than two dozen empty phials under his pillow, and by the side of his mattress. he was not buried with his hands in his pockets, but when sewed up in his hammock, they were, at all events, laid in the right position. chapter thirty. modern philanthropy which, as usual, is the cause of much trouble and vexation. in three weeks the _aurora_, with her prize in tow, arrived at malta. the wounded were sent to the hospital, and the gallant russian captain recovered from his wounds about the same time as mr hawkins, the chaplain. jack, who constantly called to see the chaplain, had a great deal to do to console him. he would shake his hands as he lay in his bed, exclaiming against himself. "oh," would he say, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. that i, a man of god, as they term me, who ought to have been down with the surgeons, whispering comfort to the desponding, should have gone on deck (but i could not help it), and have mixed in such a scene of slaughter! what will become of me?" jack attempted to console him by pointing out that not only chaplains but bishops have been known to fight in armour from time immemorial. but mr hawkins's recovery was long doubtful, from the agitation of his mind. when he was able to walk, jack introduced to him the russian captain, who was also just out of his bed. "i am most happy to embrace so gallant an officer," said the russian, who recognised his antagonist, throwing his arms round the chaplain, and giving him a kiss on both cheeks. "what is his rank?" continued he, addressing himself to jack, who replied, very quietly, "that he was the ship's padre." "the padre!" replied the captain, with surprise, as hawkins turned away with confusion. "the padre--par exemple! well, i always had a great respect for the church. pray sir," said he, turning to easy, "do your padres always head your boarders?" "always, sir," replied jack; "it's a rule of the service--and the duty of a padre to show the men the way to heaven. it's our ninety-ninth article of war." "you are a fighting nation," replied the russian, bowing to hawkins, and continuing his walk, not exactly pleased that he had been floored by a parson. mr hawkins continued very disconsolate for some time; he then invalided and applied himself to his duties on shore, where he would not be exposed to such temptations from his former habits. as the _aurora_, when she was last at malta, had nearly exhausted the dockyard for her repairs, she was even longer fitting out this time, during which captain wilson's despatches had been received by the admiral, and had been acknowledged by a brig sent to malta. the admiral, in reply, after complimenting him upon his gallantry and success, desired that, as soon as he was ready, he should proceed to palermo with communications of importance to the authorities, and having remained there for an answer, was again to return to malta to pick up such of his men as might be fit to leave the hospital, and then join the toulon fleet. this intelligence was soon known to our hero, who was in ecstasies at the idea of again seeing agnes and her brothers. once more the _aurora_ sailed away from the high-crowned rocks of valette, and with a fine breeze dashed through the deep blue waves. but towards the evening the breeze increased, and they were under double-reefed topsails. on the second day they made the coast of sicily, not far from where easy and gascoigne had been driven on shore; the weather was then more moderate, and the sea had, to a great degree, subsided. they therefore stood in close to the coast, as they had not a leading wind to palermo. as they stood in, the glasses, as usual, were directed to land; observing the villas with which the hills and valleys were studded, with their white fronts embowered in orange groves. "what is that, gascoigne," said easy, "under that precipice?--it looks like a vessel." gascoigne turned his glass in the direction--"yes, it is a vessel on the rocks: by her prow she looks like a galley." "it is a galley, sir--one of the row galleys--i can make out her bank of oars," observed the signal-man. this was reported to captain wilson, who also examined her. "she is on the rocks, certainly," observed he; "and i think i see people on board. keep her away a point, quarter-master." the _aurora_ was now steered right for the vessel, and in the course of an hour was not more than a mile from her. their suppositions were correct--it was one of the sicilian government galleys bilged on the rocks, and they now perceived that there were people on board of her, making signals with their shirts and pieces of linen. "they must be the galley-slaves; for i perceive that they do not one of them change their positions: the galley must have been abandoned by the officers and seamen, and the slaves left to perish." "that's very hard," observed jack to gascoigne; "they were condemned to the galleys, but not to death." "they will not have much mercy from the waves," replied gascoigne; "they will all be in kingdom come to-morrow morning, if the breeze comes more on the land. we have already come up two points this forenoon." although captain wilson did not join in this conversation, which he overheard as he stood on the forecastle gun, with his glass over the hammocks, it appears he was of the same opinion; but he demurred: he had to choose between allowing so many of his fellow-creatures to perish miserably, or to let loose upon society a set of miscreants, who would again enter a course of crime until they were recaptured, and by so doing probably displease the sicilian authorities. after some little reflection he resolved that he would take his chance of the latter. the _aurora_ was hove-to in stays, and the two cutters ordered to be lowered down, and the boat's crew to be armed. "mr easy, do you take one cutter and the armourers; pull on board of the galley, release those people, and land them in small divisions. mr gascoigne, you will take the other to assist mr easy, and when he lands them in his boat, you will pull by his side ready to act, in case of any hostile attempt on the part of the scoundrels; for we must not expect gratitude: of course, land them at the nearest safe spot for debarkation." in pursuance of these orders, our two midshipmen pulled away to the vessel. they found her fixed hard upon the rocks, which had pierced her slight timbers, and, as they had supposed, the respectable part of her crew, with the commander, had taken to the boats, leaving the galley-slaves to their fate. she pulled fifty oars, but had only thirty-six manned. these oars were forty feet long, and ran in from the thole-pin with a loom six feet long, each manned by four slaves, who were chained to their seat before it, by a running chain made fast by a padlock in amidships. a plank, of two feet wide, ran fore and aft the vessel between the two banks of oars, for the boatswain to apply the lash to those who did not sufficiently exert themselves. "viva los inglesos," cried the galley-slaves, as easy climbed up over the quarter of the vessel. "i say, ned, did you ever see such a precious set of villains?" observed easy, as he surveyed the faces of the men who were chained. "no," replied gascoigne; "and i think if the captain had seen them as we have, that he would have left them where they were." "i don't know--but however, our orders are positive. armourer, knock off all the padlocks, beginning aft; when we have a cargo we will land them. how many are there?--twelve dozen; twelve dozen villains to let loose upon society. i have a great mind to go on board again and report my opinion to the captain--one hundred and forty-four villains, who all deserve hanging--for drowning is too good for them." "our orders are to liberate them, jack." "yes; but i should like to argue this point with captain wilson." "they'll send after them fast enough, jack, and they'll all be in limbo again before long," replied gascoigne. "well, i suppose we must obey orders; but it goes against my conscience to save such villainous-looking rascals. armourer, hammer away." the armourer, who, with the seamen, appeared very much of jack's opinion, and had not commenced his work, now struck off the padlocks, one by one, with his sledge-hammer. as soon as they were released the slaves were ordered into the cutter, and when it was sufficiently loaded jack shoved off, followed by gascoigne as guard, and landed them at the point about a cable's length distant. it required six trips before they were all landed: the last cargo were on shore, and easy was desiring the men to shove off, when one of the galleriens turned round, and cried out to jack in a mocking tone, "addio signor, a reveder la." jack started, stared, and in the squalid, naked wretch who addressed him, he recognised don silvio! "i will acquaint don rebiera of your arrival, signor," said the miscreant, springing up the rocks, and mixing with the rest, who now commenced hooting and laughing at their preservers. "ned," observed easy to gascoigne, "we have let that rascal loose." "more's the pity," replied gascoigne; "but we have only obeyed orders." "it can't be helped, but i've a notion there will be some mischief out of this." "we obeyed orders," replied gascoigne. "we've let the rascals loose not ten miles from don rebiera's." "obeyed orders, jack." "with a whole gang to back him, if he goes there." "orders, jack." "agnes at his mercy." "captain's orders, jack." "i shall argue this point when i go on board," replied jack. "too late, jack." "yes," replied easy, sinking down on the stern sheets with a look of despair. "give way, my lads, give way." jack returned on board and reported what he had done; also that don silvio was among those liberated; and he ventured to mention his fears of what might take place from their contiguity to the house of don rebiera. captain wilson bit his lips: he felt that his philanthropy had induced him to act without his usual prudence. "i have done a rash thing, mr easy, i am afraid. i should have taken them all on board and delivered them up to the authorities. i wish i had thought of that before. we must get to palermo as fast as we can, and have the troops sent after these miscreants. hands 'bout ship, fill the main-yard." the wind had veered round, and the _aurora_ was now able to lay up clear of the island of maritimo. the next morning she anchored in palermo roads--gave immediate notice to the authorities, who, wishing captain wilson's philanthropy at the devil, immediately dispatched a large body of troops in quest of the liberated malefactors. captain wilson, feeling for jack's anxiety about his friends, called him over to him on deck, and gave him and gascoigne permission to go on shore. "will you allow me to take mesty with me, sir, if you please?" said jack. "yes, mr easy: but recollect that, even with mesty, you are no match for one hundred and fifty men, so be prudent. i send, you to relieve your anxiety, not to run into danger." "of course, sir," replied jack, touching his hat, and walking away quietly till he came to the hatch-way, when he darted down like a shot, and was immediately occupied with his preparations. in half an hour our two midshipmen, with mesty, had landed, and proceeded to the inn where they had put up before: they were armed up to the teeth. their first inquiries were for don philip and his brother. "both on leave of absence," replied the landlord, "and staying with don rebiera." "that's some comfort," thought jack. "now we must get horses as fast as we can.--mesty, can you ride?" "by all de power can i ride, massa easy; suppose you ride kentucky horse, you ride anyting." in half an hour four horses and a guide were procured, and at eight o'clock in the morning the party set off in the direction of don rebiera's country-seat. they had not ridden more than six miles when they came up with one of the detachments sent out in pursuit of the liberated criminals. our hero recognised the commanding officer as an old acquaintance, and imparting to him the release of don silvio, and his fears upon don rebiera's account, begged him to direct his attention that way. "corpo di bacco--you are right, signor mid," replied the officer, "but don philip is there, and his brother too, i believe. i will be there by ten o'clock to-morrow morning; we will march almost the whole night." "they have no arms," observed easy. "no, but they will soon get them: they will go to some small town in a body, plunder it, and then seek the protection of the mountains. your captain has given us a pretty job." jack exchanged a few more words, and then, excusing himself on account of his haste, put the spurs to his horse and regained his own party, who now proceeded at a rapid pace. "o signor!" said the guide, "we shall kill the horses." "i'll pay for them," said jack. "yes, but we shall kill them before we get there, jack," replied gascoigne, "and have to walk the rest of the way." "very true, ned; let's pull up, and give them their wind." "by de holy poker, massa easy, but my shirt stick to my ribs," cried mesty, whose black face was hung with dewdrops from their rapid course. "never mind, mesty." it was about five o'clock in the afternoon when they arrived at the seat of don rebiera. jack threw himself off his jaded steed, and hastened into the house, followed by gascoigne. they found the whole family collected in the large sitting-room, quite ignorant of any danger threatening them, and equally astonished and pleased at the arrival of their old friends. jack flew to agnes, who screamed when she saw him, and felt so giddy afterwards that he was obliged to support her. having seated her again, he was kindly greeted by the old people and the two young officers. after a few minutes dedicated to mutual inquiries, our hero stated the cause of their expeditious arrival. "don silvio with one hundred and fifty galleriens, let loose on the coast yesterday afternoon!" exclaimed don rebiera; "you are right, i only wonder they were not here last night. but i expect pedro from the town; he has gone down with a load of wine: he will bring us intelligence." "at all events, we must be prepared," said don philip, "the troops you say will be here to-morrow morning." "holy virgin!" exclaimed the ladies in a breath. "how many can we muster?" said gascoigne. "we will have five men here, or we shall have by the evening," replied don philip--"all, i think, good men--my father, my brother and myself." "we are three--four with the guide, whom i know nothing about." "twelve in all--not one too many; but i think that now we are prepared, if they attack, we can hold out till the morning." "had we not better send the ladies away?" said jack. "who is to escort them?" replied don philip; "we shall only weaken our force: besides, they may fall into the miscreants' hands." "shall we all leave the house together? they can but plunder it," observed don rebiera. "still we may be intercepted by them, and our whole force will be nothing against so many," observed don philip, "if we are without defence, whereas in the house we shall have an advantage." "e vero," replied don rebiera, thoughtfully; "then let us prepare, for depend upon it don silvio will not lose such an opportunity to wreak his vengeance. he will be here to-night: i only wonder he has not been here with his companions before. however, pedro will arrive in two hours." "we must now see what means we have of defence," said philip. "come, brother--will you come, sir?" chapter thirty one. a regular set-to, in which the parties beaten are not knocked down, but rise higher and higher at each discomfiture--nothing but the troops could have prevented them from going up to heaven. don rebiera and his two sons quitted the room, gascoigne entered into conversation with the senora, while easy took this opportunity of addressing agnes. he had been too much occupied with the consultation to pay her much attention before. he had spoken, with his eyes fixed upon her, and had been surprised at the improvement which had taken place in less than a year. he now went to her, and asked her, in a low voice, "whether she had received his letter?" "oh, yes!" replied she, colouring. "and were you angry with what i said, agnes?" in a low tone. "no," replied she, casting her eyes down on the floor. "i repeat now what i said, agnes--i have never forgotten you." "but--" "but what?" "father thomaso." "what of him?" "he never will--" "will what?" "you are a heretic," he says. "tell him to mind his own business." "he has great influence with my father and mother." "your brothers are on our side." "i know that, but there will be great difficulty. our religion is not the same. he must talk to you--he will convert you." "we'll argue that point, agnes. i will convert him if he has common sense; if not, it's no use arguing with him. where is he?" "he will soon be at home." "tell me, agnes, if you had your own will, would you marry me?" "i don't know; i have never seen any one i liked so well." "is that all?" "is it not enough for a maiden to say?" replied agnes, raising her eyes, and looking reproachfully. "signor, let me go, here comes my father." notwithstanding, jack cast his eyes to the window where gascoigne and the senora were in converse, and perceiving that the old lady's back was turned, he pressed agnes to his bosom before he released her. the gentlemen then returned with all the fire-arms and destructive weapons they could collect. "we have enough," observed don philip, "to arm all the people we have with us." "and we are all well armed," replied jack, who had left agnes standing alone. "what now are your plans?" "those we must now consult about. it appears"--but at this moment the conversation was interrupted by the sudden entrance of pedro, who had been despatched to the town with the load of wine. he rushed in, flurried and heated, with his red cap in his hand. "how now, pedro, back so early!" "o signor!" exclaimed the man--"they have taken the cart and the wine, and have drawn it away up to the mountains." "who?" inquired don rebiera. "the galley-slaves who have been let loose--and by the body of our blessed saint, they have done pretty mischief--they have broken into the houses, robbed everything--murdered many--clothed themselves with the best--collected all the arms, provisions, and wine they could lay their hands on, and have marched away into the mountains. this took place last night. as i was coming down within a mile of the town, they met me with my loaded cart, and they turned the bullocks round and drove them away along with the rest. by the blessed virgin! but they are stained with blood, but not altogether of men, for they have cut up some of the oxen. i heard this from one of the herdsmen, but he too fled and could not tell me more. but, signor, i heard them mention your name." "i have no doubt of it," replied don rebiera. "as for the wine, i only hope they will drink too much of it to-night. but, pedro, they will be here, and we must defend ourselves--so call the men together; i must speak to them." "we shall never see the bullocks again," observed pedro mournfully. "no; but we shall never see one another again, if we do not take care. i have information they come here to-night." "holy saint francis! and they say there are a thousand of them." "not quite so many, to my knowledge," observed jack. "they told me that a great many were killed in their attack upon the town, before they mastered it." "so much the better. go now, pedro, drink a cup of wine, and then call the other men." the house was barricaded as well as circumstances would permit; the first story was also made a fortress by loading the landing-place with armoires and chests of drawers. the upper story, or attic, if it might be so called, was defended in the same way, that they might retreat from one to the other if the doors were forced. it was eight o'clock in the evening before all was ready, and they were still occupied with the last defence, under the superintendence of mesty, who showed himself an able engineer, when they heard the sound of an approaching multitude. they looked out of one of the windows and perceived the house surrounded by the galley-slaves, in number, apparently, about a hundred. they were all dressed in a most fantastic manner with whatever they could pick up: some had fire-arms, but the most of them were supplied with only swords or knives. with them came also their cortege of plunder: carts of various descriptions, loaded with provisions of all sorts, and wine; women lashed down with ropes, sails from the vessels and boats to supply them with covering in the mountains, hay and straw and mattresses. their plunder appeared to be well chosen for their exigencies. to the carts were tied a variety of cattle, intended to accompany them to their retreat. they all appeared to be under a leader, who was issuing directions--that leader was soon recognised by those in the house to be don silvio. "massa easy, you show me dat man?" said mesty, when he heard the conversation between easy and the rebieras; "only let me know him." "do you see him there, mesty, walking down in front of those men? he has a musket in his hand, a jacket with silver buttons, and white trousers." "yes, massa easy, me see him well--let me look little more--dat enough." the galley slaves appeared to be very anxious to surround the house that no one should escape, and don silvio was arranging the men. "ned," said jack, "let us show him that we are here. he said that he would acquaint don rebiera with our arrival--let us prove to him that he is too late." "it would not be a bad plan," replied gascoigne; "if it were possible that these fellows had any gratitude among them, some of them might relent at the idea of attacking those who saved them." "not a bit; but it will prove to them that there are more in the house than they think for; and we can frighten some of them by telling them that the soldiers are near at hand." jack immediately threw up the casement, and called out in a loud voice, "don silvio! galley-slave! don silvio!" the party hailed turned round, and beheld jack, gascoigne, and mesty, standing at the window of the upper floor. "we have saved you the trouble of announcing us," called out gascoigne. "we are here to receive you." "and in three hours the troops will be here, so you must be quick, don silvio," continued jack. "_a reveder la_," continued gascoigne, letting fly his pistol at don silvio. the window was then immediately closed. the appearance of our heroes, and their communication of the speedy arrival of the troops, was not without effect. the criminals trembled at the idea; don silvio was mad with rage--he pointed out to the men the necessity of immediate attack-- the improbability of the troops arriving so soon, and the wealth which he expected was locked up by don rebiera in his mansion. this rallied them, and they advanced to the doors, which they attempted to force without success, losing several men by the occasional fire from those within the house. finding their efforts, after half an hour's repeated attempts, to be useless, they retreated, and then bringing up a long piece of timber, which required sixty men to carry it, they ran with it against the door, and the weight and impetus of the timber drove it off its hinges, and an entrance was obtained. by this time it was dark, the lower story had been abandoned, but the barricade at the head of the stairs opposed their progress. convenient loop-holes had been prepared by the defenders, who now opened a smart fire upon the assailants, the latter having no means of returning it effectually, had they had ammunition for their muskets, which fortunately they had not been able to procure. the combat now became fierce, and the galley-slaves were several times repulsed with great loss during a contest of two hours; but, encouraged by don silvio, and refreshed by repeated draughts of wine, they continued by degrees removing the barriers opposed to them. "we shall have to retreat!" exclaimed don rebiera; "very soon they will have torn down all. what do you think, signor easy?" "hold this as long as we can. how are we off for ammunition?" "plenty as yet--plenty to last for six hours, i think." "what do you say, mesty?" "by holy st. patrig--i say hold out here--they got no fire-arms--and we ab um at arm-length." this decision was the occasion of the first defence being held for two hours more, an occasional relief being afforded by the retreat of the convicts to the covered carts. at last, it was evident that the barricade was no longer tenable, for the heavy pieces of furniture they had heaped up to oppose entrance were completely hammered to fragments by poles brought up by the assailants, and used as battering-rams. the retreat was sounded; they all hastened to the other story, where the ladies were already placed, and the galley-slaves were soon in possession of the first floor--exasperated by the defence, mad with wine and victory, but finding nothing. again was the attack made upon the second landing, but, as the stairs were now narrower, and their defences stronger in proportion, they for a long while gained no advantage. on the contrary, many of their men were wounded and taken down below. the darkness of the night prevented both parties from seeing distinctly, which was rather in favour of the assailants. many climbed over the fortress of piled-up furniture, and were killed as soon as they appeared on the other side, and, at last, the only ammunition used was against those who made this rash attempt. for four long hours did this assault and defence continue, until daylight came, and then the plan of assault was altered: they again brought up the poles, hammered the pieces of furniture into fragments, and gained ground. the defenders were worn out with fatigue, but flinched not; they knew that their lives, and the lives of those dearest to them, were at stake, and they never relaxed their exertions; still the criminals, with silvio at their head, progressed, the distance between the parties gradually decreased, and there was but one massive chest of drawers now defending the landing-place, and over which there was a constant succession of blows from long poles and cutlasses, returned with the bullets from their pistols. "we must now fight for our lives," exclaimed gascoigne to easy, "for what else can we do?" "do?--get on the roof and fight there, then," replied jack. "by-the-bye, that's well thought of, jack," said gascoigne. "mesty, up and see if there is any place we can retreat to in case of need." mesty hastened to obey, and soon returned with a report that there was a trap-door leading into the loft under the roof, and that they could draw the ladder up after them. "then we may laugh at them," cried jack. "mesty, stay here while i and gascoigne assist the ladies up," explaining to the rebieras and to their domestics why they went. easy and gascoigne hastened to the signora and agnes, conducted them up the ladder into the loft, and requested them to have no fear; they then returned to the defences on the stairs, and joined their companions. they found them hard pressed, and that there was little chance of holding out much longer; but the stairs were narrow, and the assailants could not bring their force against them. but now, as the defences were nearly destroyed, although the convicts could not reach them with their knives, they brought up a large supply of heavy stones, which they threw with great force and execution. two of don rebiera's men and don martin were struck down, and this new weapon proved most fatal. "we must retreat, jack," said gascoigne, "the stones can do no harm where we are going to. what think you, don philip?" "i agree with you; let those who are wounded be first carried up, and then we will follow." this was effected, and as soon as the wounded men were carried up the ladder, and the arms taken up to prevent their falling into the hands of their assailants, for they were now of little use to them, the ammunition being exhausted, the whole body went into the large room which contained the trap-door of the loft, and, as soon as they were up, they drew the ladder after them. they had hardly effected this, when they were followed with the yells and shoutings of the galley-slaves, who had passed the last barriers, and thought themselves sure of their prey: but they were disappointed--they found them more secure than ever. nothing could exceed the rage of don silvio at the protracted resistance of the party, and the security of their retreat. to get at them was impossible, so he determined to set fire to the room, and suffocate them, if he could do no otherwise. he gave his directions to his men, who rushed down for straw, but in so doing he carelessly passed under the trap-door, and mesty, who had carried up with him two or three of the stones, dashed one down on the head of don silvio, who fell immediately. he was carried away, but his orders were put in execution; the room was filled with straw and fodder, and lighted. the effects were soon felt. the trap-door had been shut, but the heat and smoke burst through; after a time, the planks and rafters took fire, and their situation was terrible. a small trap-window in the roof on the side of the house was knocked open, and gave them a temporary relief; but now the rafters burned and crackled, and the smoke burst on them in thick columns. they could not see and with difficulty could breathe. fortunately the room below that which had been fired was but one out of four on the attics, and, as the loft they were in spread over the whole of the roof they were able to remove far from it. the house was slated with massive slate of some hundredweight each, and it was not found possible to remove them so as to give air, although frequent attempts were made. donna rebiera sank exhausted in the arms of her husband, and agnes fell into those of our hero, who, enveloped in the smoke, kissed her again and again; and she, poor girl, thinking that they must all inevitably perish, made no scruple, in what she supposed her last moment, of returning these proofs of her ardent attachment. "massa easy, help me here--massa gascoigne, come here. now heab wid all your might: when we get one off we get plenty." summoned by mesty, jack and gascoigne put their shoulders to one of the lower slates; it yielded--was disengaged, and slid down with a loud rattling below. the ladies were brought to it, and their heads put outside; they soon recovered; and now that they had removed one, they found no difficulty in removing others. in a few minutes they were all with their heads in the open air, but still the house was on fire below, and they had no chance of escape. it was while they were debating upon this point, and consulting as to their chance of safety, that a breeze of wind wafted the smoke that issued from the roof away from them, and they beheld the detachment of troops making up to the house; a loud cheer was given, and attracted the notice of the soldiers. they perceived easy and his companions; the house was surrounded and entered in an instant. the galley-slaves, who were in the house searching for the treasure reported by don silvio to be concealed, were captured or killed, and in five minutes the troops had possession. but how to assist those above was the difficulty. the room below was in flames, and burning fiercely. there were no ladders that could reach so high, and there were no means of getting to them. the commandant made signs from below, as if to ask what he was to do. "i see no chance," observed don philip mournfully. "easy, my dear fellow, and you, gascoigne, i am sorry that the feuds of our family should have brought you to such a dreadful death; but what can be done?" "i don't know," replied jack, "unless we could get ropes." "you quite sure, massa easy, that all galley-rascals below gone?" asked mesty. "yes," replied easy, "you may see that; look at some of them bound there, under charge of the soldiers." "den, sar, i tink it high time we go too." "so do i, mesty; but how?" "how? stop a little." "come, help me, massa easy; dis board (for the loft was floored) is loose, come help, all of you." they all went, and with united strength pulled up the board. "now strike like ---!--and drive down de plaster," said mesty, commencing the operation. in a few minutes they had beaten an opening into one of the rooms below not on fire, pulled up another board, and mesty having fetched the ladder, they all descended in safety, and, to the astonishment of the commandant of the troops, walked out of the door of the house, those who had been stunned with the stones having so far recovered as to require little assistance. the soldiers shouted as they saw them appear, supporting the females. the commanding officer, who was an intimate friend of don philip, flew to his arms. the prisoners were carefully examined by mesty, and don silvio was not among them. he might however, be among the dead who were left in the house, which now began to burn furiously. the galley-slaves who were captured amounted in number to forty-seven. their dead they could not count. the major part of the plunder and the carts were still where they had been drawn up. as soon as the culprits had been secured, the attention of the troops was directed to putting out the flames, but their attempts were ineffectual; the mansion was burned to the bare walls, and but little of the furniture saved; indeed, the major part of it had been destroyed in the attack made by don silvio and his adherents. leaving directions with pedro and his people, that the property collected by the miscreants should be restored to the owners, don rebiera ordered the horses, and with the whole party put himself under the protection of the troops, who, as soon as they had been refreshed, and taken some repose, bent their way back to palermo with the galley-slaves, bound and linked together in a long double row. they halted when they had gone half-way, and remained for the night. the next day, at noon, don rebiera and his family were once more in their palazzo, and our two midshipmen and mesty took their leave, and repaired on board to make themselves a little less like chimney-sweepers. captain wilson was not out of the ship. jack made his report, and then went down below, very much pleased at what had passed, especially as he would have another long yarn for the governor on his return to malta. chapter thirty two. in which our hero and gascoigne ought to be ashamed of themselves, and did feel what might be called midshipmite compunction. the _aurora_ continued three weeks at palermo, during which the most active search had been made for the remainder of the galley-slaves, and some few had been captured, but still don silvio, and a considerable number, were at large; and it was said that they had returned to the fastnesses in the mountains. our hero was constantly on shore at don rebiera's house, and, after what had passed, he was now looked upon as soon to become a member of the family. the difference of religion was overlooked by don rebiera and the relations--by all but the confessor, father thomaso, who now began to agitate and fulminate into the ears of the donna rebiera all the pains and penalties attending heretical connection, such as excommunication and utter damnation. the effects of his remonstrances were soon visible, and jack found that there was constraint on the part of the old lady, tears on the part of agnes, and all father confessors heartily wished at the devil ten times a day on the part of don philip and his brother. at last he wormed the truth out of agnes, who told her tale, and wept bitterly. "ned, i don't much like the appearance of things," observed jack; "i must get rid of that father thomaso." "you'll find that rather difficult," observed gascoigne; "besides, if you get rid of him you would have his place filled up with another." "he has frightened that poor old woman into the dismals, and she has the pains of purgatory on her already. i shall go and talk to mesty." "how can mesty help you?" "i don't know, but you can't; so, for want of better advice, i'll try the ashantee." our hero went to mesty, and laid the difficult affair open to him. "i see," said mesty, showing his filed teeth, "you want him skull." "no, i don't, mesty; but i want him out of the way." "how dat possible, massa easy?--ship sail day after to-morrow. now 'pose i ab time, i soon manage all dat. stop a little." "confound it! but there's no stopping," replied jack. "suppose, massa easy, you get leave go on shore--not come off again." "that will be deserting, mesty." "by holy poker, i ab it--you go on shore and break your leg." "break my leg!--break my leave, you mean?" "no, massa easy--you break your leg--den captain leave you shore, and leave me take care of you." "but why should i break my leg, and how am i to break my leg?" "only pretend break leg, massa easy. go talk massa don philip, he manage all dat.--suppose man break his leg in seven pieces, it is not possible to take him board." "seven pieces, mesty! that's rather too many. however, i'll think of this." jack then went back and consulted gascoigne, who approved of mesty's advice, and thought the scheme feasible. "if we could only pretend that we were thrown out of a caricola, you break your leg, a compound fracture of course--i break my arm--both left on shore at sick quarters, with mesty to take care of us." "capital indeed," replied jack; "i really would not mind it if it really took place; at all events we'll overturn the caricola." "but shall we get leave the last day?" "yes, it's two days since i have been on shore, for i have not liked to go to don rebiera's since what agnes told me. besides, my clothes are all on shore, and that will be an excuse for a few hours." our two midshipmen applied for leave the next morning to be off in the afternoon. the first lieutenant gave them permission. they hastened to the hotel, sent for don philip, and made him a party to their plan. he readily promised his assistance, for he had resolved that our hero should marry his sister, and was fearful of the effect of his absence, coupled with friar thomaso's influence over his mother. he went to the surgeon of his regiment, who immediately entered into the scheme. our two midshipmen got into a caricola, rattled up and down the streets, and perceiving captain wilson at his window flogged the horse into a gallop: when abreast of the barracks jack ran the wheel against a bank, and threw himself and gascoigne out. midshipmen are never hurt by these accidents, but fortunately for the success of the enterprise their faces were cut and bruised. don philip was standing by: he called the men to pick up our two scamps, carried them into the barracks, and sent for the surgeons, who undressed them, put jack's left leg into a multitude of splints, and did the same to gascoigne's arm. they were then put to bed, their contused faces with the blood, left _in statu quo_, while don philip sent an orderly, as from the commandant, to captain wilson, to acquaint him that two of his officers had been thrown out of a caricola, and were lying dangerously hurt at the barracks. "good heavens, it must be mr easy and mr gascoigne!" said captain wilson, when the intelligence was communicated; "i saw them galloping down the street like two madmen just now. coxswain, take the gig on board and tell the surgeon to come on shore immediately, and bring him up to me at the barracks." captain wilson then put on his hat, buckled on his sword, and hastened to ascertain the extent of the injury. don philip kept out of the way, but the captain was ushered into the room by one of the officers, where he found, in two beds, our two midshipmen stretched out, the surgeon of the forces and the regimental surgeon in consultation between them, while attendants were standing by each bed with restoratives. the medical gentlemen saluted captain wilson, and looked very grave, talked about fractures, contusions, injuries, in the most interminable manner-- hoped that mr easy would recover--but had doubts. the other gentleman might do well with care; that is, as far as his arm was concerned, but there appeared to be a concussion of the brain. captain wilson looked at the cut and blood-smeared faces of the two young men, and waited with anxiety the arrival of his own surgeon, who came at last, puffing with the haste he had made, and received the report of the brothers of the faculty. the leg of mr easy fractured in two places--had been set--bone protruding--impossible to move him. gascoigne, arm, compound fracture-- concussion of the brain not certain. now, that all this would have been discovered to be false if the surgeon had been able to examine, is true; but how could he not credit the surgeon of the forces and the regimental surgeon, and how could he put the young men to fresh tortures by removing splints and unsetting limbs? politeness, if nothing else, prevented his so doing, for it would have been as much as to say that either he did not credit their report, or that he doubted their skill. he looked at our hero and his companion, who kept their eyes closed, and breathed heavily with their mouths open, put on a grave face as well as his brothers in the art, and reported to captain wilson. "but when can they be moved, mr daly?" inquired the latter; "i cannot wait; we must sail to-morrow, or the next day at the farthest." the surgeon, as in duty bound, put the question to the others, who replied that there would be great risk in removing before the fever, which might be expected the next day, and which might last ten days; but that captain wilson had better not think of removing them, as they should have every care and attention where they were and could rejoin the ship at malta. mr daly, the surgeon, agreed that this would be the most prudent step, and captain wilson then gave his consent. that being settled, he walked up to the bed of gascoigne, and spoke to him; but gascoigne knew that he was to have a concussion of the brain, and he made no reply, nor gave any signs of knowing that captain wilson was near him. he then went to our hero, who, at the sound of captain wilson's voice, slowly opened his eyes without moving his head, and appeared to recognise him. "are you in much pain, easy?" said the captain kindly. easy closed his eyes again, and murmured, "mesty, mesty!" "he wants his servant, the ship's corporal, sir," said the surgeon. "well," replied captain wilson, "he had better have him: he is a faithful fellow, and will nurse him well. when you go on board, mr daly, desire the first lieutenant to send mesty on shore with mr gascoigne's and mr easy's chests, and his own bag and hammock. good heavens! i would not for a thousand pounds that this accident had occurred. poor foolish boys--they run in couples, and if one's in a scrape the other is sure to share it. gentlemen, i return you many thanks for your kindness, and i must accept of your promised care for my unfortunate officers. i sail to-morrow at daylight. you will oblige me by informing their friends, the rebieras, of their mischance, as i am sure they will contribute all they can to their comfort." so saying, captain wilson bowed and quitted the room, followed by the surgeon. as soon as the door was closed the two midshipmen turned their heads round and looked at each other, but they were afraid to speak at first, in case of the return of the surgeon. as soon as it was announced to them that captain wilson and mr daly were outside the barrack gates our hero commenced--"do you know, ned, that my conscience smites me, and if it had not been that i should have betrayed those who wish to oblige us, when poor captain wilson appeared so much hurt and annoyed at our accident, i was very near getting up and telling him of the imposition, to relieve his mind." "i agree with you, jack, and i felt much the same--but what's done cannot be undone. we must now keep up the imposition for the sake of those who, to help us, have deceived him." "i don't think that you would find an english surgeon who would have consented to such an imposition." "no, that is certain; but after all, it is an imposition that has hurt nobody." "oh, i do not wish to moralise--but i repent of my share in the deceit; and had it to be done over again i would not consent to it." "not even for ---? but i won't mention her name in barracks." "i don't know," replied jack; "but let's say no more about it, and thank these gentlemen for their kindness." "yes, but we must keep it up until we see the _aurora_ under all sail." "and longer too," replied jack; "we must not let the affair get wind even on shore. we must not recover quickly, but still appear to recover. don rebiera and his wife must be deceived. i have a plot in my head, but i cannot work it out clear until i see mesty." don philip now came in. he had seen captain wilson, who had requested him to look after the two invalids, and stated his intention to sail the next morning. they consulted with him, and it was agreed that no one should be acquainted with the real fact but his brother martin, and that all palermo should be as much deceived as captain wilson, for if not, it would put father thomaso on the _qui vive_, and make him fulminate more than ever. our midshipmen ate an excellent dinner, and then remained in bed conversing till it was time to go to sleep; but long before that, mesty had made his appearance with their clothes. the eyes of the ashantee said all that was necessary--he never spoke a word, but unlashed his hammock and lay down in a corner, and they were soon all three asleep. the next morning captain wilson called to ascertain how our hero and his companion were, but the room had been darkened, and he could not see their faces plainly. easy thanked him for his kindness in allowing mesty to attend them, and having received his orders as to their joining the ship as soon as they recovered, and having promised to be very cautious in their behaviour and keep out of all scrapes, he wished them a speedy recovery, and departed. in little more than half an hour afterwards, mesty, who had been peeping out of the shutters, suddenly threw them open with a loud laugh. the _aurora_ was under way, with studding sails below and aloft, standing out of the roads. jack and gascoigne got up, threw off the splints, and danced about in their shirts. as soon as they were quiet again, mesty said in a grave tone, "den why you stay at sea, massa easy?" "very true, mesty, i've asked myself that question often enough lately; because i'm a fool, i suppose." "and i, because i can't help it," replied gascoigne; "never mind, we are on shore now, and i look for a famous cruise." "but first we must see what the ground is we are to cruise on," replied jack; "so, mesty, let us have a palaver, as they say in your country." the two midshipmen got into their beds, and mesty sat on the chest between them, looking as grave as a judge. the question was, how to get rid of the padre thomaso. was he to be thrown over the molehead to the fishes--or his skull broke--was mesty's knife to be resorted to--was he to be kidnapped or poisoned--or were fair means to be employed-- persuasion, bribery? every one knows how difficult it is to get rid of a priest. as our hero and gascoigne were not italians, they thought that bribery would be the more english-like way of doing the thing; so they composed a letter, to be delivered by mesty to the friar, in which jack offered to father thomaso the moderate sum of one thousand dollars, provided he would allow the marriage to proceed, and not frighten the old lady with ecclesiastical squibs and crackers. as mesty was often on shore with jack, and knew the friar very well by sight, it was agreed that the letter should be confided to his charge; but, as it was not consistent that a person in such a state as our hero was represented to be should sit up and write letters, the delivery was deferred for a few days, when, after waiting that time, mesty delivered the letter to the friar, and made signs that he was to take back the answer. the friar beckoned him that he was to accompany him to his room, where he read the letter, and then again made signs to him to follow him. the friar led the way to his monastery, and as soon as mesty was in his cell, he summoned another who could speak english to act as interpreter. "is your master recovering?" "yes," replied mesty, "he is at present doing well." "have you served him long?" "no," replied mesty. "are you very fond of him? does he treat you well, give you plenty of money?" at these questions, the artful black conceived that there was something in the wind, and he therefore very quietly replied, "i do not care much for him." the friar fixed his keen eye upon mesty, and perceived there was a savage look about the black, from which he augured that he was a man who would suit his purpose. "your master offers me a thousand dollars; would you wish to gain this money for yourself?" mesty grinned and showed his sharp-filed teeth. "it would make me a rich man in my own country." "it would," replied the friar; "now you shall have it, if you will only give your master a small powder." "i understand," replied mesty; "hab those things in my country." "well--do you consent?--if so, i will write the letter to get the money." "suppose they find me out?" replied mesty. "you will be safe, and you shall be sent away as soon as possible--say, will you consent?" "the whole thousand dollars?" "every one of them." "den give me the powder?" "stay a little," replied the friar, who went out of the cell, and, in about ten minutes, returned with an answer to our hero's letter and a paper containing a grayish powder. "give him this in his soup or anything--spread it on his meat, or mix it up with his sugar if he eats an orange." "i see," replied mesty. "the dollars shall be yours. i swear it on the holy cross." mesty grinned horribly, took his credentials, and then asked, "when i come again?" "as soon as you have received the money bring it to me at don rebiera's--then give the powder: as soon as it is given you must let me know, for you must not remain in palermo. i will myself conduct you to a place of safety." mesty then quitted the cell and was shown out of the monastery. "by de holy poker he one damn rascal!" muttered mesty, as he was once in the open air. "but stop a little." the ashantee soon arrived at the barracks, and repeated the whole of the conference between him and the friar thomaso. "it must be poison, of course," observed gascoigne; "suppose we try it upon some animal?" "no, massa gascoigne," replied mesty, "i try it myself, by-and-bye. now what we do?" "i must give you the order for the thousand dollars, mesty," replied jack. "the rascal here writes to me that for that sum he will consent not only not to oppose me, but agrees to assist my cause; but the great question is, whether he will keep his word with you, mesty; if not, i shall lose my money. so therefore we must now have another palaver and argue the point." the point was argued between jack and gascoigne. a thousand dollars was a large sum, but jack's father was a philosopher. after many _pros_ and _cons_, it was as last decided that the money should be given to mesty; but that mesty should state, when he took the money to the friar, that he had administered the powder, and claim it when he presented it. the next day the order for the money was given to mesty, and he went to the friar thomaso with it. the friar hastened with mesty to the monastery and sent for the interpreter. "you have given it?" inquired the friar. "yes--not one hour ago. here de order for de money." "you must run for the money before he is dead, for the powder is very rapid." "and me," replied mesty, apparently much alarmed, "where am i to go?" "as soon as you bring the money here, you must go back to the barracks. remain there till he is dead, and then return here. i will have all ready, and take you, as soon as it is dusk, to a monastery of our order in the mountains, where no one will think of looking for you till the affair is blown over; and then i will find you a passage in some vessel out of the island." mesty hastened for the money, and taking it in a large bag to the monastery, delivered it to the friar's charge, and then returned to the barracks to easy and gascoigne. it was agreed that he should go with the friar, who would probably remain away some time; indeed, mesty insisted upon so doing. mesty stayed two hours, and then returned about dusk to the monastery, and reported the death of our hero. he remained there until it was dark, and then the friar ordered him to tie the bag of dollars to his saddle-bow. they mounted two mules, which stood already caparisoned, and quitted palermo. in the morning, don philip, as usual, made his appearance, and told our hero that the friar had been summoned away by the abbot, and would not return for some time. "i came to tell you this news," said don philip, "as i thought it would please you; the sooner you are now well, the better. i mean to propose your both being removed to my father's palazzo, and then you can recover your lost ground during the confessor's absence." "and i have the means," replied jack, showing the friar's letter. don philip read it with astonishment, but was still more surprised when he heard the whole story from jack. he was for a time silent: at last he said: "i am sorry for your poor black." "why so?" replied jack. "you will never see him again, depend upon it. a thousand dollars would sign the death-warrant of a thousand blacks; but there is another reason--they will put him out of the way that he may not give evidence. where is the powder?" "mesty has it; he would not part with it." "he is a shrewd fellow, that black; he may be too much for the friar," replied don philip. "he means mischief, i'm sure," replied gascoigne. "still i feel a great deal of alarm about him," replied easy; "i wish now that i had not let him go." "are you sure that he went?" "no, i am not; but the friar told him that he should take him to the mountains as soon as it was dark." "and probably he will," replied don philip, "as the best place to get rid of him. however, the whole of this story must be told both to my father and my mother; to the former that he may take the right measures, and to my mother that it may open her eyes. give me the copy of the letter you wrote to the friar, and then i shall have it all." the report of the accident which had occurred to easy and gascoigne had been spread and fully believed throughout palermo. indeed, as usual, it had been magnified, and asserted that they could not recover. to agnes only had the case been imparted in confidence by don philip, for her distress at the first intelligence had been so great that her brother could not conceal it. two days after don philip had made his parents acquainted with the villainy of the friar, the midshipmen were transported to the palazzo, much to the surprise of everybody, and much to the renown of the surgeons, who were indemnified for their duplicity and falsehood by an amazing extension of their credit as skilful men. after their arrival at the palazzo, don rebiera was also entrusted with the secret, but it went no further. as now there was no particular hurry for our hero to get well, he was contented and happy in the society of agnes and her parents; the old lady, after she had been informed of the conduct of friar thomaso, having turned round in our hero's favour, and made a vow never to have a confessor in the house again. jack and gascoigne were now as happy as could be; all their alarm was about mesty, for whose return they were most anxious. to don rebiera jack made known formally his intentions with regard to agnes. he fully satisfied him as to his qualifications and his property, and don rebiera was fully aware of his debt of gratitude to our hero. but all he required was the consent of jack's father, and until this was obtained, he would not consent to the marriage taking place. jack attempted to argue the point; his father, he said, had married without consulting him, and therefore he had a right to marry without consulting his father. but don rebiera, not having any acquaintance with the rights of man and equality, did not feel the full force of jack's argument, and made it a _sine qua non_ that his parents should write and consent to the alliance before it took place. chapter thirty three. in which mesty should be called throughout mephistopheles, for it abounds in black cloaks, disguises, daggers, and dark deeds. on the fourth evening after the removal of our two midshipmen to the palazzo of don rebiera, as they were sitting in company with agnes and don philip in their own room, a friar made his appearance at the door. they all started, for by his height they imagined him to be the friar thomaso, but no one addressed him. the friar shut the door without saying a word, and then lifting up his cowl, which had been drawn over it, discovered the black face of mesty. agnes screamed, and all sprang from their seats at this unusual and unexpected apparition. mesty grinned, and there was that in his countenance which said that he had much to communicate. "where is the friar, mesty?" inquired easy. "stop a little, massa--suppose we lock door first, and den i tell all." taking this precaution, mesty threw off the friar's gown, and appeared in his own dress, with the bag of dollars slung round his body. "now, massa easy, i hab a long tory to tell--so i tink i better begin at the beginning." "it is the most approved method," replied jack; "but stop when i hold up my finger, that we may translate what you say to the lady and don philip." "dat all right, sar. friar and i get on two mule as soon as it quite dark. he make me carry all tousand dollars--and we ride out of town. we go up mountain and mountain, but the moon get up shine and we go on cheek by jowl--he nebber say one word, and i nebber say one word, 'cause i no speak his lingo, and he no understand my english. about two o'clock in de morning, we stop at a house and stay dere till eight o'clock, and den we go on again all next day, up all mountain, only stop once, eat a bit bread and drink lilly wine. second night come on, and den we stop again, and people bow very low to him, and woman bring in rabbit for make supper. i go in the kitchen, woman make stew smell very nice, so i nod my head, and i say very good, and she make a face, and throw on table black loaf of bread and garlic, and make sign dat for my supper; good enough for black fellow, and dat rabbit stew for friar. den i say to myself, stop a little; suppose friar hab all de rabbit, i tink i give him a lilly powder." "the powder, mesty?" exclaimed jack. "what does he say?" inquired don philip. gascoigne translated all that mesty had communicated. the interest of the narrative now became exciting. mesty continued: "well, massa easy, den woman she go for dish to put stew in, and i take de powder and drop it in de pot, and den i sit down again and eat black bread, she say good enough for black man. she stir up de stew once more, and den she pour it out into dish, and take it to friar. he lick um chops, by all de powers, and he like um so well he pick all de bones, and wipe up gravy with him bread. you tink it very nice, massa friar, tink i; but stop a little. after he drink a whole bottle of wine he tell em bring mules to de door, and he put him hands on de woman head, and dat de way he pay for him supper. "the moon shone bright, and we go up all mountain, always go up, and 'bout two hour, he got off him mule and he put him hand so, and set down on de rock. he twist, and he turn and he groan for half an hour, and den he look at me, as much as to say, you black villain, you do this? for he not able to speak, and den i pull out de paper of de powder, and i show him, and make him sign he swallow it: he look again, and i laugh at him--and he die." "oh mesty, mesty," exclaimed our hero; "you should not have done that-- there will be mischief come from it." "now he dead, massa easy, so much less mischief." gascoigne then interpreted to don philip and agnes, the former of whom looked very grave and the latter terrified. "let him go on," said don philip; "i am most anxious to hear what he did with the body." mesty, at the request of our hero, proceeded: "den i thought what i should do, and i said i would hide him, and i tink i take his coat for myself--so i pull off him coat and i pull off all his oder clothes--he not wear many--and i take the body in my arm and carry him where i find a great split in de rock above all road. i throw him in, and den i throw plenty large pieces rock on him till i no see him any more; den i take de two mules and get on mine wid de dollars, and lead the other three four mile, till i come to a large wood--take off him saddle and bridle, turn him adrift. den i tear up all clothes all in lilly bits, hide one piece here, noder piece dere, and de saddle and bridle in de bush. all right now, i say; so put on friar cloak, hide my face, get on my mule, and den i look where i shall go--so i say, i not be in dis road anyhow. i passed through wood till i find nother. i go 'bout two mile--moon go down, all dark, and five six men catch hold my bridle, and they all got arms, so i do nothing--they speak to me, but i no answer, and neber show my face. they find all dollars (damn um) fast enough, and they lead me away through the wood. last we come to large fire in de wood, plenty of men lie 'bout, some eat and some drink. they pull me off, and i hold down my head and fold my arms, just like friar do. they bring me along to one man, and pour out all my dollar before him. he give some order, and they take me away, and i peep through the cloak, and i say to myself, he that damn galley--slave rascal don silvio." "don silvio!" cried jack. "what does he say of don silvio?" demanded don philip. mesty's narrative was again translated, and he continued. "dey lead me away 'bout fifty yards, tie me to tree, and den dey leave me, and dey all drink and make merry, neber offer me anyting; so i hab noting den to eat. i eat de ropes and gnaw them through, and den i stay there two hour until all go asleep, and all quiet; for i say to myself, stop a little. den when dey all fast asleep, i take out my knife and i crawl 'long de ground, as we do in our country sometime--and den i stop and look 'bout me; no man watch but two, and dey look out for squarl, not look in board where i was. i crawl 'gain till i lay down 'longside that damn galley-slave don silvio. he lie fast asleep with my bag thousand dollars under him head. so i tink, `you not hab dem long, you rascal.' i look round--all right, and i drive my knife good aim into him heart, and press toder hand on him mouth, but he make no noise; he struggle little and look up, and den i throw off de head of de gown and show him my black face, and he look and he try to speak; but i stop dat, for down go my knife, again, and de damn galley-slave dead as herring." "stop, mesty, we must tell this to don philip," said gascoigne. "dead, don silvio dead! well, mesty, we are eternally obliged to you, for there was no safety for my father while he was living. let him go on." "so when i put de knife through his body, i lie down by him, as if noting had happened, for ten minute, and den i take de bag of dollars from under him head, and den i feel him all over, and i find him pistols and him purse, which i hab here, all gold. so i take them and i look-- all asleep, and i crawl back to de tree. den i stay to tink a little; de man on watch come up and look at me, but he tink all right and he go away again. lucky ting, by de power, dat i go back to tree. i wait again, and den i crawl and crawl till i clear of all, and den i take to my heel and run for um life, till daylight come, and den i so tired i lie down in bush: i stay in bush all day, and den i set off again back here, for i find road and know my way. i not eat den for one day and one night, and come to house where i put my head in and find woman there. i not able to speak, so i help myself, and not show my face. she not like dat and make a bobbery, but i lift up my cloak and show my black face and white teeth, and den she tink me de debil. she ran out of de house and i help myself very quick, and den set off and come close here yesterday morning. i hide myself all day and come in at night, and now, massa easy, you ab all de whole truth--and you ab your tousand dollars--and you ab got rid of de rascal friar and de damn galley-slave don silvio." "tell them all this, ned," said jack, who, whilst gascoigne was so employed, talked with mesty. "i was very much frightened for you, mesty," said jack; "but still i thought you quite as cunning as the friar, and so it has turned out; but the thousand dollars ought to be yours." "no, sar," replied mesty, "the dollars not mine; but i hab plenty of gold in don silvio's purse--plenty, plenty of gold. i keep my property, massa easy, and you keep yours." "i'm afraid that this affair may be found out, mesty; the woman will spread the report of having been attacked by a black friar, and that will lead to suspicion, as the other friars of the convent knew that you left with friar thomaso." "so i tink dat, but when a man starve, he quite forget his thought." "i don't blame you; but now i must talk to don philip." "suppose you no objection, while you talk i eat something from the table then, massa easy; for i hungry enough to eat de friar, mule and all." "eat, my good fellow, and drink as much as you please." the consultation between our two midshipmen and don philip was not long: they perceived the immediate necessity for the departure of mesty, and the suspicion which would attach to themselves. don philip and agnes left them, to go to don rebiera, and make him acquainted with what had passed, and to ask his advice. when they went into the room, don rebiera immediately accosted his son. "have you heard, philip, that friar thomaso has returned at last?--so the servants tell me." "the report may be fortunate," replied don philip; "but i have another story to tell you." he then sat down and imparted to don rebiera all the adventures of mesty. don rebiera was for some time in deep thought; at last he replied: "that don silvio is no more is fortunate, and the negro would be entitled to reward for his destruction--but for the friar, that is a bad business. the negro might remain and tell the whole story, and the facts might be proved by the evidence of signor easy and the letters; but what then? we should raise the whole host of the clergy against our house, and we have suffered too much from them already; the best plan would be the immediate departure, not only of the negro, but of our two young friends. the supposition of friar thomaso being here, and their departure with the negro servant to rejoin their ship, will remove much suspicion and destroy all inquiry. they must be off immediately. go to them, philip, and point out to them the absolute necessity of this measure, and tell our young friend that i rigidly adhere to my promise, and as soon as he has his father's sanction i will bestow upon him my daughter. in the meantime i will send down and see if a vessel can be chartered for malta." our hero and gascoigne fully admitted the wisdom of this measure, and prepared for their departure; indeed, now that don rebiera's resolution had been made known to our hero, he cared more for obtaining his father's consent than he did for remaining to enjoy himself at palermo, and before noon of the next day all was ready, the vessel had been procured, jack took his leave of agnes and her mother, and accompanied by don rebiera and don philip (for don martin was on duty a few miles from palermo), went down to the beach, and having bid them farewell embarked with gascoigne and mesty on board of the two-masted lateen which had been engaged, and before sunset not a steeple of palermo was to be seen. "what are you thinking of, jack?" said gascoigne, after our hero had been silent half an hour. "i have been thinking, ned, that we are well out of it." "so do i," replied gascoigne; and here the conversation dropped for a time. "what are you thinking of now, jack?" said gascoigne after a long pause. "i've been thinking that i've a good story for the old governor." "very true," replied gascoigne; and both were again silent for some time. "what are you thinking of now, jack?" said gascoigne, after another long interval. "i've been thinking that i shall leave the service," replied jack. "i wish you would take me with you," replied gascoigne, with a sigh; and again they were both in deep contemplation. "what are you thinking of now, jack?" said gascoigne again. "of agnes," replied our hero. "well, if that's the case i'll call you when supper's ready. in the meantime i'll go and talk with mesty." chapter thirty four. jack leaves the service, in which he had no business, and goes home to mind his own business. on the fourth day they arrived at malta, and our two midshipmen, as soon as they had settled with the padrone of the vessel, went up to the government-house. they found the governor in the veranda, who held out both his hands, one to each. "glad to see you, my lads. well, jack, how's the leg, all right? don't limp. and your arm, gascoigne?" "all right, sir, and as sound as ever it was," replied they both. "then you're in luck, and have made more haste than you deserve, after your mad pranks; but now sit down, and i suppose, my friend jack, you have a story to tell me." "oh, yes, sir thomas, and a very long one." "then i won't have it now, for i expect people on business; we'll have it after dinner. get your things up and take possession of your rooms. the _aurora_ sailed four days ago. you've had a wonderful recovery." "wonderful, sir!" replied our hero; "all palermo rings with it." "well, you may go now--i shall see you at dinner. wilson will be delighted when he hears that you have got round again, for he was low-spirited about it, i can tell you, which is more than you deserve." "he's right there," said our hero to gascoigne as they walked away. when dinner was over, jack narrated to the governor the adventures of mesty, with which he was much interested; but when they were quite alone in the evening, the governor called our two midshipmen into the veranda, and said: "now, my lads, i'm not going to preach, as the saying is, but i've been long enough in the world to know that a compound fracture of the leg is not cured in fourteen or sixteen days. i ask you to tell me the truth. did not you deceive captain wilson on this point?" "i am ashamed to say that we did, sir," replied easy. "how did you manage that, and why?" jack then went into further details relative to himself and his amour, stating his wish to be left behind and all that had passed. "well, there's some excuse for you, but none for the surgeons. if any surgeon here had played such a trick, i would have hung him, as sure as i'm governor. this affair of yours has become serious. mr easy, we must have some conversation on the matter to-morrow morning." the next morning the packet from england was reported off the harbour's mouth. after breakfast the letters were brought on shore, and the governor sent for our hero. "mr easy, here are two letters for you, i am sorry to say with black seals. i trust that they do not bring the intelligence of the death of any very near relative." jack bowed without speaking, took the letters, and went to his room. the first he opened was from his father. "my dear john-- "you will be much grieved to hear that your poor mother, after sitting in the corner for nearly two years waiting for the millennium, appeared to pine away; whether from disappointment or not i do not know; but at last, in spite of all dr middleton could do, she departed this life; and, as the millennium would not come to her as she expected, it is to be hoped she is gone to the millennium. she was a good wife, and i always let her have her own way. dr middleton does not appear to be satisfied as to the cause of her death, and has wished to examine; but i said no, for i am a philosopher, and it is no use looking for causes after effects; but i have done since her death what she never would permit me to do during her life. i have had her head shaved, and examined it very carefully as a phrenologist, and most curiously has she proved the truth of the sublime science. i will give you the result. determination, very prominent; benevolence, small; caution, extreme; veneration, not very great; philo-progenitiveness, strange to say, is very large, considering she has but one child; imagination very strong: you know, my dear boy, she was always imagining some nonsense or another. her other organs were all moderate. poor dear creature! she is gone, and we may well wail, for a better mother or a better wife never existed. and now, my dear boy, i must request that you call for your discharge, and come home as soon as possible. i cannot exist without you, and i require your assistance in the grand work i have in contemplation. the time is at hand, the cause of equality will soon triumph; the abject slaves now hold up their heads; i have electrified them with my speeches, but i am getting old and feeble; i require my son to leave my mantle to, as one prophet did to another, and then i will, like him, ascend in glory.--your affectionate father:-- "nicodemus easy." from this it would appear, thought jack, that my mother is dead, and that my father is mad. for some time our hero remained in a melancholy mood; he dropped many tears to the memory of his mother, whom, if he had never respected, he had much loved; and it was not till half an hour had elapsed, that he thought of opening the other letter. it was from dr middleton. "my dear boy,-- "although not a correspondent of yours, i take the right of having watched you through all your childhood, and from a knowledge of your disposition, to write you a few lines. that you have by this time discarded your father's foolish, nonsensical philosophy, i am very sure. it was i who advised your going away for that purpose, and i am sure that, as a young man of sense and the heir to a large property, you will before this have seen the fallacy of your father's doctrines. your father tells me that he has requested you to come home, and allow me to add any weight i may have with you in persuading you to do the same. it is fortunate for you that the estate is entailed, or you might soon be a beggar, for there is no saying what debts he might, in his madness, be guilty of. he has already been dismissed from the magistracy by the lord lieutenant, in consequence of his haranguing the discontented peasantry, and, i may say, exciting them to acts of violence and insubordination. he has been seen dancing and hurrahing round a stack fired by an incendiary. he has turned away his keepers, and allowed all poachers to go over the manor. in short, he is not in his senses; and, although i am far from advising coercive measures, i do consider that it is absolutely necessary that you should immediately return home and look after what will one day be your property. you have no occasion to follow the profession with eight thousand pounds per annum. you have distinguished yourself--now make room for those who require it for their subsistence. god bless you. i shall soon hope to shake hands with you. "yours most truly:-- "g. middleton." there was matter for deep reflection in these two letters, and jack never felt before how much his father had been in the wrong. that he had gradually been weaned from his ideas was true, but still he had, to a certain degree, clung to them, as we do to a habit; but now he felt that his eyes were opened; the silly, almost unfeeling, letter of his father upon the occasion of his mother's death opened his eyes. for a long while jack was in a melancholy meditation, and then, casting his eyes upon his watch, he perceived that it was almost dinner-time. that he could eat his dinner was certain, and he scorned to pretend to feel what he did not. he therefore dressed himself and went down, grave, it is true, but not in tears. he spoke little at dinner, and retired as soon as it was over, presenting his two letters to the governor, and asking his advice for the next morning. gascoigne followed him, and to him he confided his trouble; and ned, finding that jack was very low-spirited, consoled him to the best of his power, and brought a bottle of wine which he procured from the butler. before they retired to bed, jack had given his ideas to his friend, which were approved of, and wishing him a good-night, he threw himself into bed, and was soon fast asleep. "one thing is certain, my good fellow," observed the governor to our hero, as he gave him back his letters at the breakfast table the next morning; "that your father is as mad as a march hare. i agree with that doctor, who appears a sensible man, that you had better go home immediately." "and leave the service altogether, sir?" replied jack. "why, i must say that i do not think you exactly fitted for it. i shall be sorry to lose you, as you have a wonderful talent for adventure, and i shall have no more yarns to hear when you return: but, if i understand right from captain wilson, you were brought into the profession because he thought that the service might be of use in eradicating false notions, rather than from any intention or necessity of your following it up as a profession." "i suspect that was the case, sir," replied jack; "as for my own part, i hardly know why i entered it." "to find a mare's nest, my lad; i've heard all about it; but never mind that, the question is now about your leaving it to look after your own property, and i think i may venture to say that i can arrange all that matter at once, without referring to admiral or captain. i will be responsible for you, and you may go home in the packet which sails on wednesday for england." "thank you, sir thomas, i am much obliged to you," replied jack. "you, mr gascoigne, i shall, of course, send out by the first opportunity to rejoin your ship." "thank you, sir thomas, i am much obliged to you," replied gascoigne, making a bow. "you'll break no more arms, if you please, sir," continued the governor; "a man in love may have some excuse for breaking his leg, but you had none." "i beg your pardon, sir; if mr easy was warranted in breaking his leg out of love, i submit that i could do no less than break my arm out of friendship." "hold your tongue, sir, or i'll break your head from the very opposite feeling," replied the governor, good-humouredly. "but observe, young man, i shall keep this affair secret, as in honour bound; but let me advise you, as you have only your profession to look to, to follow it up steadily. it is high time that you and mr easy were separated. he is independent of the service, and you are not. a young man possessing such ample means will never be fitted for the duties of a junior officer. he can do no good for himself, and is certain to do much harm to others: a continuance of his friendship would probably end in your ruin, mr gascoigne. you must be aware that if the greatest indulgence had not been shown to mr easy by his captain and first lieutenant, he never could have remained in the service so long as he has done." as the governor made the last remark in rather a severe tone, our two midshipmen were silent for a minute. at last jack observed, very quietly: "and yet, sir, i think, considering all, i have behaved pretty well." "you have behaved very well, my good lad, on all occasions in which your courage and conduct, as an officer, have been called forth. i admit it; and had you been sent to sea with a mind properly regulated, and without such an unlimited command of money, i have no doubt but that you would have proved an ornament to the service. even now i think you would, if you were to remain in the service under proper guidance and necessary restrictions, for you have, at least, learned to obey, which is absolutely necessary before you are fit to command. but recollect, what would your conduct have brought upon you if you had not been under the parental care of captain wilson? but let us say no more about that: a midshipman with the prospect of eight thousand pounds a year is an anomaly which the service cannot admit, especially when that midshipman is resolved to take to himself a wife." "i hope that you approve of that step, sir." "that entirely depends upon the merit of the party, which i know nothing of, except that she has a pretty face, and is of one of the best sicilian families. i think the difference of religion a ground of objection." "we will argue that point, sir," replied jack. "perhaps it will be the cause of more argument than you think for, mr easy; but every man makes his own bed, and as he makes it, so must he lie down in it." "what am i to do about mesty, sir? i cannot bear the idea of parting with him." "i am afraid that you must; i cannot well interfere there." "he is of little use to the service, sir; he has been sent to sick quarters as my servant: if he may be permitted to go home with me, i will procure his discharge as soon as i arrive, and send him on board the guard-ship till i obtain it." "i think that, on the whole, he is as well out of the service as in it, and therefore i will, on consideration, take upon myself the responsibility, provided you do as you say." the conversation was here ended, as the governor had business to attend to, and jack and gascoigne went to their rooms to make their arrangements. "the governor is right," observed gascoigne; "it is better that we part, jack. you have half unfitted me for the service already; i have a disgust of the midshipmen's berth; the very smell of pitch and tar has become odious to me. this is all wrong; i must forget you and all our pleasant cruises on shore, and once more swelter in my greasy jacket. when i think that if our pretended accidents were discovered, i should be dismissed the service, and the misery which that would cause to my poor father, i tremble at my escape. the governor is right, jack: we must part, but i hope you never will forget me." "my hand upon it, ned. command my interest, if ever i have any--my money--what i have, and the house, whether it belongs to me or my father--as far as you are concerned at least, i adhere to my notions of perfect equality." "and abjure them, i trust, jack, as a universal principle." "i admit, as the governor asserts, that my father is as mad as a march hare." "that is sufficient; you don't know how glad it makes me to hear you say that." the two friends were inseparable during the short time that they remained together. they talked over their future prospects, their hopes and anticipations, and when the conversation flagged, gascoigne brought up the name of agnes. mesty's delight at leaving the service, and going home with his patron, was indescribable. he laid out a portion of his gold in a suit of plain clothes, white linen shirts, and in every respect the wardrobe of a man of fashion; in fact, he was now a complete gentleman's gentleman; was very particular in frizzing his woolly hair--wore a white neckcloth, gloves, and cane. every one felt inclined to laugh when he made his appearance; but there was some in mesty's look, which, at all events, prevented their doing so before his face. the day for sailing arrived. jack took leave of the governor, thanking him for his great kindness, and stating his intention of taking malta in his way out to palermo in a month or two. gascoigne went on board with him, and did not go down the vessel's side till it was more than a mile clear of the harbour. chapter thirty five. mr. easy's wonderful invention fully explained by himself--much to the satisfaction of our hero, and, it is to be presumed, to that also of the reader. at last the packet anchored in falmouth roads. jack, accompanied by mesty, was soon on shore with his luggage, threw himself into the mail, arrived in london, and waiting there two or three days to obtain what he considered necessary from a fashionable tailor, ordered a chaise to forest hill. he had not written to his father to announce his arrival, and it was late in the morning when the chaise drew up at his father's door. jack stepped out and rang the bell. the servants who opened the door did not know him; they were not the same as those he left. "where is mr easy?" demanded jack. "who are you?" replied one of the men, in a gruff tone. "by de powers, you very soon find out who he is," observed mesty. "stay here, and i'll see if he is at home." "stay here! stay in the hall like a footman? what do you mean, you rascal?" cried jack, attempting to push by the man. "oh, that won't do here, master; this is equality hall; one man's as good as another." "not always," replied jack knocking him down. "take that for your insolence, pack up your traps, and walk out of the house to-morrow morning." mesty in the meantime, had seized the other by the throat. "what i do with this fellow, massa easy?" "leave him now, mesty; we'll settle their account to-morrow morning. i presume i shall find my father in the library." "his father!" said one of the men to the other; "he's not exactly a chip of the old block." "we shall have a change, i expect," replied the other, as they walked away. "mesty," cried jack, in an authoritative tone, "bring those two rascals back to take the luggage out of the chaise; pay the postilion, and tell the housekeeper to show you my room and yours. come to me for orders as soon as you have done this." "yes, sir," replied mesty. "now come here, you damn blackguard, and take tings out of chaise, or by de holy poker i choke your luff, both of you." the filed teeth, the savage look, and determination of mesty, had the due effect. the men sullenly returned and unloaded the chaise. in the meantime, jack walked into his father's study; his father was there--the study was lighted up with argand lamps, and jack looked with astonishment. mr easy was busy with a plaster cast of a human head, which he pored over, so that he did not perceive the entrance of his son. the cast of the skull was divided into many compartments, with writing on each; but what most astonished our hero was the alteration in the apartment. the book-cases and books had all been removed, and in the centre, suspended from the ceiling, was an apparatus which would have puzzled any one, composed of rods in every direction, with screws at the end of them, and also tubes in equal number, one of which communicated with a large air-pump, which stood on a table. jack took a short survey, and then walked up to his father and accosted him. "what!" exclaimed mr easy, "is it possible?--yes, it is my son john! i'm glad to see you, john--very glad indeed," continued the old gentleman, shaking him by both hands--"very glad that you have come home: i wanted you--wanted your assistance in my great and glorious project, which, i thank heaven, is now advancing rapidly. very soon shall equality and the rights of man be proclaimed everywhere. the pressure from without is enormous, and the bulwarks of our ridiculous and tyrannical constitution must give way. king, lords, and aristocrats; landholders, tithe-collectors, church and state, thank god, will soon be overthrown, and the golden age revived--the millennium, the true millennium--not what your poor mother talked about. i am at the head of twenty-nine societies, and if my health lasts, you will see what i will accomplish now that i have your assistance, jack;" and mr easy's eyes sparkled and flashed in all the brilliancy of incipient insanity. jack sighed, and to turn the conversation he observed, "you have made a great change in this room, sir. what may all this be for? is it a machine to improve equality and the rights of man?" "my dear son," replied mr easy, sitting down, and crossing his legs complacently, with his two hands under his right thigh, according to his usual custom when much pleased with himself--"why, my dear son, that is not exactly the case, and yet you have shown some degree of perception even in your guess; for if my invention succeeds, and i have no doubt of it, i shall have discovered the great art of rectifying the mistakes of nature, and giving an equality of organisation to the whole species, of introducing all the finer organs of humanity, and of destroying the baser. it is a splendid invention, jack, very splendid. they may talk of gall and spurzheim, and all those; but what have they done? nothing but divided the brain into sections, classed the organs, and discovered where they reside; but what good result has been gained from that? the murderer by nature remained a murderer--the benevolent man, a benevolent man--he could not alter his organisation. i have found out how to change all that." "surely, sir, you would not interfere with the organ of benevolence?" "but indeed i must, jack. i myself am suffering from my organ of benevolence being too large; i must reduce it, and then i shall be capable of greater things, shall not be so terrified by difficulties, shall overlook trifles, and only carry on great schemes for universal equality and the supreme rights of man. i have put myself into that machine every morning for two hours, for these last three months, and i feel now that i am daily losing a great portion." "will you do me the favour to explain an invention so extraordinary, sir," said our hero. "most willingly, my boy. you observe that in the centre there is a frame to confine the human head, somewhat larger than the head itself, and that the head rests upon the iron collar beneath. when the head is thus firmly fixed, suppose i want to reduce the size of any particular organ, i take the boss corresponding to where that organ is situated in the cranium, and fix it on it. for you will observe that all the bosses inside of the top of the frame correspond to the organs as described in this plaster-cast on the table. i then screw down pretty tight, and increase the pressure daily, until the organ disappears altogether, or is reduced to the size required." "i comprehend that part perfectly, sir," replied jack; "but now explain to me by what method you contrive to raise an organ which does not previously exist." "that," replied mr easy, "is the greatest perfection of the whole invention, for without i could do that, i could have done little. i feel convinced that this invention of mine will immortalise me. observe all these little bell-glasses which communicate with the air-pump. i shave my patient's head, grease it a little, and fix on the bell-glass, which is exactly shaped to fit the organ in length and breadth. i work the air-pump, and raise the organ by an exhausted receiver. it cannot fail. there is my butler, now; a man who escaped hanging last spring assizes on an undoubted charge of murder. i selected him on purpose; i have flattened down murder to nothing, and i have raised benevolence till it's like a wen." "i am afraid my poor father's head is an exhausted receiver," thought jack, who then replied, "well, sir, if it succeeds it will be a good invention." "if it succeeds!--why, it has succeeded!--it cannot fail. it has cost me near two thousand pounds. by-the-bye, jack, you have drawn very liberally lately, and i had some trouble, with my own expenses, to meet your bills; not that i complain--but what with societies, and my machine, and tenants refusing to pay their rents on the principle that the farms are no more mine than theirs, which i admit to be true, i have had some difficulty in meeting all demands." "the governor was right," thought jack, who now inquired after dr middleton. "ah, poor silly man! he's alive yet--i believe doing well. he is one who will interfere with the business of others, complains of my servants--very silly man indeed--but i let him have his own way. so i did your poor mother. silly woman, mrs easy--but never mind that." "if you please, sir, i have also a complaint to make of the servants for their insolence to me: but we will adjourn, if you please, as i wish to have some refreshment." "certainly, jack, if you are hungry; i will go with you. complain of my servants, say you?--there must be some mistake--they are all shaved, and wear wigs, and i put them in the machine every other morning; but i mean to make an alteration in one respect. you observe, jack, it requires more dignity: we must raise the whole machinery some feet, ascend it with state as a throne, for it is the throne of reason, the victory of mind over nature." "as you please, sir; but i am really hungry just now." jack and his father went into the drawing-room and rang the bell; not being answered, jack rose and rang again. "my dear sir," observed mr easy, "you must not be in a hurry; every man naturally provides for his own wants first, and afterwards for those of others. now my servants--" "are a set of insolent scoundrels, sir, and insolence i never permit. i knocked one down as i entered your house, and, with your permission, i will discharge two, at least, to-morrow." "my dear son," exclaimed mr easy, "you knocked my servant down!--are you not aware by the laws of equality--" "i am aware of this, my dear father," replied jack, "that by all the laws of society we have a right to expect civility and obedience from those we pay and feed." "pay and feed! why, my dear son--my dear jack--you must recollect--" "i recollect, sir, very well; but if your servants do not come to their recollection in a very short time, either i or they must quit the house." "but, my dear boy, have you forgotten the principles i instilled into you? did you not go to sea to obtain that equality foiled by tyranny and despotism here on shore? do you not acknowledge and support my philosophy?" "we'll argue that point to-morrow, sir--at present i want to obtain my supper;" and jack rang the bell furiously. the butler made his appearance at this last summons, and he was followed by mesty, who looked like a demon with anger. "mercy on me, whom have we here?" "my servant, father," exclaimed jack, starting up; "one that i can trust to, and who will obey me. mesty, i wish some supper and wine to be brought immediately--see that scoundrel gets it ready in a moment. if he does not, throw him out of the door, and lock him out. you understand me." "yes, massa," grinned mesty; "now you hab supper very quick, or mesty know the reason why. follow me, sar," cried mesty, in an imperative tone to the butler; "quick, sar, or by de holy poker, i show you what mesty can do;" and mesty grinned in his wrath. "bring supper and wine immediately," said mr easy, giving an order such as the butler had never heard since he had been in the house. the butler quitted the room, followed by the ashantee. "my dear boy--my jack--i can make every allowance for hunger, it is often the cause of theft and crime in the present unnatural state of society--but really you are too violent. the principles--" "your principles are all confounded nonsense, father," cried jack in a rage. "what, jack! my son--what do i hear? this from you--nonsense! why, jack, what has captain wilson been doing with you?" "bringing me to my senses, sir." "oh, dear, oh, dear! my dear jack, you will certainly make me lose mine." "gone already," thought jack. "that you, my child, so carefully brought up in the great and glorious school of philosophy, should behave this way--should be so violent-- forget your sublime philosophy, and all--just like esau, selling your birthright for a mess of pottage. oh, jack, you'll kill me! and yet i love you, jack--whom else have i to love in this world? never mind, we'll argue the point, my boy--i'll convince you--in a week all will be right again." "it shall, sir, if i can manage it," replied jack. "that's right, i love to hear you say so--that's consoling, very consoling--but i think now i was wrong to let you go to sea, jack." "indeed you were not, father." "well, i'm glad to hear you say so; i thought they had ruined you, destroyed all your philosophy--but it will be all right again--you shall come to our societies, jack--i am president--you shall hear me speak, jack--you shall hear me thunder like demosthenes--but here comes the tray." the butler, followed by mesty, who attended him as if he was his prisoner, now made his appearance with the tray--laid it down in a sulky manner and retired. jack desired mesty to remain. "well, mesty, how are they getting on in the servants' hall?" "regular mutiny, sar--ab swear dat dey no stand our nonsense, and dat we both leave the house to-morrow." "do you hear, sir, your servants declare that i shall leave your house to-morrow." "you leave my house, jack, after four years' absence!--no, no. i'll reason with them--i'll make them a speech. you don't know how i can speak, jack." "look you, father, i cannot stand this; either give me a carte-blanche to arrange this household as i please, or i shall quit it myself to-morrow morning." "quit my house, jack! no, no--shake hands and make friends with them; be civil, and they will serve you--but you know upon the principles--" "principles of the devil!" cried jack in a rage. "of the devil, jack; dear me! i wish you had never gone to sea." "in one word, sir, do you consent, or am i to leave the house?" "leave the house! oh, no; not leave the house, jack. i have no son but you. then do as you please--but you must not send away my murderer, for i must have him cured, and shown as a proof of my wonderful invention." "mesty, get my pistols ready for to-morrow morning, and your own too--do ye hear?" "all ready, massa," replied mesty; "i tink dat right." "right!--pistols, jack! what do you mean?" "it is possible, father, that you may not have yet quite cured your murderer, and therefore it is as well to be prepared. i will now wish you goodnight; but before i go, you will be pleased to summon one of the servants that he may inform the others that the household is under my control for the future." the bell was again rung, and was this time answered with more expedition. jack told the servant, in the presence of his father, that, with the consent of the latter, he should hereafter take the whole control of the establishment, and that mesty would be the major-domo from whom they would receive their orders. the man stared, and cast an appealing look to mr easy, who hesitated, and at last said: "yes, william; you'll apologise to all, and say that i have made the arrangement." "you apologise to none, sir," cried jack; "but tell them that i will arrange the whole business to-morrow morning. tell the woman to come here and show me my bedroom. mesty, get your supper and then come up to me; if they dare to refuse you, recollect who does, and point them out to-morrow morning. that will do, sir; away with you, and bring flat candlesticks." chapter thirty six. in which jack takes up the other side of the argument, and proves that he can argue as well on one side as the other. this scene may give some idea of the state of mr easy's household upon our hero's arrival. the poor lunatic, for such we must call him, was at the mercy of his servants, who robbed, laughed at, and neglected him. the waste and expense were enormous. our hero, who found how matters stood, went to bed, and lay the best part of the night revolving what to do. he determined to send for dr middleton, and consult him. the next morning jack rose early; mesty was in the room, with warm water, as soon as he rang. "by de power, massa easy, your fader very silly old man." "i'm afraid so," replied jack. "he not right here," observed mesty, putting his fingers to his head. jack sighed, and desired mesty to send one of the grooms up to the door. when the man knocked he desired him to mount a horse and ride over to dr middleton, and request his immediate attendance. the man, who was really a good servant, replied, "yes, sir," very respectfully, and hastened away. jack went down to breakfast, and found it all ready, but his father was not in the room: he went to his study, and found him occupied with a carpenter who was making a sort of a frame as the model of the platform or dais to be raised under the wonderful invention. mr easy was so busy that he could not come to breakfast, so jack took his atone. an hour after this dr middleton's carriage drove up to the door. the doctor heartily greeted our hero. "my dear sir--for so i suppose i must now call you--i am heartily glad that you have returned. i can assure you that it is not a moment too soon." "i have found that out already, doctor," replied jack: "sit down. have you breakfasted?" "no, i have not; for i was so anxious to see you, that i ordered my carriage at once." "then sit down, doctor, and we will talk over matters quietly." "you, of course, perceive the state of your father. he has been some time quite unfit to manage his own affairs." "so i am afraid." "what do you intend to do then--put them in the hands of trustees?" "i will be trustee for myself, dr middleton. i could not do the other without submitting my poor father to a process and confinement which i cannot think of." "i can assure you that there are not many in bedlam worse than he is; but i perfectly agree with you; that is, if he will consent to your taking charge of the property." "a power of attorney will be all that is requisite," replied jack; "that is, as soon as i have rid the house of the set of miscreants who are in it, and who are now in open mutiny." "i think," replied the doctor, "that you will have some trouble. you know the character of the butler." "yes, i have it from my father's own mouth. i really should take it as a great favour, dr middleton, if you could stay here a day or two. i know that you have retired from practice." "i would have made the same offer, my young friend. i will come here with two of my servants; for you must discharge these." "i have one of my own who is worth his weight in gold--that will be sufficient. i will dismiss every man you think i ought, and as for the women, we can give them warning, and replace them at leisure." "that is exactly what i should propose," replied the doctor. "i will now go, if you please, procure the assistance of a couple of constables, and also of your father's former, legal adviser, who shall prepare a power of attorney." "yes," replied jack, "and we must then find out the tenants who refuse to pay upon the principles of equality, and he shall serve them with notice immediately." "i am rejoiced, my dear young friend, to perceive that your father's absurd notions have not taken root." "they lasted some time nevertheless, doctor," replied jack, laughing. "well then, i will only quit you for an hour or two, and then, as you wish it, will take up my quarters here as long as you find me useful." in the forenoon, dr middleton again made his appearance, accompanied by mr hanson, the solicitor, bringing with him his portmanteau and his servants. mr easy had come into the parlour, and was at breakfast when they entered. he received them very coolly; but a little judicious praise of the wonderful invention had its due effect; and after jack had reminded him of his promise that in future he was to control the household, he was easily persuaded to sign the order for his so doing-- that is, the power of attorney. mr easy also gave up to jack the key of his secretary, and mr hanson possessed himself of the books, papers, and receipts necessary to ascertain the state of his affairs, and the rents which had not yet been paid up. in the meantime the constables arrived. the servants were all summoned; mr hanson showed them the power of attorney empowering jack to act for his father, and in less than half an hour afterwards all the men-servants, but two grooms, were dismissed: the presence of the constables and mesty prevented any resistance, but not without various threats on the part of the butler, whose name was o'rourke. thus, in twenty-four hours, jack had made a reformation in the household. mr easy took no notice of anything; he returned to his study and his wonderful invention. mesty had received the keys of the cellar, and had now complete control over those who remained. dr middleton, mr hanson, mr easy, and jack, sat down to dinner, and everything wore the appearance of order and comfort. mr easy ate very heartily, but said nothing till after dinner, when, as was his usual custom, he commenced arguing upon the truth and soundness of his philosophy. "by-the-bye, my dear son, if i recollect right, you told me last night that you were no longer of my opinion. now, if you please, we will argue this point." "i'll argue the point with all my heart, sir," replied jack; "will you begin?" "let's fill our glasses," cried mr easy triumphantly; "let's fill our glasses, and then i will bring jack back to the proper way of thinking. now then, my son, i trust you will not deny that we were all born equal." "i do deny it, sir," replied jack; "i deny it _in toto_--i deny it from the evidence of our own senses, and from the authority of scripture. to suppose all men were born equal is to suppose that they are equally endowed with the same strength and with the same capacity of mind, which we know is not the case. i deny it from scripture, from which i could quote many passages; but i will restrict myself to one--the parable of the talents: `to one he gave five talents, to another but one,' holding them responsible for the trust reposed in them. we are all intended to fill various situations in society, and are provided by heaven accordingly." "that may be," replied mr easy; "but that does not prove that the earth was not intended to be equally distributed among all alike." "i beg your pardon; the proof that that was not the intention of providence is that that equality, allowing it to be put in practice, could never be maintained." "not maintained!--no, because the strong oppress the weak, tyrants rise up and conquer--men combine to do wrong." "not so, my dear father; i say it could not be maintained without the organisation of each individual had been equalised and several other points established. for instance, allowing that every man had, _ab origine_, a certain portion of ground, he who was the strongest or the cleverest would soon cause his to yield more than others would, and thus the equality be destroyed. again, if one couple had ten children, and another had none, then again would equality be broken in upon, as the land that supports two in the one instance, would have to feed twelve in the other. you perceive, therefore, that without rapine or injustice your equality could not be preserved." "but, jack, allowing that there might be some diversity from such causes, that would be a very different thing from the present monstrous state of society, in which we have kings, and lords, and people, rolling in wealth, while others are in a state of pauperism, and obliged to steal for their daily bread." "my dear father, i consider that it is to this inequality that society owes its firmest cementation, that we are enabled to live in peace and happiness, protected by just laws, each doing his duty in that state of life to which he is called, rising above or sinking in the scale of society according as he has been entrusted with the five talents or the one. equality can and does exist nowhere. we are told that it does not exist in heaven itself--how can it exist upon earth?" "but that is only asserted, jack, and it is not proof that it ought not to exist." "let us argue the point, father, coolly. let us examine a little what would be the effect if all was equality. were all equal in beauty, there would be no beauty, for beauty is only by comparison--were all equal in strength, conflicts would be interminable--were all equal in rank, and power, and possessions, the greatest charms of existence would be destroyed--generosity, gratitude, and half the finer virtues would be unknown. the first principle of our religion, charity, could not be practised--pity would never be called forth--benevolence, your great organ, would be useless, and self-denial a blank letter. were all equal in ability, there would be no instruction, no talent--no genius--nothing to admire, nothing to copy, to respect--nothing to rouse emulation or stimulate to praiseworthy ambition. why, my dear father, what an idle, unprofitable, weary world would this be, if it were based on equality!" "but, allowing all that, jack," replied mr easy, "and i will say you argue well in a bad cause, why should the inequality be carried so far? king and lords, for instance." "the most lasting and imperishable form of building is that of the pyramid, which defies ages, and to that may the most perfect form of society be compared. it is based upon the many, and rising by degrees, it becomes less as wealth, talent, and rank increase in the individual, until it ends at the apex, or monarch, above all. yet each several stone from the apex to the base is necessary for the preservation of the structure, and fulfils its duty in its allotted place. could you prove that those at the summit possess the greatest share of happiness in this world, then, indeed, you have a position to argue on; but it is well known that such is not the case; and, provided he is of a contented mind, the peasant is more happy than the king, surrounded as the latter is by cares and anxiety." "very well argued indeed, my dear sir," observed dr middleton. "but, my dear boy, there are other states of society than monarchy; we have republics and despotisms." "we have, but how long do they last, compared to the first? there is a cycle in the changes which never varies. a monarchy may be overthrown by a revolution, and republicanism succeed, but that is shortly followed by despotism, till, after a time, monarchy succeeds again by unanimous consent, as the most legitimate and equitable form of government; but in none of these do you find a single advance to equality. in a republic those who govern are more powerful than the rulers in a restricted monarchy--a president is greater than a king, and next to a despot, whose will is law. even in small societies you find that some will naturally take the lead and assume domination. we commence the system at school, when we are first thrown into society, and there we are taught systems of petty tyranny. there are some few points in which we can obtain equality in this world, and that equality can only be obtained under a well-regulated form of society, and consists in an equal administration of justice and of laws to which we have agreed to submit for the benefit of the whole--the equal right to live and not be permitted to starve, which has been obtained in this country. and when we are all called to account, we shall have equal justice. now, my dear father, you have my opinion." "yes, my dear, this is all very well in the abstract; but how does it work?" "it works well. the luxury, the pampered state, the idleness--if you please, the wickedness of the rich, all contribute to the support, the comfort, and employment of the poor. you may behold extravagance--it is a vice; but that very extravagance circulates money, and the vice of one contributes to the happiness of many. the only vice which is not redeemed by producing commensurate good, is avarice. if all were equal there would be no arts, no manufactures, no industry, no employment. as it is, the inequality of the distribution of wealth may be compared to the heart, pouring forth the blood like a steam-engine through the human frame, the same blood returning from the extremities by the veins, to be again propelled, and keep up a healthy and vigorous circulation." "bravo, jack!" said dr middleton. "have you anything to reply, sir?" continued he, addressing mr easy. "to reply, sir?" replied mr easy with scorn, "why, he has not given me half an argument yet--why, that black servant even laughs at him--look at him there, showing his teeth. can he forget the horrors of slavery? can he forget the base unfeeling lash?--no, sir, he has suffered, and he can estimate the divine right of equality. ask him now, ask him if you dare, jack, whether he will admit the truth of your argument." "well, i'll ask him," replied jack, "and i tell you candidly that he was once one of your disciples. mesty, what's your opinion of equality?" "equality, massa easy?" replied mesty, pulling up his cravat; "i say damn equality, now i major domo." "the rascal deserves to be a slave all his life." "true, i ab been slave--but i a prince in my own country--massa easy tell how many skulls i have." "skulls--skulls--do you know anything of the sublime science; are you a phrenologist?" "i know man's skull very well in ashantee country, anyhow." "then if you know that, you must be one. i had no idea that the science had extended so far--maybe it was brought from thence. i will have some talk with you to-morrow. this is very curious, dr middleton, is it not?" "very, indeed, mr easy." "i shall feel his head to-morrow after breakfast, and if there is anything wrong i shall correct it with my machine. by-the-bye, i have quite forgot, gentlemen; you will excuse me, but i wish to see what the carpenter has done for me, and after that i shall attend the meeting of the society. jack, my boy, won't you come and hear my speech." "thank you, sir, but i cannot well leave your friends." mr easy quitted the room. "are you aware, my dear sir, that your father has opened his preserves to all the poachers?" said mr hanson. "the devil he has!" "yes, he has allowed several gangs of gipsies to locate themselves in his woods, much to the annoyance of the neighbourhood, who suffer from their depredations," continued dr middleton. "i find, by the receipts and books, that there is nearly two years' rental of the estate due; some tenants have paid up in full, others not for four years. i reckon fourteen thousand pounds still in arrear." "you will oblige me by taking immediate steps, mr hanson, for the recovery of the sums due." "most certainly, mr john. i trust your father will not commit himself to-night as he has done lately." when they rose to retire dr middleton took our hero by the hand. "you do not know, my dear fellow, what pleasure it gives me to find that, in spite of the doting of your mother and the madness of your father, you have turned out so well. it is very fortunate that you have come home; i trust you will now give up the profession." "i have given it up, sir; which, by-the-bye, reminds me that i have not applied for either my discharge or that of my servant; but i cannot spare time yet, so i shall not report myself." chapter thirty seven. in which our hero finds himself an orphan, and resolves to go to sea again, without the smallest idea of equality. the next morning, when they met at breakfast, mr easy did not make his appearance, and jack inquired of mesty where he was? "they say down below that the old gentleman not come home last night." "did not come home!" said dr middleton, "this must be looked to." "he great rascal dat butler man," said mesty to jack; "but de old gentleman not sleep in his bed, dat for sure." "make inquiries when he went out," said jack. "i hope no accident has happened," observed mr hanson; "but his company has lately been very strange." "nobody see him go out, sar, last night," reported mesty. "very likely he is in his study," observed dr middleton; "he may have remained all night, fast asleep, by his wonderful invention." "i'll go and see," replied jack. dr middleton accompanied him, and mesty followed. they opened, the door, and beheld a spectacle which made them recoil with horror. there was mr easy, with his head in the machine, the platform below fallen from under him, hanging, with his toes just touching the ground. dr middleton hastened to him, and, assisted by mesty and our hero, took him out of the steel collar which was round his neck; but life had been extinct for many hours, and, on examination, it was found that the poor old gentleman's neck was dislocated. it was surmised that the accident must have taken place the evening before, and it was easy to account for it. mr easy, who had had the machine raised four feet higher, for the platform and steps to be placed underneath, must have mounted on the frame modelled by the carpenter for his work, and have fixed his head in, for the knob was pressed on his bump of benevolence. the framework, hastily put together with a few short nails, had given way with his weight, and the sudden fall had dislocated his neck. mr hanson led away our hero, who was much shocked at this unfortunate and tragical end of his poor father, while dr middleton ordered the body to be taken up into a bedroom, and immediately despatched a messenger to the coroner of the county. poor mr easy had told his son but the day before that he felt convinced that this wonderful invention would immortalise him, and so it had, although not exactly in the sense that he anticipated. we must pass over the few days of sorrow, and closed shutters, which always are given to these scenes. the coroner's inquest and the funeral over, daylight was again admitted, our hero's spirits revived, and he found himself in possession of a splendid property, and his own master. he was not of age, it is true, for he wanted nine months; but on opening the will of his father, he found that dr middleton was his sole guardian. mr hanson, on examining and collecting the papers, which were in the greatest confusion, discovered bank-notes in different corners, and huddled up with bills and receipts, to the amount of two thousand pounds, and further, a cheque signed by captain wilson on his banker, for the thousand pounds advanced by mr easy, dated more than fifteen months back. dr middleton wrote to the admiralty, informing them that family affairs necessitated mr john easy, who had been left at sick quarters, to leave his majesty's service, requesting his discharge from it forthwith. the admiralty was graciously pleased to grant the request, and lose the services of a midshipman. the admiralty were also pleased to grant the discharge of mesty, on the sum required for a substitute being paid in. the gipsies were routed out of their abodes, and sent once more to wander. the gamekeepers were restored, the preserves cleared of all poachers, and the gentry of the county were not a little pleased at jack's succession, for they had wished that mr easy's neck had been broken long ago. the societies were dissolved, since, now that mr easy paid no longer for the beer, there was nothing to meet for. cards and compliments were sent from all parts of the county, and every one was anxious that our hero should come of age, as then he would be able to marry, to give dinners, subscribe to the fox-hounds, and live as a gentleman ought to do. but, during all these speculations, jack had made dr middleton acquainted with the history of his amour with agnes de rebiera, and all particulars connected therewith, also with his determination to go out to bring her home as his wife. dr middleton saw no objection to the match, and he perceived that our hero was sincere. and jack had made inquiries when the packet would sail for malta, when mesty, who stood behind his chair, observed: "packet bad vessel, massa easy. why not go out in man-of-war?" "very true," replied jack; "but you know, mesty, that is not so easy." "and den how come home, sar. suppose you and missy agnes taken prisoner--put in prison?" "very true," replied jack; "and as for a passage home in a man-of-war that will be more difficult still." "den i tink, sar, suppose you buy one fine vessel--plenty of guns--take out letter of marque--plenty of men, and bring missy agnes home like a lady. you captain of your own ship." "that deserves consideration, mesty," replied jack, who thought of it during that night; and the next day resolved to follow mesty's advice. the portsmouth paper lay on the breakfast-table. jack took it up, and his eye was caught by an advertisement for the sale of the _joan d'arc_, prize to h.m. ship _thetis_, brigantine of tons, copper-bottomed, armed _en flute_, with all her stores, spars, sails, running and standing rigging, then lying in the harbour of portsmouth, to take place on the following wednesday. jack rang the bell, and ordered post-horses. "where are you going, my dear boy?" inquired dr middleton. "to portsmouth, doctor." "and pray what for, if not an impertinent question?" jack then gave dr middleton an insight into his plan, and requested that he would allow him to do so, as there was plenty of ready-money. "but the expense will be enormous." "it will be heavy, sir, i grant; but i have calculated it pretty nearly, and i shall not spend at the rate of more than my income. besides, as letter of marque, i shall have the right of capture; in fact, i mean to take out a privateer's regular licence." "but not to remain there and cruise?" "no, upon my honour; i am too anxious to get home again. you must not refuse me, my dear guardian." "as a lady is in the case, i will not, my dear boy; but be careful what you are about." "never fear, sir, i will be back in four months, at the furthest; but i must now set off and ascertain if the vessel answers the description given in the advertisement." jack threw himself into the chariot. mesty mounted into the rumble, and in two hours they were at portsmouth; went to the agent, viewed the vessel, which proved to be a very fine fast-sailing craft, well found, with six brass carronades on each side. the cabins were handsome, fitted up with bird's-eye maple and gilt mouldings. this will do, thought jack; a couple of long brass nines, forty men and six boys, and she will be just the thing we require. so mesty and jack went on shore again, and returned to forest hill to dinner, when he desired mr hanson to set off for portsmouth, and bid at the sale for the vessel, as he wished to purchase her. this was monday, and on wednesday mr hanson purchased her, as she stood, for pounds, which was considered about half her value. dr middleton had, in the meantime, been thinking very seriously of jack's project. he could see no objection to it, provided that he was steady and prudent, but in both these qualities jack had not exactly been tried. he therefore determined to look out for some steady naval lieutenant, and make it a _sine qua non_ that our hero should be accompanied by him, and that he should go out as sailing-master. now that the vessel was purchased, he informed jack of his wish; indeed, as dr middleton observed, his duty as guardian demanded this precaution, and our hero, who felt very grateful to dr middleton, immediately acquiesced. "and, by-the-bye, doctor, see that he is a good navigator; for although i can fudge a day's work pretty well, latterly i have been out of practice." every one was now busy. jack and mesty at portsmouth, fitting out the vessel, and offering three guineas a head to the crimps for every good able seaman--mr hanson obtaining the english register, and the letters of licence, and dr middleton in search of a good naval dry-nurse. jack found time to write to don philip and agnes, apprising them of the death of his father, and his intentions. in about six weeks all was ready, and the brigantine, which had taken out her british register and licence under the name of the _rebiera_, went out of harbour, and anchored at spithead. dr middleton had procured, as he thought, a very fit person to sail with jack, and our hero and mesty embarked, wishing the doctor and solicitor good-bye, and leaving them nothing to do but to pay the bills. the person selected by dr middleton, by the advice of an old friend of his, a purser in the navy who lived at southsea, was a lieutenant oxbelly, who, with the ship's company, which had been collected, received our hero as their captain and owner upon his arrival on board. there certainly was no small contrast between our hero's active slight figure and handsome person, set-off with a blue coat, something like the present yacht-club uniform, and that of his second in command, who waddled to the side to receive him. he was a very short man, with an uncommon protuberance of stomach, with shoulders and arms too short for his body, and hands much too large, more like the paws of a polar bear than anything else. he wore trousers, shoes, and buckles. on his head was a foraging cap, which, when he took it off, showed that he was quite bald. his age might be about fifty-five or sixty; his complexion florid, no whiskers and little beard, nose straight, lips thin, teeth black with chewing, and always a little brown dribble from the left corner of his mouth (there was a leak there, he said). altogether his countenance was prepossessing, for it was honest and manly, but his waist was preposterous. "steady enough," thought jack, as he returned mr oxbelly's salute. "how do you do, sir?" said jack, "i trust we shall be good shipmates," for jack had not seen him before. "mr easy," replied the lieutenant, "i never quarrel with any one, except (i won't tell a story) with my wife." "i am sorry that you have ever domestic dissensions, mr oxbelly." "and i only quarrel with her at night, sir. she will take up more than her share of the bed, and won't allow me to sleep single; but never mind that, sir; now will you please to muster the men?" "if you please, mr oxbelly." the men were mustered, and jack made them a long speech upon subordination, discipline, activity, duty, and so forth. "a very good speech, mr easy," said mr oxbelly, as the men went forward; "i wish my wife had heard it. but, sir, if you please, we'll now get under way as fast as we can, for there is a channel cruiser working up at st. helen's, and we may give him the go-by by running through the needles." "but what need we care for the channel cruiser?" "you forget, sir, that as soon as she drops her anchor she will come on board and take a fancy to at least ten of our men." "but they are protected." "yes, sir, but that's no protection nowadays. i have sailed in a privateer at least three years, and i know that they have no respect for letters of marque or for privateers." "i believe you are right, mr oxbelly, so if you please we will up with the anchor at once." the crew of the _rebiera_ had been well chosen; they were prime men-of-war's men, most of whom had deserted from the various ships on the station, and, of course, were most anxious to be off. in a few minutes the _rebiera_ was under way with all sail set below and aloft. she was in excellent trim, and flew through the water; the wind was fair, and by night they had passed portland lights, and the next morning were steering a course for the bay of biscay without having encountered what they feared more than an enemy--a british cruiser to overhaul them. "i think we shall do now, sir," observed mr oxbelly to our hero; "we have made a famous run. it's twelve o'clock, and if you please i'll work the latitude and let you know what it is. we must shape our course so as not to run in with the brest squadron. a little more westing, sir. i'll be up in one minute. my wife--but i'll tell you about that when i come up. "latitude degrees minutes, sir. i was about to say that my wife, when she was on board of the privateer that i commanded--" "board of the privateer, mr oxbelly?" "yes, sir, would go; told her it was impossible, but she wouldn't listen to reason--came on board, flopped herself into the standing bed-place, and said that there she was for the cruise--little billy with her--" "what! your child, too?" "yes, two years old--fine boy--always laughed when the guns were fired, while his mother stood on the ladder and held him on the top of the booby-hatch." "i wonder that mrs oxbelly let you come here now?" "so you would, sir, but i'll explain that--she thinks i'm in london about my half-pay. she knows all by this time, and frets, i don't doubt; but that will make her thin, and then there will be more room in the bed. mrs oxbelly is a very stout woman." "why you are not a little man!" "no, not little--tending to be lusty, as the saying is--that is, in good condition. it's very strange that mrs oxbelly has an idea that she is not large. i cannot persuade her to it. that's the reason we always spar in bed. she says it is i, and i know that it is she, who takes the largest share of it." "perhaps you may both be right." "no, no, it is she who creates all the disturbance. if i get nearer to the wall she jams me up till i am as thin as a thread-paper. if i put her inside and stay outside, she cuts me out as you do a cask, by the chine, till i tumble out of bed." "why don't you make your bed larger, mr oxbelly?" "sir, i have proposed, but my wife will have it that the bed is large enough if i would not toss in my sleep. i can't convince her. however, she'll have it all to herself now. i slept well last night, for the first time since i left the _boadicea_." "the _boadicea_?" "yes, sir, i was second lieutenant of the _boadicea_ for three years." "she's a fine frigate, i'm told." "on the contrary, such a pinched-up little craft below i never saw. why, mr easy, i could hardly get into the door of my cabin--and yet, as you must see, i'm not a large man." "good heavens! is it possible," thought jack, "that this man does not really know that he is monstrous?" yet such was the case. mr oxbelly had no idea that he was otherwise than in good condition, although he had probably not seen his knees for years. it was his obesity that was the great objection to him, for in every other point there was nothing against him. he had, upon one pretence and another, been shifted, by the manoeuvres of the captains, out of different ships, until he went up to the admiralty to know if there was any charge against him. the first lord at once perceived the charge to be preferred, and made a mark against his name as not fit for anything but harbour duty. out of employment, he had taken the command of a privateer cutter, when his wife who was excessively fond, would, as he said, follow him with little billy. he was sober, steady, knew his duty well; but he weighed twenty-six stone, and his weight had swamped him in the service. his wish, long indulged, had become, as shakespeare says, the father of his thought, and he had really at last brought himself to think that he was not by any means what could be considered a fat man. his wife, as he said, was also a very stout woman, and this exuberance of flesh on both sides, was the only, but continual, ground of dispute. chapter thirty eight. in which our hero, as usual, gets into the very middle of it. on the eleventh day the rebiera entered the straits, and the rock of gibraltar was in sight as the sun went down; after which the wind fell light, and about midnight it became calm, and they drifted up. at sunrise they were roused by the report of heavy guns, and perceived an english frigate about eight miles farther up the straits, and more in the mid-channel, engaging nine or ten spanish gunboats, which had come out from algesiras to attack her. it still continued a dead calm, and the boats of the frigate were all ahead towing her, so as to bring her broadside to bear upon the spanish flotilla. the reverberating of the heavy cannon on both sides over the placid surface of the water--the white smoke ascending as the sun rose in brilliancy in a clear blue sky--the distant echoes repeated from the high hills--had a very beautiful effect for those who are partial to the picturesque. but jack thought it advisable to prepare for action instead of watching for tints--and in a short time all was ready. "they'll not come to us, mr easy, as long as they have the frigate to hammer at; but still we had better be prepared, for we cannot well pass them without having a few shot. when i came up the straits in the privateer we were attacked by two, and fought them for three hours; their shot dashed the water over our decks till they were wet fore and aft, but somehow or another they never hit us--we were as low as they were. i'll be bound but they'll hull the frigate though. mrs oxbelly and billy were on deck the whole time--and billy was quite delighted, and cried when they took him down to breakfast." "why, mrs oxbelly must be very courageous." "cares neither for shot nor shell, sir, laughs when they whiz over her head, and tells billy to hark. but, sir, it's not surprising; her father is a major, and her two brothers are lieutenants in the bombardiers." "that, indeed," replied jack--"but see, there is a breeze springing up from the westward." "very true, mr easy, and a steady one it will be, for it comes up dark and slow; so much the better for the frigate, for she'll get little honour and plenty of mauling at this work." "i hope we shall take it up with us," observed jack; "how far do you reckon the gun-boats from the shore?" "i should think about five miles, or rather less." "trim sails, mr oxbelly--perhaps we may cut one or two of these off-- steer inshore of them." "exactly. up there, my lads, set top-gallant studding sails, top-mast studdings to hand-rig out the booms--keep as you go now, my lad--we shall be well inshore of them, and out of the range of the batteries." the breeze came down fresh, and all sail was set upon the _rebiera_. she took the wind down with her, and it passed her but little--half a mile ahead of them all was still and smooth as a glass mirror, and they neared and gained inshore at the same time. the gun-boats were still engaging the frigate, and did not appear to pay any attention to the _rebiera_ coming down. at last the breeze reached them and the frigate, light at first and then gradually increasing, while the _rebiera_ foamed through the water and had now every chance of cutting off some of the gun-boats. the frigate trimmed her sails and steered towards the flotilla, which now thought proper to haul off and put their heads inshore, followed by the frigate firing her bow-chasers. but the _rebiera_ was now within half gun-shot, inshore, and steering so as to intercept them. as she rapidly closed, the flotilla scarcely knew how to act; to attack her would be to lose time, and allow the frigate to come up and occasion their own capture; so they satisfied themselves with firing at her as she continued to run down between them and the land. as they neared, jack opened his fire with his eighteen-pound carronades and long nines. the gun-boats returned his fire, and they were within a quarter of a mile, when jack shortened sail to his top-sails, and a warm engagement took place, which ended in one of the gun-boats being in a few minutes dismasted. the frigate, under all canvas, came rapidly up, and her shot now fell thick. the flotilla then ceased firing, passing about two cables' lengths ahead of the _rebiera_, and making all possible sail for the land. jack now fired at the flotilla as they passed, with his larboard broadside, while with his starboard he poured in grape and canister upon the unfortunate gun-boat which was dismasted, and which soon hauled down her colours. in a few minutes more the remainder were too far distant for the carronades, and, as they did not fire, jack turned his attention to take possession of his prize, sending a boat with ten men on board, and heaving-to close to her to take her in tow. ten minutes more and the frigate was hove-to a cable's length from the _rebiera_, and our hero lowered down his other quarter boat to go on board. "have we any men hurt, mr oxbelly?" inquired jack. "only two; spearling has lost his thumb with a piece of langrage, and james has a bad wound in the thigh." "very well; i will ask for the surgeon to come on board." jack pulled to the frigate and went up the side, touched his hat in due form, and was introduced by the midshipmen to the other side, where the captain stood. "mr easy!" exclaimed the captain. "captain sawbridge?" replied our hero with surprise. "good heavens! what brought you here!" said the captain; "and what vessel is that?" "the _rebiera_, letter of marque, commanded and owned by mr easy," replied jack, laughing. captain sawbridge gave him his hand. "come down with me in the cabin, mr easy; i am very glad to see you. give you great credit for your conduct, and am still more anxious to know what has induced you to come out again. i knew that you had left the service." jack, in a very few words, told his object in fitting out the _rebiera_; "but," continued jack, "allow me to congratulate you upon your promotion, which i was not aware of. may i ask where you left the _harpy_, and what is the name of your frigate?" "the _latona_! i have only been appointed to her one month, after an action in which the _harpy_ took a large corvette, and am ordered home with despatches to england. we sailed yesterday evening from gibraltar, were becalmed the whole night, and attacked this morning by the gun-boats." "how is captain wilson, sir?" "i believe he is very well, but i have not seen him." "how did you know, then, that i had left the service, captain sawbridge?" "from mr gascoigne, who is now on board." "gascoigne!" exclaimed our hero. "yes, he was sent up to join the _aurora_ by the governor, but she had left the fleet, and having served his time, and a passing day being ordered, he passed, and thought he might as well go home with me and see if he could make any interest for his promotion." "pray, captain sawbridge, is the gun-boat our prize or yours?" "it ought to be wholly yours; but the fact is, by the regulations, we share." "with all my heart, sir. will you send an assistant-surgeon on board to look after two of my men who are hurt?" "yes, directly; now send your boat away, easy, with directions to your officer in command. we must go back to gibraltar, for we have received some injury, and, i am sorry to say, lost some men. you are going then, i presume, to stay on board and dine with me: we shall be at anchor before night." "i will, with pleasure, sir. but now i will send my boat away and shake hands with gascoigne." gascoigne was under the half-deck waiting to receive his friend, for he had seen him come up the side from his station on the forecastle. a hurried conversation took place, after our hero had dismissed his boat with the assistant-surgeon in it to dress the two wounded men. jack then went on deck, talked with the officers, looked with pleasure at the _rebiera_ with the gun-boat in tow, keeping company with the frigate, although only under the same canvas--promised gascoigne to spend the next day with him either on shore or on board of the _rebiera_, and then returned to the cabin, where he had a long conference with captain sawbridge. "when you first entered the service, easy," said captain sawbridge, "i thought that the sooner the service was rid of you the better; now that you have left it, i feel that it has lost one, who, in all probability, would have proved a credit to it." "many thanks, sir," replied jack; "but how can i be a midshipman with eight thousand pounds a year?" "i agree with you that it is impossible:--but dinner is serving; go into the after-cabin and the steward will give you all you require." our hero, whose face and hands were not a little grimed with the gunpowder, washed himself, combed out his curly black hair, and found all the party in the fore-cabin. gascoigne, who had not been asked in the forenoon, was, by the consideration of captain sawbridge, added to the number. before dinner was long off the table, the first lieutenant reported that it was necessary to turn the hands up, as they were close to the anchorage. the party, therefore, broke up sooner than otherwise would have been the case; and as soon as the _latona's_ sails were furled captain sawbridge went on shore to acquaint the governor with the results of the action. he asked jack to accompany him, but our hero, wishing to be with gascoigne, excused himself until the next day. "and now, easy," said gascoigne, as soon as the captain had gone over the side, "i will ask permission to go on board with you--or will you ask?" "i will ask," replied jack; "a gentleman of fortune has more weight with a first lieutenant than a midshipman." so jack went up to the first lieutenant, and with one of his polite bows hoped, "if duty would permit, he would honour him by coming on board that evening with some of his officers, to see the _rebiera_ and to drink a bottle or two of champagne." the first lieutenant, as the _rebiera_ was anchored not two cables' lengths from him, replied, "that as soon as he had shifted the prisoners and secured the gun-boat, he would be very glad;" so did three or four more of the officers, and then jack begged as a favour that his old friend, mr gascoigne, might be permitted to go with him now, as he had important packages to entrust to his care to england. the first lieutenant was very willing, and gascoigne and our hero jumped into the boat, and were once more in all the confidence of tried and deserved friendship. "jack, i've been thinking of it, and i've made up my mind," said gascoigne. "i shall gain little or nothing by going home for my promotion: i may as well stay here, and as i have served my time and passed, my pay is now of little consequence. will you take me with you?" "it is exactly what i was thinking of, ned. do you think that captain sawbridge will consent?" "i do; he knows how i am circumstanced, and that my going home was merely because i was tired of looking after the _aurora_." "we'll go together and ask him to-morrow," replied jack. "at all events, you'll have a more gentlemanly companion than mr oxbelly." "but not so steady, ned." the first lieutenant and officers came on board, and passed a merry evening. there's nothing passes time more agreeably away than champagne, and if you do not affront this regal wine by mixing him with any other, he never punishes you next morning. chapter thirty nine. a council of war, in which jack decides that he will have one more cruise. as captain sawbridge did not return on board that evening, easy went on shore and called upon him at the governor's, to whom he was introduced, and received an invitation to dine with him. as gascoigne could not come on shore, our hero took this opportunity of making his request to captain sawbridge, stating that the person he had with him was not such as he wished and could confide everything to; that is, not one to whom he could talk to about agnes. jack, as he found that captain sawbridge did not immediately assent, pressed the matter hard; at last captain sawbridge, who reflected that gascoigne's interest hereafter would be much greater through his friend easy than any other quarter, and that the more the friendship was cemented the more advantageous it might prove to gascoigne, gave his consent to our hero's wish, who called on board the _latona_ to acquaint gascoigne and the first lieutenant of captain sawbridge's intentions, and then went on board of _rebiera_ and ordered mesty to come with his portmanteau on shore to the inn, that he might dress for dinner. gascoigne, now considered as not belonging to the _latona_, was permitted to accompany him; and jack found himself looking out of the window at which he had hung out his trousers upon the memorable occasion when the boatswain had to follow his own precept, of duty before decency. "what scenes of adventure i have passed through since that," thought jack; "not much more than four years ago, then not three weeks in the service." whereupon jack fell into a deep reverie, and thought of the baboon and of agnes. the repairs of the _latona_ were all made good by the next day, and gascoigne, having received his discharge-ticket, went on board the _rebiera_. the gun-boat was put into the hands of the agent, and shortly afterwards purchased by government. the _rebiera's_ crew did not, however, obtain their prize-money and share of the head-money, for she had seventy men on board, until their return, but, as they did, they had broken the ice, and that was everything. moreover, it gave them confidence in themselves, in their vessel, and in their commander. our hero weighed a short time after the _latona_, having first taken leave of captain sawbridge, and committed to his care a letter to dr middleton. once more behold the trio together--the two midshipmen hanging over the taffrail, and mesty standing by them. they had rounded europa point, and with a fine breeze off the land, were lying close-hauled along the spanish shore. mr oxbelly was also walking near them. "when i was cruising here it was very different," observed jack; "i had a vessel which i did not know how to manage, a crew which i could not command, and had it not been for mesty, what would have become of me?" "massa easy, you know very well how to get out of scrapes, anyhow." "yes, and how to get into them," continued gascoigne. "and how to get others out of them, too, ned." "`no more of that hal, an thou lovest me,'" quoted gascoigne. "i have often wondered what has been the lot of poor azar." "the lot of most women, ned, in every country--prized at first, neglected afterwards--the lot she might have had with you." "perhaps so," replied ned, with a sigh. "massa easy, you get eberybody out of scrape; you get me out of scrape." "i do not recollect how, mesty." "you get me out from boil kettle for young gentlemen--dat devil of scrape." "and i'm sure i've got you out of a scrape, mr oxbelly." "how so, mr easy?" "how so!--have i not prevented your quarrelling with your wife every night?" "certainly, sir, you have been the means. but, do you know, when we were engaging the other day, i could not help saying to myself, `i wish my wife was here now, holding little billy at the hatchway.'" "but at night, mr oxbelly." "at night!--why, then i'm afraid i should have wished her home again-- it's astonishing how comfortable i sleep now every night. besides, in this climate it would be intolerable. mrs oxbelly is a very large woman--very large indeed." "well, but now we must hold a council of war. are we to run up the coast, or to shape our course direct for palermo?" "course direct, and we shall take nothing, that is certain," said gascoigne. "if we take nothing we shall make no prize-money," continued oxbelly. "if we make no prize-money the men will be discontented," said easy. "if no ab noting to do--it will be damned 'tupid," continued mesty. "now then the other side of the question. if we steer for palermo, we shall be sooner there and sooner home." "to which i reply," said gascoigne, "that the shorter the cruise is, the less i shall have of your company." "and i shall have to sleep with mrs oxbelly," continued oxbelly. "hab fine ship, fine gun, fine men, and do noting," cried mesty. "by de power, i no like dat, massa easy." "you want eight months of coming of age, jack," observed gascoigne. "it won't make a difference of more than three or four weeks," said mr oxbelly; "and the expenses have been very great." "but--" "but what, jack?" "agnes." "agnes will be better defended going home by men who have been accustomed to be in action. and, as for her waiting a little longer, it will only make her love you a little more." "sleep single a little longer, mr easy, it's very pleasant," said mr oxbelly. "that's not very bad advice of yours," observed gascoigne. "_stop a little_, massa easy," said mesty, "you know dat very good advice." "well, then," replied jack, "i will, as i am quite in the minority. we will work up the whole coast--up to toulon. after all, there's something very pleasant in commanding your own ship, and i'm not in a hurry to resign it--so that point's decided." the _rebiera_ was steered in to the land, and at sunset they were not four miles from the lofty blue mountains which overhang the town of malaga. there were many vessels lying at the bottom of the bay, close in with the town; the wind now fell light, and the _rebiera_, as she could not fetch the town, tacked as if she were a merchant vessel standing in, and showed american colours, a hint which they took from perceiving three or four large vessels lying in the outer roads, with the colours of that nation hoisted at the peak. "what is your intention, jack?" said gascoigne. "i'll be hanged if i know yet. i think of working up to the outer roads, and anchoring at night--boarding the american vessels, and gaining intelligence." "not a bad idea; we shall then learn if there is anything to be done, and if not, we may be off at daylight." "the pratique boat will not come off after sunset." "and if they did, we could pass for an american, bound to barcelona or anywhere else--the outer roads where the vessels lie are hardly within gun-shot." mesty, who had resumed his sailor's clothes, now observed, "what we do, massa easy, we do quickly--time for all ting, time for show face and fight--time for hide face, crawl, and steal." "very true, mesty, we'll crawl this time, and steal if we can. it's not the warfare i like best of the two." "both good, massa easy; suppose you no steal board of polacca ship, you not see missy agnes." "very true, mesty. 'bout ship, mr oxbelly." "mr oxbelly not good for boat sarvice," observed mesty, showing his teeth. it was dark before the _rebiera_ was anchored in the outer roads, a cable's length astern of the outermost american vessel. one of her quarter-boats was lowered down, and gascoigne and our hero pulled alongside, and, lying on their oars, hailed, and asked the name of the vessel. "so help me gad, just now i forget her name," replied a negro, looking over the gangway. "who's the captain?" "so help me gad, he gone on shore." "is the mate on board?" "no, so help me gad--he gone shore too." "who is aboard then?" "so help me gad, nobody on board but pompey--and dat me." "good ship-keepers, at all events," said jack. "a ship in the outer roads with only a black fellow on board! i say, pompey, do they always leave you in charge of the vessel?" "no, sar; but to-night great pleasure on shore. eberybody dance and sing, get drunk, kick up bobbery, and all dat." "what, is it a festival?" "so help me gad, i no know, sar." "is there any one on board of the other vessels?" "eberybody gone on shore. suppose they have black man, he stay on board." "good-night, pompey." "good-night, sar. who i say call when captain come on board?" "captain easy." "captain he-see, very well, sar." our hero pulled to another ship, and found it equally deserted; but at the third he found the second mate, with his arm in a sling, and from him they gained the information that it was a great festival, being the last day of the carnival; and that every one was thinking of nothing but amusement. "i've a notion," said the mate, in reply, "that you're american." "you've guessed right," replied jack. "what ship, and from what port?" "rhode island, the _susan and mary_," replied gascoigne. "i thought you were north. we're of new york. what news do you bring?" "nothing," replied he, "we are from liverpool last." a succession of questions was now put by the american mate, and answered very skilfully by gascoigne, who then inquired how the market was? it was necessary to make and reply to all these inquiries before they could ask apparently indifferent questions of american traders; at last gascoigne inquired: "do you think they would allow us to go on shore? the pratique boat has not been on board." "they'll never find you out if you are off before daylight; i doubt if they know that you are anchored. besides, from liverpool you would have a clean bill of health, and if they found it out, they would not say much; they're not over-particular, i've a notion." "what are those vessels lying inshore?" "i guess, they have olive oil on board, the chief on 'em. but there are two double lateens come in from valparaiso the day before yesterday, with hides and copper. how they 'scaped the british, i can't tell, but they did, that's sure enough." "good-night, then." "you won't take a glass of sling this fine night, with a countryman?" "to-morrow, my good fellow, to-morrow; we must go on shore now." our hero and gascoigne returned on board the _rebiera_, consulted with oxbelly and mesty, and then manned and armed the two quarter and stern boats. they thought it advisable not to hoist out their long-boat; no fire-arms were permitted to be taken lest, going off by accident or otherwise, an alarm should be given. our hero and mesty proceeded in the first boat, and pulled in for the town; gascoigne shortly after in the second, and the boatswain, in the jolly-boat, followed at some distance. there was no notice taken of them; they pulled gently down to the landing-place, which was deserted. there was a blaze of light, and the sounds of revelry in every quarter on shore; but the vessels appeared equally deserted as the american ones in the offing. finding themselves unobserved, for they had taken the precaution to pull only two oars in each boat, they dropped gently alongside one of the double-masted lateen vessels, and mesty stepped on board. he peeped down in the cabin, and perceived a man lying on the lockers; he came up in his stealthy manner, closed the hatch softly, and said, "all right." jack left gascoigne to take out this vessel, which he did very successfully, for it was very dark; and although there were sentries posted not far off, their eyes and ears were turned towards the town, listening to the music. a second vessel, her consort, was boarded in the same way, but here they found a man on deck, whom they were obliged to seize and gag. they put him down in the cabin, and mesty, with another boat's crew, cut her cables and swept her gently out towards the american vessels. one more vessel was required, and jack, pulling two oars as usual, saluted a galliot heavily laden, but of what her cargo consisted was not known. in this vessel they found two men in the cabin playing cards, whom they seized and bound, and cutting her cables were obliged to make sail upon her, as she was much too large to sweep out. as they were making sail they, however, met with an interruption which they did not expect. the crew belonging to the vessel, having had enough amusement for the evening, and intending to sail the next morning, had thought it right to come off sooner than the others: it was then about midnight or a little later, and while some of jack's men were aloft, for he had six with him, jack, to his annoyance, heard a boat coming off from the shore, the men in her singing a chorus. the galliot was at that time just under steerage way, her topsail had been loosed and her jib hoisted, but the former had not been sheeted home, for the three men below could not, in the dark, find the ropes. the other three men were on the foreyard loosing the foresail, and jack was undetermined whether to call them down immediately or to allow them to loose the sail, and thus get good way on the vessel, so as to prevent the boat, which was loaded with men, from overtaking them. the boat was not more than twenty yards from the galliot, when, not finding her where they left her, they pulled to the right and lay on their oars. this gave a moment of time, but they very soon spied her out. "carambo!" was the exclamation--and the head of the boat was pulled round. "down, my lads, in a moment by the swifters," cried jack. "here's a boat on board of us." the men were in a few seconds on deck, and the others, who had now sheeted home the topsails, hastened aft. the vessel soon gathered way, but before that her way was sufficient, the boat had pulled under the counter, and the spaniards, letting their oars swing fore and aft, were climbing up, their knives in their teeth. a scuffle ensued, and they were thrown down again, but they renewed their attempt. our hero, perceiving a small water or wine cask lashed to the gunwale, cut it loose with his cutlass, and, with one of the men who was by his side, pushed it over, and dropped it into the boat. it struck the gunwale, stove a plank, and the boat began to fill rapidly; in the meantime the galliot had gained way--the boat could not longer be held on, from its weight, and dropped astern with the men in it. those who were half in and half out were left clinging to the gunwale of the vessel, and as they climbed up were secured and put down in the cabin. fortunately, no fire-arms having been used on either side, the alarm was not given generally, but the sentry reported fighting on board one of the vessels, and the people of the guard-boat were collected, and pulled out; but they only arrived in time to see that the galliot was under way, and that the two other vessels from valparaiso were not in their berths. they hastened on shore, gave the alarm; the gunboats, of which there were three at the mole, were ordered out, but half the crew and all the officers were on shore, some at balls, others drinking at taverns or posadas; before they could be collected all three vessels were alongside of the _rebiera_; and not aware that anything had been discovered, our hero and his crew were lulled in security. jack had gone on board, leaving fourteen of his men on board the galliot--gascoigne had done the same--mesty still remained on board his vessel; and they were congratulating themselves, and ordering the men on board to the windlass, when they heard the sound of oars. "silence!--what is that?" exclaimed oxbelly. "the gun-boats or row-boats, as sure as i'm alive!" at this moment mesty jumped up the side. "massa easy, i hear row-boat not far off." "so do we, mesty. gascoigne, jump into the boat--tell the men in the prizes to make all sail right out, and leave us to defend their retreat--stay on board of one and divide your men." "dat all right, massa easy.--mr gascoigne, be smart--and now, sar, cut cable and make sail; no time get up anchor." this order was given, but although the men were aloft in a moment, and very expeditious, as the _rebiera_ payed her head round and the jib was hoisted, they could perceive the boom of the three gun-boats pulling and sailing not five cables' length from them. although rather short-handed, topsails, courses, and top-gallant sails were soon set, the men down to their quarters, and the guns cast loose, before the gun-boats were close under their stern. then jack rounded to, braced up, and the _rebiera_ stood across them to the westward. "why the devil don't they fire?" said jack. "i tink because they no ab powder," said mesty. mesty was right--the ammunition chests of the gun-boats were always landed when they were at the mole, in case of accidents, which might arise from the crew being continually with cigars in their mouths, and in the hurry they had quite forgotten to put them on board. "at all events, we have powder," said jack, "and now we'll prove it. grape and canister, my lads, and take good aim." the commanders of the gun-boats had hailed each other, and agreed to board the _rebiera_, but she now had good way on her, and sailed faster than they pulled. a well-directed broadside astonished them--they had no idea of her force; and the execution done was so great, that they first lay on their oars and then pulled back to the mole with all speed, leaving the _rebiera_ in quiet possession of her prizes, which had already gained two miles in the offing. the _rebiera_, as soon as jack perceived that the gun-boats had retreated, was put before the wind, and soon closed with her captures, when she was hove-to till daylight with the three vessels in company. gascoigne returned on board, prize-masters were selected, and jack determined to keep them all with him, and take them to palermo. chapter forty. in which there is another slight difference of opinion between those who should be friends. the two lateen vessels proved of considerable value, being laden with copper, hides, and cochineal. the galliot was laden with sweet oil, and was also no despicable prize. at daylight they were all ready, and, to the mortification of the good people of malaga, sailed away to the eastward without interruption. "me tink we do dat job pretty well, massa easy," observed mesty, as he laid the breakfast table. "nothing like trying," replied gascoigne; "i'm sure when we stood into the bay i would have sold all my prize-money for a doubloon. how do i share, jack?" "only as one of the crew, ned, for you are a supernumerary, and our articles and agreement for prize-money were signed previous to our sailing." "i ought to share with mr oxbelly's class by rights," replied gascoigne. "that would be to take half my prize-money away. i shall want it all, mr gascoigne, to pacify my wife for giving her the slip." "ah, very well; i'll get all i can." for ten days they ran down the coast, going much too fast for the wishes of the crew, who were anxious to make more money. they seized a fishing boat and put on board of her the four prisoners, whom they had found in the vessels, and arrived off barcelona, without falling in with friend or foe. the next morning, the wind being very light, they discovered a large vessel at daylight astern of them to the westward, and soon made her out to be a frigate. she made all sail in chase, but that gave them very little uneasiness, as they felt assured that she was a british cruiser. one fear, however, came over them, that she would, if she came up with them, impress a portion of their men. "as certainly as i'm here, and mrs oxbelly's at southsea," said oxbelly, "they'll take some of the men--the more so as, supposing us to be a spanish convoy, they will be disappointed." "they will hardly take them out of the prizes," observed easy. "i don't know that; men must be had for his majesty's service somehow. it's not their fault, mr easy--the navy must be manned, and as things are so, so things must be. it's the king's prerogative, mr easy, and we cannot fight the battles of the country without it." "yes," replied gascoigne, "and although, as soon as the services of seamen are no longer wanted, you find that there are demagogues on shore who exclaim against impressment, they are quiet enough on the point when they know that their lives and property depend upon sailors' exertions." "very true, mr gascoigne, but it's not our fault if we are obliged to take men by force; it's the fault of those who do not legislate so as to prevent the necessity. mrs oxbelly used to say that she would easily manage the matter if she were chancellor of the exchequer." "i dare say mrs oxbelly would make a very good chancellor of the exchequer," replied gascoigne, smiling; "one thing is certain, that if they gave the subject half the consideration they have others of less magnitude, an arrangement might be made by which his majesty's navy would never be short of men." "no doubt, no doubt, mr gascoigne; but nevertheless, the king's prerogative must never be given up." "then i agree with you, mr oxbelly; it _must be held_ in case of sudden emergency and absolute need." "we'll argue that point by-and-bye," replied jack; "now let us consult as to our measures. my opinion is, that if i made more sail we should beat the frigate, but she would come up with the prizes." "that's the best thing we can do, mr easy; but let us send a boat on board of them, and take out all the men that can possibly be spared, that there may be no excuse for impressing them." "yes," replied gascoigne; "and as the wind is falling it is possible it may fall calm, and they may send their boats; suppose we separate a mile or two from each other." "dat very good advice, massa gascoigne," observed mesty. this plan was acted upon; only three men were left in the lateens, and four in the galliot, and the vessels, in obedience to the orders, sheered off on both sides of the _rebiera_, who made all sail and started ahead of the prizes. this manoeuvre was perceived on board of the frigate, and made them sure that it was a spanish convoy attempting to escape. the fire-engine was got on deck, sails wetted, and every exertion made to come up. but about four o'clock in the afternoon, when the frigate was eight or nine miles off, it fell calm, as gascoigne had predicted, and the heads of all the vessels, as well as the frigate, were now round the compass. "there's out boats," said mr oxbelly; "they will have a long pull, and all for nothing." "how savage they will be!" observed gascoigne. "never mind that," replied jack; "mesty says that dinner is ready." after dinner, they all went on deck, and found that the boats had separated, one pulling for each of the prizes, and two for the _rebiera_. in less than an hour they would probably be alongside. "and now let us decide how we are to act. we must not resist, if they attempt to impress the men?" "i've been thinking upon that matter, mr easy, and it appears to me that the men must be permitted to act as they please, and that we must be neuter. i, as a lieutenant in his majesty's service, cannot of course act, neither can mr gascoigne. you are not in the service, but i should recommend you to do the same. that the men have a right to resist, if possible, is admitted; they always do so, and never are punished for so doing. under the guns of the frigate, of course, we should only have to submit; but those two boats do not contain more than twenty-five men, i should think, and our men are the stronger party. we had better leave it to them, and stand neuter." "dat very good advice," said mesty; "leab it to us;" and mesty walked away forward where the seamen were already in consultation. jack also agreed to the prudence of this measure, and he perceived that the seamen, after a consultation with mesty, were all arming themselves for resistance. the boats were now close on board, and english colours were hoisted at the gaff. this did not, however, check the impetus of the boats, which, with their ensigns trailing in the still water astern of them, dashed alongside, and an officer leaped on board, cutlass in hand, followed by the seamen of the frigate. the men of the _rebiera_ remained collected forward--easy, gascoigne, and oxbelly aft. "what vessel is this?" cried the lieutenant who commanded the boats. jack, with the greatest politeness, took off his hat, and told him that it was the _rebiera_ letter of marque, and that the papers were ready for his inspection. "and the other vessels?" "prizes to the _rebiera_, cut out of malaga bay," replied jack. "then you are a privateer," observed the disappointed officer. "where are your papers?" "mr oxbelly, oblige me by bringing them up," said jack. "fat jack of the bone house," observed the lieutenant, looking at oxbelly. "a lieutenant in his majesty's service, of longer standing than yourself, young man," replied oxbelly firmly;--"and who, if he ever meets you in any other situation--will make you answer for your insolent remark." "indeed!" observed the lieutenant ironically; "now, if you had said you were once a boatswain or gunner." "consider yourself kicked," roared oxbelly, losing his temper. "hey day! why, you old porpoise!" "sir," observed jack, who listened with indignation, "mr oxbelly is a lieutenant in his majesty's service, and you have no right to insult him, even if he were not." "i presume you are all officers," replied the lieutenant. "i am, sir," retorted gascoigne, "an officer in his majesty's service, and on board of this vessel by permission of captain sawbridge of the _latona_." "and i was, until a few months ago, sir," continued jack; "at present i am captain and owner of this vessel--but here are the papers. you will have no obstruction from us in the execution of your duty--at the same time, i call upon the two young gentlemen by your side, and your own men, to bear witness to what takes place." "oh, very well, sir--just as you please. your papers i perceive are all right. now you will oblige me by mustering your men." "certainly, sir," replied jack; "send all the men aft to muster, mr oxbelly." the men came aft to the mainmast, with mesty at their head, and answered to their names. as the men passed over, the lieutenant made a pencil-mark against ten of them, who appeared the finest seamen; and, when the roll had been called, he ordered those men to get their bags and go into the boat. "sir, as you must observe, i am short-handed, with my men away in prizes; and i, as commander of this vessel, protest against this proceeding: if you insist upon taking them, of course i can do nothing," observed jack. "i do insist, sir; i'm not going on board empty-handed, at all events." "well, sir, i can say no more," said jack, walking aft to the taffrail, to which oxbelly and gascoigne had retreated. "come, my lads, get those men in the boat," said the lieutenant. but the men had all retreated forward in a body, with mesty at their head, and had armed themselves. some of the seamen of the frigate had gone forward, in obedience to their officer, to lead the men selected into the boat; but they were immediately desired to keep back. the scuffle forward attracted the notice of the lieutenant, who immediately summoned all his men out of the boats. "mutiny, by heavens! come up, all of you, my lads." mesty then came forward, with a sabre in one hand and a pistol in the other, and thus addressed the seamen of the frigate: "i tell you dis, my lads--you not so strong as we--you not got better arms--we not under gun of frigate now, and we ab determination not to go board. 'pose you want us, come take us--'pose you can. by all de power, but we make mince-meat of you, anyhow." the seamen paused--they were ready to fight for their country, but not to be killed by or kill those who were their own countrymen, and who were doing exactly what they would have done themselves. the lieutenant thought otherwise; he was exasperated at this sensation. "you black scoundrel, i left you out because i thought you not worth having, but now i'll add you to the number." "stop a little," replied mesty. the lieutenant would not take the ashantee's very prudent advice; he flew forward to seize mesty, who striking him a blow with the flat of his sabre, almost levelled him to the deck. at this the men and other officers of the frigate darted forward; but after a short scuffle, in which a few wounds were received, were beaten back into the boats. the lieutenant was thrown in after them, by the nervous arm of mesty--and, assailed by cold shot and other missiles, they sheered off with precipitation, and pulled back in the direction of the frigate. "there will be a row about this," said oxbelly, "as soon as they come clear of the vessel. if the frigate gets hold of us she will show us no mercy. there is a breeze coming from the north-west. how fortunate! we shall be three leagues to windward, and may escape." "i doubt if she could catch us at any point of sailing: they may come up with the prizes, but can do nothing with them." "no, the boats which boarded them are already returned to the frigate; she must wait for them, and that will give us a start and it will be night before they can even make sail." "fire a gun for the prizes to close," said jack; "we will put the men on board again, and then be off to palermo as fast as we can." "we can do no better," said oxbelly. "if ever i chance to meet that fellow again, i will trouble him to repeat his words. trim the sails, my lads." "his language was unpardonable," observed jack. "since i've been in the service, mr easy, i have always observed that some officers appear to imagine that, because they are under the king's pennant, they are warranted in insulting and tyrannising over all those who have not the honour to hoist it; whereas the very fact of their being king's officers should be an inducement to them to show an example of courtesy and gentlemanly conduct in the execution of their duty, however unpleasant it may be." "it is only those who, insignificant themselves, want to make themselves of importance by the pennant they serve under," replied our hero. "very true, mr easy; but you are not aware that a great part of the ill-will shown to the service, is owing to the insolence of those young men in office. the king's name is a warrant for every species of tyranny and unwarrantable conduct. i remember mrs oxbelly telling one of them, when--" "i beg your pardon, mr oxbelly," interrupted jack, "but we have no time to chat now; the breeze is coming down fast, and i perceive the prizes are closing. let us lower down the boat, send the men on board again, and give them their orders--which i will do in writing, in case they part company." "very true, sir. it will be dark in half an hour, and as we are now standing inshore, they will think that we intend to remain on the coast. as soon as it is quite dark we will shape our course for palermo. i will go down and look at the chart." chapter forty one. which winds up the nautical adventures of mr. midshipman easy. in half an hour the prizes were again alongside, the men put on board, and the boat hoisted up. the frigate still remained becalmed to leeward, and hoisted in her boats. they watched until she was hid by the shades of night, and then wearing round stood away, with the wind two points free, for the coast of sicily. the next morning when the sun rose there was nothing in sight. strange anomaly, in a state of high civilisation, where you find your own countrymen avoided and more dreaded than even your foes! the run was prosperous, the weather was fine, and the prizes did not part company. on the sixteenth day the _rebiera_ and her convoy anchored in palermo bay. the wind was light in the morning that they stood in, and as jack had a large blue flag with _rebiera_ in white letters hoisted at the main, don philip and don martin were on board and greeting our hero, before the _rebiera's_ anchor had plunged into the clear blue water. the information which our hero received, after having been assured of the health of agnes and her parents, was satisfactory. the disappearance of the friar had, at first, occasioned much surprise;--but as the servants of don rebiera swore to his return without the black, and the letter of don rebiera, sent to the convent, requesting his presence, was opened and read, there was no suspicion against the family. a hundred conjectures had been afloat, but gradually they had subsided, and it was at last supposed that he had been carried off by the banditti, some of whom had been taken, and acknowledged that they had seized a friar on a day which they could not recollect. the reader will remember that it was mesty. the _rebiera_ received pratique, and jack hastened on shore with don philip and his brother, and was once more in company of agnes, who, in our hero's opinion, had improved since his departure. most young men in love think the same after an absence, provided it is not too long. the prizes were sold and the money distributed, and every man was satisfied, as the cargoes fetched a larger sum than they had anticipated. we must pass over the _pros_ and _cons_ of don rebiera and his lady, the pleading of jack for immediate nuptials, the unwillingness of the mother to part with her only daughter, the family consultation, the dowry, and all these particulars. a month after his arrival jack was married, and was, of course, as happy as the day was long. a few days afterwards, mr oxbelly advised departure, as the expenses of the vessel were heavy, and it was his duty so to do. don philip and don martin obtained leave to go to england, with their sister and her husband. nevertheless, jack, who found palermo a very pleasant residence, was persuaded by the don and his wife to remain there a month, and then there was crying and sobbing, and embracing, and embarking; and at last the _rebiera_, whose cabins had been arranged for the reception of the party, weighed and made sail for malta, jack having promised to call upon the governor. in four days they anchored in valette harbour, and jack paid his respects to his old friend, who was very glad to see him. the governor sent his own barge for mrs easy, and she was installed in the state apartments, which were acknowledged to be very comfortable. our hero had, as usual, a long story to tell the governor, and the governor listened to it very attentively, probably because he thought it would be the last, which opportunity jack employed to narrate the unfortunate end of his father. "i would not have said so at the time, mr easy, but now the wound is healed, i tell you that it is the best thing that could have happened-- poor old gentleman! he was mad, indeed." our hero remained a fortnight at malta, and then signora easy was re-embarked, and once more the _rebiera_ made sail. "fare you well, my lad; what i have seen of your brothers-in-law pleases me much; and as for your wife, it will be your own fault if she is not all that you would wish. if ever i come to england again, i will pay my first visit to forest hill. god bless you!" but sir thomas never did go back to england, and this was their final adieu. once more the _rebiera_ pursued her course, stopped a day or two at gibraltar, shared the proceeds of the captured gun-boat, and then made sail for england, where she arrived without adventure or accident in three weeks. thus ended the last cruise of mr midshipman easy. as soon as their quarantine at the mother-bank was over, they disembarked, and found dr middleton and mr hanson waiting for them at the george hotel. our hero had scarcely time to introduce his wife, when the waiter said that a lady wished to speak to him. she did not wait to know if jack was visible, but forced her way past him. jack looked at her large proportions, and decided at once that it must be mrs oxbelly, in which conjecture he was right. "pray, sir, what do you mean by carrying off my husband in that way?" exclaimed the lady, red with anger. "god forbid that i should have to carry your husband, mrs oxbelly; he is rather too heavy." "yes, sir, but it's little better than kidnapping, and there's a law for kidnapping children at all events. i shall send my lawyer to you, that you may depend upon." "you hardly can consider your husband as a child, mrs oxbelly," replied jack, laughing. "very well, sir, we shall see. pray, where is he now?" "he is on board, mrs oxbelly, and will be delighted to see you." "i'm not quite so sure of that." "he's very anxious to see little billy," said gascoigne. "what do you know of little billy, young man?" "and more than anxious to be on shore again. he's quite tired of sleeping single, mrs oxbelly." "ah, very well, he has been talking, has he? very well," exclaimed the lady in a rage. "but," said easy, "i am happy to say that, with pay and prize-money, during his short absence, he has brought home nearly five hundred pounds." "five hundred pounds--you don't say so, sir?" exclaimed mrs oxbelly; "are you sure of that?" "quite sure," rejoined gascoigne. "five hundred pounds!--well, that is comfortable--dear me! how glad i shall be to see him! well, mr easy, it was hard to part with him in so unhandsome a way--but all's for the best in this world. what a dear, nice lady your wife is, mr easy--but i won't intrude--i beg pardon. where is the brig, mr easy?" "now coming into the harbour," replied gascoigne: "if you bargain you can get off for twopence." "five hundred pounds!" exclaimed mrs oxbelly, whose wrath was now appeased. "by all power, she no fool of a woman dat," said mesty, as she retreated curtseying; "i tink mr oxbelly very right sleep tingle." we have now come to the end of our hero's adventures; that afternoon they all started for forest hill, where everything was ready for their reception. the _rebiera's_ men were paid off, and were soon distributed on board of his majesty's ships; the vessel was sold, and mr oxbelly retired to southsea, to the society of his wife and little billy. whether he obtained from his wife a divorce _de thoro_, is not handed down. our hero, who was now of age, invited all within twenty miles of home to balls and dinners; became a great favourite, kept a pack of hounds, rode with the foremost, received a deputation to stand for the county on the conservative interest, was elected without much expense, which was very wonderful, and took his seat in parliament. don philip and don martin, after two months' stay, took their passage back to palermo, fully satisfied with the prospects of their sister as to competence and happiness. jack had no occasion to argue the point with agnes; she conformed at once to the religion of her husband, proved an excellent and affectionate wife, and eventually the mother of four children, three boys and a girl. mesty held his post with dignity, and proved himself trustworthy. gascoigne, by the interest of the conservative member, soon obtained the rank of post-captain, and was always his devoted and sincere friend. and thus ends the history of mr midshipman easy. peter simple, by captain marryat. ________________________________________________________________________ captain frederick marryat was born july , and died august . he retired from the british navy in in order to devote himself to writing. in the following years he wrote books, many of which are among the very best of english literature, and some of which are still in print. marryat had an extraordinary gift for the invention of episodes in his stories. he says somewhere that when he sat down for the day's work, he never knew what he was going to write. he certainly was a literary genius. "peter simple" was published in , the fourth book to flow from marryat's pen. this e-text was transcribed in by nick hodson, and was reformatted in , and again in . ________________________________________________________________________ peter simple, by captain frederick marryat. chapter one. the great advantage of being the fool of the family--my destiny is decided, and i am consigned to a stockbroker as part of his majesty's sea-stock--unfortunately for me mr. handycock is a bear, and i get very little dinner. if i cannot narrate a life of adventurous and daring exploits, fortunately i have no heavy crimes to confess: and, if i do not rise in the estimation of the reader for acts of gallantry and devotion in my country's cause, at least i may claim the merit of zealous and persevering continuance in my vocation. we are all of us variously gifted from above, and he who is content to walk, instead of to run, on his allotted path through life, although he may not so rapidly attain the goal, has the advantage of not being out of breath upon his arrival. as well as i can recollect and analyse my early propensities, i think that, had i been permitted to select my own profession, i should in all probability have bound myself apprentice to a tailor; for i always envied the comfortable seat which they appeared to enjoy upon the shopboard, and their elevated position, which enabled them to look down upon the constant succession of the idle or the busy, who passed in review before them in the main street of the country town, near to which i passed the first fourteen years of my existence. but my father, who was a clergyman of the church of england, and the youngest brother of a noble family, had a lucrative living, and a "soul above buttons," if his son had not. it has been from time immemorial the heathenish custom to sacrifice the greatest fool of the family to the prosperity and naval superiority of the country, and, at the age of fourteen, i was selected as the victim. if the custom be judicious, i had no reason to complain. there was not one dissentient voice, when it was proposed before all the varieties of my aunts and cousins, invited to partake of our new-year's festival. i was selected by general acclamation. flattered by such an unanimous acknowledgment of my qualification, i felt a slight degree of military ardour, and a sort of vision of future grandeur passed before me, in the distant vista of which i perceived a coach with four horses, and a service of plate. but as my story is not a very short one, i must not dwell too long on its commencement. i shall therefore inform the reader, that my father, who lived in the north of england, did not think it right to fit me out at the country town, near to which we resided; but about a fortnight after the decision which i have referred to, he forwarded me to london, on the outside of the coach, with my best suit of bottle-green and six shirts. to prevent mistakes, i was booked in the way-bill, "to be delivered to mr thomas handycock, number , saint clement's lane--carriage paid." my parting with the family was very affecting; my mother cried bitterly, for, like all mothers, she liked the greatest fool which she had presented to my father, better than all the rest; my sisters cried because my mother cried; tom roared for a short time more loudly than all the rest, having been chastised by my father for breaking his fourth window in that week. at last i tore myself away. i had blubbered till my eyes were so red and swollen, that the pupils were scarcely to be distinguished, and tears and dirt had veined my cheeks like the marble of the chimney-piece. my handkerchief was soaked through with wiping my eyes and blowing my nose, before the scene was over. my brother tom, with a kindness which did honour to his heart, exchanged his for mine, saying, with fraternal regard, "here, peter, take mine, it's as dry as a bone." but my father would not wait for a second handkerchief to perform its duty. he led me away through the hall, when, having shaken hands with all the men, and kissed all the maids, who stood in a row with their aprons to their eyes, i quitted the paternal roof. the coachman accompanied me to the stage. having seen me securely wedged between two fat old women, and having put my parcel inside, he took his leave, and in a few minutes i was on my road to london. i was too much depressed to take notice of any thing during my journey. when we arrived in london, they drove to the blue boar (in a street, the name of which i have forgotten). i had never seen or heard of such an animal, and certainly it did appear very formidable; its mouth was open and teeth very large. the coachman threw his whip to the ostler, and the reins upon the horses' back; he then dismounted, and calling to me, "now, young gentleman, i'se waiting," he put a ladder up for me to get down by; then turning to a porter, he said to him, "bill, you must take this here young gem'man and that ere parcel to this here direction.--please to remember the coachman, sir." i replied that i certainly would, if he wished it, and walked off with the porter; the coachman observing as i went away, "well, he is a fool--that's sartain." i arrived quite safe at st. clement's lane, when the porter received a shilling for his trouble from the maid who let me in, and i was shown up into a parlour, where i found myself in company with mrs handycock. mrs handycock was a little meagre woman, who did not speak very good english, and who appeared to me to employ the major part of her time in bawling out from the top of the stairs to the servants below. i never saw her either read a book or occupy herself with needlework, during the whole time i was in the house. she had a large grey parrot and i really cannot tell which screamed the worst of the two--but she was very civil and kind to me. before i had been there ten minutes, she told me that she "hadored sailors--they were the defendiours and preserviours of their kings and countries," and that mr handycock would be home by four o'clock, and then we should go to dinner. as i was very anxious to see mr handycock, and very anxious to have my dinner, i was not sorry to hear the clock on the stairs strike four; when mrs handycock jumped up, and put her head over the banisters. "jemima, jemima, it's four o'clock!" "i hear it, marm," replied the cook; and she gave the frying-pan a twist, which made the hissing and the smell come flying up into the parlour, and made me more hungry than ever. rap, tap, tap! "there's your master, jemima," screamed the lady. "i hear him, marm," replied the cook. "run down, my dear, and let mr handycock in," said his wife. "he'll be so surprised at seeing you open the door." i ran down as mrs handycock desired me, and opened the street-door. "who the devil are you?" in a gruff voice, cried mr handycock; a man about six feet high, dressed in blue cotton-net pantaloons and hessian boots, with a black coat and waistcoat. i was a little rebuffed, i must own, but i replied that i was mr simple. "and pray, mr simple, what would your grandfather say if he saw you now?" "law, mr handycock," said his wife, from the top of the stairs, "how can you be so cross? i told him to open the door to surprise you." "and you have surprised me," replied he, "with your cursed folly." while mr handycock was rubbing his boots on the mat, i went upstairs, rather mortified, i must own, as my father had told me that mr handycock was his stock-broker, and would do all he could to make me comfortable. when i returned to the parlour, mrs handycock whispered to me, "never mind, my dear, it's only because there's something wrong on 'change. mr handycock is a _bear_ just now." i thought so too, but made no answer, for mr handycock came upstairs. "are you ready for your dinner, my dear?" said the lady, almost trembling. "if the dinner is ready for me. i believe we usually dine at four," answered her husband gruffly. "jemima, jemima, dish up! do you hear, jemima?" "yes, marm," replied the cook, "directly i've thickened the butter;" and mrs handycock resumed her seat, with: "well, mr simple, and how is your grandfather, lord privilege?" "he is quite well, ma'am," answered i, for the fifteenth time at least. but dinner put an end to the silence which followed this remark. mr handycock walked downstairs, leaving his wife and me to follow at our leisure. "pray, ma'am," inquired i, as soon as he was out of hearing, "what is the matter with mr handycock, that he is so cross to you?" "vy, my dear, it is one of the misfortunes of matermony, that ven the husband's put out, the vife is sure to have her share of it." "are you people coming down to dinner?" roared mr handycock from below. "yes, my dear," replied the lady; "i thought that you were washing your hands." we descended into the dining-room, where we found that mr handycock had already devoured two of the whitings, leaving only one on the dish for his wife and me. "vould you like a little bit of viting, my dear?" said the lady to me. "it's not worth halving," observed the gentleman, in a surly tone, taking up the fish with his own knife and fork, and putting it on his plate. "well, i'm so glad you like them, my dear," replied the lady meekly; then turning to me, "there's some nice roast _weal_ coming, my dear." the veal made its appearance, and fortunately for us mr handycock could not devour it all. he took the lion's share, nevertheless, cutting off all the brown, and then shoving the dish over to his wife to help herself and me. after dinner, mr handycock went down to the cellar for a bottle of wine. "o deary me!" exclaimed his wife, "he must have lost a mint of money--we had better go upstairs and leave him alone; he'll be better after a bottle of port, perhaps." i was very glad to go away, and being very tired, i went to bed without any tea, for mrs handycock dared not venture to make it before her husband came upstairs. chapter two. fitting out on the shortest notice--fortunately for me this day mr. handycock is not a bear, and i fare very well--i set off for portsmouth--behind the coach i meet a man before the mast--he is disguised with liquor, but is not the only disguise i fall in with in my journey. the next morning mr handycock appeared to be in somewhat better humour. one of the linendrapers who fitted out cadets, etcetera, "on the shortest notice," was sent for, and orders given for my equipment, which mr handycock insisted should be ready on the day afterwards, or the articles would be left on his hands; adding, that my place was already taken in the portsmouth coach. the man made his promise, took my measure, and departed; and soon afterwards mr handycock also quitted the house. at four o'clock mr handycock rapped at the door, and was let in--but not by me. he ascended the stairs with three bounds, and coming into the parlour, cried, "well, nancy, my love, how are you?" then stooping over her, "give me a kiss, old girl. i'm as hungry as a hunter. mr simple, how do you do? i hope you have passed the morning agreeably. i must wash my hands and change my boots, my love; i am not fit to sit down to table with you in this pickle. well, polly, how are you?" "i'm glad you're hungry, my dear, i've such a nice dinner for you," replied the wife, all smiles. "jemima, be quick, and dish up--mr handycock is so hungry." "yes, marm," replied the cook; and mrs handycock followed her husband into his bedroom on the same floor, to assist him at his toilet. "by jove, nancy, the bulls have been nicely taken in," said mr handycock, as we sat down to dinner. "o i am so glad!" replied his wife, giggling; and so i believe she was, but why i did not understand. we both had our share to-day, and i never saw a man more polite than mr handycock. he joked with his wife, asked me to drink wine with him two or three times, talked about my grandfather; and, in short, we had a very pleasant evening. the next morning all my clothes came home, but mr handycock, who still continued in good humour, said that he would not allow me to travel by night, that i should sleep there and set off the next morning; which i did at six o'clock, and before eight i had arrived at the elephant and castle, where we stopped for a quarter of an hour. i observed a crowd assembled at the corner; and asking a gentleman who sat by me in a plaid cloak, whether there was not something very uncommon to attract so many people, he replied, "not very, for it is only a drunken sailor." i rose from my seat, which was on the hinder part of the coach, that i might see him, for it was a new sight to me, and excited my curiosity; when, to my astonishment, he staggered from the crowd, and swore that he'd go to portsmouth. he climbed up by the wheel of the coach and sat down by me. i believe that i stared at him very much, for he said to me, "what are you gaping at, you young sculping? do you want to catch flies? or did you never see a chap half seas over before?" i replied, that "i had never been at sea in my life, but that i was going." "well then, you're like a young bear, all your sorrows to come--that's all, my hearty," replied he. "when you get on board, you'll find monkey's allowance--more kicks than half-pence. i say, you pewter-carrier, bring us another pint of ale." the waiter of the inn, who was attending the coach, brought out the ale, half of which the sailor drank, and the other half threw into the waiter's face, telling him, "that was his allowance; and now," said he, "what's to pay?" the waiter, who looked very angry, but appeared too much afraid of the sailor to say anything, answered fourpence; and the sailor pulled out a handful of bank-notes, mixed up with gold, silver, and coppers, and was picking out the money to pay for his beer, when the coachman, who was impatient, drove off. "there's cut and run," cried the sailor, thrusting all the money into his breeches pocket. "that's what you'll learn to do, my joker, before you have been two cruises to sea." in the meantime the gentleman in the plaid cloak, who was seated by me, smoked his cigar without saying a word. i commenced a conversation with him relative to my profession, and asked him whether it was not very difficult to learn. "larn," cried the sailor, interrupting us, no, it may be difficult for such chaps as me before the mast to larn, but you, i presume, is a reefer, and they an't got much to larn, "cause why, they pipe-clays their weekly accounts, and walks up and down with their hands in their pockets. you must larn to chaw baccy, drink grog, and call the cat a beggar, and then you knows all a midshipman's expected to know now-a-days. arn't i right, sir?" said the sailor, appealing to the gentleman in a plaid cloak. "i axes you, because i see you're a sailor by the cut of your jib. beg pardon, sir," continued he, touching his hat, "hope no offence." "i am afraid that you have nearly hit the mark, my good fellow," replied the gentleman. whenever the coach stopped, the sailor called for more ale, and always threw the remainder which he could not drink into the face of the man who brought it out for him, just as the coach was starting off, and then tossed the pewter pot on the ground for him to pick up. he became more tipsy every stage, and the last from portsmouth, when he pulled out his money he could find no silver, so he handed down a note, and desired the waiter to change it. the waiter crumpled it up and put it into his pocket, and then returned the sailor the change for a one-pound note: but the gentleman in the plaid had observed that it was a five-pound note which the sailor had given, and insisted upon the waiter producing it, and giving the proper change. the sailor took his money, which the waiter handed to him, begging pardon for the mistake, although he coloured up very much at being detected. "i really beg your pardon," said he again, "it was quite a mistake:" whereupon the sailor threw the pewter pot at the waiter, saying "i really beg your pardon too,"--and with such force, that it flattened upon the man's head, who fell senseless on the road. the coachman drove off, and i never heard whether the man was killed or not. i inquired of the gentleman how soon we should be at portsmouth; he answered that we were passing the lines; but i saw no lines, and i was ashamed to show my ignorance. he asked me what ship i was going to join. i could not recollect her name, but i told him it was painted on the outside of my chest, which was coming down by the waggon: all that i could recollect was that it was a french name. "have you no letter of introduction to the captain?" said he. "yes, i have," replied i; and i pulled out my pocketbook in which the letter was. "captain savage, h.m.s. _diomede_," continued i, reading to him. to my surprise he very coolly proceeded to open the letter, which, when i perceived what he was doing, occasioned me immediately to snatch the letter from him, stating my opinion at the same time that it was a breach of honour, and that in my opinion he was no gentleman. "just as you please, youngster," replied he. "recollect, you have told me i am no gentleman." he wrapped his plaid around him, and said no more; and i was not a little pleased at having silenced him by my resolute behaviour. chapter three. i am made to look very blue at the blue posts--find wild spirits around, and, soon after, hot spirits within me; at length my spirits overcome me--call to pay my respects to the captain, and find that i had had the pleasure of meeting him before--no sooner out of one scrape than into another. when we stopped, i enquired of the coachman which was the best inn. he answered that "it was the blue postesses, where the midshipmen leave their chestesses, call for tea and toastesses, and sometimes forget to pay for their breakfastesses." he laughed when he said it, and i thought that he was joking with me; but he pointed out two, large blue posts at the door next the coach-office, and told me that all the midshipmen resorted to that hotel. the coffee-room was full of midshipmen, and, as i was anxious about my chest, i enquired of one of them if he knew when the waggon would come in. "do you expect your mother by it?" replied he. "o no! but i expect my uniforms--i only wear these bottle-greens until they come." "and pray what ship are you going to join?" "the _die-a-maid_--captain thomas kirkwall savage." "the _diomede_--i say, robinson, a'n't that the frigate in which the midshipmen had four dozen apiece for not having pipe-clayed their weekly accounts on the saturday?" "to be sure it is," replied the other; "why the captain gave a youngster five dozen the other day for wearing a scarlet watch-riband." "'pon my soul i pity you: you'll be fagged to death; for there's only three midshipmen in the ship now--all the rest ran away. didn't they, robinson?" "there's only two left now:--for poor matthews died of fatigue. he was worked all day, and kept watch all night for six weeks, and one morning he was found dead upon his chest." "god bless my soul!" cried i, "and yet, on shore, they say he is such a kind man to his midshipmen." "yes," replied robinson, "he spreads that report everywhere. come, sit down with us and take a glass of grog; it will keep your spirits up." i am sorry to state that the midshipmen made me very tipsy that evening. i don't recollect being put to bed, but i found myself there the next morning with a dreadful head-ache, and a very confused recollection of what had passed. i was very much shocked at my having so soon forgotten the injunctions of my parents, and was making vows never to be so foolish again, when in came the midshipman who had been so kind to me the night before. "come, mr bottlegreen," he bawled out, alluding, i suppose, to the colour of my clothes, "rouse and bitt. there's the captain's coxswain waiting for you below. by the powers, you're in a pretty scrape for what you did last night!" "did last night!" replied i, astonished. "why, does the captain know that i was tipsy?" "i think you took devilish good care to let him know it when you were at the theatre." "at the theatre! was i at the theatre?" "to be sure you were. you would go, do all we could to prevent you, though you were as drunk as david's sow. your captain was there with the admiral's daughters. you called him a tyrant, and snapped your fingers at him. why, don't you recollect? you told him that you did not care a fig for him." "o dear! o dear! what shall i do? what shall i do?" cried i. "upon my honour, i'm sorry--very sorry indeed," replied the midshipman;--and he quitted the room, looking as grave as if the misfortune had happened to himself. i got up with a heavy head, and heavier heart, and as soon as i was dressed, i asked the way to the george inn. i took my letter of introduction with me, although i was afraid it would be of little service. when i arrived, i asked, with a trembling voice, whether captain thomas kirkwall savage, of h.m.s. _diomede_, was staying there. the waiter replied, that he was at breakfast with captain courtney, but that he would take up my name. i give it him, and in a minute the waiter returned and desired that i would walk up. o how my heart beat--i never was so frightened--i thought i should have dropped on the stairs. twice i attempted to walk into the room, and each time my legs failed me; at last i wiped the perspiration from my forehead, and with a desperate effort i went into the room. "mr simple, i am glad to see you," said a voice. i had held my head down, for i was afraid to look at him, but the voice was so kind that i mustered up courage; and, when i did look up, there sat with his uniform and epaulets, and his sword by his side, the passenger in the plaid cloak, who wanted to open my letter, and whom i had told to his face, that he was no _gentleman_. i thought i should have died, as the other midshipman did upon his chest. i was just sinking down upon my knees to beg for mercy, when the captain, perceiving my confusion, burst out into a laugh, and said, "so you know me again, mr simple? well, don't be alarmed; you did your duty in not permitting me to open the letter. i give you credit for your conduct. now sit down and take some breakfast." "captain courtney," said he to the other captain, who was at the table, "this is one of my youngsters, just entering the service. we were passengers yesterday by the same coach." he then told him the circumstance which occurred, at which they laughed heartily. i now recovered my spirits a little--but still there was the affair at the theatre, and i thought that perhaps he did not recognise me. i was, however, soon relieved from my anxiety by the other captain inquiring, "were you at the theatre last night, savage?" "no; i dined at the admiral's; there's no getting away from those girls, they are so pleasant." "i rather think you are a little--_taken_ in that quarter." "no, on my word! i might be, if i had time to discover which i liked best; but my ship is at present my wife, and the only wife i intend to have until i am laid on the shelf." well, thought i, if he was not at the theatre, it could not have been him that i insulted. "pray, mr simple, how are your father and mother?" said the captain. "very well, i thank you, sir, and desire me to present their compliments." "i am obliged to them. now i have a little advice to offer you. in the first place, obey your superior officers without hesitation; it is for me, not you, to decide whether an order is unjust or not. in the next place, never swear or drink spirits. the first is immoral and ungentleman-like, the second is a vile habit which will grow upon you. i never touch spirit myself, and i expect that my young gentlemen will refrain from it also. now you may go, and as soon as your uniforms arrive, you will repair on board. good morning." i quitted the room with a low bow, glad to have surmounted so easily what appeared to be a chaos of difficulty; but my mind was confused with the testimony of the midshipman, so much at variance with the language and behaviour of the captain. when i arrived at the blue posts, i found all the midshipmen in the coffee-room, and i repeated to them all that had passed. when i had finished, they burst out laughing, and said that they had only been joking with me. "well," said i to the one who had called me up in the morning, "you may call it joking, but i call it lying." "pray, mr bottlegreen, do you refer to me?" "yes, i do," replied i. "then, sir, as a gentleman i demand satisfaction. slugs in a saw-pit. death before dishonour, damn me!" "could not the affair be arranged otherwise?" interrupted another. "will not mr bottlegreen retract?" "my name is simple, sir, and not bottlegreen," replied i; "and as he did tell a falsehood, i will not retract?" "then the affair must go on," said the midshipman. "robinson, will you oblige me by acting as my second?" "it's an unpleasant business," replied the other, "you are so good a shot; but as you request it, i shall not refuse. mr simple is not, i believe, provided with a friend." "yes, he is," replied another of the midshipmen. "he is a spunky fellow, and i'll be his second." it was then arranged that we should meet the next morning with pistols. i considered that, as an officer and a gentleman, i could not well refuse, but i was very unhappy. i went up into my room and wrote a long letter to my mother, enclosing a lock of my hair, and having shed a few tears at the idea of how sorry she would be if i were killed, i borrowed a bible from the waiter, and read it during the remainder of the day. chapter four. i am taught on a cold morning, before breakfast, how to stand fire, and thus prove my courage--after breakfast i also prove my gallantry--my proof meets reproof--women at the bottom of all mischief--by one i lose my liberty, and, by another, my money. when i began to wake the next morning, i could not think what it was that felt like a weight upon my chest, but as i roused and recalled my scattered thoughts, i remembered that in an hour or two it would be decided whether i were to exist another day. before i was dressed, the midshipman who had volunteered to be my second came into my room, and informed me that the affair was to be decided in the garden behind the inn, and that my adversary was a very good shot. i dressed myself and followed my second into the garden, where i found all the midshipmen and some of the waiters of the inn. they all seemed very merry, as if the life of a fellow-creature was of no consequence. the seconds talked apart for a little while, and then measured the ground, which was twelve paces; we then took our stations. i believe that i turned pale, for my second came to my side and whispered that i must not be frightened. i replied that i was not frightened, but that i considered that it was an awful moment. the second to my adversary then came up and asked me whether i would make an apology, which i refused to do as before; they handed a pistol to each of us, and my second showed me how i was to pull the trigger. it was arranged that at the word given, we were to fire at the same time. i made sure that i should be wounded, if not killed, and i shut my eyes as i fired my pistol in the air. i felt my head swim, and thought i was hurt, but fortunately i was not. the pistols were loaded again, and we fired a second time. the seconds then interfered, and it was proposed that we should shake hands, which i was very glad to do, for i considered my life to have been saved by a miracle. the next day my chest arrived by the waggon, and i threw off my "bottle-greens" and put on my uniform. i had no cocked-hat, or dirk, as the warehouse people employed by mr handycock did not supply those articles, and it was arranged that i should procure them at portsmouth. when i inquired the price, i found that they cost more money than i had in my pocket, so i tore up the letter i had written to my mother before the duel, and wrote another asking for a remittance to purchase my dirk and cocked-hat. i then walked out in my uniform, not a little proud, i must confess. i had arrived opposite a place called sally port, when a young lady very nicely dressed, looked at me very hard and said, "well, reefer, how are you off for soap?" i was astonished at the question, and more so at the interest which she seemed to take in my affairs. i answered, "thank you, i am very well off; i have four cakes of windsor, and two bars of yellow for washing." she laughed at my reply, and asked me whether i would walk home and take a bit of dinner with her. i was astonished at this polite offer, and i said that i should be most happy. i thought i might venture to offer my arm, which she accepted, and we proceeded up high street on our way to her home. just as we passed the admiral's house, i perceived my captain walking with two of the admiral's daughters. i was not a little proud to let him see that i had female acquaintances as well as he had, and, as i passed him with the young lady under my protection, i took off my hat, and made him a low bow. to my surprise, not only did he not return the salute, but he looked at me with a very stern countenance. i concluded that he was a very proud man, and did not wish the admiral's daughters to suppose that he knew midshipmen by sight; but i had not exactly made up my mind on the subject, when the captain, having seen the ladies into the admiral's house, sent one of the messengers after me to desire that i would immediately come to him at the george inn, which was nearly opposite. i apologised to the young lady, and promised to return immediately if she would wait for me; but she replied, if that was my captain, it was her idea that i should have a confounded wigging and be sent on board. so, wishing me good-bye, she left me and continued her way home. i could as little comprehend all this as why the captain looked so black when i passed him; but it was soon explained when i went up to him in the parlour at the george inn. "i am sorry, mr simple," said the captain, when i entered, "that a lad like you should show such early symptoms of depravity; still more so, that he should not have the grace which even the most hardened are not wholly destitute of--i mean to practise immorality in secret, and not degrade themselves and insult their captain by unblushingly avowing (i may say glorying in) their iniquity, by exposing it in broad day, and in the most frequented street of the town." "sir!" replied i, with astonishment, "o dear! what have i done?" the captain fixed his keen eyes upon me, so that they appeared to pierce me through, and nail me to the wall. "do you pretend to say, sir, that you were not aware of the character of the person with whom you were walking just now?" "no, sir," replied i, "except that she was very kind and good-natured;" and then i told him how she had addressed me, and what subsequently took place. "and is it possible, mr simple, that you are so great a fool?" i replied that i certainly was considered the greatest fool of our family. "i should think you were," replied he, dryly. he then explained to me who the person was with whom i was in company, and how any association with her would inevitably lead to my ruin and disgrace. i cried very much, for i was shocked at the narrow escape which i had had, and mortified at having fallen in his good opinion. he asked me how i had employed my time since i had been at portsmouth, and i made an acknowledgment of having been made tipsy, related all that the midshipmen had told me, and how i had that morning fought a duel. when i had finished, he said, "mr simple, i can no longer trust you on shore until you are more experienced in the world. i shall desire my coxswain not to lose sight of you until you are safe on board of the frigate." altogether i did not feel sorry when it was over. i saw that the captain believed what i had stated, and that he was disposed to be kind to me, although he thought me very silly. the coxswain, in obedience to his orders, accompanied me to the blue post. i packed up my clothes, paid my bill, and the porter wheeled my chest down to the sally port, where the boat was waiting. "come, heave a-head, my lads, be smart. the captain says we are to take the young gentleman on board directly. his liberty's stopped for getting drunk and running after the dolly mops!" "i should thank you to be more respectful in your remarks, mr coxswain," said i with displeasure. "mister coxswain! thanky, sir, for giving me a handle to my name," replied he. "come, be smart with your oars, my lads!" "la, bill freeman," said a young woman on the beach, "what a nice young gentleman you have there. he looks like a sucking nelson. i say, my pretty young officer, could you lend me a shilling?" i was so pleased at the woman calling me young nelson, that i immediately complied with her request. "i have not a shilling in my pocket," said i, "but here is half-a-crown, and you can change it, and bring me back the eighteen-pence." "well you are a nice young man," replied she, taking the half-crown; "i'll be back directly, my dear." the men in the boat laughed, and the coxswain desired them to shove off. "no," observed i, "you must wait for my eighteen-pence." "we shall wait a devilish long while, then, i suspect. i know that girl, and she has a very bad memory." "she cannot be so dishonest or ungrateful," replied i. "coxswain, i order you to stay--i am an officer." "i know you are, sir, about six hours old; well then, i must go up and tell the captain that you have another girl in tow, and that you won't go on board." "o no, mr coxswain, pray don't; shove off as soon as you please, and never mind the eighteen-pence." the boat then shoved off, and pulled towards the ship, which lay at spithead. chapter five. i am introduced to the quarter-deck, and first lieutenant, who pronounces me very clever--trotted below to mrs. trotter--connubial bliss in a cock-pit--mrs. trotter takes me in, as a messmate. on our arrival on board, the coxswain gave a note from the captain to the first lieutenant, who happened to be on deck. he read the note, looked at me earnestly, and then i overheard him say to another lieutenant, "the service is going to the devil. here's another of the fools of a family made a present of to the country--another cub for me to lick into shape. well, i never saw the one yet i did not make something of. where's mr simple?" "i am mr simple, sir," replied i, very much frightened at what i had overheard. "now, mr simple," said the first lieutenant, "observe and pay particular attention to what i say. the captain tells me in this note that you have been shamming stupid. now, sir, i am not to be taken in that way. i have looked attentively at your face and i see at once that you are _very clever_, and if you do not prove so in a very short time, why--you had better jump overboard, that's all. perfectly understand me. i know that you are a very clever fellow, and having told you so, don't you pretend to impose upon me, for it won't do." i was very much terrified at this speech, but at the same time i was pleased to hear that he thought me clever, and i determined to do all in my power to keep up such an unexpected reputation. "quarter-master," said the first lieutenant, "tell mr trotter to come on deck." the quarter-master brought up mr trotter, who apologised for being so dirty, as he was breaking casks out of the hold. he was a short, thickset man, about thirty years of age, with a nose which had a red club to it, very dirty teeth, and large black whiskers. "mr trotter," said the first lieutenant, "here is a young gentleman who has joined the ship. introduce him into the berth, and see his hammock slung. you must look after him a little." "i really have very little time to look after any of them, sir," replied mr trotter, "but i will do what i can. follow me, youngster." accordingly, i descended the ladder after him; then i went down another, and then to my surprise i was desired by him to go down a third, which, when i had done, he informed me that i was in the cock-pit. "now, youngster," said mr trotter, seating himself upon a large chest, "you may do as you please. the midshipmen's mess is on the deck above this, and if you like to join, why you can; but this i will tell you as a friend, that you will be thrashed all day long, and fare very badly; the weakest always goes to the wall there, but perhaps you do not mind that. now that we are in harbour, i mess here, because mrs trotter is on board. she is a very charming woman, i can assure you, and will be here directly; she has just gone up into the galley to look after a net of potatoes in the copper. if you like it better, i will ask her permission for you to mess with us." i had scarcely time to reply, when i perceived a pair of legs, cased in black cotton stockings, on the ladder above us, and it proved that they belonged to mrs trotter, who came down the ladder with a net full of smoking potatoes. "upon my word, mrs trotter, you must be conscious of having a very pretty ankle, or you would not venture to display it, as you have to mr simple, a young gentleman whom i beg to introduce to you, and who, with your permission, will join our mess." "my dear trotter, how cruel of you not to give me warning; i thought that nobody was below. i declare i'm so ashamed," continued the lady simpering, and covering her face with the hand which was unemployed. "it can't be helped now, my love, neither was there any thing to be ashamed of. i trust mr simple and you will be very good friends. i believe i mentioned his desire to join our mess." "i am sure i shall be very happy in his company. this is a strange place for me to live in, mr simple, after the society to which i have been accustomed; but affection can make any sacrifice; and rather than lose the company of my trotter, who has been unfortunate in pecuniary matters--" "but, my dear," interrupted mr trotter, "is it not time to look after our dinner?" "yes; i am going forward for it now. we have skewer pieces today mr simple, will you excuse me?"--and then, with a great deal of flirtation and laughing about her ankles, and requesting me, as a favour, to turn my face away, mrs trotter ascended the ladder. as the reader may wish to know what sort of looking personage she was, i will take this opportunity to describe her. her figure was very good, and at one period of her life i thought her face must have been very handsome; at the time i was introduced to her, it showed the ravages of time or hardship very distinctly; in short, she might be termed a faded beauty, flaunting in her dress, and not very clean in her person. "charming woman, mrs trotter, is she not, mr simple?" said the master's mate; to which of course i immediately acquiesced. "now, mr simple," continued he, "there are a few arrangements which i had better mention while mrs trotter is away, for she would be shocked at our talking about such things. of course, the style of living which we indulge in is rather expensive. mrs trotter cannot dispense with her tea and her other little comforts; at the same time i must put you to no extra expense--i had rather be out of pocket myself. i propose that during the time you mess with us, you shall only pay one guinea per week; and, as for entrance money, why i think i must not charge you more than a couple of guineas. have you any money?" "yes," i replied, "i have three guineas and a half left." "well, then, give me the three guineas, and the half guinea you can reserve for pocket-money. you must write to your friends immediately for a further supply." i handed him the money, which he put in his pocket. "your chest," continued he, "you shall bring down here, for mrs trotter will, i am sure, if i request it, not only keep it in order for you, but see that your clothes are properly mended. she is a charming woman, mrs trotter, and very fond of young gentlemen. how old are you?" i replied that i was fifteen. "no more! well, i am glad of that, for mrs trotter is very particular after a certain age. i should recommend you on no account to associate with the other midshipmen. they are very angry with me, because i would not permit mrs trotter to join their mess, and they are sad storytellers." "that they certainly are," replied i; but here we were interrupted by mrs trotter coming down with a piece of stick in her hand, upon which were skewered about a dozen small pieces of beef and pork, which she first laid on a plate, and then began to lay the cloth, and prepare for dinner. "we have but a poor dinner to-day," said mrs trotter, "for the bum-boat woman disappointed me. i particularly requested her to bring me off a leg of lamb, but she says that there was none in the market. it is rather early for it, that's true, but trotter is very nice in his eating. now let us sit down to dinner." i felt very sick, indeed, and could eat nothing. our dinner consisted of the pieces of beef and pork, the potatoes, and a baked pudding in a tin dish. mr trotter went up to serve the spirits out to the ship's company, and returned with a bottle of rum. "have you got mr simple's allowance, my love?" inquired mrs trotter. "yes, he is victualled to-day, as he came on board before twelve o'clock. do you drink spirits, mr simple?" "no, i thank you," replied i, for i remembered the captain's injunction. "taking, as i do, such an interest in your welfare, i must earnestly recommend you to abstain from them," said mr trotter. "it is a very bad habit, and once acquired, not easy to be left off. i am obliged to drink them that i may not check the perspiration after working in the hold: i have, nevertheless, a natural abhorrence of them; but my champagne and claret days are gone by, and i must submit to circumstances." "my poor trotter!" said the lady. "well," continued he, "it's a poor heart that never rejoiceth." he then poured out half a tumbler of rum, and filled the glass up with water. "my love, will you taste it?" "now, trotter, you know that i never touch it, except when the water is so bad that i must have the taste taken away. how is the water to-day?" "as usual, my dear, not drinkable." after much persuasion, mrs trotter agreed to sip a little out of his glass. i thought that she took it pretty often, considering that she did not like it, but i felt so unwell that i was obliged to go on the main-deck. i went to bed very tired; mr trotter had my hammock hung up in the cock-pit, separated by a canvas screen from the cot in which he slept with his wife. i thought this very odd, but they told me it was the general custom on board ship, although mrs trotter's delicacy was very much shocked by it. i was very sick, but mrs trotter was very kind. when i was in bed she kissed me, and wished me good night, and very soon afterwards i fell fast asleep. chapter six. puzzled with very common words--mrs. trotter takes care of my wardrobe-- a matrimonial duet, ending "con strepito." i awoke the next morning at daylight with a noise over my head which sounded like thunder; i found it proceeded from holy-stoning and washing down the main-deck. i was very much refreshed nevertheless, and did not feel the least sick or giddy. mr trotter, who had been up at four o'clock, came down and directed one of the marines to fetch me some water. i washed myself on my chest, and then went on the main-deck, which they were swabbing dry. standing by the sentry at the cabin door, i met one of the midshipmen with whom i had been in company at the blue posts. "so, master simple, old trotter and his faggot of a wife have got hold of you--have they?" said he. i replied, that i did not know the meaning of faggot, but that i considered mrs trotter a very charming woman. at which he burst into a loud laugh. "well," said he, "i'll just give you a caution. take care, or they'll make a clean sweep. has mrs trotter shown you her ankle yet?" "yes," i replied, "and a very pretty one it is." "ah, she's at her old tricks. you had much better have joined our mess at once. you're not the first greenhorn that they have plucked. well," said he, as he walked away, "keep the key of your own chest--that's all." when he left me i went on the quarter-deck. all the sailors were busy at work, and the first lieutenant cried out to the gunner, "now, mr dispart, if you're ready, we'll breech these guns." "now, my lads," said the first lieutenant, "we must slue (the part the breeches cover) more forward." as i never heard of a gun having breeches, i was very anxious to see what was going on, and went up close to the first lieutenant, who said to me. "youngster, hand me that _monkey's tail_." i saw nothing like a _monkey's tail_; but i was so frightened that i snatched up the first thing that i saw, which was a short bar of iron, and it so happened that it was the very article which he wanted. when i gave it to him, the first lieutenant looked at me, and said, "so you know what a monkey's tail is already, do you? now don't you ever sham stupid after that." thought i to myself, i'm very lucky, but if that's a monkey's tail it's a very stiff one! i resolved to learn the names of every thing as fast as i could, that i might be prepared, so i listened attentively to what was said; but i soon became quite confused, and despaired of remembering anything. "mr chucks," said the first lieutenant to the boatswain, "what blocks have we below--not on charge?" "let me see, sir, i've one _sister_, t'other we split in half the other day, and i think i have a couple of _monkeys_ down in the store-room.--i say, you smith, pass that brace through the _bull's eye_, and take the _sheepshank_ out before you come down." "and, mr chucks, recollect this afternoon that you _bleed_ all the _buoys_." bleed the boys! thought i, what can that be for? at all events, the surgeon appears to be the proper person to perform that operation. this last incomprehensible remark drove me off the deck, and i retreated to the cock-pit, where i found mrs trotter. "o my dear!" said she, "i am glad you are come, as i wish to put your clothes in order. have you a list of them--where is your key?" i replied that i had not a list, and i handed her the key, although i did not forget the caution of the midshipman; yet i considered that there could be no harm in her looking over my clothes when i was present. she unlocked my chest, and pulled every thing out, and then commenced telling me what were likely to be useful, and what were not. "now, these worsted stockings," she said, "will be very comfortable in cold weather, and in the summer time these brown cotton socks will be delightfully cool, and you have enough of each to last you till you outgrow them; but as for these fine cotton stockings, they are of no use--only catch the dirt when the decks are swept, and always look untidy. i wonder how they could be so foolish as to send them; nobody wears them on board ship now-a-days. they are only fit for women--i wonder if they would fit me." she turned her chair away, and put on one of my stockings, laughing the whole of the time. then she turned round to me and showed me how nicely they fitted her. "bless you, mr simple, it's well that trotter is in the hold, he'd be so jealous--do you know what these stockings cost? they are of no use to you, and they fit me. i will speak to trotter, and take them off your hands." i replied, that i could not think of selling them, and as they were of no use to me and fitted her, i begged that she would accept of the dozen pairs. we had beef-steaks and onions for dinner that day, but i could not bear the smell of the onions. mr trotter came down very cross, because the first lieutenant had found fault with him. he swore that he would cut the service. he drank glass of grog after glass of grog, and at each glass became more violent; and mrs trotter drank also, i observed, a great deal more than i thought she ought to have done; but she whispered to me, that she drank it that trotter might not, as he would certainly be tipsy. i thought this very devoted on her part; but they sat so late that i went to bed and left them--he still drinking and vowing vengeance against the first lieutenant. i had not been asleep above two or three hours, when i was awakened by a great noise and quarrelling, and i discovered that mr trotter was drunk and beating his wife. very much shocked that such a charming woman should be beaten and ill-used, i scrambled out of my hammock to see if i could be of any assistance, but it was dark, although they scuffled as much as before. i asked the marine, who was sentry at the gun-room door above, to bring his lantern, and was very much shocked at his replying that i had better go to bed and let them fight it out. shortly afterwards, mrs trotter staggered to my hammock, and, after several attempts, succeeded in getting into it. i cannot say that i much liked that, but what could i do? so i finished dressing myself, and went up on the quarter-deck. the midshipman who had the watch was the one who had cautioned me against the trotters; he was very friendly to me. "well, simple," said he, "what brings you on deck?" i told him how ill mr trotter had behaved to his wife, and how she had turned into my hammock. "the cursed drunken old catamaran," cried he; "i'll go and cut her down by the head:" but i requested he would not, as she was a lady. "a lady!" replied he; "yes, there's plenty of ladies of her description;" and then he informed me that she had many years ago been the mistress of a man of fortune who kept a carriage for her; but that he grew tired of her, and had given trotter pounds to marry her, and that now they did nothing but get drunk together and fight with each other. he went to my hammock and lowered it down at one end, so that mrs trotter lay with her head on the deck in a very uncomfortable position. to my astonishment, she swore at him in a dreadful manner, but refused to turn out. he was abusing her and shaking her in the hammock, when mr trotter, who had been aroused at the noise, rushed from behind the screen. "you villain! what are you doing with my wife?" cried he, pummelling at him as well as he could, for he was so tipsy that he could hardly stand. mr trotter was soon knocked down, when all of a sudden mrs trotter jumped up from the hammock, and caught the midshipman by the hair, and pulled at him. then the sentry thought right to interfere; he called out for the master-at-arms, and went down himself to help the midshipman, who was faring badly between the two. but mrs trotter snatched the lantern out of his hand and smashed it all to pieces, and then we were all left in darkness, and i could not see what took place, although the scuffling continued. such was the posture of affairs when the master-at-arms came up with his light. the midshipman and sentry went up the ladder, and mr and mrs trotter continued beating each other. to this, none of them paid any attention, saying, as the sentry had said before, "let them fight it out." after they had fought some time, they retired behind the screen, and i followed the advice of the midshipman, and got into my hammock, which the master-at-arms hung up again for me. i heard mr and mrs trotter both crying and kissing each other. "cruel, cruel mr trotter!" said she blubbering. "my life, my love, i was so jealous!" replied he. "damn and blast your jealousy," replied the lady; "i've two nice black eyes for the galley to-morrow." after about an hour of kissing and scolding, they both fell asleep again. the next morning before breakfast, the midshipman reported to the first lieutenant the conduct of mr trotter and his wife. i was sent for, and obliged to acknowledge that it was all true. he sent for mr trotter, who replied that he was not well, and could not come on deck. upon which the first lieutenant ordered the sergeant of marines to bring him up directly. mr trotter made his appearance, with one eye closed, and his face very much scratched. "did not i desire you, sir," said the first lieutenant, "to introduce this young gentleman into the midshipmen's berth? instead of which you have introduced him to that disgraceful wife of yours, and have swindled him out of his property. i order you immediately to return the three guineas which you received as mess-money, and also that your wife give back the stockings which she cajoled him out of." but then i interposed, and told the first lieutenant that the stockings had been a free gift on my part; and that although i had been very foolish, yet that i considered that i could not in honour demand them back again. "well, youngster," replied the first lieutenant, "perhaps your ideas are correct, and if you wish it, i will not enforce that part of my order; but," continued he to mr trotter, "i desire, sir, that your wife leave the ship immediately and i trust that when i have reported your conduct to the captain, he will serve you in the same manner. in the meantime, you will consider yourself under an arrest for drunkenness." chapter seven. `scandalum magnatum' clearly proved--i prove to the captain that i consider him a gentleman, although i had told him the contrary, and i prove to the midshipmen that i am a gentleman myself--they prove their gratitude by practising upon me, because practice makes perfect. the captain came on board about twelve o'clock, and ordered the discharge of mr trotter to be made out, as soon as the first lieutenant had reported what had occurred. he then sent for all the midshipmen on the quarter-deck. "gentlemen," said the captain to them, with a stern countenance, "i feel very much indebted to some of you for the character which you have been pleased to give of me to mr simple. i must now request that you will answer a few questions which i am about to put in his presence. did i ever flog the whole starboard watch, because the ship would only sail nine knots on a bowline!" "no, sir, no!" replied they all, very much frightened. "did i ever give a midshipman four dozen for not having his weekly accounts pipe-clayed; or another five dozen for wearing a scarlet watch riband?" "no, sir," replied they all together. "did any midshipman ever die on his chest from fatigue?" they again replied in the negative. "then, gentlemen, you will oblige me by stating which of you thought proper to assert these falsehoods in a public coffee-room; and further, which of you obliged this youngster to risk his life in a duel?" they were all silent. "will you answer me, gentlemen?" "with respect to the duel, sir," replied the midshipman who had fought me, "i _heard_ say, that the pistols were only charged with powder. it was a joke." "well, sir, we'll allow that the duel was only a joke (and i hope and trust that your report is correct); is the reputation of your captain only a joke, allow me to ask? i request to know who of you dared to propagate such injurious slander?" (here there was a dead pause.) "well, then, gentlemen, since you will not confess yourselves, i must refer to my authority. mr simple, have the goodness to point out the person on persons who gave you the information." but i thought this would not be fair; and as they had all treated me very kindly after the duel, i resolved not to tell; so i answered, "if you please, sir, i consider that i told you all that in confidence." "confidence, sir!" replied the captain; "who ever heard of confidence between a post-captain and a midshipman?" "no, sir," replied i, "not between a post-captain and a midshipman but between two gentlemen." the captain bit his lip, and then turning to the midshipmen, said, "you may thank mr simple, gentlemen, that i do not press this matter further. i do believe that you were not serious when you calumniated me; but recollect that what is said in joke is too often repeated in earnest. i trust that mr simple's conduct will have its effect, and that you will leave off practising upon him, who has saved you from a very severe punishment." when the midshipmen went down below they all shook hands with me, and said, that i was a good fellow for not peaching: but, as for the advice of the captain, that they should not practise upon me, as he termed it, they forgot that, for they commenced again immediately, and never left off until they found that i was not to be deceived any longer. the postman came on board with the letters, and put his head into the midshipmen's berth. i was very anxious to have one from home, but i was disappointed. some had letters and some had not. those who had not, declared that their parents were very undutiful, and that they would cut them off with a shilling; and those who had letters, after they had read them, offered them for sale to the others, usually at half price. i could not imagine why they sold, or why the others bought them; but they did do so; and one that was full of good advice was sold three times, from which circumstance i was inclined to form a better opinion of the morals of my companions. i mentioned the reason why i was so anxious for a letter, viz., because i wanted to buy my dirk and cocked-hat; upon which they told me that there was no occasion for my spending my money, as by the regulations of the service, the purser's steward served them out to all the officers who applied for them. as i knew where the purser's steward's room was, having seen it when down in the cock-pit with the trotters, i went down immediately. "mr purser's steward," said i, "let me have a cocked-hat and a dirk immediately." "very good, sir," replied he, and he wrote an order upon a slip of paper, which he handed to me. "there is the order for it, sir; but the cocked-hats are kept in the chest up in the main-top, and as for the dirk, you must apply to the butcher, who has them under his charge." i went up with the order, and thought i would first apply for the dirk; so i inquired for the butcher, whom i found sitting in the sheep-pen with the sheep, mending his trowsers. in reply to my demand, he told me that he had not the key of the store-room, which was under the charge of one of the corporals of marines. i inquired who, and he said, "cheeks, the marine." [this celebrated personage is the prototype of mr nobody on board of a man-of-war.] i went everywhere about the ship, inquiring for cheeks the marine, but could not find him. some said that they believed he was in the foretop, standing sentry over the wind, that it might not change; others, that he was in the galley, to prevent the midshipmen from soaking their biscuit in the captain's dripping-pan. as i could not find the marine, i thought i might as well go for my cocked-hat, and get my dirk afterwards. i did not much like going up the rigging, because i was afraid of turning giddy, and if i fell overboard i could not swim; but one of the midshipmen offered to accompany me, stating that i need not be afraid, if i fell overboard, of sinking to the bottom, as, if i was giddy, my head at all events _would swim_; so i determined to venture. i climbed up very near to the main-top, but not without missing the little ropes very often, and grazing the skin of my shins. then i came to large ropes stretched out from the mast so that you must climb them with your head backwards. the midshipman told me these were called the cat-harpings, because they were so difficult to climb, that a cat would expostulate if ordered to go out by them. i was afraid to venture, and then he proposed that i should go through lubber's hole, which he said had been made for people like me. i agreed to attempt it, as it appeared more easy, and at last arrived, quite out of breath, and very happy to find myself in the main-top. the captain of the main-top was there with two other sailors. the midshipman introduced me very politely:--"mr jenkins--mr simple, midshipman,--mr simple, mr jenkins, captain of the main-top. mr jenkins, mr simple has come up with an order for a cocked-hat." the captain of the top replied that he was very sorry that he had not one in store, but the last had been served out to the captain's monkey. this was very provoking. the captain of the top then asked me if i was ready with my _footing_. i replied, "not very, for i had lost it two or three times when coming up." he laughed and replied, that i should lose it altogether before i went down; and that i must _hand_ it out. "_hand out my footing_!" said i, puzzled, and appealing to the midshipman; "what does he mean?" "he means that you must fork out a seven-shilling bit." i was just as wise as ever, and stared very much; when mr jenkins desired the other men to get half-a-dozen _foxes_ and make _a spread eagle_ of me, unless he had his parkisite. i never should have found out what it all meant, had not the midshipman, who laughed till he cried, at last informed me that it was the custom to give the men something to drink the first time that i came aloft, and that if i did not, they would tie me up to the rigging. having no money in my pocket, i promised to pay them as soon as i went below; but mr jenkins would not trust me. "why, sir," said i, "do you know who you are speaking to? i am an officer and a gentleman. do you know who my grandfather is?" "o yes," replied he, "very well." "then, who is he, sir?" replied i, very angrily. "who is he! why he's the _lord knows who_." "no," replied i, "that's not his name; he is lord privilege." (i was very much surprised that he knew that my grandfather was a lord.) "and do you suppose," continued i, "that i would forfeit the honour of my family for a paltry seven shillings?" this observation of mine, and a promise on the part of the midshipman, who said he would be bail for me, satisfied mr jenkins, and he allowed me to go down the rigging. i went to my chest, and paid the seven shillings to one of the topmen who followed me, and then went up on the main-deck to learn as much as i could of my profession. chapter eight. my messmates show me the folly of running in debt--the episode of sholto mcfoy. now that i have been on board about a month, i find that my life is not disagreeable. i don't smell the pitch and tar, and i can get into my hammock without tumbling out on the other side. my messmates are good-tempered, although they laugh at me very much: but i must say that they are not very nice in their ideas of honour. a few days after i came onboard, i purchased some tarts of the bumboat woman, as she is called; i wished to pay for them, but she had no change, and very civilly told me she would trust me. she produced a narrow book, and said that she would open an account with me, and i could pay her when i thought proper. to this arrangement i had no objection, and i sent up for different things until i thought that my account must have amounted to eleven or twelve shillings. as i promised my father that i never would run in debt, i considered that it was then time that it should be settled. when i asked for it, what was my surprise to find that it amounted to pounds shillings, pence. i declared that it was impossible, and requested that she would allow me to look at the items, when i found that i was booked for at least three or four dozen tarts every day, ordered by the young gentlemen "to be put down to mr simple's account." i was very much shocked, not only at the sum of money which i had to pay, but also at the want of honesty on the part of my messmates; but when i complained of it in the berth, they all laughed at me. at last one of them said, "peter, tell the truth; did not your father caution you not to run in debt?" "yes, he did," replied i. "i know that very well," replied he: "all fathers do the same when their sons leave them; it's a matter of course. now observe, peter; it is out of regard to you, that your messmates have been eating tarts at your expense. you disobeyed your father's injunctions before you had been a month from home; and it is to give you a lesson that may be useful in after-life, that they have considered it their duty to order the tarts. i trust that it will not be thrown away upon you. go to the woman, pay your bill, and never run up another." "that i certainly shall not," replied i; but as i could not prove who ordered the tarts, and did not think it fair that the woman should lose her money, i went up and paid the bill, with a determination never to open an account with anybody again. but this left my pockets quite empty, so i wrote to my father, stating the whole transaction, and the consequent state of my finances. my father, in his answer, observed that whatever might have been their motives, my messmates had done me a friendly act; and that as i had lost my money by my own carelessness, i must not expect that he would allow me any more pocket-money. but my mother, who added a postscript to his letter, slipped in a five-pound note, and i do believe that it was with my father's sanction, although he pretended to be very angry at my forgetting his injunctions. a few days before this, mr falcon, the first lieutenant, ordered me to put on my side-arms to go away on duty. i replied that i had neither dirk nor cocked hat, although i had applied for them. he laughed at my story, and sent me on shore with the master, who bought them, and the first lieutenant sent up the bill to my father, who paid it, and wrote to thank him for his trouble. that morning, the first lieutenant said to me, "now, mr simple, we'll take the shine off that cocked hat and dirk of yours. you will go in the boat with mr o'brien, and take care that none of the men slip away from it and get drunk at the tap." this was the first time that i had ever been sent away on duty, and i was very proud of being an officer in charge. i put on my full uniform, and was ready at the gangway a quarter of an hour before the men were piped away. we were ordered to the dockyard to draw sea-stores. when we arrived there, i was quite astonished at the piles of timber, the ranges of storehouses, and the immense anchors which lay on the wharf. there was such a bustle, everybody appeared to be so busy, that i wanted to look every way at once. close to where the boat landed, they were hauling a large frigate out of what they called the basin; and i was so interested with the sight, that i am sorry to say, i quite forgot all about the boat's crew, and my orders to look after them. two of the men: belonging to the boat slipped away, and on my return they were not to be seen, i was very much frightened, for i knew that i had neglected my duty, and that on the first occasion on which i had been entrusted with responsible service. what to do i did not know. i ran up and down every part of the dock-yard until i was quite out of breath, asking every body i met whether they had seen my two men. many of them said that they had seen plenty of men, but did not exactly know mine; some laughed, and called me a greenhorn. at last i met a midshipman, who told me that he had seen two men answering to my description on the roof of the coach starting for london, and that i must be quick if i wished to catch them; but he would not stop to answer any more questions. i was proceeding on very disconsolately, when, as i turned a corner, to my great delight, i met my two men, who touched their hats and said that they had been looking for me. i did not believe that they told the truth, but i was so glad to recover them, that i did not scold, but went with them down to the boat, which had been waiting some time for us. o'brien, the master's mate, called me a young sculping, a word i had never heard before. when we arrived on board, the first lieutenant asked o'brien why he had remained so long. he answered that two of the men had left the boat, but that i had found them. the first lieutenant appeared to be pleased with me, observing, as he had said before, that i was no fool, and i went down below overjoyed at my good fortune, and very much obliged to o'brien for not telling the whole truth. a day or two afterwards, we had a new messmate of the name of mcfoy. i was on the quarter-deck when he came on board and presented a letter to the captain, inquiring first if his name was "captain sauvage." he was a florid young man, nearly six feet high, with sandy hair, yet very good-looking. as his career in the service was very short, i will tell at once, what i did not find out till some time afterwards. the captain had agreed to receive him to oblige a brother officer, who had retired from the service, and lived in the highlands of scotland. the first notice which the captain had of the arrival of mr mcfoy, was from a letter written to him by the young man's uncle. this amused him so much that he gave it to the first lieutenant to read: it ran as follows:-- "glasgow, april th, ---. "sir,--our much esteemed and mutual friend, captain mcalpine, having communicated by letter, dated the th inst., your kind intentions relative to my nephew, sholto mcfoy (for which you will be pleased to accept my best thanks), i write to acquaint you that he is now on his way to join your ship, the _diomede_, and will arrive, god willing, twenty-six hours after the receipt of this letter. "as i have been given to understand by those who have some acquaintance with the service of the king, that his equipment as an officer will be somewhat expensive, i have considered it but fair to ease your mind as to any responsibility on that score, and have therefore enclosed the half of a bank of england note for ten pounds sterling, number , the other half of which will be duly forwarded in a frank promised to me the day after to-morrow. i beg you will make the necessary purchases, and apply the balance, should there be any, to his mess account, or any other expenses which you may consider warrantable or justifiable. "it is at the same time proper to inform you that sholto had ten shillings in his pocket at the time of his leaving glasgow; the satisfactory expenditure of which i have no doubt you will inquire into, as it is a large sum to be placed at the discretion of a youth only fourteen years and five months old. i mention his age, as sholto is so tall that you might be deceived by his appearance, and be induced to trust to his prudence in affairs of this serious nature. should he at any time require further assistance beyond his pay, which i am told is extremely handsome to all king's officers, i beg you to consider that any draft of yours, at ten days' sight, to the amount of five pounds sterling english, will be duly honoured by the firm of monteith, mckillop, and company, of glasgow. sir, with many thanks for your kindness and consideration, "i remain, your most obedient, "walter monteith." the letter brought on board by mcfoy was to prove his identity. while the captain read it, mcfoy stared about him like a wild stag. the captain welcomed him to the ship, asked him one or two questions, introduced him to the first lieutenant, and then went on shore. the first lieutenant had asked me to dine in the gun-room; i supposed that he was pleased with me because i had found the men; and when the captain pulled on shore, he also invited mr mcfoy, when the following conversation took place. "well, mr mcfoy, you have had a long journey; i presume it is the first that you have ever made." "indeed it is, sir," replied mcfoy; "and sorely i've been pestered. had i minded all they whispered in my lug as i came along, i had need been made of money--sax-pence here, sax-pence there, sax-pence everywhere. sich extortion i ne'er dreamt of." "how did you come from glasgow?" "by the wheel-boat, or steam-boat, as they ca'd it, to lunnon: where they charged me sax-pence for taking my baggage on shore--a wee boxy nae bigger than yon cocked-up hat. i would fain carry it mysel', but they wudna let me." "how much of your ten-shillings have you left?" inquired the first lieutenant, smiling. "hoot; sir lieutenant, how came you for to ken that? eh; it's my uncle monteith at glasgow. why, as i sit here, i've but three shillings and a penny of it left. but there's a smell here that's no canny; so i'll just go up again into the fresh air." when mr mcfoy quitted the gun-room they all laughed very much. after he had been a short time on deck he went down into the midshipman's berth: but he made himself very unpleasant, quarrelling and wrangling with everybody. it did not, however, last very long: for he would not obey any orders that were given him. on the third day, he quitted the ship without asking the permission of the first lieutenant; when he returned on board the following day, the first lieutenant put him under an arrest, and in charge of the sentry at the cabin door. during the afternoon i was under the half-deck, and perceived that he was sharpening a long clasp-knife upon the after-truck of the gun. i went up to him and asked him why he was doing so, and he replied, as his eyes flashed fire, that it was to avenge the insult offered to the bluid of mcfoy. his look told me that he was in earnest. i was very much alarmed, and thought it my duty to state his murderous intentions, or worse might happen; so i walked up on deck and told the first lieutenant what mcfoy was intending to do. mr falcon laughed, and shortly afterwards went down on the main-deck. mcfoy's eyes glistened, and he walked forward to where the first lieutenant was standing: but the sentry, who had been cautioned by me, kept him back with his bayonet. the first lieutenant turned round, and perceiving what was going on, desired the sentry to see if mr mcfoy had a knife in his hands; and he had it sure enough, open and held behind his back. he was disarmed, and the first lieutenant, perceiving that the lad meant mischief, reported his conduct to the captain, on his arrival on board. the captain sent for mcfoy, who was very obstinate, and when taxed with his intentions would not deny it, or even say that he would not again attempt it; so he was sent on shore immediately, and returned to his friends in the highlands. we never saw any more of him; but i heard that he obtained a commission in the army, and three months after he had joined his regiment was killed in a duel, resenting some fancied affront offered to the bluid of mcfoy. chapter nine. we post up to portsdown fair--consequence of disturbing a lady at supper--spontaneous combustion at ranelagh gardens--pastry versus piety--many are bid to the feast; but not the halt, the lame, or the blind. a few days after mcfoy quitted the ship, we all had leave from the first lieutenant to go to portsdown fair, but he would only allow the oldsters to sleep on shore. we anticipated so much pleasure from our excursion that some of us were up early enough to go away in the boat sent for fresh beef. we had our breakfast, and went up george street, where we found all sorts of vehicles ready to take us to the fair. we got into one which they called a dilly. i asked the man who drove it why it was so called, and he replied, because he only charged a shilling. o'brien, who had joined us after breakfasting on board, said, that this answer reminded him of one given to him by a man who attended the hackney-coach stands in london. "pray," said he, "why are you called waterman?" "waterman," replied the man, "vy, sir, 'cause we opens the hackney-coach doors." at last, with plenty of whipping, and plenty of swearing, and a great deal of laughing, the old horse, whose back curved upwards like a bow, from the difficulty of dragging so many, arrived at the bottom of portsdown hill, where we got out, and walked up to the fair. there was richardson, with a clown and harlequin, and such beautiful women, dressed in clothes all over gold spangles, dancing reels and waltzes, and looking so happy! there was flint and gyngell, with fellows tumbling over head and heels, playing such tricks--eating fire, and drawing yards of tape out of their mouths. then there was the royal circus, all the horses standing in a line, with men and women standing on their backs, waving flags, while the trumpeters blew their trumpets. we walked about for an hour or two seeing the outside of everything: we determined to go and see the inside. first we went into richardson's, where we saw a bloody tragedy, with a ghost and thunder, and afterwards a pantomime, full of tricks, and tumbling over one another. then we saw one or two other things, i forget what, but this i know, that, generally speaking, the outside was better than the inside. after this, feeling very hungry, we agreed to go into a booth and have something to eat. the tables were ranged all round, and in the centre there was a boarded platform for dancing. the ladies were there all ready dressed for partners: and the music was so lively, that i felt very much inclined to dance, but we had agreed to go and see the wild beasts fed at mr polito's menagerie, and as it was now almost eight o'clock, we paid our bill and set off. it was a very curious sight, and better worth seeing than anything in the fair; i never had an idea that there were so many strange animals in existence. there was the tapir, a great pig with a long nose, a variety of the hippopotamus, which the keeper said was an amphibilious animal, as couldn't live on land, and _dies_ in the water-- however, it seemed to live very well in a cage. then there was the kangaroo with its young ones peeping out of it--a most astonishing animal. the keeper said that it brought forth two young ones at a birth, and then took them into its stomach again, until they arrived at years of discretion. then there was the pelican of the wilderness, with a large bag under his throat, which the man put on his head as a night-cap, this bird feeds its young with its own blood--when fish are scarce. there were a young elephant and three lions, and several other animals which i forget now, so i shall go on to describe the tragical scene which occurred. the keeper had poked up all the animals, and had commenced feeding them. the great lion was growling and snarling over the shin-bone of an ox, cracking it like a nut, when, by some mismanagement, one end of the pole upon which the chandelier was suspended fell down, striking the door of the cage in which the lioness was at supper, and bursting it open. it was all done in a second; the chandelier fell, the cage opened, and the lioness sprang out. i remember to this moment seeing the body of the lioness in the air, and then all was dark as pitch. what a change! not a moment before all of us staring with delight and curiosity, and then to be left in darkness, horror, and dismay! there was such screaming and shrieking, such crying and fighting, and pushing, and fainting--nobody knew where to go, or how to find their way out. the people crowded first on one side, and then on the other, as their fears instigated them. i was very soon jammed up with my back against the bars of one of the cages, and feeling some beast lay hold of me behind, made a desperate effort, and succeeded in climbing up to the cage above, not, however, without losing the seat of my trowsers, which the laughing hyaena would not let go. i hardly knew where i was when i climbed up. i was surmising what danger i should next encounter, when to my joy i discovered that i had gained the open door from which the lioness had escaped. i crawled in, and pulled the door to after me, thinking myself very fortunate: and there i sat very quietly in a corner during the remainder of the noise and confusion. i had been there but a few minutes, when the beef-eaters, as they were called, who played the music outside, came in with torches and loaded muskets. no one was seriously hurt. as for the lioness, she was not to be found and as soon as it was ascertained that she had escaped, there was as much terror and scampering away outside, as there had been in the menagerie. it appeared afterwards, that the animal had been as much frightened as we had been, and had secreted herself under one of the waggons. it was some time before she could be found. at last o'brien, who was a very brave fellow, went a-head of the beef-eaters, and saw her eyes glaring. they borrowed a net or two from the carts which had brought calves to the fair, and threw them over her. when she was fairly entangled, they dragged her by the tail into the menagerie. all this while i had remained very quietly in the den, but when i perceived that its lawful owner had come back to retake possession, i thought it was time to come out; so i called to my messmates, who, with o'brien, were assisting the beef-eaters. they had not discovered me, and laughed very much when they saw where i was. one of the midshipmen shot the bolt of the door, so that i could not jump out, and then stirred me up with a long pole. at last i contrived to unbolt it again, and got out, when they laughed still more, at the seat of my trowsers being torn off. it was not exactly a laughing matter to me, although i had to congratulate myself upon a very lucky escape; and so did my messmates think, when i narrated my adventures. o'brien lent me a dark silk handkerchief, which i tied round my waist, and let drop behind, so that my misfortunes might not attract any notice. we then went to what they called the ranelagh gardens to see the fireworks, which were to be let off at ten o'clock. it was exactly ten when we paid for our admission, and we waited very patiently for a quarter of an hour, but there were no signs of the fireworks being displayed. the fact was, that the man to whom the gardens belonged waited until more company should arrive, although the place was already very full of people. now the first lieutenant had ordered the boat to wait for us until twelve o'clock, and then return on board; and as we were seven miles from portsmouth, we had not much time to spare. we waited another quarter of an hour, and then it was agreed that as the fireworks were stated in the handbill to commence precisely at ten o'clock, we were fully justified in letting them off ourselves. o'brien went out, and returned with a dozen penny rattans, which he notched in the end. the fireworks were on the posts and stages, all ready, and it was agreed that we should light them all at once, and then mix with the crowd. the oldsters lighted cigars, and fixing them in the notched end of the canes, continued to puff them until they were all well lighted. they handed one to each of us, and at a signal we all applied them to the match papers, and as soon as the fire communicated, we threw down our canes and ran in among the crowd. in about half a minute, off they all went in the most beautiful confusion; there were silver stars and golden stars, blue lights and catherine-wheels, mines and bombs, grecian-fires and roman-candles, chinese trees, rockets, and illuminated mottoes, all firing away, cracking, popping, and fizzing, at the same time. we all escaped very cleverly, and taking another dilly, arrived at portsmouth, and were down to the boat in good time. sunday being a fine day, we all went on shore to church with mr falcon, the first lieutenant. we liked going to church very much; not, i am sorry to say, from religious feelings, but for the following reason:-- the first lieutenant sat in a pew below, and we were placed in the gallery above, where he could not see us, nor indeed could we see him. we all remained very quiet, and i may say very devout, during the time of the service; but the clergyman who delivered the sermon was so tedious, and had such a bad voice, that we generally slipped out as soon as he went up into the pulpit, and adjourned to a pastrycook's opposite, to eat cakes and tarts and drink cherry-brandy, which we infinitely preferred to hearing a sermon. somehow or other, the first lieutenant had scented our proceedings: we believed that the marine officer informed against us, and this sunday he served us a pretty trick. we had been at the pastry-cook's as usual, and as soon as we perceived the people coming out of church, we put all our tarts and sweetmeats into our hats, which we then slipped on our heads, and took our station at the church door, as if we had just come down from the gallery, and had been waiting for him. instead, however, of appearing at the church door, he walked up the street, and desired us to follow him to the boat. the fact was, he had been in the back room at the pastry-cook's watching our motions through the green blinds. we had no suspicion, but thought that he had come out of church a little sooner than usual. when we arrived on board and followed him up the side, he said to us as we came on deck,--"walk aft, young gentlemen." we did; and he desired us to "toe a line," which means to stand in a row. "now, mr dixon," said he, "what was the text today?" as he very often asked us that question, we always left one in the church until the text was given out, who brought it to us in the pastrycook's shop, when we all marked it in our bibles to be ready if he asked us. dixon immediately pulled out his bible where he had marked down the leaf and read it. "o! that was it," said mr falcon; "you must have remarkably good ears, mr dixon, to have heard the clergyman from the pastry-cook's shop. now, gentlemen, hats off, if you please." we all slided off our hats, which, as he expected, were full of pastry. "really, gentlemen," said he, feeling the different papers of pastry and sweetmeats, "i am quite delighted to perceive that you have not been to church for nothing. few come away with so many good things pressed upon their seat of memory. master-at-arms, send all the ship's boys aft." the boys all came tumbling up the ladders, and the first lieutenant desired each of them to take a seat upon the carronade slides. when they were all stationed, he ordered us to go round with our hats and request of each his acceptance of a tart, which we were obliged to do, handing first to one and then to another, until the hats were all empty. what annoyed me more than all, was the grinning of the boys at their being served by us like footmen, as well as the ridicule and laughter of the whole ship's company, who had assembled at the gangways. when all the pastry was devoured, the first lieutenant said, "there, gentlemen, now that you have had your lesson for the day, you may go below." we could not help laughing ourselves when we went down into the berth. chapter ten. a press-gang beaten off by one woman--dangers at "spithead" and "point"--a treat for both parties, of "pulled chicken," at my expense-- also gin for twenty--i am made a prisoner: escape and rejoin my ship. i must now relate what occurred to me a few days before the ship sailed. we were reported ready for sea, and the admiralty was anxious that we should proceed. the only obstacle to our sailing was, that we had not yet completed our complement of men. the captain applied to the port-admiral, and obtained permission to send parties on shore to impress seamen. the second and third lieutenants, and the oldest midshipmen, were despatched on shore every night, with some of the most trustworthy men, and generally brought on board in the morning about half-a-dozen men, whom they had picked up in the different alehouses or grog-shops, as the sailors call them. i had a great wish to be one of the party before the ship sailed, and asked o'brien, who was very kind to me in general, and allowed nobody to thrash me but himself, if he would take me with him, which he did on the night after i had made the request. i put on my dirk, that they might know i was an officer, as well as for my protection. about dusk we rowed on shore, and landed on the gosport side: the men were all armed with cutlasses, and wore pea-jackets, which are very short great-coats made of what they call flushing. we did not stop to look at any of the grog-shops in the town, as it was too early; but walked out about three miles in the suburbs, and went to a house, the door of which was locked, but we forced it open in a minute, and hastened to enter the passage, where we found the landlady standing to defend the entrance. the passage was long and narrow, and she was a very tall, corpulent woman, so that her body nearly filled it up, and in her hands she held a long spit pointed at us, with which she kept us at bay. the officers, who were the foremost, did not like to attack a woman, and she made such drives at them with her spit, that had they not retreated, some of them would soon have been ready for roasting. the sailors laughed and stood outside, leaving the officers to settle the business how they could. at last, the landlady called out to her husband, "be they all out, jem?" "yes," replied the husband, "they be all safe gone." "well, then," replied she, "i'll soon have all these gone too;" and with these words she made such rush forward upon us with her spit, that had we not fallen back, and tumbled one over another, she certainly would have run it through the second lieutenant, who commanded the party. the passage was cleared in an instant, and as soon as we were all in the street she bolted us out; so there we were, three officers and fifteen armed men, fairly beat off by a fat old woman; the sailors who had been drinking in the house having made their escape to some other place. we then called at other houses, where we picked up one or two men, but most of them escaped by getting out at the windows or the back doors, as we entered the front. now there was a grog-shop which was a very favourite rendezvous of the seamen belonging to the merchant vessels, and to which they were accustomed to retreat when they heard that the press-gangs were out. our officers were aware of this, and were therefore indifferent as to the escape of the men, as they knew that they would all go to that place, and confide in their numbers for beating us off. as it was then one o'clock, they thought it time to go there; we proceeded without any noise, but they had people on the look-out, and as soon as we turned the corner of the lane the alarm was given. i was afraid that they would all run away, and we should lose them; but, on the contrary, they mustered very strong on that night, and had resolved to "give fight." the men remained in the house, but an advanced guard of about thirty of their wives, saluted us with a shower of stones and mud. some of our sailors were hurt, but they did not appear to mind what the women did. they rushed on, and then they were attacked by the women with their fists and nails. notwithstanding this, the sailors only laughed, pushing the women on one side, and saying, "be quiet, poll;"--"don't be foolish, molly;"--"out of the way, sukey: we a'n't come to take away your fancy man;" with expressions of that sort, although the blood trickled down many of their faces, from the way in which they had been clawed. we at length got into the house. the seamen of the merchant ships had armed themselves with bludgeons and other weapons, and had taken a position on the tables. they were more than two to one against us, and there was a dreadful fight, as their resistance was very desperate. our sailors were obliged to use their cutlasses, and for a few minutes i was quite bewildered with the shouting and swearing, pushing and scuffling, collaring and fighting, together with the dust raised up, which not only blinded, but nearly choked me. by the time that my breath was nearly squeezed out of my body, our sailors got the best of it, which the landlady and women of the house perceiving, they put out all the lights, so that i could not tell where i was; but our sailors had every one seized his man, and contrived to haul him out of the street door, where they were collected together, and secured. now again i was in great difficulty; i had been knocked down and trod upon, and when i did contrive to get up again, i did not know the direction in which the door lay. i felt about by the wall, and at last came to a door, for the room at that time was nearly empty, the women having followed the men out of the house. i opened it, and found that it was not the right one, but led into a little side parlour, where there was a fire, but no lights. i had just discovered my mistake, and was about to retreat, when i was shoved in from behind, and the key turned upon me; there i was, all alone, and, i must acknowledge, very much frightened, as i thought that the vengeance of the women would be wreaked upon me. i peeped through the key-hole, and perceived that the candles were re-lighted, and that there were only women in the room, who were talking all at once, and not thinking about me. but in a minute or two, a women came in from the street, with her long black hair hanging about her shoulders, and her cap in her hand. "well," cried she, "they've nabbed my husband; but i'll be dished if i hav'n't boxed up the midship-mite in that parlour, and he shall take his place." i thought i should have died when i looked at the woman, and perceived her coming up to the door, followed by some others, to unlock it. as the door opened, i drew my dirk, resolving to die like an officer, and as they advanced, i retreated to a corner, brandishing my dirk, without saying a word. "vell," cried the woman who had made me a prisoner, "i do declare i likes to see a puddle in a storm--only look at the little biscuit-nibbler showing fight! come, my lovey, you belongs to me." "never!" exclaimed i with indignation. "keep off, or i shall do you mischief" (and i raised my dirk in advance); "i am an officer and a gentleman." "sall," cried the odious woman, "fetch a mop and a pail of dirty water, and i'll trundle that dirk out of his fist." "no, no," replied another rather good-looking young woman, "leave him to me--don't hurt him--he really is a very nice little man. what's your name, my dear?" "peter simple is my name," replied i; "and i am a king's officer, so he careful what you are about." "don't be afraid, peter, nobody shall hurt you; but you must not draw your dirk before ladies, that's not like an officer and a gentleman--so put up your dirk, that's a good boy." "i will not," replied i, "unless you promise me that i shall go away unmolested." "i do promise you that you shall, upon my word, but recollect, peter, that you are an officer and a gentleman--you surely would not be so shabby as to go away without treating us. what money have you got in your pocket?" and, without giving me time to answer, she felt in my pocket, and pulled out my purse, which she opened. "why, peter, you are as rich as a jew," said she, as they counted thirty shillings on the table. "now what shall we have?" "anything you please," said i, "provided that you will let me go." "well, then, it shall be a gallon of gin. sall, call mrs flanagan. mrs flanagan, we want a gallon of gin, and clean glasses." mrs flanagan received the major part of my money, and in a minute returned with the gin and wine glasses. "now, peter, my cove, let's all draw round the table, and make ourselves cosy." "o no," replied i, "take my money, drink the gin, but pray let me go!" but they wouldn't listen to me. then i was obliged to sit down with them, the gin was poured out, and they made me drink a glass, which nearly choked me. it had, however, one good effect, it gave me courage, and in a minute or two, i felt as if i could fight them all. the door of the room was on the same side as the fire-place, and i perceived that the poker was between the bars, and red-hot. i complained that it was cold, although i was in a burning fever; and they allowed me to get up to warm my hands. as soon as i reached the fire-place, i snatched out the red-hot poker; and brandishing it over my head, made for the door. they all jumped up to detain me, but i made a poke at the foremost, which made her run back with a shriek. (i do believe that i burnt her nose.) i seized my opportunity, and escaped into the street, whirling the poker round my head, while all the women followed, hooting and shouting after me. i never stopped running and whirling my poker until i was reeking with perspiration, and the poker was quite cold. then i looked back, and found that i was alone. it was very dark; every house was shut up, and not a light to be seen anywhere. i stopped at the corner, not knowing where i was, or what i was to do. i felt very miserable indeed, and was reflecting on my wisest plan, when who should turn the corner, but one of the quarter-masters, who had been left on shore by accident. i knew him by his pea-jacket and straw hat to be one of our men, and i was delighted to see him. i told him what had happened, and he replied that he was going to a house where the people knew him, and would let him in. when we arrived there, the people of the house were very civil; the landlady made us some purl, which the quartermaster ordered, and which i thought very good indeed. after we had finished the jug, we both fell asleep in our chairs. i did not awaken until i was roused by the quarter-master, at past seven o'clock, when we took a wherry, and went off to the ship. chapter eleven. o'brien takes me under his protection--the ship's company are paid, so are the bumboat-women, the jews, and the emancipationist after a fashion--we go to sea--"doctor" o'brien's cure for sea-sickness--one pill of the doctor's more than a dose. when we arrived, i reported myself to the first lieutenant, and told him the whole story of the manner in which i had been treated, showing him the poker which i brought on board with me. he heard me very patiently, and then said, "mr simple, you maybe the greatest fool of your family for all i know to the contrary, but never pretend to be a fool with me. that poker proves the contrary; and if your wit can serve you upon your own emergency, i expect that it will be employed for the benefit of the service." he then sent for o'brien, and gave him a lecture for allowing me to go with the press-gang, pointing out, what was very true, that i could have been of no service, and might have met with a serious accident. at last the frigate was full manned; and, as we had received drafts of men from other ships, we were ordered to be paid previously to our going to sea. the people on shore always find out when a ship is to be paid, and very early in the morning we were surrounded with wherries, laden with jews and other people, some requesting admittance to sell their goods, others to get paid for what they had allowed the sailors to take up upon credit. but the first lieutenant would not allow any of them to come on board until after the ship was paid; although they were so urgent, that he was forced to place sentries in the chains with cold shot, to stave the boats if they came alongside. about eleven o'clock the dock-yard boat, with all the pay clerks and the cashier, with his chest of money, came on board, and was shown into the fore-cabin, where the captain attended the pay-table. the men were called in, one by one, and as the amount and wages due had been previously calculated, they were paid very fast. the money was always received in their hats, after it had been counted out in the presence of the officers and captain. outside the cabin door, there stood a tall man in black, with hair straight combed, who had obtained an order from the port-admiral to be permitted to come on board. he attacked every sailor as he came out, with his money in his hat, for a subscription to emancipate the slaves in the west indies; but the sailors would not give him anything, swearing that the niggers were better off than they were; for they did not work harder by day, and had no watch and watch to keep during the night. "sarvitude is sarvitude all over the world, my old psalm-singer," replied one. "they sarve their masters, as in duty bound; we sarve the king, 'cause he can't do without us--and he never axes our leave, but helps himself." then the purser's steward came out; he was what they call a bit of a lawyer, that is, had received more education than the seamen in general. "i trust, sir," said the man in black, "that you will contribute something." "not i, my hearty; i owe every farthing of my money, and more too, i'm afraid." "still, sir, a small trifle." "why, what an infernal rascal you must be, to ask a man to give away what is not his own property! did i not tell you that i owed it all? there's an old proverb--be just before you're generous. now, it's my opinion, that you are a methodistical, good-for-nothing blackguard; and if any one is such a fool as to give you money, you will keep it for yourself." when the man found that he could obtain nothing at the door, he went down on the lower deck, and commenced distributing prints of a black man kneeling in chains and saying, "am not i your brother?" some of the men laughed, and swore that they would paste their brother up in the mess to say prayers for the ship's company; but others were very angry, and abused him. at last, one man, who was tipsy, came up to him. "do you pretend for to insinivate that this crying black thief is my brother?" "to be sure i do," replied the methodist. "then take that for your infernal lie," said the sailor, hitting him in the face right and left, and knocking the man down into the cable tier, from whence he climbed up, and made his escape out of the frigate as soon as he was able. the ship was now in a state of confusion and uproar; there were jews trying to sell clothes, or to obtain money for clothes which they had sold; bumboat men and bumboat women showing their long bills, and demanding or coaxing for payment; other people from the shore, with hundreds of small debts; and the sailors' wives, sticking close to them, and disputing every bill presented, as an extortion or a robbery. there were such bawling and threatening, laughing and crying--for the women were all to quit the ship before sunset--at one moment a jew was upset, and all his hamper of clothes tossed into the hold; at another, a sailor was seen hunting everywhere for a jew who had cheated him--all squabbling or skylarking, and many of them very drunk. it appeared to me that the sailors had rather a difficult point to settle. they had three claimants upon them, the _jew_ for clothes, the bumboat men for their mess in harbour, and their wives for their support during their absence; and the money which they received was, generally speaking, not more than sufficient to meet one of the demands. as it may be supposed, the women had the best of it; the others were paid a trifle, and promised the remainder when they came back from their cruise. about five o'clock, the orders were given for the ship to be cleared. all disputed points were settled by the sergeant of marines with a party, who divided their antagonists from the jews; and every description of persons not belonging to the ship, whether male or female, was dismissed over the side. the hammocks were piped down, those who were intoxicated were put to bed, and the ship was once more quiet. the next day everything was prepared for sea, and no leave was permitted to the officers. stock of every kind was brought on board, and the large boats hoisted and secured. on the morning after, at day-light, a signal from the flag-ship in harbour was made for us to unmoor; our orders had come down to cruise in the bay of biscay. the captain came on board, the anchor weighed, and we ran through the needles with a fine ne breeze. what occurred for the next six days i cannot tell. i thought that i should die every moment, and lay in my hammock or on the chests for the whole of that time, incapable of eating, drinking, or walking about. o'brien came to me on the seventh morning, and said, that if i did not exert myself i never should get well, that he was very fond of me, and had taken me under his protection, and to prove his regard, he would do for me what he would not take the trouble to do for any other youngster in the ship, which was, to give me a good basting, which was a sovereign remedy for sea-sickness. he suited the action to the word, and drubbed me on the ribs without mercy, until i thought the breath was out of my body, and then he took out a rope's end and thrashed me until i obeyed his orders to go on deck immediately. before he came to me, i could never have believed it possible that i could have obeyed him; but somehow or another i did contrive to crawl up the ladder to the main-deck, where i sat down on the shot-racks and cried bitterly. but, by degrees, i recovered myself, and certainly felt a great deal better, and that night i slept very soundly. the next morning o'brien came to me again. "it's a nasty slow fever, that sea-sickness, my peter, and we must drive it out of you;" and then he commenced a repetition of yesterday's remedy until i was almost a jelly. whether the fear of being thrashed drove away my sea-sickness, or whatever might be the real cause of it, i do not know, but this is certain, that i felt no more of it after the second beating, and the next morning, when i awoke, i was very hungry. i hastened to dress myself before o'brien came to me, and did not see him until we met at breakfast. "pater," said he, "let me feel your pulse." "o no!" replied i, "indeed i'm quite well." "quite well! can you eat biscuit and salt butter?" "yes, i can." "and a piece of fat pork?" "yes, that i can." "it's thanks to me then, pater," replied he, "so you'll have no more of my medicine until you fall sick again." "i hope not," replied i, "for it was not very pleasant." "pleasant! you simple simon, when did you ever hear of physic being pleasant, unless a man prescribe for himself? i suppose you'd be after lollipops for the yellow fever. live and larn, boy, and thank heaven that you've found somebody who loves you well enough to baste you when it's good for your health." i held my tongue and ate a very hearty breakfast. from that day i returned to my duty, and was put into the same watch with o'brien, who spoke to the first lieutenant, and told him that he had taken me under his charge. chapter twelve. new theory of mr. muddle remarkable for having no end to it--novel practice of mr. chucks--o'brien commences his history--i bring up the master's night-glass. as i have already mentioned sufficient of the captain and the first lieutenant to enable the reader to gain an insight into their characters, i shall now mention two very odd personages who were my shipmates, the carpenter and the boatswain. the carpenter, whose name was muddle, used to go by the appellation of philosopher chips; not that he followed any particular school, but had formed a theory of his own, from which he was not to be dissuaded. this was, that the universe had its cycle of events which turned round, so that in a certain period of time everything was to happen over again. i never could make him explain upon what data his calculations were founded; he said, that if he explained it, i was too young to comprehend it; but the fact was this, that "in , years everything that was going on now would be going on again, with the same people as were existing at this present time." he very seldom ventured to make the remark to captain savage, but to the first lieutenant he did very often. "i've been as close to it as possible, sir, i do assure you, although you find fault; but , years ago you were first lieutenant of this ship, and i was carpenter, although we recollect nothing about it; and , years hence we shall both be standing by this boat, talking about the repairs, as we are now." "i do not doubt it, mr muddle," replied the first lieutenant; "i dare say that it is all very true, but the repairs must be finished this night, and , years hence you will have the order just as positive as you have it now, so let it be done." but the boatswain was a more amusing personage. he was considered to be the _taughtest_ (that is, the most active and severe) boatswain in the service. he went by the name of "gentleman chucks"--the latter was his surname. he appeared to have received half an education; sometimes his language was for a few sentences remarkably well chosen, but, all of a sudden, he would break down at a hard word; but i shall be able to let the reader into more of his history as i go on with my adventures. he had a very handsome person, inclined to be stout, keen eyes, and hair curling in ringlets. he held his head up, and strutted as he walked. he declared that "an officer should look like an officer, and _comport_ himself accordingly." in his person he was very clean, wore rings on his great fingers, and a large frill to his bosom, which stuck out like the back fin of a perch, and the collar of his shirt was always pulled up to a level with his cheek bones. he never appeared on deck without his "persuader," which was three rattans twisted into one, like a cable; sometimes he called it his order of the bath, or his tri_o_ junct_o_ in uno; and this persuader was seldom idle. he attempted to be very polite, even when addressing the common seamen, and, certainly, he always commenced his observations to them in a very gracious manner, but, as he continued, he became less choice in his phraseology. as a specimen of them, he would say to the man on the forecastle, "allow me to observe, my dear man, in the most delicate way in the world, that you are spilling that tar upon the deck--a deck, sir, if i may venture to make the observation, i had the duty of seeing holystoned this morning. you understand me, sir, you have defiled his majesty's forecastle. i must do my duty, sir, if you neglect yours; so take that--and that--and that,"--(thrashing the man with his rattan)--"you damned haymaking son of a seacook. do it again, damn your eyes, and i'll cut your liver out." the master was the officer who had charge of the watch to which i was stationed; he was a very rough sailor, who had been brought up in the merchant service, not much of a gentleman in his appearance, very good-tempered, and very fond of grog. he always quarrelled with the boatswain, and declared that the service was going to the devil, now that warrant officers put on white shirts, and wore frills to them. but the boatswain did not care for him; he knew his duty, he did his duty, and if the captain was satisfied, he said that the whole ship's company might grumble. the master was very kind to me, and used to send me down to my hammock before my watch was half over. until that time, i walked the deck with o'brien, who was a very pleasant companion, and taught me everything that he could, connected with my profession. one night, when he had the middle watch, i told him i should like very much if he would give me the history of his life. "that i will, my honey," replied he, "all that i can remember of it, though i have no doubt but that i've forgotten the best part of it. it's now within five minutes of two bells, so we'll heave the log and mark the board, and then i'll spin you a yarn, which will keep us both from going to sleep." o'brien reported the rate of sailing to the master, marked it down on the log-board, and then returned. "so now, my boy, i'll come to an anchor on the top-sail halyard rack, and you may squeeze your thread-paper little carcass under my lee, and then i'll tell you all about it. first and foremost, you must know that i am descended from the great o'brien borru, who was a king in his time, but that time's past. i suppose, as the world turns round, my children's children's posterity may be kings again, although there seems but little chance of it just now; but there's ups and downs on a grand scale, as well as in a man's own history, and the wheel of fortune keeps turning for the comfort of those who are at the lowest spoke, as i may be just now. to cut the story a little shorter, i skip down to my great-grandfather, who lived like a real gentleman, as he was, upon his ten thousand a year. at last he died, and eight thousand of the ten was buried with him. my grandfather followed his father all in good course of time, and only left my father about one hundred acres of bog to keep up the dignity of the family. i am the youngest of ten, and devil a copper have i but my pay, or am i likely to have. you may talk about _descent_, but a more _descending_ family than mine was never in existence, for here am i with twenty-five pounds a-year, and a half-pay of `nothing a-day, and find myself,' when my great ancestor did just what he pleased with all ireland, and everybody in it. father mcgrath, the priest, who lived with my father, taught me the elements, as they call them. i thought i had enough of the elements then, but i've seen a deal more of them since. `terence,' says my father to me one day, `what do you mane to do?' `to get my dinner, sure,' replied i, for i was not a little hungry. `and so you shall to-day, my vourneen,' replied my father, `but in future you must do something to get your own dinner; there's not praties enow for the whole of ye. will you go to the _say_?' `i'll just step down and look at it,' says i, for we lived but sixteen irish miles from the coast; so when i had finished my meal, which did not take long, for want of ammunition, i trotted down to the cove to see what a ship might be like, and i happened upon a large one sure enough, for there lay a three-decker with an admiral's flag at the fore. `maybe you'll be so civil as to tell me what ship that is,' said i to a sailor on the pier. `it's the _queen charlotte_,' replied he, `of one hundred and twenty guns.' now when i looked at her size, and compared her with all the little smacks and hoys lying about her, i very naturally asked how old she was; he replied, that she was no more than three years old. `but three years old,' thought i to myself; `it's a fine vessel you'll be when you'll come of age, if you grow at that rate: you'll be as tall as the top of bencrow,' (that's a mountain we have in our parts). i went back to my father, and told him all i had seen, and he replied, that if i liked it, i might be a midshipman on board of her, with nine hundred men under my command. he forgot to say how many i should have over me, but i found that out afterwards. i agreed, and my father ordered his pony and went to the lord lieutenant, for he had interest enough for that. the lord lieutenant spoke to the admiral, who was staying at the palace, and i was ordered on board as midshipman. my father fitted me out pretty handsomely, telling all the tradesmen that their bills should be paid with my first prize-money, and thus, by promises and blarney, he got credit for all i wanted. at last all was ready: father mcgrath gave me his blessing, and told me that if i died like an o'brien, he would say a power of masses for the good of my soul. so, after a deal of bother, i was fairly on board, and i parted company with my chest, for i stayed on deck, and that went down below. i stared about with all my eyes for some time, when who should be coming off but the captain, and the officers were ordered on deck to receive him. i wanted to have a quiet survey of him, so i took up my station on one of the guns, that i might examine him at my leisure. the boatswain whistled, the marines presented arms, and the officers all took off their hats as the captain came on the deck, and then the guard was dismissed, and they all walked about the deck as before; but i found it very pleasant to be astride on the gun, so i remained where i was. `what do you mane by that, you big young scoundrel?' says he, when he saw me. `it's nothing at all i mane,' replied i; `but what do you mane by calling an o'brien a scoundrel?' `who is he?' said the captain to the first lieutenant. `mr o'brien, who joined the ship about an hour since.' `don't you know better than to sit upon a gun?' said the captain. `to be sure i do,' replied i, `when there's anything better to sit upon.' `he knows no better, sir,' observed the first lieutenant. `then he must be taught,' replied the captain. `mr o'brien, since you have perched yourself on that gun to please yourself, you will now continue there for two hours to please me. do you understand, sir? you'll ride on that gun for two hours.' `i understand, sir,' replied i; `but i am afraid that he won't move without spurs, although there's plenty of _metal_ in him.' the captain turned away and laughed as he went into his cabin, and all the officers laughed, and i laughed too, for i perceived no great hardship in sitting down an hour or two, any more than i do now. well, i soon found that, like a young bear, all my troubles were to come. "i got into a scrape just before we left harbour. it was my watch when they piped to dinner, and i took the liberty to run below, as my messmates had a knack of forgetting absent friends. well, the captain came on board, and there were no side boys, no side ropes, and no officers to receive him, he came on deck foaming with rage, for his dignity was hurt, and he inquired who was the midshipman of the watch. `mr o'brien,' said they all. `devil a bit,' replied i, `it was my forenoon watch.' `who relieved you, sir?' said the first lieutenant. `devil a soul, sir,' replied i; `for they were all too busy with their pork and beef.' `then why did you leave the deck without relief?' `because, sir, my stomach would have had but little relief if i had remained.' the captain, who stood by, said, `do you see those cross-trees, sir?' `is it those little bits of wood that you mane, on the top there, captain?' `yes, sir; now just go up there and stay until i call you down: you must be brought up to your senses, young man, or you'll have but little prospect in the service.' `i've an idea that i'll have plenty of prospect when i get up there,' replied i, `but it's all to please you.' so up i went, as i have many a time since, and as you often will, peter, just to enjoy the fresh air and your own pleasant thoughts, all at one and the same time. "the first time that i put my foot on shore was at minorca. several of us went on shore, and having dined upon a roast turkey, stuffed with plum-pudding, and having drunk as much wine as would float a jolly-boat, we ordered donkeys, to take a little equestrian exercise. some went off tail on end, some with their hind-quarters uppermost, and then the riders went off instead of the donkeys; some wouldn't go off at all; as for mine he would go--and where the devil do you think he went? why, into the church, where all the people were at mass; the poor brute was dying with thirst, and smelt water. as soon as he was in, notwithstanding all my tugging and hauling, he ran his nose into the holy-water font, and drank it all up. they rose up from their knees and seized me, calling upon all the saints in the calendar. although i knew what they meant, not a word of their lingo could i speak, to plead for my life, and i was almost torn to pieces before the priest came up. perceiving the danger i was in, i wiped my finger across the wet nose of the donkey, crossed myself, and then went down on my knees to the priests, crying out _culpa mea_, as all good catholics do--though 'twas no fault of mine, as i said before, for i tried all i could, and tugged at the brute till my strength was gone. the priests perceived by the manner in which i crossed myself that i was a good catholic, and guessed that it was all a mistake of the donkey's. they ordered the crowd to be quiet, and sent for an interpreter, when i explained the whole story. they gave me absolution for what the donkey had done, and after that, as it was very rare to meet an english officer who was a good christian, i was in great favour during my stay at minorca, and was living in plenty, paying for nothing, and as happy as a cricket. so the jackass proved a very good friend, and, to reward him, i hired him every day, and galloped him all over the island. but, at last, it occurred to me that i had broken my leave, for i was so happy on shore that i quite forgot that i had only permission for twenty-four hours, and i should not have remembered it so soon, had it not been for a party of marines, headed by a sergeant, who took me by the collar, and dragged me off my donkey. i was taken on board, and put under an arrest for my misconduct." "sail on the starboard-bow!" cried the look-out man. "very well," replied the master; "mr o'brien,--where's mr o'brien?" "is it me you mane, sir?" said o'brien, walking up to the master, for he had sat down so long in the topsail-halyard rack, that he was wedged in, and could not get out immediately. "yes, sir; go forward, and see what that vessel is." "ay, ay, sir," said o'brien. "and, mr simple," continued the master, "go down and bring me up my night-glass." "yes, sir," replied i. i had no idea of a night-glass; and as i observed that about this time his servant brought him up a glass of grog, i thought it very lucky that i knew what he meant. "take care that you don't break it, mr simple." "o then, i'm all right," thought i; "he means the tumbler:" so down i went, called up the gunroom steward, and desired him to give me a glass of grog for mr doball. the steward tumbled out in his shirt, mixed the grog, and gave it to me, and i carried it up very carefully to the quarter-deck. during my absence, the master had called the captain, and in pursuance of his orders, o'brien had called the first lieutenant, and when i came up the ladder, they were both on deck. as i was ascending i heard the master say, "i have sent young simple down for my night-glass, but he is so long, that i suppose he has made some mistake. he's but half a fool." "that i deny," replied mr falcon, the first lieutenant, just as i put my foot on the quarter-deck; "he's no fool." "perhaps not," replied the master. "o, here he is. what made you so long, mr simple--where is my night-glass?" "here it is, sir," replied i, handing him the tumbler of grog; "i told the steward to make it stiff." the captain and the first lieutenant burst out into a laugh--for mr doball was known to be very fond of grog; the former walked aft to conceal his mirth; but the latter remained. mr doball was in a great rage. "did i not say that the boy was half a fool?" cried he to the first lieutenant. "at all events, i'll not allow that he has proved himself so in this instance," replied mr falcon, "for he has hit the right nail on the head." then the first lieutenant joined the captain, and they both went off laughing. "put it on the capstan, sir," said mr doball to me, in an angry voice. "i'll punish you by-and-by." i was very much astonished; i hardly knew whether i had done right or wrong; at all events, thought i to myself, i did for the best; so i put it on the capstan, and walked to my own side of the deck. the captain and first lieutenant then went below, and o'brien came aft. i told him what had occurred, and how the master was angry with me. o'brien laughed very heartily, and told me never to mind, but to keep in the lee-scuppers and watch him. "a glass of grog is a bait that he'll play round till he gorges. when you see it to his lips, go up to him boldly, and ask his pardon, if you have offended him, and then, if he's a good christian, as i believe him to be, he'll not refuse it." i thought this was very good advice, and i waited under the bulwark on the lee-side. i observed that the master made shorter and shorter turns every time, till at last he stopped at the capstan and looked at the grog. he waited about half a minute, and then he took up the tumbler, and drank about half of it. it was very strong, and he stopped to take breath. i thought that this was the right time, and i went up to him. the tumbler was again to his lips, and before he saw me, i said, "i hope sir, you'll forgive me; i never heard of a night telescope, and knowing that you had walked so long, i thought you were tired, and wanted something to drink to refresh you." "well, mr simple," said he, after he had finished the glass, with a deep sigh of pleasure, "as you meant kindly, i shall let you off this time; but recollect, that whenever you bring me a glass of grog again, it must not be in the presence of the captain or first lieutenant." at last our watch was over, and about two bells i was relieved by the midshipman of the next watch. it is very unfair not to relieve in time, but if i said a word, i was certain to be thrashed the next day upon some pretence or another. on the other hand, the midshipman whom i relieved was also much bigger than i was, and if i was not up before one bell, i was cut down and thrashed by him: so that between the two i kept much more than my share of the watch, except when the master sent me to bed before it was over. chapter thirteen. the first lieutenant prescribes for one of his patients, his prescriptions consisting of "draughts" only--o'brien finishes the history of his life, in which the proverb of "the more the merrier" is sadly disproved--"shipping" a new pair of boots causes the "unshipping" of their owner--walking home after a ball; o'brien meets with an accident. the next morning i was on deck at seven bells, to see the hammocks stowed, when i was witness to mr falcon, the first lieutenant, having recourse to one of his remedies to cure a mizen-top-boy of smoking, a practice to which he had a great aversion. he never interfered with the men smoking in the galley, or chewing tobacco; but he prevented the boys, that is, lads under twenty or thereabouts, from indulging in the habit too early. the first lieutenant smelt the tobacco as the boy passed him on the quarter-deck. "why, neill, you have been smoking," said the first lieutenant. "i thought you were aware that i did not permit such lads as you to use tobacco." "if you please, sir," replied the mizen-top-boy, touching his hat, "i'se got worms, and they say that smoking be good for them." "good for them!" said the first lieutenant; "yes, very good for them but very bad for you. why, my good fellow, they'll thrive upon tobacco until they grow as large as conger eels. heat is what the worms are fond of; but cold--cold will kill them. now i'll cure you. quarter-master, come here. walk this boy up and down the weather gangway, and every time you get forward abreast of the main-tack block, put his mouth to windward, squeeze him sharp by the nape of the neck until he opens his mouth wide, and there keep him and let the cold air blow down his throat, while you count ten; then walk him aft, and when you are forward again proceed as before.--cold kills worms, my poor boy, not tobacco--i wonder that you are not dead by this time." a few nights afterwards, when we had the middle watch, o'brien proceeded with his story. "where was it that i left off?" "you left off at the time that you were taken out of confinement." "so i did, sure enough; and it was with no goodwill that i went to my duty. however, as there was no help for it, i walked up and down the deck as before, with my hands in my pockets, thinking of old ireland, and my great ancestor, brien borru. and so i went on behaving myself like a real gentleman, and getting into no more scrapes, until the fleet put into the cove of cork, and i found myself within a few miles of my father's house. you may suppose that the anchor had hardly kissed the mud before i went to the first lieutenant and asked leave to go on shore. now the first lieutenant was not in the sweetest of tempers, seeing as how the captain had been hauling him over the coals for not carrying on the duty according to his satisfaction. so he answered me very gruffly, that i should not leave the ship. `o bother!' said i to myself, `this will never do.' so up i walked to the captain, and touching my hat, reminded him that `i had a father and mother, and a pretty sprinkling of brothers and sisters, who were dying to see me, and that i hoped that he would give me leave.' `ax the first lieutenant,' said he turning away. `i have, sir,' replied i, `and he says that the devil a bit shall i put my foot on shore.' `have you any fault to find with mr o'brien?' said the captain to the first lieutenant, as he came aft. `no more than i have with midshipmen in general; but i believe it is not the custom for officers to ask leave to go on shore before the sails are furled and the yards squared.' `very true,' replied the captain; `therefore, mr o'brien, you must wait until the watch is called, and then, if you ask the first lieutenant, i have no doubt but you will have leave granted to you to go and see your friends.' "i thought myself very clever in this business, but i was never a greater fool in my life; for there was no such hurry to have gone on shore, and the first lieutenant never forgave me for appealing to the captain--but of that by-and-bye, and all in good time. at last i obtained a grumbling assent to my going on shore, and off i went like a sky rocket. being in a desperate hurry, i hired a jaunting car to take me to my father's house. `is it the o'brien of ballyhinch that you mane?' inquired the spalpeen who drove the horse. `sure it is,' replied i; `and how is he, and all the noble family of the o'briens?' `all well enough, bating the boy tim, who caught a bit of confusion in his head the other night at the fair, and now lies at home in bed quite insensible to mate or drink; but the doctors give hopes of his recovery, as all the o'briens are known to have such thick heads.' `what do mane by that, bad manners to you?' said i; `but poor tim--how did it happen-- was there a fight?' `not much of a fight--only a bit of a skrummage-- three crowner's inquests, no more.' `but you are not going the straight road, you thief,' said i, seeing that he had turned off to the left. `is your honour in a hurry to get home? then i'll be thinking they'll not be in such a hurry to see you.' `and who told you that my name was o'brien, you baste?--and do you dare to say that my friends won't be glad to see me?' `plase your honour, it's all an idea of mine--so say no more about it. only this i know; father mcgrath, who gives me absolution, tould me the other day that i ought to pay him and not run in debt, and then run away, like terence o'brien, who went to say without paying for his shirts, and his shoes, and his stockings, nor anything else, and who would live to be hanged, as sure as st. patrick swam over the liffey with his head under his arm.' `bad luck to that father mcgrath,' cried i; `devil burn me, but i'll be revenged upon him!' "by that time we had arrived at the door of my father's house. i paid the rapparee, and in i popped. there was my father and mother, and all my brothers and sisters (bating tim, who was in bed sure enough, and died next day), and that baste, father mcgrath, to boot. when my mother saw me she ran to me and hugged me as she wept on my neck, and then she wiped her eyes and sat down again; but nobody else said, `how d'ye do?' or opened their mouths to me. i said to myself, `sure there's some trifling mistake here,' but i held my tongue. at last they all opened their mouths with a vengeance. my father commenced--`ar'n't you ashamed on yourself, terence o'brien?'--`ar'n't you ashamed on yourself, terence o'brien?' cried father mcgrath. `ar'n't you ashamed on yourself?' cried out all my brothers and sisters in full chorus, whilst my poor mother put her apron to her eyes and said nothing. `the devil a bit for myself, but very much ashamed for you all,' replied i, `to treat me in this manner. what's the meaning of all this?' `haven't they seized my two cows to pay for your toggery, you spalpeen?' cried my father. `haven't they taken the hay to pay for your shoes and stockings?' cried father mcgrath. `haven't they taken the pig to pay for that ugly hat of yours?' cried my eldest sister. `and haven't they taken my hens to pay for that dirk of yours?' cried another. `and all our best furniture to pay for your white shirts and black cravats?' cried murdock, my brother. `and haven't we been starved to death ever since?' cried they all. `och hone!' said my mother. `the devil they have!' said i, when they'd all done. `sure i'm sorry enough, but it's no fault of mine. father, didn't you send me to say?' `yes, you rapparee; but didn't you promise--or didn't i promise for you, which is all one and the same thing--that you'd pay it all back with your prize-money--and where is it? answer that, terence o'brien.' `where is it, father? i'll tell you--it's where next christmas is--coming, but not come yet.' "`terence o'brien,' said father mcgrath, `its absolution that you'll be wanting to-morrow, after all your sins and enormities; and the devil a bit shall you have--take that now.' "`father mcgrath,' replied i very angrily, `it's no absolution that i'll want from you, any how--take that now.' "`then you have had your share of heaven; for i'll keep you out of it, you wicked monster!' said father mcgrath--`take that now.' "`if it's no better than a midshipman's berth,' replied i, `i'd just as soon stay out; but i'll creep in in spite of you--take that now, father mcgrath.' "`and who is to save your soul, and send you to heaven, if i don't, you wicked wretch? but i'll see you damned first--so take that now, terence o'brien.' "`then i'll turn protestant and damn the pope--take that now, father mcgrath.' "at this last broadside of mine, my father and all my brothers and sisters raised a cry of horror, and my mother burst into tears. father mcgrath seized hold of the pot of holy water, and dipping in the little whisk, began to sprinkle the room, saying a latin prayer, while they all went on squalling at me. at last, my father seized the stool, which he had been seated upon, and threw it at my head. i dodged, and it knocked down father mcgrath, who had just walked behind me in full song. i knew that it was all over after that, so i sprang over his carcase and gained the door. `good morning to ye all, and better manners to you next time we meet,' cried i, and off i set as fast as i could for the ship. "i was very sorry for what i had said to the priest, for my conscience thumped me very hard at having even pretended that i'd turn protestant, which i never intended to do, nor never will, but live and die a good catholic, as all my posterity have done before me, and, as i trust, all my ancestors will for generations to come. well, i arrived on board, and the first lieutenant was very savage. i hoped he would get over it, but he never did; and he continued to treat me so ill, that i determined to quit the ship, which i did as soon as we arrived in cawsand bay. the captain allowed me to go, for i told him the whole truth of the matter, and he saw that it was true; so he recommended me to the captain of a jackass frigate, who was in want of midshipmen." "what do you mean by a jackass frigate?" inquired i. "i mean one of your twenty-eight-gun ships, so called, because there is as much difference between them and a real frigate, like the one we are sailing in, as there is between a donkey and a race-horse. well, the ship was no sooner brought down to the dock-yard to have her ballast taken in, than our captain came down to her--a little, thin, spare man, but a man of weight nevertheless, for he brought a great pair of scales with him, and weighed everything that was put on board. i forget his real name, but the sailors christened him captain avoirdupois. he had a large book, and in it he inserted the weight of the ballast, and of the shot, water, provisions, coals, standing and running rigging, cables, and everything else. but i didn't remain long; for one day i brought on board a pair of new boots, which i forgot to report, that they might be put into the scales, which swung on the gangway; and whether the captain thought that they would sink his ship, or for what i cannot tell, but he ordered me to quit her immediately--so there i was adrift again. "one day i was in the dock-yard, looking at a two-decker in the basin, just brought forward for service, and i inquired who was to be the captain. they told me that his name was o'connor. then he's a countryman of mine, thought i, and i'll try my luck. so i called at goud's hotel, where he was lodging, and requested to speak with him. i was admitted, and told him, with my best bow, that i had come as a volunteer for his ship, and that my name was o'brien. as it happened, he had some vacancies, and liking my brogue, he asked me in what ships i had served. i told him, and also my reason for quitting my last--which was, because i was turned out of it. i explained the story of the boots, and he made inquiries, and found that it was all true: and then he gave me a vacancy as master's mate. we were ordered to south america; and the trade winds took us there in a jiffy. i liked my captain and officers very much, and what was better, we took some good prizes. but somehow or other, i never had the luck to remain long in one ship, and that by no fault of mine; at least not in this instance. all went on as smooth as possible, until one day, the captain took us on shore to a ball, at one of the peaceable districts. we had a very merry night of it; but as luck would have it, i had the morning watch to keep, and see the decks cleaned, and, as i never neglected my duty, i set off about three o'clock in the morning, just at break of day, to go on board of the ship. i was walking along the sands, thinking of the pretty girl i'd been dancing with, and had got about half-way to the ship, when three rapparees of spanish soldiers come from behind a rock, and attacked me with their swords and bayonets. i had only my dirk, but i was not to be run through for nothing, so i fought them as long as i could, i finished one fellow, but at last they finished me; for a bayonet passed through my body, and i forgot all about it. well, it appears--for i can only say to the best of my knowledge and belief--that after they had killed me, they stripped me naked and buried me in the sand, carrying away with them the body of their comrade. so there i was--dead and buried." "but, o'brien--" said i. "whist--hold your tongue--you've not heard the end of it. well, i had been buried about an hour--but not very deep it appears, for they were in too great a hurry--when a fisherman and his daughter came along the beach, on their way to the boat; and the daughter, god bless her! did me the favour to tread on my nose. it was clear that she had never trod upon an irishman's nose before, for it surprised her, and she looked down to see what was there, and not seeing anything, she tried it again with her foot, and then she scraped off the sand, and discovered my pretty face. i was quite warm and still breathing, for the sand had stopped the blood, and prevented my bleeding to death. the fisherman pulled me out and took me on his back to the house where the captain and officers were still dancing. when he brought me in, there was a great cry from the ladies, not because i was murdered, for they are used to it in those countries, but because i was naked, which they considered a much more serious affair. i was put to bed, and a boat despatched on board for our doctor; and in a few hours i was able to speak, and tell them how it happened. but i was too ill to move when the ship sailed, which she was obliged to do in a day or two afterwards, so the captain made out my discharge, and left me there. the family were french, and i remained with them for six months before i could obtain a passage home, during which i learnt their language, and a very fair allowance of spanish to boot. when i arrived in england, i found that the prizes had been sold, and that the money was ready for distribution. i produced my certificate, and received pounds for my share. so it's come at last, thought i. "i had never had such a handful of money in my life. i thought of my mother, and of the cows, and the pig, and the furniture, all gone; and of my brothers and sisters wanting praties, and i made a vow that i'd send every farthing of it to them, after which father mcgrath would no longer think of not giving me absolution. so i sent them every doit, only reserving for myself the pay which i had received, amounting to about pounds: and i never felt more happy in my life than when it was safe in the post-office, and fairly out of my hands. i wrote a bit of a letter to my father at the time, which was to this purpose:-- "`honoured father,--since our last pleasant meeting, at which you threw the stool at my head, missing the pigeon and hitting the crow, i have been dead and buried, but am now quite well, thank god, and want no absolution from father mcgrath, bad luck to him. and what's more to the point, i have just received a batch of prize-money, the first i have handled since i have served his majesty, and every farthing of which i now send to you, that you may get back your old cows, and the pig, and all the rest of the articles seized to pay for my fitting-out; i'm a true o'brien, tell my mother, and don't mane to turn protestant, but uphold the religion of my country; although the devil may take father mcgrath and his holy water to boot. i sha'n't come and see you, as perhaps you may have another stool ready for my head, and may take better aim next time. so no more at present from your affectionate son, "`terence o'brien.' "about three weeks afterwards i received a letter from my father, telling me that i was a real o'brien, and that if any one dared hint to the contrary, he would break every bone in his body: that they had received the money, and thanked me for a real gentleman as i was; that i should have the best stool in the house next time i came, not for my head, but for my tail; that father mcgrath sent me his blessing, and had given me absolution for all i had done, or should do for the next ten years to come; that my mother had cried with joy at my dutiful behaviour: and that all my brothers and sisters (bating tim, who had died the day after i left them) wished me good luck, and plenty more prize-money to send home to them. "this was all very pleasant; and i had nothing left on my mind but to get another ship; so i went to the port-admiral, and told him how it was that i left my last; and he said, that being dead and buried was quite sufficient reason for any one leaving his ship, and that he would procure me another, now that i had come to life again. i was sent on board of the guardship, where i remained about ten days, and then was sent round to join this frigate--and so my story's ended; and there's eight bells striking--so the watch is ended too." chapter fourteen. the first lieutenant has more patients--mr. chucks the boatswain lets me into the secret of his gentility. before i proceed with my narrative, i wish to explain to the reader that my history was not written in after-life, when i had obtained a greater knowledge of the world. when i first went to sea, i promised my mother that i would keep a journal of what passed, with my reflections upon it. to this promise i rigidly adhered, and since i have been my own master, these journals have remained in my possession. in writing, therefore, the early part of my adventures, everything is stated as it was impressed on my mind at the time. we had now been cruising for six weeks, and i found that my profession was much more agreeable than i had anticipated. my desire to please was taken for the deed; and, although i occasionally made a blunder, yet the captain and first lieutenant seemed to think that i was attentive to my duty to the best of my ability, and only smiled at my mistakes. the first lieutenant was one of the most amusing men i ever knew, yet he never relaxed from the discipline of the service, or took the least liberty with either his superiors or inferiors. his humour was principally shown in his various modes of punishment; and, however severe the punishment was to the party, the manner of inflicting it was invariably a source of amusement to the remainder of the ship's company. i often thought, that although no individual liked being punished, yet, that all the ship's company were quite pleased when a punishment took place. he was very particular about his decks; they were always as white as snow, and nothing displeased him so much as their being soiled. it was for that reason that he had such an objection to the use of tobacco. there were spitting-pans placed in different parts of the decks for the use of the men, that they might not dirty the planks with the tobacco juice. sometimes a man in a hurry forgot to use these pans; but as the mess to which the stain might be opposite had their grog stopped if the party were not found out, they took good care not only to keep a look-out, but to inform against the offender. now the punishment for the offence was as follows--the man's hands were tied behind his back, and a large tin spitting-box fixed to his chest by a strap over the shoulders. all the other boxes on the lower deck were taken away, and he was obliged to walk there, ready to attend the summons of any man who might wish to empty his mouth of the tobacco-juice. the other men were so pleased at the fancy, that they spat twice as much as before, for the pleasure of making him run about. i was much amused one morning watch that i kept. we were stowing the hammocks in the quarter-deck nettings, when one of the boys came up with his hammock on his shoulder, and as he passed the first lieutenant, the latter perceived that he had a quid of tobacco in his cheek. "what have you got there, my good lad--a gum-boil?--your cheek is very much swelled." "no, sir," replied the boy, "there's nothing at all the matter." "oh, there must be; it is a bad tooth, then. open your mouth, and let me see." very reluctantly the boy opened his mouth, and discovered a large roll of tobacco-leaf. "i see, i see," said the first lieutenant, "your mouth wants overhauling, and your teeth cleaning. i wish we had a dentist on board; but as we have not, i will operate as well as i can. send the armourer up here with his tongs." when the armourer made his appearance, the boy was made to open his mouth, while the chaw of tobacco was extracted with his rough instrument. "there now," said the first lieutenant, "i am sure that you must feel better already; you never could have had any appetite. now, captain of the afterguard, bring a piece of old canvas and some sand here, and clean his teeth nicely." the captain of the afterguard came forward, and putting the boy's head between his knees, scrubbed his teeth well with the sand and canvas for two or three minutes. "there, that will do," said the first lieutenant. "now, my little fellow, your mouth is nice and clean, and you'll enjoy your breakfast. it was impossible for you to have eaten anything with your mouth in such a nasty state. when it's dirty again, come to me and i'll be your dentist." one day i was on the forecastle with mr chucks, the boatswain, who was very kind to me. he had been showing me how to make the various knots and bends of rope which are used in our service. i am afraid that i was very stupid, but he showed me over and over again, until i learnt how to make them. amongst others, he taught me a fisherman's bend, which he pronounced to be the _king_ of all knots; "and, mr simple," continued he, "there's a moral in that knot. you observe, that when the parts are drawn the right way, and together, the more you pull, the faster they hold, and the more impossible to untie them; but see, by hauling them apart, how a little difference, a pull the other way, immediately disunites them, and then how easy they cast off in a moment. that points out the necessity of pulling together in this world, mr simple, when we wish to hold on, and that's a piece of philosophy worth all the twenty-six thousand and odd years of my friend the carpenter, which leads to nothing but a brown study, when he ought to be attending to his duty." "very true, mr chucks, you are the better philosopher of the two." "i am the better educated, mr simple, and, i trust, more of a gentleman. i consider a gentleman to be, to a certain degree, a philosopher; for very often he is obliged, to support his character as such, to put up with what another person may very properly fly in a passion about. i think coolness is the great characterstick of a gentleman. in the service, mr simple, one is obliged to appear angry without indulging the sentiment. i can assure you, that i never lose my temper, even when i use my rattan." "why, then, mr chucks, do you swear so much at the men? surely that is not gentlemanly?" "most certainly not, sir. but i must defend myself by observing the very artificial state in which we live on board of a man-of-war. nothing would afford me more pleasure than to be able to carry on the duty as a gentleman, but that's impossible." "i really cannot see why." "perhaps, then, mr simple, you will explain to me why the captain and first lieutenant swear." "that i do not pretend to answer, but they only do so upon an emergency." "exactly so; but, sir, their 'mergency is my daily and hourly duty. in the continual working of the ship i am answerable for all that goes amiss. the life of a boatswain is a life of 'mergency, and therefore i swear." "i still cannot allow it to be requisite, and certainly it is sinful." "excuse me, my dear sir; it is absolutely requisite, and not at all sinful. there is one language for the pulpit, and another for on board ship, and, in either situation, a man must make use of those terms most likely to produce the necessary effect upon his listeners. certain it is that common parlancy won't do with a common seaman. it is not here as in the scriptures, `do this, and he doeth it,' (by-the-by, that chap must have had his soldiers in tight order); but it is `do this, damn your eyes,' and then it is done directly. the order to _do_ just carries the weight of a cannon shot, but it wants the perpelling power-- the damn is the gunpowder which sets it flying in the execution of its duty. do you comprehend me, mr simple?" "i perfectly understand you, mr chucks, and i cannot help remarking, and that without flattery, that you are very different from the rest of the warrant officers. where did you receive your education?" "mr simple, i am here a boatswain with a clean shirt, and, i say it myself, and no one dare gainsay it, also with a thorough knowledge of my duty. but although i do not say that i ever was better off, i can say this, that i've been in the best society, in the company of lords and ladies. i once dined with your grandfather." "that's more than ever i did, for he never asked me, nor took the least notice of me," replied i. "what i state is true. i did not know that he was your grandfather until yesterday, when i was talking with mr o'brien; but i perfectly recollect him, although i was very young at that time. now, mr simple, if you will promise me as a gentleman (and i know you are one), that you will not repeat what i tell you, then i'll let you into the history of my life." "mr chucks, as i am a gentleman i never will divulge it until you are dead and buried, and not then if you do not wish it." mr chucks then sat down upon the fore-end of the booms by the funnel, and i took my place by his side, when he commenced as follows:-- "my father was a boatswain before me--one of the old school, rough as a bear, and drunken as a gosport fiddler. my mother was--my mother, and i shall say no more. my father was invalided for harbour duty after a life of intoxication, and died shortly afterwards. in the meantime i had been, by the kindness of the port-admiral's wife, educated at a foundation school. i was thirteen when my father died, and my mother, not knowing what to do with me, wished to bind me apprentice to a merchant vessel; but this i refused, and, after six months' quarrelling on the subject, i decided the point by volunteering in the _narcissus_ frigate. i believe that my gentlemanly ideas were innate, mr simple; i never, as a child, could bear the idea of the merchant service. after i had been a week on board, i was appointed servant to the purser, where i gave such satisfaction by my alertness and dexterity, that the first lieutenant took me away from the purser to attend upon himself. it so happened, that after i had served the first lieutenant for about a year, a young lord (i must not mention his name, mr simple) was sent to sea by his friends, or by his own choice, i don't know which, but i was told that his uncle, who was 'zeckative, and had an interest in his death, persuaded him to go. a lord at that period, some twenty-five years ago, was a rarity in the service, and they used to salute him when he came on board. the consequence was, that the young lord must have a servant to himself, although all the rest of the midshipmen had but one servant between them. the captain inquired who was the best boy in the ship, and the purser, to whom he appealed, recommended me. accordingly, i was immediately surrendered to his lordship. i had a very easy, comfortable life of it--i did little or nothing. we went to the mediterranean (because his lordship's mamma wished it), and we had been there about a year, when his lordship ate so many grapes that he was seized with a dysentery. he was ill for three weeks, and then he requested to be sent to malta in a transport going to gibraltar, or rather to the barbary coast for bullocks. he became worse every day, and made his will leaving me all his effects on board, which i certainly deserved for the kindness with which i had nursed him. off malta we fell in with a xebeque, bound to civita vecchia, and the captain of the transport, anxious to proceed, advised our going on board of her, as the wind was light and contrary, and these mediterranean vessels sailed better on a wind than the transport. my master, who was now sinking fast, consented, and we changed our ships. the next day he died, and a gale of wind came on, which prevented us from gaining the port for several days, and the body of his lordship not only became so offensive, but affected the superstition of the catholic sailors so much, that it was hove overboard. the wind was still against us, when a merchant vessel ran down to us, that had left civita vecchia for gibraltar. i desired the captain of the xebeque to make a signal of distress, or rather i did myself, and the vessel, which proved to be english, bore down to us. "i manned the boat to go on board, and the idea came into my head, that although they might refuse to take me, that they would not refuse a lord. i put on the midshipman's uniform belonging to his lordship (but then certainly belonging to me), and went alongside of the merchant vessel; i told them that i had left my ship for the benefit of my health, and wanted a passage to gibraltar, on my way home. my title, and immediate acceptance of the terms demanded for my passage, was sufficient. my property was brought from the xebeque; and, of course, as they could not speak english, they could not contradict, even if they suspected. during my passage to gibraltar, i had plenty of time for arranging my plans. i hardly need say that my lord's _kit_ was valuable; and what was better, they exactly fitted me. i also had his watches and trinkets, and many other things, besides a bag of dollars. however, they were honestly mine; the only thing that i took was his name, which he had no further occasion for, poor fellow! but it's no use defending what was wrong--it was dishonest, and there's an end of it. "now observe, mr simple, how one thing leads to another. i declare to you, that my first idea of making use of his lordship's name was to procure a passage to gibraltar. i then was undecided how to act; but, as i had charge of his papers and letters to his mother and guardian, i think, indeed i am almost sure--that i should have laid aside my dignity and midshipman's dress, and applied for a passage home to the commissioner of the yard. but it was fated to be otherwise; for the master of the transport went on shore to report and obtain pratique, and he told them everywhere that the young lord a--- was a passenger with him, going to england for the benefit of his health. in less than half-an-hour, off came the commissioner's boat, and another boat from the governor, requesting the honour of my company, and that i would take a bed at their houses during my stay. what could i do? i began to be frightened; but i was more afraid to confess that i was an impostor, for i am sure the master of the transport alone would have kicked me overboard, if i had let him know that he had been so confounded polite to a ship's boy. so i blushed half from modesty and half from guilt, and accepted the invitation of the governor; sending a polite verbal refusal to the commissioner, upon the plea of there being no paper or pens on board. "well, mr simple, i dressed myself very carefully, put on my chains and rings, and a little perfume on my handkerchief, and accompanied the aide-de-camp to the governor's, where i was asked after my mother, lady ---, and my uncle, my guardian, and a hundred other questions. at first i was much confused, which was attributed to bashfulness; and so it was, but not of the right sort. but before the day was over, i had been so accustomed to be called `my lord,' and to my situation, that i was quite at my ease, and began to watch the motions and behaviour of the company, that i might regulate my comportment by that of good society. i remained at gibraltar for a fortnight, and then was offered a passage in a transport ordered to portsmouth. being on officer, of course it was free to a certain extent. on my passage to england, i again made up my mind that i would put off my dress and title as soon as i could escape from observation; but i was prevented as before. the port-admiral sent off to request the pleasure of my company to dinner. i dared not refuse; and there i was, my lord as before, courted and feasted by everybody. my bill at the hotel was very extravagant, and more than i could pay: but the master said it was not of the least consequence: that of course his lordship had not provided himself with cash, just coming from foreign parts, and offered to supply me with money if i required it. this, i will say, i was honest enough to refuse. i left my cards, ppc, as they do, mr simple, in all well regulated society, and set off in the mail for london, where i fully resolved to drop my title, and to proceed to scotland to his lordship's mother, with the mournful intelligence of his death--for you see, mr simple, no one knew that his lordship was dead. when i arrived in london (i still wore my midshipman's uniform), i went to an hotel recommended to me, as i afterwards found out, the most fashionable in town, my title still following me. i now determined to put off my uniform and dress in plain clothes--my farce was over. i went to bed that night, and the next morning made my appearance in a suit of mufti, making inquiry of the waiter which was the best conveyance to scotland. "`post chay and four, my lord. at what time shall i order it?' "`oh,' replied i, `i am not sure that i shall go to-morrow.' "just at this moment in came the master of the hotel, with the _morning post_ in his hand, making me a low bow, and pointing to the insertion of my arrival at his hotel among the fashionables. this annoyed me; and now that i found how difficult it was to get rid of my title, i became particularly anxious to be william chucks, as before. before twelve o'clock, three or four gentlemen were ushered into my sitting-room, who observing my arrival in that damn'd _morning post_, came to pay their respects; and before the day was over, i was invited and re-invited by a dozen people. "at last the play was over. i had been enticed by some young men into a gambling-house, where they intended to fleece me; but, for the first night, they allowed me to win, i think, about pounds. i was quite delighted with my success, and had agreed to meet them the next evening; but when i was at breakfast, with my legs crossed, reading the _morning post_, who should come to see me but my guardian uncle. he knew his nephew's features too well to be deceived, and my not recognising him proved at once that i was an impostor. you must allow me to hasten over the scene which took place,--the wrath of the uncle, the confusion in the hotel, the abuse of the waiters, the police-officer, and being dragged into a hackney-coach to bow-street. there i was examined, and confessed all. the uncle was so glad to find that his nephew was really dead, that he felt no resentment towards me; and as, after all, i had only assumed a name, but had cheated nobody, except the landlord at portsmouth, i was sent on board the tender off the tower to be drafted into a man-of-war. as for my pounds, my clothes, etc, i never heard any more of them; they were seized, i presume, by the landlord of the hotel for my bill, and very handsomely he must have paid himself. "you found some difference, i should think, in your situation?" "yes i did, mr simple: but i was much happier. i could not forget the ladies, and the dinners, and the opera, and all the delights of london, beside the respect paid to my title, and i often sighed for them; but the police-officer and bow-street also came to my recollection, and i shuddered at the remembrance. it had, however, one good effect; i determined to be an officer if i could, and learnt my duty, and worked my way up to quarter-master, and thence to boatswain--and i know my duty, mr simple. but i've been punished for my folly ever since. i formed ideas above my station in life, and cannot help longing to be a gentleman. it's a bad thing for a man to have ideas above his station." "you certainly must find some difference between the company in london and that of the warrant officers." "it's many years back now, sir; but i can't get over the feeling. i can't 'sociate with them at all." chapter fifteen. i go on service, and am made prisoner by an old lady, who, not able to obtain my hand, takes part of my finger as a token--o'brien rescues me-- a lee shore and narrow escape. two or three days after this conversation with mr chucks, the captain ran the frigate in shore; and when within five miles, we discovered two vessels under the land. we made all sail in chase, and cut them off from escaping round a sandy point, which they attempted to weather. finding that they could not effect their purpose, they ran on shore under a small battery of two guns, which commenced firing upon us. the first shot, which whizzed between the masts, had to me a most terrific sound; but the officers and men laughed at it, so of course i pretended to do the same, but in reality i could see nothing to laugh at. the captain ordered the starboard watch to be piped to quarters, and the boats to be cleared, ready for hoisting out; we then anchored within a mile of the battery, and returned the fire. in the meantime, the remainder of the ship's company hoisted out and lowered down four boats, which were manned and armed to storm the battery. i was very anxious to go on service, and o'brien, who had command of the first cutter, allowed me to go with him, on condition that i stowed myself away under the fore-sheets, that the captain might not see me before the boats had shoved off. this i did, and was not discovered. we pulled in abreast towards the battery, and in less than ten minutes the boats were run on the beach, and we jumped out. the frenchmen fired a gun at us as we pulled close to the shore, and then ran away. there were a few fishermen's huts close to the battery; and while two of the boats went on board of the vessels, to see if they could be got off, and others were spiking the guns and destroying the carriages, i went with o'brien to examine them: they were deserted by the people, as might have been supposed, but there was a great quantity of fish in them, apparently caught that morning. o'brien pointed to a very large skate--"murder in irish!" cried he, "it's the very ghost of of my grandmother: we'll have her if it's only for the family likeness. peter, put your finger into the gills, and drag her down to the boat." i could not force my finger into the gills; and as the animal appeared quite dead, i hooked my finger into his mouth; but i made a sad mistake, for the animal was alive, and immediately closed its jaws, nipping my finger to the bone, and holding it so tight that i could not withdraw it, and the pain was too great to allow me to pull it away by main force, and tear my finger, which it held so fast. there i was, caught in a trap, and made a prisoner by a flatfish. fortunately, i hallooed loud enough to make o'brien, who was close down to the boats, with a large cod-fish under each arm, turn round and come to my assistance. at first he could not help me, from laughing so much; but at last he forced open the jaw of the fish with his cutlass, and i got my finger out, but very badly torn indeed. i then took off my garter, tied it round the tail of the skate, and dragged it to the boat, which was all ready to shove off. my finger was very bad for three weeks, and the officers laughed at me very much, saying that i narrowly escaped being made a prisoner of by an "old maid." we continued our cruise along the coast, until we had run down into the bay of arcason, where we captured two or three vessels, and obliged many more to run on shore. we had chased a convoy of vessels to the bottom of the bay: the wind was very fresh when we hauled off, after running them on shore; and the surf on the beach even at that time was so great, that they were certain to go to pieces before they could be got afloat again. we were obliged to double-reef the topsails as soon as we hauled to the wind, and the weather looked very threatening. in an hour afterwards, the whole sky was covered with one black cloud, which sank so low as nearly to touch our mast-heads, and a tremendous sea, which appeared to have risen up almost by magic, rolled in upon us, setting the vessel on a dead lee shore. as the night closed in, it blew a dreadful gale, and the ship was nearly buried with the press of canvas which she was obliged to carry: for had we sea-room, we should have been lying-to under storm staysails; but we were forced to carry on at all risks, that we might claw off shore. the sea broke over as we lay in the trough, deluging us with water from the forecastle, aft, to the binnacles and very often, as the ship descended with a plunge, it was with such force that i really thought she would divide in half with the violence of the shock. double breechings were rove on the guns, and they were further secured with tackles; and strong cleats nailed behind the trunnions; for we heeled over so much when we lurched, that the guns were wholly supported by the breechings and tackles, and had one of them broken loose, it must have burst right through the lee side of the ship, and she must have foundered. the captain, first lieutenant, and most of the officers, remained on deck during the whole of the night. what made it more appalling was, that we were on a lee shore, and the consultations of the captain and officers, and the eagerness with which they looked out for daylight, told us that we had other dangers to encounter besides the storm. at last the morning broke, and the look-out man upon the gangway called out, "land on the lee beam!" i perceived the master dash his feet against the hammock rails, as if with vexation, and walk away without saying a word, and looking very grave. "up, there, mr wilson," said the captain to the second lieutenant, "and see how far the land trends forward, and whether you can distinguish the point." the second lieutenant went up the main-rigging, and pointed with his hand to about two points before the beam. "do you see two hillocks inland?" "yes, sir," replied the second lieutenant. "then it is so," observed the captain to the master, "and if we weather it we shall have more sea-room. keep her full, and let her go through the water; do you hear, quarter-master?" "ay, ay, sir." "thus, and no nearer, my man. ease her with a spoke or two when she sends; but be careful, or she'll take the wheel out of your hands." it really was a very awful sight. when the ship was in the trough of the sea, you could distinguish nothing but a waste of tumultuous water; but when she was borne up on the summit of the enormous waves, you then looked down, as it were, upon a low, sandy coast, close to you, and covered with foam and breakers. "she behaves nobly," observed the captain, stepping aft to the binnacle, and looking at the compass; "if the wind does not baffle us, we shall weather." the captain had scarcely time to make the observation, when the sails shivered and flapped like thunder. "up with the helm; what are you about, quarter-master?" "the wind has headed us, sir," replied the quarter-master, coolly. the captain and master remained at the binnacle watching the compass; and when the sails were again full, she had broken off two points and the point of land was only a little on the lee bow. "we must wear her round, mr falcon. hands, wear ship--ready, oh, ready." "she has come up again," cried the master, who was at the binnacle. "hold fast there a minute. how's her head now?" "n.n.e., as she was before she broke off, sir?" "pipe belay," said the captain. "falcon," continued he, "if she breaks off again we may have no room to wear; indeed there is so little room now, that i must run the risk. which cable was ranged last night--the best bower?" "yes, sir." "jump down, then, and see it double-bitted and stoppered at thirty fathoms. see it well done--our lives may depend upon it." the ship continued to hold her course good; and we were within half a mile of the point, and fully expected to weather it, when again the wet and heavy sails flapped in the wind, and the ship broke off two points as before. the officers and seamen were aghast, for the ship's head was right on to the breakers. "luff now, all you can, quarter-master," cried the captain. "send the men aft directly. my lads, there is no time for words--i am going to _club-haul_ the ship, for there is no room to wear. the only chance you have of safety is to be cool, watch my eye, and execute my orders with precision. away to your stations for tacking ship. hands by the best bower anchor. mr wilson, attend below with the carpenter and his mates, ready to cut away the cable at the moment that i give the order. silence, there, fore and aft. quarter-master, keep her full again for stays. mind you ease the helm down when i tell you." about a minute passed before the captain gave any further orders. the ship had closed to within a quarter of a mile of the beach, and the waves curled and topped around us, bearing us down upon the shore, which presented one continued surface of foam, extending to within half a cable's length of our position, at which distance the enormous waves culminated and fell with the report of thunder. the captain waved his hand in silence to the quarter-master at the wheel, and the helm was put down. the ship turned slowly to the wind, pitching and chopping as the sails were spinning. she had lost her way, the captain gave the order, "let go the anchor. we will haul all at once, mr falcon," said the captain. not a word was spoken; the men went to the fore brace, which had not been manned; most of them knew, although i did not, that if the ship's head did not go round the other way, we should be on shore, and among the breakers, in half a minute. at last the ship was head to wind, and the captain gave the signal. the yards flew round with such a creaking noise, that i thought the masts had gone over the side, and the next moment the wind had caught the sails; and the ship, which for a moment or two had been on an even keel, careened over to her gunnel with its force. the captain, who stood upon the weather hammock-rails, holding by the main rigging, ordered the helm amidships, looked full at the sails, and then at the cable, which grew broad upon the weather bow, and held the ship from nearing the shore. at last he cried, "cut away the cable!" a few strokes of the axes were heard, and then the cable flew out of the hawse hole in a blaze of fire, from the violence of the friction, and disappeared under a huge wave, which struck us on the chess-tree, and deluged us with water fore and aft. but we were now on the other tack, and the ship regained her way, and we had evidently increased our distance from the land. "my lads," said the captain to the ship's company, "you have behaved well, and i thank you; but i must tell you honestly, that we have more difficulties to get through. we have to weather a point of the bay on this tack. mr falcon, splice the main-brace, and call the watch. how's her head, quarter-master?" "s.w. by s. southerly, sir." "very well; let her go through the water;" and the captain, beckoning to the master to follow him, went down into the cabin. as our immediate danger was over, i went down into the berth to see if i could get anything for breakfast, where i found o'brien and two or three more. "by the powers, it was as nate a thing as ever i saw done," observed o'brien; "the slightest mistake as to time or management, and at this moment the flatfish would have been dubbing at our ugly carcasses. peter, you're not fond of flatfish, are you, my boy? we may thank heaven and the captain, i can tell you that, my lads; but now, where's the chart, robinson? hand me down the parallel rules and compasses, peter; they are in the corner of the shelf. here we are now, a devilish sight too near this infernal point. who knows how her head is?" "i do, o'brien: i heard the quarter-master tell the captain s.w. by s. southerly." "let me see," continued o'brien, "variation two and a quarter--lee way-- rather too large an allowance of that, i'm afraid; but, however, we'll give her two and a half points; the _diomede_ would blush to make any more, under any circumstances. here--the compass--now we'll see;" and o'brien advanced the parallel rule from the compass to the spot where the ship was placed on the chart. "bother! you see it's as much as she'll do to weather the other point now, on this tack, and that's what the captain meant when he told us we had more difficulty. i could have taken my bible oath that we were clear of everything, if the wind held." "see what the distance is, o'brien," said robinson. it was measured, and proved to be thirteen miles. "only thirteen miles; and if we do weather, we shall do very well, for the bay is deep beyond. it's a rocky point, you see, just by way of variety. well, my lads, i've a piece of comfort for you, anyhow. it's not long that you'll be kept in suspense, for by one o'clock this day, you'll either be congratulating each other upon your good luck, or you'll be past praying for. come, put up the chart, for i hate to look at melancholy prospects: and, steward, see what you can find in the way of comfort." some bread and cheese, with the remains of yesterday's boiled pork, were put on the table, with a bottle of rum, procured at the time they "spliced the main-brace;" but we were all too anxious to eat much, and one by one returned on deck, to see how the weather was, and if the wind at all favoured us. on deck the superior officers were in conversation with the captain, who had expressed the same fear that o'brien had in our berth. the men, who knew what they had to expect--for this sort of intelligence is soon communicated through a ship--were assembled in knots, looking very grave, but at the same time not wanting in confidence. they knew that they could trust to the captain, as far as skill or courage could avail them; and sailors are too sanguine to despair, even at the last moment. before twelve o'clock the rocky point which we so much dreaded was in sight broad on the lee bow; and if the low sandy coast appeared terrible, how much more did this, even at a distance! the black masses of rock covered with foam, which each minute dashed up in the air higher than our lower mast-heads. the captain eyed it for some minutes in silence, as if in calculation. "mr falcon," said he at last, "we must put the mainsail on her." "she never can bear it, sir." "she _must_ bear it," was the reply. "send the men aft to the mainsheet. see that careful men attend the buntlines." the mainsail was set, and the effect of it upon the ship was tremendous. she careened over so that her lee channels were under the water; and when pressed by a sea, the lee side of the quarter-deck and gangway were afloat. she now reminded me of a goaded and fiery horse, mad with the stimulus applied; not rising as before, but forcing herself through whole seas, and dividing the waves, which poured in one continual torrent from the forecastle down upon the decks below. four men were secured to the wheel--the sailors were obliged to cling, to prevent being washed away--the ropes were thrown in confusion to leeward--the shot rolled out of the lockers, and every eye was fixed aloft, watching the masts, which were expected every moment to go over the side. a heavy sea struck us on the broadside, and it was some moments before the ship appeared to recover herself; she reeled, trembled, and stopped her way, as if it had stupefied her. the first lieutenant looked at the captain as if to say, "this will not do." "it is our only chance," answered the captain to the appeal. that the ship went faster through the water, and held a better wind, was certain; but just before we arrived at the point, the gale increased in force. "if any thing starts, we are lost, sir," observed the first lieutenant again. "i am perfectly aware of it," replied the captain, in a calm tone; "but, as i said before, and you must now be aware, it is our only chance. the consequence of any carelessness or neglect in the fitting and securing of the rigging, will be felt now; and this danger, if we escape it, ought to remind us how much we have to answer for if we neglect our duty. the lives of a whole ship's company may be sacrificed by the neglect or incompetence of an officer when in harbour." the ship was now within two cables' lengths of the rocky point; some few of the men i observed to clasp their hands, but most of them were silently taking off their jackets, and kicking off their shoes, that they might not lose a chance of escape provided the ship struck. "'twill be touch and go indeed, falcon," observed the captain (for i had clung to the belaying pins, close to them for the last half-hour that the mainsail had been set). "come aft, you and i must take the helm. we shall want _nerve_ there, and only there, now." the captain and first lieutenant went aft, and took the forespokes of the wheel, and o'brien, at a sign made by the captain, laid hold of the spokes behind him. an old quarter-master kept his station at the fourth. the roaring of the sea on the rocks, with the howling of the wind, were dreadful; but the sight was more dreadful than the noise. for a few moments i shut my eyes, but anxiety forced me to open them again. as near as i could judge, we were not twenty yards from the rocks, at the time that the ship passed abreast of them. we were in the midst of the foam, which boiled around us; and as the ship was driven nearer to them, and careened with the wave, i thought that our main yard-arm would have touched the rock; and at this moment a gust of wind came on which laid the ship on her beam-ends, and checked her progress through the water, while the accumulated noise was deafening. a few moments more the ship dragged on, another wave dashed over her and spent itself upon the rocks, while the spray was dashed back from them, and returned upon the decks. the main rock was within ten yards of her counter, when another gust of wind laid us on our beam-ends; the foresail and mainsail split, and were blown clean out of the bolt-ropes--the ship righted, trembling fore and aft. i looked astern:--the rocks were to windward on our quarter, and we were safe. i thought at the time, that the ship, relieved of her courses, and again lifting over the waves, was not a bad similitude of the relief felt by us all at that moment; and, like her, we trembled as we panted with the sudden reaction, and felt the removal of the intense anxiety which oppressed our breasts. the captain resigned the helm, and walked aft to look at the point, which was now broad on the weather quarter. in a minute or two, he desired mr falcon to get new sails up and bend them, and then went below to his cabin. i am sure it was to thank god for our deliverance: i did most fervently, not only then, but when i went to my hammock at night. we were now comparatively safe--in a few hours completely so: for, strange to say, immediately after we had weathered the rocks, the gale abated, and before morning we had a reef out of the topsails. chapter sixteen. news from home--a "fatigue" party employed at gibraltar--more particulars in the life of mr. chucks--a brush with the enemy--a court-martial and a lasting impression. a few days afterwards, a cutter joined us from plymouth with orders for the frigate to proceed forthwith to gibraltar, where we should learn our destination. we were all very glad of this: for we had had quite enough of cruising in the bay of biscay; and, as we understood that we were to be stationed in the mediterranean, we hoped to exchange gales of wind and severe weather for fine breezes and a bright sky. the cutter brought out our letters and newspapers. i never felt more happy than i did when i found one put into my hands. it is necessary to be far from home and friends, to feel the real delight of receiving a letter. i went down into the most solitary place in the steerage, that i might enjoy it without interruption. i cried with pleasure before i opened it; but i cried a great deal more with grief, after i had read the contents--for my eldest brother tom was dead of a typhus fever. poor tom. when i called to mind what tricks he used to play me--how he used to borrow my money and never pay me--and how he used to thrash me and make me obey him, because he was my elder brother--i shed a torrent of tears at his loss; and then i reflected how miserable my poor mother must be, and i cried still more. i was very melancholy for a few days; but it was so delightful running down the portuguese and spanish coasts, the weather was so warm, and the sea so smooth, that i am afraid i forgot my brother's death sooner than i ought to have done; but my spirits were cheered up, and the novelty of the scene prevented me from thinking. every one, too, was so gay and happy, that i could not well be otherwise. in a fortnight, we anchored in gibraltar bay, and the ship was stripped to refit. there was so much duty to be done, that i did not like to go on shore. indeed, mr falcon had refused some of my messmates, and i thought it better not to ask, although i was very anxious to see a place which was considered so extraordinary. one afternoon, i was looking over the gangway as the people were at supper, and mr falcon came up to me and said, "well, mr simple, what are you thinking of?" i replied, touching my hat, that i was wondering how they had cut out the solid rocks into galleries, and that they must be very curious. "that is to say, that you are very curious to see them. well, then, since you have been very attentive to your duty, and have not asked to go on shore, i will give you leave to go to-morrow morning and stay till gun-fire." i was very much pleased at this, as the officers had a general invitation to dine with the mess, and all who could obtain leave being requested to come, i was enabled to join the party. the first lieutenant had excused himself on the plea of there being so much to attend to on board; but most of the gun-room officers and some of the midshipmen obtained leave. we walked about the town and fortifications until dinner-time, and then we proceeded to the barracks. the dinner was very good, and we were all very merry; but after the dessert had been brought in, i slipped away with a young ensign, who took me all over the galleries and explained everything to me, which was a much better way of employing my time than doing as the others did, which the reader will acknowledge. i was at the sally-port before gun-fire--the boat was there, but no officers made their appearance. the gun fired, the drawbridge was hauled up, and i was afraid that i should be blamed; but the boat was not ordered to shove off, as it was waiting for commissioned officers. about an hour afterwards, when it was quite dark, the sentry pointed his arms and challenged a person advancing with, "who comes there?"--"naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow," was the reply, in a loud singing voice. upon which, the sentry recovered his arms, singing in return, "pass, naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow--and all's well!" and then appeared a soldier in his fatigue dress, wheeling down the third lieutenant in a wheelbarrow so tipsy that he could not stand or speak. then the sentry challenged again, and the answer was, "another naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow:" upon which the sentry replied as before, "pass, another naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow--and all's well." this was my friend o'brien, almost as bad as the third lieutenant; and so they continued for ten minutes, challenging and passing, until they wheeled down the remainder of the party, with the exception of the second lieutenant, who walked arm-in-arm with the officer who brought down the order for lowering the drawbridge. they were all safely put into the boat, and i am glad to say the first lieutenant was in bed and did not see them. the ship remained at gibraltar bay about three weeks, during which time we had refitted the rigging fore and aft, restowed and cleaned the hold, and painted the outside. she never looked more beautiful than she did when, in obedience to our orders, we made sail to join the admiral. we had very light winds, and a day or two afterwards we were off valencia, nearly becalmed. i was on the gangway, looking through a telescope at the houses and gardens round the city, when mr chucks, the boatswain, came up to me. "mr simple, oblige me with that glass a moment; i wish to see if a building remains there, which i have some reason to remember." "what, were you ever on shore there?" "yes, i was, mr simple, and nearly _stranded_, but i got off again without much damage." "how do you mean--were you wrecked then?" "not my ship, mr simple, but my peace of mind was for some time; but it's many years ago, when i was first made boatswain of a corvette" (during this conversation he was looking through the telescope); "yes, there it is," said he; "i have it in the field. look, mr simple, do you see a small church, with a spire of glazed tiles, shining like a needle?" "yes, i do." "well, then, just above it, a little to the right, there is a long white house, with four small windows--below the grove of orange-trees." "i see it," replied i; "but what about that house, mr chucks?" "why, thereby hangs a tale," replied he, giving a sigh, which raised and then lowered the frill of his shirt at least six inches. "why, what is the mystery, mr chucks?" "i'll tell you, mr simple. with one who lived in that house, i was for the first, and for the last time, in love." "indeed! i should like very much to hear the story." "so you shall, mr simple. one evening, i was walking in the plaza, when i saw a female a-head, who appeared to be the prettiest-moulded little vessel that i ever cast my eyes on. i followed in her wake, and examined her; such a clean run i never beheld--so neat, too, in all her rigging--everything so nicely stowed under hatches. and then, she sailed along in such a style, at one moment lifting so lightly, just like a frigate, with her topsails on the caps, that can't help going along. at another time, as she turned a corner sharp up in the wind-- wake as straight as an arrow--no leeway--i made all sail to sheer alongside of her, and, when under quarter, examined her close. never saw such a fine swell in the counter, and all so trim--no ropes towing overboard. well, mr simple, i said to myself, `damnt it, if her figure-head and bows be finished off by the same builder, she's perfect.' so i shot ahead, and yawed a little--caught a peep at her through her veil, and saw two black eyes--as bright as beads, and as large as damsons. i saw quite enough, and not wishing to frighten her, i dropped astern. shortly afterwards she altered her course, steering for that white house. just as she was abreast of it, and i playing about the weather quarter, the priests came by in procession, taking the _host_ to somebody who was dying. my little frigate lowered her top-gallant sails out of respect, as other nations used to do, and ought now, and be damned to them, whenever they pass the flag of old england--" "how do you mean?" inquired i. "i mean that she spread her white handkerchief, which fluttered in her hand as she went along, and knelt down upon it on one knee. i did the same, because i was obliged to heave-to to keep my station, and i thought, that if she saw me, it would please her. when she got up, i was on my legs also; but in my hurry, i had not chosen a very clean place, and i found out, when i got up again, that my white jean trowsers were in a shocking mess. the young lady turned round, and seeing my misfortune, laughed, and then went into the white house, while i stood there like a fool, first looking at the door of the house, and then at my trowsers. however, i thought that i might make it the means of being acquainted with her, so i went to the door and knocked. an old gentleman in a large cloak, who was her father, came out; i pointed to my trowsers, and requested him in spanish to allow me a little water to clean them. the daughter then came from within, and told her father how the accident had happened. the old gentleman was surprised that an english officer was so good a christian, and appeared to be pleased. he asked me very politely to come in, and sent an old woman for some water. i observed that he was smoking a bit of paper, and having very fortunately about a couple of dozen of real havannahs in my pocket (for i never smoke anything else, mr simple, it being my opinion that no gentleman can), i took them out, and begged his acceptance of them. his eyes glistened at the sight of them, but he refused to take more than one however, i insisted upon his taking the whole bundle, telling him that i had plenty more on board, reserving one for myself, that i might smoke it with him. he then requested me to sit down, and the old woman brought some sour wine, which i declared was very good, although it made me quite ill afterwards. he inquired of me whether i was a good christian. i replied that i was. i knew that he meant a catholic, for they call us heretics, mr simple. the daughter then came in without her veil, and she was perfection: but i did not look at her, or pay her any attention after the first salutation, i was so afraid of making the old gentleman suspicious. he then asked what i was--what sort of officer--was i captain? i replied that i was not. was i 'tenente? which means lieutenant; i answered that i was not, again, but with an air of contempt, as if i was something better. what was i then? i did not know the spanish for boatswain, and, to tell the truth, i was ashamed of my condition. i knew that there was an officer in spain called corregidor, which means a corrector in english, or one who punishes. now i thought that quite near enough for my purpose, and i replied that i was the corregidor. now, mr simple, a corregidor in spain is a person of rank and consequence, so they imagined that i must be the same, and they appeared to be pleased. the young lady then inquired if i was of good family--whether i was a gentleman or not. i replied that i hoped so. i remained with them for half-an-hour more, when my cigar was finished; i then rose, and thanking the old gentleman for his civility, begged that i might be allowed to bring him a few more cigars, and took my leave. the daughter opened the street-door, and i could not refrain from taking her hand and kissing it--" "where's mr chucks? call the boatswain there forward," hallooed out the lieutenant. "here i am, sir," replied mr chucks, hastening aft, and leaving me and his story. "the captain of the maintop reports the breast backstay much chafed in the serving. go up and examine it," said the first lieutenant. "yes, sir," replied the boatswain, who immediately went up the rigging. "and, mr simple, attend to the men scraping the spots off the quarterdeck." "yes, sir," replied i; and thus our conversation was broken up. the weather changed that night, and we had a succession of rain and baffling winds for six or seven days, during which i had no opportunity of hearing the remainder of the boatswain's history. we joined the fleet off toulon, closed the admiral's ship, and the captain went on board to pay his respects. when he returned, we found out, through the first lieutenant, that we were to remain with the fleet until the arrival of another frigate, expected in about a fortnight, and then the admiral had promised that we should have a cruise. the second day after we had joined, we were ordered to form part of the in-shore squadron, consisting of two line-of-battle ships and four frigates. the french fleet used to come out and manoeuvre within range of their batteries; or, if they proceeded further from the shore, they took good care that they had a leading wind to return again into port. we had been in-shore about a week, every day running close in, and counting the french fleet in the harbour, to see that they were all safe, and reporting it to the admiral by signal, when one fine morning, the whole of the french vessels were perceived to hoist their topsails, and in less than an hour they were under weigh, and came out of the harbour. we were always prepared for action, night and day, and, indeed, often exchanged a shot or two with the batteries when we reconnoitred; the in-shore squadron could not, of course, cope with the whole french fleet, and our own was about twelve miles in the offing, but the captain of the line-of-battle ship, who commanded us, hove-to as if in defiance, hoping to entice them further out. four of the french frigates made sail towards us, and hove-to, when within four miles, three or four line-of-battle ships followed them, as if to support them. our captain made signal for permission to close the enemy, which was granted, with our pennants, and those of another frigate. we immediately made all sail, beat to quarters, put out the fires, and opened the magazines. the french line-of-battle ships perceiving that only two of our frigates were sent against their four, hove-to at about the same distance from their frigates, as our line-of-battle ships and other frigates were from us. in the meantime our main fleet continued to work in shore under a press of sail, and the french main fleet also gradually approached the detached ships. in about an hour we closed so near, that the french frigates made sail and commenced firing. we reserved our fire until within a quarter of a mile, when we poured our broadside into the headmost frigate, exchanging with her on opposite tacks. the _sea-horse_, who followed, also gave her a broadside. in this way we exchanged broadsides with the whole four, and we had the best of it, they could not load so fast as we could. we were both ready again for the frigates as they passed us, but they were not ready with their broadside, for the _sea-horse_, who followed us very closely, so that they had two broadsides each, and we had only four in the _diomede_, the _sea-horse_ not having one. our rigging was cut up a great deal, and we had six or seven men wounded, but none killed. the french frigates suffered more, and their admiral perceiving that they were cut up a good deal, made a signal of recall. in the meantime we had both tacked, and were ranging up on the weather quarter of the sternmost frigate: the line-of-battle ships perceiving this, ran down with the wind, two points free, to support their frigates, and our in-shore squadron made all sail to support us, nearly laying up for where we were. but the wind was what is called at sea a soldier's wind, that is, blowing so that the ships could lie either way, so as to run out or into the harbour, and the french frigates, in obedience to their orders, made sail for their fleet in-shore, the line-of-battle ships coming out to support them. but our captain would not give it up, although we all continued to near the french line-of-battle ships every minute--we ran in with the frigates, exchanging broadsides with them as fast as we could. one of them lost her fore-topmast, and dropped astern, and we hoped to cut her off, but the others shortened sail to support her. this continued for about twenty minutes, when the french line-of-battle ships were not more than a mile from us, and our own commodore had made the signal of our recall, for he thought that we should be overpowered and taken. but the _sea-horse_, who saw the recall up, did not repeat it, and our captain was determined not to see it, and ordered the signal-man not to look that way. the action continued; two of the french frigates were cut to pieces, and complete wrecks, when the french line-of-battle ships commenced firing. it was then high time to be off. we each of us poured in another broadside, and then wore round for our own squadron, which were about four miles off, and rather to leeward, standing in to our assistance. as we wore round, our main-topmast, which had been badly wounded, fell over the side, and the french perceiving this, made all sail, with the hope of capturing us; but the _sea-horse_ remained with us, and we threw up in the wind, and raked them until they were within two cables' length of us. then we stood on for our own ships. at last one of the line-of-battle ships, which sailed as well as the frigates, came abreast of us, and poured in a broadside, which brought every thing about our ears, and i thought we must be taken; but on the contrary, although we lost several men, the captain said to the first lieutenant, "now, if they only wait a little longer, they are nabbed, as sure as fate." just at this moment, our own line-of-battle ships opened their fire, and then the tables were turned. the french tacked, and stood in as fast as they could, followed by the in-shore squadron, with the exception of our ship, which was too much crippled to chase them. one of their frigates had taken in tow the other, who had lost her topmast, and our squadron came up with her very fast. the english fleet were also within three miles, standing in, and the french fleet standing out, to the assistance of the other ships which had been engaged. i thought, and so did everybody, that there would be a general action, but we were disappointed; the frigate which towed the other, finding that she could not escape, cast her off, and left her to her fate, which was to haul down her colours to the commodore of the in-shore squadron. the chase was continued until the whole of the french vessels were close under their batteries, and then our fleet returned to its station with the prize, which proved to be the _narcisse_, of thirty-six guns, captain le pelleteon. our captain obtained a great deal of credit for his gallant behaviour. we had three men killed, and robinson, the midshipman, and ten men wounded, some of them severely. about the time she was expected, the frigate joined, and we had permission to part company. but before i proceed with the history of our cruise, i shall mention the circumstances attending a court-martial, which took place during the time that we were with the fleet, our captain having been recalled from the in-shore squadron to sit as one of the members. i was the midshipman appointed to the captain's gig, and remained on board of the admiral's ship during the whole of the time that the court was sitting. two seamen, one an englishman and the other a frenchman, were tried for desertion from one of our frigates. they had left their ship about three months, when the frigate captured a french privateer, and found them on board as part of her crew. for the englishman, of course, there was no defence; he merited the punishment of death, to which he was immediately sentenced. there may be some excuse for desertion, when we consider that the seamen are taken into the service by force, but there could be none for fighting against his country. but the case of the frenchman was different. he was born and bred in france, had been one of the crew of the french gun-boats, at cadiz, where he had been made a prisoner by the spaniards, and expecting his throat to be cut every day, had contrived to escape on board of the frigate lying in the harbour, and entered into our service, i really believe to save his life. he was nearly two years in the frigate before he could find an opportunity of deserting from her, and returning to france, when he joined the french privateer. during the time that he was in the frigate, he bore an excellent character. the greatest point against him was, that on his arrival at gibraltar, he had been offered and had received the bounty. when the englishman was asked what he had to say in his defence, he replied that he had been pressed out of an american ship, that he was american born, and that he had never taken the bounty. but this was not true. both the men were condemned to death, and the day after the morrow was fixed for their execution. i was ordered to attend the punishment on the day appointed. the sun shone so brightly, and the sky was so clear, and the wind so gentle and mild, that it appeared hardly possible that it was to be a day of such awe and misery to the two poor men, or of such melancholy to the fleet in general. i pulled up my boat with the others belonging to the ships of the fleet, in obedience to the orders of the officer superintending, close to the fore-chains of the ship. in about half-an-hour afterwards the prisoners made their appearance on the scaffold, the caps were pulled over their eyes, and the gun fired underneath them. when the smoke rolled away, the englishman was swinging at the yard-arm, but the frenchman was not; he had made a spring when the gun fired, hoping to break his neck at once, and put an end to his misery; but he fell on the edge of the scaffold, where he lay. we thought that his rope had given way, and it appeared that he did the same, for he made an inquiry, but they returned him no answer. he was kept on the scaffold during the whole hour that the englishman remained suspended; his cap had been removed, and he looked occasionally at his fellow sufferer. when the body was lowered down, he considered that his time was come, and attempted to leap overboard. he was restrained and led aft, where his reprieve was read to him, and his arms were unbound. but the effect of the shock was too much for his mind; he fell down in a swoon, and when he recovered, his senses had left him, and i heard that he never recovered them, but was sent home to be confined as a maniac. i thought, and the result proved, that it was carried too far. it is not the custom, when a man is reprieved, to tell him so, until after he is on the scaffold, with the intention that his awful situation at the time may make a lasting impression upon him during the remainder of his life; but, as a foreigner, he was not aware of our customs, and the hour of intense feeling which he underwent was too much for his reason. i must say, that this circumstance was always a source of deep regret in the whole fleet, and that his being a frenchman, instead of an englishman, increased the feeling of commiseration. chapter seventeen. mr. chucks' opinion of proper names--he finishes his spanish talk--march of intellect among the warrant officers. we were all delighted when our signal was hoisted to "part company," as we anticipated plenty of prize-money under such an enterprising captain. we steered for the french coast, near to its junction with spain, the captain having orders to intercept any convoys sent to supply the french army with stores and provisions. the day after we parted company with the fleet, mr chucks finished his story. "where was i, mr simple, when i left off?" said he, as we took a seat upon the long eighteen. "you had just left the house after having told them that you were a corregidor, and had kissed the lady's hand." "very true. well, mr simple, i did not call there for two or three days afterwards; i did not like to go too soon, especially as i saw the young lady every day in the plaza. she would not speak to me, but, to make use of their expression, `she gave me her eyes,' and sometimes a sweet smile. i recollect i was so busy looking at her one day, that i tripped over my sword, and nearly fell on my nose, at which she burst out a-laughing." "your sword, mr chucks? i thought boatswains never wore swords." "mr simple, a boatswain is an officer, and is entitled to a sword as well as the captain, although we have been laughed out of it by a set of midshipman monkeys. i always wore my sword at that time; but now-a-days, a boatswain is counted as nobody, unless there is hard work to do, and then it's mr chucks this, and mr chucks that. but i'll explain to you how it is, mr simple, that we boatswains have lost so much of consequence and dignity. the first lieutenants are made to do the boatswains' duty now-a-days, and if they could only wind the call, they might scratch the boatswain's name off half the ships' books in his majesty's service. but to go on with my yarn. on the fourth day, i called with my handkerchief full of cigars for the father, but he was at siesta, as they called it. the old serving-woman would not let me in at first: but i shoved a dollar between her skinny old fingers, and that altered her note. she put her old head out, and looked round to see if there was anybody in the street to watch us, and then she let me in and shut the door. i walked into the room, and found myself alone with seraphina." "seraphina!--what a fine name!" "no name can be too fine for a pretty girl or a good frigate, mr simple. i was three hours with seraphina before her father came home, and during that time i never was quietly at an anchor for above a minute. i was on my knees, vowing and swearing, kissing her feet, and kissing her hand, till at last i got to her lips, working my way up as regularly as one who gets in at the hawsehole and crawls aft to the cabin windows. she was very kind, and she smiled, and sighed, and pushed me off, and squeezed my hand, and was angry--frowning till i was in despair, and then making me happy again with her melting dark eyes beaming kindly, till at last she said that she would try to love me, and asked me whether i would marry her and live in spain. i replied that i would; and, indeed, i felt as if i could, only at the time the thought occurred to me where the rhino was to come from, for i could not live, as her father did, upon a paper cigar and a piece of melon per day. at all events, as far as words went, it was a settled thing. when her father came home, the old servant told him that i had just at that moment arrived, and that his daughter was in her own room; so she was, for she ran away as soon as she heard her father knock. i made my bow to the old gentleman, and gave him the cigars. he was serious at first, but the sight of them put him into good humour, and in a few minutes donna seraphina (they call a lady a donna in spain) came in, saluting me ceremoniously, as if we had not been kissing for the hour together. i did not remain long, as it was getting late, so i took a glass of the old gentleman's sour wine, and walked off with a request from him to call again. "well, mr simple, i met her again and again, until i was madly in love, and the father appeared to be aware of what was going on, and to have no objection. however, he sent for a priest to talk with me, and i again said that i was a good catholic. "the priest asked me whether i had confessed lately. i knew what he meant, and answered that i had not. he motioned me down on my knees; but as i could not speak spanish enough for that, i mumble-jumbled something or another, half spanish and half english, and ended with putting four dollars in his hand for _carita_, which means charity. he was satisfied at the end of my confession, whatever he might have been at the beginning, and gave me absolution. and now, sir, comes the winding-up of this business. seraphina told me that she was going to the opera with some of her relations, and asked me if i would be there; that the captain of the frigate, and all the other officers were going, and that she wished me to go with her. you see, mr simple, although seraphina's father was so poor, that a mouse would have starved in his house, still he was of good family, and connected with those who were much better off. he was a don himself, and had fourteen or fifteen long names, which i forget now. i refused to go with her, as i knew that the service would not permit a boatswain to sit in an opera-box, when the captain and first lieutenant were there. i told her that i had promised to go on board to hook after the men while the captain went on shore; thus, as you'll see, mr simple, making myself a man of consequence, only to be mortified in the end. after she had gone to the opera, i was very uncomfortable: i was afraid that the captain would see her, and take a fancy to her. i walked up and down, outside, until i was so full of love and jealousy, that i determined to go into the pit, and see what she was about. i soon discovered her in a box, with some other ladies, and with them were my captain and first lieutenant. the captain, who spoke the language well, was leaning over her, talking and laughing, and she was smiling at what he said. i resolved to leave immediately, lest she should see me, and discover that i had told her a falsehood; but they appeared so intimate that i became so jealous i could not quit the theatre. at last she perceived me, and beckoned her hand; i looked very angry, and left the theatre cursing like a madman. it appeared that she pointed me out to the captain, and asked him who i was; he told her my real situation on board, and spoke of me with contempt. she asked whether i was not a man of family; at this the captain and first lieutenant both burst out laughing, and said that i was a common sailor who had been promoted to a higher rank for good behaviour--not exactly an officer, and anything but a gentleman. in short, mr simple, i was _blown upon_; and although the captain said more than was correct, as i learnt afterwards through the officers, still i deserved it. determined to know the worst, i remained outside till the opera was over, when i saw her come out, the captain and first lieutenant walking with the party--so that i could not speak with her i walked to a posada (that's an inn), and drank seven bottles of rosolio to keep myself quiet; then i went on board, and the second lieutenant, who was commanding officer, put me under arrest for being intoxicated. it was a week before i was released; and you can't imagine what i suffered, mr simple. at last i obtained leave to go on shore, and i went to the house to decide my fate. the old woman opened the door, and then, calling me a thief, slammed it in my face; as i retreated, donna seraphina came to the window, and, waving her hand with a contemptuous look, said, `go, and god be with you, mr gentleman.' i returned on board in such a rage; and if i could have persuaded the gunner to have given me a ball cartridge i should have shot myself through the head. what made the matter worse, i was laughed at by everybody in the ship, for the captain and first lieutenant had made the story public." "well, mr chucks," replied i, "i cannot help being sorry for you, although you certainly deserved to be punished for your dishonesty. was that the end of the affair." "as far as i was concerned, it was, mr simple; but not as respected others. the captain took my place, but without the knowledge of the father. after all, they neither had great reason to rejoice at the exchange." "how so, mr chucks--what do you mean?" "why, mr simple, the captain did not make an honest woman of her, as i would have done; and the father discovered what was going on, and one night the captain was brought on board run through the body. we sailed immediately for gibraltar, and it was a long while before he got round again." "did you ever hear any more of the young lady?" "yes; about a year afterwards, i returned there in another ship. she had been shut up in a convent, and forced to take the veil. oh, mr simple! if you knew how i loved that girl! i have never been more than polite to a woman since, and shall die a bachelor. you can't think how i was capsized the other day, when i looked at the house: i have hardly touched beef or pork since, and am in debt two quarts of rum more than my allowance." we gained our station off the coast of perpignan; and as soon as we made the land, we were most provokingly driven off by a severe gale. i am not about to make any remarks about the gale, for one storm is so like another; but i mention it to account for a conversation which took place, and with which i was very much amused. i was near to the captain when he sent for mr muddle, the carpenter, who had been up to examine the main-topsail yard, which had been reported as sprung. "well, mr muddle," said the captain. "sprung, sir, most decidedly; but i think we'll be able to _mitigate_ it." "will you be able to secure it for the present, mr muddle?" replied the captain rather sharply. "we'll _mitigate_ it, sir, in half-an-hour." "i wish that you would use common phrases, when you speak to me, mr muddle. i presume, by mitigate, you mean to say that you can secure it. do you mean so, sir, or do you not?" "yes, sir, that is what i mean, most decidedly. i hope no offence; captain savage; but i did not intend to displease you by my language." "very good, mr muddle," replied the captain; "it's the first time that i have spoken to you on the subject, recollect that it will be the last." "the first time!" replied the carpenter, who could not forget his philosophy; "i beg your pardon, captain savage--you found just the same fault with me on this quarter-deck , years ago, and--" "if i did, mr muddle," interrupted the captain, very angrily, "depend upon it that at the same time i ordered you to go aloft, and attend to your duty, instead of talking nonsense on the quarter-deck; and although, as you say, you and i cannot recollect it, if you did not obey that order instantaneously, i also put you in confinement, and obliged you to leave the ship as soon as she returned to port. do you understand me, sir?" "i rather think, sir," replied the carpenter, humbly touching his hat, and walking to the main rigging, "that no such thing took place, for i went up immediately, as i do now; and," continued the carpenter, who was incurable, as he ascended the rigging, "as i shall again in another , years." "that man is incorrigible with his confounded nonsense," observed the captain to the first lieutenant. "every mast in the ship would go over the side, provided he could get any one to listen to his ridiculous theory." "he is not a bad carpenter, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "he is not," rejoined the captain; "but there is a time for all things." "mr simple, what are you about, sir?" "i was listening to what you said," replied i, touching my hat. "i admire your candour, sir," replied he, "but advise you to discontinue the practice. walk over to leeward, sir, and attend to your duty." when i was on the other side of the deck, i looked round, and saw the captain and first lieutenant both laughing. chapter eighteen. i go away on service, am wounded and taken prisoner with o'brien-- diamond cut diamond between the o'briens--get into comfortable quarters--my first interview with celeste. and now i have to relate an event, which, young as i was at the time, will be found to have seriously affected me in after-life. how little do we know what to-morrow may bring forth! we had regained our station, and for some days had been standing off and on the coast, when one morning at daybreak, we found ourselves about four miles from the town of cette, and a large convoy of vessels coming round a point. we made all sail in chase, and they anchored close in shore, under a battery, which we did not discover until it opened fire upon us. the shot struck the frigate two or three times, for the water was smooth, and the battery nearly level with it. the captain tacked the ship, and stood out again, until the boats were hoisted out, and all ready to pull on shore and storm the battery. o'brien, who was the officer commanding the first cutter on service, was in his boat, and i again obtained permission from him to smuggle myself into it. we ran on shore, amidst the fire of the gun-boats which protected the convoy, by which we lost three men, and made for the battery, which we took without opposition, the french artillerymen running out as we ran in. the first lieutenant, who commanded, desired o'brien to remain with the first cutter, and after the armourer had spiked the guns, as officer of the boat he was to shove off immediately. o'brien and i remained in the battery with the armourer, the boat's crew being ordered down to the boat, to keep her afloat, and ready to shove off at a moment's warning. we had spiked all the guns but one, when all of a sudden a volley of musketry was poured upon us, which killed the armourer and wounded me in the leg, above the knee. i fell down by o'brien, who cried out, "by the powers! here they are, and one gun not spiked." he jumped down, wrenched the hammer from the armourer's hand, and seizing a nail from the bag, in a few moments he had spiked the gun. at this time i heard the tramping of the french soldiers advancing, when o'brien threw away the hammer, and lifting me upon his shoulders, cried, "come along, peter, my boy," and made for the boat as fast as he could; but he was too late; he had not got half-way to the boat, before he was collared by two french soldiers, and dragged back into the battery. the french troops then advanced, and kept up a smart fire; our cutter escaped, and joined the other boat, who had captured the gun-boats and convoy with little opposition. our large boats had carronades mounted in their bows, and soon returned the fire with round and grape, which drove the french troops back into the battery, where they remained, popping at our men under cover, until most of the vessels were taken out: those which they could not man were burnt. in the meantime, o'brien had been taken into the battery, with me on his back: but as soon as he was there, he laid me gently down, saying, "peter, my boy, as long as you were under my charge, i'd carry you through thick and thin; but now that you are under the charge of these french beggars, why, let them carry you. every man his own bundle, peter, that's fair play; so if they think you're worth the carrying, let them bear the weight of ye." as soon as our boats were clear of their musketry, the commanding officer of the french troops examined the guns in the battery, with the hope of reaching them, and was very much annoyed to find that every one of them was spiked. "he'll look sharper than a magpie before he finds a clear touch-hole, i expect," said o'brien, as he watched the officer. and here i must observe, that o'brien showed great presence of mind in spiking the last gun; for had they had one gun to fire at our boats towing out the prizes, they must have done a great deal of mischief to them, and we should have lost a great many men; but in so doing, and in the attempt to save me, he sacrificed himself, and was taken prisoner. when the troops ceased firing, the commanding officer came up to o'brien, and looking at him, said, "officer?" to which o'brien nodded his head. he then pointed to me--"officer?" o'brien nodded his head again, at which the french troops laughed, as o'brien told me afterwards, because i was what they called an _enfant_, which means an infant. i was very stiff and faint, and could not walk. the officer who commanded the troops left a detachment in the battery, and prepared to return to cette, from whence they came. o'brien walked, and i was carried on three muskets by six of the french soldiers,--not a very pleasant conveyance at any time, but in my state excessively painful. however, i must say, that they were very kind to me, and put a great coat or something under my wounded leg, for i was in an agony, and fainted several times. at last they brought me some water to drink. o how delicious it was! in about an hour and a half, which appeared to me to be five days at the least, we arrived at the town of cette, and i was taken up to the house of the officer who commanded the troops, and who had often looked at me as i was carried there from the battery, saying, "_pauvre enfant_!" i was put on a bed, where i again fainted away. when i came to my senses, i found a surgeon had bandaged my leg, and that i had been undressed. o'brien was standing by me, and i believe that he had been crying, for he thought that i was dead. when i looked him in the face, he said, "pater, you baste, how you frightened me: bad luck to me if ever i take charge of another youngster. what did you sham dead for?" "i am better now, o'brien," replied i: "how much i am indebted to you! you have been made prisoner in trying to save me." "i have been made prisoner in doing my duty, in one shape or another." i squeezed the offered hand of o'brien, and looked round me; the surgeon stood at one side of the bed, and the officer who commanded the troops at the other. at the head of the bed was a little girl about twelve years old, who held a cup in her hand, out of which something had been poured down my throat. i looked at her, and she had such pity in her face, which was remarkably handsome, that she appeared to me as an angel, and i turned round as well as i could, that i might look at her alone. she offered me the cup, which i should have refused from any one but her, and i drank a little. another person then came into the room, and a conversation took place in french. "i wonder what they mean to do with us," said i to o'brien. "whist, hold your tongue," replied he; and then he leaned over me, and said in a whisper, "i understand all they say; don't you recollect, i told you that i learnt the language after i was kilt and buried in the sand in south america?" after a little more conversation, the officer and the others retired, leaving nobody but the little girl and o'brien in the room. "it's a message from the governor," said o'brien, as soon as they were gone, "wishing the prisoners to be sent to the gaol in the citadel, to be examined; and the officer says (and he's a real gentleman, as far as i can judge) that you're but a baby, and badly wounded in the bargain, and that it would be a shame not to leave you to die in peace; so i presume that i'll part company from you very soon." "i hope not, o'brien," replied i; "if you go to prison, i will go also, for i will not leave you, who are my best friend, to remain with strangers; i should not be half so happy, although i might have more comforts in my present situation." "pater, my boy, i am glad to see that your heart is in the right place, as i always thought it was, or i wouldn't have taken you under my protection. we'll go together to prison, my jewel, and i'll fish at the bars with a bag and a long string, just by way of recreation, and to pick up a little money to buy you all manner of nice things; and when you get well, you shall do it yourself--mayhap you'll have better luck, as peter your namesake had, who was a fisherman before you. but somehow or another, i think we mayn't be parted yet, for i heard the officer (who appears to be a real gentleman, and worthy to have been an irishman born) say to the other, that he'd ask the governor for me to stay with you on parole, until you are well again." the little girl handed me the lemonade, of which i drank a little, and then i felt very faint again. i laid my head on the pillow, and o'brien having left off talking, i was soon in a comfortable sleep. in an hour i was awakened by the return of the officer, who was accompanied by the surgeon. the officer addressed o'brien in french, who shook his head as before. two other persons then came into the room: one of them addressed o'brien in very bad english, saying that he was interpreter, and would beg him to answer a few questions. he then inquired the name of our ship, number of guns, and how long we had been cruising. after that the force of the english fleet, and a great many other questions relative to them; all of which were put in french by the person who came with him, and the answers translated and taken down in a book. some of the questions o'brien answered correctly; to others he pleaded ignorance; and to some he asserted what was not true. but i did not blame him for that, as it was his duty not to give information to the enemy. at last they asked my name and rank, which o'brien told them. "was i noble?" "yes," replied o'brien. "don't say so, o'brien," interrupted i. "peter, you know nothing about it; you are grandson to a lord." "i know that, but still i am not noble myself, although descended from him; therefore pray don't say so." "bother, pater! i have said it, and i won't unsay it; besides, pater, recollect it's a french question, and in france you would be considered noble. at all events it can do no harm." "i feel too ill to talk, o'brien; but i wish you had not said so." they then inquired o'brien's name, which he told them; his rank in the service, and also whether he was noble. "i am an o'brien," replied he; "and pray what's the meaning of the o before my name, if i'm not noble? however, mr interpreter, you may add, that we have dropped our title because it's not convanient." the french officer burst out into a loud laugh, which surprised us very much. the interpreter had great difficulty in explaining what o'brien said; but as o'brien told me afterwards, the answer was put down _doubtful_. they all left the room except the officer, who then, to our astonishment, addressed us in good english: "gentlemen, i have obtained permission from the governor for you to remain in my house, until mr simple is recovered. mr o'brien, it is necessary that i should receive your parole of honour, that you will not attempt to escape. are you willing to give it?" o'brien was quite amazed; "murder an' irish," cried he; "so you speak english, colonel." "i'm of irish descent," replied the officer, "and my name, as well as yours, is o'brien. i was brought up in this country, not being permitted to serve my own, and retain the religion of my forefathers. but to the question, mr o'brien, will you give your parole?" "the word of an irishman, and the hand to boot," replied o'brien, shaking the colonel by the hand; "and you are more than doubly sure, for i'll never go away and leave little peter here; and as for carrying him on my back, i've had enough of that already." "it is sufficient," replied the colonel. "mr o'brien, i will make you as comfortable as i can; and when you are tired of attending your friend, my little daughter shall take your place. you'll find her a kind little nurse, mr simple." i could not refrain from tears at the colonel's kindness: he shook me by the hand; and telling o'brien that dinner was ready, he called up his daughter, the little girl who had attended me before, and desired her to remain in the room. "celeste," said he, "you understand a little english; quite enough to find out what he is in want of. go and fetch your work, to amuse yourself when he is asleep." celeste went out, and returning with her embroidery, sat down by the head of the bed: the colonel and o'brien then quitted the room. celeste then commenced her embroidery, and as her eyes were cast down upon her work, i was able to look at her without her observing it. as i said before, she was a very beautiful little girl; her hair was light brown, eyes very large, and eyebrows drawn as with a pair of compasses; her nose and mouth was also very pretty; but it was not so much her features as the expression of her countenance, which was so beautiful, so modest, so sweet, and so intelligent. when she smiled, which she almost always did when she spoke, her teeth were like two rows of little pearls. i had not looked at her long, before she raised her eyes from her work, and perceiving that i was looking at her, said, "you want--something-- want drink--i speak very little english." "nothing, i thank ye," replied i; "i only want to go to sleep." "then--shut--your eye," replied she, smiling; and she went to the window, and drew down the blinds to darken the room. in the evening, the surgeon called again; he felt my pulse, and directing cold applications to my leg, which had swelled considerably, and was becoming very painful, told colonel o'brien that, although i had considerable fever, i was doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances. but i shall not dwell upon my severe sufferings for a fortnight, after which the ball was extracted; nor upon how carefully i was watched by o'brien, the colonel, and little celeste, during my peevishness and irritation arising from pain and fever. chapter nineteen. we remove to very unpleasant quarters--birds of a feather won't always flock together--o'brien cuts a cutter midshipman, and gets a taste of french steel--altogether "flat" work. as soon as i was well enough to attend to my little nurse, we became very intimate, as might be expected. in five weeks i was out of bed, and could limp about the room; and before two months were over, i was quite recovered. the colonel, however, would not report me to the governor; i remained on a sofa during the day, but at dusk i stole out of the house, and walked about with celeste. i never passed such a happy time as the last fortnight; the only drawback was the remembrance that i should soon have to exchange it for a prison. i was more easy about my father and mother, as o'brien had written to them, assuring them that i was doing well; and besides, a few days after our capture, the frigate had run in, and sent a flag of truce to inquire if we were alive or made prisoners; at the same time captain savage sent on shore all our clothes, and two hundred dollars in cash for our use. i knew that even if o'brien's letter did not reach them, they were sure to hear from captain savage that i was doing well. at the end of twelve weeks the surgeon could no longer withhold his report, and we were ordered to be ready in two days to march to toulon, where we were to join another party of prisoners to proceed with them into the interior. i must pass over our parting, which the reader may imagine was very painful. i promised to write to celeste, and she promised that she would answer my letters, if it were permitted. we shook hands with colonel o'brien, thanking him for his kindness, and much to his regret, we were taken in charge by two french cuirassiers, who were waiting at the door. as we preferred being continued on parole until our arrival at toulon, the soldiers were not at all particular about watching us: and we set off on horseback, o'brien and i going first, and the french cuirassiers following us in the rear. the evening of the second day we arrived in toulon, and as soon as we entered the gates, we were delivered into the custody of an officer, with a very sinister cast of countenance, who, after some conversation with the cuirassiers, told us in a surly tone that our parole was at an end and gave us in charge of a corporal's guard, with directions to conduct us to the prison near the arsenal. we presented the cuirassiers with four dollars each, for their civility, and were then hurried away to our place of captivity. i observed to o'brien, that i was afraid that we must now bid farewell to anything like pleasure. "you're right there, peter," replied he; "but there's a certain jewel called hope, that somebody found at the bottom of his chest, when it was clean empty, and so we must not lose sight of it, but try and escape as soon as we can; but the less we talk about it the better." in a few minutes we arrived at our destination: the door was opened, ourselves and our bundles (for we had only selected a few things for our march, the colonel promising to forward the remainder as soon as we wrote to inform him to which depot we were consigned) were rudely shoved in; and as the doors again closed, and the heavy bolts were shot, i felt a creeping, chill, sensation pass through my whole body. as soon as we could see--for although the prison was not very dark, yet so suddenly thrown in, after the glare of a bright sunshiny day, at first we could distinguish nothing--we found ourselves in company with about thirty english sailors. one man, who was playing at cards, looked up for a moment as we came in, and cried out, "hurrah, my lads! the more the merrier," as if he really were pleased to find that there were others who were as unfortunate as himself. we stood looking at the groups for about ten minutes, when o'brien observed that "we might as well come to an anchor, foul ground being better than no bottom;" so we sat down in a corner upon our bundles, where we remained for more than an hour, surveying the scene, without speaking a word to each other. i could not speak--i felt so very miserable. we had been in the prison about two hours, when a lad in a very greasy, ragged jacket, with a pale emaciated face, came up to us, and said, "i perceive by your uniforms that you are both officers, as well as myself." o'brien stared at him for a little while, and then answered, "upon my soul and honour, then, you've the advantage of us, for it's more than i could perceive in you; but i'll take your word for it. pray what ship may have had the misfortune of losing such a credit to the service?" "why, i belong to the _snapper_ cutter," replied the young lad; "i was taken in a prixe, which the commanding officer had given in my charge to take to gibraltar: but they won't believe that i'm an officer. i have applied for officer's allowance and rations, and they won't give them to me." "well, but they know that we are officers," replied o'brien; "why do they shove us in here, with the common seamen!" "i suppose you are only put in here for the present," replied the cutter's midshipman; "but why i cannot tell." nor could we, until afterwards, when we found out, as our narrative will show, that the officer who received us from the cuirassiers had once quarrelled with colonel o'brien, who first pulled his nose, and afterwards ran him through the body. being told by the cuirassiers that we were much esteemed by colonel o'brien, he resolved to annoy us as much as he could; and when he sent up the document announcing our arrival, he left out the word "officers," and put us in confinement with the common seamen. fortunately we were not destined to remain long in this detestable hole. after a night of misery, during which we remained sitting on our bundles, and sleeping how we could, leaning with our backs against the damp wall, we were roused at daybreak by the unbarring of the prison doors, followed up with an order to go into the prison yard. we were huddled out like a flock of sheep, by a file of soldiers with loaded muskets; and, as we went into the yard, were ranged two and two. the same officer who ordered us into prison, commanded the detachment of soldiers who had us in charge. o'brien stepped out of the ranks, and addressing them, stated that we are officers, and had no right to be treated like common sailors. the french officer replied that he had better information, and that we wore coats which did not belong to us; upon which o'brien was in a great rage, calling the officer a liar, and demanded satisfaction for the insult, appealing to the french soldiers, and stating that colonel o'brien, who was at cette, was his countryman, and had received him for two months into his house upon parole, which was quite sufficient to establish his being an officer. the french soldiers appeared to side with o'brien after they had heard this explanation, stating that no common english sailor could speak such good french, and that they were present when we were sent in on parole, and they asked the officer whether he intended to give satisfaction. the officer stormed, and drawing his sword out of the scabbard, struck o'brien with the flat of the blade, looking at him with contempt, and ordering him into the ranks. i could not help observing that, during this scene, the men-of-war sailors who were among the prisoners, were very indignant, while, on the contrary, those captured in merchant vessels appeared to be pleased with the insult offered to o'brien. one of the french soldiers then made a sarcastic remark, that the french officer did not much like the name of o'brien. this so enraged the officer, that he flew at o'brien, pushed him back into the ranks, and taking out a pistol, threatened to shoot him through the head. i must do the justice to the french soldiers, that they all called out "shame!" when o'brien returned to the ranks, he looked defiance at the officer, telling him that "he would pocket the affront very carefully, as he intended to bring it out again upon a future and more suitable occasion." we were then marched out in ranks, two and two, being met in the street by two drummers, and a crowd of people, who had gathered to witness our departure. the drums beat and away we went. the officer who had charge of us mounted a small horse, galloping up and down from one end of the ranks to the other, with his sword drawn, bullying, swearing, and striking with the flat of the blade at any one of the prisoners who was not in his proper place. when we were close to the gates, we were joined by another detachment of prisoners: we were then ordered to halt, and were informed, through an interpreter, that any one attempting to escape would immediately be shot; after which information we once more proceeded on our route. chapter twenty. o'brien fights a duel with a french officer, and proves that the great art of fencing is knowing nothing about it--we arrive at our new quarters, which we find very secure. at night we arrived at a small town, the name of which i forget. here we were all put into an old church for the night, and a very bad night we passed. we were afraid to lie down anywhere as, like all ruined buildings in france, the ground was covered with filth, and the smell was shocking. at daybreak, the door of the church was again opened by the french soldiers, and we were conducted to the square of the town, where we found the troops quartered. as the french officers walked along our ranks to look at us, i perceived among them a captain, whom we had known very intimately when we were living at cette with colonel o'brien. i cried out his name immediately; he turned round, and seeing o'brien and me, he came up to us, shaking us by the hand, and expressing his surprise at finding us in such a situation. o'brien explained to him how we had been treated, at which he expressed his indignation, as did the other officers who had collected round us. the major who commanded the troops in the town turned to the french officer (he was only a lieutenant) who had conducted us from toulon, and demanded of him his reason for behaving to us in such an unworthy manner. he denied having treated us ill, and said that he had been informed that we had put on officers' dresses which did not belong to us. at this o'brien declared that he was a liar, and a cowardly _foutre_, that he had struck him with the back of his sabre, which he dared not have done if he had not been a prisoner; adding, that all he requested was satisfaction for the insult offered to him, and appealed to the officers whether, if it were refused, the lieutenant's epaulets ought not to be cut off his shoulders. the major commandant and the officers retired to consult, and, after a few minutes, they agreed that the lieutenant was bound to give the satisfaction required. the lieutenant replied that he was ready; but, at the same time, did not appear to be very willing. the prisoners were left in charge of the soldiers, under a junior officer, while the others, accompanied by o'brien, myself, and the lieutenant, walked to a short distance outside of the town. as we proceeded there, i asked o'brien with what weapons they would fight. "i take it for granted," replied he, "that it will be with the small sword." "but," said i, "do you know anything about fencing?" "devil a bit, peter; but that's all in my favour." "how can that be?" replied i. "i'll tell you, peter. if one man fences well, and another is but an indifferent hand at it, it is clear that the first will run the other through the body; but if the other knows nothing at all about it, why, then, peter, the case is not quite so clear: because the good fencer is almost as much puzzled by your ignorance as you are by his skill, and you become on more equal terms. now, peter, i've made up my mind that i'll run that fellow through the body, and so i will, as sure as i am an o'brien." "well, i hope you will; but pray do not be too sure." "it's feeling sure that will make me able to do it, peter. by the blood of the o'briens! didn't he slap me with his sword, as if i were a clown in the pantomime--peter, i'll kill the harlequin scoundrel, and my word's as good as my bond!" by this time we had arrived at the ground. the french lieutenant stripped to his shirt and trowsers; o'brien did the same, kicking his boots off, and standing upon the wet grass in his stockings. the swords were measured, and handed to them: they took their distance, and set to. i must say that i was breathless with anxiety; the idea of losing o'brien struck me with grief and terror. i then felt the value of all his kindness to me, and would have taken his place, and have been run through the body, rather than he should have been hurt. at first, o'brien put himself in the correct attitude of defence, in imitation of the lieutenant, but this was for a very few seconds: he suddenly made a spring, and rushed on his adversary, stabbing at him with a velocity quite astonishing, the lieutenant parrying in his defence, until at last he had an opportunity of lounging at o'brien. o'brien, who no longer kept his left arm raised in equipoise, caught the sword of the lieutenant at within six inches of the point, and directing it under his left arm, as he rushed in, passed his own through the lieutenant's body. it was all over in less than a minute the lieutenant did not live half-an-hour afterwards. the french officers were very much surprised at the result, for they perceived at once that o'brien knew nothing of fencing. o'brien gathered a tuft of grass, wiped the sword, which he presented to the officer to whom it belonged, and thanking the major and the whole of them for their impartiality and gentlemanlike conduct, led the way to the square, where he again took his station in the ranks of the prisoners. shortly after, the major commandant came up to us, and asked whether we would accept of our parole, as, in that case, we might travel as we pleased. we consented, with many thanks for his civility and kindness; but i could not help thinking at the time, that the french officers were a little mortified at o'brien's success, although they were too honourable to express the feeling. i had almost forgot to say, that on our return after the duel, the cutter's midshipman called out to o'brien, requesting him to state to the commandant that he was also an officer; but o'brien replied, that there was no evidence for it but his bare word. if he were an officer, he must prove it himself, as everything in his appearance flatly contradicted his assertion. "it's very hard," replied the midshipman, "that because my jacket's a little tarry or so, i must lose my rank." "my dear fellow," replied o'brien, "it's not because your jacket's a little tarry; it is because what the frenchman call your _tout ensemble_ is quite disgraceful in an officer. look at your face in the first puddle, and you'll find that it would dirty the water you look into." "well, it's very hard," replied the midshipman, "that i must go on eating this black rye bread; and very unkind of you." "it's very kind of me, you spalpeen of the _snapper_. prison will be a paradise to you, when you get into good commons. how you'll relish your grub by-and-by! so now shut your pan, or by the tail of jonah's whale, i'll swear you're a spaniard." i could not help thinking that o'brien was very severe upon the poor lad, and i expostulated with him afterwards. he replied, "peter, if, as a cutter's midshipman, he is a bit of an officer, the devil a bit is he of a gentleman, either born or bred; and i'm not bound to bail every blackguard-looking chap that i meet. by the head of st. peter, i would blush to be seen in his company, if i were in the wildest bog in ireland, with nothing but an old crow as spectator." we were now again permitted to be on our parole, and received every attention and kindness from the different officers who commanded the detachments which passed the prisoners from one town to the other. in a few days we arrived at montpelier, where we had orders to remain a short time until directions were received from government as to the depots for prisoners to which we were to be sent. at this delightful town we had unlimited parole, not even a gendarme accompanying us. we lived at the _table d'hote_, were permitted to walk about where we pleased, and amused ourselves every evening at the theatre. during our stay there, we wrote to colonel o'brien at cette, thanking him for his kindness, and narrating what had occurred since we parted i also wrote to celeste, enclosing my letter unsealed in the one to colonel o'brien. i told her the history of o'brien's duel, and all i could think would interest her; how sorry i was to have parted from her; that i never would forget her; and trusted that some day, as she was only half a frenchwoman, that we should meet again. before we left montpelier, we had the pleasure of receiving answers to our letters: the colonel's letters were very kind, particularly the one to me, in which he called me his dear boy, and hoped that i should soon rejoin my friends, and prove an ornament to my country. in his letter to o'brien, he requested him not to run me into useless danger--to recollect that i was not so well able to undergo extreme hardship. the answer from celeste was written in english; but she must have had assistance from her father, or she could not have succeeded so well. it was like herself, very kind and affectionate; and also ended with wishing me a speedy return to my friends, who must (she said) be so fond of me, that she despaired of ever seeing me more, but that she consoled herself as well as she could with the assurance that i should be happy. i forgot to say that colonel o'brien, in his letter to me, stated that he expected immediate orders to leave cette, and take the command of some military post in the interior, or join the army, but which he could not tell; that they had packed up everything, and he was afraid that our correspondence must cease, as he could not state to what place we should direct our letters. i must here acquaint the reader with a circumstance which i forgot to mention, which was, that when captain savage sent in a flag of truce with our clothes and money, i thought that it was but justice to o'brien that they should know on board of the frigate the gallant manner in which he had behaved. i knew that he never would tell himself, so, ill as i was at the time, i sent for colonel o'brien, and requested him to write down my statement of the affair, in which i mentioned how o'brien had spiked the last gun, and had been taken prisoner by so doing, together with his attempting to save me. when the colonel had written all down, i requested that he would send for the major who first entered the fort with the troops, and translate it to him in french. this he did in my presence, and the major declared every word to be true. "will he attest it, colonel, as it may be of great service to o'brien?" the major immediately assented. colonel o'brien then enclosed my letter, with a short note from himself, to captain savage. in ten days, we received an order to march on the following morning. the sailors, among whom was our poor friend the midshipman of the _snapper_ cutter, were ordered to verdun; o'brien and i, with eight masters of merchant vessels, who joined us at montpelier, were directed by the government to be sent to givet, a fortified town in the department of ardennes. but, at the same time, orders arrived from government to treat the prisoners with great strictness, and not to allow any parole. it was exactly four months from the time of our capture, that we arrived at our destined prison at givet. "peter," said o'brien, as he looked hastily at the fortifications and the river which divided the two towns, "i see no reason, either english or french, that we should not eat our christmas dinner in england. i've a bird's-eye view of the outside, and now have only to find out whereabouts we may be in the inside." i must say that, when i looked at the ditches and high ramparts, i had a different opinion; so had a gendarme who was walking by our side, and who had observed o'brien's scrutiny, and who quietly said to him in french, "_vous le croyez possible_?" "everything is possible to a brave man--the french armies have proved that," answered o'brien. "you are right," replied the gendarme, pleased with the compliment to his nation; "i wish you success, you will deserve it; but--" and he shook his head. "if i could obtain a plan of the fortress," said o'brien, "i would give five napoleons for one;" and he looked at the gendarme. "i cannot see any objection to an officer, although a prisoner, studying fortification," replied the gendarme. "in two hours you will be within the walls; and now i recollect, in the map of the two towns, the fortress is laid down sufficiently accurately to give you an idea of it. but we have conversed too long." so saying, the gendarme dropped into the rear. in a quarter of an hour we arrived at the place d'armes, where we were met, as usual, by another detachment of troops, and drummers, who paraded us through the town previous to our being drawn up before the governor's house. as we stopped at the governor's house, the gendarme who had left us in the square, made a sign to o'brien, as much as to say, i have it. o'brien took out five napoleons, which he wrapped in paper and held in his hand. in a minute or two, the gendarme came up and presented o'brien with an old silk handkerchief, saying, "_votre mouchoir, monsieur_." "merci," replied o'brien, putting the handkerchief which contained the map into his pocket; "_voici a boire, mon ami_;" and he slipped the paper with the five napoleons into the hand of the gendarme, who immediately retreated. this was very fortunate for us, as we afterwards discovered that a mark had been put against o'brien's and my name, not to allow parole or permission to leave the fortress, even under surveillance. chapter twenty one. o'brien receives his commission as lieutenant and then we take french leave of givet. if i doubted the practicability of escape when i examined the exterior, when we were ushered into the interior of the fortress, i felt that it was impossible, and i stated my opinion to o'brien. we were conducted into a yard surrounded by a high wall; the buildings appropriated for the prisoners were built with _lean-to_ roofs on one side, and at each side of the square was a sentry looking down upon us. it was very much like the dens which they now build for bears, only so much larger. o'brien answered me with a "pish! peter, it's the very security of the place which will enable us to get out of it. but don't talk, as there are always spies about who understand english." we were shown into a room allotted to six of us; our baggage was examined, and then delivered over to us. "better and better, peter," observed o'brien, "they've not found it out!" "what?" inquired i. "oh, only a little selection of articles, which might be useful to us by-and-by." he then showed me what i never before was aware of; that he had a false bottom to his trunk; but it was papered over like the rest, and very ingeniously concealed. "and what is there, o'brien?" inquired i. "never mind; i had them made at montpelier. you'll see by-and-by." the others, who were lodged in the same room, then came in, and, after staying a quarter of an hour, went away at the sound of the dinner-bell. "now, peter," said o'brien, "i must get rid of my load. turn the key." o'brien then undressed himself, and then he threw off his shirt and drawers, showed me a rope of silk, with a knot at every two feet, about half an inch in size, wound round and round his body. there were about sixty feet of it altogether. as i unwound it, he, turning round and round, observed, "peter, i've worn this rope ever since i left montpelier, and you've no idea of the pain i have suffered; but we must go to england, that's decided upon." for some days o'brien, who really was not very well, kept to his room. during this time, he often examined the map given him by the gendarme. one day he said to me, "peter, can you swim?" "no," replied i; "but never mind that." "but i must mind it, peter; for observe, we shall have to cross the river meuse, and boats are not always to be had. you observe, that this fortress is washed by the river on one side: and as it is the strongest side, it is the least guarded--we must escape by it." "are you then determined to escape, o'brien? i cannot perceive how we are even to get up this wall, with four sentries staring us in the face." "never do you mind that, peter, mind your own business; and first tell me, do you intend to try your luck with me?" "yes," replied i, "most certainly, if you have sufficient confidence in me to take me as your companion." "to tell you the truth, peter, i would not give a farthing to escape without you." the prison was by all accounts very different from verdun and some others. we had no parole, and but little communication with the townspeople. some were permitted to come in and supply us with various articles; but their baskets were searched, to see that they contained nothing that might lead to an escape on the part of the prisoners. without the precautions that o'brien had taken, any attempt would have been useless. "now, peter," said he one day, "i want nothing more than an umbrella for you." "why an umbrella for me?" "to keep you from being drowned with too much water, that's all." "rain won't drown me." "no, no, peter; but buy a new one as soon as you can." i did so. o'brien boiled up a quantity of bees'-wax and oil, and gave it several coats of this preparation. he then put it carefully away in the ticking of his bed. we had been now about two months in givet, when a steel's list was sent to a lieutenant, who was confined there. the lieutenant came up to o'brien, and asked him his christian name. "terence, to be sure," replied o'brien. "then," answered the lieutenant, "i may congratulate you on your promotion, for here you are upon the list of august." "sure there must be some trifling mistake; let me look at it. terence o'brien, sure enough; but now the question is, has any other fellow robbed me of my name and promotion at the same time? bother, what can it mane? i won't belave it--not a word of it. i've no more interest than a dog who drags cats'-meat." i then told o'brien how i had written to captain savage, and had had the fact attested by the major who had made us prisoners. "well, peter," said o'brien, after a pause, "there is a fable about a lion and a mouse. if, by your means, i have obtained my promotion, why, then the mouse is a finer baste than the lion." for a few days after this o'brien was very uneasy, but fortunately letters arrived by that time; one to me from my father, in which he requested me to draw for whatever money i might require, saying that the whole family would retrench in every way to give me all the comfort which might be obtained in my unfortunate situation. i wept at this kindness, and more than ever longed to throw myself in his arms, and thank him. he also told me that my uncle william was dead, and that there was only one between him and the title, but that my grandfather was in good health, and had been very kind to him lately. my mother was much afflicted at my having been made a prisoner, and requested i would write as often as i could. o'brien's letter was from captain savage; the frigate had been sent home with despatches, and o'brien's conduct represented to the admiralty, which had, in consequence, promoted him to the rank of lieutenant. o'brien came to me with the letter, his countenance radiant with joy as he put it into my hands. in return i put mine into his, and he read it over. "peter, my boy, i'm under great obligations to you. when you were wounded and feverish, you thought of me at a time when you had quite enough to think of yourself; but i never thank in words. i see your uncle william is dead. how many more uncles have you?" "my uncle john, who is married, and has already two daughters." "blessings on him; may he stick to the female line of business! peter, my boy, you shall be a lord before you die." "nonsense, o'brien; i have no chance. don't put such foolish ideas in my head." "what chance had i of being a lieutenant, and am i not one? but, peter, do me one favour; as i am really a lieutenant, just touch your hat to me only once, that's all: but i wish the compliment, just to see how it looks." "lieutenant o'brien," said i, touching my hat, "have you any further orders?" "yes, sir," replied he, "that you never presume to touch your hat to me again, unless we sail together, and then that's a different sort of thing." about a week afterwards, o'brien came to me, and said, "the new moon's quartered in with foul weather; if it holds, prepare for a start. i have put what is necessary in your little haversack; it may be tonight. go to bed now, and sleep for a week if you can, for you'll get but little sleep, if we succeed, for the week to come." this was about eight o'clock. i went to bed, and about twelve i was roused by o'brien, who told me to dress myself carefully, and come down to him in the yard. it was some time before i could find o'brien, who was hard at work; and, as i had already been made acquainted with all his plans, i will now explain them. at montpelier he had procured six large pieces of iron, about eighteen inches long, with a gimlet at one end of each, and a square at the other, which fitted to a handle which unshipped. for precaution he had a spare handle, but each handle fitted to all the irons. o'brien had screwed one of these pieces of iron between the interstices of the stones of which the wall was built, and sitting astride on that, was fixing another about three feet above. when he had accomplished this, he stood upon the lower iron, and, supporting himself by the second, which about met his hip, he screwed in a third, always fixing them about six inches on one side of the other, and not one above the other. when he had screwed in his six irons, he was about half up the wall, and then he fastened his rope, which he had carried round his neck, to the upper iron, and lowering himself down, unscrewed the four lower irons; then, ascending by the rope, he stood upon the fifth iron, and, supporting himself by the upper iron, recommenced his task. by these means he arrived in the course of an hour and a half at the top of the wall, where he fixed his last iron, and making his rope fast, he came down again. "now, peter," said he, "there is no fear of the sentries seeing us; if they had the eyes of cats, they could not until we are on the top of the wall; but then we arrive at the glacis, and we must creep to the ramparts on our bellies. i am going up with all the materials. give me your haversack--you will go up lighter; and recollect, should any accident happen to me, you run to bed again. if, on the contrary, i pull the rope up and down three or four times, you may sheer up it as fast as you can." o'brien then loaded himself with the other rope, the two knapsacks, iron crows, and other implements he had procured; and, last of all, with the umbrella. "peter, if the rope bears me with all this, it is clear it will bear such a creature as you are, therefore don't be afraid." so whispering, he commenced his ascent; in about three minutes he was up, and the rope pulled. i immediately followed him, and found the rope very easy to climb, from the knots at every two feet, which gave me a hold for my feet, and i was up in as short a time as he was. he caught me by the collar, putting his wet hand on my mouth, and i lay down beside him while he pulled up the rope. we then crawled on our stomachs across the glacis till we arrived at the rampart. it was some time before o'brien could find out the point exactly above the drawbridge of the first ditch; at last he did--he fixed his crow-bar in, and lowered down the rope. "now, peter, i had better go first again; when i shake the rope from below, all's right." o'brien descended, and in a few minutes the rope again shook; i followed him, and found myself received in his arms upon the meeting of the drawbridge; but the drawbridge itself was up. o'brien led the way across the chains, and i followed him. when we had crossed the moat, we found a barrier-gate locked; this puzzled us. o'brien pulled out his picklocks to pick it, but without success; here we were fast. "we must undermine the gate, o'brien; we must pull up the pavement until we can creep under." "peter, you are a fine fellow; i never thought of that." we worked very hard until the hole was large enough, using the crowbar which was left, and a little wrench which o'brien had with him. by these means we got under the gate in the course of an hour or more. this gate led to the lower rampart, but we had a covered way to pass through before we arrived at it. we proceeded very cautiously, when we heard a noise: we stopped, and found it was a sentry, who was fast asleep, and snoring. o'brien thought for a moment. "peter," said he, "now is the time for you to prove yourself a man. he is fast asleep, but his noise must be stopped. i will stop his mouth, but at the very moment that i do so you must throw open the pan of his musket, and then he cannot fire it." "i will, o'brien; don't fear me." we crept cautiously up to him, and o'brien motioning to me to put my thumb upon the pan, i did so, and the moment that o'brien put his hand upon the soldier's mouth, i threw open the pan. the fellow struggled, and snapped his lock as a signal, but of course without discharging his musket, and in a minute he was not only gagged but bound by o'brien, with my assistance. leaving him there, we proceeded to the rampart, and fixing the crow-bar again, o'brien descended; i followed him, and found him in the river, hanging on to the rope; the umbrella was opened and turned upwards; the preparation made it resist the water, and, as previously explained to me by o'brien, i had only to hold on at arm's length to two beckets which he had affixed to the point of the umbrella, which was under water. to the same part o'brien had a tow-line, which taking in his teeth, he towed me down the stream to about a hundred yards clear of the fortress, where we landed. o'brien was so exhausted, that for a few minutes he remained quite motionless; i also was benumbed with the cold. "peter," said he "thank god we have succeeded so far; now we must push on as far as we can, for we shall have daylight in two hours." o'brien took out his flask of spirits, and we both drank a half tumbler at least, but we should not, in our state, have been affected with a bottle. we now walked along the riverside till we fell in with a small craft, with a boat towing astern; o'brien swam to it, and cutting the painter without getting in, towed it on shore. the oars were fortunately in the boat. i got in, we shoved off, and rowed away down the stream, till the dawn of day. "all's right, peter; now we'll land. this is the forest of ardennes." we landed, replaced the oars in the boat, and pushed her off into the stream, to induce people to suppose that she had broken adrift, and then hastened into the thickest of the wood. it rained hard; i shivered, and my teeth chattered with the cold, but there was no help for it. we again took a dram of spirits, and, worn out with fatigue and excitement, soon fell last asleep upon a bed of leaves which we had collected together. chapter twenty two. grave consequences of gravitation--o'brien enlists himself as a gendarme, and takes charge of me--we are discovered, and obliged to run for it--the pleasures of a winter bivouac. it was not until noon that i awoke, when i found that o'brien had covered me more than a foot deep with leaves, to protect me from the weather. i felt quite warm and comfortable; my clothes had dried on me, but without giving me cold. "how very kind of you, o'brien!" said i. "not a bit, peter: you have hard work to go through yet, and i must take care of you. you're but a bud, and i'm a full-blown rose." so saying, he put the spirit-flask to his mouth, and then handed it to me. "now, peter, we must make a start, for depend upon it, they will scour the country for us; but this is a large wood, and they may as well attempt to find a needle in a bundle of hay, if we once get into the heart of it." we set off, forcing our way through the thicket, for about three hours, o'brien looking occasionally at his pocket compass; it then was again nearly dark, and o'brien proposed a halt. we made up a bed of leaves for the night, and slept much more comfortably than we had the night before. all our bread was wet, but as we had no water, it was rather a relief; the meat we had with us was sufficient for a week. once more we laid down and fell fast asleep. about five o'clock in the morning i was roused by o'brien, who at the same time put his hand gently over my mouth. i sat up, and perceived a large fire not far from us. "the philistines are upon us, peter," said he: "i have reconnoitred, and they are the gendarmes. i am fearful of going away, as we may stumble upon some more of them. i've been thinking what's best before i waked you; and it appears to me, that we had better get up the tree, and lie there." at that time we were hidden in a copse of underwood, with a large oak in the centre, covered with ivy, "i think so, too, o'brien; shall we go up now, or wait a little?" "now, to be sure, that they're eating their prog. mount you, peter and i'll help you." o'brien shoved me up the tree, and then, waiting a little while to bury our haversacks among the leaves, he followed me. he desired me to remain in a very snug position, on the first fork of the tree, while he took another amongst a bunch of ivy on the largest bough. there we remained for about an hour, when day dawned. we observed the gendarmes mustered at the break of day by the corporal, and then they all separated in different directions to scour the wood. we were delighted to perceive this, as we hoped soon to be able to get away; but there was one gendarme who remained. he walked round the tree, looking up into every part; but we were well concealed, and he did not discover us for some time. at last he saw me, and ordered me to come down. i paid no attention to him, as i had no signal from o'brien. he walked round a little farther, until he was directly under the branch on which o'brien lay. taking up this position, he had a fairer aim at me, and levelled his musket, saying, "_descendez, ou je tire_." still i continued immovable, for i knew not what to do. i shut my eyes, however; the musket shortly afterwards was discharged, and, whether from fear or not i can hardly tell, i lost my hold of a sudden, and down i came. i was stunned with the fall, and thought that i must have been wounded; and was very much surprised, when, instead of the gendarme, o'brien came up to me, and asked whether i was hurt. i answered i believed not, and got up on my legs, when i found the gendarme lying on the ground, breathing heavily, but insensible. when o'brien perceived the gendarme level his musket at me, he immediately dropped from the bough, right upon his head; this occasioned the musket to go off, without hitting me, and at the same time the weight of o'brien's body from such a height killed the gendarme, for he expired before we left him. "now, peter," said o'brien, "this is the most fortunate thing in the world, and will take us half through the country; but we have no time to lose." he then stripped the gendarme, who still breathed heavily, and dragging him to our bed of leaves, covered him up, threw off his own clothes, which he tied up in a bundle, and gave to me to carry, and put on those of the gendarme. i could not help laughing at the metamorphosis, and asked o'brien what he intended. "sure, i'm a gendarme, bringing with me a prisoner, who has escaped." when we stopped at night, my youth excited a great deal of commiseration, especially from the females; and in one instance i was offered assistance to escape. i consented to it, but at the same time informed o'brien of the plan proposed. o'brien kept watch--i dressed myself, and was at the open window, when he rushed in, seizing me and declaring that he would inform the government of the conduct of the parties. their confusion and distress was very great. they offered o'brien twenty, thirty, forty napoleons, if he would hush it up, for they were aware of the penalty and imprisonment. o'brien replied that he would not accept of any money in compromise of his duty, that after he had given me into the charge of the gendarme of the next post, his business was at an end, and he must return to flushing, where he was stationed. "i have a sister there," replied the hostess, "who keeps an inn. you'll want good quarters and a friendly cup; do not denounce us, and i'll give you a letter to her, which, if it does not prove of service, you can then return and give the information." o'brien consented; the letter was delivered, and read to him, in which the sister was requested, by the love she bore to the writer, to do all she could for the bearer, who had the power of making the whole family miserable, but had refused so to do. o'brien pocketed the letter filled his brandy flask, and saluting all the women, left the cabaret, dragging me after him with a cord. we were following our route, avoiding malines, which was a fortified town, and at the time were in a narrow lane, with wide ditches, full of water, on each side. at the turning of a sharp corner we met the gendarme who had supplied o'brien with a map of the town of givet, "good morning, comrade," said he to o'brien, looking earnestly at him, "whom have we here?" "a young englishman, whom i picked up close by, escaped from prison." "where from?" "he will not say; but i suspect from givet." "there are two who have escaped from givet," replied he: "how they escaped no one can imagine; but," continued he, again looking at o'brien, "_avec les braves, il n'y a rien d'impossible_." "that is true," replied o'brien; "i have taken one, the other cannot be far off. you had better look for him." "i should like to find him," replied the gendarme, "for you know that to retake a runaway prisoner is certain promotion. you will be made a corporal." "so much the better," replied o'brien; "_adieu, mon ami_." "nay, i merely came for a walk, and will return with you to malines, where of course you are bound." "we shall not get there to-night," said o'brien, "my prisoner is too much fatigued." "well, then, we will go as far as we can; and i will assist you. perhaps we may find the second, who, i understand, obtained a map of the fortress by some means or another." o'brien observed, that the english prisoners were very liberal; that he knew that a hundred napoleons were often paid for assistance, and he thought that no corporal's rank was equal to a sum that would in france made a man happy and independent for life. "very true," replied the gendarme; "and let me only look upon that sum, and i will guarantee a positive safety out of france." "then we understand each other," replied o'brien; "this boy will give two hundred--one half shall be yours, if you will assist." "i will think of it," replied the gendarme, who then talked about indifferent subjects, until we arrived at a small town called acarchot, when we proceeded to a cabaret. the usual curiosity passed over, we were left alone, o'brien telling the gendarme that he would expect his reply that night or to-morrow morning. the gendarme said, to-morrow morning. o'brien requesting him to take charge of me, he called the woman of the cabaret to show him a room; she showed him one or two, which he refused, as not sufficiently safe for the prisoner. the woman laughed at the idea, observing, "what had he to fear from a _pauvre enfant_ like me?" "yet this _pauvre enfant_ escaped from givet," replied o'brien. "these englishmen are devils from their birth." the last room showed to o'brien suited him, and he chose it--the woman not presuming to contradict a gendarme. as soon as they came down again, o'brien ordered me to bed, and went upstairs with me. he bolted the door, and pulling me to the large chimney, we put our heads up, and whispered, that our conversation should not be heard. "this man is not to be trusted," said o'brien, "and we must give him the slip. i know my way out of the inn, and we must return the way we came, and then strike off in another direction." "but will he permit us?" "not if he can help it; but i shall soon find out his manoeuvres." o'brien then went and stopped the key-hole, by hanging his handkerchief across it, and stripping himself of his gendarme uniform, put on his own clothes; then stuffed the blankets and pillows into the gendarme's dress, and laid it down on the outside of the bed, as if it were a man sleeping in his clothes--indeed it was an admirable deception. he laid his musket by the side of the image, and then did the same to my bed, making it appear as if there was a person asleep in it of my size, and putting my cap on the pillow. "now, peter, we'll see if he is watching us. he will wait till he thinks we are asleep." the light still remained in the room, and about an hour afterwards we heard a noise of one treading on the stairs, upon which, as agreed, we crept under the bed. the latch of our door was tried, and finding it open, which he did not expect, the gendarme entered, and looking at both beds, went away. "now," said i, after the gendarme had gone down stairs, "o'brien, ought we not to escape?" "i've been thinking of it, peter, and i have come to a resolution that we can manage it better. he is certain to come again in an hour or two. it is only eleven. now, i'll play him a trick." o'brien then took one of the blankets, made it fast to the window, which he left wide open, and at the same time dissarranged the images he had made up, so as to let the gendarme perceive that they were counterfeit. we again crept under the bed; and as o'brien foretold, in about an hour more the gendarme returned; our lamp was still burning, but he had a light of his own. he looked at the beds, perceived at once that he had been duped, went to the open window, and then exclaimed, "_sacre dieu! ils m'ont eschappes et je ne ne suis plus corporal. foutre! a la chasse_!" he rushed out of the room, and in a few minutes afterwards we heard him open the street door, and go away. "that will do, peter," said o'brien, laughing; "now we'll be off also, although there's no great hurry." o'brien then resumed his dress of a gendarme; and about an hour afterwards we went down, and wishing the hostess all happiness, quitted the cabaret, returning the same road by which we had come. "now, peter," said o'brien, "we're in a bit of a puzzle. this dress won't do any more, still there's a respectability about it which will not allow me to put it off till the last moment." we walked on till daylight, when we hid ourselves in a copse of trees. our money was not exhausted, as i had drawn upon my father for pounds, which, with the disadvantageous exchange, had given me fifty napoleons. on the fifth day, being then six days from the forest of ardennes, we hid ourselves in a small wood, about a quarter of a mile from the road. i remained there, while o'brien, as a gendarme, went to obtain provisions. as usual, i looked out for the best shelter during his absence, and what was my horror at falling in with a man and woman who lay dead in the snow, having evidently perished from the inclemency of the weather. just as i discovered them, o'brien returned, and i told him: he went with me to view the bodies. they were dressed in a strange attire, ribands pinned upon their clothes, and two pairs of very high stilts lying by their sides. o'brien surveyed them, and then said, "peter, this is the very best thing that could have happened to us. we may now walk through france without soiling our feet with the cursed country." "how do you mean?" "i mean," said he, "that these are the people that we met near montpelier, who came from the landes, walking about on their stilts for the amusement of others, to obtain money. in their own country they are obliged to walk so. now, peter, it appears to me that the man's clothes will fit me, and the girl's (poor creature, how pretty she looks, cold in death!) will fit you. all we have to do is to practise a little, and then away we start." o'brien then, with some difficulty, pulled off the man's jacket and trowsers, and having so done, buried him in the snow. the poor girl was despoiled of her gown and upper petticoat with every decency, and also buried. we collected the clothes and stilts, and removed to another quarter, where we pitched upon a hovel and took our meal. "peter," said o'brien, "lie down and sleep, and i'll keep the watch. not a word, i will have it--down at once." i did so, and in a very few minutes was fast asleep, for i was worn out with cold and fatigue. just as the day broke, o'brien roused me; he had stood sentry all night, and looked very haggard. "o'brien, you are ill," said i. "not a bit; but i've emptied the brandy-flask; and that's a bad job. however, it is to be remedied." i did not go to sleep again for some time, i was so anxious to see o'brien fast asleep. he went in and out several times, during which i pretended to be fast asleep; at last it rained in torrents, and then he laid down, and in a few minutes, overpowered by nature, he fell fast asleep, snoring so loudly that i was afraid some one would hear us. i then got up and watched, occasionally lying down and slumbering awhile, and then going down to the door. chapter twenty three. exalted with our success, we march through france without touching the ground--i become feminine--we are voluntary conscripts. at day-break i called o'brien, who jumped up in a great hurry. "sure i've been asleep, peter." "yes, you have," replied i, "and i thank heaven that you have, for no one could stand such fatigue as you have much longer; and if you fall ill, what will become of me?" this was touching him on the right point. "well, peter, since there's no harm come of it, there's no harm done. i've had sleep enough for the next week, that's certain." we returned to the wood; the snow had disappeared, and the rain ceased; the sun shone out from between the clouds, and we felt warm. "don't pass so near that way," said o'brien, "we shall see the poor creatures, now that the sun is gone. peter, we must shift our quarters to-night, for i have been to every cabaret in the village, and i cannot go there any more without suspicion, although i am a gendarme." we remained there till the evening, and then set off, still returning toward givet. about an hour before daylight we arrived at a copse of trees close to the road-side, and surrounded by a ditch, not above a quarter of a mile from a village "it appears to me," said o'brien, "that this will do; i will now put you there, and then go boldly to the village and see what i can get, for here we must stay at least a week." we walked to the copse, and the ditch being rather too wide for me to leap, o'brien laid the four stilts together, so as to form a bridge, over which i contrived to walk. tossing to me all the bundles, and desiring me to leave the stilts as a bridge for him on his return, he set off to the village with his musket on his shoulder. he was away two hours, when he returned with a large supply of provisions, the best we had ever had. "there," said he, "we have enough for a good week; and look here, peter, this is better than all." and he showed me two large horse-rugs. "excellent," replied i; "now we shall be comfortable." "i paid honestly for all but these rugs," observed o'brien; "i was afraid to buy them, so i stole them. however, we'll leave them here for those they belong to--it's only borrowing, after all." we now prepared a very comfortable shelter with branches, which we wove together, and laying the leaves in the sun to dry, soon obtained a soft bed to put our horse-rug on, while we covered ourselves up with the other. our bridge of stilts we had removed, so that we felt ourselves quite secure from surprise. at dark, to bed we went, and slept soundly; i never felt more refreshed during our wanderings. at daylight o'brien got up. "now, peter, a little practice before breakfast." "what practice do you mean?" "mean why, on the stilts. i expect in a week that you'll be able to dance a gavotte at least; for mind me, peter, you travel out of france upon these stilts, depend upon it." o'brien then took the stilts belonging to the man, giving me those of the woman. we strapped them to our thighs, and by fixing our backs to a tree, contrived to get upright upon them; but at the first attempt to walk, o'brien fell to the right, and i fell to the left. o'brien fell against a tree, but i fell on my nose, and made it bleed very much; however, we laughed and got up again, and although we had several falls, at last we made a better hand of them. o'brien then dressed me in the poor girl's clothes, and himself in the man's; they fitted very well. "peter, you make a very pretty girl," said o'brien. "but, o'brien," replied i, "as these petticoats are not very warm, i mean to cut off my trousers up to my knees, and wear them underneath." "that's all right," said o'brien. the next morning we made use of our stilts to cross the ditch, and carrying them in our hands we boldly set off on the high road to malines. we met several people, gendarmes, and others, but with the exception of some remarks upon my good looks we passed unnoticed. towards the evening we arrived at the village where we had slept in the outhouse, and as soon as we entered it, we put on our stilts, and commenced a march. when the crowd had gathered, we held out our caps, and receiving nine or ten sous, we entered a cabaret. many questions were asked us, as to where we came from, and o'brien answered, telling lies innumerable. i played the modest girl, and o'brien, who stated i was his sister, appeared very careful and jealous of my attention. we slept well, and the next morning continued our route to malines. as we entered the barriers we put on our stilts, and marched boldly on. the guard at the gate stopped us, not from suspicion, but to amuse themselves, and i was forced to submit to several kisses from their garlic lips before we were allowed to enter the town. we again mounted on our stilts, for the guard had forced us to dismount, or they could not have kissed me, every now and then imitating a dance, until we arrived at the _grande place_, where we stopped opposite the hotel, and commenced a sort of waltz, which we had practised. the people in the hotel looked out of the window to see our exhibition, and when we had finished i went up to the windows with o'brien's cap to collect money. what was my surprise to perceive colonel o'brien looking full in my face, and staring very hard at me? what was my greater astonishment at seeing celeste, who immediately recognised me, and ran back to the sofa in the room, putting her hands up to her eyes, and crying out, "_c'est lui, c'est lui_!" fortunately o'brien was close to me, or i should have fallen, but he supported me. "peter, ask the crowd for money, or you are lost." i did so, and collecting some pence, then asked him what i should do. "go back to the window--you can then judge of what will happen." i returned to the window: colonel o'brien had disappeared, but celeste was there, as if waiting for me. i held out the cap to her, and she thrust her hand into it. the cap sunk with the weight. i took out a purse, which i kept closed in my hand, and put it into my bosom. celeste then retired from the window, and when she had gone to the back of the room kissed her hand to me, and went out at the door. i remained stupefied for a moment, but o'brien roused me, and we quitted the _grande place_, taking up our quarters at a little cabaret. on examining the purse, i found fifty napoleons in it: they must have been obtained from her father. at the cabaret where we stopped, we were informed that the officer who was at the hotel had been appointed to the command of the strong fort of bergen-op-zoom, and was proceeding thither. we walked out of the town early in the morning, after o'brien had made purchases of some of the clothes usually worn by the peasantry. when within a few miles of st. nicholas, we threw away our stilts and the clothes which we had on, and dressed ourselves in those o'brien had purchased. o'brien had not forgot to provide us with two large brown-coloured blankets, which we strapped on to our shoulders, as the soldiers do their coats. it was bitter cold weather, and the snow had fallen heavily during the whole day; but although nearly dusk, there was a bright moon ready for us. we walked very fast, and soon observed persons ahead of us. "let us overtake them, we may obtain some information." as we came up with them, one of them (they were both lads of seventeen to eighteen) said to o'brien, "i thought we were the last, but i was mistaken. how far is it now to st. nicholas?" "how should i know?" replied o'brien, "i am a stranger in these parts as well as yourself." "from what part of france do you come?" demanded the other, his teeth chattering with the cold, for he was badly clothed, and with little defence from the inclement weather. "from montpelier," replied o'brien. "and i from toulouse. a sad change, comrades from olives and vines to such a climate as this. curse the conscription: i intended to have taken a little wife next year." o'brien gave me a push, as if to say, "here's something that will do," and then continued--"and curse the conscription i say too, for i had just married, and now my wife is left to be annoyed by the attention of the _fermier general_. but it can't be helped. _c'est pour la france et pour la gloire_." "we shall be too late to get a billet," replied the other, "and not a sou have i in my pockets. i doubt if i get up with the main body till they are at flushing. by our route, they are at axel to-day." "if we arrive at st. nicholas we shall do well," replied o'brien; "but i have a little money left, and i'll not see a comrade want a supper or a bed who is going to serve his country. you can repay me when we meet at flushing." "that i will, with thanks," replied the frenchman, "and so will jaques, here, if you will trust him." "with pleasure," replied o'brien, who then entered into along conversation, by which he drew out from the frenchmen that a party of conscripts had been ordered to flushing, and that they had dropped behind the main body. in about an hour we arrived at st. nicholas, and after some difficulty obtained entrance into a cabaret. "_vive la france_!" said o'brien, going up to the fire, and throwing the snow off his hat. in a short time we were seated to a good supper and very tolerable wine, the hostess sitting down by us, and listening to the true narratives of the real conscripts, and the false one of o'brien. after supper the conscript who first addressed us pulled out his printed paper, with the route laid down, and observed that we were two days behind the others. o'brien read it over, and laid it on the table, at the same time calling for more wine, having already pushed it round very freely. we did not drink much ourselves, but plied them hard, and at last the conscript commenced the whole history of his intended marriage and his disappointment, tearing his hair, and crying now and then. "never mind," interrupted o'brien, every two or three minutes; "_buvons un autre coup pour la gloire_!" and thus he continued to make them both drink, until they reeled away to bed, forgetting their printed paper, which o'brien had some time before slipped away from the table. we also retired to our room, when o'brien observed to me, "peter, this description is as much like me as i am to old nick; but that's of no consequence, as nobody goes willingly as a conscript, and therefore they will never have a doubt but that it is all right. we must be off early to-morrow, while these good people are in bed, and steal a long march upon them. i consider that we are now safe as far as flushing." chapter twenty four. what occurred at flushing, and what occurred when we got out of flushing. an hour before day-break we started; the snow was thick on the ground, but the sky was clear, and without any difficulty or interruption was passed through the towns of axel and haist, arrived at terneuse on the fourth day, and went over to flushing in company with about a dozen more stragglers from the main body. as we landed, the guard asked us whether we were conscripts. o'brien replied that he was, and held out his paper. they took his name, or rather that of the person it belonged to, down in a book, and told him that he must apply to the _etat major_ before three o'clock. we passed on, delighted with our success, and then o'brien pulled out the letter which had been given to him by the woman of the cabaret who had offered to assist me to escape, when o'brien passed off as a gendarme, and reading the address, demanded his way to the street. we soon found out the house, and entered. "conscripts!" said the woman of the house, looking at o'brien; "i am billeted full already. it must be a mistake. where is your order?" "read," said o'brien, handing her the letter. she read the letter, and putting it into her neckerchief, desired him to follow her. o'brien beckoned me to come, and we went into a small room. "what can i do for you?" said the woman; "i will do all in my power; but, alas! you will march from here in two or three days." "never mind," replied o'brien, "we will talk the matter over by-and-by, but at present only oblige us by letting us remain in this little room; we do not wish to be seen." "_comment donc_!--you a conscript, and not wish to be seen! are you, then, intending to desert?" "answer me one question; you have read that letter, do you intend to act up to its purport, as your sister requests?" "as i hope for mercy i will, if i suffer everything. she is a dear sister, and would not write so earnestly if she had not strong reasons. my house and everything you command are yours--can i say more?" "what is your name?" inquired o'brien. "louise eustache; you might have read it on the letter." "are you married?" "o yes, these six years. my husband is seldom at home; he is a flushing pilot. a hard life, harder even that that of a soldier. who is this lad?" "he is my brother, who, if i go as a soldier, intends to volunteer as a drummer." "_pauvre enfant! c'est dommage_." the cabaret was full of conscripts and other people, so that the hostess had enough to do. at night we were shown by her into a small bedroom, adjoining the room we occupied. "you are quite alone here: the conscripts are to muster to-morrow, i find, in the _place d'armes_, at two o'clock: do you intend to go?" "no," replied o'brien; "they will think that i am behind. it is of no consequence." "well," replied the woman, "do as you please, you may trust me; but i am so busy, without anyone to assist me, that until they leave the town, i can hardly find time to speak to you." "that will be soon enough, my good hostess," replied o'brien: "_au revoir_." the next evening, the woman came in, in some alarm, stating that a conscript had arrived whose name had been given in before, and that the person who had given it in had not mustered at the place. that the conscript had declared that his pass had been stolen from him by a person with whom he had stopped at st. nicholas, and that there were orders for a strict search to be made through the town, as it was known that some english officers had escaped, and it was supposed that one of them had obtained the pass. "surely you're not english?" inquired the woman, looking earnestly at o'brien. "indeed, but i am, my dear," replied o'brien; "and so is this lad with me; and the favour which your sister requires is that you help us over the water, for which service there are one hundred louis ready to be paid upon delivery of us." "_oh, mon dieu! mais c'est impossible_." "impossible!" replied o'brien; "was that the answer i gave your sister in her trouble?" "_au moins c'est difficile_." "that's quite another concern; but with your husband a pilot i should think a great part of the difficulty removed." "my husband! i've no power over him," replied the woman, putting her apron up to her eyes. "but one hundred louis may have," replied o'brien. "there is truth in that," observed the woman, after a pause; "but what am i to do, if they come to search the house?" "send us out of it, until you can find an opportunity to send us to england. i leave it all to you--your sister expects it from you." "and she shall not be disappointed, if god helps us," replied the woman, after a short pause; "but i fear you must leave this house and the town also to-night." "how are we to leave the town?" "i will arrange that; be ready at four o'clock, for the gates are shut at dusk. i must go now, for there is no time to be lost." "we are in a nice mess now, o'brien," observed i, after the woman had quitted the room. "devil a bit, peter; i feel no anxiety whatever, except at leaving such good quarters." we packed up all our effects, not forgetting our two blankets, and waited the return of the hostess. in about an hour she entered the room. "i have spoken to my husband's sister, who lives about two miles on the road to middleburg. she is in town now, for it is market-day, and you will be safe where she hides you. i told her it was by my husband's request, or she would not have consented. here, boy, put on these clothes: i will assist you." once more i was dressed as a girl, and when my clothes were on, o'brien burst out into laughter at my blue stockings and short petticoats. "_il n'est pas mal_," observed the hostess, as she fixed a small cap on my head, and then tied a kerchief under my chin, which partly hid my face. o'brien put on a great coat, which the woman handed to him, with a wide-brimmed hat. "now follow me!" she led us into the street, which was thronged, till we arrived at the market-place when she met another women, who joined her. at the end of the marketplace stood a small horse and cart, into which the strange woman and i mounted, while o'brien, by the directions of the landlady, led the horse through the crowd until we arrived at the barriers, when she wished us good day in a loud voice before the guard. the guard took no notice of us, and we passed safely through, and found ourselves upon a neatly-paved road, as straight as an arrow, and lined on each side with high trees and a ditch. in about an hour we stopped near to the farm-house of the woman who was in charge of us. "do you observe that wood?" said she to o'brien, pointing to one about half-a-mile from the road. "i dare not take you into the house, my husband is so violent against the english, who captured his schuyt, and made him a poor man, that he would inform against you immediately; but go you there, make yourselves as comfortable as you can to-night, and to-morrow i will send you what you want. _adieu! je vous plains, pauvre enfant_," said she looking at me as she drove off in the cart towards her own house. "peter," said o'brien, "i think that her kicking us out of her house is a proof of her sincerity, and therefore i say no more about it; we have the brandy-flask to keep up our spirits. now then for the wood, though, by the powers, i shall have no relish for any of your pic-nic parties, as they call them, for the next twelve years." "but, o'brien, how can i get over this ditch in petticoats? i could hardly leap it in my clothes." "you must tie your petticoats round your waist and make a good run; get over as far as you can, and i will drag you through the rest." "but you forget that we are to sleep in the wood, and that it's no laughing matter to get wet through, freezing so hard as it does now." "very true, peter; but as the snow lies so deep upon the ditch, perhaps the ice may bear. i'll try; if it bears me, it will not condescend to bend at your shrimp of carcass." o'brien tried the ice, which was firm, and we both walked over, and making all the haste we could, arrived at the wood, as the woman called it, but which was not more than a clump of trees of about half an acre. we cleared away the snow for about six feet round a very hollow part, and then o'brien cut stakes and fixed them in the earth, to which we stretched one blanket. the snow being about two feet deep, there was plenty of room to creep underneath the blanket. we then collected all the leaves we could, beating the snow off them, and laid them at the bottom of the hole; over the leaves we spread the other blanket, and taking our bundles in, we then stopped up with snow every side of the upper blanket, except the hole to creep in at. it was quite astonishing what a warm place this became in a short time after we had remained in it. it was almost too warm, although the weather outside was piercingly cold. after a good meal and a dose of brandy, we both fell fast asleep, but not until i had taken off my woman's attire and resumed my own clothes. we never slept better or more warmly than we did in this hole which we had made on the ground, covered with ice and snow. chapter twenty five. o'brien parts company to hunt for provisions, and i have other company in consequence of another hunt--o'brien pathetically mourns my death and finds me alive--we escape. the ensuing morning we looked out anxiously for the promised assistance, for we were not very rich in provisions, although what we had were of a very good quality. it was not until three o'clock in the afternoon that we perceived a little girl coming towards us, escorted by a large mastiff. when she arrived at the copse of trees where we lay concealed, she cried out to the dog in dutch, who immediately scoured the wood until he came to our hiding-place, when he crouched down at the entrance, barking furiously, and putting us in no small dread, lest he should attack us; but the little girl spoke to him again, and he remained in the same position, looking at us, wagging his tail, with his under jaw lying on the snow. she soon came up, and looking underneath, put a basket in, and nodded her head. we emptied the basket. o'brien took out a napoleon and offered it to her; she refused it, but o'brien forced it into her hand, upon which she again spoke to the dog, who commenced barking so furiously at us, that we expected every moment he would fly upon us. the girl at the same time presenting the napoleon, and pointing to the dog, i went forward and took the napoleon from her, at which she immediately silenced the enormous brute, and laughing at us, hastened away. "by the powers, that's a fine little girl!" said o'brien; "i'll back her and her dog against any man. well, i never had a dog set at me for giving money before, but we live and learn, peter; and now let's see what she's brought in the basket." we found half-boiled eggs, bread, and a smoked mutton-ham, with a large bottle of gin. "what a nice little girl! i hope she will often favour us with her company. i've been thinking, peter, that we're quite as well off here, as in a midshipman's berth." "you forget that you are a lieutenant." "well, so i did, peter, and that's the truth, but it's the force of habit. now let's make our dinner. it's a new-fashioned way though, of making a meal lying down; but, however, it's economical, for it must take longer to swallow the victuals." "the romans used to eat their meals lying down, so i have read, o'brien." "i can't say that i ever heard it mentioned in ireland, but that don't prove that it was not the case; so, peter, i'll take your word for it. murder! how fast it snows again. i wonder what my father's thinking on just at this moment." this observation of o'brien induced us to talk about our friends and relations in england, and after much conversation we fell fast asleep. the next morning we found the snow had fallen about eight inches, and weighing down our upper blanket so much, that we were obliged to go out and cut stakes to support it up from the inside. while we were thus employed, we heard a loud noise and shouting, and perceived several men, apparently armed and accompanied with dogs, running straight in the direction of the wood where we were encamped. we were much alarmed, thinking that they were in search of us, but on a sudden they turned off in another direction, continuing with the same speed as before. "what could it be?" said i to o'brien. "i can't exactly say, peter; but i should think that they were hunting something, and the only game that i think likely to be in such a place as this are otters." i was of the same opinion. we expected the little girl, but she did not come, and after looking out for her till dark, we crawled into our hole and supped upon the remainder of our provisions. the next day, as may be supposed, we were very anxious for her arrival, but she did not appear at the time expected. night again came on, and we went to bed without having any sustenance, except a small piece of bread that was left, and some gin which was remaining in the flask, "peter," said o'brien, "if she don't come again to-morrow, i'll try what i can do; for i've no idea of our dying of hunger here, like the two babes in the wood, and being found covered up with dead leaves. if she does not appear at three o'clock, i'm off for provisions, and i don't see much danger, for in this dress i look as much of a boor as any man in holland." we passed an uneasy night, as we felt convinced either that the danger was so great that they dare not venture to assist us, or, that being over-ruled, they had betrayed us, and left us to manage how we could. the next morning i climbed up the only large tree in the copse and looked round, especially in the direction of the farm-house belonging to the woman who had pointed out to us our place of concealment; but nothing was to be seen but one vast tract of flat country covered with snow, and now and then a vehicle passing at a distance on the middleburg road. i descended, and found o'brien preparing for a start. he was very melancholy, and said to me, "peter, if i am taken, you must, at all risks, put on your girl's clothes and go to flushing to the cabaret. the women there, i am sure, will protect you, and send you back to england. i only want two napoleons; take all the rest, you will require them. if i am not back by to-night, set off for flushing to-morrow morning." o'brien waited some time longer, talking with me, and it then being past four o'clock, he shook me by the hand, and, without speaking, left the wood. i never felt miserable during the whole time since we were first put into prison at toulon, till that moment, and, when he was a hundred yards off, i knelt down and prayed. he had been absent two hours, and it was quite dusk, when i heard a noise at a distance: it advanced every moment nearer and nearer. on a sudden, i heard a rustling of the bushes, and hastened under the blanket, which was covered with snow, in hopes that they might not perceive the entrance; but i was hardly there before in dashed after me an enormous wolf. i cried out, expecting to be torn to pieces every moment; but the creature lay on his belly, his mouth wide open, his eyes glaring, and his long tongue hanging out of his mouth, and although he touched me, he was so exhausted that he did not attack me. the noise increased, and i immediately perceived that it was the hunters in pursuit of him. i had crawled in feet first, the wolf ran in head-foremost, so that we lay head and tail. i crept out as fast as i could, and perceived men and dogs not two hundred yards off in full chase. i hastened to the large tree, and had not ascended six feet when they came up; the dogs flew to the hole, and in a very short time the wolf was killed. the hunters being too busy to observe me, i had, in the meantime, climbed up the trunk of the tree, and hid myself as well as i could. being not fifteen yards from them, i heard their expressions of surprise as they lifted up the blanket and dragged out the dead wolf, which they carried away with them; their conversation being in dutch, i could not understand it, but i was certain that they made use of the word "_english_." the hunters and dogs quitted the copse, and i was about to descend, when one of them returned, and pulling up the blankets, rolled them together and walked away with them. fortunately he did not perceive our bundles by the little light given by the moon. i waited a short time and then came down. what to do i knew not. if i did not remain and o'brien returned, what would he think? if i did, i should be dead with cold before the morning. i looked for our bundles, and found that in the conflict between the dogs and the wolf, they had been buried among the leaves. i recollected o'brien's advice, and dressed myself in the girl's clothes, but i could not make up my mind, to go to flushing. so i resolved to walk towards the farm-house, which being close to the road, would give me a chance of meeting with o'brien. i soon arrived there, and prowled round it for some time, but the doors and windows were all fast, and i dared not knock, after what the woman had said about her husband's inveteracy to the english. at last, as i looked round and round, quite at a loss what to do, i thought i saw a figure at a distance proceeding in the direction of the copse. i hastened after it and saw it enter. i then advanced very cautiously, for although i thought it might be o'brien, yet it was possible that it was one of the men who chased the wolf, in search of more plunder. but i soon heard o'brien's voice; and i hastened towards him. i was close to him without his perceiving me, and found him sitting down with his face covered up in his two hands. at last he cried, "o pater! my poor pater! are you taken at last? could i not leave you for one hour in safety? ochone! why did i leave you? my poor, poor pater! simple you were, sure enough, and that's why i loved you; but, pater, i would have made a man of you, for you'd all the materials, that's the truth--and a fine man too. where am i to look for you, pater? where am i to find you, pater? you're fast locked up by this time, and all my trouble's gone for nothing. but i'll be locked up too, pater. where you are, will i be; and if we can't go to england together, why then we'll go back to that blackguard hole at givet together. ochone! ochone!" o'brien spoke no more, but burst into tears. i was much affected with this proof of o'brien's sincere regard, and i came to his side, and clasped him in my arms. o'brien stared at me--"who are you, you ugly dutch frow?" (for he had quite forgotten the woman's dress at the moment,) but recollecting himself, he hugged me in his arms. "pater, you come as near to an angel's shape as you can, for you come in that of a woman, to comfort me; for, to tell the truth, i was very much distressed at not finding you here; and all the blankets gone to boot. what has been the matter?" i explained in as few words as i could. "well, peter, i'm happy to find you all safe, and much happier to find that you can be trusted when i leave you, for you could not have behaved more prudently. now i'll tell you what i did, which was not much, as it happened. i knew that there was no cabaret between us and flushing, for i took particular notice as i came along: so i took the road to middleburg, and found but one, which was full of soldiers. i passed it, and found no other. as i came back past the same cabaret, one of the soldiers came out to me, but i walked along the road. he quickened his pace, and so did i mine, for i expected mischief. at last he came up to me, and spoke to me, in dutch, to which i gave him no answer. he collared me, and then i thought it convenient to pretend that i was deaf and dumb. i pointed to my mouth with an au--au--and then to my ears, and shook my head; but he would not be convinced, and i heard him say something about english. i then knew that there was no time to be lost, so i first burst out into a loud laugh and stopped; and on his attempting to force me, i kicked up his heels, and he fell on the ice with such a rap on the pate, that i doubt if he has recovered it by this time. there i left him, and have run back as hard as i could, without any thing for peter to fill his little hungry inside with. now, peter, what's your opinion? for they say, that out of the mouth of babes there is wisdom; and although i never saw anything come out of their mouths but sour milk, yet perhaps i may be more fortunate, this time, for, peter, you're but a baby." "not a small one, o'brien, although not quite so large as fingal's babby that you told me the story of. my idea is this. let us, at all hazards, go to the farmhouse. they have assisted us, and may be inclined to do so again; if they refuse, we must push on to flushing and take our chance." "well," observed o'brien, after a pause, "i think we can do no better, so let's be off." we went to the farm-house, and, as we approached the door, were met by the great mastiff. i started back, o'brien boldly advanced. "he's a clever dog, and may know us again. i'll go up," said o'brien, not stopping while he spoke, "and pat his head; if he flies at me, i shall be no worse than i was before, for depend upon it he will not allow us to go back again." o'brien by this time had advanced to the dog, who looked earnestly and angrily at him. he patted his head, the dog growled, but o'brien put his arm round his neck, and patting him again, whistled to him, and went to the door of the farm-house. the dog followed him silently but closely. o'brien knocked, and the door was opened by the little girl: the mastiff advanced to the girl and then turned round, facing o'brien, as much as to say--"is he to come in?" the girl spoke to the dog, and went in-doors. during her absence the mastiff laid down at the threshold. in a few seconds the woman who had brought us from flushing came out, and desired us to enter. she spoke very good french, and told us that fortunately her husband was absent; that the reason why we had not been supplied was, that a wolf had met her little girl returning the other day, but had been beaten off by the mastiff, and that she was afraid to allow her to go again; that she heard the wolf had been killed this evening, and had intended her girl to have gone to us early to-morrow morning. that wolves were hardly known in that country, but that the severe winter had brought them down to the lowlands, a very rare circumstance, occurring perhaps not once in twenty years. "but how did you pass the mastiff?" said she; "that has surprised my daughter and me." o'brien told her; upon which she said, that "the english were really `_des braves_.' no other man had ever done the same." so i thought, for nothing would have induced me to do it. o'brien then told the history of the death of the wolf with all particulars, and our intention if we could not do better, of returning to flushing. "i heard that pierre eustache came home yesterday," said the woman; "and i do think that you will be safer at flushing than here, for they will never think of looking for you among the _casernes_, which join their cabaret." "will you lend us your assistance to get in?" "i will see what i can do. but are you not hungry?" "about as hungry as men who have eaten nothing for two days." "_mon dieu! c'est vrai_. i never thought it was so long, but those whose stomachs are filled forget those who are empty. god make us better and more charitable!" she spoke to the little girl in dutch, who hastened to load the table, which we hastened to empty. the little girl stared at our voracity; but at last she laughed out, and clapped her hands at every fresh mouthful which we took, and pressed us to eat more. she allowed me to kiss her, until her mother told her that i was not a woman, when she pouted at me, and beat me off. before midnight we were fast asleep upon the benches before the kitchen fire, and at day-break were roused up by the woman, who offered us some bread and spirits; and then we went out to the door, where we found the horse and cart all ready, and loaded with vegetables for the market. the woman, the little girl, and myself got in, o'brien leading as before, and the mastiff following. we had learnt the dog's name, which was _achille_, and he seemed to be quite fond of us. we passed the dreaded barriers without interruption, and in ten minutes entered the cabaret of eustache; and immediately walked into the little room through a crowd of soldiers, two of whom chucked me under the chin. who should we find there but eustache, the pilot himself, in conversation with his wife; and it appeared that they were talking about us, she insisting, and he unwilling to have any hand in the business. "well, here they are themselves, eustache: the soldiers who have seen them come in will never believe that this is their first entry, if you give them up. i leave them to make their own bargain; but mark me, eustache, i have slaved night and day in this cabaret for your profit; if you do not oblige me and my family, i no longer keep a cabaret for you." madame eustache then quitted the room with her husband's sister and little girl, and o'brien immediately accosted him. "i promise you," said he to eustache, "one hundred louis if you put us on shore at any part of england, or on board of any english man-of-war; and if you do it within a week, i will make it twenty louis more." o'brien then pulled out the fifty napoleons given us by celeste, for our own were not yet expended, and laid them on the table. "here is this in advance, to prove my sincerity. say, is it a bargain or not?" "i never yet heard of a poor man who could withstand his wife's arguments, backed with one hundred and twenty louis," said eustache smiling, and sweeping the money off the table. "i presume you have no objection to start to-night? that will be ten louis more in your favour," replied o'brien. "i shall earn them," replied eustache: "the sooner i am off the better, for i could not long conceal you here. the young frow with you is, i suppose, your companion that my wife mentioned. he has begun to suffer hardships early. come, now sit down and talk, for nothing can be done till dark." o'brien narrated the adventures attending our escape, at which eustache laughed heartily; the more so, at the mistake which his wife was under, as to the obligations of the family. "if i did not feel inclined to assist you before, i do now, just for the laugh i shall have at her when i come back; and if she wants any more assistance for the sake of her relations, i shall remind her of this anecdote; but she's a good woman and a good wife to boot, only too fond of her sisters." at dusk he equipped us both in sailor's jackets and trowsers, and desired us to follow him boldly. he passed the guard, who knew him well. "what, to sea already?" said one. "you have quarrelled with your wife." at which they all laughed, and we joined. we gained the beach, jumped into his little boat, pulled off to his vessel, and, in a few minutes, were under weigh. with a strong tide and a fair wind we were soon clear of the scheldt, and the next morning a cutter hove in sight. we steered for her, ran under her lee, o'brien hailed for a boat, and eustache, receiving my bill for the remainder of his money, wished us success; we shook hands, and in a few minutes found ourselves once more under the british pennant. chapter twenty six. adventures at home--i am introduced to my grandfather--he obtains employment for o'brien and myself, and we join a frigate. as soon as we were on the deck of the cutter, the lieutenant commanding her inquired of us in a consequential manner who we were. o'brien replied that we were english prisoners who had escaped. "oh, midshipmen, i presume," replied the lieutenant; "i heard that some had contrived to get away." "my name, sir," said o'brien, "is lieutenant o'brien; and if you'll send for a steel's list, i will have the honour of pointing it out to you. this young gentleman is mr peter simple, midshipman, and grandson to the right honourable lord viscount privilege." the lieutenant, who was a little snubnosed man, with a pimply face, then altered his manner towards us, and begged we would step down into the cabin, where he offered what perhaps was the greatest of all luxuries to us, some english cheese and bottled porter. "pray," said he, "did you see anything of one of my officers; who was taken prisoner when i was sent with despatches to the mediterranean fleet?" "may i first ask the name of your lively little craft?" said o'brien. "the _snapper_," replied the lieutenant. "och, murder! sure enough we met him. he was sent to verdun, but we had the pleasure of his company _en route_ as far as montpelier. a remarkably genteel, well-dressed young man, was he not?" "why, i can't say much about his gentility; indeed, i am not much of a judge. as for his dress, he ought to have dressed well, but he never did when on board of me. his father is my tailor, and i took him as midshipman, just to square an account between us." "that's exactly what i thought," replied o'brien. he did not say any more, which i was glad of, as the lieutenant might not have been pleased at what had occurred. "when do you expect to run into port?" demanded o'brien; for we were rather anxious to put our feet ashore again in old england. the lieutenant replied that his cruise was nearly up; and he considered our arrival quite sufficient reason for him to run in directly, and that he intended to put his helm up after the people had had their dinner. we were much delighted with this intelligence, and still more to see the intention put into execution half-an-hour afterwards. in three days we anchored at spithead, and went on shore with the lieutenant to report ourselves to the admiral. oh! with what joy did i first put my foot on the shingle beach at sally port, and then hasten to the post-office to put in a long letter which i had written to my mother! we did not go to the admiral's but merely reported ourselves at the admiral's office; for we had no clothes fit to appear in. but we called at meredith the tailor's, and he promised that, by the next morning, we should be fitted complete. we then ordered new hats, and everything we required, and went to the fountain inn. o'brien refused to go to the blue posts, as being only a receptacle for midshipmen. by eleven o'clock the next morning, we were fit to appear before the admiral, who received us very kindly, and requested our company to dinner. as i did not intend setting off for home until i had received an answer from my mother, we, of course, accepted the invitation. there was a large party of naval officers and ladies, and o'brien amused them very much during dinner. when the ladies left the room, the admiral's wife told me to come up with them! and when we arrived at the drawing-room, the ladies all gathered round me, and i had to narrate the whole of my adventures, which very much entertained and interested them. the next morning i received a letter from my mother--such a kind one! entreating me to come home as fast as i could, and bring my preserver o'brien with me. i showed it to o'brien, and asked him whether he would accompany me. "why, peter, my boy, i have a little business of some importance to transact; which is to obtain my arrears of pay, and some prize-money which i find due. when i have settled that point i will go to town to pay my respects to the first lord of the admiralty, and then i think i will go and see your father and mother; for, until i know how matters stand, and whether i shall be able to go with spare cash in my pocket, i do not wish to see my own family; so write down your address here, and you'll be sure i'll come, if it is only to square my accounts with you, for i am not a little in your debt." i cashed a check sent by my father, and set off in the mail that night; the next evening i arrived safe home. but i shall leave the reader to imagine the scene: to my mother i was always dear, and circumstances had rendered me of some importance to my father, for i was now an only son, and his prospects were very different from what they were when i left home. about a week afterwards, o'brien joined us, having got through all his business. his first act was, to account with my father for his share of the expenses; and he even insisted upon paying his half of the fifty napoleons given me by celeste, which had been remitted to a banker at paris before o'brien's arrival, with a guarded letter of thanks from my father to colonel o'brien, and another from me to dear little celeste. o'brien had remained with us about a week, he told me that he had about one hundred and sixty pounds in his pocket, and that he intended to go and see his friends, as he was sure that he would be welcome, even to father mcgrath. "i mean to stay with them about a fortnight, and shall then return and apply for employment. now, peter, will you like to be again under my protection?" "o'brien, i will never quit you or your ship, if i can help it." "spoken like a sensible peter. well, then, i was promised immediate employment, and i will let you know as soon as the promise is performed." o'brien took his leave of my family, who were already very partial to him, and left that afternoon for holyhead. my father no longer treated me as a child; indeed it would have been an injustice if he had. i do not mean to say that i was a clever boy; but i had seen much of the world in a short time, and could act and think for myself. he often talked to me about his prospects, which were very different from what they were when i left him. my two uncles, his elder brothers, had died, the third was married and had two daughters. if he had no son my father would succeed to the title. the death of my elder brother tom had brought me next in succession. my grandfather, lord privilege, who had taken no more notice of my father than occasionally sending him a basket of game, had latterly often invited him to the house, and had even requested _some day or another_ to see his wife and family. he had also made a handsome addition to my father's income, which the death of my two uncles had enabled him to do. against all this my uncle's wife was reported to be again in the family way. i cannot say that i was pleased when my father used to speculate upon these chance so often as he did. i thought, not only as a man, but more particularly as a clergyman, he was much to blame; but i did not then know so much of the world. we had not heard from o'brien for two months, when a letter arrived, stating that he had seen his family, and had bought a few acres of land, which had made them all quite happy, and had quitted with father mcgrath's double blessing, with unlimited absolution; that he had now been a month in town trying for employment, but found that he could not obtain it, although one promise was backed up by another. a few days after this, my father received a note from lord privilege requesting he would come and spend a few days with him, and bring his son peter, who had escaped from the french prison. of course this was an invitation not to be neglected, and we accepted it forthwith. i must say, i felt rather in awe of my grandfather; he had kept the family at such a distance, that i had always heard his name mentioned more with reverence than with any feeling of kindred, but i was a little wiser now. we arrived at eagle park, a splendid estate, where he resided, and were received by a dozen servants in and out of livery, and ushered into his presence. he was in his library, a large room, surrounded with handsome bookcases, sitting on an easy chair. a more venerable, placid old gentleman i never beheld; his grey hairs hung down on each side of his temples, and were collected in a small _queue_ behind. he rose and bowed, as we were announced; to my father he held out _two_ fingers in salutation, to me only _one_; but there was an elegance in the manner in which it was done, which was indescribable. he waved his hand to chairs, placed by the _gentleman_ out of livery, and requested we would be seated. i could not at the time help thinking of mr chucks, the boatswain, and his remarks upon high breeding, which were so true; and i laughed to myself when i recollected that mr chucks had once dined with him. as soon as the servants had quitted the room, the distance on the part of my grand-father appeared to wear off. he interrogated me on several points, and seemed pleased with my replies; but he always called me "child." after a conversation of half-an-hour, my father rose, saying that his lordship must be busy, and that he would go over the grounds till dinner-time. my grandfather rose, and we took a sort of formal leave; but it was not a formal leave, after all, it was high breeding, respecting yourself and respecting others. for my part, i was pleased with the first interview, and so i told my father after we had left the room. "my dear peter," replied he, "your grandfather has one idea which absorbs most others--the peerage, the estate, and the descent of it in the right line. as long as your uncles were alive, we were not thought of, as not being in the line of descent; nor should we now, but that your uncle william has only daughters. still we are not looked upon as actual, but only contingent, inheritors of the title. were your uncle to die to-morrow, the difference in his behaviour would be manifested immediately." "that is to say, instead of _two fingers_ you would receive the _whole_ hand, and instead of _one_, i should obtain promotion to two." at this my father laughed heartily, saying, "peter, you have exactly hit the mark. i cannot imagine how we ever could have been so blind as to call you the fool of the family." to this i made no reply, for it was difficult so to do without depreciating others or depreciating myself: but i changed the subject by commenting on the beauties of the park, and the splendid timber with which it was adorned. "yes, peter," replied my father, with a sigh, "thirty-five thousand a year in land, money in the funds, and timber worth at least forty thousand more, are not to be despised. but god wills everything." after this remark, my father appeared to be in deep thought, and i did not interrupt him. we stayed ten days with my grandfather, during which he would often detain me for two hours after breakfast, listening to my adventures, and i really believe was very partial to me. the day before i went away he said, "child, you are going to-morrow; now tell me what you would like, as i wish to give you a token of regard. don't be afraid; what shall it be--a watch and seals, or--anything you most fancy?" "my lord," replied i, "if you wish to do me a favour, it is, that you will apply to the first lord of the admiralty to appoint lieutenant o'brien to a fine frigate, and, at the same time, ask for a vacancy as midshipman for me." "o'brien," replied his lordship; "i recollect it was he who accompanied you from france, and appears, by your account, to have been a true friend. i am pleased with your request, my child, and it shall be granted." his lordship then desired me to hand him the paper and ink-standish, wrote by my directions, sealed the letter, and told me he would send me the answer. the next day we quitted eagle park, his lordship wishing my father good-bye with _two_ fingers, and to me extending _one_, as before; but he said, "i am pleased with you, child; you may write occasionally." when we were on our route home, my father observed that "i had made more progress with my grandfather than he had known any one to do, since he could recollect. his saying that you might write to him is at least ten thousand pounds to you in his will, for he never deceives any one, or changes his mind." my reply was that i should like to see the ten thousand pounds, but that i was not so sanguine. a few days after our return home, i received a letter and enclosure from lord privilege, the contents of which were as follows:-- "my dear child,-- "i send you lord ---'s answer, which i trust will prove satisfactory. my compliments to your family. "yours, etc. "privilege." the enclosure was a handsome letter from the first lord, stating that he had appointed o'brien to the _sanglier_ frigate, and had ordered me to be received on board as midshipman. i was delighted to forward this letter to o'brien's address, who in a few days sent me an answer, thanking me, and stating that he had received his appointment, and that i need not join for a month, which was quite time enough, as the ship was refitting; but, that if my family were tired of me, which was sometimes the case in the best regulated families, why, then i should learn some thing of my duty by coming to portsmouth. he concluded by sending his kind regards to all the family, and his _love_ to my grandmother, which last i certainly did not forward in my letter of thanks. about a month afterwards i received a letter from o'brien, stating that the ship was ready to go out of harbour, and would be anchored off spithead in a few days. chapter twenty seven. captain and mrs. to--pork--we go to plymouth and fall in with our old captain. i immediately took leave of my family, and set off for portsmouth, and in two days arrived at the fountain inn, where o'brien was waiting to receive me. "peter, my boy, i feel so much obliged to you, that if your uncle won't go out of the world by fair means, i'll pick a quarrel with him, and shoot him, on purpose that you may be a lord, as i am determined that you shall be. now come up into my room, where we'll be all alone, and i'll tell you all about the ship and our new captain. in the first place, we'll begin with the ship, as the most important personage of the two: she's a beauty. i forget her name before she was taken, but the french know how to build ships better than keep them. she's now called the _sanglier_, which means a wild pig, and, by the powers! a pig ship she is, as you will hear directly. the captain's name is a very short one, and wouldn't please mr chucks, consisting only of two letters, t and o, which makes, to; his whole title is captain john to. it would almost appear as if somebody had broken off the better half of his name, and only left him the commencement of it; but, however, it's a handy name to sign when he pays off his ship. and now i'll tell you what sort of a looking craft he is. he's built like a dutch schuyt, great breadth of beam, and very square tuck. he applied to have the quarter galleries enlarged in the two last ships he commanded. he weighs about eighteen stone, rather more than less. he is a good-natured sort of a chap, amazingly ungenteel, not much of an officer, not much of a sailor, but a devilish good hand at the trencher. but he's only a part of the concern; he has his wife on board, who is a red-herring sort of a lady, and very troublesome to boot. what makes her still more annoying is, that she has _a piano_ on board, very much out of _tune_, on which she plays very much out of _time_. holystoning is music compared with her playing; even the captain's spaniel howls when she comes to the high notes; but she affects the fine lady, and always treats the officers with music when they dine in the cabin, which makes them very glad to get out of it." "but, o'brien, i thought wives were not permitted on board." "very true, but there's the worst part in the man's character: he knows that he is not allowed to take his wife to sea, and, in consequence, he never says she _is_ his wife, or presents her on shore to anybody. if any of the other captains ask how mrs to is to-day, `why,' he replies, `pretty well, i thank you,' but at the same time he gives a kind of smirk, as if to say, `she is not my wife;' and although everybody knows that she is, yet he prefers that they should think otherwise, rather than be at the expense of keeping her on shore: for you know, peter, that although there are regulations about wives, there are none with regard to other women." "but does his wife know this?" inquired i. "i believe, from my heart, that she is a party to the whole transaction, for report says, that she would skin a flint if she could. she's always trying for presents from the officers, and, in fact, she commands the ship." "really, o'brien, this is not a very pleasant prospect." "whist! wait a little; now i come to the wind-up. this captain to is very partial to pig's _mate_, and we have as many live pigs on board as we have pigs of ballast. the first lieutenant is right mad about them. at the same time he allows no pigs but his own on board, that there may be no confusion. the manger is full of pigs; there are two cow-pens between the main-deck guns, drawn from the dock-yard, and converted into pig-pens. the two sheep-pens amidships are full of pigs, and the geese and turkey-coops are divided off into apartments for four _sows_ in the _family way_. now, peter, you see there's little or no expense in keeping pigs on board of a large frigate, with so much pay-soup and whole peas for them to eat, and this is the reason why he keeps them, for the devil a bit of any other stock has he on board. i presume he means to _milk_ one of the _old sows_ for breakfast when the ship sails. the first thing that he does in the morning, is to go round to his pigs with the butcher, feeling one, scratching the dirty ears of another, and then he classes them--his _bacon_ pigs, his _porkers_, his _breeding_ sows, and so on. the old boar is still at the stables of this inn, but i hear he is to come on board with the sailing orders; but he is very savage, and is therefore left on shore to the very last moment. now really, peter, what with the squealing of the pigs and his wife's piano we are almost driven mad. i don't know which is the worst of the two; if you go aft you hear the one, if you go forward you, hear the other, by way of variety, and that, they say, is charming. but, is it not shocking that such a beautiful frigate should be turned into a pig-sty, and that her main-deck should smell worse than a muck-heap?" "but how does his wife like the idea of living only upon hog's flesh?" "she! lord bless you, peter! why, she looks as spare as a shark, and she has just the appetite of one; for she'll _boil_ a four-pound piece of pork before it's well put on her plate." "have you any more such pleasant intelligence to communicate, o'brien?" "no, peter, you have the worst of it. the lieutenants are good officers, and pleasant messmates; the doctor is a little queer, and the purser thinks himself a wag; the master, an old north-countryman, who knows his duty, and takes his glass of grog. the midshipmen are a very genteel set of young men, and full of fun and frolic. i'll bet a wager, there'll be a bobbery in the pig-sty before long, for they are ripe for mischief. now, peter, i hardly need say that my cabin and everything i have is at your service; and i think if we could only have a devil of a gale of wind, or a hard-fought action, to send the pigs over-board and smash the _piano_, we should do very well." the next day i went on board, and was shown down into the cabin, to report my having joined. mrs to, a tall, thin woman, was at her piano; she rose, and asked me several questions--who my friends were--how much they allowed me a year, and many other questions, which i thought impertinent; but a captain's wife is allowed to take liberties. she then asked me if i was fond of music? that was a difficult question, as, if i said that i was, i should in all probability be obliged to hear it; if i said that i was not, i might have created a dislike in her. so i replied that i was very fond of music on shore, when it was not interrupted by other noises. "ah! then i perceive you are a real amateur, mr simple," replied the lady. captain to then came out of the after-cabin, half-dressed. "well, youngster, so you've joined at last. come and dine with us to-day: and, as you go down to your berth, desire the sentry to pass the word for the butcher; i want to speak with him." i bowed and retired. i was met in the most friendly manner by the officers and by my own messmates, who had been prepossessed in my favour by o'brien previous to my arrival. in our service you always find young men of the best families on board large frigates, they being considered the most eligible class of vessels; i found my messmates to be gentlemen, with one or two exceptions, but i never met so many wild young lads together. i sat down and ate some dinner with them, although i was to dine in the cabin, for the sea air made me hungry. "don't you dine in the cabin, simple?" said the caterer. "yes," replied i. "then don't eat any pork, my boy, now, for you'll have plenty there. come, gentlemen, fill your glasses; we'll drink happiness to our new messmate, and pledging him, we pledge ourselves to try to promote it." "i'll just join you in that toast," said o'brien, walking into the midshipmen's berth. "what is it you're drinking it in?" "some of collier's port, sir. boy, bring a glass for mr o'brien." "here's your health, peter, and wishing you may keep out of a french prison this cruise. mr montague, as caterer, i beg you will order another candle, that i may see what's on the table, and then perhaps i may find something i should like to pick a bit off." "here's the fag end of a leg of mutton, mr o'brien, and there's a piece of boiled pork." "then i'll just trouble you for a bit close to the knuckle. peter, you dine in the cabin, so do i--the doctor refused." "have you heard when we sail, mr o'brien?" inquired one of my messmates. "i heard at the admiral's office, that we were expected to be ordered round to plymouth, and receive our orders there, either for the east or west indies, they thought; and, indeed, the stores we have taken on board indicates that we are going foreign, but the captain's signal is just made, and probably the admiral has intelligence to communicate." in about an hour afterwards the captain returned, looking very red and hot. he called the first lieutenant aside from the rest of the officers, who were on deck to receive him, and told him that we were to start for plymouth the next morning; and the admiral had told him confidentially, that we were to proceed to the west indies with a convoy, which was then collecting. he appeared to be very much alarmed at the idea of going to make a feast for the land crabs; and certainly his gross habit of body rendered him very unfit for the climate. this news was soon spread through the ship, and there was of course no little bustle and preparation. the doctor, who had refused to dine in the cabin upon plea of being unwell, sent up to say, that he felt himself so much better, that he should have great pleasure in attending the summons, and he joined the first lieutenant, o'brien, and me, as we walked in. we sat down to table; the covers were removed, and, as the midshipmen prophesied, there was plenty of pork--mock-turtle soup, made out of a pig's head--a boiled leg of pork and peas-pudding--a roast spare-rib with the crackling on--sausages and potatoes, and pig's pettitoes. i cannot say that i disliked my dinner, and i ate very heartily; but a roast sucking-pig came on as a second course, which rather surprised me: but what surprised me more, was the quantity devoured by mrs to. she handed her plate from the boiled pork to the roast, asked for some pettitoes, tried the sausages, and finished with a whole plateful of sucking-pig and stuffing. we had an apple-pie at the end, but as we had already eaten apple sauce with the roast pork, we did not care for it. the doctor, who abominated pork, ate pretty well, and was excessively attentive to mrs to. "will you not take a piece of the roast pig, doctor?" said the captain. "why really, captain to, as we are bound, by all reports, to a station where we must not venture upon pork, i think i will not refuse to take a piece, for i am very fond of it." "how do you mean?" inquired the captain and his lady, both in a breath. "perhaps i may be wrongly informed," replied the doctor; "but i have heard that we were ordered to the west indies; now, if so, every one knows, that although you may eat salt pork there occasionally without danger, in all tropical climates, and especially the west indies, two or three days' living upon this meat will immediately produce dysentery, which is always fatal in that climate." "indeed!" exclaimed the captain. "you don't say so?" rejoined the lady. "i do indeed: and have always avoided the west indies for that very, reason--i am so fond of pork." the doctor then proceeded to give nearly one hundred instances of messmates and shipmen who had been attacked with dysentery, from the eating of fresh pork in the west indies; and o'brien, perceiving the doctor's drift, joined him, telling some most astonishing accounts of the dreadful effects of pork in a hot country. i think he said, that when the french were blockaded, previous to the surrender of martinique, that having nothing but pigs to eat, thirteen hundred out of seventeen hundred soldiers and officers died in the course of three weeks, and the others were so reduced by disease, that they were obliged to capitulate. the doctor then changed the subject, and talked about the yellow fever, and other diseases of the climate; so that by his account, the west india islands were but hospitals to die in. those most likely to be attacked were men in full strong health. the spare men stood a better chance. this conversation was carried on until it was time to leave-- mrs to at last quite silent, and the captain gulping down his wine with a sigh. when we rose from table, mrs to did not ask us, as usual, to stay and hear a little music; she was, like her piano, not a little out of tune. "by the powers, doctor, you did that nately," said o'brien, as we left the cabin. "o'brien," said the doctor, "oblige me, and you, mr simple, oblige me also, by not saying a word in the ship about what i have said; if it once gets wind, i shall have done no good; but if you both hold your tongues for a short time, i think i may promise you to get rid of captain to, his wife, and his pigs." we perceived the justice of his observation, and promised secrecy. the next day the ship sailed for plymouth, and mrs to sent for the doctor, not being very well. the doctor prescribed for her, and i believe, on my conscience, made her worse on purpose. the illness of his wife, and his own fears, brought captain to more than usual in contact with the doctor, of whom he frequently asked his candid opinion, as to his own chance in a hot country. "captain to," said the doctor, "i never would have given my opinion, if you had not asked it, for i am aware, that, as an officer, you would never flinch from your duty, to whatever quarter of the globe you may be ordered; but as you have asked the question, i must say, with your full habit of body, i think you would not stand a chance of living for more than two months. at the same time, sir, i may be mistaken; but at all events, i must point out that mrs to is of a very bilious habit, and i trust you will not do such an injustice to an amiable women, as to permit her to accompany you." "thanky, doctor, i am much obliged to you," replied the captain, turning round and going down the ladder to his cabin. we were then beating down the channel; for, although we ran through the needles with a fair wind, it fell calm, and shifted to the westward, when we were abreast of portland. the next day the captain gave an order for a very fine pig to be killed, for he was out of provisions. mrs to still kept her bed, and he therefore directed that a part should be salted, as he could have no company. i was in the midshipmen's berth, when some of them proposed that we should get possession of the pig; and the plan they agreed upon was as follows:--they were to go to the pen that night, and with a needle stuck in a piece of wood, to prick the pig all over, and then rub gunpowder into the parts wounded. this was done, and although the butcher was up a dozen times during the night to ascertain what made the pigs so uneasy, the midshipmen passed the needle from watch to watch, until the pig was well tattooed in all parts. in the morning watch it was killed, and when it had been scalded in the tub, and the hair taken off, it appeared covered with blue spots. the midshipman of the morning watch, who was on the main-deck, took care to point out to the butcher, that the pork was _measly_, to which the man unwilling assented, stating, at the same time, that he could not imagine how it could be, for a finer pig he had never put a knife into. the circumstance was reported to the captain, who was much astonished. the doctor came in to visit mrs to, and the captain requested the doctor to examine the pig, and give his opinion. although this was not the doctor's province, yet, as he had great reason for keeping intimate with the captain, he immediately consented. going forward, he met me, and i told him the secret. "that will do," replied he; "it all tends to what we wish." the doctor returned to the captain, and said that "there was no doubt but that the pig was measly, which was a complaint very frequent on board ships, particularly in hot climates, where all pork became _measly_--one great reason for its there proving so unwholesome." the captain sent for the first lieutenant, and, with a deep sigh, ordered him to throw the pig overboard; but the first lieutenant, who knew what had been done from o'brien, ordered the _master's mate_ to throw it overboard; the master's mate, touching his hat said, "ay, ay, sir," and took it down into the berth, where we cut it up, salted one half, and the other we finished before we arrived at plymouth, which was six days from the time we left portsmouth. on our arrival, we found part of the convoy lying there, but no orders for us; and, to my great delight, on the following day the _diomede_ arrived, from a cruise off the western islands. i obtained permission to go on board with o'brien, and we once more greeted our messmates. mr falcon, the first lieutenant, went down to captain savage, to say we were on board, and he requested us to come into the cabin. he greeted us warmly, and gave us great credit for the manner in which we had effected our escape. when we left the cabin, i found mr chucks, the boatswain, waiting outside. "my dear mr simple, extend your flapper to me, for i'm delighted to see you. i long to have a long talk with you." "and i should like it also, mr chucks, but i am afraid we have not time; i dine with captain savage to-day, and it only wants an hour of dinner-time." "well, mr simple, i've been looking at your frigate, and she's a beauty--much larger than the _diomede_." "and she behaves quite as well," replied i. "i think we are two hundred tons larger. you've no idea of her size until you are on her decks." "i should like to be boatswain of her, mr simple: that is, with captain savage, for i will not part with him." i had some more conversation with mr chucks, but i was obliged to attend to others, who interrupted us. we had a very pleasant dinner with our old captain, to whom we gave a history of our adventures, and then we returned on board. chapter twenty eight. we get rid of the pigs and pianoforte--the last boat on shore before sailing--the first lieutenant too hasty, and the consequences to me. we waited three days, at the expiration of which, we heard that captain to was about to exchange with captain savage. we could not believe such good news to be true, and we could not ascertain the truth of the report, as the captain had gone on shore with mrs to, who recovered fast after she was out of our doctor's hands; so fast, indeed, that a week afterwards, on questioning the steward, upon his return on board, how mrs to was, he replied, "o charming well again, sir, she has eaten a whole pig since she left the ship." but the report was true; captain to, afraid to go to the west indies, had effected an exchange with captain savage. captain savage was permitted, as was the custom of the service, to bring his first lieutenant, his boatswain, and his barge's crew with him. he joined a day or two before we sailed, and never was there more joy on board: the only people miserable were the first lieutenant, and those belonging to the _sanglier_, who were obliged to follow captain to; who, with his wife, his pigs, and her piano, were all got rid of in the course of one forenoon. i have already described pay-day on board of a man-of-war, but i think, that the two days before sailing are even more unpleasant; although, generally speaking, all our money being spent, we are not sorry when we once are fairly out of harbour, and find ourselves in _blue water_. the men never work well on those days: they are thinking of their wives and sweethearts, of the pleasure they had when at liberty on shore, where they might get drunk without punishment; and many of them are either half drunk at the time, or suffering from the effects of previous intoxication. the ship is in disorder, and crowded with the variety of stock and spare stores which are obliged to be taken on board in a hurry, and have not yet been properly secured in their places. the first lieutenant is cross, the officers are grave, and the poor midshipmen with all their own little comforts to attend to, are harassed and drive about like posthorses. "mr simple," inquired the first lieutenant, "where do you come from?" "from the gun wharf, sir, with the gunner's spare blocks, and breechings." "very well--send the marines aft to clear the boat, and pipe away the first cutter. mr simple, jump into the first cutter, and go to mount wise for the officers. be careful that none of your men leave the boat. come, be smart." now, i had been away the whole morning, and it was then half-past one, and i had had no dinner; but i said nothing, and went into the boat. as soon as i was off, o'brien, who stood by mr falcon, said, "peter was thinking of his dinner, poor fellow!" "i really quite forgot it," replied the first lieutenant, "there is so much to do. he is a willing boy, and he shall dine in the gun-room when he comes back." and so i did--so i lost nothing by not expostulating, and gained more of the favour of the first lieutenant, who never forgot what he called _zeal_. but the hardest trial of the whole is to the midshipman who is sent to the boat to purchase the supplies for the cabin and gun-room on the day before the ship's sailing. it was my misfortune to be ordered upon that service this time, and that very unexpectedly. i had been ordered to dress myself to take the gig on shore for the captain's orders, and was walking the deck with my very best uniform and sidearms, when the marine officer, who was the gun-room caterer, came up to the first lieutenant and asked him for a boat. the boat was manned, and a midshipman ordered to take charge of it; but when he came up, the first lieutenant recollecting that he had come off two days before with only half his boat's crew, would not trust him, and calling out to me, "here, mr simple, i must send you in this boat; mind you are careful that none of the men leave it; and bring off the serjeant of marines, who is on shore looking for the men who have broken their liberty." although i could not but feel proud of the compliment, yet i did not much like going in my very best uniform, and would have run down and changed it, but the marine officer and all the people were in the boat, and i could not keep it waiting, so down the side i went, and we shoved off. we had, besides the boat's crew, the marine officer, the purser, the gun-room steward, the captain's steward, and the pursers steward; so that we were pretty full. it blew hard from the s.e., and there was a sea running, but as the tide was flowing into the harbour there was not much bubble. we hoisted the foresail, flew before the wind and tide, and in quarter of an hour we were at mutton cove, when the marine officer expressed his wish to land. the landing-place was crowded with boats; and it was not without sundry exchanges of foul words and oaths, and the bow-men dashing the points of their boat-hooks into the shore-boats, to make them keep clear of us, that we forced our way to the beach. the marine officer and all the stewards then left the boat, and i had to look after the men. i had not been there three minutes before the bowman said that his wife was on the wharf with his clothes from the wash, and begged leave to go and fetch them. i refused, telling him that she could bring them to him. "vy, now, mr simple," said the woman, "ar'n't you a nice lady's man, to go for to ax me to muddle my way through all the dead dogs, cabbage-stalks, and stinking hakes' heads, with my bran new shoes and clean stockings?" i looked at her, and sure enough she was, as they say in france, _bien chaussee_. "come, mr simple, let him out to come for his clothes, and you'll see that he's back in a moment." i did not like to refuse her, as it was very dirty and wet, and the shingle was strewed with all that she had mentioned. the bow-man made a spring out with his boat-hook, threw it back, went up to his wife, and commenced talking with her, while i watched him. "if you please, sir, there's my young woman come down, mayn't i speak to her?" said another of the men. i turned round, and refused him. he expostulated, and begged very hard, but i was resolute; however, when i again turned my eyes to watch the bowman, he and his wife were gone. "there," says i to the coxswain, "i knew it would be so; you see hickman is off." "only gone to take a parting glass, sir," replied the coxswain; "he'll be here directly." "i hope so; but i'm afraid not." after this, i refused all the solicitations of the men to be allowed to leave the boat, but i permitted them to have some beer brought down to them. the gun-boat steward then came back with a basket of _soft-tack_, i.e., loaves of bread, and told me that the marine officer requested i would allow two of the men to go up with him to glencross' shop, to bring down some of the stores. of course i sent two of the men, and told the steward if he saw hickman, to bring him down to the boat. by this time many of the women belonging to the ship had assembled, and commenced a noisy conversation with the boat's crew. one brought one article for jim, another some clothes for bill; some of them climbed into the boat, and sat with the men--others came and went, bringing beer and tobacco, which the men desired them to purchase. the crowd, the noise, and confusion, were so great, that it was with the utmost difficulty that i could keep my eyes on all my men, who, one after another, made an attempt to leave the boat. just at that time came down the sergeant of marines, with three of our men whom he had picked up, _roaring drunk_. they were tumbled into the boat, and increased the difficulty, as in looking after those who were riotous, and would try to leave the boat by force, i was not so well able to keep my eyes on those who were sober. the sergeant then went up after another man, and i told him also about hickman. about half-an-hour afterwards the steward came down with the two men, loaded with cabbages, baskets of eggs, strings of onions, crockery of all descriptions, paper parcels of groceries, legs and shoulders of mutton, which were crowded in, until not only the stern-sheets, but all under the thwarts of the boat was also crammed full. they told me that they had a few more things to bring down, and that the marine officer had gone to stonehouse to see his wife, so that they should be down long before him. in half-an-hour more, during which i had the greatest difficulty to manage the boat's crew they returned with a dozen geese, and two ducks, tied by the legs, but without the two men, who had given them the slip, so that there were now three men gone, and i knew mr falcon would be very angry, for they were three of the smartest men in the ship. i was now determined not to run the risk of losing more men, and i ordered the boat's crew to shove off, that i might lie at the wharf, where they could not climb up. they were very mutinous, grumbled very much, and would hardly obey me; the fact is, they had drunk a great deal, and some of them were more than half tipsy. however, at last i was obeyed, but not without being saluted with a shower of invectives from the women, and the execrations of the men belonging to the wherries and _shore_ boats which were washed against our sides by the swell. the weather had become much worse and looked very threatening. i waited an hour more, when the sergeant of marines came down with two more men, one of whom, to my great joy, was hickman. this made me more comfortable, as i was not answerable for the other two; still i was in great trouble from the riotous and insolent behaviour of the boat's crew, and the other men brought down by the sergeant of marines. one of them fell back into a basket of eggs, and smashed them all to atoms; still the marine officer did not come down and it was getting late. the tide being now at the ebb, running out against the wind, there was a very heavy sea, and i had to go off to the ship with a boat deeply laden, and most of the people in her in a state of intoxication. the coxswain, who was the only one who was sober, recommended our shoving off, as it would soon be dark, and some accident would happen. i reflected a minute, and agreeing with him, i ordered the oars to be got out, and we shoved off, the sergeant of marines and the gun-room steward perched up in the bows--drunken men, ducks and geese, lying together at the bottom of the boat--the stern sheets loaded up to the gunwale, and the other passengers and myself sitting how we could among the crockery and a variety of other articles with which the boat was crowded. it was a scene of much confusion--the half-drunken boat's crew _catching crabs_, and falling forward upon the others--those who were quite drunk swearing they _would_ pull. "lay on your oar, sullivan; you were doing more harm than good. you drunken rascal, i'll report you as soon as we get on board." "how the devil can i pull, your honour, when there's that fellow jones breaking the very back o' me with his oar, and he never touching the water all the while?" "you lie," cried jones; "i'm pulling the boat by myself against the whole of the larboard oars." "he's rowing _dry_, your honour--only making bilave." "do you call this rowing dry?" cried another, as a sea swept over the boat, fore and aft, wetting every body to the skin. "now, your honour, just look and see if i a'n't pulling the very arms off me?" cried sullivan. "is there water enough to cross the bridge, swinburne?" said i to the coxswain. "plenty, mr simple; it is but quarter ebb, and the sooner we are on board the better." we were now past devil's point, and the sea was very heavy: the boat plunged in the trough, so that i was afraid that we should break her back. she was soon half full of water, and the two after oars were laid in for the men to bale. "plase your honour, hadn't i better cut free the legs of them ducks and geese, and allow them to swim for their lives?" cried sullivan, resting on his oar; "the poor birds will be drowned else in their own _iliment_." "no, no--pull away as hard as you can." by this time the drunken men in the bottom of the boat began to be very uneasy, from the quantity of water which washed about them, and made several staggering attempts to get on their legs. they fell down again upon the ducks and geese, the major part of which were saved from being drowned by being suffocated. the sea on the bridge was very heavy: and although the tide swept us out, we were nearly swamped. soft bread was washing about the bottom of the boat; the parcels of sugar, pepper, and salt, were wet through with the salt water, and a sudden jerk threw the captain's steward, who was seated upon the gunwale close to the after-oar, right upon the whole of the crockery and eggs, which added to the mass of destruction. a few more seas shipped completed the job, and the gun-room steward was in despair. "that's a darling!" cried sullivan: "the politest boat in the whole fleet. she makes more bows and curtsys than the finest couple in the land. give way, my lads, and work the crater stuff out of your elbows, and the first lieutenant will see us all so sober, and so wet in the bargain, and think we're all so dry, that perhaps he'll be after giving us a raw nip when we get on board." in a quarter of an hour we were nearly alongside, but the men pulled so badly, and the sea was so great, that we missed the ship, and went astern. they veered out a buoy with a line, which we got hold of, and were hauled up by the marines and after guard, the boat plunging bows under, and drenching us through and through. at last we got under the counter, and i climbed up by the stern ladder. mr falcon was on deck, and very angry at the boat not coming alongside properly. "i thought, mr simple, that you knew by this time how to bring a boat alongside." "so i do, sir, i hope," replied i; "but the boat was so full of water, and the men would not give way." "what men has the sergeant brought on board?" "three, sir," replied i, shivering with the cold, and unhappy at my very best uniform being spoiled. "are all your boat's crew with you, sir?" "no, sir, there are two left on shore; they--" "not a word, sir. up to the mast-head, and stay there till i call you down. if it were not so late, i would send you on shore, and not receive you on board again without the men. up, sir, immediately." i did not venture to explain, but up i went. it was very cold, blowing hard from the s.e., with heavy squalls; i was so wet, that the wind appeared to blow through me, and it was now nearly dark. i reached the cross-trees, and when i was seated there, i felt that i had done my duty, and had not been fairly treated. during this time, the boat had been hauled up alongside to clear, and a pretty clearance there was. all the ducks and geese were dead, the eggs and crockery all broken, the grocery almost washed away; in short, as o'brien observed, there was "a very pretty general average." mr falcon was still very angry. "who are the men missing?" inquired he of swinburne, the coxswain, as he came up by the side. "williams and sweetman, sir." "two of the smartest topmen, i am told. it really is too provoking; there is not a midshipman in the ship i can trust. i must work all day, and get no assistance. the service is really going to the devil now, with the young men who are sent on board to be brought up as officers, and who are above doing their duty. what made you so late, swinburne?" "waiting for the marine officer, who went to stonehouse to see his wife; but mr simple would not wait any longer, as it was getting dark, and we had so many drunken men in the boat." "mr simple did right. i wish mr harrison would stay on shore with his wife altogether--it's really trifling with the service. pray, mr swinburne, why had not you your eyes about you, if mr simple was so careless? how came you to allow these men to leave the boat?" "the men were ordered up by the marine officer, to bring down your stores, sir, and they gave the steward the slip. it was no fault of mr simple's, nor of mine either. we laid off at the wharf for two hours before we started, or we should have lost more; for what can a poor lad do, when he has charge of drunken men who _will not_ obey orders?" and the coxswain looked up at the mast-head, as much as to say, why is he sent there? "i'll take my oath, sir," continued swinburne, "that mr simple never put his foot out of the boat, from the time that he went over the side until be came on board; and that no young gentleman could have done his duty more strictly." mr falcon looked very angry at first, at the coxswain speaking so freely, but said nothing. he took one or two turns on the deck, and then hailing the mast-head, desired me to come down. but i _could not_; my limbs were so cramped with the wind blowing upon my wet clothes, that i could not move. he bailed again; i heard him, but was not able to answer. one of the top men then came up, and perceiving my condition, hailed the deck, and said he believed i was dying for i could not move, and that he dared not leave for fear i should fall. o'brien, who had been on deck all the while, jumped up the rigging, and was soon at the cross-trees where i was. he sent the topman down into the top for a sail-block and the studding-sail haulyards, made a whip, and lowered me on deck. i was immediately put into my hammock; and the surgeon ordering me some hot brandy-and-water, and plenty of blankets, in a few hours i was quite restored. o'brien, who was at my bedside, said, "never mind, peter, and don't be angry with mr falcon, for he is very sorry." "i am not angry, o'brien: for mr falcon has been too kind to me not to make me forgive him for being once hasty." the surgeon came to my hammock, gave me some more hot drink, desired me to go to sleep, and i woke the next morning quite well. when i came into the berth, my messmates asked me how i was, and many of them railed against the tyranny of mr falcon; but i took his part, saying, that he was hasty in this instance, perhaps, but that, generally speaking he was an excellent and very just officer. some agreed with me, but others did not. one of them, who was always in disgrace, sneered at me, and said, "peter reads the bible, and knows that if you smite one cheek, he must offer the other. now, i'll answer for it, if i pull his right ear, he will offer me his left." so saying, he lugged me by the ear, upon which i knocked him down for his trouble. the berth was then cleared away for a fight, and in a quarter of an hour my opponent gave in; but i suffered a little, and had a very black eye. i had hardly time to wash myself and change my shirt, which was bloody, when i was summoned on the quarter-deck. i arrived, i found mr falcon walking up and down. he looked very hard at me, but did not ask me any questions as to the cause of my unusual appearance. "mr simple," said he, "i sent for you to beg your pardon for my behaviour to you last night, which was not only very hasty but very unjust. i find that you were not to blame for the loss of the men." i felt very sorry for him when i heard him speak so handsomely; and to make his mind more easy, i told him that although i certainly was not to blame for the loss of those two men, still i had done wrong in permitting hickman to leave the boat; and that had not the sergeant picked him up, i should have come off without him, and therefore i _did_ deserve the punishment which i had received. "mr simple," replied mr falcon, "i respect you, and admire your feelings: still i was to blame, and it is my duty to apologise. now go down below i would have requested the pleasure of your company to dinner, but i perceive that something else has occurred, which, under any other circumstances, i would have inquired into, but at present i shall not." i touched my hat and went below. in the meantime o'brien had been made acquainted with the occasion of the quarrel, which he did not fail to explain to mr falcon, who, o'brien declared, "was not the least bit in the world angry with me for what had occurred." indeed, after that, mr falcon always treated me with the greatest kindness, and employed me on every duty which he considered of consequence. he was a sincere friend; for he did not allow me to neglect my duty, but, at the same time, treated me with consideration and confidence. the marine officer came on board very angry at being left behind, and talked about a court-martial on me for disrespect, and neglect of stores intrusted to my charge; but o'brien told me not to mind him or what he said, "it's my opinion, peter, that the gentleman has eaten no small quantity of _flapdoodle_ in his lifetime." "what's that, o'brien?" replied i; "i never heard of it." "why, peter," rejoined he, "it's the stuff they _feed fools on_." chapter twenty nine. a long conversation with mr. chucks--the advantages of having a prayer-book in your pocket--we run down the trades--swinburne, the quarter-master, and his yarns--the captain falls sick. the next day the captain came on board with sealed orders, with directions not to open them until off ushant. in the afternoon, we weighed and made sail. it was a fine northerly wind, and the bay of biscay was smooth. we bore up, set all the studding sails, and ran along at the rate of eleven miles an hour. as i could not appear on the quarter-deck, i was put down on the sick list. captain savage, who was very particular, asked what was the matter with me. the surgeon replied, "an inflamed eye." the captain asked no more questions; and i took care to keep out of his way. i walked in the evening on the forecastle, when i renewed my intimacy with mr chucks, the boatswain, to whom i gave a full narrative of all my adventures in france. "i have been ruminating, mr simple," said he, "how such a stripling as you could have gone through so much fatigue, and now i know how it is. it is _blood_, mr simple--all blood--you are descended from good blood; and there's as much difference between nobility and the lower classes, as there is between a racer and a cart-horse." "i cannot agree with you, mr chucks. common people are quite as brave as those who are well-born. you do not mean to say that you are not brave--that the seamen on board this ship are not brave?" "no, no, mr simple but as i observed about myself, my mother was a woman who could not be trusted, and there is no saying who was my father; and she was a very pretty woman to boot, which levels all distinctions for the moment. as for the seamen, god knows, i should do them an injustice if i did not acknowledge that they were as brave as lions. but there are two kinds of bravery, mr simple--the bravery of the moment, and the courage of bearing up for a long while. do you understand me?" "i think i do; but still do not agree with you. who will bear more fatigue than our sailors?" "yes, yes, mr simple, that is because they are _endured_ to it from their hard life: but if the common sailors were all such little thread-papers as you, and had been brought up so carefully, they would not have gone through all you have. that's my opinion, mr simple-- there's nothing like _blood_." "i think, mr chucks, you carry your ideas on that subject too far." "i do not mr simple; and i think, moreover, that he who has more to lose than another will always strive more. but a common man only fights for his own credit; but when a man is descended from a long line of people famous in history, and has a coat _in_ arms, criss-crossed, and stuck all over with lions and unicorns to support the dignity of--why, has he not to fight for the credit of all his ancestors, whose names would be disgraced if he didn't behave well?" "i agree with you, mr chucks, in the latter remark, to a certain extent." "mr simple, we never know the value of good descent when we have it, but it's when we cannot get it, that we can _'preciate_ it. i wish i had been born a nobleman--i do, by heavens!" and mr chucks slapped his fist against the funnel, so as to make it ring again. "well, mr simple," continued he, after a pause, "it is however a great comfort to me that i have parted company with that fool, mr muddle, with his twenty-six thousand and odd years, and that old woman, dispart the gunner. you don't know how those two men used to fret me; it was very silly, but i couldn't help it. now the warrant officers of this ship appear to be very respectable, quiet men who know their duty, and attend to it, and are not too familiar, which i hate and detest. you went home, mr simple, to your friends, of course, when you arrived in england?" "i did, mr chucks, and spent some days with my grandfather, lord privilege, whom you say you met at dinner." "well, and how was the old gentleman?" inquired the boatswain with a sigh. "very well, considering his age." "now do, pray, mr simple, tell me all about it; from the time that the servants met you at the door until you went away. describe to me the house and all the rooms, for i like to hear of all these things, although i can never see them again." to please mr chucks, i entered into a full detail, which he listened to very attentively, until it was late, and then with difficulty would he permit me to leave off, and go down to my hammock. the next day, rather a singular circumstance occurred. one of the midshipmen was mast-headed by the second lieutenant, for not waiting on deck until he was relieved. he was down below when he was sent for, and expecting to be punished from what the head-master told him, he thrust the first book into his jacket-pocket which he could lay his hand on, to amuse himself at the mast-head, and then ran on deck. as he surmised he was immediately ordered aloft. he had not been there more than five minutes, when a sudden squall carried away the main-topgallant mast, and away he went flying over to leeward (for the wind: had shifted, and the yards were now braced up). had he gone overboard as he could not swim, he would in all probability have been drowned; but the book in his pocket brought him up in the jaws of the fore-brace, block, where he hung until taken out by the main-topmen. now it so happened that it was a prayer-book which he had laid hold of in his hurry, and those who were superstitious declared it was all owing to his having taken a religious book with him. i did not think so, as any other book would have answered the purpose quite as well: still the midshipman himself thought so, and it was productive of good, as he was a sad scamp, and behaved much better afterwards. but i had nearly forgotten to mention a circumstance which occurred on the day of our sailing, which will be eventually found to have had a great influence upon my after-life. it was this i received a letter from my father, evidently written in great vexation and annoyance, informing me that my uncle, whose wife i have already mentioned had two daughters, and was again expected to be confined, had suddenly broke up his housekeeping, discharged every servant, and proceeded to ireland under an assumed name. no reason had been given for this unaccountable proceeding; and not even my grandfather, or any of the members of the family, had had notice of his intention. indeed, it was by mere accident that his departure was discovered, about a fortnight after it had taken place. my father had taken a great deal of pains to find out where he was residing; but although my uncle was traced to cork, from that town all clue was lost, but still it was supposed, from inquiries, that he was not very far from thence. "now," observed my father, in his letter, "i cannot help surmising, that my brother, in his anxiety to retain the advantages of a title to his own family, has resolved to produce to the world a spurious child as his own, by some contrivance or another. his wife's health is very bad, and she is not likely to have a large family. should the one now expected prove a daughter, there is little chance of his ever having another and i have no hesitation in declaring it my conviction, that the measure has been taken with a view of defrauding you of your chance of eventually being called to the house of lords." i showed this letter to o'brien, who, after reading it over two or three times, gave his opinion that my father was right in his conjectures. "depend upon it, peter, there's foul play intended, that is, if foul play is rendered necessary." "but, o'brien, i cannot imagine why, if my uncle has no son of his own, he should prefer acknowledging a son of any other person's instead of his own nephew." "but i can, peter: your uncle is not a man likely to live very long, as you know. the doctor says that, with his short neck, his life is not worth two years' purchase. now if he had a son, consider that his daughters would be much better off, and much more likely to get married; besides, there are many reasons which i won't talk about now, because it's no use making you think your uncle to be a scoundrel. but i'll tell you what i'll do. i'll go down to my cabin directly, and write to father mcgrath, telling him the whole affair, and desiring him to ferret him out, and watch him narrowly, and i'll bet you a dozen of claret, that in less than a week he'll find him out, and will dog him to the last. he'll get hold of his irish servants, and you little know the power that a priest has in our country. now give the description as well as you can of your uncle's appearance, also of that of his wife, and the number of their family, and their ages. father mcgrath must have all particulars, and then let him alone for doing what is needful." i complied with o'brien's directions as well as i could, and he wrote a very long letter to father mcgrath, which was sent on shore by a careful hand. i answered my father's letter, and then thought no more about the matter. our sealed orders were opened, and proved our destination to be the west indies, as we expected. we touched at madeira to take in some wine for the ship's company; but as we only remained one day, we were not permitted to go on shore. fortunate indeed would it have been if we had never gone there; for the day after, our captain, who had dined with the consul, was taken alarmingly ill. from the symptoms, the surgeon dreaded that he had been poisoned by something which he had eaten, and which most probably had been cooked in a copper vessel not properly tinned. we were all very anxious that he should recover; but, on the contrary, he appeared to grow worse and worse every day, wasting away, and dying, as they say, by inches. at last he was put in his cot, and never rose from it again. this melancholy circumstance, added to the knowledge that we were proceeding to an unhealthy climate, caused a gloom throughout the ship; and although the trade wind carried us along bounding over the bright blue sea--although the weather was now warm, yet not too warm--although the sun rose in splendour, and all was beautiful and cheering, the state of the captain's health was a check to all mirth. every one trod the deck softly, and spoke in a low voice, that he might not be disturbed; all were anxious to have the morning report of the surgeon, and our conversation was generally upon the sickly climate, the yellow fever, of death and the palisades where they buried us. swinburne, the quarter-master, was in my watch, and as he had been long in the west indies, i used to obtain all the information from him that i could. the old fellow had a secret pleasure in frightening me as much as he could. "really, mr simple, you ax so many questions," he would say, as i accosted him while he was at his station at the _conn_, "i wish you wouldn't ax so many questions, and make yourself uncomfortable--`steady so'--`steady it is;'--with regard to yellow jack, as we calls the yellow fever; it's a devil incarnate, that's sartain--you're well and able to take your allowance in the morning, and dead as a herring 'fore night. first comes a bit of a headache--you goes to the doctor, who bleeds you like a pig--then you go out of your senses--then up comes the black vomit, and then it's all over with you, and you go to the land crabs, who pick your bones as clean and as white as a sea elephant's tooth. but there be one thing to be said in favour of yellow jack, a'ter all. you dies _straight_, like a gentleman--not cribbled up like a snow-fish, chucked out on the ice of the river st. lawrence, with your knees up to your nose, or your toes stuck into your arm-pits, as does take place in some of your foreign complaints; but straight, quite straight, and limber, like a _gentleman_. still jack is a little mischievous, that's sartain. in the _euridiscy_ we had as fine a ship's company as was ever piped aloft--`steady, starboard, my man, you're half a pint off your course;'--we dropped our anchor in port royal, and we thought that there was mischief brewing, for thirty-eight sharks followed the ship into the harbour, and played about us day and night. i used to watch them during the night watch, as their fins, above water, skimmed along, leaving a trail of light behind them; and the second night i said to the sentry abaft, as i was looking at them smelling under the counter--`soldier,' says i, `them sharks are mustering under the orders of yellow jack;' and i no sooner mentioned yellow jack, than the sharks gave a frisky plunge, every one of them, as much as to say, `yes, so we are, damn your eyes.' the soldier was so frightened, that he would have fallen overboard, if i hadn't caught him by the scruff of the neck, for he was standing on the top of the taffrail. as it was, he dropped his musket over the stern, which the sharks dashed at from every quarter, making the sea look like fire--and he had it charged to his wages, pound shillings, i think. however, the fate of his musket gave him an idea of what would have happened to him, if he had fallen instead of it--and he never got on the taffrail again. `steady, port--mind your helm, smith--you can listen to my yarn all the same.' well, mr simple, yellow jack came, sure enough. first the purser was called to account for all his roguery. we didn't care much about the land crabs eating him, who made so many poor dead men chew tobacco, cheating their wives and relations, or greenwich hospital, as it might happen. then went two of the middies, just about your age, mr simple; they, poor fellows, went off in a sad hurry; then went the master--and so it went on, till at last we had no more nor sixty men left in the ship--the captain died last, and then yellow jack had filled his maw, and left the rest of us alone. as soon as the captain died, all the sharks left the ship, and we never saw any more of them." such were the yarns told to me and the other midshipmen during the night-watches; and i can assure the reader that they gave us no small alarm. every day that we worked our day's work, and found ourselves so much nearer to the islands, did we feel as if we were so much nearer to our graves. i once spoke to o'brien about it, and he laughed. "peter," says he, "fear kills more people than the yellow fever, or any other complaint of the west indies. swinburne is an old rogue, and only laughing at you. the devil's not half so black as he's painted--nor the yellow fever half so yellow, i presume." we were now fast nearing the island of barbadoes, the weather was beautiful, the wind always fair; the flying fish rose in shoals, startled by the foaming seas, which rolled away, and roared from the bows as our swift frigate cleaved through the water; the porpoises played about us in thousands--the bonetas and dolphins at one time chased the flying fish, and, at others, appeared to be delighted in keeping company with the rapid vessel. everything was beautiful, and we all should have been happy, had it not been for the state of captain savage, in the first place, who daily became worse and worse, and from the dread of the hell which we were about to enter through such a watery paradise. mr falcon, who was in command, was grave and thoughtful; he appeared indeed to be quite miserable at the chance which would insure his own promotion. in every attention and every care that could be taken to insure quiet, and afford relief to the captain, he was unremitting; the offence of making a noise was now, with him, a greater crime than drunkenness, or even mutiny. "when within three days' sail of barbadoes, it fell almost calm, and the captain became much worse; and now, for the first time, did we behold the great white shark" of the atlantic. there are several kinds of sharks, but the most dangerous are the great white shark and the ground shark. the former grows to an enormous length--the latter is seldom very long, not more than twelve feet, but spreads to a great breadth. we could not hook the sharks as they played around us, for mr falcon would not permit it, lest the noise of hauling them on board should disturb the captain. a breeze again sprang up. in two days we were close to the island, and the men were desired to look out for the land. chapter thirty. death of captain savage--his funeral--specimen of true barbadian born--"sucking the monkey"--effects of a hurricane. the next morning, having hove-to part of the night, land was discovered on the bow, and was reported by the mast-head man at the same moment that the surgeon came up and announced the death of our noble captain. although it had been expected for the last two or three days, the intelligence created a heavy gloom throughout the ship; the men worked in silence, and spoke to one another in whispers. mr falcon was deeply affected, and so were we all. in the course of the morning, we ran into the island, and, unhappy as i was, i never can forget the sensation of admiration which i felt on closing with needham point to enter carlisle bay. the beach of such a pure dazzling white, backed by the tall, green cocoa-nut trees, waving their spreading heads to the fresh breeze, the dark blue of the sky, and the deeper blue of the transparent sea, occasionally varied into green as we passed by the coral rocks which threw their branches out from the bottom--the town opening to our view by degrees, houses after houses, so neat, with their green jalousies, dotting the landscape, the fort with the colours flying, troops of officers riding down, a busy population of all colours, relieved by the whiteness of their dress. altogether the scene realised my first ideas of fairy land, for i thought i had never witnessed anything so beautiful. "and can this be such a dreadful place as it is described?" thought i. the sails were clewed up, the anchor was dropped to the bottom, and a salute from the ship was answered by the forts, adding to the effect of the scene. the sails were furled, the boats lowered down, the boatswain squared the yards from the jolly-boat ahead. mr falcon dressed, and his boat being manned, went on shore with the despatches. then, as soon as the work was over, a new scene of delight presented itself to the sight of midshipmen who had been so long upon his majesty's allowance. these were the boats, which crowded round the ship, loaded with baskets of bananas, oranges, shaddocks, soursops, and every other kind of tropical fruit, fried flying fish, eggs, fowls, milk, and everything which could tempt a poor boy after a long sea voyage. the watch being called, down we all hastened into the boats, and returned loaded with treasures, which we soon contrived to make disappear. after stowing away as much fruit as would have sufficed for a dessert to a dinner given to twenty people in england, i returned on deck. there was no other man-of-war in the bay; but my attention was directed to a beautiful little vessel, a schooner, whose fairy form contrasted strongly with a west india trader which lay close to her. all of a sudden, as i was looking at her beautiful outline, a yell rose from her which quite startled me, and immediately afterwards her deck was covered with nearly two hundred naked figures with woolly heads, chattering and grinning at each other. she was a spanish slaver, which had been captured, and had arrived the evening before. the slaves were still on board, waiting the orders of the governor. they had been on deck about ten minutes, when three or four men, with large panama straw hats on their heads, and long rattans in their hands, jumped upon the gunnel, and in a few seconds drove them all down below. i then turned round, and observed a black woman who had just climbed up the side of the frigate. o'brien was on deck, and she walked up to him in the most consequential manner. "how do you do, sar? very happy you come back again," said she to o'brien. "i'm very well, i thank you, ma'am," replied o'brien, "and i hope to go back the same; but never having put my foot into this bay before, you have the advantage of me." "nebber here before, so help me gad! me tink i know you--me tink i recollect your handsome face--i lady rodney, sar. ah, piccaninny buccra! how you do?" said she turning round to me. "me hope to hab the honour to wash for you, sar," curtsying to o'brien. "what do you charge in this place?" "all the same price, one bit a piece." "what do you call a bit?" inquired i. "a bit, lilly massa?--what you call um _bit_? dem four _sharp shins_ to a pictareen." our deck was now enlivened by several army officers, besides gentlemen residents, who came off to hear the news. invitations to the mess and to the houses of the gentlemen followed, and as they departed, mr falcon returned on board. he told o'brien and the other officers, that the admiral and squadron were expected in a few days, and that we were to remain in carlisle bay, and refit immediately. but although the fright about the yellow fever had considerably subsided in our breasts, the remembrance that our poor captain was lying dead in the cabin was constantly obtruding. all that night the carpenters were up making his coffin, for he was to be buried the next day. the body is never allowed to remain many hours unburied in the tropical climates, where putrefaction is so rapid. the following morning the men were up at daylight, washing the decks and putting the ship in order; they worked willingly, and yet with a silent decorum which showed what their feelings were. never were the decks better cleaned, never were the ropes more carefully flemished down; the hammocks were stowed in their white cloths, the yards carefully squared, and the ropes hauled taut. at eight o'clock the colours and pennant were hoisted half-mast high. the men were then ordered down to breakfast, and to clean themselves. during the time that the men were at breakfast, all the officers went into the cabin to take a last farewell look at our gallant captain. he appeared to have died without pain, and there was a beautiful tranquillity in his face; but even already a change had taken place, and we perceived the necessity of his being buried so soon. we saw him placed in his coffin, and then quitted the cabin without speaking to each other. when the coffin was nailed down, it was brought up by the barge's crew to the quarter-deck, and laid upon the gratings amidships, covered over with the union jack. the men came up from below without waiting for the pipe, and a solemnity appeared to pervade every motion. order and quiet were universal, out of respect to the deceased. when the boats were ordered to be manned, the men almost appeared to steal into them. the barge received the coffin, which was placed in the stern sheets. the other boats then hauled up, and received the officers, marines, and sailors, who were to follow the procession. when all was ready, the barge was shoved off by the bow-men, the crew dropped their oars into the water without a splash, and pulled the _minute stroke_; the other boats followed, and as soon as they were clear of the ship, the minute guns boomed along the smooth service of the bay from the opposite side of the ship, while the yards were topped to starboard and to port, the ropes were slackened and hung in bights, so as to give the idea of distress and neglect. at the same time, a dozen or more of the men who had been ready, dropped over the sides of the ship in different parts, and with their cans of paint and brushes in a few minutes effaced the whole of the broad white riband which marked the beautiful run of the frigate, and left her all black and in deep mourning. the guns from the forts now responded to our own. the merchant ships lowered their colours, and the men stood up respectfully with their hats off, as the procession moved slowly to the landing-place. the coffin was borne to the burial-ground by the crew of the barge, followed by mr falcon as chief mourner, all the officers of the ship who could be spared, one hundred of the seamen walking two and two, and the marines with their arms reversed. the _cortege_ was joined by the army officers, while the troops lined the streets, and the bands played the dead march. the service was read, the volleys were fired over the grave, and with oppressed feelings we returned to the boats and pulled on board. it then appeared to me, and to a certain degree i was correct, that as soon as we had paid our last respects to his remains, we had also forgotten our grief. the yards were again squared, the ropes hauled taut, working dresses resumed, and all was activity and bustle. the fact is, that sailors and soldiers have no time for lamentation, and running as they do from clime to clime, so does scene follow scene in the same variety and quickness. in a day or two, the captain appeared to be, although he was not, forgotten. our first business was to _water_ the ship by rafting and towing off the casks. i was in charge of the boat again, with swinburne as coxswain. as we pulled in, there were a number of negroes bathing in the surf, bobbing their woolly heads under it, as it rolled into the beach. "now, mr simple," said swinburne "see how i'll make them _niggers_ scamper." he then stood up in the stern sheets, and pointing with his finger, roared out, "a shark! a shark!" for the beach, puffing and blowing, from their dreaded enemy; nor did they stop to look for him until they were high and dry out of his reach. then, when we all laughed, they called us `_all the hangman tiefs_,' and every other opprobrious name which they could select from their vocabulary. i was very much amused with this scene, and as much afterwards with the negroes who crowded round us when we landed. they appeared such merry fellows, always laughing, chattering, singing and showing their white teeth. one fellow danced round us snapping his fingers and singing songs without beginning or end. "eh, massa, what you say now? me no slave--true barbadian born, sir, eh! "nebba see de day dat rodney run away, nebba see um night dat rodney cannot fight. "massa, me free man, sar. suppose you give me pictareen, drink massa health. "nebba see de day, boy, pompey lickum de caesar. "and you nebba see de day dat de grasshopper run on de warrington." "out of the way, you nigger!" cried one of the men who was rolling down a cask. "eh! who you call nigger? me free man, and true barbadian born. go along, you man-of-war man. "man-of-war, buccra, man-of-war, buccra. he de boy for me; sodger, buccra, sodger, buccra, nebba, nebba do. nebba, nebba do for me; sodger give one shilling, sailor give me two. "massa, now suppose you give me only one pictareen now. you really handsome young gentleman." "now, just walk off," said swinburne, lifting up a stick he found on the beach. "eh; walk off:-- "nebba see de day, boy, 'badian run away, boy." "go, do your work, sar. why you talk to me? go, work, sar. i free man, and real barbadian born. "negro on de shore see de ship come in, de buccra come on shore, wid de hand up to de chin; man-of-war, buccra, man-of-war, buccra, he de boy for me, man-of-war, buccra, man-of-war, buccra, gib pictareen to me." at this moment my attention was directed to another negro, who lay on the beach, rolling and foaming at the mouth, apparently in a fit. "what's the matter with that fellow?" said i to the same negro, who continued close to me, notwithstanding swinburne's stick. "eh! call him sam slack, massa. he ab um _tic tic_ fit." and such was apparently the case. "stop, me cure him;" and he snatched the stick out of swinburne's hand, and running up to the man, who continued to roll on the beach, commenced belabouring him without mercy. "eh, sambo!" cried he at last, quite out of breath, "you no better yet,--try again--" he recommenced, until at last the man got up and ran away as fast as he could. now, whether the man was shamming or whether it was real _tic tic_, or epileptic fit, i know not, but i never heard of such a cure for it before. i threw the fellow half a pictareen, as much for the amusement he had offered me as to get rid of him. "tanky, massa; now man-of-war man, here de tick for you again to keep off all de dam niggers." so saying, he handed the stick to swinburne, made a polite bow, and departed. we were, however, soon surrounded by others, particularly some dingy ladies, with baskets of fruit, and who, as they said, "sell ebery ting." i perceived that my sailors were very fond of cocoa-nut milk, which, being a harmless beverage, i did not object to their purchasing from these ladies, who had chiefly cocoa-nuts in their baskets. as i had never tasted it, i asked them what it was, and bought a cocoa-nut. i selected the largest. "no, massa, dat not good for you. better one for buccra officer." i then selected another, but the same objection was made--"no, massa, dis very fine milk. very good for de 'tomac." i drank off the milk from the holes on the top of the cocoa-nut, and found it very refreshing. as for the sailors, they appeared very fond of it indeed. but i very soon found that if good for de 'tomac, it was not very good for the head, as my men, instead of rolling the casks, began to roll themselves in all directions, and when it was time to go off to dinner, most of them were dead drunk at the bottom of the boat. they insisted that it was the _sun_ which affected them. very hot it certainly was, and i believed them at first, when they were only giddy; but i was convinced to the contrary, when i found that they became insensible; yet how they had procured the liquor was to me a mystery. when i came on board, mr falcon, who, although acting captain, continued his duties as first lieutenant almost as punctually as before, asked how it was that i had allowed my men to get so tipsy. i assured him that i could not tell, that i had never allowed one to leave the watering-place, or to buy any liquor: the only thing that they had had to drink was a little cocoa-nut milk, which, as it was so very hot, i thought there could be no objection to. mr falcon smiled and said, "mr simple, i'm an old stager in the west indies, and i'll let you into a secret. do you know what `_sucking the monkey_' means?" "no, sir." "well, then, i'll tell you; it is a term used, among seamen for drinking _rum_ out of _cocoa-nuts_, the milk having been poured out, and the liquor substituted. now do you comprehend why your men are tipsy?" i stared with all my eyes, for it never would have entered into my head; and i then perceived why it was that the black woman would not give me the first cocoa-nuts which i selected. i told mr falcon of this circumstance, who replied, "well, it was not your fault, only you must not forget it another time." it was my first watch that night, and swinburne was quarter-master on deck. "swinburne," said i, "you have often been in the indies before, why did you not tell me that the men were `_sucking the monkey_,' when i thought that they were only drinking cocoa-nut milk?" swinburne chuckled, and answered, "why, mr simple, d'ye see, it didn't become me as a shipmate to peach. it's but seldom that a poor fellow has an opportunity of making himself a `little happy,' and it would not be fair to take away the chance. i suppose you'll never let them have cocoa-nut milk again?" "no, that i will not; but i cannot imagine what pleasure they can find in getting so tipsy." "it's merely because they are not allowed to be so, sir. that's the whole story in few words." "i think i could cure them, if i were permitted to try." "i should like to hear how you'd manage that, mr simple." "why, i would oblige a man to drink off a half pint of liquor, and then put him by himself. i would not allow him companions to make merry with, so as to make a pleasure of intoxication. i would then wait until next morning when he was sober, and leave him alone with a racking headache until the evening, when i would give him another dose, and so on, forcing him to get drunk until he hated the smell of liquor." "well, mr simple, it might do with some, but many of our chaps would require the dose you mention to be repeated pretty often before it would effect a cure; and what's more, they'd be very willing patients, and make no wry faces at their physic." "well, that may be, but it would cure them at last. but tell me, swinburne, were you ever in a hurricane?" "i've been in everything, mr simple, i believe, except a school, and i never had no time to go there. did you see that battery at needham point? well, in the hurricane of ' , them same guns were whirled away by the wind, right over to this point here on the opposite side, the sentries in their sentry-boxes after them. some of the soldiers who faced the wind had their teeth blown down their throats like broken 'baccy pipes, others had their heads turned round like dog vanes; 'cause they waited for orders to the `_right about face_,' and the whole air was full of young _niggers_, blowing about like peelings of _ingons_." "you don't suppose i believe all this, swinburne?" "that's as may be, mr simple; but i've told the story so often, that believe it myself." "what ship were you in?" "in the _blanche_, captain faulkner, who was as fine a fellow as poor captain savage, whom we buried yesterday; there could not be a finer than either of them. i was at the taking of the _pique_, and carried him down below after he had received his mortal wound. we did a pretty thing out here when we took fort royal by a coup-de-main, which means, boarding from the main-yard of the frigate, and dropping from it into the fort. but what's that under the moon?--that a sail in the offing." swinburne fetched the glass and directed it to the spot. "one, two, three, four. it's the admiral, sir, and the squadron hove-to for the night. one's a line-of-battle ship, i'll swear." i examined the vessels, and agreeing with swinburne, reported them to mr falcon. my watch was then over, and as soon as i was released i went to my hammock. chapter thirty one. captain kearney--the dignity ball. the next morning at daylight we exchanged numbers, and saluted the flag, and by eight o'clock they all anchored. mr falcon went on board the admiral's ship with despatches, and to report the death of captain savage. in about half-an-hour he returned, and we were glad to perceive, with a smile upon his face, from which we argued that he would receive his acting order as commander, which was a question of some doubt, as the admiral had the power to give the vacancy to whom he pleased, although it would not have been fair if he had not given it to mr falcon; not that mr falcon would not have received his commission, as captain savage dying when the ship was under no admiral's command, he _made himself_; but still the admiral might have sent him home, and not have given him a ship. but this he did, the captain of the _minerve_, being appointed to the _sanglier_, the captain of the _opossum_ to the _minerve_, and captain falcon taking the command of the _opossum_. he received his commission that evening, and the next day the exchanges were made. captain falcon would have taken me with him, and offered so to do; but i could not leave o'brien, so i preferred remaining in the _sanglier_. we were all anxious to know what sort of a person our new captain was whose name was kearney; but we had no time to ask the midshipmen except when they came in charge of the boats which brought his luggage: they replied generally, that he was a very good sort of fellow, and there was no harm in him. but when i had the night watch with swinburne, he came up to me, and said, "well, mr simple, so we have a new captain, i sailed with him for two years in a brig." "and pray, swinburne, what sort of a person is he?" "why, i'll tell you, mr simple; he's a good-tempered, kind fellow enough, but--" "but what?" "such a _bouncer_!!" "how do you mean? he's not a very stout man." "bless you, mr simple, why, you don't understand english. i mean that he's the greatest liar that ever walked a deck. now, mr simple, you know i can spin a yarn occasionally." "yes, that you can; witness the hurricane the other night." "well, mr simple, i cannot _hold a candle_ to him. it a'n't that i might not stretch now and again, just for fun, as far as he can, but, damn it, he's always on the stretch. in fact, mr simple, he never tells the truth except _by mistake_. he's as poor as a rat, and has nothing but his pay; yet to believe him, he is worth at least as much as greenwich hospital. but you'll soon find him out, and he'll sarve to laugh at behind his back, you know, mr simple, for that's _no go_ before his face." captain kearney made his appearance on board the next day. the men were mustered to receive him, and all the officers were on the quarter-deck "you've a fine set of marines here, captain falcon," observed he; "those i left on board of the _minerve_ were only fit to be _hung_; and you have a good show of reefers too--those i left in the _minerve_ were not _worth hanging_. if you please, i'll read my commission if you'll order the men aft." his commission was read, all hands with their hats off from respect to the authority from which it proceeded. "now, my lads," said captain kearney, addressing the ship's company, "i've but a few words to say to you. i am appointed to command this ship, and you appear to have a very good character from your late first lieutenant. all i request of you is this: be smart, keep sober, and always _tell the truth_--that's enough. pipe down. gentlemen," continued he, addressing the officers, "i trust that we shall be good friends; and i see no reason that it should be otherwise." he then turned away with a bow, and called his coxswain--"william, you'll go on board and tell my steward that i have promised to dine with the governor to-day, and that he must come to dress me; and, coxswain, recollect to put the sheepskin mat on the stern gratings of my gig--not the one i used to have when i was on shore in my _carriage_, but the blue one which was used for the _chariot--you_ know which i mean." i happened to look swinburne in the face, who cocked his eye at me, as much as to say--"there he goes." we afterwards met the officers of the _minerve_, who corroborated all that swinburne had said, although it was quite unnecessary, as we had the captain's own words every minute to satisfy us of the fact. dinner parties were now very numerous, and the hospitality of the island is but too well known. the invitations extended to the midshipmen, and many was the good dinner and kind reception which i had during my stay. there was, however, one thing i had heard so much of, that i was anxious to witness it, which was a _dignity ball_. but i must enter a little into explanation, or my readers will not understand me. the coloured people of barbadoes, for reasons best known to themselves, are immoderately proud, and look upon all the negroes who are born on other islands as _niggers_; they have also an extraordinary idea of their own bravery, although i never heard that it has ever been put to the proof. the free barbadians are, most of them, very rich, and hold up their heads as they walk with an air quite ridiculous. they ape the manners of the europeans, at the same time that they appear to consider them as almost their inferiors. now, a _dignity_ ball is a ball given by the most consequential of their coloured people, and from the amusement and various other reasons, is generally well attended by the officers both on shore and afloat. the price of the tickets of admission was high--i think they were a joe, or eight dollars each. the governor sent out cards for a grand ball and supper for the ensuing week, and miss betsy austin, a quadroon woman, ascertaining the fact, sent out her cards for the same evening. this was not altogether in _rivalry_, but for another reason, which was, that she was aware that most of the officers and midshipmen of the ships would obtain permission to go to the governor's ball, and preferring hers, would slip away and join the party, by which means she insured a full attendance. on the day of invitation our captain came on board, and told our new first lieutenant (of whom i shall say more hereafter) that the governor insisted, that all _his_ officers should go--that he would take no denial, and therefore, he presumed, go they must; that the fact was, that the governor was a _relation_ of his wife, and under some trifling obligations to him in obtaining for him his present command. he certainly had spoken to the _prime minister_, and he thought it not impossible, considering the intimate terms which the minister and he had been on from childhood, that his solicitation might have had some effect; at all events, it was pleasant to find that there was some little gratitude left in this world. after this, of course, every officer went, with the exception of the master, who said that he'd as soon have two round turns in his hawse as go to see people kick their legs about like fools, and that he'd take care of the ship. the governor's ball was very splendid; but the ladies were rather sallow, from the effects of the climate. however, there were exceptions, and on the whole it was a very gay affair; but we were all anxious to go to the _dignity_ ball of miss betsy austin. i slipped away with three other midshipmen, and we soon arrived there. a crowd of negroes were outside of the house; but the ball had not yet commenced, from the want of gentlemen, the ball being very correct, nothing under mulatto in colour being admitted. perhaps i ought to say here, that the progeny of a white and a negro is a mulatto, or half and half--of a white and mulatto, a _quadroon_, or one quarter black, and of this class the company were chiefly composed. i believe a quadroon and white make the _mustee_ or one eighth black, and the mustee and white the mustafina, or one sixteenth black. after that, they are _white washed_ and considered as europeans. the pride of colour is very great in the west indies, and they have as many quarterings as a german prince, in his coat of arms; a quadroon looks down upon a mulatto, while a mulatto looks down upon a sambo, that is, half mulatto half negro, while a sambo in his turn looks down upon a nigger. the quadroons are certainly the handsomest race of the whole: some of the women are really beautiful; their hair is long and perfectly straight, their eyes large and black, their figures perfection, and you can see the colour mantle in their cheeks quite as plainly, and with as much effect, as in those of an european. we found the door of miss austin's house open, and ornamented with orange branches, and on our presenting ourselves were accosted by a mulatto gentleman, who was, we presumed, "usher of the black rod." his head was well powdered, he was dressed in white jean trowsers, a waistcoat not six inches long, and a half-worn post-captain's coat on, as a livery. with a low bow, he "took de liberty to trouble de gentlemen for de card for de ball," which being produced, we were ushered on by him to the ball-room, at the door of which miss austin was waiting to receive her company. she made us a low curtsy, observing, "she really happy to see de _gentlemen_ of de ship, but hoped to see de _officers_ also at her _dignity_." this remark touched our _dignity_, and one of my companions replied, "that we midshipmen considered ourselves officers, and no _small_ ones either, and that if she waited for the lieutenants she must wait until they were tired of the governor's ball, we having given the preference to hers." this remark set all to rights; sangaree was handed about, and i looked around at the company. i must acknowledge, at the risk of losing the good opinion of my fair countrywomen, that i never saw before so many pretty figures and faces. the officers not having yet arrived we received all the attention, and i was successively presented to miss eurydice, miss minerva, miss sylvia, miss aspasia, miss euterpe, and many other, evidently borrowed from the different men-of-war which had been on the station. all these young ladies gave themselves all the airs of almack's. their dresses i cannot pretend to describe--jewels of value were not wanting, but their drapery was slight. they appeared neither to wear nor to require stays, and on the whole, their figures were so perfect, that they could only be ill-dressed by having on too much dress. a few more midshipmen and some lieutenants (o'brien among the number) having made their appearance, miss austin directed that the ball should commence. i requested the honour of miss eurydice's hand in a cotillon, which was to open the ball. at this moment stepped forth the premier violin, master of the ceremonies and ballet-master, massa johnson, really a very smart man, who gave lessons in dancing to all the "'badian ladies." he was a dark quadroon, his hair slightly powdered, dressed in a light blue coat thrown well back, to show his lily-white waistcoat, only one button of which he could afford to button to make full room for the pride of his heart, the frill of his shirt, which really was _un jabot superb_, four inches wide, and extending from his collar to the waist-band of his nankeen tights, which were finished off at his knees with huge bunches of riband; his legs were encased in silk stockings, which, however, was not very good taste on his part, as they showed the manifest advantage which an european has over a coloured man in the formation of the leg: instead of being straight, his shins curved like a cheese-knife, and, moreover, his leg was planted into his foot like the handle into a broom or scrubbing-brush, there being quite as much of the foot on the heel side as on the toe side. such was the appearance of mr apollo johnson, whom the ladies considered as the _ne plus ultra_ of fashion, and the _arbiter elegantiarum_. his _bow-tick_, or fiddle-stick, was his wand, whose magic rap on the fiddle produced immediate obedience to his mandates. "ladies and gentle, take your seats." all started up. "miss eurydice, you open de ball." miss eurydice had but a sorry partner, but she undertook to instruct me. o'brien was our vis-a-vis with miss euterpe. the other gentlemen were officers from the ships, and we stood up twelve, checkered brown and white, like a chess-board. all eyes were fixed upon mr apollo johnson, who first looked at the couples, then at his fiddle, and, lastly, at the other musicians, to see if all was right, and then with a wave of his _bow-tick_ the music began. "massa lieutenant," cried apollo to o'brien, "cross over to opposite lady, right hand and left, den figure to miss eurydice--dat right: now four hand round. you lily midshipman, set your partner, sir; den twist her round; dat do, now stop. first figure all over." at this time i thought i might venture to talk a little with my partner, and i ventured a remark. to my surprise, she answered very sharply, "i come here for dance, sar, and not for chatter: look massa johnson, he tap um bow-tick." the second figure commenced, and i made a sad bungle: so i did of the third, and fourth, and fifth, for i never had danced a cotillon. when i handed my partner to her place, who certainly was the prettiest girl in the room, she looked rather contemptuously at me, and observed to a neighbour, "i really pity de gentleman as come from england dat no know how to dance, nor nothing at all, until em hab instruction at barbadoes." a country dance was now called for, which was more acceptable to all parties, as none of mr apollo johnson's pupils were very perfect in their cotillon, and none of the officers, except o'brien, knew anything about them. o'brien's superior education on this point, added to his lieutenant's epaulet and handsome person, made him much courted: but he took up with miss eurydice after i had left her, and remained with her the whole evening; thereby exciting the jealousy of mr apollo johnson, who, it appears, was amorous in that direction. our party increased every minute: all the officers of the garrison, and, finally, as soon as they could get away, the governor's aides-de-camp, all dressed in _mufti_ (i.e. plain clothes). the dancing continued until three o'clock in the morning, when it was quite a squeeze, from the constant arrival of fresh recruits from all the houses in barbadoes. i must say, that a few bottles of eau de cologne thrown about the room would have improved the atmosphere. by this time the heat was terrible, and the _mopping_ of the ladies' faces everlasting. i would recommend a dignity ball to all stout gentlemen, who wish to be reduced a stone or two. supper was now announced, and having danced the last country dance with miss minerva, i of course had the pleasure of handing her into the supper room. it was my fate to sit opposite to a fine turkey, and i asked my partner if i should have the pleasure of helping her to a piece of the breast. she looked at me very indignantly, and said, "curse your impudence, sir, i wonder where you larn manners. sar, i take a lily turkey _bosom_, if you please. talk of _breast_ to a lady, sar!--really quite _horrid_." i made two or three more barbarous mistakes before the supper was finished. at last the eating was over, and i must say a better supper i never sat down to. "silence, gentlemen and ladies," cried mr apollo johnson, "wid de permission of our amiable hostess, i will purpose a toast. gentlemen and ladies--you all know, and if be so you don't, i say there no place in de world like barbadoes. all de world fight again england, but england nebber fear; king george nebber fear, while _barbadoes 'tand 'tiff_. 'badian fight for king george to last drop of him blood. nebber see the day 'badian run away; you all know dem french mans at san lucee, give up morne fortunee, when he hear de 'badi volunteer come against him. i hope no 'fence present company, but um sorry to say english come here too jealous of 'badians. gentlemen and lady--barbadian born ab only one fault--he _really too brave_. i purpose health of `island of barbadoes.'" acclamations from all quarters follow--this truly modest speech, and the toast was drunk with rapture; the ladies were delighted with mr apollo's eloquence, and the lead which he took in the company. o'brien then rose and addressed the company as follows:--"ladies an gentlemen--mr poll has spoken better than the best parrot i ever met with in this country; but as he has thought proper to drink the `island of barbadoes,' i mean to be a little more particular. i wish, with him, all good health to the island; but there is a charm without which the island would be a desert--that is, the society of the lovely girls who now surround us, and take our hearts by storm,"--(here o'brien put his arm gently round miss eurydice's waist, and mr apollo ground his teeth so as to be heard at the furthest end of the room,)--therefore, gentlemen, with your permission, i will propose the health of the `'badian ladies.' this speech of o'brien's was declared, by the females at least, to be infinitely superior to mr apollo johnson's. miss eurydice was even more gracious, and the other ladies were more envious. many other toasts and much more wine was drunk, until the male part of the company appeared to be rather riotous. mr apollo, however, had to regain his superiority, and after some hems and hahs, begged permission to give a sentiment. "gentlemen and ladies, i beg then to say-- "here's to de cock who make lub to de hen, crow till he hoarse, and make lub again." the sentiment was received with rapture; and after silence was obtained, miss betsy austin rose and said--"unaccustomed as she was to public 'peaking, she must not sit 'till and not tank de gentleman for his very fine toast, and in de name of de ladies," she begged leave to propose another sentimen, which was-- "here to de hen what nebber refuses, let cock pay compliment whenebber he chooses." if the first toast was received with applause, this was with enthusiasm; but we received a damper after it was subsided, by the lady of the house getting up and saying--"now, gentlemen and ladies, me tink it right to say dat it time to go home; i nebber allow people get drunk or kick up bobbery in my house, so now i tink we better take parting-glass, and very much obliged to you for your company." as o'brien said, this was a broad hint to be off, so we all now took our parting-glass, in compliance with her request and our own wishes, and proceeded to escort our partners on their way home. while i was assisting miss minerva to her red crape shawl, a storm was brewing in another quarter, to wit, between mr apollo johnson and o'brien. o'brien was assiduously attending to miss eurydice, whispering what he called soft blarney in her ear, when mr apollo, who was above spirit-boiling heat with jealousy, came up, and told miss eurydice that he would have the honour of escorting her home. "you may save yourself the trouble, you dingy gut-scraper," replied o'brien; "the lady is under my protection, so take your ugly black face out of the way, or i'll show you how i treat a `'badian who is really too brave.'" "so 'elp me gad, massa lieutenant, 'pose you put a finger on me, i show you what 'badian can do." apollo then attempted to insert himself between o'brien and his lady, upon which o'brien shoved him back with great violence, and continued his course towards the door. they were in the passage when i came up, for hearing o'brien's voice in anger, i left miss minerva to shift for herself. miss eurydice had now left o'brien's arm, at his request, and he and mr apollo were standing in the passage, o'brien close to the door, which was shut, and apollo swaggering up to him. o'brien, who knew the tender part of a black, saluted apollo with a kick on the shins, which would have broken my leg. massa johnson roared with pain, and recoiled two or three paces, parting the crowd away behind him. the blacks never fight with fists, but butt with their heads like rams, and with quite as much force. when mr apollo had retreated he gave his shin one more rub, uttered a loud yell, and started at o'brien, with his head aimed at o'brien's chest, like a battering-ram. o'brien, who was aware of this plan of fighting, stepped dexterously on one side, and allowed mr apollo to pass by him, which he did with such force, that his head went clean through the panel of the door behind o'brien, and there he stuck as fast as if in a pillory, squealing like a pig for assistance, and foaming with rage. after some difficulty he was released, and presented a very melancholy figure. his face was much cut, and his superb jabot all in tatters; he appeared, however, to have had quite enough of it, as he retreated to the supper-room, followed by some of his admirers, without asking or looking after o'brien. but if mr apollo had had enough of it, his friends were too indignant to allow us to go off scot-free. a large mob was collected in the street, vowing vengeance on us for our treatment of their flash man, and a row was to be expected. miss eurydice had escaped, so that o'brien had his hands free. "cam out, you hangman tiefs, cam out! only wish had rock stones to mash your heads with," cried the mob of negroes. the officers now sallied out in a body, and were saluted with every variety of missile, such as rotten oranges, cabbage-stalks, mud, and cocoa-nut shells. we fought our way manfully, but as we neared the beach the mob increased to hundreds, and at last we could proceed no further, being completely jammed up by the niggers, upon whose heads we could make no more impression than upon blocks of marble. "we must draw our swords," observed an officer. "no, no," replied o'brien, "that will not do; if once we shed blood, they will never let us get on board with our lives. the boat's crew by this time must be aware that there is a row." o'brien was right. he had hardly spoken, before a lane was observed to be made through the crowd in the distance, which in two minutes was open to us. swinburne appeared in the middle of it, followed by the rest of the boat's crew, armed with the boat's stretchers, which they did not aim at the heads of the blacks, but swept them like scythes against their shins. this they continued to do, right and left of us, as we walked through and went down to the boats, the seamen closing up the rear with their stretchers, with which they ever and anon made a sweep at the black fellows if they approached too near. it was now broad daylight, and in a few minutes we were again safely on board the frigate. thus ended the first and last dignity ball that i attended. chapter thirty two. i am claimed by captain kearney as a relation--trial of skill between first lieutenant and captain with the long bow--the shark, the pug dog, and the will--a quarter-deck picture. as the admiral was not one who would permit the ships under his command to lie idle in port, in a very few days after the dignity hall which i have described, all the squadron sailed on their various destinations. i was not sorry to leave the bay, for one soon becomes tired of profusion, and i cared nothing for either oranges, bananas, or shaddocks, nor even for the good dinners and claret at the tables of the army mess and gentlemen of the island. the sea breeze soon became more precious to us than anything else; and if we could have bathed without the fear of a shark, we should have equally appreciated that most refreshing of all luxuries under the torrid zone. it was therefore with pleasure that we received the information that we were to sail the next day to cruise off the french island of martinique. captain kearney had been so much on shore that we saw but little of him, and the ship was entirely under the control of the first lieutenant, of whom i have hitherto not spoken. he was a very short, pock-marked man, with red hair and whiskers, a good sailor, and not a bad officer; that is, he was a practical sailor, and could show any foremast man his duty in any department, and this seamen very much appreciate, as it is not very common; but i never yet knew an officer who prided himself upon his practical knowledge, who was at the same time a good navigator; and too often, by assuming the jack tar, they lower the respect due to them, and become coarse and vulgar in their manners and language. this was the case with mr phillott, who prided himself upon his slang, and who was at one time "hail fellow, well met" with the seamen, talking to them, and being answered as familiarly as if they were equals, and at another, knocking the very same men down with a handspike if he were displeased. he was not bad tempered, but very hasty; and his language to the officers was occasionally very incorrect--to the midshipmen invariably so. however, on the whole, he was not disliked, although he was certainly not respected as a first lieutenant should have been. it is but fair to say that he was the same to his superiors as he was to his inferiors; and the bluntness with which he used to contradict and assert his disbelief of captain kearney's narratives often produced a coolness between them for some days. the day after we sailed from carlisle bay i was asked to dine in the cabin. the dinner was served upon plated dishes, which looked very grand, but there was not much in them. "this plate," observed the captain, "was presented to me by some merchants for my exertions in saving their property from the danes, when i was cruising off heligoland." "why, that lying steward of yours told me that you bought it at portsmouth," replied the first lieutenant: "i asked him in the galley this morning." "how came you to assert such a confounded falsehood, sir?" said the captain to the man who stood behind his chair. "i only said that i thought so," replied the steward. "why, didn't you say that the bill had been sent in, through you, seven or eight times, and that the captain had paid it with a flowing sheet?" "did you dare say that, sir?" interrogated the captain, very angrily. "mr phillott mistook me, sir," replied the steward. "he was so busy damning the sweepers, that he did not hear me right. i said, the midshipmen had paid their crockery bill with the fore-topsail." "ay, ay," replied the captain, "that's much more likely." "well, mr steward," replied mr phillott, "i'll be damned if you ar'n't as big a liar as your--" (master he was going to plump out, but fortunately the first lieutenant checked himself, and added)--"as your father was before you." the captain changed the conversation by asking me whether i would take a slice of ham. "it's real westphalia, mr simple; i have them sent me direct by count troningsken, an intimate friend of mine, who kills his own wild boars in the hartz mountains." "how the devil do you get them over, captain kearney?" "there are ways and means of doing everything, mr phillott, and the first consul is not quite so bad as he is represented. the first batch was sent over with a very handsome letter to me, written in his own hand, which i will show you some of these days. i wrote to him in return, and sent to him two cheshire cheeses by a smuggler, and since that they came regularly. did you ever eat westphalia ham, mr simple?" "yes, sir," replied i: "once i partook of one at lord privilege's." "lord privilege! why he's a distant relation of mine, a sort of fifth cousin," replied captain kearney. "indeed, sir," replied i. "then you must allow me to introduce you to a relation, captain kearney," said the first lieutenant; "for mr simple is his grandson." "is it possible? i can only say, mr simple, that i shall be most happy to show you every attention, and am very glad that i have you as one of my officers." now, although this was all false, for captain kearney was not in the remotest manner connected with my family, yet, having once asserted it, he could not retract, and the consequence was, that i was much the gainer by his falsehood, as he treated me very kindly afterwards, always calling me cousin. the first lieutenant smiled, and gave me a wink, when the captain had finished his speech to me, as much as to say, "you're in luck," and then the conversation changed. captain kearney certainly dealt in the marvellous to admiration, and really told his stories with such earnestness, that i actually believe that he thought he was telling the truth. never was there such an instance of confirmed habit. telling a story of a cutting-out expedition, he said, "the french captain would have fallen by my hand, but just as i levelled my musket, a ball came, and cut off the cock of the lock, as clean as if it was done with a knife--a very remarkable instance," observed he. "not equal to what occurred in a ship i was in," replied the first lieutenant, "when the second lieutenant was grazed by a grape shot, which cut off one of his whiskers, and turning round his head to ascertain what was the matter, another grape shot came and took off the other. now that's what i call a close shave." "yes," replied captain kearney, "very close, indeed, if it were true; but you'll excuse me, mr phillott, but you sometimes tell strange stories. i do not mind it myself, but the example is not good to my young relation here, mr simple." "captain kearney," replied the first lieutenant, laughing very immoderately, "do you know what the pot called the kettle?" "no, sir, i do not," retorted the captain, with offended dignity. "mr simple, will you take a glass of wine?" i thought that this little _brouillerie_ would have checked the captain; it did so, but only for a few minutes, when he again commenced. the first lieutenant observed that it would be necessary to let water into the ship every morning, and pump it out, to avoid the smell of the bilge water. "there are worse smells than bilge water," replied the captain. "what do you think of a whole ship's company being nearly poisoned with otto of roses? yet that occurred to me when in the mediterranean. i was off smyrna, cruising for a french ship, that was to sail to france, with a pacha on board, as an ambassador. i knew she would be a good prize, and was looking sharp out, when one morning we discovered her on the lee bow. we made all sail, but she walked away from us, bearing away gradually till we were both before the wind, and at night we lost sight of her. as i knew that she was bound to marseilles, i made all sail to fall in with her again. the wind was light and variable; but five days afterwards, as i lay in my cot, just before daylight, i smelt a very strong smell, blowing in at the weather port, and coming down the skylight which was open; and after sniffing at it two or three times, i knew it to be otto of roses. i sent for the officer of the watch, and asked him if there were anything in sight. he replied `that there was not;' and i ordered him to sweep the horizon with his glass, and look well out to windward. as the wind freshened, the smell became more powerful. i ordered him to get the royal yards across, and all ready to make sail, for i knew that the turk must be near us. at daylight, there he was, just three miles ahead in the wind's eye. but although he beat us going free, he was no match for us on a wind, and before noon we had possession of him and all his harem. by-the-bye, i could tell you a good story about the ladies. she was a very valuable prize, and among other things she had a _puncheon_ of otto of roses on board--" "whew!" cried the first lieutenant. "what! a whole puncheon?" "yes," replied the captain, "a turkish puncheon--not quite so large, perhaps, as ours on board; their weights and measures are different. i took out most of the valuables into the brig i commanded--about , sequins--carpets--and among the rest, this cask of otto of roses, which we had smelt three miles off. we had it safe on board, when the mate of the hold, not slinging it properly, it fell into the spirit-room with a run and was stove to pieces. never was such a scene; my first lieutenant and several men on deck fainted; and the men in the hold were brought up lifeless: it was some time before they were recovered. we let the water into the brig, and pumped it out, but nothing would take away the smell, which was so overpowering, that before i could get to malta i had forty men on the sick-list. when i arrived there, i turned the mate out of the service for his carelessness. it was not until after having smoked the brig, and finding that of little use, after having sunk her for three weeks, that the smell was at all bearable; but even then it could never be eradicated, and the admiral sent the brig home, and she was sold out of the service. they could do nothing with her at the dock-yards. she was broken up, and bought by the people at brighton and tunbridge wells, who used her timbers for turning fancy articles, which, smelling as they did so strongly of otto of roses, proved very profitable. were you ever at brighton, mr simple?" "never, sir." just at this moment, the officer of the watch came down to say that there was a very large shark under the counter, and wished to know if the captain had any objection to the officers attempting to catch it. "by no means," replied captain kearney; "i hate sharks as i do the devil. i nearly lost , pounds by one, when i was in the mediterranean." "may i inquire how, captain kearney;" said the first lieutenant, with a demure face; "i'm very anxious to know." "why the story is simply this," replied the captain. "i had an old relation at malta, whom i found out by accident--an old maid of sixty, who had lived all her life on the island. it was by mere accident that i knew of her existence. i was walking upon strada reale, when i saw a large baboon that was kept there, who had a little fat pug-dog by the tail, which he was pulling away with him, while an old lady was screaming out for help or whenever she ran to assist her dog, the baboon made at her as if he would have ravished her, and caught her by the petticoats with one hand, while he had the pug-dog fast by the other. i owed that brute a spite for having attacked me one night when i passed him, and perceiving what was going on, i drew my sword and gave mr jacko such a clip, as sent him away howling and bleeding like a pig, leaving me in possession of the little pug, which i took up and handed to his mistress. the old lady trembled very much, and begged me to see her safe home. she had a very fine house, and after she was seated on the sofa, thanked me very much for my gallant assistance, as she termed it, and told me her name was kearney: upon this i very soon proved my relationship with her, at which she was much delighted, requesting me to consider her house as my home. i was for two years afterwards on that station, and played my cards very well; and the old lady gave me a hint that i should be her heir, as she had no other relations that she knew anything of. at last i was ordered home, and not wishing to leave her, i begged her to accompany me, offering her my cabin. she was taken very ill a fortnight before we sailed, and made a will, leaving me her sole heir; but she recovered, and got as fat as ever. mr simple, the wine stands with you. i doubt if lord privilege gave you better claret than there is in that bottle: i imported it myself ten years ago, when i commanded the _coquette_." "very odd," observed the first lieutenant--"we bought some at barbadoes with the same mark on the bottles and cork." "that may be," replied the captain; "old established houses all keep up the same marks; but i doubt if your wine can be compared to this. you have never tasted older wine, i think, mr phillott." "i beg you pardon, sir; but i can prove to you that i have, for when noah paid off the ark, my ancestor bought his _sea stock_, and it's been handed down to my father: there may be three dozen left." "really, mr phillott, you are almost too facetious. will you take some macaroni. it is one of the best things we can have at sea. i wish you had seen my kitchen at walcot abbey." "i have no doubt but it was excellent," replied mr phillott; "but i should have preferred eating what came from it. i wish that i had a knowledge of the art which a friend of mine has--a new science, i may say." "pray what may that be?" "they call it fumography." "fumography! never heard of it." "it is the art of knowing precisely, by examination of the smoke which comes out of the chimney, what your neighbour has for dinner." "upon my soul, if one could send an excuse at a late hour, that might be useful." "my friend is quite an adept. he can tell first and second course _entremets_, and even if the different articles to be put on the table are done to a turn, or not." "now, mr simple, what do you think of that?" inquired the captain. "i think, sir, that it's all smoke." "bravo, mr simple! you've said a very good thing." so i thought, too; but, as i wasn't quite sure, i would not laugh till all the rest of the company did. as mr phillott wished to hear the end of the captain's story, he would not contradict him about the wine, by stating what he knew to be the case, that the captain had sent it on board at barbadoes; and the captain proceeded. "well, i gave up my cabin to the old lady, and hung up my cot in the gun-room during the passage home. we were becalmed abreast of ceuta for two days. the old lady was very particular about her pug-dog, and i superintended the washing of the little brute twice a week but at last i was tired of it, and gave him to my coxswain to bathe. my coxswain, who was a lazy fellow, without my knowledge, used to put the little beast into the bight of a rope, and tow him overboard for a minute or so. it was during this calm that he had him overboard in this way, when a confounded shark rose from under the counter, and took in the pug-dog at one mouthful. the coxswain reported the loss as a thing of no consequence; but i knew better, and put the fellow in irons. i then went down and broke the melancholy fact to miss kearney, stating that i had put the man in irons, and would flog him well. the old lady broke out into a most violent passion at the intelligence, declared that it was my fault, that i was jealous of the dog, and had done it on purpose. the more i protested, the more she raved; and at last i was obliged to go off deck to avoid her abuse and keep my temper--i had not been on deck five minutes before she came up--that is, was shoved up, for she was so heavy that she could not get up without assistance. you know how elephants in india push the cannon through a morass with their heads from behind; well, my steward used to shove her up the companion-ladder just in the same way, with his head completely buried in her petticoats. as soon as she was up, he used to pull his head out, looking as red and hot as a fresh boiled lobster. well, up she came, with her will in her hand, and looking at me very fiercely, she said, `since the shark has taken my dear dog, he may have my will also,' and throwing it over board, she plunged down on the carronade slide. `it's very well, madam,' said i; `but you'll be cool by-and-bye, and then you'll make another will.' `i swear by all the hopes that i have of going to heaven that i never will!' replied she. `yes you will, madam,' replied i. `never, so help me god! captain kearney, my money may now go to my next heir, and that, you know, will not be you.' now, as i knew very well that the old lady was very positive, and as good as her word, my object was to recover the will, which was floating about fifty yards astern, without her knowledge. i thought a moment, and then i called the boatswain's mate to pipe _all hands to bathe_. `you'll excuse me, miss kearney,' said i, `but the men are going to bathe, and i do not think you would like to see them all naked. if you would, you can stay on deck.' she looked daggers at me, and rising from the carronade slide, hobbled to the ladder, saying, that `the insult was another proof of how little i deserved any kindness from her.' as soon as she was below, the quarter-boats were lowered down, and i went in one of them and picked up the will, which still floated. brigs having no stern-windows, of course she could not see my manoeuvre, but thought that the will was lost for ever. we had very bad weather after that, owing to which, with the loss of her favourite pug, and constant quarrelling with me--for i did all i could to annoy her afterwards--she fell ill, and was buried a fortnight after she was landed at plymouth. the old lady kept her word; she never made another will. i proved the one i had recovered at doctor's commons, and touched the whole of her money." as neither the first lieutenant nor i could prove whether the story was true or not, of course we expressed our congratulations at his good fortune, and soon afterwards left the cabin to report the marvellous story to our messmates. i went on deck. i found that the shark had just been hooked, and was being hauled on board. mr phillott had also come on deck. the officers were all eager about the shark, and were looking over the side, calling to each other, and giving directions to the men. now, although certainly there was a want of decorum on the quarter-deck, still the captain having given permission, it was to be excused, but mr phillott thought otherwise, and commenced in his usual style, beginning with the marine officer. "mr westley, i'll trouble you not to be getting upon the hammocks. you'll get off directly, sir. if one of your fellows were to do so, i'd stop his grog for a month, and i don't see why you are to set a bad example; you've been too long in barracks, sir, by half. who is that?-- mr williams and mr moore--both on the hammocks, too. up to the fore-topmast head, both of you directly. mr thomas, up to the main; and i say, you youngster, stealing off, perch yourself upon the spanker-boom, and let me know when you've rode to london. by god! the service is going to hell. i don't know what officers are made of now-a-days. i'll marry some of you young gentlemen to the gunner's daughter before long. quarter-deck's no better than a bear garden. no wonder, when lieutenants set the example." this latter remark could only be applied to o'brien, who stood in the quarter-boat giving directions, before the tirade of mr phillott stopped the amusement of the party. o'brien immediately stepped out of the boat, and, going up to mr phillott, touched his hat, and said, "mr phillott, we had the captain's permission to catch the shark and a shark is not to be got on board by walking up and down on the quarter-deck. as regards myself, as long as the captain is on board, i hold myself responsible to him alone for my conduct; and if you think i have done wrong, forward your complaint; but if you pretend to use such language to me, as you have to others, i shall hold you responsible. i am here, sir, as an officer and a gentleman, and will be treated as such; and allow me to observe, that i consider the quarter-deck more disgraced by foul and ungentlemanly language, than i do by an officer accidentally standing upon the hammocks. however, as you have thought proper to interfere, you may now get the shark on board yourself." mr phillott turned very red, for he never had come in contact in this way with o'brien. all the other officers had submitted quietly to his unpleasant manner of speaking to them. "very well, mr o'brien; i shall hold you answerable for this language," replied he, "and shall most certainly report your conduct to the captain." "i will save you the trouble; captain kearney is now coming up, and i will report it myself." this o'brien did, upon the captain's putting his foot on the quarter-deck. "well," observed the captain to mr phillott, "what is it you complain of?" "mr o'brien's language, sir. am i to be addressed on the quarter-deck in that manner?" "i really must say, mr phillott," replied captain kearney, "that i do not perceive anything in what mr o'brien said, but what is correct. i command here; and if an officer so nearly equal in rank to yourself has committed himself, you are not to take the law into your own hands. the fact is, mr phillott, your language is not quite so correct as i could wish it. i overheard every word that passed, and i consider that you have treated your _superior_ officer with disrespect--that is _me_. i gave permission that the shark should be caught, and with that permission, i consequently allowed those little deviations from the discipline of the service, which must inevitably take place. yet you have thought proper to interfere with my permission, which is tantamount to an order, and have made use of harsh language, and punished the young gentlemen for obeying my injunctions. you will oblige me, sir, by calling them all down, and in restraining your petulance for the future. i will always support your authority when you are correct; but i regret that, in this instance, you have necessitated me to weaken it." this was a most severe check to mr phillott, who immediately went below, after hailing the mast-heads, and calling down the midshipmen. as soon as he was gone, we were all on the hammocks again; the shark was hauled forward, hoisted on board, and every frying-pan in the ship was in requisition. we were all much pleased with captain kearney's conduct on this occasion; and, as o'brien observed to me, "he really is a good fellow and clever officer. what a thousand pities it is that he is such a confounded liar!" i must do mr phillott the justice to say that he bore no malice on this occasion, but treated us as before, which is saying a great deal in his favour, when it is considered what power a first lieutenant has of annoying and punishing his inferiors. chapter thirty three. another set-to between the captain and first lieutenant--cutting-out expedition--mr. chucks mistaken--he dies like a gentleman--swinburne begins his account of the battle of st. vincent. we had not been more than a week under the danish island of st. thomas, when we discovered a brig close in-shore. we made all sail in chase, and soon came within a mile and a half of the shore, when she anchored under a battery, which opened its fire upon us. their elevation was too great, and several shots passed over us and between our masts. "i once met with a very remarkable circumstance," observed captain kearney. "three guns were fired at a frigate i was on board of, from a battery, all at the same time. the three shots cut away the three topsail ties, and down came all our topsail-yards upon the cap at the same time. that the frenchmen might not suppose that they had taken such good aim, we turned up our hands to reef topsails; and by the time that the men were off the yards, the ties were spliced, and the topsails run up again." mr phillott could not stand this most enormous fib, and he replied, "very odd, indeed, captain kearney: but i have known a stranger circumstance. we had put in the powder to the four guns on the main deck, when we were fighting the danish gun-boats, in a frigate i was in; and as the men withdrew the rammer, a shot from the enemy entered the muzzle and completed the loading of each gun. we fired their own shot back upon them, and this occurred three times running." "upon my word," replied captain kearney, who had his glass upon the battery, "i think you must have dreamt that circumstance, mr phillott." "not more than you did about the topsail ties, captain kearney." captain kearney at that time had the long glass in his hand, holding it up over his shoulder. a shot from the battery whizzed over his head, and took the glass out of his hand, shivering it to pieces. "that's once," said captain kearney, very coolly; "but will you pretend that that could ever happen three times running? they might take my head off, or my arm, next time, but not another glass; whereas the topsail ties might be cut by three different shot. but give me another glass, mr simple, i am certain that this vessel is a privateer. what think you, mr o'brien?" "i am every bit of your opinion, captain kearney," replied o'brien; "and i think it would be a very pretty bit of practice to the ship's company to take her out from under that footy battery." "starboard the helm, mr phillott; keep away four points, and then we will think of it to-night." the frigate was now kept away, and ran out of the fire of the battery. it was then about an hour before sunset, and in the west indies the sun does not set as it does in the northern latitudes. there is no twilight: he descends in glory, surrounded with clouds of gold and rubies in their gorgeous tints; and once below the horizon, all is dark. as soon as it was dark, we hauled our wind off shore; and a consultation being held between the captain, mr phillott, and o'brien, the captain at last decided that the attempt should be made. indeed, although cutting out is a very serious affair, as you combat under every disadvantage, still the mischief done to our trade by the fast-sailing privateers was so great in the west indies, that almost every sacrifice was warrantable for the interests of the country. still captain kearney, although a brave and prudent officer--one who calculated chances, and who would not risk his men without he deemed that necessity imperiously demanded that such should be done--was averse to this attack, from his knowledge of the hay in which the brig was anchored; and although mr phillott and o'brien both were of opinion that it should be a night attack, captain kearney decided otherwise. he considered that although the risk might be greater, yet the force employed would be more consolidated, and that those who would hold back in the night dare not do so during the day. moreover, that the people on shore in the battery, as well as those in the privateer, would be on the alert all night, and not expecting an attack during the day, would be taken off their guard. it was therefore directed that everything should be in preparation during the night, and that the boats should shove off before daylight, and row in-shore, concealing themselves behind some rocks under the cliffs which formed the cape upon one side of the harbour; and, if not discovered, remain there till noon, at which time it was probable that the privateer's men would be on shore, and the vessel might be captured without difficulty. it is always a scene of much interest on board a man-of-war when preparations are made for an expedition of this description; and as the reader may not have been witness to them, it may perhaps be interesting to describe them. the boats of men-of-war have generally two crews; the common boats' crew, which are selected so as not to take away the most useful men from the ship; and the service, or fighting boats' crew, which are selected from the very best men on board. the coxswains of the boats are the most trustworthy men in the ship, and, on this occasion, have to see that their boats are properly equipped. the launch, yawl, first and second cutters, were the boats appointed for the expedition. they all carried guns mounted upon slides, which ran fore and aft between the men. after the boats were hoisted out, the guns were lowered down into them and shipped in the bows of the boats. the arm-chests were next handed in, which contained the cartridges and ammunition. the shut were put into the bottom of the boats; and so far they were all ready. the oars of the boats were fitted to pull with grummets upon iron thole-pins, that they might make little noise, and might swing fore and aft without falling overboard, when the boats pulled alongside the privateer. a breaker or two (that is, small casks holding about seven gallons each) of water was put into each boat, and also the men's allowance of spirits, in case they should be detained by any unforeseen circumstances. the men belonging to the boats were fully employed in looking after their arms; some fitting their flints to their pistols, others, and the major part of them, sharpening their cutlasses at the grindstone, or with a file borrowed from the armourer--all were busy and all merry. the very idea of going into action is a source of joy to an english sailor, and more jokes are made, more merriment excited, at that time than any other. then, as it often happens, that one or two of the service boats' crews may be on the sick-list, urgent solicitations are made by others that they may supply their places. the only parties who appear at all grave are those who are to remain in the frigate, and not share in the expedition. there is no occasion to order the boats to be manned, for the men are generally in long before they are piped away. indeed, one would think that it was a party of pleasure instead of danger and of death upon which they were about to proceed. captain kearney selected the officers who were to have the charge of the boats. he would not trust any of the midshipmen on so dangerous a service. he said, that he had known so many occasions in which their rashness and foolhardiness had spoilt an expedition; he therefore appointed mr phillott, the first lieutenant, to the launch; o'brien to the yawl; the master to the first, and mr chucks, the boatswain, to the second cutter. mr chucks was much pleased with the idea of having the command of a boat, and asked me to come with him, to which i consented, although i had intended as usual, to have gone with o'brien. about an hour before daylight we ran the frigate to within a mile and a half of the shore, and the boats shoved off; the frigate then wore round, and stood out in the offing, that she might at daylight be at such a distance as not to excite any suspicion that our boats were sent away, while we in the boats pulled quietly in-shore. we were not a quarter of an hour before we arrived at the cape forming one side of the bay, and were well secreted among the cluster of rocks which was underneath. our oars were laid in; the boats' painters made fast; and orders given for the strictest silence. the rocks were very high, and the boats were not to be seen without any one should come to the edge of the precipice; and even then they would, in all probability, have been supposed to have been rocks. the water was as smooth as glass, and when it was broad daylight, the men hung listlessly over the sides of the boats, looking at the corals below, and watching the fish as they glided between. "i can't say, mr simple," said mr chucks to me in an undertone "that i think well of this expedition; and i have an idea that some of us will lose the number of our mess. after a calm comes a storm; and how quiet is everything now! but i'll take off my great coat, for the sun is hot already. coxswain, give me my jacket." mr chucks, had put on his great coat, but not his jacket underneath, which he had left on one of the guns on the main deck, all ready to change as soon as the heavy dew had gone off. the coxswain handed him the jacket, and mr chucks threw off his great coat to put it on; but when it was opened, it proved, that by mistake he had taken away the jacket, surmounted by two small epaulets, belonging to captain kearney, which the captain's steward, who had taken it out to brush, had also laid upon the same gun. "by all the nobility of england!" cried mr chucks, "i have taken away the captain's jacket by mistake. here's a pretty mess! if i put on my great coat i shall be dead with sweating; if i put on no jacket i shall be roasted brown; but if i put on the captain's jacket i shall be considered disrespectful." the men in the boats tittered; and mr phillot, who was in the launch next to us, turned round to see what was the matter, o'brien was sitting in the stern-sheets of the launch with the first lieutenant, and i leaned over and told them. "by the powers! i don't see why the captain's jacket will be at all hurt by mr chucks putting it on," replied o'brien; "unless, indeed, a bullet were to go through it, and then it won't be any fault of mr chucks." "no," replied the first lieutenant; "and if one did, the captain might keep the jacket, and swear that the bullet went round his body without wounding him. he'll have a good yarn to spin. so put it on, mr chucks; you'll make a good mark for the enemy." "that i will stand the risk of with pleasure," observed the boatswain to me, "for the sake of being considered a gentleman. so here's on with it." there was a general laugh when mr chucks pulled on the captain's jacket, and sank down in the stern-sheets of the cutter, with great complacency of countenance. one of the men in the boat that we were in thought proper, however, to continue his laugh a little longer than mr chucks considered necessary, who, leaning forward, thus addressed him: "i say, mr webber, i beg leave to observe to you, in the most delicate manner in the world--just to hint to you--that it is not the custom to laugh at your superior officer. i mean just to insinuate, that you are a damned impudent son of a sea cook; and if we both live and do well, i will prove to you, that if i am to be laughed at in a boat with the captain's jacket on, that i am not to be laughed at on board the frigate with the boatswain's rattan in my fist; and so look out, my hearty, for squalls, when you come on the forecastle; for i'll be damned if i don't make you see more stars than god almighty ever made, and cut more capers than all the dancing masters in france. mark my words, you burgoo-eating, pea-soup-swilling, trowsers-scrubbing son of a bitch!" mr chucks, having at the end of this oration raised his voice above the pitch required by the exigency of the service, was called to order by the first lieutenant, and again sank back into the stern-sheets with all the importance and authoritative show peculiarly appertaining to a pair of epaulets. we waited behind the rocks until noonday, without being discovered by the enemy, so well were we concealed. we had already sent an officer, who, carefully hiding himself by lying down on the rocks, had several times reconnoitred the enemy. boats were passing and repassing continualhy from the privateer to the shore; and it appeared, that they went on shore full of men, and returned with only one or two; so that we were in great hopes that we should find but few men to defend the vessel. mr phillott looked at his watch, held it up to o'brien, to prove that he had complied exactly with the orders he had received from the captain, and then gave the word to get the boats under weigh. the painters were cast off by the bowmen, the guns were loaded and primed, the men seized their oars, and in two minutes we were clear of the rocks, and drawn up in a line within a quarter of a mile from the harbour's mouth, and not half a mile from the privateer brig. we rowed as quickly as possible, but we did not cheer until the enemy fired the first gun; which he did from a quarter unexpected, as we entered the mouth of the harbour, with our union jack trailing in the water over our stern for it was a dead calm. it appeared, that at the low point under the cliffs, at each side of the little bay, they had raised a water battery of two guns each. one of these guns, laden with grape shot, was now fired at the boats, but the elevation was too low, and although the water was ploughed up to within five yards of the launch, no injury was received. we were equally fortunate in the discharge of the other three guns; two of which we passed so quickly, that they were not aimed sufficiently forward, so that their shot fell astern; and the other, although the shot fell among us, did no further injury than cutting in half two of the oars of the first cutter. in the meantime, we had observed that the boats had shoved off from the privateer as soon as they had perceived us, and had returned to her laden with men: the boats had been despatched a second time, but had not yet returned. they were now about the same distance from the privateer as were our boats, and it was quite undecided which of us would be first on board. o'brien perceiving this, pointed out to mr phillott that we should first attack the boats, and afterwards board on the side to which they pulled; as, in all probability, there would be an opening left in the boarding nettings, which were tied up to the yard-arms, and presented a formidable obstacle to our success. mr phillott agreed with o'brien: he ordered the bowmen to lay in their oars and keep the guns pointed ready to fire at the word given, and desiring the other men to pull their best. every nerve, every muscle was brought into play by our anxious and intrepid seamen. when within about twenty yards of the vessel, and also of the boats, the orders were given to fire--the carronade of the launch poured out round and grape so well directed, that one of the french boats sank immediately; and the musket balls with which our other smaller guns were loaded, did great execution among their men. in one minute more, with three cheers from our sailors, we were all alongside together, english and french boats pellmell, and a most determined close conflict took place. the french fought desperately, and as they were overpowered, they were reinforced by those from the privateer, who could not look on and behold their companions requiring their assistance, without coming to their aid. some jumped down into our boats from the chains, into the midst of our men; others darted cold shot at us, either to kill us or to sink our boats; and thus did one of the most desperate hand-to-hand conflicts take place that ever was witnessed. but it was soon decided in our favour, for we were the stronger party and the better armed; and when all opposition was over, we jumped into the privateer, and found not a man left on board, only a large dog, who flew at o'brien's throat as he entered the port. "don't kill him," said o'brien, as the sailors hastened to his assistance; "only take away his gripe." the sailors disengaged the dog, and o'brien led him up to a gun, saying, "by jasus, my boy, you are my prisoner." but although we had possession of the privateer, our difficulties, as it will prove, were by no means over. we were now exposed not only to the fire of the two batteries at the harbour-mouth which we had to pass, but also to that of the battery at the bottom of the bay, which had fired at the frigate. in the meantime, we were very busy in cutting the cable, lowering the topsails, and taking the wounded men on board the privateer, from out of the boats. all this was, however, but the work of a few minutes. most of the frenchmen were killed; our own wounded amounted to only nine seamen and mr chucks, the boatswain, who was shot through the body, apparently with little chance of surviving. as mr phillott observed, the captain's epaulets had made him a mark for the enemy, and he had fallen in his borrowed plumes. as soon as they were all on board, and laid on the deck--for there were, as near as i can recollect, about fourteen wounded frenchmen as well as our own--two ropes were got out forwards, the boats were manned, and we proceeded to tow the brig out of the harbour. it was a dead calm, and we made but little way, but our boat's crew, flushed with victory, cheered, and rallied, and pulled, with all their strength. the enemy, perceiving that the privateer was taken, and the french boats drifting empty up the harbour, now opened their fire upon us, and with great effect. before we had towed abreast of the two water batteries, we had received three shots between wind and water, from the other batteries, and the sea was pouring fast into the vessel. i had been attending to poor mr chucks, who lay on the starboard side, near the wheel, the blood flowing from his wound, and tracing its course down the planks of the deck, to a distance of some feet from where he lay. he appeared very faint, and i tied my handkerchief round his body, so as to stop the effusion of blood, and brought him some water, with which i bathed his face, and poured some into his mouth. he opened his eyes wide, and looked at me. "ah, mr simple," said he, faintly, "is it you? it's all over with me but it could not be better--could it?" "how do you mean?" inquired i. "why, have i not fallen dressed like an officer and a gentleman?" said he, referring to the captain's jacket and epaulets. "i'd sooner die now, with this dress on, than to recover to put on the boatswain's uniform. i feel quite happy." he pressed my hand, and then closed his eyes again, from weakness. we were now nearly abreast of the two batteries on the points, the guns of which had been trained so as to bear upon our boats that were towing out the brig. the first shot went through the bottom of the launch, and sank her; fortunately, all the men were saved; but as she was the boat that towed next to the brig, great delay occurred in getting the others clear of her, and taking the brig again in tow. the shot now poured in thick, and the grape became very annoying. still our men gave way, cheering at every shot fired, and we had nearly passed the batteries, with trifling loss, when we perceived that the brig was so full of water, that she could not swim many minutes longer, and that it would be impossible to tow her alongside of the frigate. mr phillott, under these circumstances, decided that it would be useless to risk more lives, and that the wounded should be taken out of the brig, and the boats should pull away from the ship. he desired me to get the wounded men into the cutter which he sent alongside, and then to follow the other boats. i made all the haste i could, not wishing to be left behind; and as soon as all our wounded men were in the boats, i went to mr chucks, to remove him. he appeared somewhat revived, but would not allow us to remove him. "my dear mr simple," said he, "it is of no use; i can never recover it, and i prefer dying here. i entreat you not to move me. if the enemy take possession of the brig before she sinks, i shall be buried with military honours; if they do not, i shall at least die in the dress of a gentleman. hasten away as fast as you can, before you lose more men. here i stay--that's decided." i expostulated with him, but at that time two boats full of men appeared, pulling out of the harbour to the brig. the enemy had perceived that our boats had deserted her, and were coming to take possession. i had therefore no time to urge mr chucks to change his resolution, and not wishing to force a dying man, i shook his hand and left him. it was with some difficulty i escaped, for the boats had come up close to the brig; they chased me a little while, but the yawl and the cutter turning back to my assistance, they gave up the pursuit. on the whole, this was a very well arranged and well conducted expedition. the only man lost was mr chucks, for the wounds of the others were none of them mortal. captain kearney was quite satisfied with our conduct, and so was the admiral, when it was reported to him. captain kearney did indeed grumble a little about his jacket, and sent for me to inquire why i had not taken it off mr chucks, and brought it on board. as i did not choose to tell him the exact truth, i replied that i could not disturb a dying man, and that the jacket was so saturated with blood, that he never could have worn it again,--which was the case. "at all events, you might have brought away my epaulets," replied he; "but you youngsters think of nothing but gormandising." i had the first watch that night, when swinburne, the quarter master, came up to me, and asked me all the particulars of the affair, for he was not in the boats. "well," said he, "that mr chucks appeared to be a very good boatswain in his way, if he could only have kept his rattan a little quiet. he was a smart fellow, and knew his duty. we had just such another killed in our ship, in the action off cape st. vincent." "what! were you in that action?" replied i. "yes, i was, and belonged to the _captain_, lord nelson's ship." "well, then suppose you tell me all about it." "why, mr simple, d'ye see, i've no objection to spin you a yarn now and then," replied swinburne; "but as mr chucks used to say, allow me to observe, in the most delicate manner in the world, that i perceive that the man who has charge of your hammock, and slings you a clean one now and then, has very often a good glass of grog for his _yarns_, and i do not see but that mine are as well worth a glass of grog as his." "so they are, swinburne, and better too, and i promise you a good stiff one to-morrow evening." "that will do, sir: now then i'll tell you all about it, and more about it too than most can, for i know how the action was brought about." i hove the log, marked the board, and then sat down abaft on the signal chest with swinburne, who commenced his narrative as follows:-- "you must know, mr simple, that when the english fleet came down the mediterranean, after the 'vackyation of corsica, they did not muster more than seventeen sail of the line, while the spanish fleet from ferrol and carthagena had joined company at cadiz, and mounted to near thirty. sir john jervis had the command of our fleet at the time, but as the dons did not seem at all inclined to come out and have a brush with us, almost two to one, sir john left sir w. parker, with six sail of the line, to watch the spanish beggars, while he went into lisbon with the remainder of the fleet, to water and refit. now, you see, mr simple, portugal was at that time what they calls neutral, that is to say, she didn't meddle at all in the affair, being friends with both parties, and just as willing to supply fresh beef and water to the spaniards as to the english, if so be the spaniards had come out to ax for it, which they dar'n't. the portuguese and the english have always been the best of friends, because we can't get no port wine anywhere else, and they can't get nobody else to buy it of them; so the portuguese gave up their arsenal at lisbon, for the use of the english, and there we kept all our stores, under the charge of that old dare-devil, sir isaac coffin. now it so happened, that one of the clerks in old sir isaac's office, a portuguese chap, had been some time before that in the office of the spanish ambassador; he was a very smart sort of a chap, and sarved as interpreter, and the commissioner put great faith in him." "but how did you learn all this, swinburne?" "why, i'll tell you, mr simple; i steered the yawl, as coxswain, and when admirals and captains talk in the stern sheets, they very often forget that the coxswain is close behind them. i only learnt half of it that way, the rest i put together when i compared logs with the admiral's steward, who, of course, heard a great deal now and then. the first i heard of it, was when old sir john called out to sir isaac, after the second bottle, `i say, sir isaac, who killed the spanish messenger?' `not i, by god!' replied sir isaac, `i only left him for dead;' and then they both laughed, and so did nelson, who was sitting with them. well, mr simple, it was reported to sir isaac that his clerk was often seen taking memorandums of the different orders given to the fleet, particularly those as to there being no wasteful expenditure of his majesty's stores. upon which, sir isaac goes to the admiral, and requests that the man might be discharged. now, old sir john was a sly old fox, and he answered, `not so, commissioner--perhaps we may catch them in their own trap.' so the admiral sits down, and calls for pen and ink, and he flourishes out a long letter to the commissioner, stating that all the stores of the fleet were expended, representing as how it would be impossible to go to sea without a supply, and wishing to know when the commissioner expected more transports from england. he also said, that if the spanish fleet were now to come out from cadiz, it would be impossible for him to protect sir w. parker with his six sail of the line, who was watching the spanish fleet, as he could not quit the port in his present condition. to this letter the commissioner answered, that from the last accounts, he thought that in the course of six weeks or two months, they might receive supplies from england, but that sooner than that was impossible. these letters were put in the way of the damned portuguese spy clerk, who copied them, and was seen that evening to go into the house of the spanish ambassador. sir john then sent a message to ferro--that's a small town on the portuguese coast to the southward--with a despatch to sir william parker, desiring him to run away to cape st. vincent, and decoy the spanish fleet there, in case they should come out after him. well, mr simple, so far d'ye see the train was well laid. the next thing to do was to watch the spanish ambassador's house, and see if he sent away any despatches. two days after the letters had been taken to him by this rascal of a clerk, the spanish ambassador sent away two messengers, one for cadiz, and the other for madrid, which is the town where the king of spain lives. the one to cadiz was permitted to go, but the one to madrid was stopped by the directions of the admiral, and this job was confided to the commissioner, sir isaac, who settled it some how or another; and this was the reason why the admiral called out to him, `i say, sir isaac, who killed the messenger?' they brought back his despatches, by which they found out that advice had been sent to the spanish admiral--i forget his name, something like magazine--informing him of the supposed crippled state of our squadron. sir john, taking it for granted that the spaniards would not lose an opportunity of taking six sail of the line-- more english ships than they had ever taken in their lives--waited a few days to give them time, and then sailed from lisbon for cape st. vincent, where he joined sir w. parker, and fell in with the spaniards sure enough, and a pretty drubbing we gave them. now, it's not everybody that could tell you all that, mr simple." "well, but now for the action, swinburne." "lord bless you, mr simple! it's now past seven bells, and i can't fight the battle of st. vincent in half-an-hour; besides which, it's well worth another glass of grog to hear all about that battle." "well, you shall have one, swinburne; only don't forget to tell it to, me." swinburne and i then separated, and in less than an hour afterwards i was dreaming of despatches--sir john jervis--sir isaac coffin--and spanish messengers. chapter thirty four. o'brien's good advice--captain kearney again deals in the marvellous. i do not remember any circumstance in my life which, at that time, lay so heavily on my mind, as the loss of poor mr chucks, the boatswain, whom, of course, i took it for granted i should never see again. i believe that the chief cause was, that at the time i entered the service, and every one considered me to be the fool of the family, mr chucks and o'brien were the only two who thought of and treated me differently; and it was their conduct which induced me to apply myself, and encouraged me to exertion. i believe, that many a boy, who, if properly patronised, would turn out well, is, by the injudicious system of brow-beating and ridicule, forced into the wrong path, and, in his despair, throws away all self-confidence, and allows himself to be carried away by the stream to perdition. o'brien was not very partial to reading himself; he played the german flute remarkably well, and had a very good voice. his chief amusement was practising, or rather playing, which is a very different thing; but although he did not study himself, he always made me come into his cabin for an hour or two every day, and after i had read, repeat to him the contents of the book. by this method, he not only instructed me, but gained a great deal of information himself; for he made so many remarks upon what i had read, that it was impressed upon both our memories. "well, peter," he would say, as became into the cabin, "what have you to tell me this morning? sure it's you that's the schoolmaster, and not me--for i learn from you every day." "i have not read much, o'brien, to-day, for i have been thinking of poor mr chucks." "very right for you so to do, peter: never forget your friends in a hurry; you'll not find too many of them as you trot along the highway of life." "i wonder whether he is dead?" "why, that's a question i cannot answer: a bullet through the chest don't lengthen a man's days, that's certain; but this i know, that he'll not die if he can help it, now that he's got the captain's jacket on." "yes; he always aspired to be a gentleman--which was absurd enough in a boatswain." "not at all absurd, peter, but very absurd of you to talk without thinking: when did any one of his shipmates ever know mr chucks to do an unhandsome or mean action? never--and why? because he aspired to be a gentleman, and that feeling kept him above it. vanity's a confounded donkey, very apt to put his head between his legs, and chuck us over; but pride's a fine horse, who will carry us over the ground, and enable us to distance our fellow-travellers. mr chucks had pride, and that's always commendable, even in a boatswain. how often have you read of people rising from nothing, and becoming great men? this was from talent, sure enough: but it was talent with pride to force it onward, not talent with vanity to cheek it." "you are very right, o'brien; i spoke foolishly." "never mind, peter, nobody heard you but me, so it's of no consequence. don't you dine in the cabin to-day?" "yes." "so do i. the captain is in a most marvellous humour this morning. he told me one or two yarns that quite staggered my politeness and my respect for him on the quarter-deck. what a pity it is that a man should have gained such a bad habit!" "he's quite incurable, i'm afraid," replied i; "but, certainly, his fibs do no harm; they are what they call white lies: i do not think he would really tell a lie, that is, a lie which would be considered to disgrace a gentleman." "peter, _all_ lies disgrace a gentleman, white or black; although i grant there is a difference. to say the least of it, it is a dangerous habit, for white lies are but the gentlemen ushers to black ones. i know but of one point on which a lie is excusable, and that is, when you wish to deceive the enemy. then your duty to your country warrants your lying till you're black in the face; and, for the very reason that it goes against your grain, it becomes, as if were, a sort of virtue." "what was the difference between the marine officer and mr phillott that occurred this morning?" "nothing at all in itself--the marine officer is a bit of a gaby, and takes offence where none is meant. mr phillott has a foul tongue, but he has a good heart." "what a pity it is!" "it is a pity, for he's a smart officer; but the fact is, peter, that junior officers are too apt to copy their superiors, and that makes it very important that a young gentleman should sail with a captain who is a gentleman. now, phillott served the best of his time with captain ballover, who is notorious in the service for foul and abusive language. what is the consequence?--that phillott, and many others, who have served under him, have learnt his bad habit." "i should think, o'brien, that the very circumstance of having had your feelings so often wounded by such language when you were a junior officer, would make you doubly careful not to make use of it to others, when you had advanced in the service." "peter, that's just the _first_ feeling, which wears away after a time; but at last, your own sense of indignation becomes blunted, and becoming indifferent to it, you forget also that you wound the feelings of others, and carry the habit with you, to the great injury and disgrace of the service. but it's time to dress for dinner, so you'd better make yourself scarce, peter, while i tidivate myself off a little, according to the rules and regulations of his majesty's service, when you are asked to dine with the skipper." we met at the captain's table, where we found, as usual, a great display of plate, but very little else, except the ship's allowance. we certainly had now been cruising some time, and there was some excuse for it; but still, few captains would have been so unprovided. "i'm afraid, gentlemen, you will not have a very grand dinner," observed the captain, as the steward removed the plated covers off the dishes; "but when on service we must rough it out how we can. mr o'brien, pea-soup? i recollect faring harder than this through one cruise, in a flush vessel. we were thirteen weeks up to our knees in water, and living the whole time upon raw pork--not being able to light a fire during the cruise." "pray, captain kearney, may i ask where this happened?" "to be sure. it was off bermudas: we cruised for seven weeks before we could find the islands, and began verily to think that the bermudas were themselves on a cruise." "i presume, sir, you were not sorry to have a fire to cook your provisions when you came to an anchor?" said o'brien. "i beg your pardon," replied captain kearney; "we had become so accustomed to raw provisions and wet feet, that we could not eat our meals cooked, or help dipping our legs over the side, for a long while afterwards. i saw one of the boat keepers astern catch a large barracouta, and eat it alive--indeed, if i had not given the strictest orders, and flogged half-a-dozen of them, i doubt whether they would not have eaten their victuals raw to this day. the force of habit is tremendous." "it is, indeed," observed mr phillott, dryly, and winking to us-- referring to the captain's incredible stories. "it is, indeed," repeated o'brien; "we see the ditch in our neighbour's eye, and cannot observe the log of wood in our own;" and o'brien winked at me, referring to phillott's habit of bad language. "i once knew a married man," observed the captain, "who had been always accustomed to go to sleep with his hand upon his wife's head, and would not allow her to wear a night-cap in consequence. well, she caught cold and died, and he never could sleep at night until he took a clothes brush to bed with him, and laid his hand upon that, which answered the purpose--such was the force of habit." "i once saw a dead body galvanised," observed mr phillott: "it was the body of a man who had taken a great deal of snuff during his lifetime, and, as soon as the battery was applied to his spine, the body very gently raised its arm, and put its fingers to its nose, as if it were taking a pinch." "you saw that yourself, mr phillott?" observed the captain, looking the first lieutenant earnestly in the face. "yes, sir," replied mr phillott, coolly. "have you told that story often?" "very often, sir." "because i know that some people, by constantly telling a story, at last believe it to be true; not that i refer to you, mr phillott, but still i should recommend you not to tell that story where you are not well known, or people may doubt your credibility." "i make it a rule to believe everything myself," observed mr phillott, "out of politeness; and i expect the same courtesy from others." "then, upon my soul! when you tell that story, you trespass very much upon our good manners. talking of courtesy, you might meet a friend of mine, who has been a courtier all his life; he cannot help bowing. i have seen him bow to his horse, and thank him after he had dismounted-- beg pardon of a puppy for treading on his tail; and one day, when he fell over a scraper, he took off his hat, and made it a thousand apologies for his inattention." "force of habit again," said o'brien. "exactly so. mr simple, will you take a slice of this pork; and perhaps you'll do me the honour to take a glass of wine? lord privilege would not much admire your dinner to-day, would he, mr simple?" "as a variety he might, sir, but not for a continuance." "very truly said. variety is charming. the negroes here get so tired of salt fish and occra broth, that they eat dirt by way of a relish. mr o'brien, how remarkably well you played that sonata of pleydel's this morning." "i am happy that i did not annoy you, captain kearney, at all events," replied o'brien. "on the contrary, i am very partial to good music. my mother was a great performer. i recollect once, she was performing a piece on the piano, in which she had to imitate a _thunder storm_. so admirably did she hit it off, that when we went to tea, all the cream was _turned sour_, as well as three casks of _beer_ in the cellar." at this assertion mr phillott could contain himself no longer; he burst out into a loud laugh, and having a glass of wine to his lips, spattered it all over the table, and over me, who unfortunately was opposite to him. "i really beg pardon, captain kearney, but the idea of such an expensive talent was too amusing. will you permit me to ask you a question?--as there could not have been thunder without lightning, were any people killed at the same time by the electric fluid of the piano?" "no, sir," replied captain kearney, very angrily; "but her performance electrified us, which was something like it. perhaps, mr phillott, as you lost your last glass of wine, you will allow me to take another with you?" "with great pleasure," replied the first lieutenant, who perceived that he had gone far enough. "well, gentlemen," said the captain, "we shall soon be in the land of plenty. i shall cruise a fortnight more, and then join the admiral at jamaica. we must make out our despatch relative to the cutting out of the _sylvia_" (that was the name of the privateer brig), "and i am happy to say that i shall feel it my duty to make honourable mention of all the party present. steward, coffee." the first lieutenant, o'brien, and i, bowed to this flattering avowal on the part of the captain; as for myself, i felt delighted. the idea of my name being mentioned in the gazette, and the pleasure that it would give to my father and mother, mantled the blood in my cheeks till i was as red as a turkey-cock. "_cousin_ simple," said the captain, good-naturedly, "you have no occasion to blush; your conduct deserves it; and you are indebted to mr phillott for having made me acquainted with your gallantry." coffee was soon over, and i was glad to leave the cabin and be alone, that i might compose my perturbed mind. i felt too happy. i did not however, say a word to my messmates, as it might have created feelings of envy or ill-will. o'brien gave me a caution not to do so, when i met him afterwards, so that i was very glad that i had been so circumspect. chapter thirty five. swinburne continues his narrative of the battle off cape st. vincent. the second night after this, we had the middle watch, and i claimed swinburne's promise that he would spin his yarn, relative to the battle of st. vincent. "well, mr simple, so i will; but i require a little priming, or i shall never go off." "will you have your glass of grog before or after?" "before, by all means, if you please, sir. run down and get it, and i'll heave the log for you in the meantime, when we shall have a good hour without interruption, for the sea-breeze will be steady, and we are under easy sail." i brought up a stiff glass of grog, which swinburne tossed off, and as he finished it, sighed deeply as if in sorrow that there was no more. having stowed away the tumbler in one of the cap stern holes for the present, we sat down upon a coil of ropes under the weather bulwarks, and swinburne, replacing his quid of tobacco, commenced as follows:-- "well, mr simple, as i told you before, old jervis started with all his fleet for cape st. vincent. we lost one of our fleet--and a three-decker, too--the _st. george_; she took the ground, and was obliged to go back to lisbon; but we soon afterwards were joined by five sail of the line, sent out from england, so that we mustered fifteen sail in all. we had like to lose another of our mess, for d'ye see, the old _culloden_ and _colossus_ fell foul of each other, and the _culloden_ had the worst on it, but troubridge, who commanded her, was not a man to shy his work, and ax to go in to refit, when there was a chance of meeting the enemy--so he patched her up somehow or another, and reported himself ready for action the very next day. ready for action he always was, that's sure enough, but whether his ship was in a fit state to go into action, is quite another thing. but as the sailors used to say in joking, he was a _true bridge_, and you might trust to him; which meant as much as to say, that he knew how to take his ship into action, and how to fight her when he was fairly in it. i think it was the next day that cockburn joined us in the _minerve_, and he brought nelson along with him, with the intelligence that the dons had chased him, and that the whole spanish fleet was out in pursuit of us. well, mr simple, you may guess we were not a little happy in the _captain_, when nelson joined us, as we knew that if we fell in with the spaniards, our ship would cut a figure--and so she did, sure enough. that was on the morning of the th, and old jervis made the signal to prepare for action, and keep close order, which means, to have your flying jib-boom in at the starn windows of the ship ahead of you; and we did keep close order, for a man might have walked right round from one ship to the other, either lee or weather line of the fleet. i shan't forget that night, mr simple, as long as i live and breathe. every now and then we heard the signal guns of the spanish fleet booming at a distance to windward of us, and you may guess how our hearts leaped at the sound, and how we watched with all our ears for the next gun that was fired, trying to make out their bearings and distance, as we assembled in little knots upon the booms and weather gangway. it was my middle watch, and i was signalman at the time, so of course i had no time to take a caulk if i was inclined. when my watch was over, i could not go down to my hammock, so i kept the morning watch too, as did most of the men on board: as for nelson, he walked the deck the whole night, quite in a fever. at daylight it was thick and hazy weather, and we could not make them out; but about five bells, the old _culloden_, who, if she had broke her nose, had not lost the use of her eyes, made the signal for a part of the spanish fleet in sight. old jervis repeated the signal to prepare for action, but he might have saved the wear and tear of the bunting, for we were all ready, bulkheads down, screens up, guns shotted, tackles rove, yards slung, powder filled, shot on deck, and fire out--and what's more, mr simple, i'll be damned if we wer'n't all willing too. about six bells in the forenoon, the fog and haze all cleared away at once, just like the rising of the foresail, that they lower down at the portsmouth theatre, and discovered the whole of the spanish fleet. i counted them all. `how many, swinburne?' cries nelson. `twenty-six sail, sir,' answered i. nelson walked the quarterdeck backwards and forwards, rubbing his hands, and laughing to himself, and then he called for his glass, and went to the gangway with captain miller. `swinburne, keep a good look upon the admiral,' says he. `ay, ay, sir,' says i. now, you see, mr simple, twenty-six sail against fifteen were great odds upon paper; but we didn't think so, because we know'd the difference between the two fleets. there was our fifteen sail of the line all in apple-pie order, packed up as close as dominoes, and every man on board of them longing to come to the scratch; while there was their twenty-six, all _somehow nohow_, two lines here, and _no line_ there, with a great gap of water in the middle of them. for this gap between their ships we all steered, with all the sail we could carry, because, d'ye see, mr simple, by getting them on both sides of us, we had the advantage of fighting both broadsides, which is just as easy as fighting one, and makes shorter work of it. just as it struck seven bells, troubridge opened the ball, _setting_ to half-a-dozen of the spaniards, and making them _reel_ `tom collins,' whether or no. bang-bang-bang, bang! oh, mr simple, it's a beautiful sight, to see the first guns fired, that are to bring on a general action. `he's the luckiest dog, that troubridge,' said nelson, stamping with impatience. our ships were soon hard at it, hammer and tongs, (my eyes, how they did pelt it in!) and old sir john, in the _victory_, smashed the cabin windows of the spanish admiral, with such a hell of a raking broadside, that the fellow bore up as if the devil kicked him. lord-a-mercy! you might have drove a portsmouth waggon into his starn-- the broadside of the _victory_ had made room enough. however, they were soon all smothered up in smoke, and we could not make out how things were going on--but we made a pretty good guess. well, mr simple, as they say at the play, that was act the first, scene the first; and now we had to make our appearance, and i'll leave you to judge, after i've told my tale, whether the old _captain_ wasn't principal performer, and _top sawyer_ over them all. but stop a moment, i'll just look at the binnacle, for that young topman's nodding at the wheel.--i say, mr smith, are you shutting your eyes to keep them warm, and letting the ship run half a point out of her course? take care i don't send for another helmsman that's all, and give the reason why. you'll make a wry face upon six-water grog, to-morrow, at seven bells. damn your eyes, keep them open--can't you?" swinburne, after this genteel admonition to the man at the wheel, reseated himself and continued his narrative. "all this while, mr simple, we in the _captain_ had not fired a gun; but were ranging up as fast as we could to where the enemy lay in a heap. there were plenty to pick and choose from; and nelson looked out sharp for a big one, as little boys do when they have to choose an apple: and, by the piper that played before moses! it was a big one that he ordered the master to put him alongside of. she was a four-decker, called the _santissima trinidad_. we had to pass some whoppers, which would have satisfied any reasonable man; for there was the _san josef_, and _salvador del mondo_, and _san nicolas_; but nothing would suit nelson but this four-decked ship; so we crossed the hawse of about six of them, and as soon as we were abreast of her, and at the word `fire!' every gun went off at once, slap into her, and the old _captain_ reeled at the discharge as if she was drunk. i wish you'd only seen how we pitched it into this _holy trinity_; she was _holy_ enough before we had done with her, riddled like a sieve, several of her ports knocked into one, and every scupper of her running blood and water. not but what she stood to it as bold as brass, and gave us nearly gun for gun, and made a very pretty general average in our ship's company. many of the old captains went to kingdom come in that business, and many more were obliged to bear up for greenwich hospital. "`fire away, my lads--steady aim!' cries nelson. `jump down there, mr thomas; pass the word to reduce the cartridges, the shot go clean through her. double shot the guns there, fore and aft.' "so we were at it for about half-an-hour, when our guns became so hot from quick firing, that they bounced up to the beams overhead, tearing away their ringbolts, and snapping the breechings like rope yarns. by this time we were almost as much unrigged as if we had been two days paying off in portsmouth harbour. the four-decker forged ahead, and troubridge, in the jolly old _culloden_, came between us and two other spanish ships, who were playing into us. she was as fresh as a daisy, and gave them a dose which quite astonished them. they shook their ears, and fell astern, when the _blenheim_ laid hold of them, and mauled them so that they went astern again. but it was out of the frying-pan into the fire: for the _orion_, _prince george_, and one or two others, were coming up, and knocked the very guts out of them. i'll be damned if they forgot the th of april, and sarve them right, too. wasn't a four-decker enough for any two-decker, without any more coming on us? and couldn't the beggars have matched themselves like gentlemen? well, mr simple, this gave us a minute or two to fetch our breath, let the guns cool, and repair damages, and swab the blood from the decks; but we lost our four-decker, for we could not get near her again." "what odd names the spaniards give to their ships, swinburne!" "why, yes, they do; it would almost appear wicked to belabour the _holy trinity_ as we did. but why they should call a four-decked ship the _holy trinity_ i can't tell. bill saunders said that the fourth deck was for the pope, who was as great a parsonage as the others: but i can't understand how that can be. well, mr simple, as i was head-signalman, i was perched on the poop, and didn't serve at a gun. i had to report all i could see, which was not much, the smoke was so thick; but now and then i could get a peep, as it were, through the holes in the blanket. of course i was obliged to keep my eye as much as possible upon the admiral, not to make out his signals, for commodore nelson wouldn't thank me for that; i knew he hated a signal when in action, so i never took no notice of the bunting, but just watched to see what he was about. so while we are repairing damages, i'll just tell you what i saw of the rest of the fleet. as soon as old jervis had done for the spanish admiral, he hauled his wind on the larboard tack, and, followed by four or five other ships, weathered the spanish line and joined collingwood in the _excellent_. then they all dashed through the line; the _excellent_ was the leading ship, and she first took the shine out of the _salvador del mondo_, and then left her to be picked up by the other ships, while she attacked a two-decker, who hauled down her colours--i forget her name just now. as soon as the _victory_ ran alongside of the _salvador del mondo_, down went her colours, and _excellent_ reasons had she for striking her flag. and now, mr simple, the old _captain_ comes into play again. having parted company with the four-decker, we had recommenced action with the _san nicolas_, a spanish eighty, and while we were hard at it, old collingwood comes up in the _excellent_. the _san nicolas_, knowing that the _excellent's_ broadside would send her to old nick, put her helm up to avoid being raked: in so doing, she fell foul of the _san josef_ a spanish three-decker, and we being all cut to pieces, and unmanageable--all of us indeed reeling about like drunken men--nelson ordered his helm a star-board, and in a jiffy there we were, all three hugging each other, running in one another's guns, smashing our chain-plates, and poking our yard arms through each other's canvas. "`all hands to board!' roared nelson, leaping on the hammocks and waving his sword. "`hurrah! hurrah!' echoed through the decks, and up flew the men, like as [men] angry bees out of a bee-hive. in a moment pikes, tomahawks, cutlasses, and pistols were seized (for it was quite unexpected, mr simple), and our men poured into the eighty-gun ship, and in two minutes the decks were cleared, and all the dons pitched below. i joined the boarders and was on the main-deck when captain miller came down, and cried out, `on deck again immediately.' up we went, and what do you think it was for, mr simple? why to board a second time; for nelson having taken the two-decker, swore that he'd have the three-decker as well. so away we went again, clambering up her lofty sides how we could, and dropping down on her decks like hailstones. we all made for the quarter-deck, beat down every spanish beggar that showed fight, and in five minutes more we had hauled down the colours of two of the finest ships in the spanish navy. if that wasn't taking the shine out of the dons, i should like to know what is. and didn't the old captains cheer and shake hands, as commodore nelson stood on the deck of the _san josef_, and received the swords of the spanish officers! there was enough of them to go right round the capstern, and plenty to spare. now, mr simple, what do you think of that for a spree?" "why, swinburne, i can only say that i wish i had been there." "so did every man in the fleet, mr simple, i can tell you." "but what became of the _santissima trinidad_?" "upon my word, she behaved one _deck_ better than all the others. she held out against four of our ships for a long while, and then hauled down her colours, and no disgrace to her, considering what a precious hammering she had taken first. but the lee division of the spanish weather fleet, if i may so call it, consisting of eleven sail of the line, came up to her assistance, and surrounded her, so that they got her off. our ships were too much cut up to commence a new action, and the admiral made the signal to secure the prizes. the spanish fleet then did what they should have done before--got into line; and we lost no time in doing the same. but we both had had fighting enough." "but do you think, swinburne, that the spaniards fought well?" "they'd have fought better, if they'd only have known how. there's no want of courage in the dons, mr simple, but they did not support each other. only observe how troubridge supported us. by god, mr simple, he was the _real fellow_, and nelson knew it well. he was nelson's right-hand man; but you know there wasn't room for _two_ nelsons. their ships engaged held out well, it must be acknowledged, but why wer'n't they all in their proper berths? had they kept close order of sailing, and had all fought as well as those who were captured, it would not have been a very easy matter for fifteen ships to gain a victory over twenty-six. that's long odds, even when backed by british seamen." "well, how did you separate?" "why, the next morning the spaniards had the weather-gauge, so they had the option whether to fight or not. at one time they had half a mind, for they bore down to us; upon which we hauled our wind, to show them we were all ready to meet them, and then they thought better of it, and rounded-to again. so as they wouldn't fight, and we didn't wish it, we parted company in the night; and two days afterwards we anchored, with our four prizes, in lagos bay. so now you have the whole of it, mr simple, and i've talked till i'm quite hoarse. you havn't by chance another drop of the stuff left to clear my throat? it would be quite a charity." "i think i have, swinburne; and as you deserve it, i will go and fetch it." chapter thirty six. a letter from father mcgrath, who diplomatises--when priest meets priest, then comes the tug of war--father o'toole not to be made a tool of. we continued our cruise for a fortnight, and then made sail for jamaica, where we found the admiral at anchor at port royal: but our signal was made to keep under weigh, and captain kearney, having paid his respects to the admiral, received orders to carry despatches to halifax. water and provisions were sent on board by the boats of the admiral's ships, and, to our great disappointment, as the evening closed in, we were again standing out to sea, instead of, as we had anticipated, enjoying ourselves on shore; but the fact was, that orders had arrived from england to send a frigate immediately up to the admiral at halifax, to be at his disposal. i had, however, the satisfaction to know that captain kearney had been true to his word in making mention of my name in the despatch, for the clerk showed me a copy of it. nothing occurred worth mentioning during our passage, except that captain kearney was very unwell nearly the whole of the time, and seldom quitted his cabin. it was in october that we anchored in halifax harbour, and the admiralty, expecting our arrival there, had forwarded our letters. there were none for me, but there was one for o'brien, from father mcgrath, the contents of which were as follows:-- "my dear son,-- "and a good son you are, and that's the truth on it, or devil a bit should you be a son of mine. you've made your family quite contented and peaceable and they never fight for the _praties_ now--good reason why they shouldn't, seeing that there's a plenty for all of them, and the pig craturs into the bargain. your father and your mother, and your brother, and your three sisters, send their duty to you, and their blessings too--and you may add my blessing, terence, which is worth them all; for won't i get you out of purgatory in the twinkling of a bed-post? make yourself quite asy on that score, and lave it all to me; only just say a _pater_ now and then, that when st. peter lets you in, he mayn't throw it in your teeth, that you've saved your soul by contract, which is the only way by which emperors and kings ever get to heaven. your letter from plymouth came safe to hand: barney, the post-boy, having dropped it under foot close to our door, the big pig took it into his mouth and ran away with it; but i caught sight of him, and _speaking_ to him, he let it go, knowing (the 'cute cratur!) that i could read it better than him. as soon as i had digested the contents, which it was lucky the pig did not instead of me, i just took my meal and my big stick, and then set off for ballycleuch. "now, you know, terence, if you haven't forgot--and if you have, i'll just remind you--that there's a flaunty sort of young woman at the poteen shop there, who calls herself mrs o'rourke, wife to a corporal o'rourke, who was kilt or died one day, i don't know which, but that's not of much consequence. the devil a bit do i think the priest ever gave the marriage-blessing to that same; although she swears that she was married on the rock of gibraltar--it may be a strong rock fore i know, but it's not the rock of salvation like the seven sacraments, of which marriage is one. _benedicite_! mrs o'rourke is a little too apt to fleer and jeer at the priests; and if it were not that she softens down her pertinent remarks with a glass or two of the real poteen, which proves some respect for the church, i'd excommunicate her body and soul, and everybody, and every soul that put their lips to the cratur at her door. but she must leave that off, as i tell her, when she gets old and ugly, for then all the whisky in the world shan't save her. but she's a fine woman now, and it goes agin my conscience to help the devil to a fine woman. now this mrs o'rourke knows everybody and everything that's going on in the country about; and she has a tongue which has never had a holyday since it was let loose. "`good morning to ye, mrs o'rourke,' says i. "`an' the top of the morning to you, father mcgrath,' says she, with a smile: `what brings you here? is it a journey that you're taking to buy the true wood of the cross; or is it a purty girl that you wish to confess, father mcgrath? or is it only that you're come for a drop of poteen, and a little bit of chat with mrs o'rourke?' "`sure it's i who'd be glad to find the same true wood of the cross, mrs o'rourke, but it's not grown, i suspect, at your town of ballycleuch; and it's no objection i'd have to confess a purty girl like yourself, mrs o'rourke, who'll only tell me half her sins, and give me no trouble; but it's the truth, that i'm here for nothing else but to have a bit of chat with yourself, dainty dear, and taste your poteen, just by way of keeping my mouth nate and clane.' "so mrs o'rourke poured out the real stuff, which i drank to her health; and then says i, putting down the bit of a glass, `so you've a stranger come, i find, in your parts, mrs o'rourke.' "`i've heard the same,' replied she. so you observe, terence, i came to the fact all at once by a guess. "`i'm tould,' says i, `that he's a scotchman, and spakes what nobody can understand.' "`devil a bit,' says she; `he's an englishman, and speaks plain enough.' "`but what can a man mane, to come here and sit down all alone?' says i. "`all alone, father mcgrath!' replied she: `is a man all alone when he's got his wife and childer, and more coming, with the blessing of god?' "`but those boys are not his own childer, i believe,' says i. "`there again you're all in a mistake, father mcgrath,' rejoins she. `the childer are all his own, and all girls to boot. it appears that it's just as well that you come down, now and then, for information, to our town of ballycleuch.' "`very true, mrs o'rourke,' says i; `and who is it that knows everything so well as yourself?' you observe, terence, that i just said everything contrary and _vice versa_, as they call it, to the contents of your letter; for always recollect, my son, that if you would worm a secret out of a woman, you'll do more by contradiction than you ever will by coaxing--so i went on: `anyhow, i think it's a burning shame, mrs o'rourke, for a gentleman to bring over with him here from england a parcel of lazy english servants, when there's so many nice boys and girls here to attind upon them.' "`now there you're all wrong again, father mcgrath,' says she. `devil a soul has he brought from the other country, but has hired them all here. ain't there ella flanagan for one maid, and terence driscol for a footman? and it's well that he looks in his new uniform, when he comes down for the newspapers; and ar'n't moggy cala there to cook the dinner, and pretty mary sullivan for a nurse for the babby as soon as it comes into the world.' "`is it mary sullivan, you mane?' says i; `she that was married about three months back, and is so quick in child-getting, that she's all but ready to fall to pieces in this same time?' "`it's exactly she,' says mrs o'rourke; `and do you know the reason?' "`devil a bit,' says i; `how should _i_?' "`then it's just that she may send her own child away, and give her milk to the english babby that's coming; because the lady is too much of a lady to have a child hanging to her breast.' "`but suppose mary sullivan's child ar'n't born till afterwards, how then?' says i. `speak, mrs o'rourke, for you're a sensible woman.' "`how then?' says she. `och! that's all arranged; for mary says that she'll be in bed a week before the lady, so that's all right, you'll perceive, father mcgrath.' "`but don't you perceive, sensible woman as you are, that a young woman, who is so much out of her reckoning as to have a child three months after her marriage, may make a little mistake in her lying-in arithmetic, mrs o'rourke?' "`never fear, father mcgrath, mary sullivan will keep her word; and sooner than disappoint the lady, and lose her place, she'll just tumble downstairs, and won't that put her to bed fast enough?' "`well, that's what i call a faithful good servant that earns her wages,' says i; `so now i'll just take another glass, mrs o'rourke, and thank you too. sure you're the woman that knows everything, and a mighty pretty woman into the bargain.' "`let me alone now, father mcgrath, and don't be pinching me that way anyhow.' "`it was only a big flea that i perceived hopping on your gown, my darling, devil anything else.' "`many thanks to you, father, for that same; but the next time you'd kill my fleas, just wait until they're in a _more dacent_ situation.' "`fleas are fleas, mrs o'rourke, and we must catch 'em when we can, and how we can, and as we can, so no offence. a good night's rest to you, mrs o'rourke--when do you mean to confess?' "`i've an idea that i've too many fleas about me to confess to you just now, father mcgrath, and that's the truth on it. so a pleasant walk back to you.' "so you'll perceive, my son, that having got all the information from mrs o'rourke, it's back i went to ballyhinch, till i heard it whispered that there were doings down at the old house at ballycleuch. off i set, and went to the house itself, as priests always ought to be welcomed at births and marriages, and deaths, being, as you know, of great use on such occasions--when who should open the door but father o'toole, the biggest rapparee of a priest in the whole of ireland. didn't he steal a horse, and only save his neck by benefit of clergy? and did he ever give absolution to any young woman without making her sin over again? `what may be your pleasure here, father mcgrath?' says he, holding the door with his hand. "`only just to call and hear what's going on.' "`for the matter of that,' says he, `i'll just tell you that we're all going on very well; but ar'n't you ashamed of yourself, father mcgrath, to come here and interfere with my flock, knowing that i confess the house altogether?' "`that's as may be,' says i, `but i only wanted to know what the lady had brought into the world.' "`it's a _child_,' says he. "`indeed!' says i; `many thanks for the information, and pray what is it that mary sullivan has brought into the world?' "`that's a _child_, too,' says he; `and now that you know all about it, good evening to you, father mcgrath.' and the ugly brute slarnmed the door right in my face. "`who stole a horse?' cries i; but he didn't hear me--more's the pity. "so you'll perceive, my dear boy, that i have found out something, at all events, but not so much as i intended; for i'll prove to father o'toole, that he's no match for father mcgrath. but what i find out must be reserved for another letter, seeing that it's not possible to tell it to you in this same. praties look well, but somehow or another _clothes_ don't grow upon trees in ould ireland; and one of your half quarterly bills, or a little prize-money, if it found its way here, would add not a little to the respectability of the family appearance. even my cassock is becoming too _holy_ for a parish priest; not that i care about it so much, only father o'toole, the baste! had on a bran new one--not that i believe that he ever came honestly by it, as i have by mine--but, get it how you may, a new gown always looks better than an ould one, that's certain. so no more at present from your loving friend and confessor, "urtagh mcgrath." "now, you'll observe, peter," said o'brien, after i had read the letter, "that, as i supposed, your uncle meant mischief when he went over to ireland. whether the children are both girls or both boys, or your uncle's is a boy, and the other is a girl, there's no knowledge at present. if an exchange was required, it's made, that's certain; but i will write again to father mcgrath, and insist upon his finding out the truth, if possible. have you any letter from your father?" "none, i am sorry to say. i wish i had, for he would not have failed to speak on the subject." "well, never mind, it's no use dreaming over the matter; we must do our best when we get to england ourselves, and in the meantime trust to father mcgrath. i'll go and write to him while my mind's full of it." o'brien wrote his letter, and the subject was not started again. chapter thirty seven. captain kearney's illness--he makes his will and devises sundry "chateaux en espagne," for the benefit of those concerned--the legacy duty in this instance not ruinous--he signs, seals, and dies. the captain, as was his custom, went on shore, and took up his quarters at a friend's house; that is to say, the house of an acquaintance, or any polite gentleman who would ask him to take a dinner and a bed. this was quite sufficient for captain kearney, who would fill his portmanteau, and take up his quarters without thinking of leaving them until the ship sailed, or some more advantageous invitation was given. this conduct in england would have very much trespassed upon our ideas of hospitality; but in our foreign settlements and colonies, where the society is confined and novelty is desirable, a person who could amuse like captain kearney was generally welcome, let him stay as long as he pleased. all sailors agree in asserting that halifax is one of the most delightful ports in which a ship can anchor. everybody is hospitable, cheerful, and willing to amuse and be amused. it is, therefore, a very bad place to send a ship to if you wish her to refit in a hurry, unless indeed the admiral is there to watch over your daily progress, and a sharp commissioner to expedite your motions in the dock-yard. the admiral was there when we arrived, and we should not have lain there long, had not the health of captain kearney, by the time that we were ready for sea, been so seriously affected, that the doctor was of opinion that he could not sail. another frigate was sent to our intended cruising ground, and we lay idle in port. but we consoled ourselves: if we did not make prize-money, at all events, we were very happy, and the major part of the officers very much in love. we had remained in halifax harbour about three weeks, when a very great change for the worse took place in captain kearney's disease. disease, indeed, it could hardly be called. he had been long suffering from the insidious attacks of a hot climate, and though repeatedly advised to invalid, he never would consent. his constitution appeared now to be breaking up. in a few days he was so ill, that, at the request of the naval surgeons, he consented to be removed to the hospital, where he could command more comforts than in any private house. he had not been in the hospital more than two days, when he sent for me, and stated his wish that i should remain with him. "you know, peter, that you are a cousin of mine, and one likes to have one's relations near one when we are sick, so bring your traps on shore. the doctor has promised me a nice little room for yourself, and you shall come and sit with me all day." i certainly had no objection to remain with him, because i considered it my duty so to do, and i must say that there was no occasion for me to make any efforts to entertain him, as he always entertained me; but i could not help seriously reflecting, and feeling much shocked, at a man, lying in so dangerous a state--for the doctors had pronounced his recovery to be impossible--still continuing a system of falsehood during the whole day, without intermission. but it really appeared to him to be innate; and, as swinburne said, "if he told truth, it was entirely by mistake." "peter," said he, one day, "there's a great draught. shut the door and put on some more coals." "the fire does not draw well, sir," replied i, "without the door is open." "it's astonishing how little people understand the nature of these things. when i built my house called welcot abbey, there was not a chimney would draw; i sent for the architect and abused him, but he could not manage it; i was obliged to do it myself." "did you manage it, sir?" "manage it--i think i did. the first time i lighted the fire, i opened the door, and the draught was so great, that my little boy william, who was standing in the current of air, would have gone right up the chimney, if i had not caught him by the petticoats; as it was, his frock was on fire." "why, sir, it must have been as bad as a hurricane!" "no, no, not quite so bad--but it showed what a little knowledge of philosophical arrangement could effect. we have no hurricanes in england, peter; but i have seen a very pretty whirlwind when i was at welcot abbey." "indeed, sir." "yes, it cut four square haystacks quite round, and i lost twenty tons of hay; it twisted the iron lamppost at the entrance just as a porpoise twists a harpoon, and took up a sow and her litter of pigs that were about a hundred yards from the back of the house, and landed them safe over the house, to the front, with the exception of the old sow putting her shoulder out." "indeed, sir." "yes, but what was strange, there were a great many rats in the hayrick, and up they went with the hay. now, peter, by the laws of gravitation, they naturally came down before the hay, and i was walking with my greyhound, or rather terrier, and after one coming down close to her, which she killed, it was quite ridiculous to notice her looking up in the air, and watching for the others." "a greyhound did you say, sir, or a terrier?" "both, peter: the fact is, she had been a greyhound, but breaking her fore-leg against a stump, when coursing, i had the other three amputated as well, and then she made a capital terrier. she was a great favourite of mine." "well," observed i, "i have read something like that in baron munchausen." "mr simple," said the captain, turning on his elbow and looking me severely in the face, "what do you mean to imply?" "o nothing, sir, but i have read a story of that kind." "most probably; the great art of invention is to found it upon facts. there are some people who out of a mole-hill will make a mountain; and facts and fiction become so blended now-a-days, that even truth becomes a matter of doubt." "very true, sir," replied i; and as he did not speak for some minutes, i ventured to bring my bible to his bedside, as if i were reading it to myself. "what are you reading, peter?" said he. "only a chapter in the bible, sir," said i. "would you like that i should read aloud?" "yes, i'm very fond of the bible--it's the book of _truth_. peter, read me about jacob, and his weathering esau with a mess of pottage, and obtaining his father's blessing." i could not help thinking it singular that he should select a portion in which, for divine reasons, a lie was crowned with such success and reward. when i had finished it, he asked me to read something more; i turned over to the acts of the apostles, and commenced the chapter in which ananias and sapphira were struck dead. when i had finished, he observed very seriously, "that is a very good lesson for young people, peter, and points out that you never should swerve from the truth. recollect, as your motto, peter, to `tell truth and shame the devil.'" after this observation i laid down the book, as it appeared to me that he was quite unaware of his propensity; and without a sense of your fault, how can repentance and amendment be expected? he became more feeble and exhausted every day, and at last was so weak that he could scarcely raise himself in his bed. one afternoon he said, "peter, i shall make my will, not that i am going to kick the bucket just yet; but still it is every man's duty to set his house in order, and it will amuse me: so fetch pen and paper, and come and sit down by me." i did as he requested. "write, peter, that i, anthony george william charles huskisson kearney, (my father's name was anthony, peter; i was christened george after the present regent, william and charles after mr pitt and mr fox, who were my sponsors; huskisson is the name of my great uncle, whose property devolves to me; he's eighty-three now, so he can't last long,)--have you written down that?" "yes, sir." "being in sound mind, do hereby make my last will and testament, revoking all former wills." "yes, sir." "i bequeath to my dearly beloved wife, augusta charlotte kearney (she was named after the queen and princess augusta, who held her at the baptismal font), all my household furniture, books, pictures, plate, and houses, for her own free use and will, and to dispose of at her pleasure upon her demise. is that down?" "yes, sir." "also, the interest of all my money in the three per cents reduced, and in the long annuities, and the balance in my agent's hands, for her natural life. at her death to be divided into equal portions between my two children, william mohamed potemkin kearney, and caroline anastasia kearney. is that down?" "yes, sir." "well, then, peter, now for my real property. my estate in kent (let me see, what is the name of it?)--walcot abbey, my three farms in the vale of aylesbury, and the marsh lands in norfolk i bequeath to my two children aforenamed, the proceeds of the same to be laid up deducting all necessary expenses for their education, for their sole use and benefit. is that down?" "not yet, sir--`use and benefit.' now it is, sir." "until they come to the age of twenty-one years; or in case of my daughter, until she marries with the consent of my executors, then to be equally and fairly valued and divided between them. you observe, peter i never make any difference between girls and boys--a good father will leave one child as much as another. now i'll take my breath a little." i was really astonished. it was well known that captain kearney had nothing but his pay, and that it was the hopes of prize-money to support his family, which had induced him to stay out so long in the west indies. it was laughable; yet i could not laugh: there was a melancholy feeling at such a specimen of insanity which prevented me. "now, peter, we'll go on," said captain kearney, after a pause of a few minutes. "i have a few legacies to bequeath. first, to all my servants pounds each, and two suits of mourning; to my nephew, thomas kearney, of kearney hall, yorkshire, i bequeath the sword presented me by the grand sultan. i promised it to him, and, although we have quarrelled, and not spoken for years, i always keep my word. the plate presented me by the merchants and under-writers of lloyd's i leave to my worthy friend the duke of newcastle. is that down?" "yes, sir." "well; my snuff-box, presented me by prince potemkin, i bequeath to admiral sir isaac coffin; and, also, i release him from the mortgage which i hold over his property of the madeline islands, in north america. by-the-bye, say, and further, i bequeath to him the bag of snuff presented to me by the dey of algiers; he may as well have the snuff as he has the snuff-box. is that down?" "yes, sir." "well then, now, peter, i must leave you something." "o, never mind me," replied i. "no, no, peter, i must not forget my cousin. let me see, you shall have my fighting sword. a real good one, i can tell you. i once fought a duel with it at palermo, and ran a sicilian prince so clean through the body, and it held so tight, that we were obliged to send for a pair of post-horses to pull it out again. put that down as a legacy for my cousin, peter simple. i believe that is all. now for my executors, and i request my particular friends, the earl of londonderry, the marquis of chandos, and mr john lubbock, banker, to be my executors, and leave each of them the sum of one thousand pounds for their trouble, and in token of regard. that will do, peter. now, as i have left so much real property, it is necessary that there should be three witnesses; so call in two more, and let me sign in your presence." this order was obeyed, and this strange will duly attested; for i hardly need say, that even the presents he had pretended to receive were purchased by himself at different times; but such was the force of his ruling passion even to the last. mr phillott and o'brien used to come and see him, as did occasionally some of the other officers, and he was always cheerful and merry, and seemed to be quite indifferent about his situation, although fully aware of it. his stories, if anything, became more marvellous, as no one ventured to express a doubt as to their credibility. i had remained in the hospital about a week, when captain kearney was evidently dying: the doctor came, felt his pulse, and gave it as his opinion that he could not outlive the day. this was on a friday, and there certainly was every symptom of dissolution. he was so exhausted, that he could scarcely articulate; his feet were cold, and his eyes appeared glazed, and turning upwards. the doctor remained an hour, felt his pulse again, shook his head, and said to me in a low voice, "he is quite gone." as soon as the doctor quitted the room, captain kearney opened his eyes, and beckoned me to him. "he's a confounded fool, peter," said he: "he thinks i am slipping my wind now--but i know better; going i am, 'tis true--but i sha'n't die till next thursday." strange to say, from that moment he rallied; and although it was reported that he was dead, and the admiral had signed the acting order for his successor, the next morning, to the astonishment of everybody, captain kearney was still alive. he continued in this state, between life and death, until the thursday next, the day on which he asserted that he would die--and, on that morning, he was evidently sinking fast. towards noon, his breathing became much oppressed and irregular, and he was evidently dying, the rattle in his throat commenced; and i watched at his bedside, waiting for his last grasp, when he again opened his eyes, and beckoning me, with an effort, to put my head close to him to hear what he had to say, he contrived in a sort of gurgling whisper, and with much difficulty, to utter--"peter, i'm going now--not that the rattle--in my throat--is a sign of death: for i once knew a man--to _live_ with--_the rattle in his throat_--for _six_ weeks." he fell back and expired, having, perhaps, at his last gasp, told the greatest lie of his whole life. thus died this most extraordinary character, who, in most other points, commanded respect; he was a kind man, and a good officer; but from the idiosyncrasy of his disposition, whether from habit or from nature, could not speak the truth. i say from nature, because i have witnessed the vice of stealing equally strong, and never to the eradicated. it was in a young messmate of good family, and who was supplied with money to almost any extent: he was one of the most generous, open-hearted lads that i ever knew; he would offer his purse, or the contents of his chest, to any of his messmates; and, at the same time, would steal everything that he could lay his hands upon. i have known him watch for hours, to steal what could be of no use to him, as, for instance, an odd shoe, and that much too small for his foot. what he stole he would give away the very next day; but to check it was impossible. it was so well known, that if anything were missed, we used first to apply to his chest to see if it were there, and usually found the article in question. he appeared to be wholly insensible to shame upon this subject, though in every other he showed no want of feeling or of honour; and, strange to say, he never covered his theft with a lie. after vain attempts to cure him of this propensity, he was dismissed the service as incorrigible. captain kearney was buried in the churchyard with the usual military honours. in his desk we found directions, in his own hand, relative to his funeral, and the engraving on his tombstone. in these, he states his age to be thirty-one years. if this were correct, captain kearney, from the time that he had been in the service of his country, must have entered the navy just _four months before_ he was born. it was unfortunate that he commenced the inscription with "here lies captain kearney," etcetera, etcetera. his tombstone had not been set up twenty-four hours, before somebody, who knew his character, put a dash under one word, as emphatic as it was true of the living man, "here _lies_ captain kearney." chapter thirty eight. captain horton--gloomy news from home--get over head and ears in the water, and find myself afterwards growing one way, and my clothes another--though neither as rich as a jew, or as large as a camel, i pass through my examination, which my brother candidates think passing strange. the day after captain kearney's decease, his acting successor made his appearance on board. the character of captain horton was well-known to us from the complaints made by the officers belonging to his ship, of his apathy and indolence; indeed, he went by the _sobriquet_ of "the sloth." it certainly was very annoying to his officers to witness so many opportunities of prize-money and distinction thrown away through the indolence of his disposition. captain horton was a young man of family who had advanced rapidly in the service from interest, and from occasionally distinguishing himself. in the several cutting out expeditions, on which he had not volunteered but had been ordered, he had shown, not only courage, but a remarkable degree of coolness in danger and difficulty, which had gained him much approbation; but it was said, that this coolness arose from his very fault--an unaccountable laziness. he would walk away, as it were, from the enemy's fire, when others would hasten, merely because he was so apathetic that he would not exert himself to run. in one cutting-out expedition in which he distinguished himself, it is said, that having to board a very high vessel, and that in a shower of grape and musketry, when the boat dashed alongside, and the men were springing up, he looked up at the height of the vessel's sides, and exclaimed with a look of despair, "my god! must we really climb up that vessel's decks?" when he had gained the deck, and became excited, he then proved how little fear had to do with the remark, the captain of the ship falling by his hand, as he fought in advance of his own men. but this peculiarity, which in a junior officer was of little consequence, and a subject of mirth, in a captain became of a very serious nature. the admiral was aware how often he had neglected to annoy or capture the enemy when he might have done it; and by such neglect, captain horton infringed one of the articles of war, the punishment awarded to which infringement is _death_. his appointment, therefore, to the _sanglier_ was as annoying to us, as his quitting his former ship was agreeable to those on board of her. as it happened, it proved of little consequence: the admiral had instructions from home to advance captain horton to the first vacancy, which of course he was obliged to comply with; but not wishing to keep on the station an officer who would not exert himself, he resolved to send her to england with despatches, and retain the other frigate which had been ordered home, and which we had been sent up to replace. we therefore heard it announced with feelings of joy, mingled with regret, that we were immediately to proceed to england. for my part, i was glad of it. i had now served my time as midshipman, to within five months, and i thought that i had a better chance of being made in england than abroad. i was also very anxious to go home, for family reasons, which i have already explained. in a fortnight we sailed with several vessels, and directions to take charge of a large convoy from quebec, which was to meet us off the island of st. john's. in a few days we joined our convoy, and with a fair wind bore up for england. the weather soon became very bad, and we were scudding before a heavy gale, under bare poles. our captain seldom quitted the cabin, but remained there on a sofa, stretched at his length, reading a novel, or dozing, as he found most agreeable. i recollect a circumstance which occurred, which will prove the apathy of his disposition, and how unfit he was to command so fine a frigate. we had been scudding three days when the weather became much worse. o'brien, who had the middle watch, went down to report that "it blew very hard." "very well," said the captain; "let me know if it blow harder." in about an hour more the gale increased, and o'brien went down again. "it blows much harder, captain horton." "very well," answered captain horton, turning in his cot; "you may call me again when it _blows harder_." at about six bells the gale was at its height, and the wind roared in its fury. down went o'brien again. "it blows tremendous hard now, captain horton." "well, well, if the weather becomes worse--" "it can't be worse," interrupted o'brien; "it's impossible to blow harder." "indeed! well, then," replied the captain, "let me know when _it lulls_." in the morning watch a similar circumstance took place. mr phillott, went down, and said that several of the convoy were out of sight astern. "shall we heave-to, captain horton?" "o no," replied he, "she will be so uneasy. let me know if you lose sight of any more." in another hour, the first lieutenant reported that "there were very few to be seen." "very well, mr phillott," replied the captain, turning round to sleep; "let me know if you lose any more." some time elapsed, and the first lieutenant reported that "they were all out of sight." "very well, then," said the captain; "call me when you see them again." this was not very likely to take place, as we were going twelve knots an hour, and running away from them as fast as we could, so the captain remained undisturbed until he thought proper to get up to breakfast. indeed, we never saw any more of our convoy, but taking the gale with us, in fifteen days anchored in plymouth sound. the orders came down for the frigate to be paid off, all standing, and re-commissioned. i received letters from my father, in which he congratulated me at my name being mentioned in captain kearney's despatches, and requested me to come home as soon as i could. the admiral allowed my name to be put down on the books of the guard-ship, that i might not lose my time, and then gave me two month's leave of absence. i bade farewell to my shipmates, shook hands with o'brien, who proposed to go over to ireland previous to his applying for another ship, and, with my pay in my pocket, set off in the plymouth mail, and in three days was once more in the arms of my affectionate mother, and warmly greeted by my father, and the remainder of my family. once more with my family, i must acquaint the reader with what had occurred since my departure. my eldest sister, lucy, had married an officer in the army, a captain fielding, and his regiment having been ordered out to india, had accompanied her husband, and letters had been received just before my return, announcing their safe arrival at ceylon. my second sister, mary, had also been engaged to be married, and from her infancy was of extremely delicate health. she was very handsome, and much admired. her intended husband was a baronet of good family; but unfortunately she caught a cold at the assize ball, and went off in a decline. she died about two months before my arrival, and the family were in deep mourning. my third sister, ellen, was still unmarried; she, also, was a very beautiful girl, and now seventeen. my mother's constitution was much shaken by the loss of my sister mary, and the separation from her eldest child. as for my father, even the loss of his daughter appeared to be wholly forgotten in the unwelcome intelligence which he had received, that my uncle's wife had been delivered of a _son_, which threw him out of the anticipated titles and estates of my grandfather. it was indeed a house of mourning. my mother's grief i respected, and tried all i could to console her; that of my father was so evidently worldly, and so at variance with his clerical profession, that i must acknowledge i felt more of anger at it than sorrow. he had become morose and sullen, harsh to those around him, and not so kind to my mother as her state of mind and health made it his duty to be, even if inclination were wanted. he seldom passed any portion of the day with her, and in the evening she went to bed very early so that there was little communication between them. my sister was a great consolation to her, and so i hope was i; she often said so, as she embraced me, and the tears rolled down her cheeks, and i could not help surmising that those tears were doubled from the coolness and indifference, if not unkindness, with which my father behaved to her. as for my sister, she was an angel; and as i witnessed her considerate attentions to my mother, and the total forgetfulness of self which she displayed (so different from my father, who was all self), i often thought what a treasure she would prove to any man who was fortunate enough to win her love. such was the state of my family when i returned to it. i had been at home about a week, when one evening, after dinner, i submitted to my father the propriety of trying to obtain my promotion. "i can do nothing for you, peter; i have no interest whatever," replied he moodily. "i do not think that much is required, sir," replied i; "my time will be served on the th of next month. if i pass, which i trust i shall be able to do, my name having been mentioned in the public despatches will render it a point of no very great difficulty to obtain my commission at the request of my grandfather." "yes, your grandfather might succeed, i have no doubt: but i think you have little chance now in that quarter. my brother has a son, and we are thrown out. you are not aware, peter, how selfish people are, and how little they will exert themselves for their relations. your grandfather has never invited me, since the announcement of my brother's increase to his family. indeed, i have never been near him, for i know that it is of no use." "i must think otherwise of lord privilege, my dear father, until your opinion is confirmed by his own conduct. that i am not so much an object of interest i grant; but still he was very kind, and appeared to be partial to me." "well, well, you can try all you can; but you'll soon see of what stuff this world is made; i am sure i hope it will be so, for what is to become of you children if i die, i do not know;--i have saved little or nothing. and now all my prospects are blasted by this--" and my father dashed his fist upon the table in a manner by no means clerical, and with a look very unworthy of an apostle. i am sorry that i must thus speak of my father, but i must not disguise the truth. still, i must say, there was much in extenuation of his conduct. he had always a dislike to the profession of the church: his ambition, as a young man, had been to enter the army; for which service he was much better qualified; but, as it has been the custom for centuries to entail all the property of the aristocracy upon the eldest son, and leave the other brothers to be supported by the state, or rather by the people, who are taxed for their provision, my father was not permitted to follow the bent of his own inclination. an elder brother had already selected the army as his profession, and it was therefore decided that my father should enter the church: and thus it is that we have had, and still have, so many people in that profession, who are not only totally unfit for, but who actually disgrace their calling. the law of primogeniture is beset with evils and injustice; yet without it, the aristocracy of a country must sink into insignificance. it appears to me, that as long as the people of a country are content to support the younger sons of the nobility, it is well that the aristocracy should be held up as a third estate, and a link between the sovereign and the people; but that if the people are either too poor, or are unwilling to be so taxed, they have a right to refuse taxation for such purposes, and to demand that the law of primogeniture should be abolished. i remained at home until my time was complete, and then set off for plymouth to undergo my examination. the passing-day had been fixed by the admiral for the friday, and as i arrived on wednesday, i amused myself during the day, walking about the dock-yard, and trying all i could to obtain further information in my profession. on the thursday, a party of soldiers from the depot were embarking at the landing-place in men-of-war boats, and, as i understood, were about to proceed to india. i witnessed the embarkation, and waited till they shoved off, and then walked to the anchor wharf to ascertain the weights of the respective anchors of the different classes of vessels in the king's service. i had not been there long, when i was attracted by the squabbling created by a soldier, who, it appeared, had quitted the ranks to run up to the tap in the dock-yard to obtain liquor. he was very drunk, and was followed by a young woman with a child in her arms, who was endeavouring to pacify him. "now be quiet, patrick, jewel," said she, clinging to him, "sure it's enough that you've left the ranks, and will come to disgrace when you get on board. now, be quiet, patrick, and let us ask for a boat, and then perhaps the officer will think it was all a mistake, and let you off aisy: and sure i'll spake to mr o'rourke, and he's a kind man." "out wid you, you cratur, it is mr o'rourke you'd be having a conversation wid, and he be chucking you under that chin of yours. out wid you, mary, and lave me to find my way on board. is it a boat i want, when i can swim like st. patrick, wid my head under my arm, if it wasn't on my shoulders? at all events, i can wid my nappersack and musket to boot." the young woman cried, and tried to restrain him, but he broke from her, and running down to the wharf, dashed off into the water. the young woman ran to the edge of the wharf, perceived him sinking, and shrieking with despair, threw up her arms in her agony. the child fell, struck on the edge of the piles, turned over, and before i could catch hold of it, sank into the sea. "the child! the child!" burst forth in another wild scream, and the poor creature lay at my feet in violent fits. i looked over, the child had disappeared; but the soldier was still struggling with his head above water. he sank and rose again--a boat was pulling towards him, but he was quite exhausted. he threw back his arms as if in despair, and was about disappearing under the wave, when, no longer able to restrain myself, i leaped off the high wharf, and swam to his assistance, just in time to lay hold of him as he was sinking for the last time. i had not been in the water a quarter of a minute before the boat came up to us, and dragged us on board. the soldier was exhausted and speechless; i, of course, was only very wet. the boat rowed to the landing-place at my request, and we were both put on shore. the knapsack which was fixed on the soldiers back, and his regimentals, indicated that he belonged to the regiment just embarked; and i stated my opinion, that as soon as he was a little recovered, he had better be taken on board. as the boat which picked us up was one of the men-of-war boats, the officer who had been embarking the troops, and had been sent on shore again to know if there were any yet left behind, consented. in a few minutes the soldier recovered, and was able to sit up and speak, and i only waited to ascertain the state of the poor young woman whom i had left on the wharf. in a few minutes she was led to us by the warder, and the scene between her and her husband was most affecting. when she had become a little composed, she turned round to me, where i stood dripping wet, and intermingled with lamentation for the child, showering down emphatic blessings on my head, inquired my name. "give it to me!" she cried; "give it to me on paper, in writing, that i may wear it next my heart, read and kiss it every day of my life, and never forget to pray for you, and to bless you!" "i'll tell it you. my name--" "nay, write it down for me--write it down. sure you'll not refuse me. all the saints bless you, dear young man, for saving a poor woman from despair!" the officer commanding the boat handed me a pencil and a card; i wrote my name and gave it to the poor woman; she took my hand as i gave it her, kissed the card repeatedly, and put it into her bosom. the officer, impatient to shove off, ordered her husband into the boat--she followed, clinging to him, wet as he was--the boat shoved off, and i hastened up to the inn to dry my clothes. i could not help observing, at the time, how the fear of a greater evil will absorb all consideration for a minor. satisfied that her husband had not perished, she had hardly once appeared to remember that she had lost her child. i had only brought one suit of clothes with me: they were in very good condition when i arrived, but salt water plays the devil with a uniform. i lay in bed until they were dry; but when i put them on again, not being before too large for me, for i grew very fast, they were now shrunk and shrivelled up so as to be much too small. my wrists appeared below the sleeves of my coat--my trowsers had shrunk halfway up to my knees--the buttons were all tarnished, and altogether i certainly did not wear the appearance of a gentlemanly, smart midshipman. i would have ordered another suit, but the examination was to take place at ten o'clock the next morning, and there was no time. i was therefore obliged to appear as i was, on the quarter-deck of the line-of-battle ship, on board of which the passing was to take place. many others were there to undergo the same ordeal, all strangers to me, as i perceived by their nods and winks to each other, as they walked up and down in their smart clothes, not at all inclined to make my acquaintance. there were many before me on the list, and our hearts beat every time that a name was called, and the owner of it walked aft into the cabin. some returned with jocund faces, and our hopes mounted with the anticipation of similar good fortune; others came out melancholy and crest-fallen, and then the expression of their countenances was communicated to our own, and we quailed with fear and apprehension. i have no hesitation in asserting, that although "passing" may be a proof of being qualified, "not passing" is certainly no proof to the contrary. i have known many of the cleverest young men turned back (while others of inferior abilities have succeeded), merely from the feeling of awe occasioned by the peculiarity of the situation; and it is not to be wondered at, when it is considered that all the labour and exertion of six years are at stake at this appalling moment. at last my name was called, and, almost breathless from anxiety, i entered the cabin, where i found myself in presence of the three captains who was to decide whether i were fit to hold a commission in his majesty's service. my logs and certificates were examined and approved; my time calculated and allowed to be correct. the questions in navigation which were put to me were very few, for the best of all possible reasons, that most captains in his majesty's service knew little or nothing of navigation. during their servitude of midshipmen, they learn it by _rote_, without being aware of the principles upon which the calculations they use are founded. as lieutenants, their services as to navigation are seldom required, and they rapidly forget all about it. as captains, their whole remnant of mathematical knowledge consists in being able to set down the ship's position on the chart. as for navigating the ship, the master is answerable; and the captains not being responsible themselves, they trust entirely to his reckoning. of course there are exceptions, but what i state is the fact; and if an order from the admiralty were given, that all captains should pass again, although they might acquit themselves very well in seamanship, nineteen out of twenty would be turned back when they were questioned in navigation. it is from the knowledge of this fact that i think the service is injured by the present system, and the captain should be held _wholly_ responsible for the navigation of his ship. it has been long known that the officers of every other maritime state are more scientific than our own, which is easily explained, from the responsibility not being invested in our captains. the origin of masters in our service in singular. when england first became a maritime power, ships for the king's service were found by the cinque ports and other parties--the fighting part of the crew was composed of soldiers sent on board. all the vessels at that time had a crew of sailors, with a master to navigate the vessel. during our bloody naval engagements with the dutch, the same system was acted upon. i think it was the earl of sandwich, of whom it is stated, that his ship being in a sinking state, he took a boat to hoist his flag on board of another vessel in the fleet, but a shot cutting the boat in two, and the _weight of his armour_ bearing him down, the earl of sandwich perished. but to proceed. as soon as i had answered several questions satisfactorily, i was desired to stand up. the captain who had interrogated me on navigation, was very grave in his demeanour towards me, but at the same time not uncivil. during his examination, he was not interfered with by the other two, who only undertook the examination in "seamanship." the captain, who now desired me to stand up, spoke in a very harsh tone, and quite frightened me. i stood up pale and trembling, for i augured no good from this commencement. several questions in seamanship were put to me, which i have no doubt i answered in a very lame way, for i cannot even now recollect what i said. "i thought so," observed the captain; "i judged as much from your appearance. an officer who is so careless of his dress, as not even to put on a decent coat when he appears at his examination, generally turns out an idle fellow, and no seaman. one would think you had served all your time in a cutter, or a ten-gun brig, instead of dashing frigates. come, sir, i'll give you one more chance." i was so hurt at what the captain said, that i could not control my feelings. i replied with a quivering lip, that "i had had no time to order another uniform"--and i burst into tears. "indeed, burrows, you are rather too harsh," said the third captain; "the lad is frightened. let him sit down and compose himself for a little while. sit down, mr simple, and we will try you again directly." i sat down, checking my grief and trying to recall my scattered senses. the captains, in the meantime, turning over the logs to pass away the time; the one who had questioned me in navigation reading the plymouth newspaper, which had a few minutes before been brought on board and sent into the cabin. "heh! what's this? i say, burrows--keats, look here," and he pointed to a paragraph. "mr simple, may i ask whether it was you who saved the soldier who leaped off the wharf yesterday." "yes, sir," replied i, "and that's the reason why my uniforms are so shabby. i spoilt them then, and had no time to order others. i did not like to say why they were spoilt." i saw a change in the countenances of all the three, and it gave me courage. indeed, now that my feelings had found vent, i was no longer under any apprehension. "come, mr simple, stand up again," said the captain, kindly, "that is if you feel sufficiently composed: if not, we will wait a little longer. don't be afraid, we _wish_ to pass you." i was not afraid, and stood up immediately. i answered every question satisfactorily, and finding that i did so, they put more difficult ones. "very good, very good indeed, mr simple; now let me ask you one more; it's seldom done in the service, and perhaps you may not be able to answer it. do you know how to _club-haul_ a ship?" "yes, sir," replied i, having, as the reader may recollect, witnessed the manoeuvre when serving under poor captain savage, and i immediately stated how it was to be done. "that is sufficient, mr simple; i wish to ask you no more questions. i thought at first you were a careless officer and no seaman: i now find you are a good seaman and a gallant young man. do you wish to ask any more questions?" continued he, turning to the two others. they replied in the negative; my passing certificate was signed, and the captain did me the honour to shake hands with me, and wish me speedy promotion. thus ended happily this severe trial to my poor nerves; and, as i came out of the cabin, no one could have imagined that i had been in such distress within, when they beheld the joy that irradiated my countenance. chapter thirty nine. is a chapter of plots--catholic casuistry in a new cassock--plotting promotes promotion--a peasant's love, and a peer's peevishness-- prospects of prosperity. as soon as i arrived at the hotel, i sent for a plymouth paper, and cut out the paragraph which had been of such importance to me in my emergency, and the next morning returned home to receive the congratulations of my family. i found a letter from o'brien, which had arrived the day before. it was as follows:-- "my dear peter,--some people, they say, are lucky to `have a father born before them,' because they are helped on in the world--upon which principle, mine was born _after_ me, that's certain; however, that can't be helped. i found all my family well and hearty: but they all shook a cloth in the wind with respect to toggery. as for father mcgrath's cassock, he didn't complain of it without reason. it was the ghost of a garment; but, however, with the blessing of god, my last quarterly bill, and the help of a tailor, we have had a regular refit, and the ancient family of the o'briens of ballyhinch are now rigged from stem to stern. my two sisters are both to be spliced to young squireens in the neighbourhood; it appears that they only waited for a dacent town gown to go to the church in. they will be turned off next friday, and i only wish, peter, you were here to dance at the weddings. never mind, i'll dance for you and for myself too. in the meantime, i'll just tell you what father mcgrath and i have been doing, all about and consarning that thief of an uncle of yours. "it's very little or nothing at all that father mcgrath did before i came back, seeing as how father o'toole had a new cassock, and father mcgrath's was so shabby that he couldn't face him under such a disadvantage: but still father mcgrath spied about him, and had several hints from here and from there, all of which, when i came to add them up, amounted to nothing at all. "but since i came home, we have been busy. father mcgrath went down to ballycleuch, as bold as a lion, in his new clothing, swearing that he'd lead father o'toole by the nose for slamming the door in his face, and so he would have done, if he could have found him; but as he wasn't to be found, father mcgrath came back again just as wise, and quite as brave, as he went out. "so, peter, i just took a walk that way myself, and, as i surrounded the old house where your uncle had taken up his quarters, who should i meet but the little girl, ella flanagan, who was in his service; and i said to myself, `there's two ways of obtaining things in this world, one is for love, and the other is for money.' the o'briens are better off in the first article than in the last, as most of their countrymen are, so i've been spending it very freely in your service, peter. "`sure,' says i, `you are the little girl that my eyes were ever looking upon when last i was this way.' "`and who are you?' says she. "`lieutenant o'brien, of his majesty's service, just come home for a minute to look out for a wife,' says i; `and it's one about your make, and shape, and discretion, that would please my fancy.' "and then i praised her eyes, and her nose, and her forehead, and so downwards, until i came to the soles of her feet; and asked her leave to see her again, and when she would meet me in the wood and tell me her mind. at first, she thought (sure enough) that i couldn't be in earnest, but i swore by all the saints that she was the prettiest girl in the parts--and so she is altogether--and then she listened to my blarney. the devil a word did i say about your uncle or your aunt, or father mcgrath, that she might not suspect, for i've an idea that they're all in the story. i only talked about my love for her pretty self, and that blinded her, as it will all women, 'cute as they may be. "and now, peter, it's three weeks last sunday, that i've been bespeaking this poor girl for your sake, and my conscience tells me that it's not right to make a poor cratur fond of me, seeing as how that i don't care a fig for her in the way of a wife, and in any other way it would be the ruin of the poor thing. i have spoken to father mcgrath on the subject, who says `that we may do evil that good may come, and, that if she had been a party to the deceit, it's nothing but proper that she should be punished in this world, and that will, perhaps, save her in the next;' still i don't like it, peter, and it's only for you among the living that i'd do such a thing; for the poor creature now hangs upon me so fondly and talks about the wedding day; and tells me long stories about the connections which have taken place between the o'flanagans and the o'briens, times gone by, when they were all in their glory. yesterday as we sat in the wood, with her arm round my waist, `ella, dear,' says i `who are these people that you stay with?' and then she told me all she knew about their history, and how mary sullivan was a nurse to the baby. "`and what is the baby?' says i. "`a boy, sure,' says she. "`and sullivan's baby?' "`that's a girl.' "`and is mary sullivan there now?' "`no,' says she; `it's yestreen she left with her husband and baby, to join the regiment that's going out to ingy.' "`yesterday she left?' says i, starting up. "`yes,' replies she, `and what do you care about them?' "`it's very much i care,' replied i, `for a little bird has whispered a secret to me.' "`and what may that be?' says she. "`only that the childer were changed, and you know it as well as i do.' but she swore that she knew nothing about it, and that she was not there when either of the children were born, and i believe that she told the truth. `well,' says i, `who tended the lady?' "`my own mother,' says ella. `and if it were so, who can know but she?' "`then,' says i, `ella, jewel, i've made a vow that i'll never marry, till i find out the truth of this matter; so the sooner you get it out of your mother the better.' then she cried very much, and i was almost ready to cry too, to see how the poor thing was vexed at the idea of not being married. after a while she swabbed up her cheeks, and kissing me, wished me good-bye, swearing by all the saints that the truth should come out somehow or another. "it's this morning that i saw her again, as agreed upon yesterday, and red her eyes were with weeping, poor thing; and she clung to me and begged me to forgive her, and not to leave her; and then she told me that her mother was startled when she put the question to her, and chewed it, and cursed her when she insisted upon the truth; and how she had fallen on her knees, and begged her mother not to stand in the way of her happiness, as she would die if she did (i leave you to guess if my heart didn't smite me when she said that, peter, but the mischief was done), and how her mother had talked about her oath and father o'toole, and said that she would speak to him. "now, peter, i'm sure that the childer have been changed and that the nurse has been sent to the indies to be out of the way. they say they were to go to plymouth. the husband's name is, of course, o'sullivan; so i'd recommend you to take a coach and see what you can do in that quarter; in the meantime, i'll try all i can for the truth in this, and will write again as soon as i can find out any thing more. all i want to do is to get father mcgrath to go to the old devil of a mother, and i'll answer for it, he'll frighten her into swearing anything. god bless you, peter and give my love to all the family. "yours ever, "terence o'brien." this letter of o'brien was the subject of much meditation. the advice to go to plymouth was too late, the troops having sailed some time; and i had no doubt but that mary sullivan and her husband were among those who had embarked at the time that i was at the port to pass my examination. show the letter to my father i would not, as it would only have put him in a fever, and his interference would, in all probability, have done more harm than good. i therefore waited quietly for more intelligence, and resolved to apply to my grandfather to obtain my promotion. a few days afterwards i set off for eagle park, and arrived about eleven o'clock in the morning. i sent in my name and was admitted into the library, where i found lord privilege in his easy chair as usual. "well, child," said he, remaining on his chair, and not offering even one finger to me, "what do you want, that you come here without an invitation?" "only, my lord, to inquire after your health, and to thank you for your kindness to me in procuring me and mr o'brien the appointment to a fine frigate." "yes," replied his lordship, "i recollect--i think i did so, at your request, and i think i heard some one say that you have behaved well, and had been mentioned in the despatches." "yes, my lord," replied i, "and i have since passed my examination for lieutenant." "well, child, i'm glad to hear it. remember me to your father and family." and his lordship cast his eyes down upon his book which he had been reading. my father's observations appeared to be well grounded, but i would not leave the room until i had made some further attempt. "has your lordship heard from my uncle?" "yes," replied he, "i had a letter from him yesterday. the child is quite well. i expect them all here in a fortnight or three weeks, to live with me altogether. i am old--getting very old, and i shall have much to arrange with your uncle before i die." "if i might request a favour of your lordship, it would be to beg that you would interest yourself a little in obtaining my promotion. a letter from your lordship to the first lord--only a few lines--" "well, child, i see no objection--only i am very old, too old to write now." and his lordship again commenced reading. i must do lord privilege the justice to state that he evidently was fast verging to a state of second childhood. he was much bowed down since i had last seen him, and appeared infirm in body as well as mind. i waited at least a quarter of an hour before his lordship looked up. "what, not gone yet, child? i thought you had gone home." "your lordship was kind enough to say that you had no objection to write a few lines to the first lord in my behalf. i trust your lordship will not refuse me--" "well," replied he, peevishly, "so i did--but i am too old, too old to write--i cannot see--i can hardly hold a pen." "will your lordship allow me the honour of writing the letter for your lordship's signature?" "well, child,--yes--i've no objection. write as follows--no--write anything you please--and i'll sign it. i wish your uncle william was come." this was more than i did. i had a great mind to show him o'brien's letter, but i thought it would be cruel to raise doubts, and, harass the mind of a person so close to the brink of the grave. the truth would never be ascertained during his life, i thought; and why, therefore, should i give him pain? at all events, although i had the letter in my pocket, i resolved not to make use of it except as a _dernier_ resort. i went to another table, and sat down to write the letter. as his lordship had said that i might write what i pleased, it occurred to me that i might assist o'brien, and i felt sure that his lordship would not take the trouble to read the letter. i therefore wrote as follows, while lord privilege continued to read his book:-- "my lord,--you will confer a very great favour upon me, if you will hasten the commission which, i have no doubt, is in preparation for my grandson mr simple, who has passed his examination, and has been mentioned in the public despatches; and also that you will not lose sight of lieutenant o'brien, who has so distinguished himself by his gallantry in the various cutting-out expeditions in the west indies. trusting that your lordship will not fail to comply with my earnest request, i have the honour to be your lordship's very obedient humble servant." i brought this letter, with a pen full of ink, and the noise of my approach induced his lordship to look up. he stared at first, as having forgotten the whole circumstance--then said--"o yes! i recollect, so i did--give me the pen." with a trembling hand he signed his name, and gave me back the letter without reading it, as i expected. "there, child, don't tease me any more. good-bye; remember me to your father." i wished his lordship a good morning, and went away well satisfied with the result of my expedition. on my arrival i showed the letter to my father, who was much surprised at my success, and he assured me that my grandfather's interest was so great with the administration, that i might consider my promotion as certain. that no accident might happen, i immediately set off for london, and delivered the letter at the door of the first lord with my own hands, leaving my address with the porter. chapter forty. o'brien and myself take a step each, "pari passu"--a family reunion, productive of anything but unity--my uncle, not always the best friend. a few days afterwards i left my card with my address with the first lord, and the next day received a letter from his secretary, which, to my delight, informed me that my commission had been made out some days before. i hardly need say that i hastened to take it up, and when paying my fee to the clerk, i ventured, at a hazard, to inquire whether he knew the address of lieutenant o'brien. "no," replied he, "i wish to find it out, for he has this day been promoted to the rank of commander." i almost leaped with joy when i heard this good news; i gave o'brien's address to the clerk, hastened away with my invaluable piece of parchment in my hand, and set off immediately for my father's house. but i was met with sorrow. my mother had been taken severely ill, and i found the house in commotion--doctors, and apothecaries, and nurses, running to and fro, my father in a state of excitement, and my dear sister in tears. spasm succeeded spasm; and although every remedy was applied, the next evening she breathed her last. i will not attempt to describe the grief of my father, who appeared to feel remorse at his late unkind treatment of her, my sister, and myself. these scenes must be imagined by those who have suffered under similar bereavements. i exerted myself to console my poor sister, who appeared to cling to me as to her only support, and, after the funeral was over, we recovered our tranquillity, although the mourning was still deeper in our hearts than in our outward dress. i had written to o'brien to announce the mournful intelligence, and, like a true friend, he immediately made his appearance to console me. o'brien had received the letter from the admiralty, acquainting him with his promotion; and, two days after he arrived, went to take up his commission. i told him frankly by what means he had obtained it, and he again concluded his thanks by a reference to the mistake of the former supposition, that of my being "the fool of the family." "by the powers, it would be well for any man if he had a few of such foolish friends about him," continued he; "but i won't blarney you, peter; you know what my opinion always has been, so we'll say no more about it." when he came back, we had a long consultation as to the best method of proceeding to obtain employment, for o'brien was anxious to be again afloat, and so was i. i regretted parting with my sister, but my father was so morose and ill-tempered, that i had no pleasure at home, except in her company. indeed, my sister was of opinion, that it would be better if i were away, as my father's misanthropy, now unchecked by my mother, appeared to have increased, and he seemed to view me with positive dislike. it was, therefore, agreed unanimously between my sister, and me, and o'brien, who was always of our councils, that it would be advisable that i should be again afloat. "i can manage him much better when alone, peter; i shall have nothing to occupy me, and take me away from him, as your presence does now; and, painful as it is to part with you, my duty to my father, and my wish for your advancement, induce me to request that you will, if possible, find some means of obtaining employment." "spoken like a hero, as ye are, miss ellen, notwithstanding your pretty face and soft eyes," said o'brien. "and now, peter, for the means to bring it about. if i can get a ship, there is no fear for you, as i shall choose you for my lieutenant; but how is that to be managed? do you think that you can come over the old gentleman at eagle park?" "at all events i'll try," replied i; "i can but be floored, o'brien." accordingly, the next day i set off for my grandfather's, and was put down at the lodge, at the usual hour, about eleven o'clock. i walked up the avenue, and knocked at the door: when it was opened, i perceived a hesitation among the servants, and a constrained air which i did not like. i inquired after lord privilege--the answer was, that he was pretty well, but did not see _any_ body. "is my uncle here," said i. "yes, sir," replied the servant, with a significant look, "and all his family are here too." "are you sure that i cannot see my _grandfather_," said i, laying a stress upon the word. "i will tell him that you are here, sir," replied the man, "but even that is against orders." i had never seen my uncle since i was a child, and could not even recollect him--my cousins, or my aunt, i had never met with. in a minute, an answer was brought, requesting that i would walk into the library. when i was ushered in, i found myself in the presence of lord privilege, who sat in his usual place, and a tall gentleman, whom i knew at once to be my uncle, from his likeness to my father. "here is the young gentleman, my lord," said my uncle, looking at me sternly. "heh! what--oh! i recollect. well, child, so you've been behaving very ill--sorry to hear it. good-bye." "behaving ill, my lord!" replied i. "i am not aware of having so done." "reports are certainly very much against you, nephew," observed my uncle dryly. "some one has told your grandfather what has much displeased him. i know nothing about it myself." "then some rascal has slandered me, sir," replied i. my uncle started at the word rascal; and then recovering himself, replied, "well, nephew what is it that you require of lord privilege, for i presume this visit is not without a cause?" "sir," replied i, "my visit to lord privilege was, first to thank him for having procured me my commission as lieutenant, and to request the favour that he would obtain me active employment, which a line from him will effect immediately." "i was not aware, nephew, that you had been made lieutenant; but i agree with you, that the more you are at sea the better. his lordship shall sign the letter. sit down." "shall i write it, sir?" said i to my uncle: "i know what to say." "yes; and bring it to me when it is written." i felt convinced that the only reason which induced my uncle to obtain me employment, was the idea that i should be better out of the way, and that there was more risk at sea than on shore. i took a sheet of paper and wrote as follows:-- "my lord,--may i request that your lordship will be pleased to appoint the bearer of this to a ship, as soon as convenient, as i wish him to be actively employed. "i am, my lord, etcetera, etc." "why not mention your name?" "it is of no consequence," replied i, "as it will be delivered in person, and that will insure my speedy appointment." the letter was placed before his lordship for signature. it was with some difficulty that he was made to understand that he was to sign it. the old gentleman appeared much more imbecile than when i last saw him. i thanked him, folded up the letter, and put it in my pocket. at last, he looked at me, and a sudden flash of recollection appeared to come across his mind. "well, child--so you escaped from the french prison--heh! and how's your friend--what is his name, heh?" "o'brien, my lord." "o'brien!" cried my uncle, "he is _your_ friend; then, sir, i presume it is you am indebted for all the inquiries and reports which are so industriously circulated in ireland--the tampering with my servants--and other impertinences?" i did not choose to deny the truth, although i was a little fluttered by the sudden manner in which it came to light. i replied, "i never tamper with any people's servants, sir." "no," said he, "but you employ others so to do. i discovered the whole of your proceedings, after the scoundrel left for england." "if you apply the word scoundrel to captain o'brien, sir, in his name i contradict it." "as you please, sir," replied my uncle, in a passion; "but you will oblige me by quitting this house immediately, and expect nothing more, either from the present or the future lord privilege, except that retaliation which your infamous conduct has deserved." i felt much irritated, and replied very sharply, "from the present lord privilege i certainly expect nothing more, neither do i from his successor;--but after your death, uncle, i expect that the person who succeeds to the title will do all he can for your humble servant. i wish you a good morning, uncle." my uncle's eyes flashed fire as i finished my speech, which indeed was a very bold, and a very foolish one too, as it afterwards proved. i hastened out of the room, not only from the fear of being turned out of the house before all the servants, but also from the dread that my letter to the first lord might be taken from me by force; but i never shall forget the scowl of vengeance which crossed my uncle's brows as i turned round and looked at him as i shut the door. i found my way out without the assistance of the servants, and hastened home as fast as i could. "o'brien," said i, on my return, "there is no time to be lost; the sooner you hasten to town with this letter of introduction, the better it will be, for depend upon it my uncle will do me all the harm that he can." i then repeated to him all that had passed, and it was agreed, that o'brien should take the letter, which having reference to the bearer, would do as well for him as for me; and, if o'brien obtained on appointment, i was sure not only of being one of his lieutenants, but also of sailing with a dear friend. the next morning, o'brien set off for london, and fortunately saw the first lord the day after his arrival, which was a _levee_ day. the first lord received the letter from o'brien, and requested him to sit down. he then read it, inquired after his lordship, asked whether his health was good, etc. o'brien replied that, "with the blessing of god, his lordship might live many years: that he had never heard him complain of ill health." all which was not false, if not true. i could not help observing to o'brien, when he returned home and told me what had passed, that "i thought, considering what he had expressed with respect to white lies and black lies, that he had not latterly adhered to his own creed." "that's very true, peter; and i've thought of it myself, but it is my creed nevertheless. we all know what's right, but we don't always follow it. the fact is, i begin to think that it is absolutely necessary to fight the world with it own weapons. i spoke to father mcgrath on the subject, and he replied, `that if any one, by doing wrong, necessitated another to do wrong to circumvent him, that the first party was answerable, not only for his own sin, but also for the sin committed in self-defence.'" "but o'brien, i do not fix my faith so implicitly upon father mcgrath; and i do not much admire many of his directions." "no more do i, peter, when i think upon them; but how am i to puzzle my head upon these points? all i know is, that when you are divided between your inclination and your duty, it's mighty convenient to have a priest like father mcgrath to decide for you, and to look after your soul into the bargain." it occurred to me, that i myself, when finding fault with o'brien, had, in the instance of both the letters from lord privilege, been also guilty of deceit. i was therefore blaming him for the same fault committed by myself; and i am afraid that i was too ready in consoling myself with father mcgrath's maxim, "that one might do evil, that good might come." but to return to o'brien's interview. after some little conversation, the first lord said, "captain o'brien, i am always very ready to oblige lord privilege, and the more so as his recommendation is of an officer of your merit. in a day or two, if you will call at the admiralty, you will hear further." o'brien wrote to us immediately, and we waited with impatience for his next letter; but instead of this letter, he made his appearance on the third day, and first hugging me in his arms, he then came to my sister, embraced her, and skipped and danced about the room. "what is the matter, o'brien?" said i, while ellen retreated in confusion. o'brien pulled a parchment out of his pocket. "here, peter, my dear peter; now for honour and glory. an eighteen-gun brig, peter. the _rattlesnake_--captain o'brien--west india station. by the holy father! my heart's bursting with joy," and down he sank into an easy chair "a'n't i almost beside myself?" inquired he, after a short pause. "ellen thinks so, i daresay," replied i, looking at my sister, who stood in a corner of the room, thinking o'brien was really out of his senses, and still red with confusion. o'brien, who then called to mind what a slip of decorum he had been guilty of, immediately rose, and resuming his usual unsophisticated politeness, as he walked up to my sister, took her hand and said, "excuse me, my dear miss ellen: i must apologise for my rudeness; but my delight was so great and my gratitude to your brother so intense, that i am afraid that in my warmth, i allowed the expressions of my feelings to extend to one so dear to him, and so like him in person and in mind. will you only consider that you received the overflowings of a grateful heart towards your brother, and for his sake pardon my indiscretion?" ellen smiled, and held out her hand to o'brien, who led her to the sofa, where we all three sat down: and o'brien commenced a more intelligible narrative of what had passed. he had called on the day appointed, and sent up his card. the first lord could not see him, but referred him to the private secretary, who presented him with his commission to the _rattlesnake_, eighteen-gun brig. the secretary smiled most graciously, and told o'brien in confidence, that he would proceed to the west india station as soon as his vessel was manned and ready for sea. he inquired of o'brien whom he wished as his first lieutenant. o'brien replied that he wished for me; but as, in all probability, i should not be of sufficient standing to be first lieutenant, that the admiralty might appoint any other to the duty, provided i joined the ship. the secretary made a minute of o'brien's wish, and requested him, if he had a vacancy to spare as midshipman, to allow him to send one on board; to which o'brien willingly acceded, shook hands with him, and o'brien quitted the admiralty to hasten down to us with the pleasing intelligence. "and now," said o'brien, "i have made up my mind how to proceed. i shall first run down to plymouth and hoist my pennant; then i shall ask for a fortnight's leave, and go to ireland to see how they get on, and what father mcgrath may be about. so, peter, let's pass this evening as happily as we can: for though you and i shall soon meet again, yet it may be years, or perhaps never, that we three shall sit down on the same sofa as we do now." ellen, who was still nervous from the late death of my mother, looked down, and i perceived the tears start in her eyes at the remark of o'brien, that perhaps we should never meet again. and i did pass a happy evening: my father dined out, and did not interrupt us. i had a dear sister on one side of me, and a sincere friend on the other. how few situations more enviable. o'brien left us early the next morning, and, at breakfast time, a letter was handed to my father. it was from my uncle, coldly communicating to him that lord privilege had died the night before very suddenly, and informing him that the burial would take place on that day week, and that the will would be opened immediately after the funeral. my father handed the letter over to me without saying a word, and sipped his tea with his tea-spoon. i cannot say that i felt very much on the occasion; but i did feel, because he had been kind to me at one time: as for my father's feelings, i could not--or rather i should say, i did not wish to analyse them. as soon as he had finished his cup of tea, he left the breakfast-table, and went into his study. i then communicated the intelligence to my sister ellen. "my god!" said she, after a pause, putting her hand up to her eyes, "what a strange, unnatural state of society must we have arrived at when my father can thus receive the intelligence of a parent's death. is it not dreadful?" "it is, my dearest girl," replied i; "but every feeling has been sacrificed to worldly considerations and an empty name. the younger sons have been neglected, if not deserted. virtue, talent, everything set at naught--intrinsic value despised--and the only claim to consideration admitted, that of being the heir entail. when all the ties of nature are cast loose by the parents, can you be surprised if the children are no longer bound by them? most truly do you observe, that it is a detestable state of society." "i did not say detestable, brother; i said strange and unnatural." "had you said what i said, ellen, you would not have been wrong. i would not, for the title and wealth which it brings, be the heartless, isolated, i may say neglected, being that my grandfather was: were it offered now, i would not barter for it ellen's love." ellen threw herself in my arms; we then walked into the garden, where we had a long conversation relative to our future wishes, hopes and, prospects. chapter forty one. pompous obsequies--the reading of the will, not exactly after wilkie--i am left a legacy--what becomes of it--my father, very warm, writes a sermon to cool himself--i join o'brien's brig, and fall in with swinburne. on that day week i accompanied my father to eagle park, to assist at the burial of lord privilege. we were ushered into the room where the body had lain in state for three days. the black hangings, the lofty plumes, the rich ornaments on the coffin, and the number of wax candles, with which the room was lighted, produced a solemn and grand effect. i could not help, as i leaned against the balustrade before the coffin, and thought of its contents, calling to mind when my poor grandfather's feelings seemed, as it were, inclined to thaw in my favour, when he called me "his child," and, in all probability, had not my uncle had a son, would have died in my arms, fond and attached to me for my own sake, independently of worldly considerations. i felt that had i known him longer, i could have loved him, and that he would have loved me; and i thought to myself how little all these empty honours, after his decease, could compensate for the loss of those reciprocal feelings, which would have so added to his happiness during his existence. but he had lived for pomp and vanity; and pomp and vanity attended him to his grave. i thought of my sister ellen, and of o'brien, and walked away with the conviction that peter simple might have been an object of envy to the late right honourable lord viscount privilege, baron corston, lord lieutenant of the county, and one of his majesty's most honourable privy councillors. when the funeral, which was very tedious and very splendid, was over, we all returned in the carriages to eagle park, when my uncle, who had of course assumed the title, and who had attended as chief mourner, was in waiting to receive us. we were shown into the library, and in the chair so lately and constantly occupied by my grandfather, sat the new lord. near to him were the lawyers, with parchments lying before them. as we severally entered, he waved his hand to unoccupied chairs, intimating to us to sit down; but no words were exchanged, except an occasional whisper between him and the lawyers. when all the branches of the family were present, down to the fourth and fifth cousins, the lawyer on the right of my uncle put on his spectacles, and unrolling the parchment, commenced reading the will. i paid attention to it at first; but the legal technicalities puzzled me, and i was soon thinking of other matters, until, after half-an-hour's reading, i was startled at the sound of my own name. it was a bequest by codicil to me, of the sum of ten thousand pounds. my father, who sat by me, gave me a slight push, to attract my attention; and i perceived that his face was not quite so mournful as before. i was rejoicing at this unexpected intelligence. i called to mind what my father had said to me when we were returning from eagle park, that "my grandfather's attentions to me were as good as ten thousand pounds in his will," and was reflecting how strange it was that he had hit upon the exact sum. i also thought of what my father had said of his own affairs, and his not having saved anything for his children, and congratulated myself that i should now be able to support my dear sister ellen, in case of any accident happening to my father, when i was roused by another mention of my name. it was a codicil dated about a week back, in which my grandfather, not pleased at my conduct, revoked the former codicil, and left me nothing. i knew where the blow came from, and i looked my uncle in the face; a gleam of malignant pleasure was in his eyes, which had been fixed on me, waiting to receive my glance. i returned it with a smile expressive of scorn and contempt, and then looked at my father, who appeared to be in a state of misery. his head had fallen upon his breast, and his hands were clasped. although i was shocked at the blow, for i knew how much the money was required, i felt too proud to show it; indeed, i felt that i would not for worlds have exchanged situations with my uncle, much less feelings; for when those who remain meet to ascertain the disposition made, by one who is summoned away to the tribunal of his maker, of those worldly and perishable things which he must leave behind him, feelings of rancour and ill-will might, for the time, be permitted to subside, and the memory of a "departed brother" be productive of charity and good-will. after a little reflection, i felt that i could forgive my uncle. not so my father: the codicil which deprived me of my inheritance, was the last of the will, and the lawyer rolled up the parchment and took off his spectacles. everybody rose; my father seized his hat, and telling me in a harsh voice to follow him, tore off the crape weepers, and then threw them on the floor as he walked away. i also took off mine, and laid them on the table, and followed him. my father called his carriage, waiting in the hall till it was driven up, and jumped into it. i followed him; he drew up the blind, and desired them to drive home. "not a sixpence! by the god of heaven, not a sixpence! my name not even mentioned, except for a paltry mourning ring! and yours--pray, sir, what have you been about, after having such a sum left you, to forfeit your grandfather's good opinion? heh! sir--tell me directly!" continued he, turning round to me in a rage. "nothing, my dear father, that i am aware of. my uncle is evidently my enemy." "and why should he be particularly your enemy? peter, there must be some reason for his having induced your grandfather to alter his bequest in your favour. i insist upon it, sir, that you tell me immediately." "my dear father, when you are more calm, i will talk this matter over with you. i hope i shall not be considered wanting in respect, when i say, that, as a clergyman of the church of england--" "damn the church of england, and those who put me into it!" replied my father, maddened with rage. i was shocked and held my tongue. my father appeared also to be confused at his hasty expressions. he sank back in his carriage, and preserved a gloomy silence until we arrived at our own door. as soon as we entered, my father hastened to his own room, and i went up to my sister ellen, who was in her bed-room. i revealed to her all that had passed, and advised with her on the propriety of my communicating to my father the reasons which had occasioned my uncle's extreme aversion towards me. after much argument, she agreed with me, that the disclosure had now become necessary. after the dinner-cloth had been removed, my sister left the room, and went upstairs, and i then communicated to my father the circumstances which had come to our knowledge relative to my uncle's establishment in ireland. he heard me very attentively, took out tablets, and made notes. "well, peter," said he, after a few minutes' silence, when i had finished, "i see clearly through this whole business. i have no doubt but that a child has been substituted to defraud you and me of our just inheritance of the title and estates; but i will now set to work and try if i cannot find out the secret; and, with the help of captain o'brien and father mcgrath, i think it is not at all impossible." "o'brien will do all that he can, sir," replied i; "and i expect soon to hear from him. he must have now been a week in ireland." "i shall go there myself," replied my father: "and there are no means that i will not resort to, to discover this infamous plot. no," exclaimed he, striking his fist on the table, so as to shiver two of the wine-glasses into fragments--"no means but i will resort to." "that is," replied i, my dear father, "no means which may be legitimately employed by one of your profession." "i tell you, no means that can be used by _man_ to recover his defrauded rights. tell me not of legitimate means, when i am to lose a title and property by a spurious and illegitimate substitution! by the god of heaven, i will meet them with fraud for fraud, with false swearing for false swearing, and with blood for blood, if it should be necessary! my brother has dissolved all ties, and i will have my right, even if i demand it with a pistol at his ear." "for heaven's sake, my dear father, do not be so violent--recollect your profession." "i do," replied he bitterly; "and how i was forced into it, against my will. i recollect my father's words, the solemn coolness with which he told me, `i had my choice of the church, or--to starve.'--but i have my sermon to prepare for to-morrow, and i can sit here no longer. tell ellen to send me in some tea." i did not think my father was in a very fit state of mind to write a sermon, but i held my tongue. my sister joined me, and we saw no more of him till breakfast the next day. before we met, i received a letter from o'brien. "my dear peter,--i ran down to plymouth, hoisted my pennant, drew my jollies from the dock-yard, and set my first lieutenant to work getting in the ballast and water-tanks. i then set off for ireland, and was very well received as captain o'brien by my family, who were all flourishing. now that my two sisters are so well married off, my father and mother are very comfortable, but very lonely; for i believe i told you long before that it had pleased heaven to take all the rest of my brothers and sisters, except the two now married, and one who bore up for a nunnery, dedicating her service to god, after she was scarred with the small-pox, and no man would look at her. ever since the family have been grown up, my father and mother have been lamenting and sorrowing that none of them would go off; and now that they're all gone off one way or another, they cry all day because they are left all alone, with no one to keep company with them, except father mcgrath and the pigs. we never are to be contented in this world, that's sartin; and now that they are comfortable in every respect, they find that they are very uncomfortable, and having obtained all their wishes, they wish everything back again; but as old maddocks used to say, `a good growl is better than a bad dinner' with some people; and the greatest pleasure that they now have is to grumble; and if that makes them happy, they must be happy all day long--for the devil a bit do they leave off from morning till night. "the first thing that i did was to send for father mcgrath, who had been more away from home than usual--i presume, not finding things quite so comfortable as they used to be. he told me that he had met with father o'toole, and had a bit of a dialogue with him, which had ended in a bit of a row, and that he had cudgelled father o'toole well, and tore his gown off his back, and then tore it into shivers,-- that father o'toole had referred the case to the bishop, and that was how the matter stood just then. `but,' says he, `the spalpeen has left this part of the country, and, what is more, has taken ella and her mother with him; and, what is still worse, no one could find out where they were gone; but it was believed that they had all been sent over the water.' so you see, peter, that this is a bad job in one point, which is, that we have no chance of getting the truth out of the old woman; for now that we have war with france, who is to follow them? on the other hand, it is good news; for it prevents me from decoying that poor young girl, and making her believe what will never come to pass; and i am not a little glad on that score, for father mcgrath was told by those who were about her, that she did nothing but weep and moan for two days before she went away, scolded as she was by her mother, and threatened by that blackguard o'toole. it appears to me, that all our hopes now are in finding out the soldier, and his wife the wet-nurse, who were sent to india--no doubt with the hope that the climate and the fevers may carry them off. that uncle of yours is a great blackguard, every bit of him. i shall leave here in three days, and you must join me at plymouth. make my compliments to your father, and my regards to your sister, whom may all the saints preserve! god bless her, for ever and ever. amen. "yours ever, "terence o'brien." i put this letter into my father's bands when he came out of his room. "this is a deep-laid plot," said he, "and i think we must immediately do as o'brien states--look after the nurse who was sent to india. do you know the regiment to which her husband belongs?" "yes, sir," replied i; "it is the rd, and she sailed for india about three months back." "the name, you say, i think, is o'sullivan," said he, pulling out his tablets. "well, i will write immediately to captain fielding, and beg him to make the minutest inquiries. i will also write to your sister lucy, for women are much keener than men in affairs of this sort. if the regiment is ordered to ceylon, all the better: if not, he must obtain furlough to prosecute his inquiries. when that is done, i will go myself to ireland, and try if we cannot trace the other parties." my father then left the room, and i retired with ellen to make preparations for joining my ship at plymouth. a letter announcing my appointment had come down, and i had written to request my commission to be forwarded to the clerk of the cheque at plymouth, that i might save a useless journey to london. on the following day i parted with my father and my dear sister, and, without any adventure, arrived at plymouth dock, where i met with o'brien. the same day i reported myself to the admiral, and joined my brig, which was lying alongside the hulk with her topmasts pointed through. returning from the brig, as i was walking up fore-street, i observed a fine stout sailor, whose back was turned to me, reading the handbill which had been posted up everywhere, announcing that the _rattlesnake_, captain o'brien (about to proceed to the west india station, where _doubloons_ were so plentiful, that dollars were only used for ballast), was in want of a _few_ stout hands. it might have been said, of a great many; for we had not entered six men, and were doing all the work with the marines and riggers of the dockyard; but it is not the custom to show your poverty in this world either with regard to men or money. i stopped, and overheard him say, "ay, as for the doubloons, that cock won't fight. i've served long enough in the west indies not to be humbugged; but i wonder whether captain o'brien was the second lieutenant of the _sanglier_. if so, i shouldn't mind trying a cruise with him." i thought that i recollected the voice, and touching him on the shoulder, he turned round, and it proved to be swinburne. "what, swinburne!" said i, shaking him by the hand, for i was delighted to see him, "is it you?" "why, mr simple! well, then, i expect that i'm right, and that mr o'brien is made, and commands this craft. when you meet the pilot-fish, the shark ain't far off, you know." "you're very right, swinburne," said i, "in all except calling captain o'brien a shark. he's no shark." "no, that he ain't except in one way; that is, that i expect he'll soon show his teeth to the frenchmen. but i beg your pardon, sir;" and swinburne took off his hat. "oh! i understand: you did not perceive before that i had shipped the swab. yes, i'm lieutenant of the _rattlesnake_, swinburne, and hope you'll join us." "there's my hand upon it, mr simple," said he, smacking his great fist into mine so as to make it tingle. "i'm content if i know that the captain's a good officer; but when there's two, i think myself lucky. i'll just take a boat, and put my name on the books, and then i'll be on shore again to spend the rest of my money, and try if i can't pick up a few hands as volunteers, for i know where they all be stowed away, i was looking at the craft this morning, and rather took a fancy to her. she has a damned pretty run; but i hope captain o'brien will take off her fiddle-head, and get one carved: i never knew a vessel do much with a _fiddle_-head." "i rather think that captain o'brien has already applied to the commissioner on the subject," replied i; "at all events, it won't be very difficult to make the alteration ourselves." "to be sure not," replied swinburne; "a coil of four-inch will make the body of the snake; i can carve out the head; and as for a _rattle_ be blessed if i don't rob one of those beggars of watchmen this very night! so good-bye, mr simple, till we meet again." swinburne kept his word; he joined the ship that afternoon, and the next day came off with six good hands, who had been induced from his representations to join the brig. "tell captain o'brien," said he to me, "not to be in too great a hurry to man his ship. i know where there are plenty to be had; but i'll try fair means first." this he did, and every day almost he brought off a man, and all he did bring off were good able seamen. others volunteered, and we were now more than half manned, and ready for sea. the admiral then gave us permission to send pressgangs on shore. "mr simple," said swinburne, "i've tried all i can to persuade a lot of fine chaps to enter, but they won't. now i'm resolved that my brig shall be well manned; and if they don't know what's good for them, i do, and i'm sure that they'll thank me for it afterwards; so i'm determined to take every mother's son of them." the same night, we mustered all swinburne's men, and went on shore to a crimp's house which they knew, surrounded it with our marines in blue jackets, and took out of it twenty-three fine able seamen, which nearly filled up our complement. the remainder we obtained by a draft from the admiral's ship; and i do not believe that there was a vessel that left plymouth harbour and anchored in the sound, better manned than the _rattlesnake_. so much for a good character, which is never lost upon seamen. o'brien was universally liked by those who had sailed with him; and swinburne, who knew him well, persuaded many, and forced the others, to enter with him, whether they liked it or not. this they in the event did, and, with the exception of those drafted from the flag-ship, we had no desertions. indeed, none deserted whom we could have wished to retain, and their vacancies were soon filled up with better men. chapter forty two. we sail for the west indies--a volunteer for the ship refused and sent on shore again, for reasons which the chapter will satisfactorily explain to the reader. we were very glad when the master attendant came on board to take us into the sound; and still more glad to perceive that the brig, which had just been launched before o'brien was appointed to her, appeared to sail very fast as she ran out. so it proved after we went to sea; she sailed wonderfully well, beating every vessel that she met, and overhauling in a very short time everything that we chased; turning to windward like magic, and tacking in a moment. three days after we anchored in the sound, the ship's company were paid, and our sailing orders came down to proceed with despatches, by next evening's post, to the island of jamaica. we started with a fair wind, and were soon clear of the channel. our whole time was now occupied in training our new ship's company at the guns and teaching them to _pull together_; and by the time that we had run down the trades, we were in a very fair state of discipline. the first lieutenant was rather an odd character; his brother was a sporting man of large property, and he had contracted, from his example, a great partiality for such pursuits. he knew the winning horses of the derby and the oaks for twenty years back, was an adept at all athletic exercises, a capital shot, and had his pointer on board. in other respects he was a great dandy in his person, always wore gloves, even on service, very gentlemanlike and handsome, and not a very bad sailor; that is, he knew enough to carry on his duty very creditably, and evidently, now that he was the first lieutenant, and obliged to work, learnt more of his duty every day. i never met a more pleasant messmate or a more honourable young man. a brig is only allowed two lieutenants. the master was a rough, kind-hearted, intelligent young man, always in good-humour. the surgeon and purser completed our mess; they were men of no character at all, except, perhaps, that the surgeon was too much of a courtier, and the purser too much of a skin-flint; but pursers are, generally speaking, more sinned against than sinning. but i have been led away, while talking of the brig and the officers, and had almost forgotten to narrate a circumstance which occurred two days before we sailed. i was with o'brien in the cabin, when mr osbaldistone the first lieutenant, came in, and reported that a boy had come on board to volunteer for the ship. "what sort of a lad is he?" said o'brien. "a very nice lad--very slight, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "we have two vacancies." "well, see what you make of him: and if you think he will do, you may put him on the books." "i have tried him, sir. he says that he has been a short time at sea. i made him mount the main-rigging, but he did not much like it." "well, do as you please, osbaldistone," replied o'brien. and the first lieutenant quitted the cabin. in about a quarter of an hour he returned. "if you please, sir," said he, laughing, "i sent the boy down to the surgeon to be examined, and he refused to strip. the surgeon says that he thinks she is a woman i have had her up on the quarter-deck, and she refused to answer any questions, and requires to speak with you." "with me!" said o'brien, with surprise. "oh! one of the men's wives, i suppose, trying to steal a march upon us. well, send her down here, osbaldistone, and i'll prove to her the moral impossibility of her sailing in his majesty's brig _rattlesnake_." in a few minutes, the first lieutenant sent her down to the cabin door, and i was about to retire as she entered; but o'brien stopped me. "stay, peter; my reputation will be at stake if i'm left all alone," said he, laughing. the sentry opened the door, and, whether boy or girl, a more interesting face i never beheld; but the hair was cut close like a boy's, and i could not tell whether the surgeon's suspicions were correct. "you wish to speak--holy saint patrick!" cried o'brien, looking earnestly at her features; and o'brien covered his face, and bent over the table, exclaiming, "my god, my god!" in the meantime, the colour of the young person fled from her countenance, and then rushed into it again, alternately leaving it pale and suffused with blushes. i perceived a trembling over the frame, the knees shook and knocked together, and had i not hastened, she--for a female it was--would have fallen on the deck. i perceived that she had fainted; i therefore laid her down on the deck, and hastened to obtain some water. o'brien ran up, and went to her. "my poor, poor girl!" said he sorrowfully. "oh! peter, this is all your fault." "all my fault! how could she have come here?" "by all the saints who pray for us--dearly as i prize them, i would give up my ship and my commission, that this could be undone." as o'brien hung over her, the tears from his eyes fell upon her face, while i bathed it with the water i had brought from the dressing-room. i knew who it must be, although i had never seen her. it was the girl to whom o'brien had professed love, to worm out the secret of the exchange of my uncle's child; and as i beheld the scene, i could not help saying to myself, "who now will assert that evil may be done that good may come?" the poor girl showed symptoms of recovering, and o'brien waved his hand to me, saying, "leave us, peter, and see that no one comes in." i remained nearly an hour at the cabin-door, by the sentry, and prevented many from entering, when o'brien opened the door, and requested me to order his gig to be manned, and then to come in. the poor girl had evidently been weeping bitterly, and o'brien was much affected. "all is arranged, peter; you must go on shore with her, and not leave her till you see her safe off by the night coach. do me that favour, peter--you ought indeed," continued he, in a low voice, "for you have been partly the occasion of this." i shook o'brien's hand, and made no answer--the boat was reported ready, and the girl followed me with a firm step. i pulled on shore, saw her safe in the coach, without asking her any question, and then returned on board. "come on board, sir," said i, entering the cabin with my hat in my hand, and reporting myself according to the regulations of the service. "thank you," replied o'brien: "shut the door, peter. tell me, how did she behave?--what did she say?" "she never spoke, and i never asked her a question. she seemed to be willing to do as you had arranged." "sit down, peter. i never felt more unhappy, or more disgusted with myself in all my life. i feel as if i never could be happy again. a sailor's life mixes him up with the worst part of the female sex, and we do not know the real value of the better. i little thought when i was talking nonsense to that poor girl, that i was breaking one of the kindest hearts in the world, and sacrificing the happiness of one who would lay down her existence for me, peter. since you have been gone, it's twenty times that i've looked in the glass just to see whether i don't look like a villain. but by the blood of st. patrick! i thought woman's love was just like our own, and that a three months' cruise would set all to rights again." "i thought she had gone over to france." "so did i; but now she has told me all about it. father o'toole and her mother brought her down to the coast near here, to embark in a smuggling boat for dieppe. when the boat pulled in-shore in the night to take them in, the mother and the rascally priest got in, but she felt as if it were leaving the whole world to leave the country i was in, and she held back. the officers came down, one or two pistols were fired, the boat shoved off without her, and she, with their luggage, was left on the beach. she went back to the next town with the officers, where she told the truth of the story, and they let her go. in father o'toole's luggage she found letters, which she read, and found out that she and her mother were to have been placed in a convent at dieppe; and, as the convent was named in the letters--which she says are important, but i have not had courage to read them yet--she went to the people from whose house they had embarked, requesting them to forward the luggage and a letter to her mother--sending everything but the letters, which she reserved for me. she has since received a letter from her mother, telling her that she is safe and well in the convent, and begging her to come over to her as soon as possible. the mother took the vows a week after she arrived there, so we know where to find her, peter." "and where is the poor girl going to stay now, o'brien?" "that's all the worst part of it. it appears that she hoped not to be found out till after we had sailed, and then to have--as she said, poor thing!--to have laid at my feet and watched over me in the storms; but i pointed out to her that it was not permitted, and could not be, and that i would not be allowed to marry her. oh, peter! this is a very sad business," continued o'brien, passing his hand across his eyes. "well, but, o'brien, what is to become of the poor girl?" "she is going home to be with my father and mother, hoping one day that i shall come back and marry her. i have written to father mcgrath to see what he can do." "have you then not undeceived her?" "father mcgrath must do that, i could not. it would have been the death of her. it would have stabbed her to the heart, and it's not for me to give that blow. i'd sooner have died--sooner have married her, than have done it, peter. perhaps when i'm far away she'll bear it better. father mcgrath will manage it." "o'brien, i don't like that father mcgrath." "well, peter, you maybe right; i don't exactly like all he says myself; but what is a man to do?--either he is a catholic, and believes as a catholic, or he is not one. will i abandon my religion, now that it is persecuted? never, peter; i hope not, without i find a much better, at all events. still, i do not like to feel that this advice of my confessor is at variance with my own conscience. father mcgrath is a wordly man; but that only proves that he is wrong, not that our religion is--and i don't mind speaking to you on this subject. no one knows that i'm a catholic except yourself: and at the admiralty they never asked me to take that oath which i never would have taken, although father mcgrath says i may take any oath i please with what he calls heretics, and he will grant me absolution. peter, my dear fellow, say no more about it." i did not; but i may as well end the history of poor ella flanagan at once, as she will not appear again. about three months afterwards, we received a letter from father mcgrath, stating that the girl had arrived safe, and had been a great comfort to o'brien's father and mother, who wished her to remain with them altogether; that father mcgrath had told her that when a man took his commission as captain it was all the same as going into a monastery as a monk, for he never could marry. the poor girl believed him, and thinking that o'brien was lost to her for ever, with the advice of father mcgrath, had entered as a nun in one of the religious houses in ireland, that, as she said, she might pray for him night and day. many years afterwards, we heard of her--she was well, and not unhappy but o'brien never forgot his behaviour to this poor girl. it was a source of continual regret; and i believe, until the last day of his existence, his heart smote him for his inconsiderate conduct towards her. but i must leave this distressing topic, and return to the _rattlesnake_, which had now arrived at the west indies, and joined the admiral at jamaica. chapter forty three. description of the coast of martinique--popped at for peeping--no heroism in making oneself a target--board a miniature noah's ark, under yankee colours--capture a french slaver--parrot soup in lieu of mock turtle. we found orders at barbadoes to cruise off martinique, to prevent supplies being furnished to the garrison of the island, and we proceeded there immediately. i do not know anything more picturesque than running down the east side of this beautiful island--the ridges of hill spreading down to the water's edge, covered with the freshest verdure, divided at the base by small bays, with the beach of dazzling white sand, and where the little coasting vessels, employed to bring the sugar from the neighbouring estates, were riding at an anchor. each hill, at its ajutment towards the sea, was crowned with a fort, on which waves the tri-colour--certainly, in appearance, one of the most warlike flags in the world. on the third morning, we had rounded the diamond rock, and were scudding along the lee-side of the island, just opening fort royal bay, when, hauling rather too close round its eastern entrance, formed by a promontory called solomon's point, which was covered with brushwood, we found ourselves nearer than agreeable to a newly-constructed battery. a column of smoke was poured along the blue water, and it was followed by the whizzing of a shot, which passed through our boom mainsail, first cutting away the dog-vane, which was close to old swinburne's head, as he stood on the carronade, conning the brig. i was at dinner in the cabin with o'brien and the first lieutenant. "where the devil have they got the brig now?" said o'brien, rising from his chair, and going on deck. we both followed; but before we were on deck, three or four more shots passed between the masts. "if you please, sir," said the master's mate in charge of the deck, whose name was o'farrel, "the battery has opened upon us." "thank you very much for your information, mr o'farrel," replied o'brien; "but the french have _reported_ it before you. may i ask if you've any particular fancy to be made a target of, or if you think that his majesty's brig _rattlesnake_ was sent here to be riddled for nothing at all? starboard the helm, quarter-master." the helm was put up, and the brig was soon run out of the fire; not, however, until a few more shot were pitched close to us; and one carried away the fore-topmast backstay. "no, mr o'farrel," replied o'brien, "i only wish to point out to you, that i trust neither i nor any one in this ship cares a fig about the whizzing of a shot or two about our ears, when there is anything to be gained for it, either for ourselves or for our country; but i do care a great deal about losing even the leg, or the arm, much more the life of any of my men, when there's no occasion for it; so in future, recollect it's no disgrace to keep out of the way of a battery, when all the advantage is on their side i've always observed that chance shots pick out the best men. lower down the mainsail and send the sailmaker aft to repair it." when o'brien returned to the cabin, i remained on deck, for it was my afternoon watch; and although o'farrel had permission to look out for me, i did not choose to go down again. the bay of fort royal was now opened, and the view was extremely beautiful. swinburne was still on the carronade, and as i knew he had been there before, i applied to him for information as to the _locale_. he told me the names of the batteries above the town, pointed out fort edward, and negro point, and particularly pigeon island, the battery at the top of which wore the appearance of a mural crown. "it's well i remember that place, mr simple," said he. "it was in ' when i was last here. the sodgers had 'sieged it for a whole month, and were about to give it up, 'cause they couldn't get a gun up on that 'ere hill you sees there. so poor captain faulkner says, `there's many a clear head under a tarpaulin hat, and i'll give any chap five doubloons that will hitch up a twenty-four pounder to the top of that hill.' not quite so easy a matter, as you may perceive from here, mr simple." "it certainly appears to me to have been almost impossible, swinburne," replied i. "and so it did to most of us, mr simple; but there was one dick smith, mate of a transport, who had come on shore, and he steps out, saying, `i've been looking at your men handling that gun, and my opinion is, that if you gets a butt, crams in a carronade, well woulded up, and fill it with old junk and rope yarns, you might parbuckle it up to the very top.' so captain faulkner pulls out five doubloons, and gives them to him, saying, `you deserve the money for the hint, even if it don't succeed.' but it did succeed, mr simple; and the next day, to their surprise, we opened fire on the french beggars, and soon brought their boasting down. one of the french officers, after he was taken prisoner, axed me how we had managed to get the gun up there but i wasn't going to blow the gaff, so i told him as a great secret, that we got it up with a kite; upon which he opened all his eyes, and crying `_sacre bleu_!' walked away, believing all i said was true; but a'n't that a sail we have opened with the point, mr simple?" it was so, and i reported it to o'brien, who came up, and gave chase. in half-an-hour we were alongside of her, when she hoisted american colours, and proved to be a brigantine laden up to her gunwale, which was not above a foot out of the water. her cargo consisted of what the americans called _notions_; that is, in english, an assorted cargo. halfway up her masts, down to the deck, were hung up baskets containing apples, potatoes, onions, and nuts of various kinds. her deck was crowded with cattle, sheep, pigs, and donkeys. below was full of shingle lumber, and a variety of different articles too numerous to mention. i boarded her, and asked the master whither he was bound. "why," replied he, "i'm bound for a market--nowise particular; and i guess you won't stop me." "not if all's right," replied i; "but i must look at your log." "well, i've a notion there's no great objection to that," replied he; and he brought it up on deck. i had no great time to examine it, but i could not help being amused at the little i did read, such as--"horse latitudes--water very short-- killed white-faced bullock--caught a dolphin, and ate him for dinner-- broached molasses cask, number , letter a. fine night--saw little round things floating on the water--took up a bucket full--guessed they were pearls--judge i guessed wrong, only little portuguese men-of-war-- threw them overboard again--heard a scream, guessed it was a mermaid-- looked out, saw nothing. witnessed a very strange rippling a-head-- calculated it might be the sea-serpent--stood on to see him plain, and nearly ran on barbuda. hauled off again--met a britisher--treated _politely_." having overhauled his log, i then begged to overhaul his men, to ascertain if there were any englishmen among his crew. this was not pleasing, and he grumbled very much; but they were ordered aft. one man i was satisfied was an englishman, and told him so; but the man, as well as the master, persisted to the contrary. nevertheless i resolved to take him on board for o'brien to decide, and ordered him into the boat. "well, if you will use force, i can't help it: my decks a'n't clear, as you see, or else--i tell you what, mr lieutenant, your vessel there will be another hermione, i've a notion, if you presses true-blooded yankees; and what's more, the states will take it up, as sure as there's snakes in virginny." notwithstanding this remonstrance, i took them on board to o'brien, who had a long conversation with the american in the cabin. when they returned on deck, he was allowed to depart with his man, and we again made sail. i had the first watch that night, and as we ran along the coast, i perceived a vessel under the high land, in what the sailors called the _doldrums_; this is, almost becalmed, or her sails flapping about in every direction with the eddying winds. we steered for her, and were very soon in the same situation, not more than a quarter of a mile from her. the quarter-boat was lowered down, and i proceeded to board her; but as she was large and rakish, o'brien desired me to be careful, and if there were the least show of resistance to return. as i pulled up to her bows, they hailed me in french, and desired me to keep off, or they would fire. this was quite sufficient; and, in obedience to my orders, i returned to the brig and reported to o'brien. we lowered down all the quarter-boats, and towed round the brig's broadside to her, and then gave her half-a-dozen carronades of round and grape. hearing great noise and confusion on board, after we had ceased firing, o'brien again sent me to know if they had surrendered. they replied in the affirmative; and i boarded her. she proved to be the _commerce de bordeaux_, with three hundred and thirty slaves on board, out of five hundred embarked from the coast, bound to martinique. the crew were very sickly, and were most of them in their hammocks. latterly, they had been killing parrots to make soup for them; a few that were left, of the grey species, spoke remarkably well. when they left the coast, they had nearly one thousand parrots on board. o'brien perceiving that i had taken possession, sent another boat to know what the vessel was. i desired the surgeon to be sent on board, as some of the men, and many of the poor slaves, were wounded by our shot. of all the miserable objects, i know of none to be compared to the poor devils of slaves on board of a slave-vessel; the state of suffocation between decks--the dreadful stench arising from their filth, which is hardly ever cleared away--the sick lying without help, and looked upon by those who are stronger with the utmost indifference--men, women and children, all huddled and crowded together in a state of nudity, worn to skin and bone from stench, starvation, and living in an atmosphere that none but a negro could exist in. if all that occurs on a slave-ship were really known, i think it would be acknowledged that to make the slave-trade piracy would be nothing more than a just retribution; and this is certain, that unless it be made piracy, it never will be discontinued. by daylight the vessel was ready, and o'brien determined to take her to dominica, so that the poor devils might be immediately set on shore. we anchored with her, in a few days, in prince rupert's bay, where we only had twenty-four hours, to obtain some refreshments and arrange about our prize, which i hardly need say was of some value. during the short time that i was on shore, purchasing some fowls and vegetables for o'brien and our own mess, i was amused at witnessing a black sergeant drilling some of his regiment of free negroes and mulattoes. he appeared resolved to make the best appearance that he could, for he began by saying, "you hab shoe and 'tocking, stand in front--you hab shoe no 'tocking, stand in centre--you hab no shoe no 'tocking, stand in um rear. face to mountain--back to sea-beach. why you no 'tep out, sar?--you hangman!" i was curious to count the numbers qualified for the front rank; there were only two mulattoes. in the second rank there were also only two. no shoe and no 'tocking appeared to be the fashion. as usual, we were surrounded by the negroes; and although we had been there but a few hours, they had a song composed for us, which they constantly repeated: "don't you see the _rattlesnake_ coming under sail? don't you see the _rattlesnake_ with prizes at um tail?-- _rattlesnake_ hab all the money, ding ding-- she shall hab all that's funny, ding, ding!" chapter forty four. money can purchase anything in the new country--american information not always to be depended upon--a night attack; we are beaten off--it proves a "cut up," instead of a "cut out"--after all, we save something out of the fire. the next morning we weighed anchor, and returned to our station off martinique. we had run within three miles of st. pierre's, when we discovered a vessel coming out under jury-masts. she steered directly for us, and we made her out to be the american brigantine which we had boarded some time before. o'brien sent a boat to bring the master of her on board. "well, captain," said he, "so you met with a squall?" "i calculate not," replied he. "why, then, what the devil have you been about?" "why, i guess i sold all my cargo, and, what's more, i've sold my masts." "sold your masts! whom did you sell them to?" "to an almighty pretty french privateer lying in st. pierre's, which had lost her spars when she was chased by one of your brass-bottomed sarpents; and i've a notion they paid pretty handsomely too." "but how do you mean to get home again?" "i calculate to get into the _stream_, and then i'll do very well. if i meet a nor-wester, why then i'll make a signal of distress, and some one will tow me in, i guess." "well," replied o'brien, "but step down into the cabin, and take something, captain." "with particular pleasure," replied this strange mortal; and down they went. in about half-an-hour, they returned on deck, and the boat took the american on board. soon afterwards, o'brien desired osbaldistone and myself to step down into the cabin. the chart of the harbour of st. pierre's lay on the table, and o'brien said, "i have had a long conversation with the american, and he states that the privateer is at anchor in this spot" (pointing to a pencil-mark on the chart). "if so, she is well out; and i see no difficulty in capturing her. you see that she lies in four fathoms water, and so close under the outer battery, that the guns could not be pointed down upon the boats. i have also inquired if they keep a good look-out, and the american says that they feel so secure, that they keep no look-out at all; that the captain and officers belonging to her are on shore all night, drinking, smoking, and boasting of what they will do. now the question is, whether this report be correct. the american has been well-treated by us, and i see no reason to doubt him; indeed he gave the information voluntarily, as if he wished to serve us." i allowed osbaldistone to speak first; he coincided with o'brien, i did not: the very circumstance of her requiring new masts made me doubt the truth of his assertion, as to where she lay; and if one part of his story were false, why not the whole? o'brien appeared struck with my argument, and it was agreed that if the boats did go away, it should be for a reconnaissance, and that the attempt should only be made, provided it was found that the privateer lay in the same spot pointed out by the american master. it was, however, decided that the reconnaissance should take place that very night, as allowing the privateer to be anchored on the spot supposed, there was every probability that she would not remain there, but haul further in, to take in her new masts. the news that an expedition was at hand was soon circulated through the ship, and all the men had taken their cutlasses from the capstan to get them ready for action. the fighting boats' crews, without orders, were busy with their boats, some cutting up old blankets to muffle the oars, others making new grummets. the ship's company were as busy as bees, bustling and buzzing about the decks, and reminding you of the agitation which takes place in a hive previous to a swarm. at last osbaldistone came on deck, and ordered the boats' crews to be piped away, and prepare for service. i was to have the command of the expedition in the launch--i had charge of the first cutter--o'farrel of the second, and swinburne had the charge of the jolly-boat. at dusk, the head of the brig was again turned towards st. pierre's, and we ran slowly in. at ten we hove-to, and about eleven the boats were ordered to haul up, o'brien repeating his orders to mr osbaldistone, not to make the attempt if the privateer were found to be anchored close to the town. the men were all mustered on the quarter-deck, to ascertain if they had the distinguishing mark on their jackets, that is, square patches of canvas sewed on the left arm, so that we might recognise friend from foe--a very necessary precaution in a night expedition; and then they were manned, and ordered to shove off. the oars were dropped in the water, throwing out a phosphorescent light, so common in that climate, and away we went. after an hour's pulling, osbaldistone lay on his oars in the launch, and we closed with him. "we are now at the mouth of the harbour," said he, "and the most perfect silence must be observed." "at the mouth of the harbour, sir!" said swinburne; "i reckon we are more than half-way in; we passed the point at least ten minutes ago, and this is the second battery we are now abreast of." to this osbaldistone did not agree, nor indeed did i think that swinburne was right; but he persisted in it, and pointed out to us the lights in the town, which were now all open to us, and which would not be the case if we were only at the mouth of the harbour. still we were of a different opinion, and swinburne, out of respect to his officers, said no more. we resumed our oars, pulling with the greatest caution; the night was intensely dark, and we could distinguish nothing. after pulling ten minutes more, we appeared to be close to the lights in the town; still we could see no privateer or any other vessel. again we lay upon our oars, and held a consultation. swinburne declared that if the privateer lay where we supposed, we had passed her long ago; but while we were debating, o'farrel cried out, "i see her;" and he was right--she was not more than a cable's length from us. without waiting for orders, o'farrel desired his men to give way, and dashed alongside of the privateer. before he was half-way on board of her, lights flew about in every direction, and a dozen muskets were discharged. we had nothing to do but to follow him, and in a few seconds we were all alongside of her; but she was well prepared and on the alert. boarding nettings were triced up all round, every gun had been depressed as much as possible, and she appeared to be full of men. a scene of confusion and slaughter now occurred, which i trust never again to witness. all our attempts to get on board were unavailing; if we tried at a port, a dozen pikes thrust us back; if we attempted the boarding nettings, we were thrown down, killed or wounded, into the boats. from every port, and from the decks of the privateer, the discharge of musketry was incessant. pistols were protruded and fired in our faces, while occasionally her carronades went off, stunning us with their deafening noise, and rocking the boats in the disturbed water, if they had no other effect. for ten minutes our exertions never ceased; at last, with half our numbers lying killed and wounded in the bottom of the boats, the men, worn out and dispirited at their unavailing attempts, sat down most of them on the boats' thwarts, loading their muskets, and discharging them into the ports. osbaldistone was among the wounded; and perceiving that he was not in the launch, of whose crew not six remained, i called to swinburne, who was alongside of me, and desired him to tell the other boats to make the best of their way out of the harbour. this was soon communicated to the survivors, who would have continued the unequal contest to the last man, if i had not given the order. the launch and second cutter shoved off--o'farrel also having fallen; and, as soon as they were clear of the privateer, and had got their oars to pass, i proceeded to do the same, amidst the shots and yells of the frenchmen, who now jumped on their gunwale and pelted us with their musketry, cheering and mocking us. "stop, sir," cried swinburne, "we'll have a bit of revenge;" so saying, he hauled-to the launch, and wending her bow to the privateer, directed her carronade--which they had no idea that we had on board, as we had not fired it--to where the frenchmen were crowded the thickest. "stop one moment, swinburne; put another dose of cannister in." we did so, and then discharged the gun, which had the most murderous effect, bringing the major part of them down upon the deck. i feel convinced, from the cries and groans which followed, that if we had had a few more men, we might have returned and captured the privateer; but it was too late. the batteries were all lighted up, and although they could not see the boats, fired in the direction where they supposed us to be; for they were aware, from the shouting on board the vessel, that we had been beaten off. the launch had but six hands capable of taking an oar; the first cutter had but four. in my own boat i had five. swinburne had two besides himself in the jolly-boat. "this is a sorry business, sir," said swinburne; "now what's best to he done? my idea is, that we had better put all the wounded men into the launch, man the two cutters and jolly-boat, and tow her off. and, mr simple, instead of keeping on this side, as they will expect in the batteries, let us keep close inshore, upon the near side, and their shot will pass over us." this advice was too good not to be followed. it was now two o'clock, and we had a long pull before us, and no time to lose. we lifted the dead bodies and the wounded men out of the two cutters and jolly-boat into the launch. i had no time for examination, but i perceived that o'farrel was quite dead, and also a youngster of the name of pepper, who must have smuggled himself into the boats. i did, however, look for osbaldistone, and found him in the stern sheets of the launch. he had received a deep wound in the breast, apparently with a pike. he was sensible, and asked me for a little water, which i procured from the breaker, which was in the launch, and gave it to him. at the word water, and hearing it poured out from the breaker, many of the wounded men faintly called out for some. having no time to spare, i left two men in the launch, one to steer, and the other to give them water, and then taking her in tow, pulled directly in for the batteries, as advised by swinburne, who now sat alongside of me. as soon as we were well in-shore, i pulled out of the harbour, with feelings not by any means enviable. swinburne said to me in a low voice, "this will be a hard blow for the captain, mr simple. i've always been told, that a young captain losing his men without bringing any dollars to his admiral, is not very well received." "i am more sorry for him than i can well express, swinburne," replied i; "but--what is that a-head--a vessel under weigh?" swinburne stood up in the stern of the cutter, and looked for a few seconds. "yes, a large ship standing in under royals--she must be a frenchman. now's our time, sir; so long as we don't go out empty-handed, all will be well. oars all of you. shall we cast off the launch, sir?" "yes," replied i, "and now, my lads, let us only have that vessel, and we shall do. she is a merchantman, that's clear (not that i was sure of it), swinburne, i think it will be better to let her pass us in-shore; they will all be looking out of the other side, for they must have seen the firing." "well thought of, sir," replied swinburne. we lay on our oars, and let her pass us, which she did, creeping in at the rate of two miles an hour. we then pulled for her quarter in the three boats, leaving the launch behind us, and boarded. as we premised, the crew were on deck, and all on the other side of the vessel, so anxiously looking at the batteries, which were still firing occasional random shot, that they did not perceive us until we were close to them, and then they had no time to seize their arms. there were several ladies on board: some of the people protected them, others ran below. in two minutes we had possession of her, and had put her head the other way. to our surprise we found that she mounted fourteen guns. one hatch we left open for the ladies, some of whom had fainted, to be taken down below; the others were fastened down by swinburne. as soon as we had the deck to ourselves, we manned one of the cutters, and sent it for the launch; and as soon as she was made fast alongside, we had time to look about us. the breeze freshened, and, in half-an-hour we were out of gun-shot of all the batteries. i then had the wounded men taken out of the launch, and swinburne and the other men bound up their wounds, and made them as comfortable as they could. chapter forty five. some remarkable occurrences take place in the letter of marque--old friends with improved faces--the captor a captive; but not carried away, though the captive is, by the ship's boat--the whole chapter a mixture of love, war, and merchandise. we had had possession of the vessel about an hour, when the man who was sentry over the hatchway told me that one of the prisoners wished to speak with the english commanding officer, and asked leave to come on deck. i gave permission, and a gentleman came up, stating that he was a passenger; that the ship was a letter of marque, from bordeaux; that there were seven lady passengers on board, who had come out to join their husbands and families; and that he trusted i would have no objection to put them on shore, as women could hardly be considered as objects of warfare. as i knew that o'brien would have done so, and that he would be glad to get rid of both women and prisoners if he could, i replied, "most certainly;" that i would heave-to, that they might not have so far to pull on shore, and that i would permit the ladies and other passengers to go on shore. i begged that they would be as quick as possible in getting their packages ready, and that i would give them two of the boats belonging to the ship, with a sufficient number of french seamen belonging to her to man the boats. the frenchman was very grateful, thanked me in the name of the ladies, and went down below to impart the intelligence. i then hove-to, lowered down the boats from the quarters, and waited for them to come up. it was daylight before they were ready, but that i did not care about; i saw the brig in the offing about seven miles off, and i was well clear of the batteries. at last they made their appearance, one by one coming up the ladder, escorted by french gentlemen. they had to wait while the packages and bundles were put into the boats. the first sight which struck them with horror was the many dead and wounded englishmen lying on the decks. expressing their commiseration, i told them we had attempted to take the privateer and had been repulsed, and that it was coming out of the harbour that i had fallen in with their ship and captured it. all the ladies had severally thanked me for my kindness in giving them their liberty, except one, whose eyes were fixed upon the wounded men, when the french gentleman went up to her, and reminded her that she had not expressed her thanks to the commanding officer. she turned round to me--i started back. i certainly had seen that face before--i could not be mistaken; yet she had now grown up into a beautiful young woman. "celeste," said i, trembling. "are you not celeste?" "yes," replied she, looking earnestly at me, as if she would discover who i was, but which it was not very easy to do, begrimed as my face was with dust and gunpowder. "have you forgotten peter simple?" "o! no--no--never forgot you!" cried celeste, bursting into tears, and holding out her hands. this scene occasioned no small astonishment to the parties on deck, who could not comprehend it. she smiled through her tears, as i told her how happy i was to have the means of being of service to her. "and where is the colonel?" said i. "there," replied she, pointing to the island; "he is now general, and commands the force in the garrison. and where is mr o'brien?" interrogated celeste. "there," replied i; "he commands that man-of-war, of which i am the second lieutenant." a rapid exchange of inquiries took place, and the boats were stopped while we were in conversation. swinburne reported that the brig was standing in for us, and i felt that in justice to the wounded i could no longer delay. still i found time to press her hand, to thank her for the purse she had given me when i was on the stilts, and to tell her that i had never forgotten her, and never would. with many remembrances to her father, i was handing her into the boat, when she said, "i don't know whether i am right to ask it, but you could do me such a favour." "what is it, celeste?" "you have allowed more than one-half of the men to pull us on shore; some must remain, and they are so miserable--indeed it is hardly yet decided which of them are to go. could you let them all go?" "that i will, for your sake, celeste. as soon as your two boats have shoved off, i will lower down the boat astern, and send the rest after you; but i must make sail now--god bless you!" the boats then shoved off, the passengers waving their handkerchiefs to us, and i made sail for the brig. as soon as the stern-boat was alongside, the rest of the crew were called up and put into her, and followed their companions. i felt that o'brien would not be angry with me for letting them all go; and especially when i told him who begged for them. the vessel's name was the _victorine_, mounting fourteen guns, and twenty-four men, with eleven passengers. she was chiefly laden with silks and wine, and was a very valuable prize. celeste had time to tell me that her father had been four years in martinique, and had left her at home for her education; and that she was then coming out to join him. the other ladies were all wives or daughters of officers of the french garrison on the island, and the gentlemen passengers were some of them french officers; but as this was told me in secrecy, of course i was not bound to know it, as they were not in uniform. as soon as we had closed with the brig, i hastened on board to o'brien, and as soon as a fresh supply of hands to man the boat, and the surgeon and his assistant had been despatched on board of the prize, to superintend the removal of the wounded, i went down with him into the cabin, and narrated what had occurred. "well," said o'brien, "all's well that ends well; but this is not the luckiest hit in the world. your taking the ship has saved me, peter; and i must make as flourishing a despatch as i can. by the powers but it's very lucky that she has fourteen guns--it sounds grand. i must muddle it all up together, so that the admiral must think we intended to cut them both out--and so we did, sure enough, if we had known she had been there. but i am most anxious to hear the surgeon's report, and whether poor osbaldistone will do well. peter, oblige me by going on board, and put two marines sentry over the hatchway, so that no one goes down and pulls the traps about; for i'll send on shore everything belonging to the passengers, for colonel o'brien's sake." the surgeon's report was made--six killed and sixteen wounded. the killed were, o'farrel and pepper, midshipmen, two seamen, and two marines. the first lieutenant, osbaldistone, was severely wounded in three places, but likely to do well; five other men were dangerously wounded; the other ten would, in all probability, return to their duty in less than a month. as soon as the wounded were on board, o'brien returned with me to the prize, and we went down into the cabin. all the passengers' effects were collected; the trunks which had been left open were nailed down: and o'brien wrote a handsome letter to general o'brien, containing a list of the packages sent on shore. we sent the launch with a flag of truce to the nearest battery; after some demur it was accepted, and the effects landed. we did not wait for an answer, but made all sail to join the admiral at barbadoes. the next morning we buried those who had fallen. o'farrel was a fine young man, brave as a lion, but very hot in his temper. he would have made a good officer had he been spared. poor little pepper was also much regretted. he was but twelve years old. he had bribed the bowman of the second cutter to allow him to conceal himself under the foresheets of the boat. his day's allowance of spirits had purchased him this object of his ambition, which ended so fatally. but as soon as the bodies had disappeared under the wave, and the service was over, we all felt happier. there is something very unpleasant, particularly to sailors, in having a corpse on board. we now sailed merrily along, the prize keeping company with us; and, before we reached barbadoes, most of the men were convalescent. osbaldistone's wounds were, however, very severe; and he was recommended to return home, which he did, and obtained his promotion as soon as he arrived. he was a pleasant messmate, and i was sorry to lose him: although--the lieutenant appointed in his room being junior to me--i was promoted to be first lieutenant of the brig. soon after osbaldistone went home, his brother broke his neck when hunting, and osbaldistone came into the property. he then quitted the service. we found the admiral at barbadoes, who received o'brien and his despatch very well. o'brien had taken two good prizes, and that was sufficient to cover a multitude of sins, even if he had committed any; but the despatch was admirably written, and the admiral, in his letter to the admiralty, commented upon captain o'brien's successful and daring attack; whereas, if the truth had been known, it was swinburne's advice of pulling up the weather shore, which was the occasion of our capturing the _victorine_; but it was very hard to come at the real truth of these sort of things, as i found out during the time that i was in his majesty's service. chapter forty six. o'brien tells his crew that one englishman is as good as three frenchmen on salt water--they prove it--we fall in with an old acquaintance, although she could not be considered as a friend. our next cruise was on the coast of guinea and gulf of mexico where we were running up and down for three months, without falling in with anything but west indiamen bound to demerara, berbice, and surinam, and occasionally chasing a privateer; but in the light winds they were too fast for us. still we were useful in protecting the trade, and o'brien had a letter of thanks from the merchants, and a handsome piece of plate upon his quitting the station. we had made sail for barbadoes two days, and were within sight of the island of trinidad, when we perceived six sail on the lee-bow. we soon made them out to be three large ships and three schooners; and immediately guessed, which afterwards proved to be correct, that they were three privateers, with west india ships which they had captured. we made all sail, and at first the three privateers did the same; but afterwards, having made out our force, and not liking to abandon their prizes, they resolved to fight. the west indiamen hauled to the wind on the other tack, and the three privateers shortened sail and awaited our coming. we beat to quarters, and when everything was ready, and we were within a mile of the enemy, who had now thrown out the tricoloured flag, o'brien ordered all the men aft on the quarter-deck, and addressed them: "now, my men, you see that there are three privateers, and you also see that there are three indiamen, which they have captured. as for the privateers, it's just a fair match for you--one englishman can always beat three frenchmen. we must lick the privateers for honour and glory, and we must re-capture the ships for profit, because you'll all want some money when you get on shore again. so you've just half-a-dozen things to do, and then we'll pipe to dinner." this harangue suited the sailors very well, and they returned to their guns. "now, peter," said o'brien, "just call away the sail-trimmers from the guns, for i mean to fight these fellows under sail, and out-manoeuvre them, if i can. tell mr webster i want to speak with him." mr webster was the second lieutenant, a very steady, quiet, young man, and a good officer. "mr webster," said o'brien, "remember that all the foremost guns must be very much depressed. i prefer that the shot should strike the water before it reaches them, rather than it should go over them. see that your screws are run up at once, and i will take care that no broadside is thrown away. starboard, swinburne." "starboard it is, sir." "steady; so--that's right for the stern of the leeward vessel." we were within two cable lengths of the privateers, who still remained hove-to within half a cable's length of each other. they were very large schooners, full of men, with their boarding netting triced up, and showing a very good set of teeth; as it afterwards proved, one mounted sixteen, and the other two fourteen, guns. "now, my lads, over to the lee guns, and fire as they bear, when we round-to. hands by the lee head-braces, and jib-sheet, stretch along the weather braces. quarter-master abaft, tend the boom-sheet. port hard, swinburne." "port it is, sir," replied swinburne; and the brig rounded up on the wind, shooting up under the sterns of the two weathermost schooners, and discharging the broadside into them as the guns bore. "be smart and load, my lads, and stand by the same guns. round in the weather head-braces. peter, i don't want her to go about. stand by to haul over the boom-sheet, when she pays off. swinburne, helm a-midships." by this time another broadside was poured into the schooner, who had not yet returned our fire, which, having foolishly remained hove to the wind, they could not do. the brig had now stern way, and o'brien then executed a very skilful manoeuvre: he shifted the helm, and made a stern board, so as to back in between the two weather schooners and the one to leeward, bracing round at the same time on the other tack. "man both sides, my lads, and give them our broadsides as we pass." the men stationed to the starboard guns flew over, and the other side being again loaded, we exchanged broadsides with the leeward and one of the windward schooners, the brig continuing her stern way until we passed a-head of them. by the time that we had reloaded, the brig had gathered headway, and again passed between the same two schooners, giving broadsides, and then passing astern of them. "capital, my lads--capital!" said o'brien; "this is what i call good fighting." and so it was; for o'brien had given two raking broadsides, and four others, receiving only two in return, for the schooners were not ready for us when we passed between them the last time. the smoke had now rolled away to leeward, and we were able to see the effect of our broadsides. the middle schooner had lost her main-boom, and appeared very much cut up in the hull. the schooner to leeward did not appear to have suffered much; but they now perceived their error, and made sail. they had expected that we should have run in between them, and fought broadside to broadside, by which means the weathermost schooner would have taken a raking position, while the others engaged us to windward and to leeward. our own damages were trifling--two men slightly wounded, and one main shroud cut away. we ran about half-a-mile astern from them; then with both broadsides ready, we tacked, and found that, as we expected, we could weather the whole of them. this we did; o'brien running the brig within biscuit-throw of the weather schooner, engaging him broadside to broadside, with the advantage that the other two could not fire a shot into us without standing a chance of striking their consort. if he made more sail, so did we; if he shortened, so did we, so as to keep our position with little variation. the schooner fought well; but her metal was not to be compared with our thirty-two pound carronades, which ploughed up her sides at so short a distance, driving two ports into one. at last her foremast went by the board, and she dropped astern. in the meantime the other schooners had both tacked, and were coming up under our stern to rake us, but the accident which happened to the one we had engaged left us at liberty. we knew that she could not escape, so we tacked and engaged the other two, nearing them as fast as we could. the breeze now sprang up fast, and o'brien put up the helm and passed between them, giving them both a raking broadside of grape and cannister, which brought the sticks about their ears. this sickened them; the smallest schooner which had been the leewardest at the commencement of the action, made all sail on a wind. we clapped on the royals to follow her, when we perceived that the other schooner, which had been in the middle, and whose main-boom we had shot away, had put her helm up, and was crowding all sail before the wind. o'brien then said, "must not try for too much, or we shall lose all. put her about, peter,--we must be content with the one that is left us." we went about and ranged up to the schooner which had lost her foremast; but she, finding that her consort had deserted her, hauled down her colours just as we were about to pour in our broadside. our men gave three cheers; and it was pleasant to see them all shaking hands with each other, congratulating and laughing at the successful result of our action. "now, my lads, be smart;--we've done enough for honour, now for profit. peter, take the two cutters full of men, and go on board of the schooner, while i get hold of the three west indiamen. rig something jury forward, and follow me." in a minute the cutters were down and full of men. i took possession of the schooner, while the brig again tacked, and crowding all sail stood after the captured vessels. the schooner, which was the largest of the three, was called the _jean d'arc_, mounting sixteen guns, and had fifty-three men on board, the remainder being away in the prizes. the captain was wounded very badly, and one officer killed. out of her ship's company, she had but eight killed and five wounded. they informed me that they had sailed three months ago from st. pierre's, martinique, and had fallen in with the two other privateers, and cruised in company, having taken nine west indiamen since they had come out. "pray," said i, to the officer who gave the information, "were you ever attacked by boats when you laid at st. pierre's?" he replied, "yes; and that they had beaten them off." "did you purchase these masts of an american?" he replied in the affirmative; so that we had captured the very vessel, in attempting to cut out which we had lost so many men. we were all very glad of this, and swinburne said, "well, hang me, if i didn't think that i had seen that port-hole before; there it was that i wrenched a pike out of one of the rascal's hands, who tried to stab me, and into that port-hole i fired at least a dozen muskets. well, i'm damned glad we've got hold of the beggar at last." we secured the prisoners below, and commenced putting the schooner in order. in half-an-hour, we had completed our knotting and splicing, and having two of the carpenters with us, in an hour we had got up a small jury-mast forward, sufficient for the present. we lowered the mainsail, put try-sails on her, and stood after the brig, which was now close to the prizes: but they separated, and it was not till dark that she had possession of two. the third was then hull down on the other tack, with the brig in chase. we followed the brig, as did the two recaptured vessels, and even with our jury up, we found that we could sail as fast as they. the next morning we saw the brig hove-to and about three miles a-head, with the three vessels in her possession. we closed, and i went on board. webster was put in charge of the privateer; and, after lying-to for that day to send our prize-masters and men on board to remove the prisoners, we got up a proper jury-mast, and all made sail together for barbadoes. on my return on board, i found that we had but one man and one boy killed and six wounded, which i was not aware of. i forgot to say that the names of the other two privateers were _l'etoille_ and _la madeleine_. in a fortnight we arrived with all our prizes safe in carlisle bay, where we found the admiral, who had anchored but two days before. i hardly need say that o'brien was well received, and gained a great deal of credit for the action. i found several letters from my sister, the contents of which gave me much pain. my father had been some months in ireland, and had returned without gaining any information. my sister said that he was very unhappy, paid no attention to his clerical duties, and would sit for days without speaking. that he was very much altered in his appearance, and had grown thin and care-worn. "in short," said she, "my dear peter, i am afraid that he is fretting himself to death. of course i am very lonely and melancholy. i cannot help reflecting upon what will be my situation if any accident should happen to my father. accept my uncle's protection i will not; yet how am i to live, for my father has saved nothing? i have been very busy lately, trying to qualify myself for a governess, and practise the harp and piano for several hours every day. i shall be very very glad when you come home again." i showed the letters to o'brien who read them with much attention. i perceived the colour mount into his cheeks, when he read those parts of her letters in which she mentioned his name, and expressed her gratitude for his kindness towards me. "never mind, peter," said o'brien, returning me the letters; "to whom is it that i am indebted for my promotion, and this brig, but to you--and for all the prize-money which i have made, and which, by the head of st. patrick, comes to a very dacant sum, but to you? make yourself quite easy about your dear little sister. we'll club your prize-money and mine together, and she shall marry a duke, if there is one in england deserving her; and it's the french that shall furnish her dowry, as sure as the _rattlesnake_ carries a tail." chapter forty seven. i am sent away after prizes and meet with a hurricane--am driven on shore, with the loss of more than half my men--where is the "rattlesnake?" in three weeks we were again ready for sea, and the admiral ordered us to our old station off martinique. we had cruised about a fortnight off st. pierre's, and, as i walked the deck at night, often did i look at the sights in the town, and wonder whether any of them were in the presence of celeste, when, one evening, being about six miles off shore, we observed two vessels rounding negro point, close in-shore. it was quite calm, and the boats were towing ahead. "it will be dark in half-an-hour, peter," said o'brien, "and i think we might get them before they anchor, or if they do anchor, it will be well outside. what do you think?" i agreed with him, for in fact i always seemed to be happier when the brig was close in-shore, as i felt as if i was nearer to celeste; and the further we were off, the more melancholy i became. continually thinking of her, and the sight of her after so many years' separation, had changed my youthful attachment into strong affection. i may say that i was deeply in love. the very idea of going into the harbour, therefore, gave me pleasure, and there was no mad or foolish thing that i would not have done, only to gaze upon the walls which contained the constant objects of my thoughts. these were wild and visionary notions, and with little chance of ever arriving at any successful issue; but at one or two-and-twenty, we are fond of building castles, and very apt to fall in love, without considering our prospect of success. i replied that i thought it very possible, and wished he would permit me to make the attempt, as, if i found there were much risk, i would return. "i know that i can trust you, peter," said o'brien, "and it's a great pleasure to know that you have an officer you can trust but hav'n't i brought you up myself, and made a man of you, as i promised i would, when you were a little spalpeen, with a sniffling nose, and legs in the shape of two carrots? so hoist out the launch, and get the boats ready--the sooner the better. what a hot day this has been--not a cat's-paw on the water, and the sky all of a mist. only look at the sun, how he goes down, puffed out to three times his size, as if he were in a terrible passion. i suspect we shall have the land breeze off strong." in half-an-hour i shoved off with the boats. it was now quite dark, and i pulled towards the harbour of st. pierre. the heat was excessive and unaccountable; not the slightest breath of wind moved in the heavens, or below; no clouds to be seen, and the stars were obscured by a sort of mist; there appeared a total stagnation of the elements. the men in the boats pulled off their jackets, for after a few moments' pulling, they could bear them no longer. as we pulled in, the atmosphere became more opaque, and the darkness more intense. we supposed ourselves to be at the mouth of the harbour, but could see nothing--not three yards a-head of the boat. swinburne, who always went with me, was steering the boat, and i observed to him the unusual appearance of the night. "i've been watching it, sir," replied swinburne, "and i tell you, mr simple, that if we only know how to find the brig, that i would advise you to get on board of her immediately. she'll want all her hands this night, or i'm much mistaken." "why do you say so?" replied i. "because i think, nay, i may say that i'm sartin, we'll have a hurricane afore morning. it's not the first time i've cruised in these latitudes. i recollect in --" but i interrupted him: "swinburne, i believe that you are right. at all events i'll turn back; perhaps we may reach the brig before it comes on. she carries a light, and we can find her out." i then turned the boat round, and steered, as near as i could guess, for where the brig was lying. but we had not pulled out more than two minutes, before a low moaning was heard in the atmosphere--now here, now there--and we appeared to be pulling though solid darkness, if i may use the expression. swinburne looked around him, and pointed out on the starboard bow. "it's a coming, mr simple, sure enough; many's the living being that will not rise on its legs to-morrow. see, sir." i looked, and dark as it was, it appeared as if a sort of black wall was sweeping along the water right towards us. the moaning gradually increased to a stunning roar, and then at once it broke upon us with a noise to which no thunder can bear a comparison. the sea was perfectly level, but boiling, and covered with a white foam, so that we appeared in the night to be floating on milk. the oars were caught by the wind with such force, that the men were dashed forward under the thwarts, many of them severely hurt. fortunately we pulled with tholes and pins, or the gunwale and planks of the boats would have been wrenched off, and we should have foundered. the wind soon caught the boat on her broadside, and had there been the least sea, would have inevitably thrown her over; but swinburne put the helm down, and she fell off before the hurricane, darting through the boiling water at the rate of ten miles an hour. all hands were aghast; they had recovered their seats, but were obliged to relinquish them, and sit down at the bottom, holding on by the thwarts. the terrific roaring of the hurricane prevented any communication, except by gesture. the other boats had disappeared; lighter than ours, they had flown away faster before the sweeping element; but we had not been a minute before the wind, before the sea rose in a most unaccountable manner--it appeared to be by magic. of all the horrors that ever i witnessed, nothing could be compared to the scene of this night. we could see nothing, and heard only the wind, before which we were darting like an arrow--to where we knew not, unless it was to certain death. swinburne steered the boat, every now and then looking back as the waves increased. in a few minutes we were in a heavy swell, that at one minute bore us all aloft, and at the next almost sheltered us from the hurricane: and now the atmosphere was charged with showers of spray, the wind cutting off the summits of the waves, as if with a knife, and carrying them along with it as it were in its arms. the boat was filling with water, and appeared to settle down fast. the men baled with their hats in silence, when a large wave culminated over the stern, filling us up to our thwarts. the next moment we all received a shock so violent, that we were jerked from our seats. swinburne was thrown over my head. every timber of the boat separated at once, and she appeared to crumble from under us, leaving us floating on the raging waters. we all struck out for our lives, but with little hope of preserving them; but the next wave dashed us on the rocks, against which the boat had already been hurled. that wave gave life to some, and death to others. me, in heaven's mercy, it preserved: i was thrown so high up, that i merely scraped against the top of the rock, breaking two of my ribs. swinburne, and eight more, escaped with me, but not unhurt: two had their legs broken, three had broken arms, and the others were more or less contused. swinburne miraculously received no injury. we had been eighteen in the boat, of which ten escaped: the others were hurled up at our feet; and the next morning we found them dreadfully mangled. one or two had their skulls literally shattered to pieces against the rocks. i felt that i was saved, and was grateful: but still the hurricane howled--still the waves were washing over us. i crawled further up upon the beach, and found swinburne sitting down with his eyes directed seaward. he knew me, took my hand, squeezed it, and then held it in his. for some moments we remained in this position, when the waves, which every moment increased in volume, washed up to us, and obliged us to crawl further up. i then looked around me; the hurricane continued in its fury, but the atmosphere was not so dark. i could trace, for some distance, the line of the harbour, from the ridge of foam upon the shore; and for the first time i thought of o'brien and the brig. i put my mouth close to swinburne's ear, and cried out, "o'brien!" swinburne shook his head, and looked up again at the offing. i thought whether there was any chance of the brig's escape. she was certainly six, if not seven miles off, and the hurricane was not direct on the shore. she might have a drift of ten miles, perhaps; but what was that against such tremendous power? i prayed for those on board of the brig, and returned thanks for my own preservation. i was, or soon should be, a prisoner, no doubt; but what was that? i thought of celeste, and felt almost happy. in about three hours the force of the wind subsided. it still blew a heavy gale; but the sky cleared up, the stars again twinkled in the heavens, and we could see to a considerable distance. "it's breaking now, sir," said swinburne at last, "satisfied with the injury it has done--and that's no little. this is worst than ' ." "now i'd give all my pay and prize-money, if it were only daylight and i could know the fate of the poor _rattlesnake_. what do you think, swinburne?" "all depends upon whether they were taken unprepared, sir. captain o'brien is as good a seaman as ever trod a plank; but he never has been in a hurricane, and may not have known the signs and warnings which god in his mercy has vouchsafed unto us. your flush vessels fill easily-- but we must hope for the best." most anxiously did we look out for the day which appeared to us as if it never would break. at last the dawn appeared, and we stretched our eyes to every part of the offing as it was lighted up; but we could not see the brig. the sun rose, and all was bright and clear; but we looked not around us, our eyes were directed to where we had left the brig. the sea was still running high but the wind abated fast. "thank god!" ejaculated swinburne, when he had directed his eyes along the coast; "she is above water, at all events!"--and looking in the direction where he pointed, i perceived the brig within two miles of the shore, dismantled, and tossing in the waves. "i see her," replied i, catching my breath with joy; "but--still--i think she must go on shore." "all depends upon whether she can get a little bit of sail up to weather the point," replied swinburne; "and depend upon it, captain o'brien knows that as well as we do." we were now joined by the other men who were saved. we all shook hands. they pointed out to me the bodies of our shipmates who had perished. i directed them to haul them further up, and put them altogether; and continued, with swinburne, to watch the brig. in about half-an-hour we perceived a triangle raised; and in ten minutes afterwards, a jury-mast abaft--a try-sail was hoisted and set. then the shears were seen forward, and in as short a time another try-sail and a storm jib were expanded to the wind. "that's all he can do now, mr simple," observed swinburne; "he must trust to them and to providence. they are not more than a mile from the beach--it will be touch and go." anxiously did we watch for more than half-an-hour; the other men returned to us, and joined in our speculations. at one time we thought it impossible--at another we were certain that she would weather the point. at last, as she neared it, she forged a-head: my anxiety became almost insupportable. i stood first on one leg, and then on the other, breathless with suspense. she appeared to be on the point--actually touching the rocks--"god! she's struck!" said i. "no!" replied swinburne;--and then we saw her pass on the other side of the outermost rock, and disappear. "safe, mr simple!--weathered, by god!" cried swinburne, waving his hat with joy. "god be thanked!" replied i, overcome with delight. chapter forty eight. the devastations of the hurricane--peter makes friends--at destroying or saving, nothing like british seamen--peter meets with general o'brien much to his satisfaction--has another meeting still more so--a great deal of pressing of hands, "and all that," as pope says. now that the brig was safe, we thought of ourselves. my first attention was directed to the dead bodies; and as i looked at their mangled limbs, i felt grateful to heaven that i had been so miraculously spared. we then cast our eyes along the beach to see if we could trace any remnants of the other boats; but in vain. we were about three miles from the town, which we could perceive had received considerable damage and the beach below it was strewed with wrecks and fragments. i told the men that we might as well walk into the town, and deliver ourselves up as prisoners; to which they agreed, and we set forward, promising to send for the poor fellows who were too much hurt to accompany us. as soon as we climbed up the rocks, and gained the inland, what a sight presented itself to us! trees torn up by the roots in every direction-- cattle lying dead--here and there the remains of a house, of which the other parts had been swept away for miles. everything not built of solid masonry had disappeared. we passed what had been a range of negro huts, but they were levelled to the ground. the negroes were busily searching for their property among the ruins, while the women held their infants in their arms, and the other children by their sides. here and there was the mother wailing over the dead body of some poor little thing which had been crushed to death. they took no notice of us. about half a mile further on, to our great delight, we fell in with the crews of the other boats, who were sitting by the side of the road. they had all escaped unhurt: their boats being so much more buoyant than ours, had been thrown up high and dry. they joined us, and we proceeded on our way. on our road we fell in with a cart blown over, under the wheel of which was the leg of the negro who conducted it. we released the poor fellow: his leg was fractured. we laid him by the side of the road in the shade, and continued our march. our whole route was one scene of desolation and distress; but when we arrived at the town, we found that there it was indeed accumulated. there was not one house in three standing entire--the beach was covered with the remnants of bodies and fragments of vessels, whose masts lay forced several feet into the sand, and broken into four or five pieces. parties of soldiers were busy taking away the bodies, and removing what few valuables had been saved. we turned up into the town, for no one accosted or even noticed us; and here the scene was even more dreadful. in some streets they were digging out those who were still alive, and whose cries were heard among the ruins; in others, they were carrying away the dead bodies. the lamentations of the relatives--the howling of the negroes--the cries of the wounded--the cursing and swearing of the french soldiers, and the orders delivered continually by officers on horseback, with all the confusion arising from crowds of spectators, mingling their voices together, formed a scene as dreadful as it was novel. after surveying it for a few minutes, i went up to an officer on horseback, and told him in french that i wished to surrender myself as a prisoner. "we have no time to take prisoners now," replied he: "hundreds are buried in the ruins, and we must try to save them. we must now attend to the claims of humanity." "will you allow my men to assist you, sir?" replied i. "they are active and strong fellows." "sir," said he, taking off his hat, "i thank you in the name of my unfortunate countrymen." "show us, then, where we may be most useful." he turned and pointed to a house higher up, the offices of which were blown down. "there are living beings under those ruins." "come, my lads," said i: and sore as they were, my men hastened with alacrity to perform their task. i could not help them myself, my side was so painful; but i stood by giving them directions. in half-an-hour we had cleared away so as to arrive at a poor negro girl, whose cries we had distinctly heard. we released her, and laid her down in the street, but she fainted. her left hand was dreadfully shattered. i was giving what assistance i could, and the men were busy clearing away, throwing on one side the beams and rafters, when an officer on horseback rode up. he stood and asked me who we were. i told him that we belonged to the brig, and had been wrecked; and that we were giving what assistance we could until they were at leisure to send us to prison. "you english are fine brave fellows," replied he, as he rode on. another unfortunate object had been recovered by our men, an old white-headed negro, but he was too much mangled to live. we brought him out, and were laying him beside the negro girl, when several officers on horseback rode down the street. the one who was foremost, in a general's uniform, i immediately recognised as my former friend, then colonel o'brien. they all stopped and looked at us. i told who we were. general o'brien took off his hat to the sailors, and thanked them. he did not recognise me, and he was passing on, when i said to him in english, "general o'brien, you have forgotten me; but i shall never forget your kindness." "my god!" said he, "is it you, my dear fellow?" and he sprang from his horse, and shook me warmly by the hand. "no wonder that i did not know you; you are a very different person from little peter simple, who dressed up as a girl and danced on stilts. but i have to thank you, and so has celeste, for your kindness to her. i will not ask you to leave your work of charity and kindness; but when you have done what you can, come up to my house. any one will show it to you; and if you do not find me you will find celeste, as you must be aware i cannot leave this melancholy employment. god bless you!" he then rode off followed by his staff. "come, my lads," said i, "depend upon it we shall not be very cruelly treated. let us work hard, and do all the good we can, and the frenchmen won't forget it." we had cleared that house, and went back to where the other people were working under the orders of the officer on horseback. i went up to him, and told him we had saved two, and if he had no objection, would assist his party. he thankfully accepted our services. "and now, my lads," said swinburne, "let us forget all our bruises, and show these french follows how to work." and they did so--they tossed away the beams and rafters right and left, with a quickness and dexterity which quite astonished the officer and other inhabitants who were looking on; and in half-an-hour had done more work than could have possibly been expected. several lives were saved, and the french expressed their admiration at our sailors' conduct, and brought them something to drink, which they stood much in need of, poor fellows. after they had worked double tides, as we say, and certainly were the means of saving many lives, which otherwise would have been sacrificed. the disasters occasioned by this hurricane were very great, owing to its having taken place at night, when the chief of the inhabitants were in bed and asleep. i was told, that most of the wood houses were down five minutes after the hurricane burst upon them. about noon there was no more work for us to do, and i was not sorry that it was over. my side was very painful, and the burning heat of the sun made me feel giddy and sick at the stomach. i inquired of a respectable looking old frenchman, which was the general's house. he directed me to it, and i proceeded there, followed by my men. when i arrived, i found the orderly leading away the horse of general o'brien, who had just returned. i desired a serjeant, who was in attendance at the door, to acquaint the general that i was below. he returned, and desired me to follow him. i was conducted into a large room, where i found him in company with several officers. he again greeted me warmly, and introduced me to the company as the officer who had permitted the ladies, who had been taken prisoners, to come on shore. "i have to thank you, then, for my wife," said an officer, coming up and offering his hand. another came up, and told me that i had also released his. we then entered into a conversation, in which i stated the occasion of my having been wrecked, and all the particulars; also, that i had seen the brig in the morning dismasted, but that she had weathered the point, and was safe. "that brig of yours, i must pay you the compliment to say, has been very troublesome; and my namesake keeps the batteries more upon the alert than ever i could have done," said general o'brien. "i don't believe there is a negro five years old upon the island who does not know your brig." we then talked over the attack of the privateer, in which we were beaten off. "ah!" replied the aide-de-camp, "you made a mess of that. he has been gone these four months. captain carnot swears that he'll fight you if he falls in with you." "he has kept his word," replied i: and then i narrated our action with the three french privateers, and the capture of the vessel; which surprised, and, i think, annoyed them very much. "well, my friend," said general o'brien, "you must stay with me while you are on the island; if you want anything, let me know." "i am afraid that i want a surgeon," replied i; "for my side is so painful, that i can scarcely breathe." "are you hurt, then?" said general o'brien, with an anxious look. "not dangerously, i believe," said i, "but rather painfully." "let me see," said an officer, who stepped forward; "i am surgeon to the forces here, and perhaps you will trust yourself in my hands. take off your coat." i did so with difficulty. "you have two ribs broken," said he, feeling my side, "and a very severe contusion. you must go to bed, or lie on a sofa for a few days. in a quarter of an hour i will come and dress you, and promise you to make you all well in ten days, in return for your having given me my daughter, who was on board of the _victorine_ with the other ladies." the officers now made their bows, and left me alone with general o'brien. "recollect," said he, "that i tell you once for all, that my purse, and everything, is at your command. if you do not accept them freely, i shall think you do not love us. it is not the first time, peter, and you repaid me honourably. however, of course, i was no party to that affair; it was celeste's doing," continued he, laughing. "of course i could not imagine that it was you who was dressed up as a woman, and so impudently danced through france on stilts. but i must hear all your adventures, by-and-bye. celeste is most anxious to see you. will you go now, or wait till after the surgeon comes?" "oh now, if you please, general. may i first beg that some care may be taken of my poor men; they have had nothing to eat since yesterday, are very much bruised, and have worked hard; and that a cart may be sent for those who lie on the beach?" "i should have thought of them before," replied he: and i will also order the same party to bury the other poor fellows who are lying on the beach. come now--i will take you to celeste. chapter forty nine. broken ribs not likely to produce broken hearts--o'brien makes something like a declaration of peace--peter simple actually makes a declaration of love--rash proceedings on all sides. i followed the general into a handsomely-furnished apartment, where i found celeste waiting to receive me. she ran to me as soon as i entered; and with what pleasure did i take her hand, and look on her beautiful, expressive countenance! i could not say a word--neither did celeste. for a minute i held her hand in mine, looking at her; the general stood by, regarding us alternately. he then turned round and walked to the window. i lifted the hand to my lips, and then released it. "it appears to be a dream, almost," said celeste. i could not make any reply, but continued to gaze upon her--she had grown up into such a beautiful creature. her figure was perfect, and the expression of her countenance was so varied--so full of intellect and feeling--it was angelic. her eyes, suffused with tears, beamed so softly, so kindly on me, i could have fallen down and worshipped her. "come," said general o'brien; "come, my dear friend, now that you have seen celeste, the surgeon must see you." "the surgeon!" cried celeste with alarm. "yes, my love; it is of no consequence--only a couple of ribs broken." i followed general o'brien out of the room, and as i came to the door, i turned round to look at celeste. she had retreated to the sofa, and her handkerchief was up to her eyes. the surgeon was waiting for me; he bandaged me, and applied some cooling lotion to my side, which made me feel quite comfortable. "i must now leave you," said general o'brien; "you had better lie down for an hour or two, and then, if i am not back, you know your way to celeste." i lay down as he requested; but as soon as i heard the clatter of the horses hoofs, as he rode off, i left the room, and hurried to the drawing room. celeste was there, and hastened to inquire if i was much hurt. i replied in the negative, and told her that i had come down to prove it to her; we then sat down on the sofa together. "i have the misfortune never to appear before you, celeste, except in a very unprepossessing state. when you first saw me, i was wounded; at our next meeting i was in woman's clothes; the last time we met i was covered with dirt and gunpowder; and now i return to you, wounded and in rags. i wonder wether i shall ever appear before you as a gentleman." "it is not the clothes which make the gentleman, peter. i am too happy to see you to think of how you are dressed. i have never yet thanked you for your kindness to us when we last met. my father will never forget it." "nor have i thanked you, celeste, for your kindness in dropping the purse into the hat, when you met me trying to escape from france. i have never forgotten you, and since we met the last time, you have hardly ever been out of my thoughts. you don't know how thankful i am to the hurricane for having blown me into your presence. when we cruised in the brig, i have often examined the town with my glass, trying to fancy that i had my eye upon the house you were in; and have felt so happy when we were close in-shore, because i knew that i was nearer to you." "and, peter, i am sure i have often watched the brig, and have been so glad to see it come nearer and then so afraid that the batteries would fire at you. what a pity it is that my father and you should be opposed to each other--we might be so happy!" "and may be yet, celeste," replied i. we conversed for two hours, which appeared to be but ten minutes. i felt that i was in love, but i do not think that celeste had any idea at the time that she was--but i leave the reader to judge, from the little conversation i have quoted, wether she was not, or something very much approaching to it. the next morning, i went out early to look for the brig, and, to my great delight, saw her about six miles off the harbour's mouth, standing in for the land. she had now got up very respectable jury-masts, with topgallants for topsails, and appeared to be well under command. when she was within three miles of the harbour, she lowered the jolly boat, the only one she had left, and it pulled in-shore with a flag of truce hoisted at the bows. i immediately returned to my room, and wrote a detailed account of what had taken place, ready to send to o'brien, when the boat returned, and i, of course, requested him to send me my effects, as i had nothing but what i stood in. i had just completed my letter when general o'brien came in. "my dear friend," said he, "i have just received a flag of truce from captain o'brien, requesting to know the fate of his boats' crews, and permission to send in return the clothes and effects of the survivors." "i have written down the whole circumstances for him, and made the same request to him," replied i; and i handed him my letter. he read it over, and returned it. "but, my dear lad, you must think very poorly of us frenchmen, if you imagine that we intend to detain you here as a prisoner. in the first place, your liberation of so many french subjects, when you captured the _victorine_, would entitle you to a similar act of kindness; and, in the next place, you have not been fairly captured, but by a visitation of providence, which, by the means of the late storm, must destroy all natural antipathies, and promote that universal philanthropy between all men, which your brave fellows proved that they possess. you are, therefore, free to depart with all your men, and we shall still hold ourselves your debtors. how is your side to-day?" "oh, very bad, indeed," replied i; for i could not bear the idea of returning to the brig so soon, for i had been obliged to quit celeste very soon after dinner the day before, and go to bed. i had not yet had much conversation with her, nor had i told general o'brien how it was that we escaped from france. "i don't think i can possibly go on board to-day, but i feel very grateful to you for your kindness." "well, well," replied the general, who observed my feelings, "i do not think it is necessary that you should go on board to-day. i will send the men and your letter, and i will write to captain o'brien to say that you are in bed, and will not bear moving until the day after to-morrow. will that do?" i thought it but a very short time, but i saw that the general looked as if he expected me to consent; so i did. "the boat can come and return again with some of your clothes:" continued the general; "and i will tell captain o'brien that if he comes off the mouth of the harbour the day after to-morrow, i will send you on board in one of our boats." he then took my letter, and quitted the room. as soon as he was gone, i found myself quite well enough to go to celeste, who waited for me, and i told her what had passed. that morning i sat with her and the general, and narrated all my adventures, which amused the general very much. i did not conceal the conduct of my uncle, and the hopes which i faintly entertained of being able, some day or another, to discover the fraud which had been practised, or how very unfavourable were my future prospects if i did not succeed. at this portion of my narrative, the general appeared very thoughtful and grave. when i had finished it was near dinner-time, and i found that my clothes had arrived with a letter from o'brien, who stated how miserable he had been at the supposition of my loss, and his delight at my escape. he stated, that on going down into the cabin after i had shoved off, he, by chance, cast his eyes on the barometer, and, to his surprise, found that it had fallen two inches, which he had been told was the case previous to a hurricane. this, combined with the peculiar state of the atmosphere, had induced him to make every preparation, and that they had just completed their work when it came on. the brig was thrown on her beam ends, and lay there for half-an-hour, when they were forced to cut away the masts to right her. that they did not weather the point the next morning by more than half a cable's length; and concluded by saying, that the idea of my death had made him so unhappy, that if it had not been for the sake of the men, it was almost a matter of indifference to him whether he had been lost or not. he had written to general o'brien, thanking him for his kindness: and that, if fifty vessels should pass the brig, he would not capture one of them, until i was on board again, even if he were dismissed the service for neglect of duty. he said, that the brig sailed almost as fast under jury-masts as she did before, and that, as soon as i came on board, he should go back to barbadoes. "as for your ribs being so bad, peter, that's all bother," continued he; "i know that you are making arrangements for another sort of _rib_, as soon as you can manage it; but you must stop a little, my boy. you shall be a lord yet, as i always promised you that you should. it's a long lane that has no turning--so good-bye." when i was alone with celeste, i showed her o'brien's letter. i had read the part of it relative to his not intending to make any capture while i was on shore to general o'brien, who replied, that "under such circumstances he thought he should do right to detain me a little longer; but," said he, "o'brien is a man of honour and is worthy of his name." when celeste came to that part of the letter in which o'brien stated that i was looking after another rib, and which i had quite forgotten, she asked me to explain it; for although she could read and speak english very well, she had not been sufficiently accustomed to it to comprehend the play upon words. i translated, and then said--"indeed, celeste, i had forgotten that observation of o'brien's, or i should not have shown you the letter; but he has stated the truth. after all your kindness to me, how can i help being in love with you? and need i add, that i should consider it the greatest blessing which heaven could grant me, if you could feel so much regard for me, as one day to become my wife. don't be angry with me for telling you the truth," continued i, for celeste coloured up as i spoke to her. "o no! i am not angry with you, peter; far from it. it is very complimentary to me--what you have just said." "i am aware," continued i, "that at present i have little to offer you-- indeed, nothing. i am not even such a match as your father might approve of; but you know my whole history, and what my desires are." "my dear father loves me, peter, and he loves you too, very much--he always did, from the hour he saw you--he was so pleased with your candour and honesty of character. he has often told me so, and very often talked of you." "well, celeste, tell me, may i, when far away, be permitted to think of you, and indulge a hope that some day we may meet never to part again?" and i took celeste by the hand, and put my arm round her waist. "i don't know what to say," replied she, "i will speak to my father, or perhaps you will; but i will never marry anybody else if i can help it." i drew her close to me, and kissed her. celeste burst into tears, and laid her head upon my shoulder. when general o'brien came in, i did not attempt to move, nor did celeste. "general," said i, "you may think me to blame, but i have not been able to conceal what i feel for celeste. you may think that i am imprudent, and that i am wrong in thus divulging what i ought to have concealed, until i was in a situation to warrant my aspiring to your daughter's hand; but the short time allowed me to be in her company, the fear of losing her, and my devoted attachment, will, i trust, plead my excuse." the general took one or two turns up and down the room, and then replied--"what says celeste?" "celeste will never do anything to make her father unhappy," replied she, going up to him and hiding her face in his breast, with her arm round his neck. the general kissed his daughter, and then said, "i will be frank with you, mr simple. i do not know any man whom i would prefer to you as a son-in-law; but there are many considerations which young people are very apt to forget. i do not interfere in your attachment, which appears to be mutual; but at the same time, i will have no promise, and no engagement. you may never meet again. however, celeste is very young, and i shall not put any constraint upon her; and at the same time you are equally free, if time and circumstances should alter your present feelings." "i can ask no more, my dear sir," replied i, taking the general by the hand: "it is candid--more than i had any reason to expect. i shall now leave you with a contented mind; and the hopes of one day claiming celeste shall spur me to exertion." "now, if you please we will drop the subject," said the general. "celeste, my dear, we have a large party to dinner, as you know. you had better retire to your room and get ready. i have asked all the ladies that you liberated, peter, and all their husbands and fathers, so you will have the pleasure of witnessing how many people you made happy by your gallantry. now that celeste has left the room, peter, i must beg that, as a man of honour, you do not exact from her any more promises, or induce her to tie herself down to you by oaths. her attachment to you has grown up with her unaccountably, and she is already too fond of you for her peace of mind, should accident or circumstances part you for ever. let us hope for the best, and, depend upon it, that it shall be no trifling obstacle which will hinder me from seeing you one day united." i thanked the general with tears: he shook me warmly by the hand as i gave my promise, and we separated. how happy did i feel when i went into my room, and sat down to compose my mind, and think over what had happened. true, at one moment, the thought of my dependent situation threw a damp over my joy; but in the next i was building castles, inventing a discovery of my uncle's plot, fancying myself in possession of the title and property, and laying it at the feet of my dear celeste. hope sustained my spirits, and i felt satisfied for the present with the consideration that celeste returned my love. i decked myself carefully, and went down, where i found all the company assembled. we had a very pleasant, happy party, and the ladies entreated general o'brien to detain me as a prisoner--very kind of them--and i felt very much disposed to join in their request. chapter fifty. peter simple first takes a command, then three west indiamen, and twenty prisoners--one good turn deserves another--the prisoners endeavour to take him, but are themselves taken in. the next day i was very unhappy. the brig was in the offing waiting for me to come on board. i pointed her out to celeste as we were at the window, and her eyes met mine. an hour's conversation could not have said more. general o'brien showed that he had perfect confidence in me, for he left us together. "celeste," said i, "i have promised your father--" "i know what has passed," interrupted she; "he told me everything." "how kind he is! but i did not say that i would not bind myself, celeste." "no! but my father made me promise that you should not--that if you attempted, i was immediately to prevent you--and so i shall." "then you shall keep your word, celeste. imagine everything that can be said in this--" and i kissed her. "don't think me forward, peter, but i wish you to go away happy," said celeste; "and therefore, in return, imagine all i could say in this--" and she returned my salute, kissing my cheek. after this, we had a conversation of two hours; but what lovers say is very silly, except to themselves, and the reader need not be troubled with it. general o'brien came in, and told me the boat was ready. i rose up--i was satisfied with what had passed, and with a firm voice, i said, "good-bye, celeste; god bless you!" and followed the general, who, with some of his officers, walked down with me to the beach. i thanked the general, who embraced me, paid my adieus to the officers, and stepped into the boat. in half-an-hour i was on board of the brig, and in o'brien's arms. we put the helm up, and in a short time the town of st. pierre was shut out from my longing sight, and we were on our way to barbadoes. that day was passed in the cabin with o'brien, giving me a minute detail of all that had passed. when we anchored once more in carlisle bay, we found that the hurricane had been much more extensive in the windward islands than we had imagined. several men-of-war were lying there, having lost one or more of their masts, and there was great difficulty in supplying the wants of so many. as we arrived the last, of course we were last served; and, there being no boats left in store, there was no chance of our being ready for sea under two or three months. the _joan d'arc_ schooner privateer was still lying there, but had not been fitted out for want of men; and the admiral proposed to o'brien that he should man her with a part of his ship's company, and send one of his lieutenants out to cruise in her. this was gladly assented to by o'brien, who came on board and asked me whether i should like to have her, which i agreed to, as i was quite tired of barbadoes and fried flying fish. i selected two midshipmen, swinburne, and twenty men, and having taken on board provisions and water for three months, i received my written instructions from o'brien, and made sail. we soon discovered that the masts which the american had sold to the schooner were much too large for her: she was considerably overmasted, and we were obliged to be very careful. i stood for trinidad, off which island was to be my cruising ground, and in three weeks had recaptured three west indiamen; when i found myself so short of hands, that i was obliged to return to barbadoes. i had put four hands into the first vessel, which, with the englishmen, prisoners, were sufficient, and three hands into the two others; but i was very much embarrassed with my prisoners, who amounted to nearly double my ship's company, remaining on board. both the midshipmen i had sent away, and i consulted with swinburne as to what was best to be done. "why, the fact is, mr simple, captain o'brien ought to have given us more hands; twenty men are little enough for a vessel with a boom mainsail like the one we have here; and now we have only ten left! but i suppose he did not expect us to be so lucky, and it's true enough that he has plenty of work for the ship's company, now that he has to turn everything in afresh. as for the prisoners, i think we had better run close in, and give them two of our boats to take them on shore. at all events, we must be rid of them, and not be obliged to have one eye aloft and the other down the hatchway, as we must now." this advice corresponded with my own ideas, and i ran in-shore, gave them the stern boat and one of the larger ones, which held them all, and sent them away, leaving only one boat for the schooner, which was hoisted up on the starboard chess-tree. it fell a dead calm as we sent away the prisoners; we saw them land and disappear over the rocks, and thought ourselves well rid of them, as they were twenty-two in number, most of them spaniards, and very stout, ferocious-looking fellows. it continued calm during the whole day, much to our annoyance, as i was very anxious to get away as soon as i could; still i could not help admiring the beauty of the scenery--the lofty mountains, rising abruptly from the ocean, and towering in the clouds, reflecting on the smooth water, as clear as in a looking-glass, every colour, every tint, beautifully distinct. the schooner gradually drifted close in-shore, and we could perceive the rocks at the bottom, many fathoms deep. not a breath of wind was to be seen on the surface of the water for several miles round, although the horizon in the offing showed that there was a smart breeze outside. night came on, and we still lay becalmed. i gave my orders to swinburne, who had the first watch, and retired to my standing bed-place in the cabin. i was dreaming, and i hardly need say who was the object of my visions. i thought i was in eagle park, sitting down with her under one of the large chestnut trees, which formed the avenue, when i felt my shoulder roughly pushed. i started up--"what is the matter? who's that--swinburne?" "yes, sir. on with your clothes immediately, as we have work on hand, i expect;" and swinburne left the cabin immediately. i heard him calling the other men who were below. i knew that swinburne would not give a false alarm. in a minute i was on deck, where i found he had just arrived, and was looking at the stern of the schooner. "what is that, swinburne?" said i. "silence, sir. hark! don't you hear them?" "yes," replied i; "the sound of oars." "exactly, sir; depend upon it, those spaniards have got more help, and are coming back to take the vessel; they know we have only ten hands on board." by this time the men were all on deck. i directed swinburne to see all the muskets loaded, and ran down for my own sword and pistols. the water was so smooth, and the silence so profound, that swinburne had heard the sound of the oars at a considerable distance. fortunate it was, that i had such a trusty follower. another might have slumbered, and the schooner have been boarded and captured without our being prepared. when i came on deck again i spoke to the men, exhorted them to do their duty, and pointed out to them that these cut-throat villains would certainly murder us all if we were taken, which i firmly believe would have been the case. the men declared that they would sell their lives as dearly as they could. we had twenty muskets, and the same number of pistols, all of which were now loaded. our guns were also ready, but of no use, now that the schooner had not steerage-way. the boats were in sight, about a quarter of a mile astern, when swinburne said, "there's a cat's-paw flying along the water, mr simple; if we could only have a little wind, how we would laugh at them; but i'm afraid there's no such luck. shall we let them know that we are ready?" "let every one of us take two muskets," said i: "when the first boat is under the counter, take good aim, and discharge into one of the boats; then seize the other musket, and discharge it at the other boat. after that, we must trust to our cutlasses and pistols; for if they come on, there will be no time to load again. keep silence, all of you." the boats now came up, full of men; but as we remained perfectly quiet, they pulled up gently, hoping to surprise us. fortunately, one was a little in advance of the other; upon which i altered my directions, and desired my men to fire their second musket upon the first boat, as, if we could disable her, we were an equal match for those in the other. when the boat was within six yards of the schooner's counter. "now!" said i, and all the muskets were discharged at once, and my men cheered. several of the oars dropped, and i was sure we had done great execution; but they were laid hold of by the other men, who had not been pulling, and again the boat advanced to the counter. "good aim, my lads, this time," cried swinburne; "the other boat will be alongside as soon as you have fired. mr simple, the schooner has headway, and there's a strong breeze coming up." again we discharged our ten muskets into the boat, but this time we waited until the bowman had hooked on the planeshear with his boat-hook, and our fire was very effective. i was surprised to find that the other boat was not on board of us: but a light breeze had come up, and the schooner glided through the water. still she was close under our counter, and would have been aboard in a minute. in the meantime, the spaniards who were in the first boat were climbing up the side, and were repulsed by my men with great success. the breeze freshened, and swinburne ran to the helm. i perceived the schooner was going fast through the water, and the second boat could hardly hold her own. i ran to where the boat-hook was fixed on the planeshear, and unhooked it; the boat fell astern, leaving two spaniards clinging to the side, who were cut down, and they fell into the water. "hurrah! all safe!" cried swinburne; "and now to punish them." the schooner was now darting along at the rate of five miles, with an increasing breeze. we stood in for two minutes, then tacked, and ran for the boats. swinburne steered, and i continued standing in the bows, surrounded by the rest of the men. "starboard a little, swinburne." "starboard it is." "steady--steady: i see the first boat, she is close under our bows. steady--port--port--port a little--port. look out, my lads, and cut down all who climb up." crash went the schooner on to the boat, the men in her in vain endeavouring to escape us. for a second or two she appeared to right, until her further gunwale was borne down under the water; she turned up, and the schooner went over her, sending every soul in her to their account. one man clung on to a rope, and was towed for a few seconds, but a cutlass divided the rope at the gunwale, and with a faint shriek he disappeared. the other boat was close to us, and perceived what had been done. they remained with their oars poised, all ready to pull so as to evade the schooner. we steered for her, and the schooner was now running at the rate of seven miles an hour. when close under our bows, by very dexterously pulling short round with their starboard oars, we only struck her with our bow; and before she went down many of the spaniards had gained the deck, or were clinging to the side of the vessel. they fought with desperation, but we were too strong for them. it was only those who had gained the deck which we had to contend with. the others clung for a time, and unable to get up the sides, one by one dropped into the water and went astern. in a minute, those on deck were lying at our feet, and in a minute more, they were tossed overboard after their companions; not, however, until one of them struck me through the calf of the leg with his knife, as we were lifting him over the gunwale. i do not mean to say that the spaniards were not justified in attempting to take the schooner; but still, as we had liberated them but a few hours before, we felt that it was unhandsome and treacherous on their part, and therefore showed them no quarter. there were two of my men wounded as well as myself, but not severely, which was fortunate, as we had no surgeon on board, and only about half a yard of diachylum plaster in the vessel. "well out of that, sir," said swinburne, as i limped aft. "by the lord harry! it might have been a _pretty go_." having shaped our course for barbadoes, i dressed my leg, and went down to sleep. this time i did not dream of celeste, but fought the spaniard over again, thought i was wounded, and awoke with the pain of my leg. chapter fifty one. peter turned out of his command by his vessel turning bottom up--a cruise on a main-boom, with sharks "en attendant"--self and crew, with several flying fish, taken on board a negro boat--peter regenerates by putting on a new outward man. we made barbadoes without any further adventure, and were about ten miles off the bay, steering with a very light breeze, and i went down into the cabin expecting to be at anchor before breakfast the next morning. it was just daylight, when i found myself thrown out of my bed-place, on the deck, on the other side of the cabin, and heard the rushing of water. i sprang up. i knew the schooner was on her beam ends, and gained the deck. i was correct in my supposition: she had been upset by what is called a white squall, and in two minutes would be down. all the men were up on deck, some dressed, others, like myself, in their shirts. swinburne was aft; he had an axe in his hand, cutting away the rigging of the main-boom. i saw what he was about; i seized another, and disengaged the jaw-rope and small gear about the mast. we had no other chance; our boat was under the water, being hoisted up on the side to leeward. all this, however, was but the work of two minutes; and i could not help observing by what trifles lives are lost or saved. had the axe not been fortunately at the capstan, i should not have been able to cut the jaw-rope, swinburne would not have had time, and the main-boom would have gone down with the schooner. fortunately we had cleared it; the schooner filled, righted a little, and then sank, dragging us and the main-boom for a few seconds down in its vortex, and then we rose to the surface. the squall still continued, but the water was smooth. it soon passed over, and again it was nearly calm. i counted the men clinging to the boom, and found that they were all there. swinburne was next to me. he was holding with one hand, while with the other he felt in his pocket for his quid of tobacco, which he thrust into his cheek. "i wasn't on deck at the time, mr simple," said he, "or this wouldn't have happened. i had just been relieved, and i told collins to look out sharp for squalls. i only mention it, that if you are saved, and i am not, you mayn't think i was neglectful of my duty. we ain't far from the land, but still we are more likely to fall in with a shark than a friend, i'm thinking." this, indeed, had been my thoughts, but i had concealed them; but after swinburne had mentioned the shark, i very often looked along the water for their fins, and down below to see if they were coming up to tear us to pieces. it was a dreadful feeling. "it was not your fault, swinburne, i am sure. i ought to have relieved you myself, but i kept the first watch and was tired. we must put our trust in god: perhaps we may yet be spared." it was now almost calm, and the sun had mounted in the heavens: the scorching rays were intolerable upon our heads, for we had not the defence of hats. i felt my brain on fire, and was inclined to drop into the water, to screen myself from the intolerable heat. as the day advanced, so did our sufferings increase. it was a dead calm, the sun perpendicular over us, actually burning that part of our bodies which rose clear of the water. i could have welcomed even a shark to relieve me of my torment; but i thought of celeste, and i clung to life. towards the afternoon, i felt sick and dizzy; my resolution failed me; my vision was imperfect; but i was roused by swinburne, who cried out, "a boat, by all that's gracious! hang on a little longer, my men, and you are saved." it was a boat full of negroes, who had come out to catch flying fish. they had perceived the spar on the water, and hastened to secure the prize. they dragged us all in, gave us water, which appeared like nectar, and restored us to our fleeting senses. they made fast the boom, and towed it in-shore. we had not been ten minutes on our way, when swinburne pointed to the fin of a large shark above the water. "look there, mr simple." i shuddered, and made no answer; but i thanked god in my heart. in two hours we were landed, but were too ill to walk. we were carried up to the hospital, bled, and put into cots. i had a brain fever which lasted six or seven days, during which o'brien never left my bedside. my head was shaved, all the skin came off my face like a mask, as well as off my back and shoulders. we were put into baths of brandy and water, and in three weeks were all recovered. "that was but an unlucky schooner from beginning to end," observed o'brien, after i had narrated the events of my cruise. "we had a bad beginning with her, and we had a bad ending. she's gone to the bottom, and the devil go with her; however, all's well that ends well, and peter, you're worth a dozen dead men yet; but you occasion me a great deal of trouble and anxiety, that's the truth of it, and i doubt if i shall ever rear you, after all." i returned to my duty on board of the brig, which was now nearly ready for sea. one morning o'brien came on board and said, "peter, i've a piece of news for you. our gunner is appointed to the _araxes_, and the admiral has given me a gunner's warrant for old swinburne. send for him on deck." swinburne was summoned, and came rolling up the hatchway. "swinburne," said o'brien, "you have done your duty well, and you are now gunner of the _rattlesnake_. here is your warrant, and i've great pleasure in getting it for you." swinburne turned the quid in his cheek, and then replied, "may i be so bold as to ax, captain o'brien, whether i must wear one of them long tog, swallow-tailed coats--because if so, i'd prefer being a quarter-master?" "a gunner may wear a jacket, swinburne, if he likes: when you go on shore, you may bend the swallow-tail if you please." "well, sir, then if that's the case, i'll take the warrant, because i know it will please the old woman." so saying, swinburne hitched up his trowsers, and went down below. i may here observe, that swinburne kept to his round jacket until our arrival in england, when the "old woman," his wife, who thought her dignity at stake, soon made him ship the swallow-tail; and after it was once on, swinburne took a fancy to it himself, and always wore it, except when he was at sea. the same evening, as i was coming with o'brien from the governor's house, where i had dined, we passed a building, lighted up. "what can that be?" observed o'brien: "not a dignity ball--there is no music." our curiosity induced us to enter, and we found it to be fitted up as a temporary chapel, filled with black and coloured people, who were ranged on the forms, and waiting for the preacher. "it is a methodist meeting," said i to o'brien. "never mind," said he, "let us hear what is going on." in a moment afterwards the pulpit was filled, not by a white man, as we had anticipated, but by a tall negro. he was dressed in black, and his hair, which it was impossible to comb down straight, was plaited into fifty little tails, with lead tied at the end of them, like you sometimes see the mane of a horse: this produced a somewhat more clerical appearance. his throat was open, and collar laid back; the wristbands of his shirt very large and white, and he flourished a white cambric handkerchief. "what a dandy he is!" whispered o'brien. i thought it almost too absurd, when he said he would take the liberty to praise god in the th hymn, and beg all the company to join chorus. he then gave out the stanzas in the most strange pronunciation. "gentle jesus, god um lub," etc. when the hymn was finished, which was sung by the whole congregation, in most delightful discord--for every one chose his own key--he gave an extempore prayer, which was most unfortunately incomprehensible, and then commenced his discourse, which was on _faith_. i shall omit the head and front of his offending, which would, perhaps, hardly be gratifying, although ludicrous. he reminded me of a monkey imitating a man; but what amused me most, was his finale, in which he told his audience that there could be no faith without charity. for a little while he descanted upon this generally, and at last became personal. his words were, as well as i can recollect, nearly as follows:-- "and now you see, my dear bredren, how unpossible to go to heaven with all the faith in the world, without charity. charity mean, give away. suppose you no give--you no ab charity; suppose you no ab charity--you no ab faith; suppose you no ab faith--you all go to hell and be damned. now den, let me see if you ab charity. here, you see, i come to save all your soul from hell-fire; and hell-fire dam hot, i can tell you. dere you all burn, like coal, till you turn white powder, and den burn on till you come black again: and so you go on, burn, burn, sometime white, sometime black, for ebber and ebber. the debil never allow sangoree to cool tongue. no, no cocoa-nut milk--not a lilly drap of water; debil see you damned first. suppose you ask, he poke um fire and laugh. well, den, ab you charity? no, you ab not. you, quashee, how you dare look me in the face? you keep shop--you sell egg--you sell yam--you sell pepper hot--but when you give to me? eh! nebber, so help me god. suppose you no send--you no ab charity, and you go to hell. you black sambo," continued he, pointing to a man in a corner, "ab very fine boat, go out all day, catch fly-fish, bring um back, fry um, and sell for money: but when you send to me? not one little fish ebber find way to my mouth. what i tell you 'bout peter and 'postles--all fishermen? good men; give 'way to poor. sambo, you no ab charity; and 'spose you no repent this week, and send one very fine fish in plantain leaf, you go to hell, and burn for ebber and ebber. eh! so you will run away, massa johnson," cried he out to another, who was edging to the door; "but you no run away from hell-fire; when debil catch you he hold dam tight. you know you kill sheep and goat ebery day. you send bell ring all 'bout town for people to come buy; but when you send to me? nebber, 'cept once, you give me lilly bit of libber. that no do, massa johnson; you no ab charity; and suppose you no send me sheep's head to-morrow morning, dam you libber, that's all. i see many more, but i see um all very sorry, and dat they mean to sin no more, so dis time i let um off, and say nothing about it, because i know plenty of plantain and banana" (pointing to one), "and oranges and shaddock" (pointing to another), "and salt fish" (pointing to a third), "and ginger pop and spruce beer," (pointing to a fourth), "and a straw hat" (pointing to a fifth), "and eberything else, come to my house to-morrow. so i say no more bout it; i see you all very sorry--you only forget. you all ab charity and all ab faith; so now, my dear bredren, we go down on our knees, and thank god for all this, and more especially that i save all your souls from going to the debil, who run about barbadoes like one roaring lion, seeking what he may lay hold off, and cram into his dam fiery jaw." "that will do, peter," said o'brien; "we have the cream of it i think." we left the house and walked down to the boat. "surely. o'brien," said i, "this should not be permitted?" "he's no worse than his neighbours," replied o'brien, "and perhaps does less harm. i admired the rascal's ingenuity; he gave his flock what, in ireland, we should call a pretty broad hint." "yes, there was no mistaking him; but is he a licensed preacher?" "very little license in his preaching, i take it; no, i suppose he has had a _call_." "a call!--what do you mean?" "i mean that he wants to fill his belly. hunger is a call of nature, peter." "he seems to want a good many things, if we were to judge by his catalogue: what a pity it is that these poor people are not better instructed." "that they never will be, peter, while there is, what may be called, free trade in religion." "you speak like a catholic, o'brien." "i am one," replied he. and here our conversation ended, for we were close to the boat, which was waiting for us on the beach. the next day a man-of-war brig arrived from england, bringing letters for the squadron on the station. i had two from my sister ellen, which made me very uncomfortable. she stated, that my father had seen my uncle, lord privilege, and had had high words with him; indeed, as far as she could ascertain of the facts, my father had struck my uncle, and had been turned out of the house by the servants. that he had returned in a state of great excitement, and had been ill ever since. that there was a great deal of talk in the neighbourhood on the subject--people generally highly blaming my father's conduct and thinking that he was deranged in his intellect,--a supposition very much encouraged by my uncle. she again expressed her hopes of my speedy return. i had now been absent nearly three years, and she had been so uncomfortable that she felt as if it had been at least ten. o'brien also received a letter from father mcgrath, which i shall lay before the reader. "my dear son,--long life, and all the blessings of all the saints be upon you now and for evermore! amen. and may you live to be married, and may i dance at your wedding, and may you never want children, and may they grow up as handsome as their father and their mother (whoever she may hereafter be), and may you die of a good old age, and in the true faith, and be waked handsomely, as your own father was last friday s'ennight, seeing as how he took it into his head to leave this world for a better. it was a very dacent funeral-procession, my dear terence, and your father must have been delighted to see himself so well attinded. no man ever made a more handsome corpse, considering how old, and thin, and haggard he had grown of late; and how grey his hair had turned. he held the nosegay between his fingers, across his breast, as natural as life, and reminded us all of the blessed saint pope gregory who was called to glory some hundred years before either you or i was born. "your mother's quite comfortable; and there she sits in the ould chair, rocking to and fro all day long, and never speaking a word to nobody, thinking about heaven, i dare to say; which is just what she ought to do, seeing that she stands a very pretty chance of going there in the course of a month or so. divil a word has she ever said since your father's departure, but then she screamed and yelled enough to last for seven years at the least. she screamed away all her senses any how, for she has done nothing since but cough, cough, and fumble at her pater-nosters,--a very blessed way to pass the remainder of her days, seeing that i expect her to drop every minute, like an over ripe sleepy pear. so don't think any more about her, my son, for without you are back in a jiffy, her body will be laid in consecrated ground, and her happy, blessed soul in purgatory. _pax vobiscum_. amen! amen! "and now having disposed of your father and your mother so much to your satisfaction, i'll just tell you that ella's mother died in the convent at dieppe, but whether she kept her secret or not i do not know; but this i do know, that if she didn't relieve her soul by confession, she's damned to all eternity. thanks be to god for all his mercies. amen! ella flanagan is still alive, and, for a nun, is as well as can be expected. i find that she knows nothing at all about the matter of the exchanging the genders of the babbies--only that her mother was on oath to father o'toole, who ought to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, instead of those poor fellows whom the government called rebels, but who were no more rebels than father mcgrath himself, who'll uphold the pretender, as they call our true catholic king, as long as there's life in his body, or a drop of whisky left in ould ireland to drink his health wid.--talking about father o'toole puts me in mind that the bishop has not yet decided our little bit of dispute, saying that he must take time to think about it. now considering that it's just three years since the row took place, the old gentleman must be a very slow thinker, not to have found out by this time that i was in the right, and that father o'toole, the baste, is not good enough to be hanged. "your two married sisters are steady and diligent young women, having each made three children since you last saw them. fine boys, every mother's son of them, with elegant spacious features, and famous mouths for taking in whole potatoes. by the powers, but the effects of the tree of the o'briens begin to make a noise in the land, anyhow, as you would say if you only heard them roaring for their bit of suppers. "and now, my dear son terence, to the real purport of this letter, which is just to put to your soul's conscience, as a dutiful son, whether you ought not to send me a small matter of money to save your poor father's soul from pain and anguish--for it's no joke that being in purgatory, i can tell you; and you wouldn't care how soon you were tripped out of it yourself. i only wish you had but your little toe in it, and then you'd burn with impatience to have it out again. but you're a dutiful son, so i'll say no more about it--a nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse. "when your mother goes, which, with the blessing of god, will be in a very little while, seeing that she has only to follow her senses, which are gone already, i'll take upon myself to sell everything, as worldly goods and chattels are of no use to dead people: and i have no doubt but that what, with the furniture, and the two cows, and the pigs, and the crops in the ground, there will be enough to save her soul from the flames, and bury her dacently into the bargain. however, as you are the heir-at-law, seeing that the property is all your own, i'll keep a debtor and creditor account of the whole; and should there be any over, i'll use it all out in masses, so as to send her up to heaven by express and if there's not sufficient, she must remain where she is till you come back and make up the deficiency. in the meanwhile i am your loving father in faith, "urtagh mcgrath." chapter fifty two. good sense in swinburne--no man a hero to his "valet de chambre," or a prophet in his own country--o'brien takes a step by strategy--o'brien parts with his friend, and peter's star is no longer in the ascendant. o'brien was sorry for the death of his father, but he could not feel as most people would have done, as his father had certainly never been a father to him. he was sent to sea to be got rid of, and ever since he had been there had been the chief support of his family: his father was very fond of whisky, and not very fond of exertion. he was too proud of the true milesian blood in his veins, to do anything to support himself; but not too proud to live upon his son's hard-earned gains. for his mother o'brien felt very much; she had always been kind and affectionate, and was very fond of him. sailors, however, are so estranged from their families, when they have been long in their profession, and so accustomed to vicissitudes, that no grief for the loss of a relation lasts very long, and, in a week, o'brien had recovered his usual spirits, when a vessel brought us the intelligence that a french squadron had been seen off st. domingo. this put us all on the _qui vive_. o'brien was sent for by the admiral, and ordered to hasten his brig for sea with all possible despatch, as he was to proceed with despatches to england forthwith. in three days we were reported ready, received our orders, and at eight o'clock in the evening made sail from carlisle bay. "well, mr swinburne," said i, "how do you like your new situation?" "why, mr simple, i like it well enough, and it's not disagreeable to be an officer, and sit in your own cabin; but still, i feel that i should get on better, if i were in another ship. i've been hail fellow well met with the ship's company so long, that i can't top the officer over them, and we can't get the duty done as smart as i could wish; and then, at night, i find it very lonely, stuck up in my cabin like a parson's clerk, and nobody to talk to; for the other warrants are particular, and say that i'm only acting, and may not be confirmed, so they hold aloof. i don't much like being answerable for all that lot of gunpowder--it's queer stuff to handle." "very true, swinburne; but still, if there were no responsibility, we should require no officers. you recollect that you are now provided for for life, and will have half-pay." "that's what made me bite, mr simple; i thought of the old woman, and how comfortable it would make her in her old age, and so, d'ye see, i sacrificed myself." "how long have you been married, swinburne?" "ever since christmas ' . i wasn't going to be hook'd carelessly, so i nibbled afore i took the bait. had four years' trial of her first, and finding that she had plenty of ballast, i sailed her as my own." "how do you mean by plenty of ballast?" "i don't mean, mr simple, a broad bow and square hulk. you know very well that if a vessel has not ballast, she's bottom up in no time. now, what keeps a woman stiff under her canvas is her modesty." "very true. swinburne; but it's a rare commodity on the beach." "and why, mr simple? because liquor is more valued. many a good man has found it to be his bane; and as for a woman, when once she takes to it, she's like a ship without a rudder, and goes right before the wind to the devil. not that i think a man ought not to take a nor-wester or two, when he can get them. rum was not given by god almighty only to make the niggers dance, but to make all our hearts glad; neither do i see why a woman is to stand out neither; what's good for jack can't hurt poll; only there is a medium, as they say, in all things, and half-and-half is quite strong enough." "i should think it was," replied i, laughing. "but don't be letting me prevent you from keeping a look-out, mr simple.--you hoskins, you're half a point off the wind. luff you may.-- i think, mr simple, that captain o'brien didn't pick out the best man, when he made tom alsop a quarter-master in my place." "why, he is a very steady, good man, swinburne." "yes, so he is; but he has natural defects, which shouldn't be overlooked." "i was not aware of that." "no, but i was. alsop wants to sarve out his time for his pension, and when he has sarved, you see if, when the surgeons examine him, they don't invalid him, as blind as a bat. i should like to have him as gunner's mate, and that's just what he's fit for. but, mr simple, i think we shall have some bad weather. the moon looks greasy, and the stars want snuffing. you'll have two reefs in the topsails afore morning. there's five bells striking. now, i'll turn in; if i didn't keep half the first, and half the morning watch, i shouldn't sleep all the night. i miss my regular watch very much, mr simple--habit's every thing--and i don't much fancy a standing bed-place, it's so large, and i feel so cold of my sides. nothing like a hammock, after all. good night, mr simple." "good night. swinburne." our orders were to proceed with all _possible_ despatch; and o'brien carried on day and night, generally remaining up himself till one or two o'clock in the morning. we had very favourable weather, and in a little more than a month we passed the lizard. the wind being fair, we passed plymouth, ran up channel, and anchored at spithead. after calling upon the admiral, o'brien set off for town with his despatches, and left me in command of the ship. in three days, i received a letter from him, informing me that he had seen the first lord, who had asked him a great many questions concerning the station he had quitted; that he had also complimented o'brien on his services. "on that hint i spake," continued o'brien; "i ventured to insinuate to his lordship, that i had hoped that i had earned my promotion; and as there is nothing like _quartering on the enemy_, i observed that i had not applied to lord privilege, as i considered my services would have been sufficient, without any application on his part. his lordship returned a very gracious answer; said that my lord privilege was a great ally of his and very friendly to the government; and inquired when i was going to see him. i replied, that i certainly should not pay my respects to his lordship at present, unless there was occasion for it, as i must take a more favourable opportunity. so i hope that good may come from the great lord's error, which of course i shall not correct, as i feel i deserve my promotion--and you know, peter, if you can't gain it by _hook_, you must by _crook_." he then concluded his letter; but there was a postscript as follows:-- "wish me joy, my dear peter. i have this moment received a letter from the private secretary, to say that i am _posted_ and appointed to the _semiramis_ frigate, about to set sail for the east indies. she is all ready to start; and now i must try and get you with me, of which i have no doubt; as, although her officers have been long appointed, there will be little difficulty of success, when i mention your relationship to lord privilege, and while they remain in error as to his taking an interest in my behalf." i sincerely rejoiced at o'brien's good fortune. his promotion i had considered certain, as his services had entitled him to it: but the command of so fine a frigate must have been given upon the supposition that it would be agreeable to my uncle, who was not only a prime supporter, but a very useful member of the tory government. i could not help laughing to myself, at the idea of o'brien obtaining his wishes from the influence of a person who, probably, detested him as much as one man could detest another; and i impatiently waited for o'brien's next letter, by which i hoped to find myself appointed to the _semiramis_; but a sad _contre temps_ took place. o'brien did not write; but came down two days afterwards, hastened on board the _semiramis_, read his commission, and assumed the command before even he had seen me: he then sent his gig on board of the _rattlesnake_, to desire me to come to him directly. i did so, and we went down into the cabin of the frigate. "peter," said he, "i was obliged to hasten down and read myself captain of this ship, as i am in fear that things are not going on well. i had called to pay my respects at the admiralty, previous to joining, and was kicking my heels in the waiting-room, when who should walk up the passage, as if he were a captain on his own quarter-deck, but your uncle, lord privilege. his eye met mine--he recognised me immediately--and, if it did not flash fire, it did something very like it. he asked a few questions of one of the porters, and was giving his card, when my name was called for. i passed him, and up i went to the first lord, thanked him for the frigate; and having received a great many compliments upon my exertions on the west india station, made my bow and retired. i had intended to have requested your appointment, but i knew that your name would bring up lord privilege's; and, moreover, your uncle's card was brought up and laid upon the table while i was sitting there. the first lord, i presume, thought that his lordship was come to thank him for his kindness to me, which only made him more civil. i made my bow, and went down, and met the eye of lord privilege, who looked daggers at me as he walked upstairs--for, of course, he was admitted immediately after my audience was finished. instead of waiting to hear the result of the explanation, i took a post-chaise, and have come down here as fast as four horses can bring me, and have read myself in--for, peter, i feel sure, that if not on board, my commission will be cancelled; and i know that if once in command, as i am now, i can call for a court-martial, to clear my character if i am superseded. i know that the admiralty _can_ do anything, but still they will be cautious in departing from the rules of the service, to please even lord privilege. i looked up at the sky as soon as i left the admiralty portico, and was glad to see that the weather was so thick, and the telegraph not at work, or i might have been too late. now i'll go on shore, and report myself to the admiral, as having taken the command of the _semiramis_." o'brien went on shore to report himself, was well received by the admiral, who informed him, that if he had any arrangements to make, he could not be too soon, as he should not be surprised if his sailing orders came down the next morning. this was very annoying, as i could not see how i should be able to join o'brien's ship, even if i could effect an exchange, in so short a time. i therefore hastened on board of the _semiramis_ and applied to the officers to know if any of them were willing to exchange into the _rattlesnake_; but although they did not much like going to the east indies, they would not exchange into a brig, and i returned disappointed. the next morning, the admiral sent for o'brien, and told him confidentially, for he was the same admiral who had received o'brien when he escaped from prison with me, and was very kind to him, that there was some hitch about his having the _semiramis_, and that orders had come down to pay her off, all standing, and examine her bottom, if captain o'brien had not joined her. "do you understand what this means?" said the admiral, who was anxious to know the reason. o'brien answered frankly, that lord privilege, by whose interest he had obtained his former command, was displeased with him; and that as he saw him go up to the first lord after his own audience, he had no doubt but that his lordship had said something to his disadvantage, as he was a very vindictive man. "well," said the admiral, "it's lucky that you have taken the command, as they cannot well displace you, or send her into dock without a survey, and upon your representation." and so it proved; the first lord, when he found that o'brien had joined, took no further steps, but allowed the frigate to proceed to her intended destination. but all chance of my sailing with him was done away, and now, for the first time, i had to part with o'brien. i remained with him the whole time that i could be spared from my duties. o'brien was very much annoyed, but there was no help. "never mind, peter," said he, "i've been thinking that perhaps it's all for the best. you will see more of the world, and be no longer in leading-strings. you are now a fine man grown up, big enough, and ugly enough, as they say, to take care of yourself. we shall meet again; and if we don't, why then god bless you, my boy, and don't forget o'brien." three days afterwards, o'brien's orders came down. i accompanied him on board; and it was not until the ship was under weigh, and running towards the needles with a fair wind, that i shook hands with him, and shoved off. parting with o'brien was a heavy blow to me; but i little knew how much i was to suffer before i saw him again. chapter fifty three. i am pleased with my new captain--obtain leave to go home--find my father afflicted with a very strange disease, and prove myself a very good doctor, although the disorder always breaks out in a fresh place. the day after o'brien had sailed for the east indies, the dock-yard men came on board to survey the brig, and she was found so defective, as to be ordered into dock. i had received letters from my sister, who was overjoyed at the intelligence of my safe return, and the anticipation of seeing me. the accounts of my father were, however, very unsatisfactory. my sister wrote, that disappointment and anxiety had had such an effect upon him that he was deranged in his intellect. our new captain came down to join us. he was a very young man, and had never before commanded a ship. his character as lieutenant was well known, and not very satisfactory, being that of a harsh, unpleasant officer; but, as he had never been first lieutenant, it was impossible to say what he might prove when in command of a ship. still we were a little anxious about it, and severely regretted the loss of o'brien. he came on board the hulk to which the ship's company had been turned over, and read his commission. he proved to be all affability, condescension, and good-nature. to me he was particularly polite, stating that he should not interfere with me in carrying on the duty, as i must be so well acquainted with the ship's company. we thought that those who gave us the information must have been prejudiced or mistaken in his character. during the half-hour that he remained on board, i stated that now that the brig was in dock, i should like very much to have an opportunity of seeing my friends, if he would sanction my asking for leave. to this he cheerfully consented, adding, that he would extend it upon his own responsibility. my letter to the admiralty was therefore forwarded through him, and was answered in the affirmative. the day afterwards, i set off by the coach, and once more embraced my dear sister. after the first congratulations were over, i inquired about my father; she replied, that he was so wild that nobody could manage him. that he was melancholy and irritable at the same time, and was certainly deranged, fancying himself to be made of various substances, or to be in a certain trade or capacity. that he generally remained in this way four or five days, when he went to bed, and slept for twenty-four hours, or more, and awoke with some new strange imagination in his head. his language was violent, but that, in other respects, he seemed to be more afraid of other people than inclined to be mischievous; and that every day he was getting more strange and ridiculous. he had now just risen from one of his long naps, and was in his study; that before he had fallen asleep he had fancied himself to be a carpenter, and had sawed and chopped up several articles of furniture in the house. i quitted my sister to see my father, whom i found in his easy-chair. i was much shocked at his appearance. he was thin and haggard his eyes were wild, and he remained with his mouth constantly open. a sick nurse, who had been hired by my sister, was standing by him. "pish, pish, pish, pish!" cried my father; "what can you, a stupid old woman, know about my inside? i tell you the gas is generating fast, and even now i can hardly keep on my chair. i'm lifting--lifting now; and if you don't tie me down with cords, i shall go up like a balloon." "indeed, sir," replied the woman, "it's only the wind in your stomach. you'll break it off directly." "it's inflammable gas, you old hecate!--i know it is. tell me will you get a cord, or will you not? hah! who's that--peter? why you've dropped from the clouds, just in time to see me mount up to them." "i hope you feel yourself better, sir," said i. "i fell myself a great deal lighter every minute. get a cord, peter, and tie me to the leg of the table." i tried to persuade him that he was under a mistake; but it was useless. he became excessively violent, and said i wished him in heaven. as i had heard that it was better to humour people afflicted with hypochondriacism, which was evidently the disease under which my father laboured, i tried that method. "it appears to me, sir," said i, "that if we could remove the gas every ten minutes, it would be a very good plan." "yes--but how?" replied he, shaking his head mournfully. "why, with a syringe, sir," said i; "which will, if empty, of course draw out the gas, when inserted into your mouth." "my dear peter, you have saved my life," replied my father; "be quick though, or i shall go up, right through the ceiling." fortunately, there was an instrument of that description in the house. i applied it to his mouth, drew up the piston, and then ejected the air, and re-applied it. in two minutes he pronounced himself better, and i left the old nurse hard at work, and my father very considerably pacified. i returned to my sister, to whom i recounted what had passed; but it was no source of mirth to us, although had it happened to an indifferent person, i might have been amused. the idea of leaving her, as i must soon do--having only a fortnight's leave--to be worried by my father's unfortunate malady, was very distressing. but we entered into a long conversation, in which i recounted the adventures that had taken place since i had left her, and for the time forgot our source of annoyance and regret. for three days my father insisted upon the old woman pumping the gas out of his body; after that he again fell into one of his sound sleeps, which lasted nearly thirty hours. when he arose, i went again to see him. it was eight o'clock in the evening, and i entered with a candle. "take it away--quick, take it away; put it out carefully." "why, what's the matter, sir?" "don't come near me, if you love me; don't come near me. put it out, i say--put it out." i obeyed his orders, and then asked him the reason. "reason!" said he, now that we were in the dark; "can't you see?" "no, father; i can see nothing in the dark." "well, then, peter, i'm a magazine, full of gun-powder; the least spark in the world, and i am blown up. consider the danger. you surely would not be the destruction of your father, peter;" and the poor old gentleman burst into tears, and wept like a child. i knew that it was in vain to reason with him. "my dear father," said i, "on board ship, when there is any danger of this kind, we always float the magazine. now, if you were to drink a good deal of water, the powder would be spoiled, and there would be no danger." my father was satisfied with my proposal, and drank a tumbler of water every half-hour, which the old nurse was obliged to supply as fast as he called for it, and this satisfied him for three or four days, and i was again left to the company of my dear ellen, when my father again fell into his stupor, and we wondered what would be his next fancy. i was hastily summoned by the nurse; and found my poor father lying in bed, and breathing in a very strange manner. "what is the matter, my dear sir?" inquired i. "why, don't you see what is the matter? how is a poor little infant, just born, to live, unless its mother is near to suckle it, and take care of it?" "indeed, sir, do you mean to say that you are just born?" "to be sure i do. i'm dying for the breast." this was almost too absurd; but i gravely observed, "that it was all very true, but unfortunately his mother had died in child-birth, and that the only remedy was to bring him up by hand." he agreed with me. i desired the nurse to make some gruel, with brandy, and feed him: which she did, and he took the gruel just as if he were a baby. this fit lasted about six days; for he went to sleep, because a baby always slept much; and i was in hopes it would last much longer: but he again went off into his lethargic fit, and after a long sleep awoke with a new fancy. my time had nearly expired, and i had written to my new captain, requesting an extension of leave, but i received an answer stating that it could not be granted, and requesting me to join the brig immediately. i was rather surprised at this, but of course was compelled to obey and, embracing my dear sister once more, set off for portsmouth. i advised her to humour my father, and this advice she followed; but his fancies were such, occasionally, as would have puzzled the most inventive genius to combat, or to find the remedy which he might acknowledge to be requisite. his health became certainly worse and worse, and his constitution was evidently destroyed by a slow, undermining bodily and mental fever. the situation of my poor sister was very distressing; and i must say that i quitted her with melancholy forebodings. i ought here to observe, that i received all my prize-money amounting to pounds, a large sum for a lieutenant. i put it into the funds, and gave a power of attorney to ellen, requesting her to use it as her own. we consulted as to what she should do if my father should die, and agreed that all his debts, which we knew to amount to three or four hundred pounds, should be paid, and that she should manage how she could upon what was left of my father's property, and the interest of my prize-money. chapter fifty four. we receive our sailing orders, and orders of every description--a quarter-deck conversation--listeners never hear any good of themselves. when i arrived at portsmouth, i reported myself to the captain, who lived at the hotel. i was ushered into his room to wait for him, as he was dressing to dine with the admiral. my eyes naturally turned to what lay on the table, merely from the feeling which one has to pass away the time, not from curiosity; and i was much surprised to see a pile of letters the uppermost of which was franked by lord privilege. this, however, might be merely accidental; but my curiosity was excited, and i lifted up the letter, and found that the second, the third, and indeed at least ten of them were franked by my uncle. i could not imagine how there could be any intimacy between him and my uncle, and was reflecting upon it when captain hawkins, for that was his name, entered the room. he was very kind and civil, apologised for not being able to extend my leave, which, he said, was because he had consulted the admiral, who would not sanction the absence of the first lieutenant, and had very peremptorily desired he would recall me immediately. i was satisfied: he shook my hand, and we parted. on, my arrival on board the hulk, for the brig was still in dock, i was warmly received by my messmates. they told me that the captain had, generally speaking, been very civil, but that, occasionally, the marks of the cloven foot appeared. "webster," said i to the second lieutenant, "do you know anything about his family or connections?" "it is a question i have asked of those who have sailed with him, and they all say that he never speaks of his own family, but very often boasts of his intimacy with the nobility. some say that he is a _bye-blow_ of some great man." i reflected very much upon this, and connecting it with the numerous franks of lord privilege which i saw on the table, had my misgivings; but then i knew that i could do my duty, and had no reason to fear any man. i resolved, in my own mind, to be very correct, and put it out of the power of any one to lay hold of me, and then dismissed the subject. the brig was repaired and out of dock, and for some days i was very busy getting her ready for sea. i never quitted her; in fact, i had no wish. i never had any taste for bad company and midnight orgies, and i had no acquaintance with the respectable portion of the inhabitants of portsmouth. at last the ship's company were removed into the brig: we went out of the harbour, and anchored at spithead. captain hawkins came on board and gave me an order-book, saying, "mr simple, i have a great objection to written orders, as i consider that the articles of war are quite sufficient to regulate any ship. still, a captain is in a very responsible situation, and if any accident occurs he is held amenable. i therefore have framed a few orders of my own for the interior discipline of the vessel, which may probably save me harmless, in case of being _hauled over the coals_; but not with any wish that they should interfere with the comforts of the officers, only to guard against any mischance, of which the _onus_ may fall upon myself." i received the order-book, and the captain went ashore. when i went down into the gun-room, to look through it, i at once perceived that if rigidly conformed to, every officer in the ship would be rendered uncomfortable; and if not conformed to, i should be the party that was answerable. i showed it to webster, who agreed with me, and gave it as his opinion that the captain's good nature and amiability were all a blind, and that he was intending to lay hold of us as soon as it was in his power. i therefore called all the officers together, and told them my opinion. webster supported me, and it was unanimously agreed that the orders should be obeyed, although not without remonstrance. the major part of the orders, however, only referred to the time that the brig was in harbour; and, as we were about to proceed to sea, it was hardly worth while saying anything at present. the orders for the sailing of the brig came down, and by the same post i received a letter from my sister ellen, stating that they had heard from captain fielding, who had immediately written to bombay, where the regiment was stationed, and had received an answer, informing him that there was no married man in the regiment of the name of sullivan, and no woman who had followed that regiment of that name. this at once put an end to all our researches after the wet-nurse, who had been confined in my uncle's house. where she had been sent, it was of course impossible to say; but i gave up all chance of discovering my uncle's treachery; and, as i thought of celeste, sighed at the little hope i had of ever being united to her. i wrote a long letter to o'brien, and the next day we sailed for our station in the north sea. the captain added a night order-book to the other, and sent it up every evening, to be returned in the morning, with the signature of every officer of the night watches. he also required all our signatures to his general order-book, that we might not say we had not read them. i had the first watch, when swinburne came up to me. "well, mr simple, i do not think we have made much by our exchange of captains; and i have a shrewd suspicion we shall have squalls ere long." "we must not judge too hastily, swinburne," replied i. "no, no--i don't say that we should; but still, one must go a little by looks in the world, and i'm sure his looks wouldn't help him much. he is just like a winter's day, short and dirty; and he walks the decks as if plank were not good enough for his feet. mr william says, he looks as if he were `big with the fate of cato and of rome:' what that means i don't know--some joke, i suppose, for the youngsters are always joking. were you ever up the baltic, mr simple? now i think of it i know you never were. i've seen some tight work up there with the gun-boats; and so we should now, with captain o'brien; but as for this little man, i've an idea 'twill be more talk than work." "you appear to have taken a great dislike to the captain, swinburne. i do not know whether, as first lieutenant, i ought to listen to you." "it's because you're first lieutenant that i tell it you, mr simple. i never was mistaken, in the main, of an officer's character, when i could look him in the face, and hear him talk for half-an-hour; and i came up on purpose to put you on your guard: for i feel convinced, that towards you he means mischief. what does he mean by having the greasy-faced sergeant of marines in his cabin for half-an-hour every morning? his reports as master-of-arms ought to come through you, as first lieutenant; but he means him as a spy upon all, and upon you in particular. the fellow has began to give himself airs already, and speaks to the young gentlemen as if they were beneath him. i thought you might not know it, mr simple, so i thought it right to tell you." "i am much obliged to you, swinburne, for your good wishes; but i can do my duty, and why should i fear anything?" "a man may do his duty, mr simple; but if a captain is determined to ruin him, he has the power. i have been longer in the service than you have, and have been wide awake: only be careful of one thing mr simple; i beg your pardon for being so free, but in no case lose your temper." "no fear of that, swinburne," replied i. "it's very easy to say `no fear of that,' mr simple: but recollect you have not yet had your temper tried as some officers have. you have always been treated like a gentleman; but should you find yourself treated otherwise, you have too good blood in your veins not to speak--i am sure of that. i've seen officers insulted and irritated, till no angel could put up with the treatment--and then for an unguarded word, which they would have been _swabs_ not to have made use of, sent out of the service to the devil." "but you forget, swinburne, that the articles of war are made for the captain as well as for everybody else in the ship." "i know that; but still, at court-martials captains make a great distinction between what a superior says to an inferior, and what an inferior says to a superior." "true," replied i, quoting shakespeare:-- "`that's in the captain but a choleric word, which in the soldier is rank blasphemy.'" "exactly my meaning--i rather think," said swinburne, "if a captain calls you no gentleman, you mustn't say the same to him." "certainly not," replied i; "but i can demand a court-martial." "yes; and it will be granted; but what do you gain by that? it's like beating against a heavy gale and a lee tide--thousand to one if you fetch your port; and if you do, your vessel is strained to pieces, sails worn as thin as a newspaper, and rigging chafed half through, wanting fresh serving: no orders for a refit, and laid up in ordinary for the rest of your life. no, no, mr simple; the best plan is to grin and bear it, and keep a sharp look-out; for depend upon it, mr simple, in the best ship's company in the world, a spy captain will always find spy followers." "do you refer that observation to me, mr swinburne?" said a voice from under the bulwark. i started round, and found the captain, who had crept upon deck, unperceived by us, during our conversation. swinburne made no reply, but touched his hat, and walked over to leeward. "i presume, mr simple," said the captain, turning to me, "that you consider yourself justified in finding fault, and abusing your captain, to an inferior officer, on his majesty's quarter-deck." "if you heard the previous conversation, sir," replied i, "you must be aware that we were speaking generally about court-martials. i do not imagine that i have been guilty of any impropriety in conversing with an officer upon points connected with the service." "you mean then to assert, sir, that the gunner did not refer to me when he said the words, `spy captain.'" "i acknowledge, sir, that as you were listening unperceived, the term might appear to refer to you; but the gunner had no idea, at the time, that you were listening. his observation was, that a spy captain would always find spy followers. this i take to be a general observation; and i am sorry that you think otherwise." "very well, mr simple," said captain hawkins--and he walked down the companion ladder into his cabin. "now a'n't it odd, mr simple, that i should come with the intention of being of service to you, and yet get you into such a scrape? however, perhaps, it is all for the best; open war is preferable to watching in the dark, and stabbing in the back. he never meant to have shown his colours; but i hit him so hard that he forgot himself." "i suspect that to be the case, swinburne; but i think that you had better not talk any more with me to-night." "wish i hadn't talked quite so much, as things have turned out," replied swinburne. "good night, sir." i reflected upon what had passed, and felt convinced that swinburne was right in saying that it was better this had occurred than otherwise. i now knew the ground which i stood upon; and forewarned was being forearmed. chapter fifty five. we encounter a dutch brig of war--captain hawkins very contemplative near the capstan--hard knocks, and no thanks for it--who's afraid?--men will talk--the brig goes about on the wrong tack. at daylight the next morning we were off the texel, and could see the low sand-hills: but we had scarcely made them out, when the fog in the offing cleared up, and we made a strange vessel. the hands were turned up, and all sail made in chase. we made her out to be a brig of war; and as she altered her course considerably, we had an idea that she was an enemy. we made the private signal, which was unanswered, and we cleared for action; the brig making all sail on the starboard tack, and we following her--she bearing about two miles on out weather-bow. the breeze was not steady; at one time the brig was staggering under her top-gallant sails, while we had our royals set; at another, we would have hands by the top-gallant sheets and topsail halyards, while she expanded every stitch of canvas. on the whole, however, in an hour we had neared about half a mile. our men were all at their quarters, happy to be so soon at their old work. their jackets and hats were thrown off, a bandana handkerchief tied round their heads, and another, or else their black silk handkerchiefs, tied round their waists. every gun was ready, everything was in its place, and every soul, i was going to say, was anxious for the set-to; but i rather think i must not include the captain, who from the commencement showed no signs of pleasure, and anything but presence of mind. when we first chased the vessel, it was reported that it was a merchantman; and it was not until we had broad daylight that we discovered her to be a man-of-war. there was one thing to be said in his favour--he had never been in action in his life. the breeze now fell light, and we were both with our sails set, when a thick fog obscured her from our sight. the fog rolled on till we met it, and then we could not see ten yards from the brig. this was a source of great mortification, as we had every chance of losing her. fortunately, the wind was settling down fast into a calm, and about twelve o'clock the sails flapped against the mast. i reported twelve o'clock, and asked the captain whether we should pipe to dinner. "not yet," replied he, "we will put her head about." "go about, sir?" replied i with surprise. "yes," said he; "i'm convinced that the chase is on the other tack at this moment; and if we do not, we shall lose her." "if she goes about, sir," said i, "she must get among the sands, and we shall be sure of her." "sir," replied he, "when i ask your advice, you will be pleased to give it. i command this vessel." i touched my hat, and turned the hands up about ship, convinced that the captain wished to avoid the action, as the only chance of escape for the brig was her keeping her wind in the tack she was on. "'bout ship--'bout ship!" cried the men. "what the hell are we going about for?" inquired they of one another, as they came up the ladder. "silence there, fore and aft!" cried i. "captain hawkins, i do not think we can get her round, unless we wear--the wind is very light." "then wear ship, mr simple." there are times when grumbling and discontent among the seamen is so participated by the officer, although they do not show it, that the expressions made use of are passed unheeded. such was the case at present. the officers looked at each other, and said nothing; but the men were unguarded in their expressions. the brig wore gradually round; and when the men were bracing up the yards, sharp on the other tack, instead of the "hurrah!" and "down with the mark," they fell back with a groan. "brace up those yards in silence there," said i to the men, which was all i could say. the ropes were coiled down, and we piped to dinner. the captain, who continued on deck, could not fail to hear the discontented expressions which occasionally were made use of on the lower deck. he made no observation, but occasionally looked over the side, to see whether the brig went through the water. this she did slowly for about ten minutes, when it fell a perfect calm--so that, to use a common phrase, he gained little by his motion. about half-past one, a slight breeze from the opposite quarter sprung up--we turned round to it--it increased--the fog blew away, and, in a quarter of an hour, the chase was again visible, now upon our lee beam. the men gave three cheers. "silence there, fore and aft," cried the captain angrily. "mr simple, is this the way that the ship's company have been disciplined under their late commander, to halloo and bawl whenever they think proper?" i was irritated at any reflection upon o'brien, and i replied, "yes sir; they have been always accustomed to express their joy at the prospect of engaging the enemy." "very well, mr simple," replied he. "how are we to put her head?" inquired the master, touching his hat; "for the chase?" "of course," replied the captain, who then descended into his cabin. "come, my lads," said swinburne, as soon as the captain was below, "i have been going round, and i fine that your _pets_ are all in good fighting order. i promise ye, you sha'n't wait for powder. they'll find that the _rattlesnake_ can bite devilish hard yet, i expect." "ay, and without its _head_, too," replied one of the men, who was the joe miller of the brig. the chase, perceiving that she could not escape--for we were coming up with her, hand over hand, now shortened sail for action, hoisting dutch colours. captain hawkins again made his appearance on the quarter-deck, when we were within half a mile of her. "are we to run alongside of her, or how?" inquired i. "mr simple, i command her," replied he, "and want no interference whatever." "very well, sir," replied i, and i walked to the gangway. "mr thompson," cried the captain, who appeared to have screwed up his courage to the right pitch, and had now taken his position for a moment on one of the carronades; "you will lay the brig right--" bang, bang--whiz, whiz--bang--whiz, came three shots from the enemy, cleaving the air between our masts. the captain jumped down from the carronade, and hastened to the capstan, without finishing his sentence. "shall we fire when we are ready, sir?" said i; for i perceived that he was not capable of giving correct orders. "yes--yes, to be sure," replied he, remaining where he was. "thompson," said i to the master, "i think we can manage in our present commanding position, to get foul of him, so as to knock away his jib-boom and fore-topmast, and then she can't escape. we have good way on her." "i'll manage it, simple, or my name is not thompson," replied the master, jumping into the quarter-boat, conning the vessel in that exposed situation, as we received the enemy's fire. "look out, my lads, and pour it into her now, just as you please," said i to the men. the seamen were, however, too well disciplined to take immediate advantage of my permission; they waited until we passed her, and just as the master put up his helm so as to catch her jib-boom between our masts, the whole broadside was poured into his bow and chess-tree. her jib-boom and fore-topgallant went down, and she had so much way through the water, that we tore clear from her, and rounding to the wind shot a-head. the enemy, although in confusion from the effects of our broadside, put up his helm to rake us; we perceived his manoeuvre, and did the same, and then squaring our sail, we ran with him before the wind, engaging broadside to broadside. this continued about half-an-hour, and we soon found that we had no fool to play with. the brig was well fought, and her guns well directed. we had several men taken down below, and i thought it would be better to engage her even closer. there was about a cable's length between both vessels, as we ran before the wind, at about six miles an hour with a slight rolling motion. "thompson," said i, "let us see if we cannot beat them from their guns. let's port the helm, and close her, till we can shy a biscuit on board." "just my opinion, simple; we'll see if they won't make another sort of running fight of it." in a few minutes we were so close on board of her that the men who loaded the guns could touch each other with their rammers and sponges. the men cheered; it was gallantly returned by the enemy, and havoc was now commenced by the musketry on both sides. the french captain, who appeared as brave a fellow as ever stepped, stood for some minutes on the hammocks: i was also holding on by the swifter of the main rigging, when he took off his hat and politely saluted me. i returned the compliment; but the fire became too hot, and i wished to get under the shelter of the bulwark. still i would not go down first, and the french captain appeared determined not to be the first either to quit the post of honour. at last one of our marines hit him in the right arm: he clasped his hand to the part, as if to point it out to me, nodded, and was assisted down from the hammocks. i immediately quitted my post, for i thought it foolish to stand as a mark for forty or fifty soldiers. i had already received a bullet through the small of my leg. but the effects of such close fire now became apparent: our guns were only half manned, our sides terribly cut up, and our sails and rigging in tatters. the enemy was even worse off, and two broadsides more brought her mainmast by the board. our men cheered, and threw in another broadside. the enemy dropped astern; we rounded to rake her; she also attempted to round-to, but could not until she had cleared away her wreck, and taken in her foresail, and lowered her topsail. she then continued the action with as much spirit as ever. "he's a fine fellow, by god!" exclaimed thompson; "i never saw a man fight his ship better: but we have him. webster's down, poor fellow!" "i'm sorry for it," replied i; "but i'm afraid that there are many poor fellows who have lost the number of their mess. i think it useless throwing away the advantage which we now have. he can't escape, and he'll fight this way for ever. we had better run a-head, repair damages, and then he must surrender, in his crippled state, when we attack him again." "i agree with you," said thompson; "the only point is, that it will soon be dark." "i'll not lose sight of him, and he cannot get away. if he puts before the wind, then we'll be at him again." we gave him the loaded guns as we forged a-head, and when we were about half a mile from him, hove to, to repair damages. the reader may now ask, "but where was the captain all this time?" my answer, is, that he was at the capstan, where he stood in silence, not once interfering during the whole action, which was fought by thompson the master and myself. how he looked, or how he behaved in other points during the engagement, i cannot pretend to say, for i had no time to observe him. even now, i was busy knotting the rigging, rousing up new sails to bend, and getting everything in order, and i should not have observed him, had he not come up to me; for as soon as we had ceased firing he appeared to recover himself. he did not, however, first address me; he commenced speaking to the men. "come, be smart, my lads; send a hand here to swab up the blood. here, youngster, run down to the surgeon, and let him know that i wish a report of the killed and wounded." by degrees, he talked more, and at last came up to me. "this has been rather smartish, mr simple." "very smart indeed, sir," replied i; and then turned away to give directions. "maintop there, send down the hauling line on the starboard side." "ay, ay, sir." "now then, my lads, clap on, and run it up at once." "maintop, there," hailed the captain, "be a little smarter, or, by god, i'll call you down for something." this did not come with a good grace from one, who had done nothing, to those who were working with all their energy. "mr simple," said the captain, "i wish you would carry on duty with less noise." "at all events, he set us the example during the action," muttered the joe miller; and the other men laughed heartily at the implication. in two hours, during which we had carefully watched the enemy, who still lay where we left him, we were again ready for action. "shall i give the men their grog now, sir?" said i, to the captain; "they must want it." "no, no," replied the captain; "no, no, mr simple, i don't like what you call _dutch_ courage." "i don't think he much does; and this fellow has shown plenty of it," said the joe miller, softly; and the men about him laughed heartily. "i think, sir," observed i, "that it is an injustice to this fine ship's company, to hint at their requiring dutch courage." (dutch courage is a term for courage screwed up by drinking freely.) "and i most respectfully beg leave to observe, that the men have not had their afternoon's allowance; and, after the fatigues they have undergone, really require it." "i command this ship, sir," replied he. "certainly, sir, i am aware of it," rejoined i. "she is now all ready for action again, and i wait your orders. the enemy is two miles on the lee quarter." the surgeon here came up with his report. "good heavens!" said the captain, "forty-seven men killed and wounded; mr webster dangerously. why, the brig is crippled. we can do no more--positively, we can do no more." "_we can take that brig, anyhow_," cried one of the seamen, from a dozen of the men who were to leeward, expecting orders to renew the attack. "what man was that?" cried the captain. no one answered. "by god! this ship is in a state of mutiny, mr simple." "will _soon_ be, i think," said a voice from the crowd, which i knew very well; but the captain, having been but a short time with us, did not know it. "do you hear that, mr simple?" cried the captain. "i regret to say that i did hear it, sir; i little thought that ever such an expression would have been make use of on board of the _rattlesnake_." then fearing he would ask me the man's name, and to pretend not to have recognised it, i said, "who was that who made use of that expression?" but no one answered; and it was so dark that it was impossible to distinguish the men. "after such mutinous expressions," observed the captain, "i certainly will not risk his majesty's brig under my command, as i should have wished to have done, even in her crippled state, by again engaging the enemy. i can only regret that the officers appear as insolent as the men." "perhaps, captain hawkins, you will state in what, and when, i have proved myself insolent. i cannot accuse myself." "i hope the expression was not applied to me, sir," said thompson, the master, touching his hat. "silence, gentlemen, if you please. mr simple, wear round the ship." whether the captain intended to attack the enemy or not, we could not tell, but we were soon undeceived; for when we were round, he ordered her to be kept away, until the dutch brig was on our lee quarter: then ordering the master to shape his course for yarmouth, he went down into the cabin, and sent up word that i might pipe to supper, and serve out the spirits. the rage and indignation of the men could not be withheld. after they went down to supper they gave three heavy groans in concert; indeed, during the whole of that night, the officers who kept the watches had great difficulty in keeping the men from venting their feeling, in what might be almost termed justifiable mutiny. as for myself, i could hardly control my vexation. the brig was our certain prize; and this was proved, for the next day she hauled down her colours immediately to a much smaller man-of-war, which fell in with her, still lying in the same crippled state; the captain and first lieutenant killed, and nearly two-thirds of her ship's company either killed or wounded. had we attacked her, she would have hauled down her colours immediately, for it was our last broadside which had killed the captain, who had shown so much courage. as first lieutenant, i should have received my promotion which was now lost. i cried for vexation when i thought of it as i lay in bed. that his conduct was severely commented upon by the officers in the gun-room, as well as by the whole ship's company, i hardly need say. thompson was for bringing him to a court-martial, which i would most gladly have done, if it only were to get rid of him; but i had a long conversation with old swinburne on the subject, and he proved to me that i had better not attempt it. "for, d'ye see, mr simple, you have no proof. he did not run down below; he stood his ground on deck, although he did nothing. you can't _prove_ cowardice then, although there can be no great doubt of it. again, with regard to his not renewing the attack, why, is not a captain at liberty to decide what is the best for his majesty's service? and if he thought, in the crippled state of the brig, so close to the enemy's coast, that it wasn't advisable, why, it could only be brought in as an error in judgment. then, there's another thing which must be remembered, mr simple, which is, that no captains sitting on a court-martial will, if it be possible to extricate him, ever prove _cowardice_ against a brother captain, because they feel that it's a disgrace, to the whole cloth." swinburne's advice was good, and i gave up all thoughts of proceeding; still, it appeared to me, that the captain was very much afraid that i would, he was so extremely amiable and polite during our run home. he said, that he had watched how well i had behaved in the action, and would not fail to notice it. this was something, but he did not keep his word; for his despatch was published before we quitted the roadstead, and not the name of one officer mentioned, only generally saying, that they conducted themselves to his satisfaction. he called the enemy a corvette, not specifying whether she was brig or ship corvette; and the whole was written in such a bombastic style, that any one would have imagined that he had found a vessel of superior force. he stated, at the end, that as soon as he repaired damages, he wore round, but that the enemy declined further action. so she did, certainly--for the best of all possible reasons, that she was too disabled to come down to us. all this might have been contested; but the enormous list of killed and wounded proved that we had had a hard fight, and the capture of the brig afterwards, that we had really overpowered her. so that, on the whole, captain hawkins gained a great deal of credit with some; although whispers were afloat, which came to the ears of the admiralty, and prevented him from being posted--the more so, as he had the modesty not to apply for it. chapter fifty six. consequences of the action--a ship without a fighting captain is like a thing without a head--so do the sailors think--a mutiny, and the loss of our famous ship's company. during our stay at yarmouth, we were not allowed to put our foot on shore, upon the plea that we must repair damages, and proceed immediately to our station; but the real fact was, that captain hawkins was very anxious that we should not be able to talk about the action. finding no charges preferred against him, he recommenced his system of annoyance. his apartments had windows which looked out upon where the brig lay at anchor; and he constantly watched all our motions with his spy-glass, noting down if i did not hoist up boats, etcetera, exactly at the hour prescribed in his book of orders, so as to gather a list of charges against me if he could. this we did not find out until afterwards. i mentioned before, that when swinburne joined us at plymouth, he had recommended a figure-head being put on the brig. this had been done at o'brien's expense--not in the cheap way recommended by swinburne, but in a very handsome manner. it was a large snake coiled up in folds, with its head darting out in a menacing attitude, and the tail, with its rattle, appeared below. the whole was gilded, and had a very good effect; but after the dock-yard men had completed the repairs, and the brig was painted, one night the head of the rattlesnake disappeared. it had been sawed off by some malicious and evil-disposed persons, and no traces of it were to be found. i was obliged to report this to the captain, who was very indignant, and offered twenty pounds for the discovery of the offender; but had he offered twenty thousand he never would have found out the delinquent. it was, however, never forgotten; for he understood what was implied by these manoeuvres. a new head was carved, but disappeared the night after it was fixed on. the rage of the captain was without bounds: he turned the hands up, and declared that if the offender were not given up, he would flog every hand on board. he gave the ship's company ten minutes, and then prepared to execute the threat. "mr paul, turn the hands up for punishment," said the captain in a rage, and descended to his cabin for the articles of war. when he was down below, the officers talked over the matter. to flog every man for the crime of one, was the height of injustice, but it was not for us to oppose him; still the ship's company must have seen, in our countenances, that we shared their feelings. the men were talking with each other in groups, until they all appeared to have communicated their ideas on the subject. the carpenters, had been slowly bringing aft the gratings, left off the job; the boatswain's mates, who had come aft, rolled the tails of their cats round the red handles; and every man walked down below. no one was left on the quarter-deck but the marines under arms, and the officers. perceiving this, i desired mr paul, the boatswain, to send the men up to rig the gratings, and the quarter-masters with their seizings. he came up, and said that he had called them, but that they did not answer. perceiving that the ship's company would break out into open mutiny, if the captain persisted in his intention, i went down into the cabin, and told the captain the state of things, and wished for his orders or presence on deck. the captain, whose wrath appeared to render him incapable of reflection, immediately proceeded on deck, and ordered the marines to load with ball-cartridge. this was done; but, as i was afterwards told by thompson, who was standing aft, the marines loaded with the powder, and put the balls into their pockets. they wished to keep up the character of their corps for fidelity, and at the same time not _fire_ upon men whom they loved as brothers, and with whom they coincided in opinion. indeed, we afterwards discovered that it was a _marine_ who had taken off the _head_ of the snake a second time. the captain then ordered the boatswain to turn the hands up. the boatswain made his appearance with his right arm in a sling.--"what's the matter with your arm, mr paul?" said i, as he passed me. "tumbled down the hatchway just now--can't move my arm; i must go to the surgeon as soon as this is over." the hands were piped up again, but no one obeyed the order. thus was the brig in a state of mutiny. "mr simple, go forward to the main hatchway with the marines, and fire on the lower deck," cried the captain. "sir," said i, "there are two frigates within a cable's length of us; and would it not be better to send for assistance, without shedding blood? besides, sir, you have not yet tried the effect of calling up the carpenter's and boatswain's mates by name. will you allow me to go down first, and bring them to a sense of their duty?" "yes, sir, i presume you know your power, but of this hereafter." i went down below and called the men by name. "sir," said one of the boatswain's mates, "the ship's company say that they will not submit to be flogged." "i do not speak to the ship's company generally, collins," replied i, "but you are now ordered to rig the gratings, and come on deck. it is an order that you cannot refuse. go up directly, and obey it. quartermasters, go on deck with your seizings. when all is ready, you can then expostulate." the men obeyed my orders: they crawled on deck, rigged the gratings, and stood by. "all is ready, sir," said i, touching my hat to the captain. "send the ship's company aft, mr paul." "aft, then, all of you, for punishment," cried the boatswain. "yes, it is _all of us for punishment_," cried one voice. "we've all to flog one another, and then pay off the _jollies_." [note: jollies is a slang word for marines.] this time the men obeyed the order; they all appeared on the quarterdeck. "the men are all aft, sir," reported the boatswain. "and now, my lads," said the captain, "i'll teach you what mutiny is. you see these two frigates alongside of us. you had forgotten them, i suppose, but i hadn't. here, you scoundrel, mr jones"--(this was the joe miller)--"strip, sir. if ever there were mischief in a ship, you are at the head." "head, sir," said the man, assuming a vacant look; "what head, sir. do you mean the snake's head? i don't know anything about it, sir." "strip, sir!" cried the captain, in a rage; "i'll soon bring you to your senses." "if you please, your honour, what have i done to be tied up?" said the man. "strip, you scoundrel!" "well, sir, if you please, it's hard to be flogged for nothing." the man pulled off his clothes, and walked up to the grating. the quarter-masters seized him up. "seized up, sir," reported the scoundrel of a sergeant of marines, who acted as the captain's spy. the captain looked for the articles of war to read, as is necessary previous to punishing a man, and was a little puzzled to find one, where no positive offence had been committed. at last he pitched upon the one which refers to combination and conspiracy, and creating discontent. we all took off our hats as he read it, and he then called mr paul, the boatswain, and ordered him to give the man a dozen. "please, sir," said the boatswain, pointing to his arm in a sling, "i can't flog--i can't lift up my arm." "your arm was well enough when i came on board, sir," cried the captain. "yes, sir; but in hurrying the men up, i slipped down the ladder, and i'm afraid i've put my shoulder out." the captain bit his lips; he fully believed it was a sham on the part of the boatswain (which indeed it was), to get off flogging the men. "well, then, where is the chief boatswain's mate, collins?" "here, sir," said collins, coming forward: a stout, muscular man, nearly six feet high, with a pig-tail nearly four feet long, and his open breast covered with black shaggy hair. "give that man a dozen, sir," said the captain. the man looked at the captain, then at the ship's company, and then at the man seized up, but did not commence the punishment. "do you hear me, sir," roared the captain. "if you please, your honour, i'd rather take my disrating--i--don't wish to be chief boatswain's mate in this here business." "obey your orders, immediately, sir," cried the captain; "or, by god, i'll try you for mutiny." "well, sir, i beg your pardon; but what must be, must be. i mean no disrespect, captain hawkins, but i cannot flog that man--my conscience won't let me." "your _conscience_, sir?" "beg your pardon, captain hawkins, i've always done my duty, foul weather or fair; and i've been eighteen years in his majesty's service, without ever being brought to punishment; but if i am to be hung now, saving your pleasure, and with all respect, i can't help it." "i give you but one moment more, sir," cried the captain: "do your duty." the man looked at the captain, and then eyed the yard-arm. "captain hawkins, i will _do my duty_, although i must swing for it." so saying, he threw his cat down on the quarter-deck, and fell back among the ship's company. the captain was now confounded, and hardly knew how to act: to persevere, appeared useless--to fall back, was almost as impossible. a dead silence of a minute ensued. everyone was breathless, with impatience, to know what would be done next. the silence was, however, first broken by jones, the joe miller, who was seized up. "beg your honour's pardon, sir," said he, turning his head round: "but if i am to be flogged, will you be pleased to let me have it over? i shall catch my death a-cold, naked here all day." this was decided mockery on the part of the man, and roused the captain. "sergeant of marines, put jones, and that man collins, both legs in irons, for mutiny. my men, i perceive that there is a conspiracy in the ship, but i shall very soon put an end to it: i know the men, and, by god, they shall repent it. mr paul, pipe down. mr simple, man my gig; and recollect, it's my positive orders that no boat goes on shore." the captain left the brig, looking daggers at me as he went over the side; but i had done my duty, and cared little for that; indeed, i was now watching his conduct, as carefully as he did mine. "the captain wishes to tell his own story first," said thompson, coming up to me. "now, if i were you, simple, i would take care that the real facts should be known." "how's that to be done," replied i; "he has ordered no communication with the shore." "simply by sending an officer on board of each of the frigates to state that the brig is in a state of mutiny, and request that they will keep a look-out upon her. this is no more than your duty as commanding officer; you only send the message, leave me to state the facts of my own accord. recollect that the captains of these frigates will be summoned, if there is a court of inquiry, which i expect will take place." i considered a little, and thought the advice good. i despatched thompson first to one frigate, and then to the other. the next day the captain came on board. as soon as he stepped on the quarter-deck, he inquired how i dared disobey his orders in sending the boats away. my reply was that his orders were not to communicate with the shore, but that, as commanding officer, i considered it my duty to make known to the other ships that the men were in a state of insubordination, that they might keep their eyes upon us. he kept his eyes upon me for some time, and then turned away, without reply. as we expected, a court of inquiry was called, upon his representations to the admiral. about twenty of the men were examined, but so much came out as to the _reason why_ the head of the snake had been removed--for the sailors spoke boldly--that the admiral and officers who were appointed strongly recommended captain hawkins not to proceed further than to state that there were some disaffected characters in the ship, and move the admiral to have them exchanged into others. this was done, and the captains of the frigates, who immediately gave their advice, divided all our best men between them. they spoke very freely to me, and asked me who were the best men, which i told them honestly, for i was glad to be able to get them out of the power of captain hawkins: these they marked as disaffected, and exchanged them for all the worst they had on board. the few that were left ran away; and thus, from having one of the finest and best organised ship's companies in the service, we were now one of the very worst. jones was sent on board of the frigate, and under surveillance: he soon proved that his character was as good as i stated it to be, and two years afterwards was promoted to the rank of boatswain. i must here remark, that there is hardly any degree of severity, which a captain may not exert towards his seamen provided they are confident of, or he has proved to them his courage: but if there be a doubt, or a confirmation to the contrary, all discipline is destroyed by contempt, and the ship's company mutiny, either directly or indirectly. there is an old saying, that all tyrants are cowards, that tyranny is in itself a species of meanness, i acknowledge; but still the saying ought to be modified. if it is asserted that all mean tyrants are cowards, i agree: but i have known in the service most special tyrants, who were not cowards: their tyranny was excessive, but there was no meanness in there dispositions. on the contrary, they were generous, open-hearted, and, occasionally, when not influenced by anger, proved, that their hearts, if not quite right, were not very much out of their places. yet they were tyrants; but although tyrants, the men forgave them, and one kind act, when they were not led away by the impetuosity of their feelings, obliterated a hundred acts of tyranny. but such is not the case in our service with men who, in their tyranny, are mean; the seamen show no quarter to them, and will undergo all the risk which the severity of the articles of war render them liable to, rather than not express their opinion of a man whom they despise. i do not like to mention names, but i could point out specimens of brave tyrants and of cowardly tyrants, who have existed, and do even now exist, in our service. the present regulations have limited tyranny to a certain degree, but it cannot check the _mean_ tyrant; for it is not in points of consequence likely to be brought before the notice of his superiors, that he effects his purpose. he resorts to paltry measures-- he smiles that he may betray--he confines himself within the limit that may protect him; and he is never exposed, unless by his courage being called in question, which but rarely occurs; and when it does occur, it is most difficult, as well as most dangerous, to attempt to prove it. it may be asked why i did not quit the ship, after having been aware of the character of the captain, and the enmity which he bore to me. in reply, i can only say that i did often think of it, talked over the subject with my messmates, but they persuaded me to remain, and, as i was a first lieutenant, and knew that any successful action would, in all probability, insure my promotion, i determined to use a nautical expression, to rough it out, and not throw away the only chance which i now had of obtaining my rank as commander. chapter fifty seven. news from home not very agreeable, although the reader may laugh--we arrive at portsmouth, where i fall in with my old acquaintance, mrs. trotter--we sail with a convoy for the baltic. i had written to my sister ellen, giving her an account of all that had passed, and mentioning the character of the captain, and his apparent intimacy with my uncle. i received an answer from her, telling me that she had discovered, from a very communicative old maiden lady, that captain hawkins was an illegitimate son of my uncle, by a lady with whom he had been acquainted, about the time that he was in the army. i immediately conceived the truth, that my uncle had pointed me out to him as an object of his vengeance, and that captain hawkins was too dutiful, and too dependent a son, not to obey him. the state of my father was more distressing than ever, but there was something very ludicrous in his fancies. he had fancied himself a jackass, and had brayed for a week, kicking the old nurse in the stomach, so as to double her up like a hedgehog. he had taken it into his head that he was a pump; and with one arm held out as a spout, he had obliged the poor old nurse to work the other up and down for hours together. in fact, there was a string of strange conceptions of this kind that had accumulated, so as to drive my poor sister almost mad: and sometimes his ideas would be attended with a very heavy expense, as he would send for architects, make contracts, etcetera, for building, supposing himself to have come to the title and property of his brother. this, being the basis of his disease, occurred frequently. i wrote to poor ellen, giving her my best advice; and by this time the brig was again ready for sea, and we expected to sail immediately. i did not forget to write to o'brien, but the distance between us was so great, that i knew i could not obtain his answer, probably, for a year, and i felt a melancholy foreboding, how much i required his advice. our orders were to proceed to portsmouth, and join a convoy collected there, bound up the baltic, under the charge of the _acasta_ frigate, and two other vessels. we did not sail with any pleasure, or hopes of gaining much in the way of prize-money. our captain was enough to make any ship a hell; and our ship's company were composed of a mutinous and incorrigible set of scoundrels, with, of course, a few exceptions. how different did the officers find the brig after losing such a captain as o'brien, and so fine a ship's company! but there was no help for it, and all we had to do was to make the best of it, and hope for better times. the cat was at work nearly every day, and i must acknowledge that, generally speaking, it was deserved; although sometimes a report from the sergeant of marines of any good man favoured by me, was certain to be attended to. this system of receiving reports direct from an inferior officer, instead of through me, as first lieutenant, became so annoying, that i resolved, at all risk to expostulate. i soon had an opportunity, for one morning the captain said to me, "mr simple, i understand that you had a fire in the galley last night after hours." "it's very true, sir, that i did order a stove to be lighted; but may i inquire whether the first lieutenant has not a discretionary power in that point? and further, how is it that i am reported to you by other people? the discipline of this ship is carried on by me, under your directions, and all reports ought to come through me; and i cannot understand upon what grounds you permit them through any other channel." "i command my own ship, sir, and shall do as i please in that respect. when i have officers i can confide in, i shall, in all probability, allow them to report to me." "if there is anything in my conduct which has proved to you that i am incapable, or not trustworthy, i would feel obliged to you, sir, if you would, in the first place, point it out;--and, in the next, bring me to a court-martial if i do not correct it." "i am no court-martial man, sir," replied he, "but i am not to be dictated to by an inferior officer, so you'll oblige me by holding your tongue. the sergeant of marines, as master-at-arms, is bound to report to me any deviation from the regulations i have laid down for the discipline of the ship." "granted, sir; but that report, according to the custom of the service, should come through the first lieutenant." "i prefer it coming direct, sir;--it stands less chance of being garbled." "thank you, captain hawkins, for the compliment." the captain walked away without further reply, and shortly after went down below. swinburne ranged up alongside of me as soon as the captain disappeared. "well, mr simple, so i hear we are bound to the baltic. why couldn't they have ordered us to pick the convoy off yarmouth, instead of coming all the way to portsmouth? we shall be in to-morrow, with this slant of wind." "i suppose the convoy are not yet collected, swinburne; and you recollect, there's no want of french privateers in the channel." "very true, sir." "when were you up the baltic, swinburne?" "i was in the old _st. george_, a regular old ninety-eight; she sailed just like a hay-stack, one mile ahead and three to leeward. lord bless you, mr simple, the cattegat wasn't wide enough for her; but she was a comfortable sort of vessel after all, excepting on a lee shore, so we used always to give the land a wide berth, i recollect. by-the-bye, mr simple, do you recollect how angry you were because i didn't peach at barbadoes, when the man _sucked the monkey_?" "to be sure i do." "well, then, i didn't think it fair then, as i was one of them. but now that i'm a bit of an officer, i'll just tell you that when we get to carlscrona, there's a method of _sucking the monkey_ there, which, as first lieutenant, with such a queer sort of captain, it is just as well that you should be up to. in the old _st. george_ we had seventy men drunk one afternoon, and the first lieutenant couldn't find it out nohow." "indeed, swinburne, you must let me into that secret." "so i will, mr simple. don't you know there's a famous stuff for cuts and wounds, called balsam?" "what, riga balsam?" "yes, that's it; well, all the boats will bring that for sale, as they did to us in the old _st. george_. devilish good stuff it is for wounds, i believe; but it's not bad to drink, and it's very strong. we used to take it _inwardly_, mr simple, and the first lieutenant never guessed it." "what! you all got tipsy upon riga balsam?" "all that could; so i just give you a hint." "i'm much obliged to you, swinburne; i certainly never should have suspected it. i believe seamen would get drunk upon anything." the next morning we anchored at spithead, and found the convoy ready for sea. the captain went on shore to report himself to the admiral, and, as usual, the brig was surrounded with bum-boats and wherries, with people who wished to come on board. as we were not known on the portsmouth station, and had no acquaintance with the people, all the bum-boats were very anxious to supply the ship; and as this is at the option of the first lieutenant, he is very much persecuted until he has made his decision. certificates of good conduct from other officers were handed up the side from all of them: and i looked over the books at the capstan. in the second book the name struck me; it was that of mrs trotter, and i walked to the gangway, out of curiosity, to ascertain whether it was the same personage who, when i was a youngster, had taken such care of my shirts. as i looked at the boats, a voice cried out, "oh, mr simple, have you forgot your old friend? don't you recollect mrs trotter?" i certainly did not recollect her; she had grown very fat, and, although more advanced in years, was a better looking woman than when i had first seen her, for she looked healthy and fresh. "indeed, i hardly did recollect you, mrs trotter." "i've so much to tell you, mr simple," replied she, ordering the boat to pull alongside; and as she was coming up, desired the man to get the things in, as if permission was quite unnecessary. i did not counter-order it, as i knew none of the others, and, as far as honesty was concerned, believed them all to be much on a par. on the strength, then, of old acquaintance, mrs trotter was admitted. "well, i'm sure, mr simple," cried mrs trotter, out of breath with climbing up the brig's side; "what a man you've grown,--and such a handsome man, too! dear, dear, it makes me feel quite old to look at you, when i call to mind the little boy whom i had charge of in the cockpit. don't you think i look very old and ugly, mr simple?" continued she, smiling and smirking. "indeed, mrs trotter, i think you wear very well. pray how is your husband?" "ah, mr simple, poor dear mr trotter--he's gone. poor fellow, no what with his drinking, and his love for me--and his jealousy--(do you recollect how jealous he was, mr simple?)--he wore himself out at last. no wonder, considering what he had been accustomed to, after keeping his carriage and dogs with everybody, to be reduced to see his wife go a _bumming_. it broke his heart, poor fellow! and, mr simple, i've been much happier ever since, for i could not bear to see him fretting. lord, how jealous he was--and all about nothing! don't you want some fresh meat for the gun-room? i've a nice leg of mutton in the boat, and some milk for tea." "recollect, mrs trotter, i shall not overlook your bringing spirits on board." "lord, mr simple, how could you think of such a thing? it's very true that these very common people do it, but the company i have kept, the society i have been in, mr simple! besides, you must recollect, that i never drank anything but water." i could not exactly coincide with her, but i did not contradict her. "would you like the portsmouth paper, mr simple?" taking one out of her pocket; "i know gentlemen are fond of the news. poor trotter used never to stir from the breakfast-table until he had finished the daily paper-- but that was when we lived in very different style. have you any clothes to wash, mr simple,--or have any of the gentlemen?" "i fear we have no time, we sail too soon," replied i; "we go with the convoy." "indeed!" cried mrs trotter, who walked to the main hatchway and called to her man bill. i heard her give him directions to sell nothing upon trust in consequence of the intelligence of our immediate sailing. "i beg your pardon, mr simple, i was only desiring my head man to send for your steward, that he might be supplied with the best, and to save some milk for the gun-room." "and i must beg your pardon, mrs trotter, for i must attend to my duty." mrs trotter made her curtsy and walked down the main ladder to attend to _her duty_, and we separated. i was informed she had a great deal of custom, as she understood how to manage the officers, and made herself generally useful to them. she had been a bumboat woman for six years, and had made a great deal of money. indeed, it was reported, that if a _first lieutenant_ wanted forty or fifty pounds, mrs trotter would always lend it to him, without requiring his promissory note. the captain came on board in the evening, having dined with the admiral, and left directions for having all ready for unmooring and heaving short at daylight. the signal was made from the frigate at sunrise, and before twelve o'clock we were all under weigh, and running past st. helen's with a favourable wind. our force consisted of the _acasta_ frigate, the _isis_ ship, sloop, mounting twenty guns, the _reindeer_, eighteen, and our own brig. the convoy amounted to nearly two hundred. although the wind was fair, and the water smooth, we were more than a week before we made anholt light, owing to the bad sailing and inattention of many of the vessels belonging to the convoy. we were constantly employed repeating signals, firing guns, and often sent back to tow up the sternmost vessels. at last we passed the anholt light, with a light breeze; and the next morning, the mainland was to be distinguished on both bows. chapter fifty eight. how we passed the sound, and what passed in the sound--the captain overhears again a conversation between swinburne and me. i was on the signal chest abaft, counting the convoy, when swinburne came up to me. "have you been here before, with a convoy, swinburne?" "to be sure i have; and it's sharp work that i've seen here, mr simple. work, that i've an idea our captain won't have much stomach for." "swinburne, i beg you will keep your thoughts relative to the captain to yourself; recollect the last time. it is my duty not to listen to them." "and i should rather think, to report them also, mr simple," said captain hawkins, who had crept up to us, and overheard our conversation. "in this instance there is no occasion for my reporting them, sir," replied i, "for you have heard what has passed." "i have, sir," replied he; "and i shall not forget the conversation." i turned forward. swinburne had made his retreat the moment that he heard the voice of the captain. "how many sails are there in sight, sir?" inquired the captain. "one hundred and sixty-three, sir," replied i. "signal to convoy to close from the _acasta_," reported the midshipman of the watch. we repeated it, and the captain descended to his cabin. we were then running about four miles an hour, the water very smooth, and anholt lighthouse hardly visible on deck, bearing n.n.w. about twenty miles. in fact, we were near the entrance of the sound, which, the reader may be aware, is a narrow passage leading into the baltic sea. my watch was nearly out, when the midshipman who was looking round with his glass on the copenhagen side, reported three gun-boats, sweeping out from behind a point. i examined them, and went down to report them to the captain. when i came on deck, more were reported, until we counted ten, two of them large vessels, called praams. the captain now came on deck, and i reported them. we made the signal of enemy in sight, to the _acasta_, which was answered. they divided--six of them pulling along shore towards the convoy in the rear, and four coming out right for the brig. the _acasta_ now made the signal for "boats manned and armed to be held in readiness." we hoisted out our pinnace, and lowered down our cutters--the other men-of-war doing the same. in about a quarter of an hour, the gun-boats opened their fire with their long thirty-two pounders, and their first shot went right through the hull of the brig, just abaft the fore-bits; fortunately, no one was hurt. i turned round to look at the captain; he was as white as a sheet. he caught my eye, and turned aft, when he was met by swinburne's eye, steadily fixed upon him. he then walked to the other side of the deck. another shot ploughed up the water close to us, rose, and came through the hammock-netting, tearing out two of the hammocks, and throwing them on the quarter-deck, when the _acasta_ hoisted out pennants, and made the signal to send our pinnace and cutter to the assistance of vessels astern. the signal was also made to the _isis_ and _reindeer_. i reported the signal, and inquired who was to take the command. "you, mr simple, will take the pinnace, and order mr swinburne into the cutter." "mr swinburne, sir!" replied i; "the brig will, in all probability, be in action soon, and his services as a gunner will be required." "well, then, mr hilton may go. beat to quarters. where is mr webster?" the second lieutenant was close to us, and he was ordered to take the duty during my absence. i jumped into the pinnace, and shoved off; ten other boats from the _acasta_ and the other men-of-war were pulling in the same direction, and i joined them. the gun-boats had now opened fire upon the convoy astern, and were sweeping out to capture them, dividing themselves into two parties, and pulling towards different portions of the convoy. in half-an-hour we were within gun-shot of the nearest, which directed its fire at us; but the lieutenant of the _acasta_, who commanded the detachment, ordered us to lie on our oars for a minute, while he divided his force in three divisions, of four boats each, with instructions that we should each oppose a division of two gun-boats. this was well arranged. i had the command of one division, for the first lieutenants had not been sent away from the _isis_ and _reindeer_, and having inquired which of the divisions of gun-boats i was to oppose, i pulled for them. in the meantime, we observed that the two praams, and two gun-boats, which had remained behind us, and had been firing at the _racehorse_, had also divided--one praam attacking the _acasta_, the two gun-boats playing upon the _isis_, and the other praam engaging the _rattlesnake_ and _reindeer_; the latter vessel being in a line with us, and about half a mile farther out, so that she could not return any effectual fire, or, indeed, receive much damage. one of the praams mounted ten guns, and the other eight. the last was opposed to the _rattlesnake_, and the fire was kept up very smartly, particularly by the _acasta_ and the enemy. in about a quarter of an hour i arrived with my division close to the vessel which was the nearest to the enemy. it was a large sunderland-built ship. the gun-boats, which were within a quarter of a mile of her, sweeping to her as fast as they could, as soon as they perceived our approach, directed their fire upon us, but without success, except the last discharge, in which, we being near enough, they had loaded with grape. the shot fell a little short, but one piece of grape struck one of the bowmen of the pinnace, taking off three fingers of his right hand as he was pulling his oar. before they could fire again, we were sheltered by the vessel, pulling close to her side, hid from the enemy. this continued for some time, the enemy not advancing nearer, but now firing into the sunderland-ship, which protected us. at last the master of the ship looked over the side, and said to me, "i say, my joker, do you call this _giving me assistance_? i think i was better off before you came. then i had only my share of the enemy's fire, but now that you have come, i have it all. i'm riddled like a sieve, and have lost four men already. suppose you give me a spell now--pull behind the vessel ahead of us. i'll take my chance." i pulled up to the other vessel, a large brig, and the captain, as soon as we came alongside, said, "i see what you're about, and i'll just leave you my vessel to take care of. no use losing my men, or being knocked on the head." "all's right--you can't do better, and we can't do better either." his boat was lowered down, and getting in with his men, he pulled to another vessel, and lay behind it, all ready to pull back if a breeze sprang up. as was to be expected, the gun-boats shifted their fire to the deserted vessel, which the boats lay behind, and thus did the action in our quarter continue until it was dark; the gun-boats not choosing to advance, and was restricted from pulling out to attack them. but i soon perceived that the gun-boats were nearing us every time that they fired, and i now discharged grape alone, waiting for the flash of the fire to ascertain their direction. at last i could perceive their long low hulls, not two cables' lengths from us, and their sweeps lifting from the water. it was plain that they were advancing to board, and i resolved to anticipate them if possible. i had fired ahead of the brig, and i now pulled with all my boats astern, giving my orders to the officers, and laying on our oars in readiness. the gun-boats were about half a cable's length from each other, pulling up abreast, and passing us at about the same distance, when i directed the men to give way. i had determined to throw all my force upon the nearest boat, and in half a minute our bows were forced between their sweeps, which we caught hold of to force our way alongside. the resistance of the danes was very determined. three times did i obtain a footing on the deck, and three times was i thrown back into the boats. at last we had fairly obtained our ground, and were driving them gradually forward, when, as i ran on the gunwale to obtain a position more in advance of my men, i received a blow with the butt end of a musket, i believe on the shoulder, which knocked me overboard, and i fell between the sweeps, and sank under the vessel's bottom. i rose under the stern; but i was so shook with the violence of the blow, that i was for some time confused; still i had strength to keep myself above water, and paddled, as it appeared, away from the vessel, until i hit against a sweep which had fallen overboard. this supported me, and i gradually recovered myself. a light breeze rippled the water, and i knew that i had no time to lose. in about five minutes i heard the sound of oars, and perceived a boat crossing me. i hailed as loud as i could--they heard me; laid on their oars--and i hailed again--they pulled to me, and took me in. it was the master of the brig, who, aware of the capture of one gun-boat, and the retreat of the other, was looking for his vessel; or, as he told me, for what was left of her. in a short time we found her, and, although very much cut up, she had received no shot under water. here i may as well relate the events of the action. one of the other divisions of gun-boats had retreated when attacked by the boats. the other had beaten off the boats, and killed many of the men, but had suffered so much themselves, as to retreat without making any capture. the _acasta_ lost four men killed, and seven wounded; the _isis_, three men wounded; the _reindeer_ had nobody hurt; the _rattlesnake_ had six men killed, and two wounded, including the captain; but of that i shall speak hereafter. i found that i was by no means seriously hurt by the blow i had received: my shoulder was stiff for a week, and very much discoloured, but nothing more. when i fell overboard i had struck against a sweep, which had cut my ear half off. the captain of the brig gave me dry clothes, and in a few hours i was very comfortably asleep, hoping to join my ship the next day; but in this i was disappointed. the breeze was favourable and fresh; but we were clear of the sound, but a long way astern of the convoy, and none of the headmost men-of-war to be seen. i dressed and went on deck, and immediately perceived that i had little chance of joining my ship until we arrived at carlscrona, which proved to be the case. about ten o'clock, the wind died away, and we had from that time such baffling light winds, that it was six days before we dropped our anchor, every vessel of the convoy having arrived before us. chapter fifty nine. the dead man attends at the auction of his own effects, and bids the sale to stop--one more than was wanted--peter steps into his own shoes again--captain hawkins takes a friendly interest in peter's papers--riga balsam sternly refused to be admitted for the relief of the ship's company. as soon as the sails were furled, i thanked the master of the vessel for his kindness, and requested the boat. he ordered it to be manned, saying, "how glad your captain will be to see you!" i doubted that. we shook hands, and i pulled to the _rattlesnake_, which lay about two cables' length astern of us. i had put on a jacket, when i left the brig on service, and coming in a merchantman's boat, no attention was paid to me; indeed, owing to circumstances, no one was on the look-out, and i ascended the side unperceived. the men and officers were on the quarter-deck, attending the sale of dead men's effects before the mast, and every eye was fixed upon six pairs of nankeen trowsers exposed by the purser's steward, which i recognised as my own. "nine shillings for six pairs of nankeen trowsers," cried the purser's steward. "come, my men, they're worth more than that," observed the captain, who appeared to be very facetious. "it's better to be in his trowsers than in his shoes." this brutal remark created a silence for a moment. "well, then, steward, let them go. one would think that pulling on his trowsers would make you as afraid as he was," continued the captain laughing. "shame!" was cried out by one or two of the officers, and i recognised swinburne's voice as one. "more likely if they put on yours," cried i, in a loud indignant tone. everybody started, and turned round; captain hawkins staggered to a carronade: "i beg to report myself as having rejoined my ship, sir," continued i. "hurrah, my lads! three cheers for mr simple," said swinburne. the men gave them with emphasis. the captain looked at me, and without saying a word, hastily retreated to his cabin. i perceived, as he went down, that he had his arm in a sling. i thanked the men for their kind feeling towards me, shook hands with thompson and webster, who warmly congratulated me, and then with old swinburne (who nearly wrung my arm off, and gave my shoulder such pain, as to make me cry out), and with the others who extended theirs. i desired the sale of my effects to be stopped; fortunately for me, it had but just begun, and the articles were all returned. thompson had informed the captain that he knew my father's address, and would take charge of my clothes, and send them home, but the captain would not allow him. in a few minutes, i received a letter from the captain, desiring me to acquaint him in writing, for the information of the senior officer, in what manner i had escaped. i went down below, when i found one very melancholy face, that of the passed-midshipman of the _acasta_, who had received an acting order in my place. when i went to my desk, i found two important articles missing; one, my private letter-book, and the other, the journal which i kept of what passed, and from which this narrative has been compiled. i inquired of my messmates, who stated that the desk had not been looked into by any one but the captain, who, of course, must have possessed himself of those important documents. i wrote a letter containing a short narrative of what had happened, and, at the same time, another on service to the captain, requesting that he would deliver up my property, the private journal, and letter-book in his possession. the captain, as soon as he received my letters, sent up word for his boat to be manned. as soon as it was manned, i reported it, and then begged to know whether he intended to comply with my request. he answered that he should not, and then went on deck, and quitted the brig to pull on board of the senior officer. i therefore determined immediately to write to the captain of the _acasta_, acquainting him with the conduct of captain hawkins, and requesting his interference. this i did immediately, and the boat that had brought me on board not having left the brig, i sent the letter by it, requesting them to put it into the hands of one of the officers. the letter was received previous to captain hawkins' visit being over; and the captain of the _acasta_ put it into his hands, inquiring if the statement were correct. captain hawkins replied, that it was true that he had detained these papers, as there was so much mutiny and disaffection in them, and that he should not return them to me. "that i cannot permit," replied the captain of the _acasta_, who was aware of the character of captain hawkins; "if, by mistake, you have been put in possession of any of mr simple's secrets, you are bound in honour not to make use of them; neither can you retain property not your own." but captain hawkins was determined, and refused to give them to me. "well, then, captain hawkins," replied the captain of the _acasta_, you will oblige me by remaining on my quarter-deck till i come out of the cabin. the captain of the _acasta_ then wrote an order, directing captain hawkins immediately to deliver up to _him_ the papers of mine in his possession; and coming out of the cabin, put it into captain hawkins' hands, saying, "now, sir, here is a written order from your superior officer. disobey it, if you dare. if you do, i will put you under an arrest, and try you by a court-martial." captain hawkins bit his lip at the order. "your boat is manned, sir," said the captain of the _acasta_, in a severe tone. captain hawkins came on board, sealed up the books, and sent them to the captain of the _acasta_, who redirected them to me, on his majesty's service, and returned them by the same boat. the public may therefore thank the captain of the _acasta_ for the memoirs which they are now reading. from my messmates i gained the following intelligence of what had passed after i had quitted the brig. the fire of the praam had cut them up severely, and captain hawkins had been struck in the arm with a piece of the hammock rail, which had been shot away shortly after i left. although the skin only was razed, he thought proper to consider himself badly wounded; and giving up the command to mr webster, the second lieutenant, had retreated below, where he remained until the action was over. when mr webster reported the return of the boats, with the capture of the gun-boat, and my supposed death, he was delighted, that he quite forgot his wound, and ran on deck, rubbing his hands as he walked up and down. at last he recollected himself, went down into his cabin, and came up again with his arm in a sling. during the short time that we remained in port, i took care that _riga balsam_ should not be allowed to come alongside, and the men were all sober. we received orders from the captain of the _acasta_ to join the admiral, who was off the texel, in pursuance of directions he had received from the admiralty to despatch one of the squadron, and we were selected from the dislike which he had taken to captain hawkins. chapter sixty. an old friend in a new case--heart of oak in swedish fir--a man's a man, all the world over, and something more in many parts of it--peter gets reprimanded for being dilatory, but proves a title to a defence-allowed. when we were about forty miles off the harbour, a frigate hove in sight. we made the private signal: she hoisted swedish colours, and kept away a couple of points to close with us. we were within two miles of her when she up courses and took in her topgallant sails. as we closed to within two cable's lengths, she hove-to. we did the same; and the captain desired me to lower down the boat, and board her, ask her name, by whom she was commanded, and offer any assistance if the captain required it. this was the usual custom of the service, and i went on board in obedience to my orders. when i arrived on the quarter-deck, i asked in french, whether there were any one who spoke it. the first lieutenant came forward, and took off his hat: i stated, that i was requested to ask the name of the vessel and the commanding officer, to insert it in our log, and to offer any services that we could command. he replied, that the captain was on deck, and turned round, but the captain had gone down below. "i will inform him of your message--i had no idea that he had quitted the deck;" and the first lieutenant left me. i exchanged a few compliments, and a little news with the officers on deck, who appeared to be very gentlemanlike fellows, when the first lieutenant requested my presence in the cabin. i descended--the door was opened--i was announced by the first lieutenant, and he quitted the cabin. i looked at the captain, who was sitting at the table: he was a fine, stout man, with two or three ribands at his button-hole, and a large pair of mustachios. i thought that i had seen him before, but i could not recollect when: his face was certainly familiar to me, but, as i had been informed by the officers on deck, that the captain was a count shucksen, a person i had never heard of, i thought that i must be mistaken. i therefore addressed him in french, paying him a long compliment, with all the necessary _et ceteras_. the captain turned round to me, took his hand away from his forehead, which it had shaded, and looking me full in the face, replied, "mr simple, i don't understand but very little french. spin your yarn in plain english." i started--"i thought that i knew your face," replied i; "am i mistaken?--no, it must be mr chucks!" "you are right, my dear mr simple; it is your old friend, chucks, the boatswain, whom you now see." we shook hands heartily, and then he requested me to sit down. "but," said i, "they told me on deck that the frigate was commanded by a count shucksen." "that is my present rank, my dear peter," said he; "but as you have no time to lose, i will explain all. i know i can trust to your honour. you remember that you left me, as you and i supposed, dying in the privateer, with the captain's jacket and epaulets on my shoulders. when the boats came out, and you left the vessel, they boarded and found me. i was still breathing; and judging of my rank by my coat, they put me into the boat, and pushed on shore. the privateer sank very shortly after. i was not expected to live, but in a few days a change took place, and i was better. they asked me my name, and i gave my own, which they lengthened into shucksen, somehow or another i recovered by a miracle, and am now as well as ever i was in my life. they were not a little proud of having captured a captain of the british service, as they supposed, for they never questioned me as to my real rank. after some weeks, i was sent home to denmark in a running vessel; but it so happened that we met with a gale, and were wrecked on the swedish coast, close to carlscrona. the danes were at that time at war, having joined the russians; and they were made prisoners, while i was of course liberated, and treated with great distinction; but as i could not speak either french or their own language, i could not get on very well. however, i had a handsome allowance, and permission to go to england as soon as i pleased. the swedes were then at war with the russians, and were fitting out their fleet; but, lord bless them! they didn't know much about it. at last, they all came to me, and if they did not understand me entirely, i showed them how to do it with my own hands, and the fleet began to make a show with their rigging. the admiral who commanded was very much obliged, and i seemed to come as regularly to my work as if i were paid for it. at last, the admiral came with an english interpreter, and asked me whether i was anxious to go back to england, or would i like to join their service? i saw what they wanted, and i replied that i would prefer an english frigate to a swedish one, and that i would not consent unless they offered something more; and then, with the express stipulation that i should not take arms against my own country. they then waited for a week, when they offered to make me a _count_ and give me the command of the frigate. this suited me, as you may suppose, peter; it was the darling wish of my heart--i was to be made a gentleman. i consented, and was made count shucksen, and had a fine large frigate under my command. i then set to work with a will, superintended the fitting out of the whole fleet, and showed them what an englishman could do. we sailed, and you of course know the brush we had with the russians, which i must say did us no discredit. i was fortunate to distinguish myself, for i exchanged several broadsides with a russian two-decked ship, and came off with honour. when we went into port i got this riband. i was out afterwards, and fell in with a russian frigate, and captured her, for which i received this other riband. since that i have been in high favour, and now that i speak the languages, i like the people very much. i am often at court when i am in harbour; and, peter, i am _married_." "i wish you joy, count, with all my heart." "yes, and well married, too--to a swedish countess of very high family and i expect that i have a little boy or girl by this time. so you observe, peter, that i am at last a gentleman, and, what is more, my children will be noble by two descents. who would have thought that this would have been occasioned by my throwing the captain's jacket into the boat instead of my own? and now, my dear mr simple, that i have made you my confidant, i need not say, do not say a word about it to anybody." "my dear count," replied i, "your secret is safe with me, and my pleasure is very great." i then, in a few words, stated where o'brien was; and then we parted, i went with him on deck, count shucksen taking my arm, and introducing me as an old shipmate to his officers, "i hope we may meet again," said i, "but i'm afraid there is little chance." "who knows?" replied he; "see what chance has done for me. my dear peter, god bless you! you are one of the very few whom i always loved. god bless you, my boy! and never forget that all i have is at your command if you come my way." i thanked him, and, saluting the officers, went down the side. as i expected, when i came on board, the captain demanded, in an angry tone, why i had stayed so long. i replied that i was shown down into count shucksen's cabin, and he conversed so long, that i could not get away sooner, as it would not have been polite to have left him before he had finished his questions. i then gave a very civil message, and the captain said no more: the very name of a great man always silenced him. chapter sixty one. bad news from home, and worse on board--notwithstanding his previous trials, peter forced to prepare for another--mrs. trotter again; improves as she grows old--captain hawkins and his twelve charges. no other event of consequence occurred until we joined the admiral, who only detained us three hours with the fleet, and then sent us home with his despatches. we arrived, after a quiet passage, at portsmouth, where i wrote immediately to my sister ellen, requesting to know the state of my father's health. i waited impatiently for an answer, and by return of post received one with a black seal. my father had died the day before from a brain fever; and ellen conjured me to obtain leave of absence, to come to her in her state of distress. the captain came on board the next morning, and i had a letter ready written on service to the admiral, stating the circumstances, and requesting leave of absence. i presented it to him and entreated him to forward it. at any other time i would not have condescended: but the thoughts of my poor sister, unprotected and alone, and my father lying dead in the house, made me humble and submissive. captain hawkins read the letter, and very coolly replied, that "it was very easy to say that my father was dead, but he required proofs." even this insult did not affect me; i put my sister's letter in his hand--he read it, and as he returned it to me, he smiled maliciously. "it is impossible for me to forward your letter, mr simple, as i have one to deliver to you." he put a large folio packet into my hand, and went below. i opened it: it was a copy of a letter demanding a court-martial upon me, with a long list of the charges preferred by him. i was stupefied, not so much at his asking for a court-martial, but at the conviction of the impossibility of my now being able to go to the assistance of my poor sister. i went down into the gun-room and threw myself on a chair, at the same time tossing the letter to thompson, the master. he read it over carefully, and folded it up. "upon my word, simple, i do not see that you have much to fear. these charges are very frivolous." the next morning, the official letter from the port-admiral came off, acquainting me that a court-martial had been ordered upon me, and that it would take place that day week. i immediately resigned the command to the second lieutenant, and commenced an examination into the charges preferred. they were very numerous, and dated back almost to the very day that he had joined the ship. there were twelve in all. i shall not trouble the reader with the whole of them, as many were very frivolous. the principal charges were:-- . for mutinous and disrespectful conduct to captain hawkins, on (such a date), having in a conversation with an inferior officer on the quarter-deck stated that captain hawkins was a spy, and had spies in the ship. . for neglect of duty, in disobeying the orders of captain hawkins, on the night of the --- of ---. . for having, on the --- of ---, sent away two boats from the ship, in direct opposition to the orders of captain hawkins. . for having again, on the morning of the --- of ---, held mutinous and disrespectful conversation relative to captain hawkins with the gunner of the ship, allowing the latter to accuse captain hawkins of cowardice, without reporting the same. . for insulting expressions on the quarter-deck to captain hawkins, on his rejoining the brig on the morning of the --- of ---. . for not causing the orders of captain hawkins to be put in force on several occasions, etcetera, etcetera, etc. and further, as captain hawkins' testimony was necessary in two of the charges, the king, _on those charges_, was the prosecutor. two days before my court-martial, i received a letter from ellen, who appeared in a state of distraction from this accumulation of misfortune. she told me that my father was to be buried the next day, and that the new rector had written to her, to know when it would be convenient for the vicarage to be given up. that my father's bills had been sent in, and amounted to twelve hundred pounds already; and that she knew not the extent of the whole claims. there appeared to be nothing left but the furniture of the house; and she wanted to know whether the debts were to be paid with the money i had left in the funds for her use. i wrote immediately, requesting her to liquidate every claim, as far as my money went; sending her an order upon my agent to draw for the whole amount, and a power of attorney to him, to sell out the stock. i had just sealed the letter, when mrs trotter, who had attended the ship since our return to portsmouth, begged to speak with me, and walked in after her message, without waiting for an answer. "my dear mr simple," said she, "i know all that is going on, and i find that you have no lawyer to assist you. now i know that it it is necessary, and will very probably be of great service in your defence--for when people are in distress and anxiety, they have not their wits about them; so i have brought a friend of mine from portsea, a very clever man, who, for my sake, will undertake your cause; and i hope you will not refuse him. you recollect giving me a dozen pairs of stockings. i did not refuse them, nor shall you refuse me now." mr trotter's advice was good; and although i would not listen to receiving his services gratuitously, i agreed to employ him; and very useful did he prove against such charges, and such a man as captain hawkins. he came on board that afternoon, carefully examined into all the documents, and the witnesses whom i could bring forward, showed me the weak side of my defence, and took the papers on shore with him. every day he came on board, to collect fresh evidence, and examine into my case. at last the day arrived. i dressed myself in my best uniform. the gun fired from the admiral's ship, with the signal for a court-martial at nine o'clock; and i went on board, in a boat with all the witnesses. on my arrival, i was put under the custody of the provost-martial. the captains ordered to attend pulled alongside one after another, and were received by a party of marines, presenting their arms. at half-past nine, the court was all assembled, and i was ushered in. court-martials are open courts, although no one is permitted to print the evidence. at the head of the long table was the admiral, as president; on his right hand, standing, was captain hawkins, as prosecutor. on each side of the table were six captains, sitting near to the admiral, according to their seniority. at the bottom, facing the admiral, was the judge-advocate, on whose left hand i stood, as prisoner. the court were all sworn, and then took their seats. stauncheons, with ropes covered with green baize, passed along, were behind the chairs of the captains who composed the court, so that they might not be crowded upon by those who came in to listen to what passed. the charges were then read, as well as the letters to and from the admiral, by which the court-martial was demanded and granted; and then captain hawkins was desired to open his prosecution. he commenced with observing his great regret that he had been forced to a measure so repugnant to his feelings; his frequent cautions to me, and the indifference with which i treated them: and, after a preamble, composed of every falsity that could be devised, he commenced with the first charge; and stating himself to be the witness, gave his evidence. "i wish," said the second captain who was addressed, "to ask captain hawkins, whether, when he came on deck, he came up in the usual way in which a captain of a man-of-war comes on his quarter-deck; or whether he slipped up without noise?" captain hawkins declared that he came up as he _usually did_. this was true enough, for he invariably came up by stealth. "but, captain hawkins, do you not think, allowing that you came up on deck in your _usual_ way, as you term it, that you would have done better, to have hemmed or hawed, so as to let your officers know that you were present? i should be very sorry to hear all that might be said of me in my supposed absence." to this observation, captain hawkins replied, that was so astonished at the conversation, that he was quite breathless, having, till then, had the highest opinion of me. no more questions were asked, and they proceeded to the second charge. this was a very trifling one--for lighting a stove, contrary to orders. the evidence brought forward was the sergeant of marines. when his evidence in favour of the charge had been given, the following questions were put by some of the members of the court:-- "you have served in other ships before?" "yes." "did you ever, sailing with other captains, receive an order from them, to report direct to them, and not through the first lieutenant?" the witness here prevaricated. "answer directly, yes or no." "no." the third charge was then brought forward--for sending away boats contrary to express orders. this was substantiated by captain hawkins' own evidence, the order having been verbal. by the advice of my counsel, i put no questions to captain hawkins; neither did the court. the fourth charge--that of holding mutinous conversation with the gunner, and allowing him to accuse the captain of unwillingness to engage the enemy--was then again substantiated by captain hawkins, as the only witness. i again left my reply for my defence; and one only question was put by one of the members; which was, to inquire of captain hawkins, as he appeared peculiarly unfortunate in overhearing conversations, whether he walked up as usual to the taffrail, or whether he _crept up_. captain hawkins gave the same answer as before. the fifth charge--for insulting expressions to captain hawkins, on my rejoining the brig at carlscrona, was then brought forward; and the sergeant of marines and one of the seamen appeared as witnesses. this charge excited a great deal of amusement. in the cross-examination by the members of the court, captain hawkins was asked what he meant by the expression, when disposing of the clothes of an officer who was killed in action, that the men appeared to think that his trowsers would instil fear. "nothing more upon my honour, sir," replied captain hawkins, "than an implication that they were alarmed lest they should be haunted by his ghost." "then, of course, mr simple meant the same in his reply," observed the captain sarcastically. the remainder of the charges were then brought forward; but they were of little consequence. chapter sixty two. a good defence not always good against a bad accusation--peter wins the hearts of his judges, yet loses his cause, and is dismissed his ship. the next day i commenced my defence: i preferred calling my own witnesses first, and, by the advice of my counsel, and at the request of swinburne, i called him. i put the following questions:-- "when we were talking on the quarter-deck, was it fine weather?" "yes, it was." "do you think that you might have heard any one coming on deck, in the usual way, up the companion ladder?" "sure of it." "do you mean, then, to imply that captain hawkins came up stealthily?" "i have an idea he pounced upon us, as a cat does a mouse." "what were the expressions made use of?" "i said that a spy captain would always find spy followers." "in that remark, were you and mr simple referring to your own captain?" "the remark was mine: what mr simple was thinking of i can't tell; but i _did_ refer to the captain, and he has proved that i was right." this bold answer of swinburne's rather astonished the court, who commenced cross-questioning him; but he kept to his original assertion-- that i had only answered generally. to repel the second charge, i produced two witnesses. but to the third charge i brought forward three witnesses, to prove that captain hawkins' orders were, that i should send no boats on shore--not that i should not send them on board of the men-of-war close to us. in answer to the fourth charge, i called swinburne, who stated that if i did not, he would come forward. swinburne acknowledged that he accused the captain of being shy, and that i reprimanded him for so doing. "did he say that he would report you?" inquired one of the captains. "no, sir," replied swinburne, "'cause he never meant to do it." this was an unfortunate answer. to the fifth charge, i brought several witnesses to prove the words of captain hawkins, and the sense in which they were taken by the ship's company, and the men calling out "shame!" when he used the expression. to refute the other charges i called one or two witnesses, and the court then adjourned, inquiring of me when i would be ready to commence my defence. i requested a day to prepare, which was readily granted; and the ensuing day the court did not sit. i hardly need say that i was busily employed arranging my defence with my counsel. at last all was done, and i went to bed tired and unhappy; but i slept soundly, which could not be said of my counsel, for he went on shore at eleven o'clock, and sat up all night, arranging and making a fair copy. after all, the fairest court of justice is a naval court-martial--no brow-beating of witnesses, an evident inclination towards the prisoner-- every allowance and every favour granted him, and no legal quibbles attended to. it is a court of equity, with very few exceptions; and the humbler the individual, the greater the chance in his favour. i was awoke the following morning by my counsel, who had not gone to bed the previous night, and who had come off at seven o'clock to read over with me my defence. at nine o'clock i again proceeded on board, and, in a short time, the court was sitting. i came in, handed my defence to the judge-advocate, who read it aloud to the court. i have a copy still by me, and will give the whole of it to the reader. "mr. president and gentlemen,--after nearly fourteen years service in his majesty's navy, during which i have been twice made prisoner, twice wounded, and once wrecked; and, as i trust i shall prove to you, by certificates and the public despatches, i have done my duty with zeal and honour--i now find myself in a situation in which i never expected to be placed--that of being arraigned before and brought to a court-martial for charges of mutiny, disaffection, and disrespect towards my superior officer. if the honourable court will examine the certificates i am about to produce, they will find that, until i sailed with captain hawkins, my conduct has always been supposed to have been diametrically opposite to that which is now imputed to me. i have always been diligent and obedient to command; and i have only to regret that the captains, with whom i have had the honour to sail, are not now present to corroborate, by their oral evidence, the truth of these documents. allow me, in the first place, to point out to the court, that the charges against me are spread over a large space of time, amounting to nearly eighteen months, during the whole of which period, captain hawkins never stated to me that it was his intention to try me by a court-martial; and, although repeatedly in the presence of a senior officer, has never preferred any charge against me. the articles of war state expressly, that if any officer, soldier or marine, has any complaint to make, he is to do so upon his arrival at any port or fleet, where he may fall in with a superior officer. i admit that this article of war refers to complaints to be made by inferiors against superiors; but, at the same time, i venture to submit to the honourable court, that a superior is equally bound to prefer a charge, or to give notice that that charge will be preferred, on the first seasonable opportunity, instead of lulling the offender into security, and disarming him in his defence, by allowing the time to run on so long as to render him incapable of bringing forward his witnesses. i take the liberty of calling this to your attention, and shall now proceed to answer the charges which have been brought against me. "i am accused of having held a conversation with an inferior officer on the quarter-deck of his majesty's brig _rattlesnake_, in which my captain was treated with contempt. that it may not be supposed that mr swinburne was a new acquaintance, made upon my joining the brig, i must observe, that he was an old shipmate, with whom i had served many years, and with whose worth i was well acquainted. he was my instructor in my more youthful days, and has been rewarded for his merit, with the warrant which he now holds as gunner of his majesty's brig; _rattlesnake_. the offensive observation, in the first place was not mine; and, in the second, it was couched in general terms. here mr swinburne has pointedly confessed that _he_ did refer to the captain, although the observation was in the plural; but that does not prove the charge against me--on the contrary, adds weight to the assertion of mr swinburne, that i was guiltless of the present charge. that captain hawkins had acted as a spy, his own evidence on this charge, as well as that brought forward by other witnesses, will decidedly prove; but as the truth of the observation does not warrant its utterance, i am glad that no such expression escaped my lips. "upon the second charge i shall dwell but a short time. it is true that there is a general order that no stoves shall be alight after a certain hour; but i will appeal to the honourable court, whether a first lieutenant is not considered to have a degree of licence of judgment in all that concerns the interior discipline of the ship. the surgeon sent to say that a stove was required for one of the sick. i was in bed at the time, and replied immediately in the affirmative. does captain hawkins mean to assert to the honourable court, that he would have refused the request of the surgeon? most certainly not. the only error i committed, if it were an error, was not going through the form, of awaking captain hawkins, to ask the permission, which, as first lieutenant, i thought myself authorised to give. "the charge against me, of having sent away two boats, contrary to his order, i have already disproved by witnesses. the order of captain hawkins was, not to communicate with the shore. my reasons for sending away the boats--" here captain hawkins interposed, and stated to the president that my reasons were not necessary to be received. the court was cleared, and, on our return, the court had decided that my reasons ought to be given, and i continued. "my reasons for sending away these boats, or rather it was one boat which was despatched to the two frigates, if i remember well, were, that the brig was in a state of mutiny. the captain had tied up one of the men, and the ship's company refused to be flogged. captain hawkins then went on shore to the admiral, to report the situation of his ship, and i conceived it my duty to make it known to the men-of-war anchored close to us. i shall not enter into further particulars, as they will only detain the honourable court; and i am aware that this court-martial is held upon my conduct, and not upon that of captain hawkins. to the charge of again holding disrespectful language on the quarter-deck, as overheard by captain hawkins, i must refer the honourable court to the evidence, in which it is plainly proved that the remarks upon him were not mine, but those of mr swinburne, and that i remonstrated with mr swinburne for using such unguarded expressions. the only point of difficulty is, whether it was not my duty to have reported such language. i reply, that there is no proof that i did not intend to report it; but the presence of captain hawkins, who heard what was said, rendered such report unnecessary. "on the fifth charge, i must beg that the court will be pleased to consider that some allowance ought to be made for a moment of irritation. my character was traduced by captain hawkins, supposing that i was dead; so much so, that even the ship's company cried out _shame_. i am aware that no language of a superior officer can warrant a retort from an inferior; but, as what i intended to imply by that language is not yet known, although captain hawkins has given an explanation to his; i shall merely say, that i meant no more by my insinuations, than captain hawkins did at the time by those which he made use of with respect to me. "upon the other trifling charges brought forward, i lay no stress, as i consider them fully refuted by the evidence which has been already adduced; and i shall merely observe, that, for reasons best known to himself, i have been met with a most decided hostility on the part of captain hawkins, from the time that he first joined the ship; that, on every occasion, he has used all his efforts to render me uncomfortable, and embroil me with others; that, not content with narrowly watching my conduct on board, he has resorted to his spy-glass from the shore; and, instead of assisting me in the execution of a duty sufficiently arduous, he has thrown every obstacle in my way, placed inferior officers as spies over my conduct, and made me feel so humiliated in the presence of the ship's company, over which i have had to superintend, and in the disciplining of which i had a right to look to him for support, that, were it not that some odium would necessarily be attached to the sentence, i should feel it as one of the happiest events of my life that i were dismissed from the situation which i now hold under his command. i now beg that the honourable court will allow the documents i lay upon the table to be read in support of my character." when this was over, the court was cleared, that they might decide upon the sentence. i waited about half-an-hour in the greatest anxiety, when i was again summoned to attend. the usual forms of reading the papers were gone through, and then came the sentence, which was read by the president, he and the whole court standing up with their cocked hats on their heads. after the preamble, it concluded with saying; "that it was the opinion of that court that the charges had been _partly_ proved, and therefore, that lieutenant peter simple was dismissed his ship; but, in consideration of his good character and services, his case was strongly recommended to the consideration of the lords commissioners of the admiralty." chapter sixty three. peter looks upon his loss as something gained--goes on board the "rattlesnake" to pack up, and is ordered to pack off--polite leave-taking between relations--mrs. trotter better and better--goes to london, and afterwards falls into all manner of misfortunes by the hands of robbers, and of his own uncle. i hardly knew whether i felt glad or sorry at this sentence. on the one hand, it was almost a death-blow to my future advancement or employment in the service; on the other, the recommendation very much softened down the sentence, and i was quite happy to be quit of captain hawkins, and free to hasten to my poor sister. i bowed respectfully to the court, which immediately adjourned. captain hawkins followed the captains on the quarter-deck, but none of them would speak to him--so much to his disadvantage had come out during the trial. about ten minutes afterwards, one of the elder captains composing the court called me into the cabin. "mr simple," said he, "we are all very sorry for you. our sentence could not be more lenient, under the circumstances: it was that conversation with the gunner at the taffrail which floored you. it must be a warning to you to be more careful in future, how you permit any one to speak of the conduct of your superiors on the quarter-deck. i am desired by the president to let you know, that it is our intention to express ourselves very strongly to the admiral in your behalf; so much so, that if another captain applies for you, you will have no difficulty in being appointed to a ship; and as for leaving your present ship, under any other circumstances, i should consider it a matter of congratulation." i returned my sincere thanks, and soon afterwards quitted the guardship, and went on board of the brig to pack up my clothes, and take leave of my messmates. on my arrival, i found that captain hawkins had preceded me, and he was on deck when i came up the side. i hastened down into the gun-room, where i received the condolements of my messmates. "simple, i wish you joy," cried thompson, loud enough for the captain to hear on deck. "i wish i had your luck; i wish somebody would try me by a court-martial." "as it has turned out," replied i, in a loud voice, "and after the communication made to me by the captains composing the court, of what they intend to say to the admiralty, i agree with you, thompson, that it is a very kind act on the part of captain hawkins, and i feel quite grateful to him." "steward, come--glasses," cried thompson, "and let us drink success to mr simple." all this was very annoying to captain hawkins, who overheard every word. when our glasses were filled--"simple, your good health, and may i meet with as good a messmate," said thompson. at this moment, the sergeant of marines put his head in at the gun-room door, and said, in a most insolent tone, that i was to leave the ship immediately. i was so irritated, that i threw my glass of grog in his face, and he ran up to the captain to make the complaint: but i did not belong to the ship, and even if i had, i would have resented such impertinence. captain hawkins was in a great rage, and i believe would have written for another court-martial, but he had had enough of them. he inquired very particularly of the sergeant whether he had told me that i was to leave the ship directly, or whether that captain hawkins desired that i should leave the ship immediately; and finding that he had not given the latter message (which i was aware of, for had he given it, i dare not have acted as i did), he then sent down again by one of the midshipmen, desiring me to leave the ship immediately. my reply was, that i should certainly obey his orders with the greatest pleasure. i hastened to pack up my clothes, reported myself ready to the second lieutenant, who went up for permission to man a boat, which was refused by captain hawkins, who said i might go on shore in a shore-boat. i called one alongside, shook hands with all my messmates, and when i arrived on the quarter-deck, with swinburne, and some of the best men, who came forward, captain hawkins stood by the binnacle, bursting with rage. as i went over the planeshear, i took my hat off to him, and wished him good morning very respectfully, adding, "if you have any commands for my _uncle_, captain hawkins, i shall be glad to execute them." this observation, which showed him that i knew the connection and correspondence between them, made him gasp with emotion. "leave the ship, sir, or by god i'll put you in irons for mutiny," cried he. i again took off my hat, and went down the side, and shoved off. as soon as i was a few yards distant, the men jumped on the carronade, and cheered, and i perceived captain hawkins order them down, and before i was a cable's length from her, the pipe "all hands to punishment;" so i presume some of the poor fellows suffered for their insubordination in showing their good-will. i acknowledge that i might have left the ship in a more dignified manner, and that my conduct was not altogether correct; but still, i state what i really did do, and some allowance must be made for my feelings. this is certain, that my conduct after the court-martial was more deserving of punishment than that for which i had been tried: but i was in a state of feverish excitement, and hardly knew what i did. when i arrived at sally port, i had my effects wheeled up to the blue posts, and packing up those which i most required, i threw off my uniform, and was once more a gentleman at large. i took my place in the mail for that evening, sent a letter of thanks, with a few bank notes, to my counsel, and then sat down and wrote a long letter to o'brien, acquainting him with the events which had taken place. i had just finished, and sealed it up, when in came mrs trotter. "o my dear mr simple! i'm so sorry; and i have come to console you. there's nothing like women when men are in affliction, as poor trotter used to say, as he laid his head in my lap. when do you go to town?" "this evening, mrs trotter." "i hope i am to continue to attend the ship?" "i hope so, too, mrs trotter; i have no doubt but you will." "now, mr simple, how are you off for money? do you want a little? you can pay me by-and-bye. don't be afraid: i am not quite so poor as i was when you came down to mess with trotter and me, and when you gave me a dozen pairs of stockings. i know what it is to want money, and what it is to want friends." "many thanks to you, mrs trotter," replied i; "but i have sufficient to take me home, and then i can obtain more." "well, i'm glad of it, but it was offered in earnest. good-bye, god bless you! come, mr simple, give me a kiss; it won't be the first time." i kissed her, for i felt grateful for her kindness; and with a little smirking and ogling she quitted the room. i could not help thinking, after she was gone, how little we know the hearts of others. if i had been asked if mrs trotter was a person to have done a generous action, from what i had seen of her in adversity, i should have decidedly said, no. yet in this offer she was disinterested, for she knew the service well enough to be aware that i had little chance of being a first lieutenant again, and of being of service to her. and how often does it also occur, that those who ought, from gratitude or long friendship, to do all they can to assist you, turn from you in your necessity, and prove false and treacherous! it is god alone who knows our hearts. i sent my letter to o'brien to the admiral's office, sat down to a dinner which i could not taste, and at seven o'clock got into the mail. i was very ill; i had a burning fever and a dreadful headache, but i thought only of my sister. when i arrived in town i was much worse, but did not wait more than an hour. i took my place in a coach which did not go to the town near which we resided; for i had inquired and found that coach was full, and i did not choose to wait another day. the coach in which i took my place went within forty miles of the vicarage, and i intended to post across the country. the next evening i arrived at the point of separation, and taking out my portmanteau, ordered a chaise, and set off for what once had been my home. i could hardly hold my head up, i was so ill, and i lay in a corner of the chaise, in a sort of dream, kept from sleeping from intense pain in the forehead and temples. it was about nine o'clock at night, when we were in a dreadful jolting road, the shocks proceeding from which gave me agonising pain, that the chaise was stopped by two men, who dragged me out on the grass. one stood over me, while the other rifled the chaise. the post-boy, who appeared a party to the transaction, remained quietly on his horse, and as soon as they had taken my effects, turned round and drove off. they then rifled my person, taking away everything that i had, leaving me nothing but my trowsers and shirt. after a short consultation, they ordered me to walk on in the direction in which we had been proceeding in the chaise, and to hasten as fast as i could, or they would blow my brains out. i complied with their request, thinking myself fortunate to have escaped so well. i knew that i was still thirty miles at least from the vicarage; but ill as i was, i hoped to be able to reach it on foot. i walked during the remainder of the night, but i got on but slowly. i reeled from one side of the road to the other, and occasionally sat down to rest. morning dawned, and i perceived habitations not far from me. i staggered on in my course. the fever now raged in me, my head was splitting with agony, and i tottered to a bank near a small neat cottage, on the side of the road. i have a faint recollection of some one coming to me and taking my hand, but nothing further; and it was not till many months afterwards, that i became acquainted with the circumstances which i now relate. it appears that the owner of the cottage was a half-pay lieutenant in the army, who had sold out on account of his wounds. i was humanely taken into his house, laid on a bed, and a surgeon requested to come to me immediately. i had now lost all recollection, and who i was they could not ascertain. my pockets were empty, and it was only by the mark on my linen that they found that my name was simple. for three weeks i remained in a state of alternate stupor and delirium. when the latter came on, i raved of lord privilege, o'brien, and celeste. mr selwin, the officer who had so kindly assisted me, knew that simple was the patronymic name of lord privilege, and he immediately wrote to his lordship, stating that a young man of the name of simple, who, in his delirium called upon him and captain o'brien, was lying in a most dangerous state in his house, and, that as he presumed. i was a relative of his lordship's, he had deemed it right to apprise him of the fact. my uncle, who knew that it must be me, thought this too favourable an opportunity, provided i should live, not to have me in his power. he wrote to say that he would be there in a day or two; at the same time thanking mr selwin for his kind attention to his poor nephew, and requesting that no expense might be spared. when my uncle arrived, which he did in his own chariot, the crisis of the fever was over; but i was still in a state of stupor arising from extreme debility. he thanked mr selwin for his attention, which he said he was afraid was of little avail, as i was every year becoming more deranged; and he expressed his fears that it would terminate in chronic lunacy--"his poor father died in the same state," continued my uncle, passing his hand across his eyes, as if much affected. "i have brought my physician with me, to see if he can be moved. i shall not be satisfied unless i am with him night and day." the physician (who was my uncle's valet) took me by the hand, felt my pulse, examined my eyes, and pronounced that it would be very easy to move me, and that i should recover sooner in a more airy room. of course, mr selwin raised no objections, putting down all to my uncle's regard for me; and my clothes were put on me, as i lay in a state of insensibility, and i was lifted into the chariot. it is most wonderful that i did not die from being thus taken out of my bed in such a state, but it pleased heaven that it should be otherwise. had such an event taken place, it would probably have pleased my uncle much better than my surviving. when i was in the carriage, supported by the pseudo-physician, my uncle again thanked mr selwin, begged that he would command his interest, wrote a handsome check for the surgeon who had attended me, and getting into the carriage, drove off with me still in a state of insensibility--that is, i was not so insensible, but i think i felt i had been removed, and i heard the rattling of the wheels; but my mind was so uncollected, and i was in a state of such weakness, that i could not feel assured of it for a minute. for some days afterwards, for i recollect nothing about the journey, i found myself in bed in a dark room, and my arms confined. i recalled my senses, and by degrees was able to recollect all that had occurred, until i laid down by the roadside. where was i? the room was dark, i could distinguish nothing; that i had attempted to do myself some injury, i took for granted, or my arms would not have been secured. i had been in a fever and delirious, i supposed, and had now recovered. i had been in a reverie for more than an hour, wondering why i was left alone, when the door of the apartment opened. "who is there?" inquired i. "oh! you've come to yourself again," said a gruff voice; "then i'll give you a little daylight." he took down a shutter which covered the whole of the window, and a flood of light poured in, which blinded me. i shut my eyes, and by degrees admitted the light until i could bear it. i looked at the apartment: the walls were bare and white-washed. i was on a truckle bed. i looked at the window--it was closed up with iron bars. "why, where am i?" inquired i of the man, with alarm. "where are you?" replied he; "why, in bedlam!" chapter sixty four. as o'brien said, it's a long lane that has no turning--i am rescued, and happiness pours in upon me as fast as misery before overwhelmed me. the shock was too great--i fell back on my pillow insensible. how long i lay, i know not, but when i recovered, the keeper was gone, and i found a jug of water and some bread by the side of the bed. i drank the water, and the effect it had upon me was surprising. i felt that i could get up, and i rose: my arms had been unpinioned during my swoon. it was about noon that the medical people, attended by the keepers and others, came into my apartment. "is he quite quiet?" "o lord! yes, sir, as quiet as a lamb," replied the man who had before entered. i then spoke to the medical gentleman, begging him to tell why, and how, i had been brought here. he answered mildly and soothingly, saying that i was there at the wish of my friends, and that every care would be taken of me; that he was aware that my paroxysms were only occasional, and that, during the time that i was quiet, i should have every indulgence that could be granted, and that he hoped that i soon should be perfectly well, and be permitted to leave the hospital. i replied by stating who i was, and how i had been taken ill. the doctor shook his head, advised me to lie down as much as possible, and then quitted me to visit the other patients. as i afterwards discovered, my uncle had had me confined upon the plea that i was a young man, who was deranged with an idea that his name was simple, and that he was the heir to the title and estates; that i was very troublesome at times, forcing my way into his house and insulting the servants, but in every other respect was harmless; that my paroxysms generally ended in a violent fever, and that it was more from the fear of my coming to some harm, than from any ill-will towards the poor young man, that he wished me to remain in the hospital, and be taken care of. the reader may at once perceive the art of this communication: i, having no idea why i was confined, would of course continue to style myself by my true name; and as long as i did this, so long would i be considered in a deranged state. the reader must not therefore be surprised when i tell him, that i remained in bedlam for one year and eight months. the doctor called upon me for two or three days, and finding me quiet, ordered me to be allowed books, paper, and ink, to amuse myself; but every attempt at explanation was certain to be the signal for him to leave my apartment. i found, therefore, not only by him, but from the keeper, who paid no attention to anything i said, that i had no chance of being listened to, or of obtaining my release. after the first month, the doctor came to me no more: i was a quiet patient, and he received the report of the keeper. i was sent there with every necessary document to prove that i was mad; and, although a very little may establish a case of lunacy, it requires something very strong indeed, to prove that you are in your right senses. in bedlam i found it impossible. at the same time i was well treated, was allowed all necessary comforts, and such amusement as could be obtained from books, etcetera. i had no reason to complain of the keeper--except that he was too much employed to waste his time in listening to what he did not believe. i wrote several letters to my sister and to o'brien during the first two or three months, and requested the keeper to put them in the post. this he promised to do, never refusing to take the letters; but, as i afterwards found out, they were invariably destroyed. yet i still bore up with the hopes of release for some time; but the anxiety relative to my sister, when i thought of her situation, my thoughts of celeste and of o'brien, sometimes quite overcame me; then, indeed, i would almost become frantic, and the keeper would report that i had had a paroxysm. after six months i became melancholy, and i wasted away. i no longer attempted to amuse myself, but sat all day with my eyes fixed upon vacancy. i no longer attended to my person; i allowed my beard to grow--my face was never washed, unless mechanically, when ordered by the keeper; and, if i was not mad, there was every prospect of my soon becoming so. life passed away as a blank--i had become indifferent to everything--i noted time no more--the change of seasons was unperceived--even the day and the night followed without my regarding them. i was in this unfortunate situation, when one day the door was opened, and, as had been often the custom during my imprisonment, visitors were going round the establishment, to indulge their curiosity, in witnessing the degradation of their fellow-creatures, or to offer their commiseration. i paid no heed to them, not even casting up my eyes. "this young man," said the medical gentleman who accompanied the party, "has entertained the strange idea that his name is simple, and that he is the rightful heir to the title and property of lord privilege." one of the visitors came up to me, and looked me in the face. "and so he is," cried he, to the doctor, who looked with astonishment. "peter, don't you know me?" i started up. it was general o'brien. i flew into his arms, and burst into tears. "sir," said general o'brien, leading me to the chair, and seating me upon it, "i tell you that _is_ mr simple, the nephew of lord privilege; and, i believe the heir to the title. if, therefore, his assertion of such being the case, is the only proof of his insanity, he is illegally confined. i am here, a foreigner, and a prisoner on parole; but i am not without friends. my lord belmore," said he, turning to another of the visitors who had accompanied him, "i pledge you my honour that what i state is true; and i request you will immediately demand the release of this poor young man." "i assure you, sir, that i have lord privilege's letter," observed the doctor. "lord privilege is a scoundrel," replied general o'brien. "but there is justice to be obtained in this country, and he shall pay dearly for his _lettre de cachet_. my dear peter, how fortunate was my visit to this horrid place! i have heard so much of the excellent arrangements of this establishment, that i agreed to walk round with lord belmore; but i find that it is abused." "indeed, general o'brien, i have been treated with kindness," replied i; "and particularly by this gentleman. it was not his fault." general o'brien and lord belmore then inquired of the doctor if he had any objection to my release. "none whatever, my lord, even if he were insane; although i see now how i have been imposed upon. we allow the friends of any patient to remove him, if they think that they can pay him more attention. he may leave with you this moment." i now did feel my brain turn with the revulsion from despair to hope, and i fell back in my seat. the doctor perceiving my condition, bled me copiously, and laid me on the bed, where i remained more than an hour, watched by general o'brien. i then got up, calm and thankful. i was shaved by the barber of the establishment, washed and dressed myself, and, leaning on the general's arm, was led out. i cast my eyes upon the two celebrated stone figures of melancholy and raving madness; as i passed them, i trembled, and clung more tightly to the general's arm, was assisted into the carriage, and bade farewell to madness and misery. the general said nothing until we approached the hotel where he resided, in dover street; and then he inquired, in a low voice, whether i could bear more excitement. "is it celeste you mean, general?" "it is, my dear boy, she is here;" and he squeezed my hand. "alas!" cried i, "what hopes have i now of celeste?" "more than you had before," replied the general. "she lives but for you; and if you are a beggar, i have a competence to make you sufficiently comfortable." i returned the general's pressure of the hand, but could not speak. we descended, and in a minute i was led by the father into the arms of the astonished and delighted daughter. i must pass over a few days, during which i had almost recovered my health and spirits; and had narrated my adventures to general o'brien and celeste. my first object was to discover my sister. what had become of poor ellen, in the destitute condition in which she had been left, i knew not; and i resolved to go down to the vicarage, and make inquiries. i did not, however, set off until a legal adviser had been sent for by general o'brien; and due notice given to lord privilege of an action to be immediately brought against him for false imprisonment. i set off in the mail, and the next evening arrived at the town of ---. i hastened to the parsonage, and the tears stood in my eyes as i thought of my mother, my poor father, and the peculiar and doubtful situation of my dear sister. i was answered by a boy in livery, and found the present incumbent at home. he received me politely, listened to my story, and then replied, that my sister had set off for london on the day of his arrival, and that she had not communicated her intentions to any one. here, then, was all clue lost, and i was in despair, i walked to the town in time to throw myself into the mail, and the next evening joined celeste and the general, to whom i communicated the unpleasant intelligence, and requested advice how to proceed. lord belmore called the next morning, and the general consulted him. his lordship took great interest in my concerns; and, previous to any further steps, advised me to step into his carriage, and allow him to relate my case to the first lord of the admiralty. this was done immediately; and, as i had now an opportunity of speaking freely to his lordship, i explained to him the conduct of captain hawkins, and his connexion with my uncle; also the reason of my uncle's persecution. his lordship finding me under such powerful protection as lord belmore's, and having an eye to my future claims, which my uncle's conduct gave him reason to suppose were well founded, was extremely gracious, and said, that i should hear from him in a day or two. he kept his word, and on the third day after my interview, i received a note, announcing my promotion to the rank of commander. i was delighted with this good fortune, as was general o'brien and celeste. when at the admiralty, i inquired about o'brien, and found that he was expected home every day. he had gained great reputation in the east indies, was chief in command at the taking of some of the islands, and, it was said, was to be created a baronet for his services. everything wore a favourable aspect, excepting the disappearance of my sister. this was a weight on my mind i could not remove. but i have forgotten to inform the reader by what means general o'brien and celeste arrived so opportunely in england. martinique had been captured by our forces about six months before, and the whole of the garrison surrendered as prisoners of war. general o'brien was sent home, and allowed to be on parole; although born a frenchman, he had very high connections in ireland, of whom lord belmore was one. when they arrived, they had made every inquiry for me without success: they knew that i had been tried by a court-martial and dismissed my ship, but after that, no clue could be found for my discovery. celeste, who was fearful that some dreadful accident had occurred to me, had suffered very much in health, and general o'brien, perceiving how much his daughter's happiness depended upon her attachment for me, had made up his mind that if i were found, we should be united. i hardly need say how delighted he was when he discovered me, though in a situation so little to be envied. the story of my incarceration, of the action to be brought against my uncle, and the reports of foul play, relative to the succession, had, in the meantime, been widely circulated among the nobility; and i found that, every attention was paid me, and i was repeatedly invited out as an object of curiosity and speculation. the loss of my sister also was a subject of much interest, and many people, from good will, made every inquiry to discover her. i had returned one day from the solicitor's, who had advertised for her in the newspapers without success, when i found a letter for me on the table, in an admiralty enclosure. i opened it--the enclosure was one from o'brien, who had just cast anchor at spithead, and who had requested that the letter should be forwarded to me, if any one could tell my address. "my dear peter,--where are, and what has become of, you? i have received no letters for these two years, and i have fretted myself to death. i received your letter about the rascally court-martial; but, perhaps, you have not heard that the little scoundrel is dead. yes, peter; he brought your letter out in his own ship, and that was his death-warrant. i met him at a private party. he brought up your name--i allowed him to abuse you, and then told him he was a liar and a scoundrel; upon which he challenged me, very much against his will; but the affront was so public, that he couldn't help himself. upon which i shot him, with all the good-will in the world, and could he have jumped up again twenty times, like jack in the box, i would have shot him every time. the dirty scoundrel! but there's an end of him. nobody pitied him, for every one hated him; and the admiral only looked grave, and then was very much obliged to me for giving him a vacancy for his nephew. by-the-bye, from some unknown hand, but i presume from the officers of his ship, i received a packet of correspondence between him and your worthy uncle, which is about as elegant a piece of rascality as ever was carried on between two scoundrels; but that's not all, peter. i've got a young woman for you, who will make your heart glad--not mademoiselle celeste, for i don't know where she is--but the wet-nurse who went out to india. her husband was sent home as an invalid, and she was allowed her passage home with him in my frigate. finding that he belonged to the regiment, i talked to him about one o'sullivan who married in ireland, and mentioned the girl's name, and when he discovered that she was a countryman of mine, he told me that his real name was o'sullivan, sure enough, but that he had always served as o'connell, and that his wife on board was the young woman in question. upon which, i sent to speak to her, and telling her that i knew all about it, and mentioning the names of ella flanagan, and her mother, who had given me the information, she was quite astonished; and when i asked her what had become of the child which she took in place of her own, she told me that it had been drowned at plymouth, and that her husband was saved at the same time by a young officer, `whose name i have here,' says she; and then she pulled out of her neck your card, with peter simple on it. `now,' says i, `do you know, good woman, that in helping on the rascally exchange of children, you ruin that very young man who saved your husband, for you deprive him of his title and property?' she stared like a stuck pig, when i said so, and then cursed and blamed herself, and declared she'd right you as soon as we came home; and most anxious she is still to do so, for she loves the very name of you; so you see, peter, a good action has its reward sometimes in this world, and a bad action also, seeing as how i've shot that confounded villain who dared to ill-use you. i have plenty more to say to you, peter; but i don't like writing what, perhaps, may never be read, so i'll wait till i hear from you; and then, as soon as i get through my business, we will set to and trounce that scoundrel of an uncle. i have twenty thousand pounds jammed together in the consolidated, besides the spice islands, which will be a pretty penny; and every farthing of it shall go to right you, peter, and make a lord of you, as i promised you often that you should be; and if you win you shall pay, and if you don't, then damn the luck and damn the money too. i beg you will offer my best regards to miss ellen, and say how happy i shall be to hear that she is well; but it has always been on my mind, peter, that your father did not leave too much behind him, and i wish to know how you both get on. i left you a _carte blanche_ at my agent's, and i only hope that you have taken advantage of it, if required; if not, you're not the peter that i left behind me. so now, farewell, and don't forget to answer my letter in no time. "ever yours, _terence o'brien_." this was indeed joyful intelligence. i handed the letter to general o'brien, who read it; celeste hanging over his shoulder, and perusing it at the same time. "this is well," said the general. "peter, i wish you joy; and, celeste, i ought to wish you joy also, at your future prospects. it will indeed be a gratification if ever i hail you as lady privilege." "celeste," said i, "you did not reject me when i was penniless, and in disgrace. o my poor sister ellen! if i could but find you, how happy should i be!" i sat down to write to o'brien, acquainting him with all that had occurred, and the loss of my dear sister. the day after the receipt of my letter, o'brien burst into the room. after the first moments of congratulation were past, he said, "my heart's broke, peter, about your sister ellen: find her i must. i shall give up my ship, for i'll never give up the search as long as i live. i must find her." "do, pray, my dear o'brien, and i only wish--" "wish what, peter? shall i tell you what i wish?--that if i find her; you'll give her to me for my trouble." we then turned round to general o'brien and celeste. "captain o'brien," said the general. "sir terence o'brien, if you please, general. his majesty has given me a handle to my name." "i congratulate you, sir terence," said the general, shaking him by the hand; "what i was about to say is, that i hope you will take up your quarters at this hotel, and we will all live together. i trust we shall soon find ellen: in the meanwhile, we have no time to lose, in our exposure of lord privilege. is the woman in town?" "yes, and under lock and key; but the devil a fear of her. millions would not bribe her to wrong him who risked his life for her husband. she's irish, general, to the back-bone. nevertheless, peter, we must go to our solicitor, to give the intelligence, that he may take the necessary steps." for three weeks, o'brien was diligent in his search for ellen, employing every description of emissary without success. in the meanwhile, the general and i were prosecuting our cause against lord privilege. one morning, lord belmore called upon us, and asked the general if we would accompany him to the theatre, to see two celebrated pieces performed. in the latter, which was a musical farce, a new performer was to come out of whom report spoke highly. celeste consented, and after an early dinner, we joined his lordship in his private box, which was above the stage, on the first tier. the first piece was played, and celeste, who had never seen the performance of young, was delighted. the curtain then drew up for the second piece. in the second act, the new performer, a miss henderson, was led by the manager on the stage; she was apparently much frightened and excited, but three rounds of applause gave her courage, and she proceeded. at the very first notes of her voice i was startled, and o'brien, who was behind, threw himself forward to look at her; but as we were almost directly above, and her head was turned the other way, we could not distinguish her features. as she proceeded in her song, she gained courage, and her face was turned towards us, and she cast her eyes up--saw me--the recognition was mutual--i held out my arm, but could not speak--she staggered, and fell down in a swoon. "'tis ellen!" cried o'brien, rushing past me; and, making one spring down on the stage, he carried her off, before any other person could come to her assistance. i followed him, and found him with ellen still in his arms, and the actresses assisting in her recovery. the manager came forward to apologise, stating that the young lady was too ill to proceed, and the audience, who had witnessed the behaviour of o'brien and myself, were satisfied with the romance in real life which had been exhibited. her part was read by another, but the piece was little attended to, every one trying to find out the occasion of this uncommon occurrence. in the meantime, ellen was put into a hackney-coach by o'brien and me, and we drove to the hotel, where we were soon joined by the general and celeste. chapter sixty five. it never rains but it pours, whether it be good or bad news--i succeed in everything, and to everything, my wife, my title, and estate--and "all's well that ends well." i shall pass over the scenes which followed, and give my sister's history in her own words. "i wrote to you, my dear peter, to tell you that i had considered it my duty to pay all my father's debts with your money, and that there were but sixty pounds left when every claim had been satisfied; and i requested you to come to me as soon as you could, that i might have your counsel and assistance as to my future arrangements." "i received your letter, ellen, and was hastening to you, when--but no matter i will tell my story afterwards." "day after day i waited with anxiety for a letter, and then wrote to the officers of the ship to know if any accident had occurred. i received an answer from the surgeon, informing me that you had quitted portsmouth to join me, and had not since been heard of. you may imagine my distress at this communication, as i did not doubt but that something dreadful had occurred, as i know, too well, that nothing would have detained you from me at such a time. the new vicar appointed, had come down to look over the house, and to make arrangements for bringing in his family. the furniture he had previously agreed to take at a valuation, and the sum had been appropriated in liquidation of our father's debts. i had already been permitted to remain longer than was usual, and had no alternative but to quit, which i did not do until the last moment. i could not leave my address, for i knew not where i was to go. i took my place in the coach, and arrived in london. my first object was to secure the means of livelihood, by offering myself as a governess; but i found great difficulties from not being able to procure a good reference, and from not having already served in that capacity. at last i was taken into a family to bring up three little girls; but i soon found out how little chance i had of comfort. the lady had objected to me as too good-looking--for this same reason the gentleman insisted upon my being engaged. "thus was i a source of disunion--the lady treated me with great harshness, and the gentleman with too much attention. at last, her ill-treatment, and his persecution, were both so intolerable, that i gave notice that i should leave my situation." "i beg your pardon, miss ellen, but will you oblige me with the name and residence of that gentleman?" said o'brien. "indeed, ellen, do no such thing," replied i; "continue your story." "at last i was engaged as teacher to a school. i had better have taken a situation as housemaid. i was expected to be everywhere, to do everything--was up at daylight, and never in bed till past midnight: fared very badly, and was equally ill-paid--but still it was honest employment, and i remained there for more than a year; but, though as economical as possible, my salary would not maintain me in clothes and washing, which was all i required. there was a master of elocution, who came every week, and whose wife was the teacher of music. they took a great liking to me, and pointed out how much better i should be off, if i could succeed on the stage, of which they had no doubt. for months i refused, hoping still to have some tidings of you; but at last my drudgery became so insupportable, and my means so decreased, that i unwillingly consented. "it was then nineteen months since i had heard of you, and i mourned you as dead. i had no relations except my uncle, and i was unknown even to him. i quitted the situation, and took up my abode with the teacher of elocution and his wife, who treated me with every kindness, and prepared me for my new career. neither at the school, which was three miles from london, nor at my new residence, which was over westminster-bridge, did i ever see a newspaper; it was no wonder, therefore, that i did not know of your advertisements. after three months' preparation i was recommended and introduced to the manager by my kind friends, and accepted. you know the rest." "well, miss ellen, if any one ever tells you that you were on the stage, at all events you may reply that you wasn't there long." my sister had been with us about three days, during which i had informed her of all that had taken place, when, one evening finding myself alone with her, i candidly stated to her what were o'brien's feelings towards her, and pleaded his cause with all the earnestness in my power. "my dear brother," replied she, "i have always admired captain o'brien's character, and always have felt grateful to him for his kindness and attachment to you; but i cannot say that i love him--i have never thought about him, except as one to whom we are both much indebted." "but do you mean to say that you could not love him?" "no, i do not: and i will do all i can, peter--i will try--i never will, if possible, make him unhappy who has been so kind to you." "depend upon it, ellen, that with your knowledge of o'brien, and with feelings of gratitude to him, you will soon love him, if once you accept him as a suitor. may i tell him--" "you may tell him that he may plead his own cause, my dear brother; and, at all events, i will listen to no other, until he has had fair play; but recollect, that at present i only _like_ him--like him _very much_, it is true--but still i only _like_ him." i was quite satisfied with my success, and so was o'brien, when i told him. "by the powers, peter, she's an angel, and i can't expect her to love an inferior being like myself; but if she'll only like me well enough to marry me, i'll trust to after-marriage for the rest." o'brien having thus obtained permission, certainly lost no time in taking advantage of it. celeste and i were more fondly attached every day. the solicitor declared my case so good, that he could raise fifty thousand pounds upon it. in short, all our causes were prosperous, when an event occurred, the details of which, of course, i did not obtain until some time afterwards, but which i shall narrate here. my uncle was very much alarmed when he discovered that i had been released from bedlam--still more so, when he had notice given him of a suit, relative to the succession to the title. his emissaries had discovered that the wet-nurse had been brought home in o'brien's frigate, and was kept so close that they could not communicate with her. he now felt that all his schemes would prove abortive. his legal adviser was with him, and they had been walking in the garden, talking over the contingencies, when they stopped close to the drawing-room windows of the mansion at eagle park. "but, sir," observed the lawyer, "if you will not confide in me, i cannot act for your benefit. you still assert that nothing of the kind has taken place?" "i do," replied his lordship. "it is a foul invention." "then, my lord, may i ask you why you considered it advisable to imprison mr simple in bedlam?" "because i hate him," retorted his lordship,--"detest him." "and for what reason, my lord? his character is unimpeached, and he is your near relative." "i tell you, sir, that i hate him--would that he were now lying dead at my feet!" hardly were the words out of my uncle's mouth, when a whizzing was heard for a second, and then something fell down within a foot of where they stood, with a heavy crash. they started--turned round--the adopted heir lay lifeless at their feet, and their legs were bespattered with his blood and his brains. the poor boy, seeing his lordship below, had leaned out of one of the upper windows to call to him, but lost his balance, and had fallen head foremost upon the wide stone pavement which surrounded the mansion. for a few seconds, the lawyer and my uncle looked upon each other with horror. "a judgment!--a judgment!" cried the lawyer at last, looking at his client. my uncle covered his face with his hands, and fell. assistance now came out, but there was more than one to help up. the violence of his emotion had brought on an apoplectic fit, and my uncle, although he breathed, never spoke again. it was in consequence of this tragical event, of which we did not know the particulars until afterwards, that the next morning my solicitor called, and put a letter into my hand, saying, "allow me to congratulate your lordship." we were all at breakfast at the time, and the general, o'brien, and myself jumped up, all in such astonishment at this unexpected title being so soon conferred upon me, that we had a heavy bill for damages to pay; and had not ellen caught the tea-urn, as it was tipped over, there would, in all probability, have been a doctor's bill into the bargain. the letter was eagerly read--it was from my uncle's legal adviser, who had witnessed the catastrophe, informing me, that all dispute as to the succession was at an end by the tragical event that had taken place, and that he had put seals upon everything awaiting my arrival or instructions. the solicitor, as he presented the letter, said that he would take his leave, and call again in an hour or two, when i was more composed. my first movement, when i had read the letter aloud, was to throw my arms round celeste and embrace her--and o'brien, taking the hint, did the same to ellen, and was excused in consideration of circumstances; but, as soon as she could disengage herself her arms were entwined round my neck, while celeste was hanging on her father's. having disposed of the ladies, the gentlemen now shook hands, and although we had not all appetites to finish our breakfasts, never was there a happier quintette. in about an hour my solicitor returned, and congratulated me, and immediately set about the necessary preparations. i desired him to go down immediately to eagle park, attend to the funeral of my uncle, and the poor little boy who had paid so dearly for his intended advancement, and take charge from my uncle's legal adviser, who remained in the house. the "dreadful accident in high life" found its way into the papers of the day, and before dinner-time a pile of visiting cards was poured in, which covered the table. the next day, a letter arrived from the first lord, announcing that he had made out my commission as post-captain, and trusted that i would allow him the pleasure of presenting it himself at his dinner-hour, at half-past seven. very much obliged to him: the "fool of the family" might have waited a long while for it. while i was reading this letter the waiter came up to say that a young woman below wanted to speak to me. i desired her to be shown up. as soon as she came in, she burst into tears, knelt down, and kissed my hand. "sure, it's you--oh! yes--it's you that saved my poor husband when i was assisting to your ruin. and a'n't i punished for my wicked doings--a'n't my poor boy dead?" she said no more, but remained on her knees sobbing bitterly. of course the reader recognises in her the wet-nurse who had exchanged her child. i raised her up, and desired her to apply to my solicitor to pay her expenses, and leave her address. "but do you forgive me, mr simple? it's not that i have forgiven myself." "i do forgive you with all my heart, my good woman. you have been punished enough." "i have, indeed," replied she, sobbing; "but don't i deserve it all, and more too? god's blessing, and all the saints' too, upon your head, for your kind forgiveness, anyhow. my heart is lighter." and she quitted the room. she had scarcely quitted the hotel, when the waiter came up again. "another lady, my lord, wishes to speak with you; but she won't give her name." "really, my lord, you seem to have an extensive female acquaintance," said the general. "at all events, i am not aware of any that i need be ashamed of. show the lady up, waiter." in a moment entered a fat unwieldy little mortal, very warm from walking; she sat down in a chair, threw back her tippet, and then exclaimed, "lord bless you, how you have grown! gemini, if i can hardly believe my eyes; and i declare he don't know me." "i really cannot exactly recollect were i had the pleasure of seeing you before, madam." "well, that's what i said to jemima, when i went down in the kitchen, `jemima,' says i, `i wonder if little peter simple will know me.' and jemima says, `i think he would the parrot, marm.'" "mrs handycock, i believe," said i, recollecting jemima and the parrot, although, from a little thin woman, she had grown so fat as not to be recognisable. "oh! so you've found me out, mr simple--my lord, i ought to say. well, i need not ask after your grandfather now, for i know he's dead; but as i was coming this way for orders, i thought i would just step in and see how you looked." "i trust mr handycock is well, ma'am. pray is he a bull or a bear?" "lord bless you, mr simple--my lord, i should say--he's been neither bull nor bear for these three years. he was obliged to _waddle_; if i didn't know much about bulls and bears, i know very well what a _lame duck_ is to my cost. we're off the stock exchange, and mr handycock is set up as a coal merchant." "indeed!" "yes; that is, we have no coals, but we take orders, and have half-a-crown a chaldron for our trouble. as mr handycock says, it's a very good business, if you only had enough for it. perhaps your lordship may be able to give us an order. it's nothing out of your pocket, and something into ours." "i shall be very happy when i return again to town, mrs handycock. i hope the parrot is quite well." "oh! my lord, that's a sore subject; only think of mr handycock, when we retired from the 'change, taking my parrot one day and selling it for five guineas, saying, five guineas was better than a nasty squalling, bird. to be sure, there was nothing for dinner that day; but, as jemima agreed with me, we'd rather have gone without a dinner for a month, than have parted with poll. since we've looked up a little in the world, i saved up five guineas, by hook or by crook, and tried to get poll back again, but the lady said she wouldn't take fifty guineas for him." mrs handycock then jumped from her chair, saying, "good morning, my lord; i'll leave one of mr handycock's cards. jemima would be so glad to see you." as she left the room, celeste laughingly asked me whether i had any more such acquaintances. i replied, that i believed not; but i must acknowledge that mrs trotter was brought to my recollection, and i was under some alarm lest she should also come and pay me her respects. the next day i had another unexpected visit. we had just sat down to dinner, when we heard a disturbance below; and, shortly after, the general's french servant came up in great haste, saying that there was a foreigner below, who wished to see me; that he had been caning one of the waiters of the hotel, for not paying him proper respect. "who can that be?" thought i: and i went out of the door and looked over the banisters, as the noise still continued. "you must not come here to beat englishmen, i can tell you," roared one of the waiters. "what do we care for your foreign counts?" "sacre, canaille!" cried the other party, in a contemptuous voice, which i well knew. "ay, canal!--we'll duck you in the canal, if you don't mind." "you will!" said the stranger, who had hitherto spoken french. "allow me to observe--in the most delicate manner in the world--just to hint, that you are a damned trencher-scraping, napkin-carrying, shilling-seeking, up-and-down-stairs son of a bitch--and take this for your impudence!" the noise of the cane was again heard; and i hastened downstairs, where i found count shucksen thrashing two or three of the waiters without mercy. at my appearance, the waiters, who were showing fight, retreated to a short distance, out of reach of the cane. "my dear count," exclaimed i, "is it you?" and i shook him by the hand. "my dear lord privilege, will you excuse me? but these fellows are saucy." "then i'll have them discharged," replied i. "if a friend of mine, and an officer of your rank and distinction, cannot come to see me without insult, i will seek another hotel." this threat of mine, and the reception i gave the count, put all to rights. the waiters sneaked off, and the master of the hotel apologised. it appeared that they had desired him to wait in the coffee-room until they could announce him, which had hurt the count's dignity. "we are sitting down to dinner, count; will you join us?" "as soon as i have improved my toilet, my dear lord," replied he "you must perceive that i am off a journey." the master of the hotel bowed, and proceeded to show the count to a dressing-room. when i returned up-stairs--"what was the matter?" inquired o'brien. "o nothing!--a little disturbance in consequence of a foreigner not understanding english." in about five minutes the waiter opened the door, and announced count shucksen. "now, o'brien, you'll be puzzled," said i; and in came the count. "my dear lord privilege," said he, coming up and taking me by the hand, "let me not be the last to congratulate you upon your accession. i was running up the channel in my frigate, when a pilot-boat gave me the newspaper, in which i saw your unexpected change of circumstances. i made an excuse for dropping my anchor at spithead this morning, and i have come up post to express how sincerely i participate in your good fortune." count shucksen then politely saluted the ladies and the general, and turned round to o'brien, who had been staring at him with astonishment. "count shucksen, allow me to introduce sir terence o'brien." "by the piper that played before moses, but it's a puzzle," said o'brien, earnestly looking in the count's face. "blood and thunder! if it a'n't chucks!--my dear fellow, when did you rise from your grave?" "fortunately," replied the count, as they shook each other's hands for some time, "i never went into it, sir terence. but now, with your permission, my lord, i'll take some food, as i really am not a little hungry. after dinner, captain o'brien, you shall hear my history." his secret was confided to the whole party, upon my pledging myself for their keeping it locked up in their own breasts, which was a bold thing on my part, considering that two of them were ladies. the count stayed with us for some time, and was introduced by me everywhere. it was impossible to discover that he had not been bred up in a court, his manners were so good. he was a great favourite with the ladies; and his mustachios, bad french, and waltzing--an accomplishment he had picked up in sweden--were quite the vogue. all the ladies were sorry when the swedish count announced his departure by a ppc. before i left town, i called upon the first lord of the admiralty, and procured for swinburne a first-rate, building--that is to say, ordered to be built. this he had often said he wished, as he was tired of the sea, after a service of forty-five years. subsequently, i obtained leave of absence for him every year; and he used to make himself very happy at eagle park. most of his time was, however, passed on the lake, either fishing or rowing about; telling long stories to all who would join him in his water excursions. a fortnight after my assuming my title, we set off for eagle park: and celeste consented to my entreaties, that the wedding should take place that day month. upon this hint o'brien spake; and to oblige me, ellen consented that we should be united on the same day. o'brien wrote to father mcgrath; but the letter was returned by post, with "dead" marked upon the outside. o'brien then wrote to one of his sisters, who informed him, that father mcgrath would cross the bog one evening when he had taken a very large proportion of whisky; and that he was seen out of the right path, and had never been heard of afterwards. on the day appointed, we were all united; and both unions have been attended with as much happiness as this world can afford. both o'brien and i are blessed with children, which, as o'brien observed, have come upon us like old age, until we now can muster a large christmas party in the two families. the general's head is white, and he sits and smiles, happy in his daughter's happiness, and in the gambols of his grandchildren. such, reader, is the history of peter simple, viscount privilege, no longer the fool, but the head of the family, who now bids you farewell. marmaduke merry, a tale of naval adventures in bygone days, by william h g kingston. ________________________________________________________________________ this is quite a long book, but it is full of action, and in between the actions there are tales being told about even more action and interesting situations, rather in the style of captain marryat. this edition was printed by cassell's for use as an english language course-book. at the end of the book is printed a sixteen-page set of questions and exercises to guide pupils into learning how to read and appreciate the book better. i do wish that more books were printed with such an appendix, as this one, at any rate, was very well-constructed. the only quibble we have about the way cassell's laid out the book is the amazing amount of inconsistency in the hyphenation, but we believe we have detected most of the instances, and put them right. while kingston was a devout christian, he does not over-lard the book with piety, though as usual he puts in a big chunk of it near the end. you'll enjoy reading or listening to this book. ________________________________________________________________________ marmaduke merry, a tale of naval adventures in bygone days, by william h g kingston. chapter one. i belong to the family of the merrys of leicestershire. our chief characteristic was well suited to our patronymic. "merry by name and merry by nature," was a common saying among us. indeed, a more good-natured, laughing, happy set of people it would be difficult to find. right jovial was the rattle of tongues and the cachinnation which went forward whenever we were assembled together either at breakfast or dinner or supper; our father and mother setting us the example, so that we began the day with a hearty laugh, and finished it with a heartier. "laugh and grow fat" is an apothegm which all people cannot follow, but our mother did in the most satisfactory manner. her skin was fair and most thoroughly comfortably filled out; her hair was light, and her contented spirit beamed out from a pair of large laughing blue eyes, so that it was a pleasure to look at her as she sat at the head of the table, serving out the viands to her hungry progeny. our sisters were very like her, and came fairly under the denomination of jolly girls; and thoroughly jolly they were;--none of them ever had a headache or a toothache, or any other ache that i know of. our father was a good specimen of a thorough english country gentleman; he was thorough in everything, honest-faced, stout, and hearty, not over-refined, perhaps, but yet gentle in all his thoughts and acts; a hater of a lie and every thing dishonourable, hospitable and generous to the utmost of his means; a protector of the poor and helpless, and a friend to all his neighbours. yes, and i may say more, both he and my mother were humble, sincere christians, and made the law of the bible their rule of life. he told a good story and laughed at it himself, and delighted to see our mother and us laugh at it also. had he been bred a lawyer, and lived in london, he would have been looked upon as a first-rate wit; but i am certain that he was much happier with the lot awarded to him. he had a good estate; his tenants paid their rents regularly; and he had few or no cares to disturb his digestion or to keep him awake at night; and i am very certain that he would far rather have had us to hear his jokes, and laugh at them with him, than all the wits london ever produced. he delighted in joining in all our sports, either of the field or flood, and we always looked forward to certain amusement when he was able to accompany us. he was our companion and friend; we had no secrets from him,--why should we? he was always our best adviser, and if we got into scrapes, which one or the other of us was not unfrequently doing, we were very certain that no one could extricate us as well as he could. i don't mean to say that he forgot the proverb, "spare the rod, spoil the child;" or that we were such pieces of perfection that we did not deserve punishment; but we had sense enough to see that he punished us for our good: he did it calmly, never angrily, and without any unnecessarily severe remark, and we certainly did not love him the less for the sharpest flogging he ever gave us. directly afterwards, he would meet the culprit in his usual frank, hearty way, and seem to forget all about the matter. our sisters were on the same happy intimate terms with our mother, and we boys had no secrets with her, or with them either. our father used to believe and assert that our family had settled in leicestershire before the conquest, and, in consequence of this notion, he gave us all old english names or what he supposed to be such. his own name was joliffe, and he used to be called by his hunting associates, the other gentlemen of the county, jolly merry. he was not, i should say, _par excellence_ a fox hunter, though he subscribed to the county hunt, and frequently followed the hounds; and no one rode better, nor did any one's voice sound more cheerily on copse or hill side than did his, as he greeted a friend, or sang out, in the exuberance of his spirits, a loud tallyho-ho. my name stood sixth in the family bible, and that of marmaduke had fallen to my lot. we had a cedric, an athelstane, an egbert, and an edwin among the boys, and a bertha, an edith, and a winifred among the girls. we all went to school in our turns, but though it was a very good school, we did not like it so much as home. when, however, we got to school, we used to be very jolly, and if other boys pulled long faces we made round ones and laughed away as usual. our school was in northamptonshire, so that we had not far to go, and we kept up a very frequent correspondence with home, from which, in consequence of its vicinity, we received more hampers laden with cakes and tongues, and pots of jam, and similar comestible articles, than most of our companions. i do not say that we should not otherwise have been favourites, but it might have been remarked that the attentions and willingness to oblige us of our companions increased in proportion to the size of our hampers, and our readiness to dispense their contents. however, i will not dwell on my school life. i imbibed a certain amount of classical and elementary knowledge of a somewhat miscellaneous description, and received not a few canings, generally for laughing in my class at something which tickled my fancy, when i ought not to have allowed my fancy to be tickled; but altogether my conduct was such that i believe i was considered to have brought no discredit on the merry name or fame. such was my uneventful career at school. we were all at home for the summer holidays. we were seated at breakfast. what a rattle of tongues, and knives, and forks, and cups, and saucers there was going on. what vast slices of bread and butter were disappearing within our well practised jaws. various cries proceeded from each side of the table. "bertha, another cup of tea;" "bertha, some more milk;" "bertha, you haven't given me sugar enough by half;" "bertha, i like strong tea; no wish-wash for me." bertha was our oldest sister and tea-maker general. she had no sinecure office of it; but, in spite often of the most remarkable demands, she dispensed the beverage with the most perfect justice and good humour. not unsatisfactory were the visits paid to the sideboard, covered as it was with brawn, and ham, and tongue, and a piece of cold beef, and such like substantial fare. suddenly the tenor of our conversation was turned by the entrance of the servant with the post-bag. the elders were silent for a few minutes,-- our father and mother and bertha, and cedric, who was at home from college. our mother had a large circle of correspondents, and seldom a post arrived without a letter for her. our father had fewer; but this morning he received one, in a large official-looking cover, which absorbed his attention. still the clatter of tongues went on among us younger ones. our father and mother had grown so accustomed to it, that, as the miller awakes when his mill stops, so they would have looked up to ascertain what was the matter had we been silent. "which of you would like to become a midshipman?" asked our father looking up suddenly. the question had an effect rarely produced in the family. we were all silent. our mother put down her letters, and her fond eyes glanced round on our faces. her countenance was unusually grave. again my father looked at the document in his hand. "captain collyer says he should not be more than fourteen. marmaduke, that is your age. what do you say on the subject?" said my father. "joliffe, what is it all about?" asked my mother, with a slight trepidation in her voice. "i forgot that i had not read the letter. it is rather long. it is from my old friend, dick collyer, and a better fellow does not breathe. the tenor of it is that he has got command of a fine frigate, the doris, fitting with all despatch for sea, and that he will take one of our boys as a midshipman, if we like to send the youngster with him. there is no time to lose, as he expects to be ready in a week or ten days; so we must decide at once." the question was put indirectly to me, "should i like to go to sea?" now, i had never even seen the sea, and had never realised what a man-of-war was like. the largest floating thing to which i was accustomed was the miller's punt, in which my brothers and i used occasionally to paddle about on the mill-pond; in which mill-pond, by the bye, we had all learned to swim. i had seen pictures of ships, though as to the size of one, and the number of men she might carry, i was profoundly ignorant. i was, therefore, not very well qualified to come to a decision. suddenly i recollected a visit paid to us by tom welby, an old schoolfellow, after his first trip to sea, and what a jolly life i thought he must lead as he described his adventures, and how fine a fellow he looked as he strutted about with his dirk at his side, the white patch on his collar, and the cockade in his hat. i decided at once. "if you wish it, father, i'm ready to go," said i. my father looked at me affectionately. there was, i am certain, a conflict going on in his mind whether or not he should part with me; but prudence conquered love. "of course, you must all have professions, boys, and the navy is a very fine one," he observed. "what do you say, mary?" my mother was too sensible a woman to make any objections to so promising an offer if i did not; and therefore, before we rose from the breakfast table, it was settled that i was to be a midshipman, and we were all soon laughing away as heartily as ever. the news that master marmaduke was going away to sea quickly reached the servants' hall, and from thence spread over the village. not a moment was lost by our mother in commencing the preparations for my outfit. stores of calico were produced, and she and bertha had cut out a set of shirts and distributed them to be made before noon. while they were thus employed, i went down to have a talk with my father, and to have my ignorance on nautical affairs somewhat enlightened, though he, i found, knew very little more about them than i did. while i was in the study the footman came to say that widow bluff wished to see him. "let her come in," was his reply. "well, dame, what is it you want this morning?" he asked, in his cheery encouraging tone as she appeared. "why, sir, i hears how master marmaduke's going away to sea, and i comes to ask if he'll take my boy toby with him," answered the dame, promptly. "what, mrs bluff, do you wish him to be an officer?" said my father. "blessy no, sir. it's to be his servant like. i suppose he'll want some one to clean his shoes and brush his clothes, and such little things, and i'd be proud for my toby to do that," answered the dame. now, i had always thought toby bluff to be a remarkably dunder-headed, loutish fellow, though strong as a lion, and with plenty of pluck in his composition. i had helped him out of a pond once, and done him some other little service, i fancy; but i had forgotten all about the matter. "i will see about it, dame," said my father. "but i doubt if toby, though a good lad, will ever set the thames on fire." "blessy heart, i hopes not," exclaimed the dame in a tone of horror. "he'd be a hanged, if he did, like them as burnt farmer dobbs's corn stacks last year." toby, it appeared, was waiting outside. my father sent for him, and found that he really had a very strong desire to go to sea, or rather to follow me. toby had an honest round freckled countenance, with large hands and broad shoulders, but a slouching awkward gait, which made him look far less intelligent than he really was. as he had always borne a good character, my father promised to learn if captain collyer would take him. the answer was in the affirmative. behold, then, toby bluff and me about to commence our career on the briny ocean. i tried to laugh to the last; but somehow or other, it was a harder job than i had ever found it; and as to my mother and sisters, though they said a number of funny things, there was a moisture in their eyes and a tremulousness in their voices very unusual with them. toby bluff, as he scrambled up on the box of the chaise, which was to take us to meet the london coach, blubbered out with a vehemence which spoke more for the sensitiveness of his feelings than for his sense of the dignified; but when his mother, equally overcome, exclaimed, "get down, toby; i'll not have thee go, boy, an thou takest on so," he answered sturdily, "noa, noa, mother; i've said i'd stick to measter marmaduke, and if he goes, i'll go to look after him." my brothers cheered and shouted as we drove off, and i did my best to shout and cheer in return, as did toby in spite of his tears. my father accompanied us as far as london. we spent but a few hours in that big city. "i don't see that it be so very grand like," observed toby as we drove through it. "there bees no streets paved with gold, and no lord mayor in a gold coach,--only bricks and mortar, and people running about in a precious hurry." captain collyer had desired that i should come down by the coach to the george at portsmouth, where he would send his coxswain to meet me, and take me to the tailor, who would make my uniform, a part of my outfit which our country town had been unable to supply. it was a bright summer morning when my father accompanied us to piccadilly, whence the portsmouth coach started. "cheer up, and don't forget your name, marmaduke," he said, wringing my hand as i was climbing on to the front seat. he nodded kindly to toby, who followed me closely. "don't you forget to look after the young master, boy," he added. "noa, squire, while i'se got fists at the end of my arms, i won't," answered toby. "all right," shouted the guard, and the coach drove off. i found myself seated by a tall man with a huge red nose, like the beak of an eagle, a copper complexion, jet black piercing eyes, and enormous black bushy whiskers. he looked down at me, i thought, with ineffable contempt. his clothes were of blue cloth, and his hands, which were very large and hairy, were marked on the back with strange devices, among which i observed an anchor, a ship, and a fish, which made me suspect that he must be a nautical character of some sort. he addressed the coachman and the passenger on the box seat several times in a wonderfully loud gruff voice, but as they showed by their answers that they were not inclined to enter into conversation with him, he at last turned his attention to me. "why are you going down to portsmouth, little boy?" he asked, in a tone i did not like. "i suppose because i want to get there," i answered. "ho! ho! ho!" his laugh was like the bellowing of a bull. "going to sea, i fancy," he remarked. "yes, going to see portsmouth," said i, quietly, "if i keep my eyes open." "ho! ho! sharp as a needle i see," observed the big man. "sharpness runs in the family," i replied. we were well up to this sort of repartee among each other at home. "your name is sharp, i suppose," said my friend. "no, only my nature, like a currant or a sour gooseberry," i replied, not able to help laughing myself. "take care, youngster, you don't get wounded with your own weapon," said the big man. "thank you," i answered, "but i am not a tailor." "no--ho, ho, ho,--perhaps not; but you are little more than the ninth part of a man," said the giant. "the ninth part of you, you mean; but i am half as big as most men now, and hope to be a whole man some day, and a captain into the bargain." "then i take it you are that important character, a new fledged midshipman," observed my huge companion. "judging of you by your size, i should suppose on the same grounds that you are nothing less than an admiral," i retorted. "i should be, if i had my deserts, boy," he replied, drawing himself up, and swelling out his chest. "then are you only a captain?" i asked. "i once was, boy," he replied with a sigh which resembled the rumbling of a volcano. "captain of the main-top," said the gentleman on the box without turning round. "what are you now, then?" i asked. "a boatswain," uttered the gentleman on the box. "yes, young gentleman, as our friend there says, i am a boatswain," he exclaimed in a voice of thunder, "and a very important person is a boatswain on board ship, let me tell you, with his call at his mouth, and colt in his hand, as your silent companion there will very soon find out, for i presume, by the cut of his jib, that he is not a midshipman." "and what is a boatswain on board ship?" i asked, with unfeigned simplicity. "everything from truck to kelson, i may say, is under his charge," he replied consequentially. "he has to look after masts, spars, rigging, sails, cables, anchors, and stores; to see that the men are kept under proper discipline, and make them smart aloft. in my opinion a man-of-war might do without her captain and lieutenants, but would be no man-of-war without her boatswain." the gentleman on the box laughed outright, but the boatswain took no notice of it. i began to think in spite of his coarseness that he must be a very important personage, and probably i showed this in my manner, for he went on enlarging on his own importance. "i tell you, young gentleman, it's my belief that i have been round the world oftener and seen more strange sights than any man living." "i should like to hear some of your adventures," i said. "i dare say you would, and if you like to pay me a visit on board the doris frigate, and will inquire for mr jonathan johnson, the boatswain, i shall be happy to see you and to enlighten your mind a little." "why, that is the ship i am going to join," i exclaimed; "didn't captain collyer tell you?" "no, he has not as yet communicated that important matter to me," answered mr jonathan johnson, twisting his huge nose in a comical way. "but give us your flipper, my hearty,--we are to be shipmates it seems. i like you for your dauntless tongue; if you've a spirit to match, you'll do, and i promise you that you shall some day hear what you shall hear." the coach stopped at the george. a seaman, who announced himself as sam edkins, captain collyer's coxswain, came up, and touching his hat respectfully to mr johnson, helped me off the coach. "well, edkins, have all the officers joined yet?" asked the boatswain. "all but the second lieutenant; he's expected aboard to-day, sir," was the answer. "what's his name, edkins? i hope he's not a king's hard bargain, like some lieutenants i have fallen in with within the last hundred years," said mr johnson. "no, sir; he's no hard bargain," answered edkins. "i heard the captain say his name is bryan, the same officer who, with twenty hands, cut out a french brig of seven guns and ninety men the other day in the west indies." "all right; he'll do for us," observed mr johnson, with a patronising air. "by the bye, edkins, have you received any directions about this boy?" "no, sir; only that he was to go aboard at once." "very well, then, i'll take him. come, youngster--what's your name?" "please, sir, it be tobias bluff; but i be called toby most times," answered my young follower, evidently awe-struck with the manner and appearance of mr johnson. not an inch did he move, however, from my side. "come along, boy," cried the boatswain in a thundering tone which might have been heard half down the high street. "noa," said toby, looking up undauntedly at him; "i has a said i'd stick to the young squire, and i'll no budge from his side, no, not if you bellows louder than farmer dobbs's big bull." never had the boatswain been thus bearded by a ship's boy. his black eyes flashed fire--his nose grew redder than ever, and seizing him by the collar of his jacket, he would have carried him off in his talons, as an eagle does a leveret, had not edkins and i interfered. "you see, mr johnson, the boy has the hay-seed in his hair, and doesn't know who you are, or anything about naval discipline," observed the coxswain. "if you'd let him stay with the young gentleman, i'll just put him up to a thing or two, and bring him aboard by and by." mr johnson, who was really not an ill-natured man, agreed to this, remarking, "mind, boy, the king is a great man ashore, but i'm a greater afloat--ho, ho, ho," and away he walked down the street to the point. the passenger who had had the box seat was standing near all the time. "he'll find that there's a greater man than he is on board, if he overstays his leave," i heard him remark, with a laugh, as he entered the inn. he was a slight active young man, with a pleasant countenance. "that's our second lieutenant, mr bryan," said edkins to me. "i saw his name on his portmanteau. he must have thought the boatswain a rum 'un." captain collyer's tailor lived close at hand, so i went there at once, and he promised to have a suit ready for me by the following morning. edkins told me i was to dine with the captain at the george, and to sleep there. he proposed that we should walk about in the interval, and i employed part of the time in comforting toby, persuading him to accompany the coxswain on board the frigate without me. we had just got outside the southsea-gate, when, passing a fruit-stall, i saw a little boy, while the old woman who kept the stall was looking another way, surreptitiously abstract several apples and make off with them. she turned at the moment and observed the deed. "come back, ye little thieving spalpeen," she cried angrily, rising and making sail in chase. she was very stout, and filled out with petticoats on either side. the wind was very strong from the south-west, and, knowing that it is easier to sail with a fair wind than a foul, off darted the little boy before it over southsea common. he, however, compared to the old lady, was like a brig to a seventy-four, with the studding sails set alow and aloft, and she, with her wide expanded figure propelled onward, was rapidly gaining on the apple-loving culprit. she would have caught him to a certainty. toby and i and edkins ran on to see the result. an old admiral (so edkins told me he was), taking his constitutional, stopped, highly enjoying the fun. he observed the cause of old molly's rapid progress. his sympathies were excited for the urchin. "try her on a wind, boy; try her on a wind," he shouted, giving way to his feelings in loud laughter. the boy took the hint, and coming about darted off to the westward. molly attempted to follow, but her breath failed her; the hitherto favouring gale blew her back, and with anathemas on the head of the culprit, she gave up the pursuit, and returned panting to her stall. "there's the price of your apples, molly," said the admiral, as he passed, handing her a sixpence. "you have gained it for the fun you have afforded me." "that 'ere little chap will come to the gallows some day, if he goes on like that," was the comment made by toby. "that's true, boy," observed edkins. "people are apt to forget, if they are amused, whether a thing is right or wrong; white's white, and black's black, whatever you choose to call them." i felt very sure, from what i saw of edkins, that he would take good care of toby. he left me at the george. the captain came at last. he was a broad-shouldered, thick-set man, not very tall, but with fair hair and a most pleasant expression of countenance. frank, honest, and kind-hearted i was certain he was. he reminded me of my father, except that the squire had a fresh and he had a thoroughly saltwater look about him. we were joined at dinner by several officers, and among others by my fellow-passenger, who proved, as edkins suspected, to be mr bryan, the second lieutenant of the doris. he amused the company very much by an account of mr johnson's conversation with me. "he is a very extraordinary fellow, that," said the captain. "he is a first-rate seaman, and thoroughly trustworthy in all professional matters; but i never met his equal for drawing the long bow. i knew him when i was a lieutenant, and could listen to his yarns." the party laughed heartily at my account of the old applewoman and the little boy, and i felt wonderfully at my ease among so many big-wigs, and began to fancy myself a personage of no small importance. after dinner, however, mr bryan called me aside. "i must give you a piece of advice, youngster. i overheard your contest of wit with the boatswain, and i remarked the way you spoke to your superior officers at dinner. you are now in plain clothes, and the captain's guest, but do not presume on their present freedom. you will find the drawing-room and the quarter-deck very different places. sharpness and wit are very well at times, but modesty is never out of place." i thanked mr bryan, and promised to remember his advice. the next day, with the assistance of the tailor, i got into my uniform, and, after i had had a little time to admire myself, and to wish that my mother and sisters could see me, edkins appeared to take me and my traps on board. the frigate had gone out to spithead, where one of england's proud fleets was collected. the gig was waiting at the point. i stepped into her with as much dignity as i could command and we pulled out of the harbour. when we got into the tide-way the boat began to bob about a good deal. i felt very queer. "edkins, is this what you call a storm?" i asked, wishing the boat would be quiet again. "yes, in a wash-tub, mister merry. as like a storm as a tom-tit is to an albatross," he answered. my astonishment at finding myself among the line-of-battle ships at spithead was very great. what huge floating castles they appeared--what crowds of human beings there were on board, swarming in every direction, like ants round their nest. in a few moments a wonderful expansion of my ideas took place. even our tight little frigate, as i had heard her called, looked an enormous monster when we pulled alongside, and the shrill whistle and stentorian voice of the boatswain sounded in my ears as if the creature was warning us to keep off, and i thought, if it began to move, that we should, to a certainty, be crushed. however, i managed to climb up the side, and as i saw edkins touch his hat to a tall thin gentleman in uniform, with a spy-glass under his arm, and say, "come aboard, sir;" i touched mine, and said, "come aboard, sir." "all right," said edkins, as he passed me. "this is the first-lieutenant." he did not take much notice of me; but soon afterwards mr bryan appeared and shook hands with me, and told him that i was a new midshipman, a friend of the captain's, and was very kind; and after a little time he called another midshipman, and desired him to take me down to the berth and to introduce me to our messmates. my conductor was a gaunt, red-haired lad, who had shoved his legs and arms too far into his trousers and jacket. he did not seem well-pleased with the duty imposed on him. i followed him down one flight of steps, when i saw huge cannon on either side, and then down another into almost total darkness; and though he seemed to find his way very well, i had no little difficulty in seeing where he was going. he stopped once and said, "what's your name, youngster?" i told him, and turning to the right he caught me by the collar and shoved me through a door among a number of young men and boys, exclaiming, in a croaking voice, "here's master marmaduke merry come to be one of us; treat him kindly for his mother's sake." having thus satisfactorily fulfilled his mission he disappeared. "sit down, boy, and make yourself at home," said an oldish man with grey hair, from the other end of the table. "thank you, as soon as i can see where to sit," said i; "but you don't indulge in an over-abundance of light down here." "ha, ha, ha! make room for marmaduke, some of you youngsters there," exclaimed the old mate, for such i found he was, and caterer of the mess, "remember your manners, will you, and be polite to strangers." "but he is not a stranger," said a boy near me. "yes, he is, till he has broken biscuit with us," said old perigal. "that reminds me that you are perhaps hungry, youngster. we've done tea, but we shall have the grog and the bread on the table shortly. we divide them equally. you youngsters have as much to eat as you like of the one, _weevils_ and all, and we drink of the other. it's the rule of the mess, like the laws of the medes and persians, not to be broken. however, we will allow merry a small quantity to-night, as it is his first on board ship, but after that, remember, no infraction of the laws;" and old perigal held up a weapon which he drew from his pocket, and with which, i found, he was wont to enforce his commands in the berth. his system worked pretty well, and it kept the youngsters from falling into that most pernicious of practices, spirit drinking, and the oldsters were too well seasoned to be injured by the double allowance they thereby obtained. altogether i was pleased with my reception, and i fancy my new shipmates were pleased with me. my great difficulty at first was finding my way about, for as to which was the head or after part of the ship i had not the slightest notion, and the direction i received to go aft or go forward conveyed no idea to my mind. as i was groping my way about the lower-deck, i saw what i took to be a glimmering light in a recess, when a roaring voice said, "ho, ho! mr merry, what--have you come to see me? welcome aboard the doris." the light was the nose, and the voice that of jonathan johnson the boatswain. i thanked him, and, guessing it would please him, told him that i should hold him to his promise of recounting his adventures. "time enough when we get into blue water, mr merry. under present circumstances, with every thing to do, and nobody fit to do it but myself; for you see, mr merry, the gunner and carpenter are little better than nonentities, as you will find out some day; i have barely time to eat my necessary meals, much less to talk." i told him that i should anxiously look forward to a fitting time for the expected treat, and asked him where i could find toby bluff. "you shall see him in a jiffy," he answered; and he bellowed out, "boy bluff! boy bluff! send aft boy bluff!" the same words were repeated in various hoarse tones, and in less than a minute toby came running up. he had had the advantage of a day's experience on board, and had wonderfully soon got into the ways of the ship. when he saw me he shouted with joy. "i did think, master marmaduke, you never would a coome," he exclaimed. "but it's all right now, and my--what a strange place this bees. not a bit like the hall, though there's plenty o' beef here for dinner, but it's main tough, and the bread for all the world's like old tiles." "be thankful you haven't to live on grind-stones and marlin-spikes, as i once had for a whole month, with nothing but bilge-water to wash 'em down," growled out the boatswain, who heard the observation. as he told me that he had not time to talk, i did not ask him how this had happened. i might prolong indefinitely my account of my first days on board ship. i gradually found myself more and more at home, till i began to fancy that i must be of some use on board. no one could be kinder than was captain collyer, and he was constantly employing me in a variety of ways in which he thought i could be trusted. one day he sent for me, and giving me a letter, ordered me to take it on board the flagship, and to deliver it in person to captain bumpus, the flag-captain. i knew captain bumpus, because he had been one of our dinner party at the george, and i remembered that he had laughed complacently at my stories. he was, however, very pompous, not a little conceited, and a great dandy, and i cannot say that i had felt any great respect for him. we had discussed him in the berth, and the opinion was that he was sweet on one of the admiral's daughters. at all events he was a bachelor, and having lately made some prize-money, he was supposed to be looking out for a wife to help him to spend it. moreover it was whispered that he wore a wig, but this he strenuously denied, being very fond of talking of the necessity he was under of having to go and get his hair cut, till it became a common remark that though captain bumpus got his hair cut oftener than any one else, it never appeared shorter. i stepped into the second gig, and as edkins went with me to steer the boat, i had no difficulty in getting alongside the flagship. as we pulled under the stern, i saw several ladies looking out from a stern gallery, which edkins told me belonged to the admiral's cabin. i found my way on deck, and touching my hat to the mate of the deck, announced my errand. "come, i'll show you," he said, seeing that i hesitated which way to turn, and he led me up first to one deck and then to another, and then he pointed to a door at which a sentry was standing, and told me to go in there. i found four or five officers in the after-cabin waiting to see captain bumpus, who was dressing, i collected from their conversation. presently a frizzled out frenchman, the very cut of a stage barber (a refugee, i heard afterwards), entered the cabin with a freshly dressed wig on a block. "monsieur de captain tell me to bring his vig and put it in his cabin. i do so vid your permission, gentlemen," he observed, as he placed it on the table, and with a profound bow took his departure. the story went that captain bumpus, who was fond of good living, had only lately fallen in with poor pierre grenouille, and had concluded a bargain on which he prided himself exceedingly. ostensibly pierre was engaged to dress his dinners, but privately to dress his hair, or rather his wigs. there was a general titter among the officers, in which i heartily joined. suddenly, before we had time to compose our features, a door on one side opened, and captain bumpus appeared in full rig, with his sword under his arm, and his cocked hat in hand, looking self-satisfied in the extreme. he started when he saw the wig block and wig, the fac-simile of the one he wore on his head. "what's that?" he exclaimed in a voice hoarse with rage. "who put it there?" no one answered, and dashing down his hat, he seized the wig block and wig, and with an exclamation of anger threw them overboard. "now, gentlemen," he said, turning round and attempting to be calm, "what is it you have to say? really this incident may seem ridiculous," he added, seeing that there was still a suppressed titter going on, "but i detest the sight of a wig block since--you know that highland tragedy--" "a man overboard! a man overboard!" was heard resounding in gruff voices from above. "oh, poor man, he will be drowned, he will be drowned," came in a sharper treble from the admiral's cabin. i heard the shrill pipe of the boatswain's mate as boats were being lowered, and at that instant into the cabin rushed the french barber, wringing his hands in a frantic state, and exclaiming, "oh, captain, your beautiful vig, your beautiful vig, it vill all be spoilt, it vill all be spoilt." "my wig!" shouted captain bumpus, in a voice of thunder. "my wig, you anatomy, you mendacious inventor of outrageous impossibilities. begone out of the cabin, out of the ship, overboard with you, the instant dinner is served!" and he gave the unhappy barber a kick which sent him flying across the after-cabin, through the door of the outer one, against the sentry, who was knocked over, and soldier and barber lay floundering and kicking, and bawling and swearing in their native dialects, amid the laughter of the officers, who ran to see what had become of the little man, and the shouts of the men who were outside. meantime the tide was running strong, and the wig block drifted past the other ships of the fleet, from all of which boats instantly put off in chase. they were all assembled round the fatal block, and the bowman of one, more fortunate than the rest, had got hold of it, and held it up amid shouts of laughter, when a boat from the flagship arrived and claimed the prize. as the boat returned and pulled up astern, the admiral shouted out, "have you got the poor fellow?" "it wasn't a man, sir; it was only the captain's wig, sir," was the answer. "the captain's what?" cried the admiral. "captain bumpus's wig," shouted the bowman, as he held it up for inspection. "come aboard with it, then," answered the admiral, roaring with laughter, for he richly enjoyed a joke. i heard a merry giggle in the stern gallery. captain bumpus turned pale with rage and mortified vanity. i delivered my despatch, to which he said he would send an answer. the next day it was reported that he had resigned his commission and gone on shore. he could not bear the idea that the whole fleet should have discovered he wore a wig. chapter two. blue peter had been for some hours flying aloft when jonathan johnson's pipe, sounding along the decks with a shrillness which surpassed the keenest of north-easterly gales, gave the expected order, which his mates, in gruffest of gruff tones, bawled out, of "all hands up anchor!" in an instant the whole ship was in an uproar, and seemed to me to be in the most dire confusion. boatswain's mates were shouting and bawling, the officers hurrying to their stations, the men flying here and there, some aloft to loose sails, and others to halyards, sheets, and braces. i must own that i did not feel myself of any great service in assisting at the operation going forward, but i ran and shouted with the rest, and as the men passed me i told them to look sharp and to be smart, and to hurry along; but what they were about to do i was utterly unable to discover. i met toby bluff hurrying along, looking very much scared and half inclined to blubber. i asked him what was the matter. "it's the big man with the rattan," (he alluded to the ship's corporal) "told me to go aft to the poop and stand by the mizen-topsail halyards," he exclaimed. "but, oh, master marmaduke, where they be it's more than my seven senses can tell. what shall i do? what shall i do?" i saw some other boys running aft, so i advised him to go where they went, and to do whatever they did. i soon afterwards saw him hauling away sturdily at a rope, and though he tumbled down very often, he was quickly again on his feet. the fife and fiddle were meantime sounding merrily, and, as with cheerful tramp the men passed round the capstan-bars, the anchor was speedily run up to the bows. what the lieutenant on the forecastle could mean when he shouted out "man the cat-fall," i could not divine, till i saw that some of the crew were securing the stock of the anchor by means of a tackle to a stout beam, which projected over the bows of the ship. "over to the fish," next shouted out the officer, an order at first equally inexplicable to me, till i saw the flukes of the anchor hauled up close to the bows--fished, as it is called. the sails were let fall and sheeted home, braces hauled taut, and the doris, with a rattling breeze, under all sail, stood through the needles passage and down channel. those were stirring times. the cruisers of the various nations then at war with old england swarmed in all directions; and it was the ardent wish of every one on board the frigate, from the captain down to my small self, and to the youngest powder-monkey, that we should before long meet an enemy worthy of our prowess. a sharp look-out was kept aloft night and day, and it would have been difficult for anything under sail passing within the circle seen from our main-truck to have escaped notice. captain collyer also did his best to prepare his crew for an encounter whenever it might come, and the men were kept constantly exercising at the great guns and small-arms, and, for a change, at shortening and making sail, till they had all learned to work well together. i was all this time rapidly picking up a fair amount of miscellaneous nautical knowledge, partly by observation, but chiefly from my messmates, and from sam edkins, the captain's coxswain, who had, as he said, taken a liking to me. mr johnson, the boatswain, at times condescended to give me instruction. "at present, mr merry, you'll observe, and i say it with perfect respect," remarked my friend, "you're like a sucking babe, an unfledged sparrow, a squid on dry ground--you're of no use to nobody, and rather want somebody to look after you, and keep you out of harm. when you've been to sea as many years as i have, if you keep your eyes open, you'll begin to find out what's what." i confess that these observations of the boatswain were calculated to make me feel rather small. however, i was not offended, and i often managed to pay mr jonathan back in his own coin, which made him like me all the more. a great contrast to him in character was the captain's steward, billy wise. billy had been to sea all his life, but no training could make a sailor of him. he was devoted to the captain, whom he had followed from ship to ship, and who took him, i truly believe, from pure compassion, because no one else would have had him. he was, however, a faithful fellow, and i am certain would have done anything to serve his captain. captain collyer used to have some of the youngsters into his cabin to learn navigation. i liked this very much, and studied hard; for, as i had come to sea to be a sailor, i wished to be a good one. several of us were seated round the table one day, when the steward made his appearance. "how is the wind, wise?" asked the captain. "some says it's east, and some says it's west, captain collyer," was the satisfactory answer. "and which way do you say it is?" inquired his master. "whichever way you please, sir," replied the steward, pulling a lock of his hair. even the presence of our captain could scarcely prevent us youngsters from bursting into a roar of laughter. this was surpassed, however, by an irish midshipman, an old shipmate of mine, who, when undergoing his examination for navigation, being asked, whether the sun went round the earth, or the earth round the sun, looked up with perfect confidence, and unhesitatingly replied-- "faith, gentlemen, it's sometimes one and sometimes the other." he was very much surprised at being turned back. he, however, afterwards managed to pass, but whether it was because the examining officers were not quite confident as to the exact state of the case themselves, and therefore did not push the question, or that he had in the meantime gained the required information, i do not now remember. captain collyer was accustomed to billy's eccentricities. they were sometimes inconvenient. one day, we fell in with a line-of-battle ship, and our captain had to go on board to pay his respects to his superior officer. as he was hurriedly leaving his cabin he called for his cocked hat. "your hat. captain collyer--your hat, sir," ejaculated billy wise, in a state of great trepidation,--"it's all safe, sir. it druve ashore at hurst, as we was coming through the needles passage, and some of the sodgers at the castle picked it up." poor billy had been brushing the hat at a port with too great vehemence, and sent it flying overboard. he might possibly have seen something dark floating towards hurst, and his shipmates, who were always practising on his credulity, probably persuaded him that it was the captain's hat. many captains, in those days, would have given him a couple of dozen, or put him on nine-water grog for a month. captain collyer very soon forgot all about the matter, except when he told the story as a good joke. on the present occasion he had to borrow a cocked hat; and it was not till we had been in action, and one of the officers was killed, that he could get fitted with one of his own. the captain had a goat, which was a source of much amusement to us youngsters, and of annoyance to mr lukyn, the first-lieutenant; for, as if aware that she did belong to the captain, she made no scruple of invading the quarter-deck, and soiling its purity. one day, my first acquaintance on board--the tall, gaunt midshipman with red hair, who, by the bye, went by the name of miss susan--with two or three other youngsters and me, was standing on our side of the deck, when nancy, the goat, released from her pen, came prancing up to us. we, as usual, made grabs at her horns and tail, and somewhat excited her temper. now, she began to butt at us, and made us fly, right and left. miss susan was capsized, and sent sprawling on the deck; and nancy, highly delighted at her victory, frisked off to the starboard side, where mr lukyn, with all the dignity of a first-lieutenant, was walking the deck with his glass under his arm. nancy, either mistaking his long legs for the stems of the trees and shrubs of her native hills, or wishing to repeat the experiment which had succeeded so well with regard to miss susan, made a furious butt at his calves while he was walking aft, unconscious of her approach. the effect must have been beyond nancy's utmost expectations, as it was beyond ours. our gallant first never appeared very firm on his pins, and, the blow doubling his knees, down he came, stern first, on the deck with his heels in the air, while the goat, highly delighted at her performance, and totally unconscious of her gross infraction of naval discipline, frolicked off forward in search of fresh adventures. just at that moment up came billy wise with a message from the captain. now mr lukyn rarely gave way to anger, but this was an occasion to try his temper. picking himself up from his undignified posture, "hang the goat," he exclaimed in a loud tone; "who let the creature loose?" billy did not know, but having delivered his message, away he went forward; while we endeavoured to conceal, as far as we could, the fits of laughter in which we were indulging. miss susan's real name was jacob spellman. some short time after this, i was going along the main-deck with him, when we found the captain's steward very busy splicing an eye in a rope, close to the cattle-pen, where nancy had her abode. we walked on a little way, and then turned round to watch him. having formed a running noose, he put it round the goat's neck, and dragged her out of the pen. he then got a tub and made her stand upon it while he passed the rope over a hook in the beam above. hauling away as hard as he could, he gave the tub a kick, and there hung poor nancy, in a most uncomfortable position, very nearly with her neck dislocated; but as he had not calculated on her power of standing on her hind legs, the result he expected was unaccomplished, and she was not altogether deprived of life. she struggled, however, so violently that she would very soon have been strangled had not old perigal, who was mate of the main-deck, come up and seen what was going forward. "why, man, what are you about?" he exclaimed. "please, sir, i be hanging the goat," was billy's reply. "hanging the goat! who told you to do that?" inquired perigal. "it was the first-lieutenant, sir. she knocked him over right flat on the deck, and so he told me to go and hang her." "well, you are a precious--," exclaimed the old mate. "let free the beast, and thank your stars that you didn't hang her. the captain is a wonderfully good-natured man, there can be no doubt of it; but even he wouldn't have stood having his goat hung." of course i do not dress the language of my shipmates with the expletives in which many of them were apt to indulge, when the use of strange oaths and swearing of all descriptions was more common than even at present, when the practice would be more honoured in the breach than in the observance. one thing i must say, i never heard our gallant captain utter an oath or abuse a man during the whole time i had the happiness of serving under him, and a braver, more spirited, or more sensible man never trod the deck of a man-of-war as her chief. his memory is dear, not only to all those who served with him, but to all of high or low degree who knew him during his long and glorious naval career. his manners were mild and gentle--though he had an abundance of humour and spirit. he could, however, when he thought it necessary, speak with the gravest severity to a delinquent. i never saw any man more cool and calm and thoughtful in action. it may truly be said of him that in battle he was as brave as a lion, and in peace as gentle as a lamb. i could not resist uttering this panegyric on our well-loved captain. to return to billy wise and the goat. the poor animal's life was saved, though she had a strange way of stretching out her neck for some weeks afterwards, and always gave billy a wide berth when she encountered him in her rambles about the decks. when the captain heard the account, instead of being angry, he laughed heartily, and added the story to his batch of anecdotes. "i must do something with that poor fellow," he remarked. "he is not fit to be made lord chief justice, i fear." it was not always plain sailing with me. spellman and i were pretty good friends, but he was somewhat inclined to play the bully. he was called miss susan simply because he was as unlike a girl as a great awkward gawky fellow, with red hair and a freckled face, could well be. one day, as i was going along the lower-deck, with a message to old perigal, who was attending to some duty forward, i came suddenly on toby bluff, whose ear spellman had seized, while with his heel he was bestowing sundry hard blows on the corpus of my sturdy follower, who already knew enough of naval discipline not to venture on retaliation. toby, though short, was as strong as a lion, and could have hurled him to the deck if he had dared. this made miss susan's attack all the more cowardly. what toby had done to give offence i did not stop to inquire. my anger was up in a moment. "let go the boy, spellman!" i exclaimed; "you shall not strike him again." toby gained little by this, for miss susan only kicked him the harder; whereon, up i rushed and hit my tall messmate a blow between the eyes, which made lightning flash from them, i suspect. spellman instantly let go toby and sprang at me. i stood prepared for the onslaught. blinded by my first blow, my antagonist hit out at random, and though double my weight, was far from getting the best of it. while we were thus pleasantly occupied, mr lukyn, with the sergeant-at-arms, was going his rounds. we were so earnestly engaged in endeavouring to the utmost of our power to hurt each other, that we did not perceive their approach. toby knew too well the laws of british pugilism to interfere, though had my opponent been an enemy of a different nation, and had we been engaged in mortal combat, i have no doubt that i should have found my young follower an able supporter. an exclamation from toby threw spellman off his guard, when a full blow, which i had planted on his breast, sent him reeling back into the not very tender clutches of old krause, the master-at-arms. "what is this about, young gentlemen?" exclaimed mr lukyn, in a severe tone. "fighting is against the articles of war." "he hit me, sir;" "he kicked the boy bluff," we both exclaimed in the same breath. "i must have you both up before the captain, and ascertain who is the culprit," said mr lukyn. "master-at-arms, take these young gentlemen into custody." i, on this, represented that i had been sent on a message to mr perigal, and was allowed to go and deliver it. while i was absent, spellman took care to put his case in the best light, and mine in the worst. in about an hour we were both taken before the captain, and toby was summoned as a witness. for fear of committing me, he was only puzzled what to say. "speak the truth, and nothing but it," said i boldly. the captain cast a look of approbation on me. toby frankly confessed that, not seeing mr spellman, he had run against him, when he had been seized by the ear, and that i, coming up, had taken his part. toby was dismissed. "now, young gentlemen, you are both in the wrong," said the captain. "you, mr spellman, should not have struck the boy for his heedlessness, and you, mr merry, should not have taken the law into your own hands. you will both of you go to the mast-head, and remain there till mr lukyn calls you down; mr merry to the foremast, mr spellman to the mainmast." we thought that we had got off very easily; and we should, had not the first-lieutenant gone below and forgotten all about us. hour after hour passed by: we had had no dinner: i was almost starved, and could scarcely have held on longer, when my eye fell on a sail to the southward. we were in the chops of the channel, with the wind from the northward. "sail, o!" i shouted in a shrill tone. fortunately mr lukyn was on deck, and when i had told him the direction in which i had seen the stranger, he called me down, it having probably occurred to him that i had been mast-headed rather longer than he intended. when i got on deck i went up to him, and, touching my hat, said, "please, sir, spellman is still at the mast-head." "oh, is he? ah!" he answered, taking a turn. i guessed from this that he did not think i was much to blame. still i was anxious to get poor miss susan out of this unpleasant predicament, for i knew he was almost dead with hunger. i had resolved to go up to mr lukyn to tell him so, when he hailed my late antagonist, and ordered him on deck. "you have to thank mr merry that you are not up still," observed the first-lieutenant, walking away. meantime the helm had been put up, and sail made in chase of the stranger. all hands earnestly hoped that she might prove an enemy. a sharp look-out was kept on her. one thing soon became evident--that we must have been seen, and that she was not inclined to fly. "now, mr merry, we'll show you what fighting is," observed mr johnson, the boatswain, as i stood near him on the forecastle. "you'll soon see round-shot, and langrage, and bullets rattling about us, thick as hail; and heads, and arms, and legs flying off like shuttle-cocks. a man's head is off his shoulders before he knows where he is. you'll not believe it, mr merry, perhaps; but it's a fact. i once belonged to a frigate, when we fell in with two of the enemy's line-of-battle ships, and brought them to action. one, for a short time, was on our starboard beam, and the other right aft; and we were exposed to a terrible cross and raking fire: it's only a wonder one of us remained alive, or that the ship didn't go down. it happened that two men were standing near me, looking the same way--athwart ships, you'll understand. the name of one was bill cox--the other, tom jay. well, a round-shot came from our enemy astern, and took off the head of bill cox, who was on the larboard side; while at that identical moment a chain-shot from the ship abeam cut off tom jay's head, who was nearest the starboard side, so cleanly-- he happened to have a long neck--that it was jerked on to the body of bill cox, who, very naturally, putting up his hands to feel what had become, of his own head, kept it there so tightly that it stuck-- positively stuck; and, the surgeon afterwards plastering it thickly round, it grew as firmly as if it had always belonged to the body. the curious thing was, that the man did not afterwards know what to call himself; when he intended to do one thing he was constantly doing another. there was bill cox's body, d'ye see, and tom jay's head. bill cox was rather the shorter of the two, and had had a very ugly mug of his own; while tom jay was a good-looking chap. consequently, bill used sometimes to blush when he heard his good looks spoken of, and sometimes to get angry, thinking people were making fun of him. at first, bill never knew who was hailed, and used to sing out, `which of us do you want?' however, it was agreed that he was and should be bill cox; because the head belonged to the body by right of capture; for if bill's arms hadn't sprung up and caught it, the head would have gone overboard, and been no use to nobody. so the matter was settled, as far as the public was concerned. d was put against tom jay's name, and his disconsolate widow was written to, and told she might marry some one else as soon as she liked. but bill wasn't at all comfortable about himself. he was fond of fat bacon, which tom jay could never abide; and when bill put it into his new mouth, why, you see, the mouth that was tom's spit it out again, and wouldn't let it, by no manner of means, go down his throat. then tom was fond of a chaw, and seldom had had a quid out of his cheeks. bill, for some reason, didn't like baccy, and though his mouth kept asking for it, nothing would ever tempt his hands to put a quid inside. `i'm very miserable, that i be,' groaned poor bill; `i sometimes almost wishes i hadn't caught tom's head--that i do.' "you see, mr merry, people seldom know when they are well off, and that i used to tell him. more came of it when bill got back home. when poor tom jay's widow caught sight of him there was a terrible to do, seeing she was already married to another man; but i'll tell you all about that by and by. there's the captain about to speak." the captain's speech was very brief: "clear ship for action," he exclaimed, as he placed himself on one of the after guns; "and now, lads, let me see what you are made of." i had been about to ask the boatswain how he got clear of the two line-of-battle ships, when this interruption occurred. toby bluff had been standing at a respectful distance, taking it all in with open mouth and astonishment. each man went to his station--bulkheads were knocked away--the fires put out--the magazine opened--powder and shot were carried on deck--the guns were cast loose, and every preparation was made in a wonderfully short space of time. as i passed along the main-deck, i found toby bluff sitting on his tub, the picture of a regular powder-monkey--fat, sturdy, and unconcerned. he had become on very familiar terms with the other boys, and had fought his way into a satisfactory state of equality. he and those near him were firing off jokes at each other at a rapid rate, the others trying to frighten him, and he in no way inclined to take alarm. "never you mind," he answered to a remark made by one of his companions; "if some chaps have their heads blown off, others gets new ones clapped on again! ha, ha, ha! that's more than some of you ever see'd done." i was glad to see that toby was in such good heart, and would not disgrace our county. when i reached the upper deck, i found our bunting going up and down. we were signalising with the stranger, which, after all, turned out to be no enemy, but his majesty's thirty-six gun frigate uranius. there was a general groan of disappointment when the order was given to secure the guns and close the magazine. i believe that, at that moment, most of the people, so worked up were they for fighting, would rather have had a turn to with their friend than have been baulked altogether. we found, however, that we should soon have a good opportunity of gratifying our pugnacious propensities. admiral cornwallis was at that time the commander-in-chief of the channel fleet. he had directed captain collyer to look out for the uranius and another frigate, the emerald, and to proceed off point saint matthieu, to watch the french and spanish fleets then lying in brest harbour. after cruising for a couple of days, we fell in with the other frigate, and thus all together proceeded to our destination. we soon reached it. on standing in towards the land, we very clearly made out the enemy's fleet at anchor in brest harbour; but few, if any, of the ships had their sails bent, and even if they had come out after us we could very easily have escaped. "all hands shorten sail, and bring ship to an anchor," was the order given, and all three frigates brought up just as coolly as if we had been at spithead. "i wonder what they think of us?" i observed to the boatswain, as one day i was examining the enemy through my glass. "think of us!" he exclaimed. "that we are as impudent as sparrows, and that they would willingly wring our necks and eat us if they could. but it is nothing to what i have seen done in the way of daring. i once belonged to a frigate, commanded by captain longbow, and, as he would tell you, if you were to ask him, we one night sailed right into the middle of a spanish fleet--ran alongside one of their ships, boarded and carried her, and took her out free without the spanish admiral discovering what we had been about. there's no end to the wonderful things i have seen done, or, i may say, without conceit, have done, mr merry. but i rather suspect that we shall have to lose sight of the dons and monsieurs for a few days. there's bad weather coming on, and we shall have to stand out to sea; but, never mind, they'll not make their escape with a gale in their teeth." mr johnson prognosticated rightly. before many hours it was blowing great guns and small-arms, and the three frigates were endeavouring, under all the sail they could carry, to obtain a good offing from the land. we tumbled about and pitched into the seas in a way which prevented me from, as usual, pitching into my dinner. one thing was satisfactory; the gale blockaded the enemy as effectually as we could have done. they were not inclined to come out and face either our guns or the fury of the wind. i cannot say, however, that just at that time anything brought much consolation to me. i had only one very strong wish; it was, to be thrown overboard--not that i had the slightest intention of jumping into the sea of my own accord. i was too far gone for any such energetic proceeding; and had anybody else taken me up for the purpose, i have no doubt that i should have struggled and kicked myself into perfect health again. i had coiled myself away on the top of my chest, on the lower-deck, in a dark recess, where i thought no one would see me; and there i hoped to remain all alone in my misery, till the ship went down, or blew up, or something else dreadful happened, for as to my ever getting well again that i felt was physically impossible. i had lain thus for some time, believing myself to be the most miserable small piece of humanity in existence, when, the frigate appearing to be pitching and rolling more furiously than ever, i heard a gruff voice exclaim-- "what, youngster! are you going to let the ship go down, and you not try to save her? on deck with you; be smart, now." i felt a colt applied to a part of my body which, in the position i lay, offered a tempting mark. the voice was that of old perigal; his sharp eyes had found me out. i sprang up and rushed on deck with an involuntary yell of pain, to find the ship under her three topsails closely reefed, forcing her way bravely through the seas, and not at all inclined to go down, or to come to any other damage. "you're all the better for that trip, youngster," said the old mate, with a grin, as i returned to the berth. "now, just take a lump of this fat bacon, and a bit of biscuit,--and here, as a treat, you shall have a nip of old jamaica, and you'll be all to rights in ten minutes, and never be sea-sick again as long as you live." i remonstrated, but out came the colt, and with an argument so cogent i was fain to adopt my messmate's remedy. it was a terrible trial. at first, i could scarcely bring my teeth to meet; but perigal flourished his weapon, and my jaws went faster and faster, till i was not sorry to finish the whole of the biscuit and bacon placed before me, and could have taken twice as much if i could have got it. perigal was right. from that day to this i have never suffered from sea-sickness. toby bluff had undergone a similar ordeal, and when i was well enough to go and look for him, i found him scraping away at a beef bone, from which he had just removed the last particle of meat. the summer gale was soon over, and once more we stood in for the land to look after the frenchmen. as we drew in, i saw the captain and officers eagerly scanning the coast with their glasses, and it was soon known that a ship had been discovered at anchor by herself in a bay almost abreast of where we then were. she was protected, however, by the guns of some strongish batteries. "we must have her out, though," observed captain collyer; and forthwith the proposal was made to our consorts by signal. neither of the captains was the sort of man to decline engaging in the undertaking. off we went, under every stitch of canvas we could carry, to look for the admiral, who, with a fleet sufficient to render a good account of the enemy, should they venture out of harbour, was cruising in the neighbourhood. admiral cornwallis highly approved of the proposal. "go and do it," was his laconic reply. he was more addicted to acts than words. he sent a lieutenant, in whom he placed great confidence, to take command, and a boat and boat's crew from the flagship to lead. this was not quite as complimentary a proceeding as the three captains would have liked; but they were all too zealous and too anxious to get the work done to stand on ceremony. away back we sailed, till we once more made out the entrance to the bay, which was called camaret bay. the craft we were about to attack, and hoped to capture, was the chevrette, a ship corvette, mounting twenty guns--a powerful vessel, and not likely to be taken without a severe struggle. notice was given that volunteers would be required for the service, and immediately the greater part of the officers and crews of the three frigates came forward. among those who volunteered from the doris was mr bryan, the second lieutenant; mr johnson, the boatswain; and edkins, the captain's coxswain. all were allowed to go. the captain had great confidence in mr bryan; and i suspect that he had a fancy to ascertain what mr johnson really was made of. we brought up at our usual anchorage, and the remainder of the day was occupied in making preparations for the expedition. i saw mr johnson very busily employed in his cabin in cleaning his pistols. "come in, mr merry," he said, as he caught sight of me. "these are old friends of mine: they have served me many a good turn before now. if it was not for these pistols i should not have been in the land of the living: some day i'll tell you how it happened. well, we are likely to have some desperate work to-night, and no one can tell whose lot it will be to fall. that reminds me, mr merry, i have written a letter to my wife, and i will intrust it to you. that is more than i would do to any other midshipman in the ship. she is a charming person--every inch a lady, and a lady of rank, too. one thing i must charge you--do not speak of me as a boatswain. she has no idea that i hold so subordinate a rank. she believes that i am an officer, and so i am; only i am a warrant and not a commissioned officer. just tell her that i died fighting bravely for my country. her name--for she is not called mrs johnson--and address you will find within that enclosure. if i come back, you will restore it to me as it is; if i fall, you will know what to do with it." i thanked mr johnson very much for the confidence he reposed in me, but told him that i had come for the very purpose of asking him to let me go in his boat. "you, mr merry?" exclaimed the boatswain. "you'll be made into mince-meat--cut to atoms--annihilated. it's no child's play, that cutting-out work we are going on, let me tell you. time enough when you are bigger." "but i want to go, that i may know how to do it," i argued; "i have come to sea to learn to be a sailor and an officer, and the captain says we should lose no opportunity of gaining knowledge; and i could not find a better occasion than the present for gaining an insight into what, i fancy, is of very considerable importance." i went on for some time arguing in this way, and coaxing the boatswain. "well! well! i cannot give you leave, youngster--you know that; but i have heard of boys stowing themselves away under a sail in the bows of a boat, and coming out to play their part right manfully when the time for action had arrived. i am to have the pinnace, you know." "thank you--thank you," i exclaimed, overwhelmed with gratitude at the enormous favour done me by the boatswain, of allowing me to run a considerable chance of getting knocked on the head. "don't say any more about it, mr merry," said mr johnson; "i always liked you; and i couldn't do for my own son, if i had one, more than i would do for you." the boatswain forgot to ask for his letter back, so i locked it up in my desk, after i had written a few lines to inform my family that, if they received them, it would be to convey the information that i had fallen, nobly fighting for my country, on the field of fame--or something to that effect. i know i thought my epistle so very fine and pathetic that i could not resist the temptation of sending it home, and very nearly frightened my mother and sisters into hysterics, under the belief that i really was numbered among the killed and wounded. it was only when they got to the postscript that they discovered i was all right and well. having written this despatch, announcing my own demise--which, by the bye, i should certainly not have done had not the boatswain put it into my head--i set to work to make my other preparations. having secured a pistol, with some powder and bullets, and a cutlass, which i fancied i could handle, i stowed them away in the bows of the pinnace. i never before played the hypocrite, but i was so afraid that my messmates would discover my purpose, that i pretended to take no interest in the proposed expedition, and spoke as if it was an affair in which i should be very sorry to be engaged. i got, in consequence, considerably sneered at: miss susan, especially, amused himself at my expense, and told me that i had better go back to my sisters, and help them to sew and nurse babies, if i was afraid of fighting. i bore all that was said with wonderful equanimity, hoping that the next morning would show i was a greater hero than any of them. at length the boats' crews were piped away: it was the signal for which i had long been listening. i rushed on deck, and, unperceived, as i hoped, i jumped into the pinnace, and stowed myself away under the thwarts. the boats were lowered, the order was given to shove off; and, with a hearty cheer from all on board the ships, to which those on the boats responded, away we pulled for the mouth of camaret bay. my position was anything but pleasant, especially as i got several kicks from the feet of the men which nearly stove in my ribs; and i was therefore very glad when i thought it would be safe to crawl out, and present myself to the boatswain. the men, very naturally, were highly pleased, and i rose considerably in their estimation by what i had done; but mr johnson, of course, pretended to be very angry when he saw me, and told me the captain would never forgive me, or speak to me again, if i got killed. at first, the men were allowed to laugh and talk as much as they liked; but as we approached the entrance to the bay, silence was enjoined, and even the oars were muffled, so that we should give no notice to the enemy of our approach. the night was very dark. our boat had kept near that of our leader, mr bryan; but after some time it was discovered that the other division of boats had not come up. we had pulled very fast, and probably outstripped them. we pulled on till we got within the very mouth of the harbour, and then the order was passed from boat to boat that we were to lay on our oars till the rest of the boats came up. i found this rather a trying time. while we were rapidly pulling on i could not think, and i felt a powerful longing to be slashing away at the enemy. now i began to reflect that they would equally be slashing away at me; and i remembered my own pathetic letter, and what i fancied jonathan johnson's anticipations of evil. probably the men were indulging in much the same sort of thoughts; i know that they did not appear to be in nearly such good spirits as at first. this showed me what i have ever since remembered, that when dashing work is to be done, it should be done off-hand, and that all pains should be taken to avoid a halt or interruption. hour after hour passed by; no boats appeared. at length the day broke, and so rapidly did it come on that, before we had time to get to a distance, the light revealed us to the eyes of the enemy. the other boats were nowhere to be seen; they, for some reason, had returned to the ships; we had now no resource but to do the same, in a very crestfallen condition. i hid myself away, as before, and managed to get on board without any one discovering where i had been. i knew that mr johnson would keep his counsel, and i did my best to keep mine. captain collyer and the other captains were very much annoyed at the failure of the expedition, and it soon became known that they had resolved to make another attempt to cut out the chevrette. there was no time to be lost. another expedition was arranged for that night. every one knew that it would be far more dangerous than it would have been on the previous night, because the enemy would now be prepared for our reception. the corvette, indeed, was seen to go further up the harbour, so as to be more completely under the protection of the batteries; and as boats were continually passing between her and the shore, there could be little doubt that she was augmenting the number of her crew. notwithstanding the formidable resistance they might thus expect to meet with, all were as eager as before to join in the expedition. i resolved not to be baulked of my expected amusement, but how to accomplish my purpose was the difficulty. i heard both the officers and men regretting the failure of the previous night, and observing that they should have much tougher work the next time, by which i knew that the danger would be very greatly increased; but that only made me the more eager to go on the expedition. the resistance to be expected was, indeed, formidable. we could see with our glasses the people busily employed in throwing up new batteries on shore; and then a large gun vessel came out and anchored at the mouth of the bay, to give notice of the approach of boats. what, however, excited the rage of all on board, and made us still more eager to capture the french corvette, was to see her hoist a large french ensign above the british flag. "that insult seals her fate," observed mr bryan, loud enough for the men near to hear him. "our fellows will take very good care to reverse those two flags before many hours are over." i was in a very fidgety state all day. i was not accustomed to concealment, and i dared trust no one with my plans. even toby bluff i suspected, would try to prevent me going, unless he was allowed to go also; and that i did not wish, as it would, in the first place, have increased the chances of my being discovered, and also, though i was ready enough to run the risk of being knocked on the head myself, i did not wish to let him get hurt if i could help it. i likewise very carefully kept out of the boatswain's way. i knew that, as the danger was increased, he would be still less willing to let me go, and i was in a great fright lest he should have an opportunity of speaking to me alone, and altogether prohibit me from going in his boat. at last a bright idea occurred to me--i would sham ill, and then no one would suspect me. i immediately went to our long-headed scotch assistant-surgeon, macquoid, and described my symptoms. "you're vary ill, lad--vary ill," he answered, looking at me with a quizzical expression in his humorous countenance. "i'll give you something which will do for ye, and not make ye wish for any more physic for a long time to come." macquoid was as good as his word. terribly nauseous was the draught he insisted on my swallowing; nor would he leave me till every drop had gone down, and then i rushed off to the berth and threw myself on a locker to luxuriate in the flavour, which nothing i could take would remove from my mouth. it was the first and last time i ever made an attempt at malingering. chapter three. after i had taken macquoid's nauseous draught, i went and lay down on my chest. i chose that spot because, from the uncomfortable position in which i was obliged to place myself, i was not likely to go to sleep, and because i was there better able to hear when the boats' crews were called away. i could not help now and then giving way to a groan, which the sickness and pain of the physic produced. "who's that?" i heard old perigal inquire, as he was passing to the berth. "oh, it's only that little sneak merry," spellman answered. "he thinks that he may be ordered off in the boat, and is shamming sick to escape, as if such a hop-o'-my-thumb as he is could be of any use." "that is not like him. i consider him a very plucky little fellow," remarked perigal. "thank you, old boy," i said mentally. "and you, miss susan, i'll be even with you some day for your obliging remarks." i cannot say, however, that i felt any enmity towards spellman on that account. i had not respect enough for him. i would rather, however, have parted with more kindly feelings towards all my messmates on so dangerous an expedition. i could not help thinking over the matter while lying so long silent by myself, but my resolution to accomplish my design was not shaken. my messmates went into the berth, and just then i heard the boats piped away. i ran quickly upon deck, and, while the men were buckling on their cutlasses, i slipped into the pinnace, and stowed myself, as before, into so small a space that even the boatswain, who looked into the boat, did not perceive me. i knew that he looked for me, because i heard his gruff voice say, "all right; he's not there. he's thought better of it." at about half-past nine the final order to shove off was given, and away we went. i got fewer kicks this time, for i took good care to keep my legs out of the way. the men, also, i suspect, guessed that i was there. i knew that i was perfectly safe with them. the flotilla consisted of fifteen boats, containing nearly three hundred officers and men, not counting myself. after we had got, as i supposed, about a couple of miles from the ship, and i knew that i could not be sent back, i ventured to crawl out and look over the gunnel. the inky sea around us was dotted with boats, all the party keeping pretty close together. the night was so dark that i could see little more than their outlines, as they crept rapidly along, like many-footed monsters, over the deep. i did not fancy that mr johnson knew i was there, but his sharp eyes made me out through the gloom. "mr merry, step aft, if you please, sir," he bawled out suddenly. stepping over the oars, i went and sat myself down by him, but said nothing. "mr merry, this conduct is highly reprehensible. i must report it to the captain as soon as we get back, after we have carried and brought out that french corvette, and covered ourselves with honour and glory; and i don't know what he'll say to you. and now, sir, after, as in duty bound, from being your superior officer, i have expressed my opinions, i should like to know what you are going to do when we get alongside the enemy?" "climb up with the rest, and fight the frenchmen," i replied promptly. "very good, mr merry; but suppose one of the frenchmen was to give you a poke in the ribs with a boarding-pike, or a shot through the chest, or a slash with a cutlass, what would you do then?" "grin and bear it, i suppose, like anybody else," was my answer. "very good, very good, indeed, mr merry," said the boatswain, well-pleased; "that's the spirit i like, and expected to find in you. now, my boy, whatever you do, stick by me; i'll do my best for you. if i get knocked over, and there's no saying what will happen in desperate work like this, then keep close to edkins. he's a good swordsman, and won't let you be hurt if he can help it. i should be sorry if any harm came to you. but, mr merry, how are you going to fight? i don't see that you have got a sword, and i fancy that you'll not do much execution with one of the ship's cutlasses." i told him that i had got my dirk, and that i hoped to make good use of that. he laughed heartily. "a tailor's bodkin would be of as much use in boarding," he answered; "but you shall have one of my pistols; the chances are that i do not require either of them. cold steel suits me best." i thanked mr johnson warmly, and then asked him what orders had been received about attacking. he told me that some of the boats were to board on the bows, and others on the quarters of the corvette; that a quarter-master of the beaulieu, with a party of men to protect him, was to take charge of the helm; that others were to fight their way aloft, to let fall the topsails; and that he, with his men and another boat's crew, was to hold possession of the forecastle, and to cut the cables. all this was to be done in spite of any fighting which might be taking place. some were to sheet home the topsails, and the remainder were to do their best to overpower the enemy. we had got some way, when we caught sight of a strange boat inside of us. the commander of the expedition, supposing that she belonged to the chevrette, summoning five other boats to attend him, made chase to secure her, ordering his second in command to pull slowly on till he rejoined the expedition. on we went. as to pulling slow, that was a very difficult thing to do just then. so eager were the men, that they couldn't help putting more strength into their strokes than they intended. all i know is that the nine remaining boats got close up to the harbour's mouth, and that the others had not joined. we lay on our oars, as ordered, for a short time. "what can have become of them?" exclaimed a lieutenant in one of the boats. "daylight will be upon us if we don't look sharp," said another. "it would be a disgrace to go back without attempting something," cried a third. "we will lose no more time, but try what we can do without them," said the senior officer of the party. he was undoubtedly very eager to lead on the occasion. certain necessary alterations were made. "gentlemen, you all know your respective duties," he added. "then give way!" right cheerfully the men bent to their oars, and up the harbour we dashed. i kept looking ahead for the enemy. i knew that as soon as we saw her, she would see us, and then the fun would begin. i felt rather nervous, but very eager. "there she is," cried the boatswain. suddenly through the gloom, i saw the tall masts and spars of the ship we were to attack. a voice from her hailed us in french. of course our only reply was a hearty cheer, and on we dashed faster than ever. not unmolested though. the next moment, sheets of flame darted from the ports, from one end of the ship to the other, and showers of grape and bullets rattled about our heads. a groan, or a cry of anguish from some of the boats, told that the emissaries of destruction had taken effect. thick fell the shot, and the next instant a heavy fire opened on us from the shore; but nothing stopped our progress. on we dashed, and were quickly alongside the enemy. the whole side bristled with boarding-pikes, and as we attempted to climb up, muskets and pistols were discharged in our faces, and tomahawks and sabres came slashing down on our heads. our men cheered and grasped hold of the ship's sides, but again and again were thrust back, and then the frenchmen leaped into our boats, making a dashing effort to drive us out of them. they had better have remained on their own deck, for very few got back. some did though, and formed shields to our men, who climbed up after them. meantime, our boat had boarded, as directed, on the starboard bow, but finding it hopeless to get up there, mr johnson dropped astern, and perceiving only one boat on the quarter, and space for us to shove in, we hooked on, and the next instant were scrambling up the side. i kept close to the boatswain. i thought that we were about to gain the deck, when the enemy made a rush towards us, and over we went, and i was left clinging to the side, with a dozen sabres flashing above my head. as to letting go, i never thought of that. i kept mr johnson's pistol in my right hand, and was about to fire, when down came a sword, which would have clove my head in two, had not a lieutenant of marines in the next boat interposed his own weapon, and saved me. but the act was one of self-devotion, for the frenchman brought his sabre down on my preserver's arm, while another thrust a pike through his body, and hurled him back, mortally wounded, to the bottom of the boat. i should, after all, have shared the same fate, had not mr johnson at that instant recovered himself, and with a shout, loud enough to make our enemies quake, up he sprang, and, with one whirl of his cutlass, drove the frenchmen from the side. over the bulwarks he leaped; i and most of the men from the two boats followed. but though we had gained the deck, there seemed but little chance of our forcing our way forward. our men, in the first desperate struggle alongside, had lost their firearms, and for a few seconds the tall figure of the boatswain, as he stood up facing the enemy, offered a mark to a score of muskets aimed at him. the frenchmen, expecting to see him fall, came on boldly. i grasped his pistol, hoping to avenge him. "the forecastle is our station, lads," he shouted, and his stentorian voice was heard above the din of battle. "make a lane, there; make a lane, there," he added, dashing furiously among the enemy. i followed by his side. his whirling cutlass flashed round, and sent the frenchmen flying on either side. on we went, intent on our object, bearing down all opposition, to gain the forecastle, while another party had got possession of the helm. the deck was by this time covered with killed and wounded. many of our men had fallen. we strode over friend and foe alike, alive or dead. the break of the topgallant forecastle was gained. it was desperately defended, but the boatswain, clearing with a sweep of his cutlass a spot to stand on, sprang up among the astonished frenchmen. i felt myself lifted up after him; our men followed; and though pikes were thrust at us, and pistols were flashed in our faces for a few seconds, our opponents either leaped overboard or threw themselves on the deck, and sang out for quarter. some of our men, appointed for the purpose, went to the head sails, while others instantly cut the cable. i glanced my eye upwards; the topmen, who had fought their way aloft, had cut loose the topsails with their cutlasses, and they were now being sheeted home; but the fighting was not over, a desperate attempt was being made by the enemy to drive us out of the ship. the boatswain, meantime, was uttering his war shouts, issuing orders to the men, and dealing death and wounds around. "old england for ever i hoist the fore-staysail. back, ye johnny crapeaus! back, ye french scarecrows! haul away, my lads, and belay all that. hurra! we've gained the day!" in the latter assertion he was somewhat premature, for the french crew, now rallying amidships, made a desperate attack on the forecastle, but the boatswain's flashing weapon literally cut them down like corn before the reaper's scythe, as they came on. still they pressed round us. most of our men were occupied in making sail. a big frenchman, the boatswain of the ship, i fancy, who was almost as big as jonathan himself, now sprang ahead of his comrades to measure his strength with our champion. he was evidently a first-rate swordsman, and in his progress forward had already cut down two or three of our men. he shouted something to his companions; it was, i suspected, to tell them to try and wound mr johnson while he was engaging him in front. i had hitherto grasped the pistol he had given me, but had not fired it. i felt for the lock. on came the frenchmen; mr johnson had need of all his skill to keep his enemies at bay. the french boatswain pressed him desperately hard. one of his mates rushed in, and was bringing down his cutlass with a terrific sweep, which would have half cut our boatswain in two, when, raising my pistol, i fired at the man's head. the bullet went through his brain, and his cutlass, though wounding johnson slightly in the leg, fell to the deck. the boatswain's weapon meantime was not idle, and at the same moment it descended with a sweep which cut the frenchman's head nearly in two, and he fell dead among his comrades. it was at that instant the french discovered that their ship was under way. "sauve qui peut!" was the cry. some jumped overboard and endeavoured to swim on shore. many leaped below, either in fear or with determination still to carry on the fight, and others threw down their arms and cried for mercy. not a cutlass was raised on them after that, but the fellows who fled below had got possession of some muskets, and began firing at all of us who appeared near the hatchways. a party of our men, however, leaped down among them and quickly put a stop to their proceedings. the ship was now completely under our command; the sails filled, she felt the helm, and was standing down the harbour. though it appeared to me nearly an hour, if not more, i found that not five minutes had passed since the boats got alongside. but we were not quite free. we were congratulating ourselves on our success, when a shot whistled between our masts, followed by another, and a heavy battery opened upon us. we were too busy to reply to it, and the men went about their work just as coolly as if nothing was occurring. the wind was light, and we were a long time exposed to the fire of the battery. mr johnson, between pulling and hauling, for he lent a hand to everybody, apostrophised the masts, and urged them not to get shot away. he evidently thought more of them just then than of anything else. they were in his department. "i wonder, mr johnson, whether any of us will have to change heads?" said i. "if you and i did, you'd look rather funny with my mug on your shoulders," he answered, with a loud laugh. "even your own mother wouldn't know you, i suspect." just then a shower of grape came rattling round us, and though i could hear the shot whistling by, close to my ears, not one of us was hit. i could not help wishing that a breeze would spring up, and carry us clear of the unpleasant neighbourhood. just then the missing boats arrived, and rather surprised our friends were to find that we had already secured the prize. though too late to help to take her, they were of great assistance in towing her out of range of the enemy's batteries, and i believe some of the poor fellows in them were hit while so employed. at length a breeze sprang up, and all sail being made, right merrily we glided out of the enemy's harbour, much, undoubtedly, to their disgust, and to our very great satisfaction. now came the sad work of counting the killed and wounded. we had lost twelve of the former, two being officers, and nearly five times that number wounded; while we found that the corvette had her captain, three lieutenants, and three midshipmen, and eighty-five seamen and soldiers killed, being ninety-two killed, though only sixty-two were wounded. the deck was a complete shambles: the wounded were carried below, friends and foes alike, though the dead frenchmen were hove overboard at once. our own dead, being not so numerous, were kept to be committed to the deep with more ceremony in the morning. among them was a midshipman. i could not help lifting up the flag which covered his face. poor fellow, there he lay, stiff and stark! a jovial laughing fellow he had been, cracking his jokes but a few minutes before, just as we were entering the harbour. such might have been my fate. he had fallen, though in the path of duty. he had been ordered to come. i felt more sad, and was more thoughtful, than i had ever been in my life before. how long i stood there i do not know. mr johnson's voice aroused me. "i haven't had time to speak to you before, mr merry," said he. "you did very well,--very well indeed. jonathan johnson thanks you from the bottom of his heart; that he does. if it hadn't been for your steady aim, and the unfailing accuracy of my pistol which you fired, i should now be among those lying there, covered with glory;--a very fine thing in theory to be covered with, but, practically, i would rather be alive, and have less of it. however, i mustn't stop talking here. by the bye, there's mr bryan has found you out. i will tell him how you have behaved, and i dare say that he'll not get you into trouble, if he can help it." i thought that would be very kind in mr bryan. it did not occur to me that i had done anything to be proud of; nor had i, indeed. i had done what i ought not to have done. i wanted to see some fighting; i had seen it, and just then i felt that i did not want to see any more. the face of that dead midshipman haunted me. i had had a sort of a notion that midshipmen could not be killed, and now i had had proof positive to the contrary. i felt unusually grave and sad. for a long time i could not get the face out of my head. i believe that it contributed to sober me, and to prevent me from being the reckless creature i might otherwise have become. day broke as we hove in sight of the squadron, and loud cheers saluted us as we brought up in triumph among them. a prize crew was put in charge of the captured ship, and i returned in the pinnace with the boatswain to the doris. i was in hopes of getting on board without being observed, but too many eyes were gazing down on us for me to do that. spellman was, of course, one of the first to discover me. "what, you there, `hop o' me?'" he exclaimed; "how did you tumble into the boat?" "don't answer him," whispered the boatswain, as we climbed up the side; "i'll let him know what i think of you and him." i ran down below as fast as i could to change my clothes and wash, for i was dreadfully dirty, covered from head to foot with powder and blood. the first person i encountered was toby bluff. "oh! muster merry, muster merry! be you really and truly alive?" he exclaimed, throwing his arms round my neck, and bursting into tears. "they told me you was gone away to be killed by the frenchmen, and i never expected to see you more; that i didn't. but is it yourself, squire? you looks awful smoky and bloody loike. where are all the wounds? you'll be bleeding to death, sure. let me run for the doctor." he would have been off like a shot, but i assured him that i was not hurt. after he was satisfied that such was the case, i despatched him to the cook's galley to procure some hot water, with which, and the aid of soap, i managed speedily to get rid of the stains of the fight. by the time i got to rights, breakfast was on the table, and i went into the berth and sat myself down as if nothing had happened. i flattered myself that my messmates looked at me with considerable respect, though they badgered me not a little. "where have you been, youngster?" said one. "you'll catch it, my boy!" "what have you been about, merry?" asked old perigal, who was rather annoyed at not having been allowed to go. "getting most kicks or halfpence, i wonder? but `duty is duty, and discipline is discipline,' as the master remarks; and you mustn't be playing these pranks, my boy, or you'll get knocked on the head or turned out of the service. over zeal is not approved of at head-quarters." i went on eating my breakfast with perfect equanimity, and i very soon found that my messmates were eager to have an account of the expedition, which i was able to give them with tolerable clearness. i was still somewhat uncomfortable as to what the captain would say, and, before long, he sent for me. i went trembling. he received me, however, very kindly, though he was somewhat grave. "the boatswain speaks in the highest terms of your coolness and courage, and says that you saved his life. i am therefore willing to overlook your infraction of the rules of discipline on this occasion, but remember that, however well you may behave in other respects, you can never make wrong right. in consequence of this, i cannot speak of your bravery in public as i should have liked to do." this was a good deal for the captain to say, and more, i felt conscious, than i deserved. the officers were very civil to me, and i felt that i had certainly risen in public estimation, and was no longer looked upon as a little boy. a few days after this spellman came into the berth in a great rage, stating that he had overheard the boatswain say that mr merry was worth his weight in gold, and that he, spellman, was not worth his in paving-stones. "listeners never hear any good of themselves," observed one. "and if you are not worth your weight in paving-stones, i should like to know what you are worth?" asked old perigal. "i am much obliged to the boatswain for his good opinion of me," said i. "but he probably was thinking of the saying that london is paved with gold, and meant to say that you were worth your weight in gold paving-stones." "that may be," answered spellman, willing to be pacified; "but i cannot say i liked his tone." on this there was a general laugh. the boatswain's tone was well-known. it was wonderful what withering contempt he could throw into it. the men dreaded it more than they did even his rattan, and that, in his hand, was a somewhat formidable weapon. i remembered his promise when spellman was quizzing me, on our return from capturing the chevrette, and i found that he had fulfilled it. i thanked him the next time we met off duty. "yes, mr merry; i like to serve my friends, and serve out my enemies. not that poor mr spellman is an enemy of yours or mine; but--i say it with all due respect--he is a goose, and i like to baste geese." i did not repeat to spellman what mr johnson had said of him. i had an intuitive feeling that it was harmful to tell a person what another says of him, except it happens to be something especially pleasant. i believe more ill-blood and mischief is created in that way than in any other. soon after this, we sailed on a cruise to the westward, for the purpose of intercepting some of the enemy's homeward-bound merchantmen. notwithstanding what i have said of spellman, i was in reality on very good terms with him. he was continually playing me tricks; but then i paid him off in his own coin. i had, however, made the friendship of another messmate, george grey by name. he was about my own age and size, and came from leicestershire, but from a different part of the county to that where my family lived. i liked him, because he was such an honest, upright little fellow. no bullying or persuasion could make him do what he thought wrong. i do not mean to say that he never did anything that was wrong. when he did, it was without reflection. i never knew him to do premeditated harm. we stuck by each other on all occasions; skylarked together, studied navigation together; and when we were together the biggest bully in the mess held us in respect. mr johnson liked george grey as much as he did me. i had never got the boatswain to commence his history. i told grey that i was determined to get it out of him, as it was certain to be amusing, though we agreed that we were not bound to believe all he said. he certainly was an extraordinary character. a boaster and a man (i do not like to use a harsh term) who is addicted to saying what is not true, is generally found to be a coward, and often a bully; whereas my worthy friend was as brave as a lion and, gruff as was his voice, as gentle as a lamb, as he used to say of himself, if people would but stroke him the right way; and i can assert a kinder hearted monster never lived. grey and i, one afternoon when it was our watch below, found him in his cabin. he was taking his after-dinner potation of rum and water, y-clept "grog," and reading by the light of a purser's dip. "come in, young gentlemen, come in, and be seated," he sang out; and as we willingly obeyed, he added, "this is what i call enjoyment--food for the mind and moisture for the whistle. we have not many opportunities for mental improvement and the enjoyment of light literature, as you may have discovered by this time; and to a man, like myself, of refined taste, that is one of the greatest drawbacks to our noble profession." grey and i did not understand exactly what he meant; but, after letting him run on for a little time, we told him why we had come, and begged him to indulge us by commencing at once. "there is, as you sagaciously observe, young gentlemen, no time like the present for doing a thing which is to be done; and so,"--and he cleared his throat with a sound which rang along the decks--"i will begin. but remember, now, i'll have no doubting--no cavilling. if you don't choose to believe what i say, you need not listen any more. i will not submit to have my word called in question." "heave ahead!" said a voice outside; i suspected it was spellman's. i soon found that there were several other listeners, and was afraid jonathan would refuse to go on; but, in reality, he liked to have a large audience, and seasoned his descriptions accordingly. again he cleared his throat, and said-- "i'll begin--as i remarked. my mother was a wonderful woman. i have a great respect for her memory. joan of arc, queen dido, or the roman daughter could not hold a candle to her. she was up to any thing, and, had opportunities offered, would have been the first woman of her age. as it was, she made herself pretty well-known in the world, as you shall hear. when she was quite a young woman she once on a time became first-lieutenant of a dashing frigate. when the captain was killed, she took the ship into action, fought two line-of-battle ships broadside to broadside, and then, when there was not a stick left standing, carried them by boarding. she would have brought both of them into port, but one went down from the severe hammering she had given them. you doubt what i am telling you, young gentlemen, do you? well, then, i'll give you proof which ought to satisfy any candid mind that i am speaking the truth. you must know that there is a song written about her; and, of course, if she hadn't done what i have been telling you it wouldn't have been written. it runs thus:-- "billy taylor was a smart young sailor, full of life and full of glee, and he went a courting molly nailor, a maiden fair of high degree. "that maiden fair was my mother. billy taylor, do ye see, went a courting her, and swore that he loved her better than the apple of his eye, or a shipload of prize-money, and no end of glasses of grog, and fifty other things, and that her cheeks were like roses from persia, and her breath sweeter than the essence of all the gales of araby that ever blew, and all that sort of thing. she believed him, for she was young and tender hearted, and did not know what horrible falsehoods some men can tell. i do hate a fellow who doesn't speak the truth. now, do ye see, that scoundrel taylor was only bamboozling her all the time, for he went away and fell in with another lady who had more of the shiners, though less beauty, and he having brought to bear the whole broadside of false oaths he had been firing away at my respected mother, the other lady struck her flag and became his wife. like other wid blades of his stamp, he soon ran through all the poor girl's money, so he wasn't a bit the better for it, and she was very much the worse. when she had no more left for him to lay his hand on, he had to go to sea again. "my mother, who was not my mother then, you'll understand, because i wasn't born till some years after that,--and i'm proud to say that my father was a very different man to billy taylor. he was an honest man; and when miss nailor found out all about billy taylor's treachery, she resolved to be avenged on him. he had entered on board the thunder bomb, and she heard of it. accordingly she rigged herself out in a suit of seaman's clothes, and as her father was a seaman,--an officer, of course, (my parentage was respectable on both sides)--and she knew all about seamen's ways and sayings, she very easily passed for one. "one fine morning, off she set in her new toggery for portsmouth, where the thunder was fitting out. she had provided herself with a loaded pistol, which she kept in her pocket, vowing to revenge herself on the traitor taylor. "as the thunder was short of hands, the captain was very glad to enter the smart young seaman she seemed to be when she presented herself before him. "billy taylor was aboard, and when she caught sight of his face she had some difficulty in keeping her fingers off it, i believe you. not that she was otherwise, i'll have you understand, than a mild tempered woman, when she had her own way, but she had received a good deal of provocation, you'll allow. the deceiver didn't know her, and all went on smoothly for some time. she proved herself so smart and active a seaman, (or sea woman,--i should say a mermaid, eh?) that she soon got made captain of the main-top over the head of billy taylor and many older hands. how they would have fired up if they had known the truth! "at last the thunder sailed down channel, and my mother began to fancy that all the things she had heard about taylor might be false, and all her old feeling for him came back. however, as his ill-luck would have it, the ship put into plymouth sound, and as she lay there a boat came off from causand with a lady in it. "billy taylor watched the boat till she came alongside, and when the lady stepped on deck he kissed her lips and folded her in his arms. "miss nailor was standing by. the scene was too much for her. "`oh, you foul traitor!' she exclaimed, drawing her pistol just as the lady and the deceiver billy were walking forward hand in hand. `take that!' "off went the pistol, and the false lover tumbled over as dead as a herring. the lady, at first, was inclined to go into what the uneducated sailors call high-strikes--you understand, young gentlemen; but she was a strong-minded woman, and when she heard how billy had been deceiving another girl, she said it served him right, and that she would have nothing more to say to him, dead or alive, and, stepping into her boat, away she went ashore at causand, where she had come from. "the captain of the thunder, when he found out that my mother was a woman, and how she had been treated by billy taylor, as the song says, `very much approved of what she'd done,' and declared that she was a fine spirited girl, (which she certainly had proved herself to be), and that he would make her his first-lieutenant as soon as there was a vacancy. you see they did things differently in those days to what they do now. no one ever hears of a young woman being made first-lieutenant, though it is said there are many old women higher up in the list; but it wouldn't become me, holding the subordinate situation of a boatswain, to credit the fact. the captain very soon had an opportunity of fulfilling his word, for in a very short time the ship went into action, and his next in command being killed, he gave miss nailor the death vacancy, and then she became first-lieutenant of the gallant thunder bomb. however, young gentlemen, i must put a stopper on my jaw-tackle just now. i have had uninvited listeners to my veracious and authentic history, and i hope they have benefited by it." mr johnson placed his finger on the side of his nose, and winked one of his piercing eyes. "the fact is, i like to indulge in my faculty of invention and amplification, and you may possibly have an idea that i have done so in the account i have given you of my female parent's early adventures. ho! ho! ho!" and he heaved back, and indulged in a long, low, hoarse laugh, such as a facetious hippopotamus might be supposed to produce on hearing a good pun made by an alligator. spellman, and the rest who had been listening out side, on this, beat a retreat, suspecting, probably, that the boatswain had been laughing at them. our watch was called, and grey and i had to go on deck. i had by this time picked up a large amount of miscellaneous nautical knowledge, so had toby in his way. as to going aloft, or in feats of activity, few of the other midshipmen could beat me. i said that i could swim well. our father had taught us all at an early age, and i could accomplish the passage across the mill-pond five times and back without resting. toby, too, after i had saved him from drowning, had learned the art. it was fortunate for us that we had done so. we had returned unsuccessful from our cruise to the westward, and were somewhere about the chops of the channel. night was coming on, and it was blowing very fresh. "a sail on the lee bow!" shouted the look-out from the mast-head. the wind was south-west, and the frigate was close-hauled, heading towards ushant. "what do you make of her? which way is she standing?" asked captain collyer, who was on deck. "looks like a lugger, standing up channel," was the answer. "up with the helm, keep her away!" exclaimed the captain. "all hands make sail." in an instant the men were hauling on tacks and sheets, braces and bowlines; the yards were squared away, studding sails were set, and off we flew before the wind like an eagle at its prey. the chase kept on before the wind. i had gone up into the fore-top, though i had no business to be there, but it happened to be the station of my particular chum, grey, and i could enjoy a better sight of the chase from thence than elsewhere. as the evening advanced, the wind increased, but we were gaining rapidly on the chase, and of course the captain was unwilling to shorten sail. stays and braces grew tauter and tauter, studden sail-booms cracked, and the topgallant masts bent like willow wands. "we are going to get it," observed the captain of the top. he was right. away flew the main-topgallant studden sail; the topmast studden sail followed. at the same moment, the foremost guns with a loud roar sent a couple of shot after the chase. it was getting dark, but i felt sure that one had struck her counter. still she held on, and we continued in chase, she carrying as much sail as she could stagger under. "we shall carry the masts out of the ship if we don't look sharp," observed the captain of the top. the yards cracked more than ever. "all hands shorten sail," cried the captain from the deck. "in with the studden sails!" when the men went out on the fore-yard, i, to show my activity and daring to my messmate grey, went out also. the frigate had begun to pitch and roll a little. by some means i lost my hold, and should have fallen on deck and been killed, had she not rolled at the moment to starboard, and sent me flying overboard. "there goes poor marmaduke merry," shouted grey. i was plunged under the water, but quickly rose to see the frigate flying by me. as she passed, something was thrown from the deck, and the next instant i observed, i fancied, some one leap from the mizen chains. i did not for a moment suppose that i was going to be drowned, but how i was to be saved i could not divine. i swam on till i got hold of a grating which had been thrown to me, and had not long seated myself on it when i heard a voice sing out-- "all right, master marmaduke; i said i'd go wherever you did, but to my mind now it would have been better to have stayed on board." it was toby, and after i had helped him up alongside me, i assured him that i agreed with his remark, but that i could not help it. i looked anxiously for the frigate. her mighty form could only just be distinguished through the gloom, and the lugger could nowhere be seen. "this isn't pleasant," said i. "but keep up your spirits, toby, i suppose the frigate will turn to look for us, and if not, we must hold on till the morning, when i hope we may be picked up by some ship or other." "ne'er fear, master marmaduke," answered toby. "if you think it's all right, i'm happy." i certainly did not think it all right, for in a short time it became so dark that we could scarcely see our hands held up before our eyes. as to seeing the frigate, that was out of the question, even if she passed close to us. happily the gale did not increase, and we were able to hold on to our frail raft. we couldn't talk much. i felt anything but merry. suddenly the grating received a blow, and i saw a dark object rising up above us. i was thrown against it. it was the side of a vessel. i should have been knocked off the grating had i not found a stout rope in my hand. i drew toby to me, we both clutched it; the grating slipped from under our feet, and there we were hanging on to the side of a strange craft. we shouted out, and were at once drawn on board, and by the light of a lantern, which was held up to examine us, i found that we were on board a small vessel, and surrounded by frenchmen. chapter four. the craft on board which toby bluff and i so unexpectedly found ourselves was a lugger, as i discovered by perceiving her yards lying fore and aft along the decks. it was evident that her sails had been lowered when the squall came on, and so she had not been observed as the frigate shot by in the darkness. owing to this circumstance our lives had in all probability been saved. not that i thought about that at the time; on the contrary, from the fierce looks of our captors, i fancied that they were going to knock us on the head, and i wished that we were safe back on our raft again. toby seemed to feel much as i did. "oh, muster merry! be these here fellows going to eat us?" he asked in a tone of alarm. "i hope not, toby," i answered. "if they take us, buttons and all, we shall stick in their throats, that's one comfort. however, we will try and put a good face on the matter, and, whatever happens, we won't be cast down; only i hope they will not treat us as we have often treated miller's-thumbs, and throw us into the water again." while toby and i were exchanging remarks, the frenchmen were talking to each other and occasionally asking us questions, i supposed; but as we did not understand a word of each other's language, neither party was much the wiser. i looked about me. the lugger's decks were crowded with men, and she had several guns cast loose, ready for action. she was, there could be no doubt, a privateer. i knew that the crews of such vessels were often composed of the worst and most unscrupulous of characters, and i expected nothing very pleasant at their hands. at last the captain, who had been looking out forward at our ship, came up to us. "so, you one little officer of dat frigate dere," he observed. "yes," said i, rather proudly; "i have that honour." "sa--!" he gave forth a particularly unpleasant sound from his throat, "you betes anglish, you send my wessel to bottom last cruise, and sixty of my braves-garcons wid her. i vow i send every anglishman i catch to look for them. s-a-a--." he looked so vicious that i thought he would execute his threat forthwith. i did my best, however, to put on a bold front. "whereabouts did this happen, monsieur?" i asked quite coolly. "some twenty leagues to eastward dere," he answered, looking hard at me. "and which way is the tide making," i inquired. i happened to have heard the master observe just before i went aloft, that the tide had only then made to the westward. "it is vat you call ebb," said the french captain. "then you see, monsieur, that there is no use throwing us overboard just now, because we should drift away to the westward, and your late vessel and crew must be somewhere to the eastward," said i, as boldly as i could, though i had no little difficulty in getting out the words. "ah! you von jack-a-napes, you von poule--littel fighting coc, i see," he remarked in an altered tone. "vell, you stay aboard; you sweep my cabin; you like dat better dan drown." "certainly, monsieur, very much better," said i, considerably relieved; "i shall be very happy to serve you in any way i can, consistent with my honour, and perhaps you'll let this boy here help me?" "bah, no!" answered the captain, giving a contemptuous glance at poor toby. "he only fit to sweep out de fore hold." i saw that it would not be wise to say anything more, so i held my tongue. the captain said a few words to the men, and while one led poor toby forward, another conducted me towards the companion-hatch. toby turned an imploring look at me, and struggled violently. "oh, muster merry! muster merry, they be a-going to cut our throats and heave us overboard. i know they bees; but don't let them do it till i comes to be with ee," he cried out. "don't ee, now, muster; don't ee." poor toby, finding that he could not get loose, began kicking and struggling, and shouting at the top of his voice. this seemed to afford infinite amusement to the frenchmen, who imitated him; but, in spite of all his efforts, dragged him forward. i, in the meantime, was taken aft, and had just reached the companion-hatch, down which the men were going to thrust me, when the captain came running along the deck, shouting out to his crew. my captors let go of me. in an instant, the halliards, tacks, and sheets were manned; sail was rapidly made; and, two or more reefs having been taken in, away we stood, close-hauled as near to the north-west as the wind would allow. i soon learned the reason of this proceeding. to my great joy, on looking eastward, i discovered the frigate looming through the darkness, about half gun-shot distance from us. whether the lugger was seen by those on board or not was a question. i rather suspected that captain collyer had stood back to look for toby and me, though it was almost as hopeless as looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, i felt very sure that he would search for us, and that he would rather lose the chance of capturing the schooner than lose us; indeed, i hope that there are not many naval officers who would not have done the same. i anxiously watched the doris, to see what she would do. the frenchmen very naturally believed that she was coming after them. while the men were flattening in the sheets, toby made his escape, and came up to me. "oh, muster merry, who be these people? where be they taking us to? what be they going to do to us?" he asked in a subdued, frightened tone. "never mind," said i, "_look there_." i pointed to the frigate, which, as far as i could judge, seeing her through the darkness, had three reefs down in her topsails, and was standing towards us, heeling over to the gale. "hurra!" shouted toby, "all right now; she'll soon be sending this here craft to the bottom. hurra!" "very likely," said i. "but we, perhaps, shall have to go with her, and, just now, the less noise we make the better, or the frenchmen may be sending us below." toby was silent. no sooner were the lugger's sails hoisted than she was perceived, and in half a minute, to set the matter at rest, a shot from a thirty-nine pounder came flying between the masts. toby ducked his head. he saw, however, that i did not move mine. i had had so many flying about my ears the night we took the chevrette that i had got quite accustomed to them. another shot came, and toby's head did not move, as far as i could see. i dare say he blinked his eyes a little; but, as it was dark, i am not certain. it was a trial to our nerves, for the shot whistled near our shoulders, and, though we could not help feeling proud of our shipmates' gunnery practice, we would rather that they had not aimed so well. "i say, toby, if, like the boatswain's acquaintance, you get my head on your shoulders, be honest; don't go and pass yourself off for me," i observed. "lor, muster merry, i wouldn't so for to go to forget myself," he answered. his tone, more than the words, made me burst into a fit of laughter. "you garcon not laugh long," observed the captain, as he hurried aft to take a look at the compass. "you merry now, you cry soon." "i'll laugh while i can; it's my nature to be merry, captain," i answered, determined to appear as brave as possible. "but i say, captain, what does that big ship want you to do?" "ah you von little rogue," he answered, less angrily than i might have expected; "you go below, or you get head knock off." "thank you," said i. "but i may have to go lower than i like if i do, so i would rather stay on deck, and see what is going forward." the captain merely answered "bah," as if he had too much to think of just then to trouble himself about us, and issued some orders to his crew. two long guns were immediately cast loose and pointed at the frigate. "they can't hope to contend with her," i observed to bluff. but they did though, and began blazing away in right good earnest. they fired high, for their object was to wing her. if they could have knocked some of her spars away they would have had a better chance of escaping. the lugger was evidently a very fast craft, and held her own wonderfully. this was soon perceived on board the frigate, which began to fire more rapidly than before. captain collyer had not spared powder and shot, and, since we left port, the men had been every day exercised at the guns. the result was now apparent by the number of shot which passed through the sails of the lugger, or struck her. still the frenchmen seemed in no way inclined to yield. the captain stood aft, issuing his orders with the greatest coolness. his officers were much less collected, and kept running about with ropes in their hands, frequently striking the men if they flinched from their guns. the lugger, which was really a very powerful vessel, of some two hundred and fifty tons, tore through the seas, which came in cataracts over her bows, deluging her fore and aft. i was glad that toby and i were near the companion-hatch, that we might hold on tight to it. the scene was stirring in the extreme; rather more than was pleasant indeed. i did not like the state of things, and toby's teeth began to chatter in his head. it was very dark. the wind roared through the rigging; the sails, extended to the utmost, would, i thought, burst from the bolt-ropes, or carry the stout mast out of the vessel. the lugger heeled over till the men at the guns were up to their knees in water, and at last they could only fire as she rolled to windward. it must be remembered that the frigate was to leeward. though she sailed faster than the lugger, the latter was weathering on her. my knowledge of seamanship scarcely enabled me to form a correct judgment as to the frenchman's chance of escape, but still i did not fancy that anything could run away from the doris,--our frigate,--which, i was fully persuaded, was the perfection of naval architecture, and everything a ship should be. the frenchmen were all this time wonderfully silent, except when a shot whistled past their ears or struck the vessel, and then they gave way to volleys of oaths and execrations, the meaning of which, however, i did not understand. they appeared very resolute, and i thought fully expected to escape. on we tore through the raging sea, and often so blinded were we with the showers of spray which fell on board that the flashes of the guns alone showed us the position of the frigate. i was saying that i was sure captain collyer would do his best to pick toby and me up, and now, when i saw him chasing the lugger, it occurred to me that he must have either guessed that we were on board her, or that he must have come to the conclusion that we were lost. "i wonder what they are saying about us?" i remarked, partly to toby and partly to myself. "mr johnson will be sorry for us, and so will grey, and so, i really believe, will old perigal. i don't think spellman will, though. i rather suspect he'll be for constituting himself my heir, and taking possession of my books and things. however, i hope we may some day get on board again, and make him disgorge." there did not seem much chance of that though. every moment i expected, should a shot not send her first to the bottom, to see the lugger run her bows right under, as she tore on through the raging waters. the frigate seemed to be gaining very little, if at all, on us. the frenchmen naturally calculated on the darkness increasing, and when once out of her sight, on being able to alter their course, and get clear away. i devoutly hoped that they would not. hours, it seemed to me, passed away; still the lugger and the frigate held their relative positions, the latter firing occasionally, but the frenchmen, after a time, ceased doing so; indeed, in the heavy sea running, they could scarcely work their guns. the wind increased, but there was no sign of shortening sail; the sky sent down deluges of rain; it became darker than ever. i had never, i thought, taken my eyes off the frigate, except when the spray dashed over me, and compelled me to close them for a moment. i was looking in the direction where i had last seen her. "bluff, do you see her?" i exclaimed suddenly, rubbing my eyes at the same time with all my might, to bring back the object i had lost. "no, muster merry. to my mind she isn't there," he answered positively. the frenchmen were of the same opinion, for i heard them chatting away together, and laughing heartily. still we continued on the same tack. indeed, to go about would have been a dangerous operation, and to wear would have lost ground, and very likely have brought the lugger back in sight of the frigate. no one had taken any notice of us for a long time. the captain now came to the companion. "ah! you brave garcon, come here," he said, as he descended. giving bluff a pull, as a sign to come after me, i followed him below. a bright lamp swung from the deck above, and exhibited a well-furnished if not a luxurious cabin, with a table in the centre, on which, secured in the usual way, were bottles and glasses, and deep dishes containing various sorts of viands. "come, you hungry; sit down," said the captain,--an order which i very gladly obeyed, though it was far from easy to stick on my chair, or to convey the food to my mouth. "pierre!" shouted the captain, and a man, who seemed to be his steward, got up from a corner of the cabin where he had been asleep, and stood ready to wait on us. the captain motioned him to give some bread and sausage to toby, who retired with it to the door, where he sat down to eat it at his leisure. our host did not talk much. he put a few questions as to the number of the doris's guns, and their length and weight of metal, and whether she was reputed a fast sailer; to all which questions i gave honest answers, and he seemed satisfied. he rapidly devoured his food, and was evidently in a hurry to be on deck again. this made me fancy that he was not quite so certain of having escaped the frigate as i had at first supposed. a glass of hot wine and water raised my spirits, for i had been so long in my wet clothes, that, although the weather was warm, i had become very chilly. without asking his leave, i handed a glass to toby, who wanted it as much as i did. the captain said nothing, but when he got up to go on deck, he told me that we might take off our clothes, and turn into one of the berths to get warm. at first i was going to do so, but i could not help fancying that some accident might happen, and that i would rather be dressed, so i sat down with toby on the deck, holding on by the legs of the table. the steward, having stowed away the things, went and lay down in his corner, and soon, by his loud snores, showed that he was again fast asleep. toby quickly followed his example; and i had been dozing for some time, though i thought that i was awake, when i was aroused by the report of a gun overhead. the lamp had gone out, and left a strong odour of oil in the close cabin. the grey light of dawn streamed down the companion-hatch. calling toby, i jumped on deck. there, away to leeward, was the frigate, within gun-shot distance, but this time the lugger had begun the fight, and she had not yet fired. the wind had lessened, and the sea had gone down considerably. the frigate was on our lee-quarter, and i saw that, as soon as she opened her fire, our chance would be a very small one. the french captain, and his officers and men, had got two guns over the quarter, having cut away some of the bulwarks, and were energetically working them, with desperation stamped on their countenances. toby and i stood, as before, holding on to the companion-hatch, and this time--i must confess it--my teeth, as well as his, chattered with the cold, and damp, and agitation. no one took any notice of us. the frenchmen were again aiming high, in the hope of knocking away some of the frigate's spars. they were brave fellows: i could not help admiring them. shot followed shot in rapid succession. i wondered that captain collyer's patience was not exhausted. "there! i know'd they'd do it," exclaimed toby, suddenly. "and catch it if they did!" he added. as he spoke i saw a white splinter glance from the fore-topmast of the frigate, while a rent appeared in the sail. the frenchmen shouted as if they had done a clever thing, but they had little to shout for; the next instant a shower of round-shot came whistling through our sails, some just above our heads; two struck the lugger's side, and one killed three men dead on the decks. though i knew how dangerous was our position i was too eager to see what was taking place to go below. still the gallant french captain would not strike, but stood as energetically as before, encouraging his men to work the guns. i wished that he would give in though, for my own and toby's sake, nor did i think that he had a chance of escaping. there he stood full of life and energy, now hauling on a gun-tackle, now looking along a gun. the next moment there was a whistling and crash of shot, and i saw several mangled forms sent flying along the deck. one was that of the brave captain. i ran to assist him, but though there was a convulsive movement of the limbs, he was perfectly dead. at the same moment down came the lugger's mainyard. i saw that it was completely up with her at all events. some of the privateer's men continued at the guns, but the greater number tumbled headlong down below, to avoid the frigate's next broadside. my eye glancing up at that moment, i saw the french flag still flying. believing that the only way to avoid the catastrophe was to haul it down, followed by toby, i ran aft to do so. i was too late. the frenchmen fired, and another crushing broadside struck the lugger, and made her reel with the shock. the companion-hatch was knocked to pieces. we should have been killed had we remained at our former post. the next instant there was a fearful cry--the men who had gone below sprang up again with pale faces and cries of terror. the lugger rushed on, made one fearful plunge, and i saw that she was sinking. i had kept my eye on the wreck of the companion-hatch. dragging toby with me, i sprang to it and clutched it tightly, and as the sea washed along the deck, and the sinking vessel disappeared, we found ourselves clinging to it and floating on the summit of a curling wave. as soon as i had cleared my eyes from the water, i looked round for the frigate. she was in the act of heaving-to in order to lower her boats. the sea around us was sprinkled with struggling forms, but not half the lugger's crew were to be seen. numbers must have gone down in her. shrieks and cries for help reached our ears, but we could assist no one. some were clinging to spars and planks, and pieces of the shattered bulwarks; a few were swimming, but the greater number were floundering about; and now i saw a hand disappear--now two were thrown up to sink immediately beneath the waves--now a shriek of agony reached our ears. it was very terrible. the companion-hatch to which toby and i clung had been so knocked about that it scarcely held together, and i expected every moment that it would go to pieces, and that we should be separated. i earnestly wished for the boats to come to us, and it appeared to me that the frigate was far longer than usual in heaving-to and lowering them. at last, as we rose to the top of a wave, i saw three boats pulling towards us. the men were giving way with all their might as british seamen always will when lives are to be saved, even those of enemies. several frenchmen had been picked up, when i saw a boat making towards us. mr johnson was steering, and spellman was the midshipman in her. we were not recognised when we were hauled into the boat, and might not have been had i not said-- "what, spellman, don't you know me?" "you, merry," he exclaimed, looking at me with an astonished gaze. "what business have you here? why we left you drowning--up channel somewhere--hours ago." "thank you, but we have taken a cruise since then," said i. "and rather a perilous one, young gentleman," exclaimed the boatswain, now recognising me. "you had the shot rattling pretty thick about you, and i'm heartily glad to see you safe, that i am." and he nearly wrung my hand off as he shook it. "i never saw guns better aimed than ours were, except once, and that was when i was attacking a spanish line-of-battle ship in a jolly boat. i'll tell you all about it some day, but well just pick up some of these drowning frenchmen first. give way, my lads." the other two boats rescued several of the lugger's crew; we got hold of six or seven more who were floating on spars or planks; one of them was the second officer of the privateer; but out of a hundred and forty men who were on her decks when she went down, not more than thirty were rescued. toby and i met with a very pleasant reception when we got on board, and as soon as i had got on some dry clothes and had had a glass of grog to restore my circulation, captain collyer sent for me into the cabin to hear an account of our adventures. he seemed highly interested when i told him of the gallantry of the french captain, and expressed his regret at his death. a brave man always appreciates the bravery of his opponent. when i got back to the berth i had to tell the story all over again, and toby, i have no doubt, was similarly employed among his messmates. "it is very evident, merry, that you are reserved for a more exalted fate," was the only comment spellman made, when i ceased. "thank you, miss susan," i answered; "i owe you one." "it is a great pity that the lugger went down, though," observed old perigal; "i should have had a chance of taking a run home in her as prize-master, and seeing my wife. besides, she might have given us a pinch of prize-money." the regret generally expressed was rather for the loss of the few pounds the lugger might have given them, than for that of the men who formed the crew. "what! i did not know that you were married," i observed to perigal when he said he was married. "but i am, though; and to a young and charming wife who deserves a better husband," he answered in an abrupt way. "if it wasn't for her i shouldn't be now knocking about the ocean as i have been all my life; and yet, if it was not for her i should have very little to keep me on shore. it's the prize-money, the booty, keeps me afloat. i am an arrant buccaneer at heart." "i should not have supposed you that," said i. it was now evening, and old perigal had his glass of grog before him. on these occasions he was always somewhat communicative. "i've been married six years or more," he continued in a half whisper. "my wife is the daughter of an old shipmate who was killed in action by my side. his last words were, `take care of my orphan child--my mary.' i promised him i would as long as i had life and a shilling in my pocket. i expected to see a little girl with a big bow at her waist, and a doll in her arms--as he'd described her. he'd been five years from home or more, poor fellow. instead of that, i found a handsome young woman, tall and graceful. what could i do? i was struck all of a heap, as the saying is; and i discovered at last, that though i was but a mate in the service, and an old fellow to boot compared to her, she liked me; so we married. i'd saved some little prize-money, and i thought myself rich; but it went wonderfully quick, and a rogue of a fellow who borrowed some wouldn't even pay me; and if it hadn't been for the sake of mary i wouldn't have said anything to him, but let the coin burn a hole in his pockets. i went to law, and the upshot was that i lost all i had remaining. now came the tug of war. was i to go to sea again and leave mary? i couldn't bear the thought of it. anything would be better than that. i would enter into some business. a bright idea struck me. three or four hundred pounds would enable me to carry it out. mary and i agreed that i should have no difficulty in getting that, i had so many friends. i would pay them a good interest. i tried. you should have seen how they buttoned up their pockets and pursed up their lips; how many similar applications they had, how many decayed relations wanted their assistance! they didn't say, however, that they had assisted them. i had no business to complain; i had made a mistake, and i felt ashamed of myself. at first, though my heart swelled, i was very angry; but i got over that feeling, and i resolved to trust to myself alone. it was not till then that i recovered my self-respect. i say, merry; if you fancy that you have many friends, don't you ever attempt to borrow money from them, or you'll find that you are woefully mistaken. mary and i talked the matter over, and she settled to keep a school, and i to come to sea again. "it was a sore trial, youngster, and you may fancy that a rich galleon wouldn't be an unacceptable prize, to save the poor girl from the drudgery she has to go through. it wasn't the way her poor father expected me to treat her, but i have done my best; what can a man do more?" the old mate was going to help himself to another glass, but he put the bottle away from him with resolution. i had observed that he often took more than anybody else in the mess; but after that, whenever i saw him doing so, i had only to mention his wife, and he instantly stopped. from this account he had given of himself i liked him much better than ever. i one day asked mr bryan, who knew his wife, about her, and he told me that she was a very superior young lady, and that he could not overpraise her. of all my shipmates, grey seemed most pleased at having me back again, and he assured me that had he been able to swim he would have jumped after me, and i believe that he would have done so. i promised on the first opportunity to teach him to swim. people are surprised that so many sailors cannot swim, but the truth is, that when once they get to sea, they often have fewer opportunities of learning than have people living on shore. in southern climates some captains, when it is calm, allow the men to go overboard; but in northern latitudes they cannot do this, and many captains do not trouble themselves about the matter. my advice therefore is, that all boys should team to swim before they come to sea, and to swim in their clothes. next to grey, i believe mr johnson was most satisfied that i was not drowned. "i had written an account of what had happened to your disconsolate parents, and had taken an opportunity of praising you as you deserved; but as you are alive, i'll put it by, it will serve for another occasion," he observed. i thanked him, and begged him to give me the letter, which, after some persuasion, he did. i enclosed it to my sisters, assuring them that it was written under an erroneous impression that i was no longer a denizen of this world, and begged, them not to be at all alarmed, as i was well and merry as ever: "sir,--your son and i, though he was only a midshipman,--i am boatswain of this ship--were, i may say, friends and companions; and therefore i take up my pen to tell you the sad news, that he and boy bluff went overboard together this evening, and were lost, though we didn't fail to look for them. it may be a consolation to you to know that they always did their duty, which wasn't much, nor very well done, nor of any use to anybody, but that was no fault of theirs, seeing that they didn't know better. then you'll not fail to remember that there's no longer any chance of your son being hung, which has been the fate of many a pretty man, either by mistake or because he deserved it, and that must be a comfort to you. i've nothing more to say at present. "from your obedient servant, "jonathan johnson, "boatswain of his british majesty's frigate doris." i had hopes that the letter would afford infinite satisfaction to my home circle. we ran back to plymouth with our prisoners, and then receiving sealed orders, sailed for the westward. on the captain opening his orders we found that we were bound for the north american and west india station. one day, as mr johnson seemed in an especially good humour, i got grey to come, and we begged hard that he would go on with his history. "ah yes, my true and veracious narrative," he answered. "ho! ho! ho!" his ogre-like laugh sounded along the deck, and served as a gong to summon an audience around him, though only a favoured few ventured into his cabin. "i was telling you about my maternal parent, the estimable mrs johnson. i was alluding to times before she assumed that appellation, or became my parent. i brought up my history to the period when she became first-lieutenant of the gallant thunder bomb. she did not remain in that craft long, for the captain, officers, and crew, were turned over to a dashing, slashing, thirty-six gun frigate, the firegobbler. it is extraordinary what a number of actions that frigate fought, and what other wonders she performed all owing to my mother, i believe you. at last, one day, not far off from the chops of the channel, a large ship, under spanish colours, was sighted. the firegobbler gave chase, and a running fight ensued, during which a shot killed the captain, and of course my mother, who took command, followed up the enemy. "before the day was over, another spanish line-of-battle ship hove in sight, and when the two closed each other, they hove-to, and waited for the firegobbler, which wasn't long in getting into action. then, i believe you, she did give them a hammering, in such right good earnest, that, before the sun set, they cried _peccavi_, and struck their flags. as i told you, the other day, she brought them both in triumph into plymouth. now, by all the rules of the service, she ought to have been promoted, you'll allow; but, by some means or other, the lords commissioners of the admiralty found out that she was a woman,--perhaps some jealous fellow peached on her,--and, think of their ingratitude, not only wouldn't they give her a commander's rank, but they superseded her, and would by no manner of means allow her to remain in the ship. to my mind, those big-wigs up in london have no consciences. what encouragement is there for a spirited young woman to go and fight her country's battles? none! that's a fact! miss nailor had to go on shore. but she couldn't bear a quiet life; so, slipping on seamen's clothes again, she shipped aboard another frigate, but, of course, she had to go before the mast. that made little difference to her; she loved the sea for itself, and didn't care where she was. for some time she got on very well; but she didn't always remember that she was no longer a first-lieutenant--which was natural, poor thing! well, one day, when off the coast of america, she quarrelled with the man who was first-lieutenant, and meeting him on shore, she put a pistol into his hand, and told him he must fight her. he was a spirited fellow, and said that he never refused that sort of invitation, and as it was in the chief street of a large city, they had plenty of seconds. well, they fought, and she had the misfortune to shoot him through the heart. most men would have died immediately, but he lived long enough to forgive her for what she'd done, and to say what a fine fellow he thought her. of course, as it's against the articles of war to shoot a first-lieutenant, she couldn't go aboard the frigate again; and when a file of marines came to seize her, the people of the place carried her off, and wouldn't give her up, and so the jollies had to return without her. two parties were formed in the place. one said she ought to be given up, and the other, that she oughtn't, and shouldn't, and that they wouldn't. it was one of the secret causes of the american revolution. "among those who sided with her was a captain johnson, a very fine man, master of a very fine ship, and as he happened to want a mate, he asked my mother if she would take the berth, not dreaming all the time that she was a woman. they had a good deal of talk about the matter, and as she had taken a fancy to him, she told him all her history. i have said that my father was a fine man. he was the tallest and smartest man i ever saw, and had the loudest voice, too, i believe you, or he wouldn't have won the heart of my mother. she wasn't a woman to knock under to an ordinary, everyday sort of man. he was so tall, that the barber had to stand on the table to shave him, and as he walked along the streets, he could hand sugar-plums to the children in the upper windows; and his voice was so loud, that he once made a stone-deaf woman jump off her chair, right up to the ceiling, with fright, when he raised it above the ordinary pitch to speak to her; and he was so strong, that he made nothing of lifting an ale cask to his lips, and drinking out of the bung-hole. he was the man to command a ship's company! when he found any two of them quarrelling, he would lift one up in each hand, with outstretched arms, and he would then knock their two heads together, and go on bumping harder and harder till they promised to be friends. "no two people could have been better matched than my parents, and they had a sincere respect for each other. they were above anything like a namby-pamby, soft sighing, do-sweetest, kiss-me style of love. my father made his offer from the deck of his ship, as she was standing out of harbour, and my mother answered him from the shore through a speaking-trumpet. the truth was, that when the owners heard that she was a woman, they didn't approve of her going as mate; they thought that it would invalidate the insurance. "the wind fell outside, so he dropped anchor and pulled on shore, and was married, and, of course, off she went to sea with him. a very useful wife, too, she made, for though she didn't wear the breeches, she could take command of the ship better than any one else on board. thus it was that i came to be born at sea. there was a terrific gale blowing, and the ship was running under bare poles during the time that important event in the world's history occurred. "`the wind it whistled, the porpoise roll'd, the dolphins rear'd their backs of gold; and never was heard such an outcry wild as welcomed to life the ocean-child.' "i believe you, my hearties, that was a gale! i don't believe the sea ever ran so high before, or has ever run so high since. we were fully half an hour going up the side of one sea, and nearly a quarter sliding down into the trough on the other--so i have been told: i cannot say that i remember the circumstance, though i do recollect things which happened a long time ago. "i was a precocious child, let me tell you. i had as fine a set of teeth as ever cracked biscuit by the time i was six months old, and lived upon lobscouse and porter. i was weaned by that time, and i wasn't two years old when i could go aloft like a monkey. it wouldn't have done for me to have been like any every-day sort of baby." i was almost inclined to believe mr johnson's assertions, for, as i looked at the huge red-nosed man before me, i could scarcely persuade myself that he had ever been a baby in long clothes. "speaking of monkeys," continued mr johnson, winking his eye, "i once had a desperate fight with one, when i wasn't much more than three years old. i was sitting on the main-truck, with my legs dangling down, as was my custom when i wanted a good allowance of fresh air. we had a monkey aboard--a mischievous chap,--and when he saw me, he swarmed up the mast, and, putting up his paw, snatched a biscuit out of my jacket-pocket. i gave him a slap on the head, and in return he bit my leg, and tried to pull me down. to be even with him, i jumped on his shoulders, and down we slipped together, till we reached the topmast cross-trees. there i got a rope, and, lashing him to the heel of the topgallant-mast, sang out to the hands in the top that they might see what i had done. you may be sure that they were very much astonished. "i was a great favourite among the crew, and ran no slight chance of being spoilt. i could dance a hornpipe with any man on board; and as for singing a rollicking sea-song, there were few who could match me. i soon learned to hand reef, steer, and heave the lead, as well as any man on board. my mother was proud of me, and so was my father; and they had reason to be, and that's the truth. "at last it struck them that they ought to give me some education, to fit me to become an officer and a gentleman. i, however, was not fond of books, but i learned to read chiefly from the signboards over the shop fronts along the quays at the different ports to which we traded. not that i required much instruction, for i picked up knowledge faster than most people could serve it out to me. "i was one morning sent on shore to school, but the master thinking fit to cane me, i tucked him up under my arm, and walked off with him on board the ship, where i stowed him under hatches, and kept him there till he promised to treat me in future with more respect. after this little occurrence we were very good friends; but when the ship went to sea, he begged that i might on no account be left behind. that was but natural, for i hadn't got into shore ways exactly." the cry, from the deck, of "all hands make sail!" interrupted mr johnson's veracious narrative. "a chase in sight," he exclaimed; "and a prize she'll prove, though we have to fight for her!" chapter five. every officer, man, and boy, not otherwise especially engaged, had their eyes directed ahead, watching the chase, as her sails gradually rose above the horizon. what she was had not yet been ascertained. she might be a man-of-war, or perhaps, only a merchantman. if the first, we hoped she would fight; if the latter, that she might carry a rich freight. after a time, i saw mr johnson rubbing his eyes, and, suddenly bringing his hand down on his thigh with a loud smack, he exclaimed--"she's only a yankee merchantman, after all." the stranger was evidently making no attempt at escape; indeed, before long, she lost the wind altogether, though we carried it on till we got within about a mile of her. we then found that the boatswain was right; indeed, it is easy to know an american merchantman by her light-coloured hull, breadth of beam, low masts, square yards, and white canvas. as we lay rolling away, a boat was lowered from the stranger, from whose peak the stars and stripes hung down, so that none but a practical eye could have made out the flag. the boat came alongside, and a gentleman, in a broad-brimmed straw hat and jean jacket, stepped on board, with a cigar in his mouth, and walking aft with the greatest coolness, put out his hand to captain collyer, who, looking true dignity itself, was standing on the quarter-deck, with his officers round him. not a little electrified was he by the address now made him. "how goes it with you, skipper?" quoth the stranger, almost wringing his hand off. "you've a neat little craft under your feet, i guess, but we've got some who'd wallop her in pretty smart time. you'd like to know who i am? i'm captain nathan noakes; i command that ship there, the hickory stick, and i should like to see her equal. she's the craft to go, let me tell you. when the breeze comes, i'll soon show you the pair of heels she's got. we'll run away from you like greased lightning, i guess." "she looks a fine vessel, sir," said captain collyer, too polite to turn away, as some men i have known might have done. "she is, sir," said the american master with emphasis. "i calculate she'd sail twice round the world while you was going once; but don't rile, now, at what i say--you can't help it, you know. come, take a cigar--they're real havanna." "thank you, sir, i do not smoke," said our captain with naturally increasing stiffness, "nor is it customary, i must observe, for any one to do so on the quarter-deck of his britannic majesty's ships." "ah! that's the difference between slavery and freedom," answered the stranger, with most amusing effrontery, lighting another cigar as he spoke. "you serve the tyrant king george. i serve myself, and no one else, and i like my master best of the two; but i pity you--you can't help it." some of the officers were very indignant at the impudence of the yankee captain; others were highly amused, and i believe captain collyer was, for he turned away at last to hide his laughter. nothing, however, seemed to abash the skipper. "well, you britishers will be inclined to deal, i guess," he observed; and, without waiting for an answer, ordered the people in his boat to send up some cases of claret and boxes of oranges which he had brought. a whip was sent down, and they were soon had on deck, and i must say we were not sorry to make a deal with him--that is to say, the captain and gun-room officers took the claret, and the midshipmen the oranges. "well, i guess you've got them dirt cheap," observed the yankee skipper, as he pocketed the money. "but mind now, i don't warrant them all sound." had he made the remark before we bought them, we might have thanked him for his honesty. on opening the cases we found that more than one half were rotten, and that the rest would not keep many days. that, of course, was the reason he had sold them. he finished his cigar while he went on talking much in the same strain as he had done at first, and then coolly proposed inspecting the ship. as there was no objection to his so doing, he was allowed to go round the decks, when he might have counted thirty-six guns, and as fine a looking crew as ever stepped the deck of a man-of-war. at length captain nathan noakes returned on board the hickory stick. afterwards, when i repeated to the boatswain the remarks of captain noakes, his observation was-- "i cannot stand those yankees--they do exaggerate so terribly. one cannot depend on a word they say." i made no reply, for it struck me that mr johnson himself did at times, as he would have said, rather overstate facts. i made the remark to perigal. "well, boy, the boatswain is like most of us," he answered; "we don't see our own faults. i suspect no man would be more ready than he would to grow angry should his veracity be called in question." "but those stories of his own adventures are very amusing," said i. "very," said perigal. "and as long as he confines himself to them no great harm is done; but if a man once gets into the habit of departing from the truth for the sake of amusing his hearers, he may not stop there, and will, very likely, tell a falsehood of a different character whenever it may suit his convenience to do so." the sun when setting indicated fine weather. during the night there was a light breeze, scarcely sufficient to send our heavy frigate through the water. when day dawned, however, our yankee friend, we discovered, had managed to slip away, and was hull down to the south-west. in the same direction another ship was seen, with which it was considered probable that the yankee had communicated. the stranger looked suspicious--a heavy ship--and certainly a man-of-war. all hands in consequence set to work to whistle for a breeze, and to our infinite satisfaction it came very soon, confirming most on board in their belief as to the efficacy of the operation. sail was then made, and we steered for the stranger. she was soon pronounced to be a powerful frigate, a worthy match for the doris, and so with light hearts we cleared for action, not doubting that we should take her, whatever her size or the number of her guns. our only fear was that she might run away. to prevent this, our captain, who was up to all sorts of tricks to deceive an enemy, had arranged a mode of disguising the ship. by means of some black painted canvas let down over the main-deck ports, she was made to look like a corvette, or flush-decked vessel. captain collyer, we heard, had before taken in and taken several vessels in this way, and we hoped now to be as fortunate. at an earlier hour than usual we piped to breakfast, that we might not fight on empty stomachs, and i may safely say that the prospect of a fierce contest damped no one's appetite. for my own part i never made a better meal in my life. i hurried, however, very soon again on deck, spy-glass in hand. looking through it, there was no longer any doubt as to the character of the stranger. there she lay, standing under easy sail, and evidently waiting our approach. just as i got on deck she fired a gun to windward, and the french ensign flew out from her peak. as we drew nearer we could count twenty-two ports on a side. she thus carried many more guns than we did, and had probably a much larger crew. these odds were highly satisfactory. we had no fear about the issue of the combat; our only dread was that she might escape us. our captain determined to do his best to prevent this. he was not a man given to make long speeches, but as soon as everything was ready for battle, he called the men on deck. "my lads," he said, "there's a ship somewhat bigger than we are, and maybe there are more men on board; but they're only frenchmen. you can take her if you try, and i know you will. i intend to engage her to leeward, that she may not escape us. you'll do your duty like british seamen, and that's all i want of you." this pithy speech was received with three hearty cheers, a good prognostic of victory. the determination of the captain to engage a more powerful antagonist to leeward was very brave, for it was the least advantageous position for fighting. the reason of the frenchman's boldness in waiting for us was clearly that he supposed the doris to be much smaller than she really was. but then how was it that the yankee skipper should not have told him the truth. they had certainly communicated. we had only just before seen his royals dipping beneath the horizon. however, we hadn't time to think of that or anything else, before a shot from the enemy came whistling through our sails. several followed in rapid succession. we were keeping away so as to cross her stern, and rake her with a broadside, and then to haul up again on her beam. to avoid this she also kept away, and began to pepper us rather more than was pleasant. her captain had clearly determined that we should not get to leeward. "she must have it as she wishes," cried captain collyer. "give it her, my lads." at that moment the canvas which had concealed our main-deck guns was triced up, and in right good earnest we poured our whole broadside into our opponent. the unexpected salute must have staggered her, and now she too hauled up, and, discovering that she had not got a baby to play with, applied herself in earnest to the combat, and we ran on blazing away at each other nearly yard-arm to yard-arm. "this is what i like," exclaimed mr johnson, rubbing his hands. "this is a good honest stand-up fight; we know what the enemy's about, and he knows what we are about, and i shall be very much surprised if he does not find out before long that we are giving him a tremendous good licking." i would not quite agree with the boatswain, for the enemy's shot was crashing about us with terrific effect. the french frigate also sailed much faster than we did, and soon shot ahead of us; and still further to prevent us from attaining our object, she wore round and came on to the other tack, giving us a fresh broadside as she did so. the manoeuvre succeeded so well, that it was repeated again and again. this enraged our crew, several of whom were struck down; the wounded were at once carried below, the dead were drawn out of the way; they were not yet numerous enough to throw overboard. i looked to see how my particular friends were getting on. george grey had a division of guns under him, and was behaving like the young hero he was. toby bluff was busily employed in bringing up powder, and looking as totally unconcerned about everything else as if this was the most important work to be done. having brought up his tub, he sat himself down on it, determined that not a spark should get in if he could help it. in like manner the captain was doing his duty to the best of his power, and so was every officer and man in the ship. mr lukyn, the first-lieutenant, had chosen me to act as his aide-de-camp, to carry orders that he might have to send to any part of the ship; in that way i was kept constantly moving about, and it appeared to me that i escaped many shots which might otherwise have hit me. once a shot knocked some hammocks out of the hammock nettings, and grazed the mainmast just as i had passed it, and another took off the head of the boatswain's mate, just as he was raising his hand to signify that he understood an order i had given him. i consequently walked on till i met the boatswain, and delivered the order to him that he might see it executed. "this will never do, lukyn," i heard the captain say. "we must get alongside her again." the sails were accordingly trimmed, and we ran right down on the enemy, pouring into her as we did so a fire of round-shot, grape, and musketry, but, i must own, getting as much in return, and having our rigging terribly cut about. the french ship had at the time little way on her, so we shot ahead; both of us, after exchanging a couple of broadsides, falling off before the wind. we had now separated considerably. the hands were sent aloft to knot and splice the rigging, to enable us to work the ship, which we otherwise could not do. while we were thus employed, the french frigate hauled up, and, passing our stern diagonally, raked us, but at too great a distance to do us much damage. every officer and man was exerting himself to renew the fight, when once more the french ship bore up, and showed that she was going again to pass under our stern. "down, with your faces on the deck, all of you, my lads," shouted the captain, the order being repeated by the other officers. i observed, however, that both he and mr lukyn stood upright. the expected shower came, the enemy passing within pistol shot. i looked up anxiously to ascertain if either of my superiors was hurt. there they stood as calm as before, but mr lukyn's hat had been knocked off, and two bullets had passed through the sleeve of his coat. "that was a narrow shave," observed the captain, as mr lukyn stooped down and picked up his hat. had the men been standing up, great numbers, probably, would have been killed or wounded. the enemy after this hauled up on the larboard tack, and was about to pour her starboard broadside into us, when, our crew springing to their feet, our sails were thrown back, and the french frigate's larboard bow came directly on to our starboard quarter. as she did so, the boatswain with his mates sprang aft, and in a moment it seemed that the enemy's bowsprit, or rather jib-boom, was lashed to our mizen-rigging, in spite of a heavy rattling fire of musketry, kept up on them by the french marines on their forecastle. a body of our marines came aft to reply to them, and numbers were dropping on both sides. while this was going forward, i saw a french officer walking along the bowsprit with a musket in his hand. he rested it on the stay, and was taking a deliberate aim at captain collyer, who stood, not observing this, encouraging the men to work the after guns. at that instant a marine who had just loaded his musket was shot dead. i seized it as he fell, and in the impulse of the moment, dropping on my knee, raised it to my shoulder and fired at the frenchman on the bowsprit who at the same time fired. a ball passed through the captain's hat--he turned his head and observed that i had just fired, and saw also the frenchman falling headlong into the water. "thank you, mr merry, you have saved my life," he said, turning a look of approval on me; but there was no time for more. everything i have described passed like a flash of lightning. all was now smoke and noise, the men straining at the gun-tackles, sponging and loading; the marines firing and stooping down, as they had been ordered, to load, to avoid the bullets of the french marines who were so much above them. meantime the french had been mustering on deck, and suddenly appearing on their forecastle, they rushed along the bowsprit, and were leaping down on our hammock nettings, the headmost reaching the deck. "boarders, repel boarders!" shouted mr bryan; and he with one or two mates, followed by jonathan johnson, with his doughty cutlass, hurried aft to meet them. what had become of the captain and mr lukyn i could not tell. fierce was the encounter, for the french seamen fought desperately, and their marines kept blazing away faster than ever. mr bryan and the french officer leading the boarders met,--their blades flashed rapidly for a few seconds, and the frenchman fell mortally wounded. mr johnson was in his glory: the first time he led on his followers, however, the frenchmen withstood him for some seconds, and, more of them pouring down on the deck, he was driven back a foot or two, but it was only for a moment. with a loud shout, he made a furious dash at the boarders: mr bryan, with several mates and midshipmen, of whom i was one, seconded by our gallant purser, who with a brace of pistols in his belt and a sharp cutlass in his hand, instead of remaining below, had come on deck to share the danger and aid in the fight; and of the whole number of the enemy who had reached the deck of the doris, not one quarter escaped on board their own ship unwounded, and very nearly half were killed outright, or were taken prisoners. we, however, did not get off scathless. the enemy still continued to annoy us with their foremost guns; while the shot from their muskets rattled thickly round our heads, our main royal-mast and main-topsail yard had been shot away, and the gaff was so severely wounded, that when the frenchmen fell aboard us, it dropped over his deck. at this moment we saw some of the crew tear our ensign from the gaff and carry it aft as a trophy; there was not a man in our ship who would not have gladly rushed aboard the enemy to recover it. "it will never do to be without a flag," said i to grey. "i propose we go aloft and nail a couple to the mast." "with all my heart," he answered; and he getting a boat's ensign and i a union-jack from the signal locker, we ran aloft with them before any one saw what we were about. we agreed, however, that they would look best at each end of the cross-jack, and accordingly, quick as lightning, we lashed them there. the frenchmen might certainly have picked us off, but, as many of their nation have much chivalry in their composition, when they saw that we were young midshipmen, and what we were about, i suspect refrained from firing. at all events, we accomplished our dangerous exploit, and returned on deck. scarcely had we reached it, and stood amid the shower of bullets whistling along it, than, to my great sorrow, i saw grey fall; he uttered no cry; i ran towards him to lift him up; he said that he was not badly hurt, but he fainted, and mr bryan ordered him at once to be carried below. directly afterwards mr bryan fell; he, however, raised himself on his arm, and with the help of two seamen, in a short time stood up, and refused to leave the deck. mr collman, our brave purser, tried to persuade him to go below. "let the surgeon look to you, and if he thinks you are fit you can return." "no, no; thank you, collman," he answered. "i don't know what may happen while i'm away. time enough to go to the doctor when we've thrashed the frenchmen." it was my duty, as i said, to stay by the first-lieutenant. i was inquiring for him, when i saw a number of the french marines peppering away at the after ports in the captain's cabin. i instantly bethought me that the captain and mr lukyn must be there, and accordingly hurried to the main-deck. our captain had, without asking leave of the dock yard authorities, cut two ports in his cabin on each side next the quarter, in readiness for the very contingency which had now occurred. our carpenter had, however, stupidly forgotten to drive in ring bolts to work the guns, while the gunner had not prepared tackles of sufficient length to haul the aftermost guns from the side to the new ports. when i reached the cabin, the captain and first and third lieutenants, and the gunner and carpenter, and other officers and men, were working away to find means to train aft a gun. the marines, however, stationed along the larboard gangway of the enemy had found them out, and as i reached the cabin it seemed as if a hailstorm was playing into it, and the bulkheads were literally riddled with bullets. several men lay dead about the decks, and every now and then another sank down wounded, while many were labouring away with the blood flowing from their sides or limbs. i ran in and asked mr lukyn if he wanted me. "no, no, merry; go out of this, boy," he answered kindly. at that time it was certainly the part of the ship suffering most. as i was going out i passed mr downton, our third lieutenant. he was reeving a rope through a block to form a tackle, when a shot struck him in the head. he fell forward in the way of the gun. he was dragged unceremoniously out of it by the legs, and the men cheered as they hauled it aft. i ran to help poor mr downton. i lifted him up. he gave a look so full of pain and woe in my face that i would gladly have shut it out, and then with a deep sigh breathed his last. i never felt so sad before. he was a good kind officer, and i liked him very much. i now, i own, began to think that we were getting the worst of it, and should have to strike our colours, or go down with them flying. just then the gun, double shotted, was run out aft, and fired right into the enemy's bows. our men's cheers drowned the shrieks and cries which followed from the french ship. again the gun was loaded and fired with the same terrific effect. the french marines continued blazing away at the people in the cabin, but were at length driven from the gangway by the hot fire of our jollies and small-armed men. the latter had also to direct their attention to a carronade which the enemy had got on his forecastle, and which might have done us a vast deal of mischief, but such a shower of musket balls whistled round it the instant a frenchman got near, that none would venture to work it. as mr lukyn had ordered me out of the cabin when i found that i could be of no use to mr downton, i went on deck again. the bullets were whistling along the deck as thick as hailstones. this sort of work would have continued probably till we had treated each other like the kilkenny cats, or till the french ship had given in, when her jib-boom gave way, and she forged ahead. as she did so, our next aftermost gun was manned and fired, cutting away her head rails, and, what was of greater consequence, the gammoning of her bowsprit. "hurrah, lads! the day's ours," shouted mr collman; "over to the starboard guns." the master was on the main-deck with the captain. "now the battle's going to begin in earnest, mr merry," observed the boatswain, near whom i found myself. thought i to myself, "it has been going on in pretty serious earnest for the last two hours or more." now both frigates, running on yard-arm to yard-arm, fired their guns in succession as they could be brought to bear; but our people, from constant practice, tossed our guns in and out twice as rapidly as the frenchmen. this soon told; the enemy's main-topmast was shot away, the foremast was badly wounded, several of her ports were knocked into one, and instead of the cloud of canvas which lately swelled proudly to the breeze, her sails were riddled, and, with rope ends, hung useless from every shattered yard. in some respects we were not much better off, and our rigging was so cut about that the ship was no longer manageable. taking advantage of her greater speed, our antagonist drew ahead till she got out of gun-shot, greatly to the rage and annoyance of the crew, who bestowed on her three loud groans, and many an anathema on finding that she had escaped them. it now came on calm, and she could not get far off. not a moment, however, was lost before all hands were set to work to repair damages; never was rigging more rapidly knotted and spliced. my eye was seldom off our enemy. a slight breeze had again sprung up, when suddenly i saw her foremast rock, it seemed, and over it went with a crash, carrying a number of her crew on it into the water. a loud cheer burst from our men, as they saw what had occurred, and they redoubled their efforts to get the doris ready to renew the action. by noon we had knotted and spliced all the standing rigging, rove new braces, and had got the ship under perfect command, while the freshening breeze carried us rapidly up towards our opponent. the heat of the sun and our exertions made us feel very hot, and now the yankee's oranges came into requisition. both midshipmen and men might be seen sucking them heartily, as we once more stood into action. the enemy seemed still disposed to defend himself as we stood across his stern, so that he could bring no guns to bear on us. he, however, trusting to the effect his large body of marines might produce, fired a rattling volley as we were about to pour in our broadside. spellman and i were at the moment standing near the boatswain. as the french marines fired, i felt a sharp burning pang in my shoulder, which made me jump on one side, while i saw spellman's orange flying away, and, putting up both his hands, he cried out, "oh, my orange! my orange!--and they have riddled my cheeks, the blackguards." i could not help laughing at his exclamation and face of astonishment, in spite of the sickness which was creeping over me. "it's lucky it was not through your head, mr spellman," observed the boatswain, picking up the orange and handing it to him, but he was in no way inclined to suck it, for his mouth was full of blood, which he began vehemently spluttering out over the deck. now our frigate sent forth a roaring broadside; the enemy's ship was for an instant shrouded in smoke. as it cleared away, down came the french ensign, and an officer was seen to spring on to the taffrail, and, with the politest of bows, signify that they had struck. loud, hearty cheers was the answer returned by our brave fellows, who by sheer hard fighting, and rapid working of their guns, had achieved, in little more than three hours, a victory over a foe so vastly superior. those cheers, though pleasant sounds to our ears, must have been very much the contrary to our enemies. then, and not till then, did mr bryan consent to be carried below. i have no personal knowledge of what happened after this, for even before the cheering had ceased, i should have sunk fainting on the deck, had not the boatswain caught me. when i came to myself, i was undressed in my hammock, and, except a pain and stiffness in my shoulder, there was nothing, i thought, very much the matter with me, though when i tried to rise i found that to do so was out of the question. spellman and grey were in their hammocks close to me. though spellman was least seriously hurt of either of us, his appearance, from having his head bound up with two huge plasters over his cheeks, was by far the most lugubrious, as he sat up and looked first at grey, and then at me, and said, "well, i hope you like it." "thank you, miss susan," said i. "we might be worse off, but we shan't have to go whistling through the world in future as you will, and if ever you fall into the hands of savages they'll put a rope through your cheeks and drag you along like a tame bear." "you don't think so, merry, i'm sure," he answered, in a tone of alarm, which showed that he vividly pictured the possibility of such an occurrence; "do you, grey?" poor grey was too weak to say much, but he gave spellman very little encouragement to hope for the best, and when macquoid visited us, entering into the joke, he said nothing to remove his apprehensions. my chief anxiety was now about toby bluff, and i was very glad to find that he had not been hurt. at last, when he came to me, i had some difficulty in quieting his apprehensions, and in persuading him that it was a very fine thing to be wounded, and that i should have lots of honour and glory, and be made more of when i got home than i had ever been before in my life, and that he would share in it without having had the disagreeable ceremony to go through of being wounded. "as to the glory, and all that sort of thing, i'd as lief have let it alone, if it was to cost a bullet through me, muster merry," he answered. "but i'd have been main glad if the mounseers had just shot me instead of you. it wouldn't have done me no harm to matter." "he is a faithful fellow, certainly," i thought, "but he has no chivalry in his composition." from the jabbering we heard around us, we found that the french prisoners had been brought on board, and macquoid told us that every man who could be spared was employed in repairing the prize. mr lukyn had gone to take command of her, with perigal as his second in command, and i was very glad to find that the old mate was unhurt. our prize was the aigle. she carried six guns more than we had, and they were of heavier calibre. she was nearly three hundred tons larger, and her crew numbered a hundred men more than we had. we had beaten her because our men were better gunners, and had fired half as rapidly again as had her crew. we had lost fourteen killed and thirty wounded, and she thirty-four killed and sixty wounded. "ah! young gentlemen," said mr johnson, who in the intervals of his labour paid us a visit, "it was as pretty a stand-up fight and as well won a battle as i ever heard of, or you'll ever see probably." at length both frigates were refitted, and, as we understood, steering a course for old england. we three midshipmen found it rather dull work staying in our hammocks all day, as it was too dark to read, though we managed to sleep, as only midshipmen can sleep, and we agreed that we would get the boatswain, when he had leisure, to come and sit by us to go on with his history. we succeeded, and, seated on a bucket, he began:-- "well, young gentlemen, flesh and blood wants some rest, though i can do more than most men in the way of work, and instead of taking a doze in my cabin i'll indulge you, and the service shall not suffer. ah, ah! let me see:--i was telling you of my childhood. i very soon grew up. i didn't take long to do that. by the time i was fifteen i knew a thing or two, and there wasn't a seaman aboard my father's ship who could beat me at anything." "at pulling the long bow especially," said a deep voice from one of the hammocks. "who spoke?" inquired mr johnson, turning round sharply. "i'll tell you what, whoever you are, a man may shoot with a long bow, or a man may shoot with a short bow; but for my part i say a man has a right to use the weapon which suits him best; and so, mr bow-wo-wo, just bowse taut that jaw-tackle of yours, and don't let's hear any more of your pertinent remarks, i'll thank ye, my bo." mr johnson then continued, "at last, said my father one day to me--`jonathan, you are big enough and strong enough to go without leading strings, and the sooner a lad does that the better.' "`yes, father, i am,' said i, and i was, for i was six feet two inches high, and could knock over an ox with my fist, as i'd done many a time to save the butcher trouble. "`you must look out for a ship, my son,' said my father. "`i will,' said i, and i did. i shipped on board a greenland whaler, the blazylight, and sailed the next day for the north pole. we had a fine run to our fishing ground, and soon began to kill our whales at a great rate. it was the sort of sport which just suited me. i never could stand angling for minnows; but whale-fishing is a very different sort of work, i guess. "we had got a full ship, and were thinking of turning south, when we were becalmed near the land, and as the ship could not move, i, with four or five more, started on an expedition to shoot polar bears, which were pretty common thereabouts. we had got a good way from the ship, when a thick fog--not an unfrequent visitor to those parts--came on. i had a pocket-compass with me, and so i wasn't a bit alarmed. however, when we tried to find the old blazylight again, i must confess we could not. we wandered about till all my companions died from sheer fright and fatigue; and i should have died, too, if i had given in; but i wouldn't do that; so i collected all my shipmates' ammunition, and set to work to kill and pot bears. i lived like a prince, as far as quantity was concerned, but i got rather tired of bear's flesh at last. i rubbed myself over with the grease, and was soon covered from head to foot with a hide of the finest wool, so that i didn't feel the cold a bit. it was cold, however, at times, with a vengeance. frequently the frost was so severe, that it froze up even the very air, and if i had not melted it every now and then, by firing off my gun, i should have died for want of breath; and often it wasn't possible to move without cutting a way for myself through the atmosphere with my axe. i suspected, as i afterwards found to be the case, that what we had taken, to be land, was in reality an unusually large field of ice, with icebergs imbedded in it, and that we had been carried by some unknown current imperceptibly towards the north for a considerable distance. now, when we had left the ship, we had kept to the westward. when we wished to return, we had steered east by the pocket-compass i told you of. on, and on, and on, i kept on the same course. what do you think i was doing? why i was walking round and round the north pole, and should have kept on walking till now, for nothing would have made me give in--i promise you that wasn't my way--had i not come upon the print of my own footsteps in the snow. this made me aware of my error; so i sat down to consider how it could have happened, and at last the truth flashed on my mind. you see it was a very natural mistake i had made, for the needle of my compass was all the time pointing to the north pole, just as a capstan-bar does to the capstan, while i was running round at the other end of it. i was rather puzzled to know what to do, for had i walked south, not having the means of ascertaining my longitude, i might, i thought, find myself on the other side of the globe, somewhere, perhaps near behring's straits, leading into the sea of kamtschatka, where there would be little chance of my falling in with a ship. "i had sat cogitating for some time, and was beginning to get rather chilly, when it occurred to me that i might render a great service to science, by going chock up to the north pole, and ascertaining of what it is composed. i instantly rose from my seat, put my compass down to strike the course i was to take, fired off my gun to clear myself a path through the frozen atmosphere, secured my stock of bear's flesh on my back for provisions, and manfully set forward, with my face away from all human beings." "but how could you see, mr johnson?" asked grey. "i always thought it was dark in those regions during winter!" "see! why perfectly well," answered the boatswain promptly. "if the stars and moon happened not to be shining, there was always the aurora borealis blazing up, like a great fire, right ahead of me. you have seen the northern lights on a winter's night, but they are a very different affair up there to what they appear so far south. if it wasn't for them, in my opinion, there would be no living in those regions, but by their warmth they keep the atmosphere round them in a very pleasant state. well, on i walked, sleeping at night in the huts i made in the snow, leaving a small hole open to breathe through; and it was not disagreeably cold, owing to the warm whiffs which came every now and then from the pole. "after progressing thus for several days, i observed an extraordinary phenomenon. whenever i took my compass out in my hand, i felt that the instrument had a tendency to move directly before me. this tendency increased gradually as i proceeded, till, one morning, when i put it down as usual to mark my course before starting, to my infinite surprise, and i may say dismay, away it glided over the snow, increasing in rapidity of motion as it proceeded. "horrified at the reflection of what might be the consequence should i lose it, i rushed forward, and, in my eagerness to grasp my treasure, fell prostrate on my face, just, happily, as my fingers clutched it. "this wonderful occurrence (for i own that it did surprise even me, and i could not have believed it had another man told it me) brought me to a stand-still, and compelled me to form a new plan for my future proceedings. i was unwilling to give up the enterprise, though i saw the full risk i was running; but dangers never daunted me,--i should think not,--and i determined at every hazard to proceed. i accordingly retraced my steps a day's journey, when i found the attractive powers of the pole of less force; and then erecting a lofty pyramid of snow, i placed my compass on the summit, and carefully covered it. on the top of all i fastened a red pocket-handkerchief, secured to a walking-stick, in order to make the object still more conspicuous. having performed this work, i lay down in a snow hut to rest, and the next morning again set forward towards the pole." the boatswain stopped to clear his throat. "that is very interesting, mr johnson," said grey. "do go on." "i'll indulge you, young gentlemen--i'll indulge you; and as i look upon what i am going to tell you as the most interesting part of my adventures, no one must interrupt me. the king on his throne mustn't and sha'n't--till i have finished my authentic and veracious narrative." "mr johnson! mr johnson! the captain wants you--sharp!" shouted toby bluff, running along the deck. mr johnson gave a grunt, and, springing from his seat, disappeared up the hatchway. chapter six. i had a good constitution which had not been impaired by any excess, and as mr perigal and the other oldsters of the mess kept strictly to the law by which they had awarded to themselves two-thirds of the youngsters' grog, my blood was not inflamed by having imbibed spirituous liquors. i therefore, under macquoid's judicious care, very rapidly recovered from the effects of my wound. in a few days i could have got up and run about, but as poor grey, who was much more hurt than i had been, was too weak to leave his hammock, i promised to remain in mine to keep him company. when macquoid came to me, therefore, one day and told me that i might dress and go on deck, i replied in a very faint voice, that i had not strength to move, and groaned a great deal when he moved me to dress my wound. "some internal injury, i fear," he observed, "i must see to it." he then turned to spellman, to dress his cheeks. he groaned exactly in the way i had done, and spoke in the same faint tone, declaring his inability to rise. "ah, poor fellow, some internal injury, i fear; i must see to it," remarked the assistant-surgeon in the same tone, as he left us. miss susan, thinking that he had quitted the sick bay, sat up in his hammock, and made a well-known and expressive signal to me with his thumb to his nose, which macquoid, who happened at that moment to turn his head, could not have failed to observe. "miss susan, you donkey, you have spoilt all. we are found out," i exclaimed. "macquoid saw your sign to me." spellman declared that did not signify; that he would explain how it happened to macquoid, and assure him that the gesture was one which he frequently made when suffering from a paroxysm of pain. i told him that he had better say nothing of the sort, and that he would only make matters worse, but he persisted that he knew better than i did, and told me to hold my tongue. of course it was very wrong to sham to be worse than i was, but i persuaded myself that it was not like actual malingering, as i had a foundation for my assertion, and really did not feel as if i could walk. still i may as well say here, that though i have ever been through life merry by nature, as well as by name, and have loved joking as much as any man, i have learned to hate and detest falsehood. it is un-christian like in the first place, and thoroughly low and ungentlemanly in the second. i say this, lest in consequence of my having introduced the wonderful adventures of my shipmate, mr johnson, it may be considered that i think lightly of the importance of speaking the truth. to do jonathan justice he took ample care that his yarns should never for a moment deceive the most simple-minded or credulous of his hearers. at that time, however, i did not see things as clearly as i did when i grew older, and i was vexed at having tried to deceive macquoid, more from the fear of being found out than from any refined sense of shame. he, however, when he came again in the evening, treated us exactly as if we were still very weak, and when spellman persisted in talking of the odd position into which his hands twisted themselves when he was in pain, he seemed to take it all in, and agreed with him, that such was a very natural and common occurrence. i had my doubts, however, of macquoid's sincerity, and having had some experience of his mode of treatment on a former occasion, resolved to be very much better the next visit he paid us. i said nothing to spellman, whose spirits rose immediately. "i told you so," he exclaimed, when macquoid was gone. "i told you i should humbug johnny sawbones." "now if we could but get the boatswain to come to us, and to go on with his yarns, we should be all right and jolly," observed grey. i agreed with him, and soon afterwards toby bluff coming to see me, which the faithful fellow did as often as he could during the day, i sent him to invite mr johnson to pay us a visit, as he would have more leisure then than at any other time of the day. nothing loth, the boatswain soon made his appearance. "and so, young gentlemen, you want to hear more of my wonderful, not to say veracious, narratives," he observed, while a pleasant smile irradiated his features. "well, i hold that the use of a man's legs is to move about the world, the use of his eyes is to see all that is to be seen, as he does move about, and the use of his tongue to describe all that he has seen, and so i'll use mine to good purpose, and indulge you, but, as i've said before, i say again, i will have no one doubt my word. if there's any cavilling, i'll shut up as close as an oyster when he's had his dinner, and, having made this preliminary observation, here goes. let me recollect, where had i got to?" mr johnson said this while taking his usual seat on a bucket, between our hammocks, his huge legs stretched out along the deck, and his big head sticking up, so that his eagle eyes could glance round above them. "i remember,--i was taking a walk to the north pole. i did not think that i could be many days' journey from it. but that did not matter. the air was so bracing that i could take any amount of exercise without fatigue, and was therefore able to walk all day, sitting down merely for convenience sake when i was enjoying my dinner off the preserved bear. i of course could not cut the flesh with my knife, as it was frozen as hard as a rock. i was therefore obliged to chop it into mouthfuls with my hatchet, and even when between my teeth it was some time before it would thaw, but then you see, as i had nobody to talk to, i had plenty of time for mastication, and it was undoubtedly partly to this circumstance that i kept my health all the time. there is nothing so bad as bolting one's food, except going without it. by the way, i have had to do that more than once for several weeks together. once for a whole month i had nothing to eat but some round-shot and bullet moulds, and an old jackass, which was washed up on the beach, after being well pickled by the salt water, but that has nothing to do with my present story. i wish that i had kept a diary of my proceedings during my northern ramble. it would have proved highly interesting to sir joseph banks, and other scientific people, but, as it happens, i have my memory alone to which i can trust, though that, however, never deceives me. well, after leaving my flagstaff i travelled on, neither turning to the right hand nor to the left, and it is wonderful what a straight course i kept, considering the difficulty there is in finding one's way over a trackless plain without a compass. if i had had too much grog aboard, i could not have done it, and it's a strong argument in favour of keeping sober on all occasions, but more especially when any work is to be done. i slept at night, as before, in a hole in the snow, but never suffered from cold; this was partly on account of the quantity of bear's grease i swallowed, which served to keep the lamp of life alive, and also because every mile i advanced i found the atmosphere growing warmer, and the northern lights brighter and brighter. there could be no doubt about it; those lights were the cause of the unexpected warmth i encountered; so warm, indeed, did the air become, that i am certain many a man would have turned back for fear of being roasted alive, but i was not to be daunted. onward i went till i got within less than a mile of one of the biggest fires i ever saw. the effect was grand and beautiful in the extreme. you might suppose yourself looking at a city fifty times as large as london, and every house in it as big as saint paul's, and every part of it blazing away at the same time, and even then you would have no conception of the magnificence of the scene which met my view, as i beheld the source of those far-famed northern lights, the aurora borealis, as the learned people call them. "the flames, you must know, were not of that bright hot colour which issue from a furnace, but were of a delicate pale red, flickering and playing about in the most curious way imaginable, sometimes blazing up to the height of a mile or so, and then sinking down to a few hundred feet. the heat at the distance i was then from it was rather pleasant than oppressive; it had not even melted the snow on the ground, but of course that was so hard frozen, that it would have required a very warm fire to have made any impression on it. well, as i advanced i began to lick my chops at the thoughts of the hot dinner i intended to enjoy-- for, after all, however philosophical a man may be, his appetite, if he is hungry, must be satisfied before he is fit for anything--when i beheld a number of moving objects, scarcely distinguishable from the snow, encircling the fire. i could not make out at first what they were, but on approaching still nearer, i discovered the truth, though i could scarcely believe my eyes, for there, sitting up on their hams, were countless thousands of polar bears, warming their paws before the aurora borealis. it is a fact as true as anything i have been telling you, and at once fully accounted to my mind for the disappearance of bears from the arctic regions during the winter months, and fully refutes the popular idea, that they sit moping by themselves in caverns, employing their time in sucking their paws. "not liking the idea of losing my hot dinner, not to speak of the disappointment of not being able to say that i had been chock up to the north pole, i determined to venture among them." "it wouldn't give you much concern to say you had been there, at all events, even if you hadn't," growled out a voice from one of the hammocks. "sir!" exclaimed the boatswain very sternly, "i would have you to know that i scorn to exaggerate the truth, or to make an assertion which is not in strict accordance with the facts. if you doubt my words, stop your ears or go to sleep, or i'll shut up altogether." "oh no, no, do go on, mr johnson," exclaimed several voices at the same moment. "we don't doubt a word you're saying." "well, that's right and proper," said the boatswain, much appeased. "if i do draw on my imagination at any time, it is because it is the only bank i know of which would not dishonour my drafts, as many a gentleman who lives by his wits would have to confess, if he spoke the truth. well, i resolved to venture on, and soon got up near enough to see that the bears were sitting as close as they could pack, in a large circle round the real, veritable north pole, and that those who were moving were merely stragglers, who could not find room to squat down with the rest. i was standing contemplating the strange scene, when an immensely big fellow, catching sight of me, came waddling up on his hind legs, and growling terrifically with anger. `this is inhospitable conduct, mr bruin, let me observe,' i shouted out, but he did not attend to me. i had my gun loaded in my hands, so, when he came within ten yards of me, i fired, and hit him on the eye. over he rolled as dead as mutton, so it appeared, and i had just time to cut a steak out of his rump for dinner, when another rushed towards me. i loaded calmly, fired, and knocked him over, but this was a signal for fifty others to make a charge at me. i felt that, ready for a fight as i was, i could not hope to contend against such overwhelming numbers, so i did what any person, however brave, situated as i was would have done--i took to my heels and ran as hard as i could go. i never ran so fast in my life before, and good reason i had to put my best leg forward, for, in the course of a minute, there were a thousand bears at my heels, every one of them licking their jaws with the thoughts of dining off me. i must own that i did not like it. on i ran straight for my signal staff, never once looking behind me, for i could hear the bears growling as they followed full tilt; and so clearly are sounds conveyed over those vast expanses of snow, that they seemed close at my heels. "by the time i had run for fully ten hours without stopping, i began to get rather out of breath, and almost to fear that i should not hold out much longer, when to my great satisfaction the growling grew less and less distinct, as the bears, dead beat, dropped off one after the other, till at last, turning my head, i found that i was alone. i cannot express how comfortable this made me feel, so i sat down for half an hour to recover my breath, and to eat my dinner, which was a cold instead of the hot one i expected to enjoy. "when i got up again, what was my surprise to see my flagstaff in the distance, not two miles ahead, and it was only then i discovered how very fast i must have run, for i had come back in a few hours a distance which it had before taken me a week to perform. i have heard of fear giving wings to the feet, but though i won't allow that i was afraid, i must have flown along at a good pace. well, i got up to my flagstaff, and found my compass all right, though as soon as it was clear of the snow it had a slight inclination to move northward; and so, to avoid risk, i stowed it away carefully in my pocket. the handkerchief was frozen as stiff as a board, and i had some difficulty in folding it up for other purposes. i was glad also to get back my walking-stick, which helped me wonderfully over the ground. again i sat down. it was only now the real difficulties of my position burst on me, but difficulties never have and never shall daunt me. after a little consideration i determined to discover the spot where i had commenced making the circuit round the pole. for several days i was unsuccessful; till at last i beheld a dark object on the snow. i ran towards it, and it proved to be, as i expected, the body of one of my shipmates, the last who had given in--a shetlander--murdoc dew by name, as good a seaman as ever lived. i exchanged boots with him as mine were worn out with so much walking, and then, pushing on, i came upon the bodies of my other companions and the bears we had killed, by which i knew that i was steering a right course for the spot where i had left the ship. i calculated that had i gone south when i first thought of doing so, i should have got on shore somewhere to the eastward of nova zembla, and have had to travel right through siberia and the whole of europe before i could have got back to old england, which, considering that i had not a purse with me, nor a sixpence to put into it, would not have been pleasant. "on i went till i got into the latitudes where icebergs are collected. they are, as is known, vast mountains of ice and snow, so that when i once got among them it was impossible to see any way ahead, and as the summer was coming on and their bases melted, they began to tumble about in so awful a way, that i fully expected to be crushed by them. my food, too, was almost expended, and murdoc dew's boots gave symptoms of over use, so that at last i began to think that there might be a pleasanter situation than the one i was placed in, when one day, having climbed to the summit of the highest iceberg in the neighbourhood, i beheld a light blue smoke ascending in the distance. taking the exact bearings of the spot, i slid down an almost perpendicular precipice, of three hundred feet at least, at an awful rate, and then ran on as fast as my legs would carry me, for after a solitude of eight months i longed to see my fellow-creatures, and hear again the human voice. on i went, but still to my disappointment no ship appeared in sight, till at last i saw in front of me a low round hut, evidently the habitation of esquimaux--a people whose habits, manners, and appearance i was never much given to admire. i should observe that what with my bear-skin cloak and my long beard and hair, (i say it without any unbecoming humility) i did, probably, look rather an outlandish character. "as i understood something of the esquimaux lingo--indeed, there are few tongues i don't know something about--i shouted loudly to attract their attention. on this, two men, dressed in skins, came out of the hut, and answered me in so extraordinary a dialect, that even i did not comprehend what they said. i then hailed them in russian, but their answers were perfectly unintelligible. i next tried french, but they shook their heads, as was, i thought, but natural for esquimaux who were not likely to have been sent to paris for their education. i then spoke a little spanish to them, but i was equally at a loss to understand their answers. portuguese was as great a failure; even several of the languages of the north american indians did not assist us in communicating our ideas to each other. i tried hindostanee, arabic, and chinese, with as little effect. this was, indeed, provoking to a man who had not exchanged a word with a fellow-creature for so many months, till at last, losing temper, i exclaimed in english more to myself than to them:-- "`well, i wonder what language you do speak then?' "`english, to be sure,' answered both the men in a breath, `and never spoke any other in our lives.' "`are you, indeed, my countrymen?' i cried, rushing forward and throwing myself into their arms, for by the tone of their voices i discovered that not only were they englishmen, but my own former shipmates. "they, of course, thinking that i had long been dead, had not recognised me; indeed i had some difficulty, as it was, in convincing them of my identity, and of the truth of the account i gave of my adventures since i left the ship. i was certainly an odd object, with a beard of so prodigious a length, that it not only reached the ground, but i had to tie it up as carters do their horses' tails, to keep it out of the snow. my hair and eyebrows had increased in the same proportion, so that i was more like a wild beast than a man. this extraordinary exuberance i attribute entirely to my having lived so completely on bear's flesh. when cut off it served to stuff a large sized pillow, which i afterwards gave to the president of the united states, who sleeps every night on it to this day. "my old shipmates told me that they were the only survivors of the crew--that our ship had been nipped by two floes of ice with such violence that she was sent flying into the air full sixty feet, and that, when she came down again on the ice, she split into a thousand pieces, which went skating over the smooth surface for miles, and that, of course, the bones of every one on board were broken, but that they, having been sent ahead in a boat at the time, escaped. "now i do not wish to throw any discredit on my friends' narrative, but remember that i will not and cannot vouch for the accuracy of any man's statements except of my own. "my friends, having got over their first surprise, invited me to enter their hut, where i must say i enjoyed a comfortable fire and a warm chop--though i burnt my mouth when eating the hot meat, accustomed as i had so long been to iced food. we washed down the flesh with some excellent rum, a few casks-full of which my shipmates had discovered near the scene of the catastrophe, in frozen forms, like jellies turned out of a tin, for the wood had been completely torn off when the ship went to pieces. when our repast was concluded we whiled away the time by narrating our adventures, and though you may have observed that i am not much given in general to talking, i confess i did feel a pleasure in letting my tongue run on. it moved rather stiffly at first for want of practice; but the hot food and spirits soon relaxed the muscles, and then it did move certainly. my only fear was that i should never get it to stop again. we talked on for twelve hours without ceasing, and, after a little sleep, went on again the whole of the next day." a loud guffaw from the occupant of a distant hammock made the boatswain stop short, and look round with an indignant glance. "i should like to know, mr haugh! haugh! haugh! whether you are laughing at me, or at my veracious narrative? if at me, i have to remark that it is over well-bred, whoever you are, officer or man; if at my history, let me observe, all you have to do is to match it before you venture to turn it into fun. it may have been equalled. i don't wish to rob any man of his laurels; but it has not been surpassed, and so mr haugh! haugh! i've shut you up, and intend to shut up myself, too, for it's time for me to go on deck and see what's become of the ship, and that no one has walked away with her." saying this, the boatswain rose from his tub, and with his huge head and shoulders bent down as he passed under the beams, he took his departure from among the hammocks. he had not been gone long before toby bluff made his appearance; and as he came up to me i fancied, from his countenance, that there must be something wrong with him. "what is the matter, bluff?" i asked. "why, sir, i thought mr johnson was here," said he, without giving an answer to my question. "but what if he is not?" said i. "why, muster merry, i wanted to see him very much before he went on deck," he answered. "on what account?" i asked, convinced that toby had something to say which he, at all events, considered of importance, and i thought he might just as well tell me before he communicated it to the boatswain. he was mr johnson's servant, it must be remembered. "why, sir, i don't know whether i am right or wrong," he whispered, coming close up to my hammock. "it's just this, sir. we have got, you know, some three or four hundred french prisoners aboard, at all events many more than our own crew now numbers, as so many are away in the prize, and others wounded. well, sir, as i have been dodging in and out among them, i have observed several of them in knots, talking and whispering together as if there was something brewing among them. whenever i got near any of them they were silent, because they thought i might understand their lingo, though i don't. i was sure there was something wrong. it might be they didn't like their provisions or their grog, and were going to ask for something else, but, whatever it was, i made up my mind to find it out. at last i remembered that there is a boy aboard, billy cuff, sir, who was taken prisoner by the french, and lived in their country for ever so long, and he used to be very fond of coming out with french words, though he is not a bit fond of the french, for they killed his father and his brother, poor fellow. thinks i to myself, if billy has not got much wits he has got ears, and we'll see what we two together can find out. so i told billy, and i got him to come and stow himself away near where i knew the frenchmen would soon collect, and sure enough, sir, from what billy heard, they have made up their minds to try and take the ship. they caught billy and me stealing away, and from their looks they would have pitched us overboard if they had dared, but we tried to seem innocent like, as if we didn't think any harm, and they still fancy it's all right. now if any of them saw me going up to speak to the boatswain they might suspect that something was wrong, and be on their guard. i've done right, i hope, sir?" "indeed you have, bluff," said i, highly pleased at the intelligence and forethought he had shown. it proved that his wits were sharpening at a great rate, that in fact he had got the hay-seed out of his hair very rapidly. i agreed with him that it would not do to let any of the frenchmen see him talking to the boatswain, because, if they were really going to rise, they might do so before preparations could be made to withstand them. he might go at once to mr bryan or to one of the other officers, or to captain collyer himself, but then i thought it more than probable that they would not believe him, so i told him to run up and to tell the boatswain that i wanted particularly to see him. in a short time mr johnson's long nosed, ruddy visage appeared above my hammock. i then told him, in a low voice, all i had heard from toby. "i should like to see them attempt it," he answered, laughing. "it's a cock-and-bull story, depend on that, mr merry, but still you did very right in sending for me. it's possible that i may report the circumstance to the captain, as it's right that he should know the zeal and intelligence exhibited by boys bluff and cuff, though, as i say, there's nothing in it, depend on that." notwithstanding mr johnson's assertion i observed that he immediately sent for boy cuff to his cabin, and, as toby afterwards told me, interrogated him very closely as to what he had heard. nothing, however, was said to me on the subject, and i began to fancy that boys bluff and cuff had been deceived, or were making a mountain out of a molehill. this matter had not made me forget macquoid's promised visit to us. the next morning, when we were all awake, i asked spellman how he felt. "very jolly," he answered. "but i have no intention of getting up and bothering myself with duty for some time to come. i've done enough for the good of the service to last me for some time." "i should think so," said i. "i hear macquoid's voice; here he comes." i uttered a few groans, which spellman repeated with considerably more vigour. i let him go on, while i sat up with a pleased countenance to welcome the assistant-surgeon, who appeared with a big bottle containing some black-looking stuff, and a glass. spellman went on groaning. "poor fellow, i've got something which will do him good," observed macquoid with a twinkle in his eye. "here, take this, my lad; there is nothing like it for internal pains." as he poured out the nauseous draught, the smell alone was so horrible that i resolved to do anything rather than take it. spellman, however, fearing that he should be detected if he refused, held his nose with his finger and thumb, and with many a wry face gulped it down. "don't you think a little more would do him good?" said i, in a hurried tone. "i don't want any myself; the fact is, macquoid, that the plasters you put on yesterday did me so much good, and you have treated me so well altogether, that i feel getting quite well and strong, and have been waiting all the morning for your coming, to ask if i might get up." macquoid shook his head at me. "we'll see how the wound looks first," said he. "but you must take a little of my elixir asafoetidae et liquorice first. you evidently properly appreciate its virtues by recommending that spellman should have more of it." "ah, but you know, as you often say, when you drink up my grog, `what's one man's meat, is another man's poison,'" i answered promptly, for macquoid was very fond of making use of all sorts of proverbs, especially when he wished to show that he was right in anything he chose to do. "i have no doubt that it will do spellman a great deal of good, or of course you would not give it to him, it would be meat to him; but as i am perfectly free of pains it would be positively throwing it away on me, though i don't say it would be poison, of course not." "oh, you humbug, you arrant humbug," exclaimed spellman, sitting up in his hammock and clenching his fist at me. "why, not five minutes ago, you were groaning away worse than i was--that he was, macquoid. give him some of your beastly stuff. it's not fair that i should take it, and not him. he promised to keep me company." "when the pains return he shall have more of it, depend on that," said macquoid, scarcely able to dress my wound for laughing. "he has tasted it already. you shall have his allowance to-morrow if you are not better." spellman having betrayed himself, had not only to drink the mixture which was made as nasty as could be, though probably perfectly harmless, but to get up and be ready to make himself useful if required. my neck was rather stiff, but the pain was so slight that i felt almost able to return to my duty. i was glad to get about the decks, because i wanted to find out if toby's information had been believed. i saw nothing to indicate that anyone apprehended an outbreak of the prisoners. the officers walked the deck as usual, singly or in couples, with a look of perfect unconcern, and the marines were scattered about, employed in their ordinary occupations. a frenchman, who was, i guessed, the french captain, was pacing the quarter-deck with captain collyer, and his countenance looked very sad and troubled; but that arose, i concluded, because he had lost his ship and was a prisoner mr bryan and some of the other gun officers spoke to me very kindly, and congratulated me on being about again. at length macquoid sent me below, suggesting that it might be wiser to take a little more of the elixir before i went to sleep, but i declined the favour, assuring him that the very thought of it restored me to unwonted strength. he laughed, and wished me good night, advising me to make the most of my time, as i should soon have to keep watch again. "such wide awake fellows as you are cannot be spared," he observed. i was soon asleep. i awoke with a start. all was dark. i heard seven bells strike; i knew it must be towards the end of the first watch. the voice of an officer hailing the look-out sounded peculiarly distinct, and served to show the quiet which reigned on board. the sea was smooth, we were carrying a press of sail, and i could hear the rush of the ship through the water. suddenly the silence was broken by the heavy tramp of men along the deck, while loud shouts and shrieks seemed to burst from every point. the drum beat to quarters, and i heard the voices of officers in loud distinct tones perfectly free from agitation issuing orders. "what is the matter?" i exclaimed, starting up. "what can be the matter," exclaimed spellman, "are we all going to be murdered?" "the matter is, that the frenchmen have risen, and are trying to take the ship," said i. "and though they may murder us, who are unable to resist them, it's a consolation to feel they'll be knocked on the head to a certainty themselves." "i can't say that i feel it any consolation at all; oh dear! oh dear!" cried spellman, jumping up and beginning to dress, an example i followed, for i had no fancy to be killed without resistance. grey at that moment awoke. i told him what was occurring, and that i intended to stick by him, and was groping about to get something to fight with, when i heard a voice high above the shrieks and cries, which i knew to be that of the lieutenant of marines, shouting-- "charge them, lads." then came the steady tramp of the jollies along the deck, lanterns were quickly lighted, and looking out i could see the frenchmen scampering off, tumbling down the hatchways, or hiding under the guns. they discovered that they had made a slight mistake. not a trigger was pulled, and except for a few prods with the points of bayonets, which caught the frenchmen in their nether ends, no blood was drawn. captain collyer had not been quite so fast asleep, nor had boys bluff and cuff been quite so stupid as the johnny crapauds had fancied. the jollies had been warned to be in readiness, and before the first roll of the drum had sounded along the decks, they were at their posts, ready, as they always were, for anything. the frenchmen were soon put under hatches, and their officers, who had not joined the conspiracy, (though they might if it had been successful, because then it would have been a very gallant affair), going among them, discovered the ringleaders, and, dragging them out, they were put in irons. it was some time, however, before complete quiet was restored. we, that is to say my messmates and i, assembled in the berths, and having discussed the matter, concluded that all the culprits would be hung next morning. as our purser's dips did not allow us to enjoy any extra amount of light, we soon had to retire to our hammocks. what was our surprise next morning to find that the frenchmen were summoned aft, when their captain appeared and addressed them. i learned afterwards that he asked them whether they had been well fed, comfortably berthed, civilly treated, and on their owning that they were, he told them that they were a set of ungrateful scoundrels, a disgrace to the french nation, and that they all deserved to be hung. captain collyer then stepped forward and said that though they might deserve hanging, as they had fought their ship bravely, and as no lives had been lost, he should overlook their fault, but he warned them that if they made a similar attempt they would be severely dealt with. the frenchmen retired, looking considerably ashamed of themselves. the french captain then took off his hat, and making the most polite bow to captain collyer, thanked him for his humanity, observing that the truly brave were always humane. i could not ascertain whether captain collyer had heard what toby had told me, but two days afterwards, he and cuff were together, not far from the captain, when he turned round and said: "my eye is upon you, boys bluff and cuff, and, if you continue to behave as well as you have done, your interest will be cared for." now, i could not help thinking that they really had saved the ship, but it would have been inconvenient to have acknowledged this at the time, and certainly have done bluff and cuff no real good; probably only have set them up, and made them idle. i am convinced that the captain acted in this matter, as he did in all others, with true kindness and judgment. four or five days after this providential suppression of the mutiny, as i was walking the deck, having volunteered to return to my duty, the look-out at the mast-head hailed that a sail was in sight. the usual questions were asked, and the master, going aloft to examine her, pronounced her to be, without doubt, a line-of-battle ship. it was not quite so easy to determine whether she was an enemy or a friend. if the former, we might have another battle to fight, for captain collyer was not the man to yield without one. having the prize in tow, we were making all sail on our homeward course. on came the stranger. she was on our weather quarter, and soon showed us that she sailed faster than we did. captain collyer now hailed mr lukyn, who commanded the prize, to say that he intended to fight the line-of-battle ship to the last, and then explained to him how he intended to manage. "with all my heart, sir," answered mr lukyn, and the crew of the prize gave a loud cheer to show that they were ready. the drum beat to quarters, and not only did all that were well assemble, but even all the sick and wounded who could move crawled up on deck to help man the guns. though i should not have been sorry to have got home without more fighting, i was as ready as any one, and hoped that i should not get another wound, as i was quite content with the one i had to exhibit. a guard was kept over the prisoners, who were told that they would be shot down without mercy if they made any disturbance, and then in grim silence we stood ready for the fight. the stranger came on, but at length she began to make signals, and we signalled in return, and then we soon found out that she was not an enemy, but a friend. she proved to be the hercules, , and as she was homeward-bound, her captain said that he would keep us company, to help fight any enemy which might appear. we ran on for two days, when the hercules made the signal of "fleet to the south-east," and soon afterwards that several ships had borne up in chase. we next learned that they were enemies. we had still the prize in tow. every stitch of canvas alow and aloft which the ship could carry was packed on her. it was an anxious time. to lose our gallantly won prize, and perhaps to be carried off to a french prison, were not pleasant anticipations. i asked mr johnson what he thought about the matter. "why, mr merry, look you, i never anticipate evil," he answered, with an expression of countenance very different to what he put on when telling his wonderful yarns. "time enough when it comes. `there's many a slip between the cup and the lip,' as you've heard say, and you'll find it through life. the frenchmen out there think that they are going to gulp us down, but they may find that they are mistaken." fortunately the aigle was a remarkably fast vessel, and though she could not carry all the canvas we did, we towed her along easily. the hercules acted nobly, and followed like a huge bull-dog at our heels, ready to bear the brunt of the fight should the enemy come up with us. still, as we looked at the overpowering numbers of the frenchmen, there appeared but little prospect of our escaping. there were many speculations as to what we should do. one thing was certain, that our captain would not allow the hercules to be taken without going to her assistance. i asked mr johnson what he thought about the matter. "why, just this, young gentleman," he answered. "if the frenchmen get near us, they'll blow us out of the water, but they'll have reason to be sorry that they ever made the attempt. they may have our bones, but they'll get no flesh on them." the boatswain's reply made me meditate a good deal. i wanted to enjoy, midshipman fashion, all the honour and glory i had gained, and i did not at all like the thoughts of being taken prisoner, and still less of being sent to the bottom with our colours flying--a very fine thing to do in theory, but practically excessively disagreeable. i hinted at my feelings to mr johnson. "very natural, mr merry," he answered. "but, just think, if you were taken prisoner, how satisfactory it would be to make your escape, and if the ship were to go down or blow up, how pleasant it would be to find yourself swimming away safely to land. follow my example. draw nourishment from the toughest food. did i ever tell you how i was once blown up a hundred fathoms at least, right into the air? when i came down again i plunged as deep into the sea, but i struck out and came to the surface, for i knew that i must help myself, as there was nobody who could help me. i got hold of six of my companions and towed them ashore, a couple of miles or so. very few others escaped. now, if i had given in, they and i would have been lost, and his majesty's service would have been deprived of one of the best bo'suns to be found in it. i say this without vanity--because it's a fact." i found it difficult sometimes to ascertain whether mr johnson was really serious or joking. the enemy were all this time chasing, and coming up rapidly with us. even captain collyer looked anxious. we, however, were all ready for the fight we anticipated. "if we can but keep well ahead of them till night comes on, we may give them the slip," i heard the captain observe to mr bryan. "it may be more prudent on the present occasion to fly than to fight, but i am sure that every man will fight to the last if it comes to fighting." "that they will, sir. i never saw the people in better spirit," answered the second lieutenant. "they are like a bull-dog with a captured bone. they are not inclined to yield it without a desperate tussle." from all i heard i began to think whether i should not go and write a letter home, to tell them that when they received it i should have fallen fighting for my king and country; but then spellman appeared on deck. he looked so absurd with his lugubrious countenance, and the plasters still on his cheeks, that i burst into a fit of laughter; and, all my apprehensions vanishing, i was in a minute joking away with my messmates as usual. chapter seven. the doris under all sail, with our hard-won prize in tow, kept standing to the northward, the gallant hercules bringing up the rear, while the french fleet, like a pack of yelping hounds, followed full chase at our heels. a stern chase is a long chase, and so we hoped this might prove, without an end to it. our glasses, as may be supposed, were constantly turned towards the enemy. they had not gained much on us when the sun went down, and darkness stole over the surface of the ocean. clouds were gathering in the sky--there was no moon, and the stars were completely obscured. it was in a short time as dark a night as we could desire. the hercules, looking like some huge monster stalking over the deep, now ranged up past us, and a voice from her ordered us to tack to the westward, and keep close to her. this we did, though we had no little difficulty in keeping together without lights, which we did not show, lest we might have been seen by the enemy. the next morning, when we looked round, not one of the french squadron was in sight, greatly to the vexation of our prisoners, who had hoped by this time to have seen the scales turned on us. we were out of the frying-pan, but before long we had reason to fear that we had tumbled into the fire. two days after this, when morning broke, we found ourselves enveloped by a thick fog. there was but little wind, and the sea was perfectly smooth. suddenly the distant roar of a gun burst on our ears. it was answered by another much nearer; a third boomed over the waters on the other side of us. others followed; then fog-bells began to ring--louder and more distinct they sounded; and more guns were fired. "what's all that about?" i asked of the boatswain, who was looking out on the forecastle. "why, that we are in the middle of a big fleet of men-of-war, and if, as i suspect, they are french, and they catch sight of us, they'll make mince-meat of our carcases in pretty quick time," he answered, squirting a whole river of tobacco juice overboard, a proof to me that he was not pleased with the state of affairs. "why, i thought it was a french fleet we escaped from only two days ago," i remarked. "so it was, and this is another," he answered. "in my opinion we shall never get things to rights till we send to the bottom every french ship there is afloat, and we shall do that before long if we can but get a good stand-up fight--that's my opinion." mr johnson was right, as subsequent events proved. the fog was so dense that we could not see a single sail, close as we were to them, and we expected every instant to run into one, or to be hailed and probably discovered. the men were sent without noise to their quarters, for of course it was resolved that we should fight our way out from the midst of our enemies. on we glided. the dim form of a ship was seen on our starboard bow. our course was slightly altered, but it was only to get nearer another. a frenchman hailed. captain collyer answered; what he said i do not know. it seemed to satisfy the stranger. no shot was fired, and we stood on. still there was something peculiarly solemn and awful in the feeling that any moment we might be engaged in an encounter against the most overwhelming odds. again the upper sails of another ship appeared. from their height she was evidently a ship which might have sunk us with a broadside. by seeing this second ship, captain collyer was able to ascertain in what direction the enemy's fleet was standing. as soon as he had done this, our helm was put up, and away we noiselessly glided to the westward. the bells were soon no longer heard--the boom of the guns became fainter and fainter every minute, and at length we had the satisfaction of feeling that we were well clear of them. "depend on it, you have never been nearer inside a french prison or a watery grave than you have been this morning," observed mr johnson to me. "i don't know that. when i was aboard the lugger, and floating about in the channel, i was rather nearer both one and the other," i answered. "you thought you were, but, as the event proved, you were not," said the boatswain. "depend on it, i am right, mr merry. if the captain had not been a good french scholar our fate would have been sealed long before this. we never know on what apparently trivial circumstances our safety depends." mr johnson, it may have been remarked, was never at a loss for an argument or a remark of some sort. his pertinacity in that respect puts me in mind of a certain kind-hearted royal duke with whom i once had the honour of dining--a number of naval and military officers being present. "captain r---," said he, addressing one of them, "how is your father?" "your royal highness, he is dead," was the answer. "oh! is he? poor fellow! then, how is your mother?" "your royal highness, she is dead also." "oh, is she? then which died first?" asked the duke in a tone which made it very difficult even for the best bred of the company to refrain from laughing. without further adventure the doris and her prize arrived safely in plymouth sound. we waited anxiously for the report of the dockyard authorities, who at length gave it as their opinion that the frigate had got so knocked about that she must go into dock to be repaired. everybody was in a great hurry to get leave. in consequence of our having been wounded, grey and spellman and i obtained it at once, and i invited them to pay my family a visit in leicestershire on their way to their own homes. i got leave also for toby bluff to accompany us. "i'll spare him to you. mr merry," said mr johnson. "take care you bring him back, for he will one day do credit to the service in his humble path, just as i flatter myself i do credit to it in mine, and i hope that you, mr merry, will one day in yours. you've made a very good beginning, and you may tell your friends that the boatswain of the ship says so. let them understand that the boatswain is a very important personage, and they will be satisfied that you are a rising young officer." we got a sufficient amount of prize-money advanced to enable us to perform our journey, which we did partly in post-chaises. the latter mode of travelling we agreed was by far the pleasantest. after we left the coach we went along very steadily for a stage or so. "this is slow work," observed spellman. "i vote we make more sail." looking out of the window he sang out, "heave ahead, my hearty. there's a crown for you if you make the craft walk along." although the post-boy did not understand my messmate's language he did our gestures and the mention of the crown, and on we went at a great rate, turning up the dust as the gallant doris was wont to do the brine, and making the stones fly in every direction. at last one of the postillions, who entered into our humour, proposed getting a horn for us. we eagerly accepted the offer, and he said he would purchase one from the guard of a coach, who lived near the road a little way on. it was rather battered, and we paid a high price, but when we found that toby could blow it effectually, we would have had it at any price. proud of his acquisition, toby mounted the box, and, he blowing away with might and main, highly delighted, on we dashed. i ought to have said that, before we left the ship, grey and i had presented to us the two small flags we had nailed to the cross-jack yard in the action with the aigle. at the last stage we agreed that we would do something to astonish the natives, so we ordered an open barouche, which we saw in the yard, with four horses. we got out our flags, and improvised another for spellman; these we secured to sticks, which we cut from the roadside. toby trumpeting like a young elephant, we waving our flags and shouting at the top of our voices, up we dashed in gallant style to the hall door, and i believe did astonish them most completely. never, indeed, had the family of merrys been in a greater commotion than we had the satisfaction of throwing them into by our arrival. it was the holidays, and all my brothers and sisters were at home. out rushed my father and mother, and bertha and edith and winifred, while my brothers cedric and athelstane, and egbert and edwin, hurried up from various quarters, and every servant in the house was speedily collected, and everybody laughed and cried by turns, and the post-boys grinned, and i was kissed and hugged by all in succession--grey and spellman coming in for their share; till i bethought me that i would create a still greater sensation; so, when good mrs potjam, the housekeeper, was beginning to hug me, as was her wont in days gone by, i shrieked out-- "oh, dear! oh, my wound! my wound!" my shipmates, seeing the effect produced, imitated my example. "what, wounded, my dear child? what, have you been wounded?" exclaimed my mother and sisters in chorus. "of course i have; and do you think those deep dimples on spellman's cheeks--i forgot to introduce him, by the bye. mr spellman, midshipman of his britannic majesty's frigate doris--mr, mrs, and the miss and master merrys and their faithful domestics--do you think that those deep dimples are natural? no indeed; a shot went through his cheeks--right through--and those are the scars. see how grey limps--i forgot, i ought to have introduced him. mr george grey, also midshipman of his britannic majesty's frigate doris, and my esteemed friend and messmate; and for myself, i can scarcely yet use my arm. so you see we are heroes who have fought and bled for our country." in those days, as there were not so many newspapers as at present, people were compelled to be their own trumpeters more than would now be considered correct. some also trumpeted over much, knowing that there was not the probability that there is at present of their being found out. this statement of mine increased, as i thought it would, the respect all were inclined to pay us. dinner was just going on the table, and when we had satisfied our hunger, all our tongues were busily employed in our peculiar styles in recounting our adventures. the butler and footmen often stopped to listen, and not a little forgot their proper duties. one placed an empty dish before my mother, into which the cook had forgot to put the poultry; the butler filled my father's glass with fish soy, and two of the men bolted tilt against each other and capsized the remains of a sirloin of beef over the carpet with which one of them was hurrying off after waiting to listen to the fag end of one of my narratives. toby bluff was as busily employed in the servants' hall, and from the broad grins on the countenances of the footmen as they returned to the dining-room, i have no doubt that his narratives were of a facetious character. i never have spent so jolly a time as i did during that visit home. our wounds did not incommode us; we had everything our own way, and all my family and friends made a vast deal of us. at length a newspaper arrived, giving an account of the capture of the aigle, and confirming all i had said, and when, two nights after, we appeared at a country ball, and as we entered the room the band struck up "see the conquering hero comes," we were higher in feather than ever. grey and spellman had, however, to go and see their own friends, and they enjoyed the rather doubtful advantage of again undergoing the same treatment they had received at our house. when they were gone, and the nine days of wonder were over, i found myself sinking into a rather more ordinary personage. in those good old days, however, midshipmen who had been in an engagement and got wounded were somebodies--at all events, if their fathers had fine country seats and saw a number of guests. time sped on. i do not think my family were tired of me, but when the doris was reported ready for sea, they calmly acquiesced in the necessity of my rejoining her without delay, and so toby and i found ourselves packed off in a yellow chaise, and directed to find our way back to plymouth as fast as we could. we made the journey without any adventure, and on our arrival on board found that mr lukyn had been promoted, and that mr bryan was the first-lieutenant. as soon as we had reported ourselves, we dived below to the berth to hear the news. two new lieutenants had joined--the second was a mr patrick fitzgerald. i need not say that he was an irishman. he was pronounced to be a most extraordinary fish, and he positively seemed to take a pleasure in being so considered. he had a big head covered with reddish hair, which stuck out straight as if he was always in a fright, his complexion was richly freckled, his eyes small but twinkling, and his nose, though not prominent, was of ample dimensions as to width. this beautiful headpiece was placed on the broadest of shoulders. his body was somewhat short, but his legs were proportioned to bear the frame of an elephant. he was, as he used to boast, entirely irish from truck to keelson, but certainly not of a high class type. the third lieutenant was an englishman. this was fortunate. mr haisleden was a steady trustworthy man, and had a good deal of the cut of a first-lieutenant about him. it is said that, as a rule, irishmen make better soldiers than sailors, and perhaps this is the case. if inclined to be wild they are apt to out-herod herod. the strict rules of naval discipline do not suit their natural temperament. paddy fitzgerald was a case in point, but a more amusing fellow and better messmate never lived. the ship was again almost ready for sea. perigal, who had got leave, came on board, looking very sad at having had again to part from his wife. spellman and grey joined the next day. there had been no changes in our berth. perigal ought certainly to have been promoted, but he was not. "when the ship is paid off, i suppose that i shall be," he observed with a sigh. it was soon reported that we were ordered to the west indies. grey and i took an opportunity of asking mr johnson what sort of a country we should find out there. "one thing i will tell you, young gentlemen, you'll find it hot enough to boil your blood up a bit," he answered; "as to cooking a beefsteak on the capstan-head, that's nothing, but what do you say to finding all the fowls in the hen-coops roasted and fit for table? and all you have to do, is to hold a burning glass over a bucket of water with fish swimming about in it, and in five minutes you'll have them all thoroughly boiled." grey and i laughed. "well, mr johnson, it must be hot indeed," said i, and, though i did not exactly put faith in his account, i began to wish we had been bound elsewhere. the boatswain saw spellman listening with mouth agape. "hot, i believe you," he continued; "did you ever sit on a red-hot gridiron with your feet under the grate, your head in the fire, and your fists in boiling water? if you ever did, you'll have some notion of what you'll have to go through in the dog-days out in those parts." "oh dear, oh dear," exclaimed spellman: "why we shall all be downright roasted." "i've a notion there's some one being roasted now," observed mr johnson, with a wink and a curl of his nose. "roasted! oh dear no: all we've to do, is to sit up to our necks in casks of water, and bob our heads under every now and then. to be sure, there is a fear that we may all turn into blackamoors, but that is nothing when a man gets accustomed to it. i don't see why a dark skin should not be as good as a white one. though they don't all talk the same lingo, they've as much sense in their woolly heads as white men, that's my opinion; and so, young gentlemen, when you get among them out there, just treat them as if they were of the same nature as yourselves, and you'll find that they will behave well to you, and will be faithful and true." mr johnson's remarks were interrupted by the appearance of toby bluff, who came to summon him on deck. blue peter was flying from aloft. in ten minutes afterwards the capstan-bars were manned, the merry pipe was heard, and, a sturdy gang of our crew tramping round, the anchor was hove up, the topsails were let fall, and away the doris once more glided over the wide sea towards the far west. we had a rapid passage without meeting an enemy; indeed, scarcely a sail hove in sight. we made saint thomas's, and stood across the caribbean sea towards jamaica. hot it was, but not so hot as mr johnson had led us to expect. "wait a bit," he remarked. "it's now winter; just let us see what the summer will be like." we were not destined to enter port royal. we had been making good progress towards it, when three sail were seen from the mast-head. as enemies of all nations just then swarmed in every direction, it was more likely that we should have to fight, than that we should meet with friends. the strangers approached. there were three ships not smaller than frigates certainly, perhaps larger. still we knew that captain collyer would not dream of running away while there was a possibility of coming off victorious. if he did run, it would only be to induce the enemy to follow. the decks were cleared for action. slowly we closed, when at length the strangers began to signalise, and we discovered that they formed the squadron of captain brisbane, who directed captain collyer to join him; except that, in case of parting company, we were ordered to rendezvous at aruba, a small island about twenty leagues to the westward of curacoa, we remained in ignorance of what was about to be done, though that there was something in the wind we had little doubt. various opinions were expressed; some thought that as the dutch had chosen to follow napoleon's advice, and go to war with us, we should attack the island of curacoa itself, to show them that they had better have remained at peace; but the general idea was, that, as it was strongly fortified, we should not make such an attempt without large reinforcements. we did not know then what sort of stuff the commodore was made of. on the evening of the nd of december, we anchored at the west end of aruba, and we soon learned that captain brisbane had not only resolved to attack curacoa, but that he had a first-rate plan, all cut and dry, just suited to the tastes of british seamen. he had learned that the dutch had a custom of finishing the old year by getting very tipsy; high and low, old and young, men and women, all imbibed as large an amount of schiedam as they could manage to stow away. even ladies, young and fair, went about the streets offering glasses of the attractive liquor to their acquaintance and friends, and it would have been a positive insult to have refused it from their hands. the consequence was that the inhabitants, military and civil, had no inclination to get up in the morning, and even guards and look-out men were apt to go to sleep at their posts. captain brisbane formed his plans accordingly, and fixed daybreak on january the st as the moment for attack. we sailed again on the th, and had a long beat up against the trades towards the east end of curacoa. our time, however, was busily employed in making scaling ladders, sharpening cutlasses, and manufacturing every bit of red cloth or stuff we could find into soldiers' coats, as also in arranging other badges, by which each ship's company could be easily distinguished. each crew was thus divided into storming parties, under the lieutenants and senior mates, the captain acting as leader. the boatswains were ordered to place themselves at the heads of parties with ladders to scale the walls, and crowbars to break open the gates. mr johnson was in high glee. "we shall see what we shall see, and i am very much mistaken if we don't teach the mynheers a lesson they will not easily forget," he exclaimed, as he reviewed the articles under his directions. we made the high land of saint barbary, at the east end of curacoa, before the year was an hour old, and we then had a fair wind, the regular south-east trade, to run for the harbour of saint ann's, situated on the south-east of the island. every one was in high spirits. we knew full well that the enterprise was a difficult and dangerous one, but we saw that it was planned with consummate prudence and forethought, and we felt perfect confidence that it would succeed. it was no child's play we were about to perform, as, the gallant arethusa leading, we stood for the harbour, with our boats in tow, ready at a moment's notice to disembark the storming parties. we felt very proud, for we were going to show what bluejackets could do when left to themselves. i was stationed on the forecastle, and so was grey, with our glasses constantly at our eyes. before us appeared the narrow entrance of the harbour, only fifteen fathoms wide; indeed it nowhere exceeds a quarter of a mile in width. on our right appeared fort amsterdam, mounting no less than sixty guns in two tiers, capable, it seemed, of blowing us all out of the water, while there was a chain of forts on the opposite side, and at the bottom of the harbour the fortress, said to be impregnable, of forte republique enfilading the whole, and almost within grape-shot distance. athwart the harbour was moored a dutch thirty-six gun frigate and a twenty-gun corvette. the commodore had been ordered to diplomatise, and so he did in the most effectual way, for we all sailed in with a flag of truce flying, but with the guns run out and the men at their quarters. the mynheers, however, were not inclined to listen to reason, but, waking up and seeing some strangers in their harbour, they hurried to their guns, and began firing away at us. their aim was not very good, and few shots hit us. on we steadily sailed. suddenly there was a cry of disappointment; the wind had shifted, and, coming down the harbour, very nearly drove us on shore. there seemed every prospect of our being compelled to abandon the enterprise. the men in their enthusiasm wished to tow the frigates up. again it shifted. our sails filled; the men cheered heartily. once more up along the harbour, we lay till we brought our broadsides to bear on the forts and the two dutch ships, the arethusa's jib-boom being right over the town. it was just dawn; a boat was despatched by the commodore for the shore; she bore a summons to the dutch governor to surrender, promising to treat him and everybody with the utmost civility if he would; but mynheer von tronk was in no humour to listen to any of the more refined arguments captain brisbane had to offer; so the flag of truce was hauled down, and we had recourse to the _argumentum ad hominem_, or, in other words, we began blazing away from all the guns we could bring to bear. this fully roused up the sleepy dutchmen, and we could see them, (mr johnson declared that many of them had their breeches in their hands), rushing into the boats to get on board their ships, or hurrying to the batteries, which had hitherto maintained a very ineffectual fire. we had given them just three broadsides, when the commodore at the head of a part of his crew put off from the arethusa and pulled for the dutch frigate. up her sides we saw him and his gallant fellows climbing. we longed to be with them. the dutch fought bravely, as they always do, but liquor had unnerved their arms. the conflict though short was sharp. down came the dutch flag, and up went that of england, but not till the dutch captain and several of his crew had been killed and numbers wounded. the brave captain lydiard of the anson captured the corvette in the same style. still close to us frowned the forts, capable it seemed of sinking every one of our ships in a few minutes. "we must take them, bryan, without loss of time," i heard our captain observe, as i was sent up with a message to him. scarcely had he uttered the words when the signal to land was made. in a wonderfully few moments the boats were manned and crowded with small-arms men, and with ladders and crowbar bearers. i accompanied mr johnson with the ladder-bearers' party. while the crowbar-men proceeded to the gates, we made the best of our way to the walls. our chief hope was to succeed by a dash. the dutchmen numbered ten to one of us, and they were no cowards, only slow. as yet they had not half-opened their eyes, or they might have counted our numbers, and discovered that our idlers, dressed in red coats, were not really soldiers. mr johnson was in his glory; the exploit was one exactly to suit his taste. "that commodore of ours is a first-rate fellow, mr merry," he exclaimed, as we pulled on shore. "if he was first lord, and i was admiral of the fleet, we should soon drive every enemy's ship off the seas." on shore we sprang, and under a pretty hot fire we rushed towards the walls. the ladders were placed in spite of the efforts of the half-drunken dutchmen to prevent this, many of them toppling over into the ditch in their attempts to shove them off. up our men swarmed, their cutlasses between their teeth. mr bryan led one party, mr fitzgerald another; the latter with a loud shriek, which he called his family war cry,--it sounded like "wallop a hoo a boo, erin go bragh,"-- sprang on to the walls. a big dutchman stood ready with a long sword to meet him, and would certainly have swept off his head, had he not nimbly dodged on one side with so extraordinary a grimace, that he not only escaped free, but, swinging round his own cutlass, he cut off the head of the unfortunate dutchman who was watching him with astonishment. then he went cutting right and left, and putting the wide breeched enemy to flight on every side. i followed mr johnson; i knew that i was in good company when i was near him, and that though we should most certainly be in the thick of the fight, as long as he kept on his legs he would have an eye on me. we did not gain the top of the walls without being opposed, but the dutchmen literally could not see how to strike. a fat bombardier, however, made a butt at me, and would have sent me over again, had not the boatswain seized me by the collar, when the bombardier went over himself and lay sprawling under the feet of our men at the bottom. then on we went, firing our pistols and slashing right and left. a loud huzza from the sea gate announced to us that that had been forced open, and the dutchmen finding that the day was ours, and persuaded that discretion was the best part of valour, threw down their arms, and shouted out lustily for quarter. it was gladly given them; indeed, there was no real animosity between us, and officers and men were soon seen shaking hands together in the most friendly way possible. we had taken just ten minutes to do the work. however, we had some more places to capture, so locking up our prisoners with a guard over them, out we went again, and climbed up the walls of several other minor forts in succession, the same scenes taking place at each. there was a great deal of shouting and running, but very little bloodshed. mr fitzgerald shrieked and shouted "wallop a hoo a boo," as before, and made terrific grimaces. mr johnson watched him with great admiration. "some men make their fortune by their good looks, mr merry," he observed. "but to my mind, that second lieutenant of ours is more likely to make his by his ugliness. it's a proof that the gifts bestowed on man are very equally divided. he would be nothing without that curious mug of his." the dutch flag still flew defiantly from fort republique at the head of the harbour. garrisons were left in each of the forts, and with a large body of prisoners as hostages we once more returned on board our ships. we now opened a hot fire on the fort. i observed to mr johnson that i heard some of the dutch officers whom we had as prisoners declare that it was impregnable. "very likely," he answered, coolly. "but you see, mr merry, british seamen have a knack of getting into impregnable places, as we shall very soon show them." just then the order was received from the commodore to disembark the marines and a body of seamen from each ship. i was delighted again to be allowed to go. we landed under the protection of the guns of the captured frigate, and made the best of our way round towards the rear of the fort, while the ships kept hurling their shot at it in front. i rather think that the dutchmen in the fort did not see us as we pushed on among sugar canes, and coffee and cotton plantations. we got into the rear of the fort after nearly an hour's very hot march, and then making a dash towards the walls, we were half-way up them before the dutchmen found out what we were about. many of the officers indeed were quietly smoking their meerschaums, looking down the harbour, while they directed the artillerymen at the guns. when they discovered us, dashing down their pipes, they hurried to oppose our progress, but it was too late. our footing was obtained in their impregnable fortress, and, exulting in our success, we dashed on. still the dutchmen fought very bravely. as i kept by mr johnson's side i observed the flutter of some white dresses just before us. they were those of ladies, i guessed, who had been sent to the fort for security, and who now, taken by surprise, were endeavouring to make their escape from us. not knowing where they were going, they ran right in among a party of our men, who, not intending to hurt them, at all events began to treat them in a way which naturally caused them very considerable annoyance and alarm. the truth is, when soldiers and sailors take a place by storm, they become more like wild beasts than human beings, and i have witnessed scenes in my career which it makes me even now shudder to think of. the men into whose hands the ladies had fallen did not belong to our ship. there was no officer with them; so, calling to mr johnson, i ran on. three of the ladies were elderly, but there were five others, mostly young--one especially was, at least so i thought, a very pretty fair girl. she looked pale and terribly frightened. "let those women alone," shouted mr johnson; but the men only looked defiantly at him, and seemed in no way inclined to obey, which put him in a great rage. a boatswain has but little authority except over the men of his own ship. "mind your own business," cried some of the marines. "what have you got to say to us?" just then the ladies got more frightened than ever. the youngest lady screamed, and, i thought, looked towards me. i sprang forward--i felt more like a man than i had ever before done. "let go your hold," i exclaimed in a tone of authority, to the fellow who had his hand on the fair girl's arm. "if one of you dares to interfere with these ladies, i will have him up before the commodore, and he'll make short work with the matter." the fellow still looked defiant. "let go," i again shouted, rushing at him with my dirk. what i might have done i do not know, but at that moment a bullet struck him in the head and knocked him over. it was supposed i had shot the man, and a good many, even of his party, siding with me and mr johnson, the ladies were released. i made signs to the ladies, and endeavoured to assure them in french that they were safe. "i speak english," said the young lady. "thank you--thank you very much." the dutch soldiers had in the meantime thrown down their arms and taken to flight. the shot which had wounded the man was nearly the last fired. the dutch flag was hauled down, and the shouts of our men proclaimed that in about four hours we had captured, with the loss of three killed and fourteen wounded, one of the strongest fortresses in the west indies. i was determined not to lose sight of the ladies till i had placed them in safety. i found that the youngest was the niece of the governor, and that she had a sister and her mother with her. the governor's daughter, a buxom-looking damsel, was also of the party. i conducted them all to captain lydiard, who commanded the expedition, and their carriages and horses being found in the fort, he ordered that they should be conveyed back into the town under an escort. i was highly delighted when i found that i might accompany it. perigal had command. the british flag was flying from every fort and ship in the harbour, and many of the worthy burghers, when their schiedam-steeped senses returned and they opened their eyes, as they looked out of their windows, could not make out what had occurred. we were treated with the greatest respect by everybody we met, and the ladies endeavoured to show their gratitude by every means in their power. as soon as we had seen them to their own homes we were to return on board. i found that the young lady's name was essa von fraulich. "you will come and see us very often, mr merry," she exclaimed in a very foreign accent, though her phraseology was pretty correct. "we want to show how much we love you, and we make nice cake for you, and many other good things." the elder ladies were more demonstrative, and wanted to kiss me, which i thought very derogatory to my dignity. i shook hands warmly with them all round, and as i began with miss essa, i thought it incumbent on me to finish off with her: the townspeople were very civil as we made our way down to the boats. indeed, they did not seem to mind at all what had happened. it was all the same to them which flag flew over the forts. the english had gained a character for justice and honesty, and they were inclined to look upon us as likely to prove good customers, and were, in fact, very glad to see us. they, indeed, probably thought that it was a pity any opposition whatever should have been offered to our entrance. our work was not entirely accomplished. there was still a fort of some strength, a few miles from the town. a party of marines and bluejackets was marched out to take it, which they very speedily did, as the commandant offered no resistance, but, hearing that his chief had capitulated, yielded on being summoned. thus, by noon, the whole of a rich and fertile island, containing forty-five thousand inhabitants, and well fortified, was in our possession, while the whole force we could muster among the four frigates was twelve hundred men. with these we had to man our prizes, to garrison the forts, to protect the country, and to keep the town in order. captain brisbane was, i must say, a host in himself. he was a fine tall man, with very popular manners; and though he showed that he would not allow tricks to be played, he ingratiated himself wonderfully with all classes. he took great pains to conceal from the dutch the paucity of our numbers, and hinted that as long as the inhabitants behaved themselves he would keep his troops on board instead of quartering them on the town. these troops were represented by the idlers of the different ships and occasionally seamen, dressed up in red coats and made to parade the deck. he formed also a bodyguard of all the marines who could ride, and with them at his heels he made a point of galloping about the country and visiting the outposts. he never appeared abroad without being accompanied by them. they were known as captain brisbane's horse-marines. though horse-marines are often spoken of, it was the only time i ever saw such a body either on shore or afloat. we had a very active time of it, every one doing double work, and endeavouring to make it appear as if we had double our real numbers. the lieutenants used to put on the marine officers' undress uniforms and all would go on shore together. fitzgerald unconsciously very nearly betrayed the trick, for his remarkable features were not easily forgotten, and on the first day he appeared in his military character, we saw the dutchmen, as well as some ladies, eyeing him narrowly. they could not conceive it possible two such ugly fellows should be found in the same squadron. fortunately mr bryan was with us, and having plenty of presence of mind, he began to talk about fitzgerald's naval brother who remained on board. captain collyer, however, thought it prudent to prohibit him from again appearing in a military character on shore. mr fitzgerald could not understand this, as he was not at all aware of the peculiarity of his own physiognomy, and declared that he was very hardly treated. i was very anxious to get on shore, that i might pay my promised visit to essa von fraulich and her relatives. as bigger men were wanted on shore, and as the midshipmen were found capable of performing various duties in the ship, grey and i and others were, much to our disappointment, compelled to stay on board. mr johnson also remained on board. "i take it as an especial compliment," he observed. "the fact is, you see, mr merry, that i am worth five or six men at least in the ship, and, in appearance at least, little more than one out of it, and so i am doomed to remain, while others are enjoying themselves on terra firma." chapter eight. in consequence of so many of the officers being on shore, the boatswain had charge of a watch. he trod the deck with considerable dignity, and a stranger coming on board would undoubtedly have taken him for the captain. i was in his watch, and as there was nothing to do, when it occurred at night, except to see that the sentries were on the look-out, that the anchors were not dragging, or the ship on fire, i always got him into conversation; and one evening, grey and spellman having joined us, we begged him to go on with the account of his adventures at the north pole, of which for a long time we had heard nothing. "i would oblige you with all my heart, young gentlemen, if i could but recollect where i left off," he answered, in a well-pleased tone. "let me see. was i living on the top of an iceberg, or dancing reels with polar bears, or--" "no, mr johnson, you had just found your old shipmates, and were living quietly with them in their winter quarters, waiting for a ship to take you off." "so i was--ah--well--" said the boatswain. "as i was telling you, when i last broke off in my most veracious narrative, after we had talked on for a week, our tongues began to get somewhat tired, and we then remembered that it would be necessary to make preparations for our departure from this somewhat inhospitable shore, for as to a vessel touching there to take us off, that event was not likely to occur. i found that my companions had commenced building a boat, but as they did not understand carpentering as i did, it was fortunate for them that i arrived in time to lend them a hand, or they would infallibly have gone to the bottom as soon as they had ventured out on the foaming waves of the polar sea. june was advancing, and the ice began to move perceptibly at a distance from the shore; and as the icebergs knocked and fell against each other, the crash was truly awful. i can only liken it to what we might suppose produced by a set of monster ninepins tumbled about by a party of gigantic dutchmen. i must relate one more event, which served to convince my companions of the perfect correctness of my statements. one night, as i was retiring to rest, i heard footsteps approaching our hut, and, looking out, i saw an immense white bear, sniffing up the air as if he smelt something he fancied for supper. rousing my companions, who had already turned in, i seized my gun, with the intention of knocking him on the head, when, as he turned his face, i recognised an expression i had met before. on his nearer approach i saw that he had but one eye, and i felt convinced that he was the identical bear i had knocked over close to the pole and left for dead, with a steak out of his rump. he made towards me, grinding his teeth and flashing his one eye terrifically, with thoughts of vengeance; but i retreated backwards, and had just time to slam the door in his face, jamming in one of his paws, before he could grasp me in his deadly embrace. thus he was caught in a trap, but his struggles to free himself were so tremendous that i thought he would have carried away the whole hut with him, but my friends coming to my aid, we made fast a strong rope round the lower joint of his paw and secured it to a stout piece of timber which formed part of the foundation of the structure. we then opened the door a little, when he, of course, put in the other paw, which we secured in the same way, and thus had him fast. at first he was very furious and growled tremendously, but by giving him a piece of roasted meat to suck at the end of a ramrod, we tamed him by degrees, and he must have seen that we had no evil intentions towards him. by slacking the ropes we were in a short time able to shut the door, keeping him outside. we then went to sleep, and he only now and then disturbed us by an angry growl as he felt the ropes cutting his wrists. "by a judicious system of starvation, and by gently administering food, we so tamed him that we were able to examine him for a further verification of my suspicions. had my companions before entertained any doubts as to the truth of my story, all such vanished when they discovered that, though the wound had perfectly closed where i had cut out the steak, the cicatrice was there, and skin perfectly denuded of hair. by our pursuing the system i have described for some time, bruin became so tame that he would follow us about like a dog, while he exhibited his affection by every possible means. i shall never forget the grief he exhibited when he saw us working away at our boat and making preparations for our departure. tears fell from his eyes and trickled down his shaggy breast, his bosom heaved with sighs, and he hung his paws as he stood before us, watching our proceedings in the most sentimental manner. "when at length all was ready to make sail, we had to secure him, as we had before done, to the beam in our hut, lest he should scramble into our boat and insist on accompanying us. we knew that with his usual sagacity he could very easily release himself after we were gone. we then hurried on board, shoved off, and stood out to sea. we soon found that we had numberless dangers to encounter. sometimes huge whales rose up and nearly capsized us, and there was always a terrible risk of running foul of icebergs. one day, indeed, there was a thick fog, and we were standing on with a fair breeze, when the bow of the boat came with such terrific impetus against one that she slid right up it for thirty feet at least, and did not stop till she sank into a deep hollow from which it seemed impossible to extricate her. there we were, like three young birds in a nest, floating about at the mercy of the winds and waves. my companions were in despair, but i cheered their spirits by assuring them that all would come right at last, as i knew it would, though, as it turned out, not in the way i expected. "leaving my companions to cut a channel in the ice to launch our boat, i ascended to a higher part of the berg to look out for a sail, hoping that some whaler might be in the neighbourhood. while there i heard a cry of despair, and to my dismay i beheld our boat rapidly gliding down the iceberg. she reached the water in safety, and with canvas set, which it was, i own, lubberly to have allowed, she sailed off before the wind, leaving us on our treacherous island. "fortunately my companions had taken the fish-hooks and other things out of the boat to lighten her or we might have perished; but we managed with the hooks to catch an abundance of fish to supply our wants. we had to eat them raw, but that was nothing. why, once upon a time, i paid a visit to one of the south sea islands, where the king, queen, and all the court devour live fish; and, what is more, they are taught when brought up to table to jump down the throats of their majesties of their own accord, so as to give them as little trouble as possible. it is one of the strongest marks of devotion with which i ever met. "when my companions saw the boat sailing away, they were in despair, and i had great difficulty in preventing them from throwing themselves into the sea, and in restoring their spirits. certainly, an iceberg is not the pleasantest spot for a location. at length, one day, i saw something like a ship's longboat in the distance. it approached the iceberg in the most mysterious manner. we watched it eagerly. it was not a boat after all, but a log of timber, and--you need not believe me if you'd rather not, but it's a fact--there was our pet bear bruin towing the timber at the rate of six knots an hour. i hurried down to the bottom of the berg to receive him. poor fellow! he was so tired with his exertions that he could scarcely climb up out of the water, and when, to exhibit his affection, he attempted to embrace us, he fell forward on all fours, and very nearly rolled over into the sea again. as we sat by his side, all he had strength to do was to lick our hands and moan mournfully. talk of the affection of a dog! i should think that was as strong a mark of affection and sagacity as any dog could give. let others beat it if they can. having loosed bruin from the ropes and secured the log of timber, which was the one, it must be understood, to which we had secured him in the hut, and which he had dragged out with main force, we set to work to catch him a dinner of fish. this was the least we could do, and we were so fortunate in our sport that we were able to give him an abundant meal. he enjoyed it much, and quickly revived. to show his gratitude he soon began to play off his usual extraordinary antics for our amusement, such as dancing a jig, standing on his head, or rolling himself up into a ball. suddenly it struck me that he had brought the log of timber to enable us to escape from our perilous situation. i consulted with my companions, and they agreed with me that if we harnessed bruin to the log, he would undoubtedly tow us to a place of safety. we made signs to him, and he evidently understood our purpose, for he allowed the ropes to be thrown over his shoulders and secured to the log of timber, and when we had placed our stores on it and taken our seats, he slipped gently into the water, and, i holding the reins, off he bravely swam with his snout to the southward. it was far from agreeable work, for our feet were wet, and we were obliged to sit perfectly quiet; but still it was better than remaining on the iceberg, and we contrived to pass our time tolerably well with smoking, eating, and catching fish. the seas in those latitudes abound in fish, so that we were able to feed poor bruin abundantly on them, or he would never have performed the hard work he had got through. "at last a sail hove in sight, towards which i guided bruin. i believe otherwise he would have carried us safely to some southern coast, towards which he was steering. when the people in the vessel first saw us they would not believe that we were human beings, though, after we had hailed pretty lustily in english, they hove their craft to, and told us to come on board. "accordingly, securing the timber astern, we three climbed up the side, followed by bruin, and were not a little amused by hearing the mate tell the captain, who was ill in his cabin, that there were four men just picked up. he had taken the bear for a human being--there was so little difference in appearance between any of us. ha, ha, ha! it was some time, too, before the mistake was discovered. the mate was disappointed, for they were short-handed, and he fancied bruin would prove a fine heavy-sterned fellow for pulling and hauling. so he did when i taught him, and he would fist the end of a rope, and run the topsails up the masts with as much ease as half a dozen of the crew could together. the vessel was the highland lass, bound from halifax to greenock, where we arrived in three weeks in perfect health and spirits. one of my companions, james hoxton, took care of honest bruin, who, not being accustomed to a civilised country, would have been rather adrift by himself, and would scarcely have been treated as a distinguished foreigner. hoxton carried him about the country as a sight, and used to give an account of our adventures, which very much astonished all the people who heard them. bruin liked the amusement, for he was fond of travelling; but i was very sorry to part with him, for he had become the most amiable and civilised of bears, though on our first introduction to each other, i should not have supposed that such would ever have been the case." "is that all, every bit of it, true, mr johnson?" asked spellman, with mouth agape. "did you ever see a polar bear, mr spellman?" demanded the boatswain in an offended tone. "yes," answered spellman, "once, at a show." "then let me ask, young gentleman, why you should have any doubts as to the truth of my narrative?" said mr johnson, drawing himself up and casting an indignant glance at the midshipman. "let me tell you that a thousand things have occurred to me, a hundred thousand times more wonderful than that, during every part of my life; and some day, if you catch me in the humour for talking, perhaps i will tell you about them. i've only time just now to tell you of another somewhat strange adventure which befell me. "not finding a ship at glasgow to suit my fancy, i went to liverpool, where i shipped on board a south sea whaler, called the diddleus. she was a fine craft, measuring full six hundred tons. i won't tell you just now some of the curious events which occurred before we reached the south seas. our success was not very satisfactory. we met with various accidents, and among others we lost our first mate, who was killed by a blow from a white whale's tail in a flurry, and as the captain had the discernment to perceive that there was not a man on board equal to me, he appointed me to the vacant berth. i little thought how soon i should get a step higher. the captain, poor fellow, was enormously fat, and as he was one day looking into the copper to watch how the blubber was boiling, his foot slipped on the greasy deck, and in he fell head foremost. no one missed him at the moment, and he was stirred up and turned into oil before any one knew what had happened. the accident indeed was only discovered by our finding his buttons and the nails of his shoes at the bottom of the copper. in consequence of this sad catastrophe, i became master of the good ship diddleus. either through my judgment, or good luck, it does not become me to say which, we very soon began to fill our casks at a rapid rate. "we had, of course, always our boats ready to go in chase of a fish at a moment's notice. one day two of them were away, and had killed, dead to windward of us, a large whale, towards which i was endeavouring to beat up, when the look-out man from the crow's nest, a sharp-sighted fellow, jerry wilkins by name, hailed the deck to say that there was land in sight on our lee bow. i knew very well that there wasn't, and couldn't be, but when i went aloft and looked out myself, i was dumbfoundered, for there i saw a dark long island, with what i took for a number of trees growing on it like weeping willows. presently the island began to grow larger and larger, and to extend all round the horizon to leeward. i immediately ordered the lead to be hove, expecting to find that some current or other had been sweeping us towards some unknown island not down in the charts, but to the surprise of all of us there was no bottom. i now cracked on all sail i could set, to beat out of the bay, as it seemed to be, but the wind was so light that we made but little way, and as i looked out i saw the line gradually encircling us more and more, so that i must own i was altogether puzzled to know what it was. "the whale and the boats were now about a mile off, when suddenly the island seemed to rise close to them, forming a considerable elevation. while we were watching what next would happen, the boats cast off their tow lines, and pulled like mad towards us. they had good reason to pull hard, i can assure you, for one end of what we took to be the island rose right out of the water, full fifty feet at least, and quickly approaching the whale, the mighty fish disappeared under it, and immediately the elevation sank to its former level. directly after this, one of the crew said he saw a large fire at the end of the island, but when i took my glass, i ascertained that it was nothing more nor less than an immense eye. to give an idea of its size, i may state, with due care not to exaggerate, that i saw fish, of the size of full grown cod, swimming about in the lower lid. a short examination convinced me that what i saw was the head of some mighty marine monster, nothing more nor less than the great sea-serpent, and that the elevation i had seen was his upper jaw. the crews of the boats confirmed the opinion when they came on board, for they stated that when they were close to what they believed was the end of a coral island, they saw it open slowly, while formidable rows of teeth, every one of the size of a heavy gun, and a tongue twice as large as a whale appeared. when they saw this they thought it time to cut and run; nor could i blame them, for had they not, they would have been swallowed with the whale. "some slight idea may be formed of the size of the monster from its having swallowed a white sperm whale whole, with half a dozen harpoons in her, and yet it did not even blink its eyes. i confess that i did not like the position we were in, for, as i had no doubt that it must possess a very considerable appetite, i thought it just possible that it might take it into its head to swallow us up also. to my great satisfaction, however, the monster remained stationary--probably it found the harpoons in the whale's back rather indigestible. "i also considered that, without any vicious intention, should it take it into its head to be frisky, it might do us considerable damage. "after consulting with my mates, it was agreed that at all events we should, if possible, avoid the jaws of the monster. we accordingly steered for the point where we believed its tail was to be found, but after standing on for an hour or more we appeared to be no nearer it than we were when we were within a mile of its head. not only was this the case, but there could be little doubt that it was curling its tail round so as completely to encircle us. "you, i dare say, have all heard of the dreadful passage between sicily and the coast of italy. on one side there are some frightful rocks, over which the sea roars like thunder. they are called the rocks of scylla, and if a ship gets on them she is dashed to pieces in a quarter less than no time. on the other side is the awful whirlpool of charybdis, which draws ships from miles towards it, and sucks them under the water like straws; so i've heard say, but, as i've not seen it done, i can't vouch for the truth of the story. if you keep on one side you've a chance of being cast away on the rocks; if on the other, of being sucked down by the whirlpool. we were now much in the same condition. if we stood on too long on one tack, we ran a risk of sailing down the serpent's mouth; if on the other, of getting an ugly slap with his tail--supposing that he had got a tail anywhere in the distance to slap us with. "as i swept the horizon with my glass, his monstrous body appeared on every side of us, except dead to windward, where there was a clear opening, towards which point we were doing our best to beat up. even that small space appeared to be narrowing. i watched it with no little anxiety--so did the mate, and so did jerry wilkins. jerry was the first to discover that the serpent had a tail. "`i see it--i see it,' sang out jerry. `for all the world like the falls of niagara dancing a hornpipe.' "it was a fact. there was no doubt of that; and what did the monster do but finish by clapping his tail into his mouth, and then he lay just like a big codfish on a fishmonger's stall. it was a fashion we concluded he had when he wished to bask in the sun, but a very inconvenient one to us just then. "we were, indeed, in a pretty fix, for we could not tell how long he might take to sleep; judging by his size, a year or so would have sufficed merely for a morning's nap, and we might all be starved before we could hope to get free. we were in a complete lake, do ye see, and the diddleus was like a child's toy floating in the middle of it. it made us feel very small, i can assure you. i considered that the best thing we could do, under the circumstances, would be to heave-to near his head, so that, should he in his sleep let his tail slip from between his teeth, we might have time to beat round his jaws. "when, however, we got near his head, the crew were so frightened with its terrific appearance, that i saw that there would be a regular mutiny, or that in their terror they would all be jumping overboard, if i did not bear up again pretty quickly. "we had an old fellow on board, joe hobson by name, who was considered an oracle by the crew, and he added to their fears by telling them that he had often heard of these big sea-serpents before, and that, as they usually slept a dozen years or so on a stretch, we should be certainly starved before we could get out. i had, however, no fear about starving, because i knew we could catch fish enough for our support, and i had a plan by which i hoped, if he did sleep on, we might escape. to occupy the time i ran down alongside the head and shoulders, and then beat up again round by the tail end, and this survey, though we had a strong breeze, occupied fully three days. "i now resolved to put into execution my plan, which was simply to cut a channel for the ship right through the serpent's back. i considered that one deep enough to float the ship would be like a mere scratch on the skin to him, and would not wake him. i took, however, a precaution few would have thought of. the surgeon had a cask of laudanum, so, lowering it into a boat, with a few brave fellows as volunteers, we pulled right up to the serpent's mouth. i had a line fast to the bung. watching our opportunity, when the serpent lifted his jaws a little, we let the cask float into his mouth. i then pulled the line--the bung came out, and the laudanum, of course, ran down his throat. "now, i do not mean to say that under ordinary circumstances that quantity could have had any effect on so large a beast, for there was only a hogshead of it; but the doctor observed he placed some hopes of the opiate working from the creature being totally unaccustomed to such a dose. "i had reason to think that it took immediate effect, for before an hour had elapsed, he snored so loudly that we could scarcely hear ourselves speak, though we were fully a mile distant from his head. i now made sail for the middle of his body, where i judged that there would be more fat and less sense of feeling. it took us a day to reach the spot; then heaving the ship to, we lowered the boats to land on the serpent's back. it was, i assure you, nervous work at first, and we had no little difficulty in climbing up his sides, which were uncommonly slippery; but we succeeded at last, and forthwith set to work with knives and saws to cut into his back. at first we made but little progress, in consequence of the barnacles, which covered his skin to the depth of some feet, but when we got fairly through the skin we found to our great joy that there was as good blubber as we had ever cut out of a fat whale. we, therefore, made up our fires, and as we cut out the flesh we sent it on board to be boiled. so hard did we work, that in ten days we had cut a channel deep enough to admit the ship, and had besides got a full cargo of the finest oil that had ever been seen. "we accordingly hoisted in the boats, made all sail, and ran smack on to the very centre of the serpent's back. we had, however, not got quite over when, our keel tickling him, i suppose, he awoke partially, and letting his tail slip out of his mouth, off he went in a northerly direction, at the rate of forty knots an hour, with the good ship diddleus on his back. "we quickly clewed up the sails, or our masts would to a certainty have gone over the side. on we went in this way for three days, when the opium again making him drowsy, he put his tail into his mouth, as a little child does its thumb, and once more went off to sleep. the movement caused the ship to glide off into the sea outside the circle, and there being a strong southerly wind, you may be sure we lost no time in making all sail to get clear of so awkward a customer. the people set up a shout of joy when they saw him like a large island floating astern of the ship. i ordered them to be silent lest they should wake him up, and told them not to be too sure that we were yet altogether clear of him. as it turned out, i was right. "for two days we sailed on without anything unusual happening, and the crew had begun to recover their usual spirits, when, just as it had gone two bells in the middle watch, the first mate called me up, in great alarm, to say that there were two glaring lights right astern of us, coming up fast with the ship. a strong hot wind, and an almost overpowering smell of sulphur, convinced me of the dreadful truth:--we were pursued by the big sea-serpent. i saw that there was nothing to be done but to run for it, so we made all sail, studden sails alow and aloft, and as the diddleus was a good one to go, away we bowled with the monster in hot chase after us. and now, young gentlemen, as my watch is up, and mr fitzgerald will be on deck presently to relieve me, i must bring my tale of the big sea-serpent to an end for the present. what happened next i'll tell you another night: i think you'll agree that there are not many men afloat who have seen stranger sights than i have; and yet i don't say, mind you, that the one i have just told you about, is the strangest by very far--ha! ha! ha! i should think not." when the watch was relieved, we all turned in, and, though i went to sleep quickly enough, i must own that i was all night long dreaming that i was on board the diddleus, chased by the big sea-serpent. the next day i got leave to go on shore to pay my respects to the governor's family. i had never been made so much of as i was by those dutch ladies, even during my last visit home, and miss essa and i became more and more intimate. i thought her, indeed, the most charming young lady i had ever seen, and i do not know how affairs would have ended, had i not had cause to suspect that, though she treated me with very sisterly regard, she still looked upon me only as a young midshipman, and a mere boy. at first i was very indignant, and thought her very ungrateful; but when i told my griefs to grey he laughed, and assured me that when i went home i should consider my own sisters very far superior. i must own he was right. we held the whole island of curacoa in subjection for six months without any reinforcements, and at length were relieved by the arrival of troops from jamaica. we sailed shortly after for that island. having refitted at port royal, we were once more at sea on the look-out for enemies. i had read and heard of so many gallant things being done, that i became very anxious also to do something to distinguish myself. i talked the matter over with grey. he had the same feeling, and we agreed that we would seize the first opportunity of doing something, though what we would do would depend upon circumstances. week after week passed away, and the opportunity we looked for did not occur. at last, one day, when close in with one of the numerous small islands of those seas, mr bryan called me up, and ordered me to take command of the second cutter, with six seamen and a couple of marines, and to go on shore to collect sand for the use of the ship. i asked if grey might accompany me. "to keep each other out of mischief, i suppose," he observed. "yes, he may go, but, remember there's an order against taking arms with you. it is feared that you youngsters will be running your heads into danger if you have the means of fighting." there was nothing very romantic or interesting in prospect for us, but still it was something to get away from the ship, and to feel that, in a certain sense, we were to be our own masters for a few hours. billy wise, the captain's steward, was also sent in the boat. i have not mentioned billy for some time. he had not, however, improved in sense since he came to sea this time, but was continually committing some extraordinary blunder or other. toby bluff also accompanied us. the boat was manned and ready to shove off, but grey had not appeared, so i ran up the side to call him, leaving billy in charge. i was not gone a minute, for grey, who was waiting for a basket to collect shells, at once joined me. the wind was light, and while the frigate, under easy sail, stood off shore, we pulled towards it. we had not got far from the ship, when a piece of sail-cloth being kicked aside, i saw under it several ship's muskets. i counted five of them. i found also that there was a supply of ammunition and half a dozen cutlasses. how they came there was a mystery. no one knew, at least no one would tell. billy wise said that all sorts of things had been handed into the boat, and that the men had told him that they were spades to dig sand. grey and i agreed that, though we could not have ventured to disobey orders and take arms, since the muskets were there, if we should meet with an enemy, it would of course be our duty to use them. the chances, however, of our falling in with one seemed very remote. the heat was considerable, but not quite so hot as mr johnson had declared we should find it. we had a long pull, however, and as the men were somewhat exhausted, i allowed them to take some rest and refreshment before they began to load the boat. of course it was not the sand close down to the sea which was required, but that which, being constantly exposed to the effects of the sun and wind, had become fine and white. the operation of carrying it to the boat therefore took some time. grey and i had brought some cold beef and biscuit and rum and water, and so we sat ourselves down in the shade of a clump of palm trees to discuss our provisions, and to try and get cool. some of the men then asked leave to bathe, and i told them that they might do so, warning them to beware of sharks and not to get out of their depth. they had been frolicking about for some time, while billy wise was sitting down at some little distance off, watching them. suddenly the thought seized him that he too would have a bathe, but he fancied some rocks further away which might serve as a dressing-room. the other men now began to go on with the duty we had come on. toby bluff, meantime, was strolling along the shore looking for shells for grey and me. suddenly we heard him shouting-- "help--help! there's billy wise drowning. some beast has got hold of him!" we rushed towards the spot where poor billy had last been seen. there was a considerable commotion in the water. now a leg, now an arm appeared. we ran on. two of the men who had accompanied us dashed into the sea, as we also did, and we all made our way up to the spot just as poor billy had disappeared under the water. we could see his limbs, however, and, seizing hold of him, we all dragged away and brought him to the surface. the cause of his disappearance was explained. round his right leg and arm, and indeed his neck, were entwined the long tentaculae or arms of what i fancy was a huge squid. to clear him of the horrible mass seemed impossible. indeed it appeared as if the poor fellow was already dead. we shouted for the rest of the men, and with their assistance we dragged billy and the creature into shallow water. the monster would not let go, and we all set to work with our knives to cut it away arm by arm, and feeler by feeler. till this was done, there was evidently no chance of our being able to restore animation. as it was, there seemed to be very little prospect of reviving the poor fellow. at length, however, we got him clear of the horrible mass, which dropped into the sea, and none of us were inclined to stop and examine it. i never have been quite certain what it really was. the sand was hot enough to hatch a turtle's egg, so we laid billy down on it and set to work to rub him all over his body. after a time an eyelid moved, and then his limbs began to twitch, and that encouraged us to rub harder and harder, till at length, to my infinite relief, he breathed, and, getting rid of some of the salt water he had swallowed, he sat up and stared round him, exclaiming, "hallo, mates, have you caught the big fish? i thought as how i'd a grip of him myself." billy never heard the end of his big fish. when he attempted to put on his clothes, he complained that he was stung all over, and so the men carried him just as he was to the boat. they had, however, no little difficulty in keeping him there, for when his hitherto impeded circulation was completely restored, the stinging sensation increased, and made him feel that only a plunge in the sea would cure him. this event had delayed us considerably. we ought to have taken our departure from the island even before billy had begun to bathe, and so, when i looked at my watch, i found that we were two hours at least behind our time. at last we shoved off, but where the frigate was we could not tell. grey thought that she must have drifted round to the other side of the island. we had been directed to keep a look-out for her, but had neglected to do so. then it became a question to which side she had drifted. to ascertain, we lay on our oars, and found a current running to the east, and so decided that she must have gone in that direction. we now pulled merrily along, sure of soon falling in with her. billy wise was the only unhappy one of the party. he could not tell what was going to happen to him, till the men told him he must have fallen into a hedge of sea-nettles, and that he would soon get well again. this comforted him considerably, and so he consented to put on his clothes and sit quiet. it was now growing dusk, when, as we rounded a point, grey exclaimed that he saw a sail ahead. i jumped upon the seat, and made out that she was a schooner standing off the land. "she hasn't much wind," grey remarked. "we might overhaul her," said i. "we ought to do so," remarked grey; "she may be an enemy." "we've got arms, sir," said one of the men. "and ammunition," added another. "many a rich prize has been taken by a boat's crew," observed the coxswain, the oldest man in the boat. "well, grey, suppose we just pull up to her and ascertain what she is," said i. "with all my heart," he answered; "it's a pity, now we have got the muskets and ammunition, if we have the chance, that we should not make use of them." i fully agreed with him. my only fear was that the schooner might after all not prove an enemy. the wind was dropping gradually--there was little doubt that we should get up to her. "i suppose that the captain won't mind much if she is an enemy and we attack her," continued grey. "he'll suspect, though, that we disobeyed orders, and had arms in the boat." "not if we take her," i answered. "he'll not ask questions. if we fail we shall get into a terrible row--we may count on that; but we must take her, and it will stick a feather in our caps, and put some dollars in our pockets too." we were pulling steadily on all this time. we got the muskets up, and ascertained that they were dry, and, loading them, placed them on the thwarts ready for use. the schooner held her course. there was just wind enough to fill her sails and no more. i felt convinced that she was french. i asked the coxswain, ned dawlish, his opinion. he agreed with me, and thought that she was a privateer. "if so, she must be armed," said i. "we will keep in her wake, and as in a short time she will not have steerage way, she will be unable to bring her guns to bear on us." the men were all highly delighted with our proposal. they must have anticipated some such chance when they smuggled the arms into the boat. ned dawlish took another look at the chase. "she's a french craft, and a privateer, i'll bet any money," he exclaimed, sitting down again to his oar. the crew now gave way with a will. the sooner we were up to her the better, because, of course, we knew that we must by this time be seen, and our intentions suspected. "she carries three or, maybe, four guns on a side," observed ned, looking over his shoulder. "but that's no odds, they can't reach us." his eagerness and courage animated the rest of the crew. how many men the chase carried we could not tell; indeed, we did not consider. not one of us entertained a doubt that we should take her. our proposed plan of proceeding was very simple. we were to pull up alongside, jump on board, and, cutlass in hand, drive the enemy down the hatches, or into the sea if they would not yield. there was still some light left, and, as we drew near, it appeared to me that the decks were somewhat crowded. i asked grey what he thought. he agreed with me. still it was too late to retreat. we had not got much farther when bright flashes of flame burst from the stern, and, what we little expected, a shower of bullets rattled about us. "give way, lads, give way!" shouted ned dawlish. "we'll lick the johnny crapeaus in spite of that." the boat dashed on. we hoped to get alongside before another volley was fired. in vain. again a leaden shower rattled round our heads. once more ned dawlish shouted loudly. there was a deep groan, and he fell, with his face bent down, to the bottom of the boat. grey seized his oar, and took his place. he had been shot in the back. speed was everything to us now. there must be a considerable number of small-arm men on board, i saw; but even then it never occurred to me that we ought to turn tail. on we went. still the enemy kept up a fire at us. toby bluff gave a sharp cry. a bullet had hit him, but he answered me when i spoke, and kept his seat. we had the muskets ready. i let go the tiller and seized one. grey and billy wise and two other men did the same, and let fly among the enemy. in another instant we were under the schooner's quarter. the bowman hooked on. without asking leave, up we scrambled, and, cutlass in hand, in spite of boarding-pikes thrust at us, and pistols flashed in our faces, began to play heartily about us among the very much astonished frenchmen. chapter nine. if the frenchmen were very much astonished at finding us among them, we were not the less so on discovering the number of our opponents. besides the crew, we found ourselves engaged with thirty or forty soldiers; but had there been more, it would have been the better for us, for so crowded were the schooner's decks, that they impeded each other's movements. by the suddenness of our rush, we had gained the after part of the vessel, and had killed or wounded half a dozen of the enemy before they knew exactly what to do. the bodies of these men served as a sort of rampart, while the bowman of our boat, having secured her, climbed up the side to our support, thus allowing us a few seconds to look about. in the centre of a group of vociferating, gesticulating, grimace-making frenchmen, some armed with muskets, others with swords and cutlasses, and others pistols and boarding-pikes, stood a tall, gaunt, soldier officer, eyeing us very sternly, and tugging hard to get a sword out of a long scabbard, while he kept screaming to his men, as i understood, to annihilate the dogs of englishmen, and to kick them into the sea. but though he kept shouting louder and louder, till his cries resembled the rabid howls of a wild beast, his soldiers found that though it might be easy to order them to kick five stout british seamen overboard, and two rather precocious midshipmen, it was not quite as easy for them to obey. i saw, too, that our only chance of success was to push on without further delay. had mr johnson been with us i should have felt less doubt as to the result of our exploit. "on, my lads!" i shouted, "we must drive these frenchmen off the deck." grey echoed my words, as did another faint voice, and i found that toby bluff, in spite of his wound, had climbed on board the schooner, and was ready to do battle by my side. on we all pushed. a sturdy french seaman, on my left, raised his cutlass, while i was engaged with another on my right. i could just see, out of the corner of my left eye, his weapon descending, and fully believed that my last moment had come, for it was impossible to ward it off. before, however, the cutlass reached my head, there was the report of a pistol close to my ear, and my enemy tumbled over dead on the deck. toby had saved my life, just as i had before saved the boatswain's. we continued cutting and slashing away so furiously, that the frenchmen no longer attempted to contend against us. jumping aside like a troop of monkeys, as we got among them, they tumbled over each other down the hatchways, the old officer with them; whether he went of his own accord, or could not help it, i was unable to tell. all i know is, that he disappeared with most of his army, the remainder of whom lay sprawling on deck, or clinging to the bowsprit, while some of the crew had run up the rigging, and others had tumbled into the hold with the soldiers. over these latter we took the liberty of clapping the hatches, while billy wise did the wisest thing he had been guilty of for a long time; he pointed his musket at the men aloft, and intimated that he would shoot the first who attempted to descend. some of them had pistols, but they had fortunately already fired them at us, and they were afraid of throwing them at our heads, lest billy should put his threat into execution. his adventure with the sea monster had evidently roused his wits, for he had, besides this, done good service in boarding, and several of the foe owed their fall to his sturdy arm. in less than five minutes from the time we sprang on board, grey and i were shaking hands, as we stood on the hatch, with the frenchmen below us. "i hope, though, that the monsieurs won't blow up the ship," he observed; "they must begin to feel heartily ashamed of the way they have allowed us to take her from them." "no fear of it; they are not the fellows for that," i answered: "but it is just possible that they may attempt to take her back again, so we must keep a very bright look-out to prevent them." grey agreed with me. "i wish that i could talk to them, though," he remarked; "i don't suppose that one of our party knows a word of french." "no; we must learn, however, on the first opportunity," said i. "it would be very convenient, and very likely useful. if the captain had not known it, we should probably have been caught by the enemy's fleet when we got among them." the puzzle was now to settle how to manage with these prisoners. as we had only seven effectives, and they had more than forty, it was no slight task. billy wise, touching his hat, suggested that we should shoot them, or send them overboard with round-shots at their heels, to swim ashore if they could; but as that mode of procedure was somewhat contrary to the customs of civilised warfare, we declined to adopt it, though undoubtedly it would have solved our difficulties. we ultimately agreed that our best plan would be to get hold of all those on deck, and to lash their hands behind them, and then to summon a few at a time of those below to be treated in the same way. we soon had all those above deck secured. it seemed extraordinary that men should submit in so abject a manner to a party of men and boys. they appeared, indeed, entirely to have lost their wits. it shows what boldness and audacity will accomplish. however, it might have been the other way, and we might all have been knocked on the head, or tumbled down as prisoners into the frenchman's hold. having accomplished this, we sent a hand to the helm, trimmed sails, though there was not much wind to fill them, and steered in the direction in which we hoped to fall in with the frigate. i must own that it was not till then that we thought of poor ned dawlish. we drew the boat alongside, and had him lifted on deck. we had some faint hopes that, though he lay so still, he might be alive, but his glazed eyes and stiffened limbs too plainly told us that his last fight was over, and that we should hear his cheery voice and hearty laugh no more. we then, turned our attention to toby bluff. he had shown himself a true hero, for though his wound must have given him intense pain, he had not given utterance to a complaint or a single groan, but had endeavoured to work away as if nothing was the matter with him. i had observed a good deal of blood about his dress, but it was not till i came to examine him that i found it had flowed from his own veins, and that his shirt and trousers on one side were literally saturated. he was looking deadly pale, and would in a few seconds have fainted, had not grey and i set to work to staunch the blood. we had not much experience as surgeons, but we succeeded after some time. "thank ye, sir; thank ye," said toby, his voice growing weaker every moment; "i'll be up and at 'em again directly. i wants another pistol, please, sir. i don't know what tricks the mounseers may be up to, and they shan't hurt you if i can help it, that they shan't. i shot one on 'em, and i'll shoot another." by this time his voice grew indistinct, and we began to be alarmed about him. we happily had some rum and water left. we poured it down his throat, and it evidently revived him. we then placed him under charge of the helmsman, and continued our other duties. "now, merry, what's to be done?" asked grey, when we had got all who remained on deck in limbo. "if those gentlemen down there find it's hot, which i suspect they will very soon, they will begin to grow obstreperous, and try to force their way out. when men get desperate, they are somewhat difficult to manage." "people cannot live without air, i fancy, and they cannot have much of it in the hold of this craft, which must naturally have a pretty strong smell of bilge-water," i answered. "we must get them up somehow or other, so that they don't overpower us. however, we may as well first get the dead men overboard; they are only in the way where they are." "we should see to the wounded first," remarked grey, more thoughtful and humane than i was. "if we could get below, i dare say that we should find spirits and wine, and other good things for them." the first man we came to had received the stroke of a british cutlass full on the top of his head, and did not require our assistance, so he was pitched overboard. the next was the man shot dead by toby, so his body was treated in the same way. a third still breathed, but was bleeding profusely from a deep wound in his shoulder, and a shot through his side. his case seemed hopeless, but we bound up his hurts and placed him against the bulwarks, under the shade of the sail. two more we came to were dead, and two badly wounded. when we had done what we could for them, and placed them with their companions, we saw a fourth man, whom we supposed to be dead, right forward. when we lifted him up his limbs did not seem very stiff, nor could we see any wound about him. billy wise was assisting us. "why, sirs," he exclaimed, "the chap has got a big knife in his clutch, and those eyes of his ain't dead men's eyes, but maybe it will be just as well to pitch him overboard; he can't do no harm then, anyhow." billy was right, for as he spoke i saw the supposed dead man's eyes twinkle. calling another of our people to our assistance, we snatched the knife out of the man's hand, and then lifting him up we seemed as if about to heave him overboard. indeed, billy thought that was our object. the frenchman, however, did not approve of this, and gave strong evidence that he was alive, by struggling violently, and uttering with extraordinary volubility a variety of expletives on the matter. when we had frightened him a little, we lashed his arms behind him and placed him with the rest of the prisoners on deck. there could be little doubt that he had shammed dead, and kept a knife ready, with the hopes of releasing his companions while we were off our guard, and retaking the vessel. for this we could not blame him, so we treated him with the same care as the other prisoners--only, perhaps, we kept rather a sharper watch over him, lest he might attempt to play us some other trick. there were some casks of water on the deck, so we served some of it out to ourselves and our prisoners on deck alike. most of the frenchmen looked as if they were grateful, but the sulky countenances of some of them did not alter. however, that made no difference in our behaviour, as grey and i agreed it must have been terribly annoying to their feelings to find themselves thus hopelessly prisoners. we had done thus much, when we heard thumping and shouts from below. this was what we expected, but we had hoped to have fallen in with the frigate before it became absolutely necessary to open the hatches. we looked round. from the deck she was nowhere to be seen, so charging grey and our men to watch the hatches--the companion and forehatch, as well as the main, i went aloft to obtain a wider circle, in the expectation that i might thus discover her. not a sail was in sight. the low island with its groves of palm trees lay to the northward, and the wide expanse of the caribbean sea to the south. i scarcely knew what to do. i sat at the mast-head to consider, but was speedily aroused by a shout from grey. in a second, as the yankees say, like greased lightning, i slid down the topmast backstay on deck. a frenchman's head was protruding through the fore hatchway, he having forced off the hatch, and billy wise, who had been stationed there, was endeavouring to drive him back--not an easy task, as others below were shoving a boarding-pike at him for the purpose of compelling him to retreat. billy, however, stood his ground, and was working away with his elbow to get at his cutlass, while he kept his musket pointed at the man's head. in the meantime others were thundering away at the main hatch, and, what was still more dangerous, a party had evidently cut their way aft, and were trying to force back the companion-hatch. we knew, too, that they must have firearms, so that we were altogether placed in a very difficult position. the fore hatch must first be secured. i was running to help billy, when i saw him whip out his cutlass, and before i could stop him, it flashed in the sun, and the unfortunate frenchman's head rolled on the deck. "there, you johnny crapeaus, if any of you likes it, i'll do the same for you," he shouted, flourishing his weapon. the body of the man fell below, stopping his companions from ascending, and though they might not have understood the words in which billy's liberal offer was made, they must have caught sight of the glittering cutlass sweeping over the hatchway, and hesitated about placing their necks within its influence. i sprang forward. so excited was billy that he did not see me, and very nearly treated me as he had threatened to do the frenchmen--taking me for one of them. "lauk, master merry, if i had a done it," he exclaimed, when he discovered his mistake. i did not speak, but popping on the hatch, secured it before our captives could make a rush to get out. it was breathless work, it may be believed--indeed, i even to this day feel almost out of breath when i think of it. leaving billy at the post he had guarded so well, i ran back to the companion-hatch, inside of which we could hear the men working away with most disagreeable vigour. "oh dear! oh dear!" exclaimed grey over and over again. "if we could but speak french, we could tell the men what we would do if they would behave themselves." "but, as we cannot, we must show them what we will do if they don't," i rejoined. "we must get them on deck somehow or other, for if we keep them much longer below they will die, i am afraid. it is hot up here-- it must be ten times worse in that close hold." "i'll tell you, then," he answered. "we must keep our loaded pistols in our hands, and get up one at a time through the companion-hatchway. if more than one attempts to come, we must shoot him; there's no help for it. it will be a long process, but i suppose those who first come will tell the others how we treat them, and they will be content to wait." "we must have some water, then, for they will be terribly thirsty," said i. "and we must have a good supply of lashings ready, to secure them." we accordingly unrove all the running rigging that could be spared, and cut it into lengths, and then, leaving billy wise as sentry at his former post, we rolled two water casks over the main hatch, adding a spare sail and spars, so that there was little danger of its being forced. we all then collected round the after hatch. we slipped back the hatch sufficiently far to allow of one man passing through at a time, then, holding our pistols so that those below might see them, we beckoned to the frenchmen to come up. at first, from having discovered probably the way that billy wise had treated their countryman, they were unwilling to take advantage of our invitation, which was not to be wondered at. i ordered the men to take care lest they might fire up at us, for i suspected some treachery. "come along, mounseers, come along; we won't hurt ye," said ned bambrick, the best man with us; indeed, there was not a better in the ship, though certain wild pranks in which he had indulged had prevented him from becoming a petty officer. "come along, now, we'll treat ye as if ye was all sucking babies." though the frenchmen did not understand the words addressed to them, the tone of his voice somewhat reassured them, and at last one ventured up. we immediately seized him by the arms, hauled him out, and shut to the hatch, greatly to the disappointment of those who were following. the frenchman, who was a sailor, looked dreadfully frightened, and began to struggle violently, expecting probably that we were going to throw him overboard. we had, however, his arms very soon lashed behind him, and we then gave him water, and pointed to his shipmates sitting quietly round the side. he was once more satisfied, and we then signed to him, as well as we could, that he was to tell his companions below that no harm would happen to them. we concluded that he did so, for after he had shouted down the hatchway, another cautiously lifted his head above the coaming. he gave a cry as we seized hold of him, but we quickly had him up, and treated like the other. in the same way we got up a dozen, the last showing clear signs of having suffered most. at length a nearly bald head appeared, with a silver plate covering part of it, on which i read the word "arcole," and then the high narrow forehead, gaunt cheeks, and thin body of the old colonel slowly emerged from the cabin. he looked round with a confused expression on his countenance, as if not very certain what had happened; but, before he had had much time for consideration, ned bambrick politely took him by the hand, and helped him to step out on deck. when he found himself seized to be pinioned, he looked very indignant, and struggled to get loose, but we had the ropes round his arms in a moment. as a compliment, however, we secured him to the mainmast, with a heap of sail-cloth to sit on. he made so many extraordinary grimaces that even poor toby, who was sitting opposite to him, in spite of his suffering, burst into a fit of laughter. grey and i had, however, just then too much to do to laugh. there were still nearly twenty men below, enough to overpower us and to release their countrymen, so it was necessary to be as cautious as at first. from the horrible effluvium which came rushing up the hatchway each time the hatch was slid off, we might have known that the men who had to exist in it long were not likely to be very difficult to manage. in those days midshipmen, at all events, knew nothing of hydrogen and oxygen, and that human beings could not exist without a certain supply of the latter. a few more climbed slowly up. we thought that they were shamming, and treated them like the rest. at last no more appeared. "what can they be about?" i asked of grey. then we heard some groans. "what shall we do?" said grey. "i'll tell you, sir, i'll go below and find out," exclaimed ned bambrick. it was the only way of solving the difficulty. we put on the companion-hatch, and lifted off the main hatch. we were nearly knocked down with the abominable odour which arose as we did so. notwithstanding this, ned sprang down into the hold. he groped about for half a minute, when he sang out, "send a whip down and get these fellows on deck, or they'll be dead altogether." we lowered the end of a rope, and ran up the men one after another, as he made them fast to it. they were in a very exhausted condition; but the fresh air, though it was still very hot, and the water we poured down their throats, soon revived them, and we had to lash their arms behind them, as we had the others. during this time billy wise volunteered to go down and assist ned. we had hoisted up ten or a dozen when they both declared that they could find no more, so we took all the hatches off to ventilate the vessel, not forgetting to throw overboard the corpse of the poor fellow whose head billy's cutlass had cut off. billy wanted to keep the head as a trophy, but we did not approve of that, and made him pitch it after the body. "well, now i hope you'll find each other," observed billy, with perfect gravity, as he did so. it had certainly a very odd appearance to see our forty prisoners arranged round the vessel, with the colonel at the mainmast and the man we supposed to be the master at the foremast. we had, however, to wait on them, and to carry them water and food. grey and i agreed that, though it was a very honourable thing to command a ship, we should be very glad to be relieved of the honour. since we captured the vessel we had not had a moment to take any food. hunger made us rather inclined to despond. we, however, found out what was the matter with us, and sent billy wise down into the cabin to forage. he soon returned with some biscuit and white cheese, and dried plums and raisins, and a few bottles of claret, but there was no honest cold beef or rum. "it's no wonder we licked the johnny crapeaus when that's the stuff they feeds on," observed ned bambrick, turning over the food with a look of contempt. however, he and the rest stowed away no small amount of the comestibles, notwithstanding his contempt for them. when, however, he came to the liquid, tossing off the contents of a bottle, he made a woefully wry face and exclaimed,-- "billy, my boy, we must have a full cask of this on deck--a chap must drink a bucket or two before he finds out he has taken anything. it's vinegar and water, to my mind." grey and i took a few glasses of the wine. it did not taste so bad, especially in that hot weather, but we fancied that there was but little strength in it. as the men required refreshment, we did not object to their taking as much as they fancied. persuaded by bambrick, billy went below, and soon sang out that he had found a cask of the same stuff as that in the bottles. a whip was sent below. a cask was hoisted on deck, and found to contain what was undoubtedly claret. when the old colonel saw it he shrieked out something about "monsieur le gouverneur." "well, mounzeer governor! here's to your health, then," said bambrick, draining off a mugful of the claret, which had been quickly tapped. "this is better tipple than the other. here, old boy, you shall have a glass, to see if we can't put a smile into that ugly mug of yours." the old soldier seemed not at all to object to the wine which ned poured down his throat, and he smacked his lips as if he would like some more. fortunately grey and i now tasted the claret, and though we were no great judges of wine, we knew enough to ascertain that it was remarkably fine and strong; and moreover we discovered, by the way ned and billy and the rest began to talk, that they had had enough, if not too much of it already. "it was unwise of us to let them have any at all," observed grey. "how we shall keep them from it i do not know; and if they get drunk, as they certainly will if they have much more, the chances are the frenchmen will take the vessel from us." "we must knock the head in," i answered. "it is our only security. i know from experience, that if seamen can by any means get hold of liquor, they will do so at all risks, and that they are in no way particular what it is." "it will be better to serve it out to the prisoners," said grey. "if we appeal to these men's kind feelings they will do it, and if there is more than enough we must leave the spile out." bambrick and billy, and the other men, were perfectly ready to do as we proposed. when the old colonel saw what we were doing he again shrieked out about the governor, but this did not prevent the men from serving out the wine. it only made bambrick turn round and say: "all right, mr governor, you shall have some more, old boy." he took care, at all events, that the old gentleman should have enough, for he gave him the greater portion of the contents of a jug. we waited till nearly all the men were served, and then grey pulled out the spile, and a good deal ran out. he had to put it in before the men returned for their last supply. still, for fear that too much might remain, he kicked away the block of wood which kept it in its place, and then rolling over the cask, it was emptied of its remaining contents. i must do our fellows the justice to say that they treated the prisoners as they would like to have been treated themselves, and gave them as much wine as they would drink. the only difference was that they would have drunk five times as much as the frenchmen, and not have been the worse for it. they were rather inclined to grumble when they found that there was no more. i saw that it was time to exert my authority. "you've done very well, lads," i exclaimed. "but suppose you were all to get drunk, what would the frenchmen do with us, i should like to know? shall i tell you? they would manage to wriggle themselves free, and heave us all overboard. if we don't want to disgrace ourselves, let us keep what we've got. not another drop of liquor does anyone have aboard here till we fall in with the frigate." my speech appeared to have some effect, and i took care to give all hands ample employment, that they might not think of the liquor. as it was, by the springy way in which they moved about the deck, and the harangues uttered by ned bambrick on every trivial occasion, i saw that they had already had quite enough for our safety. night was now approaching, but still the frigate was nowhere to be seen. grey went aloft, and took an anxious look round. "not a sign of her," he said, as he returned on deck. darkness came on. all hands were naturally feeling very sleepy, but with so many prisoners to guard, even though their hands were lashed behind them, it was necessary for us to keep awake. however, grey and i agreed that--if we were rested and brisk we could do more than if we were worn out--it would be best for us to take a little sleep at intervals, and allow one or two of the men to sleep at the same time. one man was at the helm, and two others kept walking up and down the deck, with pistols in their hands and cutlasses ready for use. grey lay down first. he slept so soundly that i did not like to call him. the night was dark, but the prisoners were quiet, and there was but little wind; even that little had died away. i did not altogether like the look of the weather. the heat was very great, and though it was calm then, i knew that it was not far off the hurricane season, and i thought if we were to be caught in a hurricane how greatly our difficulties would be increased, even if we were not lost altogether. after a time grey started up of his own accord. the instant i lay down on the after part of the deck i was asleep. it appeared to me that i had scarcely closed my eyes, when i was aroused by shouts and cries. i started up, fully persuaded that the frenchmen were loose and upon us. the sounds appeared to come from the hold. as i ran to the main hatchway i heard a noise of scuffling and struggling, and a voice shouting "oh, master merry, master grey, the ghosteses have got hold of me, the ghosteses have got hold of me." looking into the hold, i saw, by the light of a lanthorn, billy wise struggling with two frenchmen, while, forward, grey and one of our men were, i discovered rather by my ears than by sight, engaged with another of the prisoners, who had apparently worked himself loose. ned bambrick had started to his feet at the moment that i did. together we leaped down below. we were not an instant too soon. billy was almost overpowered, and as there were some cutlasses at hand, the frenchmen might have armed themselves and killed us while we were asleep. bambrick knocked one over with a blow of his fist, and the other was easily managed. where they had come from we could not tell. they were none of those who had appeared on deck, and must have been concealed very cleverly when we sent down to search below. it was a lesson to grey and me ever after to go and look ourselves when a search of importance was to be made. while bambrick and billy held the men down, i ran for some rope, with which we made them fast pretty tightly to some stanchions between decks. grey and his companion had in the meantime re-secured the prisoner who had managed nearly to release himself, and we then made a more careful search than before through every part of the vessel. we had pretty well satisfied ourselves that no one else was stowed away below, when a loud cry, and finding the vessel suddenly heeling over, made us spring on deck. a squall had struck her. i did not expect to see her recover herself. everything was flying away; yards were cracking, the sails in shreds fluttering in the gale; the masts were bending as if about to go over the side; blocks were falling from aloft; ropes slashing and whipping furiously; the water was rushing in through the lee scuppers half up the deck, and nearly drowning the unfortunate frenchmen sitting there, who were shrieking out in dismay, believing that their last moments had come. ned bambrick sprang aft and put up the helm: the after canvas was chiefly off her; she had gathered way, and now answering her helm, she flew before it. never had i been in such a scene of confusion, increased by the roaring of the wind, the shrieks of the prisoners, the rattling of the blocks and ropes, the cracking of spars, and the loud slush of the water as it rushed about the deck. what had become of grey i could not tell. it was too dark now to distinguish anyone. i called: he did not answer. a horrid feeling seized me. he must have been knocked overboard. i called again in despair. at that moment it would have been a matter of indifference to me if the frenchmen had risen and taken the vessel from us. a faint voice answered me. it was that of toby bluff. "he was there, sir, but just now." i had been standing on the weather side. i slid down to leeward, for i saw some one there. i grasped hold of the person, and hauled him up. it was grey. when the vessel was first struck, he had been knocked over by the tiller, which he must have just taken, believing that there was to be but a slight breeze. he had been half stunned and half drowned. he speedily, however, to my great joy, recovered. i now mustered all hands, most of whom had been sent sprawling in among the frenchmen, who kicked and bit at them, they declared, but which grey and i did not believe to be the fact. we now set to work to get the ship to rights. we squared yards as well as we could, furled the remnant of the canvas, and set a close-reefed fore-topsail, under which the little vessel ran on very comfortably. our chief concern was, that we were, as we thought, running away from the frigate. none of us felt disposed to go to sleep again, so we kept a bright look-out, not knowing whether we might not be hurrying directly on to a coral reef, or another island. the wind, however, soon began to go down, and i was proposing to grey to haul up again, when billy wise, who was stationed forward, sang out-- "starboard--starboard the helm--or we shall run down the frigate!" sure enough, in half a minute, we were gliding by close under her stern. a voice from the deck hailed us. "what schooner is that?" "the ---, i don't know her name--prize to the second cutter of his majesty's frigate doris," i answered. "we've a heap of prisoners, and i don't know what to do with them!" "heave-to, and we will send a boat on board," was shouted in return. day was just breaking, and the increasing light enabled us to manage better than we could otherwise have done. we had now less fear of our enemies breaking loose, so all hands were able to assist in getting some after sail on the vessel, and bringing her up to the wind. "now we shall catch it for all this," said grey, as we saw the boat pulling towards us from the frigate. "i hope not," said i. "at all events, we must make the best of it. there's mr fitzgerald in the boat. we'll get him to stand our friend." "well, boys, this is a nate piece of work you've been after doing now!" remarked our handsome second lieutenant, as he surveyed the deck. "you don't mean to say that you captured all these heroes?" "every one of them, sir," said grey, with perfect seriousness. "i hope the captain won't be angry." "there's no saying. however, we'll see," he answered with a smile. we now made more sail, and ran in close under the lee of the frigate. perigal was sent on board the schooner to take charge of her, and the prisoners were transferred to the deck of the frigate, where the captain and most of the officers were assembled. mr johnson met me. he had just time to say, "i congratulate you, mr merry. you've done well. you are worthy of my teaching!" when the prisoners were summoned aft. we had given the old colonel his sword, that he might present it in due form. he marched aft at the head of his men, and presented it to captain collyer with a profound bow. the captain then addressed him. i was afterwards told what he said. it was-- "i am surprised, monsieur, that you, an experienced soldier, who have seen much service, should allow yourself and your men to be captured by a single boat's crew and two midshipmen." "ma foi!" exclaimed the colonel, with an inimitable shrug of his shoulders, and an indescribable expression of countenance, indicative of intense disgust. "i am a brave man; i fear nothing--mais c'est ce terrible mal de mer!" (this terrible sea-sickness.) i do not know what captain collyer said in return, but i fancy he did not pay the colonel any compliments on his gallantry. [i only hope that frenchmen, on other occasions, may have their valour cooled down to zero by that terrible sea-sickness.] grey and i were very agreeably surprised when, instead of being reprimanded for what we had done, the captain praised us very much for the daring way in which we had taken the schooner. mr fitzgerald had told him all the particulars beforehand. somebody, however, was to blame for having taken the arms in the boat. all the men, however, declared that they knew nothing about it, but that the getting them in had been entirely managed by ned dawlish, who, being dead, could say nothing in his defence, and was therefore found guilty. the truth was, that the captain was very well-pleased at what had been done, and was ready to overlook the disobedience of orders of which the men had been guilty. grey and i were in high feather. we dined that day with the captain, who complimented us on our exploit, and made us give him all the particulars. he told us that the carpenter, who had been sent on board to survey the schooner, had reported favourably of her, and that he proposed to employ her as a tender, while the frigate was refitting at port royal. as it was necessary to get rid of our prisoners, a course was steered at once for jamaica, so that we might land them there. we found, after a little time, that the french colonel was not a bad old fellow. i really believe that he was as brave as most men, and that he had spoken the truth when he said that "le mal de mer had overcome him." probably most of his men were in the same condition. grey and i did not forget our resolution to try and learn french, and as one of the mates, duncan mcallister, could speak a little, we begged him to ask the old colonel if he would teach us. he replied that he would do so gladly, and would teach any one else who wished to learn. indeed our proposal was ultimately of great service to him, for when he got on shore, and was admitted as a prisoner on his parole, he gained a very comfortable livelihood by teaching french. i afterwards heard that, when the war was over, he declined going back to la belle france, and settled among his friends the english. it is just possible, that the way in which he had allowed himself and his thirty men to be taken by us had something to do with this decision. the colonel's name was, i remember, painchaud, which is translated hotbread,--a funny name, which i never met elsewhere. we invited him into the berth to give his lessons, but we had to clear away several boxes and hampers to afford him space to stretch his legs under the table. as he sat on the narrow locker with his bald head touching the deck above, his elbows resting on the table, and his long legs stretched out to the other side of the berth, while we youngsters in every variety of attitude grouped ourselves round him, he looked like some antiquated gulliver among a party of rather overgrown lilliputians. at first he had a considerable number of pupils, but it was very evident that they assembled more for the sake of trying if any fun could be found, than with any serious intention of learning french. we had forgotten when we had made our proposal that books would be necessary to enable us to make any progress in the language, but not a french work of any sort was to be procured on board, still less a grammar. at length the colonel produced two from his valise. they were, i have reason to believe, not such as would have tended to our edification; but happily, in the then state of our knowledge of the language in which they were written, they were not likely to hurt our morals. as we had no grammar, the colonel made us understand that he wanted paper and pens and ink; and then he wrote out words, and intimated to us that we were to repeat them after him. he would take the hand of one of his pupils and exclaim "_main_," and make each of us repeat it after him. then he would seize an ear and cry out "_oreille_," and pretty hard he pinched too. if any of us cried out, it evidently afforded him infinite amusement. we, of course, gave him the name which he always afterwards kept, of colonel pinchard. when any of his pupils pronounced the word wrongly, it was highly amusing to watch the wonderful way in which his shoulders went up and his head sank down between them. no english pair of shoulders could have behaved in the same way; nor could certainly any english mouth have rolled out the extraordinary expletives with which he was wont to give force to his sentiments. his great delight was, however, pulling grey's and my ears, which, we agreed, was in revenge for taking him prisoner. one day he wrote down _nez_, and asked me what it meant. i replied by a loud neigh like a horse. the rest of the party took the joke and laughed, as i intended they should; but he, not understanding the cause of this, and thinking that they were laughing at him, seized my nose and gave it a tweak, which made me fancy he was pulling it off. in the impulse of the moment i sprang on the table, and seizing his nasal promontory, hauled away at it with hearty goodwill, and there we sat, he sending forth with unsurpassable rapidity a torrent of "sa-c-r-r-es," which almost overwhelmed me; neither of us willing to be the first to let go. at last, from sheer exhaustion and pain, we both of us fell back. i might have boasted of the victory, for, though i felt acute pain, my nose did not alter its shape, while the frenchman's swelled up to twice its usual proportions. the contest, however, very nearly put an end to our french lessons. however, as our master was really a good-natured man, he was soon pacified, and we set to work again as before. chapter ten. we made wonderful progress with our french, in spite of our want of books. indeed, i have reason to believe that information attained under difficulties, is not only acquired more rapidly, but most certainly more completely mastered, than with the aid of all the modern appliances of education, which, like steam-engines at full speed, haul us so fast along the royal road to knowledge, that we have no time to take in half the freight prepared for us. we found, too, that the old colonel knew considerably more about english than we had at first suspected, and at last we ascertained that he had before been captured, and shut up in a prison in england. he did not seem to have any pleasing recollections of that period of his existence. one day, after we had annoyed him more than usual with our pranks, and stirred up his bile, he gave vent to his feelings-- "ah, you betes anglais," he exclaimed. "you have no sympathe vid des miserables. vous eat ros beef vous-memes, and vous starve vos _prisonniers_." he then went on gravely to assure us, that when the inspector of prisons one day rode into the yard of the prison, and left his horse there while he entered the building, the famished prisoners rushed out in a body and surrounded the animal. simultaneously they made a rush at the poor beast, and stabbed it with their knives. in an instant it was skinned, cut up, and carried off piecemeal. when the inspecting officer came back, he found only the stirrups and bit and hoofs. the prisoners were busily occupied cooking their dinners, and had already produced most delicious fricassees, so that the english officer could not believe that they were formed out of the animal on whose back he had galloped up to the prison not an hour before. "that's pretty well up to one of mr johnson's yarns," observed grey to me. "i wish the old fellow could understand him; the boatswain would take the shine out of him i suspect." "bah, dat is noting," said the colonel. "i vill tell you many more curieuse tings. you talk much of de anglish ladies. vel, des are passablement bien; but des all get dronk ven des can. je sais bien vy des go upstairs before de gentlehommes!--it is dat des may drink at dere ease. ha, ha, dat is vot des do; you drink downstairs, des drink upstairs." "come, come, monsieur colonel," exclaimed duncan mcallister, starting up and striking his fist on the table. "ye may tell what crammers ye like and welcome, but if ye dare to utter your falsehoods about the ladies of scotland and england, matrons or maids, prisoner though you be, i'll make your two eyes see brighter lightning than has come out of them for many a day; and if ye want satisfaction, ye shall have as much as ye can get out of a stout ash stick. vous comprennez, don't ye?" the colonel shrugged his shoulders, and wisely said nothing. though he did not understand all mcallister's remarks, he saw that he had gone too far, and that it would be wiser in future, whatever might have been his belief, not to utter any remarks disparaging to the women of england among a party of english sailors. "i dinna think that colonel ever did a bolder thing than brave a litter of young lions in their den," exclaimed mcallister, who, for some especial reason, held france and frenchmen in utter detestation and abhorrence, though he knew more of their language than most of us. we did not mind the poor old colonel's stories, for we remembered that he was a prisoner suffering from sea-sickness, and that he had no other way of venting his spleen. at length we reached port royal, and our prize under charge of perigal arrived at the same time. colonel pinchard begged so hard that he might stay on board while the frigate remained in harbour, that in consideration of the instruction he was affording the youngsters he was allowed to do so. "ah, i do like de ship ven she stay tranquil," he exclaimed, spreading out his hands horizontally, and making them slowly move round. "but ven she tumble bout, den," he put his hands on his stomach, exhibiting with such extraordinary contortions of countenance the acuteness of his sensations, that we all burst into hearty fits of laughter. indeed the colonel was a never failing source of amusement to us. from the wonderfully prolonged cackles in which he indulged, he also evidently enjoyed the jokes himself. the schooner, which required but little refitting, was soon ready for sea. it was understood that perigal was to have the command, and grey and i hoped to be allowed to accompany him. the captain had not as yet let us know his intentions. we should have been ready enough, probably, to have spent our time on shore; but as we should have but little chance of that, we fancied that we should prefer sailing in search of adventures on the ocean. there are few more beautiful spots on the earth's surface than jamaica, with its exquisite verdure, its lofty hills, known as the blue mountains, its round-topped heights covered with groves of pimento, its vast savannahs or plains, its romantic vales, its rivers, bays, and creeks, and its dense and sombre forests, altogether forming one of the most lovely of tropical pictures. entering the harbour, we had port royal on the starboard hand, at the end of a long spit of land called the palisades. on the opposite side of the narrow entrance was rock fort, just under a lofty hill, and as the batteries of fort charles at port royal bristled with guns, while those of fort augusta faced us with an equal number, we agreed that an enemy would find it no easy task to enter the harbour. the dockyard was at port royal, opposite which we brought up. the palisades run parallel with the mainland, thus forming a vast lagoon, not running inland, but along the coast as it were. towards the upper end, the commercial town, called kingston, with its commodious harbour, is situated. some way inland, again, is spanish town, the capital, where the residence of the governor and the house of assembly are to be found. it is a very hot place, and the yellow fever is more apt to pay it a second visit than strangers who have once been there, if they can help it. the admiral on the jamaica station lives on shore, at a house called the admiral's pen, on the palisades, whence he commands a view of the harbour, roadstead, and the ocean. he is better off than the governor, because he does get the sea breeze, which is the best preventive to the yellow fever. it takes an hour or more pulling up from port royal to kingston, the distance being five or six miles or more. spellman once induced me to ride round along the palisades, but we agreed that we would never do it again; for, as it was a calm day, and the rays of the sun beat down on the white sands, we were very nearly roasted alive, and how we escaped a sunstroke i do not know. from what i have said, it will be understood that port royal harbour is a very large sheet of water, and what with the shipping, the towns and ports on its shores, and the lofty mountains rising up in its neighbourhood, is a very picturesque place. we had not been there long, when yellow jack, as the yellow fever is called, made its appearance, both at kingston and port royal, and all visits to the shore were prohibited. grey and i, therefore, had to make ourselves as happy on board as we could, till we received our expected orders to join the schooner. we had not had a yarn for some time from mr johnson. one evening, when work was over, we found him walking the forecastle, taking what he called his sunset food shaker, in a more than usually thoughtful mood. as grey, spellman, and i, with one or two others, went up to him, he heaved a sigh, which sounded not altogether unlike the roar of a young bull. "what is the matter, mr johnson?" i asked, approaching him. "you seem melancholy to-day." "i have cause to be so, mr merry; i have indeed," he answered, in a tone of deep pathos, again sighing. "whenever i look on the blue waters of this harbour, and those whitewashed houses, and those lofty mountains, i think of a strange and sad episode of my eventful history." of course we all exclaimed with one voice, "do tell it to us, mr johnson!" to which i added, "if it would not break your heart, we should so like to hear it." "break my heart, mr merry!" exclaimed the boatswain, striking his bosom with his open palm, and making it sound like the big drum in a regimental band. i could not help fancying that there was a considerable amount of humour lurking in the corner of his eye. "break my heart! jonathan johnson's heart is formed of tougher stuff than to break with any grief it may be doomed to bear. you shall hear. but it strikes me forcibly, young gentlemen, that it may be as well to finish one part of my history before i begin another. who can tell where i left off?" "you were just going to be swallowed by the big sea-serpent, mr johnson; ship, and crew, and all," said grey. "it would be more correct, mr grey, to say that you believed we were going to be swallowed up; because you will understand that had we been swallowed up, i should not, in all human probability, be here, or ever have attained the rank of boatswain of his britannic majesty's frigate doris," said mr johnson, with a polite bend of the head. "however, not to keep you longer in suspense, i will continue my narrative:-- "the good ship diddleus was bowling away under all sail, and the sea-serpent, with mouth agape, following us. it's my opinion, and others agreed with me, that if he'd kept his mouth shut he would have caught us; for the hot wind coming out of his throat filled our sails, just as if it had been blowing a heavy gale of wind, and drove us ahead of him; but he was too eager, do you see, and thought every moment he was going to grab us. we guessed that he had been aroused at finding his back smart from the scratch we made in it. we thus ran on till daybreak, keeping ahead, but not dropping him as much as we could have wished. it was very awful, let me tell you, young gentlemen, to see his big rolling eyes, to feel his hot breath, to smell a smell of sulphur, and to hear his loud roaring. it was painfully evident that he was in a tremendous rage at the liberty we had taken with his back; and there was no doubt that had he come up with us, he could have swallowed the ship and crew, and his own fat into the bargain, with as much ease as he swallowed the whale. if it was a terrific sight to see him at night, it was still worse in the daytime. his immense jaws were wide open, showing a dozen rows of teeth, while his large eyes projected on either side; and i don't think i exaggerate when i say that the tip of his upper jaw was fully sixty feet above the surface of the water. as you all well know, young gentlemen, i am not a man to be daunted; so i loaded our stern-chasers, and kept blazing away at the monster, to make him turn aside, but to no effect. i trained the guns myself, and every shot went into his mouth; but he just rolled his eyes round, and swallowed them as if they were so many pills. it was a fine sight, though a terribly fearful one, i own, to see him coming along so steadily and stately, with the water curling and foaming under his bows, and flying high up into the air as he cut through it. it was neck or nothing with us; so we kept blazing away as fast as we could load. i confess that every moment i expected he would make a spring and grab us, just as an ordinary fish does the bait held over him; but it was necessary that i should set an example of coolness to my crew; and, under the circumstances, i believe that mortal man could not have been cooler. i could not hide from myself the consequences, should he catch us; and yet i scarcely dared to hope that we should escape. we had expended, at last, all our round-shot, and the greater part of our powder, and we had to load with bags of nails and any langrage we could find. we had half emptied the carpenter's chest, and, except some copper bolts, there seemed to be nothing else we could fire off, when, by my calculations, i found that we were approaching the line. life is sweet; and so, that we might keep off the fatal moment as long as possible, we determined to fire away as long as we had a tin-tack or a bradawl to put into our guns, when, on a sudden, he uttered a fierce roar--it did make us jump--and down went his head right under the water, and up went his tail like a huge pillar, when flop it came down again, sending the sea flying over us and very nearly pooping the ship. we felt very uncomfortable, for we naturally expected to see him come up alongside; but he didn't, and two minutes afterwards we made him out close to the horizon, to the southward. it was my opinion at the time-- and i have held it ever since--that either he did not like the mouthful of big nails and bradawls he swallowed, or that he had some objection to crossing the line from not knowing the navigation on the other side. at all events, we were clear of him. we had a quick run to liverpool, where the oil sold at a very high price, and i got a monstrous amount of credit from all who believed my wonderful narrative. as is always the case, some didn't, in spite of the oil i exhibited in proof of the occurrence; but i treated the incredulous fellows with the scorn they deserved, and from that day to this, i'll answer for it, no one has ever caught sight of so much as the tail of the real sea-serpent." "vell, mistre johnson, dat is von very vondeful, vot you call it!" exclaimed colonel pinchard, who had joined us. "a big, thundering bouncer!" cried a voice from behind the boatswain's back. he turned sharply round, but did not discover the speaker. he shook his fist in that direction, however, with a comic expression in his eye, saying-- "bouncer or no bouncer, mister whoever you are, i beg that you'll understand clearly, that i will allow no man, whoever he may be, to labour under the misapprehension that i ever depart one tenth of a point from the strict line of truth; and that reminds me that i promised you, mr merry, and you, mr grey, to narrate an event which occurred during the next voyage i made. i wasn't long in finding a ship, for the certificates with which the owners of the diddleus had furnished me were highly satisfactory; in fact, merit like mine couldn't, in those days, languish in obscurity; though, by the bye, i ought not exactly to sing my own praises; but when a man has a due consciousness of his own superior talents, the feeling will ooze out now and then, do all he can to conceal it. things are altered now: merit's claims are no longer allowed, or i should be living on shore now." mr johnson pointed significantly at the admiral's pen. "ah! oui! i vonce read of von great man, sinbad de sailor, and von oder man, captain lemuel gulliver. you vary like dem gentlemen," observed colonel pinchard, with the politest of bows, to the boatswain. "sinbad! and gulliver!" shouted the boatswain indignantly. "if there are two fellows whose names i hate more than others, they are those. take them all in all, i consider them, without exception, the biggest liars who have ever lived; and if there is a character i detest more than another, it is that of a man who departs in the slightest degree from the truth; no one can longer have confidence in what he says: and, for my own part, i'd rather lose my right hand, and my head into the bargain, than have the shadow of a reason for supposing that the words i was uttering would run the remotest chance of not being implicitly believed." the boatswain's eye kept rolling round on his auditory with a self-satisfied glance, and a twinkle withal, as much as to say, "you i care about understand me perfectly, and if there are any geese who don't, they are welcome to swallow all they can digest." "ah! i had just found a fresh ship. she was the lady stiggins, a fine brig, well armed, and bound round cape horn. we had a somewhat roving commission, and were first to touch out here at jamaica, and one or two others of these gems of the tropics--these islands, full of sugar-candy and blackamoors. "i was not at first a favourite with the crew, for not having had an opportunity of testing my qualifications, but having heard some of my veracious narratives, they were inclined to look upon me as an empty braggadocio, a character they very naturally despised; but i soon gave them reason to alter their opinion, when i was quickly raised to that position in their estimation which i ever after enjoyed. "we were about a day's sail from this same harbour of port royal, and were expecting to make the land next morning, when it fell calm. it was the hottest time of the year. the sun sent his rays down on our heads as if he were a furnace a few yards off, making the pitch in the seams of our decks bubble and squeak, like bacon in a frying-pan; and i remember that a basket of eggs in the cabin were hatched in a few minutes, and looking up from a book i was reading, i saw a whole brood of chickens and ducks squattering about the deck, not knowing where they'd come from, or what to do with themselves. the chickens, however, soon went to roost in a corner, for it was too hot to keep awake, and the ducks waddled up on deck, and were making the best of their way over the vessel's side into the element in which they delight, when we turned them into a water-butt, which contented them mightily. "but this was not the story i was going to tell you. everyone on board felt like the ducks and chickens, overcome by the heat; so that at last, not considering the risk they ran, many of the men stripped off their clothes and jumped overboard. "i, however, kept mine on, and so did several others. the fact was, that we had only, in that hot weather, to give ourselves a shake, and to turn once round in the sun, and we were dry through and through. "we had frolicking and swimming about for some time, enjoying the comparatively cool water, though, for the matter of that, it was pretty well hot enough to boil a lobster, when suddenly our ears were assailed with a terrific cry of `a shark! a shark!' "the outside man was a fine young fellow, tom harding by name. the poor fellow saw his danger, for the shark was making directly for him. i sang out to him not to be afraid, but to swim as fast as he could towards the ship, and he didn't require to be told twice. meantime i was making a circle round, so as to approach the beast in the rear; for, as you all know, i am a first-rate swimmer, and i never heard of the man who could keep up with me. why, i once swam from dover to calais, and back again, for a wager, and danced a hornpipe on the top of shakespeare's cliff, to the astonishment of all who saw me--but that's neither here nor there." "vel, i vonder de shark did not eat you," observed the colonel, with a grin. "eat me, mounseer! i should like to see the shark who would venture to attempt it, unless he found me snoozing on the top of a wave," exclaimed the boatswain, in a tone of pretended indignation. "if it hadn't been for me, however, he would have bolted tom harding, and no mistake. well, tom was swimming for dear life, and all the rest of the crew were scrambling up the side of the vessel, thinking that it was all over with both of us, when i saw the monster turn on his back, his white belly shining in the sun, as he made a grab at tom's leg. it was now time for me to interfere; so, striking out with all my might, i seized the shark by the tail, and slewing him round, just as he expected to make a mouthful of tom, he missed his aim, and his jaws met with a crack which sounded like the report of a hundred muskets. tom gave a shriek, for he thought--as well he might--that his last hour had come; but, still more from instinct than from any hope of escape, he swam on, and was very much surprised to find himself alongside the ship. in fact, when he was hauled on deck, it was some time, i was told, before he could be persuaded that he hadn't lost both his legs, so firmly convinced was he that the shark had got hold of them. "i meantime kept a taut hold of the fish, who was whisking about his tail, and snapping his jaws in his disappointment; and hard work i had, you may depend on't. as he went one way i pulled the other, and acting like a rudder, brought him round again, till i worked him nearer and nearer to the ship. at last i got him alongside, and singing out for a rope, which was quickly hove to me, i passed it dexterously over his tail, and told the men on deck to haul it taut. he was thus partly secured, but the difficulty was to make his head fast, for i had no fancy to get within the power of his jaws. i should observe that he was the largest shark i ever saw. i was almost despairing of securing him, when one of the men, bill jones, i remember, was his name, made fast a big hook with a lump of pork to the topgallant halyards, and hove it before him. the shark grabbed it in a moment, and we had him fast. those on deck had just before been endeavouring to pass a rope under his head, and this now slipped up and caught in his jaws. no sooner did he feel the iron in his mouth, than, darting forward, away he went ahead of the vessel. as i sprang on deck the idea struck me that i would make him of use. there was no great difficulty, for, passing another line over his jaws, we had a regular pair of reins on him. one end of the line was brought in on the starboard and the other on the larboard bow port, while the hook in the nose served to bring him sharp up, when he ran too fast. no sooner were these arrangements made than away he went at a rapid pace ahead, towing us at the rate of at least six knots an hour--i like always to be under the mark, for fear of being thought guilty of exaggeration. by hauling in, now on one side, now on the other, we managed to steer him very well on our proper course. "the calm continued, but on we glided through the water, to the inexpressible astonishment of the crews of several craft we passed, who, of course, thought the lady stiggins must be the flying dutchman. as we entered the harbour, the surprise of people on shore was equally great; and no sooner did we drop our anchor than the brig was surrounded by boats full of people, eager to hear an explanation of the phenomenon. they could scarcely credit our assertions when we told them how we had got along, till we showed them the monster frisking about under the bows almost as tame and docile as a dog. "i had always a wonderful knack of managing pets of all sorts, and by kindly treating jack shark he became very fond of me, and whenever i went on shore, he would swim after the boat, and remain frolicking about near her till my return. at last i thought i would make him of use; so, rigging a pair of short reins, i slipped them over his jaws, and then jumped on his back. he understood in a moment what was expected of him, and away he went with me at a rapid rate through the water. after that, lighting my pipe quite comfortably, i invariably went on shore on his back, and throwing my reins over a post, i used to leave him till my return. you may depend on it, none of the little blackamoors ever played tricks with him. "there are many of the principal merchants and others at kingston even now who would, young gentlemen, if you were to ask them, vouch for the truth of the circumstance. just ask them, and hear what they'll say. the curious part of it was, that though so tame with me, he would attack anybody else, and not a seaman from any of the ships dared to attempt swimming on shore as they had frequently before done. in fact he did swallow one or two; and i believe that he was voted a perfect nuisance, so that everyone was glad when we and our pet left the harbour to prosecute our voyage. of course he followed us; and i used every morning to heave him a piece of pork for his breakfast, a few casks of which i bought cheap of a jew on purpose. it was measly, but he didn't mind that. and now i'm coming to the melancholy part of the history connected with my pet shark. but i have talked a good deal, and in this warm weather it's an exertion even to use one's jaws; so, young gentlemen, you must excuse me from continuing my veracious narrative for the present." "oh, do go on, mr johnson--do go on," we all exclaimed; but the boatswain was inexorable, and, as it happened, it was some time before we heard the sequel to his history of the shark. the next day, grey, and i, and spellman were ordered to join the schooner with twenty hands. perigal still kept command, and at the last moment mcallister came on board to act as his first-lieutenant, with the assistant-surgeon macquoid, and a clerk, bobus, as purser. of course the schooner did not require so many officers and men to navigate her, but we hoped to take many prizes, and hands of course would be wanted to bring them home. we invited the old colonel to accompany us. with a most amusing grimace, and an inimitable shake of the head and shrugs of the shoulders, he answered,--"ah, mes jeunes gentlemens, i do love vous va-a mosh; but de mer--de terrible mer. i do vish de verld ver von big earth and no vater." so we had to leave the colonel and our french lessons behind; but we assured him that we would study hard during our absence. good as were our intentions, it was not very likely that we could adhere to them, and, by the expression of his countenance, the colonel showed that he was strongly of that opinion. we sailed at daybreak, and had the land breeze to take us out of the harbour. our course was to the southward, towards the well-known spanish main. our schooner was the espoir. she sailed well, and carried two eighteen-pounders and six long eights, so that we had every reason to hope that we should pick up some prizes, if we did not get taken ourselves. that last contingency did not occur to us. though it was hot, and we were rather crowded in the cabin, we had a very pleasant time on board. we naturally messed together, and had secured all the good things from the shore, in the shape of fruits and vegetables, and poultry and liquor, which we could collect. it is very well for poets and authors to make their heroes contented with hard fare. i can only say that midshipmen are not, if they know that better is to be got; and i have observed, whenever i have been in the society of poets and other authors, that, practically, they have enjoyed a good dinner as much as any class of people could do, and been very much inclined to grumble if they did not get it, too. we were out some days without sighting a single sail, but we were not the less merry, living upon hope, and the good fare our caterer, macquoid, had collected. at length a sail was seen, and chase made. it was some time before we could make out whether the stranger was a man-of-war or merchantman, a friend or foe. she was a brig we soon discovered, and when we saw her up helm and run off before the wind, we had no doubt as to her pacific character. still she might be english, and, if so, we should have had our chase for nothing. she was a slow sailer, for we came up with her rapidly. we had showed no colours, and had got her within range of our long guns, when up went the french ensign. a cheer burst from our throats. it would have been more hearty if we had thought she had been armed. we showed our colours in return. on we stood, firing a shot wide of her as a signal for her to heave-to. she obeyed, and we heaving-to near her, mcallister, with spellman and a boat's crew, was sent to take possession. the boat was sent back with several of the french crew. the prize was not a rich one, but she was too valuable to be destroyed, so perigal directed spellman to take her to jamaica, allowing him four hands. miss susan did not at all like having his cruise cut so short, but we congratulated him on the honour of having a separate command, being ourselves very well contented to continue on board the espoir. for two days more we stood south, when, at daybreak, another sail was descried from the mast-head. she was a schooner, and from the squareness of her yards, her taut masts, and her white canvas, we suspected that, should she be an enemy, she would prove a very different sort of customer to the slow-sailing brig we had just before captured. that she was not afraid of us was very evident, for, throwing her head sails aback, she awaited our coming. in a short time we made out the french ensign flying at her peak, and we concluded that she was a privateer, probably with a large crew, and well armed. perigal, on this, called all hands aft. "now, my lads," said he, "that craft is an enemy; very likely twice as many men dance on her decks as on ours; but they are frenchmen, and i want to show that we are english, every one, to the backbone, and see how quickly we can take her. i have nothing more to say, except to tell you not to throw your shot away, and, if it comes to boarding, when you strike, strike home." three hearty cheers was the response to this address. the old mate was not much given to oratory, but, when he spoke, he never failed to speak to the purpose. arms were served out, and pistols were stuck in belts, and cutlasses buckled on; muskets were loaded, and arranged in readiness for use; powder and round-shot were brought on deck, and the men, stripped to the waist, with handkerchiefs bound round their heads, stood ready for action. they looked as grim and determined a set as a commanding officer would wish to see; but still, jokes were bandied about, one from the other, and it did not seem to occur to any of them that, before another hour of time had slipped by, in all probability several might be numbered with the dead. ned bambrick was at the helm, with his eye cast ever and anon at the canvas, and then at the frenchman, as we glided on rapidly towards him, just as cool and unconcerned as if he was standing up to speak to a friend. we had the weather-gauge, and perigal resolved to keep it. supposing the enemy superior to us in strength, it would give us an important and necessary advantage. to a sailor's eye it was a pretty sight to see the two schooners approaching. the espoir was a handsome craft, and so was her antagonist. we did not at first show our colours. no sooner, however, did we hoist them than the frenchman filled his sails and tacked, in the hope of weathering on us, firing at the same time a gun of defiance. we suspected that he had not till then known exactly what to make of us, and possibly had taken us for a friend. however, the frenchmen were now in for it, and, like brave men, were resolved to fight it out. we were now near enough for our long eights to tell, and the very first shot, flying high, knocked away the jaws of the enemy's main gaff, wounding at the same time the head of the mainmast. at seeing this, a hearty cheer rose from all on board. it was a prognostic of success. "if we'd tried to do that same we could not have succeeded," observed mcallister. "i say, perigal, you must let me take that craft to jamaica." "with all my heart, my boy, when she's ours; but it's ill-luck to give away what doesn't belong to us," answered our skipper. "never mind; but she will be before many minutes are over," persisted mcallister. "now, lads, just follow suit to that shot, and we'll do for the mounseers in a very short time." by this fortunate shot we had the enemy almost in our power. she ran off before the wind, and we soon came up with her, and hung on her quarter, so that she could rarely bring more than one gun at a time to bear on us. she had fired several shots without effect, but at last, to make amends, one came flying diagonally across our deck, taking off the head of one of our men, and knocking over a second, who survived but a few moments. a few more such fatal shots would sadly have thinned our numbers. the enemy had a good number of men on deck, but not so many as we expected. some were sent aloft to try and repair the damage to the gaff, and this, as we had got within musket range, we did our best to prevent by keeping up a fire of small-arms at them. i had seized a musket, and with others was blazing away, not very effectually, for the men continued their work, and no one appeared to be hurt, when, just as i had fired, i saw a man drop stone dead upon the deck. it was my shot had done the deed. a sickening sensation came over me. i felt as if i had committed a murder. it would have been different had i hit one of the men at the guns, but the poor fellow was performing, so it seemed, but an ordinary piece of a seaman's duty; my blood was cool, i did not feel that he was an enemy. perhaps the idea was foolish; it did not last long. the rest of the men aloft were soon driven on deck, and shooting ahead, we ranged up alongside, and poured in the whole of our broadside. the enemy returned our fire, but our men worked their guns almost twice as quickly as the frenchmen did, aiming much better, and the effect was soon apparent in their shattered bulwarks, decks strewed with slain, and torn sails. "blaze away, lads," shouted mcallister, as he went from gun to gun, pointing one, lending a hand to run out another, or to load a third. still the gallant frenchmen fought on. they were very unlike old pinchard and his men; but there was this difference, they were sailors, whereas the others were soldiers, and it was the _mal de mer_ in that instance deserved the credit of the victory more than we did. this close firing soon got our blood up, and i now felt anxious to run the enemy aboard, that we might be at them with our cutlasses. i have not often found frenchmen foolhardy: they know when they are beaten. englishmen don't, and so sometimes stumble against all rule into victory. just as perigal had ordered bambrick to put the helm to starboard, to run the enemy aboard, the french captain hauled down his flag, and, coming to the gangway, made us a profound bow, as an additional sign that he had struck. we immediately ceased firing, and as our boats had escaped damage, one was lowered, and mcallister and i went on board to take possession. we had certainly contrived in a short hour considerably to spoil the beauty of the french schooner, and dreadfully to diminish the number of her crew. her brave captain and most of his officers were wounded, and six men were killed and ten wounded. her captain received us on the quarter-deck, where he stood ready to deliver his sword with the greatest politeness, as if it was really a pleasant act he was performing, and assured us that it was the fortune de la guerre, and that he had learnt to yield to fortune without a murmur. "he really is one of the pleasantest frenchmen i have ever met," observed mcallister. "we must treat him with all consideration." curiously enough, this remark of my messmate kept continually running in my head, and i could not help repeating it. we had plenty to do to bury the dead, wash the decks, repair the masts, and spars, and bulwarks, and to splice the rigging, and bend fresh sails. mcallister was directed to go as prize-master, and i with bambrick, foley and four other hands accompanied him; some of the french crew were removed on board the espoir, but the captain, two officers, and eight men remained with us as prisoners. perigal had, in fact, already, more prisoners than his own crew now mustered. our new prize was the audacieuse, a larger vessel and better armed than the espoir. by nightfall we had made great progress in getting the prize to rights, and as our own vessel had suffered but little, we were able to bestow all our strength upon her. both perigal and mcallister were very anxious to continue the cruise together. the objection to this was the number of our prisoners. still, as mcallister argued, the commander of the prize, lieutenant preville was a very quiet sort of fellow, and the men left on board were orderly and well-behaved, so that he should have no difficulty in keeping them under. "but, remember, mcallister, that crews have sometimes risen against their captors, and retaken their vessels. it will be necessary to be very careful," observed perigal. "oh, never fear, my old fellow; i should think that we seven englishmen could keep a dozen or more frenchmen in order," answered mcallister, with a somewhat scornful laugh. "if we go into action, we will clap them under hatches, and they will be quiet enough, depend on that." at length perigal yielded, and the audacieuse's mast-head having been fished, and all other damages made good, we continued our cruise together. lieutenant preville was a gentleman, and really a very pleasant fellow; and, to show our appreciation of his good qualities, we invited him to live in his own cabin and to partake of the delicacies which he had laid in for his own especial use, which was generous on our part; and which conduct he did not fail to acknowledge by doing ample justice to the viands. he frequently, too, would tuck up his sleeves, and, going into the galley, would cook dishes, which i doubt that any parisian chef could have surpassed. "ah, ma foi," he observed in french, when we complimented him on his success, "in my opinion a man has no right to claim the character of a civilised being, much less of a chef, unless he can produce a complete dinner from an old tom-cat and a bundle of nettle-tops. he should depend on the fire and the sources managed by his own skill. the rest of the materials are nothing. the fire brings everything to the same condition." certainly lieutenant preville managed to give us an infinite variety of dishes, to all appearance, the foundation of which, to the best of my belief, was salt pork, and beef of a very tough and dry nature. of course, such a man would soon win his way into the good graces of far more stoical beings than english midshipmen are apt to be at present, or were in those good old days. chapter eleven. "well, marmaduke, my boy, we are having a jolly cruise of it," observed mcallister one afternoon, as we walked the deck together, having just partaken of an especially good dinner, dressed by our most polite and obsequious prisoner, lieutenant preville. "if we could but fall in with two or three more fat prizes we should be able to set up as independent gentlemen when we get back home again, and i should be able to regain the lands of the mcallisters from the southern churl who has dared to take possession of them." "they are not very extensive, then, i conclude," i observed. "a midshipman's share of prize-money, even for the richest galleon of old spain, would not go far to purchase much of an estate." "extensive! my boy; i wish you could just come north and have a look at them," exclaimed mcallister. "you can't see from one end to the other, and there is the finest of fine old towers, which would be perfectly habitable, if it were not for the want of windows, and floors, and doors, and other woodwork; and as to the lands, to be sure there is a somewhat considerable preponderance of bog and moor, but oats and potatoes grow finely on the hillsides. ah, my boy, i know well enough what's what--the value of rich pastures and corn-fields--but there's nothing like the home of one's ancestors--the heathery hills of old scotland--for all that." my shipmate spoke with deep feeling, though he had begun in a half-joking vein. our prisoner joined us, and put a stop to the conversation. he offered to go down for his guitar, and, returning with it on deck, he touched the strings, and sang a light french song with much taste and with a fair voice. we complimented him on his performance. "ah, you like singing; i will sing to you night and day, ma foi," he observed. "it is a satisfaction to a man of sentiment to give pleasure to his friends, and i look upon you as my friends in spite of our relative positions. they arise from the circumstances of war. we are friends--true friends--why should we be otherwise?" then he resumed his guitar and sang again as gaily as before. we and our consort kept close together, and as the sailing powers of the two vessels were pretty equal, there was little danger of our being separated. two days after this it fell a dead calm. there we lay, not quite steady, but rolling gently from side to side, moved by the scarcely perceptible and glassy undulations which rose under our keels. the sails went flap-flap against the masts in the most senseless manner, till mcallister ordered them to be furled to prevent the wear and tear they were undergoing. as to the heat, i had never before felt anything like it in the tropics. we could have baked a leg of mutton almost, much more fried a beefsteak, on the capstan-head, while below a dish of apples might easily have been stewed. i remembered mr johnson's account of the heat in the west indies, and began to fear that he had not exaggerated it. it went on growing hotter and hotter, or we felt the heat more and more. the smoke from the chimney of the galley went right up in a thin column, and hung in wreaths over our heads, while that from our cigars, being of a lighter character, ascended above our noses, and finally disappeared in the blue, quivering air. the espoir lay within hail of a speaking-trumpet, and as we had nothing else to do, we carried on an animated conversation with each other, not very dignified, but highly amusing to all concerned. we had better have held our tongues, i suspect. any departure from discipline is bad. the frenchmen who were on deck soon began to imitate our example, and, as they mostly spoke in a patois or jargon which we, of course, could not understand, we did not know what they were saying. i thought i saw a peculiar expression on the faces of some of them, especially when now and then they glanced round and looked at our men. at last, i told mcallister that i fancied the frenchmen were plotting treason, and that it would be wise to make them hold their tongues. he laughed at the notion, and asked if i supposed a set of frog-eating, grinning frenchmen would dare to lift a finger against such a crew of bull-dog englishmen as were our men. "i cannot say they wouldn't," i answered; "they fought pretty toughly before they gave in." "very true, but they had a chance of victory then. now the chances would be all against them, and they might expect to be pitched overboard if they failed," he replied, turning away as if he did not like the suggestion. he, however, soon after hailed perigal, to say that he thought we had had enough of that, and then, turning to the french prisoners, told them to hold their tongues. after a time a mist seemed to be rising over the water, but the heat in no way decreased. "there is something coming," i observed to mcallister. "what do you think?" "christmas, or perhaps a breeze," he answered, jokingly; "both to all appearances equally far off. i see one thing, though, which would make me rather unwilling to jump overboard." he pointed to a black triangular object, below which was a long shadowy form that was moving slowly round the ship. "what's that?" "the boatswain's pet shark, i suppose," said i, laughing. "i should almost expect to see the doris coming up with a breeze from the nor'ard." "just jump on his back, merry, and see if he doesn't carry you off up to the frigate. it would astonish them not a little to see you coming," said mcallister. "thank you, i leave such wonderful performances to wonderful people like mr johnson," said i. just then the monster, turning up the white of his undersides, made a dart at a black bottle and a wisp of hay which had been thrown overboard in the morning. down they went into his capacious maw. "unpleasant sort of pill. i wonder if the glass will cut him," observed mcallister. i shuddered, for i could not help thinking what would have been the fate of any human being who might have happened to be overboard. the seamen had found out their enemy, and were talking about him, and watching his proceedings with suspicious glances. they have an idea that when a shark follows a vessel some one is about to die on board, and that he is waiting for the corpse. sharks have been known to follow vessels for days together, but undoubtedly it is simply that they may feed on the offal thrown overboard. of course if any seaman happens to die during the time, unless he is lashed up in a hammock with a shot at his feet, they are likely to be the gainers. i have, however, very often seen them following a ship when nobody has died. one example in support of a superstitious idea does more to confirm it in the minds of the ignorant than a hundred examples on the opposite side do to weaken the belief in it. not long after this, perigal hailed mcallister, and, pointing round to the sky, told him that he did not like the look of things. he then signed to us to strike our topmasts, and make everything snug aloft. at the same moment the crew of the espoir were seen swarming aloft to shorten sail. we had our sails lowered. hands were now sent aloft to furl them carefully, and to strike upper yards and topmasts. while the hands were thus engaged, as i was standing by the compass to ascertain the direction of the schooner's head, i saw perigal point to the westward, and make a sign to the men aloft to hurry with their work. i did the same, though we, having less to do, were ahead in our proceedings of our consort. i saw enough to convince me that there was no time to be lost. the blackest of black clouds had gathered with a rapidity scarcely credible, and were rushing on towards us with headlong speed. it was not as is often the case when a storm is brewing; a few light clouds come first like the skirmishers in advance of an army; but the whole body came on in one dense mass, the sea below it foaming, and hissing, and curling with a noise which we could hear even before the wind reached us. a hurricane was coming, and one of no ordinary violence. "lie down! lie down, off the yards, all of you," shouted mcallister. the men required no second command. a glance at the quickly changing sky and water told them what was approaching. they slid down the rigging, and in silence awaited the bursting of the tornado. the frenchmen who were on the deck looked pale and anxious, as if they dreaded the consequences of the hurricane. bambrick and another good hand went to the helm. a part of the fore-staysail was hoisted, just to pay the vessel's head off. we were not kept long in suspense. with a loud hiss and roar like thunder the hurricane struck us. the schooner heeled over to the gale; i thought she was going over altogether. many fancied so likewise, and cries of terror escaped from several of the frenchmen. lieutenant preville uttered an expression of annoyance at the pusillanimity of his countrymen. "they are brave garcons, though," he exclaimed, "and fight like heroes with mortal foes of flesh and blood; but they are not like you bull-dog english, who fear neither mortals nor spirits, and would do battle with the prince of darkness himself, if you met him in the open seas on board any craft he might be able to charter." what more the lieutenant might have said i do not know, for the howling of the tempest drowned his voice. the foaming seas began to rush up the schooner's deck, and dense masses of spray flew over her. i thought, indeed, that she was gone; but, recovering from the effects of the first blast, she rose a little when her staysail felt the force of the wind. round went her head: another blast stronger than the first blew the canvas from the bolt-ropes, but the desired effect had been produced, and away she flew under bare poles through the ocean of seething foam; the wind howling and shrieking, and the waters hissing and roaring as we passed over them. till that moment, all my attention having been concentrated on our own craft, i had not thought of our consort. i now looked out for her. she was not to be found in the direction where i expected to see her. i cast my eyes round anxiously on every side. the atmosphere was now so dense with spray torn up from the surface of the ocean that the extent of our horizon was much limited. yet i fancied that we must still be close to our consort. in vain i looked round. i called out to mcallister and told him my fears. certain it was that the espoir was nowhere to be seen. i felt very sad. i could not help dreading that the espoir had been struck as we were, and being less prepared, had capsized and gone over. i thought what had become of poor grey, my constant firm friend, and honest perigal, and i pictured to myself how his young wife would mourn his loss, and whether, if i ever got home, i should have to go and tell her how it had happened. i remembered that huge monster of a shark, which had been swimming round the vessels, and i bethought me that he had come for them if not for us. i was not singular, for when the espoir was missed by others, as was soon the case when they began to lose fear for themselves, i heard bambrick observe to his companion at the helm, "i thought so; i know'd that brute hadn't come for nothing; they always knows better nor we or the port-admiral himself what's in the wind. he was as sartain sure as cheese is cheese that this here harry-cane was a coming, long before we'd even a notion that it was a brewing." the other seaman shook his head with a grave look, as he answered, "i wonder how many of them poor fellows he's got down his hungry maw by this time!" such was the style of conversation among our men. what the frenchmen were saying i do not know. they very soon recovered their spirits and courage, and began laughing and chattering, and dancing about the deck in higher spirits than ever. perhaps they did not always intend to move, but the now fast rising seas gave the lively little vessel sudden and unexpected jerks, which sent them jumping forward or aft, or from side to side, whenever they happened not to be holding on to anything. still i did not feel that we were altogether free from danger. the hurricane blew fiercer and fiercer, the sea also got up rapidly, and threw the vessel about in a way which made it very difficult to steer before it. fortunately our topmasts were housed, or they would have been jerked overboard. i asked mcallister what he proposed doing. "doing! why, of course, scud on till the hurricane has blown itself out," he answered. "but doesn't the wind sometimes shift in a hurricane, and blow more furiously from another quarter?" i asked. "of course it does, and perhaps it will, and we shall be blown back again as far as we have come," he said, taking a look at the compass. "but suppose it was to blow us back farther than we have come," i observed. "merry, just go and bring the chart to the companion stair," was his answer. "it will be blown away if we have it on deck, and i cannot go below just now." i brought the chart, at which he took a rapid glance. eastward, as we were now driving, we had plenty of sea-room, and in a wholesome craft like ours, there was nothing to fear; but westward there was the coast of central america, fringed by rocks and sandbanks, on which many a noble ship has been stranded since columbus discovered the western world. "it is to be hoped that the wind will not shift," he answered. "it does not always. don't let us anticipate evil." lieutenant preville inquired what we were talking about. we told him. he shrugged his shoulders. "patience; the fortune of war; we seamen must always be subject to such reverses," he remarked. "the frenchman takes things easily," observed mcallister. "i wish that i could do so." i had never before pictured to myself what a west india hurricane really was. at times i thought that the schooner would be blown fairly out of the water. how her masts remained in her was a puzzle, from the way she jerked and rolled, and plunged madly onward, struggling away from the seas which seemed every moment as if they would catch and overwhelm her. even though thus flying before the gale, we felt as if we should be blown down, had we not kept a good grip of the bulwarks, and those forward had hard work to make their way aft. suddenly there was a lull. the effect was curious; i can liken it to nothing but when, by shutting a thick door, some loud hubbub of angry voices is no longer heard. the schooner tumbled about just as much as before, or even more, but, instead of being driven onward, she was thrown madly from wave to wave, backwards and forwards; it seemed as if they were playing a game of ball with her. mcallister ordered me to hurry forward and to get some head sail on the schooner. some of the lower parts of the fore-staysail remained. there was no time to bend a new one. there had been a little wind before; it now fell a dead calm; the smoke of a cigar would have ascended as it had done a few hours before. it proved but treacherous: i positively jumped from the suddenness with which the hurricane again struck the vessel, and, as we had apprehended, from the eastward. happily the sail this time produced the desired effect, turning her head from the wind, and then away the canvas flew from the bolt-ropes far off upon the gale. onward we drove as before, still more tossed and tumbled. had our friend, colonel pinchard, been with us, he would have had some reason to complain of the _mal de mer_. the audacieuse was a strong, tight vessel, or she would have sprung a dozen leaks, and gone down with all the knocking about she got. she, however, remained as dry as a bottle. still, as we rushed on, every instant approaching nearer and nearer the rocks and sandbanks of the coast of central america, our anxiety increased. it was vain to hope that we could heave-to, or in any way stop our mad career. we had done all that could be done, and had now only calmly to await our fate, whatever providence had designed that should be. it is under such circumstances as this, that the courage and resignation of men are most severely tried. all action has of necessity ceased, the body is at rest, the mind has now full time for thought. numberless acts of the past life rise up to the recollection, many a deed, and thought, and word, which must bring either pain or fear; principles undergo a test which the wrong and baseless cannot bear. death looks terribly near. what can stand a man in good stead on an occasion like this? one thing, and one thing alone--sound bible religion; a firm faith in him who took our nature upon him, and died for our sins, and rose again, that he might present us, rising with him, faultless before the throne of grace. i say that is the only thing that can make a man feel perfectly happy under such circumstances. i have seen many men stand boldly up to meet expected death, who have no such hope, no such confidence; but their cheeks have been pale, their lips have quivered, and oh, the agony depicted in their eyes. the soul was speaking through them, and told of its secret dread. let no one be deceived by the outward show, the gallant bearing of a man. too often, all within is terror, horror unspeakable of the near-approaching unknown future. we had still a long way to drive before we could reach the neighbourhood of the dreaded shoals and reefs. most of the men probably were ignorant of the risks we were about to encounter. happily, perhaps, for seamen, they seldom realise danger till it presents itself palpably before them. the frenchmen, after a time gaining confidence, began to laugh and joke as before. our men stood calm and grave at their posts. not that they saw danger or felt fear, but that they were engaged in their duty, and knew that much depended on their steadiness and courage. night came on; it was far more trying than the day. i felt very tired, but as to turning in, that was out of the question. hours after hours we flew on, plunging headlong through the darkness, and often, to my excited imagination, strange shrieks and cries seemed to come out of the obscurity. once as we flew on, as i stood watching black masses of water rising on our quarter and rolling on abeam of us, i fancied that i saw a large ship, her hull with her lofty masts towering up to the skies, close to us. it appeared as if another send of the sea would have driven us aboard her. i thought that i could distinguish people leaning over the bulwarks watching us with longing eyes. there was a gush of waters from her scuppers. i could hear the clang of the pumps; she was already deep in the water, rolling heavily; cries arose from her decks; lower and lower she sank. i watched her with straining eyes. a dark sea rose up between her and the schooner. she was no longer where she had been; the tracery of her masts and rigging appeared for an instant above the water, and then sank for ever. i uttered a cry of regret. mcallister shouted to me, and asked me why i had gone to sleep. i declared that i had been wide awake, and told him what i had seen. "you've sharper eyes than any one else," he answered. "you must have been asleep; we passed no ship, depend on that." i insisted on it that we had, and that he had not been looking out as i had; and from that day to this day i am uncertain which was right. i must, however, own that none of the men had seen the sinking ship; but then i hold that neither were they looking out, and it was but a few moments that she was in sight. "had all on board seen her we could have rendered her hapless crew no assistance," i thought to myself, "so it does not signify." on we drove. i never spent a more trying night at sea. i thought the morning never would come or the gale end. the morning, however, did come, as it always does for those who wait for it. we were still driving on furiously, and as the cold grey light of the early dawn broke on the world of waters, the tossing ocean seemed more foam-covered and agitated than even on the previous day. i could see no signs of the cessation of the hurricane, nor did mcallister. bambrick, however, observed that he thought there was less wind, and that it blew with more steadiness than before. the frenchmen gave no opinion; indeed, most of them were below asleep. i worked my way forward to look out ahead. i stood by the side of the man stationed there for some minutes. "the sea is terribly broken away on the starboard bow there," i said. "yes, sir, i don't like the looks of it," was the answer, as we continued gazing. we did not speak again for some minutes. it was as i feared though. "breakers! breakers ahead!" we both simultaneously shouted. "breakers! breakers on the starboard bow!" "starboard the helm," cried mcallister, in a deep tone, without the slightest sign of agitation. it was doubtful if the vessel would feel the effect of the helm sufficiently to prevent her drifting bodily to leeward. on we drove. another moment might see the vessel and all on board hurled to destruction. the stoutest vessel ever built could not hold together for two minutes should she strike on rock or sandbank with the awful sea then running dashing over her. i drew my breath short and clenched my teeth as we approached the broken water. the spray flew over our mastheads. still we did not strike; the dreaded breakers appeared abeam. we had passed the head of a bank or reef. i saw some rocks and sand with a few trees in the distance, probably part of an island, easily discerned under ordinary circumstances above water. the danger for the moment was past, but there was no doubt that we had reached that portion of the caribbean sea most studded with dangers. any moment we might again be among reefs. all we could do was to look out ahead, and pray and hope that we might escape them, as we had done the first. half an hour or twenty minutes passed; some tall palm trees amid the misty atmosphere appeared bending to the storm on the larboard bow. it was doubtful whether reefs might not run out to the northward, and if so we could scarcely escape striking on them. the helm was, however, put to port, that we might pass as far as we could from the island. mcallister hurried forward, and, taking a steady look, declared his conviction that there was a reef to the northward of the island, and that if we could get a little sail on the schooner, we might run under its lee and ride in safety till the tempest was over. the very thought of the possibility of this renewed our spirits. the wind had certainly lessened. rousing up the frenchmen to lend a hand, we got a main-trysail and fore-staysail hoisted. the little craft heeled over, as once more putting the helm to starboard we brought her closer to the wind, in a way which made it seem probable that she would never recover herself; but she did, though; and now we flew on, plunging through the seas which broke on our larboard quarter, towards the island. we drove, of course, to leeward very fast, but still we had hopes that we might round its northern end before we drove past it altogether. everybody on board stood clustered on deck, watching the island, and ever and anon casting anxious glances at the canvas. it stood now, though an hour before it would not have done so. we approached the island. "breakers! breakers on the starboard bow! breakers on the larboard bow!" shouted the men forward. i caught sight of some less broken water ahead. we steered towards it. in another moment our fate would be decided. we flew on; the sea broke terrifically on either hand, but the schooner did not strike. the water became calmer--the island grew more and more abeam. we flattened in the canvas, and, standing towards the land, in another ten minutes found ourselves in a sheltered bay, where, though our mastheads still felt the force of the gale, the wind scarcely reached us on deck. our anchor was dropped and we rode in safety. i could have fallen on my knees and thanked heaven for our merciful preservation from so many dangers, but such an act was not in accordance with our usual habits, and i was kept back from fear of what my companions would say. how miserable and contemptible is such a feeling! we are not afraid of displeasing our all-beneficent creator, or appearing ungrateful for his mercies, and we are afraid of the ridicule of our fellow-men, or even of a sneer from the lips of those we despise the most. i dare say, if the truth were known, that mcallister, bambrick, and others felt exactly as i did, and yet we were positively afraid of showing our feelings to each other. what a contrast did our present position exhibit to the wild tossing to and fro, and the strife of elements we had just passed through. here (for the wind dropped rapidly) all was calm and quiet; the mist dissipated, the sun shone forth, and the blue waters of the bay sparkled as they rippled gently on the light yellow sand, strewed with numberless beautifully coloured shells; while numerous tall palm trees and shrubs of lower growth formed a bright fringe of green round the shores of the bay. as we wanted water, and all agreed that some fresh cocoa-nuts would be very pleasant, i took a boat with four hands, two englishmen and two frenchmen, and, accompanied by lieutenant preville, pulled on shore. i also took a fowling-piece, in the hopes of getting a shot at some birds. there was no lack of cocoa-nuts, which the hurricane had blown off, on the ground, many of the trees themselves being laid prostrate. we had to hunt about some time before we found a spring. at length we came on one overshadowed by trees, where, by clearing away the ground with our spades, we could fill our casks. i with the two englishmen was still at the spring, when the french lieutenant and his two countrymen were rolling down a cask to the boat. i followed, and when yet at some distance, i saw the frenchmen step into the boat and begin shoving off. i ran on, and, having some bullets in my waistcoat pocket, i dropped one down the barrel of my fowling-piece, which i presented at the lieutenant's head, ordering him to come back. he did not at first pay any attention to my threats; i hailed again, and told him that i had loaded with a bullet, and that i did not approve of the joke he was playing. i, at the same time, saw some of the frenchmen on board the schooner making signs to him. suddenly he turned round, as if he had only just seen me, and the boat pulled back to the shore. "i demand a thousand pardons, monsieur," he exclaimed, with the blandest of smiles. "i was only joking, but i am afraid from your countenance, that my vivacity carried me too far." he went on for a considerable time in this style, till my two men came down with their cask, and then, shoving off, we returned on board. i asked mcallister if he had observed anything peculiar in the behaviour of the prisoners while i was on shore. "i was below for a short time, and when i came on deck i found them clustering on the rigging forward," he answered, carelessly. "i called them down, as it is against orders, and they immediately obeyed." i told him of the odd conduct of lieutenant preville, but he observed that he thought it was only the frenchman's joke, though it might be wise to keep a stricter look-out on the prisoners than we had lately done. we had little time however, for, pretty well worn out with the fatigues we had endured for the last four-and-twenty hours, we were glad to take the opportunity of being in a snug harbour to turn in and go to sleep. before doing so, however, i told bambrick, who had charge of the deck, to direct the sentry placed over the prisoners to keep his weather eye open, lest they should play us any trick. tops are said to sleep soundly; i know from experience that midshipmen do. from the moment i put my head on the pillow it seemed but a moment that i was roused up to keep the morning watch. i found a light breeze blowing from the southward. it would not do to lose this opportunity of getting clear out to sea again; so i sent down to mcallister, who soon joined me, and agreed that i was right. the anchor was weighed, and under easy sail we ran out through the passage by which we had entered this harbour of refuge. as i looked on the rocks on either side, now showing their dark heads above water, it seemed wonderful how, with so terrific a hurricane blowing, we had safely entered. how often thus through life are we steered safely by a merciful providence, amidst hosts of dangers which we do not at the time see, and for protection against which we are but too often most miserably unthankful. we were soon clear of the island, but it was necessary to keep a very bright look-out to avoid running on the reefs which we had before escaped. several times we saw rocks on either hand, and breakers still dashing wildly up, showing that reefs or banks were there, and more and more astonished were we that we had passed between them in safety. lieutenant preville shrugged his shoulders. "it would need a good pilot to carry a vessel in safety between those reefs as we came yesterday," he observed. "but, after all, the best pilot is the goddess chance, who guided us." "chance, monsieur! chance!" exclaimed mcallister, with a vehemence in which he seldom indulged. "i do not believe that there is such a thing as chance, much less a goddess. i am not going to discuss the subject, only don't talk to me of chance." the frenchman again shrugged his shoulders, hoped that he had not given offence, and walked away, humming a tune. he continued, however, as polite and obliging as at first. he declared that we wanted a good dinner after our labours, and insisted on cooking it. he outshone himself, and with some shell-fish we had picked up, and two birds i had shot, produced some wonderfully delicious dishes. the wind held fair, but it was light, and it required us constantly to be on the look-out to thread our way among the dangers which surrounded us. our anxiety, too, was very great for the fate of our consort. she was nowhere to be seen, and our fears were increased that she had gone down when first struck by the hurricane. we did not breathe freely till we were well out at sea, clear of all reefs and shoals. lieutenant preville especially complimented us on the seamanship we had displayed, and assured us that it was a great satisfaction to him to have been our shipmate through so trying an event. mcallister and i now agreed that if we did not fall in with the espoir it was undoubtedly our duty to return to jamaica. we accordingly cruised about for two days, and then shaped a course for that island. the next night it was my middle watch on deck. it had struck seven bells, and i was contemplating the satisfaction i should feel in turning in and going to sleep, when i suddenly found the french lieutenant walking by my side. this was against rule, as none of the prisoners were allowed to come on deck at night without the permission of the officer of the watch. he apologised, saying that he was oppressed with the heat, and knew that i would allow him to come. in a little time he professed to see a light ahead, and induced me to walk forward to look at it. just as i was abreast of the foremast i found my arms seized, a gag thrust into my mouth, and a handkerchief bound over my eyes, so that i could neither struggle, cry out, nor see what was going forward. the horrible conviction came on me that the frenchmen were attempting to recapture the vessel. i hoped that mcallister might be awake, as he was so soon to relieve me. the suspense, however, was terrible. i found myself secured to the bulwarks, and left to my cogitations. i augured the worst, because there was no cry; no shots were fired. there i sat, it seemed an age, listening for some sounds. i was almost sure that the frenchmen had mastered all our people on deck, even ned bambrick. at length i heard one of the french seamen speaking; he was making a report to lieutenant preville. a loud cheer was the response, "vive l'empereur! vive la france!" i knew full well by this, that they were in entire possession of the vessel. my heart sank within me. it was bad enough to lose our prize; it would be worse to be thrown overboard, or to have our throats cut. i did not, however, think that the frenchmen would do that. they would take very good care, though, that we did not regain the vessel. such being the case, i really felt almost indifferent as to what became of us. after all the civility we had shown lieutenant preville, i thought that he might as well have released me from my uncomfortable position, with my arms lashed tightly behind me, and a gag in my mouth. i heard some orders issued in french, and the blocks rattling, and yards creaking as if the sails were being trimmed, and the schooner's course altered. hour after hour passed by; at last i fell asleep with a crick in my neck, and the sound of a frenchman's voice in my ear. "oh, pauvre miserable!" said the voice; "why we forgot him." such was the fact, not very complimentary to my importance. i had been overlooked. the speaker took the handkerchief off my eyes. it was daylight, and the schooner was running under all sail before a fair breeze. lieutenant preville soon appeared, and, telling the men to cast me loose, invited me, in a tone of irony, i fancied, to join my brother officer at breakfast with him. poor mcallister looked dreadfully cast down. we took our seats in silence. our host, who had yesterday been our guest, was in high spirits. "it is the fortune of war, you well know, monsieur merry," he observed with a provoking smile. "brave garcons like you know how to bear such reverses with equanimity. i can feel for you, though, believe me. monsieur mcallister, i drink to your health, though i fear that you will not be a lieutenant as soon as you expected. here, take some of this claret; it will revive your spirits." my messmate seized the decanter of wine, which it is the custom of the french to have on the table at breakfast, and drank off a large tumbler. he drew a long breath after he had done so. "you have the advantage of us this time undoubtedly, monsieur preville," he exclaimed bitterly; "but a day will come when we shall meet together on equal terms, and then, i hope, as brave men we shall fight it out to the death." "with pleasure, assuredly," answered the frenchman, with the politest of bows and smiles. "but in the mean time you must endeavour to restrain your impetuosity. at present it would be impossible to give you the satisfaction you require." poor mcallister ground his teeth; the words were taunting, but the expression of the frenchman's countenance was more so. he would have sprung up and fought him then and there, with carving knives or any weapons at hand; but he restrained himself for a good reason. the lieutenant had a brace of loaded pistols by his side on the table, and two seamen stood on either side of us with loaded muskets, ready to blow out our brains, had we exhibited any signs of insubordination. mcallister went on eating his breakfast in silence. the lieutenant pointed to the men and to his pistols. "these are to do you honour," he observed. "they are the greatest compliment we can pay to your bravery. unless you were handcuffed, i should not think myself safe a moment." "we did not treat you so," i remarked. "no, my friend," he said, smiling; "but you are prisoners, and i have regained command of my schooner." i had not a word to say, but i resolved to profit by the lesson in my future career. we were not allowed to communicate with any of our men, who were kept under strict watch forward, and only permitted to come on deck one at a time, in charge of a sentry. mcallister and i even had no opportunity of communicating with each other. when we got on deck, an armed man walked up and down by our side, and when we approached the compass, we were ordered away, so that we could not tell what course we were steering, except by guessing from the position of the sun. of course, with all the care the frenchmen took, we had very little hopes of being able to retake the schooner. neither could we tell what was to be done with us, nor did lieutenant preville think fit to inform us. after all our anticipations of prize-money and pleasure on shore, to have the inside of a french prison alone in view was very galling to our feelings. mcallister could do nothing but mourn his hard fate, and mutter threatenings against france and frenchmen should he ever regain his liberty. our only hope was that one of our own cruisers might fall in with the audacieuse, and that we might thus be set at liberty. consequently, whenever we were on deck we scanned the horizon anxiously, resolved, if we caught sight of a sail, not to give the frenchmen too early a notice of the fact. at last one day we lay becalmed, while a thick mist had settled down over the ocean. i began to fear that we were going to have another hurricane. the frenchmen did not think so, but took things very easily. the look-out came down from aloft, and, except the man who was placed as sentry over us, all hands employed themselves in mending their clothes and in other similar occupations. the man at the helm stood leaning on the tiller, lazily watching his companions. suddenly to the westward i saw the mist lift, and, directly under the canopy thus formed, i distinctly saw a large ship standing down under all sail towards us. i was afraid by word or sign to point her out to mcallister, and dreaded lest the expression of my countenance might draw the attention of any of the crew towards her. she could not fail to pass close to us if she continued on the course she was steering. i only hoped that the mist would lift again, in time to show the audacieuse to those on board her. the mist seemed, much to my satisfaction, to be settling down again, when at that instant lieutenant preville came on deck. his quick eye instantly detected the stranger. having uttered some forcible expletives as to his opinion of his crew's conduct in not keeping a better look-out, he ordered the sails to be trimmed, and every stitch of canvas the schooner could carry to be set in readiness for the coming breeze, mcallister's and my eagerness may be easily conceived. we both had an idea that the ship was english, and that she would bring up the breeze. what was our disappointment, then, when we saw the schooner's sails rilling out. away she glided before the breeze. the mist soon afterwards entirely cleared away, and exhibited the stranger about two miles off. by her build and the cut of her sails she was english. when she saw us, all sail was made on board her; but the audacieuse had a fast pair of heels, and it was soon evident that she was leaving her pursuer far astern. our hopes sank and sank, and by nightfall we had run her out of sight. when morning returned the stranger was nowhere to be seen. four days thus passed by. they were far from agreeable ones. early on the sixth we found a substantial breakfast on the table, and after we had partaken of it with a suspicion that it was to be our last on board, we were ordered on deck. here we found the schooner hove-to, and all our people assembled, while alongside lay one of the schooner's boats, with oars and masts and sails, a water cask, and some hampers and cases of provisions. there was a tarpaulin, and the boat was fitted in other respects, as far as she could be, to perform a long voyage. "there, my friends," observed the lieutenant; "i wish to part with you on friendly terms. i do not desire to keep you as prisoners, as i am bound on a long cruise, and i hope that you may regain your own ship in safety. i will give you your course for jamaica, which you may reach in a week; farewell." we had not a word to say against this arrangement, so, thanking the frenchman for his courtesy, we followed our men, who had before been ordered into the boat. even mcallister could not help putting out his hand and exclaiming, "you are brave, as are most frenchmen, but you are honest and kind-hearted, and that is more than i, for one, will say of some of your countrymen." the lieutenant shrugged his shoulders and laughed as he shook our hands. he was in high good spirits, as well he might be. we stepped into the boat, and he waved his hand; we shoved off, and, bowing as politely as we could force ourselves to do, we hoisted our sails and shaped a course for jamaica. the audacieuse filled, and then, hauling her wind, stood away to the eastward. chapter twelve. it was satisfactory to be once more at liberty, but a voyage in an open boat across the caribbean sea, when it was possible that we might have to encounter another hurricane, was not altogether an exploit we should have undertaken if we had had our choice. however, as we had plenty of provisions and enough water, we had no reason to complain. we found, indeed, on looking over our stores to select some food for our dinner, that there were a dozen of claret and six bottles of brandy. "really, that fellow preville is a trump," i exclaimed, as i poured out a glass of the former, and handed it to mcallister. "we'll drink his health, for he deserves it. come, rouse up, my boy. it's good liquor; you'll not deny that." "i'll drink his health and long life to him, that we may have a better chance of meeting together in mortal combat," answered my messmate, gloomily. "to have our hard-won prize stolen out of our hands in this way--it's more than i can bear. and to have to make our appearance on board the frigate without our vessel, and to report the loss of poor perigal and the others, is even worse." i did my best to rouse up mcallister, and to make him see matters in a more cheerful light, but it was no easy matter. he was ever dwelling on the fact that the prize had been placed under his charge, and that he had lost her. i was sometimes almost afraid that, if not watched at night, he would be jumping overboard, so gloomy did he become. bambrick entertained the same idea also, i suspected, and i was glad to see that he watched him narrowly. we also did our best to amuse him, and i got the men to sing songs and spin yarns from morning till night. only one story told by ned bambrick seemed to afford him much amusement. "you must know, sir, when i was paid off during the last peace, i joined a south sea whaler. you've heard tell of botany bay. well, that's nowhere, or that's to say, it is not the place where they send prisoners. but there's a fine harbour near it, which they call port jackson, and up it there's a town which they call the camp, but which has now got the name of sydney. it's what they call a colony, that's to say, a good number of people of all sorts, besides convicts, goes out there, and they've a governor set over them, who rules the land just like any king. he's a right, real sort of a governor, to my mind, for he makes the laws and sees that they are obeyed, too. he won't stand no nonsense, and though he doesn't wear a wig and gown, like the judges at home, he sits in a court, and tries all them who doesn't do what they ought. he hears both parties, and, when they've done, he sings out, `haul in the slack of your jaw-tackle, and belay all that,' and then he goes for to say what each party must do, and he won't hear a word more from either of them. well, as i was a saying, i joined a south sea whaler. i can't say as how i had a pleasant time aboard, but it was better than others had. our captain was one of them chaps as always does what they choose, and he pretty often chose to do what was very bad. he had a quarrel with the doctor of the ship, who was a very decent, well-behaved young man, and not wanting in spirit. their disputes went on from bad to worse, so what does he do one day, but call four or five hands aft, fellows always ready to do any dirty work for a glass of grog, and getting hold of the poor doctor, clap him into one of the hen-coops. `now,' says he, `you'll stay there till you beg my pardon.' `i'll never beg your pardon,' says the doctor. `i'll see if i can't make you,' says the captain. well, would you believe it? the captain kept the poor doctor in there, day after day, and always took his meals to him himself, cut up into little bits so that he could eat them with a spoon. when he put in the plate, he always used to sing out, `coopity! coopity! coopity!' just as he would have done if he was feeding the fowls. it aggravated the poor doctor, but he couldn't help himself. no one dared to speak to the captain, who always walked about with a brace of pistols in his belt, and swore he'd shoot any one who interfered with him. you may be sure i and others felt for the doctor when the savage used to go to him, with a grin on his face, and sing out, `coopity! coopity! coopity!' the doctor would have been starved if he hadn't taken the food when the captain brought it him, with his `coopity! coopity! coopity!' "at last one day, the doctor wouldn't stand it any longer; so says he, `if you don't let me out of this, i'll make you sing out "coopity! coopity!" from the other side of your mouth; so look out.' the captain laughed at him, and went on as before. however, we had to put into port jackson to refit, and it came to the ears of the governor that our skipper had a man shut up in a hen-coop; so he sent some soldiers aboard, and had the doctor taken out and brought ashore. then there was a regular trial, and the governor heard what the doctor had to say, and the skipper and we had to say, and then he says, `i decide that you, captain crowfoot, shall pay dr mcgrath two hundred golden guineas before you leave this court.' the captain, with many wry faces, began to make all sorts of excuses, but the governor wouldn't listen to one of them, and captain crowfoot had to get a merchant to hand him out two bags of guineas. `count them, captain, count them,' says the governor; and as the skipper counted them out on the table, the doctor stood by with another bag, and, as he swept them in with his hand, he kept singing out `coopity! coopity! coopity!' really it was pleasant to hear the doctor go on with his `coopity! coopity! coopity!' everybody in the court laughed, and, i believe you, the skipper was glad enough to get away when he had counted out all his money, and there was a regular cheer of `coopity! coopity! coopity!' as he rushed out of the court." i had not seen mcallister laugh since we had lost the prize. he now gave way to a hearty peal, exclaiming, "ha! ha! ha! i'll make the french lieutenant sing out `coopity! coopity! coopity!' before the world is many years older." i need not describe all that occurred in the boat. we made fair way while the wind continued fair, and the weather favourable, but jamaica still seemed a long distance off. it is a large island however, so that there was not much chance of our missing it. four days had passed since we left the audacieuse, when about midnight the wind suddenly shifted to the northward, and, what was worse, it came on to blow very hard. we closely reefed our sail, and hove-to, but the seas constantly broke over us, and we were obliged to keep two hands baling, or we should have been swamped. it was bad enough as it was, but it might come on worse, and then, would the boat swim? that was a question. that was a dreary night. the rain came down too--as it knows well how to do in the tropics. we had no want of water, but we unwisely neglected to fill our casks. expecting to make a quick run, we had not stinted ourselves in the use of water. of course the boat all this time was drifting to leeward, and we were losing all the distance we had made good during the last day or so; if the gale continued we should lose still more. at last daylight came, but the wind blew as hard as ever--half a gale at all events. two whole days more it blew. at last it ceased, but it left us a hundred miles nearly further from our destination than when it commenced. this was bad enough, but though there was little of it remaining, that little was in our teeth. we however hauled our wind, and tried to beat up. when the sea went down we got the oars out, and, lowering the sails, pulled head to wind. it was greatly trying to the men, to know that after toiling away for hours, the entire distance gained might be lost in a quarter of the time. still, as british seamen always do, they persevered. mcallister and i took our turn at the oars with the rest. for several days we laboured thus. the prospect of a quick run to jamaica was over. our provisions were running short--our water was almost expended. hunger and thirst began to stare us in the face--things apt not only to stare people out of countenance, but out of their good looks. we at once went on short allowance, which grew shorter and shorter. as we gazed on each other's faces, we saw how haggard our shipmates had become, each person scarcely aware of his own emaciated appearance. at last we had not a drop of water remaining. jamaica might still be a week's sail off, under favourable circumstances. the thirst we now endured was far worse than hunger, in that climate, with a hot sun burning down on our heads all day. our throats got hotter and more parched every hour; we drew in our belts, and that silenced the cravings of hunger for a time, and we had some few bits of biscuit, and ham, and chocolate, but nothing we could do could allay our thirst. we dipped our faces in water, and kept applying our wet handkerchiefs to our mouths and eyes. we got most relief from breathing through our wet handkerchiefs; but it was only transient; the fever within burned as fiercely as ever. we had to work at the oars, when we could not keep our handkerchiefs wet. mcallister, like a brave fellow as he was, aroused himself, and endeavoured to encourage us to persevere. he especially warned the men against drinking salt water, telling them that it would be downright suicide, and that they might as well jump overboard and be drowned at once. we were certainly making way, and every hour lessening our distance to jamaica. again our hopes were raised. we had a few scraps of food to support life for two days more; but it was the water we wanted. i felt that i could not hold out another twenty-four hours. i must have water or die. the wind, however, came fair; we made sail, and ran merrily over the water--at least the boat did. our feelings were heavy enough. still i must say that we did our best to keep up each other's courage. again the wind fell. it shifted. we might be driven back, and lose all the way we had gained. dark clouds gathered--the feeling of the air changed. "get the sail spread out flat, and the buckets, and cask, and mugs ready, boys," cried mcallister, "open your mouths." scarcely had he spoken, when down came the rain. oh, how delicious were the cool streams which flowed down our parched throats, and washed the salt from our faces. as the sail caught it, we let it run off into the receptacles we had prepared. mugful after mugful we drained. we filled our cask and buckets. the rain ceased just as we had done so, and then it fell a dead calm. but we all felt refreshed and invigorated. new life seemed put into us, and the dry morsels of biscuit and ham, which we before could not swallow, were eaten with a relish. this deliverance from immediate death gave us hope; but still we might have again to encounter all the difficulties we had before gone through, before reaching land. could we possibly survive them? i had often read of similar adventures and sufferings, and had been so much interested and amused, that i had felt considerably obliged to those who had gone through them, and really felt that i should like to have been with them; but i found the reality very different indeed. the terrible reality was presented to me with the gilding off--the romance vanished. my great wish was to escape from my present position. i have no doubt that all my companions felt with me. the oars were again got out, and slowly we pulled to the northward. it was soon evident, however, that our strength was totally unequal to the task. one after the other the oars dropped from the men's feeble grasp. it was terrible to see strong men thus reduced to weakness. the calm continued. even i began to despair. a dizziness came over me. i was nearly sinking to the bottom of the boat, but i resisted the impulse by a strong effort. "i'll not give in while life and sense remain." i fancied that i felt a puff of air on my cheek. i wetted my finger, and held it up. there was no doubt about it. a breeze was coming from the southward. i stood up as well as i was able, and looked astern for the expected blue line in the horizon. my heart leaped within me when my eye fell on the white sails of a vessel coming fast up with us. i shouted out the joyous news. my companions lifted up their heads, some scarcely understanding what i said. mcallister, who had been asleep, started up, and, with his hand over his eyes, gazed anxiously at the stranger. bambrick, with a strength which surprised me, leaped up on the thwart, holding on by the mast, and, after looking for some time, he exclaimed, "she's the espoir, as sure as my name is ned bambrick." "the espoir went down in the hurricane, and this craft is only some phantom come to delude and mock us," muttered mcallister, gloomily. "nonsense! you don't believe in such stuff," i exclaimed. "if yonder craft is the espoir, it's plain the espoir did not go down in the hurricane; and if the espoir did go down in the hurricane, it is equally plain that the vessel in sight is not she." "no, no, yonder craft is but a mocking phantom. i'm destined never to see my bonnie home and fair scotland again," he answered, in a low voice, speaking more to himself than to me. there was no use in then contradicting him. half an hour or less would, i hoped, show that the stranger astern was a real palpable vessel, with human beings on board who would relieve our distress, and no phantom craft. poor mcallister sank down in the stern-sheets again through weakness, but continued to gaze at the stranger, as we all did, with our eyeballs almost starting, in our eagerness, from their sockets. the stranger proved to be a schooner; and, as she approached, she appeared to be more and more like the espoir. there was at length no doubt about it, but mcallister still shook his head, muttering "a phantom--a phantom--but very like the craft--there's na doubt about that." i do not know what he might have thought when the schooner shortened sail, and glided up slowly alongside our boat. there were perigal, and grey, and macquoid, and bobus, and others, looking at us over the bulwarks. they must have known us by our uniforms to be english, but they had no idea we were their own shipmates. i guessed this by hearing macquoid say to bobus-- "who can they be? some poor fellows whose vessel must have gone down in the hurricane." "hand them up carefully, now," said perigal to the men who descended into the boat. we were all soon lifted on deck, for we were utterly unable to help ourselves, and we had positively to say who we were before we were recognised. the foremost to rush forward and welcome me was toby bluff; and, forgetful of all the proprieties of the quarter-deck, he was very nearly throwing his arms round me and giving me a hearty hug, so overcome was he with joy at having the young squire restored to him. "oh! measter merry, they will be main glad at the hall when they learns that after all you didn't go down in that mighty terrible hurricane we had t'other day," he exclaimed. "i'd never have gone back to see them-- that i wouldn't--i could have never faced them without the young measter!" warm and sincere, indeed, were the congratulations of all our friends. macquoid at once took charge of us--ordered us all into our hammocks, and would not allow us to swallow more than the most moderate quantity of food, nor to listen nor talk. owing to his judicious management, we all speedily got round, with the exception of mcallister, who had been the last to give in. his spirit and moral courage had supported him, till at length his physical powers yielded to his sufferings. we carried on the breeze till we sighted jamaica. of course perigal was very much vexed at hearing of the loss of the prize, but he did not blame mcallister, though, as he observed, it would have been wiser had we not placed so much confidence in our agreeable and plausible prisoner. the espoir had lost sight of us in the hurricane from the first, and apprehensions for our safety had till now been entertained, and so our friends looked upon us as happily restored to them from the dead, and were not inclined to find undue fault with us. we found that they had been placed in even greater danger than we had, and had suffered more damage, but finally they were enabled to take shelter under an island more to the south than the one we gained. here they remained for some time to refit, and thus were brought to our rescue just in time to preserve us from destruction. we were all tolerably recovered and presentable by the time we entered port royal harbour. here we found the frigate almost ready for sea, and, to our satisfaction, spellman with our first prize had arrived safely. among those who most cordially welcomed me was mr johnson, the boatswain. "we felt that hurricane even here, mr merry; and, thinking you might feel it too, i was anything but happy about you," he observed, shaking me by the hand. "i was once out in just such another--only it blew a precious deal harder. some of our hands had their pigtails carried away, and two or three fellows who kept their mouths open had their teeth blown down their throats. it was the gale when the thunderer and so many others of his majesty's ships went down. you've heard of it, i dare say?" i told him that i had read about it in a naval history we had on board, but that the account of the pigtails and teeth was not given. "no, i dare say not; historians seldom enter as they ought into particulars," he answered, laughing. grey received an equally friendly welcome from mr johnson, with whom he was as great a favourite as i was. he made us give him an account of all our adventures, and amused himself with quizzing me, without ceasing, at having been so tricked by the french lieutenant. i believed, and do to this day, that preville was civil and light-hearted from nature, and that it was only when he found us off guard that the idea of seizing the vessel occurred to him. mcallister did not get off as easily as i did. wherever he went he was quizzed for having been tricked by the frenchman and losing his prize. he unfortunately could not stand quizzing, and, taking what was said too seriously, he became at times quite sulky and morose. as the doris had no hands to spare, the tender was laid up, and once more the frigate put to sea in search of the enemies of our country. we knew that several of their frigates were at sea, and we hoped to fall in with one of them. if we missed them, we were not likely to object to pick up a few rich merchantmen. soon after i rejoined, i was invited to the gun-room to give an account of my adventures on board the audacieuse. thinking he was going to be quizzed mcallister would not say a word on the subject. i was not so particular, and amused the officers very much with an account of the way in which the polite lieutenant used to dress our dinners for us, and used to sing and play for our amusement. mr fitzgerald seemed highly entertained. "he must be a broth of a boy, indeed! if we ever catch him, we'll make him dress our dinners," he exclaimed, laughing. he was himself stranger than ever, and, with his curious performances, i used to wonder how he managed not to get into more scrapes than he did. our captain was much of the same opinion, for i heard him remark that he really was glad to get to sea, for fear mr fitzgerald should do something to bring himself into difficulty on shore. the words were reported to mr fitzgerald, who remarked-- "och! where there's a will there's a way. we'll see what we can do, even out here on the big salt sea!" not long after this, during a light breeze, we chased a vessel to the southward. we came up with her hand over hand. when, however, we were about five miles off, it fell a dead calm. what she was we could not ascertain, though she did not look like an armed vessel. it was necessary to overhaul her, so mr fitzgerald volunteered to take the gig and six hands to board her, and grey and i got leave to accompany him. we had a hot pull, the sun coming down full on our heads, and as we had come away without any water, the men were anxious to get on board the stranger, that they might quench their thirst. she was rigged as a barque, and she proved as we guessed; she was a yankee, and a neutral. though undoubtedly laden with stores for our enemies, we could not touch her. her skipper was very civil, and invited us into the cabin, where a fine display of decanters and tumblers gave promise of good cheer, in which we were not disappointed. mr fitzgerald was soon deep in the mysteries of cocktail and similar mixtures. he seemed to enjoy them amazingly, for he quaffed tumbler after tumbler, till i began to fear that he was getting rather too deep into the subject. grey and i took our share, but we both of us were from inclination very temperate. independent of other considerations, i have always held that a splitting headache, and the risk of getting into trouble, was a high price to pay for the pleasure of tickling one's palate, or artificially raising one's spirits for a short time. the men were hospitably entertained forward, one or two of them finding old messmates; indeed american vessels at that period were manned principally with english seamen. we remained on board altogether much longer than we ought to have done, but at last mr fitzgerald, looking at his watch, jumped up, exclaiming that he must be off. we thanked the skipper for his civility, and, not without difficulty, getting the men into the boat, away we pulled towards the frigate. the men were all high in praise of the yankees, and i have no doubt that they were all put up to run from the ship at the first american port at which they might touch. the calm still continued, and from the lazy way in which the men pulled, it was clear that they were in no hurry to get on board. grey and i, of course, were not; indeed mr fitzgerald, who was in great spirits, kept us highly amused by his stories, so full of racy humour. our movements were, however, considerably expedited by the report of a gun from the frigate, as a signal for us immediately to return. the men now bent to their oars, and gave way in earnest. we had not pulled far, however, when another puff of smoke was seen to burst forth from the frigate's side, followed by the report of the gun, which came booming over the smooth ocean. "och! the skipper's in a mighty hurry," muttered the lieutenant to himself. "we are making all the haste flesh and blood is capable of, with the sun boiling up our marrow at this rate." "give way, lads, give way," he shouted aloud. "the captain is in a hurry, for there's something in the wind, depend on that." we were, i suspect, so completely in a position under the sun, as observed from the frigate, that we could not be seen. presently the report of another gun struck our ears. on this mr fitzgerald seemed to lose all patience. "hand me an oar and a boat-hook," he exclaimed, "and some rope-yarn." what was our surprise to see him strip off his trousers, and make the waistband fast to the boat-hook, which he secured for a yard across the blade of an oar stepped upright as a mast. having secured some pieces of rope-yarn to the legs of his unmentionables, he stood up and began blowing away with might and main into the upper portions, stopping every now and then to gain breath, and to shout, "give way, lads, with a will--give way like troopers--give way, ye hardy sons of neptune, or of sea-cooks, if you prefer the appellation. give way like tritons. we are doing all that men can do. who dare say we can do more? but we must not stop to talk." then, once more filling out his cheeks, he began to blow and puff with might and main as before. grey and i, though not a little shocked, were convulsed with laughter; so of course were the men, whose countenances, as they bent to their oars, were wreathed in the broadest of broad grins, while shouts of scarce suppressed laughter burst ever and anon from their throats. "faith, the captain can't say it's my fault if we don't get aboard in time. i've done all that any officer in his majesty's service could do to expedite matters, at all events," he observed at length, stopping to draw breath. "and more than most officers would dream of doing, mr fitzgerald," i answered, quietly, really fearing that he had gone mad. "och, yes, i was always celebrated for my zeal," he answered. "there's nothing like zeal, mr merry. when my lords commissioners of the admiralty think fit to promote one of their own nephews over the heads of any lot of us poor fellows who don't happen to have any interest in high quarters, it's always on account of zeal--they are such very zealous and promising young men. they don't say what they promise. i could never learn that. i once posed the first lord by simply asking the question. i went up just to ask for my promotion--for there's nothing like asking, you know, youngsters. the first lord received me with wonderful civility. he took me for another fitzgerald, and i was fool enough to tell him which i really was, or i believe he would have handed me out my commission and appointment to a fine brig i had in my eye, there and then. i saw by his change of countenance that i had made a mistake, and, as i was in for it, i determined not to be abashed. with the blandest of smiles he remarked, `undoubtedly, mr fitzgerald, i will keep you in sight, but i have on my list so many zealous and promising young officers, that i fear you will have some time to wait.' his cold eye told me he'd do nothing for me, so says i, `my lord, i should just like to have an example of this zeal, that i may learn to imitate it; but as to promises, faith, my lord, i should like to see any man who can beat me at making them.' i put on a face as i spoke, and he couldn't help laughing, but he told me, when i made my bow, that i might be sure he wouldn't forget me. whether he has or has not, i can't say; but here am i, a descendant of brian boroo, and i don't know how many kings and queens of ould ireland besides, nothing but a humble lieutenant, standing with my breeches off, and endeavouring to fill this epitome of a boat's sail with all the wind in my mortal body. i must stop talking, though, youngsters; it's setting you a bad example," and he began to puff away again. we were now drawing so near the frigate that i felt sure, if any glasses were turned towards us, his extraordinary condition could be seen. i was anxious to prevent his getting into disgrace, so i asked-- "wouldn't it be better, sir, if you were to put on your breeches, and let the men pull up alongside in proper style?" "what, youngster, and lose this magnificent opportunity of exhibiting my zeal?" he exclaimed, indignantly. "i shall request the captain to write an official letter to the admiralty, that a proper record may be made of it." "but grey and i will bear witness to the truth of your statement, if you think fit, to-morrow, to make a report of the proceeding," i observed. "you must allow, sir, that officers do not generally come alongside a ship with their breeches off, though of course it is very laudable to make use of them as a boat's sail, or in any other way, for the good of the service; but, if you have any enemies, a wrong construction may be put on the matter." he did not appear to be listening to what i was saying, but continued puffing out his cheeks and blowing as before. as i was steering, i told grey to look through the telescope we had with us at the ship. "i see several glasses turned this way," he answered, "and there are numbers of men in the rigging." i made no remark, but mr fitzgerald soon afterwards lowered the oar, and, without saying anything, quietly put on his breeches. we were soon alongside; the boat was hoisted in, and a light breeze having sprung up, which had long been seen coming, all sail was made in chase of a vessel to the eastward. mr fitzgerald then made his report. "you seemed to be carrying some sail," observed the captain. "you had but little wind, though, to make it of use." "there was all the wind i could make," blurted out the lieutenant, who had now got sober, and was as much ashamed of himself as it was in his nature to be. "however, captain collyer, you know my zeal for the service, and there isn't a thing i wouldn't do for its good." "even to make use of your breeches as a sail, and compelling your mouth to do duty as _molus_," said the captain, gravely. "however, mr fitzgerald, though i never like making mountains of molehills, don't let your zeal, or your love of a joke, carry you so far again. discipline would quickly vanish if the officers were to forget their dignity, as you did just now. no officer should ever appear in public without his breeches." "i'll make a note of that, captain collyer, and take care that it never again occurs," answered mr fitzgerald, with inimitable gravity, but with an expression on his comical features which made our good-natured skipper almost burst into a fit of laughter. two or three nights after this, while it was mr fitzgerald's watch, in which i was placed, it being very dark, the frigate, without any warning, was struck by a heavy squall, which threw her in an instant on her beam ends. i thought that she was going down. there was a loud crash--the fore-topmast had gone over the side. lightning flashed from the sky; the thunder roared. a loud clap was heard overhead--the main-topsail had split, and, rent in fragments, was carried out of the bolt-ropes, lashing itself in fury round the yard. all seemed confusion. everybody on the first crash had rushed on deck, mostly in very scanty costume. the captain had slipped on his coat, which, with his shirt and slippers, formed his costume. there he stood, his shirt tails fluttering in the breeze, while with his deep-toned voice he was bringing order out of seeming chaos. when the main-topsail went the frigate righted. we had work enough to do to clear the wreck of the fore-topmast and all its hamper, and it was broad daylight before the captain could leave the deck. when the ship was put a little to rights, and those officers who had appeared in limited costume had gone below to don the usual amount of dress, mr fitzgerald walked up to mr bryan, the first-lieutenant, and said-- "i wish, bryan, that you would ascertain what are and what are not the regulations of this ship. two days ago the captain told me that it was against his express orders that any officers should appear on the quarter-deck without their breeches, and now he appears himself without his, and so do haisleden and the master, and some other fellows besides." "there are some occasions when it does not do to stick at trifles," answered mr bryan, who found it very necessary to humour his eccentric brother officer. "well, at all events, the captain cannot find fault with me after that," said the second lieutenant; "i am always saying the same--i never stick at trifles." "no, indeed you do not; but sometimes it is just as well to look at them, and ascertain if they are trifles," observed mr bryan. it was found that the frigate had received so much damage that it was necessary to put back to port royal. it was a matter of very little consequence to us midshipmen. we were chiefly interested because we knew that we should get a supply of fresh meat and vegetables, which we preferred to the salt pork and weevilly biscuits served out to the navy in those days, and for very many days later; indeed, where is the naval officer, under the rank of a commander, or i may say a lieutenant, who does not tap every bit of biscuit on the table before he puts it into his mouth? he taps mechanically now, but he learned the habit when it was necessary to knock out the weevils. we soon had the ship as much to rights as circumstances would allow. in the evening grey and i went below, and found the boatswain seated on a stool in his cabin, with his legs stretched out at full length before him. "ah, young gentlemen, i know what you've come for," he exclaimed when he saw us. "you're curious to hear some more of my yarns. it's natural, and i'll not baulk you. there's one thing you may depend on, it will be a long time before i shall spin them all out. you needn't tell me where i left off. i was telling you about my pet shark and the dreadful event connected with it. it's a warning to people not to have pet sharks, as you'll say when you hear more. but come in, young gentlemen, and make yourselves comfortable. ah, mr gogles, i'm glad to see you here; you've not heard any of my veracious narrative, but now you shall hear something to astonish you, i guess." gogles was a young midshipman, the son of a planter at jamaica, who had joined us when we were last there. his countenance exhibited a large capacity for imbibing the wonderful and improbable, a fact which had not escaped mr johnson's acute observation. by the time toby bluff had brought the boatswain his usual evening glass of grog, and he had cleared his throat, and, as he remarked, brought up his thoughts from the store-lockers of memory, a large audience was collected in and outside the cabin. "listen then, and let no one doubt me," continued mr johnson. "i told you the lady stiggins was bound round cape horn. we were running down the coast of america, when somewhere to the southward of the latitude of demerara it came on to blow very hard from the north and west. the clouds came rushing along the sky like a mass of people all hurrying to see the king open parliament, or a clown throw a summersault at a fair, or anything of that sort, while the wind howled and screeched in the rigging as i have heard wild beasts in the woods in africa, and the sea got up and tumbled and rolled as if the waves were dancing for their very lives. you need not believe it, but the foam flew from them so thick that it actually lifted the ship at times out of the water. we had sent down our topgallant yards, and had just furled the courses, and were in the act of lowering our main-topsail to reef it close, when a squall, more heavy than before, came right down upon us. i was at the helm at the time, and heard it roaring up astern. the main-topsail yard had just reached the cap, and the fore-topsail was the only sail showing to the breeze. the blast struck us; a clap, as if of thunder, was heard, and away flew our fore-topsail clean out of the bolt-ropes, and clear of everything. off it flew, right away to leeward, down upon the breeze. i kept my eye on it, and observed that instead of sinking, from the strength and buoyant power of the wind, it retained precisely the same elevation above the sea that it had done when spread to the yard. i did not mention the circumstance to anyone, but took care not to lose sight of the sail. this was a hint to us not to set more canvas, so the main-topsail was furled, and away we scudded, under bare poles, right in the wake of the fore-topsail. instead of abating, the wind increased till it blew a perfect hurricane. i, however, kept at the helm, and explaining to the captain the occurrence i had observed, begged to be allowed to remain there. at first he would scarcely believe me, and declared that it was a white cloud ahead of us, but i was so positive, that at last he let me have my way. well, we steered straight on all that day, and when night approached i took the bearings of the sail that we might follow it as before. the wind did not vary, and in the morning there it was, exactly in its former position, only i think we had gained a little on it. on, on we ran, tearing rather over than through the foaming ocean, but still we did not come up with the fail. at last i was obliged, from very weariness, to let a careful hand relieve me at the helm, and, desiring to be called if we neared the sail, i turned in and went to sleep. now you will want to know, young gentlemen, why i was so anxious to come up with the sail? the fact is that i had taken a notion into my head, which i will tell you presently. well, i was so weary that i slept for five-and-twenty hours without turning, and i could scarcely believe that i had been in my hammock more than an hour, for when i came on deck everything was exactly as i had left it. feeling much refreshed, and having swallowed two dozen of biscuits, a leg of pork, and a gallon of rum and water, i took the helm, resolved to carry out my intentions. it wasn't, however, till the next morning, when the sun broke out from behind the clouds, that it shone directly on our fore-topsail, now not the eighth of a mile ahead of us. for some reason or other, which i have never been able satisfactorily to explain, we were coming rapidly up with it. i now saw that the moment was approaching for carrying my plan into execution. accordingly i sent the people on to the fore-yard, and also on the fore-topsail yard, which was hoisted right up, some with palm needles and others with earings and lashings. it was a moment of intense interest. i kept the brig's head directly for the sail. we approached it rapidly; it was over the bowsprit end. my eye did not fail me, and, to my inexpressible satisfaction, we shot directly up to the sail. the men on the yards instantly secured it, and in five minutes it was again spread aloft as if it had never left its place. there, young gentlemen, if you ever see anything done like that, you may open your eyes with astonishment. i gained some credit for my performance, though there are people, i own, who do not believe in the fact, which is not surprising, as it isn't every day in the week that a ship recovers a topsail which has been blown away in a gale of wind." there was a considerable amount of cachinnations along the deck outside, while a gruff voice grunted out, "well, bo'sun, that is a jolly crammer;" at which mr johnson looked highly indignant, and we were afraid that he would not continue his narrative, but a glance at gogles's deliciously credulous and yet astonished countenance, as he sat with his eyes and mouth wide open, staring with all his might, seemed fully to pacify him. i never met a man who enjoyed his own jokes, though certainly they were of the broadest kind, more thoroughly than did mr johnson. chapter thirteen. on the evening of which i was speaking in my last chapter, mr johnson was evidently in the vein for narrating his veracious history. i saw this by the twinkle of his eye, by the peculiar curls round his mouth-- which poets speak of when describing euphrosyne, or any charming young lady of mortal mould, as "wreathed smiles," but which, in the boatswain's case, could not possibly be so called--by the gusto with which he smacked his lips, after each sip of grog, and the quiet cachinnations in which he indulged, that there was no fear of his breaking off for some time, unless compelled by his duties to do so. i was right. after stretching out his legs, folding his arms, and bending down his head, as if to meditate for a few minutes, he looked up with his usual humorous expression, and taking a fresh sip of grog, recommenced-- "some of you young gentlemen have been in a gale of wind, and a pretty stiff one too, but except the little blow we had the other day, you, mr gogles, have no practical experience of what a real downright hurricane is," he continued. "why, i once was in a ship where, after we had carried away our masts, we were obliged to run under a marlinespike stuck up in the bows, but even that was too much for her, and we were obliged to send the carpenter forward with a sledge-hammer to take a reef in it by driving it further into the deck. it must blow hard, you'll allow, when it becomes necessary to take a reef in a marlinespike. in the same gale, the man at the helm had all his hair blown clean off his head; the cook, as he looked out of his caboose, had his teeth driven down his throat, and one of the boys, who was sent on deck to see how the wind was (for we were obliged to batten down and get below), had his eyelids blown so far back that it took all the ship's company to haul them down again. you don't know what a gale of wind is till you have seen it." some loud shouts of laughter were heard outside the berth, but mr johnson, without heeding them, continued: "but, by the bye, i was describing my voyage round the horn in the lady stiggins, and now i am coming to the melancholy part of my history. no sooner had we recovered our topsail than the gale abated, and nothing of moment occurred till we hauled up to the westward to round the horn. for some days we had light winds and fine weather, but those who have doubled that cape know well that it blows there pretty hard at times, and we soon had to learn this to our cost. soon after noonday it came on to blow, and such a sea got up as i had never seen before. that was a sea. sometimes we were at the top of one wave, while my pet shark, who had faithfully followed us, would be in the trough below, looking no larger than a minnow in a millstream, and sometimes when we were at the bottom we could see him looking lovingly down upon us, high above our topgallant-mast-head. at last we were driven back right in upon the coast of patagonia, and had we not found a harbour in which to take shelter, we should have lost the ship and our lives. "the land of patagonia is bleak and barren, and, as you all know, the few scattered inhabitants make up for the scarcity of their numbers by their personal stature, for they are, without exception, the tallest people i have ever met. i felt quite a pigmy alongside them. they have large rolling eyes, long shaggy hair, and thick snub noses: indeed, they are as ugly a race as i ever set eyes on. perhaps, for certain reasons, i might have been prejudiced, but of that you shall judge. "we anchored the brig in a snug cove, where she lay completely sheltered from the tempest which raged without, and we were thus enabled to go ashore to procure wood and water, of which we stood much in need. for two days we saw no signs of inhabitants, and thus we incautiously strolled about without arms in our hands to stretch our legs. i was always of an inquisitive turn, fond of exploring strange countries; so one day, having parted from my companions, i walked on into the interior. i was thinking of turning back, for the day was far advanced, when my attention was attracted by a column of smoke ascending from among a grove of trees in a valley at no great distance from me, and being curious to ascertain the cause of it, i proceeded in that direction. "on reaching a hill which overlooked the spot, i perceived several human beings seated round a large fire in front of a rude hut, and busily employed in cutting slices from an ox, which was roasting whole before it, and which they transferred to their mouths, smacking their lips to signify their high relish for the feast. "i was very hungry, and certainly felt an inclination for a piece of the savoury morsels, the odour of which ascended to where i stood, but prudence advised me to retire, for i could not tell what the disposition of the savages might be. for what i knew to the contrary, they might spit and roast me as their dessert. "there appeared to be a family group. there were an old man and woman whom i took to be the father and mother, three younger females, whom i judged to be daughters, and two sons. all of them were dressed in skins, and i was enabled to distinguish the females by their having petticoats, and their hair braided in long plaits, which reached to the ground. their personal appearance was not prepossessing, and their voices were so loud that i could hear every word they uttered, though of course i could not understand their language. i was on the point of retreating, when one of the young ladies, turning her head, perceived me watching them, and, with a loud cry, rising from her seat, she ran towards me. i had not before remarked the height of the savages, but as they all stood up, i now perceived that she was full ten feet high, and yet the shortest of the party. although not afraid, for fear was a stranger to my bosom, i yet did not relish the thoughts of having to encounter such formidable-looking personages, and therefore set off towards the shore as fast as my legs would carry me, but i soon found, by the shouts astern, that the young giantess had made chase, and, turning my head over my shoulder, i saw that she was coming up hand over hand with me. i was on the top of the hill and she was at the bottom, but that made little difference to her, for on she bounded, like a kangaroo or a tiger, and i felt convinced that on flat ground i should have no chance of escape; i therefore suddenly brought up, tacked about, and faced her with my arms expanded, to make me look of more considerable size. she was coming on full tilt. i did not think she was so near, and the consequence was, as she was stooping down, i found my arms round her neck, with my feet off the ground, while i clung to her in a very affectionate embrace. she uttered some words which i could not understand, and, covering my face with kisses, ran back with me towards her companions, just as a young lady does a little child she has run after, laughing with pleasure. "here i was fairly caught, but i argued from the behaviour of the young lady that i was not likely to be very severely treated by the rest. when she got back to her family with me in her arms, she introduced me in form to them, and made me sit down by her side, while the rest examined me minutely from head to foot. after they had gratified their curiosity, and satisfied themselves that i was a human being, she, observing my eyes turned towards the roasted ox, cut off a slice and handed it to me. the animal was of prodigious size, and would beat a london prize ox hollow. the meat was of delicious flavour, though rather too fat for my taste, but in cold climates such is generally preferred. i found, however, that that is not the usual food of these people, but is considered a great delicacy, as they live for most part of the year on whales and seals, which they catch with much ingenuity with a rod and line. a whale, however, requires, they told me, great skill and patience to kill, as it is apt to break the tackle. the savages, with my slight assistance, having picked the bones of the ox almost clean, washed down this repast with huge flagons full of a liquor which smacked of a taste remarkably like the best schiedam. it was, however, far more potent, as i found to my cost, for the effect was such that i fell fast asleep. in fact, i was dead drunk; i don't say that i didn't take a good swig of it, but still it must be strong stuff to capsize me. how long i slept, or what happened during that time, i'm sure i don't know: when i awoke the scene was completely changed. i found myself at the mouth of a cavern, lying on the ground and wrapped up in bears' skins, with wild rugged rocks rising on every side around me. i tried to rise, but to my dismay i discovered that my limbs were bound, and as i gazed on every side i saw not the sign of an outlet by which i might make my escape. in my rage i bawled out lustily, when i heard a step approaching, which might, by its sound, have been the foot of a young elephant. it was, however, that of the young lady who had made me prisoner. when she saw that i was awake she sat herself down by my side, and taking my hand slobbered it over with kisses, and when i rated her pretty roundly for what she'd done, she almost drowned me with her tears. they came down in whole buckets full, like a heavy shower in the tropics: it wasn't pleasant, i can assure you. what was the matter with the woman i could not tell; in fact, i've found very little difference in 'em from one end of the world to the other; they are complete mystifications; when you wants 'em to love you they won't, and when you don't want 'em they will. what i now wanted was to get my legs and arms loose to be able to run away. after making a number of signs to the lady, she comprehended my wishes, and to my great satisfaction cast off the thongs of hide with which i found she had bound me to prevent me escaping, should i awake during her absence. she then asked me my name, when she let me understand that hers was oilyblubbina, which, i afterwards learned, means, in the patagonian tongue, softener of the soul. i heard her pronouncing my name over and over again to herself, so i repeated hers, oilyblubbina, oilyblubbina, oilyblubbina, several times, which pleased her mightily. she then produced from a basket a few rounds of beef and some loaves a yard long, of which she pressed me to partake. i did so gratefully, for i was in want of my breakfast. she next pulled out a bottle of schiedam, but i remembered the effects of what i took the day before, and was cautious. having satisfied my hunger, i made signs to her that i was anxious to wish her a very good morning, and to return to my ship, but not one of my hints would she take. i shook her warmly by the hand, told her that i was much obliged to her for her hospitality, and then walked away, but wherever i went she dodged my steps and would not let me out of her sight for a minute. i did my best in every way to escape, but it was no go; in fact, young gentlemen, i found myself the slave of this monster of fat and ugliness, for i am sorry to say that i cannot speak in more flattering terms of the fair oilyblubbina. seeing that for the present it was hopeless to attempt to escape, i pretended to be reconciled to my lot, and offering my arm in the politest way possible, walked quietly by her side, though, i confess, that i had to put my best foot foremost to keep up with her. she was evidently pleased with my altered behaviour, and smiled and ogled me most lovingly. how her eyes did roll! "the effect, however, was very different to what she intended. i dare say her heart was as tender as that of women of more moderate dimensions, but i cannot say that i liked those ogles of hers. well, on we walked, talking a great deal all the time, though i don't pretend i understood a word she uttered, nor do i suppose she did what i said. she told me, however, a very long story, which by her actions i judged intimated that she had lost some one, and that i was to supply his place. all i know is that, after weeping a great deal, she finished by taking me in her arms and covering me with kisses. i had before suspected, from the absence of any of that bashful timidity found in a young girl, that she was a widow, and such i learned from her father was the case. "we were now close to the hut where i had first seen the savages, and there her father and two brothers appeared before us, while i found the old mother and two sisters had been stowed away in the brushwood, watching our proceedings. instead of appearing angry, the father took me by the hand, and warmly pressing it, placed it in that of his daughter, and then he rubbed our noses together, which i found was a sign of betrothal, and then all the family came and hugged me, one after the other. in fact, i found that i was become one of the domestic circle, and was to supply the place of a lost husband to the young widow. it was by no means pleasant, let me tell you, that hugging and kissing, for the oil and fat those people consume give them a very unpleasant odour, and it was some time before i could get it out of my nostrils. these considerations, with my anxiety to proceed on my voyage, determined me not to yield tamely to my fate, for, as to having to spend the rest of my days in the society of oilyblubbina, that was out of the question. i had, however, no reason to complain of my treatment by them, for they would not allow me to do any work, but brought me the best food, and did everything for me. yet, notwithstanding all her tenderness, the charms of the loving oilyblubbina could not move my flinty heart; but i was obliged to hide my real sentiments, for i had no fancy, unarmed as i was, to fight the father and two brothers, not to speak of having to contend against the rage of the disappointed lady and her female relatives. "three not over agreeable days had thus passed, and i was beginning to fear lest my shipmates, giving me up for lost, might have sailed away without me, though i knew that they valued me too much to desert me till all hopes were gone. that day the family dinner was composed of a large mess of whales' flesh and blubber, boiled in a cauldron, and washed down as usual with huge beakers of schiedam; but i watched my opportunity, and each time the cup was passed to me i emptied it by my side unperceived by the rest. i all the time made them suppose that i was drinking more than usual, and appearing to be perfectly drunk, pretended to fall off into a sound sleep. when it grew dark the young lady, as was her custom, carried me into the cavern, and bound my hands and feet to prevent my running away, but as she was fastening the thongs i contrived to slip my hands out of them. while i thus lay i looked out carefully through my half-opened eyelids, and observed all the family retiring to their different roosting-places. it was an anxious time; one after the other they dropped asleep, and then, to my great satisfaction, commenced a chorus of snoring which sounded more like the roaring of a hundred bulls than anything i had ever before heard. the moon was fortunately high in the heavens, and there was light enough for me to see my way, which i had been careful to note well. crawling therefore out of my skins, i put a block of wood where my head had been and rolled them up again to make it appear that i was still there, and then cautiously crept away in the direction of the cove where i had left my ship. as soon as i was out of hearing i set off and ran as fast as my legs would carry me, up hill and down dale, through woods and across moors, without stopping to look behind me, for i knew that when a man is running away from an angry lady he must put his best foot foremost. "i had just reached the top of the hill, whence, to my great joy, i beheld my ship floating calmly in the bay below me, when i heard a loud cry in the rear. i looked round--it was the loving oilyblubbina. she came on at a furious pace, tearing up the young trees as she passed, in her eagerness to catch me. i dashed down the hill--i flew rather than ran--i rushed through rivulets, i jumped down precipices, nothing stopped me--i made light of a leap of a hundred feet. i have run very fast at times, but i never ran so fast before or since; she, however, was gaining on me; in a few minutes more she would be up with me. it was very awful. a high cliff was before me; without hesitation i threw myself over it; death was preferable to slavery--and such slavery. i reached the shore in safety, but, horror of horrors! she came after me, and alighted unhurt on the shore. the ship was at some distance, but i plunged into the sea to swim on board. i now thought myself safe, for i had no idea that she could swim, but she could, and after me she came, blowing like a grampus. it takes my breath away even now to think of it. i struck out boldly, the water bubbled and hissed as i threw it aside. i told you i was a good swimmer, but so was she. on she came, and every instant i expected to feel my foot in her grasp. if a man can have any reason for being afraid, i surely then had one. we had swam a mile, and the brig was some way off. i hallooed to my shipmates, but they did not hear me. louder and louder grew the blowing of the lady as she spluttered the salt water from her mouth she was within a few yards of me, and in another minute i should have been captured, when a dark object passed close to me--it was my pet shark. there was a loud scream and a gurgling noise. a dreadful thought occurred to me--it was too true! i was safe, but the loving oilyblubbina had been swallowed by the monster. she must have been a tough morsel, for after his performance he lay some time on his back utterly unable to move. a revolution had taken place in my feelings i did not wish her death, i only wanted to run away from her, and i mourned her untimely fate. i, however, considered that my lamentations could not restore her to her afflicted family, so, as soon as the shark had recovered, i placed myself on his back, and made him convey me alongside my ship. it was time for me to be off, for as i was throwing my legs across him i saw by the light of the moon the whole family rushing down the hill to plunge into the sea after me, and i doubt if he could have swallowed any more of them. "thus i was delivered from one of the greatest dangers it has ever been my lot to encounter. when i got on board, my shipmates welcomed me warmly, and sincerely congratulated me on my escape. the gale had abated, and as old blowhard had been only waiting for my return to put to sea, we instantly made sail and stood out of the harbour with our faithful shark in company. i dare say to this day the patagonian chief fully believes that we carried off his daughter; so, in a certain sense, we did, but not exactly in the way he supposes. poor man, it was better that he should not. it was very dreadful." jonathan was silent; he took a long pull at his tumbler, and gave a deep sigh, which sounded not unlike a peal of thunder along the decks. gogles' eyes had been growing larger and larger, and rounder and rounder, and his mouth had been gaping more and more. "what a dreadful thing!" he exclaimed, drawing his breath. "i wonder you could bring yourself to sit on the shark's back after what he'd done." mr johnson did not answer; he only sighed. he was meditating on the tragic fate of his loving oilyblubbina. we again began to be afraid that, overcome by the recollections which he had been conjuring up, he might not continue his narrative. "that was, indeed, a dreadful way to lose your intended wife," observed grey, wishing to rouse him up. mr johnson's eyes twinkled. "it was--it was," he answered emphatically. "poor oilyblubbina! i would rather have found a pleasanter for her sake, but it was sure. there was little chance of her coming to life again. dreadful! i believe you, it was dreadful. i was not sorry when we lost sight of the high land of patagonia, so full of painful recollections to me. for two or three days the weather was fine, but our ill-luck had not deserted us, for another gale sprang up and drove us back again very nearly into the very harbour near which the family of oilyblubbina resided. i never felt so uncomfortable in my life lest i should fall into their hands, and they might insist on my marrying another daughter. to do her justice, my poor lost oilyblubbina was by far the best looking of the female members of the family. however, we managed to keep the sea, and at length recovered our lost ground. once well round the cape, we steered north, putting into several ports, but nothing extraordinary happened. our pet shark followed us and always kept watch round the ship. i invariably used to ride him about the harbours, just as if he had been a sea-horse, and astonished the dons not a little, i calculate. in fact i had some thoughts of having a high saddle made to fit his back, so as to keep my feet out of the water. in calms he was very useful in towing the ship in and out of harbour. by the bye, i omitted to tell you of an occurrence which took place while we were on the eastern coast. one night when i had charge of the deck, feeling that there was no use keeping the men out of their hammocks, as they had been hard worked lately, and i could do as much any day as half the ship's company, i told them to turn in. you've all heard, of course, of the pampeiros of south america. they are heavy squalls which come off the pampas of that extraordinary country. for an hour or more i stood at the helm, admiring the stars and thinking of the number of strange things which had happened to me, when on a sudden, without the slightest warning, i found my teeth almost blown down my throat, and, before i could sing out to shorten sail, over the vessel went on her beam ends with such force that even the sea didn't stop her; but while i hung on to the wheel for dear life, down went her masts perpendicularly, and up she came on the other side, and to my infinite satisfaction righted herself with a jerk, which sent everything into its place again. so rapid was the movement that nothing was washed away, nor were any of the people awakened. indeed, they would not believe what had happened even when i told them, till they found a turn in the clews of their hammocks, for which they could not otherwise account. many of my old shipmates in the lady stiggins are still alive, and will vouch for the truth of my statement." "are you certain, bos'un, that you did not take the turns yourself while the people were on deck and then get them all to go to sleep that you might make them believe your story?" asked some one outside in a feigned voice. "wouldn't it be easier, stupid, to invent the story from beginning to end, if i wanted to impose on any one?" asked mr johnson, with pretended indignation. "however, as i have more than once observed, i have an especial objection to be interrupted by cavillers and doubters; so i'll thank you, mr dubersome, to keep your notions bottled up in the empty skull which holds all the wits you've got. ho! ho! ho! i generally contrive to give as much as i get. but i must, i see, proceed with my veracious narrative. "we at last left the coast to visit some of the islands in the south pacific. the first place we touched at was the island of pomparee. it was then governed by a king and queen, who had an only daughter, the princess chickchick. the ship wanted some repairs, and as we hove her down here, i had plenty of time to become acquainted with the people. everything in that island was made of coral. in the first place it was coral itself, then the reefs which surrounded it were coral, and the rocks were coral, and the sand was composed of bits of coral. the palace of the king was built of coral, and so were the houses of the people, only his was red, which is scarce, and theirs of plebeian white. it had a very pretty effect, i can assure you. the chairs and tables would, i doubt not, have been made of coral, only they did not use them; in fact, their notion of furnishing a house is very different to ours. a few mats, and baskets, and pipkins are all they require. their garments are somewhat scanty too, but the weather is all the year round so warm that it would be absurd for them to dress up as we do. the king's dress on grand occasions was a crown of gay-coloured feathers, and a sort of scotch kilt of the same material, with a cloak over his shoulder. the queen also wore a petticoat, and so did little chickchick, but not a rap else, nor did they seem to think it was necessary. the king's name was rumfiz, and her majesty was called pillow. they were an amiable couple, and remarkably fond of each other. when i observed that everything in the island was made of coral, i did not mean to say that there were no trees, for there were a great many very beautiful ones, bread-fruit trees, and cocoa-nuts, and palms, and many others. i made the acquaintance of his august majesty after i had been on the island a few days. i was one evening walking by myself some little way inland, when i found myself almost in front of the king's palace. he had been snoozing after eating his dinner to get an appetite for supper, when he was awoke by hearing his courtiers cry out that a white man was come among them. he jumped up, rubbed his eyes, and addressed me in the following harangue:-- "you englishman, why you come now?--come by-by, eat supper plenty." "by this i understood that his majesty was inviting me to supper, which was the fact. i accordingly lighted my pipe, and sat down under a tree to smoke, while the king got into his hammock again and went to sleep. presently a number of courtiers came and spread mats in the shade near where i was sitting, and others brought baskets filled with bread-fruit, and cocoa-nuts, and grapes; and the king rumfiz got up, and came and sat down with queen pillow and the princess chickchick, and several other lords and ladies. they all looked as if they were waiting for something, and presently they set up a loud shout as a number of slaves appeared with large baskets on their heads, dripping with water. i watched what was to be done, when i saw the king lean back, and a slave pull out a live fish from the basket, which he clapped into his majesty's mouth. the fish wriggled his tail about a little, and the king rolled his eyes with delight till it slipped down his throat, and then he rubbed the region to which it had descended, as if it had afforded him the highest satisfaction. "the queen's turn came next, and i thought she would have been choked with the size of the fish, which went wriggling all alive down her throat. the courtiers were next allowed to enjoy the same luxury, while little chickchick and the ladies-in-waiting amused themselves by letting handfuls of prawns playfully skip down their throats. after a little time the king made signs that he was ready for another fish, which in like manner was let down his throat, and in this way he consumed two or three dozen live fish (i like to be under the mark), and the queen and courtiers nearly the same number each. in that country it is the royal prerogative of the king to eat more than any of his subjects. they were all much surprised to find that i could not eat the live fish, for as they thought me a superior being to any of themselves, they fancied that i could do more than they could. i did try to swallow a few prawns, but they stuck in my throat, and made me terribly husky for all the rest of the evening. i, however, soon learned to eat live fish as well as the best of them, and before i left the island i could swallow one as large as a tolerable-sized salmon; but then, of course, they had no spikes on their backs. i once saw the king swallow a conger;--i don't think i could have managed one myself, but you never know what you can do till you try. "after supper the maids of honour and the courtiers got up to have a dance, and i toed-it and heeled-it with the princess to her heart's content. didn't i come the double-shuffle in fine style! no man could ever beat me in dancing, and when i got a princess for my partner it was the time to show off. the king was delighted, and asked me at once to come and put up at his palace, and to bring a few bottles of rum, and some pipes and baccy with me. this i did as soon as the duties of the ship would allow me. well, i soon became great friends with the king and queen, and i used to go up to the palace every day and sit and smoke a pipe with his majesty in a cosy way, and frequently the queen would come and take a whiff out of my pipe, till she learnt to smoke too, and i then taught her to chaw baccy. she was very fond of a quid, let me tell ye, and we became as friendly as two mice. all the time little chickchick used to sit up in a corner by herself, making a mat or a straw hat, or some such sort of thing, looking up at me with her beautiful eyes, and listening to all i was saying, though, for the matter of that, she could not understand much of my lingo. at last i caught the dear little thing at it, and i thought she would like to learn to smoke also, so i taught her, and i was not long in finding out that she had fallen desperately in love with me. of course, i could not do less than return the compliment, and told her so, which pleased her mightily. in fact, the king and queen and i, with the princess, had a pleasant life of it, with nothing to do and plenty to eat and drink. "`now,' said the king one day to me, as we were sitting over our pipes and grog, `you won't go away in big ship--you no go--you stay marry chickchick--be my son--moch better. enemy come, you fight; friend come, you talk.' "by this i concluded he wanted me to become his prime minister--a sort of first-lieutenant kings have to do all the work for them. "`i'll think the matter over, your majesty,' i answered, `and if i can manage it, i'll stay.' "this answer seemed to please him mightily, and little chickchick came up laughing and singing to me soon afterwards, and told me she was so glad of that; she should like to be my wife above all things. it was a little bit of unsophisticated nature which pleased me amazingly. i then arranged with the captain to remain there while he went cruising among the other islands, and he was then to come back and take me to the south polar sea, where we were bound on a whaling cruise. the ship sailed away, and so did my pet shark, who i afterwards heard pined and grew thin, and wouldn't even take his food when he found i was not on board. it was a mark of affection which touched me sensibly. "i thus became, by my own intrinsic merits, a prime minister and son-in-law to a king. i had not an unpleasant life of it altogether; the princess was very fond of me, and the people were easily governed. the secret was to let them do exactly what they liked. i used, also, to make them huge promises, which, though i never kept, served to amuse them for the time, and i always had the knack of wriggling out of a scrape, which is the secret of all government. the first thing i did was to tell them that i would advise the king to abolish all taxes which were made on bread-fruit, and when by this means i became very popular as a liberal minister, i published an edict, ordaining that every man should send twice as many cocoa-nuts to the imperial treasury as before. the people had enjoyed a long peace, and had become unwarlike, so when they cried out that it was useless trouble making spears and bows and arrows and building war canoes, i let them have their own way, which made me still more popular. i took the precaution, however, of keeping my own musket ready in my house in case of accidents, as it was the only fire-arm in the kingdom. there were numerous islands in the neighbourhood, and on some of them king rumfiz had in his youth inflicted a signal chastisement, which they had never forgotten nor forgiven. "they had, in the meantime, knocked over two or three of their own kings, and had established what they called a republic. from what i could make out, one half of the people were trying to become governors, and the other half trying not to be governed. they had for some time past been eating each other up, but having got tired of that fun, and wanting a change of diet, they thought it would be pleasanter to attack some other people. i discovered that they had already a large expedition on foot, and numerous canoes--ready to transport them, though it was pretended that these forces were to attack another island to the eastward of them. a spy, however, brought me the intelligence of what they were about, so i endeavoured to make preparations to give them a warm reception; but the people would not hear of it, and said it was a great deal too much trouble to make bows and arrows, and build canoes to guard against a danger which might never arrive. "there were several fellows among them, some of whom, i verily believe, had been bribed by the enemy, who persuaded them that it was much wiser to make mats and hats and cloths to sell to the merchantmen than to think of fighting. "such was the condition of the country, when one morning, as i was walking on the sea-shore meditating on the affairs of state, i observed a large fleet of canoes pulling towards the island; i ran back to the palace to tell the king, and sent messengers in every direction to warn the people. all was now hurry, and confusion, and dismay. the first thing they did was to tumble the peace counsellors into the sea with lumps of coral round their necks, and they then set to work to string their bows and to point their arrows and their spears. all the generals had plans of their own; some proposed letting the enemy land, while they defended the king's palace; some to meet him half-way, others to capitulate, while i collected as many men as i could and marched them down to the beach. i had my musket and ammunition concealed in a bush for a last effort, should the day be against us. the king came out in his best dress, and harangued his army to the following effect:-- "`we much fine fellows--much brave--much good; de enemy great blackguard--much coward--much bad--much beast; shoot arrow, kill plenty.' "on this the army cheered and waved their spears and bows. we reached the beach but just in time to receive the enemy, who were mightily disappointed, expecting to land without any trouble, and to make a fine feast of our carcases. on seeing us they set up a terrific shout, in the hopes of frightening us away, but it was no go, and then they began to pepper us with their arrows, which came as thick as hail about our ears. under cover of this shower they pulled into the beach. our warriors were brave, but they were long unaccustomed to fighting, and many were killed and driven back by the enemy. i trembled for my father-in-law's throne, when i considered that the time had arrived to bring my musket into play. the first fire astonished them not a little, but when they found that this patent thunder-maker (as they called it) knocked over two or three fellows every time it spoke, they thought it was high time to turn tail and be off. as soon as the enemy began to retreat, the mob came forward in crowds to attack them, shrieking and swearing, and abusing them like pickpockets, though they had, while there was any danger, kept carefully out of the way. i continued firing on the retreating foe as long as they continued in sight, for my gun could carry farther than any other in existence. it was made under my own directions, and was a very extraordinary weapon. if it had not been for that gun, i believe king rumfiz would have lost his kingdom. he was very grateful to me, as, to do them justice, were all his subjects; and i found that i was unanimously elected as the heir to the throne. my honours did not make me proud, for i felt that i deserved them, and i became, for some time, more popular than ever. a neighbouring island, however, which had been for centuries attached to the dominions of king rumfiz, gave me much trouble, for though many of the inhabitants were descended from his own people, they insisted on making themselves independent (as they called it), and having a king of their own. they were great cannibals, and used to eat each other up without ceremony, and as for hissing, hooting, and swearing, few people could match them. the name of the island was blarney botherum. when i first visited them, i thought, from their own account, that they were a nation of heroes kept in chains by king rumfiz for his own especial pleasure and amusement, and that if i could make them free they would set a bright example to the rest of the world of intelligence, civilisation, and all the virtues which adorn human nature. i soon, however, discovered that the people of blarney botherum were the greatest humbugs under the sun. they had got a set of people among them whom they called medicine men, who told them that there was a big medicine man in a distant part of the world, whom they were to obey instead of king rumfiz, and that, provided they told him the truth, and gave them cocoa-nuts and breadfruits, they might tell as many lies as they liked to the king, and might rob and cheat him as much as they pleased. whenever, therefore, the little medicine men wanted cocoa-nuts and bread-fruits, they used to tell the people the big one required food, and their whole occupation was to throw dust in the eyes of king rumfiz (as the turks say), so that he might not find out their knavery." chapter fourteen. mr johnson leaned back in his seat, when, slowly stooping down for his tumbler, he brought it deliberately to his mouth, and took a prolonged sip. then shaking his head, he observed, "politics are awful things to meddle with--the very thought of what i endured, turns my throat into a dust-hole." again he sipped, and again he shook his head. "young gentlemen," he said solemnly, "if ever any of you rise to the top of the profession, and i hope you may--and should his majesty, king george, send for you, and offer to make you a prime minister, take an old man's advice, and respectfully decline the honour. say that standing at the helm of one of his ships, and fighting her as long as there is a shot in the locker, is one thing, and standing at the helm of state, and being badgered by friends and foes alike, is another. you may quote me as an authority. well, i was telling you how i managed when i was prime minister to king rumfiz, and of the trouble caused me by certain personages in the island of blarney botherum. "i was not long in discovering the tricks of these medicine men, and of their friends who lived on a trade they called patriotism, but the difficulty was to catch them. i at last, however, found a few tripping, and having hung them up, the rest were very soon brought into a state of implicit obedience to my commands. "as soon as i had restored peace to the country, i thought that it would be advisable to reform the constitution. i had some slight difficulty in comprehending its principles, especially as i only as yet imperfectly understood the language. my notions were, however, so opposed by the sages of the country, and so great was the commotion created, that it was with no slight satisfaction i saw the lady stiggins approaching the island under full sail, as i was one morning sitting on the beach cutting ducks and drakes with oyster shells over the calm blue water of the bay. "i have a good strong voice of my own even now, but then i could make myself heard three or four miles off at least, and sometimes, when i was in tone, much farther. the only other man i ever met at all equal to me was a frenchman, the master of a privateer; and we once carried on a conversation together, he sitting on the shores of calais, i on the cliffs of dover. well, i stood up, and hailing the lady stiggins, waved my hat over my head. my former shipmates heard me, though for a long time they could not tell where the voice came from. another old friend, however, was more quick of hearing, and sight too. i saw a commotion in the water, as if an arrow was passing through it, so fast did it draw near. presently a black fin appeared, and then there was a tremendous rush, and then who should pop his head out of the water till he ran himself almost high and dry on the beach, but my pet shark? in his delight at seeing me he almost got hold of my leg, which, in a fit of joyful forgetfulness, i believe he would have bitten off, had i not jumped out of the way. "well, as i was saying, the shark did not bite off my leg; the delay would, at all events, have been inconvenient had he done so. i stroked his cheeks, and he looked up most lovingly into my face with his piercing eyes, and then, after he had floundered back into the water, i got on his back and away we went out to sea towards my ship. my companions were delighted to see me; the wonder was how they got on without me. when we dropped our anchor, king rumfiz and queen pillow, with my wife the princess chickchick, came off in a canoe to the ship, and very much surprised they were to see me on board, not knowing that my pet shark was in company. my little wife, indeed, thought i was a ghost, and in her fright jumped overboard, when she was as near as possible sharing the fate of poor oilyblubbina, and would have done so had i not leaped after her and saved her. not to disappoint my pet, we gave him afterwards half a dozen fat hogs, which he infinitely preferred. the captain was so generous with his liquor, that he sent my royal father and mother-in-law on shore roaring drunk. they were so happy that they insisted on having a ball at the palace, for which purpose i issued a decree summoning all the principal people of the island; and a jolly night we had of it too, the old king toeing-it and heeling-it away right merrily in the centre of a circle of his admiring subjects. everything must have an end, so had my residence in the island. as i had begun to get rather tired of the monotony of my life on shore, i determined to make a voyage for the benefit of my health." "did you take your wife with you?" asked gogles, who had swallowed every word uttered by the boatswain. "my wife? oh no; i left her on shore for the benefit of hers. poor thing, she cried very much when i went away; it was the last time i saw her." "how was that, mr johnson?" enquired grey, "you seem to have been unfortunate with your wives." "yes, indeed, i was," replied the unhappy widower; "i have had ten of them, too. when i came back, i found that the island had been attacked by the savages, who had carried off my wife and eaten her. it's a fact. if they had had a reform, and kept me and my gun among them, it wouldn't have happened--of that i'm certain. having taken in a supply of wood, water, and provisions, the lady stiggins once more made sail for the southward." "i wonder you survived all your misfortunes, mr johnson," observed spellman, who, next to gogles and toby bluff, seemed to place the most perfect belief in the boatswain's veracious narratives, as he was pleased to designate his amusing inventions. "why, do you see, mr spellman, i'm tough--very tough!" he answered, with a hoarse laugh. "i doubt if even the head cook of the monarch of the cannibal islands--king hoki poki--could ever make me tender. so you see i've held out through them all; and there's one thing i may say, trying as they may have been, they have never taken away my appetite. now, young gentlemen, you've had a good long yarn, and my throat feels like a dust-hole with talking, so i must knock off." "but you'll tell us the end of your adventures some day, mr johnson; won't you now?" said gogles, imploringly. "i'll continue them, perhaps, young gentleman," answered the boatswain, laughing. "but let me tell you it will take a mighty long time before i ever get to the end of them. they're inexhaustible--something like the mint, young gentlemen, where the king has his guineas struck which he pays to us seamen for fighting for him. we should be in a bad way if his shiners were to come to an end; and one thing i may promise you, as long as i've got a brain to think and a tongue to wag, i shall be able to continue my wonderful and veracious history." gogles and spellman, and even grey, looked puzzled. i had long suspected that the origin of mr johnson's history was derived from a source considerably removed from fact; and from the peculiar way in which he screwed up his mouth, and the merry twinkle of his one eye--for the other he shut with the comic twist of his nose--i now had not the slightest doubt of the matter. i cannot say that his narratives were exactly instructive, but they were at all events highly amusing to us youngsters. the watch being just then called, an interruption was put to his narrative. toby bluff, and some of the other boys, who had been listening outside, were scuttling along the deck, spluttering out their laughter, while the young gentlemen whose watch it was hurried on deck, and the rest retired to the berth. we left mr johnson chuckling complacently at his own conceits. i went to the berth, now magnificently lighted by two purser's dips, which stood on the table, dropping fatness, in company with a bread-barge of biscuit, some tumblers, earthenware and tin mugs, a bottle of rum and a can of water, and surrounded by most of the members of the mess not on duty. gogles followed me, and took his seat. the can of water and the biscuit was shoved over to him. he eyed the black bottle wistfully. "no, no; that isn't good stuff for babies," said perigal, shaking his head; "if we had some milk you should have it, gogles." "i wish we had; why don't we keep some cows on board?" whispered gogles. "what would you feed them on?" asked grey. "grass and hay, when we could get them, of course," answered gogles, sagaciously. "not at all," remarked bobus. "carpenters' shavings are the things. on board a ship to which i belonged, we had two goats and a cow to feed our captain's baby, and whenever we ran short of hay or grass, what do you think the captain did? cut their throats and eat them? no, not he. why, he was a very ingenious man, and so he had some pairs of green spectacles made, which he used to clap over their eyes, and then when the shavings were chopped up fine, they used to eat them greedily, believing they were grass. he first gave them all the old straw hats he could collect, but that was an expensive way of feeding them." "i should think so, bobus," observed mcallister, who did not like joking himself, and had an especial antipathy to bobus's jokes or stories, or to bobus himself. "may i ask what ship that was in?" "what ship? why, the old thunderer, to the best of my recollection," answered bobus, seriously. "everything wonderful happened on board the old thunderer," observed mcallister. "bobus having been left drunk on shore, is the only survivor of her crew, and there is no one to contradict him." "i wasn't drunk; i was sick, and you know that perfectly well," exclaimed bobus, getting angry. "i won't have my veracity called in question. i've the feelings of a gentleman, and my honour to support, as well as others." "but you shouldn't support it by telling crammers," said mcallister, who took a pleasure in irritating poor bobus. "order!" cried perigal, who was always a peacemaker. "come, mac, let bobus spin his yarns, and do you spin yours; and now just go on with that story about the highlands which you had begun the other evening, when the squall struck the ship." mcallister was soon in the midst of some wonderful highland legend, while attempting to listen to which i fell fast asleep. we were once more at anchor in port royal harbour. several other ships of war were there. on one occasion i had the honour of dining with captain collyer, when two or three captains and several lieutenants and midshipmen were present. among the captains was rather a fine-looking man, a captain staghorn, commanding the daring frigate. he was an irishman, and though i thought our boatswain could beat any man at pulling the longbow, i must say captain staghorn equalled him. he poured forth the most astounding stories with wonderful rapidity and self-assurance. i observed that all the other officers bowed politely at the end of each, no one questioning any of his statements. even captain collyer let him run on without differing from him in the slightest degree. i took a dislike to him from the first from his overbearing manner at times. still he was certainly amusing, and everybody present laughed very much at his jokes. he talked incessantly, and did not scruple to interrupt anybody speaking. among his stories was an account he gave of his own prowess, when a lieutenant in command of a schooner. he was sent in search of a piratical craft. he came up with her, and running alongside, sprang on board, expecting his men to follow. the vessels, he declared, separated, but he laid about him with such good will that he not only kept the pirates at bay, but drove them below before his own schooner again got alongside. captain collyer, politely bowing, observed that he had often heard of his having taken a piratical craft in a very gallant way, which, in fact, he had, but not, as he asserted, alone; he had a dozen stout hands to back him, which makes all the difference. the name of a cousin of mine, captain ceaton, was mentioned. i had just before received the news from home that he had been appointed to the command of a corvette which would very probably be sent out to the west indies. he was only a lieutenant when i came to sea, and had not long been a commander. i had seen but little of him, but i knew him to be a thoroughly brave honest fellow. what, therefore, was my surprise and annoyance to hear captain staghorn open out roundly on him, and abuse him in no measured terms. one of the other captains asked why he did so. "why?" exclaimed captain staghorn, "five years ago or more he was a lieutenant of a ship i commanded. on his being superseded, at length, the lieutenant who succeeded him asked him what sort of a person i was, and he had the impudence to say that i was a very good sort of fellow, but used the longbow pretty frequently. i won't say how this came to my ears, but i made a vow, and i'll keep it, that i'll force him to go out with me, and i'll shoot him." the other captains tried to convince captain staghorn that ceaton could not have intended to offend him, as he was a man who would never offend anyone. captain staghorn muttered within his teeth, "i will, though." i was very much induced to say "but you do draw with the longbow, and ceaton only spoke the truth." i restrained myself, however, wisely; for though the other captains might be convinced that i only said what was the case, they would very much disapprove of a midshipman expressing himself freely about a post-captain. coffee was soon handed round, and we midshipmen, according to wont, retired. we repaired to the quarter-deck, where the master, as he occasionally did in harbour, had taken charge of the watch, the rest of the lieutenants not dining in the cabin being on shore. he was a very worthy man, but we had no great respect for him, and we took liberties on which we should not have ventured with mr bryan or the third lieutenant, or even with mr fitzgerald. for some time the influence of the cabin was on us, and we behaved with sufficient dignity. one of the midshipmen of the daring walked the deck with me, and opened out confidentially with regard to his captain, whom, however, he held in great awe. he told me that he was very brave, and had done all sorts of wonderful things; that he did not seem to set value on his own life or on that of anyone else; that he was very quarrelsome, and a dead shot; that he had killed three men in duels, and wounded half a dozen more; and that he never forgot or forgave what he considered an insult or an injury. my friend continued, "when we dine with him, he tells us the most extraordinary stories, and if we do not laugh at the right place and pretend to believe them, we are sure to get mast-headed, or punished in some other way, before many hours are over." "a very unpleasant character," i observed, though its hideousness did not strike me so forcibly in those days as it does now. "i shouldn't like to serve with him." "nor did i at first," said my friend, "but i have got accustomed to his style; and some of our fellows have taken a leaf out of his book, and boast and quarrel as much as he does." i thought to myself of the old saying, "like master, like men," and adapted it, "like captain, like midshipmen." "i would rather serve under captain collyer," i remarked. "he does not quarrel with or shoot his companions, and i do not believe that there is a braver man in the service." our conversation was interrupted by a chase after poor gogles, whom spellman and others had started up the mizen-rigging, giving him a minute's start. if they caught him he was to receive a cobbing; if he escaped he was to give them one, if he could. poor gogles had certainly made but a bad bargain. all the rest of the youngsters, including the daring's midshipman and me, soon joined in the chase--not all, however, to catch gogles, but rather to impede his pursuers, and to give him a better chance of escape. although he had not an over allowance of wits, he was very active, and had great tenacity of grip--qualities more valuable to skylarking midshipmen, rope-dancers, and monkeys, than brains. up went gogles valiantly to the topgallant mast-head, and, waiting till spellman had got close up to him, under pretence of being tired, he slid down the lift on to the yard-arm, and running in on the yard, had descended to the cross-trees, leaving all his pursuers above him. in similar ways he contrived to evade his pursuers, i and others helping him by pulling at their legs, or getting above them and stopping their way up. he had, i considered, fairly won the right to cob all the party; but, grown bold by his success, he descended by the lift to the topsail yard-arm, and was about to stoop down to traverse the brace to the mainmast, when, from hearing spellman's shout, he looked up, and, missing his grasp, over he went headlong into the water. i was at the time on the cross-jack yard. i ran to the end. though gogles could swim, he was, i at once saw, stunned by the fall. i did not stop to consider whether there was danger or not, but, slipping off my jacket, which i threw in board, and kicking off my shoes, i plunged in after him, fortunately not losing my breath in my fall. i looked about for gogles. he was just sinking. i swam towards him, for there was a current running which had drifted him already to some distance. no sooner did i reach him, however, than like a squid he threw his arms about me, and made it impossible for me to strike out. i entreated him to free me, but he evidently did not understand what i said. the dread that we should both be drowned came over me. i kicked my legs about as much as i could, but i could not shout out for fear of filling my mouth with water. i thought of sharks--indeed of all sorts of horrible things. we appeared to be drifting farther from the ship. preparations were being made to lower a boat, but i felt that before it could reach me i must sink. just then i caught sight of the boatswain's long nose over the hammock nettings, and the next instant he had slid down a rope overboard, and was striking out towards me. "shout, boy i shout, my son! and kick away--kick away," he kept exclaiming, as with sturdy strokes he clave the water, in his progress making himself all the time as much noise as possible. i guessed the reason of his cries, for i saw a black fin in the distance. had i been alone when i saw that ill-omened fin i believe that i should have quickly sunk; but the feeling that i had my messmate to support, and that the honest boatswain was coming to my help, kept me up. i did as mr johnson directed me, and kept kicking with all my might, and shouting too, whenever i could get my mouth clear of the water. still i got more down it than was pleasant. i saw something gleaming in mr johnson's hand. it was a long spanish knife. gogles had been quiet for some time, but just then he began to struggle, and again clasped me round the neck. i felt as if i was sinking, and was earnestly wishing that mr johnson was a few yards nearer, when i saw him suddenly turn aside and strike off to the left. my eye followed him with an intensity of interest such as i cannot describe. it caught the gleam of his knife, and then what was my horror to find that he had disappeared. it was but for a moment. directly afterwards he rose again, surrounded by a circle of crimson, and a huge black body floated up near him, lashing the water. he darted forward, and, seizing gogles, released me from his grasp. "swim on, mr merry, swim on," he shouted, shoving me before him. "here comes the boat." the men bent to their oars, and the brave boatswain swam on with all his might. with a jerk he threw gogles into the boat, and gave me a shove up as i was climbing in, which very nearly sent me over on the other side; he then sprang after us with surprising agility, turning as soon as he had got his feet out of the water, and striking with all his might at a huge creature which followed close at our heels. i saw the flash of the monster's white throat. "habet," shouted our third lieutenant, who was--a rare thing in those days in the navy--somewhat of a scholar. mr johnson had inflicted a mortal wound on another shark, who was immediately surrounded by his amiable brethren, eager to devour him as they had missed us. it is not difficult to conceive what would have been our fate had we remained another minute in the water, after the boatswain had killed the first shark. "you indeed did that bravely, mr johnson," said mr haisleden, as we returned to the frigate. "i never saw anything like it. where did you learn that trick?" "in the south seas, sir," answered the boatswain in a quiet tone, very different from his usual boastful manner. "i was once wrecked on an island, where i saw the natives swim off and attack sharks with their common knives; and i said to myself, what a savage does an englishman can do, if he takes time and practises. so as i had little chance of getting away for many months, or it might be years, i set to and learned to swim like the natives, and then to fight the sharks. it was no easy matter, and at first it was trying work to see one of the monsters making towards me and the native who accompanied me; but after i had seen the way in which he managed, i was no longer afraid, and soon became as expert as any of them. no man knows what he can do till he tries. i've been the means of saving the life of more than one shipmate by thus knowing how to manage the brutes." "why, you've ridden on a shark, mr johnson," said gogles, opening his eyes. "gammon!" answered the boatswain, twisting his nose. "i am speaking the truth now." by this time we had reached the side of the frigate. captain collyer was on deck. he warmly thanked mr johnson for his gallantry in jumping over to save us, and we received the congratulations of our friends at our escape, but i found that it was generally supposed i had fallen overboard as well as gogles; nor did i feel inclined to explain matters. "i should have mast-headed the youngsters for sky larking on board the daring," observed captain staghorn to one of our officers, as he took a sharp and hurried turn on the quarter-deck. "i'm glad i don't belong to your ship, my jewel," thought i, as i overheard him. gogles and i were sent below to our hammocks, and mr johnson followed us to put on dry clothes. "i'll set all to rights, mr merry," he observed, in a kind tone; "i saw how it all happened, and the brave way in which you jumped after the other youngster; but i wouldn't say anything before that strange captain. i know him well. he's a pest in the service, and always was. had it not been for him i should have been on the quarter-deck. however, i must go and shift myself. turn in and take a glass of grog; you'll be all to rights to-morrow morning." now the excitement was over, i felt very weary and uncomfortable, and was not sorry to follow his advice. as mr johnson had predicted, the next day i was not a bit the worse for my adventure; but poor gogles took several days to recover from his fright, and the quantity of salt water he had imbibed. i found that captain collyer treated me with more than his usual kindness, nor was i long in discovering that this arose from the account the boatswain took care should be conveyed to him of my conduct. i felt, however, that i was far more indebted to mr johnson than gogles was to me. i had jumped overboard from impulse, he with forethought and deliberate coolness. the circumstance cemented our friendship more closely than ever, and i am certain that he loved me as a son. with his rough exterior, loud voice, and bravery, his heart was as gentle as a woman's. i have seen tears trickle down his rough cheeks at a tale of sorrow, while with purse and sympathy he was ever ready to relieve distress, and i am convinced that he never wronged man, woman, or child in his life. two days after this, the signal was made that the pearl corvette was in the offing. as soon as she entered the harbour, i got leave to pay my cousin ceaton a visit. he was an admirer of my sister bertha, if not actually engaged to her, which i thought he might be by this time, and i was anxious to get news from home, as well as to see him. a kinder, better fellow never breathed. his manners were most gentlemanly, and gentle, too, and, though brave as a lion, he had never been known to quarrel with a shipmate or any other person. he received me as a brother, and very soon told me that, on his return to england, he hoped to assume that character. he had a great deal to tell me about home, and said that i must stay on board and dine with him. our pleasant conversation was interrupted by the announcement of major o'grady. the name made me feel uncomfortable, for he was one of the soldier officers who had dined on board the doris, and appeared to be on very intimate terms with captain staghorn. he was just that stiff, punctilious-mannered, grey-eyed person, for whom i have had always a peculiar antipathy. he hummed and hawed, and looked sternly at me, as if he could have eaten me up, and thought my presence especially impertinent; but budge for him i would not, till desired by my cousin to do so. at last he had to say, "i beg your pardon, commander ceaton, but the business i have come on cannot be discussed in the presence of a youngster." "go on deck, marmaduke," said my cousin. unwillingly i obeyed. my worst apprehensions were confirmed. captain staghorn was resolved to carry out his diabolical intentions. what could be done? i felt that charles ceaton had never fired a pistol except in open warfare, and as to practising for the sake of being the better able to kill a fellow-creature, i knew that was abhorrent to his nature. i hurried on deck as ordered, but as the skylight was off, and major o'grady spoke in a loud, and it seemed a bullying voice, i could hear nearly every word he said, nor did i consider myself wrong in drawing near to listen. "i am not at all aware of ever having made use of the words imputed to me," said my cousin, calmly. "that is as much as to say, commander ceaton, that you consider my friend capable of uttering a falsehood," answered the major, in a deliberate tone. "not at all, sir. i am simply stating the fact, that i cannot clearly recall having uttered the expressions you mention," said my cousin. "then you do not deny that you said something of the sort; indeed something to afford my friend captain staghorn sufficient ground for demanding an ample and perfect apology?" said the major, in his former slow way. "i shall deny nothing," said my cousin, at length nettled beyond endurance. he must be, too, i was certain, well aware of captain staghorn's reputation as a dead shot, and on that account resolved to go out and fight him. in those days, for an officer of the army of navy to refuse to fight a duel, however thrust on him, was to be disgraced in the eyes of his professional brethren, poor weak mortals like themselves. they forgot that the code of honour by which they chose to act, was not the code by which they were to be tried in another world. "then, commander ceaton, you cannot, of course, refuse to give captain staghorn the satisfaction he demands?" said the major. "certainly not," answered my cousin. "you, of course, have a friend with whom i may settle preliminaries," said the major. "the sooner these affairs are got over the better." "undoubtedly," said my cousin, with unusual bitterness in his tone. "my first-lieutenant wid act for me. he is a man of honour and a friend. i have perfect confidence in him. i will send him to you." i moved away from the skylight. my cousin came on deck, where he was joined by mr sandford, who, after a minute's conversation, went into the cabin. he and the major very quickly came on deck, the latter bowing stiffly as he descended to his boat alongside. i felt very much inclined to walk up to him, and to say, "if your friend shoots my cousin, and brother that is to be, i'll shoot you;" but i did not. i, however, watched with no friendly eyes the soldier officer, as he sat in his boat stiff as a ramrod, while he returned to the daring. i pondered how i could prevent this duel. i felt that it was not fair that one man who had never held a duelling-pistol in his hand, should be compelled to fight another who could snuff a candle at twelve paces without putting it out. i wanted to find out when and where they were to meet. my cousin returned to the cabin with mr sandford. the latter remained with him for some time, and when he returned on deck he looked very grave and sad. never more clearly were the evils of duelling brought home to me. here was a man in the prime of life, who might long be useful to his country and mankind, about to be murdered, simply because he would not apologise for expressions which he could not recollect having uttered. my poor sister bertha, too--how miserable his untimely death would make her. i walked the deck feeling more unhappy than i had ever before done. the midshipmen of the corvette kept aloof from me, fancying that my cousin had communicated some ill news, or perhaps that i was in disgrace. i don't know. i was glad that no one came and spoke to me. the dinner hour at last arrived, and i went into the cabin. of course i was supposed not to know anything about the contemplated duel, and i tried to appear as cheerful as before. besides mr sandford, the purser dined in the cabin, and no allusion even was made to the major's visit. my cousin endeavoured to keep up the conversation, and smiled at the purser's bad puns, which he had probably heard a hundred times before. i talked whenever i could about home--the dear old hall--my sisters and brothers, and my father and mother. i observed that a shade of pain passed over his countenance whenever i mentioned my sisters. i was unwise in doing so, unless it could have had the effect of shaking his resolution, and inducing him to send to captain staghorn, and to tell him that of men the world might say what they chose, but that he would not go forth to break the law of god, to take his life or to lose his own. but why do i say that? i now know that nothing but the love of god, and of god's law implanted in his heart, would have induced him thus to act. abstractedly he knew that he was about to do a wrong thing, but had he been really making god's law the rule of his life, he would not have hesitated one moment, but the moment major o'grady had opened the subject, he would have told him plainly that he feared god more than man; that if he wronged captain staghorn, even though unintentionally, he would make him all the amends in his power, but that fight he would not. his conduct, however, very clearly showed--brave, and honest, and generous, and kind-hearted as he was, a man to be esteemed and loved--that he feared man, and what man might say, more than god, and how god would judge. numbers act thus; but numbers perish of a plague. that there are many, does not save them. it must be understood that i did not think thus at the time. i was only a little, less careless and thoughtless than those around me. i was very sorry, though, that my cousin was going out to fight with a man who was a dead shot, because i was afraid he would be killed, and that my sister bertha, whom i loved dearly, would be made miserable. it did occur to me, as i looked at his open and intelligent countenance, his broad chest and manly form, how sad it was that, by that time the next day, he might be laid in the cold grave. dinner progressed slowly. under other circumstances he would have thought me especially stupid, for there was a feeling in my throat and a weight at my heart which effectually stopped me from being lively. after coffee had been taken, i mechanically rose with the rest, and went on deck. i had not been there long, before it occurred to me that i ought to have wished him goodbye, as a boat was alongside to carry some liberty-men on board the doris. i desired the sentry to ask if i might see him, and was immediately admitted. "i am glad that you are come, marmaduke," he observed. "we cannot tell what may happen to us in this climate. yellow jack may lay his fist on us, or a hurricane may send our craft to the bottom; so, you see, i have thought it better to do up a little packet, which, in case of anything happening to me, i wish you would give to bertha from me. i don't wish to die, but in case i should, tell her that my last thoughts were about her, and my prayers for her welfare. oh! marmaduke, she is one in a thousand. cherish her as the apple of your eye. you do not know her excellences." he went on very justly praising bertha for some time, till there was a tremulousness came into his voice which compelled him to stop, and i very nearly blubbered outright. at last he told me to return to the doris, and come and dine with him the next day. "that is to say," he added, "if yellow jack has not got a grip of me in the meantime." with a heavy heart i went back to the frigate. i took two or three turns on deck, considering if i could do anything, when it occurred to me that i would confide the matter to mr johnson, and get his advice, and, it might be, assistance. i found him as usual, when the duties of the day were over, seated in his cabin, reading a book by the light of a ship's lantern. he put down his book when i entered, and seeing by my countenance that something was wrong, said-- "what is the matter now, mr merry? i'll do what i can, depend on that." i told him all i knew, and asked him if there was any way of preventing my cousin being shot. he looked grave and thoughtful. "and these men pretend to have sense in their heads!" he muttered. "sense! they haven't ten grains of it. haven't they a chance, every day of their lives, of having their brains knocked out all in the way of duty, and they must needs try and kill each other very contrary to the way of duty. i never really wished to be a lord of the admiralty, but if i was, and had my way, i would break every officer who called out another, or accepted a challenge, or acted as second." "then you'd have those hung who killed their men?" i exclaimed, entering into his views. "no, i would not. i would leave them to the just punishment their own consciences would inflict ere long," he answered gravely. "but i would not allow men like captain staghorn to retain his majesty's commission, and to ride roughshod over his brother officers, just because he fears god's wrath less than they do. but you ask me how this duel is to be prevented? if you were to let the admiral himself know, he would not interfere. the only way i can think of, would be to shoot captain staghorn first, and that wouldn't be quite the thing. even if we could give him a settler, we must never do evil that good may come of it; i know that. the fact is, i am at fault, mr merry. if either of them were living on shore, something might be done; but it's no easy matter, and that you'll allow, to get hold of two captains of men-of-war living on board their own ships." i agreed with him with a heavy heart. we twisted and turned the matter over in every way, but did not succeed in seeing daylight through it. perhaps if we had known how and where to seek for assistance, we might have found it. it was my first watch. after our supper of biscuits and rum and water, i went on deck, and when my watch was over, turned into my hammock with cruel apprehensions as to the news i should hear in the morning. i was somewhat surprised to find myself sent for, as soon as i was dressed, into the captain's cabin. i felt anxious, for i thought that it must be something about my cousin. the captain, however, wanted simply to tell me to take a note on board the daring, and to return with an answer. it was a lovely morning; the water was as smooth as glass, the sky pure and bright, and the distant landscape which i have before described looking romantic and lovely in the extreme. as i shoved off from the frigate i saw a boat from the pearl; the captain's gig i guessed, cross our bows and pull towards the shore of the palisades some little way up the harbour. i was soon alongside the daring, and as i crossed the quarter-deck with the note in my hand, i saw that captain staghorn, who was in full uniform, was about to go on shore. the officers on duty were ranged on either side of the gangway in the usual manner. major o'grady, stiff and sour, was by his side. there was a terrible savage look, i thought, in captain staghorn's grey evil eye. i stepped across the deck to deliver my note. before i gave it, i heard him say as he walked along the deck, "i only intend to wing the fellow, major. i swore long ago i'd punish him, and i will keep my word." the major made a grim face, and muttered, "the brain is the best billet." i handed my note. "wait, youngster," he said, sharply, "i shall be back presently, i'll send an answer then;" and crumpling up the note, he put it in his pocket. as he was just stepping down the gangway ladder, he turned, and said aloud to his first-lieutenant, "should the admiral and captain so-and-so arrive before i return give my compliments and say that i was compelled to go on shore, but shall be back immediately." i found that captain staghorn had invited a large party to breakfast with him on that morning, and that their arrival on board was every minute expected. "ay, ay, sir," answered the first-lieutenant; and captain staghorn and major o'grady took their seats. the oars fell with a splash into the water, and the gig darted away in the direction taken by the pearl's boat. i watched the two boats pulling up the harbour as long as they continued in sight. i had never in my life felt so anxious and grieved. from what i had been told of captain staghorn, and of his wonderful skill as a shot, i did not for a moment doubt that my poor cousin's life was completely in his power, and from the words uttered by that evil-visaged major, i had a dreadful apprehension that he would exercise his skill to my relative's destruction. my grief was not only on his account, but on that of my dear sister bertha. i thought of the bitter sorrow she would suffer when she heard how he had died. had he been killed in action with the enemies of his country, she would have mourned his loss long and deeply; for time, i knew, would soften such sorrow; but to hear that, weakly yielding to an abominable custom, he had died infringing the laws of god and man, would prove to a person with a mind and opinions such as hers almost unsupportable. "it will kill her, it will kill her!" i kept exclaiming to myself, and i could scarcely help wringing my hands and giving way to tears. i have often since thought, that if boys and men did but reflect more than they are apt to do of the sorrow and suffering which their acts may cause to those they leave at home, whom they love dearly, and on whom they would be really unwilling to inflict the slightest pain, they would often pause before they plunged into sin and folly. i fancied that no one would know what the two captains had gone about, and was walking the deck in solitude, meditating, as i have said, on the cruel event about to occur, when i was accosted by the midshipman who had paid the doris a visit a few days before, and invited down to breakfast. chapter fifteen. i was ushered with due form into the midshipmen's berth of the daring. a large party were assembled, discussing an ample supply of food prepared for breakfast. they seemed a very free and easy set, and it was no fault of theirs if i did not find myself at home; but i was far too anxious to do justice to the good things placed before me, nor could i keep my mind from dwelling on the sad work i believed then going forward. i soon found that the object of the captain's visit to the shore was no secret. he had been boasting the evening before of what he had done in the duelling way, and congratulating himself on at length being able to reap the revenge he had so long sought, swearing at the time that he would shoot captain ceaton through the head, as he would any man who dared to impugn his veracity. was, then, his remark, that he would only wing him, the result of some momentary compunction of conscience, to be banished by the counsels of that mephistopheles-like major? i feared so. the midshipmen did not know that captain ceaton was my relative, and though some seemed to feel for my anxiety, others only laughed, and told me that i might as well begin to pipe my eye, for by that time my cousin would have a hole drilled through him, i might depend on it. they seemed, indeed, to be proud of their captain's performances in that way, and anxious to imitate him. two or three of them boasted of having fought duels with midshipmen of other ships, though, as they used not over sharp cutlasses, there had been no fatal results. i was very glad that i did not belong to the ship, for a more boastful, quarrelsome set of fellows i never fell among. the sort of things mr johnson said in joke, they uttered in grave earnest, and they were excessively angry if they were not believed. however, i managed to keep my temper, and at last to eat some breakfast, in spite of my anxiety about my cousin. as soon as i could, i returned on deck, where i was joined by my former acquaintance. he begged that i would not mind what had been said. "you see," he observed, "the captain sets the fashion and the greater number follow it. if we had had a different captain, these same fellows would have had very different ideas." i have often since then had occasion to make the remark, that, as a rule, drinking, swearing, profligate captains turn out officers of the same character. a brave, virtuous, and good commander cannot make all those under him like himself; but his example will induce imitation among some, and act as a curb to vice among others. great, indeed, is the responsibility of a captain of a man-of-war; indeed, of any ship where there are officers and men looking up to him. we had not been on deck long when the admiral came off in his barge from the shore, and three or four captains arrived in their gigs, as well as some military men in shore boats. the first-lieutenant made captain staghorn's apologies, saying that affairs of importance had taken him early on shore, but that he would be off immediately. the admiral walked up and down the deck rather impatiently, and looked annoyed, as if captain staghorn was not treating him with proper respect. he was also very hungry probably, and he kept continually pulling out his watch and replacing it hurriedly in his fob. the captains and other officers, aware, probably, of captain staghorn's eccentricities, were less annoyed; but even they at times gave signs of impatience. at length the signal midshipman announced that the captain's gig was coming off down the harbour. my heart beat quick. i never felt so anxious. some midshipmen were in the main chains. i joined them, eager to ascertain if my cousin's boat was also coming down the harbour. i borrowed a glass. after a time i thought that i could distinguish my cousin's boat coming down. had he escaped; or had the duel been prevented? i made out two officers seated in the stern, but the boat passed at a distance from the daring, and i was uncertain who they were. i had been so eagerly watching the pearl's gig, that i had not observed the daring's, which now approached. a murmur ran through the ship--there was something solemn in the sound. i looked down with an indefinite feeling of dread. still, i expected to see captain staghorn sitting upright, with his disagreeable companion by his side. the major was there, but a human form lay in the stern-sheets, with a boat's flag thrown over the face, to keep off the buzzing flies which were clustering above it. the murmur increased into unmistakable accents; the captain was dead--shot through the heart. i hurried to the gangway, round which the admiral and officers and men were assembling. the captain had returned at the hour he promised; but how differently! the flag fell from his face as the corpse was being lifted on deck. the eyes were open and staring horribly; the teeth were clenched, and the mouth wore that same bad, disagreeable expression it had worn two short hours before, when, full of life and strength, and confiding in the firmness of his nerve and his correct eye, he had stepped carelessly down the companion-ladder, determined grievously to wound or to take the life of a fellow-creature. the doctor went through the form of examining him to ascertain that he was dead. he lifted up a hand; it fell heavily on the deck. "there's no doubt about it," observed the major, coolly. "you never saw a man alive with a hole drilled through him like that;" and he scientifically pointed out the course the bullet had taken. the admiral and other officers collected round, and he continued, "i never saw anything more unexpected. he walked to the ground with the air of a man going to a ball, laughing and joking the whole way. not a muscle shook as he took the pistol and placed himself in position directly i had measured off the ground. i must say that commander ceaton behaved with courage and as a gentleman; but it was evident that neither he nor his second had the slightest notion of how to conduct affairs of the sort. commander ceaton placed himself with his full front facing his antagonist; and when i remonstrated with his second, as he was not thus giving himself a fair chance, he said that his captain chose to stand in that way, and that he would not change his position. i then returned to my principal. i naturally asked where he intended to hit his opponent. `in the head,' he replied; `his very look annoys me.' i retired to give the signal. which pistol went off first i do not know; but instead of seeing commander ceaton drop, as i expected, i saw my principal leap into the air and fall flat to the ground; while commander ceaton stood unmoved. i never saw a man so cut up about a thing. i should have supposed that he had killed a friend, instead of a deadly enemy. we had positively to send the doctor to him to prevent his fainting. and poor staghorn here, he never expected such an ending." "but never was one more richly deserved," muttered the admiral, turning away with a look of thorough disgust at the major's cold-blooded indifference to his friend's awful death. however, the admiral and other officers retired into the cabin to discuss the breakfast prepared for them, though their host was not present, with what appetite i cannot say. as i could not get an answer to the note i had brought, i returned to the doris to report what had occurred. "he has met his deserts; and yet how awful," said captain collyer half aloud, as i told him of captain staghorn's death. all in our berth were eager to hear what i had to tell them about the duel, and i could not help observing how different the remarks of my messmates were from those which had been uttered in the daring's berth. hearty satisfaction was also expressed that my cousin had escaped. i was eager to go on board the pearl to congratulate him and to take him back bertha's package, as i now knew why he had given it to me. i could not, however, go till the evening, when mr bryan gave me leave to take the dinghy. i sent down my name, and was told to go into the cabin. i found captain ceaton seated at a table, with a book before him. he lifted up his head from his hand, on which it had been resting, when i entered. i had never seen so great a change in any person in so short a time. his countenance was pale and haggard, his eyes sunk, and his whole look would have made me suppose that he had undergone a year of the most severe mental suffering, or some painful illness of still longer duration. i was going to congratulate him on having come off the victor, but i could not bring out the words i had intended to use. i merely murmured out, "i am so very glad you are alive. i have brought back the package for bertha. i know now why you gave it to me." "keep it still, marmaduke," he answered gloomily. "i feel that i shall soon be summoned hence. god's wrath rests on the willing homicide, and i have sent that man without an evil deed repented of into the presence of his maker. i was too eager to fire. almost before the word was given i had lifted my hand to do the accursed deed. i would far, far rather have been shot myself. let my misery be a warning to you. never on any account lift your hand against the life of a fellow-creature, unless you are fighting for your country or attacked by assassins. the world may gloss over the deed as it will; the conscience cannot gild a crime." he said a good deal more in the same style. i tried to comfort him as well as i could, and talked about my sister and the future. "what, unite a spotless hand to that of one stained with the blood of a fellow-creature!" he exclaimed. "no, marmaduke, when she knows the truth, she will shudder at the thought." i now saw that he was altogether unnerved, and i hoped that, if his surgeon was a sensible man, he might do him more good than i could with any arguments at my command. after a time i went on deck, and finding the surgeon walking by himself, i went up to him and told him what i thought. "very sensible, youngster. some soothing draught is what he wants. i'll get him to take it," he answered. "your relative, let me tell you, had a narrow escape. did he show you where the bullet grazed his head and took off the hair?" "no, indeed. i did not know even that captain staghorn had fired," said i. "ay, but he did though, and he aimed at your cousin's brain," said the surgeon. "mr sandford tells me that, as he looked at his antagonist's evil eye, he never expected to hear the captain speak again. he's unhappy now, and shocked; very natural for a man of fine feeling; but he'll get over it, don't be afraid." "then the wretched man took the advice of his evil counsellor, and resolved to kill my poor cousin," i thought to myself. i was afraid, however, that the fact would be no comfort to him, but would rather aggravate his suffering when he thought that the last feeling which had animated the bosom of the man who had been so suddenly sent to his dread account was that of bitter animosity and revenge. i instinctively felt this, and so, when i returned to the cabin before leaving the ship, i refrained from touching on the subject. i did not know at the time, nor did anyone else on board, i am afraid, in a position to speak to him, where alone he could seek for comfort and consolation in his wretchedness, for wretched he was, and almost hopeless. however, i must not longer dwell on the subject. i returned to the doris, but i got leave on most days to visit my cousin. i did not see any great change in him for the better. an enquiry took place with regard to the duel, but the evidence in his favour was so strong, and captain staghorn's character was so notorious, that he was acquitted of all blame in the matter. i was truly glad to find that we and the pearl were to sail together and cruise in company for some time, in search of some of the enemy's privateers, which had been committing havoc among our merchantmen. the day before we sailed we received a visit from old colonel pinchard, and we invited him down to dinner. he seemed in high feather, having got as many pupils as he could manage to instruct in french, and, moreover, as he told us, he had hopes that he had softened the heart of a creole lady, who, though somewhat weighty herself, was outweighed by the bags of doubloons of which she was the owner, not to speak of a number of male and female slaves, who acknowledged her as their mistress. "ah, you see, vary good, vary good," he added. "you see, moch obliged to you for take me prisoner. i drink to de sante of all de young gentlemans of de doris." the old colonel certainly contrived to make himself very happy, and we sent him on shore singing alternately the marseillaise hymn, some royalist tunes, and god save the king, while he kept occasionally shouting out "vive napoleon!" "vive l'angleterre!" "vive la france!" exhibiting in his cups the real cosmopolitan feelings which inspired him--the feelings of most old soldiers of fortune. they start probably with some vague notions of seeking honour and glory, but, finding the objects at which they aim thoroughly unsatisfying, they in most cases become intensely selfish, and think only how they can make themselves most comfortable under any circumstances in which they are placed, or how they can secure the largest amount of plunder. this was the last time i saw colonel pinchard, but i heard that he married the creole widow, foreswore france, and settled in jamaica. we were all glad to get to sea again, as we had little pleasure from being in harbour, for, though the west indies has many charms, and at some seasons no fault can be found with the climate, yet yellow jack is an unpleasant customer, whose visits we were happy to avoid. i have not named any of my messmates for some time. poor mcallister was the only one much changed; the climate certainly affected him, but he got a great deal of badgering from the officers of his own standing in the service, and especially from the mates of other ships, for having been outwitted by the frenchman, and for losing his prize. he took his bantering ill in public, and brooded over the subject in private, till he began to believe that his courage was doubted, and that he must do some very daring deed to retrieve it. but i must do old perigal the credit to say that he never bantered him, though spellman did whenever he thought he could give a sly hit with impunity. i did what i could to comfort him, and the liking for me, which he had always entertained, evidently increased. i was in his watch, and, as we walked the deck together, he would talk to me by the hour of scotland, and the estate of his ancestors, which he hoped one day to recover. suddenly he would break off, and in a tone of deep melancholy, exclaim, "ah, but those are dreams--all dreams--never to be realised. i am never to see bonnie scotland again; her heathery hills, and blue, blue lochs, and my own mary; but i've never told you of her. she's been the pole-star to me since i came to sea. she was but a young girl then, but when i had returned from my first voyage, she'd grown into the fairest maiden for many a mile round, and soon she promised to be mine, when i should get my promotion. i won't talk more of her, though; but you'll undertake, merry, when you go home, should i lose the number of my mess, to go and find out the poor girl, and tell her all about me." and so he ran on. of course i promised to do all he wished. midshipmen always do promise each other all sorts of things of a similar nature, and intend to fulfil their promises faithfully, though i am not prepared to assert that they always do so. by the bye, it is rather curious that at least half my messmates who confided their attachments to me were in love with young ladies of the name of mary. sometimes, i suspect, they were myths, but they did equally well to talk about. to a sailor's ear there is something very attractive in the name; certainly i have known several most charming maries, and one especially--but i am not going to make confessions. the pearl sailed well, and kept easily in company with us. after getting clear of jamaica we stood to the eastward, to run down among the french islands, where we might have a chance of falling in with some of the privateers starting on their cruise. we had before long done a good deal of mischief among them; we captured three, sunk one, burnt another, and drove two on shore. at last, one morning at daybreak, a large schooner was reported in sight, standing to the southward. both we and the corvette made all sail in chase. there was no doubt that she was an enemy, as she spread all the canvas she could set for the purpose of escaping. the wind was light, which was to her advantage, and from the first it seemed very doubtful that we should overtake the chase. still, while there was a chance, captain collyer was not the man to give it up. the wind was about abeam. the corvette was ordered to keep well to windward, to prevent the schooner from hauling up, and thus escaping; while there was no doubt that, should she attempt to escape before the wind, fast as she might sail we should come up with her. our aim was to jam her down on the land, as we had done other vessels, when we should drive her on shore or capture her. during the morning i was several times on the forecastle, where i found mcallister with his glass eagerly fixed on the chase. "i am certain of it," he exclaimed. "as true as i'm a highland gentleman, and my name is mcallister, that craft ahead of us is the audacieuse. i know her by second sight, or, if you don't believe in it, by the cut of her canvas, even at this distance. i'm certain of it. i would give my patrimony, and more wealth than i am ever likely to possess, to come up with her. i'll make lieutenant preville pay dearly for the trick he played us." though i thought very likely that the schooner in sight was our former prize, i could not be certain. neither were the men who had been with us, nor were the crew of the espoir at all certain as to the vessel in sight. as ned bambrick observed, "she might be her, or she might not be her; but one french schooner, at the distance of seven or eight miles, looked very like another, and that's all i can say, do ye see, sir, for certain. the only way is to overhaul her, and then we shall know." perigal was inclined to side with mcallister, from the satisfaction which the so doing afforded him; indeed, he now appeared in far better spirits than he had done since our mishap. at last the breeze freshened, and we rose the land, the coast of cuba, beyond the chase. her chance of escape was consequently much lessened, unless she could haul up along shore, or there was any harbour up which she might run for shelter. we were now clearly gaining on her, and as we drew nearer mcallister became more and more certain that she was the audacieuse, while others also agreed with him. i, of course, hoped that he was right. "we will make preville cook for us. he shall be employed in dressing ragouts all day long," he exclaimed, rubbing his hands. "but i hope he won't yield without fighting. i wish it would fall calm, and i may be sent in command of the boats to take him. that would be the most satisfactory thing." i agreed with him in the latter point, but argued that the frenchmen had only treated us as we should have attempted to treat them under similar circumstances, so that we had no reason to complain, while they had also behaved most liberally to us when giving us a boat to reach jamaica. my poor messmate was, however, far too excited to listen to reason. the day wore on. nothing would induce mcallister to leave the deck. we sent him up some cold meat and biscuit for dinner, but he would scarcely touch the food, continually keeping his eye on the chase. the day was advancing, and we were drawing in with the land. it was still uncertain whether we should catch her, as she might more easily escape us during darkness. we were about two miles from the land, against the dark outline of which her sails appeared shining brightly in the rays of the sun, just sinking into the ocean. the wind was dropping. if the land breeze came off, we might not be able to work up to her, though she might anchor, and then mcallister's wish would be gratified. i had returned to the forecastle, where a good many of the officers were assembled, watching the chase. the sun had sunk below the horizon. the gloom came down with a rapidity unknown in northern latitudes. there was the schooner. our eyes were on her. suddenly she disappeared. mcallister stamped with his foot, and i thought would have dashed his glass on the deck, when he could no longer discover her. so unexpectedly had the chase vanished that some began to pronounce her the flying dutchman, or a phantom craft of that description. the master, however, very soon appeared, and announced the fact that inside of us was a strongly-fortified harbour, and that of course the cause of the chase being no longer seen was that she had run up it, and rapidly furled her sails. we now hauled off the land, and hove-to, and captain ceaton coming on board, it was agreed that an attempt should be made to cut out the schooner, and any other vessels which might be in the harbour. the plan was very simple. the marines, with a party of seamen, were to land and attack the forts in the rear, while the ships' boats, manned by all the blue jackets who could be spared, were to take possession of the vessels in the harbour, if they could. the harbour was reported as strongly fortified, and it was important, therefore, if possible, to take the enemy by surprise. the captains consequently resolved to put off the attack till another night. this did not suit poor mcallister's impatience. he was eager to commence the undertaking without delay. the two ships now stood off to such a distance that they could not be seen from the shore, and we then hove-to. all those to be employed were busily preparing for the work in hand. it was understood that it would be far more severe than anything in which we had yet engaged. captain ceaton begged leave to lead the expedition, and, mr bryan being ill, mr fitzgerald was to be second in command. the land forces were led by lieutenant fig of the marines. though his name was short, he was not; and he was, moreover, a very gallant fellow. the second lieutenant of the corvette had charge of the boats for landing the soldiers. in such exploits it is seldom that the senior captain himself commands; indeed, they are generally confided to the lieutenants who have their commissions to win. mcallister, to his great satisfaction, got command of one boat, with grey as his companion; and mr johnson, whom i accompanied, took charge of another. we were to have three boats from the frigate, and two from the corvette, the rest being employed in landing the soldiers. my cousin was unwell, and in the evening his surgeon sent on board to say that he was utterly unfit to accompany the proposed expedition, the command of which was therefore claimed by mr fitzgerald. "if it was daylight, his phiz would go far to secure us the victory," observed perigal, who did not hold our eccentric second lieutenant in high estimation. "however, he can shriek, and that is something." as soon as it was dark, we once more stood towards the land, but the night wind came off, and we worked up at a slow rate, which sorely tried our patience. the hours of darkness passed by; still, we had night enough left to do the work. the ships hove-to, and the boats were piped away. my heart beat high. i longed almost as much as mcallister to regain possession of the audacieuse, should the schooner prove to be her. there was no time to be lost, lest daylight might surprise us. we shoved off, and away we went right merrily, with muffled oars, the men bending their backs to them with a will. there was supposed to be a little cove outside the chief harbour, and here the soldiers were to land and form. a rocket sent up by our part of the expedition, as soon as we were alongside the schooner or discovered by the enemy, was to be the signal for the soldiers to advance and storm the works. at some little distance from the harbour's mouth we parted from the land forces, and now still more rapidly we advanced. on a hill overlooking the harbour we could distinguish the outline of a formidable-looking fort, or rather castle; while close under its guns lay, not only the schooner, but rising up, with the tracery of their spars and rigging pencilled against the sky, appeared a large three-masted ship, either a heavy corvette or a frigate, with three or four more vessels moored head and stern of her, while the schooner lay more out, with her guns pointing down the harbour--so that, to get at her, we should have to pass under the fire of all the rest, while the guns from the fort above could plunge their fire right down upon us. the tide was running strong out of the harbour, and the grey streaks of dawn were already appearing in the east. these circumstances might be to our advantage, if we were once in possession of the schooner, but were at present very much against us. what other officers might have done in a similar case i am not prepared to say; but paddy fitzgerald was not the man to turn his back on an enemy till he had crossed blades with him. so on we pulled, rather slowly though, against the current. i hoped that the enemy had not discovered us, for it seemed as if no watch even was kept on board the vessels, and that all their crews were wrapped in sleep. "don't be too sure of that," whispered mr johnson. "they are not like heavy-sterned dutchmen or russians; these frenchmen always sleep with one eye open." whether he was right or not i do not know, but just as the boats, all keeping close together in beautiful order, had got abreast of the lowest vessel, our eccentric leader, either by accident or on purpose, for the sake of giving the enemy a better chance of knocking us to pieces, sent up the rocket right over their heads. the first whiz must have startled the sleeping watch, and in a few seconds drums were heard beating to quarters, and officers bawling and shouting, and lights gleaming about in all directions. the crew of the schooner, too, gave evidence that they were on the alert, for several shots came flying down the harbour over our heads. they had not got the range, but they would soon. mr fitzgerald's voice was heard shouting-- "we've awoke them up. erin go bragh! hurra, lads! push on!" a deep voice was heard joining the shout, "for the schooner! the schooner's our aim!" it was that of mcallister. on shore, too, and in the fort, there was a great commotion; drums there also were beating, and officers calling the garrison to the ramparts, while bright flashes and the rattle of musketry showed that those of the land expedition were well performing their part of the undertaking. we dashed on as fast as we could urge the boats against the current, right under the broadsides of the corvette and other vessels, which began pouring in on us a terrific fire of great guns and small-arms, which soon made fearful havoc among our crews. still we pulled on. three men in the boatswain's boat had been struck, one of whom was killed, when a shower of grape-shot came plunging down directly into her, killing another man, and tearing right through her sides. she filled rapidly. a cry arose from our poor fellows, as they found themselves sinking. we were close to another boat. mr johnson, seizing one of the wounded men, and telling me to follow him, and the coxswain grasping the other, we all leaped into her. we found she was mcallister's. two men in her were killed, and poor grey lay in the stern-sheets badly hurt. mcallister was all excitement, utterly regardless of the shot like hail flying round him, and urging the men to pull towards the schooner. we had nearly reached her, when mr fitzgerald, who had hitherto been cheering on the men, fell back wounded, giving the order, as he did so, to retreat. it was too evident that success was no longer possible; one quarter of the party were either killed or wounded, and many more must be lost before we could ever gain the deck of the schooner. mcallister thought differently; the object for which he had so long been wishing seemed within his grasp. he sprang forward, and in the grey light of morning i could see his figure as he stood up, and waving his hand, shouted-- "my name is mcallister, of ancient lineage, and the rightful owner of a broad estate in the highlands, and it shall never be said that i turned my back to the foe. on, lads, and the audacieuse will be ours!" scarcely had he uttered the words, when a round-shot struck him on the breast and knocked him overboard, before anyone could grasp him. instantly mr johnson sprang up, and shouted-- "my name is not mcallister, and i haven't an acre of land in scotland or elsewhere, and so give way, my lads, with the starboard oars, and back with the larboard ones, and let us get out of this as fast as we can, or not one of us will have a whole skin to cover his bones." the men obeyed. i was very glad they did, for i had had quite enough of the work, and getting the boat round, the current soon carried us out of the hottest part of the fire. still the shot came whistling after us, and when i considered the terrific fire to which we had been so long exposed, i could only feel thankful at finding myself and any of my companions still in the land of the living. as it was, two of our boats were knocked to pieces and sunk, and fully half those who had formed the expedition were either killed or wounded. my attention was now turned towards my friend grey, who lay in the stern-sheets groaning with pain. i was stooping forward to bind my handkerchief over his arm, when a round-shot flew by, which mr johnson told me would have taken off my head had i been sitting upright. for his sake, and that of the wounded men, i was very anxious to return on board, but i found that we had first to go in and cover the embarkation of the soldiers, in case they had been defeated and followed, or to give them notice of our failure should they still be persevering in the attack. on getting into the little harbour, no one was found on the beach, and i was therefore despatched to direct lieutenant fig to retire. it was an undertaking of no little hazard, for i might be made a prisoner by the enemy, or lose my way and be unable to return to the harbour. toby bluff, who had stowed himself away in one of the other boats, entreated that he might be allowed to accompany me. i was very glad to have a companion. two people can often carry out an object in which one may fail. off we set, having taken the supposed bearings of the fort, as fast as we could manage to get along through the gloom. the first part of our path was through sand, with rocks sticking up here and there, over which we stumbled several times, and broke our shins, but we picked ourselves up as well as we could, and not having time to give them a rub, hurried on. we were soon among maize fields, and then some coffee or other plantations, but fortunately there were no tall trees near yet further to darken the road. the path was somewhat rough, but i believed that it was the only one leading to the fort. the firing had entirely ceased. i could not, however, tell whether this was a good or a bad sign; whether our marines had entered the fort, or had been driven back. eager to ascertain, and to deliver my orders, we continued to push on. suddenly, as we were passing a narrow place, with thick bushes on either side, some large hands were laid on my shoulders, and a rough negro voice said-- "qui etes-vous, jeunes gens?" "amis, j'espere," i replied readily, summoning to my aid a large proportion of the french i had learned from colonel pinchard. "ou allez-vous donc?" was next asked. this was a puzzler, for i could not remember the name of the fort, or, indeed, of a castle in french. another big negro had caught toby bluff, and, of course, could elicit no information from him. they both laughed, as i fancied, at my attempts to speak french. i wanted to escape, if possible, without fighting; but when i found that we were discovered, i put my hand to my belt to draw a pistol. it was immediately grasped by my captors, and wrenched out of my hand, exploding at the moment, though fortunately without injuring me. the negro was lightly clad, and possessed of three times my strength, so that i in vain struggled to free myself from him. toby also was completely overpowered, and they now began dragging us along up the hill. i felt very uncomfortable. we had failed in the object of our expedition, and i thought we should either be knocked on the head by our captors, or perhaps be shot for spies by the french, while, at all events, if allowed to live, we should be kept as prisoners for months or years to come. worked up to desperation by these ideas, i struggled violently to get free, calling to toby to do the same. in my struggles, i fortunately gave my captor a severe kick on the shins, when he, instinctively stooping down to rub them, let go his hold. at the same moment, on my telling toby what i had done, he imitated my example, and also getting free, off we set at full speed, pursued by the negroes. where we were going i could not tell, except that we were not running towards the shore. the negroes, having stopped for a few moments to rub their shins, came along almost as fast as we did, shrieking and shouting out to us all the time to stop. the louder they shouted the faster we ran, till we were brought up with the point of a bayonet, and the challenge of:-- "who goes there?" "friend--doris!" i answered, recognising the voice of one of our marines. the negroes, hearing an englishman speak, bolted off through a plantation to the right, tumbling over each other, and had we been quick about it, we might have made them both prisoners. the marine told us that his party was a little farther in advance, that they had been defeated in the attempt to storm the fort, and that lieutenant fig was waiting for further orders. we hurried on. daylight was making rapid strides, and as the french would soon discover the smallness of our numbers, we should have their whole force down upon us, and we should be cut to pieces or taken prisoners. as soon as i had delivered the order to the marine officer, he gave the word, "march--double-quick," and off we set at a pretty smart run. drums and fifes were sounding in the fort, and as we crossed a ridge, i saw from the top of it a large body of troops coming out of the gate in pursuit of us. we could not proceed faster than we were marching, on account of the wounded, who were carried by the bluejackets in the centre of the party. as it was, i perceived that many of the poor fellows, from the groans to which they gave vent, were suffering dreadfully. still it was impossible to leave them behind, for though the french might have treated them with humanity, the negroes would probably have murdered them, had they fallen into their hands. daylight was increasing, of course exposing us more clearly to the enemy. i never before had had to run away, and i cannot say that i liked the feeling, still there can be no doubt that in this instance discretion was the best part of valour. it would have been folly to stop and fight, as at any moment parties might appear, landed from the vessels we had attacked, and who might cut us off. the lieutenant of the pearl, who commanded the seamen, had been killed in the attack, so that the entire command devolved on lieutenant fig, and, to do him justice, he behaved with great judgment. the enemy, in strong force, were now rapidly approaching us. at length we came in sight of the boats: the wounded were sent on, while the rest of the party faced about to encounter our foes. on they came, but the steady front exhibited by the marines made them halt. once more they advanced. we received them with a hot fire, and stood our ground, driving them back to some distance, but only for a few minutes, for as we were about to continue our retreat, again they came on, expecting by their greatly superior numbers to overwhelm us. again and again they charged us. several of our men had fallen, and it was too evident that they would soon cut us to pieces. should we be once thrown into disorder, we should be destroyed before we could reach the boats. i found, too, that our ammunition was almost expended. again the enemy came on, when, at the same moment, a loud huzza was heard in the rear, led by a voice which i recognised as that of jonathan johnson, and on he came at the head of some twenty bluejackets, flourishing their cutlasses like a body of highlanders, and shouting at the top of their voices. this timely support encouraged our men, and charging at the same moment, we drove the enemy headlong before us. i had picked up a musket, and charged with the rest, and was carried by my ardour, or from not knowing exactly what i was about, ahead of my companions. i felt excited and highly delighted. the frenchmen, however, as they retreated, faced about every now and then, and fired. as i was cheering lustily, a shot struck me, and i fell. i thought no one had noticed me, as i heard lieutenant fig give the order to retreat. the enemy at the same moment halted, and encouraged by the arrival of another officer, they again came on. it seemed all up with me, but my faithful follower, toby bluff, had seen me fall, and, springing forward, he threw himself in front of me, shouting-- "if any on you johnny crapeaus dares to hurt the young measter, now he's down, i'll have the life out of you!" struck by toby's bravery, the frenchmen for a moment hung back, but they were again coming on, and would soon have overpowered him, when, on looking up, i saw mr johnson stooping over me. in a moment he had lifted me, as if i had been a baby, on his left arm, and, telling toby to run, with his cutlass in his right hand, he kept the frenchmen who pressed on him at bay. thus fighting and retreating we reached the boats, and one of them having brought her bow-gun to bear on the enemy, loaded with grape, kept them at a respectable distance, while the rest of us embarked. they did not, indeed, approach the shore till we were fairly off, and though they peppered us with musketry, only one or two men were slightly hurt. however, altogether our expedition had been more disastrous than any in which i had ever been engaged. with heavy hearts we pulled on board. mr johnson, with the gentleness of a woman, bound up my wound. poor grey lifted up his head as he saw me placed by his side in the stern-sheets, and said-- "what, merry, are you hurt too? there will be no need of shamming this time, to deceive macquoid." "i am afraid not," i answered faintly. "but still i hope that we may live to fight the frenchmen another day." "no fear of that, young gentlemen," said mr johnson, who had overheard us. "keep up your spirits; young flesh and sinews soon grow together, and there are no bones broken in either of you, i hope." we all got at length safely on board, when the wounded were without delay carried below, and placed under the surgeon's care. he repeated the boatswain's advice to grey and me, and told us that if we followed it we should soon be well. two or three of the poor fellows brought on board alive, died of their wounds that night. we heard that captain collyer and commander ceaton were very much cut up at the failure of the expedition, and the loss of so many officers and men. i was especially sorry for mcallister's death. though eccentric in some of his notions, he was every inch an officer and a gentleman. we at once made sail, i understood, from the fatal spot, but the general wish was that we might fall in with the schooner elsewhere, or return and take her. before many days had passed, i received a visit from my cousin. sorrow had worked a sad change in him, and i felt grieved as i looked up at his countenance, at the bad report i should have to give of him to poor bertha. it was fortunate for grey and me that we kept at sea, for the weather was tolerably cool, and our hurts rapidly healed. the doris had now been nearly four years in commission, so that we expected, as soon as the cruise was up, to be sent home. we had all had enough of the west indies, and we looked forward with eager satisfaction to the time when the white cliffs of old england should once more greet our eyes. one sorrow only broke in on our anticipations of pleasure. it was when we thought of our gallant shipmates who had been cut off, who had hoped, as we were doing, once more to be united to those they loved so dearly at home. i should have been more sorry for perigal than for anybody else, had he been killed, but happily neither bullet nor fever seemed to hurt him, and i hoped that he might once more be united to his wife. i thought, too, of poor mcallister's mary, and of the sad news i should have to convey to her. however, i cannot say that i indulged in these, or other mournful reflections, for any length of time. i was more thoughtful than i had been when i came to sea four years ago, but that was only at times when some occurrences made me think. generally i spoke of myself as merry by name and merry by nature, and was, i fear, still but a harum-scarum fellow after all. as may be supposed, the general subject of conversation in the berth or during the night-watches, was home. those who have never been from home, can scarcely understand the pleasure seamen experience, who have been long absent, in simply talking about returning home. there they expect to find peace, and quiet, and rest, those who love them, and can sympathise with them, and listen to their accounts of all their exploits, and dangers, and hardships. such at that time were my feelings, and those of my friend grey, but i am very certain that they cannot be the feelings of those who have given way to vicious habits, and whose only expectation is to enjoy their more unbridled indulgence. the thought of a pure and quiet home can afford no joy to them; they lose, i may say, one of the chief recompenses which those obtain whose duty calls them away from home, and all the loved ones there. still our hope was deferred. we were, however, the gainers, in one respect, by this, for we took some of the richest prizes captured on the station, so that even we midshipmen began to feel that we were persons of boundless wealth. at length our orders arrived, and the shout ran along the decks-- "hurrah, we are homeward-bound!" chapter sixteen. to england we with favouring gale, our gallant ship up channel steer; when running under easy sail, the light blue western cliffs appear. how often and often have those cheerful lines been sung by young, and light, and happy hearts, beating high with anticipations of happiness, and thoughts of the homes they are about to revisit after long years of absence. such was the song sung in the midshipmen's berth of the doris, as once more our gallant frigate entered the chops of the channel, and we were looking forward to seeing again those western cliffs which often and often we had pictured to ourselves awake, and seen in our dreams asleep. i will not dwell on the feeling with which "sweethearts and wives" was drunk on the last saturday evening in the midshipmen's berth as well as in every mess in the ship; not that the young gentlemen themselves had any one who could properly be designated as one or the other, but they might hope to have, and that was the next thing to it. i thought of poor mcallister, cut down in his early manhood, and of his poor mary, and i resolved if possible to fulfil his request, and to go and tell her about him. it was a task i would gladly have avoided. then again, what an unsatisfactory account i must give to bertha of poor ceaton. his expectation of dying soon might be mere fancy, but it was very evident that his spirits had never recovered the shock he had received when he killed captain staghorn, and he felt himself branded with the mark of cain. i was far from recovered from my last wound, and, altogether, my anticipations of pleasure were tempered with many causes for sorrow. however, i do not wish to appear sentimental, though i do wish to hint that midshipmen, even when returning home, must not expect to find unclouded happiness. we had still some leagues to traverse, and it was possible that we might fall in with an enemy, and have another battle to fight, before we could reach home. not that any one had any objection to so doing; on the contrary, no one expected for a moment that we could meet an enemy without coming off the victor, and being able to sail into portsmouth harbour with our prize. a sharp look-out was accordingly kept on every side, as we sailed up channel, but by that time few french cruisers remained daring enough to show themselves near the british coasts, and the needle rocks at length hove in sight, and with a leading breeze we ran up inside the isle of wight, and anchored at spithead among a large fleet there assembled. after waiting two days, uncertain as to our fate, we received orders to go into harbour to be paid off. i need not describe the operation, nor the scenes which took place after it. each man received a considerable sum, and i believe that before many days were over, half the number had spent, in the most childish way, the larger portion, and some, every shilling of their hard-earned gains, and were ready again to go afloat. most of the officers had gone on shore, and spellman, and grey, and i, and other midshipmen, were preparing to take our departure, when we went to bid farewell to mr johnson. "mr merry, i hope that we shall not part just yet," he said with great feeling, taking my hand. "the ship is to be left in charge of the gunner, and i have obtained leave to go up to london to visit my wife, and for other reasons. now it will afford me great pleasure if you and mr grey will make my house your resting-place on your way home, or rather i should say my wife's house, for, as i told you, she is a lady of independent fortune. indeed, mr merry, friends as we are afloat, i know the customs of the service too well to ask you, a quarter-deck officer, to my house under other circumstances." "don't speak of that, mr johnson," said i, feeling sure that he would be pleased if i accepted his invitation, and wishing perhaps a little to gratify my own curiosity. "i shall be delighted to go to your house. you forget how much i am indebted to you for having several times saved my life, and that puts us on an equality on shore, if not on board; besides, remember i know all about your wife, and i do not think that i ever returned you the letter you gave me for her when you thought you might be killed." "all right, mr merry; don't let's have any protestations; we're brother seamen and shipmates, and thoroughly appreciate each other, though some of the incidents i mentioned in my wonderful narratives might shake some people's confidence in my veracity," he remarked, again grasping my hand. "however, that is neither here nor there. you understand me, and that's enough. if you and mr grey like, we will take a post-chaise between us, and post up to town. i am impatient to be at home, and you will have no objection, i dare say, to whisk as fast along the road as four posters can make the wheels go round." grey and i willingly agreed to mr johnson's proposition. spellman was not asked, and had he been, we concluded that he would not have accepted the invitation, so we said nothing about it to him. we had a jolly paying-off dinner, with the usual speeches, and compliments, and toasts. after the health of the king was drunk and all the royal family, and other important personages, mr bryan got up and said-- "now, gentlemen, i have to propose the health of a shipmate, of, i may say, a brother officer of mine, lieutenant perigal, with three times three." saying this, he pulled out of his pocket one of those long official documents, such as are well-known to emanate from my lords commissioners of the admiralty. "come at last! hurrah!--well, it will make my dear wife happy," were the first words the delighted perigal could utter. i honoured him for them. faithful and honest, he was a true sailor. i afterwards had the pleasure of meeting his young wife, and she was worthy of all the eulogiums he had delighted when absent to pass on her. he had picked up a fair share of prize-money, otherwise his half-pay of ninety pounds a year was not much on which to support a wife and to keep up the appearance of a gentleman. i was in hopes that mr bryan would himself have been promoted, but he was not. mr fitzgerald, however, very shortly afterwards received his commission as a commander. bobus declared that it was because he had stood on his head before the king and made him laugh, or because he had amused some other great person by one of his wonderful stories. i met him one day, and congratulated him. "ah, merit, merit does everything, mr merry, next to zeal," he exclaimed, with a chuckle. "you always were a zealous officer; and now i think of it, you are the very midshipman who took off his trousers and blew into them, when no other sail or wind was to be had for love or money, and the captain was in a hurry to get your boat back. i've often told the story since of you, and set it all down to your zeal." "well, let this be your consolation, if others do not recognise your services, i will when i am one of the lords of the admiralty." "well, sir," said i, "i hope that you will make haste to climb up into that honourable position, or the war will be over, and i shall not have secured my commission." i did not think that it would be polite to have replied, i thank you for nothing, but certainly i did not expect ever to benefit much by his patronage. to return to the paying-off dinner. i wish that i could say that all present retired quietly to their respective inns and lodgings as sober as judges; but, with the exception of grey and me, i believe that not one could have managed to toe a plank, had they been suddenly ordered to make the attempt. i speak of things as they were in those days, not as they are now. happily at the present day it is considered highly disgraceful for an officer to be drunk; and not only is it disgraceful, but subversive of discipline, whether he is on or off duty, and thus injurious to the interests of the service, and prejudicial to his own health and morals. taking the matter up only in a personal point of view, how can a man tell how he will behave when he has allowed liquor to steal away his wits? what mischief he may do himself, what injury he may inflict on others? in the course of my career i have seen hundreds of young men ruined in health and prospects, and many, very many, brought to a premature grave by this pernicious habit of drinking. "but what is the harm of getting drunk once in a way?" i have heard many a shipmate ask. i say, a vast deal of harm. how can you tell what you will do, while you are thus once-in-a-way drunk? i, an old sailor, and not an over strait-laced one either, do warn most solemnly you young midshipmen, and others, who may read my memoirs, that numbers have had to rue most bitterly, all their after lives, that once-in-a-way getting drunk, or, i may say, taking more than a moderate allowance of liquor. many fine promising young fellows, who have at first shown no signs of caring for liquor, have ultimately become addicted to drinking, from that most dangerous habit of _taking a nip_ whenever they have an opportunity. "but why call that a dangerous habit?" shipmates have asked me. "a nip is only _just a taste_ of spirits, raw it may be, or perhaps even watered. it's a capital thing for the stomach, and keeps out cold, and saves many a fellow from illness." so it may, say i. but it is the nip extra i dread, with good reason; the nip when no such necessity exists, or rather excuse, for a man may pass years without positively requiring spirits to preserve his health. however, not to weary my readers with the subject, i will conclude it, by urging them to be most watchful, lest they take the first step in this or any other vice. how many fall, because they think that vice is manly. which is the most manly person, he who yields to his foes, or he who, with his back to a tree, boldly keeps them at bay? no greater foes to a man's happiness and prosperity than his vices--or sin. no man can expect to escape being attacked by sin, and those who are its slaves already cry out, "yield to it; yield to it. it's a pleasant master. just try its yoke; you can get free, you know, whenever you like." never was a greater falsehood uttered, or one more evidently invented by the father of lies. the yoke of sin is most galling; it is the hardest of task-masters. the people who talk thus do their utmost to hide their chains, to conceal their sufferings, which giving way to sin has brought upon them. do not trust to them, whatever their rank or character in the world. i would urge you from the highest of motives, from love for the saviour who died for you, not to give way to sin; and i would point out to you how utterly low, and degrading, and unmanly it is to yield to such a foe--a foe so base and cowardly, that if you make any real effort to withstand him, he will fly before you. don't be ashamed to pray for help through him, and you are not on equal terms unless you do. that's not unmanly. sin has got countless allies ever ready to come to its support. by prayer you will obtain one--but that one is all powerful, all sufficient. it is my firm belief that he, and he alone, is the only ally in whom you can place implicit reliance. others may fall away at the times of greatest need. he, and he alone, will never desert you; will remain firm and constant till the battle of life is over. now some of my readers, perhaps, will exclaim, "hillo, mr midshipman marmaduke merry, have _you_ taken to preaching? you, who have been describing that extraordinary old fellow jonathan johnson, with his veracious narratives, and wonderful deeds. you've made a mistake. you've taken it into your head to write some sermons for sailors, and you've got hold by mistake of the manuscript of your own adventures." pardon me, i have made no mistake, i reply. when i was midshipman marmaduke merry, i did not preach; i did not often give good advice as i do now. i wish that i had, and i wish that i had taken it oftener than i did. what i do now is to afford the result of my experience at the close of a long life; and it is that experience by which i wish you to benefit. i quote the scriptures, and i believe in the scriptures for many reasons. one of them is--that i have ever seen scripture promises fulfilled, and scripture threats executed. now let me ask you what would you say to a man whose father, or some other relative, had been storing up gold or other articles of value, and which, when offered to him, he should refuse to accept, on the plea that they cost much trouble, and occupied so many years to collect, that they must be useless? you would say that such a man is an idiot. yet is not experience, or rather the good advice which results from experience, treated over and over again by worldly idiots exactly in that way? do not you, dear readers, join that throng of idiots. take an old man's advice, and ponder over the matters of which i have just now been speaking. this exhortation has arisen out of our paying-off dinner. i might have given you a very amusing account of that same feast--though it was not "a feast of reason," albeit it might have been a "flow of soul;" but i am not in the vein, the fact being, that paying-off dinners are melancholy affairs to look back at. how few of those assembled round the festive board, who have been our companions for the previous three, or four, or perhaps five years, through storm and battles and hardships, ever meet again! some have grown in honour, some have sunk in dishonour; some have struggled on with services unrequited, and have become soured and discontented; others again, in spite of their humble worldly position, have retained good spirits and kindly feelings, and though now old lieutenants with grey hairs, appear to be the same warm happy-hearted beings they were when midshipmen. should any of the readers not meet with the success they desire, i hope that they will belong to the last class; but i am very certain that they will not, unless, as midshipmen, they avoid evil courses, and fall not into the paths of sin. the morning after that paying-off dinner, grey and i were up early, and had breakfasted, when a yellow chaise drew up at the door of the blue posts, and in the interior appeared seated a very dignified-looking gentleman in plain clothes, whom we had no difficulty in distinguishing as mr jonathan johnson. toby bluff, who was on the box, got down and opened the door, when mr johnson, getting out, inquired with a paternal air, whether we were ready to start. our portmanteaus, flattened and wrinkled, containing the remainder of those articles which on starting could with difficulty be stowed in our bulky chests, being strapped on, we jumped in, followed by mr johnson, and toby remounting the box, up high street we rattled at a tremendous pace, exactly suited to our feelings. "this is pleasant, isn't it, young gentlemen?" exclaimed mr johnson, rubbing his hands. "i never like to let the grass grow under my feet either ashore or afloat. sometimes, to be sure, one has to sit still, and wait to do nothing, the most trying thing in the world to do. however, when you do keep moving, take care to move forward. some people move backward, remember. i have from time to time given you bits of good advice, and i dare say that you have been surprised to hear them from an old fellow who could spin such an outrageous yarn as my veracious narrative, but i hope that its very extravagance will have prevented you from supposing for a moment that i am capable of falsehood myself, or would encourage it in others; still i must own that i have been guilty of a piece of deceit, though i did not at the first intend to deceive. i will tell you the circumstances of the case, and then condemn me as i deserve. i told you that my wife was a lady of rank and education. my father was really very well connected, and when i was a young man staying with him, i met the daughter of a country gentleman of property, with whom i fell in love, and she had no objection to me. her parents, however, would not hear of the match, and i was sent off to sea. though only a warrant officer, i always liked good society when i could enter it, and on one occasion some few years back, having gone for that purpose to bath, i was introduced to a lady who was, i was informed, the baroness strogonoff. before long i discovered that she was the widow of a russian baron, and that she was no other than my old flame. i found that she had always felt an interest for me, and in fact that she would have married me had she been allowed. i naturally asked her if she would now, and she said yes. i told her that i was now in the navy, and an officer, and though this was true, i felt that i committed a great fault in not telling her that i was only a warrant officer. i was flush of prize-money at the time, and could make a very good appearance, which, as you may suppose, i did not fail to do. the result was that all her old affection for me returned, and that, to cut the matter short, we married. "here was i, a poor boatswain, the husband of a rich baroness, she of course, you'll understand, not knowing that i was a poor boatswain, or rather, what a boatswain is. now, if there's one thing more than another sticks in my throat, it is the thought of a man being dependent on a woman, let her be who she may, for his support, if he can support himself. now i had the greatest affection and respect for my wife, but this feeling always came between me and my happiness. while living with her i only spent my own prize-money on myself; and though i would gladly have remained with her, as soon as i was appointed to a ship i resolved to go to sea. i was not worse off than any post-captain or other officer in the service in this respect. i told her that duty called me to sea, and, though evidently with great unwillingness, she would not stop me in the path of duty. ah, young gentlemen, my baroness is a true woman, and i only wish for her sake that i was a post-captain, and in the fair way of becoming an admiral. she deserves it, anyhow. i have, i believe, a distant cousin a baronet, and as i believe that it gives me some importance in the eyes of her friends, i talk about him occasionally in their presence. not that i care a fig for rank myself, except as far as it may gratify her. so packing up my traps i joined my ship, not allowing any one on board to know even that i was married. i felt very sad, but i kept my affairs to myself, and tried to do my duty to the best of my power. i went to india, and you may be sure i collected all the most beautiful presents i could think of for my dear wife. i picked up, too, a good share of prize-money, so that i felt i might return home with a clear conscience, and the prospect of being well received. i was not mistaken, for my wife was overjoyed at my return, and would, i believe, have been so had i come back without a single jewel or shawl for her, and without a guinea in my pocket. this time i was able to leave a handsome sum of money with her, of which i begged her acceptance, for you see i knew that if she died before me, i had always my pension to fall back on, or greenwich, and that i should have ample for all my wants; and i felt a proud satisfaction in adding to her comfort and enjoyment by every means in my power, for i doubt if any other boatswain in the service can boast of having a baroness for his wife." "i should think not, mr johnson," said i. "but then, i do not think that any other boatswain in the service deserves one so much as you." he pulled up his shirt collar and looked highly pleased at this remark. "you think so, mr merry? you are a young gentleman of discernment in most matters, and i hope are so in this respect," he answered. "however, when you see the baroness, i think that you will confess that a man must be worth something to be worthy of her." thus we talked on, and i fancy that our tongues were not silent for a minute together during the whole journey. the last stage we had four horses. "i like to go home in style," observed mr johnson. "not on my own account, you'll understand, but because it pleases the baroness, and makes her neighbours suppose that her husband is a person of consequence." we darted along at a fine rate, and at length drew up at the door of a very pretty villa in the neighbourhood of london, without having had to drive through the city itself. we sat still, while mr johnson sprang out, and we saw him through the windows cordially welcomed by a really very handsome-looking lady of somewhat large proportions, whom we had no doubt was the baroness herself. in this conjecture we were right, and mr johnson soon returning, introduced us in due form to her. she received us most graciously and kindly, indeed in the most good-natured manner, and told us that we were welcome to stay at her house as long as we pleased. she seemed a warm-hearted unsophisticated person, and i should have said not over-refined or highly educated. had she been so, i confess that i do not think she would have married my worthy friend jonathan johnson. a room was quickly prepared for us, and we found ourselves in five minutes perfectly at home. we were shortly discussing a capital dinner, and as i looked at our well-dressed host at the foot of the table, i could scarcely believe that he was the same person who, a few days before, was carrying on duty with chain and whistle round his neck as boatswain of the doris. during dinner the baroness announced that she had fixed on the following evening, before she knew of her husband's intended return, to give a rout, and she pressed us so warmly to stay for it, that we, nothing loath, consented to do so. we were able to do this, as we had not mentioned any day positively for our appearance at our own homes. we spent the next morning in visiting with mr johnson the sights of london, but we returned early, as he was unwilling to be long absent from his wife. after dinner a host of servants came in, and in a rapid space of time prepared the house for the reception of the expected guests. it was well lighted up, and i was quite dazzled with its appearance. still more so was i, when the baroness came down glittering with jewels, and the guests began to assemble, and, as far as i could judge, there appeared to be a number of people of some rank and consequence among them. there was a conservatory and a tent full of flowers at the end of a broad passage, all gaily lighted up, and several rooms thrown open for dancing, and a band soon struck up, and the baroness introduced grey and me to some capital partners, and we were soon toeing and heeling-it away to our hearts' content. we had plenty to say to the young ladies about our battles and other adventures, and of course we took care not to speak of mr johnson, though more than one, i thought, pointedly asked what his rank was in the navy. i replied, carelessly, that he was a very brave officer, who had greatly distinguished himself, and that he had more than once saved my life, so that there was no man in existence for whom i had a greater regard. i believe that my remarks, without departing in the slightest degree from the truth, were calculated to raise the gallant boatswain in the estimation of his wife's friends. scarcely had i sat down, than i was again on my legs, prancing with my partners up and down the room. i was standing quiet for a moment, having reached the foot of the dance, and placed my partner in a seat, when i felt a tap on my shoulder, and looking round, whom should i see but captain collyer. "what, you here, merry!" he exclaimed. "how had you the good fortune to be introduced to the baroness?" "mr johnson brought us here, sir," said i, very naturally, without a moment's reflection. "mr johnson!" muttered the captain, in a tone of surprise. "who is he?" i was about to reply, when, on looking up, there i saw him across the room, standing looking at us with a comical expression of vexation on his countenance. his eye catching that of the captain, he immediately advanced, and said quietly-- "i was not aware, captain collyer, that you were coming here, or i should have let you know beforehand my position in this house. i know, as you are aware, the difference between a post-captain and a boatswain, and i should not have presumed to invite you, though as master here, i am honoured by receiving you; but you see, sir, that you may do me much harm in my social position, or render me considerable service, in the way you treat me. i am in your hands." "i wish to treat you as one of the bravest and most dashing officers in his majesty's service deserves to be treated," answered the captain, warmly. "how you became the husband of a lady of title, i will not stop to enquire, but i cannot help thinking that you will be wise to give up the sea, and to remain by her side. the service will lose one of the best boatswains who ever served his majesty, but the baroness will gain a good husband; and i shall be happy to associate with one i esteem as a friend and equal, which the etiquette of the service would prevent me under present circumstances from doing." "i thank you most cordially, captain collyer--from my heart, i do," exclaimed mr johnson. "but you see, sir, i love the service dearly, and should be loath to quit it; and i love my independence, and should be unwilling to lose that. i mean that i should be sorry to become dependent even on my wife for support, while i am able to work for it myself. i have explained my feeling and motives, and i hope that you will consider them right." "indeed i do, and honour you for them," answered the captain. "but still, mr johnson, i think that you should take the lady's opinion on the subject. i suspect that when she knows the true state of the case, she would far rather you remained at home than have to go knocking about the salt ocean, without the prospect of bettering yourself." "that's the only fault i have to find with the service," said mr johnson. "perhaps i have been dreaming, when living on in hopes that some change might be made whereby i might benefit myself, that is, rise in the service, which has ever been my ambition. why should not a warrant be a stepping-stone to a commission through extraordinary good conduct in the navy, just as a sergeant may hope to rise in the army? i don't mean, sir, that i wish to see the present class of boatswains obtain commissions, but with that reward in view, a better class of men would enter the service, and it would improve the character of the warrant officers." "so it might, but a large proportion would fail in obtaining their ends, and then we should have a number of discontented warrant officers, instead of being, as at present, the best satisfied men in the service." "there's force in that objection, captain collyer; the matter requires consideration," answered our host. "you must not rank me, however, among the discontented ones. i have long made up my mind to take things as they are, though i hope that i should not have been found wanting, had i attained a far higher rank than i now hold." while we were talking, i had observed a dapper little well-dressed man come into the room, and look eagerly around. he soon discovered the baroness, and having talked to her for some time in an animated style, he advanced with her towards us. he then ran forward, and taking mr johnson's huge paw in his hand, he wrung it warmly, exclaiming-- "i congratulate you, sir jonathan johnson, and your amiable and charming lady--indeed i do, from the bottom of my heart--on your accession to title and property. as you never saw, or indeed, i fancy, never heard of, your relative the late baronet, your grief need not be very poignant on that account, so we'll say nothing about it just now. i have been working away like a mouse in a cheese ever since i got an inkling that you were the rightful heir, and have only just discovered the last link in the chain of evidence; and then, having rigged myself out, as you nautical gentlemen would say, in a presentable evening suit, i hurried off here; and so there's no doubt about it, and i should like to give way to an honest hearty cheer to prove my satisfaction." our friend's countenance was worthy of the pencil of a painter, while the little lawyer was thus running on. his astonishment for a time overpowered his satisfaction. "i sir jonathan johnson!" he at length slowly exclaimed. "i a baronet-- i the possessor of a title and fortune--i no longer a rattan-using, call-blowing, grog-drinking, pipe-smoking, yarn-spinning boatswain, but a right real english baronet--my dear baroness! i am proud, i am happy, i am," and he threw his arms round his wife's neck, in spite of all the company present, and bestowing on her a hearty kiss, gave way to a jovial cheer, in which grey and i and the lawyer, and even captain collyer, could not help joining. the new sir jonathan, however, very soon recovering himself, became aware of the absurdity of his conduct, and the guests, collected by the cheer, coming round to congratulate him, he apologised in a fitting way for his unwonted ebullition of feeling. in a wonderfully short time he was himself again, and no man could have borne his honours with a better grace. when the captain and grey and i again congratulated him, he replied, "i am much obliged to all my kind friends here, but i know that your good wishes are sincere." numberless speeches on the subject were made at supper, and when captain collyer shook his late boatswain by the hand at parting, he assured sir jonathan that nothing had given him greater pleasure than so doing. "all i'll ask, captain collyer, is, that when you get a ship, you'll give me a cruise some day. i don't think that i could go to sleep happily if i was to fancy that i should never have the salt spray again dashing into my face, or feel the deck lifting under my feet." the promise asked was readily given, and sir jonathan johnson was afterwards engaged in one of the most gallant actions during the war, when, as a volunteer, he led the boarders in his old style, and was mainly instrumental in capturing the enemy. after peace was established he bought a yacht, and many a pleasant cruise i took with him during those piping times, our old shipmate perigal, to whom he had thus an opportunity of offering a handsome salary, acting as his captain. toby bluff, by his steady behaviour and sturdy bravery, became a boatswain, and has now charge of a line-of-battle ship in ordinary at portsmouth. the captain's old servant at last came on shore, and took to gardening, but as he usually pulled up the flowers instead of the weeds, he was directed to confine himself to sweeping the walks, which he did effectually, with delightful slowness and precision. he was one day in summer found sprinkling the housemaid's tea leaves over them, as he remarked, to lick up the dust. i have said nothing about my own family. it is a sad subject. poor bertha! the gallant ceaton never came home. his health gave way, but he did not die of disease. he fell on the deck of his own ship in action, at the moment the enemy's flag was seen to come down, the cheers of his victorious crew ringing in his ears. now, dear readers, old and young, farewell. i must bring these recollections of my early career as a midshipman to a conclusion. i wish that i had reason to believe they were as edifying as i hope they may have proved amusing. all i ask is, that you will deal lightly with the faults of the work. take whatever good advice you may have found scattered through the previous pages, and do not, by imitating the bad example of any of my old shipmates, give me cause to regret that i undertook to write this veracious history, as mr jonathan johnson would say, of the early days of... marmaduke merry, the midshipman. the end. scanned by john edward heaton in guatemala. note: another different print edition of this book has been posted as etext# mr midshipman easy by frederick marryat ( - ) chapter i which the reader will find very easy to read. mr nicodemus easy was a gentleman who lived down in hampshire; he was a married man, and in very easy circumstances. most couples find it very easy to have a family, but not always quite so easy to maintain them. mr easy was not at all uneasy on the latter score, as he had no children; but he was anxious to have them, as most people covet what they cannot obtain. after ten years, mr easy gave it up as a bad job. philosophy is said to console a man under disappointment, although shakespeare asserts that it is no remedy for toothache; so mr easy turned philosopher, the very best profession a man can take up, when he is fit for nothing else; he must be a very incapable person indeed who cannot talk nonsense. for some time, mr easy could not decide upon what description his nonsense should consist of; at last he fixed upon the rights of man, equality, and all that; how every person was born to inherit his share of the earth, a right at present only admitted to a certain length; that is, about six feet, for we all inherit our graves and are allowed to take possession without dispute. but no one would listen to mr easy's philosophy. the women would not acknowledge the rights of men, whom they declared always to be in the wrong; and, as the gentlemen who visited mr easy were all men of property, they could not perceive the advantages of sharing with those who had none. however, they allowed him to discuss the question, while they discussed his port wine. the wine was good, if the arguments were not, and we must take things as we find them in this world. while mr easy talked philosophy, mrs easy played patience, and they were a very happy couple, riding side by side on their hobbies, and never interfering with each other. mr easy knew his wife could not understand him, and therefore did not expect her to listen very attentively; and mrs easy did not care how much her husband talked, provided she was not put out in her game. mutual forbearance will always ensure domestic felicity. there was another cause for their agreeing so well. upon any disputed question mr easy invariably gave it up to mrs easy, telling her that she should have her own way and this pleased his wife; but, as mr easy always took care, when it came to the point, to have his way, he was pleased as well. it is true that mrs easy had long found out that she did not have her own way long; but she was of an easy disposition, and as, in nine cases out of ten, it was of very little consequence how things were done, she was quite satisfied with his submission during the heat of the argument. mr easy had admitted that she was right, and if like all men he would do wrong, why, what could a poor woman do? with a lady of such a quiet disposition, it is easy to imagine that the domestic felicity of mr easy was not easily disturbed. but, as people have observed before, there is a mutability in human affairs. it was at the finale of the eleventh year of their marriage that mrs easy at first complained that she could not enjoy her breakfast. mrs easy had her own suspicions, everybody else considered it past doubt, all except mr easy; he little "thought, good easy man, that his greatness was ripening"; he had decided that to have an heir was no easy task, and it never came into his calculations, that there could be a change in his wife's figure. you might have added to it, subtracted from it, divided it, or multiplied it, but as it was a zero, the result would be always the same. mrs easy also was not quite sure--she believed it might be the case, there was no saying; it might be a mistake, like that of mrs trunnion's in the novel, and, therefore, she said nothing to her husband about the matter. at last mr easy opened his eyes, and when, upon interrogating his wife, he found out the astounding truth, he opened his eyes still wider, and then he snapped his fingers and danced, like a bear upon hot plates, with delight, thereby proving that different causes may produce similar effects in two instances at one and the same time. the bear dances from pain, mr easy from pleasure; and again, when we are indifferent, or do not care for anything, we snap our fingers at it, and when we are overjoyed, and obtain what we most care for, we also snap our fingers. two months after mr easy snapped his fingers, mrs easy felt no inclination to snap hers, either from indifference or pleasure, the fact was, that mrs easy's time was come, to undergo what shakespeare pronounces the pleasing punishment that women bears but mrs easy, like the rest of her sex, declared "that all men were liars," and most particularly poets. but while mrs easy was suffering, mr easy was in ecstasies. he laughed at pain, as all philosophers do when it is suffered by other people, and not by themselves. in due course of time, mrs easy presented her husband with a fine boy, whom we present to the public as our hero. chapter ii in which mrs easy, as usual, has her own way. it was the fourth day after mrs easy's confinement that mr easy, who was sitting by her bedside in an easy chair, commenced as follows: "i have been thinking, my dear mrs easy, about the name i shall give this child." "name, mr easy! why, what name should you give it but your own?" "not so, my dear," replied mr easy; "they call all names proper names, but i think that mine is not. it is the very worst name in the calendar." "why, what's the matter with it, mr easy?" "the matter affects me as well as the boy. nicodemus is a long name to write at full length, and nick is vulgar. besides, as there will be two nicks, they will naturally call my boy young nick, and of course i shall be styled old nick, which will be diabolical." "well, mr easy, at all events then let me choose the name." "that you shall, my dear, and it was with this view that i have mentioned the subject so early." "i think, mr easy, i will call the boy after my poor father--his name shall be robert." "very well, my dear, if you wish it, it shall be robert. you shall have your own way. but i think, my dear, upon a little consideration, you will acknowledge that there is a decided objection." "an objection mr easy?" "yes, my dear; robert may be very well, but you must reflect upon the consequences; he is certain to be called bob." "well, my dear, and suppose they do call him bob?" "i cannot bear even the supposition, my dear. you forget the county in which we are residing, the downs covered with sheep." "why, mr easy, what can sheep have to do with a christian name?" "there it is; women never look to consequences. my dear, they have a great deal to do with the name of bob. i will appeal to any farmer in the county, if ninety-nine shepherds' dogs out of one hundred are not called bob. now observe, your child is out of doors somewhere in the fields or plantations; you want and you call him. instead of your child, what do you find? why, a dozen curs at least, who come running up to you, all answering to the name of bob, and wagging their stumps of tails. you see, mrs easy, it is a dilemma not to be got over. you level your only son to the brute creation by giving him a christian name which, from its peculiar brevity, has been monopolised by all the dogs in the county. any other name you please, my dear, but in this one instance you must allow me to lay my positive veto." "well, then, let me see--but i'll think of it, mr easy; my head aches very much just now." "i will think for you, my dear. what do you say to john?" "o no, mr easy, such a common name." "a proof of its popularity, my dear. it is scriptural--we have the apostle and the baptist--we have a dozen popes who were all johns. it is royal--we have plenty of kings who were johns--and moreover, it is short, and sounds honest and manly." "yes, very true, my dear; but they will call him jack." "well, we have had several celebrated characters who were jacks. there was--let me see--jack the giant killer, and jack of the bean stock--and jack-- jack--" "jack spratt," replied mrs easy. "and jack cade, mrs easy, the great rebel--and three-fingered jack, mrs easy, the celebrated negro--and, above all, jack falstaff, ma'am, jack falstaff--honest jack falstaff-- witty jack falstaff--" "i thought, mr easy, that i was to be permitted to choose the name." "well, so you shall, my dear; i give it up to you. do just as you please; but depend upon it that john is the right name. is it not now, my dear?" "it's the way you always treat me, mr easy; you say that you give it up, and that i shall have my own way, but i never do have it. i am sure that the child will be christened john." "nay, my dear, it shall be just what you please. now i recollect it, there were several greek emperors who were johns; but decide for yourself, my dear." "no, no," replied mrs easy, who was ill, and unable to contend any longer, "i give it up, mr easy. i know how it will be, as it always is: you give me my own way as people give pieces of gold to children, it's their own money, but they must not spend it. pray call him john." "there, my dear, did not i tell you you would be of my opinion upon reflection? i knew you would. i have given you your own way, and you tell me to call him john; so now we're both of the same mind, and that point is settled." "i should like to go to sleep, mr easy; i feel far from well." "you shall always do just as you like, my dear," replied the husband, "and have your own way in everything. it is the greatest pleasure i have when i yield to your wishes. i will walk in the garden. good-bye, my dear." mrs easy made no reply, and the philosopher quitted the room. as may easily be imagined, on the following day the boy was christened john. chapter iii in which our hero has to wait the issue of an argument. the reader may observe that, in general, all my first chapters are very short, and increase in length as the work advances. i mention this as a proof of my modesty and diffidence. at first, i am like a young bird just out of its mother's nest, pluming my little feathers and taking short flights. by degrees i obtain more confidence, and wing my course over hill and dale. it is very difficult to throw any interest into a chapter on childhood. there is the same uniformity in all children until they develop. we cannot, therefore, say much relative to jack easy's earliest days; he sucked and threw up his milk while the nurse blessed it for a pretty dear, slept, and sucked again. he crowed in the morning like a cock, screamed when he was washed, stared at the candle, and made wry faces with the wind. six months passed in these innocent amusements, and then he was put into shorts. but i ought here to have remarked, that mrs easy did not find herself equal to nursing her own infant, and it was necessary to look out for a substitute. now a common-place person would have been satisfied with the recommendation of the medical man, who looks but to the one thing needful, which is a sufficient and wholesome supply of nourishment for the child; but mr easy was a philosopher, and had latterly taken to craniology, and he descanted very learnedly with the doctor upon the effect of his only son obtaining his nutriment from an unknown source. "who knows," observed mr easy, "but that my son may not imbibe with his milk the very worst passions of human nature." "i have examined her," replied the doctor, "and can safely recommend her." "that examination is only preliminary to one more important," replied mr easy. "i must examine her." "examine who, mr easy?" exclaimed his wife, who had lain down again on the bed. "the nurse, my dear." "examine what, mr easy?" continued the lady. "her head, my dear," replied the husband. "i must ascertain what her propensities are." "i think you had better leave her alone, mr easy. she comes this evening, and i shall question her pretty severely. doctor middleton, what do you know of this young person?" "i know, madam, that she is very healthy and strong, or i should not have selected her." "but is her character good?" "really, madam, i know little about her character; but you can make any inquiries you please. but at the same time i ought to observe, that if you are too particular in that point, you will have some difficulty in providing yourself." "well, i shall see," replied mrs easy. "and i shall feel," rejoined the husband. this parleying was interrupted by the arrival of the very person in question, who was announced by the housemaid, and was ushered in. she was a handsome, florid, healthy-looking girl, awkward and naive in her manner, and apparently not over wise; there was more of the dove than of the serpent in her composition. mr easy, who was very anxious to make his own discoveries, was the first who spoke. "young woman, come this way, i wish to examine your head." "oh! dear me, sir, it's quite clean, i assure you,". cried the girl, dropping a curtsey. doctor middleton, who sat between the bed and mr easy's chair, rubbed his hands and laughed. in the meantime, mr easy had untied the string and taken off the cap of the young woman, and was very busy putting his fingers through her hair, during which the face of the young woman expressed fear and astonishment. "i am glad to perceive that you have a large portion of benevolence." "yes," replied the young woman, dropping a curtsey. "and veneration also." "thanky, sir." "and the organ of modesty is strongly developed." "yes, sir," replied the girl with a smile. "that's quite a new organ," thought dr middleton. "philoprogenitiveness very powerful." "if you please, sir, i don't know what that is," answered sarah, with a curtsey. "nevertheless you have given us a practical, illustration. mrs easy, i am satisfied. have you any questions to ask? but it is quite unnecessary." "to be sure i have, mr easy. pray, young woman, what is your name?" "sarah, if you please, ma'am." "how long have you been married?" "married, ma'am?" "yes, married." "if you please, ma'am, i had a misfortune, ma'am," replied the girl, casting down her eyes. "what, have you not been married?" "no, ma'am, not yet." "good heavens! dr middleton, what can you mean by bringing this person here?" exclaimed mrs easy. "not a married woman, and she has a child!" "if you please, ma'am," interrupted the young woman, dropping a curtsey, "it was a very little one." "a very little one!" exclaimed mrs easy. "yes, ma'am, very small, indeed, and died soon after it was born." "oh, dr middleton!--what could you mean, dr middleton?" "my dear madam," exclaimed the doctor, rising from his chair, "this is the only person that i could find suited to the wants of your child, and if you do not take her i cannot answer for its life. it is true, that a married woman might be procured; but married women, who have a proper feeling, will not desert their own children; and as mr easy asserts, and you appear to imagine, the temper and disposition of your child may be affected by the nourishment it receives, i think it more likely to be injured by the milk of a married woman who will desert her own child for the sake of gain. the misfortune which has happened to this young woman is not always a proof of a bad heart, but of strong attachment, and the overweening confidence of simplicity." "you are correct, doctor," replied mr easy, "and her head proves that she is a modest young woman, with strong religious feeling, kindness of disposition, and every other requisite." "the head may prove it all for what i know, mr easy, but her conduct tells another tale." "she is well fitted for the situation, ma'am," continued the doctor. "and if you please, ma'am," rejoined sarah, "it was such a little one." "shall i try the baby, ma'am?" said the monthly nurse, who had listened in silence. "it is fretting so, poor thing, and has its dear little fist right down its throat." dr middleton gave the signal of assent, and in a few seconds master john easy was fixed to sarah as tight as a leech. "lord love it, how hungry it is!--there, there, stop it a moment, it's choking, poor thing!" mrs easy, who was lying on her bed, rose up, and went to the child. her first feeling was that of envy, that another should have such a pleasure which was denied to herself; the next, that of delight, at the satisfaction expressed by the infant. in a few minutes the child fell back in a deep sleep. mrs easy was satisfied; maternal feelings conquered all others, and sarah was duly installed. to make short work of it, we have said that jack easy in six months was in shorts. he soon afterwards began to crawl and show his legs; indeed, so indecorously, that it was evident that he had imbibed no modesty with sarah's milk, neither did he appear to have gained veneration or benevolence, for he snatched at everything, squeezed the kitten to death, scratched his mother, and pulled his father by the hair; notwithstanding all which, both his father and mother and the whole household declared him to be the finest and sweetest child in the universe. but if we were to narrate all the wonderful events of jack's childhood from the time of his birth up to the age of seven years, as chronicled by sarah, who continued his dry nurse after he had been weaned, it would take at least three volumes folio. jack was brought up in the way that every only child usually is--that is, he was allowed to have his own way. chapter iv in which the doctor prescribes going to school as a remedy for a cut finger. "have you no idea of putting the boy to school, mr easy?" said dr middleton, who had been summoned by a groom with his horse in a foam to attend immediately at forest hill, the name of mr easy's mansion, and who, upon his arrival, had found that master easy had cut his thumb. one would have thought that he had cut his head off by the agitation pervading the whole household--mr easy walking up and down very uneasy, mrs easy with great difficulty prevented from syncope, and all the maids bustling and passing round mrs easy's chair. everybody appeared excited except master jack easy himself, who, with a rag round his finger, and his pinafore spotted with blood, was playing at bob-cherry, and cared nothing about the matter. "well, what's the matter, my little man?" said dr middleton, on entering, addressing himself to jack, as the most sensible of the whole party. "oh, dr middleton," interrupted mrs easy, "he has cut his hand; i'm sure that a nerve is divided, and then the lock-jaw--" the doctor made no reply, but examined the finger: jack easy continued to play bob-cherry with his right hand. "have you such a thing as a piece of sticking-plaster in the house, madam?" observed the doctor, after examination. "o yes: run, mary, run, sarah!" in a few seconds the maids appeared, sarah bringing the sticking-plaster, and mary following with the scissors. "make yourself quite easy, madam," said dr middleton, after he put on the plaster, "i will answer for no evil consequences." "had i not better take him upstairs, and let him lie down a little?" replied mrs easy, slipping a guinea into the doctor's hand. "it is not absolutely requisite, madam," said the doctor; "but at all events he will be kept out of more mischief." "come, my dear, you hear what dr middleton says." "yes, i heard," replied jack; "but i shan't go." "my dear johnny--come, love--now do, my dear johnny." johnny played bob-cherry, and made no answer. "come, master johnny," said sarah. "go away, sarah," said johnny, with a backhander. "oh! fie, master johnny," said mary. "johnny, my love," said mrs easy in a coaxing tone, "come now--will you go?" "i'll go in the garden and get some more cherries," replied master johnny. "come, then, love, we will go into the garden." master johnny jumped off his chair, and took his mamma by the hand. "what a dear, good, obedient child it is!" exclaimed mrs easy; "you may lead him with a thread." "yes, to pick cherries," thought dr middleton. mrs easy, and johnny, and sarah, and mary, went into the garden, leaving dr middleton alone with mr easy, who had been silent during this scene. now dr middleton was a clever, sensible man, who had no wish to impose upon anyone. as for his taking a guinea for putting on a piece of sticking-plaster, his conscience was very easy on that score. his time was equally valuable, whether he were employed for something or nothing; and, moreover, he attended the poor gratis. constantly in the house, he had seen much of mr john easy, and perceived that he was a courageous, decided boy, of a naturally good disposition; but from the idiosyncrasy of the father, and the doting folly of the mother, in a sure way of being spoiled. as soon, therefore, as the lady was out of hearing, he took a chair, and made the query at the commencement of the chapter, which we shall now repeat. "have you no idea of putting the boy to school, mr easy?" mr easy crossed his legs, and clasped his hands together over his knees, as he always did when he was about to commence an argument. "the great objection that i have to sending a boy to school, dr middleton, is, that i conceive that the discipline enforced is, not only contrary to the rights of man, but also in opposition to all sound sense and common judgment. not content with punishment, which is in itself erroneous, and an infringement of social justice, they even degrade the minds of the boys still more by applying punishment to the most degraded part, adding contumely to tyranny. of course, it is intended that a boy who is sent to school should gain by precept and example; but is he to learn benevolence by the angry look and the flourish of the vindictive birch,--or forbearance, by the cruelty of the ushers,--or patience, when the masters over him are out of all patience, or modesty, when his nether parts are exposed to general examination? is he not daily reading a lesson at variance with that equality which we all possess, but of which we are unjustly deprived? why should there be a distinction between the flogger and the floggee? are they not both fashioned alike after god's image, endowed with the same reason, having an equal right to what the world offers, and which was intended by providence to be equally distributed? is it not that the sacred inheritance of all, which has tyrannously and impiously been ravished from the many for the benefit of the few, and which ravishment, from long custom of iniquity and inculcation of false precepts, has too long been basely submitted to? is it not the duty of a father to preserve his only son from imbibing these dangerous and debasing errors, which will render him only one of a vile herd who are content to suffer, provided that they live? and yet are not these very errors inculcated at school, and impressed upon their mind inversely by the birch? do not they there receive their first lesson in slavery with the first lesson in a b c; and are not their minds thereby prostrated, so as never to rise again, but ever to bow to despotism, to cringe to rank, to think and act by the precepts of others, and to tacitly disavow that sacred equality which is our birthright? no, sir, without they can teach without resorting to such a fundamental error as flogging, my boy shall never go to school." and mr easy threw himself back in his chair, imagining like all philosophers, that he had said something very clever. dr middleton knew his man, and therefore patiently waited until he had exhausted his oratory. "i will grant," said the doctor at last, "that all you say may have great truth in it; but, mr easy, do you not think that by not permitting a boy to be educated, you allow him to remain more open to that very error of which you speak? it is only education which will conquer prejudice, and enable a man to break through the trammels of custom. now, allowing that the birch is used, yet it is at a period when the young mind is so elastic as to soon become indifferent; and after he has attained the usual rudiments of education, you will then find him prepared to receive those lessons which you can yourself instil." "i will teach him everything myself," replied mr easy, folding his arms consequentially and determinedly. "i do not doubt your capability, mr easy; but unfortunately you will always have a difficulty which you never can get over. excuse me, i know what you are capable of, and the boy would indeed be happy with such a preceptor, but--if i must speak plain--you must be aware as well as i am, that the maternal fondness of mrs easy will always be a bar to your intention. he is already so spoiled by her, that he will not obey; and without obedience you cannot inculcate." "i grant, my dear sir, that there is a difficulty on that point; but maternal weakness must then be overcome by paternal severity." "may i ask how, mr easy? for it appears to me impossible." "impossible! by heavens, i'll make him obey, or i'll--"--here mr easy stopped before the word flog was fairly out of his mouth,--"i'll know the reason why, dr middleton." dr middleton checked his inclination to laugh, and replied, "that you would hit upon some scheme, by which you would obtain the necessary power over him, i have no doubt; but what will be the consequence? the boy will consider his mother as a protector, and you as a tyrant. he will have an aversion to you, and with that aversion he will never pay respect and attention to your valuable precepts when he arrives at an age to understand them. now it appears to me that this difficulty which you have raised may be got over. i know a very worthy clergyman who does not use the birch; but i will write, and put the direct question to him; and then if your boy is removed from the danger arising from mrs easy's overindulgence, in a short time he will be ready for your more important tuition." "i think," replied mr easy, after a pause, "that what you say merits consideration. i acknowledge that in consequence of mrs easy's nonsensical indulgence, the boy is unruly, and will not obey me at present; and if your friend does not apply the rod, i will think seriously of sending my son john to him to learn the elements." the doctor had gained his point by flattering the philosopher. in a day he returned with a letter from the pedagogue in answer to one supposed to be sent to him, in which the use of the birch was indignantly disclaimed, and mr easy announced to his wife, when they met that day at tea-time, his intentions with regard to his son john. "to school, mr easy? what, send johnny to school! a mere infant to school!" "surely, my dear, you must be aware that at nine years it is high time that he learnt to read." "why he almost reads already, mr easy; surely i can teach him that. does he not, sarah?" "lord bless him, yes, ma'am, he was saying his letters yesterday." "oh, mr easy, what can have put this in your head? johnny, dear, come here--tell me now what's the letter a? you were singing it in the garden this morning." "i want some sugar," replied johnny, stretching his arm over the table to the sugar-basin, which was out of his reach. "well, my love, you shall have a great lump if you will tell me what's the letter a." "a was an archer, and shot at a frog," replied johnny in a surly tone. "there now, mr easy; and he can go through the whole alphabet--can't he, sarah?" "that he can, the dear--can't you, johnny dear?" "no," replied johnny. "yes, you can, my love; you know what's the letter b. now don't you?" "yes," replied johnny. "there, mr easy, you see what the boy knows, and how obedient he is too. come, johnny dear, tell us what was b?" "no, i won't," replied johnny, "i want some more sugar"; and johnny, who had climbed on a chair, spread himself over the table to reach it. "mercy! sarah, pull him off--he'll upset the urn," screamed mrs easy. sarah caught hold of johnny by the loins to pull him back, but johnny, resisting the interference, turned round on his back as he lay on the table, and kicked sarah in the face, just as she made another desperate grasp at him. the rebound from the kick, given as he lay on a smooth mahogany table, brought johnny's head in contact with the urn, which was upset in the opposite direction, and, notwithstanding a rapid movement on the part of mr easy, he received a sufficient portion of boiling liquid on his legs to scald him severely, and induce him to stamp and swear in a very unphilosophical way. in the meantime sarah and mrs easy had caught up johnny, and were both holding him at the same time, exclaiming and lamenting. the pain of the scald, and the indifference shown towards him, were too much for mr easy's temper to put up with. he snatched johnny out of their arms, and, quite forgetting his equality and rights of man, belaboured him without mercy. sarah flew into interfere, and received a blow which not only made her see a thousand stars, but sent her reeling on the floor. mrs easy went off into hysterics, and johnny howled so as to be heard at a quarter of a mile. how long mr easy would have continued it is impossible to say; but the door opened, and mr easy looked up while still administering the punishment, and perceived dr middleton in mute astonishment. he had promised to come in to tea, and enforce mr easy's arguments, if it were necessary; but it certainly appeared to him, that in the argument which mr easy was then enforcing, he required no assistance. however, at the entrance of dr middleton, johnny was dropped, and lay roaring on the floor; sarah, too, remained where she had been floored, mrs easy had rolled on the floor, the urn was also on the floor, and mr easy, although not floored, had not a leg to stand upon. never did a medical man look in more opportunely. mr easy at first was not certainly of that opinion, but his legs became so painful that he soon became a convert. dr middleton, as in duty bound, first picked up mrs easy, and laid her on the sofa. sarah rose, picked up johnny, and carried him, kicking and roaring, out of the room; in return for which attention she received sundry bites. the footman, who had announced the doctor, picked up the urn, that being all that was in his department. mr easy threw himself panting in agony on the other sofa, and dr middleton was excessively embarrassed how to act: he perceived that mr easy required his assistance, and that mrs easy could do without it; but how to leave a lady, who was half really and half pretendedly in hysterics, was difficult; for if he attempted to leave her, she kicked and flounced, and burst out the more. at last dr middleton rang the bell, which brought the footman, who summoned all the maids, who carried mrs easy upstairs, and then the doctor was able to attend to the only patient who really required his assistance. mr easy explained the affair in few words, broken into ejaculations from pain, as the doctor removed his stockings. from the applications of dr middleton, mr easy soon obtained bodily relief; but what annoyed him still more than his scalded legs, was the doctor having been a witness to his infringement of the equality and rights of man. dr middleton perceived this, and he knew also how to pour balm into that wound. "my dear mr easy, i am very sorry that you have had this accident, for which you are indebted to mrs easy's foolish indulgence of the boy; but i am glad to perceive that you have taken up those parental duties which are inculcated by the scriptures. solomon says, 'that he who spares the rod, spoils the child,' thereby implying that it is the duty of a father to correct his children, and in a father, the so doing does not interfere with the rights of man, or any natural equality, for the son being a part or portion of the father, he is only correcting his own self; and the proof of it is, that a father, in punishing his own son, feels as much pain in so doing as if he were himself punished. it is, therefore, nothing but self-discipline, which is strictly enjoined us by the scriptures." "that is exactly my opinion," replied mr easy, comforted at the doctor having so logically got him out of the scrape. "but--he shall go to school to-morrow, that i'm determined on." "he will have to thank mrs easy for that," replied the doctor. "exactly," replied mr easy. "doctor, my legs are getting very hot again." "continue to bathe them with the vinegar and water, mr easy, until i send you an embrocation, which will give you immediate relief. i will call to-morrow. by-the-bye, i am to see a little patient at mr bonnycastle's: if it is any accommodation, i will take your son with me." "it will be a great accommodation, doctor," replied mr easy. "then, my dear sir, i will just go up and see how mrs easy is, and to-morrow i will call at ten. i can wait an hour. good-night." "good-night, doctor." the doctor had his game to play with mrs easy. he magnified her husband's accident--he magnified his wrath, and advised her by no means to say one word, until he was well and more pacified. the next day he repeated this dose, and, in spite of the ejaculations of sarah, and the tears of mrs easy, who dared not venture to plead her cause, and the violent resistance of master johnny, who appeared to have a presentiment of what was to come, our hero was put into dr middleton's chariot, and with the exception of one plate of glass, which he kicked out of the window with his feet, and for which feat the doctor, now that he had him all to himself, boxed his ears till he was nearly blind, he was, without any further eventful occurrence, carried by the doctor's footman into the parlour of mr bonnycastle. chapter v jack easy is sent to a school at which there is no flogging. master jack had been plumped down in a chair by the doctor's servant, who, as he quitted him, first looked at his own hands, from which the blood was drawn in several parts, and then at master jack, with his teeth closed, and lips compressed, as much as to say, "if i only dared, would not i, that's all!" and then walked out of the room, repaired to the carriage at the front door, when he showed his hands to the coachman, who looked down from his box in great commiseration, at the same time fully sharing his fellow-servant's indignation. but we must repair to the parlour. dr middleton ran over a newspaper, while johnny sat on the chair all of a heap, looking like a lump of sulks, with his feet on the upper front bar, and his knees almost up to his nose. he was a promising pupil, jack. mr bonnycastle made his appearance--a tall, well-built, handsome, fair man, with a fine powdered head, dressed in solemn black and knee buckles; his linen beautifully clean, and with a peculiar bland expression of countenance. when he smiled he showed a row of teeth white as ivory, and his mild blue eye was the ne plus ultra of beneficence. he was the beau-ideal of a preceptor, and it was impossible to see him and hear his mild pleasing voice, without wishing that all your sons were under his protection. he was a ripe scholar, and a good one, and at the time we speak of, had the care of upwards of one hundred boys. he was celebrated for turning them out well, and many of his pupils were rising fast in the senate, as well as distinguishing themselves in the higher professions. dr middleton, who was on intimate terms with bonnycastle, rose as he entered the room, and they shook hands. middleton then turned to where jack sat, and pointing to him, said, "look there." bonnycastle smiled. "i cannot say that i have had worse, but i have almost as bad. i will apply the promethean torch, and soon vivify that rude mass. come, sit down, middleton." "but," said the doctor, as he resumed his chair, "tell me, bonnycastle, how you will possibly manage to lick such a cub into shape, when you do not resort to flogging?" "i have no opinion of flogging, and therefore i do not resort to it. the fact is, i was at harrow myself, and was rather a pickle. i was called up as often as most boys in the school, and i perfectly recollect, that eventually i cared nothing for a flogging. i had become case-hardened. it is the least effective part that you can touch a boy upon. it leaves nothing behind to refresh their memories." "i should have thought otherwise." "my dear middleton, i can produce more effect by one caning than twenty floggings. observe, you flog upon a part the most quiescent; but you cane upon all parts, from the head to the heels. now, when once the first sting of the birch is over, then a dull sensation comes over the part, and the pain after that is nothing; whereas a good sound caning leaves sores and bruises in every part, and on all the parts which are required for muscular action. after a flogging, a boy may run out in the hours of recreation, and join his playmates as well as ever, but a good caning tells a very different tale; he cannot move one part of his body without being reminded for days by the pain of the punishment he has undergone, and he is very careful how he is called up again." "my dear sir, i really had an idea that you were excessively lenient," replied middleton, laughing; "i am glad that i am under a mistake." "look at that cub, doctor, sitting there more like a brute than a reasonable being; do you imagine that i could ever lick it into shape without strong measures? at the same time, allow me to say, that i consider my system by far the best. at the public schools, punishment is no check; it is so trifling that it is derided: with me punishment is punishment in the true sense of the word, and the consequence is, that it is much more seldom resorted to." "you are a terrorist, bonnycastle." "the two strongest impulses in our nature are fear and love. in theory, acting upon the latter is very beautiful; but in practice, i never found it to answer--and for the best of reasons, our self-love is stronger than our love for others. now i never yet found fear to fail, for the very same reason that the other does, because with fear we act upon self-love, and nothing else." "and yet we have many now who would introduce a system of schooling without correction; and who maintain that the present system is degrading." "there are a great many fools in this world, doctor." "that reminds me of this boy's father," replied dr middleton; who then detailed to the pedagogue the idiosyncrasy of mr easy, and all the circumstances attending jack being sent to his school. "there is no time to be lost then, doctor. i must conquer this young gentleman before his parents call to see him. depend upon it, in a week i will have him obedient and well broke in." dr middleton wished jack good-bye, and told him to be a good boy. jack did not vouchsafe to answer. "never mind, doctor, he will be more polished next time you call here, depend upon it." and the doctor departed. although mr bonnycastle was severe, he was very judicious. mischief of all kinds was visited but by slender punishment, such as being kept in at play hours, etc; and he seldom interfered with the boys for fighting, although he checked decided oppression. the great "sine qua non" with him was attention to their studies. he soon discovered the capabilities of his pupils, and he forced them accordingly; but the idle boy, the bird who "could sing and wouldn't sing," received no mercy. the consequence was, that he turned out the cleverest boys, and his conduct was so uniform and unvarying in its tenor, that if he was feared when they were under his control, he was invariably liked by those whom he had instructed, and they continued his friends in after-life. mr bonnycastle at once perceived that it was no use coaxing our hero, and that fear was the only attribute by which he could be controlled. so, as soon as dr middleton had quitted the room, he addressed him in a commanding tone, "now, boy, what is your name?" jack started; he looked up at his master, perceived his eye fixed upon him, and a countenance not to be played with. jack was no fool, and somehow or another, the discipline he had received from his father had given him some intimation of what was to come. all this put together induced jack to condescend to answer, with his forefinger between his teeth, "johnny." "and what is your other name, sir?" jack, who appeared to repent his condescension, did not at first answer, but he looked again in mr bonnycastle's face, and then round the room: there was no one to help him, and he could not help himself, so he replied "easy." "do you know why you are sent to school?" "scalding father." "no; you are sent to learn to read and write." "but i won't read and write," replied jack, sulkily. "yes, you will; and you are going to read your letters now directly." jack made no answer. mr bonnycastle opened a sort of bookcase, and displayed to john's astonished view a series of canes, ranged up and down like billiard cues, and continued, "do you know what those are for?" jack eyed them wistfully; he had some faint idea that he was sure to be better acquainted with them, but he made no answer. "they are to teach little boys to read and write, and now i am going to teach you. you'll soon learn. look now here," continued mr bonnycastle, opening a book with large type, and taking a capital at the head of a chapter, about half an inch long. "do you see that letter?" "yes," replied johnny, turning his eyes away, and picking his fingers. "well, that is the letter b. do you see it? look at it, so that you may know it again. that's the letter b. now tell me what letter that is?" jack now determined to resist, so he made no answer. "so you cannot tell; well, then, we will try what one of these little fellows will do," said mr bonnycastle, taking down a cane. "observe, johnny, that's the letter b. now, what letter is that? answer me directly." "i won't learn to read and write." whack came the cane on johnny's shoulders, who burst out into a roar as he writhed with pain. mr bonnycastle waited a few seconds. "that's the letter b. now tell me, sir, directly, what that letter is?" "i'll tell my mar." whack! "o law! o law!" "what letter is that?" johnny, with his mouth open, panting, and the tears on his cheeks, answered, indignantly, "stop till i tell sarah." whack came the cane again, and a fresh burst from johnny. "what letter's that?" "i won't tell," roared johnny; "i won't tell--that i won't." whack, whack, whack, and a pause. "i told you before, that's the letter b. what letter is that? tell me directly." johnny, by way of reply, made a snatch at the cane. whack, he caught it, certainly, but not exactly as he would have wished. johnny then snatched up the book, and dashed it to the corner of the room. whack, whack. johnny attempted to seize mr bonnycastle with his teeth. whack, whack, whack, whack; and johnny fell on the carpet, and roared with pain. mr bonnycastle then left him for a little while, to recover himself, and sat down. at last johnny's exclamations settled down in deep sobs, and then mr bonnycastle said to him, "now, johnny, you perceive that you must do as you are bid, or else you will have more beating. get up immediately. do you hear, sir?" somehow or another, johnny, without intending it, stood upon his feet. "that's a good boy; now you see, by getting up as you were bid, you have not been beaten. now, johnny, you must go and bring the book from where you threw it down. do you hear, sir? bring it directly!" johnny looked at mr bonnycastle and the cane. with every intention to refuse, johnny picked up the book and laid it on the table. "that's a good boy; now we will find the letter b. here it is: now, johnny, tell me what that letter is?" johnny made no answer. "tell me directly, sir," said mr bonnycastle, raising his cane up in the air. the appeal was too powerful. johnny eyed the cane; it moved, it was coming. breathlessly he shrieked out, "b!" "very well indeed, johnny--very well. now your first lesson is over, and you shall go to bed. you have learned more than you think for. to-morrow we will begin again. now we'll put the cane by." mr bonnycastle rang the bell, and desired master johnny to be put to bed, in a room by himself, and not to give him any supper, as hunger would, the next morning, much facilitate his studies. pain and hunger alone will tame brutes, and the same remedy must be applied to conquer those passions in man which assimilate him with brutes. johnny was conducted to bed, although it was but six o'clock. he was not only in pain, but his ideas were confused; and no wonder, after all his life having been humoured and indulged never punished until the day before. after all the caresses of his mother and sarah, which he never knew the value of--after stuffing himself all day long, and being tempted to eat till he turned away in satiety, to find himself without his mother, without sarah, without supper covered with wheals, and, what was worse than all, without his own way. no wonder johnny was confused; at the same time that he was subdued; and, as mr bonnycastle had truly told him, he had learnt more than he had any idea of. and what would mrs easy have said, had she known all this--and sarah, too? and mr easy, with his rights of man? at the very time that johnny was having the devil driven out of him, they were consoling themselves with the idea, that, at all events, there was no birch used at mr bonnycastle's, quite losing sight of the fact, that as there are more ways of killing a dog besides hanging him, so are there more ways of teaching than a posteriors. happy in their ignorance, they all went fast asleep, little dreaming that johnny was already so far advanced in knowledge, as to have a tolerable comprehension of the mystery of cane. as for johnny, he had cried himself to sleep, at least six hours before them. chapter vi in which jack makes essay of his father's sublime philosophy, and arrives very near to truth at last. the next morning master jack easy was not only very sore, but very hungry, and as mr bonnycastle informed him that he would not only have plenty of cane, but also no breakfast, if he did not learn his letters, johnny had wisdom enough to say the whole alphabet, for which he received a great deal of praise, the which, if he did not duly appreciate, he at all events infinitely preferred to beating. mr bonnycastle perceived that he had conquered the boy by one hour's well-timed severity. he therefore handed him over to the ushers in the school, and as they were equally empowered to administer the needful impulse, johnny very soon became a very tractable boy. it may be imagined that the absence of johnny was severely felt at home, but such was not the case. in the first place, dr middleton had pointed out to mrs easy that there was no flogging at the school, and that the punishment received by johnny from his father would very likely be repeated--and in the next, although mrs easy thought that she never could have survived the parting with her own son, she soon found out that she was much happier without him. a spoilt child is always a source of anxiety and worry, and after johnny's departure mrs easy found a quiet and repose much more suited to her disposition. gradually she weaned herself from him, and, satisfied with seeing him occasionally, and hearing the reports of dr middleton, she, at last, was quite reconciled to his being at school, and not coming back except during the holidays. john easy made great progress; he had good natural abilities, and mr easy rubbed his hands when he saw the doctor, saying, "yes, let them have him for a year or two longer, and then i'll finish him myself." each vacation he had attempted to instil into johnny's mind the equal rights of man. johnny appeared to pay but little attention to his father's discourses, but evidently showed that they were not altogether thrown away, as he helped himself to everything he wanted, without asking leave. and thus was our hero educated until he arrived at the age of sixteen, when he was a stout, good-looking boy, with plenty to say for himself,--indeed, when it suited his purpose, he could out-talk his father. nothing pleased mr easy so much as jack's loquacity. "that's right; argue the point, jack--argue the point, boy," would he say, as jack disputed with his mother. and then he would turn to the doctor, rubbing his hands, and observe, "depend upon it, jack will be a great, a very great man." and then he would call jack and give him a guinea for his cleverness; and at last jack thought it a very clever thing to argue. he never would attempt to argue with mr bonnycastle, because he was aware that mr bonnycastle's arguments were too strong for him, but he argued with all the boys until it ended in a fight, which decided the point; and he sometimes argued with the ushers. in short, at the time we now speak of, which was at the breaking up of the midsummer holidays, jack was as full of argument as he was fond of it. he would argue the point to the point of a needle, and he would divide that point into as many as there were days of the year, and argue upon each. in short, there was no end to jack's arguing the point, although there seldom was point to his argument. jack had been fishing in the river, without any success, for a whole morning, and observed a large pond which had the appearance of being well stocked--he cleared the park palings, and threw in his line. he had pulled up several fine fish, when he was accosted by the proprietor, accompanied by a couple of keepers. "may i request the pleasure of your name, young gentleman?" said the proprietor to jack. now jack was always urbane and polite. "certainly, sir; my name is easy, very much at your service." "and you appear to me to be taking it very easy," replied the gentleman. "pray, sir, may i enquire whether you are aware that you are trespassing?" "the word trespass, my dear sir," replied jack, "will admit of much argument, and i will divide it into three heads. it implies, according to the conventional meaning, coming without permission upon the land or property of another. now, sir, the question may all be resolved in the following. was not the world made for all? and has any one, or any portion of its inhabitants, an exclusive right to claim any part of it, as his property? if you please, i have laid down the proposition, and we will now argue the point." the gentleman who accosted jack had heard of mr easy and his arguments; he was a humorist, and more inclined to laugh than to be angry; at the same time that he considered it necessary to show jack that under existing circumstances they were not tenable. "but, mr easy, allowing the trespass on the property to be venial, surely you do not mean to say that you are justified in taking my fish; i bought the fish, and stocked the pond, and have fed them ever since. you cannot deny but that they are private property, and that to take them is a theft?" "that will again admit of much ratiocination, my dear sir," replied jack; "but,--i beg your pardon, i have a fish." jack pulled up a large carp, much to the indignation of the keepers, and to the amusement of their master, unhooked it, placed it in his basket, renewed his bait with the greatest sang, and then throwing in his line, resumed his discourse. "as i was observing, my dear sir," continued jack, "that will admit of much ratiocination. all the creatures of the earth were given to man for his use--man means mankind--they were never intended to be made a monopoly of; water is also the gift of heaven, and meant for the use of all. we now come to the question how far the fish are your property. if the fish only bred on purpose to please you, and make you a present of their stock, it might then require a different line of argument; but as in breeding they only acted in obedience to an instinct with which they are endowed on purpose that they may supply man, i submit to you that you cannot prove these fish to be yours more than mine. as for feeding with the idea that they were your own, that is not an unusual case in this world, even when a man is giving bread and butter to his children. further--but i have another bite--i beg your pardon, my dear sir--ah! he's off again." "then, mr easy, you mean to say that the world and its contents are made for all." "exactly, sir; that is my father's opinion, who is a very great philosopher." "how then does your father account for some possessing property and others being without it?" "because those who are the strongest have deprived those who are weaker." "but would not that be always the case even if we were in that state of general inheritance which you have supposed? for instance, allowing two men to chase the same animal, and both to come up to it at the same time, would not the strongest bear it off?" "i grant that, sir." "well, then, where is your equality?" "that does not disprove that men were not intended to be equal; it only proves that they are not so. neither does it disprove that everything was not made for the benefit of all; it only proves that the strong will take advantage of the weak, which is very natural." "oh! you grant that to be very natural. well, mr easy, i am glad to perceive that we are of one mind, and i trust we shall continue so. you'll observe that i and my keepers being three, we are the strong party in this instance, and admitting your argument, that the fish are as much yours as mine, still i take advantage of my strength to repossess myself of them, which is, as you say, very natural--james, take those fish." "if you please," interrupted jack, "we will argue that point--" "not at all; i will act according to your own arguments--i have the fish, but i now mean to have more--that fishing-rod is as much mine as yours, and being the stronger party i will take possession of it. james, william, take that fishing-rod,--it is ours." "i presume you will first allow me to observe," replied jack, "that although i have expressed my opinion that the earth and the animals on it were made for us all, that i never yet have asserted, that what a man creates by himself, or has created for him for a consideration, is not his own property." "i beg your pardon; the trees that that rod was made from were made for us all, and if you, or any one for you, have thought proper to make it into a rod, it is no more my fault than it is that i have been feeding the fish, with the supposition that they were my own. everything being common, and it being but natural that the strong should take advantage of the weak, i must take that rod as my property, until i am dispossessed by one more powerful. moreover, being the stronger party, and having possession of this land, which you say does not belong to me more than to you--i also shall direct my keepers to see you off this property. james, take the rod--see mr easy over the park palings. mr easy, i wish you a good morning." "sir, i beg your pardon, you have not yet heard all my arguments," replied jack, who did not approve of the conclusions drawn. "i have no time to hear more, mr easy; i wish you a good morning." and the proprietor departed, leaving jack in company with the keepers. "i'll trouble you for that rod, master," said william. james was very busy stringing the fish through the gills upon a piece of osier. "at all events you will hear reason," said jack: "i have arguments--" "i never heard no good arguments in favour of poaching," interrupted the keeper. "you're an insolent fellow," replied jack. "it is by paying such vagabonds as you that people are able to be guilty of injustice." "it's by paying us that the land an't poached--and if there be some excuse for a poor devil who is out of work, there be none for you, who call yourself a gentleman." "according to his account, as we be all equal, he be no more a gentleman than we be." "silence, you blackguard, i shall not condescend to argue with such as you: if i did, i could prove that you are a set of base slaves, who have just as much right to this property as your master or i have." "as you have, i dare say, master." "as i have, you scoundrel; this pond is as much my property, and so are the fish in it, as they are of your master, who has usurped the right." "i say, james, what do you say, shall we put the young gentleman in possession of his property?" said william, winking to the other. james took the hint, they seized jack by the arms and legs, and soused him into the pond. jack arose after a deep submersion, and floundered on shore blowing and spluttering. but in the meantime the keepers had walked away, carrying with them the rod and line, fish, and tin can of bait, laughing loudly at the practical joke which they had played our hero. "well," thought jack, "either there must be some mistake in my father's philosophy, or else this is a very wicked world. i shall submit this case to my father." and jack received this reply--"i have told you before, jack, that these important truths will not at present be admitted--but it does not the less follow that they are true. this is the age of iron, in which might has become right--but the time will come when these truths will be admitted, and your father's name will be more celebrated than that of any philosopher of ancient days. recollect, jack, that although in preaching against wrong and advocating the rights of man, you will be treated as a martyr, it is still your duty to persevere; and if you are dragged through all the horse--ponds in the kingdom, never give up your argument." "that i never will, sir," replied jack; "but the next time i argue it shall be, if possible, with power on my side, and, at all events, not quite so near a pond." "i think," said mrs easy, who had been a silent listener, "that jack had better fish in the river, and then, if he catches no fish, at all events he will not be soused in the water, and spoil his clothes." but mrs easy was no philosopher. a few days afterwards, jack discovered, one fine morning, on the other side of a hedge, a summer apple-tree bearing tempting fruit, and he immediately broke through the hedge, and climbing the tree, as our first mother did before him, he culled the fairest and did eat. "i say, you sir, what are you doing there?" cried a rough voice. jack looked down, and perceived a stout, thickset personage in grey coat and red waistcoat, standing underneath him. "don't you see what i'm about," replied jack, "i'm eating apples-- shall i throw you down a few?" "thank you kindly--the fewer that are pulled the better; perhaps, as you are so free to give them to others as well as to help yourself, you may think that they are your own property!" "not a bit more my property than they are yours, my good man." "i guess that's something like the truth; but you are, not quite at the truth yet, my lad; those apples are mine, and i'll trouble you to come down as fast as you please; when you're down we can then settle our accounts; and," continued the man, shaking his cudgel, "depend upon it you shall have your receipt in full." jack did not much like the appearance of things. "my good man," said he, "it is quite a prejudice on your part to imagine that apples were not given, as well as all other fruit, for the benefit of us all--they are common property, believe me." "that's a matter of opinion, my lad, and i may be allowed to have own." "you'll find it in the bible," says jack. "i never did yet, and i've read it through and through all, bating the pocryfar." "then," said jack, "go home and fetch the bible, and i'll prove it to you." "i suspect you'll not wait till i come back again. no, no; i have lost plenty of apples, and have long wanted to find the robbers out; now i've caught one i'll take care that he don't 'scape without apple sauce, at all events--so come down, you young thief, come down directly--or it will be all the worse for you." "thank you," said jack, "but i am very well here. i will, if you please, argue the point from where i am." "i've no time to argue the point, my lad; i've plenty to do, but do not think i'll let you off. if you don't choose to come down, why then you may stay there, and i'll answer for it, as soon as work is done i shall find you safe enough." "what can be done," thought jack, "with a man who will not listen to argument? what a world is this!--however, he'll not find me here when he comes back, i've a notion." but in this jack was mistaken. the farmer walked to the hedge, and called to a boy, who took his orders and ran to the farmhouse. in a minute or two a large bull-dog was seen bounding along the orchard to his master. "mark him, caesar," said the farmer to the dog, "mark him." the dog crouched down on the grass with his head up, and eyes glaring at jack, showing a range of teeth that drove all our hero's philosophy out of his head. "i can't wait here, but caesar can, and i will tell you, as a friend, that if he gets hold of you, he'll not leave a limb of you together,-- when work's done i'll come back"; so saying, the farmer walked off, leaving jack and the dog to argue the point, if so inclined. what a sad jade must philosophy be, to put her votaries in such predicaments! after a while the dog laid his head down and closed his eyes, as if asleep, but jack observed that at the least movement on his part one eye was seen partially to unclose; so jack, like a prudent man, resolved to remain where he was. he picked a few more apples, for it was his dinner-time, and as he chewed he ruminated. jack had been but a few minutes ruminating before he was interrupted by another ruminating animal, no less a personage than a bull, who had been turned out with full possession of the orchard, and who now advanced, bellowing occasionally, and tossing his head at the sight of caesar, whom he considered as much a trespasser as his master had our hero. caesar started on his legs and faced the bull, who advanced pawing, with his tail up in the air. when within a few yards the bull made a rush at the dog, who evaded him and attacked him in return, and thus did the warfare continue until the opponents were already at some distance from the apple-tree. jack prepared for immediate flight, but unfortunately the combat was carried on by the side of the hedge at which jack had gained admission. never mind, thought jack, there are two sides to every field and although the other hedge joined on to the garden near to the farmhouse, there was no option. "at all events," said jack, "i'll try it." jack was slipping down the trunk, when he heard a tremendous roar; the bull-dog had been tossed by the bull; he was then high in the air, and jack saw him fall on the other side of the hedge; and the bull was thus celebrating his victory with a flourish of trumpets. upon which jack, perceiving that he was relieved from his sentry, slipped down the rest of the tree and took to his heels. unfortunately for jack, the bull saw him, and, flushed with victory, he immediately set up another roar, and bounded after jack. jack perceived his danger, and fear gave him wings; he not only flew over the orchard, but he flew over the hedge, which was about five feet high, just as the bull drove his head into it. look before you leap, is an old proverb. had jack done so, he would have done better; but as there were cogent reasons to be offered in extenuation of our philosopher, we shall say no more, but merely state that jack, when he got to the other side of the hedge, found that he had pitched into a small apiary, and had upset two hives of bees who resented the intrusion; and jack had hardly time to get upon his legs before he found them very busy stinging him in all quarters. all that jack could do was to run for it, but the bees flew faster than he could run, and jack was mad with pain, when he stumbled, half-blinded, over the brickwork of a well. jack could not stop his pitching into the well, but he seized the iron chain as it struck him across the face. down went jack, and round went the windlass, and after a rapid descent of forty feet our hero found himself under water, and no longer troubled with the bees, who, whether they had lost scent of their prey from his rapid descent, or being notoriously clever insects, acknowledged the truth of the adage, "leave well alone," had certainly left jack with no other companion than truth. jack rose from his immersion, and seized the rope to which the chain of the bucket was made fast--it had all of it been unwound from the windlass, and therefore it enabled jack to keep his head above water. after a few seconds jack felt something against his legs, it was the bucket, about two feet under the water; jack put his feet into it and found himself pretty comfortable, for the water, after the sting of the bees and the heat he had been put into by the race with the bull, was quite cool and refreshing. "at all events," thought jack, "if it had not been for the bull, i should have been watched by the dog, and then thrashed by the farmer; but then again, if it had not been for the bull, i should not have tumbled among the bees; and if it had not been for the bees, i should not have tumbled into the well; and if it had not been for the chain, i should have been drowned. such has been the chain of events, all because i wanted to eat an apple. "however, i have got rid of the farmer, and the dog, and the bull, and the bees--all's well that ends well; but how the devil am i to get out of the well?--all creation appears to have conspired against the rights of man. as my father said, this is an iron age, and here i am swinging to an iron chain." we have given the whole of jack's soliloquy, as it will prove that jack was no fool, although he was a bit of a philosopher; and a man who could reason so well upon cause ant effect, at the bottom of a well, up to his neck in water, showed a good deal of presence of mind. but if jack's mind had been a little twisted by his father's philosophy, it had still sufficient strength and elasticity to recover itself in due time. had jack been a common personage, we should never, have selected him for our hero. chapter vii in which jack makes some very sage reflections, and comes to a very unwise decision. after all, it must be acknowledged that although there are cases of distress in which a well may become a place of refuge, a well is not at all calculated for a prolonged residence--so thought jack. after he had been there some fifteen minutes, his teeth chattered, and his limbs trembled; he felt a numbness all over, and he thought it high time to call for assistance, which at first he would not, as he was afraid he should be pulled up to encounter the indignation of the farmer and his family. jack was arranging his jaws for a halloo, when he felt the chain pulled up, and he slowly emerged from the water. at first he heard complaints of the weight of the bucket, at which jack was not surprised; then he heard a tittering and laughing between two parties; and soon afterwards he mounted up gaily. at last his head appeared above the low wall, and he was about to extend his arms so as to secure a position on it, when those who were working at the windlass beheld him. it was a heavy farming man and a maid-servant. "thank you," said jack. one never should be too quick in returning thanks; the girl screamed and let go the winch, the man, frightened, did not hold it fast; it slipped from his grasp, whirled round, struck him under the chin, and threw him over it headlong, and before the "thank you" was fairly out of jack's lips, down he went again like lightning to the bottom. fortunately for jack, he had not yet let go the chain, or he might have struck the sides and have been killed; as it was, he was merely soused a second time, and in a minute or two regained his former position. "this is mighty pleasant," thought jack, as he clapped his wet hat once more on his head; "at all events, they can't now plead ignorance, they must know that i'm here." in the meantime the girl ran into the kitchen, threw herself down on a stool, from which she reeled off in a fit upon sundry heaps of dough waiting to be baked in the oven, which were laid to rise on the floor before the fire. "mercy on me, what is the matter with susan?" exclaimed the farmer's wife. "here--where's mary--where's john--deary me, if the bread won't all be turned to pancakes." john soon followed, holding his under-jaw in his hand, looking very dismal and very frightened, for two reasons; one, because he thought that his jaw was broken, and the other, because he thought he had seen the devil. "mercy on us, what is the matter?" exclaimed the farmer's wife again. "mary, mary, mary!" screamed she, beginning to be frightened herself, for with all her efforts she could not remove susan from the bed of dough, where she lay senseless and heavy as lead. mary answered to her mistress's loud appeal, and with her assistance they raised up susan; but as for the bread, there was no hopes of it ever rising again. "why don't you come here and help susan, john?" cried mary. "aw-yaw-aw!" was all the reply of john, who had had enough quite of helping susan, and who continued to hold his head, as it were, in his hand. "what's the matter here, missus?" exclaimed the farmer, coming in. "highty-tighty, what ails susan? and what ails you?" continued the farmer, turning to john. "dang it, but everything seems to go wrong, this blessed day. first, there be all the apples stolen--then there be all the hives turned topsy-turvy in the garden--then there be caesar with his flank opened by the bull--then there be the bull broken through the hedge and tumbled into the saw-pit--and now i come to get more help to drag him out, i find one woman dead like, and john looks as if he had seen the devil." "aw-yaw-aw!" replied john, nodding his head very significantly. "one would think that the devil had broke loose to-day. what is it, john? have you seen him, and has susan seen him?" "aw-yaw." "he's stopped your jaw, then, at all events, and i thought the devil himself wouldn't have done that-we shall get nothing of you. is that wench coming to her senses?" "yes, yes, she's better now,--susan, what's the matter?" "oh, oh, ma'am! the well, the well--" "the well! something wrong there, i suppose: well, i will go and see." the farmer trotted off to the well; he perceived the bucket was at the bottom and all the rope out; he looked about him, and then he looked into the well. jack, who had become very impatient, had been looking up some time for the assistance which he expected would have come sooner; the round face of the farmer occasioned a partial eclipse of the round disk which bounded his view, just as one of the satellites of jupiter sometimes obscures the face of the planet round which he revolves. "here i am," cried jack; "get me up quick, or i shall be dead"; and what jack said was true, for he was quite done up by having been so long down, although his courage had not failed him. "dang it, but there be somebody fallen into the well," cried the farmer; "no end to mishaps this day. well, we must get a christian out of a well afore we get a bull out of a saw-pit, so i'll go and call the men." in a very short time the men who were assembled round the saw-pit were brought to the well. "down below there, hold on now." "never fear," cried jack. away went the winch, and once more jack had an extended horizon to survey. as soon as he was at the top, the men hauled him over the bricks and laid him down upon the ground, for jack's strength had failed him. "dang it, if it bean't that chap who was on my apple-tree," cried the farmer--"howsoever, he must not die for stealing a few apples; lift him up, lads, and take him in--he is dead with cold--no wonder." the farmer led the way, and the men carried jack into the house, when the farmer gave him a glass of brandy; this restored jack's circulation, and in a short time he was all right again. after some previous conversation, in which jack narrated all that had happened, "what may be your name?" inquired the farmer. "my name is easy," replied jack. "what! be you the son of mr easy, of forest hill?" "yes." "dang it, he be my landlord, and a right good landlord too--why didn't you say so when you were up in the apple-tree? you might have picked the whole orchard and welcome." "my dear sir," replied jack, who had taken a second glass of brandy, and was quite talkative again, "let this be a warning to you, and when a man proposes to argue the point, always, in future, listen. had you waited, i would have proved to you most incontestably that you had no more right to the apples than i had; but you would not listen to argument, and without discussion we can never arrive at truth. you send for your dog, who is ripped up by the bull--the bull breaks his leg in a saw-pit--the bee-hives are overturned, and you lose all your honey--your man john breaks his jaw--your maid susan spoils all the bread--and why? because you would not allow me to argue the point." "well, mr easy, it be all true that all these mishaps have happened because i would not allow you to argue the point, perhaps, although, as i rent the orchard from your father, i cannot imagine how you could prove to me that the apples were not mine; but now, let's take your side of the question, and i don't see how you be much better off: you get up in a tree for a few apples, with plenty of money to buy them if you like--you are kept there by a dog--you are nearly gored by a bull--you are stung by the bees, and you tumble souse into a well, and are nearly killed a dozen times, and all for a few apples not worth twopence." "all very true, my good man," replied jack; "but you forget that i, as a philosopher, was defending the rights of man." "well, i never knew before that a lad who stole apples was called a philosopher--we calls it petty larceny in the indictments: and as for your rights of man, i cannot see how they can be defended by doing what's wrong." "you do not comprehend the matter, farmer." "no, i don't--and i be too old to learn, master easy. all i have to say is this, you are welcome to all the apples in the orchard if you please, and if you prefers, as it seems you do, to steal them, instead of asking for them, which i only can account for by the reason that they say, that 'stolen fruit be sweetest,' i've only to say that i shall give orders that you be not interfered with. my chaise be at the door, master easy, and the man will drive you to your father's-- make my compliments to him, and say, that i'm very sorry that you tumbled into our well." as jack was much more inclined for bed than argument, he wished the farmer good-night, and allowed himself to be driven home. the pain from the sting of the bees, now that his circulation had fully returned, was so great, that he was not sorry to find dr middleton taking his tea with his father and mother. jack merely said that he had been so unfortunate as to upset a hive, and had been severely stung. he deferred the whole story till another opportunity. dr middleton prescribed for jack, but on taking his hand found that he was in a high fever, which, after the events of the day, was not to be wondered at. jack was bled, and kept his bed for a week, by which time he was restored; but, during that time, jack had been thinking very seriously, and had made up his mind. but we must explain a circumstance which had occurred, which was probably the cause of jack's decision. when jack returned on the evening in question, he found seated with his father and dr middleton a captain wilson, a sort of cousin to the family, who but occasionally paid them a visit, for he lived at some distance; and having a wife and large family, with nothing but his half-pay for their support, he could not afford to expend even shoe-leather in compliments. the object of this visit on the part of captain wilson was to request the aid of mr easy he had succeeded in obtaining his appointment to a sloop of war (for he was in the king's service), but was without the means of fitting himself out, without leaving his wife and family penniless. he therefore came to request mr easy to lend him a few hundred pounds, until he should be able, by his prize-money, to repay them. mr easy was not a man to refuse such a request, and always having plenty of spare cash at his banker's, he drew a cheque for a thousand pounds, which he gave to captain wilson, requesting that he would only repay it at his convenience. captain wilson wrote an acknowledgment of the debt, promising to pay upon his first prize-money, which receipt, however binding it may be to a man of honour, was, in point of law, about as valuable as if he had agreed to pay as soon "as the cows came home." the affair had been just concluded, and captain wilson had returned into the parlour with mr easy, when jack returned from his expedition. jack greeted captain wilson, whom he had long known; but, as we before observed, he suffered so much pain, that he soon retired with dr middleton, and went to bed. during a week there is room for much reflection, even in a lad of fourteen, although at that age we are not much inclined to think. but jack was in bed; his eyes were so swollen with the stings of the bees that he could neither read nor otherwise amuse himself; and he preferred his own thoughts to the gabble of sarah, who attended him; so jack thought, and the result of his cogitations we shall soon bring forward. it was on the eighth day that jack left his bed and came down into the drawing-room. he then detailed to his father the adventures which had taken place, which had obliged him to take to his bed. "you see, jack," replied his father, "it's just what i told you: the world is so utterly demoralised by what is called social compact, and the phalanx supporting it, by contributing a portion of their unjust possessions for the security of the remainder, is so powerful, that any one who opposes it must expect to pass the life of a martyr; but martyrs are always required previous to any truth, however sublime, being received, and, like abraham, whom i have always considered as a great philosopher, i am willing to sacrifice my only son in so noble a cause." "that's all very good on your part, father, but we must argue the point a little. if you are as great a philosopher as abraham, i am not quite so dutiful a son as isaac, whose blind obedience, in my opinion, is very contrary to your rights of man: but the fact, in few words, is simply this. in promulgating your philosophy, in the short space of two days, i have been robbed of the fish i caught, and my rod and line--i have been soused into a fish-pond--i have been frightened out of my wits by a bull-dog--been nearly killed by a bull--been stung to death by bees, and twice tumbled into a well. now, if all that happens in two days, what must i expect to suffer in a whole year? it appears to be very unwise to attempt making further converts, for people on shore seem determined not to listen to reason or argument. but it has occurred to me, that although the whole earth has been so nefariously divided among the few, that the waters at least are the property of all. no man claims his share of the sea--every one may there plough as he pleases, without being taken up for a trespasser. even war makes no difference; every one may go on as he pleases, and if they meet, it is nothing but a neutral ground on which the parties contend. it is, then, only upon the ocean that i am likely to find that equality and rights of man, which we are so anxious to establish on shore; and therefore i have resolved not to go to school again, which i detest, but to go to sea, and propagate our opinions as much as i can." "i cannot listen to that, jack, in the first place, you must return to school; in the next place, you shall not go to sea." "then, father, all i have to say is, that i swear by the rights of man i will not go back to school, and that i will go to sea. who and what is to prevent me? was not i born my own master?--has any one a right to dictate to me as if i were not his equal? have i not as much right to my share of the sea as any other mortal? i stand upon perfect equality," continued jack, stamping his right foot on the floor. what had mr easy to offer in reply? he must either, as a philosopher, have sacrificed his hypothesis, or, as a father, have sacrificed his son. like all philosophers, he preferred what he considered as the less important of the two, he sacrificed his son; but--we will do him justice--he did it with a sigh. "jack, you shall, if you wish it, go to sea." "that, of course," replied jack, with the air of a conqueror; "but the question is, with whom? now it has occurred to me, that captain wilson has just been appointed to a ship, and i should like to sail with him." "i will write to him," said mr easy, mournfully, "but i should have liked to have felt his head first"; and thus was the matter arranged. the answer from captain wilson was, of course, in the affirmative, and he promised that he would treat jack as his own son. our hero mounted his father's horse, and rode off to mr bonnycastle. "i am going to sea, mr bonnycastle." "the very best thing for you," replied mr bonnycastle. our hero met dr middleton. "i am going to sea, dr middleton." "the very best thing for you," replied the doctor. "i am going to sea, mother," said john. "to sea, john, to sea? no, no, dear john, you are not going to sea," replied mrs easy, with horror. "yes, i am; father has agreed, and says he will obtain your consent." "my consent! oh, my dear, dear boy!"--and mrs easy wept bitterly, as rachel mourning for her children. chapter viii in which mr easy has his first lesson as to zeal in his majesty's service. as there was no time to lose, our hero very soon bade adieu to his paternal roof, as the phrase is, and found his way down to portsmouth. as jack had plenty of money, and was very much pleased at finding himself his own master, he was in no hurry to join his ship, and five or six companions, not very creditable, whom either jack had picked up, or had picked up jack, and who lived upon him, strongly advised him to put it off until the very last moment. as this advice happened to coincide with jack's opinion, our hero was three weeks at portsmouth before any one knew of his arrival, but at last captain wilson received a letter from mr easy, by which he found that jack had left home at the period we have mentioned, and he desired the first lieutenant to make inquiries, as he was afraid that some accident might have happened to him. as mr sawbridge, the first lieutenant, happened to be going on shore on the same evening for the last time previous to the ship's sailing, he looked into the blue posts, george, and fountain inns, to inquire if there was such a person arrived as mr easy. "o yes," replied the waiter at the fountain,--"mr easy has been here these three weeks." "the devil he has," roared mr sawbridge, with all the indignation of a first lieutenant defrauded three weeks of a midshipman; "where is he; in the coffee-room?" "oh dear no, sir," replied the waiter, "mr easy has the front apartments on the first floor." "well, then, show me up to the first floor." "may i request the pleasure of your name, sir?" said the waiter. "first lieutenants don't send up their names to midshipmen," replied mr sawbridge; "he shall soon know who i am." at this reply, the waiter walked upstairs, followed by mr sawbridge, and threw open the door. "a gentleman wishes to see you, sir," said the waiter. "desire him to walk in," said jack: "and, waiter, mind that the punch is a little better than it was yesterday; i have asked two more gentlemen to dine here." in the meantime, mr sawbridge, who was not in his uniform, had entered, and perceived jack alone, with the dinner table laid out in the best style for eight, a considerable show of plate for even the fountain inn, and everything, as well as the apartment itself, according to mr sawbridge's opinion, much more fit for a commander-in-chief than a midshipman of a sloop of war. now mr sawbridge was a good officer, one who had really worked his way up to the present rank, that is to say, that he had served seven-and-twenty years, and had nothing but his pay. he was a little soured in the service, and certainly had an aversion to the young men of family who were now fast crowding into it--and with some grounds, as he perceived his own chance of promotion decrease in the same ratio as the numbers increased. he considered that in proportion as midshipmen assumed a cleaner and more gentlemanly appearance, so did they become more useless, and it may therefore be easily imagined that his bile was raised by this parade and display in a lad, who was very shortly to be, and ought three weeks before to have been, shrinking from his frown. nevertheless, sawbridge was a good-hearted man, although a little envious of luxury, which he could not pretend to indulge in himself. "may i beg to ask," said jack, who was always remarkably polite and gentlemanly in his address, "in what manner i may be of service to you?" "yes, sir, you may--by joining your ship immediately. and may i beg to ask in return, sir, what is the reason you have stayed on shore three weeks without joining her?" hereupon jack, who did not much admire the peremptory tone of mr sawbridge, and who during the answer had taken a seat, crossed his legs, and played with the gold chain to which his watch was secured, after a pause very coolly replied-- "and pray, who are you?" "who am i, sir?" replied sawbridge, jumping out of his chair, "my name is sawbridge, sir, and i am the first lieutenant of the harpy. now, sir, you have your answer." mr sawbridge, who imagined that the name of the first lieutenant would strike terror to a culprit midshipman, threw himself back in the chair, and assumed an air of importance. "really, sir," replied jack, "what may be your exact situation on board, my ignorance of the service will not allow me to guess, but if i may judge from your behaviour, you have no small opinion of yourself." "look ye, young man, you may not know what a first lieutenant is, and i take it for granted that you do not, by your behaviour; but depend upon it, i'll let you know very soon. in the meantime, sir, i insist upon it, that you go immediately on board." "i'm sorry that i cannot comply with your very moderate request," replied jack, coolly. "i shall go on board when it suits my convenience, and i beg that you will give yourself no further trouble on my account." jack then rang the bell; the waiter, who had been listening outside, immediately entered, and before mr sawbridge, who was dumb with astonishment at jack's impertinence, could have time to reply-- "waiter," said jack, "show this gentleman downstairs." "by the god of war!" exclaimed the first lieutenant, "but i'll soon show you down to the boat, my young bantam; and when once i get you safe on board, i'll make you know the difference between a midshipman and a first lieutenant." "i can only admit of equality, sir," replied jack; "we are all born equal--i trust you'll allow that." "equality--damn it, i suppose you'll take the command of the ship. however, sir, your ignorance will be a little enlightened by-and-bye. i shall now go and report your conduct to captain wilson; and i tell you plainly, that if you are not on board this evening, to-morrow morning, at daylight, i shall send a sergeant and a file of marines to fetch you." "you may depend upon it, sir," replied jack, "that i also shall not fail to mention to captain wilson, that i consider you a very quarrelsome, impertinent fellow, and recommend him not to allow you to remain on board. it will be quite uncomfortable to be in the same ship with such an ungentlemanly bear." "he must be mad--quite mad," exclaimed sawbridge, whose astonishment even mastered his indignation. "mad as a march hare--by god." "no, sir," replied jack, "i am not mad, but i am a philosopher." "a what?" exclaimed sawbridge, "damme, what next?--well, my joker, all the better for you, i shall put your philosophy to the proof." "it is for that very reason, sir," replied jack, "that i have decided upon going to sea; and if you do remain on board, i hope to argue the point with you, and make you a convert to the truth of equality and the rights of man." "by the lord that made us both, i'll soon make you a convert to the thirty-six articles of war--that is, if you remain on board; but i shall now go to the captain, and report your conduct, sir, and leave you to your dinner with what appetite you may." "sir, i am infinitely obliged to you; but you need not be afraid of my appetite; i am only sorry, as you happen to belong to the same ship, that i cannot, in justice to the gentlemanly young men whom i expect, ask you to join them. i wish you a very good morning, sir." "twenty years have i been in the service," roared sawbridge, "and damme--but he's mad--downright, stark, staring mad," and the first lieutenant bounced out of the room. jack was a little astonished himself. had mr sawbridge made his appearance in uniform it might have been different; but that a plain-looking man, with black whiskers, shaggy hair, and old blue frock coat and yellow cassimere waistcoat, should venture to address him in such a manner, was quite incomprehensible;--he calls me mad, thought jack, i shall tell captain wilson what is my opinion about his lieutenant. shortly afterwards the company arrived, and jack soon forgot all about it. in the meantime sawbridge called at the captain's lodgings, and found him at home. he made a very faithful report of all that had happened, and concluded his report by demanding, in great wrath, either an instant dismissal or a court-martial on our hero, jack. "stop, sawbridge," replied captain wilson, "take a chair: as mr easy says, we must argue the point, and then i will leave it to your better feelings. as for the court-martial, it will not hold good, for mr easy, in the first place, has not yet joined the ship, and in the next place, could not be supposed to know that you were the first lieutenant, or even an officer, for you went to him out of uniform." "very true, sir," replied sawbridge, "i had forgotten that." "then, as for his dismissal, or rather, not allowing him to join, mr easy has been brought up in the country, and has never seen anything aquatic larger than a fish-pond, perhaps, in his life; and as for the service, or the nature of it, i believe he is as ignorant of it as a child not a year old--i doubt whether he knows the rank of a lieutenant, certainly, he can have no idea of the power of a first lieutenant, by his treatment of you." "i should think not," replied sawbridge, dryly. "i do not think, therefore, that conduct which must have proceeded from sheer ignorance should be so severely punished--i appeal to you, sawbridge." "well, sir, perhaps you are right--but still he told me he was a philosopher, and talked about equality and rights of man. told me that he could only admit of equality between us, and begged to argue the point. now, sir, if a midshipman is to argue the point every time that an order is given, the service will come to a pretty pass." "that is all very true, sawbridge; and now you remind me of what never occurred to me at the time that i promised to take mr easy in the ship. i now recollect that his father, who is a distant relation of mine, has some very wild notions in his head, just like what have been repeated by his son on your interview with him. i have occasionally dined there, and mr easy has always been upholding the principles of natural equality and of the rights of man, much to the amusement of his guests, and i confess, at the time, of mine also. i recollect telling him that i trusted he would never be able to disseminate his opinions in the service to which i belonged, as we should have an end of all discipline. i little thought, at the time, that his only son, who has no more occasion to go to sea than the archbishop of canterbury, for his father has a very handsome property i believe seven or eight thousand a year--would ever have sailed with me, and have brought these opinions with him into any ship that i commanded. it is a pity, a great pity." "he never could have brought his pigs to a worse market," observed sawbridge. "i agree with you, and, as a father myself, i cannot but help feeling how careful we should be, how we inculcate anything like abstract and philosophical ideas to youth. allowing them to be in themselves correct, still they are dangerous as sharp instruments are in the hands of a child;--allowing them to be erroneous, they are seized upon with an avidity by young and ardent minds, and are not to be eradicated without the greatest difficulty, and very often not until they have accomplished their ruin." "then you think, sir, that these ideas have taken deep root in this young man, and we shall not easily rid him of them?" "i do not say so; but still, recollect they have been instilled, perhaps, from the earliest period, by one from whom they must have been received with all confidence--from a father to a son; and that son has never yet been sufficiently in the world to have proved their fallacy." "well, sir," replied sawbridge, "if i may venture to offer an opinion on the subject--and in so doing i assure you that i only shall from a feeling for the service--if, as you say, these opinions will not easily be eradicated, as the young man is independent, would it not be both better for himself, as well as for the service, that he is sent home again? as an officer he will never do any good for himself, and he may do much harm to others. i submit this to you, captain wilson, with all respect; but as your first lieutenant, i feel very jealous at any chance of the discipline of the ship being interfered with by the introduction of this young man, to whom it appears that a profession is no object." "my dear sawbridge," replied captain wilson, after taking one or two turns up and down the room, "we entered the service together, we were messmates for many years, and you must be aware that it is not only long friendship, but an intimate knowledge of your unrewarded merit, which has induced me to request you to come with me as my first lieutenant. now, i will put a case to you, and you shall then decide the question--and moreover, i will abide by your decision. "suppose that you were a commander like myself, with a wife and seven children, and that, struggling for many years to support them, you found yourself, notwithstanding the utmost parsimony, gradually running into debt. that, after many long applications, you had at last succeeded in obtaining employment by an appointment to a fine sloop, and there was every prospect, by prize-money and increased pay, of recovering yourself from your difficulties, if not realising a sufficient provision for your family. then suppose that all this prospect and all these hopes were likely to be dashed to the ground by the fact of having no means of fitting yourself out, no credit, no means of paying debts you have contracted, for which you would have been arrested, or anything sufficient to leave for the support of your family during your absence, your agent only consenting to advance one-half of what you require. now, suppose, in this awkward dilemma, without anyone in this world upon whom you have any legitimate claim, as a last resource you were to apply to one with whom you have but a distant connection, and but an occasional acquaintance--and that when you had made your request for the loan of two or three hundred pounds, fully anticipating a refusal (from the feeling that he who goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing),--i say, suppose, to your astonishment, that this generous person was to present you with a cheque on his banker for one thousand pounds, demanding no interest, no legal security, and requests you only to pay it at your convenience,--i ask you, sawbridge, what would be your feelings towards such a man?" "i would die for him," replied sawbridge, with emotion. "and suppose that, by the merest chance, or from a whim of the moment, the son of that man was to be placed under your protection?" "i would be a father to him," replied sawbridge. "but we must proceed a little further: suppose that you were to find the lad was not all that you could wish--that he had imbibed erroneous doctrines, which would probably, if not eradicated, be attended with consequences fatal to his welfare and happiness, would you therefore, on that account, withdraw your protection, and leave him to the mercy of others, who had no claims of gratitude to sway them in his favour?" "most certainly not, sir," replied sawbridge; "on the contrary, i would never part with the son until, by precept or otherwise, i had set him right again, and thus had, as far as it was possible, paid the debt of gratitude due to the generous father." "i hardly need say to you, sawbridge, after what has passed, that this lad you have just come from, is the son, and that mr easy of forest hill is the father." "then, sir, i can only say, that not only to please you, but also from respect to a man who has shown such good-will towards one of our cloth, i shall most cheerfully forgive all that has passed between the lad and me, and all that may probably take place before we make him what he ought to be." "thank you, sawbridge; i expected as much, and am not disappointed in my opinion of you." "and now, captain wilson, pray what is to be done?" "we must get him on board, but not with a file of marines,--that will do more harm than good. i will send a note, requesting him to breakfast with me to-morrow morning, and have a little conversation with him. i do not wish to frighten him; he would not scruple to run back to forest hill--now i wish to keep him if i possibly can." "you are right, sir; his father appears his greatest enemy. what a pity that a man with so good a heart should be so weak in the head! then, sir, i shall take no notice of this at present, but leave the whole affair in your hands." "do, sawbridge; you have obliged me very much by your kindness in this business." mr sawbridge then took his leave, and captain wilson despatched a note to our hero, requesting the pleasure of his company to breakfast at nine o'clock the ensuing morning. the answer was in the affirmative, but verbal, for jack had drunk too much champagne to trust his pen to paper. chapter ix in which mr easy finds himself on the other side of the bay of biscay. the next morning jack easy would have forgotten all about his engagement with the captain, had it not been for the waiter, who thought that, after the reception which our hero had given the first lieutenant, it would be just as well that he should not be disrespectful to the captain. now jack had not, hitherto, put on his uniform, and he thought this a fitting occasion, particularly as the waiter suggested the propriety of his appearance in it. whether it was from a presentiment of what he was to suffer, jack was not at all pleased, as most lads are, with the change in his dress. it appeared to him that he was sacrificing his independence; however, he did not follow his first impulse, which was to take it off again, but took his hat, which the waiter had brushed and handed to him, and then set off for the captain's lodgings. captain wilson received him as if he had not been aware of his delay in joining his ship, or his interview with his first lieutenant, but before breakfast was over, jack himself narrated the affair in a few words. captain wilson then entered into a detail of the duties and rank of every person on board of the ship, pointing out to jack, that where discipline was required, it was impossible, when duty was carried on, that more than one could command; and that that one was the captain, who represented the king in person, who represented the country; and that, as the orders were transmitted from the captain through the lieutenant, and from the lieutenant to the midshipmen, who, in their turn, communicated them to the whole ship's company, in fact, it was the captain alone who gave the orders, and that everyone was equally obliged to obey. indeed, as the captain himself had to obey the orders of his superiors, the admiral and the admiralty; all on board might be said to be equally obliged to obey. captain wilson laid a strong emphasis on the word equally, as he cautiously administered his first dose; indeed, in the whole of his address, he made use of special pleading, which would have done credit to the bar; for at the same time that he was explaining to jack that he was entering a service in which equality could never for a moment exist, if the service was to exist, he contrived to show that all the grades were levelled, by all being equally bound to do their duty to their country, and that, in fact, whether a seaman obeyed his orders, or he obeyed the orders of his superior officer, they were in reality only obeying the orders of the country, which were administered through their channels. jack did not altogether dislike this view of the subject, and the captain took care not to dwell too long upon it. he then entered upon other details, which he was aware would be more agreeable to jack. he pointed out that the articles of war were the rules by which the service was to be guided, and that everybody, from the captain to the least boy in the ship, was equally bound to adhere to them that a certain allowance of provisions and wine were allowed to each person on board, and that this allowance was the same to all; the same to the captain as to the boy; the same in quantity as in quality; everyone equally entitled to his allowance;--that, although there were, of necessity, various grades necessary in the service, and the captain's orders were obliged to be passed and obeyed by all, yet still, whatever was the grade of the officer, they were equally considered as gentlemen. in short, captain wilson, who told the truth, and nothing but the truth, without telling the whole truth, actually made jack fancy that he had at last found out that equality he had been seeking for in vain on shore, when, at last, he recollected the language used by mr sawbridge the evening before, and asked the captain why that personage had so conducted himself. now, as the language of mr sawbridge was very much at variance with equality, captain wilson was not a little puzzled. however, he first pointed out that the first lieutenant was, at the time being, the captain, as he was the senior officer on board, as would jack himself be if he were the senior officer on board; and that, as he before observed, the captain or senior officer represented the country. that in the articles of war, everybody who absented himself from the ship, committed an error, or breach of those articles; and if any error or breach of those articles was committed by anyone belonging to the ship, if the senior officer did not take notice of it, he then himself committed a breach of those articles, and was liable himself to be punished, if he could not prove that he had noticed it; it was therefore to save himself that he was obliged to point out the error; and if he did it in strong language, it only proved his zeal for his country. "upon my honour, then," replied jack, "there can be no doubt of his zeal; for if the whole country had been at stake, he could not have put himself in a greater passion." "then he did his duty; but depend upon it it was not a pleasant one to him: and i'll answer for it, when you meet him on board, he will be as friendly with you as if nothing had happened." "he told me that he'd soon make me know what a first lieutenant was: what did he mean by that?" inquired jack. "all zeal." "yes, but he said, that as soon as he got on board, he'd show me the difference between a first lieutenant and a midshipman." "all zeal." "he said my ignorance should be a little enlightened by-and-bye." "all zeal." "and that he'd send a sergeant and marines to fetch me." "all zeal." "that he would put my philosophy to the proof." "all zeal, mr easy. zeal will break out in this way; but we should do nothing in the service without it. recollect that i hope and trust one day to see you also a zealous officer." here jack cogitated considerably, and gave no answer. "you will, i am sure," continued captain wilson, "find mr sawbridge one of your best friends." "perhaps so," replied jack, "but i did not much admire our first acquaintance." "it will perhaps be your unpleasant duty to find as much fault yourself; we are all equally bound to do our duty to our country. but, mr easy, i sent for you to say that we shall sail to-morrow; and, as i shall send my things off this afternoon by the launch, you had better send yours off also. at eight o'clock i shall go on board, and we can both go in the same boat." to this jack made no sort of objection, and having paid his bill at the fountain, he sent his chest down to the boat by some of the crew who came up for it, and attended the summons of the captain to embark. by nine o'clock that evening, mr jack easy was safe on board his majesty's sloop harpy. when jack arrived on board, it was dark, and he did not know what to do with himself. the captain was received by the officers on deck, who took off their hats to salute him. the captain returned the salute, and so did jack very politely, after which, the captain entered into conversation with the first lieutenant, and for a while jack was left to himself. it was too dark to distinguish faces, and to one who had never been on board of a ship, too dark to move, so jack stood where he was, which was not far from the main bitts; but he did not stay long; the boat had been hooked on to the quarter davits, and the boatswain had called out--"set taut, my lads!" and then with the shrill whistle, and "away with her!" forward came galloping and bounding along, the men with the tackles; and in the dark jack was upset, and half a dozen marines fell upon him; the men, who had no idea that an officer was floored among the others, were pleased at the joke, and continued to dance over those who were down, until they rolled themselves out of the way. jack, who did not understand this, fared badly, and it was not till the calls piped belay that he could recover his legs, after having been trampled upon by half the starboard watch, and the breath completely jammed out of his body, jack reeled to a carronade slide, when the officers who had been laughing at the lark as well as the men, perceived his situation--among others, mr sawbridge, the first lieutenant. "are you hurt, mr easy?" said he, kindly. "a little," replied jack, catching his breath. "you've had but a rough welcome," replied the first lieutenant, "but at certain times, on board ship, it is every man for himself, and god for us all. harpur," continued the first lieutenant to the doctor, "take mr easy down in the gun-room with you, and i will be down myself as soon as i can. where is mr jolliffe?" "here, sir," replied mr jolliffe, a master's mate, coming aft from the booms. "there is a youngster come on board with the captain. order one of the quarter-masters to get a hammock slung." in the meantime jack went down into the gun-room, where a glass of wine somewhat recovered him. he did not stay there long, nor did he venture to talk much. as soon as his hammock was ready, jack was glad to go to bed--and as he was much bruised he was not disturbed the next morning till past nine o'clock. he then dressed himself, went on deck, found that the sloop was just clear of the needles, that he felt very queer, then very sick, and was conducted by a marine down below, put into his hammock, where he remained during a gale of wind of three days, bewildered, confused, puzzled, and every minute knocking his head against the beams with the pitching and tossing of the sloop. "and this is going to sea," thought jack; "no wonder that no one interferes with another here, or talks about a trespass; for i'm sure anyone is welcome to my share of the ocean; and if i once get on shore again, the devil may have my portion if he chooses." captain wilson and mr sawbridge had both allowed jack more leisure than most midshipmen, during his illness. by the time that the gale was over, the sloop was off cape finisterre. the next morning the sea was nearly down, and there was but a slight breeze on the waters. the comparative quiet of the night before had very much recovered our hero, and when the hammocks were piped up, he was accosted by mr jolliffe, the master's mate, who asked, "whether he intended to rouse and bit, or whether he intended to sail to gibraltar between his blankets." jack, who felt himself quite another person, turned out of his hammock and dressed himself. a marine had, by the captain's orders, attended jack during his illness, and this man came to his assistance, opened his chest, and brought him all he required, or jack would have been in a sad dilemma. jack then inquired where he was to go, for he had not been in the midshipmen's berth, although five days on board. the marine pointed it out to him, and jack, who felt excessively hungry, crawled over and between chests, until he found himself fairly in a hole infinitely inferior to the dog-kennels which received his father's pointers. "i'd not only give up the ocean," thought jack, "and my share of it, but also my share of the harpy, unto anyone who fancies it. equality enough here! for everyone appears equally miserably off." as he thus gave vent to his thoughts, he perceived that there was another person in the berth--mr jolliffe, the master's mate, who had fixed his eye upon jack, and to whom jack returned the compliment. the first thing that jack observed was, that mr jolliffe was very deeply pockmarked, and that he had but one eye, and that was a piercer; it appeared like a little ball of fire, and as if it reflected more light from the solitary candle than the candle gave. "i don't like your looks," thought jack--"we shall never be friends." but here jack fell into the common error of judging by appearances, as will be proved hereafter. "i'm glad to see you up again, youngster," said jolliffe; "you've been on your beam ends longer than usual, but those who are strongest suffer most--you made your mind up but late to come to sea. however, they say, 'better late than never'." "i feel very much inclined to argue the truth of that saying," replied jack; "but it's no use just now. i'm terribly hungry--when shall i get some breakfast?" "to-morrow morning at half-past eight," replied mr jolliffe. "breakfast for to-day has been over these two hours." "but must i then go without?" "no, i do not say that, as we must make allowances for your illness; but it will not be breakfast." "call it what you please," replied jack, "only pray desire the servants to give me something to eat. dry toast or muffins--anything will do, but i should prefer coffee." "you forget that you are off finisterre, in a midshipman's berth: coffee we have none--muffins we never see, dry toast cannot be made, as we have no soft bread; but a cup of tea, and ship's biscuit and butter, i can desire the steward to get ready for you." "well then," replied jack, "i will thank you to procure me that." "marine," cried jolliffe, "call mesty." "pass the word for mesty," cried the marine--and the two syllables were handed forward until lost in the forepart of the vessel. the person so named must be introduced to the reader. he was a curious anomaly--a black man who had been brought to america as a slave, and there sold. he was a very tall, spare-built, yet muscular form, and had a face by no means common with his race. his head was long and narrow, high cheek-bones, from whence his face descended down to almost a point at the chin; his nose was very small, but it was straight and almost roman; his mouth also was unusually small; and his lips thin for an african; his teeth very white, and filed to sharp points. he claimed the rank of prince in his own country, with what truth could not of course be substantiated. his master had settled at new york, and there mesty had learned english, if it could be so-called: the fact is, that all the emigrant labourers at new york being irishmen, he had learned english with the strong brogue and peculiar phraseology of the sister kingdom dashed with a little yankeeism. having been told that there was no slavery in england, mesty had concealed himself on board an english merchant vessel, and escaped. on his arrival in england he had entered on board of a man-of-war. having no name, it was necessary to christen him on the ship's books, and the first lieutenant, who had entered him, struck with his remarkable expression of countenance, and being a german scholar, had named him mephistopheles faust, from whence his christian name had been razed to mesty. mesty in other points was an eccentric character; at one moment, when he remembered his lineage, he was proud to excess, at others he was grave and almost sullen--but when nothing either in daily occurrences or in his mind ran contrary, he exhibited the drollery so often found in his nation, with a spice of irish humour, as if he had caught up the latter with his irish brogue. mesty was soon seen coming aft, but almost double as he couched under the beams, and taking large strides with his naked feet. "by the powers, massa yolliffe, but it is not seasonable at all to send for me just now, anyhow, seeing how the praters are in the copper, and so many blackguard 'palpeens all ready to change net for net, and better themselves by the same mistake, 'dam um." "mesty, you know i never send for you myself, or allow others to do so, unless it is necessary," replied jolliffe; "but this poor lad has eaten nothing since he has been on board, and is very hungry--you must get him a little tea." "is it tay you mane, sir?--i guess, to make tay, in the first place i must ab water, and in the next must ab room in the galley to put the kettle on--and 'pose you wanted to burn the tip of your little finger just now, it's not in the galley that you find a berth for it--and den the water before seven bells. i've a notion it's just impossible." "but he must have something, mesty." "never mind the tea, then," replied jack, "i'll take some milk." "is it milk massa manes, and the bumboat woman on the oder side of the bay?" "we have no milk, mr easy; you forget that we are on blue water," replied jolliffe, "and i really am afraid that you'll have to wait till dinner-time. mesty tells the truth." "i tell you what, massa yolliffe, it just seven bells, and if the young gentleman would, instead of tay, try a little out of the copper, it might keep him asy. it but a little difference, tay soup and pay soup. now a bowl of that, with some nuts and a flourish of pepper, will do him good, anyhow." "perhaps the best thing he can take, mesty; get it as fast as you can." in a few minutes the black brought down a bowl of soup and whole peas swimming in it, put before our hero a tin bread-basket full of small biscuit, called midshipmen's nuts, and the pepper-caster. jack's visions of tea, coffee, muffins, dry toast, and milk, vanished as he perceived the mess; but he was very hungry, and he found it much better than he expected; and he moreover found himself much the better after he had swallowed it. it struck seven bells, and he accompanied mr jolliffe on deck. chapter x showing how jack transgresses against his own philosophy. when jack easy had gained the deck, he found the sun shining gaily, a soft air blowing from the shore, and the whole of the rigging and every part of the ship loaded with the shirts, trousers, and jackets of the seamen, which had been wetted during the heavy gale, and were now hanging up to dry; all the wet sails were also spread on the booms or triced up in the rigging, and the ship was slowly forging through the blue water. the captain and first lieutenant were standing on the gangway in converse, and the majority of the officers were with their quadrants and sextants ascertaining the latitude at noon. the decks were white and clean, the sweepers had just laid by their brooms, and the men were busy coiling down the ropes. it was a scene of cheerfulness, activity, and order, which tightened his heart after the four days of suffering, close air, and confinement, from which he had just emerged. the captain, who perceived him, beckoned to him, asked him kindly how he felt: the first lieutenant also smiled upon him, and many of the officers, as well as his messmates, congratulated him upon his recovery. the captain's steward came up to him, touched his hat, and requested the pleasure of his company to dinner in the cabin. jack was the essence of politeness, took off his hat, and accepted the invitation. jack was standing on a rope which a seaman was coiling down; the man touched his hat and requested he would be so kind as to take his foot off. jack took his hat off his head in return, and his foot off the rope. the master touched his hat, and reported twelve o'clock to the first lieutenant--the first lieutenant touched his hat, and reported twelve o'clock to the captain--the captain touched his hat, and told the first lieutenant to make it so. the officer of the watch touched his hat, and asked the captain whether they should pipe to dinner-- the captain touched his hat, and said--"if you please." the midshipman received his orders, and touched his hat, which he gave to the head boatswain's mate, who touched his hat, and then the calls whistled cheerily. "well," thought jack, "politeness seems to be the order of the day, and everyone has an equal respect for the other." jack stayed on deck; he peeped through the ports, which were open, and looked down into the deep blue wave; he cast his eyes aloft, and watched the tall spars sweeping and tracing with their points, as it were, a small portion of the clear sky, as they acted in obedience to the motion of the vessel; he looked forward at the range of carronades which lined the sides of the deck, and then he proceeded to climb one of the carronades, and lean over the hammocks to gaze on the distant land. "young gentleman, get off those hammocks," cried the master, who was officer of the watch, in a surly tone. jack looked round. "do you hear me, sir? i'm speaking to you," said the master again. jack felt very indignant, and he thought that politeness was not quite so general as he supposed. it happened that captain wilson was upon deck. "come here, mr easy," said the captain; "it is a rule in the service, that no one gets on the hammocks, unless in case of emergency--i never do--nor the first lieutenant--nor any of the officers or men,--therefore, upon the principle of equality, you must not do it either." "certainly not, sir," replied jack, "but still i do not see why that officer in the shining hat should be so angry, and not speak to me as if i were a gentleman, as well as himself." "i have already explained that to you, mr easy." "o yes, i recollect now, it's zeal: but this zeal appears to me to be the only unpleasant thing in the service. it's a pity, as you said, that the service cannot do without it." captain wilson laughed, and walked away; and shortly afterwards, as he turned up and down the deck with the master, he hinted to him, that he should not speak so sharply to a lad who had committed such a trifling error through ignorance. now mr smallsole, the master, who was a surly sort of a personage, and did not like even a hint of disapprobation of his conduct, although very regardless of the feeling of others, determined to pay this off on jack, the very first convenient opportunity. jack dined in the cabin, and was very much pleased to find that everyone drank wine with him, and that everybody at the captain's table appeared to be on an equality. before the dessert had been on the table five minutes, jack became loquacious on his favourite topic; all the company stared with surprise at such an unheard-of doctrine being broached on board of a man-of-war; the captain argued the point, so as to controvert, without too much offending, jack's notions, laughing the whole time that the conversation was carried on. it will be observed, that this day may be considered as the first in which jack really made his appearance on board, and it also was on this first day that jack made known, at the captain's table, his very peculiar notions. if the company at the captain's table, which consisted of the second lieutenant, purser, mr jolliffe, and one of the midshipmen, were astonished at such heterodox opinions being stated in the presence of the captain, they were equally astonished at the cool, good-humoured ridicule with which they were received by captain wilson. the report of jack's boldness, and every word and opinion that he had uttered (of course much magnified) was circulated that evening through the whole ship; it was canvassed in the gun-room by the officers; it was descanted upon by the midshipmen as they walked the deck; the captain's steward held a levee abreast of the ship's funnel, in which he narrated this new doctrine. the sergeant of marines gave his opinion in his berth, that it was damnable. the boatswain talked over the matter with the other warrant officers, till the grog was all gone, and then dismissed it as too dry a subject: and it was the general opinion of the ship's company, that as soon as they arrived at gibraltar bay, our hero would bid adieu to the service, either by being sentenced to death by a court-martial, or by being dismissed, and towed on shore on a grating. others, who had more of the wisdom of the serpent, and who had been informed by mr sawbridge that our hero was a lad who would inherit a large property, argued differently, and considered that captain wilson had very good reason for being so lenient--and among them was the second lieutenant. there were but four who were well inclined towards jack,--to wit, the captain, the first lieutenant, mr jolliffe, the one-eyed master's mate, and mephistopheles, the black, who, having heard that jack had uttered such sentiments, loved him with all his heart and soul. we have referred to the second lieutenant, mr asper. this young man had a very high respect for birth, and particularly for money, of which he had very little. he was the son of an eminent merchant who, during the time that he was a midshipman, had allowed him a much larger sum for his expenses than was necessary or proper; and, during his career, he found that his full pocket procured him consequence, not only among his own messmates, but also with many of the officers of the ships that he sailed in. a man who is able and willing to pay a large tavern bill will always find followers--that is, to the tavern; and lieutenants did not disdain to dine, walk arm-in-arm, and be "hail fellow well met" with a midshipman, at whose expense they lived during the time they were on shore. mr asper had just received his commission and appointment, when his father became a bankrupt, and the fountain was dried up from which he had drawn such liberal supplies. since that, mr asper had felt that his consequence was gone: he could no longer talk about the service being a bore, or that he should give it up; he could no longer obtain that deference paid to his purse, and not to himself; and he had contracted very expensive habits, without having any longer the means of gratifying them. it was therefore no wonder that he imbibed a great respect for money; and, as he could no longer find the means himself, he was glad to pick up anybody else at whose cost he could indulge in that extravagance and expense to which he had been so long accustomed, and still sighed for. now, mr asper knew that our hero was well supplied with money, as he had obtained from the waiter the amount of the bill paid at the fountain, and he had been waiting for jack's appearance on deck to become his very dearest and most intimate friend. the conversation in the cabin made him feel assured that jack would require and be grateful for support, and he had taken the opportunity of a walk with mr sawbridge, to offer to take jack in his watch. whether it was that mr sawbridge saw through the design of mr asper, or whether he imagined that our hero would be better pleased with him than with the master, considering his harshness of deportment; or with himself, who could not, as first lieutenant, overlook any remission of duty, the offer was accepted, and jack easy was ordered, as he now entered upon his duties, to keep watch under lieutenant asper. but not only was this the first day that jack may be said to have appeared in the service, but it was the first day in which he had entered the midshipman's berth, and was made acquainted with his messmates. we have already mentioned mr jolliffe, the master's mate, but we must introduce him more particularly. nature is sometimes extremely arbitrary, and never did she show herself more so than in insisting that mr jolliffe should have the most sinister expression of countenance that ever had been looked upon. he had suffered martyrdom with the small-pox, which probably had contracted his lineaments: his face was not only deeply pitted, but scarred with this cruel disorder. one eye had been lost, and all eyebrows had disappeared--and the contrast between the dull, sightless, opaque orb on one side of his face, and the brilliant, piercing little ball on the other, was almost terrifying. his nose had been eaten away by the disease till it formed a sharp but irregular point; part of the muscles of the chin were contracted, and it was drawn in with unnatural seams and puckers. he was tall, gaunt, and thin, seldom smiled, and when he did, the smile produced a still further distortion. mr jolliffe was the son of a warrant officer. he did not contract this disease until he had been sent out to the west indies, where it swept away hundreds. he had now been long in the service, with little or no chance of promotion. he had suffered from indigence, from reflections upon his humble birth, from sarcasms on his appearance. every contumely had been heaped upon him at one time or another, in the ships in which he served; among a crowd he had found himself desolate--and now, although no one dared treat him to his face with disrespect, he was only respected in the service from a knowledge of his utility and exemplary performance of his duties--he had no friends or even companions. for many years he had retired within himself, he had improved by reading and study, had felt all the philanthropy of a christian, and extended it towards others. silent and reserved, he seldom spoke in the berth, unless his authority, as caterer, was called for; all respected mr jolliffe, but no one liked, as a companion, one at whose appearance the very dogs would bark. at the same time every one acknowledged his correct behaviour in every point, his sense of justice, his forbearance, his kindness, and his good sense. with him life was indeed a pilgrimage, and he wended his way in all christian charity and all christian zeal. in all societies, however small they may be, provided that they do but amount to half-a-dozen, you will invariably meet with a bully. and it is also generally the case that you will find one of that society who is more or less the butt. you will discover this even in occasional meetings, such as a dinner-party, the major part of which have never met before. previous to the removal of the cloth, the bully will have shown himself by his dictatorial manner, and will also have selected the one upon whom he imagines that he can best practise. in a midshipman's berth, this fact has become almost proverbial, although now perhaps it is not attended with that disagreeable despotism which was permitted at the time that our hero entered the service. the bully of the midshipman's berth of h.m. sloop harpy was a young man about seventeen, with light, curly hair, and florid countenance, the son of the clerk in the dockyard at plymouth, and his name was vigors. the butt was a pudding-faced tartar-physiognomied boy of fifteen, whose intellects, with fostering, if not great, might at least have been respectable, had he not lost all confidence in his own powers from the constant jeers and mockeries of those who had a greater fluency of speech without perhaps so much real power of mind. although slow, what he learnt he invariably retained. this lad's name was gossett. his father was a wealthy yeoman of lynn, in norfolk. there were at the time but three other midshipmen in the ship, of whom it can only be said that they were like midshipmen in general, with little appetite for learning, but good appetites for dinner, hating everything like work, fond of everything like fun, fighting "a l'outrance" one minute, and sworn friends the next--with general principles of honour and justice, but which were occasionally warped according to circumstances; with all the virtues and vices so heterogeneously jumbled and heaped together, that it was almost impossible to ascribe any action to its true motive, and to ascertain to what point their vice was softened down into almost a virtue, and their virtues from mere excess degenerated into vice. their names were o'connor, mills, and gascoigne. the other shipmates of our hero it will be better to introduce as they appear on the stage. after jack had dined in the cabin, he followed his messmates jolliffe and gascoigne down into the midshipmen's berth. "i say, easy," observed gascoigne, "you are a devilish free and easy sort of a fellow, to tell the captain that you considered yourself as great a man as he was." "i beg your pardon," replied jack, "i did not argue individually, but generally, upon the principles of the rights of man." "well," replied gascoigne, "it's the first time i ever heard a middy do such a bold thing; take care your rights of man don't get you in the wrong box--there's no arguing on board of a man-of-war. the captain took it amazingly easy, but you'd better not broach that subject too often." "gascoigne gives you very good advice, mr easy," observed jolliffe; "allowing that your ideas are correct, which it appears to me they are not, or at least impossible to be acted upon, there is such a thing as prudence, and however much this question may be canvassed on shore, in his majesty's service it is not only dangerous in itself, but will be very prejudicial to you." "man is a free agent," replied easy. "i'll be shot if a midshipman is," replied gascoigne, laughing, aloud "that you'll soon find." "and yet it was in the expectation of finding that equality that i was induced to come to sea." "on the first of april, i presume," replied gascoigne. "but are you really serious?" hereupon jack entered into a long argument, to which jolliffe and gascoigne listened without interruption, and mesty with admiration; at the end of it, gascoigne laughed heartily, and jolliffe sighed. "from whence did you learn all this?" inquired jolliffe. "from my father, who is a great philosopher, and has constantly upheld these opinions." "and did your father wish you to go to sea?" "no, he was opposed to it," replied jack, "but of course he could not combat my right and free-will." "mr easy, as a friend," replied jolliffe, "i request that you would as much as possible keep your opinions to yourself. i shall have an opportunity of talking to you on the subject and will then explain to you my reasons." as soon as mr jolliffe had ceased, down came mr vigors and o'connor, who had heard the news of jack's heresy. "you do not know mr vigors and mr o'connor," said jolliffe to easy. jack, who was the essence of politeness, rose and bowed, at which the others took their seats, without returning the salutation. vigors had, from what he had heard and now seen of easy, thought he had somebody else to play upon, and without ceremony he commenced. "so, my chap, you are come on board to raise a mutiny here with your equality--you came off scot free at the captain's table; but it won't do, i can tell you, even in the midshipman's berth: some must knock under, and you are one of them." "if, sir," replied easy, "you mean by knock under, that i must submit, i can assure you that you are mistaken. upon the same principle that i would never play the tyrant to those weaker than myself, so will i resent oppression if attempted." "damme, but he's a regular sea lawyer already: however, my boy, we'll soon put your mettle to the proof." "am i then to infer that i am not on an equality with my messmates?" replied jack, looking at jolliffe. the latter was about to answer him, but vigors interrupted. "yes, you are on an equality as far as this, that you have an equal right to the berth, if you are not knocked out of it for insolence to your masters; that you have an equal share to pay for the things purchased for the mess, and an equal right to have your share, provided you can get it; you have an equal right to talk, provided you are not told to hold your tongue. the fact is, you have an equal right with everyone else to do as you can, get what you can, and say what you can, always provided that you can do it; for here the weakest goes to the wall, and that is midshipman's berth equality. now, do you understand all that; or will you wait for a practical illustration?" "i am then to infer that the equality here is as much destroyed as it even will be among savages, where the strong oppress the weak, and the only law is club law--in fact, much the same as it is at a public or large school, on shore?" "i suspect you are right for once. you were at a public school: how did they treat you there?" "as you propose treating people here--the weakest went to the wall." "well, then, a nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse, that's all, my hearty," said vigors. but the hands being turned up, "shorten sail" put an end to the altercation for the present. as our hero had not yet received orders to go to his duty, he remained below with mesty. "by de powers, massa easy, but i lub you with my hole soul," said mesty. "by jasus, you really tark fine, massa easy; dat mr vigor-- nebber care for him, wouldn't you help him--and sure you would," continued the black, feeling the muscle of jack's arm. "by the soul of my fader, i'd bet my week's allowance on you anyhow. nebber be 'fraid, massa easy." "i am not afraid," replied jack; "i've thrashed bigger fellows than he"; and jack's assertion was true. mr bonnycastle never interfered in a fair fight, and took no notice of black eyes, provided the lessons there well said. jack had fought and fought again, until he was a very good bruiser, and although not so tall as vigors, he was much better built for fighting. a knowing westminster boy would have bet his half-crown upon jack had he seen him and his anticipated adversary. the constant battles which jack was obliged to fight at school had been brought forward by jack against his father's arguments in favour of equality, but they had been overruled by mr easy's pointing out that the combats of boys had nothing to do with the rights of man. as soon as the watch was called, vigors, o'connor, gossett, and gascoigne came down into the berth. vigors, who was the strongest in the berth, except jolliffe, had successively had his superiority acknowledged, and, when on deck, he had talked of easy's impertinence, and his intention of bringing him to his senses. the others, therefore, came down to see the fun. "well, mr easy," observed vigors, as he came into the berth, "you take after your name, at all events; i suppose you intend to eat the king's provision, and do nothing." jack's mettle was already up. "you will oblige me, sir, by minding your own business," replied jack. "you impudent blackguard, if you say another word, i'll give you a good thrashing, and knock some of your equality out of you." "indeed," replied jack, who almost fancied himself back at mr bonnycastle's; "we'll try that." whereupon jack very coolly divested himself of his upper garments, neckerchief, and shirt, much to the surprise of mr vigors, who little contemplated such a proof of decision and confidence, and still more to the delight of the other midshipmen, who would have forfeited a week's allowance to see vigors well thrashed. vigors, however, knew that he had gone too far to retreat; he therefore prepared for action; and, when ready, the whole party went out into the steerage to settle the business. vigors had gained his assumed authority more by bullying than fighting; others had submitted to him without a sufficient trial; jack, on the contrary, had won his way up in school by hard and scientific combat; the result, therefore, may easily be imagined. in less than a quarter of an hour vigors, beaten dead, with his eyes closed, and three teeth out, gave in: while jack, after a basin of water, looked as fresh as ever, with the exception of a few trifling scratches. the news of this victory was soon through the ship; and before jack had resumed his clothes it had been told confidentially by sawbridge to the captain. "so soon!" said captain wilson, laughing; "i expected that a midshipman's berth would do wonders; but i did not expect this yet awhile. this victory is the first severe blow to mr easy's equality, and will be more valuable than twenty defeats. let him now go to his duty, he will soon find his level." chapter xi in which our hero proves that all on board should equally sacrifice decency to duty. the success of any young man in a profession very much depends upon the occurrences at the commencement of his career, as from those is his character judged, and he is treated accordingly. jack had chosen to enter the service at a much later period than most lads; he was tall and manly for his age, and his countenance, if not strictly handsome, wore that expression of honesty and boldness which is sure to please. his spirit in not submitting to, and meeting, vigors when he had hardly recovered from his severe prostration of sea-sickness, had gained him with the many respect, and with all, except his antagonist and mr smallsole, good-will. instead of being laughed at by his messmates, he was played with; for jolliffe smiled at his absurdities, and attempted to reason him out of them, and the others liked jack for himself and his generosity, and moreover, because they looked up to him as a protector against vigors, who had persecuted them all; for jack had declared, that as might was right in a midshipman's berth, he would so far restore equality, that if he could not put down those who were the strongest, at all events he would protect the weak, and, let who would come into the berth, they must be his master before they should tyrannise over those weaker than he. thus did jack easy make the best use that he could of his strength, and become, as it were, the champion and security of those who, although much longer at sea and more experienced than he was, were glad to shelter themselves under his courage and skill, the latter of which had excited the admiration of the butcher of the ship, who had been a pugilist by profession. thus did jack at once take the rank of an oldster, and soon became the leader of all the mischief. we particularly observe this, because, had it so happened that our hero had succumbed to vigors, the case would have been the very reverse. he then would have had to go through the ordeal to which most who enter the naval service are exposed, which cannot be better explained than by comparing it to the fagging carried to such an iniquitous extent in public schools. mr asper, for his own reasons, made him his companion: they walked the night watch together, and he listened to all jack's nonsense about the rights of man. and here mr asper did good without intending it, for, at the same time that he appeared to agree with jack, to secure his favour, he cautioned him, and pointed out why this equality could not exist altogether on board of a man-of-war. as for himself, he said, he saw no difference between a lieutenant, or even a captain, and a midshipman, provided they were gentlemen: he should choose his friends where he liked, and despised that power of annoyance which the service permitted. of course, jack and mr asper were good friends, especially as, when half the watch was over, to conciliate his good-will and to get rid of his eternal arguing, mr asper would send jack down to bed. they were now entering the straits, and expected to anchor the next day at gibraltar, and jack was forward on the forecastle, talking with mesty, with whom he had contracted a great friendship, for there was nothing that mesty would not have done for jack, although he had not been three weeks in the ship; but a little reflection will show that it was natural. mesty had been a great man in his own country; he had suffered all the horrors of a passage in a slave ship; he had been sold as a slave twice; he had escaped--but he found that the universal feeling was strong against his colour, and that on board of a man-of-war he was condemned, although free, to the humblest of offices. he had never heard anyone utter the sentiments, which now beat in his own heart, of liberty and equality--we say now, for when he was in his own country before his captivity, he had no ideas of equality; no one has who is in power: but he had been schooled; and although people talked of liberty and equality at new york, he found that what they preached for themselves, they did not practise towards others, and that, in the midst of liberty and equality, he and thousands more were enslaved and degraded beings. escaping to england, he had regained his liberty, but not his equality; his colour had prevented the latter, and in that feeling all the world appeared to conspire together against him, until, to his astonishment, he heard those sentiments boldly expressed from the lips of jack, and that in a service where it was almost tantamount to mutiny. mesty, whose character is not yet developed, immediately took a fondness for our hero, and in a hundred ways showed his attachment. jack also liked mesty, and was fond of talking with him, and every evening, since the combat with vigors, they had generally met in the forecastle to discuss the principles of equality and the rights of man. the boatswain, whose name was biggs, was a slight, dapper, active little man, who, as captain of the foretop, had shown an uncommon degree of courage in a hurricane, so much so, as to recommend him to the admiral for promotion. it was given to him; and after the ship to which he had been appointed was paid off, he had been ordered to join h.m. sloop harpy. jack's conversation with mesty was interrupted by the voice of the boatswain, who was haranguing his boy. "it's now ten minutes, sir, by my repeater," said the boatswain, "that i have sent for you"; and mr biggs pulled out a huge silver watch, almost as big as a norfolk turnip. a jew had sold him the watch; the boatswain had heard of repeaters, and wished to have one. moses had only shown him watches with the hour and minute hands; he now produced one with a second hand, telling him it was a repeater. "what makes it a repeater?" inquired the boatswain. "common watches," said the cunning jew, "only tell the minutes and hours; but all repeaters tell the seconds." the boatswain was satisfied--bought the watch, and, although many had told him it was no repeater, he insisted that it was, and would call it so. "i swear," continued the boatswain, "it's ten minutes and twenty seconds by my repeater." "if you please, sir," said the boy, "i was changing my trousers when you sent for me, and then i had to stow away my bag again." "silence, sir; i'd have you to know that when you are sent for by your officer, trousers or no trousers, it is your duty to come up directly." "without trousers, sir?" replied the boy. "yes, sir, without trousers; if the captain required me, i should come without my shirt. duty before decency." so saying, the boatswain lays hold of the boy. "surely, mr biggs," said jack, "you are not going to punish that boy for not coming up without his trousers?" "yes, mr easy, i am--i must teach him a lesson. we are bound, now that newfangled ideas are brought into the ship, to uphold the dignity of the service; and the orders of an officer are not to be delayed ten minutes and twenty seconds because a boy has no trousers on." whereupon the boatswain administered several smart cuts with his rattan upon the boy, proving that it was quite as well that he had put on his trousers before he came on deck. "there," said mr biggs, "is a lesson for you, you scamp--and, mr easy, it is a lesson for you also," continued the boatswain, walking away with a most consequential air. "murder irish!" said mesty--"how him cut caper. de oder day he haul out de weather ear-ring, and touch him hat to a midshipman. sure enough, make um cat laugh." the next day the harpy was at anchor in gibraltar bay; the captain went on shore, directing the gig to be sent for him before nine o'clock; after which hour the sally-port is only opened by special permission. there happened to be a ball given by the officers of the garrison on that evening, and a polite invitation was sent to the officers of h.m. sloop harpy. as those who accepted the invitation would be detained late, it was not possible for them to come off that night. and as their services were required for the next day, captain wilson allowed them to remain on shore until seven o'clock the next morning, at which hour, as there was a large party, there would be two boats sent for them. mr asper obtained leave, and asked permission to take our hero with him; to which mr sawbridge consented. many other officers obtained leave, and, among others, the boatswain, who, aware that his services would be in request as soon as the equipment commenced, asked permission for this evening. and mr sawbridge, feeling that he could be better spared at this than at any other time, consented. asper and jack went to an inn, dined, bespoke beds, and then dressed themselves for the ball, which was very brilliant, and, from the company of the officers, very pleasant. captain wilson looked on at the commencement, and then returned on board. jack behaved with his usual politeness, danced till two o'clock, and then, as the ball thinned, asper proposed that they should retires. having once more applied to the refreshment-room, they had procured their hats, and were about to depart, when one of the officers of the garrison asked jack if he would like to see a baboon, which had just been brought down from the rock; and, taking some of the cakes, they repaired to the court where the animal was chained down to a small tank. jack fed the brute till all the cakes were gone, and then, because he had no more to give him, the baboon flew at jack, who, in making his retreat fell back into the tank, which was about two feet deep. this was a joke, and having laughed heartily, they wished the officer good-night, and went to the inn. now, what with the number of officers of the harpy on shore, who had all put up at the same inn, and other occupants, the landlord was obliged to put his company into double and treble-bedded rooms; but this was of little consequence. jack was shown into a double-bedded room, and proceeded to undress; the other was evidently occupied, by the heavy breathing which saluted jack's ear. as jack undressed, he recollected that his trousers were wet through, and to dry them he opened the window, hung them out, and then jammed down the window again upon them, to hold them in their position, after which he turned in and fell fast asleep. at six o'clock he was called, as he had requested, and proceeded to dress, but to his astonishment found the window thrown open and his trousers missing. it was evident, that his partner in the room had thrown the window open during the night, and that his trousers, having fallen down into the street, had been walked off with by somebody or another. jack looked out of the window once more, and perceived that whoever had thrown open the window had been unwell during the night. a nice drunken companion i have had, thought jack; but what's to be done? and in saying this, he walked up to the other bed, and perceived that it was tenanted by the boatswain. well, thought jack, as mr biggs has thought proper to lose my trousers, i think i have a right to take his, or at least the wear of them to go on board. it was but last night he declared that decency must give way to duty, and that the orders of a superior officer were to be obeyed, with or without garments. i know he is obliged to be on board, and now he shall try how he likes to obey orders in his shirt tails. so cogitating, jack took the trousers of the boatswain, who still snored, although he had been called, and putting them on, completed the rest of his dress, and quitted the room. he went to that of mr asper, where he found him just ready, and, having paid the bill--for asper had forgotten his purse--they proceeded down to the sally-port, where they found other officers waiting, sufficient to load the first boat, which shoved off, and they went on board. as soon as he was down below, jack hastened to change his trousers, and, unobserved by anyone, threw those belonging to mr biggs on a chair in his cabin, and, having made a confidant of mesty, who was delighted, he went on deck, and waited the issue of the affair. before jack left the hotel, he had told the waiter that there was the boatswain still fast asleep, and that he must be roused up immediately; and this injunction was obeyed. the boatswain, who had drunk too much the night before, and, as jack had truly imagined, had opened the window because he was unwell, was wakened up, and hearing how late it was, hastened to dress himself. not finding his trousers, he rang the bell, supposing that they had been taken down to be brushed, and, in the meantime, put on everything else, that he might lose no time: the waiter who answered the bell, denied having taken the trousers out of the room, and poor mr biggs was in a sad quandary. what had become of them, he could not tell: he had no recollection of having gone to bed the night before; he inquired of the waiter, who said that he knew nothing about them--that he was very tipsy when he came home, and that when he called him, he had found the window open, and it appeared that he had been unwell--he supposed that he had thrown his trousers out of the window. time flew, and the boatswain was in despair. "could they lend him a pair?" "he would call his master." the master of the inn knew very well the difference of rank between officers, and those whom he could trust and those whom he could not. he sent up the bill by the waiter, and stated that, for a deposit, the gentleman might have a pair of trousers. the boatswain felt in his pockets and remembered that all his money was in his trousers' pocket. he could not only not leave a deposit, but could not pay his bill. the landlord was inexorable. it was bad enough to lose his money, but he could not lose more. "i shall be tried by a court-martial, by heavens!" exclaimed the boatswain--"it's not far from the sally-port: i'll make a run for it, and i can slip into one of the boats and get another pair of trousers before i report myself as having come on board." so making up his mind, the boatswain took to his heels, and with his check shirt tails streaming in the wind, ran as hard as he could to where the boat was waiting to receive him. he was encountered by many, but he only ran the faster the more they jeered, and, at last, arrived breathless at his goal, flew down the steps, jumped into the boat, and squatted on the stern sheets, much to the surprise of the officers and men, who thought him mad. he stated in a few words that somebody had stolen his trousers during the night; and as it was already late, the boat shoved off the men as well as officers convulsed with laughter. "have any of you a pea-jacket?" inquired the boatswain of the men--but the weather was so warm that none of them had brought a pea-jacket. the boatswain looked round; he perceived that the officers were sitting on a boat-cloak. "whose boat-cloak is that?" inquired the boatswain. "mine," replied gascoigne. "i trust, mr gascoigne, you will have the kindness to lend it to me to go up the side with." "indeed i will not," replied gascoigne, who would sooner have thrown it overboard and have lost it, than not beheld the anticipated fun: "recollect i asked you for a fishing-line, when we were becalmed off cape st vincent, and you sent word that you'd see me dead first. now i'll just see you the same before you have my boat-cloak." "oh, mr gascoigne, i'll give you three lines, directly i get on board." "i dare say you will, but that won't do now. 'tit for tat,' mr boatswain, and hang all favours," replied gascoigne, who was steering the boat, having been sent on shore for the others. "in borrowed of all." the boat was laid alongside--the relentless gascoigne caught up his boat-cloak as the other officers rose to go on board, and rolling it up, in spite of the earnest entreaties of mr biggs, tossed it into the main chains, to the man who had thrown the stem fast; and to make the situation of mr biggs still more deplorable, the first lieutenant was standing looking into the boat, and captain wilson walking the quarter-deck. "come, mr biggs, i expected you off in the first boat," cried mr sawbridge; "be as smart as you please, for the yards are not yet squared." "shall i go ahead in this boat, and square them, sir?" "that boat! no; let her drop astern, jump up here and lower down the dinghy. what the devil do you sit there for, mr biggs?--you'll oblige me by showing a little more activity, or, by jove, you may save yourself the trouble of asking to go on shore again. are you sober, sir?" the last observation decided mr biggs. he sprung up from the boat just as he was, and touched his hat as he passed the first lieutenant. "perfectly sober, sir, but i've lost my trousers." "so it appears, sir," replied mr sawbridge, as mr biggs stood on the plane shear of the sloop where the hammock netting divides for an entrance, with his shirt tails fluttering in the sea breeze; but mr sawbridge could not contain himself any longer; he ran down the ship ladder which led on the quarter-deck, choked with laughter. mr biggs could not descend until after mr sawbridge, and the conversation had attracted the notice of all, and every eye in the ship was on him. "what's all this?" said captain wilson, coming to the gangway. "duty before decency," replied jack, who stood by enjoying the joke. mr biggs recollected the day before--he cast a furious look at jack, as he touched his hat to the captain, and then dived down to the lower deck. if anything could add to the indignation of the boatswain, it was to find that his trousers had come on board before him. he now felt that a trick had been played him, and also that our hero must have been the party, but he could prove nothing; he could not say who slept in the same room, for he was fast asleep when jack went to bed, and fast asleep when jack quitted the room. the truth of the story soon became known to all the ship, and "duty before decency" became a bye-word. all that the boatswain could do he did, which was to revenge himself upon the poor boy--and gascoigne and jack never got any fishing-tackle. the boatswain was as obnoxious to the men as vigors, and in consequence of jack's known opinions upon the rights of man, and his having floored their two greatest enemies, he became a great favourite with the seamen, and as all favourites are honoured by them with a soubriquet, our hero obtained that of equality jack. chapter xii in which our hero prefers going down to going up; a choice, it is to be hoped, he will reverse upon a more important occasion. the next day being sunday, the hands were turned up to divisions, and the weather not being favourable, instead of the service the articles of war were read with all due respect shown to the same, the captain, officers, and crew, with their hats off in a mizzling rain. jack, who had been told by the captain that these articles of war were the rules and regulations of the service, by which the captain, officers, and men, were equally bound, listened to them as they were read by the clerk with the greatest attention. he little thought that there were about five hundred orders from the admiralty tacked on to them, which, like the numerous codicils of some wills, contained the most important matter, and to a certain degree make the will nugatory. jack listened very attentively, and, as each article was propounded, felt that he was not likely to commit himself in that point, and, although he was rather astonished to find such a positive injunction against swearing considered quite a dead letter in the ship, he thought that, altogether, he saw his way very clear. but to make certain of it, as soon as the hands had been piped down he begged the clerk to let him have a copy of the articles. now the clerk had three, being the allowance of the ship, or at least all that he had in his possession, and made some demur at parting with one; but at last he proposed--"some rascal," as he said, having stolen his tooth-brush--that if jack would give him one he would give him one of the copies of the articles of war. jack replied that the one he had in use was very much worn, and that unfortunately he had but one new one, which he could not spare. thereupon the clerk, who was a very clean personage, and could not bear that his teeth should be dirty, agreed to accept the one in use, as jack could not part with the other. the exchange was made, and jack read the articles of war over and over again, till he thought he was fully master of them. "now," says jack, "i know what i am to do, and what i am to expect, and these articles of war i will carry in my pocket as long as i'm in the service; that is to say, if they last so long: and provided they do not, i am able to replace them with another old tooth-brush, which appears to be the value attached to them." the harpy remained a fortnight in gibraltar bay, and jack had occasionally a run on shore, and mr asper invariably went with him to keep him out of mischief; that is to say, he allowed him to throw his money away on no one more worthless than himself. one morning jack went down in the berth, and found young gossett blubbering. "what's the matter, my dear mr gossett?" inquired jack, who was just as polite to the youngster as he was to anybody else. "vigors has been thrashing me with a rope's end," replied gossett, rubbing his arm and shoulders. "what for?" inquired jack. "because he says the service is going to hell--(i'm sure it's no fault of mine)--and that now all subordination is destroyed, and that upstarts join the ship who, because they have a five-pound note in their pocket, are allowed to do just as they please. he said he was determined to uphold the service, and then he knocked me down--and when i got up again he told me that i could stand a little more--and then he took out his colt, and said he was determined to ride the high horse--and that there should be no equality jack in future." "well," replied jack. "and then he colted me for half an hour, and that's all." "by de soul of my fader, but it all for true, massa easy--he larrup um, sure enough--all for noting, bad luck to him--i tink," continued mesty, "he hab debelish bad memory--and he want a little more of equality jack." "and he shall have it too," replied our hero; "why it's against the articles of war, 'all quarrelling, fighting, &c.' i say, mr gossett, have you got the spirit of a louse?" "yes," replied gossett. "well, then, will you do what i tell you next time, and trust to me for protection?" "i don't care what i do," replied the boy, "if you will back me against the cowardly tyrant?" "do you refer to me?" cried vigors, who had stopped at the door of the berth. "say yes," said jack. "yes, i do," cried gossett. "you do, do you?--well, then, my chick, i must trouble you with a little more of this," said vigors, drawing out his colt. "i think that you had better not, mr vigors," observed jack. "mind your own business, if you please," returned vigors, not much liking the interference. "i am not addressing my conversation to you, and i will thank you never to interfere with me. i presume i have a right to choose my own acquaintance, and, depend upon it, it will not be that of a leveller." "all that is at your pleasure, mr vigors," replied jack; "you have a right to choose your own acquaintance, and so have i a right to choose my own friends, and, further, to support them. that lad is my friend, mr vigors." "then," replied vigors, who could not help bullying even at the risk of another combat which he probably intended to stand, "i shall take the liberty of giving your friend a thrashing"; and he suited the action to the word. "then i shall take the liberty to defend my friend," replied jack; "and as you call me a leveller, i'll try if i may not deserve the name" whereupon jack placed a blow so well under the ear, that mr vigors dropped on the deck, and was not in a condition to come to the scratch, even if he had been inclined. "and now, youngster," said jack, wresting the colt out of vigors' hand, "do as i bid you--give him a good colting if you don't i'll thrash you." gossett required no second threat;--the pleasure of thrashing his enemy, if only for once, was quite enough--and he laid well on. jack with his fists doubled ready to protect him if there was a show of resistance, but vigors was half stupefied with the blow under the ear, and quite cowed; he took his thrashing in the most pensive manner. "that will do," said jack; "and now do not be afraid, gossett; the very first time he offers to strike you when i am not present, i will pay him off for it as soon as you tell me. i won't be called equality jack for nothing." when jolliffe, who heard of this, met our hero alone, he said to him, "take my advice, boy, and do not in future fight the battles of others; you'll find very soon that you will have enough to do to fight your own." whereupon jack argued the point for half an hour, and then they separated. but mr jolliffe was right. jack began to find himself constantly in hot water, and the captain and first lieutenant, although they did not really withdraw their protection, thought it high time that jack should find out that, on board a man-of-war, everybody and everything must find its level. there was on board of his majesty's sloop harpy, a man of the name of easthupp, who did the duty of purser's steward; this was the second ship that he had served in: in the former he had been sent with a draft of men from the tender lying off the tower. how he had come into the service was not known in the present ship; but the fact was, that he had been one of the swell mob--and had been sent on board the tender with a letter of recommendation from the magistrates to captain crouch. he was a cockney by birth, for he had been left at the work-house of st mary axe, where he had been taught to read and write, and had afterwards made his escape. he joined the juvenile thieves of the metropolis, had been sent to bridewell, obtained his liberty, and by degrees had risen from petty thieving of goods exposed outside of the shops and market-stalls, to the higher class of gentleman pickpockets. his appearance was somewhat genteel, with a bullying sort of an impudent air, which is mistaken for fashion by those who know no better. a remarkable neat dresser, for that was part of his profession; a very plausible manner and address; a great fluency of language, although he clipped the king's english; and, as he had suffered more than once by the law, it is not to be wondered at, that he was, as he called himself, a hout-and-hout radical. during the latter part of his service, in his last ship, he had been employed under the purser's steward, and having offered himself in this capacity to the purser of h.m. sloop harpy, with one or two forged certificates, he had been accepted. now, when mr easthupp heard of jack's opinion, he wished to cultivate his acquaintance, and with a bow and a flourish, introduced himself before they arrived at gibraltar; but our hero took an immediate dislike to this fellow from his excessive and impertinent familiarity. jack knew a gentleman when he met one, and did not choose to be a companion to a man beneath him in every way, but who, upon the strength of jack's liberal opinions, presumed to be his equal. jack's equality did not go so far as that; in theory it was all very well, but in practice it was only when it suited his own purpose. but the purser's steward was not to be checked--a man who has belonged to the swell mob is not easily repulsed; and, although jack would plainly show him that his company was not agreeable, easthupp would constantly accost him familiarly on the forecastle and lower deck, with his arms folded, and with an air almost amounting to familiarity. at last, jack told him to go about his business and not presume to talk to him; whereupon easthupp rejoined, and after an exchange of hard words, it ended by jack kicking mr easthupp, as he called himself, down the after--lower-deck hatchway. this was but a sorry specimen of jack's equality--and mr easthupp, who considered that his honour had been compromised, went up to the captain on the quarter-deck and lodged his complaint--whereupon captain wilson desired that mr easy might be summoned. as soon as jack made his appearance, captain wilson called to easthupp. "now, purser's steward, what is this you have to say?" "if you please, captain vilson, i am wery sorry to be obliged to make hany complaint of hany hofficer, but this mr heasy thought proper to make use of language quite hunbecoming of a gentleman, and then to kick me as i vent down the atchvay." "well, mr easy, is this true?" "yes, sir," replied jack; "i have several times told the fellow not to address himself to me, and he will. i did tell him he was a radical blackguard, and i did kick him down the hatchway." "you told him he was a radical blackguard, mr easy?" "yes, sir, he comes bothering me about his republic, and asserting that we have no want of a king and aristocracy." captain wilson looked significantly at mr sawbridge. "i certainly did hoffer my political opinions, captain vilson; but you must be avare that ve hall ave an hequal stake in the country--and it's a hinglishman's birthright." "i'm not aware what your stake in the country may be, mr easthupp," observed captain wilson, "but i think that, if you used such expressions, mr easy was fully warranted in telling you his opinion." "i ham villing, captain vilson, to make hany hallowance for the eat of political discussion--but that is not hall that i ave to complain hof. mr heasy thought proper to say that i was a swindler and a liar." "did you make use of those expressions, mr easy?" "yes, sir, he did," continued the steward; "and, moreover, told me not to cheat the men, and not to cheat my master, the purser. now, captain vilson, is it not true that i am in a wery hostensible sitevation? but i flatter myself that i ave been vell edecated, and vos wonce moving in a wery different society--misfortains vill appin to us hall, and i feel my character has been severely injured by such importations"; whereupon mr easthupp took out his handkerchief, flourished, and blew his nose. "i told mr heasy, that i considered myself quite as much of a gentleman as himself, and at hall hewents did not keep company with a black feller (mr heasy will hunderstand the insinevation); vereupon mr heasy, as i before said, your vorship, i mean you, captain vilson, thought proper to kick me down the atchvay." "very well, steward, i have heard your complaint, and now you may go." mr easthupp took his hat off with an air, made his bow, and went down the main ladder. "mr easy," said captain wilson, "you must be aware that by the regulations of the service by which we are all equally bound, it is not permitted that any officer shall take the law into his own hands. now, although i do not consider it necessary to make any remark as to your calling the man a radical blackguard, for i consider his impertinent intrusion of his opinions deserved it, still you have no right to attack any man's character without grounds--and as that man is in an office of trust, you were not at all warranted in asserting that he was a cheat. will you explain to me why you made use of such language?" now our hero had no proofs against the man; he had nothing to offer in extenuation, until he recollected, all at once, the reason assigned by the captain for the language used by mr sawbridge. jack had the wit to perceive that it would hit home, so he replied, very quietly and respectfully: "if you please, captain wilson, that was all zeal." "zeal, mr easy? i think it but a bad excuse. but pray, then, why did you kick the man down the hatchway?--you must have known that that was contrary to the rules of the service." "yes, sir," replied jack, demurely; "but that was all zeal, too." "then allow me to say," replied captain wilson, biting his lips, "that i think that your zeal has in this instance been very much misplaced, and i trust you will not show so much again." "and yet, sir," replied jack, aware that he was giving the captain a hard hit, and therefore looked proportionally humble, "we should do nothing in the service without it--and i trust one day, as you told me, to become a very zealous officer." "i trust so, too, mr easy," replied the captain. "there, you may go now, and let me hear no more of kicking people down the hatchway. that sort of zeal is misplaced." "more than my foot was, at all events," muttered jack, as he walked off. captain wilson, as soon as our hero disappeared, laughed heartily, and told mr sawbridge, "he had ascribed his language to our hero as all zeal. he has very cleverly given me it all back again; and really, sawbridge, as it proves how weak was my defence of you, you may gain from this lesson." sawbridge thought so, too--but both agreed that jack's rights of man were in considerable danger. the day before the ship sailed, the captain and mr asper dined with the governor; and as there was little more to do, mr sawbridge, who had not quitted the ship since she had been in port, and had some few purchases to make, left her in the afternoon in the charge of mr smallsole, the master. now, as we have observed, he was jack's inveterate enemy--indeed jack had already made three, mr smallsole, mr biggs, the boatswain, and easthupp, the purser's steward. mr smallsole was glad to be left in command, as he hoped to have an opportunity of punishing our hero, who certainly laid himself not a little open to it. like all those who are seldom in command, the master was proportionally tyrannical and abusive--he swore at the men, made them do the duty twice and thrice over, on the pretence that it was not smartly done, and found fault with every officer remaining on board. "mr biggs--by god, sir, you seem to be all asleep forward. i suppose you think that you are to do nothing now the first lieutenant is out of the ship? how long will it be, sir, before you are ready to sway away?" "by de holy poker, i tink he sway away finely, massy easy," observed mesty, who was in converse with our hero on the forecastle. mr smallsole's violence made mr biggs violent, which made the boatswain's mate violent--and the captain of the forecastle violent also; all which is practically exemplified by philosophy in the laws of motion, communicated from one body to another; and as mr smallsole swore, so did the boatswain swear. also the boatswain's mate, the captain of the forecastle, and all the men--showing the force of example. mr smallsole came forward. "damnation, mr biggs, what the devil are you about? can't you move here?" "as much as we can, sir," replied the boatswain, "lumbered as the forecastle is with idlers." and here mr biggs looked at our hero and mesty, who were standing against the bulwark. "what are you doing here, sir?" cried mr smallsole to our hero. "nothing at all, sir?" replied jack. "then i'll give you something to do, sir. go up to the mast-head, and wait there till i call you down. come, sir, i'll show you the way," continued the master, walking aft. jack followed till they were on the quarter-deck. "now, sir, up to the main-top gallant mast-head; perch yourself upon the cross-trees--up with you." "what am i to go up there for, sir?" inquired jack. "for punishment, sir," replied the master. "what have i done, sir?" "no reply, sir--up with you." "if you please, sir," replied jack, "i should wish to argue this point a little." "argue the point!" roared mr smallsole--"by jove, i'll teach you to argue the point--away with you, sir." "if you please, sir," continued jack, "the captain told me that the articles of war were the rules and regulations by which everyone in the service was to be guided. now, sir," said jack, "i have read them over till i know them by heart, and there is not one word of mastheading in the whole of them." here jack took the articles out of his pocket, and unfolded them. "will you go to the mast-head, sir, or will you not?" said mr smallsole. "will you show me the mast-head in the articles of war, sir?" replied jack; "here they are." "i tell you, sir, to go to the mast-head: if not, i'll be d---d if i don't hoist you up in a bread-bag." "there's nothing about bread-bags in the articles of war, sir," replied jack; "but i'll tell you what there is, sir"; and jack commenced reading,-- "all flag-officers, and all persons in or belonging to his majesty's ships or vessels of war, being guilty of profane oaths, execrations, drunkenness, uncleanness, or other scandalous actions, in derogation of god's honour and corruption of good manners, shall incur such punishment as--" "damnation," cried the master, who was mad with rage, hearing that the whole ship's company were laughing. "no, sir, not damnation," replied jack, "that's when he's tried above; but according to the nature and degree of the offence." "will you go to the mast-head, sir, or will you not?" "if you please," replied jack, "i'd rather not." "then, sir, consider yourself under an arrest--i'll try you by a court-martial, by god. go down below, sir." "with the greatest pleasure, sir," replied jack, "that's all right and according to the articles of war, which are to guide us all." jack folded up his articles of war, put them into his pocket, and went down into the berth. soon after jack had gone down, jolliffe, who had heard the whole of the altercation, followed him: "my lad," said jolliffe, "i'm sorry for all this; you should have gone to the mast-head." "i should like to argue that point a little," replied jack. "yes, so would everybody; but if that were permitted, the service would be at a stand-still--that would not do;--you must obey an order first, and then complain afterwards, if the order is unjust." "it is not so in the articles of war." "but it is so in the service." "the captain told me that the articles of war were the guides of the service, and we were all equally bound to obey them." "well, but allowing that, i do not think your articles of war will bear you out. you observe, they say any officer, mariner, etc, guilty of disobedience to any lawful command. now are you not guilty under that article?" "that remains to be argued still," replied jack. "a lawful command means an order established by law; now where is that law?--besides, the captain told me when i kicked that blackguard down the hatchway, that there was only the captain who could punish, and that officers could not take the law into their own hands; why then has the master?" "his doing wrong as superior officer is no reason why you as an inferior should disobey him. if that were permitted,--if every order were to be cavilled at, and argued upon, as just or unjust, there would be an end of all discipline. besides, recollect that in the service there is custom, which is the same as law." "that admits of a little argument," replied jack. "the service will admit of none, my dear boy: recollect that, even on shore, we have two laws, that which is written, and the 'lex non scripta,' which is custom; of course we have it in the service, for the articles of war cannot provide for everything." "they provide a court-martial for everything though," replied jack. "yes, with death or dismissal from the service--neither of which would be very agreeable. you have got yourself into a scrape, and although the captain is evidently your friend, he cannot overlook it: fortunately, it is with the master, which is of less consequence than with the other officers; but still you will have to submit, for the captain cannot overlook it." "i'll tell you what, jolliffe," replied jack, "my eyes now begin to be opened to a great many things. the captain tells me, when i am astonished at bad language, that it is all zeal, and then i found out that what is all zeal in a superior to an inferior, is insolence when reversed. he tells me, that the articles of war are made to equally guide us all--the master breaks what is positively mentioned in the second article twenty times over, and goes scot free, while i am to be punished because i do not comply with what the articles do not mention. how was i to know that i ought to go to the mast-head for punishment? particularly when the captain tells me that he alone is to punish in the ship. if i obey an order in opposition to the captain's order, is not that as bad as disobeying the captain? i think that i have made out a very strong case, and my arguments are not to be confuted." "i am afraid that the master will make out a very strong case, and that your arguments will never be heard." "that will be contrary to all the rules of justice." "but according to all the rules of service." "i do believe that i am a great fool," observed jack, after a pause. "what do you imagine made me come to sea, jolliffe?" "because you did not know when you were well off," replied the mate, drily. "that's true enough; but my reason was, because i thought i should find that equality here that i could not find on shore." jolliffe stared. "my dear boy, i heard you say that you obtained those opinions from your father; i mean no disrespect to him, but he must be either mad or foolish, if at his age he has not discovered, that there is no such thing in existence." "i begin to think so," replied jack; "but that does not prove that there ought not to be." "i beg your pardon; the very non-existence proves that it ought not to be--'whatever is, is right', you might as well expect to find perfect happiness or perfection in the individual. your father must be a visionary." "the best thing that i can do is to go home again." "no, my dear easy, the best thing that you can do is, to stay in the service, for it will soon put an end to all such nonsensical ideas; and it will make you a clever, sensible fellow. the service is a rough, but a good school, where everybody finds his level,--not the level of equality, but the level which his natural talent and acquirements will rise or sink him to, in proportion as they are plus or minus. it is a noble service, but has its imperfections, as everything in this world must have. i have little reason to speak in its favour, as far as i am concerned, for it has been hard bread to me; but there must be exceptions in every rule. do not think of quitting the service until you have given it a fair trial. i am aware that you are an only son, and your father is a man of property, and, therefore, in the common parlance of the world, you are independent; but, believe me, no man, however rich, is independent, unless he has a profession, and you will find no better than this, notwithstanding--" "what?" "that you will be, most certainly, sent to the mast-head to-morrow." "we'll argue that point," replied jack; "at all events, i will go and turn in to-night." chapter xiii in which our hero begins to act and think for himself. whatever may have been jack's thoughts, at all events they did not spoil his rest. he possessed in himself all the materials of a true philosopher, but there was a great deal of weeding still required. joliffe's arguments, sensible as they were, had very little effect upon him; for, strange to say, it is much more easy to shake a man's opinions when he is wrong, than when he is right; proving that we are all of a very perverse nature. "well," thought jack, "if i am to go to the mast-head, i am, that's all; but it does not prove that my arguments are not good, only that they will not be listened to"; and then jack shut his eyes, and in a few minutes was fast asleep. the master had reported to the first lieutenant, and the first lieutenant to the captain, when he came on board the next morning, the conduct of mr easy, who was sent for in the cabin, to hear if he had anything to offer in extenuation of his offence. jack made an oration, which lasted more than half an hour, in which all the arguments he had brought forward to jolliffe in the preceding chapter were entered fully into. mr jolliffe was then examined, and also mr smallsole was interrogated: after which the captain and the first lieutenant were left alone. "sawbridge," said captain wilson, "how true it is that any deviation from what is right invariably leads us into a scrape. i have done wrong: wishing to get this boy out of his father's hands, and fearful that he would not join the ship, and imagining him to be by no means the shrewd fellow that he is in reality, i represented the service in a much more favourable light than i should have done; all that he says i told him i did tell him, and it is i who really led the boy into error. mr smallsole has behaved tyrannically and unjustly; he punished the lad for no crime; so that between the master and me, i am now on the horns of a dilemma. if i punish the boy, i feel that i am punishing him more for my own fault and the fault of others, than his own. if i do not punish him, i allow a flagrant and open violation of discipline to pass uncensured, which will be injurious to the service." "he must be punished, sir," replied sawbridge. "send for him," said the captain. jack made his appearance, with a very polite bow. "mr easy, as you suppose that the articles of war contained all the rules and regulations of the service, i take it for granted that you have erred through ignorance. but recollect, that although you have erred through ignorance, such a violation of discipline, if passed unnoticed, will have a very injurious effect with the men, whose obedience is enforced by the example shown to them by the officers. i feel so convinced of your zeal, which you showed the other day in the case of easthupp, that i am sure you will see the propriety of my proving to the men, by punishing you, that discipline must be enforced, and i shall therefore send for you on the quarter-deck, and order you to go to the mast-head in presence of the ship's company, as it was in presence of the ship's company that you refused." "with the greatest pleasure, captain wilson," replied jack. "and in future, mr easy, although i shall ever set my face against it, recollect that if any officer punishes you, and you imagine that you are unfairly treated, you will submit to the punishment, and then apply to me for redress." "certainly, sir," replied jack, "now that i am aware of your wishes." "you will oblige me, mr easy, by going on the quarter-deck, and wait there till i come up." jack made his best bow, and exit. "old jolliffe told me that i should have to go," said jack to himself, "and he was right, so far; but hang me if i hadn't the best of the argument, and that's all i care about." captain wilson sent for the master, and reprimanded him for his oppression, as it was evident that there was no ground for punishment, and he forbade him ever to mast-head another midshipman, but to report his conduct to the first lieutenant or himself. he then proceeded to the quarter-deck, and, calling for mr easy, gave him what appeared to be a very severe reprimand, which jack looked upon very quietly, because it was all zeal on the captain's part to give it, and all zeal on his own to take it. our hero was then ordered up to the mast-head. jack took off his hat, and took three or four steps, in obedience to the order--and then returned and made his best bow--inquired of captain wilson whether he wished him to go to the fore or to the mainmast head. "to the main, mr easy," replied the captain, biting his lips. jack ascended three spokes of the jacob's ladder, when he again stopped, and took off his hat. "i beg your pardon, captain wilson-you have not informed me whether it was your wish that i should go to the topmast, or the top-gallant cross-trees." "to the top-gallant cross-trees, mr easy," replied the captain. jack ascended, taking it very easy; he stopped at the main-top for breath; at the main-topmast head, to look about him; and, at last, gained the spot agreed upon, where he seated himself, and, taking out the articles of war, commenced them again to ascertain whether he could not have strengthened his arguments. he had not, however, read through the seventh article before the hands were turned up--"up anchor!" and mr sawbridge called, "all hands down from aloft!" jack took the hint, folded up his documents, and came down as leisurely as he went up. jack was a much better philosopher than his father. the harpy was soon under way, and made all sail, steering for cape de catte, where captain wilson hoped to pick up a spanish vessel or two, on his way to toulon to receive orders of the admiral. a succession of light breezes and calms rendered the passage very tedious; but the boats were constantly out, chasing the vessels along shore, and jack usually asked to be employed on this service; indeed, although so short a time afloat, he was, from his age and strength, one of the most effective midshipmen, and to be trusted, provided a whim did not come into his head; but hitherto jack had always been under orders, and had always acquitted himself very well. when the harpy was at tarragona, it so happened that there were several cases of dysentery in the ship, and mr asper and mr jolliffe were two of those who were suffering. this reduced the number of officers; and, at the same time, they had received information from the men of a fishing-boat, who, to obtain their own release, had given the intelligence, that a small convoy was coming down from rosas as soon as the wind was fair, under the protection of two gun-boats. captain wilson kept well off-shore until the wind changed, and then, allowing for the time that the vessels would take to run down the distance between tarragona and rosas, steered in the night to intercept them; but it again fell calm, and the boats were therefore hoisted out, with directions to proceed along the shore, as it was supposed that the vessels could not now be far distant. mr sawbridge had the command of the expedition in the pinnace; the first cutter was in charge of the gunner, mr linus; and, as the other officers were sick, mr sawbridge, who liked jack more and more every day, at his particular request gave him the command of the second cutter. as soon as he heard of it, mesty declared to our hero that he would go with him; but without permission that was not possible. jack obtained leave for mesty to go in lieu of a marine; there were many men sick of the dysentery, and mr sawbridge was not sorry to take an idler out of the ship instead of a working man, especially as mesty was known to be a good hand. it was ten o'clock at night when the boats quitted the ship; and, as it was possible that they might not return till late the next day, one day's biscuit and rum were put on board each, that the crews might not suffer from exhaustion. the boats pulled in-shore, and then coasted for three hours without seeing anything: the night was fine overhead, but there was no moon. it still continued calm, and the men began to feel fatigued, when, just as they were within a mile of a low point, they perceived the convoy over the land, coming down with their sails squared, before a light breeze. mr sawbridge immediately ordered the boats to lie upon their oars, awaiting their coming, and arranging for the attack. the white lateen sails of the gun-boat in advance were now plainly distinguishable from the rest, which were all huddled together in her wake. down she came like a beautiful swan in the water, her sails just filled with the wind, and running about three knots an hour. mr sawbridge kept her three masts in one, that they might not be perceived, and winded the boats with their heads the same way, so that they might dash on board of her with a few strokes of the oars. so favourable was the course of the gun-boat, that she stood right between the launch on one bow, and the two cutters on the other; and they were not perceived until they were actually alongside; the resistance was trifling, but some muskets and pistols had been fired, and the alarm was given. mr sawbridge took possession, with the crew of the launch, and brought the vessel to the wind, as he perceived that at the alarm all the convoy had done the same, directing the cutters to board the largest vessels, and secure as many as they could, while he would do the same with the launch, as he brought them to: but the other gun-boat, which had not yet been seen, and had been forgotten, now made her appearance, and came down in a gallant manner to the support of her comrade. mr sawbridge threw half his men into the launch, as she carried a heavy carronade, and sent her to assist the cutters, which had made right for the gun-boat. a smart firing of round and grape was opened upon the boats, which continued to advance upon her; but the officer commanding that gun-boat, finding that he had no support from his consort, and concluding that she had been captured, hauled his wind again, and stood out in the offing. our hero pulled after her, although he could not see the other boats; but the breeze had freshened, and all pursuit was useless: he therefore directed his course to the convoy, and after a hard pull, contrived to get on board of a one-masted xebeque, of about fifty tons. mesty, who had eyes as sharp as a needle, had observed that, when the alarm was given, several of the convoy had not rounded the point, and he therefore proposed, as this vessel was very light, that they should make short tacks with her, to weather the point, as if they were escaping, and by that means be able, particularly if it fell calm again, to capture some others. jack thought this advice good. the convoy who had rounded the point had all stood out to seaward with the gun-boat, and had now a fresh breeze. to chase them was therefore useless; and the only chance was to do as mesty had proposed. he therefore stood out into the breeze, and, after half an hour, tacked in-shore, and fetched well to windward of the low point; but, finding no vessels, he stood out again. thus had he made three or four tacks, and had gained, perhaps, six or seven miles, when he perceived signals of recall made to leeward, enforced with guns. "mr sawbridge wants us to come back, mesty." "mr sawbridge mind him own business," replied mesty, "we nebber take all dis trubble to ply to windward for noting." "but, mesty, we must obey orders." "yes, sar, when he have him thumb upon you; but now, must do what tink most proper. by de powers, he catch me 'fore i go back." "but we shall lose the ship." "find her again, by-and-bye, massa easy." "but they will think that we are lost." "so much the better, nebba look after us, massa easy; i guess we have a fine cruise anyhow. morrow we take large vessel--make sail, take more, den we go to toulon." "but i don't know my way to toulon; i know it lies up this way, and that's all." "dat enough, what you want more? massa easy, 'pose you not find fleet, fleet soon find you. by god, nobody nebba lost here. now, massa easy, let um go 'bout 'gain. somebody else burn biscuit and boil kettle to-morrow for de gentlemen. murder irish! only tink, massa easy--i boil kettle, and prince in my own country!" easy was very much of a mind with mesty; "for," argued jack, "if i go back now, i only bring a small vessel half-full of beans, and i shall be ashamed to show my face. now it is true, that they may suppose that we have been sunk by the fire of the gun-boat. well, what then? they have a gun-boat to show for their night's work, and it will appear that there was harder fighting than there has been, and mr sawbridge may benefit by it." (jack was a very knowing fellow to have leant so much about the service already.) "well, and when they discover that we are not lost, how glad they will be to find us, especially if we bring some prizes--which i will do, or i'll not go back again. it's not often that one gets a command before being two months at sea, and, hang me, now i've got it if i won't keep it; and mr smallsole may mast-head whom he pleases. i'm sorry for poor gossett, though; if vigors supposes me dead, how he will murder the poor little fellow--however, it is all for the good of the service, and i'll revenge him when i come back. hang me if i won't take a cruise." "i talk to the men, they say they all tick to you like leech. now dat job settled, i tink we better go 'bout again." a short time after this decision on the part of our hero, the day broke: jack first looked to leeward, and perceived the gun-boat and convoy standing in for the shore about ten miles distant, followed by the harpy, under all sail. he could also perceive the captured gun-boat lying-to in-shore to prevent their escape. "harpy hab um all, by gosh!" cried mesty; "i ab notion dat she soon settle um hash." they were so busy looking at the harpy and the convoy that, for some time, they quite forgot to look to windward. at last mesty turned his eyes that way. "dam um, i see right last night; look, massa easy--one ship, one brig, tree lateen--dem for us. by de power, but we make bot prize to-night." the vessels found out by mesty were not above three miles to windward; they were under all sail, beating up for the protection of a battery, not far distant. "now, massa, suppose they see our boat, dey tink something; keep boat alongside, and shift her when we go 'bout every time: better not sail so fast now--keep further off till they drop anchor for de night; and den, when it dark, we take 'em." all mesty's advice was good, with the exception perhaps of advising our hero how to disobey orders and take a cruise. to prevent the vessel from approaching too near the others, and at the same time to let her have the appearance of doing her best, a sail was towed overboard under the bows, and after that they watched the motions of the harpy. the distance was too great to distinguish very clearly, but mesty shinned up the mast of the vessel, and reported progress. "by jesus, dare one gun--two gun--go it, harpy. won't she ab um, sure enough. now gun-boat fire--dat our gun-boat--no, dat not ours. now our gun-boat fire--dat pretty--fire away. ah, now de harpy cum up. all'mung'em. bung, bung, bung--rattle de grape, by gosh. i ab notion de spaniard is very pretty considerable trouble just now, anyhow. all hove-to, so help me gosh--not more firing; harpy take um all--dare gun-boat hove-to, she strike um colours. by all powers, but suppose dey link we no share prize-money--they find it not little mistake. now, my lads, it all over, and," continued mesty, sliding down the mast, "i tink you better not show yourself too much; only two men stay on deck, and dem two take off um jackets." mesty's report was correct; the harpy had captured the other gun-boat, and the whole convoy. the only drawback to their good fortune was the disappearance of mr easy and the cutter: it was supposed that a shot from the gun-boat must have sunk her, and that the whole crew were drowned. captain wilson and mr sawbridge seriously regretted the loss of our hero, as they thought that he would have turned out a shining character as soon as he had sown his wild oats; so did mr asper, because our hero's purse went with him; so did jolliffe, because he had taken an affection for him; so did little gossett, because he anticipated no mercy from vigors. on the other hand, there were some who were glad that he was gone; and as for the ship's company in general, they lamented the loss of the poor cutter's crew for twenty-four hours, which, in a man-of-war, is a very long while, and then they thought no more about them. we must leave the harpy to make the best of her way to toulon, and now follow our hero. the cutter's crew knew very well that jack was acting contrary to orders, but anything was to them a change from the monotony of a man-of-war, and they, as well as mesty, highly approved of a holiday. it was, however, necessary that they should soon proceed to business, for they had but their allowance of bread and grog for one day, and in the vessel they found nothing except a few heads of garlic, for the spaniards coasting down shore had purchased their provisions as they required them. there were only three prisoners on board, and they had been put down in the hold among the beans; a bag of which had been roused on deck, and a part put into the kettle to make soup. jack did not much admire the fare of the first day--it was bean-soup for breakfast, bean-soup for dinner, and if you felt hungry during the intervals it was still bean-soup, and nothing else. one of the men could speak a little lingua franca, and the prisoners were interrogated as to the vessels to windward. the ship was stated to be valuable, and also one of the brigs. the ship carried guns, and that was all that they knew about them. as the sun went down the vessels dropped their anchors off the battery. the breeze continued light, and the vessel which contained jack and his fortunes was about four miles to leeward. as for the harpy, they had long lost sight of her, and it was now time to proceed to some arrangement. as soon as it was dark, jack turned his hands up, and made a very long speech. he pointed out to the men that his zeal had induced him not to return to the ship until he had brought something with him worth having--that they had had nothing but beans to eat during the whole day, which was anything but agreeable, and that, therefore, it was absolutely necessary that they should better their condition: that there was a large ship not four miles off, and that he intended to take her; and as soon as he had taken her he intended to take some more; that he trusted to their zeal to support him on this occasion, and that he expected to do a great deal during the cruise. he pointed out to them, that they must consider themselves as on board of a man-of-war, and be guided by the articles of war, which were written for them all--and that in case they forgot them, he had a copy in his pocket, which he would read to them to-morrow morning, as soon as they were comfortably settled on board of the ship. he then appointed mesty as first lieutenant; the marine as sergeant; the coxswain as boatswain; two men as midshipmen to keep watch; two others as boatswain's mates, leaving two more for the ship's company, who were divided into the larboard and starboard watch. the cutter's crew were perfectly content with jack's speech, and their brevet rank, and after that, they commenced a more important topic, which was, how they were to take the ship. after some discussion, mesty's advice was approved of; which was, that they should anchor not far ahead of the ship, and wait till about two o'clock in the morning, when they would drop silently down upon her in the cutter, and take possession. about nine o'clock the vessel was anchored as they proposed, and jack was a little astonished to find that the ship was much larger than he had any idea of; for, although polacca-rigged, she was nearly the same tonnage as the harpy. the spanish prisoners were first tied hand and foot, and laid upon the beans, that they might give no alarm, the sails were furled and all was kept quiet. on board of the ship, on the contrary, there was noise and revelry; and about half-past ten a boat was seen to leave her and pull for the shore; after which, the noise gradually ceased, the lights one by one disappeared, and then all was silent. "what do you think, mesty?" said jack; "do you think we shall take her?" "it is take her you mane; sure enough we'll take her: stop a bit--wait till um all fast asleep." about twelve o'clock there came on a mizzling heavy rain, which was very favourable for our hero's operations. but as it promised soon to clear up, by mesty's advice they did not delay any longer. they crept softly into the boat, and with two oars to steer her, dropped under the bows of the vessel, climbed up the fore chains, and found the deck empty. "take care not fire pistol," said mesty to the men, as they came up, putting his finger to their lips to impress them with the necessity of silence, for mesty had been an african warrior, and knew the advantage of surprise. all the men being on deck, and the boat made fast, jack and mesty led the way aft; not a soul was to be seen: indeed, it was too dark to see anybody unless they were walking the deck. the companion-hatch was secured, and the gratings laid on the after-hatchways, and then they went aft to the binnacle again, where there was a light burning. mesty ordered two of the men to go forward to secure the hatches, and then to remain there on guard--and then the rest of the men and our hero consulted at the wheel. "by the power we ab the ship!" said mesty, "but must manage plenty yet. i tink der some d---n lazy rascal sleep 'tween the guns. a lilly while it no rain, and den we see better. now keep all quiet." "there must be a great many men in this ship," replied our hero; "she is very large, and has twelve or fourteen guns--how shall we manage to secure them?" "all right," replied mesty, "manage all dat by-and-bye. don't care how soon daylight come." "it has left off raining already," observed easy; "there is a candle in the binnacle,--suppose we light it, and look round the decks." "yes," replied mesty, "one man sentry over cabin-hatch, and another over after-hatch. now den we light candle, and all the rest go round the deck. mind you leave all your pistols on capstern." jack lighted the candle, and they proceeded round the decks: they had not walked far, when, between two of the guns, they discovered a heap covered with gregos. "there de watch," whispered mesty; "all fast--not ready for dem yet." mesty blew out the candle, and they all retreated to the binnacle, where mesty took out a coil of the ropes about the mizzen-mast, and cutting it into lengths, gave them to the other men to unlay. in a few minutes they had prepared a great many seizings to tie the men with. "now den we light candle again, and make sure of them lazy hounds," said mesty; "very much oblige to dem all de same, they let us take de ship--mind now, wake one at a time, and shut him mouth." "but suppose they get their mouths free and cry out?" replied jack. "den, mr easy," replied mesty, changing his countenance to an expression almost demoniacal--"there no help for it,"--and mesty showed his knife which he held in his right hand. "oh no! do not let us murder them." "no, massa--suppose can help it, but suppose they get upper hand--what become of us? spaniards hab knives, and use dem too, by de power!" the observation of mesty was correct, and the expression of his countenance when he showed his knife proved what a relentless enemy he could be, if his blood was once roused--but mesty had figured in the ashantee wars in former days, and after that the reader need not be surprised. they proceeded cautiously to where the spaniards lay. the arrangements of mesty were very good. there were two men to gag them while the others were to tie their limbs. mesty and easy were to kneel by them with the candle, with raised knives to awe them into silence, or to strike home, if their own safety required it. the gregos were removed off the first man, who opened his eyes at the sight of the candle, but the coxswain's hand was on his mouth--he was secured in silence. the other two men were awaked, and threw off their coverings, but they were also secured without there being occasion to resort to bloodshed. "what shall we do now, mesty?" "now, sar," said mesty, "open the after-hatch and watch--suppose more men come up, we make them fast; suppose no more come up, we wait till daylight--and see what take place." mesty then went forward to see if the men were watchful on the forecastle; and having again gone round the whole of the deck to see if there were any more men on it, he blew out the candle, and took his station with the others at the after-hatchway. it was just at break of day that the spaniards who had to keep the morning watch having woke up, as people generally do at that hour at which they expect to be called, dressed themselves and came on deck, imagining, and very truly, that those of the middle watch had fallen asleep, but little imagining that the deck was in possession of englishmen. mesty and the others retreated, to allow them all to come up before they could perceive them, and fortunately this was accomplished. four men came on the deck, looked round them, and tried to make out in the dark where their shipmates might be. the grating was slapped on again by jack, and before they could well gain their eyesight, they were seized and secured, not however without a scuffle and some noise. by the time that these men were secured and laid between the guns it was daylight, and they now perceived what a fine vessel they had fairly taken possession of--but there was much to be done yet. there was, of course, a number of men in the ship, and moreover they were not a mile from a battery of ten guns. mesty, who was foremost in everything, left four men abaft, and went forward on the forecastle, examined the cable, which was coir rope, and therefore easily divided, and then directed the two men forward to coil a hawser upon the fore-grating, the weight of which would make all safe in that quarter, and afterwards to join them on the quarter-deck. "now, mr easy, the great ting will be to get hold of captain; we must get him on deck. open cabin-hatch now, and keep the after-hatch fast. two men stay there, the others all come aft." "yes," replied jack, "it will be a great point to secure the captain-- but how are we to get him up?" "you no know how to get captain up? by de holy, i know very well." and mesty took up the coils of rope about the mizzen-mast, and threw them upon deck, one after another, making all the noise possible. in a short time, there was a violent pull of a bell at the cabin-door, and in a minute afterwards a man in his shirt came up the cabin-hatchway, who was immediately secured. "dis de captain's servant," said mesty, "he come say no make such d---d noise. stop a little--captain get in passion, and come up himself." and mesty renewed the noise with the ropes over the cabin. mesty was right; in a few minutes the captain himself came up, boiling with indignation. at the sound of the cabin-door opening, the seamen and our hero concealed themselves behind the companion-hatch, which was very high, so as to give the captain time to get fairly on deck. the men already secured had been covered over with the gregos. the captain was a most powerful man, and it was with difficulty that he was pinioned, and then not without his giving the alarm, had there been anyone to assist him; but as yet no one had turned out of his hammock. "now we all right," said mesty, "and soon ab de ship; but i must make him 'fraid." the captain was seated down on the deck against one of the guns, and mesty, putting on the look of a demon, extended above him his, long nervous arm, with the sharp knife clutched, as if ready every instant to strike it into his heart. the spanish captain felt his situation anything but pleasant. he was then interrogated as to the number of men in the ship, officers, etc, to all which questions he answered truly; he cast his eyes at the firm and relentless countenance of mesty, who appeared but to wait the signal. "i tink all pretty safe now," said mesty. "mr easy, we now go down below and beat all men into the hold." our hero approved of this suggestion. taking their pistols from the capstern, they rushed down with their cutlasses, and leaving two men to guard the cabin-door, they were soon among the crew, who were all naked in their hammocks: the resistance, although the numbers were more than double of the english, was of course trifling. in a few minutes, the spaniards were all thrown down into the hold of the vessel, and the hatches placed over them. every part of the ship was now in their possession, except the cabin, and to that they all repaired. our hero tried the door, and found it fast; they beat it open, and were received with loud screams from one side of the cabin, and the discharge of two pistols from the other, fortunately without injury: those who had fired the pistols were an elderly man and a lad about the age of our hero. they were thrown down and secured; the cabin was searched, and nobody else found in it but three women; one old and shrivelled, the other two, although with their countenances distorted with terror, were lovely as houris. so thought jack, as he took off his hat, and made them a very low bow with his usual politeness, as they crouched, half-dressed, in a corner. he told them in english that they had nothing to fear, and begged that they would attend to their toilets. the ladies made no reply, because, in the first place, they did not know what jack said, and, in the next, they could not speak english. mesty interrupted jack in his attentions, by pointing out that they must all go upon deck--so jack again took off his hat and bowed, and then followed his men, who led away the two prisoners taken in the cabin. it was now five o'clock in the morning, and there was movement on board of the other vessels, which laid not far from the ship. "now, then," said jack, "what shall we do with the prisoners?--could we not send the boat and bring our own vessel alongside, and put them all in, tied as they are? we should then get rid of them." "massa easy, you be one very fine officer one of these days. dat d---n good idea, anyhow;--but suppose we send our own boat, what they tink on board of de oder vessel? lower down lilly boat from stem, put in four men, and drop vessel 'longside--dat it." this was done; the cutter was on the seaward side of the ship, and, as the ship was the outermost vessel, was concealed from the view of the spaniards on board of the other vessels, and in the battery on shore. as soon as the lateen vessel was alongside, the men who had already been secured on deck, amounting to seven, were lowered into her, and laid upon the beans in the hold; all except the captain, the two cabin-prisoners, and the captain's servant. they then went down below, took off one part of the hatches, and ordered the spaniards up from the hold: as they came on deck they were made fast and treated in the same manner. mesty and the men went down to examine if there were any left concealed, and finding that they were all out, returned on deck. the men who had been beaten down in the hold were twenty-two in number, making the whole complement of thirty. as soon as they had all been put into the xebeque, she was again hauled off and anchored outside, and jack found himself in possession of a fine ship of fourteen guns, with three prisoners male and three prisoners female. when the men returned in the boat from the vessel in which the prisoners had been confined (the hatches having been secured over them, by way of further precaution), by the advice of mesty they put on the jackets and caps of the spanish seamen, of which there was a plentiful supply below. "now, what's to be done, mesty?" inquired jack. "now, sar, we send some of the men aloft to get sails all ready, and while they do that i cast loose this fellow," pointing to the captain's servant, "and make him get some breakfast, for he know where to find it." "capital idea of yours, mesty, for i'm tired of bean-soup already, and i will go down and pay my respects to the ladies." mesty looked over the counter. "yes, and be quick too, massa easy; d--n the women, they toss their handkerchief in the air to people in the battery--quick, massa easy." mesty was right--the spanish girls were waving their handkerchiefs for assistance; it was all that they could do, poor things. jack hastened into the cabin, laid hold of the two young ladies, very politely pulled them out of the quarter gallery, and begged that they would not give themselves so much trouble. the young ladies looked very much confused, and as they could no longer wave their handkerchiefs, they put them up to their eyes and began to weep, while the elderly lady went on her knees, and held her hands up for mercy. jack raised her up, and very politely handed her to one of the cabin lockers. in the meantime mesty, with his gleaming knife and expressive look, had done wonders with the captain's steward, for such the man was: and a breakfast of chocolate, salt meat, hams and sausages, white biscuit and red wine, had been spread on the quarter-deck. the men had come from aloft, and jack was summoned on deck. jack offered his hand to the two young ladies, and beckoned the old one to follow: the old lady did not think it advisable to refuse his courtesy, so they accompanied him. as soon as the females came on deck, and found the two cabin prisoners bound, they ran to them and embraced them with tears. jack's heart melted, and as there was now no fear, he asked mesty for his knife, and cut loose the two spaniards, pointing to the breakfast, and requesting that they would join them. the spaniards made a bow, and the ladies thanked jack with a sweet smile; and the captain of the vessel, who still lay pinioned against the gun, looked, as much as to say, why the devil don't you ask me? but the fact was, they had had such trouble to secure him, that jack did not much like the idea of letting him loose again. jack and the seamen commenced their breakfast, and as the ladies and prisoners did not appear inclined to eat, they ate their share and their own too; during which, the elderly man inquired of jack if he could speak french. jack, with his mouth full of sausage, replied, that he could; and then commenced a conversation, from which jack learnt as follows: the elderly gentleman was a passenger with the young man, who was his son, and the ladies, who were his wife and his two daughters, and they were proceeding to tarragona. whereupon jack made a bow and thanked him; and then the gentleman, whose name was don cordova de rimarosa, wished to know what jack intended to do with them, hoping, as a gentleman, he would put them on shore with their effects, as they were non-combatants. jack explained all this to mesty and the men, and then finished his sausage. the men, who were a little elevated with the wine which they had been drinking, proposed that they should take the ladies a cruise, and jack at first did not dislike the idea, but he said nothing. mesty, however, opposed this, saying, that ladies only made a row in a ship, and the coxswain sided with him, saying, that they should all be at daggers drawn. whereupon jack pulled out the "articles of war," and informed the men, that there was no provision in them for women, and therefore the thing was impossible. the next question was, as to the propriety of allowing them to take their effects; and it was agreed, at last, that they might take them. jack desired the steward to feed his master the captain, and then told the spanish don the result of the consultation, further informing him, that as soon as it was dark, he intended to put them all on board the small vessel, when they would cast loose the men and do as they pleased. the don and the ladies returned thanks, and went down to pack up their baggage; mesty ordering two men to help them, but with a caution, that they were not to encumber themselves with any of the money, if there should happen to be any on board. the crew were busy during the day making preparations for sailing. the coxswain had examined the provender in the ship, and found that there was enough for at least three months, of water, wine, and provisions, independent of luxuries for the cabin. all thoughts of taking any more of the vessels were abandoned, for their crew was but weak to manage the one which they had possession of. a fine breeze sprang up, and they dropped their fore-topsails, just as a boat was shoving off from the shore; but seeing the fore-topsails loosed, it put back again. this was fortunate, or all would have been discovered. the other vessels also loosed their sails, and the crews were heard weighing the anchors. but the nostra senora del carmen, which was jack's prize, did not move. at last the sun went down, the baggage was placed in the cutter, the ladies and passengers went into the boat, thanking jack for his kindness, who put his hand to his heart and bowed to the deck; and the captain was lowered down after them. four men well armed pulled them alongside of the xebeque, put them and their trunks on deck, and returned to the ship. the cutter was then hoisted up, and as the anchor was too heavy to weigh, they cut the cable, and made sail. the other vessels followed their example. mesty and the seamen cast longing eyes upon them, but it was of no use; so they sailed in company for about an hour, and then jack hauled his wind for a cruise. chapter xiv in which our hero finds that disagreeable occurrences will take place on a cruise. as soon as the ship had been hauled to the wind, jack's ship's company seemed to think that there was nothing to do except to make merry; so they brought up some earthen jars full of wine, and emptied them so fast that they were soon fast asleep on the deck, with the exception of the man at the helm, who, instead of thirty-two, could clearly make out sixty-four points in the compass, and of course was able to steer to a much greater nicety. fortunately, the weather was fine, for when the man at the helm had steered till he could see no more, and requested to be released, he found that his shipmates were so overpowered with fatigue, that it was impossible to wake them. he kicked them one by one most unmercifully in the ribs, but it was of no use: under these circumstances, he did as they did, that is, lay down with them, and in ten minutes it would have taken as much kicking to awake him as he gave his shipmates. in the meantime the ship had it all her own way, and not knowing where she was to go, she went round and round the compass during the best part of the night. mesty had arranged the watches, jack had made a speech, and the men had promised everything, but the wine had got into their heads, and memory had taken that opportunity to take a stroll. mesty had been down with jack, examining the cabin, and in the captain's state-room they had found fourteen thousand dollars in bags. of this they determined not to tell the men, but locked up the money and everything else of value, and took out the key. they then sat down at the cabin table, and after some conversation, it was no matter of surprise, after having been up all the night before, that jack laid his head on the table and fell fast asleep. mesty kept his eyes open for some time, but at last his head sank down upon his chest, and he also slumbered. thus, about one o'clock in the morning. there was not a very good watch kept on board of the nostra senora del carmen. about four o'clock in the morning, mesty tumbled forward, and he hit his head against the table, which roused him up. "by de mass, i tink i almost fall asleep," cried he, and he went to the cabin window, which had been left open, and found that there was a strong breeze blowing in. "by de lord, de wind ab come more aft," said mesty, "why they not tell me?" so saying, he went on deck, where he found no one at the helm; everyone drunk, and the ship with her yards braced up running before the wind, just by way of a change. mesty growled, but there was no time to lose; the topsails only were set,--these he lowered down, and then put the helm a-lee, and lashed it, while he went down to call our hero to his assistance. jack roused up, and went on deck. "this nebber do, massa easy; we all go to devil together--together-- dam drunken dogs--i freshen um up anyhow." so mesty drew some buckets of water, with which he soused the ship's company, who then appeared to be recovering their senses. "by heavens!" says jack, "but this is contrary to the articles of war; i shall read them to them to-morrow morning." "i tell what better ting, massa easy: we go lock up all de wine, and sarve out so much, and no more. i go do it at once, 'fore they wake up." mesty went down, leaving jack on deck to his meditations. "i am not sure," thought jack, "that i have done a very wise thing. here i am with a parcel of fellows who have no respect for the articles of war, and who get as drunk as david's sow. i have a large ship, but i have very few hands; and if it comes on bad weather, what shall i do?--for i know very little--hardly how to take in a sail. then--as for where to steer, or how to steer, i know not--nor do any of my men; but, however, as it was very narrow when we came into the mediterranean through the straits, it is hardly possible to get out of them without perceiving it; besides, i should know the rock of gibraltar again if i saw it. i must talk to mesty." mesty soon returned with the keys of the provision-room tied to his bandana. "now," says he, "they not get drunk again in a hurry." a few more buckets of water soon brought the men to their senses: they again stood on their legs, and gradually recovered themselves. daylight broke, and they found that the vessel had made an attempt for the spanish coast, being within a mile of the beach, and facing a large battery a fleur d'eau; fortunately they had time to square the yards, and steer the ship along shore under the topsails, before they were perceived. had they been seen at daylight in the position that they were in during the night, the suspicions of the spaniards would have been awakened; and had a boat been sent off, while they were all drunk, they must have been recaptured. the men, who perceived what danger they had been in, listened very penitently to jack's remonstrances; and our hero, to impress them more strongly on their minds, took out the articles of war, read that on drunkenness from beginning to end; but the men had heard it read so often at the gangway, that it did not make a due impression. as mesty said, his plan was better, and so it proved; for as soon as jack had done, the men went down to get another jug of wine, and found, to their disappointment, that it was all under lock and key. in the meantime, jack called mesty aft, and asked him if he knew the way to toulon. mesty declared that he knew nothing about it. "then mesty, it appears to me that we have a better chance of finding our way back to gibraltar; for you know the land was on our left side all the way coming up the mediterranean; and if we keep it, as it is now, on our right, we shall get back again along the coast." mesty agreed with jack that this was the ne plus ultra of navigation; and that old smallsole could not do better with his "pig-yoke" and compasses. so they shook a reef out of the topsails, set top-gallant sails, and ran directly down the coast from point to point, keeping about five miles distant. the men prepared a good dinner; mesty gave them their allowance of wine, which was just double what they had on board the harpy--so they soon appeared to be content. one man, indeed, talked very big and very mutinously, swearing that if the others would join him they would soon have liquor enough; but mesty gave him his look, opened his knife, and swore that he would settle him, and jack knocked him down with a handspike; so that, what with the punishment received, and that which was promised, the fellow thought he might as well say no more about it. the fact is, that had it not been from fear of mesty, the whole of the men would, in all probability, have behaved equally as bad; nevertheless, they were a little staggered, it must be owned, at seeing jack play so good a stick with the handspike. after this night jack and mesty kept watch and watch, and everything went on very well until they were nearly abreast of carthagena, when a gale came on from the northward, and drove them out of sight of land. sail after sail was reduced with difficulty from their having so few hands, and the gale blew for three days with great fury. the men were tired out and discontented. it was jack's misfortune that he had but one good man with him: even the coxswain of the boat, although a fine-looking man, was worth nothing. mesty was jack's sheet-anchor. the fourth day the gale moderated, but they had no idea where they were: they knew that they had been blown off, but how far they could not tell, and jack now began to discover that a cruise at sea without knowledge of navigation was a more nervous thing than he had contemplated. however, there was no help for it. at night they wore the ships and stood on the other tack, and at daylight they perceived that they were close to some small islands, and much closer to some large rocks, against which the sea beat high, although the wind had subsided. again was the helm put up, and they narrowly escaped. as soon as the sails were trimmed the men came aft and proposed that if they could find anchorage they should run into it, for they were quite tired out. this was true, and jack consulted with mesty, who thought it advisable to agree to the proposal. that the islands were not inhabited was very evident. the only point to ascertain was, if there were good anchorage. the coxswain offered to go in the boat and examine; and, with four men, he set off, and in about an hour returned, stating that there was plenty of water, and that it was as smooth as a mill-pond, being land-locked on every side. as they could not weigh the bower-anchor they bent the kedge, and running in without accident, came to in a small bay, between the islands, in seven fathoms water. the sails were furled, and everything put in order by the seamen, who then took the boat and pulled on shore. "they might as well have asked leave," thought jack. in an hour they returned, and, after a short discussion, came aft to our hero in a body. the coxswain was spokesman. he said that they had had hard work, and required now to have some rest--that there were provisions on board for three months, so that there could not be any hurry, and that they had found they could pitch a tent very well on shore, and live there for a short time; and that, as there was no harm in getting drunk on shore, they expected that they might be allowed to take provisions and plenty of wine with them, and that the men had desired him to ask leave, because they were determined to go whether or no. jack was about to answer with the handspike, but perceiving that the men had all put on their cutlasses, and had their pistols at their belts, he thought proper to consult mesty, who, perceiving that resistance was useless, advised jack to submit, observing that the sooner all the wine was gone the better, as there would be nothing done while it lasted. jack, therefore, very graciously told them that they should have their own way, and he would stay there as long as they pleased. mesty gave them the keys of the provision-hatch, and told them, with a grin, to help themselves. the men then informed jack that he and mesty should stay on board and take care of the ship for them, and that they would take the spaniard on shore to cook their victuals. but to this jack observed that if he had not two hands he could not obey their orders, in case they wished him to come on shore for them. the men thought there was good argument in that observation, and therefore allowed jack to retain the spaniard, that he might be more prompt to their call from the beach. they then wished him good day, and begged that he would amuse himself with the "articles of war." as soon as they had thrown a spare sail into the boat, with some spars to make a tent, and some bedding, they went down below, hoisted up two pipes of wine out of the three, a bag or two of biscuit, arms and ammunition, and as much of the salt provisions as they thought they might require. the boat being full, they shoved off with three cheers of derision. jack was sensible to the compliment: he stood at the gangway, took off his hat, and made them a polite bow. as soon as they were gone, mesty grinned with his sharp-filed teeth, and looking at our hero, said: "i tink i make um pay for all dis--stop a little; by de piper as played before moses, but our turn come by-and-bye." as for jack, he said nothing, but he thought the more. in about an hour the men returned in the boat: they had forgotten many things they wanted--wood to make a fire, and several utensils; they helped themselves freely, and having now everything that they could think of, they again went on shore. "how d---n lucky, we nebber tell dem about the dollars," said mesty, as jack and he were watching the motions of the men. "it is, indeed," replied jack; "not that they could spend them here." "no, massa easy, but suppose they find all that money, they take boat and go away with it. now, i hab them in my clutch--stop a little." a narrow piece of salt pork had been left at the gangway: jack, without knowing why, tossed it overboard; being almost all fat, it sank very gradually: jack watched it as it disappeared, so did mesty, both full of thought, when they perceived a dark object rising under it: it was a ground shark, who took it into his maw, sank down, and disappeared. "what was that?" said jack. "that ground shark, massa easy--worst shark of all; you nebber see him till you feel him"; and mesty's eyes sparkled with pleasure. "by de powers, they soon stop de mutiny; now i hab 'em." jack shuddered and walked away. during the day, the men on shore were seen to work hard, and make all the preparations before they abandoned themselves to the sensual gratification of intemperance. the tent was pitched, the fire was lighted, and all the articles taken on shore rolled up and stowed away in their places; they were seen to sit down and dine, for they were within hail of the ship, and then one of the casks of wine was spiled. in the meantime the spaniard, who was a quiet lad, had prepared the dinner for easy and his now only companion. the evening closed, and all was noise and revelry on shore; and as they danced, and sung, and tossed off the cans of wine by the light of the fire, as they hallooed and screamed, and became more and more intoxicated, mesty turned to jack with his bitter smile, and only said-- "stop a little." at last the noise grew fainter, the fire died away, and gradually all was silent. jack was still hanging over the gangway when mesty came up to him. the new moon had just risen, and jack's eyes were fixed upon it. "now, massa easy, please you come aft and lower down little boat; take your pistols, and then we go on shore and bring off the cutter; they all asleep now." "but why should we leave them without a boat, mesty?" for jack thought of the sharks, and the probability of the men attempting to swim off. "i tell you, sar, this night they get drunk, to-morrow they get drunk again, but drunken men never keep quiet,--suppose one man say to others, 'let's go board and kill officer, and then we do as we please,' they all say yes, and they all come and do it. no, sar-must have boat--if not for your sake, i must hab it, save my own life anyhow, for they hate me and kill me first; by de powers, stop a little." jack felt the truth of mesty's observation; he went aft with him, lowered down the small boat, and they hauled it alongside. jack went down with mesty into the cabin and fetched his pistols. "and the spaniard, mesty, can we leave him on board alone?" "yes, sar, he no got arms, and he see dat me have--but suppose he find arms he never dare do anything--i know de man." our hero and mesty went into the boat and shoved off, pulling gently on shore; the men were in a state of intoxication, so as not to be able to move, much less hear. they cast off the cutter, towed her on board, and made her fast with the other boat astern. "now, sar, we may go to bed; to-morrow morning you will see." "they have everything they require on shore," replied easy, "all they could want with the cutter would be to molest us." "stop a little," replied mesty. jack and mesty went to bed, and as a precaution against the spaniard, which was hardly necessary, mesty locked the cabin door but mesty never forgot anything. jack slept little that night--had melancholy forebodings which he could not shake off; indeed, jack had reflected so much since he had left the ship, he had had his eyes so much opened, and had felt what a responsibility he had taken by indulging himself in a whim of the moment, that it might be almost said, that in the course of one fortnight he had at once from a boy sprung up into a man. he was mortified and angry, but he was chiefly so with himself. mesty was up at daylight, and jack soon followed him: they watched the party on shore, who had not yet left the tent. at last, just as jack had finished his breakfast, one or two made their appearance; the men looked about them as if they were searching for something, and then walked down to the beach, to where the boat had been made fast. jack looked at mesty, who grinned, and answered with the words so often repeated-- "stop a little." the men then walked along the rocks until they were abreast of the ship. "ship ahoy!" "halloo," replied mesty. "bring the boat ashore directly, with a beaker of water." "i knew dat," cried mesty, rubbing his hands with delight. "massa easy, you must tell them no." "but why should i not give them water, mesty?" "because, sar, den they take boat." "very true," replied easy. "do you hear on board?" cried the coxswain, who was the man who hailed--"send the boat immediately, or we'll cut the throats of every mother's son of you, by god!" "i shall not send the boat," replied jack, who now thought mesty was right. "you won't--won't you?--then your doom's sealed," replied the man, walking up to the tent with the other. in a short time all the seamen turned out of the tent, bringing with them four muskets, which they had taken on shore with them. "good heavens! they are not, surely, going to fire at us, mesty." "stop a little." the men then came down abreast of the ship, and the coxswain again hailed, and asked if they would bring the boat on shore. "you must say, no, sar," replied mesty. "i feel i must," replied jack; and then he answered the coxswain, "no." the plan of the mutineers had been foreseen by the wily negro--it was to swim off to the boats which were riding astern, and to fire at him or jack, if they attempted to haul them up alongside and defend them. to get into the boats, especially the smaller one, from out of the water was easy enough. some of the men examined their priming and held the muskets at their hips all ready, with the muzzles towards the ship, while the coxswain and two men were throwing off their clothes. "stop, for god's sake, stop!" cried jack. "the harbour is full of ground sharks,--it is, upon my soul!" "do you think to frighten us with ground sharks?" replied the coxswain; "keep under cover, my lads; jack, give him a shot to prove we are in earnest, and every time he or that nigger show their heads, give them another, my lads." "for god's sake, don't attempt to swim," said jack, in an agony; "i will try some means to give you water." "too late now--you're doomed"; and the coxswain sprang off the rock into the sea, and was followed by two other men: at the same moment a musket was discharged, and the bullet whistled close to our hero's ear. mesty dragged jack from the gangway, who was nearly fainting from agonising feelings. he sank on the deck for a moment, and then sprang up and ran to the port to look at the men in the water. he was just in time to see the coxswain raise himself with a loud yell out of the sea, and then disappear in a vortex, which was crimsoned with his blood. mesty threw down his musket in his hand, of which he had several already loaded, in case the men should have gained the boats. "by the powers, dat no use now!" jack had covered his face with his hands. but the tragedy was not complete: the other men, who were in the water, had immediately turned and made for the shore; but before they could reach it, two more of these voracious monsters, attracted by the blood of the coxswain, had flown to the spot, and there was a contention for the fragments of their bodies. mesty, who had seen this catastrophe, turned towards our hero, who still hid his face. "i'm glad he no see dat, anyhow," muttered mesty. "see what!" exclaimed jack. "shark eat em all." "oh, horrid! horrid!" groaned our hero. "yes, sar, very horrid," replied mesty, "and dat bullet at your head very horrid. suppose the sharks no take them, what then? they kill us and the sharks have our body. i think that more horrid still." "mesty," replied jack, seizing the negro convulsively by the arm, "it was not the sharks--it was i,--i who have murdered these men." mesty looked at jack with surprise. "how dat possible?" "if i had not disobeyed orders," replied our hero, panting for breath, "if i had not shown them the example of disobedience, this would not have happened. how could i expect submission from them? it's all my fault--i see it now-and, o god! when will the sight be blotted from my memory?" "massa easy, i not understand that," replied mesty: "i think you talk foolish-might as well say, suppose ashantee men not make war, this not happen; for suppose ashantee not make war, i not slave, i not run away,--i not come board harpy--i not go in boat with you--i not hinder men from getting drunk--and dat why they make mutiny--and the mutiny why the shark take um?" jack made no reply, but he felt some consolation from the counter argument of the negro. the dreadful death of the three mutineers appeared to have had a sensible effect upon their companions, who walked away from the beach with their heads down and with measured steps. they were now seen to be perambulating the island, probably in search of that water which they required. at noon, they returned to their tent, and soon afterwards were in a state of intoxication, hallooing and shouting as the day before. towards the evening they came down to the beach abreast of the ship, each with a vessel in their hands, and perceiving that they had attracted the notice of our hero and mesty, tossed the contents of the vessels up in the air to show that they had found water, and hooting and deriding, went back, dancing, leaping, and kicking up their heels, to renew their orgies, which continued till after midnight, when they were all stupefied as before. the next day jack had recovered from the first shock which the catastrophe had given him, and he called mesty into the cabin to hold a consultation. "mesty, how is this to end?" "how you mean, sar?--end here, or end on board of the harpy?" "the harpy,--there appears little chance of our seeing her again--we are on a desolate island, or what is the same thing; but we will hope that it will be so: but how is this mutiny to end?" "massa easy, suppose i please, i make it end very soon, but i not in a hurry." "how do you mean, mesty, not in a hurry?" "look, massa easy; you wish take a cruise, and i wish the same ting: now because mutiny you want to go back--but by all de powers, you tink that i, a prince in my own country, feel wish to go back and boil kettle for de young gentlemen. no, massa easy, gib me mutiny gib me anyting--but--once i was prince," replied mesty, lowering his voice at the last few emphatic words. "you must one of these days tell me your history," replied jack; "but just now let us argue the point in question. how could you put an end to this mutiny?" "by putting an end to all wine. suppose i go shore after they all drunk, i spile the casks in three or four places, and in the morning all wine gone--den dey ab get sober, and beg pardon--we take dem on board, put away all arms, 'cept yours and mine, and i like to see the mutiny after dat. blood and 'ounds--but i settle um, anyhow." "the idea is very good, mesty,--why should we not do so?" "because i not like run de risk to go ashore--all for what? to go back, boil de kettle for all gentlemans--i very happy here, massa," replied mesty, carelessly. "and i am very miserable," replied jack; "but, however, i am completely in your power, mesty, and i must, i suppose, submit." "what you say, massa easy--submit to me?--no sar, when you are on board harpy as officer, you talk with me as friend, and not treat me as negro servant. massa easy, i feel--i feel what i am," continued mesty, striking his bosom, "i feel it here--for all first time since i leave my country, i feel that i am someting; but, massa easy, i love my friend as much as i hate my enemy--and you nebber submit to me--i too proud to allow dat, 'cause, massa easy--i am a man--and once, i was a prince." although mesty did not perhaps explain by words half so well as he did by his countenance the full tide of feeling which was overflowing in his heart, jack fully understood and felt it. he extended his hand to mesty, and said-- "mesty--that you have been a prince, i care little about, although i doubt it not, because you are incapable of a lie; but you are a man, and i respect you, nay, i love you as a friend--and with my will we never part again." mesty took the hand offered by jack. it was the first peace offering ever extended to him since he had been torn away from his native land--the first compliment, the first tribute, the first acknowledgment, perhaps, that he was not an inferior being; he pressed it in silence, for he could not speak; but could the feelings which were suffocating the negro but have been laid before sceptics, they must have acknowledged that at that moment they were all and only such as could do honour, not only to the prince, but even to the christian. so much was mesty affected with what had happened, that when he dropped the hand of our hero, he went down into the cabin, finding it impossible to continue the conversation, which was not renewed until the next morning. "what is your opinion, mesty? tell me, and i will be governed by it." "den, sar, i tell you i tink it right that they first come and ask to come on board before you take them--and, sar, i tink it also right as we are but two and they are five, dat dey first eat all their provisions. let 'em starve plenty, and den dey come on board tame enough." "at all events," replied jack, "the first overtures of some kind or another must come from them. i wish i had something to do--i do not much like this cooping up on board ship." "massa, why you no talk with pedro?" "because i cannot speak spanish." "i know dat, and dat why i ask de question. you very sorry when you meet the two pretty women in the ship, you not able to talk with them, i guess that." "i was very sorry, i grant," replied jack. "well, massa easy, by and bye we see more spanish girl. why not talk all day with pedro, and den you able to talk with dem." "upon my word, mesty, i never had an idea of your value. i will learn all the spanish that i can," replied jack, who was glad to have employment found for him, and was quite disgusted with the articles of war. as for the men on shore, they continued the same course as before, one day succeeded another, and without variety. it was, however, to be observed that the fire was now seldomer lighted, which proved their fuel scarce, and the weather was not so warm as it had been, for it was now october. jack learnt spanish from pedro for a month, during which there was no appearance of submission on the part of the mutineers, who, for the first fortnight, when intoxicated, used to come down and fire at jack or mesty when they made their appearance. fortunately drunken men are not good marksmen; but latterly this had been discontinued, because they had expended their ammunition, and they appeared to have almost forgotten that the ship was there, for they took no notice of her whatever. on the other hand, jack had decided that if he waited there a year the overtures should come from them who had mutinied; and now, having an occupation, he passed his time very quietly, and the days flew so fast that two months had actually been run off the calendar before he had an idea of it. one evening as they were down in the cabin, for the evenings had now become very cold, jack asked mesty whether he had any objection to give him a history of his life. mesty replied that if he wished he was ready to talk, and at a nod from our hero mesty commenced as follows. chapter xv in which mutiny, like fire, is quenched for want of fuel and no want of water. although we have made the african negro hitherto talk in his own mixed jargon, yet, as we consider that, in a long narration, it will be tedious to the reader, we shall now translate the narrative part into good english, merely leaving the conversation with which it may be broken, in its peculiar dialect. "the first thing i recollect," said mesty, "is, that i was carried on the shoulders of a man with my legs hanging down before, and holding on by his head. "everyone used to look at me and get out of the way, as i rode through the town and market-place, so loaded with heavy gold ornaments that i could not bear them, and was glad when the women took them off; but as i grew older i became proud of them, because i knew that i was the son of a king. i lived happy. i did nothing but shoot my arrows, and i had a little sword which i was taught to handle, and the great captains who were about my father showed me how to kill my enemies. sometimes i laid under the shady trees, sometimes i was with the women belonging to my father; sometimes i was with him and played with the skulls, and repeated the names of those to whom they had belonged, for in our country, when we kill our enemies, we keep their skulls as trophies. "as i grew older, i did as i pleased; i beat the women and the slaves; i think i killed some of the latter--i know i did one, to try whether i could strike well with my two-handed sword made of hard and heavy wood,--but that is nothing in our country. i longed to be a great captain, and i thought of nothing else but war and fighting, and how many skulls i should have in my possession when i had a house and wives of my own, and i was no longer a boy. i went out in the woods to hunt, and i stayed for weeks. and one day i saw a panther basking in the sun, waving his graceful tail. i crept up softly till i was behind a rock within three yards of it, and drawing my arrow to the head, i pierced him through the body. the animal bounded up in the air, saw me, roared and made a spring, but i dropped behind the rock, and he passed over me. he turned again to me, but i had my knife ready, and, as he fixed his talons into my shoulder and breast, i pierced him to the heart. this was the happiest day of my life; i had killed a panther without assistance, and i had the wounds to show. although i was severely hurt, i thought nothing of it. i took off the skin as my blood dropped down and mixed with that of the beast--but i rejoiced in it. proudly did i go into the town dripping with gore and smarting with pain. everyone extolled the feat, called me a hero and a great captain. i filed my teeth, and i became a man. "from that day i ranked among the warriors, and, as soon as my wounds were healed, i went out to battle. in three fights i had gained five skulls, and when i returned they weighed me out gold. i then had a house and wives, and my father appointed me a caboceer. i wore the plume of eagle and ostrich feathers, my dress was covered with fetishes, i pulled on the boots with bells, and with my bow and arrows slung on my back, my spear and blunderbuss, my knives and my double-handed sword, i led the men to battle and brought back skulls and slaves. everyone trembled at my name, and, if my father threatened to send me out, gold-dust covered the floor of his hall of council--now, i boil the kettle for the young gentlemen! "there was one man i liked. he was not a warrior, or i should have hated him, but he was brought up with me in my father's house, and was a near relative. i was grave and full of pride, he was gay and fond of music; and although there was no music to me equal to the tom-tom, yet i did not always wish for excitement. i often was melancholy, and then i liked to lay my head in the lap of one of my wives, under the shady forest behind my house, and listen to his soft music. at last he went to a town near us where his father lived, and as he departed i gave him gold-dust. he had been sent to my father to be formed into a warrior, but he had no strength of body, and he had no soul; still i loved him, because he was not like myself. there was a girl in the town who was beautiful; many asked for her as their wife, but her father had long promised her to my friend; he refused even the greatest warrior of the place, who went away in wrath to the fetishman, and throwing him his gold armlets asked for a fetish against his rival. it was given, and two days before he was to be married my friend died. his mother came to me, and it was enough. i put on my war dress, i seized my weapons, sat for a whole day with my skulls before me, working up my revenge, called out my men, and that night set off for the town where the warrior resided, killed two of his relatives and carried off ten of his slaves. when he heard what i had done, he trembled and sent gold; but i knew that he had taken the girl home as his wife, and i would not listen to the old man who sought to pacify me. "again i collected a larger force and attacked him in the night: we fought, for he was prepared with his men, but after a struggle he was beaten back. i fired his house, wasted his provision ground, and taking away more slaves, i returned home with my men, intending soon to assault him again. the next day there came more messengers, who knelt in vain; so they went to my father, and many warriors begged him to interfere. my father sent for me, but i would not listen; the warriors spoke, and i turned my back: my father was wroth and threatened, the warriors brandished their two-handed swords--they dared to do it; i looked over my shoulder with contempt, and i returned to my house. i took down my skulls, and i planned. it was evening, and i was alone, when a woman covered up to the eyes approached; she fell down before me as she exposed her face. "i am the girl who was promised to your relation, and i am now the wife of your enemy. i shall be a mother. i could not love your relation, for he was no warrior. it is not true that my husband asked for a fetish--it was i who bought it, for i would not wed him. kill me and be satisfied. "she was very beautiful, and i wondered not that my enemy loved her-- and she was with child--it was his child, and she had fetished my friend to death. i raised my sword to strike, and she did not shrink: it saved her life. 'thou art fit to be the mother of warriors,' said i, as i dropped my sword, 'and thou shalt be my wife, but first his child shall be born, and i will have thy husband's skull.' "'no, no,' replied she, 'i will be the mother of no warriors but by my present husband, whom i love; if you keep me as your slave i will die.' "i told her she said foolish things, and sent her to the women's apartment, with orders to be watched--but she hardly had been locked up before she drew her knife, plunged it into her heart, and died. "when the king my father heard this he sent me a message--'be satisfied with the blood that has been shed, it is enough'; but i turned away, for i wished for mine enemy's skull. that night i attacked him again, and met him hand to hand; i killed him, and carried home his skull, and i was appeased. "but all the great warriors were wroth, and my father could not restrain them. they called out their men, and i called out my men, and i had a large body, for my name was terrible. but the force raised against me was twice that of mine, and i retreated to the bush--after awhile we met and fought, and i killed many, but my men were too few, and were overpowered--the fetish had been sent out against me, and their hearts melted; at last i sank down with my wounds, for i bled at every pore, and i told my men who were about me to take off my feathers, and my dress and boots, that my enemies might not have my skull: they did so, and i crawled into the bush to die. but i was not to die; i was recovering, when i was discovered by those who steal men to sell them: i was bound, and fastened to a chain with many more. i, a prince and a warrior, who could show the white skulls of his enemies--i offered to procure gold, but they derided me; they dragged me down to the coast, and sold me to the whites. little did i think, in my pride, that i should be a slave. i knew that i was to die, and hoped to die in battle: my skull would have been more prized than all the gold in the earth, and my skin would have been stuffed and hung up in a fetish-house--instead of which, i now boil the kettle for the young gentlemen!" "well," replied jack, "that's better than being killed and stuffed." "mayhap it is," replied mesty, "i tink very different now dan i tink den--but still, it women's work and not suit me." "they put me with others into a cave until the ship came, and then we were sent on board, put in irons, and down in the hold, where you could not sit upright--i wanted to die, but could not: others died every day, but i lived--i was landed in america, all bone, and i fetched very little money--they laughed at me, as they bid their dollars: at last a man took me away, and i was on a plantation with hundreds more, but too ill to work, and not intending to work. the other slaves asked me if i was a fetish man; i said yes, and i would fetish any man that i did not like: one man laughed, and i held up my finger; i was too weak to get up, for my blood had long boiled with fever, and i said to him 'you shall die'; for i meant to have killed him as soon as i was well. "he went away, and in three days he was dead. i don't know how, but all the slaves feared me, and my master feared me, for he had seen the man die, and he, although he was a white man, believed in fetish, and he wished to sell me again, but no one would buy a fetish man, so he made friends with me; for i told him if i was beat he should die, and he believed me. he took me into his house, and i was his chief man, and i would not let the other slaves steal and he was content. he took me with him to new york, and there, after two years, when i had learnt english, i ran away, and got on board of an english ship--and they told me to cook. i left the ship as soon as i came to england, and offered myself to another, and they said they did not want a cook; and i went to another, and they asked me if i was a good cook: everybody seemed to think that a black man must be a cook, and nothing else. at last i starve, and i go on board a man-of-war, and here i am, after having been a warrior and a prince, cook, steward and everything else, boiling kettle for de young gentlemen." "well," replied jack, "at all events that is better than being a slave." mesty made no reply: anyone who knows the life of a midshipman's servant will not be surprised at his silence. "now, tell me, do you think you were right in being so revengeful, when you were in your own country?" inquired jack. "i tink so den, massa easy; sometimes when my blood boil, i tink so now--oder time, i no know what to tink--but when a man love very much, he hate very much." "but you are now a christian, mesty." "i hear all that your people say," replied the negro, "and it make me tink--i no longer believe in fetish, anyhow." "our religion tells us to love our enemies." "yes, i heard parson say dat--but den what we do with our friends, massa easy?" "love them too." "i no understand dat, massa easy--i love you, because you good, and treat me well--mr vigors, he bully, and treat me ill--how possible to love him? by de power, i hate him, and wish i had him skull. you tink little massa gossett love him?" "no," replied jack, laughing, "i'm afraid that he would like to have his skull as well as you, mesty--but at all events we must try and forgive those who injure us." "then, massa easy, i tink so too--too much revenge very bad--it very easy to hate, but not very easy to forgive--so i tink that if a man forgive, he hab more soul in him, he more of a man." "after all," thought jack, "mesty is about as good a christian as most people." "what that?" cried mesty, looking out of the cabin window--"ah! d---n drunken dogs--they set fire to tent." jack looked, and perceived that the tent on shore was in flames. "i tink these cold nights cool their courage, anyhow," observed--"massa easy, you see they soon ask permission to come on board." jack thought so too, and was most anxious to be off; for, on looking into the lockers in the state-room, he had found a chart of the mediterranean, which he had studied very attentively--he had found out the rock of gibraltar, and had traced the harpy's course up to cape de catte, and thence to tarragona--and, after a while, had summoned mesty to a cabinet council. "see, mesty," said jack, "i begin to make it out, here is gibraltar, and cape de catte, and tarragona--it was hereabout we were when we took the ship, and, if you recollect, we had passed cape de gatte two days before we were blown off from the land, so that we had gone about twelve inches, and had only four more to go." "yes, massa easy, i see all dat." "well, then, we were blown off shore by the wind, and must of course have come down this way; and here you see are three little islands, called zaffarine islands, and with no names of towns upon them, and therefore uninhabited; and you see they lie just like the islands we are anchored among now--we must be at the zaffarine islands--and only six inches from gibraltar." "i see, massa easy, dat all right--but six debbelish long inches." "now, mesty, you know the compass on deck has a flourishing thing for the north point--and here is a compass with a north point also. now the north point from the zaffarine islands leads out to the spanish coast again, and gibraltar lies five or six points of the compass to this side of it--if we steer that way we shall get to gibraltar." "all right, massa easy," replied mesty, and jack was right, with the exception of the variation, which he knew nothing about. to make sure, jack brought one of the compasses down from deck, and compared them. he then lifted off the glass, counted the points of the compass to the westward, and marked the corresponding one on the binnacle compass with his pen. "there," said he, "that is the way to gibraltar, and as soon as the mutiny is quelled, and the wind is fair, i'll be off." chapter xvi in which jack's cruise is ended, and he regains the harpy. a few more days passed, and, as was expected, the mutineers could hold out no longer. in the first place, they had put in the spile of the second cask of wine so loosely when they were tipsy that it dropped out, and all the wine ran out, so that there had been none left for three or four days; in the next their fuel had long been expended, and they had latterly eaten their meat raw: the loss of their tent, which had been fired by their carelessness, had been followed by four days and nights of continual rain. everything they had had been soaked through and through, and they were worn out, shivering with cold, and starving. hanging they thought better than dying by inches from starvation; and yielding to the imperious demands of hunger, they came down to the beach, abreast of the ship, and dropped down on their knees. "i tell you so, massa easy," said mesty: "d--n rascals, they forget they come down fire musket at us every day: by all de powers, mesty not forget it." "ship ahoy!" cried one of the men on shore. "what do you want?" replied jack. "have pity on us, sir--mercy!" exclaimed the other men, "we will return to our duty." "debble doubt 'em!" "what shall i say, mesty?" "tell 'em no, first, massa easy--tell 'em to starve and be d---d." "i cannot take mutineers on board," replied jack. "well, then, our blood be on your hands, mr easy," replied the first man who had spoken. "if we are to die, it must not be by inches--if you will not take us, the sharks shall--it is but a crunch, and all is over. what do you say, my lads? let's all rush in together: good-bye, mr easy, i hope you'll forgive us when we're dead: it was all that rascal johnson, the coxswain, who persuaded us. come, my lads, it's no use thinking of it, the sooner done the better--let us shake hands, and then make one run of it." it appeared that the poor fellows had already made up their minds to do this, if our hero, persuaded by mesty, had refused to take them on board; they shook hands all round, and then walking a few yards from the beach, stood in a line while the man gave the signal--one--two-- "stop," cried jack, who had not forgotten the dreadful scene which had already taken place--"stop." the men paused. "what will you promise if i take you on board?" "to do our duty cheerfully till we join the ship, and then be hung as an example to all mutineers," replied the men. "dat very fair," replied mesty; "take dem at their word, massa easy." "very well," replied jack, "i accept your conditions; and we will come for you." jack and mesty hauled up the boat, stuck their pistols in their belts, and pulled to the shore. the men, as they stepped in, touched their hats respectfully to our hero, but said nothing. on their arrival on board, jack read that part of the articles of war relative to mutiny, by which the men were reminded of the very satisfactory fact, "that they were to suffer death"; and then made a speech which, to men who were starving, appeared to be interminable. however, there is an end to everything in this world, and so there was to jack's harangue; after which mesty gave them some biscuit, which they devoured in thankfulness, until they could get something better. the next morning the wind was fair, they weighed their kedge with some difficulty, and ran out of the harbour: the men appeared very contrite, worked well, but in silence, for they had no very pleasant anticipations; but hope always remains with us; and each of the men, although he had no doubt but that the others would be hung, hoped that he would escape with a sound flogging. the wind, however, did not allow them to steer their course long; before night it was contrary, and they fell off three points to the northward. "however," as jack observed, "at all events we shall make the spanish coast, and then we must run down it to gibraltar: i don't care--i understand navigation much better than i did." the next morning they found themselves with a very light breeze, under a high cape, and, as the sun rose, they observed a large vessel in-shore, about two miles to the westward of them, and another outside, about four miles off. mesty took the glass and examined the one outside, which, on a sudden, had let fall all her canvas, and was now running for the shore, steering for the cape under which jack's vessel lay. mesty put down the glass. "massa easy--i tink dat de harpy." one of the seamen took the glass and examined her, while the others who stood by showed great agitation. "yes, it is the harpy," said the seaman. "oh! mr easy, will you forgive us?" continued the man, and he and the others fell on their knees. "do not tell all, for god's sake, mr easy." jack's heart melted; he looked at mesty. "i tink," said mesty, apart to our hero, "dat with what them hab suffer already, suppose they get seven dozen a-piece, dat quite enough." jack thought that even half that punishment would suffice; so he told the men, that although he must state what had occurred, he would not tell all, and would contrive to get them off as well as he could. he was about to make a long speech, but a gun from the harpy, which had now come up within range, made him defer it till a more convenient opportunity. at the same time the vessel in-shore hoisted spanish colours and fired a gun. "by de powers but we got in the middle of it," cried mesty; "harpy tink us spaniard. now, my lads, get all gun ready, bring up powder and shot. massa, now us fire at spaniard--harpy not fire at us--no ab english colours on board--dat all we must do." the men set to with a will; the guns were all loaded, and were soon cast loose and primed, during which operations it fell calm, and the sails of all three vessels flapped against their masts. the harpy was then about two miles from jack's vessel, and the spaniard about a mile from him, with all her boats ahead of her, towing towards him; mesty examined the spanish vessel. "dat man-of-war, massa easy,--what de debbel we do for colour? must hoist something." mesty ran down below; he recollected that there was a very gay petticoat, which had been left by the old lady who was in the vessel when they captured her. it was of green silk, with yellow and blue flowers, but very faded, having probably been in the don's family for a century. mesty had found it under the mattress of one of the beds, and had put it into his bag, intending probably to cut it up into waistcoats. he soon appeared with this under his arm, made it fast to the peak halyards and hoisted it up. "dere, massa, dat do very well--dat what you call 'all nation colour.' everybody strike him flag to dat--men nebber pull it down," said mesty, "anyhow. now den, ab hoist colour, we fire away--mind you only fire one gun at a time, and point um well, den ab time to load again." "she's hoisted her colours, sir," said sawbridge, on board of the harpy; "but they do not show out clear, and it's impossible to distinguish them; but there's a gun." "it's not at us, sir," said gascoigne, the midshipman; "it's at the spanish vessel--i saw the shot fall ahead of her." "it must be a privateer," said captain wilson; "at all events, it is very fortunate, for the corvettes would otherwise have towed into carthagena. another gun, round and grape, and well pointed too; she carries heavy metal, that craft: she must be a maltese privateer." "that's as much as to say that she's a pirate," replied sawbridge; "i can make nothing of her colours--they appear to me to be green--she must be a turk. another gun--and devilish well aimed; it has hit the boats." "yes, they are all in confusion: we will have her now, if we can only get a trifle of wind. that is a breeze coming up in the offing. trim the sails, mr sawbridge." the yards were squared, and the harpy soon had steerage-way. in the meantime jack and his few men had kept up a steady, well-directed, although slow, fire with their larboard guns upon the spanish corvette; and two of her boats had been disabled. the harpy brought the breeze up with her, and was soon within range; she steered to cut off the corvette, firing only on her bow-chasers. "we ab her now," cried mesty; "fire away men, take good aim. breeze come now; one man go to helm. by de power what dat?" the exclamation of mesty was occasioned by a shot hulling the ship on the starboard side. jack and he ran over, and perceived that three spanish gun-boats had just made their appearance round the point, and had attacked them. the fact was, that on the other side of the cape was the port and town of carthagena, and these gun-boats had been sent out to the assistance of the corvette. the ship had now caught the breeze, fortunately for jack, or he would probably have been taken into carthagena; and the corvette, finding herself cut off by both the harpy and jack's vessel, as soon as the breeze came up to her, put her head the other way, and tried to escape by running westward along the coast close in-shore. another shot, and then another, pierced the hull of the ship, and wounded two of jack's men; but as the corvette had turned, and the harpy followed her, of course jack did the same, and in ten minutes he was clear of the gun-boats, who did not venture to make sail and stand after him. the wind now freshened fast, and blew out the green petticoat, but the harpy was exchanging broadsides with the corvette, and too busy to look after jack's ensign. the spaniard defended himself well, and had the assistance of the batteries as he passed, but there was no anchorage until he had run many miles further. about noon, the wind died away, and at one o'clock it again fell nearly calm; but the harpy had neared her distance, and was now within three cables' length of her antagonist, engaging her and a battery of four guns. jack came up again, for he had the last of the breeze, and was about half a mile from the corvette when it fell calm. by the advice of mesty, he did not fire anymore, as otherwise the harpy would not obtain so much credit, and it was evident that the fire of the spaniard slackened fast. at three o'clock the spanish colours were hauled down, and the harpy, sending a boat on board and taking possession, directed her whole fire upon the battery, which was soon silenced. the calm continued, and the harpy was busy enough with the prize, shifting the prisoners and refitting both vessels, which had very much suffered in the sails and rigging. there was an occasional wonder on board the harpy what that strange vessel might be, who had turned the corvette and enabled them to capture her, but when people are all very busy, there is not much time for surmise. jack's crew, with himself, consisted but of eight, one of which was a spaniard, and two were wounded. it therefore left him but four, and he had also something to do, which was to assist his wounded men, and secure his guns. moreover, mesty did not think it prudent to leave the vessel a mile from the harpy with only two on board; besides, as jack said, he had had no dinner, and was not quite sure that he should find anything to eat when he went into the midshipmen's berth; he would therefore have some dinner cooked, and eat it before he went on board; in the meantime, they would try and close with her. jack took things always very easy, and he said he should report himself at sunset. there were other reasons which made jack in no very great hurry to go on board; he wanted to have time to consider a little, what he should say to excuse himself, and also how he should plead for the men. his natural correctness of feeling decided him, in the first place, to tell the whole truth; and in the next, his kind feelings determined him to tell only part of it. jack need not have given himself this trouble, for, as far as regarded himself, he had fourteen thousand good excuses in the bags that lay in the state-room; and as for the men, after an action with the enemy, if they behave well, even mutiny is forgiven. at last, jack, who was tired with excitement and the hard work of the day, thought and thought until he fell fast asleep, and instead of waking at sunset, did not wake till two hours afterwards; and mesty did not call him, because he was in no hurry himself to go on board "and boil de kettle for de young gentlemen." when jack woke up, he was astonished to find that he had slept so long; he went on deck; it was dark and still calm, but he could easily perceive that the harpy and corvette were still hove-to, repairing damages. he ordered the men to lower down the small boat, and leaving mesty in charge, with two oars he pulled to the harpy. what with wounded men, with prisoners, and boats going and coming between the vessels, everyone on board the harpy were well employed; and in the dark, jack's little boat came alongside without notice. this should not have been the case, but it was, and there was some excuse for it. jack ascended the side, and pushed his way through the prisoners, who were being mustered to be victualled. he was wrapped up in one of the gregos, and many of the prisoners wore the same. jack was amused at not being recognised; he slipped down the main ladder, and had to stoop under the hammocks of the wounded men, and was about to go aft to the captain's cabin to report himself, when he heard young gossett crying out, and the sound of the rope. "hang me, if that brute vigors ain't thrashing young gossett," thought jack. "i dare say the poor fellow has had plenty of it since i have been away; i'll save him this time, at least." jack, wrapped up in his grego, went to the window of the berth, looked in, and found it was as he expected. he cried out in an angry voice, mr vigors, i'll thank you to leave gossett alone. at the sound of the voice, vigors turned round with his colt in his hand, saw jack's face at the window, and, impressed with the idea that the re-appearance was supernatural, uttered a wail and fell down in a fit--little gossett also, trembling in every limb, stared with his mouth open. jack was satisfied, and immediately disappeared. he then went aft to the cabin, pushed by the servant, who was giving some orders from the captain to the officer on deck, and entering the cabin, where the captain was seated with two spanish officers, took off his hat and said,-- "come on board, captain wilson." captain wilson did not fall down in a fit, but he jumped up, and upset the glass before him. "merciful god, mr easy, where did you come from?" "from that ship astern, sir," replied jack. "that ship astern! what is she?--where have you been so long?" "it's a long story, sir," replied jack. captain wilson extended his hand and shook jack's heartily. "at all events, i'm delighted to see you, boy: now sit down and tell me your story in a few words; we will have it in detail by-and-bye." "if you please, sir," said jack, "we captured that ship with the cutter the night after we went away--i'm not a first-rate navigator, and i was blown to the zaffarine islands, where i remained two months for want of hands: as soon as i procured them i made sail again--i have lost three men by sharks, and i have two wounded in to-day's fight--the ship mounts twelve guns, is half laden with lead and cotton prints, has fourteen thousand dollars in the cabin, and three shot-holes right through her--and the sooner you send some people on board of her the better." this was not very intelligible, but that there were fourteen thousand dollars and that she required hands sent on board, was very satisfactorily explained. captain wilson rang the bell, sent for mr asper, who started back at the sight of our hero--desired him to order mr jolliffe to go on board with one of the cutters, send the wounded men on board, and take charge of the vessel, and then told jack to accompany mr jolliffe, and to give him every information: telling him that he would hear his story to-morrow, when they were not so very busy. chapter xvii in which our hero finds out that trigonometry is not only necessary to navigation, but may be required in settling affairs of honour. as captain wilson truly said, he was too busy even to hear jack's story that night, for they were anxious to have both vessels ready to make sail as soon as a breeze should spring up, for the spaniards had vessels of war at carthagena, which was not ten miles off, and had known the result of the action: it was therefore necessary to change their position as soon as possible. mr sawbridge was on board the prize, which was a corvette mounting two guns more than the harpy, and called the cacafuogo. she had escaped from cadiz, run through the straits in the night, and was three miles from carthagena when she was captured, which she certainly never would have been, but for jack's fortunately blundering against the cape with his armed vessel, so that captain wilson and mr sawbridge (both of whom were promoted, the first to the rank of post-captain, the second to that of commander) may be said to be indebted to jack for their good fortune. the harpy had lost nineteen men, killed and wounded, and the spanish corvette forty-seven. altogether, it was a very creditable affair. at two o'clock in the morning, the vessels were ready, everything had been done that could be done in so short a time, and they stood under easy sail during the night for gibraltar, the nostra signora del carmen, under the charge of jolliffe, keeping company. jolliffe had the advantage over his shipmates, of first hearing jack's adventures, with which he was much astonished as well as amused--even captain wilson was not more happy to see jack than was the worthy master's mate. about nine o'clock the harpy hove-to, and sent a boat on board for our hero and the men who had been so long with him in the prize, and then hoisted out the pinnace to fetch on board the dollars, which were of more importance. jack, as he bade adieu to jolliffe, took out of his pocket, and presented him with the articles of war, which, as they had been so useful to him, he thought jolliffe could not do without, and then went down the side: the men were already in the boat, casting imploring looks upon jack, to raise feelings of compassion, and mesty took his seat by our hero in a very sulky humour, probably because he did not like the idea of having again "to boil de kettle for de young gentlemen." even jack felt a little melancholy at resigning his command, and he looked back at the green petticoat, which blew out gracefully from the mast, for jolliffe had determined that he would not haul down the colours under which jack had fought so gallant an action. jack's narration, as may be imagined, occupied a large part of the forenoon; and although jack did not attempt to deny that he had seen the recall signal of mr sawbridge, yet, as his account went on, the captain became so interested, that at the end of it he quite forgot to point out to jack the impropriety of not obeying orders. he gave jack great credit for his conduct, and was also much pleased with that of mesty. jack took the opportunity of stating mesty's aversion to his present employment, and his recommendation was graciously received. jack also succeeded in obtaining the pardon of the men, in consideration of their subsequent good behaviour; but notwithstanding this promise on the part of captain wilson, they were ordered to be put in irons for the present. however, jack told mesty, and mesty told the men, that they would be released with a reprimand when they arrived at gibraltar, so that all the men cared for was a fair wind. captain wilson informed jack, that after his joining the admiral he had been sent to malta with the prizes, and that, supposing the cutter to have been sunk, he had written to his father, acquainting him with his son's death, at which our hero was much grieved, for he knew what sorrow it would occasion, particularly to his poor mother. "but," thought jack, "if she is unhappy for three months, she will be overjoyed for three more when she hears that i am alive, so it will be all square at the end of the six; and as soon as i arrive at gibraltar i will write, and as the wind is fair, that will be to-morrow or next day." after a long conversation jack was graciously dismissed, captain wilson being satisfied from what he had heard that jack would turn out a very good officer, and had already forgotten all about equality and the rights of man; but there captain wilson was mistaken tares sown in infancy are not so soon rooted out. jack went on deck as soon as the captain had dismissed him, and found the captain and officers of the spanish corvette standing aft, looking very seriously at the nostra signora del carmen. when they saw our hero, whom captain wilson had told them was the young officer who had barred their entrance into carthagena, they turned their eyes upon him, not quite so graciously as they might have done. jack, with his usual politeness, took off his hat to the spanish captain, and, glad to have an opportunity of sporting his spanish, expressed the usual wish, that he might live a thousand years. the spanish captain, who had reason to wish that jack had gone to the devil at least twenty-four hours before, was equally complimentary, and then begged to be informed what the colours were that jack had hoisted during the action. jack replied that they were colours to which every spanish gentleman considered it no disgrace to surrender, although always ready to engage, and frequently attempting to board. upon which the spanish captain was very much puzzled. captain wilson, who understood a little spanish, then interrupted by observing-- "by-the-bye, mr easy, what colours did you hoist up? we could not make them out. i see mr jolliffe still keeps them up at the peak." "yes, sir," replied jack, rather puzzled what to call them, but at last he replied, "that it was the banner of equality and the rights of man." captain wilson frowned, and jack, perceiving that he was displeased, then told him the whole story, whereupon captain wilson laughed, and jack then also explained, in spanish, to the officers of the corvette, who replied, "that it was not the first time, and would not be the last, that men had got into a scrape through a petticoat." the spanish captain complimented jack on his spanish, which was really very good (for in two months, with nothing else in the world to do, he had made great progress), and asked him where he had learnt it. jack replied, "at the zaffarine islands." "zaffarine isles," replied the spanish captain; "they are not inhabited." "plenty of ground-sharks," replied jack. the spanish captain thought our hero a very strange fellow, to fight under a green silk petticoat, and to take lessons in spanish from the ground-sharks. however, being quite as polite as jack, he did not contradict him, but took a huge pinch of snuff, wishing from the bottom of his heart that the ground-sharks had taken jack before he had hoisted that confounded green petticoat. however, jack was in high favour with the captain, and all the ship's company, with the exception of his four enemies--the master, vigors, the boatswain, and the purser's steward. as for mr vigors, he had come to his senses again, and had put his colt in his chest until jack should take another cruise. little gossett, at any insulting remark made by vigors, pointed to the window of the berth and grinned; and the very recollection made vigors turn pale, and awed him into silence. in two days they arrived at gibraltar--mr sawbridge rejoined the ship--so did mr jolliffe--they remained there a fortnight, during which jack was permitted to be continually on shore--mr asper accompanied him, and jack drew a heavy bill to prove to his father that he was still alive. mr sawbridge made our hero relate to him all his adventures, and was so pleased with the conduct of mesty that he appointed him to a situation which was particularly suited to him, --that of ship's corporal. mr sawbridge knew that it was an office of trust, and provided that he could find a man fit for it, he was very indifferent about his colour. mesty walked and strutted about at least three inches taller than he was before. he was always clean, did his duty conscientiously, and seldom used his cane. "i think, mr easy," said the first lieutenant, "that as you are so particularly fond of taking a cruise,"--for jack had told the whole truth,--"it might be as well that you improve your navigation." "i do think myself, sir," replied jack, with great modesty, "that i am not yet quite perfect." "well, then, mr jolliffe will teach you; he is the most competent in this ship: the sooner you ask him the better, and if you learn it as fast as you have spanish, it will not give you much trouble." jack thought the advice good; the next day he was very busy with his friend jolliffe, and made the important discovery that two parallel lines continued to infinity would never meet. it must not be supposed that captain wilson and mr sawbridge received their promotion instanter. promotion is always attended with delay, as there is a certain routine in the service which must not be departed from. captain wilson had orders to return to malta after his cruise. he therefore carried his own despatches away from england-- from malta the despatches had to be forwarded to toulon to the admiral, and then the admiral had to send to england to the admiralty, whose reply had to come out again. all this, with the delays arising from vessels not sailing immediately, occupied an interval of between five and six months--during which time there was no alteration in the officers and crew of his majesty's sloop harpy. there had, however, been one alteration; the gunner, mr linus, who had charge of the first cutter in the night action in which our hero was separated from his ship, carelessly loading his musket, had found himself minus his right hand, which, upon the musket going off as he rammed down, had gone off too. he was invalided and sent home during jack's absence, and another had been appointed, whose name was tallboys. mr tallboys was a stout dumpy man, with red face, and still redder hands; he had red hair and red whiskers, and he had read a great deal--for mr tallboys considered that the gunner was the most important personage in the ship. he had once been a captain's clerk, and having distinguished himself very much in cutting-out service, had applied for and received his warrant as a gunner. he had studied the "art of gunnery," a part of which he understood, but the remainder was above his comprehension: he continued, however, to read it as before, thinking that by constant reading he should understand it at last. he had gone through the work from the title-page to the finis at least forty times, and had just commenced it over again. he never came on deck without the gunner's vade mecum in his pocket, with his hand always upon it to refer to it in a moment. but mr tallboys had, as we observed before, a great idea of the importance of a gunner, and, among other qualifications, he considered it absolutely necessary that he should be a navigator. he had at least ten instances to bring forward of bloody actions, in which the captain and all the commissioned officers had been killed or wounded and the command of the ship had devolved upon the gunner. "now, sir," would he say, "if the gunner is no navigator, he is not fit to take charge of his majesty's ships. the boatswain and carpenter are merely practical men; but the gunner, sir, is, or ought to be, scientific. gunnery, sir, is a science--we have our own disparts and our lines of sight--our windage, and our parabolas, and projectile forces--and our point blank, and our reduction of powder upon a graduated scale. now, sir, there's no excuse for a gunner not being a navigator; for knowing his duty as a gunner, he has the same mathematical tools to work with." upon this principle, mr tallboys had added john hamilton moore to his library, and had advanced about as far into navigation as he had in gunnery, that is, to the threshold, where he stuck fast, with all his mathematical tools, which he did not know how to use. to do him justice, he studied for two or three hours every day, and it was not his fault if he did not advance--but his head was confused with technical terms; he mixed all up together, and disparts, sines and cosines, parabolas, tangents, windage, seconds, lines of sight, logarithms, projectiles, and traverse sailing, quadrature, and gunter's scales, were all crowded together, in a brain which had not capacity to receive the rule of three. "too much learning," said festus to the apostle, "hath made thee mad." mr tallboys had not wit enough to go mad, but his learning lay like lead upon his brain: the more he read, the less he understood, at the same time that he became more satisfied with his supposed acquirements, and could not speak but in "mathematical parables". "i understand, mr easy," said the gunner to him one day, after they had sailed for malta, "that you have entered into the science of navigation--at your age it was high time." "yes," replied jack, "i can raise a perpendicular, at all events, and box the compass." "yes, but you have not yet arrived at the dispart of the compass." "not come to that yet," replied jack. "are you aware that a ship sailing describes a parabola round the globe?" "not come to that yet," replied jack. "and that any propelled body striking against another flies off at a tangent?" "very likely," replied jack; "that is a 'sine' that he don't like it." "you have not yet entered into 'acute' trigonometry?" "not come to that yet," replied jack. "that will require very sharp attention." "i should think so," replied jack. "you will then find out how your parallels of longitude and latitude meet." "two parallel lines, if continued to infinity will never meet," replied jack. "i beg your pardon," said the gunner. "i beg yours," said jack. whereupon mr tallboys brought up a small map of the world, and showed jack that all the parallels of latitude met at a point at the top and the bottom. "parallel lines never meet," replied jack, producing hamilton moore. whereupon jack and the gunner argued the point, until it was agreed to refer the case to mr jolliffe, who asserted, with a smile, "that those lines were parallels, and not parallels." as both were right, both were satisfied. it was fortunate that jack would argue in this instance: had he believed all the confused assertions of the gunner, he would have been as puzzled as the gunner himself. they never met without an argument and a reference, and as jack was put right in the end, he only learnt the faster. by the time that he did know something about navigation, he discovered that his antagonist knew nothing. before they arrived at malta, jack could fudge a day's work. but at malta jack got into another scrape. although mr smallsole could not injure him, he was still jack's enemy; the more so as jack had become very popular: vigors also submitted, planning revenge; but the parties in this instance were the boatswain and purser's steward. jack still continued his forecastle conversations with mesty: and the boatswain and purser's steward, probably from their respective ill-will towards our hero, had become great allies. mr easthupp now put on his best jacket to walk the dog-watches with mr biggs, and they took every opportunity to talk at our hero. "it's my peculiar hopinion," said mr easthupp, one evening, pulling at the frill of his shirt, "that a gentleman should behave as a gentleman, and that if a gentleman professes opinions of inequality and such liberal sentiments, that he is bound as a gentleman to hact up to them." "very true, mr easthupp; he is bound to act up to them; and not because a person, who was a gentleman as well as himself, happens not to be on the quarter-deck, to insult him because he only has perfessed opinions like his own." hereupon mr biggs struck his rattan against the funnel, and looked at our hero. "yes," continued the purser's steward, "i should like to see the fellow who would have done so on shore; however, the time will come when i can hagain pull on my plain coat, and then the insult shall be vashed out in blood, mr biggs." "and i'll be cursed if i don't some day teach a lesson to the blackguard who stole my trousers." "vas hall your money right, mr biggs?" inquired the purser's steward. "i didn't count," replied the boatswain magnificently. "no--gentlemen are habove that," replied easthupp; "but there are many light-fingered gentry about. the quantity of vatches and harticles of value vich were lost ven i valked bond street in former times is incredible." "i can say this, at all events," replied the boatswain, "that i should be always ready to give satisfaction to any person beneath me in rank, after i had insulted him. i don't stand upon my rank, although i don't talk about equality, damme--no, nor consort with niggers." all this was too plain for our hero not to understand, so jack walked up to the boatswain, and taking his hat off, with the utmost politeness, said to him-- "if i mistake not, mr biggs, your conversation refers to me." "very likely it does," replied the boatswain. "listeners hear no good of themselves." "it appears that gentlemen can't converse without being vatched," continued mr easthupp, pulling up his shirt collar. "it is not the first time that you have thought proper to make very offensive remarks, mr biggs; and as you appear to consider yourself ill-treated in the affair of the trousers--for i tell you at once that it was i who brought them on board--i can only say," continued our hero, with a very polite bow, "that i shall be most happy to give you satisfaction." "i am your superior officer, mr easy," replied the boatswain. "yes, by the rules of the service; but you just now asserted that you would waive your rank--indeed, i dispute it on this occasion; i am on the quarter-deck, and you are not." "this is the gentleman whom you have insulted, mr easy," replied the boatswain, pointing to the purser's steward. "yes, mr heasy, quite as good a gentleman as yourself although i av ad misfortunes--i ham of as old a family as hany in the country," replied mr easthupp, now backed by the boatswain; "many the year did i valk bond street, and i ave as good blood in my weins as you, mr heasy, halthough i have been misfortunate--i've had admirals in my family." "you have grossly insulted this gentleman," said mr biggs, in continuation; "and notwithstanding all your talk of equality, you are afraid to give him satisfaction--you shelter yourself under your quarter-deck." "mr biggs," replied our hero, who was now very wroth, "i shall go on shore directly we arrive at malta. let you and this fellow put on plain clothes, and i will meet you both--and then i'll show you whether i am afraid to give satisfaction." "one at a time," said the boatswain. "no, sir, not one at a time, but both at the same time--i will fight both, or none. if you are my superior officer, you must descend," replied jack, with an ironical sneer, "to meet me, or i will not descend to meet that fellow, whom i believe to have been little better than a pickpocket." this accidental hit of jack's made the purser's steward turn pale as a sheet, and then equally red. he raved and foamed amazingly, although he could not meet jack's indignant look, who then turned round again. "now, mr biggs, is this to be understood, or do you shelter yourself under your forecastle?" "i'm no dodger," replied the boatswain, "and we will settle the affair at malta." at which reply jack returned to mesty. "massa easy, i look at um face, dat fellow eastop, he no like it. i go shore wid you, see fair play, anyhow--suppose i can?" mr biggs having declared that he would fight, of course had to look out for a second, and he fixed upon mr tallboys, the gunner, and requested him to be his friend. mr tallboys, who had been latterly very much annoyed by jack's victories over him in the science of navigation, and therefore felt ill-will towards him, consented; but he was very much puzzled how to arrange that three were to fight at the same time, for he had no idea of there being two duels; so he went to his cabin and commenced reading. jack, on the other hand, dared not say a word to jolliffe on the subject; indeed there was no one in the ship to whom he could confide but gascoigne: he therefore went to him, and although gascoigne thought it was excessively 'infra dig' of jack to meet even the boatswain, as the challenge had been given there was no retracting: he therefore consented, like all midshipmen, anticipating fun, and quite thoughtless of the consequences. the second day after they had been anchored in valette harbour, the boatswain and gunner, jack and gascoigne, obtained permission to go on shore. mr easthupp, the purser's steward, dressed in his best blue coat, with brass buttons and velvet collar, the very one in which he had been taken up when he had been vowing and protesting that he was a gentleman, at the very time that his hand was abstracting a pocket-book, went up on the quarter-deck, and requested the same indulgence, but mr sawbridge refused, as he required him to return staves and hoops at the cooperage. mesty also, much to his mortification, was not to be spared. this was awkward, but it was got over by proposing that the meeting should take place behind the cooperage at a certain hour, on which mr easthupp might slip out, and borrow a portion of the time appropriated to his duty, to heal the breach in his wounded honour. so the parties all went on shore, and put up at one of the small inns to make the necessary arrangements. mr tallboys then addressed mr gascoigne, taking him apart while the boatswain amused himself with a glass of grog, and our hero sat outside teasing a monkey. "mr gascoigne," said the gunner, "i have been very much puzzled how this duel should be fought, but i have at last found it out. you see that there are three parties to fight; had there been two or four there would have been no difficulty, as the right line or square might guide us in that instance; but we must arrange it upon the triangle in this." gascoigne stared; he could not imagine what was coming. "are you aware, mr gascoigne, of the properties of an equilateral triangle?" "yes," replied the midshipman, "that it has three equal sides--but what the devil has that to do with the duel?" "everything, mr gascoigne," replied the gunner; "it has resolved the great difficulty: indeed, the duel between three can only be fought upon that principle. you observe," said the gunner, taking a piece of chalk out of his pocket, and making a triangle on the table, "in this figure we have three points, each equidistant from each other: and we have three combatants--so that, placing one at each point, it is all fair play for the three: mr easy, for instance, stands here, the boatswain here, and the purser's steward at the third corner. now, if the distance is fairly measured, it will be all right." "but then," replied gascoigne, delighted at the idea; "how are they to fire?" "it certainly is not of much consequence," replied the gunner, "but still, as sailors, it appears to me that they should fire with the sun; that is, mr easy fires at mr biggs, mr biggs fires at mr easthupp, and mr easthupp fires at mr easy; so that you perceive that each party has his shot at one, and at the same time receives the fire of another." gascoigne was in ecstasies at the novelty of the proceeding, the more so as he perceived that easy obtained every advantage by the arrangement. "upon my word, mr tallboys, i give you great credit; you have a profound mathematical head, and i am delighted with your arrangement. of course, in these affairs, the principals are bound to comply with the arrangements of the seconds, and i shall insist upon mr easy consenting to your excellent and scientific proposal." gascoigne went out, and pulling jack away from the monkey, told him what the gunner had proposed, at which jack laughed heartily. the gunner also explained it to the boatswain, who did not very well comprehend, but replied-- "i dare say it's all right--shot for shot, and d--n all favours." the parties then repaired to the spot with two pairs of ship's pistols, which mr tallboys had smuggled on shore; and, as soon as they were on the ground, the gunner called mr easthupp out of the cooperage. in the meantime, gascoigne had been measuring an equilateral triangle of twelve paces--and marked it out. mr tallboys, on his return with the purser's steward, went over the ground, and finding that it was "equal angles subtended by equal sides," declared that it was all right. easy took his station, the boatswain was put into his, and mr easthupp, who was quite in a mystery, was led by the gunner to the third position. "but, mr tallboys," said the purser's steward, "i don't understand this. mr easy will first fight mr biggs, will he not?" "no," replied the gunner, "this is a duel of three. you will fire at mr easy, mr easy will fire at mr biggs, and mr biggs will fire at you. it is all arranged, mr easthupp." "but," said mr easthupp, "i do not understand it. why is mr biggs to fire at me? i have no quarrel with mr biggs." "because mr easy fires at mr biggs, and mr biggs must have his shot as well." "if you have ever been in the company of gentlemen, mr easthupp," observed gascoigne, "you must know something about duelling." "yes, yes, i've kept the best company, mr gascoigne, and i can give a gentleman satisfaction; but--" "then, sir, if that is the case, you must know that your honour is in the hands of your second, and that no gentleman appeals." "yes, yes, i know that, mr gascoigne; but still i've no quarrel with mr biggs, and therefore, mr biggs, of course you will not aim at me." "why you don't think that i am going to be fired at for nothing," replied the boatswain; "no, no, i'll have my shot anyhow." "but at your friend, mr biggs?" "all the same, i shall fire at somebody; shot for shot, and hit the luckiest." "vel, gentlemen, i purtest against these proceedings," replied mr easthupp; "i came here to have satisfaction from mr easy, and not to be fired at by mr biggs." "don't you have satisfaction when you fire at mr easy?" replied the gunner; "what more would you have?" "i purtest against mr biggs firing at me." "so you would have a shot without receiving one," cried gascoigne: "the fact is that this fellow's a confounded coward, and ought to be kicked into the cooperage again." at this affront mr easthupp rallied, and accepted the pistol offered by the gunner. "you ear those words, mr biggs; pretty language to use to a gentleman. you shall ear from me, sir, as soon as the ship is paid off. i purtest no longer, mr tallboys; death before dishonour. i'm a gentleman, damme!" at all events, the swell was not a very courageous gentleman, for he trembled most exceedingly as he pointed his pistol. the gunner gave the word, as if he were exercising the great guns on board ship. "cock your locks!"--"take good aim at the object!"--"fire!"--"stop your vents!" the only one of the combatants who appeared to comply with the latter supplementary order was mr easthupp, who clapped his hand to his trousers behind, gave a loud yell, and then dropped down; the bullet having passed clean through his seat of honour, from his having presented his broadside as a target to the boatswain as he faced towards our hero. jack's shot had also taken effect, having passed through both the boatswain's cheeks, without further mischief than extracting two of his best upper double teeth, and forcing through the hole of the further cheek the boatswain's own quid of tobacco. as for mr easthupp's ball, as he was very unsettled, and shut his eyes before he fired, it had gone the lord knows where. the purser's steward lay on the ground and screamed--the boatswain spit his double teeth and two or three mouthfuls of blood out, and then threw down his pistols in a rage. "a pretty business, by god," sputtered he; "he's put my pipe out. how the devil am i to pipe to dinner when i'm ordered, all my wind escaping through the cheeks?" in the meantime, the others had gone to the assistance of the purser's steward, who continued his vociferations. they examined him, and considered a wound in that part not to be dangerous. "hold your confounded bawling," cried the gunner, "or you'll have the guard down here: you're not hurt." "han't hi?" roared the steward: "oh, let me die, let me die; don't move me!" "nonsense," cried the gunner, "you must get up and walk down to the boat; if you don't we'll leave you--hold your tongue, confound you. you won't? then i'll give you something to halloo for." whereupon mr tallboys commenced cuffing the poor wretch right and left, who received so many swinging boxes of the ear that he was soon reduced to merely pitiful plaints of "oh dear!--such inhumanity--i purtest--oh dear! must i get up? i can't, indeed." "i do not think he can move, mr tallboys," said gascoigne; "i should think the best plan would be to call up two of the men from the cooperage, and let them take him at once to the hospital." the gunner went down to the cooperage to call the men. mr biggs, who had bound up his face as if he had a toothache, for the bleeding had been very slight, came up to the purser's steward. "what the hell are you making such a howling about? look at me, with two shot-holes through my figure head, while you have only got one in your stem: i wish i could change with you, by heavens, for i could use my whistle then--now if i attempt to pipe, there will be such a wasteful expenditure of his majesty's stores of wind, that i never shall get out a note. a wicked shot of yours, mr easy." "i really am very sorry," replied jack, with a polite bow, "and i beg to offer my best apology." during this conversation, the purser's steward felt very faint, and thought he was going to die. "oh dear! oh dear! what a fool i was; i never was a gentleman--only a swell: i shall die; i never will pick a pocket again--never--never-- god forgive me!" "why, confound the fellow," cried gascoigne, "so you were a pickpocket, were you?" "i never will again," replied the fellow in a faint voice. "hi'll hamend and lead a good life--a drop of water--oh! lagged at last!" then the poor wretch fainted away: and mr tallboys coming up with the men, he was taken on their shoulders and walked off to the hospital, attended by the gunner and also the boatswain, who thought he might as well have a little medical advice before he went on board. "well, easy," said gascoigne, collecting the pistols and tying them up in his handkerchief, "i'll be shot but we're in a pretty scrape; there's no hushing this up. i'll be hanged if i care, it's the best piece of fun i ever met with." and at the remembrance of it gascoigne laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. jack's mirth was not quite so excessive, as he was afraid that the purser's steward was severely hurt, and expressed his fears. "at all events, you did not hit him," replied gascoigne: "all you have to answer for is the boatswain's mug,--i think you've stopped his jaw for the future." "i'm afraid that our leave will be stopped for the future," replied jack. "that we may take our oaths of," replied gascoigne. "then look you, ned," said easy; "i've lots of dollars--we may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb, as the saying is, i vote that we do not go on board." "sawbridge will send and fetch us," replied ned; "but he must find us first." "that won't take long, for the soldiers will soon have our description and rout us out. we shall be pinned in a couple of days." "confound it, and they say that the ship is to be hove down, and that we shall be here six weeks at least, cooped up on board in a broiling sun, and nothing to do but to watch the pilot fish playing round the rudder and munch bad apricots. i won't go on board. look'ye, jack," said gascoigne, "have you plenty of money?" "i have twenty doubloons, besides dollars," replied jack. "well, then, we will pretend to be so much alarmed at the result of this duel that we dare not show ourselves lest we should be hung. i will write a note and send it to jolliffe, to say that we have hid ourselves until the affair is blown over, and beg him to intercede with the captain and first lieutenant. i will tell him all the particulars, and refer to the gunner for the truth of it; and then i know that, although we should be punished, they will only laugh. but i will pretend that easthupp is killed, and we are frightened out of our lives. that will be it, and then let's get on board one of the speronares which come with fruit from sicily, sail in the night for palermo, and then we'll have a cruise for a fortnight, and when the money is all gone we'll come back." "that's a capital idea, ned, and the sooner we do it the better. i will write to the captain, begging him to get me off from being hung, and telling him where we have fled to, and that letter shall be given after we have sailed." they were two very nice lads--our hero and gascoigne. chapter xviii in which our hero sets off on another cruise, in which he is not blown off shore. gascoigne and our hero were neither of them in uniform, and they hastened to nix mangare stairs, where they soon picked up the padrone of a speronare. they went with him into a wine shop, and with the assistance of a little english from a maltese boy, whose shirt hung out of his trousers, they made a bargain, by which it was agreed that, for the consideration of two doubloons, he would sail that evening and land them at gergentif or some other town in sicily, providing them with something to eat and gregos to sleep upon. our two midshipmen then went back to the tavern from which they had set off to fight the duel, and ordering a good dinner to be served in a back room, they amused themselves with killing flies, as they talked over the events of the day and waited for their dinner. as mr tallboys did not himself think proper to go on board till the evening, and mr biggs also wished it to be dark before he went up the ship's side, the events of the duel did not transpire till the next morning. even then it was not known from the boatswain or gunner, but by a hospital mate coming on board to inform the surgeon that there was one of their men wounded under their charge, but that he was doing very well. mr biggs had ascended the side with his face bound up. "confound that jack easy," said he, "i have only been on leave twice since i sailed from portsmouth. once i was obliged to come up the side without my trousers, and show my bare stem to the whole ship's company, and now i am coming up, and dare not show my figure head." he reported himself to the officer of the watch, and hastening to his cabin went to bed and lay the whole night awake from pain, thinking what excuse he could possibly make for not coming on deck next morning to his duty. he was, however, saved this trouble, for mr jolliffe brought the letter of gascoigne up to mr sawbridge, and the captain had received that of our hero. captain wilson came on board and found that mr sawbridge could communicate all the particulars of which he had not been acquainted by jack; and after they had read over gascoigne's letter in the cabin, and interrogated mr tallboys, who was sent down under an arrest, they gave free vent to their mirth. "upon my soul, there's no end to mr easy's adventures," said the captain. "i could laugh at the duel, for after all it is nothing--and he would have been let off with a severe reprimand. but the foolish boys have set off in a speronare to sicily, and how the devil are we to get them back again?" "they'll come back, sir," replied sawbridge, "when all their money's gone." "yes, if they do not get into any more scrapes. that young scamp gascoigne is as bad as easy, and now they are together there's no saying what may happen. i dine at the governor's to-day; how he will laugh when i tell him of this new way of fighting a duel!" "yes, sir, it is just the thing that will tickle old tom." "we must find out if they have got off the island, sawbridge, which may not be the case." but it was the case. jack and gascoigne had eaten a ye good dinner, sent for the monkey to amuse them till it was dark, and there had waited till the padrone came to them. "what shall we do with the pistols, easy?" "take them with us, and load them before we go--we may want them. who knows but there may be a mutiny on board of the speronare? i wish we had mesty with us." they loaded the pistols, took a pair each and put them in their waists, concealed under their clothes, divided the ammunition between them, and soon afterwards the padrone came to tell them all was ready. whereupon messrs gascoigne and easy paid there bill and rose to depart, but the padrone informed them that he should like to see the colour of their money before they went on board. jack, very indignant at the insinuation that he had not sufficient cash, pulled out a handful of doubloons, and tossing two to the padrone, and asked him if he was satisfied. the padrone untied his sash, put in the money, and with many thanks and protestations of service, begged our young gentlemen to accompany him; they did so, and in a few minutes were clear of nix mangare stairs, and, passing close to his majesty's ship harpy, were soon out of the harbour of valette. of all the varieties of vessels which float upon the wave, there is not, perhaps, one that bounds over the water so gracefully or so lightly as a speronare, or any one so picturesque and beautiful to the eye of those who watch its progress. the night was clear, and the stars shone out brilliantly as the light craft skimmed over the water, and a fragment of a desert and waning moon threw its soft beams upon the snow-white sail. the vessel, which had no deck, was full of baskets, which had contained grapes and various fruits brought from the ancient granary, of rome, still as fertile and as luxuriant as ever. the crew consisted of the padrone, two men and a boy; the three latter, with their gregos, or night great-coats with hoods, sitting forward before the sail, with their eyes fixed on the land as they flew past point after point, thinking perhaps of their wives, or perhaps of their sweethearts, or perhaps not thinking at all. the padrone remained aft at the helm, offering every politeness to our two young gentlemen, who only wished to be left alone. at last they requested the padrone to give them gregos to lie down upon, as they wished to go to sleep. he called the boy to take the helm, procured them all they required, and then went forward. and our two midshipmen laid down looking at the stars above them for some minutes, without exchanging a word. at last jack commenced-- "i have been thinking, gascoigne, that this is very delightful. my heart bounds with the vessel, and it almost appears to me as if the vessel herself was rejoicing in her liberty. here she is capering over the waves instead of being tied by the nose with a cable and anchor." "that's a touch of the sentimental, jack," replied gascoigne; "but she is no more free than she was when at anchor, for she now is forced to act in obedience to her steersman and go just where he pleases. you may just as well say that a horse, if taken out of the stable, is free, with the curb, and his rider on his back." "that's a touch of the rational, ned, which destroys the illusion. never mind, we are free, at all events. what machines we are on board of a man-of-war! we walk, talk, eat, drink, sleep, and get up, just like clock-work; we are wound up to go the twenty-four hours, and then wound up again; just like old smallsole does the chronometers." "very true, jack; but it does not appear to me, that hitherto you have kept very good time; you require a little more regulating," said gascoigne. "how can you expect any piece of machinery to go well, so damnably knocked about as a midshipman is?" replied our hero. "very true, jack; but sometimes you don't keep any time, for you don't keep any watch. mr asper don't wind you up. you don't go at all." "no; because he allows me to go down; but still i do go, ned." "yes, to your hammock--it's no go with old smallsole, if i want a bit of caulk. but, jack, what do you say--shall we keep watch to-night?" "why, to tell you the truth, i have been thinking the same thing--i don't much like the looks of the padrone--he squints." "that's no proof of anything, jack, except that his eyes are not straight: but if you do not like the look of him, i can tell you that he very much liked the look of your doubloons--i saw him start, and his eyes twinkled, and i thought at the time it was a pity you had not paid him in dollars." "it was very foolish in me, but at all events he has not seen all. he saw quite enough, ned." "very true, but you should have let him see the pistols, and not have let him see the doubloons." "well, if he wishes to take what he has seen, he shall receive what he has not seen--why, there are only four of them." "oh, i have no fear of them, only it may be as well to sleep with one eye open." "when shall we make the land?" "to-morrow evening with this wind, and it appears to be steady. suppose we keep watch and watch, and have our pistols out ready, with the great-coats just turned over them, to keep them out of sight?" "agreed--it's about twelve o'clock now--who shall keep the middle watch?" "i will, jack, if you like it." "well, then, mind you kick me hard, for i sleep devilish sound. good-night, and keep a sharp look-out." jack was fast asleep in less than ten minutes; and gascoigne, with his pistols lying by him all ready for each hand, sat up at the bottom of the boat. there certainly is a peculiar providence in favour of midshipmen compared with the rest of mankind; they have more lives than a cat-- always in the greatest danger, but always escaping from it. the padrone of the vessel had been captivated with the doubloons which jack had so foolishly exposed to his view, and he had, moreover, resolved to obtain them. at the very time that our two lads were conversing aft, the padrone was talking the matter over with his two men forward, and it was agreed that they should murder, rifle, and then throw them overboard. about two o'clock in the morning, the padrone came aft to see if they were asleep, but found gascoigne watching. he returned aft again and again, but found the young man still sitting up. tired of waiting, anxious to possess the money, and not supposing that the lads were armed, he went once more forward and spoke to the men. gascoigne had watched his motions; he thought it singular that, with three men in the vessel, the helm should be confided to the boy--and at last he saw them draw their knives. he pushed our hero, who woke immediately. gascoigne put his hand over jack's mouth, that he might not speak, and then whispered his suspicions. jack seized his pistols--they both cocked them without noise, and then waited in silence, jack still lying down, while gascoigne continued to sit up at the bottom of the boat. at last gascoigne saw the three men coming aft--he dropped one of his pistols for a second to give jack a squeeze of the hand, which was returned, and as gascoigne watched them making their way through the piles of empty baskets he leaned back as if he was slumbering. the padrone, followed by the two men, was at last aft,--they paused a moment before they stepped over the strengthening plank, which ran from side to side of the boat between them and the midshipmen, and as neither of them stirred, they imagined that both were asleep--advanced and raised their knives, when gascoigne and jack, almost at the same moment, each discharged their pistols into the breast of the padrone and one of the men, who was with him in advance, who both fell with the send aft of the boat, so as to encumber the midshipmen with the weight of their bodies. the third man started back. jack, who could not rise, from the padrone lying across his legs, took a steady aim with his second pistol, and the third man fell. the boy at the helm, who, it appeared, either was aware of what was to be done, or seeing the men advance with their knives, had acted upon what he saw, also drew his knife and struck at gascoigne from behind; the knife fortunately, after slightly wounding gascoigne on the shoulder, had shut on the boy's hand--gascoigne sprang up with his other pistol--the boy started back at the sight of it, lost his balance, and fell overboard. our two midshipmen took a few seconds to breathe. "i say, jack," said gascoigne at last, "did you ever--" "no, i never--" replied jack. "what's to be done now?" "why, as we've got possession, ned, we had better put a man at the helm-for the speronare is having it all her own way." "very true," replied gascoigne, "and as i can steer better than you, i suppose it must be me." gascoigne went to the helm, brought the boat up to the wind, and then they resumed their conversation. "that rascal of a boy gave me a devil of a lick on the shoulder; i don't know whether he has hurt me--at all events it's my left shoulder, so i can steer just as well. i wonder whether the fellows are dead." "the padrone is, at all events," replied jack. "it was as much as i could do to get my legs from under him--but we'll wait till daylight before we see to that--in the meantime, i'll load the pistols again." "the day is breaking now--it will be light in half an hour or less. what a devil of a spree, jack!" "yes, but how can one help it? we ran away because two men are wounded--and now we are obliged to kill four in self-defence." "yes, but that is not the end of it; when we get to sicily what are we to do? we shall be imprisoned by the authorities--perhaps hung." "we'll argue that point with them," replied jack. "we had better argue the point between ourselves, jack, and see what will be the best plan to get out of our scrape." "i think that we just have got out of it--never fear but we'll get out of the next. do you know, gascoigne, it appears to me very odd, but i can do nothing but there's a bobbery at the bottom of it." "you certainly have a great talent that way, jack. don't i hear one of those poor fellows groan?" "i should think that not impossible." "what shall we do with them?" "we will argue that point, ned--we must either keep their bodies, or we must throw them overboard. either tell the whole story, or say nothing about it." "that's very evident; in short, we must do something, for your argument goes no further. but now let us take up one of your propositions." "well, then, suppose we keep the bodies on board, run into a seaport, go to the authorities, and state all the facts, what then?" "we shall prove, beyond all doubt, that we have killed three men, if not four; but we shall not prove that we were obliged so to do, jack. and then we are heretics--we shall be put in prison till they are satisfied of our innocence, which we never can prove, and there we shall remain until we have written to malta, and a man-of-war comes to redeem us, if we are not stabbed or something else in the meantime." "that will not be a very pleasant cruise," replied jack. "now let's argue the point on the other side." "there is some difficulty there--suppose we throw their bodies overboard, toss the baskets after them, wash the boat clean, and make for the first port. we may chance to hit upon the very spot from which they sailed, and then there will be a pack of wives and children, and a populace with knives, asking us what has become of the men of the boat!" "i don't much like the idea of that," said jack. "and if we don't have such bad luck, still we shall be interrogated as to who we are, and how we were adrift by ourselves." "there will be a difficulty about that again--we must swear that it is a party of pleasure, and that we are gentlemen yachting." "without a crew or provisions--yachts don't sail with a clean swept hold, or gentlemen without a spare shirt--we have nothing but two gallons of water and two pairs of pistols." "i have it," said jack--"we are two young gentlemen in our own boat who went out to gozo with pistols to shoot sea-mews, were caught in a gale, and blown down to sicily--that will excite interest." "that's the best idea yet, as it will account for our having nothing in the boat. well, then, at all events, we will get rid of the bodies; but suppose they are not dead--we cannot throw them overboard alive,--that will be murder." "very true," replied jack, "then we must shoot them first, and toss them overboard afterwards." "upon my soul, easy, you are an odd fellow: however, go and examine the men, and we'll decide that point by-and-bye: you had better keep your pistol ready cocked, for they may be shamming." "devil a bit of sham here, anyhow," replied jack, pulling at the body of the padrone, "and as for this fellow you shot, you might put your fist into his chest. now for the third," continued jack, stepping over the strengthening piece--"he's all among the baskets. i say, my cock, are you dead?" and jack enforced his question with a kick in the ribs. the man groaned. "that's unlucky, gascoigne, but however, i'll soon settle him," said jack, pointing his pistol. "stop, jack," cried gascoigne, "it really will be murder." "no such thing, ned; i'll just blow his brains out, and then i'll come aft and argue the point with you." "now do oblige me by coming aft and arguing the point first. do, jack, i beg of you--i entreat you." "with all my heart," replied jack, resuming his seat by gascoigne; "i assert, that in this instance killing's no murder. you will observe, ned, that by the laws of society, any one who attempts the life of another has forfeited his own; at the same time, as it is necessary that the fact should be clearly proved, and justice be duly administered, the parties are tried, convicted, and then are sentenced to the punishment." "i grant all that." "in this instance the attempt has been clearly proved; we are the witnesses, and are the judges and jury, and society in general, for the best of all possible reasons, because there is nobody else. these men's lives, being therefore forfeited to society, belong to us; and it does not follow because they were not all killed in the attempt, that therefore they are not now to be brought out for punishment. and as there is no common hangman here, we, of course, must do this duty as well as every other. i have now clearly proved that i am justified in what i am about to do. but the argument does not stop there-- self-preservation is the first law of nature, and if we do not get rid of this man, what is the consequence?--that we shall have to account for his being wounded, and then, instead of judges, we shall immediately be placed in the position of culprits, and have to defend ourselves without witnesses. we therefore risk our lives from a misplaced lenity towards a wretch unworthy to live." "your last argument is strong, easy, but i cannot consent to your doing what may occasion you uneasiness hereafter when you think of it." "pooh! nonsense--i am a philosopher." "of what school, jack? oh, i presume you are a disciple of mesty's. i do not mean to say that you are wrong, but still hear my proposition. let us lower down the sail, and then i can leave the to assist you. we will clear the vessel of everything except the man who is still alive. at all events we may wait a little, and if at last there is no help for it, i will then agree with you to launch him overboard, even if he is not quite dead." "agreed; even by your own making out, it will be no great sin. he is half dead already--i only do half the work of tossing him over, so it will be only quarter murder on my part, and he would have shown no quarter on his." here jack left off arguing and punning, and went forward and lowered down the sail. "i've half a mind to take my doubloons back," said jack, as they launched over the body of the padrone, "but he may have them--i wonder whether they'll ever turn up again." "not in our time, jack," replied gascoigne. the other body, and all the basket, lumber, etc, were then tossed over, and the boat was cleared of all but the man who was not yet dead. "now let's examine the fellow, and see if he has any chance of recovery," said gascoigne. the man lay on his side; gascoigne turned him over and found that he was dead. "over with him, quick," said jack, "before he comes to life again." the body disappeared under the wave--they again hoisted the sail. gascoigne took the helm, and our hero proceeded to draw water and wash away the stains of blood; he then cleared the boat of vine-leaves and rubbish, with which it was strewed, swept it clean fore and aft, and resumed his seat by his comrade. "there," said jack, "now we've swept the decks, we may pipe to dinner. i wonder whether there is anything to eat in the locker." jack opened it, and found some bread, garlic, sausages, a bottle of aquadente, and a jar of wine. "so the padrone did keep his promise, after all." "yes, and had you not tempted him with the sight of so much gold, might now have been alive." "to which i reply, that if you had not advised our going off in a speronare, he would now have been alive." "and if you had not fought a duel, i should not have given the advice." "and if the boatswain had not been obliged to come on board without his trousers at gibraltar, i should not have fought a duel." "and if you had not joined the ship, the boatswain would have had his trousers on." "and if my father had not been a philosopher, i should not have gone to sea; so that it is all my father's fault, and he has killed four men off the coast of sicily without knowing it--cause and effect. after all, there's nothing like argument; so, having settled that point, let us go to dinner." having finished their meal, jack went forward and observed the land ahead; they steered the same course for three or four hours. "we must haul our wind more," said gascoigne; "it will not do to put into any small town; we have now to choose whether we shall land on the coast and sink the speronare, or land at some large town." "we must argue that point," replied jack. "in the meantime, do you take the helm, for my arm is quite tired," replied gascoigne: "you can steer well enough: by-the-bye, i may as well look at my shoulder, for it is quite stiff." gascoigne pulled off his coat, and found his shirt bloody and sticking to the wound, which, as we before observed, was slight. he again took the helm, while jack washed it clean, and then bathed it with aquadente. "now take the helm again," said gascoigne; "i'm on the sick list." "and as surgeon--i'm an idler," replied jack; "but what shall we do?" continued he; "abandon the speronare at night and sink her, or run in for a town?" "we shall fall in with plenty of boats and vessels if we coast it up to palermo, and they may overhaul us." "we shall fall in with plenty of people if we go on shore, and they will overhaul us." "do you know, jack, that i wish we were back and alongside of the harpy, i've had cruising enough." "my cruises are so unfortunate," replied jack; "they are too full of adventure; but then i have never yet had a cruise on shore. now, if we could only get to palermo, we should be out of all our difficulties." "the breeze freshens, jack," replied gascoigne; "and it begins to look very dirty to windward. i think we shall have a gale." "pleasant--i know what it is to be short-handed in a gale; however, there's one comfort, we shall not be blown off-shore this time." "no, but we may be wrecked on a lee shore. she cannot carry her whole sail, easy; we must lower it down, and take in a reef; the sooner the better, for it will be dark in an hour. go forward and lower it down, and then i'll help you." jack did so, but the sail went into the water, and he could not drag it in. "avast heaving," said gascoigne, "till i throw her up and take the wind out of it." this was done: they reefed the sail, but could not hoist it up: if gascoigne left the helm to help jack, the sail filled; if he went to the helm and took the wind out of the sail, jack was not strong enough to hoist it. the wind increased rapidly, and the sea got up; the sun went down, and with the sail half hoisted, they could not keep to the wind, but were obliged to run right for the land. the speronare flew, rising on the crest of the waves with half her keel clear of the water: the moon was already up, and gave them light enough to perceive that they were not five miles from the coast, which was lined with foam. "at all events they can't accuse us of running away with the boat," observed jack; "for she's running away with us." "yes," replied gascoigne, dragging at the tiller with all his strength; "she has taken the bit between her teeth." "i wouldn't care if i had a bit between mine," replied jack; "for i feel devilish hungry again. what do you say, ned?" "with all my heart," replied gascoigne; "but, do you know, easy, it may be the last meal we ever make." "then i vote it's a good one--but why so, ned?" "in half an hour, or thereabouts, we shall be on shore." "well, that's where we want to go." "yes, but the sea runs high, and the boat may be dashed to pieces on the rocks." "then we shall be asked no questions about her or the men." "very true, but a lee shore is no joke; we may be knocked to pieces as well as the boat--even swimming may not help us. if we could find a cove or sandy beach, we might perhaps manage to get on shore." "well," replied jack, "i have not been long at sea, and, of course, cannot know much about these things. i have been blown off shore, but i never have been blown on. it may be as you say, but i do not see the great danger--let's run her right up on the beach at once." "that's what i shall try to do," replied gascoigne, who had been four years at sea, and knew very well what he was about. jack handed him a huge piece of bread and sausage. "thank ye, i cannot eat." "i can," replied jack, with his mouth full. jack ate while gascoigne steered; and the rapidity with which the speronare rushed to the beach was almost frightful. she darted like an arrow from wave to wave, and appeared as if mocking their attempts as they curled their summits almost over her narrow stern. they were within a mile of the beach, when jack, who had finished his supper, and was looking at the foam boiling on the coast, exclaimed-- "that's very fine--very beautiful, upon my soul!" "he cares for nothing," thought gascoigne; "he appears to have no idea of danger." "now, my dear fellow," said gascoigne, "in a few minutes we shall be on the rocks. i must continue at the helm, for the higher she is forced up the better chance for us; but we may not meet again, so if we do not, good-bye and god bless you." "gascoigne," said jack, "you are hurt, and i am not; your shoulder is stiff, and you can hardly move your left arm. now i can steer for the rocks as well as you. do you go to the bow, and there you will have a better chance--by-the-bye," continued he, picking up his pistols, and sticking them into his waist, "i won't leave them, they've served us too good a turn already. gascoigne, give me the helm." "no, no, easy." "i say yes," replied jack, in a loud, authoritative tone, "and what's more, i will be obeyed, gascoigne. i have nerve, if i haven't knowledge, and at all events i can steer for the beach. i tell you, give me the helm. well, then, if you won't, i must take it." easy wrested the tiller from gascoigne's hand, and gave him a shove forward. "now do you look out ahead, and tell me how to steer." whatever may have been gascoigne's feelings at this behaviour of our hero's, it immediately occurred to him that he could not do better than to run the speronare to the safest point, and that therefore he was probably more advantageously employed than if he were at the helm. he went forward and looked at the rocks, covered at one moment with the tumultuous waters, and then pouring down cascades from their sides as the waves recoiled. he perceived a chasm right ahead, and he thought if the boat was steered for that, she must be thrown up so as to enable them to get clear of her, for, at every other part, escape appeared impossible. "starboard a little--that'll do. steady--port it is--port-steer small, for your life, easy. steady now--mind the yard don't hit your head--hold on." the speronare was at this moment thrown into a large cleft in a rock, the sides of which were nearly perpendicular; nothing else could have saved them, as, had they struck the rock outside, the boat would have been dashed to pieces, and its fragments have disappeared in the undertow. as it was, the cleft was not four feet more than the width of the boat, and as the waves hurled her up into it, the yard of the speronare was thrown fore and aft with great violence, and had not jack been warned, he would have been struck overboard without a chance of being saved; but he crouched down and it passed over him. as the water receded, the boat struck, and was nearly dry between the rocks, but another wave followed, dashing the boat further up, but, at the same time, filling it with water. the bow of the boat was now several feet higher than the stem, where jack held on; and the weight of the water in her, with the force of the returning waves, separated her right across abaft the mast. jack perceived that the after part of the boat was going out again with the wave; he caught hold of the yard which had swung fore and aft, and as he clung to it, the part of the boat on which he had stood disappeared from under him, and was swept away by the returning current. jack required the utmost of his strength to maintain his position until another wave floated him, and dashed him higher up: but he knew his life depended on holding on to the yard, which he did, although under water, and advanced several feet. when the wave receded, he found footing on the rock, and still clinging, he walked till he had gained the fore part of the boat, which was wedged firmly into a narrow part of the cleft. the next wave was not very large, and he had gained so much that it did not throw him off his legs. he reached the rock, and as he climbed up the side of the chasm to gain the ledge above, he perceived gascoigne standing above him, and holding out his hand to his assistance. "well," says jack, shaking himself to get rid of the water, "here we are ashore, at last--i had no idea of anything like this. the rush back of the water was so strong that it has almost tom my arms out of their sockets. how very lucky i sent you forward with your disabled shoulder! by-the-bye, now that it's all over, and you must see that i was right, i beg to apologise for my rudeness." "there needs no apology for saving my life, easy," replied gascoigne, trembling with the cold; "and no one but you would ever have thought of making one at such a moment." "i wonder whether the ammunition's dry," said jack; "i put it all in my hat." jack took off his hat, and found the cartridges had not suffered. "now, then, gascoigne, what shall we do?" "i hardly know," replied gascoigne. "suppose then, we sit down and argue the point." "no, i thank you, there will be too much cold water thrown upon our arguments--i'm half dead; let us walk on." "with all my heart," said jack, "it's devilish steep, but i can argue up hill or down hill, wet or dry--i'm used to it--for, as i told you before, ned, my father is a philosopher, and so am i." "by the lord! you are," replied gascoigne, as he walked on. chapter xix in which our hero follows his destiny and forms a tableau. our hero and his comrade climbed the precipice, and, after some minutes' severe toil, arrived at the summit, when they sat down to recover themselves. the sky was clear, although the gale blew strong. they had an extensive view of the coast, lashed by the angry waves. "it's my opinion, ned," said jack, as he surveyed the expanse of troubled water, "that we're just as well out of that." "i agree with you, jack; but it's also my opinion that we should be just as well out of this, for the wind blows through one. suppose we go a little further inland, where we may find some shelter till the morning." "it's rather dark to find anything," rejoined our hero; "but however, a westerly gale on the top of a mountain with wet clothes in the middle of the night, with nothing to eat or drink, is not the most comfortable position in the world, and we may change for the better." they proceeded over a flat of a hundred yards, and then descended--the change in the atmosphere was immediate. as they continued their march inland, they came to a high road, which appeared to run along the shore, and they turned into it; for, as jack said very truly, a road must lead to something. after a quarter of an hour's walk, they again heard the rolling of the surf, and perceived the white walls of houses. "here we are at last," said jack. "i wonder if any one will turn out to take us in, or shall we stow away for the night in one of those vessels hauled up on the beach?" "recollect this time, easy," said gascoigne, "not to show your money; that is, show only a dollar, and say you have no more; or promise to pay when we arrive at palermo; and if they will neither trust us, nor give to us, we must make it out as we can." "how the cursed dogs bark! i think we shall do very well this time, gascoigne; we do not look as if we were worth robbing, at all events, and we have the pistols to defend ourselves with if we are attacked. depend upon it i will show no more gold. and now let us make our arrangements. take you one pistol and take half the gold--i have it all in my right-hand pocket--my dollars and pistarenes in my left. you shall take half of them too. we have silver enough to go on with till we are in a safe place." jack then divided the money in the dark, and also gave gascoigne a pistol. "now, then, shall we knock for admittance? let's first walk through the village, and see if there's anything like an inn. those yelping curs will soon be at our heels; they come nearer and nearer every time. there's a cart, and it's full of straw--suppose we go to bed till to-morrow morning--we shall be warm, at all events." "yes," replied gascoigne, "and sleep much better than in any of the cottages. i have been in sicily before, and you have no idea how the fleas bite." our two midshipmen climbed up into the cart, nestled themselves into the straw, or rather indian corn leaves, and were soon fast asleep. as they had not slept for two nights, it is not to be wondered at that they slept soundly so soundly, indeed, that about two hours after they had got into their comfortable bed, the peasant, who had brought to the village some casks of wine to be shipped and taken down the coast in a felucca, yoked his bullocks, and not being aware of his freight, drove off, without in any way disturbing their repose, although the roads in sicily are not yet macadamised. the jolting of the roads rather increased than disturbed the sleep of our adventurers; and, although there were some rude shocks, it only had the effect of making them fancy in their dreams that they were again in the boat, and that she was still dashing against the rocks. in about two hours, the cart arrived at its destination--the peasant unyoked his bullocks and led them away. the same cause will often produce contrary effects: the stopping of the motion of the cart disturbed the rest of our two midshipmen; they turned round in the straw, yawned, spread out their arms, and then awoke. gascoigne, who felt considerable pain in his shoulder, was the first to recall his scattered senses. "easy," cried he, as he sat up and shook off the corn leaves. "port it is," said jack, half dreaming. "come, easy, you are not on board now. rouse and bit." jack then sat up and looked at gascoigne. the forage in the cart was so high round them that they could not see above it; they rubbed their eyes, yawned, and looked at each other. "have you any faith in dreams?" said jack to gascoigne, "because i had a very queer one last night." "well, so had i," replied gascoigne. "i dreamt that the cart rolled by itself into the sea, and went away with us right in the wind's eye back to malta; and considering that it never was built for such service, she behaved uncommonly well. now, what was your dream?" "mine was, that we woke up and found ourselves in the very town from which the speronare had sailed, and that they had found the fore part of the speronare among the rocks, had recognised her, and picked up one of our pistols. that they had laid hold of us, and had insisted that we had been thrown on shore in the boat, and asked us what had become of the crew--they were just seizing us, when i awoke." "your dream is more likely to come true than mine, easy; but still i think we need not fear that. at the same time, we had better not remain here any longer; and it occurs to me, that if we tore our clothes more, it would be advisable--we shall, in the first place, look more wretched; and, in the next place, can replace them with the dress of the country, and so travel without exciting suspicion. you know that i can speak italian pretty well." "i have no objection to tear my clothes if you wish," replied jack; "at the same time give me your pistol; i will draw the charges and load them again. they must be wet." having reloaded the pistols and rent their garments, the two midshipmen stood up in the cart and looked about them. "halloo!--why how's this, gascoigne? last night we were close to the beach, and among houses, and now--where the devil are we? you dreamt nearer the mark than i did, for the cart has certainly taken a cruise." "we must have slept like midshipmen, then," replied gascoigne: "surely it cannot have gone far." "here we are, surrounded by hills on every side, for at least a couple of miles. surely some good genius has transported us into the interior, that we might escape from the relatives of the crew whom i dreamt about," said jack, looking at gascoigne. as it afterwards was known to them, the speronare had sailed from the very seaport in which they had arrived that night, and where they had got into the cart. the wreck of the speronare had been found, and had been recognised, and it was considered by the inhabitants that the padrone and his crew had perished in the gale. had they found our two midshipmen and questioned them, it is not improbable that suspicion might have been excited, and the results have been such as our hero had conjured up in his dream. but, as we said before, there is a peculiar providence for midshipmen. on a minute survey, they found that they were in an open space which, apparently, had been used for thrashing and winnowing maize, and that the cart was standing under a clump of trees in the shade. "there ought to be a house hereabouts," said gascoigne, "i should think that behind the trees we shall find one. come, jack, you are as hungry as i am, i'll answer for it: we must look out for a breakfast somewhere." "if they won't give us something to eat, or sell it," replied jack, who was ravenous, clutching his pistol, "i shall take it--i consider it no robbery. the fruits of the earth were made for us all, and it never was intended that one man should have a superfluity and another starve. the laws of equality--" "may appear very good arguments to a starving man, i grant, but still won't prevent his fellow-creatures from hanging him," replied gascoigne. "none of your confounded nonsense, jack; no man starves with money in his pocket, and as long as you have that, leave those that have none to talk about equality and the rights of man." "i should like to argue that point with you, gascoigne." "tell me, do you prefer sitting down here to argue, or to look out for some breakfast, jack?" "oh, the argument may be put off, but hunger cannot." "that's very good philosophy, jack, so let's go on." they went through the copse of wood, which was very thick, and soon discovered the wall of a large house on the other side. "all right," said jack; "but still let us reconnoitre. it's not a farmhouse; it must belong to a person of some consequence--all the better--they will see that we are gentlemen, notwithstanding our tattered dress. i suppose we are to stick to the story of the sea-mews at gozo?" "yes," replied gascoigne; "i can think of nothing better. but the english are well received in this island; we have troops at palermo." "have we? i wish i was sitting down at the mess-table--but what's that? a woman screaming? yes, by heavens!--come along, ned." and away dashed jack towards the house followed by gascoigne. as they advanced the screams redoubled; they entered the porch, burst into the room from whence they proceeded, and found an elderly gentleman defending himself against two young men, who were held back by an elderly and a young lady. our hero and his comrade had both drawn their pistols, and just as they burst open the door, the old gentleman who defended himself against such odds had fallen down. the two others burst from the women, and were about to pierce him with their swords, when jack seized one by the collar of his coat and held him fast, pointing the muzzle of the pistol to his ear: gascoigne did the same to the other. it was a very dramatic tableau. the two women flew to the elderly gentleman and raised him up; the two assailants being held just as dogs hold pigs by the ear, trembling with fright, with the points of their rapiers dropped, looked at the midshipmen and the muzzles of their pistols with equal dismay; at the same time, the astonishment of the elderly gentleman and the women, at such an unexpected deliverance, was equally great. there was a silence for a few seconds. "ned," at last said jack, "tell these chaps to drop their swords, or we fire." gascoigne gave the order in italian, and it was complied with. the midshipmen then possessed themselves of the rapiers, and gave the young men their liberty. the elderly gentleman at last broke the silence. "it would appear, signors, that there was a special interference of providence, to prevent you from committing a foul and unjust murder. who these are who have so opportunely come to my rescue, i know not, but thanking them as i do now, i think that you will yourselves, when you are calm, also thank them for having prevented you from committing an act which would have loaded you with remorse, and embittered your future existence. gentleman, you are free to depart: you, don silvio, have indeed disappointed me; your gratitude should have rendered you incapable of such conduct: as for you, don scipio, you have been misled; but you both have, in one point, disgraced yourselves. ten days back my sons were both here,--why did you not come then? if you sought revenge on me, you could not have inflicted it deeper than through my children, and at least you would not have acted the part of assassins in attacking, an old man. take your swords, gentlemen, and use them better henceforth. against future attacks i shall be well prepared." gascoigne, who perfectly understood what was said, presented the sword to the young gentleman from whom he had taken it--our hero did the same. the two young men returned them to their sheaths, and quitted the room without saying a word. "whoever you are, i owe to you and thank you for my life," said the elderly gentleman, scanning the outward appearance of our two midshipmen. "we are," replied gascoigne, "officers in the english navy, and gentlemen; we were wrecked in our boat last night, and have wandered here in the dark, seeking for assistance, and food, and some conveyance to palermo, where we shall find friends, and the means of appearing like gentlemen." "was your ship wrecked, gentlemen?" inquired the sicilian, "and many lives lost?" "no, our ship is at malta; we were in a boat on a party of pleasure, were caught by a gale, and driven on the coast. to satisfy you of the truth, observe that our pistols have the king's mark, and that we are not paupers we show you gold." gascoigne pulled out his doubloons--and jack did the same, coolly observing,-- "i thought we were only to show silver, ned!" "it needed not that," replied the gentleman; "your conduct in this affair, your manners and address, fully convince me that you are what you represent; but were you common peasants, i am equally indebted to you for my life, and you may command me. tell me in what way i can be of service." "in giving us something to eat, for we have had nothing for many, many hours. after that we may, perhaps, trespass a little more upon your kind offices." "you must, of course, be surprised at what has passed, and curious to know the occasion," said the gentleman; "you have a right to be informed of it, and shall be, as soon as you are more comfortable; in the meantime, allow me to introduce myself as don rebiera de silva." "i wish," said jack, who, from his knowledge of spanish, could understand the whole of the last part of the don's speech, "that he would introduce us to his breakfast." "so do i," said gascoigne; "but we must wait a little--he ordered the ladies to prepare something instantly." "your friend does not speak italian," said don rebiera. "no, don rebiera, he speaks french and spanish." "if he speaks spanish, my daughter can converse with him; she has but shortly arrived from spain. we are closely united with a noble house in that country." don rebiera then led the way to another room, and in a short time there was a repast brought in, to which our midshipmen did great justice. "i will now," said the don, "relate to you, sir, for the information of yourself and friend, the causes which produced this scene of violence, which you so opportunely defeated. but first, as it must be very tedious to your friend, i will send for donna clara and my daughter agnes to talk to him; my wife understands a little spanish, and my daughter, as i said before, has but just left the country, where, from circumstances, she remained some years." as soon as donna clara and donna agnes made their appearance and were introduced, jack, who had not before paid attention to them, said to himself, "i have seen a face like that girl's before." if so, he had never seen many like it, for it was the quintessence of brunette beauty, and her figure was equally perfect; although, not having yet completed her fifteenth year, it required still a little more development. donna clara was extremely gracious, and as, perhaps, she was aware that her voice would drown that of her husband, she proposed to our hero to walk in the garden, and in a few minutes they took their seats in a pavilion at the end of it. the old lady did not talk much spanish, but when at a loss for a word, she put in an italian one, and jack understood her perfectly well. she told him her sister had married a spanish nobleman many years since, and that before the war broke out between the spanish and the english they had gone over with all their children to see her; that when they wished to return, her daughter agnes, then a child, was suffering under a lingering complaint, and it was thought advisable, as she was very weak, to leave her under the charge of her aunt, who had a little girl of nearly the same age; that they were educated together at a convent, near tarragona, and that she had only returned two months ago; that she had a very narrow escape, as the ship in which her uncle, and aunt, and cousins, as well as herself, were on board, returning from genoa, where her brother-in-law had been obliged to go to secure a succession to some property bequeathed to him, had been captured in the night by the english; but the officer, who was very polite, had allowed them to go away next day, and very handsomely permitted them to take all their effects. "oh, oh," thought jack; "i thought i had seen her face before; this then was one of the girls in the corner of the cabin--now i'll have some fun." during the conversation with the mother, donna agnes had remained some paces behind, picking now and then a flower, and not attending to what passed. when our hero and her mother sat down in the pavilion she joined then, when jack addressed her with his usual politeness. "i am almost ashamed to be sitting by you, donna agnes, in this ragged dress--but the rocks of your coast have no respect for persons." "we are under great obligations, signor, and do not regard such trifles." "you are all kindness, signora," replied jack; "i little thought this morning of my good fortune,--i can tell the fortunes of others, but not my own." "you can tell fortunes!" replied the old lady. "yes, madame, i am famous for it--shall i tell your daughter hers?" donna agnes looked at our hero, and smiled. "i perceive that the young lady does not believe me; i must prove my art, by telling her of what has already happened to her. the signora will then give me credit." "certainly, if you do that," replied agnes. "oblige me, by showing me the palm of your hand." agnes extended her little hand, and jack felt so very polite, that he was nearly kissing it. however, he restrained himself, and examining the lines-- "that you were educated in spain--that you arrived here but two months ago--that you were captured and released by the english, your mother has already told me; but to prove to you that i knew all that, i must now be more particular. you were in a ship mounting fourteen guns-- was it not so?" donna agnes nodded her head. "i never told the signor that," cried donna clara. "she was taken by surprise in the night, and there was no fighting. the next morning the english burst open the cabin-door; your uncle and your cousin fired their pistols." "holy virgin!" cried agnes, with surprise. "the english officer was a young man, not very good-looking." "there you are wrong, signor--he was very handsome." "there is no accounting for taste, signora. you were frightened out of your wits, and with your cousin you crouched down in the corner of the cabin. let me examine that little line closer. you had--yes, it's no mistake--you had very little clothes on." agnes tore away her hand and covered her face. "e vero, e vero; holy jesus! how could you know that?" of a sudden agnes looked at our hero, and after a minute appeared to recognise him. "oh, mother, 'tis he--i recollect now, 'tis he!" "who, my child?" replied donna clara, who had been struck dumb with jack's astonishing power of fortune-telling. "the officer who captured us and was so kind." jack burst out into a laughter not to be controlled for some minutes, and then acknowledged that she had discovered him. "at all events, donna agnes," said he at last, "acknowledge that, ragged as i am, i have seen you in a much greater dishabille." agnes sprang up, and took to her heels, that she might hide her confusion, and at the same time go to her father and tell him who he had as his guest. although don rebiera had not yet finished his narrative, this announcement of agnes, who ran in breathless to communicate it, immediately brought all the parties together, and jack received their thanks. "i little thought," said the don, "that i should have been so doubly indebted to you, sir. command my services as you please, both of you. my sons are at palermo, and i trust you will allow them the pleasure of your friendship when you are tired of remaining with us." jack made his politest bow, and then with a shrug of his shoulders looked down upon his habiliments, which, to please gascoigne, he had torn into ribands, as much as to say, "we are not provided for a lengthened stay." "my brothers' clothes will fit them, i think," said agnes to her father; "they have left plenty in their wardrobes." "if the signors will condescend to wear them till they can replace their own." midshipmen are very condescending. they followed don rebiera, and condescended to put on clean shirts belonging to don philip and don martin. also to put on their trousers, to select their best waistcoats and coats; in short, they condescended to have a regular fit-out--and it so happened that the fit-out was not far from a regular fit. having condescended, they then descended, and the intimacy between all parties became so great that it appeared as if they not only wore the young men's clothes but also stood in their shoes. having thus made themselves presentable, jack presented his hand to both ladies and led them into the garden, that don rebiera might finish his long story to gascoigne without further interruption, and resuming their seats in the pavilion, he entertained the ladies with a history of his cruise in the ship after her capture. agnes soon recovered from her reserve, and jack had the forbearance not to allude again to the scene in the cabin, which was the only thing she dreaded. after dinner, when the family, according to custom, had retired for the siesta, gascoigne and jack, who had slept enough in the cart to last for a week, went out together in the garden. "well, ned," said jack, "do you wish yourself on board the harpy again?" "no," replied gascoigne, "we have fallen on our feet at last, but still not without first being knocked about like peas in a rattle. what a lovely little creature that agnes is! how strange that you should fall in with her again! how odd that we should come here!" "my good fellow, we did not come here. destiny brought us in a cart. she may take us to tyburn in the same way." "yes, if you sport your philosophy as you did when we awoke this morning." "nevertheless, i'll be hanged if i'm not right. suppose we argue the point?" "right or wrong, you will be hanged, jack; so instead of arguing the point, suppose i tell you what the don made such a long story about." "with all my heart--let us go to the pavilion." our hero and his friend took their seats, and gascoigne then communicated the history of don rebiera, to which we shall dedicate the ensuing chapter. chapter xx a long story, which the reader must listen to, as well as our hero. "i have already made you acquainted with my name, and i have only to add that it is one of the most noble in sicily, and that there are few families who possess such large estates. my father was a man who had no pleasure in the pursuits of most of the young men of his age; he was of a weakly constitution, and was with difficulty reared to manhood. when his studies were completed he retired to his country seat belonging to our family, which is about twenty miles from palermo, and shutting himself up, devoted himself wholly to literary pursuits. "as he was an only son, his parents were naturally very anxious that he should marry; the more so as his health did not promise him a very extended existence. had he consulted his own inclinations he would have declined, but he felt that it was his duty to comply with their wishes; but he did not trouble himself with the choice, leaving it wholly to them. they selected a young lady of high family and certainly of most exquisite beauty. i only wish i could say more in her favour--for she was my mother--but it is impossible to narrate the history without exposing her conduct. the marriage took place, and my father--having woke up, as it were, at the celebration--again returned to his closet, to occupy himself in abstruse studies--the results of which have been published, and have fully established his reputation as a man of superior talent and deep research. but, however much the public may appreciate the works of a man of genius, whether they be written to instruct or to amuse, certain it is that a literary man requires in his wife either a mind congenial to his own, or that pride in her husband's talents which induces her to sacrifice much of her own domestic enjoyment to the satisfaction of having his name extolled abroad. i mention this point as some extenuation of my mother's conduct. she was neglected most certainly, but not neglected for frivolous amusements, or because another form had captivated his fancy; but in his desire to instruct others, and i may add his ambition for renown, he applied himself to his literary pursuits, became abstracted, answered without hearing, and left his wife to amuse herself in any way she might please. a literary husband is, without exception--although always at home--the least domestic husband in the world, and must try the best of tempers--not by unkindness, for my father was kind and indulgent to excess, but by that state of perfect abstraction and indifference which he, showed to everything except the favourite pursuit which absorbed him. my mother had but to speak, and every wish was granted--a refusal was unknown. you may say, what could she want more? i reply, that anything to a woman is preferable to indifference. the immediate consent to every wish took away, in her opinion, all merit in the grant--the value of everything is only relative, and in proportion to the difficulty of obtaining it. the immediate assent to every opinion was tantamount to insult--it implied that he did not choose to argue with her. "it is true that women like to have their own way--but they like at the same time to have difficulties to surmount and to conquer; otherwise half the gratification is lost. although tempests are to be deplored, still a certain degree of oscillation an motion are requisite to keep fresh and clear the lake of matrimony, the waters of which otherwise soon stagnate and become foul, and without some contrary currents of opinion between a married couple such a stagnation must take place. "a woman permitted always and invariably to have her own way without control is much in the same situation as the child who insists upon a whole instead of half a holiday, and before the evening closes is tired of himself and everything about him. in short, a little contradiction, like salt at dinner, seasons and appetises the repast; but too much, eke the condiment in question, spoils the whole, and it becomes unpalatable in proportion to its excess. "my mother was a vain woman in every sense of the word--vain of her birth and of her beauty, and accustomed to receive that homage to which she considered herself entitled. she had been spoiled in her infancy, and as she grew up had leant nothing, because she was permitted to do as she pleased; she was therefore frivolous, and could not appreciate what she could not comprehend. there never was a more ill-assorted union." "i have always thought that such must be the case," replied gascoigne, "in catholic countries, where a young person is taken out of a convent and mated according to what her family or her wealth may consider as the most eligible connection." "on that subject there are many opinions, my friend," replied don rebiera. "it is true, that when a marriage of convenience is arranged by the parents, the dispositions of the parties are made a secondary point; but then, again, it must be remembered, that when a choice is left to the parties themselves, it is at an age at which there is little worldly consideration: and, led away, in the first place, by their passions, they form connections with those inferior in their station which are attended with eventual unhappiness; or, in the other, allowing that they do choose in their own rank of life, they make quite as bad or often a worse choice than if their partners were selected for them." "i cannot understand that," replied gascoigne. "the reason is, because there are no means, or, if means, no wish, to study each other's disposition. a young man is attracted by person, and he admires; the young woman is flattered by the admiration, and is agreeable; if she has any faults she is not likely to display them-- not concealing them from hypocrisy, but because they are not called out. the young man falls in love, so does the young woman: and when once in love, they can no longer see faults; they marry, imagining that they have found perfection. in the blindness of love each raises the other to a standard of perfection which human nature can never attain, and each becomes equally annoyed on finding, by degrees, that they were in error. the re-action takes place, and they then under-rate, as much as before they had over-rated, each other. now, if two young people marry without this violence of passion, they do not expect to find each other perfect, and perhaps have a better chance of happiness." "i don't agree with you," thought gascoigne; "but as you appear to be as fond of argument as my friend jack, i shall make no reply, lest there be no end to the story." don rebiera proceeded. "my mother, finding that my father preferred his closet and his books to gaiety and dissipation, soon left him to himself, and amused herself after her own fashion, but not until i was born, which was ten months after their marriage. my father was confiding, and, pleased that my mother should be amused, he indulged her in everything. time flew on, and i had arrived at my fifteenth year, and came home from my studies, it being intended that i should enter the army, which you are aware is generally the only profession embraced in this country by the heirs of noble families. of course, i knew little of what had passed at home, but still i had occasionally heard my mother spoken lightly of, when i was not supposed to be present, and i always heard my father's name mentioned with compassion, as if an ill-used man, but i knew nothing more: still this was quite sufficient for a young man, whose blood boiled at the idea of anything like a stigma being cast upon his family. i arrived at my father's--i found him at his books; i paid my respects to my mother,-- i found her with her confessor. i disliked the man at first sight; he was handsome, certainly: his forehead was high and white, his eyes large and fiery, and his figure commanding; but there was a dangerous, proud look about him which disgusted me,--nothing like humility or devotion. i might have admired him as an officer commanding a regiment of cavalry, but as a churchman he appeared to be most misplaced. she named me with kindness, but he appeared to treat me with disdain; he spoke authoritatively to my mother, who appeared to yield implicitly, and i discovered that he was lord of the whole household. my mother, too, it was said, had given up gaieties and become devout. i soon perceived more than a common intelligence between them, and before i had been two months at home i had certain proofs of my father's dishonour; and, what was still more unfortunate for me, they were aware that such was the case. "my first impulse was to acquaint my father; but, on consideration, i thought it better to say nothing, provided i could persuade my mother to dismiss father ignatio. i took an opportunity when she was alone to express my indignation at her conduct, and to demand his immediate dismissal, as a condition of my not divulging her crime. she appeared frightened, and gave her consent; but i soon found that her confessor had more power with her than i had, and he remained. i now resolved to acquaint my father, and i roused him from his studies that he might listen to his shame. i imagined that he would have acted calmly and discreetly; but, on the contrary, his violence was without bounds, and i had the greatest difficulty from preventing his rushing with his sword to sacrifice them both. at last he contented himself by turning father ignatio out of the house in the most ignominious manner, and desiring my mother to prepare for seclusion in a convent for the remainder of her days. but he fell their victim; three days afterwards, as my mother was, by his directions, about to be removed, he was seized with convulsions, and died. "i need hardly say that he was carried off by poison; this, however, could not be established till long afterwards. before he died he seemed to be almost supernaturally prepared for an event which never came into my thoughts. he sent for another confessor, who drew up his confession in writing at his own request, and afterwards inserted it in his will. my mother remained in the house, and father ignatio had the insolence to return. i ordered him away, and he resisted. he was turned out by the servants. i had an interview with my mother, who defied me, and told me that i should soon have a brother to share in the succession. i felt that, if so, it would be the illegitimate progeny of her adultery, and told her my opinion. she expressed her rage in the bitterest curses, and i left her. shortly afterwards she quitted the house and retired to another of our country seats, where she lived with father ignatio as before. about four months afterwards, formal notice was sent to me of the birth of a brother; but as when my father's will was opened, he there had inserted his confession, or the substance of it, in which he stated, that aware of my mother's guilt, and supposing that consequences might ensue, he solemnly declared before god that he had for years lived apart, i cared little for this communication. i contented myself with replying that as the child belonged to the church, it had better be dedicated to its service. "i had, however, soon reason to acknowledge the vengeance of my mother and her paramour. one night i was attacked by bravos; and had i not fortunately received assistance, i should have forfeited my life; as it was, i received a severe wound. "against attempts of that kind i took every precaution in future, but still every attempt was made to ruin my character, as well as to take my life. a young sister disappeared from a convent in my neighbourhood, and on the ground near the window from which she descended was found a hat, recognised to be mine. i was proceeded against, and notwithstanding the strongest interest, it was with difficulty that the affair was arranged, although i had incontestably proved an alibi. "a young man of rank was found murdered, with a stiletto, known to be mine, buried in his bosom, and it was with difficulty that i could establish my innocence. "part of a banditti had been seized, and on being asked the name of their chief, when they received absolution, they confessed that i was the chief of the band. "everything that could be attempted was put into practice; and if i did not lose my life, at all events i was avoided by almost everybody as a dangerous and doubtful character. "at last a nobleman of rank, the father of don scipio, whom you disarmed, was assassinated; the bravos were taken, and they acknowledged that i was the person who hired them. i defended myself, but the king imposed upon me a heavy fine and banishments i had just received the order, and was crying out against the injustices and lamenting my hard fate, as i sat down to dinner. latterly, aware of what my enemies would attempt, i had been accustomed to live much alone. my faithful valet pedro was my only attendant. i was eating my dinner with little appetite, and had asked for some wine. pedro went to the buffet behind him to give me what i required. accidentally i lifted up my head, and there being a large pier-glass opposite to me, i saw the figure of my valet, and that he was pouring a powder in the flagon of wine which he was about to present to me. i recollected the hat being found at the nunnery, and also the stiletto in the body of the young man. "like lightning it occurred to me, that i had been fostering the viper who had assisted to destroy me. he brought me the flagon. i rose, locked the door, and drawing my sword, i addressed him--'villain! i know thee; down on your knees, for your life is forfeited.' "he turned pale, trembled, and sank upon his knees. 'now then,' continued i, 'you have but one chance either drink off this flagon of wine, or i pass my sword through your body.' he hesitated, and i put the point to his breast,--even pierced the flesh a quarter of an inch. "'drink,' cried i, 'is it so very unjust an order to tell you to drink old wine? drink,' continued i, 'or my sword does its duty.' "he drank, and would then have quitted the room. 'no, no,' said i, 'you remain here, and the wine must have its effect. if i have wronged you i will make amends to you--but i am suspicious.' "in about a quarter of an hour, during which time i paced up and down the room, with my sword drawn, my servant fell down, and cried in mercy to let him have a priest. i sent for my own confessor, and he then acknowledged that he was an agent of my mother and father ignatio, and had been the means of making it appear that i was the committer of all the crimes and murders which had been perpetrated by them, with a view to my destruction. a strong emetic having been administered to him, he partially revived, and was taken to palermo, where he gave his evidence before he expired. "when this was made known, the king revoked his sentence, apologised to me, and i found that once more i was visited and courted by everybody. my mother was ordered to be shut up in a convent, where she died, i trust, in grace; and father ignatio fled to italy, and i have been informed is since dead. "having thus rid myself of my principal enemies, i considered myself safe. i married the lady whom you have just seen, and before my eldest son was born, don silvio, for such was the name given to my asserted legitimate brother, came of age, and demanded his succession. had he asked me for a proper support, as my uterine brother, i should not have refused; but that the son of friar ignatio, who had so often attempted my life, should, in case of my decease, succeed to the title and estates, was not to be borne. a lawsuit was immediately commenced, which lasted four or five years, during which don silvio married, and had a son, that young man whom you heard me address by the same name; but after much litigation, it was decided that my father's confessor and will had proved his illegitimacy, and the suit was in my favour. from that time to this, there has been a constant enmity. don silvio refused all my offers of assistance, and followed me with a pertinacity which often endangered my life. at last he fell by the hands of his own agents, who mistook him for me. don silvio died without leaving any provision for his family; his widow i pensioned, and his son i have had carefully brought up, and have indeed treated most liberally, but he appears to have imbibed the spirit of his father, and no kindness has been able to embue him with gratitude. "he had lately been placed by me in the army, where he found out my two sons, and quarrelled with them both upon slight pretence; but, in both instances, he was wounded and carried off the field. "my two sons have been staying with me these last two months, and did not leave till yesterday. this morning don silvio, accompanied by don scipio, came to the house, and after accusing me of being the murderer of both their parents, drew their rapiers to assassinate me. my wife and child, hearing the noise, came down to my assistance--you know the rest." chapter xxi in which our hero is brought up all standing under a press of sail. our limits will not permit us to relate all that passed during our hero's stay of a fortnight at don rebiera's. he and gascoigne were treated as if they were his own sons, and the kindness of the female part of the family was equally remarkable. agnes, naturally perhaps, showed a preference or partiality for jack: to which gascoigne willingly submitted, as he felt that our hero had a prior and stronger claim, and during the time that they remained a feeling of attachment was created between agnes and the philosopher, which, if not love, was at least something very near akin to it, but the fact was, that they were both much too young to think of marriage; and, although they walked and talked, and laughed, and played together, they were always at home in time for their dinner. still, the young lady thought she preferred our hero, even to her brothers, and jack thought that the young lady was the prettiest and kindest girl that he had ever met with. at the end of the fortnight, our two midshipmen took their leave, furnished with letters of recommendation to many of the first nobility in palermo, and mounted on two fine mules with bell bridles. the old donna kissed them both--the don showered down his blessings of good wishes, and donna agnes' lips trembled as she bade them adieu; and, as soon as they were gone, she went up to her chamber and wept. jack also was very grave, and his eyes moistened at the thoughts of leaving agnes. neither of them were aware, until the hour of parting, how much they had wound themselves together. the first quarter of an hour our two midshipmen followed their guide in silence. jack wished to be left to his own thoughts, and gascoigne perceived it. "well, easy," said gascoigne, at last, "if i had been in your place, constantly in company of, and loved by, that charming girl, i could never have torn myself away." "loved by her, ned!" replied jack, "what makes you say that?" "because i am sure it was the case; she lived but in your presence. why, if you were out of the room, she never spoke a word, but sat there as melancholy as a sick monkey--the moment you came in again, she beamed out as glorious as the sun, and was all life and spirit." "i thought people were always melancholy when they were in love," replied jack. "when those that they love are out of their presence." "well, then, i am out of her presence, and i feel very melancholy, so i suppose, by your argument, i am in love. can a man be in love without knowing it?" "i really cannot say, jack; i never was in love myself, but i've seen many others spoony. my time will come, i suppose, by-and-bye. they say, that for every man made, there is a woman also made to fit him, if he could only find her. now, it's my opinion that you have found yours--i'll lay my life she's crying at this moment." "do you really think so, ned? let's go back--poor little agnes--let's go back; i feel i do love her, and i'll tell her so." "pooh, nonsense! it's too late now; you should have told her that before, when you walked with her in the garden." "but i did not know it, ned. however, as you say, it would be foolish to turn back, so i'll write to her from palermo." here an argument ensued upon love, which we shall not trouble the reader with, as it was not very profound, both sides knowing very little on the subject. it did, however, end with our hero being convinced that he was desperately in love, and he talked about giving up the service as soon as he arrived at malta. it is astonishing what sacrifices midshipmen will make for the objects of their adoration. it was not until late in the evening that our adventurers arrived at palermo. as soon as they were lodged at the hotel, gascoigne sat down and wrote a letter in their joint names to don rebiera, returning him many thanks for his great kindness, informing him of their safe arrival, and trusting that they should soon meet again: and jack took up his pen, and indicted a letter in spanish to agnes, in which he swore that neither tide nor time, nor water, nor air, nor heaven, nor earth, nor the first lieutenant, nor his father, nor absence, nor death itself, should prevent him from coming back and marrying her, the first convenient opportunity, begging her to refuse a thousand offers, as come back he would, although there was no saying when. it was a perfect love letter, that is to say, it was the essence of nonsense; but that made it perfect, for the greater the love the greater the folly. these letters were consigned to the man who was sent as their guide, and also had to return with the mules. he was liberally rewarded; and, as jack told him to be very careful of his letter, the italian naturally concluded that it was to be delivered clandestinely, and he delivered it accordingly, at a time when agnes was walking in the garden thinking of our hero. nothing was more opportune than the arrival of the letter; agnes ran to the pavilion, read it over twenty times, kissed it twenty times, and hid it in her bosom; sat for a few minutes in deep and placid thought, took the letter out of its receptacle, and read it over and over again. it was very bad spanish, and very absurd, but she thought it delightful, poetical, classical, sentimental, argumentative, convincing, incontrovertible, imaginative and even grammatical; for if it was not good spanish, there was no spanish half so good. alas! agnes was indeed unsophisticated, to be in such ecstasies with a midshipman's love letter. once more she hastened to her room to weep, but it was from excess of joy and delight. the reader may think agnes silly, but he must take into consideration the climate, and that she was not yet fifteen. our young gentlemen sent for a tailor, and each ordered a new suit of clothes; they delivered their letters of recommendation, and went to the banker to whom they were addressed by don rebiera. "i shall draw for ten pounds, jack," said gascoigne, "on the strength of the shipwreck; i shall tell the truth, all except that we forgot to ask for leave, which i shall leave out; and i am sure the story will be worth ten pounds. what shall you draw for, jack?" "i shall draw for two hundred pounds," replied jack; "i mean to have a good cruise while i can." "but will your governor stand that, easy?" "to be sure he will." "then you're right--he is a philosopher--i wish he'd teach mine, for he hates the sight of a bill." "then don't you draw, ned--i have plenty for both. if every man had his equal share and rights in the world, you would be as able to draw as much as i; and as you cannot, upon the principles of equality you shall have half." "i really shall become a convert to your philosophy, jack; it does not appear to be so nonsensical as i thought it. at all events, it has saved my old governor ten pounds, which he can ill afford, as a colonel on half-pay." on their return to the inn, they found don philip and don martin, to whom don rebiera had written, who welcomed them with open arms. they were two very fine young men of eighteen and nineteen, who were finishing their education in the army. jack asked them to dinner, and they and our hero soon became inseparable. they took him to all the theatres, the conversaziones of all the nobility, and as jack lost his money with good humour, and was a very handsome fellow, he was everywhere well received and was made much of: many ladies made love to him, but jack was only very polite, because he thought more and more of agnes every day. three weeks passed away like lightning, and neither jack nor gascoigne thought of going back. at last, one fine day h.m. frigate aurora anchored in the bay, and jack and gascoigne, who were at a party at the duke of pentaro's, met with the captain of the aurora, who was also invited. the duchess introduced them to captain tartar, who imagining them, from their being in plain clothes, to be young englishmen of fortune on their travels, was very gracious and condescending. jack was so pleased with his urbanity that he requested the pleasure of his company to dinner the next day: captain tartar accepted the invitation, and they parted shaking hands, with many expressions of pleasure in having made his acquaintance. jack's party was rather large, and the dinner sumptuous. the sicilian gentlemen did not drink much wine: but captain tartar liked his bottle, and although the rest of the company quitted the table to go to a ball given that evening by the marquesa novara, jack was too polite not to sit it out with the captain: gascoigne closed his chair to jack's, who, he was afraid, being a little affected with the wine, would "let the cat out of the bag." the captain was amazingly entertaining. jack told him how happy he should be to see him at forest hill, which property the captain discovered to contain six thousand acres of land, and also that jack was an only son; and captain tartar was quite respectful when he found that he was in such very excellent company. the captain of the frigate inquired of jack what brought him out here, and jack, whose prudence was departing, told him that he came in his majesty's ship harpy. gascoigne gave jack a nudge, but it was of no use, for as the wine got into jack's brain, so did his notions of equality. "oh! wilson gave you a passage; he's an old friend of mine." "so he is of ours," replied jack; "he's a devilish good sort of a fellow, wilson." "but where have you been since you came out?" inquired captain tartar. "in the harpy," replied jack; "to be sure, i belong to her." "you belong to her! in what capacity, may i ask?" inquired captain tartar in a much less respectful and confidential tone. "midshipman," replied jack; "so is mr gascoigne." "umph! you are on leave then?" "no, indeed," replied jack; "i'll tell you how it is, my dear fellow." "excuse me for one moment," replied captain tartar, rising up; "i must give some directions to my servant which i forgot." captain tartar hailed his coxswain out of the window, gave orders just outside of the door, and then returned to the table. in the meantime, gascoigne, who expected a breeze, had been cautioning jack, in a low tone, at intervals, when captain tartar's back was turned: but it was useless; the extra quantity of wine had got into jack's head, and he cared nothing for gascoigne's remonstrance. when the captain resumed his seat at the table, jack gave him the true narrative of all that had passed, to which his guest paid the greatest attention. jack wound up his confidence by saying, that in a week or so he should go back to don rebiera and propose for donna agnes. "ah!" exclaimed captain tartar, drawing his breath with astonishment, and compressing his lip. "tartar, the wine stands with you," said jack, "allow me to help you." captain tartar threw himself back in his chair, and let all the air out of his chest with a sort of whistle, as if he could hardly contain himself. "have you had wine enough?" said jack, very politely; "if so, we will go to the marquesa's." the coxswain came to the door, touched his hat to the captain, and looked significantly. "and so, sir," cried captain tartar, in a voice of thunder, rising from his chair, "you're a d---d runaway midshipman, who, if you belonged to my ship, instead of marrying donna agnes, i would marry you to the gunner's daughter, by g--d; two midshipmen sporting plain clothes in the best society in palermo, and having the impudence to ask a post-captain to dine with them! to ask me and address me as 'tartar,' and 'my dear fellow!' you infernal young scamps!" continued captain tartar, now boiling with rage, and striking his fist on the table so as to set all the glasses waltzing. "allow me to observe, sir," said jack, who was completely sobered by the address, 'that we do not belong to your ship, and that we are in plain clothes.' "in plain clothes--midshipmen in mufti--yes, you are so: a couple of young swindlers, without a sixpence in your pocket, passing yourselves off as young men of fortune, and walking off through the window without paying your bill." "do you mean to call me a swindler, sir," replied jack. "yes, sir, you--" "then you lie!" exclaimed our hero in a rage. "i am a gentleman, sir--i am sorry i cannot pay you the same compliment." the astonishment and rage of captain tartar took away his breath. he tried to speak, but could not--he gasped, and gasped, and then sat or almost fell down in his chair--at last he recovered himself. "matthews--matthews!" "sir," replied the coxswain, who had remained at the door. "the sergeant of marines." "here he is, sir." the sergeant entered, and raised the back of his hand to his hat. "bring your marines in--take charge of these two. directly you are on board, put them both legs in irons." the marines with their bayonets walked in and took possession of our hero and gascoigne. "perhaps, sir," replied jack, who was now cool again, "you will permit us to pay our bill before we go on board. we are no swindlers, and it is rather a heavy one--or, as you have taken possession of our persons, you will, perhaps, do us the favour to discharge it yourself"; and jack threw on the table a heavy purse of dollars. "i have only to observe, captain tartar, that i wish to be very liberal to the waiters." "sergeant, let them pay their bill," said captain tartar in a more subdued tone, taking his hat and sword, and walking out of the room. "by heavens, easy, what have you done?--you will be tried by a court-martial, and turned out of the service." "i hope so," replied jack; "i was a fool to come into it. but he called me a swindler, and i would give the same answer to-morrow." "if you are ready, gentlemen," said the sergeant who had been long enough with captain tartar to be aware that to be punished by him was no proof of fault having been committed. "i will go and pack up our things, easy, while you pay the bill," said gascoigne. "marine, you had better come with me." in less than half an hour, our hero and his comrade, instead of finding themselves at the marquesa's ball, found themselves very comfortably in irons under the half-deck of his majesty's frigate, aurora. we shall leave them, and return to captain tartar, who had proceeded to the ball, to which he had been invited. on his entering he was accosted by don martin and don philip, who inquired what had become of our hero and his friend. captain tartar who was in no very good humour, replied briskly, "that they were on board his ship in irons." "in irons! for what?" exclaimed don philip. "because, sir, they are a couple of young scamps who have introduced themselves into the best company, passing themselves off as people of consequence, when they are only a couple of midshipmen who have run away from their ship." now the rebieras knew very well that jack and his friend were midshipmen; but this did not appear to them any reason why they should not be considered as gentlemen, and treated accordingly. "do you mean to say, signor," said don philip, "that you have accepted their hospitality, laughed, talked, walked arm-in-arm with them, pledged them in wine, as we have seen you this evening, and after they have confided in you that you have put them in irons?" "yes, sir, i do," replied captain tartar. "then, by heaven, you have my defiance, and you are no gentleman!" replied don philip, the elder. "and i repeat my brother's words, sir," cried don martin. the two brothers felt so much attachment for our hero, who had twice rendered such signal service to their family, that their anger was without bounds. in every other service but the english navy there is not that power of grossly insulting and then sheltering yourself under your rank; nor is it necessary for the discipline of any service. to these young officers, if the power did exist, the use of such power under such circumstances appeared monstrous, and they were determined, at all events, to show to captain tartar that in society, at least, it could be resented. they collected their friends, told them what had passed, and begged them to circulate it through the room. this was soon done, and captain tartar found himself avoided. he went up to the marquesa and spoke to her, she turned her head the other way. he addressed a count he had been conversing with the night before--he turned short round upon his heel, while don philip and don martin walked up and down talking, so that he might hear what they said, and looking at him with eyes flashing with indignation. captain tartar left the ballroom and returned to the inn, more indignant than ever. when he rose the next morning he was informed that a gentleman wished to speak with him; he sent up his card as don ignatio verez, colonel commanding the fourth regiment of infantry. on being admitted, he informed captain tartar that don philip de rebiera wished to have the pleasure of crossing swords with him, and requested to know when it would be convenient for captain tartar to meet him. it was not in captain tartar's nature to refuse a challenge; his courage was unquestionable, but he felt indignant that a midshipman should be the cause of his getting into such a scrape. he accepted the challenge, but having no knowledge of the small sword, refused to fight unless with pistols. to this the colonel raised no objections, and captain tartar despatched his coxswain with a note to his second lieutenant, for he was not on good terms with his first. the meeting took place--at the first fire the ball of don philip passed through captain tartar's brain, and he instantly fell dead. the second lieutenant hastened on board to report the fatal result of the meeting, and shortly after, don philip and his brother, with many of their friends, went off in the governor's barge to condole with our hero. the first lieutenant, now captain "pro tempore," received them graciously, and listened to their remonstrances relative to our hero and gascoigne. "i have never been informed by the captain of the grounds of complaint against the young gentlemen," replied he, "and have therefore no charge to prefer against them. i shall therefore order them to be liberated. but as i learn that they are officers belonging to one of his majesty's ships lying at malta, i feel it my duty, as i sail immediately, to take them there and send them on board of their own ship." jack and gascoigne were then taken out of irons and permitted to see don philip, who informed them that he had revenged the insult, but jack and gascoigne did not wish to go on shore again after what had passed. after an hour's conversation, and assurances of continued friendship, don philip, his brother, and their friends, took leave of our two midshipmen, and rowed on shore. and now we must be serious. we do not write these novels merely to amuse,--we have always had it in our view to instruct, and it must not be supposed that we have no other end in view than to make the reader laugh. if we were to write an elaborate work, telling truths, and plain truths, confining ourselves only to point out errors and to demand reform, it would not be read; we have therefore selected this light and trifling species of writing, as it is by many denominated, as a channel through which we may convey wholesome advice in a palatable shape. if we would point out an error, we draw a character, and although that character appears to weave naturally into the tale of fiction, it becomes as much a beacon as it is a vehicle of amusement. we consider this to be the true art of novel writing, and that crime and folly and error can be as severely lashed as virtue and morality can be upheld, by a series of amusing causes and effects, that entice the reader to take a medicine, which, although rendered agreeable to the palate, still produces the same internal benefit, as if it had been presented to him in its crude state, in which it would either be refused or nauseated. in our naval novels, we have often pointed out the errors which have existed, and still do exist, in a service which is an honour to its country; for what institution is there on earth that is perfect, or into which, if it once was perfect, abuses will not creep? unfortunately, others have written to decry the service, and many have raised up their voices against our writings, because they felt that, in exposing error, we were exposing them. but to this we have been indifferent; we felt that we were doing good, and we have continued. to prove that we are correct in asserting that we have done good, we will, out of several, state one single case. in "the king's own," a captain, when requested to punish a man instanter for a fault committed, replies that he never has and never will punish a man until twenty-four hours after the offence, that he may not be induced by the anger of the moment to award a severer punishment than in his cooler moments he might think commensurate and that he wished that the admiralty would give out an order to that effect. some time after the publication of that work, the order was given by the admiralty, forbidding the punishment until a certain time had elapsed after the offence; and we had the pleasure of knowing from the first lord of the admiralty of the time, that it was in consequence of the suggestion in the novel. if our writings had effected nothing else, we might still lay down our pen with pride and satisfaction: but they have done more, much more; and while they have amused the reader, they have improved the service: they have held up in their characters a mirror, in which those who have been in error may see their own deformity, and many hints which have been given have afterwards returned to the thoughts of those who have had an influence, have been considered as their own ideas, and have been acted upon. the conduct of captain tartar may be considered as a libel on the service--is it not? the fault of captain tartar was not in sending them on board, or even putting them in irons as deserters, although, under the circumstances, he might have shown more delicacy. the fault was in stigmatising a young man as a swindler, and the punishment awarded to the error is intended to point out the moral, that such an abuse of power should be severely visited. the greatest error now in our service, is the disregard shown to the feelings of the junior officers in the language of their superiors: that an improvement has taken place i grant, but that it still exists, to a degree injurious to the service, i know too well. the articles of war, as our hero was informed by his captain, were equally binding on officers and crew; but what a dead letter do they become if officers are permitted to break them with impunity! the captain of a ship will turn the hands up to punishment, read the article of war for the transgressing of which the punishment is inflicted, and to show at that time their high respect for the articles of war, the captain and every officer take off their hats. the moment the hands are piped down, the second article of war, which forbids all swearing, etc, in derogation of god's honour is immediately disregarded. we are not strait-laced,--we care little about an oath as a mere expletive; we refer now to swearing at others, to insulting their feelings grossly by coarse and intemperate language. we would never interfere with a man for d---g his own eyes, but we deny the right of his d---g those of another. the rank of a master in the service is above that of a midshipman, but still the midshipman is a gentleman by birth, and the master, generally speaking, is not. even at this moment, in the service, if the master were to d--n the eyes of a midshipman, and tell him that he was a liar, would there be any redress, or if so, would it be commensurate to the insult? if a midshipman were to request a court-martial, would it be granted? certainly not. and yet this is a point of more importance than may be conceived. our service has been wonderfully improved since the peace, and those who are now permitted to enter it must be gentlemen. we know that even now there are many who cry out against this as dangerous, and injurious to the service; as if education spoilt an officer, and the scion of an illustrious house would not be more careful to uphold an escutcheon without blemish for centuries than one who has little more than brute courage; but those who argue thus are the very people who are injurious to the service, for they can have no other reason, except that they wish that the juniors may be tyrannised over with impunity. be it remembered that these are not the observations of a junior officer, smarting under insult--they are the result of deep and calm reflection. we have arrived to that grade, that, although we have the power to inflict, we are too high to receive insult, but we have not forgotten how our young blood has boiled when wanton, reckless, and cruel torture has been heaped upon our feelings, merely because, as a junior officer, we were not in a position to retaliate, or even to reply. and another evil is, that this great error is disseminated. in observing on it, in one of our works, called "peter simple," we have put the following true observation in the mouth of o'brien. peter observes, in his simple, right-minded way-- "i should think, o'brien, that the very circumstance of having had your feelings so often wounded by such language when you were a junior officer would make you doubly careful not to use it towards others, when you had advanced in the service." "peter, that's just the first feeling, which wears away after a time, till at last your own sense of indignation becomes blunted, and becomes indifferent to it: you forget, also, that you wound the feelings of others, and carry the habit with you, to the great injury and disgrace of the service." let it not be supposed that in making these remarks we want to cause litigation, or insubordination. on the contrary, we assert that this error is the cause, and eventually will be much more the cause, of insubordination; for as the junior officers who enter the service are improved, so will they resist it. the complaint here is more against the officers than the captains, whose power has been perhaps already too much curtailed by late regulations: that power must remain, for although there may be some few who are so perverted as to make those whom they command uncomfortable, in justice to the service we are proud to assert, that the majority acknowledge, by their conduct, that the greatest charm attached to power is to be able to make so many people happy. chapter xxii our hero is sick with the service, but recovers with proper medicine. an argument, ending, as most do, in a blow up. mesty lectures upon craniology. the day after the funeral, h.m. ship aurora sailed for malta, and on her arrival the acting captain sent our two midshipmen on board the harpy without any remark, except "victualled the day discharged," as they had been borne on the ship's books as supernumeraries. mr james, who was acting in the aurora, was anxious to join the admiral at toulon, and intended to sail the next day. he met captain wilson at the governor's table, and stated that jack and gascoigne had been put in irons by order of captain tartar; his suspicions, and the report, that the duel had in consequence taken place; but gascoigne and jack had both agreed that they would not communicate the events of their cruise to anybody on board of the aurora; and therefore nothing else was known, except that they must have made powerful friends somehow or another; and there appeared in the conduct of captain tartar, as well as in the whole transaction, somewhat of a mystery. "i should like to know what happened to my friend jack, who fought the duel," said the governor, who had laughed at it till he held his sides; "wilson, do bring him here to-morrow morning, and let us have his story." "i am afraid of encouraging him, sir thomas, he is much too wild already. i told you of his first cruise. he has nothing but adventures, and they all end too favourably." "well, but you can send for him here and blow him up just as well as in your own cabin, and then we will have the truth out of him." "that you certainly will," replied captain wilson, "for he tells it plainly enough." "well, to oblige me, send for him. i don't see he was much to blame in absconding, as it appears he thought he would be hung. i want to see the lad." "well, governor, if you wish it," replied captain wilson, who wrote a note to mr sawbridge, requesting he would send mr easy to him at the governor's house at ten o'clock in the morning. jack made his appearance in his uniform--he did not much care for what was said to him, as he was resolved to leave the service. he had been put in irons, and the iron had entered into his soul. mr sawbridge had gone on shore about an hour before jack had been sent on board, and he had remained on shore all the night. he did not therefore see jack but for a few minutes, and thinking it his duty to say nothing to him at first, or to express his displeasure, he merely observed to him that the captain would speak to him as soon as he came on board. as gascoigne and our hero did not know how far it might be safe, even at malta, to acknowledge to what occurred on board the speronare, which might get wind, they did not even tell their messmates, resolving only to confide it to the captain. when jack was ushered into the presence of the captain, he found him sitting with the governor, and the breakfast on the table ready for them. jack walked in with courage, but respectfully. he was fond of captain wilson, and wished to show him respect. captain wilson addressed him, pointed out that he had committed a great error in fighting a duel--a greater error in demeaning himself by fighting the purser's steward, and still greater in running away from his ship. jack looked respectfully to captain wilson, acknowledged that he had done wrong, and promised to be more careful another time, if captain wilson would look over it. "captain wilson, allow me to plead for the young gentleman," said the governor; "i am convinced that it has only been an error in judgment." "well, mr easy, as you express your contrition, and the governor interferes in your behalf, i shall take no more notice of this. but recollect, mr easy, that you have occasioned me a great deal of anxiety by your mad pranks, and i trust another time you will remember that i am too anxious for your welfare not to be uncomfortable when you run such risks. you may now go on board to your duty, and tell mr. gascoigne to do the same; and pray let us hear of no more duels or running away." jack, whose heart softened at this kind treatment, did not venture to speak; he made his bow and was about to quit the room, when the governor said-- "mr easy, you have not breakfasted?" "i have, sir," replied jack, "before i came on shore." "but a midshipman can always eat two breakfasts, particularly when his own comes first; so sit down and breakfast with us--it's all over now." "even if it was not," replied captain wilson, laughing, "i doubt whether it would spoil mr easy's breakfast. come, mr easy, sit down." jack bowed, and took his chair, and proved that his lecture had not taken away his appetite. when breakfast was over, captain wilson observed-- "mr easy, you have generally a few adventures to speak of when you return, will you tell the governor and me what has taken place since you left us?" "certainly, sir," replied jack; "but i venture to request that it may be under the promise of secrecy, for it's rather important to me and gascoigne." "yes, if secrecy is really necessary, my boy; but i'm the best judge of that," replied the governor. jack then entered into a detail of his adventures, which we have already described, much to the astonishment of the governor and his captain, and concluded his narration by stating that he wanted to leave the service; he hoped that captain wilson would discharge him and send him home. "pooh, nonsense!" said the governor, "you shan't leave the mediterranean while i am here. no, no--you must have more adventures, and come back and tell them to me. and recollect, my lad, that whenever you come to malta, there is a bed at the governor's house, and a seat at his table, always ready for you." "you are very kind, sir thomas," replied jack, "but--" "no buts at all, sir--you shan't leave the service! besides, recollect that i can ask for leave of absence for you to go and see donna agnes. ay, and send you there, too." captain wilson also remonstrated with our hero, and he gave up the point. it was harsh treatment which made him form the resolution it was kindness which overcame it. "with your permission, captain wilson, mr easy shall dine with us to-day, and bring gascoigne with him. you shall first scold him, and i'll console him with a good dinner. and, boy, don't be afraid to tell your story everywhere. sit down and tell it at nix mangare stairs, if you please. i'm governor here!" jack made his obeisance, and departed. "the lad must be treated kindly, captain wilson," said the governor; "he would be a loss to the service. good heavens, what adventures, and how honestly he tells everything! i shall ask him to stay with me for the time you are here, if you will allow me: i want to make friends with him--he must not leave the service." captain wilson, who felt that kindness and attention would be more effectual with our hero than any other measures, gave his consent to the governor's proposition. so jack ate at the governor's table, and took lessons in spanish and italian until the harpy had been refitted, after heaving down. before she was ready a vessel arrived from the fleet, directing captain wilson to repair to mahon and send a transport, lying there, to procure live bullocks for the fleet. jack did not join his ship very willingly, but he had promised the governor to remain in the service, and he went on board the evening before she sailed. he had been living so well that he had, at first, a horror of midshipman's fare, but a good appetite seasons everything, and jack soon complained that there was not enough. he was delighted to see jolliffe and mesty after so long an absence; he laughed at the boatswain's cheeks, inquired after the purser's steward's shot-holes, shook hands with gascoigne and his other messmates, gave vigors a thrashing, and then sat down to supper. "ah, massa easy, why you take a cruise without me?" said mesty; "dat very shabby. by de power, but i wish i was there. you ab too much danger, massa easy, without mesty, anyhow." the next day the harpy sailed, and jack went to his duty. mr asper borrowed ten pounds, and our hero kept as much watch as he pleased, which, as watching did not please him, was very little. mr sawbridge had long conversations with our hero, pointing out to him the necessity of discipline and obedience in the service, and that there was no such thing as equality, and that the rights of man secured to everyone the property which he held in possession. "according to your ideas, mr easy, a man has no more right to his wife than anything else, and any other man may claim her." jack thought of agnes, and he made matrimony an exception, as he continued to argue the point; but although he argued, still his philosophy was almost upset at the idea of any one disputing with him the rights of man, with respect to agnes. the harpy made the african coast, the wind continued contrary, and they were baffled for many days; at last they espied a brig under the land, about sixteen miles off; her rig and appearance made captain wilson suspect that she was a privateer of some description or another, but it was calm, and they could not approach her. nevertheless captain wilson thought it his duty to examine her; so at ten o'clock at night the boats were hoisted out: as this was merely intended for a reconnoitre, for there was no saying what she might be, mr sawbridge did not go. mr asper was in the sick list, so mr smallsole the master had the command of the expedition. jack asked mr sawbridge to let him have charge of one of the boats. mr jolliffe and mr vigors went in the pinnace with the master. the gunner had the charge of one cutter, and our hero had the command of the other. jack, although not much more than seventeen, was very strong and tall for his age; indeed he was a man grown, and shaved twice a-week. his only object in going was to have a yarn for the governor when he returned to malta. mesty went with him, and, as the boat shoved off, gascoigne slipped in, telling jack that he was come to take care of him, for which considerate kindness jack expressed his warmest thanks. the orders to the master were very explicit; he was to reconnoitre the vessel, and if she proved heavily armed not to attack, for she was embayed, and could not escape the harpy as soon as there was wind. if not armed he was to board her, but he was to do nothing till the morning: the reason for sending the boats away so soon was, that the men might not suffer from the heat of the sun during the daytime, which was excessive, and had already put many men on the sick list. the boats were to pull to the bottom of the bay, not to go so near as to be discovered, and then drop their grapnels till daylight. the orders were given to mr smallsole in presence of the other officers who were appointed to the boats, that there might be no mistake, and the boats then shoved off. after a three hours' pull, they arrived to where the brig lay becalmed, and, as they saw no lights moving on board, they supposed they were not seen. they dropped their grapnels in about seven fathoms water and waited for daylight. when jack heard captain wilson's orders that they were to lie at anchor till daylight, he had sent down mesty for fishing-lines, as fresh fish is always agreeable in a midshipman's berth: he and gascoigne amused themselves this way, and as they pulled up the fish they entered into an argument, and mr smallsole ordered them to be silent. the point which they discussed was relative to boat service; gascoigne insisted that the boats should all board at once--while our hero took it into his head that it was better they should come up one after another; a novel idea, but jack's ideas on most points were singular. "if you throw your whole force upon the decks at once, you overpower them," observed gascoigne; "if you do not you are beaten in detail." "very true," replied jack, "supposing that you have an overpowering force, or they are not prepared; but recollect, that if they are, the case is altered; for instance, as to fire-arms--they fire theirs at the first boat, and they have not time to re-load, when the second comes up with its fire reserved; every fresh boat arriving adds to the courage of those who have boarded, and to the alarm of those who defend; the men come on fresh and fresh. depend upon it, gascoigne, there is nothing like a 'corps de reserve'." "will you keep silence in your boat, mr easy, or will you not?" cried the master; "you're a disgrace to the service, sir." "thank ye, sir," replied jack, in a low tone. "i've another bite ned." jack and his comrade continued to fish in silence till the day broke. the mist rolled off the stagnant water, and discovered the brig, who, as soon as she perceived the boats, threw out the french tricolour, and fired a gun of defiance. mr smallsole was undecided; the gun fired was not a heavy one, and so mr jolliffe remarked; the men, as usual, anxious for the attack, asserted the same, and mr smallsole, afraid of retreating from the enemy and being afterwards despised by the ship's company, ordered the boats to weigh their grapnels. "stop a moment, my lads," said jack to his men, "i've got a bite." the men laughed at jack's taking it so easy, but he was their pet; and they did stop for him to pull up his fish, intending to pull up to the other boats and recover their loss of a few seconds. "i've hooked him now," said jack; "you may up with the grapnel while i up with the fish." but this delay gave the other boats a start of a dozen strokes of their oars, which was a distance not easy to be regained. "they will be aboard before us, sir," said the coxswain. "never mind that", replied jack; "someone must be last." "but not the boat i am in," replied gascoigne; "if i could help it." "i tell you," replied jack, "we shall be the 'corps de reserve,' and have the honour of turning the scale in our favour." "give way, my lads," cried gascoigne, perceiving the other boats still kept their distance ahead of them, which was about a cable's length. "gascoigne, i command the boat," said jack, "and i do not wish my men to board without any breath in their bodies--that's a very unwise plan. a steady pull, my lads, and not too much exertion." "by heavens, they'll take the vessel before we get alongside." "even if they should, i am right, am i not, mesty?" "yes, massa easy, you very right--suppose they take vessel without you, they no want you--suppose they want you, you come." and the negro, who had thrown his jacket off, bared his arm, as if he intended mischief. the first cutter, commanded by the gunner, now gained upon the launch, and was three boat's-lengths ahead of her when she came alongside. the brig poured in her broadside--it was well directed, and down went the boat. "cutter's sunk," exclaimed gascoigne; "by heavens! give way, my men." "now, don't you observe, that had we all three been pulling up together, the broadside would have sunk us all?" said jack, very composedly. "there's board in the launch--give way, my men, give way," said gascoigne, stamping with impatience. the reception was evidently warm; by the time that the launch had poured in her men, the second cutter was close under the brig's quarter--two more strokes and she was alongside; when of a sudden, a tremendous explosion took place on the deck of the vessel, and bodies and fragments were hurled up in the air. so tremendous was the explosion, that the men of the second cutter, as if transfixed, simultaneously stopped pulling, their eyes directed to the volumes of smoke which poured through the ports, and hid the whole of the masts and rigging of the vessel. "now's your time, my lads, give way, and alongside," cried our hero. the men, reminded by his voice, obeyed--but the impetus already given to the boat was sufficient. before they could drop their oars in the water they grazed against the vessel's sides, and, following jack, were in a few seconds on the quarter-deck of the vessel. a dreadful sight presented itself--the whole deck was black, and corpses lay strewed; their clothes on them still burning, and among the bodies lay fragments of what once were men. the capstern was unshipped and turned over on its side--the binnacles were in remnants, and many of the ropes ignited. there was not one person left on deck to oppose them. as they afterwards learned from some of the men who had saved their lives by remaining below, the french captain had seen the boats before they anchored, and had made every preparation; he had filled a large ammunition chest with cartridges for the guns, that they might not have to hand them up. the conflict between the men of the pinnace and the crew of the vessel was carried on near the capstern, and a pistol fired had accidentally communicated with the powder, which blew up in the very centre of the dense and desperate struggle. the first object was to draw water and extinguish the flames, which were spreading over the vessel; as soon as that was accomplished, our hero went aft to the taffrail, and looked for the cutter which had been sunk. "gascoigne, jump into the boat with four men--i see the cutter floats a quarter of a mile astern: there may be someone alive yet. i think now i see a head or two." gascoigne hastened away, and soon returned with three of the cutter's men; the rest had sunk, probably killed or wounded by the discharge of the broadside. "thank god, there's three saved!" said jack, "for we have lost too many. we must now see if any of these poor fellows are yet alive, and clear the decks of the remnants of those who have been blown to pieces. i say, ned, where should we have been if we had boarded with the pinnace?" "you always fall upon your feet, easy," replied gascoigne; "but that does not prove that you are right." "i see there's no convincing you, ned, you are so confoundedly fond of argument. however, i've no time to argue now--we must look to these poor fellows; some are still alive." body after body was thrown through the ports, the habiliments, in most cases, enabling them to distinguish whether it was that of a departed friend or foe. jack turned round, and observed mesty with his foot on a head which had been blown from the trunk. "what are you about, mesty?" "massa easy, i look at dis, and i tink it massa vigors' head, and den i tink dis skull of his enemy nice present make to little massa gossett; and den i tink again, and i say, no, he dead and nebber thrash any more--so let him go overboard." jack turned away, forgiving vigors in his heart; he thought of the petty animosities of a midshipman's berth, as he looked at the blackened portion of a body half an hour before possessing intellect. "massa easy," said mesty, "i tink you say right, anyhow, when you say forgive: den, massa vigors," continued mesty, taking up the head by the singed hair, and tossing it out of the port; "you really very bad man--but ashantee forgive you." "here's somebody alive," said gascoigne to jack, examining a body, the face of which was black as a cinder and not to be recognised, "and he is one of our men, too, by his dress." our hero went up to examine, and to assist gascoigne in disengaging the body from a heap of ropes and half-burnt tarpaulings with which it was entangled. mesty followed, and looking at the lower extremities said, "massa easy, dat massa jolliffe; i know him trousers; marine tailor say he patch um for ever, and so old dat de thread no hold; yesterday he had dis patch put in, and marine tailor say he be d--n if he patch anymore, please nobody." mesty was right; it was poor jolliffe, whose face was burnt as black as a coal by the explosion. he had also lost three fingers of the left hand, but as soon as he was brought out on the deck he appeared to recover, and pointed to his mouth for water, which was instantly procured. "mesty," said jack, "i leave you in charge of mr jolliffe; take every care of him till i can come back." the investigation was then continued, and four english sailors found who might be expected to recover, as well as about the same number of frenchmen; the remainder of the bodies were then thrown overboard. the hat only of the master was picked up between the guns, and there were but eleven frenchmen found below. the vessel was the franklin, a french privateer of ten guns and sixty-five men, of which, eight men were away in prizes. the loss on the part of the vessel was forty-six killed and wounded. on that of the harpy, it was five drowned in the cutter, and eighteen blown up belonging to the pinnace, out of which total of twenty-three, they had only mr jolliffe and five seamen alive. "the harpy is standing in with a breeze from the offing," said gascoigne to easy. "so much the better, for i am sick of this, ned; there is something so horrible in it, and i wish i was on board again. i have just been to jolliffe; he can speak a little; i think he will recover. i hope so, poor fellow; he will then obtain his promotion, for he is the commanding officer of all us who are left." "and if he does," replied gascoigne, "he can swear that it was by having been blown up which spoilt his beauty--but here comes the harpy. i have been looking for an english ensign to hoist over the french, but cannot find one; so i hoist a wheft over it,--that will do." the harpy was soon hove-to close to the brig, and jack went on board in the cutter to report what had taken place. captain wilson was much vexed and grieved at the loss of so many men: fresh hands were put in the cutter to man the pinnace, and he and sawbridge both went on board to witness the horrible effects of the explosion as described by our hero. jolliffe and the wounded men were taken on board, and all of them recovered. we have before stated how disfigured the countenance of poor mr jolliffe had been by the small-pox--so severely was it burned that the whole of the countenance came off in three weeks like a mask, and every one declared that, seamed as it still was, mr jolliffe was better looking than he was before. it may be as well here to state, that mr jolliffe not only obtained his promotion, but a pension for his wounds, and retired from the service. he was still very plain, but as it was known that he had been blown up, the loss of his eye as well as the scars on his face were all put down to the same accident, and he excited interest as a gallant and maimed officer. he married, and lived contented and happy to a good old age. the harpy proceeded with her prize to mahon. jack, as usual, obtained a great deal of credit; whether he deserved it, or whether, as gascoigne observed, he always fell upon his feet, the reader may decide from our narrative; perhaps there was a little of both. the seamen of the harpy, if summoned in a hurry, used very often to reply, "stop a minute, i've got a bite": as for jack, he often said to himself, "i have a famous good yarn for the governor." chapter xxiiii jack goes on another cruise--love and diplomacy--jack proves himself as clever for three, and upsets all the arrangements of the high contracting powers. a few days after the arrival of the harpy at port mahon a cutter came in with despatches from the admiral. captain wilson found that he was posted into the aurora frigate, in which a vacancy had been made by the result of our hero's transgressions. mr sawbridge was raised to the rank of commander, and appointed to the command of the harpy. the admiral informed captain wilson that he must detain the aurora until the arrival of another frigate, hourly expected, and then she would be sent down to mahon for him to take the command of her. further, he intimated that a supply of live bullocks would be very agreeable, and begged that he would send to tetuan immediately. captain wilson had lost so many officers that he knew not whom to send: indeed, now he was no longer in command of the harpy, and there was but one lieutenant and no master or master's mate. gascoigne and jack were the only two serviceable midshipmen, and he was afraid to trust them on any expedition in which expedition was required. "what shall we do, sawbridge? shall we send easy or gascoigne, or both, or neither?--for if the bullocks are not forthcoming, the admiral will not let them off as we do." "we must send somebody, wilson," replied captain sawbridge, "and it is the custom to send two officers, as one receives the bullocks on board, while the other attends to the embarkation." "well, then send both, sawbridge, but lecture them well first." "i don't think they can get into any mischief there," replied sawbridge; "and it's such a hole that they will be glad to get away from it." easy and gascoigne were summoned, listened very respectfully to all captain sawbridge said, promised to conduct themselves with the utmost propriety, received a letter to the vice-consul, and were sent with their hammocks and chests in the cabin on board the eliza, ann, brig, of two hundred and sixteen tons, chartered by government--the master and crew of which were all busy forward heaving up their anchors. the master of the transport came aft to receive them: he was short, red-haired young man, with hands as broad as the flappers of a turtle; he was broad-faced, broad-shouldered, well freckled, and pug-nosed; but if not very handsome he was remarkably good humoured. as soon as the chests and hammocks were on deck, he told them that when he could get the anchor up and make sail, he would give them some bottled porter. jack proposed that he should get the porter up, and they would drink it while he got the anchor up, as it would save time. "it may save time, mayhap, but it won't save porter," replied the master; "however, you shall have it." he called the boy, ordered him to bring up the porter, and then went forward. jack made the boy bring up two chairs, put the porter on the companion hatch, and he and gascoigne sat down. the anchor was weighed, and the transport ran out under her foretopsail, as they were light-handed, and had to secure the anchor. the transport passed within ten yards of the harpy, and captain sawbridge, when he perceived the two midshipmen taking it so very easy, sitting in their chairs with their legs crossed, arms folded, and their porter before them, had a very great mind to order the transport to heave-to, but he could spare no other officer, so he walked away saying to himself, "there'll be another yarn for the governor, or i'm mistaken." as soon as sail was made on the transport, the master, whose name was hogg, came up to our hero, and asked him how he found the porter. jack declared that he never could venture an opinion upon the first bottle--"so, captain hogg, we'll trouble you for a second"--after which they troubled him for a third--begged for a fourth--must drink his health in a fifth--and finally pointed out the propriety of making up the half-dozen. by this time they found themselves rather light-headed; so, desiring captain hogg to keep a sharp look-out, and not to call them on any account whatever, they retired to their hammocks. the next morning they awoke late; the breeze was fresh and fair: they requested captain hogg not to consider the expense, as they would pay for all they ate and drank, and all he did, into the bargain, and promised him a fit-out when they got to tetuan. what with this promise and calling him captain, our hero and gascoigne won the master's heart, and being a very good tempered fellow, they did what they pleased. jack also tossed a doubloon to the men for them to drink on their arrival, and all the men of the transport were in a transport at jack's coming to "reign over them." it must be acknowledged that jack's reign was, for the most part of it, "happy and glorious." at last they arrived at tetuan, and our pylades and orestes went on shore to call upon the vice-consul, accompanied by captain hogg. they produced their credentials, and demanded bullocks. the vice-consul was a very young man, short and thin, and light-haired; his father had held the situation before him, and he had been appointed his successor because nobody else had thought the situation worth applying for. nevertheless, mr hicks was impressed with the immense responsibility of his office. it was, however, a place of some little emolument at this moment, and mr hicks had plenty on his hands besides his sister, who, being the only english lady there, set the fashion of the place, and usurped all the attention of the gentlemen mariners who occasionally came for bullocks. but miss hicks knew her own importance, and had successively refused three midshipmen, one master's mate, and an acting purser. african bullocks were plentiful at tetuan, but english ladies were scarce; moreover, she had a pretty little fortune of her own, to wit, three hundred dollars in a canvas bag, left her by her father, and entirely at her own disposal. miss hicks was very like her brother, except that she was more dumpling in her figure, with flaxen hair; her features were rather pretty, and her skin very fair. as soon as the preliminaries had been entered into, and arrangements made in a small room with bare walls, which mr hicks denominated his office, they were asked to walk into the parlour to be introduced to the vice-consul's sister. miss hicks tossed her head at the two midshipmen, but smiled most graciously at captain hogg. she knew the relative ranks of midshipman and captain. after a short time she requested the honour of captain hogg's company to dinner, and begged that he would bring his midshipmen with him, at which jack and gascoigne looked at each other and burst out in a laugh, and miss hicks was very near rescinding the latter part of her invitation. as soon as they were out of the house, they told the captain to go on board and get all ready whilst they walked round the town. having peeped into every part of it, and stared at arabs, moors, and jews, till they were tired, they proceeded to the landing-place, where they met the captain, who informed them that he had done nothing, because the men were all drunk with jack's doubloon. jack replied that a doubloon would not last for ever, and that the sooner they drank it out the better. they then returned to the vice-consul's, whom they requested to procure for them fifty dozen of fowls, twenty sheep, and a great many other articles which might be obtained at the place; for, as jack said, they would live well going up to toulon, and if there were any of the stock left they would give them to the admiral, for jack had taken the precaution to put his father's philosophy once more to the proof before he quitted mahon. as jack gave such a liberal order, and the vice-consul cheated him out of at least one-third of what he paid, mr hicks thought he could do no less than offer beds to our midshipmen as well as to captain hogg; so, as soon as dinner was over, they ordered captain hogg to go on board and bring their things on shore, which he did. as the time usual for transports remaining at tetuan before they could be completed with bullocks was three weeks, our midshipmen decided upon staying at least so long if they could find anything to do; or if they could not, doing nothing was infinitely preferable to doing duty. so they took up their quarters at the vice-consul's, sending for porter and other things which were not to be had but from the transport; and jack, to prove that he was not a swindler, as captain tartar had called him, gave captain hogg a hundred dollars on account, for captain hogg had a large stock of porter and english luxuries, which he had brought out as a venture, and of which he had still a considerable portion left. as, therefore, our midshipmen not only were cheated by the vice-consul, but they also supplied his table. mr hicks was very hospitable, and everything was at their service except miss julia, who turned up her nose at a midshipman, even upon full pay; but she made great advances to the captain, who, on his part, was desperately in love: so the mate and the men made all ready for the bullocks, jack and gascoigne made themselves comfortable, and captain hogg made love, and thus passed the first week. the chamber of easy and gascoigne was at the top of the house, and finding it excessively warm, gascoigne had forced his way up to the flat roof above (for the houses are all built in that way in most mahomedan countries, to enable the occupants to enjoy the cool of the evening, and sometimes to sleep there). those roofs, where houses are built next to each other, are divided by a wall of several feet, to insure that privacy which the mahomedan customs demand. gascoigne had not been long up there before he heard the voice of a female, singing a plaintive air in a low tone, on the other side of the wall. gascoigne sang well himself, and having a very fine ear, he was pleased with the correctness of the notes, although he had never heard the air before. he leant against the wall, smoked his cigar, and listened. it was repeated again and again at intervals; gascoigne soon caught the notes, which sounded so clear and pure in the silence of the night. at last they ceased, and having waited another half-hour in vain, our midshipman returned to his bed, humming the air which had so pleased his ear. it haunted him during his sleep, and rang in his ears when he awoke, as it is well known any new air that pleases us will do. before breakfast was ready, gascoigne had put english words to it, and sang them over and over again. he inquired of the vice-consul who lived in the next house, and was answered, that it was an old moor, who was reported to be wealthy, and to have a daughter, whom many of the people had asked in marriage, but whether for her wealth or for her beauty he could not tell; he had, however, heard that she was very handsome. gascoigne made no further inquiries, but went out with jack and captain hogg, and on board to see the water got in for the bullocks. "where did you pick up that air, gascoigne? it is very pretty, but i never heard you sing it before." gascoigne told him, and also what he had heard from mr hicks. "i am determined, jack, to see that girl if i can. hicks can talk arabic fast enough; just ask him the arabic for these words--'don't be afraid--i love you--i cannot speak your tongue', and put them down on paper as they are pronounced." jack rallied gascoigne upon his fancy, which could end in nothing. "perhaps not," replied gascoigne; "and i should have cared nothing about it, if she had not sung so well. i really believe the way to my heart is through my ear;--however, i shall try to-night, and soon find if she has the feeling which i think she has. now let us go back; i'm tired of looking at women with garments up to their eyes, and men in dirt up to their foreheads." as they entered the house they heard an altercation between mr and miss hicks. "i shall never give my consent, julia; one of those midshipmen you turn your nose up at is worth a dozen hoggs." "now, if we only knew the price of a hog in this country," observed easy, "we should be able to calculate our exact value, ned." "a hog, being an unclean animal, is not--" "hush," said jack. "mr hicks," replied miss julia, "i am mistress of myself and my fortune, and i shall do as i please." "depend upon it, you shall not, julia. i consider it my duty to prevent you from making an improper match: and, as his majesty's representative here, i cannot allow you to marry this young man." "mercy on us!" said gascoigne, "his majesty's representative!" "i shall not ask your consent," replied the lady. "yes, but you shall not marry without my consent. i have, as you know, julia, from my situation here, as one of his majesty's 'corps diplomatick,' great power, and i shall forbid the banns; in fact, it is only i who can marry you." "then i'll marry elsewhere." "and what will you do on board of the transport until you are able to be married?" "i shall do as i think proper," replied the lady; "and i'll thank you for none of your indelicate insinuations." so saying, the lady bounced out of the room into her own, and our midshipmen then made a noise in the passage to intimate that they had come in. they found mr hicks looking very red and vice-consular indeed, but he recovered himself; and captain hogg making his appearance, they went to dinner; but miss julia would not make her appearance, and mr hicks was barely civil to the captain, but he was soon afterwards called out, and our midshipmen went into the office to enable the two lovers to meet. they were heard then talking together, and after a time they said less, and their language was more tender. "let us see what's going on, jack," said gascoigne; and they walked softly, so as to perceive the two lovers, who were too busy to be on the look-out. captain hogg was requesting a lock of his mistress's hair. the plump julia could deny him nothing; she let fall her flaxen tresses, and taking out the scissors cut off a thick bunch from her hair behind, which she presented to the captain; it was at least a foot and a half long, and an inch in circumference. the captain took it in his immense hand, and thrust it into his coat-pocket behind, but one thrust down to the bottom would not get it in, so he thrust again and again until it was all coiled away like a cable in a tier. "that's a liberal girl," whispered jack, "she gives by wholesale what it will take some time to retail. but here comes mr hicks, let's give them warning; i like hogg, and as she fancies pork, she shall have it, if i can contrive to help them." that night gascoigne went again on the roof, and after waiting some time heard the same air repeated: he waited until it was concluded, and then, in a very low tone, sung it himself to the words he had arranged for it. for some time all was silent, and then the singing recommenced, but it was not to the same air. gascoigne waited until the new air had been repeated several times, and then, giving full scope to his fine tenor voice, sang the first air again. it echoed through the silence of the night air, and then he waited, but in vain; the soft voice of the female was heard no more, and gascoigne retired to rest. this continued for three or four nights, gascoigne singing the same airs the ensuing night that he had heard the preceding, until at last it appeared that the female had no longer any fear, but changed the airs so as to be amused with the repetition of them next evening. on the fifth night she sang the first air, and our midshipman responding, she then sang another, until she had sung them all, waiting each time for the response. the wall was not more than eight feet high, and gascoigne now determined, with the assistance of jack, to have a sight of his unknown songstress. he asked captain hogg to bring on shore some inch line, and he contrived to make a ladder with three or four poles which were upstairs, used for drying linen. he fixed them against the wall without noise, all ready for the evening. it was a beautiful, clear moonlight night, when he went up, accompanied by jack. the air was again sung, and repeated by gascoigne, who then softly mounted the ladder, held by jack, and raised his head above the wall; he perceived a young moorish girl, splendidly dressed, half-lying on an ottoman, with her eyes fixed upon the moon, whose rays enabled him to observe that she was indeed beautiful. she appeared lost in contemplation; and gascoigne would have given the world to have divined her thoughts. satisfied with what he had seen, he descended, and singing one of the airs, he then repeated the words, "do not be afraid--i love you--i cannot speak your language." he then sang another of the airs, and after he had finished he again repeated the words in arabic; but there was no reply. he sang the third air, and again repeated the words, when, to his delight, he heard an answer in lingua franca. "can you speak in this tongue?" "yes," replied gascoigne, "i can, allah be praised! be not afraid--i love you." "i know you not; who are you? you are not of my people." "no, but i will be anything that you wish. i am a frank, and an english officer." at this reply of gascoigne there was a pause. "am i then despised?" said gascoigne. "no, not despised; but you are not of my people, or of my land; speak no more, or you will be heard." "i obey," replied gascoigne, "since you wish it; but i shall pine till to-morrow's moon. i go to dream of you. allah protect you!" "how amazingly poetical you were in your language, ned," said easy, when they went down into their room. "to be sure, jack, i've read the arabian nights. you never saw such eyes in your life; what a houri she is!" "is she as handsome as agnes, ned?" "twice as handsome by moonlight." "that's all moonshine, and so will be your courting, for it will come to nothing." "not if i can help it." "why, gascoigne, what would you do with a wife?" "just exactly what you would do, jack." "i mean, my dear ned, can you afford to marry?" "not while the old governor lives, but i know he has some money in the funds. he told me one day that i could not expect more than three thousand pounds. you know i have sisters." "and before you come into that you'll have three thousand children." "that's a large family, jack," replied gascoigne, bursting out into laughter, in which our hero joined. "well, you know i only wanted to argue the point with you." "i know that, jack. but i think we're counting our chickens before they are hatched, which is foolish." "in every other case except when we venture upon matrimony." "why, jack, you're becoming quite sensible." "my wisdom is for my friends, my folly for myself. good-night." but jack did not go to sleep. "i must not allow gascoigne to do such a foolish thing," thought he. "marry a dark girl on midshipman's pay, if he succeeds--get his throat cut if he does not." as jack said, his wisdom was for his friends, and he was so generous that he reserved none for his own occasions. miss julia hicks, as we before observed, set the fashions at tetuan, and her style of dress was not unbecoming. the moorish women wore large veils, or they may be called what you will, for their head-dresses descend to their heels at times and cover the whole body, leaving an eye to peep with, and hiding everything else. now miss hicks found this much more convenient than the bonnet, as she might walk out in the heat of the sun without burning her fair skin, and stare at everybody and everything without being stared at in return. she therefore never went out without one of these overalls, composed of several yards of fine muslin. her dress in the house was usually of coloured sarcenet, for a small vessel came into the port one day during her father's lifetime, unloaded a great quantity of bales of goods with english marks, and, as the vessel had gone out in ballast, there was a surmise on his part by what means they came into the captain's possession. he therefore cited the captain up to the governor, but the affair was amicably arranged by the vice-consul receiving about one quarter of the cargo in bales of silks and muslins. miss hicks had therefore all her dresses of blue, green, and yellow sarcenet, which, with the white muslin overall, made her as conspicuous as the only frankish lady in the town had a right to be, and there was not a dog which barked in tetuan which did not know the sister of the vice-consul, although few had seen her face. now it occurred to jack, as gascoigne was determined to carry on his amour, that in case of surprise it would be as well if he dressed himself as miss hicks. he proposed it to gascoigne the next morning, who approved of the idea, and in the course of the day, when miss hicks was busy with captain hogg, he contrived to abstract one of her dresses and muslin overalls, which he could do in safety, as there were plenty of them, for miss hicks was not troubled with mantua-makers' bills. when gascoigne went up on the roof the ensuing night, he put on the apparel of miss hicks, and looked very like her as far as figure went, although a little taller. he waited for the moorish girl to sing, but she did not; so he crept up the ladder and looked over the wall, when he observed that she was reclining as before in deep thought. his head, covered with the muslin, caught her eye, and she gave a faint scream. "fear not, lady," said gascoigne, "it is not the first time that i have beheld that sweet face. i sigh for a companion. what would i not give to be sitting by your side! i am not of your creed, 'tis true, but does it therefore follow that we should not love each other?" the moorish girl was about to reply, when gascoigne received an answer from a quarter whence he little expected it. it was from the moor himself, who, hearing his daughter's scream, had come swiftly up to the roof. "does the frankish lily wish to mingle her perfumes with the dark violet?" said he; for he had often seen the sister of the vice-consul, and he imagined it was she who had come on the roof and ascended the wall to speak with his daughter. gascoigne had presence of mind to avail himself of this fortunate mistake. "i am alone, worthy moor," replied he, pulling the muslin over his face, "and i pine for a companion. i have been charmed by the nightingale on the roof of your dwelling; but i thought not to meet the face of a man when i took courage to climb this ladder." "if the frankish lily will have courage to descend, she can sit by the side of the dark violet." gascoigne thought it advisable to make no reply. "fear not," said the old moor; "what is an old man but a woman!" and the moor brought a ladder, which he placed against the wall. after a pause gascoigne said, "it is my fate"; and he then descended, and was led by the moor to the mattress upon which his daughter reclined. the moor then took his seat near them, and they entered into conversation. gascoigne knew quite enough of the vice-consul and his sister to play his part, and he thought proper to tell the moor that her brother wished to give her as wife to the captain of the ship, whom she abhorred, and would take her to a cold and foggy climate; that she had been born here, and wished to live and die here, and would prefer passing her life in his women's apartments to leaving this country. at which, abdel faza, for such was his name, felt very amorous. he put his hand to his forehead, salaamed, and told gascoigne that his zenana, and all that were in it, were hers, as well as his house and himself. after an hour's conversation, in which azar, his daughter, did not join, the old moor asked gascoigne to descend into the women's apartment; and observing his daughter's silence, said to her-- "azar, you are angry that this frankish houri should come to the apartments of which you have hitherto been sole mistress. fear not, you will soon be another's, for osman ali has asked thee for his wife, and i have listened to his request." now osman ali was as old as her father, and azar hated him. she offered her hand tremblingly, and led gascoigne into the zenana. the moor attended them to the threshold, bowed, and left them. that gascoigne had time to press his suit, and that he did not lose such a golden opportunity, may easily be imagined, and her father's communication relative to osman ali very much assisted our midshipman's cause. he left the zenana, like most midshipmen, in love; that is, a little above quicksilver boiling heat. jack, who had remained in a state of some suspense all this time, was not sorry to hear voices in an amicable tone, and in a few minutes afterwards he perceived that gascoigne was ascending the ladder. it occurred to our hero that it was perhaps advisable that he should not be seen, as the moor in his gallantry might come up the ladder with his supposed lady. he was right, for abdel faza not only followed her up the ladder on his side but assisted her to descend on the other, and with great ceremony took his leave. gascoigne hastened to jack, who had been peeping, and gave him a detail of what had passed, describing azar as the most beautiful, fascinating, and fond creature that ever was created. after half an hour's relation he stopped short, because he discovered that jack was fast asleep. the visits of gascoigne were repeated every night; old abdel faza became every time more gallant, and our midshipman was under the necessity of assuming a virtue if he had it not. he pretended to be very modest. in the meantime captain hogg continued his attentions to the real miss hicks. the mate proceeded to get the bullocks on board, and as more than three weeks had already passed away, it was time to think of departing for toulon; but captain hogg was too much in love; and as for gascoigne, he intended, like all midshipmen in love, to give up the service. jack reasoned with the captain, who appeared to listen to reason, because miss hicks had agreed to follow his fortunes, and crown his transports in the transport mary ann. he therefore proposed that they should get away as fast as they could, and as soon as they had weighed the anchor he would come on shore, take off miss hicks, and make all sail for toulon. jack might have suffered this; the difficulty was with gascoigne, who would not hear of going away without his lovely azar. at last jack planned a scheme which he thought would succeed, and which would be a good joke to tell the governor. he therefore appeared to consent to gascoigne's carrying off his little moor, and they canvassed how it was to be managed. jack then told gascoigne that he had hit upon a plan which would succeed. "i find," said he, "from captain hogg, that he has an intention of carrying off miss hicks, and when i sounded him as to his having a lady with him, he objected to it immediately, saying, that he must have all the cabin to himself and his intended. now, in the first place, i have no notion of giving up the cabin to miss hicks or mrs hogg. it will be very uncomfortable to be shut out, because he wishes to make love; i therefore am determined that he shall not take off miss hicks. he has proposed to me that he shall go on board, and get the brig under way, leaving me with a boat on shore to sign the vouchers, and that miss hicks shall slip into the boat when i go off at dusk. now i will not bring off miss hicks; if he wants to marry her, let him do it when i am not on board. i have paid for everything, and i consider the cabin as mine. "look you, ned, if you wish to carry off your little moor, there is but one way, and that is a very simple one; leave her a dress of miss hicks's when you go there to-morrow night, and tell her to slip down at dusk, and come out of the house: all the danger will be in her own house, for as soon as she is out, she will be supposed to be the vice-consul's sister, and will not be observed or questioned. i will look out for and bring her on board instead of miss hicks. hogg will have the brig under way, and will be too happy to make all sail, and she shall lock the cabin inside, so that the mistake shall not be discovered till the next morning, and we shall have a good laugh at captain hogg." gascoigne pronounced that jack's scheme was capital, and agreed to it, thanking him, and declaring that he was the best friend that he ever had. "so i will be," thought jack, "but you will not acknowledge it at first." jack then went to captain hogg, and appeared to enter warmly into his views, but told him that hicks suspected what was going on, and had told him so, at the same time declaring that he would not lose sight of his sister until after hogg was on board. "now," says jack, "you know you cannot do the thing by main force; so the best plan will be for you to go on board and get under way, leaving me to bring off miss hicks, when her brother will imagine all danger to be over." "many thanks, mr easy," replied captain hogg; "it will be capital, and i'll arrange it all with my sophy. how very kind of you!" "but, hogg, will you promise me secrecy?" "yes," replied the captain. "that gascoigne is a very silly fellow, and wants to run away with a girl he has made acquaintance with here; and what do you think he has proposed? that after the ship was under way, that i shall carry her off in the boat; and he has borrowed one of the dresses of miss hicks, that it may appear to be her. i have agreed to it, but as i am determined that he shall not commit such a folly, i shall bring off miss hicks instead; and, observe, hogg, he is that sort of wild fellow, that if he was to find that i had cheated him, he would immediately go on shore and be left behind; therefore we must hand miss hicks down in the cabin, and she will lock the door all night, so that he may not observe the trick till the next morning, and then we shall have a fine laugh at him." captain hogg replied it would be an excellent joke, as gascoigne did before him. now it must be observed, that the water and the bullocks, and the sheep and fowls, were all on board; and mr hicks, having received his money from jack, had very much altered his manner; he was barely civil, for as he had got all he could out of our hero, he was anxious to get rid of him as well as of captain hogg. our hero was very indignant at this, but as it would not suit his present views, pretended not to notice it--on the contrary, he professed the warmest friendship for the vice-consul, and took an opportunity of saying that he could not return his kindness in a better way than by informing him of the plot which had been arranged. he then told him of the intended escape of his sister, and that he was the person intended to bring her off. "infamous, by heavens!" cried the vice-consul; "i shall write to the foreign office on the subject." "i think," said jack, "it will be much better to do what i shall propose, which will end in a hearty laugh, and to the confusion of captain hogg. do you dress yourself in your sister's clothes, and i will bring you off instead of her. let him imagine that he has your sister secure; i will hand you down to the cabin, and do you lock yourself in. he cannot sail without my orders, and i will not sign the vouchers. the next morning we will open the cabin-door and have a good laugh at him. desire your boat to be off at daylight to take you on shore, and i will then make him proceed to toulon forthwith. it will be a capital joke." so thought the vice-consul, as well as gascoigne and captain hogg. he shook hands with jack, and was as civil to him as before. that night gascoigne left one of miss hicks's many dresses with azar, who agreed to follow his fortunes, and who packed up all the jewels and money she could lay her hands upon. poor little child, she trembled with fear and delight. miss hicks smuggled, as she thought, a box of clothes on board, and in the box was her fortune of three hundred dollars. mr hicks laughed in his sleeve, so did jack; and every one went to bed with expectations that their wishes would be realised. after an early dinner, captain hogg and gascoigne went on board, both squeezing jack's hand as if they were never to see him again, and looks of intelligence passed between all the parties. as soon as they were out of the door the vice-consul chuckled and miss hicks, who thought he chuckled at the idea of having rid himself of captain hogg, chuckled still more as she looked at our hero, who was her confidant; and our hero, for reasons known to the reader, chuckled more than either of them. a little before dark, the boat was sent on shore from the brig, which was now under way, and mr hicks, as had been agreed, said that he should go into the office and prepare the vouchers--that is, put on his sister's clothes. miss hicks immediately rose, and wishing our hero a pleasant voyage, as had been agreed, said that she should retire for the night, as she had a bad headache--she wished her brother good-night, and went into her room to wait another hour, when our hero, having shoved off the boat to deceive the vice-consul, was to return, meet her in the garden, and take her off to the brig. our hero then went into the office and assisted the vice-consul, who took off all his own clothes and tied them up in a handkerchief, intending to resume them after he had gone into the cabin. as soon as he was ready, jack carried his bundle and led the supposed miss hicks down to the boat. they shoved off in a great hurry, and jack took an opportunity of dropping mr hicks's bundle overboard. as soon as they arrived alongside, mr hicks ascended, and was handed by jack down into the cabin: he squeezed jack's hand as he entered, saying in a whisper, "to-morrow morning what a laugh we shall have!" and then he locked the door. in the meantime the boat was hooked on and hoisted up, and jack took the precaution to have the dead lights lowered, that mr hicks might not be able to ascertain what was going on. gascoigne came up to our hero and squeezed his hand. "i'm so much obliged to you, jack. i say, to-morrow morning what a laugh we shall have!" as soon as the boat was up, and the mainyard filled, captain hogg also came up to our hero, shaking him by the hand and thanking him; and he too concluded by saying, "i say, mr easy, to-morrow morning what a laugh we shall have!" "let those laugh who win," thought jack. the wind was fair, the watch was set, the course was steered, and all went down to their hammocks, and went to sleep, waiting for to-morrow morning. mr hicks, also, having nothing better to do, went to sleep, and by the morning dawn, the transport mary ann was more than a hundred miles from the african shore. chapter xxiv our hero plays the very devil. we must leave the reader to imagine the effect of the next morning's denouement. everyone was in a fury except jack, who did nothing but laugh. the captain wanted to return to obtain miss hicks, gascoigne to obtain azar, and the vice-consul to obtain his liberty--but the wind was foul for their return, and jack soon gained the captain on his side. he pointed out to him that, in the first place, if he presumed to return, he would forfeit his charter bond; in the second, he would have to pay for all the bullocks that died; in the third, that if he wished to take miss hicks as his wife, he must not first injure her character by having her on board before the solemnity; and lastly, that he could always go and marry her whenever he pleased; the brother could not prevent him. all this was very good advice, and the captain became quite calm and rational, and set his studding-sails below and aloft. as for gascoigne, it was no use reasoning with him, so it was agreed that he should have satisfaction as soon as they could get on shore again. mr hicks was the most violent; he insisted that the vessel should return, while both jack and the captain refused, although he threatened them with the whole foreign office. he insisted upon having his clothes, but jack replied that they had tumbled overboard as they pulled from the shore. he then commanded the mate and men to take the vessel back, but they laughed at him and his woman's clothes. "at all events, i'll have you turned out of the service," said he to our hero in his fury. "i shall be extremely obliged to you," said jack--and captain hogg was so much amused with the vice-consul's appearance in his sister's clothes, that he quite forgot his own disappointment in laughing at his intended brother-in-law. he made friends again with jack, who regained his ascendancy, and ordered out the porter on the capstern-head. they had an excellent dinner, but mr hicks refused to join them, which however did not spoil the appetite of jack or the captain: as for gascoigne, he could not eat a mouthful, but he drank to excess, looking over the rim of his tumbler, as if he could devour our hero, who only laughed the more. mr hicks had applied to the men to lend him some clothes, but jack had foreseen that, and he was omnipotent. there was not a jacket or a pair of trousers to be had for love or money. mr hicks then considered it advisable to lower his tone, and he applied to captain hogg, who begged to be excused without he consented to his marriage with his sister, to which mr hicks gave an indignant negative. he then applied to gascoigne, who told him in a very surly tone to go to h--l. at last he applied to our hero, who laughed, and said that he would see him d---d first. so mr hicks sat down in his petticoats and vowed revenge. gascoigne, who had drunk much and eaten nothing, turned in and went to sleep--while captain hogg and our hero drank porter on the capstern. thus passed the first day, and the wind was famously fair--the bullocks lowed, the cocks crew, the sheep baa'd, and the mary ann made upwards of two hundred miles. jack took possession of the other berth in the cabin, and his majesty's representative was obliged to lie down in his petticoats upon a topsail which lay between decks, with a bullock on each side of him, who every now and then made a dart at him with their horns, as if they knew that it was to him that they were indebted for their embarkation and being destined to drive the scurvy out of the toulon fleet. we cannot enter into the details of the passage, which, as the wind was fair, was accomplished in ten days without the loss of a bullock. during this time mr hicks condescended to eat without speaking, imagining that the hour of retribution would come when they joined the admiral. gascoigne gradually recovered himself, but did not speak to our hero, who continued to laugh and drink porter. on the eleventh morning they were in the midst of the toulon fleet, and mr hicks smiled exultingly as he passed our hero in his petticoats, and wondered that jack showed no signs of trepidation. the fleet hove-to, jack ran under the admiral's stern, lowered down his boat, and went on board, showed his credentials, and reported his bullocks. the general signal was made, there was a fair division of the spoil, and then the admiral asked our hero whether the master of the transport had any other stock on board. jack replied that he had not; but that, having been told by the governor of malta that they might be acceptable, he had bought a few sheep and some dozen of fowls, which were much at his service, if he would accept of them. the admiral was much obliged to the governor, and also to jack, for thinking of him, but would not, of course, accept of the stock without paying for them. he requested him to send all of them on board that he could spare, and then asked jack to dine with him, for jack had put on his best attire, and looked very much of a gentleman. "mr easy," said the flag-captain, who had been looking at the transport with his glass, "is that the master's wife on board?" "no, sir," replied jack; "it's the vice-consul." "what, in petticoats! the vice-consul?" "yes, the vice-consul of tetuan. he came on board in that dress when the brig was under way, and i considered it my duty not to delay, being aware how very important it was that the fleet should be provided with fresh beef." "what is all this, mr easy?" said the admiral; "there has been some trick here. you will oblige me by coming into the cabin." easy followed the admiral and flag-captain into the cabin, and then boldly told the whole story how he tricked them all. it was impossible for either of them to help laughing, and when they began to laugh, it was almost as impossible to stop. "mr easy," said the admiral at last, "i do not altogether blame you; it appears to me the captain of the transport would have delayed sailing because he was in love--and that mr gascoigne would have stayed behind because he was infatuated, independent of the ill-will against the english which would have been excited by the abduction of the girl. but i think you might have contrived to manage all that without putting the vice-consul in petticoats." "i acted to the best of my judgment, sir," replied jack, very humbly. "and altogether you have done well. captain malcolm, send a boat for the vice-consul." mr hicks was too impatient to tell his wrongs to care for his being in his sister's clothes: he came on board, and although the tittering was great, he imagined that it would soon be all in his favour, when it was known that he was a diplomatic. he told his story, and waited for the decision of the admiral, which was to crush our hero, who stood with the midshipmen on the lee side of the deck; but the admiral replied, "mr hicks, in the first place, this appears to me to be a family affair concerning the marriage of your sister, with which i have nothing to do. you went on board of your own free will in woman's clothes. mr easy's orders were positive, and he obeyed them. it was his duty to sail as soon as the transport was ready. you may forward your complaint if you please, but, as a friend, i tell you that it will probably occasion your dismissal; for these kind of pranks are not understood at the foreign office. you may return to the transport, which, after she has touched at mahon, will proceed again to tetuan. the boat is alongside, sir." mr hicks, astonished at the want of respect paid to a vice-consul, shoved his petticoats between his legs, and went down the side amidst the laughter of the whole of the ship's company. our hero dined with the admiral, and was well received. he got his orders to sail that night for minorca, and as soon as dinner was over he returned on board, where he found captain hogg very busy selling his porter-- gascoigne walking the deck in a brown study--and mr hicks solus abaft, sulking in his petticoats. as soon as they were clear of the boats, the mary ann hoisted her ensign and made sail, and as all the porter was not yet sold, jack ordered up a bottle. jack was much pleased with the result of his explanation with the admiral, and he felt that, for once, he had not only got into no scrape himself, but that he had prevented others. gascoigne walked the deck gloomily; the fact was, that he was very unhappy: he had had time to reflect, and now that the first violence had subsided, he felt that our hero had done him a real service, and had prevented him from committing an act of egregious folly; and yet he had summoned this friend to meet him in the field--and such had been his gratitude. he would have given the world to recall what had passed, and to make friends, but he felt ashamed, as most people do, to acknowledge his error; he had, however, almost made up his mind to it, and was walking up and down thinking in what manner he might contrive it, when jack, who was sitting, as usual, in a chair by the capstern with his porter by him, said to himself, "now i'll lay my life that ned wants to make friends, and is ashamed to speak first; i may be mistaken, and he may fly off at a tangent; but even if i am, at all events it will not be i who am wrong--i'll try him." jack waited till gascoigne passed him again, and then said, looking kindly and knowingly in his face,-- "i say, ned, will you have a glass of porter?" gascoigne smiled, and jack held out his hand; the reconciliation was effected in a moment, and the subject of quarrel was not canvassed by either party. "we shall be at minorca in a day or two," observed jack, after a while; "now i shall be glad to get there. do you know, ned, that i feel very much satisfied with myself; i have got into no scrape this time, and i shall, notwithstanding, have a good story to tell the governor when i go to malta." "partly at my expense," replied gascoigne. "why, you will figure a little in it, but others will figure much more." "i wonder what has become of that poor girl," observed gascoigne, who could not refrain from mentioning her; "what hurts me most is, that she must think me such a brute." "no doubt of that, ned,--take another glass of porter." "her father gave me this large diamond." "the old goat--sell it, and drink his health with it." "no, i'll keep it in memory of his daughter." here gascoigne fell into a melancholy reverie, and jack thought of agnes. in two days they arrived at mahon, and found the aurora already there, in the command of captain wilson. mr hicks had persuaded captain hogg to furnish him with clothes, jack having taken off the injunction as soon as he had quitted the admiral. mr hicks was aware, that if the admiral would not listen to his complaint, it was no use speaking to a captain: so he remained on board a pensioner upon captain hogg, and after our midshipmen quitted the transport they became very good friends. mr hicks consented to the match, and captain hogg was made happy. as for poor azar, she had wandered about until she was tired, in miss hicks's dress, and at last returned broken hearted to her father's, and was admitted by abdel faza himself; he imagined it was miss hicks, and was in transports--he discovered it was his daughter, and he was in a fury. the next day she went to the zenana of osman ali. when jack reported himself he did not tell the history of the elopements, that he might not hurt the feelings of gascoigne. captain wilson was satisfied with the manner in which he had executed his orders, and asked him, "whether he preferred staying in the harpy, or following him into the aurora." jack hesitated. "speak frankly, mr easy; if you prefer captain sawbridge to me, i shall not be affronted." "no, sir," replied easy, "i do not prefer captain sawbridge to you; you have both been equally kind to me, but i prefer you. but the fact is, sir, that i do not much like to part with gascoigne or--" "or who?" said the captain, smiling. "with mesty, sir; you may think me very foolish, but i should not be alive at this moment, if it had not been for him." "i do not consider gratitude to be foolish, mr easy," replied captain wilson. "mr gascoigne i intend to take with me, if he chooses to come, as i have a great respect for his father, and no fault to find with him, that is, generally speaking; but as for mesty--why he is a good man, and as you have behaved yourself very well, perhaps i may think of it." the next day mesty was included among the boat's crew taken with him by captain wilson, according to the regulations of the service, and appointed to the same situation under the master at arms of the aurora. gascoigne and our hero were also discharged into the frigate. as our hero never has shown any remarkable predilection for duty, the reader will not be surprised at his requesting from captain wilson a few days on shore, previous to his going on board of the aurora. captain wilson allowed the same licence to gascoigne, as they had both been cooped up for some time on board of a transport. our hero took up his quarters at the only respectable hotel in the town, and whenever he could meet an officer of the aurora, he very politely begged the pleasure of his company to dinner. jack's reputation had gone before him, and the midshipmen drank his wine and swore he was a trump. not that jack was to be deceived, but, upon the principles of equality, he argued that it was the duty of those who could afford dinners to give them to those who could not. this was a sad error on jack's part; but he had not yet learnt the value of money; he was such a fool as to think that the only real use of it was to make other people happy. it must, however, be offered in his extenuation that he was a midshipman and a philosopher, and not yet eighteen. at last jack had remained so long on shore, keeping open house, and the first lieutenant of the aurora found the officers so much more anxious for leave, now that they were at little or no expense, that he sent him a very polite message, requesting the pleasure of his company on board that evening. jack returned an equally polite answer, informing the first lieutenant that not being aware that he wished to see him, he had promised to accompany some friends to a masquerade that night, but that he would not fail to pay his respects to him the next day. the first lieutenant admitted the excuse, and our hero, after having entertained half-a-dozen of the auroras, for the harpy had sailed two days before, dressed himself for the masquerade, which was held in a church about two miles and a half from mahon. jack had selected the costume of the devil, as being the most appropriate, and mounting a jackass, he rode down in his dress to the masquerade. but, as jack was just going in, he perceived a yellow carriage, with two footmen in gaudy liveries, draw up, and with his usual politeness, when the footmen opened the door, offered his arm to hand out a fat old dowager covered with diamonds; the lady looked up, and perceiving jack covered with hair, with his trident and his horns, and long tail, gave a loud scream, and would have fallen had it not been for captain wilson, who, in his full uniform, was coming in, and caught her in his arms: while the old lady thanked him, and captain wilson bowed, jack hastily retreated. "i shall make no conquests to-night," thought he; so he entered the church, and joined the crowd; but it was so dense that it was hardly possible to move, and our hero soon got tired of flourishing his trident, and sticking it into people, who wondered what the devil he meant. "this is stupid work," thought jack, "i may have more fun outside": so jack put on his cloak, left the masquerade, and went out in search of adventures. he walked into the open country, about half a mile, until he came to a splendid house, standing in a garden of orange trees, which he determined to reconnoitre. he observed that a window was open and lights were in the room; and he climbed up to the window, and just opened the white curtain and looked in. on a bed lay an elderly person, evidently dying, and by the side of the bed were three priests, one of whom held the crucifix in his hand, another the censer, and a third was sitting at a table with a paper, pen, and ink. as jack understood spanish, he listened, and heard one of the priests say: "your sins have been enormous, my son, and i cannot give you extreme unction or absolution unless you make some amends." "i have," answered the moribund, "left money for ten thousand masses to be said for my soul." "five hundred thousand masses are not sufficient: how have you gained your enormous wealth? by usury and robbing the poor." "i have left a thousand dollars to be distributed among the poor on the day of my funeral." "one thousand dollars is nothing--you must leave all your property to holy church." "and my children!" replied the dying man, faintly. "what are your children compared to your salvation? reply not: either consent, or not only do i refuse you the consolation of the dying, but i excommunicate--" "mercy, holy father, mercy!" said the old man, in a dying voice. "there is no mercy, you are damned for ever and ever. amen. now hear: excommunicabo te--" "stop--stop--have you the paper ready?" "tis here, all ready, by which you revoke all former wills, and endow the holy church with your property. we will read it, for god forbid that it should be said that the holy church received an involuntary gift." "i will sign it," replied the dying man, "but my sight fails me; be quick, absolve me." and the paper was signed, with difficulty, as the priests supported the dying man. "and now--absolve me." "i do absolve thee," replied the priest, who then went through the ceremony. "now this is a confounded rascally business," said jack to himself; who then dropped his cloak, jumped upon the window-sill, opened wide the window-curtains with both hands, and uttered a yelling kind of "ha! ha! ha! ha!" the priests turned round, saw the demon as they imagined dropped the paper on the table, and threw themselves with their faces on the floor. "exorciso te," stammered one. "ha! ha! ha! ha!" repeated jack, entering the room, and taking up the paper which he burnt by the flame of the candle. our hero looked at the old man on the bed; his jaw had fallen, his eyes were turned. he was dead. jack then gave one more "ha! ha! ha! ha!" to keep the priests in their places, blew out the candles, made a spring out of the window, caught up his cloak, and disappeared as fast as his legs could carry him. jack ran until he was out of breath, and then he stopped, and sat down by the side of the road. it was broad moonlight, and jack knew not where he was: "but minorca has not many high roads," thought jack, "and i shall find my way home. now, let me see,--i have done some good this evening. i have prevented those rogues from disinheriting a family. i wonder who they are; they ought to be infinitely obliged to me. but if the priests find me out, what shall i do? i never dare come on shore again--they'd have me in the inquisition. i wonder where i am," said jack; "i will get on that hill, and see if i can take a departure." the hill was formed by the road being cut perpendicularly almost through it, and was perhaps some twelve or fourteen feet high. jack ascended it, and looked about him. "there is the sea, at all events, with the full moon silvering the waves," said jack, turning from the road, "and here is the road; then that must be the way to port mahon. but what comes here?--it's a carriage. why, it's the yellow carriage of that old lady with her diamonds, and her two splashy footmen!" jack was watching it as it passed the road under him, when of a sudden, he perceived about a dozen men rush out, and seize the horses' heads,--a discharge of fire-arms, the coachman dropped off the box, and the two footmen dropped from behind. the robbers then opened the door, and were hauling out the fat old lady covered with diamonds. jack thought a second--it occurred to him, that although he could not cope with so many, he might frighten them, as he had frightened one set of robbers already that night. the old lady had just been tumbled out of the carriage-door, like a large bundle of clothes tied up for the wash, when jack, throwing off his cloak, and advancing to the edge of the precipice, with the full moon behind him throwing out his figure in strong relief, raised his trident, and just as they were raising their knives, yelled a most unearthly "ha, ha, ha, ha!" the robbers looked up, and forgetting the masquerade, for there is a double tremor in guilt, screamed with fear; most of them ran away, and dropped after a hundred yards; others remained paralysed and insensible. jack descended the hill, went to the assistance of the old lady, who had swooned, and had to put her into the carriage; but although our hero was very strong, this was a work of no small difficulty. after one or two attempts, he lowered down the steps and contrived to bump her on the first, from the first he purchased her on the second, and from the second he at last seated her at the door of the carriage. jack had no time to be over-polite. he then threw her back into the bottom of the carriage, her heels went up to the top, jack shoved in her petticoats as fast as he could, for decency, and then shutting the door seized the reins, and jumped upon the box. "i don't know the way," thought jack, "but we must needs go when the devil drives"; so sticking his trident into the horses, they set off at a rattling pace, passing over the bodies of the two robbers, who had held the reins, and who both lay before him in a swoon. as soon as he had brought the horses into a trot, he slackened the reins, for, as jack wisely argued, they will be certain to go home if i let them have their own way the horses, before they arrived at the town, turned off, and stopped at a large country house. that he might not frighten the people, jack had put on his cloak, and taken off his mask and head-piece, which he had laid beside him on the box. at the sound of the carriage-wheels the servants came out, when jack, in few words, told them what had happened. some of the servants ran in, and a young lady made her appearance, while the others were helping the old lady out of the carriage, who had recovered her senses, but had been so much frightened that she had remained in the posture in which jack had put her. as soon as she was out, jack descended from the coach-box and entered the house. he stated to the young lady what had taken place, and how opportunely he had frightened away the robbers, just as they were about to murder her relation; and also suggested the propriety of sending after the servants who had fallen in the attack; which was immediately done by a strong and well-armed party collected for the occasion. jack, having made his speech, made a very polite bow and took his leave, stating that he was an english officer belonging to a frigate in the harbour. he knew his way back, and in half an hour was again at the inn, and found his comrades. jack thought it advisable to keep his own secret, and therefore merely said, that he had taken a long walk in the country; and soon afterwards went to bed. the next morning our hero, who was always a man of his word, packed up his portmanteau, and paid his bill. he had just completed this heavy operation, when somebody wanted to speak to him, and a sort of half-clerical, half-legal sort of looking gentleman was introduced, who, with a starched face and prim air, said that he came to request in writing the name of the officer who was dressed as a devil, in the masquerade of the night before. jack looked at his interrogator, and thought of the priests and the inquisition. "no, no," thought he, "that won't do; a name i must give, but it shall be one that you dare not meddle with. a midshipman you might get hold of, but it's more than the whole island dare to touch a post-captain of one of his majesty's frigates." so jack took the paper and wrote captain henry wilson, of his majesty's ship aurora. the prim man made a prim bow, folded up the paper and left the room. jack threw the waiter half a doubloon, lighted his cigar, and went on board. chapter xxv in which the old proverb is illustrated, "that you must not count your chickens before they are hatched." the first lieutenant of the aurora was a very good officer in many respects, but, as a midshipman, he had contracted the habit of putting his hands in his pockets, and could never keep them out, even when the ship was in a gale of wind; and hands are of some use in a heavy lurch. he had more than once received serious injury from falling on these occasions, but habit was too powerful; and, although he had once broken his leg by falling down the hatchway, and had moreover a large scar on his forehead, received from being thrown to leeward against one of the guns, he still continued the practice; indeed, it was said that once when it was necessary for him to go aloft, he had actually taken the two first rounds of the jacob's ladder without withdrawing them, until, losing his balance, he discovered that it was not quite so easy to go aloft with his hands in his pockets. in fact, there was no getting up his hands, even when all hands were turned up. he had another peculiarity, which was, that he had taken a peculiar fancy to a quack medicine, called enouy's universal medicine for all mankind; and mr pottyfar was convinced in his own mind that the label was no libel, except from the greatness of its truth. in his opinion, it cured everything, and he spent one of his quarterly bills every year in bottles of this stuff; which he not only took himself every time he was unwell, but occasionally when quite well, to prevent his falling sick. he recommended it to everybody in the ship, and nothing pleased him so much as to give a dose of it to everyone who could be persuaded to take it. the officers laughed at him, but it was generally behind his back, for he became very angry if contradicted upon this one point, upon which he certainly might be considered to be a little cracked. he was indefatigable in making proselytes to his creed, and expatiated upon the virtues of the medicine, for an hour running, proving the truth of his assertions by a pamphlet, which, with his hands, he always carried in his trousers' pocket. jack reported himself when he came on board, and mr pottyfar, who was on the quarter-deck at the time, expressed a hope that mr easy would take his share of the duty, now that he had had such a spell on shore; to which jack very graciously acceded, and then went down below, where he found gascoigne and his new messmates, with most of whom he was already acquainted. "well, easy," said gascoigne, "have you had enough of the shore?" "quite," replied jack, recollecting that, after the events of the night before, he was just as well on board; "i don't intend to ask for any more leave." "perhaps it's quite as well, for mr pottyfar is not very liberal on that score, i can tell you; there is but one way of getting leave from him." "indeed!" replied jack; "and what is that?" "you must pretend that you are not well, take some of his quack medicine, and then he will allow you a run on shore to work it off." "oh! that's it, is it? well then, as soon as we anchor in valette, i'll go through a regular course, but not till then." "it ought to suit you, jack; it's an equality medicine; cures one disorder just as well as the other." "or kills--which levels all the patients. you're right, gascoigne, i must patronise that stuff--for more reasons than one. who was that person on deck in mufti?" "the mufti, jack; in other words, the chaplain of the ship, but he's a prime sailor, nevertheless." "how's that?" "why, he was brought up on the quarter-deck, served his time, was acting lieutenant for two years, and then, somehow or another, he bore up for the church." "indeed--what were his reasons?" "no one knows--but they say he has been unhappy ever since." "why so?" "because he did a very foolish thing, which cannot now be remedied. he supposed at the time that he would make a good parson, and now that he has long got over his fit, he finds himself wholly unfit for it--he is still the officer in heart, and is always struggling with his natural bent, which is very contrary to what a parson should feel." "why don't they allow parsons to be broke by a court-martial, and turned out of the service, or to resign their commissions, like other people?" "it won't do, jack--they serve heaven--there's a difference between that and serving his majesty." "well, i don't understand these things. when do we sail?" "the day after to-morrow." "to join the fleet of toulon?" "yes: but i suppose we shall be driven on the spanish coast going there. i never knew a man-of-war that was not." "no; wind always blows from the south, going up the mediterranean." "perhaps you'll take another prize, jack--mind you don't go away without the articles of war." "i won't go away without mesty, if i can help it. o dear, how abominable a midshipman's berth is after a long run on shore! i positively must go on deck and look at the shore, if i can do nothing else." "why, ten minutes ago you had had enough of it?" "yes, but ten minutes here has made me feel quite sick. i shall go to the first lieutenant for a dose." "i say, easy, we must both be physicked on the same day." "to be sure; but stop till we get to malta." jack went on deck, made acquaintance with the chaplain and some of the officers whom he had not known, then climbed up into the main-top, where he took a seat on the armolest, and, as he looked at the shore, thought over the events that had passed, until agnes came to his memory, and he thought only of her. when a mid is in love, he always goes aloft to think of the object of his affection; why, i don't know, except that his reverie is not so likely to be disturbed by an order from a superior officer. the aurora sailed on the second day, and, with a fine breeze, stood across, making as much northing as easting; the consequence was, that one fine morning they saw the spanish coast before they saw the toulon fleet. mr pottyfar took his hands out of his pockets, because he could not examine the coast through a telescope without so doing; but this, it is said, was the first time that he had done so on the quarter-deck from the day that the ship had sailed from port mahon. captain wilson was also occupied with his telescope, so were many of the officers and midshipmen, and the men at the mastheads used their eyes, but there was nothing but a few small fishing-boats to be seen. so they all went down to breakfast, as the ship was hove-to close in with the land. "what will easy bet," said one of the midshipmen, "that we don't see a prize to-day?" "i will not bet that we do not see a vessel--but i'll bet you what you please, that we do not take one before twelve o'clock at night." "no, no, that won't do--just let the teapot travel over this way, for it's my forenoon watch." "it's a fine morning," observed one of the mates, of the name of martin; "but i've a notion it won't be a fine evening." "why not?" inquired another. "i've now been eight years in the mediterranean, and know something about the weather. there's a watery sky, and the wind is very steady. if we are not under double-reefed topsails to-night, say i'm no conjurer." "that you will be, all the same, if we are under bare poles," said another. "you're devilish free with your tongue, my youngster--easy, pull his ears for me." "pull them easy, jack, then," said the boy, laughing. "all hands make sail!" now resounded at the hatchways. "there they are, depend upon it," cried gascoigne, catching up his hat and bolting out of the berth, followed by all the others except martin, who had just been relieved, and thought that his presence in the waist might be dispensed with for the short time, at least, which it took him to swallow a cup of tea. it was very true; a galliot and four lateen vessels had just made their appearance round the easternmost point, and as soon as they observed the frigate, had hauled their wind. in a minute the aurora was under a press of canvas, and the telescopes were all directed to the vessels. "all deeply laden, sir," observed mr hawkins, the chaplain; "how the topsail of the galliot is scored!" "they have a fresh breeze just now," observed captain wilson to the first lieutenant. "yes, sir, and it's coming down fast." "hands by the royal halyards, there." the aurora careened with the canvas to the rapidly-increasing breeze. "top-gallant sheet and halyards." "luff you may, quarter-master; luff, i tell you. a small pull of that weather maintop-gallant brace--that will do," said the master. "top-men aloft there;--stand by to clew up the royals and, captain wilson, shall we take them in?--i'm afraid of that pole--it bends now like a coach-whip," said mr pottyfar, looking up aloft, with his hands in both pockets. "in royals--lower away." "they are going about, sir," said the second lieutenant, mr haswell. "look out," observed the chaplain, "it's coming." again the breeze increased, and the frigate was borne down. "hands reef topsails in stays, mr pottyfar." "aye, aye, sir--'bout ship." the helm was put down and the topsails lowered and reefed in stays. "very well, my lads, very well indeed," said captain wilson. again the topsails were hoisted and top-gallant sheets home it was a strong breeze, although the water was smooth, and the aurora dashed through at the rate of eight miles an hour, with her weather leeches lifting. "didn't i tell you so?" said martin to his messmates on the gangway "but there's more yet, my boys." "we must take the top-gallant sails off her," said captain wilson, looking aloft--for the frigate now careened to her bearings, and the wind was increasing and squally. "try them a little longer"; but another squall came suddenly--the halyards were lowered, and the sails clewed up and furled. in the meantime the frigate had rapidly gained upon the vessels, which still carried on every stitch of canvas, making short tacks in-shore. the aurora was again put about with her head towards them, and they were not two points on her weather-bow. the sky, which had been clear in the morning, was now overcast, the sun was obscured with opaque white clouds, and the sea was rising fast. another ten minutes, and then they were under double-reefed topsails and the squalls were accompanied with heavy rain. the frigate now dashed through the waves, foaming in her course, and straining under the press of sail. the horizon was so thick that the vessels ahead were no longer to be seen. "we shall have it, i expect," said captain wilson. "didn't i say so?" observed martin to gascoigne. "we take no prizes this day, depend upon it." "we must have another hand to the wheel, sir, if you please," said the quarter-master, who was assisting the helmsman. mr pottyfar, with his hands concealed as usual, stood by the capstern. "i fear, sir, we cannot carry the mainsail much longer." "no," observed the chaplain, "i was thinking so." "captain wilson, if you please, we are very close in," said the master; "don't you think we had better go about?" "yes, mr jones. hands about ship--and, yes, by heavens we must!--up mainsail." the mainsail was taken off, and the frigate appeared to be immediately relieved. she no longer jerked and plunged as before. "we're very near the land, captain wilson; thick as it is, i think i can make out the loom of it--shall we wear round, sir?" continued the master. "yes, hands wear ship--put the helm up." it was but just in time, for, as the frigate flew round, describing a circle, as she payed off before the wind, they could perceive the breakers lashing the precipitous coast, not two cables' length from them. "i had no idea we were so near," observed the captain, compressing his lips--"can they see anything of those vessels?" "i have not seen them this quarter of an hour, sir," replied the signal-man, protecting his glass from the rain under his jacket. "how's her head now, quarter-master?" "south south-east, sir." the sky now assumed a different appearance--the white clouds had been exchanged for others dark and murky, the wind roared at intervals, and the rain came down in torrents. captain wilson went down into the cabin to examine the barometer. "the barometer has risen," said he on his return on deck. "is the wind steady?" "no, sir, she's up and off three points." "this will end in a south-wester." the wet and heavy sails now flapped from the shifting of the wind. "up with the helm, quarter-master." "up it is--she's off to south-by-west." the wind lulled, the rain came down in a deluge--for a minute it was quite calm, and the frigate was on an even keel. "man the braces. we shall be taken aback, directly, depend upon it." the braces were hardly stretched along before this was the case. the wind flew round to the south-west with a loud roar, and it was fortunate that they were prepared--the yards were braced round, and the master asked the captain, what course they were to steer. "we must give it up," observed captain wilson, holding on by the belaying pin. "shape our course for cape sicie, mr jones." and the aurora flew before the gale, under her foresail and topsails close reefed. the weather was now so thick that nothing could be observed twenty yards from the vessel; the thunder pealed, and the lightning darted in every direction over the dark expanse. the watch was called as soon as the sails were trimmed, and all who could went below, wet, uncomfortable, and disappointed. "what an old jonah you are, martin," said gascoigne. "yes, i am," replied he; "but we have the worst to come yet, in my opinion. i recollect, not two hundred miles from where we are now, we had just such a gale in the favourite, and we as nearly went down, when--" at this moment a tremendous noise was heard above, a shock was felt throughout the whole ship, which trembled fore and aft as if it was about to fall into pieces: loud shrieks were followed by plaintive cries, the lower deck was filled with smoke, and the frigate was down on her beam ends. without exchanging a word, the whole of the occupants of the berth flew out, and were up the hatchway, not knowing what to think, but convinced that some dreadful accident had taken place. on their gaining the deck it was at once explained; the foremast of the frigate had been struck by lightning, had been riven into several pieces, and had fallen over the larboard bow, carrying with it the main-topmast and jib-boom. the jagged stump of the foremast was in flames, and burned brightly, notwithstanding the rain fell in torrents. the ship, as soon as the foremast and main topmast had gone overboard, broached-to furiously, throwing the men over the wheel and dashing them senseless against the carronades; the forecastle, the forepart of the main deck, and even the lower deck, were spread with men, either killed or seriously wounded, or insensible from the electric shock. the frigate was on her beam ends, and the sea broke furiously over her; all was dark as pitch, except the light from the blazing stump of the foremast, appearing like a torch, held up by the wild demons of the storm, or when occasionally the gleaming lightning cast a momentary glare, threatening every moment to repeat its attack upon the vessel, while the deafening thunder burst almost on their devoted heads. all was dismay and confusion for a minute or two: at last captain wilson, who had himself lost his sight for a short time, called for the carpenter and axes--they climbed up, that is, two or three of them, and he pointed to the mizzen-mast; the master was also there, and he cut loose the axes for the seamen to use; in a few minutes the mizzen-mast fell over the quarter, and the helm being put hard up, the frigate payed off and slowly righted. but the horror of the scene was not yet over. the boatswain, who had been on the forecastle, had been led below, for his vision was gone for ever. the men who lay scattered about had been examined, and they were assisting them down to the care of the surgeon, when the cry of "fire!" issued from the lower deck. the ship had taken fire at the coal-hole and carpenter's store-room, and the smoke that now ascended was intense. "call the drummer," said captain wilson, "and let him beat to quarters--all hands to their stations--let the pumps be rigged and the buckets passed along. mr martin, see that the wounded men are taken down below. where's mr haswell? mr pottyfar, station the men to pass the water on by hand on the lower deck. i will go there myself. mr jones, take charge of the ship." pottyfar, who actually had taken his hands out of his pockets, hastened down to comply with the captain's orders on the main deck, as captain wilson descended to the deck below. "i say, jack, this is very different from this morning," observed gascoigne. "yes," replied jack, "so it is; but i say, gascoigne, what's the best thing to do?--when the chimney's on fire on shore, they put a wet blanket over it." "yes," replied gascoigne; "but when the coal-hole's on fire on board, they will not find that sufficient." "at all events, wet blankets must be a good firing, ned, so let us pull out the hammocks; cut the lanyards and get some out--we can but offer them, you know, and if they do no good, at least it will show our zeal." "yes, jack, and i think when they turn in again, those whose blankets you take will agree with you, that zeal makes the service very uncomfortable. however, i think you are right." the two midshipmen collected three or four hands, and in a very short time they had more blankets than they could carry--there was no trouble in wetting them, for the main deck was afloat--and followed by the men they had collected, easy and gascoigne went down with large bundles in their arms to where captain wilson was giving directions to the men. "excellent, mr easy, excellent, mr gascoigne" said captain wilson. "come, my lads, throw them over now, and stamp upon them well"; the men's jackets and the captain's coat had already been sacrificed to the same object. easy called the other midshipmen, and they went up for a further supply; but there was no occasion, the fire had been smothered: still the danger had been so great that the fore magazine had been floated. during all this, which lasted perhaps a quarter of an hour, the frigate had rolled gunwale under, and many were the accidents which occurred. at last all danger from fire had ceased, and the men were ordered to return to their quarters, when three officers and forty-seven men were found absent--seven of them were dead, most of them were already under the care of the surgeon, but some were still lying in the scuppers. no one had been more active or more brave during this time of danger, than mr hawkins, the chaplain. he was everywhere, and when captain wilson went down to put out the fire he was there, encouraging the men and exerting himself most gallantly. he and mesty came aft when all was over, one just as black as the other. the chaplain sat down and wrung his hands--"god forgive me!" said he, "god forgive me!" "why so, sir?" said easy, who stood near. "i am sure you need not be ashamed of what you have done." "no, no, not ashamed of what i've done; but, mr easy--i have sworn so, sworn such oaths at the men in haste--i, the chaplain! god forgive me!--i meant nothing." it was very true that mr hawkins had sworn a great deal during his exertions, but he was at that time the quarter-deck officer and not the chaplain; the example to the men and his gallantry had been most serviceable. "indeed, sir," said easy, who saw the chaplain was in great tribulation, and hoped to pacify him, "i was certainly not there all the time, but i only heard you say, 'god bless you, my men! be smart,' and so on; surely, that is not swearing." "was it that i said, mr easy, are you sure? i really had an idea that i had d---d them all in heaps, as some of them deserved--no, no, not deserved. did i really bless them--nothing but bless them?" "yes, sir," said mesty, who perceived what jack wanted: "it was nothing, i assure you, but 'god bless you, captain wilson!--bless your heart, my good men!-bless the king!' and so on. you do nothing but shower down blessing and wet blanket." "i told you so," said jack. "well, mr easy, you've made me very happy," replied the chaplain; "i was afraid it was otherwise." so indeed it was, for the chaplain had sworn like a boatswain; but as jack and mesty had turned all his curses into blessings, the poor man gave himself absolution, and shaking hands with jack, hoped he would come down into the gun-room and take a glass of grog; nor did he forget mesty, who received a good allowance at the gun-room door, to which jack gladly consented, as the rum in the middy's berth had all been exhausted after the rainy morning; but jack was interrupted in his third glass, by somebody telling him the captain wanted to speak with mr hawkins and with him. jack went up, and found the captain on the quarter-deck with the officers. "mr easy," said captain wilson, "i have sent for you, mr hawkins, and mr gascoigne, to thank you on the quarter-deck, for your exertions and presence of mind on this trying occasion." mr hawkins made a bow. gascoigne said nothing, but he thought of having extra leave when they arrived at malta. jack felt inclined to make a speech, and began something about when there was danger that it levelled every one to an equality even on board of a man-of-war. "by no means, mr easy," replied captain wilson; "it does the very contrary; for it proves which is the best man, and those who are the best raise themselves at once above the rest." jack was very much inclined to argue the point, but he took the compliment and held his tongue, which was the wisest thing he could have done; so he made his bow, and was about to go down into the midshipmen's berth when the frigate was pooped by a tremendous sea, which washed all those who did not hold on down into the waist. jack was among the number, and naturally catching at the first object which touched him, he caught hold of the chaplain by the leg, who commenced swearing most terribly: but before he could finish the oath, the water which had burst into the cabin through the windows--for the dead lights, in the confusion, had not yet been shipped--burst out of the cross bulk-heads, sweeping like a torrent the marine, the cabin-door, and everything else in its force, and floating jack and the chaplain with several others down the main hatchway on to the lower deck. the lower deck being also full of water, men and chests were rolling and tossing about, and jack was sometimes in company with the chaplain, and at other times separated; at last they both recovered their legs, and gained the midshipmen's berth, which, although afloat, was still a haven of security. mr hawkins spluttered and spit, and so did jack, until he began to laugh. "this is very trying, mr easy," said the chaplain; "very trying indeed to the temper. i hope i have not sworn i hope not." "not a word," said jack--"i was close to you all the time--you only said 'god preserve us!'" "only that? i was afraid that i said 'god d--n it!'" "quite a mistake, mr hawkins. let's go into the gun-room, and try to wash this salt water out of our mouths, and then i will tell you all you said, as far as i could hear it, word for word." so jack by this means got another glass of grog, which was very acceptable in his wet condition, and made himself very comfortable, while those on deck were putting on the dead lights, and very busy setting the goose-wings of the mainsail, to prevent the frigate from being pooped a second time. chapter xxvi in which our hero becomes excessively unwell, and agrees to go through a course of medicine. the hammocks were not piped down that night: some were taken indiscriminately for the wounded, but the rest remained in the nettings, for all hands were busy preparing jury masts and jury rigging, and mr pottyfar was so well employed that for twelve hours his hands were not in his pockets. it was indeed a dreadful night: the waves were mountains high, and chased the frigate in their fury, cresting, breaking, and roaring at her taffrail. but she flew before them with the wings of the wind; four men at the helm, assisted by others at the relieving tackles below. jack, having been thanked on and washed off the quarter-deck, thought that he had done quite enough: he was as deep as he could swim before he had satisfied all the scruples of the chaplin and, stowing himself away on one of the lockers of the midshipmen's berth, was soon fast asleep, notwithstanding that the frigate rolled gunwale under. gascoigne had done much better; he had taken down a hammock, as he said, for a poor wounded man, hung it up and turned in himself. the consequence was, that the next morning the surgeon, who saw him lying in the hammock, had put him down in the report, but as gascoigne had got up as well as ever, he laughed and scratched his name out of the list of wounded. before morning the ship had been pumped out dry, and all below made as secure and safe as circumstances would permit; but the gale still continued its violence, and there was anything but comfort onboard. "i say, martin, you ought to be thrown overboard!" said gascoigne; "all this comes from your croaking--you're a mother cary's chicken." "i wish i had been anyone's chicken," replied martin; "but the devil a thing to nestle under have i had since i can well remember." "what a bore to have no galley-fire lighted," said one of the youngsters; "no tea, and not allowed any grog." "the gale will last three days," replied martin, "and by that time we shall not be far from the admiral; it won't blow home there." "well, then, we shall be ordered in directly, and i shall go on shore to-morrow," replied easy. "yes, if you're ill," replied gascoigne. "never fear, i shall be sick enough. we shall be there at least six weeks, and then we'll forget all this." "yes," replied martin, "we may forget it, but will the poor fellows whose limbs are shrivelled forget it? and will poor miles, the boatswain, who is blind forever?" "very true, martin; we are thinking about ourselves, not thankful for our escape, and not feeling for others," replied gascoigne. "give us your hand, ned," said jack easy. "and, martin, we ought to thank you for telling us the truth--we are a selfish set of fellows." "still we took our share with the others," replied one of the midshipman. "that's more reason for us to be grateful and to pity them," replied jack; "suppose you had lost your arm or your eyesight--we would have pitied you; so now pity others." "well, so i do, now i think of it." "think oftener, youngster," observed martin, going on deck. what a change from the morning of the day before; but twenty-four hours had passed away, and the sea had been smooth; the frigate dashed through the blue water, proud in all her canvas, graceful as a swan. since that there had been fire, tempest, lightning, disaster, danger, and death; her masts were tossed about on the snowy waves, hundreds of miles away from her, and she--a wreck--was rolling heavily, groaning and complaining in every timber, as she urged her impetuous race with the furious running sea. how wrong are those on shore who assert that sailors are not religious!--how is it possible, supposing them to be possessed of feeling, to be otherwise? on shore, where you have nothing but the change of seasons, each in its own peculiar beauty--nothing but the blessings of the earth, its fruits, its flowers--nothing but the bounty, the comforts, the luxuries which have been invented, where you can rise in the morning in peace, and lay down your head at night in security--god may be neglected and forgotten for a long time; but at sea, when each gale is a warning, each disaster acts as a check, each escape as a homily upon the forbearance of providence, that man must be indeed brutalised who does not feel that god is there. on shore we seldom view him but in all his beauty and kindness; but at sea we are as often reminded how terrible he is in his wrath. can it be supposed that the occurrences of the last twenty-four hours were lost upon the minds of any one man in that ship? no, no. in their courage and activity they might appear reckless, but in their hearts they acknowledged and bowed unto their god. before the day was over, a jury-foremast had been got up, and sail having been put upon it, the ship was steered with greater ease and safety--the main brace had been spliced to cheer up the exhausted crew, and the hammocks were piped down. as gascoigne had observed, some of the men were not very much pleased to find that they were minus their blankets, but captain wilson ordered their losses to be supplied by the purser and expended by the master; this quite altered the case, as they obtained new blankets in most cases for old ones, but still it was impossible to light the galley fire, and the men sat on their chests and nibbled biscuit. by twelve o'clock that night the gale broke, and more sail was necessarily put on the scudding vessels for the sea still ran fast and mountains high. at daylight the sun burst out and shone brightly on them, the sea went gradually down, the fire was lighted, and mr pottyfar, whose hands were again in his pockets, at twelve o'clock gave the welcome order to pipe to dinner. as soon as the men had eaten their dinner, the frigate was once more brought to the wind, her jury-mast forward improved upon, and more sail made upon it. the next morning there was nothing of the gale left except the dire effects which it had produced, the black and riven stump of the foremast still holding up a terrific warning of the power and fury of the elements. three days more, and the aurora joined the toulon fleet. when she was first seen it was imagined by those on board of the other ships that she had been in action, but they soon learnt that the conflict had been against more direful weapons than any yet invented by mortal hands. captain wilson waited upon the admiral, and of course received immediate orders to repair to port and refit. in a few hours the aurora had shaped her course for malta, and by sunset the toulon fleet were no longer in sight. "by de holy poker, massa easy, but that terrible sort of gale the other day anyhow--i tink one time, we all go to davy joney's lacker." "very true, mesty; i hope never to meet with such another." "den, massa easy, why you go to sea? when man ab no money, noting to eat, den he go to sea, but everybody say you ab plenty money why you come to sea?" "i'm sure i don't know," replied jack, thoughtfully; "i came to sea on account of equality and the rights of man." "eh, massa easy, you come to wrong place anyhow. now i tink a good deal lately, and by all de power, i tink equality all stuff." "all stuff, mesty, why? you used to think otherwise." "yes, massa easy, but den i boil de kettle for all young gentleman. now dat i ship's corporal and hab cane, i tink so no longer." jack made no reply, but he thought the more. the reader must have perceived that jack's notions of equality were rapidly disappearing; he defended them more from habit, and perhaps a wilfulness which would not allow him to acknowledge himself wrong;--to which may be added his love of argument. already he had accustomed himself to obedience of his superiors, and, notwithstanding his arguments, he would admit of no resistance from those below him; not that it was hardly ever attempted, for jack was anything but a tyrant and was much beloved by all in the ship. every day brought its lesson, and captain wilson was now satisfied that jack had been almost cured of the effects of his father's ridiculous philosophy. after a few minutes, mesty tapped his cane on the funnel and recommenced. "then why you stay at sea, massa easy?" "i don't know, mesty, i don't dislike it." "but, massa easy, why you stay in midshipman berth, eat hard biscuit, salt pig, salt horse, when you can go shore and live like gentleman? dat very foolish! why not be your own master? by all power! suppose i had money, catch me board ship. little sea very good, massa easy, open one's eyes; but tink of the lightning t'other night. poor massa boatswain he shut um eyes for ebber!" "very true, mesty." "me hope you fink of this, sar, and when you go on shore you take mesty wid you. he sarve you well, massa easy, long as he live, by de holy st patrick. and den, massa easy, you marry wife--hab pickaninny--lib like gentleman. you tink of this, massa easy." the mention of the word marriage turned the thoughts of our hero to his agnes and he made no reply. mesty walked away leaving our hero in deep thought. this conversation had more effect upon jack than would have been imagined, and he very often found he was putting to himself the question of mesty--"why do you stay at sea?" he had not entered the service with any particular view, except to find equality, and he could not but acknowledge to himself that, as mesty observed, he had come to the wrong place. he had never even thought of staying to serve his time, nor had he looked forward to promotion, and one day commanding a ship. he had only cared for the present, without indulging in a future anticipation of any reward, except in a union with agnes. mesty's observations occasioned jack to reflect upon the future for the first time in his life; and he was always perplexed when he put the question of mesty, and tried to answer to himself as to what were his intentions in remaining in the service. nevertheless jack did his duty very much to the satisfaction of mr pottyfar; and after a tedious passage, from baffling and light winds, the aurora arrived at malta. our hero had had some conversation with his friend gascoigne, in which he canvassed his future plans; all of which, however, ended in one settled point, which was that he was to marry agnes. as for the rest, gascoigne was of opinion that jack ought to follow up the service and become a captain. but there was plenty of time to think about that, as he observed; now all they had to consider was how to get on shore, for the refitting of the ship was an excuse for detaining them on board, which they knew mr pottyfar would avail himself of. jack dined in the gun-room on the day of their arrival, and he resolved that he would ask that very evening. captain wilson was already on shore at the governor's. now, there had been a little difference of opinion between mr pottyfar and mr hawkins, the chaplain, on a point of seamanship, and most of the officers sided with the chaplain, who, as we have before observed, was a first-rate seaman. it had ended in high words, for mr hawkins had forgotten himself so far as to tell the first lieutenant that he had a great deal to learn, not having even got over the midshipman's trick of keeping his hands in his pockets; and mr pottyfar had replied that it was very well for him as chaplain to insult others, knowing that his cassock protected him. this was a bitter reply to mr hawkins, who at the very time that the insinuation made his blood boil, was also reminded that his profession forbade a retort. he rushed into his cabin, poor fellow, having no other method left, vented his indignation in tears, and then consoled himself by degrees with prayer. in the meantime mr pottyfar had gone on deck, wroth with hawkins and with his messmates, as well as displeased with himself. he was, indeed, in a humour to be pleased with nobody, and in a most unfortunate humour to be asked leave by a midshipman. nevertheless, jack politely took off his hat, and requested leave to go on shore and see his friend the governor. upon which mr pottyfar turned round to him, with his feet spread wide open, and, thrusting his hands to the very bottom of his pockets, as if in determination, said: "mr easy, you know the state of the ship. we have everything to do-- new masts, new rigging, everything almost to refit--and yet you ask to go on shore! now, sir, you may take this answer for yourself, and all the other midshipmen in the ship, that not one soul of you puts his foot on shore until we are again all a-taunto." "allow me to observe, sir," said our hero, "that it is very true that all our services may be required when the duty commences, but this being saturday night, and to-morrow sunday, the frigate will not be even moved till monday morning; and as the work cannot begin before that, i trust you will permit leave until that time." "my opinion is different, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "perhaps, sir, you will allow me to argue the point," replied jack. "no, sir, i never allow argument; walk over to the other side of the deck, if you please." "o certainly, sir," said jack, "if you wish it." jack's first idea was to go on shore without leave, but from this he was persuaded by gascoigne, who told him that it would displease captain wilson, and that old tom, the governor, would not receive him. jack agreed to this, and then, after a flourish about the rights of man, tyranny, oppression, and so forth, he walked forward to the forecastle, where he found his friend mesty, who had heard all that had passed, and who insidiously said to him in a low tone-- "why you stay at sea, massa easy?" "why, indeed," thought jack, boiling with indignation; "to be cooped up here at the will of another? i am a fool--mesty is right--i'll ask for my discharge to-morrow." jack went down below, and told gascoigne what he had determined to do. "you'll do no such thing, jack," replied gascoigne; "depend upon it, you'll have plenty of leave in a day or two. pottyfar was in a pet with the chaplain, who was too much for him. captain wilson will be on board by nine o'clock." nevertheless, jack walked his first watch in the magnificents, as all biddies do when they cannot go on shore, and turned in at twelve o'clock with the resolution of sticking to his purpose, and quitting his majesty's service; in fact, of presenting his majesty with his between two and three years' time, served as midshipman, all free, gratis, and for nothing, except his provisions and his pay, which some captains are bold enough to assert that they not only are not worth, but not even the salt that accompanies it; forgetting that they were once midshipmen themselves, and at the period were, of course, of about the same value. the next morning captain wilson came off; the ship's company were mustered, the service read by mr hawkins, and jack, as soon as all the official duties were over, was about to go up to the captain, when the captain said to him,--"mr easy, the governor desired me to bring you on shore to dine with him, and he has a bed at your service." jack touched his hat and ran down below, to make his few preparations. by the time that mesty, who had taken charge of his chest, etc, had put his necessaries in the boat, jack had almost made up his mind that his majesty should not be deprived yet awhile of so valuable an officer. jack returned on deck, and found that the captain was not yet ready; he went up to mr pottyfar, and told him that the captain had ordered him to go on shore with him; and mr pottyfar, who had quite got over his spleen, said,-- "very well, mr easy--i wish you a great deal of pleasure." "this is very different from yesterday," thought jack; "suppose i try the medicine?" "i am not very well, mr pottyfar, and those pills of the doctor's don't agree with me--i always am ill if i am long without air and exercise." "very true," said the first lieutenant, "people require air and exercise. i've no opinion of the doctor's remedies; the only thing that is worth a farthing is the universal medicine." "i should so long to try it, sir," replied jack; "i read the book one day, and it said that if you took it daily for a fortnight or three weeks, and with plenty of air and exercise, it would do wonders." "and it's very true," replied mr pottyfar; "and if you'd like to try it you shall--i have plenty--shall i give you a dose now?" "if you please, sir," replied jack; "and tell me how often i am to take it, for my head aches all day." mr pottyfar took jack down, and putting into his hand three or four bottles of the preparation, told him that he was to take thirty drops at night, when he went to bed, not to drink more than two glasses of wine, and to avoid the heat of the sun. "but, sir," replied jack, who had put the bottles in his pocket, "i am afraid that i cannot take it long; for as the ship is ready for fitting, i shall be exposed to the sun all day." "yes, if you are wanted, mr easy; but we have plenty here without you; and when you are unwell you cannot be expected to work. take care of your health; and i trust, indeed i am sure, that you will find this medicine wonderfully efficacious." "i will begin to-night, sir, if you please," replied jack, "and i am very much obliged to you. i sleep at the governor's--shall i come on board to-morrow morning?" "no, no; take care of yourself, and get well; i shall be glad to hear that you get better. send me word how it acts." "i will, sir, send you word by the boat every day," replied jack, delighted; "i am very much obliged to you, sir. gascoigne and i were thinking of asking you, but did not like to do so: he, poor fellow, suffers from headaches almost as bad as i do, and the doctor's pills are of no use to him." "he shall have some too, mr easy; i thought he looked pale. i'll see to it this afternoon. recollect, moderate exercise, mr easy, and avoid the sun at midday." "yes, sir," replied jack, "i'll not forget"; and off went jack, delighted. he ordered mesty to put up his whole portmanteau instead of the small bundle he put into the boat, and telling gascoigne what a spoke he had put into his wheel, was soon in the boat with the captain, and went on shore, where he was cordially greeted by the governor. chapter xxvii in which captain wilson is repaid with interest for jack's borrowing his name, proving that a good name is as good as a legacy. "well, jack, my boy, have you any long story ready for me?" inquired the governor. "yes, sir," replied jack, "i have one or two very good ones." "very well, we'll hear them after dinner," replied old tom. "in the meantime find out your room and take possession." "that must not be for very long, governor," observed captain wilson. "mr easy must learn his duty, and there is a good opportunity now." "if you please, sir," replied jack, "i'm on the sick list." "sick list," said captain wilson; "you were not in the report i was given this morning." "no, i'm on mr pottyfar's list, and i'm going through a course of the universal medicine." "what's all this, jack, what's all this? there's some story here. don't be afraid of the captain--you've me to back you," said the governor. jack was not at all afraid of the captain, so he told him how the first lieutenant had refused him leave the evening before, and how he had now given him permission to remain, and try the universal medicine, at which the governor laughed heartily, nor could captain wilson refrain from joining. "but, mr easy," replied the captain, after a pause, "if mr pottyfar will allow you to stay on shore, i cannot--you have your duty to learn. you must be aware that now is your time, and you must not lose opportunities that do not occur every day. you must acknowledge the truth of what i say." "yes, sir," replied jack, "i admit it all, provided i do intend to follow the profession"; and so saying our hero bowed, and left the veranda where they had been talking. this hint of jack's, thrown out by him, more with the intention of preventing his being sent on board than with any definite idea, was not lost upon either the captain or the governor. "does he jib, then?" observed the governor. "on the contrary, i never knew him more attentive, and so entirely getting rid of his former notions. he has behaved most nobly in the gale, and there has not been one complaint against him--i never was more astonished--he must have meant something." "i'll tell you what he means, wilson--that he does not like to be sent on board, nothing more. he's not to be cooped up--you may lead him, but not drive him." "yes but the service will not admit of it. i never could allow it--he must do his duty like the rest, and conform to the rules." "exactly, so he must; but look ye, wilson, you must not lose him: it's all easily settled--appoint him your orderly midshipman to and from the ship, that will be employment, and he can always remain here at night i will tell him that i have asked, as a favour, what i now do, and leave me to find out what he is thinking about." "it may be done that way certainly", replied captain wilson, musing "and you are more likely, to get his intentions from him than i am. i am afraid he has too great a command of money ever to be fond of the ship; it is the ruin of a junior officer to be so lavishly supplied." "he's a long way from ruin yet, wilson--he's a very fine fellow, even by your own acknowledgment. you humoured him out of gratitude to his father, when he first came into the service; humour him a little now to keep him in it. besides, if your first lieutenant is such a fool with his universal medicine, can you wonder at a midshipman taking advantage of it?" "no, but i ought not to allow him to do so with my eyes open." "he has made it known to you upon honour, and you ought not to take advantage of his confidence: but still what i proposed would, i think, be the best, for then he will be at his duty in a way that will suit all parties. you, because you employ him on service--the first lieutenant, because jack can take his medicine--and jack, because he can dine with me every day." "well, i suppose it must be so," replied captain wilson, laughing; "but still, i trust, you will discover what is working in his mind to induce him to give me that answer, governor." "never fear, jack shall confess, and lay his soul as bare as that of a catholic bigot before his padre." the party sat down to dinner, and what with the governor's aide-de-camp and those invited, it was pretty numerous. after the cloth had been removed, the governor called upon jack for his stories, whereupon, much to the surprise of captain wilson, who had never heard one word of it, for the admiral had not mentioned anything about it to him during the short time the aurora was with the toulon fleet, our hero gave the governor and the company the narrative of all that happened in the mary ann transport--the loves of captain hogg and miss hicks-the adventures of gascoigne--and his plan, by which he baulked them all. the governor was delighted, and captain wilson not a little astonished. "you prevented a very foolish thing, mr easy, and behaved very well," observed the captain, laughing again at the idea; "but you never told me of all this." "no, sir," replied jack, "i have always reserved my stories for the governor's table, where i am sure to meet you, and then telling once does for all." jack received his appointment as orderly midshipman, and everything went on well; for, of his own accord, he stayed on board the major part of the day to learn his duty, which very much pleased the captain and mr pottyfar. in this jack showed a great deal of good sense, and captain wilson did not repent of the indulgence he had shown him. jack's health improved daily, much to mr pottyfar's satisfaction, who imagined that he took the universal medicine night and morning. gascoigne also was a patient under the first lieutenant's hands, and often on shore with our hero, who thought no more of quitting the service. for seven weeks they had now remained in harbour, for even the masts had to be made, when, one day, captain wilson opened a letter he received at breakfast-time, and having read it, laid it down with the greatest surprise depicted in his countenance. "good heavens what can this mean?" said he. "what's the matter, wilson?" said the governor. "just hear its contents, sir thomas." captain wilson then read in spanish as follows:-- "honourable sir, "it is my duty to advise you that the honourable lady senora alforgas de cuzman, now deceased, has, in her testament bequeathed to you the sum of one thousand doubloons in gold as a testimony of your kind services on the night of the th of august. if you will authorise any merchant here to receive the money, it shall be paid forthwith, or remitted in any way you please to appoint. may you live a thousand years! "your most obedient servant, "alfonzo xerez." jack heard the letter read, rose quietly, whistled low, as if not attending to it, and then slipped out of the room, unperceived by the governor or captain wilson. the fact was, that although jack had longed to tell the governor about his adventures after the masquerade, he did not like yet awhile, until he was sure that there were no consequences--because he had given the captain's name instead of his own. as soon as he heard the letter read, he at once perceived that it had been the old lady, and not the priests, who had made the inquiry, and that by giving captain wilson's name, he had obtained for him this fine legacy. jack was delighted, but still puzzled, so he walked out of the room to reflect a little. "what can it mean?" said captain wilson. "i never rendered any services to anyone on the th of august or after it. it is some mistake-- th of august--that was the day of the grand masquerade." "a lucky one for you, at all events--for you know, mistake or not, no one else can touch the legacy. it can only be paid to you." "i never heard of anything taking place at the masquerade--i was there, but i left early, for i was not very well. mr easy," said captain wilson, turning round; but jack was gone. "was he at the masquerade?" asked the governor. "yes, i know he was, for the first lieutenant told me that he requested not to come on board till the next day." "depend upon it," replied the governor, striking his fist upon the table, "that jack's at the bottom of it." "i should not be surprised at his being at the bottom of anything," replied captain wilson, laughing. "leave it to me, wilson; i'll find it out." after a little more conversation, captain wilson went on board, leaving jack on purpose that the governor might pump him. but this sir thomas had no occasion to do, for jack had made up his mind to make the governor his confidant, and he immediately told him the whole story. the governor held his sides at our hero's description, especially at his ruse of giving the captain's name instead of his own. "you'll kill me, jack, before you've done with me," said old tom, at last; "but now, what is to be done?" our hero now became grave; he pointed out to the governor that he himself had plenty of money, and would come into a large fortune, and that captain wilson was poor, with a large family. all jack wanted the governor to manage was, that captain wilson might consent to accept the legacy. "right, boy, right! you're my own boy," replied the governor, "but we must think of this, for wilson is the very soul of honour, and there might be some difficulty about it. you have told nobody?" "not a soul but you, sir thomas." "it will never do to tell him all this, jack, for he would insist that the legacy belonged to you." "i have it, sir," replied jack. "when i was going into the masquerade i offered to hand this very old lady, who was covered with diamonds out of her carriage, and she was so frightened at my dress of the devil that she would have fallen down had it not been for captain wilson who supported her, and she was very thankful to him." "you are right, jack," replied the governor, after a short pause: "that will, i think, do. i must tell him the story of the friars, because i swore you had something to do with it--but i'll tell him no more. leave it all to me." captain wilson returned in the afternoon, and found the governor on the veranda. "i have had some talk with young easy," said the governor, "and he has told me a strange story about that night, which he was afraid to tell to everybody." the governor then narrated the history of the friars and the will. "well, but," observed captain wilson, "the history of that will afford no clue to the legacy." "no it does not; but still, as i said, jack had a hand in this. he frightened the old lady as a devil, and you caught her in your arms and saved her from falling, so he had a hand in it, you see." "i do now remember that i did save a very dowager-like old personage from falling at the sight of a devil, who, of course, must have been our friend easy." "well, and that accounts for the whole of it." "a thousand doubloons for picking up an old lady!" "yes, why not?--have you not heard of a man having a fortune left him for merely opening the pew door of a church, to an old gentleman?" "yes, but it appears so strange." "there's nothing strange in this world, wilson, nothing at a we may slave for years and get no reward, and do a trifle out of politeness and become independent. in my opinion, this mystery is unravelled. the old lady, for i knew the family, must have died immensely rich: she knew you in your full uniform, and she asked your name; a heavy fall would have been to one so fat a most serious affair; you saved her, and she has rewarded you handsomely." "well," replied captain wilson, "as i can give no other explanation, i suppose yours is the correct one; but it's hardly fair to take a thousand doubloons from her relations merely for an act of civility." "you really are quite ridiculous; the old lady owned half murcia, to my knowledge. it is no more to them than anyone leaving you a suit of mourning in an english legacy. i wish you joy; it will help you with a large family, and in justice to them you are bound to take it. everybody does as he pleases with his own money,--depend upon it, you saved her from breaking her leg short off at the hip joint." "upon that supposition i presume i must accept of the legacy," replied captain wilson, laughing. "of course; send for it at once. the rate of exchange is now high. i will give you government bills, which will make it nearly four thousand pounds." "four thousand pounds for preventing an old woman from falling," replied captain wilson. "devilish well paid, wilson, and i congratulate you." "for how much am i indebted to the father of young easy!" observed captain wilson, after a silence of some minutes; "if he had not assisted me when i was appointed to a ship, i should not have gained my promotion--nor three thousand pounds i have made in prize-money-- the command of a fine frigate--and now four thousand pounds in a windfall." the governor thought that he was more indebted to jack than to his father for some of these advantages, but he was careful not to point them out. "it's very true," observed the governor, "that mr easy was of service to you when you were appointed; but allow me to observe, that for your ship, your prize-money, and for your windfall, you have been wholly indebted to your own gallantry, in both senses of the word; still mr easy is a fine generous fellow, and so is his son, i can tell you. by-the-bye, i had a long conversation with him the other day." "about himself?" "yes, all about himself. he appears to me to have come into the service without any particular motive, and will be just as likely to leave it in the same way. he appears to be very much in love with that sicilian nobleman's daughter. i find that he has written to her, and to her brother, since he has been here." "that he came into the service in search of what he never will find in this world, i know very well; and i presume that he has found that out--and that he will follow up the service is also very doubtful; but i do not wish that he should leave it yet, it is doing him great good," replied captain wilson. "i agree with you there--i have great influence with him, and he shall stay yet awhile. he is heir to a very large fortune, is he not?" "a clear eight thousand pounds a year, if not more." "if his father dies he must, of course, leave; a midshipman with eight thousand pounds a year would indeed be an anomaly." "that the service could not permit. it would be as injurious to himself as it would to others about him. at present, he has almost, indeed i may say quite, an unlimited command of money." "that's bad, very bad. i wonder he behaves so well as he does." "and so do i: but he really is a very superior lad, with all his peculiarities, and a general favourite with those whose opinions and friendship are worth having." "well, don't curb him too tight--for really he does not require it. he goes very well in a snaffle." chapter xxviii "philosophy made easy," upon agrarian principles, the subject of some uneasiness to our hero--the first appearance, but not the last, of an important personage. the conversation was here interrupted by a mail from england which they had been expecting. captain wilson retired with his letters; the governor remained equally occupied; and our hero received the first letter ever written to him by his father. it ran as follows:-- "my dear son, "i have many times taken up my pen with the intention of letting you know how things went on in this country. but as i can perceive around but one dark horizon of evil, i have as often laid it down again without venturing to make you unhappy with such bad intelligence. "the account of your death, and also of your unexpectedly being yet spared to us, were duly received, and i trust, i mourned and rejoiced on each occasion with all the moderation characteristic of a philosopher. in the first instance i consoled myself with the reflection that the world you had left was in a state of slavery, and pressed down by the iron arm of despotism, and that to die was gain, not only in all the parson tells us, but also in our liberty; and, at the second intelligence, i moderated my joy for nearly about the same reasons, resolving, notwithstanding what dr middleton may say, to die as i have lived, a true philosopher. "the more i reflect the more am i convinced that there is nothing required to make this world happy but equality, and the rights of man being duly observed--in short, that everything and everybody should be reduced to one level. do we not observe that it is the law of nature--do not brooks run into rivers--rivers into seas--mountains crumble down upon the plains?--are not the seasons contented to equalise the parts of the earth? why does the sun run round the ecliptic, instead of the equator, but to give an equal share of his heat to both sides of the world? are we not all equally born in misery? does not death level us all aequo pede, as the poet hath? are we not all equally hungry, thirsty, and sleepy, and thus levelled by our natural wants? and such being the case, ought we not to have our equal share of good things in this world, to which we have undoubted equal right? can any argument be more solid or more level than this, whatever nonsense dr middleton may talk? "yes, my son, if it were not that i still hope to see the sun of justice arise, and disperse the manifold dark clouds which obscure the land--if i did not still hope, in my time, to see an equal distribution of property--an agrarian law passed by the house of commons, in which all should benefit alike--i would not care how soon i left this vale of tears, created by tyranny and injustice. at present, the same system is carried on; the nation is taxed for the benefit of the few, and it groans under oppression and despotism; but i still do think that there is, if i may fortunately express myself, a bright star in the west; and signs of the times which comfort me. already we have had a good deal of incendiarism about the country, and some of the highest aristocracy have pledged themselves to raise the people above themselves, and have advised sedition and conspiracy; have shown to the debased and unenlightened multitude that their force is physically irresistible, and recommended them to make use of it, promising that if they hold in power, they will only use that power to the abolition of our farce of a constitution, of a church, and of a king; and that if the nation is to be governed at all, it shall only be governed by the many. this is cheering. hail, patriot lords! all hail! i am in hopes yet that the great work will be achieved, in spite of the laughs and sneers and shakes of the head, which my arguments still meet with from that obstinate fellow, dr middleton. "your mother is in a quiet way; she has given over reading and working, and even her knitting, as useless; and she now sits all day long at the chimney corner twiddling her thumbs, and waiting, as she says, for the millennium. poor thing! she is very foolish with her ideas upon this matter, but as usual i let her have her own way in everything, copying the philosopher of old, who was tied to his xantippe. "i trust, my dear son, that your principles have strengthened with your years and fortified with your growth, and that, if necessary, you will sacrifice all to obtain what in my opinion will prove to be the real millennium. make all the converts you can, and believe me to be, "your affectionate father, and true guide, "nicodemus easy." jack, who was alone, shook his head as he read this letter, and then laid it down with a pish! he did it involuntarily, and was surprised at himself when he found that he had so done. "i should like to argue the point," thought jack, in spite of himself; and then he threw the letter on the table, and went into gascoigne's room, displeased with his father and with himself. he asked ned whether he had received any letters from england, and, it being near dinner-time, went back to dress. on his coming down into the receiving room with gascoigne, the governor said to them,-- "as you both speak italian, you must take charge of a sicilian officer, who has come here with letters of introduction to me, and who dines here to-day." before dinner they were introduced to the party in question, a slight-made, well-looking young man, but still there was an expression in his countenance which was not agreeable. in compliance with the wishes of the governor, don mathias, for so he was called, was placed between our two midshipmen, who immediately entered into conversation with him, being themselves anxious to make enquiries about their friends at palermo. in the course of conversation, jack enquired of him whether he was acquainted with don rebiera, to which the sicilian answered in the affirmative, and they talked about the different members of the family. don mathias, towards the close of the dinner, enquired of jack by what means he had become acquainted with don rebiera, and jack, in reply, narrated how he and his friend gascoigne had saved him from being murdered by two villains; after this reply the young officer appeared to be less inclined for conversation, but before the party broke up, requested to have the acquaintance of our two midshipmen. as soon as he was gone, gascoigne observed in a reflective way, "i have seen that face before, but where i cannot exactly say; but you know, jack, what a memory of people i have, and i have seen him before, i am sure." "i can't recollect that ever i have," replied our hero, "but i never knew anyone who could recollect in that way as you do." the conversation was then dropped between them, and jack was for some time listening to the governor and captain wilson, for the whole party were gone away, when gascoigne, who had been in deep thought since he had made the observation to jack, sprang up. "i have him at last!" cried he. "have who?" demanded captain wilson. "that sicilian officer--i could have sworn that i had seen him before." "that don mathias?" "no, sir thomas! he is not don mathias! he is the very don silvio who was murdering don rebiera, when we came to his assistance and saved him." "i do believe you are right, gascoigne." "i'm positive of it," replied gascoigne; "i never made a mistake in my life." "bring me those letters, easy," said the governor, "and let us see what they say of him. here it is--don mathias de alayeres. you may be mistaken, gascoigne; it is a heavy charge you are making against this young man." "well, sir thomas, if that is not don silvio, i'd forfeit my commission if i had it here in my hand. besides, i observed the change in his countenance when we told him it was easy and i who had come to don rebiera's assistance; and did you observe after that, easy, that he hardly said a word." "very true," replied jack. "well, well, we must see to this," observed the governor; "if so, this letter of introduction must be a forgery." the party then retired to bed, and the next morning, while easy was in gascoigne's room talking over their suspicions, letters from palermo were brought up to him. they were in answer to those written by jack on his arrival at malta: a few lines from don rebiera, a small note from agnes, and a voluminous detail from his friend don philip, who informed him of the good health of all parties, and of their good-will towards him; of agnes being as partial as ever; of his having spoken plainly, as he had promised jack, to his father and mother relative to the mutual attachment; of their consent being given, and then withheld, because father thomaso, their confessor, would not listen to the union of agnes with a heretic; but nevertheless telling jack that this would be got over through the medium of his brother and himself, who were determined that their sister and he should not be made unhappy about such a trifle. but the latter part of the letter contained intelligence equally important, which was, that don silvio had again attempted the life of their father, and would have succeeded, had not father thomaso, who happened to be there, thrown himself between them. that don silvio in his rage had actually stabbed the confessor, although the wound was not dangerous. that in consequence of this, all further lenity was denied to him, and the authorities were in search of him to award him the punishment due to murder and sacrilege. that up to the present they could not find him, and it was supposed that he had made his escape to malta in one of the speronares. such were the contents of the letter, which were immediately communicated to the governor and captain wilson, upon their meeting at breakfast. "very well, we must see to this," observed the governor, who then made his enquiries as to the other intelligence contained in the letters. jack and gascoigne were uneasy till the breakfast was over, when they made their escape: a few moments afterwards captain wilson rose to go on board, and sent for them, but they were not to be found. "i understand it all, wilson," said the governor; "leave them to me; go on board and make yourself quite easy." in the meantime our two midshipmen had taken their hats and walked away to the parapet of the battery, where they would not be interrupted. "now, gascoigne," observed jack, "you guess what i'm about--i must shoot that rascal this very morning, and that's why i came out with you." "but, easy, the only difference is this, that i must shoot him, and not you; he is my property, for i found him out." "we'll argue that point," replied jack: "he has attempted the life of my is-to-be, please god, father-in-law, and therefore i have the best claim to him." "i beg your pardon, jack, he is mine, for i discovered him. now let me put a case: suppose one man walking several yards before another, picks up a purse, what claim has the other to it? i found him, and not you." "that's all very well, gascoigne; but suppose the purse you picked up to be mine, then i have a right to it, although you found it; he is my bird by right, and not yours." "but i have another observation to make, which is very important; he is a blood relation of agnes, and if his blood is on your hands, however much he may deserve it, depend upon it, it will be raised as an obstacle to your union: think of that." jack paused in thought. "and let me induce you by another remark--you will confer on me a most particular favour." "it will be the greatest i ever could," replied jack, "and you ought to be eternally indebted to me." "i trust to make him eternally indebted to me," replied gascoigne. sailors, if going into action, always begin to reckon what their share of the prize-money may be, before a shot is fired--our two midshipmen appear in this instance to be doing the same. the point having been conceded to gascoigne, jack went to the inn where don silvio had mentioned that he had taken up his quarters, and sending up his card, followed the waiter upstairs. the waiter opened the door, and presented the card. "very well," replied don silvio, "you can go down and show him up." jack hearing these words, did not wait, but walked in, where he found don silvio very busy removing a hone upon which he had been whetting a sharp double-edged stiletto. the sicilian walked up to him, offering his hand with apparent cordiality; but jack, with a look of defiance, said, "don silvio, we know you; my object now is to demand, on the part of my friend, the satisfaction which you do not deserve, but which our indignation at your second attempt upon don rebiera induces us to offer; for if you escape from him you will have to do with me. on the whole, don silvio, you may think yourself fortunate, for it is better to die by the hands of a gentleman than by the gibbet." don silvio turned deadly pale--his hand sought his stiletto in his bosom, but it was remaining on the table; at last he replied, "be it so--i will meet you when and where you please, in an hour from this." jack mentioned the place of meeting, and then walked out of the room. he and gascoigne then hastened to the quarters of an officer they were intimate with, and having provided themselves with the necessary fire-arms, were at the spot before the time. they waited for him till the exact time, yet no don silvio made his appearance. "he's off," observed gascoigne; "the villain has escaped us." half an hour over the time had passed, and still there was no sign of gascoigne's antagonist, but one of the governor's aides-de-camp was seen walking up to them. "here's atkins," observed jack; "that's unlucky, but he won't interfere." "gentlemen," said atkins, taking off his hat with much solemnity, "the governor particularly wishes to speak to you both." "we can't come just now--we'll be there in half an hour." "you must be there in three minutes, both of you. excuse me, my orders are positive--and to see them duly executed i have a corporal and a file of men behind that wall--of course, if you walk with me quietly there will be no occasion to send for their assistance." "this is confounded tyranny," cried jack. "well may they call him 'king tom.'" "yes," replied atkins, "and he governs here in 'rey absoluto' so come along." jack and gascoigne, having no choice, walked up to the government house, where they found sir thomas in the veranda, which commanded a view of the harbour and offing. "come here, young gentlemen," said the governor, in a severe tone; "do you see that vessel about two miles clear of the port? don silvio is in it, going back to sicily under a guard. and now remember what i say as a maxim through life. fight with gentlemen, if you must fight, but not with villains and murderers. by consenting to fight with a blackguard, you as much disparage your cloth and compromise your own characters, as by refusing to give satisfaction to a gentleman. "there, go away, for i'm angry with you, and don't let me see you till dinner-time." chapter xxix in which our hero sees a little more service, and is better employed than in fighting don silvio. but before they met the governor at his table, a sloop of war arrived from the fleet with despatches from the commander-in-chief. those to captain wilson required him to make all possible haste in fitting, and then to proceed and cruise off corsica, to fall in with a russian frigate which was on that coast; if not there, to obtain intelligence, and to follow her wherever she might be. all was now bustle and activity on board of the aurora. captain wilson, with our hero and gascoigne, quieted the governor's house and repaired on board, where they remained day and night. on the third day the aurora was complete and ready for sea, and about noon sailed out of valette harbour. in a week the aurora had gained the coast of corsica, and there was no need of sending look-out men to the mast-head, for one of the officers or midshipmen was there from daylight to dark. she ran up the coast to the northward without seeing the object of her pursuit, or obtaining any intelligence. calms and light airs detained them for a few days, when a northerly breeze enabled them to run down the eastern side of the island. it was on the eighteenth day after they had quieted malta, that a large vessel was seen ahead about eighteen miles off. the men were then at breakfast. "a frigate, captain wilson, i'm sure of it," said mr hawkins, the chaplain, whose anxiety induced him to go to the mast-head. "how is she steering?" "the same way as we are." the aurora was under all possible sail, and when the hands were, piped to dinner, it was thought that they had neared the chase about two miles. "this will be a long chase; a stern chase always is," observed martin to gascoigne. "yes, i'm afraid so--but i'm more afraid of her escaping." "that's not unlikely either," replied the mate. "you are one of job's comforters, martin," replied gascoigne. "then i'm not so often disappointed," replied the mate. "there are two points to be ascertained; the first is, whether we shall come up with the vessel or lose her--the next is, if we do come up with her, whether she is the vessel we are looking for." "you seem very indifferent about it." "indeed i am not: i am the oldest passed midshipman in the ship, and the taking of the frigate will, if i live, give me my promotion, and if i'm killed, i shan't want it. but i've been so often disappointed, that i now make sure of nothing until i have it." "well, for your sake, martin, i will still hope that the vessel is the one we seek, that we shall not be killed, and that you will gain your promotion." "i thank you, easy--i wish i was one that dared hope as you do." poor martin! he had long felt how bitter it was to meet disappointment upon disappointment. how true it is, that hope deferred maketh the heart sick! and his anticipations of early days, the buoyant calculations of youth, had been one by one crushed, and now, having served his time nearly three times over, the reaction had become too painful, and, as he truly said, he dared not hope: still his temper was not soured, but chastened. "she has hauled her wind, sir," hailed the second lieutenant from the topmast cross-trees. "what think you of that, martin?" observed jack. "either that she is an english frigate, or that she is a vessel commanded by a very brave fellow, and well-manned." it was sunset before the aurora had arrived within two miles of the vessel; the private signal had been thrown out, but had not been answered, either because it was too dark to make out the colours of the flags, or that these were unknown to an enemy. the stranger had hoisted the english colours, but that was no satisfactory proof of her being a friend; and just before dark she had put her head towards the aurora, who had now come stem down to her. the ship's company of the aurora were all at their quarters, as a few minutes would now decide whether they had to deal with a friend or foe. there is no situation perhaps more difficult, and demanding so much caution, as the occasional meeting with a doubtful ship. on the one hand, it being necessary to be fully prepared, and not allow the enemy the advantage which may be derived from your inaction; and on the other, the necessity of prudence, that you may not assault your friends and countrymen. captain wilson had hoisted the private night-signal, but here again it was difficult, from his sails intervening, for the other ship to make it out. before the two frigates were within three cables' length of each other, captain wilson, determined that there should be no mistake from any want of precaution on his part, hauled up his courses and brailed up his driver that the night-signal might be clearly seen. lights were seen abaft on the quarter-deck of the other vessel, as if they were about to answer, but she continued to keep the aurora to leeward at about half a cable's length, and as the foremost guns of each vessel were abreast of each other, hailed in english-- "ship ahoy! what ship's that?" "his majesty's ship aurora," replied captain wilson, who stood on the hammocks. "what ship's that?" by this time the other frigate had passed half her length clear of the beam of the aurora, and at the same time that a pretended reply of "his majesty's ship--" was heard, a broadside from her guns, which had been trained aft on purpose, was poured into the aurora, and at so short a distance, doing considerable execution. the crew of the aurora, hearing the hailing in english, and the vessel passing them apparently without firing, had imagined that she had been one of their own cruisers. the captains of the guns had dropped their lanyards in disappointment, and the silence which had been maintained as the two vessels met was just breaking up in various ways of lamentation at their bad luck, when the broadside was poured in, thundering in their ears, and the ripping and tearing of the beams and planks astonished their senses. many were carried down below, but it was difficult to say whether indignation at the enemy's ruse, or satisfaction at discovering that they were not called to quarters in vain, most predominated. at all events, it was answered by three voluntary cheers, which drowned the cries of those who were being assisted to the cockpit. "man the larboard guns and about ship!" cried captain wilson, leaping off the hammocks. "look out, my lads, and rake her in stays! we'll pay him off for that foul play before we've done with him. look out, my lads, and take good aim as she pays round." the aurora was put about, and her broadside poured into the stern of the russian frigate--for such she was. it was almost dark, but the enemy, who appeared as anxious as the aurora to come to action, hauled up her courses to await her coming up. in five minutes the two vessels were alongside, exchanging murderous broadsides at little more than pistol-shot--running slowly in for the land, then not more than five miles distant. the skin-clad mountaineers of corsica were aroused by the furious cannonading, watching the incessant flashes of the guns, and listening to their reverberating roar. after half an hour's fierce combat, during which the fire of both vessels was kept up with undiminished vigour, captain wilson went down on the main deck, and himself separately pointed each gun after it was loaded; those amidships being direct for the main channels of the enemy's ship, while those abaft the beam were gradually trained more and more forward, and those before the beam more and more aft, so as to throw all their shot nearly into one focus, giving directions that they were all to be fired at once, at the word of command. the enemy, not aware of the cause of the delay, imagined that the fire of the aurora had slackened, and loudly cheered. at the word given, the broadside was poured in, and, dark as it was, the effects from it were evident. two of the midship ports of the antagonist were blown into one, and her mainmast was seen to totter, and then to fall over the side. the aurora then set her courses, which had been hauled up, and shooting ahead, took up a raking position, while the russian was still hampered with her wreck, and poured in grape and cannister from her upper deck carronades to impede their labours on deck, while she continued her destructive fire upon the hull of the enemy from the main deck battery. the moon now burst out from a low bank of clouds, and enabled them to accomplish their work with more precision. in a quarter of an hour the russian was totally dismasted, and captain wilson ordered half of his remaining ship's company to repair the damages, which had been most severe, whilst the larboard men at quarters continued the fire from the main deck. the enemy continued to return the fire from four guns, two on each of her decks, which she could still make bear upon the aurora; but after some time even these ceased, either from the men having deserted them, or from their being dismounted. observing that the fire from her antagonist had ceased, the aurora also discontinued, and the jolly-boat astern being still uninjured, the second lieutenant was deputed to pull alongside of the frigate to ascertain if she had struck. the beams of the bright moon silvered the rippling water as the boat shoved off; and captain wilson and his officers, who were still unhurt, leant over the shattered sides of the aurora, waiting for a reply: suddenly the silence of the night was broken upon by a loud splash from the bows of the russian frigate, then about three cables' length distant. "what could that be?" cried captain wilson. "her anchor's down. mr jones, a lead over the side, and see what water we have." mr jones had long been carried down below, severed in two with a round shot--but a man leaped into the chains, and lowering down the lead sounded in seven fathoms. "then i suspect he will give us more trouble yet," observed captain wilson; and so indeed it proved, for the russian captain, in reply to the second lieutenant, had told him in english, "that he would answer that question with his broadside," and before the boat was dropped astern, he had warped round with the springs on his cable, and had recommenced his fire upon the aurora. captain wilson made sail upon his ship, and sailed round and round the anchored vessel, so as to give her two broadsides to her one, and from the slowness with which she worked at her springs upon her cables, it was evident that she must be now very weak handed. still the pertinacity and decided courage of the russian captain convinced captain wilson, that, in all probability, he would sink at his anchor before he would haul down his colours; and not only would he lose more of the aurora's men, but also the russian vessel, without he took a more decided step. captain wilson, therefore, resolved to try her by the board. having poured in a raking fire, he stood off for a few moments, during which he called the officers and men on deck, and stated his intention. he then went about, and himself conning the aurora, ran her on board the russian, pouring in his reserved broadside as the vessels came into collision, and heading his men as they leaped on the enemy's decks. although, as captain wilson had imagined, the russian frigate had not many men to oppose to the aurora's, the deck was obstinately defended, the voice and the arm of the russian captain were to be heard and seen everywhere, and his men, encouraged by him, were cut down by numbers where they stood. our hero, who had the good fortune to be still unhurt, was for a little while close to captain wilson when he boarded, and was about to oppose his unequal force against that of the russian captain, when he was pulled back by the collar by mr hawkins, the chaplain, who rushed in advance with a sabre in his hand. the opponents were well matched, and it may be said that, with little interruption, a hand-to-hand conflict ensued, for the moon lighted up the scene of carnage, and they were well able to distinguish each other's faces. at last, the chaplain's sword broke: he rushed in, drove the hilt into his antagonist's face, closed with him, and they both fell down the hatchway together. after this, the deck was gained, or rather cleared, by the crew of the aurora, for few could be said to have resisted, and in a minute or two the frigate was in their possession. the chaplain and the russian captain were hoisted up, still clinging to each other, both senseless from the fall, but neither of them dead, although bleeding from several wounds. as soon as the main deck had been cleared, captain wilson ordered the hatches to be put on, and left a party on board while he hastened to attend to the condition of his own ship and ship's company. it was daylight before anything like order had been restored to the decks of the aurora; the water was still smooth, and instead of letting go her own anchor, she had hung on with a hawser to the prize, but her sails had been furled, her decks cleared, guns secured, and the buckets were dashing away the blood from her planks and the carriages of the guns, when the sun rose and shone upon them. the numerous wounded had, by this time, been put into their hammocks, although there were still one or two cases of amputation to be performed. the carpenter had repaired all shot-holes under or too near to the water-line, and then had proceeded to sound the well of the prize; but although her upper works had been dreadfully shattered, there was no reason to suppose that she had received any serious injury below, and, therefore the hatches still remained on, although a few hands were put to the pumps to try if she made any water. it was not until the aurora presented a more cheerful appearance that captain wilson went over to the other ship, whose deck, now that the light of heaven enabled them to witness all the horrors even to minuteness, presented a shocking spectacle of blood and carnage. body after body was thrown over; the wounded were supplied with water and such assistance as could be rendered until the surgeons could attend them; the hatches were then taken off, and the remainder of her crew ordered on deck; about two hundred obeyed the summons, but the lower deck was as crowded with killed and wounded as was the upper. for the present the prisoners were handed over down into the fore-hold of the aurora, which had been prepared for their reception, and the work of separation of the dead from the living then underwent. after this, such repairs as were immediately necessary were made, and a portion of the aurora's crew, under the orders of the second lieutenant, were sent on board to take charge of her. it was not till the evening of the day after this night conflict that the aurora was in a situation to make sail. all hands were then sent on board of the trident, for such was the name of the russian frigate, to fit her out as soon as possible. before morning,--for there was no relaxation from their fatigue, nor was there any wish for it,--all was completed, and the two frigates, although in a shattered condition, were prepared to meet any common conflict with the elements. the aurora made sail with the trident in tow; the hammocks were allowed to be taken down, and the watch below permitted to repose. in this murderous conflict the trident had more than two hundred men killed and wounded. the aurora's loss had not been so great, but still it was severe, having lost sixty-five men and officers. among the fallen there were mr jones, the master, the third lieutenant mr arkwright, and two midshipmen dead. mr pottyfar, the first lieutenant, was severely wounded at the commencement of the action. martin the master's mate, and gascoigne, the first mortally, and the second badly, were wounded. our hero had also received a slight cutlass wound, which obliged him to wear his arm, for a short time, in a sling. among the ship's company who were wounded was mesty; he had been hurt with a splinter before the trident was taken by the board, but had remained on deck, and had followed our hero, watching over him and protecting him as a father. he had done even more, for he had with jack thrown himself before captain wilson, at a time that he had received such a blow with the flat of a sword as to stun him, and bring him down on his knee. and jack had taken good care that captain wilson should not be ignorant, as he really would have been, of this timely service on the part of mesty, who certainly, although with a great deal of "sangfroid" in his composition when in repose, was a fiend incarnate when his blood was up. "but you must have been with mesty," observed captain wilson, "when he did me the service." "i was with him, sir," replied jack, with great modesty; "but was of very little service." "how is your friend gascoigne this evening?" "oh, not very bad, sir--he wants a glass of grog." "and mr martin?" jack shook his head. "why, the surgeon thinks he will do well." "yes, sir, and so i told martin; but he said that it was very well to give him hope--but that he thought otherwise." "you must manage him, mr easy; tell him that he is sure of his promotion." "i have, sir, but he won't believe it. he never will believe it till he has his commission signed. i really think that an acting order would do more than the doctor can." "well, mr easy, he shall have one to-morrow morning. have you seen mr pottyfar? he, i am afraid, is very bad." "very bad, sir; and they say is worse every day, and yet his wound is healthy, and ought to be doing well." such was the conversation between jack and his captain, as they sat at breakfast on the third morning after the action. the next day easy took down an acting order for martin, and put it into his hands. the mate read it over as he lay bandaged in his hammock. "it's only an acting order, jack," said he; "it may not be confirmed." jack swore, by all the articles of war, that it would be; but martin replied that he was sure it never would. "no, no," said the mate, "i knew very well that i never should be made. if it is not confirmed, i may live; but if it is, i am sure to die." everyone that went to martin's hammock wished him joy, of his promotion; but six days after the action, poor martin's remains were consigned to the deep. the next person who followed him was mr pottyfar, the first lieutenant, who had contrived, wounded as he was, to reach a packet of the universal medicine, and had taken so many bottles before he was found out, that he was one morning found dead in his bed, with more than two dozen empty phials under his pillow, and by the side of his mattress. he was not buried with his hands in his pockets, but when sewed up in his hammock, they were, at all events, laid in the right position. chapter xxx modern philanthropy, which, as usual, is the cause of much trouble and vexation. in three weeks the aurora, with her prize in tow, arrived at malta. the wounded were sent to the hospital, and the gallant russian captain recovered from his wounds about the same time as mr hawkins, the chaplain. jack, who constantly called to see the chaplain, had a great deal to do to console him. he would shake his hands as he lay in his bed, exclaiming against himself. "oh," would he say, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. that i, a man of god, as they term me, who ought to have been down with the surgeons, whispering comfort to the desponding, should have gone on deck (but i could not help it), and have mixed in such a scene of slaughter. what will become of me?" jack attempted to console him by pointing out, that not only chaplains, but bishops, have been known to fight in armour from time immemorial. but mr hawkins's recovery, was long doubtful, from the agitation of his mind. when he was able to walk, jack introduced to him the russian captain, who was also just out of his bed. "i am most happy to embrace so gallant an officer," said the russian, who recognised his antagonist, throwing his arms round the chaplain, and giving him a kiss on both cheeks. "what is his rank?" continued he, addressing himself to jack, who replied, very quietly, "that he was the ship's padre." "the padre!" replied the captain, with surprise, as hawkins turned away with confusion. "the padre--par exemple! well, i always had a great respect for the church. pray, sir," said he, turning to easy, "do your padres always head your boarders?" "always, sir," replied jack; "it's a rule of the service--and the duty of a padre to show the men the way to heaven. it's our ninety-ninth article of war." "you are a fighting nation," replied the russian, bowing to hawkins, and continuing his walk, not exactly pleased that he had been floored by a parson. mr hawkins continued very disconsolate for some time; he then invalided, and applied himself to his duties on shore, where he would not be exposed to such temptations from his former habits. as the aurora, when she was last at malta, had nearly exhausted the dockyard for her repairs, she was even longer fitting out this time, during which captain wilson's despatches had been received by the admiral, and had been acknowledged by a brig sent to malta. the admiral, in reply, after complimenting him upon his gallantry and success, desired that, as soon as he was ready, he should proceed to palermo with communications of importance to the authorities, and having remained there for an answer, was again to return to malta to pick up such of his men as might be fit to leave the hospital, and then join the toulon fleet. this intelligence was soon known to our hero, who was in ecstasies at the idea of again seeing agnes and her brothers. once more the aurora sailed away from the high crowned rocks of valette, and with a fine breeze dashed through the deep blue waves. but towards the evening the breeze increased, and they were under double-reefed topsails. on the second day they made the coast of sicily, not far from where easy and gascoigne had been driven on shore; the weather was then more moderate, and the sea had, to a great degree, subsided. they therefore stood in close to the coast, as they had not a leading wind to palermo. as they stood in, the glasses, as usual, were directed to land; observing the villas with which the hills and valleys were studded, with their white fronts embowered in orange groves. "what is that, gascoigne," said easy, "under that precipice?--it looks like a vessel." gascoigne turned his glass in the direction--"yes, it is a vessel on the rocks: by her prow she looks like a galley." "it is a galley, sir--one of the row galleys--i can make out her bank of oars," observed the signal-man. this was reported to captain wilson, who also examined her. "she is on the rocks, certainly," observed he; "and i think i see people on board. keep her away a point, quarter-master." the aurora was now steered right for the vessel, and in the course of an hour was not more than a mile from her. their suppositions were correct--it was one of the sicilian government galleys bilged on the rocks, and they now perceived that there were people on board of her, making signals with their shirts and pieces of linen. "they must be the galley-slaves; for i perceive that they do not one of them change their positions: the galley must have been abandoned by their officers and seamen, and the slaves left to perish." "that's very hard," observed jack to gascoigne; "they were condemned to the galleys, but not to death." "they will not have much mercy from the waves," replied gascoigne; "they will all be in kingdom come to-morrow morning, if the breeze comes more on the land. we have already come up two points this forenoon." although captain wilson did not join in this conversation, which he overheard as he stood on the forecastle gun, with his glass over the hammocks, it appears he was of the same opinion: but he demurred: he had to choose between allowing so many of his fellow creatures to perish miserably, or to let loose upon society a set of miscreants, who would again enter a course of crime until they were re-captured, and, by so doing, probably displease the sicilian authorities. after some little reflection he resolved that he would take his chance of the latter. the aurora was hove-to in stays, and the two cutters ordered to be lowered down, and the boat's crew to be armed. "mr easy, do you take one cutter, and the armourers; pull on board of the galley, release those people, and land them in small divisions. mr gascoigne, you will take the other to assist mr easy, and when he lands them in his boat, you will pull by hit side ready to act, in case of any hostile attempt on the part of the scoundrels; for we must not expect gratitude: of course, land them at the nearest safe spot for debarkation." in pursuance of these orders, our two midshipmen pulled away to the vessel. they found her fixed hard upon the rocks, which had pierced her slight timbers, and, as they had supposed, the respectable part of her crew, with the commander, had taken to the boats, leaving the galley-slaves to their fate. she pulled fifty oars, but had only thirty-six manned. these oars were forty feet long, and ran in from the thole-pin with a loom six feet long, each manned by four slaves, who were chained to their seat before it, by a running chain made fast by a padlock in amidships. a plank, of two feet wide, ran fore and aft the vessel between the two banks of oars, for the boatswain to apply the lash to those who did not sufficiently exert themselves. "viva los inglesos!" cried the galley-slaves, as easy climbed up over the quarter of the vessel. "i say, ned, did you ever see such a precious set of villains?" observed easy, as he surveyed the faces of the men who were chained. "no," replied gascoigne; "and i think if the captain had seen them as we have, that he would have left them where they were." "i don't know--but, however, our orders are positive. armourer, knock off all the padlocks, beginning aft; when we have a cargo we will land them. how many are there?--twelve dozen--twelve dozen villains to let loose upon society. i have a great mind to go on board again and report my opinion to the captain--one hundred and forty-four villains, who all deserve hanging--for drowning is too good for them." "our orders are to liberate them, jack." "yes; but i should like to argue this point with captain wilson." "they'll send after them fast enough, jack, and they'll all be in limbo again before long," replied gascoigne. "well, i suppose we must obey orders; but it goes against my conscience to save such villainous-looking rascals. armourer, hammer away." the armourer, who with the seamen appeared very much of jack's opinion, and had not commenced his work, now struck off the padlocks one by one with his sledgehammer. as soon as they were released the slaves were ordered into the cutter, and when it was sufficiently loaded jack shoved off, followed by gascoigne as guard, and landed them at the point about a cable's length distant. it required six trips before they were all landed; the last cargo were on shore, and easy was desiring the men to shove off, when one of the galleriens turned round, and cried out to jack in a mocking tone, "addio, signor, a reveder la." jack started, stared, and, in the squalid, naked wretch who addressed him, he recognised don silvio! "i will acquaint don rebiera of your arrival, signor," said the miscreant, springing up the rocks, and mixing with the rest, who now commenced hooting and laughing at their preservers. "ned," observed easy to gascoigne, "we have let that rascal loose." "more's the pity," replied gascoigne; "but we have only obeyed orders." "it can't be helped, but i've a notion there will be some mischief out of this." "we obeyed orders," replied gascoigne. "we've let the rascals loose not ten miles from don rebiera's." "obeyed orders, jack." "with a whole gang to back him, if he goes there." "orders, jack." "agnes at his mercy--" "captain's orders, jack." "i shall argue this point when i go on board," replied jack. "too late, jack." "yes," replied easy, sinking down on the stem sheets with a look of despair. "give way, my lads, give way." jack returned on board, and reported what he had done: also that don silvio was among those liberated; and he ventured to mention his fears of what might take place from their contiguity to the house of don rebiera. captain wilson bit his lips: he felt that his philanthropy had induced him to act without his usual prudence. "i have done a rash thing, mr easy, i am afraid. i should have taken them all on board and delivered them up to the authorities. i wish i had thought of that before. we must get to palermo as fast as we can, and have the troops sent after these miscreants. hands 'bout ship, fill the main yard." the wind had veered round, and the aurora was now able to lay up clear of the island of maritimo. the next morning she anchored in palermo roads and gave immediate notice to the authorities, who, wishing captain wilson's philanthropy at the devil, immediately despatched a large body of troops in quest of the liberated malefactors. captain wilson, feeling for jack's anxiety about his friends, called him over to him on deck, and gave him and gascoigne permission to go on shore. "will you allow me to take mesty with me, sir, if you please?" said jack. "yes, mr easy; but recollect that, even with mesty, you are no match for one hundred and fifty men; so be prudent. i send you to relieve your anxiety, not to run into danger." "of course, sir," replied jack, touching his hat, and walking away quietly till he came to the hatchway, when he darted down like a shot, and was immediately occupied with his preparations. in half an hour our two midshipmen, with mesty, had landed, and proceeded to the inn where they had put up before: they were armed up to the teeth. their first inquiries were for don philip and his brother. "both on leave of absence," replied the landlord, "and staying with don rebiera." "that's some comfort," thought jack. "now we must get horses as fast as we can. mesty, can you ride?" "by all de power, can i ride, massa easy; suppose you ride kentucky horse, you ride anyting." in half an hour four horses and a guide were procured, and at eight o'clock in the morning the party set off in the direction of don rebiera's country seat. they had not ridden more than six miles when they came up with one of the detachments sent out in pursuit of the liberated criminals. our hero recognised the commanding officer as an old acquaintance, and imparting to him the release of don silvio, and his fears upon don rebiera's account, begged him to direct his attention that way. "corpo di bacco--you are right, signor mid," replied the officer, "but don philip is there, and his brother too, i believe. i will be there by ten o'clock to-morrow morning; we will march almost the whole night." "they have no arms," observed easy. "no, but they will soon get them: they will go to some small town in a body, plunder it, and then seek the protection of the mountains. your captain has given us a pretty job." jack exchanged a few more words, and then, excusing himself on account of his haste, put the spurs to his horse and regained his own party, who now proceeded at a rapid pace. "o signor!" said the guide, "we shall kill the horses." "i'll pay for them," said jack. "yes, but we shall kill them before we get there, jack," replied gascoigne, "and have to walk the rest of the way." "very true, ned; let's pull up, and give them their wind." "by de holy poker, massa easy, but my shirt stick to my ribs," cried mesty, whose black face was hung with dewdrops from their rapid course. "never mind, mesty." it was about five o'clock in the afternoon when they arrived at the seat of don rebiera. jack threw himself off his jaded steed, and hastened into the house, followed by gascoigne. they found the whole family collected in the large sitting-room, quite ignorant of any danger threatening them, and equally astonished and pleased at the arrival of their old friends. jack flew to agnes, who screamed when she saw him, and felt so giddy afterwards that he was obliged to support her. having seated her again, he was kindly greeted by the old people and the two young officers. after a few minutes dedicated to mutual inquiries, our hero stated the cause of their expeditious arrival. "don silvio with one hundred and fifty galleriens, let loose on the coast yesterday afternoon!" exclaimed don rebiera; "you are right, i only wonder they were not here last night. but i expect pedro from the town; he has gone down with a load of wine: he will bring us intelligence." "at all events, we must be prepared," said don philip; "the troops, you say, will be here to-morrow morning." "holy virgin!" exclaimed the ladies, in a breath. "how many can we muster?" said gascoigne. "we have five men here, or we shall have by the evening," replied don philip--"all, i think, good men--my father, my brother, and myself." "we are three--four with the guide, whom i know nothing about." "twelve in all--not one too many; but i think that now we are prepared, if they attack, we can hold out till the morning." "had we not better send the ladies away?" said jack. "who is to escort them?" replied don philip; "we shall only weaken our force; besides, they may fall into the miscreants' hands." "shall we all leave the house together? they can but plunder it," observed don rebiera. "still, we may be intercepted by them, and our whole force will be nothing against so many," observed don philip, "if we are without defence, whereas in the house we shall have an advantage." "e'vero," replied don rebiera, thoughtfully; "then let us prepare, for depend upon it don silvio will not lose such an opportunity to wreak his vengeance. he will be here to-night: i only wonder he has not been here with his companions before. however, pedro will arrive in two hours." "we must now see what means we have of defence," said philip. "come, brother--will you come, sir?" chapter xxxi a regular set-to, in which the parties beaten are not knocked down, but rise higher and higher at each discomfiture--nothing but the troops could have prevented them from going up to heaven. don rebiera and his two sons quitted the room, gascoigne entered into conversation with the senora, while easy took this opportunity of addressing agnes. he had been too much occupied with the consultation to pay her much attention before. he had spoken, with his eyes fixed upon her, and had been surprised at the improvement which had taken place in less than a year. he now went to her, and asked her, in a low voice, "whether she had received his letter?" "oh, yes!" replied she, colouring. "and were you angry with what i said, agnes?" in a low tone. "no," replied she, casting her eyes down on the floor. "i repeat now what i said, agnes--i have never forgotten you." "but--" "but what?" "father thomaso." "what of him?" "he never will--" "will what?" "you are a heretic, he says." "tell him to mind his own business." "he has great influence with my father and mother." "your brothers are on our side." "i know that, but there will be great difficulty. our religion is not the same. he must talk to you--he will convert you." "we'll argue that point, agnes. i will convert him if he has common sense; if not, it's no use arguing with him. where is he?" "he will soon be at home." "tell me, agnes, if you had your own will, would you marry me?" "i don't know; i have never seen anyone i liked so well." "is that all?" "is it not enough for a maiden to say?" replied agnes, raising her eyes, and looking reproachfully. "signor, let me go, here comes my father." notwithstanding, jack cast his eyes to the window, where gascoigne and the senora were in converse, and, perceiving that the old lady's back was turned, he pressed agnes to his bosom before he released her. the gentlemen then returned with all the fire-arms and destructive weapons they could collect. "we have enough," observed don philip, "to arm all the people we have with us." "and we are well armed," replied jack, who had left agnes standing alone. "what now are your plans?" "those we must now consult about. it appears--" but at this moment the conversation was interrupted by the sudden entrance of pedro, who had been despatched to the town with the load of wine. he rushed in, flurried and heated, with his red cap in his hand. "how now, pedro, back so early!" "o signor!" exclaimed the man--"they have taken the cart and the wine, and have drawn it away, up to the mountains." "who?" inquired don rebiera. "the galley-slaves who have been let loose--and by the body of our blessed saint, they have done pretty mischief--they have broken into the houses, robbed everything--murdered many--clothed themselves with the best--collected all the arms, provisions, and wine they could lay their hands on, and have marched away into the mountains. this took place last night. as i was coming down within a mile of the town, they met me with my loaded cart, and they turned the bullocks round and drove them away along with the rest. by the blessed virgin! but they are stained with blood, but not altogether of men, for they have cut up some of the oxen. i heard this from one of the herdsmen, but he too fled, and could not tell me more. but, signor, i heard them mention your name." "i have no doubt of it," replied don rebiera. "as for the wine, i only hope they will drink too much of it to-night. but, pedro, they will be here, and we must defend ourselves--so call the men together; i must speak to them." "we shall never see the bullocks again," observed pedro, mournfully. "no: but we shall never see one another again, if we do not take care. i have information they come here to-night." "holy saint francis! and they say there are a thousand of them." "not quite so many, to my knowledge," observed jack. "they told me that a great many were killed in their attack upon the town, before they mastered it." "so much the better. go now, pedro, drink a cup of wine, and then call the other men." the house was barricaded as well as circumstances would permit; the first story was also made a fortress by loading the landing place with armoires and chests of drawers. the upper story, or attic, if it might be so called, was defended in the same way, that they might retreat from one to the other if the doors were forced. it was eight o'clock in the evening before all was ready, and they were still occupied with the last defence, under the superintendence of mesty, who showed himself an able engineer, when they heard the sound of an approaching multitude. they looked out of one of the windows, and perceived the house surrounded by the galley-slaves, in number apparently about a hundred. they were all dressed in a most fantastic manner with whatever they could pick up: some had fire-arms, but the most of them were supplied with only swords or knives. with them came also their cortege of plunder: carts of various descriptions, loaded with provisions of all sorts, and wine; women lashed down with ropes, sails from the vessels and boats to supply them with covering in the mountains, hay and straw, and mattresses. their plunder appeared to be well chosen for their exigencies. to the carts were tied a variety of cattle, intended to accompany them to their retreat. they all appeared to be under a leader, who was issuing directions--that leader was soon recognised by those in the house to be don silvio. "massa easy, you show me dat man," said mesty, when he heard the conversation between easy and the rebieras; "only let me know him." "do you see him there, mesty, walking down in front of those men? he has a musket in his hand, a jacket with silver buttons, and white trousers." "yes, massa easy, me see him well--let me look little more--dat enough." the galley-slaves appeared to be very anxious to surround the house that no one should escape, and don silvio was arranging the men. "ned," said jack, "let us show him that we are here. he said that he would acquaint don rebiera with our arrival--let us prove to him that he is too late." "it would not be a bad plan," replied gascoigne; "if it were possible that these fellows had any gratitude among them, some of them might relent at the idea of attacking those who saved them." "not a bit; but it will prove to them that there are more in the house than they think for; and we can frighten some of them by telling them that the soldiers are near at hand." jack immediately threw up the casement, and called out in a loud voice, "don silvio! galley-slave! don silvio!" the party hailed turned round, and beheld jack, gascoigne, and mesty, standing at the window of the upper floor. "we have saved you the trouble of announcing us," called out gascoigne. "we are here to receive you." "and in three hours the troops will be here, so you must be quick, don silvio," continued jack. "a reveder la," continued gascoigne, letting fly his pistol at don silvio. the window was then immediately closed. the appearance of our heroes, and their communication of the speedy arrival of the troops, was not without effect. the criminals trembled at the idea; don silvio was mad with rage he pointed out to the men the necessity of immediate attack--the improbability of the troops arriving so soon, and the wealth which he expected was locked up by don rebiera in his mansion. this rallied them, and they advanced to the doors, which they attempted to force without success, losing several men by the occasional fire from those within the house. finding their efforts, after half an hour's repeated attempts, to be useless, they retreated, and then bringing up a long piece of timber, which required sixty men to carry it, they ran with it against the door, and the weight and impetus of the timber drove it off its hinges, and an entrance was obtained; by this time it was dark, the lower story had been abandoned, but the barricade at the head of the stairs opposed their progress. convenient loop-holes had been prepared by the defenders, who now opened a smart fire upon the assailants, the latter having no means of returning it effectually, had they had ammunition for their muskets, which fortunately they had not been able to procure. the combat now became fierce, and the galley-slaves were several times repulsed with great loss during a contest of two hours; but, encouraged by don silvio, and refreshed by repeated draughts of wine, they continued by degrees removing the barriers opposed to them. "we shall have to retreat," exclaimed don rebiera; "very soon they will have torn down all. what do you think, signor easy?" "hold this as long as we can. how are we off for ammunition?" "plenty as yet--plenty to last for six hours, i think." "what do you say, mesty?" "by holy st patrig, i say hold out here--they got no fire-arms and we ab um at arm-length." this decision was the occasion of the first defence being held for two hours more, an occasional relief being afforded by the retreat of the convicts to the covered carts. at last it was evident that the barricade was no longer tenable, for the heavy pieces of furniture they had heaped up to oppose entrance, were completely hammered to fragments by poles brought up by the assailants, and used as battering-rams. the retreat was sounded; they all hastened to the other story, where the ladies were already placed, and the galley-slaves were soon in possession of the first floor-- exasperated by the defence, mad with wine and victory, but finding nothing. again was the attack made upon the second landing, but, as the stairs were now narrower, and their defences stronger in proportion, they, for a long while, gained no advantage. on the contrary, many of their men were wounded, and taken down below. the darkness of the night prevented both parties from seeing distinctly, which was rather in favour of the assailants. many climbed over the fortress of piled-up furniture, and were killed as soon as they appeared on the other side, and, at last, the only ammunition used was against those who made this rash attempt. for four long hours did this assault and defence continue, until daylight came, and then the plan of assault was altered: they again brought up the poles, hammered the pieces of furniture into fragments, and gained ground. the defenders were worn out with fatigue, but flinched not; they knew that their lives, and the lives of those dearest to them, were at stake, and they never relaxed their exertions; still the criminals, with silvio at their head, progressed, the distance between the parties gradually decreased, and there was but one massive chest of drawers now defending the landing-place, and over which there was a constant succession of blows from long poles and cutlasses, returned with the bullets from their pistols. "we must now fight for our lives," exclaimed gascoigne to easy, "for what else can we do?" "do?--get on the roof and fight there, then," replied jack. "by-the-bye, that's well thought of, jack," said gascoigne. "mesty, up and see if there is any place we can retreat to in case of need." mesty hastened to obey, and soon returned with a report that there was a trap-door leading into the loft under the roof, and that they could draw the ladder up after them. "then we may laugh at them," cried jack. "mesty, stay here while i and gascoigne assist the ladies up," explaining to the rebieras and to their domestics why they went. easy and gascoigne hastened to the signora and agnes, conducted them up the ladder into the loft, and requested them to have no fear; they then returned to the defences on the stairs, and joined their companions. they found them hard pressed, and that there was little chance of holding out much longer; but the stairs were narrow, and the assailants could not bring their force against them. but now, as the defences were nearly destroyed, although the convicts could not reach them with their knives, they brought up a large supply of heavy stones, which they threw with great force and execution. two of don rebiera's men and don martin were struck down, and this new weapon proved most fatal. "we must retreat, jack," said gascoigne; "the stones can do no harm where we are going to. what think you, don philip?" "i agree with you; let those who are wounded be first carried up, and then we will follow." this was effected, and as soon as the wounded men were carried up the ladder, and the arms taken up to prevent their falling into the hands of the assailants, for they were now of little use to them, the ammunition being exhausted, the whole body went into the large room which contained the trap-door of the loft, and, as soon as they were up, they drew the ladder after them. they had hardly effected this, when they were followed with the yells and shouting of the galley-slaves, who had passed the last barriers, and thought themselves sure of their prey: but they were disappointed--they found them more secure than ever. nothing could exceed the rage of don silvio at the protracted resistance of the party, and the security of their retreat. to get at them was impossible, so he determined to set fire to the room, and suffocate them, if he could do no otherwise. he gave his directions to his men, who rushed down for straw, but in so doing, he carelessly passed under the trap-door, and mesty, who had carried up with him two or three of the stones, dashed one down on the head of don silvio, who fell immediately. he was carried away, but his orders were put in execution; the room was filled with straw and fodder, and lighted. the effects were soon felt: the trap-door had been shut, but the heat and smoke burst through; after a time, the planks and rafters took fire, and their situation was terrible. a small trap-window in the roof, on the side of the house, was knocked open, and gave them a temporary relief; but now the rafters burned and crackled, and the smoke burst on them in thick columns. they could not see, and with difficulty could breathe. fortunately the room below that which had been fired was but one out of four on the attics, and, as the loft they were in spread over the whole of the roof, they were able to remove far from it. the house was slated with massive slate of some hundred weights each, and it was not found possible to remove them so as to give air although frequent attempts were made. donna rebiera sank exhausted in the arms of her husband, and agnes fell into those of our hero, who, enveloped in the smoke, kissed her again and again; and she, poor girl, thinking that they must all inevitably perish, made no scruple, in what she supposed her last moment, of returning these proofs of her ardent attachment. "massy easy, help me here,--massa gascoigne come here. now heab wid all your might: when we get one off we get plenty." summoned by mesty, jack and gascoigne put their shoulders to one of the lower slates; it yielded, was disengaged, and slid down with a loud rattling below. the ladies were brought to it, and their heads put outside; they soon recovered; and now that they had removed one, they found no difficulty in removing others. in a few minutes they were all with their heads in the open air, but still the house was on fire below, and they had no chance of escape. it was while they were debating upon that point, and consulting as to their chance of safety, that a breeze of wind wafted the smoke that issued from the roof away from them, and they beheld the detachment of troops making up to the house; a loud cheer was given, and attracted the notice of the soldiers. they perceived easy and his companions; the house was surrounded and entered in an instant. the galley-slaves who were in the house, searching for the treasure reported by don silvio to be concealed, were captured or killed, and in five minutes the troops had possession. but how to assist those above was the difficulty. the room below was in flames, and burning fiercely. there were no ladders that could reach so high, and there were no means of getting to them. the commandant made signs from below, as if to ask what he was to do. "i see no chance," observed don philip, mournfully. "easy, my dear fellow, and you, gascoigne, i am sorry that the feuds of our family should have brought you to such a dreadful death; but what can be done?" "i don't know," replied jack, "unless we could get ropes." "you quite sure, massy easy, that all galley rascals below gone?" asked mesty. "yes," replied easy, "you may see that; look at some of them bound there, under charge of the soldiers." "den, sar, i tink it high time we go too." "so do i, mesty; but how?" "how? stop a little. come, help me, massy easy; dis board" (for the loft was floored) "is loose; come help, all of you." they all went, and with united strength pulled up the board. "now strike like hell!--and drive down de plaster," said mesty, commencing the operation. in a few minutes they had beaten an opening into one of the rooms below not on fire, pulled up another board, and mesty having fetched the ladder, they all descended in safety, and, to the astonishment of the commandant of the troops, walked out of the door of the house, those who had been stunned with the stones having so far recovered as to require little assistance. the soldiers shouted as they saw them appear, supporting the females. the commanding officer, who was an intimate friend of don philip, flew to his arms. the prisoners were carefully examined by mesty, and don silvio was not among them. he might, however, be among the dead who were left in the house, which now began to burn furiously. the galley-slaves who were captured amounted in number to forty-seven. their dead they could not count. the major part of the plunder, and the carts, were still where they had been drawn up. as soon as the culprits had been secured, the attention of the troops was directed to putting out the flames, but their attempts were ineffectual; the mansion was burned to the bare walls, and but little of the furniture saved; indeed, the major part of it had been destroyed in the attack made by don silvio and his adherents. leaving directions with pedro and his people, that the property collected by the miscreants should be restored to the owners, don rebiera ordered the horses, and with the whole party put himself under the protection of the troops, who, as soon as they had been refreshed, and taken some repose, bent their way back to palermo with the galley-slaves, bound and linked together in a long double row. they halted when they had gone half-way, and remained for the night. the next day at noon, don rebiera and his family were once more in their palazzo, and our two midshipmen and mesty took their leave, and repaired on board to make themselves a little less like chimney-sweepers. captain wilson was not out of the ship. jack made his report, and then went down below, very much pleased at what had passed, especially as he would have another long yarn for the governor on his return to malta. chapter xxxii in which our hero and gascoigne ought to be ashamed of themselves, and did feel what might be called midshipmite compunction. the aurora continued three weeks at palermo, during which the most active search had been made for the remainder of the galley-slaves, and some few had been captured, but still don silvio, a considerable number, were at large; and it was said that they had retired to the fastnesses in the mountains. our hero was constantly on shore at don rebiera's house, and, after what had passed, he was now looked upon as soon to become a member of the family. the difference of religion was overlooked by don rebiera and the relations--by all but the confessor, father thomaso, who now began to agitate and fulminate into the ears of the donna rebiera all the pains and penalties attending heretical connection, such as excommunication and utter damnation. the effects of his remonstrances were soon visible, and jack found that there was constraint on the part of the old lady, tears on the part of agnes, and all father confessors heartily wished at the devil ten times a day, on the part of don philip and his brother. at last he wormed the truth out of agnes, who told her tale, and wept bitterly. "ned, i don't much like the appearance of things," observed jack; "i must get rid of that father thomaso." "you'll find that rather difficult," observed gascoigne; "besides, if you were rid of him you would have his place filled up with another." "he has frightened that poor old woman into the dismals, and she has the pains of purgatory on her already. i shall go and talk to mesty." "how can mesty help you?" "i don't know, but you can't; so, for want of better advice, i'll try the ashantee." our hero went to mesty, and laid the difficult affair open to him. "i see," said mesty, showing his filed teeth, "you want him skull." "no, i don't, mesty; but i want him out of the way." "how that possible, massy easy?--ship sail day after to-morrow. now 'pose i ab time, i soon manage all dat. stop a little." "confound it! but there's no stopping," replied jack. "suppose, massy easy, you get leave go on shore--not come off again." "that will be deserting, mesty." "by holy poker, i ab it--you go on shore and break your leg." "break my leg!--break my leave, you mean?" "no, massy easy--you break your leg--den captain leave you shore, and leave me to take care of you." "but why should i break my leg, and how am i to break my leg?" "only pretend break leg, massa easy. go talk massa don philip, he manage all dat. suppose man break his leg in seven pieces, it is not possible to take him board." "seven pieces, mesty! that's rather too many. however, i'll think of this." jack then went back and consulted gascoigne, who approved of mesty's advice, and thought the scheme feasible. "if we could only pretend that we were thrown out of a caricola, you break your leg, a compound fracture of course, i break my arm--both left on shore at sick quarters, with mesty to take care of us." "capital, indeed," replied jack; "i really would not mind it if it really took place; at all events we'll overturn the caricola." "but shall we get leave the last day?" "yes, it's two days since i have been on shore, for i have not liked to go to don rebiera's since what agnes told me. besides, my clothes are all on shore, and that will be an excuse for a few hours." our two midshipmen applied for leave the next morning to be off in the afternoon. the first lieutenant gave them permission. they hastened to the hotel, sent for don philip, and made him a party to their plan. he readily promised his assistance, for he had resolved that our hero should marry his sister, and was fearful of the effect of his absence, coupled with friar thomaso's influence over his mother. he went to the surgeon of his regiment, who immediately entered into the scheme. our two midshipmen got into a caricola, rattled up and down the streets, and perceiving captain wilson at his window, flogged the horse into a gallop; when abreast of the barracks jack ran the wheel against a bank, and threw himself and gascoigne out. midshipmen are never hurt by these accidents, but fortunately for the success of the enterprise their faces were cut and bruised. don philip was standing by: he called the men to pick up our two scamps, carried them into the barracks, and sent for the surgeons, who undressed them, put jack's left leg into a multitude of splints, and did the same to gascoigne's arm. they were then put to bed, their contused faces, with the blood, left "in statu quo," while don philip sent an orderly, as from the commandant, to captain wilson, to acquaint him that two of his officers had been thrown out of a caricola, and were lying dangerously hurt at the barracks. "good heavens, it must be mr easy and mr gascoigne!" said captain wilson, when the intelligence was communicated; "i saw them galloping down the street like two madmen just now. coxswain, take the gig on board and then tell the surgeon to come on shore immediately, and bring him up to me at the barracks." captain wilson then put on his hat, buckled on his sword, and hastened to ascertain the extent of the injury. don philip kept out of the way, but the captain was ushered into the room by one of the officers, where he found, in two beds, our two midshipmen stretched out, the surgeon of the forces and the regimental surgeon in consultation between them, while attendants were standing by each bed with restoratives. the medical gentlemen saluted captain wilson, and looked very grave, talked about fractures, contusions, injuries, in the most interminable manner--hoped that mr easy would recover--but had doubts. the other gentleman might do well with care; that is, so far as his arm was concerned, but there appeared to be a concussion of the brain. captain wilson looked at the cut and blood-smeared faces of the two young men, and waited with anxiety the arrival of his own surgeon, who came at last, puffing with the haste he had made, and received the report of the brothers of the faculty. the leg of mr easy fractured in two places--had been set--bone protruding--impossible to move him. gascoigne, arm, compound fracture--contusion of the brain not certain. now that all this would have been discovered to be false if the surgeon had been able to examine, is true; but how could he not credit the surgeon of the forces and the regimental surgeon, and how could he put the young men to fresh tortures by removing splints and unsetting limbs? politeness, if nothing else, prevented his so doing, for it would have been as much as to say that either he did not credit their report, or that he doubted their skill. he looked at our hero and his companion, who kept their eyes closed, and breathed heavily with their mouths open, put on a grave face, as well as his brothers in the art, and reported to captain wilson. "but when can they be moved, mr daly?" inquired the latter; "i cannot wait; we must sail to-morrow, or the next day at the farthest." the surgeon, as in duty bound, put the question to the others, who replied that there would be great risk in moving before the fever, which might be expected the next day, and which might last ten days; but that captain wilson had better not think of removing them, as they should have every care and attention where they were, and could rejoin the ship at malta. mr daly, the surgeon, agreed that this would be the most prudent step, and captain wilson then gave his consent. that being settled, he walked up to the bed of gascoigne, and spoke to him; but gascoigne knew that he was to have a concussion of the brain, and he made no reply, nor gave any signs of knowing that captain wilson was near him. he then went to our hero, who, at the sound of captain wilson's voice, slowly opened his eyes without moving his head, and appeared to recognise him. "are you in much pain, easy?" said the captain, kindly. easy closed his eyes again, and murmured, "mesty, mesty!" "he wants his servant, the ship's corporal, sir," said the surgeon. "well," replied captain wilson, "he had better have him: he is a faithful fellow, and will nurse him well. when you go on board, mr daly, desire the first lieutenant to send mesty on shore with mr gascoigne's and mr easy's chests, and his own bag and hammock. good heavens! i would not for a thousand pounds that this accident had occurred. poor foolish boys--they run in couples, and if one's in a scrape the other is sure to share it. gentlemen, i return you many thanks for your kindness, and i must accept of your promised care for my unfortunate officers. i sail to-morrow at daylight. you will oblige me by informing their friends, the rebieras, of their mischance, as i am sure they will contribute all they can to their comfort." so saying, captain wilson bowed and quitted the room, followed by the surgeon. as soon as the door was closed the two midshipmen turned their heads round and looked at each other, but they were afraid to speak at first, in case of the return of the surgeon. as soon as it was announced to them that captain wilson and mr daly were outside the barrack-gate, our hero commenced--"do you know, ned, that my conscience smites me, and if it had not been that i should have betrayed those who wish to oblige us, when poor captain wilson appeared so much hurt and annoyed at our accident, i was very near getting up and telling him of the imposition, to relieve his mind." "i agree with you, jack, and i felt much the same--but what's done cannot be undone. we must now keep up the imposition for the sake of those who, to help us, have deceived him." "i don't think that you would find an english surgeon who would have consented to such an imposition." "no, that is certain; but after all, it is an imposition that has hurt nobody." "oh, i do not wish to moralise--but i repent of my share in the deceit; and had it to be done over again i would not consent to it." "not even for----? but i won't mention her name in barracks." "i don't know," replied jack; "but let's say no more about it, and thank these gentlemen for their kindness." "yes, but we must keep it up until we see the aurora under all sail." "and longer too," replied jack; "we must not let the affair get wind even on shore. we must not recover quickly, but still appear to recover. don rebiera and his wife must be deceived. i have a plot in my head, but i cannot work it out clear till i see mesty." don philip now came in. he had seen captain wilson, who had requested him to look after the two invalids, and stated his intention to sail the next morning. they consulted with him, and it was agreed that no one should be acquainted with the real fact but his brother martin, and that all palermo should be as much deceived as captain wilson, for if not, it would put father thomaso on the "qui vive," and make him fulminate more than ever. our midshipmen ate an excellent dinner, and then remained in bed conversing till it was time to go to sleep; but long before that, mesty had made his appearance with their clothes. the eyes of the ashantee said all that was necessary--he never spoke a word, but unlashed his hammock and lay down in a corner, and they were soon all three asleep. the next morning captain wilson called to ascertain how our hero and his companion were, but the room had been darkened, and he could not see their faces plainly. easy thanked him for his kindness in allowing mesty to attend them, and having received his orders as to their joining the ship as soon as they recovered, and having promised to be very cautious in their behaviour and keep out of all scrapes, he wished them a speedy recovery, and departed. in little more than half an hour afterwards, mesty, who had been peeping out of the shutters, suddenly threw them open with a loud laugh. the aurora was under way, with studding sails below and aloft standing out of the roads. jack and gascoigne got up, threw off the splints, and danced about in their shirts. as soon as they were quiet again, mesty said in a grave tone, "den why you stay at sea, massa easy?" "very true, mesty, i've asked myself that question often enough lately; because i'm a fool, i suppose." "and i, because i can't help it," replied gascoigne; "never mind, we are on shore now, and i look for a famous cruise." "but first we must see what the ground is we are to cruise on," replied jack; "so, mesty, let us have a palaver, as they say in your country." the two midshipmen got into their beds, and mesty sat on the chest between them, looking as grave as a judge. the question was, how to get rid of the padre thomaso. was he to be thrown over the mole-head to the fishes--or his skull broke--was mesty's knife to be resorted to--was he to be kidnapped or poisoned--or were fair means to be employed--persuasion, bribery? every one knows how difficult it is to get rid of a priest. as our hero and gascoigne were not italians, they thought that bribery would be the more english-like way of doing the thing; so they composed a letter, to be delivered by mesty to the friar, in which jack offered to father thomaso the moderate sum of one thousand dollars, provided he would allow the marriage to proceed, and not frighten the old lady with ecclesiastical squibs and crackers. as mesty was often on shore with jack, and knew the friar very well by sight, it was agreed that the letter should be confided to his charge; but as it was not consistent that a person in such a state as our hero was represented to be should sit up and write letters, the delivery was deferred for a few days, when after waiting that time, mesty delivered the letter to the friar, and made signs that he was to take back the answer. the friar beckoned him that he was to accompany him to his room, where he read the letter, and then again made signs to him to follow him. the friar led the way to his monastery, and as soon as mesty was in his cell, he summoned another who could speak english to act as interpreter. "is your master recovering?" "yes," replied mesty, "he is at present doing well." "have you served him long?" "no," replied mesty. "are you very fond of him? does he treat you well, give you plenty of money?" at these questions, the artful black conceived that there was something in the wind, and he therefore very quietly replied, "i do not care much for him." the friar fixed his keen eye upon mesty, and perceived there was a savage look about the black, from which he augured that he was a man who would suit his purpose. "your master offers me a thousand dollars; would you wish to gain this money for yourself?" mesty grinned, and showed his sharp-filed teeth. "it would make me a rich man in my own country." "it would," replied the friar; "now, you shall have it, if you will only give your master a small powder." "i understand," replied mesty; "hab those things in my country." "well--do you consent?--if so, i will write the letter to get the money." "suppose they find me out?" replied mesty. "you will be safe, and you shall be sent away as soon as possible-- say, will you consent?" "the whole thousand dollars?" "every one of them." "den give me the powder!" "stay a little", replied the friar, who went out of the cell, and, in about ten minutes, returned with an answer to our hero's letter, and a paper containing a greyish powder. "give him this in his soup or anything--spread it on his meat, or mix it up with his sugar if he eats an orange." "i see," replied mesty. "the dollars shall be yours, i swear it on the holy cross." mesty grinned horribly, took his credentials, and then asked, "when i come again?" "as soon as you have received the money bring it to me at don rebiera's--then give the powder: as soon as it is given you must let me know, for you must not remain in palermo. i will myself conduct you to a place of safety." mesty then quitted the cell, and was shown out of the monastery. "by de holy poker, he one d--n rascal!" muttered mesty, as he was once in the open air. "but stop a little." the ashantee soon arrived at the barracks, and repeated the whole of the conference between him and friar thomaso. "it must be poison, of course," observed gascoigne; "suppose we try it upon some animal?" "no, massa gascoigne," replied mesty, "i try it myself, by-and-bye. now what we do?" "i must give you the order for the thousand dollars, mesty," replied jack. "the rascal here writes to me that for that sum, he will consent not only not to oppose me, but agrees to assist my cause; but the great question is, whether he will keep his word with you, mesty; if not, i shall lose my money. so therefore we must now have another palaver, and argue the point." the point was argued between jack and gascoigne. a thousand dollars was a large sum, but jack's father was a philosopher. after many pros and cons, it was at last decided that the money should be given to mesty; but mesty should state, when he took the money to the friar, that he had administered the powder, and claim it when he presented it. the next day, the order for the money was given to mesty, and he went to friar thomaso with it. the friar hastened with mesty to the monastery, and sent for the interpreter. "you have given it?" inquired the friar. "yes--not one hour ago. here de order for de money." "you must run for the money before he is dead, for the powder is very rapid." "and me," replied mesty, apparently much alarmed, "where am i to go?" "as soon as you bring the money here, you must go back to the barracks. remain there till he is dead, and then return here. i will have all ready, and take you, as soon as it is dusk, to a monastery of our order in the mountains, where no one will think of looking for you, till the affair is blown over; and then i will find you a passage in some vessel out of the island." mesty hastened for the money, and taking it in a large bag to the monastery, delivered it to the friar's charge, and then returned to the barracks to easy and gascoigne. it was agreed that he should go with the friar, who would probably remain away some time; indeed, mesty insisted upon so doing. mesty stayed two hours, and then returned about dusk to the monastery, and reported the death of our hero. he remained there until it was dark, and then the friar ordered him to tie the bag of dollars to his saddle-bow. they mounted two mules, which stood already caparisoned, and quitted palermo. in the morning don philip, as usual, made his appearance, and told our hero that the friar had been summoned away by the abbot, and would not return for some time. "i came to tell you this news," said don philip, "as i thought it would please you; the sooner you are now well the better. i mean to propose your being both removed to my father's palazzo, and then you can recover your lost ground during the confessor's absence." "and i have the means," replied jack, showing the friar's letter. don philip read it with astonishment, but was still more surprised when he heard the whole story from jack. he was for a time silent: at last he said,-- "i am sorry for your poor black." "why so?" replied jack. "you will never see him again, depend upon it. a thousand dollars would sign the death warrant of a thousand blacks; but there is another reason--they will put him out of the way, that he may not give evidence. where is the powder?" "mesty has it; he would not part with it." "he is a shrewd fellow, that black; he may be too much for the friar," replied don philip. "he means mischief, i'm sure," replied gascoigne. "still i feel a great deal of alarm about him," replied easy; "i wish now that i had not let him go." "are you sure that he went?" "no, i am not; but the friar told him that he should take him to the mountains as soon as it was dark." "and probably he will," replied don philip, "as the best place to get rid of him. however, the whole of this story must be told both to my father and my mother; to the former, that he may take the right measures, and to my mother, that it may open her eyes. give me the copy of the letter you wrote to the friar, and then i shall have it all." the report of the accident which had occurred to easy and gascoigne had been spread and fully believed throughout palermo. indeed, as usual, it had been magnified, and asserted that they could not recover. to agnes only had the case been imparted in confidence by don philip, for her distress at the first intelligence had been so great that her brother could not conceal it. two days after don philip had made his parents acquainted with the villainy of the friar, the midshipmen were transported to the palazzo, much to the surprise of everybody, and much to the renown of the surgeons, who were indemnified for their duplicity and falsehood by an amazing extension of their credit as skilful men. after their arrival at the palazzo, don rebiera was also entrusted with the secret, but it went no farther. as now there was no particular hurry for our hero to get well, he was contented and happy in the society of agnes and her parents; the old lady, after she had been informed of the conduct of friar thomaso, having turned round in our hero's favour, and made a vow never to have a confessor in the house again. jack and gascoigne were now as happy as could be; all their alarm was about mesty, for whose return they were most anxious. to don rebiera, jack made known formally his intentions with regard to agnes. he fully satisfied him as to his qualifications and his property, and don rebiera was fully aware of his debt of gratitude to our hero. but all he required was the consent of jack's father, and until this was obtained, he would not consent to the marriage taking place. jack attempted to argue the point; his father, he said, had married without consulting him, and therefore he had a right to marry without consulting his father. but don rebiera, not having any acquaintance with the rights of man and equality, did not feel the full force of jack's argument, and made it a sine qua non that his parents should write and consent to the alliance before it took place. chapter xxxiii in which mesty should be called throughout mephistopheles, for it abounds in black cloaks, disguises, daggers, and dark deeds. on the fourth evening after the removal of our two midshipmen to the palazzo of don rebiera, as they were sitting in company with agnes and don philip in their own room, a friar made his appearance at the door. they all started, for by his height they imagined him to be friar thomaso, but no one addressed him. the friar shut the door without saying a word, and then lifting up his cowl, which had been drawn over it, discovered the black face of mesty. agnes screamed, and all sprang from their seats at this unusual and unexpected apparition. mesty grinned, and there was that in his countenance which said that he had much to communicate. "where is the friar--mesty?" inquired easy. "stop a little, massa--suppose we lock door first, and den i tell all." taking this precaution, mesty threw off the friar's gown, and appeared in his own dress, with the bag of dollars slung round his body. "now, massa easy, i hab a long story to tell--so i tink i better begin at the beginning." "it is the most approved method," replied jack, "but stop when i hold up my finger, that we may translate what you say to the lady and don philip." "dat all right, sar. friar and i get on two mule as soon as it quite dark. he make me carry all tousand dollars--and we ride out of town. we go up mountain and mountain, but the moon get up shine and we go on cheek by jowl--he nebber say one word, and i nebber say one word, 'cause i no speak his lingo, and he no understand my english. about two o'clock in de morning, we stop at a house and stay dere till eight o'clock, and den we go on again all next day, up all mountain, only stop once, eat a bit bread and drink lilly wine. second night come on, and den we stop again, and people bow very low to him, and woman bring in rabbit for make supper. i go in the kitchen, woman make stew smell very nice, so i nod my head, and i say very good, and she make a face, and throw on table black loaf of bread and garlic, and make sign dat for my supper; good enough for black fellow, and dat rabbit stew for friar. den i say to myself, stop a little; suppose friar hab all de rabbit, i tink i give him a lilly powder." "the powder, mesty?" exclaimed jack. "what does he say?" inquired don philip. gascoigne translated all that mesty had communicated. the interest of the narrative now became exciting. mesty continued:-- "well, massa easy, den woman she go for dish to put stew in, and i take de powder and drop it in de pot, and den i sit down again and eat black bread, she say good enough for black man. she tir up de stew once more, and den she pour it out into dish, and take it to friar. he lick um chops, by all de powers, and he like um so well he pick all de bones, and wipe up gravy with him bread. you tink it very nice, massa friar, tink i; but stop a little. after he drink a whole bottle of wine, he tell me bring mules to de door, and he put him hands on de woman head, and dat de way he pay for him supper. "the moon shone bright, and we go up all mountain, always go up, and 'bout two hour, he get off him mule and he put him hand so, and set down on de rock. he twist, and he turn, and he groan, for half an hour, and den he look at me, as much as to say, you black villain, you do this? for he not able to speak, and den i pull out de paper of de powder, and i show him, and make him sign he swallow it: he look again, and i laugh at him and he die." "oh, mesty, mesty," exclaimed our hero; "you should not have done that, there will mischief come from it." "now he dead, massa easy, so much less mischief." gascoigne then interpreted to don philip and agnes, the former of whom looked very grave, and the latter terrified. "let him go on," said don philip; "i am most anxious to hear what he did with the body." mesty, at the request of our hero, proceeded: "den i thought what i should do, and i said i would hide him, and i tink i take his coat for myself, so i pull off him coat and i pull off all his oder clothes--he not wear many--and i take the body in my arm, and carry him where i find a great split in de rock above all road. i throw him in, and den i throw plenty large pieces rock on him till i no see him any more; den i take de two mules and get on mine wid de dollars, and lead de other three four mile, till i come to a large wood--take off him saddle and bridle, turn him adrift. den i tear up all clothes all in lilly bits, hide one piece here, noder piece dere, and de saddle and bridle in de bush. all right, now, i say so i put on friar cloak, hide my face, get on my mule, and den i look where i shall go--so i say, i not be in dis road anyhow, i pass through wood till i find nother. i go 'bout two mile--moon go down, all dark, and five six men catch hold my bridle, and they all got arms, so i do noting--they speak to me, but i no answer, and nebber show my face. they find all dollars (d--n um) fast enough, and they lead me away through the wood. last we come to a large fire in de wood, plenty of men lie about, some eat and some drink. they pull me off, and i hold down my head and fold my arms, just like friar do. they bring me along to one man, and pour out all my dollar before him. he give some order, and they take me away, and i peep through the cloak, and i say to myself, he that d--n galley-slave rascal don silvio." "don silvio!" cried jack. "what does he say of don silvio?" demanded don philip. mesty's narrative was again translated, and he continued. "dey led me away about fifty yards, tie me to tree, and den they leave me, and dey all drink and make merry, nebber offer me anything, so, i hab noting den to eat; i eat de ropes and gnaw them through and den i stay there two hour until all go asleep, and all quiet; for i say to myself, stop a little. den when dey all fast asleep, i take out my knife and i crawl 'long de ground, as we do in our country sometime-- and den i stop and look 'bout me; no man watch but two, and dey look out for squarl, not look in board where i was. i crawl again till i lay down alongside that d--n galley-slave don silvio. he lie fast asleep with my bag thousand dollars under him head. so i tink, 'you not hab dem long, you rascal. i look round--all right, and i drive my knife good aim into him heart and press toder hand on him mouth, but he make no noise; he struggle little and look up, and den i throw off de head of de gown and show him my black face, and he look and he try to speak; but i stop dat, for down go my knife again, and de d--n galley-slave dead as herring." "stop, mesty, we must tell this to don philip," said gascoigne. "dead! don silvio dead! well, mesty, we are eternally obliged to you, for there was no safety for my father while he was living. let him go on." "so when i put de knife through his body, i lie down by him as if noting had happened, for ten minutes, and den i take de bag of dollars from under him head, and den i feel him all over, and i find him pistols and him purse, which i hab here, all gold. so i take them and i look--all asleep, and i crawl back to de tree. den i stay to tink a little; de man on watch come up and look at me, but he tink all right and he go away again. lucky ting, by de power, dat i go back to tree. i wait again, and den i crawl and crawl till i clear of all, and den i take to my heel and run for um life, till daylight come, and den i so tired i lie down in bush; i stay in bush all day, and den i set off again back here, for i find road and know my way. i not eat den for one day and one night, and come to house where i put my head in and find woman there. i not able to speak, so i help myself, and not show my face. she not like dat and make a bobbery, but i lift up my cloak and show my black face and white teeth, and den she tink me de debil. she run out of de house and i help myself very quick, and den set off and come close here yesterday morning. i hide myself all day and come in at night, and now, massa easy, you ab haf de whole truth and you ab your tousand dollars--and you ab got rid of de rascal friar and de d--n galley-slave, don silvio." "tell them all this, ned," said jack, who, whilst gascoigne was so employed, talked with mesty. "i was very much frightened for you, mesty," said jack; "but still i thought you quite as cunning as the friar, and so it has turned out; but the thousand dollars ought to be yours." "no, sar," replied mesty, "the dollars not mine; but i hab plenty of gold in don silvio's purse--plenty, plenty of gold. i keep my property, massa easy, and you keep yours." "i'm afraid that this affair may be found out, mesty; the woman will spread the report of having been attacked by a black friar, and that will lead to suspicion, as the other friars of the convent knew that you left with friar thomaso." "so i tink dat, but when a man starve, he quite forget his thought." "i don't blame you; but now i must talk to don philip." "suppose you no objection, while you talk i eat something from the table then, massa easy, for i hungry enough to eat de friar, mule and all." "eat, my good fellow, and drink as much as you please." the consultation between our two midshipmen and don philip was not long: they perceived the immediate necessity for the departure of mesty, and the suspicion which would attach to themselves. don philip and agnes left them, to go to don rebiera, and make him acquainted with what had passed, and to ask his advice. when they went into the room, don rebiera immediately accosted his son. "have you heard, philip, that friar thomaso has returned at last?--so the servants tell me." "the report may be fortunate," replied don philip; "but i have another story to tell you." he then sat down and imparted to don rebiera all the adventures of mesty. don rebiera was for some time in deep thought; at last he replied,-- "that don silvio is no more is fortunate, and the negro would be entitled to reward for his destruction--but for the friar, that is a bad business. the negro might remain and tell the whole story, and the facts might be proved by the evidence of signor easy, and the letters; but what then? we should raise the whole host of the clergy against our house, and we have suffered too much from them already; the best plan would be the immediate departure, not only of the negro but of our two young friends. the supposition of friar thomaso being here, and their departure with the negro servant to rejoin their ship, will remove much suspicion and destroy all inquiry. they must be off immediately. go to them, philip, and point out to them the absolute necessity of this measure, and tell our young friend that i rigidly adhere to my promise, and as soon as he has his father's sanction i will bestow upon him my daughter. in the meantime i will send down and see if a vessel can be chartered for malta." our hero and gascoigne fully admitted the wisdom of this measure, and prepared for their departure; indeed, now that don rebiera's resolution had been made known to our hero, he cared more for obtaining his father's consent than he did for remaining to enjoy himself at palermo; and before noon of the next day all was ready, the vessel had been procured, jack took his leave of agnes and her mother, and, accompanied by don rebiera and don phillip (for don martin was on duty a few miles from palermo), went down to the beach, and, having bid them farewell, embarked with gascoigne and mesty on board of the two-masted lateen which had been engaged, and before sunset not a steeple of palermo was to be seen. "what are you thinking of, jack?" said gascoigne, after our hero had been silent half an hour. "i have been thinking, ned, that we are well out of it." "so do i," replied gascoigne; and here the conversation dropped for a time. "what are you thinking of now, jack?" said gascoigne, after a long pause. "i've been thinking that i've a good story for the old governor." "very true," replied gascoigne; and both were again silent for some time. "what are you thinking of now, jack?" said gascoigne, after another long interval. "i've been thinking that i shall leave the service," replied jack. "i wish you would take me with you," replied gascoigne, with a sigh; and again they were both in deep contemplation. "what are you thinking of now, jack?" said gascoigne again. "of agnes," replied our hero. "well, if that's the case, i'll call you when supper's ready. in the meantime i'll go and talk with mesty." chapter xxxiv jack leaves the service, in which he had no business, and goes home to mind his own business. on the fourth day they arrived at malta, and our two midshipmen, as soon as they had settled with the padrone of the vessel, went up to the government house. they found the governor in the veranda, who held out both his hands, one to each. "glad to see you, my lads. well, jack, how's the leg--all right? don't limp? and your arm, gascoigne?" "all right, sir, and as sound as ever it was," replied they both. "then you're in luck, and have made more haste than you deserve, after your mad pranks: but now sit down, and i suppose, my friend jack, you have a story to tell me." "o yes, sir thomas, and a very long one." "then i won't have it now, for i expect people on business; we'll have it after dinner. get your things up and take possession of your rooms. the aurora sailed four days ago. you've had a wonderful recovery." "wonderful, sir!" replied our hero; "all palermo rings with it." "well you may go now--i shall see you at dinner. wilson will be delighted when he hears that you have got round again, for he was low-spirited about it, i can tell you, which is more than you deserve." "he's right there," said our hero to gascoigne, as they walked away. when dinner was over, jack narrated to the governor the adventures of mesty, with which he was much interested; but when they were quite alone in the evening, the governor called our two midshipmen into the veranda, and said: "now my lads, i'm not going to preach, as the saying is, but i've been long enough in the world to know that a compound fracture of the leg is not cured in fourteen or sixteen days. i ask you to tell me the truth. did not you deceive captain wilson on this point?" "i am ashamed to say that we did, sir," replied easy. "how did you manage that, and why?" jack then went into further details relative to himself and his amour, stating his wish to be left behind, and all that had passed. "well, there's some excuse for you, but none for the surgeons. if any surgeon here had played such a trick, i would have hung him, as sure as i'm governor. this affair of yours has become serious. mr easy, we must have some conversation on the matter to-morrow morning." the next morning the packet from england was reported off the harbour's mouth. after breakfast the letters were brought on shore, and the governor sent for our hero. "mr easy, here are two letters for you; i am sorry to say, with black seals. i trust that they do not bring the intelligence of the death of any very near relative." jack bowed without speaking, took the letters, and went to his room. the first he opened was from his father. "my dear john, "you will be much grieved to hear that your poor mother, after sitting in the corner for nearly two years waiting for the millennium, appeared to pine away; whether from disappointment or not i do not know; but at last, in spite of all dr middleton could do, she departed this life; and, as the millennium would not come to her as she expected, it is to be hoped she is gone to the millennium. she was a good wife, and i always let her have her own way. dr middleton does not appear to be satisfied as to the cause of her death, and has wished to examine; but i said no, for i am a philosopher, and it is no use looking for causes after effects; but i have done since her death what she never would permit me to do during her life. i have had her head shaved, and examined it very carefully as a phrenologist, and most curiously has she proved the truth of the sublime science. i will give you the result. determination, very prominent; benevolence, small; caution, extreme; veneration, not very great; philoprogenitiveness, strange to say, is very large, considering she has but one child; imagination, very strong: you know, my dear boy, she was always imagining some nonsense or another. her other organs were all moderate. poor dear creature! she is gone, and we may well wail, for a better mother or a better wife never existed. and now, my dear boy, i must request that you call for your discharge, and come home as soon as possible. i cannot exist without you, and i require your assistance in the grand work i have in contemplation. the time is at hand, the cause of equality will soon triumph; the abject slaves now hold up their heads; i have electrified them with my speeches, but i am getting old and feeble; i require my son to leave my mantle to, as one prophet did to another, and then i will, like him, ascend in glory. "your affectionate father, "nicodemus easy". from this it would appear, thought jack, that my mother is dead, and that my father is mad. for some time our hero remained in a melancholy mood; he dropped many tears to the memory of his mother, whom, if he had never respected, he had much loved: and it was not till half an hour had elapsed, that he thought of opening the other letter. it was from dr middleton. "my dear boy, "although not a correspondent of yours, i take the right of having watched you through all your childhood, and from a knowledge of your disposition, to write you a few lines. that you have, by this time, discarded your father's foolish, nonsensical philosophy, i am very sure. it was i who advised your going away for that purpose, and i am sure, that, as a young man of sense, and the heir to a large property, you will before this have seen the fallacy of your father's doctrines. your father tells me that he has requested you to come home, and allow me to add any weight i may have with you in persuading you to do the same. it is fortunate for you that the estate is entailed, or you might soon be a beggar, for there is no saying what debts he might, in his madness, be guilty of. he has already been dismissed from the magistracy by the lord-lieutenant, in consequence of his haranguing the discontented peasantry, and i may say, exciting them to acts of violence and insubordination. he has been seen dancing and hurrahing round a stack fired by an incendiary. he has turned away his keepers, and allowed all poachers to go over the manor. in short, he is not in his senses; and, although i am far from advising coercive measures, i do consider that it is absolutely necessary that you should immediately return home, and look after what will one day be your property. you have no occasion to follow the profession, with eight thousand pounds per annum. you have distinguished yourself, now make room for those who require it for their subsistence. god bless you. i shall soon hope to shake hands with you. "yours most truly, "g. middleton." there was matter for deep reflection in these two letters, and jack never felt before how much his father had been in the wrong. that he had gradually been weaned from his ideas was true, but still he had, to a certain degree, clung to them, as we do to a habit; but now he felt that his eyes were opened; the silly, almost unfeeling letter of his father upon the occasion of his mother's death, opened his eyes. for a long while jack was in a melancholy meditation, and then casting his eyes upon his watch, he perceived that it was almost dinner-time. that he could eat his dinner was certain, and he scorned to pretend to feel what he did not. he therefore dressed himself and went down, grave, it is true, but not in tears. he spoke little at dinner, and retired as soon as it was over, presenting his two letters to the governor, and asking his advice for the next morning. gascoigne followed him, and to him he confided his trouble; and ned, finding that jack was very low-spirited, consoled him to the best of his power, and brought a bottle of wine which he procured from the butler. before they returned to bed, jack had given his ideas to his friend, which were approved of, and wishing him a good-night, he threw himself into bed, and was soon fast asleep. "one thing is certain, my good fellow," observed the governor to our hero, as he gave him back his letters at the breakfast table the next morning; "that your father is as mad as a march hare. i agree with that doctor, who appears a sensible man, that you had better go home immediately." "and leave the service altogether, sir?" replied jack. "why, i must say, that i do not think you exactly fitted for it. i shall be sorry to lose you, as you have a wonderful talent for adventure, and i shall have no more yams to hear when you return; but, if i understand right from captain wilson, you were brought into the profession because he thought that the service might be of use in eradicating false notions, rather than from any intention or necessity of your following it up as a profession." "i suspect that was the case, sir," replied jack; "as, for my own part, i hardly know why i entered it." "to find a mare's nest, my lad; i've heard all about it; but never mind that: the question is now about your leaving it, to look after your own property, and i think i may venture to say, that i can arrange all that matter at once, without referring to admiral or captain. i will be responsible for you, and you may go home in the packet, which sails on wednesday for england." "thank you, sir thomas, i am much obliged to you," replied jack. "you, mr gascoigne, i shall, of course, send out by the first opportunity to rejoin your ship." "thank you, sir thomas, i am much obliged to you," replied gascoigne, making a bow. "you'll break no more arms, if you please, sir," continued the governor; "a man in love may have some excuse in breaking his leg, but you had none." "i beg your pardon, sir; if mr easy was warranted in breaking his leg out of love, i submit that i could do no less than break my arm out of friendship." "hold your tongue, sir, or i'll break your head from the very opposite feeling," replied the governor, good-humouredly. "but observe, young man, i shall keep this affair secret, as in honour bound; but let me advise you, as you have only your profession to look to, to follow it up steadily. it is high time that you and mr easy were separated. he is independent of the service, and you are not. a young man possessing such ample means will never be fitted for the duties of a junior officer. he can do no good for himself, and is certain to do much harm to others: a continuance of his friendship would probably end in your ruin, mr gascoigne. you must be aware, that if the greatest indulgence had not been shown to mr easy by his captain and first lieutenant, he never could have remained in the service so long as he has done." as the governor made the last remark in rather a severe tone, our two midshipmen were silent for a minute. at last jack observed, very quietly,-- "and yet, sir, i think, considering all, i have behaved pretty well." "you have behaved very well, my good lad, on all occasions in which your courage and conduct, as an officer, have been called forth. i admit it; and had you been sent to sea with a mind properly regulated, and without such an unlimited command of money, i have no doubt but that you would have proved an ornament to the service. even now i think you would, if you were to remain in the service under proper guidance and necessary restrictions, for you have, at least, learnt to obey, which is absolutely necessary before you are fit to command. but recollect, what your conduct would have brought upon you, if you had not been under the parental care of captain wilson. but let us say no more about that: a midshipman with the prospect of eight thousand pounds a year is an anomaly which the service cannot admit, especially when that midshipman is resolved to take to himself a wife." "i hope that you approve of that step, sir." "that entirely depends upon the merit of the party, which i know nothing of, except that she has a pretty face, and is of one of the best sicilian families. i think the difference of religion a ground of objection." "we will argue that point, sir," replied jack. "perhaps it will be the cause of more argument than you think for, mr easy; but every man makes his own bed, and as he makes it, so must he lie down in it." "what am i to do about mesty, sir? i cannot bear the idea of parting with him." "i am afraid that you must; i cannot well interfere there." "he is of little use to the service, sir; he has been sent to sick quarters as my servant: if he may be permitted to go home with me, i will procure his discharge as soon as i arrive, and send him on board the guard-ship till i obtain it." "i think that, on the whole, he is as well out of the service as in it, and therefore i will, on consideration, take upon myself the responsibility, provided you do as you say." the conversation was here ended, as the governor had business to attend to, and jack and gascoigne went to their rooms to make their arrangements. "the governor is right," observed gascoigne; "it is better that we part, jack. you have half unfitted me for the service already; i have a disgust of the midshipmen's berth; the very smell of pitch and tar has become odious to me. this is all wrong; i must forget you and all our pleasant cruises on shore, and once more swelter in my greasy jacket. when i think that, if our pretended accidents were discovered, i should be dismissed the service, and the misery which that would cause to my poor father, i tremble at my escape. the governor is right, jack; we must part, but i hope you never will forget me." "my hand upon it, ned. command my interest, if ever i have any--my money--what i have, and the house, whether it belongs to me or my father--as far as you are concerned at least, i adhere to my notions of perfect equality." "and abjure them, i trust, jack, as a universal principle." "i admit, as the governor asserts, that my father is as mad as a march hare." "that is sufficient; you don't know how glad it makes me to hear you say that." the two friends were inseparable during the short time that they remained together. they talked over their future prospects, their hopes and anticipations, and when the conversation flagged, gascoigne brought up the name of agnes. mesty's delight at leaving the service, and going home with his patron was indescribable. he laid out a portion of his gold in a suit of plain clothes, white linen shirts, and in every respect the wardrobe of a man of fashion; in fact, he was now a complete gentleman's gentleman; was very particular in frizzing his woolly hair--wore a white neck-cloth, gloves, and cane. every one felt inclined to laugh when he made his appearance; but there was something in mesty's look, which, at all events, prevented their doing so before his face. the day for sailing arrived. jack took leave of the governor, thanking him for his great kindness, and stating his intention of taking malta in his way out to palermo in a month or two. gascoigne went on board with him, and did not go down the vessel's side till it was more than a mile clear of the harbour. chapter xxxv mr easy's wonderful invention fully explained by himself--much to the satisfaction of our hero, and it is to be presumed to that also of the reader. at last the packet anchored in falmouth roads. jack, accompanied by mesty, was soon on shore with his luggage, threw himself into the mail, arrived in london, and, waiting there two or three days, to obtain what he considered necessary from a fashionable tailor, ordered a chaise to forest hill. he had not written to his father to announce his arrival, and it was late in the morning when the chaise drew up at his father's door. jack stepped out and rang the bell. the servants who opened the door did not know him; they were not the same as those he left. "where is mr easy?" demanded jack. "who are you?" replied one of the men, in a gruff tone. "by de powers, you very soon find out who he is," observed mesty. "stay here, and i'll see if he is at home." "stay here? stay in the hall like a footman? what do you mean, you rascal?" cried jack, attempting to push by the man. "o, that won't do here, master; this is equality hall; one man's as good as another." "not always," replied jack, knocking him down. "take that for your insolence, pack up your traps, and walk out of the house to-morrow morning." mesty, in the meantime, had seized the other by the throat. "what i do with this fellow, massa easy?" "leave him now, mesty: we'll settle their account to-morrow morning. i presume i shall find my father in the library." "his father!" said one of the men to the other; "he's not exactly a chip off the old block." "we shall have a change, i expect," replied the other, as they walked away. "mesty," cried jack, in an authoritative tone, "bring those two rascals back to take the luggage out of the chaise; pay the position, and tell the housekeeper to show you my room, and yours. come to me for orders as soon as you have done this." "yes, sir," replied mesty. "now come here, you d--n blackguard, and take tings out of chaise, or by de holy poker i choak your luff, both of you." the filed teeth, the savage look, and determination of mesty, had the due effect. the men sullenly returned, and unloaded the chaise. in the meantime, jack walked into his father's study; his father was there--the study was lighted up with argand lamps, and jack looked with astonishment. mr easy was busy with a plaster cast of a human head, which he pored over, so that he did not perceive the entrance of his son. the cast of the skull was divided into many compartments, with writing on each; but what most astonished our hero was the alteration in the apartment. the book-cases and books had all been removed, and in the centre, suspended from the ceiling, was an apparatus which would have puzzled anyone, composed of rods in every direction, with screws at the end of them, and also tubes in equal number, one of which communicated with a large air-pump, which stood on a table. jack took a short survey, and then walked up to his father and accosted him. "what!" exclaimed mr easy, "is it possible?--yes, it is my son john! i'm glad to see you, john,--very glad, indeed," continued the old gentleman, shaking him by both hands--"very glad that you have come home; i wanted you--wanted your assistance in my great and glorious project, which, i thank heaven, is now advancing rapidly. very soon shall equality and the rights of man be proclaimed everywhere. the pressure from without is enormous, and the bulwarks of our ridiculous and tyrannical constitution must give way. king, lords, and aristocrats; landholders, tithe-collectors, church and state, thank god, will soon be overthrown, and the golden age revived--the millennium--the true millennium--not what your poor mother talked about. i am at the head of twenty-nine societies, and if my health lasts, you will see what i will accomplish now that i have your assistance, jack"; and mr easy's eyes sparkled and flashed in all the brilliancy of incipient insanity. jack sighed, and to turn the conversation he observed, "you have made a great change in this room, sir. what may all this be for? is it a machine to improve equality and the rights of man?" "my dear son," replied mr easy, sitting down and crossing his legs complacently, with his two hands under his right thigh, according to his usual custom, when much pleased with himself,--"why, my dear son, that is not exactly the case, and yet you have shown some degree of perception even in your guess; for if my invention succeeds (and i have no doubt of it), i shall have discovered the great art of rectifying the mistakes of nature, and giving an equality of organisation to the whole species, of introducing all the finer organs of humanity, and of destroying the baser. it is a splendid invention, jack, very splendid. they may talk of call and spurzheim, and all those; but what have they done? nothing but divided the brain into sections, classed the organs, and discovered where they reside; but what good result has been gained from that? the murderer by nature remained a murderer--the benevolent man a benevolent man--he could not alter his organisation. i have found out how to change all that." "surely, sir, you would not interfere with the organ of benevolence." "but indeed i must, jack. i, myself, am suffering from my organ of benevolence being too large: i must reduce it, and then i shall be capable of greater things, shall not be so terrified by difficulties, shall overlook trifles, and only carry on great schemes for universal equality and the supreme rights of man. i have put myself into that machine every morning for two hours, for these last three months, and i feel now that i am daily losing a great portion." "will you do me the favour to explain an invention so extraordinary, sir?" said our hero. "most willingly, my boy. you observe that in the centre there is a frame to confine the human head, somewhat larger than the head itself, and that the head rests upon the iron collar beneath. when the head is thus firmly fixed, suppose i want to reduce the size of any particular organ, i take the boss corresponding to where that organ is situated in the cranium, and fix it on it. for you will observe that all the bosses inside of the top of the frame correspond to the organs as described in this plaster cast on the table. i then screw down pretty tight, and increase the pressure daily, until the organ disappears altogether, or is reduced to the size required." "i comprehend that part perfectly, sir," replied jack; "but now explain to me by what method you contrive to raise an organ which does not previously exist." "that," replied mr easy, "is the greatest perfection of the whole invention, for without i could do that, i could have done little. i feel convinced that this invention of mine will immortalise me. observe all these little bell-glasses which communicate with the air-pump; i shave my patient's head, grease it a little, and fix on the bell-glass, which is exactly shaped to fit the organ in length and breadth. i work the air-pump, and raise the organ by an exhausted receiver. it cannot fail. there is my butler, now; a man who escaped hanging last spring assizes on an undoubted charge of murder. i selected him on purpose; i have flattened down murder to nothing, and i have raised benevolence till it's like a wen." "i am afraid my poor father's head is an exhausted receiver," thought jack, who then replied, "well, sir, if it succeeds it will be a good invention." "if it succeeds!--why, it has succeeded--it cannot fail. it has cost me near two thousand pounds. by-the-bye, jack, you have drawn very liberally lately, and i had some trouble, with my own expenses, to meet your bills; not that i complain--but what with societies, and my machine, and tenants refusing to pay their rents, on the principle that the farms are no more mine than theirs, which i admit to be true, i have had some difficulty in meeting all demands." "the governor was right," thought jack, who now inquired after dr middleton. "ah, poor silly man! he's alive yet--i believe doing well. he is one who will interfere with the business of others, complains of my servants--very silly man indeed--but i let him have his own way. so i did your poor mother. silly woman, mrs easy--but never mind that." "if you please, sir, i have also a complaint to make of the servants for their insolence to me: but we will adjourn, if you please, as i wish to have some refreshment." "certainly, jack, if you are hungry; i will go with you. complain of my servants, say you?--there must be some mistake--they are all shaved, and wear wigs, and i put them in the machine every other morning: but i mean to make an alteration in one respect. you observe, jack, it requires more dignity: we must raise the whole machinery some feet, ascend it with state as a throne, for it is the throne of reason, the victory of mind over nature." "as you please, sir; but i am really hungry just now." jack and his father went into the drawing-room and rang the bell; not being answered, jack rose and rang again. "my dear sir," observed mr easy, "you must not be in a hurry; every man naturally provides for his own wants first, and afterwards for those of others. now my servants--" "are a set of insolent scoundrels, sir, and insolence i never permit. i knocked one down as i entered your house, and, with your permission, i will discharge two, at least, to-morrow." "my dear son," exclaimed mr easy, "you knocked my servant down!--are you not aware, by the laws of equality--" "i am aware of this, my dear father," replied jack, "that by all the laws of society we have a right to expect civility and obedience from those we pay and feed." "pay and feed! why, my dear son,--my dear jack,--you must recollect--" "i recollect, sir, very well; but if your servants do not come to their recollection in a very short time, either i or they must quit the house." "but, my dear boy, have you forgotten the principles i instilled into you? did you not go to sea to obtain that equality foiled by tyranny and despotism here on shore? do you not acknowledge and support my philosophy?" "we'll argue that point to-morrow, sir--at present i want to obtain my supper"; and jack rang the bell furiously. the butler made his appearance at this last summons, and he was followed by mesty, who looked like a demon with anger. "mercy on me, whom have we here?" "my servant, father," exclaimed jack, starting up; "one that i can trust to, and who will obey me. mesty, i wish some supper and wine to be brought immediately--see that scoundrel gets it ready in a moment. if he does not, throw him out of the door, and lock him out. you understand me." "yes, massa," grinned mesty; "now you hab supper very quick, or mesty know the reason why. follow me, sar," cried mesty, in an imperative tone to the butler: "quick, sar, or by de holy poker, i show you what mesty can do;" and mesty grinned in his wrath. "bring supper and wine immediately," said mr easy, giving an order such as the butler had never heard since he had been in the house. the butler quitted the room, followed by the ashantee. "my dear boy-- my jack--i can make every allowance for hunger, it is often the cause of theft and crime in the present unnatural state of society--but really you are too violent. the principles." "your principles are all confounded nonsense, father," cried jack, in a rage. "what, jack!--my son-what do i hear? this from you--nonsense! why, jack, what has captain wilson been doing with you?" "bringing me to my senses, sir." "oh dear! oh dear! my dear jack, you will certainly make me lose mine." "gone already," thought jack. "that you, my child, so carefully brought up in the great and glorious school of philosophy, should behave this way--should be so violent-- forget your sublime philosophy, and all--just like esau, selling your birthright for a mess of pottage. oh, jack, you'll kill me! and yet i love you, jack--whom else have i to love in this world? never mind, we'll argue the point, my boy--i'll convince you--in a week all will be right again." "it shall, sir, if i can manage it," replied jack. "that's right, i love to hear you say so--that's consoling, very consoling--but i think now, i was wrong to let you go to sea, jack." "indeed you were not, father." "well, i'm glad to hear you say so: i thought they had ruined you, destroyed all your philosophy--but it will be all right again--you shall come to our societies, jack--i am president--you shall hear me speak, jack--you shall hear me thunder like demosthenes--but here comes the tray." the butler, followed by mesty, who attended him as if he was his prisoner, now made his appearance with the tray, laid it down in a sulky manner and retired. jack desired mesty to remain. "well, mesty, how are they getting on in the servants' hall?" "regular mutiny, sar--ab swear dat they no stand our nonsense, and dat we both leave the house to-morrow." "do you hear, sir? your servants declare that i shall leave your house to-morrow." "you leave my house, jack, after four years' absence!--no, no. i'll reason with them--i'll make them a speech. you don't know how i can speak, jack." "look you, father, i cannot stand this; either give me a carte-blanche to arrange this household as i please, or i shall quit it myself to-morrow morning." "quit my house, jack! no, no--shake hands and make friends with them; be civil, and they will serve you--but you know, upon the principles-" "principles of the devil!" cried jack, in a rage. "of the devil, jack; dear me! i wish you had never gone to sea." "in one word, sir, do you consent, or am i to leave the house?" "leave the house! o no; not leave the house, jack. i have no son but you. then do as you please--but you must not send away my murderer, for i must have him cured, and shown as a proof of my wonderful invention." "mesty, get my pistols ready for to-morrow morning, and your own too-- do ye hear?" "all ready, massa," replied mesty; "i tink dat right." "right!-- pistols, jack! what do you mean?" "it is possible, father, that you may not have yet quite cured your murderer, and therefore it is as well to be prepared. i will now wish you good-night; but, before i go, you will be pleased to summon one of the servants, that he may inform the others that the household is under my control for the future." the bell was again rung, and was this time answered with more expedition. jack told the servant, in presence of his father, that, with the consent of the latter, he should hereafter take the whole control of the establishment, and that mesty would be the majordomo from whom they would receive their orders. the man stared, and cast an appealing look to mr easy, who hesitated, and at last said-- "yes, william; you'll apologise to all, and say that i have made the arrangement." "you apologise to none, sir," cried jack; "but tell them that i will arrange the whole business to-morrow morning. tell the woman to come here and show me my bed-room. mesty, get your supper and then come up to me; if they dare to refuse you, recollect who does, and point them out to-morrow morning. that will do, sir; away with you, and bring flat candlesticks." chapter xxxvi in which jack takes up the other side of the argument, and proves that he can argue as well on one side as the other. this scene may give some idea of the state of mr easy's household upon our hero's arrival. the poor lunatic, for such we must call him, was at the mercy of his servants, who robbed, laughed at, and neglected him. the waste and expense were enormous. our hero, who found how matters stood, went to bed, and lay the best part of the night resolving what to do. he determined to send for dr middleton, and consult him. the next morning, jack rose early; mesty was in the room, with warm water, as soon as he rang. "by de power, massa easy, your fader very silly old man." "i'm afraid so," replied jack. "he not right here," observed mesty, putting his fingers to his head. jack sighed, and desired mesty to send one of the grooms up to the door. when the man knocked he desired him to mount a horse and ride over to dr middleton, and request his immediate attendance. the man, who was really a good servant, replied, "yes, sir," very respectfully, and hastened away. jack went down to breakfast, and found it all ready, but his father was not in the room: he went to his study, and found him occupied, with the carpenter, who was making a sort of a frame as the model of the platform or dais, to be raised under the wonderful invention. mr easy was so busy that he could not come to breakfast, so jack took his alone. an hour after this, dr middleton's carriage drove up to the door. the doctor heartily greeted our hero. "my dear sir--for so i suppose i must now call you--i am heartily glad that you have returned. i can assure you that it is not a moment too soon." "i have found out that already, doctor," replied jack; "sit down. have you breakfasted?" "no, i have not; for i was so anxious to see you, that i ordered my carriage at once." "then sit down, doctor, and we will talk over matters quietly." "you of course perceive the state of your father. he has been some time quite unfit to manage his own affairs." "so i am afraid." "what do you intend to do, then--put them in the hands of trustees?" "i will be trustee for myself, dr middleton. i could not do the other without submitting my poor father to a process, and confinement, which i cannot think of." "i can assure you, that there are not many in bedlam worse than he is; but i perfectly agree with you; that is, if he will consent to your taking charge of the property." "a power of attorney will be all that is requisite," replied jack; "that is, as soon as i have rid the house of the set of miscreants who are in it; and who are now in open mutiny." "i think," replied the doctor, "that you will have some trouble. you know the character of the butler." "yes, i have it from my father's own mouth. i really should take it as a great favour, dr middleton, if you could stay here a day or two. i know that you have retired from practice." "i would have made the same offer, my young friend. i will come here with two of my servants; for you must discharge these." "i have one of my own who is worth his weight in gold--that will be sufficient. i will dismiss every man you think i ought; and as for the women, we can give them warning, and replace them at leisure." "that is exactly what i should propose," replied the doctor. "i will now go, if you please; procure the assistance of a couple of constables, and also of your father's former legal adviser, who shall prepare a power of attorney." "yes," replied jack, "and we must then find out the tenants who refuse to pay upon the principles of equality, and he shall serve them with notice immediately." "i am rejoiced, my dear young friend, to perceive that your father's absurd notions have not taken root." "they lasted some time, nevertheless, doctor," replied jack, laughing. "well, then, i will only quit you for an hour or two, and then, as you wish it, will take up my quarters here as long as you find me useful." in the forenoon, dr middleton again made his appearance, accompanied by mr hanson, the solicitor, bringing with him his portmanteau and his servants. mr easy had come into the parlour, and was at breakfast when they entered. he received them very coolly; but a little judicious praise of the wonderful invention had its due effect; and after jack had reminded him of his promise that, in future, he was to control the household, he was easily persuaded to sign the order for his so doing--that is, the power of attorney. mr easy also gave up to jack the key of his escritoire, and mr hanson possessed himself of the books, papers, and receipts necessary to ascertain the state of his affairs, and the rents which had not yet been paid up. in the meantime the constables arrived. the servants were all summoned; mr hanson showed them the power of attorney, empowering jack to act for his father, and, in less than half an hour afterwards, all the men-servants, but two grooms, were dismissed; the presence of the constables and mesty prevented any resistance, but not without various threats on the part of the butler, whose name was o'rourke. thus, in twenty-four hours, jack had made a reformation in the household. mr easy took no notice of anything; he returned to his study and his wonderful invention. mesty had received the keys of the cellar, and had now complete control over those who remained. dr middleton, mr hanson, mr easy, and jack, sat down to dinner, and everything wore the appearance of order and comfort. mr easy ate very heartily, but said nothing till after dinner, when as was his usual custom, he commenced arguing upon the truth and soundness of his philosophy. "by-the-bye, my dear son, if i recollect right, you told me last night that you were no longer of my opinion. now, if you please, we will argue this point." "i'll argue the point with all my heart, sir," replied jack, "will you begin?" "let's fill our glasses," cried mr easy, triumphantly; "let's fill our glasses, and then i will bring jack back to the proper way of thinking. now then, my son, i trust you will not deny that we are all born equal." "i do deny it, sir," replied jack; "i deny it in toto--deny it from the evidence of our own senses, and from the authority of scripture. to suppose all men were born equal, is to suppose that they are equally endowed with the same strength, and with the same capacity of mind, which we know is not the case. i deny it from scripture, from which i could quote many passages; but i will restrict myself to one-- the parable of the talents: 'to one he gave five talents, to another but one,' holding them responsible for the trust reposed in them. we are all intended to fill various situations in society, and are provided by heaven accordingly." "that may be," replied mr easy; "but that does not prove that the earth was not intended to be equally distributed among all alike." "i beg your pardon; the proof that that was not the intention of providence, is that that equality, allowing it to be put in practice, could never be maintained." "not maintained!--no, because the strong oppress the weak, tyrants rise up and conquer--men combine to do wrong." "not so, my dear father; i say it could not be maintained without the organisation of each individual had been equalised, and several other points established. for instance, allowing that every man had, ab origins, a certain portion of ground. he who was the strongest or the cleverest would soon cause his to yield more than others would, and thus the equality be destroyed. again, if one couple had ten children and another had none, then again would equality be broken in upon, as the land that supports two in the one instance, would have to feed twelve in the other. you perceive, therefore, that without rapine or injustice, your equality could not be preserved." "but, jack, allowing that there might be some diversity from such causes, that would be a very different thing from the present monstrous state of society, in which we have kings and lords, and people, rolling in wealth, while others are in a state of pauperism, and obliged to steal for their daily bread." "my dear father, i consider that it is to this inequality that society owes its firmest cementation--that we are enabled to live in peace and happiness, protected by just laws, each doing his duty in that state of life to which he is called, rising above or sinking in the scale of society according as he has been entrusted with the five talents or the one. equality can and does exist nowhere. we are told that it does not exist in heaven itself--how can it exist upon earth?" "but that is only asserted, jack, and it is not proof that it ought not to exist." "let us argue the point, father, coolly. let us examine a little what would be the effect if all was equality. were all equal in beauty there would be no beauty, for beauty is only by comparison--were all equal in strength, conflicts would be interminable--were all equal in rank, and power, and possessions, the greatest charms of existence would be destroyed--generosity, gratitude, and half the finer virtues would be unknown. the first principle of our religion, charity, could not be practised--pity would never be called forth--benevolence, your great organ, would be useless, and self-denial a blank letter. were all equal in ability, there would be no instruction, no talent, no genius--nothing to admire, nothing to copy, to respect--nothing to rouse emulation, or stimulate to praiseworthy ambition. why, my dear father, what an idle, unprofitable, weary world would this be, if it were based on equality!" "but, allowing all that, jack," replied mr easy, "and i will say you argue well in a bad cause, why should the inequality be carried so far--king and lords, for instance?" "the most lasting and imperishable form of building is that of the pyramid, which defies ages, and to that may the most perfect form of society be compared. it is based upon the many, and rising by degrees, it becomes less as wealth, talent, and rank increase in the individual, until it ends at the apex or monarch, above all. yet each several stone from the apex to the base is necessary for the preservation of the structure, and fulfils its duty in its allotted place. could you prove that those at the summit possess the greatest share of happiness in this world, then, indeed, you have a position to argue on; but it is well known that such is not the case; and provided he is of a contented mind, the peasant is more happy than the king, surrounded as the latter is by cares and anxiety." "very well argued, indeed, my dear sir," observed dr middleton. "but, my dear boy, there are other states of society than monarchy; we have republics and despotisms." "we have, but how long do they last compared to the first? there is a cycle in the changes which never varies. a monarchy may be overthrown by a revolution, and republicanism succeed, but that is shortly followed by despotism, till, after a time, monarchy succeeds again by unanimous consent, as the most legitimate and equitable form of government; but in none of these do you find a single advance to equality. in a republic, those who govern are more powerful than the rulers in a restricted monarchy--a president is greater than a king, and next to a despot, whose will is law. even in small societies you find, that some will naturally take the lead and assume domination. we commence the system at school, when we are first thrown into society, and there we are taught systems of petty tyranny. there are some few points in which we obtain equality in this world, and that equality can only be obtained under a well-regulated form of society, and consists in an equal administration of justice and of laws, to which we have agreed to submit for the benefit of the whole--the equal right to live and not be permitted to starve, which has been obtained in this country. and when we are called to account, we shall have equal justice. now my dear father, you have my opinion." "yes, my dear, this is all very well in the abstract; but how does it work?" "it works well. the luxury, the pampered state, the idleness--if you please, the wickedness--of the rich, all contribute to the support, the comfort, and employment of the poor. you may behold extravagance it is a vice; but that very extravagance circulates money, and the vice of one contributes to the happiness of many. the only vice which is not redeemed by producing commensurate good, is avarice. if all were equal, there would be no arts, no manufactures, no industry, no employment. as it is, the inequality of the distribution of wealth may be compared to the heart, pouring forth the blood like a steam-engine through the human frame, the same blood returning from the extremities by the veins, to be again propelled, and keep up a healthy and vigorous circulation." "bravo, jack!" said dr middleton. "have you anything to reply, sir?" continued he, addressing mr easy. "to reply, sir?" replied mr easy, with scorn; "why, he has not given me half an argument yet: why that black servant even laughs at him-- look at him there showing his teeth. can he forget the horrors of slavery? can he forget the base unfeeling lash? no, sir, he has suffered, and he can estimate the divine right of equality. ask him now, ask him, if you dare, jack, whether he will admit the truth of your argument." "well, i'll ask him," replied jack, "and i tell you candidly that he was once one of your disciples. mesty, what's your opinion of equality?" "equality, massa easy?" replied mesty, pulling up his cravat; "i say d--n equality, now i majordomo." "the rascal deserves to be a slave all his life." "true, i ab been slave--but i a prince in my own country. massa easy tell how many skulls i have." "skulls--skulls--do you know anything of the sublime science? are you a phrenologist?" "i know man's skull very well in ashantee country, anyhow." "then if you know that, you must be one. i had no idea that the science had extended so far--maybe it was brought from thence. i will have some talk with you to-morrow. this is very curious. dr middleton, is it not?" "very, indeed, mr easy." "i shall feel his head to-morrow after breakfast, and if there is anything wrong, i shall correct it with my machine. by-the-bye, i have quite forgot, gentlemen; you will excuse me, but i wish to see what the carpenter has done for me, and after that i shall attend the meeting of the society. jack, my boy, won't you come and hear my speech?" "thank you, sir, but i cannot well leave your friends." mr easy quitted the room. "are you aware, my dear sir, that your father has opened his preserves to all the poachers?" said mr hanson. "the devil he has!" "yes, he has allowed several gangs of gipsies to locate themselves in his woods much to the annoyance of the neighbourhood, who suffer from their depredations," continued dr middleton. "i find, by the receipts and books, that there is nearly two years rental of the estate due; some tenants have paid up in full, others not for four years. i reckon fourteen thousand pounds still in arrear." "you will oblige me by taking immediate steps, mr hanson, for the recovery of the sums due." "most certainly, mr john. i trust your father will not commit himself to-night as he has done lately." when they rose to retire, dr middleton took out, hero by the hand. "you do not know, my dear fellow, what pleasure it gives me to find that, in spite of the doting of your mother and the madness of your father, you have turned out so well. it is very fortunate that you have come home; i trust you will now give up the profession." "i have given it up, sir; which, by-the-bye, reminds me that i have not applied for either my discharge or that of my servant; but i cannot spare time yet, so i shall not report myself." chapter xxxvii in which our hero finds himself an orphan, and resolves to go to sea again without the smallest idea of equality. the next morning, when they met at breakfast, mr easy did not make his appearance, and jack inquired of mesty where he was. "they say down below that the old gentleman not come home last night." "did not come home!" said dr middleton; "this must be looked to." "he great rascal, dat butler man," said mesty to jack; "but de old gentleman not sleep in his bed, dat for sure." "make enquiries when he went out," said jack. "i hope no accident has happened," observed mr hanson; "but his company has lately been very strange." "nobody see him go out, sar, last night," reported mesty. "very likely he is in his study," observed dr middleton; "he may have remained all night, fast asleep, by his wonderful invention." "i'll go and see," replied jack. dr middleton accompanied him, and mesty followed. they opened the door, and beheld a spectacle which made them recoil with horror. there was mr easy, with his head in the machine, the platform below fallen from under him, hanging, with his toes just touching the ground. dr middleton hastened to him, and, assisted by mesty and our hero, took him out of the steel collar which was round his neck: but life had been extinct for many hours, and, on examination, it was found that the poor old gentleman's neck was dislocated. it was surmised that the accident must have taken place the evening before, and it was easy to account for it. mr easy, who had had the machine raised four feet higher, for the platform and steps to be placed underneath, must have mounted on the frame modelled by the carpenter for his work, and have fixed his head in, for the knob was pressed on his bump of benevolence. the framework, hastily put together with a few short nails, had given way with his weight, and the sudden fall had dislocated his neck. mr hanson led away our hero, who was much shocked at this unfortunate and tragical end of his poor father, while dr middleton ordered the body to be taken up into a bed-room, and immediately despatched a messenger to the coroner of the county. poor mr easy had told his son but the day before, that he felt convinced that this wonderful invention would immortalise him, and so it had, although not exactly in the sense that he anticipated. we must pass over the few days of sorrow, and closed shutters, which always are given to these scenes. the coroner's inquest and the funeral over, daylight was again admitted, our hero's spirits revived, and he found himself in possession of a splendid property, and his own master. he was not of age, it is true, for he wanted nine months; but on opening the will of his father, he found that dr middleton was his sole guardian. mr hanson, on examining and collecting the papers, which were in the greatest confusion, discovered bank-notes in different corners, and huddled up with bills and receipts, to the amount of two thousand pounds, and further, a cheque signed by captain wilson on his banker, for the thousand pounds advanced by mr easy, dated more than fifteen months back. dr middleton wrote to the admiralty, informing them that family affairs necessitated mr john easy, who had been left at sick quarters, to leave his majesty's service, requesting his discharge from it forthwith. the admiralty were graciously pleased to grant the request, and lose the services of a midshipman. the admiralty were also pleased to grant the discharge of mesty, on the sum required for a substitute being paid in. the gipsies were routed out of their abodes, and sent once more to wander. the gamekeepers were restored, the preserves cleared of all poachers, and the gentry of the country were not a little pleased at jack's succession, for they had wished that mr easy's neck had been broken long ago. the societies were dissolved, since, now that mr easy no longer paid for the beer, there was nothing to meet for. cards and compliments were sent from all parts of the county, and every one was anxious that our hero should come of age, as then he would be able to marry, to give dinners, subscribe to the foxhounds, and live as a gentleman ought to do. but during all these speculations, jack had made dr middleton acquainted with the history of his amour with agnes de rebiera, and all particulars connected therewith, also with his determination to go out to bring her home as his wife. dr middleton saw no objection to the match, and he perceived that our hero was sincere. and jack had made inquiries when the packet would sail for malta, when mesty, who stood behind his chair, observed,-- "packet bad vessel, massa easy. why not go out in man-of-war?" "very true," replied jack; "but you know, mesty, that is not so easy." "and den how come home, sar? suppose you and missy agnes taken prisoner--put in prison?" "very true," replied jack; "and as for a passage home in a man-of-war, that will be more difficult still." "den i tink, sar, suppose you buy one fine vessel--plenty of guns-- take out letter of marque--plenty of men, and bring missy agnes home like a lady. you captain of your own ship." "that deserves consideration, mesty," replied jack, who thought of it during that night: and the next day resolved to follow mesty's advice. the portsmouth paper lay on the breakfast-table. jack took it up, and his eye was caught by an advertisement for the sale of the joan d'arc, prize to h.m. ship thetis, brigantine of tons, copper-bottomed, armed, en flutes with all her stores, spars, sails, running and standing rigging, then lying in the harbour of portsmouth, to take place on the following wednesday. jack rang the bell, and ordered post-horses. "where are you going, my dear boy?" inquired dr middleton. "to portsmouth, doctor." "and pray what for, if not an impertinent question?" jack then gave dr middleton an insight into his plan, and requested that he would allow him to do so, as there was plenty of ready money. "but the expense will be enormous." "it will be heavy, sir, i grant; but i have calculated it pretty nearly, and i shall not spend at the rate of more than my income. besides, as letter of marque, i shall have the right of capture; in fact, i mean to take out a privateer's regular licence." "but not to remain there and cruise?" "no, upon my honour; i am too anxious to get home again. you must not refuse me, my dear guardian." "as a lady is in the case, i will not, my dear boy; but be careful what you are about." "never fear, sir, i will be back in four months, at the farthest; but i must now set off and ascertain if the vessel answers the description given in the advertisement." jack threw himself into the chariot. mesty mounted into the rumble, and in two hours they were at portsmouth; went to the agent, viewed the vessel, which proved to be a very fine fast-sailing craft, well found, with six brass carronades on each side. the cabins were handsome, fitted up with bird's-eye maple, and gilt mouldings. this will do, thought jack: a couple of long brass nines, forty men and six boys, and she will be just the thing we require. so mesty and jack went on shore again, and returned to forest hill to dinner, when he desired mr hanson to set off for portsmouth, and bid at the sale for the vessel, as he wished to purchase her. this was monday, and on wednesday mr hanson purchased her, as she stood, for , pounds, which was considered about half her value. dr middleton had, in the meantime, been thinking very seriously of jack's project. he could see no objection to it, provided that he was steady and prudent, but in both these qualities jack had not exactly been tried. he therefore determined to look out for some steady naval lieutenant, and make it a sine qua non that our hero should be accompanied by him, and that he should go out as sailing-master. now that the vessel was purchased, he informed jack of his wish; indeed, as dr middleton observed, his duty as guardian demanded this precaution, and our hero, who felt very grateful to dr middleton, immediately acquiesced. "and, by-the-bye, doctor, see that he is a good navigator; for although i can fudge a day's work pretty well, latterly i have been out of practice." everyone was now busy: jack and mesty at portsmouth, fitting out the vessel, and offering three guineas ahead to the crimps for every good able seaman--mr hanson obtaining the english register, and the letters of licence, and dr middleton in search of a good naval dry-nurse. jack found time to write to don philip and agnes, apprising them of the death of his father, and his intentions. in about six weeks all was ready, and the brigantine, which had taken out her british register and licence under the name of the rebiera, went out of harbour, and anchored at spithead. dr middleton had procured, as he thought, a very fit person to sail with jack, and our hero and mesty embarked, wishing the doctor and solicitor good-bye, and leaving them nothing to do but to pay the bills. the person selected by dr middleton, by the advice of an old friend of his, a purser in the navy, who lived at southsea, was a lieutenant oxbelly, who, with the ship's company, which had been collected, received our hero as their captain and owner upon his arrival on board. there certainly was no small contrast between our hero's active slight figure and handsome person, set off with a blue coat, something like the present yacht-club uniform, and that of his second in command, who waddled to the side to receive him. he was a very short man, with an uncommon protuberance of stomach, with shoulders and arms too short for his body, and hands much too large, more like the paws of a polar bear than anything else. he wore trousers, shoes, and buckles. on his head was a foraging cap, which, when he took it off, showed that he was quite bald. his age might be about fifty-five or sixty; his complexion florid, no whiskers, and little beard, nose straight, lips thin, teeth black with chewing, and always a little brown dribble from the left corner of his mouth (there was a leak there, he said). altogether his countenance was prepossessing, for it was honest and manly, but his waist was preposterous. "steady enough," thought jack, as he returned mr oxbelly's salute. "how do you do, sir?" said jack; "i trust we shall be good shipmates," for jack had not seen him before. "mr easy," replied the lieutenant, "i never quarrel with anyone, except (i won't tell a story) with my wife." "i am sorry that you have ever domestic dissensions, mr oxbelly." "and i only quarrel with her at night, sir. she will take up more than her share of the bed, and won't allow me to sleep single; but never mind that, sir; now will you please to muster the men?" "if you please, mr oxbelly." the men were mustered, and jack made them a long speech upon subordination, discipline, activity, duty, and so forth. "a very good speech, mr easy," said mr oxbelly, as the men went forward; "i wish my wife had heard it. but, sir, if you please, we'll now get under way as fast as we can, for there is a channel cruiser working up at st helen's, and we may give him the go-by by running through the needles." "but what need we care for the channel cruiser?" "you forget, sir, that as soon as she drops her anchor she will come on board and take a fancy to at least ten of our men." "but they are protected." "yes, sir, but that's no protection, now-a-days. i have sailed in a privateer at least three years, and i know that they have no respect for letters of marque or for privateers." "i believe you are right, mr oxbelly; so, if you please, we will up with the anchor at once." the crew of the rebiera had been well chosen; they were prime men-of-war's men, most of whom had deserted from the various ships on the station, and, of course, were most anxious to be off. in a few minutes the rebiera was under way with all sail set below and aloft. she was in excellent trim and flew through the water; the wind was fair, and by night they had passed portland lights, and the next morning were steering a course for the bay of biscay without having encountered what they feared more than an enemy,--a british cruiser to overhaul them. "i think we shall do now, sir," observed mr oxbelly to our hero; "we have made a famous run. it's twelve o'clock, and if you please i'll work the latitude, and let you know what it is. we must shape our course so as not to run in with the brest squadron. a little more westing, sir. i'll be up in one minute. my wife--but i'll tell you about that when i come up." "latitude degs min, sir. i was about to say that my wife, when she was on board of the privateer that i commanded--" "board of the privateer, mr oxbelly?" "yes, sir, would go; told her it was impossible, but she wouldn't listen to reason--came on board, flopped herself into the standing bed-place, and said that there she was for the cruise--little billy with her--" "what! your child, too?" "yes, two years old--fine boy--always laughed when the guns were fired, while his mother stood on the ladder and held him on the top of the booby-hatch." "i wonder that mrs oxbelly let you come here now?" "so you would, sir, but i'll explain that--she thinks i'm in london about my half-pay. she knows all by this time, and frets, i don't doubt; but that will make her thin, and then there will be more room in the bed. mrs oxbelly is a very stout woman." "why, you are not a little man!" "no, not little--tending to be lusty, as the saying is--that is, in good condition. it's very strange that mrs oxbelly has an idea that she is not large. i cannot persuade her to it. that's the reason we always spar in bed. she says it is i, and i know that it is she who takes the largest share of it." "perhaps you may both be right." "no, no; it is she who creates all the disturbance. if i get nearer to the wall she jams me up till i am as thin as a thread paper. if i put her inside and stay outside, she cuts me out as you do a cask, by the chime, till i tumble out of bed." "why don't you make your bed larger, mr oxbelly?" "sir, i have proposed it, but my wife will have it that the bed is large enough if i would not toss in my sleep. i can't convince her. however, she'll have it all to herself now. i slept well last night, for the first time since i left the boadicea." "the boadicea?" "yes, sir, i was second lieutenant of the boadicea for three years." "she's a fine frigate, i'm told." "on the contrary, such a pinched-up little craft below i never saw. why, mr easy, i could hardly get into the door of my cabin--and yet, as you must see, i'm not a large man." "good heavens! is it possible," thought jack, "that this man does not really know that he is monstrous?" yet such was the case. mr oxbelly had no idea that he was otherwise than in good condition, although he had probably not seen his knees for years. it was his obesity that was the great objection to him, for in every other point there was nothing against him. he had, upon one pretence and another, been shifted, by the manoeuvres of the captains, out of different ships, until he went up to the admiralty to know if there was any charge against him. the first lord at once perceived the charge to be preferred, and made a mark against his name as not fit for anything but harbour duty. out of employment, he had taken the command of a privateer cutter, when his wife, who was excessively fond, would, as he said, follow him with little billy. he was sober, steady, knew his duty well; but he weighed twenty-six stone, and his weight had swamped him in the service. his wish, long indulged, had become, as shakespeare says, the father of his thoughts and he had really at last brought himself to think that he was not by any means what could be considered a fat man. his wife, as he said, was also a very stout woman, and this exuberance of flesh on both sides, was the only, but continual, ground of dispute. chapter xxxviii in which our hero, as usual, gets into the very middle of it. on the eleventh day the rebiera entered the straits, and the rock of gibraltar was in sight as the sun went down; after which the wind fell light, and about midnight it became calm, and they drifted up. at sunrise they were roused by the report of heavy guns, and perceived an english frigate about eight miles further up the straits, and more in the mid-channel, engaging nine or ten spanish gun-boats, which had come out from algesiras to attack her. it still continued a dead calm, and the boats of the frigate were all ahead towing her, so as to bring her broadside to bear upon the spanish flotilla. the reverberating of the heavy cannon on both sides over the placid surface of the water--the white smoke ascending as the sun rose in brilliancy in a clear blue sky--the distant echoes repeated from the high hills--had a very beautiful effect for those who are partial to the picturesque. but jack thought it advisable to prepare for action instead of watching for tints--and, in a short time, all was ready. "they'll not come to us, mr easy, as long as they have the frigate to hammer at; but still we had better be prepared, for we cannot well pass them without having a few shot. when i came up the straits in the privateer we were attacked by two and fought them for three hours; their shot dashed the water over our decks till they were wet fore and aft, but somehow or another they never hit us--we were as low as they were. i'll be bound but they'll hull the frigate though. mrs oxbelly and billy were on deck the whole time--and billy was quite delighted, and cried when they took him down to breakfast." "why, mrs oxbelly must be very courageous." "cares neither for shot nor shell, sir--laughs when they whiz over her head, and tells billy to hark. but, sir, it's not surprising; her father is a major, and her two brothers are lieutenants in the bombardiers." "that, indeed," replied jack--"but, see, there is a breeze springing up from the westward."-- "very true, mr easy, and a steady one it will be, for it comes up dark and slow; so much the better for the frigate, for she'll get little honour and plenty of mauling at this work." "i hope we shall take it up with us," observed jack; "how far do you reckon the gun-boats from the shore?" "i should think about five miles, or rather less." "trim sails, mr oxbelly--perhaps we may cut one or two of these off-- steer in-shore of them." "exactly. up there, my lads, set top-gallant studding sails, topmast studdings to hand--rig out the booms--keep as you go now, my lads--we shall be well in-shore of them, and out of the range of the batteries." the breeze came down fresh, and all sail was set upon the rebiera. she took the wind down with her, and it passed her but little--half a mile ahead of them all was still and smooth as a glass mirror, and they neared and gained in-shore at the same time. the gun-boats were still engaging the frigate, and did not appear to pay any attention to the rebiera coming down. at last the breeze reached them and the frigate, light at first and then gradually increasing, while the rebiera foamed through the water, and had now every chance of cutting off some of the gun-boats. the frigate trimmed her sails and steered towards the flotilla, which now thought proper to haul off and put their heads in-shore, followed by the frigate firing her bow-chasers. but the rebiera was now within half gun-shot in-shore, and steering so as to intercept them. as she rapidly closed, the flotilla scarcely knew how to act; to attack her would be to lose time, and allow the frigate to come up and occasion their own capture; so they satisfied themselves with firing at her as she continued to run down between them and the land. as they neared, jack opened his fire with his eighteen-pound carronades and long nines. the gun-boats returned his fire, and they were within a quarter of a mile, when jack shortened sail to his topsails, and a warm engagement took place, which ended in one of the gun-boats being, in a few minutes, dismasted. the frigate, under all canvas, came rapidly up, and her shot now fell thick. the flotilla then ceased firing, passing about two cables length ahead of the rebiera, and making all possible sail for the land. jack now fired at the flotilla as they passed, with his larboard broadside, while with his starboard he poured in grape and canister upon the unfortunate gun-boat which was dismasted, and, which soon hauled down her colours. in a few minutes more the remainder were too far distant for the carronades, and, as they did not fire, jack turned his attention to take possession of his prize, sending a boat with ten men on board, and heaving-to close to her to take her in tow. ten minutes more and the frigate was also hove-to a cable's length from the rebiera, and our hero lowered down his other quarter-boat to go on board. "have we any men hurt, mr oxbelly?" inquired jack. "only two; spearling has lost his thumb with a piece of langrage, and james has a bad wound in the thigh." "very well; i will ask for the surgeon to come on board." jack pulled to the frigate, and went up the side, touched his hat in due form, and was introduced by the midshipmen to the other side, where the captain stood. "mr easy!" exclaimed the captain. "captain sawbridge!" replied our hero, with surprise. "good heavens! what brought you here?" said the captain; "and what vessel is that?" "the rebiera, letter of marque, commanded and owned by mr easy," replied jack, laughing. captain sawbridge gave him his hand. "come down with me into the cabin, mr easy; i am very glad to see you. give you great credit for your conduct, and am still more anxious to know what has induced you to come out again. i knew that you had left the service." jack, in a very few words, told his object in fitting out the rebiera; "but," continued jack, "allow me to congratulate you upon your promotion, which i was not aware of. may i ask where you left the harpy, and what is the name of your frigate?" "the latona. i have only been appointed to her one month, after an action in which the harpy took a large corvette, and am ordered home with despatches to england. we sailed yesterday evening from gibraltar, were becalmed the whole night, and attacked this morning by the gun-boats." "how is captain wilson, sir?" "i believe he is very well, but i have not seen him." "how did you know, then, that i had left the service, captain sawbridge?" "from mr gascoigne, who is now on board." "gascoigne!" exclaimed our hero. "yes, he was sent up to join the aurora by the governor, but she had left the fleet, and having served his time, and a passing day being ordered, he passed, and thought he might as well go home with me and see if he could make any interest for his promotion." "pray, captain sawbridge, is the gun-boat our prize or yours?" "it ought to be wholly yours; but the fact is, by the regulations, we share." "with all my heart, sir. will you send an assistant-surgeon on board to look after two of my men who are hurt?" "yes, directly; now send your boat away, easy, with directions to your officer in command. we must go back to gibraltar, for we have received some injury, and, i am sorry to say, lost some men. you are going then, i presume, to stay on board and dine with me: we shall be at anchor before night." "i will with pleasure, sir. but now i will send my boat away and shake hands with gascoigne." gascoigne was under the half-deck waiting to receive his friend, for he had seen him come up the side from his station on the forecastle. a hurried conversation took place, after our hero had dismissed his boat with the assistant-surgeon in it to dress the two wounded men. jack then went on deck, talked with the officers, looked with pleasure at the rebiera with the gun-boat in tow, keeping company with the frigate, although only under the same canvas--promised gascoigne to spend the next day with him either on shore or on board the rebiera, and then returned to the cabin, where he had a long conference with captain sawbridge. "when you first entered the service, easy," said captain sawbridge, "i thought that the sooner the service was rid of you the better: now that you have left it, i feel that it has lost one who, in all probability, would have proved a credit to it." "many thanks, sir," replied jack; "but how can i be a midshipman with eight thousand pounds a year?" "i agree with you that it is impossible:--but dinner is serving: go into the after-cabin and the steward will give you all you require." our hero, whose face and hands were not a little grimed with the gunpowder, washed himself, combed out his curly black hair, and found all the party in the fore-cabin. gascoigne, who had not been asked in the forenoon, was, by the consideration of captain sawbridge, added to the number. before dinner was long off the table, the first lieutenant reported that it was necessary to turn the hands up, as they were close to the anchorage. the party, therefore, broke up sooner than otherwise would have been the case; and as soon as the latona's sails were furled, captain sawbridge went on shore to acquaint the governor with the results of the action. he asked jack to accompany him, but our hero, wishing to be with gascoigne, excused himself until the next day. "and now, easy," said gascoigne, as soon as the captain had gone over the side, "i will ask permission to go on board with you--or will you ask?" "i will ask," replied jack; "a gentleman of fortune has more weight with a first lieutenant than a midshipman." so jack went up to the first lieutenant, and with one of his polite bows, hoped, "if duty would permit, he would honour him by coming on board that evening with some of his officers, to see the rebiera and to drink a bottle or two of champagne." the first lieutenant, as the rebiera was anchored not two cables lengths from him, replied, "that as soon as he had shifted the prisoners and secured the gun-boat, he would be very glad": so did three or four more of the officers, and then jack begged as a favour, that his old friend, mr gascoigne, might be permitted to go with him now, as he had important packages to entrust to his care to england. the first lieutenant was very willing, and gascoigne and our hero jumped into the boat, and were once more in all the confidence of tried and deserved friendship. "jack, i've been thinking of it, and i've made up my mind," said gascoigne. "i shall gain little or nothing by going home for my promotion: i may as well stay here, and as i have served my time and passed, my pay is now of little consequence. will you take me with you?" "it was exactly what i was thinking of, ned. do you think that captain sawbridge will consent?" "i do: he knows how i am circumstanced, and that my going home was merely because i was tired of looking after the aurora." "we'll go together and ask him to-morrow," replied jack. "at all events, you'll have a more gentlemanly companion than mr oxbelly." "but not so steady, ned." the first lieutenant and officers came on board, and passed a merry evening. there's nothing passes time more agreeably away than champagne, and if you do not affront this regal wine by mixing him with any other, he never punishes you the next morning. chapter xxxix a council of war, in which jack decides that he will have one more cruise. as captain sawbridge did not return on board that evening, easy went on shore and called upon him at the governor's, to whom he was introduced, and received an invitation to dine with him. as gascoigne could not come on shore, our hero took this opportunity of making his request to captain sawbridge, stating that the person he had with him was not such as he wished and could confide everything to; that is, not one to whom he could talk about agnes. jack, as he found that captain sawbridge did not immediately assent, pressed the matter hard: at last captain sawbridge, who reflected that gascoigne's interest hereafter would be much greater through his friend easy, than any other quarter, and that the more the friendship was cemented the more advantageous it might prove to gascoigne, gave his consent to our hero's wish, who called on board of the latona to acquaint gascoigne and the first lieutenant of captain sawbridge's intentions, and then went on board of the rebiera and ordered mesty to come with his portmanteau on shore to the inn, that he might dress for dinner. gascoigne, now considered as not belonging to the latona, was permitted to accompany him: and jack found himself looking out of the window at which he had hung out his trousers upon the memorable occasion when the boatswain had to follow his own precept, of duty before decency. "what scenes of adventures i have passed through since that," thought jack; "not much more than four years ago, then not three weeks in the service." whereupon jack fell into a deep reverie, and thought of the baboon and of agnes. the repairs of the latona were all made good by the next day, and gascoigne, having received his discharge ticket, went on board of the rebiera. the gun-boat was put into the hands of the agent, and shortly afterwards purchased by government. the rebiera's crew did not, however, obtain their prize-money and share of the head-money, for she had seventy men on board, until their return, but, as they said, they had broken the ice and that was everything. moreover, it gave them confidence in themselves, in their vessel, and in their commander. our hero weighed a short time after the latona, having first taken leave of captain sawbridge, and committed to his care a letter to dr middleton. once more behold the trio together,--the two midshipmen hanging over the taffrail, and mesty standing by them. they had rounded europa point, and, with a fine breeze off the land, were lying close-hauled along the spanish shore. mr oxbelly was also walking near them. "when i was cruising here it was very different," observed jack: "i had a vessel which i did not know how to manage, a crew which i could not command, and had it not been for mesty, what would have become of me!" "massa easy, you know very well how to get out of scrapes, anyhow." "yes, and how to get into them," continued gascoigne. "and how to get others out of them, too, ned." "'no more of that, hal, an thou lovest me'," quoted gascoigne. "i have often wondered what has been the lot of poor azar." "the lot of most women, ned, in every country--prized at first, neglected afterwards--the lot she might have had with you." "perhaps so," replied ned, with a sigh. "massa easy, you get eberybody out of scrape; you get me out of scrape." "i do not recollect how, mesty." "you get me out from boil kettle for young gentlemen--dat devil of a scrape." "and i'm sure i've got you out of a scrape, mr oxbelly." "how so. mr easy?" "how so!--have i not prevented your quarrelling with your wife every night?" "certainly, sir, you have been the means. but do you know when we were engaging the other day, i could not help saying to myself, i wish my wife was here now, holding little billy at the hatchway." "but at night, mr oxbelly." "at night!--why, then i'm afraid i should have wished her home again-- it's astonishing how comfortable i sleep now every night. besides, in this climate it would be intolerable. mrs oxbelly is a very large woman--very large indeed." "well, but now we must hold a council of war. are we to run up the coast, or to shape a course direct for palermo?" "course direct, and we shall take nothing, that is certain," said gascoigne. "if we take nothing we shall make no prize-money," continued oxbelly. "if we make no prize-money the men will be discontented," said easy. "if no ab noting to do-it will be d---d 'tupid," continued mesty. "now then the other side of the question. if we steer for palermo, we shall be sooner there and sooner home." "to which i reply," said gascoigne, "that the shorter the cruise is, the less i shall have of your company." "and i shall have to sleep with mrs oxbelly," continued oxbelly. "hab fine ship, fine gun, fine men, and do noting," cried mesty. "by de power, i no like dat, massa easy." "you want eight months of coming of age, jack," observed gascoigne. "it won't make a difference of more than three or four weeks," said mr oxbelly; "and the expenses have been very great." "but--" "but what, jack?" "agnes." "agnes will be better defended going home by men who have been accustomed to be in action. and, as for her waiting a little longer, it will only make her love you a little more." "sleep single a little longer, mr easy, it's very pleasant," said mr oxbelly. "that's not very bad advice of yours," observed gascoigne. "stop a little, massa easy," said mesty, "you know dat very good advice." "well, then," replied jack, "i will, as i am quite in the minority. we will work up the whole coast--up to toulon. after all, there's something very pleasant in commanding your own ship, and i'm not in a hurry to resign it--so that point's decided." the rebiera was steered into the land, and at sunset they were not four miles from the lofty blue mountains which overhang the town of malaga. there were many vessels lying at the bottom of the bay, close in with the town; the wind now fell light, and the rebiera, as she could not fetch the town, tacked as if she were a merchant vessel standing in, and showed american colours, a hint which they took from perceiving three or four large vessels lying in the outer roads, with the colours of that nation hoisted at the peak. "what is your intention, jack?" said gascoigne. "i'll be hanged if i know yet. i think of working up to the outer roads, and anchoring at night--boarding the american vessels, and gaining intelligence." "not a bad idea; we shall then learn if there is anything to be done, and if not, we may be off at daylight." "the pratique boat will not come off after sunset." "and if they did, we could pass for an american, bound to barcelona or anywhere else--the outer roads where the vessels lie are hardly within gun-shot." mesty, who had resumed his sailor's clothes, now observed, "what we do, massa easy, we do quickly--time for all ting, time for show face and fight--time for hide face, crawl, and steal." "very true, mesty, we'll crawl this time, and steal if we can. it's not the warfare i like best of the two." "both good, massa easy; suppose you no steal board of polacca ship, you not see missy agnes." "very true, mesty. bout ship, mr oxbelly." "mr oxbelly not good for boat service," observed mesty, showing his teeth. it was dark before the rebiera was anchored in the outer roads, a cable's length astern of the outermost american vessel. one of her quarter-boats was lowered down, and gascoigne and our hero pulled alongside, and, lying on their oars, hailed, and asked the name of the vessel. "so help me gad, just now i forget her name," replied a negro, looking over the gangway. "who's the captain?" "so help me gad, he gone on shore." "is the mate on board?" "no, so help me gad--he gone shore, too." "who is aboard then?" "so help me gad, nobody on board but pompey--and dat me." "good ship-keepers, at all events," said jack. "a ship in the outer roads, with only a black fellow on board! i say, pompey, do they always leave you in charge of the vessel?" "no, sar; but to-night great pleasure on shore. eberybody dance and sing, get drunk, kick up bobbery, and all dat." "what, is it a festival?" "so help me gad, i no know, sar." "is there anyone on board of the other vessels?" "eberybody gone on shore. suppose they have black man, he stay on board." "good-night, pompey." "good-night, sar. who i say call when captain come on board?" "captain easy." "captain he-see, very well, sar." our hero pulled to another ship, and found it equally deserted; but at the third he found the second mate with his arm in a sling, and from him they gained the information that it was a great festival, being the last day of the carnival; and that everyone was thinking of nothing but amusement. "i've a notion," said the mate, in reply, "that you're american." "you've guessed right," replied jack. "what ship, and from what port?" "rhode island, the susan and mary," replied gascoigne. "i thought you were north. we're of new york. what news do you bring?" "nothing," replied he, "we are from liverpool last." a succession of questions was now put by the american mate, and answered very skilfully by gascoigne, who then inquired how the market was? it was necessary to make and reply to all these enquiries before they could ask apparently indifferent questions of american traders; at last, gascoigne enquired,-- "do you think they would allow us to go on shore? the pratique boat has not been on board." "they'll never find you out if you are off before daylight; i doubt if they know that you are anchored. besides, from liverpool you would have a clean bill of health, and if they found it out, they would not say much; they're not over particular, i've a notion." "what are those vessels lying in-shore?" "i guess they have olive oil on board, the chief on 'em. but there are two double lateens come in from valparaiso the day before yesterday, with hides and copper. how they 'scaped the british, i can't tell, but they did, that's sure enough." "good-night, then." "you won't take a glass of sling this fine night with a countryman?" "to-morrow, my good fellow, to-morrow; we must go on shore now." our hero and gascoigne returned on board the rebiera, consulted with oxbelly and mesty, and then manned and armed the two quarter and stern boats. they thought it advisable not to hoist out their long-boat; no fire-arms were permitted to be taken, lest, going off by accident or otherwise, an alarm should be given. our hero and mesty proceeded in the first boat, and pulled in for the town; gascoigne shortly after in the second, and the boatswain in the jolly-boat, followed at some distance. there was no notice taken of them; they pulled gently down to the landing-place, which was deserted. there was a blaze of light, and the sounds of revelry in every quarter on shore; but the vessels appeared equally deserted as the american ones in the offing. finding themselves unobserved, for they had taken the precaution to pull only two oars in each boat, they dropped gently alongside one of the double-masted lateen vessels, and mesty stepped on board. he peeped down in the cabin, and perceived a man lying on the lockers; he came up in his stealthy manner, closed the hatch softly, and said, "all right." jack left gascoigne to take out this vessel, which he did very successfully, for it was very dark; and although there were sentries posted not far off, their eyes and ears were turned towards the town, listening to the music. a second vessel, her consort, was boarded in the same way, but here they found a man on deck whom they were obliged to seize and gag. they put him down in the cabin, and mesty, with another boat's crew, cut her cables, and swept her gently out towards the american vessels. one more vessel was required, and jack, pulling two oars as usual, saluted a galliot heavily laden, but of what her cargo consisted was not known. in this vessel they found two men in the cabin playing cards, whom they seized and bound and, cutting her cables, were obliged to make sail upon her, as she was much too large to sweep out. as they were making sail they, however, met with an interruption which they did not expect. the crew belonging to the vessel, having had enough amusement for the evening, and intending to sail the next morning, had thought it right to come off sooner than the others: it was then about midnight or a little later, and while some of jack's men were aloft, for he had six with him, jack, to his annoyance, heard a boat coming off from the shore, the men in her singing a chorus. the galliot was at that time just under steerage way, her topsails had been loosed and her jib hoisted, but the former had not been sheeted home, for the three men below could not, in the dark, find the ropes. the other three men were on the fore-yard loosing the foresail, and jack was undetermined whether to call them down immediately, or to allow them to loose the sail, and thus get good way on the vessel, so as to prevent the boat, which was loaded with men, from overtaking them. the boat was not more than twenty yards from the galliot, when, not finding her where they left her, they pulled to the right, and lay on their oars. this gave a moment of time, but they very soon spied her out. "caramba!" was the exclamation--and the head of the boat was pulled round. "down, my lads, in a moment by the swifters," cried jack. "here's a boat on board of us." the men were in a few seconds on deck, and the others, who had now sheeted home the topsails, hastened aft. the vessel soon gathered way, but before that her way was sufficient, the boat had pulled under the counter, and the spaniards, letting their oars swing fore and aft, were climbing up, their knives in their teeth. a scuffle ensued, and they were thrown down again, but they renewed their attempt. our hero, perceiving a small water or wine cask lashed to the gunwale, cut it loose with his cutlass, and with one of the men, who was by his side, pushed it over, and dropped it into the boat. it struck the gunwale, stove a plank, and the boat began to fill rapidly; in the meantime the galliot had gained way--the boat could not longer be held on, from its weight, and dropped astern with the men in it. those who were half in and half out were left clinging to the gunwale of the vessel, and as they climbed up were secured, and put down in the cabin. fortunately, no fire-arms having been used on either side, the alarm was not given generally, but the sentry reported fighting on board one of the vessels, and the people of the guard-boat were collected, and pulled out; but they only arrived in time to see that the galliot was under way, and that the two other vessels from valparaiso were not in their berths. they hastened on shore, gave the alarm: the gun-boats, of which there were three at the mole, were ordered out, but half the crew and all the officers were on shore, some at balls, others drinking at taverns or posadas; before they could be collected, all three vessels were alongside of the rebiera: and not aware that anything had been discovered, our hero and his crew were lulled in security. jack had gone on board, leaving fourteen of his men on board the galliot-- gascoigne had done the same--mesty still remained on board his vessel; and they were congratulating themselves, and ordering the men on board to the windlass, when they heard the sound of oars. "silence!--what is that?" exclaimed oxbelly. "the gun-boats or row-boats, as sure as i'm alive!" at this moment mesty jumped up the side. "massa easy, i hear row-boat not far off." "so do we, mesty. gascoigne, jump into the boat--tell the men in the prizes to make all sail right out, and leave us to defend their retreat--stay on board of one and divide your men." "dat all right, massa easy. mr gascoigne, be smart--and now, sar, cut cable and make sail; no time get up anchor." this order was given, but although the men were aloft in a moment, and very expeditious, as the rebiera payed her head round and the jib was hoisted, they could perceive the boom of the three gun-boats pulling and sailing not five cables length from them. although rather short-handed, topsails, courses and top-gallant sails were soon set, the men down to their quarters, and the guns cast loose, before the gun-boats were close under their stern. then jack rounded to, braced up, and the rebiera stood across them to the westward. "why the devil don't they fire?" said jack. "i tink because they no ab powder," said mesty. mesty was right--the ammunition chests of the gun-boats were always landed when they were at the mole, in case of accidents, which might arise from the crew being continually with cigars in their mouths, and in the hurry they had quite forgotten to put them on board. "at all events, we have powder," said jack, "and now we'll prove it. grape and canister, my lads, and take good aim." the commanders of the gun-boats had hailed each other, and agreed to board the rebiera, but she now had good way on her, and sailed faster than they pulled. a well-directed broadside astonished them--they had no idea of her force; and the execution done was so great, that they first lay on their oars and then pulled back to the mole with all speed, leaving the rebiera in quiet possession of her prizes, which had already gained two miles in the offing. the rebiera, as soon as jack perceived that the gun-boats had retreated, was put before the wind, and soon closed with her captures, when she was hove-to till daylight with the three vessels in company. gascoigne returned on board, prize-masters were selected, and jack determined to keep them all with him, and take them to palermo. chapter xl in which there is another slight difference of opinion between those who should be friends. the two lateen vessels proved of considerable value, being laden with copper, hides, and cochineal. the galliot was laden with sweet-oil, and was also no despicable prize. at daylight they were all ready, and, to the mortification of the good people of malaga, sailed away to the eastward without interruption. "me tink we do dat job pretty well, massa easy," observed mesty, as he laid the breakfast table. "nothing like trying," replied gascoigne; "i'm sure when we stood into the bay i would have sold all my prize-money for a doubloon. how do i share, jack?" "only as one of the crew, ned, for you are a supernumerary, and our articles and agreement for prize-money were signed previous to our sailing." "i ought to share with mr oxbelly's class by rights," replied gascoigne. "that would be to take half my prize-money away. i shall want it all, mr gascoigne, to pacify my wife for giving her the slip." "ah, very well; i'll get all i can." for ten days they ran down the coast, going much too fast for the wishes of the crew, who were anxious to make more money. they seized a fishing-boat and put on board of her the four prisoners, which they had found in the vessels, and arrived off barcelona, without falling in with friend or foe. the next morning, the wind being very light, they discovered a large vessel at daylight astern of them to the westward, and soon made her out to be a frigate. she made all sail in chase, but that gave them very little uneasiness, as they felt assured that she was a british cruiser. one fear, however, came over them, that she would, if she came up with them, impress a portion of their men. "as certain as i'm here, and mrs oxbelly's at southsea," said oxbelly, "they'll take some of the men--the more so as, supposing us to be a spanish convoy, they will be disappointed." "they will hardly take them out of the prizes," observed easy. "i don't know that; men must be had for his majesty's service somehow. it's not their fault, mr easy--the navy must be manned, and as things are so, so things must be. it's the king's prerogative, mr easy, and we cannot fight the battles of the country without it." "yes," replied gascoigne, "and although, as soon as the services of seamen are no longer wanted, you find that there are demagogues on shore who exclaim against impressment, they are quiet enough on the point when they know that their lives and property depend upon sailors' exertions." "very true, mr gascoigne, but it's not our fault if we are obliged to take men by force; it's the fault of those who do not legislate so as to prevent the necessity. mrs oxbelly used to say that she would easily manage the matter if she were chancellor of the exchequer." "i dare say mrs oxbelly would make a very good chancellor of the exchequer," replied gascoigne, smiling; "one thing is certain, that if they gave the subject half the consideration they have others of less magnitude, an arrangement might be made by which his majesty's navy would never be short of men." "no doubt, no doubt, mr gascoigne; but, nevertheless, the king's prerogative must never be given up." "there i agree with you, mr oxbelly; it must be held in case of sudden emergency and absolute need." "we'll argue that point by-and-bye," replied jack; "now let us consult as to our measures. my opinion is, that if i made more sail we should beat the frigate, but she would come up with the prizes." "that's the best thing we can do, mr easy; but let us send a boat on board of them, and take out all the men that can possibly be spared, that there may be no excuse for impressing them." "yes," replied gascoigne; "and as the wind is falling it is possible it may fall calm, and they may send their boats; suppose we separate a mile or two from each other." "dat very good advice, massa gascoigne," observed mesty. this plan was acted upon; only three men were left in the lateens, and four in the galliot, and the vessels, in obedience to the orders, sheered off on both sides of the rebiera, who made all sail and started ahead of the prizes. this manoeuvre was perceived on board of the frigate, and made them sure that it was a spanish convoy attempting to escape. the fire-engine was got on deck, sails wetted, and every exertion made to come up. but about four o'clock in the afternoon, when the frigate was eight or nine miles off, it fell calm, as gascoigne had predicted, and the heads of all the vessels, as well as the frigate, were now round the compass. "there's out boats," said mr oxbelly; "they will have a long pull, and all for nothing." "how savage they will be!" observed gascoigne. "never mind that," replied jack; "mesty says that dinner is ready." after dinner, they all went on deck, and found that the boats had separated, one pulling for each of the prizes, and two for the rebiera. in less than an hour, they would probably be alongside. "and now let us decide how we are to act. we must not resist, if they attempt to impress the men?" "i've been thinking upon that matter, mr easy, and it appears to me that the men must be permitted to act as they please, and that we must be neuter. i, as a lieutenant in his majesty's service, cannot of course act, neither can mr gascoigne. you are not in the service, but i should recommend you to do the same. that the men have a right to resist, if possible, is admitted; they always do so, and never are punished for so doing. under the guns of the frigate, of course we should only have to submit; but those two boats do not contain more than twenty-five men, i should think, and our men are the stronger party. we had better leave it to them, and stand neuter." "dat very good advice," said mesty; "leab it to us": and mesty walked away forward where the seamen were already in consultation. jack also agreed to the prudence of this measure, and he perceived that the seamen, after a consultation with mesty, were all arming themselves for resistance. the boats were now close on board, and english colours were hoisted at the gaff. this did not, however, check the impetus of the boats, who, with their ensigns trailing in the still water astern of them, dashed alongside, and an officer leaped on board, cutlass in hand, followed by the seamen of the frigate. the men of the rebiera remained collected forward--easy, gascoigne, and oxbelly aft. "what vessel is this?" cried the lieutenant who commanded the boats. jack, with the greatest politeness, took off his hat, and told him that it was the rebiera letter of marque, and that the papers were ready for his inspection. "and the other vessels?" "prizes to the rebiera, cut out of malaga bay," replied jack. "then you are a privateer," observed the disappointed officer. "where are your papers?" "mr oxbelly, oblige me by bringing them up," said jack. "fat jack of the bone house," observed the lieutenant, looking at oxbelly. "a lieutenant in his majesty's service, of longer standing than yourself, young man," replied oxbelly, firmly;--"and who, if he ever meets you in any other situation, will make you answer for your insolent remark." "indeed!" observed the lieutenant, ironically; "now, if you had said you were once a boatswain or gunner." "consider yourself kicked," roared oxbelly, losing his temper. "heyday! why, you old porpoise!" "sir," observed jack, who listened with indignation, "mr oxbelly is a lieutenant in his majesty's service, and you have no right to insult him, even if he were not." "i presume you are all officers," replied the lieutenant. "i am, sir," retorted gascoigne, "an officer in his majesty's service, and on board of this vessel by permission of captain sawbridge of the latona." "and i was, until a few months ago, sir," continued jack; "at present i am captain and owner of this vessel--but here are the papers. you will have no obstruction from us in the execution of your duty--at the same time, i call upon the two young gentlemen by your side, and your own men, to bear witness to what takes place." "o very well, sir--just as you please. your papers, i perceive, are all right. now you will oblige me by mustering your men." "certainly, sir," replied jack: "send all the men aft to muster, mr oxbelly." the men came aft to the mainmast, with mesty at their head, and answered to their names. as the men passed over, the lieutenant made a pencil-mark against ten of them, who appeared the finest seamen; and, when the roll had been called, he ordered those men to get their bags and go into the boat. "sir, as you must observe, i am short-handed, with my men away in prizes; and i, as commander of this vessel, protest against this proceeding: if you insist upon taking them, of course i can do nothing," observed jack. "i do insist, sir; i'm not going on board empty-handed, at all events." "well, sir, i can say no more," said jack, walking aft to the taffrail, to which oxbelly and gascoigne had retreated. "come, my lads, get those men in the boat," said the lieutenant. but the men had all retreated forward in a body, with mesty at their head, and had armed themselves. some of the seamen of the frigate had gone forward, in obedience to their officer, to lead the men selected into the boat; but they were immediately desired to keep back. the scuffle forward attracted the notice of the lieutenant, who immediately summoned all his men out of the boats. "mutiny, by heavens! come up all of you, my lads." mesty then came forward, with a sabre in one hand and a pistol in the other, and then addressed the seamen of the frigate:-- "i tell you dis, my lads--you not so strong as we--you not got better arms--we not under gun of frigate now, and ab determination not to go board. 'pose you want us, come take us--'pose you can. by all de power, but we make mince-meat of you, anyhow." the seamen paused--they were ready to fight for their country, but not to be killed by or kill those who were their own countrymen, and who were doing exactly what they would have done themselves. the lieutenant thought otherwise; he was exasperated at this sensation. "you black scoundrel, i left you out because i thought you not worth having, but now i'll add you to the number." "stop a little," replied mesty. the lieutenant would not take the ashantee's very prudent advice; he flew forward to seize mesty, who, striking him a blow with the flat of his sabre, almost levelled him to the deck. at this the men and other officers of the frigate darted forward; but after a short scuffle, in which a few wounds were received, were beaten back into the boats. the lieutenant was thrown in after them, by the nervous arm of mesty--and assailed by cold shot and other missiles, they sheered off with precipitation, and pulled back in the direction of the frigate. "there will be a row about this," said oxbelly, "as soon as they come clear of the vessel. if the frigate gets hold of us she will show us no mercy. there is a breeze coming from the north-west. how fortunate! we shall be three leagues to windward, and may escape." "i doubt if she could catch us. at any point of sailing they may come up with the prizes, but can do nothing with them." "no, the boats which boarded them are already returned to the frigate; she must wait for them, and that will give us a start, and it will be night before they can make sail." "fire a gun for the prizes to close," said jack; "we will put the men on board again, and then be off to palermo as fast as we can." "we can do no better," said oxbelly. "if ever i chance to meet that fellow again, i will trouble him to repeat his words. trim the sails, my lads." "his language was unpardonable," observed jack. "since i've been in the service, mr easy, i have always observed that some officers appear to imagine, that because they are under the king's pennant, they are warranted in insulting and tyrannising over all those who have not the honour to hoist it; whereas, the very fact of their being king's officers should be an inducement to them to show an example of courtesy and gentlemanly conduct in the execution of their duty, however unpleasant it may be." "it is only those who, insignificant themselves, want to make themselves of importance by the pennant they serve under," replied our hero. "very true, mr easy; but you are not aware that a great part of the ill-will shown to the service is owing to the insolence of those young men in office. the king's name is a warrant for every species of tyranny and unwarrantable conduct. i remember mrs oxbelly telling one of them, when--" "i beg your pardon, mr oxbelly," interrupted jack, "but we have no time to chat now; the breeze is coming down fast, and i perceive the prizes are closing. let us lower down the boat, send the men on board again, and give them their orders--which i will do in writing, in case they part company." "very true, sir. it will be dark in half an hour, and as we are now standing in-shore, they will think that we intend to remain on the coast. as soon as it is quite dark we will shape our course for palermo. i will go down and look at the chart." chapter xli which winds up the nautical adventures of mr midshipman easy. in half an hour the prizes were again alongside, the men put on board, and the boat hoisted up. the frigate still remained becalmed to leeward, and hoisted in her boats. they watched until she was hid by the shades of night, and then wearing round stood away, with the wind two points free, for the coast of sicily. the next morning when the sun rose there was nothing in sight. strange anomaly, in a state of high civilisation, where you find your own countrymen avoided and more dreaded than even your foes! the run was prosperous, the weather was fine, and the prizes did not part company. on the sixteenth day the rebiera and her convoy anchored in palermo bay. the wind was light in the morning that they stood in, and as jack had a large blue flag with rebiera in white letters hoisted at the main, don philip and don martin were on board and greeting our hero, before the rebiera's anchor had plunged into the clear blue water. the information which our hero received, after having been assured of the health of agnes and her parents, was satisfactory. the disappearance of the friar had, at first, occasioned much surprise; but as the servants of don rebiera swore to his return without the black, and the letter of don rebiera, sent to the convent, requesting his presence, was opened and read, there was no suspicion against the family. a hundred conjectures had been afloat, but gradually they had subsided, and it was at last supposed that he had been carried off by the banditti, some of whom had been taken, and acknowledged that they had seized a friar, on a day which they could not recollect. the reader will remember that it was mesty. the rebiera received pratique, and jack hastened on shore with don philip and his brother, and was once more in company of agnes, who, in our hero's opinion, had improved since his departure. most young men in love think the same after an absence, provided it is not too long. the prizes were sold and the money distributed, and every man was satisfied, as the cargoes fetched a larger sum than they had anticipated. we must pass over the pros and cons of don rebiera and his lady, the pleading of jack for immediate nuptials, the unwillingness of the mother to part with her only daughter, the family consultation, the dowry, and all these particulars. a month after his arrival jack was married, and was, of course, as happy as the day was long. a few days afterwards, mr oxbelly advised departure, as the expenses of the vessel were heavy, and it was his duty so to do. don philip and don martin obtained leave to go to england, with their sister and her husband. nevertheless, jack, who found palermo a very pleasant residence, was persuaded by the don and his wife to remain there a month, and then there was crying and sobbing, and embracing, and embarking; and at last the rebiera, whose cabins had been arranged for the reception of the party, weighed and made sail for malta, jack having promised to call upon the governor. in four days they anchored in valette harbour, and jack paid his respects to his old friend, who was very glad to see him. the governor sent his own barge for mrs easy, and she was installed in the state apartments, which were acknowledged to be very comfortable. our hero had, as usual, a long story to tell the governor, and the governor listened to it very attentively, probably because he thought it would be the last, which opportunity jack employed to narrate the unfortunate end of his father. "i would not have said so at the time, mr easy, but now the wound is healed, i tell you, that it is the best thing that could have happened--poor old gentleman! he was mad indeed." our hero remained a fortnight at malta, and then signora easy was re-embarked, and once more the rebiera made sail. "fare you well, my lad; what i have seen of your brothers-in-law pleases me much; and as for your wife, it will be your own fault if she is not all that you would wish. if ever i come to england again, i will pay my first visit to forest hill. god bless you!" but sir thomas never did go back to england, and this was their final adieu. once more the rebiera pursued her course, stopped a day or two at gibraltar, shared the proceeds of the captured gun-boat, and then made sail for england, where she arrived without adventure or accident in three weeks. thus ended the last cruise of mr midshipman easy. as soon as their quarantine at the motherbank was over, they disembarked, and found dr middleton and mr hanson waiting for them at the george hotel. our hero scarcely had time to introduce his wife, when the waiter said, that a lady wished to speak to him. she did not wait to know if jack was visible, but forced her way past him. jack looked at her large proportions, and decided at once that it must be mrs oxbelly, in which conjecture he was right. "pray, sir, what do you mean by carrying off my husband in that way?" exclaimed the lady, red with anger. "god forbid that i should have to carry your husband, mrs oxbelly, he is rather too heavy." "yes, sir, but it's little better than kidnapping, and there's a law for kidnapping children at all events. i shall send my lawyer to you, that you may depend upon." "you hardly can consider your husband as a child, mrs oxbelly," replied jack, laughing. "very well, sir, we shall see. pray, where is he now?" "he is on board, mrs oxbelly, and will be delighted to see you." "i'm not quite so sure of that." "he's very anxious to see little billy," said gascoigne. "what do you know of little billy, young man?" "and more than anxious to be on shore again. he's quite tired of sleeping single, mrs oxbelly." "ah, very well, he has been talking, has he? very well," exclaimed the lady, in a rage. "but," said easy, "i am happy to say, that with pay and prize-money, during his short absence, he has brought home nearly five hundred pounds." "five hundred pounds!--you don't say so, sir?" exclaimed mrs oxbelly; "are you sure of that?" "quite sure," rejoined gascoigne. "five hundred pounds!--well, that is comfortable--dear me! how glad i shall be to see him! well, mr easy, it was hard to part with him in so unhandsome a way--but all's for the best in this world. what a dear nice lady your wife is, mr easy--but i won't intrude beg pardon. where is the brig, mr easy?" "now coming into harbour," replied gascoigne; "if you bargain, you can get off for twopence." "five hundred pounds!" exclaimed mrs oxbelly, whose wrath was now appeased. "by all power, she no fool of a woman dat," said mesty, as she retreated curtseying. "i fink mr oxbelly very right sleep tingle." we have now come to the end of our hero's adventures: that afternoon they all started for forest hill, where everything was ready for their reception. the rebiera's men were paid off, and were soon distributed on board of his majesty's ships; the vessel was sold, and mr oxbelly retired to southsea, to the society of his wife and little billy. whether he obtained from his wife a divorce de thoro is not handed down. our hero, who was now of age, invited all within twenty miles of home to balls and dinners, became a great favourite, kept a pack of hounds, rode with the foremost, received a deputation to stand for the county, on the conservative interest, was elected without much expense, which was very wonderful, and took his seat in parliament. don philip and don martin, after two months' stay, took their passage back to palermo, fully satisfied with the prospects of their sister as to competence and happiness. jack had no occasion to argue the point with agnes; she conformed at once to the religion of her husband, proved an excellent and affectionate wife, and eventually the mother of four children, three boys and a girl. mesty held his post with dignity, and proved himself trustworthy. gascoigne, by the interest of the conservative member, soon obtained the rank of post-captain, and was always his devoted and sincere friend. and thus ends the history of mr midshipman easy. [transcriber's note: the spelling inconsistencies of the original have been retained in this etext. in some cases, they have been denoted by [sic].] peter simple and the three cutters by captain marryat vol i london j.m. dent and co boston: little, brown and co. mdcccxcv contents volume i list of marryat's works, etc ix biographical introduction xi prefatory note to peter simple and the three cutters xxxiv _peter simple_ chapter i chapter ii chapter iii chapter iv chapter v chapter vi chapter vii chapter viii chapter ix chapter x chapter xi chapter xii chapter xiii chapter xiv chapter xv chapter xvi chapter xvii chapter xviii chapter xix chapter xx chapter xxi chapter xxii chapter xxiii chapter xxiv chapter xxv chapter xxvi chapter xxvii chapter xxviii chapter xxix chapter xxx list of marryat's works. in the order of publication. by frederick marryat. _born_, july . _died_, aug. . *suggestions for the abolition of the present system of impressment in the naval service adventures of a naval officer, or frank mildmay the king's own newton forster peter simple jacob faithful pacha of many tales mr midshipman easy japhet in search of a father the pirate and the three cutters *a code of signals for the use of vessels employed in the merchant service snarley-yow, or the dog fiend the phantom ship *diary in america olla podrida poor jack masterman ready joseph rushbrook, or the poacher percival keene narrative of the travels and adventures of monsieur violet settlers in canada the mission, or scenes in africa the privateer's man the children of the new forest the little savage - valerie this edition will include all the novels and tales, only omitting the three items marked in the above list with an asterisk. the text will be, for the most part, that of the first editions, except for the correction of a few obvious errors and some modernisation of spelling. _rattlin the reefer,_ so frequently attributed to marryat, will not be reprinted here. it was written by edward howard, subeditor, under marryat, of the _the metropolitan magazine,_ and author of _outward bound,_ etc. on the title-page it is described simply as _edited_ by marryat and, according to his daughter, the captain did no more than stand literary sponsor to the production. in , saunders and otley published:--_the floral telegraph, or, affections signals_ by the late captain marryat, r.n., but mrs lean knows nothing of the book, and it is probably not marryat's work. _the life and letters of captain marryat: by florence marryat (mrs lean), in vols.: richard bentley_ , are the only biographical record of the novelist extant. in some matters they are very detailed and personal, in others reticent. the story has been spiritedly retold, with reflections and criticisms, by mr david hannay in the "great writers" series, . the frontispiece is from a print, published by henry colburn in , after the portrait by simpson, the favourite pupil of sir thomas lawrence, which was "considered more like him than any other." count d'orsay took a portrait of marryat, in coloured crayons, about , but it was not a success. a portrait, in water colours, by behnes, was engraved as a frontispiece to _the pirate and the three cutters._ his bust was taken by carew. r.b.j. frederick marryat without yielding implicit credence to the handsome pedigree of the marryats supplied by mrs lean, the novelist's daughter, we may give a glance in passing to the first-fruits of this family tree. they-- naturally--came over with the conqueror, and emerged from obscurity under stephen as the proud "possessors of much lands at the village of meryat, ashton meryat, and elsewhere in somersetshire ... one nicotas de maryet is deputed to collect the ransom of richard coeur de leon through the county of somerset ... in the reign of edward i., sir john de maryet is called to attend the great parliament; in that of edward ii., his son is excommunicated for embowelling his deceased wife; 'a fancy,' says the county historian, 'peculiar to the knightly family of meryat.'" mrs lean quotes records of other meryat "hearts" to which an honourable burial has been accorded. the house of meryat finally lost its property on the fall of lady jane grey, to whom it had descended through the female line. captain marryat belonged to the suffolk branch of the family, of whom "one john de maryat had the honour of dancing in a masque before the virgin queen at trinity college, cambridge ... was sent to aid the huguenots in their wars in france ... escaped the massacre of st bartholemew and, in , returned to england." here he married "mary, the daughter and heiress of daniel luke, of the covent garden (a rank puritan family in _hudibras_), and again settled in his paternal county of suffolk." less partial biographers neglect to trace the marryats beyond this huguenot officer, who is described by them as a refugee. whatever may be the truth of these matters, it is certain that during the th and th centuries the maryats were a respectable, middle-class puritan family--ministers, doctors, and business men. in the days of the merry monarch a john marryat became distinguished as a "painful preacher," and was twice expelled from his livings for non-conformity. captain marryat's grandfather was a good doctor, and his father, joseph marryat of wimbledon house, was an m.p., chairman for the committee of lloyd's, and colonial agent for the island of grenada--a substantial man, who refused a baronetcy, and was honoured by an elegy from campbell. he married charlotte geyer, or von geyer, a hessian of good descent. frederick, born july , , was one of fifteen sons and daughters, "of whom ten attained maturity, and several have entered the lists of literature." his eldest brother, joseph, was a famous collector of china, and author of _pottery and porcelain_; the youngest, horace, wrote _one year in sweden, jutland and the danish isles_; and his sister, mrs bury palliser, was the author of _nature and art_ (not to be confounded with mrs inchbald's novel of that name), _the history of lace_, and _historic devices, badges and war cries_. his father and grandfather published political and medical works, respectively, while the generation below was equally prolific. marryat's youngest son, frank, described his travels in _borneo and the eastern archipelago_ and _mountains and molehills_, or _recollections of a burnt journal_; and his daughter florence, mrs lean, the author of his _life and letters_, has written a great many popular novels. we can record little of marryat's boyhood beyond a general impression of his discontent with school-masters and parents. mr hannay is probably right in regarding his hard pictures of home and school life as reflections of his own experience. it is said that on one occasion he was found to be engaged in the pursuit of knowledge while standing on his head; and that he accounted for the circumstance with a humorous philosophy almost worthy of jack easy--"well! i've been trying for three hours to learn it on my feet, but i couldn't, so i thought i would try whether it would be easier to learn it on my head." another anecdote, of a contest with his school-fellow babbage, is interesting and characteristic. it appears that the inventor of the calculating machine, unlike marryat, was a very diligent lad; and that he accordingly arranged, with some kindred spirits, to begin work at three in the morning. the restless marryat wished to join the party, but his motives were suspected and the conspirators adopted the simple expedient of not waking him. marryat rolled his bed across the door, and babbage pushed it away. marryat tied a string from his wrist to the door handle, and babbage unfastened it. a thicker string was cut, a chain was unlinked by pliers, but at last the future captain forged a chain that was too stout for the future mathematician. babbage, however, secured his revenge; as soon as his comrade was safely asleep he slipped a piece of pack thread through the chain and, carrying the other end to his own bed, was enabled by a few rapid jerks to waken marryat whenever he chose. apparently satisfied with his victory in the gentle art of tormenting, babbage yielded voluntarily upon the original point of dispute. marryat and others joined the reading party, transformed it to a scene of carnival, and were discovered by the authorities. meanwhile marryat was constantly running away--to sea; according to his own account because he was obliged to wear his elder brother's old clothes. on one occasion his father injudiciously sent him back in a carriage with some money in his pocket. the wise youth slipped out, and finding his way home by some quiet approach, carried off his younger brothers to the theatre. he finally ran away from a private tutor, and mr marryat recognised the wisdom of compliance. being then fourteen, that is of age to hold a commission, frederick was allowed to enter the navy, and on the rd of september , he started on his first voyage on board h.m.s. _impérieuse_, captain lord cochrane, for the mediterranean. he could scarcely have entered upon his career under better auspices. in a line-of-battle ship he would have had no chance of service at this stage of the war, when the most daring of the french could not be decoyed out of port; but the frigates had always more exciting work on hand than mere patrolling. there were cruisers to be captured, privateers to be cut off, convoys to be taken, and work to be done on the coast among the forts. and lord cochrane, earl of dundonald, was not the man to neglect his opportunities. his daring gallantry and cool judgment are accredited to most of marryat's captains, particularly in _frank mildmay_, where the cruise of the _impérieuse_ along the spanish coast is most graphically and literally described. cochrane's _autobiography_ betrays the strong, stern individuality of the man, invaluable in action, somewhat disturbing in civil life. as a reformer in season and out of season, at the admiralty or in the house of commons, his zeal became a bye-word, but marryat knew him only on board his frigate, as an inspiring leader of men. he never passed an opportunity of serving his country and winning renown, but his daring was not reckless. "i must here remark," says marryat in his private log, "that i never knew any one so careful of the lives of his ship's company as lord cochrane, or any one who calculated so closely the risks attending any expedition. many of the most brilliant achievements were performed without loss of a single life, so well did he calculate the chances; and one half the merit which he deserves for what he did accomplish has never been awarded him, merely because, in the official despatches, there has not been a long list of killed and wounded to please the appetite of the english public." marryat has left us a graphic account of his first day at sea:-- "the _impérieuse_ sailed; the admiral of the port was one who _would_ be obeyed, but _would not_ listen always to reason or common sense. the signal for sailing was enforced by gun after gun; the anchor was hove up, and, with all her stores on deck, her guns not even mounted, in a state of confusion unparalleled from her being obliged to hoist in faster than it was possible she could stow away, she was driven out of harbour to encounter a heavy gale. a few hours more would have enabled her to proceed to sea with security, but they were denied; the consequences were appalling, they might have been fatal. in the general confusion some iron too near the binnacles had attracted the needle of the compasses; the ship was steered out of her course. at midnight, in a heavy gale at the close of november, so dark that you could not distinguish any object, however close, the _impérieuse_ dashed upon the rocks between ushant and the main. the cry of terror which ran through the lower decks; the grating of the keel as she was forced in; the violence of the shocks which convulsed the frame of the vessel; the hurrying up of the ship's company without their clothes; and then the enormous wave which again bore her up, and carried her clean over the reef, will never be effaced from my memory." this, after all, was not an inappropriate introduction to the stormy three years which followed it. the story is written in the novels, particularly _frank mildmay[ ]_ where every item of his varied and exciting experience is reproduced with dramatic effect. it would be impossible to rival marryat's narrative of episodes, and we shall gain no sense of reality by adjusting the materials of fiction to an exact accordance with fact. he says that these books, except _frank mildmay,_ are "wholly fictitious in characters, in plot, and in events," but they are none the less truthful pictures of his life at sea. cochrane's _autobiography_ contains a history of the _impérieuse_; it is from _peter simple_ and his companions that we must learn what marryat thought and suffered while on board. under cochrane he cruised along the coast of france from ushant to the mouth of the gironde, saw some active service in the mediterranean, and, after a return to the ocean, was finally engaged in the basque roads. a page of his private log contains a lively _resumé_ of the whole experience:-- "the cruises of the _impérieuse_ were periods of continual excitement, from the hour in which she hove up her anchor till she dropped it again in port; the day that passed without a shot being fired in anger, was to us a blank day: the boats were hardly secured on the booms than they were cast loose and out again; the yard and stay tackles were forever hoisting up and lowering down. the expedition with which parties were formed for service; the rapidity of the frigate's movements night and day; the hasty sleep snatched at all hours; the waking up at the report of the guns, which seemed the only keynote to the hearts of those on board, the beautiful precision of our fire, obtained by constant practice; the coolness and courage of our captain, inoculating the whole of the ship's company; the suddenness of our attacks, the gathering after the combat, the killed lamented, the wounded almost envied; the powder so burnt into our face that years could not remove it; the proved character of every man and officer on board, the implicit trust and adoration we felt for our commander; the ludicrous situations which would occur in the extremest danger and create mirth when death was staring you in the face, the hair-breadth escapes, and the indifference to life shown by all--when memory sweeps along these years of excitement even now, my pulse beats more quickly with the reminiscence." after some comparatively colourless service in other frigates, during which he gained the personal familiarity with west indian life of which his novels show many traces, he completed his time as a midshipman, and in , returned home to pass. as a lieutenant his cruises were uneventful and, after being several times invalided, he was promoted commander in , just as the great war was closing. he was now only twenty-three, and had certainly received an admirable training for the work with which he was soon to enchant the public. though never present at a great battle, and many good officers were in the same position, he had seen much smart service and knew from others what lay beyond his own experience. he evidently took copious notes of all he saw and heard. he had sailed in the north sea, in the channel, in the mediterranean, and along the eastern coast of america from nova scotia to surinam. he had been rapidly promoted. it is tolerably obvious that, both as midshipman and lieutenant, he evinced the cool daring and manly independence that characterises his heroes, with a dash perhaps of jack easy's philosophy. it was a rough life and he was not naturally amenable to discipline, but probably his superiors made a favourite of the dashing handsome lad. the habit, which helps to redeem frank mildmay and even graces peter simple, of saving others from drowning, was always his own. his daughter records, with pardonable pride, that he was presented while in the navy with twenty-seven certificates, recommendations, and votes of thanks for having saved the lives of others at the risk of his own, besides receiving a gold medal from the humane society. during the peace of he "occupied himself in acquiring a perfect knowledge of such branches of science as might prove useful should the lords of the admiralty think fit to employ him in a voyage of discovery or survey." a vaguely projected expedition to africa was, however, relinquished on account of his marriage with "catherine, second daughter of sir stephen shairp, knt., of houston, co. linlithgow (for many years her britannic majesty's consul-general, and twice _chargé d'affaires_ at the court of russia);" which took place in january . in this same year he was elected a fellow of the royal society, according to tradition on account of his skill in drawing caricatures. he was at sea again soon after his marriage as commander of the _beaver_ sloop, in which commission he was sent to mount guard over napoleon at st helena until his death. he took a sketch of the dead emperor in full profile, which was engraved in england and france, and considered a striking likeness. he was meanwhile no doubt perfecting the code of signals for the use of merchant vessels of all nations, including the cipher for secret correspondence, which was immediately adopted, and secured to its inventor the cross of the legion of honour from louis philippe. it was not actually published in book form till , from which date its sale produced an appreciable income. after returning in the _rosario_ with the despatches concerning napoleon's death, he was sent to escort the body of queen caroline to cuxhaven. he was then told off for revenue duty in the channel, and had some smart cruising for smugglers until the _rosario_ was pronounced unseaworthy and paid off on the nd of february . as a result of this experience he wrote a long despatch to the admiralty, in which he freely criticised the working of the preventive service, and made some practical suggestions for its improvement. in he also published _suggestions for the abolition of the present system of impressment in the naval service_, a pamphlet which is said to have made him unpopular with royalty. he frequently in his novels urges the same reform, which he very earnestly desired. he was appointed to the _larne_ in march , and saw some hard service against the burmese, for which he received the thanks of the general and the indian government, the companionship of the bath, and the command of the _ariadne_. two years later, in november , he resigned his ship, and quitted active service, according to mrs lean, because of his appointment as equerry to his royal highness the duke of sussex. he was probably influenced, however, by a distaste for routine duties in time of peace, the claims of a growing family, and literary ambitions. he had already published _frank mildmay_, and received for it the handsome sum of £ , and negotiations were very possibly on foot concerning _the king's own_, of which the composition had been completed. there is considerable difficulty in following the remainder of marryat's life, owing to the silence of our only authority, mrs lean. no reasons can be assigned for the sudden flittings in which he constantly indulged, or for his hasty journeys to america and to the continent. he was clearly impulsive in all things, and, though occasionally shrewd, betrayed a mania for speculation. moreover, he was naturally addicted to the bohemian pleasures of life, being somewhat promiscuous in hospitality, and absolutely prodigal in the art of making presents. to satisfy these various demands on his pocket, he was often driven to spells of desperate work, in spite of the really handsome sums he received from the publishers and editors with whom he was always at variance. his first regular establishment was sussex house, hampstead, which he soon "swapped," after dinner and champagne, for a small estate of acres at langham, norfolk; though he did not finally settle in the country till . his original occupation of langham, which realised him a steady annual deficit, was followed by a return to london, a visit to brighton and, in , a journey on the continent to brussels and lausanne. he had, meanwhile, been contributing to _the metropolitan magazine,_ which he edited from to , finally selling his proprietary rights to saunders and otley for £ . his editorial work was arduous, and many of his own compositions were first published in _the metropolitan._ here appeared _newton forster,_ , _peter simple,_ , _jacob faithful, midshipman easy,_ and _japhet in search of a father_(!) , besides a comedy in three acts, entitled _the gipsy,_ a tragedy called _the cavalier of seville,_ and the miscellaneous papers afterwards collected under the title, _olla podrida._ in he stood, as a reformer, for tower hamlets, but his methods of canvassing were imprudent. he dwelt upon his own hobbies, and disregarded those of the electors. he apparently expected to carry the day by opposing the pressgang in a time of peace, and even permitted himself to repudiate philanthropy towards the african negro. the gallantry with which, on one occasion, he saved the lives of his audience when the floor of the room had fallen in, was not permitted to cover the rash energy of his reply to a persistent questioner:--"if ever you, or one of your sons, should come under my command at sea and deserve punishment, if there be no other effectual mode of conferring it, _i shall flog you."_ it is hardly necessary to add that he lost the election. he afterwards failed in a plan for the establishment of brevet rank in the army, but gave some valuable assistance in the preparation of the merchant shipping bill of . it was about this time that marryat is currently reported to have challenged f.d. maurice to a duel. the latter had published an anonymous novel, called _eustace conway,_ in which "a prominent character, represented in no amiable colours, bore the name of captain marryat." the truth of the story seems to be that the captain went in hot wrath to bentley, and demanded an apology or a statement that the coincidence was unintentional. maurice replied, through his publisher, that he had never heard of captain marryat. it may be questioned whether the apology was not more galling than the original offence. in some legal difficulties arose in connection with his father's memory, which marryat accepted with admirable philosophy:-- "as for the chancellor's judgment," he told his mother, "i cannot say that i thought anything about it, on the contrary, it appears to me that he might have been much more severe if he had thought proper. it is easy to impute motives, and difficult to disprove them. i thought, considering his enmity, that he let us off cheap; as there is no _punishing a chancellor,_ and he might say what he pleased with impunity. i did not therefore _roar_, i only _smiled_. the effect will be nugatory. not one in a thousand will read it; those who do, know it refers to a person not in this world; and of those, those who knew my father will not believe it, those who did not will care little about it, and forget the name in a week. had he given the decision in our favour, i should have been better pleased, _but it's no use crying; what's done can't be helped."_ this letter was written from brighton, and the following year found marryat on the continent, at home in a circle of gay spirits who might almost be called the outcasts of english society. they were pleasure-seekers, by no means necessarily depraved but, by narrow incomes or other causes, driven into a cheerful exile. the captain was always ready to give and take in the matter of entertainment, and he was invited everywhere though, on one occasion at least, it is recorded that he proved an uncongenial guest. having dined, as a recognised lion among lions, he "didn't make a single joke during the whole evening." his host remarked on his silence the next morning, and marryat replied:-- "oh, if that's what you wanted you should have asked me when you were alone. why, did you imagine i was going to let out any of my jokes for those fellows to put in their next books? no, that is not _my_ plan. when i find myself in such company _as that_ i open my ears and hold my tongue, glean all i can, and give them nothing in return." he did not always, however, play the professional author so offensively, and we hear of his taking part in private theatricals and dances, preparing a christmas tree for the children, and cleverly packing his friends' portmanteaux. meanwhile, he was writing _the pirate and three cutters,_ for which he received £ , as well as _snarley-yow_ and the _pacha of many tales._ he had been contributing to the _metropolitan_ at guineas a sheet, until he paid a flying visit to england in in order to transfer his allegiance to the _new monthly magazine,_ from which he secured guineas. mrs lean states that her father received £ each for _peter simple, jacob faithful, japhet,_ and _the pacha of many tales;_ £ for _midshipman easy,_ £ for _snarley-yow,_ and £ for the _diary in america._ yet "although captain marryat and his publishers mutually benefited by their transactions with each other, one would have imagined, from the letters exchanged between them, that they had been natural enemies." she relates how one of the fraternity told marryat he was "somewhat eccentric--an odd creature," and added, "i am somewhat warm-tempered myself, and therefore make allowance for yours, which is certainly warm enough." marryat justified the charge by replying:-- "there was no occasion for you to make the admission that you are somewhat warm-tempered; your letter establishes that fact. considering your age, you are a little volcano, and if the insurance were aware of your frequent visits at the royal exchange, they would demand double premium for the building. indeed, i have my surmises _now_ as to the last conflagration. * * * * * your remark as to the money i have received may sound well, mentioned as an isolated fact; but how does it sound when it is put in juxtaposition with the sums you have received? i, who have found everything, receiving a pittance, while you, who have found nothing but the shop to sell in, receiving such a lion's share. i assert again that it is slavery. i am sinbad the sailor, and you are the old man of the mountain, clinging on my back, and you must not be surprised at my wishing to throw you off the first convenient opportunity. the fact is, you have the vice of old age very strong upon you, and you are blinded by it; but put the question to your sons, and ask them whether they consider the present agreement fair. let them arrange with me, and do you go and read your bible. we all have our ideas of paradise, and if other authors think like me, the most pleasurable portion of anticipated bliss is that there will be no publishers there. that idea often supports me after an interview with one of your fraternity." marryat only returned to england a few months before hurrying off to america in april . the reasons for this move it is impossible to conjecture, as we can scarcely accept the apparent significance of his comments on switzerland in the _diary on the continent:--_ "do the faults of these people arise from the peculiarity of their constitutions, or from the nature of their government? to ascertain this, one must compare them with those who live under similar institutions. _i must go to america--that is decided_." he was received by the americans with a curious mixture of suspicion and enthusiasm. english men and women of letters in late years had been visiting the republic and criticising its institutions to the mother country--with a certain forgetfulness of hospitalities received that was not, to say the least of it, in good taste. marryat was also an author, and it seemed only too probable that he had come to spy out the land. on the other hand, his books were immensely popular over the water and, but for dread of possible consequences, jonathan was delighted to see him. his arrival at saratoga springs produced an outburst in the local papers of the most pronounced journalese:-- "this distinguished writer is at present a sojourner in our city. before we knew the gallant captain was respiring our balmy air, we really did wonder what laughing gas had imbued our atmosphere--every one we met in the streets appeared to be in such a state of jollification; but when we heard that the author of _peter simple_ was actually puffing a cigar amongst us we no longer marvelled at the pleasant countenances of our citizens. he has often made them laugh when he was thousands of miles away. surely now it is but natural that they ought to be tickled to death at the idea of having him present." the bostonians were proud to claim him as a compatriot through his mother, and a nautical drama from his pen--_the ocean wolf, or the channel outlaw_--was performed at new york with acclamation. he had some squabbles with american publishers concerning copyright, and was clever enough to secure two thousand two hundred and fifty dollars from messrs carey & hart for his forthcoming _diary in america_ and _the phantom ship,_ which latter first appeared in the _new monthly,_ and . he evidently pleased the americans on the whole, and was not unfavourably impressed by what he saw, but the six volumes which he produced on his return are only respectable specimens of bookmaking, and do not repay perusal. it was, indeed, his own opinion that he had already written enough. "if i were not rather in want of money," he says in a letter to his mother, "i certainly would not write any more, for i am rather tired of it. i should like to disengage myself from the fraternity of authors, and be known in future only in my profession as a good officer and seaman." he had hoped to see some service in canada, but the opportunity never came. in england, to which he returned in , the want of money soon came to be felt more seriously. his father's fortune had been invested in the west indies, and began to show diminishing returns. for this and other reasons he led a very wandering existence, for another four or five years, until . a year at duke street, st james, was followed by a short stay with his mother at wimbledon house, from which he took chambers at piccadilly, and then again moved to spanish place, manchester square. apparently at this time he made an unsuccessful attempt to return to active service. he was meanwhile working hard at _poor jack, masterman ready, the poacher, percival keene,_ etc., and living hard in the merry circle of a literary bohemia, with clarkson stanfield, rogers, dickens, and forster; to whom were sometimes added lady blessington, ainsworth, cruickshank, and lytton. the rival interests served to sour his spirits and weaken his constitution. the publication of _the poacher_ in the _era_ newspaper involved its author in a very pretty controversy. a foolish contributor to _fraser's magazine_ got into a rage with harrison ainsworth for _condescending_ to write in the weekly papers, and expressed himself as follows:-- "if writing monthly fragments threatened to deteriorate mr ainsworth's productions, what must be the result of this _hebdomadal_ habit? captain marryat, we are sorry to say, has taken to the same line. both these popular authors may rely upon our warning, that they will live to see their laurels fade unless they more carefully cultivate a spirit of _self-respect._ that which was venial in a miserable starveling of grub street is _perfectly disgusting_ in the extravagantly paid novelists of these days--the _caressed_, of generous booksellers. mr ainsworth and captain marryat ought to disdain such _pitiful peddling._ let them eschew it without delay." marryat's reply was, spirited and manly. after ridiculing _fraser's_ attempt "to set up a standard of _precedency_ and _rank_ in literature," and humorously proving that an author's works were not to be esteemed in proportion to the length of time elapsing between their production, he turned to the more serious and entirely honest defence that, like dickens, he was supplying the lower classes with wholesome recreation:-- "i would rather write for the instruction, or even the amusement of the poor than for the amusement of the rich; and i would sooner raise a smile or create an interest in the honest mechanic or agricultural labourer who requires relaxation, than i would contribute to dispel the _ennui_ of those who loll on their couches and wonder in their idleness what they shall do next. is the rich man only to be amused? are mirth and laughter to be made a luxury, confined to the upper classes, and denied to the honest and hard-working artisan?... in a moral point of view, i hold that i am right. we are educating the lower classes; generations have sprung up who can read and write; and may i enquire what it is that they have to read, in the way of amusement?--for i speak not of the bible, which is for private examination. they have scarcely anything but the weekly newspapers, and, as they cannot command amusement, they prefer those which create the most excitement; and this i believe to be the cause of the great circulation of the _weekly dispatch,_ which has but too well succeeded in demoralising the public, in creating disaffection and ill-will towards the government, and assisting the nefarious views of demagogues and chartists. it is certain that men would rather laugh than cry--would rather be amused than rendered gloomy and discontented--would sooner dwell upon the joys or sorrows of others in a tale of fiction than brood over their own supposed wrongs. if i put good and wholesome food (and, as i trust, sound moral) before the lower classes, they will eventually eschew that which is coarse and disgusting, which is only resorted to because no better is supplied. our weekly newspapers are at present little better than records of immorality and crime, and the effect which arises from having no other matter to read and comment upon, is of serious injury to the morality of the country ... i consider, therefore, that in writing for the amusement and instruction of the poor man, i am doing that which has but been too much neglected--that i am serving my country, and you surely will agree with me that to do so in not _infra. dig._ in the proudest englishman; and, as a conservative, you should commend rather than stigmatise my endeavours in the manner which you have so hastily done." it has been said that marryat's wandering ceased in , and it was in that year that he settled down at langham to look after his own estate. langham is in the northern division of norfolk, half way between wells-next-the-sea and holt. the manor house, says mrs lean, "without having any great architectural pretensions, had a certain unconventional prettiness of its own. it was a cottage in the elizabethan style, built after the model of one at virginia water belonging to his late majesty, george iv., with latticed windows opening on to flights of stone steps ornamented with vases of flowers, and leading down from the long narrow dining-room, where (surrounded by clarkson stanfield's illustrations of _poor jack_, with which the walls were clothed) marryat composed his later works, to the lawn behind. the house was thatched and gabled, and its pinkish white walls and round porch were covered with roses and ivy, which in some parts climbed as high as the roof itself." in the unpublished fragment of his _life of lord napier_ marryat had declared that retired sailors naturally turned to agriculture, and frequently made good farmers. a sailor on land, he rather quaintly remarks, is "but a sort of adam--a new creature, starting into existence as it were in his prime;" and "the greatest pleasures of man consist in imitating the deity in his _creative_ power." the anticipated _pleasure_ in farming he did to a great extent realise, but the _profits_ were still to seek. it can only be said that his losses were rather smaller that they had been in his absence. thus:-- . total receipts, £ " expenditure, . total receipts, " expenditure, his former tenant had indeed shown but little respect for the property. besides taking all he could out of the land without putting anything into it, he fitted up the drawing-room of the manor (which in its brightest days had been known in the village as the "room of thousand columns," from an effect produced by mirrors set in the panels of folding doors, reflecting trellised pillars,) with rows of beds, which he let out to tramps at twopence a night! of these latter years on the farm we can gather some distinctly pleasant impressions. marryat was evidently a good master at all times. he delighted to arrange for festivities in the servants' hall, but he was also very tolerant to poachers, and considered it his first duty to find work for his men when times were bad. his model pigsties and cottages were unpopular, but he loved his animals and understood them. the chief merit of his lazy and somewhat asinine pony dumpling consisted in his talent for standing still. upon this patient beast the captain would occasionally sally forth to shoot, assisting his natural short-sightedness by a curious "invention of his own;"--a plain piece of crystal surrounded by a strip of whalebone, hanging in front of his right eye from the brim of his "shocking bad hat." he was a careless dresser, but scrupulously clean; no smoker, but very fond of snuff. he had a fancy for pure white china which had to be procured from the continent. cordial invitations from friends seldom drew him from his self-imposed labours, and it appears that, in spite of his son's debts and other domestic troubles, he led a fairly contented existence among his dogs and his children. to the latter, though occasionally passionate, he was "a most indulgent father and friend." he never locked anything away from them, or shut them out of any room in the house. though severe on falsehood and cowardice, he was indifferent to mischief, and one is certainly driven to pity for the governess who was summoned to look after them. his methods in this connection were original. "he kept a quantity of small articles for presents in his secretary; and at the termination of each week the children and governess, armed with a report of their general behaviour, were ushered with much solemnity into the library to render up an account. those who had behaved well during the preceding seven days received a prize, because they had been so good; and those who had behaved ill also received one, in hopes that they would never be naughty again: the governess was also presented with a gift, that her criticism on the justice of the transaction might be disarmed." the father was not a strict disciplinarian, and it is related that when a little one had made "a large rent in a new frock," for which she expected punishment from her governess, and ran to him for advice, he "took hold of the rent and tore off the whole lower part of the skirt," saying, "tell her i did it." the sons were seldom at home, but in spite of a certain constitutional wildness and lack of prudence, they were evidently a gallant couple, delighting their father's heart. frederick, the eldest, became a distinguished officer, after conquering a strong propensity to practical joking, and was much regretted in the service when wrecked at the age of twenty-seven. he was last seen "upbraiding, in his jocular manner, some people who were frightened, when a sea swept over the ship and took him with it." frank was entered upon the roll of the navy at the tender age of three, and presented to the port admiral of plymouth in full costume. the officer patted him on the head, saying "well, you're a fine little fellow," to which the youngster replied, "and you're a fine old cock, too." he became a cultivated and bold traveller, beloved by his friends, and not unknown to fame. he only survived his father a few years, and died at the age of twenty-eight. marryat now began his charming series of stories for children, a work to which he turned for a practical reason that sounds strangely from his impulsive lips:-- "i have lately taken to a different style of writing, that is, for young people. my former productions, like all novels, have had their day, and for the present, at least, will sell no more; but it is not so with the _juveniles_; they have an annual demand, and become _a little income_ to me; which i infinitely prefer to receiving any sum in a mass, which very soon disappears somehow or other." save for a little tendency to preachment, these volumes, particularly _masterman ready_, and _the children of the new forest_, are admirably suited to their purpose from the genuine childlikeness of their conception and treatment. meanwhile marryat's health was rapidly giving way, and almost his last appearance before the public was in , when he addressed a pathetic, but fairly dignified letter to the first lord of the admiralty, as a protest against some affront, which he suspected, to his professional career. the exact circumstances of the case cannot be now discovered, but it may be readily conjectured that the formalism of official courtesy did not match with the captain's taste, and that the necessity for self-control on his own part had irritated his resentment. the first lord expressed his regret at having wounded a distinguished officer, and bestowed on him a good service pension. it may be said that the pension came too late, if indeed it would at any time have been particularly serviceable. marryat was now engaged in that melancholy chase for health which generally augurs the beginning of the end. he had ruptured two blood vessels, and was in great danger from the constitutional weakness which had first attacked him as a young lieutenant in the west indies. he moved to his mother's house in order to consult the london doctors. a mild climate was recommended, and he went down to hastings, where the news of his son's death destroyed his own chances of recovery. after about a month's trial of brighton, he came back to the london doctors who told him that "in six months he would be numbered with his forefathers." he went home to langham to die. through the summer of he lingered on, "in the 'room of a thousand columns,' with the mimic sky, and birds, and flowers, above and around him, where he chose to lie upon a mattress, placed on the ground, and there, almost in darkness, often in pain, and without occupation, he lay--cheerful and uncomplaining, and at times even humorous." his daughters frequently read aloud to him, and he always asked for fresh flowers. at the last he became delirious, though continuing to dictate pages of talk and reflection. on the morning of august th, , he expired in perfect quiet. "although not handsome," says mrs lean, "captain marryat's personal appearance was very prepossessing. in figure he was upright and broad-shouldered for his height, which measured ft. in. his hands, without being undersized, were remarkably perfect in form, and modelled by a sculptor at rome on account of their symmetry. the character of his mind was borne out by his features, the most salient expression of which was the frankness of an open heart. the firm decisive mouth, and massive thoughtful forehead were redeemed from heaviness by the humorous light that twinkled in his deep-set grey eyes, which, bright as diamonds, positively flashed out their fun, or their reciprocation of the fun of others. as a young man, dark crisp curls covered his head; but later in life, when, having exchanged the sword for the pen and the plougshare [sic], he affected a soberer and more patriarchal style of dress and manner, he wore his grey hair long, and almost down to his shoulder. his eyebrows were not alike, one being higher up and more arched than the other, which peculiarity gave his face a look of enquiry, even in repose. in the upper lip was a deep cleft, and in the chin as deep a dimple." christopher north describes captain marryat as "a captain in the navy, and an honour to it--an admirable sailor, and an admirable writer--and would that he were with us on the leads, my lads, for a pleasanter fellow, _to those who know him,_ never enlivened the social board." it is evident, indeed, that an intimate knowledge of his character was necessary to its appreciation, for his daughter declares that "like most warm-hearted people he was quick to take offence, and no one could have decided, after an absence of six months, with whom he was friends, and with whom he was not." one of the said friends wrote truly:-- "his faults proceeded from an _over-active_ mind, which could never be quiet--morning, noon, or night. if he had no one to love, he quarrelled for want of something better to do; he planned for himself and for everybody, and changed his mind ten times a-day." "many people have asked," says mrs lean "whether captain marryat, when at home, was not 'very funny.' no, decidedly not. in society, with new topics to discuss, and other wits about him on which to sharpen his own --or, like flint and steel, to emit sparks by friction--he was as gay and humorous as the best of them; but at home he was always a thoughtful, and, at times, a very grave man; for he was not exempt from those ills that all flesh is heir to, and had his sorrows and his difficulties and moments of depression, like the rest of us. at such times it was dangerous to thwart and disturb him, for he was a man of strong passions and indomitable determination." it is not difficult to conceive the character in outline--"wise english-hearted captain marryat," kingsley calls him. he was incapable of any mean low vices, but his zest for pleasure was keen, and never restrained by motives of prudence or consideration for others. his strong passions at times made him disagreeably selfish and overbearing, qualities forgiven by acquaintances for his social brilliancy, and by friends for his frank affection. with some business talents and practical shrewdness, he was quite incapable of wisely conducting his affairs, by reason of a mania for speculation and originality. there was considerable waste of good material in his fiery composition. his books reveal the higher standard of his true nature. their merits and faults are alike on the surface. lockhart declared that "he stood second in merit to no living novelist but miss edgeworth. his happy delineations and contrasts of character, and easy play of native fun, redeem a thousand faults of verbosity, clumsiness, and coarseness. his strong sense, and utter superiority to affectation of all sorts, command respect, and in his quiet effectiveness of circumstantial narrative he sometimes approaches old defoe." it is easy to criticise marryat, for his grammar is reckless, he could not construct a plot, he wrote too much and too rapidly in order to earn money. but then he was an altogether admirable _raconteur_, and for the purposes of narration his style was peculiarly appropriate--simple, rapid, lucid, and vigorous. he does not tax our powers of belief beyond endurance, or weary us with wonder. his crises are the more effective from the absence of any studied introduction or thunderous comment; and he carries his readers through stirring adventures of storm and battle with a business-like precision that silences doubt. he breathes the spirit of the sea, himself a genuine sailor, almost as childlike and simple as one of his own creations. his books are real voyages, in which a day of bustle and danger is followed by peace and quiet, yarns on the quarter-deck, and some practical joking among the middies. he delights in the exhibition of oddities, and the telling of tall stories outside the regular course of the narrative, which bubbles over with somewhat boisterous fun. and his humour is genuine and spontaneous; it is farcical without descending to buffoonery. his comic types are built up on character, and, if not subtle, are undeniably human and living. they are drawn, moreover, with sympathy. the whole tone of marryat's work is singularly fresh, wholesome, and manly. his heroes endure rough handling, but they fight their way, for the most part, to the essential qualities of gentlemen. they are no saints; but excellent comrades, honest lovers, and brave tars. r. brimley johnson. footnotes: [ ] in dwelling upon the autobiographical nature of the _incident_, in _frank mildmay,_ it is necessary to guard against the supposition that marryat's _character_ in any way resembled his hero's. see further preface to _f m._ prefatory note to peter simple and the three cutters from _nodes ambrosianæ_:-- _shepherd_ [hogg]. did marry yacht write _peter simple_? peter simple in his ain way's as gude's parson adams ... he that invented peter simple's a sea-fieldin'. * * * * * _peter simple_ is printed from the first edition, in three volumes. saunders and otley, . _the three cutters_ is printed from the first edition. longman, rees, orme, brown, green, and longman, . _the three cutters_ was first published in one volume with _the pirate_, containing a portrait of marryat--drawn by w. behnes, engraved by h. cook; and "illustrated with twenty splendid engravings from drawings by clarkson stanfield, esq., r.a." peter simple chapter i the great advantage of being the fool of the family--my destiny is decided, and i am consigned to a stockbroker as part of his majesty's sea stock--unfortunately for me mr handycock is a bear, and i get very little dinner. if i cannot narrate a life of adventurous and daring exploits, fortunately i have no heavy crimes to confess; and, if i do not rise in the estimation of the reader for acts of gallantry and devotion in my country's cause, at least i may claim the merit of zealous and persevering continuance in my vocation. we are all of us variously gifted from above, and he who is content to walk, instead of to run, on his allotted path through life, although he may not so rapidly attain the goal, has the advantage of not being out of breath upon his arrival. not that i mean to infer that my life has not been one of adventure. i only mean to say that, in all which has occurred, i have been a passive, rather than an active, personage; and, if events of interest are to be recorded, they certainly have not been sought by me. as well as i can recollect and analyze my early propensities, i think that, had i been permitted to select my own profession, i should in all probability have bound myself apprentice to a tailor; for i always envied the comfortable seat which they appeared to enjoy upon the shopboard, and their elevated position, which enabled them to look down upon the constant succession of the idle or the busy, who passed in review before them in the main street of the country town, near to which i passed the first fourteen years of my existence. but my father, who was a clergyman of the church of england, and the youngest brother of a noble family, had a lucrative living, and a "soul above buttons," if his son had not. it has been from time immemorial the heathenish custom to sacrifice the greatest fool of the family to the prosperity and naval superiority of the country, and, at the age of fourteen, i was selected as the victim. if the custom be judicious, i had no reason to complain. there was not one dissentient voice, when it was proposed before all the varieties of my aunts and cousins, invited to partake of our new-year's festival. i was selected by general acclamation. flattered by such an unanimous acknowledgment of my qualification, and a stroke of my father's hand down my head which accompanied it, i felt as proud, and, alas! as unconscious as the calf with gilded horns, who plays and mumbles with the flowers of the garland which designates his fate to every one but himself. i even felt, or thought i felt, a slight degree of military ardour, and a sort of vision of future grandeur passed before me, in the distant vista of which i perceived a coach with four horses and a service of plate. it was, however, driven away before i could decipher it, by positive bodily pain, occasioned by my elder brother tom, who, having been directed by my father to snuff the candles, took the opportunity of my abstraction to insert a piece of the still ignited cotton into my left ear. but as my story is not a very short one, i must not dwell too long on its commencement. i shall therefore inform the reader, that my father, who lived in the north of england, did not think it right to fit me out at the country town, near to which we resided; but about a fortnight after the decision which i have referred to, he forwarded me to london, on the outside of the coach, with my best suit of bottle-green and six shirts. to prevent mistakes, i was booked in the way-bill "to be delivered to mr thomas handycock, no. , saint clement's lane--carriage paid." my parting with the family was very affecting; my mother cried bitterly, for, like all mothers, she liked the greatest fool which she had presented to my father, better than all the rest; my sisters cried because my mother cried; tom roared for a short time more loudly than all the rest, having been chastised by my father for breaking his fourth window in that week;--during all which my father walked up and down the room with impatience, because he was kept from his dinner, and, like all orthodox divines, he was tenacious of the only sensual enjoyment permitted to his cloth. at last i tore myself away. i had blubbered till my eyes were so red and swollen, that the pupils were scarcely to be distinguished, and tears and dirt had veined my cheeks like the marble of the chimney-piece. my handkerchief was soaked through with wiping my eyes and blowing my nose, before the scene was over. my brother tom, with a kindness which did honour to his heart, exchanged his for mine, saying, with fraternal regard, "here, peter, take mine, it's as dry as a bone." but my father would not wait for a second handkerchief to perform its duty. he led me away through the hall, when, having shaken hands with all the men and kissed all the maids, who stood in a row with their aprons to their eyes, i quitted my paternal roof. the coachman accompanied me to the place from whence the stage was to start. having seen me securely wedged between two fat old women, and having put my parcel inside, he took his leave, and in a few minutes i was on my road to london. i was too much depressed to take notice of anything during my journey. when we arrived in london, they drove to the blue boar (in a street, the name of which i have forgotten). i had never seen or heard of such an animal, and certainly it did appear very formidable; its mouth was open and teeth very large. what surprised me still more was to observe that its teeth and hoofs were of pure gold. who knows, thought i, that in some of the strange countries which i am doomed to visit, but that i may fall in with, and shoot one of these terrific monsters? with what haste shall i select those precious parts, and with what joy should i, on my return, pour them as an offering of filial affection into my mother's lap!--and then, as i thought of my mother, the tears again gushed into my eyes. the coachman threw his whip to the ostler, and the reins upon the horses' backs; he then dismounted, and calling to me, "now, young gentleman, i'se a-waiting," he put a ladder up for me to get down by; then turning to a porter, he said to him, "bill, you must take this here young gem'man and that ere parcel to this here direction.--please to remember the coachman, sir." i replied that i certainly would, if he wished it, and walked off with the porter; the coachman observing, as i went away, "well, he is a fool--that's sartain." i arrived quite safe at st clement's-lane, when the porter received a shilling for his trouble from the maid who let me in, and i was shown up into a parlour, where i found myself in company with mrs handycock. mrs handycock was a little meagre woman, who did not speak very good english, and who appeared to me to employ the major part of her time in bawling out from the top of the stairs to the servants below. i never saw her either read a book or occupy herself with needlework, during the whole time i was in the house. she had a large grey parrot, and i really cannot tell which screamed the worse of the two--but she was very civil and kind to me, and asked me ten times a day when i had last heard of my grandfather, lord privilege. i observed that she always did so if any company happened to call in during my stay at her house. before i had been there ten minutes, she told me that she "hadored sailors--they were the defendiours and preserviours of their kings and countries," and that "mr handycock would be home by four o'clock, and then we should go to dinner." then she jumped off her chair to bawl to the cook from the head of the stairs--"jemima, jemima!--ve'll ha'e the viting biled instead of fried." "can't, marm," replied jemima, "they be all begged and crumbed, with their tails in their mouths." "vell, then, never mind, jemima," replied the lady.--"don't put your finger into the parrot's cage, my love--he's apt to be cross with strangers. mr handycock will be home at four o'clock, and then we shall have our dinner. are you fond of viting?" as i was very anxious to see mr handycock, and very anxious to have my dinner, i was not sorry to hear the clock on the stairs strike four, when mrs handycock again jumped up, and put her head over the banisters, "jemima, jemima, it's four o'clock!" "i hear it, marm," replied the cook; and she gave the frying-pan a twist, which made the hissing and the smell come flying up into the parlour, and made me more hungry than ever. rap, tap, tap! "there's your master, jemima," screamed the lady. "i hear him, marm," replied the cook. "run down, my dear, and let mr handycock in," said his wife. "he'll be so surprised at seeing you open the door." i ran down, as mrs handycock desired me, and opened the street-door. "who the devil are you?" in a gruff voice, cried mr handycock; a man about six feet high, dressed in blue cotton-net pantaloons and hessian boots, with a black coat and waistcoat. i was a little rebuffed, i must own, but i replied that i was mr simple. "and pray, mr simple, what would your grandfather say if he saw you now? i have servants in plenty to open my door, and the parlour is the proper place for young gentlemen." "law, mr handycock," said his wife, from the top of the stairs, "how can you be so cross? i told him to open the door to surprise you." "and you have surprised me," replied he, "with your cursed folly." while mr handycock was rubbing his boots on the mat, i went upstairs rather mortified, i must own, as my father had told me that mr handycock was his stockbroker, and would do all he could to make me comfortable: indeed, he had written to that effect in a letter, which my father showed to me before i left home. when i returned to the parlour, mrs handycock whispered to me, "never mind, my dear, it's only because there's something wrong on 'change. mr handycock is a _bear_ just now." i thought so too, but i made no answer, for mr handycock came upstairs, and walking with two strides from the door of the parlour to the fire-place, turned his back to it, and lifting up his coat-tails, began to whistle. "are you ready for your dinner, my dear?" said the lady, almost trembling. "if the dinner is ready for me. i believe we usually dine at four," answered her husband, gruffly. "jemima, jemima, dish up! do you hear, jemima?" "yes, marm," replied the cook, "directly i've thickened the butter;" and mrs handycock resumed her seat, with, "well, mr simple, and how is your grandfather, lord privilege?" "he is quite well, ma'am," answered i, for the fifteenth time at least. but dinner put an end to the silence which followed this remark. mr handycock lowered his coat-tails and walked downstairs, leaving his wife and me to follow at our leisure. "pray, ma'am," inquired i, as soon as he was out of hearing, "what is the matter with mr handycock, that he is so cross to you?" "vy, my dear, it is one of the misfortunes of mater-mony, that ven the husband's put out, the vife is sure to have her share of it. mr handycock must have lost money on 'change, and then he always comes home cross. ven he vins, then he is as merry as a cricket." "are you people coming down to dinner?" roared mr handycock from below. "yes, my dear," replied the lady, "i thought that you were washing your hands." we descended into the dining-room, where we found that mr handycock had already devoured two of the whitings, leaving only one on the dish for his wife and me. "vould you like a little bit of viting, my dear?" said the lady to me. "it's not worth halving," observed the gentleman, in a surly tone, taking up the fish with his own knife and fork, and putting it on his plate. "well, i'm so glad you like them, my dear," replied the lady meekly; then turning to me, "there's some nice roast _weal_ coming, my dear." the veal made its appearance, and fortunately for us, mr handycock could not devour it all. he took the lion's share, nevertheless, cutting off all the brown, and then shoving the dish over to his wife to help herself and me. i had not put two pieces in my mouth before mr handycock desired me to get up and hand him the porter-pot, which stood on the sideboard. i thought that if it was not right for me to open a door, neither was it for me to wait at table--but i obeyed him without making a remark. after dinner, mr handycock went down to the cellar for a bottle of wine. "o deary me!" exclaimed his wife, "he must have lost a mint of money--we had better go up stairs and leave him alone; he'll be better after a bottle of port, perhaps." i was very glad to go away, and being very tired, i went to bed without any tea, for mrs handycock dared not venture to make it before her husband came up stairs. chapter ii fitting out on the shortest notice--fortunately for me, this day mr handycock is a bear, and i fare very well--i set off for portsmouth-- behind the coach i meet a man before the mast--he is disguised with liquor, but is not the only disguise i fall in with in my journey. the next morning mr handycock appeared to be in somewhat better humour. one of the linendrapers who fitted out cadets, &c, "on the shortest notice," was sent for, and orders given for my equipment, which mr handycock insisted should be ready on the day afterwards, or the articles would be left on his hands; adding, that my place was already taken in the portsmouth coach. "really, sir," observed the man, "i'm afraid--on such very short notice--" "your card says, 'the shortest notice,'" rejoined mr handycock, with the confidence and authority of a man who is enabled to correct another by his own assertions. "if you do not choose to undertake the work, another will." this silenced the man, who made his promise, took my measure, and departed; and soon afterwards mr handycock also quitted the house. what with my grandfather and the parrot, and mrs handycock wondering how much money her husband had lost, running to the head of the stairs and talking to the cook, the day passed away pretty well till four o'clock; when, as before, mrs handycock screamed, the cook screamed, the parrot screamed, and mr handycock rapped at the door, and was let in--but not by me. he ascended the stair swith [sic] three bounds, and coming into the parlour, cried, "well, nancy, my love, how are you?" then stooping over her, "give me a kiss, old girl. i'm as hungry as a hunter. mr simple, how do you do? i hope you have passed the morning agreeably. i must wash my hands and change my boots, my love; i am not fit to sit down to table with you in this pickle. well, polly, how are you?" "i'm glad you're hungry, my dear, i've such a nice dinner for you," replied the wife, all smiles. "jemima, be quick and dish up--mr handycock is so hungry." "yes, marm," replied the cook; and mrs handycock followed her husband into his bedroom on the same floor, to assist him at his toilet. "by jove, nancy, the _bulls_ have been nicely taken in," said mr handycock, as we sat down to dinner. "o, i am so glad!" replied his wife, giggling; and so i believe she was, but why i did not understand. "mr simple," said he, "will you allow me to offer you a little fish?" "if you do not want it all yourself, sir," replied i politely. mrs handycock frowned and shook her head at me, while her husband helped me. "my dove, a bit of fish?" we both had our share to-day, and i never saw a man more polite than mr handycock. he joked with his wife, asked me to drink wine with him two or three times, talked about my grandfather; and, in short, we had a very pleasant evening. the next morning all my clothes came home, but mr handycock, who still continued in good humour, said that he would not allow me to travel by night, that i should sleep there and set off the next morning; which i did at six o'clock, and before eight i had arrived at the elephant and castle, where we stopped for a quarter of an hour. i was looking at the painting representing this animal with a castle on its back; and assuming that of alnwick, which i had seen, as a fair estimate of the size and weight of that which he carried, was attempting to enlarge my ideas so as to comprehend the stupendous bulk of the elephant, when i observed a crowd assembled at the corner; and asking a gentleman who sat by me in a plaid cloak, whether there was not something very uncommon to attract so many people, he replied, "not very, for it is only a drunken sailor." i rose from my seat, which was on the hinder part of the coach, that i might see him, for it was a new sight to me, and excited my curiosity, when to my astonishment, he staggered from the crowd, and swore that he'd go to portsmouth. he climbed up by the wheel of the coach, and sat down by me. i believe that i stared at him very much, for he said to me, "what are you gaping at, you young sculping? do you want to catch flies? or did you never see a chap half-seas-over before?" i replied, "that i had never been at sea in my life, but that i was going." "well, then, you're like a young bear, all your sorrows to come--that's all, my hearty," replied he. "when you get on board, you'll find monkey's allowance--more kicks than half-pence. i say, you pewter-carrier, bring us another pint of ale." the waiter of the inn, who was attending the coach, brought out the ale, half of which the sailor drank, and the other half threw into the waiter's face, telling him that was his "allowance: and now," said he, "what's to pay?" the waiter, who looked very angry, but appeared too much afraid of the sailor to say anything, answered fourpence; and the sailor pulled out a handful of banknotes, mixed up with gold, silver, and coppers, and was picking out the money to pay for his beer, when the coachman, who was impatient, drove off. "there's cut and run," cried the sailor, thrusting all the money into his breeches pocket. "that's what you'll learn to do, my joker, before you've been two cruises to sea." in the meantime the gentleman in the plaid cloak, who was seated by me, smoked his cigar without saying a word. i commenced a conversation with him relative to my profession, and asked him whether it was not very difficult to learn. "larn," cried the sailor, interrupting us, "no; it may be difficult for such chaps as me before the mast to larn; but you, i presume, is a reefer, and they an't got much to larn, 'cause why, they pipe-clays their weekly accounts, and walks up and down with their hands in their pockets. you must larn to chaw baccy, drink grog, and call the cat a beggar, and then you knows all a midshipman's expected to know nowadays. ar'n't i right, sir?" said the sailor, appealing to the gentleman in a plaid cloak. "i axes you, because i see you're a sailor by the cut of your jib. beg pardon, sir," continued he, touching his hat, "hope no offence." "i am afraid that you have nearly hit the mark, my good fellow," replied the gentleman. the drunken fellow then entered into conversation with him, stating that he had been paid off from the _audacious_ at portsmouth, and had come up to london to spend his money with his messmates, but that yesterday he had discovered that a jew at portsmouth had sold him a seal as gold, for fifteen shillings, which proved to be copper, and that he was going back to portsmouth to give the jew a couple of black eyes for his rascality, and that when he had done that he was to return to his messmates, who had promised to drink success to the expedition at the cock and bottle, st martin's lane, until he should return. the gentleman in the plaid cloak commended him very much for his resolution; for he said, "that although the journey to and from portsmouth would cost twice the value of a gold seal, yet, that in the end it might be worth a _jew's eye_." what he meant i did not comprehend. whenever the coach stopped, the sailor called for more ale, and always threw the remainder which he could not drink into the face of the man who brought it out for him, just as the coach was starting off, and then tossed the pewter pot on the ground for him to pick up. he became more tipsy every stage, and the last from portsmouth, when he pulled out his money, he could find no silver, so he handed down a note, and desired the waiter to change it. the waiter crumpled it up and put it into his pocket, and then returned the sailor the change for a one-pound note; but the gentleman in the plaid had observed that it was a five-pound note which the sailor had given, and insisted upon the waiter producing it, and giving the proper change. the sailor took his money, which the waiter handed to him, begging pardon for the mistake, although he coloured up very much at being detected. "i really beg your pardon," said he again, "it was quite a mistake;" whereupon the sailor threw the pewter pot at the waiter, saying, "i really beg your pardon, too,"--and with such force, that it flattened upon the man's head, who fell senseless on the road. the coachman drove off, and i never heard whether the man was killed or not. after the coach had driven off, the sailor eyed the gentleman in the plaid cloak for a minute or two, and then said, "when i first looked at you i took you for some officer in mufti; but now that i see you look so sharp after the rhino, it's my idea that you're some poor devil of a scotchman, mayhap second mate of a marchant vessel--there's half a crown for your services--i'd give you more if i thought you would spend it." the gentleman laughed, and took the half-crown, which i afterwards observed that he gave to a grey-headed beggar at the bottom of portsdown hill. i inquired of him how soon we should be at portsmouth; he answered that we were passing the lines; but i saw no lines, and i was ashamed to show my ignorance. he asked me what ship i was going to join. i could not recollect her name, but i told him it was painted on the outside of my chest, which was coming down by the waggon; all that i could recollect was that it was a french name. "have you no letter of introduction to the captain?" said he. "yes i have," replied i; and i pulled out my pocket-book in which the letter was. "captain savage, h.m. ship _diomede_," continued i, reading to him. to my surprise he very coolly proceeded to open the letter, which, when i perceived what he was doing, occasioned me immediately to snatch the letter from him, stating my opinion at the same time that it was a breach of honour, and that in my opinion he was no gentleman. "just as you please, youngster," replied he. "recollect, you have told me i am no gentleman." he wrapped his plaid around him, and said no more; and i was not a little pleased at having silenced him by my resolute behaviour. chapter iii i am made to look very blue at the blue posts--find wild spirits around, and, soon after, hot spirits within me; at length my spirits overcome me call to pay my respects to the captain, and find that i had had the pleasure of meeting him before--no sooner out of one scrape than into another. when we stopped, i inquired of the coachman which was the best inn. he answered "that it was the blue postesses, where the midshipmen leave their chestesses, call for tea and toastesses, and sometimes forget to pay for their breakfastesses." he laughed when he said it, and i thought that he was joking with me; but he pointed out two large blue posts at the door next the coach-office, and told me that all the midshipmen resorted to that hotel. he then asked me to remember the coachman, which, by this time i had found out implied that i was not to forget to give him a shilling, which i did, and then went into the inn. the coffee-room was full of midshipmen, and, as i was anxious about my chest, i inquired of one of them if he knew when the waggon would come in. "do you expect your mother by it?" replied he. "oh no! but i expect my uniforms--i only wear these bottle-greens until they come." "and pray what ship are you going to join?" "the _die-a-maid_--captain thomas kirkwall savage." "the _diomede_--i say, robinson, a'n't that the frigate in which the midshipmen had four dozen apiece for not having pipe-clayed their weekly accounts on the saturday?" "to be sure it is," replied the other; "why the captain gave a youngster five dozen the other day for wearing a scarlet watch-riband." "he's the greatest tartar in the service," continued the other; "he flogged the whole starboard watch the last time that he was on a cruise, because the ship would only sail nine knots upon a bowline." "oh dear," said i, "then i'm very sorry that i am going to join him." "'pon my soul i pity you: you'll be fagged to death: for there's only three midshipmen in the ship now--all the rest ran away. didn't they, robinson?" "there's only two left now; for poor matthews died of fatigue. he was worked all day, and kept watch all night for six weeks, and one morning he was found dead upon his chest." "god bless my soul!" cried i; "and yet, on shore, they say he is such a kind man to his midshipmen." "yes," replied robinson, "he spreads that report every where. now, observe, when you first call upon him, and report your having come to join his ship, he'll tell you that he is very happy to see you, and that he hopes your family are well--then he'll recommend you to go on board and learn your duty. after that, stand clear. now, recollect what i have said, and see if it does not prove true. come, sit down with us and take a glass of grog; it will keep your spirits up." these midshipmen told me so much about my captain, and the horrid cruelties which he had practised, that i had some doubts whether i had not better set off home again. when i asked their opinion, they said, that if i did, i should be taken up as a deserter and hanged; that my best plan was to beg his acceptance of a few gallons of rum, for he was very fond of grog, and that then i might perhaps be in his good graces, as long as the rum might last. i am sorry to state that the midshipmen made me very tipsy that evening. i don't recollect being put to bed, but i found myself there the next morning, with a dreadful headache, and a very confused recollection of what had passed. i was very much shocked at my having so soon forgotten the injunctions of my parents, and was making vows never to be so foolish again, when in came the midshipman who had been so kind to me the night before. "come, mr bottlegreen," he bawled out, alluding, i suppose, to the colour of my clothes, "rouse and bitt. there's the captain's coxswain waiting for you below. by the powers, you're in a pretty scrape for what you did last night!" "did last night!" replied i, astonished. "why, does the captain know that i was tipsy?" "i think you took devilish good care to let him know it when you were at the theatre." "at the theatre! was i at the theatre?" "to be sure you were. you would go, do all we could to prevent you, though you were as drunk as david's sow. your captain was there with the admiral's daughters. you called him a tyrant and snapped your fingers at him. why, don't you recollect? you told him that you did not care a fig for him." "oh dear! oh dear! what shall i do? what shall i do?" cried i: "my mother cautioned me so about drinking and bad company." "bad company, you whelp--what do you mean by that?" "o, i did not particularly refer to you." "i should hope not! however, i recommend you, as a friend, to go to the george inn as fast as you can, and see your captain, for the longer you stay away, the worse it will be for you. at all events, it will be decided whether he receives you or not. it is fortunate for you that you are not on the ship's books. come, be quick, the coxswain is gone back." "not on the ship's books," replied i sorrowfully. "now i recollect there was a letter from the captain to my father, stating that he had put me on the books." "upon my honour, i'm sorry--very sorry indeed," replied the midshipman; --and he quitted the room, looking as grave as if the misfortune had happened to himself. i got up with a heavy head, and heavier heart, and as soon as i was dressed, i asked the way to the george inn. i took my letter of introduction with me, although i was afraid it would be of little service. when i arrived, i asked, with a trembling voice, whether captain thomas kirkwall savage, of h.m. ship _diomede_, was staying there. the waiter replied, that he was at breakfast with captain courtney, but that he would take up my name. i gave it him, and in a minute the waiter returned, and desired that i would walk up. o how my heart beat!--i never was so frightened--i thought i should have dropped on the stairs. twice i attempted to walk into the room, and each time my legs failed me; at last i wiped the perspiration from my forehead, and with a desperate effort i went into the room. "mr simple, i am glad to see you," said a voice. i had held my head down, for i was afraid to look at him, but the voice was so kind that i mustered up courage; and, when i did look up, there sat with his uniform and epaulets, and his sword by his side, the passenger in the plaid cloak, who wanted to open my letter, and whom i had told to his face, that he was _no gentleman_. i thought i should have died as the other midshipman did upon his chest. i was just sinking down upon my knees to beg for mercy, when the captain perceiving my confusion, burst out into a laugh, and said, "so you know me again, mr simple? well, don't be alarmed, you did your duty in not permitting me to open the letter, supposing me, as you did, to be some other person, and you were perfectly right, under that supposition, to tell me that i was not a gentleman. i give you credit for your conduct. now sit down and take some breakfast." "captain courtney," said he to the other captain, who was at the table, "this is one of my youngsters just entering the service. we were passengers yesterday by the same coach." he then told him the circumstance which occurred, at which they laughed heartily. i now recovered my spirits a little--but still there was the affair at the theatre, and i thought that perhaps he did not recognize me. i was, however, soon relieved from my anxiety by the other captain inquiring, "were you at the theatre last night, savage?" "no; i dined at the admiral's; there's no getting away from those girls, they are so pleasant." "i rather think you are a little--_taken_ in that quarter." "no, on my word! i might be if i had time to discover which i liked best; but my ship is at present my wife, and the only wife i intend to have until i am laid on the shelf." well, thought i, if he was not at the theatre, it could not have been him that i insulted. now if i can only give him the rum, and make friends with him. "pray, mr simple, how are your father and mother?" said the captain. "very well, i thank you, sir, and desire me to present their compliments." "i am obliged to them. now i think the sooner you go on board and learn your duty the better." (just what the midshipman told me--the very words, thought i--then it's all true--and i began to tremble again.) "i have a little advice to offer you," continued the captain. "in the first place, obey your superior officers without hesitation; it is for me, not you, to decide whether an order is unjust or not. in the next place, never swear or drink spirits. the first is immoral and ungentleman-like, the second is a vile habit which will grow upon you. i never touch spirit myself, and i expect that my young gentlemen will refrain from it also. now you may go, and as soon as your uniforms arrive, you will repair on board. in the meantime, as i had some little insight into your character when we travelled together, let me recommend you not to be too intimate at first sight with those you meet, or you may be led into indiscretions. good morning." i quitted the room with a low bow, glad to have surmounted so easily what appeared to be a chaos of difficulty; but my mind was confused with the testimony of the midshipman, so much at variance with the language and behaviour of the captain. when i arrived at the blue posts, i found all the midshipmen in the coffee-room, and i repeated to them all that had passed. when i had finished, they burst out laughing, and said that they had only been joking with me. "well," said i to the one who had called me up in the morning, "you may call it joking, but i call it lying." "pray, mr bottlegreen, do you refer to me?" "yes, i do," replied i. "then, sir, as a gentleman, i demand satisfaction. slugs in a saw-pit. death before dishonour, d----e!" "i shall not refuse you," replied i, "although i had rather not fight a duel; my father cautioned me on the subject, desiring me, if possible, to avoid it, as it was flying in the face of my creator; but aware that i must uphold my character as an officer, he left me to my own discretion, should i ever be so unfortunate as to be in such a dilemma." "well, we don't want one of your father's sermons at second-hand," replied the midshipman, (for i had told them that my father was a clergyman); "the plain question is, will you fight, or will you not?" "could not the affair be arranged otherwise?" interrupted another. "will not mr bottlegreen retract?" "my name is simple, sir, and not bottlegreen," replied i; "and as he did tell a falsehood, i will not retract." "then the affair must go on," said the midshipman. "robinson, will you oblige me by acting as my second?" "it's an unpleasant business," replied the other; "you are so good a shot; but as you request it, i shall not refuse. mr simple is not, i believe, provided with a friend." "yes, he is," replied another of the midshipmen. "he is a spunky fellow, and i'll be his second." it was then arranged that we should meet the next morning, with pistols. i considered that as an officer and a gentleman, i could not well refuse; but i was very unhappy. not three days left to my own guidance, and i had become intoxicated, and was now to fight a duel. i went up into my room and wrote a long letter to my mother, enclosing a lock of my hair; and having shed a few tears at the idea of how sorry she would be if i were killed, i borrowed a bible from the waiter, and read it during the remainder of the day. chapter iv i am taught on a cold morning, before breakfast, how to stand fire, and thus prove my courage--after breakfast i also prove my gallantry--my proof meets reproof--woman at the bottom of all mischief--by one i lose my liberty, and, by another, my money. when i began to wake the next morning i could not think what it was that felt like a weight upon my chest, but as i roused and recalled my scattered thoughts, i remembered that in an hour or two it would be decided whether i were to exist another day. i prayed fervently, and made a resolution in my own mind that i would not have the blood of another upon my conscience, and would fire my pistol up in the air. and after i had made that resolution, i no longer felt the alarm which i did before. before i was dressed, the midshipman who had volunteered to be my second, came into my room, and informed me that the affair was to be decided in the garden behind the inn; that my adversary was a very good shot, and that i must expect to be winged if not drilled. "and what is winged and drilled?" inquired i. "i have not only never fought a duel, but i have not even fired a pistol in my life." he explained what he meant, which was, that being winged implied being shot through the arm or leg, whereas being drilled was to be shot through the body. "but," continued he, "is it possible that you have never fought a duel?" "no," replied i; "i am not yet fifteen years old." "not fifteen! why i thought you were eighteen at the least." (but i was very tall and stout for my age, and people generally thought me older than i actually was.) i dressed myself and followed my second into the garden, where i found all the midshipmen and some of the waiters of the inn. they all seemed very merry, as if the life of a fellow-creature was of no consequence. the seconds talked apart for a little while, and then measured the ground, which was twelve paces; we then took our stations. i believe that i turned pale, for my second came to my side and whispered that i must not be frightened. i replied, that i was not frightened, but that i considered that it was an awful moment. the second to my adversary then came up and asked me whether i would make an apology, which i refused to do as before: they handed a pistol to each of us, and my second showed me how i was to pull the trigger. it was arranged that at the word given, we were to fire at the same time. i made sure that i should be wounded, if not killed, and i shut my eyes as i fired my pistol in the air. i felt my head swim, and thought i was hurt, but fortunately i was not. the pistols were loaded again, and we fired a second time. the seconds then interfered, and it was proposed that we should shake hands, which i was very glad to do, for i considered my life to have been saved by a miracle. we all went back to the coffee-room, and sat down to breakfast. they then told me that they all belonged to the same ship that i did, and that they were glad to see that i could stand fire, for the captain was a terrible fellow for cutting-out and running under the enemy's batteries. the next day my chest arrived by the waggon, and i threw off my "bottle-greens" and put on my uniform. i had no cocked hat, or dirk, as the warehouse people employed by mr handycock did not supply those articles, and it was arranged that i should procure them at portsmouth. when i inquired the price, i found that they cost more money than i had in my pocket, so i tore up the letter i had written to my mother before the duel, and wrote another asking for a remittance, to purchase my dirk and cocked hat. i then walked out in my uniform, not a little proud, i must confess. i was now an officer in his majesty's service, not very high in rank, certainly, but still an officer and a gentleman, and i made a vow that i would support the character, although i was considered the greatest fool of the family. i had arrived opposite a place called sally port, when a young lady, very nicely dressed, looked at me very hard and said, "well, reefer, how are you off for soap?" i was astonished at the question, and more so at the interest which she seemed to take in my affairs. i answered, "thank you, i am very well off; i have four cakes of windsor, and two bars of yellow for washing." she laughed at my reply, and asked me whether i would walk home and take a bit of dinner with her. i was astonished at this polite offer, which my modesty induced me to ascribe more to my uniform than to my own merits, and, as i felt no inclination to refuse the compliment, i said that i should be most happy. i thought i might venture to offer my arm, which she accepted, and we proceeded up high street on our way to her home. just as we passed the admiral's house, i perceived my captain walking with two of the admiral's daughters. i was not a little proud to let him see that i had female acquaintances as well as he had, and, as i passed him with the young lady under my protection, i took off my hat, and made him a low bow. to my surprise, not only did he not return the salute, but he looked at me with a very stern countenance. i concluded that he was a very proud man, and did not wish the admiral's daughters to suppose that he knew midshipmen by sight; but i had not exactly made up my mind on the subject, when the captain, having seen the ladies into the admiral's house, sent one of the messengers after me to desire that i would immediately come to him at the george inn, which was nearly opposite. i apologised to the young lady, and promised to return immediately if she would wait for me; but she replied, if that was my captain, it was her idea that i should have a confounded wigging and be sent on board. so, wishing me good-bye, she left me and continued her way home. i could as little comprehend all this as why the captain looked so black when i passed him; but it was soon explained when i went up to him in the parlour at the george inn. "i am sorry, mr simple," said the captain, when i entered, "that a lad like you should show such early symptoms of depravity; still more so, that he should not have the grace which even the most hardened are not wholly destitute of--i mean to practise immorality in secret, and not degrade themselves and insult their captain by unblushingly avowing (i may say glorying in) their iniquity, by exposing it in broad day, and in the most frequented street of the town." "sir," replied i with astonishment, "o dear! o dear! what have i done?" the captain fixed his keen eyes upon me, so that they appeared to pierce me through, and nail me to the wall. "do you pretend to say, sir, that you were not aware of the character of the person with whom you were walking just now?" "no, sir," replied i; "except that she was very kind and good-natured;" and then i told him how she had addressed me, and what subsequently took place. "and is it possible, mr simple, that you are so great a fool?" i replied that i certainly was considered the greatest fool of our family. "i should think you were," replied he, drily. he then explained to me who the person was with whom i was in company, and how any association with her would inevitably lead to my ruin and disgrace. i cried very much, for i was shocked at the narrow escape which i had had, and mortified at having fallen in his good opinion. he asked me how i had employed my time since i had been at portsmouth, and i made an acknowledgment of having been made tipsy, related all that the midshipmen had told me, and how i had that morning fought a duel. he listened to my whole story very attentively, and i thought that occasionally there was a smile upon his face, although he bit his lips to prevent it. when i had finished, he said, "mr simple, i can no longer trust you on shore until you are more experienced in the world. i shall desire my coxswain not to lose sight of you until you are safe on board of the frigate. when you have sailed a few months with me, you will then be able to decide whether i deserve the character which the young gentlemen have painted, with, i must say, i believe, the sole intention of practising upon your inexperience." altogether i did not feel sorry when it was over. i saw that the captain believed what i had stated, and that he was disposed to be kind to me, although he thought me very silly. the coxswain, in obedience to his orders, accompanied me to the blue posts. i packed up my clothes, paid my bill, and the porter wheeled my chest down to the sally port, where the boat was waiting. "come, heave a-head, my lads, be smart. the captain says we are to take the young gentleman on board directly. his liberty's stopped for getting drunk and running after the dolly mops!" "i should thank you to be more respectful in your remarks, mr coxswain," said i with displeasure. "mister coxswain! thanky, sir, for giving me a handle to my name," replied he. "come, be smart with your oars, my lads!" "la, bill freeman," said a young woman on the beach, "what a nice young gentleman you have there! he looks like a sucking nelson. i say, my pretty young officer, could you lend me a shilling?" i was so pleased at the woman calling me a young nelson, that i immediately complied with her request. "i have not a shilling in my pocket," said i, "but here is half-a-crown, and you can change it and bring me back the eighteen pence." "well, you are a nice young man," replied she, taking the half-crown; "i'll be back directly, my dear." the men in the boat laughed, and the coxswain desired them to shove off. "no," observed i, "you must wait for my eighteen pence." "we shall wait a devilish long while then, i suspect. i know that girl, and she has a very bad memory." "she cannot be so dishonest or ungrateful," replied i. "coxswain, i order you to stay--i am an officer." "i know you are, sir, about six hours old: well, then, i must go up and tell the captain that you have another girl in tow, and that you won't go on board." "oh no, mr coxswain, pray don't; shove off as soon as you please, and never mind the eighteen pence." the boat then shoved off, and pulled towards the ship, which lay at spithead. chapter v i am introduced to the quarter-deck and first lieutenant, who pronounces me very clever--trotted below to mrs trotter--connubial bliss in a cock-pit--mr trotter takes me in as a mess-mate--feel very much surprised that so many people know that i am the son of--my father. on our arrival on board, the coxswain gave a note from the captain to the first lieutenant, who happened to be on deck. he read the note, looked at me earnestly, and then i overheard him say to another lieutenant, "the service is going to the devil. as long as it was not popular, if we had not much education, we at least had the chance that natural abilities gave us; but now that great people send their sons for a provision into the navy, we have all the refuse of their families, as if anything was good enough to make a captain of a man-of-war, who has occasionally more responsibility on his shoulders, and is placed in situations requiring more judgment, than any other people in existence. here's another of the fools of a family made a present of to the country--another cub for me to lick into shape. well, i never saw the one yet i did not make something of. where's mr simple?" "i am mr simple, sir," replied i, very much frightened at what i had overheard. "now, mr simple," said the first lieutenant, "observe, and pay particular attention to what i say. the captain tells me in this note that you have been shamming stupid. now, sir, i am not to be taken in that way. you're something like the monkeys, who won't speak because they are afraid they will be made to work. i have looked attentively at your face, and i see at once that you are _very clever_, and if you do not prove so in a very short time, why--you had better jump overboard, that's all. perfectly understand me. i know that you are a very clever fellow, and having told you so, don't you pretend to impose upon me, for it won't do." i was very much terrified at this speech, but at the same time i was pleased to hear that he thought me clever, and i determined to do all in my power to keep up such an unexpected reputation. "quarter-master," said the first lieutenant, "tell mr trotter to come on deck." the quarter-master brought up mr trotter, who apologized for being so dirty, as he was breaking casks out of the hold. he was a short, thick-set man, about thirty years of age, with a nose which had a red club to it, very dirty teeth, and large black whiskers. "mr trotter," said the first lieutenant, "here is a young gentleman who has joined the ship. introduce him into the berth, and see his hammock slung. you must look after him a little." "i really have very little time to look after any of them, sir," replied mr trotter; "but i will do what i can. follow me, youngster." accordingly, i descended the ladder after him; then i went down another, and then to my surprise i was desired by him to go down a third, which when i had done, he informed me that i was in the cock-pit. "now, youngster," said mr trotter, seating himself upon a large chest, "you may do as you please. the midshipmen's mess is on the deck above this, and if you like to join, why you can; but this i will tell you as a friend, that you will be thrashed all day long, and fare very badly; the weakest always goes to the wall there, but perhaps you do not mind that. now that we are in harbour, i mess here, because mrs trotter is on board. she is a very charming woman, i can assure you, and will be here directly; she has just gone up into the galley to look after a net of potatoes in the copper. if you like it better, i will ask her permission for you to mess with us. you will then be away from the midshipmen, who are a sad set, and will teach you nothing but what is immoral and improper, and you will have the advantage of being in good society, for mrs trotter has kept the very best in england. i make you this offer because i want to oblige the first lieutenant, who appears to take an interest about you, otherwise i am not very fond of having any intrusion upon my domestic happiness." i replied that i was much obliged to him for his kindness, and that if it would not put mrs trotter to an inconvenience, i should be happy to accept of his offer; indeed, i thought myself very fortunate in having met with such a friend. i had scarcely time to reply, when i perceived a pair of legs, cased in black cotton stockings, on the ladder above us, and it proved that they belonged to mrs trotter, who came down the ladder with a net full of smoking potatoes. "upon my word, mrs trotter, you must be conscious of having a very pretty ankle, or you would not venture to display it, as you have to mr simple, a young gentleman whom i beg to introduce to you, and who, with your permission, will join our mess." "my dear trotter, how cruel of you not to give me warning; i thought that nobody was below. i declare i'm so ashamed," continued the lady, simpering, and covering her face with the hand which was unemployed. "it can't be helped now, my love, neither was there anything to be ashamed of. i trust mr simple and you will be very good friends. i believe i mentioned his desire to join our mess." "i am sure i shall be very happy in his company. this is a strange place for me to live in, mr simple, after the society to which i have been accustomed; but affection can make any sacrifice; and rather than lose the company of my dear trotter, who has been unfortunate in pecuniary matters--" "say no more about it, my love. domestic happiness is everything, and will enliven even the gloom of a cock-pit." "and yet," continued mrs trotter, "when i think of the time when we used to live in london, and keep our carriage. have you ever been in london, mr simple?" i answered that i had. "then, probably, you may have been acquainted with, or have heard of, the smiths?" i replied that the only people that i knew there were a mr and mrs handycock. "well, if i had known that you were in london, i should have been very glad to have given you a letter of introduction to the smiths. they are quite the topping people of the place." "but, my dear," interrupted mr trotter, "is it not time to look after our dinner?" "yes; i am going forward for it now. we have skewer pieces to-day. mr simple, will you excuse me?" and then, with a great deal of flirtation and laughing about her ankles, and requesting me, as a favour, to turn my face away, mrs trotter ascended the ladder. as the reader may wish to know what sort of looking personage she was, i will take this opportunity to describe her. her figure was very good, and at one period of her life i thought her face must have been very handsome; at the time i was introduced to her, it showed the ravages of time or hardship very distinctly; in short, she might be termed a faded beauty, flaunting in her dress, and not very clean in her person. "charming woman, mrs trotter, is she not, mr simple?" said the master's mate; to which, of course, i immediately acquiesced. "now, mr simple," continued he, "there are a few arrangements which i had better mention while mrs trotter is away, for she would be shocked at our talking about such things. of course, the style of living which we indulge in is rather expensive. mrs trotter cannot dispense with her tea and her other little comforts; at the same time i must put you to no extra expense--i had rather be out of pocket myself. i propose that during the time you mess with us you shall only pay one guinea per week; and as for entrance money, why i think i must not charge you more than a couple of guineas. have you any money?" "yes," i replied, "i have three guineas and a half left." "well, then, give me the three guineas, and the half-guinea you can reserve for pocket-money. you must write to your friends immediately for a further supply." i handed him the money, which he put in his pocket. "your chest," continued he, "you shall bring down here, for mrs trotter will, i am sure, if i request it, not only keep it in order for you, but see that your clothes are properly mended. she is a charming woman, mrs trotter, and very fond of young gentlemen. how old are you?" i replied that i was fifteen. "no more! well, i am glad of that, for mrs trotter is very particular after a certain age. i should recommend you on no account to associate with the other midshipmen. they are very angry with me, because i would not permit mrs trotter to join their mess, and they are sad story-tellers." "that they certainly are," replied i; but here we were interrupted by mrs trotter coming down with a piece of stick in her hand upon which were skewered about a dozen small pieces of beef and pork, which she first laid on a plate, and then began to lay the cloth and prepare for dinner. "mr simple is only fifteen, my dear," observed mr trotter. "dear me!" replied mrs trotter, "why, how tall he is! he is quite as tall for his age as young lord foutretown, whom you used to take out with you in the _chay_. do you know lord foutretown, mr simple?" "no, i do not, ma'am," replied i; but wishing to let them know that i was well connected, i continued, "but i dare say that my grandfather, lord privilege, does." "god bless me! is lord privilege your grandfather? well, i thought i saw a likeness somewhere. don't you recollect lord privilege, my dear trotter, that we met at lady scamp's--an elderly person? it's very ungrateful of you not to recollect him, for he sent you a very fine haunch of venison." "privilege--bless me, yes. oh, yes! an old gentleman, is he not?" said mr trotter, appealing to me. "yes, sir," replied i, quite delighted to find myself among those who were acquainted with my family. "well, then, mr simple," said mrs trotter, "since we have the pleasure of being acquainted with your family, i shall now take you under my own charge, and i shall be so fond of you that trotter shall become quite jealous," added she, laughing. "we have but a poor dinner to-day, for the bumboat woman disappointed me. i particularly requested her to bring me off a leg of lamb, but she says that there was none in the market. it is rather early for it, that's true; but trotter is very nice in his eating. now, let us sit down to dinner." i felt very sick, indeed, and could eat nothing. our dinner consisted of the pieces of beef and pork, the potatoes, and a baked pudding in a tin dish. mr trotter went up to serve the spirits out to the ship's company, and returned with a bottle of rum. "have you got mr simple's allowance, my love?" inquired mrs trotter. "yes; he is victualled to-day, as he came on board before twelve o'clock. do you drink spirits, mr simple?" "no, i thank you," replied i; for i remembered the captain's injunction. "taking, as i do, such an interest in your welfare, i must earnestly recommend you to abstain from them," said mr trotter. "it is a very bad habit, and once acquired, not easy to be left off. i am obliged to drink them, that i may not check the perspiration after working in the hold; i have, nevertheless, a natural abhorrence of them; but my champagne and claret days are gone by, and i must submit to circumstances." "my poor trotter!" said the lady. "well," continued he, "it's a poor heart that never rejoiceth." he then poured out half a tumbler of rum, and filled the glass up with water. "my love, will you taste it?" "now, trotter, you know that i never touch it, except when the water is so bad that i must have the taste taken away. how is the water to-day?" "as usual, my dear, not drinkable." after much persuasion mrs trotter agreed to sip a little out of his glass. i thought that she took it pretty often, considering that she did not like it, but i felt so unwell that i was obliged to go on the main-deck. there i was met by a midshipman whom i had not seen before. he looked very earnestly in my face, and then asked my name. "simple," said he. "what, are you the son of old simple?" "yes, sir," replied i, astonished that so many should know my family. "well, i thought so by the likeness. and how is your father?" "very well, i thank you, sir." "when you write to him, make my compliments, and tell him that i desired to be particularly remembered to him;" and he walked forward, but as he forgot to mention his own name, i could not do it. i went to bed very tired; mr trotter had my hammock hung up in the cock-pit, separated by a canvas-screen from the cot in which he slept with his wife. i thought this very odd, but they told me it was the general custom on board ship, although mrs trotter's delicacy was very much shocked by it. i was very sick, but mrs trotter was very kind. when i was in bed she kissed me, and wished me good night, and very soon afterwards i fell fast asleep. chapter vi puzzled with very common words--mrs trotter takes care of my wardrobe--a matrimonial duet, ending _con strepito_. i awoke the next morning at daylight with a noise over my head which sounded like thunder; i found it proceeded from holystoning and washing down the main-deck. i was very much refreshed nevertheless, and did not feel the least sick or giddy. mr trotter, who had been up at four o'clock, came down, and directed one of the marines to fetch me some water. i washed myself on my chest, and then went on the main-deck, which they were swabbing dry. standing by the sentry at the cabin-door, i met one of the midshipmen with whom i had been in company at the blue posts. "so, master simple, old trotter and his faggot of a wife have got hold of you--have they?" said he. i replied, that i did not know the meaning of faggot, but that i considered mrs trotter a very charming woman. at which he burst into a loud laugh. "well," said he, "i'll just give you a caution. take care, or they'll make a clean sweep. has mrs trotter shown you her ankle yet?" "yes," i replied, "and a very pretty one it is." "ah! she's at her old tricks. you had much better have joined our mess at once. you're not the first greenhorn that they have plucked. well," said he, as he walked away, "keep the key of your own chest--that's all." but as mr trotter had warned me that the midshipmen would abuse them, i paid very little attention to what he said. when he left me i went on the quarter-deck. all the sailors were busy at work, and the first lieutenant cried out to the gunner, "now, mr dispart, if you are ready, we'll breech these guns." "now, my lads," said the first lieutenant, "we must slue (the part that breeches cover) more forward." as i never heard of a gun having breeches, i was very anxious to see what was going on, and went up close to the first lieutenant, who said to me, "youngster, hand me that _monkey's tail_." i saw nothing like a _monkeys tail_, but i was so frightened that i snatched up the first thing that i saw, which was a short bar of iron, and it so happened that it was the very article which he wanted. when i gave it to him, the first lieutenant looked at me, and said, "so you know what a monkey's tail is already, do you? now don't you ever sham stupid after that." thought i to myself, i'm very lucky, but if that's a monkey's tail it's a very stiff one! i resolved to learn the names of everything as fast as i could, that i might be prepared; so i listened attentively to what was said; but i soon became quite confused, and despaired of remembering anything. "how is this to be finished off, sir?" inquired a sailor of the boatswain. "why, i beg leave to hint to you, sir, in the most delicate manner in the world," replied the boatswain, "that it must be with a _double-wall_--and be d----d to you--don't you know that yet? captain of the foretop," said he, "up on your _horses_, and take your _stirrups_ up three inches."--"ay, ay, sir." (i looked and looked, but i could see no horses.) "mr chucks," said the first lieutenant to the boatswain, "what blocks have we below--not on charge?" "let me see, sir, i've one _sister_, t'other we split in half the other day, and i think i have a couple of _monkeys_ down in the store-room.--i say, you smith, pass that brace through the _bull's eye,_ and take the _sheepshank_ out before you come down." and then he asked the first lieutenant whether something should not be fitted with a _mouse_ or only a _turk's head_--told him the _goose-neck_ must be spread out by the armourer as soon as the forge was up. in short, what with _dead eyes_ and _shrouds, cats_ and _cat-blocks, dolphins_ and _dolphin-strikers, whips_ and _puddings_, i was so puzzled with what i heard, that i was about to leave the deck in absolute despair. "and, mr chucks, recollect this afternoon that you _bleed_ all the _buoys_." bleed the boys, thought i, what can that be for? at all events, the surgeon appears to be the proper person to perform that operation. this last incomprehensible remark drove me off the deck, and i retreated to the cock-pit, where i found mrs trotter. "oh, my dear!" said she, "i am glad you are come, as i wish to put your clothes in order. have you a list of them--where is your key?" i replied that i had not a list, and i handed her the key, although i did not forget the caution of the midshipman; yet i considered that there could be no harm in her looking over my clothes when i was present. she unlocked my chest, and pulled everything out, and then commenced telling me what were likely to be useful and what were not. "now these worsted stockings," she said, "will be very comfortable in cold weather, and in the summer time these brown cotton socks will be delightfully cool, and you have enough of each to last you till you outgrow them; but as for these fine cotton stockings, they are of no use--only catch the dirt when the decks are swept, and always look untidy. i wonder how they could be so foolish as to send them; nobody wears them on board ship nowadays. they are only fit for women--i wonder if they would fit me." she turned her chair away, and put on one of my stockings, laughing the whole of the time. then she turned round to me and showed me how nicely they fitted her. "bless you, mr simple, it's well that trotter is in the hold, he'd be so jealous--do you know what these stockings cost? they are of no use to you, and they fit me. i will speak to trotter, and take them off your hands." i replied, that i could not think of selling them, and as they were of no use to me and fitted her, i begged that she would accept of the dozen pairs. at first she positively refused, but as i pressed her, she at last consented, and i was very happy to give them to her as she was very kind to me, and i thought, with her husband, that she was a very charming woman. we had beef-steaks and onions for dinner that day, but i could not bear the smell of the onions. mr trotter came down very cross, because the first lieutenant had found fault with him. he swore that he would cut the service--that he had only remained to oblige the captain, who said that he would sooner part with his right arm, and that he would demand satisfaction of the first lieutenant as soon as he could obtain his discharge. mrs trotter did all she could to pacify him, reminded him that he had the protection of lord this and sir thomas that, who would see him righted; but in vain. the first lieutenant had told him, he said, that he was not worth his salt, and blood only could wipe away the insult. he drank glass of grog after glass of grog, and at each glass became more violent, and mrs trotter drank also, i observed, a great deal more than i thought she ought to have done; but she whispered to me, that she drank it that trotter might not, as he would certainly be tipsy. i thought this very devoted on her part; but they sat so late that i went to bed and left them--he still drinking and vowing vengeance against the first lieutenant. i had not been asleep above two or three hours when i was awakened by a great noise and quarrelling, and i discovered that mr trotter was drunk and beating his wife. very much shocked that such a charming woman should be beaten and ill-used, i scrambled out of my hammock to see if i could be of any assistance, but it was dark, although they scuffled as much as before. i asked the marine, who was sentry at the gun-room door above, to bring his lantern, and was very much shocked at his replying that i had better go to bed and let them fight it out. shortly afterwards mrs trotter, who had not taken off her clothes, came from behind the screen. i perceived at once that the poor woman could hardly stand; she reeled to my chest, where she sat down and cried. i pulled on my clothes as fast as i could, and then went up to her to console her, but she could not speak intelligibly. after attempting in vain to comfort her, she made me no answer, but staggered to my hammock, and, after several attempts, succeeded in getting into it. i cannot say that i much liked that, but what could i do? so i finished dressing myself, and went up on the quarter-deck. the midshipman who had the watch was the one who had cautioned me against the trotters; he was very friendly to me. "well, simple," said he, "what brings you on deck?" i told him how ill mr trotter had behaved to his wife, and how she had turned into my hammock. "the cursed drunken old catamaran," cried he; "i'll go and cut her down by the head;" but i requested he would not, as she was a lady. "a lady!" replied he; "yes, there's plenty of ladies of her description;" and then he informed me that she had many years ago been the mistress of a man of fortune who kept a carriage for her; but that he grew tired of her, and had given trotter £ to marry her, and that now they did nothing but get drunk together and fight with each other. i was very much annoyed to hear all this; but as i perceived that mrs trotter was not sober, i began to think that what the midshipman said was true. "i hope," added he, "that she has not had time to wheedle you out of any of your clothes." i told him that i had given her a dozen pairs of stockings, and had paid mr trotter three guineas for my mess. "this must be looked to," replied he; "i shall speak to the first lieutenant to-morrow. in the mean time, i shall get your hammock for you. quarter-master, keep a good look-out." he then went below, and i followed him, to see what he would do. he went to my hammock and lowered it down at one end, so that mrs trotter lay with her head on the deck in a very uncomfortable position. to my astonishment, she swore at him in a dreadful manner, but refused to turn out. he was abusing her, and shaking her in the hammock, when mr trotter, who had been roused at the noise, rushed from behind the screen. "you villain! what are you doing with my wife?" cried he, pommelling at him as well as he could, for he was so tipsy that he could hardly stand. i thought the midshipman able to take care of himself, and did not wish to interfere; so i remained above, looking on--the sentry standing by me with his lantern over the coombings of the hatchway to give light to the midshipman, and to witness the fray. mr trotter was soon knocked down, when all of a sudden mrs trotter jumped up from the hammock, and caught the midshipman by the hair, and pulled at him. then the sentry thought right to interfere; he called out for the master-at-arms, and went down himself to help the midshipman, who was faring badly between the two. but mrs trotter snatched the lantern out of his hand and smashed it all to pieces, and then we were all left in darkness, and i could not see what took place, although the scuffling continued. such was the posture of affairs when the master-at-arms came up with his light. the midshipman and sentry went up the ladder, and mr and mrs trotter continued beating each other. to this, none of them paid any attention, saying, as the sentry had said before, "let them fight it out." after they had fought some time, they retired behind the screen, and i followed the advice of the midshipman, and got into my hammock, which the master-at-arms hung up again for me. i heard mr and mrs trotter both crying and kissing each other. "cruel, cruel, mr trotter," said she, blubbering. "my life, my love, i was so jealous!" replied he. "d--n and blast your jealousy," replied the lady; "i've two nice black eyes for the galley to-morrow." after about an hour of kissing and scolding, they both fell asleep again. the next morning before breakfast, the midshipman reported to the first lieutenant the conduct of mr trotter and his wife. i was sent for and obliged to acknowledge that it was all true. he sent for mr trotter, who replied that he was not well, and could not come on deck. upon which the first lieutenant ordered the sergeant of marines to bring him up directly. mr trotter made his appearance, with one eye closed, and his face very much scratched. "did not i desire you, sir," said the first lieutenant, "to introduce this young gentleman into the midshipmen's berth? instead of which you have introduced him to that disgraceful wife of yours, and have swindled him out of his property. i order you immediately to return the three guineas which you received as mess-money, and also that your wife give back the stockings which she cajoled him out of." but then i interposed, and told the first lieutenant that the stockings had been a free gift on my part and that, although i had been very foolish, yet that i considered that i could not in honour demand them back again. "well, youngster," replied the first lieutenant, "perhaps your ideas are correct, and if you wish it, i will not enforce that part of my order; but," continued he to mr trotter, "i desire, sir, that your wife leave the ship immediately; and i trust that when i have reported your conduct to the captain, he will serve you in the same manner. in the meantime, you will consider yourself under an arrest for drunkenness." chapter vii scandalum magnatum clearly proved--i prove to the captain that i consider him a gentleman, although i had told him the contrary, and i prove to the midshipmen that i am a gentleman myself--they prove their gratitude by practising upon me, because practice makes perfect. the captain came on board about twelve o'clock, and ordered the discharge of mr trotter to be made out, as soon as the first lieutenant had reported what had occurred. he then sent for all the midshipmen on the quarter-deck. "gentlemen," said the captain to them, with a stern countenance, "i feel very much indebted to some of you for the character which you have been pleased to give of me to mr simple. i must now request that you will answer a few questions which i am about to put in his presence. did i ever flog the whole starboard watch because the ship would only sail nine knots on a bowline?" "no, sir, no!" replied they all, very much frightened. "did i ever give a midshipman four dozen for not having his weekly accounts pipe-clayed; or another five dozen for wearing a scarlet watch ribbon?" "no, sir," replied they all together. "did any midshipman ever die on his chest from fatigue?" they again replied in the negative. "then, gentlemen, you will oblige me by stating which of you thought proper to assert these falsehoods in a public coffee-room; and further, which of you obliged this youngster to risk his life in a duel?" they were all silent. "will you answer me, gentlemen?" "with respect to the duel, sir," replied the midshipman who had fought me, "i _heard_ say, that the pistols were only charged with powder. it was a joke." "well, sir, we'll allow that the duel was only a joke, (and i hope and trust that your report is correct); is the reputation of your captain only a joke, allow me to ask? i request to know who of you dared to propagate such injurious slander?" (here there was a dead pause.) "well, then, gentlemen, since you will not confess yourselves, i must refer to my authority. mr simple, have the goodness to point out the person or persons who gave you the information." but i thought this would not be fair; and as they had all treated me very kindly after the duel, i resolved not to tell; so i answered, "if you please, sir, i consider that i told you all that in confidence." "confidence, sir!" replied the captain; "who ever heard of confidence between a post-captain and a midshipman?" "no, sir," replied i, "not between a post-captain and a midshipman, but between two gentlemen." the first lieutenant, who stood by the captain, put his hand before his face to hide a laugh. "he may be a fool, sir," observed he to the captain, aside; "but i can assure you he is a very straight, forward one." the captain bit his lip, and then turning to the midshipmen, said, "you may thank mr simple, gentlemen, that i do not press this matter further. i do believe that you were not serious when you calumniated me; but recollect, that what is said in joke is too often repeated in earnest. i trust that mr simple's conduct will have its effect, and that you leave off practising upon him, who has saved you from a very severe punishment." when the midshipmen went down below, they all shook hands with me, and said that i was a good fellow for not peaching; but, as for the advice of the captain that they should not practise upon me, as he termed it, they forgot that, for they commenced again immediately, and never left off until they found that i was not to be deceived any longer. i had not been ten minutes in the berth, before they began their remarks upon me. one said that i looked like a hardy fellow, and asked me whether i could not bear a great deal of sleep. i replied that i could, i dare say, if it was necessary for the good of the service; at which they laughed, and i supposed that i had said a good thing. "why here's tomkins," said the midshipman; "he'll show you how to perform that part of your duty. he inherits it from his father, who was a marine officer. he can snore for fourteen hours on a stretch without once turning round in his hammock, and finish his nap on the chest during the whole of the day, except meal-times." but tomkins defended himself, by saying, that "some people were very quick in doing things, and others were very slow; that he was one of the slow ones, and that he did not in reality obtain more refreshment from his long naps than other people did in short ones, because he slept much slower than they did." this ingenious argument was, however, overruled _nem. con._, as it was proved that he ate pudding faster than any one in the mess. the postman came on board with the letters, and put his head into the midshipman's berth. i was very anxious to have one from home, but i was disappointed. some had letters and some had not. those who had not, declared that their parents were very undutiful, and that they would cut them off with a shilling; and those who had letters, after they had read them, offered them for sale to the others, usually at half-price. i could not imagine why they sold, or why the others bought them; but they did do so; and one that was full of good advice was sold three times, from which circumstance i was inclined to form a better opinion of the morals of my companions. the lowest-priced letters sold, were those written by sisters. i was offered one for a penny, but i declined buying, as i had plenty of sisters of my own. directly i made that observation, they immediately inquired all their names and ages, and whether they were pretty or not. when i had informed them, they quarrelled to whom they should belong. one would have lucy, and another took mary; but there was a great dispute about ellen, as i had said that she was the prettiest of the whole. at last they agreed to put her up to auction, and she was knocked down to a master's mate of the name of o'brien, who bid seventeen shillings and a bottle of rum. they requested that i would write home to give their love to my sisters, and tell them how they had been disposed of, which i thought very strange; but i ought to have been flattered at the price bid for ellen, as i repeatedly have since been witness to a very pretty sister being sold for a glass of grog. i mentioned the reason why i was so anxious for a letter, viz., because i wanted to buy my dirk and cocked hat; upon which they told me that there was no occasion for my spending my money, as, by the regulations of the service, the purser's steward served them out to all the officers who applied for them. as i knew where the purser's steward's room was, having seen it when down in the cock-pit with the trotters, i went down immediately. "mr purser's steward," said i, "let me have a cocked hat and a dirk immediately." "very good, sir," replied he, and he wrote an order upon a slip of paper, which he handed to me. "there is the order for it, sir; but the cocked hats are kept in the chest up in the main-top; and as for the dirk, you must apply to the butcher, who has them under his charge." i went up with the order, and thought i would first apply for the dirk; so i inquired for the butcher, whom i found sitting in the sheep-pen with the sheep, mending his trousers. in reply to my demand, he told me that he had not the key of the store-room, which was under the charge of one of the corporals of marines. i inquired who, and he said, "cheeks [ ] the marine." i went everywhere about the ship, inquiring for cheeks the marine, but could not find him. some said that they believed he was in the fore-top, standing sentry over the wind, that it might not change; others, that he was in the galley, to prevent the midshipmen from soaking their biscuit in the captain's dripping-pan. at last, i inquired of some of the women who were standing between the guns on the main-deck, and one of them answered that it was no use looking for him among them, as they all had husbands, and cheeks was a _widows man._[ ] as i could not find the marine, i thought i might as well go for my cocked hat, and get my dirk afterwards. i did not much like going up the rigging, because i was afraid of turning giddy, and if i fell overboard i could not swim; but one of the midshipmen offered to accompany me, stating that i need not be afraid, if i fell overboard, of sinking to the bottom, as if i was giddy, my head, at all events, _would swim_; so i determined to venture. i climbed up very near to the main-top, but not without missing the little ropes very often, and grazing the skin of my shins. then i came to large ropes stretched out from the mast, so that you must climb them with your head backwards. the midshipman told me these were called the cat-harpings, because they were so difficult to climb, that a cat would expostulate if ordered to go out by them. i was afraid to venture, and then he proposed that i should go through lubber's hole, which he said had been made for people like me. i agreed to attempt it, as it appeared more easy, and at last arrived, quite out of breath, and very happy to find myself in the main-top. the captain of the main-top was there with two other sailors. the midshipman introduced me very politely:--"mr jenkins--mr simple, midshipman,--mr simple, mr jenkins, captain of the main-top. mr jenkins, mr simple has come up with an order for a cocked hat." the captain of the top replied that he was very sorry that he had not one in store, but the last had been served out to the captain's monkey. this was very provoking. the captain of the top then asked me if i was ready with my _footing_. i replied, "not very, for i had lost it two or three times when coming up." he laughed and replied, that i should lose it altogether before i went down; and that i must _hand_ it out. "_hand_ out my _footing_!" said i, puzzled, and appealing to the midshipman; "what does he mean?" "he means that you must fork out a seven-shilling bit." i was just as wise as ever, and stared very much; when mr jenkins desired the other men to get half a dozen _foxes_ and make a _spread eagle_ of me, unless he had his parkisite. i never should have found out what it all meant, had not the midshipman, who laughed till he cried, at last informed me that it was the custom to give the men something to drink the first time that i came aloft, and that if i did not, they would tie me up to the rigging. having no money in my pocket, i promised to pay them as soon as i went below; but mr jenkins would not trust me. i then became very angry, and inquired of him "if he doubted my honour." he replied, "not in the least, but that he must have the seven shillings before i went below." "why, sir," said i, "do you know whom you are speaking to? i am an officer and a gentleman. do you know who my grandfather is?" "o yes," replied he, "very well." "then, who is he, sir?" replied i very angrily. "who is he! why he's the _lord knows who_." "no," replied i, "that's not his name; he is lord privilege." (i was very much surprised that he knew that my grandfather was a lord.) "and do you suppose," continued i, "that i would forfeit the honour of my family for a paltry seven shillings?" this observation of mine, and a promise on the part of the midshipman, who said he would be bail for me, satisfied mr jenkins, and he allowed me to go down the rigging. i went to my chest, and paid the seven shillings to one of the top-men who followed me, and then went up on the main-deck, to learn as much as i could of my profession. i asked a great many questions of the midshipmen relative to the guns, and they crowded round me to answer them. one told me they were called the frigate's _teeth_, because they stopped the frenchman's _jaw._ another midshipman said that he had been so often in action, that he was called the _fire-eater_. i asked him how it was that he escaped being killed. he replied that he always made it a rule, upon the first cannon-ball coming through the ship's side, to put his head into the hole which it had made; as, by a calculation made by professor innman, the odds were , , and some decimals to boot, that another ball would not come in at the same hole. that's what i never should have thought of. footnotes: [ ] this celebrated personage is the prototype of mr nobody on board of a man-of-war. [b] widows' men are imaginary sailors, borne on the books, and receiving pay and prize-money, which is appropriated to greenwich hospital. chapter viii my messmates show me the folly of running in debt--duty carried on politely--i become acquainted with some gentlemen of the home department--the episode of sholto m'foy. now that i have been on board about a month, i find that my life is not disagreeable. i don't smell the pitch and tar, and i can get into my hammock without tumbling out on the other side. my messmates are good-tempered, although they laugh at me very much; but i must say that they are not very nice in their ideas of honour they appear to consider that to take you in is a capital joke; and that because they laugh at the time that they are cheating you, it then becomes no cheating at all. now i cannot think otherwise than that cheating is cheating, and that a person is not a bit more honest, because he laughs at you in the bargain. a few days after i came on board, i purchased some tarts of the bumboat woman, as she is called; i wished to pay for them, but she had no change, and very civilly told me she would trust me. she produced a narrow book, and said that she would open an account with me, and i could pay her when i thought proper. to this arrangement i had no objection, and i sent up for different things until i thought that my account must have amounted to eleven or twelve shillings. as i promised my father that i never would run in debt, i considered that it was then time that it should be settled. when i asked for it, what was my surprise to find that it amounted to £ s. d. i declared that it was impossible, and requested that she would allow me to look at the items, when i found that i was booked for at least three or four dozen tarts every day, ordered by the young gentlemen, "to be put down to mr simple's account." i was very much shocked, not only at the sum of money which i had to pay, but also at the want of honesty on the part of my messmates; but when i complained of it in the berth, they all laughed at me. at last one of them said, "peter, tell the truth; did not your father caution you not to run in debt?" "yes, he did," replied i. "i know that very well," replied he; "all fathers do the same when their sons leave them; it's a matter of course. now observe, peter; it is out of regard to you, that your messmates have been eating tarts at your expense you disobeyed your father's injunctions before you had been a month from home; and it is to give you a lesson that may be useful in after-life, that they have considered it their duty to order the tarts. i trust that it will not be thrown away upon you. go to the woman, pay your bill, and never run up another." "that i certainly shall not," replied i; but as i could not prove who ordered the tarts, and did not think it fair that the woman should lose her money, i went up and paid the bill with a determination never to open an account with anybody again. but this left my pockets quite empty, so i wrote to my father, stating the whole transaction, and the consequent state of my finances. my father, in his answer, observed that whatever might have been their motives, my messmates had done me a friendly act; and that as i had lost my money by my own carelessness, i must not expect that he would allow me any more pocket-money. but my mother, who added a postscript to his letter, slipped in a five-pound note, and i do believe that it was with my father's sanction, although he pretended to be very angry at my forgetting his injunctions. this timely relief made me quite comfortable again. what a pleasure it is to receive a letter from one's friends when far away, especially when there is same money in it! a few days before this, mr falcon, the first lieutenant, ordered me to put on my side-arms to go away on duty. i replied that i had neither dirk nor cocked hat, although i had applied for them. he laughed at my story, and sent me on shore with the master, who bought them, and the first lieutenant sent up the bill to my father, who paid it, and wrote to thank him for his trouble. that morning, the first lieutenant said to me, "now, mr simple, we'll take the shine off that cocked hat and dirk of yours. you will go in the boat with mr o'brien, and take care that none of the men slip away from it, and get drunk at the tap." this was the first time that i had ever been sent away on duty, and i was very proud of being an officer in charge. i put on my full uniform, and was ready at the gangway a quarter of an hour before the men were piped away. we were ordered to the dockyard to draw sea stores. when we arrived there, i was quite astonished at the piles of timber, the ranges of storehouses, and the immense anchors which lay on the wharf. there was such a bustle, every body appeared to be so busy, that i wanted to look every way at once. close to where the boat landed, they were hauling a large frigate out of what they called the basin; and i was so interested with the sight, that i am sorry to say i quite forgot all about the boat's crew, and my orders to look after them. what surprised me most was, that although the men employed appeared to be sailors, their language was very different from what i had been lately accustomed to on board of the frigate. instead of damning and swearing, everybody was so polite. "oblige me with a pull of the starboard bow hawser, mr jones."--"ease off the larboard hawser, mr jenkins, if you please."-- "side her over, gentlemen, side her over."--"my compliments to mr tompkins, and request that he will cast off the quarter-check."--"side her over, gentlemen, side her over, if you please."--"in the boat there, pull to mr simmons, and beg he'll do me the favour to check her as she swings. what's the matter, mr johnson?"--"vy, there's one of them ere midshipmites has thrown a red hot tater out of the stern-port, and hit our officer in the eye."--"report him to the commissioner, mr wiggins; and oblige me by under-running the guess-warp. tell mr simkins, with my compliments, to coil away upon the jetty. side her over, side her over, gentlemen, if you please." i asked of a bystander who these people were, and he told me that they were dockyard mateys. i certainly thought that it appeared to be quite as easy to say "if you please," as "d----n your eyes," and that it sounded much more agreeable. during the time that i was looking at the frigate being hauled out, two of the men belonging to the boat slipped away, and on my return they were not to be seen. i was very much frightened, for i knew that i had neglected my duty, and that on the first occasion on which i had been intrusted with a responsible service. what to do i did not know i ran up and down every part of the dockyard until i was quite out of breath, asking everybody i met whether they had seen my two men. many of them said that they had seen plenty of men, but did not exactly know mine; some laughed, and called me a greenhorn. at last i met a midshipman, who told me that he had seen two men answering to my description on the roof of the coach starting for london, and that i must be quick if i wished to catch them; but he would not stop to answer any more questions. i continued walking about the yard until i met twenty or thirty men with grey jackets and breeches, to whom i applied for information: they told me that they had seen two sailors skulking behind the piles of timber. they crowded round me, and appeared very anxious to assist me, when they were summoned away to carry down a cable. i observed that they all had numbers on their jackets, and either one or two bright iron rings on their legs. i could not help inquiring, although i was in such a hurry, why the rings were worn. one of them replied that they were orders of merit, given to them for their good behaviour. i was proceeding on very disconsolately, when, as i turned a corner, to my great delight, i met my two men, who touched their hats and said that they had been looking for me. i did not believe that they told the truth, but i was so glad to recover them that i did not scold, but went with them down to the boat, which had been waiting some time for us. o'brien, the master's mate, called me a young sculping,[ ] a word i never heard before. when we arrived on board, the first lieutenant asked o'brien why he had remained so long. he answered that two of the men had left the boat, but that i had found them. the first lieutenant appeared to be pleased with me, observing, as he had said before, that i was no fool, and i went down below, overjoyed at my good fortune, and very much obliged to o'brien for not telling the whole truth. after i had taken off my dirk and cocked hat, i felt for my pocket-handkerchief, and found that it was not in my pocket, having in all probability been taken out by the men in grey jackets, whom, in conversation with my messmates, i discovered to be convicts condemned to hard labour for stealing and picking pockets. a day or two afterwards, we had a new messmate of the name of m'foy. i was on the quarter-deck when he came on board and presented a letter to the captain, inquiring first if his name was "captain sauvage." he was a florid young man, nearly six feet high, with sandy hair, yet very good-looking. as his career in the service was very short, i will tell at once, what i did not find out till some time afterwards. the captain had agreed to receive him to oblige a brother officer, who had retired from the service, and lived in the highlands of scotland. the first notice which the captain had of the arrival of mr m'foy, was from a letter written to him by the young man's uncle. this amused him so much, that he gave it to the first lieutenant to read: it ran as follows:-- "glasgow, april , --- "sir,--our much esteemed and mutual friend, captain m'alpine, having communicated by letter, dated the th inst., your kind intentions relative to my nephew sholto m'foy, (for which you will be pleased to accept my best thanks), i write to acquaint you that he is now on his way to join your ship, the _diomede_, and will arrive, god willing, twenty-six hours after the receipt of this letter. "as i have been given to understand by those who have some acquaintance with the service of the king, that his equipment as an officer will be somewhat expensive, i have considered it but fair to ease your mind as to any responsibility on that score, and have therefore enclosed the half of a bank of england note for ten pounds sterling, no. , the other half of which will be duly forwarded in a frank promised to me the day after to-morrow. i beg you will make the necessary purchases, and apply the balance, should there be any, to his mess account, or any other expenses which you may consider warrantable or justifiable. "it is at the same time proper to inform you, that sholto had ten shillings in his pocket at the time of his leaving glasgow; the satisfactory expenditure of which i have no doubt you will inquire into, as it is a large sum to be placed at the discretion of a youth only fourteen years and five months old. i mention his age, as sholto is so tall that you might be deceived by his appearance, and be induced to trust to his prudence in affairs of this serious nature. should he at any time require further assistance beyond his pay, which i am told is extremely handsome to all king's officers, i beg you to consider that any draught of yours, at ten days' sight, to the amount of five pounds sterling english, will be duly honoured by the firm of monteith, m'killop, and company, of glasgow. sir, with many thanks for your kindness and consideration, "i remain, your most obedient, "walter monteith." the letter brought on board by m'foy was to prove his identity. while the captain read it, m'foy stared about him like a wild stag. the captain welcomed him to the ship, asked him one or two questions, introduced him to the first lieutenant, and then went on shore. the first lieutenant had asked me to dine in the gun-room; i supposed that he was pleased with me because i had found the men; and when the captain pulled on shore, he also invited mr m'foy, when the following conversation took place. "well, mr m'foy, you have had a long journey; i presume it is the first that you have ever made." "indeed it is, sir," replied m'foy; "and sorely i've been pestered. had i minded all they whispered in my lug as i came along, i had need been made of money--sax-pence here, sax-pence there, sax-pence every where. sich extortion i ne'er dreamt of." "how did you come from glasgow?" "by the wheelboat, or steamboat, as they ca'd it, to lunnon: where they charged me sax-pence for taking my baggage on shore--a wee boxy nae bigger than yon cocked-up hat. i would fain carry it mysel', but they wadna let me." "well, where did you go to when you arrived in london?" "i went to a place ca'd chichester rents, to the house of storm and mainwaring, warehousemen, and they must have another sax-pence for showing me the way. there i waited half-an-hour in the counting-house, till they took me to a place ca'd bull and mouth, and put me into a coach, paying my whole fare: nevertheless they must din me for money the whole of the way down. there was first the guard, and then the coachman, and another guard, and another coachman; but i wudna listen to them, and so they growled and abused me." "and when did you arrive?" "i came here last night; and i only had a bed and a breakfast at the twa blue pillars' house, for which they extortioned me three shillings and sax-pence, as i sit here. and then there was the chambermaid hussy and waiter loon axed me to remember them, and wanted more siller; but i told them as i told the guard and coachman, that i had none for them." "how much of your ten shillings have you left?" inquired the first lieutenant, smiling. "hoot, sir lieutenant, how came you for to ken that? eh! it's my uncle monteith at glasgow. why, as i sit here, i've but three shillings and a penny of it lift. but there's a smell here that's no canny; so i'll just go up again into the fresh air." when mr m'foy quitted the gun-room they all laughed very much. after he had been a short time on deck he went down into the midshipmen's berth; but he made himself very unpleasant, quarrelling and wrangling with everybody. it did not, however, last very long; for he would not obey any orders that were given to him. on the third day, he quitted the ship without asking the permission of the first lieutenant; when he returned on board the following day, the first lieutenant put him under an arrest, and in charge of the sentry at the cabin door. during the afternoon i was under the half-deck, and perceived that he was sharpening a long clasp-knife upon the after-truck of the gun. i went up to him, and asked him why he was doing so, and he replied, as his eyes flashed fire, that it was to revenge the insult offered to the bluid of m'foy. his look told me that he was in earnest. "but what do you mean?" inquired i. "i mean," said he, drawing the edge and feeling the point of his weapon, "to put it into the weam of that man with the gold podge on his shoulder, who has dared to place me here." i was very much alarmed, and thought it my duty to state his murderous intentions, or worse might happen; so i walked up on deck and told the first lieutenant what m'foy was intending to do, and how his life was in danger. mr falcon laughed, and shortly afterwards went down on the main-deck. m'foy's eyes glistened, and he walked forward to where the first lieutenant was standing; but the sentry, who had been cautioned by me, kept him back with his bayonet. the first lieutenant turned round, and perceiving what was going on, desired the sentry to see if mr m'foy had a knife in his hand; and he had it sure enough, open, and held behind his back. he was disarmed, and the first lieutenant, perceiving that the lad meant mischief, reported his conduct to the captain, on his arrival on board. the captain sent for m'foy, who was very obstinate, and when taxed with his intention would not deny it, or even say that he would not again attempt it; so he was sent on shore immediately, and returned to his friends in the highlands. we never saw any more of him; but i heard that he obtained a commission in the army, and three months after he had joined his regiment, was killed in a duel, resenting some fancied affront offered to the bluid of m'foy. [footnote : peter's memory is short, p. .--ed.] chapter ix we post up to portsdown fair--consequence of disturbing a lady at supper --natural affection of the pelican, proved at my expense--spontaneous combustion at ranelagh gardens--pastry _versus_ piety--many are bid to the feast; but not the halt, the lame, or the blind. a few days after m'foy quitted the ship, we all had leave from the first lieutenant to go to portsdown fair, but he would only allow the oldsters to sleep on shore. we anticipated so much pleasure from our excursion, that some of us were up early enough to go away in the boat sent for fresh beef. this was very foolish. there were no carriages to take us to the fair, nor indeed any fair so early in the morning; the shops were all shut, and the blue posts, where we always rendezvoused, was hardly opened. we waited there in the coffee-room, until we were driven out by the maid sweeping away the dirt, and were forced to walk about until she had finished, and lighted the fire, when we ordered our breakfast; but how much better would it have been to have taken our breakfast comfortably on board, and then to have come on shore, especially as we had no money to spare. next to being too late, being too soon is the worst plan in the world. however, we had our breakfast, and paid the bill; then we sallied forth, and went up george-street, where we found all sorts of vehicles ready to take us to the fair. we got into one which they called a dilly. i asked the man who drove it why it was so called, and he replied, because he only charged a shilling. o'brien, who had joined us after breakfasting on board, said that this answer reminded him of one given to him by a man who attended the hackney-coach stands in london. "pray," said he, "why are you called waterman?" "waterman," replied the man, "vy, sir, 'cause we opens the hackney-coach doors." at last, with plenty of whipping, and plenty of swearing, and a great deal of laughing, the old horse, whose back curved upwards like a bow, from the difficulty of dragging so many, arrived at the bottom of portsdown hill, where we got out, and walked up to the fair. it really was a most beautiful sight. the bright blue sky, and the coloured flags flapping about in all directions, the grass so green, and the white tents and booths, the sun shining so bright, and the shining gilt gingerbread, the variety of toys and the variety of noise, the quantity of people and the quantity of sweetmeats; little boys so happy, and shop-people so polite, the music at the booths, and the bustle and eagerness of the people outside, made my heart quite jump. there was richardson, with a clown and harlequin, and such beautiful women, dressed in clothes all over gold spangles, dancing reels and waltzes, and looking so happy! there was flint and gyngell, with fellows tumbling over head and heels, playing such tricks--eating fire, and drawing yards of tape out of their mouths. then there was the royal circus, all the horses standing in a line, with men and women standing on their backs, waving flags, while the trumpeters blew their trumpets. and the largest giant in the world, and mr paap, the smallest dwarf in the world, and a female dwarf, who was smaller still, and miss biffin, who did everything without legs or arms. there was also the learned pig, and the herefordshire ox, and a hundred other sights which i cannot now remember. we walked about for an hour or two seeing the outside of every thing: we determined to go and see the inside. first we went into richardson's, where we saw a bloody tragedy, with a ghost and thunder, and afterwards a pantomime, full of tricks, and tumbling over one another. then we saw one or two other things, i forget what; but this i know, that, generally speaking, the outside was better, than the inside. after this, feeling very hungry, we agreed to go into a booth and have something to eat. the tables were ranged all round, and in the centre there was a boarded platform for dancing. the ladies were there all ready dressed for partners; and the music was so lively, that i felt very much inclined to dance, but we had agreed to go and see the wild beasts fed at mr polito's menagerie, and as it was now almost eight o'clock, we paid our bill and set off. it was a very curious sight, and better worth seeing than any thing in the fair; i never had an idea that there were so many strange animals in existence. they were all secured in iron cages, and a large chandelier with twenty lights, hung in the centre of the booth, and lighted them up, while the keeper went round and stirred them up with his long pole; at the same time he gave us their histories, which were very interesting. i recollect a few of them. there was the tapir, a great pig with a long nose, a variety of the hiptostamass, which the keeper said was an amphibilious animal, as couldn't live on land, and _dies_ in the water--however, it seemed to live very well in a cage. then there was the kangaroo with its young ones peeping out of it--a most astonishing animal. the keeper said that it brought forth two young ones at a birth, and then took them into its stomach again, until they arrived at years of discretion. then there was the pelican of the wilderness, (i shall not forget him), with a large bag under his throat, which the man put on his head as a night-cap: this bird feeds its young with its own blood--when fish are scarce. and there was the laughing hyæna, who cries in the wood like a human being in distress, and devours those who come to his assistance--a sad instance of the depravity of human nature, as the keeper observed. there was a beautiful creature, the royal bengal tiger, only three years old, what growed ten inches every year, and never arrived at its full growth. the one we saw, measured, as the keeper told us, sixteen feet from the snout to the tail, and seventeen from the tail to the snout: but there must have been some mistake there. there was a young elephant and three lions, and several other animals which i forget now, so i shall go on to describe the tragical scene which occurred. the keeper had poked up all the animals, and had commenced feeding them. the great lion was growling and snarling over the shin-bone of an ox, cracking it like a nut, when, by some mismanagement, one end of the pole upon which the chandelier was suspended fell down, striking the door of the cage in which the lioness was at supper, and bursting it open. it was all done in a second; the chandelier fell, the cage opened, and the lioness sprang out. i remember to this moment seeing the body of the lioness in the air, and then all was dark as pitch. what a change! not a moment before all of us staring with delight and curiosity, and then to be left in darkness, horror, and dismay! there was such screaming and shrieking, such crying, and fighting, and pushing, and fainting, nobody knew where to go, or how to find their way out. the people crowded first on one side, and then on the other, as their fears instigated them. i was very soon jammed up with my back against the bars of one of the cages, and feeling some beast lay hold of me behind, made a desperate effort, and succeeded in climbing up to the cage above, not however without losing the seat of my trowsers, which the laughing hyæna would not let go. i hardly knew where i was when i climbed up; but i knew the birds were mostly stationed above. however, that i might not have the front of my trowsers torn as well as the behind, as soon as i gained my footing i turned round, with my back to the bars of the cage, but i had not been there a minute before i was attacked by something which digged into me like a pickaxe, and as the hyæna had torn my clothes, i had no defence against it. to turn round would have been worse still; so, after having received above a dozen stabs, i contrived by degrees to shift my position until i was opposite to another cage, but not until the pelican, for it was that brute, had drawn as much blood from me as would have fed his young for a week. i was surmising what danger i should next encounter, when to my joy i discovered that i had gained the open door from which the lioness had escaped. i crawled in, and pulled the door to after me, thinking myself very fortunate: and there i sat very quietly in a corner during the remainder of the noise and confusion. i had been there but a few minutes, when the beef-eaters, as they were called, who played the music outside, came in with torches and loaded muskets. the sight which presented itself was truly shocking, twenty or thirty men, women, and children, lay on the ground, and i thought at first the lioness had killed them all, but they were only in fits, or had been trampled down by the crowd. no one was seriously hurt. as for the lioness, she was not to be found: and as soon as it was ascertained that she had escaped, there was as much terror and scampering away outside as there had been in the menagerie. it appeared afterwards, that the animal had been as much frightened as we had been, and had secreted herself under one of the waggons. it was some time before she could be found. at last o'brien, who was a very brave fellow, went a-head of the beef-eaters, and saw her eyes glaring. they borrowed a net or two from the carts which had brought calves to the fair, and threw them over her. when she was fairly entangled, they dragged her by the tail into the menagerie. all this while i had remained very quietly in the den, but when i perceived that its lawful owner had come back to retake possession, i thought it was time to come out; so i called to my messmates, who, with o'brien were assisting the beef-eaters. they had not discovered me, and laughed very much when they saw where i was. one of the midshipmen shot the bolt of the door, so that i could not jump out, and then stirred me up with a long pole. at last i contrived to unbolt it again, and got out, when they laughed still more, at the seat of my trowsers being torn off. it was not exactly a laughing matter to me, although i had to congratulate myself upon a very lucky escape; and so did my messmates think, when i narrated my adventures. the pelican was the worst part of the business. o'brien lent me a dark silk handkerchief, which i tied round my waist, and let drop behind, so that my misfortunes might not attract any notice, and then we quitted the menagerie; but i was so stiff that i could scarcely walk. we then went to what they called the ranelagh gardens, to see the fireworks, which were to be let off at ten o'clock. it was exactly ten when we paid for our admission, and we waited very patiently for a quarter of an hour, but there were no signs of the fireworks being displayed. the fact was, that the man to whom the gardens belonged waited until more company should arrive, although the place was already very full of people. now the first lieutenant had ordered the boat to wait for us until twelve o'clock, and then return on board; and, as we were seven miles from portsmouth, we had not much time to spare. we waited another quarter of an hour, and then it was agreed that as the fireworks were stated in the handbill to commence precisely at ten o'clock, we were fully justified in letting them off ourselves. o'brien went out, and returned with a dozen penny rattans, which he notched in the end. the fireworks were on the posts and stages, all ready, and it was agreed that we should light them all at once, and then mix with the crowd. the oldsters lighted cigars, and fixing them in the notched end of the canes, continued to puff them until they were all well lighted. they handed one to each of us, and at a signal we all applied them to the match papers, and as soon as the fire communicated we threw down our canes and ran in among the crowd. in about half a minute, off they all went, in a most beautiful confusion; there were silver stars and golden stars, blue lights and catherine-wheels, mines and bombs, grecian-fires and roman-candles, chinese-trees, rockets and illuminated mottoes, all firing away, cracking, popping, and fizzing, at the same time. it was unanimously agreed that it was a great improvement upon the intended show. the man to whom the gardens belonged ran out of a booth, where he had been drinking beer at his ease, while his company were waiting, swearing vengeance against the perpetrators; indeed, the next day he offered fifty pounds reward for the discovery of the offenders. but i think that he was treated very properly. he was, in his situation, a servant of the public, and he had behaved as if he was their master. we all escaped very cleverly, and taking another dilly, arrived at portsmouth, and were down to the boat in good time. the next day i was so stiff and in such pain, that i was obliged to go to the doctor, who put me on the list, where i remained a week before i could return to my duty. so much for portsdown fair. it was on a saturday that i returned to my duty, and sunday being a fine day, we all went on shore to church with mr falcon, the first lieutenant. we liked going to church very much, not, i am sorry to say, from religious feelings, but for the following reason:--the first lieutenant sat in a pew below, and we were placed in the gallery above, where he could not see us, nor indeed could we see him. we all remained very quiet, and i may say very devout, during the time of the service; but the clergyman who delivered the sermon was so tedious, and had such a bad voice, that we generally slipped out as soon as he went up into the pulpit, and adjourned to a pastry-cook's opposite, to eat cakes and tarts and drink cherry-brandy, which we infinitely preferred to hearing a sermon. somehow or other, the first lieutenant had scent of our proceedings: we believed that the marine officer informed against us, and this sunday he served us a pretty trick. we had been at the pastry-cook's as usual, and as soon as we perceived the people coming out of church, we put all our tarts and sweetmeats into our hats, which we then slipped on our heads, and took our station at the church-door, as if we had just come down from the gallery, and had been waiting for him. instead, however, of appearing at the church-door, he walked up the street, and desired us to follow him to the boat. the fact was, he had been in the back-room at the pastry-cook's watching our motions through the green blinds. we had no suspicion, but thought that he had come out of church a little sooner than usual. when we arrived on board and followed him up the side, he said to us as we came on deck,--"walk aft, young gentlemen." we did; and he desired us to "toe a line," which means to stand in a row. "now, mr dixon," said he, "what was the text to-day?" as he very often asked us that question, we always left one in the church until the text was given out, who brought it to us in the pastry-cook's shop, when we all marked it in our bibles, to be ready if he asked us. dixon immediately pulled out his bible where he had marked down the leaf, and read it. "o! that was it," said mr falcon; "you must have remarkably good ears, mr dixon, to have heard the clergyman from the pastry-cook's shop. now, gentlemen, hats off, if you please." we all slided off our hats, which, as he expected, were full of pastry. "really, gentlemen," said he, feeling the different papers of pastry and sweetmeats, "i am quite delighted to perceive that you have not been to church for nothing. few come away with so many good things pressed upon their seat of memory. master-at-arms, send all the ship's boys aft." the boys all came tumbling up the ladders, and the first lieutenant desired each of them to take a seat upon the carronade slides. when they were all stationed, he ordered us to go round with our hats, and request of each his acceptance of a tart, which we were obliged to do, handing first to one and then to another, until the hats were all empty. what annoyed me more than all, was the grinning of the boys at their being served by us like foot-men, as well as the ridicule and laughter of the whole ship's company, who had assembled at the gangways. when all the pastry was devoured, the first lieutenant said, "there, gentlemen, now that you have had your lesson for the day, you may go below." we could not help laughing ourselves, when we went down into the berth; mr falcon always punished us good-humouredly, and, in some way or other, his punishments were severally connected with the description of the offence. he always had a remedy for every thing that he disapproved of, and the ship's company used to call him "remedy jack." i ought to observe that some of my messmates were very severe upon the ship's boys after that circumstance, always giving them a kick or a cuff on the head whenever they could, telling them at the same time, "there's another tart for you, you whelp." i believe, if the boys had known what was in reserve for them, they would much rather have left the pastry alone. chapter x a pressgang; beaten off by one woman--dangers at spithead and point--a treat for both parties, of _pulled chicken_, at my expense--also gin for twenty--i am made a prisoner: escape and rejoin my ship. i must now relate what occurred to me a few days before the ship sailed, which will prove that it is not necessary to encounter the winds and waves, or the cannon of the enemy, to be in danger, when you have entered his majesty's service: on the contrary, i have been in action since, and i declare, without hesitation, that i did not feel so much alarm on that occasion, as i did on the one of which i am about to give the history. we were reported ready for sea, and the admiralty was anxious that we should proceed. the only obstacle to our sailing was, that we had not yet completed our complement of men. the captain applied to the port-admiral, and obtained permission to send parties on shore to impress seamen. the second and third lieutenants, and the oldest midshipman, were despatched on shore every night, with some of the most trustworthy men, and generally brought on board in the morning about half a dozen men, whom they had picked up in the different alehouses, or grog-shops, as the sailors call them. some of them were retained, but most of them sent on shore as unserviceable; for it is the custom, when a man either enters or is impressed, to send him down to the surgeon in the cockpit, where he is stripped and examined all over, to see if he be sound and fit for his majesty's service; and if not, he is sent on shore again. impressing appeared to be rather serious work, as far as i could judge from the accounts which i heard, and from the way in which our sailors, who were employed on the service, were occasionally beaten and wounded; the seamen who were impressed appearing to fight as hard not to be forced into the service, as they did for the honour of the country, after they were fairly embarked in it. i had a great wish to be one of the party before the ship sailed, and asked o'brien, who was very kind to me in general, and allowed nobody to thrash me but himself, if he would take me with him, which he did on the night after i had made the request. i put on my dirk, that they might know i was an officer, as well as for my protection. about dusk we rowed on shore, and landed on the gosport side: the men were all armed with cutlasses, and wore pea jackets, which are very short great-coats made of what they call flushing. we did not stop to look at any of the grog-shops in the town, as it was too early, but walked out about three miles in the suburbs, and went to a house, the door of which was locked, but we forced it open in a minute, and hastened to enter the passage, where we found the landlady standing to defend the entrance. the passage was long and narrow, and she was a very tall corpulent woman, so that her body nearly filled it up, and in her hands she held a long spit pointed at us, with which she kept us at bay. the officers, who were the foremost, did not like to attack a woman, and she made such drives at them with her spit, that had they not retreated, some of them would soon have been ready for roasting. the sailors laughed and stood outside, leaving the officers to settle the business how they could. at last, the landlady called out to her husband, "be they all out, jem?" "yes," replied the husband, "they be all safe gone." "well, then," replied she, "i'll soon have all these gone too;" and with these words she made such a rush forward upon us with her spit, that had we not fallen back and tumbled one over another, she certainly would have run it through the second lieutenant, who commanded the party. the passage was cleared in an instant, and as soon as we were all in the street she bolted us out: so there we were, three officers and fifteen armed men, fairly beat off by a fat old woman; the sailors who had been drinking in the house having made their escape to some other place. but i do not well see how it could be otherwise; either we must have killed or wounded the woman, or she would have run us through, she was so resolute. had her husband been in the passage, he would have been settled in a very short time; but what can you do with a woman who fights like a devil, and yet claims all the rights and immunities of the softer sex? we all walked away, looking very foolish; and o'brien observed that the next time he called at that house he would weather the old cat, for he would take her ladyship in the rear. we then called at other houses, where we picked up one or two men, but most of them escaped, by getting out at the windows or the back doors, as we entered the front. now there was a grog-shop which was a very favourite rendezvous of the seamen belonging to the merchant vessels, and to which they were accustomed to retreat when they heard that the pressgangs were out. our officers were aware of this, and were therefore indifferent as to the escape of the men, as they knew that they would all go to that place, and confide in their numbers for beating us off. as it was then one o'clock, they thought it time to go there; we proceeded without any noise, but they had people on the look-out, and as soon as we turned the corner of the lane the alarm was given. i was afraid that they would all run away, and we should lose them; but, on the contrary, they mustered very strong on that night, and had resolved to "give fight." the men remained in the house, but an advanced guard of about thirty of their wives saluted us with a shower of stones and mud. some of our sailors were hurt, but they did not appear to mind what the women did. they rushed on, and then they were attacked by the women with their fists and nails. notwithstanding this, the sailors only laughed, pushing the women on one side, and saying, "be quiet, poll;"--"don't be foolish, molly;"--"out of the way, sukey; we a'n't come to take away your fancy man;" with expressions of that sort, although the blood trickled down many of their faces, from the way in which they had been clawed. thus we attempted to force our way through them, but i had a very narrow escape even in this instance. a woman seized me by the arm, and pulled me towards her; had it not been for one of the quarter-masters i should have been separated from my party; but, just as they dragged me away, she caught hold of me by the leg, and stopped them. "clap on here, peg," cried the woman to another, "and let's have this little midshipmite; i wants a baby to dry nurse." two more women came to her assistance, catching hold of my other arm, and they would have dragged me out of the grasp of the quarter-master, had he not called out for more help on his side, upon which two of the seamen laid hold of my other leg, and there was such a tussle (all at my expense), such pulling and hauling; sometimes the women gained an inch or two of me, then the sailors got it back again. at one moment i thought it was all over with me, and in the next i was with my own men. "pull devil; pull baker!" cried the women, and then they laughed, although i did not, i can assure you, for i really think that i was pulled out an inch taller, and my knees and shoulders pained me very much indeed. at last the women laughed so much that they could not hold on, so i was dragged into the middle of our own sailors, where i took care to remain; and, after a little more squeezing and fighting, was carried by the crowd into the house. the seamen of the merchant ships had armed themselves with bludgeons and other weapons, and had taken a position on the tables. they were more than two to one against us, and there was a dreadful fight, as their resistance was very desperate. our sailors were obliged to use their cutlasses, and for a few minutes i was quite bewildered with the shouting and swearing, pushing and scuffling, collaring and fighting, together with the dust raised up, which not only blinded, but nearly choked me. by the time that my breath was nearly squeezed out of my body, our sailors got the best of it, which the landlady and women of the house perceiving, they put out all the lights, so that i could not tell where i was; but our sailors had every one seized his man, and contrived to haul him out of the street door, where they were collected together, and secured. now again i was in great difficulty; i had been knocked down and trod upon, and when i did contrive to get up again, i did not know the direction in which the door lay. i felt about by the wall, and at last came to a door, for the room was at that time nearly empty, the women having followed the men out of the house. i opened it, and found that it was not the right one, but led into a little side parlour, where there was a fire, but no lights. i had just discovered my mistake, and was about to retreat, when i was shoved in from behind, and the key turned upon me: there i was all alone, and, i must acknowledge, very much frightened, as i thought that the vengeance of the women would be wreaked upon me. i considered that my death was certain, and that, like the man orpheus i had read of in my books, i should be torn to pieces by these bacchanals. however, i reflected that i was an officer in his majesty's service, and that it was my duty, if necessary, to sacrifice my life for my king and country. i thought of my poor mother; but as it made me unhappy, i tried to forget her, and call to my memory all i had read of the fortitude and courage of various brave men, when death stared them in the face. i peeped through the key-hole, and perceived that the candles were re-lighted, and that there were only women in the room, who were talking all at once, and not thinking about me. but in a minute or two, a woman came in from the street, with her long black hair hanging about her shoulders, and her cap in her hand. "well," cried she, "they've nabbed my husband; but i'll be dished if i hav'n't boxed up the midshipmite in that parlour, and he shall take his place." i thought i should have died when i looked at the woman, and perceived her coming up to the door, followed by some others, to unlock it. as the door opened, i drew my dirk, resolving to die like an officer, and as they advanced i retreated to a corner, brandishing my dirk, without saying a word. "vell," cried the woman who had made me a prisoner, "i do declare i likes to see a puddle in a storm--only look at the little biscuit-nibbler showing fight! come, my lovey, you belongs to me." "never!" exclaimed i with indignation. "keep off, i shall do you mischief" (and i raised my dirk in advance); "i am an officer and a gentleman." "sall," cried the odious woman, "fetch a mop and a pail of dirty water, and i'll trundle that dirk out of his fist." "no, no," replied another rather good-looking young woman, "leave him to me--don't hurt him--he really is a very nice little man. what's your name, my dear?" "peter simple is my name," replied i; "and i am a king's officer, so be careful what you are about." "don't be afraid, peter, nobody shall hurt you; but you must not draw your dirk before ladies, that's not like an officer and a gentleman--so put up your dirk, that's a good boy." "i will not," replied i, "unless you promise me that i shall go away unmolested." "i do promise you that you shall, upon my word, peter--upon my honour-- will that content you?" "yes," replied i, "if every one else will promise the same." "upon our honours," they all cried together; upon which i was satisfied, and putting my dirk into its sheath, was about to quit the room. "stop, peter," said the young woman who had taken my part; "i must have a kiss before you go." "and so must i; and so must we all," cried the other women. i was very much shocked, and attempted to draw my dirk again, but they had closed in with me, and prevented me. "recollect your honour," cried i to the young woman, as i struggled. "my honour!--lord bless you, peter, the less we say about that the better." "but you promised that i should go away quietly," said i, appealing to them. "well, and so you shall; but recollect, peter, that you are an officer and a gentleman--you surely would not be so shabby as to go away without treating us. what money have you got in your pocket?" and, without giving me time to answer, she felt in my pocket, and pulled out my purse, which she opened. "why, peter, you are as rich as a jew," said she, as they counted thirty shillings on the table. "now, what shall we have?" "anything you please," said i, "provided that you will let me go." "well, then, it shall be a gallon of gin. sall, call mrs flanagan. mrs flanagan, we want a gallon of gin, and clean glasses." mrs flanagan received the major part of my money, and in a minute returned with the gin and wine-glasses. "now, peter, my cove, let's all draw round the table, and make ourselves cosy." "o no," replied i, "take my money, drink the gin, but pray let me go;" but they wouldn't listen to me. then i was obliged to sit down with them, the gin was poured out, and they made me drink a glass, which nearly choked me. it had, however, one good effect, it gave me courage, and in a minute or two, i felt as if i could fight them all. the door of the room was on the same side as the fire-place, and i perceived that the poker was between the bars, and red hot. i complained that i was cold, although i was in a burning fever; and they allowed me to get up to warm my hands. as soon as i reached the fire-place, i snatched out the red-hot poker, and, brandishing it over my head, made for the door. they all jumped up to detain me, but i made a poke at the foremost, which made her run back with a shriek, (i do believe that i burnt her nose.) i seized my opportunity, and escaped into the street, whirling the poker round my head, while all the women followed, hooting and shouting after me. i never stopped running and whirling my poker until i was reeking with perspiration, and the poker was quite cold. then i looked back, and found that i was alone. it was very dark; every house was shut up, and not a light to be seen anywhere. i stopped at the corner, not knowing where i was, or what i was to do. i felt very miserable indeed, and was reflecting on my wisest plan, when who should turn the corner, but one of the quarter-masters who had been left on shore by accident. i knew him by his pea-jacket and straw hat to be one of our men, and i was delighted to see him. i told him what had happened, and he replied that he was going to a house where the people knew him and would let him in. when we arrived there, the people of the house were very civil; the landlady made us some purl, which the quarter-master ordered, and which i thought very good indeed. after we had finished the jug, we both fell asleep in our chairs. i did not awaken until i was roused by the quarter-master, at past seven o'clock, when we took a wherry, and went off to the ship. chapter xi o'brien takes me under his protection--the ship's company are paid, so are the bumboat-women, the jews, and the emancipationist after a fashion--we go to sea--_doctor_ o'brien's cure for sea-sickness--one pill of the doctor's more than a dose. when we arrived, i reported myself to the first lieutenant, and told him the whole story of the manner in which i had been treated, showing him the poker, which i brought on board with me. he heard me very patiently, and then said, "well, mr simple, you may be the greatest fool of your family for all i know to the contrary, but never pretend to be a fool with me. that poker proves the contrary: and if your wit can serve you upon your own emergency, i expect that it will be employed for the benefit of the service." he then sent for o'brien, and gave him a lecture for allowing me to go with the pressgang, pointing out, what was very true, that i could have been of no service, and might have met with a serious accident. i went down on the main deck, and o'brien came to me. "peter," said he, "i have been jawed for letting you go, so it is but fair that you should be thrashed for having asked me." i wished to argue the point, but he cut all argument short, by kicking me down the hatchway; and thus ended my zealous attempt to procure seamen for his majesty's service. at last the frigate was full manned; and, as we had received drafts of men from other ships, we were ordered to be paid previously to our going to sea. the people on shore always find out when a ship is to be paid, and very early in the morning we were surrounded with wherries, laden with jews and other people, some requesting admittance to sell their goods, others to get paid for what they had allowed the sailors to take up upon credit. but the first lieutenant would not allow any of them to come on board until after the ship was paid; although they were so urgent that he was forced to place sentries in the chains with cold shot, to stave the boats if they came alongside. i was standing at the gangway, looking at the crowd of boats, when a black-looking fellow in one of the wherries said to me, "i say, sir, let me slip in at the port, and i have a very nice present to make you;" and he displayed a gold seal, which he held up to me. i immediately ordered the sentry to keep him further off, for i was very much affronted at his supposing me capable of being bribed to disobey my orders. about eleven o'clock the dockyard boat, with all the pay-clerks, and the cashier, with his chest of money, came on board, and was shown into the fore-cabin, where the captain attended the pay-table. the men were called in, one by one, and, as the amount of the wages due had been previously calculated, they were paid; very fast. the money was always received in their hats, after it had been counted out in the presence of the officers and captain. outside the cabin door there stood a tall man in black, with hair straight combed, who had obtained an order from the port admiral to be permitted to come on board. he attacked every sailor as he came out; with his money in his hat, for a subscription to emancipate the slaves in the west indies; but the sailors would not give him anything, swearing that the niggers were better off than they were; for they did not work harder by day, and had no watch and watch to keep during the night. "sarvitude is sarvitude all over the world, my old psalmsinger," replied one. "they sarve their masters, as in duty bound; we sarve the king, 'cause he can't do without us--and he never axes our leave, but helps himself." "yes," replied the straight-haired gentleman; "but slavery is a very different thing." "can't say that i see any difference; do you, bill?" "not i: and i suppose as if they didn't like it they'd run away." "run away! poor creatures," said the black gentleman. "why, if they did, they would be flogged." "flogged--heh; well, and if we run away we are to be hanged. the nigger's better off nor we: ar'n't he, tom?" then the purser's steward came out: he was what they call a bit of a lawyer,--that is, had received more education than the seamen in general. "i trust, sir," said the man in black, "that you will contribute something." "not i, my hearty: i owe every farthing of my money, and more too, i'm afraid." "still, sir, a small trifle." "why, what an infernal rascal you must be, to ask a man to give away what is not his own property! did i not tell you that i owed it all? there's an old proverb--be just before you're generous. now, it's my opinion that, you are a methodistical, good-for-nothing blackguard; and if any one is such a fool as to give you money, you will keep it for yourself." when the man found that he could obtain nothing at the door, he went down on the lower deck, in which he did not act very wisely; for now that the men were paid, the boats were permitted to come alongside, and so much spirits were smuggled in, that most of the seamen were more or less intoxicated. as soon as he went below, he commenced distributing prints of a black man kneeling in chains, and saying, "am not i your brother?" some of the men laughed, and swore that they would paste their brother up in the mess, to say prayers for the ship's company; but others were very angry, and abused him. at last, one man, who was tipsy, came up to him. "do you pretend for to insinivate that this crying black thief is my brother?" "to be sure i do," replied the methodist. "then take that for your infernal lie," said the sailor, hitting him in the face right and left, and knocking the man down into the cable tier, from whence he climbed up, and made his escape out of the frigate as soon as he was able. the ship was now in a state of confusion and uproar; there were jews trying to sell clothes, or to obtain money for clothes which they had sold; bumboat-men and bumboat-women showing their long bills, and demanding or coaxing for payment; other people from the shore, with hundreds of small debts; and the sailors' wives, sticking close to them, and disputing every bill presented, as an extortion or a robbery. there was such bawling and threatening, laughing and crying--for the women were all to quit the ship before sunset--at one moment a jew was upset, and all his hamper of clothes tossed into the hold; at another, a sailor was seen hunting everywhere for a jew who had cheated him,--all squabbling or skylarking, and many of them very drunk. it appeared to me that the sailors had rather a difficult point to settle. they had three claimants upon them, the jew for clothes, the bumboat-men for their mess in harbour, and their wives for their support during their absence; and the money which they received was, generally speaking, not more than sufficient to meet one of the demands. as it may be supposed, the women had the best of it; the others were paid a trifle, and promised the remainder when they came back from their cruise; and although, as the case stood then, it might appear that two of the parties were ill-used, yet in the long run they were more than indemnified, for their charges were so extravagant, that if one-third of their bills were paid, there would still remain a profit. about five o'clock the orders were given for the ship to be cleared. all disputed points were settled by the sergeant of marines with a party, who divided their antagonists from the jews; and every description of persons not belonging to the ship, whether male or female, was dismissed over the side. the hammocks were piped down, those who were intoxicated were put to bed, and the ship was once more quiet. nobody was punished for having been tipsy, as pay-day is considered, on board a man-of-war, as the winding-up of all incorrect behaviour, and from that day the sailors turn over a new leaf; for, although some latitude is permitted, and the seamen are seldom flogged in harbour, yet the moment that the anchor is at the bows, strict discipline is exacted, and intoxication must no longer hope to be forgiven. the next day everything was prepared for sea, and no leave was permitted to the officers. stock of every kind was brought on board, and the large boats hoisted and secured. on the morning after, at daylight, a signal from the flag-ship in harbour was made for us to unmoor; our orders had come down to cruise in the bay of biscay. the captain came on board, the anchor weighed, and we ran through the needles with a fine n.e. breeze. i admired the scenery of the isle of wight, looked with admiration at alum bay, was astonished at the needle rocks, and then felt so very ill that i went down below. what occurred for the next six days i cannot tell. i thought that i should die every moment, and lay in my hammock or on the chests for the whole of that time, incapable of eating, drinking, or walking about. o'brien came to me on the seventh morning, and said, that if i did not exert myself i never should get well; that he was very fond of me and had taken me under his protection, and, to prove his regard, he would do for me what he would not take the trouble to do for any other youngster in the ship, which was, to give me a good basting, which was a sovereign remedy for sea-sickness. he suited the action to the word, and drubbed me on the ribs without mercy, until i thought the breath was out of my body, and then he took out a rope's end and thrashed me until i obeyed his orders to go on deck immediately. before he came to me, i could never have believed it possible that i could have obeyed him; but somehow or other i did contrive to crawl up the ladder to the main-deck, where i sat down on the shot-racks and cried bitterly. what would i have given to have been at home again! it was not my fault that i was the greatest fool in the family, yet how was i punished for it! if this was kindness from o'brien, what had i to expect from those who were not partial to me? but, by degrees, i recovered myself, and certainly felt a great deal better, and that night i slept very soundly. the next morning o'brien came to me again. "it's a nasty slow fever, that sea-sickness, my peter, and we must drive it out of you;" and then he commenced a repetition of yesterday's remedy until i was almost a jelly. whether the fear of being thrashed drove away my sea-sickness, or whatever might be the real cause of it, i do not know, but this is certain, that i felt no more of it after the second beating, and the next morning when i awoke i was very hungry. i hastened to dress myself before o'brien came to me, and did not see him until we met at breakfast. "pater," said he, "let me feel your pulse." "oh no!" replied i, "indeed i'm quite well." "quite well! can you eat biscuit and salt butter?" "yes, i can." "and a piece of fat pork?" "yes, that i can." "it's thanks to me then, pater," replied he; "so you'll have no more of my medicine until you fall sick again." "i hope not," replied i, "for it was not very pleasant." "pleasant! you simple simple, when did you ever hear of physic being pleasant, unless a man prescribe for himself? i suppose you'd be after lollipops for the yellow fever. live and larn, boy, and thank heaven that you've found somebody who loves you well enough to baste you when it's good for your health." i replied, "that i certainly hoped that much as i felt obliged to him, i should not require any more proofs of his regard." "any more such _striking_ proofs, you mean, pater; but let me tell you that they were sincere proofs, for since you've been ill i've been eating your pork and drinking your grog, which latter can't be too plentiful in the bay of biscay. and now that i've cured you, you'll be tucking all that into your own little breadbasket, so that i'm no gainer, and i think that you may be convinced that you never had or will have two more disinterested thumpings in all your born days. however, you're very welcome, so say no more about it." i held my tongue and ate a very hearty breakfast. from that day i returned to my duty, and was put into the same watch with o'brien, who spoke to the first lieutenant, and told him that he had taken me under his charge. chapter xii new theory of mr muddle remarkable for having no end to it--novel practice of mr chucks--o'brien commences his history--there were giants in those days--i bring up the master's _night-glass_. as i have already mentioned sufficient of the captain and the first lieutenant to enable the reader to gain an insight into their characters, i shall now mention two very odd personages who were my shipmates, the carpenter and the boatswain. the carpenter, whose name was muddle, used to go by the appellation of philosopher chips, not that he followed any particular school, but had formed a theory of his own, from which he was not to be dissuaded. this was, that the universe had its cycle of events turned round, so that in a certain period of time everything was to happen over again. i never could make him explain upon what data his calculations were founded; he said, that if he explained it, i was too young to comprehend it; but the fact was this, "that in , years everything that was going on now would be going on again, with the same people as were existing at this present time." he very seldom ventured to make the remark to captain savage, but to the first lieutenant he did very often. "i've been as close to it as possible, sir, i do assure you, although you find fault; but , years ago you were first lieutenant of this ship, and i was carpenter, although we recollect nothing about it; and , years hence we shall both be standing by this boat, talking about the repairs, as we are now." "i do not doubt it, mr muddle," replied the first lieutenant; "i dare say that it is all very true, but the repairs must be finished this night, and , years hence you will have the order just as positive as you have it now, so let it be done." this theory made him very indifferent as to danger, or indeed as to anything. it was of no consequence, the affair took its station in the course of time. it had happened at the above period, and would happen again. fate was fate. but the boatswain was a more amusing personage. he was considered to be the _taughtest_ (that is, the most active and severe) boatswain in the service. he went by the name of "gentleman chucks"--the latter was his surname. he appeared to have received half an education; sometimes his language was for a few sentences remarkably well chosen, but, all of a sudden, he would break down at a hard word; but i shall be able to let the reader into more of his history as i go on with my adventures. he had a very handsome person, inclined to be stout, keen eyes, and hair curling in ringlets. he held his head up, and strutted as he walked. he declared "that an officer should look like an officer, and _comport_ himself accordingly." in his person he was very clean, wore rings on his great fingers, and a large frill to his bosom, which stuck out like the back fin of a perch, and the collar of his shirt was always pulled up to a level with his cheek-bones. he never appeared on deck without his "persuader," which was three rattans twisted into one, like a cable; sometimes he called it his order of the bath, or his tri_o_ junct_o_ in uno; and this persuader was seldom idle. he attempted to be very polite, even when addressing the common seamen, and, certainly, he always commenced his observations to them in a very gracious manner, but, as he continued, he became less choice in his phraseology. o'brien said that his speeches were like the sin of the poet, very fair at the upper part of them, but shocking at the lower extremities. as a specimen of them, he would say to the man on the forecastle, "allow me to observe, my dear man, in the most delicate way in the world, that you are spilling that tar upon the deck--a deck, sir, if i may venture to make the observation, i had the duty of seeing holystoned this morning. you understand me, sir, you have defiled his majesty's forecastle. i must do my duty, sir, if you neglect yours; so take that--and that--and that--(thrashing the man with his rattan)--you d--d hay-making son of a sea-cook. do it again, d--n your eyes, and i'll cut your liver out." i remember one of the ship's boys going forward with a kid of dirty water to empty in the head, without putting his hand up to his hat as he passed the boatswain. "stop, my little friend," said the boatswain, pulling out his frill, and raising up both sides of his shirt-collar. "are you aware, sir, of my rank and station in society?" "yes, sir," replied the boy, trembling, and eyeing the rattan. "oh, you are!" replied mr chucks. "had you not been aware of it, i should have considered a gentle correction necessary, that you might have avoided such an error in future; but, as you _were_ aware of it, why then, d--n you, you have no excuse, so take that--and that--you yelping, half-starved abortion. i really beg your pardon, mr simple," said he to me, as the boy went howling forward, for i was walking with him at the time; "but really the service makes brutes of us all. it is hard to sacrifice our health, our night's rest, and our comforts; but still more so, that in my responsible situation, i am obliged too often to sacrifice my gentility." the master was the officer who had charge of the watch to which i was stationed; he was a very rough sailor, who had been brought up in the merchant service, not much of a gentleman in his appearance, very good-tempered, and very fond of grog. he always quarrelled with the boatswain, and declared that the service was going to the devil, now that warrant officers put on white shirts, and wore frills to them. but the boatswain did not care for him; he knew his duty, he did his duty, and if the captain was satisfied, he said, that the whole ship's company might grumble. as for the master, he said, the man was very well, but having been brought up in a collier, he could not be expected to be very refined; in fact, he observed, pulling up his shirt-collar--"it was impossible to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." the master was very kind to me, and used to send me down to my hammock before my watch was half over. until that time, i walked the deck with o'brien, who was a very pleasant companion, and taught me everything that he could, connected with my profession. one night, when he had the middle watch, i told him i should like very much if he would give me the history of his life. "that i will, my honey," replied he, "all that i can remember of it, though i have no doubt but that i've forgotten the best part of it. it's now within five minutes of two bells, so we'll heave the log and mark the board, and then i'll spin you a yarn, which will keep us both from going to sleep." o'brien reported the rate of sailing to the master, marked it down on the log-board, and then returned. "so now, my boy, i'll come to an anchor on the topsail halyard rack, and you may squeeze your thread-paper little carcass under my lee, and then i'll tell you all about it. first and foremost, you must know that i am descended from the great o'brien borru, who was king in his time, as the great fingal was before him. of course you've heard of fingal?" "i can't say that i ever did," replied i. "never heard of fingal!--murder! where must you have been all your life? well, then, to give you some notion of fingal, i will first tell you how fingal bothered the great scotch giant, and then i'll go on with my own story. fingal, you must know, was a giant himself, and no fool of one, and any one that affronted him was as sure of a bating, as i am to keep the middle watch to-night. but there was a giant in scotland as tall as the mainmast, more or less, as we say when we a'n't quite sure, as it saves telling more lies than there's occasion for. well, this scotch giant heard of fingal, and how he had beaten everybody, and he said, 'who is this fingal? by jasus,' says he in scotch, 'i'll just walk over and see what he's made of.' so he walked across the irish channel, and landed within half-a-mile of belfast, but whether he was out of his depth or not i can't tell, although i suspect that he was not dry-footed. when fingal heard that this great chap was coming over, he was in a devil of a fright, for they told him that the scotchman was taller by a few feet or so. giants, you know, measure by feet, and don't bother themselves about the inches, as we little devils are obliged to do. so fingal kept a sharp look-out for the scotchman, and one fine morning, there he was, sure enough, coming up the hill to fingal's house. if fingal was afraid before, he had more reason to be afraid when he saw the fellow, for he looked for all the world like the monument upon a voyage of discovery. so fingal ran into his house, and called to his wife shaya, 'my vourneen,' says he, 'be quick now; there's that big bully of a scotchman coming up the hill. kiver me up with the blankets, and if he asks who is in bed, tell him it's the child.' so fingal laid down on the bed, and his wife had just time to cover him up, when in comes the scotchman, and though he stooped low, he broke his head against the portal. 'where's that baste fingal?' says he, rubbing his forehead; 'show him to me, that i may give him a bating.' 'whisht, whisht!' cries shaya, 'you'll wake the babby, and then him that you talk of bating will be the death of you, if he comes in.' 'is that the babby?' cried the scotchman with surprise, looking at the great carcass muffled up in the blankets. 'sure it is,' replied shaya, 'and fingal's babby too; so don't you wake him, or fingal will twist your neck in a minute.' 'by the cross of st andrew,' replied the giant, 'then it's time for me to be off; for if that's his babby, i'll be but a mouthful to the fellow himself. good morning to ye.' so the scotch giant ran out of the house, and never stopped to eat or drink until he got back to his own hills, foreby he was nearly drowned in having mistaken his passage across the channel in his great hurry. then fingal got up and laughed, as well he might, at his own 'cuteness; and so ends my story about fingal. and now i'll begin about myself. as i said before, i am descended from the great o'brien, who was a king in his time, but that time's past. i suppose, as the world turns round, my children's children's posterity may be kings again, although there seems but little chance of it just now; but there's ups and downs on a grand scale, as well as in a man's own history, and the wheel of fortune keeps turning for the comfort of those who are at the lowest spoke, as i may be just now. to cut the story a little shorter, i skip down to my great-grandfather, who lived like a real gentleman, as he was, upon his ten thousand a year. at last he died, and eight thousand of the ten was buried with him. my grandfather followed his father all in good course of time, and only left my father about one hundred acres of bog, to keep up the dignity of the family. i am the youngest of ten, and devil a copper have i but my pay, or am i likely to have. you may talk about _descent_, but a more _descending_ family than mine was never in existence, for here am i with twenty-five pounds a-year, and a half-pay of 'nothing a day, and find myself,' when my great ancestor did just what he pleased with all ireland, and everybody in it. but this is all nothing, except to prove satisfactorily that i am not worth a skillagalee, and that is the reason which induces me to condescend to serve his majesty. father m'grath, the priest, who lived with my father, taught me the elements, as they call them. i thought i had enough of the elements then, but i've seen a deal more of them since. 'terence,' says my father to me one day, 'what do you mane to do?' 'to get my dinner, sure,' replied i, for i was not a little hungry. 'and so you shall to-day, my vourneen,' replied my father, 'but in future you must do something to get your own dinner: there's not praties enow for the whole of ye. will you go to the _say_?' 'i'll just step down and look at it,' says i, for we lived but sixteen irish miles from the coast; so when i had finished my meal, which did not take long, for want of ammunition, i trotted down to the cove to see what a ship might be like, and i happened upon a large one sure enough, for there lay a three-decker with an admiral's flag at the fore. 'may be you'll be so civil as to tell me what ship that is,' said i to a sailor on the pier. 'it's the queen charlotte,' replied he, 'of one hundred and twenty guns.' now when i looked at her size, and compared her with all the little smacks and hoys lying about her, i very naturally asked how old she was; he replied, that she was no more than three years old. 'but three years old!' thought i to myself, 'it's a fine vessel you'll be when you'll come of age, if you grow at that rate: you'll be as tall as the top of bencrow,'(that's a mountain we have in our parts). you see, peter, i was a fool at that time, just as you are now; but by-and-by, when you've had as many thrashings as i have had, you may chance to be as clever. i went back to my father, and told him all i had seen, and he replied, that if i liked it i might be a midshipman on board of her, with nine hundred men under my command. he forgot to say how many i should have over me, but i found that out afterwards. i agreed, and my father ordered his pony and went to the lord-lieutenant, for he had interest enough for that. the lord-lieutenant spoke to the admiral, who was staying at the palace, and i was ordered on board as midshipman. my father fitted me out pretty handsomely, telling all the tradesmen that their bills should be paid with my first prize-money, and thus, by promises and blarney, he got credit for all i wanted. at last all was ready: father m'grath gave me his blessing, and told me that if i died like an o'brien, he would say a power of masses for the good of my soul. 'may you never have the trouble, sir,' said i. 'och, trouble! a pleasure, my dear boy,' replied he, for he was a very polite man; so off i went with my big chest, not quite so full as it ought to have been, for my mother cribbed one half of my stock for my brothers and sisters. 'i hope to be back again soon, father,' said i as i took my leave. 'i hope not, my dear boy,' replied he: 'a'n't you provided for, and what more would you have?' so, after a deal of bother, i was fairly on board, and i parted company with my chest, for i stayed on deck, and that went down below. i stared about with all my eyes for some time, when who should be coming off but the captain, and the officers were ordered on deck to receive him. i wanted to have a quiet survey of him, so i took up my station on one of the guns, that i might examine him at my leisure. the boatswain whistled, the marines presented arms, and the officers all took off their hats as the captain came on the deck, and then the guard was dismissed, and they all walked about the deck as before; but i found it very pleasant to be astride on the gun, so i remained where i was. 'what do you mane by that, you big young scoundrel?' says he, when he saw me. 'it's nothing at all i mane,' replied i; 'but what do you mane by calling an o'brien a scoundrel?' 'who is he?' said the captain to the first lieutenant. 'mr o'brien, who joined the ship about an hour since.' 'don't you know better than to sit upon a gun?' said the captain. 'to be sure i do,' replied i, 'when there's anything better to sit upon.' 'he knows no better, sir,' observed the first lieutenant. 'then he must be taught,' replied the captain. 'mr o'brien, since you have perched yourself on that gun to please yourself, you will now continue there for two hours to please me. do you understand, sir?--you'll ride on that gun for two hours.' 'i understand, sir,' replied i; 'but i am afraid that he won't move without spurs, although there's plenty of _metal_ in him.' the captain turned away and laughed as he went into his cabin, and all the officers laughed, and i laughed too, for i perceived no great hardship in sitting down an hour or two, any more than i do now. well, i soon found that, like a young bear, all my troubles were to come. the first month was nothing but fighting and squabbling with my messmates; they called me a _raw_ irishman, and _raw_ i was, sure enough, from the constant thrashings and coltings i received from those who were bigger and stronger than myself; but nothing lasts for ever--as they discovered that whenever they found blows i could find back, they got tired of it, and left me and my brogue alone. we sailed for the toolong fleet." "what fleet?" inquired i. "why, the toolong fleet, so called, i thought, because they remained too long in harbour, bad luck to them; and then we were off cape see-see (devil a bit could we see of them except their mast-heads) for i don't know how many months. but i forgot to say that i got into another scrape just before we left harbour. it was my watch when they piped to dinner, and i took the liberty to run below, as my messmates had a knack of forgetting absent friends. well, the captain came on board, and there were no side boys, no side ropes, and no officers to receive him. he came on deck foaming with rage, for his dignity was hurt, and he inquired who was the midshipman of the watch. 'mr o'brien,' said they all. 'devil a bit,' replied i, 'it was my forenoon watch.' 'who relieved you, sir?' said the first lieutenant. 'devil a soul, sir,' replied i; 'for they were all too busy with their pork and beef.' 'then why did you leave the deck without relief?' 'because, sir, my stomach would have had but little relief if i had remained.' the captain, who stood by, said, 'do you see those cross-trees, sir?' 'is it those little bits of wood that you mane, on the top there, captain?' 'yes, sir; now just go up there, and stay until i call you down. you must be brought to your senses, young man, or you'll have but little prospect in the service.' 'i've an idea that i'll have plenty of prospect when i get up there,' replied i, 'but it's all to please you.' so up i went, as i have many a time since, and as you often will, peter, just to enjoy the fresh air and your own pleasant thoughts, all at one and the same time. "at last i became much more used to the manners and customs of _say_-going people, and by the time that i had been fourteen months off cape see-see, i was considered a very genteel young midshipman, and my messmates (that is, all that i could thrash, which didn't leave out many) had a very great respect for me. "the first time that i put my foot on shore was at minorca, and then i put my foot into it (as we say), for i was nearly killed for a heretic, and only saved by proving myself a true catholic, which proves that religion is a great comfort in distress, as father m'grath used to say. several of us went on shore, and having dined upon a roast turkey, stuffed with plum-pudding (for everything else was cooked in oil, and we could not eat it), and having drunk as much wine as would float a jolly-boat, we ordered donkeys, to take a little equestrian exercise. some went off tail on end, some with their hind-quarters uppermost, and then the riders went off instead of the donkeys; some wouldn't go off at all; as for mine he would go--and where the devil do you think he went? why, into the church where all the people were at mass; the poor brute was dying with thirst, and smelt water. as soon as he was in, notwithstanding all my tugging and hauling, he ran his nose into the holy-water font, and drank it all up. although i thought, that seeing how few christians have any religion, you could not expect much from a donkey, yet i was very much shocked at the sacrilege, and fearful of the consequences. nor was it without reason, for the people in the church were quite horrified, as well they might be, for the brute drank as much holy-water as would have purified the whole town of port mahon, suburbs and all to boot. they rose up from their knees and seized me, calling upon all the saints in the calendar. although i knew what they meant, not a word of their lingo could i speak, to plead for my life, and i was almost torn to pieces before the priest came up. perceiving the danger i was in, i wiped my finger across the wet nose of the donkey, crossed myself, and then went down on my knees to the priests, crying out _culpa mea_, as all good catholics do--though 'twas no fault of mine, as i said before, for i tried all i could, and tugged at the brute till my strength was gone. the priests perceived by the manner in which i crossed myself that i was a good catholic, and guessed that it was all a mistake of the donkey's. they ordered the crowd to be quiet, and sent for an interpreter, when i explained the whole story. they gave me absolution for what the donkey had done, and after that, as it was very rare to meet an english officer who was a good christian, i was in great favour during my stay at minorca, and was living in plenty, paying for nothing, and as happy as a cricket. so the jackass proved a very good friend, and, to reward him, i hired him every day, and galloped him all over the island. but, at last, it occurred to me that i had broken my leave, for i was so happy on shore that i quite forgot that i had only permission for twenty-four hours, and i should not have remembered it so soon, had it not been for a party of marines, headed by a sergeant, who took me by the collar, and dragged me off my donkey. i was taken on board, and put under an arrest for my misconduct. now, peter, i don't know anything more agreeable than being put under an arrest. nothing to do all day but eat and drink, and please yourself, only forbid to appear on the quarter-deck, the only place that a midshipman wishes to avoid. whether it was to punish me more severely, or whether he forgot all about me, i can't tell, but it was nearly two months before i was sent for to the cabin; and the captain, with a most terrible frown, said, that he trusted that my punishment would be a warning to me, and that now i might return to my duty. 'plase your honour,' said i, 'i don't think that i've been punished enough yet.' 'i am glad to find that you are so penitent, but you are forgiven, so take care that you do not oblige me to put you again in confinement.' so, as there was no persuading him, i was obliged to return to my duty again; but i made a resolution that i would get into another scrape again as soon as i dared--" "sail on the starboard bow!" cried the look-out man. "very well," replied the master; "mr o'brien--where's mr o'brien?" "is it me you mane, sir?" said o'brien, walking up to the master, for he had sat down so long in the topsail-halyard rack, that he was wedged in and could not get out immediately. "yes, sir; go forward, and see what that vessel is." "aye, aye, sir," said o'brien. "and mr simple," continued the master, "go down and bring me up my night-glass." "yes, sir," replied i. i had no idea of a night-glass; and as i observed that about this time his servant brought him up a glass of grog, i thought it very lucky that i knew what he meant. "take care that you don't break it, mr simple." "oh, then, i'm all right," thought i; "he means the tumbler." so down i went, called up the gunroom steward, and desired him to give me a glass of grog for mr doball. the steward tumbled out in his shirt, mixed the grog, and gave it to me, and i carried it up very carefully to the quarter-deck. during my absence, the master had called the captain, and in pursuance of his orders, o'brien had called the first lieutenant, and when i came up the ladder, they were both on deck. as i was ascending, i heard the master say, "i have sent young simple down for my night-glass, but he is so long, that i suppose he has made some mistake. he's but half a fool." "that i deny," replied mr falcon, the first lieutenant, just as i put my foot on the quarter-deck; "he's no fool." "perhaps not," replied the master. "oh, here he is. what made you so long, mr simple--where is my night-glass?" "here it is, sir," replied i, handing him the tumbler of grog; "i told the steward to make it stiff." the captain and the first lieutenant burst out into a laugh for mr doball was known to be very fond of grog; the former walked aft to conceal his mirth; but the latter remained. mr doball was in a great rage. "did not i say that the boy was half a fool?" cried he to the first lieutenant. "at all events, i'll not allow that he has proved himself so in this instance," replied mr falcon, "for he has hit the right nail on the head." then the first lieutenant joined the captain, and they both went off laughing. "put it on the capstan, sir," said mr doball to me, in an angry voice. "i'll punish you by-and-by." i was very much astonished; i hardly knew whether i had done right or wrong; at all events, thought i to myself, i did for the best; so i put it on the capstan and walked to my own side of the deck. the captain and first lieutenant then went below, and o'brien came aft. "what vessel is it?" said i. "to the best of my belief, it's one of your bathing-machines going home with despatches," replied he. "a bathing machine," said i; "why i thought that they were hauled up on the beach." "that's the brighton sort; but these are made not to go up at all." "what then?" "why, to _go down_, to be sure; and remarkably well they answer their purpose. i won't puzzle you any more, my peter--i'm spaking helligorically, which i believe means telling a hell of a lie. it's one of your ten-gun brigs, to the best of my knowledge." i then told o'brien what had occurred, and how the master was angry with me. o'brien laughed very heartily, and told me never to mind, but to keep in the lee-scuppers and watch him. "a glass of grog is a bait that he'll play round till he gorges. when you see it to his lips, go up to him boldly, and ask his pardon, if you have offended him, and then, if he's a good christian, as i believe him to be, he'll not refuse it." i thought this was very good advice, and i waited under the bulwark on the lee-side. i observed that the master made shorter and shorter turns every time, till at last he stopped at the capstan and looked at the grog. he waited about half a minute, and then he took up the tumbler, and drank about half of it. it was very strong, and he stopped to take breath. i thought this was the right time, and i went up to him. the tumbler was again to his lips, and before he saw me, i said, "i hope, sir, you'll forgive me; i never heard of a night telescope, and knowing that you had walked so long, i thought you were tired, and wanted something to drink to refresh you." "well, mr simple," said he, after he had finished the glass, with a deep sigh of pleasure, "as you meant kindly, i shall let you off this time; but recollect, that whenever you bring me a glass of grog again, it must not be in the presence of the captain or first lieutenant." i promised him very faithfully, and went away quite delighted with my having made my peace with him, and more so, that the first lieutenant had said that i was no fool for what i had done. at last our watch was over, and about two bells i was relieved by the midshipmen of the next watch. it is very unfair not to relieve in time, but if i said a word i was certain to be thrashed the next day upon some pretence or other. on the other hand, the midshipman whom i relieved was also much bigger than i was, and if i was not up before one bell, i was cut down and thrashed by him: so that between the two i kept much more than my share of the watch, except when the master sent me to bed before it was over. chapter xiii the first lieutenant prescribes for one of his patients, his prescriptions consisting of _draughts_ only--o'brien finishes the history of his life, in which the proverb of "the more the merrier" is sadly disproved--_shipping_ a new pair of boots causes the _unshipping_ of their owner--walking home after a ball, o'brien meets with an accident. the next morning i was on deck at seven bells, to see the hammocks stowed, when i was witness to mr falcon, the first lieutenant, having recourse to one of his remedies to cure a mizen-top-boy of smoking, a practice to which he had a great aversion. he never interfered with the men smoking in the galley, or chewing tobacco; but he prevented the boys, that is, lads under twenty or there-abouts, from indulging in the habit too early. the first lieutenant smelt the tobacco as the boy passed him on the quarter-deck. "why, neill, you have been smoking," said the first lieutenant. "i thought you were aware that i did not permit such lads as you to use tobacco." "if you please, sir," replied the mizen-top-man, touching his hat, "i'se got worms, and they say that smoking be good for them." "good for them!" said the first lieutenant; "yes, very good for them, but very bad for you. why, my good fellow, they'll thrive upon tobacco until they grow as large as conger eels. heat is what the worms are fond of; but cold--cold will kill them. now i'll cure you. quarter-master, come here. walk this boy up and down the weather-gangway, and every time you get forward abreast of the main-tack block, put his mouth to windward, squeeze him sharp by the nape of the neck until he opens his mouth wide, and there keep him and let the cold air blow down his throat, while you count ten; then walk him aft, and when you are forward again, proceed as before.--cold kills worms, my poor boy, not tobacco--i wonder that you are not dead by this time." the quarter-master, who liked the joke, as did all the seamen, seized hold of the lad, and as soon as they arrived forward, gave him such a squeeze of the neck as to force him to open his mouth, if it were only to cry with pain. the wind was very fresh, and blew into his mouth so strong, that it actually whistled while he was forced to keep it open; and thus, he was obliged to walk up and down, cooling his inside, for nearly two hours, when the first lieutenant sent for him, and told him, that he thought all the worms must be dead by that time; but if they were not, the lad was not to apply his own remedies, but come to him for another dose. however, the boy was of the same opinion as the first lieutenant, and never complained of worms again. a few nights afterwards, when we had the middle watch, o'brien proceeded with his story. "where was it that i left off?" "you left off at the time that you were taken out of confinement." "so i did, sure enough; and it was with no good-will that i went to my duty. however, as there was no help for it, i walked up and down the deck as before, with my hands in my pockets, thinking of old ireland, and my great ancestor, brien borru. and so i went on behaving myself like a real gentleman, and getting into no more scrapes, until the fleet put into the cove of cork, and i found myself within a few miles of my father's house. you may suppose that the anchor had hardly kissed the mud, before i went to the first lieutenant, and asked leave to go on shore. now the first lieutenant was not in the sweetest of tempers, seeing as how the captain had been hauling him over the coals for not carrying on the duty according to his satisfaction. so he answered me very gruffly, that i should not leave the ship. 'oh, bother!' said i to myself, 'this will never do.' so up i walked to the captain, and touching my hat, reminded him that 'i had a father and mother, and a pretty sprinkling of brothers and sisters, who were dying to see me, and that i hoped that he would give me leave.' 'ax the first lieutenant,' said he, turning away. 'i have, sir,' replied i, 'and he says that the devil a bit shall i put my foot on shore.' 'then you have misbehaved yourself,' said the captain. 'not a bit of it, captain willis,' replied i; 'it's the first lieutenant who has misbehaved.' 'how, sir?' answered he, in an angry tone. 'why, sir, didn't he misbehave just now in not carrying on the duty according to your will and pleasure? and didn't you serve him out just as he deserved--and isn't he sulky because you did-- and arn't that the reason why i am not to go on shore? you see, your honour, it's all true as i said; and the first lieutenant has misbehaved and not i. i hope you will allow me to go on shore, captain, god bless you! and make some allowance for my parental feelings towards the arthers of my existence.' 'have you any fault to find with mr o'brien?' said the captain to the first lieutenant, as he came aft. 'no more than i have with midshipmen in general; but i believe it is not the custom for officers to ask leave to go on shore before the sails are furled and the yards squared.' 'very true,' replied the captain; 'therefore, mr o'brien, you must wait until the watch is called, and then, if you ask the first lieutenant, i have no doubt but you will have leave granted to you to go and see your friends.' 'thank'e kindly, sir,' replied i; and i hoped that the yards and sails would be finished off as soon as possible, for my heart was in my mouth, and i felt that if i had been kept much longer, it would have flown on shore before me. "i thought myself very clever in this business, but i was never a greater fool in my life; for there was no such hurry to have gone on shore, and the first lieutenant never forgave me for appealing to the captain--but of that by-and-by, and all in good time. at last i obtained a grumbling assent to my going on shore, and off i went like a sky-rocket. being in a desperate hurry, i hired a jaunting-car to take me to my father's house. 'is it the o'brien of ballyhinch that you mane?' inquired the spalpeen who drove the horse. 'sure it is,' replied i; 'and how is he, and all the noble family of the o'briens?" 'all well enough, bating the boy tim, who caught a bit of confusion in his head the other night at the fair, and now lies at home in bed quite insensible to mate or drink; but the doctors give hopes of his recovery, as all the o'briens are known to have such thick heads.' 'what do you mane by that, bad manners to you?' said i, 'but poor tim--how did it happen--was there a fight?' 'not much of a fight--only a bit of a skrummage--three crowners' inquests, no more.' 'but you are not going the straight road, you thief,' said i, seeing that he had turned off to the left. 'i've my reasons for that, your honour,' replied he; 'i always turn away from the castle out of principle--i lost a friend there, and it makes me melancholy.' 'how came that for to happen?' 'all by accident, your honour; they hung my poor brother patrick there, because he was a bad hand at arithmetic.' 'he should have gone to a better school then,' said i. 'i've an idea that it was a bad school that he was brought up in,' replied he, with a sigh. 'he was a cattle-dealer, your honour, and one day, somehow or another, he'd a cow too much--all for not knowing how to count, your honour,--bad luck to his school-master.' 'all that may be very true,' said i, 'and pace be to his soul; but i don't see why you are to drag me, that's in such a hurry, two miles out of my way, out of principle.' 'is your honour in a hurry to get home? then i'll be thinking they'll not be in such a hurry to see you.' 'and who told you that my name was o'brien, you baste?--and do you dare to say that my friends won't be glad to see me?' 'plase your honour, it's all an idea of mine--so say no more about it. only this i know: father m'grath, who gives me absolution, tould me the other day that i ought to pay him, and not run in debt, and then run away like terence o'brien, who went to say without paying for his shirts, and his shoes, and his stockings, nor anything else, and who would live to be hanged as sure as st patrick swam over the liffey with his head under his arm.' 'bad luck to that father mcgrath,' cried i; 'devil burn me, but i'll be revenged upon him!' "by that time we had arrived at the door of my father's house. i paid the rapparee, and in i popped. there was my father and mother, and all my brothers and sisters (bating tim, who was in bed sure enough, and died next day), and that baste father mcgrath to boot. when my mother saw me she ran to me and hugged me as she wept on my neck, and then she wiped her eyes and sat down again; but nobody else said 'how d'ye do?' or opened their mouths to me. i said to myself, 'sure there's some trifling mistake here,' but i held my tongue. at last they all opened their mouths with a vengeance. my father commenced--'ar'n't you ashamed on yourself, terence o'brien?' 'ar'n't you ashamed on yourself, terence o'brien?' cried father m'grath. 'ar'n't you ashamed on yourself?' cried out all my brothers and sisters in full chorus, whilst my poor mother put her apron to her eyes and said nothing. 'the devil a bit for myself, but very much ashamed for you all,' replied i, 'to treat me in this manner. what's the meaning of all this?' 'haven't they seized my two cows to pay for your toggery, you spalpeen?' cried my father. 'haven't they taken the hay to pay for your shoes and stockings?' cried father m'grath. 'haven't they taken the pig to pay for that ugly hat of yours?' cried my eldest sister. 'and haven't they taken my hens to pay for that dirk of yours?' cried another. 'and all our best furniture to pay for your white shirts and black cravats?' cried murdock, my brother. 'and haven't we been starved to death ever since?' cried they all. 'och hone!' said my mother. 'the devil they have!' said i, when they'd all done. 'sure i'm sorry enough, but it's no fault of mine. father, didn't you send me to say?' 'yes, you rapparee; but didn't you promise--or didn't i promise for you, which is all one and the same thing--that you'd pay it all back with your prize-money--and where is it? answer that, terence o'brien.' 'where is it, father? i'll tell you; it's where next christmas is--coming, but not come yet.' 'spake to him, father m'grath,' said my father. 'is not that a lie of yours, terence o'brien, that you're after telling now?' said father mcgrath; 'give me the money.' 'it's no lie, father mcgrath; if it pleased you to die to-morrow, the devil of a shilling have i to jingle on your tombstone for good luck, bating those three or four, which you may divide between you, and i threw them on the floor. "'terence o'brien,' said father mcgrath, 'its absolution that you'll be wanting to-morrow, after all your sins and enormities; and the devil a bit shall you have--take that now.' "'father m'grath,' replied i very angrily, 'it's no absolution that i'll want from you, any how--take that now.' "'then you have had your share of heaven; for i'll keep you out of it, you wicked monster,' said father m'grath--'take that now.' "'if it's no better than a midshipman's berth,' replied i, 'i'd just as soon stay out; but i'll creep in in spite of you--take that now, father m'grath.' "'and who's to save your soul, and send you to heaven, if i don't, you wicked wretch? but i'll see you d--d first--so take that now, terence o'brien.' "'then i'll turn protestant, and damn the pope--take that now, father m'grath.' "at this last broadside of mine, my father and all my brothers and sisters raised a cry of horror, and my mother burst into tears. father m'grath seized hold of the pot of holy water, and dipping in the little whisk, began to sprinkle the room, saying a latin prayer, while they all went on squalling at me. at last, my father seized the stool, which he had been seated upon, and threw it at my head. i dodged, and it knocked down father m'grath, who had just walked behind me in full song. i knew that it was all over after that, so i sprang over his carcass, and gained the door. 'good morning to ye all, and better manners to you next time we meet,' cried i, and off i set as fast as i could for the ship. "i was melancholy enough as i walked back, and thought of what had passed. 'i need not have been in such a confounded hurry,' said i to myself, 'to ask leave, thereby affronting the first lieutenant;' and i was very sorry for what i had said to the priest, for my conscience thumped me very hard at having even pretended that i'd turn protestant, which i never intended to do, nor never will, but live and die a good catholic, as all my posterity have done before me, and, as i trust, all my ancestors will for generations to come. well, i arrived on board, and the first lieutenant was very savage. i hoped he would get over it, but he never did; and he continued to treat me so ill that i determined to quit the ship, which i did as soon as we arrived in cawsand bay. the captain allowed me to go, for i told him the whole truth of the matter, and he saw that it was true; so he recommended me to the captain of a jackass frigate, who was in want of midshipmen." "what do you mean by a jackass frigate?" inquired i. "i mean one of your twenty-eight gun-ships, so called, because there is as much difference between them and a real frigate, like the one we are sailing in, as there is between a donkey and a racehorse. well, the ship was no sooner brought down to the dock-yard to have her ballast taken in, than our captain came down to her--a little, thin, spare man, but a man of weight nevertheless, for he brought a great pair of scales with him, and weighed everything that was put on board. i forget his real name, but the sailors christened him captain avoirdupois. he had a large book, and in it he inserted the weight of the ballast, and of the shot, water, provisions, coals, standing and running rigging, cables, and everything else. then he weighed all the men, and all the midshipmen, and all the midshipmen's chests, and all the officers, with everything belonging to them: lastly, he weighed himself, which did not add much to the sum total. i don't exactly know what this was for; but he was always talking about centres of gravity, displacement of fluid, and lord knows what. i believe it was to find out the longitude, somehow or other, but i didn't remain long enough in her to know the end of it, for one day i brought on board a pair of new boots, which i forgot to report that they might be put into the scales, which swang on the gangway; and whether the captain thought that they would sink his ship, or for what i can not tell, but he ordered me to quit her immediately--so, there i was adrift again. i packed up my traps and went on shore, putting on my new boots out of spite, and trod into all the mud and mire i could meet, and walked up and down from plymouth to dock until i was tired, as a punishment to them, until i wore the scoundrels out in a fortnight. "one day i was in the dockyard, looking at a two-decker in the basin, just brought forward for service, and i inquired who was to be the captain. they told me that his name was o'connor. then's he's a countryman of mine, thought i, and i'll try my luck. so i called at goud's hotel, where he was lodging, and requested to speak with him. i was admitted, and i told him, with my best bow, that i had come as a volunteer for his ship, and that my name was o'brien. as it happened, he had some vacancies, and liking my brogue, he asked me in what ships i had served. i told him, and also my reason for quitting my last--which was, because i was turned out of it. i explained the story of the boots, and he made inquiries, and found that it was all true; and then he gave me a vacancy as master's mate. we were ordered to south america, and the trade winds took us there in a jiffey. i liked my captain and officers very much; and what was better, we took some good prizes. but somehow or other, i never had the luck to remain long in one ship, and that by no fault of mine; at least, not in this instance. all went on as smooth as possible, until one day the captain took us on shore to a ball, at one of the peaceable districts. we had a very merry night of it; but as luck would have it, i had the morning watch to keep, and see the decks cleaned, and as i never neglected my duty, i set off about three o'clock in the morning, just at break of day, to go on board of the ship. i was walking along the sands, thinking of the pretty girl that i'd been dancing with, and had got about half way to the ship, when three rapparees of spanish soldiers came from behind a rock and attacked me with their swords and bayonets. i had only my dirk, but i was not to be run through for nothing, so i fought them as long as i could. i finished one fellow, but at last they finished me; for a bayonet passed through my body, and i forgot all about it. well, it appears--for i can only say to the best of my knowledge and belief--that after they had killed me, they stripped me naked and buried me in the sand, carrying away with them the body of their comrade. so there i was--dead and buried." "but, o'brien," said i "whist--hold your tongue--you've not heard the end of it. well, i had been buried about an hour--but not very deep it appears, for they were in too great a hurry--when a fisherman and his daughter came along the beach, on their way to the boat; and the daughter, god bless her! did me the favour to tread upon my nose. it was clear that she had never trod upon an irishman's nose before, for it surprised her, and she looked down to see what was there, and not seeing anything, she tried it again with her foot, and then she scraped off the sand, and discovered my pretty face. i was quite warm and still breathing, for the sand had stopped the blood, and prevented my bleeding to death. the fisherman pulled me out, and took me on his back to the house where the captain and officers were still dancing. when he brought me in, there was a great cry from the ladies, not because i was murdered, for they are used to it in those countries, but because i was naked, which they considered a much more serious affair. i was put to bed and a boat despatched on board for our doctor; and in a few hours i was able to speak, and tell them how it happened. but i was too ill to move when the ship sailed, which she was obliged to do in a day or two afterwards, so the captain made out my discharge, and left me there. the family were french, and i remained with them for six months before i could obtain a passage home, during which i learnt their language, and a very fair allowance of spanish to boot. when i arrived in england, i found that the prizes had been sold, and that the money was ready for distribution. i produced my certificate, and received £ for my share. so it's come at last, thought i. "i never had such a handful of money in my life; but i hope i shall again very soon. i spread it out on the table as soon as i got home, and looked at it, and then i said to myself, 'now, terence o'brien, will you keep this money to yourself, or send it home?' then i thought of father m'grath, and the stool that was thrown at my head, and i was very near sweeping it all back into my pocket. but then i thought of my mother, and of the cows, and the pig, and the furniture, all gone; and of my brothers and sisters wanting praties, and i made a vow that i'd send every farthing of it to them, after which father m'grath would no longer think of not giving me absolution. so i sent them every doit, only reserving for myself the pay which i had received, amounting to about £ : and i never felt more happy in my life than when it was safe in the post-office, and fairly out of my hands. i wrote a bit of a letter to my father at the time, which was to this purpose:-- "'honoured father,-- since our last pleasant meeting, at which you threw the stool at my head, missing the pigeon and hitting the crow, i have been dead and buried, but am now quite well, thank god, and want no absolution from father m'grath, bad luck to him. and what's more to the point, i have just received a batch of prize-money, the first i have handled since i have served his majesty, and every farthing of which i now send to you, that you may get back your old cows, and the pig, and all the rest of the articles seized to pay for my fitting out; so never again ask me whether i am not ashamed of myself; more shame to you for abusing a dutiful son like myself, who went to sea at your bidding, and has never had a real good potato down his throat ever since. i'm a true o'brien, tell my mother, and don't mane to turn protestant, but uphold the religion of my country; although the devil may take father m'grath and his holy water to boot. i sha'n't come and see you, as perhaps you may have another stool ready for my head, and may take better aim next time. so no more at present from your affectionate son, 'terence o'brien.'" "about three weeks afterwards i received a letter from my father, telling me that i was a real o'brien, and that if any one dared hint to the contrary, he would break every bone in his body; that they had received the money, and thanked me for a real gentleman as i was; that i should have the best stool in the house next time i came, not for my head, but for my tail; that father m'grath sent me his blessing, and had given me absolution for all i had done, or should do for the next ten years to come; that my mother had cried with joy at my dutiful behaviour; and that all my brothers and sisters (bating tim, who had died the day after i left them) wished me good luck, and plenty more prize-money to send home to them. "this was all very pleasant; and i had nothing left on my mind but to get another ship; so i went to the port-admiral, and told him how it was that i left my last: and he said, 'that being dead and buried was quite sufficient reason for any one leaving his ship, and that he would procure me another, now that i had come to life again.' i was sent on board of the guard-ship, where i remained about ten days, and then was sent round to join this frigate--and so my story's ended; and there's eight bells striking--so the watch is ended too; jump down, peter, and call robinson, and tell him that i'll trouble him to forget to go to sleep again as he did last time, and leave me here kicking my heels, contrary to the rules and regulations of the service." chapter xiv the first lieutenant has more patients--mr chucks the boatswain, lets me into the secret of his gentility. before i proceed with my narrative, i wish to explain to the reader that my history was not written in after-life, when i had obtained a greater knowledge of the world. when i first went to sea, i promised my mother that i would keep a journal of what passed, with my reflections upon it. to this promise i rigidly adhered, and since i have been my own master, these journals have remained in my possession. in writing, therefore, the early part of my adventures, everything is stated as it was impressed on my mind at the time. upon many points i have since had reason to form a different opinion from that which is recorded, and upon many others i have since laughed heartily at my folly and simplicity; but still, i have thought it advisable to let the ideas of the period remain, rather than correct them by those of dear-bought experience. a boy of fifteen, brought up in a secluded country town, cannot be expected to reason and judge as a young man who has seen much of life, and passed through a variety of adventures. the reader must therefore remember, that i have referred to my journal for the opinions and feelings which guided me between each distinct anniversary of my existence. we had now been cruising for six weeks, and i found that my profession was much more agreeable than i had anticipated. my desire to please was taken for the deed; and, although i occasionally made a blunder, yet the captain and first lieutenant seemed to think that i was attentive to my duty to the best of my ability, and only smiled at my mistakes. i also discovered, that, however my natural capacity may have been estimated by my family, that it was not so depreciated here; and every day i felt more confidence in myself, and hoped, by attention and diligence, to make up for a want of natural endowment. there certainly is something in the life of a sailor which enlarges the mind. when i was at home six months before, i allowed other people to think for me, and acted wholly on the leading-strings of their suggestions; on board, to the best of my ability, i thought for myself. i became happy with my messmates--those who were harsh upon me left off, because i never resented their conduct, and those who were kind to me were even kinder than before. the time flew away quickly, i suppose, because i knew exactly what i had to do, and each day was the forerunner of the ensuing. the first lieutenant was one of the most amusing men i ever knew, yet he never relaxed from the discipline of the service, or took the least liberty with either his superiors or inferiors. his humour was principally shown in his various modes of punishment; and, however severe the punishment was to the party, the manner of inflicting it was invariably a source of amusement to the remainder of the ship's company. i often thought, that although no individual liked being punished, yet, that all the ship's company were quite pleased when a punishment took place. he was very particular about his decks; they were always as white as snow, and nothing displeased him so much as their being soiled. it was for that reason that he had such an objection to the use of tobacco. there were spitting-pans placed in different parts of the decks for the use of the men, that they might not dirty the planks with the tobacco-juice. sometimes a man in his hurry forgot to use these pans, but, as the mess to which the stain might be opposite had their grog stopped if the party were not found out, they took good care not only to keep a look-out, but to inform against the offender. now the punishment for the offence was as follows--the man's hands were tied behind his back, and a large tin spitting-box fixed to his chest by a strap over the shoulders. all the other boxes on the lower deck were taken away, and he was obliged to walk there, ready to attend the summons of any man who might wish to empty his mouth of the tobacco-juice. the other men were so pleased at the fancy, that they spat twice as much as before, for the pleasure of making him run about. mr chucks, the boatswain, called it "the first lieutenant's _perambulating_ spitting-pan." he observed to me one day, "that really mr falcon was such an _epicure_ about his decks, that he was afraid to pudding an anchor on the forecastle." i was much amused one morning watch that i kept. we were stowing the hammocks in the quarter-deck nettings, when one of the boys came up with his hammock on his shoulder, and as he passed the first lieutenant, the latter perceived that he had a quid of tobacco in his cheek. "what have you got there, my good lad--a gum-boil?--your cheek is very much swelled." "no, sir," replied the boy, "there's nothing at all the matter." "o there must be; it is a bad tooth, then. open your mouth, and let me see." very reluctantly the boy opened his mouth, and discovered a large roll of tobacco-leaf. "i see, i see," said the first lieutenant, "your mouth wants overhauling, and your teeth cleaning. i wish we had a dentist on board; but as we have not, i will operate as well as i can. send the armourer up here with his tongs." when the armourer made his appearance, the boy was made to open his mouth, while the chaw of tobacco was extracted with his rough instrument. "there now," said the first lieutenant, "i'm sure that you must feel better already; you never could have had any appetite. now, captain of the afterguard, bring a piece of old canvas and some sand here, and clean his teeth nicely." the captain of the afterguard came forward, and putting the boy's head between his knees, scrubbed his teeth well with the sand and canvas for two or three minutes. "there, that will do," said the first lieutenant. "now, my little fellow, your mouth is nice and clean, and you'll enjoy your breakfast. it was impossible for you to have eaten anything with your mouth in such a nasty state. when it's dirty again, come to me, and i'll be your dentist." one day i was on the forecastle with mr chucks, the boatswain, who was very kind to me. he had been showing me how to make the various knots and bends of rope which are used in our service. i am afraid that i was very stupid, but he showed me over and over again, until i learnt how to make them. amongst others, he taught me a fisherman's bend, which he pronounced to be the _king_ of all knots; "and, mr simple," continued he, "there is a moral in that knot. you observe, that when the parts are drawn the right way, and together, the more you pull the faster they hold, and the more impossible to untie them; but see, by hauling them apart, how a little difference, a pull the other way, immediately disunites them, and then how easy they cast off in a moment. that points out the necessity of pulling together in this world, mr simple, when we wish to hold on, and that's a piece of philosophy worth all the twenty-six thousand and odd years of my friend the carpenter, which leads to nothing but a brown study, when he ought to be attending to his duty." "very true, mr chucks, you are the better philosopher of the two." "i am the better educated, mr simple, and i trust, more of a gentleman. i consider a gentleman to be, to a certain degree, a philosopher, for very often he is obliged, to support his character as such, to put up with what another person may very properly fly in a passion about. i think coolness is the great character-stick of a gentleman. in the service, mr simple, one is obliged to appear angry without indulging the sentiment. i can assure you, that i never lose my temper, even when i use my rattan." "why, then, mr chucks, do you swear so much at the men? surely that is not gentlemanly?" "most certainly not, sir. but i must defend myself by observing the very artificial state in which we live on board of a man-of-war. necessity, my dear mr simple, has no law. you must observe how gently i always commence when i have to find fault. i do that to prove my gentility; but, sir, my zeal for the service obliges me to alter my language, to prove in the end that i am in earnest. nothing would afford me more pleasure than to be able to carry on the duty as a gentleman, but that's impossible." "i really cannot see why." "perhaps, then, mr simple, you will explain to me why the captain and first lieutenant swear." "that i do not pretend to answer, but they only do so upon an emergency." "exactly so; but, sir, their 'mergency is my daily and hourly duty. in the continual working of the ship i am answerable for all that goes amiss. the life of a boatswain is a life of 'mergency, and therefore i swear." "i still cannot allow it to be requisite, and certainly it is sinful." "excuse me, my dear sir; it is absolutely requisite, and not at all sinful. there is one language for the pulpit, and another for on board ship, and, in either situation, a man must make use of those terms most likely to produce the necessary effect upon his listeners. whether it is from long custom of the service, or from the indifference of a sailor to all common things and language (i can't exactly explain myself, mr simple, but i know what i mean), perhaps constant excitement may do, and therefore he requires more 'stimilis,' as they call it, to make him move. certain it is, that common parlancy won't do with a common seaman. it is not here as in the scriptures, 'do this, and he doeth it' (by the bye, that chap must have had his soldiers in tight order); but it is, 'do this, d--n your eyes,' and then it is done directly. the order to _do_ just carries the weight of a cannon-shot, but it wants the perpelling power--the d--n is the gunpowder which sets it flying in the execution of its duty. do you comprehend me, mr simple?" "i perfectly understand you, mr chucks, and i cannot help remarking, and that without flattery, that you are very different from the rest of the warrant officers. where did you receive your education?" "mr simple, i am here a boatswain with a clean shirt, and, i say it myself, and no one dare gainsay it, also with a thorough knowledge of my duty. but although i do not say that i ever was better off, i can say this, that i've been in the best society, in the company of lords and ladies. i once dined with your grandfather." "that's more than ever i did, for he never asked me, nor took the least notice of me," replied i. "what i state is true. i did not know that he was your grandfather until yesterday, when i was talking with mr o'brien; but i perfectly recollect him, although i was very young at that time. now, mr simple, if you will promise me as a gentleman (and i know you are one), that you will not repeat what i tell you, then i'll let you into the history of my life." "mr chucks, as i am a gentleman i never will divulge it until you are dead and buried, and not then if you do not wish it." "when i am dead and buried, you may do as you please; it may then be of service to other people, although my story is not a very long one." mr chucks then sat down upon the fore-end of the booms by the funnel, and i took my place by his side, when he commenced as follows:-- "my father was a boatswain before me--one of the old school, rough as a bear, and drunken as a gosport fiddler. my mother was--my mother, and i shall say no more. my father was invalided for harbour duty after a life of intoxication, and died shortly afterwards. in the meantime i had been, by the kindness of the port-admiral's wife, educated at a foundation school. i was thirteen when my father died, and my mother, not knowing what to do with me, wished to bind me apprentice to a merchant vessel; but this i refused, and, after six months' quarrelling on the subject, i decided the point by volunteering in the _narcissus_ frigate. i believe that my gentlemanly ideas were innate, mr simple; i never, as a child, could bear the idea of the merchant service. after i had been a week on board, i was appointed servant to the purser, where i gave such satisfaction by my alertness and dexterity, that the first lieutenant took me away from the purser to attend upon himself, so that in two months i was a person of such consequence as to create a disturbance in the gunroom, for the purser was very angry, and many of the officers took his part. it was whispered that i was the son of the first lieutenant, and that he was aware of it. how far that may be true i know not, but there was a likeness between us; and my mother, who was a very pretty woman, attended his ship many years before as a bumboat girl. i can't pretend to say anything about it, but this i do say, mr simple--and many will blame me for it, but i can't help my natural feelings--that i had rather be the bye-blow of a gentleman, than the 'gitimate offspring of a boatswain and his wife. there's no chance of good blood in your veins in the latter instance, whereas, in the former you may have stolen a drop or two. it so happened, that after i had served the first lieutenant for about a year, a young lord (i must not mention his name, mr simple) was sent to sea by his friends, or by his own choice, i don't know which, but i was told that his uncle, who was 'zeckative, and had an interest in his death, persuaded him to go. a lord at that period, some twenty-five years ago, was a rarity in the service, and they used to salute him when he came on board. the consequence was, that the young lord must have a servant to himself, although all the rest of the midshipmen had but one servant between them. the captain inquired who was the best boy in the ship, and the purser, to whom he appealed, recommended me. accordingly, much to the annoyance of the first lieutenant (for first lieutenants in those days did not assume as they do now, not that i refer to mr falcon, who is a gentleman), i was immediately surrendered to his lordship. i had a very easy, comfortable life of it--i did little or nothing; if inquired for when all hands were turned up, i was cleaning his lordship's boots, or brushing his lordship's clothes, and there was nothing to be said when his lordship's name was mentioned. we went to the mediterranean (because his lordship's mamma wished it), and we had been there about a year, when his lordship ate so many grapes that he was seized with a dysentery. he was ill for three weeks, and then he requested to be sent to malta in a transport going to gibraltar, or rather to the barbary coast, for bullocks. he became worse every day, and made his will, leaving me all his effects on board, which i certainly deserved for the kindness with which i had nursed him. off malta we fell in with a xebeque, bound to civita vecchia, and the captain of the transport, anxious to proceed, advised our going on board of her, as the wind was light and contrary, and these mediterranean vessels sailed better on a wind than the transport. my master, who was now sinking fast, consented, and we changed our ships. the next day he died, and a gale of wind came on, which prevented us from gaining the port for several days, and the body of his lordship not only became so offensive, but affected the superstition of the catholic sailors so much, that it was hove overboard. none of the people could speak english, nor could i speak maltese; they had no idea who we were, and i had plenty of time for cogitation. i had often thought what a fine thing it was to be a lord, and as often wished that i had been born one. the wind was still against us, when a merchant vessel ran down to us, that had left civita vecchia for gibraltar. i desired the captain of the xebeque to make a signal of distress, or rather i did myself, and the vessel, which proved to be english, bore down to us. "i manned the boat to go on board, and the idea came into my head, that, although they might refuse to take me, they would not refuse a lord. i put on the midshipman's uniform belonging to his lordship (but then certainly belonging to me), and went alongside of the merchant vessel; i told them that i had left my ship for the benefit of my health, and wanted a passage to gibraltar, on my way home. my title, and immediate acceptance of the terms demanded for my passage, was sufficient. my property was brought from the xebeque; and, of course, as they could not speak english, they could not contradict, even if they suspected. here, mr simple, i must acknowledge a slight flaw in my early history, which i impart to you in confidence; or otherwise i should not have been able to prove that i was correct in asserting that i had dined with your grandfather. but the temptation was too strong, and i could not resist. think yourself, mr simple, after having served as a ship's boy clouted here, kicked there, damned by one, and sent to hell by another--to find myself treated with such respect and deference, and my lorded this and my lorded that, every minute of the day. during my passage to gibraltar, i had plenty of time for arranging my plans. i hardly need say that my lord's _kit_ was valuable; and what was better, they exactly fitted me. i also had his watches and trinkets, and many other things, besides a bag of dollars. however, they were honestly mine; the only thing that i took was his name, which he had no further occasion for, poor fellow! but it's no use defending what was wrong--it was dishonest, and there's an end of it. "now observe, mr simple, how one thing leads to another. i declare to you, that my first idea of making use of his lordship's name, was to procure a passage to gibraltar. i then was undecided how to act; but, as i had charge of his papers and letters to his mother and guardian, i think--indeed i am almost sure--that i should have laid aside my dignity and midshipman's dress, and applied for a passage home to the commissioner of the yard. but it was fated to be otherwise; for the master of the transport went on shore to report and obtain pratique, and he told them everywhere that young lord a---- was a passenger with him, going to england for the benefit of his health. in less than half-an-hour, off came the commissioner's boat, and another boat from the governor, requesting the honour of my company, and that i would take a bed at their houses during my stay. what could i do? i began to be frightened; but i was more afraid to confess that i was an impostor, for i am sure the master of the transport alone would have kicked me overboard, if i had let him know that he had been so confounded polite to a ship's boy. so i blushed half from modesty and half from guilt, and accepted the invitation of the governor; sending a polite verbal refusal to the commissioner, upon the plea of there being no paper or pens on board. i had so often accompanied my late master, that i knew very well how to conduct myself, and had borrowed a good deal of his air and appearance--indeed, i had a natural taste for gentility. i could write and read; not perhaps so well as i ought to have done, considering the education i had received, but still quite well enough for a lord, and indeed much better than my late master. i knew his signature well enough, although the very idea of being forced to use it made me tremble. however, the die was cast. i ought to observe, that in one point we were not unlike--both had curly light hair and blue eyes; in other points there was no resemblance. i was by far the better-looking chap of the two; and as we had been up the mediterranean for two years, i had no fear of any doubt as to my identity until i arrived in england. well, mr simple, i dressed myself very carefully, put on my chains and rings, and a little perfume on my handkerchief, and accompanied the aide-de-camp to the governor's, where i was asked after my mother, lady ----, and my uncle, my guardian, and a hundred other questions. at first i was much confused, which was attributed to bashfulness; and so it was, but not of the right sort. but before the day was over, i had become so accustomed to be called 'my lord,' and to my situation, that i was quite at my ease, and began to watch the motions and behaviour of the company, that i might regulate my comportment by that of good society. i remained at gibraltar for a fortnight, and then was offered a passage in a transport ordered to portsmouth. being an officer, of course it was free to a certain extent. on my passage to england, i again made up my mind that i would put off my dress and title as soon as i could escape from observation; but i was prevented as before. the port-admiral sent off to request the pleasure of my company to dinner. i dared not refuse; and there i was, my lord, as before, courted and feasted by everybody. tradesmen called to request the honour of my lordship's custom; my table at the hotel was covered with cards of all descriptions; and, to confess the truth, i liked my situation so much, and had been so accustomed to it, that i now began to dislike the idea that one day or other i must resign it, which i determined to do as soon as i quitted the place. my bill at the hotel was very extravagant, and more than i could pay: but the master said it was not of the least consequence; that of course his lordship had not provided himself with cash, just coming from foreign parts, and offered to supply me with money if i required it. this, i will say, i was honest enough to refuse. i left my cards, p.p.c., as they do, mr simple, in all well-regulated society, and set off in the mail for london, where i fully resolved to drop my title, and to proceed to scotland to his lordship's mother, with the mournful intelligence of his death--for you see, mr simple, no one knew that his lordship was dead. the captain of the transport had put him into the xebeque alive, and the vessel bound to gibraltar had received him, as they imagined. the captain of the frigate had very soon afterwards advices from gibraltar, stating his lordship's recovery and return to england. well, i had not been in the coach more than five minutes, when who should get in but a gentleman whom i had met at the port-admiral's; besides which the coachman and others knew me very well. when i arrived in london (i still wore my midshipman's uniform), i went to an hotel recommended to me, as i afterwards found out, the most fashionable in town, my title still following me. i now determined to put off my uniform, and dress in plain clothes--my farce was over. i went to bed that night, and the next morning made my appearance in a suit of mufti, making inquiry of the waiter which was the best conveyance to scotland. "'post chay and four, my lord. at what time shall i order it?' "'o,' replied i, 'i am not sure that i shall go tomorrow.' "just at this moment in came the master of the hotel, with the _morning post_ in his hand, making me a low bow, and pointing to the insertion of my arrival at his hotel among the fashionables. this annoyed me; and now that i found how difficult it was to get rid of my title, i became particularly anxious to be william chucks, as before. before twelve o'clock, three or four gentlemen were ushered into my sitting-room, who observing my arrival in that damn'd _morning post_, came to pay their respects; and before the day was over i was invited and re-invited by a dozen people. i found that i could not retreat, and i went away with the stream, as i did before at gibraltar and portsmouth. for three weeks i was everywhere; and if i found it agreeable at portsmouth, how much more so in london! but i was not happy, mr simple, because i was a cheat, every moment expecting to be found out. but it really was a nice thing to be a lord. "at last the play was over. i had been enticed by some young men into a gambling-house, where they intended to fleece me; but, for the first night, they allowed me to win, i think, about £ . i was quite delighted with my success, and had agreed to meet them the next evening; but when i was at breakfast, with my legs crossed, reading the _morning post_, who should come to see me but my guardian uncle. he knew his nephew's features too well to be deceived; and my not recognising him proved at once that i was an impostor. you must allow me to hasten over the scene which took place--the wrath of the uncle, the confusion in the hotel, the abuse of the waiters, the police officer, and being dragged into a hackney coach to bow-street. there i was examined and confessed all. the uncle was so glad to find that his nephew was really dead, that he felt no resentment towards me; and as, after all, i had only assumed a name, but had cheated nobody, except the landlord at portsmouth, i was sent on board the tender off the tower, to be drafted into a man-of-war. as for my £ , my clothes, &c., i never heard any more of them; they were seized, i presume, by the landlord of the hotel for my bill, and very handsomely he must have paid himself. i had two rings on my fingers, and a watch in my pocket, when i was sent on board the tender, and i stowed them away very carefully. i had also a few pounds in my purse. i was sent round to plymouth, where i was drafted into a frigate. after i had been there some time, i turned the watch and rings into money, and bought myself a good kit of clothes; for i could not bear to be dirty. i was put into the mizen-top, and no one knew that i had been a lord." "you found some difference, i should think, in your situation?" "yes, i did, mr simple; but i was much happier. i could not forget the ladies, and the dinners, and the opera, and all the delights of london, beside the respect paid to my title, and i often sighed for them; but the police officer and bow-street also came to my recollection, and i shuddered at the remembrance. it had, however, one good effect; i determined to be an officer if i could, and learnt my duty, and worked my way up to quarter-master, and thence to boatswain--and i know my duty, mr simple. but i've been punished for my folly ever since. i formed ideas above my station in life, and cannot help longing to be a gentleman. it's a bad thing for a man to have ideas above his station." "you certainly must find some difference between the company in london and that of the warrant officers." "it's many years back now, sir; but i can't get over the feeling. i can't 'sociate with them at all. a man may have the feelings of a gentleman, although in a humble capacity; but how can i be intimate with such people as mr dispart or mr muddle, the carpenter? all very well in their way, mr simple, but what can you expect from officers who boil their 'tators in a cabbage-net hanging in the ship's coppers, when they know that there is one-third of a stove allowed them to cook their victuals on?" chapter xv i go on service and am made prisoner by an old lady, who, not able to obtain my hand, takes part of my finger as a token--o'brien rescues me-- a lee shore and narrow escape. two or three days after this conversation with mr chucks, the captain ran the frigate in shore, and when within five miles we discovered two vessels under the land. we made all sail in chase, and cut them off from escaping round a sandy point which they attempted to weather. finding that they could not effect their purpose, they ran on shore under a small battery of two guns, which commenced firing upon us. the first shot which whizzed between the masts had to me a most terrific sound, but the officers and men laughed at it, so of course i pretended to do the same, but in reality i could see nothing to laugh at. the captain ordered the starboard watch to be piped to quarters, and the boats to be cleared, ready for hoisting out; we then anchored within a mile of the battery, and returned the fire. in the meantime, the remainder of the ship's company hoisted out and lowered down four boats, which were manned and armed to storm the battery. i was very anxious to go on service, and o'brien, who had command of the first cutter, allowed me to go with him, on condition that i stowed myself away under the foresheets, that the captain might not see me before the boats had shoved off. this i did, and was not discovered. we pulled in abreast towards the battery, and in less than ten minutes the boats were run on the beach, and we jumped out. the frenchmen fired a gun at us as we pulled close to the shore, and then ran away, so that we took possession without any fighting, which, to confess the truth, i was not sorry for, as i did not think that i was old or strong enough to cope hand to hand with a grown-up man. there were a few fishermen's huts close to the battery, and while two of the boats went on board of the vessels, to see if they could be got off, and others were spiking the guns and destroying the carriages, i went with o'brien to examine them: they were deserted by the people, as might have been supposed, but there was a great quantity of fish in them, apparently caught that morning. o'brien pointed to a very large skate--"murder in irish!" cried he, "it's the very ghost of my grandmother! we'll have her if it's only for the family likeness. peter, put your finger into the gills, and drag her down to the boat." i could not force my finger into the gills, and as the animal appeared quite dead, i hooked my finger into its mouth; but i made a sad mistake, for the animal was alive, and immediately closed its jaws, nipping my finger to the bone, and holding it so tight that i could not withdraw it, and the pain was too great to allow me to pull it away by main force, and tear my finger, which it held so fast. there i was, caught in a trap, and made a prisoner by a flat-fish. fortunately, i hallooed loud enough to make o'brien, who was close down to the boats, with a large codfish under each arm, turn round and come to my assistance. at first he could not help me, from laughing so much; but at last he forced open the jaw of the fish with his cutlass, and i got my finger out, but very badly torn indeed. i then took off my garter, tied it round the tail of the skate, and dragged it to the boat, which was all ready to shove off. the other boats had found it impossible to get the vessels off without unloading--so, in pursuance of the captain's orders, they were set on fire, and before we lost sight of them, had burnt down to the water's edge. my finger was very bad for three weeks, and the officers laughed at me very much, saying that i narrowly escaped being made a prisoner of by an "old maid." we continued our cruise along the coast, until we had run down into the bay of arcason, where we captured two or three vessels, and obliged many more to run on shore. and here we had an instance showing, how very important it is that a captain of a man-of-war should be a good sailor, and have his ship in such discipline as to be strictly obeyed by his ship's company. i heard the officers unanimously assert, after the danger was over, that nothing but the presence of mind which was shown by captain savage could have saved the ship and her crew. we had chased a convoy of vessels to the bottom of the bay: the wind was very fresh when we hauled off, after running them on shore, and the surf on the beach even at that time was so great, that they were certain to go to pieces before they could be got afloat again. we were obliged to double-reef the topsails as soon as we hauled to the wind, and the weather looked very threatening. in an hour afterwards, the whole sky was covered with one black cloud, which sank so low as nearly to touch our mast-heads, and a tremendous sea, which appeared to have risen up almost by magic, rolled in upon us, setting the vessel on a dead lee shore. as the night closed in, it blew a dreadful gale, and the ship was nearly buried with the press of canvas which she was obliged to carry; for had we sea-room, we should have been lying-to under storm staysails; but we were forced to carry on at all risks, that we might claw off shore. the sea broke over as we lay in the trough, deluging us with water from the forecastle, aft to the binnacles; and very often as the ship descended with a plunge, it was with such force that i really thought she would divide in half with the violence of the shock. double breechings were rove on the guns, and they were further secured with tackles, and strong cleats nailed behind the trunnions, for we heeled over so much when we lurched, that the guns were wholly supported by the breechings and tackles, and had one of them broken loose, it must have burst right through the lee side of the ship, and she must have foundered. the captain, first lieutenant, and most of the officers, remained on deck during the whole of the night; and really, what with the howling of the wind, the violence of the rain, the washing of the water about the decks, the working of the chain-pumps, and the creaking and groaning of the timbers, i thought that we must inevitably have been lost; and i said my prayers at least a dozen times during the night, for i felt it impossible to go to bed. i had often wished, out of curiosity, that i might be in a gale of wind, but i little thought it was to have been a scene of this description, or anything half so dreadful. what made it more appalling was, that we were on a lee shore, and the consultations of the captain and officers, and the eagerness with which they looked out for daylight, told us that we had other dangers to encounter besides the storm. at last the morning broke, and the look-out man upon the gangway called out, "land on the lee beam." i perceived the master dash his fist against the hammock-rails, as if with vexation, and walk away without saying a word, and looking very grave. "up, there, mr wilson," said the captain, to the second lieutenant, "and see how far the land trends forward, and whether you can distinguish the point." the second lieutenant went up the main-rigging, and pointed with his hand to about two points before the beam. "do you see two hillocks inland?" "yes, sir," replied the second lieutenant. "then it is so," observed the captain to the master, "and if we weather it, we shall have more sea-room. keep her full, and let her go through the water; do you hear, quarter-master?" "ay, ay, sir." "thus, and no nearer, my man. ease her with a spoke or two when she sends; but be careful, or she'll take the wheel out of your hands." it really was a very awful sight. when the ship was in the trough of the sea, you could distinguish nothing but a waste of tumultuous water; but when she was borne up on the summit of the enormous waves, you then looked down, as it were, upon a low, sandy coast, close to you, and covered with foam and breakers. "she behaves nobly," observed the captain, stepping aft to the binnacle, and looking at the compass; "if the wind does not baffle us, we shall weather." the captain had scarcely time to make the observation, when the sails shivered and flapped like thunder. "up with the helm; what are you about, quarter-master?" "the wind has headed us, sir," replied the quarter-master, coolly. the captain and master remained at the binnacle watching the compass, and when the sails were again full, she had broken off two points, and the point of land was only a little on the lee bow. "we must wear her round, mr falcon. hands, wear ship--ready, oh, ready." "she has come up again," cried the master, who was at the binnacle. "hold fast there a minute. how's her head now?" "n.n.e., as she was before she broke off, sir." "pipe belay," said the captain. "falcon," continued he, "if she breaks off again we may have no room to wear; indeed there is so little room now, that i must run the risk. which cable was ranged last night--the best bower?" "yes, sir." "jump down, then, and see it double-bitted and stoppered at thirty fathoms. see it well done--our lives may depend upon it." the ship continued to hold her course good; and we were within half a mile of the point, and fully expected to weather it, when again the wet and heavy sails flapped in the wind, and the ship broke off two points as before. the officers and seamen were aghast, for the ship's head was right on to the breakers. "luff now, all you can, quarter-master," cried the captain. "send the men aft directly. my lads, there is no time for words--i am going to _club-haul_ the ship, for there is no room to wear. the only chance you have of safety is to be cool, watch my eye, and execute my orders with precision. away to your stations for tacking ship. hands by the best bower anchor. mr wilson, attend below with the carpenter and his mates, ready to cut away the cable at the moment that i give the order. silence, there, fore and aft. quarter-master, keep her full again for stays. mind you ease the helm down when i tell you." about a minute passed before the captain gave any further orders. the ship had closed--to within a quarter of a mile of the beach, and the waves curled and topped around us, bearing us down upon the shore, which presented one continued surface of foam, extending to within half a cable's length of our position. the captain waved his hand in silence to the quarter-master at the wheel, and the helm was put down. the ship turned slowly to the wind, pitching and chopping as the sails were spilling. when she had lost her way, the captain gave the order, "let go the anchor. we will haul all at once, mr falcon," said the captain. not a word was spoken, the men went to the fore brace, which had not been manned; most of them knew, although i did not, that if the ship's head did not go round the other way, we should be on shore, and among the breakers in half a minute. i thought at the time that the captain had said that he would haul all the yards at once, there appeared to be doubt or dissent on the countenance of mr falcon; and i was afterwards told that he had not agreed with the captain, but he was too good an officer, and knew that there was no time for discussion, to make any remark; and the event proved that the captain was right. at last the ship was head to wind, and the captain gave the signal. the yards flew round with such a creaking noise, that i thought the masts had gone over the side, and the next moment the wind had caught the sails, and the ship, which for a moment or two had been on an even keel, careened over to her gunnel with its force. the captain, who stood upon the weather-hammock rails, holding by the main-rigging, ordered the helm amidships, looked full at the sails, and then at the cable, which grew broad upon the weather bow, and held the ship from nearing the shore. at last he cried, "cut away the cable!" a few strokes of the axes were heard, and then the cable flew out of the hawsehole in a blaze of fire, from the violence of the friction, and disappeared under a huge wave, which struck us on the chess-tree, and deluged us with water fore and aft. but we were now on the other tack, and the ship regained her way and we had evidently increased our distance from the land. "my lads," said the captain to the ship's company, "you have behaved well, and i thank you; but i must tell you honestly that we have more difficulties to get through. we have to weather a point of the bay on this tack. mr falcon, splice the main-brace, and call the watch. how's her head, quarter-master?" "s.w. by s. southerly, sir." "very well; let her go through the water;" and the captain, beckoning to the master to follow him, went down into the cabin. as our immediate danger was over, i went down into the berth to see if i could get anything for breakfast, where i found o'brien and two or three more. "by the powers, it was as nate a thing as ever i saw done," observed o'brien: "the slightest mistake as to time or management, and at this moment the flatfish would have been dubbing at our ugly carcases. peter, you're not fond of flatfish, are you, my boy? we may thank heaven and the captain, i can tell you that, my lads; but now, where's the chart, robinson? hand me down the parallel rules and compasses, peter; they are in the corner of the shelf. here we are now, a devilish sight too near this infernal point. who knows how her head is?" "i do, o'brien: i heard the quarter-master tell the captain s.w. by s. southerly." "let me see," continued o'brien, "variation / lee way--rather too large an allowance of that, i'm afraid; but, however, we'll give her / points; the _diomede_ would blush to make any more, under any circumstances. here--the compass--now we'll see;" and o'brien advanced the parallel rule from the compass to the spot where the ship was placed on the chart. "bother! you see it's as much as she'll do to weather the other point now, on this tack, and that's what the captain meant, when he told us we had more difficulty. i could have taken my bible oath that we were clear of everything, if the wind held." "see what the distance is, o'brien," said robinson. it was measured, and proved to be thirteen miles. "only thirteen miles; and if we do weather, we shall do very well, for the bay is deep beyond. it's a rocky point, you see, just by way of variety. well, my lads, i've a piece of comfort for you, anyhow. it's not long that you'll be kept in suspense, for by one o'clock this day, you'll either be congratulating each other upon your good luck, or you'll be past praying for. come, put up the chart, for i hate to look at melancholy prospects; and, steward, see what you can find in the way of comfort." some bread and cheese, with the remains of yesterday's boiled pork, were put on the table, with a bottle of rum, procured at the time they "spliced the mainbrace;" but we were all too anxious to eat much, and one by one returned on deck to see how the weather was, and if the wind at all favoured us. on deck the superior officers were in conversation with the captain, who had expressed the same fear that o'brien had in our berth. the men, who knew what they had to expect--for this sort of intelligence is soon communicated through a ship--were assembled in knots, looking very grave, but at the same time not wanting in confidence. they knew that they could trust to the captain, as far as skill or courage could avail them, and sailors are too sanguine to despair, even at the last moment. as for myself, i felt such admiration for the captain, after what i had witnessed that morning, that, whenever the idea came over me, that in all probability i should be lost in a few hours, i could not help acknowledging how much more serious it was that such a man should be lost to his country. i do not intend to say that it consoled me; but it certainly made me still more regret the chances with which we were threatened. before twelve o'clock, the rocky point which we so much dreaded was in sight, broad on the lee-bow; and if the low sandy coast appeared terrible, how much more did this, even at a distance: the black masses of rock, covered with foam, which each minute dashed up in the air, higher than our lower mast-heads. the captain eyed it for some minutes in silence, as if in calculation. "mr falcon," said he at last, "we must put the mainsail on her." "she never can bear it, sir." "she _must_ bear it," was the reply. "send the men aft to the mainsheet. see that careful men attend the buntlines." the mainsail was set, and the effect of it upon the ship was tremendous. she careened over so that her lee channels were under the water, and when pressed by a sea, the lee-side of the quarter-deck and gangway were afloat. she now reminded me of a goaded and fiery horse, mad with the stimulus applied; not rising as before, but forcing herself through whole seas, and dividing the waves, which poured in one continual torrent from the forecastle down upon the decks below. four men were secured to the wheel--the sailors were obliged to cling, to prevent being washed away--the ropes were thrown in confusion to leeward, the shot rolled out of the lockers, and every eye was fixed aloft, watching the masts, which were expected every moment to go over the side. a heavy sea struck us on the broadside, and it was some moments before the ship appeared to recover herself; she reeled, trembled, and stopped her way, as if it had stupefied her. the first lieutenant looked at the captain, as if to say, "this will not do." "it is our only chance," answered the captain to the appeal. that the ship went faster through the water, and held a better wind, was certain; but just before we arrived at the point the gale increased in force. "if anything starts, we are lost, sir," observed the first lieutenant again. "i am perfectly aware of it," replied the captain, in a calm tone; "but, as i said before, and you must now be aware, it is our only chance. the consequence of any carelessness or neglect in the fitting and securing of the rigging, will be felt now; and this danger, if we escape it, ought to remind us how much we have to answer for if we neglect our duty. the lives of a whole ship's company may be sacrificed by the neglect or incompetence of an officer when in harbour. i will pay you the compliment, falcon, to say, that i feel convinced that the masts of the ship are as secure as knowledge and attention can make them." the first lieutenant thanked the captain for his good opinion, and hoped it would not be the last compliment which he paid him. "i hope not too; but a few minutes will decide the point." the ship was now within two cables' lengths of the rocky point; some few of the men i observed to clasp their hands, but most of them were silently taking off their jackets, and kicking off their shoes, that they might not lose a chance of escape provided the ship struck. "'twill be touch and go indeed, falcon," observed the captain (for i had clung to the belaying-pins, close to them, for the last half-hour that the mainsail had been set). "come aft, you and i must take the helm. we shall want _nerve_ there, and only there, now." the captain and first lieutenant went aft, and took the forespokes of the wheel, and o'brien, at a sign made by the captain, laid hold of the spokes behind him. an old quarter-master kept his station at the fourth. the roaring of the seas on the rocks, with the howling of the wind, were dreadful; but the sight was more dreadful than the noise. for a few moments i shut my eyes, but anxiety forced me to open them again. as near as i could judge, we were not twenty yards from the rocks, at the time that the ship passed abreast of them. we were in the midst of the foam, which boiled around us; and as the ship was driven nearer to them, and careened with the wave, i thought that our main-yard-arm would have touched the rock; and at this moment a gust of wind came on, which laid the ship on her beam-ends, and checked her progress through the water, while the accumulated noise was deafening. a few moments more the ship dragged on, another wave dashed over her and spent itself upon the rocks, while the spray was dashed back from them, and returned upon the decks. the main rock was within ten yards of her counter, when another gust of wind laid us on our beam-ends, the foresail and mainsail split, and were blown clean out of the bolt-ropes--the ship righted, trembling fore and aft. i looked astern: the rocks were to windward on our quarter, and we were safe. i thought at the time, that the ship, relieved of her courses, and again lifting over the waves, was not a bad similitude of the relief felt by us all at that moment; and, like her, we trembled as we panted with the sudden reaction, and felt the removal of the intense anxiety which oppressed our breasts. the captain resigned the helm, and walked aft to look at the point, which was now broad on the weather quarter. in a minute or two, he desired mr falcon to get new sails up and bend them, and then went below to his cabin. i am sure it was to thank god for our deliverance: i did most fervently, not only then, but when i went to my hammock at night. we were now comparatively safe--in a few hours completely so; for strange to say, immediately after we had weathered the rocks, the gale abated, and before morning we had a reef out of the topsails. it was my afternoon watch, and perceiving mr chucks on the forecastle, i went forward to him, and asked him what he thought of it. "thought of it, sir!" replied he; "why, i always think bad of it when the elements won't allow my whistle to be heard; and i consider it hardly fair play. i never care if we are left to our own exertions; but how is it possible for a ship's company to do their best, when they cannot hear the boatswain's pipe? however, god be thanked, nevertheless, and make better christians of us all! as for that carpenter, he is mad. just before we weathered the point, he told me that it was just the same , and odd years ago. i do believe that on his death-bed (and he was not far from a very hard one yesterday), he will tell us how he died so many thousand years ago, of the same complaint. and that gunner of ours is a fool. would you believe it, mr simple, he went crying about the decks, 'o my poor guns, what will become of them if they break loose?' he appeared to consider it of no consequence if the ship and ship's company were all lost, provided that his guns were safely landed on the beach. "'mr dispart,' said i, at last, 'allow me to observe, in the most delicate way in the world, that you're a d----d old fool.' you see, mr simple, it's the duty of an officer to generalise, and be attentive to parts, only in consideration of the safety of the whole. i look after my anchors and cables, as i do after the rigging; not that i care for any of them in particular, but because the safety of a ship depends upon her being well found. i might just as well cry because we sacrificed an anchor and cable yesterday morning, to save the ship from going on shore." "very true, mr chucks," replied i. "private feelings," continued he, "must always be sacrificed for the public service. as you know, the lower deck was full of water, and all our cabins and chests were afloat; but i did not think then about my shirts, and look at them now, all blowing out in the forerigging, without a particle of starch left in the collars or the frills. i shall not be able to appear as an officer ought to do for the whole of the cruise." as he said this, the cooper, going forward, passed by him, and jostled him in passing. "beg pardon, sir," said the man, "but the ship lurched." "the ship lurched, did it?" replied the boatswain, who, i am afraid, was not in the best of humours about his wardrobe. "and pray, mr cooper, why has heaven granted you two legs, with joints at the knees, except to enable you to counteract the horizontal deviation? do you suppose they were meant for nothing but to work round a cask with? hark, sir, did you take me for a post to scrub your pig's hide against? allow me just to observe, mr cooper--just to insinuate, that when you pass an officer, it is your duty to keep at a respectable distance, and not to soil his clothes with your rusty iron jacket. do you comprehend me, sir; or will this make you recollect in future?" the rattan was raised, and descended in a shower of blows, until the cooper made his escape into the head. "there, take that, you contaminating, stave-dubbing, gimlet-carrying, quintessence of a bung-hole! i beg your pardon, mr simple, for interrupting the conversation, but when duty calls, we must obey." "very true, mr chucks. it's now striking seven bells, and i must call the master--so good-by." chapter xvi news from home--a _fatigue_ party employed at gibraltar--more particulars in the life of mr chucks--a brush with the enemy--a court-martial and a lasting impression. a few days afterwards, a cutter joined us from plymouth, with orders for the frigate to proceed forthwith to gibraltar, where we should learn our destination. we were all very glad of this: for we had had quite enough of cruising in the bay of biscay; and, as we understood that we were to be stationed in the mediterranean, we hoped to exchange gales of wind and severe weather, for fine breezes and a bright sky. the cutter brought out our letters and newspapers. i never felt more happy than i did when i found one put into my hands. it is necessary to be far from home and friends, to feel the real delight of receiving a letter. i went down into the most solitary place in the steerage, that i might enjoy it without interruption. i cried with pleasure before i opened it, but i cried a great deal more with grief, after i had read the contents--for my eldest brother tom was dead of a typhus fever. poor tom! when i called to mind what tricks he used to play me--how he used to borrow my money and never pay me--and how he used to thrash me and make me obey him, because he was my eldest brother--i shed a torrent of tears at his loss; and then i reflected how miserable my poor mother must be, and i cried still more. "what's the matter, spooney?" said o'brien, coming up to me. "who has been licking you now?" "o, nobody," replied i; "but my eldest brother tom is dead, and i have no other." "well, peter, i dare say that your brother was a very good brother; but i'll tell you a secret. when you've lived long enough to have a beard to scrape at, you'll know better than to make a fuss about an elder brother. but you're a good, innocent boy just now, so i won't thrash you for it. come, dry your eyes, peter, and never mind it. we'll drink his health and long life to him, after supper, and then never think any more about it." i was very melancholy for a few days; but it was so delightful running down the portuguese and spanish coasts, the weather was so warm, and the sea so smooth, that i am afraid i forgot my brother's death sooner than i ought to have done; but my spirits were cheered up, and the novelty of the scene prevented me from thinking. every one, too, was so gay and happy, that i could not well be otherwise. in a fortnight, we anchored in gibraltar bay, and the ship was stripped to refit. there was so much duty to be done, that i did not like to go on shore. indeed, mr falcon had refused some of my messmates, and i thought it better not to ask, although i was very anxious to see a place which was considered so extraordinary. one afternoon, i was looking over the gangway as the people were at supper, and mr falcon came up to me and said, "well, mr simple, what are you thinking of?" i replied, touching my hat, that i was wondering how they had cut out the solid rock into galleries, and that they must be very curious. "that is to say, that you are very curious to see them. well, then, since you have been very attentive to your duty, and have not asked to go on shore, i will give you leave to go to-morrow morning and stay till gun-fire." i was very much pleased at this, as the officers had a general invitation to dine with the mess, and all who could obtain leave being requested to come, i was enabled to join the party. the first lieutenant had excused himself on the plea of there being so much to attend to on board; but most of the gun-room officers and some of the midshipmen obtained leave. we walked about the town and fortifications until dinner-time, and then we proceeded to the barracks. the dinner was very good, and we were all very merry; but after the dessert had been brought in, i slipped away with a young ensign, who took me all over the galleries, and explained everything to me, which was a much better way of employing my time than doing as the others did, which the reader will acknowledge. i was at the sally-port before gun-fire--the boat was there, but no officers made their appearance. the gun fired, the drawbridge was hauled up, and i was afraid that i should be blamed; but the boat was not ordered to shove off, as it was waiting for commissioned officers. about an hour afterwards, when it was quite dark, the sentry pointed his arms and challenged a person advancing with, "who comes there?"--"naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow," was the reply, in a loud singing voice. upon which, the sentry recovered his arms, singing in return, "pass naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow--and all's well!" and then appeared a soldier in his fatigue dress, wheeling down the third lieutenant in a wheelbarrow, so tipsy that he could not stand or speak. then the sentry challenged again, and the answer was, "another naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow;" upon which the sentry replied as before, "pass, another naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow --and all's well." this was my friend o'brien, almost as bad as the third lieutenant; and so they continued for ten minutes, challenging and passing, until they wheeled down the remainder of the party, with the exception of the second lieutenant, who walked arm and arm with the officer who brought down the order for lowering the drawbridge. i was much shocked, for i considered it very disgraceful; but i afterwards was told, which certainly admitted of some excuse, that the mess were notorious for never permitting any of their guests to leave the table sober. they were all safely put into the boat, and i am glad to say, the first lieutenant was in bed and did not see them; but i could not help acknowledging the truth of an observation made by one of the men as the officers were handed into the boat, "i say, bill, if _them_ were _we_, what a precious twisting we should get to-morrow at six bells!" the ship remained in gibraltar bay about three weeks, during which time we had refitted the rigging fore and aft, restowed and cleaned the hold, and painted outside. she never looked more beautiful than she did when, in obedience to our orders, we made sail to join the admiral. we passed europa point with a fair wind, and at sunset we were sixty miles from the rock, yet it was distinctly to be seen, like a blue cloud, but the outline perfectly correct. i mention this, as perhaps my reader would not have believed that it was possible to see land at such a distance. we steered for cape de gatte, and we were next day close in shore. i was very much delighted with the spanish coast, mountain upon mountain, hill upon hill, covered with vines nearly to their summits. we might have gone on shore at some places, for at that time we were friendly with the spaniards, but the captain was in too great a hurry to join the admiral. we had very light winds, and a day or two afterwards we were off valencia, nearly becalmed. i was on the gangway, looking through a telescope at the houses and gardens round the city, when mr chucks, the boatswain, came up to me. "mr simple, oblige me with that glass a moment; i wish to see if a building remains there, which i have some reason to remember." "what, were you ever on shore there?" "yes i was, mr simple, and nearly _stranded_, but i got off again without much damage." "how do you mean--were you wrecked, then?" "not my ship, mr simple, but my peace of mind was for some time; but it's many years ago, when i was first made boatswain of a corvette (during this conversation he was looking through the telescope); yes, there it is," said he; "i have it in the field. look, mr simple, do you see a small church, with a spire of glazed tiles, shining like a needle?" "yes, i do." "well, then, just above it, a little to the right, there is a long white house, with four small windows--below the grove of orange-trees." "i see it," replied i; "but what about that house, mr chucks?" "why, thereby hangs a tale," replied he, giving a sigh, which raised and then lowered the frill of his shirt at least six inches. "why, what is the mystery, mr chucks?" "i'll tell you, mr simple. with one who lived in that house, i was for the first, and for the last time, in love." "indeed! i should like very much to hear the story." "so you shall, mr simple, but i must beg that you will not mention it, as young gentlemen are apt to quiz; and i think that being quizzed hurts my authority with the men. it is now about sixteen years back--we were then on good terms with the spaniards, as we are now. i was then little more than thirty years old, and had just received my warrant as boatswain. i was considered a well-looking young man at that time, although lately i have, to a certain degree, got the better of that." "well, i consider you a remarkably good-looking man now, mr chucks." "thank you, mr simple, but nothing improves by age, that i know of, except rum. i used to dress very smart, and 'cut the boatswain' when i was on shore: and perhaps i had not lost so much of the polish i had picked up in good society. one evening, i was walking in the plaza, when i saw a female ahead, who appeared to be the prettiest moulded little vessel that i ever cast my eyes on. i followed in her wake, and examined her: such a clean run i never beheld--so neat, too, in all her rigging-- everything so nicely stowed under hatches. and then, she sailed along in such a style, at one moment lifting so lightly, just like a frigate, with her topsails on the caps, that can't help going along. at another time, as she turned a corner sharp up in the wind--wake as straight as an arrow--no leeway--i made all sail to sheer alongside of her, and, when under quarter, examined her close. never saw such a fine swell in the counter, and all so trim--no ropes towing overboard. well, mr simple, i said to myself, 'd--n it, if her figurehead and bows be finished off by the same builder, she's perfect.' so i shot ahead, and yawed a little--caught a peep at her through her veil, and saw two black eyes--as bright as beads, and as large as damsons. i saw quite enough, and not wishing to frighten her, i dropped astern. shortly afterwards she altered her course, steering for that white house. just as she was abreast of it, and i playing about her weather quarter, the priests came by in procession, taking the _host_ to somebody who was dying. my little frigate lowered her top-gallant sails out of respect, as other nations used to do, and ought now, and be d----d to them, whenever they pass the flag of old england--" "how do you mean?" inquired i. "i mean that she spread her white handkerchief, which fluttered in her hand as she went along, and knelt down upon it on one knee. i did the same, because i was obliged to heave-to to keep my station, and i thought, that if she saw me, it would please her. when she got up, i was on my legs also; but in my hurry i had not chosen a very clean place, and i found out, when i got up again, that my white jean trousers were in a shocking mess. the young lady turned round, and seeing my misfortune, laughed, and then went into the white house, while i stood there like a fool, first looking at the door of the house, and then at my trousers. however, i thought that i might make it the means of being acquainted with her, so i went to the door and knocked. an old gentleman in a large cloak, who was her father, came out; i pointed to my trousers, and requested him in spanish to allow me a little water to clean them. the daughter then came from within, and told her father how the accident had happened. the old gentleman was surprised that an english officer was so good a christian, and appeared to be pleased. he asked me very politely to come in, and sent an old woman for some water. i observed that he was smoking a bit of paper, and having very fortunately about a couple of dozen of real havannahs in my pocket (for i never smoke anything else, mr simple, it being my opinion that no gentleman can), i took them out, and begged his acceptance of them. his eyes glistened at the sight of them, but he refused to take more than one; however, i insisted upon his taking the whole bundle, telling him that i had plenty more on board, reserving one for myself, that i might smoke it with him. he then requested me to sit down, and the old woman brought some sour wine, which i declared was very good, although it made me quite ill afterwards. he inquired of me whether i was a good christian. i replied that i was. i knew that he meant a catholic, for they call us heretics, mr simple. the daughter then came in without her veil, and she was perfection; but i did not look at her, or pay her any attention after the first salutation, i was so afraid of making the old gentleman suspicious. he then asked what i was--what sort of officer-- was i captain? i replied that i was not. was i 'tenente? which means lieutenant; i answered that i was not, again, but with an air of contempt, as if i was something better. what was i, then? i did not know the spanish for boatswain, and, to tell the truth, i was ashamed of my condition. i knew that there was an officer in spain called corregidor, which means a corrector in english, or one who punishes. now i thought that quite near enough for my purpose, and i replied that i was the corregidor. now, mr simple, a corregidor in spain is a person of rank and consequence, so they imagined that i must be the same, and they appeared to be pleased. the young lady then inquired if i was of good family--whether i was a gentleman or not. i replied that i hoped so. i remained with them for half-an-hour more, when my segar was finished; i then rose, and thanking the old gentleman for his civility, begged that i might be allowed to bring him a few more segars, and took my leave. the daughter opened the street door, and i could not refrain from taking her hand and kissing it--" "where's mr chucks? call the boatswain there forward," hallooed out the lieutenant. "here i am, sir," replied mr chucks, hastening aft, and leaving me and his story. "the captain of the maintop reports the breast backstay much chafed in the serving. go up and examine it," said the first lieutenant. "yes, sir," replied the boatswain, who immediately went up the rigging. "and, mr simple, attend to the men scraping the spots off the quarter-deck." "yes, sir," replied i; and thus our conversation was broken up. the weather changed that night, and we had a succession of rain and baffling winds for six or seven days, during which i had no opportunity of hearing the remainder of the boatswain's history. we joined the fleet off toulon, closed the admiral's ship, and the captain went on board to pay his respects. when he returned, we found out, through the first lieutenant, that we were to remain with the fleet until the arrival of another frigate, expected in about a fortnight, and then the admiral had promised that we should have a cruise. the second day after we had joined, we were ordered to form part of the in-shore squadron, consisting of two line-of-battle ships and four frigates. the french fleet used to come out and manoeuvre within range of their batteries, or, if they proceeded further from the shore, they took good care that they had a leading wind to return again into port. we had been in-shore about a week, every day running close in, and counting the french fleet in the harbour, to see that they were all safe, and reporting it to the admiral by signal, when one fine morning, the whole of the french vessels were perceived to hoist their topsails, and in less than an hour they were under weigh, and came out of the harbour. we were always prepared for action, night and day, and, indeed, often exchanged a shot or two with the batteries when we reconnoitred; the in-shore squadron could not, of course, cope with the whole french fleet, and our own was about twelve miles in the offing, but the captain of the line-of-battle ship who commanded us, hove-to, as if in defiance, hoping to entice them further out. this was not very easy to do, as the french knew that a shift of wind might put it out of their power to refuse an action, which was what they would avoid, and what we were so anxious to bring about. i say we, speaking of the english, not of myself, for to tell the truth, i was not so very anxious. i was not exactly afraid, but i had an unpleasant sensation at the noise of a cannon-ball, which i had not as yet got over. however, four of the french frigates made sail towards us, and hove-to, when within four miles, three or four line-of-battle ships following them as if to support them. our captain made signal for permission to close the enemy, which was granted, with our pennants, and those of another frigate. we immediately made all sail, beat to quarters, put out the fires, and opened the magazines. the french line-of-battle ships perceiving that only two of our frigates were sent against their four, hove-to at about the same distance from their frigates, as our line-of-battle ships and other frigates were from us. in the meantime our main fleet continued to work in shore under a press of sail, and the french main fleet also gradually approached the detached ships. the whole scene reminded me of the tournaments i had read of; it was a challenge in the lists, only that the enemy were two to one; a fair acknowledgment on their parts of our superiority. in about an hour we closed so near, that the french frigates made sail and commenced firing. we reserved our fire until within a quarter of a mile, when we poured our broadside into the headmost frigate, exchanging with her on opposite tacks. the _sea-horse_, who followed, also gave her a broadside. in this way we exchanged broadsides with the whole four, and we had the best of it, for they could not load so fast as we could. we were both ready again for the frigates as they passed us, but they were not ready with their broadside for the _sea-horse_, who followed us very closely, so that they had two broadsides each, and we had only four in the _diomede_, the _sea-horse_ not having one. our rigging was cut up a great deal, and we had six or seven men wounded, but none killed. the french frigates suffered more, and their admiral perceiving that they were cut up a good deal, made a signal of recall. in the meantime we had both tacked, and were ranging up on the weather quarter of the sternmost frigate: the line-of-battle ships perceiving this, ran down with the wind, two points free, to support their frigates, and our in-shore squadron made all sail to support us, nearly laying up for where we were. but the wind was what is called at sea a soldier's wind, that is, blowing so that the ships could lie either way, so as to run out or into the harbour, and the french frigates, in obedience to their orders, made sail for their fleet in-shore, the line-of-battle ships coming out to support them. but our captain would not give it up, although we all continued to near the french line-of-battle ships every minute--we ran in with the frigates, exchanging broadsides with them as fast as we could. one of them lost her foretopmast, and dropped astern, and we hoped to cut her off, but the others shortened sail to support her. this continued for about twenty minutes, when the french line-of-battle ships were not more than a mile from us, and our own commodore had made the signal of our recall, for he thought that we should be overpowered and taken. but the _sea-horse_, who saw the recall up, did not repeat it, and our captain was determined not to see it, and ordered the signal-man not to look that way. the action continued, two of the french frigates were cut to pieces, and complete wrecks, when the french line-of-battle ships commenced firing. it was then high time to be off. we each of us poured in another broadside, and then wore round for our own squadron, which was about four miles off, and rather to leeward, standing in to our assistance. as we wore round, our main-topmast, which had been badly wounded, fell over the side, and the french perceiving this, made all sail, with the hope of capturing us; but the _sea-horse_ remained with us, and we threw up in the wind, and raked them until they were within two cables' lengths of us. then we stood on for our own ships; at last one of the line-of-battle ships, which sailed as well as the frigates, came abreast of us, and poured in a broadside, which brought everything about our ears, and i thought we must be taken; but on the contrary, although we lost several men, the captain said to the first lieutenant, "now, if they only wait a little longer, they are nabbed, as sure as fate." just at this moment, our own line-of-battle ships opened their fire, and then the tables were turned. the french tacked, and stood in as fast as they could, followed by the in-shore squadron, with the exception of our ship, which was too much crippled to chase them. one of their frigates had taken in tow the other, who had lost her top-mast, and our squadron came up with her very fast. the english fleet were also within three miles, standing in, and the french fleet standing out, to the assistance of the other ships which had been engaged. i thought, and so did everybody, that there would be a general action, but we were disappointed; the frigate which towed the other, finding that she could not escape, cast her off, and left her to her fate, which was to haul down her colours to the commodore of the in-shore squadron. the chase was continued until the whole of the french vessels were close under their batteries, and then our fleet returned to its station with the prize, which proved to be the _narcisse_, of thirty-six guns, captain le pelleteon. our captain obtained a great deal of credit for his gallant behaviour. we had three men killed, and robinson, the midshipman, and ten men wounded, some of them severely. i think this action cured me of my fear of a cannon-ball, for during the few days we remained with the fleet, we often were fired at when we reconnoitred, but i did not care anything for them. about the time she was expected, the frigate joined, and we had permission to part company. but before i proceed with the history of our cruise, i shall mention the circumstances attending a court-martial, which took place during the time that we were with the fleet, our captain having been recalled from the in-shore squadron to sit as one of the members. i was the midshipman appointed to the captain's gig, and remained on board of the admiral's ship during the whole of the time that the court was sitting. two seamen, one an englishman, and the other a frenchman, were tried for desertion from one of our frigates. they had left their ship about three months, when the frigate captured a french privateer, and found them on board as part of her crew. for the englishman, of course, there was no defence; he merited the punishment of death, to which he was immediately sentenced. there may be some excuse for desertion, when we consider that the seamen are taken into the service by force, but there could be none for fighting against his country. but the case of the frenchman was different. he was born and bred in france, had been one of the crew of the french gunboats at cadiz, where he had been made a prisoner by the spaniards, and expecting his throat to be cut every day, had contrived to escape on board of the frigate lying in the harbour, and entered into our service, i really believe to save his life. he was nearly two years in the frigate before he could find an opportunity of deserting from her, and returning to france, when he joined the french privateer. during the time that he was in the frigate, he bore an excellent character. the greatest point against him was, that on his arrival at gibraltar he had been offered, and had received the bounty. when the englishman was asked what he had to say in his defence, he replied that he had been pressed out of an american ship, that he was an american born, and that he had never taken the bounty. but this was not true. the defence of the frenchman was considered so very good for a person in his station of life, that i obtained a copy of it, which ran as follows:-- "mr president, and officers of the honourable court;--it is with the greatest humility that i venture to address you. i shall be very brief, nor shall i attempt to disprove the charges which have been made against me, but confine myself to a few facts, the consideration of which will, i trust, operate upon your feelings in mitigation of the punishment to which i may be sentenced for my fault--a fault which proceeded, not from any evil motive, but from an ardent love for my country. i am by birth a frenchman; my life has been spent in the service of france until a few months after the revolution in spain, when i, together with those who composed the french squadron at cadiz, was made a prisoner. the hardships and cruel usage which i endured became insupportable. i effected my escape, and after wandering about the town for two or three days, in hourly expectation of being assassinated, the fate of too many of my unfortunate countrymen; desperate from famine, and perceiving no other chance of escaping from the town, i was reduced to the necessity of offering myself as a volunteer on board of an english frigate. i dared not, as i ought to have done, acknowledge myself to have been a prisoner, from the dread of being delivered up to the spaniards. during the period that i served on board of your frigate, i confidently rely upon the captain and the officers for my character. "the love of our country, although dormant for a time, will ultimately be roused, and peculiar circumstances occurred which rendered the feeling irresistible. i returned to my duty, and for having so done, am i to be debarred from again returning to that country so dear to me-- from again beholding my aged parents, who bless me in my absence--from again embracing my brothers and sisters--to end my days upon a scaffold; not for the crime which i did commit in entering into your service, but for an act of duty and repentance--that of returning to my own? allow me to observe, that the charge against me is not for entering your service, but for having deserted from it. for the former, not even my misery can be brought forward but in extenuation; for the latter i have a proud consciousness, which will, i trust, be my support in my extremity. "gentlemen, i earnestly entreat you to consider my situation, and i am sure that your generous hearts will pity me. let that love of your country, which now animates your breasts, and induces you to risk your lives and your all, now plead for me. already has british humanity saved thousands of my countrymen from the rage of the spaniards; let that same humanity be extended now, and induce my judges to add one more to the list of those who, although our nations are at war, if they are endowed with feeling, can have but one sentiment towards their generous enemy--a sentiment overpowering all other, that of a deep-felt gratitude."[ ] whatever may have been the effect of the address upon the court individually, it appeared at the time to have none upon them as a body. both the men were condemned to death, and the day after the morrow was fixed for their execution. i watched the two prisoners as they went down the side, to be conducted on board of their own ship. the englishman threw himself down in the stern sheets of the boat, every minor consideration apparently swallowed up in the thought of his approaching end; but the frenchman, before he sat down, observing that the seat was a little dirty, took out his silk handkerchief, and spread it on the seat, that he might not soil his nankeen trowsers. i was ordered to attend the punishment on the day appointed. the sun shone so brightly, and the sky was so clear, the wind so gentle and mild, that it appeared hardly possible that it was to be a day of such awe and misery to the two poor men, or of such melancholy to the fleet in general. i pulled up my boat with the others belonging to the ships of the fleet, in obedience to the orders of the officer superintending, close to the fore-chains of the ship. in about half-an-hour afterwards, the prisoners made their appearance on the scaffold, the caps were pulled over their eyes, and the gun fired underneath them. when the smoke rolled away, the englishman was swinging at the yard-arm, but the frenchman was not; he had made a spring when the gun fired, hoping to break his neck at once, and put an end to his misery; but he fell on the edge of the scaffold, where he lay. we thought that his rope had given way, and it appeared that he did the same, for he made an enquiry, but they returned him no answer. he was kept on the scaffold during the whole hour that the englishman remained suspended; his cap had been removed, and he looked occasionally at his fellow-sufferer. when the body was lowered down, he considered that his time was come, and attempted to leap overboard. he was restrained and led aft, where his reprieve was read to him and his arms were unbound. but the effect of the shock was too much for his mind; he fell down in a swoon, and when he recovered, his senses had left him, and i heard that he never recovered them, but was sent home to be confined as a maniac. i thought, and the result proved, that it was carried too far. it is not the custom, when a man is reprieved, to tell him so, until after he is on the scaffold, with the intention that his awful situation at the time may make a lasting impression upon him during the remainder of his life; but, as a foreigner, he was not aware of our customs, and the hour of intense feeling which he underwent was too much for his reason. i must say, that this circumstance was always a source of deep regret in the whole fleet, and that his being a frenchman, instead of an englishman, increased the feeling of commiseration. [footnote : this is fact.--author.] chapter xvii mr chucks's opinion on proper names--he finishes his spanish tale--march of intellect among the warrant officers. we were all delighted when our signal was hoisted to "part company," as we anticipated plenty of prize-money under such an enterprising captain. we steered for the french coast, near to its junction with spain, the captain having orders to intercept any convoys sent to supply the french army with stores and provisions. the day after we parted company with the fleet, mr chucks finished his story. "where was i, mr simple, when i left off?" said he, as we took a seat upon the long eighteen. "you had just left the house after having told them that you were a corregidor, and had kissed the lady's hand." "very true. well, mr simple, i did not call there for two or three days afterwards; i did not like to go too soon, especially as i saw the young lady every day in the plaza. she would not speak to me, but, to make use of their expression, 'she gave me her eyes,' and sometimes a sweet smile. i recollect i was so busy looking at her one day, that i tripped over my sword, and nearly fell on my nose, at which she burst out a laughing." "your sword, mr chucks? i thought boatswains never wore swords." "mr simple, a boatswain is an officer, and is entitled to a sword as well as the captain, although we have been laughed out of it by a set of midshipman monkeys. i always wore my sword at that time; but now-a-days, a boatswain is counted as nobody, unless there is hard work to do, and then it's mr chucks this, and mr chucks that. but i'll explain to you how it is, mr simple, that we boatswains have lost so much of consequence and dignity. the first lieutenants are made to do the boatswain's duty now-a-days, and if they could only wind the call, they might scratch the boatswain's name off half the ships' books in his majesty's service. but to go on with my yarn. on the fourth day, i called with my handkerchief full of segars for the father, but he was at siesta, as they called it. the old serving-woman would not let me in at first; but i shoved a dollar between her skinny old fingers, and that altered her note. she put her old head out, and looked round to see if there was anybody in the street to watch us, and then she let me in and shut the door. i walked into the room, and found myself alone with seraphina." "seraphina!--what a fine name!" "no name can be too fine for a pretty girl, or a good frigate, mr simple; for my part, i'm very fond of these hard names. your bess, and poll, and sue, do very well for the point, or castle rag; but in my opinion, they degrade a lady. don't you observe, mr simple, that all our gun-brigs, a sort of vessel that will certainly d----n the inventor to all eternity, have nothing but low common names, such as pincher, thrasher, boxer, badger, and all that sort, which are quite good enough for them; whereas all our dashing saucy frigates have names as long as the main-top bowling, and hard enough to break your jaw--such as melpomeny, terpsichory, arethusy, bacchanty--fine flourishers, as long as their pennants which dip alongside in a calm." "very true," replied i; "but do you think, then, it is the same with family names?" "most certainly, mr simple. when i was in good society, i rarely fell in with such names as potts or bell, or smith or hodges; it was always mr fortescue, or mr fitzgerald, or mr fitzherbert--seldom bowed, sir, to anything under _three_ syllables." "then i presume, mr chucks, you are not fond of your own name?" "there you touch me, mr simple; but it is quite good enough for a boatswain," replied mr chucks, with a sigh. "i certainly did very wrong to impose upon people as i did, but i've been severely punished for it-- it has made me discontented and unhappy ever since. dearly have i paid for my spree; for there is nothing so miserable as to have ideas above your station in life, mr simple. but i must make sail again. i was three hours with seraphina before her father came home, and during that time i never was quietly at an anchor for above a minute. i was on my knees, vowing and swearing, kissing her feet and kissing her hand, till at last i got to her lips, working my way up as regularly as one who gets in at the hawsehole and crawls aft to the cabin windows. she was very kind, and she smiled, and sighed, and pushed me off, and squeezed my hand, and was angry--frowning till i was in despair, and then making me happy again with her melting dark eyes beaming kindly, till at last she said that she would try to love me, and asked me whether i would marry her and live in spain. i replied that i would; and, indeed, i felt as if i could, only at the time the thought occurred to me where the rhino was to come from, for i could not live, as her father did, upon a paper segar and a piece of melon per day. at all events, as far as words went, it was a settled thing. when her father came home, the old servant told him that i had just at that moment arrived, and that, his daughter was in her own room; so she was, for she ran away as soon as she heard her father knock. i made my bow to the old gentleman, and gave him the segars. he was serious at first, but the sight of them put him into good humour, and in a few minutes donna seraphina (they call a lady a donna in spain) came in, saluting me ceremoniously, as if we had not been kissing for the hour together. i did not remain long, as it was getting late, so i took a glass of the old gentleman's sour wine, and walked off, with a request from him to call again, the young lady paying me little or no attention during the time that i remained, or at my departure." "well, mr chucks," observed i, "it appears to me that she was a very deceitful young person." "so she was, mr simple; but a man in love can't see, and i'll tell you why. if he wins the lady, he is as much in love with himself as with her, because he is so proud of his conquest. that was my case. if i had had my eyes, i might have seen that she who could cheat her old father for a mere stranger, would certainly deceive him in his turn. but if love makes a man blind, vanity, mr simple, makes him blinder. in short, i was an ass." "never mind, mr chucks, there was a good excuse for it." "well, mr simple, i met her again and again, until i was madly in love, and the father appeared to be aware of what was going on, and to have no objection. however, he sent for a priest to talk with me, and i again said that i was a good catholic. i told him that i was in love with the young lady, and would marry her. the father made no objection on my promising to remain in spain, for he would not part with his only daughter. and there again i was guilty of deceit, first, in making a promise i did not intend to keep, and then in pretending that i was a catholic. honesty is the best policy, mr simple, in the long run, you may depend upon it." "so my father has always told me, and i have believed him," replied i. "well, sir, i am ashamed to say that i did worse; for the priest, after the thing was settled, asked me whether i had confessed lately. i knew what he meant, and answered that i had not. he motioned me down on my knees; but, as i could not speak spanish enough for that, i mumbled-jumbled something or another, half spanish and half english, and ended with putting four dollars in his hand for _carita_, which means charity. he was satisfied at the end of my confession, whatever he might have been at the beginning, and gave me absolution, although he could not have understood what my crimes were; but four dollars, mr simple, will pay for a deal of crime in that country. and now, sir, comes the winding up of this business. seraphina told me that she was going to the opera with some of her relations, and asked me if i would be there; that the captain of the frigate, and all the other officers were going, and that she wished me to go with her. you see, mr simple, although seraphina's father was so poor, that a mouse would have starved in his house, still he was of good family, and connected with those who were much better off. he was a don himself, and had fourteen or fifteen long names, which i forget now. i refused to go with her, as i knew that the service would not permit a boatswain to sit in an opera-box, when the captain and first lieutenant were there. i told her that i had promised to go on board and look after the men while the captain went on shore; thus, as you'll see, mr simple, making myself a man of consequence, only to be more mortified in the end. after she had gone to the opera, i was very uncomfortable: i was afraid that the captain would see her, and take a fancy to her. i walked up and down, outside, until i was so full of love and jealousy that i determined to go into the pit and see what she was about. i soon discovered her in a box, with some other ladies, and with them were my captain and first lieutenant. the captain, who spoke the language well, was leaning over her, talking and laughing, and she was smiling at what he said. i resolved to leave immediately, lest she should see me and discover that i had told her a falsehood; but they appeared so intimate that i became so jealous i could not quit the theatre. at last she perceived me, and beckoned her hand; i looked very angry, and left the theatre cursing like a madman. it appeared that she pointed me out to the captain, and asked him who i was; he told her my real situation on board, and spoke of me with contempt. she asked whether i was not a man of family; at this the captain and first lieutenant both burst out laughing, and said that i was a common sailor who had been promoted to a higher rank for good behaviour--not exactly an officer, and anything but a gentleman. in short, mr simple, i was _blown upon_, and, although the captain said more than was correct, as i learnt afterwards through the officers, still i deserved it. determined to know the worst, i remained outside till the opera was over, when i saw her come out, the captain and first lieutenant walking with the party--so that i could not speak with her. i walked to a posada (that's an inn), and drank seven bottles of rosolio to keep myself quiet; then i went on board, and the second lieutenant, who was commanding officer, put me under arrest for being intoxicated. it was a week before i was released; and you can't imagine what i suffered, mr simple. at last, i obtained leave to go on shore, and i went to the house to decide my fate. the old woman opened the door, and then calling me a thief, slammed it in my face; as i retreated, donna seraphina came to the window, and, waving her hand with a contemptuous look, said, 'go, and god be with you, mr gentleman.' i returned on board in such a rage, that if i could have persuaded the gunner to have given me a ball cartridge, i should have shot myself through the head. what made the matter worse, i was laughed at by everybody in the ship, for the captain and first lieutenant had made the story public." "well, mr chucks," replied i, "i cannot help being sorry for you, although you certainly deserved to be punished for your dishonesty. was that the end of the affair?" "as far as i was concerned it was, mr simple; but not as respected others. the captain took my place, but without the knowledge of the father. after all, they neither had great reason to rejoice at the exchange." "how so, mr chucks--what do you mean?" "why, mr simple, the captain did not make an honest woman of her, as i would have done; and the father discovered what was going on, and one night the captain was brought on board run through the body. we sailed immediately for gibraltar, and it was a long while before he got round again: and then he had another misfortune." "what was that?" "why he lost his boatswain, mr simple; for i could not bear the sight of him--and then he lost (as you must know, not from your own knowledge, but from that of others) a boatswain who knows his duty." "every one says so, mr chucks. i'm sure that our captain would be very sorry to part with you." "i trust that every captain has been with whom i've sailed, mr simple. but that was not all he lost, mr simple; for the next cruise he lost his masts; and the loss of his masts occasioned the loss of his ship, since which he has never been trusted with another, but is laid on the shelf. now he never carried away a spar of any consequence during the whole time that i was with him. a mast itself is nothing, mr simple--only a piece of wood--but fit your rigging properly, and then a mast is strong as a rock. only ask mr faulkner, and he'll tell you the same; and i never met an officer who knew better how to support a mast." "did you ever hear any more of the young lady?" "yes; about a year afterwards i returned there in another ship. she had been shut up in a convent, and forced to take the veil. oh, mr simple! if you knew how i loved that girl! i have never been more than polite to a woman since, and shall die a bachelor. you can't think how i was capsized the other day, when i looked at the house; i have hardly touched beef or pork since, and am in debt two quarts of rum more than my allowance. but, mr simple, i have told you this in confidence, and i trust you are too much of a gentleman to repeat it; for i cannot bear quizzing from young midshipmen." i promised that i would not mention it, and i kept my word; but circumstances which the reader will learn in the sequel have freed me from the condition. nobody can quiz him now. we gained our station off the coast of perpignan; and as soon as we made the land, we were most provokingly driven off by a severe gale. i am not about to make any remarks about the gale, for one storm is so like another; but i mention it, to account for a conversation which took place, and with which i was very much amused. i was near to the captain when he sent for mr muddle, the carpenter, who had been up to examine the main-topsail yard, which had been reported as sprung. "well, mr muddle," said the captain. "sprung, sir, most decidedly; but i think we'll be able to _mitigate_ it." "will you be able to secure it for the present, mr muddle?" replied the captain, rather sharply. "we'll _mitigate_ it, sir, in half an hour." "i wish that you would use common phrases when you speak to me, mr muddle. i presume, by mitigate, you mean to say that you can secure it. do you mean so, sir, or do you not?" "yes, sir, that is what i mean, most decidedly. i hope no offence, captain savage; but i did not intend to displease you by my language." "very good, mr muddle," replied the captain; "it's the first time that i have spoken to you on the subject, recollect that it will be the last." "the first time!" replied the carpenter, who could not forget his philosophy; "i beg your pardon, captain savage, you found just the same fault with me on this quarter-deck , years ago, and--" "if i did, mr muddle," interrupted the captain, very angrily, "depend upon it that at the same time i ordered you to go aloft, and attend to your duty, instead of talking nonsense on the quarter-deck; and, although, as you say, you and i cannot recollect it, if you did not obey that order instantaneously, i also put you in confinement, and obliged you to leave the ship as soon as she returned to port. do you understand me, sir?" "i rather think, sir," replied the carpenter, humbly touching his hat, and walking to the main rigging, "that no such thing took place, for i went up immediately, as i do now; and," continued the carpenter, who was incurable, as he ascended the rigging, "as i shall again in another , years." "that man is incorrigible with his confounded nonsense," observed the captain to the first lieutenant. "every mast in the ship would go over the side, provided he could get any one to listen to his ridiculous theory." "he is not a bad carpenter, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "he is not," rejoined the captain; "but there is a time for all things." just at this moment, the boatswain came down the rigging. "well, mr chucks, what do you think of the yard? must we shift it?" inquired the captain. "at present, captain savage," replied the boatswain, "i consider it to be in a state which may be called precarious, and not at all permanent; but, with a little human exertion, four fathom of three-inch, and half-a-dozen tenpenny nails, it may last, for all i know, until it is time for it to be sprung again." "i do not understand you, mr chucks. i know no time when a yard ought to be sprung." "i did not refer to our time, sir," replied the boatswain, "but to the , years of mr muddle, when--" "go forward immediately, sir, and attend to your duty," cried the captain, in a very angry voice; and then he said to the first lieutenant, "i believe the warrant officers are going mad. who ever heard a boatswain use such language--'precarious and not at all permanent?' his stay in the ship will become so, if he does not mind what he is about." "he is a very odd character, sir," replied the first lieutenant; "but i have no hesitation in saying that he is the best boatswain in his majesty's service." "i believe so too," replied the captain; "but--well, every one has his faults. mr simple, what are you about sir?" "i was listening to what you said," replied i, touching my hat. "i admire your candour, sir," replied he, "but advise you to discontinue the practice. walk over to leeward, sir, and attend to your duty." when i was on the other side of the deck, i looked round, and saw the captain and first lieutenant both laughing. chapter xviii i go away on service, am wounded and taken prisoner with o'brien-- diamond cut diamond between the o'briens--get into comfortable quarters --my first interview with celeste. and now i have to relate an event, which, young as i was at the time, will be found to have seriously affected me in after life. how little do we know what to-morrow may bring forth! we had regained our station, and for some days had been standing off and on the coast, when one morning at daybreak, we found ourselves about four miles from the town of cette, and a large convoy of vessels coming round a point. we made all sail in chase, and they anchored close in shore, under a battery, which we did not discover until it opened fire upon us. the shot struck the frigate two or three times, for the water was smooth, and the battery nearly level with it. the captain tacked the ship, and stood out again, until the boats were hoisted out, and all ready to pull on shore and storm the battery. o'brien, who was the officer commanding the first cutter on service, was in his boat, and i again obtained permission from him to smuggle myself into it. "now, peter, let's see what kind of a fish you'll bring on board this time," said he, after we had shoved off: "or may be, the fish will not let you off quite so easy." the men in the boat all laughed at this, and i replied, "that i must be more seriously wounded than i was last time, to be made a prisoner." we ran on shore, amidst the fire of the gunboats, who protected the convoy, by which we lost three men, and made for the battery, which we took without opposition, the french artillery-men running out as we ran in. the directions of the captain were very positive, not to remain in the battery a minute after it was taken, but to board the gunboats, leaving only one of the small boats, with the armourer to spike the guns, for the captain was aware that there were troops stationed along the coast, who might come down upon us and beat us off. the first lieutenant, who commanded, desired o'brien to remain with the first cutter, and after the armourer had spiked the guns, as officer of the boat he was to shove off immediately. o'brien and i remained in the battery with the armourer, the boat's crew being ordered down to the boat, to keep her afloat, and ready to shove off at a moment's warning. we had spiked all the guns but one, when all of a sudden a volley of musketry was poured upon us, which killed the armourer, and wounded me in the leg above the knee. i fell down by o'brien, who cried out, "by the powers! here they are, and one gun not spiked." he jumped down, wrenched the hammer from the armourer's hand, and seizing a nail from the bag, in a few moments he had spiked the gun. at this time i heard the tramping of the french soldiers advancing, when o'brien threw away the hammer, and lifting me upon his shoulders, cried, "come along, peter, my boy," and made for the boat as fast as he could; but he was too late; he had not got half way to the boat, before he was collared by two french soldiers, and dragged back into the battery. the french troops then advanced, and kept up a smart fire: our cutter escaped, and joined the other boat, who had captured the gun-boats and convoy with little opposition. our large boats had carronades mounted in their bows, and soon returned the fire with round and grape, which drove the french troops back into the battery, where they remained, popping at our men under cover, until most of the vessels were taken out; those which they could not man were burnt. in the meantime, o'brien had been taken into the battery, with me on his back; but as soon as he was there, he laid me gently down, saying, "peter, my boy, as long as you were under my charge, i'd carry you through thick and thin; but now that you are under the charge of these french beggars, why let them carry you. every man his own bundle, peter, that's fair play, so if they think you're worth the carrying, let them bear the weight of ye." "and suppose they do not, o'brien, will you leave me here?" "will i lave you, peter! not if i can help it, my boy; but they won't leave you, never fear them; prisoners are so scarce with them, that they would not leave the captain's monkey, if he were taken." as soon as our boats were clear of their musketry, the commanding officer of the french troops examined the guns in the battery, with the hope of reaching them, and was very much annoyed to find that every one of them was spiked. "he'll look sharper than a magpie before he finds a clear touch-hole, i expect," said o'brien, as he watched the officer. and here i must observe, that o'brien showed great presence of mind in spiking the last gun; for had they had one gun to fire at our boats towing out the prizes, they must have done a great deal of mischief to them, and we should have lost a great many men; but in so doing, and in the attempt to save me, he sacrificed himself, and was taken prisoner. when the troops ceased firing, the commanding officer came up to o'brien, and looking at him, said, "officer?" to which o'brien nodded his head. he then pointed to me--"officer?" o'brien nodded his head again, at which the french troops laughed, as o'brien told me afterwards, because i was what they called an _enfant_, which means an infant. i was very stiff, and faint, and could not walk. the officer who commanded the troops left a detachment in the battery, and prepared to return to cette, from whence they came. o'brien walked, and i was carried on three muskets by six of the french soldiers--not a very pleasant conveyance at any time, but in my state excessively painful. however, i must say, that they were very kind to me, and put a great coat or something under my wounded leg, for i was in an agony, and fainted several times. at last they brought me some water to drink. o how delicious it was! i have often thought since, when i have been in company, where people fond of good living have smacked their lips at their claret, that if they could only be wounded, and taste a cup of water, they would then know what it was to feel a beverage grateful. in about an hour and a half, which appeared to me to be five days at the least, we arrived at the town of cette, and i was taken up to the house of the officer who commanded the troops, and who had often looked at me as i was carried there from the battery, saying, "_pauvre enfant_!" i was put on a bed, where i again fainted away. when i came to my senses, i found a surgeon had bandaged my leg, and that i had been undressed. o'brien was standing by me, and i believe that he had been crying, for he thought that i was dead. when i looked him in the face, he said, "pater, you baste, how you frightened me: bad luck to me if ever i take charge of another youngster. what did you sham dead for?" "i am better now, o'brien," replied i, "how much i am indebted to you: you have been made prisoner in trying to save me." "i have been made prisoner in doing my duty, in one shape or another. if that fool of an armourer hadn't held his hammer so tight, after he was dead, and it was of no use to him, i should have been clear enough, and so would you have been! but, however, all this is nothing at all, peter; as far as i can see, the life of a man consists in getting into scrapes, and getting out of them. by the blessing of god, we've managed the first, and by the blessing of god we'll manage the second also; so be smart, my honey, and get well, for although a man may escape by running away on two legs, i never heard of a boy who hopped out of a french prison upon one." i squeezed the offered hand of o'brien, and looked round me; the surgeon stood at one side of the bed, and the officer who commanded the troops at the other. at the head of the bed was a little girl about twelve years old, who held a cup in her hand, out of which something had been poured down my throat. i looked at her, and she had such pity in her face, which was remarkably handsome, that she appeared to me as an angel, and i turned round as well as i could, that i might look at her alone. she offered me the cup, which i should have refused from any one but her, and i drank a little. another person then came into the room, and a conversation took place in french. "i wonder what they mean to do with us," said i to o'brien. "whist, hold your tongue," replied he; and then he leaned over me, and said in a whisper, "i understand all they say; don't you recollect, i told you that i learnt the language after i was kilt and buried in the sand, in south america?" after a little more conversation, the officer and the others retired, leaving nobody but the little girl and o'brien in the room. "it's a message from the governor," said o'brien, as soon as they were gone, "wishing the prisoners to be sent to the gaol in the citadel, to be examined; and the officer says (and he's a real gentleman, as far as i can judge) that you're but a baby, and badly wounded in the bargain, and that it would be a shame not to leave you to die in peace; so i presume that i'll part company from you very soon." "i hope not, o'brien," replied i; "if you go to prison, i will go also, for i will not leave you, who are my best friend, to remain with strangers; i should not be half so happy, although i might have more comforts in my present situation." "pater, my boy, i am glad to see that your heart is in the right place, as i always thought it was, or i wouldn't have taken you under my protection. we'll go together to prison, my jewel, and i'll fish at the bars with a bag and a long string, just by way of recreation, and to pick up a little money to buy you all manner of nice things; and when you get well, you shall do it yourself, mayhap you'll have better luck, as peter your namesake had, who was a fisherman before you. there's twice as much room in one of the cells as there is in a midshipman's berth, my boy; and the prison yards, where you are allowed to walk, will make a dozen quarter-decks, and no need of touching your hat out of respect when you go into it. when a man has been cramped up on board of a man-of-war, where midshipmen are stowed away like pilchards in a cask, he finds himself quite at liberty in a prison, peter. but somehow or another, i think we mayn't be parted yet, for i heard the officer (who appears to be a real gentleman, and worthy to have been an irishman born) say to the other, that he'd ask the governor for me to stay with you on parole, until you are well again." the little girl handed me the lemonade, of which i drank a little, and then i felt very faint again. i laid my head on the pillow, and o'brien having left off talking, i was soon in a comfortable sleep. in an hour i was awakened by the return of the officer, who was accompanied by the surgeon. the officer addressed o'brien in french who shook his head as before. "why don't you answer, o'brien," said i, "since you understand him?" "peter, recollect that i cannot speak a word of their lingo; then i shall know what they say before us, and they won't mind what they say, supposing i do not understand them." "but is that honest, o'brien?" "is it honest you mean? if i had a five-pound note in my pocket, and don't choose to show it to every fellow that i meet--is that dishonest?" "to be sure it's not." "and a'n't that what the lawyers call a case in pint?" "well," replied i, "if you wish it, i shall of course say nothing; but i think that i should tell them, especially as they are so kind to us." during this conversation, the officer occasionally spoke to the surgeon, at the same time eyeing us, i thought, very hard. two other persons then came into the room; one of them addressed o'brien in very bad english, saying, that he was interpreter, and would beg him to answer a few questions. he then inquired the name of our ship, number of guns, and how long we had been cruising. after that, the force of the english fleet, and a great many other questions relative to them; all of which were put in french by the person who came with him, and the answer translated, and taken down in a book. some of the questions o'brien answered correctly, to others he pleaded ignorance; and to some, he asserted what was not true. but i did not blame him for that, as it was his duty not to give information to the enemy. at last they asked my name, and rank, which o'brien told them. "was i noble?" "yes," replied o'brien. "don't say so, o'brien," interrupted i. "peter, you know nothing about it, you are grandson to a lord." "i know that, but still i am not noble myself, although descended from him; therefore pray don't say so." "bother! pater, i have said it, and i won't unsay it; besides, pater, recollect it's a french question, and in france you would be considered noble. at all events, it can do no harm." "i feel too ill to talk, o'brien; but i wish you had not said so." they then inquired o'brien's name, which he told them; his rank in the service, and also, whether he was noble. "i am an o'brien," replied he; "and pray what's the meaning of the o before my name, if i'm not noble? however, mr interpreter, you may add, that we have dropped our title because it's not convanient." the french officer burst out into a loud laugh, which surprised us very much. the interpreter had great difficulty in explaining what o'brien said; but as o'brien told me afterwards, the answer was put down _doubtful_. they all left the room except the officer, who then, to our astonishment, addressed us in good english. "gentlemen, i have obtained permission from the governor for you to remain in my house, until mr simple is recovered. mr o'brien, it is necessary that i should receive your parole of honour that you will not attempt to escape. are you willing to give it?" o'brien was quite amazed; "murder an' irish," cried he; "so you speak english, colonel. it was not very genteel of you not to say so, considering how we've been talking our little secrets together." "certainly, mr o'brien, not more necessary," replied the officer, smiling, "than for you to tell me that you understood french." "o, bother!" cried o'brien, "how nicely i'm caught in my own trap! you're an irishman, sure?" "i'm of irish descent," replied the officer, "and my name, as well as yours, is o'brien. i was brought up in this country, not being permitted to serve my own, and retain the religion of my forefathers. i may now be considered as a frenchman, retaining nothing of my original country, except the language, which my mother taught me, and a warm feeling towards the english wherever i meet them. but to the question, mr o'brien, will you give your parole?" "the word of an irishman, and the hand to boot," replied o'brien, shaking the colonel by the hand; "and you're more than doubly sure, for i'll never go away and leave little peter here; and as for carrying him on my back, i've had enough of that already." "it is sufficient," replied the colonel. "mr o'brien, i will make you as comfortable as i can; and when you are tired of attending your friend, my little daughter shall take your place. you'll find her a kind little nurse, mr simple." i could not refrain from tears at the colonel's kindness: he shook me by the hand; and telling o'brien that dinner was ready, he called up his daughter, the little girl who had attended me before; and desired her to remain in the room. "celeste," said he, "you understand a little english; quite enough to find out what he is in want of. go and fetch your work, to amuse yourself when he is asleep." celeste went out, and returning with her embroidery, sat down by the head of the bed: the colonel and o'brien then quitted the room. celeste then commenced her embroidery, and as her eyes were cast down upon her work, i was able to look at her without her observing it. as i said before, she was a very beautiful little girl; her hair was light brown, eyes very large, and eyebrows drawn as with a pair of compasses; her nose and mouth were also very pretty; but it was not so much her features as the expression of her countenance, which was so beautiful, so modest, so sweet, and so intelligent. when she smiled, which she almost always did when she spoke, her teeth were like two rows of little pearls. i had not looked at her long, before she raised her eyes from her work, and perceiving that i was looking at her, said, "you want--something-- want drink--i speak very little english." "nothing, i thank ye," replied i; "i only want to go to sleep." "then--shut--your--eye," replied she smiling; and she went to the window, and drew down the blinds to darken the room. but i could not sleep; the remembrance of what had occurred--in a few hours wounded, and a prisoner--the thought of my father and mother's anxiety; with the prospect of going to a prison and close confinement, as soon as i was recovered, passed in succession in my mind, and, together with the actual pain of my wound, prevented me from obtaining any rest. the little girl several times opened the curtain to ascertain whether i slept or wanted anything, and then as softly retired. in the evening, the surgeon called again; he felt my pulse, and directing cold applications to my leg, which had swelled considerably, and was becoming very painful, told colonel o'brien, that, although i had considerable fever, i was doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances. but i shall not dwell upon my severe sufferings for a fortnight, after which the ball was extracted; nor upon how carefully i was watched by o'brien, the colonel, and little celeste, during my peevishness and irritation, arising from pain and fever. i feel grateful to them, but partiqularly [sic] to celeste, who seldom quitted me for more than half-an-hour, and, as i gradually recovered, tried all she could to amuse me. chapter xix we remove to very unpleasant quarters--birds of a feather won't always flock together--o'brien cuts a cutter midshipman, and gets a taste of french steel--altogether _flat_ work--a walk into the interior. as soon as i was well enough to attend to my little nurse, we became very intimate, as might be expected. our chief employment was teaching each other french and english. having the advantage of me in knowing a little before we met, and also being much quicker of apprehension, she very soon began to speak english fluently, long before i could make out a short sentence in french. however, as it was our chief employment, and both were anxious to communicate with each other, i learnt it very fast. in five weeks i was out of bed, and could limp about the room; and before two months were over, i was quite recovered. the colonel, however, would not report me to the governor; i remained on a sofa during the day, but at dusk i stole out of the house, and walked about with celeste. i never passed such a happy time as the last fortnight; the only drawback was the remembrance that i should soon have to exchange it for a prison. i was more easy about my father and mother, as o'brien had written to them, assuring them that i was doing well; and besides, a few days after our capture, the frigate had run in, and sent a flag of truce to inquire if we were alive or made prisoners; at the same time captain savage sent on shore all our clothes, and two hundred dollars in cash for our use. i knew that even if o'brien's letter did not reach them, they were sure to hear from captain savage that i was doing well. but the idea of parting with celeste, towards whom i felt such gratitude and affection, was most painful; and when i talked about it, poor celeste would cry so much, that i could not help joining her, although i kissed away her tears. at the end of twelve weeks, the surgeon could no longer withhold his report, and we were ordered to be ready in two days to march to toulon, where we were to join another party of prisoners, to proceed with them into the interior. i must pass over our parting, which the reader may imagine was very painful. i promised to write to celeste, and she promised that she would answer my letters, if it were permitted. we shook hands with colonel o'brien, thanking him for his kindness, and, much to his regret, we were taken in charge by two french cuirassiers, who were waiting at the door. as we preferred being continued on parole until our arrival at toulon, the soldiers were not at all particular about watching us; and we set off on horseback, o'brien and i going first, and the french cuirassiers following us in the rear. we trotted or walked along the road very comfortably. the weather was delightful: we were in high spirits, and almost forgot that we were prisoners. the cuirassiers followed us at a distance of twenty yards, conversing with each other, and o'brien observed that it was amazingly genteel of the french governor to provide us with two servants in such handsome liveries. the evening of the second day we arrived at toulon, and as soon as we entered the gates, we were delivered into the custody of an officer with a very sinister cast of countenance, who, after some conversation with the cuirassiers, told us in a surly tone that our parole was at an end, and gave us in charge of a corporal's guard, with directions to conduct us to the prison near the arsenal. we presented the cuirassiers with four dollars each, for their civility, and were then hurried away to our place of captivity. i observed to o'brien, that i was afraid that we must now bid farewell to anything like pleasure. "you're right there, peter," replied he: "but there's a certain jewel called hope, that somebody found at the bottom of his chest, when it was clean empty, and so we must not lose sight of it, but try and escape as soon as we can; but the less we talk about it the better." in a few minutes we arrived at our destination: the door was opened, ourselves and our bundles (for we had only selected a few things for our march, the colonel promising to forward the remainder as soon as we wrote to inform him to which depot we were consigned), were rudely shoved in; and as the doors again closed, and the heavy bolts were shot, i felt a creeping, chilly sensation pass through my whole body. as soon as we could see--for although the prison was not very dark, yet so suddenly thrown in, after the glare of a bright sunshiny day, at first we could distinguish nothing--we found ourselves in company with about thirty english sailors. most of them were sitting down on the pavement, or on boxes, or bundles containing their clothes that they had secured, conversing with each other, or playing at cards or draughts. our entrance appeared to excite little attention; after having raised their eyes to indulge their curiosity, they continued their pursuits. i have often thought what a feeling of selfishness appeared to pervade the whole of them. at the time i was shocked, as i expected immediate sympathy and commiseration; but afterwards i was not surprised. many of these poor fellows had been months in the prison, and a short confinement will produce that indifference to the misfortunes of others, which i then observed. indeed, one man, who was playing at cards, looked up for a moment as we came in, and cried out, "hurrah, my lads! the more the merrier," as if he really was pleased to find that there were others who were as unfortunate as himself. we stood looking at the groups for about ten minutes, when o'brien observed, "that we might as well come to an anchor, foul ground being better than no bottom;" so we sat down in a corner, upon our bundles, where we remained for more than an hour, surveying the scene, without speaking a word to each other. i could not speak--i felt so very miserable. i thought of my father and mother in england, of my captain and my messmates, who were sailing about so happily in the frigate, of the kind colonel o'brien, and dear little celeste, and the tears trickled down my cheeks as these scenes of former happiness passed through my mind in quick succession. o'brien did not speak but once, and then he only said, "this is dull work, peter." we had been in the prison about two hours, when a lad in a very greasy, ragged jacket, with a pale emaciated face, came up to us, and said, "i perceive by your uniforms that you are both officers, as well as myself." o'brien stared at him for a little while, and then answered, "upon my soul and honour, then, you've the advantage of us, for it's more than i could perceive in you; but i'll take your word for it. pray what ship may have had the misfortune of losing such a credit to the service?" "why, i belonged to the _snapper_ cutter," replied the young lad; "i was taken in a prize, which the commanding officer had given in my charge to take to gibraltar: but they won't believe that i'm an officer. i have applied for officer's allowance and rations, and they won't give them to me." "well, but they know that we are officers," replied o'brien; "why do they shove us in here, with the common seamen?" "i suppose you are only put in here for the present," replied the cutter's midshipman; "but why i cannot tell." nor could we, until afterwards, when we found out, as our narrative will show, that the officer who received us from the cuirassiers had once quarrelled with colonel o'brien, who first pulled his nose, and afterwards ran him through the body. being told by the cuirassiers that we were much esteemed by colonel o'brien, he resolved to annoy us as much as he could; and when he sent up the document announcing our arrival, he left out the word "officers," and put us in confinement with the common seamen. "it's very hard upon me not to have my regular allowance as an officer," continued the midshipman. "they only give me a black loaf and three sous a day. if i had had my best uniform on, they never would have disputed my being an officer; but the scoundrels who retook the prize stole all my traps, and i have nothing but this old jacket." "why, then," replied o'brien, "you'll know the value of dress for the future. you cutter and gun-brig midshipmen go about in such a dirty state, that you are hardly acknowledged by us who belong to frigates to be officers, much less gentlemen. you look so dirty, and so slovenly when we pass you in the dockyard, that we give you a wide berth; how then can you suppose strangers to believe that you are either officers or gentlemen? upon my conscience, i absolve the frenchmen from all prejudice, for, as to, your being an officer, we, as englishmen have nothing but your bare word for it." "well, it's very hard," replied the lad, "to be attacked this way by a brother officer; your coat will be as shabby as mine, before you have been here long." "that's very true, my darling," returned o'brien: "but at least i shall have the pleasant reflection that i came in as a gentleman, although i may not exactly go out under the same appearance. good night, and pleasant dreams to you!" i thought o'brien rather cross in speaking in such a way, but he was himself always as remarkably neat and well dressed, as he was handsome and well made. fortunately we were not destined to remain long in this detestable hole. after a night of misery, during which we remained sitting on our bundles, and sleeping how we could, leaning with our backs against the damp wall, we were roused, at daybreak by the unbarring of the prison doors, followed up with an order to go into the prison yard. we were huddled out like a flock of sheep, by a file of soldiers with loaded muskets; and, as we went into the yard, were ranged two and two. the same officer who ordered us into prison, commanded the detachment of soldiers who had us in charge. o'brien stepped out of the ranks, and, addressing them, stated that we were officers, and had no right to be treated like common sailors. the french officer replied, that he had better information, and that we wore coats which did not belong to us; upon which o'brien was in a great rage, calling the officer a liar, and demanding satisfaction for the insult, appealing to the french soldiers, and stating, that colonel o'brien, who was at cette, was his countryman, and had received him for two months into his house upon parole, which was quite sufficient to establish his being an officer. the french soldiers appeared to side with o'brien after they had heard this explanation, stating that no common english sailor could speak such good french, and that they were present when we were sent in on parole, and they asked the officer whether he intended to give satisfaction. the officer stormed, and drawing his sword out of the scabbard, struck o'brien with the flat of the blade, looking at him with contempt, and ordering him into the ranks. i could not help observing that, during this scene, the men-of-war sailors who were among the prisoners, were very indignant, while, on the contrary, those captured in merchant vessels appeared to be pleased with the insult offered to o'brien. one of the french soldiers then made a sarcastic remark, that the french officer did not much like the name of o'brien. this so enraged the officer, that he flew at o'brien, pushed him back into the ranks, and taking out a pistol, threatened to shoot him through the head. i must do the justice to the french soldiers, that they all cried out "shame!" they did not appear to have the same discipline, or the same respect for an officer, as the soldiers have in our service, or they would not have been so free in their language; yet, at the same time, they obeyed all his orders on service very implicitly. when o'brien returned to the ranks, he looked defiance at the officer, telling him, "that he would pocket the affront very carefully, as he intended to bring it out again upon a future and more suitable occasion." we were then marched out in ranks, two and two, being met at the street by two drummers, and a crowd of people, who had gathered to witness our departure. the drums beat, and away we went. the officer who had charge of us mounted a small horse, galloping up and down from one end of the ranks to the other, with his sword drawn, bullying, swearing, and striking with the flat of the blade at any one of the prisoners who was not in his proper place. when we were close to the gates, we were joined by another detachment of prisoners: we were then ordered to halt, and were informed, through an interpreter, that any one attempting to escape would immediately be shot, after which information we once more proceeded on our route. nothing remarkable occurred during our first day's march, except perhaps a curious conversation between o'brien and one of the french soldiers, in which they disputed about the comparative bravery of the two nations. o'brien, in his argument, told the frenchman that his countrymen could not stand a charge of english bayonets. the frenchman replied that there was no doubt but the french were quite as brave as the english--even more so; and that, as for not standing the charge of bayonets, it was not because they were less brave; but the fact was, that they were most excessively _ticklish_. we had black bread and sour wine served out to us this day, when we halted to refresh. o'brien persuaded a soldier to purchase something for us more eatable; but the french officer heard of it, and was very angry, ordering the soldier to the rear. chapter xx o'brien fights a duel with a french officer, and proves that the great art of fencing is knowing nothing about it--we arrive at our new quarters, which we find very secure. at night we arrived at a small town, the name of which i forget. here we were all put into an old church for the night, and a very bad night we passed. they did not even give us a little straw to lie down upon: the roof of the church had partly fallen in, and the moon shone through very brightly. this was some comfort; for to have been shut up in the dark, seventy-five in number, would have been very miserable. we were afraid to lie down anywhere, as, like all ruined buildings in france, the ground was covered with filth, and the smell was shocking. o'brien was very thoughtful, and would hardly answer any question that i put to him; it was evident that he was brooding over the affront which he had received from the french officer. at daybreak, the door of the church was again opened by the french soldiers, and we were conducted to the square of the town, where we found the troops quartered, drawn up with their officers, to receive us from the detachment who had escorted us from toulon. we were very much pleased with this, as we knew that we should be forwarded by another detachment, and thus be rid of the brutal officer who had hitherto had charge of the prisoners. but we were rid of him in another way. as the french officers walked along our ranks to look at us, i perceived among them a captain, whom we had known very intimately when we were living at cette with colonel o'brien. i cried out his name immediately; he turned round, and seeing o'brien and me, he came up to us, shaking us by the hand, and expressing his surprise at finding us in such a situation. o'brien explained to him how we had been treated, at which he expressed his indignation, as did the other officers who had collected round us. the major who commanded the troops in the town turned to the french officer (he was only a lieutenant) who had conducted us from toulon, and demanded of him his reason for behaving to us in such an unworthy manner. he denied having treated us ill, and said that he had been informed that we had put on officers' dresses which did not belong to us. at this o'brien declared that he was a liar, and a cowardly _foutre_, that he had struck him with the back of his sabre, which he would not have dared do if he had not been a prisoner; adding, that all he requested was satisfaction for the insult offered to him, and appealed to the officers whether, if it were refused, the lieutenant's epaulets ought not to be cut off his shoulders. the major commandant and the officers retired to consult, and, after a few minutes, they agreed that the lieutenant was bound to give the satisfaction required. the lieutenant replied that he was ready; but, at the same time, did not appear to be very willing. the prisoners were left in charge of the soldiers, under a junior officer, while the others, accompanied by o'brien, myself, and the lieutenant, walked to a short distance outside the town. as we proceeded there, i asked o'brien with what weapons they would fight. "i take it for granted," replied he, "that it will be with the small sword." "but," said i, "do you know anything about fencing?" "devil a bit, peter; but that's all in my favour." "how can that be?" replied i. "i'll tell you, peter. if one man fences well, and another is but an indifferent hand at it, it is clear that the first will run the other through the body; but, if the other knows nothing at all about it, why then, peter, the case is not quite so clear: because the good fencer is almost as much puzzled by your ignorance as you are by his skill, and you become on more equal terms. now, peter, i've made up my mind that i'll run that fellow through the body, and so i will, as sure as i am an o'brien." "well, i hope you will; but pray do not be too sure." "it's feeling sure that will make me able to do it, peter. by the blood of the o'briens! didn't he slap me with his sword, as if i were a clown in the pantomime. peter, i'll kill the harlequin scoundrel, and my word's as good as my bond!" by this time we had arrived at the ground. the french lieutenant stripped to his shirt and trousers; o'brien did the same, kicking his boots off, and standing upon the wet grass in his stockings. the swords were measured, and handed to them; they took their distance, and set to. i must say, that i was breathless with anxiety; the idea of losing o'brien struck me with grief and terror. i then felt the value of all his kindness to me, and would have taken his place, and have been run through the body, rather than he should have been hurt. at first, o'brien put himself in the correct attitude of defence, in imitation of the lieutenant, but this was for a very few seconds; he suddenly made a spring, and rushed on to his adversary, stabbing at him with a velocity quite astonishing, the lieutenant parrying in his defence, until at last he had an opportunity of lungeing at o'brien. o'brien, who no longer kept his left arm raised in equipoise, caught the sword of the lieutenant at within six inches of the point, and directing it under his left arm, as he rushed in, passed his own through the lieutenant's body. it was all over in less than a minute--the lieutenant did not live half an hour afterwards. the french officers were very much surprised at the result, for they perceived at once that o'brien knew nothing of fencing. o'brien gathered a tuft of grass, wiped the sword, which he presented to the officer to whom it belonged, and thanking the major and the whole of them for their impartiality and gentlemanlike conduct, led the way to the square, where he again took his station in the ranks of the prisoners. shortly after, the major commandant came up to us, and asked whether we would accept of our parole, as, in that case, we might travel as we pleased. we consented, with many thanks for his civility and kindness; but i could not help thinking at the time, that the french officers were a little mortified at o'brien's success, although they were too honourable to express the feeling. o'brien told me, after we had quitted the town, that had it not been for the handsome conduct of the officers, he would not have accepted our parole, as he felt convinced that we could have easily made our escape. we talked over the matter a long while, and at last agreed that there would be a better chance of success by and by, when more closely guarded, than there would be now, under consideration of all circumstances, as it required previously concerted arrangements to get out of the country. i had almost forgotten to say, that on our return after the duel the cutter's midshipman called out to o'brien, requesting him to state to the commandant that he was also an officer; but o'brien replied, that there was no evidence for it but his bare word. if he was an officer he must prove it himself, as everything in his appearance flatly contradicted his assertion. "it's very hard," replied the midshipman, "that because my jacket's a little tarry or so i must lose my rank." "my dear fellow," replied o'brien, "it's not because your jacket's a little tarry; it is because what the frenchmen call your _tout ensemble_ is quite disgraceful in an officer. look at your face in the first puddle, and you'll find that it would dirty the water you look into. look at your shoulders above your ears, and your back with a bow like a _kink_ in a cable. your trowsers, sir, you have pulled your legs too far through, showing a foot and a half of worsted stockings. in short, look at yourself altogether, and then tell me, provided you be an officer, whether, from respect to the service, it would not be my duty to contradict it. it goes against my conscience, my dear fellow; but recollect that when we arrive at the depot, you will be able to prove it, so it's only waiting a little while, until the captains will pass their word for you, which is more than i will." "well, it's very hard," replied the midshipman, "that i must go on eating this black rye bread; and very unkind of you." "it's very kind of me, you spalpeen of the snapper. prison will be a paradise to you, when you get into good commons. how you'll relish your grub by-and-by! so now shut your pan, or by the tail of jonah's whale, i'll swear you're a spaniard." i could not help thinking that o'brien was very severe upon the poor lad, and i expostulated with him afterwards. he replied, "peter, if, as a cutter's midshipman, he is a bit of an officer, the devil a bit is he of a gentleman, either born or bred: and i'm not bound to bail every blackguard-looking chap that i meet. by the head of st peter, i would blush to be seen in his company, if i were in the wildest bog in ireland, with nothing but an old crow as spectator." we were now again permitted to be on our parole, and received every attention and kindness from the different officers who commanded the detachments which passed the prisoners from one town to another. in a few days we arrived at montpelier, where we had orders to remain a short time until directions were received from government as to the depots for prisoners to which we were to be sent. at this delightful town, we had unlimited parole, not even a gendarme accompanying us. we lived at the table d'hote, were permitted to walk about where we pleased, and amused ourselves every evening at the theatre. during our stay there we wrote to colonel o'brien at cette, thanking him for his kindness, and narrating what had occurred since we parted. i also wrote to celeste, inclosing my letter unsealed in the one to colonel o'brien. i told her the history of o'brien's duel, and all i could think would interest her; how sorry i was to have parted from her; that i never would forget her; and trusted that some day, as she was only half a frenchwoman, we should meet again. before we left montpelier, we had the pleasure of receiving answers to our letters: the colonel's letters were very kind, particularly the one to me, in which he called me his dear boy, and hoped that i should soon rejoin my friends, and prove an ornament to my country. in his letter to o'brien, he requested him not to run me into useless danger--to recollect that i was not so well able to undergo extreme hardship. i have no doubt but that this caution referred to o'brien's intention to escape from prison, which he had not concealed from the colonel, and the probability that i would be a partner in the attempt. the answer from celeste was written in english; but she must have had assistance from her father, or she could not have succeeded so well. it was like herself, very kind and affectionate; and also ended with wishing me a speedy return to my friends, who must (she said) be so fond of me, that she despaired of ever seeing me more, but that she consoled herself as well as she could with the assurance that i should be happy. i forgot to say, that colonel o'brien, in his letter to me, stated that he expected immediate orders to leave cette, and take the command of some military post in the interior, or join the army, but which, he could not tell; that they had packed up everything, and he was afraid that our correspondence must cease, as he could not state to what place we should direct our letters. i could not help thinking at the time, that it was a delicate way of pointing out to us that it was not right that he should correspond with us in our relative situations; but still, i was sure that he was about to leave cette, for he never would have made use of a subterfuge. i must here acquaint the reader with a circumstance which i forgot to mention, which was that when captain savage sent in a flag of truce with our clothes and money, i thought that it was but justice to o'brien that they should know on board of the frigate the gallant manner in which he had behaved. i knew that he would never tell himself, so, ill as i was at the time, i sent for colonel o'brien, and requested him to write down my statement of the affair, in which i mentioned how o'brien had spiked the last gun, and had been taken prisoner by so doing, together with his attempting to save me. when the colonel had written all down, i requested that he would send for the major, who first entered the fort with the troops, and translate it to him in french. this he did in my presence, and the major declared every word to be true. "will he attest it, colonel, as it may be of great service to o'brien?" the major immediately assented. colonel o'brien then enclosed my letter, with a short note from himself, to captain savage, paying him a compliment, and assuring him that his gallant young officers should be treated with every attention, and all the kindness which the rules of war would admit of. o'brien never knew that i had sent that letter, as the colonel, at my request, kept the secret. in ten days we received an order to march on the following morning. the sailors, among whom was our poor friend the midshipman of the snapper cutter, were ordered to verdun; o'brien and i, with eight masters of merchant vessels, who joined us at montpelier, were directed by the government to be sent to givet, a fortified town in the department of ardennes. but, at the same time, orders arrived from government to treat the prisoners with great strictness, and not to allow any parole; the reason of this, we were informed, was that accounts had been sent to government of the death of the french officer in the duel with o'brien, and they had expressed their dissatisfaction at its having been permitted. indeed, i very much doubt whether it would have been permitted in our country, but the french officers are almost romantically chivalrous in their ideas of honour; in fact, as enemies, i have always considered them as worthy antagonists to the english, and they appear more respectable in themselves, and more demanding our goodwill in that situation, than they do when we meet them as friends, and are acquainted with the other points of their character, which lessen them in our estimation. i shall not dwell upon a march of three weeks, during which we alternately received kind or unhandsome treatment, according to the dispositions of those who had us in charge; but i must observe, that it was invariably the case, that officers who were gentlemen by birth treated us with consideration, while those who had sprung from nothing during the revolution, were harsh, and sometimes even brutal. it was exactly four months from the time of our capture that we arrived at our destined prison at givet. "peter," said o'brien, as he looked hastily at the fortifications, and the river which divided the two towns, "i see no reason, either english or french, that we should not eat our christmas dinner in england. i've a bird's eye view of the outside, and now, have only to find out where-abouts we may be in the inside." i must say that, when i looked at the ditches and high ramparts, i had a different opinion; so had a gendarme who was walking by our side, and who had observed o'brien's scrutiny, and who quietly said to him in french, "_vous le croyez possible!_" "everything is possible to a brave man--the french armies have proved that," answered o'brien. "you are right," replied the gendarme, pleased with the compliment to his nation; "i wish you success, you will deserve it; but--" and he shook his head. "if i could but obtain a plan of the fortress," said o'brien, "i would give five napoleons for one," and he looked at the gendarme. "i cannot see any objection to an officer, although a prisoner, studying fortification," replied the gendarme. "in two hours you will be within the walls; and now i recollect, in the map of the two towns, the fortress is laid down sufficiently accurately to give you an idea of it. but we have conversed too long." so saying, the gendarme dropped into the rear. in a quarter of an hour, we arrived at the place d'armes, where we were met, as usual, by another detachment of troops, and drummers, who paraded us through the town previous to our being drawn up before the governor's house. this, i ought to have observed, was, by order of government, done at every town we passed through; it was very contemptible, but prisoners were so scarce, that they made all the display of us that they could. as we stopped at the governor's house, the gendarme, who had left us in the square, made a sign to o'brien, as much as to say, i have it. o'brien took out five napoleons, which he wrapped in paper, and held in his hand. in a minute or two, the gendarme came up and presented o'brien with an old silk handkerchief, saying, "_votre mouchoir, monsieur_." "_merci,"_ replied o'brien, putting the handkerchief which contained the map into his pocket, "_voici à boire, mon ami_;" and he slipped the paper with the five napoleons into the hand of the gendarme, who immediately retreated. this was very fortunate for us, as we afterwards discovered that a mark had been put against o'brien's and my name, not to allow parole or permission to leave the fortress, even under surveillance. indeed, even if it had not been so, we never should have obtained it, as the lieutenant killed by o'brien was nearly related to the commandant of the fortress, who was as much a _mauvais sujet_ as his kinsman. having waited the usual hour before the governor's house, to answer to our muster-roll, and to be stared at, we were dismissed; and in a few minutes, found ourselves shut up in one of the strongest fortresses in france. chapter xxi o'brien receives his commission as lieutenant, and then we take french leave of givet. if i doubted the practicability of escape when i examined the exterior, when we were ushered into the interior of the fortress, i felt that it was impossible, and i stated my opinion to o'brien. we were conducted into a yard surrounded by a high wall; the buildings appropriated for the prisoners were built with _lean-to_ roofs on one side, and at each side of the square was a sentry looking down upon us. it was very much like the dens which they now build for bears, only so much larger. o'brien answered me with a "pish! peter, it's the very security of the place which will enable us to get out of it. but don't talk, as there are always spies about who understand english." we were shown into a room allotted to six of us; our baggage was examined, and then delivered over to us. "better and better, peter," observed o'brien, "they've not found it out!" "what?" inquired i. "oh, only a little selection of articles, which might be useful to us by-and-by." he then showed me what i never before was aware of: that he had a false bottom to his trunk; but it was papered over like the rest, and very ingeniously concealed. "and what is there, o'brien?" inquired i. "never mind; i had them made at montpelier. you'll see by-and-by." the others, who were lodged in the same room, then came in, and after staying a quarter of an hour, went away at the sound of the dinner-bell. "now, peter," said o'brien, "i must get rid of my load. turn the key." o'brien then undressed himself, and when he threw off his shirt and drawers, showed me a rope of silk, with a knot at every two feet, about half-an-inch in size, wound round and round his body. there were about sixty feet of it altogether. as i unwound it, he, turning round and round, observed, "peter, i've worn this rope ever since i left montpelier, and you've no idea of the pain i have suffered; but we must go to england, that's decided upon." when i looked at o'brien, as the rope was wound off, i could easily imagine that he had really been in great pain; in several places his flesh was quite raw from the continual friction, and after it was all unwound, and he had put on his clothes, he fainted away. i was very much alarmed, but i recollected to put the rope into the trunk, and take out the key, before i called for assistance. he soon came to, and on being asked what was the matter, said that he was subject to fits from his infancy. he looked earnestly at me, and i showed him the key, which was sufficient. for some days o'brien, who really was not very well, kept to his room. during this time, he often examined the map given him by the gendarme. one day he said to me, "peter, can you swim?" "no," replied i; "but never mind that." "but i must mind it, peter; for observe, we shall have to cross the river meuse, and boats are not always to be had. you observe, that this fortress is washed by the river on one side: and as it is the strongest side, it is the least guarded--we must escape by it. i can see my way clear enough till we get to the second rampart on the river, but when we drop into the river, if you cannot swim, i must contrive to hold you up, somehow or another." "are you then determined to escape, o'brien? i cannot perceive how we are even to get up this wall, with four sentries staring us in the face." "never do you mind that, peter, mind your own business; and first tell me, do you intend to try your luck with me?" "yes," replied i, "most certainly; if you have sufficient confidence in me to take me as your companion." "to tell you the truth, peter, i would not give a farthing to escape without you. we were taken together, and, please god, we'll take ourselves off together; but that must not be for this month; our greatest help will be the dark nights and foul weather." the prison was by all accounts very different from verdun and some others. we had no parole, and but little communication with the townspeople. some were permitted to come in and supply us with various articles; but their baskets were searched to see that they contained nothing that might lead to an escape on the part of the prisoners. without the precautions that o'brien had taken, any attempt would have been useless. still, o'brien, as soon as he left his room, did obtain several little articles--especially balls of twine--for one of the amusements of the prisoners was flying kites. this, however, was put a stop to, in consequence of one of the strings, whether purposely or not, i cannot say, catching the lock of the musket carried by one of the sentries who looked down upon us, and twitching it out of his hand; after which an order was given by the commandant for no kites to be permitted. this was fortunate for us, as o'brien, by degrees, purchased all the twine belonging to the other prisoners; and, as we were more than three hundred in number, it amounted to sufficient to enable him, by stealth, to lay it up into very strong cord, or rather, into a sort of square plait, known only to sailors. "now, peter," said he one day, "i want nothing more than an umbrella for you." "why an umbrella for me?" "to keep you from being drowned with too much water, that's all." "rain won't drown me." "no, no, peter; but buy a new one as soon as you can." i did so. o'brien boiled up a quantity of bees' wax and oil, and gave it several coats of this preparation. he then put it carefully away in the ticking of his bed. i asked him whether he intended to make known his plan to any of the other prisoners; he replied in the negative, saying, that there were so many of them who could not be trusted, that he would trust no one. we had been now about two months in givet, when a steel's list was sent to a lieutenant, who was confined there. the lieutenant came up to o'brien, and asked him his christian name. "terence, to be sure," replied o'brien. "then," answered the lieutenant, "i may congratulate you on your promotion, for here you are upon the list of august." "sure there must be some trifling mistake; let me look at it. terence o'brien, sure enough; but now the question is, has any other fellow robbed me of my name and promotion at the same time? bother, what can it mane? i won't belave it--not a word of it. i've no more interest than a dog who drags cats'-meat." "really, o'brien," observed i, "i cannot see why you should not be made; i am sure you deserve your promotion for your conduct when you were taken prisoner." "and what did i do then, you simple peter, but put you on my back as the men do their hammocks when they are piped down; but, barring all claim, how could any one know what took place in the battery, except you, and i, and the armourer, who lay dead? so explain that, peter, if you can." "i think i can," replied i, after the lieutenant had left us. and i then told o'brien how i had written to captain savage, and had had the fact attested by the major who had made us prisoners. "well, peter," said o'brien, after a pause, "there's a fable about a lion and a mouse. if, by your means, i have obtained my promotion, why then the mouse is a finer baste than the lion; but instead of being happy, i shall now be miserable until the truth is ascertained one way or the other, and that's another reason why i must set off to england as fast as i can." for a few days after this o'brien was very uneasy; but fortunately letters arrived by that time; one to me from my father, in which he requested me to draw for whatever money i might require, saying that the whole family would retrench in every way to give me all the comfort which might be obtained in my unfortunate situation. i wept at his kindness, and more than ever longed to throw myself in his arms, and thank him. he also told me that my uncle william was dead, and that there was only one between him and the title, but that my grandfather was in good health, and had been very kind to him lately. my mother was much afflicted at my having been made a prisoner, and requested i would write as often as i could. o'brien's letter was from captain savage; the frigate had been sent home with despatches, and o'brien's conduct represented to the admiralty, which had, in consequence, promoted him to the rank of lieutenant. o'brien came to me with the letter, his countenance radiant with joy as he put it into my hands. in return i put mine into his, and he read it over. "peter, my boy, i'm under great obligations to you. when you were wounded and feverish, you thought of me at a time when you had quite enough to think of yourself; but i never thank in words. i see your uncle william is dead. how many more uncles have you?" "my uncle john, who is married, and has already two daughters." "blessings on him; may he stick to the female line of business! peter, my boy, you shall be a lord before you die." "nonsense, o'brien; i have no chance. don't put such foolish ideas in my head." "what chance had i of being a lieutenant, and am i not one? well, peter, you've helped to make a lieutenant of me, but i'll make a _man_ of you, and that's better. peter, i perceive, with all your simplicity, that you're not over and above simple, and that, with all your asking for advice, you can think and act for yourself on an emergency. now, peter, these are talents that must not be thrown away in this cursed hole, and therefore, my boy, prepare yourself to quit this place in a week, wind and weather permitting; that is to say, not fair wind and weather, but the fouler the better. will you be ready at any hour of any night that i call you up?" "yes, o'brien, i will, and do my best." "no man can do much more that ever i heard of. but, peter, do me one favour, as i am really a lieutenant, just touch your hat to me only once, that's all; but i wish the compliment, just to see how it looks." "lieutenant o'brien," said i, touching my hat, "have you any further orders?" "yes, sir," replied he; "that you never presume to touch your hat to me again, unless we sail together, and then that's a different sort of thing." about a week afterwards, o'brien came to me, and said, "the new moon's quartered in with foul weather; if it holds, prepare for a start. i have put what is necessary in your little haversack; it may be to-night. go to bed now, and sleep for a week if you can, for you'll get but little sleep, if we succeed, for the week to come." this was about eight o'clock. i went to bed, and about twelve i was roused by o'brien, who told me to dress myself carefully, and come down to him in the yard. i did so without disturbing any body, and found the night as dark as pitch (it was then november), and raining in torrents; the wind was high, howling round the yard, and sweeping in the rain in every direction as it eddied to and fro. it was some time before i could find o'brien, who was hard at work; and, as i had already been made acquainted with all his plans, i will now explain them. at montpelier he had procured six large pieces of iron, about eighteen inches long, with a gimlet at one end of each, and a square at the other, which fitted to a handle which unshipped. for precaution he had a spare handle, but each handle fitted to all the irons. o'brien had screwed one of these pieces of iron between the interstices of the stones of which the wall was built, and sitting astride on that, was fixing another about three feet above. when he had accomplished this, he stood upon the lower iron, and supporting himself by the second, which about met his hip, he screwed in a third, always fixing them about six inches on one side of the other, and not one above the other. when he had screwed in his six irons, he was about half up the wall, and then he fastened his rope, which he had carried round his neck, to the upper iron, and lowering himself down, unscrewed the four lower irons: then ascending by the rope, he stood upon the fifth iron, and supporting himself by the upper iron, recommenced his task. by these means he arrived in the course of an hour and a half to the top of the wall, where he fixed his last iron, and making his rope fast, he came down again. "now, peter," said he, "there is no fear of the sentries seeing us; if they had the eyes of cats, they could not until we were on the top of the wall; but then we arrive at the glacis, and we must creep to the ramparts on our bellies. i am going up with all the materials. give me your haversack--you will go up lighter; and recollect, should any accident happen to me, you run to bed again. if, on the contrary, i pull the rope up and down three or four times, you may sheer up it as fast as you can." o'brien then loaded himself with the other rope, the two knapsacks, iron crows, and other implements he had procured; and, last of all, with the umbrella. "peter, if the rope bears me with all this, it is clear it will bear such a creature as you are, therefore don't be afraid." so whispering, he commenced his ascent; in about three minutes he was up, and the rope pulled. i immediately followed him, and found the rope very easy to climb, from the knots at every two feet, which gave me a hold for my feet, and i was up in as short a time as he was. he caught me by the collar, putting his wet hand on my mouth, and i lay down beside him while he pulled up the rope. we then crawled on our stomachs across the glacis till we arrived at the rampart. the wind blew tremendously, and the rain pattered down so fast, that the sentries did not perceive us; indeed, it was no fault of theirs, for it was impossible to have made us out. it was some time before o'brien could find out the point exactly above the drawbridge of the first ditch; at last he did--he fixed his crow-bar in, and lowered down the rope. "now, peter, i had better go first again; when i shake the rope from below, all's right." o'brien descended, and in a few minutes the rope again shook; i followed him, and found myself received in his arms upon the meeting of the drawbridge; but the drawbridge itself was up. o'brien led the way across the chains, and i followed him. when we had crossed the moat, we found a barrier gate locked; this puzzled us. o'brien pulled out his picklocks to pick it, but without success; here we were fast. "we must undermine the gate, o'brien; we must pull up the pavement until we can creep under." "peter, you are a fine fellow; i never thought of that." we worked very hard until the hole was large enough, using the crow-bar which was left, and a little wrench which o'brien had with him. by these means we got under the gate in the course of an hour or more. this gate led to the lower rampart, but we had a covered way to pass through before we arrived at it. we proceeded very cautiously, when we heard a noise: we stopped, and found that it was a sentry, who was fast asleep, and snoring. little expecting to find one here, we were puzzled; pass him we could not well, as he was stationed on the very spot where we required to place our crow-bar to descend the lower rampart into the river. o'brien thought for a moment. "peter," said he, "now is the time for you to prove yourself a man. he is fast asleep, but his noise must be stopped. i will stop his mouth, but at the very moment that i do so you must throw open the pan of his musket, and then he cannot fire it." "i will, o'brien; don't fear me." we crept cautiously up to him, and o'brien motioning to me to put my thumb upon the pan, i did so, and the moment that o'brien put his hand upon the soldier's mouth, i threw open the pan. the fellow struggled, and snapped his lock as a signal, but of course without discharging his musket, and in a minute he was not only gagged but bound by o'brien, with my assistance. leaving him there, we proceeded to the rampart, and fixing the crow-bar again, o'brien descended; i followed him, and found him in the river, hanging on to the rope; the umbrella was opened and turned upwards; the preparation made it resist the water, and, as previously explained to me by o'brien, i had only to hold on at arm's length to two beckets which he had affixed to the point of the umbrella, which was under water. to the same part o'brien had a tow-line, which taking in his teeth, he towed me down with the stream to about a hundred yards clear of the fortress, where we landed. o'brien was so exhausted that for a few minutes he remained quite motionless; i also was benumbed with the cold. "peter," said he, "thank god we have succeeded so far; now must we push on as far as we can, for we shall have daylight in two hours." o'brien took out his flask of spirits, and we both drank a half tumbler at least, but we should not in our state have been affected with a bottle. we now walked along the river-side till we fell in with a small craft, with a boat towing astern: o'brien swam to it, and cutting the painter without getting in, towed it on shore. the oars were fortunately in the boat. i got in, we shoved off, and rowed away down the stream till the dawn of day. "all's right, peter; now we'll land. this is the forest of ardennes." we landed, replaced the oars in the boat, and pushed her off into the stream, to induce people to suppose that she had broken adrift, and then hastened into the thickest of the wood. it still rained hard; i shivered, and my teeth chattered with the cold, but there was no help for it. we again took a dram of spirits, and, worn out with fatigue and excitement, soon fell fast asleep upon a bed of leaves which we had collected together. chapter xxii grave consequences of gravitation--o'brien enlists himself as a gendarme, and takes charge of me--we are discovered, and obliged to run for it--the pleasures of a winter bivouac. it was not until noon that i awoke, when i found that o'brien had covered me more than a foot deep with leaves to protect me from the weather. i felt quite warm and comfortable; my clothes had dried on me, but without giving me cold. "how very kind of you, o'brien!" said i. "not a bit, peter: you have hard work to go through yet, and i must take care of you. you're but a bud, and i'm a full-blown rose." so saying, he put the spirit-flask to his mouth, and then handed it to me. "now, peter, we must make a start, for depend upon it they will scour the country for us; but this is a large wood, and they may as well attempt to find a needle in a bundle of hay, if we once get into the heart of it." "i think," said i, "that this forest is mentioned by shakespeare, in one of his plays." "very likely, peter," replied o'brien; "but we are at no playwork now; and what reads amazing prettily, is no joke in reality. i've often observed, that your writers never take the weather into consideration." "i beg your pardon, o'brien; in king lear the weather was tremendous." "very likely; but who was the king that went out in such weather?" "king lear did, when he was mad." "so he was, that's certain, peter; but runaway prisoners have some excuse; so now for a start." we set off, forcing our way through the thicket, for about three hours, o'brien looking occasionally at his pocket compass; it then was again nearly dark, and o'brien proposed a halt. we made up a bed of leaves for the night, and slept much more comfortably than we had the night before. all our bread was wet, but as we had no water, it was rather a relief; the meat we had with us was sufficient for a week. once more we laid down and fell fast asleep. about five o'clock in the morning i was roused by o'brien, who at the same time put his hand gently over my mouth. i sat up, and perceived a large fire not far from us. "the philistines are upon us, peter," said he; "i have reconnoitred, and they are the gendarmes. i'm fearful of going away, as we may stumble upon some more of them. i've been thinking what's best before i waked you; and it appears to me, that we had better get up the tree, and lie there." at that time we were hidden in a copse of underwood, with a large oak in the centre, covered with ivy. "i think so too, o'brien; shall we go up now, or wait a little?" "now, to be sure, that they're eating their prog. mount you, peter, and i'll help you." o'brien shoved me up the tree, and then waiting a little while to bury our haversacks among the leaves, he followed me. he desired me to remain in a very snug position, on the first fork of the tree, while he took another, amongst a bunch of ivy, on the largest bough. there we remained for about an hour, when day dawned. we observed the gendarmes mustered at the break of day, by the corporal, and then they all separated in different directions, to scour the wood. we were delighted to perceive this, as we hoped soon to be able to get away; but there was one gendarme who remained. he walked to and fro, looking everywhere, until he came directly under the tree in which we were concealed. he poked about, until at last he came to the bed of leaves upon which we had slept; these he turned over and over with his bayonet, until he routed out our haversacks. "pardi!" exclaimed he, "where the nest and eggs are, the birds are near." he then walked round the tree, looking up into every part, but we were well concealed, and he did not discover us for some time. at last he saw me, and ordered me to come down. i paid no attention to him, as i had no signal from o'brien. he walked round a little farther, until he was directly under the branch on which o'brien lay. taking up this position, he had a fairer aim at me, and levelled his musket, saying, "_descendez, ou je tire_." still i continued immoveable, for i knew not what to do. i shut my eyes, however; the musket shortly afterwards was discharged, and, whether from fear or not i can hardly tell, i lost my hold of a sudden, and down i came. i was stunned with the fall, and thought that i must have been wounded, and was very much surprised, when, instead of the gendarme, o'brien came up to me, and asked whether i was hurt. i answered, i believed not, and got upon my legs, when i found the gendarme lying on the ground, breathing heavily, but insensible. when o'brien perceived the gendarme level his musket at me, he immediately dropped from the bough, right upon his head; this occasioned the musket to go off, without hitting me, and at the same time, the weight of o'brien's body from such a height killed the gendarme, for he expired before we left him. "now, peter," said o'brien, "this is the most fortunate thing in the world, and will take us half through the country; but we have no time to lose." he then stripped the gendarme, who still breathed heavily, and dragging him to our bed of leaves, covered him up, threw off his own clothes, which he tied in a bundle, and gave to me to carry, and put on those of the gendarme. i could not help laughing at the metamorphosis, and asked o'brien what he intended. "sure, i'm a gendarme, bringing with me a prisoner, who has escaped." he then tied my hands with a cord, shouldered his musket, and off we set. we now quitted the wood as soon as we could; for o'brien said that he had no fear for the next ten days; and so it proved. we had one difficulty, which was, that we were going the wrong way; but that was obviated by travelling mostly at night, when no questions were asked, except at the cabarets, where we lodged, and they did not know which way we came. when we stopped at night, my youth excited a great deal of commiseration, especially from the females; and in one instance i was offered assistance to escape. i consented to it, but at the same time informed o'brien of the plan proposed. o'brien kept watch--i dressed myself, and was at the open window, when he rushed in, seizing me, and declaring that he would inform the government of the conduct of the parties. their confusion and distress were very great. they offered o'brien twenty, thirty, forty napoleons, if he would hush it up, for they were aware of the penalty and imprisonment. o'brien replied that he would not accept of any money in compromise of his duty; that after he had given me into the charge of the gendarme of the next post, his business was at an end, and he must return to flushing, where he was stationed. "i have a sister there," replied the hostess, "who keeps an inn. you'll want good quarters, and a friendly cup; do not denounce us, and i'll give you a letter to her, which, if it does not prove of service, you can then return and give the information." o'brien consented; the letter was delivered, and read to him, in which the sister was requested, by the love she bore to the writer, to do all she could for the bearer, who had the power of making the whole family miserable, but had refused so to do. o'brien pocketed the letter, filled his brandy-flask, and saluting all the women, left the cabaret, dragging me after him with a cord. the only difference, as o'brien observed after he went out, was, that he (o'brien) kissed all the women, and all the women kissed me. in this way, we had proceeded by charleroy and louvain, and were within a few miles of malines, when a circumstance occurred which embarrassed us not a little. we were following our route, avoiding malines, which was a fortified town, and at the time were in a narrow lane, with wide ditches, full of water, on each side. at the turning of a sharp corner, we met the gendarme who had supplied o'brien with a map of the town of givet. "good morning, comrade," said he to o'brien, looking earnestly at him, "whom have we here?" "a young englishman, whom i picked up close by, escaped from prison." "where from?" "he will not say; but i suspect from givet." "there are two who have escaped from givet," replied he: "how they escaped no one can imagine; but," continued he, again looking at o'brien, "_avec les braves, il n'y a rien d'impossible_." "that is true," replied o'brien; "i have taken one, the other cannot be far off. you had better look for him." "i should like to find him," replied the gendarme, "for you know that to retake a runaway prisoner is certain promotion. you will be made a corporal." "so much the better," replied o'brien; "_adieu, mon ami_." "nay, i merely came for a walk, and will return with you to malines, where of course you are bound." "we shall not get there to-night," said o'brien, "my prisoner is too much fatigued." "well, then, we will go as far as we can; and i will assist you. perhaps we may find the second, who, i understand, obtained a map of the fortress by some means or other." we at once perceived that we were discovered. he afterwards told us that the body of a gendarme had been found in the wood, no doubt murdered by the prisoners, and that the body was stripped naked. "i wonder," continued he, "whether one of the prisoners put on his clothes, and passed as a gendarme." "peter," said o'brien, "are we to murder this man or not?" "i should say not: pretend to trust him, and then we may give him the slip." this was said during the time that the gendarme stopped a moment behind us. "well, we'll try; but first i'll put him off his guard." when the gendarme came up with us, o'brien observed, that the english prisoners were very liberal; that he knew that a hundred napoleons were often paid for assistance, and he thought that no corporal's rank was equal to a sum that would in france make a man happy and independent for life. "very true," replied the gendarme; "and let me only look upon that sum, and i will guarantee a positive safety out of france." "then we understand each other," replied o'brien; "this boy will give two hundred--one half shall be yours, if you will assist." "i will think of it," replied the gendarme, who then talked about indifferent subjects, until we arrived at a small town, called acarchot, where we proceeded to a cabaret. the usual curiosity passed over we were left alone, o'brien telling the gendarme that he would expect his reply that night or to-morrow morning. the gendarme said, to-morrow morning. o'brien requesting him to take charge of me, he called the woman of the cabaret to show him a room; she showed him one or two, which he refused, as not sufficiently safe for the prisoner. the woman laughed at the idea, observing, "what had he to fear from a _pauvre enfant_ like me?" "yet this _pauvre enfant_ escaped from givet," replied o'brien; "these englishmen are devils from their birth." the last room showed to o'brien suited him, and he chose it--the woman not presuming to contradict a gendarme. as soon as they came down again, o'brien ordered me to bed, and went up-stairs with me. he bolted the door, and pulling me to the large chimney, we put our heads up, and whispered, that our conversation should not be heard. "this man is not to be trusted," said o'brien, "and we must give him the slip. i know my way out of the inn, and we must return the way we came, and then strike off in another direction." "but will he permit us?" "not if he can help it; but i shall soon find out his manoeuvres." o'brien then went and stopped the key-hole, by hanging his handkerchief across it, and stripping himself of his gendarme uniform, put on his own clothes; then he stuffed the blankets and pillow into the gendarme's dress, and laid it down on the outside of the bed, as if it were a man sleeping in his clothes--indeed, it was an admirable deception. he laid his musket by the side of the image, and then did the same to my bed, making it appear as if there was a person asleep in it, of my size, and putting my cap on the pillow. "now, peter, we'll see if he is watching us. he will wait till he thinks we are asleep." the light still remained in the room, and about an hour afterwards we heard a noise of one treading on the stairs, upon which, as agreed, we crept under the bed. the latch of our door was tried, and finding it open, which he did not expect, the gendarme entered, and looking at both beds, went away. "now," said i, after the gendarme had gone down-stairs, "o'brien, ought we not to escape?" "i've been thinking of it, peter, and i have come to a resolution that we can manage it better. he is certain to come again in an hour or two. it is only eleven. now i'll play him a trick." o'brien then took one of the blankets, make it fast to the window, which he left wide open, and at the same time disarranged the images he had made up, so as to let the gendarme perceive that they were counterfeit. we again crept under the bed, and as o'brien foretold, in about an hour more the gendarme returned; our lamp was still burning, but he had a light of his own. he looked at the beds, perceived at once that he had been duped, went to the open window, and then exclaimed, "_sacre dieu! ils m'ont echappés et je ne suis plus caporal. f----tre! à la chasse_!" he rushed out of the room, and in a minute afterwards we heard him open the street door, and go away. "that will do, peter," said o'brien, laughing; "now we'll be off also, although there's no great hurry." o'brien then resumed his dress of a gendarme; and about an hour afterwards we went down, and wishing the hostess all happiness, quitted the cabaret, returning the same road by which we had come. "now, peter," said o'brien, "we're in a bit of a puzzle. this dress won't do any more, still there's a respectability about it, which will not allow me to put it off till the last moment." we walked on till daylight, when we hid ourselves in a copse of trees. at night we again started for the forest of ardennes, for o'brien said our best chance was to return, until they supposed that we had had time to effect our escape; but we never reached the forest, for on the next day a violent snowstorm came on; it continued without intermission for four days, during which we suffered much. our money was not exhausted, as i had drawn upon my father for £ , which, with the disadvantageous exchange, had given me fifty napoleons. occasionally o'brien crept into a cabaret, and obtained provisions; but, as we dared not be seen together as before, we were always obliged to sleep in the open air, the ground being covered more than three feet with snow. on the fifth day, being then six days from the forest of ardennes, we hid ourselves in a small wood, about a quarter of a mile from the road. i remained there while o'brien, as a gendarme, went to obtain provisions. as usual, i looked out for the best shelter during his absence, and what was my horror at falling in with a man and woman who lay dead in the snow, having evidently perished from the weather. just as i discovered them, o'brien returned, and i told him; he went with me to view the bodies. they were dressed in a strange attire, ribands pinned upon their clothes, and two pairs of very high stilts lying by their sides. o'brien surveyed them, and then said, "peter, this is the very best thing that could have happened to us. we may now walk through france without soiling our feet with the cursed country." "how do you mean?" "i mean," said he, "that these are the people that we met near montpelier, who come from the landes, walking about on their stilts for the amusement of others, to obtain money. in their own country they are obliged to walk so. now, peter, it appears to me that the man's clothes will fit me, and the girl's (poor creature, how pretty she looks, cold in death!) will fit you. all we have to do is to practise a little, and then away we start." o'brien then, with some difficulty, pulled off the man's jacket and trowsers, and having so done, buried him in the snow. the poor girl was despoiled of her gown and upper petticoat, with every decency, and also buried. we collected the clothes and stilts, and removed to another quarter of the wood, where we found a well-sheltered spot, and took our meal. as we did not travel that night as usual, we had to prepare our own bed. we scraped away the snow, and made ourselves as comfortable as we could without a fire, but the weather was dreadful. "peter," said o'brien, "i'm melancholy. here, drink plenty;" and he handed me the flask of spirits, which had never been empty. "drink more, peter." "i cannot, o'brien, without being tipsy." "never mind that, drink more; see how these two poor devils lost their lives by falling asleep in the snow. peter," said o'brien, starting up, "you sha'n't sleep here--follow me." i expostulated in vain. it was almost dark, and he led me to the village, near which he pitched upon a hovel (a sort of out-house). "peter, here is shelter; lie down and sleep, and i'll keep the watch. not a word, i will have it--down at once." i did so, and in a very few minutes was fast asleep, for i was worn out with cold and fatigue. for several days we had walked all night, and the rest we gained by day was trifling. oh how i longed for a warm bed with four or five blankets! just as the day broke, o'brien roused me; he had stood sentry all night, and looked very haggard. "o'brien, you are ill," said i. "not a bit; but i've emptied the brandy-flask; and that's a bad job. however, it is to be remedied." we then returned to the wood in a mizzling rain and fog, for the weather had changed, and the frost had broken up. the thaw was even worse than the frost, and we felt the cold more. o'brien again insisted upon my sleeping in the out-house, but this time i positively refused without he would also sleep there, pointing out to him, that we ran no more risk, and perhaps not so much, as if he stayed outside. finding i was positive, he at last consented, and we both gained it unperceived. we lay down, but i did not go to sleep for some time, i was so anxious to see o'brien fast asleep. he went in and out several times, during which i pretended to be fast asleep; at last it rained in torrents, and then he lay down again, and in a few minutes, overpowered by nature, he fell fast asleep, snoring so loudly, that i was afraid some one would hear us. i then got up and watched, occasionally lying down and slumbering awhile, and then going to the door. chapter xxiii exalted with our success, we march through france without touching the ground--i become feminine--we are voluntary conscripts. at day-break i called o'brien, who jumped up in a great hurry. "sure i've been asleep, peter." "yes, you have," replied i, "and i thank heaven that you have, for no one could stand such fatigue as you have, much longer; and if you fall ill, what would become of me?" this was touching him on the right point. "well, peter, since there's no harm come of it, there's no harm done. i've had sleep enough for the next week, that's certain." we returned to the wood; the snow had disappeared, and the rain ceased; the sun shone out from between the clouds, and we felt warm. "don't pass so near that way," said o'brien, "we shall see the poor creatures, now that the snow is gone. peter, we must shift our quarters to-night, for i have been to every cabaret in the village, and i cannot go there any more without suspicion, although i am a gendarme." we remained there till the evening, and then set off, still returning towards givet. about an hour before daylight we arrived at a copse of trees, close to the road-side, and surrounded by a ditch, not above a quarter of a mile from a village. "it appears to me," said o'brien, "that this will do: i will now put you there, and then go boldly to the village and see what i can get, for here we must stay at least a week." we walked to the copse, and the ditch being rather too wide for me to leap, o'brien laid the four stilts together so as to form a bridge, over which i contrived to walk. tossing to me all the bundles, and desiring me to leave the stilts as a bridge for him on his return, he set off to the village with his musket on his shoulder. he was away two hours, when he returned with a large supply of provisions, the best we had ever had. french saucissons, seasoned with garlic, which i thought delightful; four bottles of brandy, besides his flask; a piece of hung beef and six loaves of bread, besides half a baked goose and part of a large pie. "there," said he, "we have enough for a good week; and look here, peter, this is better than all." and he showed me two large horse-rugs. "excellent," replied i; "now we shall be comfortable." "i paid honestly for all but these rugs," observed o'brien; "but i was afraid to buy them, so i stole them. however, we'll leave them here for those they belong to--it's only borrowing, after all." we now prepared a very comfortable shelter with branches, which we wove together, and laying the leaves in the sun to dry, soon obtained a soft bed to put one horse-rug on, while we covered ourselves up with the other. our bridge of stilts we had removed, so that we felt ourselves quite secure from surprise. that evening we did nothing but carouse--the goose, the pie, the saucissons as big as my arm, were alternately attacked, and we went to the ditch to drink water, and then ate again. this was quite happiness to what we had suffered, especially with the prospect of a good bed. at dark, to bed we went, and slept soundly; i never felt more refreshed during our wanderings. at daylight o'brien got up. "now, peter, a little practice before breakfast." "what practice do you mean?" "mean! why on the stilts. i expect in a week that you'll be able to dance a gavotte at least; for mind me, peter, you travel out of france upon these stilts, depend upon it." o'brien then took the stilts belonging to the man, giving, me those of the woman. we strapped them to our thighs, and by fixing our backs to a tree, contrived to get upright upon them; but, at the first attempt to walk, o'brien fell to the right, and i fell to the left. o'brien fell against a tree, but i fell on my nose, and made it bleed very much; however, we laughed and got up again, and although we had several falls, at last we made a better hand of them. we then had some difficulty in getting down again, but we found out how, by again resorting to a tree. after breakfast we strapped them on again, and practised, and so we continued to do for the whole day, when we again attacked our provisions, and fell asleep under our horse-rug. this continued for five days, by which time, being constantly on the stilts, we became very expert; and although i could not dance a gavotte--for i did not know what that was--i could hop about with them with the greatest ease. "one day's more practice," said o'brien, "for our provisions will last one day more, and then we start; but this time we must rehearse in costume." o'brien then dressed me in the poor girl's clothes, and himself in the man's; they fitted very well, and the last day we practised as man and woman. "peter, you make a very pretty girl," said o'brien. "now, don't you allow the men to take liberties." "never fear," replied i. "but, o'brien, as these petticoats are not very warm, i mean to cut off my trowsers up to my knees, and wear them underneath." "that's all right," said o'brien, "for you may have a tumble, and then they may find out that you're not a lady." the next morning we made use of our stilts to cross the ditch, and carrying them in our hands we boldly set off on the high road to malines. we met several people, gens-d'armes and others, but with the exception of some remarks upon my good looks, we passed unnoticed. towards the evening we arrived at the village where we had slept in the outhouse, and as soon as we entered it we put on our stilts, and commenced a march. when the crowd had gathered we held out our caps, and receiving nine or ten sous, we entered a cabaret. many questions were asked us, as to where we came from, and o'brien answered, telling lies innumerable. i played the modest girl, and o'brien, who stated i was his sister, appeared very careful and jealous of any attention. we slept well, and the next morning continued our route to malines. we very often put on our stilts for practice on the road, which detained us very much, and it was not until the eighth day, without any variety or any interruption, that we arrived at malines. as we entered the barriers we put on our stilts, and marched boldly on. the guard at the gate stopped us, not from suspicion, but to amuse themselves, and i was forced to submit to several kisses from their garlic lips, before we were allowed to enter the town. we again mounted on our stilts, for the guard had forced us to dismount, or they could not have kissed me, every now and then imitating a dance, until we arrived at the _grande place_, where we stopped opposite the hotel, and commenced a sort of waltz which we had practised. the people in the hotel looked out of the window to see our exhibition, and when we had finished i went up to the windows with o'brien's cap to collect money. what was my surprise to perceive colonel o'brien looking full in my face, and staring very hard at me;--what was my greater astonishment at seeing celeste, who immediately recognised me, and ran back to the sofa in the room, putting her hands up to her eyes, and crying out "_c'est lui, c'est lui_!" fortunately o'brien was close to me, or i should have fallen, but he supported me. "peter, ask the crowd for money, or you are lost." i did so, and collecting some pence, then asked him what i should do. "go back to the window--you can then judge of what will happen." i returned to the window; colonel o'brien had disappeared, but celeste was there, as if waiting for me. i held out the cap to her, and she thrust her hand into it. the cap sank with the weight. i took out a purse, which i kept closed in my hand, and put it into my bosom. celeste then retired from the window, and when she had gone to the back of the room kissed her hand to me, and went out at the door. i remained stupefied for a moment, but o'brien roused me, and we quitted the _grande place_, taking up our quarters at a little cabaret. on examining the purse, i found fifty napoleons in it: these must have been, obtained from her father. i cried over them with delight. o'brien was also much affected at the kindness of the colonel. "he's a real o'brien, every inch of him," said he: "even this cursed country can't spoil the breed." at the cabaret where we stopped, we were informed, that the officer who was at the hotel had been appointed to the command of the strong fort of bergen-op-zoom, and was proceeding thither. "we must not chance to meet him again, if possible," said o'brien; "it would be treading too close upon the heels of his duty. neither will it do to appear on stilts among the dikes; so, peter, we'll just jump on clear of this town and then we'll trust to our wits." we walked out of the town early in the morning, after o'brien had made purchases of some of the clothes usually worn by the peasantry. when within a few miles of st nicholas, we threw away our stilts and the clothes which we had on, and dressed ourselves in those o'brien had purchased. o'brien had not forgotten to provide us with two large brown-coloured blankets, which we strapped on to our shoulders, as the soldiers do their coats. "but what are we to pass for now, o'brien?" "peter, i will settle that point before night. my wits are working, but i like to trust to chance for a stray idea or so; we must walk fast, or we shall be smothered with the snow." it was bitter cold weather, and the snow had fallen heavily during the whole day; but although nearly dusk, there was a bright moon ready for us. we walked very fast, and soon observed persons ahead of us. "let us overtake them, we may obtain some information." as we came up with them, one of them (they were both lads of seventeen to eighteen) said to o'brien, "i thought we were the last, but i was mistaken. how far is it now to st nicholas?" "how should i know?" replied o'brien, "i am a stranger in these parts as well as yourself." "from what part of france do you come?" demanded the other, his teeth chattering with the cold, for he was badly clothed, and with little defence from the inclement weather. "from montpelier," replied o'brien. "and i from toulouse. a sad change, comrade, from olives and vines to such a climate as this. curse the conscription: i intended to have taken a little wife next year." o'brien gave me a push, as if to say, "here's something that will do," and then continued,-- "and curse the conscription i say too, for i had just married, and now my wife is left to be annoyed by the attention of the _fermier général_. but it can't be helped. _c'est pour la france et pour la gloire_." "we shall be too late to get a billet," replied the other, "and not a sou have i in my pocket. i doubt if i get up with the main body till they are at flushing. by our route, they are at axel to-day." "if we arrive at st nicholas, we shall do well," replied o'brien; "but i have a little money left, and i'll not see a comrade want a supper or a bed who is going to serve his country. you can repay me when we meet at flushing." "that i will with thanks," replied the frenchman; "and so will jacques here, if you will trust him." "with pleasure," replied o'brien, who then entered into a long conversation, by which he drew out from the frenchmen that a party of conscripts had been ordered to flushing, and that they had dropped behind the main body. o'brien passed himself off as a conscript belonging to the party, and me as his brother, who had resolved to join the army as a drummer, rather than part with him. in about an hour we arrived at st nicholas, and after some difficulty obtained entrance into a cabaret. "_vive la france_!" said o'brien, going up to the fire, and throwing the snow off his hat. in a short time we were seated to a good supper and very tolerable wine, the hostess sitting down by us, and listening to the true narratives of the real conscripts, and the false one of o'brien. after supper the conscript who first addressed us pulled out his printed paper, with the route laid down, and observed that we were two days behind the others. o'brien read it over, and laid it on the table, at the same time calling for more wine, having already pushed it round very freely. we did not drink much ourselves, but plied them hard, and at last the conscript commenced the whole history of his intended marriage and his disappointment, tearing his hair, and crying now and then. "never mind," interrupted o'brien, every two or three minutes, "_buvons un autre coup pour la gloire_!" and thus he continued to make them both drink until they reeled away to bed, forgetting their printed paper, which o'brien had some time before slipped away from the table. we also retired to our room, when o'brien observed to me. "peter, this description is as much like me as i am to old nick; but that's of no consequence, as nobody goes willingly as a conscript, and therefore they will never have a doubt but that it is all right. we must be off early to-morrow, while these good people are in bed, and steal a long march upon them. i consider that we are now safe as far as flushing." chapter xxiv what occurred at flushing, and what occurred when we got out of flushing. an hour before daybreak we started; the snow was thick on the ground, but the sky was clear, and without any difficulty or interruption we passed through the towns of axel and halst, arrived at terneuse on the fourth day, and went over to flushing in company with about a dozen more stragglers from the main body. as we landed, the guard asked us whether we were conscripts. o'brien replied that he was, and held out his paper. they took his name, or rather that of the person it belonged to, down in a book, and told him that he must apply to the _état major_ before three o'clock. we passed on delighted with our success, and then o'brien pulled out the letter which had been given to him by the woman of the cabaret, who had offered to assist me to escape, when o'brien passed off as a gendarme, and reading the address, demanded his way to the street. we soon found out the house, and entered. "conscripts!" said the woman of the house, looking at o'brien; "i am billeted full already. it must be a mistake. where is your order?" "read," said o'brien, handing her the letter. she read the letter, and putting it into her neckerchief, desired him to follow her. o'brien beckoned me to come, and we went into a small room. "what can i do for you?" said the woman; "i will do all in my power: but, alas! you will march from here in two or three days." "never mind," replied o'brien, "we will talk the matter over by-and-by, but at present only oblige us by letting us remain in this little room; we do not wish to be seen." "_comment done_!--you a conscript, and not wish to be seen! are you, then, intending to desert?" "answer me one question; you have read that letter, do you intend to act up to its purport, as your sister requests?" "as i hope for mercy i will, if i suffer everything. she is a dear sister, and would not write so earnestly if she had not strong reason. my house and everything you command are yours--can i say more?" "but," continued o'brien, "suppose i did intend to desert, would you then assist me?" "at my peril," replied the woman: "have you not assisted my family when in difficulty?" "well, then, i will not at present detain you from your business; i have heard you called several times. let us have dinner when convenient, and we will remain here." "if i have any knowledge of phiz--_what d'ye call it_," observed o'brien, after she left us, "there is honesty in that woman, and i must trust her, but not yet; we must wait till the conscripts have gone." i agreed with o'brien, and we remained talking until an hour afterwards, when the woman brought us our dinner. "what is your name?" inquired o'brien. "louise eustache; you might have read it on the letter." "are you married?" "oh yes, these six years. my husband is seldom at home; he is a flushing pilot. a hard life, harder even than that of a soldier. who is this lad?" "he is my brother, who, if i go as a soldier, intends to volunteer as a drummer." "_pauvre enfant! c'est dommage_." the cabaret was full of conscripts and other people, so that the hostess had enough to do. at night, we were shown by her into a small bed-room, adjoining the room we occupied. "you are quite alone here; the conscripts are to muster to-morrow, i find, in the _place d'armes_, at two o'clock; do you intend to go?" "no," replied o'brien: "they will think that i am behind. it is of no consequence." "well," replied the woman, "do as you please, you may trust me: but i am so busy, without any one to assist me, that until they leave the town, i can hardly find time to speak to you." "that will be soon enough, my good hostess," replied o'brien: "_au revoir_." the next evening, the woman came in, in some alarm, stating that a conscript had arrived whose name had been given in before, and that the person who had given it in, had not mustered at the place. that the conscript had declared, that his pass had been stolen from him by a person with whom he had stopped at st nicholas, and that there were orders for a strict search to be made through the town, as it was known that some english officers had escaped, and it was supposed that one of them had obtained the pass. "surely you're not english?" inquired the woman, looking earnestly at o'brien. "indeed, but i am, my dear," replied o'brien: "and so is this lad with me: and the favour which your sister requires is, that you help us over the water, for which service there are one hundred louis ready to be paid upon delivery of us." "_oh, mon dieu! mais c'est impossible_." "impossible!" replied o'brien; "was that the answer i gave your sister in her trouble?" "_au moins c'est fort difficile_." "that's quite another concern; but with your husband a pilot, i should think a great part of the difficulty removed." "my husband! i've no power over him," replied the woman, putting the apron up to her eyes. "but one hundred louis may have," replied o'brien. "there is truth in that," observed the woman, after a pause, "but what am i to do, if they come to search the house?" "send us out of it, until you can find an opportunity to send us to england. i leave it all to you--your sister expects it from you." "and she shall not be disappointed, if god helps us," replied the woman, after a short pause: "but i fear you must leave this house and the town also to-night." "how are we to leave the town?" "i will arrange that; be ready at four o'clock, for the gates are shut at dusk. i must go now, for there is no time to be lost." "we are in a nice mess now, o'brien," observed i, after the woman had quitted the room. "devil a bit, peter; i feel no anxiety whatever, except at leaving such good quarters." we packed up all our effects, not forgetting our two blankets, and waited the return of the hostess. in about an hour she entered the room. "i have spoken to my husband's sister, who lives about two miles on the road to middelburg. she is in town now, for it is market-day, and you will be safe where she hides you. i told her, it was by my husband's request, or she would not have consented. here, boy, put on these clothes; i will assist you." once more i was dressed as a girl, and when my clothes were on, o'brien burst out into laughter at my blue stockings and short petticoats. "_il n'est pas mal_," observed the hostess, as she fixed a small cap on my head, and then tied a kerchief under my chin, which partly hid my face. o'brien put on a greatcoat, which the woman handed to him, with a wide-brimmed hat. "now follow me!" she led us into the street, which was thronged, till we arrived at the market-place, when she met another woman, who joined her. at the end of the market-place stood a small horse and cart, into which the strange woman and i mounted, while o'brien, by the directions of the landlady, led the horse through the crowd until we arrived at the barriers, when she wished us good day in a loud voice before the guard. the guard took no notice of us, and we passed safely through, and found ourselves upon a neatly-paved road, as straight as an arrow, and lined on each side with high trees and a ditch. in about an hour, we stopped near to the farmhouse of the woman who was in charge of us. "do you observe that wood?" said she to o'brien, pointing to one about half a mile from the road. "i dare not take you into the house, my husband is so violent against the english, who captured his schuyt, and made him a poor man, that he would inform against you immediately; but go you there, make yourselves as comfortable as you can to-night, and to-morrow i will send you what you want. _adieu! je vous plains, pauvre enfant_." said she, looking at me, as she drove off in the cart towards her own house. "peter," said o'brien, "i think that her kicking us out of her house is a proof of her sincerity, and therefore i say no more about it; we have the brandy-flask to keep up our spirits. now then for the wood, though, by the powers, i shall have no relish for any of your pic-nic parties, as they call them, for the next twelve years." "but, o'brien, how can i get over this ditch in petticoats? i could hardly leap it in my own clothes." "you must tie your petticoats round your waist and make a good run; get over as far as you can, and i will drag you through the rest." "but you forget that we are to sleep in the wood, and that it's no laughing matter to get wet through, freezing so hard as it does now." "very true, peter; but as the snow lies so deep upon the ditch, perhaps the ice may bear. i'll try; if it bears me, it will not condescend to bend at your shrimp of a carcass." o'brien tried the ice, which was firm, and we both walked over, and making all the haste we could, arrived at the wood, as the woman called it, but which was not more than a clump of trees of about half an acre. we cleared away the snow for about six feet round a very hollow part, and then o'brien cut stakes and fixed them in the earth, to which we stretched one blanket. the snow being about two feet deep, there was plenty of room to creep underneath the blanket. we then collected all the leaves we could, beating the snow off them, and laid them at the bottom of the hole; over the leaves we spread the other blanket, and taking our bundles in, we then stopped up with snow every side of the upper blanket, except the hole to creep in at. it was quite astonishing what a warm place this became in a short time after we had remained in it. it was almost too warm, although the weather outside was piercingly cold. after a good meal and a dose of brandy, we both fell fast asleep, but not until i had taken off my woman's attire and resumed my own clothes. we never slept better or more warmly than we did in this hole which we had made on the ground, covered with ice and snow. chapter xxv o'brien parts company to hunt for provisions, and i have other company in consequence of another hunt--o'brien pathetically mourns my death and finds me alive--we escape. the ensuing morning we looked out anxiously for the promised assistance, for we were not very rich in provisions, although what we had were of a very good quality. it was not until three o'clock in the afternoon that we perceived a little girl coming towards us, escorted by a large mastiff. when she arrived at the copse of trees where we lay concealed, she cried out to the dog in dutch, who immediately scoured the wood until he came to our hiding-place, when he crouched down at the entrance, barking furiously, and putting us in no small dread, lest he should attack us; but the little girl spoke to him again, and he remained in the same position, looking at us, wagging his tail, with his under jaw lying on the snow. she soon came up, and looking underneath, put a basket in, and nodded her head. we emptied the basket. o'brien took out a napoleon and offered it to her; she refused it, but o'brien forced it into her hand, upon which she again spoke to the dog, who commenced barking so furiously at us, that we expected every moment he would fly upon us. the girl at the same time presented the napoleon, and pointing to the dog, i went forward and took the napoleon from her, at which she immediately silenced the enormous brute, and laughing at us, hastened away. "by the powers, that's a fine little girl!" said o'brien; "i'll back her and her dog against any man. well, i never had a dog set at me for giving money before, but we live and learn, peter; now let's see what she brought in the basket." we found hard-boiled eggs, bread, and a smoked mutton ham, with a large bottle of gin. "what a nice little girl! i hope she will often favour us with her company. i've been thinking, peter, that we're quite as well off here, as in a midshipman's berth." "you forget you are a lieutenant." "well, so i did, peter, and that's the truth, but it's the force of habit. now let's make our dinner. it's a new-fashioned way though, of making a meal, lying down; but however, it's economical, for it must take longer to swallow the victuals." "the romans used to eat their meals lying down, so i have read, o'brien." "i can't say that i ever heard it mentioned in ireland, but that don't prove that it was not the case; so, peter, i'll take your word for it. murder! how fast it snows again! i wonder what my father's thinking on just at this moment." this observation of o'brien induced us to talk about our friends and relations in england, and after much conversation we fell fast asleep. the next morning we found the snow had fallen about eight inches, and weighed down our upper blanket so much, that we were obliged to go out and cut stakes to support it up from the inside. while we were thus employed, we heard a loud noise and shouting, and perceived several men, apparently armed and accompanied with dogs, running straight in the direction of the wood where we were encamped. we were much alarmed, thinking that they were in search of us, but on a sudden they turned off in another direction, continuing with the same speed as before. "what could it be?" said i, to o'brien. "i can't exactly say, peter; but i should think that they were hunting something, and the only game that i think likely to be in such a place as this are otters." i was of the same opinion. we expected the little girl, but she did not come, and after looking out for her till dark, we crawled into our hole and supped upon the remainder of our provisions. the next day, as may be supposed, we were very anxious for her arrival, but she did not appear at the time expected. night again came on, and we went to bed without having any sustenance, except a small piece of bread that was left, and some gin which was remaining in the flask. "peter," said o'brien, "if she don't come again to-morrow, i'll try what i can do; for i've no idea of our dying of hunger here, like the two babes in the wood, and being found covered up with dead leaves. if she does not appear at three o'clock, i'm off for provisions, and i don't see much danger, for in this dress i look as much of a boor as any man in holland." we passed an uneasy night, as we felt convinced, either that the danger was so great that they dared not venture to assist us, or, that being over-ruled, they had betrayed us, and left us to manage how we could. the next morning i climbed up the only large tree in the copse and looked round, especially in the direction of the farm-house belonging to the woman who had pointed out to us our place of concealment; but nothing was to be seen but one vast tract of flat country covered with snow, and now and then a vehicle passing at a distance on the middelburg road. i descended, and found o'brien preparing for a start. he was very melancholy, and said to me, "peter, if i am taken, you must, at all risks, put on your girl's clothes and go to flushing to the cabaret. the women there, i am sure, will protect you, and send you back to england. i only want two napoleons; take all the rest, you will require them. if i am not back by to-night, set off for flushing to-morrow morning." o'brien waited some time longer, talking with me, and it then being past four o'clock, he shook me by the hand, and, without speaking, left the wood. i never felt more miserable during the whole time since we were first put into prison at toulon, till that moment, and, when he was a hundred yards off, i knelt down and prayed. he had been absent two hours, and it was quite dusk, when i heard a noise at a distance: it advanced every moment nearer and nearer. on a sudden, i heard a rustling of the bushes, and hastened under the blanket, which was covered with snow, in hopes that they might not perceive the entrance; but i was hardly there before in dashed after me an enormous wolf. i cried out, expecting to be torn to pieces every moment, but the creature lay on his belly, his mouth wide open, his eyes glaring, and his long tongue hanging out of his mouth, and although he touched me, he was so exhausted that he did not attack me. the noise increased, and i immediately perceived that it was the hunters in pursuit of him. i had crawled in feet first, the wolf ran in head foremost, so that we lay head and tail. i crept out as fast as i could, and perceived men and dogs not two hundred yards off in full chase. i hastened to the large tree, and had not ascended six feet when they came up; the dogs flew to the hole, and in a very short time the wolf was killed. the hunters being too busy to observe me, i had in the meantime climbed up the trunk of the tree, and hidden myself as well as i could. being not fifteen yards from them, i heard their expressions of surprise as they lifted up the blanket and dragged out the dead wolf, which they carried away with them; their conversation being in dutch, i could not understand it, but i was certain that they made use of the word "_english_." the hunters and dogs quitted the copse, and i was about to descend, when one of them returned, and pulling up the blankets, rolled them together and walked away with them. fortunately he did not perceive our bundles by the little light given by the moon. i waited a short time and then came down. what to do i knew not. if i did not remain and o'brien returned, what would he think? if i did, i should be dead with cold before the morning. i looked for our bundles, and found that in the conflict between the dogs and the wolf, they had been buried among the leaves. i recollected o'brien's advice, and dressed myself in the girl's clothes, but i could not make up my mind to go to flushing. so i resolved to walk towards the farmhouse, which, being close to the road, would give me a chance of meeting with o'brien. i soon arrived there and prowled round it for some time, but the doors and windows were all fast, and i dared not knock, after what the woman had said about her husband's inveteracy to the english. at last, as i looked round and round, quite at a loss what to do, i thought i saw a figure at a distance proceeding in the direction of the copse. i hastened after it and saw it enter. i then advanced very cautiously, for although i thought it might be o'brien, yet it was possible that it was one of the men who chased the wolf in search of more plunder. but i soon heard o'brien's voice, and i hastened towards him. i was close to him without his perceiving me, and found him sitting down with his face covered up in his two hands. at last he cried, "o pater! my poor pater! are you taken at last? could i not leave you for one hour in safety? ochone! why did i leave you? my poor, poor pater! simple you were, sure enough, and that's why i loved you; but, pater, i would have made a man of you, for you'd all the materials, that's the truth--and a fine man, too. where am i to look for you, pater? where am i to find you, pater? you're fast locked up by this time, and all my trouble's gone for nothing. but i'll be locked up too, pater. where you are, will i be; and if we can't go to england together, why then we'll go back to that blackguard hole at givet together. ochone! ochone!" o'brien spoke no more, but burst into tears. i was much affected with this proof of o'brien's sincere regard, and i came to his side and clasped him in my arms. o'brien stared at me, "who are you, you ugly dutch frow?" (for he had quite forgotten the woman's dress at the moment), but recollecting himself, he hugged me in his arms. "pater, you come as near to an angel's shape as you can, for you come in that of a woman, to comfort me; for, to tell the truth, i was very much distressed at not finding you here; and all the blankets gone to boot. what has been the matter?" i explained in as few words as i could. "well, peter, i'm happy to find you all safe, and much happier to find that you can be trusted when i leave you, for you could not have behaved more prudently; now i'll tell you what i did, which was not much, as it happened. i knew that there was no cabaret between us and flushing, for i took particular notice as i came along; so i took the road to middelburg, and found but one, which was full of soldiers. i passed it, and found no other. as i came back past the same cabaret, one of the soldiers came out to me, but i walked along the road. he quickened his pace, and so did i mine, for i expected mischief. at last he came up to me, and spoke to me in dutch, to which i gave him no answer. he collared me, and then i thought it convenient to pretend that i was deaf and dumb. i pointed to my mouth with an au--au--and then to my ears, and shook my head; but he would not be convinced, and i heard him say something about english. i then knew that there was no time to be lost, so i first burst out into a loud laugh and stopped; and on his attempting to force me, i kicked up his heels, and he fell on the ice with such a rap on the pate, that i doubt if he has recovered it by this time. there i left him, and have run back as hard as i could, without anything for peter to fill his little hungry inside with. now, peter, what's your opinion? for they say that out of the mouth of babes there is wisdom; and although i never saw anything come out of their mouths but sour milk, yet perhaps i may be more fortunate this time, for, peter, you're but a baby." "not a small one, o'brien, although not quite so large as fingal's _babby_ that you told me the story of. my idea is this.--let us, at all hazards, go to the farmhouse. they have assisted us, and may be inclined to do so again; if they refuse, we must push on to flushing and take our chance." "well," observed o'brien, after a pause, "i think we can do no better, so let's be off." we went to the farmhouse, and, as we approached the door, were met by the great mastiff. i started back, o'brien boldly advanced. "he's a clever dog, and may know us again. i'll go up," said o'brien, not stopping while he spoke, "and pat his head: if he flies at me, i shall be no worse than i was before, for depend upon it he will not allow us to go back again." o'brien by this time had advanced to the dog, who looked earnestly and angrily at him. he patted his head, the dog growled, but o'brien put his arm round his neck, and patting him again, whistled to him, and went to the door of the farmhouse. the dog followed him silently but closely. o'brien knocked, and the door was opened by the little girl: the mastiff advanced to the girl, and then turned round, facing o'brien, as much as to say, "is he to come in?" the girl spoke to the dog, and went indoors. during her absence the mastiff lay down at the threshold. in a few seconds the woman who had brought us from flushing, came out, and desired us to enter. she spoke very good french, and told us that fortunately her husband was absent; that the reason why we had not been supplied was, that a wolf had met her little girl returning the other day, but had been beaten off by the mastiff, and that she was afraid to allow her to go again; that she heard the wolf had been killed this evening, and had intended her girl to have gone to us early to-morrow morning; that wolves were hardly known in that country, but that the severe winter had brought them down to the lowlands, a very rare circumstance, occurring perhaps not once in twenty years. "but how did you pass the mastiff?" said she; "that has surprised my daughter and me." o'brien told her, upon which she said "that the english were really '_des braves_.' no other man had ever done the same." so i thought, for nothing would have induced me to do it. o'brien then told the history of the death of the wolf, with all particulars, and our intention, if we could not do better, of returning to flushing. "i heard that pierre eustache came home yesterday," replied the woman; "and i do think that you will be safer there than here, for they will never think of looking for you among the _casernes_, which join their cabaret." "will you lend us your assistance to get in?" "i will see what i can do. but are you not hungry?" "about as hungry as men who have eaten nothing for two days." "_mon dieu! c'est vrai._ i never thought it was so long, but those whose stomachs are filled forget those who are empty. god make us better and more charitable!" she spoke to the little girl in dutch, who hastened to load the table, which we hastened to empty. the little girl stared at our voracity; but at last she laughed out, and clapped her hands at every fresh mouthful which we took, and pressed us to eat more. she allowed me to kiss her, until her mother told her that i was not a woman, when she pouted at me, and beat me off. before midnight we were fast asleep upon the benches before the kitchen fire, and at daybreak were roused up by the woman, who offered us some bread and spirits, and then we went out to the door, where we found the horse and cart all ready, and loaded with vegetables for the market. the woman, the little girl, and myself got in, o'brien leading as before, and the mastiff following. we had learnt the dog's name, which was "_achille_," and he seemed to be quite fond of us. we passed the dreaded barriers without interruption, and in ten minutes entered the cabaret of eustache; and immediately walked into the little room through a crowd of soldiers, two of whom chucked me under the chin. whom should we find there but eustache, the pilot himself, in conversation with his wife, and it appeared that they were talking about us, she insisting, and he unwilling to have any hand in the business. "well, here they are themselves, eustache; the soldiers who have seen them come in will never believe that this is their first entry if you give them up. i leave them to make their own bargain; but mark me, eustache, i have slaved night and day in this cabaret for your profit; if you do not oblige me and my family, i no longer keep a cabaret for you." madame eustache then quitted the room with her husband's sister and little girl, and o'brien immediately accosted him. "i promise you," said he to eustache, "one hundred louis if you put us on shore at any part of england, or on board of any english man-of-war; and if you do it within a week, i will make it twenty louis more." o'brien then pulled out the fifty napoleons given us by celeste, for our own were not yet expended, and laid them on the table. "here is this in advance, to prove my sincerity. say, is it a bargain or not?" "i never yet heard of a poor man who could withstand his wife's arguments, backed with one hundred and twenty louis," said eustache smiling, and sweeping the money off the table. "i presume you have no objection to start to-night? that will be ten louis more in your favour," replied o'brien. "i shall earn them," replied eustache. "the sooner i am off the better, for i could not long conceal you here. the young frow with you is, i suppose, your companion that my wife mentioned. he has begun to suffer hardships early. come, now, sit down and talk, for nothing can be done till dark." o'brien narrated the adventures attending our escape, at which eustache laughed heartily; the more so, at the mistake which his wife was under, as to the obligations of the family. "if i did not feel inclined to assist you before, i do now, just for the laugh i shall have at her when i come back, and if she wants any more assistance for the sake of her relations, i shall remind her of this anecdote; but she's a good woman and a good wife to boot, only too fond of her sisters." at dusk he equipped us both in sailor's jackets and trowsers, and desired us to follow him boldly. he passed the guard, who knew him well. "what, to sea already?" said one. "you have quarrelled with your wife." at which they all laughed, and we joined. we gained the beach, jumped into his little boat, pulled off to his vessel, and, in a few minutes, were under weigh. with a strong tide and a fair wind we were soon clear of the scheldt, and the next morning a cutter hove in sight. we steered for her, ran under her lee, o'brien hailed for a boat, and eustache, receiving my bill for the remainder of his money, wished us success; we shook hands, and in a few minutes found ourselves once more under the british pennant. chapter xxvi adventures at home--i am introduced to my grandfather--he obtains employment for o'brien and myself, and we join a frigate. as soon as we were on the deck of the cutter, the lieutenant commanding her inquired of us, in a consequential manner, who we were. o'brien replied that we were english prisoners who had escaped. "oh, midshipmen, i presume," replied the lieutenant; "i heard that some had contrived to get away." "my name, sir," said o'brien, "is lieutenant o'brien; and if you'll send for a 'steel's list,' i will have the honour of pointing it out to you. this young gentleman is mr peter simple, midshipman, and grandson to the right honourable lord viscount privilege." the lieutenant, who was a little snub-nosed man, with a pimply face, then altered his manner towards us, and begged we would step down into the cabin, where he offered, what perhaps was the greatest of all luxuries to us, some english cheese and bottled porter. "pray," said he, "did you see anything of one of my officers, who was taken prisoner when i was sent with despatches to the mediterranean fleet?" "may i first ask the name of your lively little craft?" said o'brien. "'the snapper,'" replied the lieutenant. "och, murder; sure enough we met him. he was sent to verdun, but we had the pleasure of his company _en route_ as far as montpelier. a remarkably genteel, well-dressed young man, was he not?" "why, i can't say much about his gentility; indeed, i am not much of a judge. as for his dress, he ought to have dressed well, but he never did when on board of me. his father is my tailor, and i took him as midshipman, just to square an account between us." "that's exactly what i thought," replied o'brien. he did not say any more, which i was glad of, as the lieutenant might not have been pleased at what had occurred. "when do you expect to run into port?" demanded o'brien; for we were rather anxious to put our feet ashore again in old england. the lieutenant replied that his cruise was nearly up; and he considered our arrival quite sufficient reason for him to run in directly, and that he intended to put his helm up after the people had had their dinner. we were much delighted with this intelligence, and still more to see the intention put into execution half an hour afterwards. in three days we anchored at spithead, and went on shore with the lieutenant to report ourselves to the admiral. oh! with what joy did i first put my foot on the shingle beach at sallyport, and then hasten to the post-office to put in a long letter which i had written to my mother. we did not go to the admiral's, but merely reported ourselves at the admiral's office; for we had no clothes fit to appear in. but we called at meredith's the tailor, and he promised that, by the next morning, we should be fitted complete. we then ordered new hats, and everything we required, and went to the fountain inn. o'brien refused to go to the blue posts, as being only a receptacle for midshipmen. by eleven o'clock the next morning, we were fit to appear before the admiral, who received us very kindly, and requested our company to dinner. as i did not intend setting off for home until i had received an answer from my mother, we, of course, accepted the invitation. there was a large party of naval officers and ladies, and o'brien amused them very much during dinner. when the ladies left the room, the admiral's wife told me to come up with them; and when we arrived at the drawing-room, the ladies all gathered round me, and i had to narrate the whole of my adventures, which very much entertained and interested them. the next morning i received a letter from my mother--such a kind one! entreating me to come home as fast as i could, and bring my _preserver_ o'brien with me. i showed it to o'brien, and asked him whether he would accompany me. "why, peter, my boy, i have a little business of some importance to transact; which is, to obtain my arrears of pay, and some prize-money which i find due. when i have settled that point, i will go to town to pay my respects to the first lord of the admiralty, and then i think i will go and see your father and mother: for, until i know how matters stand, and whether i shall be able to go with spare cash in my pocket, i do not wish to see my own family; so write down your address here, and you'll be sure i'll come, if it is only to square my accounts with you, for i am not a little in your debt." i cashed a cheque sent by my father, and set off in the mail that night; the next evening i arrived safe home. but i shall leave the reader to imagine the scene: to my mother i was always dear, and circumstances had rendered me of some importance to my father; for i was now an only son, and his prospects were very different from what they were when i left home. about a week afterwards, o'brien joined us, having got through all his business. his first act was to account with my father for his share of the expenses; and he even insisted upon paying his half of the fifty napoleons given me by celeste, which had been remitted to a banker at paris before o'brien's arrival, with a guarded letter of thanks from my father to colonel o'brien, and another from me to dear little celeste. when o'brien had remained with us about a week, he told me that he had about one hundred and sixty pounds in his pocket, and that he intended to go and see his friends, as he was sure that he would be welcome even to father m'grath. "i mean to stay with them about a fortnight, and shall then return and apply for employment. now, peter, will you like to be again under my protection?" "o'brien, i will never quit you or your ship, if i can help it." "spoken like a sensible peter. well, then, i was promised immediate employment, and i will let you know as soon as the promise is performed." o'brien took his leave of my family, who were already very partial to him, and left that afternoon for holyhead. my father no longer treated me as a child; indeed, it would have been an injustice if he had. i do not mean to say that i was a clever boy; but i had seen much of the world in a short time, and could act and think for myself. he often talked to me about his prospects, which were very different from what they were when i left him. my two uncles, his elder brothers, had died, the third was married and had two daughters. if he had no son, my father would succeed to the title. the death of my elder brother tom had brought me next in succession. my grandfather, lord privilege, who had taken no more notice of my father than occasionally sending him a basket of game, had latterly often invited him to the house, and had even requested, _some day or another_, to see his wife and family. he had also made a handsome addition to my father's income, which the death of my two uncles had enabled him to do. against all this, my uncle's wife was reported to be again in the family way. i cannot say that i was pleased when my father used to speculate upon these chances so often as he did. i thought, not only as a man, but more particularly as a clergyman, he was much to blame; but i did not know then so much of the world. we had not heard from o'brien for two months, when a letter arrived, stating that he had seen his family, and bought a few acres of land, which had made them all quite happy, and had quitted with father m'grath's double blessing, with unlimited absolution; that he had now been a month in town trying for employment, but found that he could not obtain it, although one promise was backed up by another. a few days after this, my father received a note from lord privilege, requesting he would come and spend a few days with him, and bring his son peter who had escaped from the french prison. of course this was an invitation not to be neglected, and we accepted it forthwith. i must say, i felt rather in awe of my grandfather; he had kept the family at such a distance, that i had always heard his name mentioned more with reverence than with any feeling of kindred, but i was a little wiser now. we arrived at eagle park, a splendid estate, where he resided, and were received by a dozen servants in and out of livery, and ushered into his presence. he was in his library, a large room, surrounded with handsome bookcases, sitting on an easy chair. a more venerable, placid old gentleman i never beheld; his grey hairs hung down on each side of his temples, and were collected in a small _queue_ behind. he rose and bowed, as we were announced; to my father he held out _two_ fingers in salutation, to me only _one_, but there was an elegance in the manner in which it was done which was indescribable. he waved his hand to chairs, placed by the _gentleman_ out of livery, and requested we would be seated. i could not, at the time, help thinking of mr chucks, the boatswain, and his remarks upon high breeding, which were so true: and i laughed to myself when i recollected that mr chucks had once dined with him. as soon as the servants had quitted the room, the distance on the part of my grandfather appeared to wear off. he interrogated me on several points, and seemed pleased with my replies; but he always called me "child." after a conversation of half an hour, my father rose, saying that his lordship must be busy, and that we would go over the grounds till dinner-time. my grandfather rose, and we took a sort of formal leave; but it was not a formal leave, after all, it was high breeding, respecting yourself and respecting others. for my part, i was pleased with the first interview, and so i told my father after we had left the room. "my dear peter," replied he, "your grandfather has one idea which absorbs most others--the peerage, the estate, and the descent of it in the right line. as long as your uncles were alive, we were not thought of, as not being in the line of descent; nor should we now, but that your uncle william has only daughters. still we are not looked upon as actual, but only contingent, inheritors of the title. were your uncle to die to-morrow, the difference in his behaviour would be manifested immediately." "that is to say, instead of _two fingers_ you would receive the _whole_ hand, and instead of _one_ finger, i should obtain promotion to _two_." at this my father laughed heartily, saying, "peter, you have exactly hit the mark. i cannot imagine how we ever could have been so blind as to call you the fool of the family." to this i made no reply, for it was difficult so to do without depreciating others or depreciating myself; but i changed the subject by commenting on the beauties of the park, and the splendid timber with which it was adorned. "yes, peter," replied my father, with a sigh, "thirty-five thousand a year in land, money in the funds, and timber worth at least forty thousand more, are not to be despised. but god wills everything." after this remark, my father appeared to be in deep thought, and i did not interrupt him. we stayed ten days with my grandfather, during which he would often detain me for two hours after breakfast, listening to my adventures, and i really believe was very partial to me. the day before i went away he said, "child, you are going to-morrow; now tell me what you would like, as i wish to give you a token of regard. don't be afraid; what shall it be--a watch and seals, or--anything you most fancy?" "my lord," replied i, "if you wish to do me a favour, it is, that you will apply to the first lord of the admiralty to appoint lieutenant o'brien to a fine frigate, and, at the same time, ask for a vacancy as midshipman for me." "o'brien!" replied his lordship; "i recollect it was he who accompanied you from france, and appears, by your account, to have been a true friend. i am pleased with your request, my child, and it shall be granted." his lordship then desired me to hand him the paper and ink-standish, wrote by my directions, sealed the letter, and told me he would send me the answer. the next day we quitted eagle park, his lordship wishing my father good-bye with _two_ fingers, and to me extending _one_, as before; but he said, "i am pleased with you, child; you may write occasionally." when we were on our route home, my father observed that "i had made more progress with my grandfather than he had known anyone to do, since he could recollect. his saying that you might write to him is at least ten thousand pounds to you in his will, for he never deceives any one, or changes his mind." my reply was, that i should like to see the ten thousand pounds, but that i was not so sanguine. a few days after our return home, i received a letter and enclosure from lord privilege, the contents of which were as follow:-- "my dear child,--i send you lord----'s answer, which i trust will prove satisfactory. my compliments to your family.--yours, &c., privilege." the inclosure was a handsome letter from the first lord, stating that he had appointed o'brien to the _sanglier_ frigate, and had ordered me to be received on board as midshipman. i was delighted to forward this letter to o'brien's address, who, in a few days sent me an answer, thanking me, and stating that he had received his 'appointment, and that i need not join for a month, which was quite time enough, as the ship was refitting; but, that if my family were tired of me, which was sometimes the case in the best regulated families, why, then i should learn something of my duty by coming to portsmouth. he concluded by sending his kind regards to all the family, and his _love_ to my grandfather, which last i certainly did not forward in my letter of thanks. about a month afterwards i received a letter from o'brien, stating that the ship was ready to go out of harbour, and would be anchored off spithead in a few days. chapter xxvii captain and mrs to--pork--we go to plymouth, and fall in with our old captain. i immediately took leave of my family, and set off for portsmouth, and in two days arrived at the fountain inn, where o'brien was waiting to receive me. "peter, my boy, i feel so much obliged to you, that if your uncle won't go out of the world by fair means, i'll pick a quarrel with him, and shoot him, on purpose that you may be a lord, as i am determined you shall be. now come up into my room, where we'll be all alone, and i'll tell you all about the ship and our new captain. in the first place, we'll begin with the ship, as the most important personage of the two: she's a beauty, i forget her name before she was taken, but the french know how to build ships better than keep them. she's now called the _sanglier_, which means a wild pig, and, by the powers! a _pig_ ship she is, as you will hear directly. the captain's name is a very short one, and wouldn't please mr chucks, consisting only of two letters, t and o, which makes to; his whole title is captain john to. it would almost appear as if somebody had broken off the better half of his name, and only left him the commencement of it; but, however, it's a handy name to sign when he pays off his ship. and now i'll tell you what sort of a looking craft he is. he's built like a dutch schuyt, great breadth of beam, and very square tuck. he applied to have the quarter galleries enlarged in the two last ships he commanded. he weighs about eighteen stone, rather more than less. he is a good-natured sort of a chap, amazingly ungenteel, not much of an officer, not much of a sailor, but a devilish good hand at the trencher. but he's only part of the concern; he has his wife on board, who is a red-herring sort of a lady, and very troublesome to boot. what makes her still more annoying is, that she has a _piano_ on board, very much out of _tune_, on which she plays very much out of _time_. holystoning is music compared with her playing: even the captain's spaniel howls when she comes to the high notes; but she affects the fine lady, and always treats the officers with music when they dine in the cabin, which makes them very glad to get out of it." "but, o'brien, i thought wives were not permitted on board." "very true, but there's the worst part in the man's character: he knows that he is not allowed to take his wife to sea, and, in consequence, he never says she _is_ his wife, or presents her on shore to anybody. if any of the other captains ask how mrs to is to-day? 'why,' he replies, 'pretty well, i thank you;' but at the same time he gives a kind of smirk, as if to say, 'she is not my wife;' and although everybody knows that she is, yet he prefers that they should think otherwise, rather than be at the expense of keeping her on shore; for you know, peter, that although there are regulations about wives, there are none with regard to other women." "but does his wife know this?" inquired i. "i believe, from my heart, she is a party to the whole transaction, for report says, that she would skin a flint if she could. she's always trying for presents from the officers, and, in fact, she commands the ship." "really, o'brien, this is not a very pleasant prospect." "whist! wait a little; now i come to the wind-up. this captain to is very partial to pig's _mate_, and we have as many live pigs on board as we have pigs of ballast. the first lieutenant is right mad about them. at the same time he allows no pigs but his own on board, that there may be no confusion. the manger is full of pigs; there are two cow-pens between the main-deck guns, drawn from the dock-yard, and converted into pig-pens. the two sheep-pens amidships are full of pigs, and the geese and turkey-coops are divided off into apartments for four _sows_ in the _family way_. now, peter, you see there's little or no expense in keeping pigs on board of a large frigate, with so much _pay_-soup and whole peas for them to eat, and this is the reason why he keeps them, for the devil a bit of any other stock has he on board. i presume he means to _milk_ one of the _old sows_ for breakfast when the ship sails. the first thing that he does in the morning, is to go round to his pigs with the butcher, feeling one, scratching the dirty ears of another, and then he classes them--his _bacon_ pigs, his _porkers_, his _breeding_ sows, and so on. the old boar is still at the stables of this inn, but i hear he is to come on board with the sailing orders: but he is very savage, and is therefore left on shore to the very last moment. now really, peter, what with the squealing of the pigs and his wife's piano, we are almost driven mad. i don't know which is the worse of the two; if you go aft you hear the one, if you go forward you hear the other, by way of variety, and that, they say, is charming. but, is it not shocking that such a beautiful frigate should be turned into a pig-sty, and that her main-deck should smell worse than a muckheap?" "but how does his wife like the idea of living only upon hog's flesh?" "she! lord bless you, peter! why, she looks as spare as a shark, and she has just the appetite of one, for she'll _bolt_ a four-pound piece of pork before it's well put on her plate." "have you any more such pleasant intelligence to communicate, o'brien?" "no, peter; you have the worst of it. the lieutenants are good officers and pleasant messmates: the doctor is a little queer, and the purser thinks himself a wag; the master, an old north-countryman, who knows his duty, and takes his glass of grog. the midshipmen are a very genteel set of young men, and full of fun and frolic. i'll bet a wager there'll be a bobbery in the pig-sty before long, for they are ripe for mischief. now, peter, i hardly need say that my cabin and everything i have is at your service; and i think if we could only have a devil of a gale of wind, or a hard-fought action, to send the _pigs_ overboard and smash the _piano_, we should do very well." the next day i went on board, and was shown down into the cabin, to report my having joined. mrs to, a tall thin woman, was at her piano; she rose, and asked me several questions--who my friends were--how much they allowed me a year, and many other questions, which i thought impertinent: but a captain's wife is allowed to take liberties. she then asked me if i was fond of music? that was a difficult question, as, if i said that i was, i should in all probability be obliged to hear it: if i said that i was not, i might have created a dislike in her. so i replied, that i was very fond of music on shore, when it was not interrupted by other noise. "ah! then i perceive you are a real amateur, mr simple," replied the lady. captain to then came out of the after-cabin, half-dressed. "well, youngster, so you've joined us at last. come and dine with us to-day? and, as you go down to your berth, desire the sentry to pass the word for the butcher; i want to speak with him." i bowed and retired. i was met in the most friendly manner by the officers and by my own messmates, who had been prepossessed in my favour by o'brien, previous to my arrival. in our service you always find young men of the best families on board large frigates, they being considered the most eligible class of vessels; i found my messmates to be gentlemen, with one or two exceptions, but i never met so many wild young lads together. i sat down and ate some dinner with them, although i was to dine in the cabin, for the sea air made me hungry. "don't you dine in the cabin, simple?" said the caterer. "yes," replied i. "then don't eat any pork, my boy, now, for you'll have plenty there. come, gentlemen, fill your glasses; we'll drink happiness to our new messmate, and pledging him, we pledge ourselves to try to promote it." "i'll just join you in that toast," said o'brien, walking into the midshipmen's berth. "what is it you're drinking it in?" "some of collier's port, sir. boy, bring a glass for mr o'brien." "here's your health, peter, and wishing you may keep out of a french prison this cruise. mr montague, as caterer, i will beg you will order another candle, that i may see what's on the table, and then perhaps i may find something i should like to pick a bit off." "here's the fag end of a leg of mutton, mr o'brien, and there's a piece of boiled pork." "then i'll just trouble you for a bit close to the knuckle. peter, you dine in the cabin, so do i--the doctor refused." "have you heard when we sail, mr o'brien?" inquired one of my messmates. "i heard at the admiral's office, that we were expected to be ordered round to plymouth, and receive our orders there, either for the east or west indies, they thought; and, indeed, the stores we have taken on board indicate that we are going foreign, but the captain's signal is just made, and probably the admiral has intelligence to communicate." in about an hour afterwards, the captain returned, looking very red and hot. he called the first lieutenant aside from the rest of the officers, who were on deck to receive him, and told him, that we were to start for plymouth next morning; and the admiral had told him confidentially, that we were to proceed to the west indies with a convoy, which was then collecting. he appeared to be very much alarmed at the idea of going to make a feast for the land crabs; and certainly, his gross habit of body rendered him very unfit for the climate. this news was soon spread through the ship, and there was of course no little bustle and preparation. the doctor, who had refused to dine in the cabin upon plea of being unwell, sent up to say, that he felt himself so much better, that he should have great pleasure to attend the summons, and he joined the first lieutenant, o'brien, and me, as we walked in. we sat down to table; the covers were removed, and as the midshipmen prophesied, there was plenty of _pork_--mock-turtle soup, made out of a pig's head--a boiled leg of pork and peas-pudding--a roast spare-rib, with the crackling on--sausages and potatoes, and pig's pettitoes. i cannot say that i disliked my dinner, and i ate very heartily; but a roast sucking-pig came on as a second course, which rather surprised me; but what surprised me more, was the quantity devoured by mrs to. she handed her plate from the boiled pork to the roast, asked for some pettitoes, tried the sausages, and finished with a whole plateful of sucking-pig and stuffing. we had an apple pie at the end, but as we had already eaten apple sauce with the roast pork, we did not care for it. the doctor, who abominated pork, ate pretty well, and was excessively attentive to mrs to. "will you not take a piece of the roast pig, doctor?" said the captain. "why, really captain to, as we are bound, by all reports, to a station where we must not venture upon pork, i think i will not refuse to take a piece, for i am very fond of it." "how do you mean?" inquired the captain and his lady, both in a breath. "perhaps i may be wrongly informed," replied the doctor, "but i have heard that we were ordered to the west indies; now, if so, everyone knows, that although you may eat salt pork there occasionally without danger, in all tropical climates, and especially the west indies, two or three days' living upon this meat will immediately produce dysentery, which is always fatal in that climate." "indeed!" exclaimed the captain. "you don't say so!" rejoined the lady. "i do indeed: and have always avoided the west indies for that very reason--i am so fond of pork." the doctor then proceeded to give nearly one hundred instances of messmates and shipmen who had been attacked with dysentery, from the eating of fresh pork in the west indies; and o'brien, perceiving the doctor's drift, joined him, telling some most astonishing accounts of the dreadful effects of pork in a hot country. i think he said, that when the french were blockaded, previous to the surrender of martinique, that, having nothing but pigs to eat, thirteen hundred out of seventeen hundred soldiers and officers died in the course of three weeks, and the others were so reduced by disease, that they were obliged to capitulate. the doctor then changed the subject, and talked about the yellow fever, and other diseases of the climate, so that, by his account, the west india islands were but hospitals to die in. those most likely to be attacked, were men in full strong health. the spare men stood a better chance. this conversation was carried on until it was time to leave--mrs to at last quite silent, and the captain gulping down his wine with a sigh. when we rose from the table, mrs to did not ask us, as usual, to stay and hear a little music; she was, like her piano, not a little out of tune. "by the powers, doctor, you did that nately," said o'brien, as we left the cabin. "o'brien," said the doctor, "oblige me, and you, mr simple, oblige me also, by not saying a word in the ship about what i have said; if it once gets wind, i shall have done no good, but if you both hold your tongues for a short time, i think i may promise you to get rid of captain to, his wife, and his pigs." we perceived the justice of his observation, and promised secrecy. the next morning the ship sailed for plymouth, and mrs to sent for the doctor, not being very well. the doctor prescribed for her, and i believe, on my conscience, made her worse on purpose. the illness of his wife, and his own fears, brought captain to more than usual in contact with the doctor, of whom he frequently asked his candid opinion, as to his own chance in a hot country. "captain to," said the doctor, "_i_ never would have given my opinion, if you had not asked it, for i am aware, that, as an officer, you would never flinch from your duty, to whatever quarter of the globe you may be ordered; but, as you have asked the question, i must say, with your full habit of body, i think you would not stand a chance of living for more than two months. at the same time, sir, i may be mistaken; but, at all events, i must point out that mrs to is of a very bilious habit, and i trust you will not do such an injustice to an amiable woman, as to permit her to accompany you." "thanky, doctor, i'm much obliged to you," replied the captain, turning round and going down the ladder to his cabin. we were then beating down the channel; for, although we ran through the needles with a fair wind, it fell calm, and shifted to the westward, when we were abreast of portland. the next day the captain gave an order for a very fine pig to be killed, for he was out of provisions. mrs to still kept her bed, and he therefore directed that a part should be salted, as he could have no company. i was in the midshipman's berth, when some of them proposed that we should get possession of the pig; and the plan they agreed upon was as follows:--they were to go to the pen that night, and with a needle stuck in a piece of wood, to prick the pig all over, and then rub gunpowder into the parts wounded. this was done, and although the butcher was up a dozen times during the night to ascertain what made the pigs so uneasy, the midshipmen passed the needle from watch to watch, until the pig was well tattooed in all parts. in the morning watch it was killed, and when it had been scalded in the tub, and the hair taken off, it appeared covered with blue spots. the midshipman of the morning watch, who was on the main-deck, took care to point out to the butcher, that the pork was _measly_, to which the man unwillingly assented, stating, at the same time, that he could not imagine how it could be, for a finer pig he had never put a knife into. the circumstance was reported to the captain, who was much astonished. the doctor came in to visit mrs to, and the captain requested the doctor to examine the pig, and give his opinion. although this was not the doctor's province, yet, as he had great reason for keeping intimate with the captain, he immediately consented. going forward, he met me, and i told him the secret. "that will do," replied he; "it all tends to what we wish." the doctor returned to the captain, and said, "that there was no doubt but that the pig was measly, which was a complaint very frequent on board ships, particularly in hot climates, where all pork became _measly_--one great reason for its there proving so unwholesome." the captain sent for the first lieutenant, and, with a deep sigh, ordered him to throw the pig overboard; but the first lieutenant, who knew what had been done from o'brien, ordered the _master's mate_ to throw it overboard: the master's mate, touching his hat, said, "ay, ay, sir," and took it down into the berth, where we cut it up, salted one half, and the other we finished before we arrived at plymouth, which was six days from the time we left portsmouth. on our arrival, we found part of the convoy lying there, but no orders for us; and, to my great delight, on the following day the _diomede_ arrived, from a cruise off the western islands. i obtained permission to go on board with o'brien, and we once more greeted our messmates. mr falcon, the first lieutenant, went down to captain savage, to say we were on board, and he requested us to come into the cabin. he greeted us warmly, and gave us great credit for the manner in which we had effected our escape. when we left the cabin, i found mr chucks, the boatswain, waiting outside. "my dear mr simple, extend your flapper to me, for i'm delighted to see you. i long to have a long talk with you." "and i should like it also, mr chucks, but i'm afraid we have not time; i dine with captain savage to-day, and it only wants an hour of dinner-time." "well, mr simple, i've been looking at your frigate, and she's a beauty --much larger than the _diomede_." "and she behaves quite as well," replied i. "i think we are two hundred tons larger. you've no idea of her size until you are on her decks." "i should like to be boatswain of her, mr simple; that is, with captain savage, for i will not part with him." i had some more conversation with mr chucks, but i was obliged to attend to others, who interrupted us. we had a very pleasant dinner with our old captain, to whom we gave a history of our adventures, and then we returned on board. chapter xxviii we get rid of the pigs and piano-forte--the last boat on shore before sailing--the first lieutenant too hasty, and the consequences to me. we waited three days, at the expiration of which, we heard that captain to was about to exchange with captain savage. we could not believe such good news to be true, and we could not ascertain the truth of the report, as the captain had gone on shore with mrs to, who recovered fast after she was out of our doctor's hands; so fast, indeed, that a week afterwards, on questioning the steward, upon his return on board, how mrs to was, he replied, "o charming well again, sir, she has eaten a _whole pig_, since she left the ship." but the report was true: captain to, afraid to go to the west indies, had effected an exchange with captain savage. captain savage was permitted, as was the custom of the service, to bring his first lieutenant, his boatswain, and his barge's crew with him. he joined a day or two before we sailed, and never was there more joy on board: the only people miserable were the first lieutenant, and those belonging to the _sanglier_ who were obliged to follow captain to; who, with his wife, his pigs, and her piano, were all got rid of in the course of one forenoon. i have already described pay-day on board of a man-of-war, but i think that the two days before sailing are even more unpleasant; although, generally speaking, all our money being spent, we are not sorry when we once are fairly out of harbour, and find ourselves in _blue water_. the men never work well on those days: they are thinking of their wives and sweethearts, of the pleasure they had when at liberty on shore, where they might get drunk without punishment; and many of them are either half drunk at the time, or suffering from the effects of previous intoxication. the ship is in disorder, and crowded with the variety of stock and spare stores which are obliged to be taken on board in a hurry, and have not yet been properly secured in their places. the first lieutenant is cross, the officers are grave, and the poor midshipmen, with all their own little comforts to attend to, are harassed and driven about like post-horses. "mr simple," inquired the first lieutenant, "where do you come from?" "from the gun wharf, sir, with the gunner's spare blocks, and breechings." "very well--send the marines aft to clear the boat, and pipe away the first putter. mr simple, jump into the first cutter, and go to mount wise for the officers. be careful that none of your men leave the boat. come, be smart." now, i had been away the whole morning, and it was then half-past one, and i had had no dinner: but i said nothing, and went into the boat. as soon as i was off, o'brien, who stood by mr falcon, said, "peter was thinking of his dinner, poor fellow!" "i really quite forgot it," replied the first lieutenant, "there is so much to do. he is a willing boy, and he shall dine in the gun-room when he comes back." and so i did--so i lost nothing by not expostulating, and gained more of the favour of the first lieutenant, who never forgot what he called _zeal_. but the hardest trial of the whole, is to the midshipman who is sent with the boat to purchase the supplies for the cabin and gun-room on the day before the ship's sailing. it was my misfortune to be ordered upon that service this time, and that very unexpectedly. i had been ordered to dress myself to take the gig on shore for the captain's orders, and was walking the deck with my very best uniform and side arms, when the marine officer, who was the gun-room caterer, came up to the first lieutenant, and asked him for a boat. the boat was manned, and a midshipman ordered to take charge of it; but when he came up, the first lieutenant recollecting that he had come off two days before with only half his boat's crew, would not trust him, and called out to me, "here, mr simple, i must send you in this boat; mind you are careful that none of the men leave it; and bring off the sergeant of marines, who is on shore looking for the men who have broken their liberty." although i could not but feel proud of the compliment, yet i did not much like going in my very best uniform, and would have run down and changed it, but the marine officer and all the people were in the boat, and i could not keep it waiting, so down the side i went, and we shoved off. we had, besides the boat's crew, the marine officer, the purser, the gun-room steward, the captain's steward, and the purser's steward; so that we were pretty full. it blew hard from the s.e., and there was a sea running, but as the tide was flowing into the harbour there was not much bubble. we hoisted the foresail, flew before the wind and tide, and in a quarter of an hour we were at mutton cove, when the marine officer expressed his wish to land. the landing-place was crowded with boats, and it was not without sundry exchanges of foul words and oaths, and the bow-men dashing the point of their boat-hooks into the shore-boats, to make them keep clear of us, that we forced our way to the beach. the marine officer and all the stewards then left the boat, and i had to look after the men. i had not been there three minutes before the bow-man said that his wife was on the wharf with his clothes from the wash, and begged leave to go and fetch them. i refused, telling him that she could bring them to him. "vy now, mr simple," said the woman, "ar'n't you a nice lady's man, to go for to ax me to muddle my way through all the dead dogs, cabbage-stalks, and stinking hakes' heads, with my bran new shoes and clean stockings?" i looked at her, and sure enough she was, as they say in france, _bien chaussée_. "come, mr simple, let him out to come for his clothes, and you'll see that he's back in a moment." i did not like to refuse her, as it was very dirty and wet, and the shingle was strewed with all that she had mentioned. the bow-man made a spring out with his boat-hook, threw it back, went up to his wife, and commenced talking with her, while i watched him. "if you please, sir, there's my young woman come down, mayn't i speak to her?" said another of the men. i turned round, and refused him. he expostulated, and begged very hard, but i was resolute; however, when i again turned my eyes to watch the bow-man, he and his wife were gone. "there," says i to the coxswain, "i knew it would be so; you see hickman is off." "only gone to take a parting glass, sir," replied the coxswain; "he'll be here directly." "i hope so; but i'm afraid not." after this, i refused all the solicitations of the men to be allowed to leave the boat, but i permitted them to have some beer brought down to them. the gun-room steward then came back with a basket of _soft-tack_, _i.e._ loaves of bread, and told me that the marine officer requested i would allow two of the men to go up with him to glencross's shop, to bring down some of the stores. of course, i sent two of the men, and told the steward if he saw hickman, to bring him down to the boat. by this time many of the women belonging to the ship had assembled, and commenced a noisy conversation with the boat's crew. one brought an article for jim, another some clothes for bill; some of them climbed into the boat, and sat with the men; others came and went, bringing beer and tobacco, which the men desired them to purchase. the crowd, the noise, and confusion were so great, that it was with the utmost difficulty that i could keep my eyes on all my men, who, one after another, made an attempt to leave the boat. just at that time came down the sergeant of the marines, with three of our men whom he had picked up, _roaring drunk_. they were tumbled into the boat, and increased the difficulty, as in looking after those who were riotous, and would try to leave the boat by force, i was not so well able to keep my eyes on those who were sober. the sergeant then went up after another man, and i told him also about hickman. about half an hour afterwards the steward came down with the two men, loaded with cabbages, baskets of eggs, strings of onions, crockery of all descriptions, paper parcels of groceries, legs and shoulders of mutton, which were crowded in, until not only the stern-sheets, but all under the thwarts of the boat were also crammed full. they told me that they had a few more things to bring down, and that the marine officer had gone to stonehouse to see his wife, so that they should be down long before him. in half an hour more, during which i had the greatest difficulty to manage the boat's crew, they returned with a dozen geese and two ducks, tied by the legs, but without the two men, who had given them the slip, so that there were now three men gone, and i knew mr falcon would be very angry, for they were three of the smartest men in the ship. i was now determined not to run the risk of losing more men, and i ordered the boat's crew to shove off, that i might lie at the wharf, where they could not climb up. they were very mutinous, grumbled very much, and would hardly obey me; the fact is, they had drunk a great deal, and some of them were more than half tipsy. however, at last i was obeyed, but not without being saluted with a shower of invectives from the women, and the execrations of the men belonging to the wherries and _shore_ boats which were washed against our sides by the swell. the weather had become much worse, and looked very threatening. i waited an hour more, when the sergeant of marines came down with two more men, one of whom, to my great joy, was hickman. this made me more comfortable, as i was not answerable for the other two; still i was in great trouble from the riotous and insolent behaviour of the boat's crew, and the other men brought down by the sergeant of marines. one of them fell back into a basket of eggs, and smashed them all to atoms; still the marine officer did not come down, and it was getting late. the tide being now at the ebb, running out against the wind, there was a heavy sea, and i had to go off to the ship with a boat deeply laden, and most of the people in her in a state of intoxication. the coxswain, who was the only one who was sober, recommended our shoving off, as it would soon be dark, and some accident would happen. i reflected a minute, and agreeing with him, i ordered the oars to be got out, and we shoved off, the sergeant of marines and the gun-room steward perched up in the bows--drunken men, ducks and geese, lying together at the bottom of the boat--the stern sheets loaded up to the gunwale, and the other passengers and myself sitting how we could among the crockery and a variety of other articles with which the boat was crowded. it was a scene of much confusion--the half-drunken boat's crew _catching crabs_, and falling forward upon the others--those who were quite drunk swearing they _would_ pull. "lay on your oar, sullivan; you are doing more harm than good. you drunken rascal, i'll report you as soon as we get on board." "how the divil can i pull, your honour, when there's that fellow jones breaking the very back o' me with his oar, and he never touching the water all the while?" "you lie," cried jones; "i'm pulling the boat by myself against the whole of the larbard oars." "he's rowing _dry_, your honour--only making bilave." "do you call this rowing dry?" cried another, as a sea swept over the boat, fore and aft, wetting everybody to the skin. "now, your honour, just look and see if i ain't pulling the very arms off me?" cried sullivan. "is there water enough to cross the bridge, swinburne?" said i to the coxswain. "plenty, mr simple; it is but quarter ebb, and the sooner we are on board the better." we were now past devil's point, and the sea was very heavy: the boat plunged in the trough, so that i was afraid that she would break her back. she was soon half full of water, and the two after-oars were laid in for the men to bale. "plase your honour, hadn't i better cut free the legs of them ducks and geese, and allow them to swim for their lives?" cried sullivan, resting on his oar; "the poor birds will be drowned else in their own _iliment_." "no, no--pull away as hard as you can." by this time the drunken men in the bottom of the boat began to be very uneasy, from the quantity of water which washed about them, and made several staggering attempts to get on their legs. they fell down again upon the ducks and geese, the major part of which were saved from being drowned by being suffocated. the sea on the bridge was very heavy; and although the tide swept us out, we were nearly swamped. soft bread was washing about the bottom of the boat; the parcels of sugar, pepper, and salt, were wet through with the salt water, and a sudden jerk threw the captain's steward, who was seated upon the gunwale close to the after-oar, right upon the whole of the crockery and eggs, which added to the mass of destruction. a few more seas shipped completed the job, and the gun-room steward was in despair. "that's a darling," cried sullivan: "the politest boat in the whole fleet. she makes more bows and curtseys than the finest couple in the land. give way, my lads, and work the crater stuff out of your elbows, and the first lieutenant will see us all so sober, and so wet in the bargain, and think we're all so dry, that perhaps he'll be after giving us a raw nip when we get on board." in a quarter of an hour we were nearly alongside, but the men pulled so badly, and the sea was so great, that we missed the ship and went astern. they veered out a buoy with a line, which we got hold of, and were hauled up by the marines and after-guard, the boat plunging bows under, and drenching us through and through. at last we got under the counter, and i climbed up by the stern ladder. mr falcon was on deck, and very angry at the boat not coming alongside properly. "i thought, mr simple, that you knew by this time how to bring a boat alongside." "so i do, sir, i hope," replied i; "but the boat was so full of water, and the men would not give way." "what men has the sergeant brought on board?" "three, sir," replied i, shivering with the cold, and unhappy at my very best uniform being spoiled. "are all your boat's crew with you, sir?" "no sir; there are two left on shore; they--" "not a word, sir. up to the mast-head, and stay there till i call you down. if it were not so late, i would send you on shore, and not receive you on board again without the men. up, sir, immediately." i did not venture to explain, but up i went. it was very cold, blowing hard from the s.e., with heavy squalls; i was so wet that the wind appeared to blow through me, and it was now nearly dark. i reached the cross-trees, and when i was seated there, i felt that i had done my duty, and had not been fairly treated. during this time, the boat had been hauled up alongside to clear, and a pretty clearance there was. all the ducks and geese were dead, the eggs and crockery all broke, the grocery almost all washed away; in short, as o'brien observed, there was "a very pretty general average." mr falcon was still very angry. "who are the men missing?" inquired he, of swinburne, the coxswain, as he came up the side. "williams and sweetman, sir." "two of the smartest topmen, i am told. it really is too provoking; there is not a midshipman in the ship i can trust. i must work all day, and get no assistance. the service is really going to the devil now, with the young men who are sent on board to be brought up as officers, and who are above doing their duty. what made you so late, swinburne?" "waiting for the marine officer, who went to stonehouse to see his wife; but mr simple would not wait any longer, as it was getting dark, and we had so many drunken men in the boat." "mr simple did right. i wish mr harrison would stay on shore with his wife altogether--it's really trifling with the service. pray, mr swinburne, why had you not your eyes about you if mr simple was so careless? how came you to allow these men to leave the boat?" "the men were ordered up by the marine officer to bring down your stores, sir, and they gave the steward the slip. it was no fault of mr simple's, nor of mine either. we lay off at the wharf for two hours before we started, or we should have lost more; for what can a poor lad do, when he has charge of drunken men who _will not_ obey orders?" and the coxswain looked up at the mast-head, as much as to say, why is he sent there? "i'll take my oath, sir," continued swinburne, "that mr simple never put his foot out of the boat, from the time that he went over the side until he came on board, and that no young gentleman could have done his duty more strictly." mr falcon looked very angry at first at the coxswain speaking so freely, but he said nothing. he took one or two turns on the deck, and then hailing the mast-head, desired me to come down. but i _could not_; my limbs were so cramped with the wind blowing upon my wet clothes, that i could not move. he hailed again; i heard him, but was not able to answer. one of the topmen then came up, and perceiving my condition, hailed the deck, and said he believed i was dying, for i could not move, and that he dared not leave me for fear i should fall. o'brien, who had been on deck all the while, jumped up the rigging, and was soon at the cross-trees where i was. he sent the topman down into the top for a tail-block and the studding-sail haulyards, made a whip, and lowered me on deck. i was immediately put into my hammock; and the surgeon ordering me some hot brandy-and-water, and plenty of blankets, in a few hours i was quite restored. o'brien, who was at my bedside, said, "never mind, peter, and don't be angry with mr falcon, for he is very sorry." "i am not angry, o'brien; for mr falcon has been too kind to me not to make me forgive him for being once hasty." the surgeon came to my hammock, gave me some more hot drink, desired me to go to sleep, and i woke the next morning quite well. when i came into the berth, my messmates asked me how i was, and many of them railed against the tyranny of mr falcon; but i took his part, saying, that he was hasty in this instance, perhaps, but that, generally speaking, he was an excellent and very just officer. some agreed with me, but others did not. one of them, who was always in disgrace, sneered at me, and said, "peter reads the bible, and knows that if you smite one cheek, he must offer the other. now, i'll answer for it, if i pull his right ear he will offer me his left." so saying, he lugged me by the ear, upon which i knocked him down for his trouble. the berth was then cleared away for a fight, and in a quarter of an hour my opponent gave in; but i suffered a little, and had a very black eye. i had hardly time to wash myself and change my shirt, which was bloody, when i was summoned on the quarter-deck. when i arrived, i found mr falcon walking up and down. he looked very hard at me, but did not ask me any questions as to the cause of my unusual appearance. "mr simple," said he, "i sent for you to beg your pardon for my behaviour to you last night, which was not only very hasty but very unjust. i find that you were not to blame for the loss of the men." i felt very sorry for him when i heard him speak so handsomely; and, to make his mind more easy, i told him that, although i certainly was not to blame for the loss of those two men, still i had done wrong in permitting hickman to leave the boat; and that had not the sergeant picked him up, i should have come off without him, and therefore i _did_ deserve the punishment which i had received. "mr simple," replied mr falcon, "i respect you, and admire your feelings; still, i was to blame, and it is my duty to apologise. now go down below. i would have requested the pleasure of your company to dinner, but i perceive that something else has occurred, which, under any other circumstances, i would have inquired into, but at present i shall not." i touched my hat and went below. in the meantime, o'brien had been made acquainted with the occasion of the quarrel, which he did not fail to explain to mr falcon, who, o'brien declared, "was not the least bit in the world angry with me for what had occurred." indeed, after that, mr falcon always treated me with the greatest kindness, and employed me on every duty which he considered of consequence. he was a sincere friend; for he did not allow me to neglect my duty, but, at the same time, treated me with consideration and confidence. the marine officer came on board very angry at being left behind, and talked about a court-martial on me for disrespect, and neglect of stores entrusted to my charge; but o'brien told me not to mind him, or what he said. "it's my opinion, peter, that the gentleman has eaten no small quantity of _flap-doodle_ in his lifetime." "what's that, o'brien?" replied i; "i never heard of it." "why, peter," rejoined he, "it's the stuff they _feed fools on_." chapter xxix a long conversation with mr chucks--the advantage of having a prayer-book in your pocket--we run down the trades--swinburne, the quartermaster, and his yarns--the captain falls sick. the next day the captain came on board with sealed orders, with directions not to open them until off ushant. in the afternoon, we weighed and made sail. it was a fine northerly wind, and the bay of biscay was smooth. we bore up, set all the studding-sails, and ran along at the rate of eleven miles an hour. as i could not appear on the quarter-deck, i was put down on the sick-list. captain savage, who was very particular, asked what was the matter with me. the surgeon replied, "an inflamed eye." the captain asked no more questions; and i took care to keep out of his way. i walked in the evening on the forecastle, when i renewed my intimacy with mr chucks, the boatswain, to whom i gave a full narrative of all my adventures in france. "i have been ruminating, mr simple," said he, "how such a stripling as you could have gone through so much fatigue, and now i know how it is. it is _blood_, mr simple--all blood--you are descended from good blood; and there's as much difference between nobility and the lower classes, as there is between a racer and a cart-horse." "i cannot agree with you, mr chucks. common people are quite as brave as those who are well-born. you do not mean to say that you are not brave-- that the seamen on board this ship are not brave?" "no, no, mr simple; but as i observed about myself, my mother was a woman who could not be trusted, and there is no saying who was my father; and she was a very pretty woman to boot, which levels all distinctions for the moment. as for the seamen, god knows, i should do them an injustice if i did not acknowledge that they were as brave as lions. but there are two kinds of bravery, mr simple--the bravery of the moment, and the courage of bearing up for a long while. do you understand me?" "i think i do; but still do not agree with you. who will bear more fatigue than our sailors?" "yes, yes, mr simple, that is because they are _endured_ to it from their hard life: but if the common sailors were all such little thread-papers as you, and had been brought up so carefully, they would not have gone through all you have. that's my opinion, mr simple-- there's nothing like _blood_." "i think, mr chucks, you carry your ideas on that subject too far." "i do not, mr simple; and i think, moreover, that he who has more to lose than another will always strive more. now a common man only fights for his own credit; but when a man is descended from a long line of people famous in history, and has a coat _in_ arms, criss-crossed, and stuck all over with lions and unicorns to support the dignity of--why, has he not to fight for the credit of all his ancestors, whose names would be disgraced if he didn't behave well?" "i agree with you, mr chucks, in the latter remark, to a certain extent." "ah! mr simple, we never know the value of good descent when we have it, but it's when we cannot get it that we can _'preciate_ it. i wish i had been born a nobleman--i do, by heavens!" and mr chucks slapped his fist against the funnel, so as to make it ring again. "well, mr simple," continued he, after a pause, "it is, however, a great comfort to me that i have parted company with that fool, mr muddle, with his twenty-six thousand and odd years, and that old woman, dispart, the gunner. you don't know how those two men used to fret me; it was very silly, but i couldn't help it. now the warrant officers of this ship appear to be very respectable, quiet men, who know their duty and attend to it, and are not too familiar, which i hate and detest. you went home to your friends, of course, when you arrived in england?" "i did, mr chucks, and spent some days with my grandfather, lord privilege, whom you say you once met at dinner." "well, and how was the old gentleman?" inquired the boatswain, with a sigh. "very well, considering his age." "now do, pray, mr simple, tell me all about it; from the time that the servants met you at the door until you went away. describe to me the house and all the rooms, for i like to hear of all these things, although i can never see them again." to please mr chucks, i entered into a full detail, which he listened to very attentively, until it was late, and then with difficulty would he permit me to leave off, and go down to my hammock. the next day, rather a singular circumstance occurred. one of the midshipmen was mast-headed by the second lieutenant, for not waiting on deck until he was relieved. he was down below when he was sent for, and expecting to be punished from what the quarter-master told him, he thrust the first book into his jacket-pocket which he could lay his hand on, to amuse himself at the mast-head, and then ran on deck. as he surmised, he was immediately ordered aloft. he had not been there more than five minutes, when a sudden squall carried away the main-top-gallant mast, and away he went flying over to leeward (for the wind had shifted, and the yards were now braced up). had he gone overboard, as he could not swim, he would, in all probability, have been drowned; but the book in his pocket brought him up in the jaws of the fore-brace block, where he hung until taken out by the main-topmen. now it so happened that it was a prayer-book which he had laid hold of in his hurry, and those who were superstitious declared it was all owing to his having taken a religious book with him. i did not think so, as any other book would have answered the purpose quite as well: still the midshipman himself thought so, and it was productive of good, as he was a sad scamp, and behaved much better afterwards. but i had nearly forgotten to mention a circumstance which occurred on the day of our sailing, which will be eventually found to have had a great influence upon my after life. it was this. i received a letter from my father, evidently written in great vexation and annoyance, informing me that my uncle, whose wife i have already mentioned had two daughters, and was again expected to be confined, had suddenly broken up his housekeeping, discharged every servant, and proceeded to ireland under an assumed name. no reason had been given for this unaccountable proceeding; and not even my grandfather, or any of the members of the family, had had notice of his intention. indeed, it was by mere accident that his departure was discovered, about a fortnight after it had taken place. my father had taken a great deal of pains to find out where he was residing; but although my uncle was traced to cork, from that town all clue was lost, but still it was supposed, from inquiries, that he was not very far from thence. "now," observed my father, in his letter, "i cannot help surmising, that my brother, in his anxiety to retain the advantages of the title to his own family, has resolved to produce to the world a spurious child as his own, by some contrivance or other. his wife's health is very bad, and she is not likely to have a large family. should the one now expected prove a daughter, there is little chance of his ever having another; and i have no hesitation in declaring my conviction that the measure has been taken with a view of defrauding you of your chance of eventually being called to the house of lords." i showed this letter to o'brien, who, after reading it over two or three times, gave his opinion that my father was right in his conjectures "depend upon it, peter, there's foul play intended, that is, if foul play is rendered necessary." "but, o'brien, i cannot imagine why, if my uncle has no son of his own, he should prefer acknowledging a son of any other person's, instead of his own nephew." "but i can, peter: your uncle is not a man likely to live very long, as you know. the doctors say that, with his short neck, his life is not worth two years' purchase. now if he had a son, consider that his daughters would be much better off, and much more likely to get married; besides, there are many reasons which i won't talk about now, because it's no use making you think your uncle to be a scoundrel. but i'll tell you what i'll do. i'll go down to my cabin directly, and write to father m'grath, telling him the whole affair, and desiring him to ferret him out, and watch him narrowly, and i'll bet you a dozen of claret, that in less than a week he'll find him out, and will dog him to the last. he'll get hold of his irish servants, and you little know the power that a priest has in our country. now give the description as well as you can of your uncle's appearance, also of that of his wife, and the number of their family, and their ages. father m'grath must have all particulars, and then let him alone for doing what is needful." i complied with o'brien's directions as well as i could, and he wrote a very long letter to father m'grath, which was sent on shore by a careful hand. i answered my father's letter, and then thought no more about the matter. our sealed orders were opened, and proved our destination to be the west indies, as we expected. we touched at madeira to take in some wine for the ship's company; but as we only remained one day, we were not permitted to go on shore. fortunate indeed would it have been if we had never gone there; for the day after, our captain, who had dined with the consul, was taken alarmingly ill. from the symptoms, the surgeon dreaded that he had been poisoned by something which he had eaten, and which most probably had been cooked in a copper vessel not properly tinned. we were all very anxious that he should recover; but, on the contrary, he appeared to grow worse and worse every day, wasting away, and dying, as they say, by inches. at last he was put into his cot, and never rose from it again. this melancholy circumstance, added to the knowledge that we were proceeding to an unhealthy climate, caused a gloom throughout the ship; and, although the trade wind carried us along bounding over the bright blue sea--although the weather was now warm, yet not too warm--although the sun rose in splendour, and all was beautiful and cheering, the state of the captain's health was a check to all mirth. every one trod the deck softly, and spoke in a low voice, that he might not be disturbed; all were anxious to have the morning report of the surgeon, and our conversation was generally upon the sickly climate, the yellow fever, of death, and the palisades where they buried us. swinburne, the quarter-master, was in my watch, and as he had been long in the west indies, i used to obtain all the information from him that i could. the old fellow had a secret pleasure in frightening me as much as he could. "really, mr simple, you ax so many questions," he would say, as i accosted him while he was at his station at the _conn_, "i wish you wouldn't ax so many questions, and make yourself uncomfortable --'steady so'--'steady it is;'--with regard to yellow jack, as we calls the yellow fever, it's a devil incarnate, that's sartain--you're well and able to take your allowance in the morning, and dead as a herring 'fore night. first comes a bit of a head-ache--you goes to the doctor, who bleeds you like a pig--then you go out of your senses--then up comes the black vomit, and then it's all over with you, and you go to the land crabs, who pick your bones as clean and as white as a sea elephant's tooth. but there be one thing to be said in favour of yellow jack, a'ter all. you dies _straight,_ like a gentleman--not cribbled up like a snow-fish, chucked out on the ice of the river st lawrence, with your knees up to your nose, or your toes stuck into your arm-pits, as does take place in some of your foreign complaints; but straight, quite straight, and limber, like a _gentleman_. still jack is a little mischievous, that's sartain. in the euridiscy we had as fine a ship's company as was ever piped aloft--'steady, starboard, my man, you're half-a-pint off your course;'--we dropped our anchor in port royal, and we thought that there was mischief brewing, for thirty-eight sharks followed the ship into the harbour, and played about us day and night. i used to watch them during the night watch, as their fins, above water, skimmed along, leaving a trail of light behind them; and the second night i said to the sentry abaft, as i was looking at them smelling under the counter--'soldier,' says i, 'them sharks are mustering under the orders of yellow jack,' and i no sooner mentioned yellow jack, than the sharks gave a frisky plunge, every one of them, as much as to say, 'yes, so we are, d----n your eyes.' the soldier was so frightened that he would have fallen overboard, if i hadn't caught him by the scruff of the neck, for he was standing on the top of the taffrail. as it was, he dropped his musket over the stern, which the sharks dashed at from every quarter, making the sea look like fire--and he had it charged to his wages, £ s. i think. however, the fate of his musket gave him an idea of what would have happened to him if he had fallen in instead of it-- and he never got on the taffrail again. 'steady, port--mind your helm, smith--you can listen to my yarn all the same.' well, mr simple, yellow jack came, sure enough. first the purser was called to account for all his roguery. we didn't care much about the land crabs eating him, who had made so many poor dead men chew tobacco, cheating their wives and relations, or greenwich hospital, as it might happen. then went two of the middies, just about your age, mr simple: they, poor fellows, went off in a sad hurry; then went the master--and so it went on, till at last we had no more nor sixty men left in the ship. the captain died last, and then yellow jack had filled his maw, and left the rest of us alone. as soon as the captain died, all the sharks left the ship, and we never saw any more of them." such were the yarns told to me and the other midshipmen during the night watches; and i can assure the reader, that they gave us no small alarm. every day that we worked our day's work, and found ourselves so much nearer to the islands, did we feel as if we were so much nearer to our graves. i once spoke to o'brien about it, and he laughed. "peter," says he, "fear kills more people than the yellow fever, or any other complaint, in the west indies. swinburne is an old rogue, and only laughing at you. the devil's not half so black as he's painted--nor the yellow fever half so yellow, i presume." we were now fast nearing the island of barbadoes, the weather was beautiful, the wind always fair; the flying fish rose in shoals, startled by the foaming seas, which rolled away, and roared from the bows as our swift frigate cleaved through the water; the porpoises played about us in thousands--the bonetas and dolphins at one time chased the flying fish, and at others, appeared to be delighted in keeping company with the rapid vessel. everything was beautiful, and we all should have been happy, had it not been for the state of captain savage, in the first place, who daily became worse and worse, and from the dread of the hell, which we were about to enter through such a watery paradise. mr falcon, who was in command, was grave and thoughtful; he appeared indeed to be quite miserable at the chance which would insure his own promotion. in every attention, and every care that could be taken to insure quiet and afford relief to the captain, he was unremitting; the offence of making a noise was now, with him, a greater crime than drunkenness, or even mutiny. when within three days' sail of barbadoes, it fell almost calm, and the captain became much worse; and now for the first time did we behold the great white shark of the atlantic. there are several kinds of sharks, but the most dangerous are the great white shark and the ground shark. the former grows to an enormous length--the latter is seldom very long, not more than twelve feet, but spreads to a great breadth. we could not hook the sharks as they played around us, for mr falcon would not permit it, lest the noise of hauling them on board should disturb the captain. a breeze again sprang up. in two days we were close to the island, and the men were desired to look out for the land. chapter xxx death of captain savage--his funeral--specimen of true barbadian born-- sucking the monkey--effects of a hurricane. the next morning, having hove-to part of the night, land was discovered on the bow, and was reported by the mast-head man at the same moment that the surgeon came up and announced the death of our noble captain. although it had been expected for the last two or three days, the intelligence created a heavy gloom throughout the ship; the men worked in silence, and spoke to one another in whispers. mr falcon was deeply affected, and so were we all. in the course of the morning, we ran in to the island, and unhappy as i was, i never can forget the sensation of admiration which i felt on closing with needham point to enter carlisle bay. the beach of such a pure dazzling white, backed by the tall, green cocoa-nut trees, waving their spreading heads to the fresh breeze, the dark blue of the sky, and the deeper blue of the transparent sea, occasionally varied into green as we passed by the coral rocks which threw their branches out from the bottom--the town opening to our view by degrees, houses after houses, so neat, with their green jalousies, dotting the landscape, the fort with the colours flying, troops of officers riding down, a busy population of all colours, relieved by the whiteness of their dress. altogether the scene realised my first ideas of fairyland, for i thought i had never witnessed anything so beautiful. "and can this be such a dreadful place as it is described?" thought i. the sails were clewed up, the anchor was dropped to the bottom, and a salute from the ship, answered by the forts, added to the effect of the scene. the sails were furled, the boats lowered down, the boatswain squared the yards from the jolly-boat ahead. mr falcon dressed, and his boat being manned, went on shore with the despatches. then, as soon as the work was over, a new scene of delight presented itself to the sight of midshipmen who had been so long upon his majesty's allowance. these were the boats, which crowded round the ship, loaded with baskets of bananas, oranges, shaddocks, soursops, and every other kind of tropical fruit, fried flying fish, eggs, fowls, milk, and everything which could tempt a poor boy after a long sea voyage. the watch being called, down we all hastened into the boats, and returned loaded with treasures, which we soon contrived to make disappear. after stowing away as much fruit as would have sufficed for a dessert to a dinner given to twenty people in england, i returned on deck. there was no other man-of-war in the bay; but my attention was directed to a beautiful little vessel, a schooner, whose fairy form contrasted strongly with a west india trader which lay close to her. all of a sudden, as i was looking at her beautiful outline, a yell rose from her which quite startled me, and immediately afterwards her deck was covered with nearly two hundred naked figures with woolly heads, chattering and grinning at each other. she was a spanish slaver, which had been captured, and had arrived the evening before. the slaves were still on board, waiting the orders of the governor. they had been on deck about ten minutes, when three or four men, with large panama straw hats on their heads, and long rattans in their hands, jumped upon the gunnel, and in a few seconds drove them all down below. i then turned round, and observed a black woman who had just climbed up the side of the frigate. o'brien was on deck, and she walked up to him in the most consequential manner. "how do you do, sar? very happy you com back again," said she to o'brien. "i'm very well, i thank you, ma'am," replied o'brien, "and i hope to go back the same; but never having put my foot into this bay before, you have the advantage of me." "nebber here before, so help me gad! me tink i know you--me tink i recollect your handsome face--i lady rodney, sar. ah, piccaninny buccra! how you do?" said she, turning round to me. "me hope to hab the honour to wash for you, sar," courtesying to o'brien. "what do you charge in this place?" "all the same price, one bit a piece." "what do you call a bit?" inquired i. "a bit, lilly massa?--what you call um _bit_? dem four _sharp shins_ to a pictareen." our deck was now enlivened by several army officers, besides gentlemen residents, who came off to hear the news. invitations to the mess and to the houses of the gentlemen followed, and as they departed mr falcon returned on board. he told o'brien and the other officers, that the admiral and squadron were expected in a few days, and that we were to remain in carlisle bay and refit immediately. but although the fright about the yellow fever had considerably subsided in our breasts, the remembrance that our poor captain was lying dead in the cabin was constantly obtruding. all that night the carpenters were up making up his coffin, for he was to be buried the next day. the body is never allowed to remain many hours unburied in the tropical climates, where putrefaction is so rapid. the following morning the men were up at daylight, washing the decks and putting the ship in order; they worked willingly, and yet with a silent decorum which showed what their feelings were. never were the decks better cleaned, never were the ropes more carefully _flemished_ down; the hammocks were stowed in their white cloths, the yards carefully squared, and the ropes hauled taut. at eight o'clock, the colours and pennant were hoisted half-mast high. the men were then ordered down to breakfast, and to clean themselves. during the time that the men were at breakfast, all the officers went into the cabin to take a last farewell look at our gallant captain. he appeared to have died without pain, and there was a beautiful tranquillity in his face; but even already a change had taken place, and we perceived the necessity of his being buried so soon. we saw him placed in his coffin, and then quitted the cabin without speaking to each other. when the coffin was nailed down, it was brought up by the barge's crew to the quarter-deck, and laid upon the gratings amidships, covered over with the union jack. the men came up from below without waiting for the pipe, and a solemnity appeared to pervade every motion. order and quiet were universal, out of respect to the deceased. when the boats were ordered to be manned, the men almost appeared to steal into them. the barge received the coffin, which was placed in the stern sheets. the other boats then hauled up, and received the officers, marines, and sailors, who were to follow the procession. when all was ready, the barge was shoved off by the bow-men, the crew dropped their oars into the water without a splash and pulled the _minute stroke:_ the other boats followed, and as soon as they were clear of the ship, the minute guns boomed along the smooth surface of the bay from the opposite side of the ship, while the yards were topped to starboard and to port, the ropes were slackened and hung in bights, so as to give the idea of distress and neglect. at the same time, a dozen or more of the men who had been ready, dropped over the sides of the ship in differents [sic] parts, and with their cans of paint and brushes in a few minutes effaced the whole of the broad white riband which marked the beautiful run of the frigate, and left her all black and in deep mourning. the guns from the forts now responded to our own. the merchant ships lowered their colours, and the men stood up respectfully with their hats off, as the procession moved slowly to the landing-place. the coffin was borne to the burial-ground by the crew of the barge, followed by mr falcon as chief mourner, all the officers of the ship who could be spared, one hundred of the seamen walking two and two, and the marines with their arms reversed. the _cortege_ was joined by the army officers, while the troops lined the streets, and the bands played the dead march. the service was read, the volleys were fired over the grave, and with oppressed feelings we returned to the boats, and pulled on board. it then appeared to me, and to a certain degree i was correct, that as soon as we had paid our last respect to his remains, we had also forgotten our grief. the yards were again squared, the ropes hauled taut, working dresses resumed, and all was activity and bustle. the fact is, that sailors and soldiers have no time for lamentation, and running as they do from clime to clime, so does scene follow scene in the same variety and quickness. in a day or two, the captain appeared to be, although he was not, forgotten. our first business was to _water_ the ship by rafting and towing off the casks. i was in charge of the boat again, with swinburne as coxswain. as we pulled in, there were a number of negroes bathing in the surf, bobbing their woolly heads under it, as it rolled into the beach. "now, mr simple," said swinburne, "see how i'll make them _niggers_ scamper." he then stood up in the stern sheets, and pointing with his finger, roared out, "a shark! a shark!" away started all the bathers for the beach, puffing and blowing, from their dreaded enemy; nor did they stop to look for him until they were high and dry out of his reach. then, when we all laughed, they called us "_all the hangman tiefs_," and every other opprobrious name which they could select from their vocabulary. i was very much amused with this scene, and as much afterwards with the negroes who crowded round us when we landed. they appeared such merry fellows, always laughing, chattering, singing, and showing their white teeth. one fellow danced round us, snapping his fingers, and singing songs without beginning or end. "eh, massa, what you say now? me no slave--true barbadian born, sir. eh! "nebba see de day dat rodney run away, nebba see um night dat rodney cannot fight. massa me free man, sar. suppose you give me pictareen, drink massa health. "nebba see de day, boy, pompey lickum de caesar. eh! and you nebba see de day dat de grasshopper run on de warrington." "out of the way, you nigger," cried one of the men who was rolling down a cask. "eh! who you call nigger? me free man, and true barbadian born. go along you man-of-war man. "man-of-war, buccra, man-of-war, buccra, he de boy for me; sodger, buccra, sodger, buccra, nebba, nebba do, nebba, nebba do for me; sodger give me one shilling, sailor give me two. massa, now suppose you give me only one pictareen now. you really handsome young gentleman." "now, just walk off," said swinburne, lifting up a stick he found on the beach. "eh! walk off. "nebba see de day, boy, 'badian run away, boy. go, do your work, sar. why you talk to me? go, work, sar. i free man, and real barbadian born. "negro on de shore see de ship come in, de buccra come on shore, wid de hand up to the chin; man-of-war buccra, man-of-war buccra, he de boy for me, man-of-war, buccra, man-of-war, buccra, gib pictareen to me." at this moment my attention was directed to another negro, who lay on the beach rolling and foaming at the mouth, apparently in a fit. "what's the matter with that fellow?" said i to the same negro who continued close to me, notwithstanding swinburne's stick. "eh! call him sam slack, massa. he ab um _tic tic_ fit." and such was apparently the case. "stop, me cure him;" and he snatched the stick out of swinburne's hand, and running up to the man, who continued to roll on the beach, commenced belabouring him without mercy. "eh, sambo!" cried he at last, quite out of breath, "you no better yet--try again." he recommenced, until at last the man got up and ran away as fast as he could. now, whether the man was shamming, or whether it was real _tic tic_, or epileptic fit, i know not; but i never heard of such a cure for it before. i threw the fellow half a pictareen, as much for the amusement he had afforded me as to get rid of him. "tanky, massa; now man-of-war man, here de tick for you again to keep off all the dam niggers." so saying, he handed the stick to swinburne, made a polite bow, and departed. we were, however, soon surrounded by others, particularly some dingy ladies with baskets of fruit, and who, as they said, "sell ebery ting." i perceived that my sailors were very fond of cocoa-nut milk, which, being a harmless beverage, i did not object to their purchasing from these ladies, who had chiefly cocoa-nuts in their baskets. as i had never tasted it, i asked them what it was, and bought a cocoa-nut. i selected the largest. "no, massa, dat not good for you. better one for buccra officer." i then selected another, but the same objection was made. "no, massa, dis very fine milk. very good for de tomac." i drank off the milk from the holes on the top of the cocoa-nut, and found it very refreshing. as for the sailors, they appeared very fond of it indeed. but i very soon found that if good for de tomac, it was not very good for the head, as my men, instead of rolling the casks, began to roll themselves in all directions, and when it was time to go off to dinner, most of them were dead drunk at the bottom of the boat. they insisted that it was the _sun_ which affected them. very hot it certainly was, and i believed them at first, when they were only giddy; but i was convinced to the contrary when i found that they became insensible; yet how they had procured the liquor was to me a mystery. when i came on board, mr falcon, who, although acting captain, continued his duties as first lieutenant almost as punctually as before, asked how it was that i had allowed my men to get so tipsy. i assured him that i could not tell, that i had never allowed one to leave the watering-place, or to buy any liquor: the only thing that they had to drink was a little cocoa-nut milk, which, as it was so very hot, i thought there could be no objection to. mr falcon smiled and said, "mr simple, i'm an old stager in the west indies, and i'll let you into a secret. do you know what '_sucking the monkey_' means?" "no, sir." "well, then, i'll tell you; it is a term used among seamen for drinking _rum_ out of _cocoa-nuts,_ the milk having been poured out, and the liquor substituted. now do you comprehend why your men are tipsy?" i stared with all my eyes, for it never would have entered into my head; and i then perceived why it was that the black woman would not give me the first cocoa-nuts which i selected. i told mr falcon of this circumstance, who replied, "well, it was not your fault, only you must not forget it another time." it was my first watch that night, and swinburne was quarter-master on deck. "swinburne," said i, "you have often been in the west indies before, why did you not tell me that the men were '_sucking the monkey_' when i thought that they were only drinking cocoa-nut milk?" swinburne chuckled, and answered, "why, mr simple, d'ye see, it didn't become me as a ship-mate to peach. it's but seldom that a poor fellow has an opportunity of making himself a 'little happy,' and it would not be fair to take away the chance. i suppose you'll never let them have cocoa-nut milk again?" "no, that i will not; but i cannot imagine what pleasure they can find in getting so tipsy." "it's merely because they are not allowed to be so, sir. that's the whole story in few words." "well, i think i could cure them if i were permitted to try." "i should like to hear how you'd manage that, mr simple." "why, i would oblige a man to drink off a half pint of liquor, and then put him by himself. i would not allow him companions to make merry with so as to make a pleasure of intoxication. i would then wait until next morning when he was sober, and leave him alone with a racking headache until the evening, when i would give him another dose, and so on, forcing him to get drunk until he hated the smell of liquor." "well, mr simple, it might do with some, but many of our chaps would require the dose you mention to be repeated pretty often before it would effect a cure; and what's more, they'd be very willing patients, and make no wry faces at their physic." "well, that might be, but it would cure them at last. but tell me, swinburne, were you ever in a hurricane?" "i've been in everything, mr simple, i believe, except at school, and i never had no time to go there. do you see that battery at needham point? well, in the hurricane of ' , them same guns were whirled away by the wind, right over to this point here on the opposite side, the sentries in their sentry-boxes after them. some of the soldiers who faced the wind had their teeth blown down their throats like broken 'baccy-pipes, others had their heads turned round like dog vanes, 'cause they waited for orders to the '_right about face_,' and the whole air was full of young _niggers_ blowing about like peelings of _ingons_." "you don't suppose i believe all this, swinburne?" "that's as may be, mr simple, but i've told the story so often, that i believe it myself." "what ship were you in?" "in the _blanche_, captain faulkner, who was as fine a fellow as poor captain savage, whom we buried yesterday; there could not be a finer than either of them. i was at the taking of the pique, and carried him down below after he had received his mortal wound. we did a pretty thing out here when we took fort royal by a coup-de-_main_, which means, boarding from the _main_-yard of the frigate, and dropping from it into the fort. but what's that under the moon?--there's a sail in the offing." swinburne fetched the glass and directed it to the spot. "one, two, three, four. it's the admiral, sir, and the squadron hove-to for the night. one's a line-of-battle ship, i'll swear." i examined the vessels, and agreeing with swinburne, reported them to mr falcon. my watch was then over, and as soon as i was released i went to my hammock. end of vol. i. turnbull and spears, printers, edinburgh. peter simple and the three cutters by captain marryat vol. ii. london j.m. dent and co. boston: little, brown and co. mdcccxcv contents volume ii peter simple chapter xxxi chapter xxxii chapter xxxiii chapter xxxiv chapter xxxv chapter xxxvi chapter xxxvii chapter xxxviii chapter xxxix chapter xl chapter xli chapter xlii chapter xliii chapter xliv chapter xlv chapter xlvi chapter xlvii chapter xlviii chapter xlix chapter l chapter li chapter lii chapter liii chapter liv chapter lv chapter lvi chapter lvii chapter lviii chapter lix chapter lx chapter lxi chapter lxii chapter lxiii chapter lxiv chapter lxv _the three cutters_ chapter i chapter ii chapter iii chapter iv chapter v chapter vi chapter vii peter simple chapter xxxi captain kearney--the dignity ball. the next morning at daylight we exchanged numbers, and saluted the flag, and by eight o'clock they all anchored. mr falcon went on board the admiral's ship with despatches, and to report the death of captain savage. in about half an hour he returned, and we were glad to perceive, with a smile upon his face, from which we argued that he would receive his acting order as commander, which was a question of some doubt, as the admiral had the power to give the vacancy to whom he pleased, although it would not have been fair if he had not given it to mr falcon; not that mr falcon would not have received his commission, as captain savage dying when the ship was under no admiral's command, he _made himself_; but still the admiral might have sent him home, and not have given him a ship. but this he did, the captain of the _minerve_ being appointed to the _sanglier_, the captain of the _opossum_ to the _minerve_, and captain falcon taking command of the _opossum_. he received his commission that evening, and the next day the exchanges were made. captain falcon would have taken me with him, and offered so to do; but i could not leave o'brien, so i preferred remaining in the _sanglier_. we were all anxious to know what sort of a person our new captain was, whose name was kearney; but we had no time to ask the midshipmen, except when they came in charge of the boats which brought his luggage; they replied generally, that he was a very good sort of fellow, and there was no harm in him. but when i had the night watch with swinburne, he came up to me, and said, "well, mr simple, so we have a new captain. i sailed with him for two years in a brig." "and pray, swinburne, what sort of a person is he?" "why, i'll tell you, mr simple: he's a good-tempered, kind fellow enough, but--" "but what?" "such a _bouncer_!!" "how do you mean? he's not a very stout man." "bless you, mr simple, why you don't understand english. i mean that he's the greatest liar that ever walked a deck. now, mr simple, you know i can spin a yarn occasionally." "yes, that you can, witness the hurricane the other night." "well, mr simple, i cannot _hold a candle_ to him. it a'n't that i might not stretch now and then, just for fun, as far as he can, but, d----n it, he's always on the stretch. in fact, mr simple, he never tells the truth except _by mistake_. he's as poor as a rat, and has nothing but his pay; yet to believe him, he is worth at least as much as greenwich hospital. but you'll soon find him out, and he'll sarve to laugh at behind his back, you know, mr simple, for that's _no go_ before his face." captain kearney made his appearance on board the next day. the men were mustered to receive him, and all the officers were on the quarter-deck. "you've a fine set of marines here, captain falcon," observed he; "those i left on board of the _minerve_ were only fit to be _hung_; and you have a good show of reefers too--those i left in the _minerve_ were not _worth hanging_. if you please, i'll read my commission, if you'll order the men aft." his commission was read, all hands with their hats off from respect to the authority from which it proceeded. "now, my lads," said captain kearney, addressing the ship's company, "i've but few words to say to you. i am appointed to command this ship, and you appear to have a very good character from your late first lieutenant. all i request of you is this: be smart, keep sober, and always _tell the truth_--that's enough. pipe down. gentlemen," continued he, addressing the officers, "i trust that we shall be good friends; and i see no reason that it should be otherwise." he then turned away with a bow, and called his coxswain--"williams, you'll go on board, and tell my steward that i have promised to dine with the governor to-day, and that he must come to dress me; and, coxswain, recollect to put the sheepskin mat on the stern gratings of my gig--not the one i used to have when i was on shore in my _carriage_, but the blue one which was used for the _chariot_--you know which i mean." i happened to look swinburne in the face, who cocked his eye at me, as much as to say--"there he goes." we afterwards met the officers of the _minerve_, who corroborated all that swinburne had said, although it was quite unnecessary, as we had the captain's own words every minute to satisfy us of the fact. dinner parties were now very numerous, and the hospitality of the island is but too well known. the invitations extended to the midshipmen, and many was the good dinner and kind reception which i had during my stay. there was, however, one thing i had heard so much of, that i was anxious to witness it, which was a _dignity ball_. but i must enter a little into explanation, or my readers will not understand me. the coloured people of barbadoes, for reasons best known to themselves, are immoderately proud, and look upon all the negroes who are born on other islands as _niggers_; they have also an extraordinary idea of their own bravery, although i never heard that it has ever been put to the proof. the free barbadians are, most of them, very rich, and hold up their heads as they walk with an air quite ridiculous. they ape the manners of the europeans, at the same time that they appear to consider them as almost their inferiors. now, a _dignity_ ball is a ball given by the most consequential of their coloured people, and from the amusement and various other reasons, is generally well attended by the officers both on shore and afloat. the price of the tickets of admission was high--i think they were half a joe, or eight dollars each. the governor sent out cards for a grand ball and supper for the ensuing week, and miss betsy austin, a quadroon woman, ascertaining the fact, sent out her cards for the same evening. this was not altogether in _rivalry_, but for another reason, which was, that she was aware that most of the officers and midshipmen of the ships would obtain permission to go to the governor's ball, and, preferring hers, would slip away and join the party, by which means she ensured a full attendance. on the day of invitation our captain came on board, and told our new first lieutenant (of whom i shall say more hereafter) that the governor insisted that all _his_ officers should go--that he would take no denial, and, therefore, he presumed, go they must; that the fact was, that the governor was a _relation_ of his wife, and under some trifling obligations to him in obtaining for him his present command. he certainly had spoken to the _prime minister_, and he thought it not impossible, considering the intimate terms which the minister and he had been on from childhood, that his solicitation might have had some effect; at all events, it was pleasant to find that there was some little gratitude left in this world. after this, of course, every officer went, with the exception of the master, who said that he'd as soon have two round turns in his hawse as go to see people kick their legs about like fools, and that he'd take care of the ship. the governor's ball was very splendid, but the ladies were rather sallow, from the effects of the climate. however, there were exceptions, and on the whole it was a very gay affair; but we were all anxious to go to the _dignity_ ball of miss betsy austin. i slipped away with three other midshipmen, and we soon arrived there. a crowd of negroes were outside of the house; but the ball had not yet commenced, from the want of gentlemen, the ball being very correct, nothing under mulatto in colour being admitted. perhaps i ought to say here, that the progeny of a white and a negro is a mulatto, or half and half--of a white and mulatto, a _quadroon_, or one-quarter black, and of this class the company were chiefly composed. i believe a quadroon and white make the _mustee_ or one-eighth black, and the mustee and white the mustafina, or one-sixteenth black. after that, they are _whitewashed_, and considered as europeans. the pride of colour is very great in the west indies, and they have as many quarterings as a german prince in his coat of arms; a quadroon looks down upon a mulatto, while a mulatto looks down upon a _sambo_, that is, half mulatto half negro, while a sambo in his turn looks down upon a _nigger_. the quadroons are certainly the handsomest race of the whole, some of the women are really beautiful; their hair is long and perfectly straight, their eyes large and black, their figures perfection, and you can see the colour mantle in their cheeks quite as plainly, and with as much effect, as in those of a european. we found the door of miss austin's house open, and ornamented with orange branches, and on our presenting ourselves were accosted by a mulatto gentleman, who was, we presumed, "usher of the black rod." his head was well powdered, he was dressed in white jean trousers, a waistcoat not six inches long, and a half-worn post-captain's coat on, as a livery, with a low bow, he "took de liberty to trouble de gentlemen for de card for de ball," which being produced, we were ushered on by him to the ball-room, at the door of which miss austin was waiting to receive her company. she made us a low courtesy, observing, "she really happy to see de _gentlemen_ of de ship, but hoped to see de _officers_ also at her _dignity_." this remark touched our _dignity_, and one of my companions replied, "that we midshipmen considered ourselves officers, and no _small_ ones either, and that if she waited for the lieutenants she must wait until they were tired of the governor's ball, we having given the preference to hers." this remark set all to rights; sangaree was handed about, and i looked around at the company. i must acknowledge, at the risk of losing the good opinion of my fair countrywomen, that i never saw before so many pretty figures and faces. the _officers_ not having yet arrived, we received all the attention, and i was successively presented to miss eurydice, miss minerva, miss sylvia, miss aspasia, miss euterpe, and many others, evidently borrowed from the different men-of-war which had been on the station. all these young ladies gave themselves all the airs of almack's. their dresses i cannot pretend to describe--jewels of value were not wanting, but their drapery was slight; they appeared neither to wear nor to require stays, and on the whole, their figures were so perfect that they could only be ill dressed by having on too much dress. a few more midshipmen and some lieutenants (o'brien among the number) having made their appearance, miss austin directed that the ball should commence. i requested the honour of miss eurydice's hand in a cotillon, which was to open the ball. at this moment stepped forth the premier violin, master of the ceremonies and ballet-master, massa johnson, really a very smart man, who gave lessons in dancing to all the "'badian ladies." he was a dark quadroon, his hair slightly powdered, dressed in a light blue coat thrown well back, to show his lily-white waistcoat, only one button of which he could afford to button to make full room for the pride of his heart, the frill of his shirt, which really was _un jabot superb_, four inches wide, and extending from his collar to the waistband of his nankeen tights, which were finished off at his knees with huge bunches of ribbon; his legs were encased in silk stockings, which, however, was not very good taste on his part, as they showed the manifest advantage which an european has over a coloured man in the formation of the leg: instead of being straight, his shins curved like a cheese-knife, and, moreover, his leg was planted into his foot like the handle into a broom or scrubbing-brush, there being quite as much of the foot on the heel side as on the toe side. such was the appearance of mr apollo johnson, whom the ladies considered as the _ne plus ultra_ of fashion, and the _arbiter elegantiarum_. his _bow-tick_, or fiddle-stick, was his wand, whose magic rap on the fiddle produced immediate obedience to his mandates. "ladies and gentle, take your seats." all started up. "miss eurydice, you open de ball." miss eurydice had but a sorry partner, but she undertook to instruct me. o'brien was our _vis-à-vis_ with miss euterpe. the other gentlemen were officers from the ships, and we stood up twelve, checkered brown and white, like a chess-board. all eyes were fixed upon mr apollo johnson, who first looked at the couples, then at his fiddle, and lastly, at the other musicians, to see if all was right, and then with a wave of his _bow-tick_ the music began. "massa lieutenant," cried apollo to o'brien, "cross over to opposite lady, right hand and left, den figure to miss eurydice--dat right; now four hand round. you lilly midshipman, set your partner, sir; den twist her round; dat do; now stop. first figure all over." at this time i thought i might venture to talk a little with my partner, and i ventured a remark; to my surprise she answered very sharply, "i come here for dance, sar, and not for chatter; look, massa johnson, he tap um bow-tick." the second figure commenced, and i made a sad bungle; so i did of the third, and fourth, and fifth, for i never had danced a cotillon. when i handed my partner to her place, who certainly was the prettiest girl in the room, she looked rather contemptuously at me, and observed to a neighbour, "i really pity de gentleman as come from england dat no know how to dance nor nothing at all, until em hab instruction at barbadoes." a country dance was now called for, which was more acceptable to all parties, as none of mr apollo johnson's pupils were very perfect in their cotillon, and none of the officers, except o'brien, knew anything about them. o'brien's superior education on this point, added to his lieutenant's epaulet and handsome person, made him much courted; but he took up with miss eurydice after i had left her, and remained with her the whole evening; thereby exciting the jealousy of mr apollo johnson, who, it appears, was amorous in that direction. our party increased every minute; all the officers of the garrison, and, finally, as soon as they could get away, the governor's aid-de-camps, all dressed in _mufti_ (i.e., plain clothes). the dancing continued until three o'clock in the morning, when it was quite a squeeze, from the constant arrival of fresh recruits from all the houses of barbadoes. i must say, that a few bottles of eau de cologne thrown about the room would have improved the atmosphere. by this time the heat was terrible, and the _mopping_ of the ladies' faces everlasting. i would recommend a dignity ball to all stout gentlemen who wish to be reduced a stone or two. supper was now announced, and having danced the last country dance with miss minerva, i of course had the pleasure of handing her into the supper-room. it was my fate to sit opposite to a fine turkey, and i asked my partner if i should have the pleasure of helping her to a piece of the breast. she looked at me very indignantly, and said, "curse your impudence, sar, i wonder where you larn manners. sar, i take a lilly turkey _bosom_, if you please. talk of _breast_ to a lady, sar;--really quite _horrid_." i made two or three more barbarous mistakes before the supper was finished. at last the eating was over, and i must say a better supper i never sat down to. "silence, gentlemen and ladies," cried mr apollo johnson. "wid the permission of our amiable hostess, i will propose a toast. gentlemen and ladies--you all know, and if be so you don't, i say that there no place in the world like barbadoes. all de world fight against england, but england nebber fear; king george nebber fear, while _barbadoes 'tand 'tiff_. 'badian fight for king george to last drop of him blood. nebber see the day 'badian run away; you all know dem frenchmans at san lucee, give up morne fortunee, when he hear de 'badian volunteer come against him. i hope no 'fence present company, but um sorry to say english come here too jealous of 'badians. gentlemen and lady--barbadian born ab only one fault--he _really too brave_. i propose health of 'island of barbadoes.'" acclamations from all quarters followed this truly modest speech, and the toast was drunk with rapture; the ladies were delighted with mr apollo's eloquence, and the lead which he took in the company. o'brien then rose and addressed the company as follows:-- "ladies and gentlemen--mr poll has spoken better than the best parrot i ever met with in this country, but as he has thought proper to drink the 'island of barbadoes,' i mean to be a little more particular. i wish, with him, all good health to the island; but there is a charm without which the island would be a desert--that is, the society of the lovely girls which now surround us, and take our hearts by storm--" (here o'brien put his arm gently round miss eurydice's waist, and mr apollo ground his teeth so as to be heard at the furthest end of the room)"-- therefore, gentlemen, with your permission, i will propose the health of the ''badian ladies.'" this speech of o'brien's was declared, by the females at least, to be infinitely superior to mr apollo johnson's. miss eurydice was even more gracious, and the other ladies were more envious. many other toasts and much more wine was drunk, until the male part of the company appeared to be rather riotous. mr apollo, however, had to regain his superiority, and after some hems and hahs, begged permission to give a sentiment. "gentlemen and ladies, i beg then to say-- "here's to de cock who make lub to de hen, crow till he hoarse and make lub again." this _sentiment_ was received with rapture; and after silence was obtained, miss betsy austin rose and said--"unaccustomed as she was to public 'peaking, she must not sit 'till and not tank de gentleman for his very fine toast, and in de name of de ladies she begged to propose another sentimen', which was-- "here to de hen what nebber refuses, let cock pay compliment whenebber he chooses." if the first toast was received with applause, this was with enthusiasm; but we received a damper after it was subsided, by the lady of the house getting up and saying--"now, gentlemen and ladies, me tink it right to say dat it time to go home; i nebber allow people get drunk or kick up bobbery in my house, so now i tink we better take parting-glass, and very much obliged to you for your company." as o'brien said, this was a broad hint to be off, so we all now took our parting-glass, in compliance with her request, and our own wishes, and proceeded to escort our partners on their way home. while i was assisting miss minerva to her red crape shawl, a storm was brewing in another quarter, to wit, between mr apollo johnson and o'brien. o'brien was assiduously attending to miss eurydice, whispering what he called soft blarney in her ear, when mr apollo, who was above spirit-boiling heat with jealousy, came up, and told miss eurydice that he would have the honour of escorting her home. "you may save yourself the trouble, you dingy gut-scraper," replied o'brien; "the lady is under my protection, so take your ugly black face out of the way, or i'll show you how i treat a ''badian who is really too brave.'" "so 'elp me gad, massa lieutenant, 'pose you put finger on me, i show you what 'badian can do." apollo then attempted to insert himself between o'brien and his lady, upon which o'brien shoved him back with great violence, and continued his course towards the door. they were in the passage when i came up, for hearing o'brien's voice in anger, i left miss minerva to shift for herself. miss eurydice had now left o'brien's arm, at his request, and he and mr apollo were standing in the passage, o'brien close to the door, which was shut, and apollo swaggering up to him. o'brien, who knew the tender part of a black, saluted apollo with a kick on the shins which would have broken my leg. massa johnson roared with pain, and recoiled two or three paces, parting the crowd away behind him. the blacks never fight with fists, but butt with their heads like rams, and with quite as much force. when mr apollo had retreated, he gave his shin one more rub, uttered a loud yell, and started at o'brien, with his head aimed at o'brien's chest, like a battering-ram. o'brien, who was aware of this plan of fighting, stepped dexterously on one side, and allowed mr apollo to pass by him, which he did with such force, that his head went clean through the panel of the door behind o'brien, and there he stuck as fast as if in a pillory, squeaking like a pig for assistance, and foaming with rage. after some difficulty he was released, and presented a very melancholy figure. his face was much cut, and his superb _jabot_ all in tatters; he appeared, however, to have had quite enough of it, as he retreated to the supper-room, followed by some of his admirers, without asking or looking after o'brien. but if mr apollo had had enough of it, his friends were too indignant to allow us to go off scot free. a large mob was collected in the street, vowing vengeance on us for our treatment of their flash man, and a row was to be expected. miss eurydice had escaped, so that o'brien had his hands free. "cam out, you hangman tiefs, cam out; only wish had rock stones, to mash your heads with," cried the mob of negroes. the officers now sallied out in a body, and were saluted with every variety of missile, such as rotten oranges, cabbage-stalks, mud, and cocoa-nut shells. we fought our way manfully, but as we neared the beach the mob increased to hundreds, and at last we could proceed no further, being completely jammed up by the niggers, upon whose heads we could make no more impression than upon blocks of marble. "we must draw our swords," observed an officer. "no, no," replied o'brien, "that will not do; if once we shed blood, they will never let us get on board with our lives. the boat's crew by this time must be aware that there is a row." o'brien was right. he had hardly spoken, before a lane was observed to be made through the crowd in the distance, which in two minutes was open to us. swinburne appeared in the middle of it, followed by the rest of the boat's crew, armed with the boat's stretchers, which they did not aim at the _heads_ of the blacks, but swept them like scythes against their _shins_. this they continued to do, right and left of us, as we walked through and went down to the boats, the seamen closing up the rear with their stretchers, with which they ever and anon made a sweep at the black fellows if they approached too near. it was now broad daylight, and in a few minutes we were again safely on board the frigate. thus ended the first and last dignity ball that i attended. chapter xxxii i am claimed by captain kearney as a relation--trial of skill between first lieutenant and captain with the long bow--the shark, the pug-dog, and the will--a quarter-deck picture. as the admiral was not one who would permit the ships under his command to lie idle in port, in a very few days after the dignity ball which i have described, all the squadron sailed on their various destinations. i was not sorry to leave the bay, for one soon becomes tired of profusion, and cared nothing for either oranges, bananas, or shaddocks, nor even for, the good dinners and claret at the tables of the army mess and gentlemen of the island. the sea breeze soon became more precious to us than anything else, and if we could have bathed without the fear of a shark, we should have equally appreciated that most refreshing of all luxuries under the torrid zone. it was therefore with pleasure that we received the information that we were to sail the next day to cruise off the french island of martinique. captain kearney had been so much on shore that we saw but little of him, and the ship was entirely under the control of the first lieutenant, of whom i have hitherto not spoken. he was a very short, pock-marked man, with red hair and whiskers, a good sailor, and not a bad officer; that is, he was a practical sailor, and could show any foremast man his duty in any department--and this seamen very much appreciate, as it is not very common; but i never yet knew an officer who prided himself upon his practical knowledge, who was at the same time a good navigator, and too often, by assuming the jack tar, they lower the respect due to them, and become coarse and vulgar in their manners and language. this was the case with mr phillott, who prided himself upon his slang, and who was at one time "hail fellow well met" with the seamen, talking to them, and being answered as familiarly as if they were equals, and at another, knocking the very same men down with a handspike if he was displeased. he was not bad-tempered, but very hasty; and his language to the officers was occasionally very incorrect; to the midshipmen invariably so. however, on the whole, he was not disliked, although he was certainly not respected as a first lieutenant should have been. it is but fair to say, that he was the same to his superiors as he was to his inferiors, and the bluntness with which he used to contradict and assert his disbelief of captain kearney's narratives often produced a coolness between them for some days. the day after we sailed from carlisle bay i was asked to dine in the cabin. the dinner was served upon plated dishes, which looked very grand, but there was not much in them. "this plate," observed the captain, "was presented to me by some merchants for my exertions in saving their property from the danes when i was cruising off heligoland." "why, that lying steward of yours told me that you bought it at portsmouth," replied the first lieutenant: "i asked him in the galley this morning." "how came you to assert such a confounded falsehood, sir?" said the captain to the man who stood behind his chair. "i only said that i thought so," replied the steward. "why, didn't you say that the bill had been sent in, through you, seven or eight times, and that the captain had paid it with a flowing sheet?" "did you dare say that, sir?" interrogated the captain, very angrily. "mr phillott mistook me, sir?" replied the steward. "he was so busy damning the sweepers, that he did not hear me right. i said, the midshipmen had paid their crockery bill with the fore-topsail." "ay! ay!" replied the captain, "that's much more likely." "well, mr steward," replied mr phillott, "i'll be d----d if you ar'n't as big a liar as your--" (master, he was going to plump out, but fortunately the first lieutenant checked himself, and added)--"as your father was before you." the captain changed the conversation by asking me whether i would take a slice of ham. "it's real westphalia, mr simple; i have them sent me direct by count troningsken, an intimate friend of mine, who kills his own wild boars in the hartz mountains." "how the devil do you get them over, captain kearney?" "there are ways and means of doing everything, mr phillott, and the first consul is not quite so bad as he is represented. the first batch was sent over with a very handsome letter to me, written in his own hand, which i will show you some of these days. i wrote to him in return, and sent to him two cheshire cheeses by a smuggler, and since that they came regularly. did you ever eat westphalia ham, mr simple?" "yes," replied i; "once i partook of one at lord privilege's." "lord privilege! why he's a distant relation of mine, a sort of fifth cousin," replied captain kearney. "indeed, sir!" replied i. "then you must allow me to introduce you to a relation, captain kearney," said the first lieutenant; "for mr simple is his grandson." "is it possible? i can only say, mr simple, that i shall be most happy to show you every attention, and am very glad that i have you as one of my officers." now although this was all false, for captain kearney was not in the remotest manner connected with my family, yet having once asserted it, he could not retract, and the consequence was, that i was much the gainer by his falsehood, as he treated me very kindly afterwards, always calling me _cousin_. the first lieutenant smiled and gave me a wink, when the captain had finished his speech to me, as much as to say, "you're in luck," and then the conversation changed. captain kearney certainly dealt in the marvellous to admiration, and really told his stories with such earnestness, that i actually believe that he thought he was telling the truth. never was there such an instance of confirmed habit. telling a story of a cutting-out expedition, he said, "the french captain would have fallen by my hand, but just as i levelled my musket, a ball came, and cut off the cock of the lock as clean as if it was done with a knife--a very remarkable instance," observed he. "not equal to what occurred in a ship i was in," replied the first lieutenant, "when the second lieutenant was grazed by a grape-shot, which cut off one of his whiskers, and turning round his head to ascertain what was the matter, another grape-shot came and took off the other. now that's what i call a _close shave_." "yes," replied captain kearney, "very close, indeed, if it were true; but you'll excuse me, mr phillott, but you sometimes tell strange stories. i do not mind it myself, but the example is not good to my young relation here, mr simple." "captain kearney," replied the first lieutenant, laughing very immoderately, "do you know what the pot called the kettle?" "no, sir, i do not," retorted the captain, with offended dignity. "mr simple, will you take a glass of wine?" i thought that this little _brouillerie_ would have checked the captain; it did so, but only for a few minutes, when he again commenced. the first lieutenant observed that it would be necessary to let water into the ship every morning, and pump it out, to avoid the smell of the bilge-water. "there are worse smells than bilge-water," replied the captain. "what do you think of a whole ship's company being nearly poisoned with otto of roses? yet that occurred to me when in the mediterranean. i was off smyrna, cruising for a french ship, that was to sail to france, with a pasha on board, as an ambassador. i knew she would be a good prize, and was looking sharp out, when one morning we discovered her on the lee bow. we made all sail, but she walked away from us, bearing away gradually till we were both before the wind, and at night we lost sight of her. as i knew that she was bound to marseilles, i made all sail to fall in with her again. the wind was light and variable; but five days afterwards, as i lay in my cot, just before daylight, i smelt a very strong smell, blowing in at the weather port, and coming down the skylight, which was open; and after sniffing at it two or three times, i knew it to be otto of roses. i sent for the officer of the watch, and asked him if there was anything in sight. he replied 'that there was not;' and i ordered him to sweep the horizon with his glass, and look well out to windward. as the wind freshened, the smell became more powerful. i ordered him to get the royal yards across, and all ready to make sail, for i knew that the turk must be near us. at daylight there he was, just three miles ahead in the wind's eye. but although he beat us going free, he was no match for us, on a wind, and before noon we had possession of him and all his harem. by-the-by, i could tell you a good story about the ladies. she was a very valuable prize, and among other things, she had a _puncheon_ of otto of roses on board--." "whew!" cried the first lieutenant. "what! a whole puncheon?" "yes," replied the captain, "a turkish puncheon--not quite so large, perhaps, as ours on board; their weights and measures are different. i took out most of the valuables into the brig i commanded--about , sequins--carpets--and among the rest, this cask of otto of roses, which we had smelt three miles off. we had it safe on board, when the mate of the hold, not slinging it properly, it fell into the spirit-room with a run, and was stove to pieces. never was such a scene; my first lieutenant and several men on deck fainted; and the men in the hold were brought up lifeless; it was some time before they were recovered. we let the water into the brig, and pumped it out, but nothing would take away the smell, which was so overpowering, that before i could get to malta i had forty men on the sick list. when i arrived there, i turned the mate out of the service for his carelessness. it was not until after having smoked the brig, and finding that of little use, after having sunk her for three weeks, that the smell was at all bearable; but even then it could never be eradicated, and the admiral sent the brig home, and she was sold out of the service. they could do nothing with her at the dockyards. she was broken up, and bought by the people at brighton and tunbridge wells, who used her timbers for turning fancy articles, which, smelling as they did, so strongly of otto of roses, proved very profitable. were you ever at brighton, mr simple?" "never, sir." just at this moment, the officer of the watch came down to say that there was a very large shark under the counter, and wished to know if the captain had any objection to the officers attempting to catch it. "by no means," replied captain kearney; "i hate sharks as i do the devil. i nearly lost £ , by one, when i was in the mediterranean." "may i inquire how, captain kearney?" said the first lieutenant, with a demure face; "i'm very anxious to know." "why the story is simply this," replied the captain. "i had an old relation at malta, whom i found out by accident--an old maid of sixty, who had lived all her life on the island. it was by mere accident that i knew of her existence. i was walking upon strada reale, when i saw a large baboon that was kept there, who had a little fat pug-dog by the tail, which he was pulling away with him, while an old lady was screaming out for help: for whenever she ran to assist her dog, the baboon made at her as if he would have ravished her, and caught her by the petticoats with one hand, while he held the pug-dog fast by the other. i owed that brute a spite for having attacked me one night when i passed him, and perceiving what was going on, i drew my sword and gave mr jacko such a clip as sent him away howling, and bleeding like a pig, leaving me in possession of the little pug, which i took up and handed to his mistress. the old lady trembled very much, and begged me to see her safe home. she had a very fine house, and after she was seated on the sofa, thanked me very much for my gallant assistance, as she termed it, and told me her name was kearney: upon this i very soon proved my relationship with her, at which she was much delighted, requesting me to consider her house as my home. i was for two years afterwards on that station, and played my cards very well; and the old lady gave me a hint that i should be her heir, as she had no other relations that she knew anything of. at last i was ordered home, and not wishing to leave her, i begged her to accompany me, offering her my cabin. she was taken very ill a fortnight before we sailed, and made a will, leaving me her sole heir; but she recovered, and got as fat as ever. mr simple, the wine stands with you. i doubt if lord privilege gave you better claret than there is in that bottle; i imported it myself ten years ago, when i commanded the _coquette_." "very odd," observed the first lieutenant--"we bought some at barbadoes with the same mark on the bottles and cork." "that may be," replied the captain; "old-established houses all keep up the same marks; but i doubt if your wine can be compared to this." as mr phillott wished to hear the end of the captain's story, he would not contradict him this time, by stating what he knew to be the case, that the captain had sent it on board at barbadoes; and the captain proceeded. "well, i gave up my cabin to the old lady, and hung up my cot in the gun-room during the passage home. "we were becalmed abreast of ceuta for two days. the old lady was very particular about her pug-dog, and i superintended the washing of the little brute twice a week; but at last i was tired of it, and gave him to my coxswain to bathe. my coxswain, who was a lazy fellow, without my knowledge, used to put the little beast into the bight of a rope, and tow him overboard for a minute or so. it was during this calm that he had him overboard in this way, when a confounded shark rose from under the counter, and took in the pug-dog at one mouthful. the coxswain reported the loss as a thing of no consequence; but i knew better, and put the fellow in irons. i then went down and broke the melancholy fact to miss kearney, stating that i had put the man in irons, and would flog him well. the old lady broke out into a most violent passion at the intelligence, declared that it was my fault, that i was jealous of the dog, and had done it on purpose. the more i protested, the more she raved; and at last i was obliged to go on deck to avoid her abuse and keep my temper. i had not been on deck five minutes before she came up-- that is, was shoved up--for she was so heavy that she could not get up without assistance. you know how elephants in india push the cannon through a morass with their heads from behind; well, my steward used to shove her up the companion-ladder just in the same way, with his head completely buried in her petticoats. as soon as she was up, he used to pull his head out, looking as red and hot as a fresh-boiled lobster. well, up she came, with her will in her hand, and, looking at me very fiercely, she said, 'since the shark has taken my dear dog, he may have my will also,' and, throwing it overboard, she plumped down on the carronade slide. 'it's very well, madam,' said i, 'but you'll be cool by-and-by, and then you'll make another will.' 'i swear by all the hopes that i have of going to heaven that i never will!' she replied. 'yes, you will, madam,' replied i. 'never, so help me god! captain kearney; my money may now go to my next heir, and that, you know, will not be you.' now, as i knew very well that the old lady was very positive and as good as her word, my object was to recover the will, which was floating about fifty yards astern, without her knowledge. i thought a moment, and then i called the boatswain's mate to _pipe all hands to bathe_. 'you'll excuse me, miss kearney,' said i, 'but the men are going to bathe, and i do not think you would like to see them all naked. if you would, you can stay on deck.' she looked daggers at me, and, rising from the carronade slide, hobbled to the ladder, saying, 'that the insult was another proof of how little i deserved any kindness from her.' as soon as she was below, the quarter-boats were lowered down, and i went in one of them and picked up the will, which still floated. brigs having no stern-windows, of course she could not see my manoeuvre, but thought that the will was lost for ever. we had very bad weather after that, owing to which, with the loss of her favourite pug, and constant quarrelling with me--for i did all i could to annoy her afterwards--she fell ill, and was buried a fortnight after she was landed at plymouth. the old lady kept her word; she never made another will. i proved the one i had recovered at doctors' commons, and touched the whole of her money." as neither the first lieutenant nor i could prove whether the story was true or not, of course we expressed our congratulations at his good fortune, and soon afterwards left the cabin to report his marvellous story to our messmates. when i went on deck, i found that the shark had just been hooked, and was hauling on board. mr phillott had also come on deck. the officers were all eager about the shark, and were looking over the side, calling to each other, and giving directions to the men. now, although certainly there was a want of decorum on the quarter-deck, still, the captain having given permission, it was to be excused; but mr phillott thought otherwise, and commenced in his usual style, beginning with the marine officer. "mr westley, i'll trouble you not to be getting upon the hammocks. you'll get off directly, sir. if one of your fellows were to do so, i'd stop his grog for a month, and i don't see why you are to set a bad example; you've been too long in barracks, sir, by half. who is that? mr williams and mr moore--both on the hammocks, too. up to the foretopmast head, both of you, directly. mr thomas, up to the main; and i say, you youngster, stealing off, perch yourself upon the spanker-boom, and let me know when you've rode to london. by god! the service is going to hell! i don't know what officers are made of now-a-days. i'll marry some of you young gentlemen to the gunner's daughter before long. quarter-deck's no better than a bear-garden. no wonder, when lieutenants set the example." this latter remark could only be applied to o'brien, who stood in the quarter-boat giving directions, before the tirade of mr phillott stopped the amusement of the party. o'brien immediately stepped out of the boat, and going up to mr phillott, touched his hat, and said, "mr phillott, we had the captain's permission to catch the shark, and a shark is not to be got on board by walking up and down on the quarter-deck. as regards myself, as long as the captain is on board, i hold myself responsible to him alone for my conduct; and if you think i have done wrong, forward your complaint; but if you pretend to use such language to me, as you have to others, i shall hold you responsible. i am here, sir, as an officer and a gentleman, and will be treated as such; and allow me to observe, that i consider the quarter-deck more disgraced by foul and ungentlemanly language, than i do by an officer accidentally standing upon the hammocks. however, as you have thought proper to interfere, you may now get the shark on board yourself." mr phillott turned very red, for he never had come in contact in this way with o'brien. all the other officers had submitted quietly to his unpleasant manner of speaking to them. "very well, mr o'brien; i shall hold you answerable for this language," replied he, "and shall most certainly report your conduct to the captain." "i will save you the trouble; captain kearney is now coming up, and i will report it myself." this o'brien did, upon the captain's putting his foot on the quarter-deck. "well," observed the captain to mr phillott, "what is it you complain of?" "mr o'brien's language, sir. am i to be addressed on the quarter-deck in that manner?" "i really must say, mr phillott," replied captain kearney, "that i do not perceive anything in what mr o'brien said, but what is correct. i command here; and if an officer so nearly equal in rank to yourself has committed himself, you are not to take the law into your own hands. the fact is, mr phillott, your language is not quite so correct as i could wish it. i overheard every word that passed, and i consider that _you_ have treated _your superior_ officer with disrespect--that is, _me_. i gave permission that the shark should be caught, and with that permission, i consequently allowed those little deviations from the discipline of the service which must inevitably take place. yet you have thought proper to interfere with my permission, which is tantamount to an order, and have made use of harsh language, and punished the young gentlemen for obeying my injunctions. you will oblige me, sir, by calling them all down, and in restraining your petulance for the future. i will always support your authority when you are correct; but i regret that in this instance you have necessitated me to weaken it." this was a most severe check to mr phillott, who immediately went below, after hailing the mastheads and calling down the midshipmen. as soon as he was gone we were all on the hammocks again; the shark was hauled forward, hoisted on board, and every frying-pan in the ship was in requisition. we were all much pleased with captain kearney's conduct on this occasion; and, as o'brien observed to me, "he really is a good fellow and clever officer. what a thousand pities it is, that he is such a confounded liar!" i must do mr phillott the justice to say that he bore no malice on this occasion, but treated us as before, which is saying a great deal in his favour, when it is considered what power a first lieutenant has of annoying and punishing his inferiors. chapter xxxiii another set-to between the captain and first lieutenant--cutting-out expedition--mr chucks mistaken--he dies like a gentleman--swinburne begins his account of the battle off st vincent. we had not been more than a week under the danish island of st thomas when we discovered a brig close in-shore. we made all sail in chase, and soon came within a mile and a half of the shore, when she anchored under a battery, which opened its fire upon us. their elevation was too great, and several shots passed over us and between our masts. "i once met with a very remarkable circumstance," observed captain kearney. "three guns were fired at a frigate i was on board of from a battery, all at the same time. the three shots cut away the three topsail ties, and down came all our topsail yards upon the cap at the same time. that the frenchmen might not suppose that they had taken such good aim, we turned up our hands to reef topsails; and by the time that the men were off the yards the ties were spliced and the topsails run up again." mr phillott could not stand this most enormous fib, and he replied, "very odd, indeed, captain kearney; but i have known a stranger circumstance. we had put in the powder to the four guns on the main deck when we were fighting the danish gun-boats in a frigate i was in, and, as the men withdrew the rammer, a shot from the enemy entered the muzzle, and completed the loading of each gun. we fired their own shot back upon them, and this occurred three times running." "upon my word," replied captain kearney, who had his glass upon the battery, "i think you must have dreamt that circumstance, mr phillott." "not more than you did about the topsail ties, captain kearney." captain kearney at that time had the long glass in his hand, holding it up over his shoulder. a shot from the battery whizzed over his head, and took the glass out of his hand, shivering it to pieces. "that's once," said captain kearney, very coolly; "but will you pretend that that could ever happen three times running? they might take my head off, or my arm, next time, but not another glass; whereas the topsail ties might be cut by three different shot. but give me another glass, mr simple: i am certain that this vessel is a privateer. what think you, mr o'brien?" "i am every bit of your opinion, captain kearney," replied o'brien; "and i think it would be a very pretty bit of practice to the ship's company to take her out from under that footy battery." "starboard the helm, mr phillott; keep away four points, and then we will think of it to-night." the frigate was now kept away, and ran out of the fire of the battery. it was then about an hour before sunset, and in the west indies the sun does not set as it does in the northern latitudes. there is no twilight: he descends in glory, surrounded with clouds of gold and rubies in their gorgeous tints; and once below the horizon, all is dark. as soon as it was dark, we hauled our wind off shore; and a consultation being held between the captain, mr phillott, and o'brien, the captain at last decided that the attempt should be made. indeed, although cutting-out is a very serious affair, as you combat under every disadvantage, still the mischief done to our trade by the fast-sailing privateers was so great in the west indies, that almost every sacrifice was warrantable for the interests of the country. still, captain kearney, although a brave and prudent officer--one who calculated chances, and who would not risk his men without he deemed that necessity imperiously demanded that such should be done--was averse to this attack, from his knowledge of the bay in which the brig was anchored; and although mr phillott and o'brien both were of opinion that it should be a night attack, captain kearney decided otherwise. he considered, that although the risk might be greater, yet the force employed would be more consolidated, and that those who would hold back in the night dare not do so during the day. moreover, that the people on shore in the battery, as well as those in the privateer, would be on the alert all night, and not expecting an attack during the day, would be taken off their guard. it was therefore directed that everything should be in preparation during the night, and that the boats should shove off before daylight, and row in-shore, concealing themselves behind some rocks under the cliffs which formed the cape upon one side of the harbour; and, if not discovered, remain there till noon, at which time it was probable that the privateer's men would be on shore, and the vessel might be captured without difficulty. it is always a scene of much interest on board a man-of-war when preparations are made for an expedition of this description; and, as the reader may not have been witness to them, it may perhaps be interesting to describe them. the boats of men-of-war have generally two crews; the common boats' crews, which are selected so as not to take away the most useful men from the ship; and the service, or fighting boats' crews, which are selected from the very best men on board. the coxswains of the boats are the most trustworthy men in the ship, and, on this occasion, have to see that their boats are properly equipped. the launch, yawl, first and second cutters, were the boats appointed for the expedition. they all carried guns mounted upon slides, which ran fore and aft between the men. after the boats were hoisted out, the guns were lowered down into them and shipped in the bows of the boats. the arm-chests were next handed in, which contain the cartridges and ammunition. the shot were put into the bottom of the boats; and so far they were all ready. the oars of the boats were fitted to pull with grummets upon iron thole-pins, that they might make little noise, and might swing fore and aft without falling overboard when the boats pulled alongside the privateer. a breaker or two (that is, small casks holding about seven gallons each) of water was put into each boat, and also the men's allowance of spirits, in case they should be detained by any unforeseen circumstances. the men belonging to the boats were fully employed in looking after their arms; some fitting their flints to their pistols, others, and the major part of them, sharpening their cutlasses at the grindstone, or with a file borrowed from the armourer,--all were busy and all merry. the very idea of going into action is a source of joy to an english sailor, and more jokes are made, more merriment excited, at that time than at any other. then, as it often happens that one or two of the service boats' crews may be on the sick list, urgent solicitations are made by others that they may supply their places. the only parties who appear at all grave are those who are to remain in the frigate, and not share in the expedition. there is no occasion to order the boats to be manned, for the men are generally in long before they are piped away. indeed, one would think that it was a party of pleasure, instead of danger and of death, upon which they were about to proceed. captain kearney selected the officers who were to have the charge of the boats. he would not trust any of the midshipmen on so dangerous a service. he said that he had known so many occasions in which their rashness and foolhardiness had spoilt an expedition; he therefore appointed mr phillott, the first lieutenant, to the launch; o'brien to the yawl; the master to the first, and mr chucks, the boatswain, to the second cutter. mr chucks was much pleased with the idea of having the command of a boat, and asked me to come with him, to which i consented, although i had intended, as usual, to have gone with o'brien. about an hour before daylight we ran the frigate to within a mile and a half of the shore, and the boats shoved off; the frigate then wore round, and stood out in the offing, that she might at daylight be at such a distance as not to excite any suspicion that our boats were sent away, while we in the boats pulled quietly in-shore. we were not a quarter of an hour before we arrived at the cape forming one side of the bay, and were well secreted among the cluster of rocks which were underneath. our oars were laid in; the boats' painters made fast; and orders given for the strictest silence. the rocks were very high, and the boats were not to be seen without any one should come to the edge of the precipice; and even then they would, in all probability, have been supposed to have been rocks. the water was as smooth as glass, and when it was broad daylight, the men hung listlessly over the sides of the boats, looking at the corals below, and watching the fish as they glided between. "i can't say, mr simple," said mr chucks to me in an under tone, "that i think well of this expedition; and i have an idea that some of us will lose the number of our mess. after a calm comes a storm; and how quiet is everything now! but i'll take off my great coat, for the sun is hot already. coxswain, give me my jacket." mr chucks had put on his great coat, but not his jacket underneath, which he had left on one of the guns on the main deck, all ready to change as soon as the heavy dew had gone off. the coxswain handed him the jacket, and mr chucks threw off his great coat to put it on; but when it was opened it proved, that by mistake he had taken away the jacket, surmounted by two small epaulettes, belonging to captain kearney, which the captain's steward, who had taken it out to brush, had also laid upon the same gun. "by all the nobility of england!" cried mr chucks, "i have taken away the captain's jacket by mistake. here's a pretty mess! if i put on my great coat i shall be dead with sweating; if i put on no jacket i shall be roasted brown; but if i put on the captain's jacket i shall be considered disrespectful." the men in the boats tittered; and mr phillott, who was in the launch next to us, turned round to see what was the matter; o'brien was sitting in the stern-sheets of the launch with the first lieutenant, and i leaned over and told them. "by the powers! i don't see why the captain's jacket will be at all hurt by mr chucks putting it on," replied o'brien; "unless, indeed, a bullet were to go through it, and then it won't be any fault of mr chucks." "no," replied the first lieutenant; "and if one did, the captain might keep the jacket, and swear that the bullet went round his body without wounding him. he'll have a good yarn to spin. so put it on, mr chucks; you'll make a good mark for the enemy." "that i will stand the risk of with pleasure," observed the boatswain to me, "for the sake of being considered a gentleman. so here's on with it." there was a general laugh when mr chucks pulled on the captain's jacket, and sank down in the stern-sheets of the cutter, with great complacency of countenance. one of the men in the boat that we were in thought proper, however, to continue his laugh a little longer than mr chucks considered necessary, who, leaning forward, thus addressed him: "i say, mr webber, i beg leave to observe to you, in the most delicate manner in the world--just to hint to you--that it is not the custom to laugh at your superior officer. i mean just to insinuate, that you are a d----d impudent son of a sea cook; and if we both live and do well, i will prove to you, that if i am to be laughed at in a boat with the captain's jacket on, that i am not to be laughed at on board the frigate with the boatswain's rattan in my fist; and so look out, my hearty, for squalls, when you come on the forecastle; for i'll be d----d if i don't make you see more stars than god almighty ever made, and cut more capers than all the dancing-masters in france. mark my words, you burgoo-eating, pea-soup-swilling, trowsers-scrubbing son of a bitch." mr chucks, having at the end of this oration raised his voice above the pitch required by the exigency of the service, was called to order by the first lieutenant, and again sank back into the stern-sheets with all the importance and authoritative show peculiarly appertaining to a pair of epaulettes. we waited behind the rocks until noonday, without being discovered by the enemy; so well were we concealed. we had already sent an officer, who, carefully hiding himself by lying down on the rocks, had several times reconnoitred the enemy. boats were passing and repassing continually from the privateer to the shore; and it appeared that they went on shore full of men, and returned with only one or two; so that we were in great hopes that we should find but few men to defend the vessel. mr phillott looked at his watch, held it up to o'brien, to prove that he had complied exactly with the orders he had received from the captain, and then gave the word to get the boats under weigh. the painters were cast off by the bowmen, the guns were loaded and primed, the men seized their oars, and in two minutes we were clear of the rocks, and drawn up in a line within a quarter of a mile from the harbour's mouth, and not half a mile from the privateer brig. we rowed as quickly as possible, but we did not cheer until the enemy fired the first gun; which he did from a quarter unexpected, as we entered the mouth of the harbour, with our union jack trailing in the water over our stern, for it was a dead calm. it appeared, that at the low point under the cliffs, at each side of the little bay, they had raised a water battery of two guns each. one of these guns, laden with grape shot, was now fired at the boats, but the elevation was too low, and although the water was ploughed up to within five yards of the launch, no injury was received. we were equally fortunate in the discharge of the other three guns; two of which we passed so quickly, that they were not aimed sufficiently forward, so that their shot fell astern; and the other, although the shot fell among us, did no further injury than cutting in half two of the oars of the first cutter. in the meantime, we had observed that the boats had shoved off from the privateer as soon as they had perceived us, and had returned to her laden with men; the boats had been despatched a second time, but had not yet returned. they were now about the same distance from the privateer as were our boats, and it was quite undecided which of us would be first on board. o'brien perceiving this, painted out to mr phillott that we should first attack the boats, and afterwards board on the side to which they pulled; as, in all probability, there would be an opening left in the boarding nettings, which were tied up to the yard-arms, and presented a formidable obstacle to our success. mr phillott agreed with o'brien: he ordered the bowmen to lay in their oars and keep the guns pointed ready to fire at the word given, and desiring the other men to pull their best. every nerve, every muscle was brought into play by our anxious and intrepid seamen. when within about twenty yards of the vessel, and also of the boats, the orders were given to fire--the carronade of the launch poured out round and grape so well directed, that one of the french boats sunk immediately; and the musket balls with which our other smaller guns were loaded, did great execution among their men. in one minute more, with three cheers from our sailors, we were all alongside together, english and french boats pell-mell, and a most determined close conflict took place. the french fought desperately, and as they were overpowered, they were reinforced by those from the privateer, who could not look on and behold their companions requiring their assistance, without coming to their aid. some jumped down into our boats from the chains, into the midst of our men; others darted cold shot at us, either to kill us or to sink our boats; and thus did one of the most desperate hand-to-hand conflicts take place that ever was witnessed. but it was soon decided in our favour, for we were the stronger party and the better armed; and when all opposition was over, we jumped into the privateer, and found not a man left on board, only a large dog, who flew at o'brien's throat as he entered the port. "don't kill him," said o'brien, as the sailors hastened to his assistance; "only take away his gripe." the sailors disengaged the dog, and o'brien led him up to a gun, saying, "by jasus, my boy, you are my prisoner." but although we had possession of the privateer, our difficulties, as it will prove, were by no means over. we were now exposed not only to the fire of the two batteries at the harbour-mouth which we had to pass, but also to that of the battery at the bottom of the bay, which had fired at the frigate. in the meantime, we were very busy in cutting the cable, lowering the topsails, and taking the wounded men on board the privateer, from out of the boats. all this was, however, but the work of a few minutes. most of the frenchmen were killed; our own wounded amounted to only nine seamen and mr chucks, the boatswain, who was shot through the body, apparently with little chance of surviving. as mr phillott observed, the captain's epaulettes had made him a mark for the enemy, and he had fallen in his borrowed plumes. as soon as they were all on board, and laid on the deck--for there were, as near as i can recollect, about fourteen wounded frenchmen as well as our own--tow-ropes were got out forwards, the boats were manned, and we proceeded to tow the brig out of the harbour. it was a dead calm, and we made but little way, but our boat's crew, flushed with victory, cheered, and rallied, and pulled with all their strength. the enemy perceiving that the privateer was taken, and the french boats drifting empty up the harbour, now opened their fire upon us, and with great effect. before we had towed abreast of the two water batteries, we had received three-shots between wind and water from the other batteries, and the sea was pouring fast into the vessel. i had been attending to poor mr chucks, who lay on the starboard side, near the wheel, the blood flowing from his wound, and tracing its course down the planks of the deck, to a distance of some feet from where he lay. he appeared very faint, and i tied my handkerchief round his body, so as to stop the effusion of blood, and brought him some water, with which i bathed his face, and poured some into his mouth. he opened his eyes wide, and looked at me. "ah, mr simple," said he, faintly, "is it you? it's all over with me; but it could not be better--could it?" "how do you mean?" inquired i. "why, have i not fallen dressed like an officer and a gentleman?" said he, referring to the captain's jacket and epaulettes. "i'd sooner die now with this dress on, than recover to put on the boatswain's uniform. i feel quite happy." he pressed my hand, and then closed his eyes again, from weakness. we were now nearly abreast of the two batteries on the points, the guns of which had been trained so as to bear upon our boats that were towing out the brig. the first shot went through the bottom of the launch, and sank her; fortunately, all the men were saved; but as she was the boat that towed next to the brig, great delay occurred in getting the others clear of her, and taking the brig again in tow. the shot now poured in thick, and the grape became very annoying. still our men gave way, cheering at every shot fired, and we had nearly passed the batteries, with trifling loss, when we perceived that the brig was so full of water that she could not swim many minutes longer, and that it would be impossible to tow her alongside of the frigate. mr phillott, under these circumstances, decided that it would be useless to risk more lives, and that the wounded should be taken out of the brig, and the boats should pull away for the ship. he desired me to get the wounded men into the cutter, which he sent alongside, and then to follow the other boats. i made all the haste i could, not wishing to be left behind; and as soon as all our wounded men were in the boats, i went to mr chucks, to remove him. he appeared somewhat revived, but would not allow us to remove him. "my dear mr simple," said he, "it is of no use; i never can recover it, and i prefer dying here. i entreat you not to move me. if the enemy take possession of the brig before she sinks, i shall be buried with military honours; if they do not, i shall at least die in the dress of a gentleman. hasten away as fast as you can, before you lose more men. here i stay--that's decided." i expostulated with him, but at that time two boats full of men appeared, pulling out of the harbour to the brig. the enemy had perceived that our boats had deserted her, and were coming to take possession. i had therefore no time to urge mr chucks to change his resolution, and not wishing to force a dying man, i shook his hand and left him. it was with some difficulty i escaped, for the boats had come up close to the brig; they chased me a little while, but the yawl and the cutter turning back to my assistance, they gave up the pursuit. on the whole, this was a very well arranged and well conducted expedition. the only man lost was mr chucks, for the wounds of the others were none of them mortal. captain kearney was quite satisfied with our conduct, and so was the admiral, when it was reported to him. captain kearney did indeed grumble a little about his jacket, and sent for me to inquire why i had not taken it off mr chucks, and brought it on board. as i did not choose to tell him the exact truth, i replied, "that i could not disturb a dying man, and that the jacket was so saturated with blood, that he never could have worn it again," which was the case. "at all events, you might have brought away my epaulettes," replied he; "but you youngsters think of nothing but gormandizing." i had the first watch that night, when swinburne, the quarter-master, came up to me, and asked me all the particulars of the affair, for he was not in the boats. "well," said he, "that mr chucks appeared to be a very good boatswain in his way, if he could only have kept his rattan a little quiet. he was a smart fellow, and knew his duty. we had just such another killed in our ship, in the action off cape st vincent." "what! were you in that action?" replied i. "yes, i was, and belonged to the _captain_, lord nelson's ship." "well, then, suppose you tell me all about it." "why, mr simple, d'ye see, i've no objection to spin you a yarn, now and then," replied swinburne, "but, as mr chucks used to say, allow me to observe, in the most delicate manner in the world, that i perceive that the man who has charge of your hammock, and slings you a clean one now and then, has very often a good glass of grog for his _yarns_, and i do not see but that mine are as well worth a glass of grog as his." "so they are, swinburne, and better too, and i promise you a good stiff one to-morrow evening." "that will do, sir: now then, i'll tell you all about it, and more about it too than most can, for i know how the action was brought about." i have the log, marked the board, and then sat down abaft on the signal chest with swinburne, who commenced his narrative as follows:-- "you must know, mr simple, that when the english fleet came down the mediterranean, after the 'vackyation of corsica, they did not muster more than seventeen sail of the line, while the spanish fleet from ferrol and carthagena had joined company at cadiz, and 'mounted to near thirty. sir john jervis had the command of our fleet at the time, but as the dons did not seem at all inclined to come out and have a brush with us, almost two to one, sir john left sir hyde parker, with six sail of the line, to watch the spanish beggars, while he went in to lisbon with the remainder of the fleet, to water and refit. now, you see, mr simple, portugal was at that time what they calls neutral, that is to say, she didn't meddle at all in the affair, being friends with both parties, and just as willing to supply fresh beef and water to the spaniards as to the english, if so be the spaniards had come out to ax for it, which they dar'n't. the portuguese and the english have always been the best of friends, because we can't get no port wine anywhere else, and they can't get nobody else to buy it of them; so the portuguese gave up their arsenal at lisbon, for the use of the english, and there we kept all our stores, under the charge of that old dare-devil, sir isaac coffin. now it so happened, that one of the clerks in old sir isaac's _office_, a portuguese chap, had been some time before that in the office of the spanish ambassador; he was a very smart sort of a chap, and sarved as interpreter, and the old commissioner put great faith in him." "but how did you learn all this, swinburne?" "why, i'll tell you, mr simple. i steered the yawl as coxswain, and when admirals and captains talk in the stern-sheets, they very often forget that the coxswain is close behind them. i only learnt half of it that way; the rest i put together when i compared logs with the admiral's steward, who, of course, heard a great deal now and then. the first i heard of it was when old sir john called out to sir isaac, after the second bottle, 'i say, sir isaac, who killed the spanish messenger?' 'not i, by god!' replied sir isaac; 'i only left him for dead;' and then they both laughed, and so did nelson, who was sitting with them. well, mr simple, it was reported to sir isaac that his clerk was often seen taking memorandums of the different orders given to the fleet, particularly those as to there being no wasteful expenditure of his majesty's stores. upon which, sir isaac goes to the admiral, and requests that the man might be discharged. now, old sir john was a sly old fox, and he answered, 'not so, commissioner; perhaps we may catch them in their own trap.' so the admiral sits down, and calls for pen and ink, and he flourishes out a long letter to the commissioner, stating that all the stores of the fleet were expended, representing as how it would be impossible to go to sea without a supply, and wishing to know when the commissioner expected more transports from england. he also said that if the spanish fleet were now to come out from cadiz, it would be impossible for him to protect sir h. parker with his six sail of the line, who was watching the spanish fleet, as he could not quit the port in his present condition. to this letter the commissioner answered that, from the last accounts, he thought that in the course of six weeks or two months they might receive supplies from england, but that sooner than that was impossible. these letters were put in the way of the d----d portuguese spy-clerk, who copied them, and was seen that evening to go into the house of the spanish ambassador. sir john then sent a message to ferro--that's a small town on the portuguese coast to the southward--with a despatch to sir hyde parker, desiring him to run away to cape st vincent, and decoy the spanish fleet there, in case they should come out after him. well, mr simple, so far d'ye see the train was well laid. the next thing to do was to watch the spanish ambassador's house, and see if he sent away any despatches. two days after the letters had been taken to him by this rascal of a clerk, the spanish ambassador sent away two messengers--one for cadiz and the other for madrid, which is the town where the king of spain lives. the one to cadiz was permitted to go, but the one to madrid was stopped by the directions of the admiral, and this job was confided to the commissioner, sir isaac, who settled it somehow or another; and this was the reason why the admiral called out to him, 'i say, sir isaac, who killed the messenger?' they brought back his despatches, by which they found out that advice had been sent to the spanish admiral--i forget his name, something like _magazine_--informing him of the supposed crippled state of our squadron. sir john, taking it for granted that the spaniards would not lose an opportunity of taking six sail of the line-- more english ships than they have ever taken in their lives--waited a few days to give them time, and then sailed from lisbon for cape st vincent, where he joined sir hyde parker, and fell in with the spaniards sure enough, and a pretty drubbing we gave them. now, it's not everybody that could tell you all that, mr simple." "well, but now for the action, swinburne." "lord bless you, mr simple! it's now past seven bells, and i can't fight the battle of st vincent in half an hour; besides which, it's well worth another glass of grog to hear all about that battle." "well, you shall have one, swinburne; only don't forget to tell it to me." swinburne and i then separated, and in less than an hour afterwards i was dreaming of despatches--sir john jervis--sir isaac coffin--and spanish messengers. chapter xxxiv o'brien's good advice--captain kearney again deals in the marvellous. i do not remember any circumstance in my life which, at that time, lay so heavily on my mind as the loss of poor mr chucks, the boatswain, who, of course, i took it for granted i should never see again. i believe that the chief cause was that at the time i entered the service, and every one considered me to be the fool of the family, mr chucks and o'brien were the only two who thought of and treated me differently; and it was their conduct which induced me to apply myself and encouraged me to exertion. i believe that many a boy, who, if properly patronized, would turn out well, is, by the injudicious system of browbeating and ridicule, forced into the wrong path, and, in his despair, throws away all self-confidence, and allows himself to be carried away by the stream to perdition. o'brien was not very partial to reading himself. he played the german flute remarkably well, and had a very good voice. his chief amusement was practising, or rather playing, which is a very different thing; but although he did not study himself, he always made me come into his cabin for an hour or two every day, and, after i had read, repeat to him the contents of the book. by this method he not only instructed me, but gained a great deal of information himself; for he made so many remarks upon what i had read, that it was impressed upon both our memories. "well, peter," he would say, as he came into the cabin, "what have you to tell me this morning? sure it's you that's the schoolmaster, and not me--for i learn from you every day." "i have not read much, o'brien, to-day, for i have been thinking of poor mr chucks." "very right for you so to do, peter. never forget your friends in a hurry. you'll not find too many of them as you trot along the highway of life." "i wonder whether he is dead?" "why, that's a question i cannot answer. a bullet through the chest don't lengthen a man's days, that's certain; but this i know, that he'll not die if he can help it, now that he's got the captain's jacket on." "yes; he always aspired to be a gentleman, which was absurd enough in a boatswain." "not at all absurd, peter, but very absurd of you to talk without thinking. when did any one of his shipmates ever know mr chucks to do an unhandsome or mean action? never; and why? because he aspired to be a gentleman, and that feeling kept him above it. vanity's a confounded donkey, very apt to put his head between his legs, and chuck us over; but pride's a fine horse, who will carry us over the ground, and enable us to distance our fellow-travellers. mr chucks has pride, and that's always commendable, even in a boatswain. how often have you read of people rising from nothing, and becoming great men? this was from talent, sure enough; but it was talent with pride to force it onward, not talent with vanity to check it." "you are very right, o'brien; i spoke foolishly." "never mind, peter, nobody heard you but me; so it's of no consequence. don't you dine in the cabin to-day?" "yes." "so do i. the captain is in a most marvellous humour this morning. he told me one or two yarns that quite staggered my politeness and my respect for him on the quarter-deck. what a pity it is that a man should have gained such a bad habit!" "he's quite incurable, i'm afraid," replied i; "but, certainly, his fibs do no harm; they are what they call white lies. i do not think he would really tell a lie--that is, a lie which would be considered to disgrace a gentleman." "peter, _all_ lies disgrace a gentleman, white or black, although i grant there is a difference. to say the least of it, it is a dangerous habit; for white lies are but the gentlemen ushers to black ones. i know but of one point on which a lie is excusable, and that is, when you wish to deceive the enemy. then your duty to your country warrants your lying till you're black in the face; and, for the very reason that it goes against your grain, it becomes, as it were, a sort of virtue." "what was the difference between the marine officer and mr phillott that occurred this morning?" "nothing at all in itself. the marine officer is a bit of a gaby, and takes offence where none is meant. mr phillott has a foul tongue; but he has a good heart." "what a pity it is!" "it is a pity, for he's a smart officer; but the fact is, peter, that junior officers are too apt to copy their superiors, and that makes it very important that a young gentleman should sail with a captain who is a gentleman. now, phillott served the best of his time with captain ballover, who is notorious in the service for foul and abusive language. what is the consequence? that phillott and many others who have served under him have learnt his bad habit." "i should think, o'brien, that the very circumstance of having had your feelings so often wounded by such language when you were a junior officer, would make you doubly careful not to make use of it to others, when you had advanced in the service." "peter, that's just the _first_ feeling, which wears away after a time; but at last, your own sense of indignation becomes blunted, and becoming indifferent to it, you forget also that you wound the feelings of others, and carry the habit with you, to the great injury and disgrace of the service. but it's time to dress for dinner, so you'd better make yourself scarce, peter, while i tidivate myself off a little, according to the rules and regulations of his majesty's service, when you are asked to dine with the skipper." we met at the captain's table, where we found, as usual, a great display of plate, but very little else, except the ship's allowance. we certainly had now been cruising some time, and there was some excuse for it; but still, few captains would have been so unprovided. "i'm afraid, gentlemen, you will not have a very grand dinner," observed the captain, as the steward removed the plated covers of the dishes; "but when on service we must rough it out how we can. mr o'brien, pea-soup? i recollect faring harder than this through one cruise in a flush vessel. we were thirteen weeks up to our knees in water, and living the whole time upon raw pork--not being able to light a fire during the cruise." "pray, captain kearney, may i ask where this happened?" "to be sure. it was off bermudas: we cruised for seven weeks before we could find the islands, and began verily to think that the bermudas were themselves on a cruise." "i presume, sir, you were not so sorry to have a fire to cook your provisions when you came to an anchor?" said o'brien. "i beg your pardon," replied captain kearney; "we had become so accustomed to raw provisions and wet feet, that we could not eat our meals cooked, or help dipping our legs over the side, for a long while afterwards. i saw one of the boat-keepers astern catch a large barracouta and eat it alive--indeed, if i had not given the strictest orders, and flogged half-a-dozen of them, i doubt whether they would not have eaten their victuals raw to this day. the force of habit is tremendous." "it is, indeed," observed mr phillott, drily, and winking to us, referring to the captain's incredible stories. "it is, indeed," repeated o'brien; "we see the ditch in our neighbour's eye, and cannot observe the log of wood in our own;" and o'brien winked at me, referring to phillott's habit of bad language. "i once knew a married man," observed the captain, "who had been always accustomed to go to sleep with his hand upon his wife's head, and would not allow her to wear a nightcap in consequence. well, she caught cold and died, and he never could sleep at night until he took a clothes-brush to bed with him, and laid his hand upon that, which answered the purpose--such was the force of habit." "i once saw a dead body galvanized," observed mr phillott: "it was the body of a man who had taken a great deal of snuff during his lifetime, and as soon as the battery was applied to his spine, the body very gently raised its arm, and put its fingers to its nose, as if it was taking a pinch." "you saw that yourself, mr phillott?" observed the captain, looking at the first lieutenant earnestly in the face. "yes, sir," replied mr phillott, coolly. "have you told that story often?" "very often, sir." "because i know that some people, by constantly telling a story, at last believe it to be true; not that i refer to you, mr phillott; but still, i should recommend you not to tell that story where you are not well known, or people may doubt your credibility." "i make it a rule to believe everything myself," observed mr phillott, "out of politeness, and i expect the same courtesy from others." "then, upon my soul! when you tell that story, you trespass very much upon our good manners. talking of courtesy, you must meet a friend of mine, who has been a courtier all his life; he cannot help bowing, i have seen him bow to his horse and thank him after he had dismounted-- beg pardon of a puppy for treading on his tail; and one day, when he fell over a scraper, he took his hat off, and made it a thousand apologies for his inattention." "force of habit again," said o'brien. "exactly so. mr simple, will you take a slice of this pork? and perhaps you'll do me the honour to take a glass of wine? lord privilege would not much admire our dinner to-day, would he, mr simple?" "as a variety he might, sir, but not for a continuance." "very truly said. variety is charming. the negroes here get so tired of salt fish and occra broth, that they eat dirt by way of a relish. mr o'brien, how remarkably well you played that sonata of pleydel's this morning." "i am happy that i did not annoy you, captain kearney, at all events," replied o'brien. "on the contrary, i am very partial to good music. my mother was a great performer. i recollect once, she was performing a piece on the piano in which she had to imitate a _thunderstorm_. so admirably did she hit it off, that when we went to tea all the cream was _turned sour_, as well as three casks of _beer_ in the cellar." at this assertion mr phillott could contain himself no longer; he burst out into a loud laugh, and having a glass of wine to his lips, spattered it all over the table, and over me, who unfortunately was opposite to him. "i really beg pardon, captain kearney, but the idea of such an expensive talent was too amusing. will you permit me to ask you a question? as there could not have been thunder without lightning, were any people killed at the same time by the electric fluid of the piano?" "no sir," replied captain kearney, very angrily; "but her performance _electrified_ us, which was something like it. perhaps, mr phillott, as you lost your last glass of wine, you will allow me to take another with you?" "with great pleasure," replied the first lieutenant, who perceived that he had gone far enough. "well, gentlemen," said the captain, "we shall soon be in the land of plenty. i shall cruise a fortnight more, and then join the admiral at jamaica. we must make out our despatch relative to the cutting out of the _sylvia_ (that was the name of the privateer brig), and i am happy to say that i shall feel it my duty to make honourable mention of all the party present. steward, coffee." the first lieutenant, o'brien, and i, bowed to this flattering avowal on the part of the captain; as for me, i felt delighted. the idea of my name being mentioned in the "gazette," and the pleasure that it would give to my father and mother, mantled the blood in my cheeks till i was as red as a turkey-cock. "_cousin_ simple," said the captain, good-naturedly, "you have no occasion to blush; your conduct deserves it; and you are indebted to mr phillott for having made me acquainted with your gallantry." coffee was soon over, and i was glad to leave the cabin, and be alone, that i might compose my perturbed mind. i felt too happy. i did not, however, say a word to my messmates, as it might have created feelings of envy or ill-will. o'brien gave me a caution not to do so, when i met him afterwards, so that i was very glad that i had been so circumspect. chapter xxxv swinburne continues his narrative of the battle off cape st vincent. the second night after this, we had the middle watch, and i claimed swinburne's promise that he would spin his yarn, relative to the battle of st vincent. "well, mr simple, so i will; but i require a little priming, or i shall never go off." "will you have your glass of grog before or after?" "before, by all means, if you please, sir. run down and get it, and i'll heave the log for you in the meantime, when we shall have a good hour without interruption, for the sea-breeze will be steady, and we are under easy sail." i brought up a stiff glass of grog, which swinburne tossed off, and as he finished it, sighed deeply as if in sorrow that there was no more. having stowed away the tumbler in one of the capstern holes for the present, we sat down upon a coil of ropes under the weather bulwarks, and swinburne, replacing his quid of tobacco, commenced as follows-- "well, mr simple, as i told you before, old jervis started with all his fleet for cape st vincent. we lost one of our fleet--and a three-decker too--the _st george_; she took the ground, and was obliged to go back to lisbon; but we soon afterwards were joined by five sail of the line, sent out from england, so that we mustered fifteen sail in all. we had like to lose another of our mess, for d'ye see, the old _culloden_ and _colossus_ fell foul of each other, and the _culloden_ had the worst on it; but troubridge, who commanded her, was not a man to shy his work, and ax to go in to refit, when there was a chance of meeting the enemy-- so he patched her up somehow or another, and reported himself ready for action the very next day. ready for action he always was, that's sure enough, but whether his ship was in a fit state to go into action is quite another thing. but as the sailors used to say in joking, he was a _true bridge_, and you might trust to him; which meant as much as to say, that he knew how to take his ship into action, and how to fight her when he was fairly in it. i think it was the next day that cockburn joined us in the _minerve_, and he brought nelson along with him with the intelligence that the dons had chased him, and that the whole spanish fleet was out in pursuit of us. well, mr simple, you may guess we were not a little happy in the _captain_, when nelson joined us, as we knew that if he fell in with the spaniards our ship would cut a figure--and so she did sure enough. that was on the morning of the th, and old jervis made the signal to prepare for action, and keep close order, which means, to have your flying jib-boom in at the starn windows of the ship ahead of you; and we did keep close order, for a man might have walked right round from one ship to the other, either lee or weather line of the fleet. i sha'n't forget that night, mr simple, as long as i live and breathe. every now and then we heard the signal guns of the spanish fleet booming at a distance to windward of us, and you may guess how our hearts leaped at the sound, and how we watched with all our ears for the next gun that was fired, trying to make out their bearings and distance, as we assembled in little knots upon the booms and weather-gangway. it was my middle watch, and i was signalman at the time, so of course i had no time to take a caulk if i was inclined. when my watch was over i could not go down to my hammock, so i kept the morning watch too, as did most of the men on board: as for nelson, he walked the deck the whole night, quite in a fever. at daylight it was thick and hazy weather, and we could not make them out; but, about five bells, the old _culloden_, who, if she had broke her nose, had not lost the use of her eyes, made the signal for a part of the spanish fleet in sight. old jervis repeated the signal to prepare for action, but he might have saved the wear and tear of the bunting, for we were all ready, bulk-heads down, screens up, guns shotted, tackles rove, yards slung, powder filled, shot on deck, and fire out--and what's more, mr simple, i'll be d----d if we weren't all willing too. about six bells in the forenoon, the fog and haze all cleared away at once, just like the raising of the foresail that they lower down at the portsmouth theatre, and discovered the whole of the spanish fleet. i counted them all. 'how many, swinburne?' cries nelson. 'twenty-six sail, sir,' answered i. nelson walked the quarter-deck backwards and forwards, rubbing his hands, and laughing to himself, and then he called for his glass, and went to the gangway with captain miller. 'swinburne, keep a good look upon the admiral,' says he. 'ay, ay, sir,' says i. now you see, mr simple, twenty-six sail against fifteen were great odds upon paper; but we didn't think so, because we know'd the difference between the two fleets. there was our fifteen sail of the line, all in apple-pie order, packed up as close as dominoes, and every man on board of them longing to come to the scratch; while there was their twenty-six, all _somehow nohow_, two lines here and _no lines_ there, with a great gap of water in the middle of them. for this gap between their ships we all steered, with all the sail we could carry because, d'ye see, mr simple, by getting them on both sides of us, we had the advantage of fighting both broadsides, which is just as easy as fighting one, and makes shorter work of it. just as it struck seven bells, troubridge opened the ball _setting_ to half a dozen of the spaniards, and making them _reel_ 'tom collins' whether or no. bang--bang--bang, bang! oh, mr simple, it's a beautiful sight to see the first guns fired that are to bring on a general action. he's the luckiest dog, that troubridge,' said nelson, stamping with impatience. our ships were soon hard at it, hammer and tongs (my eyes, how they did pelt it in!), and old sir john, in the _victory_, smashed the cabin windows of the spanish admiral, with such a hell of a raking broadside, that the fellow bore up as if the devil kicked him. lord a mercy, you might have drove a portsmouth waggon into his starn--the broadside of the _victory_ had made room enough. however, they were soon all smothered up in smoke, and we could not make out how things were going on--but we made a pretty good guess. well, mr simple, as they say at the play, that was act the first, scene the first; and now we had to make our appearance, and i'll leave you to judge, after i've told my tale, whether the old _captain_ wasn't principal performer, and _top sawyer_ over them all. but stop a moment, i'll just look at the binnacle, for that young topman's nodding at the wheel.--i say, mr smith, are you shutting your eyes to keep them warm, and letting the ship run half a point out of her course? take care i don't send for another helmsman, that's all, and give the reason why. you'll make a wry face upon six-water grog to-morrow, at seven bells. d----n your eyes, keep them open--can't you?" swinburne, after this genteel admonition to the man at the wheel, reseated himself and continued his narrative. "all this while, mr simple, we in the _captain_ had not fired a gun; but were ranging up as fast as we could to where the enemy lay in a heap. there were plenty to pick and choose from; and nelson looked out sharp for a big one, as little boys do when they have to choose an apple; and, by the piper that played before moses! it was a big one that he ordered the master to put him alongside of. she was a four-decker, called the _santissima trinidad_. we had to pass some whoppers, which would have satisfied any reasonable man; for there was the _san josef_, and _salvador del mondo_ and _san nicolas_: but nothing would suit nelson but this four-decked ship; so we crossed the hawse of about six of them, and as soon as we were abreast of her, and at the word 'fire!' every gun went off at once, slap into her, and the old _captain_ reeled at the discharge, as if she was drunk. i wish you'd only seen how we pitched it into this _holy trinity_; she was _holy_ enough before we had done with her, riddled like a sieve, several of her ports knocked into one, and every scupper of her running blood and water. not but what she stood to it as bold as brass, and gave us nearly gun for gun, and made a very pretty general average in our ship's company. many of the old captains went to kingdom-come in that business, and many more were obliged to bear up for greenwich hospital. "'fire away, my lads--steady aim!' cries nelson. 'jump down there, mr thomas; pass the word to reduce the cartridges, the shot go clean through her. double shot the guns there, fore and aft.' "so we were at it for about half an hour, when our guns became so hot from quick firing, that they bounced up to the beams overhead, tearing away their ringbolts, and snapping their breechings like rope-yarns. by this time we were almost as much unrigged as if we had been two days paying off in portsmouth harbour. the four-decker forged ahead, and troubridge, in the jolly old _culloden_, came between us and two other spanish ships, who were playing into us. she was as fresh as a daisy, and gave them a dose which quite astonished them. they shook their ears, and fell astern, when the _blenheim_ laid hold of them, and mauled them so that they went astern again. but it was out of the frying-pan into, the fire: for the _orion, prince george_, and one or two others, were coming up, and knocked the very guts out of them. i'll be d----d if they forget the th of april, and sarve them right, too. wasn't a four-decker enough for any two-decker, without any more coming on us? and couldn't the beggars have matched themselves like gentlemen? well, mr simple, this gave us a minute or two to fetch, our breath, let the guns cool, and repair damages, and swab the blood from the decks; but we lost our four-decker, for we could not get near her again." "what odd names the spaniards give to their ships, swinburne?" "why yes, they do; it would almost appear wicked to belabour the _holy trinity_ as we did. but why they should call a four-decked ship the _holy trinity_, seeing as how there's only three of them, father, son, and holy ghost, i can't tell. bill saunders said that the fourth deck was for the pope, who was as great a personage as the others; but i can't understand how that can be. well, mr simple, as i was head signalman, i was perched on the poop, and didn't serve at a gun. i had to report all i could see, which was not much, the smoke was so thick; but now and then i could get a peep, as it were through the holes in the blanket. of course i was obliged to keep my eye as much as possible upon the admiral, not to make out his signals, for commodore nelson wouldn't thank me for that; i knew he hated a signal when in action, so i never took no notice of the bunting, but just watched to see what he was about. so while we are repairing damages, i'll just tell you what i saw of the rest of the fleet. as soon as old jervis had done for the spanish admiral, he hauled his wind on the larboard tack, and followed by four or five other ships, weathered the spanish line, and joined collingwood in the _excellent_. then they all dashed through the line; the _excellent_ was the leading ship, and she first took the shine out of the _salvador del mondo_, and then left her to be picked up by the other ships, while she attacked a two-decker, who hauled down her colours--i forget her name just now. as soon as the _victory_ ran alongside of the _salvador del mondo_, down went her colours, and _excellent_ reasons had she for striking her flag. and now, mr simple. the old _captain_ comes into play again. having parted company with the four-decker, we had recommenced action with the _san nicolas_, a spanish eighty, and while we were hard at it, old collingwood comes up in the _excellent_. the _san nicolas_, knowing that the _excellent's_ broadside would send her to old nick, put her helm up to avoid being raked: in so doing, she fell foul of the _san josef_, a spanish three-decker, and we being all cut to pieces and unmanageable--all of us indeed reeling about like drunken men--nelson ordered his helm a-starboard, and in a jiffy there we were, all three hugging each other, running in one another's guns, smashing our chain-plates, and poking our yard-arms through each other's canvas. "'all hands to board!' roared nelson, leaping on the hammocks and waving his sword. "'hurrah! hurrah!' echoed through the decks, and up flew the men, like as many angry bees out of a bee-hive. in a moment pikes, tomahawks, cutlasses, and pistols were seized (for it was quite unexpected, mr simple), and our men poured into the eighty-gun ship, and in two minutes the decks were cleared and all the dons pitched below. i joined the boarders and was on the main deck when captain miller came down, and cried out 'on deck again immediately.' up we went, and what do you think it was for, mr simple? why to board a second time; for nelson having taken the two-decker, swore that he'd have the three-decker as well. so away we went again, clambering up her lofty sides how we could, and dropping down on her decks like hailstones. we all made for the quarter-deck, beat down every spanish beggar that showed fight, and in five minutes more we had hauled down the colours of two of the finest ships in the spanish navy. if that wasn't taking the shine out of the dons, i should like to know what is. and didn't the old captains cheer and shake hands, as commodore nelson stood on the deck of the _san josef_, and received the swords of the spanish officers! there was enough of them to go right round the capstern, and plenty to spare. now, mr simple, what do you think of that for a spree?" "why, swinburne, i can only say that i wish i had been there." "so did every man in the fleet, mr simple, i can tell you." "but what became of the _santissima trinidad_? "upon my word, she behaved one _deck_ better than all the others. she held out against four of our ships for a long while, and then hauled down her colours, and no disgrace to her, considering what a precious hammering she had taken first. but the lee division of the spanish weather fleet, if i may so call it, consisting of eleven sail of the line, came up to her assistance, and surrounded her, so that they got her off. our ships were too much cut up to commence a new action, and the admiral made the signal to secure the prizes. the spanish fleet then did what they should have done before--got into line; and we lost no time in doing the same. but we both had had fighting enough." "but do you think, swinburne, that the spaniards fought well?" "they'd have fought better, if they'd only have known how. there's no want of courage in the dons, mr simple, but they did not support each other. only observe how troubridge supported us. by god, mr simple, he was the _real fellow_, and nelson knew it well. he was nelson's right-hand man; but you know, there wasn't room for _two_ nelsons. their ships engaged held out well, it must be acknowledged, but why weren't they all in their proper berths? had they kept close order of sailing, and had all fought as well as those who were captured, it would not have been a very easy matter for fifteen ships to gain a victory over twenty-six. that's long odds, even when backed with british seamen." "well, how did you separate?" "why, the next morning the spaniards had the weathergage, so they had the option whether to fight or not. at one time they had half a mind, for they bore down to us; upon which we hauled our wind to show them we were all ready to meet them, and then they thought better of it, and rounded-to again. so as they wouldn't fight, and we didn't wish it, we parted company in the night; and two days afterwards we anchored, with our four prizes, in lagos bay. so now you have the whole of it, mr simple, and i've talked till i'm quite hoarse. you haven't by chance another drop of the stuff left to clear my throat? it would be quite a charity." "i think i have, swinburne; and as you deserve it, i will go and fetch it." chapter xxxvi a letter from father m'grath, who diplomatizes--when priest meets priest, then comes the tug of war--father o'toole not to be made a tool of. we continued our cruise for a fortnight, and then made sail for jamaica, where we found the admiral at anchor at port royal, but our signal was made to keep under weigh, and captain kearney, having paid his respects to the admiral, received orders to carry despatches to halifax. water and provisions were sent on board by the boats of the admiral's ships, and, to our great disappointment, as the evening closed in, we were again standing out to sea, instead of, as we had anticipated, enjoying ourselves on shore; but the fact was, that orders had arrived from england to send a frigate immediately up to the admiral at halifax, to be at his disposal. i had, however, the satisfaction to know that captain kearney had been true to his word in making mention of my name in the despatch, for the clerk showed me a copy of it. nothing occurred worth mentioning during our passage, except that captain kearney was very unwell nearly the whole of the time, and seldom quitted his cabin. it was in october that we anchored in halifax harbour, and the admiralty, expecting our arrival there, had forwarded our letters. there were none for me, but there was one for o'brien, from father m'grath, the contents of which were as follows:-- "my dear son,--and a good son you are, and that's the truth on it, or devil a bit should you be a son of mine. you've made your family quite contented and peaceable, and they never fight for the _praties_ now-- good reason why they shouldn't, seeing that there's a plenty for all of them, and the pig craturs into the bargain. your father and your mother, and your brother, and your three sisters, send their duty to you, and their blessings too--and you may add my blessing, terence, which is worth them all; for won't i get you out of purgatory in the twinkling of a bed-post? make yourself quite aisy on that score, and lave it all to me; only just say a _pater_ now and then, that when st peter lets you in, he mayn't throw it in your teeth, that you've saved your soul by contract, which is the only way by which emperors and kings ever get to heaven. your letter from plymouth came safe to hand: barney, the post-boy, having dropped it under foot, close to our door, the big pig took it into his mouth and ran away with it; but i caught sight of him, and _speaking_ to him, he let it go, knowing (the 'cute cratur!) that i could read it better than him. as soon as i had digested the contents, which it was lucky the pig did not instead of me, i just took my meal and my big stick, and then set off for ballycleuch. "now you know, terence, if you haven't forgot--and if you have, i'll just remind you--that there's a flaunty sort of young woman at the poteen shop there, who calls herself mrs o'rourke, wife to a corporal o'rourke, who was kilt or died one day, i don't know which, but that's not of much consequence. the devil a bit do i think the priest ever gave the marriage-blessing to that same; although she swears that she was married on the rock of gibraltar--it may be a strong rock fore i know, but it's not the rock of salvation like the seven sacraments, of which marriage is one. _benedicite_! mrs o'rourke is a little too apt to fleer and jeer at the priests; and if it were not that she softens down her pertinent remarks with a glass or two of the real poteen, which proves some respect for the church, i'd excommunicate her body and soul, and every body and every soul that put their lips to the cratur at her door. but she must leave that off, as i tell her, when she gets old and ugly, for then all the whisky in the world sha'n't save her. but she's a fine woman now, and it goes agin my conscience to help the devil to a fine woman. now this mrs o'rourke knows everybody and everything that's going on in the country about; and she has a tongue which has never had a holiday since it was let loose. "'good morning to ye, mrs o'rourke,' says i. "'an' the top of the morning to you, father m'grath,' says she, with a smile; 'what brings you here? is it a journey that you're taking to buy the true wood of the cross? or is it a purty girl that you wish to confess, father m'grath? or is it only that you're come for a drop of poteen, and a little bit of chat with mrs o'rourke?' "'sure it's i who'd be glad to find the same true wood of the cross, mrs o'rourke, but it's not grown, i suspect, at your town of ballycleuch; and it's no objection i'd have to confess a purty girl like yourself, mrs o'rourke, who'll only tell me half her sins, and give me no trouble; but it's the truth, that i'm here for nothing else but to have a bit of chat with yourself, dainty dear, and taste your poteen, just by way of keeping my mouth nate and clane.' "so mrs o'rourke poured out the real stuff, which i drank to her health; and then says i, putting down the bit of a glass, 'so you've a stranger come, i find, in your parts, mrs o'rourke.' "'i've heard the same,' replied she. so you observe, terence, i came to the fact all at once by a guess. "'i am tould,' says i, 'that he's a scotchman, and spakes what nobody can understand.' "'devil a bit,' says she, 'he's an englishman, and speaks plain enough.' "'but what can a man mane, to come here and sit down all alone?' says i. "'all alone, father m'grath!' replied she; 'is a man all alone when he's got his wife and childer, and more coming, with the blessing of god?' "'but those boys are not his own childer, i believe,' says i. "'there again you're all in a mistake, father m'grath,' rejoins she. 'the childer are all his own, and all girls to boot. it appears that it's just as well that you come down, now and then, for information, to our town of ballycleuch.' "'very true, mrs o'rourke,' says i; 'and who is it that knows everything so well as yourself?' you observe, terence, that i just said everything contrary and _arce versa_, as they call it, to the contents of your letter; for always recollect, my son, that if you would worm a secret out of a woman, you'll do more by contradiction than you ever will by coaxing--so i went on: 'anyhow, i think it's a burning shame, mrs o'rourke, for a gentleman to bring over with him here from england a parcel of lazy english servants, when there's so many nice boys and girls here to attind upon them.' "'now there you're all wrong again, father m'grath,' says she. 'devil a soul has he brought from the other country, but has hired them all here. arn't there ella flanagan for one maid, and terence driscol for a footman? and it's well that he looks in his new uniform, when he comes down for the newspapers; and arn't moggy cala there to cook the dinner, and pretty mary sullivan for a nurse for the babby as soon as it comes into the world?' "'is it mary sullivan you mane?' says i; 'she that was married about three months back, and is so quick in child-getting, that she's all but ready to fall to pieces in this same time?' "'it's exactly she,' says mrs o'rourke; 'and do you know the reason?' "'devil a bit,' says i; 'how should i?' "'then it's just that she may send her own child away, and give her milk to the english babby that's coming; because the lady is too much of a lady to have a child hanging to her breast.' "'but suppose mary sullivan's child ar'n't born till afterwards, how then?" says i. 'speak, mrs o'rourke, for you're a sensible woman.' "'how then?' says she. 'och! that's all arranged; for mary says that she'll be in bed a week before the lady, so that's all right, you'll perceive, father m'grath.' "'but don't you perceive, sensible woman as you are, that a young woman, who is so much out of her reckoning as to have a child three months after her marriage, may make a little mistake in her lying-in arithmetic, mrs o'rourke.' "'never fear, father m'grath, mary sullivan will keep her word; and sooner than disappoint the lady, and lose her place, she'll just tumble down-stairs, and won't that put her to bed fast enough?' "'well, that's what i call a faithful good servant that earns her wages,' says i; 'so now i'll just take another glass, mrs o'rourke, and thank you too. sure you're the woman that knows everything, and a mighty pretty woman into the bargain.' "'let me alone now, father m'grath, and don't be pinching me that way, anyhow.' "'it was only a big flea that i perceived hopping on your gown, my darling, devil anything else.' "'many thanks to you, father, for that same; but the next time you'd kill my fleas, just wait until they're in a _more dacent_ situation.' "'fleas are fleas, mrs o'rourke, and we must catch 'em when we can, and how we can, and as we can, so no offence. a good night's rest to you, mrs o'rourke--when do you mean to confess?' "'i've an idea that i've too many fleas about me to confess to you just now, father m'grath, and that's the truth on it. so a pleasant walk back to you.' "so you'll perceive, my son, that having got all the information from mrs o'rourke, it's back i went to ballyhinch, till i heard it whispered that there were doings down at the old house at ballycleuch. off i set, and went to the house itself, as priests always ought to be welcomed at births, and marriages, and deaths, being, as you know, of great use on such occasions--when who should open the door but father o'toole, the biggest rapparee of a priest in the whole of ireland. didn't he steal a horse, and only save his neck by benefit of clergy? and did he ever give absolution to a young woman without making her sin over again? 'what may be your pleasure here, father m'grath?' says he, holding the door with his hand. "'only just to call and hear what's going on.' "'for the matter of that,' says he, 'i'll just tell you that we're all going on very well; but ar'n't you ashamed of yourself, father m'grath, to come here to interfere with my flock, knowing that i confess the house altogether?' "'that's as may be,' says i; 'but i only wanted to know what the lady had brought into the world.' "'it's a _child_' says he. "'indeed!' says i; 'many thanks for the information; and pray what is it that mary sullivan has brought into the world?' "'that's a _child_ too,' says he; 'and now that you know all about it, good evening to you, father m'grath.' and the ugly brute slammed the door right in my face. "'who stole a horse?' cries i; but he didn't hear me--more's the pity. "so you'll perceive, my dear boy, that i have found out something, at all events, but not so much as i intended; for i'll prove to father o'toole that he's no match for father m'grath. but what i find out must be reserved for another letter, seeing that it's not possible to tell it to you in this same. praties look well, but somehow or another, _clothes_ don't grow upon trees in ould ireland; and one of your half-quarterly bills, or a little prize-money, if it found its way here, would add not a little to the respectability of the family appearance. even my cassock is becoming too _holy_ for a parish priest; not that i care about it so much, only father o'toole, the baste! had on a bran new one--not that i believe that he ever came honestly by it, as i have by mine--but, get it how you may, a new gown always looks better than an old one, that's certain. so no more at present from your loving friend and confessor, "urtagh m'grath." "now, you'll observe, peter," said o'brien, after i had read the letter, "that, as i supposed, your uncle meant mischief when he went over to ireland. whether the children are both boys or both girls, or your uncle's is a boy, and the other is a girl, there is no knowing at present. if an exchange was required, it's made, that's certain; but i will write again to father m'grath, and insist upon his finding out the truth, if possible. have you any letter from your father?" "none, i am sorry to say. i wish i had, for he would not have failed to speak on the subject." "well, never mind, it's no use dreaming over the matter; we must do our best when we get to england ourselves, and in the meantime trust to father m'grath. i'll go and write to him while my mind's full of it." o'brien wrote his letter, and the subject was not started again. chapter xxxvii captain kearney's illness--he makes his will, and devises sundry châteaux en espagne for the benefit of those concerned--the legacy duty in this instance not ruinous--he signs, seals, and dies. the captain, as was his custom, went on shore, and took up his quarters at a friend's house; that is to say, the house of an acquaintance, or any polite gentleman who would ask him to take a dinner and a bed. this was quite sufficient for captain kearney, who would fill his portmanteau, and take up his quarters, without thinking of leaving them until the ship sailed, or some more advantageous invitation was given. this conduct in england would have very much trespassed on our ideas of hospitality; but in our foreign settlements and colonies, where the society is confined and novelty is desirable, a person who could amuse like captain kearney was generally welcome, let him stay as long as he pleased. all sailors agree in asserting that halifax is one of the most delightful ports in which a ship can anchor. everybody is hospitable, cheerful, and willing to amuse and be amused. it is, therefore, a very bad place to send a ship to if you wish her to refit in a hurry; unless, indeed, the admiral is there to watch over your daily progress, and a sharp commissioner to expedite your motions in the dockyard. the admiral was there when we arrived, and we should not have lain there long, had not the health of captain kearney, by the time that we were ready for sea, been so seriously affected, that the doctor was of opinion that he could not sail. another frigate was sent to our intended cruising-ground, and we lay idle in port. but we consoled ourselves: if we did not make prize-money, at all events, we were very happy, and the major part of the officers very much in love. we had remained in halifax harbour about three weeks, when a very great change for the worse took place in captain kearney's disease. disease, indeed, it could hardly be called. he had been long suffering from the insidious attacks of a hot climate, and though repeatedly advised to invalid, he never would consent. his constitution appeared now to be breaking up. in a few days he was so ill, that, at the request of the naval surgeons, he consented to be removed to the hospital, where he could command more comforts than in any private house. he had not been at the hospital more than two days, when he sent for me, and stated his wish that i should remain with him. "you know, peter, that you are a cousin of mine, and one likes to have one's relations near one when we are sick, so bring your traps on shore. the doctor has promised me a nice little room for yourself, and you shall come and sit with me all day." i certainly had no objection to remain with him, because i considered it my duty so to do, and i must say that there was no occasion for me to make any effort to entertain him, as he always entertained me; but i could not help seriously reflecting, and feeling much shocked, at a man, lying in so dangerous a state--for the doctors had pronounced his recovery to be impossible--still continuing a system of falsehood during the whole day, without intermission. but it really appeared in him to be innate; and, as swinburne said, "if he told truth, it was entirely by mistake." "peter," said he, one day, "there's a great draught. shut the door, and put on some more coals." "the fire does not draw well, sir," replied i, "without the door is open." "it's astonishing how little people understand the nature of these things. when i built my house, called walcot abbey, there was not a chimney would draw; i sent for the architect and abused him, but he could not manage it: i was obliged to do it myself." "did you manage it, sir?" "manage it--i think i did. the first time i lighted the fire, i opened the door, and the draught was so great, that my little boy, william, who was standing in the current of air, would have gone right up the chimney, if i had not caught him by the petticoats; as it was, his frock was on fire." "why sir, it must have been as bad as a hurricane!" "no, no, not quite so bad--but it showed what a little knowledge of philosophical arrangement could effect. we have no hurricanes in england, peter; but i have seen a very pretty whirlwind when i was at walcot abbey." "indeed, sir." "yes; it cut four square haystacks quite round, and i lost twenty tons of hay; it twisted the iron lamp-post at the entrance just as a porpoise twists a harpoon, and took up a sow and her litter of pigs, that were about a hundred yards from the back of the house, and landed them safe over the house to the front, with the exception of the old sow putting her shoulder out." "indeed, sir." "yes, but what was strange, there were a great many rats in the hayrick, and up they went with the hay. now, peter, by the laws of gravitation, they naturally come down before the hay, and i was walking with my greyhound, or rather terrier, and after one coming down close to her, which she killed, it was quite ridiculous to witness her looking up in the air, and watching for the others." "a greyhound did you say, sir, or a terrier?" "both, peter; the fact is, she had been a greyhound, but breaking her foreleg against a stump, when coursing, i had the other three amputated as well, and then she made a capital terrier. she was a great favourite of mine." "well," observed i, "i have read something like that in baron munchausen." "mr simple," said the captain, turning on his elbow and looking me severely in the face, "what do you mean to imply?" "oh, nothing, sir, but i have read a story of that kind." "most probably; the great art of invention is to found it upon facts. there are some people who out of a mole-hill will make a mountain; and facts and fiction become so blended nowadays, that even truth becomes a matter of doubt." "very true, sir," replied i; and as he did not speak for some minutes, i ventured to bring my bible to his bedside, as if i was reading it to myself. "what are you reading, peter?" said he. "only a chapter in the bible, sir," said i. "would you like that i should read aloud?" "yes, i'm very fond of the bible--it's the book of _truth_. peter, read me about jacob, and his weathering esau with a mess of pottage, and obtaining his father's blessing." i could not help thinking it singular that he should select a portion in which, for divine reasons, a lie was crowned with success and reward. when i had finished it, he asked me to read something more; i turned over to the acts of the apostles, and commenced the chapter in which ananias and sapphira were struck dead. when i had finished, he observed very seriously, "that is a very good lesson for young people, peter, and points out that you never should swerve from the truth. recollect, as your motto, peter, to 'tell truth and shame the devil.'" after this observation i laid down the book, as it appeared to me that he was quite unaware of his propensity; and without a sense of your fault, how can repentance and amendment be expected? he became more feeble and exhausted every day, and, at last, was so weak that he could scarcely raise himself in his bed. one afternoon he said, "peter, i shall make my will, not that i am going to kick the bucket just yet; but still it is every man's duty to set his house in order, and it will amuse me; so fetch pen and paper, and come and sit down by me." i did as he requested. "write, peter, that i, anthony george william charles huskisson kearney (my father's name was anthony, peter; i was christened george, after the present regent, william and charles after mr pitt and mr fox, who were my sponsors; huskisson is the name of my great uncle, whose property devolves to me; he's eighty-three now, so he can't last long)--have you written down that?" "yes, sir." "being in sound mind, do hereby make my last will and testament, revoking all former wills." "yes, sir." "i bequeath to my dearly beloved wife, augusta charlotte kearney (she was named after the queen and princess augusta, who held her at the baptismal font), all my household furniture, books, pictures, plate, and houses, for her own free use and will, and to dispose of at her pleasure upon her demise. is that down?" "yes, sir." "also, the interest of all my money in the three percents, reduced, and in the long annuities, and the balance in my agent's hands, for her natural life. at her death to be divided into equal portions between my two children, william mohamed potemkin kearney, and caroline anastasia kearney. is that down?" "yes, sir." "well, then, peter, now for my real property. my estate in kent (let me see, what is the name of it?)--walcot abbey, my three farms in the vale of aylesbury, and the marsh lands in norfolk, i bequeath to my two children aforenamed, the proceeds of the same to be laid up, deducting all necessary expenses for their education, for their sole use and benefit. is that down?" "not yet, sir--'use and benefit.' now it is, sir." "until they come to the age of twenty-one years; or in case of my daughter, until she marries with the consent of my executors, then to be equally and fairly valued and divided between them. you observe, peter, i never make any difference between girls and boys--a good father will leave one child as much as another. now, i'll take my breath a little." i was really astonished. it was well known that captain kearney had nothing but his pay, and that it was the hopes of prize-money to support his family, which had induced him to stay out so long in the west indies. it was laughable; yet i could not laugh: there was a melancholy feeling at such a specimen of insanity, which prevented me. "now, peter, we'll go on," said captain kearney, after a pause of a few minutes. "i have a few legacies to bequeath. first, to all my servants £ each, and two suits of mourning; to my nephew, thomas kearney, of kearney hall, yorkshire, i bequeath the sword presented me by the grand sultan. i promised it to him, and although we have quarrelled, and not spoken for years, i always keep my word. the plate presented me by the merchants and underwriters of lloyd's, i leave to my worthy friend, the duke of newcastle. is that down?" "yes, sir." "well; my snuff-box, presented me by prince potemkin, i bequeath to admiral sir isaac coffin; and, also, i release him from the mortgage which i hold over his property of the madeline islands, in north america. by-the-bye, say, and further, i bequeath to him the bag of snuff presented to me by the dey of algiers; he may as well have the snuff as he has the snuff-box. is that down?" "yes, sir." "well then, now, peter, i must leave you something." "oh, never mind me," replied i. "no, no, peter, i must not forget my cousin. let me see; you shall have my fighting sword. a real good one, i can tell you. i once fought a duel with it at palermo, and ran a sicilian prince so clean through the body, and it held so tight, that we were obliged to send for a pair of post-horses to pull it out again. put that down as a legacy for my cousin, peter simple. i believe that is all. now for my executors; and i request my particular friends, the earl of londonderry, the marquis of chandos, and mr john lubbock, banker, to be my executors, and leave each of them the sum of one thousand pounds for their trouble, and in token of regard. that will do, peter. now, as i have left so much real property, it is necessary that there should be three witnesses; so call in two more, and let me sign in your presence." this order was obeyed, and this strange will duly attested, for i hardly need say, that even the presents he had pretended to receive were purchased by himself at different times; but such was the force of his ruling passion even to the last. mr phillott and o'brien used to come and see him, as did occasionally some of the other officers, and he was always cheerful and merry, and seemed to be quite indifferent about his situation, although fully aware of it. his stories, if anything, became more marvellous, as no one ventured to express a doubt as to their credibility. i had remained in the hospital about a week, when captain kearney was evidently dying: the doctor came, felt his pulse, and gave it as his opinion that he could not outlive the day. this was on a friday, and there certainly was every symptom of dissolution. he was so exhausted that he could scarcely articulate; his feet were cold, and his eyes appeared glazed, and turned upwards. the doctor remained an hour, felt his pulse again, shook his head, and said to me, in a low voice, "he is quite gone." as soon as the doctor quitted the room, captain kearney opened his eyes, and beckoned me to him. "he's a confounded fool, peter," said he: "he thinks i am slipping my wind now--but i know better; going i am, 'tis true--but i shan't die till next thursday." strange to say, from that moment he rallied; and although it was reported that he was dead, and the admiral had signed the acting order for his successor, the next morning, to the astonishment of everybody, captain kearney was still alive. he continued in this state, between life and death, until the thursday next, the day on which he asserted that he would die--and, on that morning, he was evidently sinking fast. towards noon, his breathing became much oppressed and irregular, and he was evidently dying; the rattle in his throat commenced; and i watched at his bedside, waiting for his last gasp, when he again opened his eyes, and beckoning me, with an effort, to put my head close to him to hear what he had to say, he contrived, in a sort of gurgling whisper, and with much difficulty, to utter--"peter, i'm going now--not that the rattle--in my throat--is a sign of death: for i once knew a man--to _live_ with--_the rattle in his throat_--for _six weeks_." he fell back and expired, having, perhaps, at his last gasp, told the greatest lie of his whole life. thus died this most extraordinary character, who, in most other points, commanded respect: he was a kind man and a good officer; but from the idiosyncrasy of his disposition, whether from habit or from nature, could not speak the truth. i say from _nature_, because i have witnessed the vice of stealing equally strong, and never to be eradicated. it was in a young messmate of good family, and who was supplied with money to almost any extent: he was one of the most generous, open-hearted lads that i ever knew; he would offer his purse, or the contents of his chest, to any of his messmates, and, at the same time, would steal everything that he could lay his hands upon. i have known him watch for hours, to steal what could be of no use to him, as, for instance, an _odd_ shoe, and that much too small for his foot. what he stole he would give away the very next day; but to check it was impossible. it was so well known, that if anything was missed, we used first to apply to his chest to see if it was there, and usually found the article in question. he appeared to be wholly insensible to shame upon this subject, though in every other he showed no want of feeling or of honour; and, strange to say, he never covered his theft with a lie. after vain attempts to cure him of this propensity, he was dismissed the service as incorrigible. captain kearney was buried in the churchyard with the usual military honours. in his desk we found directions, in his own hand, relative to his funeral, and the engraving on his tombstone. in these, he stated his aged to be thirty-one years. if this was correct, captain kearney, from the time that he had been in the service of his country, must have entered the navy just _four months before_ he was born. it was unfortunate that he commenced the inscription with "here lies captain kearney," &c. &c. his tombstone had not been set up twenty-four hours before somebody, who knew his character, put a dash under one word, as emphatic as it was true of the living man, "here _lies_ captain." chapter xxxviii captain horton--gloomy news from home--get over head and ears in the water, and find myself afterwards growing one way, and my clothes another--though neither as rich as a jew, nor as large as a camel, i pass through my examination, which my brother candidates think passing strange. the day after captain kearney's decease, his acting successor made his appearance on board. the character of captain horton was well known to us from the complaints made by the officers belonging to his ship, of his apathy and indolence; indeed, he went by the _soubriquet_ of "the sloth." it certainly was very annoying to his officers to witness so many opportunities of prize-money and distinction thrown away through the indolence of his disposition. captain horton was a young man of family who had advanced rapidly in the service from interest, and from occasionally distinguishing himself. in the several cutting-out expeditions, on which he had not volunteered but had been ordered, he had shown, not only courage, but a remarkable degree of coolness in danger and difficulty, which had gained him much approbation: but it was said that this coolness arose from his very fault--an unaccountable laziness. he would walk away, as it were, from the enemy's fire, when others would hasten, merely because he was so apathetic that he would not exert himself to run. in one cutting-out expedition in which he distinguished himself, it is said that having to board a very high vessel, and that in a shower of grape and musketry, when the boat dashed alongside, and the men were springing up, he looked up at the height of the vessel's sides, and exclaimed, with a look of despair, "my god! must we really climb up that vessel's decks?" when he had gained the deck, and became excited, he then proved how little fear had to do with the remark, the captain of the ship falling by his hand, as he fought in advance on his own men. but this peculiarity, which in a junior officer was of little consequence, and a subject of mirth, in a captain became of a very serious nature. the admiral was aware how often he had neglected to annoy or capture the enemy when he might have done it; and, by such neglect, captain horton infringed one of the articles of war, the punishment awarded to which infringement is _death_. his appointment, therefore, to the _sanglier_ was as annoying to us as his quitting his former ship was agreeable to those on board of her. as it happened, it proved of little consequence: the admiral had instructions from home to advance captain horton to the first vacancy, which of course he was obliged to comply with; but not wishing to keep on the station an officer who would not exert himself, he resolved to send her to england with despatches and retain the other frigate which had been ordered home, and which we had been sent up to replace. we therefore heard it announced with feelings of joy, mingled with regret, that we were immediately to proceed to england. for my part, i was glad of it. i had now served my time as midshipman, to within five months, and i thought that i had a better chance of being made in england than abroad. i was also very anxious to go home, for family reasons, which i have already explained. in a fortnight we sailed with several vessels, and directions to take charge of a large convoy from quebec, which was to meet us off the island of st john's. in a few days we joined our convoy, and with a fair wind bore up for england. the weather soon became very bad, and we were scudding before a heavy gale, under bare poles. our captain seldom quitted the cabin, but remained there on a sofa, stretched at his length, reading a novel, or dozing, as he found most agreeable. i recollect a circumstance which occurred, which will prove the apathy of his disposition, and how unfit he was to command so fine a frigate. we had been scudding three days, when the weather became much worse. o'brien, who had the middle watch, went down to report that "it blew very hard." "very well," said the captain; "let me know if it blows harder." in about an hour more the gale increased, and o'brien went down again. "it blows much harder, captain horton." "very well," answered captain horton, turning in his cot; "you may call me again when it _blows harder_." at about six bells the gale was at its height, and the wind roared in its fury. down went o'brien again. "it blows tremendous hard now, captain horton." "well, well, if the weather becomes worse--" "it can't be worse," interrupted o'brien; "it's impossible to blow harder." "indeed! well, then," replied the captain, "let me know when _it lulls_." in the morning watch a similar circumstance took place. mr phillott went down, and said that several of the convoy were out of sight astern. "shall we heave-to, captain horton?" "oh, no," replied he, "she will be so uneasy. let me know if you lose sight of any more." in another hour the first lieutenant reported that "there were very few to be seen." "very well, mr phillott," replied the captain, turning round to sleep; "let me know if you lose any more." some time elapsed, and the first lieutenant reported "that they were all out of sight." "very well, then," said the captain; "call me when you see them again." this was not very likely to take place, as we were going twelve knots an hour, and running away from them as fast as we could; so the captain remained undisturbed until he thought proper to get up to breakfast. indeed, we never saw any more of our convoy, but taking the gale with us, in fifteen days anchored in plymouth sound. the orders came down for the frigate to be paid off, all standing, and recommissioned. i received letters from my father, in which he congratulated me at my name being mentioned in captain kearney's despatches, and requested me to come home as soon as i could. the admiral allowed my name to be put down on the books of the guard-ship, that i might not lose my time, and then gave me two months' leave of absence. i bade farewell to my shipmates, shook hands with o'brien, who proposed to go over to ireland previous to his applying for another ship, and, with my pay in my pocket, set off in the plymouth mail, and in three days was once more in the arms of my affectionate mother, and warmly greeted by my father and the remainder of my family. once more with my family, i must acquaint the reader with what had occurred since my departure. my eldest sister, lucy, had married an officer in the army, a captain fielding, and his regiment having been ordered out to india, had accompanied her husband, and letters had been received, just before my return announcing their safe arrival at ceylon. my second sister, mary, had also been engaged to be married, and from her infancy was of extremely delicate health. she was very handsome, and much admired. her intended husband was a baronet of good family; but unfortunately, she caught a cold at the assize ball and went off in a decline. she died about two months before my arrival, and the family were in deep mourning. my third sister, ellen, was still unmarried; she also was a very beautiful girl, and now seventeen. my mother's constitution was much shaken by the loss of my sister mary, and the separation from her eldest child. as for my father, even the loss of his daughter appeared to be wholly forgotten in the unwelcome intelligence which he had received, that my uncle's wife had been safely delivered of a _son_, which threw him out of the anticipated titles and estates of my grandfather. it was indeed a house of mourning. my mother's grief i respected, and tried all i could to console her; that of my father was so evidently worldly, and so at variance with his clerical profession, that i must acknowledge i felt more of anger at it than sorrow. he had become morose and sullen, harsh to those around him, and not so kind to my mother as her state of mind and health made it his duty to be, even if inclination were wanted. he seldom passed any portion of the day with her, and in the evening she went to bed very early, so that there was little communication between them. my sister was a great consolation to her, and so i hope was i; she often said so as she embraced me, and the tears rolled down her cheeks, and i could not help surmising that those tears were doubled from the coolness and indifference, if not unkindness, with which my father behaved to her. as for my sister, she was an angel; and as i witnessed her considerate attentions to my mother, and the total forgetfulness of self which she displayed (so different from my father, who was all self), i often thought what a treasure she would prove to any man who was fortunate enough to win her love. such was the state of my family when i returned to it. i had been at home about a week, when one evening, after dinner, i submitted to my father the propriety of trying to obtain my promotion. "i can do nothing for you, peter; i have no interest whatever," replied he, moodily. "i do not think that much is required, sir," replied i; "my time will be served on the th of next month. if i pass, which i trust i shall be able to do, my name having been mentioned in the public despatches will render it a point of no very great difficulty to obtain my commission at the request of my grandfather." "yes, your grandfather might succeed, i have no doubt; but i think you have little chance now in that quarter. my brother has a son, and we are thrown out. you are not aware, peter, how selfish people are, and how little they will exert themselves for their relations. your grandfather has never invited me since the announcement of my brother's increase to his family. indeed, i have never been near him, for i know that it is of no use." "i must think otherwise of lord privilege, my dear father, until your opinion is confirmed by his own conduct. that i am not so much an object of interest, i grant; but still he was very kind, and appeared to be partial to me." "well, well, you can try all you can, but you'll soon see of what stuff this world is made; i am sure i hope it will be so, for what is to become of you children if i die, i do not know;--i have saved little or nothing. and now all my prospects are blasted by this--" and my father dashed his fist upon the table in a manner by no means clerical, and with a look very unworthy of an apostle. i am sorry that i must thus speak of my father, but i must not disguise the truth. still, i must say, there was much in extenuation of his conduct. he had always a dislike to the profession of the church: his ambition, as a young man, had been to enter the army, for which service he was much better qualified; but, as it has been the custom for centuries to entail all the property of the aristocracy upon the eldest son, and leave the other brothers to be supported by the state, or rather by the people, who are taxed for their provision, my father was not permitted to follow the bent of his own inclination. an elder brother had already selected the army as his profession, and it was therefore decided that my father should enter the church; and thus it is that we have had, and still have, so many people in that profession, who are not only totally unfit for, but who actually disgrace, their calling. the law of primogeniture is beset with evils and injustice; yet without it, the aristocracy of a country must sink into insignificance. it appears to me, that as long as the people of a country are content to support the younger sons of the nobility, it is well that the aristocracy should be held up as a third estate, and a link between the sovereign and the people; but that if the people are either too poor, or are unwilling to be so taxed, they have a right to refuse taxation for such purposes, and to demand that the law of primogeniture should be abolished. i remained at home until my time was complete, and then set off for plymouth to undergo my examination. the passing-day had been fixed by the admiral for the friday, and, as i arrived on wednesday, i amused myself during the day, walking about the dockyard, and trying all i could to obtain further information in my profession. on the thursday, a party of soldiers from the depot were embarking at the landing-place in men-of-war boats, and, as i understood, were about to proceed to india. i witnessed the embarkation, and waited till they shoved off, and then walked to the anchor wharf to ascertain the weights of the respective anchors of the different classes of vessels in the king's service. i had not been there long, when i was attracted by the squabbling created by a soldier, who, it appeared, had quitted the ranks to run up to the tap in the dockyard to obtain liquor. he was very drunk, and was followed by a young woman with a child in her arms, who was endeavouring to pacify him. "now be quiet, patrick, jewel," said she, clinging to him; "sure it's enough that you've left the ranks, and will come to disgrace when you get on board. now be quiet, patrick, and let us ask for a boat, and then perhaps the officer will think it was all a mistake, and let you off aisy; and sure i'll speak to mr o'rourke, and he's a kind man." "out wid you, you cratur, it is mr o'rourke you'd be having a conversation wid, and he be chucking you under that chin of yours. out wid you, mary, and lave me to find my way on board. is it a boat i want, when i can swim like st patrick, wid my head under my arm, if it wasn't on my shoulders? at all events, i can wid my nappersack and musket to boot." the young woman cried, and tried to restrain him, but he broke from her, and running down to the wharf, dashed off into the water. the young woman ran to the edge of the wharf, perceived him sinking, and shrieking with despair, threw up her arms in her agony. the child fell, struck on the edge of the piles, turned over, and before i could catch hold of it, sank into the sea. "the child! the child!" burst forth in another wild scream, and the poor creature lay at my feet in violent fits. i looked over, the child had disappeared; but the soldier was still struggling with his head above water. he sank and rose again--a boat was pulling towards him, but he was quite exhausted. he threw back his arms as if in despair, and was about disappearing under a wave, when, no longer able to restrain myself, i leaped off the high wharf, and swam to his assistance, just in time to lay hold of him as he was sinking for the last time. i had not been in the water a quarter of a minute before the boat came up to us, and dragged us on board. the soldier was exhausted and speechless. i, of course, was only very wet. the boat rowed to the landing-place at my request, and we were both put on shore. the knapsack which was fixed on the soldier's back, and his regimentals, indicated that he belonged to the regiment just embarked; and i stated my opinion that, as soon as he was a little recovered, he had better be taken on board. as the boat which picked us up was one of the men-of-war boats, the officer who had been embarking the troops, and had been sent on shore again to know if there were any yet left behind, consented. in a few minutes the soldier recovered, and was able to sit up and speak, and i only waited to ascertain the state of the poor young woman whom i had left on the wharf. in a few minutes she was led to us by the warder, and the scene between her and her husband was most affecting. when she had become a little composed, she turned round to me, where i stood dripping wet, and, intermingled with lamentation for the child, showering down emphatic blessings on my head, inquired my name. "give it to me!" she cried; "give it to me on paper, in writing, that i may wear it next my heart, read and kiss it every day of my life, and never forget to pray for you, and to bless you!" "i'll tell it you. my name--" "nay, write it down for me--write it down. sure you'll not refuse me. all the saints bless you, dear young man, for saving a poor woman from despair!" the officer commanding the boat handed me a pencil and a card; i wrote my name and gave it to the poor woman; she took my hand as i gave it, kissed the card repeatedly, and put it into her bosom. the officer, impatient to shove off, ordered her husband into the boat--she followed, clinging to him, wet as he was--the boat shoved off, and i hastened up to the inn to dry my clothes. i could not help observing, at the time, how the fear of a greater evil will absorb all consideration for a minor. satisfied that her husband had not perished, she had hardly once appeared to remember that she had lost her child. i had only brought one suit of clothes with me: they were in very good condition when i arrived, but salt water plays the devil with a uniform. i laid in bed until they were dry; but when i put them on again, not being before too large for me, for i grew very fast, they were now shrunk and shrivelled up, so as to be much too small. my wrists appeared below the sleeves of my coat--my trousers had shrunk half way up to my knees--the buttons were all tarnished, and altogether i certainly did not wear the appearance of a gentlemanly, smart midshipman. i would have ordered another suit, but the examination was to take place at ten o'clock the next morning, and there was no time. i was therefore obliged to appear as i was, on the quarter-deck of the line-of-battle ship, on board of which the passing was to take place. many others were there to undergo the same ordeal, all strangers to me, and as i perceived by their nods and winks to each other, as they walked up and down in their smart clothes, not at all inclined to make my acquaintance. there were many before me on the list, and our hearts beat every time that a name was called, and the owner of it walked aft into the cabin. some returned with jocund faces, and our hopes mounted with the anticipation of similar good fortune; others came out melancholy and crest-fallen, and then the expression of their countenances was communicated to our own, and we quailed with fear and apprehension. i have no hesitation in asserting, that although "passing" may be a proof of being qualified, "not passing" is certainly no proof to the contrary. i have known many of the cleverest young men turned back (while others of inferior abilities have succeeded), merely from the feeling of awe occasioned by the peculiarity of the situation: and it is not to be wondered at, when it is considered that all the labour and exertion of six years are at stake at this appalling moment. at last my name was called, and almost breathless from anxiety, i entered the cabin, where i found myself in presence of the three captains who were to decide whether i were fit to hold a commission in his majesty's service. my logs and certificates were examined and approved; my time calculated and allowed to be correct. the questions in navigation which were put to me were very few, for the best of all possible reasons, that most captains in his majesty's service know little or nothing of navigation. during their servitude as midshipmen, they learn it by _rote_, without being aware of the principles upon which the calculations they use are founded. as lieutenants, their services as to navigation are seldom required, and they rapidly forget all about it. as captains, their whole remnant of mathematical knowledge consists in being able to set down the ship's position on the chart. as for navigating the ship, the master is answerable; and the captains not being responsible themselves, they trust entirely to his reckoning. of course there are exceptions, but what i state is the fact; and if an order from the admiralty was given, that all captains should pass again, although they might acquit themselves very well in seamanship, nineteen out of twenty would be turned back when they were questioned in navigation. it is from the knowledge of this fact that i think the service is injured by the present system, and the captain should be held _wholly_ responsible for the navigation of his ship. it has been long known that the officers of every other maritime state are more scientific than our own, which is easily explained, from the responsibility not being invested in our captains. the origin of masters in our service is singular. when england first became a maritime power, ships for the king's service were found by the cinque ports and other parties--the fighting part of the crew was composed of soldiers sent on board. all the vessels at that time had a crew of sailors, with a master to navigate the vessel. during our bloody naval engagements with the dutch, the same system was acted upon. i think it was the earl of sandwich, of whom it is stated, that his ship being in a sinking state, he took a boat to hoist his flag on board of another vessel in the fleet, but a shot cutting the boat in two, and the _weight of his armour_ bearing him down, the earl of sandwich perished. but to proceed. as soon as i had answered several questions satisfactorily, i was desired to stand up. the captain who had interrogated me on navigation, was very grave in his demeanour towards me, but at the same time not uncivil. during his examination, he was not interfered with by the other two, who only undertook the examination in "seamanship." the captain, who now desired me to stand up, spoke in a very harsh tone, and quite frightened me. i stood up pale and trembling, for i augured no good from this commencement. several questions in seamanship were put to me, which i have no doubt i answered in a very lame way, for i cannot even now recollect what i said. "i thought so," observed the captain; "i judged as much from your appearance. an officer who is so careless of his dress, as not even to put on a decent coat when he appears at his examination, generally turns out an idle fellow, and no seaman. one would think you had served all your time in a cutter, or a ten-gun brig, instead of dashing frigates. come, sir, i'll give you one more chance." i was so hurt at what the captain said, that i could not control my feelings. i replied, with a quivering lip, "that i had had no time to order another uniform,"--and i burst into tears. "indeed, burrows, you are rather too harsh," said the third captain; "the lad is frightened. let him sit down and compose himself for a little while. sit down, mr simple, and we will try you again directly." i sat down, checking my grief and trying to recall my scattered senses. the captains, in the meantime, turning over the logs to pass away the time; the one who had questioned me in navigation reading the plymouth newspaper, which had a few minutes before been brought on board and sent into the cabin. "heh! what's this? i say burrows--keats, look here," and he pointed to a paragraph. "mr simple, may i ask whether it was you who saved the soldier who leaped off the wharf yesterday?" "yes, sir," replied i; "and that's the reason why my uniforms are so shabby. i spoilt them then, and had no time to order others. i did not like to say why they were spoilt." i saw a change in the countenances of all the three, and it gave me courage. indeed, now that my feelings had found vent, i was no longer under any apprehension. "come, mr simple, stand up again," said the captain, kindly, "that is, if you feel sufficiently composed; if not, we will wait a little longer. don't be afraid, we _wish_ to pass you." i was not afraid, and stood up immediately. i answered every question satisfactorily; and finding that i did so, they put more difficult ones. "very good, very good indeed, mr simple; now let me ask you one more; it's seldom done in the service, and perhaps you may not be able to answer it. do you know how to _club-haul_ a ship?" "yes, sir," replied i, having, as the reader may recollect, witnessed the manoeuvre when serving under poor captain savage, and i immediately stated how it was to be done. "that is sufficient, mr simple. i wish to ask you no more questions. i thought at first you were a careless officer and no seaman: i now find that you are a good seaman and a gallant young man. do you wish to ask any more questions?" continued he, turning to the two others. they replied in the negative; my passing certificate was signed, and the captains did me the honour to shake hands with me, and wish me speedy promotion. thus ended happily this severe trial to my poor nerves; and, as i came out of the cabin, no one could have imagined that i had been in such distress within, when they beheld the joy that irradiated my countenance. chapter xxxix is a chapter of plots--catholic casuistry in a new cassock--plotting promotes promotion--a peasant's love and a peer's peevishness--prospects of prosperity. as soon as i arrived at the hotel, i sent for a plymouth paper, and cut out the paragraph which had been of such importance to me in my emergency, and the next morning returned home to receive the congratulations of my family. i found a letter from o'brien, which had arrived the day before. it was as follows:-- "my dear peter,--some people, they say, are lucky to 'have a father born before them,' because they are helped on in the world--upon which principle, mine was born _after_ me, that's certain; however, that can't be helped. i found all my family well and hearty; but they all shook a cloth in the wind with respect to toggery. as for father m'grath's cassock, he didn't complain of it without reason. it was the ghost of a garment; but, however, with the blessing of god, my last quarterly bill, and the help of a tailor, we have had a regular refit, and the ancient family of the o'briens of ballyhinch are now rigged from stem to starn. my two sisters are both to be spliced to young squireens in the neighbourhood; it appears that they only wanted for a dacent town gown to go to the church in. they will be turned off next friday, and i only wish, peter, you were here to dance at the weddings. never mind, i'll dance for you and for myself too. in the meantime, i'll just tell you what father m'grath and i have been doing, all about and consarning that thief of an uncle of yours. "it's very little or nothing at all that father m'grath did before i came back, seeing as how father o'toole had a new cassock, and father m'grath's was so shabby that he couldn't face him under such a disadvantage; but still father m'grath spied about him, and had several hints from here and from there, all of which, when i came to add them up, amounted to just nothing at all. "but since i came home, we have been busy. father m'grath went down to ballycleuch, as bold as a lion in his new clothing, swearing that he'd lead father o'toole by the nose for slamming the door in his face, and so he would have done, if he could have found him; but as he wasn't to be found, father m'grath came back again just as wise, and quite as brave, as he went out. "so, peter, i just took a walk that way myself, and, as i surrounded the old house where your uncle had taken up his quarters, who should i meet but the little girl, ella flanagan, who was in his service; and i said to myself, 'there's two ways of obtaining things in this world, one is for love, and the other is for money.' the o'briens are better off in the first article than in the last, as most of their countrymen are, so i've been spending it very freely in your service, peter. "'sure,' says i, 'you are the little girl that my eyes were ever looking upon when last i was in this way.' "'and who are you?' says she. "'lieutenant o'brien, of his majesty's service, just come home for a minute to look out for a wife,' says i; 'and it's one about your make, and shape, and discretion that would please my fancy.' "and then i praised her eyes, and her nose, and her forehead, and so downwards, until i came to the soles of her feet; and asked her leave to see her again, and when she would meet me in the wood and tell me her mind. at first, she thought (sure enough) that i couldn't be in earnest, but i swore by all the saints that she was the prettiest girl in the parts--and so she is altogether--and then she listened to my blarney. the devil a word did i say about your uncle, or your aunt, or father m'grath, that she might not suspect for i've an idea that they're all in the story. i only talked about my love for her pretty self, and that blinded her, as it will all women, 'cute as they may be. "and now, peter, it's three weeks last sunday, that i've been bespeaking this poor girl for your sake, and my conscience tells me that it's not right to make the poor crature fond of me, seeing as how that i don't care a fig for her in the way of a wife, and in any other way it would be the ruin of the poor thing. i have spoken to father m'grath on the subject, who says, 'that we may do evil that good may come, and that, if she has been a party to the deceit, it's nothing but proper that she should be punished in this world, and that will, perhaps, save her in the next;' still i don't like it, peter, and it's only for you among the living that i'd do such a thing; for the poor creature now hangs upon me so fondly, and talks about the wedding-day; and tells me long stories about the connections which have taken place between the o'flanagans and the o'briens, times bygone, when they were all in their glory. yesterday, as we sat in the wood, with her arm round my waist, 'ella, dear,' says i, 'who are these people that you stay with?' and then she told me all she knew about their history, and how mary sullivan was a nurse to the baby. "'and what is the baby?' says i. "'a boy, sure,' says she. "'and sullivan's baby?' "'that's a girl.' "'and is mary sullivan there now?' "'no' says she; 'it's yestreen she left with her husband and baby, to join the regiment that's going out to ingy.' "'yesterday she left?' says i, starting up. "'yes,' replies she, 'and what do you care about them?' "'it's very much i care,' replied i, 'for a little bird has whispered a secret to me.' "'and what may that be?' says she. "'only that the childer were changed, and you know it as well as i do.' but she swore that she knew nothing about it, and that she was not there when either of the children was born, and i believe that she told the truth. 'well,' says i, 'who tended the lady?' "'my own mother,' says ella. 'and if it was so, who can know but she?' "then,' says i, 'ella, jewel, i've made a vow that i'll never marry till i find out the truth of this matter; so the sooner you get it out of your mother the better.' then she cried very much, and i was almost ready to cry too, to see how the poor thing was vexed at the idea of not being married. after a while, she swabbed up her cheeks, and kissing me, wished me good-by, swearing by all the saints that the truth should come out, somehow or another. "it's this morning that i saw her again, as agreed upon yesterday, and red her eyes were with weeping, poor thing; and she clung to me, and begged me to forgive her, and not to leave her; and then she told me that her mother was startled when she put the question to her, and chewed it, and cursed her when she insisted upon the truth; and how she had fallen on her knees, and begged her mother not to stand in the way of her happiness, as she would die if she did (i leave you to guess if my heart didn't smite me when she said that, peter, but the mischief was done), and how her mother had talked about her oath and father o'toole, and said that she would speak to him. "now, peter, i'm sure that the childer have been changed, and that the nurse has been sent to the indies to be out of the way. they say they were to go to plymouth. the husband's name is, of course, o'sullivan; so i'd recommend you to take a coach and see what you can do in that quarter; in the meantime i'll try all i can for the truth in this, and will write again as soon as i can find out anything more. all i want to do is to get father m'grath to go to the old devil of a mother, and i'll answer for it, he'll frighten her into swearing anything. god bless you, peter, and give my love to all the family. "yours ever, "terence o'brien." this letter of o'brien was the subject of much meditation. the advice to go to plymouth was too late, the troops having sailed some time; and i had no doubt but that mary sullivan and her husband were among those who had embarked at the time that i was at that port to pass my examination. show the letter to my father i would not, as it would only have put him in a fever, and his interference would, in all probability, have done more harm than good. i therefore waited quietly for more intelligence, and resolved to apply to my grandfather to obtain my promotion. a few days afterwards i set off for eagle park, and arrived about eleven o'clock in the morning. i sent in my name, and was admitted into the library, where i found lord privilege in his easy chair as usual. "well, child," said he, remaining on his chair, and not offering even _one_ finger to me, "what do you want, that you come here without an invitation?" "only, my lord, to inquire after your health, and to thank you for your kindness to me in procuring me and mr o'brien the appointment to a fine frigate." "yes," replied his lordship, "i recollect--i think i did so, at your request, and i think i heard some one say that you have behaved well, and had been mentioned in the despatches." "yes, my lord," replied i, "and i have since passed my examination for lieutenant." "well, child, i'm glad to hear it. remember me to your father and family." and his lordship cast his eyes down upon the book which he had been reading. my father's observations appeared to be well grounded, but i would not leave the room until i had made some further attempt. "has your lordship heard from my uncle?" "yes," replied he, "i had a letter from him yesterday. the child is quite well. i expect them all here in a fortnight or three weeks, to live with me altogether. i am old--getting very old, and i shall have much to arrange with your uncle before i die." "if i might request a favour of your lordship, it would be to beg that you would interest yourself a little in obtaining my promotion. a letter from your lordship to the first lord--only a few lines--" "well, child, i see no objection--only--i am very old, too old to write now." and his lordship again commenced reading. i must do lord privilege the justice to state that he evidently was fast verging to a state of second childhood. he was much bowed down since i had last seen him, and appeared infirm in body as well as mind. i waited at least a quarter of an hour before his lordship looked up. "what, not gone yet, child? i thought you had gone home." "your lordship was kind enough to say that you had no objection to write a few lines to the first lord in my behalf. i trust your lordship will not refuse me." "well," replied he, peevishly, "so i did--but i am too old, too old to write--i cannot see--i can hardly hold a pen." "will your lordship allow me the honour of writing the letter for your lordship's signature?" "well, child--yes--i've no objection. write as follows--no--write anything you please--and i'll sign it. i wish your uncle william were come." this was more than i did. i had a great mind to show him o'brien's letter, but i thought it would be cruel to raise doubts, and harass the mind of a person so close to the brink of the grave. the truth would never be ascertained during his life, i thought, and why, therefore, should i give him pain? at all events, although i had the letter in my pocket, i resolved not to make use of it except as a _dernier_ resort. i went to another table, and sat down to write the letter. as his lordship had said that i might write what i pleased, it occurred to me that i might assist o'brien, and i felt sure that his lordship would not take the trouble to read the letter. i therefore wrote as follows, while lord privilege continued to read his book:-- "my lord,--you will confer a very great favour upon me, if you will hasten the commission which, i have no doubt, is in preparation for my nephew, mr simple, who has passed his examination, and has been mentioned in the public despatches, and also that you will not lose sight of lieutenant o'brien, who has so distinguished himself by his gallantry in the various cutting-out expeditions in the west indies. trusting that your lordship will not fail to comply with my earnest request, i have the honour to be, your lordship's very obedient humble servant." i brought this letter, with a pen full of ink, and the noise of my approach induced his lordship to look up. he stared at first, as having forgotten the whole circumstance--then said--"oh yes! i recollect, so i did--give me the pen." with a trembling hand he signed his name, and gave me back the letter without reading it, as i expected. "there, child, don't tease me any more. good-bye; remember me to your father." i wished his lordship a good morning, and went away well satisfied with the result of my expedition. on my arrival i showed the letter to my father, who was much surprised at my success, and he assured me that my grandfather's interest was so great with the administration, that i might consider my promotion as certain. that no accident might happen, i immediately set off for london, and delivered the letter at the door of the first lord with my own hands, leaving my address with the porter. chapter xl o'brien and myself take a step each, _pari passu_--a family reunion productive of anything but unity--my uncle not always the best friend. a few days afterwards i left my card with my address with the first lord, and the next day received a letter from his secretary, which, to my delight, informed me that my commission had been made out some days before. i hardly need say that i hastened to take it up, and when paying my fee to the clerk, i ventured, at a hazard, to inquire whether he knew the address of lieutenant o'brien. "no," replied he, "i wish to find it out, for he has this day been promoted to the rank of commander." i almost leaped with joy when i heard this good news. i gave o'brien's address to the clerk, hastened away with my invaluable piece of parchment in my hand, and set off immediately for my father's house. but i was met with sorrow. my mother had been taken severely ill, and i found the house in commotion--doctors, and apothecaries, and nurses, running to and fro, my father in a state of excitement, and my dear sister in tears. spasm succeeded spasm; and although every remedy was applied, the next evening she breathed her last. i will not attempt to describe the grief of my father, who appeared to feel remorse at his late unkind treatment of her, my sister, and myself. these scenes must be imagined by those who have suffered under similar bereavements. i exerted myself to console my poor sister, who appeared to cling to me as to her only support, and, after the funeral was over, we recovered our tranquillity, although the mourning was still deeper in our hearts than in our outward dress. i had written to o'brien to announce the mournful intelligence, and, like a true friend, he immediately made his appearance to console me. o'brien had received the letter from the admiralty, acquainting him with his promotion; and, two days after he arrived, went to take up his commission. i told him frankly by what means he had obtained it, and he again concluded his thanks by a reference to the mistake of the former supposition, that of my being "the fool of the family." "by the powers, it would be well for any man if he had a few of such foolish friends about him," continued he; "but i won't blarney you, peter; you know what my opinion always has been, so we'll say no more about it." when he came back, we had a long consultation as to the best method of proceeding to obtain employment, for o'brien was anxious to be again afloat, and so was i. i regretted parting with my sister, but my father was so morose and ill-tempered, that i had no pleasure at home, except in her company. indeed, my sister was of opinion, that it would be better if i were away, as my father's misanthropy, now unchecked by my mother, appeared to have increased, and he seemed to view me with positive dislike. it was, therefore, agreed unanimously between my sister, and me, and o'brien, who was always of our councils, that it would be advisable that i should be again afloat. "i can manage him much better when alone, peter; i shall have nothing to occupy me, and take me away from him, as your presence does now; and, painful as it is to part with you, my duty to my father, and my wish for your advancement, induce me to request that you will, if possible, find some means of obtaining employment." "spoken like a hero, as ye are, miss ellen, notwithstanding your pretty face and soft eyes," said o'brien. "and now, peter, for the means to bring it about. if i can get a ship, there is no fear for you, as i shall choose you for my lieutenant; but how is that to be managed? do you think that you can come over the old gentleman at eagle park?" "at all events, i'll try," replied i; "i can but be floored, o'brien." accordingly, the next day i set off for my grandfather's, and was put down at the lodge, at the usual hour, about eleven o'clock. i walked up the avenue, and knocked at the door: when it was opened, i perceived a hesitation among the servants, and a constrained air, which i did not like. i inquired after lord privilege--the answer was, that he was pretty well, but did not see _any_ body. "is my uncle here?" said i. "yes, sir," replied the servant, with a significant look, "and all his family are here too." "are you sure that i cannot see my _grandfather_" said i, laying a stress upon the word. "i will tell him that you are here, sir," replied the man, "but even that is against orders." i had never seen my uncle since i was a child, and could not even recollect him--my cousins, or my aunt, i had never met with. in a minute an answer was brought, requesting that i would walk into the library. when i was ushered in, i found myself in the presence of lord privilege, who sat in his usual place, and a tall gentleman, whom i knew at once to be my uncle, from his likeness to my father. "here is the young gentleman, my lord," said my uncle, looking at me sternly. "heh! what--oh? i recollect. well, child, so you've been behaving very ill--sorry to hear it. good-bye." "behaving ill, my lord!" replied i. "i am not aware of having so done." "reports are certainly very much against you, nephew," observed my uncle, drily. "some one has told your grandfather what has much displeased him. i know nothing about it myself." "then some rascal has slandered me, sir," replied i. my uncle started at the word rascal; and then recovering himself, replied, "well, nephew, what is it that you require of lord privilege, for i presume this visit is not without a cause?" "sir," replied i, "my visit to lord privilege was, first to thank him for having procured me my commission as lieutenant, and to request the favour that he would obtain me active employment, which a line from him will effect immediately." "i was not aware, nephew, that you had been made lieutenant; but i agree with you, that the more you are at sea the better. his lordship shall sign the letter. sit down." "shall i write it, sir?" said i to my uncle: "i know what to say." "yes; and bring it to me when it is written." i felt convinced that the only reason which induced my uncle to obtain me employment was the idea that i should be better out of the way, and that there was more risk at sea than on shore. i took a sheet of paper, and wrote as follows:-- "my lord,--may i request that your lordship will be pleased to appoint the bearer of this to a ship, as soon as convenient, as i wish him to be actively employed. "i am, my lord, &c, &c." "why not mention your name?" "it is of no consequence," replied i, "as it will be delivered in person, and that will insure my speedy appointment." the letter was placed before his lordship for signature. it was with some difficulty that he was made to understand that he was to sign it. the old gentleman appeared much more imbecile than when i last saw him. i thanked him, folded up the letter, and put it in my pocket. at last he looked at me, and a sudden flash of recollection appeared to come across his mind. "well child so you escaped from the french prison--heh! and how's your friend--what is his name, heh?" "o'brien, my lord." "o'brien!" cried my uncle, "he is _your_ friend; then, sir, i presume it is to you that i am indebted for all the inquiries and reports which are so industriously circulated in ireland--the tampering with my servants-- and other impertinences?" i did not choose to deny the truth, although i was a little fluttered by the sudden manner in which it came to light. i replied, "i never tamper with any people's servants, sir." "no," said he, "but you employ others so to do. i discovered the whole of your proceedings after the scoundrel left for england." "if you apply the word scoundrel _to_ captain o'brien, sir, in his name i contradict it." "as you please, sir," replied my uncle, in a passion; "but you will oblige me by quitting this house immediately, and expect nothing more, either from the present or the future lord privilege, except that retaliation which your infamous conduct has deserved." i felt much irritated, and replied very sharply, "from the present lord privilege i certainly expect nothing more, neither do i from his successor; but after your death, uncle, i expect that the person who succeeds to the title will do all he can for your humble servant. i wish you a good morning, uncle." my uncle's eyes flashed fire as i finished my speech, which indeed was a very bold, and a very foolish one too, as it afterwards proved. i hastened out of the room, not only from the fear of being turned out of the house before all the servants, but also from the dread that my letter to the first lord might be taken from me by force; but i shall never forget the scowl of vengeance which crossed my uncle's brows, as i turned round and looked at him as i shut the door. i found my way out without the assistance of the servants, and hastened home as fast as i could. "o'brien," said i, on my return, "there is no time to be lost; the sooner you hasten to town with this letter of introduction, the better it will be, for depend upon it my uncle will do me all the harm that he can." i then repeated to him all that had passed, and it was agreed that o'brien should take the letter, which, having reference to the bearer, would do as well for him as for me; and, if o'brien obtained an appointment, i was sure not only of being one of his lieutenants, but also of sailing with a dear friend. the next morning o'brien set off for london, and fortunately saw the first lord the day after his arrival, which was a levee day. the first lord received the letter from o'brien, and requested him to sit down. he then read it, inquired after his lordship, asked whether his health was good, &c. o'brien replied, "that with the blessing of god, his lordship might live many years: that he had never heard him complain of ill health." all which was not false, if not true. i could not help observing to o'brien, when he returned home and told me what had passed, "that i thought, considering what he had expressed with respect to white lies and black lies, that he had not latterly adhered to his own creed." "that's very true, peter; and i've thought of it myself, but it is my creed nevertheless. we all know what's right, but we don't always follow it. the fact is, i begin to think that it is absolutely necessary to fight the world with its own weapons. i spoke to father m'grath on the subject, and he replied--'that if anyone, by doing wrong, necessitated another to do wrong to circumvent him, that the first party was answerable, not only for his own sin, but also for the sin committed in self-defence." "but, o'brien, i do not fix my faith so implicitly upon father m'grath; and i do not much admire many of his directions." "no more do i, peter, when i think upon them; but how am i to puzzle my head upon these points? all i know is, that when you are divided between your inclination and your duty, it's mighty convenient to have a priest like father m'grath to decide for you, and to look after your soul into the bargain." it occurred to me that i myself, when finding fault with o'brien, had, in the instance of both the letters from lord privilege, been also guilty of deceit. i was therefore blaming him for the same fault committed by myself; and i am afraid that i was too ready in consoling myself with father m'grath's maxim, "that one might do evil that good might come." but to return to o'brien's interview. after some little conversation, the first lord said, "captain o'brien, i am always very ready to oblige lord privilege, and the more so as his recommendation is of an officer of your merit. in a day or two, if you call at the admiralty, you will hear further." o'brien wrote to us immediately, and we waited with impatience for his next letter: but, instead of the letter, he made his appearance on the third day, and first hugged me in his arms, he then came to my sister, embraced her, and skipped and danced about the room. "what is the matter, o'brien?" said i, while ellen retreated in confusion. o'brien pulled a parchment out of his pocket. "here, peter, my dear peter; now for honour and glory. an eighteen-gun brig, peter. the _rattlesnake_--captain o'brien--west india station. by the holy father! my heart's bursting with joy!" and down he sank into an easy chair. "a'n't i almost beside myself?" inquired he, after a short pause. "ellen thinks so, i dare say," replied i, looking at my sister, who stood in the corner of the room, thinking o'brien was really out of his senses, and still red with confusion. o'brien, who then called to mind what a slip of decorum he had been guilty of, immediately rose, and resuming his usual unsophisticated politeness, as he walked up to my sister, took her hand, and said, "excuse me, my dear miss ellen; i must apologize for my rudeness; but my delight was so great, and my gratitude to your brother so intense, that i am afraid that in my warmth i allowed the expression of my feelings to extend to one so dear to him, and so like him in person and in mind. will you only consider that you received the overflowings of a grateful heart towards your brother, and for his sake pardon my indiscretion?" ellen smiled, and held out her hand to o'brien, who led her to the sofa, where we all three sat down: and he then commenced a more intelligible narrative of what had passed. he had called on the day appointed, and sent up his card. the first lord could not see him, but referred him to the private secretary, who presented him with his commission to the _rattlesnake_, eighteen-gun brig. the secretary smiled most graciously, and told o'brien in confidence that he would proceed to the west india station as soon as his vessel was manned and ready for sea. he inquired of o'brien whom he wished as his first lieutenant. o'brien replied that he wished for me; but as, in all probability, i should not be of sufficient standing to be first lieutenant, that the admiralty might appoint any other to the duty, provided i joined the ship. the secretary made a minute of o'brien's wish, and requested him, if he had a vacancy to spare as midshipman, to allow him to send one on board; to which o'brien willingly acceded, shook hands with him, and o'brien quitted the admiralty to hasten down to us with the pleasing intelligence. "and now," said o'brien, "i have made up my mind how to proceed. i shall first run down to plymouth and hoist my pennant; then i shall ask for a fortnight's leave, and go to ireland to see how they get on, and what father m'grath may be about. so, peter, let's pass this evening as happily as we can; for though you and i shall soon meet again, yet it may be years, or perhaps never, that we three shall sit down on the same sofa as we do now." ellen, who was still nervous, from the late death of my mother, looked down, and i perceived the tears start in her eyes at the remark of o'brien, that perhaps we should never meet again. and i did pass a happy evening. i had a dear sister on one side of me, and a sincere friend on the other. how few situations more enviable! o'brien left us early the next morning; and at breakfast-time a letter was handed to my father. it was from my uncle, coldly communicating to him that lord privilege had died the night before, very suddenly, and informing him that the burial would take place on that day week, and that the will would be opened immediately after the funeral. my father handed the letter over to me without saying a word, and sipped his tea with his tea-spoon. i cannot say that i felt very much on the occasion; but i did feel, because he had been kind to me at one time: as for my father's feelings, i could not--or rather i should say, i did not wish to analyze them. as soon as he had finished his cup of tea, he left the breakfast-table, and went into his study. i then communicated the intelligence to my sister ellen. "my god!" said she, after a pause, putting her hand up to her eyes; "what a strange unnatural state of society must we have arrived at, when my father can thus receive the intelligence of a parent's death! is it not dreadful?" "it is, my dearest girl," replied i; "but every feeling has been sacrificed to worldly considerations and an empty name. the younger sons have been neglected, if not deserted. virtue, talent, everything set at naught--intrinsic value despised--and the only claim to consideration admitted, that of being the heir entail. when all the ties of nature are cast loose by the parents, can you be surprised if the children are no longer bound by them? most truly do you observe, that it is a detestable state of society." "i did not say detestable, brother; i said strange and unnatural." "had you said what i said, ellen, you would not have been wrong. i would not for the title and wealth which it brings, be the heartless, isolated, i may say neglected being that my grandfather was; were it offered now, i would not barter for it ellen's love." ellen threw herself in my arms; we then walked into the garden, where we had a long conversation relative to our future wishes, hopes, and prospects. chapter xli pompous obsequies--the reading of the will, not exactly after wilkie--i am left a legacy--what becomes of it--my father, very warm, writes a sermon to cool himself--i join o'brien's brig, and fall in with swinburne. on that day week i accompanied my father to eagle park, to assist at the burial of lord privilege. we were ushered into the room where the body had laid in state for three days. the black hangings, the lofty plumes, the rich ornaments on the coffin, and the number of wax candles with which the room was lighted, produced a solemn and grand effect. i could not help, as i leaned against the balustrade before the coffin and thought of its contents, calling to mind when my poor grandfather's feelings seemed, as it were, inclined to thaw in my favour, when he called me "his child," and, in all probability, had not my uncle had a son, would have died in my arms, fond and attached to me for my own sake, independently of worldly considerations. i felt that had i known him longer, i could have loved him, and that he would have loved me; and i thought to myself, how little all these empty honours, after his decease, could compensate for the loss of those reciprocal feelings, which would have so added to his happiness during his existence. but he had lived for pomp and vanity; and pomp and vanity attended him to his grave. i thought of my sister ellen, and of o'brien, and walked away with the conviction that peter simple might have been an object of envy to the late right honourable lord viscount privilege, baron corston, lord lieutenant of the county, and one of his majesty's most honourable privy councillors. when the funeral, which was very tedious and very splendid, was over, we all returned in the carriages to eagle park, when my uncle, who had of course assumed the title, and who had attended as chief mourner, was in waiting to receive us. we were shown into the library, and in the chair so lately and constantly occupied by my grandfather, sat the new lord. near to him were the lawyers, with parchments lying before them. as we severally entered, he waved his hand to unoccupied chairs, intimating to us to sit down; but no words were exchanged, except an occasional whisper between him and the lawyers. when all the branches of the family were present, down to the fourth and fifth cousins, the lawyer on the right of my uncle put on his spectacles, and unrolling the parchment commenced reading the will. i paid attention to it at first; but the legal technicalities puzzled me, and i was soon thinking of other matters, until after half an hour's reading, i was startled at the sound of my own name. it was a bequest by codicil to me, of the sum of ten thousand pounds. my father who sat by me, gave me a slight push, to attract my attention; and i perceived that his face was not quite so mournful as before. i was rejoicing at this unexpected intelligence. i called to mind what my father had said to me when we were returning from eagle park, "that my grandfather's attentions to me were as good as ten thousand pounds in his will," and was reflecting how strange it was that he had hit upon the exact sum. i also thought of what my father had said of his own affairs, and his not having saved anything for his children, and congratulated myself that i should now be able to support my dear sister ellen, in case of any accident happening to my father, when i was roused by another mention of my name. it was a codicil dated about a week back, in which my grandfather, not pleased at my conduct, revoked the former codicil, and left me nothing. i knew where the blow came from, and i looked my uncle in the face; a gleam of malignant pleasure was in his eyes, which had been fixed on me, waiting to receive my glance. i returned it with a smile expressive of scorn and contempt, and then looked at my father, who appeared to be in a state of misery. his head had fallen upon his breast, and his hands were clasped. although i was shocked at the blow, for i knew how much the money was required, i felt too proud to show it; indeed, i felt that i would not for worlds have exchanged situations with my uncle, much less feelings; for when those who remain meet to ascertain the disposition made, by one who is summoned away to the tribunal of his maker, of those worldly and perishable things which he must leave behind him, feelings of rancour and ill-will might, for the time, be permitted to subside, and the memory of a "departed brother" be productive of charity and good-will. after a little reflection, i felt that i could forgive my uncle. not so my father; the codicil which deprived me of my inheritance, was the last of the will, and the lawyer rolled up the parchment and took off his spectacles. everybody rose; my father seized his hat, and telling me in a harsh voice to follow him, tore off the crape weepers, and then threw them on the floor as he walked away. i also took off mine, and laid them on the table, and followed him. my father called his carriage, waited in the hall till it was driven up, and jumped into it. i followed him; he drew up the blind, and desired them to drive home. "not a sixpence! by the god of heaven, not a sixpence! my name not even mentioned, except for a paltry mourning ring! and yours--pray sir, what have you been about, after having such a sum left you, to forfeit your grandfather's good opinion? heh! sir--tell me directly," continued he, turning round to me in a rage. "nothing, my dear father, that i'm aware of. my uncle is evidently my enemy." "and why should he be particularly your enemy? peter, there must be some reason for his having induced your grandfather to alter his bequest in your favour. i insist upon it, sir, that you tell me immediately." "my dear father, when you are more calm, i will talk this matter over with you. i hope i shall not be considered wanting in respect, when i say, that as a clergyman of the church of england--" "d--n the church of england, and those that put me into it!" replied my father, maddened with rage. i was shocked, and held my tongue. my father appeared also to be confused at his hasty expressions. he sank back in his carriage, and preserved a gloomy silence until we arrived at our own door. as soon as we entered, my father hastened to his own room, and i went up to my sister ellen, who was in her bed room. i revealed to her all that had passed, and advised with her on the propriety of my communicating to my father the reasons which had occasioned my uncle's extreme aversion towards me. after much argument, she agreed with me, that the disclosure had now become necessary. after the dinner-cloth had been removed, i then communicated to my father the circumstances which had come to our knowledge relative to my uncle's establishment in ireland. he heard me very attentively, took out tablets, and made notes. "well, peter," said he, after a few minutes' silence, when i had finished, "i see clearly through this whole business. i have no doubt but that a child has been substituted to defraud you and me of our just inheritance of the title and estates; but i will now set to work and try if i cannot find out the secret; and, with the help of captain o'brien and father m'grath, i think it is not at all impossible." "o'brien will do all that he can, sir," replied i; "and i expect soon to hear from him. he must have now been a week in ireland." "i shall go there myself," replied my father; "and there are no means that i will not resort to, to discover this infamous plot. no," exclaimed he, striking his fist on the table, so as to shiver two of the wine-glasses into fragments--"no means but i will resort to." "that is," replied i, "my dear father, no means which may be legitimately employed by one of your profession." "i tell you, no means that can be used by _man_ to recover his defrauded rights! tell me not of legitimate means, when i am to lose a title and property by a spurious and illegitimate substitution! by the god of heaven, i will meet them with fraud for fraud, with false swearing for false swearing, and with blood for blood, if it should be necessary! my brother has dissolved all ties, and i will have my right, even if i demand it with a pistol at his ear." "for heaven's sake, my dear father, do not be so violent--recollect your profession." "i do," replied he, bitterly; "and how i was forced into it against my will. i recollect my father's words, the solemn coolness with which he told me, 'i had my choice of the church, or--to starve.'--but i have my sermon to prepare for to-morrow, and i can sit here no longer. tell ellen to send me in some tea." i did not think my father was in a very fit state of mind to write a sermon, but i held my tongue. my sister joined me, and we saw no more of him till breakfast the next day. before we met, i received a letter from o'brien. "my dear peter,--i ran down to plymouth, hoisted my pennant, drew my jollies from the dockyard, and set my first lieutenant to work getting in the ballast and water-tanks. i then set off for ireland, and was very well received as captain o'brien by my family, who were all flourishing. "now that my two sisters are so well married off, my father and mother are very comfortable, but rather lonely; for i believe i told you long before, that it had pleased heaven to take all the rest of my brothers and sisters, except the two now married, and one who bore up for a nunnery, dedicating her service to god, after she was scarred with the small-pox, and no man would look at her. ever since the family have been grown up, my father and mother have been lamenting and sorrowing that none of them would go off; and now that they're all gone off one way or another, they cry all day because they are left all alone with no one to keep company with them, except father m'grath and the pigs. we never are to be contented in this world, that's sartain; and now that they are comfortable in every respect, they find that they are very uncomfortable, and having obtained all their wishes, they wish everything back again; but as old maddocks used to say, 'a good growl is better than a bad dinner' with some people; and the greatest pleasure that they now have is to grumble; and if that makes them happy, they must be happy all day long--for the devil a bit do they leave off from morning till night. "the first thing that i did was to send for father m'grath, who had been more away from home than usual--i presume, not finding things quite so comfortable as they used to be. he told me that he had met with father o'toole, and had a bit of a dialogue with him, which had ended in a bit of a row, and that he had cudgelled father o'toole well, and tore his gown off his back, and then tore it into shivers,-- that father o'toole had referred the case to the bishop, and that was how the matter stood just then. 'but,' says he, 'the spalpeen has left this part of the country, and, what is more, has taken ella and her mother with him; and what is still worse, no one could find out where they were gone; but it was believed that they had all been sent over the water.' so you see, peter, that this is a bad job in one point, which is, that we have no chance of getting the truth out of the old woman; for now that we have war with france, who is to follow them? on the other hand, it is good news; for it prevents me from decoying that poor young girl, and making her believe what will never come to pass; and i am not a little glad on that score, for father m'grath was told by those who were about her, that she did nothing but weep and moan for two days before she went away, scolded as she was by her mother, and threatened by that blackguard o'toole. it appears to me, that all our hopes now are in finding out the soldier, and his wife the wet-nurse, who were sent to india--no doubt with the hope that the climate and the fevers may carry them off. that uncle of yours is a great blackguard, every bit of him. i shall leave here in three days, and you must join me at plymouth. make my compliments to your father, and my regards to your sister, whom may all the saints preserve! god bless her, for ever and ever. amen. "yours ever, "terence o'brien." i put this letter into my father's hands when he came out of his room. "this is a deep-laid plot," said he, "and i think we must immediately do as o'brien states--look after the nurse who was sent to india. do you know the regiment to which her husband belongs?" "yes, sir," replied i; "it is the rd, and she sailed for india about three months back." "the name, you say, i think, is o'sullivan," said he, pulling out his tablets. "well, i will write immediately to captain fielding, and beg him to make the minutest inquiries. i will also write to your sister lucy, for women are much keener than men in affairs of this sort. if the regiment is ordered to ceylon, all the better: if not, he must obtain furlough to prosecute his inquiries. when that is done, i will go myself to ireland, and try if we cannot trace the other parties." my father then left the room, and i retired with ellen to make preparations for joining my ship at plymouth. a letter announcing my appointment had come down, and i had written to request my commission to be forwarded to the clerk of the cheque at plymouth, that i might save a useless journey to london. on the following day i parted with my father and my dear sister, and, without any adventure, arrived at plymouth dock, where i met with o'brien. the same day i reported myself to the admiral, and joined my brig, which was lying alongside the hulk with her topmasts pointed through. returning from the brig, as i was walking up fore-street, i observed a fine stout sailor, whose back was turned to me, reading the handbill which had been posted up everywhere announcing that the _rattlesnake_, captain o'brien (about to proceed to the west india station, where _doubloons_ were so plentiful that dollars were only used for ballast), was in want of a _few_ stout hands. it might have been said, of a great many: for we had not entered six men, and were doing all the work with the marines and riggers of the dockyard; but it is not the custom to show your poverty in this world either with regard to men or money. i stopped, and overheard him say, "ay, as for the doubloons, that cock won't fight. i've served long enough in the west indies not to be humbugged; but i wonder whether captain o'brien was the second lieutenant of the _sanglier_. if so, i shouldn't mind trying a cruise with him." i thought that i recollected the voice, and touching him on the shoulder, he turned round, and it proved to be swinburne. "what, swinburne!" said i, shaking him by the hand, for i was delighted to see him, "is it you?" "why, mr simple! well, then, i expect that i'm right, and that mr o'brien is made, and commands this craft. when you meet the pilot-fish, the shark arn't far off, you know." "you're very right, swinburne," said i, "in all except calling captain o'brien a shark. he's no shark." "no, that he arn't, except in one way; that is, that i expect he'll soon show his teeth to the frenchmen. but i beg your pardon, sir;" and swinburne took off his hat. "oh! i understand; you did not perceive before that i had shipped the swab. yes, i'm lieutenant of the _rattlesnake_, swinburne, and hope you'll join us." "there's my hand upon it, mr simple," said he, smacking his great fist into mine so as to make it tingle. "i'm content if i know that the captain's a good officer; but when there's two, i think myself lucky. i'll just take a boat, and put my name on the books, and then i'll be on shore again to spend the rest of my money, and try if i can't pick up a few hands as volunteers, for i know where they all be stowed away. i was looking at the craft this morning, and rather took a fancy to her. she has a d--d pretty run; but i hope captain o'brien will take off her fiddle-head, and get one carved: i never knew a vessel do much with a _fiddle_-head." "i rather think that captain o'brien has already applied to the commissioner on the subject," replied i; "at all events, it won't be very difficult to make the alteration ourselves." "to be sure not," replied swinburne; "a coil of four-inch will make the body of the snake; i can carve out the head; and as for a _rattle_, i be blessed if i don't rob one of those beggars of watchmen this very night. so good-bye, mr simple, till we meet again." swinburne kept his word; he joined the ship that afternoon, and the next day came off with six good hands, who had been induced from his representations to join the brig. "tell captain o'brien," said he to me, "not to be in too great a hurry to man his ship. i know where there are plenty to be had; but i'll try fair means first." this he did, and every day, almost, he brought off a man, and all he did bring off were good able seamen. others volunteered, and we were now more than half-manned, and ready for sea. the admiral then gave us permission to send pressgangs on shore. "mr simple," said swinburne, "i've tried all i can to persuade a lot of fine chaps to enter, but they won't. now i'm resolved that my brig shall be well manned; and if they don't know what's good for them, i do, and i'm sure that they will thank me for it afterwards; so i'm determined to take every mother's son of them." the same night we mustered all swinburne's men and went on shore to a crimp's house which they knew, surrounded it with our marines in blue jackets, and took out of it twenty-three fine able seamen, which nearly filled up our complement. the remainder we obtained by a draft from the admiral's ship; and i do not believe that there was a vessel that left plymouth harbour and anchored in the sound, better manned than the _rattlesnake_. so much for good character, which is never lost upon seamen o'brien was universally liked by those who had sailed with him, and swinburne, who knew him well persuaded many, and forced the others, to enter with him, whether they liked it or not. this they in the event did, and, with the exception of those drafted from the flag-ship, we had no desertions. indeed, none deserted whom we would have wished to retain, and their vacancies were soon filled up with better men. chapter xlii we sail for the west indies--a volunteer for the ship refused and set on shore again, for reasons which the chapter will satisfactorily explain to the reader. we were very glad when the master-attendant came on board to take us into the sound; and still more glad to perceive that the brig, which had just been launched before o'brien was appointed to her, appeared to sail very fast as she ran out. so it proved after we went to sea; she sailed wonderfully well, beating every vessel that she met, and overhauling in a very short time everything that we chased; turning to windward like magic, and tacking in a moment. three days after we anchored in the sound the ship's company were paid, and our sailing orders came down to proceed with despatches, by next evening's post, to the island of jamaica. we started with a fair wind, and were soon clear of the channel. our whole time was now occupied in training our new ship's company at the guns, and learning them _to pull together;_ and by the time that we had run down the trades, we were in a very fair state of discipline. the first lieutenant was rather an odd character; his brother was a sporting man of large property, and he had contracted, from his example, a great partiality for such pursuits. he knew the winning horses of the derby and the oaks for twenty years back, was an adept at all athletic exercises, a capital shot, and had his pointer on board. in other respects, he was a great dandy in his person, always wore gloves, even on service, very gentlemanlike and handsome, and not a very bad sailor; that is, he knew enough to carry on his duty very creditably, and evidently, now that he was the first lieutenant, and obliged to work, learnt more of his duty every day. i never met a more pleasant messmate or a more honourable young man. a brig is only allowed two lieutenants. the master was a rough, kind-hearted, intelligent young man, always in good humour. the surgeon and purser completed our mess; they were men of no character at all, except, perhaps, that the surgeon was too much of a courtier, and the purser too much of a skin-flint; but pursers are, generally speaking, more sinned against than sinning. but i have been led away, while talking of the brig and the officers, and had almost forgotten to narrate a circumstance which occurred two days before we sailed. i was with o'brien in the cabin, when mr osbaldistone, the first lieutenant, came in, and reported that a boy had come on board to volunteer for the ship. "what sort of a lad is he?" said o'brien. "a very nice lad--very slight, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "we have two vacancies." "well, see what you make of him; and if you think he will do, you may put him on the books." "i have tried him, sir. he says that he has been a short time at sea. i made him mount the main-rigging, but he did not much like it." "well, do as you please, osbaldistone," replied o'brien; and the first lieutenant quitted the cabin. in about a quarter of an hour he returned. "if you please, sir," said he, laughing, "i sent the boy down to the surgeon to be examined, and he refused to strip. the surgeon says that he thinks she is a woman. i have had her up on the quarter-deck, and she refuses to answer any questions, and requires to speak with you." "with me!" said o'brien, with surprise. "oh! one of the men's wives, i suppose, trying to steal a march upon us. well, send her down here, osbaldistone, and i'll prove to her the moral impossibility of her sailing in his majesty's brig _rattlesnake_." in a few minutes the first lieutenant sent her down to the cabin door, and i was about to retire as she entered; but o'brien stopped me. "stay, peter: my reputation will be at stake if i'm left all alone," said he, laughing. the sentry opened the door, and whether boy or girl, a more interesting face i never beheld; the hair was cut close, and i could not tell whether the surgeon's suspicions were correct. "you wish to speak--holy st patrick!" cried o'brien, looking earnestly at her features; and o'brien covered his face and bent over the table, exclaiming, "my god, my god!" in the meantime the colour of the young person fled from her countenance, and then rushed into it again, alternately leaving it pale and suffused with blushes. i perceived a trembling over the frame, the knees shook and knocked together, and had i not hastened, she--for a female it was--would have fallen on the deck. i perceived that she had fainted; i therefore laid her down on the deck, and hastened to obtain some water. o'brien ran up and went to her. "my poor, poor girl!" said he, sorrowfully. "oh! peter, this is all your fault." "all my fault! how could she have come here?" "by all the saints who pray for us--dearly as i prize them, i would give up my ship and my commission, that this could be undone." as o'brien hung over her, the tears from his eyes fell upon her face, while i bathed it with the water i had brought from the dressing-room. i knew who it must be, although i had never seen her. it was the girl to whom o'brien had professed love, to worm out the secret of the exchange of my uncle's child; and as i beheld the scene i could not help saying to myself, "who now will assert that evil may be done that good may come?" the poor girl showed symptoms of recovering, and o'brien waved his hand to me, saying, "leave us, peter, and see that no one comes in." i remained nearly an hour at the cabin-door, by the sentry, and prevented many from entering, when o'brien opened the door, and requested me to order his gig to be manned and then to come in. the poor girl had evidently been weeping bitterly, and o'brien was much affected. "all is arranged, peter; you must go on shore with her, and not leave her till you see her safe off by the night coach. do me that favour, peter--you ought indeed," continued he, in a low voice, "for you have been partly the occasion of this." i shook o'brien's hand and made no answer--the boat was reported ready, and the girl followed me with a firm step. i pulled on shore, saw her safe in the coach without asking her any question, and then returned on board. "come on board, sir," said i, entering the cabin with my hat in my hand, and reporting myself according to the regulations of the service. "thank you," replied o'brien: "shut the door, peter. tell me, how did she behave? what did she say?" "she never spoke, and i never asked her a question. she seemed to be willing to do as you had arranged." "sit down, peter. i never felt more unhappy, or more disgusted with myself in all my life. i feel as if i never could be happy again. a sailor's life mixes him up with the worst part of the female sex, and we do not know the real value of the better. i little thought when i was talking nonsense to that poor girl, that i was breaking one of the kindest hearts in the world, and sacrificing the happiness of one who would lay down her existence for me, peter. since you have been gone, it's twenty times that i've looked in the glass just to see whether i don't look like a villain. but, by the blood of st patrick! i thought woman's _love_ was just like our own, and that a three months' cruise would set all to rights again." "i thought she had gone over to france." "so did i; but now she has told me all about it. father m'dermot[ ] and her mother brought her down to the coast near here to embark in a smuggling boat for dieppe. when the boat pulled in-shore in the night to take them in, the mother and the rascally priest got in, but she felt as if it was leaving the whole world to leave the country i was in, and she held back. the officers came down, one or two pistols were fired, and the boat shoved off without her, and she, with their luggage, was left on the beach. she went back to the next town with the officers, where she told the truth of the story, and they let her go. in father m'dermot's luggage she found letters, which she read, and found out that she and her mother were to have been placed in a convent at dieppe; and, as the convent was named in the letters,--which she says are very important, but i have not had courage to read them yet,--she went to the people from whose house they had embarked, requesting them to forward the luggage and a letter to her mother--sending everything but the letters, which she reserved for me. she has since received a letter from her mother, telling her that she is safe and well in the convent, and begging her to come over to her as soon as possible. the mother took the vows a week after she arrived there, so we know where to find her, peter." "and where is the poor girl going to stay now, o'brien?" "that's all the worst part of it. it appears that she hoped not to be found out till after we had sailed, and then to have, as she said, poor thing! to have laid at my feet and watched over me in the storms; but i pointed out to her that it was not permitted, and that i would not be allowed to marry her. o peter! this is a very sad business," continued o'brien, passing his hand across his eyes. "well, but, o'brien, what is to become of the poor girl?" "she is going home to be with my father and mother, hoping one day that i shall come back and marry her. i have written to father m'grath, to see what he can do." "have you then not undeceived her?" "father m'grath must do that, i could not. it would have been the death of her. it would have stabbed her to the heart, and it's not for me to give that blow. i'd sooner have died--sooner have married her, than have done it, peter. perhaps when i'm far away she'll bear it better. father m'grath will manage it." "o'brien, i don't like that father m'grath." "well, peter, you may be right; i don't exactly like all he says myself; but what is a man to do?--either he is a catholic, and believes as a catholic, or he is not one. will i abandon my religion, now that it is persecuted? never, peter: i hope not, without i find a much better, at all events. still i do not like to feel that this advice of my confessor is at variance with my own conscience. father m'grath is a worldly man; but that only proves that he is wrong, not that our religion is--and i don't mind speaking to you on this subject. no one knows that i'm a catholic except yourself: and at the admiralty they never asked me to take that oath which i never would have taken, although father m'grath says i may take any oath i please with what he calls heretics, and he will grant me absolution. peter, my dear fellow, say no more about it." i did not; but i may as well end the history of poor ella flanagan at once, as she will not appear again. about three months afterwards, we received a letter from father m'grath, stating that the girl had arrived safe, and had been a great comfort to o'brien's father and mother, who wished her to remain with them altogether; that father m'grath, had told her that when a man took his commission as captain it was all the same as going into a monastery as a monk, for he never could marry. the poor girl believed him, and thinking that o'brien was lost to her for ever, with the advice of father m'grath, had entered as a nun in one of the religious houses in ireland, that, as she said, she might pray for him night and day. many years afterwards, we heard of her--she was well, and not unhappy; but o'brien never forgot his behaviour to this poor girl. it was a source of continual regret; and i believe, until the last day of his existence, his heart smote him for his inconsiderate conduct towards her. but i must leave this distressing topic, and return to the _rattlesnake_, which had now arrived at the west indies, and joined the admiral at jamaica. [footnote : the worthy priest formerly called father o'toole.--ed.] chapter xliii description of the coast of martinique--popped at for peeping--no heroism in making oneself a target--board a miniature noah's ark, under yankee colours--capture a french slaver--parrot soup in lieu of mock turtle. we found orders at barbadoes to cruise off martinique, to prevent supplies being furnished to the garrison of the island, and we proceeded there immediately. i do not know anything more picturesque than running down the east side of this beautiful island--the ridges of hill spreading down to the water's edge, covered with the freshest verdure, divided at the base by small bays, with the beach of dazzling white sand, and where the little coasting vessels employed to bring the sugar from the neighbouring estates were riding at anchor. each hill, at its adjutment towards the sea, crowned with a fort, on which waved the tri-colour--certainly, in appearance, one of the most war-like flags in the world. on the third morning we had rounded the diamond rock, and were scudding along the lee-side of the island just opening fort royal bay, when hauling rather too close round its eastern entrance, formed by a promontory called solomon's point, which was covered with brush-wood, we found ourselves nearer than agreeable to a newly constructed battery. a column of smoke was poured along the blue water, and it was followed by the whizzing of a shot, which passed through our boom main sail, first cutting away the dog-vane, which was close to old swinburne's head, as he stood on the carronade, conning the brig. i was at dinner in the cabin with o'brien and the first lieutenant. "where the devil have they got the brig now?" said o'brien, rising from his chair, and going on deck. we both followed; but before we were on deck, three or four more shot passed between the masts. "if you please, sir," said the master's mate in charge of the deck, whose name was o'farrell, "the battery has opened upon us." "thank you very much for your information, mr o'farrell," replied o'brien; "but the french have reported it before you. may i ask if you've any particular fancy to be made a target of, or if you think that his majesty's brig _rattlesnake_ was sent here to be riddled for nothing at all? starboard the helm, quartermaster." the helm was put up, and the brig was soon run out of the fire; not, however, until a few more shot were pitched close to us, and one carried away the foretopmast backstay. "now, mr o'farrell," replied o'brien, "i only wish to point out to you that i trust neither i nor any one in this ship cares a fig about the whizzing of a shot or two about our ears when there is anything to be gained for it, either for ourselves or for our country; but i do care a great deal about losing even the leg or the arm, much more the life of any of my men, when there's no occasion for it; so, in future, recollect it's no disgrace to keep out of the way of a battery when all the advantage is on their side. i've always observed that chance shots pick out the best men. lower down the mainsail, and send the sailmakers aft to repair it." when o'brien returned to the cabin i remained on deck, for it was my afternoon watch; and although o'farrell had permission to look out for me, i did not choose to go down again. the bay of fort royal was now opened, and the view was extremely beautiful. swinburne was still on the carronade; and as i knew he had been there before, i applied to him for information as to the _locale_. he told me the names of the batteries above the town, pointed out fort edward and negro point, and particularly pigeon island, the battery at the top of which wore the appearance of a mural crown. "it's well i remember that place, mr simple," said he. "it was in ' when i was last here. the sodgers had 'sieged it for a whole month, and were about to give it up, 'cause they couldn't get a gun up on that 'ere hill you see there. so poor captain faulkner says, 'there's many a clear head under a tarpaulin hat, and i'll give any chap five doubloons that will hitch up a twenty-four pounder to the top of that hill.' not quite so easy a matter, as you may perceive from here, mr simple." "it certainly appears to me to have been almost impossible, swinburne," replied i. "and so it did to most of us, mr simple; but there was one dick smith, mate of a transport, who had come on shore, and he steps out, saying, 'i've been looking at your men handling that gun, and my opinion is, that if you gets a butt, crams in a carronade, well woulded up, and fill it with old junk and rope yarns, you might parbuckle it up to the very top.' so captain faulkner pulls out five doubloons, and gives them to him, saying, 'you deserve the money for the hint, even if it don't succeed.' but it did succeed, mr simple; and the next day, to their surprise, we opened fire on the french beggars, and soon brought their boasting down. one of the french officers, after he was taken prisoner, axed me how we had managed to get the gun up there; but i wasn't going to blow the gaff, so i told him, as a great secret, that we got it up with a kite, upon which he opened all his eyes, and crying '_sacre bleu!_' walked away, believing all i said was true; but a'n't that a sail we have opened with the point, mr simple?" it was so, and i reported it to o'brien, who came up and gave chase. in half an hour we were alongside of her, when she hoisted american colours, and proved to be a brigantine laden up to her gunwale, which was not above a foot out of the water. her cargo consisted of what the americans called _notions_; that is, in english, an assorted cargo. half-way up her masts down to the deck were hung up baskets containing apples, potatoes, onions, and nuts of various kinds. her deck was crowded with cattle, sheep, pigs, and donkeys. below was full of shingle, lumber, and a variety of different articles too numerous to mention. i boarded her, and asked the master whither he was bound? "why," replied he, "i am bound for a market--nowise particular; and i guess you won't stop me." "not if all's right," replied i; "but i must look at your log." "well, i've a notion there's no great objection to that," replied he; and he brought it up on deck. i had no great time to examine it, but i could not help being amused at the little i did read, such as--"horse latitudes--water very short-- killed white-faced bullock--caught a dolphin, and ate him for dinner-- broached molasses cask no. i, letter a. fine night--saw little round things floating on the water--took up a bucket full--guessed they were pearls--judge i guessed wrong, only little portuguese men-of-war--threw them overboard again--heard a scream, guessed it was a mermaid--looked out, saw nothing. witnessed a very strange rippling ahead--calculated it might be the sea-serpent--stood on to see him plain, and nearly ran on barbuda. hauled off again--met a britisher--treated _politely_." having overhauled his log, i then begged to overhaul his men to ascertain if there were any englishmen among his crew. this was not pleasing, and he grumbled very much; but they were ordered aft. one man i was satisfied was an englishman, and told him so; but the man as well as the master persisted to the contrary. nevertheless, i resolved to take him on board for o'brien to decide, and ordered him into the boat. "well, if you will use force, i can't help it. my decks an't clear as you see, or else--i tell you what, mr lieutenant, your vessel there will be another _hermione_, i've a notion, if you presses true-blooded yankees; and, what's more, the states will take it up, as sure as there's snakes in virginny." notwithstanding this remonstrance, i took them on board to o'brien, who had a long conversation with the american in the cabin. when they returned on deck he was allowed to depart with his man, and we again made sail. i had the first watch that night, and as we ran along the coast i perceived a vessel under the high land in what the sailors called the _doldrums_; that is, almost becalmed, or her sails flapping about in every direction with the eddying winds. we steered for her, and were very soon in the same situation, not more than a quarter of a mile from her. the quarter-boat was lowered down, and i proceeded to board her; but as she was large and rakish, o'brien desired me to be careful, and if there was the least show of resistance to return. as i pulled up to her bows they hailed me in french, and desired me to keep off, or they would fire. this was quite sufficient; and, in obedience to my orders, i returned to the brig and reported to o'brien. we lowered down all the quarter-boats, and towed round the brig's broadside to her, and then gave her half a dozen carronades of round and grape. hearing great noise and confusion on board after we had ceased firing, o'brien again sent me to know if they had surrendered. they replied in the affirmative, and i boarded her. she proved to be the _commerce de bordeaux_, with three hundred and thirty slaves on board, out of five hundred embarked from the coast, bound to martinique. the crew were very sickly, and were most of them in their hammocks. latterly, they had been killing parrots to make soup for them; a few that were left, of the grey species, spoke remarkably well. when they left the coast they had nearly one thousand parrots on board. o'brien perceiving that i had taken possession, sent another boat to know what the vessel was. i desired the surgeon to be sent on board, as some of the men and many of the poor slaves were wounded by our shot. of all the miserable objects, i know of none to be compared to the poor devils of slaves on board of a slave vessel: the state of suffocation between decks--the dreadful stench arising from their filth, which is hardly ever cleared away--the sick lying without help, and looked upon by those who are stronger with the utmost indifference--men, women, and children, all huddled and crowded together in a state of nudity, worn to skin and bone from stench, starvation, and living in an atmosphere that none but a negro could exist in. if all that occurs in a slave-ship were really known, i think it would be acknowledged that to make the slave-trade piracy would be nothing more than a just retribution; and this is certain, that unless it be made piracy, it never will be discontinued. by daylight the vessel was ready, and o'brien determined to take her to dominica, so that the poor devils might be immediately sent on shore. we anchored with her, in a few days, in prince rupert's bay, where we only had twenty-four hours to obtain some refreshments and arrange about our prize, which i hardly need say was of some value. during the short time that i was on shore, purchasing some fowls and vegetables for o'brien and our own mess, i was amused at witnessing a black serjeant drilling some of his regiment of free negroes and mulattoes. he appeared resolved to make the best appearance that he could, for he began by saying, "you hab shoe and 'tocking, stand in front--you hab shoe no 'tocking, stand in centre--you hab no shoe no 'tocking, stand in um rear. face to mountain--back to sea-beach. why you no 'tep out, sar?--you hangman!" i was curious to count the numbers qualified for the front rank: there were only two mulattoes. in the second rank there were also only two. no shoe and no 'tocking appeared to be the fashion. as usual, we were surrounded by the negroes; and although we had been there but a few hours, they had a song composed for us, which they constantly repeated:-- "don't you see the _rattlesnake_ coming under sail? don't you see the _rattlesnake_ with prizes at um tail?--' _rattlesnake_ hab all the money--ding, ding-- she shall have all that's funny, ding, ding!" chapter xliv money can purchase anything in the new country--american information not always to be depended upon--a night attack; we are beaten off--it proves a _cut up_, instead of a _cut out_--after all, we save something out of the fire. the next morning we weighed anchor, and returned to our station off martinique. we had run within three miles of st pierre's when we discovered a vessel coming out under jury-masts. she steered directly for us, and we made her out to be the american brigantine which we had boarded some time before. o'brien sent a boat to bring the master of her on board. "well, captain," said he, "so you met with a squall?" "i calculate not," replied he. "why, then, what the devil have you been about?" "why, i guess i sold all my cargo, and, what's more, i've sold my masts." "sold your masts! who did you sell them to?" "to an almighty pretty french privateer lying in st pierre's, which had lost her spars when she was chased by one of your brass-bottomed sarpents; and i've a notion they paid pretty handsomely too." "but how do you mean to get home again?" "i calculate to get into the _stream_, and then i'll do very well. if i meet a nor-wester, why then i'll make a signal of distress, and some one will tow me in, i guess." "well," replied o'brien, "but step down into the cabin and take something, captain." "with particular pleasure," replied this strange mortal; and down they went. in about half an hour they returned on deck, and the boat took the american on board. soon afterwards, o'brien desired osbaldistone and myself to step down into the cabin. the chart of the harbour of st pierre's lay on the table, and o'brien said, "i have had a long conversation with the american, and he states that the privateer is at anchor in this spot" (pointing to a pencil-mark on the chart). "if so, she is well out; and i see no difficulty in capturing her. you see that she lays in four fathoms water, and so close under the outer battery, that the guns could not be pointed down upon the boats. i have also inquired if they keep a good look-out, and the american says that they feel so secure that they keep no look-out at all; that the captain and officers belonging to her are on shore all night, drinking, smoking, and boasting of what they will do. now the question is, whether this report be correct. the american has been well-treated by us, and i see no reason to doubt him; indeed, he gave the information voluntarily, as if he wished to serve us." i allowed osbaldistone to speak first: he coincided with o'brien. i did not: the very circumstance of her requiring new masts made me doubt the truth of his assertion as to where she lay; and if one part of his story was false, why not the whole? o'brien appeared struck with my argument, and it was agreed that if the boats did go away, it should be for a reconnoissance, and that the attempt should only be made, provided it was found that the privateer laid in the same spot pointed out by the american master. it was, however, decided that the reconnoissance should take place that very night, as, allowing the privateer to be anchored on the spot supposed, there was every probability that she would not remain there, but haul further in, to take in her new masts. the news that an expedition was at hand was soon circulated through the ship, and all the men had taken their cutlasses from the capstern to get them ready for action. the lighting boats' crews, without orders, were busy with their boats, some cutting up old blankets to muffle the oars, other making new grummets. the ship's company were as busy as bees, bustling and buzzing about the decks, and reminding you of the agitation which takes place in a hive previous to a swarm. at last, osbaldistone came on deck, and ordered the boats' crews to be piped away, and prepare for service. he was to have the command of the expedition in the launch--i had charge of the first cutter--o'farrell of the second, and swinburne had the charge of the jolly-boat. at dusk, the head of the brig was again turned towards st pierre's, and we ran slowly in. at ten we hove-to, and about eleven the boats were ordered to haul up, o'brien repeating his orders to mr osbaldistone, not to make the attempt if the privateer were found to be anchored close to the town. the men were all mustered on the quarter-deck, to ascertain if they had the distinguishing mark on their jackets, that is, square patches of canvas sewed on the left arm, so that we might recognize friend from foe--a very necessary precaution in a night expedition; and then they were manned, and ordered to shove off. the oars were dropped in the water, throwing out a phosphorescent light, so common in that climate, and away we went. after an hour's pulling, osbaldistone lay on his oars in the launch, and we closed with him. "we are now at the mouth of the harbour," said he, "and the most perfect silence must be observed." "at the mouth of the harbour, sir!" said swinburne; "i reckon we are more than half way in; we passed the point at least ten minutes ago, and this is the second battery we are now abreast of." to this osbaldistone did not agree, nor indeed did i think that swinburne was right; but he persisted in it, and pointed out to us the lights in the town, which were now all open to us, and which would not be the case if we were only at the mouth of the harbour. still we were of a different opinion, and swinburne, out of respect to his officers, said no more. we resumed our oars, pulling with the greatest caution; the night was intensely dark, and we could distinguish nothing. after pulling ten minutes more, we appeared to be close to the lights in the town; still we could see no privateer or any other vessel. again we lay upon our oars, and held a consultation. swinburne declared that if the privateer laid where we supposed, we had passed her long ago; but while we were debating, o'farrell cried out, "i see her," and he was right--she was not more than a cable's length from us. without waiting for orders, o'farrell desired his men to give way, and dashed alongside of the privateer. before he was half-way on board of her, lights flew about in every direction, and a dozen muskets were discharged. we had nothing to do but to follow him, and in a few seconds we were all alongside of her; but she was well prepared, and on the alert. boarding nettings were triced up all round, every gun had been depressed as much as possible, and she appeared to be full of men. a scene of confusion and slaughter now occurred, which i trust never again to witness. all our attempts to get on board were unavailing; if we tried at a port, a dozen pikes thrust us back; if we attempted the boarding nettings, we were thrown down, killed or wounded, into the boats. from every port, and from the decks of the privateer, the discharge of musketry was incessant. pistols were protruded and fired in our faces, while occasionally her carronades went off, stunning us with their deafening noise, and rocking the boats in the disturbed water, if they had no other effect. for ten minutes our exertions never ceased; at last, with half our numbers lying killed and wounded in the bottom of the boats, the men, worn out and dispirited at their unavailing attempts, sat down most of them on the boats' thwarts, loading their muskets, and discharging them into the ports. osbaldistone was among the wounded; and perceiving that he was not in the launch, of whose crew not six remained, i called to swinburne, who was alongside of me, and desired him to tell the other boats to make the best of their way out of the harbour. this was soon communicated to the survivors, who would have continued the unequal contest to the last man, if i had not given the order. the launch and second cutter shoved off--o'farrell also having fallen; and, as soon as they were clear of the privateer, and had got their oars to pass, i proceeded to do the same, amidst the shouts and yells of the frenchmen, who now jumped on their gunwale and pelted us with their musketry, cheering, and mocking us. "stop, sir," cried swinburne, "we'll have a bit of revenge;" so saying, he hauled-to the launch, and wending her bow to the privateer, directed her carronade--which they had no idea that we had on board, as we had not fired it--to where the frenchmen were crowded the thickest. "stop one moment, swinburne; put another dose of canister in." we did so, and then discharged the gun, which had the most murderous effect, bringing the major part of them down upon the deck. i feel convinced, from the cries and groans which followed, that if we had had a few more men, we might have returned and captured the privateer; but it was too late. the batteries were all lighted up, and although they could not see the boats, fired in the direction where they supposed us to be; for they were aware, from the shouting on board the vessel, that we had been beaten off. the launch had but six hands capable of taking an oar; the first cutter had but four. in my own boat i had five. swinburne had two besides himself in the jolly-boat. "this is a sorry business, sir," said swinburne; "now, what's best to be done? my idea is, that we had better put all the wounded men into the launch, man the two cutters and jolly-boat, and tow her off. and, mr simple, instead of keeping on this side, as they will expect in the batteries, let us keep close in-shore, upon the near side, and their shot will pass over us." this advice was too good not to be followed. it was now two o'clock, and we had a long pull before us, and no time to lose: we lifted the dead bodies and the wounded men out of the two cutters and jolly-boat into the launch. i had no time for examination, but i perceived that o'farrell was quite dead, and also a youngster of the name of pepper, who must have smuggled himself into the boats. i did, however, look for osbaldistone, and found him in the stern sheets of the launch. he had received a deep wound in the breast, apparently with a pike. he was sensible, and asked me for a little water, which i procured from the breaker which was in the launch, and gave it to him. at the word water, and hearing it poured out from the breaker, many of the wounded men faintly called out for some. having no time to spare, i left two men in the launch, one to steer and the other to give them water, and then taking her in tow, pulled directly in for the batteries, as advised by swinburne, who now sat alongside of me. as soon as we were well in-shore, i pulled out of the harbour, with feelings not by any means enviable. swinburne said to me in a low voice, "this will be a hard blow for the captain, mr simple. i've always been told, that a young captain losing his men without bringing any dollars to his admiral, is not very well received." "i am more sorry for him than i can well express, swinburne," replied i; "but--what is that a-head--a vessel under weigh?" swinburne stood up in the stern of the cutter, and looked for a few seconds. "yes, a large ship standing in under royals--she must be a frenchman. now's our time, sir; so long as we don't go out empty-handed, all will be well. oars, all of you. shall we cast off the launch, sir?" "yes," replied i; "and now, my lads, let us only have the vessel, and we shall do. she is a merchantman, that's clear (not that i was sure of it). swinburne, i think it will be better to let her pass us in-shore; they will all be looking out of the other side, for they must have seen the firing." "well thought of, sir," replied swinburne. we laid on our oars, and let her pass us, which she did, creeping in at the rate of two miles an hour. we then pulled for her quarter in the three boats, leaving the launch behind us, and boarded. as we premised, the crew were on deck, and all on the other side of the vessel, so anxiously looking at the batteries, which were still firing occasional random shot, that they did not perceive us until we were close to them, and then they had no time to seize their arms. there were several ladies on board; some of the people protected them, others ran below. in two minutes we had possession of her, and had put her head the other way. to our surprise we found that she mounted fourteen guns. one hatch we left open for the ladies, some of whom had fainted, to be taken down below; the others were fastened down by swinburne. as soon as we had the deck to ourselves, we manned one of the cutters, and sent it for the launch; and as soon as she was made fast alongside, we had time to look about us. the breeze freshened, and, in half an hour, we were out of gun-shot of all the batteries. i then had the wounded men taken out of the launch, and swinburne and the other men bound up their wounds, and made them as comfortable as they could. chapter xlv some remarkable occurrences take place in the letter of marque--old friends with improved faces--the captor a captive; but not carried away, though the captive is, by the ship's boat--the whole chapter a mixture of love, war, and merchandise. we had had possession of the vessel about an hour, when the man who was sentry over the hatchway told me that one or the prisoners wished to speak with the english commanding officer, and asked leave to come on deck. i gave permission, and a gentleman came up, stating that he was a passenger; that the ship was a letter of marque, from bordeaux; that there were seven lady passengers on board, who had come out to join their husbands and families; and that he trusted i would have no objection to put them on shore, as women could hardly be considered as objects of warfare. as i knew that o'brien would have done so, and that he would be glad to get rid of both women and prisoners if he could, i replied "most certainly;" that i would heave-to, that they might not have so far to pull on shore, and that i would permit the ladies and other passengers to go on shore. i begged that they would be as quick as possible in getting their packages ready, and that i would give them two of the boats belonging to the ship, with a sufficient number of french seamen belonging to her to man the boats. the frenchman was very grateful, thanked me in the name of the ladies, and went down below to impart the intelligence. i then hove-to, lowered down the boats from the quarters, and waited for them to come up. it was daylight before they were ready, but that i did not care about; i saw the brig in the offing about seven miles off, and i was well clear of the batteries. at last they made their appearance, one by one coming up the ladder, escorted by french gentlemen. they had to wait while the packages and bundles were put into the boats. the first sight which struck them with horror was the many dead and wounded englishmen lying on the decks. expressing their commiseration, i told them that we had attempted to take the privateer, and had been repulsed, and that it was coming out of the harbour that i had fallen in with their ship and captured it. all the ladies had severally thanked me for my kindness in giving them their liberty, except one, whose eyes were fixed upon the wounded men, when the french gentleman went up to her, and reminded her that she had not expressed her thanks to the commanding officer. she turned round to me--i started back. i certainly had seen that face before--i could not be mistaken; yet she had now grown up into a beautiful young woman. "celeste," said i, trembling. "are you not celeste?" "yes," replied she, looking earnestly at me, as if she would discover who i was, but which it was not very easy to do, begrimed as my face was with dust and gunpowder. "have you forgotten peter simple?" "oh! no--no--never forgot you!" cried celeste, bursting into tears, and holding out her hands. this scene occasioned no small astonishment to the parties on deck, who could not comprehend it. she smiled through her tears, as i told her how happy i was to have the means of being of service to her. "and where is the colonel?" said i. "there," replied she, pointing to the island; "he is now general, and commands the force in the garrison. and where is mr o'brien?" interrogated celeste. "there," replied i; "he commands that man-of-war, of which i am the second lieutenant." a rapid exchange of inquiries took place, and the boats were stopped while we were in conversation. swinburne reported that the brig was standing in for us, and i felt that in justice to the wounded i could no longer delay. still i found time to press her hand, to thank her for the purse she had given me when i was on the stilts, and to tell her that i had never forgotten her, and never would. with many remembrances to her father, i was handing her into the boat, when she said, "i don't know whether i am right to ask it, but you could do me such a favour." "what is it, celeste?" "you have allowed more than one-half of the men to pull us on shore; some must remain, and they are so miserable--indeed it is hardly yet decided which of them are to go. could you let them all go?" "that i will, for your sake, celeste. as soon as your two boats have shoved off, i will lower down the boat astern, and send the rest after you; but i must make sail now--god bless you!" the boats then shoved off, the passengers waving their handkerchiefs to us, and i made sail for the brig. as soon as the stern-boat was alongside, the rest of the crew were called up and put into her, and followed their companions. i felt that o'brien would not be angry with me for letting them all go: and especially when i told him who begged for them. the vessel's name was the _victorine_, mounting fourteen guns, and twenty-four men, with eleven passengers. she was chiefly laden with silks and wine, and was a very valuable prize. celeste had time to tell me that her father had been four years in martinique, and had left her at home for her education; and that she was then coming out to join him. the other ladies were all wives or daughters of officers of the french garrison on the island, and the gentlemen passengers were some of them french officers; but as this was told me in secrecy, of course i was not bound to know it, as they were not in uniform. as soon as we had closed with the brig, i hastened on board to o'brien; and as soon as a fresh supply of hands to man the boats, and the surgeon had been despatched on board of the prize, to superintend the removal of the wounded, i went down with him into the cabin, and narrated what had occurred. "well," said o'brien, "all's well that ends well; but this is not the luckiest hit in the world. your taking the ship has saved me, peter; and i must make as flourishing a despatch as i can. by the powers but it's very lucky that she has fourteen guns--it sounds grand. i must muddle it all up together, so that the admiral must think we intended to cut them both out--and so we did, sure enough, if we had known she had been there. but i am most anxious to hear the surgeon's report, and whether poor osbaldistone will do well. peter, oblige me by going on board, and put two marines sentry over the hatchway, so that no one goes down and pulls the traps about; for i'll send on shore everything belonging to the passengers, for colonel o'brien's sake." the surgeon's report was made--six killed and sixteen wounded. the killed were, o'farren and pepper, midshipmen, two seamen and two marines. the first lieutenant, osbaldistone, was severely wounded in three places, but likely to do well; five other men were dangerously wounded: the other ten would, in all probability, return to their duty in less than a month. as soon as the wounded were on board, o'brien returned with me to the prize, and we went down into the cabin. all the passengers' effects were collected; the trunks which had been left open were nailed down: and o'brien wrote a handsome letter to general o'brien, containing a list of the packages sent on shore. we sent the launch with a flag of truce to the nearest battery; after some demur it was accepted, and effects landed. we did not wait for an answer, but made all sail to join the admiral at barbadoes. the next morning we buried those who had fallen. o'farrell was a fine young man, brave as a lion, but very hot in his temper. he would have made a good officer had he been spared. poor little pepper was also much regretted. he was but twelve years old. he had bribed the bowman of the second cutter to allow him to conceal himself under the fore-sheets of the boat. his day's allowance of spirits had purchased him this object of his ambition, which ended so fatally. but as soon as the bodies had disappeared under the wave, and the service was over, we all felt happier. there is something very unpleasant, particularly to sailors, in having a corpse on board. we now sailed merrily along, the prize keeping company with us; and, before we reached barbadoes, most of the men were convalescent. osbaldistone's wounds, were, however, very severe; and he was recommended to return home, which he did, and obtained his promotion as soon as he arrived. he was a pleasant messmate, and i was sorry to lose him; although, the lieutenant appointed in his room being junior to me, i was promoted to be first lieutenant of the brig. soon after osbaldistone went home, his brother broke his neck when hunting, and osbaldistone came into the property. he then quitted the service. we found the admiral at barbadoes, who received o'brien and his despatch very well. o'brien had taken two good prizes, and that was sufficient to cover a multitude of sins, even if he had committed any; but the despatch was admirably written, and the admiral, in his letter to the admiralty, commented upon captain o'brien's successful and daring attack; whereas, if the truth had been known, it was swinburne's advice of pulling up the weather shore, which was the occasion of our capturing the _victorine_; but it is very hard to come at the real truth of these sort of things, as i found out during the time that i was in his majesty's service. chapter xlvi o'brien tells his crew that one englishman is as good as three frenchmen on salt water--they prove it--we fall in with an old acquaintance, although she could not be considered as a friend. our next cruise was on the coast of guinea and gulf of mexico, where we were running up and down for three months, without falling in with anything but west indiamen bound to demerara, berbice, and surinam, and occasionally chasing a privateer; but in the light winds they were too fast for us. still we were useful in protecting the trade, and o'brien had a letter of thanks from the merchants, and a handsome piece of plate upon his quitting the station. we had made sail for barbadoes two days, and were within sight of the island of trinidad, when we perceived six sail on the lee-bow. we soon made them out to be three large ships and three schooners; and immediately guessed, which afterwards proved to be correct, that they were three privateers, with west india ships which they had captured. we made all sail, and at first the three privateers did the same; but afterwards, having made out our force, and not liking to abandon their prizes, they resolved to fight. the west indiamen hauled to the wind on the other tack, and the three privateers shortened sail and awaited our coming. we beat to quarters, and when everything was ready, and we were within a mile of the enemy, who had now thrown out the tri-coloured flag, o'brien ordered all the men aft on the quarter-deck, and addressed them: "now, my men, you see that there are three privateers, and you also see that there are three west indiamen, which they have captured. as for the privateers, it's just a fair match for you one englishman can always beat three frenchmen. we must lick the privateers for honour and glory, and we must re-capture the ships for profit, because you'll all want some money when you get on shore again. so you've just half-a-dozen things to do, and then we'll pipe to dinner." this harangue suited the sailors very well, and they returned to their guns. "now, peter," said o'brien, "just call away the sail-trimmers from the guns, for i mean to fight these fellows under sail, and out-manoeuvre them, if i can. tell mr webster i want to speak with him." mr webster was the second lieutenant, a very steady, quiet young man, and a good officer. "mr webster," said o'brien, "remember that all the foremost guns must be very much depressed. i prefer that the shot should strike the water before it reaches them, rather than it should go over them. see that your screws are run up at once, and i will take care that no broadside is thrown away. starboard, swinburne." "starboard it is, sir." "steady; so--that's right for the stern of the leeward vessel." we were within two cable lengths of the privateers, who still remained hove-to within half a cable's length of each other. they were very large schooners, full of men, with their boarding netting triced up, and showing a very good set of teeth: as it afterwards proved, one mounted sixteen, and the other two fourteen, guns. "now, my lads, over to the lee guns, and fire as they bear, when we round to. hands by the lee head-braces, and jib-sheet, stretch along the weather braces. quarter-master abaft, tend the boom-sheet. port hard, swinburne." "port it is, sir," replied swinburne; and the brig rounded up on the wind, shooting up under the sterns of the two weathermost schooners, and discharging the broadsides into them as the guns bore. "be smart and load, my lads, and stand by the same guns. round in the weather head-braces. peter, i don't want her to go about. stand by to haul over the boom-sheet, when she pays off. swinburne, helm amidships." by this time another broadside was poured into the schooner, who had not yet returned our fire, which, having foolishly remained hove to the wind, they could not do. the brig had now stern way, and o'brien then executed a very skilful manoeuvre: he shifted the helm, and made a stern board, so as to back in between the two weather schooners and the one to leeward, bracing round at the same time on the other tack. "man both sides, my lads, and give them your broadsides as we pass." the men stationed at the starboard guns flew over, and the other side being again loaded, we exchanged broadsides with the leeward and one of the windward schooners, the brig continuing her stern way until we passed ahead of them. by the time that we had re-loaded, the brig had gathered headway, and again passed between the same two schooners, exchanging broadsides, and then passing astern of them. "capital, my lads--capital!" said o'brien; "this is what i call good fighting." and so it was; for o'brien had given two raking broadsides, and four others, receiving only two in return, for the schooners were not ready for us when we passed between them the last time. the smoke had now rolled away to leeward, and we were able to see the effect of our broadsides. the middle schooner had lost her main-boom, and appeared very much cut up in the hull. the schooner to leeward did not appear to have suffered much; but they now perceived their error, and made sail. they had expected that we should have run in between them, and fought broadside to broadside, by which means the weathermost schooner would have taken a raking position, while the others engaged us to windward and to leeward. our own damages were trifling--two men slightly wounded, and one main shroud cut away. we ran about half a mile astern from them; then with both broadsides ready, we tacked, and found that, as we expected, we could weather the whole of them. this we did; o'brien running the brig within biscuit-throw of the weather schooner, engaging him broadside to broadside, with the advantage that the other two could not fire a shot into us without standing a chance of striking their consort. if he made more sail, so did we; if he shortened, so did we; so as to keep our position with little variation. the schooner fought well; but her metal was not to be compared with our thirty-two pound carronades, which ploughed up her sides at so short a distance, driving two ports into one. at last her foremast went by the board, and she dropped astern. in the meantime the other schooners had both tacked, and were coming up under our stern to rake us, but the accident which happened to the one we had engaged left us at liberty. we knew that she could not escape, so we tacked and engaged the other two, nearing them as fast as we could. the breeze now sprang up fast, and o'brien put up the helm and passed between them, giving them both a raking broadside of grape and cannister, which brought the sticks about their ears. this sickened them; the smallest schooner, which had been the leewardmost at the commencement of the action, made all sail on a wind. we clapped on the royals to follow her, when we perceived that the other schooner, which had been in the middle, and whose main-boom we had shot away, had put her helm up, and was crowding all sail before the wind. o'brien then said, "must not try for too much, or we shall lose all. put her about, peter, we must be content with the one that is left us." we went about, and ranged up to the schooner which had lost her foremast; but she, finding that her consort had deserted her, hauled down her colours just as we were about to pour in our broadside. our men gave three cheers; and it was pleasant to see them all shaking hands with each other, congratulating and laughing at the successful result of our action. "now, my lads, be smart;--we've done enough for honour, now for profit. peter, take the two cutters full of men, and go on board of the schooner, while i get hold of the three west indiamen. rig something jury forward, and follow me." in a minute the cutters were down and full of men. i took possession of the schooner, while the brig again tacked, and crowding all sail stood after the captured vessels. the schooner, which was the largest of the three, was called the _jean d' arc_, mounting sixteen guns, and had fifty-three men on board, the remainder being away in the prizes. the captain was wounded very badly, and one officer killed. out of her ship's company, she had but eight killed and five wounded. they informed me, that they had sailed three months ago from st pierre's, martinique, and had fallen in with the other two privateers, and cruised in company, having taken nine west indiamen since they had come out. "pray," said i to the officer who gave the information, "were you ever attacked by boats when you laid at st pierre's?" he replied, yes; and that they had beaten them off. "did you purchase these masts of an american?" he replied in the affirmative; so that we had captured the very vessel, in attempting to cut out which, we had lost so many men. we were all very glad of this, and swinburne said, "well, hang me if i didn't think that i had seen that port-hole before; there it was that i wrenched a pike out of one of the rascal's hands, who tried to stab me, and into that port-hole i fired at least a dozen muskets. well, i'm d----d glad we've got hold of the beggar at last." we secured the prisoners below, and commenced putting the schooner in order. in half an hour, we had completed our knotting and splicing, and having two of the carpenters with us, in an hour we had got up a small jury mast forward, sufficient for the present. we lowered the mainsail, put try-sails on her, and stood after the brig, which was now close to the prizes; but they separated, and it was not till dark that she had possession of two. the third was then hull down on the other tack, with the brig in chase. we followed the brig, as did the two re-captured vessels, and even with our jury up, we found that we could sail as fast as they. the next morning, we saw the brig hove-to, and about three miles a-head, with the three vessels in her possession. we closed, and i went on board. webster was put in charge of the privateer; and, after lying-to for that day to send our prize-masters and men on board to remove the prisoners, we got up a proper jury-mast, and all made sail together for barbadoes. on my return on board, i found that we had but one man and one boy killed and six wounded, which i was not aware of. i forgot to say that the names of the other two privateers were _l'etoile_ and _la madeleine_. in a fortnight we arrived with all our prizes safe in carlisle bay, where we found the admiral, who had anchored but two days before. i hardly need say that o'brien was well received, and gained a great deal of credit for the action. i found several letters from my sister, the contents of which gave me much pain. my father had been some months in ireland, and returned without gaining any information. my sister said that he was very unhappy, paid no attention to his clerical duties, and would sit for days without speaking. that he was very much altered in his appearance, and had grown thin and care-worn. "in short," said she "my dear peter, i am afraid that he is fretting himself to death. of course, i am very lonely and melancholy. i cannot help reflecting upon what will be my situation if any accident should happen to my father. accept my uncle's protection i will not; yet, how am i to live, for my father has saved nothing? i have been very busy lately, trying to qualify myself for a governess, and practise the harp and piano for several hours every day. i shall be very, very glad when you come home again." i showed the letters to o'brien, who read them with much attention. i perceived the colour mount into his cheeks, when he read those parts of her letters in which she mentioned his name, and expressed her gratitude for his kindness towards me. "never mind, peter," said o'brien, returning me the letters; "to whom is it that i am indebted for my promotion, and this brig, but to you--and for all the prize-money which i have made, and which, by the head of st patrick, comes to a very dacent sum, but to you? make yourself quite easy about your dear little sister. we'll club your prize-money and mine together, and she shall marry a duke, if there is one in england deserving her; and it's the french that shall furnish her dowry, as sure as the _rattlesnake_ carries a tail." chapter xlvii i am sent away after prizes, and meet with a hurricane--am driven on shore, with the loss of more than half my men--where is the _rattlesnake?_ in three weeks we were again ready for sea, and the admiral ordered us to our old station off martinique. we had cruised about a fortnight off st pierre's, and, as i walked the deck at night, often did i look at the lights in the town, and wonder whether any of them were in the presence of celeste, when, one evening, being about six miles off shore, we observed two vessels rounding negro point, close in-shore. it was quite calm, and the boats were towing ahead. "it will be dark in half-an-hour, peter," said o'brien, "and i think we might get them before they anchor, or, if they do anchor, it will be well outside. what do you think?" i agreed with him, for in fact, i always seemed to be happier when the brig was close in-shore, as i felt as if i was nearer to celeste, and the further we were off, the more melancholy i became. continually thinking of her, and the sight of her after so many years' separation, had changed my youthful attachment into strong affection. i may say that i was deeply in love. the very idea of going into the harbour, therefore, gave me pleasure, and there was no mad or foolish thing that i would not have done, only to gaze upon the walls which contained the constant object of my thoughts. these were wild and visionary notions, and with little chance of ever arriving to any successful issue; but at one or two-and-twenty we are fond of building castles, and very apt to fall in love, without considering our prospect of success. i replied, that i thought it very possible, and wished he would permit me to make the attempt, as, if i found there was much risk, i would return. "i know that i can trust you, peter," replied o'brien, "and it's a great pleasure to know that you have an officer you can trust: but haven't i brought you up myself, and made a man of you, as i promised i would, when you were a little spalpeen, with a sniffling nose, and legs in the shape of two carrots? so hoist out the launch, and get the boats ready-- the sooner the better. what a hot day this has been--not a cat's-paw on the water, and the sky all of a mist. only look at the sun, how he goes down, puffed out to three times his size, as if he were in a terrible passion. i suspect we shall have the land breeze off strong." in half an hour i shoved off with the boats. it was now quite dark, and i pulled towards the harbour of st pierre. the heat was excessive and unaccountable; not the slightest breath of wind moved in the heavens or below; no clouds to be seen, and the stars were obscured by a sort of mist: there appeared a total stagnation in the elements. the men in the boats pulled off their jackets, for, after a few moments' pulling, they could bear them no longer. as we pulled in, the atmosphere became more opaque, and the darkness more intense. we supposed ourselves to be at the mouth of the harbour, but could see nothing--not three yards ahead of the boat. swinburne, who always went with me, was steering the boat, and i observed to him the unusual appearance of the night. "i've been watching it, sir," replied swinburne, "and i tell you, mr simple, that if we only know how to find the brig, that i would advise you to get on board of her immediately. she'll want all her hands this night, or i'm much mistaken." "why do you say so?" replied i. "because i think, nay, i may say that i'm sartin, we'll have a hurricane afore morning. it's not the first time i've cruised in these latitudes. i recollect in ' --" but i interrupted him: "swinburne, i believe that you are right. at all events, i'll turn back: perhaps we may reach the brig before it comes on. she carries a light, and we can find her out." i then turned the boat round, and steered, as near as i could guess, for where the brig was lying. but we had not pulled out more than two minutes before a low moaning was heard in the atmosphere--now here, now there--and we appeared to be pulling through solid darkness, if i may use the expression. swinburne looked around him and pointed out on the starboard bow. "it's a-coming, mr simple, sure enough; many's the living being that will not rise on its legs to-morrow. see, sir." i looked, and dark as it was, it appeared as if a sort of black wall was sweeping along the water right towards us. the moaning gradually increased to a stunning roar, and then at once it broke upon us with a noise to which no thunder can bear a comparison. the oars were caught by the wind with such force that the men were dashed forward under the thwarts, many of them severely hurt. fortunately we pulled with tholes and pins, or the gunwale and planks of the boat would have been wrenched off, and we should have foundered. the wind soon caught the boat on her broadside, and, had there been the least sea, would have inevitably thrown her over; but swinburne put the helm down, and she fell off before the hurricane, darting through the boiling water at the rate of ten miles an hour. all hands were aghast; they had recovered their seats, but were obliged to relinquish them and sit down at the bottom, holding on by the thwarts. the terrific roaring of the hurricane prevented any communication, except by gesture. the other boats had disappeared; lighter than ours, they had flown away faster before the sweeping element; but we had not been a minute before the wind before the sea rose in a most unaccountable manner--it appeared to be by magic. of all the horrors that ever i witnessed, nothing could be compared to the scene of this night. we could see nothing, and heard only the wind, before which we were darting like an arrow--to where we knew not, unless it was to certain death. swinburne steered the boat, every now and then looking back as the waves increased. in a few minutes we were in a heavy swell, that at one minute bore us all aloft, and at the next almost sheltered us from the hurricane; and now the atmosphere was charged with showers of spray, the wind cutting off the summits of the waves, as if with a knife, and carrying them along with it, as it were, in its arms. the boat was filling with water, and appeared to settle down fast. the men baled with their hats in silence, when a large wave culminated over the stern, filling us up to our thwarts. the next moment we all received a shock so violent, that we were jerked from our seats. swinburne was thrown over my head. every timber of the boat separated at once, and she appeared to crumble from under us, leaving us floating on the raging waters. we all struck out for our lives, but with little hope of preserving them; but the next wave dashed us on the rocks, against which the boat had already been hurled. that wave gave life to some and death to others. me, in heaven's mercy, it preserved: i was thrown so high up that i merely scraped against the top of the rock, breaking two of my ribs. swinburne, and eight more, escaped with me, but not unhurt: two had their legs broken, three had broken arms, and the others were more or less contused. swinburne miraculously received no injury. we had been eighteen in the boat, of which ten escaped: the others were hurled up at our feet; and the next morning we found them dreadfully mangled. one or two had their skulls literally shattered to pieces against the rocks. i felt that i was saved, and was grateful; but still the hurricane howled --still the waves were washing over us. i crawled further up upon the beach, and found swinburne sitting down with his eyes directed seaward. he knew me, took my hand, squeezed it, and then held it in his. for some moments we remained in this position, when the waves, which every moment increased in volume, washed up to us, and obliged us to crawl further up. i then looked around me; the hurricane continued in its fury, but the atmosphere was not so dark. i could trace, for some distance, the line of the harbour, from the ridge of foam upon the shore; and, for the first time, i thought of o'brien and the brig. i put my mouth close to swinburne's ear, and cried out, "o'brien!" swinburne shook his head, and looked up again at the offing. i thought whether there was any chance of the brig's escape. she was certainly six, if not seven miles off, and the hurricane was not direct on the shore. she might have a drift of ten miles, perhaps; but what was that against such tremendous power? i prayed for those on board of the brig, and returned thanks for my own preservation. i was, or soon should be, a prisoner, no doubt; but what was that? i thought of celeste, and felt almost happy. in about three hours the force of the wind subsided. it still blew a heavy gale, but the sky cleared up, the stars again twinkled in the heavens, and we could see to a considerable distance. "it's breaking now, sir," said swinburne, at last; "satisfied with the injury it has done--and that's no little. this is worse than ' ." "now, i'd give all my pay and prize-money if it were only daylight, and i could know the fate of the poor _rattlesnake_. what do you think, swinburne?" "all depends upon whether they were taken unprepared, sir. captain o'brien is as good a seaman as ever trod a plank; but he never has been in a hurricane, and may not have known, the signs and warnings which god in his mercy has vouchsafed to us. your flush vessels fill easily--but we must hope for the best." most anxiously did we look out for the day, which appeared to us as if it never would break. at last the dawn appeared, and we stretched our eyes to every part of the offing as it was lighted up, but we could not see the brig. the sun rose, and all was bright and clear; but we looked not around us, our eyes were directed to where we had left the brig. the sea was still running high, but the wind abated fast. "thank god!" ejaculated swinburne, when he had directed his eyes along the coast, "she is above water, at all events!" and looking in the direction where he pointed, i perceived the brig within two miles of the shore, dismantled, and tossing in the waves. "i see her," replied i, catching my breath with joy; "but--still--i think she must go on shore." "all depends upon whether she can get a little bit of sail up to weather the point," replied swinburne; "and depend upon it, captain o'brien knows that as well as we do." we were now joined by the other men who were saved. we all shook hands. they pointed out to me the bodies of our shipmates who had perished. i directed them to haul them further up, and put them all together; and continued, with swinburne, to watch the brig. in about half an hour we perceived a triangle raised, and in ten minutes afterwards a jury-mast abaft--a try-sail was hoisted and set. then the shears were seen forward, and in as short a time another try-sail and a storm-jib were expanded to the wind. "that's all he can do now, mr simple," observed swinburne; "he must trust to them and providence. they are not more than a mile from the beach--it will be touch and go." anxiously did we watch for more than half an hour; the other men returned to us, and joined in our speculations. at one time we thought it impossible--at another, we were certain that she would weather the point. at last, as she neared us, she warped ahead: my anxiety became almost insupportable. i stood first on one leg, and then on the other, breathless with suspense. she appeared to be on the point--actually touching the rocks--"god! she's struck!" said i. "no!" replied swinburne;--and then we saw her pass on the other side of the outermost rock and disappear. "safe, mr simple!--weathered, by god!" cried swinburne, waving his hat with joy. "god be thanked!" replied i, overcome with delight. chapter xlviii the devastation of the hurricane--peter makes friends--at destroying or saving, nothing like british seamen--peter meets with general o'brien, much to his satisfaction--has another meeting still more so--a great deal of pressing of hands, "and all that," as pope says. now that the brig was safe, we thought of ourselves. my first attention was directed to the dead bodies, and as i looked at their mangled limbs, i felt grateful to heaven that i had been so miraculously spared. we then cast our eyes along the beach to see if we could trace any remnants of the other boats, but in vain. we were about three miles from the town, which we could perceive had received considerable damage, and the beach below it was strewed with wrecks and fragments. i told the men that we might as well walk into the town and deliver ourselves up as prisoners; to which they agreed, and we set forward, promising to send for the poor fellows who were too much hurt to accompany us. as soon as we climbed up the rocks, and gained the inland, what a sight presented itself to us! trees torn up by the roots in every direction-- cattle lying dead--here and there the remains of a house, of which the other parts had been swept away for miles. everything not built of solid masonry had disappeared. we passed what had been a range of negro huts, but they were levelled to the ground. the negroes were busily searching for their property among the ruins, while the women held their infants in their arms, and the other children by their sides. here and there was the mother wailing over the dead body of some poor little thing which had been crushed to death. they took no notice of us. about half a mile further on, to our great delight, we fell in with the crews of the other boats, who were sitting by the side of the road. they had all escaped unhurt; their boats, being so much more buoyant than ours, had been thrown up high and dry. they joined us, and we proceeded on our way. on our road we fell in with a cart blown over, under the wheel of which was the leg of the negro who conducted it. we released the poor fellow; his leg was fractured. we laid him by the side of the road in the shade, and continued our march. our whole route was one scene of desolation and distress; but when we arrived at the town, we found that there it was indeed accumulated. there was not one house in three standing entire-- the beach was covered with remnants of bodies and fragments of vessels, whose masts lay forced several feet into the sand, and broken into four or five pieces. parties of soldiers were busy taking away the bodies, and removing what few valuables had been saved. we turned up into the town, for no one accosted us or even noticed us; and here the scene was even more dreadful. in some streets they were digging out those who were still alive, and whose cries were heard among the ruins; in others they were carrying away the dead bodies. the lamentations of the relatives-- the howling of the negroes--the cries of the wounded--the cursing and swearing of the french soldiers, and the orders delivered continually by officers on horseback, with all the confusion arising from crowds of spectators, mingling their voices together, formed a scene as dreadful as it was novel. after surveying it for a few minutes, i went up to an officer on horseback, and told him in french, that i wished to surrender myself as a prisoner. "we have no time to take prisoners now," replied he; "hundreds are buried in the ruins, and we must try to save them. we must now attend to the claims of humanity." "will you allow my men to assist you, sir?" replied i. "they are active and strong fellows." "sir," said he, taking off his hat, "i thank you in the name of my unfortunate countrymen." "show us, then, where we may be most useful." he turned and pointed to a house higher up, the offices of which were blown down. "there are living beings under those ruins." "come, my lads," said i; and sore as they were, my men hastened with alacrity to perform their task. i could not help them myself, my side was so painful; but i stood by giving them directions. in half an hour we had cleared away, so as to arrive at a poor negro girl, whose cries we had distinctly heard. we released her and laid her down in the street, but she fainted. her left hand was dreadfully shattered. i was giving what assistance i could, and the men were busy clearing away, throwing on one side the beams and rafters, when an officer on horseback rode up. he stood and asked me who we were. i told him that we belonged to the brig, and had been wrecked; and that we were giving what assistance we could until they were at leisure to send us to prison. "you english are fine brave fellows," replied he, and he rode on. another unfortunate object had been recovered by our men, an old white-headed negro, but he was too much mangled to live. we brought him out, and were laying him beside the negro girl, when several officers on horseback rode down the street. the one who was foremost, in a general's uniform, i immediately recognized as my former friend, then colonel o'brien. they all stopped and looked at us. i told who we were. general o'brien took off his hat to the sailors, and thanked them. he did not recognize me, and he was passing on, when i said to him in english, "general o'brien, you have forgotten me, but i shall never forget your kindness." "my god!" said he, "is it you, my dear fellow?" and he sprang from his horse and shook me warmly by the hand. "no wonder that i did not know you; you are a very different person from little peter simple, who dressed up as a girl and danced on stilts. but i have to thank you, and so has celeste for your kindness to her. i will not ask you to leave your work of charity and kindness, but when you have done what you can, come up to my house. anyone will show it to you; and if you do not find me you will find celeste, as you must be aware cannot leave this melancholy employment. god bless you!" he then rode off, followed by his staff. "come, my lads," said i, "depend upon it we shall not be very cruelly treated. let us work hard, and do all the good we can, and the frenchmen won't forget it." we had cleared that house, and went back to where the other people were working under the orders of the officer on horseback. i went up to him, and told him we had saved two, and if he had no objection, would assist his party. he thankfully accepted our services. "and now, my lads," said swinburne, "let us forget all our bruises, and show these french fellows how to work." and they did so: they tossed away the beams and rafters right and left with a quickness and dexterity which quite astonished the officer and other inhabitants who were looking on, and in half an hour had done more work than could have been possibly expected. several lives were saved, and the french expressed their admiration at our sailors' conduct, and brought them something to drink, which they stood much in need of, poor fellows. after that they worked double tides, as we say, and certainly were the means of saving many lives which otherwise would have been sacrificed. the disasters occasioned by this hurricane were very great, owing to its having taken place at night, when the chief of the inhabitants were in bed and asleep. i was told that most of the wood houses were down five minutes after the hurricane burst upon them. about noon there was no more work for us to do, and i was not sorry that it was over. my side was very painful, and the burning heat of the sun made me feel giddy and sick at the stomach. i inquired of a respectable looking old frenchman which was the general's house. he directed me to it, and i proceeded there, followed by my men. when i arrived, i found the orderly leading away the horse of general o'brien, who had just returned. i desired a sergeant, who was in attendance at the door, to acquaint the general that i was below. he returned, and desired me to follow him. i was conducted into a large room, where i found him in company with several officers. he again greeted me warmly, and introduced me to the company as the officer who had permitted the ladies who had been taken prisoners to come on shore. "i have to thank you, then, for my wife," said an officer, coming up, and offering his hand. another came up, and told me that i had also released his. we then entered into a conversation, in which i stated, the occasion of my having been wrecked, and all the particulars; also, that i had seen the brig in the morning dismasted, but that she had weathered the point, and was safe. "that brig of yours, i must pay you the compliment to say, has been very troublesome; and my namesake keeps the batteries more upon the alert than ever i could have done," said general o'brien. "i don't believe there is a negro five years old upon the island who does not know your brig." we then talked over the attack of the privateer, in which we were beaten off. "ah!" replied the aide-de-camp, "you made a mess of that. he has been gone these four months. captain carnot swears that he'll fight you if he falls in with you." "he has kept his word," replied i; and then i narrated our action with the three french privateers, and the capture of the vessel; which surprised and, i think, annoyed them very much. "well, my friend," said general o'brien, "you must stay with me while you are on the island; if you want anything, let me know." "i am afraid that i want a surgeon," replied i; "for my side is so painful that i can scarcely breathe." "are you hurt then?" said general o'brien, with an anxious look. "not dangerously, i believe," said i, "but rather painfully." "let me see," said an officer, who stepped forward; "i am surgeon to the forces here, and perhaps you will trust yourself in my hands. take off your coat." i did so with difficulty. "you have two ribs broken," said he, "and a very severe contusion. you must go to bed, or lie on a sofa, for a few days. in a quarter of an hour i will come and dress you, and promise you to make you all well in ten days, in return for your having given me my daughter, who was on board of the _victorine_ with the other ladies." the officers now made their bows, and left me alone with general o'brien. "recollect," said he, "that i tell it you once for all, that my purse, and everything, is at your command. if you do not accept them freely, i shall think you do not love us. it is not the first time, peter, and you repaid me honourably. however, of course, i was no party to that affair; it was celeste's doing," continued he, laughing. "of course, i could not imagine that it was you who was dressed up as a woman, and so impudently danced through france on stilts. but i must hear all your adventures by-and-by, celeste is most anxious to see you. will you go now, or wait till after the surgeon comes?" "oh, now, if you please, general. may i first beg that some care may be taken of my poor men; they have had nothing to eat since yesterday, are very much bruised, and have worked hard; and that a cart may be sent for those who lie maimed on the beach?" "i should have thought of them before," replied he: "and i will also order the same party to bury the other poor fellows who are lying on the beach. come, now--will take you to celeste." chapter xlix broken ribs not likely to produce broken hearts--o'brien makes something very like a declaration of peace--peter simple actually makes a declaration of love--rash proceedings on all sides. i followed the general into a handsomely furnished apartment, where i found celeste waiting to receive me. she ran to me as soon as i entered; and with what pleasure did i take her hand, and look on her beautiful expressive countenance! i could not say a word--neither did celeste. for a minute i held her hand in mine, looking at her; the general stood by regarding us alternately. he then turned round, and walked to the window. i lifted the hand to my lips, and then released it. "it appears to be a dream, almost," said celeste. i could not make any reply, but continued to gaze upon her--she had grown up into such a beautiful creature. her figure was perfect, and the expression of her countenance was so varied--so full of intellect and feeling--it was angelic. her eyes, suffused with tears, beamed so softly, so kindly on me, i could have fallen down and worshipped her. "come," said general o'brien; "come, my dear friend, now that you have seen celeste, the surgeon must see you." "the surgeon," cried celeste, with alarm. "yes, my love; it is of no consequence--only a couple of ribs broken." i followed general o'brien out of the room, and as i came to the door i turned round to look at celeste. she had retreated to the sofa, and her handkerchief was up to her eyes. the surgeon was waiting for me; he bandaged me, and applied some cooling lotion to my side, which made me feel quite comfortable. "i must now leave you," said general o'brien; "you had better lie down for an hour or two, and then, if i am not back, you know your way to celeste." i lay down as he requested; but as soon as i heard the clatter of the horse's hoofs, as he rode off, i left the room, and hurried to the drawing-room. celeste was there, and hastened to inquire if i was much hurt. i replied in the negative, and told her that i had come down to prove it to her; and we then sat down on the sofa together. "i have the misfortune never to appear before you, celeste, except in a very unprepossessing state. when you first saw me i was wounded; at our next meeting i was in woman's clothes; the last time we met i was covered with dirt and gunpowder; and now i return to you wounded and in rags. i wonder whether i shall ever appear before you as a gentleman?" "it is not the clothes which make the gentleman, peter. i am too happy to see you to think of how you are dressed. i have never yet thanked you for your kindness to us when we last met. my father will never forget it." "nor have i thanked you, celeste, for your kindness in dropping the purse into the hat, when you met me, trying to escape from france. i have never forgotten you, and since we met the last time, you have hardly ever been out of my thoughts. you don't know how thankful i am to the hurricane for having blown me into your presence. when we cruised in the brig, i have often examined the town with my glass, trying to fancy that i had my eye upon the house you were in; and have felt so happy when we were close in shore, because i knew that i was nearer to you." "and, peter, i have often watched the brig, and have been so glad to see it come nearer, and then so afraid that the batteries would fire at you. what a pity it is that my father and you should be opposed to each other--we might be so happy!" "and may be yet, celeste," replied i. we conversed for two hours, which appeared to be but ten minutes. i felt that i was in love, but i do not think that celeste had any idea at the time that she was--but i leave the reader to judge from the little conversation i have quoted, whether she was not, or something very much approaching to it. the next morning i went out early to look for the brig, and, to my great delight, saw her about six miles off the harbour's mouth, standing in for the land. she had now got up very respectable jury-masts, with topgallants for topsails, and appeared to be well under command. when she was within three miles of the harbour she lowered the jolly-boat, the only one she had left, and it pulled in-shore with a flag of truce hoisted at the bows. i immediately returned to my room, and wrote a detailed account of what had taken place, ready to send to o'brien when the boat returned, and i, of course, requested him to send me my effects, as i had nothing but what i stood in. i had just completed my letter when general o'brien came in. "my dear friend," said he, "i have just received a flag of truce from captain o'brien, requesting to know the fate of his boats' crews, and permission to send in return the clothes and effects of the survivors." "i have written down the whole circumstances for him, and made the same request to him," replied i; and i handed him my letter. he read it over and returned it. "but, my dear lad, you must think very poorly of us frenchmen, if you imagine that we intend to detain you here as a prisoner. in the first place, your liberation of so many french subjects, when you captured the _victorine_, would entitle you to a similar act of kindness; and, in the next place, you have not been fairly captured, but by a visitation of providence, which, by the means of the late storm, must destroy all national antipathies, and promote that universal philanthropy between all men, which your brave fellows proved that they possess. you are, therefore, free to depart with all your men, and we shall still hold ourselves your debtors. how is your side to-day?" "oh, very bad, indeed," replied i; for i could not bear the idea of returning to the brig so soon, for i had been obliged to quit celeste very soon after dinner the day before, and go to bed. i had not yet had much conversation with her, nor had i told general o'brien how it was that we escaped from france. "i don't think i can possibly go on board to-day, but i feel very grateful to you for your kindness." "well, well," replied the general, who observed my feelings, "i do not think it is necessary that you should go on board to-day. i will send the men and your letter, and i will write to captain o'brien, to say that you are in bed, and will not bear moving until the day after tomorrow. will that do?" i thought it but a very short time, but i saw that the general looked as if he expected me to consent; so i did. "the boat can come and return again with some of your clothes," continued the general, "and i will tell captain o'brien that if he comes off the mouth of the harbour the day after to-morrow, i will send you on board in one of our boats." he then took my letter and quitted the room. as soon as he was gone i found myself quite well enough to go to celeste, who waited for me, and i told her what had passed. that morning i sat with her and the general, and narrated all my adventures, which amused the general very much. i did not conceal the conduct of my uncle, and the hopes which i faintly entertained of being able, some day or another, to discover the fraud which had been practised, or how very unfavourable were my future prospects if i did not succeed. at this portion of my narrative the general appeared very thoughtful and grave. when i had finished, it was near dinner time, and i found that my clothes had arrived with a letter from o'brien, who stated how miserable he had been at the supposition of my loss, and his delight at my escape. he stated that on going down into the cabin, after i had shoved off, he, by chance, cast his eyes on the barometer, and, to his surprise, found that it had fallen two inches, which he had been told was the case previous to a hurricane. this, combined with the peculiar state of the atmosphere, had induced him to make every preparation, and that they had just completed their work when it came on. the brig was thrown on her beam ends, and lay there for half an hour, when they were forced to cut away the masts to right her. that they did not weather the point the next morning by more than half a cable's length; and concluded by saying, that the idea of my death had made him so unhappy that, if it had not been for the sake of the men, it was almost a matter of indifference to him whether he had been lost or not. he had written to general o'brien, thanking him for his kindness; and that, if fifty vessels should pass the brig, he would not capture one of them, until i was on board again, even if he were dismissed the service for neglect of duty. he said, that the brig sailed almost as fast under jury-masts as she did before, and that, as soon as i came on board, he should go back to barbadoes. "as for your ribs being so bad, peter, that's all bother," continued he; "i know that you are making arrangements for another sort of _rib_, as soon as you can manage it; but you must stop a little, my boy. you shall be a lord yet, as i always promised you that you should. it's a long lane that has no turning--so good-bye." when i was alone with celeste, i showed her o'brien's letter. i had read the part of it relative to his not intending to make any capture while i was on shore to general o'brien, who replied, "that under such circumstances he thought' he should do right to detain me a little longer but," said he, "o'brien is a man of honour, and worthy of his name." when celeste came to that part of the letter in which o'brien stated that i was looking after another rib, and which i had quite forgotten, she asked me to explain it; for, although she could read and speak english very well, she had not been sufficiently accustomed to it to comprehend the play upon words. i translated, and then said, "indeed, celeste, i had forgotten that observation of o'brien's, or i should not have shown you the letter; but he has stated the truth. after all your kindness to me, how can i help being in love with you? and need i add, that i should consider it the greatest blessing which heaven could grant me, if you could feel so much regard for me as one day to become my wife! don't be angry with me for telling you the truth," continued i, for celeste coloured up as i spoke to her. "oh, no! i am not angry with you, peter; far from it. it is very complimentary to me--what you have just said." "i am aware," continued i, "that at present i have little to offer you-- indeed, nothing. i am not even such a match as your father might approve of; but you know my whole history, and what my desires are." "my dear father loves me, peter, and he loves you too, very much--he always did, from the hour he saw you--he was so pleased with your candour and honesty of character. he has often told me so, and very often talked of you." "well, celeste, tell me,--may i when far away, be permitted to think of you, and indulge a hope, that some day we may meet never to part again?" and i took celeste by the hand, and put my arm round her waist. "i don't know what to say," replied she; "i will speak to my father, or perhaps you will; but i will never marry anybody else, if i can help it." i drew her close to me, and kissed her. celeste burst into tears, and laid her head upon my shoulder. when general o'brien came i did not attempt to move, nor did celeste. "general," said i, "you may think me to blame, but i have not been able to conceal what i feel for celeste. you may think that i am imprudent, and that i am wrong in thus divulging what i ought to have concealed, until i was in a situation to warrant my aspiring to your daughter's hand; but the short time allowed me to be in her company, the fear of losing her, and my devoted attachment, will, i trust, plead my excuse." the general took one or two turns up and down the room, and then replied, "what says celeste?" "celeste will never do anything to make her father unhappy," replied she, going up to him and hiding her face in his breast, with her arm round his neck. the general kissed his daughter, and then said, "i will be frank with you, mr simple. i do not know any man whom i would prefer to you as a son-in-law; but there are many considerations which young people are very apt to forget. i do not interfere in your attachment, which appears to be mutual; but, at the same time, i will have no promise and no engagement, you may never meet again. however, celeste is very young, and i shall not put any constraint upon her; and at the same time you are equally free, if time and circumstances should alter your present feelings." "i can ask no more, my dear sir," replied i, taking the general by the hand; "it is candid--more than i had any reason to expect. i shall now leave you with a contented mind, and the hopes of one day claiming celeste shall spur me to exertion." "now, if you please, we will drop the subject," said the general. "celeste, my dear, we have a large party to dinner, as you know. you had better retire to your room and get ready. i have asked all the ladies that you liberated, peter, and all their husbands and fathers; so you will have the pleasure of witnessing how many people you made happy by your gallantry. now that celeste has left the room, peter, i must beg that, as a man of honour, you do not exact from her any more promises, or induce her to tie herself down to you by oaths. her attachment to you has grown up with her unaccountably, and she is already too fond of you for her peace of mind, should accident or circumstances part you for ever. let us hope for the best, and depend upon it that it shall be no trifling obstacle which will hinder me from seeing you one day united." i thanked the general with tears; he shook me warmly by the hand as i gave my promise, and we separated. how happy did i feel when i went into my room, and sat down to compose my mind and think over what had happened. true, at one moment the thought of my dependent situation threw a damp over my joy; but in the next i was building castles, inventing a discovery of my uncle's plot, fancying myself in possession of the title and property, and laying it at the feet of my dear celeste. hope sustained my spirits, and i felt satisfied for the present with the consideration that celeste returned my love. i decked myself carefully, and went down, where i found all the company assembled. we had a very pleasant, happy party, and the ladies entreated general o'brien to detain me as a prisoner--very kind of them --and i felt very much disposed to join in their request. chapter l peter simple first takes a command, then three west indiamen, and twenty prisoners--one good turn deserves another--the prisoners endeavour to take him, but are themselves taken in. the next day i was very unhappy. the brig was in the offing waiting for me to come on hoard. i pointed her out to celeste as we were at the window, and her eyes met mine. an hour's conversation could not have said more. general o'brien showed that he had perfect confidence in me for he left us together. "celeste," said i, "i have promised your father--" "i know what has passed," interrupted she; "he told me everything." "how kind he is! but i did not say that i would not bind myself, celeste." "no! but my father made me promise that you should not--that if you attempted, i was immediately to prevent you--and so i shall." "then you shall keep your word, celeste. imagine everything that can be said in this--" and i kissed her. "don't think me forward, peter, but i wish you to go away happy," said celeste; "and therefore, in return, imagine all i could say in this" and she returned my salute. after this we had a conversation of two hours; but what lovers say is very silly, except to themselves, and the reader need not be troubled with it. general o'brien came in and told me the boat was ready. i rose up--i was satisfied with what had passed, and with a firm voice i said, "good-bye, celeste; god bless you!" and followed the general, who, with some of his officers, walked down with me to the beach. i thanked the general, who embraced me, paid my adieus to the officers, and stepped into the boat. in half an hour i was on board of the brig, and in o'brien's arms. we put the helm up, and in a short time the town of st pierre was shut out from my longing sight, and we were on our way to barbadoes. that day was passed in the cabin with o'brien, giving him a minute detail of all that had passed. when we anchored once more in carlisle bay, we found that the hurricane had been much more extensive in the windward islands than we had imagined. several men of war were lying there, having lost one or more of their masts, and there was great difficulty in supplying the wants of so many. as we arrived the last, of course we were last served; and, there being no boats left in store, there was no chance of our being ready for sea under two or three months. the _joan d' arc_ schooner privateer was still lying there, but had not been fitted out for want of men; and the admiral proposed to o'brien that he should man her with a part of his ship's company, and send one of his lieutenants out to cruise in her. this was gladly assented to by o'brien, who came on board and asked me whether i should like to have her, which i agreed to, as i was quite tired of barbadoes and fried flying fish. i selected two midshipmen, swinburne, and twenty men, and having taken on board provisions and water for three months, i received my written instructions from o'brien, and made sail. we soon discovered that the masts which the american had sold to the schooner, were much too large for her; she was considerably overmasted, and we were obliged to be very careful. i stood for trinidad, off which island was to be my cruising ground, and in three weeks had recaptured three west indiamen, when i found myself so short of hands, that i was obliged to return to barbadoes. i had put four hands into the first vessel, which, with the englishmen, prisoners, were sufficient, and, three hands into the two others; but i was very much embarrassed with my prisoners, who amounted to nearly double my ship's company remaining on board. both the midshipmen i had sent away, and i consulted with swinburne as to what was best to be done. "why, the fact is, mr simple, captain o'brien ought to have given us more hands; twenty men are little enough for a vessel with a boom mainsail like the one we have here; and now we have only ten left; but i suppose he did not expect us to be so lucky, and it's true enough that he has plenty of work for the ship's company, now that he has to turn everything in afresh. as for the prisoners, i think we had better run close in, and give them two of our boats to take them on shore. at all events, we must be rid of them, and not be obliged to have one eye aloft, and the other down the hatchway, as we must now." this advice corresponded with my own ideas, and i ran in-shore, gave them the stern boat, and one of the larger ones, which held them all, and sent them away, leaving only one boat for the schooner, which we hoisted up in the star-board chess-tree. it fell a dead calm as we sent away the prisoners; we saw them land and disappear over the rocks, and thought ourselves well rid of them, as they were twenty-two in number, most of them spaniards, and very stout ferocious-looking fellows. it continued calm during the whole day, much to our annoyance, as i was very anxious to get away as soon as i could; still i could not help admiring the beauty of the scenery--the lofty mountains rising abruptly from the ocean, and towering in the clouds, reflected on the smooth water, as clear as in a looking-glass, every colour, every tint, beautifully distinct. the schooner gradually drifted close in-shore, and we could perceive the rocks at the bottom, many fathoms deep. not a breath of wind was to be seen on the surface of the water for several miles round, although the horizon in the offing showed that there was a smart breeze outside. night came on, and we still lay becalmed. i gave my orders to swinburne, who had the first watch, and retired to my standing bed-place in the cabin. i was dreaming, and i hardly need say who was the object of my visions. i thought i was in eagle park, sitting down with her under one of the large chestnut trees, which formed the avenue, when i felt my shoulder roughly pushed. i started up--"what is the matter? who's that-- swinburne?" "yes, sir. on with your clothes immediately, as we have work on hand, i expect." and swinburne left the cabin, and i heard him calling the other men who were below. i knew that swinburne would not give a false alarm. in a minute i was on deck, and was looking at the stern of the schooner. "what is that, swinburne?" said i. "silence, sir. hark! don't you hear them?" "yes," replied i; "the sound of oars." "exactly, sir; depend upon it, those spaniards have got more help, and are coming back to take the vessel; they know we have only ten hands on board." by this time the men were all on deck. i directed swinburne to see all the muskets loaded, and ran down for my own sword and pistols. the water was so smooth, and the silence so profound, that swinburne had heard the sound of the oars at a considerable distance. fortunate it was, that i had such a trusty follower. another might have slumbered, and the schooner have been boarded and captured without our being prepared. when i came on deck again, i spoke to the men, exhorted them to do their duty, and pointed out to them that these cut-throat villains would certainly murder us all if we were taken, which i firmly believe would have been the case. the men declared that they would sell their lives as dearly as they could. we had twenty muskets, and the same number of pistols, all of which were now loaded. our guns were also ready, but of no use, now that the schooner had not steerage-way. the boats were in sight, about a quarter of a mile astern, when swinburne said, "there's a cat's-paw flying along the water, mr simple; if we could only have a little wind, how we would laugh at them; but i'm afraid there's no such luck. shall we let them know that we are ready?" "let every one of us take two muskets," said i: "when the first boat is under the counter, take good aim, and discharge into one of the boats; then seize the other musket, and discharge it at the other boat. after that we must trust to our cutlasses and pistols; for if they come on, there will be no time to load again. keep silence, all of you." the boats now came up full of men; but as we remained perfectly quiet, they pulled up gently, hoping to surprise us. fortunately, one was a little in advance of the other; upon which i altered my directions, and desired my men to fire their second musket into the first boat, as, if we could disable her, we were an equal match for those in the other. when the boat was within six yards of the schooner's counter, "now!" said i, and all the muskets were discharged at once, and my men cheered. several of the oars dropped, and i was sure we had done great execution; but they were laid hold of by the other men, who had not been pulling, and again the boat advanced to the counter. "good aim, my lads, this time," cried swinburne; "the other boat will be alongside as soon as you have fired. mr simple, the schooner has headway, and there's a strong breeze coming up." again we discharged our ten muskets into the boat, but this time we waited until the bow-man had hooked on the planeshear with his boat-hook, and our fire was very effective. i was surprised to find that the other boat was not on board of us; but a light breeze had come up, and the schooner glided through the water. still she was close under our counter, and would have been aboard in a minute. in the meantime, the spaniards who were in the first boat were climbing up the side, and were repulsed by my men with great success. the breeze freshened, and swinburne ran to the helm. i perceived the schooner was going fast through the water, and the second boat could hardly hold her course. i ran to where the boat-hook was fixed on the planeshear, and unhooked it; the boat fell astern, leaving two spaniards clinging to the side, who were cut down, and they fell into the water. "hurrah! all safe!" cried swinburne; "and now to punish them." the schooner was now darting along at the rate of five miles, with an increasing breeze. we stood in for two minutes, then tacked, and ran for the boats. swinburne steered, and i continued standing in the bows, surrounded by the rest of the men. "starboard a little, swinburne."-- "starboard it is." "steady--steady: i see the first boat, she is close under our bows. steady--port--port--port a little--port. look out, my lads, and cut down all who climb up." crash went the schooner on to the boat, the men in her in vain endeavouring to escape us. for a second or two she appeared to right, until her further gunwale was borne down under the water; she turned up, and the schooner went over her, sending every soul in her to their account. one man clung on to a rope, and was towed for a few seconds, but a cutlass divided the rope at the gunwale, and with a faint shriek he disappeared. the other boat was close to us, and perceived what had been done. they remained with their oars poised, all ready to pull so as to evade the schooner. we steered for her, and the schooner was now running at the rate of seven miles an hour. when close under our bows, by very dexterously pulling short round with their starboard oars, we only struck her with our bow; and before she went down many of the spaniards had gained the deck, or were clinging to the side of the vessel. they fought with desperation, but we were too strong for them. it was only those who had gained the deck which we had to contend with. the others clung for a time, and, unable to get up the sides, one by one dropped into the water and went astern. in a minute, those on deck were lying at our feet, and in a minute more they were tossed overboard after their companions; not, however, until one of them struck me through the calf of the leg with his knife as we were lifting him over the gunwale. i do not mean to say that the spaniards were not justified in attempting to take the schooner; but still, as we had liberated them but a few hours before, we felt that it was unhandsome and treacherous on their part, and therefore showed them no quarter. there were two of my men wounded as well as myself, but not severely, which was fortunate, as we had no surgeon on board, and only about half a yard of a diachylum plaster in the vessel. "well out of that, sir," said swinburne, as i limped aft. "by the lord harry! it might have been a _pretty go_." having shaped our course for barbadoes, i dressed my leg and went down to sleep. this time i did not dream of celeste, but fought the spaniards over again, thought i was wounded, and awoke with the pain of my leg. chapter li peter turned out of his command by his vessel turning bottom up--a cruise on a main-boom, with sharks _en attendant_--self and crew, with several flying fish, taken on board a negro boat--peter regenerates by putting on a new outward man. we made barbadoes without any further adventure, and were about ten miles off the bay, steering with a very light breeze, and i went down into the cabin, expecting to be at anchor before breakfast the next morning. it was just daylight, when i found myself thrown out of my bed-place on the deck, on the other side of the cabin, and heard the rushing of water. i sprang up, i knew the schooner was on her beam ends, and gained the deck. i was correct in my supposition: she had been upset by what is called a white squall, and in two minutes would be down. all the men were up on deck, some dressed, others, like myself, in their shirts. swinburne was aft; he had an axe in his hand, cutting away the rigging of the main-boom. i saw what he was about; i seized another, and disengaged the jaw-rope and small gear about the mast. we had no other chance; our boat was under the water, being hoisted up on the side to leeward. all this, however, was but the work of two minutes; and i could not help observing by what trifles lives are lost or saved. had the axe not been fortunately at the capstern, i should not have been able to cut the jaw-rope, swinburne would not have had time, and the main-boom would have gone down with the schooner. fortunately we had cleared it; the schooner filled, righted a little, and then sank, dragging us and the main-boom for a few seconds down in its vortex, and then we rose to the surface. the squall still continued, but the water was smooth. it soon passed over, and again it was nearly calm. i counted the men clinging to the boom, and found that they were all there. swinburne was next to me. he was holding with one hand, while with the other he felt in his pocket for a quid of tobacco, which he thrust into his cheek. "i wasn't on deck at the time, mr simple," said he, "or this wouldn't have happened. i had just been relieved, and i told collins to look out sharp for squalls. i only mention it, that if you are saved, and i am not, you mayn't think i was neglectful of my duty. we arn't far from the land, but still we are more likely to fall in with a shark than a friend, i'm thinking." these, indeed, had been my thoughts, but i had concealed them; but after swinburne had mentioned the shark, i very often looked along the water for their fins, and down below to see if they were coming up to tear us to pieces. it was a dreadful feeling. "it was not your fault, swinburne, i am sure. i ought to have relieved you myself, but i kept the first watch, and was tired. we must put our trust in god; perhaps, we may yet be spared." it was now almost calm, and the sun had mounted in the heavens: the scorching rays were intolerable upon our heads, for we had not the defence of hats. i felt my brain on fire, and was inclined to drop into the water, to screen myself from the intolerable heat. as the day advanced so did our sufferings increase. it was a dead calm, the sun perpendicular over us, actually burning that part of our bodies which rose clear of the water. i could have welcomed even a shark to relieve me of my torment; but i thought of celeste, and i clung to life. towards the afternoon i felt sick and dizzy; my resolution failed me; my vision was imperfect; but i was roused by swinburne, who cried out, "a boat, by all that's gracious! hang on a little longer, my men, and you are saved." it was a boat full of negroes, who had come out to catch flying-fish. they had perceived the spar on the water, and hastened to secure the prize. they dragged us all in, gave us water, which appeared like nectar, and restored us to our fleeting senses. they made fast the boom, and towed it in-shore. we had not been ten minutes on our way, when swinburne pointed to the fin of a large shark above the water. "look there, mr simple." i shuddered, and made no answer; but i thanked god in my heart. in two hours we were landed, but were too ill to walk. we were carried up to the hospital, bled, and put into cots. i had a brain fever, which lasted six or seven days, during which o'brien never left my bedside. my head was shaved, all the skin came off my face like a mask, as well as off my back and shoulders. we were put into baths of brandy and water, and in three weeks were all recovered. "that was but an unlucky schooner from beginning to end," observed o'brien, after i had narrated the events of my cruise. "we had a bad beginning with her, and we had a bad ending. she's gone to the bottom, and the devil go with her; however, all's well that ends well, and, peter, you're worth a dozen dead men yet; but you occasion me a great deal of trouble and anxiety, that's the truth of it, and i doubt if i shall ever rear you, after all." i returned to my duty on board of the brig, which was now nearly ready for sea. one morning o'brien came on board and said, "peter, i've a piece of news for you. our gunner is appointed to the _araxes_, and the admiral has given me a gunner's warrant for old swinburne. send for him on deck." swinburne was summoned, and came rolling up the hatchway. "swinburne," said o'brien, "you have done your duty well, and you are now gunner of the _rattlesnake_. here is your warrant, and i've great pleasure in getting it for you." swinburne turned the quid in his cheek, and then replied, "may i be so bold as to ax, captain o'brien, whether i must wear one of them long tog, swallow-tailed coats--because, if so, i'd prefer being a quarter-master?" "a gunner may wear a jacket, swinburne, if he likes; when you go on shore you may bend the swallow-tail, if you please." "well, sir, then if that's the case, i'll take the warrant, because i know it will please the old woman." so saying, swinburne hitched up his trousers, and went down below. i may here observe that swinburne kept his round jacket until our arrival in england, when the "old woman," his wife, who thought her dignity at stake, soon made him ship the swallow-tail; and, after it was once on, swinburne took a fancy to it, and always wore it, except when he was at sea. the same evening, as i was coming with o'brien from the governor's house, where i had dined, we passed a building, lighted up. "what can that be?" observed o'brien; "not a dignity ball--there is no music." our curiosity induced us to enter, and we found it to be fitted up as a temporary chapel, filled with black and coloured people, who were ranged on the forms, and waiting for the preacher. "it is a methodist meeting," said i to o'brien. "never mind," said he, "let us hear what is going on." in a moment afterwards the pulpit was filled, not by a white man, as we had anticipated, but by a tall negro. he was dressed in black, and his hair, which it was impossible to comb down straight, was plaited into fifty little tails, well tied at the end of them, like you sometimes see the mane of a horse; this produced a somewhat more clerical appearance. his throat was open and collar laid back; the wristbands of his shirt very large and white, and he flourished a white cambric handkerchief. "what a dandy he is!" whispered o'brien. i thought it almost too absurd when he said he would take the liberty to praise god in the th hymn, and beg all the company to join chorus. he then gave out the stanzas in the most strange pronunciation. "gentle jesus, god um lub," &c. when the hymn was finished, which was sung by the whole congregation, in the most delightful discord,--everyone chose his own key--he gave an extempore prayer, which was most unfortunately incomprehensible, and then commenced his discourse, which was on _faith_. i shall omit the head and front of his offending, which would, perhaps, hardly be gratifying although ludicrous. he reminded me of a monkey imitating a man; but what amused me most was his finale, in which he told his audience that there could be no faith without charity. for a little while he descanted upon this generally, and at last became personal. his words were, as well as i can recollect, nearly as follows:-- "and now you see, my dear bredren, how unpossible to go to heaven, with all the faith in the world, without charity. charity mean, give away. suppose you no give--you no ab charity; suppose you no ab charity--you no ab faith; suppose you no ab faith--you all go to hell and be damned. now den, let me see if you ab charity. here, you see, i come to save all your soul from hell-fire; and hell-fire dam hot, i can tell you. dere you all burn like coal, till you turn white powder, and den burn on till you come black again; and so you go on, burn, burn, sometime white, sometime black, for ebber and ebber. the debil never allow sangoree to cool tongue. no, no cocoa-nut milk,--not a lilly drap of water; debil see you damned first. suppose you ask, he poke um fire, and laugh. well, den, ab you charity? no, you ab not. you, quashee, how you dare look me in the face? you keep shop--you sell egg--you sell yam--you sell pepper hot--but when you give to me? eh! nebber, so help me god. suppose you no send--you no ab charity, and you go to hell. you black sambo," continued he, pointing to a man in the corner, "ab very fine boat, go out all day, catch fly-fish, bring um back, fry um, and sell for money; but when you send to me? not one little fish ebber find way to my mouth. what i tell you 'bout peter and 'postles--all fishermen; good men, give 'way to poor. sambo, you no ab charity; and 'spose you no repent this week, and send one very fine fish in plantain leaf, you go to hell, and burn for ebber and ebber. eh! so you will run away, massa johnson," cried he out to another, who was edging to the door; "but you no run away from hell-fire: when debil catch you, he hold dam tight. you know you kill sheep and goat ebery day. you send bell ring all 'bout town for people to come buy; but when you send to me? nebber, 'cept once, you gave me lilly bit of libber. that not do, massa johnson; you no ab charity; and suppose you no send me sheep's head to-morrow morning, dam you libber, that's all. i see many more, but i see um all very sorry, and dat they mean to sin no more, so dis time i let um off, and say noting about it, because i know plenty of plantain and banana (pointing to one) and oranges and shaddock (pointing to another), and salt fish (pointing to a fourth), and ginger-pop and spruce beer (pointing to a fifth), and a straw hat (pointing to a sixth), and eberything else, come to my house to-morrow. so i say no more 'bout it; i see you all very sorry--you only forget. you all ab charity, and all ab faith; so now, my dear bredren, we go down on our knees, and thank god for all this, and more especially that i save all your souls from going to the debil, who run about barbadoes like one roaring lion, seeking what he may lay hold of, and cram into his dam fiery jaw." "that will do, peter," said o'brien; "we have the cream of it, i think." we left the house, and walked down to the boat. "surely, o'brien," said i, "this should not be permitted?" "he's no worse than his neighbours," replied o'brien, "and perhaps does less harm. i admire the rascal's ingenuity; he gave his flock what, in ireland, we should call a pretty broad hint." "yes, there was no mistaking him: but is he a licensed preacher?" "very little licence in his preaching, i take it; no, i suppose he has had a _call_." "a call!--what do you mean?" "i mean that he wants to fill his belly. hunger is a call of nature, peter." "he seems to want a good many things, if we were to judge by his catalogue; what a pity it is that these poor people are not better instructed." "that they never will be, peter, while there is what may be called free trade in religion." "you speak like a catholic, o'brien." "i am one," replied he. and here our conversation ended, for we were close to the boat, which was waiting for us on the beach. the next day a man-of-war brig arrived from england, bringing letters for the squadron on the station. i had two from my sister ellen which made me very uncomfortable. she stated that my father had seen my uncle, lord privilege, and had had high words with him; indeed, as far as she could ascertain of the facts, my father had struck my uncle, and had been turned out of the house by the servants; that he had returned in a state of great excitement, and was very ill ever since; that there was a great deal of talk in the neighbourhood on the subject, people generally highly blaming my father's conduct, thinking that he was deranged in his intellect--a supposition very much encouraged by my uncle. she again expressed her hopes of my speedy return. i had now been absent nearly three years, and she had been so uncomfortable that she felt as if it had been at least ten. o'brien also received a letter from father m'grath, which i shall lay before the reader:-- "my dear son,--long life, and all the blessings of all the saints be upon you now and for evermore! amen. and may you live to be married, and may i dance at your wedding, and may you never want children, and may they grow up as handsome as their father and their mother (whoever she may hereafter be), and may you die of a good old age, and in the true faith, and be waked handsomely, as your own father was last friday s'ennight, seeing as how he took it into his head to leave this world for a better. it was a very dacent funeral-procession, my dear terence, and your father must have been delighted to see himself so well attinded. no man ever made a more handsome corpse, considering how old, and thin, and haggard he had grown of late, and how gray his hair had turned. he held the nosegay between his fingers, across his breast as natural as life, and reminded us all of the blessed saint, pope gregory, who was called to glory some hundred years before either you or i was born. "your mother's quite comfortable; and there she sits in her ould chair, rocking to and fro all day long, and never speaking a word to nobody, thinking about heaven, i dare to say; which is just what she ought to do, seeing that she stands a very pretty chance of going there in the course of a month or so. divil a word has she ever said since your father's departure, but then she screamed and yelled enough to last for seven years at the least. she screamed away all her senses anyhow, for she has done nothing since but cough, cough, and fumble at her pater-nosters--a very blessed way to pass the remainder of her days, seeing that i expect her to drop every minute like an over-ripe sleepy pear. so don't think any more about her, my son, for without you are back in a jiffy, her body will be laid in consecrated ground, and her happy, blessed soul in purgatory. _pax vobiscum._ amen! amen! "and now having disposed of your father and your mother so much to your satisfaction, i'll just tell you that ella's mother died in the convent at dieppe, but whether she kept her secret or not i do not know; but this i do know, that if she didn't relieve her soul by confession, she's damned to all eternity. thanks be to god for all his mercies. amen! ella flanagan is still alive, and, for a nun, is as well as can be expected. i find that she knows nothing at all about the matter of the exchanging the genders of the babbies--only that her mother was on oath to father m'dermot, who ought to be hanged, drawn, and quartered instead of those poor fellows whom the government called rebels, but who were no more rebels than father m'grath himself, who'll uphold the pretender, as they call our true catholic king, as long as there's life in his body or a drop of whiskey left in ould ireland to drink his health wid.-- "talking about father m'dermot puts me in mind that the bishop has not yet decided our little bit of a dispute, saying that he must take time to think about it. now, considering that it's just three years since the row took place, the old gentleman must be a very slow thinker not to have found out by this time that i was in the right, and that father m'dermot, the baste, is not good enough to be hanged. "your two married sisters are steady and diligent young women, having each made three children since you last saw them. fine boys, every mother's son of them, with elegant spacious features, and famous mouths for taking in whole potatoes. by the powers, but the offsets of the tree of the o'briens begin to make a noise in the land, anyhow, as you would say if you only heard them roaring for their bit of suppers. "and now, my dear son terence, the real purport of this letter, which is just to put to your soul's conscience, as a dutiful son, whether you ought not to send me a small matter of money to save your poor father's soul from pain and anguish--for it's no joke that being in purgatory, i can tell you; and you wouldn't care how soon you were tripped out of it yourself. i only wish you had but your little toe in it, and then you'd burn with impatience to have it out again. but you're a dutiful son, so i'll say no more about it--a nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse. "when your mother goes, which, with the blessing of god, will be in a very little while, seeing that she has only to follow her senses, which are gone already, i'll take upon myself to sell everything, as worldly goods and chattels are of no use to dead people; and i have no doubt but that, what with the furniture and the two cows, and the pigs, and the crops in the ground, there will be enough to save her soul from the flames, and bury her dacently into the bargain. however, as you are the heir-at-law, seeing that the property is all your own, i'll keep a debtor and creditor account of the whole; and should there be any over, i'll use it all out in masses, so as to send her up to heaven by express; and if there's not sufficient, she must remain where she is till you come back and make up the deficiency. in the meanwhile i am your loving father in the faith, "urtagh m'grath." chapter lii good sense in swinburne--no man a hero to his valet de chambre, or a prophet in his own country--o'brien takes a step by strategy--o'brien parts with his friend, and peter's star no longer in the ascendant. o'brien was sorry for the death of his father, but he could not feel as most people would have done, as his father had certainly never been a father to him. he was sent to sea to be got rid of, and ever since he had been there, had been the chief support of his family; his father was very fond of whiskey, and not very fond of exertion. he was too proud of the true milesian blood in his veins to do anything to support himself, but not too proud to live upon his son's hard-earned gains. for his mother o'brien felt very much; she had always been kind and affectionate, and was very fond of him. sailors, however, are so estranged from their families when they have been long in their profession and so accustomed to vicissitudes, that no grief for the loss of a relation lasts very long, and in a week o'brien had recovered his usual spirits, when a vessel brought us the intelligence that a french squadron had been seen off st domingo. this put us all on the _qui vive_. o'brien was sent for by the admiral, and ordered to hasten his brig for sea with all possible despatch, as he was to proceed with despatches to england forthwith. in three days we were reported ready, received our orders, and at eight o'clock in the evening made sail from carlisle bay. "well, mr swinburne," said i, "how do you like your new situation?" "why, mr simple, i like it well enough; and it's not disagreeable to be an officer, and sit in your own cabin; but still i feel that i should get on better if i were in another ship. i've been hail-fellow well met with the ship's company so long, that i can't top the officer over them, and we can't get the duty done as smart as i could wish: and then at night i find it very lonely stuck up in my cabin like a parson's clerk, and nobody to talk to; for the other warrants are particular, and say that i'm only acting, and may not be confirmed, so they hold aloof. i don't much like being answerable for all that lot of gunpowder--it's queer stuff to handle." "very true, swinburne; but still, if there were no responsibility, we should require no officers. you recollect that you are now provided for life, and will have half-pay." "that's what made me bite, mr simple. i thought of the old woman, and how comfortable it would make her in her old age; and so, d'ye see, i sacrificed myself." "how long have you been married, swinburne?" "ever since christmas ' . i wasn't going to be hooked carelessly, so i nibbled afore i took the bait. had four years' trial of her first, and, finding that she had plenty of ballast, i sailed her as my own." "how do you mean by plenty of ballast?" "i don't mean, mr simple, a broad bow and square hulk. you know very well that if a vessel has not ballast, she's bottom up in no time. now, what keeps a woman stiff under her canvas is her modesty." "very true; but it's a rare commodity on the beach." "and why, mr simple? because liquor is more valued. many a good man has found it to be his bane; and as for a woman, when once she takes to it, she's like a ship without a rudder, and goes right before the wind to the devil. not that i think a man ought not to take a nor-wester or two, when he can get them. rum was not given by god almighty only to make the niggers dance, but to make all our hearts glad; neither do i see why a woman is to stand out neither; what's good for jack can't hurt poll; only there is a medium, as they say, in all things, and half-an-half is quite strong enough." "i should think it was," replied i, laughing. "but don't be letting me prevent you from keeping a look-out, mr simple.--you, hoskins, you're half a point off the wind. luff you may.-- i think, mr simple, that captain o'brien didn't pick out the best man, when he made tom alsop a quarter-master in my place." "why, he is a very steady, good man, swinburne." "yes, so he is; but he has natural defects, which shouldn't be overlooked. i doubt if he can see so far as the head of the mainsail." "i was not aware of that." "no, but i was. alsop wants to sarve out his time for his pension, and when he has sarved, you see if, when the surgeons examine him, they don't invalid him, as blind as a bat. i should like to have him as gunner's mate, and that's just what he's fit for. but, mr simple, i think we shall have some bad weather. the moon looks greasy, and the stars want snuffing. you'll have two reefs in the topsails afore morning. there's five bells striking. now i'll turn in; if i didn't keep half the first, and half the morning watch, i shouldn't sleep all the night. i miss my regular watch very much, mr simple--habit's everything --and i don't much fancy a standing bed-place, it's so large, and i feel so cold of my sides. nothing like a hammock, after all. good-night, mr simple." our orders were to proceed with all _possible_ despatch; and o'brien carried on day and night, generally remaining up himself till one or two o'clock in the morning. we had very favourable weather, and in a little more than a month we passed the lizard. the wind being fair, we passed plymouth, ran up channel, and anchored at spithead. after calling upon the admiral, o'brien set off for town with his despatches, and left me in command of the ship. in three days i received a letter from him, informing me that he had seen the first lord, who had asked him a great many questions concerning the station he had quitted; that he had also complimented o'brien on his services. "on that hint i spake," continued o'brien; "i ventured to insinuate to his lordship, that i had hoped i had earned my promotion; and as there is nothing like _quartering on the enemy_, i observed that i had not applied to lord privilege, as i considered my services would have been sufficient, without any application on his part. his lordship returned a very gracious answer: said that my lord privilege was a great ally of his, and very friendly to the government; and inquired when i was going to see him. i replied, that i certainly should not pay my respects to his lordship at present, unless there was occasion for it, as i must take a more favourable opportunity. so i hope that good may come from the great lord's error, which, of course, i shall not correct, as i feel i deserve my promotion--and you know, peter, if you can't gain it by _hook_, you must by _crook_." he then concluded his letter; but there was a postscript as follows: "wish me joy, my dear peter. i have this moment received a letter from the private secretary, to say that i am _posted_, and appointed to the _semiramis_ frigate, about to set sail for the east indies. she is all ready to start; and now i must try to get you with me, of which i have no doubt; as, although her officers have been long appointed there will be little difficulty of success, when i mention your relationship to lord privilege, and while they remain in error as to his taking an interest in my behalf." i rejoiced at o'brien's good fortune. his promotion i had considered certain, as his services had entitled him to it; but the command of so fine a frigate must have been given upon the supposition that it would be agreeable to my uncle, who was not only a prime supporter, but a very useful member, of the tory government. i could not help laughing to myself, at the idea of o'brien obtaining his wishes from the influence of a person who probably detested him as much as one man could detest another; and i impatiently waited for o'brien's next letter, by which i hoped to find myself appointed to the _semiramis_; but a sad _contretemps_ took place. o'brien did not write; but came down two days afterwards, hastened on board the _semiramis_, read his commission, and assumed the command before even he had seen me; he then sent his gig on board of the _rattlesnake_ to desire me to come to him directly. i did so, and we went down into the cabin of the frigate. "peter," said he, "i was obliged to hasten down and read myself captain of this ship, as i am in fear that things are not going on well. i had called to pay my respects at the admiralty, previous to joining, and was kicking my heels in the waiting-room, when who should walk up the passage, as if he were a captain on his own quarter-deck, but your uncle, lord privilege. his eye met mine--he recognised me immediately--and, if it did not flash fire, it did something very like it. he asked a few questions of one of the porters, and was giving his card, when my name was called for. i passed him, and up i went to the first lord, thanked him for the frigate; and having received a great many compliments upon my exertions in the west india station, made my bow and retired. i had intended to have requested your appointment, but i knew that your name would bring up lord privilege's; and, moreover, your uncle's card was brought up and laid upon the table while i was sitting there. the first lord, i presume, thought that his lordship was come to thank him for his kindness to me, which only made him more civil. i made my bow and went down, when i met the eye of lord privilege; who looked daggers at me as he walked up stairs--for, of course, he was admitted immediately after my audience was finished. instead of waiting to hear the result of the explanation, i took a post-chaise, and have come down here as fast as four horses can bring me, and have read myself in--for, peter, i feel sure, that if not on board, my commission will be cancelled; and i know that if once in command, as i am now, i can call for a court-martial, to clear my character if i am superseded. i know that the admiralty _can_ do anything, but still they will be cautious in departing from the rules of the service, to please even lord privilege. i looked up at the sky as soon as i left the admiralty portico, and was glad to see that the weather was so thick, and the telegraph not at work, or i might have been too late. now i'll go on shore, and report myself to the admiral, as having taken the command of the _semiramis_." o'brien went on shore to report himself, was well received by the admiral, who informed him, that if he had any arrangements to make, he could not be too soon, as he should not be surprised if his sailing orders came down the next morning. this was very annoying, as i could not see how i should be able to join o'brien's ship, even if i could effect an exchange, in so short a time. i therefore hastened on board of the _semiramis_, and applied to the officers to know if any of them were willing to exchange into the _rattlesnake_; but, although they did not much like going to the east indies, they would not exchange into a brig, and i returned disappointed. the next morning, the admiral sent for o'brien, and told him confidentially, for he was the same admiral who had received o'brien when he had escaped from prison with me, and was very kind to him, that there was some _hitch_ about his having the _semiramis_, and that orders had come down to pay her off, all standing, and examine her bottom, if captain o'brien had not joined her. "do you understand what this means?" said the admiral, who was anxious to know the reason. o'brien answered frankly, that lord privilege, by whose interest he had obtained his former command, was displeased with him; and that, as he saw him go up to the first lord, he had no doubt but that his lordship had said something to his disadvantage, as he was a very vindictive man. "well," said the admiral, "it's lucky that you have taken the command, as they cannot well displace you, or send her into dock without a survey, and upon your representation." and so it proved; the first lord, when he found that o'brien had joined, took no further steps, but allowed the frigate to proceed to her intended destination. but all chance of my sailing with him was done away, and now, for the first time, i had to part with o'brien. i remained with him the whole time that i could be spared from my duties. o'brien was very much annoyed, but there was no help. "never mind, peter," said he, "i've been thinking that perhaps it's all for the best. you will see more of the world, and be no longer in leading-strings. you are now a fine man grown up, big enough and ugly enough, as they say, to take care of yourself. we shall meet again; and if we don't, why then, god bless you, my boy, and don't forget o'brien." three days afterwards, o'brien's orders came down. i accompanied him on board; and it was not until the ship was under weigh, and running towards the needles with a fair wind, that i shook hands with him, and shoved off. parting with o'brien was a heavy blow to me; but i little knew how much i was to suffer before i saw him again. chapter liii i am pleased with my new captain--obtain leave to go home--find my father afflicted with a very strange disease, and prove myself a very good doctor, although the disorder always breaks out in a fresh place. the day after o'brien had sailed for the east indies, the dockyard men came on board to survey the brig, and she was found so defective as to be ordered into dock. i had received letters from my sister, who was overjoyed at the intelligence of my safe return, and the anticipation of seeing me. the accounts of my father were, however, very unsatisfactory. my sister wrote, that disappointment and anxiety had had such an effect upon him, that he was deranged in his intellects. our new captain came down to join us. he was a very young man, and had never before commanded a ship. his character as lieutenant was well known, and not very satisfactory, being that of a harsh, unpleasant officer; but, as he had never been first lieutenant, it was impossible to say what he might prove when in command of a ship. still we were a little anxious about it, and severely regretted the loss of o'brien. he came on board the hulk to which the ship's company's had been turned over, and read his commission. he proved to be all affability, condescension, and good-nature. to me, he was particularly polite, stating that he should not interfere with me in carrying on the duty, as i must be so well acquainted with the ship's company. we thought that those who gave us the information must have been prejudiced or mistaken in his character. during the half hour that he remained on board, i stated, that now that the brig was in dock, i should like very much to have an opportunity of seeing my friends, if he would sanction my asking for leave. to this he cheerfully consented, adding, that he would extend it upon his own responsibility. my letter to the admiralty was therefore forwarded through him, and was answered in the affirmative. the day afterwards, i set off by the coach, and once more embraced my dear sister. after the first congratulations were over, i inquired about my father; she replied, that he was so wild that nobody could manage him. that he was melancholy and irritable at the same time, and was certainly deranged, fancying himself to be made of various substances, or to be in a certain trade or capacity. that he generally remained in this way four or five days, when he went to bed, and slept for twenty-four hours, or more, and awoke with some new strange imagination in his head. his language was violent, but that, in other respects, he seemed to be more afraid of other people, than inclined to be mischievous, and that every day he was getting more strange and ridiculous. he had now just risen from one of his long naps, and was in his study; that before he had fallen asleep he had fancied himself to be a carpenter, and had sawed and chopped up several articles of furniture in the house. i quitted my sister to see my father, whom i found in his easy-chair. i was much shocked at his appearance. he was thin and haggard, his eye was wild, and he remained with his mouth constantly open. a sick-nurse, who had been hired by my sister, was standing by him. "pish, pish, pish, pish!" cried my father; "what can you, a stupid old woman, know about my inside? i tell you the gas is generating fast, and even now i can hardly keep on my chair. i'm lifting--lifting now; and if you don't tie me down with cords, i shall go up like a balloon." "indeed, sir," replied the woman, "it's only the wind in your stomach. you'll break it off directly." "it's inflammable gas, you old hecate!--i know it is. tell me, will you get a cord, or will you not? hah! who's that--peter? why you've dropped from the clouds, just in time to see me mount up to them." "i hope you feel yourself better, sir," said i. "i feel myself a great deal lighter every minute. get a cord, peter, and tie me to the leg of the table." i tried to persuade him that he was under a mistake; but it was useless. he became excessively violent, and said i wished him in heaven. as i had heard that it was better to humour people afflicted with hypochondriacism, which was evidently the disease under which my father laboured, i tried that method. "it appears to me, sir," said i, "that if we could remove the gas every ten minutes, it would be a good plan." "yes--but how?" replied he, shaking his head mournfully. "why, with a syringe, sir," said i; "which will, if empty, of course draw out the gas, when inserted into your mouth." "my dear peter, you have saved my life: be quick, though, or i shall go up, right through the ceiling." fortunately, there was an instrument of that description in the house. i applied it to his mouth, drew up the piston, and then ejected the air, and re-applied it. in two minutes he pronounced himself better, and i left the old nurse hard at work, and my father very considerably pacified. i returned to my sister, to whom i recounted what had passed; but it was no source of mirth to us, although, had it happened to an indifferent person, i might have been amused. the idea of leaving her, as i must soon do--having only a fortnight's leave--to be worried by my father's unfortunate malady, was very distressing. but we entered into a long conversation, in which i recounted the adventures that had taken place since i had left her, and for the time forgot our source of annoyance and regret. for three days my father insisted upon the old woman pumping the gas out of his body; after that, he again fell into one of his sleeps, which lasted nearly thirty hours. when he arose, i went again to see him. it was eight o'clock in the evening, and i entered with a candle. "take it away--quick, take it away; put it out carefully." "why, what's the matter, sir?" "don't come near me, if you love me; don't come near me. put it out, i say--put it out." i obeyed his orders, and then asked him the reason. "reason!" said he, now that we were in the dark; "can't you see?" "no, father; i can see nothing in the dark." "well, then, peter, i'm a magazine, full of gunpowder; the least spark in the world, and i am blown up. consider the danger. you surely would not be the destruction of your father, peter?" and the poor old gentleman burst into tears, and wept like a child. i knew that it was in vain to reason with him. "my dear father," said i, "on board ship, when there is any danger of this kind, we always _float_ the magazine. now, if you were to drink a good deal of water, the powder would be spoiled, and there would be no danger." my father was satisfied with my proposal, and drank a tumbler of water every half-hour, which the old nurse was obliged to supply as fast as he called for it; and this satisfied him for three or four days, and i was again left to the company of my dear ellen, when my father again fell into his stupor, and we wondered what would be his next fancy. i was hastily summoned by the nurse, and found my poor father lying in bed, and breathing in a very strange manner. "what is the matter, my dear sir?" inquired i. "why don't you see what is the matter? how is a poor little infant, just born, to live, unless its mother is near to suckle it, and take care of it?" "indeed, sir, do you mean to say that you are just born?" "to be sure i do. i'm dying for the breast." this was almost too absurd; but i gravely observed, "that it was all very true, but unfortunately his mother had died in childbirth, and the only remedy was to bring him up by hand." he agreed with me. i desired the nurse to make some gruel with brandy, and feed him; which she did, and he took the gruel just as if he were a baby. i was about to wish him goodnight, when he beckoned to me, and said, "peter, she hasn't changed my napkin." this was too much, and i could not help laughing. i told the nurse what he said, and she replied, "lord bless you, sir, what matter? if the old gentleman takes a fancy, why not indulge him? i'll fetch the kitchen table-cloth." this fit lasted about six days; for he went to sleep, because a baby always slept much: and i was in hopes it would last much longer: but he again went off into his lethargic fit, and, after a long sleep, awoke with a new fancy. my time had nearly expired, and i had written to my new captain, requesting an extension of leave, but i received an answer stating that it could not be granted, and requesting me to join the brig immediately. i was rather surprised at this, but of course was compelled to obey; and, embracing my dear sister once more, set off for portsmouth. i advised her to humour my father, and this advice she followed; but his fancies were such, occasionally, as would have puzzled the most inventive genius to combat, or to find the remedy which he might acknowledge to be requisite. his health became certainly worse and worse, and his constitution was evidently destroyed by a slow, undermining, bodily and mental fever. the situation of my poor sister was very distressing; and i quitted her with melancholy forebodings. i ought here to observe that i received all my prize-money, amounting to £ , a large sum for a lieutenant. i put it into the funds, and gave a power of attorney to ellen, requesting her to use it as her own. we consulted as to what she should do if my father should die, and agreed that all his debts, which we knew to amount to three or four hundred pounds, should be paid, and that she should manage how she could upon what was left of my father's property, and the interest of my prize-money. chapter liv we receive our sailing orders, and orders of every description--a quarter-deck conversation--listeners never hear any good of themselves. when i arrived at portsmouth, i reported myself to the captain, who lived at the hotel. i was ushered into his room to wait for him, as he was dressing to dine with the admiral. my eyes naturally turned to what lay on the table, merely from the feeling which one has to pass away the time, not from curiosity; and i was much surprised to see a pile of letters, the uppermost of which was franked by lord privilege. this, however, might be merely accidental; but my curiosity was excited, and i lifted up the letter, and found that the second, the third, and indeed at least ten of these were franked by my uncle. i could not imagine how there could be any intimacy between him and my uncle, and was reflecting upon it when captain hawkins, for that was his name, entered the room. he was very kind and civil, apologized for not being able to extend my leave, which, he said, was because he had consulted the admiral, who would not sanction the absence of the first lieutenant, and had very peremptorily desired he would recall me immediately. i was satisfied: he shook my hand, and we parted. on my arrival on board the hulk, for the brig was still in dock, i was warmly received by my messmates. they told me that the captain had, generally speaking, been very civil, but that, occasionally, the marks of the cloven foot appeared. "webster," said i, to the second lieutenant, "do you know anything about his family or connections?" "it is a question i have asked of those who have sailed with him, and they all say that he never speaks of his own family, but very often boasts of his intimacy with the nobility. some say that he is a _bye-blow_ of some great man." i reflected very much upon this, and connecting it with the numerous franks of lord privilege, which i saw on the table, had my misgivings; but then i knew that i could do my duty, and had no reason to fear any man. i resolved, in my own mind, to be very correct, and put it out of the power of any one to lay hold of me, and then dismissed the subject. the brig was repaired and out of dock, and for some days i was very busy getting her ready for sea. i never quitted her; in fact, i had no wish. i never had any taste for bad company and midnight orgies, and i had no acquaintance with the respectable portion of the inhabitants of portsmouth. at last the ship's company were removed into the brig: we went out of harbour, and anchored at spithead. captain hawkins came on board and gave me an order-book, saying, "mr simple, i have a great objection to written orders, as i consider that the articles of war are quite sufficient to regulate any ship. still, a captain is in a very responsible situation, and if any accident occurs he is held amenable. i therefore have framed a few orders of my own for the interior discipline of the vessel, which may probably save me harmless, in case of being _hauled over the coals_; but not with any wish that they should interfere with the comforts of the officers, only to guard against any mischance, of which the _onus_ may fall upon myself." i received the order-book, and the captain went ashore. when i went down into the gun-room, to look through it, i at once perceived that if rigidly conformed to, every officer in the ship would be rendered uncomfortable; and if not conformed to, i should be the party that was answerable. i showed it to webster, who agreed with me, and gave it as his opinion that the captain's good nature and amiability were all a blind, and that he was intending to lay hold of us as soon as it was in his power. i therefore called all the officers together, and told them my opinion. webster supported me, and it was unanimously agreed that the orders should be obeyed, although not without remonstrance. the major part of the orders, however, only referred to the time that the brig was in harbour; and, as we were about to proceed to sea, it was hardly worth while saying anything at present. the orders for the sailing of the brig came down, and by the same post i received a letter from my sister ellen, stating that they had heard from captain fielding, who had immediately written to bombay, where the regiment was stationed, and had received an answer, informing him that there was no married man in the regiment of the name of sullivan, and no woman who had followed that regiment of that name. this at once put an end to all our researches after the wet-nurse, who had been confined in my uncle's house. where she had been sent, it was of course impossible to say; but i gave up all chance of discovering my uncle's treachery; and, as i thought of celeste, sighed at the little hope i had of ever being united to her. i wrote a long letter to o'brien, and the next day we sailed for our station in the north sea. the captain added a night order-book to the other, and sent it up every evening, to be returned in the morning, with the signature of every officer of the night watches. he also required all our signatures to his general order-book, that we might not say we had not read them. i had the first watch, when swinburne came up to me. "well, mr simple, i do not think we have made much by our exchange of captains; and i have a shrewd suspicion we shall have squalls ere long." "we must not judge too hastily, swinburne," replied i. "no, no--i don't say that we should; but still, one must go a little by looks in the world, and i'm sure his looks wouldn't help him much. he's just like a winter's day, short and dirty; and he walks the deck as if planks were not good enough for his feet. mr williams says, he looks as if he were 'big with the fate of cato and of rome:' what that means, i don't know--some joke, i suppose, for the youngsters are always joking. were you ever up the baltic, mr simple? now i think of it, i know you never were. i've seen some tight work up there with the gun-boats; and so we should now with captain o'brien; but as for this little man, i've an idea 'twill be more talk than work." "you appear to have taken a great dislike to the captain, swinburne. i do not know whether, as first lieutenant, i ought to listen to you." "it's because you're first lieutenant that i tell it you, mr simple. i never was mistaken, in the main, of an officer's character, when i could look him in the face, and hear him talk for half an hour; and i came up on purpose to put you on your guard: for i feel convinced, that towards you he means mischief. what does he mean by having the greasy-faced serjeant of marines in his cabin for half an hour every morning? his reports as master of arms ought to come through you, as first lieutenant; but he means him as a spy upon all, and upon you in particular. the fellow has begun to give himself airs already, and speaks to the young gentlemen as if they were beneath him. i thought you might not know it, mr simple, so i thought it right to tell you." "i am much obliged to you, swinburne, for your good wishes; but i can do my duty, and why should i fear anything?" "a man may do his duty, mr simple; but if a captain is determined to ruin him, he has the power. i have been longer in the service than you have, and have been wide awake: only be careful of one thing, mr simple; i beg your pardon for being so free, but in no case lose your temper." "no fear of that, swinburne," replied i. "it's very easy to say 'no fear of that,' mr simple; but recollect, you have not yet had your temper tried as some officers have. you have always been treated like a gentleman; but should you find yourself treated otherwise, you have too good blood in your veins not to speak--i am sure of that. i've seen officers insulted and irritated, till no angel could put up with the treatment--and then for an unguarded word, which they would have been _swabs_ not to have made use of, sent out of the service to the devil." "but you forget, swinburne, that the articles of war are made for the captain as well as for everybody else in the ship." "i know that; but still, at court-martials captains make a great distinction between what a superior says to an inferior, and what an inferior says to a superior." "true," replied i, quoting shakespeare: "'that's in the captain but a choleric word, which in the soldier is rank blasphemy.'" "exactly my meaning--i rather think," said swinburne, "if a captain calls you no gentleman, you mus'n't say the same to him." "certainly not, but i can demand a court-martial." "yes; and it will be granted: but what do you gain by that? it's like beating against a heavy gale and a lee tide--thousand to one if you fetch your port; and if you do, your vessel is strained to pieces, sails worn as thin as a newspaper, and rigging chafed half through, wanting fresh serving: no orders for a re-fit, and laid up in ordinary for the rest of your life. no, no, mr simple, the best plan is to grin and bear it, and keep a sharp look-out; for depend upon it, mr simple, in the best ship's company in the world, a spy captain will always find spy followers." "do you refer that observation to me, mr swinburne?" said a voice from under the bulwark. i started round, and found the captain, who had crept upon deck, unperceived by us, during our conversation. swinburne made no reply; but touched his hat and walked over to leeward. "i presume, mr simple," said the captain, turning to me, "that you consider yourself justified in finding fault, and abusing your captain, to an inferior officer, on his majesty's quarter-deck." "if you heard the previous conversation, sir," replied i, "you must be aware that we were speaking generally about court-martials. i do not imagine that i have been guilty of any impropriety in conversing with an officer upon points connected with the service." "you mean then to assert, sir, that the gunner did not refer to me when he said the words, 'spy captain.'" "i acknowledge, sir, that as you were listening unperceived, the term might appear to refer to you; but the gunner had no idea, at the time, that you were listening. his observation was, that a spy captain would always find spy followers. this i take to be a general observation; and i am sorry that you think otherwise." "very well, mr simple," said captain hawkins--and he walked down the companion ladder into his cabin. "now a'n't it odd, mr simple, that i should come up with the intention of being of service to you, and yet get you into such a scrape? however, perhaps it is all for the best; open war is preferable to watching in the dark, and stabbing in the back. he never meant to have shown his colours; but i hit him so hard, that he forgot himself." "i suspect that to be the case, swinburne; but i think that you had better not talk any more with me to-night." "wish i hadn't talked quite so much, as things have turned out," replied swinburne. "good-night, sir." i reflected upon what had passed, and felt convinced that swinburne was right in saying that it was better this had occurred than otherwise. i now knew the ground which i stood upon; and forewarned was being forearmed. chapter lv we encounter a dutch brig of war--captain hawkins very contemplative near the capstan--hard knocks, and no thanks for it--who's afraid?--men will talk--the brig goes about on the wrong tack. at daylight the next morning we were off the texel, and could see the low sand-hills; but we had scarcely made them out, when the fog in the offing cleared up, and we made a strange vessel. the hands were turned up, and all sail made in chase. we made her out to be a brig of war; and as she altered her course considerably, we had an idea that she was an enemy. we made the private signal, which was unanswered, and we cleared for action; the brig making all sail on the starboard tack, and we following her--she bearing about two miles on our weather bow. the breeze was not steady; at one time the brig was staggering under her top-gallant sails, while we had our royals set; at another we would have hands by the top-gallant sheets and topsail halyards, while she expanded every stitch of canvas. on the whole, however, in an hour we had neared about half a mile. our men were all at their quarters, happy to be so soon at their old work. their jackets and hats were thrown off, a bandana handkerchief tied round their heads, and another, or else their black silk handkerchiefs, tied round their waists. every gun was ready, everything was in its place, and every soul, i was going to say, was anxious for the set-to; but i rather think i must not include the captain, who from the commencement, showed no signs of pleasure, and anything but presence of mind. when we first chased the vessel, it was reported that it was a merchantman; and it was not until we had broad daylight, that we discovered her to be a man-of-war. there was one thing to be said in his favour--he had never been in action in his life. the breeze now fell light, and we were both with our sails set, when a thick fog obscured her from our sight. the fog rolled on till we met it, and then we could not see ten yards from the brig. this was a source of great mortification, as we had every chance of losing her. fortunately, the wind was settling down fast into a calm, and about twelve o'clock the sails flapped against the mast. i reported twelve o'clock, and asked the captain whether we should pipe to dinner. "not yet," replied he; "we will put her head about." "go about, sir?" replied i, with surprise. "yes;" said he, "i'm convinced that the chase is on the other tack at this moment; and if we do not, we shall lose her." "if she goes about, sir," said i, "she must get among the sands, and we shall be sure of her." "sir," replied he, "when i ask your advice, you will be pleased to give it. i command this vessel." i touched my hat, and turned the hands up about ship, convinced that the captain wished to avoid the action, as the only chance of escape for the brig was her keeping her wind in the tack she was on. "'bout ship--'bout ship!" cried the men. "what the hell are we going about for?" inquired they of one another, as they came up the ladder. "silence there, fore and aft!" cried i. "captain hawkins, i do not think we can get her round, unless we wear--the wind is very light." "then wear ship, mr simple." there are times when grumbling and discontent among the seamen is so participated by the officers, although they do not show it, that the expressions made use of are passed unheeded. such was the case at present. the officers looked at each other, and said nothing; but the men were unguarded in their expressions. the brig wore gradually round; and when the men were bracing up the yards, sharp on the other tack, instead of the "hurrah!" and "down with the mark!" they fell back with a groan. "brace up those yards in silence, there," said i to the men. the ropes were coiled down, and we piped to dinner. the captain, who continued on deck, could not fail to hear the discontented expressions which occasionally were made use of on the lower deck. he made no observation, but occasionally looked over the side, to see whether the brig went through the water. this she did slowly for about ten minutes, when it fell a perfect calm--so that, to use a common sea phrase, he gained little by his motion. about half-past one, a slight breeze from the opposite quarter sprung up--we turned round to it--it increased--the fog blew away, and, in a quarter of an hour, the chase was again visible, now upon our lee beam. the men gave three cheers. "silence there, fore and aft," cried the captain, angrily. "mr simple, is this the way that the ship's company have been disciplined under their late commander, to halloo and bawl whenever they think proper?" i was irritated at any reflection upon o'brien, and i replied, "yes, sir; they have been always accustomed to express their joy at the prospect of engaging the enemy." "very well, mr simple," replied he. "how are we to shift her head?" inquired the master, touching his hat: "for the chase?" "of course," replied the captain, who then descended into his cabin. "come, my lads," said swinburne, as soon as the captain was below, "i have been going round, and i find that your _pets_ are all in good fighting order. i promise ye, you sha'n't wait for powder. they'll find that the _rattlesnake_ can bite devilish hard yet, i expect."--"aye, and without its _head_, too," replied one of the men, who was the joe miller of the brig. the chase, perceiving that she could not escape--for we were coming up with her, hand over hand, now shortened sail for action, hoisting dutch colours. captain hawkins again made his appearance on the quarter-deck, when we were within half a mile of her. "are we to run alongside of her or how?" inquired i. "mr simple, i command her," replied he, "and want no interference whatever." "very well, sir," replied i, and i walked to the gangway. "mr thompson," cried the captain, who appeared to have screwed up his courage to the right pitch, and had now taken his position for a moment on one of the carronades; "you will lay the brig right--" bang, bang--whiz, whiz--bang--whiz, came three shots from the enemy, cleaving the air between our masts. the captain jumped down from the carronade, and hastened to the capstern, without finishing his sentence. "shall we fire when we are ready, sir?" said i; for i perceived that he was not capable of giving correct orders. "yes--yes, to be sure," replied he, remaining where he was. "thompson," said i to the master, "i think we can manage, in our present commanding position, to get foul of him, so as to knock away his jib-boom and fore topmast, and then she can't escape. we have good way on her." "i'll manage it, simple, or my name's not thompson," replied the master, jumping into the quarter-boat, conning the vessel in that exposed situation, as we received the enemy's fire. "look out, my lads, and pour it into her now, just as you please," said i to the men. the seamen were, however, too well disciplined to take immediate advantage of my permission; they waited until we passed her, and just as the master put up his helm, so as to catch her jib-boom between our masts, the whole broadside was poured into his bow and chess-tree. her jib-boom and fore-topgallant went down, and she had so much way through the water, that we tore clear from her, and rounding to the wind shot a-head. the enemy, although in confusion from the effects of our broadside, put up his helm to rake us; we perceived his manoeuvre, and did the same, and then, squaring our sails, we ran with him before the wind, engaging broadside to broadside. this continued about half an hour, and we soon found that we had no fool to play with. the brig was well fought, and her guns well directed. we had several men taken down below, and i thought it would be better to engage her even closer. there was about a cable's length between both vessels, as we ran before the wind, at about six miles an hour, with a slight rolling motion. "thompson," said i, "let us see if we cannot beat them from their guns. let's port the helm and close her, till we can shy a biscuit on board." "just my opinion, simple; we'll see if they won't make another sort of running fight of it." in a few minutes we were so close on board of her, that the men who loaded the guns could touch each other with their rammers and sponges. the men cheered; it was gallantly returned by the enemy, and havoc was now commenced by the musketry on both sides. the french captain, who appeared as brave a fellow as ever stepped, stood for some minutes on the hammocks; i was also holding on by the swifter of the main rigging, when he took off his hat and politely saluted me. i returned the compliment; but the fire became too hot, and i wished to get under the shelter of the bulwark. still i would not go down first, and the french captain appeared determined not to be the first either to quit the post of honour. at last one of our marines hit him in the right arm: he clapped his hand to the part, as if to point it out to me, nodded, and was assisted down from the hammocks. i immediately quitted my post, for i thought it foolish to stand as a mark for forty or fifty soldiers. i had already received a bullet through the small of my leg. but the effects of such close fire now became apparent: our guns were only half manned, our sides terribly cut up, and our sails and rigging in tatters. the enemy was even worse off, and two broadsides more brought her mainmast by the board. our men cheered, and threw in another broadside. the enemy dropped astern; we rounded to rake her; she also attempted to round to, but could not until she had cleared away her wreck, and taken in her foresail, and lowered her topsail. she then continued the action with as much spirit as ever. "he's a fine fellow, by god!" exclaimed thompson; "i never saw a man fight his ship better: but we have him. webster's down, poor fellow!" "i'm sorry for it," replied i; "but i'm afraid that there are many poor fellows who have lost the number of their mess. i think it useless throwing away the advantage which we now have. he can't escape, and he'll fight this way for ever. we had better run a-head, repair damages, and then he must surrender, in his crippled state, when we attack him again." "i agree with you," said thompson; "the only point is, that it will soon be dark." "i'll not lose sight of him, and he cannot get away. if he puts before the wind, then we will be at him again." we gave him the loaded guns as we forged a-head, and when we were about half a mile from him, hove-to to repair damages. the reader may now ask, "but where was the captain all this time?" my answer is, that he was at the capstern, where he stood in silence, not once interfering during the whole action, which was fought by thompson, the master, and myself. how he looked, or how he behaved in other points during the engagement, i cannot pretend to say, for i had no time to observe him. even now i was busy knotting the rigging, rousing up new sails to bend, and getting everything in order, and i should not have observed him, had he not come up to me; for as soon as we had ceased firing he appeared to recover himself. he did not, however, first address me; he commenced speaking to the men. "come, be smart, my lads; send a hand here to swab up the blood. here, youngster, run down to the surgeon, and let him know that i wish a report of the killed and wounded." by degrees he talked more, and at last came up to me, "this has been rather smartish, mr simple." "very smart indeed, sir," replied i, and then turned away to give directions. "maintop there, send down the hauling line on the starboard side." "ay, ay, sir." "now then, my lads, clap on, and run it up at once." "maintop, there," hailed the captain, "be a little smarter, or by g----d, i'll call you down for something." this did not come with a good grace from one who had done nothing, to those who were working with all their energy. "mr simple," said the captain, "i wish you would carry on duty with less noise." "at all events, he set us that example during the action," muttered the joe miller; and the other men laughed heartily at the implication. in two hours, during which we had carefully watched the enemy, who still lay where we left him, we were again ready for action. "shall i give the men their grog now, sir?" said i to the captain; "they must want it." "no, no," replied the captain; "no, no, mr simple, i don't like what you call _dutch_ courage." "i don't think he much does; and this fellow has shown plenty of it," said the joe miller, softly; and the men about him laughed heartily. "i think, sir," observed i, "that it is an injustice to this fine ship's company to hint at their requiring dutch courage." (dutch courage is a term for courage screwed up by drinking freely.) "and i most respectfully beg leave to observe, that the men have not had their afternoon's allowance; and, after the fatigues they have undergone, really require it." "i command this ship, sir," replied he. "certainly, sir, i am aware of it," rejoined i. "she is now all ready for action again, and i wait your orders. the enemy is two miles on the lee quarter." the surgeon here came up with his report. "good heavens!" said the captain, "forty-seven men killed and wounded, mr webster dangerously. why, the brig is crippled. we can do no more-- positively, we can do no more." "_we can take that brig, anyhow_," cried one of the seamen from a dozen of the men who were to leeward, expecting orders to renew the attack. "what man was that?" cried the captain. no one answered. "by g----d! this ship is in a state of mutiny, mr simple." "will _soon_ be, i think," said a voice from the crowd, which i knew very well; but the captain, having been but a short time with us, did not know it. "do you hear that, mr simple?" cried the captain. "i regret to say that i did hear it, sir; i little thought that ever such an expression would have been made use of on board of the _rattlesnake_." then, fearing he would ask me the man's name, and to pretend not to have recognised it, i said, "who was that who made use of that expression?" but no one answered; and it was so dark, that it was impossible to distinguish the men. "after such mutinous expressions," observed the captain, "i certainly will not risk his majesty's brig under my command, as i should have wished to have done, even in her crippled state, by again engaging the enemy. i can only regret that the officers appear as insolent as the men." "perhaps, captain hawkins, you will state in what, and when, i have proved myself insolent. i cannot accuse myself." "i hope the expression was not applied to me, sir," said thompson, the master, touching his hat. "silence, gentlemen, if you please. mr simple, wear round the ship." whether the captain intended to attack the enemy or not, we could not tell, but we were soon undeceived; for when we were round, he ordered her to be kept away until the dutch brig was on our lee quarter: then ordering the master to shape his course for yarmouth, he went down into the cabin, and sent up word that i might pipe to supper and serve out the spirits. the rage and indignation of the men could not be withheld. after they went down to supper they gave three heavy groans in concert; indeed, during the whole of that night, the officers who kept the watches had great difficulty in keeping the men from venting their feeling, in what might be almost termed justifiable mutiny. as for myself, i could hardly control my vexation. the brig was our certain prize; and this was proved, for the next day she hauled down her colours immediately to a much smaller man-of-war, which fell in with her, still lying in the same crippled state; the captain and first lieutenant killed, and nearly two-thirds of her ship's company either killed or wounded. had we attacked her, she would have hauled down her colours immediately, for it was our last broadside which had killed the captain. as first lieutenant, i should have received my promotion, which was now lost. i cried for vexation when i thought of it as i lay in bed. that his conduct was severely commented upon by the officers in the gun-room, as well as by the whole ship's company, i hardly need say. thompson was for bringing him to a court-martial, which i would most gladly have done, if it only were to get rid of him; but i had a long conversation with old swinburne on the subject, and he proved to me that i had better not attempt it. "for, d'ye see, mr simple, you have no proof. he did not run down below; he stood his ground on deck, although he did nothing. you can't _prove_ cowardice, then, although there can be no great doubt of it. again, with regard to his not renewing the attack, why, is not a captain at liberty to decide what is the best for his majesty's service? and if he thought, in the crippled state of the brig, so close to the enemy's coast, that it wasn't advisable, why, it could only be brought in as an error in judgment. then there's another thing which must be remembered, mr simple, which is, that no captains sitting on a court-martial will, if it be possible to extricate him, ever prove _cowardice_ against a brother captain, because they feel that it's a disgrace to the whole cloth." swinburne's advice was good, and i gave up all thoughts of proceeding; still it appeared to me, that the captain was very much afraid that i would, he was so extremely amiable and polite during our run home. he said, that he had watched how well i had behaved in the action, and would not fail to notice it. this was something, but he did not keep his word: for his despatch was published before we quitted the roadstead, and not the name of one officer mentioned, only generally saying, that they conducted themselves to his satisfaction. he called the enemy a corvette, not specifying whether she was a brig or ship corvette; and the whole was written in such a bombastic style, that any one would have imagined that he had fought a vessel of superior force. he stated, at the end, that as soon as he repaired damages, he wore round, but that the enemy declined further action. so she did--certainly--for the best of all possible reasons, that she was too disabled to come down to us. all this might have been contested; but the enormous list of killed and wounded proved that we had had a hard fight, and the capture of the brig afterwards, that we had really overpowered her. so that, on the whole, captain hawkins gained a great deal of credit with some; although whispers were afloat which came to the ears of the admiralty, and prevented him from being posted--the more so, as he had the modesty not to apply for it. chapter lvi consequences of the action--a ship without a fighting captain is like a thing without a head--so do the sailors think--a mutiny, and the loss of our famous ship's company. during our stay at yarmouth, we were not allowed to put our foot on shore, upon the plea that we must repair damages, and proceed immediately to our station; but the real fact was, that captain hawkins was very anxious that we should not be able to talk about the action. finding no charges preferred against him, he re-commenced his system of annoyance. his apartments had windows which looked out upon where the brig lay at anchor, and he constantly watched all our motions with his spy-glass, noting down if i did not hoist up boats, &c., exactly at the hour prescribed in his book of orders, so as to gather a list of charges against me if he could. this we did not find out until afterwards. i mentioned before, that when swinburne joined us at plymouth, he had recommended a figure-head being put on the brig. this had been done at o'brien's expense--not in the cheap way recommended by swinburne, but in a very handsome manner. it was a large snake coiled up in folds, with its head darting out in a menacing attitude, and the tail, with its rattle appeared below. the whole was gilded, and had a very good effect; but after the dock-yard men had completed the repairs, and the brig was painted, one night the head of the rattlesnake disappeared. it had been sawed off by some malicious and evil disposed persons, and no traces of it were to be found. i was obliged to report this to the captain, who was very indignant, and offered twenty pounds for the discovery of the offender; but had he offered twenty thousand he never would have found out the delinquent. it was, however, never forgotten; for he understood what was implied by these manoeuvres. a new head was carved, but disappeared the night after it was fixed on. the rage of the captain was without bounds: he turned the hands up, and declared that if the offender was not given up, he would flog every hand on board. he gave the ship's company ten minutes, and then prepared to execute his threat. "mr paul, turn the hands up for punishment," said the captain, in a rage, and descended to his cabin for the articles of war. when he was down below, the officers talked over the matter. to flog every man for the crime of one was the height of injustice, but it was not for us to oppose him; still the ship's company must have seen, in our countenances, that we shared their feelings. the men were talking with each other in groups, until they all appeared to have communicated their ideas on the subject. the carpenters, who had been slowly bringing aft the gratings, left off the job; the boatswain's mates, who had came aft, rolled the tails of their cats round the red handles; and every man walked down below. no one was left on the quarter-deck but the marines under arms, and the officers. perceiving this, i desired mr paul, the boatswain, to send the men up to rig the gratings, and the quarter-masters with their seizings. he came up, and said that he had called them, but that they did not answer. perceiving that the ship's company would break out into open mutiny, if the captain persisted in his intention, i went down into the cabin, and told the captain the state of things, and wished for his orders or presence on deck. the captain, whose wrath appeared incapable of reflection, immediately proceeded on deck, and ordered the marines to load with ball-cartridge. this was done; but, as i was afterwards told by thompson, who was standing aft, the marines loaded with powder, and put the balls into their pockets. they wished to keep up the character of their corps for fidelity, and at the same time not fire upon men whom they loved as brothers, and with whom they coincided in opinion. indeed, we afterwards discovered that it was a _marine_ who had taken off the _head_ of the snake a second time. the captain then ordered the boatswain to turn the hands up. the boatswain made his appearance with his right arm in a sling.--"what's the matter with your arm, mr paul?" said i, as he passed me. "tumbled down the hatchway just now--can't move my arm; i must go to the surgeon as soon as this is over." the hands were piped up again, but no one obeyed the order. thus was the brig in a state of mutiny. "mr simple, go forward to the main hatchway with the marines, and fire on the lower deck," cried the captain. "sir," said i, "there are two frigates within a cable's length of us; and would it not be better to send for assistance, without shedding blood? besides, sir, you have not yet tried the effect of calling up the carpenter's and boatswain's mates by name. will you allow me to go down first, and bring them to a sense of their duty?" "yes, i presume you know your power; but of this hereafter." i went down below and called the men by name. "sir," said one of the boatswain's mates, "the ship's company say that they will not submit to be flogged." "i do not speak to the ship's company generally, collins," replied i; "but you are now ordered to rig the gratings, and come on deck. it is an order that you cannot refuse. go up directly, and obey it. quarter-masters, go on deck with your seizings. when all is ready, you can then expostulate." the men obeyed my orders; they crawled on deck, rigged the gratings, and stood by. "all is ready, sir," said i, touching my hat to the captain. "send the ship's company aft, mr paul." "aft, then, all of you, for punishment," cried the boatswain. "yes, it is _all of us for punishment_," cried one voice. "we're all to flog one another, and then pay off the _jollies_."[ ] this time the men obeyed the order; they all appeared on the quarter-deck. "the men are all aft, sir," reported the boatswain. "and now, my lads," said the captain, "i'll teach you what mutiny is. you see the two frigates alongside of us. you had forgotten them, i suppose, but i hadn't. here, you scoundrel, mr jones"--(this was the joe miller)--"strip, sir. if ever there was mischief in a ship, you are at the head." "head, sir," said the man, assuming a vacant look; "what head, sir? do you mean the snake's head? i don't know anything about it, sir."-- "strip, sir!" cried the captain in a rage; "i'll soon bring you to your senses." "if you please, your honour, what have i done to be tied up?" said the man. "strip, you scoundrel!"--"well, sir, if you please, it's hard to be flogged for nothing." the man pulled off his clothes, and walked up to the grating. the quarter-masters seized him up. "seized up, sir," reported the scoundrel of a sergeant of marines who acted as the captain's spy. the captain looked for the articles of war to read, as is necessary previous to punishing a man, and was a little puzzled to find one, where no positive offence had been committed. at last, he pitched upon the one which refers to combination and conspiracy, and creating discontent. we all took off our hats as he read it, and he then called mr paul, the boatswain, and ordered him to give the man a dozen. "please, sir," said the boatswain, pointing to his arm in a sling, "i can't flog--i can't lift up my arm."--"your arm was well enough when i came on board, sir," cried the captain. "yes, sir; but in hurrying the men up, i slipped down the ladder, and i'm afraid i've put my shoulder out." the captain bit his lips; he fully believed it was a sham on the part of the boatswain (which indeed it was) to get off flogging the men. "well, then, where is the chief boatswain's mate, miller?" "here, sir," said miller, coming forward: a stout, muscular man, nearly six feet high, with a pig-tail nearly four feet long, and his open breast covered with black, shaggy hair. "give that man a dozen, sir," said the captain. the man looked at the captain, then at the ship's company, and then at the man seized up, but did not commence the punishment. "do you hear me, sir?" roared the captain. "if you please, your honour, i'd rather take my disrating--i--don't wish to be chief boatswain's mate in this here business." "obey your orders, immediately, sir," cried the captain; "or, by god, i'll try you for mutiny." "well, sir, i beg your pardon; but what must be, must be. i mean no disrespect, captain hawkins, but i cannot flog that man--my conscience won't let me." "your _conscience_, sir!" "beg your pardon, captain hawkins, i've always done my duty, foul weather or fair; and i've been eighteen years in his majesty's service, without ever being brought to punishment; but if i am to be hung now, saving your pleasure, and with all respect, i can't help it." "i give you but one moment more, sir," cried the captain; "do your duty." the man looked at the captain, and then eyed the yard-arm. "captain hawkins, i will _do my duty_, although i must swing for it." so saying he threw his cat down on the quarter-deck, and fell back among the ship's company. the captain was now confounded, and hardly knew how to act: to persevere appeared useless--to fall back was almost as impossible. a dead silence of a minute ensued. every one was breathless with impatience, to know what would be done next. the silence was, however, first broken by jones, the joe miller, who was seized up. "beg your honour's pardon, sir," said he, turning his head round; "but if i am to be flogged, will you be pleased to let me have it over? i shall catch my death a-cold, naked here all day." this was decided mockery, on the part of the man, and roused the captain. "sergeant of marines, put miller and that man collins, both legs in irons, for mutiny. my men, i perceive that there is a conspiracy in the ship, but i shall very soon put an end to it: i know the men, and, by god, they shall repent it. mr paul, pipe down. mr simple, man my gig; and recollect, it's my positive orders that no boat goes on shore." the captain left the brig, looking daggers at me as he went over the side; but i had done my duty, and cared little for that; indeed, i was now watching his conduct as carefully as he did mine. "the captain wishes to tell his own story first," said thompson, coming up to me. "now, if i were you, simple, i would take care that the real facts should be known." "how's that to be done," replied i; "he has ordered no communication with the shore." "simply by sending an officer on board of each of the frigates to state that the brig is in a state of mutiny, and request that they will keep a look-out upon her. this is no more than your duty as commanding officer; you only send the message, leave me to state the facts of my own accord. recollect that the captains of these frigates will be summoned, if there is a court of inquiry, which i expect will take place." i considered a little, and thought the advice good. i despatched thompson first to one frigate, and then to the other. the next day the captain came on board. as soon as he stepped on the quarter-deck he inquired how i dare disobey his orders in sending the boats away. my reply was that his orders were, not to communicate with the shore, but that, as commanding officer, i considered it my duty to make known to the other ships that the men were in a state of insubordination, that they might keep their eyes upon us. he _kept his eyes_ upon me for some time, and then turned away without reply. as we expected, a court of inquiry was called, upon his representations to the admiral. about twenty of the men were examined, but so much came out as to the _reason why_ the head of the snake had been removed--for the sailors spoke boldly--that the admiral and officers who were appointed strongly recommended captain hawkins not to proceed further than to state that there were some disaffected characters in the ship, and move the admiral to have them exchanged into others. this was done, and the captains of the frigates, who immediately gave their advice, divided all our best men between them. they spoke very freely to me, and asked me who were the best men, which i told them honestly, for i was glad to be able to get them out of the power of captain hawkins; these they marked as disaffected, and exchanged them for all the worst they had on board. the few that were left ran away, and thus, from having one of the finest and best organised ship's companies in the service, we were now one of the very worst. miller was sent on board of the frigate, and under surveillance: he soon proved that his character was as good as i stated it to be, and two years afterwards was promoted to the rank of boatswain. webster, the second lieutenant, would not rejoin us, and another was appointed. i must here remark, that there is hardly any degree of severity which a captain may not exert towards his seamen, provided they are confident of, or he has proved to them, his courage; but if there be a doubt, or a confirmation to the contrary, all discipline is destroyed by contempt, and the ship's company mutiny, either directly or indirectly. there is an old saying, that all tyrants are cowards; that tyranny is in itself a species of meanness, i acknowledge: but still the saying ought to be modified. if it is asserted that all mean tyrants are cowards, i agree; but i have known in the service most special tyrants, who were not cowards: their tyranny was excessive, but there was no meanness in their dispositions. on the contrary, they were generous, open-hearted, and, occasionally, when not influenced by anger, proved that their hearts, if not quite right, were not very much out of their places. yet they were tyrants; but, although tyrants, the men forgave them, and one kind act, when they were not led away by the impetuosity of their feelings, obliterated a hundred acts of tyranny. but such is not the case in our service with men who, in their tyranny, are mean; the seamen show no quarter to them, and will undergo all the risk which the severity of the articles of war renders them liable to, rather than not express their opinion of a man whom they despise. i do not like to mention names, but i could point out specimens of brave tyrants, and of cowardly tyrants who have existed, and do even now exist in our service. the present regulations have limited tyranny to a certain degree, but it cannot check the _mean_ tyrant; for it is not in points of consequence, likely to be brought before the notice of his superiors, that he effects his purpose. he resorts to paltry measures--he smiles that he may betray--he confines himself within the limit that may protect him; and he is never exposed, unless by his courage being called in question, which but rarely occurs; and when it does occur it is most difficult, as well as most dangerous, to attempt to prove it. it may be asked why i did not quit the ship, after having been aware of the character of the captain, and the enmity which he bore to me. in reply, i can only say that i did often think of it, talked over the subject with my messmates, but they persuaded me to remain, and, as i was a first lieutenant, and knew that any successful action would, in all probability, insure my promotion, i determined, to use a nautical expression, to rough it out, and not throw away the only chance which i now had of obtaining my rank as commander. [footnote : marines.] chapter lvii news from home not very agreeable, although the reader may laugh--we arrive at portsmouth, where i fall in with my old acquaintance, mrs trotter--we sail with a convoy for the baltic. i had written to my sister ellen, giving her an account of all that had passed, and mentioning the character of the captain, and his apparent intimacy with my uncle. i received an answer from her, telling me that she had discovered, from a very communicative old maiden lady, that captain hawkins was an illegitimate son of my uncle, by a lady with whom he had been acquainted about the time that he was in the army. i immediately conceived the truth, that my uncle had pointed me out to him as an object of his vengeance, and that captain hawkins was too dutiful and too dependent a son not to obey him. the state of my father was more distressing than ever, but there was something very ludicrous in his fancies. he had fancied himself a jackass, and had brayed for a week, kicking the old nurse in the stomach, so as to double her up like a hedgehog. he had taken it into his head that he was a pump; and, with one arm held out as a spout, he had obliged the poor old nurse to work the other up and down for hours together. at another time, he had an idea that he was a woman in labour, and they were obliged to give him a strong dose of calomel, and borrow a child of six years old from a neighbour, to make him believe that he was delivered. he was perfectly satisfied, although the child was born to him in cloth trousers, and a jacket with three rows of sugar-loaf buttons. aye, said he, it was those buttons which hurt my side so much. in fact, there was a string of strange conceptions of this kind that had accumulated, so as to drive my poor sister almost mad; and sometimes his ideas would be attended with a very heavy expense, as he would send for architects, make contracts, &c., for building, supposing himself to have come to the title and property of his brother. this, being the basis of his disease, occurred frequently. i wrote to poor ellen, giving her my best advice, and by this time the brig was again ready for sea, and we expected to sail immediately. i did not forget to write to o'brien, but the distance between us was so great that i knew i could not obtain his answer probably for a year, and i felt a melancholy foreboding how much i required his advice. our orders were to proceed to portsmouth, and join a convoy collected there, bound up the baltic, under the charge of the _acasta_ frigate, and two other vessels. we did not sail with any pleasure, or hopes of gaining much in the way of prize-money. our captain was enough to make any ship a hell; and our ship's company were composed of a mutinous and incorrigible set of scoundrels, with, of course, a few exceptions. how different did the officers find the brig after losing such a captain as o'brien, and so fine a ship's company! but there was no help for it, and all we had to do was to make the best of it, and hope for better times. the cat was at work nearly every day, and i must acknowledge that, generally speaking, it was deserved; although sometimes a report from the sergeant of marines of any good man favoured by me, was certain to be attended to. this system of receiving reports direct from an inferior officer, instead of through me, as first lieutenant, became so annoying, that i resolved, at all risk, to expostulate. i soon had an opportunity, for one morning the captain said to me, "mr simple, i understand that you had a fire in the galley last night after hours." "it is very true, sir, that i did order a stove to be lighted; but may i inquire whether the first lieutenant has not a discretionary power in that point? and further, how it is that i am reported to you by other people? the discipline of this ship is carried on by me, under your directions, and all reports ought to come through me; and i cannot understand upon what grounds you permit them through any other channel." "i command my own ship, sir, and shall do as i please in that respect. when i have officers i can confide in, i shall, in all probability, allow them to report to me." "if there is anything in my conduct which has proved to you that i am incapable, or not trustworthy, i would feel obliged to you, sir, if you would, in the first place, point it out;--and, in the next, bring me to a court-martial if i do not correct it." "i am no court-martial man, sir," replied he, "but i am not to be dictated to by an inferior officer, so you'll oblige me by holding your tongue. the sergeant of marines, as master-at-arms, is bound to report to me any deviation from the regulations i have laid down for the discipline of the ship." "granted, sir; but that report, according to the custom of the service, should come through the first lieutenant." "i prefer it coming direct, sir;--it stands less chance of being garbled." "thank you, captain hawkins, for the compliment." the captain walked away without further reply, and shortly after went down below. swinburne ranged up alongside of me as soon as the captain disappeared. "well, mr simple, so i hear we are bound to the baltic. why couldn't they have ordered us to pick up the convoy off yarmouth, instead of coming all the way to portsmouth? we shall be in to-morrow with this slant of wind." "i suppose the convoy are not yet collected, swinburne; and you recollect there's no want of french privateers in the channel." "very true, sir." "when were you up the baltic, swinburne?" "i was in the old _st george_, a regular old ninety-eight; she sailed just like a hay-stack, one mile ahead and three to leeward. lord bless you, mr simple, the cattegat wasn't wide enough for her; but she was a comfortable sort of vessel after all, excepting on a lee-shore, so we used always to give the land a wide berth, i recollect. by the bye, mr simple, do you recollect how angry you were because i didn't peach at barbadoes, when the men _sucked the monkey?_" "to be sure i do." "well, then, i didn't think it fair then, as i was one of them. but now that i'm a bit of an officer, i just tell you that when we get to carlscrona there's a method of _sucking the monkey_ there, which, as first lieutenant, with such a queer sort of captain, it is just as well that you should be up to. in the old _st george_ we had seventy men drunk one afternoon, and the first lieutenant couldn't find it out nohow." "indeed, swinburne, you must let me into that secret." "so i will, mr simple. don't you know there's a famous stuff for cuts and wounds, called balsam?" "what, riga balsam?" "yes, that's it; well, all the boats will bring that for sale, as they did to us in the old _st george_. devilish good stuff it is for wounds, i believe; but it's not bad to drink, and it's very strong. we used to take it _inwardly_, mr simple, and the first lieutenant never guessed it." "what! you all got tipsy upon riga balsam?" "all that could; so i just give you a hint." "i'm much obliged to you, swinburne; i certainly never should have suspected it. i believe seamen would get drunk upon anything." the next morning we anchored at spithead, and found the convoy ready for sea. the captain went on shore to report himself to the admiral, and, as usual, the brig was surrounded with bumboats and wherries, with people who wished to come on board. as we were not known on the portsmouth station, and had no acquaintance with the people, all the bumboats were very anxious to supply the ship: and, as this is at the option of the first lieutenant, he is very much persecuted until he has made his decision. certificates of good conduct from other officers were handed up the side from all of them; and i looked over the books at the capstern. in the second book the name struck me; it was that of mrs trotter, and i walked to the gangway out of curiosity, to ascertain whether it was the same personage who, when i was a youngster, had taken such care of my shirts. as i looked at the boats, a voice cried out, "o, mr simple, have you forgot your old friend? don't you recollect mrs trotter?" i certainly did not recollect her; she had grown very fat, and, although more advanced in years, was a better-looking woman than when i had first seen her, for she looked healthy and fresh. "indeed, i hardly did recollect you, mrs trotter." "i've so much to tell you, mr simple," replied she, ordering the boat to pull alongside; and, as she was coming up, desired the man to get the things in, as if permission was quite unnecessary. i did not counter-order it, as i knew none of the others, and, as far as honesty was concerned, believed them all to be much on a par. on the strength, then, of old acquaintance, mrs trotter was admitted. "well, i'm sure, mr simple," cried mrs trotter, out of breath with climbing up the brig's side; "what a man you've grown,--and such a handsome man, too! dear, dear, it makes me feel quite old to look at you, when i call to mind the little boy whom i had charge of in the cockpit. don't you think i look very old and ugly, mr simple?" continued she, smiling and smirking. "indeed, mrs trotter, i think you wear very well. pray, how is your husband?" "ah, mr simple, poor dear mr trotter--he's gone. poor fellow! no wonder; what with his drinking, and his love for me--and his jealousy--(do you recollect how jealous he was, mr simple?)--he wore himself out at last. no wonder, considering what he had been accustomed to, after keeping his carriage and dogs with everybody, to be reduced to see his wife go a _bumming_. it broke his heart, poor fellow! and, mr simple, i've been much happier ever since, for i could not bear to see him fretting. lord, how jealous he was--and all about nothing! don't you want some fresh meat for the gun-room? i've a nice leg of mutton in the boat, and some milk for tea." "recollect, mrs trotter, i shall not overlook your bringing spirits on board." "lord, mr simple, how could you think of such a thing? it's very true that these common people do it, but the company i have kept, the society i have been in, mr simple! besides, you must recollect that i never drank anything but water." i could not exactly coincide with her, but i did not contradict her. "would you like the portsmouth paper, mr simple?" taking one out of her pocket; "i know gentlemen are fond of the news. poor trotter used never to stir from the breakfast table until he had finished the daily paper-- but that was when we lived in very different style. have you any clothes to wash, mr simple,--or have any of the gentlemen?" "i fear we have no time, we sail too soon," replied i; "we go with the convoy." "indeed!" cried mrs trotter, who walked to the main hatchway and called to her man bill. i heard her give him directions to sell nothing upon trust, in consequence of the intelligence of our immediate sailing. "i beg your pardon, mr simple, i was only desiring my head man to send for your steward, that he might be supplied with the best, and to save some milk for the gun-room." "and i must beg your pardon, mrs trotter, for i must attend to my duty." mrs trotter made her courtesy and walked down the main ladder to attend to _her duty_, and we separated. i was informed that she had a great deal of custom, as she understood how to manage the officers, and made herself generally useful to them. she had been a bumboat woman for six years, and had made a great deal of money. indeed, it was reported, that if a _first lieutenant_ wanted forty or fifty pounds, mrs trotter would always lend it to him, without requiring his promissory note. the captain came on board in the evening, having dined with the admiral, and left directions for having all ready for unmooring and heaving short at daylight. the signal was made from the frigate at sunrise, and before twelve o'clock we were all under weigh, and running past st helen's with a favourable wind. our force consisted of the _acasta_ frigate, the _isis_ ship, sloop, mounting twenty guns, the _reindeer_, eighteen, and our own brig. the convoy amounted to nearly two hundred. although the wind was fair, and the water smooth, we were more than a week before we made anholt light, owing _to_ the bad sailing and inattention of many of the vessels belonging to the convoy. we were constantly employed repeating signals, firing guns, and often sent back to tow up the sternmost vessels. at last we passed the anholt light, with a light breeze; and the next morning the main land was to be distinguished on both bows. chapter lviii how we passed the sound, and what passed in the sound the captain overhears again a conversation between swinburne and me. i was on the signal-chest abaft, counting the convoy, when swinburne came up to me. "there's a little difference between this part of the world and the west indies, mr simple," observed he. "black rocks and fir woods don't remind us of the blue mountains of jamaica, or the cocoa-nut waving to the sea-breeze." "indeed not, swinburne," replied i. "we shall have plenty of calms here, without panting with the heat, although we may find the gun-boats a little too warm for us; for, depend upon it, the very moment the wind goes down, they will come out from every nook and corner, and annoy us not a little." "have you been here before, with a convoy, swinburne?" "to be sure i have; and it's sharp work that i've seen here, mr simple-- work that i've an idea our captain won't have much stomach for." "swinburne, i beg you will keep your thoughts relative to the captain to yourself; recollect the last time. it is my duty not to listen to them." "and i should rather think to report them also, mr simple," said captain hawkins, who had crept up to us, and overheard our conversation. "in this instance there is no occasion for my reporting them, sir," replied i, "for you have heard what has passed." "i have, sir," replied he; "and i shall not forget the conversation." i turned forward. swinburne had made his retreat the moment that he heard the voice of the captain. "how many sails are there in sight, sir?" inquired the captain. "one hundred and sixty-three, sir," replied i. "signal for convoy to close from the _acasta_" reported the midshipman of the watch. we repeated it, and the captain descended to his cabin. we were then running about four miles an hour, the water very smooth, and anholt lighthouse hardly visible on deck, bearing n.n.w. about twenty miles. in fact, we were near the entrance of the sound, which, the reader may be aware, is a narrow passage leading into the baltic sea. we ran on, followed by the convoy, some of which were eight or ten miles astern of us, and we were well into the sound, when the wind gradually died away, until it fell quite calm, and the heads of the vessels were laid round the compass. my watch was nearly out, when the midshipman, who was looking round with his glass on the copenhagen side, reported three gun-boats, sweeping out from behind a point. i examined them and went down to report them to the captain. when i came on deck, more were reported, until we counted ten, two of them large vessels, called praams. the captain now came on deck, and i reported them. we made the signal of enemy in sight, to the _acasta_, which was answered. they divided--six of them pulling along shore towards the convoy in the rear, and four coming out right for the brig. the _acasta_ now made the signal for "boats manned and armed to be held in readiness." we hoisted out our pinnace, and lowered down our cutters--the other men-of-war doing the same. in about a quarter of an hour the gun-boats opened their fire with their long thirty-two pounders, and their first shot went right through the hull of the brig, just abaft the fore-bits; fortunately, no one was hurt. i turned round to look at the captain; he was as white as a sheet. he caught my eye, and turned aft, when he was met by swinburne's eye, steadily fixed upon him. he then walked to the other side of the deck. another shot ploughed up the water close to us, rose, and came through the hammock-netting, tearing out two of the hammocks, and throwing them on the quarter-deck, when the _acasta_ hoisted out pennants, and made the signal to send our pinnace and cutter to the assistance of vessels astern. the signal was also made to the _isis_ and _reindeer_. i reported the signal, and inquired who was to take the command. "you, mr simple, will take the pinnace, and order mr swinburne into the cutter." "mr swinburne, sir!" replied i; "the brig will, in all probability, be in action soon, and his services as a gunner will be required." "well, then, mr hilton may go. beat to quarters. where is mr webster?"[ ] the second lieutenant was close to us, and he was ordered to take the duty during my absence. i jumped into the pinnace, and shoved off; ten other boats from the _acasta_ and the other men-of-war were pulling in the same direction, and i joined them. the gun-boats had now opened fire upon the convoy astern, and were sweeping out to capture them, dividing themselves into two parts, and pulling towards different portions of the convoy. in half an hour we were within gunshot of the nearest, which directed its fire at us; but the lieutenant of the _acasta_, who commanded the detachment, ordered us to lie on our oars for a minute, while he divided his force in three divisions, of four boats each, with instructions that we should each oppose a division of two gun-boats, by pulling to the outermost vessel of the convoy, and securing ourselves as much as possible from the fire, by remaining under her lee, and be in readiness to take them by boarding, if they approached to capture any of our vessels. this was well arranged. i had the command of one division, for the first lieutenants had not been sent away from the _isis_ and _reindeer_, and having inquired which of the divisions of gun-boats i was to oppose, i pulled for them. in the meantime, we observed that the two praams, and two gun-boats, which had remained behind us, and had been firing at the _racehorse_, had also divided--one praam attacking the _acasta_, the two gun-boats playing upon the _isis_, and the other praam engaging the _rattlesnake_ and _reindeer_; the latter vessel being in a line with us, and about half a mile further out, so that she could not return any effectual fire, or, indeed, receive much damage. the _rattlesnake_ had the worst of it, the fire of the praam being chiefly directed to her. at the distance chosen by the enemy, the frigate's guns reached, but the other men-of-war, having only two long guns, were not able to return the fire but with their two, the carronades being useless. one of the praams mounted ten guns, and the other eight. the last was opposed to the _rattlesnake_, and the fire was kept up very smartly, particularly by the _acasta_ and the enemy. in about a quarter of an hour i arrived with my division close to the vessel which was nearest to the enemy. it was a large sunderland-built ship. the gun-boats, which were within a quarter of a mile of her, sweeping to her as fast as they could, as soon as they perceived our approach, directed their fire upon us, but without success, except the last discharge, in which, we being near enough, they had loaded with grape. the shot fell a little short, but one piece of grape struck one of the bowmen of the pinnace, taking off three fingers of his right hand as he was pulling his oar. before they could fire again, we were sheltered by the vessel, pulling close to her side, hid from the enemy. my boat was the only one in the division which carried a gun, and i now loaded, waiting for the discharge of the gun-boats, and then, pulling a little ahead of the ship, fired at them, and then returned under cover to load. this continued for some time, the enemy not advancing nearer, but now firing into the sunderland ship, which protected us. at last the master of the ship looked over the side, and said to me, "i say, my joker, do you call this _giving me assistance?_ i think i was better off before you came. then i had only my share of the enemy's fire, but now that you have come, i have it all. i'm riddled like a sieve, and have lost four men already. suppose you give me a spell now--pull behind the vessel ahead of us. i'll take my chance." i thought this request very reasonable, and as i should be really nearer to the enemy if i pulled to the next vessel, and all ready to support him if attacked, i complied with his wish. i had positive orders not to board with so small a force (the four boats containing but forty men, and each gun-boat having at least seventy), unless they advanced to capture, and then i was to run all risks. i pulled up to the other vessel, a large brig, and the captain, as soon as we came alongside, said, "i see what you're about, and i'll just leave you my vessel to take care of. no use losing my men, or being knocked on the head." "all's right--you can't do better, and we can't do better either." his boat was lowered down, and getting in with his men, he pulled to another vessel, and lay behind it, all ready to pull back if a breeze sprang up. as was to be expected, the gun-boats shifted their fire to the deserted vessel, which our boat lay behind; and thus did the action in our quarter continue until it was dark, the gun-boats not choosing to advance, and we restricted from pulling out to attack them. there was no moon, and, as daylight disappeared, the effect was very beautiful. in the distance, the cannonading of the frigate, and other men-of-war, answered by the praams and gunboats, reinforced by six more, as we afterwards found out--the vivid flashing of the guns, reflected by the water, as smooth as glass--the dark outlines of the numerous convoy, with their sails hanging down the masts, one portion of the convoy appearing for a moment, as the guns were discharged in that direction, and then disappearing, while others were momentarily seen--the roar of the heavy guns opposed to us--the crashing of the timbers of the brig, which was struck at every discharge, and very often perforated--with the whizzing of the shot as it passed by;--all this in a dark yet clear night, with every star in the heavens twinkling, and, as it were, looking down upon us, was interesting as well as awful. but i soon perceived that the gun-boats were nearing us every time that they fired, and i now discharged grape alone, waiting for the flash of the fire to ascertain their direction. at last i could perceive their long, low hulls, not two cables' length from us, and their sweeps lifting from the water. it was plain that they were advancing to board, and i resolved to anticipate them if possible. i had fired ahead of the brig, and i now pulled with all my boats astern, giving my orders to the officers, and laying on our oars in readiness. the gun-boats were about half a cable's length from each other, pulling up abreast, and passing us at about the same distance, when i directed the men to give way. i had determined to throw all my force upon the nearest boat, and in half a minute our bows were forced between their sweeps, which we caught hold of to force our way alongside. the resistance of the danes was very determined. three times did i obtain a footing on the deck, and three times was i thrown back into the boats. at last we had fairly obtained our ground, and were driving them gradually forward, when, as i ran on the gunwale to obtain a position more in advance of my men, i received a blow with the butt end of a musket--i believe on the shoulder--which knocked me overboard, and i fell between the sweeps, and sunk under the vessel's bottom. i rose under her stern; but i was so shook with the violence of the blow, that i was for some time confused; still i had strength to keep myself above water, and paddled, as it appeared, away from the vessel, until i hit against a sweep which had fallen overboard. this supported me, and i gradually recovered myself. the loud report of a gun close to me startled me, and i perceived that it was from the gun-boat which i had boarded, and that her head was turned in the direction of the other gun-boat. from this, with the noise of the sweeps pulling, i knew that my men had succeeded in capturing her. i hallooed, but they did not hear me, and i soon lost sight of her. another gun was now fired; it was from the other gun-boat retreating, and i perceived her pulling in-shore, for she passed me not twenty yards off. i now held the sweep with my hands, and struck out off the shore, in the direction of the convoy. a light breeze rippled the water, and i knew that i had no time to lose. in about five minutes i heard the sound of oars, and perceived a boat crossing me. i hailed as loud as i could--they heard me, laid on their oars--and i hailed again--they pulled to me, and took me in. it was the master of the brig, who, aware of the capture of one gun-boat, and the retreat of the other, was looking for his vessel; or, as he told me, for what was left of her. in a short time we found her, and, although very much cut up, she had received no shot under water. in an hour the breeze was strong, the cannonading had ceased in every direction, and we had repaired her damages, so as to be able to make sail, and continue our course through the sound. here i may as well relate the events of the action. one of the other divisions of gun-boats had retreated when attacked by the boats. the other had beaten off the boats, and killed many of the men, but had suffered so much themselves, as to retreat without making any capture. the _acasta_ lost four men killed, and seven wounded; the _isis_, three men wounded; the _reindeer_ had nobody hurt; the _rattlesnake_ had six men killed, and two wounded, including the captain; but of that i shall speak hereafter. i found that i was by no means seriously hurt by the blow i had received: my shoulder was stiff for a week, and very much discoloured, but nothing more. when i fell overboard i had struck against a sweep, which had cut my ear half off. the captain of the brig gave me dry clothes, and in a few hours i was very comfortably asleep, hoping to join my ship the next day; but in this i was disappointed. the breeze was favourable and fresh, and we were clear of the sound, but a long way astern of the convoy, and none of the headmost men-of-war to be seen. i dressed and went on deck, and immediately perceived that i had little chance of joining my ship until we arrived at carlscrona, which proved to be the case. about ten o'clock, the wind died away, and we had from that time such baffling light winds, that it was six days before we dropped our anchor, every vessel of the convoy having arrived before us. [footnote : webster, however, had left the ship at yarmouth. see p. .--ed.] chapter lix the dead man attends at the auction of his own effects, and bids the sale to stop--one more than was wanted--peter steps into his shoes again--captain hawkins takes a friendly interest in peter's papers-- riga balsam sternly refused to be admitted for the relief of the ship's company. as soon as the sails were furled, i thanked the master of the vessel for his kindness, and requested the boat. he ordered it to be manned, saying, "how glad your captain will be to see you!" i doubted that. we shook hands, and i pulled to the _rattlesnake_, which lay about two cables' length astern of us. i had put on a jacket, when i left the brig on service, and coming in a merchantman's boat, no attention was paid to me; indeed, owing to circumstances, no one was on the look-out, and i ascended the side unperceived. the men and officers were on the quarter-deck, attending the sale of dead men's effects before the mast; and every eye was fixed upon six pair of nankeen trousers exposed by the purser's steward which i recognized as my own. "nine shillings for six pair of nankeen trousers," cried the purser's steward. "come, my men, they're worth more than that," observed the captain, who appeared to be very facetious. "it's better to be in his trousers than in his shoes." this brutal remark created a silence for a moment. "well, then, steward, let them go. one would think that pulling on his trousers would make you as afraid as he was," continued the captain, laughing. "shame!" was cried out by one or two of the officers, and i recognised swinburne's voice as one. "more likely if they put on yours," cried i, in a loud, indignant tone. everybody started, and turned round; captain hawkins staggered to a carronade: "i beg to report myself as having rejoined my ship, sir," continued i. "hurrah, my lads! three cheers for mr simple!" said swinburne. the men gave them with emphasis. the captain looked at me, and without saying a word, hastily retreated to his cabin. i perceived, as he went down, that he had his arm in a sling. i thanked the men for their kind feeling towards me, shook hands with thompson and webster, who warmly congratulated me, and then with old swinburne, (who nearly wrung my arm off, and gave my shoulder such pain as to make me cry out,) and with the others who extended theirs. i desired the sale of my effects to be stopped; fortunately for me, it had but just begun, and the articles were all returned. thompson had informed the captain that he knew my father's address, and would take charge of my clothes, and send them home, but the captain would not allow him. in a few minutes, i received a letter from the captain, desiring me to acquaint him in writing, for the information of the senior officer, in what manner i had escaped. i went down below, when i found one very melancholy face, that of the passed midshipman of the _acasta_, who had received an acting order in my place. when i went to my desk, i found two important articles missing; one, my private letter-book, and the other, the journal which i kept of what passed, and from which this narrative has been compiled. i inquired of my messmates, who stated that the desk had not been looked into by any one but the captain, who, of course, must have possessed himself of those important documents. i wrote a letter containing a short narrative of what had happened, and, at the same time, another on service to the captain, requesting that he would deliver up my property, the private journal, and letter-book in his possession. the captain, as soon as he received my letters, sent up word for his boat to be manned. as soon as it was manned, i reported it, and then begged to know whether he intended to comply with my request. he answered that he should not, and then went on deck, and quitted the brig to pull on board of the senior officer. i therefore determined immediately to write to the captain of the _acasta_, acquainting him with the conduct of captain hawkins, and requesting his interference. this i did immediately, and the boat that had brought me on board not having left the brig, i sent the letter by it, requesting them to put it into the hands of one of the officers. the letter was received previous to captain hawkins' visit being over, and the captain of the _acasta_ put it into his hands, inquiring if the statement were correct. captain hawkins replied that it was true that he had detained these papers, as there was so much mutiny and disaffection in them, and that he should not return them to me. "that i cannot permit," replied the captain of the _acasta_, who was aware of the character of captain hawkins; "if, by mistake, you have been put in possession of any of mr simple's secrets, you are bound in honour not to make use of them; neither can you retain property not your own." but captain hawkins was determined, and refused to give them to me. "well, then, captain hawkins," replied the captain of the _acasta_, "you will oblige me by remaining on my quarter-deck till i come out of the cabin." the captain of the _acasta_ then wrote an order, directing captain hawkins immediately to deliver up _to him_ the papers of mine in his possession; and coming out of the cabin, put it into captain hawkins' hands, saying, "now, sir, here is a written order from your superior officer. disobey it, if you dare. if you do, i will put you under arrest, and try you by a court-martial. i can only regret, that any captain in his majesty's service should be forced in this way to do his duty as a gentleman and a man of honour." captain hawkins bit his lip at the order, and the cutting remarks accompanying it. "your boat is manned, sir," said the captain of the _acasta_, in a severe tone. captain hawkins came on board, sealed up the books, and sent them to the captain of the _acasta_, who re-directed them to me, on his majesty's service, and returned them by the same boat. the public may therefore thank the captain of the _acasta_ for the memoirs which they are now reading. from my messmates i gained the following intelligence of what had passed after i had quitted the brig. the fire of the praam had cut them up severely, and captain hawkins had been struck in the arm with a piece of the hammock-rail, which had been shot away shortly after i left. although the skin only was razed, he thought proper to consider himself badly wounded; and giving up the command to mr webster, the second lieutenant, had retreated below, where he remained until the action was over. when mr webster reported the return of the boats, with the capture of the gun-boat, and my supposed death, he was so delighted, that he quite forgot his wound, and ran on deck, rubbing his hands as he walked up and down. at last, he recollected himself, went down into his cabin, and came up again with his arm in a sling. the next morning he went on board of the _acasta_, and made his report to the senior officer, bringing back with him the disappointed passed-midshipman as my successor. he had also stated on the quarter-deck, that if i had not been killed, he intended to have tried me by a court-martial, and have turned me out of the service; that he had quite enough charges to ruin me, for he had been collecting them ever since i had been under his command; and that now he would make that old scoundrel of a gunner repent his intimacy with me. all this was confided to the surgeon, who, as i before observed, was very much of a courtier; but the surgeon had repeated it to thompson, the master, who now gave me the information. there was one advantage in all this, which was that i knew exactly the position in which i stood, and what i had to expect. during the short time that we remained in port, i took care that _riga balsam_ should not be allowed to come alongside, and the men were all sober. we received orders from the captain of the _acasta_ to join the admiral, who was off the texel in pursuance of directions he had received from the admiralty to despatch one of the squadron, and we were selected, from the dislike which he had taken to captain hawkins. chapter lx an old friend in a new case--heart of oak in swedish fur--a man's a man all the world over, and something more in many parts of it--peter gets reprimanded for being dilatory, but proves a title to a defence-- allowed. when we were about forty miles off the harbour, a frigate hove in sight. we made the private signal: she hoisted swedish colours, and kept away a couple of points to close with us. we were within two miles of her when she up courses and took in her topgallant sails. as we closed to within two cables' lengths, she hove-to. we did the same; and the captain desired me to lower down the boat, and board her, ask her name, by whom she was commanded, and offer any assistance if the captain required it. this was the usual custom of the service, and i went on board in obedience to my orders. when i arrived on the quarter-deck, i asked in french, whether there was any one who spoke it. the first lieutenant came forward, and took off his hat: i stated that i was requested to ask the name of the vessel and the commanding officer, to insert it in our log, and to offer any service that we could command. he replied that the captain was on deck, and turned round, but the captain had gone down below. "i will inform him of your message--i had no idea that he had quitted the deck;" and the first lieutenant left me. i exchanged a few compliments and a little news with the officers on deck, who appeared to be very gentlemanlike fellows, when the first lieutenant requested my presence in the cabin. i descended--the door was opened--i was announced by the first lieutenant, and he quitted the cabin. i looked at the captain, who was sitting at the table: he was a fine, stout man, with two or three ribands at his button-hole, and a large pair of moustachios. i thought that i had seen him before, but i could not recollect when: his face was certainly familiar to me, but, as i had been informed by the officers on deck, that the captain was a count shucksen, a person i had never heard of, i thought that i must be mistaken. i therefore addressed him in french, paying him a long compliment, with all the necessary _et ceteras_. the captain turned round to me, took his hand away from his forehead, which it had shaded, and looking me full in the face, replied, "mr simple, i don't understand but very little french. spin your yarn in plain english." i started--"i thought that i knew your face," replied i; "am i mistaken?--no, it must be--mr chucks!" "you are right, my dear mr simple: it is your old friend, chucks, the boatswain, whom you now see. i knew you as soon as you came up the side, and i was afraid that you would immediately recognize me, and i slipped down into the cabin (for which apparent rudeness allow me to apologise), that you might not explain before the officers." we shook hands heartily, and then he requested me to sit down. "but," said i, "they told me on deck that the frigate was commanded by a count shucksen." "that is my present rank, my dear peter," said he; "but as you have no time to lose, i will explain all. i know i can trust to your honour. you remember that you left me, as you and i supposed, dying in the privateer, with the captain's jacket and epaulettes on my shoulders. when the boats came out, and you left the vessel, they boarded and found me. i was still breathing; and judging of my rank by the coat, they put me into the boat, and pushed on shore. the privateer sank very shortly after. i was not expected to live, but in a few days a change took place, and i was better. they asked me my name, and i gave my own, which they lengthened into shucksen, somehow or another. i recovered by a miracle, and am now as well as ever i was in my life. they were not a little proud of having captured a captain in the british service, as they supposed, for they never questioned me as to my real rank. after some weeks i was sent home to denmark in a running vessel; but it so happened, that we met with a gale, and were wrecked on the swedish coast, close to carlscrona. the danes were at that time at war, having joined the russians; and they were made prisoners, while i was of course liberated, and treated with great distinction; but as i could not speak either french or their own language, i could not get on very well. however, i had a handsome allowance, and permission to go to england as soon as i pleased. the swedes were then at war with the russians, and were fitting out their fleet; but, lord bless them! they didn't know much about it. i amused myself walking in the dockyard, and looking at their motions; but they had not thirty men in the fleet who knew what they were about, and, as for a man to set them going, there wasn't one. well, peter, you know i could not be idle, and so by degrees i told one, and then told another--until they went the right way to work; and the captains and officers were very much obliged to me. at last, they all came to me, and if they did not understand me entirely, i showed them how to do it with my own hands; and the fleet began to make a show with their rigging. the admiral who commanded was very much obliged, and i seemed to come as regularly to my work as if i was paid for it. at last, the admiral came with an english interpreter, and asked me whether i was anxious to go back to england, or would i like to join their service. i saw what they wanted, and i replied that i had neither wife nor child in england, and that i liked their country very much; but i must take time to consider of it, and must also know what they had to propose. i went home to my lodgings, and, to make them more anxious, i did not make my appearance at the dockyard for three or four days, when a letter came from the admiral, offering me the command of a frigate if i would join their service. i replied, (for i knew how much they wanted me,) that i would prefer an english frigate to a swedish one, and that i would not consent unless they offered something more; and then, with the express stipulation that i should not take arms against my own country. they then waited for a week, when they offered to make me a _count_, and give me the command of a frigate. this suited me, as you may suppose, peter; it was the darling wish of my heart--i was to be made a gentleman. i consented, and was made count shucksen, and had a fine large frigate under my command. i then set to work with a will, superintended the fitting out of the whole fleet, and showed them what an englishman could do. we sailed, and you of course know the brush we had with the russians, which, i must say, did us no discredit. i was fortunate to distinguish myself, for i exchanged several broadsides with a russian two-deck ship, and came off with honour. when we went into port i got this riband. i was out afterwards, and fell in with a russian frigate, and captured her, for which i received this other riband. since that i have been in high favour, and now that i speak the languages, i like the people very much. i am often at court when i am in harbour; and, peter, i am _married_." "i wish you joy, count, with all my heart." "yes, and well married too--to a swedish countess of very high family, and i expect that i have a little boy or girl by this time. so you observe, peter, that i am at last a gentleman, and, what is more, my children will be noble by two descents. who would have thought that this would have been occasioned by my throwing the captain's jacket into the boat instead of my own? and now, my dear mr simple, that i have made you my confidant, i need not say, do not say a word about it to anybody. they certainly could not do me much harm, but still, they might do me some; and although i am not likely to meet any one who may recognize me in this uniform and these moustachios, it's just as well to keep the secret, which to you and o'brien only would i have confided." "my dear count," replied i, "your secret is safe with me. you have come to your title before me, at all events; and i sincerely wish you joy, for you have obtained it honourably; but, although i would like to talk with you for days, i must return on board, for i am now sailing with a very unpleasant captain." i then, in a few words, stated where o'brien was; and when we parted, i went with him on deck, count shucksen taking my arm, and introducing me as an old shipmate to his officers. "i hope we may meet again," said i, "but i am afraid there is little chance." "who knows?" replied he; "see what chance has done for me. my dear peter, god bless you! you are one of the very few whom i always loved. god bless you, my boy! and never forget that all i have is at your command if you come my way." i thanked him, and saluting the officers, went down the side. as i expected, when i came on board, the captain demanded, in an angry tone, why i had stayed so long. i replied, that i was shown down into count shucksen's cabin, and he conversed so long, that i could not get away sooner, as it would not have been polite to have left him before he had finished his questions. i then gave a very civil message, and the captain said no more; the very name of a great man always silenced him. chapter lxi bad news from home, and worse on board--notwithstanding his previous trials, peter forced to prepare for another--mrs trotter again; improves as she grows old--captain hawkins and his twelve charges. no other event of consequence occurred until we joined the admiral, who only detained us three hours with the fleet, and then sent us home with his despatches. we arrived, after a quiet passage, at portsmouth, where i wrote immediately to my sister ellen, requesting to know the state of my father's health. i waited impatiently for an answer, and by return of post received one with a black seal. my father had died the day before from a brain fever; and ellen conjured me to obtain leave of absence, to come to her in her state of distress. the captain came on board the next morning, and i had a letter ready written on service to the admiral, stating the circumstances, and requesting leave of absence. i presented it to him, and entreated him to forward it. at any other time i would not have condescended, but the thoughts of my poor sister, unprotected and alone, with my father lying dead in the house, made me humble and submissive. captain hawkins read the letter, and very coolly replied, "that it was very easy to say that my father was dead, but he required proofs." even this insult did not affect me; i put my sister's letter into his hand--he read it, and as he returned it to me, he smiled maliciously. "it is impossible for me to forward your letter, mr simple, as i have one to deliver to you." he put a large folio packet into my hand, and went below. i opened it: it was a copy of a letter demanding a court-martial upon me, with a long list of the charges preferred by him. i was stupefied, not so much at his asking for a court-martial, but at the conviction of the impossibility of my now being able to go to the assistance of my poor sister. i went down into the gunroom and threw myself on a chair, at the same time tossing the letter to thompson, the master. he read it over carefully, and folded it up. "upon my word, simple, i do not see that you have much to fear. these charges are very frivolous." "no, no--that i care little about; but it is my poor sister. i had written for leave of absence, and now she is left, god knows how long, in such distressing circumstances." thompson looked grave. "i had forgotten your father's death, simple: it is indeed cruel. i would offer to go myself, but you will want my evidence at the court-martial. it can't be helped. write to your sister, and keep up her spirits. tell her why you cannot come, and that it will all end well." i did so, and went early to bed, for i was really ill. the next morning, the official letter from the port-admiral came off, acquainting me that a court-martial had been ordered upon me, and that it would take place that day week. i immediately resigned the command to the second lieutenant, and commenced an examination into the charges preferred. they were very numerous, and dated back almost to the very day that he had joined the ship. there were twelve in all. i shall not trouble the reader with the whole of them, as many were very frivolous. the principal charges were-- . for mutinous and disrespectful conduct to captain hawkins, on such a date, having, in a conversation with an inferior officer on the quarter-deck, stated that captain hawkins was a spy, and had spies in the ship. . for neglect of duty, in disobeying the orders of captain hawkins on the night of the ---- of ----. . for having, on the ---- of ----, sent away two boats from the ship, in direct opposition to the orders of captain hawkins. . for having again, on the morning of the ---- of ----, held mutinous and disrespectful conversation relative to captain hawkins with the gunner of the ship, allowing the latter to accuse captain hawkins of cowardice, without reporting the same. . for insulting expressions on the quarter-deck to captain hawkins on his rejoining the brig on the morning of the ---- of ----. . for not causing the orders of captain hawkins to be put in force on several occasions, &c. &c. &c. and further, as captain hawkins' testimony was necessary in two of the charges, the king, on _those charges,_ was the prosecutor. although most of these charges were frivolous, yet i at once perceived my danger. some were dated back many months, to the time before our ship's company had been changed: and i could not find the necessary witnesses. indeed, in all but the recent charges, not expecting to be called to a court-martial, i had serious difficulties to contend with. but the most serious was the first charge, which i knew not how to get over. swinburne had most decidedly referred to the captain when he talked of spy captains. however, with the assistance of thompson, i made the best defence i could, ready for my trial. two days before my court-martial i received a letter from ellen, who appeared in a state of distraction from this accumulation of misfortune. she told me that my father was to be buried the next day, and that the new rector had written to her, to know when it would be convenient for the vicarage to be given up. that my father's bills had been sent in, and amounted to twelve hundred pounds already; and that she knew not the extent of the whole claims. there appeared to be nothing left but the furniture of the house; and she wanted to know whether the debts were to be paid with the money i had left in the funds for her use. i wrote immediately, requesting her to liquidate every claim, as far as my money went, sending her an order upon my agent to draw for the whole amount, and a power of attorney to him to sell out the stock. i had just sealed the letter, when mrs trotter, who had attended the ship since our return to portsmouth, begged to speak with me, and walked in after her message, without waiting for an answer. "my dear mr simple," said she, "i know all that is going on, and i find that you have no lawyer to assist you. now i know that it is necessary, and will very probably be of great service in your defence--for when people are in distress and anxiety, they have not their wits about them; so i have brought a friend of mine from portsea, a very clever man, who, for my sake, will undertake your cause, and i hope you will not refuse him. you recollect giving me a dozen pair of stockings. i did not refuse them, nor shall you refuse me now. i always said to mr trotter, 'go to a lawyer;' and if he had taken my advice he would have done well. i recollect, when a hackney-coachman smashed the panel of our carriage-- 'trotter,' says i, 'go to a lawyer;' and he very politely answered, 'go to the devil!' but what was the consequence!--he's dead and i'm bumming. now, mr simple, will you oblige me?--it's all free gratis for nothing--not for nothing, for it's for my sake. you see, mr simple, i have admirers yet," concluded she, smiling. mrs trotter's advice was good; and although i would not listen to receiving his services gratuitously, i agreed to employ him; and very useful did he prove against such charges, and such a man as captain hawkins. he came on board that afternoon, carefully examined into all the documents and the witnesses whom i could bring forward, showed me the weak side of my defence, and took the papers on shore with him. every day he came on board to collect fresh evidence and examine into my case. at last the day arrived. i dressed myself in my best uniform. the gun fired from the admiral's ship, with the signal for a court-martial at nine o'clock; and i went on board in a boat, with all the witnesses. on my arrival, i was put under the custody of the provost-marshal. the captains ordered to attend pulled alongside one after another, and were received by a party of marines, presenting their arms. at half-past nine the court was all assembled, and i was ushered in. courts-martial are open courts, although no one is permitted to print the evidence. at the head of the long table was the admiral, as president; on his right hand, standing, was captain hawkins, as prosecutor. on each side of the table were six captains, sitting near to the admiral, according to their seniority. at the bottom, facing the admiral, was the judge-advocate, on whose left hand i stood, as prisoner. the witnesses called in to be examined were stationed on his right; and behind him, by the indulgence of the court, was a small table, at which sat my legal adviser, so close as to be able to communicate with me. the court were all sworn, and then took their seats. stauncheons, with ropes covered with green baize, passed along, were behind the chairs of the captains who composed the court, so that they might not be crowded upon by those who came in to listen to what passed. the charges were then read, as well as the letters to and from the admiral, by which the court-martial was demanded and granted: and then captain hawkins was desired to open his prosecution. he commenced with observing his great regret that he had been forced to a measure so repugnant to his feelings; his frequent cautions to me, and the indifference with which i treated them; and, after a preamble composed of every falsity that could be devised, he commenced with the first charge, and stating himself to be the witness, gave his evidence. when it was finished, i was asked if i had any questions to put. by the advice of my lawyer, i replied, "no." the president then asked the captains composing the court-martial, commencing according to their seniority, whether they wished to ask any questions. "i wish," said the second captain who was addressed, "to ask captain hawkins whether, when he came on deck, he came up in the usual way in which a captain of a man-of-war comes on his quarter-deck, or whether he slipped up without noise?" captain hawkins declared that he came up as he _usually did._ this was true enough, for he invariably came up by stealth. "pray, captain hawkins, as you have repeated a good deal of conversation which passed between the first lieutenant and the gunner, may i ask you how long you were by their side without their perceiving you?" "a very short time," was the answer. "but, captain hawkins, do you not think, allowing that you came up on deck in your _usual_ way, as you term it, that you would have done better to have hemmed or hawed, so as to let your officers know that you were present? i should be very sorry to hear all that might be said of me in my supposed absence." to this observation captain hawkins replied, that he was so astonished at the conversation, that he was quite breathless, having, till then, had the highest opinion of me. no more questions were asked, and they proceeded to the second charge. this was a very trifling one--for lighting a stove, contrary to orders; the evidence brought forward was the sergeant of marines. when his evidence in favour of the charge had been given, i was asked by the president if i had any questions to put to the witness. i put the following:-- "did you repeat to captain hawkins that i had ordered the stove to be lighted?"--"i did." "are you not in the custom of reporting, direct to the captain, any negligence, or disobedience of orders, you may witness in the ship?"--"i am." "did you ever report anything of the sort to me, as first lieutenant, or do you always report direct to the captain?" "i always report direct to the captain." "by the captain's orders?"--"yes." the following questions were then put by some of the members of the court:-- "you have served in other ships before?"--"yes." "did you ever, sailing with other captains, receive an order from them to report direct to them, and not through the first lieutenant?" the witness here prevaricated. "answer directly, yes or no."--"no." the third charge was then brought forward--for sending away boats contrary to express orders. this was substantiated by captain hawkins' own evidence, the order having been verbal. by the advice of my counsel, i put no questions to captain hawkins, neither did the court. the fourth charge--that of holding mutinous conversation with the gunner, and allowing him to accuse the captain of unwillingness to engage the enemy--was then again substantiated by captain hawkins, as the only witness. i again left my reply for my defence; and only one question was put by one of the members, which was, to inquire of captain hawkins, as he appeared peculiarly unfortunate in overhearing conversations, whether he walked up as usual to the taffrail, or whether he _crept up._ captain hawkins gave the same answer as before. the fifth charge--for insulting expressions to captain hawkins, on my rejoining the brig at carlscrona--was then brought forward, and the sergeant of marines and one of the seamen appeared as witnesses. this charge excited a great deal of amusement. in the cross-examination by the members of the court, captain hawkins was asked what he meant by the expression, when disposing of the clothes of an officer who was killed in action, that the men appeared to think that his trousers would instil fear. "nothing more, upon my honour, sir," replied captain hawkins, "than an implication that they were alarmed lest they should be haunted by his ghost." "then, of course, mr simple meant the same in his reply," observed the captain sarcastically. the remainder of the charges were then brought forward, but they were of little consequence. the witnesses were chiefly the sergeant of marines, and the spy-glass of captain hawkins, who had been watching me from the shore. it was late in the afternoon before they were all gone through; and the president then adjourned the court, that i might bring forward my own witnesses, in my defence, on the following day, and i returned on board the _rattlesnake_. chapter lxii a good defence not always good against a bad accusation--peter wins the heart of his judges, yet loses his cause, and is dismissed his ship. the next day i commenced my defence, and i preferred calling my own witnesses first, and, by the advice of my counsel, and at the request of swinburne, i called him. i put the following questions:--"when we were talking on the quarter-deck, was it fine weather?"--"yes, it was." "do you think that you might have heard any one coming on deck, in the usual way, up the companion ladder?" "sure of it." "do you mean, then, to imply that captain hawkins came up stealthily?" "i have an idea he pounced upon us as a cat does on a mouse." "what were the expressions made use of?" "i said that a spy captain would always find spy followers." "in that remark were you and mr simple referring to your own captain?"-- "the remark was mine. what mr simple was thinking of, i can't tell; but i _did_ refer to the captain, and he has proved that i was right." this bold answer of swinburne's rather astonished the court, who commenced cross-questioning him; but he kept to his original assertion--that i had only answered generally. to repel the second charge i produced no witnesses; but to the third charge i brought forward three witnesses to prove that captain hawkins's orders were that i should send no boats on shore, not that i should not send them on board of the men-of-war close to us. in answer to the fourth charge, i called swinburne, who stated that if i did not, he would come forward. swinburne acknowledged that he accused the captain of being shy, and that i reprimanded him for so doing. "did he say that he would report you?" inquired one of the captains. "no, sir," replied swinburne, "'cause he never meant to do it." this was an unfortunate answer. to the fifth charge, i brought several witnesses to prove the words of captain hawkins, and the sense in which they were taken by the ship's company, and the men calling out "shame!" when he used the expression. to refute the other charges i called one or two witnesses, and the court then adjourned, inquiring of me when i would be ready to commence my defence. i requested a day to prepare, which was readily granted; and the ensuing day the court did not sit. i hardly need say that i was busily employed, arranging my defence with my counsel. at last all was done, and i went to bed tired and unhappy; but i slept soundly, which could not be said of my counsel, for he went on shore at eleven o'clock, and sat up all night making a fair copy. after all, the fairest court of justice is a naval court-martial--no brow-beating of witnesses, an evident inclination towards the prisoner--every allowance and every favour granted him, and no legal quibbles attended to. it is a court of equity, with very few exceptions; and the humbler the individual, the greater the chance in his favour. i was awoke the following morning by my counsel, who had not gone to bed the previous night, and who had come off at seven o'clock to read over with me my defence. at nine o'clock i again proceeded on board, and in a short time the court was sitting. i came in, handed my defence to the judge-advocate, who read it aloud to the court. i have a copy still by me, and will give the whole of it to the reader. "mr president and gentlemen,--after nearly fourteen years' service in his majesty's navy, during which i have been twice made prisoner, twice wounded, and once wrecked; and, as i trust i shall prove to you, by certificates and the public despatches, i have done my duty with zeal and honour; i now find myself in a situation in which i never expected to be placed--that of being arraigned before and brought to a court-martial for charges of mutiny, disaffection, and disrespect towards my superior officer. if the honourable court will examine the certificates i am about to produce, they will find that, until i sailed with captain hawkins, my conduct has always been supposed to have been diametrically opposite to that which is now imputed to me. i have always been diligent and obedient to command; and i have only to regret that the captains with whom i have had the honour to sail are not now present to corroborate by their oral evidence the truth of these documents. allow me, in the first place, to point out to the court, that the charges against me are spread over a large space of time, amounting to nearly eighteen months, during the whole of which period captain hawkins never stated to me that it was his intention to try me by a court-martial; and, although repeatedly in the presence of a senior officer, has never preferred any charge against me. the articles of war state expressly that if any officer, soldier, or marine has any complaint to make he is to do so upon his arrival at any port or fleet where he may fall in with a superior officer. i admit that this article of war refers to complaints to be made by inferiors against superiors; but, at the same time, i venture to submit to the honourable court that a superior is equally bound to prefer a charge, or to give notice that the charge will be preferred, on the first seasonable opportunity, instead of lulling the offender into security, and disarming him in his defence, by allowing the time to run on so long as to render him incapable of bringing forward his witnesses. i take the liberty of calling this to your attention, and shall now proceed to answer the charges which have been brought against me. "i am accused of having held a conversation with an inferior officer on the quarter-deck of his majesty's brig _rattlesnake_, in which my captain was treated with contempt. that it may not be supposed that mr swinburne was a new acquaintance, made upon my joining the brig, i must observe that he was an old shipmate, with whom i had served many years, and with whose worth i was well acquainted. he was my instructor in my more youthful days, and has been rewarded for his merit, with the warrant which he now holds as gunner of his majesty's brig _rattlesnake_. the offensive observation, in the first place, was not mine; and, in the second, it was couched in general terms. here mr swinburne has pointedly confessed that _he_ did refer to the captain, although the observation was in the plural; but that does not prove the charge against me--on the contrary, adds weight to the assertion of mr swinburne, that i was guiltless of the present charge. that captain hawkins has acted as a spy, his own evidence on this charge, as well as that brought forward by other witnesses, will decidedly prove; but as the truth of the observation does not warrant the utterance, i am glad that no such expression escaped my lips. "upon the second charge i shall dwell but a short time. it is true that there is a general order that no stoves shall be alight after a certain hour; but i will appeal to the honourable court, whether a first lieutenant is not considered to have a degree of licence of judgment in all that concerns the interior discipline of the ship. the surgeon sent to say that a stove was required for one of the sick. i was in bed at the time, and replied immediately in the affirmative. does captain hawkins mean to assert to the honourable court, that he would have refused the request of the surgeon? most certainly not. the only error i committed, if it were an error, was not going through the form of awaking captain hawkins, to ask the permission, which, as first lieutenant, i thought myself authorized to give. "the charge against me, of having sent away two boats, contrary to his order, i have already disproved by witnesses. the order of captain hawkins was, not to communicate with the shore. my reasons for sending away the boats"--(here captain hawkins interposed, and stated to the president that my reasons were not necessary to be received. the court was cleared, and, on our return, the court had decided, that my reasons ought to be given, and i continued.) "my reasons for sending away these boats, or rather it was one boat which was despatched to the two frigates, if i remember well, were, that the brig was in a state of mutiny. the captain had tied up one of the men, and the ship's company refused to be flogged. captain hawkins then went on shore to the admiral, to report the situation of his ship, and i conceived it my duty to make it known to the men-of-war anchored close to us. i shall not enter into further particulars, as they will only detain the honourable court; and i am aware that this court-martial is held upon my conduct, and not upon that of captain hawkins. to the charge of again holding disrespectful language on the quarter-deck, as overheard by captain. hawkins, i must refer the honourable court to the evidence, in which it is plainly proved that the remarks upon him were not mine, but those of mr swinburne, and that i remonstrated with mr swinburne for using such unguarded expressions. the only point of difficulty is, whether it was not my duty to have reported such language. i reply, that there is no proof that i did not intend to report it; but the presence of captain hawkins, who heard what was said, rendered such report unnecessary. "on the fifth charge, i must beg that the court will be pleased to consider that some allowance ought to be made for a moment of irritation. my character was traduced by captain hawkins, supposing that i was dead; so much so, that even the ship's company cried out _shame._ i am aware, that no language of a superior officer can warrant a retort from an inferior; but, as what i intended to imply by that language is not yet known, although captain hawkins has given an explanation to his, i shall merely say, that i meant no more by my insinuations, than captain hawkins did at the time, by those which he made use of with respect to me. "upon the other trifling charges brought forward, i lay no stress, as i consider them fully refuted by the evidence which has been already adduced; and i shall merely observe, that, for reasons best known to himself, i have been met with a most decided hostility on the part of captain hawkins, from the time that he first joined the ship; that, on every occasion, he has used all his efforts to render me uncomfortable, and embroil me with others; that, not content with narrowly watching my conduct on board, he has resorted to his spy-glass from the shore; and, instead of assisting me in the execution of a duty sufficiently arduous, he has thrown every obstacle in my way, placed inferior officers as spies over my conduct, and made me feel so humiliated in the presence of the ship's company, over which i have had to superintend, and in the disciplining of which i had a right to look to him for support, that, were it not that some odium would necessarily be attached to the sentence, i should feel it as one of the happiest events of my life that i were dismissed from the situation which i now hold under his command. i now beg that the honourable court will allow the documents i lay upon the table to be read in support of my character." when this was over, the court was cleared, that they might decide upon the sentence. i waited about half an hour in the greatest anxiety, when i was again summoned to attend. the usual forms of reading the papers were gone through, and then came the sentence, which was read by the president, he and the whole court standing up with their cocked hats on their heads. after the preamble, it concluded with saying, "that it was the opinion of that court that the charges had been _partly_ proved, and therefore, that lieutenant peter simple was dismissed his ship; but, in consideration of his good character and services, his case was strongly recommended to the consideration of the lords commissioners of the admiralty." chapter lxiii peter looks upon his loss as something gained--goes on board the _rattlesnake_ to pack up, and is ordered to pack off--polite leave-taking between relations. mrs trotter better and better--goes to london, and afterwards falls into all manner of misfortunes by the hands of robbers, and of his own uncle. i hardly knew whether i felt glad or sorry at this sentence. on the one hand, it was almost a deathblow to my future advancement or employment in the service; on the other, the recommendation very much softened down the sentence, and i was quite happy to be quit of captain hawkins, and free to hasten to my poor sister. i bowed respectfully to the court, which immediately adjourned. captain hawkins followed the captains on the quarter-deck, but none of them would speak to him--so much to his disadvantage had come out during the trial. about ten minutes afterwards, one of the elder captains composing the court called me into the cabin. "mr simple," said he, "we are all very sorry for you. our sentence could not be more lenient, under the circumstances: it was that conversation with the gunner at the taffrail which floored you. it must be a warning to you to be more careful in future, how you permit any one to speak of the conduct of your superiors on the quarter-deck. i am desired by the president to let you know that it is our intention to express ourselves very strongly to the admiral in your behalf; so much so, that if another captain applies for you, you will have no difficulty in being appointed to a ship; and as for leaving your present ship, under any other circumstances i should consider it a matter of congratulation." i returned my sincere thanks, and soon afterwards quitted the guard-ship, and went on board of the brig to pack up my clothes, and take leave of my messmates. on my arrival, i found that captain hawkins had preceded me, and he was on deck when i came up the side. i hastened down into the gun-room, where i received the condolements of my messmates. "simple, i wish you joy," cried thompson, loud enough for the captain to hear on deck. "i wish i had your luck; i wish somebody would try me by a court-martial." "as it has turned out," replied i, in a loud voice, "and after the communication made to me by the captains composing the court, of what they intend to say to the admiralty, i agree with you, thompson, that it is a very kind act on the part of captain hawkins, and i feel quite grateful to them." "steward, come--glasses," cried thompson, "and let us drink success to mr simple." all this was very annoying to captain hawkins, who overheard every word. when our glasses were filled--"simple, your good health, and may i meet with as good a messmate," said thompson. at this moment, the sergeant of marines put his head in at the gun-room door, and said, in a most insolent tone, that i was to leave the ship immediately. i was so irritated, that i threw my glass of grog in his face, and he ran up to the captain to make the complaint; but i did not belong to the ship, and even if i had, i would have resented such impertinence. captain hawkins was in a great rage, and i believe would have written for another court-martial, but he had had enough of them. he inquired very particularly of the sergeant whether he had told me that i was to leave the ship directly, or whether, that captain hawkins desired that i should leave the ship immediately; and finding that he had not given the latter message (which i was aware of, for had he given it, i dare not have acted as i did); he then sent down again by one of the midshipmen, desiring me to leave the ship immediately. my reply was, that i should certainly obey his orders with the greatest pleasure. i hastened to pack up my clothes, reported myself ready to the second lieutenant, who went up for permission to man a boat, which was refused by captain hawkins, who said i might go on shore in a shore-boat. i called one alongside, shook hands with all my messmates, and when i arrived on the quarter-deck, with swinburne, and some of the best men, who came forward; captain hawkins stood by the binnacle, bursting with rage. as i went over the planeshear, i took my hat off to him, and wished him good-morning very respectfully, adding, "if you have any commands for my _uncle_, captain hawkins, i shall be glad to execute them." this observation, which showed him that i knew the connection and correspondence between them, made him gasp with emotion. "leave the ship, sir, or by god i'll put you in irons for mutiny," cried he. i again took off my hat, and went down the side, and shoved off. as soon as i was a few yards distant, the men jumped on the carronades and cheered, and i perceived captain hawkins order them down, and before i was a cable's length from her, the pipe "all hands to punishment;" so i presume some of the poor fellows suffered for their insubordination in showing their good will. i acknowledge that i might have left the ship in a more dignified manner, and that my conduct was not altogether correct; but still, i state what i really did do, and some allowance must be made for my feelings. this is certain, that my conduct after the court-martial, was more deserving of punishment, than that for which i had been tried. but i was in a state of feverish excitement, and hardly knew what i did. when i arrived at sally port, i had my effects wheeled up to the blue posts, and packing up those which i most required, i threw off my uniform, and was once more a gentleman at large. i took my place in the mail for that evening, sent a letter of thanks, with a few bank notes, to my counsel, and then sat down and wrote a long letter to o'brien, acquainting him with the events which had taken place. i had just finished, and sealed it up, when in came mrs trotter. "oh my dear mr simple! i'm so sorry, and i have come to console you. there's nothing like women when men are in affliction, as poor trotter used to say, as he laid his head in my lap. when do you go to town?" "this evening, mrs trotter." "i hope i am to continue to attend the ship?" "i hope so too, mrs trotter, i have no doubt but you will." "now, mr simple, how are you off for money? do you want a little? you can pay me by-and-by. don't be afraid. i'm not quite so poor as i was when you came down to mess with trotter and me, and when you gave me the dozen pair of stockings. i know what it is to want money, and what it is to want friends." "many thanks to you, mrs trotter," replied i; "but i have sufficient to take me home, and then i can obtain more." "well, i'm glad of it, but it was offered in earnest. good-bye, god bless you! come, mr simple, give me a kiss; it won't be the first time." i kissed her, for i felt grateful for her kindness; and with a little smirking and ogling she quitted the room. i could not help thinking, after she was gone, how little we know the hearts of others. if i had been asked if mrs trotter was a person to have done a generous action, from what i had seen of her in adversity, i should have decidedly said, no. yet in this offer she was disinterested, for she knew the service well enough to be aware that i had little chance of being a first lieutenant again, and of being of service to her. and how often does it also occur, that those who ought, from gratitude or long friendship, to do all they can to assist you, turn from you in your necessity, and prove false and treacherous! it is god alone who knows our hearts. i sent my letter to o'brien to the admiral's office, sat down to a dinner which i could not taste, and at seven o'clock got into the mail. when i arrived in town i was much worse, but i did not wait more than an hour. i took my place in a coach which did not go to the town near which we resided; for i had inquired and found that coach was full, and i did not choose to wait another day. the coach in which i took my place went within forty miles of the vicarage, and i intended to post across the country. the next evening i arrived at the point of separation, and taking out my portmanteau, ordered a chaise, and set off for what had once been my home. i could hardly hold my head up, i was so ill, and i lay in a corner of the chaise in a sort of dream, kept from sleeping from intense pain in the forehead and temples. it was about nine o'clock at night, when we were in a dreadful jolting road, the shocks proceeding from which gave me agonizing pain, that the chaise was stopped by two men, who dragged me out on the grass. one stood over me, while the other rifled the chaise. the post-boy, who appeared a party to the transaction, remained quietly on his horse, and as soon as they had taken my effects, turned round and drove off. they then rifled my person, taking away everything that i had, leaving me nothing but my trousers and shirt. after a short consultation, they ordered me to walk on in the direction in which we had been proceeding in the chaise, and to hasten as fast as i could, or they would blow my brains out. i complied with their request, thinking myself fortunate to have escaped so well. i knew that i was still thirty miles at least from the vicarage; but ill as i was, i hoped to be able to reach it on foot. i walked during the remainder of the night, but i got on but slowly. i reeled from one side of the road to the other, and occasionally sat down to rest. morning dawned, and i perceived habitations not far from me. i staggered on in my course. the fever now raged in me, my head was splitting with agony, and i tottered to a bank near a small neat cottage, on the side of the road. i have a faint recollection of some one coming to me and taking my hand, but nothing further; and it was not till many months afterwards, that i became acquainted with the circumstances which i now relate. it appears that the owner of the cottage was a half-pay lieutenant in the army, who had sold-out on account of his wounds. i was humanely taken into his house, laid on a bed, and a surgeon requested to come to me immediately. i had now lost all recollection, and who i was they could not ascertain. my pockets were empty, and it was only by the mark on my linen that they found that my name was simple. for three weeks i remained in a state of alternate stupor and delirium. when the latter came on, i raved of lord privilege, o'brien, and celeste. mr selwin, the officer who had so kindly assisted me, knew that simple was the patronymic name of lord privilege, and he immediately wrote to his lordship, stating that a young man of the name of simple, who, in his delirium called upon him and captain o'brien, was lying in a most dangerous state in his house, and, that as he presumed i was a relative of his lordship's he had deemed it right to apprise him of the fact. my uncle, who knew that it must be me, thought this too favourable an opportunity, provided i should live, not to have me in his power. he wrote to say that he would be there in a day or two; at the same time thanking mr selwin for his kind attention to his poor nephew, and requesting that no expense might be spared. when my uncle arrived, which he did in his own chariot, the crisis of the fever was over, but i was still in a state of stupor, arising from extreme debility. he thanked mr selwin for his attention, which he said he was afraid was of little avail, as i was every year becoming more deranged; and he expressed his fears that it would terminate in chronic lunacy. "his poor father died in the same state," continued my uncle, passing his hand across his eyes, as if much affected. "i have brought my physician with me, to see if he can be moved. i shall not be satisfied unless i am with him night and day." the physician (who was my uncle's valet) took me by the hand, felt my pulse, examined my eyes, and pronounced that it would be very easy to move me, and that i should recover sooner in a more airy room. of course, mr selwin raised no objections, putting down all to my uncle's regard for me; and my clothes were put on me, as i lay in a state of insensibility, and i was lifted into the chariot. it is most wonderful that i did not die from being thus taken out of my bed in such a state, but it pleased heaven that it should be otherwise. had such an event taken place, it would probably have pleased my uncle much better than my surviving. when i was in the carriage, supported by the pseudo-physician, my uncle again thanked mr selwin, begged that he would command his interest, wrote a handsome cheque for the surgeon who had attended me, and getting into the carriage, drove off with me still in a state of insensibility--that is, i was not so insensible, but i think i felt i had been removed, and i heard the rattling of the wheels; but my mind was so uncollected, and i was in a state of such weakness, that i could not feel assured of it for a minute. for some days afterwards, for i recollect nothing about the journey, i found myself in bed in a dark room and my arms confined. i recalled my senses, and by degrees was able to recollect all that had occurred, until i laid down by the roadside. where was i? the room was dark, i could distinguish nothing; that i had attempted to do myself some injury, i took for granted, or my arms would not have been secured. i had been in a fever and delirious, i supposed, and had now recovered. i had been in a reverie for more than an hour, wondering why i was left alone, when the door of the apartment opened. "who is there?" inquired i. "oh! you've come to yourself again," said a gruff voice; "then i'll give you a little daylight." he took down a shutter which covered the whole of the window, and a flood of light poured in, which blinded me. i shut my eyes, and by degrees admitted the light until i could bear it. i looked at the apartment: the walls were bare and whitewashed. i was on a truckle-bed. i looked at the window--it was closed up with iron bars.--"why, where am i?" inquired i of the man, with alarm. "where are you?" replied he; "why, in bedlam!" chapter lxiv as o'brien said; it's a long lane that has no turning--i am rescued, and happiness pours in upon me as fast as misery before overwhelmed me. the shock was too great--i fell back on my pillow insensible. how long i laid, i know not, but when i recovered the keeper was gone, and i found a jug of water and some bread by the side of the bed, i drank the water, and the effect it had upon me was surprising. i felt that i could get up, and i rose: my arms had been unpinioned during my swoon. i got on my feet, and staggered to the window. i looked out, saw the bright sun, the passers-by, the houses opposite--all looked cheerful and gay, but i was a prisoner in a madhouse. had i been mad? i reflected, and supposed that i had been, and had been confined by those who knew nothing of me. it never came into my head that my uncle had been a party to it. i threw myself on the bed, and relieved myself with tears. it was about noon that the medical people, attended by the keepers and others, came into my apartment. "is he quite quiet?" "o lord! yes, sir, as quiet as a lamb," replied the man who had before entered. i then spoke to the medical gentleman, begging him to tell why, and how, i had been brought here. he answered mildly and soothingly, saying that i was there at the wish of my friends, and that every care would be taken of me; that he was aware that my paroxysms were only occasional, and that, during the time i was quiet, i should have every indulgence that could be granted, and that he hoped that i soon should be perfectly well, and be permitted to leave the hospital. i replied by stating who i was, and how i had been taken ill. the doctor shook his head, advised me to lie down as much as possible, and then quitted me to visit the other patients. as i afterwards discovered, my uncle had had me confined upon the plea that i was a young man who was deranged with an idea that his name was simple, and that he was the heir to the title and estates; that i was very troublesome at times, forcing my way into his house and insulting the servants, but in every other respect was harmless; that my paroxysms generally ended in a violent fever, and it was more from the fear of my coming to some harm, than from any ill-will towards the poor young man, that he wished me to remain in the hospital, and be taken care of. the reader may at once perceive the art of this communication: i, having no idea why i was confined, would of course continue to style myself by my true name; and as long as i did this, so long would i be considered in a deranged state. the reader must not therefore be surprised when i tell him that i remained in bedlam for one year and eight months. the doctor called upon me for two or three days, and finding me quiet, ordered me to be allowed books, paper, and ink, to amuse myself; but every attempt at explanation was certain to be the signal for him to leave my apartment. i found, therefore, not only by him, but from the keeper, who paid no attention to anything i said, that i had no chance of being listened to, or of obtaining my release. after the first month, the doctor came to me no more: i was a quiet patient, and he received the report of the keeper. i was sent there with every necessary document to prove that i was mad; and, although a very little may establish a case of lunacy, it requires something very strong indeed to prove that you are in your right senses. in bedlam i found it impossible. at the same time i was well treated, was allowed all necessary comforts, and such amusement as could be obtained from books, &c. i had no reason to complain of the keeper--except that he was too much employed to waste his time in listening to what he did not believe. i wrote several letters to my sister and to o'brien, during the first two or three months, and requested the keeper to put them in the post. this he promised to do, never refusing to take the letters; but, as i afterwards found out, they were invariably destroyed. yet i still bore up with the hopes of release for some time; but the anxiety relative to my sister, when i thought of her situation, my thoughts of celeste and of o'brien, sometimes quite overcame me; then, indeed, i would almost become frantic, and the keeper would report that i had had a paroxysm. after six months i became melancholy, and i wasted away. i no longer attempted to amuse myself, but sat all day with my eyes fixed upon vacancy. i no longer attended to my person; i allowed my beard to grow-- my face was never washed, unless mechanically, when ordered by the keeper; and if i was not mad, there was every prospect of my soon becoming so. life passed away as a blank--i had become indifferent to everything--i noted time no more--the change of seasons was unperceived --even the day and the night followed without my regarding them. i was in this unfortunate situation, when one day the door was opened, and, as had been often the custom during my imprisonment, visitors were going round the establishment, to indulge their curiosity, in witnessing the degradation of their fellow-creatures, or to offer their commiseration. i paid no heed to them, not even casting up my eyes. "this young man," said the medical gentleman who accompanied the party, "has entertained the strange idea that his name is simple, and that he is the rightful heir to the title and property of lord privilege." one of the visitors came up to me, and looked me in the face. "and so he is," cried he to the doctor, who looked with astonishment. "peter, don't you know me?" i started up. it was general o'brien. i flew into his arms, and burst into tears. "sir," said general o'brien, leading me to the chair, and seating me upon it, "i tell you that _is_ mr simple, the nephew of lord privilege; and i believe, the heir to the title. if, therefore, his assertion of such being the case is the only proof of his insanity, he is illegally confined. i am here, a foreigner, and a prisoner on parole; but i am not without friends. my lord belmore," said he, turning to another of the visitors who had accompanied him, "i pledge you my honour that what i state is true; and i request that you will immediately demand the release of this poor young man." "i assure you, sir, that i have lord privilege's letter," observed the doctor. "lord privilege is a scoundrel," replied general o'brien. "but there is justice to be obtained in this country, and he shall pay dearly for his _lettre de cachet_. my dear peter, how fortunate was my visit to this horrid place! i had heard so much of the excellent arrangements of this establishment, that i agreed to walk round with lord belmore; but i find that it is abused." "indeed, general o'brien, i have been treated with kindness," replied i; "and particularly by this gentleman. it was not his fault." general o'brien and lord belmore then inquired of the doctor if he had any objection to my release. "none whatever, my lord, even if he were insane; although i now see how i have been imposed upon. we allow the friends of any patient to remove him, if they think that they can pay him more attention. he may leave with you this moment." i now did feel my brain turn with the revulsion from despair to hope, and i fell back in my seat. the doctor, perceiving my condition, bled me copiously, and laid me on the bed, where i remained more than an hour, watched by general o'brien. i then got up, calm and thankful. i was shaved by the barber of the establishment, washed and dressed myself, and, leaning on the general's arm, was let out. i cast my eyes upon the two celebrated stone figures of melancholy and raving madness, as i passed them; i trembled, and clung more tightly to the general's arm, was assisted into the carriage, and bade farewell to madness and misery. the general said nothing until we approached the hotel where he resided, in dover-street, and then he inquired, in a low voice, whether i could bear more excitement. "it is celeste you mean, general?" "it is, my dear boy; she is here;" and he squeezed my hand. "alas!" cried i, "what hopes have i now of celeste?" "more than you had before," replied the general. "she lives but for you; and if you are a beggar, i have a competence to make you sufficiently comfortable." i returned the general's pressure of the hand, but could not speak. we descended, and in a minute i was led by the father into the arms of the astonished daughter. i must pass over a few days, during which i had almost recovered my health and spirits, and had narrated my adventures to general o'brien and celeste. my first object was to discover my sister. what had become of poor ellen, in the destitute condition in which she had been left i knew not; and i resolved to go down to the vicarage, and make inquiries. i did not, however, set off until a legal adviser had been sent for by general o'brien, and due notice given to lord privilege of an action to be immediately brought against him for false imprisonment. i set off in the mail, and the next evening arrived at the town of----. i hastened to the parsonage, and the tears stood in my eyes as i thought of my mother, my poor father, and the peculiar and doubtful situation of my dear sister. i was answered by a boy in livery, and found the present incumbent at home. he received me politely, listened to my story, and then replied that my sister had set off for london on the day of his arrival, and that she had not communicated her intentions to any one. here, then, was all clue lost, and i was in despair. i walked to the town in time to throw myself into the mail, and the next evening joined celeste and the general, to whom i communicated the intelligence, and requested advice how to proceed. lord belmore called the next morning, and the general consulted him. his lordship took great interest in my concerns, and, previous to any further steps, advised me to step into his carriage, and allow him to relate my case to the first lord of the admiralty. this was done immediately; and, as i had now an opportunity of speaking freely to his lordship, i explained to him the conduct of captain hawkins, and his connection with my uncle; also the reason of my uncle's persecution. his lordship, finding me under such powerful protection as lord belmore's, and having an eye to my future claims, which my uncle's conduct gave him reason to suppose were well founded, was extremely gracious, and said that i should hear from him in a day or two. he kept his word, and, on the third day after my interview, i received a note, announcing my promotion to the rank of commander. i was delighted with this good fortune, as was general o'brien and celeste. when at the admiralty, i inquired about o'brien, and found that he was expected home every day. he had gained great reputation in the east indies, was chief in command at the taking of some of the islands, and, it was said, was to be created a baronet for his services. everything wore a favourable aspect, excepting the disappearance of my sister. this was a weight on my mind i could not remove. but i have forgotten to inform the reader by what means general o'brien and celeste arrived so opportunely in england. martinique had been captured by our forces about six months before, and the whole of the garrison surrendered as prisoners of war. general o'brien was sent home, and allowed to be on parole; although born a frenchman, he had very high connections in ireland, of whom lord belmore was one. when they arrived, they had made every inquiry for me without success; they knew that i had been tried by a court-martial, and dismissed my ship, but after that, no clue could be found for my discovery. celeste, who was fearful that some dreadful accident had occurred to me, had suffered very much in health; and general o'brien, perceiving how much his daughter's happiness depended upon her attachment for me, had made up his mind that if i were found we should be united. i hardly need say how delighted he was when he discovered me, though in a situation so little to be envied. the story of my incarceration, of the action to be brought against my uncle, and the reports of foul play relative to the succession, had in the meantime been widely circulated among the nobility; and i found that every attention was paid me, and i was repeatedly invited out as an object of curiosity and speculation. the loss of my sister also was a subject of much interest, and many people, from goodwill, made every inquiry to discover her. i had returned one day from the solicitor's, who had advertised for her in the newspapers without success, when i found a letter for me on the table, in an admiralty enclosure. i opened it--the enclosure was one from o'brien, who had just cast anchor at spithead, and who had requested that the letter should be forwarded to me, if any one could tell my address. i tore it open. "my dear peter,--where are, and what has become of, you? i have received no letters for these two years, and i have fretted myself to death. i received your letter about the rascally court-martial; but perhaps you have not heard that the little scoundrel is dead. yes, peter; he brought your letter out in his own ship, and that was his death-warrant. i met him at a private party. he brought up your name-- i allowed him to abuse you, and then told him he was a liar and a scoundrel; upon which he challenged me, very much against his will; but the affront was so public, that he couldn't help himself. upon which i shot him, with all the good-will in the world, and could he have jumped up again twenty times, like jack-in-the-box, i would have shot him every time. the dirty scoundrel! but there's an end of him. nobody pitied him, for every one hated him; and the admiral only looked grave, and then was very much obliged to me for giving him a vacancy for his nephew. by-the-bye, from some unknown hand, but i presume from the officers of his ship, i received a packet of correspondence between him and your worthy uncle, which is about as elegant a piece of rascality as ever was carried on between two scoundrels; but that's not all, peter. i've got a young woman for you who will make your heart glad--not mademoiselle celeste, for i don't know where she is--but the wet-nurse who went out to india. her husband was sent home as an invalid, and she was allowed her passage home with him in my frigate. finding that he belonged to the regiment, i talked to him about one o'sullivan, who married in ireland, and mentioned the girl's name, and when he discovered that he was a countryman of mine he told me that his real name was o'sullivan, sure enough, but that he had always served as o'connell, and that his wife on board was the young woman in question. upon which i sent to speak to her, and telling her that i knew all about it, and mentioning the names of ella flanagan and her mother, who had given me the information, she was quite astonished; and when i asked her what had become of the child which she took in place of her own, she told me that it had been drowned at plymouth, and that her husband was saved at the same time by a young officer, 'whose name i have here,' says she; and then she pulled out of her neck your card, with peter simple on it. 'now,' says i, 'do you know, good woman, that in helping on the rascally exchange of children, you ruin that very young man who saved your husband, for you deprive him of his title and property?" she stared like a stuck pig, when i said so, and then cursed and blamed herself, and declared she'd right you as soon as we came home; and most anxious she is still to do so, for she loves the very name of you; so you see, peter, a good action has its reward sometimes in this world, and a bad action also, seeing as how i've shot that confounded villain who dared to ill-use you. i have plenty more to say to you, peter; but i don't like writing what, perhaps, may never be read, so i'll wait till i hear from you; and then, as soon as i get through my business, we will set to and trounce that scoundrel of an uncle. i have twenty thousand pounds jammed together in the consolidated, besides the spice islands, which will be a pretty penny; and every farthing of it shall go to right you, peter, and make a lord of you, as i promised you often that you should be; and if you win you shall pay, and if you don't then d--n the luck and d--n the money too. i beg you will offer my best regards to miss ellen, and say how happy i shall be to hear that she is well; but it has always been on my mind, peter, that your father did not leave too much behind him, and i wish to know how you both get on. i left you a _carte blanche_ at my agent's, and i only hope that you have taken advantage of it, if required; if not, you're not the peter that i left behind me. so now, farewell, and don't forget to answer my letter in no time. ever yours, "terence o'brien." this was indeed joyful intelligence. i handed the letter to general o'brien, who read it, celeste hanging over his shoulder, and perusing it at the same time. "this is well," said the general. "peter, i wish you joy, and celeste, i ought to wish you joy also at your future prospects. it will indeed be a gratification if ever i hail you as lady privilege." "celeste," said i, "you did not reject me when i was pennyless, and in disgrace. o my poor sister ellen! if i could but find you, how happy should i be!" i sat down to write to o'brien, acquainting him with all that had occurred, and the loss of my dear sister. the day after the receipt of my letter, o'brien burst into the room. after the first moments of congratulation were past, he said, "my heart's broke, peter, about your sister ellen: find her i must. i shall give up my ship, for i'll never give up the search as long as i live. i must find her." "do, pray, my dear o'brien, and i only wish--" "wish what, peter? shall i tell you what i wish?--that if i find her, you'll give her to me for my trouble." "as far as i am concerned, o'brien, nothing would give me greater pleasure; but god knows to what wretchedness and want may have compelled her." "shame on you, peter, to think so of your sister. i pledge my honour for her. poor, miserable, and unhappy she may be--but no--no, peter. you don't know--you don't love her as i do, if you can allow such thoughts to enter your mind." this conversation took place at the window: we then turned round to general o'brien and celeste. "captain o'brien," said the general. "sir terence o'brien, if you please, general. his majesty has given me a handle to my name." "i congratulate you, sir terence," said the general, shaking him by the hand: "what i was about to say is, that i hope you will take up your quarters at this hotel, and we will all live together. i trust that we shall soon find ellen: in the meanwhile we have no time to lose, in our exposure of lord privilege. is the woman in town?" "yes, and under lock and key; but the devil a fear of her. millions would not bribe her to wrong him who risked his life for her husband. she's irish, general, to the back bone. nevertheless, peter, we must go to our solicitor, to give the intelligence, that he may take the necessary steps." for three weeks, o'brien was diligent in his search for ellen, employing every description of emissary without success. in the meanwhile, the general and i were prosecuting our cause against lord privilege. one morning, lord belmore called upon us, and asked the general if we would accompany him to the theatre, to see two celebrated pieces performed. in the latter, which was a musical farce, a new performer was to come out, of whom report spoke highly. celeste consented, and after an early dinner, we joined his lordship in his private box, which was above the stage, on the first tier. the first piece was played, and celeste, who had never seen the performance of young, was delighted. the curtain then drew up for the second piece. in the second act, the new performer, a miss henderson, was led by the manager on the stage; she was apparently much frightened and excited, but three rounds of applause gave her courage, and she proceeded. at the very first notes of her voice i was startled, and o'brien, who was behind, threw himself forward to look at her; but as we were almost directly above, and her head was turned the other way, we could not distinguish her features. as she proceeded in her song, she gained courage, and her face was turned towards us, and she cast her eyes up--saw me--the recognition was mutual--i held out my arm, but could not speak--she staggered, and fell down in a swoon. "'tis ellen!" cried o'brien, rushing past me; and making one spring down on the stage, he carried her off, before any other person could come to her assistance. i followed him, and found him with ellen still in his arms, and the actresses assisting in her recovery. the manager came forward to apologize, stating that the young lady was too ill to proceed, and the audience, who had witnessed the behaviour of o'brien and myself, were satisfied with the romance in real life which had been exhibited. her part was read by another, but the piece was little attended to, every one trying to find out the occasion of this uncommon occurrence. in the meantime, ellen was put into a hackney-coach by o'brien and me, and we drove to the hotel, where we were soon joined by the general and celeste. chapter lxv it never rains but it pours, whether it be good or bad news--i succeed in everything, and to everything, my wife, my title, and estate--and "all's well that ends well." i shall pass over the scenes which followed, and give my sister's history in her own words. "i wrote to you, my dear peter, to tell you that i considered it my duty to pay all my father's debts with your money, and that there were but sixty pounds left when every claim had been satisfied; and i requested you to come to me as soon as you could, that i might have your counsel and assistance as to my future arrangements." "i received your letter, ellen, and was hastening to you, when--but no matter, i will tell my story afterwards." "day after day i waited with anxiety for a letter, and then wrote to the officers of the ship to know if any accident had occurred. i received an answer from the surgeon, informing me that you had quitted portsmouth to join me, and had not since been heard of. you may imagine my distress at this communication, as i did not doubt but that something dreadful had occurred, as i knew, too well, that nothing would have detained you from me at such a time. the new vicar appointed had come down to look over the house, and to make arrangements for bringing in his family. the furniture he had previously agreed to take at a valuation, and the sum had been appropriated in liquidation of your father's debts. i had already been permitted to remain longer than was usual, and had no alternative but to quit, which i did not do until the last moment. i could not leave my address, for i knew not where i was to go. i took my place in the coach, and arrived in london. my first object was to secure the means of livelihood, by offering myself as a governess; but i found great difficulties from not being able to procure a good reference, and from not having already served in that capacity. at last i was taken into a family to bring up three little girls; but i soon found out how little chance i had of comfort. the lady had objected to me as too good-looking--for this same reason the gentleman insisted upon my being engaged. "thus was i a source of disunion; the lady treated me with harshness, and the gentleman with too much attention. at last her ill-treatment and his persecution, were both so intolerable, that i gave notice that i should leave my situation." "i beg pardon, miss ellen, but you will oblige me with the name and residence of that gentleman?" said o'brien. "indeed, ellen, do no such thing," replied i; "continue your story." "i could not obtain another situation as governess; for, as i always stated where i had been, and did not choose to give the precise reason for quitting, merely stating that i was not comfortable, whenever the lady was called upon for my character, she invariably spoke of me so as to prevent my obtaining a situation. at last i was engaged as teacher to a school. i had better have taken a situation as housemaid. i was expected to be everywhere, to do everything; was up at daylight, and never in bed till past midnight; fared very badly, and was equally ill paid; but still it was honest employment, and i remained there for more than a year; but, though as economical as possible, my salary would not maintain me in clothes and washing, which was all i required. there was a master of elocution, who came every week, and whose wife was the teacher of music. they took a great liking to me, and pointed out how much better i should be off if i could succeed on the stage, of which they had no doubt. for months i refused, hoping still to have some tidings of you; but at last my drudgery became so insupportable, and my means so decreased, that i unwillingly consented. it was then nineteen months since i had heard of you, and i mourned you as dead. i had no relations except my uncle, and i was unknown even to him. i quitted the situation, and took up my abode with the teacher of elocution and his wife, who treated me with every kindness, and prepared me for my new career. neither at the school, which was three miles from london, nor at my new residence, which was over westminster-bridge, did i ever see a newspaper. it was no wonder, therefore, that i did not know of your advertisements. after three months' preparation i was recommended and introduced to the manager by my kind friends, and accepted. you know the rest." "well, miss ellen, if any one ever tells you that you were on the stage, at all events you may reply that you wasn't there long." "i trust not long enough to be recognised," replied she. "i recollect how often i have expressed my disgust at those who would thus consent to exhibit themselves; but circumstances strangely alter our feelings. i do, however, trust that i should have been respectable, even as an actress." "that you would, miss ellen," replied o'brien. "what did i tell you, peter?" "you pledged your honour that nothing would induce ellen to disgrace her family, i recollect, o'brien." "thank you, sir terence, for your good opinion," replied ellen. my sister had been with us about three days, during which i had informed her of all that had taken place, when, one evening, finding myself alone with her, i candidly stated to her what were o'brien's feelings towards her, and pleaded his cause with all the earnestness in my power. "my dear brother," she replied, "i have always admired captain o'brien's character, and always have felt grateful to him for his kindness and attachment to you; but i cannot say that i love him. i have never thought about him except as one to whom we are both much indebted." "but do you mean to say that you could not love him?" "no, i do not; and i will do all i can, peter--i will try. i never will, if possible, make him unhappy who has been so kind to you." "depend upon it, ellen, that with your knowledge of o'brien, and with feelings of gratitude to him, you will soon love him, if once you accept him as a suitor. may i tell him--" "you may tell him that he may plead his own cause, my dear brother; and, at all events, i will listen to no other until he has had fair play; but recollect that at present i only _like_ him--like him _very much,_ it is true; but still i only _like_ him." i was quite satisfied with my success, and so was o'brien, when i told him. "by the powers, peter, she's an angel, and i can't expect her to love an inferior being like myself; but if she'll only like me well enough to marry me, i'll trust to after-marriage for the rest. love comes with the children, peter. well, but you need not say that to her-- divil a bit--they shall come upon her like old age, without her perceiving it." o'brien having thus obtained permission, certainly lost no time in taking advantage of it. celeste and i were more fondly attached every day. the solicitor declared my case so good, that he could raise fifty thousand pounds upon it. in short, all our causes were prosperous, when an event occurred, the details of which, of course, i did not obtain until some time afterwards, but which i shall narrate here. my uncle was very much alarmed when he discovered that i had been released from bedlam--still more so, when he had notice given him of a suit, relative to the succession to the title. his emissaries had discovered that the wet-nurse had been brought home in o'brien's frigate, and was kept so close that they could not communicate with her. he now felt that all his schemes would prove abortive. his legal adviser was with him, and they had been walking in the garden, talking over the contingencies, when they stopped close to the drawing-room windows of the mansion at eagle park. "but, sir," observed the lawyer, "if you will not confide in me, i cannot act for your benefit. you still assert that nothing of the kind has taken place?" "i do," replied his lordship. "it is a foul invention." "then, my lord, may i ask you why you considered it advisable to imprison mr simple in bedlam?" "because i hate him," retorted his lordship,--"detest him." "and for what reason, my lord? his character is unimpeached, and he is your near relative." "i tell you, sir, that i hate him--would that he were now lying dead at my feet!" hardly were the words out of my uncle's mouth, when a whizzing was heard for a second, and then something fell down within a foot of where they stood, with a heavy crash. they started--turned round--the adopted heir lay lifeless at their feet, and their legs were bespattered with his blood and his brains. the poor boy, seeing his lordship below, had leaned out of one of the upper windows to call to him, but lost his balance, and had fallen head foremost upon the wide stone pavement which surrounded the mansion. for a few seconds the lawyer and my uncle looked upon each other with horror. "a judgment!--a judgment!" cried the lawyer, looking at his client. my uncle covered his face with his hands, and fell. assistance now came out, but there was more than one to help up. the violence of his emotion had brought on an apoplectic fit, and my uncle, although he breathed, never spoke again. it was in consequence of this tragical event, of which we did not know the particulars until afterwards, that the next morning my solicitor called upon me, and put a letter into my hand, saying, "allow me to congratulate your lordship." we were all at breakfast at the time, and the general, o'brien, and myself jumped up, all in such astonishment at this unexpected title being so soon conferred upon me, that we had a heavy bill for damages to pay; and had not ellen caught the tea-urn, as it was tipping over, there would, in all probability, have been a doctor's bill into the bargain. the letter was eagerly read--it was from my uncle's legal adviser, who had witnessed the catastrophe, informing me, that all dispute as to the succession was at an end by the tragical event that had taken place, and that he had put seals upon everything, awaiting my arrival or instructions. the solicitor, as he presented the letter, said that he would take his leave, and call again in an hour or two, when i was more composed. my first movement, when i had read the letter aloud, was to throw my arms round celeste, and embrace her--and o'brien, taking the hint, did the same to ellen, and was excused in consideration of circumstances; but, as soon as she could disengage herself, her arms were entwined round my neck, while celeste was hanging on her father's. having disposed of the ladies, the gentlemen now shook hands, and though we had not all appetites to finish our breakfasts, never was there a happier quintette. in about an hour my solicitor returned, and congratulated me, and immediately set about the necessary preparations. i desired him to go down immediately to eagle park, attend to the funeral of my uncle, and the poor little boy who had paid so dearly for his intended advancement, and take charge from my uncle's legal adviser, who remained in the house. the "dreadful accident in high life" found its way into the papers of the day, and before dinner time a pile of visiting cards was poured in, which covered the table. the next day a letter arrived from the first lord, announcing that he had made out my commission as post-captain, and trusted that i would allow him the pleasure of presenting it himself at his dinner hour, at half-past seven. very much obliged to him, the "fool of the family" might have waited a long while for it. while i was reading this letter, the waiter came up to say that a young woman below wanted to speak to me. i desired her to be shown up. as soon as she came in, she burst into tears, knelt down, and kissed my hand. "sure, it's you--oh! yes--it's you that saved my poor husband when i was assisting to your ruin. and an't i punished for my wicked doings--an't my poor boy dead?" she said no more, but remained on her knees, sobbing bitterly. of course, the reader recognises in her the wet-nurse who had exchanged her child. i raised her up, and desired her to apply to my solicitor to pay her expenses, and leave her address. "but do you forgive me, mr simple? it's not that i have forgiven myself." "i do forgive you with all my heart, my good woman. you have been punished enough." "i have, indeed," replied she, sobbing; "but don't i deserve it all, and more too? god's blessing, and all the saints' too, upon your head, for your kind forgiveness, anyhow. my heart is lighter." and she quitted the room. she had scarcely quitted the hotel, when the waiter came up again. "another lady, my lord, wishes to speak with you, but she won't give her name." "really, my lord, you seem to have an extensive female acquaintance," said the general. "at all events, i am not aware of any that i need be ashamed of. show the lady up, waiter." in a moment entered a fat, unwieldly little mortal, very warm from walking; she sat down in a chair, threw back her tippet, and then exclaimed, "lord bless you, how you have grown! gemini, if i can hardly believe my eyes; and i declare he don't know me." "i really cannot exactly recollect where i had the pleasure of seeing you before, madam." "well, that's what i said to jemima, when i went down in the kitchen. 'jemima,' says i, 'i wonder if little peter simple will know me.' and jemima says, 'i think he would the parrot, marm.'" "mrs handycock, i believe," said i, recollecting jemima and the parrot, although, from a little thin woman, she had grown so fat as not to be recognisable. "oh! so you've found me out, mr simple--my lord, i ought to say. well, i need not ask after your grandfather now, for i know he's dead; but as i was coming this way for orders, i thought i would just step in and see how you looked." "i trust mr handycock is well, ma'am. pray is he a bull or a bear?" "lord bless you, mr simple, my lord, i should say, he's been neither bull nor bear for this three years. he was obliged to _waddle_. if i didn't know much about bulls and bears, i know very well what a _lame duck_ is, to my cost. we're off the stock exchange, and mr handycock is set up as a coal merchant." "indeed!" "yes; that is, we have no coals, but we take orders, and have half-a-crown a chaldron for our trouble. as mr handycock says, it's a very good business, if you only had enough of it. perhaps your lordship may be able to give us an order. it's nothing out of your pocket, and something into ours." "i shall be very happy, when i return again to town, mrs handycock. i hope the parrot is quite well." "oh! my lord, that's a sore subject; only think of mr handycock, when we retired from the 'change, taking my parrot one day and selling it for five guineas, saying, five guineas were better than a nasty squalling bird. to be sure, there was nothing for dinner that day; but, as jemima agreed with me, we'd rather have gone without a dinner for a month, than have parted with poll. since we've looked up a little in the world, i saved up five guineas, by hook or by crook, and tried to get poll back again, but the lady said she wouldn't take fifty guineas for him." mrs handycock then jumped from her chair, saying, "good morning, my lord; i'll leave one of mr handycock's cards. jemima would be so glad to see you." as she left the room, celeste laughingly asked me whether i had any more such acquaintances. i replied, that i believed not; but i must acknowledge that mrs trotter was brought to my recollection, and i was under some alarm, lest she should also come and pay me her respects. the next day i had another unexpected visit. we had just sat down to dinner, when we heard a disturbance below; and, shortly after, the general's french servant came up in great haste, saying that there was a foreigner below, who wished to see me: and that he had been caning one of the waiters of the hotel, for not paying him proper respect. "who can that be?" thought i: and i went out of the door, and looked over the banisters, as the noise continued. "you must not come here to beat englishmen, i can tell you," roared one of the waiters. "what do we care for your foreign counts?" "sacre, canaille?" cried the other party, in a contemptuous voice, which i well knew. "ay, canal!--we'll duck you in the canal, if you don't mind." "you will!" said the stranger, who had hitherto spoken french. "allow me to observe--in the most delicate manner in the world--just to hint, that you are a d----d trencher-scraping, napkin-carrying, shilling-seeking, up-and-down-stairs son of a bitch--and take this for your impudence!" the noise of the cane was again heard; and i hastened downstairs, where i found count shucksen thrashing two or three of the waiters without mercy. at my appearance, the waiters, who were showing fight, retreated to a short distance, out of reach of the cane. "my dear count," exclaimed i, "is it you?" "my dear lord privilege, will you excuse me? but these fellows are saucy." "then i'll have them discharged," replied i. "if a friend of mine, and an officer of your rank and distinction, cannot come to see me without insult, i will seek another hotel." this threat of mine, and the reception i gave the count, put all to rights. the waiters sneaked off, and the master of the hotel apologised. it appeared that they had desired him to wait in the coffee-room until they could announce him, which had hurt the count's dignity. "we are just sitting down to dinner, count; will you join us?" "as soon as i have improved my toilet, my dear lord," replied he; "you must perceive that i am off a journey." the master of the hotel bowed, and proceeded to show the count to a dressing-room. when i returned upstairs--"what was the matter?" inquired o'brien. "oh, nothing!--a little disturbance in consequence of a foreigner not understanding english." in about five minutes the waiter opened the door, and announced count shucksen. "now, o'brien, you'll be puzzled," said i; and in came the count. "my dear lord privilege," said he, coming up and taking me by the hand, "let me not be the last to congratulate you upon your accession. i was running up the channel in my frigate when a pilot-boat gave me a newspaper, in which i saw your unexpected change of circumstances. i made an excuse for dropping my anchor at spithead this morning, and i have come up post, to express how sincerely i participate in your good fortune." count shucksen then politely saluted the ladies and the general, and turned round to o'brien, who had been staring at him with astonishment. "count shucksen, allow me to introduce sir terence o'brien." "by the piper that played before moses, but it's a puzzle," said o'brien. "blood and thunder! if it a'n't chucks!--my dear fellow, when did you rise from your grave?" "fortunately," replied the count, as they shook each other's hands for some time, "i never went into it, sir terence. but now, with your permission, my lord, i'll take some food, as i really am not a little hungry. after dinner, captain o'brien, you shall hear my history." his secret was confided to the whole party, upon my pledging myself for their keeping it locked up in their own breasts, which was a bold thing on my part, considering that two of them were ladies. the count stayed with us for some time, and was introduced everywhere. it was impossible to discover that he had not been bred up in a court, his manners were so good. he was a great favourite with the ladies; and his moustachios, bad french, and waltzing--an accomplishment he had picked up in sweden--were quite the vogue. all the ladies were sorry when the swedish count announced his departure by a p.p.c. before i left town i called upon the first lord of the admiralty, and procured for swinburne a first-rate building--that is to say, ordered to be built. this he had often said he wished, as he was tired of the sea, after a service of forty-five years. subsequently i obtained leave of absence for him every year, and he used to make himself very happy at eagle park. most of his time was, however, passed on the lake, either fishing or rowing about; telling long stories to all who would join him in his water excursions. a fortnight after my assuming my title, we set off for eagle park, and celeste consented to my entreaties that the wedding should take place that day month. upon this hint o'brien spake; and, to oblige _me_, ellen consented that we should be united on the same day. o'brien wrote to father m'grath; but the letter was returned by post, with "_dead_" marked upon the outside. o'brien then wrote to one of his sisters, who informed him that father m'grath would cross the bog one evening when he had taken a very large proportion of whisky; and that he was seen out of the right path, and had never been heard of afterwards. on the day appointed we were all united, and both unions have been attended with as much happiness as this world can afford. both o'brien and i are blessed with children, which, as o'brien observed, have come upon us like old age, until we now can muster a large christmas party in the two families. the general's head is white, and he sits and smiles, happy in his daughter's happiness, and in the gambols of his grandchildren. such, reader, is the history of peter simple, viscount privilege, no longer the fool, but the head of the family, who now bids you farewell. the end. the three cutters chapter i cutter the first reader, have you ever been at plymouth? if you have, your eye must have dwelt with ecstasy upon the beautiful property of the earl of mount edgcumbe: if you have not been at plymouth, the sooner that you go there, the better. at mount edgcumbe you will behold the finest timber in existence, towering up to the summits of the hills, and feathering down to the shingle on the beach. and from this lovely spot you will witness one of the most splendid panoramas in the world. you will see--i hardly know what you will not see--you will see ram head, and cawsand bay; and then you will see the breakwater, and drake's island, and the devil's bridge below you; and the town of plymouth and its fortifications, and the hoe; and then you will come to the devil's point, round which the tide runs devilish strong; and then you will see the new victualling office,--about which sir james gordon used to stump all day, and take a pinch of snuff from every man who carried a box, which all were delighted to give, and he was delighted to receive, proving how much pleasure may be communicated merely by a pinch of snuff--and then you will see mount wise and mutton cove; the town of devonport, with its magnificent dockyard and arsenals, north corner, and the way which leads to saltash. and you will see ships building and ships in ordinary; and ships repairing and ships fitting; and hulks and convict ships, and the guardship; ships ready to sail and ships under sail; besides lighters, men-of-war's boats, dockyard-boats, bumboats, and shore-boats. in short, there is a great deal to see at plymouth besides the sea itself: but what i particularly wish now, is, that you will stand at the battery of mount edgecumbe and look into barn pool below you, and there you will see, lying at single anchor, a cutter; and you may also see, by her pendant and ensign, that she is a yacht. of all the amusements entered into by the nobility and gentry of our island there is not one so manly, so exciting, so patriotic, or so national, as yacht-sailing. it is peculiar to england, not only from our insular position and our fine harbours, but because it requires a certain degree of energy and a certain amount of income rarely to be found elsewhere. it has been wisely fostered by our sovereigns, who have felt that the security of the kingdom is increased by every man being more or less a sailor, or connected with the nautical profession. it is an amusement of the greatest importance to the country; as it has much improved our ship-building and our ship-fitting, while it affords employment to our seamen and shipwrights. but if i were to say all that i could say in praise of yachts, i should never advance with my narrative. i shall therefore drink a bumper to the health of admiral lord yarborough and the yacht club, and proceed. you observe that this yacht is cutter-rigged, and that she sits gracefully on the smooth water. she is just heaving up her anchor; her foresail is loose, all ready to cast her--in a few minutes she will be under weigh. you see that there are some ladies sitting at the taffrail; and there are five haunches of venison hanging over the stern. of all amusements, give me yachting. but we must go on board. the deck, you observe, is of narrow deal planks as white as snow; the guns are of polished brass; the bitts and binnacles of mahogany; she is painted with taste; and all the mouldings are gilded. there is nothing wanting; and yet how clear and unencumbered are her decks! let us go below. this is the ladies' cabin: can anything be more tasteful or elegant? is it not luxurious? and, although so small, does not its very confined space astonish you, when you view so many comforts so beautifully arranged? this is the dining-room, and where the gentlemen repair. what can be more complete or _recherché_? and just peep into their state-rooms and bed-places. here is the steward's room and the beaufet: the steward is squeezing lemons for the punch, and there is the champagne in ice; and by the side of the pail the long-corks are ranged up, all ready. now, let us go forwards: here are the men's berths, not confined as in a man-of-war. no! luxury starts from abaft, and is not wholly lost, even at the fore-peak. this is the kitchen: is it not admirably arranged? what a _multum in parvo_! and how delightful are the fumes of the turtle-soup! at sea we do meet with rough weather at times; but, for roughing it out, give me a _yacht_. now that i have shown you round the vessel, i must introduce the parties on board. you observe that florid, handsome man in white trousers and blue jacket, who has a telescope in one hand, and is sipping a glass of brandy and water which he has just taken off the skylight. that is the owner of the vessel, and a member of the yacht club. it is lord b--: he looks like a sailor, and he does not much belie his looks; yet i have seen him in his robes of state at the opening of the house of lords. the one near to him is mr stewart, a lieutenant in the navy. he holds on by the rigging with one hand, because, having been actively employed all his life, he does not know what to do with hands which have nothing in them. he is _protégé_ of lord b., and is now on board as sailing-master of the yacht. that handsome, well-built man who is standing by the binnacle, is a mr hautaine. he served six years as midshipman in the navy, and did not like it. he then served six years in a cavalry regiment, and did not like it. he then married, and in a much shorter probation, found that he did not like that. but he is very fond of yachts and other men's wives, if he does not like his own; and wherever he goes, he is welcome. that young man with an embroidered silk waistcoat and white gloves, bending to talk to one of the ladies, is a mr vaughan. he is to be seen at almack's, at crockford's, and everywhere else. everybody knows him, and he knows everybody. he is a little in debt, and yachting is convenient. the one who sits by the lady is a relation of lord b.; you see at once what he is. he apes the sailor; he has not shaved, because sailors have no time to shave every day; he has not changed his linen, because sailors cannot change every day. he has a cigar in his mouth, which makes him half sick and annoys his company. he talks of the pleasure of a rough sea, which will drive all the ladies below--and then they will not perceive that he is more sick than themselves. he has the misfortune to be born to a large estate, and to be a _fool_. his name is ossulton. the last of the gentlemen on board whom i have to introduce, is mr seagrove. he is slightly made, with marked features full of intelligence. he has been brought up to the bar; and has every qualification but application. he has never had a brief, nor has he a chance of one. he is the fiddler of the company, and he has locked up his chambers, and come, by invitation of his lordship, to play on board of his yacht. i have yet to describe the ladies--perhaps i should have commenced with them--i must excuse myself upon the principle of reserving the best to the last. all puppet-showmen do so: and what is this but the first scene in my puppet-show? we will describe them according to seniority. that tall, thin, cross-looking lady of forty-five is a spinster, and sister to lord b. she has been persuaded very much against her will to come on board; but her notions of propriety would not permit her niece to embark under the protection of _only_ her father. she is frightened at everything: if a rope is thrown down on the deck, up she starts, and cries, "oh!" if on the deck, she thinks the water is rushing in below; if down below, and there is a noise, she is convinced there is danger; and, if it be perfectly still, she is sure there is something wrong. she fidgets herself and everybody, and is quite a nuisance with her pride and ill-humour; but she has strict notions of propriety, and sacrifices herself as a martyr. she is the hon. miss ossulton. the lady who, when she smiles, shows so many dimples in her pretty oval face, is a young widow of the name of lascelles. she married an old man to please her father and mother, which was very dutiful on her part. she was rewarded by finding herself a widow with a large fortune. having married the first time to please her parents, she intends now to marry to please herself; but she is very young, and is in no hurry. the young lady with such a sweet expression of countenance is the hon. miss cecilia ossulton. she is lively, witty, and has no fear in her composition; but she is very young yet, not more than seventeen--and nobody knows what she really is--she does not know herself. these are the parties who meet in the cabin of the yacht. the crew consists of ten fine seamen, the steward, and the cook. there is also lord b.'s valet, mr ossulton's gentleman, and the lady's maid of miss ossulton. there not being accommodation for them, the other servants have been left on shore. the yacht is now under weigh, and her sails are all set. she is running between drake's island and the main. dinner has been announced. as the reader has learnt something about the preparations, i leave him to judge whether it be not very pleasant to sit down to dinner in a yacht. the air has given everybody an appetite; and it was not until the cloth was removed that the conversation became general. "mr seagrove," said his lordship, "you very nearly lost your passage; i expected you last thursday." "i am sorry, my lord, that business prevented my sooner attending to your lordship's kind summons." "come, seagrove, don't be nonsensical," said hautaine; "you told me yourself, the other evening, when you were talkative, that you had never had a brief in your life." "and a very fortunate circumstance," replied seagrove; "for if i had had a brief i should not have known what to have done with it. it is not my fault; i am fit for nothing but a commissioner. but still i had business, and very important business, too; i was summoned by ponsonby to go with him to tattersall's, to give my opinion about a horse he wishes to purchase, and then to attend him to forest wild to plead his cause with his uncle." "it appears, then, that you were retained," replied lord b.; "may i ask you whether your friend gained his cause?" "no, my lord, he lost his cause, but he gained a suit." "expound your riddle, sir," said cecilia ossulton. "the fact is, that old ponsonby is very anxious that william should marry miss percival, whose estates join on to forest wild. now, my friend william is about as fond of marriage as i am of law, and thereby issue was joined." "but why were you to be called in?" inquired mrs lascelles. "because, madam, as ponsonby never buys a horse without consulting me--" "i cannot see the analogy, sir," observed miss ossulton, senior, bridling up. "pardon me, madam: the fact is," continued seagrove, "that, as i always have to back ponsonby's horses, he thought it right that, in this instance, i should back him: he required special pleading, but his uncle tried him for the capital offence, and he was not allowed counsel. as soon as we arrived, and i had bowed myself into the room, mr ponsonby bowed me out again--which would have been infinitely more jarring to my feelings, had not the door been left a-jar." "do anything but pun, seagrove," interrupted hautaine. "well, then, i will take a glass of wine." "do so," said his lordship; "but, recollect, the whole company are impatient for your story." "i can assure you, my lord, that it was equal to any scene in a comedy." now be it observed that mr seagrove had a great deal of comic talent; he was an excellent mimic, and could alter his voice almost as he pleased. it was a custom of his to act a scene as between other people, and he performed it remarkably well. whenever he said that anything he was going to narrate was "as good as a comedy," it was generally understood by those who were acquainted with him, that he was to be asked so to do. cecilia ossulton therefore immediately said, "pray act it, mr seagrove." upon which, mr seagrove--premising that he had not only heard, but also seen all that passed--changing his voice, and suiting the action to the word, commenced. "it may," said he, "be called "five thousand acres in a ring-fence." we shall not describe mr seagrove's motions; they must be inferred from his words. "'it will, then, william,' observed mr ponsonby, stopping, and turning to his nephew, after a rapid walk up and down the room with his hands behind him under his coat, so as to allow the tails to drop their perpendicular about three inches clear of his body, 'i may say, without contradiction, be the finest property in the county--five thousand acres in a ring-fence.' "'i dare say it will, uncle,' replied william, tapping his foot as he lounged in a green morocco easy-chair; 'and so, because you have set your fancy upon having these two estates enclosed together in a ring-fence, you wish that i should also be enclosed in a _ring_-fence.' "'and a beautiful property it will be,' replied mr ponsonby. "'which, uncle?--the estate, or the wife?' "'both, nephew, both; and i expect your consent.' "'uncle, i am not avaricious. your present property is sufficient for me. with your permission, instead of doubling the property, and doubling myself, i will remain your sole heir, and single.' "'observe, william, such an opportunity may not occur again for centuries. we shall restore forest wild to its ancient boundaries. you know it has been divided nearly two hundred years. we now have a glorious, golden opportunity of re-uniting the two properties; and when joined, the estate will be exactly what it was when granted to our ancestors by henry the eighth, at the period of the reformation. this house must be pulled down, and the monastery left standing. then we shall have our own again, and the property without encumbrance.' "'without encumbrance, uncle! you forget that there will be a wife.' "'and you forget that there will be five thousand acres in a ring-fence.' "'indeed, uncle, you ring it too often in my ears that i should forget it; but much as i should like to be the happy possessor of such a property, i do not feel inclined to be the happy possessor of miss percival; and the more so, as i have never seen the property.' "'we will ride over it to-morrow, william." "'ride over miss percival, uncle! that will not be very gallant. i will, however, one of these days, ride over the property with you, which, as well as miss percival, i have not as yet seen.' "'then i can tell you, she is a very pretty property.' "'if she were not in a ring-fence.' "'in good heart, william. that is, i mean an excellent disposition.' "'valuable in matrimony.' "'and well tilled--i should say well-educated, by her thee maiden aunts, who are the patterns of propriety.' "'does any one follow the fashion?' "'in a high state of cultivation; that is, her mind highly cultivated, and according to the last new system--what is it?' "'a four-course shift, i presume,' replied william, laughing; 'that is, dancing, singing, music, and drawing.' "'and only seventeen! capital soil, promising good crops. what would you have more?' "'a very pretty estate, uncle, if it were not the estate of matrimony. i am sorry, very sorry, to disappoint you; but i must decline taking a lease of it for life.' "'then, sir, allow me to hint to you that in my testament you are only tenant-at-will. i consider it a duty that i owe to the family, that the estate should be re-united. that can only be done by one of our family marrying miss percival; and, as you will not, i shall now write to your cousin james, and if he accept my proposal, shall make _him_ my heir. probably he will more fully appreciate the advantages of five thousand acres in a ring-fence.' "and mr ponsonby directed his steps towards the door. "'stop, my dear uncle,' cried william, rising up from his easy-chair; 'we do not quite understand one another. it is very true that i would prefer half the property and remaining single to the two estates and the estate of marriage; but, at the same time i did not tell you that i would prefer beggary to a wife and five thousand acres in a ring-fence. i know you to be a man of your word;--i accept your proposal, and you need not put my cousin james to the expense of postage.' "'very good, william; i require no more: and as i know you to be a man of your word, i shall consider this match as settled. it was on this account only that i sent for you, and now you may go back again as soon as you please. i will let you know when all is ready.' "'i must be at tattersall's on monday, uncle; there is a horse i must have for next season. pray, uncle, may i ask when you are likely to want me?' "'let me see--this is may--about july, i should think.' "'july, uncle! spare me--i cannot marry in the dog-days. no, hang it, not july.' "'well, william, perhaps, as you must come down once or twice to see the property--miss percival, i should say--it may be too soon--suppose we put it off till october.' "'october--i shall be down at melton.' "'pray, sir, may i then inquire what portion of the year is not, with you, _dog_-days?' "'why, uncle, next april, now--i think that would do.' "'next april. eleven months, and a winter between. suppose miss percival was to take a cold, and die.' "'i should be excessively obliged to her,' thought william. "'no! no!' continued mr ponsonby: 'there is nothing certain in this world, william.' "'well, then, uncle, suppose we arrange it for the first _hard frost_.' "'we have had no hard frosts lately, william.--we may wait for years.-- the sooner it is over the better.--go back to town, buy your horse, and then come down here--my dear william, to oblige your uncle--never mind the dog-days.' "'well, sir, if i am to make a sacrifice, it shall not be done by halves; out of respect for you i will even marry in july, without any regard to the thermometer.' "'you are a good boy, william.--do you want a cheque?' "'i have had one to-day,' thought william, and was almost at fault. 'i shall be most thankful, sir--they sell horse-flesh by the ounce now-a-days.' "'and you pay in pounds.--there, william.' "'thank you, sir, i'm all obedience; and i'll keep my word, even if there should be a comet. i'll go and buy the horse, and then i shall be ready to take the ring-fence as soon as you please.' "'yes, and you'll get over it cleverly, i've no doubt.--five thousand acres, william, and--a pretty wife!' "'have you any further commands, uncle?' said william, depositing the cheque in his pocket-book. "'now, my dear boy, are you going?' "'yes, sir; i dine at the clarendon.' "'well, then, good-bye.--make my compliments and excuses to your friend seagrove.--you will come on tuesday or wednesday.' "thus was concluded the marriage between william ponsonby and emily percival, and the junction of the two estates, which formed together the great desideratum,--_five thousand acres in a ring-fence_." mr seagrove finished, and he looked round for approbation. "very good, indeed, seagrove," said his lordship, "you must take a glass of wine after that." "i would not give much for miss percival's chance of happiness," observed the elder miss ossulton. "of two evils choose the least, they say," observed mr hautaine. "poor ponsonby could not help himself." "that's a very polite observation of yours, mr hautaine--i thank you in the name of the sex," replied cecilia ossulton. "nay, miss ossulton; would you like to marry a person whom you never saw?" "most certainly not; but when you mentioned the two evils, mr hautaine, i appeal to your honour, did you not refer to marriage or beggary?" "i must confess it, miss ossulton; but it is hardly fair to call on my honour to get me into a scrape." "i only wish that the offer had been made to me," observed vaughan; "i should not have hesitated as ponsonby did." "then i beg you will not think of proposing for me," said mrs lascelles, laughing;--for mr vaughan had been excessively attentive. "it appears to me, vaughan," observed seagrove, "that you have slightly committed yourself by that remark." vaughan, who thought so too, replied: "mrs lascelles must be aware that i was only joking." "fie! mr vaughan," cried cecilia ossulton; "you know it came from your heart." "my dear cecilia," said the elder miss ossulton, "you forget yourself-- what can you possibly know about gentlemen's hearts?" "the bible says, 'that they are deceitful and desperately wicked,' aunt." "and cannot we also quote the bible against your sex, miss ossulton?" replied seagrove. "yes, you could, perhaps, if any of you had ever read it," replied miss ossulton, carelessly. "upon my word, cissy, you are throwing the gauntlet down to the gentlemen," observed lord b.; "but i shall throw my warder down, and not permit this combat _à l'outrance_.--i perceive you drink no more wine, gentlemen, we will take our coffee on deck." "we were just about to retire, my lord," observed the elder miss ossulton, with great asperity: "i have been trying to catch the eye of mrs lascelles for some time, but--" "i was looking another way, i presume," interrupted mrs lascelles, smiling. "i am afraid that i am the unfortunate culprit," said mr seagrove. "i was telling a little anecdote to mrs lascelles--" "which, of course, from its being communicated in an undertone, was not proper for all the company to hear," replied the elder miss ossulton; "but if mrs lascelles is now ready--" continued she, bridling up, as she rose from her chair. "at all events, i can hear the remainder of it on deck," replied mrs lascelles. the ladies rose, and went into the cabin, cecilia and mrs lascelles exchanging very significant smiles, as they followed the precise spinster, who did not choose that mrs lascelles should take the lead, merely because she had once happened to have been married.--the gentlemen also broke up, and went on deck. "we have a nice breeze now, my lord," observed mr stewart, who had remained on deck, "and we lie right up channel." "so much the better," replied his lordship; "we ought to have been anchored at cowes a week ago. they will all be there before us." "tell mr simpson to bring me a light for my cigar," said mr ossulton to one of the men. mr stewart went down to his dinner; the ladies and the coffee came on deck; the breeze was fine, the weather (it was april) almost warm; and the yacht, whose name was the _arrow_, assisted by the tide, soon left the mewstone far astern. chapter ii cutter the second reader, have you ever been at portsmouth? if you have, you must have been delighted with the view from the saluting battery; and, if you have not, you had better go there as soon as you can. from the saluting battery you may look up the harbour, and see much of what i have described at plymouth; the scenery is different; but similar arsenals and dockyards, and an equal portion of our stupendous navy, are to be found there.--and you will see gosport on the other side of the harbour, and sally port close to you; besides a great many other places, which, from the saluting battery, you cannot see. and then there is southsea beach to your left. before you, spithead, with the men-of-war, and the motherbank, crowded with merchant vessels;--and there is the buoy where the _royal george_ was wrecked, and where she still lies, the fish swimming in and out of her cabin windows; but that is not all; you can also see the isle of wight,--ryde, with its long wooden pier, and cowes, where the yachts lie. in fact, there is a great deal to be seen at portsmouth as well as at plymouth; but what i wish you particularly to see, just now, is a vessel holding fast to the buoy, just off the saluting battery. she is a cutter; and you may know that she belongs to the preventive service by the number of gigs and galleys which she has hoisted up all round her. she looks like a vessel that was about to sail with a cargo of boats. two on deck, one astern, one on each side of her. you observe that she is painted black, and all her boats are white. she is not such an elegant vessel as the yacht, and she is much more lumbered up. she has no haunches of venison over the stern; but i think there is a leg of mutton, and some cabbages hanging by their stalks. but revenue-cutters are not yachts.--you will find no turtle or champagne; but, nevertheless, you will, perhaps, find a joint to carve at, a good glass of grog, and a hearty welcome. let us go on board.--you observe the guns are iron, and painted black, and her bulwarks are painted red; it is not a very becoming colour; but then it lasts a long while, and the dock-yard is not very generous on the score of paint--or lieutenants of the navy troubled with much spare cash. she has plenty of men, and fine men they are; all dressed in red flannel shirts, and blue trousers; some of them have not taken off their canvas or tarpaulin petticoats, which are very useful to them, as they are in the boats night and day, and in all weathers. but we will at once go down into the cabin, where we shall find the lieutenant who commands her, a master's mate, and a midshipman. they have each their tumbler before them, and are drinking gin-toddy, hot, with sugar--capital gin, too, 'bove proof; it is from that small anker, standing under the table. it was one that they forgot to return to the custom-house when they made their last seizure. we must introduce them. the elderly personage, with grizzly hair and whiskers, a round pale face, and a somewhat red nose (being too much in the wind will make the nose red, and this old officer is very often "in the wind," of course, from the very nature of his profession), is a lieutenant appleboy. he has served in every class of vessel in the service, and done the duty of first lieutenant for twenty years; he is now on promotion--that is to say, after he has taken a certain number of tubs of gin, he will be rewarded with his rank as commander. it is a pity that what he takes inside of him does not count, for he takes it morning, noon, and night. --he is just filling his fourteenth glass: he always keeps a regular account, as he never exceeds his limited number, which is seventeen; then he is exactly down to his bearings. the master's mate's name is tomkins; he has served his six years three times over, and has now outgrown his ambition; which is fortunate for him, as his chances of promotion are small. he prefers a small vessel to a large one, because he is not obliged to be so particular in his dress --and looks for his lieutenancy whenever there shall be another charity promotion. he is fond of soft bread, for his teeth are all absent without leave; he prefers porter to any other liquor, but he can drink his glass of grog, whether it be based upon rum, brandy, or the liquor now before him. mr smith is the name of that young gentleman, whose jacket is so out at the elbows; he has been intending to mend it these last two months, but is too lazy to go to his chest for another. he has been turned out of half the ships in the service for laziness; but he was born so--and therefore it is not his fault.--a revenue-cutter suits him, she is half her time hove to; and he has no objection to boat-service, as he sits down always in the stern-sheets, which is not fatiguing. creeping for tubs is his delight, as he gets over so little ground. he is fond of grog, but there is some trouble in carrying the tumbler so often to his mouth; so he looks at it, and lets it stand. he says little, because he is too lazy to speak. he has served more than _eight years;_ but as for passing--it has never come into his head. such are the three persons who are now sitting in the cabin of the revenue-cutter, drinking hot gin-toddy. "let me see, it was, i think, in ninety-three or ninety-four. before you were in the service, tomkins.--" "maybe, sir; it's so long ago since i entered, that i can't recollect dates,--but this i know, that my aunt died three days before." "then the question is, when did your aunt die?" "oh! she died about a year after my uncle." "and when did your uncle die?" "i'll be hanged if i know!" "then, d'ye see, you've no departure to work from. however, i think you cannot have been in the service at that time. we were not quite so particular about uniform as we are now." "then i think the service was all the better for it. now-a-days, in your crack ships, a mate has to go down in the hold or spirit-room, and after whipping up fifty empty casks, and breaking out twenty full ones, he is expected to come on quarter-deck as clean as if he was just come out of a band-box." "well, there's plenty of water alongside, as far as the outward man goes, and iron dust is soon brushed off. however, as you say, perhaps a little too much is expected; at least, in five of the ships in which i was first-lieutenant, the captain was always hauling me over the coals about the midshipmen not dressing properly, as if i was their dry-nurse. i wonder what captain prigg would have said, if he had seen such a turn-out as you, mr smith, on his quarter-deck." "i should have had one turn-out more," drawled smith. "with your out-at-elbows jacket, there, heh!" continued mr appleboy. smith turned up his elbows, looked at one and then at the other: after so fatiguing an operation, he was silent. "well, where was i? oh! it was about ninety-three or ninety-four, as i said, that it happened--tomkins, fill your glass, and hand me the sugar --how do i get on? this is no. ," said appleboy, counting some white lines on the table by him; and taking up a piece of chalk, he marked one more line on his tally. "i don't think this is so good a tub as the last, tomkins, there's a twang about it--a want of juniper--however, i hope we shall have better luck this time. of course, you know we sail to-morrow?" "i presume so, by the leg of mutton coming on board." "true--true--i'm regular--as clock-work.--after being twenty years a first-lieutenant, one gets a little method--i like regularity. now the admiral has never omitted asking me to dinner once, every time i have come into harbour, except this time--i was so certain of it, that i never expected to sail; and i have but two shirts clean in consequence." "that's odd, isn't it? and the more so, because he has had such great people down here, and has been giving large parties every day." "and yet i made three seizures, besides sweeping up those thirty-seven tubs." "i swept them up," observed smith. "that's all the same thing, _younker_.--when you've been a little longer in the service, you'll find out that the commanding officer has the merit of all that is done--but you're _green_ yet. let me see, where was i? oh!--it was about ninety-three or ninety-four, as i said. at that time i was in the channel fleet--tomkins, i'll trouble you for the hot water; this water's cold.--mr smith, do me the favour to ring the bell. --jem, some more hot water." "please, sir," said jem, who was barefooted as well as bare-headed, touching the lock of hair on his forehead, "the cook has capsized the kettle--but he has put more on." "capsized the kettle! ha!--very well--we'll talk about that to-morrow. mr tomkins, do me the favour to put him in the report, i may forget it. and pray, sir, how long is it since he has put more on?" "just this moment, sir, as i came aft." "very well, we'll see to that to-morrow:--you bring the kettle aft as soon as it is ready. i say, mr jem, is that fellow sober?" "yees, sir, he be sober as you be." "it's quite astonishing what a propensity the common sailors have to liquor. forty odd years have i been in the service, and i've never found any difference: i only wish i had a guinea for every time that i have given a fellow seven-water grog during my servitude as first-lieutenant, i wouldn't call the king my cousin. well, if there's no hot water, we must take lukewarm--it won't do to heave to. by the lord harry! who would have thought it?--i'm at number sixteen! let me count--yes!-- surely i must have made a mistake. a fact, by heaven!" continued mr appleboy, throwing the chalk down on the table. "only one more glass, after this--that is, if i have counted right--i may have seen double." "yes," drawled smith. "well, never mind--let's go on with my story.--it was either in the year ninety-three or ninety-four, that i was in the channel fleet--we were then abreast of torbay--" "here be the hot water, sir," cried jem, putting the kettle down on the deck. "very well, boy--by-the-bye, has the jar of butter come on board?" "yes, but it broke all down the middle; i tied him up with a ropeyarn." "who broke it, sir?" "coxswain says as how he didn't." "but who did, sir?" "coxswain handed it up to bill jones, and he says as how he didn't." "but who did, sir?" "bill jones gave it to me, and i'm sure as how i didn't." "then who did, sir, i ask you?" "i think it be bill jones, sir, 'cause he's fond of butter, i know, and there be very little left in the jar." "very _well_, we'll see to that to-morrow morning. mr tomkins, you'll oblige me by putting the butter-jar down in the report, in case it should slip my memory. bill jones, indeed, looks as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth--never mind. well, it was, as i said before--it was in the year ninety-three or ninety-four, when i was in the channel fleet; we were then off torbay, and had just: taken two reefs in the top-sails. stop, before i go on with my story, i'll take my last glass--i think it's the last: let me count--yes, by heavens i make out sixteen, well told. never mind, it shall be a stiff one. boy, bring the kettle, and mind you don't pour the hot water into my shoes, as you did the other night. there, that will do. now, tomkins, fill up yours; and you, mr smith: let us all start fair, and then you shall have my story--and a very curious one it is, i can tell you; i wouldn't have believed it myself if i hadn't seen it. hilloa! what's this? confound it! what's the matter with the toddy? heh, mr tomkins?" mr tomkins tasted, but, like the lieutenant, he had made it very stiff; and, as he had also taken largely before, he was, like him, not quite so clear in his discrimination: "it has a queer _twang_, sir: smith, what is it?" smith took up his glass, tasted the contents. "_salt water"_ drawled the midshipman. "salt water! so it is, by heavens!" cried mr appleboy. "salt as lot's wife!--by all that's infamous!" cried the master's mate. "salt water, sir!" cried jem in a fright, expecting a _salt_ eel for supper. "yes, sir," replied mr appleboy, tossing the contents of the tumbler in the boy's face, "salt water. very well, sir,--very well!" "it warn't me, sir," replied the boy, making up a piteous look. "no, sir, but you said the cook was sober." "he was not so _very_ much disguised, sir," replied jem. "oh! very well--never mind. mr tomkins, in case i should forget it, do me the favour to put the kettle of salt water down in the report. the scoundrel! i'm very sorry, gentlemen, but there's no means of having any more gin-toddy,--but never mind, we'll see to this to-morrow. two can play at this; and if i don't salt-water their grog, and make them drink it, too, i have been twenty years a first-lieutenant for nothing--that's all. good night, gentlemen; and," continued the lieutenant, in a severe tone, "you'll keep a sharp look-out, mr smith--do you hear, sir?" "yes," drawled smith, "but it's not my watch; it was my first watch, and, just now, it struck one bell." "you'll keep the middle watch, then, mr smith," said mr appleboy, who was not a little put out; "and, mr tomkins, let me know as soon as it's daylight. boy, get my bed made. salt water, by all that's blue! however, we'll see to that to-morrow morning." mr appleboy then turned in; so did mr tomkins; and so did mr smith, who had no idea of keeping the middle watch because the cook was drunk and had filled up the kettle with salt water. as for what happened in ninety-three or ninety-four, i really would inform the reader if i knew, but i am afraid that that most curious story is never to be handed down to posterity. the next morning, mr tomkins, as usual, forgot to report the cook, the jar of butter, and the kettle of salt water; and mr appleboy's wrath had long been appeased before he remembered them. at daylight the lieutenant came on deck, having only slept away half of the sixteen, and a taste of the seventeenth salt-water glass of gin-toddy. he rubbed his grey eyes, that he might peer through the grey of the morning; the fresh breeze blew about his grizzly locks, and cooled his rubicund nose. the revenue-cutter, whose name was the _active_, cast off from the buoy; and, with a fresh breeze, steered her course for the needles' passage. chapter iii cutter the third reader! have you been to st maloes? if you have, you were glad enough to leave the hole; and, if you have not, take my advice, and do not give yourself the trouble to go and see that, or any other french port in the channel. there is not one worth looking at. they have made one or two artificial ports, and they are no great things; there is no getting out, or getting in. in fact, they have no harbours in the channel, while we have the finest in the world; a peculiar dispensation of providence, because it knew that we should want them, and france would not. in france, what are called ports are all alike, nasty narrow holes, only to be entered at certain times of tide and certain winds; made up of basins and back-waters, custom-houses, and cabarets; just fit for smugglers to run into, and nothing more; and, therefore, they are used for very little else. now, in the dog-hole called st maloes there is some pretty land, although a great deficiency of marine scenery. but never mind that: stay at home, and don't go abroad to drink sour wine, because they call it bordeaux, and eat villanous trash, so disguised by cooking that you cannot possibly tell which of the birds of the air, or beasts of the field, or fishes of the sea, you are cramming down your throat. "if all is right, there is no occasion for disguise," is an old saying; so depend upon it, that there is something wrong, and that you are eating offal, under a grand french name. they eat everything in france, and would serve you up the head of a monkey who has died of the smallpox, as _singe au petite vérole_--that is, if you did not understand french; if you did, they would call it, _tête d'amour a l'ethiopique,_ and then you would be even more puzzled. as for their wine, there is no disguise in that--it's half vinegar. no, no! stay at home; you can live just as cheaply, if you choose; and then you will have good meat, good vegetables, good ale, good beer, and a good glass of grog--and what is of more importance, you will be in good company. live with your friends, and don't make a fool of yourself. i would not have condescended to have noticed this place, had it not been that i wish you to observe a vessel which is lying along the pier-wharf, with a plank from the shore to her gunnel. it is low water, and she is aground, and the plank dips down at such an angle that it is a work of danger to go either in or out of her. you observe that there is nothing very remarkable in her. she is a cutter, and a good sea-boat, and sails well before the wind. she is short for her breadth of beam, and is not armed. smugglers do not arm now--the service is too dangerous; they effect their purpose by cunning, not by force. nevertheless, it requires that smugglers should be good seamen, smart, active fellows, and keen-witted, or they can do nothing. this vessel has not a large cargo in her, but it is valuable. she has some thousand yards of lace, a few hundred pounds of tea, a few bales of silk, and about forty ankers of brandy--just as much as they can land in one boat. all they ask is a heavy gale or a thick fog, and they trust to themselves for success. there is nobody on board except a boy; the crew are all up at the cabaret, settling their little accounts of every description--for they smuggle both ways, and every man has his own private venture. there they are all, fifteen of them, and fine-looking fellows, too, sitting at that long table. they are very merry, but quite sober, as they are to sail to-night. the captain of the vessel (whose name, by-the-bye is the "_happy-go-lucky_,"--the captain christened her himself) is that fine-looking young man, with dark whiskers, meeting under his throat. his name is jack pickersgill. you perceive, at once, that he is much above a common sailor in appearance. his manners are good, he is remarkably handsome, very clean, and rather a dandy in his dress. observe, how very politely he takes off his hat to that frenchman, with whom he has just settled accounts; he beats johnny crapeau at his own weapons. and then there is an air of command, a feeling of conscious superiority about jack; see how he treats the landlord, _de haut en bas_, at the same time that he is very civil. the fact is, that jack is of a very good, old family, and received a very excellent education; but he was an orphan, his friends were poor, and could do but little for him: he went out to india as a cadet, ran away, and served in a schooner which smuggled opium into china, and then came home. he took a liking to the employment, and is now laying up a very pretty little sum: not that he intends to stop: no, as soon as he has enough to fit out a vessel for himself, he intends to start again for india, and with two cargoes of opium, he will return, he trusts, with a handsome fortune, and re-assume his family name. such are jack's intentions; and, as he eventually means to reappear as a gentleman, he preserves his gentlemanly habits: he neither drinks, nor chews, nor smokes. he keeps his hands clean, wears rings, and sports a gold snuff-box; notwithstanding which, jack is one of the boldest and best of sailors, and the men know it. he is full of fun, and as keen as a razor. jack has a very heavy venture this time-- all the lace is his own speculation, and if he gets it in safe, he will clear some thousands of pounds. a certain fashionable shop in london has already agreed to take the whole off his hands. that short, neatly-made young man is the second in command, and the companion of the captain. he is clever, and always has a remedy to propose when there is a difficulty, which is a great quality in a second in command. his name is corbett. he is always merry--half-sailor, half-tradesman; knows the markets, runs up to london, and does business as well as a chapman--lives for the day, and laughs at to-morrow. that little punchy old man, with long gray hair and fat face, with a nose like a note of interrogation, is the next personage of importance. he ought to be called the sailing-master, for, although he goes on shore in france, off the english coast he never quits the vessel. when they leave her with the goods, he remains on board; he is always to be found off any part of the coast where he may be ordered; holding his position in defiance of gales, and tides, and fogs: as for the revenue-vessels, they all know him well enough, but they cannot touch a vessel in ballast, if she has no more men on board than allowed by her tonnage. he knows every creek, and hole, and corner, of the coast; how the tide runs in--tide, half-tide, eddy, or current. that is his value. his name is morrison. you observe that jack pickersgill has two excellent supporters in corbett and morrison; his other men are good seamen, active, and obedient, which is all that he requires. i shall not particularly introduce them. "now you may call for another _litre_, my lads, and that must be the last; the tide is flowing fast, and we shall be afloat in half an hour, and we have just the breeze we want. what d'ye think, morrison, shall we have dirt?" "i've been looking just now, and if it were any other month in the year i should say, yes; but there's no trusting april, captain. howsomever, if it does blow off, i'll promise you a fog in three hours afterwards." "that will do as well. corbett, have you settled with duval?" "yes, after more noise and _charivari_ than a panic in the stock exchange would make in england. he fought and squabbled for an hour, and i found that, without some abatement, i never should have settled the affair." "what did you let him off?" "seventeen sous," replied corbett, laughing. "and that satisfied him?" inquired pickersgill. "yes--it was all he could prove to be a _surfaire_: two of the knives were a little rusty. but he will always have something off; he could not be happy without it. i really think he would commit suicide, if he had to pay a bill without a deduction." "let him live," replied pickersgill. "jeannette, a bottle of volnay, of , and three glasses." jeannette, who was the _fille de cabaret_, soon appeared with a bottle of wine, seldom called for, except by the captain of the _happy-go-lucky_. "you sail to-night?" said she, as she placed the bottle before him. pickersgill nodded his head. "i had a strange dream," said jeannette; "i thought you were all taken by a revenue cutter, and put in a _cachot_. i went to see you, and i did not know one of you again--you were all changed." "very likely, jeannette--you would not be the first who did not know their friends again when in misfortune. there was nothing strange in your dream." "_mais, mon dieu! je ne suis pas comme ça moi_." "no, that you are not, jeannette; you are a good girl, and some of these fine days i'll marry you," said corbett. "_doit être bien beau ce jour là, par exemple_," replied jeannette, laughing; "you have promised to marry me every time you have come in, these last three years." "well, that proves i keep to my promise, any how." "yes; but you never go any further." "i can't spare him, jeannette, that is the real truth," said the captain: "but wait a little--in the meantime, here is a five-franc piece to add to your _petite fortune_." "_merci bien, monsieur le capitaine; bon voyage!_" jeannette held her finger up to corbett, saying, with a smile, "_méchant!_" and then quitted the room. "come, morrison, help us to empty this bottle, and then we will all go on board." "i wish that girl wouldn't come here with her nonsensical dreams," said morrison, taking his seat; "i don't like it. when she said that we should be taken by a revenue cutter, i was looking at a blue and a white pigeon sitting on the wall opposite; and i said to myself, now, if that be a warning, i will see: if the _blue_ pigeon flies away first, i shall be in jail in a week; if the _white,_ i shall be back here." "well?" said pickersgill, laughing. "it wasn't well," answered morrison, tossing off his wine, and putting the glass down with a deep sigh; "for the cursed _blue_ pigeon flew away immediately." "why, morrison, you must have a chicken-heart to be frightened at a blue pigeon," said corbett, laughing, and looking out of the window; "at all events, he has come back again, and there he is sitting by the white one." "it's the first time that ever i was called chicken-hearted," replied morrison, in wrath. "nor do you deserve it, morrison," replied pickersgill; "but corbett is only joking." "well, at all events, i'll try my luck in the same way, and see whether i am to be in jail: i shall take the blue pigeon as my bad omen, as you did." the sailors and captain pickersgill all rose and went to the window, to ascertain corbett's fortune by this new species of augury. the blue pigeon flapped his wings, and then he sidled up to the white one; at last, the white pigeon flew off the wall and settled on the roof of the adjacent house. "bravo, white pigeon!" said corbett; "i shall be here again in a week." the whole party, laughing, then resumed their seats; and morrison's countenance brightened up. as he took the glass of wine poured out by pickersgill, he said, "here's your health, corbett; it was all nonsense, after all--for, d'ye see, i can't be put in jail without you are. we all sail in the same boat, and when you leave me, you take with you everything that can condemn the vessel--so here's success to our trip." "we will all drink that toast, my lads, and then on board," said the captain; "here's success to our trip." the captain rose, as did the mates and men, drank the toast, turned down the drinking-vessels on the table, hastened to the wharf, and, in half an hour, the _happy-go-lucky_ was clear of the port of st maloes. chapter iv portland bill the _happy-go-lucky_ sailed with a fresh breeze and a flowing sheet from st maloes, the evening before the _arrow_ sailed from barn pool. the _active_ sailed from portsmouth the morning after. the yacht, as we before observed, was bound to cowes, in the isle of wight. the _active_ had orders to cruise wherever she pleased within the limits of the admiral's station; and she ran for west bay, on the other side of the bill of portland. the _happy-go-lucky_ was also bound for that bay to land her cargo. the wind was light, and there was every appearance of fine weather, when the _happy-go-lucky_, at ten o'clock on the tuesday night, made the portland lights; as it was impossible to run her cargo that night, she hove to. at eleven o'clock, the portland lights were made by the revenue cutter _active_. mr appleboy went up to have a look at them, ordered the cutter to be hove to, and then went down to finish his allowance of gin-toddy. at twelve o'clock, the yacht _arrow_ made the portland lights, and continued her course, hardly stemming the ebb tide. day broke, and the horizon was clear. the first on the look-out were, of course, the smugglers; they, and those on board the revenue cutter, were the only two interested parties--the yacht was neuter. "there are two cutters in sight, sir," said corbett, who had the watch; for pickersgill, having been up the whole night, had thrown himself down on the bed with his clothes on. "what do they look like?" said pickersgill, who was up in a moment. "one is a yacht, and the other may be; but i rather think, as far as i can judge in the gray, that it is our old friend off here." "what! old appleboy?" "yes, it looks like him; but the day has scarcely broke yet." "well, he can do nothing in a light wind like this; and before the wind we can show him our heels; but are you sure the other is a yacht?" said pickersgill, coming on deck. "yes; the king is more careful of his canvas." "you're right," said pickersgill, "that is a yacht; and you're right there again in your guess--that is the stupid old _active_, which creeps about creeping for tubs. well, i see nothing to alarm us at present, provided it don't fall a dead calm, and then we must take to our boat as soon as he takes to his; we are four miles from him at least. watch his motions, corbett, and see if he lowers a boat. what does she go now? four knots?--that will soon tire their men." the positions of the three cutters were as follows:-- the _happy-go-lucky_ was about four miles off portland head, and well into west bay. the revenue cutter was close to the head. the yacht was outside of the smuggler, about two miles to the westward, and about five or six miles from the revenue cutter. "two vessels in sight, sir," said mr smith, coming down into the cabin to mr appleboy. "very well," replied the lieutenant, who was _lying_ down in his _standing_ bed-place. "the people say one is the _happy-go-lucky,_ sir," drawled smith. "heh? what! _happy-go-lucky?_ yes, i recollect; i've boarded her twenty times--always empty. how's she standing?" "she stands to the westward now, sir; but she was hove to, they say, when they first saw her." "then she has a cargo in her;" and mr appleboy shaved himself, dressed, and went on deck. "yes," said the lieutenant, rubbing his eyes again and again, and then looking through the glass, "it is her sure enough. let draw the fore sheet--hands make sail. what vessel's the other?" "don't know, sir,--she's a cutter." "a cutter? yes; may be a yacht, or may be the new cutter ordered on the station. make all sail, mr tomkins; hoist our pendant, and fire a gun-- they will understand what we mean then; they don't know the _happy-go-lucky_ as well as we do." in a few minutes the _active_ was under a press of sail; she hoisted her pendant, and fired a gun. the smuggler perceived that the _active_ had recognised her, and she also threw out more canvas, and ran off more to the westward. "there's a gun, sir," reported one of the men to mr stewart, on board of the yacht. "yes; give me the glass--a revenue cutter; then this vessel in shore, running towards us, must be a smuggler." "she has just now made all sail, sir." "yes, there's no doubt of it; i will go down to his lordship--keep her as she goes." mr stewart then went down to inform lord b. of the circumstance. not only lord b., but most of the gentlemen came on deck; as did soon afterwards the ladies, who had received the intelligence from lord b., who spoke to them through the door of the cabin. but the smuggler had more wind than the revenue cutter, and increased her distance. "if we were to wear round now, my lord," observed mr stewart, "she is just abreast of us and in shore, we could prevent her escape." "round with her, mr stewart," said lord b.; "we must do our duty, and protect the laws." "that will not be fair, papa," said cecilia ossulton; "we have no quarrel with the smugglers: i'm sure the ladies have not, for they bring us beautiful things." "miss ossulton," observed her aunt, "it is not proper for you to offer an opinion." the yacht wore round, and, sailing so fast, the smuggler had little chance of escaping her; but to chase is one thing--to capture, another. "let us give her a gun," said lord b., "that will frighten her; and he dare not cross our hawse." the gun was loaded, and not being more than a mile from the smuggler, actually threw the ball almost a quarter of the way. the gentlemen, as well as lord b., were equally excited by the ardour of pursuit; but the wind died away, and at last it was nearly calm. the revenue cutter's boats were out, and coming up fast. "let us get our boat out, stewart," said his lordship; "and help them; it is quite calm now." the boat was soon out: it was a very large one, usually stowed on, and occupied a large portion of, the deck. it pulled six oars; and when it was manned, mr stewart jumped in, and lord b. followed him. "but you have no arms," said mr hautaine. "the smugglers never resist now," observed stewart. "then you are going on a very gallant expedition, indeed," observed cecilia ossulton; "i wish you joy." but lord b. was too much excited to pay attention. they shoved off, and pulled towards the smuggler. at this time, the revenue boats were about five miles astern of the _happy-go-lucky_, and the yacht about three-quarters of a mile from her in the offing. pickersgill had, of course, observed the motions of the yacht; had seen her wear on chase, hoist her ensign and pendant, and fire her gun. "well," said he, "this is the blackest ingratitude; to be attacked by the very people whom we smuggle for. i only wish she may come up with us; and, let her attempt to interfere, she shall rue the day: i don't much like this, though." as we before observed, it fell nearly calm, and the revenue boats were in chase. pickersgill watched them as they came up. "what shall we do," said corbett,--"get the boat out?" "yes," replied pickersgill, "we will get the boat out, and have the goods in her all ready; but we can pull faster than they do, in the first place; and, in the next, they will be pretty well tired before they come up to us. we are fresh, and shall soon walk away from them; so i shall not leave the vessel till they are within half a mile. we must sink the ankers, that they may not seize the vessel, for it is not worth while taking them with us. pass them along ready to run them over the bows, that they may not see us and swear to it. but we have a good half hour, and more." "ay, and you may hold all fast if you choose," said morrison, "although it's better to be on the right side and get ready; otherwise, before half an hour, i'll swear that we are out of their sight. look there," said he, pointing to the eastward at a heavy bank, "it's coming right down upon us, as i said it would." "true enough; but still there is no saying which will come first, morrison; the boats or the fog, so we must be prepared." "hilloa! what's this? why, there's a boat coming from the yacht!" pickersgill took out his glass. "yes, and the yacht's own boat, with the name painted on her bows. well, let them come--we will have no ceremony in resisting them; they are not in the act of parliament, and must take the consequences. we have nought to fear. get stretchers, my lads, and hand-spikes; they row six oars, and are three in the stern sheets--they must be good men if they take us." in a few minutes lord b. was close to the smuggler. "boat, ahoy! what do you want?" "surrender in the king's name." "to what, and to whom, and what are we to surrender? we are an english vessel coasting along shore." "pull on board, my lads," cried stewart; "i am a king's officer--we know her." the boat darted alongside, and stewart and lord b., followed by the men, jumped on the deck. "well, gentlemen, what do you want?" said pickersgill. "we seize you--you are a smuggler; there's no denying it: look at the casks of spirits stretched along the deck." "we never said that we were not smugglers," replied pickersgill; "but what is that to you? you are not a king's ship, or employed by the revenue." "no, but we carry a pendant, and it is our duty to protect the laws." "and who are you?" said pickersgill. "i am lord b." "then, my lord, allow me to say that you would do much better to attend to the framing of laws, and leave people of less consequence, like those astern of me, to execute them. 'mind your own business,' is an old adage. we shall not hurt you, my lord, as you have only employed words, but we shall put it out of your power to hurt us. come aft, my lads. now, my lord, resistance is useless; we are double your numbers, and you have caught a tartar." lord b. and mr stewart perceived that they were in an awkward predicament. "you may do what you please," observed mr stewart, "but the revenue boats are coming up, recollect." "look you, sir, do you see the revenue cutter?" said pickersgill. stewart looked in that direction, and saw that she was hidden in the fog. "in five minutes, sir, the boats will be out of sight also, and so will your vessel; we have nothing to fear from them." "indeed, my lord, we had better return," said mr stewart, who perceived that pickersgill was right. "i beg your pardon, you will not go on board your yacht so soon as you expect. take the oars out of the boat, my lads, two or three of you, and throw in a couple of our paddles for them to reach the shore with. the rest of you knock down the first man who offers to resist. you are not aware, perhaps, my lord, that you have attempted _piracy_ on the high seas?" stewart looked at lord b. it was true enough. the men of the yacht could offer no resistance; the oars were taken out of the boat, and the men put in again. "my lord," said pickersgill, "your boat is manned--do me the favour to step into it; and you, sir, do the same. i should be sorry to lay my hands upon a peer of the realm, or a king's officer even on half pay." remonstrance was vain; his lordship was led to the boat by two of the smugglers, and stewart followed. "i will leave your oars, my lord, at the weymouth custom-house; and i trust this will be a lesson to you in future to 'mind your own business.'" the boat was shoved off from the sloop by the smugglers, and was soon lost sight of in the fog, which had now covered the revenue boats as well as the yacht; at the same time, it brought down a breeze from the eastward. "haul to the wind, morrison," said pickersgill, "we will stand out to get rid of the boats; if they pull on, they will take it for granted that we shall run into the bay, as will the revenue cutter." pickersgill and corbett were in conversation abaft for a short time, when the former desired the course to be altered two points. "keep silence all of you, my lads, and let me know if you hear a gun or a bell from the yacht," said pickersgill. "there is a gun, sir, close to us," said one of the men; "the sound was right ahead." "that will do, keep her as she goes. aft here, my lads; we cannot run our cargo in the bay, for the cutter has been seen to chase us, and they will all be on the look-out at the preventive stations for us on shore. now, my lads, i have made up my mind that, as these yacht gentlemen have thought proper to interfere, i will take possession of the yacht for a few days. we shall then out-sail everything, go where we like unsuspected, and land our cargo with ease. i shall run alongside of her --she can have but few hands on board; and mind, do not hurt anybody, but be civil and obey my orders. morrison, you and your four men and the boy will remain on board as before, and take the vessel to cherbourg, where we will join you." in a short time another gun was fired from the yacht. those on board, particularly the ladies, were alarmed; the fog was very thick, and they could not distinguish the length of the vessel. they had seen the boat board, but had not seen her turned adrift without oars, as the fog came on just at that time. the yacht was left with only three seamen on board, and, should it come on bad weather, they were in an awkward predicament. mr hautaine had taken the command, and ordered the guns to be fired that the boat might be enabled to find them. the fourth gun was loading, when they perceived the smuggler's cutter close to them looming through the fog. "here they are," cried the seamen; "and they have brought the prize along with them! three cheers for the _arrow_!" "hilloa! you'll be on board of us?" cried hautaine. "that's exactly what i intended to be, sir," replied pickersgill, jumping on the quarter-deck, followed by his men. "who the devil are you?" "that's exactly the same question that i asked lord b. when he boarded us," replied pickersgill, taking off his hat to the ladies. "well, but what business have you here?" "exactly the same question which i put to lord b.," replied pickersgill. "where is lord b., sir?" said cecilia ossulton, going up to the smuggler; "is he safe?" "yes, madam, he is safe; at least he is in his boat with all his men, and unhurt: but you must excuse me if i request you and the other ladies to go down below while i speak to these gentlemen. be under no alarm, miss; you will receive neither insult nor ill-treatment--i have only taken possession of this vessel for the present." "take possession," cried hautaine, "of a yacht." "yes, sir, since the owner of the yacht thought proper to attempt to take possession of me. i always thought that yachts were pleasure-vessels, sailing about for amusement, respected themselves, and not interfering with others; but it appears that such is not the case. the owner of this yacht has thought proper to break through the neutrality, and commence aggression, and under such circumstances i have now, in retaliation, taken possession of her." "and, pray, what do you mean to do, sir?" "simply for a few days to make an exchange. i shall send you on board of my vessel as smugglers, while i remain here with the ladies and amuse myself with yachting." "why, sir, you cannot mean--" "i have said, gentlemen, and that is enough; i should be sorry to resort to violence, but i must be obeyed. you have, i perceive, three seamen only left: they are not sufficient to take charge of the vessel, and lord b. and the others you will not meet for several days. my regard for the ladies, even common humanity, points out to me that i cannot leave the vessel in this crippled condition. at the same time, as i must have hands on board of my own, you will oblige me by going on board and taking her safely into port. it is the least return you can make for my kindness. in those dresses, gentlemen, you will not be able to do your duty; oblige me by shifting, and putting on these." corbett handed a flannel shirt, a rough jacket and trousers, to messrs hautaine, ossulton, vaughan, and seagrove. after some useless resistance they were stripped, and having put on the smugglers' attire, they were handed on board of the _happy-go-lucky_. the three english seamen were also sent on board and confined below, as well as ossulton's servant, who was also equipped like his master, and confined below with the seamen. corbett and the men then handed up all the smuggled goods into the yacht, dropped the boat, and made it fast astern; and, morrison having received his directions, the vessels separated--morrison running for cherbourg, and pickersgill steering the yacht along shore to the westward. about an hour after this exchange had been effected, the fog cleared up, and showed the revenue cutter hove to for her boats, which had pulled back and were close on board of her; and the _happy-go-lucky_, about three miles in the offing. lord b. and his boat's crew were about four miles in shore, paddling and drifting with the tide towards portland. as soon as the boats were on board, the revenue cutter made all sail after the smuggler, paying no attention to the yacht, and either not seeing or not caring about the boat which was drifting about in west bay. chapter v the travestie "here we are, corbett, and now i only wish my venture had been double," observed pickersgill; "but i shall not allow business to absorb me wholly--we must add a little amusement. it appears to me, corbett, that the gentleman's clothes which lie there will fit you, and those of the good-looking fellow who was spokesman will, i am sure, suit me well. now, let us dress ourselves, and then for breakfast." pickersgill then exchanged his clothes for those of mr hautaine, and corbett fitted on those of mr ossulton. the steward was summoned up, and he dared not disobey; he appeared on deck, trembling. "steward--you will take these clothes below," said pickersgill, "and, observe, i now command this yacht; and, during the time that i am on board, you will pay me the same respect as you did lord b.: nay, more, you will always address me as lord b. you will prepare dinner and breakfast, and do your duty just as if his lordship was on board, and take care that you feed us well, for i will not allow the ladies to be entertained in a less sumptuous manner than before.--you will tell the cook what i say,--and now that you have heard me, take care that you obey; if not, recollect that i have my own men here, and if i but point with my finger, _overboard you go_.--do you perfectly comprehend me?" "yes,--sir," stammered the steward. "yes, _sir_!--what did i tell you, sirrah?--yes, my lord.--do you understand me?" "yes--my lord." "pray, steward, whose clothes has this gentleman put on?" "mr--mr ossulton's, i think--sir--my lord, i mean." "very well, steward; then recollect, in future you always address that gentleman as _mr ossulton_." "yes, my lord," and the steward went down below, and was obliged to take a couple of glasses of brandy, to keep himself from fainting. "who are they, and what are they! mr maddox?" cried the lady's-maid, who had been weeping. "pirates!--_bloody, murderous, stick-at-nothing_ pirates!" replied the steward. "oh!" screamed the lady's-maid, "what will become of us, poor unprotected females?" and she hastened into the cabin, to impart this dreadful intelligence. the ladies in the cabin were not in a very enviable situation. as for the elder miss ossulton (but, perhaps, it will be better in future to distinguish the two ladies, by calling the elder simply miss ossulton, and her niece, cecilia), she was sitting with her salts to her nose, agonised with a mixture of trepidation and wounded pride. mrs lascelles was weeping, but weeping gently. cecilia was sad, and her heart was beating with anxiety and suspense--when the maid rushed in. "o madam! o miss! o mrs lascelles! i have found it all out!--they are murderous, bloody, do-everything pirates!!!" "mercy on us!" exclaimed miss ossulton; "surely they will never dare--?" "oh, ma'am, they dare anything!--they just now were throwing the steward overboard--and they have rummaged all the portmanteaus, and dressed themselves in the gentlemen's best clothes--the captain of them told the steward that he was lord b.--and that if he dared to call him anything else, he would cut his throat from ear to ear--and if the cook don't give them a good dinner, they swear that they'll chop his right hand off, and make him eat it, without pepper or salt!" miss ossulton screamed, and went off into hysterics. mrs lascelles and cecilia went to her assistance; but the latter had not forgotten the very different behaviour of jack pickersgill, and his polite manners, when he boarded the vessel. she did not, therefore, believe what the maid had reported, but still her anxiety and suspense were great, especially about her father. after having restored her aunt, she put on her bonnet, which was lying on the sofa. "where are you going, dear?" said mrs lascelles. "on deck," replied cecilia. "i must and will speak to these men." "gracious heaven, miss ossulton going on deck! have you heard what phoebe says?" "yes, aunt, i have; but i can wait here no longer." "stop her! stop her!--she will be murdered!--she will be--she is mad!" screamed miss ossulton; but no one attempted to stop cecilia, and on deck she went. on her arrival, she found jack pickersgill and corbett walking the deck; one of the smugglers at the helm, and the rest forward, and as quiet as the crew of the yacht. as soon as she made her appearance, jack took off his hat, and made her a bow. "i do not know whom i have the honour of addressing, young lady! but i am flattered with this mark of confidence. you feel, and i assure you, you feel correctly, that you are not exactly in lawless hands." cecilia looked with more surprise than fear at pickersgill; mr hautaine's dress became him, he was a handsome, fine-looking man, and had nothing of the ruffian in his appearance; unless, like byron's corsair, he was _half savage, half soft_. she could not help thinking that she had met many with less pretensions, as far as appearance went, to the claims of a gentleman, at almack's, and other fashionable circles. "i have ventured on deck, sir," said cecilia, with a little tremulousness in her voice, "to request, as a favour, that you will inform me what your intentions may be, with regard to the vessel, and with regard to the ladies!" "and i feel much obliged to you, for so doing, and i assure you, i will, as far as i have made up my own mind, answer you candidly: but you tremble--allow me to conduct you to a seat. in few words, then, to remove your present alarm, i intend that the vessel shall be returned to its owner, with every article in it, as religiously respected as if they were church property. with respect to you, and the other ladies on board, i pledge you my honour, that you have nothing to fear; that you shall be treated with every respect; your privacy never invaded; and that, in a few days, you will be restored to your friends. young lady, i pledge my hopes of future salvation to the truth of this; but, at the same time, i must make a few conditions, which, however, will not be very severe." "but, sir," replied cecilia, much relieved, for pickersgill had stood by her in the most respectful manner, "you are, i presume, the captain of the smuggler? pray, answer me one question more--what became of the boat, with lord b.,--he is my father?" "i left him in his boat, without a hair of his head touched, young lady; but i took away the oars." "then he will perish!" cried cecilia, putting her handkerchief to her eyes. "no, young lady, he is on shore probably by this time; although i took away his means of assisting to capture us, i left him the means of gaining the land. it is not every one who would have done that, after his conduct to us." "i begged him not to go," said cecilia; "i told him that it was not fair, and that he had no quarrel with the smugglers." "i thank you even for that," replied pickersgill. "and now, miss--i have not the pleasure of recollecting his lordship's family name--" "ossulton, sir," said cecilia, looking at pickersgill with surprise. "then, with your permission, miss ossulton, i will now make you my confidant: excuse my using so free a term, but it is because i wish to relieve your fears; at the same time, i cannot permit you to divulge all my intentions to the whole party on board; i feel that i may trust you, for you have courage, and where there is courage, there generally is truth; but you must first tell me whether you will condescend to accept these terms?" cecilia demurred a moment--the idea of being the confidant of a smuggler rather startled her; but still, her knowledge of what his intentions were, if she might not reveal them, might be important; as, perhaps, she might dissuade him. she could be in no worse position than she was now, and she might be in a much better. the conduct of pickersgill had been such, up to the present, as to inspire confidence; and, although he defied the laws, he appeared to regard the courtesies of life. cecilia was a courageous girl, and at length she replied:-- "provided what you desire me to keep secret will not be injurious to any one, or compromise me, in my peculiar situation, i consent." "i would not hurt a fly, miss ossulton, but in self-defence, and i have too much respect for you, from your conduct during our short meeting, to compromise you. allow me now to be very candid; and then, perhaps, you will acknowledge that, in my situation, others would do the same; and, perhaps, not show half so much forbearance. your father, without any right whatever, interferes with me, and my calling: he attempts to make me a prisoner, to have me thrown in jail; heavily fined, and, perhaps, sent out of the country. i will not enter into any defence of smuggling, it is sufficient to say, that there are pains and penalties attached to the infraction of certain laws, and that i choose to risk them--but lord b. was not empowered by government to attack me; it was a gratuitous act--and had i thrown him, and all his crew into the sea, i should have been justified, for it was in short, an act of piracy on their part. now, as your father has thought to turn a yacht into a revenue cutter, you cannot be surprised at my retaliating, in turning her into a smuggler; and as he has mixed up looking after the revenue with yachting, he cannot be surprised if i retaliate, by mixing up a little yachting with smuggling. i have dressed your male companions as smugglers, and have sent them in the smuggling vessel to cherbourg, where they will be safely landed; and i have dressed myself, and the only person whom i could join with me in this frolic, as gentlemen, in their places. my object is twofold: one is, to land my cargo, which i have now on board, and which is very valuable; the other is, to retaliate upon your father and his companions, for their attempt upon me, by stepping into their shoes, and enjoying, for a day or two, their luxuries. it is my intention to make free with nothing, but his lordship's wine and eatables,--that you may be assured of; but i shall have no pleasure, if the ladies do not sit down to the dinner-table with us, as they did before with your father and his friends." "you can hardly expect that, sir," said cecilia. "yes, i do; and that will be not only the price of the early release of the yacht and themselves, but it will also be the only means by which they will obtain anything to eat. you observe, miss ossulton, the sins of the fathers are visited on the children. i have now told you what i mean to do, and what i wish. i leave you to think of it, and decide whether it will not be the best for all parties to consent. you have my permission to tell the other ladies, that whatever may be their conduct, they are as secure from ill-treatment or rudeness, as if they were in grosvenor square; but i cannot answer that they will not be hungry, if, after such forbearance in every point, they show so little gratitude, as not to honour me with their company." "then i am to understand that we are to be starved into submission?" "no, not starved, miss ossulton; but recollect that you will be on bread and water, and detained until you do consent, and your detention will increase the anxiety of your father." "you know how to persuade, sir," said cecilia. "as far as i am concerned, i trust i shall ever be ready to sacrifice any feelings of pride, to spare my father so much uneasiness. with your permission, i will now go down into the cabin, and relieve my companions from the worst of their fears. as for obtaining what you wish, i can only say, that, as a young person, i am not likely to have much influence with those older than myself, and must inevitably be overruled, as i have not permission to point out to them reasons which might avail. would you so far allow me to be relieved from my promise, as to communicate all you have said to me, to the only married woman on board? i think i then might obtain your wishes, which, i must candidly tell you, i shall attempt to effect, _only_ because i am most anxious to rejoin my friends." "and be relieved of my company," replied pickersgill, smiling, ironically,--"of course you are; but i must and will have my petty revenge: and although you may, and probably will detest me, at all events you shall not have any very formidable charge to make against me before you go below, miss ossulton, i give you my permission to add the married lady to the number of my confidants; and you must permit me to introduce my friend, mr ossulton;" and pickersgill waved his hand in the direction of corbett, who took off his hat, and made a low obeisance. it was impossible for cecilia ossulton to help smiling. "and," continued pickersgill, "having taking the command of this yacht, instead of his lordship, it is absolutely necessary that i also take his lordship's name. while on board i am lord b.; and allow me to introduce myself under that name--i cannot be addressed otherwise. depend upon it, miss ossulton, that i shall have a most paternal solicitude to make you happy and comfortable." had cecilia ossulton dared to have given vent to her real feelings at that time, she would have burst into a fit of laughter, it was too ludicrous. at the same time, the very burlesque reassured her still more. she went into the cabin with a heavy weight removed from her heart. in the meantime, miss ossulton and mrs lascelles remained below, in the greatest anxiety at cecilia's prolonged stay; they knew not what to think, and dared not go on deck. mrs lascelles had once determined at all risks to go up; but miss ossulton and phoebe had screamed, and implored her so fervently not to leave them, that she unwillingly consented to remain. cecilia's countenance, when she entered the cabin, reassured mrs lascelles, but not her aunt, who ran to her, crying and sobbing, and clinging to her, saying, "what have they done to you, my poor, poor cecilia?" "nothing at all, aunt," replied cecilia, "the captain speaks very fairly, and says he shall respect us in every possible way, provided that we obey his orders, but if not--" "if not--what, cecilia?" said miss ossulton, grasping her niece's arm. "he will starve us, and not let us go!" "god have mercy on us!"--cried miss ossulton, renewing her sobs. cecilia then went to mrs lascelles, and communicated to her, apart, all that had passed. mrs lascelles agreed with cecilia, that they were in no danger of insult; and as they talked over the matter, they at last began to laugh; there was a novelty in it, and there was something so ridiculous in all the gentlemen being turned into smugglers. cecilia was glad that she could not tell her aunt, as she wished her to be so frightened, as never to have her company on board of the yacht again; and mrs lascelles was too glad to annoy her for many and various insults received. the matter was, therefore, canvassed over very satisfactorily, and mrs lascelles felt a natural curiosity to see this new lord b. and the second mr ossulton. but they had had no breakfast and were feeling very hungry, now that their alarm was over. they desired phoebe to ask the steward for some tea or coffee. the reply was, that, "breakfast was laid in the cabin, and lord b. trusted that the ladies would come to partake of it." "no, no," replied mrs lascelles, "i never can, without being introduced to them first." "nor will i go," replied cecilia, "but i will write a note, and we will have our breakfast here." cecilia wrote a note in pencil as follows:-- "miss ossulton's compliments to lord b., and, as the ladies feel rather indisposed after the alarm of this morning, they trust that his lordship will excuse their coming to breakfast; but hope to meet his lordship at dinner, if not before that time, on deck." the answer was propitious, and the steward soon appeared with the breakfast in the ladies' cabin. "well maddox," said cecilia, "how do you get on with your new master?" the steward looked at the door to see if it was closed, shook his head, and then said with a look of despair, "he has ordered a haunch of venison for dinner, miss, and he has twice threatened to toss me overboard." "you must obey him, maddox, or he certainly will. these pirates are dreadful fellows; be attentive, and serve him just as if he was my father." "yes, yes, ma'am, i will, but our time may come; it's _burglary_ on the high seas, and i'll go fifty miles to see him hanged." "steward!" cried pickersgill, from the cabin. "o lord! he can't have heard me--d'ye-think he did, miss?" "the partitions are very thin, and you spoke very loud," said mrs lascelles; "at all events, go to him quickly." "good-bye, miss; good-bye, ma'am; if i shouldn't see you any more," said maddox, trembling with fear, as he obeyed the awful summons--which was to demand a tooth-pick. miss ossulton would not touch the breakfast; not so mrs lascelles and cecilia, who ate very heartily. "it's very dull to be shut up in this cabin," said mrs lascelles; "come, cecilia, let's go on deck." "and leave me," cried miss ossulton. "there is phoebe here, aunt; we are going up to persuade the pirates to put us all on shore." mrs lascelles and cecilia put on their bonnets and went up. lord b. took off his hat, and begged the honour of being introduced to the pretty widow. he handed the ladies to a seat, and then commenced conversing upon various subjects, which, at the same time, possessed great novelty. his lordship talked about france, and described its ports; told now and then a good anecdote; pointed out the different headlands, bays, towns, and villages, which they were passing rapidly, and always had some little story connected with each. before the ladies had been two hours on deck, they found themselves, to their infinite surprise, not only interested, but in conversation with the captain of the smuggler, and more than once they laughed outright. but the _soi-disant_ lord b. had inspired them with confidence; they fully believed that what he had told them was true, and that he had taken possession of the yacht to smuggle his goods, to be revenged, and to have a laugh. now none of these three offences are capital in the eyes of the fair sex; and jack was a handsome, fine-looking fellow, of excellent manners, and very agreeable conversation, at the same time, neither he nor his friend were in their general deportment and behaviour otherwise than most respectful. "ladies, as you are not afraid of me, which is a greater happiness than i had reason to expect, i think you may be amused to witness the fear of those who accuse your sex of cowardice. with your permission, i will send for the cook and steward, and inquire about the dinner." "i should like to know what there is for dinner," observed mrs lascelles demurely; "wouldn't you, cecilia?" cecilia put her handkerchief to her mouth. "tell the steward and the cook both to come aft immediately," cried pickersgill. in a few seconds they both made their appearance. "steward!" cried pickersgill, with a loud voice. "yes, my lord," replied maddox, with his hat in his hand. "what wines have you put out for dinner?" "champagne, my lord; and claret, my lord; and madeira and sherry, my lord." "no burgundy, sir?" "no, my lord; there is no burgundy on board." "no burgundy, sir! do you dare to tell me that?" "upon my soul, my lord," cried maddox, dropping on his knees, "there is no burgundy on board--ask the ladies." "very well, sir; you may go." "cook, what have you got for dinner?" "sir, a haunch of mutt--of venison, my lord," replied the cook, with his white night-cap in his hand. "what else, sirrah?" "a boiled calf's head, my lord." "a boiled calf's head! let it be roasted, or i'll roast you, sir!" cried pickersgill in an angry tone. "yes, my lord; i'll roast it." "and what else, sir?" "maintenon cutlets, my lord." "maintenon cutlets! i hate them--i won't have them, sir. let them be dressed _à l'ombre chinoise_." "i don't know what that is, my lord." "i don't care for that, sirrah; if you don't find out by dinner-time, you're food for fishes--that's all; you may go." the cook walked off wringing his hands and his night-cap as well--for he still held it in his right hand--and disappeared down the fore-hatchway. "i have done this to pay you a deserved compliment, ladies; you have more courage than the other sex." "recollect that we have had confidence given to us in consequence of your pledging your word, my lord." "you do me, then, the honour of believing me?" "i did not until i saw you," replied mrs lascelles; "but now i am convinced that you will perform your promise." "you do, indeed, encourage me, madam, to pursue what is right," said pickersgill, bowing; "for your approbation i should be most sorry to lose, still more sorry to prove myself unworthy of it." as the reader will observe, everything was going on remarkably well. chapter vi the smuggling yacht cecilia returned to the cabin, to ascertain whether her aunt was more composed; but mrs lascelles remained on deck. she was much pleased with pickersgill; and they continued their conversation. pickersgill entered into a defence of his conduct to lord b.; and mrs lascelles could not but admit the provocation. after a long conversation, she hinted at his profession, and how superior he appeared to be to such a lawless life. "you may be incredulous, madam," replied pickersgill, "if i tell you that i have as good a right to quarter my arms as lord b. himself; and that i am not under my real name. smuggling is, at all events, no crime; and i infinitely prefer the wild life i lead at the head of my men, to being spurned by society because i am poor. the greatest crime in this country is poverty. i may, if i am fortunate, some day resume my name. you may, perhaps, meet me, and, if you please, you may expose me." "that i should not be likely to do," replied the widow; "but still i regret to see a person, evidently intended for better things, employed in so disreputable a profession." "i hardly know, madam, what is and what is not disreputable in this conventional world. it is not considered disreputable to cringe to the vices of a court, or to accept a pension wrung from the industry of the nation, in return for base servility. it is not considered disreputable to take tithes, intended for the service of god, and lavish them away at watering-places or elsewhere, seeking pleasure instead of doing god service. it is not considered disreputable to take fee after fee to uphold injustice, to plead against innocence, to pervert truth, and to aid the devil. it is not considered disreputable to gamble on the stock exchange, or to corrupt the honesty of electors by bribes, to doing which the penalty attached is equal to that decreed to the offence of which i am guilty. all these, and much more, are not considered disreputable; yet, by all these are the moral bonds of society loosened, while in mine we cause no guilt in others--" "but still it is a crime." "a violation of the revenue laws, and no more. observe, madam, the english government encourage the smuggling of our manufactures to the continent, at the same time that they take every step to prevent articles being smuggled into this country. now, madam, can that be a _crime_, when the head of the vessel is turned north, which becomes _no crime_ when she steers the opposite way?" "there is a stigma attached to it, you must allow." "that i grant you, madam; and as soon as i can quit the profession i shall. no captive ever sighed more to be released from his chains; but i will not leave it, till i find that i am in a situation not to be spurned and neglected by those with whom i have a right to associate." at this moment, the steward was seen forward making signs to mrs lascelles, who excused herself, and went to him. "for the love of god, madam," said maddox, "as he appears to be friendly with you, do pray find out how these cutlets are to be dressed; the cook is tearing his hair, and we shall never have any dinner; and then it will all fall upon me, and i--shall be tossed overboard." mrs lascelles desired poor maddox to wait there while she obtained the desired information. in a few minutes she returned to him. "i have found it out. they are first to be boiled in vinegar; then fried in batter, and served up with a sauce of anchovy and malaga raisins!" "first fried in vinegar; then boiled in batter, and served up with almonds and raisins!" "no--no!" mrs lascelles repeated the injunction to the frightened steward; and then returned aft, and re-entered into a conversation with pickersgill, in which for the first time, corbett now joined. corbett had sense enough to feel, that the less he came forward until his superior had established himself in the good graces of the ladies, the more favourable would be the result. in the mean time cecilia had gone down to her aunt, who still continued to wail and lament. the young lady tried all she could to console her, and to persuade her that if they were civil and obedient they had nothing to fear. "civil and obedient, indeed!" cried miss ossulton, "to a fellow who is a smuggler and a pirate! i, the sister of lord b.! never! the presumption of the wretch!" "that is all very well, aunt; but recollect, we must submit to circumstances. these men insist upon our dining with them; and we must go, or we shall have no dinner." "i sit down with a pirate! never! i'll have no dinner--i'll starve--i'll die!" "but, my dear aunt, it's the only chance we have of obtaining our release; and if you do not do it mrs lascelles will think that you wish to remain with them." "mrs lascelles judges of other people by herself." "the captain is certainly a very well-behaved, handsome man. he looks like a nobleman in disguise. what an odd thing it would be, aunt, if this should be all a hoax!" "a hoax, child?" replied miss ossulton, sitting up on the sofa. cecilia found that she had hit the right nail, as the saying is; and she brought forward so many arguments to prove that she thought it was a hoax to frighten them, and that the gentleman above was a man of consequence, that her aunt began to listen to reason, and at last consented to join the dinner-party. mrs lascelles now came down below; and when dinner was announced they repaired to the large cabin, where they found pickersgill and corbett waiting for them. miss ossulton did not venture to look up, until she heard pickersgill say to mrs lascelles, "perhaps, madam, you will do me the favour to introduce me to that lady, whom i have not had the honour of seeing before?" "certainly, my lord," replied mrs lascelles. "miss ossulton, the aunt of this young lady." mrs lascelles purposely did not introduce _his lordship_ in return, that she might mystify the old spinster. "i feel highly honoured in finding myself in the company of miss ossulton," said pickersgill. "ladies, we wait but for you to sit down. ossulton, take the head of the table and serve the soup." miss ossulton was astonished; she looked at the smugglers, and perceived two well-dressed gentlemanly men, one of whom was apparently a lord, and the other having the same family name. "it must be all a hoax," thought she; and she very quietly took to her soup. the dinner passed off very pleasantly; pickersgill was agreeable, corbett funny, and miss ossulton so far recovered herself as to drink wine with his lordship, and to ask corbett what branch of their family he belonged to. "i presume it's the irish branch," said mrs lascelles, prompting him. "exactly, madam," replied corbett. "have you ever been to torquay, ladies?" inquired pickersgill. "no, my lord," answered mrs lascelles. "we shall anchor there in the course of an hour, and probably remain there till to-morrow. steward, bring coffee. tell the cook these cutlets were remarkably well dressed." the ladies retired to the cabin. miss ossulton was now convinced that it was all a hoax; but said she, "i shall tell lord b. my opinion of their practical jokes when he returns. what is his lordship's name who is on board?" "he won't tell us," replied mrs lascelles; "but i think i know; it is lord blarney." "lord blaney you mean, i presume," said miss ossulton; "however, the thing is carried too far. cecilia, we will go on shore at torquay, and wait till the yacht returns with lord b. i don't like these jokes; they may do very well for widows, and people of no rank." now, mrs lascelles was sorry to find miss ossulton so much at her ease. she owed her no little spite, and wished for revenge. ladies will go very far to obtain this. how far mrs lascelles would have gone, i will not pretend to say; but this is certain, that the last innuendo of miss ossulton very much added to her determination. she took her bonnet and went on deck, at once told pickersgill that he could not please her or cecilia more than by frightening miss ossulton, who, under the idea that it was all a hoax, had quite recovered her spirits; talked of her pride and ill-nature, and wished her to receive a useful lesson. thus, to follow up her revenge, did mrs lascelles commit herself so far, as to be confidential with the smuggler in return. "mrs lascelles, i shall be able to obey you, and, at the same time, to combine business with pleasure." after a short conversation, the yacht dropped her anchor at torquay. it was then about two hours before sunset. as soon as the sails were furled, one or two gentlemen, who resided there, came on board to pay their respects to lord b.; and, as pickersgill had found out from cecilia that her father was acquainted with no one there, he received them in person; asked them down in the cabin; called for wine; and desired them to send their boat away, as his own was going on shore. the smugglers took great care, that the steward, cook, and lady's maid, should have no communication with the guests; one of them, by corbett's direction, being a sentinel over each individual. the gentlemen remained about half-an-hour on board, during which corbett and the smugglers had filled the portmanteaus found in the cabin with the lace, and they were put in the boat. corbett then landed the gentlemen in the same boat, and went up to the hotel, the smugglers following him with the portmanteaus, without any suspicion or interruption. as soon as he was there, he ordered post-horses, and set off for a town close by, where he had correspondents; and thus the major part of the cargo was secured. corbett then returned in the night, bringing with him people to receive the goods; and the smugglers landed the silks, teas, &c., with the same good fortune. everything was out of the yacht except a portion of the lace, which the portmanteaus would not hold. pickersgill might easily have sent this on shore; but, to please mrs lascelles, he arranged otherwise. the next morning, about an hour after breakfast was finished, mrs lascelles entered the cabin pretending to be in the greatest consternation, and fell on the sofa as if she were going to faint. "good heavens! what is the matter?" exclaimed cecilia, who knew very well what was coming. "oh, the wretch! he has made such proposals!" "proposals! what proposals? what! lord blaney?" cried miss ossulton. "oh, he's no lord! he's a villain and a smuggler! and he insists that we shall both fill our pockets full of lace, and go on shore with him." "mercy on me! then it is no hoax after all; and i've been sitting down to dinner with a smuggler!" "sitting down, madam!--if it were to be no more than that--but we are to take his arm up to the hotel. oh, dear! cecilia, i am ordered on deck, pray come with me!" miss ossulton rolled on the sofa, and rang for phoebe; she was in a state of great alarm. a knock at the door. "come in," said miss ossulton, thinking it was phoebe; when pickersgill made his appearance. "what do you want, sir? go out, sir! go out directly, or i'll scream!" "it is no use screaming, madam; recollect that all on board are at my service. you will oblige me by listening to me, miss ossulton. i am, as you know, a smuggler, and i must send this lace on shore. you will oblige me by putting it into your pockets, or about your person, and prepare to go on shore with me. as soon as we arrive at the hotel, you will deliver it to me, and i then shall reconduct you on board of the yacht. you are not the first lady who has gone on shore with contraband articles about her person." "me, sir! go on shore in that way? no, sir, never! what will the world say? the hon. miss ossulton walking with a smuggler! no, sir, never!" "yes, madam, walking arm-in-arm with a smuggler: i shall have you on one arm, and mrs lascelles on the other; and i would advise you to take it very quietly; for, in the first place, it will be you who smuggle, as the goods will be found on your person, and you will certainly be put in prison, for, at the least appearance of insubordination, we run and inform against you; and, further, your niece will remain on board as a hostage for your good behaviour, and if you have any regard for her liberty, you will consent immediately." pickersgill left the cabin, and shortly afterwards cecilia and mrs lascelles entered, apparently much distressed. they had been informed of all, and mrs lascelles declared, that, for her part, sooner than leave her poor cecilia to the mercy of such people, she had made up her mind to submit to the smuggler's demands. cecilia also begged so earnestly, that miss ossulton, who had no idea that it was a trick, with much sobbing and blubbering, consented. when all was ready, cecilia left the cabin; pickersgill came down, handed up the two ladies, who had not exchanged a word with each other during cecilia's absence; the boat was ready alongside--they went in, and pulled on shore. everything succeeded to the smuggler's satisfaction. miss ossulton, frightened out of her wits, took his arm; and, with mrs lascelles on the other, they went up to the hotel, followed by four of his boat's crew. as soon as they were shown into a room, corbett, who was already on shore, asked for lord b., and joined them. the ladies retired to another apartment, divested themselves of their contraband goods, and, after calling for some sandwiches and wine, pickersgill waited an hour, and then returned on board. mrs lascelles was triumphant; and she rewarded her new ally, the smuggler, with one of her sweetest smiles. community of interest will sometimes make strange friendships. chapter vii conclusion we must now return to the other parties who have assisted in the acts of this little drama. lord b., after paddling and paddling, the men relieving each other in order to make head against the wind which was off shore, arrived about midnight at a small town in west bay, from whence he took a chaise on to portsmouth, taking it for granted that his yacht would arrive as soon as, if not before himself, little imagining that it was in possession of the smugglers. there he remained three or four days, when, becoming impatient, he applied to one of his friends who had a yacht at cowes, and sailed with him to look after his own. we left the _happy-go-lucky_ chased by the revenue cutter. at first the smuggler had the advantage before the wind; but, by degrees, the wind went round with the sun, and brought the revenue cutter to leeward: it was then a chase on a wind, and the revenue cutter came fast up with her. morrison, perceiving that he had no chance of escape, let run the ankers of brandy that he might not be condemned; but still he was in an awkward situation, as he had more men on board than allowed by act of parliament. he therefore stood on, notwithstanding the shot of the cutter went over and over him, hoping that a fog or night might enable him to escape; but he had no such good fortune,--one of the shot carried away the head of his mast, and the _happy-go-lucky's_ luck was all over. he was boarded and taken possession of; he asserted that the extra men were only passengers; but, in the first place, they were dressed in seamen's clothes; and, in the second, as soon as the boat was aboard of her, appleboy had gone down to his gin-toddy, and was not to be disturbed. the gentlemen smugglers therefore passed an uncomfortable night; and the cutter going to portland by daylight before appleboy was out of bed, they were taken on shore to the magistrate. hautaine explained the whole affair, and they were immediately released and treated with respect; but they were not permitted to depart until they were bound over to appear against the smugglers, and prove the brandy having been on board. they then set off for portsmouth in the seamen's clothes, having had quite enough of yachting for that season, mr ossulton declaring that he only wanted to get his luggage, and then he would take care how he put himself again in the way of the shot of a revenue cruiser, or of sleeping a night on her decks. in the mean time morrison and his men were locked up in the jail, the old man, as the key was turned on him, exclaiming, as he raised his foot in vexation, "that cursed blue pigeon!" we will now return to the yacht. about an hour after pickersgill had come on board, corbett had made all his arrangements and followed him. it was not advisable to remain at torquay any longer, through fear of discovery; he, therefore, weighed the anchor before dinner, and made sail. "what do you intend to do now, my lord?" said mrs lascelles. "i intend to run down to cowes, anchor the yacht in the night; and an hour before daylight have you in my boat with all my men. i will take care that you are in perfect safety, depend upon it, even if i run a risk. i should, indeed, be miserable, if, through my wild freaks, any accident should happen to mrs lascelles or miss ossulton." "i am very anxious about my father," observed cecilia. "i trust that you will keep your promise." "i always have hitherto, miss ossulton; have i not?" "ours is but a short and strange acquaintance." "i grant it; but it will serve for you to talk about long after. i shall disappear as suddenly as i have come--you will neither of you, in all probability, ever see me again." the dinner was announced, and they sat down to table as before; but the elderly spinster refused to make her appearance; and mrs lascelles and cecilia, who thought she had been frightened enough, did not attempt to force her. pickersgill immediately yielded to these remonstrances, and, from that time she remained undisturbed in the ladies' cabin, meditating over the indignity of having sat down to table, having drank wine, and been obliged to walk on shore, taking the arm of a smuggler, and appear in such a humiliating situation. the wind was light, and they made but little progress, and were not abreast of portland till the second day, when another yacht appeared in sight, and the two vessels slowly neared until in the afternoon they were within four miles of each other. it then fell a dead calm--signals were thrown out by the other yacht, but could not be distinguished, and, for the last time, they sat down to dinner. three days' companionship on board of a vessel, cooped up together, and having no one else to converse with, will produce intimacy; and pickersgill was a young man of so much originality and information, that he was listened to with pleasure. he never attempted to advance beyond the line of strict decorum and politeness; and his companion was equally unpresuming. situated as they were, and feeling what must have been the case had they fallen into other hands, both cecilia and mrs lascelles felt some degree of gratitude towards him; and, although anxious to be relieved from so strange a position, they had gradually acquired a perfect confidence in him, and this had produced a degree of familiarity, on their parts, although never ventured upon by the smuggler. as corbett was at the table, one of the men came down and made a sign. corbett shortly after quitted the table and went on deck. "i wish, my lord, you would come up a moment, and see if you can make this flag out," said corbett, giving a significant nod to pickersgill. "excuse me, ladies, one moment," said pickersgill, who went on deck. "it is the boat of the yacht coming on board," said corbett; "and lord b. is in the stern-sheets with the gentleman who was with him." "and how many men in the boat?--let me see--only four. well, let his lordship and his friend come: when they are on the deck, have the men ready in case of accident; but if you can manage to tell the boat's crew that they are to go on board again, and get rid of them that way, so much the better. arrange this with adams, and then come down again--his lordship must see us all at dinner." pickersgill then descended, and corbett had hardly time to give his directions and to resume his seat, before his lordship and mr stewart pulled up alongside and jumped on deck. there was no one to receive them but the seamen, and those whom they did not know. they looked round in amazement; at last his lordship said to adams, who stood forward, "what men are you?" "belong to the yacht, ye'r honour." lord b. heard laughing in the cabin; he would not wait to interrogate the men; he walked aft, followed by mr stewart, looked down the skylight, and perceived his daughter and mrs lascelles with, as he supposed, hautaine and ossulton. pickersgill had heard the boat rub the side, and the sound of the feet on deck, and he talked the more loudly, that the ladies might be caught by lord b. as they were. he heard their feet at the skylight, and knew that they could hear what passed; and at that moment he proposed to the ladies that as this was their last meeting at table they should all take a glass of champagne to drink to "their happy meeting with lord b." this was a toast which they did not refuse. maddox poured out the wine, and they were all bowing to each other, when his lordship, who had come down the ladder, walked into the cabin, followed by mr stewart. cecilia perceived her father; the champagne-glass dropped from her hand--she flew into his arms, and burst into tears. "who would not be a father, mrs lascelles?" said pickersgill, quietly seating himself, after having first risen to receive lord b. "and pray, whom may i have the honour of finding established here?" said lord b., in an angry tone, speaking over his daughter's head, who still lay in his arms. "by heavens, yes?--stewart, it is the smuggling captain dressed out." "even so, my lord," replied pickersgill. "you abandoned your yacht to capture me; you left these ladies in a vessel crippled for want of men; they might have been lost. i have returned good for evil by coming on board with my own people, and taking charge of them. this night, i expected to have anchored your vessel in cowes, and have left them in safety." "by the--" cried stewart. "stop, sir, if you please!" cried pickersgill; "recollect you have once already attacked one who never offended. oblige me by refraining from intemperate language; for i tell you i will not put up with it. recollect, sir, that i have refrained from that, and also from taking advantage of you when you were in my power. recollect, sir, also, that the yacht is still in possession of the smugglers, and that you are in no condition to insult with impunity. my lord, allow me to observe, that we men are too hot of temperament to argue, or listen coolly. with your permission, your friend, and my friend, and i, will repair on deck, leaving you to hear from your daughter and that lady all that has passed. after that, my lord, i shall be most happy to hear anything which your lordship may please to say." "upon my word--" commenced mr stewart. "mr stewart," interrupted cecilia ossulton, "i request your silence; nay, more, if ever we are again to sail in the same vessel together, i _insist_ upon it." "your lordship will oblige me by enforcing miss ossulton's request," said mrs lascelles. mr stewart was dumbfounded, no wonder, to find the ladies siding with the smuggler. "i am obliged to you ladies for your interference," said pickersgill; "for, although i have the means of enforcing conditions, i should be sorry to avail myself of them. i wait for his lordship's reply." lord b. was very much surprised. he wished for an explanation; he bowed with _hauteur_. everybody appeared to be in a false position; even he, lord b., somehow or another had bowed to a smuggler. pickersgill and stewart went on deck, walking up and down, crossing each other without speaking, but reminding you of two dogs who both are anxious to fight, but have been restrained by the voice of their masters. corbett followed, and talked in a low tone to pickersgill; stewart went over to leeward to see if the boat was still alongside, but it had long before returned to the yacht. miss ossulton had heard her brother's voice, but did not come out of the after-cabin; she wished to be magnificent and, at the same time, she was not sure whether all was right, phoebe having informed her that there was nobody with her brother and mr stewart, and that the smugglers still had the command of the vessel. after a while, pickersgill and corbett went down forward, and returned dressed in the smuggler's clothes, when they resumed their walk on the deck. in the mean time, it was dark; the cutter flew along the coast; and the needles' lights were on the larboard bow. the conversation between cecilia, mrs lascelles, and her father, was long. when all had been detailed, and the conduct of pickersgill duly represented, lord b. acknowledged that, by attacking the smuggler, he had laid himself open to retaliation; that pickersgill had shown a great deal of forbearance in every instance; and, after all, had he not gone on board the yacht she might have been lost, with only three seamen on board. he was amused with the smuggling and the fright of his sister; still more with the gentlemen being sent to cherbourg, and much consoled that he was not the only one to be laughed at. he was also much pleased with pickersgill's intention of leaving the yacht safe in cowes harbour, his respect to the property on board, and his conduct to the ladies. on the whole, he felt grateful to pickersgill; and where there is gratitude there is always good will. "but who can he be?" said mrs lascelles; "his name he acknowledges not to be pickersgill; and he told me confidentially that he was of good family." "confidentially, my dear mrs lascelles!" said lord b. "oh, yes! we are both his confidants. are we not, cecilia?" "upon my honour, mrs lascelles, this smuggler appears to have made an impression which many have attempted in vain." mrs lascelles did not reply to that remark, but said, "now, my lord, you must decide--and i trust you will to oblige us--treat him as he has treated us, with the greatest respect and kindness." "why should you suppose otherwise?" replied lord b.; "it is not only my wish but my interest so to do. he may take us over to france to-night, or anywhere else. has he not possession of the vessel?" "yes," replied cecilia; "but we flatter ourselves that we have _the command_. shall we call him down, papa?" "ring for maddox. maddox, tell mr pickersgill, who is on deck, that i wish to speak with him, and shall be obliged by his stepping down into the cabin." "who, my lord? what? _him_?" "yes, _him_," replied cecilia, laughing. "must i call him, my lord, now, miss?" "you may do as you please, maddox; but recollect, he is still in possession of the vessel," replied cecilia. "then, with your lordship's permission, i will; it's the safest way." the smuggler entered the cabin; the ladies started as he appeared in his rough costume, with his throat open, and his loose black handkerchief. he was the _beau idéal_ of a handsome sailor. "your lordship wishes to communicate with me?" "mr pickersgill, i feel that you have had cause of enmity against me, and that you have behaved with forbearance. i thank you for your considerate treatment of the ladies; and i assure you, that i feel no resentment for what has passed." "my lord, i am quite satisfied with what you have said; and i only hope that, in future, you will not interfere with a poor smuggler, who may be striving, by a life of danger and privation, to procure subsistence for himself and, perhaps, his family. i stated to these ladies my intention of anchoring the yacht this night at cowes, and leaving her as soon as she was in safety. your unexpected presence will only make this difference, which is, that i must previously obtain your lordship's assurance that those with you will allow me and my men to quit her without molestation, after we have performed this service." "i pledge you my word, mr pickersgill, and i thank you into the bargain. i trust you will allow me to offer some remuneration." "most certainly not, my lord." "at all events, mr pickersgill, if, at any other time, i can be of service, you may command me." pickersgill made no reply. "surely, mr pickersgill,--" "pickersgill! how i hate that name!" said the smuggler, musing. "i beg your lordship's pardon--if i may require your assistance for any of my unfortunate companions--" "not for yourself, mr pickersgill?" said mrs lascelles. "madam, i smuggle no more." "for the pleasure i feel in hearing that resolution, mr pickersgill," said cecilia, "take my hand and thanks." "and mine," said mrs lascelles, half crying. "and mine, too," said lord b., rising up. pickersgill passed the back of his hand across his eyes, turned round, and left the cabin. "i'm so happy!" said mrs lascelles, bursting into tears. "he's a magnificent fellow," observed lord b. "come, let us all go on deck." "you have not seen my aunt, papa." "true; i'll go in to her, and then follow you." the ladies went upon deck. cecilia entered into conversation with mr stewart, giving him a narrative of what had happened. mrs lascelles sat abaft at the taffrail, with her pretty hand supporting her cheek, looking very much _à la juliette_. "mrs lascelles," said pickersgill, "before we part, allow me to observe, that it is _you_ who have induced me to give up my profession--" "why me, mr pickersgill?" "you said that you did not like it." mrs lascelles felt the force of the compliment. "you said, just now, that you hated the name of pickersgill: why do you call yourself so?" "it was my smuggling name, mrs lascelles." "and now, that you have left off smuggling, pray what may be the name we are to call you by?" "i cannot resume it till i have not only left this vessel, but shaken hands with, and bid farewell to, my companions; and by that time, mrs lascelles, i shall be away from you." "but i've a great curiosity to know it, and a lady's curiosity must be gratified. you must call upon me some day, and tell it me. here is my address." pickersgill received the card with a low bow: and lord b. coming on deck, mrs lascelles hastened to meet him. the vessel was now passing the bridge at the needles, and the smuggler piloted her on. as soon as they were clear and well inside, the whole party went down into the cabin, lord b. requesting pickersgill and corbett to join him in a parting glass. mr stewart, who had received the account of what had passed from cecilia, was very attentive to pickersgill, and took an opportunity of saying, that he was sorry that he had said or done anything to annoy him. every one recovered his spirits; and all was good humour and mirth, because miss ossulton adhered to her resolution of not quitting the cabin till she could quit the yacht. at ten o'clock the yacht was anchored. pickersgill took his leave of the honourable company, and went in his boat with his men; and lord b. was again in possession of his vessel, although he had not a ship's company. maddox recovered his usual tone; and the cook flourished his knife, swearing that he should like to see the smuggler who would again order him to dress cutlets _à l'ombre chinoise_. the yacht had remained three days at cowes, when lord b. received a letter from pickersgill, stating that the men of his vessel had been captured, and would be condemned, in consequence of their having the gentlemen on board, who were bound to appear against them, to prove that they had sunk the brandy. lord b. paid all the recognisances, and the men were liberated for want of evidence. it was about two years after this that cecilia ossulton, who was sitting at her work-table in deep mourning for her aunt, was presented with a letter by the butler. it was from her friend mrs lascelles, informing her that she was married again to a mr davenant, and intended to pay her a short visit on her way to the continent. mr and mrs davenant arrived the next day; and when the latter introduced her husband, she said to miss ossulton, "look, cecilia, dear, and tell me if you have ever seen davenant before." cecilia looked earnestly: "i have, indeed," cried she at last, extending her hand with warmth; "and happy am i to meet with him again." for in mr davenant she recognised her old acquaintance, the captain of the _happy-go-lucky_, jack pickersgill, the smuggler. the end.